News

Troy, N.Y. — More than 600 area students and their families came to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today to participate in the ninth annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day. The workshops, designed to spur young people’s interest in pursuing careers in science and engineering, were hosted by Rensselaer’s Office of Institute Diversity. Rensselaer’s Black Family Technology Awareness Day is part of a nationally celebrated week of the same name. The theme for 2007 is “The Future Starts with Me.”

Pi Kappa Alpha to receive Community Service Award for Greek Life during ceremony tonight Troy, N.Y. — In recognition of its outstanding commitment to community service, Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity has been chosen by the Rensselaer Alumni Association (RAA) to receive the inaugural Community Service Award for Greek Life. The award will be presented tonight — Friday, Feb. 9 — during the second intermission of the Rensselaer vs. Colgate hockey game.

Troy, N.Y. — The lecture halls and classrooms of Rensselaer’s Department of Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy will never be the same as Rensselaer mourns the passing of Philip Casabella, beloved professor and associate chair of the department. Casabella passed away early Tuesday morning, Feb. 6, following a long battle with cancer. 

Troy, N.Y. — A new computer-based technique could eliminate hours of manual adjustment associated with a popular cancer treatment. In a paper published in the Feb. 7 issue of Physics in Medicine and Biology, researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute describe an approach that has the potential to automatically determine acceptable radiation plans in a matter of minutes, without compromising the quality of treatment.

Troy, N.Y. — Using a series of interactive computer programs that focus on the mathematics embedded in various cultural designs, students from across the country in grades 4-12 have shown a statistically significant increase in their math achievement scores. Now a new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in excess of $300,000 will help the Rensselaer researcher who developed these programs extend their use to help engage underrepresented minority students in the subject of computing.

Frank Spear honored for his work to understand Earth’s history and formation Troy, N.Y. — Frank Spear, department chair and professor of earth and environmental sciences at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been elected as a fellow of the American Geophysical Union (AGU).

Troy, N.Y. — Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered new details about how bacteria generate energy to live. In two recently published papers, the scientists add key specifics to the molecular mechanism behind the pathogen that causes cholera. The work could provide a better understanding of this pathogen, while also offering insight into how cells transform energy from the environment into the forms required to sustain life.

Degree prepares students to create innovative solutions to 21st century design challenges Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute recently added a bachelor of science degree in Design, Innovation, and Society (DIS) to its list of innovative undergraduate degree offerings. Through a rigorous series of design studios, the major will prepare students to design new products, services, and media while considering the social needs and environmental concerns of the 21st century.

Winning ideas range from water purification device to organic materials for home insulation Troy, N.Y. — Four entries were recognized today as the winning ideas of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s “Change the World Challenge” competition. Created in 2005 by Rensselaer alumnus Sean O’Sullivan ’85, the competition is intended to support entrepreneurship education and inspire ideas to improve the human condition by providing a $1,000 cash award for ideas that will make the world a better place. 

Troy, N.Y. — Using powerful computers to model the intricate dance of atoms and molecules, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have revealed the mechanism behind an important biological reaction. In collaboration with scientists from the Wadsworth Center of the New York State Department of Health, the team is working to harness the reaction to develop a “nanoswitch” for a variety of applications, from targeted drug delivery to genomics and proteomics to sensors.