Headlines
Articles
29 December: DeSimone Named "Tar Heel of the Year"
02 December: ACS Honors Lackey as "Hero"
WASHINGTON, D. C . Dr. Karen Lackey, a member of CERSP's External Advisory Board, is among 25 unsung scientific heroes who were inducted into the American Chemical Society (ACS) hall of fame called the Heroes of Chemistry. The 2008 Heroes of Chemistry were honored on Aug. 17 in Philadelphia during the 236th National Meeting of the ACS, the world's largest scientific society. The awards ceremony and dinner in the Four Seasons hotel included a keynote speech by former NASA astronaut Mae Jemison. Jemison, a physician and chemical engineer, became the first black woman to travel in space when she flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
Dr. Lackey, vice president of discovery medicinal chemistry, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Research Triangle Park, NC, was one of five recipients noted for extraordinary contributions. Her chemistry team was involved in discovering the lapatinib molecule, which became the anti-cancer drug TYKERB. First marketed in 2007 for advanced breast cancer, TYKERB is among a new family of 'targeted' anti-cancer medicines. It targets the 20-25 percent of breast cancers that produce too much of a substance that enables tumors to grow quickly. In doing so, TYKERB may prevent these cancer cells from growing, dividing, and surviving.
"Heroes of Chemistry strives for greater recognition of scientists like these who, like chemistry itself, often wear a cloak of invisibility so far as public awareness is concerned," said Bruce E. Bursten, Ph.D., president of the American Chemical Society and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. "Their dedication and scientific contributions save lives and make life healthier and happier for billions of people around the world."
Started in 1996, the Heroes of Chemistry program honors chemical innovators in industry "whose work has led to the welfare and progress of humanity" in a significant way in the past decade. Candidates are nominated by their companies and an ACS panel review the nominations with an eye to recognizing research that has lead to the successful development and commercial sale of a technological product.
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19 November: Assistance for Green Startups: Call for Applicants (Deadline December 5, 2008)
The Center for Sustainable Enterprise at UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School invites early-stage sustainable businesses from across North Carolina to join BASE, the Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship.
BASE is the first accelerator in North Carolina designed specifically to support businesses that address the triple bottom line: financial profitability, social equity and environmental sustainability. The program will connect sustainable ventures to a range of business development resources with the goal of accelerating their growth and impact.
BASE will foster sustainable enterprises that show promise on two levels:
1) prospects for financial viability and
2) prospects for positive social and/or environmental impact.
Benefits
BASE will provide members with free access to:
- Quarterly networking sessions
- Quarterly workshops and training
- Quarterly Lunch & Learn series
- A portfolio of pro bono hours from resource providers
- Mentorship by successful sustainable entrepreneurs
- UNC students to work on consulting projects and for internships
- Affordable, flexible office space and resources
Selection
Participants will be selected through a competitive review of application materials. Core selection criteria include:
- Highly innovative, transformative social and/or environmental change solution
- Credible and experienced leadership team
- A qualified market with high social and/or environmental need and growing economic potential
Eligibility
Businesses selected for membership must meet the following requirements:
- Early stage (post-business plan) and beyond
- Sustainable business (prospects for financial viability, positive social and/or environmental impact)
- Located in North Carolina
Deadline
All applications must be received by 5pm, Friday, December 5th, 2008.
Members will be announced in early January.
For more information contact Jessica Thomas, jessica_thomas@unc.edu, 919-962-4259 or visit www.cse.unc.edu/base/applicat
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18 November: Summer Programs and Aspiring Grad Students
It is that time of year! the attached information from the National Science Foundation is for any students or former students who may be considering undergrad summer research and/or applying to graduate school. For additional details click here.
FOR UNDERGRADUATES:Paid Summer 2009 Undergrad Research Placements!!!
Over 600 programs -Undergraduate REU and Other Summer Research Opportunities: See www.agep.us/summer.asp or www.igert.org/summer.asp
FOR THOSE CONSIDERING GRAD SCHOOL in 2009:
Opportunities at over 150 colleges and universities
Professional Development and Support: Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP): see www.agep.us
For Financial Support in New Interdisciplinary PHD Programs Graduate School IGERT Opportunities: www.igert.org
IGERT programs provide generous stipend ($30,000 per year) and tuition support for students through the National Science Foundation.
We would be pleased to answer any questions you may have and provide you and your students with assistance in looking into and applying to these programs.
I hope you have had a good fall semester and look forward to a happy holiday season!
Sandy
Sandra Thomas
Executive Director, Institute for Broadening Participation
Email: sthomas@ibparticipation.org ; shthomas@umich.edu
Websites: www.agep.us ; www.ibparticipation.org ; www.igert.org
Phone: 866-593-9103 Fax: 207-563-6069
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10 November: POSITION FILLED Postdoctoral Position in Medical Devices Opening in DeSimone Lab
Professor Joseph M. DeSimone in the Department of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill seeks a Postdoctoral Research Associate to work in the area of medical devices. This position will broadly focus on the development of iontophoretic approaches for the delivery of therapeutics, including delivery of nanoparticles.This position will broadly focus on the development of iontophoretic approaches for the delivery of therapeutics, including delivery of nanoparticles. Full Announcement...
17 October: Eve Carson Memorial Fund
A 5K run/walk event is scheduled to take place in Chapel Hill on November 15 to raise money for the Eve Carson Memorial Scholarship fund. Click here for details and enrollment form: http://educationforeve.com/
08 October: NC State Awarded ERC for Creation of a Green Energy Grid
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announces an award to North Carolina State University and its partners to establish a new NSF Engineering Research Center (ERC). The ERC will develop interdisciplinary research and education programs that address an important energy issue and provide the foundation for new industries through innovation. NSF will invest approximately $18.5 million in the Center over the next five years.
Since 1985 the ERC program has fostered broad-based research and education collaborations in close partnership with industry that focus on making technological breakthroughs and developing new products and services. A new generation of five NSF ERCs will place a greater emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship and on international collaboration and cultural exchange.
"The Gen-3 ERCs have been designed to build on the well-developed understanding laid down by the two previous generations of ERCs," says Lynn Preston, the leader of the ERC Program. "We have added to Gen-3 ERCs several new dimensions designed to speed the innovation process and prepare engineering graduates who are innovative, creative, and understand how to function in a global economy where engineering talent is broadly distributed throughout the world. We expect these ERCs to make even more significant impacts on the competitiveness of U.S. industry than their predecessors."
The NSF ERC for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems will conduct research to transform the nation's power grid into an efficient network that integrates alternative energy generation and novel storage methods with existing power sources. This new, distributed network would permit any combination and scale of energy sources and storage devices through standard interface modules. The Center's overall goal is to facilitate the use of green energy sources, reduce the environmental impact of carbon emissions, and alleviate the growing energy crisis.
The NSF ERC for FREEDM Systems will be based at North Carolina State University (NCSU), in partnership with Arizona State University, Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and Missouri University of Science and Technology. Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University in Germany and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology will contribute additional expertise and international perspectives.
The involvement of more than 65 industry partners, including many small start-up firms, will spur innovation and provide university students with first-hand experience in entrepreneurship. The NSF ERC for FREEDM Systems will also work with 18 state and local government organizations in North Carolina, Arizona, California, Florida, New York and Tennessee to stimulate innovation based on its research.
Science House is the partner for K-12 outreach program elements of the new ERC, building upon its successful program with CERSP.
07 October: NC A&T to Lead ERC
The NSF Engineering Research Center for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials aims to transform current medial and surgical treatments by creating "smart" implants for craniofacial, dental, orthopedic, and cardiovascular interventions. The ERC will investigate biodegradable systems that combine novel bioengineered materials based on magnesium alloys with miniature sensor devices that can control the release of biological factors and drugs to promote healing.
Biodegradable systems offer many advantages over implants used today. For example, the metallic wire mesh stents currently used to treat blockages in the coronary artery elicit an immune response that can lead to the growth of scar tissue and the formation of blood clots. If blockages form again, these stents are difficult to remove and additional stents must be placed nearby. Using biodegradable stents could avert this cycle and minimize the number of invasive procedures.
The NSF ERC for Revolutionizing Metallic Biomaterials will be based at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (North Carolina A&T), a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), and will be the first ERC or NSF Science and Technology Center to be headquartered at an HBCU.
North Carolina A&T will partner with the University of Cincinnati and the University of Pittsburgh. The Indian Institute of Technology in Madras and the University of Hanover in Germany will be international partners and contribute additional expertise and international experiences.
Partnerships with five regional economic organizations will help the research spread into the biotechnology industry. Eight firms, some of which are experienced in translating research into biomedical devices, are committed to industrial collaboration with the ERC. These partnerships and the involvement of start-up firms will strengthen the technological impact of the Center's research and expose students to industrial practice.
The new ERC will support continuation in principle of the EXPERT program established by CERSP, but under a new name. EXPERT is a scholarship/mentoring/research program designed to recruit and support engineering and science students at NCA&T, encouraging them to choose research careers.
23 September: Cancer Nanotechnology Symposium
The Carolina Center of Cancer Nanotechnology
Excellence is pleased to announce our second Cancer Nanotechnology
Symposium in Chapel Hill, on November 14, 2008.
Please find the
schedule attached, and registration and further information
available at
http://cancer.unc.edu/ccne/symposium/. Please pass this notice
along to others who may be interested. We hope to see many of you in
Chapel Hill in November.
Many of us saw a dynamite ad telling kids about math and science in an Exxon ad aired during the Olympics. He pre-dates most of you in the STC, but Dr. Kenneth Lee, one of the speakers, is a graduate of our Center...and doing great work! Click on the link below to view the video.
25 August: Chemical Engineering Textbook Issued
An undergraduate textbook entitled "Chemical Reactions and Chemical Reactors" written by Prof. George Roberts of NC State University was recently published by John Wiley and Sons. It features the following:
Heterogeneous catalysis
Chemical kinetics
Analysis of experimental data
Problems and examples requiring use of numerical techniques (as well as others)
"Real" chemistry
The book draws upon Prof. Roberts' 40 years experience in chemical engineering, half in industry and half in academia, including research in various aspects of catalysis, kinetics and reactor analysis. Congratulations, George, and best wishes on success of your new book.
15 July: "Green"
Innovations, Great Mentoring
Chemist
and polymer expert Joseph M. DeSimone won the prestigious $500,000
Lemelson-MIT Prize for his pioneering “green” inventions,
entrepreneurship and mentoring.
He has applied his widely recognized expertise to the development of environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and promising applications for gene therapy, drug delivery and medical devices.
“Joe is clearly one of the most inventive researchers in all of science,” said Robert S. Langer, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in nominating DeSimone for the award.
Among DeSimone’s breakthroughs is the invention of a process in which supercritical carbon dioxide — with both gas and liquid properties — can be used in lieu of environmentally persistent acids, to produce a class of high-performance plastics known as fluoropolymers.
The technique produces a material used in wire and cable insulation, flexible tubing and industrial films with applications in data communications, semiconductors and automotive markets.
DeSimone and his students have also created surfactants, or detergents, for carbon dioxide, to use in tandem with his process for expanded industrial uses. DuPont has licensed DeSimone’s fluoropolymer-creation process, and has built commercial facilities based on the technology, leading to new Teflon like products and more environmentally sustainable manufacturing.
In addition, DeSimone has collaborated with Duke University cardiology professor emeritus Richard Stack and others developing technology for a fully bioabsorbable, polymer-based stent to provide an alternative to metallic stents in medical uses. The new stents promise to eliminate the need for a permanent device, with potential to improve the long-term safety of coronary stents and save patients’ lives.
DeSimone and his team also are using fabrication processes from the microelectronics industry to create tiny “nanocarriers” in medicine. His PRINT® technology (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) can manufacture miniscule customizable and controllable biomaterials for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with promising applications in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
DeSimone helped form Liquidia Technologies to commercialize the PRINT technology. He is also the co-principal investigator for the Carolina Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence.
With more than 115 patents, he instills an entrepreneurial spirit in his students that focuses on the importance of commercializing technology and scientific inventions. He has mentored more than 130 graduate and undergraduate students. He also speaks to groups of high school students about the inventive process and encourages them to learn and explore areas that are less familiar to them to broaden their exposure to other disciplines.
DeSimone is the Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences and the William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University.
--Click here for video, podcasts and more.02 July: DeSimone Wins Prestigious Lemelson Prize
Prof. Joseph DeSimone, Director of the Science and Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes, has won the 2008 Lemelson Prize, presented annually by the Lemelson Foundation and MIT to recognize outstanding inventors. Prof. DeSimone graciously hosted some 50 students and colleagues at the presentation ceremony and various activities in Cambridge, MA on June 25-26, 2008. Congratulations, Joe!
The official notice follows.
BRIDGING
DISCIPLINES, INNOVATING SOLUTIONS:
POLYMER EXPERT RECOGNIZED FOR INVENTIONS IN MATERIALS AND LIFE
SCIENCES
Dr. Joseph
M. DeSimone Awarded
$500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize
CAMBRIDGE, Mass (June 25, 2008) — For Dr. Joseph M. DeSimone, the interface between seemingly disparate fields and concepts offers the best opportunity for invention and innovation. A well-recognized chemist and polymer expert, DeSimone has uniquely applied his skills to the development of groundbreaking solutions in green manufacturing, and promising applications in gene therapy and drug delivery, as well as medical devices. For his pioneering inventions, lab-to-marketplace entrepreneurship, and commitment to mentorship, DeSimone has been awarded this year’s $500,000 Lemelson-MIT Prize.
"DeSimone has established a stellar record of achievement and innovation," said Dr. Robert S. Langer, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who nominated DeSimone for the Lemelson-MIT Prize. "Joe is clearly one of the most inventive researchers in all of science."
DeSimone, Chancellor’s Eminent Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, will accept his award and present his accomplishments to the public at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology during the second-annual EurekaFest, a multi-day celebration of the inventive spirit, June 25-28, presented by the Lemelson-MIT Program.
Creating Connections through Polymers
Through his cross-disciplinary thinking, DeSimone blended polymerization methods with supercritical fluid extraction, yielding a breakthrough in "green" or environmentally sustainable manufacturing. He invented a process in which supercritical carbon dioxide — CO2 that has gas and liquid properties — can be used in lieu of the environmentally persistent material perfluorooctanoic acid, to produce a class of high-performance plastics known as fluoropolymers. DeSimone’s process produces an enhanced-performance material used in wire and cable insulation and jackets, flexible tubing, and industrial films applications, which span several industrial markets including data communications, semiconductor, and automotive. DeSimone and his students also created surfactants, or detergents, for CO2, to use in tandem with his process for expanded industrial applications.
"DuPont has licensed DeSimone’s breakthrough fluoropolymer-creation process, and we have built commercial facilities based on the technology, leading to unique products and more environmentally sustainable manufacturing," said Nandan S. Rao, Global Technology Director, DuPont Fluoroproducts. "His ideas are truly revolutionary and represent dramatic departures from what others have pursued."
DeSimone has also crossed polymers with the field of medical devices. He collaborated with a research team led by Dr. Richard Stack, Professor Emeritus in Cardiology at Duke University and president of Synecor LLC, in developing technology for a fully bioabsorbable, polymer-based stent to provide an alternative to metallic stents. Bioabsorbable drug-coated stents promise to eliminate the need for a permanent prosthetic, offering the potential to improve the long-term safety of coronary stents and save patients’ lives. Guidant, now part of Abbott, purchased the technology from Synecor LLC, which is now in an international clinical trial for the treatment of coronary artery disease. This stent is the first of its kind to enter clinical trials.
In addition, DeSimone serves as director of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Science and Technology Center (STC) for Environmentally Responsible Solvents and Processes in North Carolina. "Linking sustainable, green chemistry to new cancer therapies and imaging techniques is just one example of his innovative and entrepreneurial leadership that has forged new directions in science," said NSF Director Arden L. Bement.
DeSimone and his team are currently utilizing fabrication processes from the microelectronics industry to create nanocarriers in medicine. DeSimone’s PRINT® (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) technology can, for the first time, manufacture highly customizable and controllable nanobiomaterials for the diagnosis and treatment of disease, with promising applications in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals.
Understanding that invention needs to be brought out of the laboratory and into the market to have a societal impact, DeSimone helped form Liquidia Technologies to commercialize the PRINT technology. He is also the co-principal investigator for the Carolina Center for Cancer Nanotechnology Excellence, which concentrates on projects using PRINT in oncology and is part of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer.
Innovation: Where Diversity and Creativity Meet
The Lemelson-MIT Prize also recognizes DeSimone’s strong commitment to mentorship. To date, DeSimone has mentored more than 130 students and research associates, continuously emphasizing diversity of thought and creativity as the cornerstones of all successful endeavors.
"The ability to cross-germinate ideas from different areas to produce innovative solutions is invaluable to an inventor," said Joshua Schuler, executive director of the Lemelson-MIT Program. "DeSimone’s ability to creatively fuse concepts across disciplines, coupled with his dedication to fostering the inventive spirit, uniquely position him to improve our world through invention and innovation."
ABOUT THE LEMELSON-MIT PROGRAM
The Lemelson-MIT Program recognizes outstanding inventors, encourages sustainable new solutions to real-world problems, and enables and inspires young people to pursue creative lives and careers through invention.
Jerome H. Lemelson, one of the world's most prolific inventors, and his wife Dorothy founded the Lemelson-MIT Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1994. It is funded by the Lemelson Foundation, a private philanthropy that celebrates and supports inventors and entrepreneurs in order to strengthen social and economic life. More information on the Lemelson-MIT Program is online at http://web.mit.edu/invent/.
For additional information visit http://web.mit.edu/invent/n-pressreleases/n-press-08LMP.html.
Click here for "Inventor Nabs $500,000 MIT Prize" published in the Raleigh News and Observer on June 26.
16 June:
Ashby
Wins Freshman Teaching Award
Professor Valery Ashby
has won the 2008 J. Carlyle Sitterson Freshman Teaching Award. The
award was created in 1998 by the family of the late J. Carlyle Sitterson
to recognize excellence in first-year teaching by a tenured faculty
member in the College of Arts and Sciences. Sitterson was a Kenan
Professor of history and chancellor of the University from 1966 to 1972
and was a passionate advocate for inspired teaching of first-year
students. The first award was given in 2000. The winner received a
one-time stipend of $5,000 and a framed citation. Below is the write up
of the announcement in the May 7, 2008 issue of the University Gazette.
Valerie S. Ashby
Bowman
and Gordon Gray Distinguished Term Professor of Chemistry
Faculty
member since: 2003
Classes
taught last year: General Descriptive Chemistry I, Introduction to
Organic Chemistry II, Introduction to Organic Chemistry I, Honors
Organic Chemistry II.
How do you motivate your students to learn?
I try to motivate my students by suggesting to them that their competition is not sitting next to them, but is national and international. Given that is the case, we often discuss what excellence means in action and in attitude when one is facing a significant challenge. In the process, they become determined to give their best effort. The transformation for many of them is significant to them and rewarding to me.
Excerpts from award citation:
Students who admit they don’t like chemistry acknowledge that they do like her class and her enthusiasm and that they learn much from her. Even students who end the semester with C grades marvel at how much they liked the class and admire Ashby. ... ‘Ashby was by far the best teacher I’ve had at UNC. She was always available for help and truly cares about her students. She made me want to learn chemistry.’ ... Another noted, ‘I will continue to seek teachers like Dr. Ashby who truly love what they do, and are excellent at it!’
05 June: Ashby Featured in Carolina Women's Center Newsletter
NASA is planning to use microlithographic technology derived under the auspices of CERSP on a future mission to search for life on Mars. NASA scientists have been working with CERSP graduates Jason Rolland and Jacob Sprague, now at Liquidia, to develop a microfluidic device based on a polymeric fluoroether. For details see the following article.
Lab-on-a chip looks for life on Mars
NASA scientists have developed a new microfluidic system that is tough enough to be used in outer space.
Peter Willis at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, US, and colleagues have created a lab-on-a-chip that they claim can survive the extremes of the European ExoMars rover mission scheduled for launch in 2013. The device could detect molecules essential for life, such as amino acids, they say.
It probably won't find any little green men but the ExoMars rover is designed to collect and analyse Martian mineral samples to look for evidence of life. The mission will take two years to reach Mars, with temperatures varying from minus to plus 50 degrees Celsius, so new materials are needed to survive these stresses.
Willis explains that the new system's strength results from its layers of glass and an elastomer called perfluoropolyether. 'It does not degrade when exposed to non-aqueous solvent nor do the elastomer-glass interfaces seal shut if left dormant for long periods of time, as typically happens with microfluidic valves," he says. The team used the chip extensively at a range of temperatures and found that its performance was unaffected afterwards. The group now plan to check that the electrical characteristics of the devices do not change over time before working to make the system function unaided by humans.
As 2013 approaches, scientists can only speculate as to what the ExoMars rover will discover. As Jessica Malin, director of the Stanford Microfluidics Foundry, US, says: 'It will be exciting to see what scientific findings may result.' But with the help of his device, if there is evidence of life on Mars, past or present, Willis is confident that the ExoMars rover will find it.
Laura Howes
Chemical Technology Magazine
Link to journal article
Monolithic photolithographically patterned Fluorocur
PFPE membrane valves and pumps for in situ planetary
exploration http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/LC/article.asp?doi=b804265a
Peter A. Willis, Frank Greer, Michael C. Lee, J.
Anthony Smith, Victor E. White, Frank J. Grunthaner, Jacob J.
Sprague and Jason P. Rolland, Lab Chip, 2008
DOI:
10.1039/b804265a
RTI is seeking applicants to support our growing business in strategic advising on “green” product and process development. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work with a wide range of clients advising on technical and market issues, including regulatory and socio-economic aspects. This position will perform technology assessments and market opportunity analyses as well as actively source relevant innovation and suppliers on behalf of clients. RTI advises commercial, university, and government clients in finding (scouting), acquiring (licensing, M&A) and managing technologies and intellectual property. We are seeking both experienced and recent graduates interested in growing their and our ability to analyze technical and market issues to advise clients on sustainable business practices.
Applicants should possess a strong technical background in areas such as chemistry, materials science, environmental chemistry, and related development/manufacturing. Also of interest is product life cycle assessment from source through use and including disposal. Experience working in new product development, materials selection, packaging engineering will be a plus. Position(s) require excellent verbal and written communication skills.
About RTI
RTI is an independent organization dedicated to
conducting innovative, multidisciplinary research that improves the
human condition. With a worldwide staff of more than 2,600 people, RTI
offers innovative research and development and a full spectrum of
multidisciplinary services. Universities in
05 May: EAB Posters & Presentation are Now OnlineContact
Dan Winfield
919-541-6431
or
Jeff Cope
919-990-8478
Click here to view the posters & presentations from our annual fall EAB meeting (password protected).
Prof. Darlene Taylor, who has participated in CERSP for eight years and still leads our RICHES program, has won an award from Duke University on Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH). The BIRCWH is a K-12 Institutional Training Grant that provides faculty at Duke or NCCU a minimum of two years of salary and research development support to pursue research careers related to women's health. The program builds upon existing interdisciplinary faculty relationships to foster productive and innovative collaborations and is creating new research partnerships. For details click here.
Congratulations Darlene!
The Duke University School of Medicine and North Carolina Central University (NCCU) are recipients of a National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health (BIRCWH) grant.
The BIRCWH is a K12 Institutional Training Grant that provides faculty at Duke or NCCU a minimum of two years of salary and research development support to pursue research careers related to women's health. The program builds upon existing interdisciplinary faculty relationships to foster productive and innovative collaborations and is creating new research partnerships.
The Duke/NCCU BIRCWH is co-directed by Ann Brown, MD and Evan Myers, MD, and is administered within Dr. Brown’s Office of the Associate Dean for Women in Medicine and Science. An Advisory Board of Duke and NCCU faculty guides the BIRCWH program and BIRCWH mentors advise individual scholars.
02 May:
Prof. George Roberts Named
Co-Director of CERSP
Effective January 1, 2008
Prof. Ruben
Carbonell became Director of BTEC (Biomanufacturing Training and
Because of the time commitment of this new Directorship, Ruben has stepped
down as Co-Director of the NSF Science and
Ruben will remain active as a PI in CERSP and in helping secure the legacy of the Center. We are sorry to lose Ruben as Co-Director and wish him well in his new position. Many of our STC PIs will continue to work closely with him in his new position. His leadership helped CERSP come into being and contributed significantly to the success of the Center.
We welcome George into his new position as Co-Director and look forward to his increasing role as we work to secure a strong legacy for the Center. George has been a member of the CERSP management team since its early planning stages, most recently serving as Leader of the Macromolecular Synthesis and Engineering Domain. He has also been a member of the Technical Coordinating Committee and a crucial behind-the-scenes force within the STC for eight years.
01 May: Koros Wins KAUST Award
Professor William J. Koros of Georgia Tech, who heads our Separations Domain, has won one of 12 KAUST awards made to leading researchers worldwide. Prof. Koros and his team will receive $10 million for research over a five year period and will help the Saudi university establish a separations laboratory in the Kingdom. For details click here. This is one of three major awards landed recently by Georgia Tech teams lead by Prof. Koros, totaling $26 million. Others include a $12 million joint project with Chevron on separations related to biofuels and a $4 million joint project with ExxonMobil related to CO2 sequestration. Congratulations, Bill!
29 April: Gray Receives Prestigious
Award
Professor Denis Gray has been named Alumni
Distinguished Graduate
Professorship Award for 2007 at NC State University. This award recognizes
outstanding graduate level teaching at
23 April: Wei You Receives DuPont Award
14 April: "Nanoparticle Fabrication: Proteins in Print" Article in Nature Nanotechnology
http://us.gsk.com/html/career/jobsearch.html
job search #48098
13 March:
The ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable is pleased to be sponsoring
the following events:
All events are open to the public
2nd International Symposium on Green
Processing in the Pharmaceutical and Fine Chemical Industries
May 29-30, 2008 at Yale University in New Haven, CT USA
http://www.guidinggreen.com/Pharm_FineChem.html
Abstracts for student posters are now being accepted. Registration is now open!
12th Annual Green Chemistry &
Engineering Conference
June 24-26, 2008 at Capital Hilton in Washington, DC USA
www.gcande.org
Registration is now open!
(The ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable meeting is scheduled for June 23 at the
same location. The Roundtable meeting is open to current and prospective members
only. Send ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable inquiries to
gcipr@acs.org.)
Gordon Research Conference on Green
Chemistry
August 3-8, 2008 at Bates College in Lewiston, ME, USA
http://www.grc.org/programs.aspx?year=2008&program=green
Online application is now open!
2008 AIChE Topical Conference on Green Engineering and Sustainability in
the Pharmaceutical Industry
November 16-21 at the Philadelphia Marriott and Pennsylvania Convention Center
in Philadelphia, PA, USA
Call for Abstracts is now open.
http://aiche.confex.com/aiche/2008/cfp.cgi. Go to the bottom of the list of
Groups to Topical 5 (T5), Green Engineering and Sustainability in the
Pharmaceutical Industry and follow the instructions in submitting to the session
of interest.
(The ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable meeting will be co-located with this
conference. The Roundtable meeting is open to current and prospective members
only. Send ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable inquiries to
gcipr@acs.org.)
More information
on the ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable
The ACS GCI
Pharmaceutical Roundtable is a partnership between the ACS Green Chemistry
Institute and member pharmaceutical companies dedicated to the integration of
green chemistry and green engineering in the global pharmaceutical industry.
Members currently include AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly and
Company, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Inc., Pfizer Inc,
Schering Plough Corporation, and Wyeth. The Roundtable will be strongest when
all global pharmaceutical research, development, and manufacturing companies are
members. Send membership inquiries to
gcipr@acs.org or call (202) 872-6102. Website:
www.acs.org/gcipharmaroundtable
ACS Green Chemistry Institute
American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-6102
10 March: Fowler New CEO of Liquidia
Neil F. Fowler, formerly Johnson and Johnson and president of Centocor, was recently named Chief Executive Officer of Liquidia. For details see attached press release.
20 February: New Entrepreneurship Program
The Kenan-Flagler Business School is pleased to announced an exciting opportunity to get involved with its newest program, the UNC Business Accelerator for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (BASE). This announcement is a Call for Applicants for any early-stage entrepreneurs who may be interested. You may find details online at: http://www.kenan-flagler.unc.edu/KI/cse/BASE/applicants.cfm. Applications are due Mar. 7.
07 February:
PROFESSOR WILLIA
Professor
William J. Koros, the Roberto C. Goizueta Chair and Georgia
Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in
Peter N. Pintauro
06 February: The 12th Annual Green Chemistry
& Engineering Conference
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the premier event of the
year for chemists and engineers interested in green and sustainable innovation!
The 12th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference will feature
presentations across the range of topics in the field, with session tracks
including:
 | Analytical methods and technologies |
| Bio-based materials and processes |
| Catalysis |
| Education and outreach |
| Environmental decision making and metrics |
| New materials |
| Process design |
| Renewable chemical feedstocks |
| Renewable fuels |
| Solvents and solvent systems |
| Synthesis |
This year’s conference will be held June 24-26, 2008 at the Capital Hilton, in Washington, DC. The conference is organized each year by the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute with the active involvement of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and other federal government agencies, industry, academia, and other professional societies.
Abstract Submission is Closing Soon!
Abstracts for both oral and poster presentations are now being accepted by an electronic submissions system. To submit your abstract, please visit the conference website: http://acs.confex.com/acs/green08/cfp.cgi.
Abstracts are due February 13, 2008.
Registration and Housing Reservations are Now Open!
To make your reservations, as well as a preliminary schedule of events, and a
list of keynote speakers visit
www.gcande.org.
Early-Bird Registration Deadline: April 7, 2008.
ACS Green Chemistry Institute
American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-6102
04 February: Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report
Highlights Liquidia
Liquidia is mentioned in the front page article, "Nanotech Puts Cancer in
the Crosshairs" in the January Forbes/Wolfe Emerging Tech Report. Click
here to read the article.
23 January: ACS Green Chemistry Institute Awards Deadline
February 1, 2008 is the application deadline for two green chemistry Student Awards that are administered by the ACS Green Chemistry Institute, and February 29 is the deadline for the Summer School applications. Please help us spread the word to students and young scholars. International students are also encouraged to apply. There is no limit on the number of applications that can be submitted by any one academic institution or project advisor, and students may apply to both awards and to the summer school.
The Joseph Breen Memorial Fellowship sponsors a young international green chemistry scholar to participate in an international green chemistry technical meeting, conference, or training program of your choosing. “Young” international scholar is defined as undergraduate students, graduate students, post-docs, and above, but below the level of Assistant Professor and within the first seven years of a professional career. This fund commemorates the commitment and accomplishments of Joe Breen for the advancement of Green Chemistry. Click here to access the application information.
The Kenneth G. Hancock Memorial Award honors outstanding student contributions to furthering the goals of green chemistry through research or education. The award is a one-time cash award in the amount of $1,000 and is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of citizenship or country of study. The Kenneth G. Hancock Memorial Award is sponsored by the American Chemical Society’s Division of Environmental Chemistry and the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards & Technology. Click here to access the application information.
Applications for the sixth ACS Summer School on Sustainability and Green Chemistry are now being accepted until February 29, 2008. The program will be held July 9-17, 2008, at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO, and is open to graduate students and post-doctoral scholars in the Americas. A generous grant from the Argosy Foundation will support all participant costs. Please click here for application details.
ACS Green Chemistry Institute
American Chemical Society
1155 Sixteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-6102
22 January: Synthetic Polymer Chemist Position Available
The LORD Corporation of North Carolina is looking to hire a talented synthetic polymer chemist. Please have qualified students and/or post docs apply on-line at the link below for job # 507047 (Sr. Scientist). The LORD Corporation would like to fill this position as soon as possible.
http://lord.com/Home/Careers/FindaJob/tabid/3771/Default.aspx
The open position is for a motivated and creative synthetic chemist interested in working on a variety of polymeric materials. A good understanding synthetic methods is required. More information on this research opportunity can be found in the posting link above, job # 507047. Applicants must be permanent US citizens.
LORD is a diversified business-to-business chemical and mechanical company, with corporate research facilities in Cary, NC, near the culturally rich Raleigh and the RTP areas. LORD’s long history of innovative chemicals and designs has kept LORD a flexible and stable private company for many decades. LORD’s long standing research group is an ideal environment for creative applied polymer research.
Russell Stapleton, Ph.D.
Chemical and Microelectronic Materials Research
110 Lord Drive, Cary, NC 27512-8012
Phone:919.469.2500x2308, Fx:919.469.9688
email:russ_stapleton@lord.com /
web:www.lord.com
16 January: Presentations on Energy Efficiency in US Economy
R&D vice presidents of Dow Chemical Company and Ford Motor Company will speak on Jan 31 and Feb 8, respectively, at the Research Triangle Institute in RTP. For details click here.
15 January: Scientific American Top 50 Recognizes
Carbonell Work
In previous news ticker items we reported the successful testing by Prof.
Ruben Carbonell and his group of a "prion filter" for use against mad cow
disease and its human analog. Scientific American has recognized that
development in its Top 50 Awards for scientific accomplishments in business,
policy and research for 2007.
A photograph of the membrane device developed by the Carbonell group is on page 50 of the attached article. The text credits "Bob Rohwer and his colleagues". Bob Rohwer is the expert on prions that worked with Prof. Carbonell on this. Carbonell and his group identified and developed the membrane and filter concept as well as the methodology for finding specific ligands. The ligand identification and filter concept played a major role in taking this device close to commercialization.
Click here to read article from the January 2008 issue of Scientific American.
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