News

Findings provide new insight into heart disease and the evolution of flight Troy, N.Y. — Researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Vermont have discovered a key molecular mechanism that allows tiny flies and other “no-see-ums” to whirl their wings at a dizzying rate of up to 1,000 times per second. The findings are being reported in this week’s online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced the appointment of Dr. Wei Zhao as dean of the School of Science. Zhao, who is currently senior associate vice president for research at Texas A&M University, will take over the position from acting dean Samuel C. Wait Jr. in January 2007.

TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer’s Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship at the Lally School of Management and Technology today announced the first recipients of the Rensselaer Paul and Kathleen Severino Future Leader Award. The annual award was given to 15 female high school seniors in recognition of their academic excellence in mathematics and science, and leadership, service, and devotion to their respective schools and communities.

“Pushing the Frontier in the 21st Century — Conversation with Visionary Women” program to be held on Thursday, Oct. 26 at Rensselaer’s Troy campus

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced a gift of $2 million from Sean O’Sullivan, Class of 1985. The gift provides seed funding for the creation of the Rensselaer Center for Open Software, an initiative that will support the development of open software solutions to promote civil societies in the United States and across the globe.

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.