He's back, he's bronze and he's big as life. Archie, a life-size replica of an ancient mammoth, arrived at its new at the University of Nebraska State Museum, Wednesday, and was installed Thursday on the Tanner Plaza in front of the museum. The giant bronze statue by Fred Hoppe of Malcolm, was loaded on a flatbed truck at the Caleco Foundry in Cody, Wyo., on Monday and traveled to Lincoln, crossing the same land now-extinct mammoths roamed more than 30,000 years ago.

The statue is 15 feet, 7 inches tall, weighs 5,000 pounds and is patterned after the giant fossil skeleton on display in Elephant Hall in the Museum. On Nov. 21, Archie and the Tanner Plaza will be dedicated. An open house in the Museum, featuring a number of activities for children and adults, will follow the ceremony. Volunteers are needed to assist with activities ranging from helping kids make mammoth masks to supervising a replicated paleontology dig site. If you are interested in volunteering, contact Marian Langan, education coordinator, at 472-6872.

Above, Caleco Foundry employee Sam Willde helps load the bronze life-sized Archie onto a flatbed truck for shipping to Nebraska Monday from Cody, Wyo. The statue will stand outside the University of Nebraska State Museum.

Wilde adjusts a strap on Archie prior to its loading. The statue's form was drawn from a fossil mammoth found in Lincoln County in 1922.

NASA, UNL Combine to Study 'Eye in the Sky' Technologies

Partnership of CALMIT, SPACE AGENCY Aims at Commercializing Remote Technologies

By Charlie Flowerday, CSD editor

NASA is contributing $600,000 to a partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to fund research aimed at making commercial use of several "eye in the sky" technologies.

The space agency has signed the three-year cooperative agreement, budgeted at a total of $860,000, with UNL's Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (CALMIT). The balance of the funding will come from CALMIT and the Conservation and Survey Division, of which it's a part.

Until recently, technologies such as remote sensing, geographic information systems and global positioning were used almost exclusively by government organizations and university scientists. But lately, private sector companies have begun to see the potential of these powerful means of assessing natural conditions.

In fact, many companies in Nebraska and the Great Plains have been interested in developing these technologies for commercial use but have been limited by the rather formidable start-up and training costs.

The agreement between CALMIT and NASA will create a research center aimed at commercial applications of aerial photography and satellite imagery; computerized means of analyzing geographic information; and satellite-assisted methods for determining exact location.

"This is intended to lead to economic development in this region," said Al Peters, CALMIT research associate heading the project. The price of commercial use of such technologies is dropping rapidly, he added, even as the accuracy and ground resolution is improving greatly.

"These technologies are really the enabling technologies of the next generation," he said.

In pursuit of private-sector partners, CALMIT is seeking corporations interested in developing practical applications of these spatial-information technologies. The initial emphasis will be in mapping and analysis of vegetation and other land cover, water quality and wetlands assessment, and site-specific management in farming and ranching, often called precision agriculture.

To promote private sector interest, NASA plans to fly over Lincoln and the University of Nebraska field laboratory at Mead to do airborne remote sensing of plant vigor and other land-cover conditions. Data will be used to create a demonstration poster of each region, Peters said.

The grant calls for CALMIT to work with four companies a year, and project administrators expect the grant to be extended. Possible partners include agribusiness firms, agronomic and environmental consultants, mapping companies, agricultural equipment firms and companies that design remote-sensing equipment and geographic information software.

Companies now involved with CALMIT in developing applications of advanced land management technologies are Data Transmission Network of Omaha, a electronic agricultural information service; Photon Research Associates of Albuquerque, N.M., interested in agricultural applications; and Positive Systems of Kalispell, Mont., a remote sensing equipment maker and service provider.

Examples of expected research include a study of nitrogen deficiency in crops by Jim Schepers, a U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service scientist based at UNL's agronomy department near Shelton, in cooperation with Resources 21 and the USDA-ARS. Schepers, Mike Schlemmer, also with UNL agronomy, and colleagues are studying remote sensing as a way to monitor nitrogen stress for crop insurance companies, which then would insure farmers against nitrogen deficiency losses as producers scale back fertilizer applications to safeguard groundwater. Hail insurance firms also are very interested in commercial applications of remote sensing to accurately document hail losses, Peters said.

The Conservation and Survey Division is a unit of NU's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

University's Combined Campaign Fund Drive Under Way

Show that you care . . . Share!

That is the theme and the goal for this year's United Way/CHAD/Community Services Combined Campaign. Combined Campaign chair Karen Craig, dean of the College of Human Resources and Family Sciences, said that sharing is one way of showing that you care about those around you.

The campaign kicked off at two identical events on Oct. 22 and end on Nov. 20.

The NU Combined Campaign raises money for 41 United Way-supported agencies in Lincoln and Lancaster County; the Combined Health Agencies Drive (CHAD), a federation of 15 nationally based health service and education agencies; and the Community Services Fund, a coalition of 19 nonprofit organizations.

Volunteers from departments and units will distribute packets and pledge cards to all university employees. The cards should be returned by Nov. 13.

"The goal this year is to increase both participation and size of gifts," Craig said. "Last year, about 39 percent of University of Nebraska employees contributed. We would like to have at least a 50 percent participation rate. Of course, we really want 100 percent participation."

The university is a major partner in the countywide campaign. University of Nebrasak gifts of $229,379 comprised 6.3 percent of all donations made in 1997.

Employees may include a check in the envelope or designate a payroll deduction.

It doesn't take a lot to make a big difference because of the power of combined giving, Craig said. For instance, just $2 a week would provide a stroller and diapers for four young mothers through the YWCA or provide a group activity for 20 children who are on a waiting list through Heartland Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The number of agencies involved in the combined campaign makes giving flexible and easy, Craig said. Earmarked donations to particular agencies are honored; 100 percent of those gifts go to those agencies. United Way spends about 10 cents of every dollar given to the unrestricted fund to support its activities. It is efficient in the way it uses its resources, she added.

One in three persons in Lancaster County uses one of the many programs supported through the Combined Campaign -- health, youth, educational, recreational and safety net.

"The combined activities of these programs makes Lincoln the kind of community we want to live in," she said. "That is why we stay here. They offer and support the kinds of services that affect each of us. For example, the American Red Cross, a United Way agency, provides first aid services at Memorial Stadium and other public events in the community."

The Combined Campaign Cabinet includes 28 people who help coordinate volunteers and provide advice on the campaign. The 1998 members are: Van Arumuganathan, College of Architecture; Bethany Bergmeyer, NU Foundation; Heidi Cuca, Athletic Department; Steve

Culver, College of Business Administration; Bruce Currin, Business & Finance; Amy Dodson, College of Arts & Sciences; Samy Elias, College of Engineering & Technology; Bernadette Ference, UN Federal Credit Union; Dick Fleming, Institute of Agriculture & Natural Resources; Renee Hagerman, Office of the Chancellor; John Harris, Student Affairs; Charlotte Hazard, Division of Continuing Studies; Melanie Kellogg, College of Human Resources and Family Sciences; Julie Lee, College of Fine & Performing Arts; Donna Liss, Information Services; Cathy Lund, NETV; Tom Mason, College of Nursing; Beth McNeil, Libraries; Michele Miller, College of Public Affairs & Community Services; Michael Molvar, College of Dentistry; David O'Doherty, NU Foundation; Joyce Richter, Teachers College; Joanna Rogers, College of Law; Joe Rowson, Central Administration; Jeanette Theer, Academic Affairs; Kevin Wright, Alumni Association; Judith Yeck, College of Journalism; Mike Zeleny, Research.

Alumni Masters Share Expertise in Public Sessions

By Karen Underwood

Public Relations

Students, faculty, staff and the public can talk with "Albert Einstein," hear the latest developments in foreign policy from a former ambassador, learn how a Nebraska farm girl became a technical wiz, and meet a veterinarian who specializes in providing pets with 24-hour emergency care, from alumni who are returning to campus for Master's Week, Oct. 28-30, on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

Arthur Hughes is a career diplomat whose current work focuses on peacekeeping. He is the director general of the Multinational Force and Observers in Rome, and is a former ambassador to the Republic of Yemen. He was also deputy assistant secretary of defense and was heavily involved in Desert Shield and Desert Storm. At 4 p.m. Oct. 29, he will discuss the role of language instruction in the foreign service during a colloquium in room 1126 Oldfather Hall. At 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30, he will discuss human rights and U.S. foreign policy issues during a colloquium in the Nebraska Union, room posted. Hughes earned a B.A. in history in 1961.

Debra Miller's interest in helping critically ill animals led her to specialize in emergency care, and ultimately, to starting Animal Health Services, a 24-hour full-service veterinary clinic in Sommers Point, N.J. She will speak on her experiences at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 30 in room A130 of the Animal Science Building. Miller earned a B.S. in animal science in 1979.

Scott Stevens is considered a pioneer in the use of interactive technology. He is the co-director of the Entertainment Technology Center and a senior systems scientist at the Information Technology Center at Carnegie Mellon University. He recently attracted national attention for his use of speech recognition software in a synthetic interview program featuring a virtual Albert Einstein. He will show this program in addition to participating in a number of discussions on technology and education. He earned his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction in 1984.

From 10 a.m. to noon on Oct. 29, Stevens will participate in a panel presentation called "Ownership of Electronic Curriculum: Developing an Institutional Policy," in room 116 L.W. Chase Hall. The presentation will be broadcast on NEB*SAT II, Channel 102, and closed circuit television campus channel 5. Videostreaming will be broadcast on htth://www-class.unl.edu/TLTR. A viewing site will be available in the Nebraska Union, room posted. Viewers can call in questions at 472-8201 or 1-800-755-7765.

At 7 p.m. Oct. 29, Stevens will present a lecture, "Synthetic Interviews: The Art of Creating a 'Dyad' Between Human and Machine-Based Characters," in room 102 Hamilton Hall. Stevens will demonstrate a synthetic interview and describe the technology behind it. Synthetic interviews provide a means of conversing with an individual or character, permitting users to ask questions in a conversational manner, and receive answers to the questions asked. Human attributes such as reflection, humor, perplexity, bewilderment, frustration and enjoyment are captured to create a human-like interaction. Stevens and colleague Michael Christel developed synthetic interview technology at Carnegie Mellon University.

At 10:30 a.m. Oct. 30, Stevens will demonstrate his virtual Albert Einstein program, (an example of a synthetic interview) in room 201 Brace Lab. During "Discussions with Einstein: An Intimate Class With Al," participants will be invited to converse with a virtual Al. This session will be repeated at 11:30 a.m.

At 3:45 p.m. Oct. 30, Stevens' visit will culminate with his lecture "The Death of Reading, the Re-Birth of Paper: Effectiveness of Digital Video Libraries in the Classroom," in room 115 Burnett Hall. Stevens will discuss the impact of synthetic interviews and digital video libraries (which provide students access to thousands of hours of educational and news videos) on learning today and their impact on learning in the future.

As the network design and performance analysis director at AT&T Labs Advanced Technologies, Patricia Wirth's work ensures customers can get service, even when natural disasters or high-calling volumes cause unpredictable demand surges on the network. At 3:30 p.m. Oct. 28, she will present "Telecommunications Traffic Modeling," in room 203 Oldfather Hall. During this presentation, she will review state of the art in telecommunications traffic modeling, compare several proposed models, and propose areas for continued research.

At 5:45 p.m. Oct. 29, she will present "Creating a Technical Career: From Nebraska Farm Girl to AT&T Labs Fellow," in room 115 Burnett Hall. Wirth is an experienced mentor who has expanded the involvement of women in the nation's premier industrial lab. She will address career paths in mathematics, science and engineering as well as the skills and talents needed to be successful. She will highlight some of the challenges, accomplishments and influences on her own career. Wirth earned her B.S. in mathematics in 1971.

Committee Recommends Changes in Political Science Department

After investigating the climate for women in the political science department, an ad hoc committee appointed by Chancellor James Moeser found no hard evidence of gender inequity in the department.

In addition, the ad hoc committee rejected an earlier recommendation from a panel of the Academic Rights and Responsibilities Committee to place the department in receivership. That would have meant placing the department under the leadership of an outside administrator. The committee did, however, make seven recommendations to improve the climate for women in the department.

Moeser named the three-person ad hoc committee to review the department's climate after allegations surfaced last spring that the department tolerates gender discrimination. Moeser has repeatedly called for a tolerant and civil campus climate and said he is committed to building a more hospitable environment at the university.

The group based its recommendations, in part, on a survey last summer of faculty, staff and graduate students in the department. The committee reported the survey results show that "a vast majority of respondents did not identify problems with gender-related differential treatment in the department." However, the committee noted some issues that warranted recommendations to improve the climate for women in the department.

The recommendations as worded in the report follow:

• The department needs to continue to work very hard to recruit more women (faculty).
• Training on university policies and procedures for the appropriate methods of responding to claims of gender bias or sexual harassment and general departmental dispute resolution should be provided by the Affirmative Action Office or an outside consultant to the department chair. The faculty will then have primary responsibility for providing training to its graduate students.
• The department should utilize its internal document, "The Department Structures Statement," in orientations with graduate students to communicate its policy against gender bias or discrimination.
• The department should be allowed to continue its practice of inquiring of a complainant what remedy is desired. However, the total burden should not be placed on the complainant to determine the appropriate action, and the department should be sure to follow up with the complainant.
• The department should be allowed to continue its Committee on Departmental Relations in a version consistent with university policies as an option for individuals to present claims of sexual harassment or gender bias. However, it should be clearly communicated to students and faculty that there are other options available, such as a report made directly to the chair or a report to the Affirmative Action Office.
• The department should enforce its policy of requiring that all postings (e.g., on bulletin boards) be signed and dated. Inappropriate postings should be the subject of discussions with the offender specifically and the department generally.
• The department should develop practices that demonstrate its sensitivity to the social needs of faculty and graduate students who do not fit the departmental norm - the non-funded graduate students, women and those with varied interests and backgrounds.

The committee report and recommendations have been accepted by Moeser, who will report to the chair of the ARRC and the president of the Academic Senate. Moeser said he is pleased with the committee's investigation.

"From my perspective, this report is one of the most scholarly and thorough reviews of such a situation I've ever examined," he said. Moeser added that further details about the report won't be released to maintain confidentiality in personnel issues.