U. professors to work, play during summer

While students may fetch coffee for law firms or bask on sun-drenched beaches, teachers who stand on the other side of the lectern have very different plans for their summer vacations. For those like Psychology Professor Paul Rozin, who will spend his summer days serving as a visiting professor at a university in Australia, the hiatus is anything but a break. While teaching in the Land Down Under, Rozin said he "will be studying how children deal with issues such as contamination." He said the summer will give him a chance to "concentrate on the research I love most that I don't have time to do over the year." Statistics Professor David Hildebrand said he, too, will remain busy, since he will be "writing books with both hands and the third one with my nose." Since Hildebrand will be on leave next year, he will write or revise three textbooks. "I will keep myself off the streets and out of trouble, and out of the Faculty Senate too," he said. Most professors have similar plans, hoping to complete personal projects they did not have time to finish during the academic year. "I will be hanging out in Philadelphia, doing research and trying to write a book on literary prizes," Assistant English Professor James English said. He added that he might break the stream of research for a few weeks to vacation in France and Italy. But due to his workload, English said, "I'm not sure if I can do that or not." English, who said he also will lead a dissertation workshop for graduate students in the English Department, said he wished "the break started two weeks ago." He said he enjoys doing research over the summer because he puts a great deal of time and energy into teaching and other campus activities during the academic year. Biology Professor Andrew Binns will work in the laboratory doing research on plant cells and molecular biology throughout the summer. "Typically, biology professors who don't do field work stay put," he said. "Most biology faculty can't take long periods of time away from the lab because we have to be there to guide the work and carry out experiments. "I'm running a full-time research lab that has to produce," he added. But, even for professors, the summer months are not just for working. Binns said he may take a week off to go to the shore with his family. And Hildebrand said he will be "out watching the sunset in a little boat." "I'm going to go fishing," Hildebrand said. "It's a good thing to do."