April 2008

Apr 18, 2008

NC State Celebrates Earth Day With Week of Activities

North Carolina State University will celebrate Earth Week 2008 with a full week of events from Monday, April 21 through Friday, April 25. All events are open to the public. The theme of this year’s Earth Week is “Energy. Environment. Everyone.” Students, staff and faculty have organized a week packed with activities designed to educate… 

Apr 17, 2008

Erskine Bowles to Serve As NC State Spring Commencement Speaker

Erskine Bowles, president of the University of North Carolina system, will deliver North Carolina State University’s commencement address on Saturday, May 10, at the RBC Center in Raleigh. The commencement ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. During the ceremony, Chancellor James Oblinger will confer honorary degrees on behalf of NC State to three distinguished recipients: Pat… 

Apr 17, 2008

First-Year Students More Likely to Drop Out if Taught by Part-Time Faculty, NC State Expert Says

First-year college students enrolled in introductory-level courses taught by part-time or adjunct faculty are more likely to drop out, according to a study by researchers at North Carolina State University. The study examined four public universities and found a direct link between part-time faculty teaching so-called “gatekeeper” courses and student retention. Students exposed to these… 

Apr 16, 2008

NC State Researcher’s HIV Findings May Lead to New Treatment Strategies

In a surprising finding, researchers at North Carolina State University have discovered that HIV can cause portions of the body’s innate immune system, when stimulated, to actually increase the virus’ replication. The finding could lead to a change in therapeutic strategies for HIV patients. Dr. Gregg Dean, professor of immunopathology at NC State, led the research… 

Apr 15, 2008

NC State to Host UNC Tomorrow Open Forum

North Carolina State University will host an open forum to give faculty, staff and students an opportunity to comment on, ask questions about and make recommendations to a report detailing NC State’s response to UNC Tomorrow – a charge from the University of North Carolina system that its branch campuses become even more responsive to the… 

Apr 11, 2008

Dr. Toby Parcel Stepping Down as College of Humanities and Social Sciences Dean; Will Return to Faculty

Dr. Toby L. Parcel has announced that she will be stepping down from her position as dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS) at North Carolina State University effective May 15 in order to increase her personal focus on teaching and research. Parcel will be joining the faculty in the college’s Department… 

Apr 9, 2008

Active Hurricane Season Predicted for 2008

According to researchers at North Carolina State University, the 2008 hurricane season looks to be an active one; however, the number of storms that will have the potential to make landfall is close to that for an average year. According to Dr. Lian Xie, professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences at NC State, and graduate… 

Apr 8, 2008

NC State Expert Says China Is Backing Away From Human Rights Claims As Olympics Nears

The People’s Republic of China is “over a barrel” when it comes to human rights, says North Carolina State University professor and China expert Dr. J. Oliver Williams. “Chinese officials told the International Olympic Committee that the best way to improve human rights in China was to bring the Olympics there, but things haven’t gone… 

Apr 7, 2008

Making Peace Possible is Focus for NC State Carnegie Scholars Fellow

The peaceful resolution of religious conflicts is crucial to addressing political and military conflict around the world. North Carolina State University’s Dr. Anna Bigelow has been awarded a $99,500 fellowship by the Carnegie Scholars Program to advance research and discussion of what makes peace possible. Bigelow, an assistant professor of religious studies at NC State, will… 

Apr 3, 2008

Science Olympiad Invites Best and Brightest to Compete at NC State

North Carolina State University will host more than 2,000 rocket-firing, egg-launching, and robot-building students from 150 middle and high schools across the state for the finals of the North Carolina Science Olympiad (NCSO) on Friday and Saturday, April 4-5. 

Apr 3, 2008

Researchers Identify Genes Key to Hormone Production in Plants

Researchers at North Carolina State University have pinpointed a small group of genes responsible for “telling” plants when, where and how to produce a hormone that is key to their development. Their findings shed light on the ways in which hormone production in plants affects both a plant’s growth and its ability to adapt to… 

Apr 2, 2008

Two NC State Students Win Coveted Goldwater Scholarships

North Carolina State University students Lauren Jackson of Wilkesboro, N.C., a junior majoring in materials science and engineering, and Nicole Kroeger of Apex, N.C., a sophomore majoring in mathematics, have won prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships for the 2008-2009 academic year. Jackson and Kroeger are among 321 recipients of the honor selected from a field… 

Apr 2, 2008

Study: Organic, Sustainable Soils ‘Healthier’ Than Conventional Soils

In a study of soils found on crop-producing N.C. farms, North Carolina State University researchers found that soils on farms that used organic or sustainable production methods had lower levels of Southern blight disease and were overall “healthier” than soils on farms using conventional farming methods. The study showed that Southern blight disease, a common… 

Apr 2, 2008

Energy Leader Norris To Present NC State’s Entrepreneurs Lecture

Entrepreneur and energy industry expert John F. Norris Jr. will share his insights and expertise as part of this year’s North Carolina State University Entrepreneurs’ Lecture Series. Norris will speak at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 14, at the McKimmon Center on NC State’s campus. A reception will follow at 5:30 p.m. The event is free… 

Apr 1, 2008

NC State Hosts Arab League Diplomat Lecture on Iraq, Israel and the Future of U.S.-Arab Relations

North Carolina State University will host a public lecture on Thursday, April 3, by Ambassador Hesham Youssef, the chief of staff of the Arab League of Nations, on some of today’s hot-button issues in the Middle East – including the war in Iraq and relations between Israel and Palestine. The Arab League is the equivalent…