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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (July 18, 1973)
1 TAUO 'll others 0 to 70 ip.” f 5 6,000 Sign Up For Second Term t° start |; we’ve f TZX^W ■ A ^ operatiot^fl osmitteO I; ATS II! I ioto on I 'illiams,] I Briscoe I iversity t • I Battalion No. 268 College Station, Texas Wednesday, July 18, 1973 hinese Scientists Visit A&M insect hormone research pn chnique* epared specialists from the People’s Re- y ctaiJ^lic of China were on campus n couneM st wee ^ ^ or a three-day tour of A&M’s research and experi ment facilities. ■ The scientific delegation, while in the United States, is hosted by ne Committee on Scholarly Com munication with the People’s Re- liblic of China (CSCPRC), a bmmittee which is jointly spon- SSIFIE! F e( l by the National Academy | Sciences, American Council of I learned Societies and the Social I fcience Research Council. p Chen Te-ming, professor of ysiology and biophysics, Insti- te of Zoology, Chinese Academy pf Sciences. Deputy head is Hsu ao-hsiang, deputy chief of di vision, Bureau of Foreign Affairs, Scientific and Technical Associ- ption, Peking. I Other members of the delega tion are Chiu Shih-pang, profes- gor of entomology, Chinese Acad emy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences; Chou Wei-shan, associ ate professor of organic chemis try, Shanghai Institute of Organ ic Chemistry; Shen Lien-fang, scientific worker of instrumental analysis, Kirin Institute of Ap plied Chemistry; and Liu Men- ying, scientific worker of organic synthesis, Institute of Zoology. The delegation’s College Sta tion tour, which ended Saturday with a bus tour of the A&M corn- pus, was highlighted by a visit to the laboratory of Dr. Herbert A. Roller, professor of endocrin ology and biology at TAMU and an acknowledged leader in insect hormone synthesis research. "They have great problems with rice and cotton pests,” said Dr. Roller. "China is suffering from the insects’ resistance to standard insecticides. They still use DDT, organophosphates and carbon ates.” The use of insect hormones differs from standard pesticides SOUNDS OF SUNDANCE filled the night Thursday at an MSC sponsored swim and dance party at the A&M pool. ? i Presnal Joins A&M ^Research Foundation seem at | Bill Presnal has joined the answers g: “Re’ Texas A&M Research Foundation 3 Cl' : as a special assistant, announced ^5 Dean Fred J. Benson, TAMRF tion ot director. /here it |. 1 i Summer Grads iptized id Silas, j Jesus ; Y spake ! house >d theii ’ (Acts ? sslvfl' A&M students who expect to Wta graduate Aug. 17 must make se they formal degree application by Fri- Applications Due Friday lostiaus ■e what Saul day, July 20. Registrar Robert A. Lacey said actions the deadline applies to under- llowing (graduate an( j graduate students. h e . v f E The Aug. 17 commencement aptized be A&M’s first formal sum- ^thin? m er graduation ceremony. degree application is the ■ntance Responsibility of the student, ^ay,” Lace y noted. [ these; Degree applications are made ree are a t the Richard Coke Building. S C J (After paying the $5 graduation e^ame |* ee at tbe Fiscal Office, under- sanie |graduate students should apply t Room 7. Graduate students pply for the degree in the Grad ate College. The fee receipt ust be presented to make ap- lication. tanking is a pleasure Sank & Trust. First Adv. in that, instead of poisoning the insect, the hormones affect the pest’s growth and the insect either dies from failure to develop into adulthood or dies from developing abnormally. The pests in China are relative ly the same type of pests with which the U.S. has to contend, said Dr. Roller. "It was apparent that the dele gation not only enjoyed the visit, but considered it very profitable,” said Dr. William Fife, A&M’s coordinator for the visit. The party also toured! labora tories in the Biology Department, U.S. Department of Agriculture Toxicology and Entomology fa cilities and other research de partments at TAMU. The Chinese scientists were ex tremely interested in research ap paratus in the laboratories, and exchanged ideas on various areas of research with TAMU scientists. A small pocket calculator proved to be of extreme interest to the scientists, who insisted on a demonstration of the unit by a graduate lab assistant. Members of the delegation were presented with medals commem orating the 150th anniversary of the Texas Rangers at a banquet in their honor Friday evening. The scientists expressed appre ciation to laboratory technicians as the tour progressed, offering comment on the efficient manner of laboratory operation. They were impressed by the number of graduate students undertaking research work, and commented on the facilities pro vided for students at A&M. The visit to A&M was a seg ment of a nation-wide tour of universities and government re search facilities by the scientists. The group visited Harvard, Co lumbia, the University of Wis consin at Madison and other insti tutions before coming to Texas A&M. REGISTRATION ran smoothly with no major problems Thursday as students signed up for classes which began the next day. (Photo by Peter Leabo) ‘Zapper’ New Weapon For Fighting Weeds New Dean Finds A&M ‘Exciting’ The foundation, a non-profit corporation, serves A&M by help ing locate sponsored research projects which coincide with the institution’s research strengths and interests. It also assists in development of research proposals and contract administration. Presnal, who represents Dis trict 28 (Brazos and Robertson Counties) in the Texas House of Representatives, was a member of the A&M staff from 1962 until 1963. He also was associated with the research foundation in 1968. “Bill Presnal brings to the foundation a considerable amount of legislative and governmental experience which we think will be of particular value on the fed eral level,” Benson noted. “Spe cifically, he will be responsible for tracking Congressional legis lation which has a significant bearing on university research programs. He also will provide advice regarding critical state needs in areas where A&M can make contributions through re search.” "I welcome the opportunity to serve the foundation in this capacity,” Presnal said, "and look forward to giving it my full attention at all times except when fulfilling my legislative responsi bilities.” Presnal is a 1953 A&M gradu ate. He also earned a master’s degree from A&M in 1960. “A&M is tremendously pro gressive, and I find this very ex citing,” said Professor Raymond Reed, the new dean of A&M’s College of Architecture and En vironmental Design. Reed, a 43-year-old native of California, officially joined A&M June 1. He succeeded Dean Romieniec who requested to re turn to fulltime teaching. Reed said providing technical expertise and mental flexibility in his students are the basic re sponsibilities of the College of Architecture and Environmental Design. “We must insure that the stu dent develops a sensitivity and the capability to solve contem porary problems,” he pointed out. "On the other hand, we must en courage resiliency of mind so the student can intelligently help shape the environment under the differing situations of the fu ture.” Dean Reed explained that these commitments can and will be met through continued development of strong teaching, research, con tinuing education and extension programs. “It is our charge to organize teaching, research and extension so that students can leave the university technically and philo sophically prepared to contribute to their professions, society and the State of Texas,” he said. Reed noted he has a personal interest in teaching freshmen and graduate students in the College and give architectural and environmental design phil osophy as his major teaching fields. The new dean cited TAMU’s national reputation in education and research, and said it is in a good position to assume leader ship in environmental design education. Because of its strength as a land grant and sea grant university, A&M enjoys opportunities and obligations other universities do not, Reed pointed out. The former national chairman of the American Institute of Architects’ Committee on Archi tectural Education and Research showed an interest in Texas’ as yet “relatively undeveloped” sea coast. The population shift from north to south has reflected rec ognition of the coast’s potential, he pointed out. "Plans to develop the Texas sea coast so as to conserve the University National Bank “On the side of Texas A&M.” Adv. ecology of the land and sea are essential,” he stressed. Reed also said that A&M will continue its medical facilities de sign and research projects. “A&M is recognized nationally in this area,” he explained. "We will continue these programs as long as they are considered so cially relevant.” "We misuse our environment,” Reed emphasized, and pointed out that we must cope with the problem of better design and utilization of our human and na tural resources. Reed reminded the College of Architecture and Environmental Design is divided into the De partments of Architecture, Build ing Construction, Environmental Design, Landscape Architecture, Urban and Regional Planning and the Architecture Research Cen ter. He said the task of pre paring students to create a sus tainable human environment where people can live better while using less of our recoverable re sources binds the departments together. Science fiction suddenly be came science reality here Friday (July 13) when a strange look ing machine rumbled across a field and thoroughly zapped weeds. The instrument of execution is known as the Zapper, and its principle of operation sounds like something right out of the world of Buck Rogers. Several hundred curious spec tators gathered near the Ocean ography International Corpora tion building in South College Station to watch Zapper do its thing. The whining machine ambled along and left a swath of of soil pollution or contamina tion. Development of the soil pest killer is a cooperative venture of Oceanography International Cor poration, Texas A&M University, the Texas Agricultural Experi ment Station and the USDA Agricultural Research Service. OIC President John Hughey says Zapper slays weeds by ap plying microwaves directly to soil. And if any grasses, fungi, nematodes and other soil varmits get in the way, they will get the treatment, too. Microwaves are a form of ra dio waves. They can be gener ated and sent through space. Hughey says the system provides a safe, non-polluting, long-dura tion control of weeds and soil- borne pests. Zapped soil is im mediately ready to be seeded, with no concern for toxic residue. “Tests of this Zapper proto- Two Students Die In Auto Accidents Two A&M students, Gail Lynn Browder and Robert A. McSwain, were killed in auto accidents last week. Browder, 21-year-old senior ge ology major, died July 7 in a one- car accident near Fort Stockton in West Texas. He was returning to his home in Quanah from a geology field camp at Alpine. Services were held July 9 in Quanah. Browder was the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Browder, 304 W. 12th, Quanah, where he attended high school. McSwain, of San Angelo, died Thursday morning from injuries in a packup truck accident late Wednesday near Brady. Services were held at the First Christian Church in Brady. He was the son of R. F. Mc Swain Jr., 2536 Princeton, San Angelo. The 18-year-old student’s grandfather, Ross F. McSwain Sr. of Brady, was a 1924 A&M graduate. The A&M student was the great nephew of Augus S. McSwain, 115 Rebecca, Bryan. type over the past three years have produced consistently suc cessful — sometimes amazing — results. Yet to be explored are its applications to areas other than agriculture,” the OIC offi cial said. Microwaves do absolutely ter rible things to plants’ innards. Twists their molecules all around. "This accelerated action brings on damage to the internal struc ture of the seed or plant, and d e a t h results. The killing is physical, not chemical,” Hughey pointed out. Since the soil is left almost pest-free after the machine’s treatment, sizeable increases in crop yields have been recorded in USDA tests. Hughey said canta loupes and onions planted in zapped soil jumped their yields 35 to 60 percent over those in hand-weeded plots. Increases were even better over those raised in chemically treated soil. Present uses call for weed con trol where costs per acre ex ceeded $15. Future technology will allow use in lower cost-per- acre situations. Zapper is a big hunk of ma chine an disn’t something for the home yard and garden. It resembles a large combine and is 22 feet long, 8 feet wide and almost 10 feet high. The dem onstration model weighs about 32,000 pounds because it is crammed full of research equip ment. Engineering refinements are expected to reduce later ver sions to around 20,000 pounds. Zapper’s road speed is 10 miles (See ‘Zapper’, page 8) Canoe Trip Huge Success A&M students plan another canoe jaunt after a successful weekend trip down part of the San Marcos River. The upcoming trip will prob ably traverse a segment of the more challenging Guadalupe River, from Canyon Dam to New Braunfels. “There’s quite a bit of interest in another trip,” commented Doug Ridge. “It’s tentative for the first week of August. This part of the Guadalupe is rougher than the San Marcos.” Several novice canoeists found parts of the San Marcos River rugged enough. But all 70 stu dents and faculty-staff safely negotiated the 20 river miles. “They had a real good time,” Ridge reported. “Everybody had plenty of fun. The biggest prob lem was mosquitoes.” Lee Robertson, in charge of the trip and the most experienced canoeist, concurred with Ridge. The senior physical education major said the outcome proved something about Aggies. “The rapids scared off some, but most of them—including the novices—wanted no part of por taging around the rough water,” he related. “They wanted to run it.” “I think it proves the average Aggie, and Maggies too, have lots of intestinal fortitude,” the Ar kansas canoeing competition vet eran remarked. “Some of them left their common sense in Col lege Station,” Robertson grinned. “They would portage back up stream and run ’em again,” he said. The route they followed is the first leg of the annual Texas Water Safari, a canoe-boat race from San Marcos to Seadrift. No one escaped capsizing. Only one canoe out of 30 came out with more than minor dam age. It tried to wrap around a rock at Cottonseed Rapids, a 300- yard-long “S” of fast water that dunked most of the paddlers. Injuries were limited to a few scratches and sore muscles. Robertson, a 220-pounder, and 230-pound gridder John Gunn provided thrills for the -rest of the group. They gained a 10- minute lead along a quiet stretch of the San Marcos, climbed a pecan tree overhanging the river and leaped out at the unsuspect ing canoeists. “After that they saw a lot of squirrels and birds,” Robertson said. Though group members had diverse backgrounds, they teamed up well, the leaders observed. “Two new faculty members were surprised at the way every one helped each other out,” Robertson said. More than 100 persons inquired about the trip. Size of the group was limited by availability of canoes. “It came off perfect,” noted Ridge, chairman of the Memorial Student Center Recreation Com mittee which arranged the trip. “About an hour after we pulled the canoes out at Staples, Parks and Wildlife Department people warned everyone off the river. There was an eight-foot rise.” m ifes SAN MARCOS WHITEWATER—Doug Ridge and Cyn thia Harris shoot small rapids during a canoe trip on the San Marcos River.