Lamont Weekly Report, May 14, 2010

I hope everyone saw Chris Zappa's recent announcement about this year's Mentoring Award - many congratulations to all the excellent nominees.  Please join us (a week today) for the ceremony at which this year's awardee will be identified - 4pm Friday 21st May in the Monell Auditorium - reception to follow. A cash prize of $2000 comes along with the certificate of recognition - so it is a big deal!!

Our research vessel Langseth, is on her way from Astoria, Oregon to Hawaii as we speak - arriving over the weekend for a short visit to carry out some multi beam tests and pickup some science personnel. And then she is headed for Guam.

Many folks missed a very informative session earlier this afternoon at which the CU Copyright Office talked about the many new challenges that we will be facing as demands for 'Open Access' to published science papers clash with journal publishers' copyrights and desires for control.  Dr Kenneth Crews from CU's Copyright Advisory office was the primary presenter - check out his web site at www.copyright.columbia.edu

We will have to invite him out here again as this issue will undoubtedly grow in complexity before meaningful solutions are found.

In the way of a total irrelevancy - I walked what 'they' claim is the world's longest, pedestrian-only bridge the other day - well worthwhile if you get the chance - across the Hudson between Poughkeepsie and Highland.

The warm weather seems to have returned at least for a while, have a great weekend, and keep away from Morningside next week unless you are participating in Commencement (which I hope many of you are) - it will be mildly chaotic.

- Mike