News

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:

Troy, N.Y. — A team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has received $1.8 million in federal funding to improve the energy efficiency of green light-emitting diodes (LEDs). As part of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Solid-State Lighting Program, the team aims to close the “green gap” in LED technology by doubling or tripling the power output of green LEDs in three years, an advance that ultimately could lead to the replacement of incandescent and fluorescent lamps in general illumination applications.

Troy, N.Y. — The approximately 1,290 members of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s incoming Class of 2010 are arriving on campus this week. More than 60 percent of the students come from the top 10 percent of their high school classes, and 110 members were high school valedictorians or salutatorians. The class includes 291 Rensselaer Medal winners.

TROY, N.Y. — U.S.News & World Report has ranked Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 42nd among the nation’s top universities, up from 43rd last year. The Institute also ranks 24th in the “Best Values” among national universities, up from 27th last year. Rensselaer’s School of Engineering is ranked 19th in the nation.

Troy, N.Y. — Kaplan and Newsweek announced today that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been named to the elite “New Ivies” list, published in the 2007 Kaplan/Newsweek “How to Get into College Guide.”

Troy, N.Y. — The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute community is saddened by the loss of University at Albany President Kermit Hall. Following is a statement by President Shirley Ann Jackson on his passing:

Troy, N.Y. — Combining the sense of touch with 3-D computer models of organs, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are developing a new approach to training surgeons, much as pilots learn to fly on flight simulators. With collaborators at Harvard Medical School, Albany Medical Center, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the team is developing a virtual simulator that will allow surgeons to touch, feel, and manipulate computer-generated organs with actual tool handles used in minimally invasive surgery (MIS).