News

BME society earns highest honor

Arnold terminates Davis in recall vote

Ed/Op

Loss of hockey coach felt by RPI community

Editorial Notebook
Keep warm without heat

Editorial Notebook
Follow elections while away

Derby
Union offers many services

Top Hat
Work centers on five project teams

Interfraternity Council
Pi Delta Psi welcomed by IFC

Letter to the Editor
Register to vote now

Panhellenic Council
Speakers address issues for women

My View
Task force places its focus on RPI students

Features

Friction Farm shares experiences, music

Opening acts make eve 6 site for sore eyes

Fourth album from Limp Bizkit marks changed style

Palace food displeases

“Bebop” plays like symphony

Sports

Coach, mentor, gentleman passes away

Fredlund hat trick helps Red Hawks to victory

Football wins with second half surge

Red Hawks tally first UCAA win over Vassar

Men’s soccer victorious over Cardinals

smashing...

Cross country teams successful at UCAAs

Disappointing homecomings fill weekend

Rensselaer in Brief
“Fair Trade” Coffee
The campus dining halls and food carts run by Rensselaer Dining Services, a division of Sodexho Campus Services, have started to serve “Fair Trade shade grown” coffee. The change was prompted by student suggestions dating back to last year.

“Fair Trade” coffee beans are grown in developing countries and purchased at a set, fair price minimum. The organic shade grown designation means that the coffee is grown naturally without synthetic fertilizers and that it is grown alongside other plants in order to curb erosion and problems for wildlife.

The suggestion originated out of a class taught during the spring 2002 semester. The idea behind the company is that consumers can purchase quality products while helping out the economies of developing countries, according to Marija Kuzmanovic ’05, one of the students who suggested the change.

“Bone Spackle” Grant
The National Institute of Health has awarded Assistant Professor of Biology George Plopper a four year grant for over two and a half million dollars to continue his research on what he calls “bone spackle.”

Many hope that the synthetic tissue will be used to help bone injuries heal faster and stronger in the future. Plopper’s team is composed of graduate students as well as professors from other departments.

The research primarily uses human mesenchymal stem cells from adults. Part of the study also deals with what causes cells to form bone tissue as opposed to forming cartilage or fat. In the end, the team is hoping that their research will be able to help both those who have severe arthritis to repair tissue, and those who simply fracture some bones by strengthening replacements.

New H&SS Lab Opens
Rensselaer’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences opened its Social and Behavioral Research Laboratory last Friday. The new 8,500 square foot complex is located in the Gurley Building that is in downtown Troy.

The new facility will focus it’s activities on the cognitive, social, and behavioral impacts that information technology has had on people. Research activities planned range from studying the effects of virtual reality to using technology to help students learn.

Among the facilities that the lab has are an Internet2 connection and a 500 square foot open room virtual reality studio. In addition to the research planned at the complex, there is also space available for workshops and presentations.