Dayanthie Weeraratne became a researcher in geophysics, in part, because she had worked five years as a machinist before enrolling at the University of Oregon. She had always wanted to do research, but there aren't many research opportunities for undergraduates. The research position advertised by assistant professor of geological sciences Michael Manga, though, seemed tailor made for her. Manga needed a research assistant who understood geology and was also a machinist to help with a project on how planets evolved over billions of years. Weeraratne said to herself, "That's me." When Manga agreed, she quit her job as a waitress and began spending weekends and vacation time working on the project. The research led to a paper good enough to be published in "Earth and Planetary Science," one of the top journals in the earth sciences field. "Dayanthie built and designed the whole project," says Manga, who served as primary researcher. Weeraratne and Manga will continue their research partnership though next year. She's been accepted in the UO master's degree program in geophysics. To arrange an interview, call Pauline Austin, (541) 346-3129. UO GRADUATES FIRST FEMALE SAMOAN ARCHAEOLOGIST University of Oregon graduate student Epi Suafo'a had never even considered going to college until the day she traveled to the Leone Adze Quarry with a group of archaeologists from New Zealand. She was a traditional Samoan woman in her mid-20s, who was expected to stay home and care for her aging parents. That changed the day her father sent her to guide the party of scientists to the Leone quarry where ancient Samoans had hewed stone axe heads from the hillside. "These guys were looking at this pile of rocks and I couldn't see why they were so excited," Suafo'a says. "What is so important at Leone that you had to come all the way from New Zealand? What is the big deal?" she asked them. "This is your history," they told her. "This professor sat down and started teaching me about my people," she says. "I knew then I had to go to college so I could help preserve my people's past." The road to the university wasn't an easy one. Suafo'a defied her father when he forbade her to leave her home to earn a bachelor's degree in anthropology. He finally forgave her, though, and came to her graduation. Suafo'a has returned home every summer since she left. She worked two summers with a Samoan utility crew where her job was to make sure that sewer excavation projects didn't destroy any native artifacts. But when a couple of Americans with master's degrees kept close tabs on her work, she decided to earn a master's degree in archaeology, so "no one could tell me where to dig." After she picks up the degree this year, she'll go where she wants to dig--back home in American Samoa. She has a job waiting with the National Park Service at the National Park of American Samoa. To arrange an interview, contact Suafo'a at the UO Department of Anthropology, (541) 346-5139. -30- #T-1306/Day