PSU Magazine Fall 1987

try. Field trips to Tektronix, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bonneville Dam and the Port of Portland have given students the opportunity to see scien– tists and engineers at work. A mentor program has also allowed students to "shadow" engineers to learn more about their jobs. "Industry has been tremendously supportive," said Penny Fukui, MESA's career coordinator. "They're working directly with us and in the long run they'll benefit. At one time, they hoped to recruit graduates. Now there is a 'grow your own' trend." Tektronix has also offered a number of internships to MESA high school students. One of those who interned at Tektronix this summer was Camille Greenidge, a Grant High School graduate who will be entering Portland State on a minority tuition waiver this fall. Greenidge, who in her second week at the high-tech business was helping solve a vertical line problem on a series of CRTs, admits that a job at Tektronix seemed "unreachable" at one time. "In fact, if I'd been asked as a freshman, 'Camille, do you want to be an engineer?' I would have said, 'What's that?'" MESA has shown her that "being an engineer is not just for brainy-type people who don't know how to have fun ." And she now has a beautifully simple definition of what engineers do: "They stretch their minds to figure out better ways of doing things." Greenidge hopes to combine her technical skills with her family's pro– pensity for the ministry by working in third world countries as an engineer and missionary. In Anderson's mind, the need for MESA is not really a failure of the public school system, which must present a wide curriculum to a wide range of students. "There isn't time in the classroom to focus on one particu– lar activity," she said. "But we don't have deadlines. We can talk about a circle for a week!" And while they are talking about a circle or building rockets or visiting OMSI, it may be dawning on a few unsuspecting students that college and a technical career are within their reach. rsu Rempfer wins Reed's Howard Vollum Award Gertrude F. Rempfer, PSU professor emerita of physics, became the first woman to receive the Howard Vollum Award for Science and Technology, Sept. 3. Rempfer was presented with a silver medal encased in walnut along with an honorarium of $2,000. The Reed College honor, named for the Tektronix, Inc. co-founder and Reed alumnus who died last year, rec– ognizes exceptional achievement by members of the Northwest scientific and technical community. Rempfer, who has been at Portland State since 1959, has enjoyed a distin– guished career in the field of electron physics. Particularly noted for her role in the development of special electro– static lens systems for the photo– electron microscope, she is currently working on lens aberrations to improve the clarity of microscopic images. Rempfer holds five patents in the field. Past recipients of the Vollum Award have included PSU alumnus C. Nor– man Winningstad, chairman of Float– ing Point Systems; Nobel Prize winner Linus C. Pauling; and the late Paul H . Emmett, specialist in catalysis and former research professor at PSU. Accounting certificate now offered at PSU Thinking of going into accounting? PSU is now offering a new post– baccalaureate Certificate in Account– ing. The program is designed for non– business degree holders who want to enter the field of accounting, accord– ing to Richard Visse, head of PSU's accounting department. The 45 credits of required course– work for the certificate include 30 undergraduate accounting credits with the remainder in business administra– tion courses of the student's choosing. "Our new Certificate in Accounting will provide returning grads with a new and tangible educational goal as well as formal evidence of proficiency in accounting," said Visse. PSU MAGAZINE PAGE 13 Abo ut 600 graduates of PSU's Gradu– ate School of Social Work are expected to gather for the school's 25th anniver– sary pany Oct. 11 at the World Forestry Ce nter in Portland. Live music, dancing and refreshments are planned for social work grads and faculty from 4 p.m. until fatigue sets in. Mini-reunions are being organized by some classes, and updated alumni rosters are available at the Social Work office. Call Norm Wyers at 464-4712 for more information . Svoboda Continued from page 6 commissioning him, that they're willing to take the risk." Having worked almost exclusively on commissions for the last few years, Svoboda looks forward to fewer com– missions and at least two years' lead time. "I felt at the edge of collapsing this year," he said, referring to the two chamber pieces and one orchestra work that he wrote in quick succes– sion. A woodwind quintet he started years ago is calling to him and there are other avenues of expression he wants to travel. His computer hesitations aside, Svoboda is fascinated with the pote n– tial of electronic music. "I would like in my next symphony to use electronic tape and orchestra, to combine back– ground color with the magical beauty of the human performance." A related "dream" is to write pieces for elec– tronic tape and piano, and to perform them on tour. The icing on the cake, of course, will be that elusive international recognition. Fortunately, Svoboda hasn't needed it thus far in order to thrive. "My goal is not to be known but to grow inside as a human and an artist," he says. "To create art is part of life, not the result of society patting you on the shoulder." From a lesser man, this claim might ring hollow. But from someone who has looked fame in the eye, and then looked deep within himself before choosing his direction, we not only accept the assertion but marvel at the inner peace that produced it. PSu