Chapter Spotlight

Chicago

August 2011 found the Chicago chapter visiting Fermilab, a high-energy particle physics research facility located in the western suburb of Batavia. Accelerator operator Cindy Joe ’08 led a group of 30 Reedies on an up-close and personal look at this scientific wonderland. Highlights included an eagle’s-eye view of the lab and surrounding restored native-prairie habitat from the 15th-floor observatory; an overview of the linear accelerator and the neutron-therapy cancer treatment facility; a visit to the main control room, where accelerator operators conduct their magic 24 hours a day; some time with the exhibits and souvenirs at the Lederman Science Education Center; and a peek at the lab’s own buffalo herd. An enriching and entertaining time was had by all (even, we think, the buffalo)!
 View a gallery of photos by Orin Zyvan ’04 online. —Cindy Joe ’08

Washington, D.C.

Smithsonian

Pictured are Bennett Barsk ’82, two guests, Leslie Overstreet ’71, guests (my son Sam Levy, his friend Nafisa Jiddawi), two more guests; partly hidden is Cynthia Erville ’71, and on the far right is Susan Belardi ’76. Photo by Orin Zyvan

In November, Leslie Overstreet ’71, the curator of the rare-book room at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History, led Reed alumni on a tour of her domain. As in the past, this year’s event was vastly oversubscribed (to protect the rare books, there is a limit on the number of visitors who can be in the library at any one time), but Leslie accommodated all attendees by scheduling two separate tours. During the tour, focused this year on “reading” a book as a physical object, Leslie displayed a range of volumes dating from the 16th to the 19th centuries, and discussed the means of producing the books as well as the manner of their display.  —Paul Levy ’73