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NSF director helps open 117th academic year at Clemson
Wednesday, August 19, 2009A new type of crisis is looming worldwide and it will take imagination,
not
just knowledge, to change the path and keep the United States
competitive,
the National Science Foundation director told a Clemson University
audience
Tuesday.
Arden L. Bement Jr. spoke Tuesday about 'Energy, Environment, Economy
and
Education: A Synthesis for a Sustainable Future?' at the Victor Hurst
Academic Convocation at Clemson University.
Read the entire news release here.
NSF director helps open 117th academic year at Clemson
Wednesday, August 19, 2009A new type of crisis is looming worldwide and it will take imagination,
not
just knowledge, to change the path and keep the United States
competitive,
the National Science Foundation director told a Clemson University
audience
Tuesday.
Arden L. Bement Jr. spoke Tuesday about 'Energy, Environment, Economy
and
Education: A Synthesis for a Sustainable Future?' at the Victor Hurst
Academic Convocation at Clemson University.
Read the entire news release here.
Video will be included in a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
Wednesday, August 19, 2009A video made by a Clemson instructor and his students about life for African-American students in a Rosenwald school will be included in a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.
The Hope School of the Pomaria community near Newberry was a Rosenwald School, a place created for African-American children in the South during the early part of the 20th century. The concept was developed by famed educator Booker T. Washington and funded by Julius Rosenwald, a philanthropist and owner of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Land for the Newberry County school was donated by the family of James H. Hope, a member of Clemson’s first graduating class and longtime superintendent of education for South Carolina public schools.
The Hope School operated from 1926 until 1954, when it was closed by the school district and became an unofficial community center, according to Ron Knorr, a Clemson University instructor and Ph.D. student in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education. In time, the building fell into disrepair.
Descendents of James Hope and members of the community, including alumni of the Hope School, galvanized in an effort to save the building that once provided African-American children in the community their only chance for education.
Knorr and his students became involved in the project in 2008, first when he was assigned a history paper for his doctoral class and then when he, in turn, gave a similar assignment to his students. They went to Pomaria on a hot summer day and interviewed on video six former Hope School students who recalled the days of taking their own firewood to school and fetching water in buckets for the two-room, two-teacher building.
Their six hours of video will join a replica of the Hope School as part of a new Smithsonian project on African-American history.
“There were 500 Rosenwald schools in South Carolina at one time. Now only about 30 of the buildings are left and some of them are in pretty bad shape,” Knorr said. “The Hope School is the heart and soul of that community, and it’s good to know that their efforts will keep it that way for years to come. The building has a real sense of permanence.”
Knorr, a lifelong history buff and former middle school English teacher, is amazed that some of his work will become part of one of the world’s great museums.
“I still find it hard to believe,” he said.
The Hope School replica will be part of an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African America History and Culture, opening in 2012. The Hope School Community Center in Pomaria will celebrate a grand opening on Aug. 22.
Video will be included in a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution
Wednesday, August 19, 2009A video made by a Clemson instructor and his students about life for African-American students in a Rosenwald school will be included in a new exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.
The Hope School of the Pomaria community near Newberry was a Rosenwald School, a place created for African-American children in the South during the early part of the 20th century. The concept was developed by famed educator Booker T. Washington and funded by Julius Rosenwald, a philanthropist and owner of Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Land for the Newberry County school was donated by the family of James H. Hope, a member of Clemson’s first graduating class and longtime superintendent of education for South Carolina public schools.
The Hope School operated from 1926 until 1954, when it was closed by the school district and became an unofficial community center, according to Ron Knorr, a Clemson University instructor and Ph.D. student in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education. In time, the building fell into disrepair.
Descendents of James Hope and members of the community, including alumni of the Hope School, galvanized in an effort to save the building that once provided African-American children in the community their only chance for education.
Knorr and his students became involved in the project in 2008, first when he was assigned a history paper for his doctoral class and then when he, in turn, gave a similar assignment to his students. They went to Pomaria on a hot summer day and interviewed on video six former Hope School students who recalled the days of taking their own firewood to school and fetching water in buckets for the two-room, two-teacher building.
Their six hours of video will join a replica of the Hope School as part of a new Smithsonian project on African-American history.
“There were 500 Rosenwald schools in South Carolina at one time. Now only about 30 of the buildings are left and some of them are in pretty bad shape,” Knorr said. “The Hope School is the heart and soul of that community, and it’s good to know that their efforts will keep it that way for years to come. The building has a real sense of permanence.”
Knorr, a lifelong history buff and former middle school English teacher, is amazed that some of his work will become part of one of the world’s great museums.
“I still find it hard to believe,” he said.
The Hope School replica will be part of an exhibit at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African America History and Culture, opening in 2012. The Hope School Community Center in Pomaria will celebrate a grand opening on Aug. 22.
Clemson Ph.D. student awarded IBM Fellowship
Monday, August 17, 2009
Zachary Jones of Seven Springs, N.C., a Ph.D. student in the School of Computing at Clemson University, has been awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. The award covers tuition and mandatory fees and also comes with a $17,500 stipend.
Jones’ research focuses on operating systems and virtualization, specifically focusing on the design and creation of a virtual-device framework that allows for virtual hardware to be added to a computer. With virtual hardware, researchers and instructors do not require real hardware for many tasks, thus reducing costs while allowing greater flexibility in the lab.
The IBM Ph.D. Fellowship is an internationally competitive program that honors exceptional Ph.D. students in many academic disciplines and areas of study. In awarding fellowships, IBM focuses on areas of interest fundamental to innovation, including technology that creates new business value, innovative software, new types of computers and interdisciplinary projects.
“I am fortunate and thankful to be awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship,” Jones said. “It is a very competitive process and the fellowship not only recognizes me but the quality of the School of Computing at Clemson.”
This past spring, Jones received the Clemson University School of Computing’s Outstanding Computer Science Ph.D. Student Award.
Clemson Ph.D. student awarded IBM Fellowship
Monday, August 17, 2009
Zachary Jones of Seven Springs, N.C., a Ph.D. student in the School of Computing at Clemson University, has been awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship for the 2009-2010 academic year. The award covers tuition and mandatory fees and also comes with a $17,500 stipend.
Jones’ research focuses on operating systems and virtualization, specifically focusing on the design and creation of a virtual-device framework that allows for virtual hardware to be added to a computer. With virtual hardware, researchers and instructors do not require real hardware for many tasks, thus reducing costs while allowing greater flexibility in the lab.
The IBM Ph.D. Fellowship is an internationally competitive program that honors exceptional Ph.D. students in many academic disciplines and areas of study. In awarding fellowships, IBM focuses on areas of interest fundamental to innovation, including technology that creates new business value, innovative software, new types of computers and interdisciplinary projects.
“I am fortunate and thankful to be awarded an IBM Ph.D. Fellowship,” Jones said. “It is a very competitive process and the fellowship not only recognizes me but the quality of the School of Computing at Clemson.”
This past spring, Jones received the Clemson University School of Computing’s Outstanding Computer Science Ph.D. Student Award.
Optics researcher elected to prestigious Russian Academy of Sciences
Thursday, August 13, 2009The prestigious Russian Academy of Sciences has formally elected Clemson
University distinguished visiting professor in materials science and
engineering Roger Stolen as a foreign member. Alexander D. Nekipelov,
vice president of the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented Stolen with
his award at a Moscow ceremony.
Read the entire news release here
Scott named interim dean of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences
Friday, July 31, 2009Thomas R. Scott, a professor in the animal and veterinary sciences department at Clemson University, has been named interim dean of the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences. He also will serve as interim associate vice president for Public Service and Agriculture. “Dr. Scott has had a distinguished career at Clemson and has served the institution in many capacities, including four years as a director of the former School of Animal, Biomedical and Biological Sciences and, more recently, as chairman of the task force on administrative structure,” said Clemson Provost Doris Helms. “I am confident he will continue his commitment to his college and the university as he steps into this leadership role.” Scott's appointment is effective immediately. He replaces Alan Sams, who has accepted the position of executive associate dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University. Sams was a faculty member and administrator at Texas A&M for 20 years before coming to Clemson as dean in January 2007. Scott came to Clemson in 1986 as an assistant professor in the poultry science department. He has a joint appointment to the biological sciences department. He has an active research program and is the recipient of numerous grants. He has three patents under review and expects to continue to conduct research, publish and mentor his graduate students during his interim term. “The College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences is a cornerstone of Clemson University, and its programs typify the land-grant mission of the university,' Scott said. 'The college’s teaching, research and public-service activities cover a diverse number of areas relevant to South Carolina. I look forward to leading the college into new areas of education that prepare our students for careers aligned with the issues and challenges for society. “I am extremely honored to work with the college faculty, staff and students as interim dean, and I look forward to sharing our achievements with everyone throughout the state and beyond.” Scott came to Clemson after completing his post-doctoral research in poultry science at Mississippi State University. He earned his bachelor's degree in zoology and a master’s degree in poultry science from Louisiana State University, and received his Ph.D. in poultry science from the University of Georgia.
Clemson scientist awarded EPA grants to study nano-ecotoxicology
Monday, July 27, 2009CLEMSON - Clemson scientist Stephen Klaine has been awarded two $400,000
EPA grants to study a subject that did not exist a decade ago. Klaine is
part of the young field of nano-ecotoxicology: the investigation of the
impact that nanoparticles have on the environment.
Klaine is interim director of the Clemson Institute of Environmental
Toxicology. An aquatic toxicologist, Klaine's research has focused on
interactions between manufactured materials and the environment,
particularly how man-made chemicals affect water and organisms in rivers
and streams. His most recent work has investigated the toxicological
effects of pharmaceuticals in Lake Conestee and the Reedy River in
Upstate South Carolina. With these EPA grants, Klaine will study the
behavior of carbon nanomaterials in aquatic environments and how carbon
nantotubes affect the aquatic food chain.
'Nano-ecotoxicology looks at topics we are just beginning to frame
questions for,' Klaine said. 'How and how much will engineered
nanoparticles interact with the environment? How will these phenomenally
small particles interact with organisms - fish, plants, insects,
bacteria - and soils and sediments? Before we can begin to understand
their impact we have to find ways to know what we are looking for and
analyze the results.'
Nanotechnology is the science of the fantastically small. A nanometer is
1 billionth of a meter. A typical piece of paper is 100,000 nanometers
thick; a penny measures 19 million nanometers wide; one inch equals 25.4
million nanometers. Carbon nanotubes are made entirely of carbon atoms
and have a diameter a 50,000th of that of a human hair.
There are more than 600 products containing nanoparticles sold globally,
according to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Most are
food-safety, health and personal-care products. Sunscreen with
UV-blocking nano-titanium dioxide leaves no white marks, food-storage
boxes lined with a fillm of nano-silver destroy microbes and face cream
packed with nanosomes improves skin moisturizing.
'It's far too early to say whether or not nanoparticles pose a
substantial risk to harm the environment,' said Klaine.
Researchers around the world are focused on understanding
how these particles behave in the environment and how they interact with
organisms, including humans. The multi-disciplinary team of
investigators from Clemson University, the University of Michigan,
Georgia Tech, Wright State University and the University of North Texas
represent a comprehensive effort to understand the behavior of carbon
nanoparticles in water, how they are taken up by organisms and if they
are transferred to the food chain, which ultimately includes humans.
Klaine already has observed interactions between nanoparticles and
organisms.
'Carbon nanotubes - CNTs - can get into the gut of the water flea -
daphnia - and become part of the organism. How the uptake affects the
organism and the food chain - fathead minnows feed on daphnia - is one
of the questions that needs to be answered.'
'We are dealing with a new technology and we must continue to explore
its potential for unintended consequences until we have the information
to adequately characterize the risk to the environment and humans,' said
Klaine. 'As scientists we have an obligation to inform the public of
potential safety concerns as well as the potential for better products.'
Clemson scientist awarded EPA grants to study nano-ecotoxicology
Monday, July 27, 2009CLEMSON - Clemson scientist Stephen Klaine has been awarded two $400,000
EPA grants to study a subject that did not exist a decade ago. Klaine is
part of the young field of nano-ecotoxicology: the investigation of the
impact that nanoparticles have on the environment.
Klaine is interim director of the Clemson Institute of Environmental
Toxicology. An aquatic toxicologist, Klaine's research has focused on
interactions between manufactured materials and the environment,
particularly how man-made chemicals affect water and organisms in rivers
and streams. His most recent work has investigated the toxicological
effects of pharmaceuticals in Lake Conestee and the Reedy River in
Upstate South Carolina. With these EPA grants, Klaine will study the
behavior of carbon nanomaterials in aquatic environments and how carbon
nantotubes affect the aquatic food chain.
'Nano-ecotoxicology looks at topics we are just beginning to frame
questions for,' Klaine said. 'How and how much will engineered
nanoparticles interact with the environment? How will these phenomenally
small particles interact with organisms - fish, plants, insects,
bacteria - and soils and sediments? Before we can begin to understand
their impact we have to find ways to know what we are looking for and
analyze the results.'
Nanotechnology is the science of the fantastically small. A nanometer is
1 billionth of a meter. A typical piece of paper is 100,000 nanometers
thick; a penny measures 19 million nanometers wide; one inch equals 25.4
million nanometers. Carbon nanotubes are made entirely of carbon atoms
and have a diameter a 50,000th of that of a human hair.
There are more than 600 products containing nanoparticles sold globally,
according to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies. Most are
food-safety, health and personal-care products. Sunscreen with
UV-blocking nano-titanium dioxide leaves no white marks, food-storage
boxes lined with a fillm of nano-silver destroy microbes and face cream
packed with nanosomes improves skin moisturizing.
'It's far too early to say whether or not nanoparticles pose a
substantial risk to harm the environment,' said Klaine.
Researchers around the world are focused on understanding
how these particles behave in the environment and how they interact with
organisms, including humans. The multi-disciplinary team of
investigators from Clemson University, the University of Michigan,
Georgia Tech, Wright State University and the University of North Texas
represent a comprehensive effort to understand the behavior of carbon
nanoparticles in water, how they are taken up by organisms and if they
are transferred to the food chain, which ultimately includes humans.
Klaine already has observed interactions between nanoparticles and
organisms.
'Carbon nanotubes - CNTs - can get into the gut of the water flea -
daphnia - and become part of the organism. How the uptake affects the
organism and the food chain - fathead minnows feed on daphnia - is one
of the questions that needs to be answered.'
'We are dealing with a new technology and we must continue to explore
its potential for unintended consequences until we have the information
to adequately characterize the risk to the environment and humans,' said
Klaine. 'As scientists we have an obligation to inform the public of
potential safety concerns as well as the potential for better products.'
Clemson, nine other South Carolina schools to lead groundbreaking research in organ replacement
Monday, July 27, 2009CLEMSON - Clemson University today joins nine other South Carolina
higher education institutions in a research program that offers new hope
for the thousands of individuals whose lives are threatened by organ
failure and who wait in vain for too-few available transplant organs.
More than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for organ transplants.
A $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) creates a
statewide alliance in the field of tissue biofabrication, which could
lead to the ability to produce human organs. The award is one of the
largest in the state's history.
Clemson University Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Chris Przirembel said the opportunity for South Carolina researchers to
work together on such a life-affirming research project is
unprecedented.
'The scope of this research initiative is truly impressive, and all of
South Carolina can be proud that the National Science Foundation has
chosen the research community of our state for this focus,' Przirembel
said. 'Obviously NSF saw in South Carolina a willingness to collaborate
and an emerging, high-potential body of research expertise. The ultimate
benefit of this research project will be to improve the health and
quality of life for all South Carolinians and others, and we eagerly
await the outcomes.'
Przirembel said the resulting intellectual property could be the basis
for new start-up companies that would be part of the emerging
biomedical-device cluster in the state, creating a wide range of jobs at
every level, from technicians to researchers.
Clemson's role in the research project totals $750,000 over the
five-year grant period. Principal investigator Larry Dooley will lead
the Clemson research team, which will target three junior faculty
members to work with faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina
to develop a critical mass of in-state research expertise in tissue
biofabrication. Yong Huang, mechanical engineering assistant professor,
will serve as leader of the research thrust to build a three-dimensional
'vascular tree,' the first crucial step in the process of fabricating
complete organs. Clemson Computing and Information Technology also will
play a significant role in the cyber-infrastructure necessary for
collaboration among the institutions.
The research alliance is managed by the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and Institutional Development
Awards (IDeA), two federal-state-university partnerships designed to
increase research capacity and competitiveness for federal research and
development funds. In addition to Clemson, the alliance includes the
state's two other research universities, the Medical University of South
Carolina and the University of South Carolina, as well as Claflin
University, Furman University, South Carolina State University, the
University of South Carolina-Beaufort, Voorhees College, Denmark
Technical College and Greenville Technical College. The South Carolina
Research Authority will serve as fiscal agent of the award.
Esin Gulari, dean of Clemson's College of Engineering and Science and a
member of the National Science Board, the governing body for NSF, said
the grant will undoubtedly boost South Carolina's national research
profile to new heights.
'Activities from this project will lead to a vanguard position in a new
science and technology field that is truly global,' she said.
Details of the comprehensive project include:
Educational innovations include development of e-textbooks and new
curricula. New graduate-degree programs and postdoctoral- and
graduate-research training are planned across the state. Training
opportunities for South Carolina's reporters and journalism students
will enable in-depth reporting of scientific achievements and will
enhance science literacy statewide.
The NSF award will connect regional, national and international
cyber-networks and support collaborative e-communities for education in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Other activities will
bridge South Carolina's minority-serving programs and integrate with the
science, education, communication and sustainability plans of the
project.
* Expansion of a current Medical University of South Carolina
bioprinting program into a statewide Advanced Tissue Biofabrication
center
* Recruitment of 22 new faculty members with expertise not
currently available in South Carolina
* Creation of a global e-community to facilitate the development
of sophisticated databases in vascular technology
* Establishment of national and international academic industrial
collaborations and the integration of statewide initiatives for
workforce development, education and communication to the general
public
* Integration of the alliance's research with K-12 education to
build South Carolina's future high-tech workforce.
Clemson, nine other South Carolina schools to lead groundbreaking research in organ replacement
Monday, July 27, 2009CLEMSON - Clemson University today joins nine other South Carolina
higher education institutions in a research program that offers new hope
for the thousands of individuals whose lives are threatened by organ
failure and who wait in vain for too-few available transplant organs.
More than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for organ transplants.
A $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) creates a
statewide alliance in the field of tissue biofabrication, which could
lead to the ability to produce human organs. The award is one of the
largest in the state's history.
Clemson University Vice President for Research and Economic Development
Chris Przirembel said the opportunity for South Carolina researchers to
work together on such a life-affirming research project is
unprecedented.
'The scope of this research initiative is truly impressive, and all of
South Carolina can be proud that the National Science Foundation has
chosen the research community of our state for this focus,' Przirembel
said. 'Obviously NSF saw in South Carolina a willingness to collaborate
and an emerging, high-potential body of research expertise. The ultimate
benefit of this research project will be to improve the health and
quality of life for all South Carolinians and others, and we eagerly
await the outcomes.'
Przirembel said the resulting intellectual property could be the basis
for new start-up companies that would be part of the emerging
biomedical-device cluster in the state, creating a wide range of jobs at
every level, from technicians to researchers.
Clemson's role in the research project totals $750,000 over the
five-year grant period. Principal investigator Larry Dooley will lead
the Clemson research team, which will target three junior faculty
members to work with faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina
to develop a critical mass of in-state research expertise in tissue
biofabrication. Yong Huang, mechanical engineering assistant professor,
will serve as leader of the research thrust to build a three-dimensional
'vascular tree,' the first crucial step in the process of fabricating
complete organs. Clemson Computing and Information Technology also will
play a significant role in the cyber-infrastructure necessary for
collaboration among the institutions.
The research alliance is managed by the Experimental Program to
Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) and Institutional Development
Awards (IDeA), two federal-state-university partnerships designed to
increase research capacity and competitiveness for federal research and
development funds. In addition to Clemson, the alliance includes the
state's two other research universities, the Medical University of South
Carolina and the University of South Carolina, as well as Claflin
University, Furman University, South Carolina State University, the
University of South Carolina-Beaufort, Voorhees College, Denmark
Technical College and Greenville Technical College. The South Carolina
Research Authority will serve as fiscal agent of the award.
Esin Gulari, dean of Clemson's College of Engineering and Science and a
member of the National Science Board, the governing body for NSF, said
the grant will undoubtedly boost South Carolina's national research
profile to new heights.
'Activities from this project will lead to a vanguard position in a new
science and technology field that is truly global,' she said.
Details of the comprehensive project include:
Educational innovations include development of e-textbooks and new
curricula. New graduate-degree programs and postdoctoral- and
graduate-research training are planned across the state. Training
opportunities for South Carolina's reporters and journalism students
will enable in-depth reporting of scientific achievements and will
enhance science literacy statewide.
The NSF award will connect regional, national and international
cyber-networks and support collaborative e-communities for education in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Other activities will
bridge South Carolina's minority-serving programs and integrate with the
science, education, communication and sustainability plans of the
project.
* Expansion of a current Medical University of South Carolina
bioprinting program into a statewide Advanced Tissue Biofabrication
center
* Recruitment of 22 new faculty members with expertise not
currently available in South Carolina
* Creation of a global e-community to facilitate the development
of sophisticated databases in vascular technology
* Establishment of national and international academic industrial
collaborations and the integration of statewide initiatives for
workforce development, education and communication to the general
public
* Integration of the alliance's research with K-12 education to
build South Carolina's future high-tech workforce.
Metromont gift names Richard H. Pennell Center for Real Estate Development
Monday, July 27, 2009Metromont Corp. President and CEO Rick Pennell Friday honored his father — as well as a long-term family commitment to the development industry — with a gift to Clemson University that names the Richard H. Pennell Center for Real Estate Development. The $2.5 million gift will support the center’s activities with students, faculty and professionals as they seek better ways to build more sustainable communities. The Richard H. Pennell Center for Real Estate Development is a joint venture between Clemson’s College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities and the College of Business and Behavioral Science, a relationship that mirrors the complex nature of real estate development. “We are grateful to the Pennell family for the dedication they show to their industry now and the commitment they make to the future,” said Clemson University President James F. Barker. “This gift will have a tremendous impact on our efforts to produce the next generation of innovators and leaders in real estate design, construction and development.” Rick Pennell said it was the center’s blend of disciplines, from building arts to finance, that inspired the gift. (See the related article for more information.) “It intrigued me that the program has students from architecture, landscape architecture and business, and marries them in a unique curriculum,” he said. “The center touches on everything we do at Metromont.” Pennell said the center brings together students from various disciplines, just as real estate development brings together various professions in the working world. Metromont serves those professionals with a business based on precast concrete. The Greenville-based company has projects that range from parking structures and thermal-efficient wall systems for schools, office buildings and dormitories, to affordable hurricane-resistant housing in New Orleans. “Metromont is clearly a leader in an industry that is vital to helping make a difference in building better and more sustainable communities,' said center Director Elaine Worzala. 'The work that this company does in helping us build better and greener buildings is exactly the type of thing we want the center to be involved in.” Metromont was founded in 1925 by Captain J. Roy Pennell. Richard H. “Dick” Pennell Sr. (Clemson Class of 1950) now serves as chairman of the board for Metromont Corp., and Richard H. “Rick” Pennell Jr., president and CEO, is the third generation to run the company. Metromont’s construction expertise spans from schools, office buildings and parking decks to industrial plants and stadiums. The company has completed more than 50 stadiums, including seven for the NFL, 15 sports arenas and more than 650 parking decks. The company has plants in Greenville; Atlanta; Richmond, Va.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Nashville, Tenn. The Richard H. Pennell Center for Real Estate Development seeks to complement Clemson University’s academic programming by providing research and outreach opportunities that will enhance the real estate profession. For more information about the Richard H. Pennell Center for Real Estate Development, go to http://www.clemson.edu/caah/pla/cred/.
DOE funds Clemson University clean energy research
Tuesday, July 07, 2009Clemson University associate professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering David Bruce will participate in a multi-university Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) funded with $12.5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Center for Atomic-Level Catalyst Design (CALCD) is focused on the development of new catalysts for the production of clean fuels and chemicals from renewable sources. David Bruce“The scientific research efforts of CALCD, combined with those of 45 other new EFRCs, are focused on the development of lower-cost renewable fuels that can be produced in the U.S.,” said Bruce. “The ultimate goal is to develop new environmentally friendly reaction processes that will help to decrease the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels.”
Bruce said that most renewable fuels now must be subsidized by government entities to be cost-competitive with fossil fuels. The materials that will be developed by the catalyst design center will enable renewable fuels to be produced at a lower cost and allow more of the feedstock to be converted into usable fuel and chemical products, which will further reduce the carbon footprint of new production processes.
Bruce will receive $714,000 for five years to use advanced computational methods to provide the molecular insights needed for collaborators on the project to prepare catalyst materials that are optimally suited to convert cellulose and other waste organic materials into renewable liquid fuels and bio-derived chemicals.
“Using state-of-the-art simulation and material-characterization methods, we plan to develop the next generation of catalysts and reaction processes that are needed to efficiently produce the bio-derived fuels of tomorrow,” said Bruce. “We expect to make significant discoveries in the coming years given the exceptional computational facilities at Clemson. The Palmetto high performance computer system and Internet 2 connectivity at Clemson will greatly enhance our abilities to model these reaction systems and interact with the other center investigators.”
The Center for Atomic-Level Catalyst Design, located at Louisiana State University, is a collaborative effort that includes 21 investigators from nine institutions in the United States and Europe. Bruce will serve as its coordinator for all simulation efforts. James Goodwin, a professor in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Clemson, will serve as a consultant to the project for one year.
Chemistry Professor Recognized for Best Paper
Tuesday, July 07, 2009Dr. Julia Brumaghim, an associate professor of chemistry at Clemson, was recognized for the Best Paper for a Young Investigator by the Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry in its most recent Young Investigator Special issue. Dr. Brumaghim’s paper, “Metal Specificity in DNA Damage Prevention by Sulfer Antioxidants,” is available for reading at Science Direct. The 2008 Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry Young Investigator Special Issue focuses on “Inorganic Biochemistry – The Next Generation”. Dr. Brumaghim first became interested in research chemistry as an undergraduate after conducting undergraduate research in the laboratories of Professors George Whitesides and Andrew Barron at Harvard, and Richard Eisenberg at the University of Rochester, primarily in synthetic inorganic chemistry. During graduate school at the University of Illinois, she worked with Professor Greg Girolami to synthesize and characterize air- and moisture-sensitive osmium complexes containing the pentamethylcyclopentadienyl ligand. Seeking to focus on biological applications of inorganic chemistry, Dr. Brumaghim then began an NIH postdocotoral fellowship with Professor Ken Raymond in the Chemistry Department at the University of California at Berkeley. Having assiduously avoided water and oxygen during most of her graduate tenure, she now performed much of her work in water. Using Ga(III) to mimic Fe(III), Dr. Brumaghim synthesized and resolved chiral Ga(III) hydroxamate complexes. Drawing on her graduate training in organometallic catalysis, she also studied the incorporation of chiral phosphonium cations and ruthenium catalysts into the Raymond supramolecular assemblies. To gain more experience working with DNA, Dr. Brumaghim accepted a second postdoctoral research position with Professor Stuart Linn in the Molecular and Cellular Biology department at Berkeley. There she studied the effects of iron coordination on oxidative DNA damage and determined sites for iron localization and reduction rates for the biological reductants NAD(P)H. As a chemistry professor at Clemson University, Dr. Brumaghim's work focuses on the biological applications of inorganic chemistry, using a wide range of techniques to determine mechanisms of antioxidant activity and prevention of metal-mediated DNA damage.
CU-ICAR buildings noted for outstanding sustainable design
Tuesday, June 23, 2009Clemson University has been recognized for its commitment to sustainable development with the U.S. Green Building Council’s award of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for two buildings on the campus of the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) in Greenville. Innovation Place and AutoParkInnovation Place, which houses the CU-ICAR partnership offices, and its adjacent AutoPark, with parking for 1,200 vehicles, received LEED-NC Gold certification for new construction. The Innovation Place facility also contains the Carolina First Gallery and St. Francis VRUM Fitness Center. The Innovation Place and AutoPark project was designed by Greenville architects Neal Prince and Partners with the Smith Group. In addition to being the first Clemson University building to achieve Gold status for new construction, the Innovation Place/AutoPark project also is the first state-funded LEED-NC Gold project and the first LEED-NC Gold building in the city of Greenville. The Innovation Place project also has been recognized by the South Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects with a 2009 Special Citation for Design Excellence. The state-of-the-art Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center received LEED-NC Silver certification. Designed by Atlanta-based Facility Group, the 90,000-square-foot facility houses Clemson’s unique graduate program in automotive engineering. Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering CenterLEED certification is based on a rating system that evaluates new construction on an extensive checklist of criteria, such as sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality and innovation and design process. As part of the certification process, Clemson purchased 1.3 kWh of wind-energy renewable energy certificates from Greenville-based Sky-energy. The certificates offset more than 1,787,452 pounds of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, that are emitted by fossil fuel plants. This purchase supports the university’s sustainable and green building policy. “President Barker has made LEED certification a priority for Clemson University, and the CU-ICAR campus is pleased that these two buildings reflect the university’s commitment to sustainable development,” said Bob Geolas, CU-ICAR executive director. “We will pursue these principles as we continue to develop the campus.” The Timken Building was CU-ICAR’s first construction project to receive LEED certification, in April 2008, and BMW received Wildlife and Industry Together (W.A.I.T.) certification from the South Carolina Wildlife Federation for its Information Technology Research Center for its features of a wildlife viewing area, nature trails and a W.A.I.T. garden. Clemson adopted a Sustainable Building Policy in 2005 to demonstrate the university’s commitment to environmental, economic and social stewardship; to yield cost savings through reduced operating costs; to provide healthy environments for students, faculty, staff and visitors; and to contribute to the university’s goals of protecting, conserving and enhancing the region’s and the state’s environmental resources.
Graduate Dean Appointed to National Communications Committee
Monday, June 15, 2009Sean D. Williams, associate dean of the Graduate School and associate professor of English, was recently appointed to serve as a member of the Technical and Scientific Communications Committee for the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). His three-year term will begin after the 2009 Annual Convention scheduled for November 19-24, in Philadelphia. In today’s rapidly changing world, there is a growing need for technical and scientific writers who can communicate clearly and succinctly to professionals and lay persons. Unfortunately, teaching at all levels has not kept up with this need, concentrating instead on the traditional forms of creative and informational writing. NCTE should be leading the movement to increase teachers’ interest and skill in teaching technical and scientific writing. The charge of this committee is to play a prominent role in increasing our professional community’s awareness and skill in teaching technical and scientific communication by • holding an open committee meeting and presenting awards at the annual NCTE convention, • recommending experts in the field who could author NCTE publications, develop online courses or digital learning experiences, and/or speak at the annual convention, and • suggesting opportunities to collaborate with other professional or scholarly organizations on the generation or dissemination of information about technical and scientific communication to teachers of all disciplines. The National Council of Teachers of English, with 40,000 individual and institutional members worldwide, is dedicated to improving the teaching and learning of English and the language arts at all levels of education. For more information, please visit www.ncte.org.
Management Prof Earns Society's Lifetime Achievement Award
Tuesday, June 02, 2009Aleda Roth, the Burlington Industries Distinguished Professor in Supply Chain Management at Clemson University, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Production and Operations Management Society’s College of Service Operations. Aleda RothRoth is only the third professor to receive the award, which is given to a person who has demonstrated a long-term commitment to and leadership in service operations and through research, publications and other means has contributed to the intellectual growth of the supply chain-management field. Roth is an internationally recognized scholar in service-operations strategy. She has co-founded major research initiatives, such as the International Service Study with faculty at London Business School and the University of Southern California and the World Class Banking Study with the Bank Administration Institute. Her research productivity in leading academic journals in the area of service operations is ranked seventh worldwide; and in terms of overall productivity she ranks in the top 1 percent. Roth came to Clemson in 2006 from Arizona State University, where she held the W.P. Carey Chair in Supply Chain Management. Previously, she worked at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At UNC-Chapel Hill, she was the Mary Farley Lee Distinguished Professor of Operations Management and chairwoman of the Global Supply Chain Management Concentration in the MBA program. She also has held faculty appointments at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and Boston University’s School of Management.
Clemson Scientists Evaluation Soils for Holding Earth's Surplus Carbon
Thursday, May 28, 2009Soils play a vital role in dealing with the environmental impacts of rising atmospheric carbon levels — primarily carbon dioxide — from natural and human activities. Clemson University soil scientists are studying soil types, ranking them on their ability to hold carbon and preventing it from returning to the atmosphere for eons. The Earth’s carbon budget — its balance between carbon used for plant growth and excess carbon stored — is a dynamic process. As carbon is released through fossil-fuel burning and changing land use, scientists are seeking a more accurate understanding of carbon storage and cycling. The Earth holds carbon in what scientists call pools: reservoirs of carbon stocks stored in and on the Earth and oceans as organic and inorganic matter. Simplistically, organic carbon compounds are connected to plants or animals while inorganic carbon compounds are often linked to minerals or rocks. Soil is second only to the oceans as a carbon sink: pools into which more carbon flows in than out. Soil scientists have a better picture of soil organic carbon — soil containing decaying plant and animal matter — than soil inorganic carbon. Scientists are now studying soil inorganic carbon, theorizing it may be a key area for forming and holding carbon, preventing it from returning to the atmosphere for eons. A team of Experiment Station scientists from Clemson University and Virginia Tech analyzed the 12 major soil groups in the continental United States, ranking them for their potential ability to form new soil inorganic carbon based on average annual atmospheric wet deposition of calcium, or the amount of ionic calcium present in rainfall. The results were first presented at the Soil Science Society of America Annual Meeting in November 2007 in New Orleans and recently have been published in the May-June 2009 issue of the Soil Science Society of America Journal. The study evaluated average annual atmospheric wet deposition of ionic calcium from 1994 to 2003 in the continental United States by soil order using spatial analysis of ionic calcium wet deposition data obtained from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and the State Soil Geographic Database from the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Using geographic information system (GIS) software, spatial data layers were developed and averaged to create a final iconic calciu wet deposition map layer. The total deposition per soil order was calculated by combining the final average ionic calcium wet deposition map layer with the generalized soil order data layer. Results from the study revealed that the total wet deposition of ionic calcium was 8.6 × 108 kilograms, which would be equivalent to the maximum theoretical formation of 2.6 × 108 kilograms of carbon as soil inorganic calcium, barring losses due to competitive processes, such as plant uptake, erosion and deep leaching. The soil orders receiving the highest area-normalized total wet deposition of ionic calcium were Alfisols and Mollisols, non-arid soils that typically are associated with the “bread-basket” regions of the United States. Research team member Elena Mikhailova, a soil scientist at Clemson who originally conceived the research approach, stated, “Formation of new carbonate minerals in soils — what scientists call pedogenic carbonates — represent a pathway by which atmospheric (carbon dioxide) can be sequestered. Maps of potential (soil inorganic carbon) formation and storage based on wet (ionic calcium) deposition can aid in understanding terrestrial ecosystem inorganic carbon dynamics and the way it can be manipulated to decrease (carbon dioxide) concentrations in the atmosphere.” The research is part of an ongoing project at Clemson to study soil carbon, particularly inorganic carbon stocks, and its role in the global carbon budget. Studies will measure, profile and identify the soil carbon characteristics and regional distribution to understand conditions and develop predictive models for future soil inorganic carbon research.
Medford Named Teacher of Honor
Monday, May 25, 2009Dr. Lienne Federico Medford, Associate Professor of Education at Clemson University and director of the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) in Middle Grades, has been named a Teacher of Honor by Kappa Delta Pi, an international honor society for education scholars. To earn this recognition, Dr. Medford, who is also Director of the Master of Arts (MAT) in Teaching Middle Grades Program at Clemson, had to meet rigorous criteria that include being highly qualified as defined by the No Child Left Behind Act, participating in ongoing professional development and continuing education, serving in leadership roles, and publishing in education journals. In the last nine years, Dr. Medford has participated in a wide range of professional pursuits that contributed to achieving this honor, not the least of which was introducing the MAT program for career changers at Clemson. Through this program, developed to relieve the shortage of highly qualified middle level teachers in South Carolina, Dr. Medford annually recruits and trains 40 teacher candidates who have come from careers outside of education. In this role, she 'spends countless hours mentoring and advising students,' observed graduate assistant Mary Helen Landmesser.
'Dr. Medford inspires her students to be agents of positive change in their schools. She teaches about best practices by using them,' Landmesser said. Dr. Bill Fisk, Chair of Teacher Education in the Eugene T. Moore School of Education at Clemson offered a similar description in his comment, 'Dr. Lienne Medford is a wonderful teacher and has worked tirelessly to establish, coordinate, and operate our highly successful Middle Grades MAT program. Her role and teaching practices earned her the College of Education's Award for Outstanding Graduate Advising and Mentoring and Clemson University's Faculty Award for Excellence in Graduate Teaching. While directing the MAT program, Dr. Medford also has served on various committees and advisory boards, published articles in educational journals, and presented workshops at education conferences. The common threads throughout many of these activities are her support of teacher education students and her dedication to middle level education. Most recently, Dr. Medford served on the Program Review Team for the South Carolina Department of Education and the National Education Association's Online Professional Development Programs Advisory Committee. In December, her university awarded her the Ralph D. Elliott Award for Outstanding Service to Off-Campus, Distance, and Continuing Education. Her articles published on the subjects of entering the teaching profession, preparing for teaching certification, and preventing bullying in schools further evidence her dedication to promoting and supporting excellence in education and the students she serves. 'Great teachers change lives by inspiring students to recognize their gifts and to learn how to use them to pursue a worthy dream. Lienne Medford is one such teacher,' said Kappa Delta Pi International President Dr. Pamela Kramer Ertel. For more information on Kappa Delta Pi or the Teacher of Honor award, contact Kelly M. Skinner, Director of Membership and Marketing, at 800-284-3167 or kellys@kdp.orq. Detailed information about Teacher of Honor is available on the KDP Web site (www.kdp.orq) at www.kdp.org/recognition/teacherofhonor.php. For more information about Clemson's MAT programs, visit http://www.grad.clemson.edu/programs/MiddleEd/.
Grad School Names New International Admissions Coordinator
Monday, May 25, 2009The Graduate Admissions Office has announced that it has hired Kathleen Costello as an international admissions coordinator. Costello joins Clemson University after serving at Montclair State University for 13 years where she worked extensively with international students as advisor to the international student organization and in language partner programs. She possesses a graduate degree in Applied Linguistics. Currently, she will be facilitating the admissions process for all international graduate applicants. Her contact information can be found on the Graduate School’s website here .
CU Hydrogeophysicist and Graduate Student Featured in "Earth"
Wednesday, May 20, 2009Stephen Moysey, a hydrogeophysicist at Clemson University in South Carolina, and graduate student Dan Matz are featured in a recent article in 'Earth' magazine. Read the article at http://www.earthmagazine.org/earth/article/216-7d9-5-8.
Clemson Mech Eng Professor Named NSF CAREER Award Winner
Tuesday, May 19, 2009Clemson University assistant professor of mechanical engineering Lin Ma has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to study the science of turbulent combustion, the mode of combustion in many practical energy-generating devices. The project focuses on the study of turbulence-chemistry interactions using advanced laser-imaging techniques. Lin MaThe grant, totaling $400,000, will fund the project, “CAREER: Resolving Turbulence-Chemistry Interaction Using Novel Laser Diagnostics.” The project aims to understand the complicated physics of turbulent combustion, which will contribute to the solution of pressing global issues of energy security and environmental sustainability. “The complexity of chemical reactions in turbulent flows represents a longstanding scientific problem with significant practical applications, most notably, the burning of fossil fuels with maximum efficiency and minimum pollution,” said Ma. “It is a challenging problem in that neither turbulence nor chemistry is completely understood, yet their interactions cover an incredibly wide spectrum of real-world devices. I believe the research proposed will result in effective tools to resolve such interactions to a new level and the insights we obtain will help improve these devices.” The devices, said Ma, can range from the simple, such as barbecue grills, to the complicated, such as industry boilers, power plants and aircraft engines. Ma joined Clemson in 2006. His teaching and research interests are in the general areas of thermal-fluid sciences. He uses advanced laser diagnostics extensively in his research to address both scientific and industrial challenges, ranging from obtaining a fundamental understanding of combustion chemistry to improving the efficiency of engines. Ma received a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Stanford University and a bachelor's degree from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of the early career-development activities of teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education in the context of the missions of their organizations. The award description states the activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education.
Teaching, Learning & Technology in Higher Education - Tablet PCs at Clemson
Monday, May 18, 2009Clemson Digital Production Arts graduate students recently produced a video for Hewlett-Packard documenting the use of tablet PCs in the classroom. For more information and to watch the video, follow this link
Teaching, Learning & Technology in Higher Education - Tablet PCs at Clemson
Monday, May 18, 2009Clemson Digital Production Arts graduate students recently produced a video for Hewlett-Packard documenting the use of tablet PCs in the classroom. For more information and to watch the video, follow this link
Teaching, Learning & Technology in Higher Education - Tablet PCs at Clemson
Monday, May 18, 2009Clemson Digital Production Arts graduate students recently produced a video for Hewlett-Packard documenting the use of tablet PCs in the classroom. For more information and to watch the video, follow this link
Biosystems engineering Student Garners NSF Fellowship
Monday, May 18, 2009Clemson University student Mary Katherine Watson of Summerville, a graduate student in biosystems engineering, received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship is a $30,000-per-year stipend and $1,000 research travel allowance. Nominees for the award are chosen based on grade-point average, Graduate Records Examination scores, a personal statement, previous research experience, a proposed plan for future research and letters of recommendation from faculty. “I am excited to have received an NSF graduate fellowship and I am confident that undergraduate and graduate research in biosystems engineering at Clemson University has prepared me to continue my graduate education,” said Watson. Watson completed undergraduate and graduate-level research in biosystems engineering at Clemson with associate professor Caye M. Drapcho. She also participated in SC-LIFE undergraduate research and departmental honors research in biosystems engineering to prepare her for graduate research.
Clemson Scientist Gets $222,000 to Reduce Risk from Food Grown with Compost
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Clemson University food safety researcher Xiuping Jiang has been awarded $222,000 to reduce illness-causing bacteria from getting into farms and gardens through manure used as fertilizer. A teaspoon of fertile soil can have as many as 1 billion bacteria. Some bacteria are harmful to humans, causing gut-wrenching sickness and even death among the very young, very old or very weak. By raising temperatures and using other approaches, Jiang has been lowering bacterial counts in compost. The Center for Produce Safety at the University of California in Davis is funding the research by Jiang, an associate professor in Clemson's food science and human nutrition department. The microbiologist works on microbial safety, the control and source of food pathogens. Pathogens are microorganisms that cause disease. Some pathogens, including salmonella and E. coli (Escherichia coli 0157:H7), have been linked to using manure. The research goals for Jiang and her colleagues Jinkyung Kim in food science and Feng Luo in the computer sciences department are to: * understand how human pathogens react to heat in compost, * use biological controls to reduce pathogen re-growth in compost, * develop a sensitive pathogen detection method and * apply mathematical modeling to simulate the effect of heat on pathogen growth. The relationship between livestock production, manure management and human health has been in the news. Organic and commercial vegetable growers are using fresh and composted animal feces — manure — as fertilizer and soil enrichment for farms, gardens, nurseries and greenhouses. Livestock and poultry manure naturally contain a wide range of bacteria as well as viruses and protozoa. Some cause illnesses: E. coli is most common in cattle manure; salmonella is most common in poultry manure. Food-related sicknesses have been linked to E. coli and salmonella on apples, lettuce, spinach, cantaloupe and sprouts. Root crops and leafy vegetables have a greater risk of infection from manure application to soil. Composting often is used to reduce the spread of pathogens before mixing into the soil, but it must be done correctly. Bacteria are survivors, some lasting more than year under the right conditions. For example, E. coli survives cold temperatures and tolerates acidic, salty and dry conditions. Fortunately, it is easily destroyed by heat, provided temperature and duration are sufficient. Jiang’s research team also is studying biological controls, such as other bacteria in the compost that can grow more rapidly and out-compete harmful pathogens for nutrients. Additionally, the researchers are devising an improved ways to find harmful bacteria, enabling farmers and growers to more confidently identify and count pathogen populations in manure-based compost. There are many sources of contamination beyond improperly composted manure, including poor water quality, transmission from inadequately sanitized equipment and improper hygiene by people handling produce during processing and serving. The consequences of food-borne illnesses can be severe, though healthy people tend to endure diarrhea, cramps and perhaps a fever. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention speculates that 76 million cases of food-borne disease occur each year in the United States. Most cases are mild and cause symptoms for a day or two and go unreported. Some cases are more serious, and the CDC estimates that there are 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths related to food-borne diseases yearly. The Center for Produce Safety at the University of California Davis has announced the launch of a $1 million research effort to enhance the safety of fresh fruits and vegetables. The new research program focuses on the 'field to fork' research needs of the entire produce supply chain, from the soil and water in the fields to storage practices in retail and food service outlets.
Researchers Study the Human Factor in Spread of Pandemic Illness
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Industrial engineers Sandra Garrett of Clemson University and Barrett Caldwell of Purdue University have proposed a new system to warn of an impending pandemic by monitoring signals in human behavior. The system could result in using a simple icon on a television screen to warn of future phases of an outbreak of an illness such as the flu. Researchers agree it is extremely difficult to identify a pandemic event before it is under way and spreading from person to person, yet the timeliness of this early detection is critical for an effective response and disaster-mitigation strategy. History and computer-generated simulations show that the speed in which a response strategy is initiated, even more than the specific strategy itself, will have the largest influence in reducing the overall impact of a pandemic. Given the importance of rapid response, identifying the specific event phases and the triggers that indicate a need for action is essential. 'We know that delays in identification are critical,' Garrett said. 'Once any significant number of cases are identified, especially in high-transit areas, the pandemic spread is virtually impossible to control. We have proposed a system that monitors what humans are doing leading up to a pandemic to increase the likelihood of early detection.' Garrett said the system would monitor such activities as an increase in flu-related medicine purchases or a spike in Internet use for certain types of flu-related information. These early indicators are important to notice since the spread of influenza can occur before someone begins to show symptoms of being sick and before they seek medical attention. Since a pandemic does not occur at a single point in time, but rather evolves, it is often difficult to detect an outbreak from physician or local health-department reports of an increase in flu cases. 'Understanding these phases might be a way to overcome a fundamental hurdle in controlling a pandemic,' said Caldwell. 'Conventional approaches require public-health officials to know when certain events leading to pandemic begin. The problem is it’s often too late to do much about it.' The researchers say planning for an illness can start at an earlier phase so that policymakers, government officials and the public can react sooner to control it. They envision a system that uses icons on television screens similar to those used for weather advisories warning about the phases of the illness and appropriate public responses. Garrett said there is much that the general population can do to prepare for a pandemic outbreak such as the flu, but many people do not fully understand influenza, what they can do to prepare and how to appropriately respond during a severe outbreak. 'The more we can do to educate our community, the better,' said Garrett. 'The social impact of a panicking populace can be just as hazardous as the virus, for example, the worried healthy folks flooding emergency rooms, using up valuable medical resources and possibly becoming exposed to the virus while there.' Garrett said that the basic underlying research is not limited to pandemic influenza scenarios, but could also be used in many other types of disasters, such as hurricanes or winter storms. 'It’s about communication,' Garrett said. 'The more we know and the sooner that we know, the better for everyone.' It also is critical to keep the information fresh with clearly identified frequent updates about the event. She said that when people are not given updated information, they begin to make assumptions that often are incorrect, which leads to discounting some of the information that is available. The research by Garrett and Caldwell on the 'Human Factors Aspects of Planning and Response to Pandemic Events' will be presented in a research paper June 2 at the Industrial Engineering Research Conference in Miami. They also have collaborated with health officials and hospitals in the test state of Indiana to determine the feasibility of an alternative-care system that may require activation once a pandemic illness reaches a local area. The study looks at how authorities react, what facilities are available that may be needed to care for pandemic patients and how to communicate timely information between authorities and their planning partners and to the general public. The Indiana State Department of Health funded the research.
DPA Students Win Award at Charleston International Film Festival
Monday, May 11, 2009Two DPA students were the winners of the 'Audience Choice Award' at the recent Charleston International Film Festival. Trae Murray and Ashley Triplett were recognized for their computer animation, 'Schildermenneke.' 'Schildermenneke,' the Dutch nickname for Vincent van Gogh and roughly translated as 'Little Painter Fellow,' brings several van Gogh paintings to life in an impressionist-style computer animation, which is available for viewing athttp://fx.clemson.edu/theater_vanGogh.html.
Clemson University Donates Computers for Workforce Training in North Charleston
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Clemson University Restoration Institute's Healthy Communities focus area and the Clemson Institute for Economic and Community Development have donated 15 computers to the city of North Charleston for a computer training lab in the city's Chicora Cherokee neighborhood. The Gussie Greene Technology Center will be used for workforce development skills to create opportunities for neighborhood residents. Comcast Cable in Charleston provided a year's free high-speed Internet access and cable installation. The computer science department at the College of Charleston provided additional equipment and students helped install the machines. The Charleston Linux Users Group donated the man hours to install software and develop computer management and Web site monitoring systems. Community leaders expressed a need to improve the technical capabilities of the local population, said Harry Crissy, Clemson regional community and economic development agent for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. Clemson University and the College of Charleston will use the center as a classroom to help local residents develop computer skills. 'Modern technology moves so fast,' Crissy said. 'This project is designed to help residents of the Chicora Cherokee neighborhood become more marketable to potential employers.' Gussie Greene Community Center is at 2012 Success St. in North Charleston. If successful, the pilot program could spread to other communities in the three-county region, Crissy said. North Charleston Mayor R. Keith Summey said the computer lab provides many with the opportunity to establish and expand important skills that will enable them to gain meaningful employment. 'In an age where information prevails, becoming computer literate and technologically savvy is invaluable,' Summey said. 'I am very grateful for the many contributors to this project, and I am confident that the entire community will benefit from their generous deeds.' Collaborators in the project are:
Clemson Faculty Member Elected ACerS Fellow
Monday, May 11, 2009
John Ballato, associate vice president for research and economic development at Clemson University and a professor in the College of Materials Science and Engineering, has been elected a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society (ACerS). Founded in 1898, the American Ceramic Society serves the informational, educational and professional needs of the international ceramics community. Ceramics usually are described in simple terms as any inorganic, nonmetallic materials, and can include glass. Ceramics today encompasses many fields, including aerospace, optical materials, medicine and electronics. John BallatoBallato is director of the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET) at Clemson. His research interests include the optical properties of materials and fiber fabrication. COMSET is an interdisciplinary research unit of the College of Engineering and Science. Faculty members with common interests are able to collaborate to develop advanced materials that exhibit a value-added interaction with light. COMSET has received $42 million for sponsored research. To be elected as Fellow to ACerS, nominees must be 35 years or older, members of ACerS for at least five years continuously and been proven qualified for elevation to the grade of Fellow by their contributions to the ceramics arts and sciences and shown broad scholarship in the industry or outstanding service to ACerS. Ballato earned a bachelor's degree in ceramic science and engineering in 1993 and a Ph.D. in ceramic and materials engineering in 1997 from Rutgers University. He joined Clemson University’s department of ceramic and materials engineering in 1997. He has published more than 160 archival scientific papers, holds 25 U.S. and foreign patents, given more than 125 lectures and colloquia and co-organized 25 national and international conferences. Awards Ballato has received include the 1997 ACerS Kreidl Award; the 2001 Clemson University Byar’s Prize for Excellence in Teaching; the 2003 Minerals, Metals and Materials Society’s Robert Lansing Hardy Award in recognition of exceptional promise for a successful career in materials science; the 2004 ACerS Robert L. Coble Award in recognition of the nation’s outstanding young ceramic scientists; and the 2004 National Institute of Ceramic Engineers Schwartswalder-PACE Award in recognition of the nation’s outstanding young ceramic engineer whose achievements have been significant to the ceramics field and general welfare of the American people.
Conference Raises Awareness and Sparks Collaboration across Disciplines
Monday, May 04, 2009
Earlier this year Clemson hosted a national-level conference — CI Days — designed to explore innovative ways to integrate information technology into teaching, research and outreach programs. Nearly 350 faculty members, graduate students, information technology staff and state research partners came together for three days with national agencies and providers of cyberinfrastructure resources and services. The outcome was new working alliances to develop and deploy a strong cyberinfrastructure at Clemson and throughout the state. The conference was co-sponsored by several Clemson University divisions and a number of key corporate partners including Dell, Apple, SUN and Cisco. The effort also was supported by a national collaboration of computing and networking agencies including the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy and EDUCAUSE.
Technology Developed by Student-Driven Project Allows Fans to Enjoy Football in Whole New Dimension
Monday, May 04, 2009
iTiger is the start of a campuswide emphasis toward a new generation of wireless technology integration. A student-driven effort in application design and development, infrastructure, project management and game-day logistics, the project brings together the School of Computing in the College of Engineering and Science, Clemson Computing and Information Technology, and Clemson Athletics. The uncommon collaboration of this trio could eventually bring instant replay, game-day statistics, memorabilia and e-concessions to the fingertips of football fans sitting in the stands of Memorial Stadium using their own hand-held digital devices. Other possibilities for iTiger’s use within the stadium include instantly accessing public safety officials, interacting with other fans, submitting questions to the coach’s show, and ordering and paying for concessions for pickup or delivery. 'We’re looking at how the stadium of the future may eventually operate and how other even larger forums in our environment have the potential to operate. We’re taking a social networking application and applying it to a sport venue. We hope to eventually use this application on a campuswide scope and, perhaps someday, citywide and beyond,' says Jim Bottum, vice provost for computing and information technology.
Clemson Hosts Virtual Collaborative Glass Class for 10 Institutions
Monday, May 04, 2009
At a meeting of the Glass Division of the American Ceramic Society, university faculty lamented how, individually, they didn’t have enough enrollment to teach advanced glass classes. From that discussion was born a virtual collaborative class with enrollments from 10 institutions — Alfred University, Clemson University, Coe College, Iowa State University, Missouri S&T, UC Davis, University of Florida, Penn State, Michigan and University of Arizona — plus the National Science Foundation and the International Materials Institute for New Functionality in Glass. Clemson materials science and engineering professor Eric Skaar offered to host the virtual class using Clemson’s Adobe Connect Web conferencing technology, which provides an array of tools such as screen and document sharing, chat, whiteboards and surveys — a virtual environment very similar to the offerings of a traditional classroom. Each university provided a lecturer. Instructors found that collaborating across institutions for projects was not only feasible but in some cases preferred by students because of the collaborative environment. The faculty has taught the course twice with about 40 students in each section and is in the process of publishing its experiences through the American Society for Engineering Education. Skaar has also collaborated with researchers from the Savannah River Site to teach sections of Materials Processing (CME 319) virtually using Adobe Connect.
Massive Computing Infrastructure Offers Engineering Simulation Capabilities with Speed and Simplicity
Monday, May 04, 2009
Design development and modification are among the most competitive and most expensive aspects of the automotive industry. The Clemson University Computational Center for Mobility Systems (CU-CCMS) provides computational modeling that can significantly reduce both the time and cost associated with design modification. In addition to the unique and validated engineering simulation methods of its industry-focused approach, CU-CCMS offers clients a high-performance computing system that is among the top 10 most powerful computers at any American university and among the top 20 computers at any university center worldwide. CU-CCMS and Clemson Computing and Information Technology partnered with Sun Microsystems and Voltaire to build the system that performs more than 27 trillion mathematical computations per second.
Open Parks Grid Creates Communication Backbone for Park and Protected Area Management
Monday, May 04, 2009
A visionary plan is under way to create an international computing network to support the diverse groups of people who manage parks, from local to international. The Open Parks Grid can also benefit those who conduct environmental research, conservation and education programs related to parks, and those who make policy decisions about park lands. Design and deployment of social networking tools will foster the creation of a network community for consortium members. The grid will gather and disseminate the best available science about parks and protected areas, including data on climate change, ecosystem composition, endangered species and park visitation patterns. The project is being beta tested at four national parks in the southeastern United States: Congaree National Park, Cowpens National Battlefield, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Augusta Canal National Heritage Area. The interdisciplinary team’s efforts support environmental conservation through shared resources and target cyberinfrastructure challenges of data fusion and data mining that go well beyond park management
Greenville Company Donates Robot to CU-ICAR Graduate Program
Monday, May 04, 2009
Greenville-based Automation Engineering Corp. has donated a KUKA six-axis robot valued at $15,500 to the Carroll A. Campbell Jr. Graduate Engineering Center at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). The robot will be used in research and education by students studying factory automation in the automotive engineering graduate program. The robot can be used for a wide variety of manufacturing projects, such as welding cars on an assembly line, painting or moving parts from one position to another. Students have specified, purchased and installed supporting hardware, learned the KUKA programming language and are able to manipulate the robot in a variety of tasks. Automotion Engineering (AEC) also provides engineering support and consultation to the students, enhancing the value of the robot as a teaching tool, said mechanical engineering professor Laine Mears. 'The hardware and support provides hands-on learning in conjunction with the academic automation concepts taught in class, showing students that automating a task requires more than just programming, but a deeper understanding of design, control and safety issues,' Mears said. The corporation has provided support for CU-ICAR in the past, including a $100,000 gift to fund graduate fellowships. 'AEC has been interested in CU-ICAR since it was first announced,' said Gary Foster, president of Automation Engineering. 'We knew that this would be an engine to drive engineering and technology in the Upstate, and we knew that we wanted to be part of it. Collaboration between industry and academics is a very powerful tool. We expect CU-ICAR to produce excellent engineers and technical leaders and we’re excited to be part of that future.'
Graduate Student Receives Recognition for Summer Orientation Work
Monday, May 04, 2009
Amy Gray of Chester, Va., a first-year graduate student at Clemson University, received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award at the Region VI annual conference of the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) in Oxford, Miss. Gray, who is working toward a Masters of Education in student affairs, is a graduate assistant in the Office of New Student and Sophomore Programs in Clemson’s Division of Student Affairs. She implemented a new recruitment process for student orientation leaders for summer 2009, receiving 130 applications for 25 spots, an increase over the 60 or 70 applications per year in the past. Gray implemented a new leadership models for orientation leaders, creating new job responsibilities and more leadership opportunities for returning leaders. 'Amy’s passion and interest to help people makes her a great leader, not only within our office but among our orientation ambassadors as well. Her integrity, loyalty, spirit and work ethic represent the elite and finest of Clemson’s graduate students. Amy’s willingness to do or try anything at anytime will enable her to be successful in the future,' said Rebecca Atkinson, associate director for new student and sophomore programs. Gray has helped coordinate and implement a new program for new students called Clemson Connect, a series of activities and programs that all new students are required to participate in four days before classes begin each fall semester. Gray also serves as one of the first members of Clemson’s Retention Intervention Team, a program that identifies academically at-risk students to help them stay on track in school. Gray advises the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and supervises undergraduate student interns. 'It came as a surprise, as I was unaware my supervisor had nominated me for the award. It really meant so much to be honored with this award considering I am only a first year graduate student and there are so many incredible orientation programs in the southern region. It was really nice to be recognized for all of the hard work our entire office had been doing over the 2008-2009 school year,' said Gray. NODA exists to provide education, leadership and professional development in the fields of college student orientation, transition and retention. Nominees for the Outstanding Graduate Student Award are considered based on the complexity of the organization and the tasks performed, the level of the impact the nominee’s performance has had on various areas of the institution, the amount of time invested in orientation and the amount of time that was planned or spontaneous and the effectiveness of the nominee in the field of orientation, transition and retention services.
Next-Generation High-Performance Computing Cluster Enhances Research Productivity
Friday, May 01, 2009Researchers need vast and flexible computing capabilities to conduct their research, collaborate, store and analyze huge amounts of data. Part of the solution is the Palmetto Cluster, a shared supercomputer cooperatively developed by faculty and Clemson Computing and Information Technology, which moved Clemson into the top 100 computing sites in the world and makes the University more competitive in research productivity. The research enabled by the Palmetto Cluster runs the gamut from cross-layer protocol design of wireless communication networks to simulations in molecular dynamics to human developmental studies. Economics professor Paul Wilson says, 'The new cluster allows me to undertake data- and computationally intensive projects that would have been otherwise impossible.' The system is both innovative and cost-effective because it’s based on a 'condominium cluster' concept that uses small computer arrays assembled into larger units, much like a condominium complex. Faculty 'owners' provide a significant percentage of the funding for the compute nodes while the University provides the rest of the nodes plus the infrastructure to build the cluster. The cluster can be provisioned, configured and managed as faculty and research needs dictate.
