News from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. http://www.rpi.edu/news/index.html en-us Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2008 August 7, 2008: An international team of researchers has identified just 200 positions within the curves of the DNA helix that they believe capture much of the genetic diversity in European Americans, a population with one of the most diverse and complex historic origins on Earth. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2479 07 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST August 6, 2008: Rensselaer graduates’ earning power and potential has recently been recognized by Forbes magazine. The business publication ranked Rensselaer graduates as some of the top earners in the country when compared with other university alumni. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2478 06 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST August 5, 2008: The Lally School of Management & Technology at Rensselaer and the School of Management at Zhejiang University signed a five-year agreement to enhance and strengthen the global reach of each university’s entrepreneurial business and technology programs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2474 05 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST July 23, 2008: A major restructuring of global energy markets is underway, challenging all to think about energy in new ways, yet the United States is at risk of being left behind because the nation lacks a comprehensive global energy security roadmap, warned Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2473 23 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 23, 2008: A Rensselaer researcher has begun to develop a technique to turn our eyes and visual system into a programmable computer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2472 23 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 17, 2008: A new technique for growing single-crystal nanorods and controlling their shape using biomolecules could enable the development of smaller, more powerful heat pumps and devices that harvest electricity from heat. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2471 17 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 16, 2008: A study by researchers in Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center (LRC) provides a new framework for studying the effects of circadian disruption on breast cancer, obesity, sleep disorders, and other health problems. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2470 16 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 14, 2008: Rensselaer has received a gift of $1 million to establish the Paula and Jeffrey R. Gural ’64 Scholarship for undergraduate students in civil engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2469 14 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 2, 2008: The normal nematodes in Fern Finger’s lab move in beautiful S-shaped curves across their Petri dish. But the dish also contains worms with a very specific genetic defect, which are identified as the clumsiest dancers on the dance floor. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2466 01 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST July 1, 2008: Modeling, design, and controls expert B. Wayne Bequette, professor of chemical and biological engineering, was recently elected a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2465 01 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST June 26, 2008: A new study from researchers at Rensselaer shows that by adding an invisible layer of the nanomaterials to the bottom of a metal vessel, an order of magnitude less energy is required to bring water to boil. This increase in efficiency could have a big impact on cooling computer chips, improving heat transfer systems, and reducing costs for industrial boiling applications. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2464 26 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST June 24, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson issued the following statement, regarding the announcement by New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno of his plan to retire from the State Senate. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2463 24 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST June 24, 2008: An internationally renowned economist with a 25-year history at one the country's leading Federal Reserve Banks will join Rensselaer as the new head of the department of economics. Arturo Estrella, who is currently senior vice president for the research and statistics group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, will steer the department in a new direction, building interdisciplinary links with the department and other strong Rensselaer programs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2462 24 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 20, 2008: Erin Crotty, a seasoned public administrator with deep roots in Troy and the Capital Region, will join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as the director of community relations. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2460 20 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 18, 2008: While schools around the Capital Region are ending the year, a group of 50 middle school students are kicking their academic interests up a notch by participating in the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2459 18 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 16, 2008: A program entitled “Energy and the Environment,” funded by a new 2.7 million five-year NSF grant, will place science and engineering graduate students from Rensselaer in high school classrooms across New York’s Capital Region. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2458 16 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 6, 2008: In a new study published in the June issue of Neuroscience Letters, researchers have demonstrated that when it comes to the circadian system, not all light exposure is created equal. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2456 6 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST May 30, 2008: Rensselaer announced two new annual scholarships for prospective students in recognition of their academic excellence in mathematics and science, and leadership, service, and devotion to their peers, schools, and communities. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2454 30 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 29, 2008: Rensselaer has announced a $1.5 million gift to the endowment to create the P.K. Lashmet Career Development Professorship. Lashmet is a retired professor of chemical and environmental engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2453 29 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 27, 2008: James Jian-Qiang Lu will be recognized this week for research and technical achievements toward the design and realization of 3-D integrated computer chips. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2452 27 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 20, 2008: On June 11, leading authorities on the World Wide Web will gather at Rensselaer for an old-fashioned debate with a social media twist. The questions for discussion will be shaped and selected by Web users from around the world. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2451 20 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 17, 2008: While striving for success, the leaders of tomorrow must also pursue internal authenticity and happiness to discover ways of making a difference in the world, David Gergen told the graduating Class of 2008. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2450 17 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 15, 2008: More than 1,950 students will receive degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, May 17. They represent the next generation of leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, patent holders, and innovators. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2449 15 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 15, 2008: Mark Changizi claims the visual system has evolved to compensate for neural delays, allowing it to generate perceptions of what will occur one-tenth of a second into the future. Some common optical illusions are explained by this compensation. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2448 15 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 15, 2008: Inspired by her time studying in Mexico and helping design a playground-powered water filtration system for a grade school in rural Peru, Rebecca Moore will volunteer with the Peace Corps after graduation. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2438 15 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 14, 2008: To better prepare students to meet the growing demands of industry and the marketplace, Rensselaer will offer undergraduates the opportunity to extend their financial aid and earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in five years. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2447 14 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 14, 2008: Paul Morrow has developed two innovations that could vastly improve magnetic data storage and sense extremely low level magnetic fields. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2446 14 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 13, 2008: Even before Weixiao Huang received his doctorate from Rensselaer, his new transistor captured the attention of some of the biggest American and Japanese automobile companies. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2445 13 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 13, 2008: Today’s video games serve a multitude of functions ranging from entertainment to exercise and even education. Now, three graduates from Rensselaer’s Class of 2008 have created a game to foster independence among disabled individuals. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2444 13 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 9, 2008: It’s not every day that you meet someone who builds next-generation rocket engines for fun. But Phil Bracken, who will graduate this month with a major in aeronautical engineering and a clear goal of becoming an astronaut, is doing exactly that. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2437 9 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 8, 2008 Laura Wontrop knows all about cars and trucks. After graduating from Rensselaer, the 21-year-old mechanical engineering major will join automotive giant General Motors as a vehicle definition engineer, and play a key role in solidifying the design of next-generation concept cars. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2434 8 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 7, 2008: A team of professors from Rensselaer and the University at Albany have created Connected Kids, a new youth services online information system, in collaboration with Rensselaer County government. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2436 7 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 7, 2008: During the month of May, more than 1.5 million high school students will take the annual College Board AP exams. To help reduce their stress, Chris Keenan offers a free online study resource to help students tackle the AP courses and exams. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2433 7 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 6, 2008: An undergraduate student at Rensselaer has learned very quickly that a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. In fact, with his invention, the sugar may actually be the medicine. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2432 6 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 2, 2008: Thanks to an invention devised by Rensselaer Class of 2008 graduate Sarah DiNovo, our law enforcement officers can protect themselves while protecting us. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2431 2 May 2008 12:00:00 EST April 30, 2008: New research suggests the Oxford English Dictionary is meticulously organized to be as concise as possible — a format that mirrors the way our brains make sense of and categorize the countless words in our vast vocabulary. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2430 30 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 29, 2008: On Friday, May 16, Rensselaer will host the 2008 President’s Commencement Colloquy, focused on the leadership challenges to maintain a sustainable global society in the midst of extraordinary growth and change. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2429 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 29, 2008: Rensselaer inventors and innovators were awarded three of the top four student prizes at the CTT Innovation Conference recently held in Boston, Mass. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2428 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 25, 2008: The mysterious death of patients around the world following a routine dosage of the common blood thinner, heparin, sent researchers on a frantic search to uncover what could make the standard drug so toxic. A researcher at Rensselaer was among a small group of scientists with the expertise and the high-tech equipment necessary to determine the source of the contamination. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2427 25 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 18, 2008: Nearly 300 11th grade girls from the Capital Region, New York state, and across New England will participate in Rensselaer’s “Design Your Future Day” (DYFD) program on Saturday, April 19. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2425 18 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 16, 2008: A handheld device to detect skin cancer and a disposable robot capable of removing land mines are just two of the winning ideas in the Change the World Challenge, which supports entrepreneurship education and stimulates ideas to improve the human condition http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2424 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 16, 2008: Sheldon Weinbaum '59, CUNY Distinguished Professor of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering at The City College of New York, will receive the prestigious Davies Medal for Engineering Achievement from the Rensselaer School of Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2423 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 11, 2008: To better prepare tomorrow’s leaders with a global perspective, Rensselaer will now expect all undergraduate engineering students to participate in an international experience. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2422 11 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 9, 2008: William Pomeroy '66, founder and CEO of CXtec, has been selected as the 2008 William F. Glaser '53 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2421 9 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 4, 2008: Rensselaer’s Lally School of Management & Technology hosted an inaugural program titled "Forum on Business, Technology, and Ethics." The forum focused on the theme of leadership in controversy. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2420 4 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST March 28, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's graduate programs in engineering and the fine arts rank among the best in the nation, according to the 2009 U.S.News & World Report guide to "America's Best Graduate Schools". http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2418 28 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST March 19, 2008: Fengyan Li, assistant professor of mathematical sciences at Rensselaer, has been named a 2008 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2417 19 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 17, 2008: David Gergen, political analyst, editor, best-selling author, and Harvard professor, will deliver the 2008 Commencement address at Rensselaer on May 17 at 9:30 a.m. on the Harkness Field. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2416 17 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 14, 2008: Twenty-four students have been inducted into the Rensselaer Phalanx Honor Society. Phalanx honors student leadership, service, and devotion to the university, and celebrates those who have "worked to better the standing of Rensselaer both on and off campus." http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2415 14 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 14, 2008: Ideas for a "wired" law enforcement badge and an online ordering platform have both received funding as the winners of Rensselaer’s Class of '51 Entrepreneurship Fund, established to help transform student ideas into sustainable ventures. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2414 14 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 13, 2008: Toh-Ming Lu, the R.P. Baker Distinguished Professor of Physics at Rensselaer, has been named a lifetime fellow of the Materials Research Society. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2413 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 13, 2008: Researchers at Rensselaer have created a road map that brings academia and the semiconductor industry one step closer to realizing carbon nanotube interconnects, and alleviating the current bottleneck of information flow. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2412 13 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 12, 2008: Rensselaer will add more than $10 million in new financial aid resources for undergraduate students during the coming year. The action responds to the need to ensure that Rensselaer remains accessible to academically talented students from the full range of family financial circumstances. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2411 12 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST March 10, 2008: A group of researchers from Rensselaer is working to engineer Second Life characters with the capacity to have beliefs and to reason about the beliefs of others. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2410 10 Mar 2008 13:00:00 EST February 29, 2008: BusinessWeek has ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Lally School of Management & Technology 26th in the nation among the magazine’s 2008 list of top 50 undergraduate business programs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2407 28 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 28, 2008: Martin Schubert, a doctoral student in electrical, computer, and systems engineering, has developed the first polarized LED, an innovation that could vastly improve LCD screens, conserve energy, and usher in the next generation of ultra-efficient LEDs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2406 28 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 26, 2008: The Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer has launched an initiative, called the Lighting Technology Greenhouse, to support the growth of new and existing lighting companies in and around New York state. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2405 26 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 19, 2008: Researchers at Rensselaer in a project led by Theodorian Borca-Tasciuc have demonstrated that liquids embedded with nanoparticles show enhanced performance and stability when exposed to electric fields. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2402 19 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 15, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson has joined the call for a Presidential debate on science, technology, and innovation in advance of the November 2008 general election, and urged others to sign on. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2400 15 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 12, 2008: Beginning in August 2009, Rensselaer students will have a new campus housing option in the heart of downtown Troy. The Institute has launched a project that will convert the former Best Western Rensselaer Inn into a residence hall to house undergraduate students. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2399 12 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 9, 2008: More than 900 area students and their families came to Rensselaer to participate in the 10th annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day. The workshops, designed to spur young people’s interest in pursuing careers in science and engineering, were hosted by Rensselaer’s Office of Institute Diversity. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2398 9 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST February 7, 2008: Rensselaer invites members of the community to the Hirsch Observatory to view planets, stars, and galaxies with the observatory’s 16-inch telescope. The observatory will be open to the public every Friday evening through November. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2397 7 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST February 4, 2008: Shengbai Zhang, a quantum physicist renowned for his computational modeling and research in semiconductor defects, has been named senior chair of Rensselaer’s Gail and Jeffrey L. Kodosky ’70 Constellation in Physics, Information Technology, and Entrepreneurship. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2396 4 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST February 1, 2008: In a tribute to outstanding commitments to community service, the Rensselaer Alumni Association (RAA) will recognize both an individual student and a Greek life organization with its Community Service Award. Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Tamer Khattab ’08 will be presented with the award on Friday, Feb. 1 — during the first intermission of the hockey game. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2395 1 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST January 28, 2008: Researchers at Rensselaer and Polyset Company have developed a new inexpensive, quick-drying polymer that could lead to dramatic cost savings and efficiency gains in semiconductor manufacturing and computer chip packaging. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2394 28 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 22, 2008: Researchers at Rensselaer and Rice University have created the darkest material ever made by man. The material absorbs more than 99.9 percent of light. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2393 22 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 17, 2008: More than 11,000 high school students have filed applications to attend Rensselaer. The record number of applications for 2008 is up 10 percent from the previous year, and it is more than double the number received just three years ago in 2005. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2391 17 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 17, 2008: Two theoretical physicists at Rensselaer have uncovered what they believe is the long-sought-after pathway that an HIV peptide takes to enter healthy cells. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2392 17 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 14, 2008: Design optimization pioneer Achille Messac, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Rensselaer, has been elected a fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2390 14 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 9, 2008: Corrosion expert David Duquette, head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Rensselaer, has been named John Tod Horton Distinguished Professor in Materials Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2388 09 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 8, 2008: A new study by a management professor at Rensselaer suggests that the prevalence of telecommuters in an office can adversely impact coworkers who do not telecommute in terms of their job satisfaction. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2387 08 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 8, 2008: Jacob Fish, the Rosalind and John J. Redfern Chaired Professor of Engineering at Rensselaer and director of the university’s Multiscale Science and Engineering Center, has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Mechanics http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2386 08 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 7, 2008: Professor Kim Boyer has joined the faculty of Rensselaer as head of the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering. He is a renowned computer vision expert with research interests ranging from advanced heart imaging and human eye modeling to eye-in-the-sky satellites. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2384 07 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST January 3, 2008: The NSF has awarded $3 million over five years to an alliance of upstate colleges and universities, including Rensselaer, to enroll and graduate more minority students from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degree programs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2383 03 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST December 20, 2007: Five teams of students are being rewarded for imagining innovative ways to make the world a better place, from a low-cost solar water purification system to a "smart badge" for law enforcement officers. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2379 20 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 19, 2007: Rensselaer professor E. Fred Schubert and doctoral student Brian Schulkin have been named to the 2007 Scientific American 50 — the magazine’s prestigious annual list recognizing leadership in science and technology from the past year. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2378 19 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 18, 2007: Researchers from Rensselaer have developed a new set of modeling tools that could enable safer, more accurate, and more effective radiation therapy and nuclear medicine imaging procedures for pregnant women. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2377 18 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 17, 2007: A new biochip technology could eliminate animal testing in the chemicals and cosmetics industries, and drastically curtail its use in the development of new pharmaceuticals. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2376 17 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 11, 2007: James A. Knowlton, a senior administrator at the United States Military Academy, has been named director of athletics at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2372 9 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 9, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer, on a team led by Ravi S. Kane, have developed a new way to seek out specific proteins, including dangerous proteins such as anthrax toxin, and render them harmless using nothing but light. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2369 9 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 9, 2007: Thirty-four middle school teams from around the Capital Region, New York state, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut competed in the FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) Power Puzzle Challenge at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2370 9 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 5, 2007: Ecovative Design LLC, a company started by two recent graduates of Rensselaer, was recently awarded £10,000 (approximately $20,500 U.S.) as a winner of the 21st Century Challenge Competition — hosted by Oxford University’s Saïd Business School. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2368 5 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST December 3, 2007: Earthquake engineering and soil dynamics expert Ricardo Dobry was recently named Institute Professor of Engineering, one of the most prestigious honors bestowed upon a Rensselaer faculty member. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2366 3 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST November 29, 2007: Leslie Hayden’s research into deep Earth interactions has led to some important findings, particularly for someone so new to the field, and the scientific world is paying attention. Hayden, a graduate student at Rensselaer, is first author on a paper to be published in the scientific journal Nature. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2362 28 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 28, 2007: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers bestowed high honors upon a team of Rensselaer faculty and staff for their critical contributions to the rebuilding of New Orleans levees ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2364 28 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 16, 2007: A new book co-authored by Satish Nambisan of Rensselaer's Lally School and a management professor from Northwestern University presents multiple models that companies can customize to fit their particular circumstances. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2361 16 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 15, 2007: World-renowned materials science expert Robert Hull will join Rensselaer in early 2008 to head the School of Engineering's Department of Materials Science and Engineering. A highly recognized and respected researcher, Hull intends to grow the number of materials science students and faculty at Rensselaer and further solidify the department's reputation for innovation and excellence. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2357 15 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 14, 2007: Rensselaer honored alumni Howard Blitman ’50 and his wife, Maureen, and Edward Zander ’68 and his wife, Mona, with the Alis Aquilae medal in recognition of their outstanding philanthropy to Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2356 14 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 13, 2007: Two Rensselaer student start-up companies — Ecovative Design LLC and JDAxis Corporation — took first and second place at this year’s inaugural Innovation Showcase competition. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2355 13 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 8, 2007: Jeff Hawkins, best known as the co-founder of the Palm and Handspring companies and as the architect of computing products such as the PalmPilot and Treo smartphone, will discuss a new technology platform based on a theory of the human neocortex. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2352 08 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 8, 2007: Engineers at Rensselaer have transformed a polymer found in common brown seaweed into a device that can support the growth and release of stem cells at the site of a bodily injury or at the source of a disease. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2351 08 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 7, 2007: President Shirley Ann Jackson delivers the keynote address at the Washington Post Company Energy Conference, continuing her call for a comprehensive energy roadmap to meet the demand for global energy security. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2349 07 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 1, 2007: Rensselaer is leading a $3 million research project that will pair two of the world’s most powerful supercomputers to boost the safety and reliability of next-generation nuclear power reactors. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2344 01 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST October 29, 2007: Toh-Ming Lu, the R.P. Baker Distinguished Professor of Physics, and Wilfredo Colón, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology, have been elected as fellows of the AAAS. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2344 29 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 29, 2007: Chemical and biological engineering professor Steven Cramer was recently appointed as the William Weightman Walker Professor of Polymer Engineering at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2345 29 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 23, 2007: Blocks of carbon nanotubes can be used to create effective and powerful pressure sensors, according to a new study by researchers at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2339 23 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 23, 2007: Chang Y. Ryu, polymer chemist from Rensselaer, is the recipient of a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support a partnership between American and Korean researchers. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2340 23 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 17, 2007: Professor Shekhar Garde, a rising star in Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Engineering, was this week named the new head of the university’s Howard. P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2329 17 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 16, 2007: A leading expert in Web research, Deborah L. McGuinness, joins Rensselaeras an endowed chair of the Tetherless World Research Constellation. She is one of the creators of the Web language that is ushering in the next generation of the World Wide Web. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2327 15 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 12, 2007: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been counted among the 60 “most forward-thinking design schools” in the world, according to BusinessWeek magazine’s second annual survey of the best design schools around the globe. The ranking appears in the publication’s Oct. 15 issue. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2326 12 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST October 9, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer have won a competitive $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to identify the perfect combination of technology and financial incentives that could help alleviate daytime traffic congestion and boost economic growth in New York City. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2323 9 Oct 2007 09:00:00 EST September 27, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer have developed a simple new technique for identifying and repairing small, potentially dangerous cracks in high-performance aircraft wings and many other structures made from polymer composites. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2321 27 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 25, 2007: A new book written by Tomie Hahn, associate professor of art at Rensselaer, uncovers the process and nuances of learning nihon buyo, a traditional Japanese dance form. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2319 25 Sep 2007 08:00:00 EST September 24, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer have created a razor-like material that is truly on the "cutting edge" of nanotechnology. Called nanoblades, these first-of-their-kind magnesium nanomaterials challenge conventional wisdom about nanostructure growth, and could have applications in energy storage and fuel cell technology. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2318 24 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 24, 2007: Eleven senior faculty members, representing the five schools of Rensselaer, have been appointed to a committee that will review the university's faculty governance system. The Faculty Governance Review Committee, announced by Provost Robert Palazzo in a letter to the faculty Sept. 21, will be chaired by Jacob Fish, the Rosalind and John J. Redfern Jr. '33 Professor of Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2317 24 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 20, 2007: A group of computer scientists, mathematicians, and biologists from around the world have developed a computer algorithm that can help trace the genetic ancestry of thousands of individuals in minutes, without any prior knowledge of their background. The team’s findings will be published in the September 2007 edition of the journal PLoS Genetics. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2315 20 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 20, 2007: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had an impressive showing at the 234th American Chemical Society Meeting held in late August. Along with professor Jonathan S. Dordick winning a pair of major awards, nearly 60 faculty, researchers, and students presented papers and research findings on diverse topics ranging from proteomics to bioinformatics and the design of functional nanostructure materials. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2314 20 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 19, 2007: Rensselaer geochemists are challenging commonly held ideas about how gases are expelled from Earth. Their theory, which is described in the Sept. 20 issue of the journal Nature, could change the way scientists view the formation of Earth's atmosphere and those of our distant neighbors, Mars and Venus. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2311 19 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 17, 2007: Rich Radke was one of a dozen researchers to participate in the 2007 CS Study Panel, a competitive program administered by the Institute for Defense Analyses for the DoD’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2310 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 14, 2007: George Makhatadze is a designer. But instead of expensive jeans and haute handbags, he is creating custom proteins that could improve everything from medication to detergent. Makhatadze is bringing his expertise in biology, chemistry, and computation to Rensselaer as a chaired professor in the Biocomputation and Bioinformatics research constellation. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2309 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 13, 2007: Professor Charles Malmborg, a 22-year veteran of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Engineering, was recently named the new head of the university’s Department of Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems (DSES). http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2308 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 10, 2007: Engineers at Rensselaer have developed tools to help solve two of the main problems slowing the progress of stem cell research - how to quickly test stem cell response to different drugs or genes, and how to create a large supply of healthy, viable stem cells to study from only a few available cells. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2307 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 10, 2007: A new partnership between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Sandia National Laboratories, and a select group of leading universities and corporations will present Rensselaer graduate students with a host of new cutting-edge internship and research experiences. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2305 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 7, 2007: In the true spirit of the computer age, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today celebrated the grand opening of the world's most powerful university-based supercomputer with a "virtual" ribbon-cutting ceremony. The celebration, which was held on the Rensselaer campus, began with a presidential colloquy. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2304 07 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 7, 2007: Scientists have long known that the human body runs like clockwork, guided by a circadian system that responds to daily patterns of light and darkness. Now a team of researchers is developing a personal device to measure daily light intake and activity, which could allow them to predict optimal timing for light therapy to synchronize the circadian clock to the 24-hour solar day and relieve psychosocial stress. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2303 07 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST August 29, 2007: As summer temperatures cool in the United States, fewer mosquitoes whir around our tiki torches. But mosquitoes swarming around nearly 40 percent of the world's population will continue to spread a deadly parasitic disease — malaria. Now an interdisciplinary team led by researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has found a key link that causes malarial infection in both humans and mosquitoes. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2302 29 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 26, 2007: Rensselaer has broken ground to launch the first phase of the $114 million East Campus Athletic Village. The most extensive athletic construction project in the Institute's history, the new athletic village will improve dramatically campus athletic facilities, expand athletic opportunities, and enhance the overall student experience at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2289 26 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 23, 2007: To celebrate the grand opening of the world's most powerful university-based supercomputing center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will host a presidential colloquy Sept. 7 featuring five of the country's foremost leaders in science, technology, and innovation. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2287 23 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 22, 2007: Susan P. Gilbert, a renowned expert in cell biology, biophysics, and nanoscience, will join Rensselaer as the head of the Biology Department on Sept. 1, 2007. Gilbert joins the Rensselaer faculty after 12 years at the University of Pittsburgh. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2285 22 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 22, 2007: Internationally renowned researcher James M. Tien, the Yamada Corporation Professor at Rensselaer, has been named Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Miami. Tien will assume his new role September 1. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2286 22 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 20, 2007: The 2007 President's Commencement Colloquy, which featured four individuals who have shaped the international discourse on some of today's most pressing issues, is scheduled to air twice in the coming week on WMHT-TV. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2284 20 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 17, 2007: For the eighth year in a row, Rensselaer has been counted among the top 50 universities in the nation, according to U.S.News & World Report. The Institute was ranked 44th among all national universities and listed as one of the top 25 colleges in the publication's "Great Schools, Great Prices" category. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2283 17 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 17, 2007: For more than 25 years, the Incubator Program at Rensselaer has been a pioneer in nurturing the development of entrepreneurial companies, helping them survive and grow during the start-up period, when they are the most vulnerable. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2282 17 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 13, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer have developed a new energy storage device that easily could be mistaken for a simple sheet of black paper. The nanoengineered battery is lightweight, ultra thin, completely flexible, and geared toward meeting the trickiest design and energy requirements of tomorrow's gadgets, implantable medical equipment, and transportation vehicles. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2280 13 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 9, 2007: Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson will co-chair a national "Energy Security, Innovation and Sustainability Initiative," of the Council on Competitiveness. She will be joined by co-chairmen James W. Owens, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar Inc., and D. Michael Langford, National President of Utility Workers Union of America, in the initiative designed to enhance U.S. competitiveness and energy security. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2268 09 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 7, 2007: Rensselaer officials have announced that the Institute's faculty governance structure will be reviewed and modified in order to strengthen the role of tenured and tenure-track faculty members in the faculty governance process. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2267 07 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 3, 2007: Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson applauded the bipartisan House-Senate Conference Agreement on the America COMPETES Act, which was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate August 2. The America COMPETES Act creates a framework for increased federally funded research in science and technology, including a new energy research agency. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2266 03 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST July 24, 2007: Rensselaer has announced that Athletic Director Ken Ralph will resign from the post he has held since 2002 in order to accept the position of athletic director at Colorado College. The decision is effective Aug. 16, at which point Rensselaer Sports Information Director Kevin Beattie will assume Ralph's duties as acting athletic director until a national search is completed. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2254 24 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST July 23, 2007: Saroj Nayak, associate professor of physics, has worked with graduate student Philip Shemella and others for two years to determine how graphene's extremely efficient conductive properties can be exploited for use in nanoelectronics. After running dozens of robust computer simulations, the group has demonstrated for the first time that the length, as well as the width, of graphene directly impacts the material's conduction properties. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2253 23 Jul 2007 13:00:00 EST July 12, 2007: Federal agencies in the United States need to provide sustainable funding streams to maintain the nation’s competitiveness and nourish the next generation of scientists, according to Robert Palazzo, provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and incoming president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Palazzo laid out his vision for the biomedical sciences at a July 10 event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2236 12 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST July 5, 2007: Senior Phillip Bracken scored a front-row seat June 8 to watch the space shuttle Atlantis take off and embark on its 11-day mission. He is one of only 18 college students from across the nation to be accepted into a summer internship program at NASA’s Goddard Academy. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2218 05 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST July 2, 2007: The ability of carbon nanotubes to withstand repeated stress yet retain their structural and mechanical integrity is similar to the behavior of soft tissue, according to a new study from Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2217 02 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST June 29, 2007: A new study by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, ATT Labs, and the University of Nevada, Reno suggests that an Internet where all traffic is treated identically would require significantly more capacity than one in which differentiated services are offered. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2204 29 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 28, 2007: Robert E. Palazzo, director of the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and professor of biology at Rensselaer, has been appointed to the position of provost after a rigorous national search. Palazzo assumed his new position July 1. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2203 28 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 27, 2007: The new supercomputer at Rensselaer has been ranked seventh in the world, and it is the most powerful of any system based at a university, according to the 29th edition of the closely watched Top500 list. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2200 27 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 18, 2007: Mimicking the agile gecko, with its uncanny ability to run up walls and across ceilings, has long been a goal of materials scientists. Researchers at Rensselaer and the University of Akron have taken one sticky step in the right direction, creating synthetic "gecko tape" with four times the sticking power of the real thing. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2200 18 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 14, 2007: Specialized pulsed lasers have been used to inject individual cells with a variety of materials, but little is known about how this type of injection might affect living cells. For the first time, researchers at Rensselaer have analyzed this nanoscale injection process on living cells and discovered that minor changes in the intensity of the laser could mark the difference between a healthy cell and a dead one. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2188 14 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 6, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer have developed a new method of compacting carbon nanotubes into dense bundles. These tightly packed bundles are efficient conductors and could one day replace copper as the primary interconnects used on computer chips and even hasten the transition to next-generation 3-D stacked chips. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2186 06 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST June 1, 2007: When it comes to identifying, planning for, and achieving career goals, undergraduate students are getting a head start from the Career Development Center at Rensselaer. For their efforts, the center won a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Excellence Award for developing its "Sophomore Career Experience" program. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2176 01 Jun 2007 08:00:00 EST May 30, 2007: With a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers from Rensselaer are developing a physics-based virtual model that can simulate a patient's breathing in real time. When used in conjunction with existing 3-D models, adding the fourth dimension of time could significantly improve the accuracy and effectiveness of radiation treatment for lung and liver cancers. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2169 30 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 29, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer are challenging current thinking on the causes and prevention of Alzheimer's disease, offering a new hypothesis that could be the key to preventing this form of dementia. The researchers have found that a specific imbalance between two peptides may be the cause of the fatal neurological disease that affects more than five million people in the United States. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2168 29 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 18, 2007: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today offered the first glimpse of what is planned to be the world's most powerful university-based supercomputing center. The Computational Center for Nanotechnology Innovations (CCNI) is designed to continue advancing semiconductor technology to the nanoscale, while also enabling key nanotechnology innovations in the fields of energy, biotechnology, arts, and medicine. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2157 18 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 16, 2007: Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to bond materials that don't normally stick together. The team's adhesive, which is based on self-assembling nanoscale chains, could impact everything from next-generation computer chip manufacturing to energy production. http://news.rpi.edu/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2156 16 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 15, 2007: More than 1,470 students will receive degrees from Rensselaer on Saturday, May 19, at 9:30 a.m. on the Harkness Field. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2151 15 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 11, 2007: Since his freshman year at Rensselaer, Zane Van Dusen has played in 13 bands — and he founded 11 of them. He has combined his passion for music with computing skills to create a device that allows people, regardless of physical mobility, the opportunity to experience music's positive effects. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2142 11 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 10, 2007: Armed with a microscope, sharp eye, and knack for design, Caitlin Piette isn't shy about letting her creative side influence her work in the laboratory — and vice versa. Piette will graduate May 19 with a major in biology, bioinformatics, and molecular biology. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2140 10 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 9, 2007: To educate and nurture today's would-be entrepreneurs, universities across the country face a difficult question: Can innovation, risk-taking, and originality be taught in the classroom? For more than 180 years, students at Rensselaer have been developing technologies, creating innovations, and forming business ventures to translate scientific discoveries into practical applications. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2139 09 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 7, 2007: Matthew Pelliccione came to Rensselaer as a freshman in 2003. After only four years, he is leaving with two bachelor's degrees, a master's degree, and a set of prestigious fellowships to continue studying physics at Stanford University. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2135 07 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 4, 2007: Sky-rocketing oil prices, rising demand for reliance on renewable resources, and an increase in environmental consciousness have placed a newfound focus on "green" solutions to global energy issues. Following his graduation on May 19, student inventor Eben Bayer hopes to alleviate some of those growing issues — by growing. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2122 04 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 3, 2007: No one can say Abigail Eldridge wasted any time during her four years at Rensselaer. Along with conducting cutting-edge bioengineering and nanotechnology research, she served in student government, played on three varsity sports teams, and loaded up on extra classes. She also managed to sneak in a pair of internships, including one at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2116 03 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 1, 2007: As an Eagle Scout, it is no surprise that Gregory Ten Eyck would be an innovator with a deep respect for the environment. But he has taken these values to a whole new level, developing inventions that could lead to better fuel cells, reduce the impacts of carbon dioxide, and create the next generation of super-efficient microelectronics. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2107 01 May 2007 08:00:00 EST April 30, 2007: More than 1,400 Rensselaer students, faculty, staff, their families, and members of the surrounding community — led by members of Greek Life and student athletes — joined forces to participate in Rensselaer's second Relay for Life event, raising more than $100,000 (and counting) for cancer research. The overnight event — held on the '86 Field — began at 6 p.m. on Friday, and ended Saturday at 8 a.m. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2108 30 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 30, 2007: José González is fluent in the international language of science. Born the son of a medical doctor in Puerto Rico, he has been speaking this language since he was a child. On May 19, González will take the next step in a long journey as he crosses the platform at Rensselaer's 201st Commencement. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2106 30 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 23, 2007: More than 300 11th grade girls from the Capital Region and across New England participated in the 11th annual "Design Your Future Day" (DYFD) on Saturday, April 21. The event is designed to engage students in activities to inform and excite them about career opportunities in engineering, science, architecture, and technology. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2096 23 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 23, 2007: As the May 1 deadline approaches for high school seniors to decide where they will attend college in the fall, Rensselaer hosted more than 3,000 visitors to campus for the Accepted Student Celebration on Saturday, April 14. The visitors included more than 1,000 accepted students from 34 states, as well as Canada, South Korea, and Denmark. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2097 23 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 23, 2007: The office of graduate admissions recently hosted 90 accepted graduate students to participate in the 2007 Graduate Accepted Students Celebration. According to George Robbins, director of graduate admissions, "this was the largest attendance we've had since the inception of the GASC event." http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2097 23 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 18, 2007: Three student submissions were recently honored as winners of Rensselaer's "Change the World Challenge" idea competition for spring 2007. Created in 2005 by Rensselaer alumnus Sean O'Sullivan '85, the competition is intended to support entrepreneurship education and inspire ideas to improve the human condition by providing a $1,000 cash award for ideas that will make the world a better place. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2090 18 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 17, 2007: BusinessWeek staffers asked 80,000 business majors at 123 schools to rank their programs on a scale of one to five in different academic categories. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management & Technology came in at number two in the nation in the area of corporate strategy. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2089 17 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 16 2007: With a major grant from the Office of Naval Affairs, Rensselaer researchers are collaborating with four other universities to address a hot topic in today's military: how to keep modern ships cool in extreme environments. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2087 16 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 16, 2007: Throughout the Institute's history, Rensselaer researchers have produced ground-breaking advances in a broad range of important areas. 64 budding undergraduate researchers had a chance to showcase their work during the 2007 Undergraduate Research Forum and Awards Program. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2088 16 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 11, 2007: Michael Shur, the Patricia W. and C. Sheldon Roberts '48 Chaired Professor in Solid State Electronics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been promoted to fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET). Shur is being recognized for his "individual responsibility, sustained achievements, and exceptional professionalism." IET is the largest professional engineering society in Europe and the second largest of its kind in the world. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2075 11 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 9, 2007: In celebration of National Architecture Week, world-renowned classical pianist John Kamitsuka will perform a benefit recital to fund scholarships for architecture students in the Roman Studies Program at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2074 09 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 5, 2007: Kirk MacDonald has been selected as the U.S. College Hockey Online 2006-07 Unsung Hero, in recognition for his work on the ice as well as off the ice. MacDonald, who is currently playing for the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, is a management major who has been on the Dean's List on multiple occasions. http://www.rpiathletics.com/News/hockey/2007/4/5/mhockey040507.asp?path=hockey 05 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 5, 2007: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute recently garnered approval from the New York State Education Department to offer a doctoral degree in electronic arts. Now one of only a handful of universities in the United States to offer a Ph.D. program in this emerging field, the Institute will begin admitting students in fall 2007. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2061 05 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 3, 2007: Twenty-five students have been inducted into the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Phalanx honor society. Phalanx honors student leadership and celebrates those who have "worked to better the standing of Rensselaer both on and off campus." New members are selected — or "tapped" — by the student members of Phalanx. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2059 03 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: Thomas L. Friedman, best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, will deliver the 2007 Commencement address at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on May 19 at 9:30 a.m. on the Harkness Field. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2054 02 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: Last week, the campus was buzzing with activity as students and members of the Rensselaer community participated in a series of events to celebrate student life and government, cultural diversity, and the performing arts. Grand Marshal Week 2007, a week of campuswide celebrations and student elections, was held from March 24-31. This year's theme, "Institute of Rock," focused on celebrating student life and culture with the spirit of "all things Rockstar!" The GM Week Committee developed a comprehensive schedule of events featuring more than 100 Rensselaer Union student organizations. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2053 02 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: His textbooks have taught generations of engineers around the world about electrical communication systems and made him a world leader in electrical, computer, and systems engineering. But A. Bruce Carlson will always be remembered by those who knew him for his dedication to his students, passion for knowledge, and selfless devotion to his family and community service. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2049 02 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: Rensselaer's graduate programs in engineering, applied mathematics, and the fine arts rank among the best in the nation, according to the 2008 U.S. News & World Report guide to "America's Best Graduate Schools." "These rankings are another validation of our ongoing transformation to a world-class technological research university with global reach and global impact," said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2056 03 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST March 29, 2007: New research suggests that carbon nanotubes may soon be integrated into cell phones, digital audio players, and personal digital assistants to help ensure the equipment does not overheat, malfunction, or fail. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=1960 29 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 27, 2007: Burt Swersey, a lecturer in the department of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering, has been awarded the 2007 Olympus Lifetime of Educational Innovation Award for his dedication to innovative thinking and his commitment to students and their learning. Prior to joining Rensselaer, Swersey was a successful innovator in the medical field. He developed a number of important inventions, including an extremely accurate scale to weigh patients, together with bed and instrumentation, revolutionizing the treatment of water loss in patients with severe burns. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2043 27 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Shirley Ann Jackson, who has led a national movement to understand and respond to what she calls a "quiet crisis" in the science and engineering work force, will receive the Vannevar Bush Award for a lifetime of achievements in scientific research, education and senior statesman-like contributions to public policy. The annual award recognizes an individual who, through public service activities in science and technology, has made an outstanding "contribution toward the welfare of mankind and the Nation." http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2036 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Stephen Wiberley '48, professor emeritus and trustee of the Rensselaer Newman Foundation, passed away on March 17. Wiberley dedicated his life to Rensselaer and its students, promoting their pursuits in both science and spirituality. Wiberley earned his Ph D. from Rensselaer in 1950, and he spent the next 39 years teaching generations of students in a wide variety courses. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2035 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Rensselaer recently announced the launch of a new undergraduate degree program in Games and Simulation Arts & Sciences (GSAS). The major — which builds off the success of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences' highly popular game studies minor — will equip graduates with a suite of integrated skills necessary for leaders in the game development industry. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2041 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Nanomaterials are being used in everything from golf clubs to computer circuitry, but little is known about the effects these minuscule materials could have on our health and environment. Rensselaer scientists recently worked to better understand the effect of nanomaterials on both mammalian cells and bacteria. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2037 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 22, 2007: The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and resulting tsunami are now infamous for the damage they caused, but at the time many scientists believed this area was unlikely to create a quake of such magnitude. In the March 23 issue of the journal Science, geophysicist Rob McCaffrey urges the public and policy makers to consider all subduction-type tectonic boundaries to be "locked, loaded, and dangerous." http://www.rpi.edu/news/research/032207-earthquake.html?artcenterkey=2034 22 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 19, 2007: About a dozen community service-minded students from Rensselaer spent their spring break swinging hammers, priming, pouring cement, and assembling wall sections at a Habitat for Humanity project in Johns Island, S.C. The group worked alongside more than 50 students from the University of Virginia, Truman State University, and Davidson College to construct homes. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2020 19 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 19, 2007: The Rensselaer Board of Trustees has approved a $365.5 million budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, enabling the Institute to move forward on several initiatives designed to enhance the intellectual core of our activities and the overall educational experience of our students. Faculty renewal will continue as a top priority in the new fiscal year. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2024 19 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 16, 2007: Wai Kin "Victor" Chan, an assistant professor of decision sciences and engineering systems, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). He will use the projected five-year, $400,000 grant to develop better computer simulation methodologies to improve systems from healthcare to military operation and airport security. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2022 16 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 12, 2007: You might want to reconsider your feelings about bacteria. These microscopic creatures have been assaulted by hand soap and antibacterial gels, but a shining star among these organisms could one day transform the way we remove polychlorinated biphenyls from our environment. Rensselaer researchers have discovered an organism that could be the key to developing methods that help detoxify commercial PCB compounds on site — without the need for dredging. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=1973 12 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 12, 2007: Rensselaer researchers have discovered what likely triggered the eruption of a "supervolcano" that coated much of the western half of the United States with ash fallout 760,000 years ago. Their research sheds light on what causes these large-scale, explosive eruptions, and it could help geologists develop methods to predict such eruptions in the future. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=1971 12 Mar 2007 March 5, 2007: Daniel Gall, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Gall will use the projected five-year, $400,000 grant to help craft the next generation of custom nanoscale structures. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=1959 05 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 5, 2007: C. James Li, professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering at Rensselaer, was recently elected a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The highest elected grade of membership in ASME, fellowship is conferred upon a member with at least 10 years of active engineering practice and who has made significant contributions to the profession. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=1964 05 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 5, 2007: Rensselaer's Lighting Research Center (LRC) held its fifth annual light art show Feb. 27. Called "In the Mind's Eye," the show featured 11 graduate students currently enrolled in the LRC's Lighting Workshop. "There are no constraints," said LRC Associate Director Russ Leslie '80 in an interview with the Troy Record. "The students decide what they wish to communicate and then design and make their works of art using the lighting technology and design skills they have acquired at Rensselaer." http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=1965 05 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST February 26, 2007: Mariana Figueiro, an assistant professor at Rensselaer's Lighting Research Center (LRC), has received the James D. Watson Investigator award from the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research (NYSTAR). With the help of this $200,000 grant, Figueiro will be exploring the effects of light on human physiological rhythms. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=1940 26 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST February 26, 2007: James Crivello, professor of chemistry and chemical biology, has been elected a 2007 fellow of the American Chemical Society Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE). With more than 23 issued or pending patents since joining the Rensselaer faculty, Crivello is widely recognized for inventing some of the world's most advanced polymers. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=1951 26 Feb 2007 08:00:00 EST January 22, 2007: During Rensselaer's winter break, members of the Rusty Pipes took some time out to hit the road for their annual winter tour. The 14-member a cappella group performed in several Long Island and Connecticut schools from Jan. 8-12. "The annual Winter Tour is a time for the Pipes to sing at numerous high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools," said Jason Ingraham, a senior majoring in engineering physics and the group's music director. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=1899 22 Jan 2007 08:00:00 EST