THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2003
NEWS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 5A
Student studies ways to prevent pollution, eliminate waste cleanup
Amy Potter
aporter@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Jacob Spence hopes researching organic solvents will help clean up the environment.
Andy Samuelson/Kansan
Jacob Spence, Wichita junior, works on his carbon dioxide research in Learned Hall yesterday. Spence's research of injecting carbon dioxide into powerful solvents could clean up the environment. "I have to say the only reason people might care about this is because it offers environmental benefits." Spence said
The Wichita junior teamed up with Bala Subramaniam, distinguished professor of chemical and petroleum engineering, and other professors in chemistry to study pollution prevention last summer. He is researching replacing traditional organic solvents, mainly used in processing chemicals, with carbon dioxide. He is continuing his research this spring.
"Jacob knows what the problem is. He has to look through the literature and use creativity to develop methodologies for pursuing his objective," Subramaniam said.
The hope for the research was to develop a way to eliminate waste and prevent pollution so industries and the government don't have to deal with waste
cleanup, Subramaniam said.
"I have to say the only reason people might care about this is because it offers environmental benefits," Spence said. "I'm sure most people, including myself, don't really care if we can improve the detergent mixing process, but probably some of the larger chemical companies do."
As for the results of the research, both Spence and Subramaniam said there was still much work to be done.
"I guess it's kind of like a problem solving process." Spence said. "It helps you develop how to solve problems you don't necessarily know the answer for. I don't really know what exactly the experiment is going to show."
Subramaniam and his researchers have started demonstrating the concepts. The challenge comes with scaling the research to production level and determining if it's economically feasible, Subramaniam said.
lenges ahead before we make this a reality," Subramaniam said.
"There are many more chal
For his research Spence received a $500 Undergraduate Research Award and $1,000 from the chemical engineering department for the spring semester. For his research last summer
he received an additional $2,500 from the chemical engineering department.
Spence is part of a larger project funded by the American Chemical Society. Subramaniam received a grant for $80,000.
—Edited by Brandon Gay
Rec center job challenging, rewarding
By Megan Hickerson mhickerson@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
Scott Reynolds/Kansan
Even though his patience is tested every day. Pat Laushman loves his job at the East Lawrence Recreational Center
Faces in the Crowd
On top of 14 credit hours, the Pittsburg junior
entertainks kids for 25 hours a week at the recreation center.
Pat Laushman, Pittsburg junior, works with children every Saturday at the East Lawrence Recreation Center. It is his job to help watch after the children who come for interaction and entertainment; mainly playing basketball. "A lot of the kids here can't afford team sports," Laushman said, "We're here to help them out."
Laushman says that the center's children, ages 6 to 17, face challenges every day.
"It's the kind of place that if you drop your keys or your wallet, you probably aren't going to get them back," Laushman said.
Aside from policing two gyms and putting up with kids talking back to him, Laushman relieves stress from his studies while playing kick ball and dodge ball with the kids.
Although Andy Laushman, Pat's brother, would never work at the recreation center, he knows how much the kids appreciate his little brother.
"He never just sits behind the desk," Andy Laushman said. "Those kids wear him out."
For Laushman work consists of both good and bad experiences.
"The last thing that I want to deal with after a long day at school or a bad test is having a bunch of little kids cussing me out at work," Laushman said.
His job is stressful, but he loves the interaction with the kids.
Laushman has developed personal relationships with some of the center's regulars.
"It costs $6 to get in," Laushman said. "This girl and her brother couldn't afford it, so I let them in for free. Later, she wrote me a thank you note that I have taped above my bed."
Flexible hours and the opportunity to play basketball whenever he wants keeps him at the center, where he has worked since his freshman year.
Because of his experience at the center, Laushman may pursue a career in education.
— Edited by Brandon Gay
Theater students, playwrights win regional awards
By Lauren Bristow
lbristow@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
University of Kansas playwrights and theater students received awards for their work in regional competition.
Emerging as winners at the region five Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival were six theater students and two playwrights. The competition was held at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa.
Playwright Tim Macy's 10-minute play, Attack of the Asians, was selected last month to advance to national competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in April.
"It's just an amazing honor to have something that I wrote being read at the Kennedy Center," said Macy, a fall 2002 graduate from Noel, Mo. "I am excited about going on to the final."
Two other KU playwrights have advanced to the national competition in the past eight years, said Paul Lim, the professor of the Beginning Playwriting class where Macy wrote his play. As part of a free trip to Washington.
Macy will have a week-long internship at the Kennedy Center, where he will attend rehearsals of his play and attend playwriting workshops, Lim said.
If Macy wins at the national competition he will receive a $2,500 prize, a two-week summer fellowship at the O'Neill Theatre Conference and publication of his play.
Kristin Soper, Amarillo,
Texas, senior, won an award for
her play, as well.
"Kristin Soper's 10-minute play Ketchup was clearly the audience favorite." Lim said. "It received the Al Gore Popular Vote after more than 500 students and faculty attended the staged readings of the 10-minute plays."
"Basically they don't want two shows with the same theme. So they are looking for the best show with that theme."
Patrick Craft
Kansas City junior
The University Theatre's production of Iphigenia at Aulis was one of three full length plays selected to hold for possible invitation to the national competition.
Putting a show on hold means that after all eight regional festivals are held, judges pick which shows they would like to advance to national competition from all held over shows, said Patrick Craft, Kansas City, Mo., junior. Craft plays a messenger in the production.
"Basically they don't want two shows with the same theme," Craft said. "So they are looking for the best show with that theme."
Iphigenia at Aulis also brought home personal awards for Sara Armstrong, Cushing, Okla., graduate student who won Meritorious Achievement Awards for direction and co-sound design and for Nick Kostner, Murdock senior, who also won a Meritorious Achievement Award for co-sound design.
Other students who received awards at the festival included Brian Clinnin, Arlington Heights, Ill., graduate student; Beth Collins, Sanderstead, England, graduate student; Aaron Dyszelski, Milwaukee, Wis., graduate student; and Kelly Mengelkoch, Wichita senior.
—Edited by Brandon Gay
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