New Life for the Sciences
More than 160 members of the class of 1978 came to Hanover for a mini-reunion and dedication of the Class of 1978 Life Sciences Center the first weekend of November. Classmates donated $53 million to the $93-million project, which had its original address on the north campus changed by town officials from 76 to 78 College Street after three years of construction. Festivities started Friday afternoon with a lecture, “Fate of Mercury on Ecosystems,” delivered by biology professor Celia Chen ’78. Then came a remembrance of the late Arvo Oopik ’78, namesake of the building’s auditorium, by Richard Kimball ’78. Saturday’s dedication ceremony included remarks by N.H. Gov. John Lynch, trustee chair Stephen Mandel ’78 and President Jim Kim. Speakers repeatedly described the state-of the-art, 174,000-square-foot building as game-changing because of its unprecedented energy efficiency and the open design of its classrooms and labs. Spaces range from alcoves where walls double as jumbo whiteboards to a large single room containing six research labs whose side-by-side proximity will encourage collaboration. Kim jokingly described these as places “where ideas can go to have sex.”

Enquiring Minds
Students can expect a lot of questions about their drinking habits in coming months. As part of Jim Kim’s Learning Collaborative on High-Risk Drinking, on-campus data collection is under way. Administrators say monthly surveys that pose questions about alcohol consumption are being sent to a random and non-repeating set of students. The data may help inform intervention policies.

Small World
Before Hood Museum director Michael Taylor landed the job in August, he curated modern art at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Turns out that was a good place to receive inside info about the Dartmouth job: Taylor’s boss there, Timothy Rub, worked as the Hood’s director for eight years before leaving in 1999. Rub is also an adoptee of the class of 1935. Inside info aside, Taylor says he was greatly attracted to the Hood’s education program. “I love teaching,” he says.

The Occupation
The Occupy Wall Street movement landed in Hanover shortly after the October 11 Republican debate on campus when several students erected a small encampment in front of Collis. Beside a ramshackle tent and signs declaring support for “the 99%,” members of Occupy Dartmouth (OD) have invited passersby to join discussions on income inequality and corporate influence on American politics. “We want to pop the Dartmouth bubble,” says Alison Helzer ’14. “Dartmouth students tend to assume we can all join the ‘1 percent,’ but many of us won’t, ” says Nathan Gusdorf ’12, who describes OD’s goals as “modeling participatory democracy and stimulating debate.” Will the protesters stand strong as snow starts to fall and temperatures plummet? Time will tell. Gusdorf admits at least one student visitor would have liked to join the protest but couldn’t for a reason other than weather: The student had just received a job offer from Goldman Sachs.                                  —Judith Hertog

Monumental News
Karolina Kawiaka knew as a child that she wanted to be an architect—a dream she achieved with degrees from Smith and Harvard. A lecturer in the studio art department since 1997, when she established her solo practice in White River Junction, Vermont, Kawiaka now finds herself one of six finalists in the National Ideas Competition, recognized for her visitor-friendly design for the Washington Monument grounds in Washington, D.C. A history aficionado and fan of classical architecture, which is reflected in her work, Kawiaka homed in on the monument’s lack of such basic amenities as interpretative displays, concessions and restrooms. “I wanted to make the experience richer and more accessible for tourists,” she says. Kawiaka, who pulled all-nighters right along with her students last fall as she worked on her plan and they labored on entries for other contests, says she loves the balance between designing and teaching. “Working at Dartmouth is like being a kid in a candy store.”

Card Shark?
Math professor Erik van Erp joined about 50 students for “Poker Night with the Profs” in October. Event organizer Fischer Yan ’14 got the idea after playing in a similar tournament his freshman year. Using funds allocated to undergraduate residence advisor programming, Yan purchased prizes for the McLaughlin Cluster event, including an iPod. Although Poker Night was intended to attract professors and students, van Erp found himself the only prof in attendance. “I quickly lost all my chips,” says the gambler, “but it was fun to stick around to see who would win.”

Hoops Help
Seven-time WNBA all-star Yolanda Griffith has joined the women’s basketball team as second assistant coach. “I like sharing my knowledge about the game and my experiences,” says Griffith, who is working primarily with post players. Griffith, who retired in 2009, was voted one of the top 15 players in WNBA history by fans earlier this year.

Political Oktoberfest
Lost in the hoopla of the October Republican debate was the announcement that Keggy is tossing his hat into the ring. In what his handlers called “a fit of political rage,” the unofficial mascot announced his candidacy with a new presidential look featuring a tie, glasses and mustache. Supporters paraded their candidate around the Green with placards proclaiming “Four More Beers,” “Save the Ales,” “We Long For Pong,” “Kegs, Not Cans” and “I Support the Beer Party.”

Baby, It’s Cold Outside
All alumni have suffered through the Hanover winter, but some have suffered more than others. Here, a look at the most severe average low temperatures in town from January to March:

1948         5.7 degrees
1934         6.3 degrees
1978         8.0 degrees
1968         8.5 degrees
1970         8.6 degrees
1994         8.9 degrees
1944         9.4 degrees
1940         9.5 degrees
1935         9.6 degrees
1982         9.7 degrees