research news

Apr 27, 2009

New Human Movement Model Can Aid In Studying Epidemic Outbreaks, Public Planning

Researchers have developed a new statistical model that simulates human mobility patterns, mimicking the way people move over the course of a day, a month or longer. The model, developed by scientists at North Carolina State University and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), is the first to represent the regular movement… 

Apr 23, 2009

Benefits Count for Community College Faculty

Benefits matter when it comes to job satisfaction among part-time faculty at community colleges. That's the conclusion of a study co-authored by Dr. Paul D. Umbach, associate professor of education. 

Apr 22, 2009

Think Memory Worsens With Age? Then Yours Probably Will

Thinking your memory will get worse as you get older may actually be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that senior citizens who think older people should perform poorly on tests of memory actually score much worse than seniors who do not buy in to negative stereotypes about aging and… 

Apr 16, 2009

NC State Study Shows How To Deflect Asteroids and Save The Earth

You may want to thank David French in advance. Because, in the event that a comet or asteroid comes hurtling toward Earth, he may be the guy responsible for saving the entire planet. French, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University, has determined a way to effectively divert asteroids and other… 

Apr 10, 2009

Taking the resistance out of drug-resistant infections

New NC State chemical compounds break up biofilms, make antibiotics work again It started out as a research project focused on getting rid of harmful bacterial accumulations called biofilms. Now it has the potential to make conventional antibiotics work against stubborn, drug-resistant bacteria. This unexpected development might have come as a surprise to the North Carolina… 

Apr 7, 2009

Tiny Super-Plant Can Clean Up Hog Farms and Be Used For Ethanol Production

Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that a tiny aquatic plant can be used to clean up animal waste at industrial hog farms and potentially be part of the answer for the global energy crisis. Their research shows that growing duckweed on hog wastewater can produce five to six times more starch per… 

Apr 6, 2009

States That Vote Early Can Reap Benefits If They Pick a Winner

The 2008 presidential campaign season had the earliest statewide primaries and caucuses in memory, starting with the Iowa Caucus on Jan. 3. Now new research from North Carolina State University shows that states may have good reason to push for an early contest. States that hold early presidential primaries or caucuses get a larger share… 

Mar 26, 2009

New Spectrometer

NC State unveiled a time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometer at the Analytical Instrumentation Facility on Centennial Campus last week. 

Mar 26, 2009

Tap Into Stimulus Dollars

The recession isn't all bad news. A new campus Web site helps researchers tap into federal stimulus dollars. 

Mar 23, 2009

New Inhaler System Could Be Breakthrough for Disease Treatment

Two North Carolina State University engineers have developed a new inhaler system that could improve treatments for a host of diseases by targeting drugs onto diseased tissue without affecting healthy areas of the throat and lungs. 

Mar 18, 2009

Mussels, Inkjet Printer May Hold Key to Faster Healing From Surgeries

Using the natural glue that marine mussels use to stick to rocks, and a variation on the inkjet printer, a team of researchers led by North Carolina State University has devised a new way of making medical adhesives that could replace traditional sutures and result in less scarring and increased precision for exacting operations such… 

Mar 17, 2009

Studies Show That Nice Guys Finish First in Business World

When it comes to leading a team tasked with developing new products and bringing them to market, new research from North Carolina State University shows that being nice and playing well with others gives you a very real competitive advantage. One new study shows that project managers can get much better performance from their team… 

Mar 10, 2009

Traffic Markings May Be Brighter on the Other Side, Study Shows

A new study from North Carolina State University shows that painted road markings, such as the lines separating traffic lanes, are significantly better at reflecting headlights in the direction that the paint was applied. This finding will help determine how states comply with new federal safety regulations and save money on painting their roadways. 

Mar 5, 2009

New Assistant Dean of Research

Mitzi Montoya, Zelnak Professor of Marketing Innovation in the College of Management, has been named assistant dean of research for the college. 

Mar 3, 2009

New Design May Mean Less Expensive, More Sustainable Structures

People are always looking for ways to make something less expensive and more environmentally friendly – and a team of researchers from North Carolina State University has figured out how to do both of those things at once when building the parking garages of the future.