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NCSU Chancellor Joins New National Coalition To Attract STEM Students
Chancellor James L. Oblinger, Information Technology Association of America (ITAA)UNC panel to explore tuition feud
James L. Oblinger, Molly Broard, UNC System, Board of Governors, Board of Trustees, tuitionTuition test
Brad Wilson, Board of Governors, tuitionBOG to rethink tuition policies
Board of Governors, tuitionBetter way to NCSU in works
Charlie Leffler, traffic/transportationNCSU research team makes nanostructure discovery
Marco Buongiorno-Nardelli, Keith Gubbins, nanostructure research
Deal
focuses on animal drugs
Michael Davidson, Veterinary Medicine
Expect
More Rate Increases For Power Bills, Officials Say
Michael Walden, agricultural and resource economics
Forget
crystal balls, Nags Head wants to plan own future
Helen Pasalar, College of Design
Drought
brings yard doubts
Casey Reynolds, Ryan Boyles, turfgrass research
UNC Computer,
Marine Scientists Collaborate To Predict Flow Of Toxic Waters From
Katrina
Toxic water from Hurricane Katrina
Maintaining
a healthy weight requires choices
Cooperative Extension
Campus
Scene
Centennial Campus, Nora Lynn Finch, athletics
Former
Sen. Edwards offers free tuition to some students
Tuition program for high school students in rural communities
Seniors
get college promise
College tuition program for high school seniors, John Edwards
Former
Delta Airlines Chief Risk Officer Chris Duncan to present NC State
College of Management’s ERM Roundtable Oct. 14
ERM Initiative presentation, College of Management
RDU holds
conference for prospective contractors
McKimmon Center
Medicaid
shortfall to dent mental health budget
Alumni, Edwin G. Foulke Jr.
Grant
to fund Ga. turfgrass research
Turfgrass research, Cooperative Extension
Expect More Rate Increases For Power Bills, Officials Say
Sept. 27, 2005
WRAL
By Paul LaGrone
© Copyright 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. -- It's official. It's going to cost more to stay warm this winter.
The state Utilities Commission recently approved a 22 percent increase for PSNC Energy, raising its costs to an all-time record. The increase will add $28 to the natural gas cost of an average home, raising the bill to about $156 a month.
Progress Energy's 4.4 percent increase, effective Oct. 1, will raise the bill of the average household by $3.77 a month, to $90.43.
Energy experts said the latest price hike could mark the beginning of an upward trend in home energy costs.
Mike Hughes, spokesperson for Progress Energy, said all indications are that more rate hikes will follow.
"The fossil fuels that we use to generate electricity will continue to rise," he said. "We're not seeing any indication that the cost will go back down in any of those areas."
Progress Energy said the obvious answer to increasing rates is nuclear power. The company is considering building another nuclear power plant like the Shearon-Harris facility within the next 15 years.
Officials said that could be the surest way to stop rising electric bills. Until that happens, continued rate increases could burn your wallet in more ways than one as businesses and other industries pass on the cost to consumers.
But economist Mike Walden said there is some good news.
"There are several factors of major prices that have actually been going down. This has not been well recognized," he said. "If you look at household furniture costs, clothes, anything audio or visual, appliances, new vehicles -- all those products have been going down for several years."
The state utilities commission also approved a rate hike for Duke Power back in May. Dominion North Carolina will go before the commission in November.
Sept. 29, 2005
dBusinessNews
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
Raleigh - North Carolina State University Chancellor James L. Oblinger is one of 11 university and business leaders who have joined with the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) to form the Coalition for America’s High Tech Future. The coalition will undertake a series of initiatives aimed at doubling the number of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) graduates over the next 10 years.
National Bureau of Economic Research statistics show that as late as 1975, the United States had more engineering and scientific Ph.D. graduates than Europe, and more than three times as many as all of Asia. The U.S. share of world bachelor’s engineering degrees granted – the key degree in engineering – dropped in half in the 1990s (from 12 percent in 1991 to 6 percent in 2000). By 2001, the EU granted 40 percent more science and engineering doctorates than the United States.
“As North Carolina’s flagship university for science and technology, and one of the nation’s leading universities, NC State is well positioned to take a leadership role in the effort to attract and graduate more students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields,” Oblinger said. “The history and tradition of our university includes an ability to listen and respond to the needs of the people of North Carolina and the nation – including contributions to economic development and workforce capacity. This partnership between universities and business will produce solutions to the troubling trend of STEM graduates.”
“U.S. leadership in high-technology industries is being challenged like never before,” said ITAA President Harris N. Miller. “Increasing global competition from countries like India and China is fueling major concerns in corporate America about how well the United States is developing the pipeline of skilled STEM workers. This troubling trend is rapidly becoming a top priority for business leaders. Through the coalition, we intend to help reverse the slide and bolster America’s competitive edge.”
Miller said U.S. economic vitality and America’s competitive advantage depend on ready access to highly skilled IT workers. The need for STEM talent spans all industries, including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, business, and defense.
To ensure that the United States maintains global leadership in the areas of research, entrepreneurship, innovation, capital investment, employment, and overall wealth creation, Miller said industry must work with government and higher education to make dramatic investments aimed at expanding the STEM talent pool.
Oblinger pointed to a $3.3 million grant received in March from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) program as evidence of NC State’s expertise and commitment to attracting more STEM students. The grant will fund efforts to increase the number of minority students entering the professoriate in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
NC State is ranked in the top 20 institutions nationally in granting bachelor’s degrees to underrepresented minority students in STEM disciplines, and third in the number of African-American Ph.D.s in engineering. NC State ranks second in the nation in the number of bachelor of science degrees awarded among all engineering colleges and third in all engineering degrees.
“To compete for the jobs and opportunities of the future, we must attract more students to these critical fields,” Oblinger said. “NC State is placing special emphasis on science, technology, engineering and math education at the K-12 level, using our research to help train and retrain new teachers and to support teachers in the classroom.”
The coalition’s plans include a research study and outreach to the federal government – including the president – and elected officials on a plan to double the STEM workforce over 10 years. The coalition will also collaborate with other groups addressing the STEM workforce challenge, and will soon publish a research paper on innovation and the STEM workforce.
In addition to Oblinger, members of the coalition include: Phil Friedman, president and chief executive officer, Computer Generated Solutions; Sidney Fuchs, president, TASC, Northrop Grumman IT; Ann Goodnight, president, SAS Foundation; Jim Goodnight, president and chief executive officer, SAS Institute; John Hitt, president, University of Central Florida; Dennis McGuire, founder and chairman, Technology Partners Inc.; Alan Merten, president, George Mason University; Dave Sanders, chairman, ITAA Board and president, Commercial Solutions Perot Systems; John Schwarz, chief executive officer, Business Objects; Ernst Volgenau, chairman, SRA International.
The Information Technology Association of America (ITAA) provides global public policy, business networking and national leadership to promote the continued rapid growth of the IT industry. ITAA consists of over 350 corporate members throughout the U.S. The association plays the leading role in issues of IT industry concern including information security, taxes and finance policy, digital intellectual property protection, telecommunications competition, workforce and education, immigration, online privacy and consumer protection, government IT procurement, human resources and e-commerce policy. For more information visit www.itaa.org. ITAA is secretariat of the World Information Technology and Services Alliance, consisting of 67 IT trade associations around the world.
NCSU research team makes nanostructure discovery
Sept. 29, 2005
Triangle Tech Journal
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
RALEIGH, NC - Scientists at North Carolina State University have discovered a nanoscale method for extracting hydrogen from water that requires only half the energy of current hydrogen production methods.
The researchers discovered that "defective" carbon nanotubes make it easier to "break" water molecules and extract hydrogen.
The discovery could have big implications, namely, lower hydrogen production costs, for industries looking to hydrogen as an alternative fuel.
The scientists * NC State Department of Physics professor Dr. Marco Buongiorno-Nardelli; Dr. Keith Gubbins, W.H. Clark Distinguished University Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; post-doctoral researcher Milen Kostov; and students Erik Santiso and Aaron George * published their results in the Sept. 30 edition of Physical Review Letters.
Carbon nanotubes are structures so small that it would take 1,000 of them stacked on top of one another to equal the thickness of a human hair. The nanotubes have many potential useful applications, one of them being the ability to facilitate chemical reactions. Buongiorno-Nardelli's team discovered that naturally occurring defects in the nanotubes can increase the rate of a chemical reaction, because the atoms that form the defective nanotubes are essentially "incomplete," thus making them more reactive.
" Normally, when you talk about chemical reactions in carbon nanotubes, you're imagining that these reactions are happening in perfectly formed nanostructures," said Buongiorno-Nardelli. "But the reality is that these structures have defects * places where the carbon atom network is broken. And these defects can influence the chemical reaction."
And that is what the scientists discovered when they began running computer models to simulate what would happen if they used the defective nanostructures to break water molecules. The current method for extracting hydrogen from water involves heating water molecules to 2,000 degrees Celsius. The high temperature "breaks" the molecule, and hydrogen is released.
" We studied water for many months and ran many different calculations, and we ended up showing that if you want to break a water molecule, you spend a lot less energy if you do it on this defective carbon material than if you do it by simply heating the molecule until it breaks," Buongiorno-Nardelli said. "You can reduce the energy necessary by a factor of two * you can do it at less than 1,000 degrees."
However, there are still problems to solve before a truly catalytic process can be devised * for example, how to make this dissociation reaction a viable process for hydrogen production. The team hopes to collaborate with other scientists to design and construct a nanoscale chemical reactor that will one day lead to a cost- and energy-efficient way to produce hydrogen.
" We think that nanotechnology can be used to produce more and better energy in an environmentally friendly way," says Buongiorno-Nardelli. "Our experience with the water molecules so far leads me to believe we're headed in the right direction."
Forget crystal balls, Nags Head wants to plan own future
Sept. 29, 2005
The Outer Banks Sentinel
By CHARLIE BUNYEA
© Copyright 2005
Nags Head officials held an open meeting at town hall last week to talk about ways to address issues related to the town and what the community might look like and stand for in the future.
In recent years, there has been a growing concern that Nags Head is losing the character that originally drew many new residents and visitors. National franchises and rampant housing construction have replaced many of the once unique stores and restaurants that characterized the town.
"Without serious future considerations, the area may soon look like the commercially-driven beach towns of Myrtle or Virginia Beach," said Nags Head Commissioner Bob Oakes.
Growth is an important aspect for any community to survive and stay healthy, but now the question is how and when does growth become negative.
In its search for the answers to that, the town is turning to the North Carolina State University's School of Design to help devise a viable plan for the town's future. As a result, School of Design under graduates, graduate students and faculty will work together on the many components that eventually will identify the town's future path.
Helen Pasalar, director of the School of Design told those in attendance that there are many aspects that have to be considered when planning.
"Environmental preservation, cultural diversity, growth management, historic preservation, affordable housing, economics and education are all concerns that must all be addressed when establishing plans for the sound future of a town," said Pasalar
An important component in the development of the plan is gathering public input.
As part of the process, students from the School of Design will gather information
and conduct community surveys on many topics including; traffic networks,
natural resources, architectural styles of Nags Head, zoning and land use.
Students also will be given the opportunity to live in the community for brief periods of time so that they can get to know residents and hear their voices on the issues.
"The School of Design isn't here to say, 'this is how you have to do it.' We want to work with you on how you want your town to look and feel twenty-five years from now," said Pasalar.
Affordable housing is an issue that town officials have been aware of for a long time.
The frenzy of construction of multi-million dollar homes sold to temporary residents also has been a major contributor to housing problems.
Long gone are the days when an individual employed in Dare County in a lower-income job could afford a house of their own. This has caused many employees to have no other choice but to drive from surrounding counties in Dare County to work everyday.
The large rental houses also have led to a change in the socioeconomic status of visitors. Because of the size of the more recently built rental houses, it's not unusual to find five families of lower income, consisting of 20 or more people, staying in a single, large house. To save even more money, these temporary residents avoid eating at local restaurants or shopping at businesses, therefore contributing little to the community around them.
And the rental market is beginning to impact what have traditionally been residential neighborhoods. In some areas, permanent residents see their neighbors change at least once a week during the summer months.
But one of the most immediate concerns is the future of Virginia Dare Trail -- the "beach road."
"In the seventies, there was a conscious decision create a 'family style' beach for the future, allowing only single family style cottages instead of cottage courts to be constructed." said Town Planner Bruce Bortz.
Thus, the decision was made to keep the construction of condominiums and mega-resorts off of the beaches so that it wouldn't resemble other beach towns along the state's coast.
But now along the road much of the commercial property is being lost to residential properties. In recent years, various independent businesses have had to close their doors along the beach road. A prime example is the recent closing of Quagmire's, which occupied a building that was built in 1928.
According to Pasalar, "It is important to integrate the entire town into the plan and not just one area."
"Inconsistencies within a town is a major reason for disagreements between residents on certain issue's," she said.
Other topics covered in the meeting were the preservation of historic "cottage row" and controversial beach renourishment plans.
According to Bortz, "We need to look even beyond 20 years from now."
"You have to consider the fact that in fifty years the ever-encroaching ocean is going to be pounding on the beach road," he added.
The history of the revitalization of Manteo also has been taken into consideration by Nags Head officials.
Manteo is now a quaint maritime-looking village that looks like it has been there for years, but it didn't always look that way.
In 1980, Manteo had the highest tax rate in the state, businesses were leaving, and the town was close to losing its charter. Mayor John Wilson of Manteo realized that his town was in disarray and he decided to do something about it.
Wilson called upon an old college friend, Dr. Randy Hester, a graduate of the NCSU School of Design. Together, they devised a draft for a 20-year plan that, with the help of the community, would rebuild the town and consider the stake of its future.
After many town meetings and design proposals from the NCSU School of Design, it was apparent that the community of Manteo would allow commercial growth and chain stores if they followed certain guidelines. Businesses and houses were then constructed in accordance with rigorous architectural standards and were able to be built in a manner that blended in with the rest of the town.
Part of the premise of NC State's plan with this operation was to allow the community to participate in the meetings so that they could have a voice in the issues at hand. Through this approach, it would be up to the community to decide what types of standards for infrastructure and growth should exist in their town.
In the case of Manteo, residents took an active role in the process through participating in working groups, committees, task forces and organized voting on specific issues.
It was believed that if Manteo was able to show developers what the majority of resident wanted then that is what they would build. This proved to be true and, in the end, both sides were happy.
But it wasn't an easy task to complete. It took some serious lobbying at the General Assembly from names like Governor Jim Hunt and Andy Griffith to obtain the $25 million needed to reconstruct the town.
Being the first city to undertake this monumental endeavor, Manteo continues to be the most studied model for urban planners, architects and design professionals in the country. And because of the success of its first 20-year plan, Manteo is wrapping up another plan to use as a guidebook for the next 20 years.
Using the success of Manteo as an example, Nags Head officials think that this method of revitalization and design can work effectively. Efforts towards the project are well on their way, with more meetings and proposals from NC State scheduled in coming weeks.
Former Sen. Edwards offers free tuition to some students
Sept. 29, 2005
AP Wire, The Charolotte Observer, WVEC.com (VA), Winston-Salem Journal, WCNC, Myrtle Beach Sun News, Dateline Alabama, Lexington Dispatch, News & Observer, WRAL.com, WFMY News 2, Greensboro News Record,
By NATALIE GOTT
© Copyright 2005
SNOW HILL, N.C. - Reviving an issue from his failed campaign for president, former senator John Edwards formally unveiled a pilot project Wednesday that promises to pay the college bill of students from a rural North Carolina county.
It's a program, funded with donations from individuals, companies and charitable foundations, that Edwards would like to see expanded nationwide, something he first proposed while seeking the Democratic nomination for president in 2004.
"We want you to have the same kind of chance that I, myself, had," Edwards told a group of students from Greene County, who crowded into the Greene Central High School gymnasium with parents and school and local officials to hear Edwards' pitch.
The "College for Everyone" program will allow the roughly 140 high school seniors in Greene County, a poor area about 60 miles southeast of Raleigh, to attend college for free next year if they take college prep courses and meet other criteria.
It's a much smaller version of a national-sized and publicly funded plan Edwards proposed while running for president in 2004. But Edwards, who now runs a poverty center at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, wouldn't discuss his political future Wednesday.
"There'll be plenty of time to talk about that later. I don't think today's the day for that," Edwards said. "I think today we ought to focus on these kids and this county and this school and that's the reason I am here today."
Students will qualify for the program if they complete college prep or college tech courses in high school, don't use alcohol or drugs, commit a crime, or get expelled or serve a lengthy suspension. They also must enroll in college for the fall 2006 semester and agree to spend an average of at least 10 hours a week at a job, work-study or community service program.
The students will be able to attend Edwards' alma mater, North Carolina State University, as well as East Carolina, Fayetteville State and North Carolina A&T universities and the University of North Carolina-Wilmington. They could also go to two nearby community colleges.
"This is a blessing," said Brenda Sanders, whose 17-year-old son, Curtis Wright, is a senior. "It's a nice program that's going to help our kids out, but just when the first year is over doesn't mean we are going to let it drop."
Wright said he hopes to go to N.C. State.
"I'm working hard at it," Wright said.
Edwards said he chose Greene County because he believes it has a lot of talented students who were not going to college.
"This was an idea that I thought could have a real impact on lifting families out of poverty," Edwards told reporters.
With no significant industry, Greene County is an economically distressed area. Its poverty rate was about 20.2 percent, compared to the state rate of 12.3 percent, in 2000, the most recently available data through Greene County. About 35 percent of residents graduated from high school and 5.2 percent have a bachelor's degree.
The school district has been taking steps in the past several years to try to encourage more students to go to college. Terry Shackleford, the district's coordinator for student services and college access, said virtually all students are taking either North Carolina's college prep or college tech courses. College tech courses prepare students for community college, Shackleford said.
The effort seems to be showing signs of improvement. About 40 percent of May graduates enrolled in a four-year college this fall, up from about 25 percent the previous year, Shackleford said. Another 45 percent went to community college, he said.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By PEGGY LIM
© Copyright 2005
September should be peak lawn reseeding season, but a moderate drought and murmurs of watering restrictions have blighted the fall ritual.
At lawn-care companies such as TruGreen, reseeding business is down about 20 percent, said manager Steve Robertson.
The drought also has put off some do-it-yourself-ers.
"We didn't want to spend the money and then not be able to water it," said North Raleigh resident Jennifer Cobaugh, 60. Cobaugh, her husband and her son usually break out the tiller to dig up dead grass and spread seed this time of year.
But Cobaugh knows city officials want everyone to conserve water. The Raleigh area has had only about 0.82 inches of rain this month. Normally, about 4 inches have already fallen.
"Customers are using water every day in the middle of the day," said Dale Crisp, Raleigh's utilities director. "[It's] not necessary."
Torn between reviving her worn-out lawn and the city's dropping reservoir level, Cobaugh has two choices: brown or green.
Others across the Triangle have made up their minds. They need the green.
"I hadn't watered all year," said David Myers, 57, looking at his lawn with a leaf-blower in hand. He was aware of Raleigh's suggestion to water on alternate days but hadn't quite adopted its advice to water during twilight hours. At 3 p.m. Wednesday, he ran his sprinkler. He had to, having just reseeded last Saturday and put his Summerfield North house up for sale.
What can homeowners with a thirsty lawn look forward to?
Option 1: Brown lawn.
Some lawn-care companies and turf experts advise residents to go ahead and reseed their lawn but not water it.
Fall is the ideal time to seed fescue grass, which grows on 80 percent to 90 percent of lawns in the state. Temperatures are lower, and the plant has time to mature before the shock of hot summer months.
Humans can't water a lawn as evenly and thoroughly as Mother Nature can, says Sam Lang, owner of Fairway Green, a lawn-care company. So, in the absence of rain, wait.
"If you start watering, allow [the grass seeds] to swell and then they dry out, you're going to lose germination," he said.
"Just let it sit there," he said. "It'll look rough, but by spring it'll look like a million dollars."
Option 2: Green lawn.
If you have already reseeded your lawn and the seed has been wet, you must continue to water it for at least four weeks.
Without moist soil during the first two to three weeks, a germinating seed will dry up and die. It needs light watering, about two to three times a day, to keep the top quarter-inch of soil moist, said Casey Reynolds, turfgrass research associate at N.C. State University.
During the following weeks, when the seedlings are growing roots, the grass needs less frequent but deep watering, about an inch a week.
Turf experts recommend putting out empty tuna cans or catfood containers, which are about an inch tall. When they fill up, you've watered enough.
Don't rely on running sprinklers for a set number of minutes. The time needed to water a lawn varies depending on the size of your sprinkler head and water pressure.
"People are absolutely clueless," Lang said. But if they want to conserve water, they have to get smart. State weather forecasters say it's equally likely that rainfall in the next two weeks will be at, above or below normal. October they know, though, is one of the driest months of the year.
If the drought continues, there will be bigger issues to face than a fried lawn.
"We could have some real problems with the water supply," said Ryan Boyles of the State Climate Office. Boyles also noted the problems of corn and soybean farmers, whose crops this year were damaged by the drought.
Staff writer Peggy Lim can be reached at 836-5799 or plim@newsobserver.com.
RDU holds conference for prospective contractors
Sept. 29, 2005
News 14 Carolina
By Mitch Kokai
© Copyright 2005
The countdown is on for a major expansion at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
RDU hits another milestone in its Terminal C project on Thursday. The Airport Authority scheduled a pre-bid conference at N.C. State's McKimmon Center.
A $350 million expansion is on the way for the terminal that started as an
American Airlines hub in the 1980's. The Airport Authority started the project
in 2002 after acquiring the terminal's lease from American Airlines.
The complete project will feature a 400,000-square-foot building with an expanded
airline ticketing area and security checkpoint. Construction will also include
a $300,000 square-foot concourse.
That will mean more airline hold rooms, shops and restaurants and boarding gates.
To put the numbers in perspective, the new space will be more than twice as large as the old Terminal C.
Crews have been performing demolition work for about a year. Now the airport is moving closer to construction.
The RDU Authority will open bids in December with work starting in the first three months of 2006.
Thursday's conference will help sub-contractors and vendors learn more about the bid schedule and project milestones. That conference starts at 3 p.m.
UNC Computer, Marine Scientists Collaborate To Predict Flow Of Toxic Waters From Katrina
Sept. 29, 2005
Science Daily
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
CHAPEL HILL -- In the immediate wake of Hurricane Katrina, scientists and research centers from across the country came together to generate information on the contaminated floodwaters and offer it to hazardous materials experts and public health officials.
In a matter of hours, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Marine Sciences Program and Renaissance Computing Institute (RENCI), together with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), played a key role in that effort by providing rapid-response computing and modeling capability.
Floodwaters containing organic and chemical pollutants such as sewage and oil still cover swaths of Mississippi and Louisiana. To aid cleanup, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coast Survey Development Laboratory (CSDL), along with UNC faculty, have been developing forecasts that will predict the circulation of those foul waters.
A group of researchers, including Drs. Richard Luettich and Brian Blanton, marine scientists in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences, has developed a three-dimensional computer program that can be used to model water levels and flow. This program, "ADCIRC," is what experts call a hydrodynamic code. Previously, the code was used largely for after-the-fact analyses of coastal circulation, but researchers now believe it can help produce answers during a crisis.
Blanton and Luettich, assistant research professor and professor of marine sciences, respectively, knew that to simulate the required 60 days of water velocity and water surface elevation they would need more computational power then they had at the university. They asked UNC’s Dr. Daniel A. Reed for help -- based on their NOAA--funded collaboration with RENCI -- to establish a computational system with Web access for rapid-response forecasting to severe weather.
Reed is Chancellor’s Eminent professor and vice chancellor for information technology at UNC. North Carolina’s 2005-06 budget includes $5.9 million in new funding for RENCI, a collaboration of UNC, Duke and NC State that is based on the Chapel Hill campus and run by Reed. RENCI is slated to receive $11.8 million in recurring funding thereafter.
"If we had a month to do these runs, we could do them on our desktop computers or on a small cluster, but to do it literally overnight requires some horsepower," Blanton said.
Reed, former director of NCSA, connected Blanton and Leuttich with NCSA, the National Science Foundation-supported supercomputing center located at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Using NCSA’s Xeon system, a state-of-the-art parallel computer called Tungsten, the researchers were able to complete the required computational runs in about 15 hours, from midnight on Sept. 11 to mid-afternoon on Sept. 12.
"This is a prelude to the capabilities RENCI and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will provide to North Carolina, as we deploy our own large-scale computing infrastructure and continue to build disaster-response collaborations with North Carolina experts," Reed said. "With state support, we are now building world-class capability for interdisciplinary research, technology transfer, economic development and engagement across North Carolina."
Researchers at CSDL, with assistance from Luettich and Blanton, are working to integrate information provided by the computational calculations with NOAA’s North American Mesoscale Model, the primary weather forecasting model used by the National Weather Service, to simulate wind speed, direction and other weather factors. Their goal is to provide daily forecasts of coastal circulation and pollutant concentrations in the Katrina-affected region, information that will be vital as cleanup efforts and recovery continue.
The two also have extended their work with RENCI, Reed and colleagues to analyze various aspects of last weekend’s Hurricane Rita and its effects in Texas and Louisiana.
"We are trying to be prepared and generate reliable information that the hazardous materials experts will need to have," said CSDL scientist Jesse Feynen. "We're doing that, and we're doing it quickly."
Maintaining a healthy weight requires choices
Sept. 29, 2005
The Charlotte Observer
By PAM OUTEN
© Copyright 2005
Maintaining a healthy weight can be challenging.
Our weight is influenced by many factors, including the foods we eat, our physical activity level, our genetics and even our environment (safety of the community, available sidewalks, bike or walking paths, markets with fresh produce, and so on).
As a parent, you can influence your child's weight. Three ways you can encourage and maintain a healthy weight are to make smart food choices daily, be physically active and reduce time spent being sedentary.
Smart food choices
Eating tasty foods that are also good for you is key to success. To help you and your family maintain a healthy weight, the National Institute of Health has developed a parent curriculum titled "We Can!" It offers an eating plan that gives everyone the nutrients they need while keeping calories under control.Foods are designated as Go, Slow and Whoa.
• "Go" foods are the lowest in fat and added sugar, and relatively low in calories.
• "Slow" foods are higher in fat and calories than "Go" foods.
• "Whoa" foods are the highest in fat and added sugars, and high in calories.
Anyone who eats on the run or at restaurants has probably noticed that food portions have become larger. Some portions are now called "super size." For example, 20 years ago a cheeseburger had 333 calories; today the average cheeseburger has 590 calories.
Get the family moving
On the whole, Americans are not very physically active. We sit a lot and spend hours in front of televisions, video games and computers. In addition, studies show that people often eat when they are in front of the screen.
To maintain healthy weight, being physically active is just as important as eating right. Physical activity provides numerous benefits, from burning off calories to making you feel energetic, reducing stress and building strength and endurance.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get 30 minutes and children get 60 minutes of physical activity each day, which sounds like a lot.
Wean from the screen
Every day, on average, 8- to 18-year-olds spend nearly four hours watching television, videos, DVDs or prerecorded shows, more than an hour on the computer and about 50 minutes playing video games.As a parent or caregiver, you have more control over the amount of time your children spend in front of the screen than you think.
Entertain your children with other types of fun activities that engage both their minds and their bodies. You can turn off the TV and video games in your child's room, or you can remove them entirely. You can make a family agreement to limit TV and video watching to two hours or less each day.
"We Can! Families Finding the Balance: A Parent Handbook" provides background information on the obesity epidemic and practical, useful tools to help you and your family adopt healthier lifestyles.
To download your copy of the handbook go to www/nhlbi/nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/wecan/.
Locally, I am teaching "Families Eating Smart, Moving More," a program that gives families ideas on how to plan and prepare healthy foods, eat smart on the run and add more movement in your daily life. My local partner, Cabarrus Family Medicine, is hosting the educational programs.
We meet at 7 p.m. the first and third Thursday of each month upstairs in the Cabarrus Family Medicine Conference Center at Branchview Drive and Copperfield Boulevard. Next meetings will be next Thursday and Oct. 20.
The next series of four classes will begin Nov. 3.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION
Extension's Healthy Living is a monthly feature of Cabarrus Neighbors, contributed by the extension service. For more information call (704) 920-3310 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays; or send e-mail to Outen at Pamela_Outen@ ncsu.edu.
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Pam Outen is family and consumer education agent with the Cabarrus County
Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service.
BOG to rethink tuition policies
Sept. 29, 2005
The Daily Tarheel
By STEPHEN MOORE
© Copyright 2005
A meeting to be held this Friday could be the first step toward dramatic changes in tuition policy for the UNC-system Board of Governors.
A proposal sent to members of the board’s tuition policy task force would set a specific range for tuition increases at each system campus, to be adjusted annually, instead of the current process that allows the board to set widely varying increases each year.
“One thing that we have talked about is, do we want to look at a way to systematically determine a rate of increase instead of just letting the board decide each year,” said Hannah Gage, co-chairwoman of the task force.
The plan under consideration would allow system schools to request tuition increases based on the average rates at national peer universities, opening the possibility of yearly increases to keep pace with rising tuition costs nationwide.
According to an estimate already prepared by the system financial affairs office, the maximum allowable increase for UNC-Chapel Hill next fiscal year would be $465.05, based on a comparison to increases at other public universities.
Under the same calculation, N.C. State University officials could ask for a hike of up to $437.65.
“Planned increases in North Carolina that would be consistent with peer increases nationwide would be less erratic and would keep North Carolina’s schools in approximately the same relative position to our peers over time,” said the proposal prepared for Friday’s meeting, the first scheduled for the task force.
During the past five years, UNC-system tuition hikes have fluctuated between 2.5 and 16.5 percent of tuition costs, while national peer schools have stayed between 6.5 and 11.2 percent during the past four years.
The program — which Gage said is one of several ideas up for debate — aims to keep tuition for system schools within the bottom 25 percent of comparable schools.
The new policy would be designed to give each campus a measure of predictability when making requests to the board.
“If campuses adhere to the guidelines and the policy … the campuses can, in good faith, anticipate approval,” the proposal states.
“Are they comfortable with us finding a range of operation, whether it’s looking at the bottom quartile or bottom third of public institutions?” Gage said. “I think that’s what we want to hear from the committee members.”
UNC Association of Student Governments President Zack Wynne, who is serving on the task force, said he has concerns about the examination of hard tuition figures so early in the process.
“If it starts going in that direction, I might raise a flag or two,” he said.
But Gage said any numbers to be examined are not set in stone and should be considered merely as an early-stage proposal.
“We’ve got some ideas we’re going to throw out to get it started, just to give it some form,” she said. “We’re not starting this meeting with a particular destination in mind.”
The task force was formed after a legislative battle this summer in the N.C. General Assembly spotlighted the possibility of tuition autonomy for UNC-CH and NCSU.
Though full tuition autonomy for the system’s flagship schools failed to gain enough support, board members pledged to examine new tuition policies to meet their unique needs.
Steve Bowden, a member of the task force, said the group will work toward making a decision on tuition policy relatively soon.
“We’d like to do this by Christmas,” he said.
Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.
UNC panel to explore tuition feud
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By JANE STANCILL AND TIM SIMMONS
© Copyright 2005
CORRECTION
A bar graph that ran with a front-page story Monday about the UNC system inaccurately showed UNC-Charlotte's enrollment. In fall 2004, the school had 15,875 undergraduates and a total of 19,846 students.
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N.C. State University and UNC-Chapel Hill leaders say they don't want to start a fight with their UNC system siblings.
But they do want their schools to be rewarded as the overachievers of the family.
This week, a panel will get to work on a new tuition strategy aimed at the two large research campuses. The group was appointed by the leader of the UNC system's Board of Governors, the policy-making body for the 16-campus system, after a tense struggle this summer over who has the authority to set tuition for the two campuses.
State Senate leaders wanted to give NCSU and UNC-CH tuition-setting power. Leaders of the statewide system warned that such a move could tear apart the state's university system.
The tuition legislation was dropped, but campus leaders may get what they want in the end. The talks this week could signal a new era for the research campuses -- one with more autonomy and more money.
NCSU and UNC-CH leaders say it's about time. They point out that the two campuses educate nearly 30 percent of UNC system students and conduct world-class research, attracting three out of four of the system's research dollars. Increasingly, they say, the two Triangle campuses are major drivers in North Carolina's changing economy, contributing new technology and spinoff companies.
UNC-CH and NCSU also compete against other elite universities for faculty and students. To win, their leaders say, they need more money and more managerial leeway.
"The state really needs to recognize that its flagships require the tools to be competitive with both the public flagships in other states as well as the great privates," UNC-CH Chancellor James Moeser said.
Arguing for a tuition increase earlier this year, Moeser said he had in his hand recruitment offers from other universities for science professors in three departments. Thirty-two professors received job offers and 11 left, the chancellor reported.
The UNC Board of Governors denied the tuition increase, and a political action committee formed by prominent UNC-CH alumni and trustees put pressure on legislative leaders. NCSU partisans were quiet during the debate, but they're happy with the result.
"I think the message came through loud and clear to the UNC [system] administration that some special consideration must be given to the research institutions," said Wendell Murphy, chairman of NCSU's trustee board.
Like the bad old days
Thirty years ago, the state recognized the difference between research-oriented campuses and others more clearly.
"It should be that way," said Bob B. Jordan, an NCSU trustee, former lieutenant governor and former UNC system board member. "Those universities should have a different base for pay. The question then becomes, how much different?"
But the Board of Governors has come to look like a microcosm of the legislature, Jordan said, with members who support their own constituencies rather than the system as a whole. The result is often policies that treat campuses the same way.
Some members of the Board of Governors question why NCSU and UNC-CH, the largest and most powerful universities, should get special treatment, especially now.
Those two campuses have reached unparalleled heights in recent years. They brought in grants of $786 million last year from foundations, industry and the federal government. In 2000, they received nearly $980 million of the UNC system's $2.5 billion share of taxpayer-approved bonds for campus construction.
Millions of dollars from campus tuition increases in the past five years have gone to increase faculty salaries and improve libraries.. And the two universities have made impressive strides in reeling in private donations: UNC-CH has raised $1.5 billion toward a $1.8 billion goal; NCSU kicked off a $1 billion campaign Friday by announcing it had already raised $800 million.
Claude Hargrove, chairman of the Faculty Senate at Fayetteville State University, sees prosperity, not problems, at NCSU and UNC-CH.
The average salary of a full professor at FSU is $71,700, compared to $94,800 at NCSU and $112,700 at UNC-CH.
Even so, the smaller campuses are keenly aware of how much they need the two large Triangle campuses politically.
"Once they are taken care of," Hargrove said, "there would be less passion to increase our salaries because everyone would know the flagships would be taken care of. We need their clout. We need them to be a part of the game."
Another relatively recent development complicates the push by NCSU and UNC-CH for special treatment. Four other campuses in the system now have substantial research programs, with new doctoral degree programs -- East Carolina, N.C. A&T State, UNC-Charlotte and UNC-Greensboro.
Every campus has its own needs, UNCG Chancellor Patricia Sullivan says, and the state's research endeavors can't be concentrated only in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
"While not every campus has to be a research campus," she said, "every campus has to have research as part of its mission if North Carolina is going to be prosperous in the future."
By the end of the decade, UNCG aims to be in the same higher education classification as NCSU and UNC-CH -- a category now called "research extensive." The campus offers 19 doctoral degrees and granted 89 doctorates in the past academic year. Sullivan thinks the state ought to set aside money for competitive research grants and for graduate student research jobs.
The political action committee formed by influential UNC-CH alumni lobbied openly for campus control in direct opposition to system leaders and UNC system President Molly Broad. Lawmakers found themselves on the receiving end of e-mail campaigns. Retired UNC system presidents and former North Carolina governors joined a chorus of elder statesmen against what could have been called a campus mutiny.
Sullivan maintains she's not a "doomsday person." But when the state sets out different policies for different campuses, she says, "That is the beginning of the end of the system. ... Why do we exist then?"
The debate contains echoes from the era before the system was created in the early 1970s. Campuses were often at war with each other over state money and high-profile academic programs.
This year, the legislature approved more state money for Appalachian State and UNC-Wilmington after an analysis revealed that the system's funding formula was unfair. And UNC-Charlotte received more appropriations for its new research status.
Now, says James L. Oblinger, chancellor at N.C. State, it's time to recognize the two largest campuses.
"Yes, the funding for UNCW and Charlotte and Greensboro need to be looked at, but you have two universities -- NCSU and UNC -- in the top 50 of America's research campuses," he said. "And if you don't deal with that piece of the puzzle, the rest of the formula is not equitable."
A different formula is not likely, said Brad Wilson, chairman of the UNC Board of Governors, because "it creates a perception that you are taking away from some to give to others."
But, he added, tuition may be only a first step in improving the fortunes of the Triangle research campuses. The board will examine other potential changes in the coming months, he said.
That's good news to Rusty Carter, a UNC-CH trustee who is active in the political action committee that lobbied for tuition autonomy for the two campuses.
Campus leaders at UNC-CH and NCSU have repeatedly pointed out that they go up against private universities with deep pockets.
"The private institutions that we compete with have exploded their endowments, have exploded their sources of funding, and their tuitions are high," Carter said.
Although faculty paychecks at the two institutions are higher than elsewhere in the UNC system, UNC-CH ranked 11th among 16 national peer universities last year in salaries for full professors. NCSU ranked 14th among 16 peers in the same category this year.
"We do play in a very fast league," Steve Farmer, UNC-CH's admissions director, said Thursday in describing the current freshman class, which had an average SAT score of 1299.
But for those students, low cost remains a priority. In-state tuition and fees for undergraduates this year are $4,515 at UNC-CH and $4,249 at NCSU.
In the past, the UNC system board has stepped in to stop some tuition increases, as it did this spring, said Kris Gould, speaker pro tem of UNC-CH's Student Congress. "The fear is that tuition will rise and they won't have an adequate check on the process."
Staff writer Jane Stancill can be reached at 956-2464 or janes@newsobserver.com.
Former Delta Airlines Chief Risk Officer Chris Duncan to present NC State College of Management’s ERM Roundtable Oct. 14
Sept. 29, 2005
dBusinessNews, Carolina Newswire
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
Raleigh - Chris Duncan, former chief risk officer of Delta Airlines Inc., will speak at the Oct. 14 Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Roundtable, hosted by NC State University’s College of Management. His presentation will be held at NC State’s McKimmon Center in Raleigh, beginning at 7:30 a.m..
Currently serving as a consultant with Marsh Inc., Duncan will share insights based on enterprise risk management activities at various companies. He also will discuss his efforts in developing a risk philosophy within one of the nation’s largest airline carriers, Delta Airlines Inc.
Duncan has made major contributions to several areas of enterprise risk management throughout his career, including the launch of enterprise risk management initiatives at the executive management level. He will provide an overview of how Delta approached risk management from an enterprise level during one of the most troubling times for the U.S. airline industry, following the events of September 11, 2001.
The ERM Roundtable series features guest speakers who share their corporate ERM-related experiences and respond to questions from participants.
ERM Roundtables are open to the public at no charge but reservations are requested. Please make your reservation by email to erm_initiative@ncsu.edu.
For additional information about this presentation, contact Carrie Martin with the ERM Initiative at NC State’s College of Management, 919.515.1007, or by email at carrie_martin@ncsu.edu.
Directions to NC State’s McKimmon Conference and Training Center are available online at http://mckimmoncenter.ncsu.edu/mckimmon/fac-map.html.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By TIM SIMMONS
© Copyright 2005
RALEIGH -- The stretch of Hillsborough Street that is the front door of N.C. State University has long been a bit of a fixer-upper.
And like the homeowner who no longer sees the fading paint and scruffy exterior of his own house, many who use the strip daily often look past its shortcomings.
But in the past few months, some city and university leaders have been taking a hard look at Hillsborough, where they envision an overhaul.
The renewed interest is pegged to the Oct. 11 Raleigh elections, when voters will be asked to approve a $60 million bond issue for road improvements. About $3 million of that would be set aside for major changes on Hillsborough.
"It's just one piece of a bigger effort, but it's an important piece," said Charlie Leffler, NCSU vice chancellor for finance and business. "We're talking about a redevelopment project here, not just filling a hole or lighting a darkened storefront."
Although taxpayers will pick up much of the cost for that redevelopment, NCSU is a critical partner. It owns most of the land along the south side of Hillsborough and key parking lots on the "business side" to the north.
NCSU is also the reason thousands of people stream back and forth across the four-lane road every day of the school year.
It seems counterintuitive, but planners say the first step in improving business along Hillsborough Street is to reduce the number of people who drive past its storefronts.
To do that, the city intends to build roundabouts.
Discussions about roundabouts often fail to move beyond the question of whether drivers will get the hang of the circular intersections that replace traffic lights and stop signs. A new roundabout at the busy campus intersection of Stinson Drive and Pullen Road suggests they'll do just fine.
But building a roundabout means reducing the number of lanes on Hillsborough Street from four to two, said Eric Lamb, division manager for the city's transportation services division.
Fewer lanes, in turn, mean traffic is likely to slow down and back up until people decide to take a different route across town, Lamb said.
A study completed by the city in 2001 suggests that traffic could be reduced as much as 30 percent. The plan also calls for a median separating the two lanes of traffic, wider sidewalks and more parking.
It's the kind of Hillsborough Street that pedestrians could actually enjoy, said Sallie Ricks, past president and a member of the board of directors of the University Park Homeowners Association.
"If you can slow down the traffic, it's not only safer, but you also get a chance to have outdoor dining and just a more pleasant experience," she said.
Pedestrian safety
The changes won't happen at once. The $3 million, for example, will only build two or three roundabouts in a project that could eventually bring 11 of the circular intersections to Hillsborough, Lamb said.
But even a few roundabouts will probably have a cascading effect that reduces traffic down the entire strip.
"Reducing traffic is a first step that has to happen," said Kevin Jennings, owner of Frazier's restaurant and Porter's Tavern across from campus. "I've been hit myself trying to cross Hillsborough, and it makes you wonder who put this freeway in the middle of a pedestrian area."
A better question, Lamb said, is who put these pedestrians in the middle of a freeway? That's because Hillsborough Street was established in 1792 specifically to be a thoroughfare heading west from the Capitol. The people came later, especially all those students.
What's often puzzling, though, is why businesses have such a hard time surviving on Hillsborough Street, given the throngs of students.
"We talk about this all the time," said Adrienne Fehr, a senior at NCSU who was studying with a friend and drinking coffee on a recent morning at Bruegger's Bagels. "Why can't this be a place where people congregate? How is it that even Starbucks left the street?"
The answer, said Ricks and Jennings, boils down to economics.
"The rent is high, and you have all these businesses trying to attract students by selling the cheapest slice of pizza," Ricks said. "It just doesn't work."
Business strategy
Jennings came to much the same conclusion when he opened his first restaurant on Hillsborough about seven years ago. Instead of trolling for student dollars, he specifically markets to an older crowd that comes to Hillsborough Street at night. Students are welcome, he said, but his restaurants don't depend on them.
"It's about finding the right mix," said Leffler, the NCSU vice chancellor. "We can't control what the businesses do, but we can control how people use the street. That's why the vote in October is important. Sometimes you have to spend some money to attract money. Businesses need to see that we're serious."
And that will take time. After all, this fixer-upper has been neglected for quite a while.
Staff writer Tim Simmons can be reached at 829-4535 or tsimmons@newsobserver.com.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By Rob Christensen
© Copyright 2005
SNOW HILL -- John Edwards turned one of his presidential campaign promises into reality Wednesday, albeit on a small scale.
Edwards, the former Democratic vice presidential nominee, announced the creation of a program that would help pay for the senior class of Greene Central High School to go to college as long as the students work part time.
" I believe that everyone who works hard should have the rewards to show for it, and through this pilot program we will be able to knock down barriers and help give more students the opportunity to succeed," Edwards, a former U.S. senator, said in a high school gymnasium filled with seniors, parents and community leaders in this Eastern North Carolina county.
The project, called College for Everyone, is designed to make it easier for students to attend college. The program could help the 140 seniors at the high school, encouraging them to apply for college, helping them apply for existing student aid and then providing them extra money to pay any remaining costs for their first year of college.
In return, the students will have to work at least 10 hours a week during their first year of college, and would have to qualify for admission and refrain from using illegal drugs or alcohol or engaging in any activity resulting in long-term suspension from high school.
The program is for students who want to attend one of five University of North Carolina system campuses or one of two state community college campuses.
" It's a great program," said Lisa Braswell, a state correctional officer whose son, Kelsey, hopes to study architecture at N.C. State University. Cassie Faulkner said her daughter, Camron, already was receiving help in filling out her application for N.C. State.
" I've never been in college," Faulkner said. "None of my family graduated from high school. When it came to filling out the paperwork, we didn't know how to do it."
During his campaign for president last year, Edwards proposed a similar nationwide initiative, in which the federal government would pay the first-year tuition of college or community college if the student worked at least 10 hours.
Edwards said the campaign idea grew into this project. Edwards is the honorary chairman of a foundation that is overseeing the project in coordination with several other nonprofit groups. Jim Diana, the project's manager, said he could not estimate the cost but said it could amount to as much as $4,000 per student, depending on the campus and the amount of student assistance available. The money would be raised from individuals, corporations and charitable foundations.
Diana said Greene County had been chosen because it was among the 10 poorest counties in the state.
The project comes at a time when Edwards is exploring a 2008 presidential bid and has been moving around the country seeking to elevate the issue of poverty as part of the nation's political discourse.
Medicaid shortfall to dent mental health budget
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By Lynn Bonner
© Copyright 2005
About six weeks after the state finalized its budget, the state Department of Health and Human Services has told local mental health offices they have to make a $28 million cut.
Department Secretary Carmen Hooker Odom proposed to county commissioners and local mental health officials last week that the local offices consolidate some of their administrative duties to save money. The $28 million represents nearly 18 percent of the local offices' administrative budget.
The state proposes to have 10 local "lead" offices do reviews of how patients use mental health services and perform after-hours screening and referrals for about 30 local mental health agencies beginning in January, said Leza Wainwright, deputy director of the state mental health division.
" It's not cost-effective to replicate services 30 different times," Wainwright said.
The local mental health programs are being told to make the cut because the state mental health office thought it would get a $25 million transfer from the Medicaid budget that isn't coming after all.
Wainwright stressed that the consolidation is a proposal, but the division has to do something to make up the money.
County commissioners, the local mental health offices and state legislators say the timing for local governments is terrible.
The local offices have the $28 million in their budgets and have hired people to do the work, said state Rep. Verla Insko, a Chapel Hill Democrat. She wants the department to push the start date to July.
" If the counties had more time to look at where we could take this cut, we might be able to say how we can minimize the impact on our consumers," she said.
Carol Clayton, executive director of the N.C. Council of Community Programs, an organization that represents local mental health offices, said the state wants too quick a change.
" There's just no way you can make a change like this in the middle of a budget year," Clayton said. Council members are meeting today to come up with some alternative money-saving ideas, she said.
Counties have been merging their mental health offices over the past four years as part of a widespread change in the treatment system. The idea was that the local governments would control the mergers and that administrative savings would be plowed back into treatment.
" We don't want to engage in any process that takes money out of the system if it's not returned on the service side," Clayton said.
Prognosis for lobbying
After Gov. Mike Easley signed two military-related bills at a ceremony Wednesday, he came close to putting an oral stamp of approval on a bill he has yet to sign, one that would require lobbyists to disclose more of their spending on legislators and top government officials.
" I'm certainly predisposed to it, " Easley said.
" I'm looking at the bill very closely. Thus far, it looks like a good bill."
Easley had a scratch on his upper right cheek Wednesday, a wound inflicted by a doctor.
" I had a spot cut out by a dermatologist on Monday," said Easley, who was a little hazy on the diagnosis.
" It was one of those foreign words," he said.
OSHA pick has N.C. ties
President Bush has nominated Edwin G. Foulke Jr., a 1974 graduate of N.C. State University, to be the head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Foulke has a law degree from Loyola University of New Orleans and is a specialist in labor and employment law with a firm in Greenville, S.C.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By Sabine Vollmer
© Copyright 2005
A drug-research deal that is worth up to $200 million will prompt a Durham company to branch out and seek treatments for four-legged patients.
It's the first animal-health deal for Scynexis, which in the past five years has focused on helping pharmaceutical companies with the chemistry involved in creating drugs for humans.
The research collaboration with Merial, a Duluth, Ga.-based animal-health company, is not only Scynexis' biggest deal, it's also one of the biggest drug-research deals ever for a Triangle company.
Over 15 years, the collaboration could bring Scynexis $150 million in research funding and an estimated $50 million for achieving development milestones. Merial also will pay Scynexis royalties on sales of drugs that come out of the collaboration.
The research will mostly focus on treatments for cats, dogs and horses. But the deal will not lead to increased hiring. Scynexis already had planned to add about 30 employees to its Triangle work force of about 110 by the end of the year.
The Merial deal reflects a dramatic shift in how society views animals, said Michael Davidson, associate dean and director of veterinary medical services at N.C. State University's College of Veterinary Medicine.
" In the past 10 years, animals have gone from the back yard to the bedroom," Davidson said. "People now view pets as family members, and pet owners will spend as much or more on a pet's medical care than on their own."
As a result, veterinary medicine is beginning to resemble human medicine in care and cost, especially in the United States and Europe.
NCSU, for example, over the next 10 years plans to convert its veterinary campus in West Raleigh into the animal equivalent of Duke University's renowned medical center in Durham. A $25 million gift from a pet owner was the seed for the plans, which include a $42 million small-animal hospital and a $50 million hospital for horses.
Worldwide, animal medicines generated about $4.6 billion in sales last year, according to figures provided by Merial. Frontline, Merial's flea and tick treatment for cats and dogs, was the No. 1 seller, with worldwide sales of $1.2 billion last year. Two-thirds of Frontline's sales were generated in the United States.
Sales of animal medicines are dwarfed by to the human-drug market. Animal-specific drugs usually treat only bacterial infections and parasites. To treat diseases such as epilepsy, high blood pressure and cancer, veterinarians often rely on human drugs.
But animal health is a competitive market, with at least five large players trying to capture a portion of the market's annual growth of 2 percent to 3 percent.
" This is a very fast-growing market that's in need of research," said Scynexis Chief Executive Yves Ribeill.
The need for research is recognized more and more, but few biotech companies have ventured where Scynexis dared to go, Ribeill said.
Scynexis also has been quite successful in attracting human-health business. The company has lined up deals with large international drug makers such as Roche and Merck and small Triangle drug-development companies, including Adherex Technologies.
Scynexis, which will turn a profit this year, is projected to generate $30 million in revenue this year, and is considering an initial public offering of stock in the first half of 2006, Ribeill said.
As part of the collaboration, Scynexis will help Merial discover and develop antibacterial and antiparasitic treatments that are safer, easier to administer and more effective than existing drugs, said Scot Huber, a chemist and co-founder of Scynexis who has animal-health experience.
The animal-health research done for Merial will become part of Scynexis' growing database, Ribeill said. "And that knowledge can be applied later in human health."
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SCYNEXIS
Founded: 2000 by 24 scientists who worked at Aventis.
Business: Helps pharmaceutical companies with the chemistry involved in creating experimental drugs, and manufactures small amounts of the drugs for testing.
Employees: 140, including 110 in Durham.
Facility: 100,000 square feet of laboratory and office space in Durham; office and labs in Britain.
Revenue: Projected to reach $30 million this year.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
Brad Wilson, chairman of the University of North Carolina system's Board of Governors, is facing a trial of his leadership of that group as it ponders tuition policies for the two big research campuses in the 16-member UNC system. Those campuses are, of course, UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State University. Some advocates for the schools have chafed for some time at the notion of having to operate within the confines of a large system, and of having to get permission from the Board of Governors when it comes to raising their tuition.
The chafing got pretty raw earlier this summer, when some UNC-CH boosters active in a political action committee that gave several hundred thousand dollars to legislative candidates finally took the gloves off. They took their case to the legislature, that case being that the two big campuses needed some flexibility to set their own tuition. Among their goals is to raise money to pay higher faculty salaries.
Opponents of granting the schools any leeway with regard to tuition won out -- with some of them saying that such a step would imperil a system that has benefited the state for over 30 years. But legislative leaders (most notably, Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight of Manteo) made it clear they wanted the Board of Governors to study the tuition issue. That's why Wilson has appointed a committee to do just that.
There is nothing wrong with taking a close look at tuition levels and how they are set -- mindful, of course, that North Carolina has been served very well by its constitutional requirement that the state's public universities should be free of tuition expense, as far as practicable. But Wilson needs to assert himself, and quickly, against the idea of diluting the Board of Governors' authority over tuition.
UNC-CH and N.C. State indeed do bring in the lion's share of research dollars. They compete for academic superstars for their faculties. They're probably subject to more recruitment of their top faculty by other schools than are some of their fellow system members. Making sure they have the financial resources to maximize their value to the state is essential.
However, raising tuition, which would be the practical result of gaining the right to set their own tuition, is not going to be some sort of cure-all. For example, outstanding professors may choose to come or go for reasons that have little to do with money. And since a portion of higher tuition receipts is -- or should be -- plowed back into financial aid, the net gain to a campus is reduced anyway. At the same time, the principle of having decisions on key policy matters such as tuition made by a central board, with the interests of the whole system and state in mind, is undermined.
Tuition policies for the research universities do need to be examined, but that can be done under the leadership of the Board of Governors. Before that board existed, the state's public universities competed against each other for public dollars, and the battles were sometimes won on the basis of legislative clout, not the setting of orderly priorities based on North Carolina's needs. The board has stopped that, with varying success to be sure.
In the meantime, tuition has remained relatively low, as the state constitution promises that it should. The system has worked and is working. So those who lead the system must not preside over the weakening of their own authority.
Sept. 29, 2005
News & Observer
By staff report
© Copyright 2005
CRIBNOTE
TEE TIME
Duke and North Carolina have lovely on-campus golf courses. Now, N.C. State is hoping to build its own golf course.
On Sunday, the school hosts a reception for the kickoff of its capital campaign to raise $16 million to construct a multi-purpose golf course, research center and clubhouse.
The dinner reception is 6 p.m. at Prestonwood Country Club in Cary and will feature former N.C. State golfers Tim Clark and Carl Pettersson, who currently are PGA Tour professionals.
The Wolfpack plans to build an Arnold Palmer signature course on its Centennial Campus. The par-71 course will be 6,915 yards.
" It's one of the those courses where he's actually involved and it's one of their prime courses," said Nora Lynn Finch, N.C. State's senior associate athletics director.
Finch said N.C. State plans to build in three phases, with the golf course first. The research center will aid the school's Professional Golf Management and turfgrass programs.
With the course, N.C. State students will have a lab to work on environmentally friendly turf management.
Although the course would be mainly for the university community, it will be open to the public.
" The intent is to have an inside-the-beltline, world-class public golf course," Finch said.
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DID YOU KNOW?
From the fun names file: The North Carolina field hockey team has two players with decidedly male-sounding names. Laree Beans' father is named Larry, while freshman Stewi Downer's actual name is Anna-Stewart Downer. They're not the only ones in the ACC: Boston College has a Bob Dirks.
Federal investigators can listen, but can they hear?
Sept. 28, 2005
Star Ledger, NJ
By Kevin Coughlin
© Copyright 2005
Click here to read this article. You will be taken to the Star Ledger's Web site.
Grant to fund Ga. turfgrass research
Sept. 29, 2005
The Gainesville Times
By Billy Skaggs
© Copyright 2005
University of Georgia and North Carolina State University researchers have received more than $650,000 in grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency for turfgrass research in their home states.
In Georgia, the grant will be used over the next two years to fund eight turfgrass research projects in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
"These funds are allowing us to do projects that we would not be able to do otherwise," said Gil Landry, coordinator of the Georgia Center for Urban Agriculture on the UGA campus in Griffin.
"Each research project we complete directly impacts turfgrass professionals and most of the projects will also impact individual homeowners in the state."
The grant will fund UGA Seashore Paspalum turfgrass breeding efforts. Seashore paspalum can be irrigated using a wide quality range of water, including sea, brackish and recycled water.
The grass needs only minimal pesticides and judicious applications of fertilizers.
UGA scientists also plan to use the grant funds to investigate: alternative methods of turfgrass insect control; the environmental fate of pesticides used on turfgrass; turfgrass disease control; environmental management of turfgrass; and using turfgrass for erosion control.
UGA agricultural economists will study economic value of the industry and individual lawns to property owners.
"All of these projects relate to turfgrass' overall environmental impact on our state," Landry said. "Our main objective is to look at improving sustainability of turfgrass management in our environment.
"We know that turfgrasses can significantly improve the environment in many ways. We are constantly examining ways to produce healthy turfgrass using the least amount of inputs."
Turfgrasses reduce soil erosion and improve water quality in the process, Landry said. Turfgrasses also absorb carbon dioxide and other harmful gases while releasing oxygen and cooling the environment.
The urban agriculture industry in Georgia, which includes turfgrass, provides more than 79,000 jobs and annually generates more than $8.1 billion to the state's economy.
(Special thanks to Sharon Omahen, UGA News Editor.)
Billy Skaggs is Hall County extension agent. He can be reached at (770) 531-6988. His column appears Thursdays.