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Imagine filling up your car with fuel that comes from inexpensive algae that grow quickly, don’t use up freshwater supplies and can be cultivated in areas where they won’t compete with traditional food crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers at North Carolina State University are working to make that a reality, with a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Continue Reading »

Many pundits professed the dawn of a “post-racial” era following the election of Barack Obama as the first African-American president. But race and interracial relations still stir deep emotions in the public and in the press. Evidence includes the recent furor over President Carter’s recent comments suggesting race is contributing to criticism of Obama’s presidential platform, and national debate stemming from the recent incident involving Harvard professor Dr. Henry Louis Gates and Cambridge, Mass., police. Dr. Rupert Nacoste, of North Carolina State University, has made a lifelong study of interracial dynamics, and can contribute historical context and key insights into the current state of race relations.

Nacoste, a professor of psychology at NC State, says “we are not in a post-racial era, we are in the midst of a period of interracial transition.” The Civil Rights era was a period of interracial transition that dealt with race relations at the institutional level, resulting in far-reaching legislative initiatives aimed at issues such as voting rights and desegregation. Nacoste says the current period of transition is revolving around individuals rather than institutions, and addresses how people are dealing with race in their interpersonal relationships.

Nacoste says that issues being grappled with in this current transition period include, “How and why does the presence of race influence the ways in which people try to interact with each other; what social mistakes arise from these interactions; and how can these interracial interactions be improved? Stereotypes still do real damage, and that is something needs to be addressed.”

For example, Nacoste says that research shows that “confronting a person in a polite way when they use racial stereotypes or slurs results in that person being less likely to use that stereotype again. We let stereotypes live by not speaking up – each of us has the power to influence another person. By speaking up during that interaction moment, each of us can create a quiet revolution against the stereotypes we still carry around.”

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Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone, William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University and Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Pioneer Award, one of only 18 such honors handed out this year.

The Pioneer Award supports individual scientists of exceptional creativity who propose pioneering – and possibly transforming – approaches to major challenges in biomedical and behavioral research. Awards are for up to $500,000 per year for five years.

A recognized chemist and polymer expert, DeSimone develops groundbreaking solutions in “green” manufacturing and promising applications in gene therapy, drug delivery and medical devices.

DeSimone will use the award to develop new methods for delivering promising biological therapeutics – such as proteins, antibodies and nucleic acids – to specific locations in the body in a safe and effective fashion. Such methods and therapies could be used to treat many different diseases – including cancer, autoimmune, inflammatory, metabolic, cardiovascular, ophthalmologic and numerous infectious diseases – as well as neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and for the treatment of pain. The research will build on DeSimone’s existing work, including his invention of techniques for mass-producing “custom made” micro- and nanoparticles tailored to have specific sizes, shapes and surface properties.

DeSimone joined the NC State faculty in 1994 and the UNC-Chapel Hill faculty in 1990. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1990.

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Researchers at North Carolina State University have received a three-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Center for Chemical Innovation (NSF-CCI) to pursue research in the emerging field of  molecular spintronics. The grant will fund a center for molecular spintronics at NC State and support a research coalition between scientists at NC State and UNC-Chapel Hill with the aim of using this technology to develop smaller, faster, more energy-efficient electronic devices with increased storage capability.

Dr. David Shultz, professor of chemistry, is the principal investigator. NC State co-PIs include Drs. Dan Dougherty, Marco Buongiorno-Nardelli, Jack Rowe (physics), Joe Tracy (materials science and engineering) and Gail Jones (math, science and technology education). The grant is one of four awarded nationally by the NSF.

Molecular spintronics refers to the use of designed molecules containing electrons that are not involved in chemical bonds. These electrons have small magnetic fields which can then be    utilized to power electronic devices with more memory storage capability, faster operation and lower energy usage.

“This is a combination of materials science and chemistry that goes beyond mere  nanotechnology,” Shultz says, “and that has the advantage of taking the field of electronics beyond the current limitations we have when working with materials like silicon.”

The grant also allows the research team to focus on outreach and training for a new generation of scientists specializing in this technology by providing funding for graduate courses and other educational activities.

“It is an effort not only to use designed molecules to build new devices, but also to train future researchers and workers who can bring this technology into the world and marketplace,” Buongiorno-Nardelli says.

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A North Carolina State University researcher has received an $800,000 grant from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to explore ways to reuse or otherwise safely dispose of waste from nuclear power plants.

Dr. Gary Mitchell, professor of physics at NC State, will serve as lead investigator on the project titled, “Cross Sections, Level Densities and Strength Functions.”

“Nuclear energy is easier to utilize than solar or wind energy, but if we want to start thinking about building more reactors to help alleviate our dependence on fossil fuels, we have to have a solution to dealing with the byproducts from those reactors,” Mitchell says. “What we’re looking at is an alternate fuel cycle that produces a different sort of waste, and at reusing this waste in order to reduce the total amount of nuclear waste.”

The award is part of more than $20 million in NNSA grants awarded to 28 researchers from 18 states. This award was made possible through the NNSA’s Stewardship Science Academic Alliances (SSAA) program.

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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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Dr. Warwick Arden, interim provost and dean of College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University, has been named president of the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC). The appointment for the 2009-10 term is effective immediately.

The AAVMC coordinates the affairs of veterinary colleges in the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, representing more than 4,000 faculty, 5,000 staff, 10,000 students and 3,000 graduate students. Its more than 60 member institutions include selected departments of veterinary science, comparative medicine and veterinary medical education institutions.

As president, Arden heads the 11-member board of directors that works with the AAVMC national staff in reviewing recommendations and reports from the association’s numerous standing committees and task forces.

“This is a challenging time for our colleges as we seek to meet changing societal demands for veterinary expertise,” Arden says. “Ours is an exceptionally diverse profession and the AAVMC is committed to training outstanding graduates who not only care for companion animals, horses, food animals and wildlife, but who support global public health by ensuring food safety and food security, investigating infectious diseases, advancing the frontiers of comparative medicine through leading biomedical research, and serving as stewards of our precious ecosystems.”

Arden, who was appointed as NC State’s interim provost in May, became dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2004. He served as professor and head of the Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign prior to coming to NC State. Arden received his degree in veterinary science from the University of Sydney, Australia, and received his board certification in veterinary surgery from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1990.

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Faculty and staff are invited to an open forum on the university’s budget on Thursday, July 9 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in Stewart Theatre, located in the Talley Student Center.

Interim Provost Warwick Arden and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Business Charles Leffler will discuss current budget planning and reductions. Time will be allotted for a question-and-answer session.

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Three North Carolina State University faculty members have been chosen to participate in the Fulbright Scholars Program to teach and study abroad in the 2009-2010 academic year.

Each year Fulbright grants are awarded to researchers, teachers and administrators of universities around the world. The grants allow for up to one year of research abroad at host universities. The recipients are chosen on the basis of academic or professional achievement, and leadership potential in their respective fields.

This year’s Fulbright Scholars are Dr. William J. Kinsella, an associate professor in the Department of Communication, Dr. Nora Haenn, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and Dr. Bronson Bullock, an associate professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.

Haenn received the Fulbright Council for International Exchange of Scholars grant to commence researching the effects of international migration alongside Mexican colleagues at El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR) in Mexico. She will be looking at communities located in the country’s rural and tropical south where she will consider how women take on full household responsibility once their husbands migrate. Haenn will be researching farm families to document how they spend finances and whether these expenditures entail investments in new kinds of land use that change tropical ecologies. Also, she will be examining how local governments plan for the social and economic changes that are associated with migration.

Kinsella will study in Germany at the University of Stuttgart from March to June of 2010. He will undertake a research project titled “Nuclear Energy in Germany: Institutional, Political, and Public Communication in a Changing Social Context.” He will also lecture on “Communication Perspectives on Energy and Environmental Issues.”

Bullock will perform research and lecture at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Umeå, Sweden, where he will collaborate on forest biometrics research and teaching with faculty in the Department of Forest Resource Management. The Fulbright Scholarship will be used to refine current forest growth models used in estimating growth in Swedish forests. This research will increase the accuracy of forest growth projections that are used to make natural resource management decisions in Sweden. Bullock will also co-teach two graduate level courses and one undergraduate course.

The Fulbright Scholar Program was established in 1946 under the late Senator J. William Fulbright of Arkansas’ proposed legislation and is the most prestigious international exchange program for Scholars. The U.S. Department of State sponsors the program and the Department of Education administers the Fulbright-Hays award. The program’s purpose is to build a mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the rest of the world.

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Dr. Jim Woodward has been named interim chancellor of North Carolina State University, bringing years of administrative experience and leadership to the university.

“I have a special affinity for NC State that has grown since my time as a professor here,” Woodward said. “This institution is critical to the state of North Carolina and to the nation in preparing future leaders and conducting groundbreaking research. We must all continue to work together to move this university forward and continue its rich tradition of service and excellence.”

Woodward, who started work at NC State June 9, previously served as the chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 1989 to 2005. During his tenure at UNC Charlotte, Woodward oversaw the significant expansion of the school to over 19,000 students; the awarding of the school’s first doctoral degrees; and the largest fundraising campaign in the school’s history.

While serving at UNC Charlotte, Woodward also chaired the UNC System’s Information Technology Strategy Network Infrastructure Assessment Task Force. Woodward also served as a member on the UNC Tomorrow Commission and the North Carolina Education Lottery Commission.

Prior to serving at UNC Charlotte, Woodward, an aerospace engineer, had been dean of engineering and senior vice president of academic affairs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). He worked at UAB from 1969-1989.

Woodward taught as an assistant professor in the engineering mechanics department of NC State’s College of Engineering in the 1968-69 academic year. Woodward received his Ph.D. in engineering mechanics from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1967, and his MBA from UAB in 1973.

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