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Volume 54 lssue 11
NASA scientist talks space exploration
By Mariam Abuhaideri
Staff Writer
Mabuhail@
my.westga.edu
Dr. Kamlesh Lulla,
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration’s
chief scientist for Earth
Observation at the Johnson
Space Center, spoke at
UWG about NASA’s
upcoming mission to
the moon as part of the
Lampton Lecture Series
held last Monday.
According to Lulla,
NASAhasalwaysexplored
new dimensions of space
and will continue to do so
with this upcoming trip.
The presentation
emphasized the important
role of NASA’s Johnson
Space Center in the new
mission. Some of the
other highlights of his
talks were lunar outposts,
NASA’s astronaut
training program, past
and present missions
of NASA, and building
frontiers in outer space.
“Scientific research is
our main goal. At NASA
we always try to update
our knowledge due to ever
changing technology. Even
International students discuss native countries
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Photo By Kristal Dixon
Students participate in the annual International Student Panel. The student panelists rep
resented a diverse group of countries, including Nigeria, Scotland, Germany, Bulgaria,
Japan and El Salvador.
Wanted: student leaders for summer freshman orientation
By Crystal Farrer
Staff Writer
cfarrerl @my.westga.edu
While some students
take the summer off to
work, go home, or go on
vacation, others stay at
the University of West
Georgia to welcome
freshmen and other
new students during the
summer orientations.
“The Student \ niee at the I niversity of West t ieorgin since I01J"
our current employees
undergo rigorous training
to avoid errors that could
be fatal,” Lulla said.
Scientists are busy
discovering ways of
making space exploration
more affordable, reliable
and safe.
“Our main concern
here is to reduce the cost of
transportation. We would
be using robotic technology
instead of humans. With
robots, we can cut down
on those expenses, such
as food and other human
needs,” said Lulla.
Scientists are also
working on setting up a
NASA operating station
on the moon’s surface.
Even though this means
that NASA would have
to incur huge costs, it is a
great investment.
Lulla is the only
Indian-American scientist
to work as a chief scientist
at NASA and holds two
doctorate degrees. He has
been honored with one of
NASA’s highest honors: The
Exceptional Achievement
Medal for Earth Remote
Sensing, along with other
prestigious awards.
NASA is a pioneer
These chosen few
are known as student
orientation leaders. Laurel
Starling, Coordinator of
Orientation and Special
Programs, is currently
recruiting students for
next summer’s staff.
She said that
orientation would not
function without student
leaders because they are
integral to the program.
flknrrJKn
www.thewestgeorgian.com
in space research and
getting hired is not easy.
“To be hired by NASA
you have to be blessed with
the good ability to solve
problems and have the
desire to work in a space
program. Though NASA
does hire graduates from
all disciplines, they prefer
exceptionally honored
people from engineering,
science and accounting
fields,” said Lulla.
The lecture was
sponsored by the Robert
and Katherine Lampton
Fund and administered
by the Department of
Biology and GEMS.
According to Dr.
Swamy Mruthinti,
associate professor of
biology at UWG, Lulla
was the most appropriate
person to introduce and
motivate students to pursue
a course in the Frontiers of
Space Science.
“I first met him in
1975 at M S. University
in Baroda, India where 1
enrolled for my graduate
studies and he was
completing his first Ph.D.
in plant ecology. He is an
accomplished scientist,
dedicated teacher and a
Starling is currently
looking for students who
have good grades and
are extremely passionate
about UWG.
The students must
have the desire to work
with the diverse group of
incoming students and
their families.
Starling seeks to hire
a diverse staff to represent
the variety of students at
Jr "Hr A
Photo by Mariam Abuhaideri
Or. Kamlesh Lulla discusses space exploration and the abilities scientists must have
while working for NASA.
great motivational speaker.
From India to Indiana he
has established himself
as a leading authority
in remote sensing and
earth observation,”
By Elise Dunnigan
Staff Writer
DunniganEN@aol.com
Students representing 11 countries
participated in last Tuesday’s International
Students Panel. The students discussed
certain rituals of their respective countries
and fielded questions from the audience.
Countries represented in the panel included
Gambia, Japan,
Germany,
Nigeria, Russia
and Montserrat.
Mariam
Abuhaideri of
India discussed
her native
country’s
marriage rituals.
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custom, every ritual
has a story behind it.
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-Mariam Abuhaideri^/
Abuhaideri said that India’s marriage
rituals symbolize a bond of devotion,
loyalty and trust.
“Every custom, every ritual has a
story behind it,” Abuhaideri said. India
has both Hindu and Muslim marriage
customs. A Muslim, Abuhaideri said that
when she gets married she would follow
UWG in a balanced way.
Since orientation
leaders are one of the
first contacts incoming
students have at UWG,
it is important that the
students have a positive
experience because
orientation may reflect
what the rest of their time
spent at West Georgia
might be like.
“Being an orientation
Wednesday, \oveniher 2, 2005
said Mruthinti.
In spite of his busy
schedule Lulla readily
accepted the invitation and
came to share his ideas
with students.
the Indian Muslim marriage practices.
The Muslim marriage customs consist
of three celebrations: the pre-wedding
celebration, the main day celebration
and the post-wedding celebration During
the post-wedding celebration the bride
is welcomed into her new home by her
mother-in-law.
Max Richard Matz of Germany
began his speech by showing the crowd
his university.
He also said that a lot more theory
is taught in classes in Germany and are
more intense than classes here at UWG.
Another interesting difference between
UWG and the German university Matz
See PANEL page 2
leader gave me tons of
opportunities and I had
one of the best times
of my life. I got to meet
lots of new people and
became good friends with
all the other leaders,” said
Kristi Walker, a current
orientation leader.
Walker went on to
say that good orientation
leaders are able to get
along with a diverse
“I loved being here
and speaking to the
students and if I were
given another chance I
would certainly come
back,” he said.
his German flag
and gave a little
geographical
background of his
native country.
Matz stated that
while studying in
Germany, he sits
in class with 500
other students at
group of people, maintain
their heads in stressful
situations, have fun and
are able to get up really
early in the morning.
Applications are
available in the Bonner
House and the deadline to
apply is Nov. 7 at 5 p.m.
Students seeking
more information should
contact Starling by e-mail
at Istarlin@westga.edu.