The University of Minnesota is facing substantial budget cuts after a tough battle at the Minnesota Legislature and a likely unallotment from Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. According to a recent e-mail to faculty and staff, University President Robert Bruininks said the University of Minnesota is facing a cut to the state budget base of 7 percent or $104 million, with a likely additional unallotment that will take the University to 13 percent or $178 million. Bruininks will submit his budget recommendations on June 12 to the University Board of Regents who are responsible for voting on the proposed cuts. Read more>>
Solar car racing this week in Texas
The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project team is in Cresson, Texas, for the 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP). With its latest car, named Centaurus, the students hope to continue the team’s past success as one of the most competitive teams in solar racing. The Formula Sun Grand Prix is a three-day race on a closed track. In the last race of this kind in 2005 at the Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kan., the University of Minnesota solar car Borealis III came away with a decisive first-place finish. Eleven solar car teams from across the country are participating in the event this year. Read more>>
Students begin construction on solar house for fall competition
After nearly a year and a half of planning, the University of Minnesota team has begun construction of a completely solar-powered house that will compete against 19 other universities this fall in the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. This is the University of Minnesota’s first-ever entry into this prestigious international competition. The process will culminate with a 10-day competition (with judging on all aspects of the house, from energy efficiency to interior design) beginning Oct. 8 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Read more>>
Students win challenge to bring clean water to slums of Mumbai, India
A team of University of Minnesota students from a civil engineering class are currently in Mumbai, India, sharing their ideas and plans for helping bring clean water and sanitation to thousands of residents living in the slums of Mumbai—the same impoverished area that provided the backdrop for the 2009 Oscar-winning movie, “Slumdog Millionaire.” The students, who collaborated with students from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, are winners of the first-ever Acara Challenge sponsored by the Minnesota-based Acara Institute, a non-profit institute that tackles global problems through sustainable business solutions. Read more or access the student blog>>
Former Institute of Technology Dean H. Ted Davis dies
H. Ted Davis, a University of Minnesota Regents professor of chemical engineering and materials science and former dean of the University’s Institute of Technology, died suddenly on May 17 of complications from a heart attack. He was 71. For more than 45 years, Davis served the University of Minnesota and its students in various roles, most recently as director of the BioTechnology Institute. A public memorial service is planned for this fall. Read more>>
Engineering researchers use sensors to track water pollutants
Institute of Technology researchers are using a network of five wireless sensors stationed near the Twin Cities' Minnehaha Creek to monitor—in real time—when and where storms wash road salt, lawn chemicals, and other pollutants into area waterways. Civil engineering professors William Arnold and Miki Hondzo, who are leading the study, hope to have 100 stations in the next five to 10 years. An expanded system could help urban designers tailor their plans to minimize the runoff of chemicals in local watersheds during a rain, or allow farmers to decide the best times to apply fertilizers. Read more>>
Biomedical engineering professor develops new brain scanning process
Institute of Technology biomedical engineering professor Bin He has developed a new technique that has led to preliminary successes in noninvasive imaging of brain seizure foci. The technique promises to play an important role in the treatment of epileptic seizures. He's research, called Functional Neuroimaging, has completed its first round of testing in epilepsy data collected at the Mayo Clinic. Watch video and read more>>
Alumni photos now online from 50-Year Reunion and Golden Medallion Society Celebration
About 80 Institute of Technology alumni reunited on campus in May to reminisce and reconnect at the 2009 University of Minnesota Institute of Technology Class of 1959 50-Year Reunion and Golden Medallion Society Celebration. The Golden Medallion Society honors alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago. Photos from the event are now posted on the Institute of Technology Web site. The tentative dates for the 2010 reunion and celebration are May 6-7, 2010. Read more and view photos>>
Dean’s Club donors honored
Alumni and friends of the Institute of Technology gathered May 1 to honor more than 500 charter members of the Dean’s Club, donors who have contributed more than $1,000 per year to the college in at least one of the past three years. The Dean’s Club donor list and photos from the event are now posted on the Institute of Technology Web site. Read more and view photos>>
Follow students around the world
Institute of Technology students are blogging about their travel and learning experiences during their May Session Institute of Technology Global Seminars. Groups of Institute of Technology students are currently in Scandinavia studying energy production, in Italy studying structural engineering, and in Switzerland studying product design and development. Read more and access student blogs>>
Students help homeowner improve energy efficiency
Institute of Technology engineering students in the University of Minnesota’s Active Energy Club and Engineers Without Borders-UMN student chapter have adopted a home in St. Paul where they have conducted an energy audit. Using high-tech computer systems, the students pinpointed several simple solutions that will improve the energy efficiency of the house. The project gives the homeowner valuable knowledge, free of charge, on how to make their house more efficient and gives the students hands-on learning. Read more and watch video>>
Honors
Professor Jonathan Chaplin (bioproducts and biosystems engineering) has received the Charles E. Bowers Faculty Teaching Award for outstanding teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Professor Arthur Erdman (mechanical engineering), professor emeritus Marvin Stein (computer science and engineering), and
Benjamin Sharpe (Office of Academic Advising) have received the 2009 President's Award for Outstanding Service recognizing exceptional service to the University, its schools, college, departments, and service units.
Graduate student Andrew S. Exley (computer science and engineering) received the
John Bowers Excellence in Teaching Assistance Award in recognition of commitment to and success in teaching students in the Institute of Technology.
Postdoctoral researcher Melissa Gardner (biomedical engineering) recently received a University of Minnesota 2009 Best Dissertation Award for her dissertation on chromosome transport during mitosis.
Professors Bin He (biomedical engineering) and Joe Konstan (computer science and engineering) are recipients of the 2009 Distinguished McKnight University Professorship, which recognizes and rewards outstanding mid-career faculty.
Professor Nihar Jindal (electrical and computer engineering) and graduate student Niranjay Ravindran (electrical and computer engineering) were awarded the 2009 Leonard G. Abraham Prize for best paper for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.
Chemical engineering student Andrew J. Jones and biomedical engineering student Michele A. Peterson were awarded the 2009 President’s Student Leadership and Service Award.
Professor David Odde (biomedical engineering) received the George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Research which recognizes the outstanding research of a mid-career faculty member.
Associate professor R. Lee Penn (chemistry) has received the George W. Taylor/ITAS Award for Distinguished Teaching for her contributions to undergraduate education.
Professor Alan E. Shapiro (history of science and technology) received the George W. Taylor Award for Distinguished Service recognizing his outstanding service to the University and voluntary public service to governmental and other public groups.
Biomedical engineering graduate Jenna N. Shaw was chosen to deliver the student address at the 2009 Institute of Technology Commencement Ceremony. She also received the Paul A. Cartwright/IT Alumni Society Outstanding Student Service Award.
Media Watch
Institute of Technology people in the news
Officials to break ground on cutting-edge international physics lab in Northern Minnesota
Institute of Technology researchers in the University’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory are using miniature wind turbines in wind tunnels to study the affects of turbulence in an effort to improve wind turbine productivity. May 1: Star Tribune
Internet to die by 2010
University of Minnesota mathematics professor Andrew Odlyzko, an expert on analyzing historical trends in networking, believes that global Internet traffic is and will remain manageable with modest capacity updates despite predictions that increased Internet traffic, particularly from video applications, will fatally clog the system. May 1: Times of India; May 7: Infotech India; May 9: Economic Times
In recession, some child's play is still free
University of Minnesota astronomy graduate student Pete Mendygral comments on how universities are a great place to find free and low-cost, educational experiences for children, such as telescopes and planetariums. May 3: Eagle Tribune
Giving disabled the freedom to ride
A group of Institute of Technology engineering students showed off an adapted motorcycle they developed for a class that will give disabled people the opportunity to ride. May 5: WCCO TV
A recent paper from bioproducts and biosystems engineering professor Sangwon Suh and others estimates the change in embodied water in corn ethanol from 2005 to 2008. May 11: Environmental Research
'U' students to bring clean water plan to India
A team of University of Minnesota students, including three Institute of Technology civil engineering students, will travel to India to share their ideas and plans for helping bring clean water to thousands of residents living in the slums of Mumbai.
May 14: University News; Eurekalert; May 15: KSTP TV
; May 25: WCCO TV
Experimental safety sign to go up on Highway 53
Wisconsin is installing new traffic safety equipment developed by engineers in the Institute of Technology’s Intelligent Vehicles Lab. May 17: KUWS Radio-WI
‘U’ research could lead to new epilepsy treatment
Institute of Technology biomedical engineering professor Bin He has developed a new technique for imaging the brain which may lead to new epilepsy treatments.
May 18: University New Video; May 19: KSAX TV; E Science News
; May 20: Times of India; May 29: MinnPost
H. Ted Davis, a University of Minnesota Regents professor of chemical engineering and materials science and former dean of the University’s Institute of Technology, died suddenly on May 17, 2009, of complications from a heart attack. May 19: University News; May 21: Star Tribune
Emily Council hears manganese mining proposal
Institute of Technology geology and geophysics professor Hans-Olaf Pfannkuch presented findings of a study that are being considered in the City of Emily’s proposal to extract manganese from nearby mineral deposits. May 19: Northland Press
U of M's sun-powered house project hosts preview
The University of Minnesota student team competing this fall in the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon showed off progress on their completely solar-powered house. May 20: University News; May 27: KARE TV; WCCO TV; KXMB TV-ND; May 28: KMSP TV-Fox 9; WXOW TV-La Crosse; Star Tribune
The mural a half-mile underground
A mural by Minnesota artist Joseph Giannetti adorns a rock wall at the underground Soudan mine, home of the Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) experiment run by Fermilab and the University of Minnesota School of Physics and Astronomy. May 20: Symmetry
Events
International Transport Economics Conference
June 15-16: This conference brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers interested in questions of transport economics. The conference is designed to appeal to participants from varied backgrounds, including economists and transport professionals. Minneapolis campus. Visit the Web site.
Midwest Algae Commercialization Workshop
Aug. 18: Learn about commercial opportunities related to algae and network with others in this dynamic industry. Speakers include producers, scientists, investors, potential customers and policymakers. This workshop is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., and Byrne & Company. 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Fredrikson & Byron, 200 S. Sixth St., Suite 4000, Minneapolis. Visit the Web site.
Institute of Technology at the Minnesota State Fair
Aug. 27-Sept. 7: A variety of Institute of Technology exhibits will showcase the relevance of science, engineering, and mathematics to people’s everyday lives at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. Minnesota State Fairgrounds, Dan Patch Avenue and Underwood Street.
Looking Ahead
Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power Annual Meeting
Oct. 7-9: The 2009 Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power Annual Meeting is hosted by North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro, N.C. Registration, hotel, and travel information will be available in the coming weeks as well as a preliminary schedule of events. Visit the Web site.
E3 2009
Nov. 17: This annual conference sponsored by the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment focuses on the intersection among innovative technologies, visionary policies, environmental benefits, and emerging market opportunities in renewable energy. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Saint Paul RiverCentre. Visit the Web site.
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting
Nov. 22-24: The University of Minnesota hosts the 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics (DFD). The annual meeting has grown into one of the largest conferences in fluid dynamics with more than 1,500 attendees from around the world. Minneapolis Convention Center. Visit the Web site.
The University of Minnesota Solar Vehicle Project team is in Cresson, Texas, for the 2009 Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP). With its latest car, named Centaurus, the students hope to continue the team’s past success as one of the most competitive teams in solar racing. The Formula Sun Grand Prix is a three-day race on a closed track. In the last race of this kind in 2005 at the Heartland Park Raceway in Topeka, Kan., the University of Minnesota solar car Borealis III came away with a decisive first-place finish. Eleven solar car teams from across the country are participating in the event this year. 
After nearly a year and a half of planning, the University of Minnesota team has begun construction of a completely solar-powered house that will compete against 19 other universities this fall in the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon. This is the University of Minnesota’s first-ever entry into this prestigious international competition. The process will culminate with a 10-day competition (with judging on all aspects of the house, from energy efficiency to interior design) beginning Oct. 8 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. 
A team of University of Minnesota students from a civil engineering class are currently in Mumbai, India, sharing their ideas and plans for helping bring clean water and sanitation to thousands of residents living in the slums of Mumbai—the same impoverished area that provided the backdrop for the 2009 Oscar-winning movie, “Slumdog Millionaire.” The students, who collaborated with students from the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay, are winners of the first-ever Acara Challenge sponsored by the Minnesota-based Acara Institute, a non-profit institute that tackles global problems through sustainable business solutions. 
Institute of Technology researchers are using a network of five wireless sensors stationed near the Twin Cities' Minnehaha Creek to monitor—in real time—when and where storms wash road salt, lawn chemicals, and other pollutants into area waterways. Civil engineering professors William Arnold and Miki Hondzo, who are leading the study, hope to have 100 stations in the next five to 10 years. An expanded system could help urban designers tailor their plans to minimize the runoff of chemicals in local watersheds during a rain, or allow farmers to decide the best times to apply fertilizers. 
About 80 Institute of Technology alumni reunited on campus in May to reminisce and reconnect at the 2009 University of Minnesota Institute of Technology Class of 1959 50-Year Reunion and Golden Medallion Society Celebration. The Golden Medallion Society honors alumni who graduated more than 50 years ago. Photos from the event are now posted on the Institute of Technology Web site. The tentative dates for the 2010 reunion and celebration are May 6-7, 2010. 