SOLVING THE PUZZLE
The 8-by-6-foot jigsaw puzzle depicting great moments in IAP history was a labor of love for Elsie Huang, a junior in architecture.
The idea was suggested to her by Margaret E. Devine of the Academic Services Office, who perceived it as a community project to launch IAP. Ms. Huang and Janice Chuang, a sophomore in biology, collected the images and designed the colorful 144-piece collage.
"I worked on it for weeks, a little at a time," said Ms. Huang. "We looked at last year's IAP guide and looked for interesting topics, seminars, phrases, etc��������������������������� and then just threw it all together."
The pieces were distributed to selected staff and faculty, who were invited to deliver them to Lobby 7 on Tuesday, Dec. 8 to help Ms. Huang paste them on a board. Only 10 failed to show up.
"I'm actually very, very happy with the results, and I was happy that people actually brought the pieces back," she said. "When people brought in their pieces, they were all excited to see it, and I was, too. This kind of energy is a great way to kick off IAP. I would definitely love to do it again."
The completed puzzle will be on display on Lobby 7 during IAP.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
They broke out the champagne at the Bahcall home on Adams Drive in Princeton, NJ, last week.
On Monday, Dec. 7, Orli Bahcall, a 22-year-old MIT senior majoring in biology, received a Marshall Scholarship to do postgraduate work at Oxford University (MIT Tech Talk, December 9).
The following day, her father, John, a professor of astrophysics at Princeton University's Institute for Advanced Study, was named a National Medal of Science award winner. Professor Bahcall helped develop the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and worked diligently to have it funded.
"We had a nice little party for both of us," said Ms. Bahcall. "We're very proud of each other."
Her mother, Neta, a professor of astrophysics at Princeton, gave the family reason to celebrate last spring when she was inducted into the National Academy of Science. Her husband was already a member.
"My mother was always a role model for me," said Ms. Bahcall. "Twenty years ago, there weren't many women in science, but that didn't stop her. Through determination and hard work, she kept pushing forward. I'm very proud of her, too."
Ms. Bahcall, whose GPA is a perfect 5.0, minored in political science and plans to pursue a career in public policy and science. She will study the history of medicine at Oxford.
"I have often discussed with my father the future directions of science," said Ms. Bahcall. "I think the recognition of both of us attests to how a scientist can serve society by advancing our understanding of the world and directing science to serve the interests of society.
"I have felt, and I think my father also feels, a sense of humility from this recognition. I am honored with the scholarship, but I am concerned now with how I can best use this opportunity to make science more accessible and accountable to society."
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on December 16, 1998.
