Audio Transcripts
Duncan Lorimer
We?ve just arrived here at WVU and one of the reasons we?re here is the close proximity to the Greenbank telescope in West Virginia. That telescope was used for this research very heavily. It?s the most sensitive instrument that can observe this particular pulsar. So, in terms of trying to test Einstein?s theory, it holds the key. So, right here in West Virginia we believe we?re at the heart of things because we have very strong links to the telescope and that?s one of the things we want to build on.
Maura McLaughlin
The University itself has also been very supportive. We?ve just arrived here, but we?re building a very large computer cluster which we haven?t used for this particular system; but we?re going to use to do very extensive searches of the radio sky to try to find other even more exotic systems, like this one, perhaps even a pulsar in orbit around a black hole.
Syd Peng
Now-a-days, there?s so many dual career professionals out there, that it (the program) is certainly what helps attract faculty. The city of Morgantown is a small town, but you do have everything here. Big city and all that, but you don?t have that kind of hassle. Also, West Virginia is really very nice.
Felicia Peng
I think it?s a very great program, particularly if both spouses have a professional degree or higher advanced degree. It?s really good that WVU has this type of program so you can attract the husband and wife ? both can work in the same city or in very close vicinity of Morgantown. I think you will attract lots of those professionals willing to come here. It?s a relatively small town, but it?s a university town. You have a very good primary, secondary, and high school here and also land-grant university. So if you are a growing family with both a professional husband and wife working here, they also will have a good education for their children.
Michael Lastinger
I think this is a very interesting approach to developing not only the well-being of the University, but the well-being of the people who participate in its community. A dual career program like this not only benefits the institution, but it benefits the individuals whose mission it is to contribute to the various missions of the University. Developing individual well-being and developing careers as an individual is an important part of what we do, but when we can multiply the results of that by doing it for two different individuals I think it also multiplies the benefits for the University. WVU is a large land grant university, but it has a small liberal arts feel in many, many parts of the way this university functions. We know our students individually. We know faculty across the many disciplines almost as if this were a small liberal arts college. The campus is big and divided, but at the same time communication is efficient. We have modes of transportation that allow us all to gather together at different parts of the campus and different functions and committees and festivals and so forth. So I think it?s a small town; it?s a small university feeling in a relatively major university.
Valerie Lastinger
I think it?s an excellent initiative. WVU needs to really make the most of all it has to offer. We need to recruit good faculty. We know that if you are recruiting married or faculty members with a partner, it?s essential to provide that service to our incoming faculty. I enjoy the community of students and faculty. I think we?re a close knit community. Morgantown is a good size town. It has a lot to offer for families, especially families with children. It has good schools, a lot to do outdoors if you like the outdoors, yet it?s close to Pittsburgh; it?s close to Washington DC. So I think it?s a very nice area to be.