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Show AggieLife Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012 Page 5 Longboarders cruise through campus BY AMY DASTRUP staff writer Students on campus walk from building to building to get to class. Some ride bicycles, and others prefer scooters. Recently, however, there has been an increase in longboarding on campus and as a recreational activity for both genders at Utah State. According to Blake Hamblin, a sophomore majoring in speech pathology, the reason for this increase has been caused by two main factors: convenience and looking good. "You have to take time to lock up a bike," Hamblin said. "Scooters are annoying and people who ride them get made fun of. I'd rather just take my longboard into class with me. It's more convenient, and people who longboard look cool." Hamblin said for a skilled longboarder, it is easier to maneuver a crowded sidewalk than it is for bicyclists, which added to the appeal of choosing it as his mode of transportation. While boys have been taking to longboarding more, so too have the girls. "Its fun," said Katie Jensen, a sophomore majoring in exercise science. "It's more fun than a lot of girls realize. Some girls are bad-A and are really good, but I think most of them use it as a way to meet guys." Jensen said she thinks riding a longboard can get guys dates. "Because it means they can hitch a ride to class," she said. "No, I'm just kidding. I think they just like girls who know how to have fun." However, Jensen said she is excited that more girls are beginning to start longboarding, no matter what their motives are. She said she thinks longboarding to get a date can go both ways. "You can tell the guys who just enjoy it and you can tell the ones that are trying to show off," she said. Jensen said at night when no one is around, USU campus is a great place to ride because it offers a little bit of everything. There are some good hills and tight corners, according to Tamblin. During the summer, Hamblin took his longboard to campus while it was vacant so he could practice riding switch, which means switching from riding "normal" — riding with your right foot in front — to riding "goofy" — riding with your left foot in front — and vice versa. For those riders with a need for speed, Hamblin suggested riding down 800 East or 1000 North. "Tenth North from the dorms all the way down to Main Street is STUDENTS LONGBOARD ON CAMPUS to get to various classes. Blake Hamblin, a sophomore majoring in speech pathology, said he tried to make a longboard over the summer. MICKELLE YEATES photo pretty good," Hamblin said. "That's the fastest I've ever gone while longboarding. I think I was going 35 miles per hour." Hamblin said he and his friend ALUMNUS: Participating in internships preceeded success ► From page 4 "Things just behave differently when they're small," he said. "Solar cells perform better." Nielson discovered 40-50% of the cost of traditional solar cells was spent on silicon. By reducing the amount of silicon by a factor or 10 to 1000, the cost of the solar cell is significantly reduced. The cells are ten times thinner, yet produce the same amount of electricity. "What used to be the largest cost has essentially become zero," he said. Nielson and his research team have discovered between 15 and 20 scaling benefits from having reduced the size of these solar cells, some benefits more subtle than others. Positive scaling effects include reduced thickness P ople would be surprised at what they can actually accomplish - don't discount yourself" and cost through the use of less silicon, increased efficiency, durability and flexibility. This allows the cells the potential to be used outside of the typical flat-panel construction. Nielson said they could even be used to mold around tents or clothing, allowing electronic devices to be powered in environments not formerly possible. Nielson said his background in other disciplines, such as microelectrical mechanical systems, has been extremely helpful in his research and by using these disciplines to make solar cells, they have been able to demonstrate things that no other photovoltaic technology can provide. By combining other materials, Nielson said he and his team are surpassing the efficiencies of regular photovoltaic technology. "We hope to double the efficiency of today's module while still keeping costs down," he said. For his work with these "glitter cells," Nielson was recently selected by Popular Science Magazine as one of the Brilliant 10, or one of the top ten most brilliant young innovators in the United States. Nielson said he was pleasantly surprised by the award, and he had enjoyed reading the magazine as a child. Nielson advised students at Utah State to get involved and expose themselves to opportunities, as well as to believe in themselves and what they can accomplish. One of his favorite plays is "Man of La Mancha," due to one of its themes involving the ability to achieve more than thought possible, simply by trying. "I thought that some universities could be out of my reach, like MIT," he said. "By getting involved with internships and professors, my eyes were opened to the opportunities available. People would be surprised at what they can actually accomplish — don't discount yourself." Nielson said although he picked the more challenging of the paths before him, he was glad he did. "I didn't know if I'd be successful, but the most exciting and rewarding thing I've done has been going out and trying" he said. said this was the most important step in the process because he needed to find a wood that will have the right amount of flex. They chose to make theirs out of birch, then cut the wood to the desired shape. The next step was to decide if they wanted their board to have a shallow dip, called concave, or to have camber, the opposite of concave. They decided to make theirs concave. To achieve this, Hamblin and Hager made a press, which is a device made of two separate sheets of wood with several U-shaped pieces sticking out of each sheet that fit together like a puzzle. The press is squeezed together and the pressure creates a curvature in the board. They left their board in the press for 24 hours. After removing the board, they covered it with fiberglass, sealed it with resin, put griptape on top, and added the wheels. "For our first board, it was actually pretty good," said Hager. "It was a little too long and that affected the turning radius. We should have given it a little more camber, but we had someone offer us like $130 for it." Logan Hager took it a step further. Over the summer, they attempted to make a longboard. They researched what types of wood had the best quality. Hamblin - amy.e.das@gmail.com Family, Consumer, and Human Development presents Dr. Pauline Boss speaking on Ambiguous Loss Date: Wednesday October 10, 2012 Time: 11:30-12:45 Location: Eccles Conference Center Auditorium Dr Panher Boss Ph.D. Ambiguous loss is a loss that remain - s unclear_ It can last for years, even a lifetime_ A loved. one goes missing physically (as in war) or psychologically (as with dementia). The incongruence between absence and presence creates a relational rupture that has no closure_ Yet, people can and do live well despite such complicated loss and grief The goal is family resiliency Toward that end, Dr Boss discusses the psychological family and provides therapeutic guidelines for how to live with ambiguous loss. These concern meaning, g, mastery, identity, ambivalence, attachment, and hope_ She lectures to interdisciplinary audiences and trains professionals around the world, all of whom are working with some kind. of loss that has no closure_ For more information, see ww-w_ambiguousloss.com Score big when you say you helped design it just for her using out innovative custom design software. - cale.w.p@aggiemail.usu.edu SAVE THE DATE!! USU Employee Flu Shot Clinic Tuesday October 16, 2011 9am-4pm USU Main Cam ps. — Taggart Student Center Ballroom Thursday October 18, 2011 12pm-5pm Innovation Campus, Space Dynamics Lab (1695 North Research ParK Way) Register yourself and all dependents for your flu shot(s): flushots.usu.edu Protect yourself against the seasonal flu this year! FREE to USU benefit-eligible employees and their eligible dependents For more information contact dayna.barrett@usu.edu ; (435)797-8519 *Remember* - Bring your Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) insurance card to the Flu Shot Clinic If you are unable to come to one of the USU Flu Shot Clinics, you are welcome to go to a pharmacy within the BCBS network. When visiting a pharmacy be sure to show your BCBS insurance card. Shots given at one of these providers are FREE. To view a list of chain and independent pharmacies, please visit www.usu.edu/wellness. Jewelers since 1898 Where Utah Gets Engaged] 141 Nardi Mak • worummzedhataxam. • 43S- 70 -7149 |