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Gregory Fornia
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Email: communications.cst@temple.edu
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News Archive 2011
December
Outook Fall 2011
The newest issue of Outlook, CST's annual alumni magazine, features stories on the Computer & Information Sciences Department; tech commercialization and multidisciplinary research throughout the college; new faculty; class notes and an Honor Roll of Donors. You can also read a special message from Dean Hai-Lung Dai; meet alumni Marcda Hilaire, Joseph Allegra and Mirza Ahmed and learn more about our award-winning students and professors.
November
Professors Kotochigova and Martoff named American Physical Society Fellows
Two CST faculty members, Svetlana Kotochigova and C. J. Martoff, have been elected Fellows of the American Physical Society (APS). Fellowship in APS is limited to no more than one half of one percent of the society’s more than 46,000 members.
Election to APS Fellowship is recognition by peers of outstanding contributions to physics. The APS noted Professor Kotochigova’s “insightful theoretical description of the formation and control of ultracold molecules in optical trapping potentials.” Professor Martoff was singled out by the APS for his many “innovative contributions to the development of detectors for dark matter, in particular for the invention of negative ion DRIFT.”
Each fellowship nomination is evaluated by the fellowship committee of the appropriate APS division, topical group or forum. After review by the APS Fellowship Committee, the successful candidates are elected by APS Council. APS is active in public and governmental affairs, and in the international physics community. In addition, the society conducts extensive programs in education, public outreach and media relations.
New Mathematics Update newsletter
The Department of Mathematics completed another successful year. You can read all about it, meet new faculty members and learn more about student and faculty accomplishments in the first issue of Mathematics Update.
The College of Science and Technology Distinguished Faculty and Student Awards
The College of Science and Technology has awarded its 2011 Distinguished Faculty and Student Awards, honoring faculty for teaching, mentoring and research and undergraduate and graduate students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in the classroom and laboratory. For the full list of awardees, click here.
October
2011 URP Research Symposium Award Winners
First Place Winner for the Presentation Session - $500 Award
Uduak Udoeyo, Junior Biology Major
Presentation Title - Titanium dioxide doped with palladium nanoparticles for sensing hydrazine
Faculty Sponsor - Dr. Eric Borguet
First Place Winner for the Poster Session - $500 Award
Khristina Pavlenko, Junior Chemistry Major
Poster Title - Cannabidiol and mechanisms in preventing chemotherapy-neuropathic pain in female mice C57/Bl/6
Faculty Sponsor - Dr. Sara Ward
Second Place Winner for the Poster Session - $300 Award
Petra Brayo, Junior Neuroscience Major
Poster Title - Role of Pur-a in Temodar Induced DNA Damage
Faculty Sponsor - Dr. Shohreh Amini
Honorable Mention for the Poster Session - $100 Award
Sachin Parikh, Senior Neuroscience Major
Poster Title - Does the slip model apply during inverted running in cockroaches?
Faculty Sponsor - Dr. Tonia Hsieh
Honorable Mention for the Poster Session - $100 Award
Kristina Roth, Senior Chemistry Major
Poster Title - Time dependent vesicle exchange of hydrogenated and dueterated DMPC SUVs
Faculty Sponsor - Dr. Stephanie Wunder
September
Vanguard helps CIS students attend Grace Hopper Computing Conference
Four CIS students will present their research at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference in Portland, Ore. this November. Inspired by computer pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper, the conference highlights research and career interests of women in computing.
“It’s a great opportunity for students to see what women innovators and leaders have done in our field,” said Instructor Wendy Urban who, along with Instructor Claudia Pine-Simon, mentored the Temple students.
Two CIS student projects where chosen. Moriah Baxevane-Connell’s “Women and Computer-Related Fields of Study” investigates how high school and college students view computer classes. Annika Lutz, Emily Le Blanc and Kathryn Knauth presented “Mind-Body Kinection, Utilizing the Kinect Platform for Therapeutic Recreation,” which explores how users can control 3D graphics through body movements.
Vanguard, the investment firm that also serves on CIS’ advisory council, will provide $2,900 to offset the students’ conference costs. “Vanguard is an outstanding corporate partner,” said Urban, noting the firm consistently hires interns and full-time employees from CIS. “For students to see such a highly regarded company so committed to Temple, that is a huge plus.”
Biology student Haley Gilles earns CARAS grant to study bird collisions on Main Campus
To find out more about the bird collision problem on Main Campus, Haley Gillis applied for and received a grant from Temple's Creative Arts, Research and Scholarship Program (CARAS), which provides up to $3,000 for scholarly, creative and research projects. "I've been working with the Temple grounds crew to track where and when birds crash into windows," says Gilles. "I'm testing different types of film on glass in Beury Hall to determine which are the most effective at mitigating bird strikes. Hopefully, the university can install them in other locations across campus."
Read more about her project and her experience with feeding cheetahs 'bloodsicles."
August
Undergraduate Research Program Students Earn Scholarships
Five CST students currently participating in the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) were awarded Dean’s Scholarship in recognition of their outstanding work in the classroom and lab. The $2,000 scholarships went to Ashia Bibi, Petra Brayo, Mateusz Dobrowolski, Cheryl Doughty and Feisi Liang.
Another URP student, Nicole Haloupek, received the $2,000 Hazel M. Tomlinson, Ph.D. Memorial Scholarship. Established in 1995 by the estate of Tomlinson (BA ’26, MA ’28, Chem), a long-time member of the chemistry faculty, the scholarship is awarded to undergraduate chemistry students who have demonstrated academic achievement and financial need.
Begun in the summer of 2009, URP aims to get more CST student into the laboratory with world-class Temple researchers. Students receive academic credit for lab work and can earn an hourly stipend. More than 220 students have participated in the program, working with faculty from CST and across the University. In addition to this year’s awardees, there have been seven other URP students who have earned CST scholarships.
July
Just released: Foundations of Organic Chemistry by Professor David Dalton
Foundations of Organic Chemistry: Unity and Diversity of Structures, Pathways and Reactions by CST Professor David Dalton has been published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. This book differs from other organic chemistry textbooks in that it is
not focused purely on the needs of students studying premed, but rather
for all students studying organic chemistry. It directs the reader to
question present assumptions rather than to accept what is told, so the
second chapter is largely devoted to spectroscopy (rather than finding
it much later on as with most current organic chemistry textbooks).
Additionally, after an introduction to spectroscopy, thermodynamics and
kinetics, the presentation of structural information of compounds and
organic families advances from hydrocarbons to alcohols to aldehydes and
ketones and, to carboxylic acids.
Victoria Blevins joins CST as new Director of Development
Victoria Blevins is the new Director of Development for the College of Science and Technology. Victoria comes to the college from Penn State Abington, where she was Director of Development and Alumni Relations since 2006. Her responsibilities included managing a portfolio of 100 high-potential donors, leading a fundraising team focused on major gifts, stewardship and alumni relations and participating in the campus leadership team. While at Penn State she achieved many successes, including 100 percent giving participation from advisory board and campaign committee members, stronger collaboration with colleges and campuses in the Penn State System to create higher-level gifts and raising more than $8 million toward a total campus campaign goal of $10 million.
June
Ovid Tzeng lectures on cognitive neuroscience and the Chinese language
Temple University’s Program in Neuroscience, jointly housed in the College of Science and Technology, College of Liberal Arts, and the School of Medicine, and the Department of Psychology recently hosted a well-attended talk by Dr. Ovid J. L. Tzeng titled “Visualizing Civilization through Mapping the Educated Eyes to the Educated Brain.”
Dr. Tzeng, currently Minister without portfolio for the Government of Taiwain, is a former Minister of Education and former Vice President of Academia Sinica, the national research academy of Taiwan. He was Professor of Psychology, University of California, Riverside before returning to Taiwan to assume the presidency of National Yang-Ming Medical University. Dr. Tzeng is a highly respected scientist recognized for his work in memory, psycholinguistics and cognitive neuroscience. He has gained particular recognition for his extensive analysis of reading behaviors across different writing systems, and he is a leading pioneer in the field of cognitive neuroscientific studies of Chinese language. (Dr. Tzeng, right, is pictured with Hai-Lung Dai, CST Dean & Laura H. Carnell Professor.)
May
The Nano Dome
The Nano Dome combines interactive computer simulations of nanoscale objects with 3D visualizations and force feedback. Developed in collaboration with CST’s Institute for Computational Molecular Science, the Nano Dome offers insight into the unusual behavior of nanoparticles. The photos are from the recent Philadelphia Science Festival's Nanodays at the Franklin Institute. For more Nanodays photos click here.
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Photos: Philadelphia Science Festival/Darryl W. Moran
Professor Martoff awarded Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award
C. J. Martoff, professor of physics, has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Scholars Award for the 2011-2012 academic year. Professor Martoff will work on dark matter detection with faculty from the University of Milan at the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, located in the Abruzzo region of central Italy. Dark matter detection represents about half of Professor Martoff’s research funding, which includes two active multi-year NSF grants and one active multi-year subcontract.
The Gran Sasso National Laboratory is one of four National Institute of Nuclear Physics laboratories in Italy. It is the largest underground laboratory in the world for experiments in particle physics, particle astrophysics and nuclear astrophysics. Gran Sasso is used by scientists from more than 20 countries, working on about 15 separate experiments in varying phases.
The Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad each year. Grantees lecture and conduct research in a variety of academic and professional fields. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
CST earns three spots in Be Your Own Boss Bowl finals on April 27
Three of the 12 finalist teams in the Be Your Own Boss Bowl business plan competition include a faculty member or a student from the College of Science and Technology. After the Fox School of Business, CST has the largest number of finalist in the universitywide competition.
Temple’s Be Your Own Boss Bowl is one of the most comprehensive and richest business plan competitions in the nation. Now in its 13th year, the BYOBB features three competitive tracks: Graduate Students/Alumni/Faculty/Staff; Undergraduate; and Social Innovation Ventures. The competition features aspiring entrepreneurs with concepts in information technology, consumer products and services, life science, clean tech, nanotech and more. More than 400 senior executives support the program.
The three teams that include a CST faculty member or student are “pureNANO” with Professor of Chemistry Eric Borguet and Lev Davidson, a Fox MBA candidate; “Kayuh Bicycles” with CST undergraduate and information sciences and technology major Churhile Corneluus and Izzat Rahman, a Fox undergraduate; and “Print” by CST undergraduate and information sciences and technology major Ezra Match.
The final presentations and award ceremony, as well as a networking reception, will be held on Wednesday, April 27 in Alter Hall from1:30 PM to 6:00 PM. The event is free, but advanced registration is required. For more details and to register, click here.
March
CST researchers receive Temple’s concept grant awards for interdisciplinary projects
Three CST researchers, Jie Wu, chair and professor in Computer & Information Sciences (CIS), Chiu Tan, CIS assistant professor, and Frank Chang, a professor in Biology, are among a select group of Temple University faculty members to receive concept grant awards from the Office of Research and Graduate Education.
Wu, leading a team that includes Tan and faculty members from medicine and engineering, will oversee developing a body sensor network for use in monitoring fetal health. Body sensor networks consist of on-body sensing units, monitoring blood pressure and other metrics, coupled with a local processing unit. Data are transmitted to the local unit, such as a smart phone, for temporary storage and long-range transmission. Body sensor networks continuously monitor people remotely, which can improve healthcare outcomes and potentially reduce costs.
Chang is a co-investigator on a project focused on determining the diagnostic and therapeutic potential for one of more than 50 novel cancer biomarkers discovered by a patented Temple technology. This technology, capable of detecting biomarkers in early stage cancers, dramatically shifts the way biomarkers are discovered and validated for use in both therapeutics and diagnostics.
The goal of the concept awards is to expand Temple research by supporting large-scale projects in life sciences and health-related areas, especially those with interdisciplinary collaborations. Four projects, featuring twenty Temple faculty members from eight schools and colleges, were selected.
Earth & Environmental Science's Nyquist in The Philadelphia Inquirer
Professor Jonathan Nyquist, a geophysicist in the Department of Earth & Environmental Science, was quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer on the safety of the Philadelphia region’s three nuclear power plants that have similar designs to their Japanese counterparts and, in a separate article, on the massive earthquake’s aftershocks recorded locally by the seismometer stationed at Temple’s Ambler Campus.
February
Chemistry professor Michael Klein devises supercomputer technology to assist in the creation of new antibiotics
Chemistry professor Michael Klien was featured in an article for Forbes Magazine on his collaboration with University of Pennsylvania chemist William DeGrado to create new antibiotics using supercomputer technology. More information.