Stories | WVU Today | West Virginia University
Inspired
by the realism and symmetry of the Renaissance and other times, award-winning West Virginia University senior Patrick Bayly’s
paintings are in a style that is uniquely American. Bayly’s work “New American
Paintings” will be on display at Evansdale Library in August.
Many
of Bayly’s painting subjects are his friends, professors and local
acquaintances. Bayly’s paintings will be complemented by books from the WVU
Libraries’
Myers Collection for context into his style, research, inspiration and process.
A
proactive artist, Bayly started “The Bench” Morgantown artists collective, and
co-founded The Diamond Shop Art Gallery in downtown Morgantown to promote his
peer and local artists, and also to host artists-in-residents. His work is
currently on view in the 2017 Best of West Virginia Open Juried Exhibition,
presented by the Tamarack Artisan Foundation and TAMARCK: The Best of West
Virginia. He was awarded funding through the WVU Summer
Undergraduate Research Experience Program, which allowed him to
paint and research throughout the summer.
“Patrick’s
self-motivation propels him to challenge himself with each new painting,” said Alison
Helm, director of the College of Creative
Arts School of Art and Design. “Patrick possesses the tenacity,
discipline and talent that it takes to be a successful painter.”
As part of WVU Libraries’ Art in the Libraries
initiative, Bayly’s paintings will be on view on the first
floor of Evansdale Library August 8-30
The Charleston native currently lives in
Morgantown while pursuing his bachelor’s of fine arts degree. His artwork has
been exhibited widely and is held in private collections in Charleston, Atlanta
and Lincoln, Nebraska. He has received several awards including a WVU College
of Creative Arts Scholarship, 2016-2017, and the Director’s Choice Award, 2016
WVU Juried Student Exhibition.
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Thursday, July 20, 2017
Award-winning WVU artist’s work to be on display at Evansdale Library
UTA biologist wins NSF CAREER grant to study effects of predators on the evolution of Daphnia water fleas
The University of Texas at Arlington News Releases
Matthew Walsh, an assistant professor of biology, has been awarded a five-year, $600,000 grant from the NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development Program.
A biologist at The University of Texas at Arlington who studies ecology and evolutionary biology is the recipient of a prestigious career development grant from the National Science Foundation.
Matthew Walsh, an assistant professor of biology, has been awarded a five-year, $600,000 grant from the NSF’s Faculty Early Career Development Program. His project is titled “CAREER: Does behavioral plasticity promote or constrain adaptation? A test using resurrection,” and will address a long-standing question in evolutionary biology.
“We have known for at least 100 years that organisms are sensitive to changes in environmental conditions and that they will often alter the expression of their traits when conditions change,” he said. “Scientists have long speculated that this ‘plasticity’ plays a key role in ultimate evolutionary responses, but how it does so is not clear. The challenge in answering this question is that you need to observe evolutionary changes as they occur.”
The project will help answer the question by taking advantage of a unique feature of zooplankton biology, Walsh explained. Many species of zooplankton produce resting eggs when conditions deteriorate. A resting egg is an egg that undergoes a period of dormancy during which it is resistant to adverse conditions. These resting eggs sink to the bottom of lakes and accumulate. More importantly, they remain viable for decades or even longer.
Walsh’s research will focus on a system that experienced a recent change in environmental conditions. Lakes in Wisconsin were recently invaded by a dominant invertebrate predator, the spiny water flea or Bythotrephes longimanus. Bythotrephes has decimated populations of Daphnia, a tiny, shrimp-like crustacean also known as the water flea, as its diet consists mostly of Daphnia zooplankton. In previous research, Walsh provided evidence that Bythotrephes drives evolution in Daphnia.
...
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Oklahoma State University Native American sorority nabs national honors
Oklahoma State University - News and Communications
Gamma Chapter at Oklahoma State University was named the 2016-2017 Undergraduate Chapter of the Year during Alpha Pi Omega’s national award ceremony July 15 in Oklahoma City.To be considered for the award, the chapter submitted a portfolio, highlighting its members’ campus involvement, individual awards and commitment to academics and community service. In addition to volunteering at the Stillwater Humane Society and the annual Remember The 10 run, chapter members regularly co-hosted social stickball and other events for the benefit of the OSU community.
With its members averaging more than five hours of community service per month each, the chapter also earned the Busy Bees of the Year award.
“Gamma Chapter is honored to receive not one, but two awards,” Gamma Chapter President Marly Fixico-Hardison said. “We are thankful for the recognition from our sisters and the Grand Keepers of the Circle. We have put in a fair amount of work this past year to get Gamma Chapter to where it is today. Our success comes from love and determination, not only from us, but from our sisters.”
Fixico-Hardison was also named Honeycomb of the Year, presented to the most outstanding new member nationally. A citizen of the Seminole Nation and a graduate of Seminole High School, Fixico-Hardison is majoring in chemical engineering with an option in biochemistry.
Choctaw Nation citizen Twauna Williams was named PI of the Year. A resident of Durant, Oklahoma, Williams is president of the Delta Pi Chapter, serves on the sorority’s national board and was named to the 2016 NextGen Under 30 Oklahoma list. She is also on the board of directors for the Oklahoma State University Alumni Association’s American Indian Alumni Society.
With more than 100 tribes represented nationwide, Alpha Pi Omega Sorority, Inc., is the country’s largest and oldest Native American Greek-letter organization. Founded on Sept. 1, 1994 at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, the ...
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NAU’s Science and Health building deemed Gold LEED certified
NAU NewsNAU News
Northern Arizona University’s Science and Health building, one of the newest additions to the Flagstaff campus, has been deemed a Gold Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building—bringing the total number of LEED certified buildings on campus to 14.The impressive five-story building is located off the main pedway on north campus and features 54 faculty offices, nine interaction rooms, 10 interaction spaces, 18 research labs, eight instructional labs, five classrooms and three lecture halls with a total capacity of 440 seats.
With mazes of angular staircases, walls of windows providing picturesque views of the peaks and an abundance of natural light, it’s obvious this building was not solely intended to add to NAU’s green building movement.
“Achieving LEED Gold is no simple feat,” said Megan Burke, sustainable building coordinator. “It requires a strong commitment to sustainability and continuous collaboration from all members of the design, construction and operations teams. The Science and Health Building is special because it beautifully illustrates that environmental stewardship can be achieved in a fiscally responsible way, while also keeping building occupant health and well-being as the top priority.”
A view of the weaving staircases inside the Science and Health Building.
NAU’s commitment to continue increasing the number of LEED-certified building on campus does not stop with this recognition—the south dining hall renovation project and the upcoming recital hall expansion are pursuing LEED certifications. Cline Library also is pursuing LEED certification through the existing buildings rating system.
“NAU’s planning, design and construction project managers look for opportunities to include sustainable considerations into even our small-scale projects,” Burke said. “NAU’s Complete Design Guidelines and Technical Standards encourage the exploration of sustainable, energy-efficient pathways even when projects are not pursuing LEED certification.”
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Q&A WITH HEAD COACH JODY SEARS AT BIG SKY KICKOFF
Athletics News
Jul 18, 2017
PARK CITY, Utah — Head coach Jody Sears sat down with Hornetsports.com during the final day of the Big Sky Kickoff for a Q&A regarding Sacramento State football.
With just two weeks remaining before the team reports, what are you hoping to see in the first few weeks of camp?
I'm looking forward to competition at each position. We had good competition in the spring and I hope that carries over. In those first couple weeks of camp you get a good idea on what freshmen can help you. However, we will always be evaluating during the season and might be able to get some of the young players to step up and make an impact during the season.
The NCAA has eliminated two-a-day practices. How will that change the way you prepare?
Those two-a-days developed chemistry and mental toughness through the trials of camp. You have to come at it from a different angle. The teachings and reps will still happen but you have to lengthen the time that you have. We will still get 25 or 26 practices we start the season.
You have some changes to the coaching staff with the addition of Luke Huard, John Therrell and CJ Cox. How is that working out and what can we expect from the offense with Huard and Paul Wulff calling plays?
Adding Luke, John and CJ have been nice additions and they have fit in extremely well. They are like minded and Luke brings in a lot of experience. CJ and John bring energy and are quality good young coaches. Luke will call the plays but Paul will be the leader. The offense does not belong to one person — it's not Paul Wulff's offense or Luke Huard's offense. We've decided that it's really hard to be an O-line coach and call plays at the same time and that will allow Paul to focus up front and Luke to call the plays. Luke has had success calling plays at his previous stops and comes from a football family."
Big plays were costly last season on defense and you made that a priority during the spring. What are some of the things that need to happen to eliminate the big play?
It comes down to knowing and understanding your roles and responsibilities. I don't ever question our kids' heart but we have to be a little less eager to make the play which has put us out of position. The safeties and linebackers need to understand the phillosophy, stop being ready-fire-aim, and we need to play more as a team.
What are the advantages of returning all five starters on the offensive line?
The heart of your football team starts up front no matter where you are. That's where your leadership comes from and where the mentality of your football team is established. Those guys returning does not guarantee anything. Hopefully they are a little bigger and stronger and the chemistry improves.
Quarterback is one of the few spots where you don't have an obvious starter. Who's involved in the battle for the position and how do you evaluate the players during practice?
Coming in to camp Kevin Thomson, Wyatt Clapper, a healthy Kolney Cassel and Roman Ale will all get a chance to prove what they can do. It comes down to consistency, getting the ball to the right people at the right time and making plays. We will evaluate on the field and also by watching the film from practices. Ideally, one person pulls away and establishes themselves as a clear cut starter but we will need all of them to be ready to play and help the team.
NOTES
North Dakota was picked to finish first in both the coaches and media preseason polls. In fact, the top eight teams in both polls were picked in the same order. Sacramento State was selcted to finish 12th in both polls.
| 2017 BIG SKY CONFERENCE PRESEASON POLLS | ||||
| Coaches Poll | Media Poll | |||
| 1. North Dakota (6) | 130 | 1. North Dakota (15) | 298 | |
| 2. Eastern Washington (2) | 124 | 2. Eastern Washington (5) | 271 | |
| 3. Northern Arizona (2) | 119 | 3. Northern Arizona (3) | 236 | |
| 4. Cal Poly (1) | 108 | 4. Cal Poly | 224 | |
| 5. Weber State (1) | 103 | 5. Weber State | 209 | |
| 6. Montana (1) | 83 | 6. Montana (1) | 204 | |
| 7. Southern Utah | 80 | 7. Southern Utah | 175 | |
| 8. Montana State | 69 | 8. Montana State | 156 | |
| 9. Portland State | 62 | 9. Northern Colorado | 135 | |
| 10. Northern Colorado | 60 | 10. Portland State | 104 | |
| 11. UC Davis | 35 | 11. UC Davis | 62 | |
| 12. Sacramento State | 26 | 12. Sacramento State | 61 | |
| 13. Idaho State | 15 | 13. Idaho State | 44 | |
The Big Sky also announced a deal with Eleven Sports which will air a football and men's basketball game of the week. The network will also broadcast the quarterfinals and semifinals of the men's basketball championship as well as the women's basketball semifinals and championship game. The conference's women's soccer, volleyball and softball semifinals and championship games will also be televised on Eleven Sports.
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PCC names new vice presidents to district leadership team
News
PCC / News / July 19, 2017 /
PCC names new vice presidents to district leadership team
Photos and Story by James Hill |
Portland Community College has bolstered its leadership.
Katy Ho has been named the new vice president for academic affairs, while Robert Steinmetz has been chosen as the next vice president of student affairs. Ho began her duties in July and Steinmetz starts in August.
Katy Ho.
Ho returns to PCC from Honolulu Community College (HonCC) where she has served as vice chancellor of academic affairs since 2014 after working as the college’s dean of students. In this role, she was the chief academic officer and accreditation liaison for the college and oversaw student services, academic support, curriculum, and technology services. During that time, HonCC met and exceeded system performance outcomes in overall degree and certificate attainment, as well as STEM and native Hawaiian degree completion.
Ho worked at PCC from 2002 to 2012 in a number of capacities before moving to Hawaii. She started as an academic advisor and finished as the Sylvania Campus division dean of student support services. Recently, she was one of 39 community-college leaders chosen as Aspen Presidential Fellows for 2017-18 by the Aspen Institute, which cultivates leaders who can transform community colleges to achieve higher levels of success and access. Additionally, she brings a wealth of experience implementing Achieving the Dream at HonCC. This is a comprehensive national movement for equitable student success that PCC has recently joined and will implement.
Ho holds a master’s degree in Student Services Administration and a doctorate in Community College Leadership from Oregon State University.
“Katy’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and her special attention to equitable student success, is especially impressive,” said Executive Vice President Sylvia Kelley, who led the hiring committee for the position. “Katy has demonstrated a deep knowledge and commitment to the unique needs and concerns of ...
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Top Vote-Getter Merriman Advances to Finals of Elite 90 Fan Favorite Contest – Finals Voting Today!
Case Western Reserve Athletic News
Jul 19, 2017
After receiving more votes than any of the other semifinalists in the contest, Case Western Reserve University junior Sam Merriman advanced to the final round of the NCAA Elite 90 Fan Favorite Contest. Finals voting will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 19th, and continue through 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 20th.Fans can vote for Merriman at athletics.case.edu/voteforsam or at on.ncaa.com/Elite90.Of the over 9,000 votes cast in the semifinals, Merriman received 1,161, 76 more than the next closest competitor, Maryann Gong of MIT. The top-10 vote-getters from the semifinals advance to the finals, with vote totals resetting.Merriman won the NCAA's Elite 90 Award during the cross country season, after entering the NCAA Division III Championships with the highest grade point average among competitors at the event. The junior and Engineering Physics major entered the meet a perfect 4.0 grade point average, and went on to place 21st and earn All-America honors. Merriman, who was also named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First Team later in the year, claimed All-UAA First Team and All-Region honors during the 2016 cross country campaign as well, and was the top Division III finisher at the All-Ohio Championships.
During the indoor track season, Merriman added an All-Region honor in the 3,000-meter run and claimed an All-UAA honor with a third-place finish in the 5,000-meter run. He went on to earn an All-Region honor in the 5,000-meter run during the outdoor season, breaking the school-record in the event with a time of 14:29.93, and winning the 5,000-meter title at the 2017 UAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
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Wednesday, July 19, 2017
Crazy Smart Summer: Girls Build Robots To Help People
Some middle schoolers spend their summers lounging poolside or visiting grandma. Others spend part of vacation building robots.During the Women in Robotics Summer Youth Program at Michigan Technological University this week, 23 girls going into sixth, seventh, eighth or ninth grades will learn to program, wire, troubleshoot and construct two robots, the GUPPIE and the Neu-pulator.
The purpose of the camp is to teach participants how robots can assist humans in exploring the environment and can otherwise benefit us and improve quality of life.
“These concepts are to motivate students,” says Nina Mahmoudian, associate professor in the mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics department and director of the Nonlinear and Autonomous Systems Lab. “We want them to see robotics as something useful in their lives. They learn there is a lot to be done in the future. We want to ignite their curiosity, what they can do in the future. We can motivate them, engage them and they can go on and stay engaged.”
The camp, which is a collaborative effort with Mo Rastgaar, an associate professor in the mechanical engineering-engineering mechanics department and director of Human-Interactive Robotics Lab, is funded in part by grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which allows girls who applied to attend the competitive program at a reduced rate.
Invent with Open-Source Software
The girls will begin the week learning how to program an Arduino open-source board, how to model different parts with Autodesk Inventor software, and to understand the engineering process to solve problems. Students practice these skills in the first two days of the camp by completing small projects.
But the approach to learning isn’t the typical classroom environment.
“Everything that we do is learn and play so students internalize what they learn,” Mahmoudian says. “They take the games seriously because they are implementing their concepts. At the end, they put all the components ...
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Jewish Music Series
SSU News
The third annual Jewish Music Series at Sonoma State University features artists hailing from New York City to the Bay Area, including folksinger-songwriter Sharon Goldman and the unique collaboration between Sonoma State Music Department Chair Brian S. Wilson and Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery. All seven concerts are free, taking place on Thursday evenings in Schroeder Hall at the Green Music Center.The series is part of the course Survey of Jewish Musics led by Joshua Horowitz, director of the ensemble Budowitz. Horowitz, who plays chromatic button accordion, cimbalom and piano, is a founding member of Veretski Pass and has performed and recorded with Itzhak Perlman, the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, Theodore Bikel, Ben Goldberg, Rubin and Horowitz, Brave Old World, Adrienne Cooper and Ruth Yaakov. For the third consecutive year Veretski Pass, will perform.
Admission is free, performances begin at 6:30 p.m. in Schroeder Hall unless otherwise noted. Parking on campus is $5-$8. The series is jointly presented by the Department of Music and the Jewish Studies Program. For more information, call 664-2324 or visit Sonoma.edu/music.
August 31
Kugelplex
Kugelplex is a California klezmer and old-world party music band. Formed in 2001, the group plays wild, soulful dance music at weddings, concerts and festivals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles and beyond. The group has performed with Joan Baez, the Oakland Symphony, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir and Frank London (founder of the Klezmatics), among many others.
September 14
Sharon Goldman
Goldman is a singer-songwriter who specializes in intense, insightful and vivid storytelling. Over several well-received albums, she has combined heartfelt portraits and memorable lyrics with unforgettable melodies and pure, precise, expressive vocals taking a folk/pop sensibility to new artistic heights. She performs regularly at house concerts, folk coffeehouses, festivals, arts and cultural venues and community centers.
September 28
Rebbe Soul
October 19
Cantor Roz Barak
Cantor Roslyn Jhunever ...
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CSU Trustees approve next phase of University Glen on CSUCI campus
CSU Chanel Islands News
July 19, 2017 — The CSU Board of Trustees has given final approval to the next phase of the CI 2025 Vision Plan during the CSU Board of Trustees meeting held this week, giving a green light to development of 32 acres of the University Glen residential community on the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus.“This is another step in an effort to expand the campus to accommodate our enrollment growth over the coming years,” said Assistant Vice President for Facilities Services John Gormley. “We are completing the final phase of residential development in University Glen that has been sitting idle for nine years because of the economic downturn.”The development will include 54 detached single-family homes and 66 townhomes for sale, as well as 310 market rate apartments. There will also be 170 senior living apartments for people who are 55-years old and above and who meet a specific median income level. The senior apartments will be rentals.“This housing mix is consistent with the built portion of the community and the residents are supportive, especially of the senior housing piece, and will benefit everyone,” Gormley said. “It encourages senior tenants to become more connected with the University and provide more stability.”Because the land is leased to the CSUCI Site Authority by the CSU, the development will be able to offer housing to potential faculty and staff with financial incentives to make it more affordable to purchase a home. “This will create housing opportunities in an expensive housing market,” Gormley said. “Faculty and staff who choose to relocate here and work on campus will have an opportunity to purchase a home.”This development also provides much-needed revenue for the University to support the anticipated rapid growth. CSUCI’s student population is expected to continue to increase and the generated revenue will support the construction of much needed academic facilities.CSUCI’s Vice President for Business & Financial Affairs ...
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Fire Extinguisher Training
PolyCentric
Laura Martinez from the College of the Extended University puts out a fire during fire extinguisher training for Building Marshals and Floor Captains at Cal Poly Pomona.
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CSUSB Prison Arts Collective to host its second major art exhibition in Los Angeles
CSUSB News
The Cal State San Bernardino Prison Arts Collective has organized its second major exhibition at CB1 Gallery in Los Angeles, featuring original artwork from incarcerated artists at six state prisons.This year’s exhibition, called “Beyond the Blue,” will run from July 22 through Sept. 2, and will include an accompanying series of panel sessions called “Art and Restorative Justice.” The opening events on Saturday, July 22, will include the panel discussion “What’s in a Name” at 3 p.m., and a reception from 4-7 p.m.
The 2017 exhibition follows the program’s well-received 2016 exhibition and accompanying book “Through the Wall: Prison Arts Collective.”
Dozens of paintings, drawings and handmade objects created by participants in the CSUSB Community-based Art (CBA) Prison Arts Collective project will be on display. The art focuses on five themes: Alternative Materiality; Collaboration and Partnerships; Line as Language; Dreams, Imagination and the Surreal; and the Experience of Incarceration.
“Beyond the Blue” seeks to dismantle the stigma of outsider art through the serious consideration of work being produced by CBA participants within correctional facilities.
The exhibition will highlight artwork by those participating at all levels, including participants in advanced classes and those just emerging in their artistic experience.
A majority of works featured have been donated by the artists with the goal of sharing their work with a wider audience and raising funds to support ongoing CBA programming in prisons and in the community. Viewers are invited to participate through a written or visual reflection in a collaborative response book, an informal tour with a teaching artist and/or by purchasing a work of art with all proceeds going directly to support ongoing CBA Prison Arts Collective classes.
All artworks are made by CBA participants in the Prison Arts Collective projects at six state prisons including the California Institution for Men and the California Institution for Women in Chino; the ...
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Lomba Kebersihan Wujudkan UPI Kampus Beriman
Kabar UPI
Bandung, UPI
Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI) gelar lomba kebersihan dengan tema “UPI Kampus Beriman”. Kegiatan ini berlaku bagi seluruh unit kerja di lingkungan Kampus UPI Jalan Dr. Setiabudhi Nomor 229 Bandung.
“Ikatan Ibu-Ibu Keluarga (IIK) UPI dititipi program kerja dari universitas untuk menggelar lomba kebersihan dengan tema UPI Kampus Beriman. Tujuannya agar tercipta kampus yang bersih, indah dan nyaman, sehingga tercipta suasana belajar yang kondusif. Lomba ini berlaku bagi seluruh unit kerja baik di UPI Kampus Bumi Siliwangi maupun UPI Kampus Daerah, demikian juga dengan Sekolah Laboratorium,” demikian ungkap Ketua Umum IIK UPI Dra. Hj. Nina Asep Kadarohman usai melakukan Serah Terima Jabatan Ketua Umum IIK UPI di Kantor IIK UPI, Selasa (11/7/2017).
Inginnya sih diadakan setiap tahun agar menjadi habit atau kebiasaan untuk memanusiakan manusia, jelasnya. Perlu diketahui, UPI merupakan perguruan tinggi yang menghasilkan calon pendidik, maka diupayakan untuk menciptakan suasana akademik yang kondusif, dan diharapkan kebersihan ini menjadi karakter mahasiswa UPI serta seluruh sivitas akademikanya, walaupun untuk merubahnya tidaklah mudah, tapi kita terus mengupayakannya.
Lebih lanjut dikatakan,”Penilaiannya menyentuh hal-hal yang mendasar dan sederhana, seperti contohnya pemeliharaan aset. Lebih sederhana memelihara dari pada harus memperbaiki, sehingga tercipyanya keselarasan hidup. Adapun lokasi yang dinilai diantaranya kantor, kelas, . koridor, mushola/mesjid, toilet, halaman/tempat parkir/taman, dan laboratorium.”
Ketika disinggung mengenai serah terima jabatan Ketua Umum IIK UPI, Dra. Hj. Nina mengatakan bahwa dirinya dan ketua bidang lainnya akan melanjutkan program kerja yg sudah berjalan. Ditegaskannya,”Kita hanya melanjutkan apa-apa yang sudah dirancang oleh Ibu Hj. Nunung Forqon, M.Pd., termasuk di semua bidang. IIK adalah supporting system baik di rumah maupun di kantor, karena landasan IIK adalah silaturahim. Ketua umum itu hanya sebagai pelaksana untuk mengimplementasikan cita-cita ibu-ibu IIK, saya yang memfasilitasi dan mewujudkannya. Diharapkan, saya dapat melaksanakan amanah ini. Ini merupakan jalan kebaikan untuk semua.”
Sementara dalam kesempatan yang sama, Rektor UPI Prof. Dr. H. R. Asep Kadarohman, M.Si., ...
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UW team develops fast, cheap method to make supercapacitor electrodes for electric cars, high-powered lasers
UW News » Science
Engineering | News releases | Research | Science
July 17, 2017
Supercapacitors are an aptly named type of device that can store and deliver energy faster than conventional batteries. They are in high demand for applications including electric cars, wireless telecommunications and high-powered lasers.
But to realize these applications, supercapacitors need better electrodes, which connect the supercapacitor to the devices that depend on their energy. These electrodes need to be both quicker and cheaper to make on a large scale and also able to charge and discharge their electrical load faster. A team of engineers at the University of Washington thinks they’ve come up with a process for manufacturing supercapacitor electrode materials that will meet these stringent industrial and usage demands.
The researchers, led by UW assistant professor of materials science and engineering Peter Pauzauskie, published a paper on July 17 in the journal Nature Microsystems and Nanoengineering describing their supercapacitor electrode and the fast, inexpensive way they made it. Their novel method starts with carbon-rich materials that have been dried into a low-density matrix called an aerogel. This aerogel on its own can act as a crude electrode, but Pauzauskie’s team more than doubled its capacitance, which is its ability to store electric charge.
These inexpensive starting materials, coupled with a streamlined synthesis process, minimize two common barriers to industrial application: cost and speed.
“In industrial applications, time is money,” said Pauzauskie. “We can make the starting materials for these electrodes in hours, rather than weeks. And that can significantly drive down the synthesis cost for making high-performance supercapacitor electrodes.”
Full x-ray reconstruction of a coin cell supercapacitor.
Effective supercapacitor electrodes are synthesized from carbon-rich materials that also have a high surface area. The latter requirement is critical because of the unique way supercapacitors store electric charge. While a conventional battery stores electric charges via the chemical reactions occurring within it, a supercapacitor ...
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Men's Golf Honored with GCAA's President's Special Recognition Award
7/19/2017 2:21:00 PM
NORMAN, Okla. – The William & Mary men's golf team was honored with President's Special Recognition award by the Golf Coaches Association of America for posting a team GPA of 3.5, or better, announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The men's golf team posted the athletic department's best GPA for the 2016-17 school year at 3.53, and had over a 3.5 GPA during both semesters. W&M was one of 19 Division I programs to receive the accolade and the lone program in the CAA to claim the honor. Additionally, the Tribe earned the GCAA's All-Academic Team citation for boasting better than a 3.0 GPA. To be eligible for GCAA All-Academic Team honors a college or university must submit the GPAs for each player on its official squad list for the academic year. For all information on the Tribe's men's golf program stay tuned to TribeAthletics.com. Print Friendly Version
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Alaska Promotes Assistant Lance West to Head Coach
College Hockey News from CHN
July 20, 2017
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CHN Staff Report
Related ArticlesAlaska
FAIRBANKS, Alaska — Forced to find a new head coach relatively late in the offseason, Alaska promoted assistant Lance West to the position.
West replaces Dallas Ferguson, who left last week to become the head coach of Calgary in in the WHL. West was Ferguson's assistant coach during the latter's entire tenure, starting in 2008.
"I am very pleased Lance West has accepted our offer to become the next head coach of the Alaska Nanooks hockey team," Alaska athletic director Gary Gray said Wednesday. "I am equally confident his many years of experience as one of our assistant coaches, along with his outstanding recruiting skills over those past several years, will serve us well as he takes on his new leadership responsibilities. Lance will work hard to advance Nanook hockey within the WCHA."
A four-year letter winner as a forward at Alabama-Huntsville, West originally came to Alaska as a volunteer assistant coach and video coordinator in the 2007-08 season, while also working full-time at the University of Alaska Fairbanks' Student Recreation Center as the Facility Manager. Under Ferguson and West, Alaska made its only trip to the NCAAs in 2010.
Prior to moving to Fairbanks, West served as an assistant coach to his alma mater for seven seasons (2000-07), helping the Chargers to win two College Hockey America regular-season championships, four conference tournament appearances and one NCAA tournament appearance (2006-07). West had previously served as the volunteer assistant coach for UAH from 1995-98, helping the Chargers capture two NCAA Division II National Championships in 1996 and 1998.
As a player, West was considered an offensive-minded centerma; he had 43 goals and 65 assists for 108 points in 106 career games.
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2017 Schedule Announced for Women's Soccer
Cal Poly Pomona
POMONA – Taking a new look into the 2017 season, the Cal Poly Pomona women's soccer team revealed their playing schedule for the upcoming season. Coming off a fourth-place finish a year ago, Head Coach Jay Mason will look to improve on his team's 7-7-3 record going into his second year at the helm. The Broncos start things out on the road as they travel to Salt Lake City, Utah, for two matchups against Westminster College and Davenport University. CPP closes out their first road stint at Point Loma a few days later. Opening up the home schedule, the Broncos enjoy six straight matches on Kellogg Field, facing Cal Baptist and Seattle Pacific before beginning California Collegiate Athletic Association play against Cal State Dominguez Hills on Sept. 15. One of the bigger games of the season will come on the road for CPP, traveling to UC San Diego, last year's conference champions, on Sept. 29. Other strong road games for the Broncos included fifth-place finisher Cal State San Marcos and Stanislaus State, who knocked the Broncos out of the CCAA tournament in 2016. At home, the Broncos will play host to two top finishers in the CCAA, welcoming in Sonoma State and Cal State San Bernardino, both teams defeating CPP at their respective homes last year. The game against San Bernardino will be the final home game as the Broncos close out the regular season on Oct. 27 The CCAA playoffs will begin on Oct. 31 and run through Nov. 5 while the NCAA West Region Tournament is slated for Nov. 10. Print Friendly Version
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‘Preparing for Wildfire’ Sessions in Ten Sleep, Worland | News
News Home
July 19, 2017
Heavy fuel loads and dry conditions in the Big Horn Basin have prompted two “Preparing for Wildfire” sessions for rural homeowners.
The sessions are 6 p.m. Friday, July 28, at the Ten Sleep Community Center and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 2, at the Washakie County Fairgrounds in Worland.
University of Wyoming Extension Educator Caitlin Youngquist is collaborating with Karen Fenton of the Washakie County Conservation District to help landowners develop evacuation plans for livestock and pets, and provide information to create defensible space.
The recent fuels and fire behavior advisory from the Wind River Bighorn Basin District of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) specifically targeted areas below elevation of 5,000 feet.
“We encourage everyone to think about how and where they will move their animals should fire threaten their homes,” Youngquist says. “All of the spring moisture this year contributed to exceptional growth of annual grasses like cheatgrass. The fuel loads are very high, and we have already had four rapidly moving fires in Washakie County.”
The fires, one started by a chain dragging on a highway, burned over 3,500 acres.
Many rural residents have an assortment of animals and pets such as dogs, horses, 4-H animals, chickens and others, which increases the complexity and difficulty of evacuation, Fenton says.
“These workshops will provide residents with information on steps to help defend their property against wildfire and creating evacuation plans for not only family members, but also pets and livestock,” she says. “The bottom line is that no one else can make an evacuation plan for your property, and having a plan will save precious time, and maybe even lives, in the case of an evacuation. Don’t put it off.”
Eve Warren, fire ecologist with the BLM, in the fuels and fire advisory, called this year’s grass growth remarkable, with fine fuel loads more than 50 percent higher than average for ...
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Food Science's Morawicki Speaks on Sustainability, Food Waste at International Event
Newswire
Ruben Morawicki, an associate professor of food science in the U of A's Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and with the System Division of Agriculture, recently presented speeches on food sustainability and food waste in Japan.
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The UWI Aligns to Global Business Needs
UWI St. Augustine News
The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine has entered in an historic agreement with the Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre Management Company Limited (TTIFC) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Wednesday, July 5, 2017. The MOU will ensure that UWI graduates are better prepared to work with global businesses invited to invest in Trinidad and Tobago. The execution of the MOU will be piloted in the Department of Management Studies. TTIFC’s mandate is to help diversify the economy of Trinidad and Tobago by attracting foreign companies to set up operations locally and to hire individuals to work for foreign clients of those companies. It will help to create jobs while earning the country foreign exchange. A further area of focus is on developing a scalable industry by facilitating a continued flow of skilled employees for the benefit of local and international financial firms seeking to establish shared service centres, banking, financial services, and insurance business process outsourcing centres, as well as finance and accounting outsourcing operations in Trinidad and Tobago. At today’s signing, Campus Principal, Professor Brian Copeland reiterated his vision which forms part of The UWI’s new strategic focus on access, alignment and agility. He stressed the significance of this MOU as the Campus plans to ensure that what is taught engages with business and commerce in the country. Professor Copeland further emphasised The UWI’s commitment to creating an innovative and entrepreneurial University, a vital partner to industry and to governments in Caribbean development. The St. Augustine Campus, he said, can be a major catalyst in economic diversification through its teaching and outreach programmes. As a higher education institution established to contribute to national and regional development through the provision of relevant educational programmes producing industry-ready graduates, The UWI is industry’s ideal partner to achieve that objective. One ...
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The Trump Effect: Despite Increase in Political Activism, Few Women Seek Office
American University News
A new study by AU School of Public Affairs Professor Jennifer Lawless, and Loyola Marymount University Professor Richard Fox, found an increase in political activism among women after the 2016 presidential election. However, the researchers also found that women continue to lag behind men in political ambition.
Lawless, who is the director of SPA's Women & Politics Institute, said they surveyed more than 2,000 employed, college-educated women and men of both political parties.
The survey findings were released by Politico and at a recent event held at the at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The survey assessed feelings about Trump's election, his policy goals, and his character. Overall, negative perceptions dominated, which have prompted an increase in political activism, particularly among female Democrats. In fact, the number of Democratic women who said they signed a petition or political letter more than tripled after the election - from 11 percent to 39 percent. Those who donated money to a Democratic candidate or cause also increased - from 6 to 24 percent. Prior to the election of Trump, only 4 percent of Democratic women had participated in a march or rally. Compare this to post election, when 19 percent reported attending the recent Women's March or a similar event.
When surveyed, 23 percent of women said they have "considered" seeking office, while 38 percent of men said the same. That 15-point gap is nearly identical to the 16-point difference Fox and Lawless found in similar surveys from 2001 and 2011.
"Is Donald Trump's presidency really pushing women everywhere to throw their hats into the political ring?" asked Lawless. "No. That would be quite a feat, as the gender gap in political ambition has gone on for decades. Women are significantly less likely than men to be interested in running for office."
The survey did reveal a small difference between political parties. Among Democratic women, 24 percent said they'd considered running for office, while 20 ...
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Getting Oriented
University at Albany University at Albany Headlines
Getting Oriented
Welcome to UAlbany, new freshmen and transfers!
ALBANY, N.Y. (July 17, 2017) – Matthew Martinez remembers the day his family dropped him off at UAlbany to begin his freshman year.
When it was time for them to leave, Matt turned around to see his little brother with his head down, crying.
“What’s the matter?” Matt asked.
“You’re leaving me,” said his brother.
It was a tough moment.
“I love my little brother more than anything in the whole world,” said Matt, a criminal justice and political science major from Brooklyn, N.Y. Matt reassured him that he would come home to visit, and that even though he was away at college, he would always be there for his brother.
It meant a lot to Matt that his family came to see him off and that they support him.
Matt, an Educational Opportunities Program student who is entering his sophomore year, told this story at a recent orientation session for families of incoming freshmen.
Speakers from various offices on campus covered topics including career development, keeping your laptop safe (lock your dorm room door when you’re not there) and homesickness. Matt and three other orientation leaders – Pam Mejia, Jaleen Fraser and Shelby Mack – talked about how they successfully made the transition from home to university life.
From left, Shelby Mack, Pam Mejia, Matthew Martinez and Jaleen Fraser welcome incoming freshmen and their families to UAlbany.
Approximately 2,300 freshmen and 1,300 transfer students are attending Orientation sessions through July 31. The sessions are run by the Office of Orientation and Transition Programs.
Jaleen, who will be a junior in the fall, responded to a question about tutoring. “First semester I got a 3.0. The next semester, I went to tutoring for every class and I made the Dean’s List,” she said. Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Jaleen is a human biology major ...
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Clemson apps turn phones into personal assistants for people with intellectual disabilities
Newsstand | Clemson University News and Stories, South Carolina
CLEMSON — Students and faculty at Clemson University have developed two smartphone apps to provide practical, real-world assistance to help people with intellectual disabilities maintain employment and live independently.
The ClemsonLIFE Task Analysis app aids individuals in the completion of everyday tasks for home and work, while the ClemsonLIFE Meal Planner app helps users develop a weekly meal plan, manage inventory in a pantry and populate a grocery list that ensures they buy required food items each week.
Click on the image below to view the story:
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English professor remembers Jane Austen, 200 years later
Fordham Newsroom
Susan Greenfield, Ph.D., professor of English, became taken with novelist Jane Austen as a teenager. And as she went on to become a scholar of 18th Century literature, and Jane Austen in particular, she was recently afforded the opportunity to discuss the author on WBUR, a Boston public radio station and NPR affiliate, on the centennial of Austen’s death.
Susan Greenfield
In the interview, which aired on July 18th, Greenfield talked about what drew her to study Austen.
“As I grew older, I really appreciated her humor and insight. As a scholar, I find myself fascinated by so many things—by her literary technique, her narrative perspective, by her use of irony, and, particularly, her satire of human greed and cruelty and her critique of the abusive power, what we might call the patriarchal power, but not only [that], but class power, colonial power … she’s more relevant than ever at this moment in history.”
As WBUR had just aired a segment on the current healthcare debate prior to the interview about Jane Austen, Greenfield said it was easy to see why the novelist’s work has such contemporary relevance.
“Jane Austen is extremely interested in the difference between people who care about other people’s lives, and those who don’t,” she said.
Listen to the entire interview, which runs about 20 minutes and also includes insight from Whit Stillman, director of Love and Friendship, an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel Lady Susan, here.
Related:
Read about “Homelessness: Literary Representation and Historical Reality,” an undergraduate course Greenfield taught in 2015, using a literary approach to examine the complex issues surrounding homelessness.
In this piece from 2013, Greenfield wrote about the 200th anniversary of one of Austen’s most well-known novels, Pride and Prejudice.
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JOHN FLUETTE ELEVATED FROM VOLUNTEER TO ASSISTANT VOLLEYBALL COACH
Athletics News
Jul 19, 2017
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State head volleyball coach Ruben Volta announced today that John Fluette, who has spent the past two years as a volunteer assistant with the program, has been elevated to assistant coach for the upcoming indoor season.Fluette will join Volta and assistant Ed Jackson on the team's coaching staff. The Antelope, Calif., native also spent the past five years playing for the Sacramento State men's club volleyball team.Over the last two seasons as volunteer assistant with the Hornets, Fluette (pronounced Floo-ett) has run the video and statistical programs, helped facilitate drills at practice, and has been heavily involved with opponent scouting. During his two seasons, Sacramento State has combined for a 46-19 overall record and 25-7 mark in league play. That includes the Hornets' first Big Sky South Division championship last year. In fact, during that 2016 season, Sacramento State was the No. 2 seed at the eight-team Big Sky Tournament after finishing the year with a 13-3 conference record.The Hornets weren't far off from hosting the 2016 postseason tournament but North Dakota narrowly edged Sacramento State for the right to host the event. The Hornets have yet to lose a home match to a Big Sky opponent during Fluette's tenure, as the team will carry a 16-match home winning streak against conference competition into the 2017 season.In addition, Sacramento State received five all-Big Sky selections in 2016, the most of any of the conference's 12 teams. Moreover, the five selections tied for the most awarded to the program since Sacramento State joined the Big Sky in 1996."John has done a very good job the past couple seasons," Volta said. "He has helped immensely in the gym training our team and working with our scouting and video editing programs. We've been very happy with him as part of our staff, and he brings experience having enjoyed a very ...
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African-American veterans in mental health care are not as activated as White veterans : Newscenter : School of Medicine
INDIANAPOLIS – Patients who are activated--meaning they have the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage their health and health care--have better health outcomes. A new study provides evidence that male and female African-American veterans receiving outpatient mental health services are not as activated as White veterans.In addition to demonstrating an association between race and lower patient activation, the study shows that the relationship between African-American veterans and their mental health providers is not as strong as the relationship between White veterans and their providers. This difference persisted after adjusting for socio-demographic factors and the study participants’ length of time with their providers. Stronger patient-provider relationships--known as working alliances--have been linked to higher treatment adherence. The study also reported that the African-American veterans had significantly lower medication adherence rates than White veterans."A clear implication from this study is that one size does not fit all. We need to tailor our efforts to meet the needs of African-American veterans--and meet them where they are," said VA Center for Health Information and Communication, Regenstrief Institute and Indiana University Center for Health Services and Outcomes Research investigator Johanne Eliacin, PhD, the health services researcher who led the new study. "When it comes to being activated and engaged in their own health care, African-American veterans have more specific challenges that need to be better understood and addressed."There needs to be more research to develop strategies to motivate patients to be involved in their care and to work more effectively with their providers. And we need to learn how to help them sustain engagement over time." Dr. Eliacin is a clinical psychologist and psychological anthropologist. She also has an appointment as an assistant research professor in the Department of Psychology in the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Her research focuses on sociocultural determinants of mental health and on reducing health disparities. ...
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Unlocking the Secrets of Developmental Physiology
CSUSM NewsCenter
“Cal State San Marcos is providing a center for learning and discovery in North San Diego County while strongly serving the region.”
-- Dr. Casey Mueller
Dr. Casey Mueller has been intrigued with animals since she was a little girl growing up on a farm stocked with sheep and cattle in Australia. After being the first generation of her family to attend college, Mueller is now an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Cal State San Marcos, where her lab explores concepts in developmental physiology with a focus on environmental changes.
Since arriving at CSUSM two years ago, Mueller has provided research opportunities for five undergraduate students, organized symposia on developmental physiology, and been invited to conferences throughout the country and Europe.
“I am fascinated by how physiological systems develop and respond to the environment, and how developmental physiology influences animals later in life,” she said.
Mueller studies local species of frogs and fish.
“We are the first lab to study developmental physiology of the relatively abundant Baja California chorus frog,” she said. “Our research will help to understand how this frog continues to be successful, while so many other species of amphibians are in worldwide decline.”
Mueller moved to CSUSM in the fall of 2015 to teach physiology after earning her Ph.D. at the University of Adelaide, Australia, and completing postdoctoral work at the University of North Texas and McMaster University in Canada. She couldn’t be happier.
“CSUSM is providing a center for learning and discovery in North San Diego County,” she said. “Most of the students are local, and for dedicated students, CSUSM can serve as a platform to go on to even greater things. Helping them in this process, is very rewarding.”
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Save the Date! Collegewide Fall Opening Meeting Aug. 21
Inside MC Online
Please mark your calendars and join Dr. Pollard and your colleagues for the Collegewide Fall Opening Meeting at The Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center (PAC) on the Rockville Campus, Monday, August 21. A continental breakfast reception will begin at 8:30 a.m. in the PAC Lobby, with the President's Meeting taking place at 9 a.m. The meeting will be followed by vice president/provost unit meetings and deans' area meetings on their home campus. More information regarding the Opening Meeting and Professional Week is available on the Fall Opening Meeting website at http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/EDU/Department.aspx?id=81727
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Campus Teaches Soft Skills to Students
News Beat
As Rasmussen College’s learning center coordinator, my role involves providing students with academic support and learning experiences outside of the classroom. As a champion of academic success and a facilitator of lifelong learning, I stand tall by the importance of classroom/curriculum intelligence and am a firm believer in (the often more important) soft skills set. As our students graduate and enter their careers it is vital that they are well versed in their respective field of study and are fluent in soft skills. The term soft skill can be ambiguous; however, I will define it as preferential qualities for employment that do not depend on acquired/learned knowledge. Soft skills can be viewed as personal attributes that benefit interaction, performance and communication. Examples of soft skills can include but are not limited to: integrity, dependability, self-supervising and willingness to learn. Soft skills are indispensable because they play a vital role in career success; these skills help one to shine in the workplace and the importance of soft skills surely cannot be denied in this day and age of knowledge and information. Understanding the importance of both hard and soft skills and its role in student holistic development, I have created a Soft Skills Set Series to be held in our New Port Richey West Pasco Campus Learning Center. This series will focus on six soft skills; each of which will be presented to new-start and returning students with the assistance of our program coordinators. The Soft Skills Set Series is a great opportunity for our students to have conversations and to learn about real world work expectations and demands. The series will address the following skills: Work Ethic – Do you have motivation & dedication to getting the job done? Positive Attitude – Are you optimistic and upbeat? Communication Skills – Do you have good verbal & listening skills? Self-confidence – Do you believe ...
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Miami among top producers of Fortune 500 CEOs
Miami University - Top Stories
Beyond Fortune 500 companies, Miami boasts corporate and agency leaders both with business and non-business degrees.
Money magazine asked, “What sort of education does it take to climb to the top of America’s largest companies?” The answer: The sort of well-rounded education Miami University provides.
Miami made Money’s Top 10 list for CEOs of Fortune 500 companies – and the magazine points out that Miami is the only school in the top 10 with two female Fortune 500 CEOs to its credit.
The magazine analyzed the recently released Fortune 500 list of companies representing two-thirds of the U.S. gross domestic product.
They created a list of the top 10 schools with the most alumni in the Fortune 500’s top seat, ordering the list by the number of undergraduate degrees each school confers.
The editors found elite schools in the mix, but also liberal arts schools and public universities. Miami is both — a public, liberal arts university.
The editors write, “You might be surprised that just as many Fortune 500 CEOs went to this small Midwestern liberal arts school as such big-name schools as MIT, Yale, and Vanderbilt. But Miami U’s alumni and current students aren’t. They say the university offers a rigorous liberal arts curriculum that prepares its students for all kinds of challenges. Miami is also the only school in the top 10 with more than one female CEO to its credit.”
Money lists these Miami graduates who lead Fortune 500 companies:
Beyond Fortune 500 companies, Miami boasts corporate and agency leaders both with business and non-business degrees.
A sampling of Farmer School of Business grads who are corporate leaders:
Mitch Barns - Nielsen
David Dauch - American Axle
Scott Farmer - Cintas
Michelle Imler - JPMorgan Chase
Brian Niccol –Taco Bell
Jeff Osterfeld - Penn Station East Coast Subs
Scott White - New Avon
A sampling of CEOs, COOs and VPs from Miami’s College ...
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UNCG research: birds, bees and barbershops
UNCG Now
African American barbershops have long been places for the black community to open up, to speak freely.
And Dr. Tanya Coakley is looking to them in her attempt to help foster better health communication between fathers and sons.
A professor in the Department of Social Work, Coakley recently received a grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to study how African American fathers talk to their sons about sexual health. One of the study goals is to reduce sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) and teen pregnancy.
She has enlisted a network of barbershops in Greensboro, Charlotte and Reidsville to help recruit participants.
“Barbershops are pillars in the African American community. People respect them,” Coakley says. “So that seemed like a natural resource to tap into.”
The research, which includes collaborators at NC A&T State University and Duke University, focuses on pre-adolescent sons.
“We would like to reach boys before they engage in sexual activity,” she says. “We’re helping fathers think about what to say to their sons and when to say it.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African American males between the ages of 13 and 24 account for half of HIV infections among all youth. They are also disproportionately affected by other STDs.
Coakley is determining the frequency of the conversations taking place and examining the content of those conversations.
“We’ll talk to fathers and sons,” she says. “Because sometimes the father’s report will be different from the son’s. They may think they said something or covered a topic, but the son heard something different.”
What fathers should not do, Coakley has found, is glorify sex in sharing their own experience or, for that matter, solely talk about the negative aspects of sex, which might cause sons to dismiss anything else they have to say.
Many fathers, Coakley says, don’ ...
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Six steps to start changing how Africa does development
Latest From Brookings
The current pace of globalization gives no choice to small developing countries: they must integrate into world markets if they wish to succeed. Africa has more than its fair share of small poor economies because of fragmentation that it inherited from European colonizers, making Africa the continent most prone to ethnic-based conflicts. Yet, African countries impose the heaviest artificial barriers around their borders on top of this. It’s time to change this.
Go sub-continental
Except for the two dominant economies––South Africa and Nigeria––the continent is made up of countries that have small domestic markets, limited economic diversification, and generally poor connectivity with neighboring countries, reducing proximity between economic agents within Africa, and between Africa and the rest of the world. Yet, the approach of the international community (specifically, developed countries and international financial institutions) to help Africa has so far been essentially country-specific, and putting out regional fires that threaten to become global: genocides, pandemics, religious conflicts, etc.
This approach has merits, but a continent suffering on a permanent basis from the triple disadvantages of low economic density, long distance to markets, and deep divisions needs a different strategy. My research indicates that it would benefit enormously from a regional approach, as argued by the World Development Report 2009.
One way to do this is by granting preferential access to leading world markets to the region, as intended by the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) and Everything But Arms (EBA), two preferential agreements extended by the United States and the European Union, respectfully, since 2001. But not all African countries have benefited from this access, among which are West African countries. Paradoxically, West Africa hosts two of the most advanced regional economic communities. The West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) shares a common monetary policy that has held inflation down and constitutes a customs union with a compensation ...
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Juarez and Minh Groups Discover New Structural Motif in Essential Vibrio Cholerae Enzyme
News – Illinois Tech Today
The research groups of Oscar Juarez, assistant professor of biology, and David Minh, assistant professor of chemistry, have discovered a new structural motif in an essential Vibrio cholerae enzyme that could lead to important drug development.
The increasing threat from multi-drug-resistant strains of disease-causing bacteria means that we need to develop novel antibiotics that target essential structures and mechanisms of these microorganisms. The main research focus of Juarez and his group is an essential protein for cell proliferation and pathogenicity of infectious bacterial species such as Vibrio cholerae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and numerous others. This enzyme is the sodium-dependent NADH dehydrogenase (Na+-NQR), a cell membrane protein that couples the transport of electrons to the pumping of sodium ions (Na+) across and outside of the membrane, establishing a Na+ gradient that can be used by the bacterium to power essential metabolic processes.
One analogy for Na+-NQR is a watermill. Energy is generated as water flows through the wheel. For Na+-NQR, electrons act as the water, moving within the enzyme through a series of non-protein chemical molecules called cofactors, from a high to subsequent lower energy states, generating energy that the enzyme can use to pump sodium ions. Without the cofactors within the enzyme, electrons could not be transported and thus they are vitally important to the operation of the enzyme.
In a recent scientific article published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, [1] Juarez’s research group detailed its discovery involving the precise location of the final electron-accepting cofactor, ubiquinone, within the enzyme. A previous publication [2] by the Juarez lab identified HQNO (N-oxo-2-heptyl-4-Hydroxyquinoline), based on enzyme kinetics data, to be an inhibitor competing for the ubiquinone binding site within Na+-NQR, disrupting its function. However, the location of ubiquinone binding site has been highly debated. In collaboration with Minh, computer simulations and molecular docking models were ...
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College of DuPage Announces Scholars Award Recipients
News at College of DuPage
By Brian KleemannCollege of DuPage has announced 196 incoming students as Scholars Award recipients
for fall 2017.The awards fall into three categories: Presidential, a 64-semester hour full tuition
scholarship; Board of Trustees, which is $2,500 per year; and Deans, which is $1,000
per year.This year’s Presidential Scholars are as follows (listed by hometown and then with
high school attended):Aurora: Angello DiMonte, Metea Valley; Marianne Duran, Waubonsie Valley; Tejaswi Kandula,
Metea Valley; Bartlomiej Kubiak, Metea ValleyBensenville: Evan Ripperger, FentonBloomingdale: Ridas Jagelavicius, Glenbard East; Joseph Pusateri, Lake ParkBolingbrook: Rachel Irwin, Downers Grove North; Jacqueline Pawl, Downers Grove SouthBrookfield: Hunter Jasinski, Lyons TownshipCarol Stream: Sean Fisher, Glenbard North; Nauman Khan, Wheaton North; Gina Maggiore, West ChicagoCountryside: Stephen Romero, Lyons TownshipDowners Grove: David Campbell III, Downers Grove South; David Cimbalista, Homeschooled; Audrey Staron,
Downers Grove North; Tiffany Wang, Downers Grove SouthElmhurst: Kevin Brownlie, YorkGlendale Heights: Austin Novak, Glenbard East; Retaj Omar, Islamic Foundation; Brandon Quigley, Glenbard
EastGlen Ellyn: Yusuf Baggia, Glenbard South; Maryam Ghouse, Islamic Foundation; Maxwell Gobleder,
Glenbard South; Scott Lupa, Glenbard South; Ethan Moon, Glenbard West; Michael Santana,
Glenbard South; Grace Wagner, Glenbard WestHanover Park: James Firme, Lake ParkLemont: Adam Popper, LemontLisle: Rachel Chapman, Homeschooled; Collin Leger, Downers Grove NorthLombard: Amanda Chapman, Glenbard East; Sophia Flicek, Willowbrook; Dylan Goodale, Glenbard
East; Christopher Latelle, Glenbard East; Samantha Leide, Timothy Christian; Lauren
Martin, Willowbrook; Daisy Mendez, Glenbard East; Paul Zaccone, Glenbard EastNaperville: Gabrielle Canlas, Naperville Central; Olivia Celinski, Metea Valley; Andrew Ehrler,
Metea Valley; Abir Khan, Metea Valley; Cory Lhotka, Naperville Central; Brittany Schloderback,
Neuqua Valley; Gracie Wajda, Metea Valley; Alexander Warner, Neuqua ValleyRoselle: Alyssa Kuman, Lake ParkWarrenville: Wade Ammons, Wheaton Warrenville South; Michelle Campos, Wheaton Warrenville South;
Benjamin Cavanaugh, Wheaton Warrenville South; Michael Muzik, HomeschooledWest Chicago: Garrett Hosticka, West ChicagoWheaton: Patrick McNally, Wheaton North; Lynn Nguyen, Wheaton Warrenville South; Gabriella
Zaffer, Glenbard WestWillow Springs: Alexandra Manaves, Lyons TownshipWoodridge: Mason Monen, Downers Grove NorthThis ...
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At Tufts Medical Center, pressure to cut costs in a city rich with hospitals
Brandeis University News
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In many cities, for patients needing complex medical care, Tufts Medical Center would be the only destination in town.But in Boston, a city rich with big hospitals, Tufts has long been overshadowed by larger competitors with more prestigious names and deeper pockets.
The disparities between Tufts and its competitors have been thrown into sharp relief by an ugly labor dispute. On Wednesday, more than 1,200 members of the Massachusetts Nurses Association went on strike after the union and the hospital failed to come to terms on staffing levels, wages, and retirement benefits.Like all care providers, Tufts says it’s under pressure to control costs, especially as uncertainty about the future of the Affordable Care Act continues to loom.
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But even as it has grown its network of doctors and formed new partnerships with other hospitals, the Tufts University-affiliated medical center lacks the market clout to demand the same level of payments from insurers as rivals such as Brigham and Women’s receive.
Nurses demonstrated Wednesday
Nurses flooded the streets outside Tufts Medical Center Wednesday in the first strike of its kind at a major Boston hospital in 31 years.
Tufts says it simply has less money to spend, and that’s why it can’t and won’t meet its nurses’ financial demands. The nonprofit hospital, along with its doctors network, ended its last fiscal year with a small operating loss of $2.6 million. It collected $974.5 million in revenue in the year ending Sept. 30, 2016.
“I think the root cause is that Tufts has to compete with the other academic medical centers in the city, and they don’t get the same level of reimbursement,” said David E. Williams, a consultant at Health Business Group in Boston. “The disparities of the payments ...
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Air Transport Research Society, Embry-Riddle Announce Results of Global Airport Performance
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Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) has been named the most efficient airport in the world. This marks the 14th year ATL, the world's busiest airport by passenger traffic, has received the Efficiency Excellence Award from ATRS, a worldwide research network guided by a 16-member task force of leading academics from Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
Dr. Michael Williams, professor and dean of the College of Business at Embry-Riddle presented the worldwide Efficiency Excellence Award to Balram Bheodari, Deputy General Manager of Atlanta Airport.
“This award is a testament to the forefathers who designed the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport so efficiently,” said Bheodari. “This efficiency allows ATL to be cost competitive and operationally efficient to maximize operations, all of which contributes to the continuous growth of the airport.”
The ATRS Global Airport Benchmarking Project measures and compares the performance of several important aspects of airport operations: Productivity and efficiency, unit costs and cost competitiveness, financial results and airport charges. The report also examines the relationships between various performance measures and airport characteristics as well as management strategies in order to provide a better understanding of observed differences in airport performance. The 2017 report includes 206 airports and 24 airport groups of various sizes and ownership forms in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
The ATRS Annual Global Airport Performance Benchmarking Project was initiated in 2000 and is currently hosted at Embry-Riddle’s College of Business in Daytona Beach, Florida. Students in the College of Business collect and compile data, conduct analysis and generate the annual report under the supervision of Benchmarking Task Force Project Manager Dr. Chunyan Yu, Professor of Air Transport Management.
Other winners across the globe include:
North America:Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport – 25-40 million-passengersVancouver International Airport - 10-25 million-passengersKahului Airport – under 10 million-passengers
Europe: Overall Winner: Athens International Airport – also the 10-25 million-passengersAmsterdam Airport – over 40 million-passengersCopenhagen Airport – 25-40 million-passengersEuroAirport Basel Mulhouse ...
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Researchers identify a common underlying genetic basis for social behavior in dogs and humans
Princeton University News
Dogs' ability to communicate and interact with humans is one the most astonishing differences between them and their wild cousins, wolves. A new study identifies genetic changes that are linked to dogs' human-directed social behaviors and suggests there is a common underlying genetic basis for hyper-social behavior in both dogs and their human companions.
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Allie Janoch (B.S. '09, Computer Science) Brings Stormwater Management to Silicon Valley
College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences
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Column: Internet must remain open for everyone
State News Opinions
With the Federal Communication Commission’s public comment period on net neutrality officially closed, the world now waits to see how the Trump administration will react to millions of people, as well as tech giants and digital rights advocates, demanding the internet remain open and free.
The internet, with all of its unlimited, nearly unfathomable potential, is far too powerful and vital to trust in the hands of a few corporations that already control so much of how information is accessed and used.
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