Town meeting held

Institute President Shirley Ann Jackson will host this semester’s first town meeting on September 13 from 4 to 6 pm in DCC Room 308.

The town meeting’s campus presentation, titled "State of the Institute: Excellence in the First-Year Highest Priorities," will include updates on the status of the planned biotechnology and interdisciplinary studies building and electronic media and performing arts center.

Refreshments will be served following the meeting’s conclusion.

Research grant received

Four RPI researchers have received a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create solutions for a number of known scientific puzzles using inverse problems, a branch of mathematics.

The recipients of the grant are Joyce McLaughlin, Ford Foundation Professor of Mathematical Studies; Margaret Cheney, professor of mathematics; Antoinette Maniatty, professor of mechanical engineering; and Clifford Nolan, assistant professor of mathematics.

The three-year program’s projects:

• Develop an algorithm for a procedure that would enable doctors to use low-frequency elastic waves to detect abnormal human tissue, such as tumors.

• Locate sources and objects, such as submarines, mines, and kidney stones, by time-reversing received signals.

• Advance near-field electromagnetic imaging systems to improve the detection of small objects, especially in the human body.

• Develop airborne and satellite-born radar for locating partially hidden objects and enhancing detailed topographic maps.

Comments sought

The Troy City Planning Commission is planning to hold a public hearing on September 11 at 7 pm in City Hall to debate RPI’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement, submitted by Rensselaer to the city as part of the State Environmental Quality Review.

The DEIS discusses the environmental issues associated with the proposed construction of the biotechnology and interdisciplinary facility on 15th Street, the electronic media and performing arts center on the hill above Eighth Street, a 500-car parking garage along College Avenue, a boiler plant, an electrical substation, and a chiller facility.

RPI community members are encouraged to examine the document and present any comments at the public hearing or in writing to the Planning Department at City Hall. A copy for review is available at the following locations: Troy City Hall Planning Office, 3rd floor; Troy City Clerk’s Office, City Hall; Troy Public Library; Campus Planning Office, Peoples Avenue and 11th Street; Folsom Library; and the Visitor’s Information Center.

Luncheon planned

Friends of Folsom Library will being holding its annual luncheon on September 7 from noon to 1:30 pm in the Russell Sage Dining Hall. At this luncheon, Peter Lyman, professor and associate dean of the School of Information Management & Systems at the University of California-Berkeley, will deliver a talk titled "Information Frenzy: Food for Thought."

Tickets are $7.50 for students and $15 for general admission. Reservations are required by August 31. To find out more information or obtain RSVP cards, visit http://www.lib.rpi.edu/information/friends/ or contact Kim Scott at 276-8329 or scottk2@rpi.edu.

Apgar certified

Travis Apgar, director of greek life, recently received certification from CAMPUSPEAK Inc., a national training and development firm based in Denver, Colorado. Apgar will consult with the organization to help improve the community-building efforts of fraternity and sorority systems at colleges and universities nationwide.

He was chosen from a pool of more than 1,000 greek advisors to be one of 17 facilitators for the Seeking Alliances Through Leadership and Diversity program. SALAD assists fraternities and sororities struggling with the role of emerging specialized and multicultural greek organizations.

Dining changes made

The management company that currently operates Rensselaer Dining Services, Sodexho Marriott Services, has changed its name to Sodexho Campus Services.

"The most important thing is that the same people who have been serving you will continue to do so," said John Fusco, general manager of Sodexho Campus Services at RPI.

In addition to the change in name, several personnel changes have also been made in the organization: Rick Jones, former director of Union food service, has been promoted to the general manager of food service at SUNY Utica/Rome; Rob McIntosh, former director of the Commons Dining Hall, will be the new director of Union food service. David Gaul has been named director of the Russell Sage Dining Hall, and Jim Hollister, former catering supervisor, has been named catering director.