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August 20, 2008 9:05 AM |
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H9N2 Avian Flu Strain Has Pandemic Potential Back To School Experts - 2008 Edition UM Wins International Robot Competition UM's Fall Semester to Focus on All Aspects Of War |
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Highlighted News Items, August 15
College Presidents Seek Debate on Drinking Age
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Maryland Moments, December, 2001
Towards Being Best: New Programs, Initiatives, Rankings
Over a five year period, Maryland ranks among the top 20 U.S. universities in producing minority doctorates in African-American (5th), Indian/Alaskan Native (14th) and Asian/Pacific Islander (16th) categories. (Source: Black Issues in Higher Education
The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education surveys the number of African Americans in endowed chairs. Maryland's three African American chairs�-journalism's Lee Thornton (Merrill School), physics' Sylvester James Gates, and finance's Lemma Senbet--allow the school to rank tenth in endowed chairs.
December marks the graduation of the first 27 students from the Entrepreneurship Citation program of the Smith School of Business. The citation program, which was started two and half years ago, has 150 students. More than 100 students applied for 50 spots in this year's class.
Remebering the tragedy of the Sept. 11 attack at the Pentagon when Maryland lost two of its students, and the Sept. 23 campus tornado, when two undergraduate sisters died, were part of campus graduation ceremonies. Delivering the main commencement address was Surgeon General of the United States David Satcher. 3907 students received bachelor's and advanced degrees.
Maryland selected inventor and physicist Robert E. Fischell to receive the 2001 Major F. Riddick, Jr. Entrepreneurship Award for his support and encouragement of student entrepreneurs through the new Fischell Fellowship in Biomedical Engineering. Earlier this year, Fischell, a resident of Howard County, Md., donated $1.25 million to the university's A. James Clark School of Engineering to establish the Fischell Fellowship.
Faculty, Staff Achievements
Maryland entomology professor Earlene Armstrong was one of 10 recipients of the 2001 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, bestowed by President Bush. The award is given to individuals and institutions who display excellence in promoting participation of women, minorities and persons with disabilities in science, mathematics, and engineering studies and careers. Armstrong received her award, which included a $10,000 grant, on Dec. 12.
James Milke, associate professor of fire protection engineering, created a computer model to replicate the effect of rising temperatures on the World Trade Center's steel columns. Milke is the a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers team studying the collapse of the towers.
Research, Significant Discoveries
Some time about 470 million years ago, the first land plants emerged from prehistoric waters, put down roots in soil and ended up ruling the plant world. But scientists haven't been certain about the family history of those pioneer plants. In a study published in the journal Science, Maryland cell biology professor Charles Delwiche and doctoral student Kenneth Karol confirm that the closest living relative of the first land plants is a group of green algae called the Charales, which survives today in fresh water around the world.
High-Temperature Superconductors Shown To Be Unlike Any Other Material
An experiment by Maryland's Center for Superconductivity and the University of Toronto provides the first clear evidence that electrons in so-called high-temperature superconductors behave differently than electrons in any other material. Published in the December 13 issue of the journal Nature, the new findings may bring scientists one step closer to someday finding a room-temperature superconductor.
Outreach in the Community
The partnership between Maryland's department of anthropology and the Historic Annapolis Foundation is 20 years old. A symposium at the city's Brice House highlighted the discoveries about blacks in Colonial times: They "struggled to achieve economic and political independence while embracing a different religion, diet and customs." Mark Leone, chair of the anthropology department, oversees the excavations of historic sites.
In the News: University People Earning Media Attention
Verlyn Flieger, professor of English, one of the world's leading authorities on autor J.R.R. Tolkien, is busy. Her expertise includes is in demand because of the world-wide release of the movie "Lord of the Rings."
Frederick Mowrer, associate professor of fire protection engineering, created a post-Sept. 11 stir when he revealed imperfect fireproofing materials may have led to the collapse of the World Trade Towers. The New York Times notes: "Until now, most experts have said that the fire, fed by thousands of gallons of jet fuel ...softened steel columns and lightweight steel trusses holding up individual floors." Mowrer is one eight researchers to receive grants from the National Science Foundation "to collect data on structural engineering and damage assessment at the terrorist attack sites in New York City and Washington."
James Quintiere, professor of fire protection engineering, urged a full-scale federal investigation to determine if fire standards for skyscrapers are adequate in the wake of the WTC towers' structural failure. His demands are picked up by 160 relatives of victims endorsing a Campaign for Skyscraper Safety. "We do it when an airplane goes down, why not for this?"
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