Short Takes



Nov. 19, 1996

Recycling Program Proves Profitable	Student Ron Tavernier spends much of his time this semester in the can - several of them, in fact. As the director of the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks Recycling Program, Tavernier collects between 3,600 to 4,000 cans every week from locations throughout campus. That's about 150 pounds of cans collected weekly while carrying a full class load of 19 credits. But, his efforts have paid off. Tavernier has doubled the amount of cans the program recycled last year, and for the first time it's turning a profit for UAF's student government. Funds generated from can collection go back into the general fund, which is used for student club funding, leadership seminars and activities. The program has gained in popularity thanks to "The Toilet Paper," a bi-monthly newsletter posted in campus bathrooms, which offers a humorous look at ways the campus can cut down on waste. Tavernier publishes the newsletter about campus recycling on used paper collected from UAF offices. Through the help of UAF Printing Services, the paper Tavernier collects is also made into scratch pads for department and student use. Tavernier plans to graduate this May with degrees in wildlife biology and journalism. He is considering beginning a master's program in environmental science next fall, focusing his thesis on cutting waste at UAF. Contact: Ron Tavernier, ASUAF Recycling Director, (907) 474-7355.
Outstanding CSO Tapped for Anchorage Police Academy	Some boots were made for walking, but University of Alaska Fairbanks senior Dan Cox's boots have seen more than their fair share of action. In the two years he has been a community service officer (CSO) with the University Police Department, Cox has gone through two pairs of boots patrolling the campus. Now Cox will have to buy a third pair for his new beat - the Anchorage Police Department Academy. Cox, a UAF justice major, was accepted into the academy based on his excellent academic background and training with university police. He will travel to Anchorage for final entrance tests and will begin at the academy in January. "I've always wanted to be a cop, ever since I was a kid," said Cox, originally from Kenai, Alaska. Cox said that most students who are community service officers at UAF want to go into law enforcement, but working as a CSO provides students of all majors with hands-on experience in criminal justice. The CSO program is supervised by the University Police Department. Students accepted for employment patrol the campus, secure buildings and assist police officers with enforcing university policies. Contact: Sgt. Terry Vrabec, UAF Police Department, (907) 474-6215.
Fire Science Student's Future Burns Bright	For Nicole Hill the future's so bright she not only has to wear shades, she has to wear an airpack, turnout gear and a face shield. Hill, a wildland fire science major at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Tanana Valley Campus, has been recognized by the state of Alaska for her continued education in a field traditionally pursued by men as the recipient of the Alaska Department of Education Breaking Barriers Award. The award is given annually to one outstanding secondary student and one outstanding postsecondary student in vocational education programs non-traditional for their gender. The program also recognizes educators making gender equity a goal in their classrooms. Hill will receive a $300 grant. A $3,000 program improvement grant will be given to the UAF wildland fire science program. Hill, who is hearing impaired, uses lip-reading and American Sign Language to communicate. She has been enrolled in the fire science program since 1994 and serves as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician for the Chena Goldstream Volunteer Fire Department. She is also a volunteer with Fairbanks Search and Rescue. Hill was nominated by fire science associate professor Mike McGowan. "Nicole sets an outstanding example for others who are hearing impaired," McGowan said. "She has become a role model for other deaf people by showing that anything is possible." Hill is expected to graduate this May with an associate degree in wildland fire science and a bachelor's degree in biology. Her career goals include attending paramedic school in Pennsylvania, earning her private pilot's license and working in mountain rescue and guiding services. Contact: Mike McGowan, UAF Fire Science Program, (907) 474-5240.
Teaming Science and Education Merits Congressional Fellowship for Researcher	John "Jack" Herring, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute, was selected as the 1996-1997 American Geophysical Union (AGU) Congressional Science Fellow. Herring traveled to Washington D.C. this fall to begin his year-long fellowship in Congress. He will remain in the capitol through August 1997. The AGU Congressional Science Fellow Program "seeks to make more effective use of science knowledge in government and to train scientists for pursuing careers involving public use of technical information." Herring was selected for the honor from a field of 19 applicants. Herring has authored several papers published in the "Journal of Geophysical Research." His doctoral work focused on the effects of Gulf War oil fires on the global environment. He has also been involved in teaching science to students at the elementary to postsecondary levels. Contact: Kathy Berry, Public Information Officer, Geophysical Institute, (907) 474-7798.

JCS/11-19-96/97-031