Reopened Course Par Excellence

"GREENER" GREENS AND a chance for a rare double eagle sighting await golfers teeing off this summer at the university's 18-hole golf course.

A $3.5 million renovation should enhance play and enjoyment for all levels of golfers while improving the challenge of the course for tournament competition.

"We've kept the routing (layout of the course) the same, but made it a bit more difficult to keep pace with today's caliber of players," says Jeff Maynor, golf course director and senior PGA professional.

The golf course is a popular venue, with more than 40,000 rounds of golf played each year. The renovations are the first major upgrade since the course was built half a century ago. The yearlong project was finished soon after the golf course's 50th-anniversary celebration on May 15.

Maynor says longtime players will notice changes in the appearance of some of the fairways and greens, with encroaching trees having been thinned back and many of the golf cart pathways relocated to offer a "cleaner" view.

Less noticeable additions include the planting of new trees, expanding the amount of naturally maintained areas, significantly decreasing the use of chemical pesticides and upgrading the drainage and watering systems to make them more environmentally friendly."These changes are just as important as the course renovations," Maynor says. "We consider these 150 acres to be sustainable, open green space-it's more than just a place where people play golf."

Five years ago, Audubon International named the golf course a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, one of only eight golf courses in the state so designated.

For Maynor, the certification really hit home when he noticed an influx of new species inhabiting the golf course, including a pair of American bald eagles that now reside in foliage next to the ninthhole fairway.

For photos of the renovation, go to www.golf.umd.edu. -TV

Beam Me Up, Maryland

SCIENTISTS AT MARYLAND'S Joint Quantum Institute have earned worldwide acclaim by instantaneously teleporting information between two separate atoms. Placed a few feet apart, the atoms had no physical connection or communication.

Though a long way from "Star Trek," the research represents a significant milestone in the global quest to develop superfast, immensely powerful quantum computers.

The potential impact of the teleportation advance is so valuable that the institute's breakthrough was reported in The New York Times, The Times of India and Time magazine, among many other media outlets around the world.

A different team of scientists from the institute has drawn attention for pushing the envelope of Albert Einstein's "spooky action at a distance," known as entanglement. In this work, the researchers demonstrated a "quantum buffer," a technique that could be used to control data flow inside a quantum computer.

These two discoveries by the Joint Quantum Institute, a partnership between the university and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, are just the latest of many advances Maryland physicists are making in the weird and amazing field of quantum computing. -LT

Klose Tapped as Journalism Dean

THE PRESIDENT EMERITUS of National Public Radio took over this spring as dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

Kevin Klose is a veteran reporter and editor who spent more than two decades at The Washington Post. He later held the title of president or CEO at three international news organizations and served in leadership positions at government-funded civilian broadcast services.

"Kevin brings to us the perfect blend of seasoned journalism, highest integrity, a global perspective and a passion for building institutions," says President Dan Mote. "Kevin's vision will guide us in educating the next generation of journalists, as well as in redefining journalism."

Reese Cleghorn, dean of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism from 1981 to 2000, died earlier this year. To learn more about his career or comment on how he influenced you, click here to visit the college's tribute page.

A former associate director of the U.S. Information Agency, Klose also served as a foreign correspondent and wrote or co-wrote five books. During his 10 years at NPR, the news and cultural radio service was transformed into America's premier nonprofit provider of journalism for radio, the Internet, mobile phones and satellite delivery systems. NPR's national radio audience doubled to 26 million weekly listeners, while the organization raked in 15 Peabodys and 11 DuPont awards and secured more than $400 million in grants and gifts.

Now, as dean of one of the nation's most respected journalism programs, Klose will lead development efforts, oversee construction of the college's new John S. and James L. Knight Hall and shape instruction in a time of journalistic upheaval.

"We will explore new formats and delivery platforms to prepare the next generation of journalists for the digital world rising around us," says Klose. "We will envision how new technology can be used to strengthen and protect the freedom and veracity of information." -KM

Maryland Day Moves Into Second Decade

THE TEMPERATURE DIDN'T quite reach a record high on April 25, but attendance at the 11th annual Maryland Day open house did.

The event drew a history-making crowd of 77,500, with students, alumni, faculty and visitors from across the Washington-Baltimore region participating in 415 events ranging from hula-hooping on the mall to touring an Air Force helicopter near Memorial Chapel. Many of this year's events were tied to a "Discover What's Next" theme and emphasized expanding academic programs and university initiatives.

Several university partners, including the National Archives, the city of College Park, Prince George's County and the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, showed the crowd how research collaborations broaden the university's influence in the state and beyond. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center took part in Maryland Day for the first time, with a Mission Madness exhibit exploring what it takes to design, build and launch spacecraft that lead to exciting discoveries about Earth and the universe.

Other highlights included a parade of 209 international flags at the Global Village; Robot Alley, examining robots past, present and future; a fresh look at the campus as an official arboretum and botanical garden; and, of course, basking in the sun on McKeldin Mall. -KM

College-Career Training Program Turns 50

THE UNIVERSITY'S COLLEGE Student Personnel program, part of the No. 1-ranked Department of Counseling and Personnel Services in the College of Education, is marking its 50th anniversary and celebrating its commitment to student excellence.

The College Student Personnel program prepares students for positions in student support around the country, including placement in academic advising centers, resident life offices and multicultural centers. "Our faculty and graduates are experts on how to maximize the college student's experience," says Susan R. Jones, associate professor and program director. Jones says that from the beginning, the program has been known for its research in college student development and, in particular, for its examination of underrepresented college student populations.

Alumni include college presidents, deans, faculty and vice presidents for student affairs- "people making a difference both as leaders on campuses and through professional associations," says Jones. The program offers master's and doctoral degrees.

Anniversary events included a symposium that explored the program's history and future, and a dinner cruise on the Potomac in March that brought together more than 200 alumni, faculty and friends of Maryland. To view event photos and more information- or to make a donation to the program's professional development fund-visit the 50th anniversary Web site at www.csp50.umd.edu/index2.htm. -KD

A High Note for A Cappella

An article in the Winter 2009 issue (Everything Old Is New Again, Page 17) highlighting a cappella groups at the university inadvertently left out the Treblemakers, one of seven official a cappella groups active at Maryland. The all-female group—which boasts more than 100 alumnae— celebrated its 20th anniversary this spring. The Treblemakers have recorded live albums and performed at other universities and at Disney World. Terp apologizes for the omission.