Brown and White Vol. 121 no. 7

              Vol. 121 No. 7
Friday, September 30, 2011
‘All the Lehigh News First’
THE BROWN AND WHITE
Lehigh University’s Student Newspaper Founded in 1894
SPORTS
Football team
faces Yale
Page 12
ONLINE
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Some tips for
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Page 5
LIFESTYLE
By MAI HANOON
Lehigh research in the humanities and social sci­ences has recently received a $1.1 million enhance­ment, thanks to Dale S. Strohl, ’58.
“Dale Strohl’s generosity means that students will find support for their most creative ideas and inno­vative research projects,” said Donald Hall, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “This gift will sup­port and reward ground-breaking and highly original projects.”
The Dale S. Strohl ’58 Awards for Research Ex­cellence in Social Sciences and Humanities will help fund undergraduate and graduate research. This re­search will include involvement in faculty research, as well as individual research with faculty mentor­ship, said Alan Snyder, vice president and associate provost for research and graduate studies.
Strohl, who earned his bachelor’s degree in psy­chology, has been greatly involved in the growth of Lehigh. In addition to his most recent gift, he was involved in the renovation of Linderman Library and the construction of the STEPS building.
Snyder said research is a vital portion of an edu­cation and is grateful for Strohl’s gift.
“Through involvement in research, students can experience firsthand how real-world problems give rise to important research questions, learn methods of inquiry and problem-solving and see how the re­sults might be applied to contribute to solutions,” he said.
Snyder also said the program will emphasize the expansion of students’ capabilities through specific topics. The program will also support accelerated completion of doctoral programs.
Hall said he agreed with Snyder on the impor­tance of research and that it can lead to practical improvements in the outside community.
“I hope that all of our students will think of ways that their research will translate into tangible so­cial goods, that we all envision ourselves as putting theories and abstract knowledge into practice for the benefit of society,” he said.
The awards will fund several different types of projects with a focus on a benefit to society.
“I would imagine that projects that work to stretch the boundaries of traditional disciplines and that promise to effect positive social change in the world beyond the Lehigh campus are the ones that will be the most compelling,” Hall said.
The program will be open for applications this spring semester. Students will be able to apply for an award with the support of faculty mentors. Hall said the program will likely be selective.
“We want as many students to apply as possible when the awards applications are announced, so that the most exciting ideas are nurtured and supported,” he said.
Word of mouth is spreading awareness about the awards throughout the student body, and it seems that people are getting interested.
“I heard about it from one of my friends who’s
Alum donates $1.1 million to fund research
By TAYLOR BRANDES
Lehigh advanced its initiative in the health sciences and related fields by hiring renowned bioethicist Dena S. Davis as the first Presidential Endowed Chair in Health.
The position is the result of a 2008 endowment by the Board of Trustees, which set aside $3 mil­lion for salary and research support in an effort to recruit outstanding scholars in the field of health to Lehigh. The endowment called for a professorship in social sciences and humanities and another pro­fessorship in the science and engineering.
Davis, who assumed her position Aug. 1, is the Health Chair in social sciences and humanities. The search continues for the science and engineer­ing chair.
“I like Lehigh a lot,” Davis said. “Lehigh does a great job orienting new faculty. I am really enjoy­ing my students. I am teaching a freshman seminar now, so we are all new together and help each other adjust.
“I am learning to walk up hills — Cleveland was pretty flat in comparison to this,” she said.
Davis’ most recent teaching post was at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. According to the Lehigh press release regarding her hiring, Davis is expected to advance and develop re­search with faculty across curriculums and foster relationships with local and national healthcare communities.
“I will be teaching one class a semester,” she said. “The other part of my job will be to be a cata­lyst in interdisciplinary studies related to health.”
The committee that hired Davis was co-chaired by professors George DuPaul, of the Department of Education and Human Services, and Judith Lasker, of the Department of Sociology and
See DAVIS Page 4
New Chair to improve health, science studies
Greenway completes first phase of construction
By LAURA QUAGLIARIELLO and ALEXANDER RINALDI
After a few years of planning, fol­lowed by construction and intense anticipation, the South Bethlehem Greenway has completed its prelim­inary phase of development: about 1.4 miles of the 3-mile park is now finished.
A press conference was held this past Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 3 p.m. on the section of the greenway be­tween Webster and Taylor streets to dedicate a new sculpture, “Blue Her­ons,” designed by Bethlehem sculp­tor Virginia Abbot, and a garden of native plant species.
Mayor John Callahan spoke at the press conference; he was joined by Abbot, President Alice P. Gast and representatives from the Com­munity Action Development Corpo­ration of Bethlehem.
Abbot’s statue was built out of waste that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill, making recy­cling the theme of the day.
“In many ways, the greenway itself is the ultimate display of recy­cling,” Callahan said. “In an already well-developed city, we must learn to take what is old and make it us­able again.”
The bottom of the statue is deco­rated with flowers and critters such as rabbits, frogs and turtles wrought out of metal. Abbot is nationally known for addressing environmental issues in her artwork and collabo­rated with a team of eight Broughal
See GREENWAY Page 2
B&W photo by HAILEY O’MARA
Mayor John Callahan embraces local sculptor Virginia Abbot Wednesday, Sept. 28, after remarks at a press conference for a sculpture installation on the South Bethlehem Greenway between Webster and Taylor streets.
See STROHL Page 4