Partly Cloudy with a 40% chance of rain HIGH LOW 82 67
‘Amadus’ meets expectations
Oregon travels cross country to challenge Vols
Friday, September 10, 2010
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Issue 17
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Vol. 115
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Leadership class provides valuable experience Kyle Turner News Editor Every semester, UT offers hundreds of courses for academic credit with very few being as unique as the Emerging Leaders class. Sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in studying leaders, leadership styles and application techniques have the opportunity to apply to take this three credit-hour course. “The Emerging Leaders class is an excellent opportunity for student leaders at UT to come together and share their leadership experiences, while learning from one another and from various leadership authorities,” Sally Parish, assistant director student orientation and leadership, said. Students who have completed the course noted the impact it has had on different aspects of their lives. “It was more than just a class,” Kara Gallagher, junior in political science, said. “What I learned about myself and others, in regards to leadership, carried over into many different aspects of life.” The Emerging Leaders class prepares students to assume leadership roles on campus and beyond graduation. “Something that sets the class apart from others is the strong focus on the process of individual learning and development,” Tripp Purks, graduate assistant in the office of student orientation and leadership, said. “We put a great deal of thought into structuring the class in order to find the balance between an instructive seminar and a interactive learning experience.” “The course really opened my eyes to so many things,” Gallagher said. “I was able to discover and hone my personal leadership style and really became comfortable to take active roles of leadership on campus.” The course facilitates learning through hands-on activities while studying contemporary styles of leadership. “It is a really unique experience for these students to think about their current leadership practices while examining ways to continue bettering themselves and the community around them,” said Parish. Unlike most courses, students have to apply and interview before receiving admission. Students with varying roles of leadership are highly encouraged to apply, with class instructors noting diversity is key. “We are looking for all types of student leaders from various areas of campus,” Parish said. “In the past, we have had students involved as orientation leaders, student ambassadors, student alumni associates, Ignite team leaders, Baker Scholars, etc. Not to mention officers of various UT clubs and organizations ranging from Greek Life to SGA.” While personal growth of leadership is paramount for the course, a large emphasis is placed on sharing what has been learned and integrating those skills into campus life. “We focus a lot on sustainable leadership in the EL class,” Parish said. “Our students then become inspired and motivated to share the leadership given to them with younger students, thus creating a campus-wide leadership pipeline.” Former Emerging Leaders only had positive comments and memories about the course, further lending credence to its effect. “Many of our former ELs have cited this experience as the most impactful experience they have had at UT,” said Parish. “How often do students have the opportunity to come together with a community of fellow leaders to promote a culture of inclusive leadership rooted in social change? It is pretty powerful stuff!” The class culminates with a trip to a different university where the Emerging Leaders have the chance to learn and share effective methods of leadership and observe how other schools are reaching students. Past destinations have included Washington, D.C., Auburn University, the University of Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina. Eligibility requirements, course description and applications can be found at sold.utk.edu.
• Photo Courtesy of Kyle Turner
Emerging Leaders is a class offered to students who are interested in studying leadership. To be an Emerging Leader students must undergo an application and interview. Information can be found at sold.utk.edu
Noted alumna to discuss Middle East Baker Center welcomes US ambassador Blair Kuykendall Staff Writer Margaret Scobey, U.S. ambassador to Egypt, will join UT faculty and students Friday to discuss the regional conflicts present in the Middle East, as well as their effects on U.S. interests. Scobey has served the government in Baghdad; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait; Syria; Sanaa, Yemen; Pakistan; Jerusalem; and Peru. “Ambassador Scobey was invited to campus on behalf of the UT Office of Alumni Affairs Accomplished Alumni Program, the UT College of Arts and Sciences (her UT degrees are in history — B.A. and M.A.), and the Howard Baker Center Ambassadorial Lecture Series,” Patrick Wade, director of alumni programs, said. The Accomplished Alumni Program is dedicated to exposing students and faculty to alumni of exceedingly high caliber in their respective fields. “The Accomplished Alumni Program brings noteworthy alumni to campus to share their career experiences with students and other alumni,” Wade said. “We also honor the alumni with an award during their visit.” Different organizations on campus were active in inviting the ambassador to UT. “The College of Arts and Sciences is co-sponsoring this lecture and has also coordinated a few other speaking engagements for Ambassador Scobey later that afternoon for students and faculty of the college,” Wade said. “Finally, the Howard Baker Center Ambassadorial Lecture Series has featured several U.S. ambassadors in previous events, so the Baker
• Margaret Scobey
Center staff was happy to host Ambassador Scobey.” Scobey will be addressing a select audience comprised of the UT Knoxville Alumni Board of Directors, the Howard Baker Center Board, the College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board, faculty, staff and administration from the College of Arts and Sciences. Many UT faculty and staff said they will be glad to welcome Scobey, who shares a longstanding tie with the university. “Ambassador Margaret Scobey is an alumna of UT’s College of Arts in Sciences,” Rachael LeBlanc, assistant director of development, said. “She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history here. She has also been a faithful supporter of the department of history for many years. We extended the collaborative invitation, which Ambassador Scobey graciously accepted. She still has friends and family in East Tennessee and is happy for the opportunity.” Scobey, a Memphis native, continued
her education with doctoral studies at the University of Michigan. Working as a foreign service official, Scobey will have a great deal to share, regarding her experiences abroad. LeBlanc believed UT faculty and students stand to gain substantial insights from Scobey. “Ambassador Scobey will offer an overview and insights into the unresolved regional conflicts in the Middle East that continue to involve US interests,” LeBlanc said. “Her remarks will include a discussion of the changes in the practice of diplomacy that the communications revolution of the last 30 years has engendered.” Scobey will be interacting with many student groups and academic departments during her lecture. “The Ambassador has agreed to an afternoon lecture regarding international relations issues, including students and faculty from the departments of history, international studies, political science, religious studies, judaic studies, college scholars, islam studies, law, Baker Scholars, honors programs and Arabic studies,” LeBlanc said. Scobey’s specialized knowledge of Egypt will be of particular interests to those active in Arabic cultural studies on campus. “The Egyptian Association has also been invited,” LeBlanc said. “Egyptian UT graduate student Emam ElHak Abdel Fatah will be introducing Ambassador Scobey to the faculty and students. Additionally, Ambassador Scobey will participate in a roundtable discussion with faculty scholars of Islam on campus, regarding Arab-Islamic Studies at UT.” The lecture is by invitation only.
ORNL discovers graphene properties, issues with electronic use Alyce Howell Staff Writer On Aug. 23, ORNL’s research team, led by Bobby Sumpter, Vincent Meunier and Eduardo Cruz-Silva, discovered loop development patterns in graphene, which can help lead scientists in realizing graphene’s total potential in electronic applications. Graphene is an atom-thick planar sheet of sp2-bonded carbons that are densely packed into a shape resembling a honeycomb lattice. However, when graphene goes through a cleaning process, it can create structural loops, which would make the substance useless in electronic applications. “Graphene is a rising star in the materials world, given its potential for use in precise electronic components like transistors or other semiconductors,” Bobby Sumpter, staff scientist at ORNL, said in a press release interview. Since graphene has become of great interest in the electronic industry, finding a way to keep it from forming structural loops in the cleaning process was very important. The research team used imaging with a transmission electron microscope to subject the graphene to electron irradiation. This is a process of using electrons at high energy levels to treat an object and usually takes place under elevated temperate and nitrogen atmospheres. However, graphene can be used effectively only if the edges are uniform. If the edges are not uniform, then the material can not transmit electrons as well. “The ability to efficiently clean graphene edges is crucial to using the material in electronics,” Vincent Meunier, scientist at ORNL, said in a press release interview. “We can clean the edges, and not only that, we are able to understand why we can clean them.” Even though graphene is turning into a source of discussion in the scientific community, it is still relatively unheard of in the general public. The complete goal of the research is unknown. However, UT students have their own hope for what this technology would be used for. Nicole Reynolds, senior in studio art, said that this was the first time she has heard the word before, but thought it was made of rock. “I hope that this technology would be put to use in both in advanced equipment and in everyday use, so that everybody can use it,” Reynolds said.