Matt Shipman

Sep 20, 2012

Experts: Food Safety Audits Need an Overhaul

Much of the food industry relies on third-party audits of practices, processes and facilities to ensure the food that ultimately reaches consumers is safe. But a new paper from food safety researchers at NC State and Kansas State University argues that these audits need to be overhauled in order to protect public health. Food product buyers… 

Sep 19, 2012

Fund Helps Innovation Reach the Marketplace

The Chancellor’s Innovation Fund is used for the development and advancement of ideas and discoveries at NC State. 

Sep 17, 2012

Estimating ‘Regions of Attraction’ Should Improve Computer Models of Biological Systems

Researchers have found an effective means of estimating the “regions of attraction” (ROA) when developing computer models of biological systems – improving the ability of these models to predict how a system will respond to changing conditions. But to talk about that, we probably need to explain what an ROA is – and why it… 

Sep 12, 2012

5 Things You Should Know About Parents, Teens, Sex Ed and ‘The Talk’

Editor’s Note: This guest post was written by Dr. Sinikka Elliott, an assistant professor of sociology at NC State and author of the new book “Not My Kid: What Parents Believe about the Sex Lives of Their Teenagers.” The Abstract has previously featured Sinikka’s research on “hooking up” and parental views of teen sexuality. 1). Parents… 

Sep 11, 2012

Researchers Devise More Accurate Method for Predicting Hurricane Activity

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new method for forecasting seasonal hurricane activity that is 15 percent more accurate than previous techniques. 

Sep 10, 2012

Researchers Craft Program to Stop Cloud Computer Problems Before They Start

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new software tool to prevent performance disruptions in cloud computing systems by automatically identifying and responding to potential anomalies before they can develop into problems. 

Sep 7, 2012

Study Finds How BPA Affects Gene Expression, Anxiety; Soy Mitigates Effects

New research led by researchers at North Carolina State University shows that exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) early in life results in high levels of anxiety by causing significant gene expression changes in a specific region of the brain called the amygdala. The researchers also found that a soy-rich diet can mitigate these… 

Sep 5, 2012

Researchers Develop Technique to Remotely Control Cockroaches

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a technique that uses an electronic interface to remotely control, or steer, cockroaches. “Our aim was to determine whether we could create a wireless biological interface with cockroaches, which are robust and able to infiltrate small spaces,” says Alper Bozkurt, an assistant professor of electrical engineering at… 

Aug 31, 2012

Researchers Develop New, Less Expensive Nanolithography Technique

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed a new nanolithography technique that is less expensive than other approaches and can be used to create technologies with biomedical applications. 

Aug 30, 2012

NC State Leads National Effort to Evaluate Fresh Water Sustainability in the Southern U.S.

North Carolina State University is leading a four-year federal research effort to evaluate freshwater sustainability across the southern United States and develop policy recommendations on what can be done to make the best use of water supplies in the face of population growth and the effects of climate change over the next 10 to 30… 

Aug 29, 2012

Bee Economy: Honey, Mites and Diesel Drive Pollination Fees

Many crops rely on pollination by honey bees and, as a result, there’s a market for the services of professional beekeepers and their bees. And the cost of those services has been on the rise. What’s driven the increase in pollination fees over the past 20 years? A new study from North Carolina State University… 

Aug 28, 2012

Helping Water Reclamation Projects Account for ‘Yuck Factor’

With more than half of the continental United States in the grip of drought, the need to make the most of our water resources is more apparent than ever. One of the tools that can be used to make efficient use of our water supplies is water reclamation – but water managers and utilities have… 

Aug 27, 2012

NC State Photo Exhibit Highlights Historic Civil Rights Marches

What: North Carolina State University is hosting the black-and-white photo exhibit “Selma to Montgomery: A March for the Right to Vote.” The exhibit consists of 46 black-and-white photos by Spider Martin, who documented the series of civil rights marches in 1965 that focused on convincing Alabama Gov. George Wallace to enact legislation to secure voting… 

Aug 23, 2012

Origami Inspires Research Into Materials That Self-Assemble When Exposed to Light

A multi-university research team led by North Carolina State University will be developing methods to create two-dimensional (2-D) materials capable of folding themselves into three-dimensional (3-D) objects when exposed to light. The effort, which is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF), is inspired by origami and has a broad range of… 

Aug 21, 2012

Researchers Highlight Treatment, Research Needs for Homeless Families

A new paper from North Carolina State University calls for more research on how to help homeless families with children who are facing mental-health problems, as well as changes in how shelters are treating these families.