Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

Page 33 text:

swaste are a few of the projects of the Experiment Station. ultra-long wave radio emanations, reflection of short wave emanations from the ionosphere, abatement of stream pollu- tion, and lubrication of airplane engines at high altitudes. 1n Diesel engineering research, Penn State has been the leading institution in the country. The Ordnance Research Laboratory, established in 1945, is engaged in research, design, and testing work on under- water ordnance and other technical problems of interest to the United States Navy. Other projects, under cer- tain conditions, are conducted by the Laboratory. One of these projects last year resulted in the development of a gallstone detector which will greatly aid surgeons in com- pleting successful operations for the removal of gallstones. The Division of Industrial Reference within the Experi- ment Station aids smaller industries in the State who do not have their own research facilities. In recent years, there has been a growing feeling that research in the social sciences is equally as important as, that in the physical sciences. Research is underway in all departments of the School of the Liberal Arts. The Bureau of Business Research has been especially helpful to Pennsylvania business and industry while the Institute of Local Government conducts extensive research on practical problems related to Pennsylvania local govern- ment. Research activity in the School of Mineral Industries be- gan in 1861 and today is centered in the Mineral Industries Experiment Station. Many projects now underway are of Vital importance to national defense and the conserva- tion of mineral wealth, Cleavage fracture of ship plate steels, high-dielectric poreelains, study of oil-producing sediments, secondary haulage in mines, production of syn- thesis gas from anthracite, and potential new uses for slate Noteworthy work has also been done in fundamental re search in glass. 1 Research in the School of Physical Education and Ath- letics is concerned primarily with the various aspects of health education, physical education, and recreation. .-29-

Page 32 text:

. 4m .1. Alua u hi. I, , m-z-mwwi .28- RESEARCH Although rcscurch dates almost from the founding of the 7011ch in 1855. it has hccn only within the past 20 years that it has hccn rccognizcd us a primary IiunCtion of the College. 'lihrough research, the quality of teaching is improved. the competence of graduates is raised, and the College renders a scrvicc to thc Commomvculth and the nation. It is conscn'utivcly estimated that agricultural research adds more than $75,000,000 annually to the income of Pcnnsylmnin farmers, while scientists in the Schonl of Mineral Industries have made possible the salvage of am estimated $93,000,000 worth of Pcnnsylvania oil through research 0n the secondary recovery of petroleum. Dchumidil'ying tests of the Engineering Experiment Station help keep decommissioned units of the United States Navy in usuhlc condition, sawing the taxpayers money, while other projects add to the comforts of living. 21nd, as in the case of penicillin, help to saw human lives. Co-ordinution 0f the research program is cfi'cctcd through the Council on Research on which each major division of the College is represented. R. A. Dutchcr is chairman. Research in the School of Agriculture has been con ducted since 1887 by the Agricultural Experiment Station. Most of the studies are undertaken in response to immcdiv :Itc, practical needs of Pennsylvania agriculture. They deal with many problems such as control of insect pests zmd plant and animal diseases, nutrition of crops and farm animals, development of new and improved varieties of crops. superior breeding 0F animals, manufacture of milk products, application of clcctricity t0 ugriculturc. rcivorcstuv tion of hzlrrcn lands. lnhor-snving nmchincry, :md various problems in agricultural economics and rural sociology. Advances in Fundamental hnowlcdgc in many fields have resulted from research in the School of Chemistry 21nd Physics. In the Petroleum and Rclining Laboratory, chemistry and chemical engineering are now being used as husic sciences in developing and impmving products for the petroleum industry. The Ellen ll. Richards Institute conducts important research in textiles. dyes. laundering, and dry Cleaning, us well as 21 large program throughout the State on human nutrition studies. Research work also is underway on siliconcs, lluorincs. :md hydrocarbons in the Chemical lubm'utorics while physicists are making studies in such iiclds us spectroscopy, acoustics, and bird navigation. In the School of Education, research has aided in the improvement of public education while projccts in psy- chology attempt to discover hotter personnel methods and techniques for industry, business, education. and govern mcnt. Research in home economics helps the homemaker. Tho Instructional Film Research Project. conducted for the U. 5. Navy. sucks to discover and dcrivc principles which shall govern the scientilic development and Cil'cctivc use of sound motion pictures for achieving the most rapid and complete learning of individuals in groups. Engineering research is administered hy the Engineering Experiment Station zmd the Ordnance Research Laboratory. The Experiment Station has done extensive work on heat and moisture conductivity of prefabricated wall sections,

Page 34 text:

SUMMER SESSI MARION R. TRABUE Director ORGANIZATION MARION R. TRABUE - - . . . PALMER C. WEAVER - . . JOHN E. MILLER, JR. - - - Director Assistant Director Administrative Assistant The Summer Sessions make it possible for students to continue their college work through the 12 months of the year and for teachers and others to spend their summer months in the college classroom. There are three sessions: Inter-Session, for three weeks; Main Summer Session, for six weeks; and the Post Ses- sions, For three and six weeks. Any graduate of an approved foureyear high school, any person teaching within the Commonwealth, or any person holding a certificate entitling him to teach in Penn- sylvania, is eligible for admission to the Summer Sessions for undergraduate work. Admission to courses for gradu- ate credit is granted only to qualified graduates of approved colleges and universities, in accordance with the regula- tions governing admission to the Graduate School. The faculty for the Summer Sessions is composed of many faculty members for the regular academic year, and visiting professors from other e011eges and universities. During the 1948 Summer Sessions, 40 departments 01' fered more than 400 courses. more than half of which were courses with graduate credit. New records in enrollment of the Summer Sessions were attained with 9735 students registered for the sessions. More than 4400 veterans, men who had had their college careers interrupted by World War II, were among the 1948 Summer Sessions students. The program was especially planned to enable them to take courses required for their hache1or degrees, thus speeding their completion of undergraduate work. The 1948 program, as in past years, included many special features. Among these were the Pennsylvania Workshop in e1ementary and secondary education; a busi- ness education conference; the Conservation Education Laboratory for Teachers; the Reading Conference; the American Red Cross Nutritionists' Conference; the Rura1 Health Education Workshop; :1 Radio Institute; 3 Speech and Hearing Symposium; the Summer Library School; and the Psychology Institute. Special dramatics and musical programs as well as talks by prominent lecturers also were presented. The first regular Summer Session was held in 1910 and was planned to aid in the improvement of teachers in the schools of the Commonwea1th. For 12 years, the work was termed Summer Session for Teachers. A large pro- portion of the Summer Session enrollment still consists of public school teachers. .30.