NEWS TIP- NC State Experts Can Offer Insight into Gulf Oil Spill

Posted on May 5, 2010 by kmfaber2

NEWS TIP – May 4, 2010

Media Contact: Tracey Peake, News Services, 919/515-6142 or tracey_peake@ncsu.edu .

The recent British Petroleum oil spill will have a major environmental impact on the U.S. Gulf Coast, and beyond. North Carolina State University experts can address issues pertaining to the spill, from how ocean currents may carry it beyond the Gulf, to how long and difficult the clean-up process may be, as well as effects on tourism and the economy.

Dr. Thomas Birkland, the William T. Kretzer professor of public policy, 919/513-7799, mobile 518/229-8814 or tom_birkland@ncsu.edu, is an expert on disasters and environmental policy, and has extensively studied oil spills including Exxon Valdez. He can discuss the government's response to the oil spill including factors that delayed response time and the changes to law on oil spills since the Exxon Valdez spill.

Dr. Gene Brothers, associate professor of parks, recreation and tourism management, 919/515-3699 or gene_brothers@ncsu.edu, is an expert on tourism and can address the implications of the oil spill for tourism along the Gulf Coast and on the N.C. coast.

Dr. David Eggleston, professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, 919/515-7840 or eggleston@ncsu.edu, is an expert on marine fisheries ecology and conservation. He can address potential impacts of the Gulf oil spill on the crabs, oysters and fish populations in the affected areas.

Dr. Ruoying (Roy) He, , associate professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, 919/513-0249 or ruoying_he@ncsu.edu, is an expert on coastal circulation dynamics. He can discuss ocean circulation in the Gulf and how it will affect the spill.

Dr. Chris Osburn, assistant professor of marine, earth and atmospheric sciences, 919/515-0382 or chris_osburn@ncsu.edu, is an aquatic biogeochemist who studies the sources and transformations of organic matter in river, estuarine, and coastal marine environments. He can discuss the environmental impact of the spill on the salt marshes along the Gulf Coast.

Linda R. Taylor, lecturer in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, 919/513-3972 or lr_taylor@ncsu.edu, can speak about the training and certifications required for those who work to clean up oil spills, as well as what that training entails.

Dr. Roger von Haefen, associate professor of agricultural and resource economics, 919/924-3935 or rhhaefen@ncsu.edu, believes that there may be a modest rise in gas prices due to the oil spill, and that there will be a major lawsuit brought against BP that may rival the Exxon Valdez lawsuit.

Vick Recognized for Expertise in Academic Advising and Professionalism

Posted on April 27, 2010 by kmfaber2

Dr. Candace Goode-Vick Dr. Candace Goode Vick has been awarded a Certificate of Merit from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and will be honored at the NACADA annual conference in October 2010.

"The function of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is to promote improvement of programs and services to enhance the quality of student learning. A few of the qualities in which CAS desires to see student improvement are intellectual growth, effective communication, enhanced self esteem, realistic self-appraisal, career choices, healthy behavior, collaboration, social responsibility, and independence. NACADA’s core values largely focus on how the faculty advisor facilitates CAS standards. Candace’s advising style very much brings these standards and values together," comments Dr. Dorothy Anderson, Department Head, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

"A strength of the PRTM department is its student advising." says Anderson. "In large part this strength can be traced to the passion and professionalism that Vick has shown over her years of working with students. She is the primary faculty advisor for over 600 students in the various undergraduate degrees."

"Candace strongly believes that students are best served when their advising needs are met not only in a timely manner but in a way that is focused on the student as an individual. She is committed to making the student’s experience a positive and worthwhile experience that will serve the student throughout the student’s life. When the latter happens the student’s academic experience is enriched, which in turn helps assure we retain and graduate top notch professionals in our field."

Vick has also recently been selected by the National Recreation and Park Association to serve on the NRPA Council of Accreditation. Dr. Candace Goode Vick is an associate professor, assistant department head and director of undergraduate programs in the NC State University Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

More information on Dr. Goode Vick is available at http://cnr.ncsu.edu/prtm/faculty/goode-vick.php .

Paper Science and Engineering Students Tackle Need for Humanitarian Shelters

Posted on April 27, 2010 by kmfaber2

For Immediate Release:
Contact: Dr. Joel Pawlak, Professor, Department of Forest Biomaterials
North Carolina State University

humanitarian shelter design Raleigh, NC – In light of the recent disaster in Haiti, the need for temporary shelters that can be provided with humanitarian relief has been highlighted. Seniors in the Paper Science and Engineering Program at North Carolina State University have elected to tackle this critical issue facing the world.

As part of their senior design course, students have been tasked with the challenge of designing a lightweight humanitarian shelter that can be deployed throughout the world on a moment’s notice. The design criteria for the shelter include the ability: (1) to provide housing for three months for a family of four, (2) to be transported by one person on foot, (3) to protect occupants from mosquitoes, and (4) to be at least 80 % compostable with no toxic materials.

Patrick Buenaventura, a senior in Paper Science and Engineering, explains why he chose this project, "In terms of the disasters that have been happening, it was a great way to apply our knowledge to help people." Pat’s hometown is Crescent City, Florida. Being from Florida, Pat knows the strain a disaster such as a hurricane or earthquake can place on a community. He goes on to add, "Hopefully, one of our projects will become the innovation that is needed to help disaster victims."

One of the humanitarian shelter designs usingpaper, wood and/or paper composites Four design groups have been working in Dr. Pawlak’s Paper Physics and Product Design class to come up with novel solutions to this problem. Peter Jin, a senior in Paper Science in Engineering, comments that, "Meeting all the design criteria has been a challenge." The students have used various forms of paper, wood, and paper composites to generate structures that meet the strict criteria. The designs range from familiar house-type structures to geodesic domes.

Students will be testing their structural materials and presenting their final design prototypes at the Hodges Lab at NC State during the week of April 26, 2010.

NC State Natural Resources Dean Named CSU Agricultural Sciences' Honor Alumnus

Posted on April 21, 2010 by kmfaber2

NCSU Natural Resources Dean Robert Brown NC State College of Natural Resources Dean, Robert Brown, was honored with the College of Agricultural Sciences Honor Alumnus Award from Colorado State University. Brown accepted the award at a ceremony at CSU on April 17, 2010.

Brown graduated from Colorado State University in 1968 with a B.S. degree in Animal Nutrition. Following service with the Marines in Vietnam, Brown earned a Ph.D. from Penn State. Over the years his academic homes have included Texas A&I in Kingsville, the Kleburg Wildlife Research Institute, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. He has been dean of the College of Natural Resources at NC State University since 2006.

Brown has published more than 120 articles, edited 3 books, and presented 118 research reports at scientific meetings in the United States and abroad. He has served as national president of "The Wildlife Society" and president of the "National Association of University Fisheries and Wildlife Programs." For 18 years, he served as an assistant scoutmaster and venturing crew leader for the Boy Scouts of America.

Dr. Brown and his wife, Regan, have three sons and live in Cary, North Carolina.

Read the complete CSU news release

NC State University Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Earth Day

Posted on April 21, 2010 by kmfaber2

Earth Day on the Brickyard 2009 For Immediate Release

Contact: David Dean
NC State University Sustainability Office
(919) 513-0177
david_dean@ncsu.edu

North Carolina State University will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day with a vastly diverse event located at the heart of campus. The University Sustainability Office will host a day full of games, exhibits and vendors on the Brickyard, Thursday, April 22.

Earth Day 2010 will feature over 80 vendors and exhibits, making it the largest such event ever on campus. Featured highlights include the Campus Farmer’s Market, a Clean Cities Expo, a Free Trade Bazaar, the RE corridor, as well as student-led recycling and sustainability games. In addition, the Sustainability Office will be raffling off a Samsung ‘Reclaim’ phone. The ‘Reclaim’ is the first phone made from 100% biodegradable materials. Other items to be raffled off include tickets to see Widespread Panic at Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion, passes for two at Mission Valley Cinemas and iTunes gift certificates supplied by the SmartCommute Challenge.

David Dean, outreach & communications coordinator, said, "An event of this magnitude would not be possible without the generous support of our partners – Energy Management at NC State, University Dining, the Union Activities Board, NC State Class Ring Collection, Sprint and last but definitely not least, Waste Reduction and Recycling at NC State."

NC State Earth Day 2010 kicks off at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 22, 2010 on the Brickyard and will wrap up at 3 p.m.

For more information, go to www.ncsu.edu/earthday

Sustainability is a year-round focus at NC State.
Check out the S.E.E. NC State Website for all the sustainable happenings.