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Two students in the McNair Scholars Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder won top prizes in the oral presentation competition at the Fourth Annual Rocky Mountain McNair Scholars Research Symposium and Graduate Education Conference. More than 170 people from 21 schools came to share information and network about graduate education at the conference that was sponsored by CU-Boulder, Colorado State University, the University of Northern Colorado and the University of Wyoming.

Phase I of the Student Odyssey Project, an initiative of the chancellor and the three vice chancellors to re-engineer the delivery of administrative services to students on the Boulder campus, has been completed. "CU-Boulder is striving to be a total learning environment, which means putting students first and being innovative, responsive, efficient, and asking at every juncture, 'what's best for the students?' " said Chancellor Richard Byyny. "It is important that we improve student services to ensure that student energy is focused on academics."

George A. Sissel, chairman and CEO of Ball Corp., has been awarded the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award by the University of Colorado at Boulder. The award, presented by the College of Engineering and Applied Science at its 34th annual Engineering Alumni Banquet on April 16, recognizes alumni of the college who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding personal qualities, knowledge and significant contributions to their fields.

Six University of Colorado at Boulder alumni received Distinguished Engineering Alumni Awards at the 34th annual Engineering Awards Banquet on April 16. The awards were presented by the College of Engineering and Applied Science to recognize alumni who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding personal qualities, knowledge and significant contributions to their fields. Awards were given in the categories of Government Service, Industry and Commerce, Private Practice and Research and Invention.

Ralph J. Trapani, program engineer on the Mount Sopris Transportation Project with the Colorado Department of Transportation, has been awarded the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award by the University of Colorado at Boulder. The award, presented by the College of Engineering and Applied Science at its 34th annual Engineering Alumni Banquet on April 16, recognizes alumni of the college who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding personal qualities, knowledge and significant contributions to their fields.

The Student Organization for Alumni Relations' 38th annual Teaching Recognition Awards were presented on April 14 in a ceremony at the Koenig Alumni Center honoring four CU-Boulder educators who have won the respect and admiration of their students. Presented each spring, SOAR's Teacher Recognition Awards are the only faculty honors that are selected and administered by CU-Boulder undergraduate students. Awarded in four class-size categories, each teacher receives $1,500 from the CU Parents Association and the Alumni Association's Directors Club.

Professor Ahmad Ghoreishi, former chancellor of the National University of Iran, will give a lecture titled "Russia, Iran and Iraq" on Wednesday, April 28, at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The talk will be held at noon in the Hale Science building, room 230. It is free and open to the public. The Institute for the Study of Economic and Political Freedom is sponsoring the event.

The Center of the American West at the University of Colorado at Boulder will host a lecture titled "Searching for the Milagro Beanfield War in 20th Century New Mexico" on Thursday, May 6. The talk, which is free and open to the public, will be held in the University Memorial Center, room 235, from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

An international team led by the University of Colorado at Boulder will begin a research effort in the Indian Ocean April 26 to study the South Asian summer monsoon, which has been shown to affect weather patterns as far away as the United States.

The University of Colorado at Boulder is nationally ranked as one of the top 100 colleges in graduating Hispanics at the bachelor's and doctoral degree levels, according to a report in the magazine Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education. The rankings are based on 1997 data -- the latest available -- provided by the Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education. CU-Boulder is ranked 67th in graduating Hispanic students with bachelor's degrees and 34th in doctoral degrees.