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North Carolina State University will host a panel discussion on racial profiling Tuesday, Sept. 1, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Washington Sankofa Room of the Witherspoon Student Center on NC State’s main campus.

Panelists will include professors from NC State and Duke University, as well as NC State students and campus police officers. The event is being held in hopes of opening dialogue on issues relating to race in light of the recent incident involving Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge, Mass., police.

Media coverage of the event is invited. The Washington Sankofa Room is room 126 in the Witherspoon Student Center, which is located on the corner of Dan Allen Drive and Cates Avenue.

The panel discussion is co-sponsored by NC State’s student government, University Scholars Program, Office for Equal Opportunity, Campus Police and Office for Diversity and Inclusion.

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North Carolina State University is seeking nominations for the Watauga Medal, the highest non-academic honor awarded by the university.

The Watauga Medal, authorized by the NC State University Board of Trustees in 1975, is awarded annually to no more than three individuals. It is given in recognition of unusually distinguished service to the university, and recognizes persons not currently on the university staff who have rendered notable and significant services for the advancement of teaching, research and extension functions of NC State. NC State employees, Board of Trustees, and members of the Board of Governors are ineligible.

The medal, or medals, will be presented at the NC State Founders’ Day Dinner on March 8, 2010.
Nominations by alumni, friends and supporters of the university must be submitted by Friday, Sept. 4, to: Nevin Kessler, vice chancellor for University Advancement, NC State University, Campus Box 7004, Raleigh, NC 27695-7004.

Last year’s recipients were Lawrence Apple, Norris Tolson and Richard Vaughn.

A North Carolina State University researcher has devised a new technology that really does not stink. In fact, it could be the key to eliminating foul odors and air pollutants emitted by industrial chicken rendering facilities and – ultimately – large-scale swine feedlots.

Dr. Praveen Kolar, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at NC State, has developed an inexpensive treatment process that significantly mitigates odors from poultry rendering operations. Rendering facilities take animal byproducts (e.g., skin, bones, feathers) and process them into useful products such as fertilizer. However, the rendering process produces extremely foul odors.

These emissions are not currently regulated by the government, but the smell can be extremely disruptive to a facility’s community. The industry currently uses chemical “scrubbers” to remove odor-causing agents, but this technique is not very effective, Kolar says. Furthermore, some of the odor-causing compounds are aldehydes, which can combine with other atmospheric compounds to form ozone – triggering asthma attacks and causing other adverse respiratory health effects.

Kolar, working with his co-author Dr. James Kastner at the University of Georgia, has designed an effective filtration system that takes advantage of catalytic oxidation to remove these odor-causing pollutants. Specifically, the researchers use ozone and specially-designed catalysts to break down the odor-causing compounds. This process takes place at room temperature, so there are no energy costs, and results in only two byproducts: carbon dioxide and pure water.

The researchers developed the catalysts by coating structures made of activated carbon with a nanoscale film made of cobalt or nickel oxides, Kolar says. “We used activated carbon because its porous structure gives it an extremely large surface area,” Kolar explains, “meaning that there is more area that can be exposed to the odorous agents.” The cobalt and nickel oxide nanofilms make excellent catalysts, Kolar explains, “because they increase the rate of the chemical reaction between the odor-causing compounds and the ozone, making the process more efficient. They are also metals that are both readily available and relatively inexpensive.”

Kolar  says his next goal is to apply this research to industrial hog farms. “This technology could be applied to swine operations to address odors and ammonia emissions,” Kolar says. “My next step is to try to pursue this research on a large scale.”

The research, “Room-Temperature Oxidation of Propanal Using Catalysts Synthesized By Electrochemical Deposition,” is published in the August issue of Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.

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Note to editors: The study abstract follows.

“Room-Temperature Oxidation of Propanal Using Catalysts Synthesized By Electrochemical Deposition”

Authors: Praveen Kolar, North Carolina State University; James R. Kastner, University of Georgia

Published: August 2009, Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers

Abstract: Poultry rendering emissions contain aldehydes that are reactive and regulated volatile organic compounds requiring mitigation. This research presents an application of catalytic oxidation technology to treat aldehydes at room temperature using ozone as an oxidant and metal oxides deposited on activated carbon as catalysts. Four types of catalysts were tested: activated carbon, activated carbon impregnated with iron oxide, and activated carbon electrochemically deposited with nickel and cobalt oxides. Iron oxides were deposited on activated carbon via traditional dry impregnation, while nickel and cobalt were deposited on activated carbon via electrochemical deposition. The prepared catalysts’ activities were tested in a continuous differential packed?bed reactor, using an ozone generator and gas chromatography. Propanal (50 to 250 ppmv) was tested as a representative contaminant, and ozone (1500 ppmv) was used as an oxidant. Experiments with activated carbon as a catalyst indicated that 70% removal was achieved within 0.1 s residence time, and the oxidation rates of propanal were determined to be in the range of 90 × 10-9 to 300 × 10-9 mol/g-s. However, when iron oxide?deposited activated carbon was tested for propanal oxidation, the oxidation rates decreased significantly (7 × 10-9 to 60 × 10-9 mol/g-s), probably due to the clogging of the micro- and meso-pores of the activated carbon support with iron oxide particles. When the electrochemically deposited nickel and cobalt oxide catalysts were tested, propanal oxidation rates increased by 20% to 25%. Based on the preliminary results, electrochemical deposition on activated carbon appears to be a valuable tool in synthesizing advanced catalysts for use in air pollution remediation.

North Carolina State University’s chancellor search committee will hold a series of open forums on Wednesday, Aug. 26, to include members of the NC State community in discussions about the search for the university’s next chancellor.

The committee will hold three forums for faculty, staff and students in the Talley Student Center’s Stewart Theatre from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. The staff forum begins at 12:30 p.m., followed by the faculty forum at 2 p.m., and the student forum at 3:30 p.m. Another forum is scheduled for 6 p.m. for alumni and others in the Jane S. McKimmon Center. Media are invited to attend the forums. For the forums at Stewart Theatre, parking is available in the Coliseum Deck located off Cates Avenue.

The search committee will welcome the contribution of ideas that will guide the selection of candidates to lead NC State into the future, and asks faculty, staff, students and friends of the university to discuss the qualities the next chancellor should possess and the leadership attributes that will best serve the university and its goals. For more on the chancellor search, please visit http://www.ncsu.edu/about-nc-state/chancellor-search/index.php.

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Cases of Influenza A (H1N1) are being diagnosed on a regular basis in North Carolina, particularly in the Triangle area, making H1N1 the dominant flu strain in the region. North Carolina State University officials have developed a plan to help educate the campus community about H1N1, and to encourage students to receive flu shots and take proper preventative steps during the upcoming fall flu season.

“The health and safety of students, faculty, staff and visitors at NC State is a top priority for the university,” says David Rainer, associate vice chancellor of environmental health and public safety. “We are closely monitoring cases of H1N1 on campus, and working with public health officials to comply with state and county regulations and best practices.”

Given that H1N1 is now regarded as the prevalent flu strain, NC State will not provide campuswide notification of isolated outbreaks and will only notify those immediately affected. In the case of broader outbreaks, the university will issue campuswide alerts.

Campus administrators are working with Wake County Emergency Medical Services to prepare for administering the flu vaccine, once it becomes available.

“Since H1N1 vaccine will not be available until mid October or later, daily prevention efforts by everyone will be key to maintaining a healthy campus,” says Dr. Mary Bengtson, medical director of NC State Student Health Services. “Flu is spread by a sick person – by a kiss, sharing drinks, cough or sneeze – or by a ‘sick’ thing – contaminated by a sick person’s cough, sneeze or touch. The best prevention efforts are to avoid sick people and clean hands frequently after touching things. Those who are ill should contact their medical provider if symptoms are more than mild, stay home, cover cough or sneeze, and clean hands frequently. When we have more information about H1N1 vaccine opportunities, we will make that announcement quickly to the campus community. In the meantime, we encourage students, faculty and staff to regularly check the Student Health Services site for updated information.”

Information relating to H1N1, tips on staying healthy during flu season, procedures for reporting H1N1 cases, flu shot updates, and other relevant information can be found on NC State’s Student Health Services Web site, http://www.ncsu.edu/student_health/index.html. Throughout the fall, NC State will also communicate H1N1-related updates to the campus community through a variety of channels such as the NC State Web site, Talley Student Center message boards and home football game announcements, among others.

In the event of a broader outbreak or emergency situation, visit http://www.ncsu.edu/emergency-information/index.php for updated information.

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It is widely understood that, ideally, schools and parents should work together to ensure that children can succeed as students and citizens. But what is the right balance? And how much do teachers want parents involved in the classroom?  A new study from North Carolina State University identifies ways that schools and communities can work with parents to give children the greatest chance of success.

Researchers at NC State say that the formation of “child and family teams” (CFTs) may be extremely useful in helping young people who are having difficulty with grades or behavior become more engaged and do well in school and life. Dr. Jocelyn Taliaferro, an associate professor of social work at NC State and co-author of the study, explains that a CFT “takes a ‘village’ approach. A child and his or her family decide who would be on the team – such as teachers, social workers, pastors or other community members – and then work with the team to develop a plan for helping the child succeed both in school and in the broader community. One advantage of this approach is that it removes the ‘us versus them’ mentality, by bringing in a broad support group and giving the child and family some control over the situation.”

However, the researchers found in their study that some school personnel and community members are ambivalent about the prospect of involving family members in the decision-making process at their schools. For example, Taliaferro says, teachers think parental involvement is important, but they also are often concerned that the parents may be contributing to a child’s problem rather than being part of the solution.

Addressing this ambivalence is essential, Taliaferro says, “because if school and community members, such as teachers and mentors, do not buy in to the CFT concept it is not going to work.”

One way that school administrators and other leaders can address this concern is to “encourage parents to be involved and provide parents with opportunities to interact with the school,” Taliaferro says. “You cannot change the feelings of people who may be skeptical, but you can change behaviors. And if there is more interaction, and you begin to see some success with the CFT approach, you will get more buy-in from those who may have been doubtful of the process.”

Taliaferro says that another factor that can make the CFT approach more productive is for school leaders to accept broad participation in the program by extended family and friends of the children involved. “The involvement of extended family and friends can supplement parental involvement in supporting the kids and moving them in the right direction. It can also help school personnel better understand a child’s background,” she says.

Taliaferro notes that it is important for schools to take steps to give parents and children an active role in making decisions that affect them. “We say it is a parental right and responsibility to be involved in their child’s education, but we have historically limited opportunities for their involvement.”

The study, “‘I can see parents being reluctant’: perceptions of parental involvement using child and family teams in schools,” and was published online in the August issue of the journal Child and Family Social Work. The research was done as part of the North Carolina Family-Centered Meetings (FCM) Project and was funded by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The study was co-authored by Taliaferro, NC State Associate Professor of Curriculum, Instruction & Counselor Education Dr. Jessica DeCuir-Gunby and Kara Allen-Eckard, training coordinator of the FCM Project at NC State.

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Note to editors: The study abstract follows.

“‘I can see parents being reluctant’: perceptions of parental involvement using child and family teams in schools”

Authors: Jocelyn DeVance Taliaferro, Jessica DeCuir-Gunby and Kara Allen-Eckard, North Carolina State University

Published: August 2009, Child and Family Social Work

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine the attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of school and community personnel regarding parental involvement via the implementation of child and family team meetings. Interviews were conducted with 10 school and community personnel in a high school in a small county in the south-eastern region of the USA. Several themes emerged from the data, including the definition of parental involvement, parental work and life circumstances, and parental esteem and position within schools. Findings suggest that school and community personnel hold conflicting beliefs regarding parents’ desire and ability to be involved in their children’s schooling. Recommendations for social work practitioners’ implementation of child and family team meetings in the school context are provided.

North Carolina State University will celebrate the reopening of Frank Thompson Hall with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, Aug. 17, at 10:30 a.m. In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held inside Thompson Hall’s Titmus Theatre.

Media are invited to attend the ceremony, which will be followed by self-guided building tours. Frank Thompson Hall is located on Dunn Avenue on NC State’s campus. Parking is available in the Coliseum deck located beside Thompson Hall on Dunn Avenue.

The two-year, $16.8 million renovation included the construction of two new state-of-the-art theatres (Titmus Theatre and Kennedy McIlwee Theatre) and teaching spaces, new Crafts Center studios, enhanced and expanded public spaces, and the addition of elevators and improved ADA accessibility throughout the building.

Thompson Hall was originally built in 1925 and served as NC State’s first gymnasium. It was named for Frank Thompson, undergraduate captain of NC State’s football and baseball teams who died in service in World War I. During its 84-year history, Thompson has been home to various programs including ROTC, registration and records, and the music department, before University Theatre and the Crafts Center made Thompson their home in 1969.

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A new study from North Carolina State University shows that white men receive significantly more tips about job opportunities than women and racial minorities – particularly among people in upper management positions – highlighting racial and gender inequality in the labor market.

“Our research shows that 95 times out of 100, white men receive more job leads than white women or Hispanic men or women,” says Dr. Steve McDonald, an assistant professor of sociology at NC State who was the lead author of the study. On average, there is no difference in the number of job leads received by white men compared to black men and women. “However,” McDonald continues, “white males receive more job leads when they are high-level supervisors, while black men and women receive more job leads when they are in non-management positions that supervise no one.” The findings of the study show that the disparity between white men, minorities and women is greatest among workers in high-level management. McDonald points out that “these gender and race differences in access to job opportunities help to explain why white men continue to fill a disproportionately large number of jobs in upper management.”

The study, which examined data from a nationally representative survey of 3,000 people, looked at the amount of information people received about job opportunities through routine conversations without asking for it. McDonald says the gap in job information between white men and Hispanics is partially attributable to the fact that whites tend to have more “social capital” than Hispanics. McDonald explains that social capital, in this context, is defined as the extent and quality of connections to people in various fields of employment.

However, the study was not able to ascertain why white women receive fewer tips on job opportunities than white men, since the two groups have approximately the same amount of social capital. Nor was the study able to explain why the job leads disparity among women and minorities was greatest among high-level supervisors. McDonald says that while the study could not reach any firm conclusions on the issue, the disparity may stem from some form of either conscious or subconscious discrimination on the part of co-workers and employers.

The study, “Networks of Opportunity: Gender, Race and Job Leads,” will be published in the August issue of Social Problems. The study was co-authored by Dr. Nan Lin of Duke University and Dr. Dan Ao of the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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Note to editors: The study abstract follows.

“Networks of Opportunity: Gender, Race and Job Leads”

Authors: Steve McDonald, North Carolina State University; Nan Lin, Duke University; and Dan Ao, Chinese University of Hong Kong

Published: August 2009, Social Problems

Abstract: Researchers have commonly invoked isolation from job opportunities as an explanation for persistence of gender and race inequality in the labor market. But few have examined whether access to information about job opportunities varies by race and gender. Findings from nationally representative survey data reveal significant white male advantage in the number of job leads received through routine conversations when compared to white women and Hispanics. Differences in social network resources (social capital) partly explain the deficit among Hispanics, but fail to account for the job lead gap between white women and men. Further analyses show that inequality in the receipt of job information is greatest at the highest levels of supervisory authority, where white males receive substantially more job leads than women and minorities.