New RAA fellow
Phase Forward Incorporated’s founder, chairman, and Chief Scientific Officer Paul Bleicher ’76 received the Rensselaer Alumni Association Fellows award yesterday. The award was from the biology department and was presented at the Biotechnology/Entrepreneurship Affinity Event at Biogen in Massachusetts.
The Waltham, Massachusetts company Bleicher leads makes software that has become the industry standard in helping to collect data from clinical trials. Bleicher himself is also an assistant professor at the Massachusetts General Hospital, is a member of two medical advisory organizations, and is a columnist for three journals.
Bleicher received his Bachelor’s degree from RPI in 1976 and an M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He was also trained in dermatology and internal medicine at Harvard Medical School.
Priests appeal to bishop
Eighty-five local Roman Catholic priests signed a letter recommending that the doctrine on clerical celibacy be re-examined. The priests make up approximately one-fifth of the priests in the Albany diocese.
The letter, addressed to Bishop Wilton Gregory of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged the council to discuss making celibacy optional for new priests. It was not signed by Albany’s Bishop Howard Hubbard, but was endorsed by other ranking officials, including the Reverend Kenneth Doyle, chancellor for public information, and the Reverend L. Edward Deimeke, administrative advocate for priest.
Hubbard issued a statement in response to the letter, saying that such a fundamental change should not be taken lightly, but that an examination of the issue may yield positive results.
Honoring faculty
Tomorrow, RPI will hold its annual Trustee Celebration of Faculty Achievement. In addition to honoring faculty, the program will also include a keynote speaker and reception.
The speaker for the event will be Techvision21’s president and CEO, Kelly Carnes. Her talk will begin at 3 pm in DCC 308.
Following the keynote, a reception will be held at the Sage Dining Hall at which President Jackson and the trustees will honor the faculty. The event is open to all in the campus community.
