News

Troy, N.Y. — Geochemists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are challenging commonly held ideas about how gases are expelled from the Earth. Their theory, which is described in the Sept. 20 issue of the journal Nature, could change the way scientists view the formation of Earth’s atmosphere and those of our distant neighbors, Mars and Venus. Their data throw into doubt the timing and mechanism of atmospheric formation on terrestrial planets.

Engineering professor Rich Radke participates in prestigious DARPA program Troy, N.Y. — It’s not every day an engineering professor gets to rub elbows with top military brass, watch from a few meters away as three F-15 fighter jets refuel in mid air, and stroll through a “petting zoo” of Cold War era Soviet machines of war.

Troy, N.Y. — George Makhatadze is a designer. But instead of expensive jeans and haute handbags, he is creating custom proteins that could improve everything from medication to detergent. Makhatadze is bringing his expertise in biology, chemistry, and computation to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a chaired professor in the Biocomputation and Bioinformatics research constellation.

Professor Charles Malmborg Photo credit: RPI/Jill Evans

Two groups of researchers provide tools to speed stem cell research Troy, N.Y. — Engineers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed tools to help solve two of the main problems slowing the progress of stem cell research — how to quickly test stem cell response to different drugs or genes, and how to create a large supply of healthy, viable stem cells to study from only a few available cells.

New inductees range from stadium architects to designers of aircraft and international bridges Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute honored the achievements of seven extraordinary alumni by inducting them into the Alumni Hall of Fame on Sept. 7. With talents spanning a variety of disciplines including architecture, aircraft and bridge design, geology, chemical engineering, and communications, the 2007 Hall of Fame inductees continue the exceptional heritage of Rensselaer’s distinguished graduates.

Troy, N.Y. — A new partnership between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Sandia National Laboratories, and a select group of leading universities and corporations will present Rensselaer graduate students with a host of new cutting-edge internship and research experiences.

Event features presidential colloquy and highlights partnership with IBM, New York state Troy, N.Y. — In the true spirit of the computer age, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today celebrated the grand opening of the world’s most powerful university-based supercomputer with a “virtual” ribbon-cutting ceremony.

$1.8 million NIH grant supports research to study links between lighting, sleep, psychosocial stress Troy, N.Y. — Scientists have long known that the human body runs like clockwork, guided by a circadian system that responds to daily patterns of light and darkness. Now a team of researchers is developing a personal device to measure daily light intake and activity, which could allow them to predict optimal timing for light therapy to synchronize the circadian clock to the 24-hour solar day and relieve psychosocial stress.

(Updated September 4, 2007)