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Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a cheap and easy method for assembling nanowires, controlling their alignment and density. The researchers hope the findings will foster additional research into a range of device applications using nanowires, from nanoelectronics to nanosensors, especially on unconventional substrates such as rubber, plastic and paper. Continue Reading »

North Carolina State University has received a five-year, $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study the root causes behind childhood obesity in low-income families. The goal is to track urban and rural families to better understand the factors – economic, social, cultural and environmental – that contribute to what has been called an “obesity epidemic” in the United States.

Children, low-income and minority populations are particularly at risk of being part of the obesity epidemic – those populations have seen the largest gains in obesity nationally.

“Recent research on obesity has focused almost exclusively on individual behaviors,” says Dr. Sarah Bowen, an assistant professor of sociology who will direct the research project. “While this is important, we also need to look at how broader structural factors contribute to these dramatic increases in obesity. How affordable and accessible are fresh fruits and vegetables in low-income neighborhoods? What time constraints on working families make it difficult to prepare healthy meals? Do low-income parents perceive their neighborhoods as safe for outdoor play and do their children have access to public spaces for physical activity? How do stores in low-income neighborhoods stock and market food?”

The researchers will follow families over a five-year period. The study will take place in Durham, Harnett and Lee counties, and will draw from families who are part of the Faithful Families: Eating Smart and Moving More project, which promotes nutrition education and healthy eating behaviors. The Faithful Families project is part of the USDA’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, which aims to help low-income families make better decisions about healthy eating.

When the factors contributing to childhood obesity are better understood, Bowen and her research colleagues will work with community groups to develop common-sense structural and policy changes to help low-income families gain access to healthier food – and to safe places where kids can be physically active.

“Community members themselves will propose and help implement changes – whether it’s creating a community garden or a local farmer’s market or building a walking trail – to address the problem of childhood obesity and put our research into action,” Bowen says.

Bowen’s colleagues include Dr. Sinikka Elliott, an NC State sociologist, and Lorelei Jones, the coordinator of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program in North Carolina. Dr. Susan Jakes, an extension assistant professor and family and consumer development specialist at NC State and Keith Baldwin, a horticulture extension specialist at North Carolina A&T State University, will also work on the project, as will David Hall, the coordinator of the Faithful Families project.

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Why, and when, do we learn to speak the way that we do? Research from North Carolina State University on African-American children presents an unexpected finding: language use can go on a roller-coaster ride during childhood as kids adopt and abandon vernacular language patterns. Continue Reading »

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a faster, easier way to create microelectrodes, for use in microfluidic devices, by using liquid metal. Microfluidic devices manipulate small amounts of fluid and have a wide variety of applications, from testing minute blood samples to performing advanced chemical research. Continue Reading »

North Carolina State University is part of a team of 12 institutions across the Southeastern United States selected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to establish a regional network to monitor the effects of climate change on southern pine trees. The goal is to use the information to develop new management methods and varieties of pines to help Southeastern pine forests adapt to changes in climate. Continue Reading »

Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researcher and innovator, has received the 2010 Mentor Award from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

The award honors association members who have mentored significant numbers of underrepresented students – such as women, minorities and persons with disabilities – toward a Ph.D. degree in the sciences. The association is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the journal Science.

DeSimone, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at NC State and Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at UNC, was recognized for his dedication to advancing the diversity of doctoral-level chemists entering the workforce.

He will receive the award Feb. 19 at a ceremony at the association’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

He has mentored at least nine African-American students, one Hispanic-American student and 24 women through the completion of their Ph.D. degrees in chemistry.

Yolanda George, the association’s deputy director of education and human resources, said DeSimone’s dedication to mentorship transcended the chemical sciences, and was rooted in his belief that diversification drives innovation.

DeSimone’s current research focuses on engineering nano- and microparticles that target disease within the body, while avoiding healthy cells. Using a technique called PRINT, for “Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates,” which was developed in his lab, researchers can fabricate particles with specific shapes, sizes, compositions and functions. The work shows promise for supporting the development of therapies for cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Among his awards and honors, DeSimone has been named one of the “100 Engineers of the Modern Era” by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and received the 2008 Lemelson-MIT Prize, dubbed the “Oscar for inventors.” He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

For more information, see the association’s announcement.

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Children of working mothers are significantly more likely to experience health problems, including asthma and accidents, than children of mothers who don’t work, according to new research from North Carolina State University. Continue Reading »

What: North Carolina State University is hosting a symposium, “Stand Up, Speak Out: Finding Opportunities to Protect Our Youth Against Bullying.” The symposium will include sessions on bullying prevention and intervention in schools; cyberbullying and professional ethics; implementing the anti-bullying law; and gender identity and sexual orientation issues facing youth.

Who: Sponsored by NC State’s University Counseling Center/Student Health Services, Department of Social Work and GLBT Center.

When: Tuesday, March 29. From 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The deadline for registration is March 11.

Where: The event will be held at NC State’s McKimmon Center, located at 1101 Gorman Street in Raleigh.

Cost: The symposium registration fee is $40. There is a discounted rate for NC State students.

Contact: http://socialwork.ncsu.edu/bullying.php For more information, contact SocialWorkEvents@ncsu.edu

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