Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1978)
Professor bonds basics to breakthrouohs Photo by Doug Williams One University chemist's research is based on fundamental know ledge. Thomas Dyke has aided weather forecasters with his analyses of water molecules and heat. Helping hands aid in research By SHERALYN WELLS Of the Emerald Scientific breakthroughs can come from knowing something as simple as the structure of two bonded water molecules, says University Chemistry Prof. Thomas Dyke. With the aid of approximately $130,300 in grants, Dyke and five assistants are developing the kind of fundamental knowledge that Dyke says may hold great signifi cance. Among his successful experi ments so far is an analysis of the way two water molecules join to gether. The shape of this structure in the atmosphere determines the amount of heat able to pass through it. Weather forecasters can use this information to better predict global temperatures and weather, Dyke says. Another phase of Dyke's re search deals with structures and reactions between chemicals like oil, and water at the molecular level. His findings facilitate prog ress on a larger scale, such as in solutions to oiI recovery problems. The promise shown by his work has brought Dyke three grants to continue his research. The largest is a three-year contract for $92,300 from the National Sci ence Foundation (NSF) which runs out next September. He is also in the final year of a $14,000. two-year Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship awarded to about 95 promising scientists each year. The University Chemistry De partment nominated Dyke for the award, making him one of only two professors in the state to receive one last year. The third grant came from the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society for $24,000 targeted to work in ' sur face chemistry.'' Working with Dyke on the Pro ject are five doctoral students from around the world. Ade Odutola from Nigeria, Ram Viswanathan from India, Dutchman Marcel Ter beeck, Dhiren Patel from the Fiji Islands, and American Dave Mar golese carry on the research dur ing the school year while Dyke Workshops prepare exam-anxious students Though the school year just started, graduate school-bound seniors may already be wonder ing and worrying about the Graduate Record Examination. The GRE acts as the "nation’s gatekeeper” for controlling the flow of graduate student admis sions, says David Hubin, newly appointed Learning Resources Center director. This widely-used graduate ad missions test is divided into two components —the Aptitude Test, designed to measure verbal, quantitative, and analytical ability, and the Advanced Tests, which measure knowledge and under standing in 20 subject areas. Before taking the exam, stu dents should check admission re quirements of prospective graduate schools to determine if Advanced Tests are needed in his or her major, says Hubin. Hubin will offer a newly instituted five-week workshop at the Learning Center this fall to aid test-anxious students. The ses sions will reacquaint students with the skills necessary to complete the exam, such as math, English vocabulary, and analytical logic, he says. During the sessions, Hubin will emphasize what he calls the “re hearsal effect,” a technique of practicing the exam. “Students should feel more comfortable if they are familiar with what to ex pect on the test,” he says. Hubin's workshop, similartothe UCLA extension course that he is now working on, will also inform students on pacing strategy, knowing when to guess, and famil iarity with the test instructions. Hubin has scheduled the fall term GRE workshop for 12:30-120 p.m. Monday, Wed nesday, and Friday starting Nov. 6 at the Center's office in Friendly Hall. The director will offer two workshops per term thereafter and single-session clinics throughout the year. Evelyn Rowe, psychometrist (test-administrator) at the Univer sity Counseling Center, recom mends using the practice tests prepared by the GRE. Sample questions can also be found in books such as Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE. Rowe, who has administered the exam for 15 years, observes that students come to the test with various levels of anxiety and com posure. She rarely finds any one suffering from “totally de bilitating anxiety.'’ “The majority of students come with a job to be done' attitude,” she adds. Universities and departments use test scores differently in de termining admission, says Warren Brown, acting dean of the graduate school. “Some depart ments use the scores and some don’t.” The law and business schools use their own tests, he adds. “The graduate school doesn’t dictate the detailed standards for admission,” he says. “That de pends on the faculty in the differ ent departments.” A Minority Locater Service is of fered through the GRE to help in stutions identify minority students interested in graduate education. Files on students are searched three times a year by over 120 participating schools. GRE test dates at the University are Dec. 9, Jan. 13, April 28, and June 9; registration deadlines are Nov. 8, Dec. 12, March 28, and May 9 respectively. THE GREAT PUMPKIN is only 21 DAYS AWAY! Hurry Down to ST. VINCENT’S for your SPECIAL HALLOWEEN COSTUME 110 E. 11th - EUGENE 9:30 ■ 5:30 Monday thru Saturday Fees for the Aptitude Test and individual Advanced Tests are $13 each. A late fee of $4 is charged to post-deadline appli cants. GRE information bulletins are available from the University Counseling Center. 150 Susan Campbell Hall. teaches, writes reports, and does committee work. In his four years at the Univer sity. Dyke has taught only upper division chemistry courses. He says that most new professors hired in the sciences haven't taught before, and so begin with the more resilient upperclass men. In researching new fields. Dyke and his assistants have designed and built their own equipment Occasional breakdowns on the homemade apparatus have re quired time-consuming repairs The complex equipment can be explained fairly simply. A super sonic molecular beam at one end passes through a low pressure vacuum (only one molecule of air in ten trillion remaining) where it is bombarded with radio frequencies and microwave radiation The way the molecules absorb this radiation tells something about their structure. Dyke ex plains. This information is de tected in the third section of the apparatus and recorded by a computer. Dyke said that when a really "hot' expenement gets going, he and his team may work 24 to 40 hours straight. While his present research may continue from five to ten years. Dyke is already formulating future project ideas. Among them is one using laser spectroscopy, an offshoot of the research he is doing now. He and another Uni versity professor. Paul Engelking. have disceussed collaboration on the project which would involve studying molecules with laser techniques. Burroughs Corporation Our business is data and word recording, computa tion, processing and communications management. Our range of products is one of the broadest and most advanced in the data processing industry, and is complemented by a strong and successful range of office products. According to objective industry sources. Burroughs has moved into SECOND position in the data processing industry in the value of computer equipment shipped in the United States. This is considerable progress when you consider we were in eighth or ninth position ten years ago. Our strong confidence in continued growth is oased on the increasing strength of our entire organization, on the success of our current program of new product introductions, and on constantly growing market opportunities. We are offering opportunities to individuals with the following majors to learn more about our successful team: * Computer Science * MBA Accounting * Finance * Management Location of our facilities: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA We will be on the University of Oregon Campus conducting interviews Tuesday. October 24, 1978. Sign up at the Career Planning and Placement Service NOW! An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/H
