[Vision2020] The UI Friday Letter

[Tom Hansen]

The Friday Letter
A Newsletter for University of Idaho Alumni and Friends
May 28, 2004

Here’s the latest news at the University of Idaho:

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Elected officials, business and community leaders, alumni and other friends
gathered at the UI Research Park at Post Falls May 26 to dedicate a
Camperdown elm tree in honor of U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, for his role
in making the park a reality. Featured speakers included Sen. Craig and UI
Provost Brian Pitcher. The tree dedication celebrated Craig’s involvement in
obtaining the federal funds used to initiate the park as well as his role in
establishing the UI’s Center for Advanced Microelectronics and Biomolecular
Research, directed by engineering Professor Gary Maki. Maki’s research team
specializes in the design of radiation tolerant, ultra low power, and
special purpose VLSI chips for NASA. The group returned to Idaho in 2002
after a 10-year stint at the University of New Mexico. Their lab is located
at UIRP.

“Sen. Craig was instrumental in securing funding for creation of the UI
Research Park at Post Falls and attracting some of the finest engineers and
scientists in the country back to Idaho,” said Provost Pitcher. “That effort
has meant significant economic development for Idaho, especially the
Panhandle.” Since its inception in 1998, UIRP has filled its first building
and is working on securing funding for a second one. In the past six years,
100 new jobs in Kootenai County were initiated at UIRP – 70 of those are
still at the research park, while the others have relocated to private space
in northern Idaho. More than 40 companies have located in Kootenai or
Spokane counties after receiving initial assistance from UIRP. In addition,
CAMBR has won nearly $4.3 million in external grants in the past two years –
new dollars in the Idaho economy – with an investment of just $200,000 in
state money.

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The UI scientific team and cooperating grass seed growers now at work to
improve production of Kentucky bluegrass will sponsor two field days in
June. The sessions are planned Thursday, June 3, near Worley and Friday,
June 11, near Nezperce. They will focus on research geared to alternatives
that rely less on field burning or eliminate it while helping growers remain
viable financially. The field days will offer growers reports on research
progress to date, said John Holman, UI grass seed production scientist at
Moscow. The work by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences team
relies on partnerships with growers, the Nez Perce and Coeur d'Alene tribes,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Idaho State Department of Agriculture and
the Environmental Protection Agency, among others.

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The College of Law has won a two-year, $650,000 grant from the Indian Land
Tenure Foundation to develop and implement an Indian estate-planning project
on reservations in Idaho, Washington and Oregon. The project, developed by
law Professors Douglas Nash and Dennis Colson, has two components. First, a
program describing estate planning – how that process can be of value in
managing property generally and real property in particular – will be
developed, along with training materials. That program will be available for
presentation to Indian tribes, groups and organizations. The second
component of the project gives student externs from law schools in the three
states funds to travel to reservation communities, meet with individual
tribal members, provide them with information about estate planning, and
upon request, draft a will for them. The students will work under the direct
supervision of legal services attorneys. The Indian Land Tenure Foundation,
based in Little Canada, Minn., is community organized and directed.

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For more information about these items or to begin receiving The Friday
Letter
by e-mail, please contact University Communications and Marketing at
(208) 885-6291 or uinews@uidaho.edu

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Take care,

Tom Hansen
Not On The Palouse, Not Ever

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"When people sin, everybody has to pay."

- Douglas Wilson of Wilson, Inc. (dba Christ Church) (June 7, 2002)

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Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than going to a garage
makes you a mechanic.