Christmas 1992

David is at the U. of Michigan studying for a Ph.D. in Computer Science specializing in artificial intelligence and robotics, and working as a Research Assistant. Last summer he was captain of a team from the U. of Michigan that entered a robot in the first "Robot Olympics" in San Jose. His robot won first place after three days of competition, beating robots from Stanford, MIT, NASA, IBM, etc. Perhaps you saw him interviewed on CNN. In November David attended a banquet at the Tavern on the Green in New York City, where he received an award from the magazine Popular Science for his U. of Michigan robot. Awards were given for "the year's greatest achievements in science and technology." The awards and the Mobile Robotics Competition are featured in the December issue of Popular Science. He has been invited to give talks at various computer science conferences, including one in Honolulu this December.

Suzie graduated from Law School at the U. of Wisconsin-Madison in May, ranking 13 in a class of 227. At graduation she received the George Young Memorial Award for Service to the Law School Community. She had been a research assistant in the East Asian Legal Studies Center; a writer and editor for the International Law Journal; and a member of the International Law Society, Business and Tax Law Association, and the Sports Law Society. She passed the CPA exams in 1990, and has now taken a position as Tax Specialist with an international accounting and consulting firm in Madison -- the first of our children to finish school and get a real job. She and her husband Jerry enjoy living in Madison, and have bought land near Madison and are planning to build a house.

Steve began graduate studies in Astronomy at the U. of Florida in Gainesville. He was in Aerospace Engineering at UC-San Diego, but didn't like the engineering courses or Southern California. He wanted to study something more exciting than rivets -- like quasars and black holes. Working as a Teaching Assistant in the Astronomy Department has interested him in teaching as a career. He plans to get his Ph.D. and teach in a midwestern college or university. He still misses the Midwest, and flies back regularly for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other events.

Nancy graduated in May from the U. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a major in Communicative Disorders. She is now a graduate student studying for her Master's degree in Audiology at the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls. While in college she worked as a waitress to support herself and pay tuition, and now waitresses in a sports bar in Cedar Falls. She lettered four years in cross country and track during college, and this fall was also a volunteer Assistant Coach for the Cedar Falls High School cross country team. Her boyfriend's father is the Head Coach for cross country and track at the High School. She is living with her boyfriend's parents while going to school in Cedar Falls. He is a student here at UW-Stevens Point majoring in Physical Education and Coaching.

Peter is a senior at UW-Madison, majoring in Music (French horn) and Physics. His first love is performing, but he would also like to do acoustical research toward improving the French horn. He plays in the UW-Madison Symphony Orchestra and many other campus groups, and hopes to play in a major symphony orchestra some day. This past summer he spent several weeks at the National Orchestral Institute near Washington, D.C. Participants were selected through national auditions, and Peter was one of five French horn students selected from over ninety horn applicants. Peter works occassional "gigs" for money, and also works for the Music Department setting up for performances and supervising use of the practice rooms.

Sarah is a junior at U. of Minnesota-Minneapolis, majoring in Psychology. She plans to get her doctorate in neuropsychology, and eventually work diagnosing and treating people who have brain and nervous system disabilities. Taking Honors courses, being active in the Psychology Club, and working as a maid on weekends in the University Hospitals to support herself keeps her very busy. Last summer she stayed in Minneapolis to work at the Hospitals. Her boyfriend, who is a pre-med major, also works at the University Hospitals.

Betsy is a senior in high school, works on the Yearbook Staff, and also ran on the cross country team this fall. She is applying to colleges, thinking of studying to be an occupational therapist with children in a hospital setting. Each week she helps her mother as a Religious Education Aide, teaching Religious Education to 28 2^nd graders. Last summer Betsy, Katy, and Suzy went to Minneapolis to visit Sarah; and they all went to the newly built Mall of America -- the largest mall in the world (a teenager's dream come true).

Katy is a sophomore in high school, and still has her straight "A" average. She is active in the French Club, on the Yearbook Staff, writes articles for the school page in the local newspaper, and ran on the cross country team. In the State Cross Country Meet this fall, she placed 9^th out of 79 runners (Betsy usually ran right with her, but was injured for the State Meet). Katy got her braces on her teeth this summer -- the last of our children, finally!

Tony is in eigth grade, running cross country and track, and playing basketball. During the summer he plays on a soccer team. He took a trip this summer to Ann Arbor to visit David. First, he went to Madison (by motorcycle with his father) to meet Peter; then he and Peter went to Chicago (by bus) where they met Steve; finally they all took a train to Ann Arbor. The high point of the trip was being able to play with David's famous "Olympic Champion" robot. Tony also took his first airplane ride this summer -- a flight over Stevens Point in a four-seater.