April 27, 1998 | Volume 87, number 26 | Index
Office of Communications, Stanhope Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544
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Block studies the unimaginably small
By JoAnn Gutin

You don't want your lab in an earthquake-safe building," says Molecular Biology professor Steven Block, trotting briskly though a basement hallway in Schultz Lab. "Earthquake-resistant buildings sway. What you want is an old brick building like this, with nice thick walls." He pauses for a nanosecond to pat the wall affectionately. "It's not going anywhere."
    In Block's line of work a steady infrastructure is essential. ...

Independent major needs to think ahead
By Caroline Moseley

Think ahead." That's the advice independent major Mark Ellis '99 offers students who, like him, have academic interests that cannot be pursued within an existing department at Princeton.
      Ellis is majoring in political psychology, which he defines as "the psychological processes associated with political behavior at the individual, group, national and international levels."
      While it is "very possible" to craft an independent concentration, says Ellis, "It takes planning and creativity."
      The first stop for a would-be independent concentrator, he says, is Associate Dean of the College Hank Dobin, who acts as departmental representative for independent concentrators.
      Independent concentrators must submit a coherent course of study, with plans for junior and senior independent work. All University writing, language and distribution requirements must be fulfilled as well, and the proposal must have the support of at least two faculty members. ...

President Harold T. Shapiro has initiated a process for the periodic review of all administrative activities, as part of an effort to create budgetary savings by redesigning administrative organizations and processes. The University is undertaking a review of the Facilities Department as the first in a series that will encompass all aspects of the University administration over the course of the next three or four years, Shapiro said. ...

"The Ivy League Remembers ... A Cappella for MADD" is the title of a May 3 concert by the Princeton Tigertones, Harvard Krokodiloes and Yale Whiffenpoofs at Carnegie Hall in New York City. All proceeds from the concert will benefit the ongoing work of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD).
     "This collaboration is a result of the Tigertones' all-too-personal experience with drunk driving toward the end of our 1997 spring tour," says Brian Goehring '98, who was with the group in Florida when an out-of-control driver struck a car carrying Richard Modica '99 and three fellow Tigertones. Goehring was in the van driving ahead of the car, which was struck twice and flipped over, killing Modica and severely injuring classmate Kelly Armendariz. Armendariz was in the hospital for many weeks before returning to Princeton and the Tigertones. ...
 

Three of Four Women of Egypt

The director and three of the women featured in the award-winning documentary Four Women of Egypt will appear at Princeton on April 29 as part of the American debut of a tale of friendship that thrives amid political change. The screening will be at 4:00 p.m. in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall, with a discussion following the film. ...

Below: Shahrenda Maklad (l) in Four Women

Ensemble presents Relâche ... Thesis Show ... Roaming gods ... Kamm speaks on Chinese prisoners ... U-Store talk, book signings ... Shakespeare Co. performs'Tis Pity She's a Whore ... Improv appears in Murray-Dodge ... Chamber players feature German Romantic era ... U League benefit ... Twenty-eight students perform for Music 213 ... Friends present concerts in Taplin ... Library requests all reserve orders

Editor: Sally Freedman
Associate editor: Caroline Moseley
Calendar and production editor:
    Carolyn Geller
Senior writer: JoAnn Gutin
Photographers:
    Denise Applewhite,
    Robert P. Matthews
Web edition: Mahlon Lovett