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Foolscap sets the slam standard Page 12
Thursday, May 6,2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 149
UO researcher
helps advance
nanotechnology
Chemistry Professor Jim Hutchison was issued
a patent for a process removing environmentally
harmful effects from nanoparticle production
By Steven Neuman
News Reporter
Nanotechnology, or the manipulation of materials at the atomic
level, has been heralded as the technology of the future. Nanoparti
des, just a few thousandths the width of a human hair, may make
computer chips run faster, sunscreen block out more sun, metals
better conduct electridty and cosmetics cover more evenly.
University chemistry Professor Jim Hutchison was issued a U.S.
. patent on Tuesday for a process his lab created that manufactures
a gold atom nanoparticle without the environmentally harmful
effects usually assodated with its creation.
The patent comes just two weeks after an announcement that
* the University will construct a new nanotechnology center to ex
plore the science further.
"There's a real reason they're expecting this to be a $ 1 trillion
business and the next industrial revolution," Hutchison said.
Hutchison runs HutchLab, which researches "green chemistry" at
the University.
Traditionally, the 20-year-old manufacturing process involved
the use of diborane, a colorless, odorless and highly toxic gas that
half the human population is unable to detect, according to
Hutchison. It also auto-ignites near room temperature. The sec
ond component of the old process was the toxic solvent benzene.
"People have already been looking at uses for these partides,"
Hutchison said. "We've just found a way to make them better
and cleaner."
Changing the process to become more environmentally friend
ly means the molecules, which have already been proposed for
use in products such as computer components, can be produced
in greater numbers with less energy and less impart.
Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies Richard Lin
ton praised Hutchison's work.
"UO is a recognized leader in the emerging field of green chem
istry that has eliminated the use of many toxic materials in chem
istry labs throughout the nation," Unton said in a press release.
"This innovation demonstrates the UO's capabilities in green
nanotechnology and is an enabling step toward making produc
tion of nanoscale materials more practical."
Hutchison said when materials are broken down to the molecu
lar level the larger-scale properties that control their behavior, such
as the melting point or electrical conductivity change completely.
"It just expands the tool kit we have to create new inventions
— this has the potential to impart every part of our lives," he said.
Hutchison said there is great potential in nanotechnology.
"There are 34 million transistors on a Pentium computer chip,
that's at the microscopic level," Hutchison said. "There are some
people who would like to put one billion transistors on a chip on
a molecular level. This will make that possible."
The $18 million nanotechnology center, which the University
plans to construct in the next two years and would be as large as
60,000 square feet, will be "a key part of the state's effort to be
come a major player in the emerging field," according to a Uni
versity press release. The new building will be part of the Oregon
Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, a consortium of
nanotech researchers that includes the University, Oregon State
University, Portland State University, the Pacific Northwest Na
tional Laboratory and business partners.
ONAMI focuses on research at the micro and nano scale, with
the goal to "position Oregon as a national leader in nanotechnolo
gy research and development," according to http://www.onami.us.
"This new ONAMI-UO facility will be both a collaborative cen
ter of excellence for nanoscience and a catalyst for growth in
Turn to RESEARCH, page 3
The shot heard around the world
More than 200 people take tequila shots at Taylor's to break a world record on Cinco de Mayo
Lauren Wimer Senior Photographer
Senior sociology and business major Susan Michaels hugs music student Tate Peterson at
Taylor’s Bar and Grill on Wednesday. Peterson, who was celebrating his birthday, performed
with his band Savitri and took part in the bar’s Cinco de Mayo attempt to break the world record
for the largest tequila smash. More than 200 people participated.
By Brian Burke
Freelance Reporter
|he problem with records is they
are bound to be broken. Roger
X Maris' record 61 home runs stood
for 37 seasons before Mark McGwire came
along and upped the ante. Takeru
Kobayashi beat his own hot dog-eating
record the year after it was set. Wednesday
night, a crowd of energetic revelers con
verged on Taylor's Bar and Grill with the
hope of breaking a "Guinness Book"
record of their own on Cinco de Mayo:
The world's largest tequila smash.
According to the July 2001 issue of
Cheers magazine, Cinco de Mayo partygo
ers at Lulu's Club Mardi Gras in Washing
ton D.C. slammed a record 191 shots of
tequila, setting the standard for record
breakers worldwide.
In preparation forWednesday's record-set
ting attempt, Taylor's manager Justin Walker
had close to 100 botdes of tequila and a sur
plus of shot glasses on hand for the event.
"Trust me; we're not running out of
tequila tonight," Walker said.
Savitri, a self-described "Freak-out funk
jazz" quartet, drew the crowd within
inches of the stage as the band plowed
through everything from Paul Simon's
"Kodchrome" to the requisite Cinco de
Mayo anthem, The Champ's 1958 instru
mental "Tequila."
"I got my feet stepped on 18 times and 1
just walked in the door," 22-year-old art
major Jordan Domont said.
For one night, Taylor's resembled a can
tina, with neon beer lights and the emer
gency exit sign providing a discreet pink
glow. No fewer than three sombreros were
spotted in the shoulder-to-shoulder
crowd, and by set break, it was impossible
to find a surface spared from the sticky
remnants of spilled Tortilla Gold. More
than 200 celebrants prepared for the
record-breaking moment, with Savitri gui
tarist Tate Peterson returning to the
microphone for a quick history lesson.
Turn to CINCO, page 3
Bush supporters unite on campus
Students for Bush has registered
431 University students so far
for the nationwide campaign,
the most of any Oregon chapter
By Jared Paben
Senior News Reporter
The campus that some characterize as
a bastion of liberal ideology actually
houses a sizable population of devoted
Republicans — at least 431 of them.
The local chapter of Students for Bush
managed to register that many University
students for the nationwide campaign,
making this campus 12th in the country
for registrants and No. 1 in the state, with
Oregon State University trailing in sec
ond place with 147 registrants.
But University Students for Bush
Chairman Jarrett White said he wasn't
surprised that the group was able to get
that many registrants with only six or sev
en days of tabling.
"I think it just shows that, as President
Nixon once said, there's a silent majority,"
said White, who is also chairman of the
University College Republicans. "I'm not
going to go as far as saying that Republi
cans are a majority on this campus, but I
think there's a huge amount of Republi
cans on this campus and a lot of people
are just a little scared to come out and say
it because every time you do there's the
fear that somebody is going to call you a
fascist or equate you with the Nazis or
draw a swastika on your forehead."
Oregon Students for Bush Chairman
Paul Perkins said he wasn't surprised
about the results, either.
"I knew they could do it," Perkins said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they get 1,000
by the end of the term ... there's certainly
more than 1,000 Bush supporters on the
University of Oregon campus. 1 think 431
is just the beginning of how many they
can get. They've shown that they're will
ing to give their energy and hard work to
help the president."
Oregon Students for Bush co-Chair
man Laura Jenkins, who insists on a co
chairman title instead of co-chairwoman,
Turn to BUSH, page 3
WEATHER
INSIDE
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HIGH
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Campus buzz.10
Classifieds.14
Commentary.2
Crossword.15
Pulse.5
Sports.13
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tackles Iraqi
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