New nanotechnology center advances Triangle as high-tech hub
A state-of-the-art tool at the new Triangle National Lithography Center at N.C. State University will allow faculty and students at UNC-Chapel Hill and N.C. State to take a huge step forward in nanofabrication.
The center features a high-tech gem -- a 193-nanometer lithography stepper. The tool will allow nearly 100 students and faculty members from both campuses, as well as industry, government and other academic users, to conduct cutting-edge nanotechnology research. The stepper has a market value of about $12 million.
It is believed that no other institute of higher education has such a state-of-the-art tool for nanofabrication. University officials say that gaining experience with the stepper will give students a big advantage in the nanotechnology workforce.
"This innovative center shows just how powerful the partnerships between two great research universities can be on behalf of the people of North Carolina. The cutting-edge approach both campuses are taking with the center will help address practical environmental and economic issues facing our state and nation," said UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser.
Officials say the center also will provide local industrial partners the infrastructure necessary to compete on the international stage in advanced applications in microelectronics.
Other major facilities under construction at UNC-Chapel Hill will complement the new center at N.C. State. A new Institute for Advanced Materials, Nanoscience and Technology will be housed in the Carolina Physical Science Complex, part of a public-private partnership.
UNC- Chapel Hill helps provide access to online AP courses
Two years ago, high school students in many of North Carolina's rural and low-wealth school districts had little or no access to Advanced Placement courses -- work that can help them get into college and earn college credit in advance.
Now they do, thanks to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and LEARN North Carolina, a public service of the School of Education at UNC-Chapel Hill.
The department contracted with LEARN NC to create online versions of 12 of the 34 official AP courses, which were developed and are overseen by the College Board. The online courses are offered in 28 school districts that may not be able to afford AP-certified teachers on site. They also may not have enough students interested in one of the courses to comprise a class.
By contrast, well-funded, more populous districts have regularly offered AP courses in traditional classrooms for years. The difference in resources left students in low-wealth and small districts at a disadvantage -- until now. About 75 of the state's 117 school districts met the criteria of rural and low-wealth outlined in the $900,000 federal grant supporting the project.
Educators who teach the online courses do so on their time off from regular teaching jobs in their home school districts. LEARN NC (www.learnnc.org) pays them $425 per student with funds from the grant.
ECU and ECSU help 'revitalize' rural math and science teachers
East Carolina University and Elizabeth City State University are using visualization tools and advanced videoconferencing technologies to reduce teacher isolation and stimulate virtual learning for middle and high school teachers of mathematics and science in rural communities.
The REVITALISE program aims to reduce retention and renewal issues in rural areas by helping teachers apply visualization methodologies to strengthen standards-based curricula and by providing educators with advanced tools for teaching and communicating.
Participating in the first two-year cohort (2002-2004) are novice and veteran teachers from Chowan, Greene, Halifax, Johnston, Pasquotank, Pitt and Washington counties. Team members receive free copies of visualization software and hands-on training in the use of visualization tools, from basic spreadsheet graphing to full 3-D data plotting. Participation in summer institutes, workshops, and online distance learning opportunities is required.
Instructors from North Carolina and Illinois team-teach participants in using visualization and immersive tools to create classroom modules with face-to-face and virtual teams. Through the use of advanced communications technologies, such as the Access Grid and H.323 video conferencing, communications and connections between participants in both states are enhanced. Teachers will serve as role models for change by integrating this new technology into the curriculum and disseminating knowledge to others.
REVITALISE is a research initiative supported by the National Science Foundation. Marilyn Sheerer, dean of ECU's College of Education, is the principal investigator. Partners include the Morehead Planetarium at the University UNC-Chapel Hill, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, and the University of Illinois' Center for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, Champaign-Urbana.computers.
REVITALISE is currently recruiting for the second cohort of participants (2004-2006) in North Carolina and Illinois. Applications are due April 26, 2004. More information is available from Sandra Huskamp, huskamps@ecu.edu, or visit www.eot.org/revitalise.
NCSA studies community digital design program
The N.C. School of the Arts will use a $10,000 grant from the Greater Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce to investigate how to establish a digital design program in the community using resources not only of the school, but also of the entire city.
"We are enthusiastic about the possibility of playing a vital role in the community's efforts to become a design center for the region, and perhaps the nation," said NCSA Chancellor Wade Hobgood.
UNCP receives grant for assistive technologies
UNC Pembroke has received a grant to enhance accessibility to computer software that supports disabled students. The $19,200 grant from Premier Assistive Technology Company provides software and allows UNCP to run assistive technology programs on as many personal computers as needed.
The software performs functions such as enlarging computer text, reading textbooks and reformatting text documents into audio files. Roger Brown, UNCP provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, said the grant was a major step for the university's support for disabled students.
"We are proud of our proactive and positive approach to making higher education accessible to every qualified student who desires it. The grant will help ensure that we employ the latest technology on their behalf," said Brown.
UNCP's Office of Disability Support Services (www.uncp.edu/dss/) serves 500 UNCP students, including more than 40 visually-impaired students.
ECU holds Voice over IP conference May 12-13
East Carolina University will welcome telecommunications specialists, enterprise IT managers, and telecommunications industry leaders to a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) conference May 12- 13 in Greenville.
Internet telephony, or VoIP, uses the Internet to transport voice conversations alongside data. The technology is growing quickly as IT decision makers recognize its value and benefits.
Gartner, Inc., the world's leading technology research and advisory firm, predicts that the beginning of the significant movement away from public switched telephone networks and traditional private lines will occur in 2004.
More information available at www.ecu.edu/si/internet2/voip/registration.cfm.
NCSU faculty member receives award for computer studies
Yan Solihin, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at N.C. State University, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The award is one of the highest honors given by NSF to young university faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $403,291 in funding over the next five years. Solihin will use the award to support his research project entitled "Intelligently Managing the Memory Hierarchy of Future High-Performance Servers." This research addresses the unique challenges facing high-performance server design in the billion-transistor chip era. His research interests include high-performance parallel computer architecture, architecture support for reliable and secure computer systems, and high-performance computing.
N.C. A&T receives grant for genetics research
N.C. A&T State University has received a $4.6 million, five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health to set up the Center for Excellence in Genetics Research and Training.
The university is part of the N.C. Biotechnology Center's consortium of state universities, private industries and others who are looking for ways in which gene research and other related sciences can benefit the state's economy.
A&T's new research center will focus on health issues that affect racial and ethnic minorities. These include hypertension, Alzheimer's Disease and AIDS.
