Grants shared
The state of New York will grant RPI and the University at Albany a total of $1.5 million to help retain world-class scientists and engineers. The money, provided through the New York State Office of Science, Technology, and Academic Research’s Faculty Development Program, will be split evenly between the two schools.
The two grants were among nine totaling $6.36 million, aimed at helping universities recruit and keep researchers in science and technology fields with strong commercial potential.
RPI has said that it will spend its money on materials for the new Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and to bring an out-of state research laboratory scientist to RPI, who will be working on identifying the genes that control the development of cancer.
Techno-kids
The new Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems and the Junior Museum in Troy have begun a new program aimed at involving students in grades K-8 with new technology.
The first jointly-produced exhibit, “Finding Hidden Things With Science,” allows the children to use a compass, an infrared light probe, or a metal detector to detect what is inside a wooden doll-house.
CenSSIS expects one new exhibit to be added each year.
Dearly departed
It is a great sadness for the Rensselaer community to hear that it has lost another member, Edith Luchins.
Luchins was part of the mathematics department. She died at her home on November 19 due to an illness.
For most that know her, Luchins was a unique person. She loved her field, mathematics, and also the students that she taught. In so many ways, she was very much ahead of her time.
Raised as an orthodox Jewish woman, Luchins went against the women of her time by rejecting the idea that a woman’s place is only at home. She grabbed the chance to come out from the shell and successfully accomplished many things in her life, while at the same time retaining her beliefs.
Her funeral will take place today at 11 am the Parkside Memorial Chapels Inc, 2576 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn.
