The University of Minnesota ICON Solar House team is now in Washington, D.C., finishing reconstruction of their solar-powered house to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon on the National Mall. The University of Minnesota team is one of only 20 university teams chosen to participate in this international competition. The solar houses will be open for public tours in Washington, D.C., and University of Minnesota alumni are invited to attend a special alumni reception on Saturday, Oct. 17. Find out more about the Oct. 17 alumni reception, follow the team on their blog, or take a virtual tour of the house on the team’s Web site. Read more>>
University to make request for new Physics and Nanotechnology Building
The University of Minnesota Board of Regents is expected to give approval on Oct. 9 for the University’s 2010 Capital Request to the Minnesota Legislature, which includes an $80 million request for a new Physics and Nanotechnology Building on the Twin Cities campus. The building would house the University’s physics research program and the Center for Nanostructure Applications. It would provide flexible, state-of-the-art research laboratories and a 5,000-square-foot clean room dedicated to nanotechnology. Current physics laboratories are nearly 80 years old and obsolete. Co-locating physics and nanotechnology will also foster connections that will allow for increased collaboration between these two vitally important research areas. The Minnesota Legislature convenes in February 2010. Read more>>
Oct. 6 lecture features expert in theoretical high energy physics
Helen Quinn, a professor of physics at Stanford University and a leading expert in theoretical high energy physics, will present a free public lecture Tuesday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis. In her presentation entitled "Wandering Planets, Falling Apples, Curving Spaces, Whirling Stars: How Unraveling the Mysteries of Gravity has Taught Us About the Universe," Quinn uses the history of understandings about gravity as a template for understanding how science works. Read more>>
Register now for Fifth Annual Minnesota Nanotechnology Conference
Learn about the latest in nanotechnology research at the Fifth Annual Minnesota Nanotechnology Conference on Nov. 17 and 18 at the Radisson University Hotel, 615 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. The event is hosted by the Institute of Technology’s Center for Nanostructure Applications. This year’s event offers presentations and discussions on topics including materials, magnetic structures and devices, spintronics, novel techniques in characterization, and organic photovoltaics. New this year, the University's Nanofabrication Center is offering three special short courses on device fabrication during the conference. Expand your skills and learn how nanofabrication techniques can improve your product. Read more>>
Department of Civil Engineering to celebrate 100 years on Oct. 30
There is still time to reserve your seat for the University of Minnesota Civil Engineering Centennial Celebration on Friday, Oct. 30 on the University’s Minneapolis campus. Please join us for this once-in-a-century alumni event to reconnect with civil engineering friends and faculty. The evening program features dinner and a keynote address on sustainability by alumnus George Bugliarello (M.S. CivE '54), president emeritus and professor at New York's Polytechnic University. The cost of the dinner is $25. Seating is limited so please RSVP by Thursday, Oct. 15. Read more>>
Nanofabrication Center is finalist for Minnesota Tekne Award
The Institute of Technology’s Nanofabrication Center has been named a finalist for a 2009 Tekne Award in the Technology Services category. Presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association in partnership with LifeScience Alley and Enterprise Minnesota, the Tekne Awards annually honor companies, individuals, and organizations that have shown superior technology innovation and leadership in Minnesota. Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Nanofabrication Center provides a set of tools and services available nowhere else in the upper Midwest. The center has about 250 users across the country within 24 companies, 28 universities, and eight University of Minnesota departments. Read more>>
Physics professor wins Emmy for YouTube video
The University of Minnesota News Service video "The Science of Watchmen" featuring Physics Professor James Kakalios recently received a regional Emmy Award. The video has received more than 1.5 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most widely viewed videos ever in higher education. Kakalios was tapped by Warner Bros. as a science consultant for the popular comic book movie, "Watchmen" and appears on the Director's Cut Blu-ray in a featurette discussing the physics of Dr. Manhattan. The University’s "The Science of Watchmen" video looks at his involvement with the film and the physics behind the movie’s extraordinary characters. Read more and watch video>>
Institute of Technology Alumni Society wins top award
The Institute of Technology Alumni Society (ITAS) will be recognized at the University of Minnesota Alumni Association’s celebratory event on Thursday, Oct. 8 as the Outstanding Alumni Society, the University’s top award for alumni societies. Activities over the past year such as Tech Fest, the Science & Technology Banquet, timely public lectures, and the IT Mentor Program achieved phenomenal success and enabled the alumni society to engage record numbers of alumni in support of the Institute of Technology, the Alumni Association, and the University of Minnesota. Read more>>
Memorial event to honor academic career of Professor H. Ted Davis
The Institute of Technology's Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science is hosting a special memorial event on Saturday, Oct. 17 to honor the academic career of former Institute of Technology Dean and Professor H. Ted Davis who died suddenly last summer. This event will join Davis’ academic family (colleagues, students, and alumni) with his immediate personal family in recalling his life's work in science. The event will also include scholarly presentations from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Amundson Hall, Room B-75. Space is limited. Registration is required by sending an e-mail to Marsha Riebe at riebe001@umn.edu or by calling 612-625-4356.
New appointments
Michael Sadowsky, a recognized authority on using microorganisms to clean up the environment, was recently appointed director of the University of Minnesota’s BioTechnology Institute (BTI). Sadowsky is a professor in the Department of Soil, Water and Climate within the University's College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences. He is also co-director of the Microbial and Plant Genomics Institute and has been a BTI faculty member since 1997. BTI is jointly administered by the College of Biological Sciences and the Institute of Technology. Read more>>
Honors
Assistant professor Kathrin Bringmann (mathematics) has been awarded the 2009 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, which will be awarded in December at SASTRA University in Kumbakonam, India.
Ronald Christenson (ME '72) is one of 12 University of Minnesota alumni chosen to receive the University's prestigious Alumni Service Award. Christenson is being honored for his dedicated volunteer service as a student advocate and mentor, as well as chair of the dean’s advisory board at the Institute of Technology. Christenson most recently served as corporate vice president and chief technology officer at Cargill, Inc.
Assistant professor Kevin Dorfman (chemical engineering and materials science) has been awarded a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Young Faculty Award for 2009, which provides two years of funding to support his research on nanofluidic methods for manipulating and analyzing DNA.
Professor Tim Lodge (chemistry) recently received the American Chemical Society Award in Polymer Chemistry recognizing his work in the field of polymer chemistry.
Professor Yiannis Kaznessis (chemical engineering and materials science) has been chosen as the 2009 Outstanding Young Researcher by the Computing and Systems Technology Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Professor and department head Uwe Kortshagen (mechanical engineering) was named an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellow for 2009.
Assistant professor Sang-Hyun Oh (electrical and computer engineering) received the Doctoral New Investigator Award from the American Chemical Society's Petroleum Research Fund, which provides financial support toward research for two years.
Professor Emeritus Suhas Patankar (mechanical engineering) received the Max Jakob Award, the highest honor in the field of heat transfer, for his pioneering contributions to Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer.
Media Watch
Institute of Technology people in the news
Listening for gravity waves, silence becomes meaningful
University of Minnesota astrophysicist Vuk Mandic is the lead author of new research that significantly advances scientific understanding of the early evolution of the universe after the Big Bang. Sept. 1: MinnPost; Sept. 7: ITNews.SK (Slovakia); Sept. 8: Gazeta de Alagoas (Brazil)
Giving back to the grid
Electrical engineering professor Massoud Amin, director of the University of Minnesota’s Technological Leadership Institute and a nationally sought-after smart grid expert, explains that the electric grid's basic structure hasn't changed for the past half-century. Aug. 30: Pioneer Press
California edges ahead in high-speed-train 'race'
Transportation expert and civil engineering professor David Levinson comments on California’s plans to build a high-speed rail system. Sept. 3: WBUR–CA
Dissecting $162 million
Of the more than $72 million coming to the University of Minnesota in federal stimulus research grants, the largest portion—$40 million—helped fund a new physics research facility in northern Minnesota that will eventually house a 15,000-ton neutrino detector. Sept. 7: Minnesota Daily
What price grad school at the U?
Kate Raach, a third-year graduate student in cosmology in the Institute of Technology’s School of Physics and Astronomy, explains the importance of funding graduate students through a teaching or research assistantship or fellowship. Sept. 10: Star Tribune
Future threats against our information infrastructure
Massoud Amin, who heads a new master's program in security technologies, discussed the worry over coordinated cyber attacks against U.S. computer systems from foreign enemies or terrorists. Sept. 14: Minnesota Public Radio
U team's solar-powered house competes in Washington, D.C.
A new study supports a University of Minnesota study by civil engineering researchers at the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory published last winter that estimated 70 percent of the road salt used in the metro-area ends up in wetlands and lakes and seeps into groundwater. Sept. 16: Star Tribune
Study: Gender-bending fish widespread in U.S.
Civil engineering associate professor Paige Novak says there is probably no single cause for the phenomenon in which male fish acquire feminine characteristics. Sept. 16: National Public Radio
Tiny particles could make big ideas stick
Engineering professors at the University of Minnesota developed technology that is the basis for what could be a successful new nanotechnology business in Rushford, Minnesota. Sept. 21: Rochester Post Bulletin
Three finalists for Grad School dean position announced
Finalists for the vice provost and dean of graduate education position at the University of Minnesota include two Institute of Technology professors: Gary Balas, head of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics and Sally Gregory Kohlstedt, director of the History of Science and Technology program. Sept. 21: Minnesota Daily
Fellows invent UV catheter sleeve
Four fellows from the University of Minnesota’s Medical Devices Center have created an ultraviolet catheter sleeve prototype that will help prevent bloodstream infections. Sept. 22: Minnesota Daily
U hosts free Math & Science Family Fun Fair
The Institute of Technology hosted a free Math & Science Family Fun Fair featuring hands-on experiences with hovercrafts, microscopes, miniature race cars, and the ExploraDome inflatable planetarium as well as chemistry experiments, a Steel Bridge Team demonstration, and performances by the Physics Force. Sept 24: MinnPost
Vietnam, U.S. step up scientific efforts
Dennis L. Polla, a faculty member in the University of Minnesota Technological Leadership Institute, discussed increased linkage between scientists in the United States and Vietnam to commercialize research products and apply those results in practice to serve demand. Sept. 25: Vietnam Net
University of Minnesota takes home Emmy
The University of Minnesota received a 2009 Upper Midwest Regional Emmy award for the video “The Science of Watchmen,” featuring physics professor Jim Kakalios. Sept. 26: Chicago Tribune
Chemistry professor hopes to make a difference with enzymes
University of Minnesota chemistry professor Lawrence Que’s work with enzymes could lead to better understanding of the processes in the body that result in cancer. Sept. 28: Minnesota Daily
Wood heat, a '70s idea, catches fire again
University of Minnesota graduate engineering student is working with his father on running a small-scale, wood-fired heating systems operation. Sept. 28: Star Tribune
Four game-changing fluid power technology initiatives
Through the Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power based at the University of Minnesota, a research consortium sponsored by the National Science Foundation, university teams, and their industrial counterparts are working on new technologies that will significantly advance the state-of-the-art in fluid power. Oct. 1: Design News
Oct. 6: The William I. Fine Theoretical Physics Institute is hosting the Fourth Annual Misel lecture featuring Helen Quinn, professor of physics at Stanford University. She will present "Wandering Planets, Falling Apples, Curving Spaces, Whirling Stars: How Unraveling the Mysteries of Gravity has Taught Us About the Universe." 7 p.m. Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center. Visit the Web site.
Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power Annual Meeting
Oct. 7: The 2009 Center for Compact and Efficient Fluid Power Annual Meeting is hosted by North Carolina A & T State University in Greensboro, N.C., Oct. 7-9, 2009. Visit the Web site.
U of M Student Showcase at the New TCF Bank Stadium
Oct. 7: Bring a non-perishable food item and learn about the research of the best and brightest University graduates and undergraduates. 1–4 p.m. TCF Bank Stadium. Visit the Web site.
Computer Science and Engineering's Open House
Oct. 9: This year's half-day program features keynote speaker Jamie Thingelstad, entrepreneur and former CTO and Vice President for the Wall Street Journal Digital Network. Industry and research exhibits will give attendees a sneak peek into the latest research and technology. 8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Building. Visit the Web site.
Homecoming 2009: The Ultimate Homecoming-Institute of Technology Alumni Event
Oct. 9: About 1,000 alumni and friends will join Institute of Technology Dean Steven L. Crouch at this free IT alumni event. A casual, fun-filled picnic barbecue celebration will be followed by the Homecoming Parade, pepfest, and fireworks at the new TCF Bank Stadium. 4:30 p.m. Picnic barbecue buffet. Picnic and parade viewing at University Recreation Center, North Gym, 1906 University Ave. S.E.; Pepfest and fireworks at TCF Bank Stadium. REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
Mini Medical School-"Back to Basics"
Oct. 12: Mini Medical School celebrates its 10th anniversary by getting "Back to Basics." Students will learn the foundation of how the human body operates by studying anatomy, genetics, biochemistry, pharmacology, and physioogy. Five consecutive Mondays, Oct. 12-Nov.9. 6–8:30 p.m. Coffman Theater, Coffman Memorial Union. Visit the Web site.
"Smart Move" Workshop/High Tech Kids First LEGO League
Oct. 15: The fourth annual University of Minnesota Research Workshop for middle-school FIRST LEGO League teams will focus on a transportation theme. Team members will attend lectures and take part in hands-on learning. 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Visit the Web site.
University of Minnesota Washington, D.C. Area Alumni & Friends Reception and Solar House Tours
Oct. 17: Join alumni for a special reception held in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon. Meet members of the University of Minnesota's ICON Solar House team. To register, send an e-mail to Susan Heltemes, Washington, D.C. UM Alumni Association Chapter, at skheltemes@verizon.net. Public Tours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., National Mall. Reception, 5:30 to 7 p.m., Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (Lerner Room, 3rd floor), National Mall at 7th and Independence S.W. Visit the Web site.
Cray Distinguished Speaker Series
Oct. 19: Michael Reiter from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will present "Better Architectures and New Security Applications for Coarse Network Monitoring." 11:15 a.m.–12:15 p.m. 3-180 Electrical Engineering/Computer Science Building. Visit the Web site.
Civil Engineering Centennial
Oct. 30: Join us for an evening highlighting 100 years of civil engineering history. Hear more about the University's Solar Decathlon, Engineers Without Borders, and the integrated design of the new I-35W Bridge. Keynote speaker George Bugliarello (M.S. CivE '54), president emeritus and professor at New York's Polytechnic Institute will discuss urban sustainability. 3:30 p.m. Registration; 4 p.m. Lectures; 5:30 p.m. Reception; 8:30 p.m. Keynote. Civil Engineering Building, Campus Club, Coffman Memorial Union. Visit the Web site or call 612-625-5522.
Looking Ahead
Technology foresight: Mindset, map and metrics
Nov. 11: This seminar offered by the Technological Leadership Institute will feature Rias van Wyk, director of Technoscan Centre in Minnesota, who will explore technology foresight exercises over the past decade. 4:30 p.m. Wine and Cheese Reception; 5:15 Program. U of M Technological Leadership Institute (TLI), West Bank Office Building, Executive Education Facility (Suite 150), 1300 S. Second Street, Minneapolis. 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.
Nanotechnology Conference
Nov. 17–18: This event offers presentations and discussions on topics including materials, magnetic structures and devices, spintronics, novel techniques in characterization, and organic photovoltaics. Radisson University Hotel, 615 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis. Visit the Web site.
American Physical Society's Division of Fluid Dynamics Annual Meeting
Nov. 22–24: The University of Minnesota will host 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 ICON Solar House team is now in Washington, D.C., finishing reconstruction of their solar-powered house to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Decathlon on the National Mall. The University of Minnesota team is one of only 20 university teams chosen to participate in this international competition. The solar houses will be open for public tours in Washington, D.C., and University of Minnesota alumni are invited to attend a special alumni reception on Saturday, Oct. 17. Find out more about the 
Helen Quinn, a professor of physics at Stanford University and a leading expert in theoretical high energy physics, will present a free public lecture Tuesday, Oct. 6, 7 p.m. in Memorial Hall, McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis. In her presentation entitled "Wandering Planets, Falling Apples, Curving Spaces, Whirling Stars: How Unraveling the Mysteries of Gravity has Taught Us About the Universe," Quinn uses the history of understandings about gravity as a template for understanding how science works. 
There is still time to reserve your seat for the University of Minnesota Civil Engineering Centennial Celebration on Friday, Oct. 30 on the University’s Minneapolis campus. Please join us for this once-in-a-century alumni event to reconnect with civil engineering friends and faculty. The evening program features dinner and a keynote address on sustainability by alumnus George Bugliarello (M.S. CivE '54), president emeritus and professor at New York's Polytechnic University. The cost of the dinner is $25. Seating is limited so please RSVP by Thursday, Oct. 15. 
The University of Minnesota News Service video "The Science of Watchmen" featuring Physics Professor James Kakalios recently received a regional Emmy Award. The video has received more than 1.5 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most widely viewed videos ever in higher education. Kakalios was tapped by Warner Bros. as a science consultant for the popular comic book movie, "Watchmen" and appears on the Director's Cut Blu-ray in a featurette discussing the physics of Dr. Manhattan. The University’s "The Science of Watchmen" video looks at his involvement with the film and the physics behind the movie’s extraordinary characters. 
The Institute of Technology's Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science is hosting a special memorial event on Saturday, Oct. 17 to honor the academic career of former Institute of Technology Dean and Professor H. Ted Davis who died suddenly last summer. This event will join Davis’ academic family (colleagues, students, and alumni) with his immediate personal family in recalling his life's work in science. The event will also include scholarly presentations from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in Amundson Hall, Room B-75. Space is limited. Registration is required by sending an e-mail to Marsha Riebe at