4A
NEWS
LECTURE
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008
Former astronaut: Prepare yourself for opportunities
Steven Hawley, 1973 graduate and former astronaut, will give a speech for the CLAS Arts College of Liberal Arts lecture series Sunday. His speech will cover his experience maintaining the Hubble Telescope.
Steven Hawley professor of physics and astronomy, to speak Sunday
Alex Bonham-Carter/KANSAN
BY SACHIKO MIYAKAWA smiyakawa@kansan.com
Steven Hawley thought about being an astronaut when he studied at the University of Kansas in the early 1970s.
However, all of the NASA astronauts were pilots at the time, and Hawley studied physics and astronomy. He found an opportunity to work with NASA when it launched space shuttle projects involving scientists, doctors and engineers.
"You really don't know what opportunities may be out there in the future for you," Hawley said. "You prepare yourself as best as you can for whatever opportunities come up"
Hawley became an astronaut after these projects.
Now, as a professor of physics and astronomy, Hawley will give a presentation, "My Life with the Hubble Space Telescope," this Sunday in Spooner Hall.
Hawley will talk about his space shuttle missions and the achievements of the Hubble Space Telescope. The Hubble's final mission is scheduled next month.
Hawley grew up in Salina and graduated from the University with a bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy in 1973. After he earned a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics from the University of California, he started working for NASA in 1978.
Hawley said he hoped his presentation would inspire people, especially those from the younger generation.
"I don't know that I ever seriously thought I could be involved in that," Hawley said. "Just because they may be from a small town in Kansas, that doesn't mean they can't grow up to do cool things."
He worked with NASA for 30 years and made five space flights to conduct research.
Hawley's first mission was the maiden flight of the Space Shuttle
Discovery in 1984. Two of his missions involved launching the Hubble Space Telescope, which made important contributions to astronomy research.
Hawleyreturnedto the University this fall to teach astronomy. He said he hoped to teach at the University for a long time.
Jackie Paschang, Stilwell senior, took Hawley's astronomy class. She said the class was not a requirement for her major, but she was interested in working with NASA and took the class because
of Hawley. She said his extensive background in the subject made the class interesting and made her curious.
"He wants us to get excited about what we learn," Paschang said.
Hawley said he would bring space items to show in the presentation.
"I may leave that as a surprise," Hawley said. "They will be able to come up and see something close up. I collected them from doing a couple missions with Hubble in the past 20 years."
Hawley is the first speaker in a
series of presentations sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, which is called CLAS ACTS.
Joseph Steinmetz, dean of liberal arts and sciences, said the college started the series to provide educational outreach to the community and to encourage communication between faculty and community members. The lectures will cover eight different topics throughout the year.
Tickets are free and available at the dean of liberal arts and science's office, 200 Strong Hall, and at the
CLAS ACTS
"My Life with the Hubble Space Telescope"
Who: Steven Hawley
When: 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday
Where: Spooner Hall
Cost: Free
Lawrence Public Library, 707 Vermont St.
Edited by Becka Cremer
POLITICS
Obama defends use of lipstick maxim, says it's not sexist
BY NEDRA PICKLER ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORFOLK, Va. — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama accused Republican John McCain's campaign on Wednesday of using "lies and phony outrage and Swift-boat politics" in claiming
he used a sexist comment against vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
campaign stop Tuesday.
Calling it "the latest made-up controversy by the John McCain campaign," Obama responded to the Republicans' charge that he was referring to Palin when he used the phrase "lipstick on a pig" at a
Democratic presidential candidate, Sen. Barack Obama, D-III., speaks during a town hall meeting at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Va., Tuesday. Obama has recently said he was not referring to Republican vice president nominee Sarah Palin when he used the ioke "listick on a pin."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Giving you something to do
"I don't care what they say about me. But I love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and Swift-boit politics. Enough is enough," he said.
Obamas reference to swift boating was to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, an outside group that in 2004 made unsubstantiated allegations about Democratic nominee John Kerry's decorated military record in Vietnam.
In his initial comments Tuesday, Obarna is delivering a dissertation about McCain and President Bush when he used the lipstick aphorism — not Palin. In fact, his reference to the Alaska governor later on was a defense of her strong belief in religion.
The lipstick maxim is hardly new to either Obama or McCain. The Democrat has used it in the past, and McCain repeated the folksy metaphor when he criticized Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on health care. McCain was never accused of being sexist when he uttered those words.
Later in the day, during an appearance on the "Late Show with David Letterman," the host jokingly asked Obama, "Have you ever actually put lipstick on a pig?"
"The answer would be no, but I think it might be fun to try," Obama said. He said it was all part of the "silly season in politics" as the campaign heats up.
Letterman ridiculed the notion
of the McCain campaign convening a meeting and deciding Obama had called their vice presidential nominee a pig.
"Technically, had I meant it this way she would be the lipstick, you see. The failed policies of John McCain would be the pig," Obama said, drawing laughter from the audience. "Just following the logic of this illogical situation."
Obama used the reference as he criticized McCain's policies as similar to those of President Bush, saying: "You can put lipstick on a pig. It still a pig. You can wrap an old皮 in a piece of paper called
change. It's still going to stink after eight years."
The McCain campaign immediately jumped on the comments, arguing they were directed at Palin, the GOP's first woman on a presidential ticket. In her acceptance speech last week, she had referred to herself in a joke about lipstick being the only difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull.
Accusing Obama of "smearing" Palin in "offensive and disgraceful" comments, the McCain campaign demanded an apology. The McCain campaign on Wednesday issued an Internet ad that said Obama was
talking about Palin and said or Obama: "Ready to lead? No. Ready to smear? Yes."
Obama's campaign has accused the GOP camp of engaging in a "pathetic attempt to play the gender card." The campaign noted two other instances of McCain using the phrase "lipstick on a pig" and its use by other Republicans such as House Minority Leader John Boehner and Arizona Sen. Jon Kvl.
let's screw
With the fight dominating television news shows Wednesday morning, Obama responded before beginning a discussion of education at a Norfolk high school.
Coming Thursday, Sept. 18th
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