4-23-99

Contacts:
Murray Blackwelder, External Affairs, (515) 294-7730
Tom Ligouri, Engineering, (515) 294-2238
Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917


IOWA STATE WILL CELEBRATE 'YEAR OF TECHNOLOGY'

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State University will celebrate the role and impact of science and technology in the 1999-2000 school year. "Advancing Technology: To Become the Best" is the theme for the coming year, said Iowa State University President Martin Jischke.

Several events are planned during the coming academic year. They include guest speakers discussing the impact and role of science and technology today and in the future, a lecture by astronaut Mae Jemison, a celebration of National Engineering Week, the dedication of Howe Hall (phase I of Iowa State's Engineering Teaching and Research Complex), and the 100th anniversary of the groundbreaking of the College of Engineering's Marston Hall.

The celebration also will highlight some of the technologies that have advanced our society and fueled our economy.

"As we enter the millennium, I can't think of a better time to celebrate what technology has brought us and to recognize how technology will continue to shape our lives in the future," said Jischke. "Technology is a cornerstone of today's society and our economy is continually driven by advances made in this area. We use technology in almost every facet of our lives, from growing the food we eat, to how we do our jobs, to what we do in our leisure time. It is fitting to recognize this and celebrate it."

Jischke noted that Iowa State has made its share of significant advances in the 20th Century. Development of the first electronic digital computer, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer; development and use of hybrid seed corn; development of an encoding process that helped make fax machines a staple in modern offices; and the purification of uranium for the Manhattan Project, all took place at Iowa State.

"We are very fortunate to live in a country that values science and technology," Jischke added. "We have found that an investment in science and technology is a sound investment in our future."

The year of technology follows Iowa State's celebration of the life and accomplishments of George Washington Carver during the 1998-99 school year in "George Washington Carver: Inspiring Students to Become Their Best."

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