October 18, 2001
Briefly
Lecture focuses on World Trade Center
New York World Trade Center: Reflections on the Engineering and Thoughts About the Future is the title of a lecture scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22 in 210 Kane. Speaker Jon Magnusson is chairman and CEO of Skilling, Ward, Magnusson, Barkshire, the Seattle-based structural engineering firm that did the structural engineering on the trade center in the mid-60s.
“The World Trade Center towers were hailed as structural engineering marvels,” Magnusson said. “The lecture will describe what made them special and innovative. I’ll also cover what went right, what went wrong, and what lessons might be learned for the future as a result of the terrorist attack on Sept. 11.”
Magnusson is a 1975 graduate of the UW (BS Civil Engineering) and was the principal structural engineer for projects such as Benaroya Hall, the Experience Music Project, Key Arena, Safeco Field, the new Seahawk stadium, the new Seattle Central Library and many other projects.
The lecture is co-sponsored by the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department and the Physics Department (Magnusson’s firm also did the structural engineering for the Physics/Astronomy Building).
Housing service to close Dec. 14
The Visiting Faculty Housing Service, a volunteer organization which began in 1985 as a clearing house for rental housing for visiting or new faculty and scholars, will close its doors on Dec. 14.
During its tenure the office has helped thousands of visiting and new professors, lecturers, and research staff locate housing, long-time volunteer Barbara Garlid said. She said the Seattle community has also used the office as a resource to find suitable renters. Many have made donations from $10 to $50 to support the service. These funds, after defraying office expenses, have been given to the Faculty Auxiliary to be used for scholarships at the UW.
Nearly all of the current volunteers have served more than 10 years, Garlid said, matching visitors’ needs with available housing.
