Notables

Yervant Terzian, the David C. Duncan Professor in Physical Sciences, has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Terzian was cited by the AAAS "for fundamental radio exploration of planetary nebulae and HII [ionized hydrogen] regions, for distinguished leadership of the astronomy profession, and for untiring efforts to improve science education." A certificate and rosette will be presented to Terzian in Boston, Feb. 16, 2002, during the AAAS Fellows Forum, part of the association's annual meeting. The election of AAAS fellows began in 1874 and honors members whose "efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished." Since 1988 Terzian has been director of the New York State Pew Cluster of Colleges and Universities for the improvement of undergraduate science education. He also directs a National Science Foundation astronomy research program for undergraduate students and the NASA New York State Space Grant Program.

James Bell, assistant professor of astronomy, appeared on a panel on NASA TV Oct. 11 discussing the biggest global dust storm seen on Mars in several decades. The storm, which is larger by far than any seen on Earth, has raised a cloud of dust that has engulfed the entire planet for the past three months. Bell, who has been observing the storm using data from two spacecraft, the Mars Global Surveyor and the Hubble Space Telescope, commented: "This is an opportunity of a lifetime. We have a phenomenal, unprecedented view from these two spacecraft."

Brett B. Troyan, a doctoral student in the Department of History, has been named a 2001-2002 Peace Scholar in the 14th annual competition sponsored by the Jennings Randolph Fellowship program of the United States Institute for Peace. One of 10 students selected in a rigorous, national competition, she will receive a $17,000 fellowship to assist in research for her doctoral dissertation on "Peace and Ethnic Identity in Southwestern Columbia, 1930-1991." Troyan was selected from more than 160 applicants from 61 different universities in 31 states and the District of Columbia. She is the fourth Cornell student to receive a Peace Scholar fellowship during the program's history. Named in honor of former U.S. Sen. Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, the fellowship program is open to doctoral students, regardless of citizenship, enrolled in U.S. universities who are working on dissertations related to the peaceful resolution of international conflict.

Undergraduates Priscilla Maldonado and Michael I. Seidman-Zager have been awarded research fellowships by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) for students who want to pursue graduate careers in microbiology. Maldonado is one of 12 applicants awarded, out of 76 who applied, to receive an ASM Minority Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Her research is titled "The Quantitation of Plasmodium yoelli Sporozoites Injected by a Feeding Mosquito Using Real Time Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase PCR." Seidman-Zager was one of 32 applicants awarded, out of 91 who applied, for an ASM Undergraduate Research Fellowship. His research is titled "Methane Biogeochemistry and Molecular Analysis of methanogens in New York State Peatland Ecosystems." For each award, fellows receive a $2,500 stipend, a one-year ASM student membership and reimbursement for travel expenses to the 2002 ASM General Meeting in Salt Lake City, where they will have the opportunity to present the results of their research. The ASM, headquartered in Washington, D.C., is the oldest and largest single biological membership organization.