Letter to Our Readers
Dear Readers,
There are several not-to-be missed items in this issue, the most important being the president’s sobering message. We will have more on this subject in the spring issue, so please stay tuned.

On a more optimistic note, don’t miss stories in Inside Mines on the record number of applications the school has received in the last two years, the establishment of the new oil shale center and the promising partnership between Mines and Kazakhstan’s leading natural resources university. Also read about the launch of the school’s new web site this fall, which has dramatically elevated Mines’ online presence.

As the cover suggests, this issue has a distinct liberal arts vein running through its pages. The Spotlight section features Tina Gianquitto, a faculty member from the Division of Liberal Arts and International Studies, along with two former students of the liberal arts-oriented McBride Honors Program, Rachel Des Cognets and Wentz Wensel. One of the feature stories examines the importance of writing in the engineering curriculum. Both alumni profiled in the back of the magazine are professionally involved in the arts—one as a digital animator for Disney, the other as a playwright. And Last Word describes how two Oredigger newspaper editors ended up rubbing virtual shoulders with liberal arts majors from around the country when they accepted an invitation from the New York Times to participate in a live blog during the Presidential debates. For those looking for more technical content, the story about photovoltaic research at Mines may be of interest, as well as the New Frontiers story about the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory’s latest addition: the Center for Research and Education on Wind (CREW).

Please take a moment to read the article, “Membership Matters,” outlining the 2008 alumni association budget. As you can see, Mines magazine is the single largest expense for the organization, and membership revenue is our most important source of income. During these challenging economic times, your membership support could be more critical than ever; so please, if you appreciate receiving this magazine, take out a membership with the alumni association. You can do this online at www.minesonline.net, or by responding to a mail or email solicitation. Thank you!

We were most encouraged by all the feedback from the fall issue. Thank you for your interest and please keep the mail coming.


Nick Sutcliffe
Editor and Director of Communications, CSMAA