Lecture to explore Asian American studies and research in the South

Last year, Dan Duffy, a doctoral candidate and instructor in UNC’s anthropology department, organized undergraduates to do original research on Asians in North Carolina – taking them everywhere from San Francisco to fraternity houses.

On Sept. 23, Duffy and students will discuss the process and results of their research in a lecture titled "Asia in North Carolina: Steps Toward Asian American Studies in the South."

The free public lecture, from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. in 569 Hamilton Hall, is a part of the "Centering the South Speakers Series" sponsored by UNC’s Center for the Study of the American South.

Light refreshments will be served, and attendees are welcome to bring a lunch.

Under Duffy’s direction, students divided their research into several areas. One group of students read a book providing an overview of Asian-American studies and developed a presentation on the issues they thought were most interesting. The students then gave presentations and led discussions at several campus groups not normally focused on Asian-American issues.

Other students evaluated recent census information on Asians and discussed their conclusions with Asian community leaders. Another group interviewed librarians at the UNC and Duke University libraries to assess interest in existing Asian-American collections and adding to them.

Students also worked with Duffy to submit a panel proposal for the May meetings of the Association for Asian American Studies. When the proposal was accepted, UNC’s Office of Undergraduate Research funded a trip to San Francisco so that Duffy and the students could present the panel.

Duffy will continue the project this academic year and the next.

For more information, call Ayse Erginer at (919) 962-0507.

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Students and community members join together to clean up creek

Environmental majors and members of the public are invited to join UNC’s Department of Environment, Health and Safety to clean up an area creek on Sept. 20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Volunteers should meet at the Bell Tower at 10 a.m. to participate. The department will provide bags and gloves. The Carolina Environmental Student Alliance, Carolina Environmental Program and

the Student Environmental Action Coalition are co-sponsoring the event, and organizers hope it will foster a more cooperative environmental community.

The cleanup is a part of Big Sweep 2003. With volunteers around the world, the group is dedicated to beach and waterway cleanup.

N.C. Big Sweep, a nonprofit organization that conducts year-round education for litter-free watersheds, coordinates the N.C. component of Big Sweep 2003. The event brings together volunteers from across the state to clean up rivers, lakes and the ocean on the third Saturday in September.

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Cole, Elsen honored for service to N.C. high school journalism

The N.C. Scholastic Media Association has awarded the 2003 Kay Phillips Distinguished Service Award to Dr. Richard Cole, dean of the UNC School of Journalism and Mass Communication, and Bill Elsen of The Washington Post.

The award, named in honor of Kay Phillips, former association director, honors those who have made significant contributions to high school journalism in North Carolina. The association holds an annual institute at the UNC school each June and regional workshops in the fall and spring.

The institute draws more than 500 high school students and their faculty publication advisers to Chapel Hill for four days of training in electronic media; newspaper, yearbook and literary magazine journalism; desktop publishing; photojournalism; and scholastic publication advising.

Cole directed the association from 1973 to 1979. He helped create the full-time director’s position and remains one of the group’s strongest supporters.

"It’s crucially important for high school students to understand free expression issues and to understand that it’s much more important to get the news right than to get it first," Cole said. "I loved working with the students and teachers."

Elsen, copy editor of the Post’s metro tab desk, has for the past nine summers worked at the institute. He advises the institute’s newspaper, The Rush.

"I am honored to receive an award bearing the name of Kay Phillips and pleased to share it with Dean Richard Cole," Elsen said. "When Kay discussed establishing a student newspaper at the association’s summer institute, I had no idea that so many talented student journalists would come together year after year to make the project so educational, worthwhile and enjoyable."

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Contact: News Services staff, 962-2091