Monday, Jan. 19, 1998

Students ask professor to carry grass into space

By DAVID SMITH
Collegian Staff Writer

A flag and 3 ounces of grass seed have been chosen to accompany James Pawelczyk, the University's first faculty astronaut, when he boards the Space Shuttle Columbia on April 2.

Last October, Pawelczyk, an assistant professor of physiology and kinesiology, asked students at all University locations to suggest two University-related items to bring into space.

The items will go into his Official Flight Kit, a 2-cubic-foot locker reserved for the crew's memorabilia.

The flag is a 24-by-18-inch University flag that will be used as a podium drape whenever Pawelczyk speaks publicly about his shuttle mission.

Future astronaut James Pawelczyk, assistant professor of physiology and kinesiology, stands in front of the items he will carry aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Pawelczyk will blast off April 2.(Collegian Photo/Zubin Patrawala - click for full size image)

The grass seed was selected by David Huff, assistant professor of turfgrass and genetics. When the seed, a mixture of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye grass, is returned to Earth it will be planted and grown by the Penn State Turf Club.

Pawelczyk is the fourth University graduate and the first University professor to fly in space. He earned his master's degree in physiology at the University in 1985.

"A very distinguished committee, consisting of Jim and myself, selected the winning suggestion," joked Spanier at a news conference Friday.

Spanier and Pawelczyk received more than 20 E-mail messages suggesting items.

"We got some interesting suggestions," Pawelczyk said. "One person said we should bring Joe Paterno's glasses."

The winning idea was suggested by four students at the New Kensington campus as part of an English 202D class project. The students --Charles Eagle (sophomore-business), Michael Bell (sophomore-business), Margaret Bloch (sophomore-business) and Michael Roofner (senior-management information systems) and their English professor, Jeanne Krochalis, associate professor of English at New Kensington -- were told they won last week, about three months after sending the E-mail.

"I had completely forgotten about this," Bell said.

When the shuttle returns, the seed will be planted at each Penn State campus.

"We liked the idea of the grass seed because it could be sent everywhere," Bloch said.

Pawelczyk is one of two primary payload specialists among the seven crew members. He said he will be teaching a class from space.

Pawelczyk said as soon as he found out he could take items from the University into space, he knew students should make the decision.

"I thought that they should choose the objects to represent the University because students are the University," Pawelczyk said.