Last fall, the Rensselaer Research Libraries honored Gerald Friedman, professor emeritus of sedimentology and geohistory, for his long-standing support and interest at a ceremony outside the Institute Archives and Special Collection’s Fixman Room.

Rensselaer lost a legend when Ned Harkness died Sept. 19 on his 89th birthday.

One of today’s most successful student traditions is the “Battle of the Bands.” Students flock to see their peers battle it out for best campus band in a yearlong competition. Back in the earlier days of programming, we didn’t have those “battles” but there was certainly a lot of music on campus.

In 1904, a devastating fire that tore through the Winslow Chemical Laboratory and destroyed the Institute’s Main Building on Eighth Street left Rensselaer trustees and administrators with a major decision to make regarding where to rebuild the charred campus.

In 1985 Professor Neil Rolnick, then director of iEAR Studios, founded iEAR Presents, a series of public performances, exhibitions, and lectures that feature pioneering and emerging artists who explore the boundaries of electronic art. In November the series celebrated its 20th anniversary.

With so many enticing, ready-made food choices in the dining halls, cafes, and other dining venues around campus, there is little reason for students these days to think about preparing their own meals. Back in the day, however, a stove for cooking was a precious commodity, as the September 14, 1867, diary entry of student Arthur Bower can attest.

Just as Rensselaer is in the midst of rebirth in the early 21st century, so a hundred years ago the Institute underwent momentous change that established the heart of its modern-day campus.

This year (2003), Brooklyn is celebrating the 100th birthday of the Williamsburg Bridge — a structure known less for its beauty than for its utilitarianism. Over the past century, it has served as a gateway for a colorful stream of immigrants seeking a better life in the surrounding Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Invention and entrepreneurship permeate Rensselaer’s history in many fields, from agriculture to the Internet. No less holds true in entertainment, notably television.

Rensselaer enjoys strong international ties with Japan through its alumni and through companies such as the Yamada Corporation. The company has funded a Rensselaer fellowship program for the last 14 years. The fund, which has grown over the years, was split recently to create the Yamada Corporation Professorship.

At the time it was built during the Civil War, the well-known USS Monitor was a new breed of ship that would signal a turning point in modern-day naval warfare. The novel 120-ton, revolving turret that set the ship apart from the rest was recently retrieved from its 140-year-old resting spot in the Atlantic Ocean 20 miles off the coast of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

Biotechnology has brought us better fabrics, improved plastics, and new medicines, to name just a few successful applications. Rensselaer alumni for years have been making important discoveries and contributions in this ever-growing field.

The connection between Rensselaer and the United States Navy has been well established since the earliest days of the Institute. Through the years, many Rensselaer alumni have gone on to become top servicemen who made major contributions in both military and civilian life.

Since nearly its beginning, Rensselaer has had an international presence and a global impact through its students and alumni.

Ned Harkness, known as one of American college hockey’s true founding fathers, also is revered by many for his devotion and talent in another sport — lacrosse.

Research in materials science has been an Institute strength since its earliest days. Monumental advancements in this area by Rensselaer faculty include producing pure titanium for the first time.

The first notable interest in organizing a Rensselaer alumni association to carry school spirit beyond graduation appeared in the 1850s.

In its various forms — from music and theater, to sculpture and other expressions of creativity — art has deep roots at Rensselaer.

In 1967, the original dedication of the Rensselaer Union represented a university embracing a dramatically changing student body. The newly finished Union building on 15th Street catered to an active student who was becoming involved in extracurricular activities like never before.

The solid brick structure framed with heavy timber that sits on the corner of Sixth Avenue and Union Street in Troy is testament to the lasting legacy of the late Gurley brothers, whose name the building still bears in large white letters.

As the Mueller Center, Rensselaer’s newly opened fitness facility, buzzes daily with students pumping iron and shaping up in the aerobic and other multipurpose workout rooms, it’s easy to forget that higher education didn’t always embrace the concept of working out.

Since its construction 50 years ago, the Houston Field House has played a significant role in the cultural and social life at Rensselaer and beyond.

Rensselaer’s yearlong 175th anniversary celebration included major events that attracted astronauts, technological scholars, and alumni from around the country who celebrated the university’s role of pushing America to the forefront of cutting-edge technology.

On May 14, 1999, nearly 1,400 Rensselaer graduates walked across the stage of Albany’s Pepsi Arena, marking a new era for the graduation ceremonies.