RIB

Nuclear Conference

The RPI chapter of the American Nuclear Society is hosting the organization’s national student conference this Thursday to Saturday on the Troy campus. Organizers have planned a series of lectures and discussions on topics ranging from future developments in nuclear energy technology to non-proliferation agreements and their place in international politics. Guest speakers will include Dr. John Gutteridge of the Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Science, Energy, and Technology and Commissioner Peter Lyons of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Also holding conferences on campus this weekend are the Society of Women Engineers and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The SWE conference expects to draw over 200 students and professionals from around SWE’s region F. The AICHE conference will feature the regional qualifying event for the Chemical Engineer Car competition, along with discussions about graduate school and opportunities in the workforce. All three conferences will draw large crowds on a weekend which will also include graduate accepted students day.

Middle States Awaits

In the coming days, the visiting committee evaluating RPI’s compliance with regional academic standards will arrive for a weeklong visit. The Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges will complete its review of the Institute’s accreditation at the conclusion of the visit, which will be conducted by faculty and administrators from several colleges and universities in the area. The visiting committee is chaired by Dr. Jared Cohon, president of Carnegie Mellon University.

Faculty, staff, and students have spent the past two years preparing a self study report evaluating all aspects of RPI’s academic and support offerings, ranging from general education to Institute leadership and governance. Representatives of the process have generally commented that RPI is not in any real danger of losing its accreditation, but that the study serves an important purpose in evaluating the effectiveness of the Institute’s educational offerings. Professor Don Steiner has chaired the Self Study Steering Committee since its inception; Robert Conway, a senior staff member in the Provost’s Office, and Vice Provost Prabhat Hajela served as the committee’s liasons to Middle States and to the Rensselaer administration.

Boehlert No Re-election

Congressman Sherwood Boehlert, R-New Hartford, announced on March 17 that he would not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives this November. Boehlert is currently chair of the House Science Committee and is one of the most senior members of the House. He has long been a staunch supporter of NASA and the U.S. space program, and this past summer he presided over the first Congressional hearing to include witnesses testifying from space.

On March 18, President Shirley Ann Jackson officially thanked Boehlert for being “a powerful voice for science in America.” RPI’s Director of Federal Relations, Deborah Altenberg, who is currently on maternity leave, formerly worked for Congressman Boehlert. Four Democrats have already announced their candidacy for the vacated seat. No Republicans have made any major announcements concerning running for Boehlert’s seat.