Dr. Kanters Goes to Washington

Posted on March 24, 2011 by

Dr. Michael Kanters addresses the Congressional Hockey Caucus on March 10, 2011

"Organized sports have strayed from their core mission of providing healthy, safe, and character building recreation for our nation’s youth." - Dr Michael Kanters

Recently, NC State University Sport Management professor Michael Kanters travelled to Capitol Hill at the invitation of the National Hockey League to brief a Congressional Committee about the importance of sports participation for youth and the disturbing trend in organized sports away from their core mission of providing healthy, safe and character-building recreation for our nation’s youth.

According to Dr. Kanters, there is a well established correlation between sport participation and positive educational and social outcomes for youth- including higher grades, college completion and increased levels of confidence and self-esteem.

Kanters and other sport and recreation professionals are concerned, however, about a cultural shift in the structure and delivery of youth sports in America- a shift that is moving us away from seeing sport as an environment for positive experiences to one which “professionalizes” youth sports – where talent rules, bigger is better, children are pressured to practice more frequently and specialize at an early age, as opposed to a child-centric inclusive approach that gives our youth positive life experiences, physical activity, and the skills for a lifetime of active living and productive citizenship.

Watch the Congressional Briefing Video
Read Dr. Kanters Remarks

Students Grow at TAPPI-PIMA Student Summit

Posted on February 8, 2011 by

Contributed by Katie McIntyre

Over the MLK holiday weekend, 19 Paper Science and Engineering students at NC State University travelled to Kingsport, TN for the annual TAPPI-PIMA Student Summit.

The 2011 Student Summit allowed students from paper science programs across the country the opportunity to learn more about the pulp and paper and packaging industries directly from professionals involved in day-to-day operations. Industry leaders met with students to impart some of their professional knowledge to budding engineers.

Throughout the weekend, students heard from professionals at a variety of levels; from mill managers to young professionals. Sessions highlighted new technologies in printed and flexible circuitry, biofuels energy, and carbon management.

Dedicated to preparing paper science students for successful careers, TAPPI provided students with essential information about interviewing, resume building and personal finance for young professionals.

Multiple companies took the opportunity to interview students for jobs, internships and co-ops during the Summit. More than one NC State student secured an internship over the weekend!

It has become tradition for the Student Summit to be held near a prominent manufacturing facility in order to provide students the opportunity to take a tour of the mill. This year was no exception, attendees were treated to a detailed tour of the Domtar Kingsport mill. Domtar was a key sponsor of the weekend event and supported many of the sessions with its professionals.

TAPPI Student Summits are never all work! Students had ample time to network with their peers from across the country and even got the opportunity to travel to Bays Mountain Park and Planetarium Park to visit the local “wolf pack” and had a “howling” good time. Take a listen!

The weekend wrapped up with a final challenge to the student participants. Groups took part in the “Marshmallow Challenge.” Their task: to build a structure in less than 18 minutes that would support a marshmallow with a few pieces of spaghetti, a little string and some tape. Who thought a marshmallow would be so heavy? Take a look at some of the spaghetti towers students built.

Senior and double major in Paper Science & Engineering and Chemical Engineering, Jamie Pye, was awarded a McNutt scholarship from TAPPI to help fund the chapter’s travel to the conference.

Learn more about Paper Science and Engineering at NC State.

NCSU Women’s Fraternity Makes Season Bright for Area Families

Posted on January 11, 2011 by rwgonzal

This December, the NC State University Chapter of Ceres Women’s Agricultural Fraternity held its First Annual Festival of Trees event. These remarkable women collaborated with faculty and the community to get five Christmas trees donated to area families. The trees were donated from area Christmas tree growers, including Misty Gill of Daniels Farm, Frank Barick, Bobby Brock, and A.K. Griffin of Griffins Evergreens. Ceres hosted the outdoor event in the campus brickyard, which involved decorating the donated Christmas trees from top to bottom with a variety of creative decor in an effort to win the tree decorating contest. Throughout the day, the organization played Christmas music, had a visit from Santa Claus, provided hot chocolate, and decorated the trees.

In the evening, the trees were on display for the decorating contest, judged by the College of Natural Resources’ Tiffany McLean, Dr. Barry Goldfarb and Dr. Gary Blank. The Agriculture Institute Club won the decorating contest with their tree adorned in tractor ornaments that were carefully created with candy. At the close of the event, the Ceres Women’s Agriculture Fraternity delivered the beautiful trees to five less fortunate families living in Wake County. Wake County Human Services helped the organization to find these deserving families.

The event was a great success thanks to the dedicated members of the Ceres Women’s Agriculture Fraternity, led by President Priscilla Morris, a junior in Forest Management. The Festival of Trees event offered students a chance to collaborate, celebrate, and give back to the community during the holiday season.

New Student Club Combines Interests with Community Services

Posted on November 9, 2010 by rwgonzal

– submitted by Christi Standley

In October, students in the Natural Resources major and the Environmental Technology and Management major joined forces to create the Natural Resources / Environmental Technology and Management Club, the newest student organization in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources.

At the first meeting, over 50 students met to discuss a vision for the club along with activities that students want to plan together. One of the most popular ideas was the desire to participate in community service activities that focus on general interests within the group—identifying and addressing environmental issues along with the preference of being outdoors!

Shortly after the first meeting, a perfect opportunity presented itself, and the club members quickly accepted the challenge. Students met at Yates Mill Pond on a Friday afternoon to spend time cleaning up the water.

As students moved around the entire pond in canoes, they were able to clean-up fishing line, trash, soda cans, and even a birthday balloon. These dedicated students took a few hours out of their busy schedules to clean-up this community park, so others can enjoy the beautiful scenery and clean water.

Members of Natural Resources / Environmental Technology and Management Club

V. Leanne Penry, Emily Koontz and LeeAnna Young (left to right) are members of the club and participated in the Yates Mill Pond Clean-up.

For more information about the Natural Resources / Environmental Technology and Management Club, contact Undergraduate Coordinator Christi Standley or Faculty Adviser Linda Taylor.

Learn more about Historic Yates Mill County Park

Students Get Hands-on Experience Outside and Inside of the Lab

Posted on November 9, 2010 by rwgonzal

– submitted by Christi Standley

Terrie Litzenberger instructs the students prior to going down to the creek for data collection

The College of Natural Resources offers an abundance of opportunities for students to learn through hands-on experiences!

Recently, students in the Environmental Technology and Management major trekked out to Rocky Branch Creek, which is conveniently located on NC State’s campus. Students actively participated in measuring water quality parameters at four locations along the creek.

The Environmental Technology and Management program focuses on the biological and chemical mechanisms of environmental processes and prepares students to minimize and manage pollution and to solve complex environmental problems. Water Quality is one of the seven labs that Environmental Technology and Management students can choose to take.

On this particular rainy day for the Rocky Branch Creek exercise, students gathered information about their environmental surroundings, while they recorded data collected using a variety of sensitive instruments to test water quality. The students practiced the preciseness needed when recording data to include date, time, location, the person taking the measurement, and other important information. After collecting the data, the students returned to the lab, where they tested the water for E. coli bacteria.

Students collecting water quality data

Through this experience, students used field and laboratory instruments for monitoring water quality. On a daily basis, students gain real-life, hands-on experience to practice managing, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting environmental data sets. This is just one more example of how students in the College of Natural Resources are learning real-world skills through hands-on experiences.

Analyzing water samples taken that day for pathogens