Vishniac named director of Center for Astrophysical Sciences

Professor of physics and astronomy Ethan Vishniac became the new director of Hopkins' Center for Astrophysical Sciences on July 1.

"CAS gives support to specific activities necessary for Hopkins research that aren't separately funded," says Vishniac. "It's designed to increase the productivity of the group as a whole, and works to coordinate research initiatives so that there will always be a steady flow of challenging projects and interesting people."

For the future, Vishniac says, "the major challenge we face is following up our previous successful research initiatives, like FUSE, with a new set in the years to come.

Vishniac's goals for the center include adapting its resources to new research priorities in astronomy, including probing longer wavelengths of light, a goal of NASA's Next Generation Space Telescope.

Vishniac came to Hopkins in 1998 from the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include cosmology, the study of the origin, structure and evolution of the universe; and astrophysical fluid flows, which includes the study of gas shells blown off by exploding stars and other dynamic processes.
--Michael Purdy

IPS receives grant for nonprofit leadership program

The Institute for Policy Studies has received a $137,000 Packard Foundation grant to help build a nonprofit leadership and management program aimed at providing advanced training for nonprofit workers in the Baltimore region.

Lester Salamon, a research scientist and director of IPS' Center for Civil Society Studies, said the five-course sequence will lead to a certificate and will fill a needed gap in education and training for the many nonprofit workers in the region. The courses will begin in January.

The Packard money will help fund start-up costs and provide some scholarships. A feasibility study conducted earlier this year showed there was strong interest in such a program, Salamon said.

Lester Picker, a consultant and writer who conducted the study, said he interviewed more than 45 foundation executives, business and community leaders, nonprofit executives and government managers.

"The result was pretty overwhelming that there was a need for this program," said Picker. "People felt it would give them marketable skills."

Student groups plan 5K run to benefit cancer research

On Saturday, Sept. 18, Hopkins undergraduates plan to unite the campus and the community in the fight against cancer by kicking off a 5K run to benefit the American Cancer Society.

The event, organized entirely by students, will begin outside Garland Hall and circle the Homewood campus. Its organizers are Nick Burwick, Richard Burwick and Borchien Lai, all passionate runners.

The 5K scenic run, sponsored by the Johns Hopkins Run Committee, JHU Interfraternity Council and Student Council, will begin at 9 a.m.

Registration on race day will take place from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Pre-registration and packet pickup will be held on Friday, Sept. 10, noon to 2 p.m. at Gilman Hall, and on Friday, Sept. 17, 2 to 6 p.m., at Levering.

The fee for early registration (by Sept.10) is $10; for late registration (after Sept. 10), $15. All participants will receive T-shirts. For more information, call 410-662-9011.

Evergreen receives grant for its Japanese art objects

Evergreen House, the former residence of ambassador John Work Garrett and his wife, Alice Warder Garrett, has received a grant award of $48,000 from the Stockman Family Fund to improve the exhibition and storage environments of its Japanese decorative arts collection.

The 724 objects comprise one of the largest and oldest privately owned collections of Japanese "minor arts" outside Japan. Begun by T. Harrison Garrett as Japan was opened up to the West and continued by his son John Work Garrett, the collection includes inro, netsuke, masks, tea ceremony objects, tsuba, snuff bottles and incense objects. The grant award will aid in the creation and implementation of new exhibition and storage environments.