2010 In The News Archive
Highlights of recent media coverage of NC State, as well as its faculty, staff and administrators. (Links to online stories provided where available.)
Reach Kitchen Staff With Safety Stories Scientific American, Dec. 16. ‘Tis the season when we’re eating. And we want to be sure that the kitchen staff are following protocols that keep us from getting sick. Dr. Ben Chapman, food science, featured.
You Better Watch Out WUNC’s State Of Things, Dec. 14. New research from a North Carolina State University team reveals that Santa and his elves have neuroimaging capabilities far more advanced than those available outside the North Pole. Dr. Larry Silverberg, mechanical and aerospace engineering, featured.
The Island of Stone Money NPR’s Planet Money, Dec. 10. There’s a tiny island called Yap out in the Pacific Ocean. Economists love it because it helps answer this really basic question: What is money? Dr. Scott Fitzpatrick, sociology and anthropology, featured.
Radar Signals Could Help Locate Users Where Satellite Signals Won’t Go Popular Science, Dec. 3. The rise of readily available GPS-enabled devices was supposed to make losing one’s way a relic of a bygone era. Dr. Dan Stancil, electrical and computer engineering, featured.
A Hiker’s Best Friend: Shoes With Built-In Radar CBS News, Dec. 3. Researchers have developed a shoe-embedded radar system to help people who are lost but are not without luck – or footwear – find their way back to the familiar. Dr. Dan Stancil, electrical and computer engineering, featured.
NC State Team Designs In-Shoe Radar News & Observer, Dec. 3. Ah, it’s the old lure-the-troops-into-a-cave-where-they’ll-get-lost-because-their-global-positioning-systems-can’t-get-a-signal trick, eh? Dan Stancil isn’t falling for it. Dr. Dan Stancil, electrical and computer engineering, featured.
Forget IQ: The Emerging Science of Collective Intelligence Time, Nov. 29. Assembling a team is an art, one that involves intuitive thinking and — let’s face it — a lot of guesswork. A new study, however, is transforming this critical task into a science. Dr. Joe Brazel, accounting, featured.
Talking Turkey: Tips On How To Eat The Bird Safely LiveScience, Nov. 23. Thanksgiving Day is typically celebrated by gorging ourselves with yummy turkey and stuffing, and of course counting our blessings. But before the bird hits the table, there’s much to be done to ensure not only a juicy meal, but also one free of harmful bugs. Dr. Ben Chapman, food science, featured.
Boa Constrictor Gives Birth to Remarkable Fatherless Offspring Discover, Nov. 3. A tiny fraction of vertebrate species have ever been seen reproducing through parthenogenesis, the fatherless birth of offspring in which the embryo develops without fertilization by a male. Now you can add boa constrictors to that short list. Dr. Warren Booth, entomology, featured.
Food Served In Wake Could Be Safer News & Observer, Oct. 21. A peek into the kitchens of more than 450 food-service establishments in Wake County suggests fewer people would get food-borne illnesses if the state adopted federal safety rules that are stricter about things such as food temperature and employee hand-washing. Dr. Ben Chapman, food science, featured.
Many Candidates Ignore Media Charlotte Observer, et al. , Oct. 21. Many major candidates are treating the news media as enemies this year, refusing to release schedules, admit the press to campaign events, give interviews or answer routine questions. Dr. Steven Greene, political science, featured.
Taking The ‘Ouch’ Out Of Shots Charlotte Observer, Oct. 18. Dr. Roger Narayan is trying to take the bite out of one of medicine’s most common and reviled procedures: the shot. Dr. Roger Narayan, biomedical engineering, featured.
Study: Fish Near Coal-Fired Power Plants Have Lower Levels Of Mercury U.S. News & World Report, Oct. 7. A new study from North Carolina State University finds that fish located near coal-fired power plants have lower levels of mercury than fish that live much further away. Dr. Derek Aday, biology, featured.
Withdrawal Symptoms: A Special Report On The World Economy The Economist, Oct. 7. Some Americans have always taken the national debt personally. During the 1940 census (according to the late David McCord Wright, an American economist) a housewife was asked if she had a mortgage on her home. “Yes,” she replied. “For $40 billion.” Dr. Mehmet Caner and Tom Grennes, economics, featured.
Fish, Mercury and Coal-fired Power Plants WUNC News, Oct. 7. Researchers at NC State have discovered some surprising news when it comes to mercury in fish near coal-fired power plants. Dr. Derek Aday, biology, featured.
A Vote Some Dems Might Regret News & Observer, Oct. 1. At the time the Affordable Health Care for America Act passed, there was much speculation that a “yes” vote might put Democratic House members from moderate and conservative districts in greater danger of electoral defeat. Dr. Steven Greene, political science, featured.
NC State Works On Robotic Catheter WRAL, Sept. 27. North Carolina State University professor Gregory Buckner is leading the development of a robotic catheter to treat atrial fibrillation. Dr. Greg Buckner, mechanical and aerospace engineering, featured.
States Expand Efforts to Combat ‘Funny Honey’ Associated Press, Sept. 24. North Carolina is the latest state to create a standard that defines “pure honey” in a bid to curb the sale of products that have that label but are mostly corn syrup or other additives. Dr. John Ambrose, entomology, featured.
NCSU Tapped for Climate Study Hub News & Observer, Sept. 24. NC State University has been picked as the home of a federal hub for climate change research in the Southeast, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced. Dr. Damian Shea, biology, featured.
Surgeons Fix Up Yona the Bear News & Observer, Sept. 22. Surgeons working through two tiny cuts removed a bone chip from the right elbow of Yona, a 130-pound black bear. Dr. Denis Marcellin-Little, veterinary medicine, featured.
Bike-Sharing Programs Spin Across U.S. Campuses USA Today, Sept. 21. Nearly 90 American universities offer some sort of campus bike program.
NCSU: Innovation Will Rouse Economy News & Observer, Sept. 18. NC State University has its own stimulus plan for the lackluster state economy: a new initiative to double the number of private companies it spins off every year. Dr. Terri Lomax, research and innovation, featured.
Metal Smasher Makes Aluminum As Strong As Steel Science, Sept. 17. Snuffing out a cigarette butt with a 10-ton boot would be excessive, but using the equivalent on certain metals can yield amazing results. Dr. Yuntian Zhu, Materials Science and Engineering, featured.
The Front Lines Of The War On Bedbugs North Carolina Public Radio, Sept. 15. Bedbugs are back and they’re popping up everywhere. Major cities in the US and Europe are reporting new infestations. Exterminators and scientists are scrambling to control them. Rick Santangelo, Entomology, featured.
Top 25 Colleges Ranked By Recruiters Wall Street Journal Sept. 13. North Carolina State University ranked 19th.
2 Carolina Schools In Top 25 For Job Recruits Charlotte Observer, Sept. 13. North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are in the top 25 of at least one poll this autumn.
Good Luck Not Letting the Bedbugs Bite News & Observer, Sept. 13. For anyone hoping there’s a quick, easy treatment for bedbugs in the near future, take note of the hesitation in Coby Schal’s response. Dr. Coby Schal, entomology, featured.
A New Way To Predict Winter Weather Charlotte Observer, Sept. 12. In the summer swelter, few people worried about how cold it will get this winter and how much snow will fall. But as the dog days of summer give way to the chilly winds of winter, Sankar Arumugam will be ready with answers. Dr. Sankar Arumugam, Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, featured.
RFID Tags Work Better In Building Ducts Computerworld, Sept. 13. Researchers have discovered that ventilation ducts at least triple the distance that radio waves from passive RFID tags can travel inside a building. Dr. Dan Stancil, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Ideas Get Greased At NCSU’s ‘Garage’ News & Observer, Sept. 11, 2010. Everyone has heard about the entrepreneurs who got started in a garage. Well, N.C. State University is looking forward to the day when people are buzzing about the cool new venture that got started in The Garage. Dr. Tom Miller, Entrepreneurship Initiative, featured.
The Beauty of Insect Eggs National Geographic, September 2010. Engineered for survival, insect eggs hang on and hatch wherever their parents deposit them. Dr. Rob Dunn, Biology, featured.
Is That The Croak Of The Pickerel Frog? Frog Census Is A Tad Uncertain Wall Street Journal, Sept. 7, 2010. It can be harder counting frogs than people. Frogs are shy and nocturnal, with a preference for hiding in reeds or hovering under water. Dr. Ted Simons, Biology, featured.
Fertilizer Chemicals Linked To Animal Developmental Woes U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 31, 2010. Fertilizer chemicals may pose a bigger hazard to the environment— specifically to creatures that live in water—than originally foreseen, according to new research from North Carolina State University toxicologists. Dr. Gerald LeBlanc, Toxicology, featured.
Scientists Square Off On Evolutionary Value Of Helping Relatives New York Times, Aug. 30, 2010. Why are worker ants sterile? Why do birds sometimes help their parents raise more chicks, instead of having chicks of their own? Dr. Jim Hunt, Biology, featured.
Egg Farms Violated Safety Rules New York Times, Aug. 30, 2010. Barns infested with flies, maggots and scurrying rodents, and overflowing manure pits were among the widespread food safety problems that federal inspectors found at a group of Iowa egg farms at the heart of a nationwide recall and salmonella outbreak. Dr. Ken Anderson, Poultry Science, featured.
Restaurants Scramble After Massive Egg Recall CBS News, et al., Aug. 26, 2010. Eggs sunny-side-up are still on the menu. But restaurants nationwide are keeping a closer eye on egg suppliers and reminding diners of the dangers of undercooked food after a massive recall tied to a salmonella outbreak. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Are The Eggs In Your Fridge Safe To Eat? Businessweek, Aug. 25, 2010. If you’re like millions of Americans, the recent news of a massive egg recall due to salmonella contamination has probably made you refrain from ordering “sunny side up” the past couple of weeks. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
No Laughing Matter: Laughter Can Play Key Role In Group Dynamics U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 25, 2010. Laughter can play key roles in group communication and group dynamics—even when there’s nothing funny going on. Dr. Joann Keyton, Communication, featured.
Boehner, Biden In Economics Dispute As Elections Near Charlotte Observer, Seattle Times, et al., Aug. 24, 2010. In a preview of campaign themes for fall’s congressional elections, Vice President Joe Biden and House of Representatives Republican leader John Boehner dueled Tuesday over how to fix the ailing economy, with Biden saying that progress has been steady even if slow, and Boehner sharply disagreeing. Dr. Mike Walden, Agricultural and Resource Economics, featured.
Gallery: 30 Awesome College Labs Popular Science, Aug. 24, 2010. Months after a county cleanup crew found a skeleton in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, forensic anthropologist Ann Ross and her students zeroed in on an incisor. It established what other investigators couldn’t: that the deceased was Elizabeth Smallwood, the sixth victim of the Edgecombe serial killer. Dr. Ann Ross, Sociology and Anthropology, featured (Slide 28).
DEA Wants To Hire Ebonics Translators CNN, Aug. 24, 2010. Wanted by the Drug Enforcement Administration: Ebonics translators. It might sound like a punch line, but the agency is serious about needing nine people to translate conversations picked up on wiretaps during investigations. Dr. Walt Wolfram, English, featured.
Program Trains Solar Panel Installers Marketplace, Aug. 23, 2010. Maybe you’ve noticed: More solar panels are going up on rooftops in neighborhoods across America. Steve Kalland, NC Solar Center, featured.
A Long Life Of Discovery, And He Still ‘Has Fun Doing Science’ News & Observer, Aug. 22, 2010. Since April, N.C. State University researcher Hans Conrad has co-authored articles in two journals on discoveries that could revolutionize the manufacture of ceramics. Dr. Hans Conrad, Materials Science and Engineering, featured.
Illnesses At Durham Restaurant Could Be Linked To Egg Recall WRAL, Aug. 20, 2010. State health officials said Friday that it’s unclear whether there is any link to the April outbreak of illnesses at a Durham restaurant and this week’s growing nationwide recall of eggs. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
RFID Tags Found To Work Better In Building Ducts Computerworld, Aug. 19, 2010. A research team at North Carolina State University has used a building ventilation duct to at least triple the normal distance that radio waves emitted from passive RFID tags can travel over open space. Dr. Dan Stancil, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
NCSU Gets $1.8M To Predict Climate Change, Hurricanes Triangle Business Journal, Aug. 19, 2010. N.C. State University researchers are part of a team working to predict potential consequences of climate change and to better predict hurricanes and rain patterns. Drs. Nagiza Samatova and Fred Semazzi, Computer Science and Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, featured.
Sensor Networks In Buildings Could Use AC Ducts As Huge, Building-Wide Antennas Popular Science, Aug. 18, 2010. Wiring large building for fire safety systems, climate control mechanisms, and other public safety monitoring schemes consumes a lot of wire — imagine how much feet of copper connects every room, corridor, stairwell and broom closet in a building like the Empire State. Dr. Dan Stancil, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Tiny Radio Antennas Could Replace Building Wiring MSNBC, Aug. 18, 2010. A new study has found a way to implement wireless monitoring technology in buildings with uses ranging from climate control to health and safety applications by tapping into heating, ventilating and air-conditioning ducts. Dr. Dan Stancil, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
New Research Fuels Skepticism (And Questions) About Those ADHD Diagnoses L.A. Times, Aug. 17, 2010. Suspicion has long existed that maybe a significant percentage of kids diagnosed with attention-deficit disorder or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were really just livelier than was warranted for a classroom environment.
Younger Kids In Class May Be Overdiagnosed With ADHD NPR, Aug. 17, 2010. It’s hard to turn around in a school these days without finding a bunch of kids labeled with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Younger Kids May Wrongly Get ADHD Diagnosis MSNBC, et al., Aug. 17, 2010. How mature a child is compared to his peers may partly determine how likely he is to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a new study. Dr. Melinda Morrill, Economics, featured.
There’s New Help For Police To Identify Human Bones News & Observer, et al., Aug. 16, 2010. It just got a little harder to get away with murder, thanks to a research team that includes an N.C. State University scientist. Dr. Ann Ross, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Prof’s Reading System Draws Teachers’ Kudos Triangle Business Journal, Aug. 13, 2010. When Morgan Blanton heard about a new program to better teach reading to students, she was intrigued. When she heard it was free, well, that pretty much sealed the deal for her. Dr. John Begeny, Psychology, featured.
You Sweat, And The Shirt Changes Wall Street Journal, Aug. 12, 2010. A new wave of fashion-forward clothing is giving new meaning to the phrase “body-conscious.” Dr. Tushar Ghosh, Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, featured.
The Aging Of The Baby Boom Generation State of Things, Aug. 11, 2010. If you were born between 1946 and 1964, you’re part of the single largest cohort in American history. Dr. David Zonderman, History, featured.
Fewer Frogs? Amphibian Census Flawed By Tin-Earred Researchers Christian Science Monitor, Aug. 11, 2010. To get a count on animals that make noise, scientists often listen for their calls. But even expert ears make mistakes when trying to identify frogs. Dr. Ted Simons, Biology, featured.
IBM Helps NCSU Find Investors News & Observer, Aug. 10, 2010. NC State University is teaming up with IBM on a faster, more effective way to identify potential investors and businesses that can take the inventions of the school’s scientists into the marketplace.
Can College Students Learn As Well on iPads, e-books? USA Today, Aug. 10, 2010. Scores of others, including Reed College and North Carolina State University, plan to offer opportunities for students to test-drive iPads.
Audio Finds Frog Counters May Be Overestimating Scientific American, Aug. 5, 2010. Frog census volunteers misinterpreted recorded frog sounds in the field, leading researchers to suspect that frog populations may be even lower than thought. Dr. Ted Simons, Biology, featured.
Forensics In Three Dimensions Miller-McCune, Aug. 5, 2010. For the first time, a tool allows researchers to identify the ancestry of the remains of children, which may help solve some forensic cold cases. Dr. Ann Ross, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Computer Model Helps Minimize Water Pollution Voice of America, Aug. 4, 2010. Bill Hunt, a professor of Biology and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University, has developed an easy-to-use computer model to predict how landscape impacts water pollution. Dr. Bill Hunt, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, featured.
Converting Algae Into Fuel U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 3, 2010. The algae that keep salmon and shrimp a bright pink might keep jet airplanes and automobiles running someday. Dr. Bill Roberts, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, featured.
Mexican Agave Farmers Losing Out To Int’l Tequila Industry Marketplace, Aug. 3, 2010. They’re not necessarily companions for better nutrition, but tequila and cheese can teach us a lot about boosting economies in the developing world. Dr. Sarah Bowen, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Ribbit Radio Finds Listening Unreliable As Identifier Of Frogs National Geographic News Watch, Aug. 2, 2010. The largest amphibian monitoring program in the U.S. may have flaws that, if uncorrected, could result in overestimates of frog populations, North Carolina State University said today. Dr. Ted Simons, Biology, featured.
Meet Ann Ross State of Things, Aug. 2, 2010. North Carolina State University Forensic Anthropologist Ann Ross has a British father and a Chilean mother. She grew up in the Canal Zone in Panama among many Americans and Ross is interested in identity, but not necessarily her own. She uses bones to identify the remains of victims of murder and other atrocities. Dr. Ann Ross, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
NC Expert: Gulf Oil Unlikely To Reach East Coast ABC News, July 29, 2010. An expert on marine sciences and coastal circulation says it’s unlikely oil from BP’s massive spill in the Gulf of Mexico will reach the East Coast. Dr. Roy He, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, featured.
What’s Lurking In Your Stadium Food? ESPN, July 25, 2010. While there hasn’t been a documented mass outbreak of foodborne illness at a professional sports stadium, fans, players and coaches have said they have fallen ill from food, including Red Sox manager Terry Francona, who blamed bad sushi in the clubhouse for a bout of food poisoning he had before a series playoff game in Anaheim last fall. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Study: Re-usable grocery bags a breeding ground for bacteria WRAL, July 20, 2010. Reusable grocery bags are a popular way to be “green,” but there could be a risk involved with using and re-using them. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Study: Working Conditions Pose Problems From Workers And Employers U.S. News & World Report, July 14, 2010. New research from North Carolina State University shows that an increase in professional business practices such as outsourcing, hiring temporary workers and focusing on project-based teams is having a detrimental effect on workers and likely poses long-term problems for employers. Dr. Martha Crowley, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
New Research Can Spot Cloud Computing Problems Before They Start U.S. News & World Report, July 13, 2010. New research from North Carolina State University will allow computer infrastructure providers to more accurately predict anomalies, and address them before they become a major problem. Dr. Xiaohui (Helen) Gu, Computer Science, featured.
Computer-Driven Cars May Save Lives Reuters, July 12, 2010. Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a computer program that allows a car to drive without human control, opening the door to the development of new automobile safety features that could save lives. Dr. Wes Snyder, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Tiny Chip Stores An Entire Library Reuters, July 6, 2010. Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a way to store massive amounts of data in a microchip smaller than a fingernail. Dr. Jay Narayan, Material Science And Engineering, featured.
NC State Vet Returns From Gulf Mission To Help Turtles WRAL, July 1, 2010. A North Carolina veterinarian who works with sea turtles said some of the animals he helped rescue from the Gulf of Mexico had traces of oil in their throats. Dr. Greg Lewbart, Clinical Sciences, featured.
Robert C. Byrd, 1917-2010 Businessweek, July 1, 2010. Three decades ago, Saturday mornings were taken up with Robert C. Byrd’s news conferences. Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Scratching The Subsurface Nature, June 28, 2010. Every morning at 2 a.m., a high-performance computer cluster in Raleigh, North Carolina, named henry2 dips into three servers and fishes out a few hundred megabytes of data on two vast areas of water — the Gulf of Mexico and a swathe of ocean off the southeastern United States known as the South Atlantic Bight. Dr. Ruoying He, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, featured.
Robert Byrd, Senate’s Elder Statesman, Is Dead Miami Herald, et al., June 28, 2010. Sen. Robert Byrd was very much a man of his turbulent era and a man of West Virginia, able to dramatically influence and shape policy for more than half a century while bestowing billions on his beloved state. Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Is There A Better Way Than Primary Runoffs For N.C.? WRAL, et al., June 27, 2010. A turnout of 4.5 percent of the eligible voters was better than expected for North Carolina’s second primary last week, raising the question of whether runoffs have outlived their usefulness. Dr. Michael Cobb, Political Science, featured.
Kagan Goes Into Hearings Having Generated Little Controversy News & Observer, et al., June 27, 2010. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan has seemingly spent her life preparing for the center stage she’s about to take. Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Ants Forecast Forests’ Future Charlotte Observer, June 27, 2010. Ants and other insects may not be the first things you spot on a walk in the woods, but N.C. State biologist Rob Dunn believes they have something important to say about the future of forests under climate change. Dr. Rob Dunn, Biology, featured.
Expect A Direct Approach From New NC State AD Debbie Yow News & Observer, June 27, 2010. New N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow met with reporters after the news conference announcing her hiring on Friday. Debbie Yow, Athletics, featured.
Fight For Senate Begins Charlotte Observer, June 26, 2010. Republican Sen. Richard Burr and his Democratic challenger, Elaine Marshall, meet in their first forum this morning in Wilmington, beginning a battle for the most unstable U.S. Senate seat in America. Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
With Childhood Ties To NC State, Yow Happy To Return News & Observer, June 26, 2010. After stepping down from the podium Friday, newly introduced N.C. State athletic director Debbie Yow paused to hug her sister, Susan – who reminded her of the proper way to shape the Wolfpack hand signal.
NCSU Creates, Duke Adopts ‘Virtual’ Labs For Computing Triangle Business Journal, June 25, 2010. Much like the phone booth before it, the erstwhile college computer lab is going the way of the dinosaur. Eric Sills, Assistant Vice Provost For Research Computing, featured.
Taste Of Place State Of Things, June 23, 2010. Certain places are known for their indigenous foods. In some cases, governments go as far as to designate these special places with geographical indications. But what makes some geographical indications associated with certain foods and drink profitable for the farmers and producers in that area? Dr. Sarah Bowen, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Middle-Class Tax Cuts May Be On Chopping Block, House Majority Leader Says Charlotte Observer, et al., June 22, 2010. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer tiptoed into dangerous political territory Tuesday, suggesting that to cut the government’s record budget deficits dramatically, popular middle-class tax reductions set to expire at year’s end could be extended only temporarily. Dr. Andrew Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Sour Showers: Acid Rain Returns – This Time It Is Caused By Nitrogen Emissions Scientific American, June 21, 2010. The acid rain scourge of the ’70s and ’80s that killed trees and fish and even dissolved parts of statues on Washington, D.C.’s National Mall is back. Dr. Viney Aneja, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, featured.
Should Restaurants Make Health Inspection Grades Visible? USA Today, June 20, 2010. A growing number of health departments across the USA are initiating programs aimed at improving the transparency of restaurant inspections. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
NC State Vets Head To Gulf Coast To Help Sea Turtles WRAL, June 16, 2010. Three North Carolina University veterinarians are headed to the Gulf coast to help sea turtles affected by the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Greg Lewbart, Clinical Sciences, featured.
Bacterial Cross-Contamination Found To Be A Hidden Problem In Commercial Kitchens Scientific American, June 16, 2010. How safe was your last meal? If you dined out, you took a significant risk. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Parents Don’t Believe Their Kids Have Sex ABC News, June 16, 2010. Dr. Sinikka Elliott says she’s found that parents believe that other teens are having sex — and lots of it. But their sweet, fresh-faced babies? No way. Dr. Sinikka Elliott, Sociology, featured.
Tequila And Cheese Offer Lessons For Rural Economies In Developing World US News & World Report, June 15, 2010. Tequila and cheese may sound like the makings of an awkward cocktail party, but new research shows that they have a lot to tell us about efforts to boost rural economies around the world. Dr. Sarah Bowen, Sociology, featured.
A Wake-Up Call For Dozing Drosophila Nature, June 14, 2010. How long does a fruit fly sleep? That depends on its genetic make-up, according to research presented this weekend at a meeting of the Genetics Society of America in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Trudy Mackay, Genetics, featured.
Researcher Finds Lax Food Safety In Restaurants CBS News, June 11, 2010. Here’s an unappetizing thought: A review of restaurant food safety practices found that a typical kitchen worker cross-contaminates food with potentially dangerous pathogens about once per hour. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Mars Tumbleweed Computer Model Developed Discovery News, June 7, 2010. Currently, there are several tumbleweed designs under consideration, but which will perform best on an alien world? Dr. Andre Mazzoleni, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, featured.
Animal, Plant Species Less Diverse Than Once Thought Discovery News, June 7, 2010. There may be far fewer species on Earth than scientists thought, according to new calculations. Dr. Rob Dunn, Biology, featured.
NCSU, Duke Researchers Work To Harness Hyperfast Processors Triangle Business Journal, June 7, 2010. In recent years, computational scientists, including statisticians, biomedical researchers and chemists have been turning to the GPU to crunch their numbers. Dr. Huiyang Zhou, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Electronics Pioneer Sheds Light On The Satisfactions Of Science Chronicle of Higher Education, June 5, 2010. If he cared more about the limelight, Jagdish Narayan would have made some different choices. Dr. Jagdish Narayan, Materials Science and Engineering, featured.
Computer Model Tests Mars ‘Tumbleweed Rovers’ Gizmag, June 4, 2010. For over ten years, NASA engineers have been kicking around the idea of a tumbleweed-inspired Mars rover. Alexandre Hartl, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, featured.
Researchers Test A Next -Gen, Wheels-Free Mars Rover Popular Mechanics, June 2, 2010. Exploring the surface of Mars can be a perilous endeavor for a robot. Alexandre Hartl, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, featured.
Researchers Track Path Of Oil From Rig Spill Nature, June 1, 2010. With no end in sight for the oil gushing from the explosion site at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, anxious US officials are looking to researchers who study the Gulf of Mexico and its idiosyncratic currents to help determine where all the oil is and where it might be heading. Dr. Ruoying He, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, featured.
Senate Runoff Rivals Appeal To Different Party Factions Charlotte Observer, June 1, 2010. Who would be the stronger foe for Republican Sen. Richard Burr in the fall: Elaine Marshall, the folksy secretary of state, or Cal Cunningham, the young Army captain who served in Iraq as a lawyer? Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Opinions Vary Over Management Of Falls Lake WRAL, May 31, 2010. Falls Lake is more than the primary source of drinking water for Raleigh and several Wake County towns, it is also a popular recreation area. However, some people believe the way the Army Corps of Engineers regulates the water creates usage problems. Dr. Bill Hunt, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, featured.
The Pain of Bartonella N&O, May 21, 2010 “A bacterial infection typically spread by fleas, lice and biting flies could be more prevalent than many think, and may have been transmitted from a mother to her children at birth, scientists from N.C. State University say.” Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, CVM, featured.
A Backyard Battle To Save The Honeybee Wall Street Journal, May 19, 2010. Roughly one-third of what we eat depends on honeybees for pollination. Dr. David Tarpy, Entomology, featured.
Critical Investments In Education And Growth News & Observer, May 18, 2010. Public universities like N.C. State University are critical to the nation’s ability to maintain its edge in the global economy. Dr. Randy Woodson, Chancellor, featured.
Fort Bragg Helps Fayetteville, N.C., Real Estate Stay Orderly USA Today, May 17, 2010. A snapshot of Fayetteville, N.C.’s real estate market doesn’t paint a clear picture. Dr. Michael Walden, Agricultural and Resource Economics, featured.
New Genes Capturing Spider’s Magic Charlotte Observer, May 17, 2010. Spiders can spin silks that are stronger than steel and stretchier than nylon, using eight spinning organs called spinnerets, which are like spigots located on their abdomens. Dr. Samuel Hudson, Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science, featured.
Brewers Have High Hopes For N.C. Hops News & Observer, May 15, 2010. The very soul of beer, the ingredient responsible for its wonderful bitterness, is now being grown in North Carolina. Dr. Jeanine Davis, Horticulture Science, featured.
Coaxing Fuel From Extreme Bugs Forbes, May 14, 2010. Now researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Georgia will try to create their own version of an extremophile, one unlike any found even in the most extreme places–a bug that will create fuels like butanol or ethanol. Dr. Robert Kelly, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, featured.
Celebrity Endorsements State of Things, May 14, 2010. Michael Cobb, associate professor of Political Science at N.C. State University, recently published a study in which he looked at the effect celebrity endorsements have on the success of politicians and political causes. Dr. Michael Cobb, Political Science, featured.
NCSU Research: Early Calcium Intake Key to Bone Development News & Observer, May 14, 2010. The early days of life may be among the most important for strong bone development, scientists at NC State University report. Dr. Chad Stahl, animal science, featured.
Kagan Makes Senate Rounds Charlotte Observer, May 13, 2010. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan encountered skeptical Senate Republicans and enthusiastic Democrats on Wednesday as she spent the day making visits to key senators who’ll be voting on her confirmation. Dr. Steven Greene, Political Science, featured.
Tainted Lettuce Not Sold In North Carolina News & Observer, May 10, 2010. Even though North Carolina was included in the recall of romaine lettuce last week, area Kroger officials say the affected lettuce was not sold here. Dr. Ben Chapman, Food Science, featured.
Researchers To Cure Blue Pill Virtualization Attacks PC World, May 7, 2010. Two researchers from North Carolina State University have developed software that they say can protect virtualization hypervisors from malicious “Blue Pill” rootkit threats. Dr. Xuxian Jiang, Computer Science, featured.
Psychology Today, May 4, 2010
Mary McGuire-Wien and her husband, Charles Wildbank, had been searching for a new home on Long Island for more than a year, but every place they’d seen was either unsuitable or unaffordable.
Study: Parents Use Negative Stereotypes To Teach Teens About Sex Rodale, May 4, 2010. If you think your teenager is an angel, while the rest of his classmates are hormone-crazed lunatics, you’re not alone. Dr. Sinikka Elliott, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Parents Don’t Think Own Teens Are Having Sex MSNBC, May 3, 2010. Many parents don’t think their kids are interested in sex, but believe that everyone else’s kids are, a new study reveals. Dr. Sinikka Elliott, Sociology and Anthropology, featured.
Medical Implants Made Of Foam? U.S. News & World Report, May 3, 2010. Scientists have developed a new lightweight “metal foam” with elasticity similar to bone that could lead to a new generation of medical implants, likely overcoming a range of problems associated with devices currently in widespread use. Dr. Afsaneh Rabiei, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, featured.
Weird Bugs, Common Bugs – He Has Them All Charlotte Observer, May 2, 2010. There’s a lot to learn from the evolution and natural history of insects. Dr. Andy Deans, Entomology, featured.
Nanodot Chips Hope To Revolutionise Data Storage Wired.UK, April 29, 2010. A tiny computer chip capable of storing billions of pages of information has been developed by an American researcher at North Carolina State University. Dr. Jay Narayan, Materials Science and Engineering, featured.
Economist: Recession Over, But Long Recovery Ahead WRAL, April 29, 2010. A North Carolina State University economist on Thursday declared that the recession that has cost thousands of jobs statewide over the past two years is over. Dr. Michael Walden, Agricultural and Resource Economics, featured.
Celebrity Endorsements Are Not Without Risk News & Observer, April 27, 2010. Ahead of next week’s primaries, candidates looking to win a little support from younger voters might hope to score some last-minute celebrity endorsements. Dr. Michael Cobb, Political Science, featured.
Celeb Support Doesn’t Help Candidates Washington Times, April 27, 2010. Celebrity endorsements have come to mean little in politics, according to a study released Monday by researchers at North Carolina State University. Dr. Michael Cobb, Political Science, featured.
Scientists Flag Possible Risks From Soy News & Observer, April 26, 2010. Recent research has raised concern about chemicals in plastic that mimic hormones and might pose risks for infants, but a similar concern is now emerging in a common food – soy. Dr. Heather Patisaul, Biology, featured.
N.C. Economy On The Up And Up News & Observer, April 25, 2010. Economists are increasingly coming to the conclusion that the recession that began in December 2007 is over. Dr. Michael Walden, Agricultural and Resource Economics, featured.
Car That Drives Itself Gets Closer To Reality BBC News, April 23, 2010. Cars that can stay in a motorway lane without the help of a human driver are being developed by researchers at North Carolina State University. Dr. Wesley Snyder, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Experts: iPad’s Bumps Entering College Market Are Temporary USA Today, April 23, 2010. North Carolina State University is loaning iPads to its students through its library.
Natural Playgrounds Are Growing Into A National Trend USA Today, April 22, 2010. The playground of the future is beginning to take shape — and it looks a lot like the backyard of the past. Robin Moore, Landscape Architecture, featured.
As AAU Admits Georgia Tech to Its Exclusive Club, Other Universities Await the Call Chronicle of Higher Education, April 21, 2010. “The AAU is the pre-eminent research-intensive membership group. To be a part of that organization is something N.C. State aspires to.” Dr. Randy Woodson, Chancellor, featured.
Lewis At Crossroads Of History News & Observer, April 21, 2010. The central symbol of Ken Lewis’ Senate campaign is a 16-year-old photograph featuring his 100-year-old grandmother, the daughter of a slave, with his baby daughter. Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Study: Brain Exercises Don’t Improve Cognition TIME, April 20, 2010. “It’s really time for researchers to think about a broad or holistic approach that exercises or trains the mind in general in order to start to improve cognition more broadly.”
Kindle Failed Tests at Several Colleges. Will iPads Do Better? Chronicle of Higher Education, April 20, 2010. North Carolina State University’s library purchased 30 iPads that officials are lending to students for four-hour periods.
Long Live The Queens In NC Charlotte Observer, April 19, 2010 They’re out to save the honeybee in North Carolina, and right now, they’re focused on the queens. Dr. David Tarpy, Entomology, featured.
Obama Still Seen As Ally By NC Senate Candidates News & Observer, April 18, 2010 “The president’s popularity among Democrats makes it important for the party’s candidates to draw close to him while still showing some independence on a few issues.” Dr. Andy Taylor, Political Science, featured.
Chancellor Says N.C. State Needs To Raise Its Profile WRAL, April 14, 2010 “The most important thing for N.C. State and for me as chancellor is to restore confidence and trust in the leadership of the institution, and the best way to do that is to do my job and to do it transparently and effectively.” Dr. Randy Woodson, Chancellor, featured.
N.C. State Prototype Car Steers Itself WRAL, April 14, 2010 Remember the 1960s TV cartoon ‘The Jetsons’ and George Jetson having the option to steer his space car or to let a computer steer for him? Dr. Wesley Snyder, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Meet Steve Kalland State of Things, April 12, 2010 The North Carolina Solar Center traces its beginnings to an experimental solar-powered house that N.C. State engineers built in 1981. Steve Kalland, Solar Center, featured.
How The Web Makes Cleaner Kitchens Charlotte Observer, April 12, 2010 His mission is to reduce gastrointestinal illnesses from microbes known to travel on raw or undercooked foods, including shellfish, fresh fruits and vegetables, ground beef, peanut butter and salami. Dr. Ben Chapman, Family and Consumer Sciences, featured.
New Manufacturing Method Promises Cheaper, Greener Ceramics Gizmag, April 9, 2010 Researchers from North Carolina State University, however, have recently discovered a new way of shaping ceramics. Dr. Hans Conrad, Material Science and Engineering, featured.
Technology In The Classroom NBC 17, April 9, 2010 This tech-savvy generation takes to new gadgets quickly, but professors say the downside is that many students don’t have a good grasp on the basics of the content. Dr. Jason Swarts, English, featured.
New Computer Program To Take The Wheel From Drifting Drivers Gizmag, April 6, 2010 Wayward drivers could soon be getting a nudge in the right direction thanks to a computer program created by researchers from North Carolina State University. Dr. Wesley Snyder, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Forensic Entomologists Use Flies To Help Solve Crimes WRAL, April 6, 2010 Investigators often turn to entomologists for help solving violent crimes. Dr. Wes Watson, Entomology, featured.
Boosting Software Speed By Up To 20 Percent Gizmag, April 6, 2010 Researchers from North Carolina State University have come up with a way to break up such programs into different threads, resulting in a 20 percent increase in run speed. Devesh Tiwari, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
New Memory Management Method Gives Multicore Boost To Apps Ars Technica, April 6, 2010 Making serial software—programs where a series of operations happen in strict sequential order—exploit multicore processors is a pressing problem. A group at North Carolina State University has developed a technique that gives these serial programs a greater degree of parallelism automatically, yielding performance improvements of some 20 percent in real-world programs.
Fossil Turtle Had Extra-Thick Shell To Fend Off World’s Largest Snake Wired, April 6, 2010 A new fossil turtle species discovered in a Colombian coal mine had a shell as thick as a 400-page book, which may have protected it from crocodiles and the world’s biggest known snake. Edwin Cadena, Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Science, featured.
Braille Displays Promise to Deliver the Web to the Blind Scientific American, April 5, 2010 North Carolina State University researchers take the first steps toward making an affordable and more dynamic Braille display Drs. Neil Di Spigna and Peichun Yang, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
They Speak Their Minds and Mind Their Manners News & Observer, April 5, 2010 “Anger, fear, these are powerful, and there’s a lot of interesting political science research on the power of emotions. Negative emotions seem to be more politically effective. It’s a shame.” Dr. Steven Greene, Political Science, featured.
Staying Strong In Video Games News & Observer, April 5, 2010 “North Carolinians have long shown their understanding of the role that high-tech can play in our economy. Our local games industry has proven its ability to make sustained contributions to our economy.” Dr. Michael Young, Computer Science, featured.
Rare frogs find a military home Charlotte Observer, April 4, 2010 Amid a daily percussion of artillery fire and munitions explosions, a rare amphibian migration began at Fort Bragg in early March. Dr. Nick Haddad, Biology, featured.
Floating Islands A Pollution Solution News & Observer, April 4, 2010 NC State University and the city of Durham launched 16 ‘floating islands’ this week in an experiment to see whether a Carrboro company’s product helps rid ponds of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. Dr. Bill Hunt, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, featured.
Shaping Schools For Students Who Are Poor News & Observer, April 4, 2010 “Educators do have control over school variables that affect achievement. Across the nation, the instruction, materials, students’ school experiences and expertise of teachers are of lower quality in schools serving children of poverty than in schools serving middle-class kids.” Dr. Ellen McIntyre, Elementary Education, featured.
N.C. Forests Center Of Clean-Energy Debates Charlotte Observer, April 3, 2010 Environmental and green energy advocates are challenging Duke Energy’s plans to burn wood in two of its coal-fired power plants, saying efforts to meet a new clean-energy standard could hurt the state’s forests. Dr. Robert Abt, Forestry and Environmental Resources, featured.
Cash-Poor Cities Take On Unions Wall Street Journal, April 1, 2010 “Pressure has been building for years to cut government benefits, with the financial crisis accelerating that.” Dr. Lee Craig, Economics, featured.
Hydraulics Could Enable Fullscreen Braille Display Wired, March 30, 2010 Researchers from North Carolina State University now say they have devised a display that would allow visually challenged users to read a full page at a time — and at a much lower cost than existing displays. Dr. Peichun Yang, Electrical and Computer Engineering, featured.
Why the Democrats will lose House seats News & Observer, March 29, 2010 In the wake of last week’s historic passage of major health care reform legislation, the political focus is on the implications for this fall’s congressional elections. Dr. Steven Greene, Political Science, featured.
Sony Zaps Playstation 3 ‘Install Other OS’ Feature PC World, March 29, 2010 When the company’s newest PlayStation 3 firmware update drops on April 1, it’ll remove a beloved feature once trumpeted as a system sale-maker. Dr. Frank Mueller, Computer Science, featured.
He led NCSU out of crisis News & Observer, March 27, 2010 Woodward is credited with bringing an almost Zen-like calm to a troubled campus and then tackling several potentially controversial tasks that could have saddled Woodson with unpleasant baggage. Dr. Jim Woodward, Chancellor, featured.
End The War On Fat Slate, March 25, 2010 Recently, researchers have reported that cholesterol tests — the kind most doctors administer — accurately predict heart disease risk only about 70 percent of the time, because they ignore particle size. Dr. James Otvos, Biochemistry, featured.
When Writing Class Moves Online Inside Higher Ed, March 19, 2010 “Writing program directors need not only guidelines but research that shows the impact of having too many students in online courses.” Dr. Susan Miller-Cochran, English, featured.
NCSU Guide is On Your Phone N&O, March 16, 2010 N.C. State University’s campus now tells its own story as you walk through it. An online map, dubbed WolfWalk by university library officials who introduced it last week, has made the campus interactive by taking advantage of the location-sensing abilities of smart phones. David Hiscoe, NCSU Libraries director of communication strategies, and Tito Sierra, associate head for digital library development, featured.
Professor’s Work Rendered Bombs Inert N&O, et al, March 15, 2010 On the morning of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, men and women all over the country decided to join the military. What Michael Steer decided that day probably saved the lives of some of them. Dr. Michael Steer, electrical and computer engineering, featured.
Be Careful What You Think Boston Globe, March 14, 2010 When you think about aging, what words and images come to mind? Wrinkled, forgetful, maybe feeble? You might want to rethink those, and try spry, wise, and distinguished, because our negative perceptions of our elders may have adverse effects on our own long-term health, according to a growing body of research. Dr. Tom Hess, psychology, featured.
Seeking Answers in a Maze of Health Studies NPR’s All Things Considered, March 13, 2010 We can all be forgiven these days for having a little whiplash when it comes to studies about our health. Ever hear that wine or Vitamin E or even a little pollution is good for you, only to hear that claim quickly contradicted? Dr. Stan Young, adjunct professor of statistics, featured.
Woodson Eager to Invigorate NCSU N&O, March 11, 2010 Woodson won’t officially start work until next month, but he has identified some other goals: among them, more than tripling the university’s endowment to $1 billion. NCSU has one of the smallest endowments of any research-intensive, highly-ranked university in the nation, he said. Chancellor Randy Woodson featured.
How State Workers’ Pay Really Stacks Up Seattle Times, March 6, 2010 This pattern didn’t surprise Rick Kearney, director of the School of Public and International Affairs at North Carolina State University, who has written extensively about the factors that determine state-employee compensation.
Campuses Help Students Handle Pricey Textbooks N&O, Feb. 27, 2010 N.C. State’s physics department and library have teamed up to strike a blow against a foe college students know too well: high textbook costs. Features Dr. Michael Paesler, professor and department head of physics, and Greg Raschke, associate director for collections and scholarly communication, NCSU Libraries.
NCSU House Plan Wins Praise N&O, Feb. 19, 2010 N.C. State University leaders got their first detailed look Thursday at plans for a new $3 million lakefront chancellor’s house, and the project appears to be headed for easy approval today after winning solid reviews.
North Carolina State U. Gives Students Free Access to Physics Textbook Online Chronicle of Higher Education, Feb. 12, 2010 Physics students at North Carolina State University can get their introductory-level textbooks for free, thanks to a new program. Features Dr. Michael Paesler, professor and department head of physics, and Greg Raschke, associate director for collections and scholarly communication, NCSU Libraries.
Do Blacks Truly Want to Transcend Race? New York Times, Jan. 28, 2010 “It’s important for us to remember that everyone has a race.” Dr. Blair Kelley, associate professor of history, featured.
Hispanic immigrants strain resources Marketplace, Jan. 22, 2010 “A recent study discredited a slew of stereotypes aimed at Latino workers who move to small rural towns. But in some areas, an increase in Hispanic migrants is straining school and hospital systems.” Dr. Martha Crowley, assistant professor of sociology, featured.
Debunking Latino worker stereotypes Marketplace, Jan. 21, 2010 “What we concluded is that these fears that people had that suddenly conditions would get much worse in their communities did not materialize.” Dr. Martha Crowley, assistant professor of sociology, featured.
Haiti Faces Serious Health Risks in Quake’s Wake BusinessWeek, Jan. 14, 2010 “Now you’ve got the problem, which is fairly common in disasters like this, that a lot of the infrastructure related to health is severely damaged, for example, hospitals.” Dr. Tom Birkland, William T. Kretzer Professor of Public Policy, featured.
New Partnership Aims to Strengthen Nonprofit Associations Chronicle of Philanthropy, Jan. 13, 2010 “Academic researchers can really dig deep and get much more depth and breadth of data and answer questions about what’s happening and why.” Dr. Mary Tschirhart, director of NC State’s Institute For Nonprofits, featured.
Liquid Antennas: Well Received The Economist, Jan. 12, 2010 “Besides being useful in the military applications that stimulated the project, Dr Dickey thinks this flexibility might be exploited to make stress-detectors for civil-engineering projects such as dams and bridges.” Dr. Michael Dickey, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, featured.
Why Reid’s Words Rankle Salon.com, Jan. 10, 2010 “I can’t just shrug at the notion that a light-skinned candidate is more electable in the 21st century.” Dr. Blair Kelley, associate professor of history, featured.