Researchers
and officials from IT, the University of Arizona,
and other partner institutions gathered on
Mt. Graham in Arizona on October 15 to dedicate
the $120 million Large
Binocular Telescope Observatory (LBT).
When fully operational in 2005, it will be
the most technologically advanced ground-based
telescope in the world.
The LBT is unlike any other telescope because
it utilizes twin 8.4-meter (27.6 foot) "honeycomb" mirrors
that sit on a single mount. The telescope is
also equipped with adaptive optics secondary
mirrors, which correct in real time the wavefront
distortion and, hence, image blurring caused
by atmospheric turbulence. This results in
much sharper images and allows astronomers
to see objects deeper into space. Still sharper
images can be obtained by combining the light
from the two primary mirrors in the so-called "interferometric
imaging" mode, which will yield images
of faint celestial objects that are ten times
sharper than those from the Hubble Space Telescope. Find
out more
University seeks financial partnership with state
President Bob Bruininks proposed a "50-50 partnership" with the
state in the legislative request he presented to the board of regents
on October 8. The biennial budget
proposal for fiscal years 2006 and 2007
calls for the state to contribute $84 million in new funding to the University
over the two-year period. In return the University would generate its share
of new funding through tuition increases of 5.5 percent each year (generating
$27 million per year) plus internal reallocations of $30 million.
The proposed state contribution of $42 million
each year would fund three broad categories:
investing in biosciences; attracting and retaining
talent—students
as well as faculty and staff—for Minnesota's
future; and sustaining the University's research
and technology infrastructure. The University's
share of new funding would go toward increases
in faculty and staff compensation, operational
costs of facilities, inflationary support costs,
and for selected investments in academic and
service programs.
The
president's biennial budget proposal follows an unprecedented
$185 million cut in state funding to the University in the current 2004-05
biennium. Bruininks pointed out two sobering trends in state funding for
the University. For the current fiscal year (2005), University funding is
3.9 percent of the state's budget, as compared to 8.3 percent in 1971. The
president said he would like that figure to be at least 5 percent. And whereas
state appropriations have traditionally totaled about one-third of the U's
own operating budget, that figure is now down to about 25 percent.
A final version of the president's biennial budget proposal will go to the
regents for approval at the board's next meeting, November 11 and 12, on the
Twin Cities campus.
Davis receives Tekne Lifetime Achievement Award
The Minnesota High Tech Association and Minnesota Technology Inc. have named
IT dean H. Ted Davis as recipient of the 2004 Tekne Lifetime Achievement Award.
Davis was chosen for his years of innovation and leadership in research and
education. Earlier this year he announced that he will step down as
dean in December to return to teaching and research. He has been at
the University since 1963 and has served as dean since 1995.
The Tekne Awards, Minnesota's premier
celebration of companies and individuals who have shown superior technology
innovation and leadership, will be
presented on Tuesday, November 9, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
October is Scholarship Month at the U
To raise awareness of the need for scholarships,
U President Robert Bruininks declared October
as Scholarship
Month across the University. To date, the
University has raised $34 million from more
than 15,000 alumni and friends during the first
year of the University of Minnesota Scholarship
Drive launched last year.
The goal of the drive is to increase by 50
percent the number of students receiving scholarships
funded through private gifts. This goal can
be accomplished over several years by raising
$150 million in new scholarship gifts, making
this the university’s largest fund-raising
drive for scholarships. The $34 million raised
last year counts toward this goal and benefits
every university college and campus. How
to give.
Remember to "Vote for the U"
As the general election approaches, consider the University's future when
choosing among legislative candidates The University's Legislative Network's "Vote
for the U" campaign
asks people to pledge that they will vote on Election Day, November 2, and
vote for legislators who will make the University and higher education a
priority. The campaign's voter
tool kit outlines 10 easy things you can do to make a difference this
election season, from educating legislative candidates
to building support for the University among your family, friends, and
neighbors. Alumni, faculty, students, and staff are urged to get
involved. For an editorial perspective on the University's campaign, read
the September/October issue of Minnesota.
IT Mentor Program needs more volunteers
Hundreds of eager students
registered for the IT Mentor
Program last month, exceeding last year's numbers
by nearly 100. As a result, the program has a shortage of volunteer
mentors. To meet our
goal of providing a mentor for every student who wants to participate, we
need your help. If you're a working professional in a technical field, please
consider donating a few hours of your time each month to helping a student
prepare for the transition from the academic environment to the professional
world. Activities include networking, sharing ideas, touring a
company, attending professional meetings, discussing career
strategies, and reviewing resumes. Time commitment is two
hours per month from October through April. Training and
guidance is provided. Register
now or for more information call 612-626-1802 or
email itas@umn.edu
Honors
Professor Chris
Macosko (chemical engineering and materials science) is
the 2004 recipient of the E.C. Bingham Medal awarded by the Society of Rheology
(SoR) to honor outstanding contributions
to the field of rheology. Macosko will receive the Bingham Medal at the SoR
meeting in Lubbock,Texas, in February 2005.
A project developed by graduate students Shawn Brovold,
Melanie Hall, and Jud Herrig (mechanical engineering) took second place in
the graduate division of the Student Mechanism Design Competition at the ASME
International Design Engineering Technical Conference held in Salt Lake City,
Utah, September 29–October
1. Their project, Vehicle Rack Mechanism, is designed to assist a single user
in lifting luggage to the roof of a tall vehicle. The
team's project advisor is Professor Art Erdman (mechanical engineering).
Postdoctoral researcher Xin
Zhang (biomedical engineering) received the Rosanna Degani
Young Investigator Award at the Computers in Cardiology conference in
Chicago, September 19–22. Zhang reported on the experimental validation
of the 3-D electrocardiographic imaging technology developed
by Professor Bin He (biomedical engineering). Computers
in Cardiology is the most influential international conference that bridges
engineering and computers with cardiology.
Events
Homecoming 2004
October 22-23: This year's
homecoming festivities offer something for everyone, with events scheduled
throughout the weekend. Enjoy the
pepfest, royalty coronation, and bonfire on Friday, October 22, beginning
at 6:30 p.m. on the East River Flats, followed by a concert at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, October 23, begins with a series of fun events held from 7:30
to 10:00 a.m. in the Sports Pavilion: the traditional homecoming breakfast
buffet and entertainment for the whole family Buffet tickets will
be sold at the door: $8 adults; $6 UMAA members; $3 children ages 10 and under.
Then watch the homecoming parade, which will pass by the Sports Pavilion
at approximately 10:30 a.m.
On Saturday afternoon, cheer the Gophers on to victory over the Indiana Hoosiers
at the Metrodome. Kickoff is at 1:00 p.m. For tickets call 612-624-8080
or 1-800 U-GOPHER or email go4tix@umn.edu. For
more information see the complete
Homecoming schedule and the UMAA
Homecoming events.
Technology Foresight Forum: Building Networks for Innovation
October 26: Breakthrough technologies and technology brokering
are the focus of this year's forum, which features keynote speaker Andrew
Hargadon, associate professor of technology management at the University
of California-Davis and author of How
Breakthroughs Happen: The Surprising Truth About How Companies Innovate.
The program also includes small-group sessions and a discussion of innovation
networking within the Twin Cities high-tech community. Sponsored
by the Center for the Development of Technological Leadership. Fee. Registration after October 15 is on a space-available basis. For
more information call 612-624-5747 or email general@cdtl.umn.edu. 8:30
a.m. – 4:30 p.m., McNamara
Alumni Center.
Donaldson Lecture Series:
Water, Water Everywhere...
October 27: Solutions to the world's water problems will
rely on technologies that spring from interdisciplinary collaborations, according
to Professor Eric Beckman, chair of the chemical engineering department, University
of Pittsburgh. In the first of this year's Donaldson Lectures, "Water,
Water Everywhere...",
Beckman will outline these challenges and the need for creative interdisciplinary
partnerships. Free. For more information call 612- 625-2363 or roberts@chem.umn.edu. 4:15
p.m., 100 Smith
Hall.
Dinner with the Dean
November 13: The IT Parents Organization (ITPO) invites
all IT students and their parents to attend the annual Dinner with the Dean.
It's a wonderful opportunity to meet IT deans, faculty, and staff—the
people who are guiding your student's education and setting college policies.
The evening begins with a reception and dinner in a relaxed setting, followed
by a question-and-answer session with a panel of IT experts. Learn about the
current events and achievements in the college. This popular ITPO event is
always filled to capacity, so register early. Cost: $35 per person (including
students). Call 612-626-8282 for more
information.
5:30 p.m., McNamara Alumni Center.
