Portland State Magazine Winter 2013

WINTER 2013 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 1 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT Campus life thrives in the heart of the city LETTERS Transformative times Early student housing PARK BLOCKS The sex lives of mosses A rise in rankings Studying the origins of life Cyclists make good customers Unique mission to space Award for green leadership History of Northwest quakes Departments C O N T E N T S 13 16 Features 28 29 10 Page 13 ON THE COVER Travis Knight, president and CEO of Laika studios, works with the puppets that starred in ParaNorman , the animation studio’s summer hit. Photo by Reed Harkness. See story on page 10. PORTLAND STATE M A G A Z I N E WINTER 2013 VOL. 27 | NO. 2 FANFARE Onstage at the Met Opera in the spring Haunting imagery Clowning around New Works GIVING Honoring those who give and achieve Scholarships change lives ALUMNI The Alumni Association is listening Network where you live An evening with King Tut Alumni in the news ATHLETICS All for volleyball Miles of green LOOKING BACK Baby, it’s cold outside 3 24 26 8 18 18 21 STOP-MOTION MAGIC Travis Knight ’98 leads the enchantment at the Laika animation studio in Hillsboro. CINEMATIC CRAFT The University’s film program is attracting the next generation of cinematographers. A KINDER, GREENER CLASSROOM Too many students? It’s off to the portable classroom, but this one is something special. IS PORTLAND REALLY PORTLANDIA? In the hit television show, the young, hip, and unambitious find a home in Portland. Two PSU professors pit fiction against fact. CULTURE SHIFT American Indians are bringing Native teaching practices into their classrooms. 4 In the television show Portlandia, Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen often depict characters that are marginally employed. How well do they reflect young people in the real Portland? Photo Danielle Mathias/IFC