Matt Shipman

Jan 13, 2014

Higher Ed Leader Freeman Hrabowski to Speak at NC State

What: Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III, chair of President Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans and president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, will be speaking on “Institutional Culture Change: Fostering Inclusive Excellence and Academic Innovation.” Hrabowski was named one of the “100 Most Influential People in the World” by TIME Magazine… 

Jan 8, 2014

Study Shows ‘Readability’ Scores Are Largely Inaccurate

Teachers, parents and textbook companies use technical “readability” formulas to determine how difficult reading materials are and to set reading levels by age group. But new research from North Carolina State University shows that the readability formulas are usually inaccurate and offer little insight into which age groups will be able to read and understand… 

Jan 7, 2014

New, Simple Technique May Drive Down Biofuel Production Costs

Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which may drive down the cost of biofuel production. 

Jan 6, 2014

New Technique Targets Specific Areas of Cancer Cells With Different Drugs

Researchers have developed a technique for creating nanoparticles that carry two different cancer-killing drugs into the body and deliver those drugs to separate parts of the cancer cell where they will be most effective. The technique was developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Jan 2, 2014

Researchers Find Ways for More Efficient Control of Wind Power

NOTE: This release has been revised since it was first posted Jan. 2. In the initial version, we stated that wind power’s potential to have a negative impact on the grid were primarily due to the variability of the wind. In fact, wind power’s potential to have a positive or negative impact on the grid… 

Dec 11, 2013

Science You Can Use: Engineer Designs Mug to Keep Coffee Temperature Just Right

Some people think that university researchers are so occupied with their laboratories that they’ve lost sight of the world outside the ivory tower of academia. I would refer those people to Logan Maxwell, a researcher at NC State who has developed a coffee mug that will keep your coffee hot – but not too hot –… 

Dec 10, 2013

Study Raises Questions About Longstanding Forensic Identification Technique

Forensic experts have long used the shape of a person’s skull to make positive identifications of human remains. But those findings may now be called into question, since a new study from North Carolina State University shows that there is not enough variation in skull shapes to make a positive ID. 

Dec 10, 2013

Can You Tell Which Skull Is Which?

A recent study from NC State forensic anthropologists found that even forensic experts have a hard time making a positive identification of human remains based on the shape of a person’s skull. Specifically, only 56 percent of forensic anthropology Ph.D.s (the bone experts) could correctly match two images of the same skull, based solely on the… 

Dec 9, 2013

Researchers Develop System for Assessing How Effective Species Are at Pollinating Crops

From tomatoes to pumpkins, most fruit and vegetable crops rely on pollination by bees and other insect species – and the future of many of those species is uncertain. Now researchers from North Carolina State University are proposing a set of guidelines for assessing the performance of pollinator species in order to determine which species… 

Dec 5, 2013

Database Tracks Toxic Side Effects of Pharmaceuticals

Sometimes the cure can be worse than the disease. Pharmaceutical drugs are known for their potential side effects, and an important aspect of personalized medicine is to tailor therapies to individuals to reduce the chances of adverse events. Now researchers from North Carolina State University have updated an extensive toxicology database so that it can… 

Dec 4, 2013

Inventor, Electronics Innovator Baliga Wins IEEE’s Highest Award

Dr. Jayant Baliga, a Distinguished University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at North Carolina State University and founding director of the university’s Power Semiconductor Research Center, has received the Medal of Honor from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Previous winners of the award include radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi and microchip co-inventor… 

Dec 4, 2013

Working Odd Shifts Can Hurt Parent-Child Relationships

Research from North Carolina State University shows that working a job that doesn’t keep 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours can hurt the relationships between parents and adolescents, increasing the likelihood that children will engage in delinquent behaviors. However, the researchers found that in some circumstances, an unconventional work schedule can be a benefit for… 

Dec 2, 2013

How Changing the Way We Study Gold Could Boost Communication Tech

Under the right circumstances, pushing on nothing is harder than pushing on something – at least when that “something” is gold. That’s the finding from a new materials science paper, and it’s a finding that could expedite the development of new wireless communication technologies. The Problem At issue are ohmic radio frequency microelectricalmechanical systems switches… 

Nov 25, 2013

Researchers Use Nanoscale ‘Patches’ to Sensitize Targeted Cell Receptors

Researchers from North Carolina State University and Duke University have developed nanoscale “patches” that can be used to sensitize targeted cell receptors, making them more responsive to signals that control cell activity. The finding holds promise for promoting healing and facilitating tissue engineering research. 

Nov 25, 2013

Companies That Screen Social Media Accounts Alienate Job Candidates

Research from North Carolina State University shows companies that screen the social media accounts of job applicants alienate potential employees – making it harder for them to attract top job candidates.  In some cases, social media screening even increases the likelihood that job candidates may take legal action against the offending company.