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Wednesdsay June 21,2000 THE OAKVILLE BEAVER A3 GTA grow th p u ts pressu re on ph on e lin es Matt Szczesny at home in Oakville: studying in California but looking forward to working in Canada Photo by Ron Kuzyk Get used to dialing more numbers Story by Paul Mrtchison SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER A c u ity in m athem atical physics earns local student $ 5 0 ,0 0 0 M att Szczesny is a personable guy who ju s t happens to like studying som e pretty arcane stuff... By Scott M acArthur the grinds of university work in advance." The scholarship, to which Canadian astronaut Julie Payette has lent her name, wasn't given to Szczesny based on good marks alone. Criteria included excellence of previous work, research potential, and leadership qualities. He had to prove, in writing and through let ters of recommendation, that he was deserving of the funds. "Marks were a consideration, but they at the graduate student level they aren't quite as important as they were before," he said. "I had to prove through writing and different interviews that I could communicate my findings clearly." Szczesny plans to put his education to good use. He says he might like to become a professor, but wants to be in an environment where he can conduct research. His specialty is the Representation Theory and the study of two-dimensional quantum field theories. He is quick to differentiate between physicists and mathematicians. "Physicists investigate and use math to help themselves under stand the world," he said. "We work with different theories and cre ate models and try to extract the math out of it." Szczesny is currently visiting his parents in Oakville, but will heading to Vienna, Austria in July for a conference on the Representation Theory. He will be travelling with his advisor from Berkeley and says it will be an opportunity to swap research and develop contacts with physicists from around the world. Despite his success in school and clever way with which he expresses himself, Szczesny balks at the suggestion that he is bril liant. "Different people are good at different things and it's usually related to the individual's interests," he said. "Others can pick up a musical instrument and play it without lessons, some people can build houses and that's their skill. I just happen to be strong in math ematical physics." i When Matt Szczesny returns to the University of California at Berkeley this fall, he won't have to worry about binding his educa tion. Szczesny, 23, will be entering his fourth year at Berkeley, and is one of 24 graduate students working on a Ph.D. to receive funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). He will get $50,000 over the next two years. Currently working on his Master of Mathematical Physics to go along with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Toronto, Szczesny looks forward to completing school and returning to Canada. "Canada is such a wonderful country with so much diversity and different things to offer," said Szczesny, the son of two Polish immi grants who came to Canada in 1989. He also lived in Denmark for two years and Sweden for six years prior to coming to Canada. "Of all the places I've lived, I'm most comfortable in Canada and I love Toronto for its diversity and restaurants." Szczesny graduated from Loyola High School in Mississauga with an average better than 99%. He began taking university cours es while still attending Loyola, including conducting a research pro ject with some University of Toronto professors. `That was good experience for me," he said. "It prepared me for ' SPEaALT° " Better start getting your dialing finger in shape -- it seems a safe bet local calls will soon require three more dig its. Blame it on the explosion in the number of cell phones, the Internet and competition among telephone companies. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is currently seeking a solution to the problem of too few phone numbers in the 905 area code. It's expected the supply will run out early in 2001, thanks to massive growth in demand for new numbers in the com munities surrounding Toronto. It's a genuine crisis in need of a quick solution, according to telephone consultant Ian Angus, who's working for a group of telephone companies trying to cope with the explo sion in demand for numbers. When the 905 area code was created just seven years ago, it had been thought there would be enough numbers to last until 2010. Now the supply could be gone within a year. "We could have new suburbs opening up where people can't get phones," said Angus, "or businesses could start up needing a dozen lines and only be able to have a couple." Five proposed solutions are under consideration and the CRTC wants the public to comment on the alternatives before issuing a decision. Four of the five options involve splitting 905 into three area codes. The fifth, and most like ly, would keep 905 intact, while layering a new area code over top, forcing subscribers to dial a 10-digit number even for local calls. Angus said he strongly favours the overlay system, part ly because it prevents the need for existing businesses and residents to create new stationary and business cards. "At some time in the future virtually everyone in North America will have a 10-digit number," said Angus. "I think we may as well get used to it sooner, rather than later." Stolen drugs could be deadly Peel Regional Police have issued a warning to the public about the theft of a black shaving kit from a 1988 red, Plymouth Voyageur van parked near Derry Road East and Goreway Drive between 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Saturday. The kit contains medication that can be lethal depending on the condition of the person and number of pills taken. Drugs stolen include: Morphine Sulphate (120 tablets); Zerit (30 tablets); 3TC (30 tablets) and Viramune (30] tablets. Anyone who may have taken these drugs is advised they are in danger if the drugs are ingested. If these or any other drugs are located, contact Peel Police at (905) 453-3311 ext. 2120 or if anyone has any information on their whereabouts, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. Specially designed structural depressions provide programmed deformation in (runt end collisions. Distortion resistant doors designed with high strength hinges and locks. Additional upper crash zone forked-member lo absorb and distribute energy and load. Front and rear reinforced steel door beams provide strength to oflset side impact and minimize intrusion. Bend-resistant, triple layer tool pillars strengthen roof structure, absorbing energy in roll-over and side-impar! collisions. Two-sided galvanized steel construction in strategic areas. Front crossmember and side frame rail height aligns more closely with smaller vehicles, for better crash compatibility: Vertical structural components connect upper and lower crash zones, allowing them lo perform in tandem. Frame construction ahead of front axle designed to absorb and distribute energy across entire front frame Rear crossmember with enlarged crosseclion designed lo reduce damage in low speed rear collisions W KKKm Axle support frame designed for programmed deformation, with detaching anchor points to help prevent passenger compartment intrusion. .Additional pedal floor crossmcmher reduces footvvell intrusion in high-speed offset collisions. Additional side rail (sill) reinforcement to help structure withstand high-speed offset collisions Frame members and side rails specially designed to offset collisions and minimize intrusion for improved occupant protection. Compression-resistant transverse beams, under all seals and cargo space, maintain survival space In side-impact collisions. Curved door handles ensure better access to occupants in case of collisions. W hat makes the M-Class the world's safest SUV? Drop by Meray Motors for an inside look. Exclusive to Meray, from the factory, the cut-away M-Class shown above is on display until June 27,2000. M -C L A S S . The protective suit of arm our that you see alxtve, while unequalled in the SUV world, is just part of what gives the Mercedes-Benz M-Class more safety systems than any SUV. Tru e to its heritage of innovation, the 2000 M-Class has even more. It's the first SUV with rear-door side-impact air bags, giving it six air bags in total, another first. And the 4-wheel Electronic Traction System, Electronic Stability Program, and Brake Assist give you handling, control, and emergency braking unlike any SUV. And when it's all put to the test? Last July, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety published the results of its 40 mph (64 km /h) frontal offset crash test on fifteen popular, midsize SUV's, none scored higher than the Mercedes M-Class. When it comes to your family, how safe should your SUV be? 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