Six students from the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) earned top awards in the annual Grundy Haven paper competition. The aim of the paper competition is to foster excellence in communicating science to the public.

Andrew Dzambo, (meteorology) won first place for his paper, "Building a Better Tropical Cyclone Model: It's Resolution That Matters." His paper explains the importance of resolution in complex forecasting models the National Hurricane Center uses. He entered the competition to practice writing about science. "My goal is to become a professor, and in addition to teaching, I'll have to write a lot," he said.

Karen Bunavage (meteorology) won second place for her paper "Cool Bears + Warm Waters = Extinction. She got interested in climate change years ago when she saw the movie, An Inconvenient Truth. She's now studying meteorology, and chose her topic because she wanted the public to understand how melting ice caps caused by increases in global temperatures are affecting polar bears.  

Devin Tierney (geobiology) also won second place for his paper, Enceladus: A Lonely Snowball or a Haven of Life. He plans on working in environmental restoration consulting and sees communication as a key skill he'll use. The cosmic show of one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, and the possibility of discovering life forms fascinated him, and he decided to write about it.

When Martin Antensteiner (materials science and engineering) learned how cyanoacrylates lock in place during a polymer science lecture, he knew he had a topic for the Grundy Haven Paper Competition. He won third place for his paper, "The Superman of the Adhesive World," which describes the bonding mechanism of super glue.  

Irena Gorski  (geosciences) was one of two honorable mention winners for her paper, "What's on Tap." In her hydrogeology classes, she learned a lot about agricultural contaminants of water. "I wanted to learn even more about the contaminants and inform others about them, so I explored them by writing about it," she said. She's already planning to enter the competition next year.

A recent trip to Panama inspired Annie Tamalavage to write about Bokashi: The Start of Change. "I was astounded that something so simple--organic composting (Bokashi)--could have such an immediate and profound effect. I entered the competition in part because people will care if we as scientists can explain a beneficial way to protect our environment. Using our communication skills can get society to listen and to make changes."

The William Grundy Haven Awards were established in 1950 in memory of a Penn State geology student who was killed in action during World War II. The Earth and Mineral Science College is grateful for these funds, and proud to recognize the achievements of these fine communicators.

To read the papers, go to the EMS website.

For more information on the Grundy Haven Student Paper Competition, contact Kimberly Del Bright, Giles writer-in-residence, Ryan Family Student Center, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, 14F Deike Building, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16801, Telephone: (814) 863-6077, Fax: (814) 863-3349, E-mail: kdb9@psu.edu, Blog: http://www.personal.psu.edu/kdb9/blogs/giles_writer-in-residence/

The article, "What Recruiters Look at During the 6 Seconds They Spend on Your Resume," from LinkedIn's Business Insider writer, Vivian Giang (4/9/12)reports on a fascinating study. Eye tracking, which examines eye movements to analyze the time someone spends on the text, was used to understand what recruiters look at when they quickly review resumes.

Click here to see in greater detail the heat map indicating how they spent their time and read more about how you can tweak your resume to gain the coveted interview!

 "I do have an unusual name," is how Kamini Singha, an associate professor in the Geosciences Department, begins her story of how her father, who is from India, and her mother, who is from the United States, searched for a name to give her a sense of her heritage. Dr. Kamini Singha is our Featured Voice for the sparkling new addition to our EMS website:  Voices of Our College.  You can learn more about her unusual name and her teaching, research and love of students at http://voices.ems.psu.edu/.

Stories have the power to connect us and to encourage our sense of community. We hope you'll be inspired and entertained as you listen to the stories of both past and present people of EMS! You'll find audio files and view photographs of current students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

In addition to Dr. Singha's stories, you can take a trip down memory lane as Simone Gleicher, EMS THON overall chair for two years, puts the feeling of THON into words. Don't miss Dr. Cathy Lyons, the former Associate Dean for Educational Equity, as she speaks about growing up in rural South Carolina as one of seven children. And fly high with Casey Webster, a non-traditional student, as he describes his "ride the wind" experience.

This is the first edition of Voices.  Help us capture and record our rich heritage and traditions of excellence through sharing the spoken words of the many people who have influenced our College.   Because Voices is a collaborative project, we seek story contributions from students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends.

Do you have a good story or know of one about our College?  If so, complete the "share your story" form (http://voices.ems.psu.edu/shareyourstory), or contact me at kdb9@psu.edu.

I'd love to hear from you!

In last week's blog, I promised to give you more information about two of my favorite sources of information for job search preparation: the Occupational Outlook Handbook and Hoover's Online. Both of these reliable sources are available through the Penn State University Libraries.

You can easily find them by going to the Business Library online and clicking "Career Information." The "Career Resources" page will be displayed. Under the category, "General Career Guide for all Majors," click the first link (Explore Careers & Internships). Here you will find the links to many valuable career information websites. When you enter these sites through the PSU Libraries, you are making use of your tuition dollars! (Abridged versions of some of these sites are available with a Google search.)

The third link on this page is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The Handbook is compiled by the Bureau of Labor of our federal government. It contains information about types of jobs, educational and training requirements, advancement opportunities, job growth, career descriptions and more.  It also has salary information collected from a large sample of businesses and individuals; this can be an excellent source of information, particularly when negotiating your salary.

Scroll down the page farther to find another wonderful source of information--Hoover's. Dun & Bradstreet, a business research company, uses an in-house staff to compile information and sells it as a subscription to businesses and individuals. You'll find information about companies, industries, and people. One of the best features is the contact information, including phone numbers and mailing addresses, of personnel at specific companies you may be interested in exploring.

Here's how it worked for one student. He came to my office this week and wanted to find out what companies might employ him. He's a petroleum and natural gas major, and although he's only a freshman, he was curious who were some prospective employers. He knew about Exxon Mobil and Chevron, but when I showed him how to select the industry tab at the top of the page  and search "oil and gas exploration," he learned Anadarko Petroleum, Apache Corporation, Devon Energy, ConocoPhillips, and Marathon Oil might be good matches too. In addition, he could search under each of these individual companies and become better informed and get contact information for each.

I love watching your reactions as you discover how valuable this information is, but amazingly only a few students use these tools. Aren't you tired of paying for something you never use? Begin today by using your PSU Libraries in your job search, and you'll be making those tuition dollars pay off. 

"I only use the phone to order take out and call my mom," the job seeking student responded to me when I asked her if she had called the potential employer to get answers to questions she had about the advertised position. Her response isn't surprising.

According to a report from the Pew Research Center, "Teens, Smartphones & Texting," (March 19, 2012), texting is the way most of you communicate. Voice calling using a cell phone is down too.  When I probed further to understand why my job seeking student didn't call, she said, "I can't believe I didn't even think about picking up the phone and calling. It just never occurred to me!"

She also admitted to feeling somewhat uneasy about using the phone to call her potential employer because she didn't know what to say. Many of you have told me "it feels weird" to call someone you don't know because you don't do it very often. You'll feel more confident if you prepare first.

In other words, research the company, so you don't ask questions that are easily obtained by reading its website. There are also many useful links to career and job search preparation. I'll tell you more about my favorite two sources of job preparation information next week! Before you call, make sure to be well informed about your audience.

Step two is to refresh your memory about what makes you unique and what you have to offer this employer. Think in terms of the company's specific job description. If the employer wants a candidate with strong analytical skills, consider how you've demonstrated these from both your experiences and education. In other words, know your elevator speech. I've written before about "Getting the Perfect Tone for Your 30 Second Pitch." Don't forget to rehearse it!

Now conquer that inertia and shyness and pick up the phone. You might say the following:

Hello. I'm <name>, a student at Penn State University in my <year> studying <major>. I recently saw the <name of position> you advertised on <where you found the position>, and I'm interested in applying. I do have a few questions, and I was wondering if you could tell me to whom I should direct these.

From here, the person may say, "Let me connect you to <name>. He/She is handling this vacancy." If this happens, you could be lucky and actually get to speak with one of the decision-makers. Always make sure to get the correct spelling and name of the people with whom you speak. You may need them for follow-up communications.  Once the call has been transferred, start with the first two sentences above again. This time add some of your 30-second pitch. Be concise and don't ramble.

If the person who answers the phone says he/she will try to answer your questions, this is fine too, although it's less likely you're speaking to one of the decision makers. It's always important to be respectful and polite to everyone you meet. It may be that the person with whom you're speaking will be the one tasked with weeding through the stack of résumés for the first pass.

Most importantly, remember the phone can be a cool tool. Use it to get a pizza and a job!

Holding jet fuel, hand-blown glass, and a piece of Marcellus Shale in his hands as props to illustrate the diverse study opportunities available to students of the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS), Dean William Easterling kicked-off the College's annual recruiting event held on March 16-17 this year. All students who are considering an EMS major are invited to attend the Earth and Mineral Sciences Exposition (EMEX).

"This is the college you can study everything you want about the Earth and do ground breaking research while enjoying a small college atmosphere within a big research institution," Easterling told prospective students and their families who came from all over the United States including Texas, Idaho, and California.

This year's overall chair, Erica Marden (senior, Material Science Engineering) recalls the influence EMEX had on her decision to enroll. As a local from State College, Pennsylvania, she didn't think she wanted to come to Penn State University because she thought a small liberal arts college would be a better fit.

"I came to EMEX and loved the feel of this college--very small and personal--it changed my mind." said Marden.

She admits to being envious of those just starting out on this journey. "Looking back four years ago, I never would've thought I'd have the chance to study abroad, participate in research, and do an internship in Africa. They're in for a treat," she said. This year's EMEX is a swan song for Marden as she is graduating in May and has been accepted by two medical schools. 

"The biggest challenge of putting on EMEX which is all student-led," said Marden, "is making sure the communication among faculty, students, alumni, and staff is strong. She credits her co-chairs, Natalie Gerber (sophomore, Energy Business and Finance), Nolan Maynard (sophomore, Environmental Systems Engineering) and Everleigh Stokes (freshman, Geography) with keeping everyone in the loop.

Seventy-two prospective students came on Friday to attend classes and shadow their student sponsors, meet with Penn State alumni in their fields, and speak to faculty and staff. Friday night, the residents of Irvin Hall, the Special Living Option for EMS, sponsor an evening of ice-breaking activities and help prospective students learn more about college life. While students socialize with their peers, parents and their families are treated to a dinner at the Atherton Hotel where they can ask questions of the deans, faculty, staff, alumni, and EMS students.

Andrew Paul (junior, Materials Science Engineering) had a student shadow him. He ended up not going to sleep until 2 a.m., yet despite having little rest, he arrived early Saturday morning to help with EMEX. More than 375 people came for the day-long events, and Paul was a guide for one of the most popular features of this year's EMEX:  a tour of the new Millennium Science Complex.

He gave a demonstration of the Molecular Beam Epitaxy machine and explained his participation in research on micromagnetic simulations. Afterwards, Sampath Kethavarapu (junior, Materials Science Engineering) led the group to the Materials Characterization Lab. He pointed out the methods that provide low acoustic and electromagnetic noise to create an optimal environment for imagery analysis techniques such as Scanning Electron Microscopy.
 
Throughout the day attendees had the opportunity to pick and choose among a variety of activities according to their interests and get more information on all five departments: Earth and Mineral Engineering, Geography, Geosciences, Materials Science Engineering, and Meteorology.

Kyle Spataro, a senior in high school, flew to State College, Pennsylvania from Braintree, Massachusetts to find out more about the Petroleum Natural Gas Engineering curriculum and to learn more about Penn State.

 "There's a whole lot more here than I realized!" he said at the end of the day.

Glenn De Angelis, a senior energy engineering student, put on his lucky SpongeBob arm bands that he wore last year when he successfully danced for the Penn State  IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon and headed to the Bryce Jordan Center (BJC).

As the EMS THON overall chair this year, he was ready. Although EMS students who participated in THON are quick to point out it's a team effort, under the leadership of DeAngelis, the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences (EMS) raised a record $87, 601.82. This was the second year in a row EMS was first among general organizations.

The doors of the BJC opened at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 17, 2012.  "As we went through the human tunnel of hundreds of THON committee members lining the hallways, the excitement was unbelievable. I was holding my clip board and waving my sky blue bandana high in the air trying to keep us all together," said DeAngelis.

DeAngelis acknowledges this was a very different year than last year. Students grieved for the loss of Coach Paterno and for the young freshman, Courtney O'Bryan, killed in a car accident en route to a THON canning trip. One of the four canning trips had to be cancelled because of inclement weather, and although DeAngelis and the EMS THON students supported the difficult decision, they worried about the effect it would have on the final fundraising total. The students also fought hard not to let the negativity of the events of the past year dampen their belief in the positive power of people working together for a common goal. The money raised supports the Four Diamonds Fund to help pediatric cancer patients, families and researchers.

On Sunday, when the overall THON total was revealed and was 12 percent higher than last year's $9.6 million, it felt like a rainbow. Brian Bastian, who served as the EMS donor and alumni relations chair, credits the strength of the EMS executive committee (Marla Korpar, canning chair; Caitlyn McCloy, fundraising chair; and Annie Tamalavage, family relations chair) for much of the success of EMS.

EMS students commented that the close knit feeling of family among EMS students, EMS alumni, and the THON families provide a lot of motivation. Many alumni visit throughout the weekend and support the students throughout the year-long fundraising.

"The families' strength inspires us too," said Marla Korpar. This year the Michael Woods and Troy Brewer families were paired with EMS through the Adopt-A-Family program. Michael is in fifth grade, and his cancer is in remission; however, Troy passed away in 2006. Throughout the year, EMS students interact with the families.

"The 'why we THON' is different for every person, but ultimately it's for those we love and those we lost--For the Kids. Their stories, both tragic and triumphant, inspire me to be a better person," said Katie Lukens (meteorology) who danced this year along with Brian Bastian (meteorology), Annie Tamalavage (geosciences), Caitlyn McCloy (energy, business and finance), Greg Smith (geobiology), and Marla Korpar (environmental systems engineering).

Marla Korpar, a junior, got involved in THON as a freshman and found the last four hours of THON as a dancer this year were especially memorable.

"I should have been exhausted. 'What a Wonderful World' was playing and the BJC was filled to capacity. I looked out on the floor and up to the stands and saw so many people--it was a sea of bright colors--all standing arms around each other swaying back and forth. I felt love radiating from the BJC. I could see it with my eyes, but I could also feel it in my soul."

As DeAngelis left the BJC at the end of THON weekend, the sky in Happy Valley was Penn State blue. "It's important to remember that when people come together for good, something miraculous can happen," he said.  

Here's an article I wrote for the State College Magazine in January 2012.

Even if you enjoy technical writing, it's good practice to mix it up a bit and write for different audiences. You'll see the tone and voice for this piece are very different from ones used for a peer-reviewed journal.

Tone in writing comes from the choice of words (usage) and the way the sentences are structured (syntax). Voice in writing comes from your unique personality and the way you communicate. Have you ever read a text from your mom and you could tell it was her even if you didn't see her name associated with it on your phone? That's because as a reader, there's a sound to the language, and you recognized the sound of your mother's communication style.

Tone and voice together create style. Style is used to engage your readers and give you credibility as the writer. As you read this piece, look for specific ways the style fits the audience.

         It's a new year, but the hot trend isn't about the future--it's about the past. The buzzword is "vintage" and all things old are new again. 

            In lots of ways, vintage is American. Making a sow's ear into a silk purse reflects good, old-fashioned American ingenuity. The economic downturn has given us a renewed interest in making do, even if our greater resourcefulness is born out of necessity. And who doesn't feel like a champion of individualism and self-expression when scoring a one-of-a-kind item?

            Vintage is also modern. It's a form of recycling and a way of being green.

            And, it connects us to our past and to those we loved who may not be with us anymore. We feel comfort in the nostalgia.

            Our TV-centric culture reflects this trend too. Flip on the remote and you're likely to find dapper Don Draper, the quintessential '60's man of "Mad Men," or a buxom beauty as a stewardess on the new Pan Am period drama. Even old shows are new again--with the remake of "Hawaii Five-O," "book 'em, Danno," is back.

            Our local experts agree the vintage fever Hollywood contrived is happening in Happy Valley too, particularly with the decades of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. From fashion, to home décor, and the gamut of all things old that are new again, we'll give you the Centre County scoop.

            Shelley Banker, owner of The Rag and Bone, a vintage clothing store in State College, shares her insight on the historical influences on fashions of the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Patricia Gordon, owner of Riley on Main, a home décor and design service business, provides advice for incorporating period pieces into your home. And Rog Snyder, owner of Apple Hill Antiques, gives his perspective on the art of the deal.

            We begin the new year with a fresh look at old-fashioned food, events, etiquette, fashion, home décor, and all that's old is new again. Get ready to connect to your past and celebrate your groovy future.

Old Fashioned

         "I don't really have to explain the concept of vintage so much anymore," says Shelley Banker, the owner of The Rag and Bone, a vintage clothing boutique in State College. "When I started, I did. Now most people know."

            In 1993, fresh out of Penn State with a degree in advertising, Shelley Banker took a road trip to Atlanta looking for employment. "Along the way I was hitting thrift stores for clothing because I liked the creative process of finding unique clothing with a past. I also liked the romance and the thrill of the search," Banker recalls.

            She ended up with a car full of inventory, and a significant stride toward a workable business plan. "I   noticed many southern college towns had successful vintage clothing stores, so I decided if I didn't like the job in Atlanta, I'd use my purchases to open a vintage clothing store in State College."

            This was the beginning of The Rag and Bone, currently on Calder Way. According to Banker, "vintage clothing is anything from the 1920s to 1980s that is still wearable. Clothing older than this is considered antique, and may be collected, but it's not wearable." She laughs. "And, although I sometimes get requests for '90s clothing, it's not far enough away from today to be 'seasoned' yet." She tells these customers to give it time.

            She also has noticed a particular interest in clothing from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. "I think there are many reasons, but partly because of economic necessity. With vintage, you can have quality and a good price." 

            Banker views fashion as a walking history of our country. She points out that in the '50s the restrictions from World War II were gone, and women were leaving their factory jobs as the men returned from the war and took back the positions. Femininity returned and womanly shapes were accentuated with nipped waists. Fabric was more plentiful than it had been during the war when rationing was in effect, so women wore fuller skirts and men strutted proudly in their fat ties and wide-legged suit pants. In comparison to today's clothing, most fashion was uber-formal, as casual Fridays didn't exist yet.

            The '60s, from Banker's perspective, are the most fascinating fashion decade because they came in one way and exited in another. In the early '60s, Jackie Kennedy's classic style with its two-piece suits, pill box hats, and gloves, was emulated by American women. By the end of the '60s, with social turmoil from the civil rights and feminist movements and the Vietnam War, fashion was about breaking conventions: shocking hot pants, white go-go boots, super mini-skirts, fishnet stockings, bold patterns and psychedelic colors. For men, clothing items became narrower: ties, suit lapels, and pant legs went skinny. Options for less formal wear coincided with the rise in denim. The clean shaven man and the well-coiffed woman gave way to purposeful slovenliness with the introduction of the hippie culture.

            By the '70s, fashion was a slave to convenience as more women entered the work force. Clothing was marketed based on how easy the fabric was to care for. Synthetics, such as Dacron polyester and permanent press promised carefree living to the working woman.

            More options for women opened up with the acceptance of the pantsuit for work attire too. The big fashion story of the '70s was for men, reports Banker. "Men, longing for a comfortable suit for after-hours, discovered the leisure suit. Some were made in non-traditional colors too; I think I have some in my store in powder blue and bright yellow."

            The appeal to vintage clothing is the connection to the past, but it's also about making sure valuable pieces of history don't get tossed out. One of Banker's favorite stories is about the time she purchased two garbage bags full of "the most exquisite, handmade gowns from the '30s and '40s with beads and lace and incredible workmanship."   

            A man stopped in on a whim because he had cleaned out his deceased aunt's closet. "I bought everything in both bags," Banker says. "The man went away happy, but I was happier because I not only got money for them, I made sure one-by-one each of the gowns were adopted and went to loving homes."

Old Home 

       "Everything recycles, especially styles," says Patricia Gordon, owner of Riley on Main, a home décor store on the historic diamond in Boalsburg. In addition to operating her store, Patricia and her design team offer interior design services for commercial and residential projects. She's been buying and selling vintage and antique furnishings since 1988.

            "Right now, there's a tremendous interest in the '50s, '60s, and '70s, in home décor. People who are between 20 to 40 years old didn't grow up with these looks and are intrigued by them. Those who are older than 40 tell me, 'I remember my family or my parents had that, so there's nostalgia about these time periods too."

            According to Gordon, home decor in the '80s was opulent with bows and lots of fringe. The trend today is completely against this look, which also corresponds particularly well with these decades. "Today's look in home décor is much less fussy, with simple lines and an interest in 'green' design." She noticed this trend at last year's High Point Market, a large furniture exhibition in North Carolina she attends regularly.

            "Furniture makers are offering lines that reflect and revive earlier styles from influential designers such as Charles and Ray Eames and Milo Baughman," Gordon says. Thayer Coggin, a leading contemporary furniture manufacturer, who was associated with Baughman, is still producing many Baughman lines through his company, despite his death in 2003.

            Baughman pieces are so popular that earlier this year when Gordon learned there was an authentic upholstered piece available at a Centre County auction, she sent one of her design assistants to bid up to $1,000 on it. Little did she know that a dealer from Philadelphia would show up prepared to bid $8,000. He took the piece home.

            Even if you can't afford an original, Gordon recommends using some of the new remakes sold by many modern furniture manufacturers. The remakes use the same lines as the originals and are usually more affordable. They're often more comfortable because improvements have been made in fill and framing materials.

            Another obstacle to overcome when incorporating decade pieces into your home is not to overdo the look. She suggests avoiding doing a whole room with pieces from any one period. "This just makes a home look like Epcot or a Hollywood set. It's too contrived. Instead, try pulling in, say a remake of an egg chair or Saarinen table to give a room vividness and character." She also recommends grouping items "to tell a story, but don't tell the same story a hundred times throughout your house. Be mindful of scale to give balance and drama too."

            To recognize the decades in furnishings, Gordon suggests thinking about the '50s as a time of bold curves and playful fabrics. "It was the fruits, flowers and animals decade. Mohair and leather were popular too, especially in high-end furnishings. Gold, chrome, plastic, glass and other metals were combined in ways previously not used."

            By the '60s, there was an interest in more natural, earth-friendly fabrics and the lines were more geometric. "It was a period of rebelliousness," and according to Gordon, "This is reflected in home décor with large contrasts. On one hand, there's the classic look of Pierre Cardin and on the other, there's the whole drug culture with bubble lamps and lava stones."

            With the '70s, international influence dominated home decor. Globalization gave middle America Pier 1 and access to exotic furnishings from faraway places previously available to only those who traveled widely. The Bohemian look, with cotton Indian prints, bamboo shades, and hand carved wood pieces, was in vogue. "Repurposing was born too," says Patricia. "Large cable spools were turned into tables, used wine bottles became candlesticks, and milk crates were all purpose."

            Many combinations from each of the decades can be mixed together. "It can be great self-expression of your personal history and taste," she says as she pauses thoughtfully, and then adds with emphasis, "but remember even eclectic has harmony when it's done well."

Treasure Hunter

          "After all these spoofy university-types go home, I'll teach you how to properly evaluate an antique," Rog Snyder, owner of Apple Hill Antiques, recalls being told by his mentor, Lester Zettle.

            In the early '60s, Lester Zettle was a well-known antiques dealer in Spring Mills who converted the corncrib and chicken coop on the family farm into his "showroom." At the time, Rog Snyder was a recent Penn State graduate living with his wife, Jan, in a modest apartment on East Nittany Avenue for $55 a month.

            The Snyders had already received their first antique, as a wedding present. "My grandfather was an antique dealer back when antique dealers were strange people," Snyder says. "[He] told me he was 'thinking about getting me a cupboard for a present.' He said he'd pay half, $75, and I could pay half. We drove his behemoth 1949 Lincoln to go pick it up, and as we were in the car returning with the high-back dry sink, he told Jan to lean over and give him a kiss. She did, and he said, 'Now we're even. That kiss was worth $75.'"

            Over the years, as the Snyders furbished their home, they took lots of trips to Spring Mills, where they befriended Zettle. "He liked us," Snyder recalls. "That day when the spoofy people left, he got me down on all fours, and we looked underneath a piece to understand the hand workmanship. Over time, he taught me how to feel the technique of manufacturing with my hands, and to examine the hardware--nails, and screws--which were all made by hand back then. I learned that the top of anything isn't where the proof of age is. The real proof is underneath."

            Although Snyder's day job was as an engineer at the Materials Research Laboratory on campus, he continued to learn about antiques through books and travels. "Jan and I liked to upgrade, so I'd buy a walnut drop leaf table for $10, refurbish it, and sell it for a hundred."

            He also found himself addicted to "the quest of the treasure." If you listen to those in the antique and vintage business for any time, it's easy to see this common thread to their stories. It may start out innocently. A good find--and then a spectacular find--and then they're hooked, forever searching for the next amazing find.

            One of Snyder's most memorable finds was by happenstance. He and Jan were early for a wedding, so they headed into an antique shop. Jan was milling about in another aisle, when Rog spotted a treasure. He reached down to a shelf and carefully pulled toward him a cobalt blue salt dip, a tiny glass bowl--about 2 ½ inches in diameter--used prior to salt shakers on dinner tables. Turning the dip over, he saw Boston and Pittsburgh stamped in the middle, an indication it was authentic Boston and Sandwich Glass. He ran his schooled fingers over the mold, and tinged it to hear the characteristic sound of lead crystal. He paid $8.10 and sold it for $400.

        These days you'll find Snyder retired from the university and giving appraisals, lectures, and sometimes even impromptu lessons to visitors of Apple Hill Antiques. "It's the teacher in me," he confesses. His avuncular manner and depth of knowledge about antiques helps him oversee over 50 antique dealers all in business at Apple Hill. He's happy to report greater interest in antiques and vintage these days, particularly with respect to the '50s, '60s, and '70s. "Those chrome and Formica tables from the '50s," he says, "can't get them fast enough!

       "The popularity of antiques and vintage is partly because there's a comfort level for customers with having things they remember their grandmothers or mothers had. There's an interest in recycling and not wasting because of economic necessity. It's made this business grow."

 

Picture your poster audience. Cheese cubes and crackers in one hand and a drink in the other as they casually stroll past your poster. What will make them want to stop in front of yours?

White space is one answer. If your poster is chock-full of nothing but text, your potential viewer will feel a headache coming on and move to the next poster. To make sure you have white space, you're going to need to be concise. A general rule is that the whole poster should be able to be read from beginning to end in less than ten minutes.

To eliminate unnecessary words, concentrate on how each word works to contribute to the meaning of the sentence, and how each sentence contributes to the effectiveness of the paragraph, and finally, how each paragraph contributes to the overall purpose. As you edit, have the guts to cut.

The text not only has to be as concise as possible, but it also has to be attractive. Keep the look simple by using plain fonts. Although much debate has focused on whether serif or sans serif fonts improve readability, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest one is better than the other. We do know for certain that ALL CAPITAL LETTERS ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO READ. So use them sparingly (if at all).

The size of the text is important  for good visibility. All text should be able to be read within four feet. Here are some standard text sizes for each of the sections that work well.

Title	85 point
Authors	56 point
Headings	36 point
Body Text	24 point
Captions	18 point

Think of text as coming in three sizes: big, medium, and small. Use these size variations to direct the viewer to the title, headings, and body text. By paying attention to the conciseness and visual attractiveness of your text, you may be able to get your viewers to put down the cheese and discover your research story.