Loretta Ebert, director of Rensselaer Research Libraries, presented a plenary keynote address, "What's the Big Deal?: Advantages and Disadvantages of Publisher Packages and Consortial Licensing," at the North American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) 2004 annual conference, "Growth, Creativity and Collaboration" in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 19.

Henry Ehrlich, emeritus professor of biology, has been invited by the editors of Applied and Environmental Microbiology to serve another three-year term as a member of the editorial board.

Tomie Hahn, associate professor of arts, was a panel member for "A New Perspective: International Women Shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) Masters" that took place at the World Shakuhachi Festival in New York City in July. The panel was followed by a musical improvisation, "Yume" (Dreams), by Hahn and Pauline Oliveros, distinguished research professor of music. Hahn performed on shakuhachi and Oliveros on accordion.

Michael Shur, the Patricia W. and C. Sheldon Roberts'48 Professor of Solid State Electronics and director of the Center for Broadband Data Transport, gave a tutorial on "Novel Physics of Nitride Devices" at the 2004 International Conference on Physics of Semiconductors, July 25, in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Gwo-Ching Wang, professor and chair of physics, gave an invited talk on "Terascale and Terahertz Research at Rensselaer" on July 22 at Taiwan's Fu Hen Catholic University, as part of the university's distinguished speaker series. Wang also spoke at: Tatung University on July 27; the Chinese Academy of Science, Institute of Physics on July 28; the National Taiwan University, Center for Condensed Matter Science on July 30; and National Cheng Kung University on Aug. 3. Wang received her B.S. from Cheng Kung University.