Friends of Oak Lake end season with star party
A star party Saturday evening, Sept. 18, will close the 2004 Friends of Oak Lake season.
Larry Browning of the SDSU Physics Department will guide a study of the prairie night sky at Oak Lake Field Station.
“This is one instance where the remoteness of the Field Station is a big advantage,” said Gary Larson, Friends of Oak Lake membership chair.
“Without the competing lights of urban settings and given a clear sky, the view of stars and planets should be excellent out on the Prairie Coteau.”
The Star Party is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. If that night is cloudy, it will be held the following Saturday, Sept. 25, at the same time.
Stargazers will meet at the newly remodeled Heege Administration Building (classroom and lab) for the event kick-off. As always, refreshments will be served. The event is free to Friends of Oak Lake Field Station and $2 for other guests.
For more information or to confirm that the Star Part will be held Sept. 18, call Gary Larson at 692-5778.
Professor honored for work with satellites
At South Dakota State University, one individual stands above the rest when it comes to satellite knowledge and advancing the mission of the EROS Data Center and the United States Geological Survey.
Dr. Dennis Helder, head of the electrical engineering and computer science department in the College of Engineering, will be presented with the John Wesley Powell Award in a special ceremony at the USGS National Center in Reston, Va., Oct. 19.
The honor recognizes an individual or group, not employed by the USGS, whose contributions to the agency’s objectives and mission are noteworthy. Helder is being recognized for his many years of education and research in the field of remote sensing.
“When I was notified that I would be receiving the John Wesley Powell Award, I was glad that I was sitting down,” Helder said. “It is so overwhelming that the people who initially supported me as a doctoral student, and have funded me for years to work for them, now are giving me an award. It should be me who is giving them an award for all that they’ve done for my career!”
Helder joined the electrical engineering department as assistant professor in 1988. He obtained his doctorate in electrical engineering at North Dakota State University. Born in Sioux City, Iowa, and raised near Canton, Helder earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from SDSU in 1980 and 1985.
“Dr. Helder’s selection for the 2004 USGS John Wesley Powell Award brings tremendous distinction on both himself, SDSU and the EROS Data Center,” said Lewis Brown, dean of the College of Engineering. “It is a tribute to his outstanding work as a scientist, educator, and the long fruitful relationship he has fostered with the EROS Data Center.
“Dr. Helder has been conducting cutting-edge image processing work with EROS, involving many students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels,” Brown added. “Through his work, he has also mentored students who went on to become outstanding scientists in the field. He has long been recognized as one of SDSU’s top researchers and classroom teachers. We are extremely proud that the USGS selected him for this award.”
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