Peter Agre '70

40 Pages·2004·1.31 MB·English

Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/5/04 7:28 AM Page 1
A P U B L I C A T I O N F O R A U G S B U R G C O L L E G E A L U M N I & F R I E N D S
Winter 2003-04 Vol. 66, No. 2
Peter Agre ’70
2003 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/5/04 7:28 AM Page 2
L
ETTERS
Letters
Editor’s note
It is said that good things come to Read about that in Around the Quad. So, good things keep happening.
those who wait. This winter issue of Plus, we feature the Campus And, we move into spring with this
Augsburg Nowis all about both good Kitchen at Augsburg, a new winter issue—fully aware that in
things and waiting. You, the readers, community partnership program that Minnesota there could well still be
are the ones who have been waiting for has already brought us local media some wintery snowflakes falling as you
the winter Now(at least, editors attention. Students and volunteers read this in April.
always hope you are), even as we have transform surplus food from the The next issue will be a combined
already entered into early spring. On College’s dining service and a local spring and summer issue to bring you
our part, it’s the good things that have food shelter into tasty meals that are exciting news about Access to
caused us to wait on its production. delivered to several neighborhood Excellence: The Campaign for Augsburg
About mid-winter, when the issue community agencies. Collegethat Augsburg kicks off on
is usually mailed, we learned that Peter Last fall the College celebrated the April 18 with a community festival.
Agre, Augsburg Class of 1970 and 2003 10th anniversary of the Hispanic/Latino Join us!
Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, was Student Services program, which
coming to campus in late February. provides support and encouragement
Since our winter issue already included to help these students succeed at
a story about Agre and the awarding of Augsburg. You’ll read about the impact
his Nobel Prize, we made the decision this program has in strengthening the
to delay production so that we could appreciation of cultural richness within Betsey Norgard
expand the article to include his Augsburg’s learning community. Editor
memorable days with us here.
It’s a rare and wonderful
moment when a college can
celebrate with one of its own,
especially one whose vocation so
richly embodies the mission of
the College. For Agre, his time at
Augsburg was a time of discovery
and connections—exploring the
subjects that piqued his interest
and connecting with professors
who made these subjects come
alive and speak to him.
While in medical school
Agre turned to research, where he
realized his talents in research
could serve to greater benefit in
seeking the causes of illness. And
now, while he has the ear of the
scientific world, he is a strong
advocate for adequate funding in
science education to enable all
citizens to make responsible JIMMY CARTER IS HONORED AT THE NINTH ANNUAL PEACE PRIZE FESTIVAL
AND VISITS CHILDREN AT J.J. HILL SCHOOL
decisions about ourselves, our
society, and our environment. The Ninth Annual Peace Prize Festival at Augsburg brought together more than 700 area school
children to honor President Jimmy Carter, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Displays and
The College also revels in the
performances were presented around the lives of past peace laureates. Carter was not able to
recognition our partnership with participate, but special guests included Gro Bruntland, former prime minister of Norway; Knut
Cedar-Riverside Community Vollebæk, Norwegian ambassador to the U.S.; and Professor Geir Lundestad, director of the
School received, as Augsburg was Norwegian Nobel Institute.
lauded by the Carter Foundation On Feb. 21, while attending the 2004 Peace Prize Forum at St. Olaf College, President Jimmy Carter
and Campus Compact as an squeezed in a visit to a special “mini-Peace Prize Festival” at J.J. Hill Montessori School in St. Paul,
where children prepared skits about Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Carter was accompanied by his
outstanding community partner.
wife, Rosalynn, and President William Frame.
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 4
Augsburg Nowis published
quarterly by Augsburg College, A PUBLICATION FOR AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Winter 2003-04 Vol. 66, No. 2
Minnesota 55454.
Editor
Betsey Norgard Features
Assistant Editor
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer 88 An enormous honor for
Kathy Rumpza
discovery of tiny
Class Notes Coordinator
proteins
Sara Kamholz
Photographer by Betsey Norgard
Stephen Geffre
President 1144 Dishing up recipes for
William V. Frame
learning and serving
Director of Alumni and
Parent Relations
by Betsey Norgard
Amy Sutton
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Dan Jorgensen 1166 Connecting on campus—
Opinions expressed in Augsburg a home for Hispanic/
Nowdo not necessarily reflect
Latino students
official College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545 by Betsey Norgard
Postmaster: Send correspondence,
name changes, and address 1199 Augsburg—a Keto
corrections to: Augsburg Now,
Office of Public Relations and family affair
Communication,2211 Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454. by Rebecca Welle ’04
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: [phone] Departments
Fax: [phone]
2 Around the Quad
Augsburg College, as affirmed
in its mission, does not
discriminate on the basis of race, 6 Sports
color, creed, religion, national or
ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual
20 Alumni News
orientation, marital status, status
with regard to public assistance,
or disability in its education 22 Homecoming 2003 Photos
policies, admissions policies,
scholarship and loan programs,
26 Class Notes
athletic and/or school
administered programs, except
in those instances where religion 35 In Memoriam
is a bona fide occupational
qualification. Augsburg College
is committed to providing 36 Auggie Thoughts
reasonable accommodations to On the cover:
its employees and its students. Peter Agre, Class of 1970, is
inside Calendar
congratulated by King Carl XVI
back
Gustaf of Sweden upon receiving
www.augsburg.edu cover
the 2003 Nobel Prize in
Chemistry. © 2003, The Nobel
Foundation. Photo by Hans
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste) Mehlin.
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 5
A Q
ROUND THE UAD
Around the Quad
NOTEWORTHY Augsburg speech team
Augsburg launches MBA program scores top points at tourney
In fall 2004, Augsburg will launch the
charter class of its new MBA program.
The 21-month program will meet in
Competing at the
small cohort format, encouraging close
collaboration with faculty as well as state and national
fellow students. For information, e-mail levels against schools of
<[email protected]> or call all sizes, Augsburg
612-330-1101. Speech Team members
have compiled a string
Math student teams place high
of impressive victories.
An Augsburg three-person math team
At the 22nd Annual
finished fourth among 65 teams in
Novice National Speech
November in the North Central Section
Tournament, held in
Team Problem-Solving Contest
sponsored by the Mathematical early March at the Heather Nystrom ’05 and Ryan Sobolik ’05
Association of America. University of Houston, Crystal Harles ’04
Another Augsburg team finished in junior Ryan Sobolik Harles’ speech deals with international
the top half of the competition. Team placed fourth in the nation in slavery and she said she tried to make the
members were Tim Bancroft, Andrew Extemporaneous Speaking, while the issue personal to help people understand
Held, Hung Nguyen, John Staton, David Augsburg team garnered sixth place in the that their actions can make a difference in
Wallace, and Dan Wolf.
limited sweepstakes division. combating this situation.
“There were so many excellent Junior Heather Nystrom took sixth
Physics student chapter is honored
speakers, I was proud just to make it to place in the same competition, with what
Augsburg’s chapter of the Society of
Physics Students was selected as an the finals,” said Sobolik, of Fargo, N.Dak. she calls a “tough sell … trying to
outstanding chapter for 2002-03. More than 50 colleges and universities, convince people to learn more about
The award letter highlights depth and with over 1,000 competitors, participated statistical literacy, and apply it to their
breadth of “physics research, public in the tournament. daily lives.” Through humor she tried to
science outreach, physics tutoring Earlier, at the Minnesota College keep people’s attention.
programs, hosting and representation at Forensic Association’s annual state Augsburg’s team won a second place
physics meetings, and providing social
tournament, senior Crystal Harles won sweepstakes award in the limited entry
interaction for chapter members.”
second place in Oratory. This gives her a division at this state tournament. Coach
This is the second time in four years
bid as one of two Minnesota students to and communication studies professor Bob
that Augsburg’s chapter has been among
the top 10 percent recognized. compete in the Interstate Oratory Groven says that this carries special weight
Competition, the nation’s oldest and most since Minnesota’s state tournament
New and continued physics grants prestigious oratory tournament, to be held presents some of the toughest competition
Augsburg has received funding from the in Phoenix in April. in the country.
National Science Foundation and NASA
for three multi-year research projects,
each of which will provide funds for “Transforming the Profession of Health Care”
undergraduate student research. Professor
Mark Engebretson heads up both NSF
projects: the first, a five-year, $600,000 Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Paul Batalden
grant to support continued studies using ’63 (left), Dartmouth Medical School, and
the MACCS array of magnetometers in Dr. David Leach, Accreditation Council for
Arctic Canada; and the second, a three- Graduate Medical Education, presented
year, $426,000 grant with Dartmouth the 2004 Batalden Seminar in Applied
Ethics, “Transforming the Profession of
College to continue similar studies using
Health Care.” This coincided with the two-
data primarily from Antarctica. Professor
day conference, “Building Minnesota’s
Ken Erickson heads up Augsburg’s efforts
Healthcare Workforce through Diversity,”
to use data from NASA’s polar satellite to sponsored by Augsburg, Minnesota
study magnetospheric substorms, and Hospital Association, Fairview Health
subsequent auroral displays. This Services, and UnitedHealth Group at
$252,000 project is shared with Princeton which presenters included Minnesota
University’s Plasma Physics Laboratory. senator Sheila Kiscaden and former U.S.
senator Dave Durenberger.
2
2 Winter 2003-04
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 6
Augsburg neighborhood
Alumni, Friends, and Families—
partnership is honored
Come Celebrate!
Augsburg Community Festival
Thelong standing
Sunday, April 18, 2004
relationship
Noon–4:30 p.m.
between Augsburg
College and the Campus-wide activities
Cedar-Riverside
12:30Campaign kickoff, free food,
Community School
and giveaways—on the Augsburg
was honored as one of
campus
six finalists for the
new Carter 12:45-4:30Free activities for all ages
Partnership Award
• Free food, music, exhibits,
that was presented by
reading corner
President Jimmy
Augsburg and Cedar-Riverside Community School staff were • Science demonstrations
Carter and his wife, honored at the Carter Partnership awards banquet. • Lute Olson basketball clinic for
Rosalynn, as part of
boys and girls
the Campus Compact director. “A president of the United States
• Hockey clinic/open ice skating
10th anniversary event in February. The now knows who we are and what we’ve
• Health screenings
purpose of the award is to provide become. And Augsburg College has been
• Theatre production—Machinal
recognition for outstanding campus- there for us all these years. They are what
• Art exhibits
community partnerships. makes a true community school.”
• Celebration service
The award was presented to the Mary Laurel True, associate director of
…and much, much more. You don’t
Grant Community School Collaborative of the Center for Service, Work, and
want to miss it!
Duluth. But, Mrs. Carter added, “Every Learning, said it was wonderful to be
single one of the nominated partnerships recognized for a true, long-term, vital Come back and join us on campus!
deserves recognition. It doesn't matter partnership. “It meant the world to us to
Access to Excellence: The Campaign
who wins.” be able to let others know about our
for Augsburg College
“It was a grand night for Cedar- neighborhood and the immigrants who
Riverside Community School,” said live here, and all the great work that we
Stephanie Byrdziak, the school’s assistant do together.”
Three new regents elected to board
The Augsburg Board of Regents general agent for a number of insurance fellowship in cardiology at Indiana
welcomed three new members at its companies. He serves on the board of University School of Medicine.
January meeting. Dan Anderson ’65, Dr. Metro Hope Ministries.
Marshall Stanton, and Emily Anne Tuttle Emily Anne Tuttle
were elected to six-year terms. Marshall Stanton, M.D. Emily Anne Tuttle was the first
Marshall Stanton is vice president, medical Democratic woman elected to the
Dan Anderson ’65 affairs for Cardiac Rhythm Management at Minnesota Senate and specialized in
Dan Anderson was an All-American Medtronic. He is a fellow of the American healthcare policy. She was also elected to
basketball player at Augsburg, and went College of Cardiology and is chairman of the Hennepin County Board of
on to play professional basketball with the Fellowship Committee of the North Commissioners. She currently serves on
the Minnesota Pipers and as a charter American Society of Pacing and the Minnesota Humanities Commission
member of the New Jersey Nets. Electrophysiology. and the boards of the Guthrie Theater,
He is now president of Swenson He graduated from the University of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, and the
Anderson Financial Group in Pennsylvania and the Medical College of Minnesota Community Foundation.
Minneapolis, with a network of planners Virginia. He completed a residency in She is a graduate of the University of
across Minnesota and neighboring states. internal medicine at Mayo Medical School; Minnesota and earned her master’s
He is also regional director for Financial he returned there to join the faculty and degree in public administration from the
Network Investment Corporation, and a became director of the Cardiovascular John F. Kennedy School of Government
Training Program. He also completed a at Harvard University.
Winter 2003-04 3
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 7
Around the Quad
A single book and black robes—a medieval
experience
by Dan Jorgensen
Thirty-two Augsburg first-year students English; and Merilee
are already wearing their graduation Klemp, music, met and
robes, but they won’t be participating in put together the basics
graduation ceremonies in May. The for the course.
students are part of an experiment that Philosophy colleague
not only is teaching them about life in Bruce Reichenbach, and
medieval times but also is blending seven Darcey Engen, theatre,
disciplines into one exciting new cross- joined them to form the
curricular program. seven disciplines
The experiment, titled “Medieval represented by the
Connections,” not only has both exceeded course itself.
its professors’ broadest expectations, but it “The key idea that
soon could serve as a model for other stuck with us is that the
In the Medieval Connections class, students wear robes, as
Augsburg courses and for liberal arts university/college that
students did in the Middle Ages.
institutions across the nation. “When the we know today comes
College embarked on a new general out of the 12th century,” Adamo said. help teach but also to respond to one
education curriculum this academic year, “Faculty and students wore robes another and students’ questions. In
faculty were encouraged to seek ways to somewhat similar to those that they do addition, a wide range of faculty and
present courses that were interdisciplinary today, although today, of course, they’re others who have learned about the
in nature,” noted Phil Adamo, assistant primarily used in ceremonies like course have been “dropping in” to share
professor of history and leader of the new graduation.” their knowledge and expertise on
program. Adamo has been so pleased with The students are both taught and everything from medieval armor to what it
the results of the course that he plans to learn in a style reminiscent of the was like to be a “traveling Sophist.”
prepare a paper on it for possible educational experience faced by students One recent guest professor was a monk
publication in several national journals. from the “High Middle Ages”—the years from St. John’s University who talked
A core group of Augsburg faculty, 1100-1300 A.D. To learn in this fashion, about monastic life, the Gregorian chant,
including Adamo; Kristin Anderson, art; both students and faculty attend class and how the Bible was written by hand,
Phil Quanbeck II, religion; Joan Griffin, garbed in robes—the faculty members using a project to write a new Bible
wearing the robes that signify their currently underway at his school as an
academic background and highest degree example.
earned; the students wearing the robes Students begin each class with a prayer
that they ultimately will again wear on to the medieval “saint of the day,” working
graduation day. While students do have in teams to prepare the prayers and
access to modern learning devices, such as presentations on the saints. Thomas
papers and ballpoint pens, they all have to Aquinas, for example, was selected
learn from one single book—a large because he is the patron saint of all
volume that was “constructed” by the students. There are also long-term projects
professors in cooperation with art for each student, and the final class will be
instructor Tara Christopherson, and is a medieval feast where some will cook,
chained in the library where the students some will play or sing music, some will
must go to read it. As students read, they juggle, and some will debate—all the
can write “marginalia” (comments) in the kinds of things students might have done
book’s margins about what they have read, in a big medieval feast of the time.
thus providing reading help for their “I think it’s a bit of genius here,”
classmates and others who follow. This is Quanbeck noted. “Thanks to Professor
similar to what would have happened in Adamo, we’re combining the theatrical,
the Middle Ages, Adamo said. experiential, and academic and turning it
Sometimes a single professor teaches into something that makes it very
for the three-hour class, but usually two memorable. It changes students’ habits
Students in Medieval Connections learn from
or three professors come, not only to and how they learn.”
a single book chained in the library.
4 Winter 2003-04
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 8
Basketball in a different league
by Betsey Norgard
u
n
u
Where might you find a thousand Ma
Twin Cities middle school and rn
Ve
high school students on Sunday
afternoons during the winter months? A
logical answer might be the ski slopes or
the malls, but in this case the answer is
in church gyms playing in the Augsburg-
Congregational Youth Basketball League.
Thirteen years ago, Augsburg College
Pastor Dave Wold had concerns about
young people and their connection to
churches. Many dropped out of church
after confirmation, and many young
people in city neighborhoods had no
connection to a church. Wold was Every game in the 70-church Congregational Youth Basketball League starts with devotions and
interested in addressing these issues, as ends with prayer, shared by both opposing teams.
well as getting the word out about
league “to provide relaxed yet structured last year were made up of senior high
Augsburg College.
games in a Christian setting, allowing boys, and half or more of these players
Wold’s idea of a basketball league
kids an opportunity for fun and exercise were not members of the churches for
took shape when he realized how many
while building relationships with which they played. Some youth choose
church gyms in the metro area were not
teammates, opponents, and God.” to play for a church team instead of their
being used, and especially in thinking
Now, more than 70 churches and as school team.
about how many students enjoy playing
many as 1,000 students play in church Wonderful friendships form through
basketball but had no team to play on if
gyms on Sunday afternoons in the the games. Teams from city and suburban
they weren’t able to make their school
months of January and February. The churches get to know each other, and
teams.
season climaxes on the first weekend in players build relationships with
Wold and a group of youth directors
March at a tournament on Augsburg’s teammates, coaches, youth workers,
and pastors developed the mission of the
campus. More than 100 Augsburg and pastors.
students help out at the tourney as The story of Noah, an adopted
u
un referees, photographers, concessions Filipino high school student, is one
a
M workers, security people, etc. example of the faith and love in this
n
Ver Wold, along with league director league. Noah has faced challenges all his
David Wrightsman and other youth life from a birth defect in his brain. He
professionals who run the league, seek to learned to love basketball and found
keep the tournament as low cost as tremendous support and friendship in his
possible. If churches can’t afford the full church team. His strength is in shooting,
participation fee, which pays mostly for especially long shots. About five years
uniforms and referee fees, they find ways ago in the tournament, the two finalist
to subsidize them. teams remained locked in a close game.
As in any athletic division, there are In the final seconds, it was Noah who
rules. Each game begins with devotions sank the ball from a long, half-court shot
and ends with prayer, shared by both to win the tournament for his team.
opposing teams. During the game, there “That shows how great sport can be
must be equal playing time for all team and how great people can be,” says Wold.
members. And, each team is strongly For information on the
encouraged to take on service projects— Congregational Youth Basketball League,
in the church’s gym, in food programs, or contact Pastor Dave Wold at 612-330-
More than 100 Augsburg students, led by in projects like Habitat for Humanity. 1732 or <[email protected]>; or David
Pastor Dave Wold (right) help with various
The league has succeeded in bringing Wrightsman at the Urban Youth Ministry
tasks during the Congregational Youth
League Tournament at Augsburg in March. youth to the church. Half of the 70 teams Project, 612-599-6911.
Winter 2003-04 5
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 9
Sports
Auggie women skate and tour in Italy, Austria
by Don Stoner
o
ot
h
p
Members of the Augsburg College aff
women’s hockey team took a trip St
of a lifetime during the Christmas
holiday break, as they traveled to Italy
and Austria, playing three games against
local club teams and experiencing the
beauty of the two countries.
Ten Auggie players made the trip,
along with head coach Jill Pohtilla,
assistant coaches Barb Halbrehder and
Bill Halbrehder, Augsburg staff, and
several family members. The eight-day
trip took the Auggies through the heart
of northern Italy and to the historic cities
of Florence and Rome. Members of the
team raised money for two years to pay
for the journey.
“Having an opportunity to learn
about another culture, first hand, is Members of the Augsburg women’s hockey team and others pose in front of the Colosseum in
something the players will never forget,” Rome. Front row (L to R) Jana Ford, Corrie Krzyska, assistant coach Barb Halbrehder, Kristin
Pohtilla said. “I had a similar opportunity Johnson, Annie Annunziato, Maggie McDonald, Calla Lundquist, Britt Pennington, tour
manager Marc Smith. Back row (L to R) Dale Ford, Jacob Ford, Molly Ford, Dottie Gilkerson,
playing hockey in Finland in 1980, and I
Christina Hughes, assistant coach Bill Halbrehder, head coach Jill Pohtilla, Kristin Opalinski ‘03;
will never forget some of the experiences sports information coordinator Don Stoner, Stacy Anderson, Laura Prasek, athletic trainer Missy
I had.” Strauch, Mari Johnson, Heidi Ford.
On Dec. 29, after a day-long series of
flights across the Atlantic, the Auggies
Halloween Como by a 14-0 count. The rink was enclosed, but two of the
arrived in Milan, met Marc Smith, their
Freshman Stacy Anderson had a six- four sides were open to the elements.
tour manager from GoPlay Sports Tours,
point day, with three goals and three Many players said it was the first time
and immediately began a day of
assists, while senior Christina Hughes they had played on an outdoor rink,
sightseeing to help counteract the effects
also had a hat trick (three goals). Senior which made for an interesting game.
of jetlag.
Dottie Gilkerson, juniors Corrie Krzyska Like Italy, women’s hockey in Austria
In Milan, Italy’s largest city, the team
and Laura Prasek, and sophomores Calla is also relatively new, but the Kundl
toured the Duomo, a stunning baroque
Lundquist and Britt Pennington each Crocodiles provided some strong
cathedral with 3,400 statues and 135
scored two goals, while senior Annie competition. The team even recruited
spires, and walked across the city square
Annunziato contributed assists. other players from its league to play the
to a huge downtown shopping area, the
The team then moved on to the Auggies, but in the end, the Minnesota
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.
Alpine city of Bolzano, little city where players’ years of experience proved too
After a night of needed rest in the
the Auggies were then headquartered for much, as Augsburg won 6-0.
nearby city of Bergamo, Augsburg was set
three days. Pennington was the star of the game,
to play its first game, against the
New Year’s Eve provided an incredible with a three-goal hat trick, with
Halloween Como team in the small town
day and night of new experiences, Gilkerson, Hughes, and Annunziato
of Zanica.
including a two-hour bus ride deep into adding markers. Junior Jana Ford also
Women’s hockey in Italy is still in
the Austrian Alps. As the team rode to got on the board for the Auggies with an
relative infancy, with only a handful of
Austria, jaws dropped at the stunning assist. Augsburg outshot Kundl by a 29-
teams in the northern part of the country.
scenery of the Brenner Pass, one of 10 margin, with junior goalie Kristin
So, with only nine skaters and a goalie,
Europe’s most famous trade routes. Johnson getting her second straight
Augsburg was competitive against all of
The team’s second game also provided shutout.
its opponents.
a unique experience—a semi-outdoor “One of the funniest moments for me
In fact, Augsburg dispatched of
rink in the small town of Kundl, Austria. was when the Austrian team hosted a
6 Winter 2003-04
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 10
o
ot
h
p
aff
St
Italy, the Bolzano Eagles. The the famed Trevi Fountain, you will
game was played at the return to Rome someday, and every
Bolzano civic arena, the largest member of the Augsburg group threw
hockey arena in the country, some coins in the water.
with seating for more than Augsburg’s final full day in Italy was
7,000 spectators. a whirlwhind day of sightseeing across
Augsburg scored three Rome. Starting early, they toured the
goals in the first eight minutes Colosseum, the fabled arena where
of the game and claimed a 6-2 gladiators battled before the emperors,
victory to complete the trip. and traveled up the hill to the Roman
Anderson had her second hat Forum, an archeological wonder from
trick of the trip, with Prasek, ancient times.
Annunziato, and Krzyska From there, the group went to the
adding goals. The Auggies Pantheon, the oldest complete structure
Dottie Gilkerson (left) and Kristin Johnson (right) pose dominated from start to finish, in Rome, a church of immense size and
with a member of the Kundl Crocodiles after Augsburg’s not allowing Bolzano’s goals beauty. The day ended in the holiest of
6-0 win in Kundl, Austria, on Dec. 31.
until the final two minutes of sites, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican,
the game. followed by a pizza dinner and a trip to
brief get-together after our game. The
With the hockey complete, the a gelato shop for some authentic Italian
language barrier was evident, and it
Auggies became tourists, as the journey ice cream.
took a line from Finding Nemo to break
went south into the fabled province of It was a trip filled with exciting
through. The players from both teams
Tuscany. A night in the small city of hockey, memorable sights, once-in-a-
knew the lines, ‘Keep swimming, keep
Montecatini was followed by a day of lifetime moments, and an incredible
swimming’ along with ‘Mine...mine...
sightseeing in Florence, the city that opportunity to come together as a team
mine.’ We all laughed hard about it,”
spawned the Renaissance. in the process.
Pohtilla said.
From the Duomo church with its
On the trip back to Bolzano, the
unique “dome within a dome” design to Don Stoner is sports information
team stopped for a couple of hours in
the beautiful plazas, the Ponte Vecchio coordinator and accompanied the team on
the Bavarian winter sports mecca of
bridge and the stunning churches and their trip.
Innsbruck, host city for two Winter
public spaces, the day
Olympic games. As the team arrived, a
in Florence, while
o
running race was taking place as part of short, was still hot
tphreo vciidtyin’sg N ae uwn Yiqeuare’s d Eevtoeu cre.lebration, mseevmeroalr aobfl eth. eA pnldayers Staff p
Arriving back in Bolzano, the
showed off their
Auggies joined thousands of Italians at
“power-shopping”
the city’s soccer stadium for a grand
skills as well.
New Year’s Eve party, complete with
Back on the bus
bands, fireworks, and plenty of
and the four-hour
celebrating.
journey to Rome
New Year’s Day provided some of the
where, yet again, the
most incredible scenery of the trip, as
scenery was
the team traveled deep into the craggy
outstanding at every
high peaks of the Dolomite mountains,
turn. The evening
unique among the splinter ranges of the
was spent in two of
Alps. The cable car rides to the top of
the most famous
the mountain at a local ski area gave the
places in Rome, the
Auggies plenty of stunning views for
Spanish Steps and the
photo opportunities and time for
Trevi Fountain. Jana Ford (2) and a Bolzano player pursue the puck during
playing in the snow.
According to legend, Augsburg’s 6-2 victory over the HC Bolzano Eagles. Augsburg won
The next day, Augsburg had its last if you throw a coin in all three of its games against opponents from Italy and Austria,
game of the trip against the best team in outscoring the foes by a 26-2 margin.
Winter 2003-04 7
Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 11
A N E N O R M O U S H O N O R F O R
DISCOVERY OF TINY PROTEINS
PETER AGRE ’70, THE NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY
by Betsey Norgard
Augsburg’s focus on
vocation
centers on listening for and responding
to a call in one’s life. Peter Agre’s
illustrious career has exemplified this
process of understanding one’s passions
and talents, and discerning the work that
would best use them in service to others.
Last fall, Agre’s life was unexpectedly
and dramatically changed by another
call—a single telephone call that came at
5:30 in the morning on October 8. The
voice on the other end spoke politely
with a Swedish accent and informed him
that he had won the Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for 2003.
Since then, Agre’s life has been a
whirlwind of travel, interviews,
ceremonies, speeches, and thousands of
e-mails. Highlights have been the Nobel
week in Stockholm, honors at the White
House, and, most recently, a hometown
tribute befitting a high school and
college hero.
Agre is a Minnesota native, born in
Northfield where his father taught Nobel winner Peter Agre returned to campus and visited the chemistry labs where he spent
chemistry at St. Olaf College. In 1959, considerable time as a student in the late 1960s. Here, he chats with student Mike Starner
about the day’s project.
Courtland Agre came to Augsburg as
chemistry department chair, and within
professors, most especially with John University and a clinical fellowship at
three years, with the help of new
Holum in chemistry, and was able to University of North Carolina, he
professors John Holum and Earl Alton,
complete a major in chemistry in two- returned to Johns Hopkins for a research
rebuilt and refurbished the department.
and-a-half years, culminating in the fellowship in cell biology. In 1984 he
Augsburg’s chemistry program then
decision to became a medical doctor. joined the faculty and is now professor of
received the prestigious approval from
During medical school at Johns biochemistry.
the American Chemical Society.
Hopkins University, Agre began It was his roommate in medical
In his senior year at Roosevelt High
gravitating toward research. “I wanted school who first connected him with a
School in Minneapolis, Peter Agre was
the kind of career where I could help “hot” research lab on campus staffed by
voted one of two most likely to succeed.
people and do useful work that helped an international group of researchers,
He was not a focused student, however,
people—both as individual patients and with whom he remains close. “It was
and took more interest in the
by working on disease mechanisms,” actually the people doing science as
underground student newspaper than in
Agre explains. “That’s what really got me much as the science that caught my
his academic subjects. He refers to
into the science.” interest,” Agre explains. “I never felt so
himself as a “handful” for his teachers.
In his senior year in medical school, excited about being with a group of
Already in his last year of high
he began working in laboratories, rather individuals as with the people in this
school, Agre began taking classes at
than pursuing the advanced training of a laboratory.” Some of these researchers
Augsburg and then enrolled full time.
specialty. After a three-year medical traveled to Sweden to be with him at the
Here he truly connected with several
residency at Case Western Reserve Nobel ceremony.
8 Winter 2003-04