President Stephen C. Ainlay and his wife, Judith Gardner Ainlay, recently connected with alumni, parents and friends of the College who live in London. The September trip included a cocktail reception, a presentation of the “Welcome Back to Union College” video and a visit with high school students interested in learning more about life at Union. Edward Walley ’93 is president of the Union College Club of London, formed in 2003.
A paper by John Garver, Geology Department chair, titled “Crustal-scale structural architecture, shortening, and exhumation of an active, eroding orogenic wedge,” recently was published by the journal Tectonics (vol. 27). Co-authors are Andrew Meigs, Sarah Johnston ’02 and James Spotila. The piece is part of the authors’ long-term effort at understanding the tectonic evolution of the Chugach Range in Chugach/St. Elias Range, southern Alaska. Their paper details one of the most dramatic collision zones in the world. Much of the work was the master’s thesis of Johnston, then at Oregon State University. Johnston did the analytical work with Garver in Union’s fission track lab.
Hilary Tann’s oboe concerto, “Shakkei,” has been released on CD by North/South Recordings. The CD is called “Landscapes for Chamber Orchestra,” and the North/South Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Max Lifchitz with Virginia Shaw, soloist. “Shakkei” will be performed Nov. 1 in Rio de Janiero by the Brazilian National Orchestra, conducted by Ligia Amadio with soprano saxophone soloist Susan Fancher. Tann is the John Howard Payne Professor of Music.
Anna Gaudette ’09 and Hillary Bauer ’11 presented their work at the Canadian Undergraduate Physics Conference at the University of Toronto recently. Gaudette presented on studies of mechanical reinforcements of polymer nanocomposites. Bauer’s work focused on the phase transition of physically restricted molecules in the nano scale. Accompanying the students was Samuel Amanuel, assistant professor of physics. The conference drew 272 delegates from 39 institutions across Canada and the United States.
A recruiting video by Jonathan Campano ’09, titled “The Union College Geology Department,” won an award for Best Documentary at the Third Annual Electric City Film Fest last week at Proctors, where it was shown along with other winning entries. Campano began work on his project for the Geosciences and Environmental Sciences at Union last May and completed it this fall. This year’s film festival, presented by SACCTV-16, focused on the theme, “Why Schenectady?”