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NCSU restricts tailgate parties
football games parkingTougher Parking Rules Announced for N.C. State Football Games
football games parking
N.C.
State Plans Changes To Football Parking
football games parking
Shootings
last weekend prompt school officials to change parking rules
football games parking
Tougher
parking rules announced for N.C. State football games
football games parking
Second
woman charged
tailgating murders
More
Details Emerge In NCSU Shooting
tailgating murders
Family,
Friends Bury Man Shot At N.C. State
tailgating murders
Officials
Discuss Fairground Lot Issues
tailgating murders
Apartment,
cars yield evidence
Timothy Johnson, student
Wake
County, NCSU Aim To Attract Nonwoven Textile Jobs To Area
Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center, College of Textiles
9/11
Commemorative Events
wreath-laying ceremony
Road
planning key to area's growth
Institute for Transportation Research and Education
NCSU
teen institute taps 11 from Raleigh
N.C. Teen Leadership Institute
Having
A Field Day At Upper Mountain
Ashe Research Station Takes On New Crops, Superintendent
ASU
misses chance for construction funds
Appalachian and NC State University were the only two institutions to not receive
funds.
Playboy
taps Tar Heel for cover
students
Opinion:
Tailgating, safely
tailgatiing murders
Letter
to the editor:Unacceptable act
tailgatiing murders
Carlson
Named to 2004 Class of American Agricultural Economics Association
Fellows, Association's Highest Honor
Gerald Carlson, agricultural and resource economics
Twelve
women are among NSF-supported young scientists and engineers to receive
Presidential award
Carla Mattos, molecular and structural biochemistry
Tougher
parking rules announced for N.C. State football games
football game parking
Tailgating
should be safe, fun for all
tailgating murders
Local
Men Murdered At Tailgate Party
tailgating murders
Tougher Parking Rules Announced for N.C. State Football Games
Sept. 10, 2004
WRAL
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Parking at North Carolina State University home football games will tighten after the shooting deaths of two men during a tailgate party last week.
The plan will limit access to the state fairgrounds lot where the men were shot to ticketholders. The school will allot 600 spaces for students and 600 for others. Law enforcement officers will now patrol the lot.
Other changes include:
The main entrances to the fairground parking will be at the large oak tree on Trinity Road and at the entrance on Youth Center Drive. McLaurin Parking staff will control this area via parking permit supervision and will manage the lots to maximize the spacing of vehicles. Signs will designate this area as "State Fairground Parking."
The changes are similar to parking procedures at Carter-Finley Stadium and the nearby RBC Center and go into place for N.C. State's Sept. 18 game against Ohio State.
Two men have been charged with first-degree murder in the shootings before N.C. State's season-opener Saturday against Richmond.
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer; The Strutting Wolf
By TIM SIMMONS
© Copyright 2004
The fatal shooting of two young men at N.C. State University's football game Saturday has led to a crackdown on tailgate parties at the State Fairgrounds where the deaths occurred.
The changes announced Thursday by university and fairgrounds officials are designed to eliminate large parties thrown by people who are not attending the game.
Beginning with the next home game, Sept. 18, only fans with parking permits will be allowed on the fairgrounds lot, and they will not be allowed to enter the area more than three hours before the game begins.
Access to the lot will be reduced to two entrances -- one off Trinity Road and the other off Youth Center Drive. Additional uniformed police officers will be used to patrol the area of roughly 1,500 parking spaces.
McLaurin Parking Co. will direct parking to keep fans from trying to save spaces for friends or set up large party areas. The rules are basically the same as those in effect for university parking north of Trinity Road, which is controlled by NCSU. Activities in private lots are unaffected.
Rules governing alcohol use, which some fans say is at the root of the problems, will remain unchanged. Only beer and wine are permitted.
"What we are trying to do as much as possible is duplicate the policies for all of the lots we control," said Tom Stafford, NCSU vice chancellor for student affairs. "Some have suggested we ban alcohol, but that just isn't practical."
NCSU currently uses 80 to 100 officers -- some under contract through the Raleigh Police Department and the Wake County Sheriff's Office -- to patrol parking areas that accommodate more than 8,000 spaces.
Stafford said details are being worked out to determine how many officers will be needed and where they will be stationed.
The obvious winners under the agreement are NCSU students and members of the Wolfpack Club who are on waiting lists for available parking spaces. The plan sets aside 600 spaces for students and 600 for Wolfpack Club members with season tickets. Students will pick up permits with their game tickets. Permits will be mailed to eligible club members.
Several hundred spaces will also be set aside for RVs.
University officials hope the increased police presence and tighter controls over who can hold tailgate parties will help security.
Many blame drinking
The sheriff's office has yet to determine the extent to which alcohol played a role in the deaths of 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, a Camp Lejeune Marine, and his friend, Kevin McCann, who was visiting from Chicago.
But e-mail messages released Thursday by NCSU interim Chancellor Robert Barnhardt make clear that fans thought drinking in the area was often out of control.
Some described the homicides as a tragedy waiting to happen. Others said they no longer bring spouses or business clients to a game because drunken, abusive fans are commonplace.
Others who have attended games question why people were allowed to begin parties on the fairground lot as early as Friday night.
Marilyn Forrest and her husband, who live near Richmond, Va., have had season tickets for the past three years, but this year they sent them back.
Forrest said problems in the lot were part of the reason. She said many in the lots did not attend the game, and she has seen young people passed out on the ground when she returned to her car.
Stafford said he hopes the changes will be a first step in changing a culture in which alcohol fuels many complaints.
But changes involving alcohol use -- if any -- won't happen immediately. Kegs will draw attention from officers but are not prohibited. And people will still be allowed to visit their cars at halftime and return to the stadium.
(Staff writer Matt Ehlers contributed to this report.)
Road planning key to area's growth
Sept. 10, 2004
Henderson Daily Dispatch
By CHARLIE RICHARDS
© Copyright 2004
OXFORD - Area leaders and planners were advised Thursday to remember the effect their highway planning will have on how their communities will grow and develop.
The advice to the Rural Planning Organization (RPO) that guides the area's transportation planning came after the speaker warned that "North Carolina will not feel like North Carolina very long" if it continues to urbanize the way it has in recent years.
"We will feel like New Jersey," said Janet D'Ignazio, a planner with the Institute for Transportation Research and Education at N.C. State University, a part of its Center for Transportation and Environment.
Also associated with the N.C. Smart Growth Alliance, D'Ignazio said that traffic jams in the Research Triangle suggest its designers never thought of its effect on traffic and she wondered if it will become "the Los Angeles of the east."
Such conditions are to be avoided if rural areas like the Tri-County area are to enjoy the benefits of Smart Growth, which preserves an area's livability and natural resources while still providing economic opportunity.
D'Ignazio was a guest presenter at the regular meeting of the RPO, attended by representatives of Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties.
In its regular business the group approved the newly developed rating system for determining priorities of future road projects, began discussing a list of communities that should have new thoroughfare plans and discussed proposed losses of the area it represents.
The latter point results from proposed expansion of the Metropolitan Planning Organi-zation that serves Wake County. Part of Granville County, including Creedmoor, is expected to transfer to that organization, as well as part of Franklin County.
Part of Person may join with the Durham agency.
So this area's RPO, its structure and the area it plans for is subject to change. But its overall purpose, to coordinate road planning for the area and represent it to the state's Department of Transportation, will not change.
And it is in that function that the Smart Growth principles preached by D'Ignazio may be applied.
Her presentation began with an overview of the state's growth, with as much of it coming in the last decade of the previous century as did in the previous 40 years. That urbanization pressure from the Triangle area is being felt in this rural area, she said.
"And we don't see any tremendous slowing," she said.
She spoke of the loss of farm land and farms, declining air and water quality and the costs of infrastructure that come with population growth.
All of these effects can be managed with Smart Growth principles, D'Ignazio suggested, such principles as preserving green space, compact but mixed land uses and integrated transportation.
But since her audience was concerned with transportation, it was to that subject she aimed her advice.
"You can't disconnect land-use planning and transportation," she said, adding, "It is important to manage transportation to reduce congestion and travel." The failure to do that is what created the traffic problem that is the Triangle Park area and other high growth areas today.
Her conclusion was, "In your transportation planning, don't forget the effect it will have on how your area will grow and develop."
N.C. State Plans Changes To Football Parking
Sept. 10, 2004
NBC 17
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. -- North Carolina State University announced Thursday a plan for fairground parking on Trinity Road during North Carolina State football games.
The changes will be in place for N.C. State's next home football game on Sept. 18.
The plan includes:
The main entrances to the fairground parking lot will be at the large oak tree on Trinity Road and at the entrance on Youth Center Drive.
Law enforcement personnel will patrol the fairground lot.
Sept. 10, 2004
Rocky Mount Telegram
By J. Eric Eckard
© Copyright 2004
Wake County authorities on Tuesday night arrested a fourth suspect in the shootings that left two men dead Saturday in Raleigh.
Rachel Louise French, 20, of Apex was charged with accessory after the fact of murder, the second woman to be charged with helping two brothers accused of murder.
French was arrested about 8 p.m. Tuesday and jailed under a $100,000 bond.
Brothers Tony H. Johnson, 20, and Timothy W. Johnson, 22, both Tarboro High School graduates, were each charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Kevin M. McCann, 23, of Chicago and U.S. Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman, 23, of Park Ridge, Ill.
The men were killed during a tailgating party in the parking lot of Carter-Finley Stadium moments before an N.C. State football game began. Initially, witnesses said the shootings stemmed from an argument between the Johnson brothers and McCann and Harman.
Some witnesses said the four men exchanged punches earlier in the day after a carton of beer cans was thrown at Tony Johnson’s car as he sped through a crowded parking lot just off Trinity Road. The brothers returned with a handgun.
Others said that McCann and Harman helped break up an earlier fight between the brothers and another group. Later, the brothers came back and shot McCann and Harman.
After the shootings, the Johnsons fled the area.
Tony Johnson's girlfriend, Ashley Renee Brown, 18, of Tarboro is accused of taking him to a motel in Wilson and helping him get a room. Brown was arrested Sunday and charged with accessory after the fact of murder. She also was jailed under a $100,000 bond.
French is accused of helping Timothy Johnson evade arrest until his capture later that night.
The Johnson brothers and Brown made their first court appearance Tuesday, and Tony Johnson and Timothy Johnson were remanded without bail. Brown's bail stayed at $100,000. French's first court appearance was held Wednesday.
Divers found a gun Tuesday in Jordan Lake "that matched the description of the weapon we were looking for," said Wake County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Phyllis Stephens. Authorities are expected to test the gun to see if it matches the bullets that killed Harman and McCann. Stephens refused to say what led them to Jordan Lake.
Information fromThe Associated Press is included in this report.
Shootings last weekend prompt school officials to change parking rules
Sept. 10, 2004
Winston-Salem Journal
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH - Parking at N.C. State University home football games will be tightened after the shooting deaths of two men during a tailgate party last week.
The plan will limit access to the state-fairgrounds lot -where the men were shot - to ticketholders, allotting 600 spaces for students and 600 for others. Law-enforcement officers will now patrol the lot.
Student parking permits will be issued through the usual ticket distribution centers. The Wolfpack Club, the school's athletics booster club, will mail parking permits to eligible season-ticket holders.
Also, the fairground lot will have controlled access beginning at 8 a.m. on the day before a game. On game day, fairground parking will open three hours before game time.
Two men have been charged with first-degree murder in the shootings before N.C. State's season-opener Saturday against Richmond.
Playboy taps Tar Heel for cover
Sept. 9, 2004
Durham Herald-Sun
By staff reports
© Copyright 2004
DURHAM -- Evelyn Gery, a UNC junior from Durham, is Playboy's newest cover girl.
Gery, who graduated from Durham Academy in 2000, has the cover of the famous men's magazine to herself. It hits newsstands today.
Gery is the only UNC student appearing in the magazine's "Girls of the ACC" issue. She is featured in two photos in the magazine, clothed in one, nude in the other.
Two Duke students and five N.C. State students are among the women from Atlantic Coast Conference schools also featured in the pictorial.
Playboy came to the area earlier this year and conducted a series of photo shoots, mostly off campus so as not to irritate local universities, a magazine spokeswoman said.
Gery will sign autographs Tuesday at noon at The Newsstand on Elliott Road.
Tougher parking rules announced for N.C. State football games
Sept. 9, 2004
Associated Press; Charlotte Observer; News 14 Carolina; WCNC; Wilmington Morning Star
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. — Parking at North Carolina State University home football games will tighten after the shooting deaths of two men during a tailgate party last week.
The plan will limit access to the state fairgrounds lot where the men were shot to ticketholders, allotting 600 spaces for students and 600 for others. Law enforcement officers will now patrol the lot.
Student parking permits will be issued through normal ticket distribution centers. The Wolfpack Club, the school's athletic booster club, will mail parking permits to eligible season-ticket holders.
Also, the fairground lot will have controlled access beginning at 8 a.m. of the day before a game. On game day, fairground parking will open three hours before game time.
The changes are similar to parking procedures at Carter-Finley Stadium and the nearby RBC Center. They go into place for N.C. State's Sept. 18 game against Ohio State.
Two men have been charged with first-degree murder in the shootings before N.C. State's season-opener Saturday against Richmond.
The plan was developed by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the university.
More Details Emerge In NCSU Shooting
Sept. 9, 2004
WTVD
By Tim Nelson
© Copyright 2004
One of the victims from Saturday night's shooting outside an N.C. State football game was laid to rest today.
Funeral services were held in the Chicago area for 23-year-old Kevin McCann. He and his friend, Brett Harman, were shot and killed Saturday night.
We have learned new details about what led to those shootings.
"You know it's tough, one day you're in school, the next day you're in jail, people are dead, you're accused of something," attorney Joe Cheshire says of his newest client, 22-year old Timothy Johnson.
The N.C State psychology student and his brother, 20-year old Tony Johnson, both face two counts of murder in the shooting deaths at Carter-Finley stadium Saturday night.
There have been conflicting reports about what led to the shootings, including the story that the Johnson brothers left the state fairgrounds lot and came back with a gun following an altercation with the victims.
That, Cheshire says, is false.
"There was no leaving, there was no fight and then leaving to acquire a gun and coming back and using a gun," he adds.
When Eyewitness News reporter Tim Nelson asked Cheshire if there was a gun there the entire time, he answered that "I understand that from a number of different people that, yes, the gun was always there."
Cheshire says he can't discuss who owned the weapon or whether Timothy Johnson is the brother accused of pulling the trigger.
He can say, however, that Timothy is very upset about what happened Saturday night and hopes people will wait to hear the whole story before jumping to conclusions.
"He's very remorseful that he's been involved in a situation here. I think people, as they see what the truth is in this case, will understand a lot better what happened, it won't make them less sad, but it'll make them more understanding."
Ultimately, though, it won't matter how Timothy Johnson is judged in the court of public opinion, but rather, it will matter how he's judged in a court of law.
Having A Field Day At Upper Mountain
Sept. 9, 2004
Mountain Times
By Miles Tager
© Copyright 2004
The tobacco looked rich and warm in the late summer sun; so did the squash and raspberries and strawberries and tomatoes.
At the Upper Mountain Research Station last Friday, the hundred scientists, farmers and Cooperative Extension agents gathered for the event were not the only ones having a Field Day.
The annual Burley Tobacco Field Day at the state facility became a more multi-purposed celebration this year, with a new superintendent on board, a visit by North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Britt Cobb, and demonstrations of programs ranging from different tobacco strains to the community garden and stream restoration.
Presiding coordinator William Collins from N.C. State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences introduced new superintendent Les Miller, who replaced long-serving head Joe Hampton reassigned to the Piedmont Research Station earlier this year.
Miller, who had worked in both the private and public sectors of research, had “a diverse ag background,” Collins said
Beginning August 7, Miller said he had “two and half weeks to get ready for the field day” and offered “a special thanks to my staff” for preparing the event.
Sandy Maddox, Director of Research Stations at N.C. State, said the facility demonstrated “a cooperative effort” between State and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture that was critical “in difficult budget times.”
Dr. Steve Leath, Associate Interim Dean and Director for North Carolina Agricultural Research Service at N.C. State, said that “the future is still strong in agricultural research,” and that facilities like Upper Mountain “help keep our farmers competitive.”
Edwin Jones, Associate Director of Agricultural Programs at N.C. State, praised the role of the university’s Cooperative Extension program, which he described as the “third arm of N.C. State” along with teaching and research.
R.G. Shipley from the Burley Stabilization Corporation outlined the most recent data on tobacco production, with both acreage and production in North Carolina continuing to drop and the details of the Tobacco Buyout still being worked out.
The state produced 8.4 million lbs of tobacco in 2003, down from 9.5 million lbs in 2002, and acreage dropped from 6,300 acres to 6,000 acres statewide.
After the presentations participants visited some of the different research areas being pursued at the station, from Official and Regional Tobacco Variety Tests to Insect Management, Methyl Bromide Alternatives, Natural Resources Conservation Service Stream Bank Stabilization, and the station’s Community Garden Project.
The Community Garden Project, begun in 2003, grows a range of produce for local citizens who buy into the project, enabling the station or a private farmer to work an acre or more specifically for their produce.
The station is experimenting with different items, growing techniques, and cost/pricing ratios to determine how the system would best work to pay the farmer and encourage community participation, according to Extension Alternative Agriculture Agent Richard Boylan.
Participants in the 2003 Community Supported Agriculture project will receive twenty weeks worth of fresh produce for their investment, and the station hopes that local private farmers will begin similar programs based on the research at Upper Mountain.
Joe Mickey of the Natural Resources Conservation Service outlined some past stream bank restoration projects that would be models for one proposed along Peak Creek that runs through the station.
Upper Mountain Research Station was established in 1944 (Commissioner of Agriculture Jim Graham was first superintendent) and encompasses 420 acres devoted to testing winter hardiness and new crops for the mountain counties.
The station has hosted studies on Christmas trees, burley tobacco, cattle, sheep and a variety of horticultural and non-traditional crops.
Family, Friends Bury Man Shot At N.C. State
Sept. 9, 2004
NBC 17
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
CHICAGO -- Friends and family gathered at a Chicago church Thursday to bury a man who was shot as he was tailgating at North Carolina State University's Carter Finley Stadium.
Several dozen people waited to get into the church to pay their final respects to Kevin McCann as his casket was carried into the church.
McCann and his friend, Brett Harman, were killed last Saturday at an NCSU football tailgating party, where they met some friends. Witnesses said a driver careened into the group, and was told to slow down. A fight broke out, and the driver allegedly returned to the group with a gun and shot Harman and McCann.
"It ended up as a little scuffle, and it turned into something a lot bigger," said Djiewiatkowski. "It's just a tragedy, that's all."
Four people have been charged in the case.
NCSU student Timothy Johnson, 22, and Tony Johnson, 20, are charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The men, who are brothers, are being held at the Wake County Jail on no bond. They face the death penalty if convicted.
Two women, Rachel Louise French, 20, of Apex, and Ashley Brown, 18, of Tarboro, have been charged with accessory after the fact to murder.
French was accused of assisting Timothy Johnson in escaping detection and arrest, an arrest warrant said. Brown allegedly drove Tony Johnson to a hotel and helped him get a room. Both are being held at the Wake County Jail on $100,000 bonds.
Investigators told NBC 17 that they are looking for one other possible accomplice in the case.
Meanwhile, friends and family spoke well of McCann at his wake.
"His smile went from ear to ear," said Craig Djiewiatkowski, McCann's wrestling teammate at Notre Dame High School in Niles. "No matter what, you would always laugh around Kevin."
"We've known Kevin since he was 4 years old," said Kathy Constantini, a family friend. "And he was a wonderful boy -- he was good friends with my son when they were little. They went to high school together and the best family -- wonderful, wonderful people. It's such a loss."
Craig Fallico, who was McCann's wrestling coach at Maine South High School in Chicago, said almost 3,000 people came to the wake.
"I mean, it was just beautiful," he said. "It was just a tribute to a beautiful family and beautiful person -- Kevin. But this day is very hard -- horribly, terribly hard."
ASU misses chance for construction funds
Sept. 9, 2004
The Appalachian Online
By Justin Boulmay
© Copyright 2004
Appalachian State University was passed over during an allocation of construction funds by the North Carolina General Assembly during a year when the university again suffered reductions in its budget.
Fourteen schools in the UNC school system received direct appropriations from the General Assembly for construction projects related to health facilities. The total amount allocated between all the schools was approximately $400 million.
According to a report from the Board of Governors, East Carolina University received $60 million for construction on their Cardiovascular Diseases Institute. Elizabeth City State University received $28 million for a pharmacy school.
Other schools received money for similar projects. Appalachian and NC State University were the only two institutions to not receive funds.
“We didn’t even know the bill was even being submitted,” Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Jane P. Helm said.
Helm also said she was unaware of the process used to determine which schools received additional funds. Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock said the same, and added he was disappointed he did not get a chance to vie for some of those funds.
“I don’t have a problem if I have a chance to compete and I lose, and it’s a fair game, but I do have a problem if I don’t have a chance to compete, and I have to admit, that was a very disappointing day to me to find out that this institution didn’t really have a chance at really making a case for our need,” Peacock said.
“This just cannot happen again,” Peacock said Friday during an address to the Appalachian State Board of Trustees.
Peacock said 90 percent of Appalachian’s student body is from North Carolina and should get the same treatment students from other universities receive. “They attend this university and they deserve the same benefits,” Peacock said.
An increased interest in health programs at Appalachian is another reason why the University should have received some of the money, Peacock said.
Peacock said requesting appropriations from the General Assembly is not the normal process for getting funds.
“All of us are supposed to go through the Board of Governors with our appropriations request,” Peacock said.
The request is based on student credit hours or direct needs, he said. The BOG looks at all requests, looks at the focus and needs of each school and then decides which University will receive the most. Peacock said their choice can differ from year to year.
“It was a little unusual to have some with direct appropriations coming from the General Assembly, but they were certainly worthwhile causes and I’m not at all opposed to that,” Peacock said. “I question the process, if that was the right process to follow, to have those projects funded in that way.”
The missed funds came during the fifth year Appalachian has seen both permanent and non-recurring budget cuts.
The non-recurring cuts, which Appalachian will be reimbursed for in the future, were 2 percent, and the permanent cuts were 1.51 percent, bringing the total budget cuts to 3.5 percent, or $3 million, for the 2004-05 year.
Helm said the enrollment money Appalachian receives is used to help balance that loss, but still hurts the University since it can’t be used to accommodate the growing student population.
The school system also loses money when the state needs funds for cleanup operations after a natural disaster, such as a hurricane.
Helm said the effects of the cuts won’t be immediate but can be seen over time.
“If I remove a grounds position or a housekeeper, at first you won’t even know. There’s so many that you won’t see that, but over time, you will be able to tell it wasn’t the same as it was ten years ago or five years ago,” Helm said.
No employees have been laid off because of the cuts, Helm said. Instead, whenever someone leaves their position, the university chooses not to hire someone to replace them.
Wake County, NCSU Aim To Attract Nonwoven Textile Jobs To Area
Sept. 9, 2004
WRAL
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Wake County wants to bring more textiles jobs back to North Carolina. It is looking to a world leader in cutting-edge textile research to help do just that.
"The textile industry is simply going through a transition," said Ted Morris of North Carolina State University.
That transition is to nonwoven textiles -- textiles that do not contain yarns and are not woven together. For example, household wipes that will not tear or wear.
Wake County just launched an effort to bring nonwoven textile jobs to the area with the help of N.C. State University.
"We use their contacts with industry, the tremendous amount of research that's going on and their knowledge of cutting-edge technology. We combine that with our ability to market and sell and take the message all across the world," said Ken Atkins of Wake County Economic Development.
Leaders at N.C. State's College of Textiles say companies have many reasons to want to be near the university. For example, its Nonwovens Cooperative Research Center, which trains students and professionals.
"This facility is the only one of its type in the world, and our academic programs created for the nonwoven sector do not exist anywhere else in the world," said Behnam Pourdeyhimi, of the College of Textiles.
N.C. State is perhaps the only university with a 3D body scan machine, which gives head-to-toe measurements in 30 seconds.
Wake County hopes this will attract companies that specialize in the perfect fit. Most importantly, the county hopes the new partnership with N.C. State is the perfect fit to save North Carolina's textile heritage.
The partnership hopes to recruit more than 300 companies. They want the companies to do research and development near N.C. State University, but manufacturing plants could be built in surrounding counties.
Officials Discuss Fairground Lot Issues
Sept. 9, 2004
Pack Pride; The Strutting Wolf; Clemson Tigers Insider; The Territory.org, FL
By Michael Byrne
© Copyright 2004
Officials from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and N.C. State met Wednesday to discuss changes in security and safety procedure for the Fairgrounds Lot on Trinity Road, site of Saturday’s shooting deaths of two young men visiting the area for N.C. State’s football game against the University of Richmond.
North Carolina Department of Agriculture spokesman Brian Long told Pack Pride that meeting was attended by N.C. State Interim Chancellor Robert Barnhardt, N.C. State Athletic Director Lee Fowler, and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb, among others.
Long told Pack Pride that the Department of Agriculture, which owns the Fairgrounds lot, took Saturday’s shootings “very seriously,” and stressed that officials were working quickly to improve fan safety at the Trinity Road lot and attempt to prevent such a “tragedy” from happening again. Long also emphasized that N.C. State and Department of Agriculture officials were “working together” on the issue and hoped to announce their plans soon, perhaps as quickly as Friday of this week.
N.C. State spokesman Keith Nichols, when contacted by Pack Pride, stated that the meeting took place and several potential plans of action were discussed, but that no final decisions had been made.
The Trinity Road lot, across that road from Carter-Finley Stadium, is part of the Department of Agriculture’s North Carolina State Fairgrounds complex, and has for many years served as a tailgating area for N.C. State football fans.
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer
By Joyce Sykes
© Copyright 2004
Organizations in the Triangle have planned events to memorialize the Sept.
11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City, Washington and Pennsylvania.
Saturday is the third anniversary of the attacks.
WAKE COUNTY
EXPLORIS: Exploris in downtown Raleigh will have hands-on activities for children, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday that will include make-and-take mosaics and origami peace cranes.
Speakers and representatives from the Asian, Middle Eastern, Slavic and West African communities will have activity booths at the museum during the day. Exploris is at 201 E. Hargett St. Admission is free on this day. Information: Call Andrea Hill at 857-1085 or send e-mail to ahill@exploris.org.
MEMORIAL CEREMONY: A public safety event with a 9/11 memorial ceremony will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Colonial Baptist Church, 6051 Tryon Road, Cary.
A 9/11 memorial program begins at 8 p.m. The event also will feature exhibits and demonstrations with patrol cars, fire engines, a Highway Patrol helicopter, a home fire safety exhibit in English and Spanish, and "River," a retired search and rescue dog with the Wake County Sheriff's Office.
Parents can get a free inspection of their child safety seat and a "Kid Care ID." Food and drinks will be sold. Proceeds from food sales will benefit two local charities, the 200 Club of Wake County, which provides immediate financial support to the spouse and children of officers killed in the line of duty, and Feed the Firefighters Inc., which supplies food to firefighters and emergency personnel during extended emergencies. Information: 233-9100.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION: All local firefighters, law enforcement officials, military personnel and emergency rescue team members are invited to the St. Augustine's Falcons first home football game Saturday. Guests will get free admission to the game, and family members will get tickets for $10. The game begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Broughton High School Stadium in Raleigh. Guests are asked to wear their uniforms and be prepared to show valid ID at the ticket booth. Information: 516-4093.
N.C. STATE UNIVERSITY: NCSU will commemorate the terrorist attacks with a wreath-laying ceremony beginning at 8:46 a.m. Saturday at the Belltower. The wreath will be placed in memory of alumnus Lt. Cmdr. Eric A. Cranford and the thousands of others who died in the attacks.
The ceremony will begin with the presentation of the colors by NCSU's ROTC Color Guard, followed by remarks from interim chancellor Robert A. Barnhardt. The wreath will then be moved near the door of the Belltower.
ORANGE COUNTY
9/11 WALK OR RUN: A silent 5K run will be held today at 6 a.m. to remember the victims and families of the attacks, at Carmichael Field on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus.
More than 100 participants are expected. The event is being organized by two UNC-CH undergraduates who recently returned from Israel to learn what a democracy can do to fight terrorism.
Contact Margaux Escutin at 413-0497 or escutin@email.unc.edu or Julia Buckner at 619-3743 or juliab@email.unc.edu.
TOWN HALL SERIES: A U.S.-Islamic town hall meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday in Carroll Hall on the UNC-CH campus.
Speakers will include Dr. Rajai Al-Khanji, dean of the faculty of arts of the University of Jordan; Jibril Hough, president of the Islamic Political Party of America; and Curtis Jones, former U.S. Foreign Service officer in Lebanon, Egypt, Libya and Syria. The event is free and open to the public.
Information: www.AIDemocracy.org, www.HopeNotHate.org or www. ThePeopleSpeak.org.
NCSU teen institute taps 11 from Raleigh
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
Elise Benham, Courtney Curtis, Ashley Hood, Jamie Keener, Manal Khan, Jeffrey Miller, Lourdes Munoz, Erin Motley, Robert Sanders, Tyler Yon and Shekinah Yon, all of Raleigh, were among 89 students from across the state who participated in the N.C. Teen Leadership Institute at N.C. State University.
Benham, of Sanderson High School, is the daughter of Brad and Melanie Benham.
Curtis, a 2004 graduate of Wakefield High, is the daughter of Camilla Rosetta Curtis and the late James Curtis.
Hood, a 2004 graduate of Garner High School, is the daughter of Arnold and Wanda Brantley; Keener, of Wake Christian Academy, is the daughter of James and Debra Keener.
Khan, of Broughton High School, is the daughter of Mohammad and Uzma Khan.
Miller, of Millbrook High School, is the son of Mike and Julie Miller.
Munoz, of Wake Forest-Rolesville High School, is the daughter of Servando and Lidia Munoz.
Motley, of Leesville Road High School, is the daughter of James and Marva Motley.
Sanders, of Southeast Raleigh High School, is the son of Robert and Vickie Sanders.
Tyler Yon, of Southeast Raleigh High School, is the daughter of Percy and Linda Yon.
Shekinah Yon, of Athens Drive High School, is the daughter of Darren and Taneka Yon.
Apartment, cars yield evidence
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer
By JENNIFER BREVORKA
© Copyright 2004
Investigators seized guns, drugs and bloodied clothing from an apartment and two vehicles used by brothers charged in Saturday's deadly shooting at a football tailgate party, according to search warrants.
Six search warrants returned to the Wake County courthouse outline what led investigators to search for Timothy and Tony Johnson in connection with the double homicide. The documents also describe how the older brother, Timothy Johnson, 22, might be a robbery suspect.
Johnson, an N.C. State University senior, was arrested Sunday on murder charges in the deaths of 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman and Kevin McCann, both 23. Johnson's younger brother, Tony, 20, also was charged in the slayings.
Ashley Renee Brown, 18, and Rachel Louise French, 20, have been charged with accessory after the fact of murder. Brown drove Tony Johnson to a hotel and helped him secure a room, according to an arrest warrant. Court documents don't detail how, if at all, French aided Timothy Johnson.
Susan Spurlin, a prosecutor with the Wake County District Attorney's office, declined to comment on the search warrants. The office has previously declined to comment on evidence, witnesses or suspects, describing the investigation as ongoing.
On Saturday evening, witnesses told police a green Chrysler Cirrus with the North Carolina license plate RSJ-7552 left the parking lot after the shooting with the two suspects inside, according to search warrants. The car was located at Carolina Pottery in Smithfield several hours after the shooting.
In the car's trunk lining, investigators found a .38-caliber handgun, seven rounds of .38-caliber ammunition and a handgun magazine, according to an inventory of seized property. A white tank top with "possible blood stains" and a pager were inside the car.
Bloodstains were found on the outside of the 1996 Cirrus, according to a search warrant. The car is registered to Tony Johnson. Officers collected blood, saliva and hair samples from both brothers for laboratory tests, according to search warrants.
At the homicide scene, deputies found a white 1996 Chevrolet Blazer registered to Timothy Johnson, and investigators searched the SUV, according to court documents. Investigators seized three clear plastic bags with "green vegetable matter" along with a clear plastic bag "containing a white powdery substance" from compartments inside the car.
After a family member told officials where Timothy Johnson lived, investigators searched the apartment at 1241 Trillium Circle, according to a search warrant. Investigators found a green stem and a marijuana cigarette butt, along with a mirror and two straws in the living room. In addition, officials seized a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol with a magazine and a .22-caliber rifle with scope along with ammunition cartridges.
Three computers, a marijuana bong and bowl, assorted pills and digital scales were also seized from the apartment near Lake Johnson, according to a search warrant.
Raleigh police became involved when a witness, identified as French, told officials about an armed robbery that involved "a suspect in the homicide," according to a search warrant. The Meredith College junior took a Wake detective by the suspected crime scene at 2100 Mariner Circle.
The southwest Raleigh home was robbed Aug. 23 by at least three men who brandished weapons. After knocking on the door, the men forced their way into the apartment and searched the house before taking three cell phones, a set of keys and $500 in cash, Sughrue said.
Raleigh police searched Timothy Johnson's home Sunday.
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer
By staff writer
© Copyright 2004
Tailgate parties before football games are good, clean fun -- until, that is, they turn unruly. Details remain somewhat sketchy, but last weekend's double homicide outside Carter-Finley Stadium has all the earmarks of such a metamorphosis. In any case, it's not too soon for law enforcement agencies to consider preventive measures.
Witnesses said the shooting deaths climaxed a running conflict that began when somebody threw beer cans at a car speeding through a parking lot full of party-goers. Tragically, two lives were lost, that of Marine 2nd Lt. Brett Johnson Harman of Camp Lejeune and his friend Kevin McCann, visiting from Chicago. Two other lives, that of the accused killers Tony and Timothy Johnson of Tarboro, will never be the same, regardless of how the charges are resolved.
Parties on the Trinity Road parking lots may well have grown too large for the security forces detailed to them on game days. About 8,000 spaces are located next to the 53,570-seat stadium, where N.C. State University stations 80 officers when the Wolfpack plays.
Yet the NCSU officers can't patrol the large lot across Trinity Road that belongs to the state Department of Agriculture. On that lot, the state Fairgrounds Police typically have only five officers to manage a crowd that often begins arriving on Friday nights before games.
Judging by the Sunday morning trash, alcohol may well be the root of crowd-control problems in the area. N.C. State needs to make sure every student receives lectures on drinking laws and good citizenship -- and reminders to its fans about standards of responsible behavior wouldn't hurt, either. Beyond that, though, law enforcement agencies have good reason to tighten things up considerably -- to keep the parking lots closed until game day and to turn away anyone without a football ticket. They also need to coordinate patrols so that all nearby lots have a visible law-enforcement presence. Greater safety won't be a problem for football fans looking for good, clean fun.
Letter to the editor: Unacceptable act
Sept. 10, 2004
News & Observer
© Copyright 2004
If the two young men who allegedly shot and killed two other men during N.C. State University football game tailgating festivities are prosecuted and found guilty of murder, they should be sentenced to a long term behind bars.
Your Sept. 7 article "Longtime bond united brothers" reflected their mother's image of them as "sweet, young men." Regardless of how "nice" they were as children, whose lawns they mowed, their attendance at Bible school and their gifts of flowers on Mother's Day, if they did take lives, they must be held accountable.
We must send the message that use of guns to resolve conflicts is unacceptable in any circumstance.
Judy Austin
Raleigh
USA: Textiles students try out garments types
Sept. 10, 2004
Bharat Textile, India
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
College students are notoriously known for their lack of financial stability. Rather than working typical student jobs at restaurants or on campus, however, some students at N.C. State have found a more interesting way to earn money.
At the College of Textiles Center for Research on Textile Protection and Comfort, students are often used for "wear trials." These wear trials specialize in garment comfort and protection. TPACC allows NCSU and outside companies to collaborate on research efforts.
"We do use students in garment-wear trials and we do these mostly for companies or government that are developing something and have done all the instrument testing and are at the point of needing people to test it," said Barbara Scruggs, a research associate at the College of Textiles.
The scientists who conduct the studies and compile the results may have worked with a particular company on that garment.
"These scientists here work with the companies and there is a really tight bond between the industry companies and the university," said Scruggs.
Typically, the wear trials are subjective tests where students are asked to rate the comfortability of the garments.
"First we ask them to rate the garment on the things we want to find out about like comfort, how hot or cool are you, is it getting wet from sweat? Second, the subjects need to get their body warmed up through exercise so they can tell if it feels bad or uncomfortable. We then we put them in our environmental chamber in a hot condition," Scruggs said.
Studies participants are not limited to students from the College of Textiles. Any student who meets the criteria can participate in the studies, which require about 30 subjects each.
"We do have requirements when we put out a call. You must be a healthy, non-smoking, 18-35 year old with no family history of any serious health problems," Scruggs said.
In August, the College of Textiles turned out a new prototype for future fire protection suits for firefighters and received numerous accolades as a result.
The suit offered more protection and also weighed much less than the best suit that was currently available. Researchers got input from firefighters around the country, then local firefighters tested the new suits.
Scruggs points out that sometimes "specialized" people are needed for testing.
For example, not many students were used for the firefighter suit test because firefighters know how a suit should feel, whereas a regular student would not be familiar with the feel of a firefighter's suit.
In some cases though, Scruggs said that it may be a positive thing to utilize the aid of students in their research.
"We do like to use students, partly because they're considered to be naive about what they're wearing, they know nothing about it. They're more objective in their responses," said Scruggs.
According to Scruggs, subjects are often asked to return.
"We typically call subjects back unless they are not a good subject- for example if they don't take it seriously, if they don't follow directions or if they don't show up then we dismiss them- but they still get paid for whatever they've done."
Rates of pay for the studies could not be released; however, "most students say it's better money than they could get working anywhere else, so it pays pretty well," Scruggs said.
Tougher parking rules announced for N.C. State football games
Sept. 10, 2004
Associated Press; Access North Georgia, GA; Akron Beacon Journal, OH; Bradenton Herald, FL; Centre Daily Times, PA; Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, GA; Contra Costa Times, CA; Duluth News Tribune, MN; Fort Wayne News Sentinel, IN; Macon Telegraph, GA; Monterey County Herald, CA; Myrtle Beach Sun News, SC; philly.com, PA; Pioneer Press, MN; San Jose Mercury News, CA; San Luis Obispo Tribune, CA; Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL; Tallahassee.com, FL; WVEC, VA
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
RALEIGH, N.C. - Parking at North Carolina State University home football games will tighten after the shooting deaths of two men during a tailgate party last week.
The plan will limit access to the state fairgrounds lot where the men were shot to ticketholders, allotting 600 spaces for students and 600 for others. Law enforcement officers will now patrol the lot.
Student parking permits will be issued through normal ticket distribution centers. The Wolfpack Club, the school's athletic booster club, will mail parking permits to eligible season-ticket holders.
Also, the fairground lot will have controlled access beginning at 8 a.m. of the day before a game. On game day, fairground parking will open three hours before game time.
The changes are similar to parking procedures at Carter-Finley Stadium and the nearby RBC Center. They go into place for N.C. State's Sept. 18 game against Ohio State.
Two men have been charged with first-degree murder in the shootings before N.C. State's season-opener Saturday against Richmond.
The plan was developed by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the university.
Tailgating should be safe, fun for all
Sept. 10, 2004
Purdue Exponent
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
At 7 a.m. tomorrow, students will begin the day-long, century old, tradition of barbecuing, football tossing, cheering and beer drinking. We call this seemingly harmless activity tailgating.
The origins of tailgating go back to the very first college football game in 1869. The contest featured Rutgers versus Princeton. Fans were said to have grilled out near their carriages which were located at the "tail end" of their horses.
At Yale, going back to 1904, fans walked a long distance to the stadium once they departed the train that brought them to the stadium. When they finally arrived, they were famished and thirsty. Fans soon began bringing picnic baskets filled with pre-game victuals.
Today’s tailgates have evolved into a myriad of mobile homes, gas grills, cocktails, beer-filled coolers, painted faces and backyard football fracases. Thanks to party spots like the rock at Michigan State, the grove at Ole Miss, the world’s largest cocktail party at Florida or the 7 a.m. scramble known as Breakfast Club, 21st century tailgating has become an American past time. There are websites dedicated to it and books written about it. The college experience is not complete without it.
Tailgating.com offers a rundown of parking lot prices and closing times as well as tailgate trivia, recipes and tours. Also, a number of tailgating books have been published. John Madden’s "Ultimate Tailgating" is perhaps the most notable.
While books and websites highlight the joys of tailgating, this weekend was a harsh reminder of the downside of our cherished past time.
This past Saturday, in Raleigh, NC, two Chicago area men were gunned down during a pre-game tailgate. Both victims were in their twenties. Reportedly, the men were shot and killed after getting into an altercation with two North Carolina State students.
Before last Sunday’s game at Purdue, excise police arrested 31 people on 36 charges. The acts excise police dealt with were minor infractions, the bulk of which consisted of minor possession.
The consequences of illegal behavior at tailgates can be extremely significant. In 1998 a drinking ban was put in place at Michigan State’s Munn Stadium. The ban was deemed necessary because of inappropriate behavior at pre-game tailgates. Restrictions on tailgating at NC State are likely after the horrific incident that occurred there.
Criminal behavior, whether it is felony or misdemeanor, has no place at tailgates. Tailgating is a time for celebration. Students, alumni, family and friends should be able to enjoy themselves in a hostility free, safe environment.
So this Saturday, at Ross-Ade Stadium, think of the consequences your behavior may have on others before you act foolishly. And above all, chill-out and enjoy yourself.
Local Men Murdered At Tailgate Party
Sept. 9, 2004
Arlington Heights Journal, IL
By MICHELLE ORRIS
© Copyright 2004
Park Ridge resident Lt. Brett J. Harman, 23, and his close friend Kevin M. McCann, 23, of Chicago were killed Saturday evening while tailgating outside a North Carolina State University football game in Raleigh.
Police told the Harman and McCann families that the suspects appeared to mistakenly target Harman and McCann for revenge after an altercation outside the stadium.
According to Rob Harman, a brother of one of the victims, police told the families that 22-year-old Timothy Wayne Johnson and 20-year-old Tony Harrell Johnson careened through tailgaters, hitting a car and almost hitting a young girl.
The brothers appeared to be drunk, and a crowd stopped the car and confronted them, police said. McCann and Brett calmed an altercation and helped the brothers out of the area, Rob said.
About 30 minutes later, the suspects returned to the scene with a gun and broke a bottle on a car. The suspects went after McCann, Rob said, and Brett defended him and was cut across the face with the bottle. Brett tackled a suspect into the car, and the suspect's brother shot Brett in the shoulder. The bullet tore into Brett's heart and liver.
In response, McCann tackled the shooter and was shot in the face, Rob said.
The suspects immediately fled in their car, and one of Brett's friends jumped on the roof and yelled for people to record the license plate.
Police told the Harman and McCann families that 30 eyewitnesses corroborated similar versions of the story, Rob said.
"They died because they were trying to protect each other; they were great people," Rob said. Kevin was a 1999 graduate of Notre Dame High School in Niles and Brett of Maine South also in 1999.
Rob said the families and police speculated that because Brett and McCann have distinctive tattoos, their faces may have stuck out in the suspects' minds when they sought revenge.
On Saturday at about 3 p.m., Zora Popovic, who has dated Brett since high school, spoke with him on the cell phone while he was tailgating. They chatted briefly, she said, and he did not mention an altercation.
Several of Brett's friends came to visit him that weekend for the North Carolina State University football game. Brett was a marine at Camp LeJeune, preparing for deployment to Iraq. McCann worked at Mesirow Financial in Chicago.
At the time of publication, suspects Timothy and Tony were scheduled for a first appearance in Wake County, North Carolina Tuesday at 2 p.m. The brothers were charged with first degree murder, a charge that can warrant the death penalty in North Carolina.
Timothy is a junior psychology major at NCSU and Tony is a resident of Tarboro.
A teenage woman charged as an accessory after the fact was also scheduled for a Tuesday appearance.
A wake for McCann will take place today (Wednesday), Sept. 8 from 3 to 9 p.m. at Cumberland Chapels in Norridge. A funeral service for McCann will take place Thursday, Sept. 9, 9:30 a.m., at St. Monica Catholic Church in Chicago.
A funeral service for Brett will take place Friday, Sept. 10, 9:30 a.m., at Park Ridge Presbyterian Church.
Carlson Named to 2004 Class of American Agricultural Economics Association Fellows, Association's Highest Honor
Sept. 9, 2004
US Newswire
By staff report
© Copyright 2004
AMES, Iowa, Sept. 9 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Gerald Carlson, Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at North Carolina State University, has been named a Fellow of the American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA), the highest honor the Association bestows.
Carlson, who was presented with the honor at the AAEA's annual meeting in Denver, CO, on August 1, was nominated for his significant and enduring contributions in two areas: as an economic and multi-disciplinary researcher in the economics of pest management and as a mentor to graduate students and colleagues. Carlson initiated the field of pest management economics with his award-winning Ph.D. dissertation and a 1970 American Journal of Agricultural Economics (AJAE) article. He encouraged the interest of biologists by serving as an economist on national pest management research committees, making presentations to crop protection conferences and preparing numerous publications for pest control journals and books. His willingness to bring biological science into practical economic studies has won wide support and additional research funds for agricultural economists. His work has supported individual farmer and group decisions that account for risk and environmental quality. Many of Carlson's students are now productive researchers, teachers, university administrators or business leaders.
The honor of Fellow of the AAEA is bestowed on members of the association who have made outstanding and lasting contributions to the profession. Other members of the 2004 class of AAEA Fellows include Kym Anderson (World Bank, University of Adelaide), Derek Byerlee (World Bank), Thomas W. Hertel (Purdue University), Timothy E. Josling (Food Research Institute) and Richard J. Sexton (University of California at Davis).
The AAEA is the professional association of scientists who use economic tools to analyze issues and solve problems in the areas of agriculture, food, rural communities and natural resources. For more information, contact the AAEA at 515-233-3202 or visit.
Twelve women are among NSF-supported young scientists and engineers to receive Presidential award
Sept. 9, 2004
EurekAlert - Business
By Bill Noxon
© Copyright 2004
Washington, D.C.--The president has named 57 young government-supported scientists and engineers to receive the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest national honor for investigators in the early stages of promising research careers who have also displayed leadership in their fields.
Twelve women are among the honored group of 20 National Science Foundation (NSF)-supported researchers, along with 37 more from other federally-sponsored science and engineering programs, to receive a PECASE. John H. Marburger III, science advisor to the president and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy is scheduled to present the awards in a 3:00 p.m. ceremony at the White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
For the first time since the awards were initiated in 1996, a majority of NSF-supported PECASE honorees are women. They work in biology, engineering, physical sciences, computer sciences, behavioral sciences and education, and represent almost all scientific and engineering fields in the 2003 group.
"The unmistakable message is that women have arrived," said Arden Bement, NSF's acting director. "It is gratifying that we now see broadening opportunities for women becoming successes, not only in the labs and classrooms, but within the entire scientific community, and recognized publicly, as the president today has done," Bement said. "These women have added to the vastly growing numbers of success stories that scientists and engineers in the academic community bring us daily. They are a source of immense pride."
The honorees for the 2003 PECASE included six engineers: Treena Livingston of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Kara L. Nelson of the University of California, Berkeley, Erica L. Plambeck and Juan G. Santiago of Stanford University, Elisabeth Smela, University of Maryland, College Park and Harry Dankowicz of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
In the mathematical and physical sciences category, mathematicians Konstantina Trivisa, University of Maryland, College Park, and Ravi Vakil of Stanford University, received presidential honors, as did physicist Paola Barbara of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., and chemist Daniel R. Gamelin, University of Washington, Seattle.
Three biologists were also honored: Kimmen Sjölander of the University of California, Berkeley, Carla Mattos, North Carolina State University, and Carla E. Caceres, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Three computer scientists, Cyrus Shahabi of the University of Southern California, Sandeep K. Shukla of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and Yoky Matsuoka of Carnegie-Mellon University were honored today. The president also named education researcher Roxanna A. Moreno of the University of New Mexico, behavioral scientist Jennifer S. Lerner of Carnegie-Mellon University, geologist Arjun M. Heimsath of Dartmouth College, and anthropologist Joseph Henrich of Emory University in Atlanta to receive the honor.
Six different federal departments, as well as NSF and NASA, sponsored the 57 recipients' research and education activities. NSF support of research in science and engineering covers the broadest range of fields. NSF's nominees are chosen from nearly 400 junior researchers and faculty members who have received grants from NSF's CAREER program in the same year.
Considered the agency's most prestigious award for new faculty members, CAREER awards honor the most promising young researchers in science and engineering fields who have translated their work into significant education activities. These young leaders receive monetary awards, ranging from $400,000 to nearly $1 million over five years to support their career research and education goals.
Today's awards bring to 160 the number of NSF-supported PECASE recipients since 1996.
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Images: http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/newsroom/pr_all_img.cfm?ni=15000000000116
NSF Program Officer: Joanne Tornow, 703-292-7134, jtornow@nsf.gov
ATTACHMENT: 2003 Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers – Summary of Individual NSF Awardees' Accomplishments
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Kimmen Sjölander, University of California, Berkeley, is conducting groundbreaking investigations, using computational methods, to describe how certain proteins are able to confer disease resistance on plants. Her approach allows protein sequences to be analyzed, then clustered, so new algorithms may be applied toward better predictions about protein structure and function. She is integrating her research into computational biology courses for undergraduate and graduate students that will enable them to tackle many computational challenges.
Carla Mattos, North Carolina State University, is at the forefront of research in structural biology, using a novel method of multiple-solvent crystal structures to identify functional parts within proteins. Her quantitative approaches merge physical science with biology. Her teaching activities include mentoring undergraduates and underserved minority students, while fostering diversity within and beyond the academic community. Her courses for undergraduates and graduates incorporate student research experiences on Mattos' concepts of model building and refinement of crystal structures.
Carla Caceres, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, combines the tools of several fields of biology with new technology to reconstruct the history of the many varieties of zooplankton and to explore the factors contributing to their diversity or extinction. Her classes for non-scientists, her classroom manual for elementary and middle school students, and her outdoor field guide for students and their families, demonstrate outstanding public outreach.
COMPUTER AND INFORMATION SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING:
Sandeep Shukla, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, is a leading researcher in designing, analyzing and predicting performance of electronic systems embedded on a chip. He has integrated several innovative techniques and theories into novel approaches to solve problems in microelectrolnic systems design. He applies research concepts into new courses in computer engineering and mentors minority and women students in processor design as well as in computer science and engineering overall.
Yoky Matsuoka, Carnegie Mellon University, leads new studies in developing a virtual environment for rehabilitation and human augmentation with a novel and safe wearable robotic device that could assist motor-impaired students in their daily tasks. The research may lead to significant improvements in robotics and biomedical areas by improving the understanding of gaps between perceived and actual movements in humans. She is also creating an innovative interdisciplinary educational environment that increases interactions between motor-impaired and engineering students.
Cyrus Shahabi, University of Southern California, is pioneering research in how to manage the streams of sensor data created as humans interact with virtual-reality environments. The multidimensional databases and techniques for storing and studying such data streams have wide-ranging potential applications from medicine to space exploration. He incorporates research results into his courses, providing students opportunities to learn in multi-disciplinary environments. His commitment to broadening research participation is evident in teaching and outreach to underrepresented groups.
EDUCATION AND HUMAN RESOURCES
Roxana Moreno, University of New Mexico, is an innovative researcher on how science teachers learn to apply principles of educational psychology to their classroom experiences through new technology tools and materials. Moreno's work addresses complex problems in classrooms populated with primarily Native American and Hispanic students that is contributng to new designs of educational technology for pre- and in-service teachers.
ENGINEERING
Harry Dankowicz, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, is conducting new research into non-linear dynamics, the response of physical systems to small changes that create abrupt changes in system properties. His results may help prevent fall-related injuries due to premature foot contact during walking and running, for example. His innovative educational plans include a textbook for a junior-level design course that offers sample cases of real-world engineering applications.
Treena Livingston, New Jersey Institute of Technology, is investigating a systematic approach to evaluating biomaterials in which cells rather than drugs are used to treat diseases or disorders, elevating their potential as therapies of choice for the regeneration of a number of damaged or diseased tissues and organs. Her education activities include developing undergraduate and graduate curricula and community outreach to underrepresented groups in engineering and science. She is also developing a workshop for high-school teachers reaching the North New Jersey and nearby New York region.
Kara L. Nelson, University of California, Berkeley, is developing rigorous scientific methods and quantitative tools to address the worldwide public health threat posed by human pathogens in water. Her research will lead to possible re-evaluation of water quality standards and improved treatment processes. Her educational activities encourage and support the participation of young scientists and engineers in international research and education opportunities, especially in developing countries.
Erica L. Plambeck, Stanford University, is applying innovative approaches to optimize real-time information for industrial issues such as movement in the supply chain, and dynamic control of pricing and production. Her use of game theory, statistics, adaptive control and dynamic programming, among others, will provide results that will be widely shared with industry and incorporated into business and engineering schools' M.B.A. and Ph.D. teaching materials, to prepare students to become future industrial and academic leaders.
Juan G. Santiago, Stanford University, is conducting innovative research in electrokinetics and fluid dynamics at the microscopic scale, which could lead to parallel discoveries in fundamental genetics research, new pharmaceuticals and designs for biomedical devices, among others. Santiago is merging his research into his undergraduate and graduate teaching and instructional materials, and works to interest high-school students from underrepresented groups in science and engineering.
Elisabeth Smela, University of Maryland, College Park, is developing a new, robust, autonomous actuator technology, which, when incorporated into micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), could advance new devices for walking, manipulating or flying. The outcome of this work will have significant impact on the robotics field. Her education program for graduate and undergraduates allows students to formulate their own MEMS projects to gain research experience in a hands-on learning environment.
GEOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Arjun M Heimsath, Dartmouth College, has led research to quantify mechanical and chemical processes of surface erosion affecting upper-level landscapes, contributing to the better understanding of soil production, transport and landscape dynamics. His extended work is testing hypotheses and building an education component that includes integrating field studies into instructional techniques and fostering undergraduate independent research. He is also involving earth science undergraduates in one-on-one mentoring of underrepresented secondary school students from Boston's inner city.
MATHEMATICAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Paola Barbara, Georgetown University, is contributing to understanding the interfaces and junctions of superconductors and nanotubes that is leading to potential applications such as biological and chemical sensors. Her innovation in teaching physical sciences covers both science and non-science majors by combining research and mentoring across disciplines, and bringing research into the classrooms of non-science majors, such as the introduction of nanotechnology in her course, "How Things Work."
Daniel Gamelin, University of Washington, Seattle, is conducting advanced studies in new nanoscale, diluted semiconductor materials employing synthetic methods that may reveal new knowledge of how these materials are applied to new devices in high-performance opto-electronics and quantum computers, among others. He is introducing new materials science courses and requirements for graduate students while sharing knowledge in undergraduate and graduate institutions in the Pacific northwest through a "materials interest consortium."
Konstantina Trivisa, University of Maryland, College Park, is applying her expertise in applied partial differential equations to the increased understanding of a wide variety of important physical systems modeled by conservation laws. Her research is also important for the design of high performance computational algorithms. Her educational activities include supervising individual projects of high-school through graduate-level students. She works to increase diversity among underrepresented groups to study applied mathematics and choose it as a career.
Ravi Vakil, Stanford University, a theoretical mathematician, is at the forefront of modern algebraic geometry by leading a study of the moduli space of curves, to deepen a growing understanding of the "universal facts" of these objects. This is adding much to core mathematics theory as well as applications such as String Theory and physics. He has established significant educational outreach to Bay-Area groups devoted to stimulating mathematics learning among high-school students, and he has established a journal introducing high-school students to mathematics through hands-on problem solving.
SOCIAL, BEHAVIORAL AND ECONOMIC SCIENCES
Jennifer Lerner, Carnegie Mellon University, is investigating the role of emotion in judgment and decision making, testing a theory on predicting relations among specific emotions and the outcomes of judgments or choices made, based on probability and risk assessment, evaluation of value, and attributions of responsibility. Lerner is sharing her work on behavioral decision research to broader audiences of students, the public, media and policymakers. She is also actively developing a new interdisciplinary undergraduate major in decision science at Carnegie Mellon.
Joseph Henrich, Emory University, is becoming renowned for work on the psychology of economic behavior, cultural learning, and mental models, contributing to knowledge about creation of social classes, ethnicity, and the evolution of human social institutions. His results are creating new options for policy makers in developing more targeted interventions in fields as diverse as public health, agriculture and conservation. His research is providing a basis for field work and tools for students of several universities to study the process of cultural learning.
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For more information on PECASE and CAREER, see:
http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/pecase/start.htm
http://www.nsf.gov/home/crssprgm/career/start.htm
NSF is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.58 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. NSF also awards over $200 million in professional and service contracts yearly.