For Immediate Release Carrie Marches January 3, 2000 Public Relations Director 800/275-2470 412-263-6600 (x340) ART INSTITUTE OF PITTSBURGH INSTRUCTOR TRAVELS TO SOUTH POLE WITH FIRST-EVER CUSTOM BICYCLE DESIGNED BY STUDENTS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF ASTROPHYSICISTS This January, Art Institute of Pittsburgh faculty member Bill Farrell will go to a place where few have traveled before where the mercury dips to 78 degrees below zero and the air is as dry as the Sahara Desert. With scientists from the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica (CARA) anxiously awaiting his arrival, Farrell is going to the South Pole and he is bringing a custom-crafted bicycle with him. And it is not just any bicycle. Students participating in an Industrial Design honors class at the Art Institute have researched, designed and evaluated every component of the "Antarctic Ice Prowler" to withstand the Earth's most severe conditions. Under the direction of Bill Farrell, the students have constructed a transportation solution that they believe will improve working conditions for CARA scientists. This January, their design will get put to the test. Farrell will travel to the South Pole with Randall H. Landsberg, Director of Education and Outreach for CARA. Landsberg is also the Principal Investigator of National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education grant number DUE-9850273, which funds the project. The grant was developed to exploit the science, technological challenges and excitement associated with working in Antarctica, the coldest, driest, most remote place on Earth. The aim of the grant is to promote a technologically advanced workforce, develop innovative curriculum and form non-traditional linkages among artists, scientists and technicians. To complete the educational process, students at The Art Institute have developed a testing protocol for their instructor to implement while at the Pole. Farrell will be testing the performance of the Ice Prowler and high-end mountain bikes on extreme terrain based on data gathered earlier this year when the bike was assessed at a local ski resort. Industrial Design student and experienced rider Nick Boor has developed specialized testing criteria for the rider's heart rate and comfort, as well as the bike's traction and control. The Art Institute is investigating options for Farrell and Landsberg to conduct a class from the Pole via Web cast and will be communicating their experiences to Art Institute students via email during their stay. Heather Widmayer, Multimedia & Web Design faculty member at The Art Institute, is working with her students to develop a Web site "travelogue" where Farrell can post his experiences and receive feedback and questions from students. Landsberg, who has made several voyages to the South Pole, will also be available for student inquiries. Anyone interested in their voyage can log on at www.iceprowler.com. "We are all very excited about the opportunity to test the Ice Prowler," said Farrell. "The process of researching and developing this bicycle has been a tremendous learning experience for all of us." Farrell plans to interview CARA scientists and staff to learn more about the daily challenges faced by South Pole dwellers. "This grant has enabled my students to think and learn far beyond the classroom walls," said Farrell. "So my voyage to the Pole really has two purposes to analyze what we have already done and to bring more real-life design challenges to the students of The Art Institute of Pittsburgh." Farrell and Landsberg will travel on January 10 and expect to arrive at the NSF Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on January 18. They will visit for about one week. Travel arrangements are tentative due to unpredictable Antarctic conditions. All American science research conducted in Antarctica is made possible by the National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs. To learn more, visit http://www.nsf.gov/od/opp/. In addition, those interested in learning more about CARA and current happenings in research and activity at the South Pole can visit http://astro.uchicago.edu/cara. The Art Institute of Pittsburgh offers bachelor degree programs in Computer Animation, Graphic Design, Industrial Design and Interior Design. Associate degree programs are also offered in Computer Animation, Graphic Design, Industrial Design, Interior Design, Multimedia & Web Design, Photography, Video Production and Web Site Administration. The Art Institute offers a diploma program in Digital Design and is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. AIP is part of The Art Institutes, a family of 18 schools nationwide. The Art Institutes have graduated over 100,000 students For more information, call (412) 263-6600. CARA is a science and technology center sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF). CARA's research mission is to investigate the origins of structure in the universe by establishing and operating an astrophysical observatory at the South Pole. The Antarctic Plateau is the coldest, driest place on earth; it is also the world's best site for ground based astronomy in many wavelengths. Center projects study the formation of large-scale structure in the early Universe, the origins of star-forming molecular clouds, the origin and evolution of protostars and young stars , and the interaction between molecular clouds and young stars. In addition to its scientific research, the Center also sponsors programs in public outreach, education, and knowledge transfer designed to stimulate interest in science and engineering and foster the development of new technologies.