Monthly Archives: July 2010

Commenting on Poly articles

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July 16, 2010 issue PDF

The PDF of our July 16, 2010 issue is available for viewing below. The gray boxes are in place of content we do not have permission to post online. Read more...

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Remembering Jimmy: Students mourn death of James Johnston ’11

In describing James “Jimmy” Johnston ’11, all family and friends could agree that, no matter the situation, he always knew how to bring a smile to everyone’s face. With great sadness, the precious memory of Jimmy’s smile is now all they have to hold onto. Read more...

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Tobacco-free policy begins

July 1 marked the start of RPI’s tobacco-free initiative, which will prohibit usage of any tobacco product within the confines of campus. The policy applies to anyone on campus, including visitors and vendors. According to its website, the Institute decided to create a tobacco-free campus because of the evidence that tobacco use and second-hand smoke are significant health hazards. Read more...

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Briefs: Former employees sue, Troy: stop work at VCC, RPI suspends P-cards, Handbook undergoes revisions

Former employees sue

Seven former RPI employees from among the 80 laid off in 2008 have filed a lawsuit against the Institute, claiming that they were fired because of their age. The suit claims that 83 percent of the employees laid off were over 40, while only 66 percent of those employed by RPI prior to the layoffs were that age. Read more...

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Technology changes social networks

Around us is a world filled with connections and relations, and on May 4, 2010 Rensselaer opened the new Social and Cognitive Networks Academic Research Center to study these connections using the network sciences. Network science encompasses a very general area: galaxies impacting each other, different parts of the human body interacting, communication networks, and more. Specifically, the Center is applying network science to social and cognitive networks. Read more...

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Research briefs

Tessier named Pew Scholar

Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Peter M. Tessier was named a 2010 Pew Scholar in Biomedical Sciences in June. The Pew Scholars program provides funding to assistant professors who have shown exceptional promise in the field of health and biomedical research. The award grants Tessier $60,000 per year for four years. Read more...

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Class of 2014 arrives

After a record number of applications were submitted to the Institute this past year, the RPI Class of 2014 has shaped up to be a very diverse group of students. Read more...

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‘We are here as resources,’ explain deans

During your time at RPI, you’ll undoubtedly meet a lot of new faces that will aid you in learning and growing as a person. As part of the Clustered Learning, Advocacy, and Support for Students initiative, assistant deans have been selected to live in certain residence halls on campus for students to go to whenever they need help of any kind. Below are short profiles of some of the people you might be living with; use them as brief introductions to get to know them a little bit better.


Christina Lowery
Hometown: Gardiner, Maine
Residence Hall: Hall Hall
What she looks forward to doing as an assistant dean: “Building relationships with the ResLife staff.”
If she could be any kind of fruit: I’d be a blueberry, because blueberries are sweet and they’re from Maine.


Randi Mogul
Hometown: Latham, N.Y.
Residence Hall: Crockett Hall
What she looks forward to doing as an assistant dean: “I’m big on programs—hosting and going to them,” Mogul remarked on doing fun programs for her residents.
If she could be any kind of fruit: “Strawberry—it’s my favorite.”


Mary Gleason
Hometown: Clarence, N.Y.
Residence Hall: Polytechnic Residence Commons
What she looks forward to doing as an assistant dean: “Being here in the beginning of the year for everything,” as Gleason was not around to see the start of the school year in 2009.
If she could be any kind of fruit: “A strawberry, because I have always loved strawberries—they are one of my favorite fruits.” And if strawberries were to be personified, “it’d be Strawberry Shortcake, and I liked her when I was younger.”


Shannon Hitchcock ’05
Hometown: Lowville, N.Y.
Residence Hall: Blitman Residence Commons
What she looks forward to doing as an assistant dean: “Spending time with Blitman and connecting the building to the downtown community.” As this is the second year that Blitman has been open, “There [will be] a lot of improvements from before, since most the kinks have been worked out.”
If she could be any kind of fruit: “I think I’d be a raspberry, because they are my favorite, and if you can’t be your own biggest fan, then who can?”

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Print remains relevant in technological news world

Unsurprisingly, we at The Poly are pretty avid fans of newspapers. We feel that newspapers are still an important part of our society and contain much valuable information. Read more...

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Discussion repairs relations

I was pleasantly surprised to read the following in the Opinion section of The Troy Record: Read more...

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Dear 2014: Do work. Rock on.

Growing up, my parents always placed a lot of emphasis on spending time with family. My summers were spent visiting family, extended family, friends, and otherwise vacationing. There was no time to do anything other than visit and socialize and do things with family. I generally came out of it so tired that going back to school was a relief. Read more...

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President encourages ‘face-to-face’ interaction

A handshake, a pat on the back, and breaking bread together may seem a little old-fashioned in a world of texting, blogging, and tweeting, but interacting face-to-face is the oldest kind of social networking, and it really has not gone out of style. Read more...

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Rensselaer among few with smoke-free campus

You finally have time to go out and see a movie, the only tests you have are in your nightmares, the sun stays up for so long and your days so full that you don’t feel guilty going to bed at 9 pm, and you trade personal freedom and nagging for free rent by living with your parents: welcome to summer! You now have soaked up—literally and figuratively—almost half of your summer vacation. For some that means you can’t wait to get back to start your fall semester at RPI, and for others, you are having too much fun enjoying freedom and your less rigid summer schedule. Regardless, enjoy it for what it is; someday a three month long vacation period will be unfathomable. Read more...

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Union offers club choices to enhance experience

Hello everyone! Some of you may be here over the summer for summer courses, research, an internship, a regular job, or just hanging around Troy. Or you might be an incoming freshman that is here for Student Orientation. So let me say first, “Welcome Class of 2014!” You are about to embark on a journey that will help you grow intellectually and personally as you achieve a great academic background, all in the good company of newfound friends. During your schooling at RPI, you will come to realize how fundamental the Rensselaer Union is to student life. Read more...

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When in Rome, do as the RPI students

My bet is that maybe 10 students on campus know about RPI’s International Scholars Program, which is now in its third year of existence. Though the program is nearly unheard of on campus, I was lucky enough to find out about it right before graduating (without any real plans following May 29). So, what better way to follow up an RPI undergraduate education than with a graduate one? Read more...

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Farmers market brings natural food to RPI

The Student Sustainability Task Force and the rest of the sustainability community has been working hard over the summer. From creating a pilot composting program to revamping the single-stream recycling system, to working with parking and transportation to get a car sharing program in place, there are many passionate people here at RPI working to create real change. Read more...

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Troy’s history home to major American icons

During the War of 1812, Troy merchant “Uncle” Samuel Wilson sold meat to the feds. Neighbors joked that the “U.S.” on the barrels of salted pork stood for his nickname. Political cartoonists in the 1840s used him to represent America, drawing him as a gangly Yankee, a contrast to the portly English “John Bull.” Later, Lincoln’s top hat and beard were added to the image. But during the 1970’s urban renewal, Troy tore down the actual home of Uncle Sam. Read more...

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Bunched fruit has deep history and delicious uses

I didn’t think I would do this ever again, that is, do a “fruit review,” but here I am ready to review something so ordinary and so prevalent in our lives that it seems silly that this topic needs reviewing. Or at least that’s what I thought when I wrote my first piece on fruit. I have never been more wrong about anything in my life. It is my greatest belief that the most common things in our life are the ones that we know the least about. So, I will take this opportunity to truly make you know everything you need to know about grapes. I will do this with great appreciation for the grape, since I am a horticulturist first and engineer second. Read more...

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Pixar ends film franchise that started it all

Well, it’s been a good run. For 19 years I’ve managed to hold it together. I made it through the heart-wrenching conclusion of Old Yeller, somehow held it together for Where the Red Fern Grows, and even managed to stay composed during that one awful scene in Crash. However, leave it to Pixar to finally end my 19-year tearless streak. Read more...

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