Better Than an Emmy!

Presidential Awards Honor Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
The White House announced ten individuals and eight institutions as recipients of the 1998 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, a three-year-old award administered and funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF). The awardees were honored by President Clinton at a White House ceremony on September 10. The awards recognize outstanding individual efforts and organizational programs designed to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in mathematics, engineering, and science in kindergarten-12th grade and through the graduate level.    More...

"...How I Believe Science Should Move to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century"
In remarks to the DC Science Writers Association, NSF Director Rita Colwell said, "Being prepared, anticipating, foresight, pro-action not re-action -- this is how I believe science should move to meet the challenges of the 21st century. In the past, much of our effort relied on remediation...solving existing problems...working on solutions after problems occurred. Today we can foresee, even predict many of the problems or challenges. This anticipatory capability is empowered with our increasing cross-disciplinary understanding. This is occurring throughout science, engineering, and technology. Our broader grasp of these interconnections provides tremendous advantage for preventive, not remedial solutions." More...

'Supermassive' Black Hole Found in the Center of Our Galaxy
The presence of an enormous black hole at the center of our galaxy has been detected by a researcher funded, in part, by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Andrea Ghez, of the University of California-Los Angeles, reported on the evidence at the Central Parsecs Galactic Center Workshop '98 in Tucson, Arizona. "What lies in the center of the Milky Way has been one of this century's 'big' science questions," said Terry Oswalt, NSF program manager for Stellar Astronomy and Astrophysics. "Ghez's work has massive implications on our understanding of how galaxies evolve."    More...

Powerful Magnet Attracts Researchers
The National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) is celebrating the inauguration of the most powerful controlled-power magnet in the world. The NHMFL expects the 60 Tesla [T] Long-Pulse Magnet to provide a powerful research tool for scientists from industry, government and academia. Supported by funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the State of Florida, the NHMFL is a partnership between Florida State University, the University of Florida and Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. More...