News

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson today announced the appointment of John A. Minasian, Ph.D., as Vice President and Dean at Rensselaer at Hartford. Minasian, who has had a successful career in the information technology industry, as an entrepreneur, and as an educator, comes to Rensselaer from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) where he leads the education for working professionals programs.

Troy, N.Y. — Seeking to improve and accelerate drug discovery, researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and University of California at Berkeley have developed a new technique to rapidly analyze the toxicity of compounds at early stages in the drug discovery process. The researchers designed a new technique that uses a human enzyme chip called the MetaChip, or metabolizing enzyme toxicology assay chip.

Institute contributing $30,000 and organizing additional support Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute officials have announced a $30,000 contribution to the tsunami relief efforts in South Asia, and invited members of the campus community to join in supporting humanitarian efforts in the region.

TROY, N.Y. — Research on a new class of nanostructured materials used to reduce vibrations in mechanical equipment and electronic devices, being developed by a team of scientists at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, will be featured in Nature Materials.

—Trustees Reaffirm and Mark Progress of The Rensselaer Plan at December Meeting — TROY, N.Y. – National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President Myles Brand ’64, and Capital Region business leader John Nigro were elected to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Board of Trustees at the December annual meeting, which also included a celebration of faculty achievement and a review of the accomplishments under The Rensselaer Plan.

Trustees Reaffirm Progress of The Rensselaer Plan at December Meeting TROY, N.Y. – After a review of accomplishments under Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s strategic plan, and in response to a recent Faculty Senate Chain of Command Satisfaction Survey, the Institute’s Board of Trustees adopted a resolution strongly endorsing the leadership of President Shirley Ann Jackson and the development and progress of The Rensselaer Plan, at its regular winter meeting this past weekend.

TROY, N.Y. — Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have been awarded a grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to investigate key issues associated with learning and reasoning, including developing algorithms and representations for artificial intelligence. The first year of the grant is for $400,000, with two more optional years following, for a total award of $1.2 million.

Troy, N.Y. — Today, the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute community joined in celebrating the dedication of the newly renovated Academy Hall. The building will serve as “one-stop shopping” for Rensselaer students by integrating student services in a centralized location on campus.

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Maryland will receive $700,000 in new federal funding to support the development of a Center for Intermodal Freight Transportation Mobility and Security, a collaborative effort to develop and test information technologies aimed at increasing the overall security and efficiency of freight transportation, and reduce the negative health effects from particles emitted from truck traffic.

TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has announced the appointment of Rensselaer Professor Prabhat Hajela, Ph.D., to the position of vice provost and dean of undergraduate education. Hajela, professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering, is internationally recognized for his significant achievements in engineering research and education, and his active service in leadership roles and professional societies.