Wichita State News: Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Learn all about telescopes at the Lake Afton Public Observatory

The Lake Afton Public Observatory, in conjunction with the Kansas Astronomical Observers, will host a telescope fair from 7:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21.

Members of the Kansas Astronomical Observers will set up their telescopes and be available to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different types of telescopes.

If you are considering buying a telescope as a holiday gift, or don't know how to use one, don't miss this opportunity to talk to the experts and see a number of different types of telescopes.

The observatory's regularly scheduled program that evening is "Exploring the Milky Way," from 7:30-10 p.m. Jupiter, a multiple star, a globular cluster of stars, a planetary nebula and another galaxy will be observed.

Lake Afton Public Observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at Wichita State University.

WSU's criminal justice program receives national ranking

The Southwest Journal of Criminal Justice has ranked Wichita State University's criminal justice program No. 7 in the nation for the number of books written by criminal justice faculty.

Thirty universities were ranked by the journal study.

The study is a good indicator of how productive Wichita State's criminal justice program is. Typically programs that offer a doctorate and also have a large number of faculty produce the most books.

Michael Birzer

Michael Birzer, director of WSU's School of Community Affairs, said this ranking speaks volumes about the quality of Wichita State's criminal justice faculty.

"When you consider the fact that we were ranked above many of the country's larger criminal justice programs that have three and four times the number of faculty is impressive," Birzer said. "We were ranked above many other criminal justice programs that would be considered elite programs."

PODCAST: Security cameras watch holiday shoppers, thieves

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU — the home of Thinkers, Doers, Movers and Shockers — on the Web at wichita.edu.

Holiday shoppers may be too busy to notice, but they're being watched by security cameras. To some, these cameras provide a level of comfort or security. To others, they are an invasion of privacy. Whether people are actually safer or not, Wichita State University criminologist Paul Cromwell says security cameras aren't a major deterrent.

Cromwell: "Recent research shows that the deterrent effect or the prevention effect of closed circuit television is not as great as it once was thought to be. Apparently there is a small positive effect from a deterrence and prevention standpoint, but not the great effect that once was thought."

Few statistics back up the helpfulness or effectiveness of surveillance cameras, yet cities, businesses and schools across the country are installing the devices by the thousands.

Cromwell: "There's been a tremendous growth in the use and extent of closed circuit television. Originally, 10, 15 years ago, it was primarily in banks and in convenience stores and such kinds of businesses as that. Over time, because they have at least the appearance of being very effective, they've been moved to schools and other locations, other retail businesses and so forth."

And Cromwell says the use of security cameras is expanding to outdoor locations.

Cromwell: "More recently we are beginning to see a lot more outdoor sights, traffic control for example, street corners, sidewalks, parks, locations where the general public is apt to be at risk."

So what is the main purpose of security cameras? Cromwell explains.

Cromwell: "There appears to be two main purposes of closed circuit television. One is the prevention or deterrence, and the other is enforcement or apprehension of criminals."

From a law enforcement perspective, Cromwell says security cameras have proven to be somewhat successful.

Cromwell: "From an enforcement or apprehension point of view, closed circuit television does appear to have a greater role and a greater effectiveness. Once the offense has occurred, the modern closed circuit television with better ability to identify has been fairly effective across a variety of crimes."

Of course, some people are concerned that security cameras are an invasion of privacy.

Cromwell: "Probably the greatest issue with regard to closed circuit television and the growth of it has been the privacy issue. The courts have held that there's no right to privacy in a public place, although there are a number of individuals and groups that are campaigning against closed circuit television in public places, primarily due to a fear of invasion of a greater level of privacy, such as looking through the bedroom windows or restrooms or fitting rooms in stores and so forth."

Cromwell explains why the concern about the cost of monitoring security cameras is overrated.

Cromwell: "There's been some concern about the cost of monitoring closed circuit television and, for the most part, most closed circuit TVs are not monitored. The information is simply stored on a hard disk of a computer, and after a crime has been committed then law enforcement can go back and review the tape for that particular period of time. So, that cost of monitoring is really a lot less than it might be thought."

Surveillance cameras may be gaining in popularity, even if their effectiveness is in question. Several regional studies have yielded discouraging results, such as a University of California Berkeley report that showed San Francisco's 68 surveillance cameras have apparently not deterred criminals from committing assaults, sex offenses or robberies.

The effectiveness of security cameras will continue to be debated, but there's little debate that they won't be going away anytime soon.

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

CCSR hosting workshops for small grant awards

The Center for Community Support and Research at Wichita State University will kick off its sixth year of the Compassion Kansas initiative in October with informational workshops.

Attendance at one of these workshops is required for qualifying organizations interested in applying for small grant awards and technical assistance. Workshops are held from 1-5 p.m. in various locations throughout Kansas on the following dates:

• Tuesday, Oct. 27, WSU Hughes Metropolitan Complex

• Wednesday, Oct. 28, Garden City Community College

• Monday, Nov. 2, Capitol Plaza Hotel in Topeka

• Tuesday, Nov. 3, WSU Marcus Welcome Center

A maximum of two people per organization may attend. To register, e-mail the date of the workshop you would like to attend along with your name, organization, telephone and e-mail address to angela.gaughan@wichita.edu.

Registrations are also accepted at (316) 978-3843 or (800) 445-0116.

Qualifying organizations include faith-based and community organizations in Kansas that serve (or plan to serve) at least one of the following target populations: the homeless, elders in need, at-risk children, those in transition from welfare to work, intensive rehabilitation populations (such as addicts or prisoners), and/or marriage education and preparation.

Priority will be given to organizations with annual operating budgets of less than $500,000 that have not previously received funding from the federal government.

Compassion Kansas, funded by the federal Compassion Capital Fund, is designed to offer qualifying Kansas faith-based and community organizations small grant awards and a variety of technical assistance opportunities that include strategic planning, facilitation, leadership skills, collaboration, service expansion, communication, evaluation research and efficiency improvement.

For information about Compassion Kansas, call Sarah Jolley at (316) 978-5487.Robin Fertner, (316) 978-6746 or robin.fertner@wichita.edu.

WSU Psychology Clinic offers coping with depression program

A 12-session program is being offered at no cost through the Wichita State University Psychology Clinic to participants interested in learning cognitive-behavioral approaches to coping with depression.

Sessions are conducted and scheduled individually. For more information or to schedule a screening evaluation, contact Rob Zettle at (316) 978-3081 or robert.zettle@wichita.edu.

Public Observatory has plenty of events for Astronomy Day 2009

Beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, the Lake Afton Public Observatory will be celebrating Astronomy Day 2009, with fun and educational activities for young and old alike.

The activities will start with seltzer rocket building contests, solar observation through LAPO's 16-inch telescope and an astro-art activity.

There will also be a contest to see who can build the best Mars Lander vehicle. The regularly scheduled program, "Exploring the Solar System," will begin at 7:30 p.m. Visitors can observe the moon, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune through the telescope.

Also at 7:30 p.m., the Kansas Astronomical Observers will have a number of different types of telescopes outside the observatory on the observing pad for visitors to look through.

During Astronomy Day, there is a $1 discount off regular admission prices for adults and children. Adult admission will be $3, and children ages 6-12 get in for $2. Children younger than 6 get in free.

Astronomy Day Schedule of Events

3-5 p.m.

Solar Observation

Learn about the sun and safely view it through LAPO's telescope.

3-5 p.m.

Make Your Own Seltzer-Powered Rocket

Make a rocket powered by Alka-Seltzer and test it.

3-5 pm.

Astro-Art

Create your own astronomical work of art.

5-5:45 p.m.

Make a Mars Lander

Make a Mars Lander from materials provided that will protect a delicate passenger.

5:45-6:45 p.m.

Test Your Mars Lander

Test your Mars Lander design by dropping it from a hook-and-ladder.

7:30-10 p.m.

Exploring the Solar System

Look at the moon, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune.

Short documentary features ESC origins

The Elliott School of Communication's 20th anniversary couldn't come at a more appropriate time.

ESC Associate Professor Kevin Hager wrote, shot and edited a 10-minute documentary on the history of the school and its direction, all leading up to this paradigm shift in the discipline.

Conceived as an integrated school of communication, it was founded by media professionals, academics and enthusiasts who saw rapid technological changes in the future of the field.

"The ultimate goal is to make clear to students and even faculty just how the school came to be," Hager said. "Twenty to 25 years ago, some people thought it was crazy talk, but many people saw communication changing and wanted the school to be a leader in that."

Including interviews from distinguished alumni across the United States, the documentary probes how the pieces were set for the school to answer the needs of an ever-changing media world.

The documentary will be shown 9:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at the Scholarship Recognition event in 203 Rhatigan Student Center.

Elliott School's 20th anniversary highlights annual Communication Week

From Oct. 10-14, the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University – in conjunction with its annual Communication Week – will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

It was in 1989 that founding director Vernon Keel's vision of creating a seamless integrated school of communication became a reality. Twenty years later, the Elliott School remains the only comprehensive, integrated communication school in the state.

Susan Huxman

"The Elliott School was formed to give students a unique opportunity to gain an interdisciplinary knowledge of all facets of communication that would make them more well-rounded and attractive in the job market," said Susan Huxman, ESC director. "We are thrilled to celebrate 20 years of helping our students stay ahead of the curve."

Several events are planned to celebrate the school's 20th anniversary, including an alumni reunion and silent auction from 6:30-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Hotel at Old Town.

All graduates of the former departments of speech and journalism at WSU are also welcome.

RSVP to http://www.wichita.edu/j/?250.

One of the events highlighting Communication Week will be an appearance by John Stossel, former co-anchor of ABC's "20/20." Stossel will visit with students before making a public presentation at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

Tickets for this event are sold out.

Sara Quinn will be honored as the Elliott School's outstanding alumna with a reception from 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13. Quinn is a member of the visual journalism faculty at the Poynter Institute for Media Studies in St. Petersburg, Fla.

She will also give two presentations: from 11 a.m.-noon Monday, Oct. 12, and 9:30-10:45 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Lee Whitman, a filmmaker and writer/producer for the American Forces Radio and Television Service in Washington, D.C., will be honored as the Elliott School's One to Watch, a new award given to promising professionals who have graduated from the ESC within the past 10 years.

Communication Week also will feature panel presentations on a variety of communication topics, plus other special events and opportunities for students to interact with local professionals.

For a complete schedule of events and more information on the 20th anniversary activities, go to www.wichita.edu/esc.

Search for moon water may be visible from Earth

For years, schoolchildren have been taught the moon is barren and dry — uninhabitable. In just a few days, that school of thought may change when NASA scientists intentionally aim a Centaur rocket to crash into a crater at the south pole of the moon.

Scientists expect to find water, said Greg Novacek, director of the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education at Wichita State University and director of Lake Afton Public Observatory, which will be open for the event.

Read full story.

Kansas Secretary of Revenue highlights WSU's Hugo Wall Day event

Kansas Department of Revenue Secretary Joan Wagnon will be the featured speaker at Hugo Wall Day, Friday, Oct. 9, at Wichita State University's Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 29th and Oliver.

Secretary Wagnon will discuss the future of financing government services at the event, which honors Wall, the founder of WSU's School of Urban and Public Affairs.

Her presentation begins at 1:40 p.m. The free event is open to Hugo Wall School alumni and area public and nonprofit administrative professionals.

Following Wagnon's presentation, participants may attend afternoon forums on hot topics in public finance, determining the costs of services, faculty research on Kansas politics and an alumni spotlight session featuring Wichita Fire Chief Ron Blackwell discussing his experiences in arson investigations.

Faculty presenters from the Hugo Wall School include John Wong, Nancy McCarthy Snyder, Melissa Walker, Ed Flentje and Glenn Fisher.

Additional speakers are Jeannette Livingston, COMCARE of Sedgwick County; Toyia Bulla, United Methodist Youthville; Kansas State Treasurer Dennis McKinney; and Andrew Schlapp, WSU director of government relations.

A reception at 5 p.m. will conclude the day's activities.

The event is sponsored by the Hugo Wall School Advisory Board.

Howard Partington, advisory board chair and Great Bend city administrator, and William Bischoff, dean, WSU Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will welcome the guests at 1:30 p.m.

For more information, call (316) 978-7240.

Local students participating in science program at WSU

Approximately 750 elementary and middle school students are participating in "JASON Days: Infinite Potential," a weeklong science program at Wichita State University through Friday, Oct. 2.

The event is part of the JASON project, a year-round scientific expedition created by explorer, Titantic discoverer and native Wichitan, Robert Ballard.

"JASON brings science alive by exposing students to real-world scientists and work they do in the field through hands-on exploration and discovery," said Amy Strong, assistant director of the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education and JASON program manager. "Teachers love the event because of the exposure to science their students get."

Teachers incorporate the JASON project curriculum, aligned with the National Science Education Standards, in their classrooms throughout the year. Each year WSU hosts JASON Days to give students the opportunity to meet active local scientists and apply what they've learned in different events.

This year's program focuses on energy. In the showcase event, students will compete by designing a wind turbine. Students will create the turbine on a CD and power it from the CD drive.

In the theater event, WSU faculty members Jason Ferguson, Ward Jewell and Jan Twomey will join local scientists Ron Teel with ICM Inc. and Tim Bobb with Westar Energy in discussing their jobs and how they prepared for their careers.

"It's a great learning experience and a lot of fun for the students," said Strong. WSU's participation in the JASON Project is supported financially by senior sponsors Toyota USA Foundation and The Boeing Co. Additional support comes from Excel/Cargill Cares, the Cargill Contributions Committee and the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation.

WSU's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences houses the JASON Project, along with the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education.

Explore Milky Way, Solar System at observatory

During October, November and December on evenings when the moon is not out and the sky is dark, the Lake Afton Public Observatory will present "Exploring the Milky Way."

The program is Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 9-10, 16-17; Nov. 6-7, 13-14, and 20-21; and Dec. 4-5, 11-12 and 18-19.

Participants can explore Jupiter, double stars, clouds of interstellar gas, star clusters and a nearby galaxy, similar to our own Milky Way.

During October, November and December on evenings when the moon is out, making the sky relatively bright, LAPO will present "Exploring the Solar System."

The program is Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 2-3, 23-24, and 30-31; and Nov. 27-28.

Participants can view the moon, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune and hear about the discoveries made by unmanned probes over the past 50 years.

Lake Afton Public Observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at Wichita State University.

Grant to Wichita center will allow for more innovation, faster

Thursday afternoon, the Knight Foundation awarded more than $2 million to a research institute based in Wichita.

The Center for Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research (CIBOR) conducts research inside the National Institute for Aviation Research on the Wichita State Campus.

The Knight Foundation granted CIBOR $2.1 million dollars over the course of 5 years to help the center engineer better medical instruments from airplane materials.

Read full story and see video.

Tickets available for broadcaster John Stossel lecture

Free tickets for "An Evening with John Stossel," longtime ABC news correspondent and co-anchor of "20/20," are now available at five Wichita locations.

The lecture will be given in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of Wichita State University's Elliott School of Communication at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, in the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex at 29th Street and North Oliver. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Tickets are free on a first come, first served basis; limit of four tickets per person.

Ticket locations are the Duerksen Fine Arts Center Box Office at WSU from noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday or (316) 978-3233; and any of the four Auto Craft Collision Repair locations in Wichita — 1427 E. First St. N.; 10760 W. Kellogg; 3131 N. Ridge Road; and 8532 E. 32nd St. N.

Stossel's appearance is made possible by the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation.

Following the lecture, there will be a book signing. Books will be available for purchase from the WSU Bookstore in the days prior to the lecture, or from 6-7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12, before the lecture in the Hughes Metropolitan Complex.

"We are delighted to have the public join us in welcoming an award-winning journalist to kick off Communication Week and the celebration of the 20th year of the Elliott School," said Susan Huxman, director of the Elliott School.

"Stossel is entertaining, provocative and digs into topics that consumers care about, such as health care, education and parenting issues. His longtime affiliation with ABC News and his many journalism awards are testament to the kind of relevant, in-depth reporting and commentary that viewers have come to expect and respect," said Huxman.

For more information about free events during the 20th anniversary celebration of the Elliott School of Communication, go to the ESC Web site at www.wichita.edu/esc or call (316) 978-3185.

Stossel became co-anchor of "20/20" in May 2003. He joined the highly acclaimed TV news magazine in 1981 and began doing one-hour primetime specials in 1994. He has received 19 Emmy awards and has been honored five times by the National Press Club for excellence in consumer reporting.

In addition to longer in-depth reports for "20/20" on subjects ranging from addiction to civil liberties, Social Security, free trade, small business owners and American taxpayers, Stossel is featured in a recurring segment called "Give Me a Break." These short commentaries take a skeptical look at a wide array of issues, from pop culture controversies to censorship and government regulations.

Stossel is the author of two best-selling books, "Give Me A Break" and "Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel – Why Everything You Know is Wrong."

The Elliott School of Communication

In 1989, the departments of journalism and speech communication joined to become the Elliott School of Communication with an endowed gift from Oliver Elliott, Wichita businessman and WSU alumnus (1942). The Elliott School is throwing a birthday party in conjunction with its annual Communication Week, which will be Saturday, Oct. 10, through Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The Elliott School of Communication is the only comprehensive, integrated school of communication in Kansas. It is one of the largest units in the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For information on the Elliott School, go to www.wichita.edu/esc.

Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation

Established in 1953, the Fred C. and Mary R. Koch Foundation focuses its resources on not-for-profit organizations in Kansas that significantly enhance the state's quality of life through arts and arts education; environmental stewardship; human services; enablement of at-risk youth; and education. More information is at www.fmkfoundation.org.

Observatory open special hours for viewing of lunar event

A huge Centaur upper stage rocket and its shepherding spacecraft, together known as the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), will intentionally crash into a crater at the south pole of the moon at approximately 6:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9.

Lake Afton Public Observatory will be open for the event, which NASA has stated will result in a huge debris plume that should be visible to amateur astronomers.

The observatory will open its doors at 5:45 a.m. Oct. 9 to catch a glimpse of the debris plume. LAPO's 16-inch telescope will be pointed at the south pole of the moon, allowing visitors to see. The plume should be visible for up to 12 minutes.

Lake Afton Public Observatory is operated by the Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education, a part of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Science at Wichita State University.

Background

On June 18, an Atlas V rocket was successfully launched from Cape Canaveral with two spacecraft on board. One of them was the LCROSS, which consists of a Centaur rocket booster and its shepherding spacecraft. Its mission is to search for evidence of water on the moon, which it will do by crashing the rocket into the dark recesses of a permanently shadowed crater at the south pole.

The spacecraft will then gather and stream back data to mission control as it flies through the debris thrown up by the rocket crash and then it too will impact the crater floor, causing another smaller debris plume.