Faculty and Staff Notes

Klaenhammer Wins O. Max Gardner Award

Dr. Todd R. Klaenhammer, Distinguished University Professor of Food Science, Microbiology and Genetics at NC State, received the O. Max Gardner Award – the most significant universitywide honor given to faculty by the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

Dr. Todd Klaenhammer is the ninth NC State faculty member to win the O. Max Gardner Award in 14 years.

The award is presented each year to one faculty member from the system's 17 campuses recognized as having "made the greatest contribution to the welfare of the human race." Klaenhammer is the ninth NC State faculty member to win the O. Max Gardner Award in the past 14 years.

An elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, Klaenhammer studies genetic approaches to improving lactic acid bacteria, the "good" bacteria used as starter cultures and probiotics in fermented food and dairy products, like yogurt. Recently, he investigated the molecular mechanisms responsible for the survival and activity of probiotic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract and used that information to develop live bacterial delivery systems for oral vaccines.

Klaenhammer directs the Southeast Dairy Foods Research Center, which develops and applies new technologies for processing dairy products and ingredients with improved health and safety qualities.

Among other awards and honors, Klaenhammer is a fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, the American Academy of Microbiology and the American Dairy Science Association. He received the Nicolas Appert Award from the Institute of Food Technology in 2007; the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence, the highest award given to NC State faculty by the university, also in 2007; and the William C. Haines Dairy Research Science Award in 2006.

A native of Minnesota, Klaenhammer joined the NC State faculty in 1978. He was named William Neal Reynolds Professor in 1992, Alumni Distinguished Professor in 1993 and Distinguished University Professor in 2002.

Furlough Letter, Information Available

Additional information about state employee furloughs is available on the NC State Web site.

Gov. Beverly Perdue has issued a letter about the flexible furlough program for all state employees: http://www.ncsu.edu/budget/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/state-employees-furlough-letter-to-all-employees.pdf

For details of how the furlough will be implemented at NC State, consult the memo and charts updated May 13: http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/rm/budget_central/documents/FurloughImplementationUpdated.pdf

Updated questions and answers are posted on the budget news page under the FAQ section: http://www.ncsu.edu/budget/faculty-staff/

For the latest budget news, sign up for e-mail updates from NC State or check the pages below:

• Budget Central: http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/rm/budget_central/
• Budget News: http://www.ncsu.edu/budget/
• Office of State Personnel Web site (SPA employees): http://www.osp.state.nc.us/ExternalHome/

After the 19-mile swim, Dr. Michael Paesler showed his colors with an NC State cap.

Making a Splash: Prof Conquers Bosphorus

While swimming the 19-mile Bosphorus Straits in Turkey, physics professor Michael Paesler solved problems related to tricky currents, water temperature, timing and endurance. After emerging from the water, he donned an NC State cap for Turkish television, which posted clips of his May 14 solo swim.  

Paesler, a department head by day, trained in Carmichael Pool and Falls Lake before tackling the straits that separate the European and Asian sides of Turkey.

A competitive swimmer since childhood, he began marathon swimming in Lake Michigan while attending graduate school at the University of Chicago. He also was a member of two University of Chicago national championship teams in masters swimming, once holding the national record for the 1,650-yard freestyle in his age group.

After joining the World Professional Marathon Swimming Federation, in September 1970 as a graduate student, he crossed the English Channel from Cape Gris-Nez, France, to Folkstone, England. His time was the year's fastest, earning him the title "Channel Swimmer of the Year."

In his latest long-distance swim, Paesler tackled the shipping channel that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara. Although the city of Istanbul sponsors a group swim in July when the shipping channels are closed and the water is quite warm, his solo attempt  involved colder water, unpredictable currents and more boat traffic. He is taking part in a Turkish-American friendship exchange with the Divan Cultural Society of Cary from May 16-25.

Maj. Donald Lamb is the nation's top Air Force ROTC instructor.

ROTC Instructor Honored

Maj. Donald Land, Air Force ROTC Detachment 595 instructor and commandant of cadets, won the Leo A. Codd Memorial Award as best Air Force ROTC instructor. He was selected from among 529 instructors for the national award, given annually to the top ROTC instructors in each branch of the service.

The National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) sponsors the award in honor of the late Col. Leo A. Codd, a strong supporter of ROTC. As the first place winner, Land received a plaque, $500 savings bond and free one-year membership in the NDIA.

Land, a 1997 Air Force ROTC graduate from East Carolina University, has served three years as a member of the cadre at Detachment 595.

He will depart in July to be the chief of the Operations Division for the 13th Air Force Communications Directorate at Hickam Air Force Base in Hawaii.

Crayton Profiles Autism Advocate

Cherry Crayton, assistant editor with Alumni Affairs, won a bronze award in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education's national competition for Best Articles of the Year. "A Father's Pursuit," profiles alum Chuck Gardner, whose son Chas, now 16, is autistic. Gardner helped found the Medical Investigation into Neurological Disorders Institute on the University of California-Davis campus, dedicated to finding a cure for autism and other neurological disorders.

"A Father's Pursuit":  http://www.alumni.ncsu.edu/news/article.php?id=318.

First Year College Advisers Recognized

Karen Hauschild, associate director of First Year College, received an Outstanding Advising Certificate of Merit from the National Academic Advising Association. Heather Duhart, academic adviser for First Year College, was named Outstanding New Advisor.

Established in 1983, the awards honor individuals and institutions for improvements in academic advising. Awards will be presented Sept. 30 during the annual meeting in San Antonio.

Earthwise Winners Announced

The Office of Sustainability recently recognized a student, staff and faculty member for outstanding achievement in sustainability on campus with the sixth annual Earthwise Awards. Each received a recycled glass plaque, $200 cash and a pair of tickets to a football game.

Natalie Bunch, a Caldwell Fellow, serves as student-lead for the WE Recycle program in Waste Reduction and Recycling. She writes Installment, a monthly student newsletter on sustainability, and is known for asking participants to bring reusable utensils to Caldwell Fellow meetings where food will be served.

Marcus Wade Fulghum, program manager at the North Carolina Solar Center, helped organize a water challenge between NC State and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that saved more than 11 million gallons of water. He previously worked in NC State's Office of Energy Management.

Dr. H. Christopher Frey was honored for continued research and dedication to education in the fields of air pollution control, air quality and human exposure to air pollutants and pathogens. His work has demonstrated that soy-based B20 fuel leads to reductions in emissions of many air pollutants, including nitrogen oxides. He is a founding advisor of NC State's student chapter of the Air & Waste Management Association, recognized last year with the national association's third-place award for best student chapter.

Earthwise Winners: http://www.ncsu.edu/sustainability/earthwise.php%20

FYI: Gustke Wins

Nancy Gustke, visiting assistant professor of history, was selected as the university's First Year Inquiry Outstanding Teacher for 2009. FYI teachers are chosen for their eagerness and skill at guiding first year students through the transition from high school to college. Bill Shaw, interim director of FYI, told Gustke that to be selected as the outstanding teacher among this group "is a distinction that pays tribute to your knowledge, enthusiasm, creativity, patience and, of course, your good humor."

The award-winning National Opera House in Oslo, Norway, has the same designer as NC State's Hunt Library.

Hunt Library Designer Wins European Prize

Snøhetta, the lead designer for NC State's planned James B. Hunt Jr. Library, won a European architectural prize. Also known as the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, the award honored Snøhetta's design of the National Opera House in Oslo, Norway, which is rapidly becoming a national icon in the way that Sydney Opera House is for Australia. The Oslo building's sloping roof rises out of the adjacent fjord so that the building itself is not clearly distinguishable from the water that fronts it.

Snøhetta is also known for designs for the Alexandria National Library in Alexandria, Egypt, and the National Sept.11 Memorial and Museum in New York.

Snøhetta is working with Pearce Brinkley Cease + Lee, the North Carolina-based executive architect for the new Hunt Library, to deliver a similarly iconic heart for NC State's Centennial Campus. Scheduled to open in 2012, the research library will help fill a serious need for library seating.

• James B. Hunt Jr. Library: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/huntlibrary/
• Mies van der Rohe Award: http://www.miesarch.com/images/stories/contingut/pdf/press_release_winnerselectedeng.pdf
• Oslo Opera House: http://www.oslooperahouse.com/

Arts NC State Presents Bowers Medals

Arts supporters Richard Bryant, Paul Michaels, Mimi McKinney and the late Claude McKinney received the 2009 Bowers Medal of Arts Award from Arts NC State.

Bryant, co-founder and president of Capital Investment Companies in Raleigh, is a 1981 College of Management alumnus. A founding member and former chairperson of the Friends of Arts NC State (FANS) Board of Advisors, Bryant created a thriving NC State Athletic Bands Endowment. He co-chaired the Frank Thompson Hall Renovation Campaign that raised $2.8 million in private funds.

Michaels was instrumental in creating Arts NC State, the umbrella organization for the six visual and performing arts at the university. He served as the first chair of the FANS Board of Advisors. Following two terms on the board, he served as Arts NC State's campaign co-chair for the Achieve!capital campaign. He is a partner at the Raleigh law firm of Michaels and Michaels.

The McKinneys were honored for contributions to the community, NC State University and Arts NC State. The late Claude McKinney served as dean and professor in the College of Design from 1973 to 1988. He was founding coordinator for the development of Centennial Campus, served on the FANS Board of Advisors, advocated for the Frank Thompson Hall Renovation and actively served throughout the community. He passed away in November 2008. Mimi McKinney served on the Friends of the Gregg (FOG) Board of Directors and co-chaired the 1991 FOG Gala. The McKinneys were founding members of the University Visual Arts Center, which became the Gregg Museum of Art & Design.

Arts NC State: www.ncsu.edu/arts.

Alumni Join CHASS Advisory Board

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences welcomed two alumni to its Board of Advisors

Barry Beith is founder and president of HumanCentric and a partner in HumanCentric Research, focused on improving the human experience with technology. Beith, who earned a doctorate in psychology/ergonomics in 1988, serves as associate adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology. The department named him its Distinguished Alumnus in 2004.

Maria Kingery is co-founder and co-owner of Southern Energy Management (SEM), headquartered in Morrisville. Her company focuses on renewable energy and energy efficiency, serving residential, commercial and industrial clients. Kingery directs human resources and oversees sales and marketing. Prior to co-founding SEM in 2001, she was retail operations manager for Burt's Bees, where she helped expand the availability of products and open the company's first retail store in Carrboro. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from NC State in 1999.

Multi-Disciplinary Team Takes Top Journal Award

A team article by faculty members in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences was chosen for the American Society for Horticultural Science's Outstanding Extension Publication Award. Olha Sydorovych, Charles Safley, Rob Welker, Lisa Ferguson, David Monks, Katie Jennings, Jim Driver and Frank Louws evaluated the economics of methyl bromide alternatives for tomatoes. "Economic Evaluation of Methyl Bromide Alternatives for the Production of Tomatoes in N.C." was published in December 2008 in the journal Horticultural Technology. Team members are from the departments of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Plant Pathology and Horticultural Science. The award will be presented July 25 in St. Louis at the association's annual conference.

Harrison Named University Distinguished Professor

Dr. Antony Harrison, professor of English and head of the Department of English, has been recognized as a University Distinguished Professor. Harrison, one of the world's foremost authorities on Victorian literature, has earned international recognition. He has written five books and edited seven, authored 34 articles and more than a dozen poetic works, and currently serves on five leading editorial boards. Nominators say Harrison has earned his international scholarly reputation "while being an outstanding teacher and doing yeoman's service to the English department, CHASS, and NC State," and that the department's size makes his scholarship particularly impressive.

Employees Combine Forces to Give $521,000

NC State employees gave $521,000 to local charities in 2008 through the State Employees Combined Campaign.

"When you think of the economic times we are in, this is really a wonderful accomplishment and statement for NC State's 'family' to make on behalf of others," said Chancellor James Oblinger.

The total was just under the campaign goal of $525,000, which was set in August, before the recession hit, said Gene Bressler, 2008 chair. "These funds will surely help many in our extended community during these tough economic times," he added.

Through SECC, employees can contribute to more than 1,000 organizations.

State Employees Combined Campaign: http://www.ncsu.edu/secc/

Advance Scholars Selected

Seventeen faculty members, representing all 10 academic colleges, have been appointed as Advance Scholars. During their three-year terms, they will study the effects of unconscious bias on academic culture, and work with leaders in their colleges to enhance faculty diversity.

Advance, funded by the National Science Foundation, colleges at NC State and the Provost's Office, promotes the careers of women and underrepresented minority faculty. Advance is based on the concept that people most readily adopt new ideas when they hear about them from a respected friend or colleague. Advance Scholars form the core of this program.

Members of the Emerging Leaders, a group of associate professors and senior assistant professors, focus on leadership development for women and faculty of color. They are Maria Teresa Correa, associate professor of epidemiology and public health; Jessica DeCuir-Gunby, assistant professor of educational psychology; Joel Ducoste, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering; Julie Earp, associate professor of information technology; Heidi Grappendorf, assistant professor of sport management; Amy Grunden, associate professor of microbiology; Wendy Krause, assistant professor of textile engineering, chemistry and science; Kara Peters, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; and Traciel Reid, associate professor of political science and public administration and CHASS Director for Diversity Programs.

The Senior Leaders group consists of full professors and department heads. They are Robin Abrams, head of the School of Architecture; Ruth Chabay, professor of physics;  Margaret Daub, head of the Department of Plant Biology; Christine Grant, professor of chemical engineering and associate dean of faculty development and special initiatives in the College of Engineering; Karla Henderson, professor of parks, recreation and tourism management; Thomas Schaefer, professor of physics; Paola Sztajn, professor of mathematics education; and Ken Zagacki , head of the Department of Communication.