FB celebrates Community Day
Students, faculty and residents of Foggy Bottom gathered Tuesday to celebrate the city’s Foggy Bottom Student and Community Day. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams proclaimed the day in hopes of fostering a partnership between the GW student body and the Foggy Bottom neighborhood.

The relationship “has helped create one of the most vibrant, successful and unique neighborhoods in our nation’s capital,” Williams said in his proclamation.

The University and the residents of Foggy Bottom have had several problems in the past, including conflicts over building height and size and student noise levels late at night.

Despite concerns about escalating tensions, Student Association President Kris Hart said he is confident the presence community leaders and residents at the day’s events indicates “our neighbors are willing to work with the school.”

In light of the success of last October’s Farmers Market, Hart said Tuesday’s Farmers Market, which ran all day on Kogan Plaza, will be the first of five or six markets to be held this semester.

Vendors sold baked goods, greeting cards, candles, crafts and other collectibles.

“I’ve had a great experience,” said vendor Jim Cahill, who also participated in last year’s market. “Last year it was a lot of fun, there were very nice people. It’s just a fun place to be. I’ll be here every time.”

In addition to the Farmers Market, the SA used Community Day as an opportunity to unveil its entertainment guide, which provides discounts to area businesses. University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg spoke in front of Lindy’s Bon Appetite at the corner of 21st and eye Streets and purchased the first copy.

The entertainment guide sells for $10, and contains coupons valued at over $250 for dining, services and shopping on and around campus. Proceeds from the fundraiser will be put directly towards student programs, Hart said.

“I hope that this guide will encourage GW students to go out and explore their city and foster a stronger relationship between students and our neighbors,” Hart said.

Community member Rita Champagne of the Foggy Bottom News also spoke during the celebration, welcoming spectators and dubbing the area, “Friendly Foggy Bottom.”

Senior university administrators and community leaders, including Williams, were also present at the unveiling, which also included a free lunch, including a “Trachtenberger” for the first 50 people who arrived.

-Sarah Brown

Creash Test Center breaks ground
The GW Transportation Research Institute broke ground on its new National Crash Analysis Center at the Virginia campus on Wednesday. The center will be part of the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s civil and environmental engineering department, and it is the world’s first university-based full-scale crash testing facility.

The center is a federally funded world-renowned research center devoted to improving highway safety. It has conducted research to create engineering solutions to automotive safety problems. The groundbreaking also marked the tenth anniversary of the NCAC.

The ceremony began at 10 a.m. Events, including 3-D crash simulation and displays of NCAC research, ran throughout the day.

University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg spoke at the celebration along with senior officials from the Federal Highway Administration and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

GW professor speaks on shuttle crash
Professor John Logsdon, member of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, will give an address Thursday on the panel’s investigation of the space shuttle Columbia, which exploded Feb. 1.

Logsdon’s briefing will begin at 12:30 p.m. and last an hour. The briefing is free and open to the public. It will be held in room 602 of the 1957 E St. building.

The panel’s final report was issued Aug. 26, and Logsdon will discuss its findings and answer questions on the future of the U.S. space program.

Logsdon is the founder and director of the Elliott School of International Affairs’ Space Policy Institute, and is a leading expert on civilian space programs. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board asked Logsdon to join its team last March.

Logsdon earned a B.S in physics from Xavier University in 1960 and received his Ph.D. in political science from New York University in 1970.

He has also received the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and is a member of the NASA Advisory Council and the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee of the Department of Transportation.

GW’s Space Policy Institute provided focused research and analysis on space policy issues.

-Andrea Nurko