USD Magazine, Fall 1995

n the innocence and curiosity of youth, we all have asked a lifetime of questions about the world around us. H ow does a bird {ly? What is light–

ning made of? Why does the sun disappear at night? Inevitably, perhaps after learning some of the basics in school, most of us simply grow to accept these phenomena as fact. A precious few, however, continue to as questions about our world and, as they gain more education, begin to formulate new questions. Then they set out to find the answers. hese are the researchers of the world. N ot only does the researchers' work satisfy their own curiosity, but it makes a better life for all of us. Our cover story, "Searching High and Low," highlights some of the researchers at U SD and the questions they are striving to answer today, from understanding the inner workings of the human knee to exploring an active volcano at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. While many youngsters make the most of their youth as a time of discovery, a few view their youth impatiently as a stumbling block to adulthood. "Life Lessons: T eaching Kids N ot to H ave Kids" examines those teens who abandon the pursuits of their peers and engage in adult activities too soon. The result is that they often take on adult responsibilities, such as parenting, too soon as well. The staff at U SD 's Children's Advocacy Institute know too well that, whether a pregnancy is by choice or by acoi– dent, teens are ill-prepared to care for an infant when they haven't yet learned how to care for themselves. Though some teens believe having a baby will give meaning to their lives, instead it is merely a path to poverty. "Life Lessons" details how the child advocates at CAI are working to end the spiraling teen birth rates in California through education and prevention. A lso in this issue, we anticipate the N ov. 12 inauguration of USD President Alice Bourke H ayes. "A Renaissance Fair" offers a preview of the week-long celebration of acade– mics, arts and community service that will precede the inau– guration ceremony.