SPRING/SUMMER 2008
Hockmeyer Hall breaks ground
After three years of planning, Purdue broke ground for the Wayne and Mary Hockmeyer Hall of Structural Biology during Celebration Week in October, 2007. From left to right, Richard Kuhn, department head of Biological Sciences, Dean Jeffrey S. Vitter, Mary Hockmeyer, Wayne Hockmeyer, and President France Córdova officially kick off the construction during the groundbreaking ceremony.
Situated on the south end of campus near Discovery Park, Hockmeyer Hall will provide research facilities, including a cryoelectron microscope within a containment room, that will enable the study of dangerous pathogens such as the West Nile Virus. Purdue’s structural biology group has made many breakthroughs during the past 40 years, including insights into how groups of human viruses infect cells, build themselves, and are recognized by the human body.
“Seeing is, in many ways, understanding how things work,” says Kuhn. “Discovering how molecules are put together gives tremendous insight as to how they might function.”
Science Journalism Laureates 2007
In its second year, the Science Journalism Laureates program, developed by alumna Moira Gunn and the College of Science, brings to campus science journalists from around the world.
Front row: Joel Garreau, Glenn Zorpette, Peter Pockley, Purdue Dean Mark Pagano, Jon Van, Jeffrey Young, Joan Leach, Moira Gunn, Nuala Moran. Back row: Purdue Interim Vice Provost for Engagement Jay Akridge, David Ewing Duncan, Clive Cookson, John Turney, Simon Grose, Purdue Dean Jeffrey S. Vitter.
For laureate bios and videos of the Town Hall discussion, please visit www.sciencejournalismlaureates.net.
Ag dean named new Purdue provost
William R. “Randy” Woodson, formerly dean of the College of Agriculture, began his new position as Purdue’s provost on May 1. The provost is the university’s chief academic officer and oversees Purdue colleges and schools; related academic activities; academic systems such as the libraries, computing center, and student services (admissions, registrar, financial aid, health facilities); and all Purdue cultural centers.
While the Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture, Woodson led the college’s effort to hire more than 100 new faculty; partnered with the College of Science to launch the Climate Change Research Center; developed or enhanced a number of student success programs such as leadership development and study abroad; increased sponsored research from $41.6 million in 2003–04 to $67 million; hired more than 100 new county educators; and created the college’s Office of Multicultural Programs.
College introduces new development directors
Sandy Howarth was appointed the director of development for the departments of Biological Sciences and Statistics. Howarth was most recently executive director for the Perry Township Education Foundation. She also served as director of development, and gifts and grant director for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Indianapolis. Howarth earned a bachelor of science in psychology and human resource management from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana.
Javier Magallanes was appointed the director of development for the departments of Physics and Computer Science. Magallanes was most recently the director of development for the President’s Council and the Latino Cultural Center. He received his bachelor of science in organizational leadership and supervision from Purdue in 2005.
‘Push-button’ climate modeling now available
Matt Huber’s paleoclimatology research requires sophisticated computer simulations. But a new National Science Foundation (NSF) project has made some of the technology he and other researchers use more accessible through a user-friendly Web interface. The new Web-enhanced version of the most commonly used climate modeling system — the Community Climate System Model — will allow many more scientists and even curious students to test theories about the planet’s climate.
“Our hope is to roll this out to a broader community,” he says. “Researchers on the cutting edge of science can use this tool, but so can high school students who want to run their own climate models. They will generate equal output.”
Because it’s supported by the TeraGrid, the system provides the critical computing power resources that are necessary for such models. Built-in features also help users get around some common problems, including optimization and data tracking.
“One of the problems with doing science on the grid is that sometimes you ask, ‘Where did my data go?’” Huber says. “With this system you don’t have to track it down. This system automates a whole series of steps and also manages and archives the data.”
The simulations are currently being run at the San Diego Supercomputing Center. The post-processing of the simulation data is done on Purdue’s distributed computing system, known as a Condor pool. Both institutions are part of the NSF TeraGrid.
Science and Technology team up to attract women to computing
Computer Science professor Buster Dunsmore remembers when his CS classes were 30 percent women. Now, they’re about five percent women, and computer science departments around the country are seeing similar numbers. Part of the problem may be one of image. Three Purdue professors are teaming up to give high school students and their teachers a hands-on glimpse into the fun and power of computing and the exciting careers to which it can lead.
The five-year, $1.19 million National Science Foundation project, Surprising Possibilities Imagined and Realized Through Information Technology (SPIRIT), integrates information technology into existing lesson plans to show students and teachers practical ways that computing can be used. Many lessons will use ALICE, an educational software program that utilizes programming in 3D, graphic environments.
“If you’re teaching physics and talking about a car going down a hill without brakes, you can use ALICE to build a world with a hill. You can incorporate the laws of physics. You can see what happens to the car,” says Dunsmore. The new lesson is not only more interactive but demonstrates a practical use of computing, which in this case might be visualizing physics laws.
The project is led by Alka Harriger, professor and assistant head of the Department of Computer and Information Technology. Dunsmore and Kyle Lutes, associate professor of computer and information technology, are co-PIs on the project. The first SPIRIT summer camps will take place on campus this July.