News

New wires could create better nanotube interconnects and devices Troy, N.Y. — A team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has created hybrid structures that combine the best properties of carbon nanotubes and metal nanowires. The new structures, which are described in a recent issue of Applied Physics Letters, could help overcome some of the key hurdles to using carbon nanotubes in computer chips, displays, sensors, and many other electronic devices.

Troy, N.Y. — Kevin Craig, professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, is featured in a new videocast series launched by Design News magazine. Titled “Mechatronics: 21st Century Design Engineering,” the video features case studies covering mechatronic design from prototype to deployment. 

Adaptive Scanning Optical Microscope automates challenging laboratory tasks

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute was recently awarded a $50,000 Mellon Award for Technology Collaboration (MATC) to support the continued development of Bedework, an open source, enterprise calendar system for higher education created at the Institute. Funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the MATC honors universities and other not-for-profit organizations who demonstrate leadership in the collaborative development of open source software tools with particular application to higher education and not-for-profit activities.

Area middle school students explore the tiny but vast world of nanotechnology

Troy, N.Y. — Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will continue to advance the frontiers of computational science with the help of IBM’s Blue Gene supercomputer. Awarded under IBM’s Shared University Research (SUR) program, this Blue Gene will complement the $100 million partnership between Rensselaer, IBM, and New York state to create one of the world’s most powerful university-based supercomputing centers.

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced the appointment of William N. Walker as Vice President for Strategic Communications and External Relations. Walker, who has been Vice President for Public Affairs at Dartmouth College since 2001, will take over the position in February 2007.

Program’s First Participants Hail from China Three Gorges Corporation-Developers of the World’s Largest Hydropower Dam

Troy, N.Y. — Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, President of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Gwo-Ching Wang, department chair and professor of physics, have been elected as fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Jackson and Wang are two of 449 fellows elected this year in recognition of their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications, according to AAAS. The announcement will be made in the Nov. 24, 2006 issue of Science.

Calls for expanded student exchange and research collaboration in speech at Beijing Normal University