^^NCW toda
news from UNC by the sea
Vol. X, No. 5
JUNE, 1986
"86
“Stand up and thank your
parents, friends and others who
have helped you accomplish this
today.”
UNCW Chancellor
William H. Wagoner
COMMENCEMENT
*
A time for new beginnings
♦
The 1986 UNCW commencement ^
on May 17 marked a new begin
ning for the 936 men and women
who received degrees, and for
UNCW President Emeritus Wil
liam C. Friday, who delivered the
commencement address to “class
mates.”
“I too am starting a new career
soon after today, so I’m going to
make myself a member of the class
of ’86,” Friday stated. He plans to
work as a consultant to a private
organization that funds research
grants. ^
North Carolina’s future depends
on the leadership of college grad
uates, Friday told the overflow
crowd in Trask Coliseum.
“Give a portion of your thoughts,
energy, strength, courage, and
compassionate heart to your state
and to your alma mater,” Friday
advised. “Reach out into the un
known, even when there is the risk
of some pain. Make your life count
for something and make this world
a better place.”
Friday stated that there is much
work to be done to alleviate star
vation, illiteracy, disease and hate
organizations present in the state.
“North Carolina, this region and
our country will not prosper and
individual rights will not be secure
if you do not get involved. When
you come back for your class re
union and ask, has my life made a
difference, I have faith that you
will answer affirmatively,” Friday
said.
Friday’s remarks brought a
standing ovation from graduates,
faculty and guests. A frequent
visitor to the campus, he addressed
the 1982 graduating class.^
In a surprise move. Chancellor
William H. Wagoner presented
Friday and his wife Ida with a
“One life courageously lived
can make a tremendous differ
ence in society.”
UNC President Emeritus
William C. Friday
“Most of your future rests on
your faith, compassion, and abili
ty to work hard.”
UNC President
C. D. Spangler, Jr.
proclamation that named the for
mer Marine Science Building Fri
day Hall.
In his first official visit to UNCW,
UNC President C. D. Spangler, Jr.
brought greetings to the graduates
and expressed his appreciation to
the parents.
“As this institution grows and
flourishes, so shall you. You must
care for this place, be a loving
^ critic, and at all times protect its
freedom to be a great university,”
Spangler said.
Among those in cap and gown
were 40 graduate students who
received degrees in science, busi
ness administration, and education.
Nicole Perez-Jaime-Hammerle of
Wilmington was named the Alum
ni Association Achievement Award
recipient for graduating with a 4.0
average. UNCW awarded its last
associate degrees in nursing to 25
students. Now a baccalaureate pro
gram, the School of Nursing will
award its first bachelor of science
degrees in nursing at the 1987
commencement. ^
UNC President Emeritus Wiliiam C. Friday (far right) expresses appreciation to the Ciass
of 1986 following the naming of the marine science building Friday Hail. Joining him on
the platform are (l-c) Professor James R. Beeler, Chancellor William H. Wagoner and Mrs.
William C. Friday.
Brauer receives undersea nobel prize
Dr. Ralph W. Brauer, director of
UNCW’s Institute for Marine Bio
medical Research, has been award
ed the top prize of the Undersea
Medical Society for scientific ex
cellence. Brauer will accept the
prize in September at the Interna
tional Symposium on Underwater
Physiology that will meet in Japan.
Brauer’s award, one of the three
major prizes presented each year
by the Undersea Medical Society,
is considered the group’s nobel
prize. The award is named after
Capt. Albert Behnke, an interna
tionally recognized scientist who
was a pioneer in the application of
helium for deep diving.
Brauer noted that Behnke was
instrumental in introducing him
in the early sixties to the field of
underwater physiology, and the
two worked together at the Navy
Radiological Defense Laboratory
in San Francisco before Brauer
came to UNCW.
Since its inception in 1965 as a
private marine center, Brauer has
served as director of the Institute
for Marine Biomedical Research.
In 1971 it became part of UNCW
and is located one mile west of
Wrightsville Beach. The institute
is one of the outstanding labora
tories conducting basic and applied
research in the biological effects
of high pressure and diving physi
ology.
Important discoveries directed
by Brauer that the institute has
been responsible for include dis
covery of high pressure effects on
the brain; guiding the first ex
periments in what is now called
the High Pressure Neurological
Syndrome; continued work utiliz
ing gases such as nitrogen or hy
drogen to minimize the effects of
high pressure on the brain; and
bringing the valuable properties of
Ralph W. Brauer
using hydrogen as a diving gas to
the attention of the diving commu
nity. Brauer’s extensive research
made him a pioneer in the advance
warning of the potential hazards of
some gases in deep diving.
Brauer stated that he will accept
the award on behalf of the institute
and the many young colleagues
and students who have really been
the ones doing the work.
“It is on the shoulders of such
young beginners that we have been
allowed to build a program of inter
nationally recognized excellence,”
Brauer said.
Alumni
Work
pg. 3
M. Cunningham