Joseph Medina, assistant vice president of college relations at Colby College, has been appointed assistant vice president for advancement strategy, services, and infrastructure at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

More than 1,000 area students, families, teachers, and community organizations are expected at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Saturday, Feb. 4, to participate in the 14th annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is launching a new undergraduate major in sustainability studies through the School of Humanities Arts, and Social Sciences.

Kim Lewis, assistant professor of physics, applied physics, and astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has won a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Vice President-Research Francine Berman was named a co-chair of The Board on Research Data and Information (BRDI) of the National Academy of Sciences.

Ryan Gilbert, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has won a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER) from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has given Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a High Performance Building Plaque for energy-saving investments that will reduce energy use and save the Institute $223,513 annually.

Neil Rolnick, composer and professor of music at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will embark on a new project—a piece for pianist Vicky Chow— with support from the Fromm Music Foundation at Harvard University.

Nuclear safety expert Peter Caracappa, the campus radiation officer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will visit Capitol Hill Friday to brief congressional staffers on radiation and radioactivity.

Rensselaer computer scientist Carlos Varela has received seed funding from the U.S. Air Force to help make flight data as updated, active, and accurate as possible.

Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson and three top researchers from the Institute have been invited to deliver an “Ideas Lab” presentation at the World Economic Forum Jan. 25-29 in Davos, Switzerland.

Dr. Jackson is being honored by AAAS for her "extraordinary leadership of and contributions to the scientific community, government, universities, industries, and future generations of science and engineering professionals."

President Shirley Ann Jackson and a delegation of faculty are among global leaders in government, business, academe, media, and the arts who will convene at the World Economic Forum 2012 Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Graphene is the thinnest material known to science. The nanomaterial is so thin, in fact, water often doesn’t even know it’s there.

S. Argeo Ascani has been appointed as music curator at the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

A new study by engineering researchers at Rensselaer demonstrates how introducing certain polymers—like those found in human mucus and saliva—into the environment makes it significantly more difficult for H. pylori and other microorganisms to coordinate.

Bioengineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of California, Berkeley, have been awarded a more than $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study how chemicals in drugs and our environment impact our stem cells.

>Professor Angel García has been named the new head of the Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Nanomaterials expert Linda Schadler has been named the Russell Sage Professor at Rensselaer.

A scientist at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an anthropologist from the University at Albany teamed up to use ultra-modern chemical analysis technology at Rensselaer to analyze ancient Mayan pottery for proof of tobacco use in the ancient culture.

Engineering researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method for creating advanced nanomaterials that could lead to highly efficient refrigerators and cooling systems requiring no refrigerants and no moving parts.

Professor Jose Holguín-Veras a professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rensselaer, will discuss his research in Haiti on donation distribution following the devestating earthquake in an audio press briefing on January 9 from 11 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. EST.

Two members of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty have been named fellows of the American Physical Society (APS).

Finding the best graphene-based nanomaterials could usher in a new era of nanoelectronics, optics, and spintronics (an emerging technology that uses the spin of electrons to store and process information in exceptionally small electronics).

Radiation expert X. George Xu has been named program head of Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The two-year appointment is effective immediately.

Two members of the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute science faculty have been selected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

We created our own inventory of top stories. It certainly does not touch on everything that went on here in 2011, but it’s an attempt to take a moment and reflect on some interesting and important stories, ranging from research to student life to higher education to Institute business

Biomedical engineering students from Rensselaer will travel to South Africa next month on a mission to identify the unique needs of remote, under-resourced medical clinics.

The faculty, provost, president, and Board of Trustees of Rensselaer have approved a new faculty senate constitution.

Boxing has been part of the Miller family legacy for more than 50 years. Shannon Miller, who now serves as a public safety officer at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, had his first boxing match against a 10-year old, at the age of 8.

Even for highly trained physicians and surgeons, there’s no teacher like experience. This is the reason engineering researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are working to develop a virtual reality operating room.

A team of management professors from the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Institut des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (IHEC) — The Institute of Advanced Business Studies in Tunisia — have been working to develop a road map that will support sustained high economic growth in the region known as the Maghreb.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to design antibodies aimed at combating disease.

When it comes to addressing food safety, what ideas can young students offer? Just ask the 13 middle school teams from around the Capital Region that are set to compete in the FIRST LEGO® League (FLL) Regional Qualifying Tournament at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Dec. 10.

A system to increase intravenous therapy,  a breakthrough in detecting bacteria in water, an innovation that prevents disease and creates jobs and cogeneration water purification for China are just a few of the winning ideas in the Fall 2011 Change the World Challenge at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

The Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has awarded Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) student Cathy Wheelock its prestigious Herman Family Fellowship award for Women in Entrepreneurship.

Bone and tissue engineering expert Deepak Vashishth, head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been named a fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE).

Scientists in the New York Center for Astrobiology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have used the oldest minerals on Earth to reconstruct the atmospheric conditions present on Earth very soon after its birth.

Rensselaer is a key partner in a new project to create better technologies for scientists and engineers to store, share, and preserve important scientific data related to sustainability research.

A new lecture series traces the path between contemporary electronic art and more established media arts. Michael Century, professor of new media and music in the Arts Department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will speak on “From Virtuality to Virtuosity” on Nov. 29, from noon – 1 p.m. in the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) Theater. The event is free and open to the public.

A new study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute demonstrates how graphene foam can outperform leading commercial gas sensors in detecting potentially dangerous and explosive chemicals.

The Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is administering a Latin American Student Luminaire Design Competition sponsored by the AES Corporation and Philips Lighting.

Rensselaer Professor Michael Mascarenhas explores nonprofit water development in a project on philanthropic non-governmental organizations.

Experts from around the globe came together at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Nov. 4-5 at the Baruch ’60 Center for Biochemical Solar Energy Research to discuss the development of technologies that run on the cleanest and safest energy production process on Earth: photosynthesis.

Copper’s days are numbered, and a new study at Rensselaer could hasten the downfall of the ubiquitous metal in smart phones, tablet computers, and nearly all electronics.

Following the 10th anniversary of the September 11 tragedy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has joined a nationwide grassroots effort to honor American service men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan during the past decade.

With a new $1.4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Deanna Thompson, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Rensselaer, will investigate a promising new method to heal traumatic nerve damage, using electrical stimulation to prime and pump neuronal growth.

U.S. Representative Paul D. Tonko will speak Wednesday evening at the Rensselaer Center for Future Energy Systems (CFES) 2011 Annual Conference and Industrial Advisory Board Meeting.

Drawing on a personal experience of hearing loss, composer and Rensselaer Professor Neil Rolnick will perform portions of his latest composition – titled “MONO” – an exploration of the nature and fragility of sensory perception,

Scientists within the New York Center for Astrobiology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have compiled years of research to help locate areas in outer space that have extreme potential for complex organic molecule formation.

Linda Layne, the Hale Professor of Humanities and Social Sciences and professor of anthropology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been researching the relatively recent phenomena of “Choice Moms” — single women who choose to have a child without a male partner.

For dance aficionados, swing dancing is often described as a joyful, high-energy, improvisational street dance. Today, two Rensselaer undergraduate students, who are also members of the RPI Ballroom student club, have turned their love of swing dancing into a business opportunity.

Robert Linhardt is working to forever change the way some of the most widely used drugs in the world are manufactured. Today, in the journal Science, he and his partner in the research, Jian Liu, have announced an important step toward making this a reality.

Waves and whirls unite the pieces in a joint concert to be offered by faculty and students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the College of Saint Rose. “Piano Waves” will feature works for as many as four pianos on Nov. 9, from 7:30-9 p.m. in the concert hall of the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center EMPAC at Rensselaer.

Rensselaer announced today an agreement with Columbia Development Companies to assume ownership and begin work on Proctor’s Theater and the adjacent Chasan office building on Fourth Street in Troy.

Several members of the Rensselaer Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity have officially moved into a distinctive and historic new home, the former St. Francis DeSales Church and rectory on Congress Street in the City of Troy.

Sir Harold Walter Kroto, winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, will speak at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute about science in today’s society.

Nick Viggiani, who has served as Congressman Paul Tonko’s director of district projects since 2009, joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Oct. 10 as assistant vice president for research.

Last month, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee followed a path along the United States eastern seaboardTo assist several local communities, a band of helpers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been engaged in ongoing volunteer efforts.

President Barack Obama last week named B. Jayant Baliga as among the five inventors to receive the 2010 National Medal of Technology and Innovation. Baliga, who earned his master’s and doctoral degrees in electrical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1971 and 1974, is the 11th Rensselaer graduate to receive the award.

Leaders in academia, industry, and government will meet at Rensselaer next month to discuss strategies for leveraging the awesome power of supercomputers to drive growth, innovation, and competitive advantage for American companies.

The Rensselaer 2011 Safety Report is available for viewing and download as a PDF document.

Engineering researchers have developed new nanomaterials that could lead to techniques for better capturing and putting waste heat to work.

Bioseparations and bioprocessing expert Steven Cramer, the William Weightman Walker Professor of Polymer Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, was recently elected a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Four engineering students from spent their summer in Spain researching advanced materials at the Madrid Microelectronics Institute (IMM).

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has inducted four alumni and one alumna into the Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame during a first-ever public induction ceremony Sept. 23 at the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC).

Renowned electrical engineer and digital camera inventor Steven Sasson, Class of 1972, will receive the prestigious Davies Medal for Engineering Achievement from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute School of Engineering.

Sean O’Sullivan, co-founder and managing director of Avego Corporation, has been selected as the 2011 William F. Glaser ’53 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year.

Researchers at Rensselaer developed a new method for creating a layer of gold nanoparticles that measures only billionths of a meter thick.

International relations expert Steve Breyman, associate professor in the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been awarded the U.S. State Department William C. Foster Fellowship.

Scientists at Rensselaer are working to optimize a promising new nanomaterial called nanoblades for use in hydrogen storage.

Joseph Cassidy, dean of student life at the University of Dallas, will join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as director of the Rensselaer Union, it was announced Sept. 12 by Timothy E. Sams, Rensselaer vice president for student life.

A new system planned for the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute supercomputing center will enable exciting new research possibilities across the nation and boost the university’s international leadership in computational modeling and simulation, data science, high-performance computing, and web science.

Following the World Trade Center attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, engineers and construction workers faced the daunting task of dismantling the World Trade Center complex in order to make room for new construction. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are applying mathematical methods to describe how these decisions were made, and investigating how the decisions could inform cleanup efforts at future disasters.

A new book designed to interest young people in science features Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Associate Professor Mariana Figueiro.

Beyond the personal impact of the terrorist attacks, Professor Jose Holguín-Veras was one of several Rensselaer professors tasked with studying and learning from the aftermath of the tragedy. His research projects started with air travel, but took an unexpected turn to a topic entirely new to academia: the logistics of donations.

Only a few hours after the unthinkable terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, a program manager from the National Science Foundation called to ask for Professor Al Wallace’s help in assuring nothing like this could ever happen again.

Because it appears that the most serious impact of the storm is likely to occur at a time when most students would be traveling to Troy, we have made several adjustments to facilitate the best possible travel conditions and enable students to arrive after the storm has passed.

The incoming Class of 2015 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute promises to be an exceptional group, with an increase in average SAT scores, and more than 100 receiving a perfect 800 SAT critical reading or math score.

The NSF has announced a five-year, $18.5 million award to launch a prestigious Engineering Research Center dedicated to developing the next generation of electric grids.

On Thursday, August 18, at 11:30 am, you are invited to attend the first open meeting of the Capital Region Economic Development Council (CREDC).

The Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment, which will include researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has begun its quest to answer some of the most puzzling questions about the elusive elementary particles known as neutrinos.

Rensselaer will host the Diffusion Fundamentals IV conference. Academics from around the world will visit the Rensselaer Troy campus to participate in the four-day event.

Rensselaer announced that it has hired Jon Morse, director of the astrophysics division at NASA, as associate vice president for research/physical and engineering sciences.

Dr. Jon Morse, Director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, will join the Institute as Associate Vice President for Research/Physical and Engineering Sciences starting October 3, 2011.

Laurie Leshin, deputy associate administrator of exploration systems for NASA, will join Rensselaer as dean of the School of Science. Leshin will bring experience as a leader, educator, researcher, and administrator to leadership of the school.

Scientists at Rensselaer have found that when just 10 percent of the population holds an unshakable belief, their belief will always be adopted by the majority of the society.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method to harvest energy from flowing water. This discovery aims to hasten the creation of self-powered microsensors for more accurate and cost-efficient oil exploration.

hilip W. Robinson, a Ph.D. student of the graduate program in architectural acoustics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to continue his research into the effects of architectural enclosures on listeners’ perception of sound.

Three professors of chemistry and chemical biology have been named 2011 fellows of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

The honor includes a fellowship which will allow Gray, a professor in the Department of Cognitive Science and director of the CogWorks Laboratory at Rensselaer, to pursue research at the Max Planck Institute Center for Adaptive Behavior and Cognition (ABC) in Berlin.

Rensselaer today announced the new Center for Flow Physics and Control (CeFPaC) within the School of Engineering.

Research led by Associate Professor Mariana Figueiro on the impact of light on teenagers' sleeping habits was selected for publication.

Cynthia Collins, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, is leading a series of experiments that will be aboard the shuttle.

A new technique developed at Rensselaer allows researchers to collect large amounts of biochemical information from nanoscale bone samples.

As part of the Change the World Challenge competition each semester, students select a topic from a range of challenges with the potential to improve human life, and offer an innovative and sustainable solution.

New book details how to pattern a classroom after a multiplayer video game and help every student become a winner

The four-year study, funded by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), seeks to accelerate the development of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery, or NOTES.

Lonn Combs, clinical associate professor of architecture, is the winner of the 2011 Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome.

Mary Simoni, associate dean for research and community engagement, and tenured full professor in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance at the University of Michigan, has been appointed dean of the School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Rensselaer.

Now in its third year, the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center (ERC) has enlisted 21 key industrial partners to help guide the center's leading-edge research programs.

Kinsley French was awarded the J. Erik Jonsson Prize for her perfect 4.0 grade point average and high-caliber undergraduate research.

The Albany, N.Y., Capital Region Urban Area Working Group (CRUAWG) will conduct a functional exercise on the Rensselaer campus on June 14.

Engineering researchers at Rensselaer are combining automation techniques from oil refining and other diverse areas to help create a closed-loop artificial pancreas.

Nanomechanics and multiscale modeling expert Catalin Picu, professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

U.S. Surgeon General and Vice Admiral Regina M. Benjamin addresses 1,700 graduates at Rensselaer’s 205th Commencement.

New research published in the journal Science, led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute scientist Miriam Katz, is providing some of the strongest evidence to date that the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) played a key role in the major shift in the global climate that began approximately 38 million years ago.

Lighting technology is the subject of intense scrutiny by scientists at two research centers.

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a new method for manufacturing green-colored LEDs with greatly enhanced light output.