I know everyone’s writing about the inauguration, but I just can’t help myself. Watching the inaugural address with about a dozen Honors Program students in our office was an incredible experience. The fascination was palpable, and here’s the proof: When the pizzas arrived, no one paid any attention. We all really, really wanted to hear what President Obama had to say. My favorite line? “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history…” To choose our better history! Wow. How is that done? I’d say Mr. Obama has made a good start by recognizing and pursuing his own potential, which is how he got elected—though many of us baby boomers never thought we’d see the day. Potential is a strange phenomenon. As a physicist, I define it in terms of energy, specifically the energy an object has by virtue of its position. If I know how far above the ground a football is, for example, I can give you a precise value for its potential energy. In human terms, however, potential is not so easily measured. We don’t know how far we can go, how high we can reach, how much we can do. We can only try or not try, reach or not reach, do or not do. Of course, most of us won’t become President of the United States. That’s probably a good thing. It’s not for everyone (obviously). In physics, potential can also be a vector that points in any direction. And it can change direction, depending on the circumstances. The potential for that pizza to be consumed changed dramatically after the closing benediction. Do I have a message here? I don’t know. Maybe it’s best said in the words of distinguished American playwright, Jane Wagner. “A sobering thought: what if, at this very moment, I am living up to my full potential?”

G e o r g i a I n s t i t u t e o f T e c h n o l o g y

February 2009

THE VIEW FROM HERE by Dr. Monica Halka

Honorsp r o g r a m

vhttp://www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu 1 103 A. French Bldg

President Obama and Palestineby nirouz ElHaMMali

President Obama's recent interview with Al Arabiya was surely a refreshing start to such a historical presidency. Obama professed his multilateral and open-minded view toward addressing Middle Eastern

See Palestine pg. 2

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"If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress."

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hP students watch the inagural Parade.

affairs. His proclamation has resonated loudly in the region, and President Obama's election alone has lead to a less bleak outlook toward America. As Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyer laughingly stated in a recent "Weekend Update" skit, protesters are no longer chanting "Death to America," but less severely, "Injury to America." Clearly the skit has a humorous and sarcastic overtone, but it explains one thing effectively: Arabs like Obama, but they still do not necessarily love America. That is where President Obama will have to step in and make some changes to American foreign policy in the Middle East. Specifically with the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, President Obama urges communication with both Israeli elected officials and Palestinian elected officials. Unlike past U.S. tendencies to boycott Hamas—the legitimately and democratically elected Palestinian political party—and other so-called enemies, Obama asserts over and over

in the Al Arabiya interview that any conflict resolution plans will require listening to and discussing with Israeli officials and Palestinian officials alike. Secretary of state Hillary Clinton's appointment of George Mitchell as envoy for Arab-Israeli affairs may be a step in the right direction, although it is difficult to be certain at this point. Overall, President Obama's support for a two-state solution in Palestine, his firm rejection of the war in Iraq, his insistence on diplomacy to reach some sort of understanding among Americans, Israelis, and Arabs, and his open-minded and respectful demeanor toward the Arab world are integral parts of the recipe toward winning over Palestinians and Arabs in general. Obama's presidency provides a small source of optimism for Palestine and the Arab and Muslim worlds when

contrasted with the empty and disingenuous promises of the last administration. I am optimistic for sure, and I sincerely hope for the sake of Palestinian, Israeli, and American security that the President can deliver on his promises.

Palestine (cont.)

vhttp://www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu 2 103 A. French Bldg

Tuesday, March 10. 11 am – 12:30 pm, Wardlaw Bldg – Gordy Room.HP Special Topics: Course Rollout Luncheon. Wednesday, March 11. 7-8:30 pm. Location TBA.Honors Program/Karlovitz Lecture Series Speaker, NPR Science Correspondent, Joe Palca.

Thursday, March 12. 11am-Noon, HP office.Honors Program students’ Q&A session with Joe Palca of NPR.

Honors Program Special Events Save the Dates!

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February Photo ContestWow! So many great artists with so many great photos to choose from…23 entries! Thanks, you guys. Each winner gets a pair of Regal Theater tickets. Stop by the Honors Program to claim your prize. We will continue to have a photo contest every month.

First prize: Michael Chen. Butterfly, Callaway Gardens, Georgia.

Second prize: Priya Malhotra. Transamerica Building, San Francisco.

Third prize: Allison Gooch. Horse-drawn carriages, from the top of St. Stephens Cathedral, Vienna, Austria

vhttp://www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu 103 A. French Bldg4

Plums On An Apple Treeby Christopher Olson

Our love is like plums on an apple tree:

different, but not bad. It’s a matter of opinion.

The juice is sweet, exciting and fun,

not apple, but that of a humble plum.

And one pit’s preferred over a dozen seeds:

bigger, yes, but easier to remove.

We are together, trunks and branches entwined,

healthy and producing fruit, regardless of the kind.

An interesting love between you and me:

love like plums on an apple tree.

Runner-up: While we were really going for “undoctored” photos, Tiffany Lowe’s magnolia blew us away.

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v5http://www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu 103 A. French Bldg

Bonjour from Franceby cHristopHEr siMpson

Hello, all. My name is Christopher Simpson. I’m an Honors Program third year mechanical engineering student, studying abroad at Georgia Tech Lorraine (GTL) for the spring semester. This is my first time in Europe, and I’ve decided to share my experiences for those of you who have never had the chance to visit Europe. I hope this will help you consider doing a semester abroad even if, like me, you don’t speak a foreign language fluently. Metz (where GTL is located) is a nice city situated in the northeast corner of France, also known as the Lorraine region. It’s very old, dating back to Roman times, and has some very cool history as a result. GTL is a five-story building that is home to 39 undergrads and a handful of French and American grad students. Classes are very small (average six students) which makes them feel more like discussion than lecture. One of the best things about GTL is the three day weekends. This allows more time to travel, and we take every opportunity. With the Eurail Pass (highly recommended), we can pretty much get on any train and take any empty seat. In three weekends, I have been to the Chateau du Haut-Koenigsburg, Berlin, and Paris. The chateau (see photo) is south of Metz and is an awesome place in great condition. Berlin has been my favorite place so far. It’s a very modern city due to reconstruction after WWII (when 90% was destroyed) and the fall of the wall. The history there is unbelievable, with museums galore. The food and drink are also fantastic—heaping portions of everything for very little money. One weekend was not enough, and I want to go back to spend more time in the museums. Paris is also a great time—filled with history, but in a different way than Berlin. My only complaint about Paris was how expensive it was for the college budget. Still, I had a blast. We saw all the major sights and museums and a return trip is already tentatively planned. (It’s only an hour and a half away.) All in all, the first month has been great, and the next three look even better.

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Summer Planning: Co-oping and Internships As students become comfortable in their spring semester classes, it’s never too late or early to think of the opportunities that await in the summer. Some of you will decide to study abroad. A few of you will take summer classes, and the majority of you will take the semester off. For the ones who are still undecided as to what to do, a great option is to join the ranks of students interning or co-oping through the Division of Professional Practice. The Georgia Tech Co-op Program has been in existence since 1912 and is designed to expose students to real world experiences by splicing a semester of full time employment with a semester of academic course work. The overall goal of co-op program is to allow “…students to take on increasing levels of responsibility and to use their job knowledge and classroom learning to make meaningful contributions to the organizations in which they work.” Some of the requirements for the program include a GPA of 2.00 or higher and a status of good academic standing. For students who want a flexible work arrangement, the GT Internship Program is worth exploring. This program is particularly attractive to students who are unsure of their major and would like to investigate the possible options after graduation. For students who are unsure of participating in either program, the Division of Professional Practice has a group of dedicated individuals that will work with students in any major to help decide on an option. Also, the Just Ask It program, a fall 2008 initiative, offers students a chance to meet directly with potential employers to ask questions, or even get resume advice. For more information regarding the application process, program requirements, upcoming workshops, and a list of frequently asked questions please visit profpractice.gatech.edu.

by nicolE lEonarD

Newsletter staff

EDitor-in-cHiEf: Dr. Monica Halka, Associate Director Georgia Tech Honors Program WritErs: Nirouz Elhammali, Sarah Gilbreath,

& Nicole Leonard forEign corrEsponDEnt: Christopher Simpsonarts layout: Dani Slatonlayout: Lindsay Anglin

Message from the Director

vDEsign by JoHn Watson, 2008

http://www.honorsprogram.gatech.edu 103 A. French Bldg6

Kia ora! That’s a Maori phrase meaning “Be healthy.” It’s become a standard greeting in New Zealand, used by Maori and Pakeha (non-Maori people) alike. With that, I send you greetings from Wellington, NZ, where I’m teaching in a GT study abroad program. It’s a bit windy and chilly for mid-summer, but that’s hardly a drawback compared to our Atlanta summers. This is my fifth trip to New Zealand, and it’s still a remarkably wonderful place, with all the quality of light and life I remember from previous visits. I do like it here. I think this place makes sense, for all its funky shortcomings on service and efficiency. On the first day of class, a couple of students were complaining about not being able to shop after 5 pm on Sunday. One of them said, “These people need to work more.” I said, “Or maybe we need to work less.” Believe me, we could learn something from the Kiwi lifestyle. One thing New Zealanders and Americans do seem to have in common these days is a fascination with the Obama election and inauguration, which we and many thousands of New Zealanders watched on TV live at 5.30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 21 (local time). Since coming over in late December, I’ve had more than a few locals tell me that they followed our election as closely as their own (which took place three days after ours, and in which John Key of the National Party unseated three-term Prime Minister Helen Clark of the Labour Party—but you knew that). Some even said they wished they could have voted in our election, because what happens in the US has such a strong effect on what happens in

NZ. Put simply, their economy is teetering as much as ours. In other NZ news, HPsters Ellie McGinley, Sydney Shaffer, Hugh Crawford, and I recently did the Tongariro Crossing, a very challenging, knee-busting, 19-km hike between two volcanoes, Mt. Ngauruhoe (Mt. Doom to all you “Lord of the Rings” fans) and Mt. Tongariro. The Crossing has recently been ranked #89 of the top 100 walks in the world by Walkopedia.com. Who knew? All I know is that we had a fine and exhausting time, and I remain grateful to the nineteenth-century Maori leader, Te Heu Heu Tukino, for ceding to the government in 1887 the land to create the Tongariro National Park, making it the second one in the world, just after Yellowstone. I’d continue this missive, but the HyPe editor has me on a strict word limit, which I have already exceeded. So I’ll close with only three: Ka kite ano – see you later.

by Dr. grEg noblEs

Postcard from the Volcano

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