The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 86, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1998 Page: 6 of 24
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THE RICE THRESHER NEWS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1998
Goldin speaks on future of space program
NASA administrator looks to aim high, send missions to Mars
by Susan Egeland
niKESHt K STAI-T
Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion Daniel Goldin spoke at Rice
Oct. 14 on the future of engineering
in relation to the space program.
Goldin's multimedia presentation,
"Tools of the Future: A Revolution
in Engineering," was the latest in
the President's Lecture Series.
Goldin has worked to increase
NASA's efficiency while decreasing
its budget since he was named ad-
ministrator in 1992.
Rice's Chair of Space Physics and
Astronomy Patricia Reiff introduced
Goldin as a champion of the "smaller,
faster, cheaper, better" creed, which
he echoed throughout his speech.
Goldin opened his lecture by defin-
ing NASA's role in terms broader
than booms and rockets — his defi-
nition included the question of "Are
we alone in the universe?" and the
demand for cheaper air and space
travel.
Goldin reiterated the need for
"high risk, high impact, revolution-
ary steps" and technologically ad-
vanced tools and resources to ob-
tain such goals.
A recurring theme throughout
the lecture was that NASA should
renounce baby steps and aim high.
Goldin spoke specifically about the
short-term goals to send missions
to Mars to bring back samples and
to construct telescopes with the
power to search farther.
He also discussed a 25-year goal
to construct high-powered tele-
scopes that can magnify the geo-
logical features of planets surround-
ing other stars.
(ioldin also stressed the need to
integrate human and robotic space
missions and introduced the idea of
ABI COHEN/THRESHER
NASA administrator Daniel Goldin
speaks in the Grand Hall Wednesday.
developing more intelligent space
vehicles. "We can have a more self-
sufficient mission with robots doing
the tough stuff," he 3aid.
'The human astronauts can con-
centrate on the truly intelligent
work."
Before these advanced missions
can become a reality, Goldin ex-
plained, NASA must develop soft-
ware that will gauge human reac-
tions.
"We need to go farther with hu-
man exploration," Goldin said. "We
will be sending astronauts to Mars.
These missions will be going on for
years and we need advanced tech-
nology."
Many students recognized
Goldin's ambition and were intrigued
by his vision for the future.
"I think it's great that NASA has
Dan Goldin in the position that he's
in because the United States has
come to a point where our advances
are only incremental," Hanszen Col-
lege sophomore Vergel Cruz said.
"We need the revolutionary changes
that Goldin suggests. I think we all
need to take a step back and evalu-
ate where this country is going.
NASA will continue to have a big
part in this technological change,"
he said.
Lovett College freshman Mark
Covington had a more skeptical view.
"High goals — wish us luck," he
said.
President Malcolm Gillis and
(ioldin signed'-a statement of col-
laboration yesterday. Rice and NASA
will work together on the develop-
ment of nanotechnology materials
and applications that could lead to a
TEPHEN BfNNiNG THRESHER
Do not enter
This new manhole cover is one of 23 that will grace the sidewalks of
Rice. Since they were specially ordered because they are unusually
large and must be easily latched, the university decided to add the
Rice logo to the design as well. The latches will secure the manholes,
which open into the steam tunnels.
7 think we all need to
take a step back and
evaluate where this
country is going. NASA Newman enjoys busy schedule
will continue to have a
big part in this
technological change.'
— Hanszen College sophomore
Vergel Cruz
new era in space travel, especially
fullerene fibers (or "nanotubes").
Discovered by Nobel Prize winner
and Rice Professor Richard H.
Smalley, the carbon fibers, although
one-sixth the weight of steel and a
billionth of a meter in diameter, are
potentially 30 to 100 times stronger
than steel.
SPACE, from Page 1
different to take into space," Few
said. "The college came up with the
idea of the flag."
Last spring and early this fall,
Baker held a contest for students to
submit designs for the flag. "It came
down to three or four different op-
tions," Resident Associate Greg
Marshall said.
Baker cabinet voted Sept. 15 to
adopt a flag created by 1997-'98 Baker
President Stella Hines.
The flag shows the Baker crest
on a field of red and white, which are
the college's colors.
Production of Baker's student-
designed flag was completed
Wednesday.
Newman has been a Baker asso-
ciate since he was a graduate stu-
dent.
He earned his master's and doc-
torate degrees in physics at Rice in
1982 and 1984, respectively. In 1985,
he was appointed an adjunct profes-
sor in Rice's Space Physics and As-
tronomy Department. Newman fin-
ished astronaut training at Johnson
Space Center in July 1991.
Married and the father of two,
Newman enjoys hiking, softball and
squash.
"He's a family man," Mendenhall
said. "He brings his kids and wife
along to associates' dinners."
8 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, 1998
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Admission: No charge
Jaron Lanier
Technological visionary,
author and artist
gy and
ture of the Soul
Best known for his work in Virtual Reality (VR), computer scientist Jaron
Lanier is also a composer, visual artist, and author. He coined the term
"Virtual Reality," founding an industry, and started the first VR company,
VPL Research, Inc. A technological visionary, Lanier has spearheaded
many other industries, including "avatar" for network communications,
moving camera virtual sets for TV production, and performance
animation for 3D computer graphics.
Lanier is currently lead scientist for the National Tele-immersion Initiative,
a coalition of universities studying advanced shared environment
applications on the internet. In addition, he serves as a visiting scholar
in the Department of Computer Sceince at Columbia University and
as a visiting artist in New York University's Interactive Communications
Program, and he-is a founding member of the new International Institute
for Evolution and the Brain. A pianist and specialist in unusual
instruments, Lanier writes new classical, chamber, and orchestral
music. He's currently working on a new album for Sony Classics
and recently composed a ballet, The Thinning of th& Veil.
I
\o tickets arc required for admission. Sealing will begin at 7 p.m. \ limited
number of resened seats will be available for Kicc students. To gain admission
to this special seel ion. students ma> obtain a pass from the Student Organizations
OHicc on the second floor of the I e\ Student Center, \ller 7:1! p.m.. an> uno< ( upied
seats in the student set lion will be released.
l or more information, ( .ill (71,?) !27-(iOfKJ. e-mail <sjd(p|ii(c.edu>. or \isit the
Web site at <www.riee.edu/pls>.
SCONEA
Presents
*h>
The U.S. bombing:
A Debate
Want to talk about TERRORISM?
Come hear fellow students debate the
U.S. BOMBING
<}
of sites in the Sudan and Afghanistan.
Thursday, October 22
7pm
Kyle Morrow Room
Fondren Library
Part of a three event series:
"Terrorism Awareness Month"
For more info, contact: alshaali@rice.edu
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Stoler, Brian. The Rice Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 86, No. 7, Ed. 1 Friday, October 16, 1998, newspaper, October 16, 1998; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth246630/m1/6/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.