Source: David Soldan, 785-532-5534, soldan@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Jennifer Torline, 785-532-0847, jtorline@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010

K-STATE PROFESSORS USE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRANT TO HELP MILITARY VETERANS EARN ENGINEERING DEGREES

MANHATTAN -- Three Kansas State University electrical and computer engineering professors will use a National Science Foundation grant for a project to help military veterans enter the work force at an accelerated pace.

Professors David Soldan, Don Gruenbacher and Noel Schulz will use the $146,000 grant for "From Defense to Degree: Accelerating Engineering Degree Opportunities for Military Veterans." The project offers veterans accelerated undergraduate and graduate programs in electrical engineering, helping them obtain jobs more quickly, especially in energy systems.

The professors developed the idea in conjunction with the Post 9-11 GI Bill, which provides recent military veterans with up to 36 months of educational benefits, including financial support and housing allowances.

K-State's close relationship with Fort Riley and other military institutions, as well as its long-standing reputation as a military-inclusive university, make it an ideal place to develop such a program, Soldan said.

"These military veterans are unbelievably motivated and capable and possess relevant operation experience, making them a great fit for advanced education and occupational opportunity in this technical field," said Soldan, the project's principal investigator. "I think the ability to transition them from military service into the global work force in an efficient way is not only possible -- it is something that we have a responsibility to do."

Soldan personally understands the benefits of the GI Bill -- he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971-1975, and the bill helped him earn his master's and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering at K-State.

The military project focuses on two areas: to help military veterans earn undergraduate degrees and to help those veterans with bachelor's degrees in related fields earn master's degrees. Veterans will be able to earn the degrees on an accelerated basis, depending on their technical work in the military. The project focuses on electrical engineering, and within that, energy systems, because many veterans have specialized experience in those areas. Soldan said military veterans entering the engineering work force will help address shortages that are forecasted because of retiring engineers.

"One of the things we're trying to do is better understand the existing knowledge level of these veterans because they have been working in technology in relevant operational contexts," Soldan said. "Developing and implementing a tailored curriculum that recognizes their knowledge and experience can serve as a powerful enabler in growing this professional work force, as well as provide excellent career opportunities for former military members."

The program will also provide military veterans with paid internships through the K-State Electrical Power Affiliate Program, which allows electrical power industries to support engineering students in electric power and energy systems. General Dynamics and several affiliates of the program, including Burns & McDonnell, Westar Energy and Omaha Public Power District, have already written letters of support for beginning the military project at K-State.

Schulz, K-State's Paslay professor of electrical and computer engineering, is director of the Electrical Power Affiliate Program, and Gruenbacher is the head of the electrical and computer engineering department. Soldan, Schulz and Gruenbacher will spend the school year gathering a test group of 10 to 12 current students who are veterans and can help develop ideas and provide feedback. The professors plan to have a formal program in place by the beginning of the 2011-2012 school year.

Although the professors are using the electrical engineering energy systems area as a starting point, they would eventually like to expand the program to other academic areas, including business, economics and foreign languages.

"This project is another compelling opportunity for K-State to employ its military-inclusive approach to ensuring success for our current and future military and veteran students," said retired Army Lt. Col. Art DeGroat, director of military affairs at K-State. "The effort that our engineering faculty are making should well achieve its goals -- and more important, provide needed insights on the national level on how best to help military veterans transition to other lucrative forms of professional service."

Source: Donna Schenck-Hamlin, 785-532-7454, donnash@k-state.edu
Website: http://www.k-state.edu/moviesonthegrass
News release prepared by: Donna Ekart, 785-532-7452, dfe@k-state.edu

Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010

FILM FESTIVAL ENTERS SIXTH YEAR ON K-STATE CAMPUS

MANHATTAN -- The Movies on the Grass film festival, now in its sixth year on the Kansas State University campus, features independent films and documentaries. This year's festival covers topics such as peace, recycling and immigration reform.

The film series is sponsored by the K-State Libraries and Sunset Zoo.

Films are showing Sunday Aug. 29, Sept. 12 and Sept. 19 on the Coffman Commons south of K-State's Hale Library. Showings begin at sundown, or shortly after 8 p.m. All films are free and open to the public. Opportunities for discussion and learning more about the films are scheduled following each showing.

The schedule for this year's festival is:

* Aug. 29, "Bag It,"byReel Thing Productions, 2010. The film looks at what happens to the billions of plastic bags produced and disposed of each year. Rain location is 105 Umberger Hall.

* Sept. 12, "A Powerful Noise," by Crawford Communications, 2008. Film features portraits of women in three countries taking on global problems with courage and imagination. Rain location is the Ecumenical Campus Ministry building, 1021 Denison Ave.

* Sept. 19, "Papers," byGraham Street Productions, 2009. Film looks at what happens following the graduation of students whose parents are undocumented workers in the U.S. Rain location is 63 Seaton Hall.

Trailers for all films are available at the festival website, http://www.k-state.edu/moviewsonthegrass. More information on the movies and the festival is available from Donna Schenck-Hamlin at donnash@k-state.edu.

Researchers from North Carolina State University have developed extremely small microneedles that can be used to deliver medically-relevant nanoscale dyes called quantum dots into skin – an advance that opens the door to new techniques for diagnosing and treating a variety of medical conditions, including skin cancer.

“We were able to fabricate hollow, plastic microneedles using a laser-based rapid-prototyping approach,” says Dr. Roger Narayan, one of the lead researchers, “and found that we could deliver a solution containing quantum dots using these microneedles.” Microneedles are very small needles in which at least one dimension – such as length – is less than one millimeter. Narayan is a professor in the joint biomedical engineering department of NC State’s College of Engineering and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“The motivation for the study was to see whether we could use microneedles to deliver quantum dots into the skin,” Narayan says. “Our findings are significant, in part, because this technology will potentially enable researchers to deliver quantum dots, suspended in solution, to deeper layers of skin. That could be useful for the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers, among other conditions.” Quantum dots are nanoscale crystals with unique properties in terms of light emission. They hold promise as a tool in medical diagnosis.The researchers created the plastic microneedles and tested them using pig skin, which has characteristics closely resembling human skin. Using a water-based solution containing quantum dots, the researchers were able to capture images of the quantum dots entering the skin using multiphoton microscopy. These images show the mechanism by which the quantum dots enter the layers of skin, allowing the researchers to verify the effectiveness of the microneedles as a delivery mechanism for quantum dots.

The imaging method used in this study, multiphoton microscopy, may have clinical applications for real-time imaging of dyes – such as quantum dots – in the skin. This could contribute to more rapid diagnosis of cancers or other medical problems.

The study is also significant because it shows that a laser-based rapid prototyping approach allows for the creation of microneedles of varying lengths and shapes. This will allow physicians to create microneedles that are customized for treatment of a specific condition.

Specifically, the microneedles were created using two-photon polymerization, an approach pioneered by NC State and Laser Zentrum Hannover for use in medical device applications. Two-photon polymerization allowed the researchers to create hollow, plastic microneedles with specific design characteristics. “Our use of this fabrication technology highlights its potential for other small-scale medical device applications,” Narayan says.

A paper describing the study, “Multiphoton microscopy of transdermal quantum dot delivery using two photon polymerization-fabricated polymer microneedles,” will be published in the September issue of Faraday Discussions. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.

The research was co-authored by Dr. Nancy Monteiro-Riviere, professor of investigative dermatology and toxicology at NC State’s Center for Chemical Toxicology Research and Pharmacokinetics; NC State Ph.D. students Shaun Gittard, Philip Miller and Ryan Boehm; Drs. Aleksandr Ovsianikov and Boris Chichkov of Laser Zentrum Hannover; and researchers from Ceramatec Inc. and MicroLin LLC & Technology Holding LLC.

-shipman-

Note to editors: The study abstract follows.

“Multiphoton microscopy of transdermal quantum dot delivery using two photon polymerization-fabricated polymer microneedles”

Authors: Shaun D. Gittard, Philip R. Miller, Ryan D. Boehm, Nancy A. Monteiro-Riviere, Roger J. Narayan, North Carolina State University; Boris Chichkov, Aleksandr Ovsianikov, Laser Zentrum Hannover; Jeremy Heiser, John Gordon, Ceramatec Inc. and MicroLin LLC & Technology Holding LLC

Published: September 2010, Faraday Discussions

Abstract: Due to their ability to serve as fluorophores and drug delivery vehicles, quantum dots are a powerful tool for theranostics-based clinical applications. In this study, microneedle devices for transdermal drug delivery were fabricated by means of two-photon polymerization of an acrylate-based polymer. We examined proliferation of cells on this polymer using neonatal human epidermal keratinocytes and human dermal fibroblasts. The microneedle device was used to inject quantum dots into porcine skin; imaging of the quantum dots was performed using multiphoton microscopy.

Press release issued 25 August 2010

Three students from the University of Bristol’s High Performance Squad have been selected to represent England in the XIX Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India [3 to 14 October 2010].

Georgie Twigg, a student in the School of Law and Charlotte Craddock, a student in the School of Geographical Sciences, will represent England in the the women's hockey.

Lawrence Clarke, a Lloyd Robinson Scholar student in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies, has been selected to represent England in the 110m hurdles.

Lawrence said: “The Games mark the beginning of my senior path through the sport and it is an honour to be included in the team at such a young age.  With London 2012 not far away I hope the experience will provide an insight into the world of international championships.

“I appreciate the help and guidance of my coaches, agent, sponsors and medical team, who have made this step possible and would also like to thank those who have recognised my efforts and achievements in the past.”

An international multi-sports event held once every four years, the Games feature competitions involving thousands of elite athletes from members of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Please contact Simon Hinks for further information.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

Vice President Joe Biden on August 24 unveiled a new analysis showing that the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's $100 billion investment in innovation is helping accelerate significant advances in science and technology. According to "The Recovery Act: Transforming the American Economy through Innovation," the United States is now on track to achieve three major energy innovation breakthroughs thanks to Recovery Act investments: cutting the cost of solar power in half by 2015; reducing the cost of batteries for electric vehicles by 70% between 2009 and 2015; and doubling U.S. renewable energy generation and renewable manufacturing capacity by 2012. Overall, the Recovery Act is impacting science, technology, and innovation projects ranging from building a nationwide smart energy grid to growing the emerging electric vehicle industry, the report notes.

The numbers are compelling, according to the report. For example, solar power is on a path to drop from $0.21 per kWh in 2009 to $0.10 per kWh in 2015, a level equivalent to household electricity rates. The cost of power from utility-scale solar projects also should drop, from $0.13 per kWh today to $0.06 in 2015, a rate equal to the cost of wholesale utility power. Further, the cost of rooftop solar power could fall to as low as $0.06 per kWh by 2030, a cost less than household rates. Another advance is a major reduction in the prices of vehicle batteries. The report projects cost of the typical all-electric vehicle (EV) battery will shrink from the current $33,000 to $10,000 in 2015, while plug-in hybrid batteries will drop from $13,000 to $4,000 apiece. These cuts will make EVs and hybrids competitive with similar non-electric vehicles.>

Additionally, the United States is poised to both double renewable energy generation and renewable manufacturing capacity by 2012, aided by more than $23 billion of Recovery Act investments. U.S. renewable energy generation capacity from wind, solar, and geothermal is expected to increase 100% by 2012, going from the 28.8 gigawatts (GW) installed as of 2008 to 57.6 GW by the end of 2011. That amount of renewable energy will be enough to power 16.7 million homes. Finally, the Recovery Act strategy calls for the doubling of U.S. renewable energy manufacturing capacity from an annual output of 6 GW of renewable equipment (such as wind turbines or solar panels) to 12 GW by the end of 2011. See the DOE press release, the new White House Innovation Web site, and the full report (PDF 1.3 MB). Download Adobe Reader. for more information.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

DOE announced on August 20 that it is extending the application deadline for the July 2009 energy efficiency, renewable energy, and advanced transmission and distribution technologies solicitation. The Round 8, Part 1 application deadline is October 5, 2010. This gives companies an additional six weeks to apply for a loan guarantee under Section 1703, and if qualified, under Section 1705, provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The goal is to get as many commercial renewable energy projects online as possible.

Round 8 is intended to give companies additional time to develop and submit Part I applications. The Round 8 Part II application deadline is December 31, 2010. See DOE press release and the Loan Guarantee Program Web site.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

DOE announced on August 19 its selection of 119 organizations across the country that will receive nearly $120 million under the DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program. These investments will enable successful weatherization agencies to expand their programs, and will support new pilot projects to demonstrate innovative delivery, novel financial models, and new technologies. Additionally, DOE reported that of the more than 80,000 homes will be weatherized this summer; a record number of about 31,600 U.S. homes were completed in June. The leading states for the month were Illinois, with 2,957 refurbished homes, and California, with 2,701, and Texas (with 2,649). Overall, the program created more than 13,000 jobs in the second quarter of 2010 while cutting family energy expenses and reducing carbon emissions nationally. See the DOE press release and the tally of weatherized homes by state (PDF 14 KB).Download Adobe Reader.

Nearly $90 million of the American Recovery and Recovery Act funds will be awarded to 103 high-performing local providers in 27 states to enhance their existing weatherization programs. For the first time in the program's history, grantees will install renewable energy systems and cutting-edge energy efficiency technologies. These include solar heating systems, solar photovoltaic panels and shingles, small-scale wind turbines, new insulation technologies, "cool roofs, " high-efficiency appliances, tankless hot water systems, high-efficiency combination boilers, in-home energy monitors, and ductless heat pump systems. For example, the Miami County YMCA in Indiana will add solar photovoltaic and solar hot water systems. And Missouri's Central Missouri Community Action group will provide geothermal heating systems for low-income households. See the full list of awards (PDF 52 KB).

An additional $30 million from the program's annual budget will fund 16 recipients showcasing other innovative approaches to weatherizing low-income single and multifamily homes. Projects will test combining weatherization services with a comprehensive "green and healthy homes" approach that incorporates indoor air quality improvement and lead abatement services. Grantees include organizations that have not historically been a part of the DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program, including private companies, non-profit organizations, universities, city governments, and national partners. Nebraska's Energy Pioneer Solutions, for instance, will use funds to streamline weatherization services for low-income families and will offer loans for half of the project's value, which can be repaid through local utility bills. See the full list of selected awardees (PDF 42 KB).

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

DOE's Geothermal Technologies Program announced on August 20 a $15 million funding opportunity to research and develop innovative methods of extracting heat from geothermal resources. DOE is promoting the advancement and commercialization of technologies for heat recovery with environmental, technical, and financial risks that are potentially lower than currently available methods are. The funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks applicants to expand geothermal power generation into geologically diverse environments, such as permeable sedimentary formations that minimize the risk of rapid drawdown of a reservoir's heat. The FOA also calls for the reduction of the levelized cost of electricity for new methods of geothermal energy production from $0.10 kWh to $0.06 kWh.

Applicants must submit an initial, pre-application concept paper by October 1. Eligible full applications, which must address environmental risk factors associated with geothermal heat recovery, are due November 30, 2010. Funding will be available on a competitive basis for two phases of work. Phase I will encompass feasibility studies of the applicant's proposed heat recovery method, including numerical analysis of the proposed reservoir, economic modeling, and unproven component technology engineering and validation plans. Phase II will include the validation of unproven component technology. See the DOE progress alert, the FOA on the FedConnect Web site, and the Geothermal Technologies Program Web site.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

DOE announced on August 24 the creation of the Energy-Efficient Building Systems Design Energy Innovation Hub to develop technologies that make buildings more energy efficient. The hub team, led by Pennsylvania State University, will receive up to $122 million over the next five years to develop models that are applicable to both retrofits and new construction. Located at the Philadelphia Navy Yard Clean Energy campus, the hub will bring together leading researchers from academia, two national laboratories, and the private sector. The goal is to formulate building designs that will save energy, cut pollution, create jobs, and position the United States as a worldwide industry leader.

The team will use the more than 200 buildings on the Navy Yard campus and its independent electric microgrid as a "virtual municipality" to test and validate the new technologies. The hub team will pursue a research, development, and demonstration program targeting technologies for single buildings and district-wide systems. The technologies include computer simulation and design tools to enable integrated project teams to collaborate on retrofit, renovation, and new building design projects; advanced combined heat and power systems; building-integrated photovoltaic systems for energy generation; advanced HVAC systems with integrated indoor air quality management; and sensor and control networks to monitor building conditions and optimize energy use. The program will also analyze the role of policy, markets, and behavior in the use of building energy technologies. Because buildings account for nearly 40% of U.S. energy consumption and carbon emissions, developing systems to improve building efficiency will provide significant benefits. This is the third DOE hub established in Fiscal Year 2010. In July, DOE announced the Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub. See the DOE press release, the Energy Hub Web site, and the July 28 edition of EERE Network News.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on August 19 awarded more than $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to complete energy efficient renovations of 100 affordable housing developments in 31 states and Washington, D.C. The awards, which include 8,112 residences, are part of HUD's Green Retrofit Program, which is providing $250 million nationally from the Recovery Act to reduce energy costs, cut water consumption, and improve indoor air quality. The awards announced are the first grants and loans awarded through the program, with the remaining awards rolled out through September 30.

Funds from the retrofit program help private property owners and property management companies to cut heating and air conditioning costs such as by installing more efficient heating and cooling systems. The renovations are designed to create upgrades to thousands of affordable apartments, to save money for residents, and to create jobs. See the HUD press release and the full list of award selections (PDF 213 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

This is an excerpt from EERE Network News, a weekly electronic newsletter.

August 25, 2010

For those who want to know what something is in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies or how things such as a wind turbine or solar panel work, DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewal Energy (EERE) has launched the new Energy Basics Web site. The fresh destination explains the concepts behind everything from hybrid electric vehicles to ocean wave energy. It also gives overviews of home, building, and industrial energy efficiency, telling how various components and approaches can be used to make daily life better. The site features videos, highlighting wind energy and solar power among other renewable sources, and includes an energy term glossary. Be sure to check back often, because Energy Basics will be expanding and adding new information over time.

New York consortium commits to advance regional innovation cluster

Martin Walls
(315) 443-8951

Coalition including Syracuse University, CUNY, NYSTAR, the Research Foundation of SUNY, NYSERDA, the Partnership for New York City and CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity will continue effort to transform energy efficiency in buildings and spur green job creation

An unprecedented, cross-sector consortium formed in New York state during the past seven months has united to transform research, development, demonstration and deployment of technologies to make buildings more energy efficient. Calling itself the New York Energy–Regional Innovation Cluster (NYE-RIC), the consortium brings together top scientists, architects and engineers, industries and small businesses, state agencies, economic development and workforce training experts, entrepreneurs, utilities, real estate developers, financial institutions, media and advertising agencies, nonprofits and labor organizations. 

Originally assembled under the leadership of Syracuse University to compete for the federal Department of Energy (DoE) Energy Regional Innovation cluster (E-RIC), NYE-RIC consortium members have found that the collaborations and partnerships formed during their planning process are so strong and potentially fruitful that partners are determined to capitalize on their momentum by strengthening and growing their collaboration.  While New York’s E-RIC proposal, submitted to DoE in May, was very favorably assessed during the review process, the grant was awarded to a consortium based in Pennsylvania.

“The process of assembling the NYE-RIC consortium has proven invaluable,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. ”We have forged new, cross-sector alliances spanning New York state that hold enormous promise for transforming the building innovation process and for setting a new precedent in Upstate-Downstate New York collaboration. We know that our proposal was viewed very favorably by the review panel, and we have every intention to strengthen and grow these ties. What is wonderful about this process is that it has identified multiple, powerful consortia across the country who are willing and ready to move the country forward in a field that is critically important to the future of our nation and world.  We congratulate the Pennsylvania consortium and look forward to contributing to this critical effort.”

Edward A. Bogucz, executive director of the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), spearheaded formation of the consortium not only to generate innovations, but to assure that they would be commercialized and deployed rapidly into buildings of all types. He says that NYE-RIC has the potential to make this a game-changing moment: “We know that our proposal was viewed very highly, and we will continue to cultivate collaboration among the academic, public and private sectors on an unprecedented scale, bringing together all of New York’s strengths, assets and intellectual capital in this critical area of national importance. This is a true upstate-downstate alliance with many partners across the state.”

Central partners in the NYE-RIC consortium include SU, the City University of New York (CUNY), NYSTAR and the SUNY Research Foundation. The Partnership for New York City and CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity joined forces to unite support from Downstate and Upstate, engaging partners from the full range of private and public stakeholders.

“NYE-RIC has become a means of systematizing and strengthening connections among networks of New York’s extraordinary assets,” says Bogucz. “Over the long term, our cross-sector collaboration will enable us to break down the complex set of barriers—including economics, policy, human behavior and technology integration—that have stood in the way of realizing vast reductions in energy use in buildings and of achieving critically needed job creation in a wide range of businesses. Our consortium has the whole package needed to transform the innovation process by integrating research and development, demonstration and deployment, economic development and workforce training.” 

“To compete for this federal grant, New York state pulled together an unprecedented coalition of public, private and university institutions in New York City, Long Island and Upstate,” says Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO of the Partnership for New York City, the organization that recruited the business and real estate members of the project team. “Today’s announcement is a disappointment. But it does not change the fact that New York is in a position to lead the national effort to make buildings more energy efficient and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Our city and state can be a prime mover in one of the most important new global industries.”

“The NYE-RIC coalition–119 partners from across the state–remains uniquely qualified to have a dramatic impact on energy efficiency in buildings around the world,” says Robert M. Simpson, president of the CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity in Syracuse. “We have brought together an impressive set of assets that are uniquely New York–world-class university and industry labs, Wall Street financial expertise, access to global media and active support from our partners in the public sector. We will continue to work together going forward.” 

“Syracuse and its partners all across New York are national leaders in using building sciences to improve our energy efficiency,” says Francis J. Murray, president and CEO of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). “I know that the unique collaboration that has been created involving New York’s world-class university centers, public sector agencies and our architectural, design and business communities will continue to make New York a leader in building innovations that will help New York and the nation reduce energy waste, minimize our carbon footprint and create jobs.” 

NYE-RIC’s centerpiece is a research hub organized in close partnership with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Members include leading academic institutions (Columbia, Cornell, Clarkson, Stony Brook, Pace, and New York universities, and CUNY), industry (GE; IBM; Permasteelisa; Skidmore, Owings & Merrill; and Arup) and government (NYSERDA and Brookhaven National Lab). Together, they possess unique capabilities for research, development and demonstration of innovations in system integration of energy-efficient technologies and innovations in economics, policy and behavior.

NYE-RIC also leverages the following extensive networks:

• NYSERDA’s 12 workforce training centers across the state;
• the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology, and Innovation (NYSTAR) network of 10 strategically placed Regional Technology Development Centers to spur growth of established and startup manufacturers; and
• the New York’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) state-wide network of 24 SBDCs to deliver customized, one-on-one expert support to small businesses and entrepreneurs, helping them grow their enterprises by bringing NYE-RIC Hub inventions to market and creating new products and services to drive the green economy.

Considering the potential impact of NYE-RIC’s activities across the range of businesses integrated into the energy-efficient building systems supply chain, the New York State Department of Labor has estimated it could create jobs statewide across the manufacturing, professional services, construction trades, financial services and building services sectors.

“I want to thank Ed Bogucz for bringing these diverse partners from academia, public and private sectors together,” says NYSTAR Executive Director Edward Reinfurt. ”This was a great opportunity for New York state to promote its assets in research, emerging technologies and commercialization, which will lead to growth in our innovation economy. As a member of the consortium, we look forward to collaborating with these partners on future projects to advance energy efficiency throughout the state.”

“It is critical to working people and our environment that the collaborations that were built through the NYE-RIC application continue and strengthen,” says Gary LeBarbera, president of the New York City Building and Construction Trades. “As a city and a state, New York needs to maximize our energy efficiency potential and get our hard-working residents back to work. All the highly skilled men and women of the New York City Building and Construction Trades look forward to continuing to work with the consortium to achieve these goals.” 

About the Syracuse Center of Excellence

Syracuse Center of Excellence (syracusecoe.org) accelerates the creation of environmental and energy innovations for a sustainable future, engaging collaborators at 200+ companies and institutions to address global challenges in clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality and water resources. Members conduct targeted research, demonstrate new technologies, commercialize innovations, and educate the workforce.

Syracuse University No. 8 in Washington Monthly 2010 College Rankings

Kevin Morrow
(315) 443-3784

Syracuse University is ranked No. 8 among 258 National Universities in the 2010 Washington Monthly College Rankings.

“While there are plenty of guides out there that help students and parents decide how to spend their tuition dollars wisely, there wasn’t one to tell citizens and policymakers which colleges were spending their tax dollars wisely,” Washington Monthly states in describing its rankings. “So we devised a way to measure and quantify how well individual colleges and universities were meeting their public obligations in the areas of Research, Service and Social Mobility.”

Washington Monthly defines Social Mobility as “recruiting and graduating low-income students;” Research as “producing cutting-edge scholarship and Ph.D.s;” and Service as “encouraging students to give something back to their country.”

For its rankings, the magazine breaks colleges and universities into five types—National Universities, Master’s Universities, Baccalaureate Colleges, Liberal Arts Colleges and Community Colleges.

SU does especially well (first among all National Universities) in a Service sub category in which the magazine measured “the number of staff supporting community service, relative to the number of staff; the number of academic courses that incorporate service, relative to school size; and whether the institution provides scholarships for community service.”

SU also has a high ranking in the Social Mobility category (seventh among National Universities) in a measure of students receiving Pell grants combined with the graduation rate of those students.  

All of Washington Monthly’s criteria align very well with the University’s vision of Scholarship in Action, which is preparing SU students for the world, in the world.

The full rankings appear in the September/October issue of Washington Monthly and are online at http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/index.php.

The University of California at San Diego tops the Washington Monthly National Universities list. Along with SU, others in the top 10 are the University of California at Berkeley (No. 2), the University of California at Los Angeles (No. 3), Stanford University (No. 4), the University of Texas at Austin (No. 5), the University of California at Davis (No. 6), the University of Michigan (No. 7), Harvard University (No. 9) and the College of William and Mary (No. 10).

SU research team uses nanobiotechnology-manipulated light particles to accelerate algae growth

Ariel DuChene
(315) 443-2546

Scientists and engineers seek to meet three goals in the production of biofuels from non-edible sources such as microalgae: efficiency, economical production and ecological sustainability. Syracuse University’s Radhakrishna Sureshkumar, professor and chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science, and SU chemical engineering Ph.D. student Satvik Wani have uncovered a process that is a promising step toward accomplishing these three goals.

Sureshkumar  and Wani have discovered a method to make algae, which can be used in the production of biofuels, grow faster by manipulating light particles through the use of nanobiotechnology. By creating accelerated photosynthesis, algae will grow faster with minimal change in the ecological resources required. This method is highlighted in the August 2010 issue of Nature Magazine.

The SU team has developed a new bioreactor that can enhance algae growth. They accomplished this by utilizing nanoparticles that selectively scatter blue light, promoting algae metabolism. When the optimal combination of light and confined nanoparticle suspension configuration was used, the team was able to achieve growth enhancement of an algae sample of greater than 30 percent as compared to a control.

“Algae produce triglycerides, which consist of fatty acids and glycerin. The fatty acids can be turned into biodiesel while the glycerin is a valuable byproduct,” says Sureshkumar. “Molecular biologists are actively seeking ways to engineer optimal algae strains for biofuel production. Enhancing the phototropic growth rate of such optimal organisms translates to increased productivity in harvesting the feedstock.”

The process involved the creation of a miniature bioreactor that consisted of a petri dish of a strain of green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) on top of another dish containing a suspension of silver nanoparticles that served to backscatter blue light into the algae culture. Through model-guided experimentation, the team discovered that by varying the concentration and size of the nanoparticle solution they could manipulate the intensity and frequency of the light source, thereby achieving an optimal wavelength for algal growth.

“Implementation of easily tunable wavelength specific backscattering on larger scales still remains a challenge, but its realization will have a substantial impact on the efficient harvesting of phototrophic microorganisms and reducing parasitic growth,” says Sureshkumar. “Devices that can convert light not utilized by the algae into the useful blue spectral regime can also be envisioned.”

To date, this is one of the first explorations into utilizing nanobiotechnology to promote microalgal growth. The acceleration in the growth rate of algae also had numerous benefits outside the area of biofuel production. Sureshkumar and Wani will be looking to employ this discovery to further their research in creating environmental sensors for ecological warning systems.

Fourth annual PARK(ing) Day global event takes place Sept. 17 in Syracuse

Jaime Winne Alvarez
(315) 443-3784

On Friday, Sept. 17, parking spots in Syracuse along Marshall and East Genesee streets and in the Columbus Circle and Armory Square areas will be transformed into public art as part of PARK(ing) Day. The annual, one-day global event encourages participants to re-think how space is used in cities and inspires artists, activists and citizens to independently and simultaneously transform metered parking spots into temporary public art and parks.

PARK(ing) Day was established in 2005 and brought to Syracuse four years ago by the 40 Below Public Arts Task Force (PATF). For the second year in a row, Syracuse University’s COLAB—an interdisciplinary initiative based in the College of Visual and Performing Arts that brings students, industry and community together—is working with the PATF and the Connective Corridor to stage 20 PARK(ing) spaces around the city. Each spot will fill an 8-foot by 20-foot area.

PARK(ing) Day promotes creativity, civic engagement, critical thinking, unscripted social interaction, generosity and play. The initiative allows participants to reimagine the creative potential of city streets. Because organizers want to raise awareness about how much space is taken up in a city for parking, many of the spots are themed around public parks. Participants are encouraged to create spaces where they can meet and spend time together.

PARK(ing) Day is open to any organization or individual. To reserve a spot, contact Carlota Deseda-Coon at COLAB by Sept. 7 at chdeseda@syr.edu or (315) 443-1476. Visit http://parkingday.org or http://colab.syr.edu for ideas, inspiration and additional information.

Chancellor's Leadership Award catalyzes project, conference on transnationalizing lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) studies

Sara Miller
(315) 443-9038

On Sept. 23-25, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Studies Program at Syracuse University will host an inaugural conference, “Transnationalizing LGBT Studies,” that will cross geographic and cultural borders to explore LGBT scholarship and activism from a transnational perspective. 

“We live in a transnational and technologically mediated world where people, ideas, images and capital move across borders in rapid and complicated ways,” says Margaret Himley, professor of writing and rhetoric in The College of Arts and Sciences and co-director of the LGBT Studies Program. “In our LGBT courses, scholarship and activism, we are ever more alert to the transnational intersections of sexual and gender identities, theory and politics.” 

The first conference keynote speaker on Friday morning will be Martin F. Manalansan IV, associate professor in Asian American studies and Latin American and Caribbean studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, whose work includes “Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora” (Duke University Press 2003). On Saturday morning, the keynote speaker will be Elizabeth A. Povinelli, professor of anthropology and gender studies at Columbia University, whose most recent work is “The Empire of Love: Toward a Theory of Intimacy, Genealogy, and Carnality” (Duke University Press 2006). 

On Friday evening, renowned Canadian filmmaker Richard Fung will speak about his work through the optic of the transnational. Fung’s work investigates themes of queer sexuality, post-colonialism and issues of Diaspora and family. His video pieces, which have been screened internationally, include “My Mother’s Place” (1990), “Sea in the Blood” (2000) and “Islands” (2002). He teaches at the Ontario College of Art & Design. 

Additionally, leading LGBT academics and activists will talk about queer history and memory, media and politics, and legal advocacy and activism as part of the conference panel discussions.  Ongoing discussion about pedagogy and curriculum will also take place.  

The conference and its umbrella project, Transnationalizing LGBT Studies, are a result of a 2009-11 Chancellor’s Leadership Project awarded to the LGBT Studies Program at SU.  The LGBT Studies Program, based in The College of Arts and Sciences but drawing from five different SU schools and colleges, has used this award to help create a transnational dialogue on questions of sexual and gender identities, theories, communities, movements, Diasporas and politics from global and transnational perspectives.  By collaborating with colleagues in the United States and other parts of the world, the project provides new contributions to LGBT/Queer pedagogy and curriculum, and enhances the connectivity of scholars and scholarship and activism around the world. 

“This significant grant that we received from Chancellor Cantor has provided us the resources to undertake a deep exploration of critical questions, such as: What are the benefits, dangers, and methods of transnational LGBT Studies and activism? How do we participate ethically in the world given unequal power and cultural difference? And what and how do we teach our students about such matters?” says Andrew S. London, professor of sociology in the Maxwell School and co-director of the LGBT Studies Program. “We are fortunate to have this opportunity, and the current need for a project like this is immense. We have literally received hundreds and hundreds of inquiries about Transnationalizing LGBT Studies from all over the world, and more than 100 people from all over the U.S., as well as from Canada and Spain, have already registered for the September 2010 conference.” 

As a follow-up to the U.S. conference and as the next component of the Chancellor’s Leadership Award, the LGBT Studies Program will host an international conference/workshop in Madrid, Spain, in 2011. The LGBT Studies Program and SU Madrid regularly offer a course, “Sexualities and Social Life in Spain,” during the academic year and the summer session, which provides the impetus for building strong connections with scholars in Spain. Scholars and activists from across the globe will participate in public lectures, seminars and workshops to engage faculty and graduate students in the development of sustainable LGBT research and pedagogy networks for a global environment. 

For more information and registration information for the September conference, visit http://www.transnationalizinglgbt.com or contact London at anlondon@maxwell.syr.edu or Himley at mrhimley@syr.edu.

PHILADELPHIA –- A White House report analyzing the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on innovation, science and technology has drawn praise from United for Medical Research.

UMR is a coalition of research institutions, patient and health advocates and private industry seeking steady increases in federal funding for the National Institutes of Health.

Steven J. Fluharty, spokesperson for UMR and senior vice provost for research at the University of Pennsylvania, confirmed the Recovery Act’s impact.

“Today’s White House report reaffirms the bold impact the Recovery Act funds will continue to have on our nation’s health and economic well being,” Fluharty said.  “These funds are not only accelerating scientists’ and researchers’ pursuit to unlock treatments, cures and preventive methods for combating some of our nation’s most devastating diseases but also spurring vital job growth in the life-sciences industry.  In fact, some of the large-scale stimulus-funded projects are anticipated to yield results in just two years.

“Stimulus funds,” he said, “will give the NIH the ability to fund dozens of different types of cancer research, increasing the number of Americans benefiting from the Cancer Genome Project from 300,000 to a whopping 10 million.

Fluharty said that “these projected enhancements in our ability to make lifesaving and economically beneficial discoveries would not have been possible without our government’s investment in the promise of science, innovation and technology.”

Referring to remarks by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., who released the White House report, Fluharty said that, “while government has planted the seeds, it is the private sector’s capacity to nourish the seeds to grow that makes these advancements a reality.”

Earlier this year, United for Medical Research released a similar report showcasing how the Recovery Act funds are being utilized in the service of better health and a healthier economy. The report, “Investing in Recovery and Discovery,” is available at www.investingindiscovery.com/#/resources.

The groups composing UMR are the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, the American Diabetes Association, the American Heart Association, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Emory University, Genentech, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Life Technologies, the National Health Council, PhRMA, Research!America, Stanford University, the Endocrine Society, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Southern California and Washington University in St. Louis.

Additional information about UMR is available at www.unitedformedicalresearch.com.

University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann to Welcome Incoming Freshmen

WHO:            Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania

WHAT:            Move-in for Penn's Class of 2014

WHEN:            Sept. 2, 2010, 10:30 a.m.

WHERE:            Hill College House

                        34^th and Walnut streets

Dr. Amy Gutmann will meet parents and welcome some of the 2,500 incoming freshmen as they move into their college houses on Penn’s campus.

Visit strengthens ties with India

25 August 2010

A group of public health professionals from India has arrived in Sydney to receive training from some of Australia's leading specialists in HIV and sexually transmitted infections.

The three-month visit is being hosted by the University of Sydney, which has obtained an AusAID Australian Leadership Awards Fellowship grant in association with the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).

HIV and sexually transmitted infections present major public health challenges to both developing and developed countries, with millions of adults and children becoming infected and dying each year. In India, 2.5 million adults currently live with HIV.

The evolving epidemics have particularly affected resource-poor countries, leading to increased demand for both educational opportunities and research skills.

The ten Indian health professionals will be based at the University's Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre (STIRC), an internationally known research and teaching centre at the Western Clinical School, where they will be working with Professor Adrian Mindel, Associate Professor Richard Hillman and Dr Shailendra Sawleshwarkar.

The three-month program provides a comprehensive overview of the prevention and management of HIV infection. It includes specialist training, visits to centres of excellence, work placements and leadership workshops.

The Indian government's National AIDS Control Programme includes a commitment to strengthening human resources and the PHFI is a major contributor to this strategy. The visit is intended to help India to build capacity in research, health program management and policy development.

At the end of the program, participants will be able to use their skills to build capacity in the prevention and treatment of HIV in India. The program will also provide them with the opportunity to collaborate with Australian counterparts and develop a network for ongoing advice, assistance and collaboration, reinforcing the relationship between the two countries.

The group attended a reception at the Consulate General of India in Sydney this week, where they welcomed by the Consul General Mr Amit Dasgupta.

Contact: Richard North

Phone: 02 9351 3191

Promising climate research awarded

A University of Sydney researcher has won recognition for her groundbreaking work into capturing carbon emissions, which has the potential to significantly impact climate change.

Dr Deanna D'Alessandro, a postdoctoral fellow based in the School of Chemistry, is one of three female researchers to be awarded a L'Oréal Australia For Women in Science Fellowship.

Her research has investigated ways to capture and release carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other gases using molecular sponges, work which has great potential to reduce carbon emissions.

During her time as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr D'Alessandro created chemical frameworks that could survive tough environmental conditions yet still capture carbon dioxide. Although not yet ready for commercial use, they are a step closer to cost-effective carbon capture.

Dr D'Alessandro said she returned to Australia in 2009 in order to develop her own career as an independent researcher.

"I'm building a research team here in Australia that will help me turn my ideas into reality and contribute to a sustainable future," she said.

Dr D'Alessandro believes in time, she will be able to create molecular sponges that will mop up carbon dioxide, hydrogen, or in theory almost any gas - and then release it on cue.

The $20,000 For Women in Science Fellowship will provide equipment, travel support and a summer vacation student to assist her research.

She hopes to create more advanced molecular frameworks, the pores of which can be modified by different wavelengths of light.

Her metal-organic frameworks could also have many other applications, such as hydrogen storage; gas separation; electrodes for sensors, and capacitors for electronic circuits.

Media enquiries: Rachel Gleeson, 0403 067 342, 9351 4312, rachel.gleeson@sydney.edu.au

Fairchild Hall does not have electricity until Thursday morning. We temporarily re-located to 104 Anderson Hall

August 24, 2010

DE SOTO, Mo. - Gov. Jay Nixon today visited De Soto High School in De Soto to detail construction and renovation projects made possible by the award of approximately $7 million in no-interest bonds to De Soto School District No. 73.

Earlier this year, Gov. Nixon announced the award of more than $162 million in no-interest bonds for eligible school renovation, construction and development projects.  These bonds, awarded by Gov. Nixon's administration and funded by the federal government, allow school districts to undertake major projects without the burden of interest payments.  School districts will save millions of dollars in interest payments over the life of these bonds.

"We want Missouri students to receive a world-class education so that they will stay right here in the Show-Me State to live, work and raise their families," Gov. Nixon said.  "Our investment in quality schools and quality teachers will pay off for generations to come.  These bonds will help school districts undertake critical development projects, while saving millions for the taxpayers.  This is a great deal for Missouri students, school districts and taxpayers."

This total includes $146.3 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds and $15.9 million in Qualified Zone Academy Bonds.  Both programs have specific eligibility criteria, and funds can be used only for designated purposes.  Qualified School Construction Bonds, the larger pool of funds, help districts finance the costs of major new construction or renovation projects. 

Qualified Zone Academy Bonds, which have much more specific eligibility criteria, can be used to renovate or repair buildings, purchase technology, or develop new curricula or training programs, but cannot be used for new construction.

De Soto School District No. 73 was awarded approximately $4.1 million in Qualified School Construction Bonds and $2.9 million in Qualified Zone Academy Bonds.  These bonds will finance construction projects at the high school, junior high and Athena and Vineland elementary schools that will completely eliminate the need for temporary classroom trailers.

At the high school, the district will add four new special education classrooms; two new art classrooms; two new science classrooms and a new laboratory; a new business classroom; three new general classrooms; and new bathrooms.

At the junior high, the district will remodel the cafeteria and library; enclose an exterior hallway; install bathrooms on the lower level; and remodel classrooms, in addition to renovation projects completed this summer.

The district will add a new gymnasium and music room at Athena Elementary; construct five new classrooms; install new bathrooms and an additional entrance; and make improvements to the parking lot.  At Vineland Elementary, the district will add a new music room, two special education classrooms, three new general classrooms and new bathrooms.  In addition, the district will install air conditioning in the existing gymnasium and improve the parking lot.

The bonds also will help finance the construction of a new Early Childhood Center.

District officials estimate that the no-interest bonds saved the district approximately $4.5 million over the life of the bonds.  These no-interest bonds will finance approximately 59 percent of the district's total $11.5 million bond issuance, which was approved by a record 72 percent of voters.

"These bonds are helping school districts complete vital projects that will make our schools better places for students to work and learn," Gov. Nixon said.  "These bonds will make a real difference for students and save real money for the taxpayers."

The Université de Montréal has risen to 60th place in the 2010 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. Produced by Cybermetrics Lab, a division of Spain's largest public research body, the biannual rankings measure the Web impact of 4,000 universities and their open access to academic materials.

Cybermetrics began publishing its Webometrics Ranking of World Universities in 2004, based on criteria such as the number of links to an institution's Web site from other sites, Web performance, visibility, electronic access to scientific publications and to other academic materials. Rankings are not based on number of visits or page design, but rather performance and visibility of research and scholarly activities.

On the Web:

• Webometrics
• Université de Montréal

Media contact:
Sylvain-Jacques Desjardins
International press attaché
University of Montreal
Telephone: 514-343-7593
Email: sylvain-jacques.desjardins@umontreal.ca
Twitter: http://twitter.com/uMontreal_news

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Postal Service is modifying mailing regulations of tobacco shipments from the U.S. to APO/FPO/DPO destinations by expanding shipping options to include Priority Mail service with Delivery Confirmation.

Beginning Aug. 27, customers mailing these items to Army Post Office (APO), Fleet Post Office (FPO) and Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) destinations where tobacco shipments are permissible will have Express Mail Military Service and Priority Mail service with Delivery Confirmation as shipping options.

The addition of Priority Mail service with Delivery Confirmation for the shipment of tobacco to APO/FPO/DPO destinations enables shipments of small amounts of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to service members in war zones and other destinations where Express Mail Military Service is unavailable.

The “Prevent All Cigarette Trafficking Act” went into effect June 29, and subjects the mailing of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products to new mailing regulations. Today’s announcement modifies only tobacco shipments to APO/FPO/DPO destinations. All other restrictions of the PACT Act remain unchanged.

Packages containing tobacco items addressed to APO/FPO/DPO destinations are restricted to a total weight of 10 ounces or less. Mailers must show proof of legal age to purchase tobacco at the time of mailing and confirm the addressee is at least 18 years of age.

Click here to see comprehensive details of current mailing regulations for cigarette and smokeless tobacco mailings that will be updated Aug. 27 with the new APO/FPO/DPO shipping option.

With only a few limited exceptions, the Postal Service no longer accepts or transports packages containing cigarettes or smokeless tobacco products. The general mailability ban extends to cigarettes, “roll-your-own tobacco” and smokeless tobacco. With the exception of tobacco shipments to APO/FPO/DPO destinations and those entirely within Alaska and Hawaii, tobacco shipments are permitted only via Express Mail service.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Release Date: August 24, 2010
Release Number: 1909-155

» More Information on Tennessee Severe Storms, Flooding, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Like thousands of her fellow Tennesseans, Doris Waddey lost a lot in the flooding that struck in the first weekend in May. Her West Nashville neighborhood became a lake; the water in her house measured 5 feet 2 inches deep.

Most of her neighbors on Delray Court have decided to leave. But with the help of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and a whole lot of people who love her, she’s back in her home, which was almost completely rebuilt.

“What I worked for all my life is just about gone,” says Waddey, a 76-year-old widow who had no insurance. “But I have a new house.”

Money from FEMA financed the bulk of the repairs. Waddey received a grant from the agency’s Individual Assistance program, which can provide funds to homeowners and renters to help pay for temporary housing, home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs. Her own savings – money she’d been setting aside to buy a new car – made the rest of the work possible.

“I’m very grateful for the help FEMA gave me,” Waddey says. “I had no insurance, so this has been a hip-pocket situation all the way through, with the exception of the money that FEMA gave me. And that really helped a lot.”

It was the day after the flood that Waddey called FEMA’s Helpline, the first step for anyone in accessing federal assistance after a disaster. Four days later, while she and her family were still sorting her belongings into the salvageable and the not, an agency inspector arrived to assess the damage.

Fast-forward just over a week. FEMA Community Relations specialists Tom Hill and Ron Bolger were working with flood survivors in another part of town. They kept hearing about Delray and other hard-hit streets near Richland Creek in West Nashville. So they drove over to take a look.

They found “a ghost town,” Hill says – 62 homes with flood damage, including Waddey’s.

It’s the responsibility of specialists like him and Bolger to help those affected by a disaster to navigate the assistance process. They go door-to-door, providing critical information to survivors or answering questions about registration, appeals or other issues.

Hill says they checked on Waddey every couple of weeks, growing to admire her for her determination.

“She’s got dedication to keep moving forward,” Hill says. “She’s determined to stay. And she’s done an awesome job, she and her family.”

If Waddey provided the grit, her family provided the sweat.

“I couldn’t have done this without my family and friends,” she says. “That’s the key.”

She reserves high praise for nephew Eddie Dixon, a contractor. He not only rebuilt her mid-‘50s-era house, he redesigned the interior to add tray ceilings and transform the two tiny bedrooms into a single large one with a roomy walk-in closet and space for Waddey’s computer.

“That’s the reason I was able to do this,” Waddey adds. “I could not have done it had I needed to hire a contractor. I would have just had to go away.”

But she decided to stay, and now her cottage is shiny-new – the former white siding now light gray, the former green shutters now maroon. The green metal roof and the chain-link fence in front haven’t changed; a small shed she calls “the barn” still anchors the left side of the back yard.

She is proud of what she has described as her “new old home.” Still, in this time of transition, Waddey thinks back – to 1972, when she and her late husband, Mickey, bought it, and the years since, when they tended it and fussed over it and made it into a warm refuge for them and two generations of nieces and nephews.

“My husband and I had always been conservative people,” she says. “We lived a conservative life. And we saved for that rainy day. And I said, ‘God didn’t send me a rainy day – he sent me a flood.’ ”

As for Hill and Bolger, they grew close to Waddey over the weeks since the flood. Both say they won’t soon forget her.

“One of the strongest ladies I’ve ever met, ever in my life,” Bolger says. “The determination to survive, to kick into higher gear and do what she needed to do to take care of herself, that’s just beautiful to see.”

Waddey’s journey of recovery began with a phone call to FEMA’s toll-free Helpline,

800-621-FEMA (3362) or (TTY) 800-462-7585 for the speech and hearing impaired. The deadline to apply for assistance has passed, but those who have registered are strongly encouraged to remain in touch with FEMA. Staff is available every day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. to answer questions. You also can file an appeal and update information on your application.

Follow the recovery in Tennessee online at http://twitter.com/t_e_m_a, http://twitter.com/fema, http://www.facebook.com/TNDisasterInfo, www.youtube.com/fema and http://www.flickr.com/photos/t_e_m_a.

The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA and TEMA do not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards

Disaster recovery assistance is available without regard to race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status.  If you or someone you know has been discriminated against, call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). For TTY call 800-462-7585.

Last Modified: Tuesday, 24-Aug-2010 14:42:53

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Shira Shavit

Shira Shavit, MD, assistant clinical professor in the UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine, has been selected as one of 10 Robert Wood Johnson Foundation 2010 Community Health Leaders.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation established the Community Health Leaders Award to recognize individuals who overcome daunting obstacles to improve health and health care in their communities. Shavit received the award during a ceremony at the Foundation in Princeton, N.J., on Aug. 12.

Shavit was honored for creating a medical home for former prison inmates and their families. Working in a prison as a young family physician, Shavit found that prisoners with high rates of HIV and hepatitis were being released without health information or a care plan.

She now serves as director of Transitions Clinic in San Francisco’s Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood, a community-based clinic focused on providing medical and social services for individuals with chronic diseases recently released from prison. Shavit credits Transitions Clinic founders Clemens Hong, MD, and Emily Wang, MD, former UCSF residents, with developing the innovative health care model.

“We have tripled the number of people we incarcerate in the United States in the last 30 years, and we incarcerate far more people than any other nation,” said Shavit in a press release from the Foundation. “One reason for our high incarceration rate is that we have criminalized medical issues like substance abuse and mental health disorders. I am compelled to advocate and work with this population because I don’t think prison is the appropriate place to treat these patients.”

Courage and Commitment

Janice Ford Griffin, Community Health Leaders National Program director, said that the selection committee honored Shavit for her courage and commitment to an often forgotten and unsympathetic population.

“Dr. Shavit has a unique understanding of the barriers prisoners confront to maintain their health as they transition from prison back to their neighborhoods and communities,” Griffin said. “She works to assure that their physical and mental health needs are met within a community context that engages residents and ex-offenders as collaborators for the health of the community in a non-threatening atmosphere.” 

Arnold Perkins, a retired director of the Alameda County Public Health Department in Oakland, said that Shavit has made a lasting change to the state’s incarceration system. “Dr. Shavit is continuously looking to create systematic changes that will insure sustainable, continuous and quality care to all individuals leaving prison,” Perkins said. “It is in these efforts to make lasting change on the massive system of incarceration, with its entrenched politics, that I know Dr. Shavit best.” 

Shavit is an active member of San Francisco’s Reentry Council, working with local leaders to design citywide policies to improve the health of people returning from prison to the San Francisco community. She also designed the curriculum for the first national certificate program, at the City College of San Francisco, to train people with a history of incarceration to become community health workers.

Shavit earned an MD degree at Rush Medical College and completed her residency in Family and Community Medicine at UCSF.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has honored more than 180 Community Health Leaders since 1993. Nominations can be submitted though late October for the 2011 Community Health Leaders Award.  For details on how to submit a nomination, including eligibility requirements and selection criteria, visit www.communityhealthleaders.org.

Related Links:

Transitions Clinic

UCSF Department of Family and Community Medicine

Clinic Works to Include Ex-Inmates in Health Care’s Embrace
New York Times, February 4, 2010

Back to current news.

Rumford District Court Notice of Reduction in Public Hours

August 24, 2010
Judicial Branch

Due to serious budget limitations, the Judicial Branch is currently experiencing a staffing shortage. As a result, the Judicial Branch has had to reduce the hours the clerk’s office is open to the public.

Effective July 1, 2010, the clerk’s office will be closed to the public from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on the following non-court days in August and early September:

• Wednesday, September 8
• Friday, September 1
• Thursday, September 16
• Friday, September 17
• Thursday, September 23
• Tuesday, September 28
• Thursday, September 30

On all other workdays, the office will be open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This closure will continue for as long as the staffing shortage continues and the notice will be updated each month.

Thank you for your patience during this period of staffing shortages.

Bowen to be first Hancher Distinguished Fellow in CEM

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Robert Bowen, founder and chairman of Bowen Engineering Corp., is the first Hancher Distinguished Fellow, teaching a class in construction engineering and management at Purdue University this fall.

Donn Hancher was one of the founding faculty members of the College of Engineering's Division of Construction Engineering and Management. He earned his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees in civil engineering at Purdue and was a faculty member for 16 years.

The teaching fellowship will be funded by an endowment set up by engineering alumni, including Bowen.

While fundraising for the endowment is still under way, Bowen is volunteering his time to teach during the fall semester. His class, "Leadership and Advanced Project Management," focuses on the technical challenges of the construction industry and the managerial decisions needed to keep a project moving forward.

"Donn Hancher and Bob Bowen have something key in common: They both are passionate about the success of Purdue's CEM program and its students," said Mark Hastak, head of construction engineering and management.

When fully funded, the Hancher fellowship will be a renewable, three-to-five-year teaching appointment, Hastak said. The idea is to find professionals who are willing to share their experience and knowledge with future leaders in the industry.

"CEM has been searching for ways to involve industry leaders in the classroom, and the Hancher Distinguished Fellow is perfect," Hastak said.

The classes will involve more than war stories, he added. "The Hancher Fellow will push our students to a better understanding of the challenges they will face and the skills they will need."

Bowen is using a Harvard case study model for his class. He' also will bring in construction industry colleagues throughout the semester, including his first boss, Bill Brown of W.M. Lyles Construction Co., and his son Doug Bowen, president and CEO of Bowen Engineering.

Bob Bowen has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Purdue and a business degree from Harvard. He also received an honorary doctor of engineering degree from Purdue in 2007.

Bowen founded Bowen Engineering, headquartered in Indianapolis, in 1967 and was CEO until 2009. The company specializes in water and wastewater treatment plants and energy utility construction, operating in 15 midwestern and southeastern states.

Considered an authority on preplanning and leadership practices in construction, Bowen is a founder of the Associated General Contractors Project Manager Institute.

Fundraising for the Hancher Fellow is about halfway to its $1 million goal. More information on the fellowship can be found at https://engineering.purdue.edu/CEM/AboutUs/News/Spotlights/BowenInauguralDonnEHancherDistinguishedFellow
Writer: Judith Barra Austin, 765-494-2432, jbaustin@purdue.edu 

Source: Mark Hastak, 765-494-0641, hastak@purdue.edu  

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Governor Recognizes Tidal Power Generation Operation in Eastport

August 24, 2010
Governor's Office

EASTPORT – Governor John E. Baldacci today celebrated Ocean Renewable Power Company’s successful generation of energy through the use of tidal currents in Cobscook Bay. The company is partnering with the University of Maine and the U.S. Coast Guard and has received financial support from the State’s Maine Technology Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy.

“Maine is on an aggressive track toward energy independence,” said Governor Baldacci. “The ocean energy industry in Maine is already showing tangible results through Ocean Renewable Power Company’s work here in Eastport and private investment is occurring, leading the way for other ocean energy projects to follow.”

The Governor joined Congressman Michael Michaud, other state, local and federal officials and leadership of Ocean Renewable Power Company (ORPC) to celebrate the operation of the Coast Guard station using power generated by tidal energy. With help of the University of Maine, the Ocean Renewable Power Company plans to monitor the system’s impact on the neighboring marine environment and obtain energy generation performance test results.

The Governor said that the tidal project at Eastport is an important component of Maine’s efforts to promote clean, renewable power development.

“This is the right choice for the State: decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels by harnessing our natural resources, creating valuable jobs here at home, and preserving our environment and quality of life,” said Governor Baldacci. “I established the Ocean Energy Task Force to improve and update Maine laws so that we could realize the potential for harnessing energy from these vast renewable resources. This is really the first wave of ocean energy development and there’s more to come. What is happening here in Eastport and Washington County is the real life implementation of the Ocean Energy Task Force.”

According to company officials, ORPC is advancing its underwater power systems for grid-connection in 2011.

In July, Governor Baldacci signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter to work cooperatively on renewable ocean electricity generation, focusing on tidal energy and offshore wind energy. The Governor said working with other regional partners is vital to Maine’s ability to develop and transmit energy.

The Governor also credited the strong public and private partnerships that are critical to Maine’s success in reaching its renewable energy goals.

“With tidal power generated here and by continuing to work on bio-fuels and bio-mass electricity generation, the development of solar, wind and hydropower, and other innovative ways to produce renewable energy, we are on our way to building a sustainable energy future for our State,” said the Governor.