Josef Hormes, Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, has been invited to be a keynote speaker at the North American Catalysis Conference in Toronto, Canada, June 3-8. Hormes' presentation will be part of the "Catalyst Preparation and Characterization" session of the conference. The theme for the session is "Impact of Surface Microstructure on Catalyst Activity." Hormes will speak about applications of synchrotron radiation in the field of catalyst understanding and development.

Manjit S. Kang, Agronomy, has been invited by the Indian Society of Genetics and Plant Breeding to participate in the celebration of the Diamond Jubilee Symposium of "Hundred Years of Post-Mendelian Genetics and Plant Breeding-Retrospects and Prospects" on Feb. 20-23 at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi. Kang will be the lead author/presenter of a joint paper on "Genotype X Environment Interaction in Crop Improvement." Kang was also invited to serve on the editorial board of the Journal of New Seeds.

Mark Mitchell, Veterinary Medicine, was recently installed as president of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, an international veterinary organization promoting herpetological medicine and surgery through both clinical and basic research. Mitchell's main goals for his one-year term are to increase international membership and to continue the organization's efforts of disseminating public health information. Mitchell is also the director of the Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana and serves on the board of directors for the National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association.

Bruce G. Sharky, Landscape Architecture, gave a course on sustainable design in landscape architecture at the Univeridad Autonoma del Sur in Tecuco, Chile. Thirty professional architects, engineers and horticulturists from around Chile participated in the one-week course.

Jerry A. Baudin, Finance and Administrative Services and Comptroller, has been selected to serve as the new interim Athletic Director at LSU. His appointment became effective Jan. 2. Baudin has been a faculty and staff member for the past 33 years He came to LSU in 1967, serving on the faculty part time until 1987. From 1967-1980, he also worked for the institutional research and planning side of the university. In 1980 he was appointed Director of Budget and Planning at LSU, a post that he held until 1987 when he moved to his current position.