Community news from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. http://www.rpi.edu/news/community/index.html en-us Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2008 October 3, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today opens the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC), an unprecedented experimental center dedicated to the integrated pursuit of the performing arts and sciences. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2502 3 Oct 2008 15:00:00 EST September 26, 2008: The Career Development Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is the recipient of this year’s General Electric (GE) Partnership Award. The distinction honors Rensselaer for its efforts in building corporate relationships and recruiting. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2498 23 Sept 2008 15:00:00 EST September 19, 2008: A delegation from Rensselaer’s Lally School joined internationally recognized scholars, regulators, and financial market practitioners to discuss the challenges stemming from the nation’s financial innovations of the past two decades. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2492 19 Sept 2008 15:00:00 EST August 25, 2008: The incoming Class of 2012 at Rensselaer promises to be an exceptional group, with an increase in average SAT scores and more than 65 percent of the students coming from the top 10 percent of their high school classes. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2485 25 Aug 2008 15:00:00 EST July 23, 2008: A major restructuring of global energy markets is underway, challenging all to think about energy in new ways, yet the United States is at risk of being left behind because the nation lacks a comprehensive global energy security roadmap, warned Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2473 23 Jul 2008 15:00:00 EST June 24, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson issued the following statement, regarding the announcement by New York State Senate Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno of his plan to retire from the State Senate. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2463 24 Jun 2008 15:00:00 EST June 20, 2008: Erin Crotty, a seasoned public administrator with deep roots in Troy and the Capital Region, will join Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as the director of community relations. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2460 20 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 18, 2008: While schools around the Capital Region are ending the year, a group of 50 middle school students are kicking their academic interests up a notch by participating in the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2459 18 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST June 16, 2008: A program entitled “Energy and the Environment,” funded by a new 2.7 million five-year NSF grant, will place science and engineering graduate students from Rensselaer in high school classrooms across New York’s Capital Region. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2458 16 Jun 2008 12:00:00 EST May 17, 2008: While striving for success, the leaders of tomorrow must also pursue internal authenticity and happiness to discover ways of making a difference in the world, David Gergen told the graduating Class of 2008. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2450 17 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 15, 2008: More than 1,950 students will receive degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday, May 17. They represent the next generation of leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, patent holders, and innovators. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2449 15 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 14, 2008: Paul Morrow has developed two innovations that could vastly improve magnetic data storage and sense extremely low level magnetic fields. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2446 14 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 13, 2008: Even before Weixiao Huang received his doctorate from Rensselaer, his new transistor captured the attention of some of the biggest American and Japanese automobile companies. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2445 13 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 13, 2008: Today’s video games serve a multitude of functions ranging from entertainment to exercise and even education. Now, three graduates from Rensselaer’s Class of 2008 have created a game to foster independence among disabled individuals. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2444 13 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 9, 2008: It’s not every day that you meet someone who builds next-generation rocket engines for fun. But Phil Bracken, who will graduate this month with a major in aeronautical engineering and a clear goal of becoming an astronaut, is doing exactly that. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2437 9 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 8, 2008: Laura Wontrop knows all about cars and trucks. After graduating from Rensselaer, the 21-year-old mechanical engineering major will join automotive giant General Motors as a vehicle definition engineer, and play a key role in solidifying the design of next-generation concept cars. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2434 8 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 7, 2008: A team of professors from Rensselaer and the University at Albany have created Connected Kids, a new youth services online information system, in collaboration with Rensselaer County government. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2436 7 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 7, 2008: During the month of May, more than 1.5 million high school students will take the annual College Board AP exams. To help reduce their stress, Chris Keenan offers a free online study resource to help students tackle the AP courses and exams. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2433 7 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 6, 2008: An undergraduate student at Rensselaer has learned very quickly that a spoonful of sugar really does help the medicine go down. In fact, with his invention, the sugar may actually be the medicine. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2432 6 May 2008 12:00:00 EST May 2, 2008: Thanks to an invention devised by Rensselaer Class of 2008 graduate Sarah DiNovo, our law enforcement officers can protect themselves while protecting us. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2431 2 May 2008 12:00:00 EST April 29, 2008: On Friday, May 16, Rensselaer will host the 2008 President’s Commencement Colloquy, focused on the leadership challenges to maintain a sustainable global society in the midst of extraordinary growth and change. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2429 29 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 18, 2008: Nearly 300 11th grade girls from the Capital Region, New York state, and across New England will participate in Rensselaer’s “Design Your Future Day” (DYFD) program on Saturday, April 19. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2425 18 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST April 16, 2008: Sheldon Weinbaum '59, CUNY Distinguished Professor of Biomedical and Mechanical Engineering at The City College of New York, will receive the prestigious Davies Medal for Engineering Achievement from the Rensselaer School of Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2423 16 Apr 2008 12:00:00 EST March 17, 2008: David Gergen, political analyst, editor, best-selling author, and Harvard professor, will deliver the 2008 Commencement address at Rensselaer on May 17 at 9:30 a.m. on the Harkness Field. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2416 17 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST March 14, 2008: Twenty-four students have been inducted into the Rensselaer Phalanx Honor Society. Phalanx honors student leadership, service, and devotion to the university, and celebrates those who have "worked to better the standing of Rensselaer both on and off campus." http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2415 14 Mar 2008 12:00:00 EST February 15, 2008: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson has joined the call for a Presidential debate on science, technology, and innovation in advance of the November 2008 general election, and urged others to sign on. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2400 15 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 12, 2008: Beginning in August 2009, Rensselaer students will have a new campus housing option in the heart of downtown Troy. The Institute has launched a project that will convert the former Best Western Rensselaer Inn into a residence hall to house undergraduate students. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2399 12 Feb 2008 13:00:00 EST February 9, 2008: More than 900 area students and their families came to Rensselaer to participate in the 10th annual Black Family Technology Awareness Day. The workshops, designed to spur young people’s interest in pursuing careers in science and engineering, were hosted by Rensselaer’s Office of Institute Diversity. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2398 9 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST February 7, 2008: Rensselaer invites members of the community to the Hirsch Observatory to view planets, stars, and galaxies with the observatory’s 16-inch telescope. The observatory will be open to the public every Friday evening through November. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2397 7 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST February 1, 2008: In a tribute to outstanding commitments to community service, the Rensselaer Alumni Association (RAA) will recognize both an individual student and a Greek life organization with its Community Service Award. Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and Tamer Khattab ’08 will be presented with the award on Friday, Feb. 1 — during the first intermission of the hockey game. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2395 1 Feb 2008 09:00:00 EST January 3, 2008: The NSF has awarded $3 million over five years to an alliance of upstate colleges and universities, including Rensselaer, to enroll and graduate more minority students from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics degree programs. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2383 03 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST December 20, 2007: Five teams of students are being rewarded for imagining innovative ways to make the world a better place, from a low-cost solar water purification system to a "smart badge" for law enforcement officers. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2379 20 Dec 2007 09:00:00 EST November 14, 2007: Rensselaer honored alumni Howard Blitman ’50 and his wife, Maureen, and Edward Zander ’68 and his wife, Mona, with the Alis Aquilae medal in recognition of their outstanding philanthropy to Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2356 14 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST November 7, 2007: President Shirley Ann Jackson delivers the keynote address at the Washington Post Company Energy Conference, continuing her call for a comprehensive energy roadmap to meet the demand for global energy security. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2349 07 Nov 2007 09:00:00 EST September 24, 2007: Eleven senior faculty members, representing the five schools of Rensselaer, have been appointed to a committee that will review the university's faculty governance system. The Faculty Governance Review Committee, announced by Provost Robert Palazzo in a letter to the faculty Sept. 21, will be chaired by Jacob Fish, the Rosalind and John J. Redfern Jr. '33 Professor of Engineering. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2317 24 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 13, 2007: Professor Charles Malmborg, a 22-year veteran of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s School of Engineering, was recently named the new head of the university’s Department of Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems (DSES). http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2308 10 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST September 7, 2007: In the true spirit of the computer age, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute today celebrated the grand opening of the world's most powerful university-based supercomputer with a "virtual" ribbon-cutting ceremony. The celebration, which was held on the Rensselaer campus, began with a presidential colloquy. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2304 07 Sep 2007 09:00:00 EST August 26, 2007: Rensselaer has broken ground to launch the first phase of the $114 million East Campus Athletic Village. The most extensive athletic construction project in the Institute's history, the new athletic village will improve dramatically campus athletic facilities, expand athletic opportunities, and enhance the overall student experience at Rensselaer. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2289 26 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 23, 2007: To celebrate the grand opening of the world's most powerful university-based supercomputing center, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute will host a presidential colloquy Sept. 7 featuring five of the country's foremost leaders in science, technology, and innovation. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2287 23 Aug 2007 09:00:00 EST August 17, 2007: For more than 25 years, the Incubator Program at Rensselaer has been a pioneer in nurturing the development of entrepreneurial companies, helping them survive and grow during the start-up period, when they are the most vulnerable. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2282 17 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 9, 2007: Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson will co-chair a national "Energy Security, Innovation and Sustainability Initiative," of the Council on Competitiveness. She will be joined by co-chairmen James W. Owens, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Caterpillar Inc., and D. Michael Langford, National President of Utility Workers Union of America, in the initiative designed to enhance U.S. competitiveness and energy security. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2268 09 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 7, 2007: Rensselaer officials have announced that the Institute's faculty governance structure will be reviewed and modified in order to strengthen the role of tenured and tenure-track faculty members in the faculty governance process. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2267 07 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST August 3, 2007: Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson applauded the bipartisan House-Senate Conference Agreement on the America COMPETES Act, which was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate August 2. The America COMPETES Act creates a framework for increased federally funded research in science and technology, including a new energy research agency. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2266 03 Aug 2007 08:00:00 EST July 24, 2007: Rensselaer has announced that Athletic Director Ken Ralph will resign from the post he has held since 2002 in order to accept the position of athletic director at Colorado College. The decision is effective Aug. 16, at which point Rensselaer Sports Information Director Kevin Beattie will assume Ralph's duties as acting athletic director until a national search is completed. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2254 24 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST July 12, 2007: Federal agencies in the United States need to provide sustainable funding streams to maintain the nation's competitiveness and nourish the next generation of scientists, according to Robert Palazzo, provost of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and incoming president of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). Palazzo laid out his vision for the biomedical sciences at a July 10 event at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2236 12 Jul 2007 08:00:00 EST May 24, 2007: The incoming Class of 2011 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute promises to be an exceptional group, with the average SAT score up almost 20 points from the previous year, and more than 65 percent of the students coming from the top 10 percent of their high school classes. The high-achieving group also includes a significant increase in the number of women, the national and international profile of the student body, and those who are interested in new areas of Rensselaer's expanding curriculum. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2167 24 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 19, 2007: Emerging scientists, mathematicians, and engineers will play a critical role in the future success of the United States, Thomas Friedman told the graduating Class of 2007. The Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist addressed nearly 1,500 graduating students and their families May 19. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2159 19 May 2007 08:00:00 EST May 8, 2007: President Shirley Ann Jackson has been elected a member of the American Philosophical Society, the oldest learned society in the United States. The honor puts her in the company of some of history's most distinguished scholars - a noteworthy membership that includes the founders of the American republic and more than 260 recipients of the Nobel Prize. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2198 08 May 2007 08:00:00 EST April 30, 2007: More than 1,400 Rensselaer students, faculty, staff, their families, and members of the surrounding community — led by members of Greek Life and student athletes — joined forces to participate in Rensselaer's second Relay for Life event, raising more than $100,000 (and counting) for cancer research. The overnight event — held on the '86 Field — began at 6 p.m. on Friday, and ended Saturday at 8 a.m. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2108 30 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 23, 2007: As the May 1 deadline approaches for high school seniors to decide where they will attend college in the fall, Rensselaer hosted more than 3,000 visitors to campus for the Accepted Student Celebration on Saturday, April 14. The visitors included more than 1,000 accepted students from 34 states, as well as Canada, South Korea, and Denmark. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2097 23 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 5, 2007: Kirk MacDonald has been selected as the U.S. College Hockey Online 2006-07 Unsung Hero, in recognition for his work on the ice as well as off the ice. MacDonald, who is currently playing for the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League, is a management major who has been on the Dean's List on multiple occasions. http://www.rpiathletics.com/News/hockey/2007/4/5/mhockey040507.asp?path=hockey 05 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 3, 2007: Twenty-five students have been inducted into the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Phalanx honor society. Phalanx honors student leadership and celebrates those who have "worked to better the standing of Rensselaer both on and off campus." New members are selected — or "tapped" — by the student members of Phalanx. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2059 03 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: Thomas L. Friedman, best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for The New York Times, will deliver the 2007 Commencement address at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on May 19 at 9:30 a.m. on the Harkness Field. http://news.rpi.edu:80/update.do?artcenterkey=2054 02 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST April 2, 2007: His textbooks have taught generations of engineers around the world about electrical communication systems and made him a world leader in electrical, computer, and systems engineering. But A. Bruce Carlson will always be remembered by those who knew him for his dedication to his students, passion for knowledge, and selfless devotion to his family and community service. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2049 02 Apr 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Shirley Ann Jackson, who has led a national movement to understand and respond to what she calls a "quiet crisis" in the science and engineering work force, will receive the Vannevar Bush Award for a lifetime of achievements in scientific research, education and senior statesman-like contributions to public policy. The annual award recognizes an individual who, through public service activities in science and technology, has made an outstanding "contribution toward the welfare of mankind and the Nation." http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2036 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 26, 2007: Stephen Wiberley '48, professor emeritus and trustee of the Rensselaer Newman Foundation, passed away on March 17. Wiberley dedicated his life to Rensselaer and its students, promoting their pursuits in both science and spirituality. Wiberley earned his Ph D. from Rensselaer in 1950, and he spent the next 39 years teaching generations of students in a wide variety courses. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2035 26 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 19, 2007: About a dozen community service-minded students from Rensselaer spent their spring break swinging hammers, priming, pouring cement, and assembling wall sections at a Habitat for Humanity project in Johns Island, S.C. The group worked alongside more than 50 students from the University of Virginia, Truman State University, and Davidson College to construct homes. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2020 19 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST March 19, 2007: The Rensselaer Board of Trustees has approved a $365.5 million budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, enabling the Institute to move forward on several initiatives designed to enhance the intellectual core of our activities and the overall educational experience of our students. Faculty renewal will continue as a top priority in the new fiscal year. http://news.rpi.edu:80/campusnews/update.do?artcenterkey=2024 19 Mar 2007 08:00:00 EST