News

TROY, N.Y. — Brendan L. McKernan ’00, co-founder and vice president of operations of Agencourt Biosciences Corporation, has been named the 2006 William F. Glaser ’53 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. McKernan’s company, based in Massachusetts, is a leading provider of nucleic acid purification products and genomic services for life science research.

Rensselaer is among 10 organizations recognized at Computerworld BI Perspectives Conference

Troy, N.Y. — A team of researchers has received a four-year, $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study improved methods for biological separations. Led by Ravi Kane, the Merck Associate Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the group plans to develop nanoscale surfaces that actively reassemble in the presence of DNA, which could eventually lead to more efficient separation tools for genomics and proteomics. 

Troy, N.Y. — As part of a newly formed alliance of international scientists, researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will be exploring advanced technologies for wireless sensor networks in urban environments. The consortium, which is funded through the United States Army Research Laboratory and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence, will receive up to $138 million over the next 10 years to rethink network computing and communications.

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute announced today a gift of $1.5 million from benefactor Margaret A. Darrin of Hague and New York City to fund the creation of the David M. Darrin ’40 Senior Chair at the Darrin Fresh Water Institute on Lake George. The gift supports the $1.4 billion Renaissance at Rensselaer: The Campaign for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and will be matched with Institute funds to establish the senior-level research professorship.

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced a vote by the Board of Trustees to increase the Renaissance at Rensselaer campaign goal from $1 billion to $1.4 billion, with the campaign to close June 30, 2009.

Largest initial contribution in PACE history and largest in-kind contribution in school history Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced an in-kind contribution commercially valued at $513.95 million from the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE). PACE is a joint philanthropic initiative of General Motors, EDS, Sun Microsystems, and UGS Corp. to support key academic institutions worldwide with computer-based design tools to prepare students to compete in the future. 

Troy, N.Y. — Using an off-the-shelf inkjet printer, a team of scientists has developed a simple technique for printing patterns of carbon nanotubes on paper and plastic surfaces. The method, which is described in the August 2006 issue of the journal Small, could lead to a new process for manufacturing a wide range of nanotube-based devices, from flexible electronics and conducting fabrics to sensors for detecting chemical agents.

Troy, N.Y. — In a new approach to treating anthrax exposure, a team of scientists has created an inhibitor designed to tackle the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant strains. Reporting in this week’s online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Toronto describe the new anthrax toxin inhibitor, which performed successfully in both laboratory and animal tests.

TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranks second among colleges with “more to do on campus,” according to the 2007 edition of “The Best 361 Colleges,” distributed by Princeton Review. The publication also named the Institute “one of the best Northeastern colleges.” Home to 160 clubs, sports, and organizations, Rensselaer offers students myriad opportunities to get involved and explore their interests beyond the confines of the classroom, including: