MEd Student Named Teacher of the Year in Anderson School District
Wednesday, May 07, 2008Jenna Hallman, current student in Clemson's administration and supervision MEd program and science teacher at Calhoun Academy for the Arts in Anderson School District 5, has been named South Carolina Teacher of the Year. State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex made the announcement at a banquet at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center that honored the state's 83 district teachers of the year on April 25. Hallman was told throughout her childhood that she should become a teacher, but she wanted to be a lawyer. A job at a daycare center while she was in college provided the turning point in her life. Reflecting on that experience, Hallman said, 'I was lucky enough to have a director and a head teacher who saw me for what I was-a teacher in a confused young adult's body.' As State Teacher of the Year for the 2008-09 school year, Hallman will represent South Carolina's 50,000 teachers and participate in a yearlong residency at the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA). She also receives a $25,000 cash award, a 2007 BMW Z-4 roadster to use for the year and a SMART board (an interactive whiteboard that turns a computer and projector into a teaching and presentation tool). She will participate in Leadership South Carolina and attend Notre Dame's prestigious three-day Excellence in Teaching Symposium. In addition, she was awarded a Dell laptop computer, a set of Michelin tires and a ring from Jostens. 'Jenna truly believes that every child can experience success,' Rex said. 'She uses a variety of strategies to help her students connect science to other subjects and real life. She’s champion of young people and a strong advocate for public education.' Four Honor Roll teachers who were finalists for the award each received $10,000, a Dell computer, a set of Michelin tires and a Jostens ring. Each district teacher received $1,000, and all 83 district nominees received various gifts donated by corporate sponsors. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in administration and supervision, please visit: www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/AdminSuper/index.php.
Clemson and Ain Shams University students team up to create plans for Giza
Friday, May 02, 2008Egyptian architecture students arrive in Clemson Sunday to team up with their Clemson University partners in landscape architecture to make plans for one of the most sacred sites of the ancient world. Ain Shams University students from Cairo will spend 10 days on campus and touring South Carolina as they work with their Clemson counterparts on a proposal for an area at the foot of the Giza plateau, home to the Great Pyramids of Giza. The ongoing partnership reaches a significant milestone this summer when Clemson and Ain Shams professors present their plans to the governor of Giza, who has the authority to implement the ideas. The transcontinental collaboration started in 2006 when students from the two schools teamed up to provide design solutions to challenges in Luxor, Egypt, where the Avenue of the Sphinxes along the Nile River has experienced centuries of unplanned urban growth. Their proposal for Luxor is currently in the hands of Ahmed Nazif, prime minister of Egypt. Much like the challenge in Luxor, the students' current project is to find solutions to a rapidly changing urban fabric, this time in an area in the very shadow of the world's most famous pyramids. According to Clemson landscape architecture professors Hala Nassar and Rob Hewitt, the pyramids of Giza are on top of one plateau, and the future site of the New Grand Egyptian Museum is on another nearby plateau. Between them and to the east a sprawling and unplanned fabric has developed over the past 50 years. According to Nassar, who used her academic contacts in Egypt to establish the collaboration, the students and their faculty leaders are seeking practical solutions to the unplanned sprawl, but solutions that will remain sensitive to the cultural and economic needs of the residents. 'This is an amazing opportunity for the students of these two universities, a chance to have an impact on an ancient site,' Nassar said. 'They're working and studying in a place where they leave their footprints on thousands of years of civilization.' This is the second trip to Clemson for the Ain Shams architecture students. The landscape architecture students of Clemson University have made three site visits to Egypt--in February 2007, July 2007 and February 2008--where they visited Luxor, Giza and Cairo. For more information about Clemson's graduate program in landscape architecture, please visit: www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/LandArch/index.php.
Clemson Astrophysics to Collaborate with SC State to Boost Minority PhDs
Tuesday, April 29, 2008Clemson University astronomy researchers will collaborate with South Carolina State University (SCSU) to build and reinforce a program of forefront astronomy research at SCSU as part of a $2 million-plus National Science Foundation award to expand the program. For its part, Clemson will receive $319,000 of the award. 'Our goal is to pave a pathway for SCSU's students and for those from other predominantly minority colleges and universities to PhDs in physics and astronomy at Clemson and elsewhere,' said Mark Leising, astrophysics professor and principal investigator on the project at Clemson. 'These students are hugely underrepresented among doctoral students in the physical sciences.' Leising says Clemson's role is to collaborate with SCSU, provide research projects and observing opportunities for their students and prepare and mentor those who come to graduate school. 'There are bright students interested in science at universities like SCSU, but few go on to get doctorates and become leaders in the physical sciences. Our experience is that students who get the chance to participate in forefront research, discovering new knowledge rather than just reading about it, are more likely to pursue a career in science,' said Leising. Clemson will offer the expertise of its astronomy faculty and access to observing facilities, including its part of the 36-inch diameter SARA telescope along with some of its time on the four-meter diameter Mayall telescope, both on Kitt Peak in Arizona. Students will research the largest explosions in the universe, the production of the elements in stars, the formation of solar systems and exotic double-star systems. For more than 100 years, the disciplines of engineering, science and textiles have been at the heart of Clemson University as it strives toward excellence and leadership. Today, Clemson is a nationally recognized research university where approximately 5,500 students are enrolled in engineering and science undergraduate and graduate courses. For more information on physics and astronomy at Clemson, go to http://physicsnt.clemson.edu/.
Steele Wins Prestigious NVIDIA Fellowship for the Third Time
Tuesday, April 29, 2008Jay Steele, a graduate student in Clemson’s computer science program has won his third $25,000 NVIDIA fellowship. In its 7th year, the NVIDIA Fellowship Program attracts an exclusive group of researchers and scientists from all over the world who are working to solve complex visual computing challenges.
“The NVIDIA Fellowship Program recognizes and supports excellence in visual computing research in universities worldwide, fostering communication and innovation between NVIDIA's R&D team and outstanding students and professors,” stated Dr. Kirk. “Selecting our recipients was an incredibly difficult task this year as we saw a record number of applications for the program. I am very pleased with the committee’s recommendations and look forward to working with these very bright and talented individuals.”
Congratulations to the 2008 Fellowship recipients: Jay Steele, Clemson University; Milos Hasan, Cornell University; Gregory Diamos, Georgia Institute of Technology; Kanupriya Gulati, Texas A&M University; Vasily Volkov, University of California, Berkeley; Shubhabrata Sengupta, University of California, Davis; Toshiya Hachisuka, University of California, San Diego; Adam O'Donovan, University of Maryland, College Park; Derek Juba, University of Maryland, College Park; and Michele Cash, University of Washington.
Steele’s research centers on using Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) methods to model fluid flows and associated transport phenomena. An example of an application is the development of realistic visual animations of clouds.
For more information about Steele's research visist http://www.cs.clemson.edu/~jesteel/.
Clemson's Muth receives international fellowship
Friday, April 25, 2008Eric Muth, a psychology professor at Clemson University, has received a Humboldt Research Fellowship from the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung Foundation. The foundation is a non-profit organization established by the Federal Republic of Germany for the promotion of international research cooperation. It enables highly qualified scholars not living in Germany to spend extended periods for research in Germany and promotes the ensuing academic contacts. The fellowship will support a year of research. Muth will work with his German sponsor, Paul Enck, director of research of the Department of Internal Medicine, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy at the University Hospitals Tübingen. Muth and Enck will research eating disorders. 'I am very excited about the opportunity to build international collaborations and get reacquainted to a research area that I have been away from for some time,' Muth said. As a graduate student, Muth worked in the area of gastrointestinal psychophysiology and completed a dissertation examining factors that influence functional dyspepsia, a disorder of the upper gastrointestinal tract associated with symptoms such as nausea and bloating with no apparent physiological cause. However, following graduate school, he spent three years in the US Navy as an aerospace experimental psychologist working on applied human factors problems. 'Much of the research I have completed here at Clemson has been a continuation of that applied human factors work,' he said. 'Recently, Dr. Adam Hoover, my collaborator here at Clemson, and I have become interested in developing biofeedback devices to help individuals become more aware of their physiological need to eat. My fellowship and collaboration with Dr. Enck will form the basic science foundation for the applied work we are doing here at Clemson.' Muth will examine the utility of a 'water load test' to differentiate between genders, eating patterns and healthy subjects versus patients with eating disorders and obesity. The long-term goal of this work, according to Muth, is to determine if the maladaptive component of an eating disorder or obese patient's eating pattern is perceptual, physiological or both. This would potentially allow for treatment to be focused on correcting the perceptual, physiological or mixed problem. For example, individuals with maladaptive eating patterns could be given biofeedback from their stomach's electrical rhythms and trained to pay more attention to their physiological state, allowing them to adopt a better eating pattern. Clemson Vice President for Research and Economic Development Chris Przirembel said the Humboldt Research Fellowship is highly competitive and awarded only to researchers who are recognized internationally for their academic qualifications. 'It is an honor for Clemson University to have one of our faculty members receive this internationally prestigious fellowship,' he said. 'We look forward to seeing the results of professor Muth's work and the long-term impact of the associated collaborative research programs.' The Humboldt Foundation promotes an active worldwide network of scholars. Individual sponsorship during periods spent in Germany and longstanding follow-up contacts have been hallmarks of the foundation's work since 1953. For more information go to http://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/index.htm. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in psychology, please visit: www.clemson.edu/psych/graduate/index.htm.
Hodges named director of the School of Computing
Tuesday, April 22, 2008Larry F. Hodges has been named director of the School of Computing in the College of Engineering and Science at Clemson University effective July 1. Hodges comes to Clemson from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he serves as professor and chairman in the department of computer science. 'Education in computing is as much about learning how to think critically about issues and how to solve problems as it is about how to create and use technology,' said Hodges. 'The technology is continually changing, but the problem-solving skills learned in computing classes can serve a student throughout life.' The School of Computing at Clemson was formed in 2007 as part of Engineering and Science Dean Esin Gulari's mission to prepare students for all aspects of computing and as part of a university-wide emphasis on information technology and high-performance computing to allow for rapid development of emerging, interdisciplinary research and academic programs. 'Larry Hodges, in the position of director of the School of Computing, brings to Clemson a tremendous vision,' said Gulari. 'The goals are to maintain a nationally competitive computer science division that is a leader in the definition and advancement of emerging academic fields in computing through the development of divisions that integrate computation with the arts, humanities, sciences and engineering.' The School of Computing initially will focus on three divisions: computer science, computational arts and human-centered computing. 'Human-centered computing is a new area in that it is concerned with understanding both how to make computational technologies more useable and how computational technologies affect society,' said Hodges. 'This new area will develop strong ties with existing programs on campus, such as industrial engineering; electrical and computer engineering; engineering and science education; CU-ICAR; and the disciplines that study human behavior, such as psychology and sociology.' According to Hodges, computational arts will leverage the interdisciplinary Master of Fine Arts program in digital production arts, which has successfully launched many Clemson graduates into animation careers. Hodges has a record of helping build successful programs in computing and in collaborating with researchers from other disciplines and backgrounds. He was a founding member of the Graphics, Visualization and Usability (GVU) Center at Georgia Tech, where he and collaborator Barbara Rothbaum of Emory University developed virtual reality exposure therapy to help patients with anxiety disorders, such as a fear of heights, overcome their phobias. 'In computer science, it is unusual for people to write and say to you that your research has transformed their lives. The best part of this work has been the number of patients who have said virtual reality therapy changed their lives for the better,' said Hodges. Hodges received his PhD from North Carolina State University in 1988. His research in 1995 investigating the use of virtual reality in treating phobias garnered international attention. In 2006 he received the IEEE Virtual Reality Career Achievement Award for his contributions to clinical virtual reality. In addition to his research work in clinical applications, Hodges has maintained an active research agenda in numerous other areas of virtual reality, visualization and 3D user interface design with more than 150 published papers. He has served as general chairman of both the IEEE Virtual Reality Conference and the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology. He currently serves on the steering committee of the IEEE VR Conference and on the Editorial Board of IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in computer science and digital production arts, please visit the following sites, respectively:
www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/CompSci/index.php
www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/DPA/index.php
Mechanical Engineering Professor Receives Recognition
Tuesday, April 22, 2008Dr. Lin Ma was recently recognized by the Journal of Aerosol Science--one of the most prestigious international journals on aerosol-related topics--when his paper, 'Measurement of Aerosol Size Distribution Function using Mie Scattering-Mathematical Considerations' was ranked ninth out of the top 25 'Hottest Articles.' Dr. Ma is an assistant professor in mechanical engineering, and the Department is very proud of this recognition of his work. This is the second article in 2008 to come out of the mechanical engineering department and receive national/international acclaim. Dr. Jim Qiao's paper was recently recognized as one of the best of 2007 in the Journal of Physics. The Graduate School would like to congratulate Drs. Ma and Qiao and thank them for being such great representatives of Clemson. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in mechanical engineering, please visit: www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/MechEng/index.php.
School of Materials Science and Engineering director recognized
Wednesday, April 16, 2008Kathleen Richardson, director of the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Clemson University, has received a rare double honor. She has been elected to the grade of Fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). SPIE Fellows are recognized for their achievements and for making outstanding contributions in the field of optics, electro-optics or related scientific, technical or engineering areas. SPIE is an international society representing 138 countries advancing an interdisciplinary approach to the science and application of light. Richardson was recognized for making important technical contributions to the field of optical materials science and engineering, in particular to understanding the properties and performance of infrared glass and other optical materials. She is recognized for her efforts in ion-exchange strengthened laser glass, infrared glass material development and photo-induced structural modification of amorphous materials. She also was commended for her longstanding contributions to optical science and engineering education, especially for her efforts with K-12, and undergraduate student research. An active member of SPIE, Richardson is also a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and a Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology. Richardson also has received the Scholes Award and recently presented the annual Samuel R. Scholes Award Lecture at her alma mater, Alfred University. The lecture is given each year by a distinguished glass scientist or engineer invited for his or her contributions to the field. Prior award winners span the international glass community and are among past and present leaders in the field. 'These are two very prestigious awards for Dr. Richardson, and they underscore the strength and depth of the School of Materials Science and Engineering here at Clemson,' said College of Engineering and Science Dean Esin Gulari. Richardson joined Clemson in 2005 from the University of Central Florida's College of Optics and Photonics. She graduated from Alfred University with a bachelor of science degree in ceramic engineering in 1982, a master of science degree in glass science in 1988 and a PhD in ceramics in 1992. For more than 100 years, the disciplines of engineering, science and textiles have been at the heart of Clemson University as it strives toward excellence and leadership. Today, Clemson is a nationally recognized research university where approximately 5,500 students are enrolled in engineering and science undergraduate and graduate courses. There are 350 faculty members in the College of Engineering and Science. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in materials science and engineering, visit www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/MSE/index.php.
Clemson architecture captures two of six national NCARB prizes
Tuesday, April 15, 2008The Clemson University School of Architecture has won two of the six national 2008 NCARB prizes for creative integration of practice and education. The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) awards the annual prize each year for projects that show a creative marriage of classroom ideas and real-life challenges. One of Clemson's winning entries explored how innovative architecture improves healthcare environments. The other localized global climate change by illustrating how Charleston's historic peninsula might be defended against the twin threats of rising sea level and increased storm severity. To illustrate the work of the Architecture + Health program at Clemson, three projects were entered as examples: * a proposal for a green health clinic for the Joseph P. Sullivan Center linked programming, health administration and studio courses David J. Allison is director of the Architecture + Health program. He worked with associate professor Dina Battisto and professor Stephen Verderber on the submitted projects. The NCARB Prize to the Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston was earned on the strength of its study 'Global Climate Change and the Charleston Peninsula.' Based on the January 2007 report of the International Panel on Climate Change, students worked with scientific consultation from Greg Carbone of the University of South Carolina’s department of geography to examine the primary urban design impact on the peninsula. They produced proposals at four levels of magnitude that showed how planners could manage increasingly severe storm events, a rising water table and the incursion of seawater. The Clemson Architecture Center in Charleston is under the direction of Robert Miller, professor and architect. Ray Huff, assistant professor and a practicing architect in Charleston, helped lead the project. Each of the prizes earned $7,500. The $25,000 grand prize went to California State Polytechnic University. Other winners were Arizona State, Savannah College of Art and Design and a joint submission from the University of Arkansas and Washington University in St. Louis. NCARB is a non-profit federation of architectural licensing boards. The NCARB Prize for Creative Integration of Practice and Education in the Academy supports excellence and innovation. Submissions must represent unique efforts to integrate education and practice while allowing students to earn academic credit. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in architecture, visit: www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/Arch/index.php.
* a patient room prototype brought together architecture, industrial design and fine arts students
* a studio/seminar explored a New Orleans project to rebuild medical facilities lost to Katrina. Students twice visited the 74-acre site in New Orleans and helped officials and the community visualize plans for a new medical center planned by Louisiana State University and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In all of these Architecture + Health projects, students interacted with professionals in a variety of ways.
Two Clemson students receive Google scholarships
Monday, April 14, 2008Two students from Clemson University's School of Computing received the 2008 Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship: Sally Wahba, a second year PhD student from Cairo, Egypt; and Yvon Feaster, a senior in computer information systems from Clemson. The Google Anita Borg Memorial Scholarship was created to encourage women to excel in computing and technology and become active role models and leaders. Scholarships are awarded based on the strength of candidates' academic background and demonstrated leadership. Wahba and Feaster both received a $10,000 scholarship for the 2008-2009 academic year. Remaining finalists received $1,000 each. 'I didn't expect to get the scholarship because all those who received it from previous years were from the top 10 universities, and less than 10 percent of those who apply received it,' said Wahba. 'I was extremely happy when a representative from Google called me to inform me I received the scholarship. It was a great sense of satisfaction and I'm assured that I'm going in the right path in my career.' In order to receive the scholarship, applicants must fulfill the following requirements: be entering their senior year of undergraduate study or be enrolled in a graduate program in 2008-2009 at a university in the United States; major in computer science, computer engineering or a related technical field; be enrolled in full-time study in 2008-2009; and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5. 'I feel extremely honored to have been selected for this scholarship. Anita Borg was a champion advocate for women in the science and technology field, and I commend Google for honoring her life work with these scholarships,' Feaster said. For more information about Clemson's graduate programs in computer science and computer engineering, please visit (respectively): www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/CompSci/index.php
www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/CompEng/index.php
