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Lighting a Landmark
What is the best way to light the Bennington Monument, a 306-foot-tall, century-old obelisk in Old Bennington?
Students from Rensselaer’s Lighting Research Center are studying the ambience and character of the historic neighborhood, and suggesting lighting recommendations based on a number of key issues. An article about the project appeared in Newsday. |
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Building Better Body Parts
Tiny three-dimensional scaffolds of bioengineered tissue hold promise for the replacement of damaged body parts or entire organs. Jan Stegemann, a biomedical engineer, is developing a blood vessel embedded in a matrix of collagen and fibrin to study how the cell's function changes in a non-native environment. His findings will lead to a better understanding of how to build biological structures that can become fully formed and functional implantable tissue.
Obstacles and Entrepreneurs
Rensselaer alumnus John J. McDonnell Jr., CEO of Transaction Network Services, cautioned students that every young business runs into some problem. “It's how you react to the unplanned, unforeseen obstacles that determines how successful your business is,” he said. McDonnell was just named Rensselaer’s Entrepreneur of the Year.
James Tien Named Yamada Corporation Professor
James Tien '66 has been named the Yamada Corporation Professor at Rensselaer. Tien, chair and professor of the Department of Decision Sciences and Engineering Systems, is internationally known for research that includes systems modeling, public policy, decision analysis, and information systems. An elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest honors accorded an engineer, Tien twice served as acting dean of Rensselaer's School of Engineering.
Counter Attack (PDF file)
A kitchen counter that attacks germs? That’s just one possibility for hybrid materials that combine biological and non-biological substances. Rensselaer’s Jonathan Dordick is using nanotechnology to develop self-cleaning plastics in which embedded enzymes destroy the ability of pathogens to bind to a surface. His research is profiled in the November issue of Technology Review.
Nuclear Future
The looming shortage of a qualified nuclear workforce and the need to strengthen collaborations between universities, industry, and government were the subject of a major conference sponsored by Rensselaer, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and the U.S. Department of Energy. This week’s conference produced a list of recommended actions to strengthen America’s preparedness in research and education.
One of the 50 Most Important Women in Science
President Shirley Ann Jackson has been named one of the “50 Most Important Women in Science” by Discover magazine. The women were chosen from across scientific disciplines for their groundbreaking scientific discoveries, their leadership, and their fearlessness in shattering the scientific glass ceiling.
Patent Mending
Patents for a key step in making microbial cellulose have been donated to Rensselaer by Kimberly-Clark Worldwide. Microbial cellulose holds significant promise for use in healing human tissue. The donated patents have been licensed to Xylos Corporation, an Incubator company founded by Rensselaer alumni. |
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