The research will speed advances in important new products Troy, N.Y. — Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, today announced the creation of the Rensselaer Nanotechnology Center that will integrate research, education, and technology commercialization through partnerships with government and industry.
Troy, N.Y. — Bill Cosby, entertainer and educator, will be the featured speaker for Rensselaer’s 195th Commencement at 9:30 a.m. May 12 at the Pepsi Arena in Albany. Cosby will be granted an honorary doctorate in Arts and Humane Letters.
Troy, N.Y. — SUCCESS Magazine has ranked Rensselaer sixth on its annual list of the 50 “Best Entrepreneurial Business Schools” in the nation. Schools in the survey were ranked on: caliber of students, faculty, curriculum, community outreach, innovative programs, follow-up of graduates, and reputation among fellow schools. “To make the list of Best Entrepreneurial Business Schools shows superior innovation and accomplishments,” said SUCCESS publisher Victoria Conte. The rankings appear in the February/March edition of SUCCESS.
Troy, N.Y. — Susan Sontag, renowned critic, novelist, playwright, film director, and human rights activist, will read from her work on Thursday, April 5, at 8 p.m. in Room 3303, Sage Building. Her reading will honor the winners of the 60th annual McKinney Contest, presented to the best undergraduate and graduate writers and multimedia artists at Rensselaer. The awards recognize achievement in fiction, drama, poetry, essays, and electronic media. The reading is free and open to the public.
Troy, N.Y. — Today’s stock market is so volatile and the economy so uncertain, how can investors plan successfully for the future? A panel of management experts at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will offer their personal solutions in a seminar and debate titled “The World’s Most Valuable Companies in 2005: Where Should You Invest Now?” Hosted by the Lally School of Management and Technology, the free, public event will be held on Friday, April 6, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., in Room 318 of the Darrin Communications Center.
Company is comprised entirely of undergrads Troy, N.Y. — ProductivityNet, Inc., a company run by a foursome of 20-somethings, received $250,000 in venture funding from iDeal Partners, an Albany-based investment group. In addition to the funding, iDeal has agreed to finance capital equipment, provide strategic corporate advice and management, and assist with identifying and facilitating potential partnerships.
Troy, N.Y. — The New York Center for Studies on the Origins of Life will sponsor a free public lecture on the search for extraterrestrial life by Jill C. Tarter, an astronomer and head of the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Management Group at the SETI Institute. Tarter will speak Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m., at the Holiday Turf Inn, 205 Wolf Road, Albany. Her lecture is titled "SETI 2020: A Roadmap for Future SETI Observing Projects."
Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will host a free, public panel discussion on “The Next Generation of Wireless: Is It Here?” on Friday, March 30, at 4 p.m., in the Darrin Communications Center. The panel, sponsored by the Rensselaer Alumni Association, will bring together executives from national and local firms involved in the growing field of wireless communications.
Host of Democracy Now! Will Address Media Issues Troy, N.Y. — Amy Goodman, host of Pacifica Radio’s award-winning daily program, Democracy Now!, will speak at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, March 17, at 4 p.m. in room 308 of the Darrin Communication Center. Her presentation is free to the public.
Anonymous Donor Almost Triples Gift to the Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has obtained a gift of $360 million, the largest gift ever to any public or private university in the United States. In an extraordinary demonstration of support, the anonymous donor who pledged $130 million to the Institute in December 2000 now has replaced the earlier gift with one almost triple in size, and given Rensselaer complete discretion in its use.