BULL'S EYE
Former MIT pistol coach and range master Pasquale "Pat" Melaragno has been honored by having the trophy presented to the women's national air pistol collegiate champion named for him.
The Melaragno Trophy, designed and created by current MIT coach John Holland, will reside at the headquarters of the National Rifle Association in Washington, DC.
Melaragno, who retired in 1996, coached at MIT for 19 years. Under his tutelage, MIT became the premier civilian shooting team in the country, winning several national championships, including the first-ever air pistol national championship for women.
AND THE WINNER IS
Technology Review has been nominated for a National Magazine Award "Ellie" for general excellence, an honor comparable to an Oscar in the motion picture industry.
TR, redesigned and refocused last year under new editor John Benditt to concentrate on innovation, is one of five finalists for the top award in the 100,000-to-400,000 circulation category. The other finalists are American Heritage, Fast Company, Saveur and Teacher Magazine.
Publisher Bruce Journey called the nomination "a monumental achievement" in a memo to the TR board of directors. "This is peer recognition of the highest order," he said. "I told John that many editors work their whole lives and are never nominated and he was recognized for only the second, third and fourth issues (July, September and November) of the new TR."
The finalists were chosen from among 1,320 print and 60 new media entries. Fifteen Ellie winners will be named at a luncheon in New York on April 28.
Established in 1966, the National Magazine Award is the preeminent program in the magazine industry that honors editorial excellence. The Ellie is named after the Alexander Calder stabile Elephant.
PLAYING ALONG
Guitarist Francis Doughty, an MIT employee for 18 years, was the featured performer on "Up the Creek" (a music radio show on WRSI in Greenfield, MA and simulcast live on TV-6) last Monday. DJ Johnny Memphis invited the guitarist/composer to perform.
"It was an honor, and went very well -- really a lot of fun," said Mr. Doughty, a part-time administrative assistant to Professor Donald Troxel in the Research Laboratory of Electronics (RLE) and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Mr. Doughty's new CD, Among Trees, is also getting a "fair amount of radio airplay. Though I've only sent it thus far to 20 radio stations in New England, the DJ response is very favorable," he said.
Mr. Doughty, who has been featured in MIT's Artists Behind the Desk program, describes his CD as "comprised entirely of acoustic, instrumental solo guitar music. The genre is finger-style folk music. All songs are original compositions."
Among Trees has sold more than 300 copies to date and has been favorably reviewed by the MIT community, he said.
Felicia Brady, also an administrative assistant in RLE and a professional classical pianist, said, "Your CD is inspiring, beautiful and sensitive, a reminder of the good stuff of life! Within each piece there is a wide color and tonal range. Varied musical ideas give each tune a world of its own."
"This music transmits to me a sensation of peace. I've heard the CD several times, each time finding a new detail, enjoying a new theme," said Dr. Marcos Pimenta, a Brazilian visiting scientist in the Department of Physics and a fellow guitarist.
"This is absolutely fabulous! I love it! I have been playing your CD here in the office all week. Then I take mine home and play it some more," said Janet Sahlstrom, administrative officer in political science and a painter.
Among Trees is on an independent label and is available directly from Mr. Doughty or via his web site, which also has more information and song samples.
A version of this article appeared in the March 31, 1999 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 43, Number 24).
