From the Dean

Can it be August already? We may be in the dog days of summer, but here in Science we’re thinking Fall—as in Fall Semester, when we’ll welcome more than 2,500 undergraduate Science majors to campus for the 2005–06 academic year. Those students will get the immediate benefit of outstanding teachers and top notch courses, but let me also highlight some other enrichments in store for the future.

In previous issues of Science@Purdue I’ve mentioned our Undergraduate Education Task Force, which we charged to reassess the goals of undergraduate education in the College of Science so that we can more effectively train tomorrow’s leaders—graduates technically skilled and broadly educated to meet the challenges of tomorrow’s world. Next on the task force’s agenda is a curriculum workshop for task force members, department heads, and all interested faculty on August 16 to discuss core Science curriculum requirements and how they match the desired outcomes of a Science education.

On a related front, one of our seven multidisciplinary COALESCE areas for College-wide research priority is science education research, and we’re taking a leadership role in a major campus-wide initiative in that area. The Colleges of Science and Education recently created a new University center called CRESME—which stands for Center for Research and Engagement in Science and Mathematics Education—as a home for researchers in that area. This summer we’ve begun searching for Co-Director of CRESME; you can see more details about the position on our COALESCE web site.

Science faculty are also leaders in multi-university efforts to enrich science education. Chemistry associate professor Gabriela Weaver heads the Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE), a National Science Foundation-funded center that addresses major barriers to providing research experiences to younger undergraduate science students. CASPiE involves faculty members from nine colleges and universities in Indiana and Illinois. Nick Giordano, Hubert James Distinguished Professor of Physics and last year’s Indiana Professor of the Year, is a leader in Purdue’s membership in the Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering (NCLT), another multi-university partnership funded by NSF. NCLT is the first national center for the learning and teaching of nanoscale science and engineering education in the United States.

Science is ever-changing, and it’s only fitting that Science education must constantly evolve both in what is taught and how it’s taught. The initiatives and projects described above are part of our continued commitment to make Science education at Purdue a passport to success for our students. In coming issues of Science@Purdue, I look forward to sharing with you our progress along the way.

Best regards,

Jeff Vitter


 SCIENCE PEOPLE

Daniela Bortoletto to help plan future of particle physics

Professor Daniela Bortoletto is one of 21 physicists appointed by the Department of Energy (DoE) to develop a road map for the next decade and beyond for the entire field of elementary particle and astro-particle physics in the United States. Particle physics seeks to answer fundamental questions about the formation, evolution and fate of the Universe. Full story.

Science faculty to speak at Techpoint briefing

Professors Paul Shepson, Dev Niyogi, and Matt Huber will speak on climate and climate change at Techpoint’s “New Economy New Rules” briefing on August 5. Shepson, Niyogi, and Huber are members of the Purdue Climage Change Research Center. The briefing is sponsored by Indianapolis law firm Barnes & Thornburg. More information.

Ian Shipsey writes about new developments in particle physics in Nature magazine

Physics professor Ian Shipsey writes in the July 14, 2005 issue of Nature that important developments in lattice quantum chromdynamics, recently validated by experiment, are bringing particle physicists closer to understanding the birth, evolution and ultimate fate of the Universe. Full story.

MC Plus+ busts out with geeksta rap

Armand Navabi is straight outta the computer lab. Known as MC Plus+ to the Computer Science department, Ph.D. student Navabi has raised a CS ruckus with not only his mad coding skills but also the rap songs he’s written about the CS thug life. Full story.

 

SCIENCE NEWS AND RESEARCH

New Discovery Park center will expand cancer research across disciplines

Purdue University announced on July 19 the formation of the Oncological Sciences Center, an interdisciplinary research facility that will increase the university’s contribution to the battle against cancer. The Oncological Sciences Center, established with seed money from the Lilly Endowment, brings together life scientists, engineers and experts in communication and human behavior to assault the cancer problem. Full story.

New Purdue center to energize the future thanks to Lilly Endowment and Senator Lugar

Purdue University announced on July 29 the creation of a new Energy Center, which already has been designated to share $85 million in federal funding with centers in Illinois and Kentucky. The third of four new Discovery Park centers created from seed money from the Lilly Endowment, the Energy Center will focus on the development of economical and environmentally sound energy sources and help change policies and perceptions about the way we use energy. Full story.

Biologists see combined structure of cold virus and receptor molecule

Researchers in the Department of Biological Sciences Structural Biology group have determined the combined structure of a common-cold virus attached to a molecule that enables the virus to infect its host, information that ultimately may help researchers develop methods for treating certain viral infections. Full story.

Scientists seek ways to counter environmental impact of global warming

Native birds vanishing, crab shells thinning and ice melting under polar bears may not cause alarm in the Midwest, but flooded basements, the threat of West Nile virus, and higher fruit and vegetable prices are side effects that make climate change hit closer to home. Climate change may contribute to all of these things and more. Scientists at the Purdue Climate Change Research Center are studying the causes and long-term implications of new weather patterns and seeking management strategies for the fluctuation, which is already being felt worldwide. Full story.

 

PURDUE NEWS

Purdue’s plan for diversity reaches out to Indy

Purdue University unrolled the next phase of its strategic plan to promote diversity last month, opening an office in Indianapolis to reach out to minority and women-owned businesses and being a major sponsor of the July 10-17 Indiana Black Expo. Full story.

Purdue measures response to simulated homeland security threats

The Purdue Homeland Security Institute sponsored its fourth annual conference that included a supercomputer-based simulation with local, state and federal officials responding to large-scale mock terrorist attacks. Full story.

Purdue brings peer institutions together for future graduate students

In a cooperative effort to provide students with information about graduate education, more than 17 institutions of higher education will be represented at the Big 10+ Graduate School Exposition Sept. 26 in Purdue Memorial Union's South Ballroom. Full story.

 

SCIENCE EVENTS AND CALENDAR

ScienceScape reaches for the stars

Eighteen middle school girls were on campus for a week in July for ScienceScape, a camp run by Women In Science Programs. This year’s camp theme was “Star Struck: an exploration of astronomy.” More information on ScienceScape.

Teachers become students at summer workshops

K-12 teachers from across Indiana came to Purdue over the summer to learn new ways to teach science to their students. The Science K-12 Outreach program offered workshops to help teachers bring the fun and challenge of science into the classroom. Full story.

Minneapolis River Cruise Science Alumni Reception at Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), August 9

Purdue Day at the Indiana State Fair, August 17

Fall semester begins, August 22

Science Donuts and Directions--Welcome to campus, August 22

Computer Science Intel Distinguished Lecture, September 8

20th Anniversary celebration of Actuarial Science Club, September 9

College of Science Scholarship Celebration, September 10

PAA Tailgate at the Arizona Game, September 17

Computer Science Corporate Partners Meeting, September 19-20

PAA Tailgate at the Minnesota Game, September 24

Science Events

Science Seminars

Purdue Events

 

 PROFILES OF SUCCESS

Each month we spotlight the personal accomplishments and career successes, whether mainstream or unique, of Science alumni. This month's spotlight is on Shau-wai Lam, who received his B.S. in 1963 and M.S. in 1964 in Mathematics. Full story.

 

SCIENCE ALUMNI NEWS

Science alumni: We want to hear from you! Update your information and share your professional news as well as your personal and family milestones with the Science community. Click here.

Vote for your favorite Science professor

Who was your favorite Science professor? Was it a math professor who challenged you to succeed? Was it a chemistry professor who helped you through CHM115? Was it a physics professor who set you on the road to grad school? Tell us about your favorite Science professor by sending email to news@science.purdue.edu. Please be sure to include your name, major and year of graduation. Or, vote at our tent at the Indiana State Fair on August 17!

Join the Purdue Web community

Stay connected to your alma mater! This interactive site will help you keep in touch with your Purdue family—your friends, faculty and staff, and fellow alumni. Click here to sign up and get started.

Click here for this month’s Alumni News.

RESEARCH FUNDING REPORT

Science researchers received funding totaling more than $4.9 million in June 2005. Complete list of funded proposals.

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