News

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today announced the appointment of two new faculty members, thereby completing its Future Chips Constellation, the first of several "critical mass" groupings of world-caliber faculty in focal research areas. The new faculty are Shawn-Yu Lin, Ph.D., a recognized authority in photonics research, and Christian M. Wetzel, Ph.D., a research pioneer in semiconductor device design and manufacturing.

Troy, N.Y. – Physical Review E has announced the publication of an article by a team of researchers from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Purdue University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the Russian Academy of Science (RAS) stating that they have replicated and extended previous experimental results that indicated the occurrence of nuclear fusion using a novel approach for plasma confinement.

Troy, N.Y. - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a $2.7 million, four-year grant to develop new tools for drug discovery. The grant, awarded in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, will support basic research intended to produce effective pharmaceuticals faster and more economically.

Troy, N.Y. — The Academy of Electronic Media at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has received double recognition for pioneering innovative multimedia courseware to help undergraduate college students grasp the basic concepts of engineering systems, from cars to computers chips, to complex music synthesizers.

Troy, N.Y. - Ricardo Dobry, director of the Geotechnical Centrifuge Research Center and professor of civil engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Dobry was elected for his fundamental contributions to multiple aspects of geotechnical earthquake engineering, according to NAE's announcement of 76 new members and 11 foreign associates.

Borca-Tasciuc Examines Effects of Heat and Energy Transfer at the Nanoscale

Troy, N.Y. — In celebration of National Engineers' Week 2004, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is hosting a day of hands-on engineering activities for more than 250 area Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts on Saturday, Feb. 21 in the Jonsson Engineering Center (JEC) on the Rensselaer campus. The events will begin at 8:30 a.m. and wrap up at 5:30 p.m.

Troy, N.Y. — Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D., began her term as president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) at the conclusion of the organization's annual meeting Feb. 12 -16 in Seattle, Wash. "I am honored to assume the presidency of AAAS," Jackson said. "As the world's largest scientific society, AAAS offers a unique platform to address key issues in science and technology critical for global security and economic vitality."

Troy, N.Y. - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson has been selected as one of seven 2004 fellows of the Association for Women in Science (AWIS). The Association for Women in Science (AWIS) describes itself as the largest multidisciplinary scientific organization for women in the United States, and is dedicated to achieving equity and full participation of women in all fields of science and technology.

Koratkar Will Develop New Nanostructured Vibration Reduction Materials