NC State Feature Stories

Stories From 2009

The Science of Santa

Santa skeptics have long considered St. Nick’s ability to deliver toys to the world’s good girls and boys in the course of one night a scientific impossibility. But new research shows that Santa is able to make his appointed rounds through the pioneering use of cutting-edge science and technology, explains NC State professor Dr. Larry Silverberg.

Turning the Tassel

On Saturday, Dec. 19, NC State sent its next group of talented, high-acheiving graduates into the world - students who have created lifelong memories and bonds on our campus while gaining the toolsand education they need to further pursue service, dreams and ambitions. Senior Emma Norton, who addressed her fellow graduates at commencement, spoke to us about what the time she's spent at NC State has meant to her as she prepares to take the next step in life.

A Year of Big Ideas

In 2009, our faculty and staff strove to advance research, education and service in a time of limited resources. But despite the challenges, it was most certainly a productive year on campus, where our community of more than 31,000 students and nearly 8,000 faculty and staff continued to fulfill the promise of this institution through groundbreaking discoveries, lifesaving research and pioneering innovations. As we move forward to 2010, join us in reliving some of NC State’s best ideas and advances from 2009.

Leaving Their Mark

Whether it’s those who provided the chairs we sit in, the classrooms we learn in, or the scholarships that have helped make our education possible, we’re truly fortunate to have the support of people who care about NC State, says senior class president Jay Dawkins.

Research on the Half Shell

NC State researchers and partners will lend a hand with a project to revitalize oyster beds along the Pamlico Sound and create jobs in an industry that has suffered during the recent economic downturn.

A Library In Your Pocket

When it comes to information about NCSU Libraries, yeah, we’ve got an app for that. The NCSU Libraries Mobile Web site provides students and faculty with the most complete of library services currently available for mobile devices. Using any mobile device with Web access, NC State students and faculty can access a range of library information – from book and article searches, computer availability to the length of the line at the café and Webcam views of construction at the new Hunt Library on Centennial Campus.

Thankful

In trading the blustery Connecticut winters for the balmy breezes that blow through NC State's campus all year long, senior Jezzette Rivera has found educational and life-enrichment opportunities she said wouldn't have been possible had she stayed closer to her Connecticut home.

N.C.’s Top Professor

NC State physics professor Robert Beichner has long been regarded as an expert not only in his field, but also as a teacher and a mentor with an uncanny ability to influence the lives and careers of his students and colleagues alike. His contributions to science education, from co-authoring a top-selling physics textbook to literally changing how our students are educated in the classroom, reach far beyond the boundaries of our own campus. Earlier today, Beichner was recognized for his efforts, and named North Carolina Professor of the Year by The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education [CASE].

Nothing But Net

Pay attention, Shaq: Two NC State engineers have figured out the best way to shoot a free throw - a frequently underappreciated skill that gets more important as the game clock winds down. For the rest of us, it's an opportunity to learn how to leave the bricks on the Brickyard and delve into the physics of a successful free throw.

What’s Old is New Again

Over time, our electronic devices have gotten flatter, faster and more technologically advanced, allowing us to work, watch or Facebook in ways we never have before. But many of the machines that they’ve replaced – like clunky, antiquated CRT monitors, stacks of CDs and inkjet printers – get shoved into supply closets, storage cabinets and even landfills, creating significant occupational and environmental issues that must be addressed.

About NC State Feature Stories

Whether developing technological breakthroughs or shaping the leaders of tomorrow, NC State is a transformational university. Learn more about the impact our work has on the world.