News

Smith To Deliver Presidential Lecture on Nov. 11 TROY, N.Y. — Frederick W. Smith, chairman, president, and CEO of FedEx Corporation, has been named the 2004 William F. Glaser ’53 Rensselaer Entrepreneur of the Year. Smith will deliver a presidential lecture titled “Challenges of Businesses Competing in the Global Marketplace,” on Thursday, Nov. 11 at 3:30 p.m. at the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies on the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute campus.

TROY, N.Y. — Jonathan Dordick, the Howard P. Isermann ’42 Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been selected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dordick is one of 308 newly selected fellows recognized for their efforts to advance science or its applications that are deemed scientifically or socially distinguished, according to AAAS. The announcement was made in today’s issue of Science.

TROY, N.Y. — Governor George E. Pataki today announced that Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is one of five universities in the state to receive faculty development awards to attract world-class scientists to New York State. Rensselaer has been selected to receive two $750,000 awards.

Conference to be held on Wednesday, Nov. 3 at Rensselaer’s Troy Campus   TROY, NY — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship today announced that Dr. Mae Jemison, the founder of two technology companies and the first African American female astronaut to travel into space, will give the keynote address at its “Women of Diversity Entrepreneurship” Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 3.  The conference will also include a discussion with three other women entrepreneurs.

Troy, N.Y. — William “Al” Wallace, professor of decision sciences and engineering systems at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, received the 2004 Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS) President’s Award for critical contributions to the public sector resulting from his research in information and decision technologies, according to INFORMS. Wallace received the award today at the society’s annual meeting in Denver, Co.

TROY, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranked first in a list of the “most connected campuses” in the country, according to a Princeton Review survey. Describing the campus as “technological nirvana,” Forbes.com released the rankings today.

Troy, N.Y. — Tarek Abdoun, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and associate director of Rensselaer’s Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center, is leading a team of scientists to develop a wireless sensor designed to warn against geotechnical hazards such as earthquakes, landslides, and floods. The project is funded in part by the National Science Foundation.

TROY, NY — Toh-Ming Lu, the R.P. Baker Distinguished Professor of Physics and director of the Center for Advanced Interconnect Systems Technologies at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been selected to receive the 2004 Materials Research Society (MRS) Medal, according to MRS’s announcement of three Medal recipients. Lu will be honored at the MRS Fall 2004 Meeting in Boston on Dec. 1.

Glenn Eisman, former Plug Power chief technology officer, joins Rensselaer as center director Troy, N.Y. – Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced the formation of a new Center for Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Research. Under the leadership of Glenn Eisman, former chief technology officer at Plug Power Inc., the center will focus on basic research essential to the commercial viability of fuel cells and hydrogen-related technologies.

TROY, N.Y. — Ravi Kane, the Merck Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been selected as one of the top 100 young innovators in technology from around the world by Technology Review, Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s magazine of innovation.