Annual Report 2008-09 Message from the PRESIDENT President’S Message

Y T I S R E V I N U E T A T S D N A E T U T I T S N I C I N H C E T Y L O P A I N I G R I V

annual report 2008-09 Message from the PRESIDENT President’s Message:

CharlesAs we look back W on. the Steger 2008-09 school year, the Virginia Tech community has a lot for which to be thankful and proud. But there are also some challenges on the resource side. We educated a record number of students — students who brought with them the highest-quality high school achievements ever. One of those students won a prestigious Truman Scholarship, which recognizes college juniors who have exceptional leadership potential. The educators who taught those students were recognized nationally and internationally for their accomplishments, including another six CAREER awards for top young professors. Research revenues continued to rise despite the ailing economy, and the university’s national ranking in that arena soared 12 places to its top spot ever. The university made huge strides in its effort to become “greener.” The board of visitors and the University Council approved the Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment Resolution and accepting the accompanying Sustainability Plan. The plan calls for, among other things, pursuing LEED Silver certification or better for all new buildings and renovations, a 35 percent recycling rate by 2012, specific targets for reductions in green- house gas emissions, reductions in electric usage, and improvements in transportation efficiency. Virginia Tech is rapidly moving deeper into medical education and research. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute in Roanoke broke ground and will open in July 2010. The school of medicine also received its preliminary accreditation in May and is evaluating candidates for the inaugural class. We have high hopes for this novel public-private partnership with the Carilion Clinic. In a ceremony meant to both honor and respect the victims of April 16, 2007, we officially reopened the west wing second floor of Norris Hall just days before the second anniversary of the tragedy that happened there. Among the tenants of that space is the new Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention. The whole university community continues to make Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) more than just a motto. Members of the community donated hundreds of thousands of hours of service and were recognized by the governor for their efforts. And Tech launched a Center for Student Engage- ment and Community Partnerships to coordinate partnerships, service, and experiential learning activities. Private philanthropy is essential if Virginia Tech is to remain true to its broad mission of learning, discovery, and outreach. While private giving fell short of 2007-08’s total, it was still the third-highest amount in our history, even with the difficult economic times. In addition, the $1 billion Campaign for Virginia Tech: Invent the Future has raised $817 million. Unfortunately, this private giving has become even more essential. The Commonwealth of Virginia just recently assigned reduction targets of more than $26 million — this on top of earlier cutbacks of some $42 million. These two cuts equal about 27 percent of our base budget. With this reduction, the state’s share of our instructional division budget has shrunk to less than 27 percent, down from 55 percent just nine years ago. The university has kept programs strong and educated increasing numbers of students. Demand for admission remains strong. However, implement- ing more cuts will be challenging. Tuition will almost certainly rise again and positions will almost certainly be lost. Notwithstanding those economic uncertainties, we remain ever optimistic about the university’s ability to make a difference in the lives of young c h te

people, in bolstering business competitiveness, and in solving the prob- a

lems of a complex world. Thank you for your support of Virginia Tech. ini g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 1 Building scholarship, achieving success One of the most important missions of any university is teaching its students. At Virginia Tech, students learn in the classroom, in the laboratory, in the

learning library, online, in the residence hall, and through extracurricular activities and daily contact with other students. Hands-on learning is particularly effective, and during the fiscal year, 46 percent of the university’s undergraduate students — that’s about 10,000 students — participated in some type of undergraduate research. Since learning begins before college, Virginia Tech recognizes the importance of education to students long before they are old enough to go to college. To aid in that process, programs for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students that aim to increase the odds for success in college — any college — have burgeoned. Kids’ Tech University In 2008-09, one such program introduced by a Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) team was the first of its kind in the United States. Kids’ Tech University (KTU) is a pioneering educational program that excites children about science and provides them with on-site university experiences. KTU gives children between the ages of 8 and 12 the opportunity to participate in a series of engaging scientific activities, including lectures presented by researchers who also have strong communication and teaching skills. The goal is to expose kids early to science, technology, engineering, and math research that will both engage and entertain. Mathematics Professor Reinhard Laubenbacher started designing KTU after reading a newspaper article in Germany about a program there called Die Kinder- Uni (Kid’s University). He partnered with Kristy DiVittorio, a senior research associate in education and outreach at VBI, to make KTU a reality. “KTU is a new approach for getting kids excited about science,” Laubenbacher explained. “The goal is not to offer a set curriculum for students but to give children access to passionate speakers who are committed to sparking kids’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. While this kind of initiative has never been offered in the United States, we believe KTU has significant potential to serve as a model for the development of other kids’ tech universities all around the country.” The first semester of KTU began in January 2009. Parents were strongly encour- aged to participate in the program’s campus-centered activities, which included a semester-long series of lectures, lunch in one of the on-campus dining facilities, and hands-on activities developed in partnership with Virginia 4-H. Topics for the first semester of KTU included “Why are there animals with spotted bodies and striped tails, but no animal with a striped body and a spotted tail?” “Why are some computer programs so frustrating?” “Why are plastic bottles bad for alligators?” and “Why can’t humans survive on Mars?” “We want to help change the way science is presented to children,” says Lauben- bacher. “Science is one of the great adventures of the 21st century. We want children to understand that through science they can, in their own way, become scientific explorers like Albert Einstein or Jane Goodall. They can go to new places, participate in discoveries, and make significant contributions to the world we live in.” First-year programs make a difference Once students arrive at Virginia Tech — or any other college or university —

c h one key to success and to retention is the quality of the institution’s programs te aimed specifically at the first-year experience. Research shows that universities a with first-year experience projects report increased retention of students into the ini g ir v

2 annual report 2008-09 2008-09

annual report annual 3 v ir g ini a te c h Building scholarship, achieving success (continued) sophomore year, stronger peer connec- cessing equipment donated to them. The National Science Foundation (NSF) tions, increased institutional satisfaction, The project was overseen by Foster Ag- awarded graduate study fellowships to a increased use of campus services, and blevor, associate professor of biological senior and two recent alumnae of the Col- increased out-of-class faculty/student systems engineering, who had already lege of Engineering. The winning student interaction. Research also confirms that made headlines with experimental alter- was Alek Duerksen, from Waynesboro, these retention efforts save money. native fuels, such as converting poultry Va., who is majoring in mining and At Tech, first-year programs include seminar litter into bio-oil. minerals engineering and minoring in creative writing and geosciences. Addi- courses, living communities, freshman The group limited its project to 200 gal- interest groups or composition courses, tionally, Elizabeth Traut and Sherri Cook, lons of biodiesel because of space limita- both 2008 graduates, won fellowships. and common book projects. Two years ago, tions at the warehouse but could produce the university introduced Hokie Camp, a more if needed. For now, the team can The NSF also awarded a prestigious Gradu- three-day orientation session at the W.E. make up to 50 gallons at a time, so the ate Research Fellowship to several students: Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center. potential is there to fuel a small fleet of  Shiv Dutt Kale, a Tech Ph.D. student in The camp was so popular that 1,000 fresh- vehicles. the genetics, bioinformatics, and compu- men — or about one-fifth of the incoming tational biology program; class — attended in summer 2009. “We are building a new team for next year who will take it to the next level,”  N. Danielle Bridgers, a fisheries and Virginia Tech has about 40 first-year Agblevor said. “Giles County Wheatland wildlife sciences graduate student in the experience programs that serve about Eco-Park would like them to install the College of Natural Resources; 75 percent of the freshman class, but a unit on their property for education  faculty study group suggested in fall 2008 and other purposes.” Also, an unnamed Cara Buchanan, a Ph.D. student studying that the effort could be even more suc- company is interested in commercializing in the bioheat transfer and nanothera- cessful if there were an office coordinating the project, and the university’s cafeterias peutics lab and the musculoskeletal and the disparate programs. might provide the waste grease. tissue regeneration lab at the Virginia So the university hired Mary Ann Lewis, Tech-Wake Forest University School of The student team consisted of Christopher Biomedical Engineering and Sciences; associate dean of undergraduate academic Block, Christopher Chelko, Matteo del affairs in the College of Liberal Arts and Ninno, Brian Eggleston, Blake Gordon,  Bradley Shapiro, candidate for a master Human Sciences, as Tech’s first director of Meredith Herrmann, and Andrew Yard. of science in mathematics and economics first-year experiences in the Office of the in the College of Science; and Provost. Other student accomplishments  Ricardo Quintana-Castillo, a Ph.D. candi- In this position, Lewis strengthens the A team of six undergraduate aerospace date in computer science in the College university’s commitment to improving engineering students earned first place of Engineering. the first-year experience for freshmen and with their entry, STINGRAE, in the 2008 Rachel Mair of Virginia Beach, a gradu- transfer students by working with the col- NASA Aircraft Design Competition. The ate student in the College of Natural leges, student affairs, and other resources on students were Bakar Bey, Michael Fifer, Resources, received the first-ever Rachel campus to create and establish appropriate Jon Frankenfield, Michael Lurie, Stephen Carson Award for Scientific Excellence first-year experiences across the university. Pace, and Cabin Samuels. Their entry was part of a two-semester aircraft design from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “I am delighted that Dr. Lewis has agreed course for graduating seniors. Mair is a biologist at the agency’s White to provide leadership for this very Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery. important element of our undergradu- Students in the Robotics and Mechanisms The award recognizes service employees ate education experience,” said Daniel Laboratory (RoMeLa) won the grand prize who demonstrate superior scientific Wubah, vice president and dean for un- at the 2008 International Capstone Design involvement and application to achieve dergraduate education. “Her commitment Fair with a trio of pole-climbing serpen- extraordinary results in fish and wildlife to undergraduate excellence will further tine robots designed to take the place of conservation. strengthen Virginia Tech’s reputation as construction workers who have danger- a leader in undergraduate education at ous jobs, such as inspecting high-rises or Ashley D. Morgenstern of Derry, N.H., major research universities.” underwater bridge piers. The autonomous won the highly competitive Barry M. robots are designed to climb scaffolding Goldwater Scholarship. Morgenstern, a Senior project produces biodiesel and buildings by wrapping around a pole junior majoring in human nutrition, As students acclimate and make their or beam and then rolling upward using foods, and exercise in the College of Ag- way through Virginia Tech, they can an oscillating joint motion. The robots riculture and Life Sciences and biochem- accomplish some amazing things. In one were developed by students and recent istry in the College of Science, is among mechanical engineering senior design graduates Gabriel Goldman, Nick Thayer, 278 Goldwater scholars chosen this year project, students produced more than 200 Michael Bloom, Florian Böss, Cory Kaser, from a field of 1,097 undergraduates gallons of biodiesel in 2008-09, then put Vic Kassoff, David McDowell, Spencer Pat- across the country. it to use running two pickup trucks. ton, and Jeff Philis. Bige Saatcioglu, a doctoral candidate The B100 biodiesel was made from waste A team of faculty members and stu- in marketing in the Pamplin College of vegetable oil (WVO) obtained from local dents in the School of Architecture + Business, won the American Marketing c h restaurants and processed in a warehouse Design in the College of Architecture and Association’s marketing and public policy te

a along Virginia Tech’s Plantation Road. It Urban Studies represented the United dissertation competition for “The Prac-

ini took the students about two months to States at the imm cologne furniture fair in tices of Consumer Resistance among the g

ir make the 200 gallons, mainly using pro- Germany. Working Poor.” v

4 annual report 2008-09 inspiring Bestseller list and won a National Parenting Publications Awards Awards Publications Parenting won aNational and list Bestseller Times After gathering an impressive array of awards in 2007-08, Department 2007-08, Department in of awards array impressive an gathering After Arab Racism in the USA. It was selected by the Gustavus Myers Center Center Myers Gustavus the by selected It was USA. the in Racism Arab Fine Books and Collections Collections and Books of Fine issue 2008 July/August the in article An Architects (AIA), as well as from the Virginia Society AIA. Society Virginia the from as well as (AIA), Architects American Institute of Architects in 1999. He has received design excel design received 1999. in has He of Architects Institute American Best American Poetry American for work one's Best selected of having odds The The College of Architecture and Urban Studies boasts two of the most most of the two boasts Studies Urban and of Architecture College The Architecture professors amongnation’sbest (the study of the codex, or manuscript book), taught and conducted conducted book), and taught or manuscript codex, (the of the study (NAPPA) Gold Award, while Hicok and Fred D’Aguiar had poems poems had D’Aguiar Fred and Hicok (NAPPA) Award, Gold while Gravell and the University of Delaware library. Department of English of English Department library. of Delaware University the and Gravell through developed resource online an Archive, Watermark Gravell Poetry 2009 Poetry Hip Hop Speaks to Children to Speaks Hop Hip will also appear in the 2009 Pushcart anthology, representing small small anthology, representing Pushcart 2009 the in appear also will were instrumental in bringing the project to fruition. the bringing in instrumental were were among 26 selected for the honor2009. for in the 26 selected among were The Best American American Best for The selected work Hicok's was Bob For instance, Mosser also spent fall semester as the Leverhulme Visiting Professor Professor Visiting Leverhulme the as semester fall spent also Mosser Tech Virginia to the attention draws (CATH). article The Humanities Quality ofprofessors reflected inhonors Steven Salaita received the Myers Outstanding Book Award for Book Anti- Outstanding Myers the received Salaita Steven Davis became a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Ac Design Environmental and Energy in aLeadership became Davis director, Research for Design Center and of Architecture Professor Sciences continued to garner yet more recognition in 2008-09. in yetmore recognition to garner continued Sciences lence awards from the Blue Ridge Chapter of the American Institute of Institute American of the Chapter Blue Ridge the from awards lence of English faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Human and Arts of Liberal College the in members faculty of English once in a career are small. This was Hicok’s fifth appearance. His work His appearance. fifth Hicok’s was This small. are acareer in once derstanding of the root causes of bigotry and the range of options we we of options range the and of bigotry causes root of the derstanding Rights Human and Bigotry of Study for the his work in paleography (the study of ‘’old writing’’) and codicology codicology and (the of ‘’old study work paleography writing’’) in his Sullivan Ernest and Radcliffe, David Mosser, Daniel members faculty dowed Professor of Architecture, and Robert Dunay, the T.A. Carter T.A. Carter the Dunay, Robert and of Architecture, dowed Professor York New on the four weeks spent Giovanni, Nikki of English fessor telligence Studies. for Medieval Centre university’s the in research the for in Technologies Applied work Center of the the recognized awards. presses. The New Yorker. New The in published credited Professional (LEED AP) in August 2007 and a Fellow of the of aFellow the 2007 and August AP) in (LEED Professional credited Producing studentswhoarepreparedto becomethenextgenera- as humans have in constructing alternative ways to share power.’’ to share ways alternative constructing in have humans as at The University of York in the United Kingdom. Mosser, known for known Mosser, Kingdom. of York United the in University at The English faculty members’ worknationalrecognition English facultymembers’ garners admired architecture professors in the nation, according to DesignIn according nation, the in professors architecture admired the CATH in partnership with American watermark expert Thomas L. L. Thomas expert watermark American with partnership in CATH the sen for inclusion by judges who typically have won the Pulitzer Prize. Prize. Pulitzer won the have who typically judges by forsen inclusion faculty oftentimes attractsnationalandinternational and honors truly care about scholarship. Attruly careaboutscholarship. VirginiaTech, thequalityof andinnovatorstion ofleaders requiresworld-class educators who - En Metals Reynolds and college of the dean Davis, . Jack , a prestigious annual anthology of poetry. Poems are cho are Poems of poetry. anthology annual , aprestigious , edited by University Distinguished Pro Distinguished University by , edited - “un work’s the to recognize even even - - - - - “These … grant awards represent the growing opportunities in in opportunities growing the represent awards …grant “These efforts joint these grows, enterprise Tech“As Virginia Carilion the “Preliminary accreditation for [VTC] is a direct result of the vision vision the of result adirect is [VTC] for accreditation “Preliminary “Preliminary accreditation of the new medical school is another another is school medical new the of accreditation “Preliminary V class, startingclass, research up 2009 means that VTC meets nationally accepted standards of of standards accepted nationally meets VTC that means 2009 The school’s vision is to educate clinicians who have who all the clinicians to educate is vision school’s The Tech’s caliber cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Murphy, G. said Edward Tech’s overstated,” be cannot caliber Virginia of aninstitution with association school’s the of value The As a result, the school’s first class of 42 aspiring physicians will physicians of class aspiring 42 first school’s the aresult, As Clinic researchers on medical challenges that include heart care, care, heart include that challenges medical on researchers Clinic Carilion Clinic president and chief executive officer. executive chief and president Clinic Carilion science and engineering and of mechanical engineering atTech, engineering mechanical of and engineering and science step necessary for the school to recruit students and begin opera begin and students to recruit school the for necessary step standard medical skills but also incorporate knowledge gained gained knowledge incorporate also but skills medical standard step forward for Carilion Clinic’s education and research mission. mission. research and Clinic’s education Carilion for forward step cancer, infectious disease, falling risks, obesity, and prevention prevention and obesity, risks, falling disease, cancer, infectious of Medicine and Research Institute (VTC). The school won prelimi won school The (VTC). Institute Research and Medicine of core strengths at each of these institutions,” said Cynda said Johnson, institutions,” these of ateach strengths core educational quality. The preliminary accreditation was the final final the was accreditation preliminary The quality. educational Meanwhile, 11 $30,000 seed grants have been awarded to sup awarded 11haveMeanwhile, been grants $30,000 seed Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association, in May in Association, Medical American the and Colleges Medical will become very important to the success of our educational educational our of success to the important very become will and research efforts,” said Tom Campbell, assistant director for for director said assistant Campbell, Tom efforts,” research and Learn Experiential for Center the of manager Ranson, Sonya and diseases. infectious of treatment and collaborative first its for money seed spread institute the and affairs for Carilion Clinic and associate dean for clinic and regional regional and clinic for dean associate and Clinic Carilion for affairs Institute. materials of professor associate Priya, Shashank project, In one of doctor to the leading program the of approval Preliminary It was a year of giant strides for the Virginia Tech Carilion School School Tech Virginia Carilion the for strides giant ayear of was It ing at Carilion, are working together to produce a more realistic realistic amore to produce together working are atCarilion, ing integration for the school of medicine. medicine. of school the for integration academic for president vice Dr. Clinic,” ilion said Harrington, Daniel their skills. skills. their their M.D. degrees in spring 2014. spring in M.D.their degrees certification Virginia for Education Higher of State Council tion. American of Association by the (LCME),tion sponsored is which nary accreditation and started recruiting its first class of students, students, of class first its recruiting started and accreditation nary medicine degree by the Liaison Committee on Medical Educa Medical on Committee Liaison by the degree medicine patient simulator used to help clinicians develop and practice practice and develop clinicians to help used simulator patient 2009. July in followed research and education that exist between Virginia Tech Car Virginia and between exist that education and research Research Tech Virginia Carilion the for operations and research Tech Carilion Virginia and between research collaborative port medicine. of practice everyday the into inquiry scientific and research from school. the of president and dean founding research. begin their studies in fall 2010, and the first graduates will receive receive will 2010,graduates fall in first the studies and their begin by leadership at Virginia Tech and Carilion Clinic to capitalize on on to capitalize Clinic Tech Carilion atVirginia and by leadership T C preparing for first 2008-09

annual report annual ------5 | v ir g ini a te c h

gaining ground Green At university

While orange and maroon remain the dominant colors on the Virginia Tech campus, green is not far behind. The drive to go green started in 2006, when students began advocating for the reinstatement of the paper-recycling program, which had become voluntary in the early 2000s after a wave of budget cuts. Then, President Charles W. Steger charged the newly formed Energy and Sustainability Committee on April 25, 2008, to develop a climate commitment and sustainability plan tailored specifically to the needs of Virginia Tech. University Council recommended approval of the resulting Virginia Tech Climate Action Commitment (VTCAC) Resolution and accompanying Sustainability Plan on April 22, 2009, which was Earth Day. The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors made it official university policy on July 1, 2009. “The VTCAC Resolution is our sustainability compass. These 14 specific initiatives are unique to Tech,” said Denny Cochrane, Sustainability Program manager. Today, campus leaders — the Student Government Association (SGA); the student-led Environmental Coalition; and faculty, staff, and administrators — are putting that plan into action. Meanwhile, small changes in the way things are done are adding up. The board of visitors has gone paperless. The Southgate Center began composting in January 2009, reducing landfill food waste by 2.5 tons each week. The Farms and Fields project in Owens Food Court provides students with local, organic, and natural food selections. All dining halls now boast recycling areas for customers to dispose of plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and all dining facilities’ kitchens now recycle all metal cans. Motion-sensing lights that detect when no one is in the room were added to 146 classrooms. Upgrades to the steam utility distribution system and Central Steam Plant have reduced heat and energy losses. The SGA teamed up with TCP, the largest producer of compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) in the country, to distribute 1,500 CFLs to Blacksburg homes during the Big Event. Dietrick and Shultz Dining Halls eliminated food trays, cutting food waste by about 30 percent. The Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown loans bicycles to graduate students and staff members to run errands or for exercise. Those involved in the sustainability movement on campus know that improvements like these are saving not only energy and other resources, but money as well. For example, at the conclusion of the 2008 fall semester, the university set all thermostats to 68 degrees. This initiative alone saved the university more than $200,000.

c h To read the full VTCAC Resolution and Sustainability Plan, visit: te

a www.facilities.vt.edu/sustainability. ini g ir v

6 annual report 2008-09

Quality of professors reflected in honors (continued) Since 1984, when he began teaching at hopes “to develop strategies to help microprocessor but does not have a usual Virginia Tech, Davis has been principal faculty cultivate interdisciplinary skills computer interface. Examples include and co-principal investigator on more among their graduate students, as well as a car, a cell phone, or an airplane. The than $2.5 million in research grants. He assessment tools so faculty will know if subthreshold-voltage technology drasti- also continues to teach. the strategies are working.” cally reduces the power consumption of the microprocessor. Dunay is a member of the AIA and the The PECASE is the highest honor Industrial Designers Society of America. bestowed by the U.S. government on out- Innovative work on a new type of heart He has previously served the college as an standing scientists and engineers who are stent sensor earned the award for Nakh- associate dean and director of industrial beginning their independent careers. iah Goulbourne, assistant professor of design. He is a primary faculty advisor for mechanical engineering. The focus of the 2002, 2005, and 2009 Virginia Tech Tourism experts among the most cited Goulbourne’s research is the development entries in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Another department with a good deal of specific models and experiments to Solar Decathlon competition. His recent of influence is hospitality and tourism describe what happens to a human artery awards include the National Council of management in the Pamplin College of equipped with a stent that has a unique Architectural Registration Boards Prize for Business, according to a study published type of in situ polymer strain-sensing creative collaboration between the acad- recently in Tourism Management jour- device. She is interested in this research emy and the profession, an International nal, which listed three current faculty because the percentage of stent implant Design magazine award for innovative members and one retiree among the 50 failures is as high as 20 to 30 percent. concepts, and the Virginia Tech Xcaliber most-often cited tourism scholars in the country. Anil Vullikanti, who holds a joint appoint- Award for innovative technology. ment with the Department of Computer The most influential scholars in tourism Vet med professor receives top honor Science and the Virginia Bioinformatics In- studies are those individuals “who have stitute (VBI), received his CAREER award The Virginia-Maryland Regional College made and continue to make the greatest of Veterinary Medicine has one of the for “Cross-layer Optimization in Cognitive contributions to tourism research,” wrote Radio Networks in the Physical Interfer- nation’s top educators in Dr. Bonnie Smith, the study’s author, Bob McKercher. “Their a veterinary anatomist who earned the ence Model Based on SINR Constraints: efforts shape what we know about tour- Algorithmic Foundations.” national Carl J. Norden-Pfizer Distin- ism; how we think about it; and, impor- guished Teaching Award, an honor that tantly, how we research it.” Godmar Back, an assistant professor of celebrates her as the best among the computer science, earned his CAREER thousands of professors teaching in the His study, “A citation analysis of tourism award to create advanced execution nation’s 28 veterinary medicine colleges. scholars,” identified the most frequently environments for next-generation “cloud” cited tourism scholars in two periods, applications. Computers users will shift “This is our profession’s most prestigious 1970-2007 and 1998-2007. Pamplin pro- teaching award and it commends a pro- from traditional desktop/server applica- fessors Muzzo (Muzaffer) Uysal, Richard tions to a model dominated by Web-based fessor who has been recognized for teach- Perdue, and Ken McCleary were listed, ing excellence throughout her career,” application delivery, utility computing, along with professor emeritus Michael software as a service, data mash-ups, and said Dr. Gerhardt Schurig, dean of the Olsen. veterinary college. client-side extensions for Web customiza- tion. Back’s research project will create NSF CAREER awards go to six Smith is a professor in the Department advanced Web browser and server execu- of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology. Six Virginia Tech professors earned a Na- tion environments that address the needs She is the third faculty member in the tional Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty of these applications. college to receive the national veterinary Early Career Development (CAREER) profession’s teaching award in the past 10 Award, which recognizes outstanding Marie C. Paretti, assistant professor in the years. young faculty members who effectively Department of Engineering Education, integrate research and education. earned her award for research into faculty expertise and student learning in cap- White House announces Louis A. Madsen, assistant professor of engineering professor’s award stone design courses. She wants to better chemistry in the College of Science and understand how capstone course teaching Maura Borrego, assistant professor of the Macromolecules and Interfaces Insti- engineering education in the College of happens and what kinds of things faculty tute, earned his award for research focus- do to effectively balance their roles as Engineering, received a Presidential Early ing on improving advanced polymers Career Award for Scientists and Engi- teachers, evaluators, and mentors to best for fuel cells and reverse-osmosis water support student learning. neers (PECASE) to develop methods that purification. “Water and energy represent will better prepare faculty members and our most pressing needs for sustainable Other professors, administrators honored graduate students for interdisciplinary life on this planet,” Madsen said. research. Other university scholars who were Leyla Nazhandali, an assistant professor recognized for their work during the year “[Dr. Borrego’s] work as a researcher and in the Bradley Department of Electrical included the following: an educator is indeed cutting edge and and Computer Engineering, received will resound in the field of engineering President Charles W. Steger was honored the award for her work entitled, “Over- by the Council for the Advancement and for decades to come,” said Hayden Griffin, coming Power Challenges in Embedded professor and head of the engineering Support of Education (CASE) District System Design with Subthreshold-Voltage III with its Chief Executive Leadership c h

education department. te Technology.” An embedded system is Award. The award recognizes an outstand- Through her research, Borrego said, she essentially any system that contains a a

ing president, chancellor, headmaster, ini g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 7 Quality of professors reflected in honors (continued) or system head of a District III CASE member institution who has created vision and been inspirational to others, led the institution to higher levels of success and increased its stature, encour- aged innovation and risk-taking among employees, and is supportive of all aspects of institutional advancement. Mahmood A. Khan, professor of hospitality and tourism management in the Pamplin College of Business, received a Fulbright-Nehru Scholar grant to teach at the Indian Institute of Technology in New Delhi during the 2009-10 academic year. Khan teaches at Virginia Tech’s Northern Virginia Center. Yang Zhang, assistant professor of urban affairs and planning, and Patrick S. Rob- erts, assistant professor in the Center for Public Administration and Policy, School of Public and International Affairs, were named 2009-10 Next Generation Fel- lows as part of a program led by Thomas Birkland, the William T. Kretzer Profes- sor of Public Policy at North Carolina State University and sponsored by the National Science Foundation. The Next Generation of Hazards and Disasters Research Fellows work together in an intensive year of learning, collaboration, and mentoring. Doug Nelson, Virginia Tech professor of mechanical engineering, won the 2009 National Science Foundation Outstanding Long-Term Faculty Advisor Award for the EcoCAR Challenge competition. EcoCAR is a design competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Engineering students across North America participated in developing the green vehicles of the future. Nelson’s award honors him for best promoting the goals, objectives, and activities of the competition. wing re-opens following renovation Roe-Hoan Yoon, the Nicholas T. Cami- Norris Hall cia Professor of Mining and Minerals Nearly two years after the tragic events of April 16, 2007, Virginia Tech officially Engineering, was elected to the National reopened the second floor of the west wing of Norris Hall, where 30 students and Academy of Engineering, the highest faculty members were shot to death. honor in engineering. Yoon is the found- “When we began considering what the future would hold for this section of Norris Hall, ing director of the Center for Advanced we wanted to, first and foremost, honor and respect the memories of those we lost Separation Technology, a consortium of and those who loved them and honor and respect those who survived the tragedy,” said seven universities that develops advanced separation technologies as applied to en- Provost Mark McNamee before a re-opening ceremony on April 10, 2009. ergy resources and environmental control. The Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM) and the Center for Peace Zenobia Lawrence Hikes, vice president Studies and Violence Prevention occupy the six new rooms and laboratories in the wing. of student affairs until her death in October In addition to the peace center, the facilities house the Global Technology Center, a 2008, was honored posthumously by the gathering space for student team projects, the IDEAS Undergraduate Learning Center, a National Association of Student Person- biomechanics laboratory, and the Biomechanics Cluster Research Center. nel Administrators Foundation as a “Pillar

c h The Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, a university center affiliated of the Profession.” Hikes was one of 12 te with the Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment, was an important part of the a student affairs professionals honored. recommendations put forth by a university task force regarding the future use of ini g ir v

8 annual report 2008-09 Service: More than a motto

Learning and discovery do little for our world without caring communities of people who use what they learn and discover to reach out to others. At Virginia Tech, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) is more than just a motto. Helping Kenyans improve health care The phrase “It Takes a Village” applies to a recent engineering student design team effort to create a photovoltaic system to provide a Kenyan medical clinic with a desperately needed power source. That I May Serve Generous donations from three companies, IBM, Renesola, and Grundfos Pumps, and help from the Virginia Tech Foundation provided the students on the Renewable Energy Senior Design Team with the materials necessary to create the system. The system was designed for the Getongoroma Medical Clinic, which provides medical treatment and education for thousands in the surrounding area. But without electricity, the clinic cannot operate at night, provide clean well water, refrigerate vaccines, or take X-rays. The design team selected solar power for the project because the remote location has an abundance of sunlight. IBM donated silicon wafers, the material used in making solar panels. Renesola, a Chinese company, donated solar wafers and paid another company to make the panels. Grundfos Pumps, a Danish manufacturer of pumps, donated the groundwater pump to work in conjunction with the solar panels. The system the students assembled should provide about 24 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of solar energy to the clinic daily, exceeding the 18 kwh it needs to function. Although this design is tailored specifically to the needs of the clinic in Kenya, it could be adapted for other locations and even for a mobile medical lab, which could be shipped and set up for disaster relief. Center enhances engagement, service approximately 4,300 square feet of space in Norris Hall. Founding center Director In an effort to more effectively promote the university’s land- Jerzy Nowak lost his wife, Jocelyne Couture-Nowak, in the shootings. grant mission and to help students live Ut Prosim, Virginia Tech launched the Center for Student Engagement and Community “Through the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, we hope to develop Partnerships during 2008-09. Associate Professor James Dubinsky, transdisciplinary programs that target prevention of violence through research, who co-chaired Virginia Tech’s Task Force on Student Engagement, education, and engagement,” said Nowak. is directing the new center. “My colleagues and I will re-enter the building with humility in our hearts and resolve “Working with our numerous partners outside the university can in our minds. We will remember the fallen, some of whom sacrificed themselves to create a ‘virtuous circle,’” said Virginia Tech President Charles W. protect others on April 16,” said Ishwar Puri, professor and ESM department head. Steger in announcing the center’s creation. “This way we’re better “Together, we have re-created an afflicted space to make it once again suitable for able to educate our students and generate new knowledge because teaching, research, and service. Thus, I hope that the impact of our activities in Norris of the experiences and talents we gain by engaging with business, Hall will fully honor the legacies of the fallen. We know that we have that special civic organizations, governments, and communities.” objective to remember as a guiding principle.” The new center is comprised of the former Service-Learning Center, which worked with faculty to incorporate community service into Renovation of the hall began in fall 2008 and was completed in March 2009 at a cost c h

of approximately $1 million. Several individuals and building contractors donated courses, and VT-ENGAGE, the university’s volunteer initiative te goods or services to the project. launched in October 2007 to honor those lost on April 16, 2007. a ini

These two initiatives are central to the center’s work; they enhance g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 9 10 v ir g ini a te c h 2008-09 report annual Service: More than a motto (continued) student outcomes, integrate service and community service. In recent years, ca- The Marching Virginians contributed a community experiences into the curricu- dets have raised more than $172,000 for labor force of 350 students. Members not lum, and support the needs of Virginia the National D-Day Memorial, more than skilled in construction were put to use Tech communities. $20,000 for Relay for Life, and $13,500 painting, taking pictures, bringing in “Engaged students contribute to their for the Matthew LaPorte and Lauren lunch provisions, and doing yard work. local, national, and international com- Smith scholarships. In just one year, The house holds special meaning for the munities while they develop personal, cadets gave more than 240 pints of blood Marching Virginians. Clark was not only professional, leadership, and citizenship and sent 500 Christmas cards to wound- a friend to many of the members of the skills,” says Steger. “Virginia Tech has ed soldiers and 125 care packages to band, but he was also known for volun- a strong heritage of engagement and troops in Iraq. They also mentored count- teering for such projects as Hurricane community service. We are deeply com- less Blacksburg-area school children. Katrina relief and Habitat for Humanity. mitted to enhancing our outreach and The corps’ commitment to the National engagement mission by working with D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Va., is par- Awards recognize exemplary alumni others for the common good.” ticularly notable. Former cadet Anthony Service to the university and the com- Madeira ’05 read that the memorial was munity is so important at Tech that the Relay for Life tops all other facing bankruptcy and felt someone Alumni Association recognizes alumni college efforts needed to step up. His cadet company who have excelled at outreach. The 2009 In 2009, the Virginia Tech Relay for Life raised $6,000 the first year and $10,000 recipients are as follows: raised $507,000, more than any other the next. By Madeira’s senior year, the Gene Fife of Charlottesville is the recipi- collegiate relay effort in the world. effort had developed into a corps-wide ent of Virginia Tech’s most prestigious Relay for Life is an American Cancer annual service project. The corps is now award, the William H. Ruffner Medal, Society event that gives everyone in the largest non-corporate sponsor of the which is awarded for outstanding efforts communities across the globe a chance memorial. devoted to the promotion, improvement, to celebrate the lives of people who have Cadets volunteer all these hours of ser- and development of the university’s battled cancer, remember loved ones vice, are full-time students, and have the mission as a land-grant university. Fife lost, and fight back against the disease. responsibilities of attending a full-time graduated in 1962 from what is now the Teams of people camp out at a central military school. Still, they choose to Pamplin College of Business. He worked for 25 years at Goldman Sachs & Co. be- location and take turns walking or run- serve above and beyond these demands. fore retiring as a general partner in 1995. ning around a track or path. Each team For example, on a Thanksgiving break He continues to stay involved at the is asked to have a representative on the weekend, cadets turned out for the “Fill university as a member of the Virginia track at all times during the event. Re- a Humvee” project, in which they helped Tech Foundation Board of Directors and lays are overnight events up to 24 hours the Military Support Center collect food its executive committee and as a philan- in length. and supplies for families of deployed thropist and volunteer. Fife also chaired guard and reserve members. The 2009 Virginia Tech event marked the quiet phase of the current Campaign the first year that the Student Govern- for Virginia Tech: Invent the Future. ment Association and university officials Band members put down instruments, worked together to hold the relay on the take up tools Henry Long of Warrenton, Va., co-found- Drillfield. More than 3,000 members of Another well-known Virginia Tech er of the Long and Foster real estate firm, the Virginia Tech community partici- student organization honored one of its was given the University Distinguished pated. own by turning out to build a house for Achievement Award. Long graduated in a deserving Blacksburg family. 1959 from what is now Virginia Tech’s “Holding Relay For Life on the Drillfield Pamplin College of Business and then is an amazing opportunity to bring stu- The Marching Virginians joined the Town of Blacksburg and the Community flew B-47s with the Strategic Air Com- dents and community members together mand until retiring as a captain in 1965. on the symbolic heart of our campus and Housing Partners (CHP) in building the house in memory of band member Ryan In 1968, Long and Wes Foster founded to show this university and the nation what would become the nation’s largest Clark, who died in the April 16, 2007, that Virginia Tech is serious about the privately held real estate brokerage firm. tragedy. fight against cancer,” said Christopher He has also worked as an urban develop- Armstrong, co-director for Virginia Tech The students raised $41,000 for the ment consultant in China and Vietnam Relay For Life. project, and Blacksburg and CHP, a in the 1990s. Long is serving on the re- The 2009-10 relay has a goal of $650,000. regional nonprofit housing and commu- gional campaign committee for Northern nity development corporation, provided Virginia for the $1 billion Campaign for Cadets recognized for community funds, supplies, and technical expertise Virginia Tech: Invent the Future. service needed to construct the house. CHP also Three people were recognized with the Service has long been at the heart of the donated a parcel of land and coordinated Alumni Distinguished Service Award: Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, a fact construction. Marni Byrum of Alexandria earned her that was officially recognized this year “CHP is happy to help the Marching bachelor’s in political science from Vir- with the 2009 Governor’s Volunteerism Virginians create a lasting tribute to ginia Tech in 1976. She is an attorney in and Community Service Award in the Ryan with a home that reflects the spirit private practice, and her emphasis is on c h

government/education category. te of community partnership and environ- labor, employment, and personnel law. In the fall 2008 semester alone, cadets mental stewardship,” said CHP President Byrum has remained involved with her a ini donated more than 3,600 hours of and CEO Janaka Casper. alma mater by serving on the Alumni g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 11 Service: More than a motto (continued)

Association Board of Directors, the President’s Advisory Committee, and pamplin the Economic Development Advisory Board. She also has held leadership lavery roles in various professional groups and serves on the board of Horizons Theatre and at Equality Virginia, a nonpartisan advocacy group that seeks equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Virginians. Patricia Caldwell of New York City earned her bachelor’s in mathematics in 1971 and has more than 30 years of experience as a financial analyst and investment banker. She is a fourth- generation Hokie who has been a long- time member of the former College of Arts and Sciences Alumni Roundtable and past chair of the College of Sci- ence Roundtable. She has served on the Virginia Tech Foundation Board of Directors, the Department of Math- ematics Advisory Board, and the Quiet

Phase Campaign Steering Committee skelton and is now a member of the College of Science Campaign Steering Commit- tee and the Women and Leadership in Philanthropy Council. hikes John Higginbotham of Great Falls, Va., attended Virginia Tech as a recipient of the Alumni Presidential Scholarship and graduated in 1977 with honors in civil and environmental engineering. He has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and is chief executive officer and a member of the board of directors at Integral Systems Inc. Hig- ginbotham has served Virginia Tech as president of the Alumni Association University loses and as a member of the Engineering Four Of its best Committee of 100. He is a member of the Ut Prosim Society and has been a Four leaders who inspired member of the Alumni Center National thousands of members of the Leadership Campaign Committee. Virginia Tech community died during 2008-09. William E. Lavery, Robert B. Pamplin Sr., William E. Skelton, and Zenobia Hikes were giants among their peers and helped shape the university through their leadership and philanthropy. c h te a ini g ir v

12 annual report 2008-09 , 12th president of Virginia Tech, Pamplin’s long list of recognitions includes several from his alma mater: the Alumni Williampassed away Feb.E. 16, Lavery 2009, at age 78. Distinguished Service Award in 1973, the William H. Ruffner Medal in 1981, and an Lavery built on predecessor T. Marshall Hahn Jr.’s explosive successes. By the time honorary doctor of letters in 1987. he retired, research expenditures had reached more than $70.2 million and Tech had moved into the top 50 research institutions in the nation. , a former dean, loyal Hokie for Lavery initiated the Corporate Research Center (CRC) and Virginia Tech Intellec- William70 years, and namesakeE. Skelton of two centers, died at age 89 on tual Properties. During his tenure, the university also made giant technological Aug. 30, 2008. leaps. The CRC received an antenna to link Virginia Tech to the world via satellite, Throughout his long affiliation with Virginia Tech, Skelton (agricultural engineer- Extension developed a series of 26 downlink sites, and installation began on a new ing ‘40) personified the motto of the university: Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). A communication system for the campus. dean emeritus of the Extension division who began his career at the university as Lavery also alleviated classroom, laboratory, and office shortages with a $108 mil- director of 4-H programs and Extension, Skelton expressed his love and loyalty lion construction program that increased the total inventory of space 50.1 percent. for Virginia Tech through his roles as volunteer fundraiser, reunion organizer, and Another $17.5 million funded a complex to house the Virginia-Maryland Regional campaign chair. College of Veterinary Medicine. Skelton led and chaired the single most important initiative in the Alumni As- Lavery also hired the university’s first vice president for development, who sociation’s 130-year history: that of building the first alumni center. The project launched a campaign that raised more than $118 million. Assets of the Virginia included a hotel and conference center. The conference center portion of the Tech Foundation grew from $6.2 million to $140.1 million during his term. complex was named for Skelton and his wife, Margaret Groseclose Skelton. Lavery joined the Tech faculty in 1966 as director of administration for the Earlier, in the mid-1960s, while Skelton was responsible for 4-H programming, Extension division before being tapped as vice president for finance in 1968. In Appalachian Power Co. offered to donate land for a 4-H center. Rather than simply 1973, he became executive vice president and was appointed president effective express thanks, Skelton negotiated a better property: 120 acres with two miles Jan. 1, 1975. of waterfront along Smith Mountain Lake, where more than 20,000 youth and adults participate in programs each year. That facility is now known as the Wil- hikes After stepping down Dec. 31, 1987, he continued to serve the university. Tech recognized his contributions by presenting him with the William Ruffner Medal in liam E. Skelton Smith Mountain Lake 4-H Educational Conference Center. 1993 and by dedicating the William E. Lavery Animal Health Research Center in his Skelton received the Virginia Tech Alumni Association’s Alumni Distinguished Service honor in 1995, the same year he was named an honorary alumnus. Award in 1983 and was later president of that organization. In 1998, then university President Paul E. Torgersen presented him with the William H. Ruffner Medal. once said, “In Robertaddition to B. my Pamplineducation, I received Sr. three things from Vir- whose strength and leader- ginia Tech that have meant more to me in my life and in the Zenobiaship as vice presidentL. Hikes, for student affairs helped unite the business world than anything else. They are honesty, disci- Virginia Tech community, most notably in the days following pline, and humility.” April 16, 2007, died Oct. 28, 2008, from complications following cardiac surgery. She was 53. The former chairman and CEO of Georgia-Pacific Corp., who received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Virginia Tech in 1933, died June 24, 2009, “Dr. Hikes was a deeply dedicated, charismatic, and inspirational leader who at age 97. He was widely respected for his business acumen and leadership and his brought successful new ideas and leadership to the Division of Student Affairs,” philanthropic support of higher education. The Pamplin College of Business was said President Charles W. Steger. “Her passing is a terrible loss to our community. named for him and his son, Robert B. Pamplin Jr. She will be deeply missed by the students whom she served daily and by colleagues The Pamplins have given more than $35 million in personal, corporate, and family who were inspired by her dynamic thinking and creative ideas.” foundation funds to Tech, including more than $25 million to the Pamplin College. Hikes was named vice president Sept. 1, 2005, after serving as vice president for student They also contributed in non-monetary ways, Sorensen said. Father and son gave affairs and dean of students at Spelman College in Atlanta, Ga. lectures and workshops and provided information on their business operations for In her three years at Virginia Tech, Hikes made numerous contributions to improve a senior-level case study. the quality of student life on campus. Among these were Hokie Camp for new In addition, the Pamplins co-chaired the university’s Campaign for Excellence, students and SafeWatch, a program that promotes individual and collective which was launched in 1983 and raised $118 million. They generously supported responsibility among students, faculty, staff, and guests. other areas, including the corps of cadets and Student Affairs. “In addition to her many programmatic contributions, Zenobia cared deeply about After graduating from Virginia Tech, Pamplin joined a small lumber company that the students she served,” said Edward Spencer, who was associate vice president later became Georgia-Pacific. After a 43-year career there, he retired and went on for student affairs and took over as vice president. “Students connected with her

to build his own multimillion-dollar business. because they could see the compassion she felt for them.” c h te a ini g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 13 addition of compressed air,” said Yoon. “Combin- ing increased spinning and compressed air has a synergistic effect and cuts the moisture in half compared to conventional technology. “We have done something for the industry and for the public,” he added. “The whole purpose of cleaning coal is to reduce Groundbreaking research leads to national prominence the ash content so that the users, usually utility During 2008-09, Virginia Tech continued its drive to the top tier of research companies, don’t have to deal with it,” said Ger- universities, and despite tough economic times and the highly competi- ald H. Luttrell, the Massey Professor of Mining and Mineral Engineering at Tech. He noted that research tive battle for research funds, the university hit a record figure in research expenditures for the 10th consecutive year (ending fiscal year 2008). The “the lower-ash and lower-moisture coals also pro- university also learned that it had moved up 12 places in national rankings duce less CO2 (carbon dioxide) to clean up. They based on its 2007 expenditures. burn more efficiently and thus require less coal to generate a given amount of electricity.” For 2008, Tech reported $373.3 million in expenditures to the National Science Yoon and Luttrell also received $1 million from Foundation (NSF), an increase of $6.3 million over fiscal year 2007. the U.S. Department of State to help the coal industry in India produce a cleaner product. “While our overall growth was below our goals, the areas that account for competitive research awards continued to grow,” said Robert Walters, vice president Modeling could help cut trauma effects for research at Virginia Tech. “We increased our external federal funding by A group of nine international car manufactur- over 5 percent and our industry funding by almost 20 percent. In the current ers and suppliers awarded $4.9 million to the economy, those numbers are encouraging.” Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Federal funding grew from $128.8 million to $135.6 million, and industry Biomedical Engineering and Science’s Center for funding grew from $17 million to $20.4 million, but funding from the Com- Injury Biomechanics (CIB), known internation- monwealth Research Initiative declined from $19 million to $7.7 million in ally for its research on trauma and how it affects 2008 due to budget shortfalls at the state level. the human body. Rankings of research expenditures run a year behind, so it was not until 2008- The group, the Global Human Body Models Con- 09 that the university discovered that its fiscal year 2007 research expenditures sortium, is looking to the center to produce a bet- of $366.9 million had moved it from 54th to 42nd among 662 universities ter understanding of what happens to individuals nationwide in the NSF rankings. subjected to body trauma, and CIB researchers initially will model four sizes of individuals to “I am incredibly proud of our faculty and their commitment to discovery and cover the maximum range of normal sizes in the scholarship,” said Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. world and to match industry-standard dummies “The rise in the rankings is exciting,” said Walters. “More importantly, we are now used. The consortium will then develop about $35 million ahead of our strategic plan goal to achieve $540 million in scalable models from the CIB computer model to research expenditures by 2012. This is partly the result of the investments that represent other body shapes and sizes. have been made in research over the past several years by the university and the Better crash safety technology is the ultimate commonwealth and partly due to the increased competitiveness of our faculty.” goal of participants in the Global Human Body Among those that Virginia Tech passed in the rankings for 2007 were the Uni- Models Consortium. With the consortium, the versity of Iowa, Michigan State, University of Maryland, University of Georgia, automotive industry is consolidating its efforts University of Kentucky, and North Carolina State University. The University of into one international activity that advances Cincinnati was the only school to pass Virginia Tech in expenditures. crash safety technology. The computer models, Virginia Tech also ranked ninth among institutions without a medical school, which represent human beings in extremely in- sixth in expenditures related to agriculture and natural resources, and 11th in tricate detail, could help investigators determine expenditures related to engineering. and better understand injuries that are likely to result from a vehicle crash. As with any year, 2008-09 had its share of exciting research advances and grants. The Center for Injury Biomechanics will act as the integration center for the study and also as Coal technology helps the environment, economy the center of expertise for the abdomen portion With funding from the National Energy Technology Laboratory, Roe-Hoan of the computer model. Yoon, the Nicholas T. Camicia Professor of Mining and Mineral Engineering, and his colleagues developed a hyperbaric centrifuge that can dewater coal as Award-winning software will cut energy use fine as talcum powder that will improve economic returns for coal companies, Software created by Tech researchers to save contribute to energy independence, and reduce the use of polluting slurry data centers millions of dollars in energy costs ponds. won the Southeastern Universities Research Association’s first annual Intellectual Property to Peter Bethell of Arch Coal Inc. reported that the dewatering technology devel- Market competition. The patent-pending inven- c h oped at Tech succeeded in reducing the moisture content of ultra-fine coal to

te tion, dubbed EcoDaemon, ranked number one

a less than 20 percent, transforming it to a salable product. among submissions from more than 60 research ini

g “The hyperbaric centrifuge is like the spin cycle on a washing machine, with the institutes in the southeast. ir v

14 annual report 2008-09 According to the winning team, energy costs can reach $30 million a year for a typi- cal 40-megawatt data center. EcoDaemon, co-invented by Wu Feng, associate professor of computer science in the College of Engi- neering, and Ph.D. student Song Huang, can automatically save substantial energy while programs run on computers. Beyond the energy savings, the software improves the reliability and useful life of a computer by reducing the core temperature, thus providing an opportunity to significantly lower the cost and environmental impact of data centers and many other computing devices. “EcoDaemon operates by judiciously and automatically telling the processor when to change its frequency and voltage and what to change it to in order to simultaneously maximize energy savings and performance,” said Bob Summers, a serial entrepreneur who is interested in commercializing EcoDaemon as part of a new company called EnergyWare. “Energy consumption in data centers is doubling every five years and already consumes 3 percent of domestic electric power.” Discovery could help malaria sufferers around the world The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted a patent for a Virginia Tech discovery that could help some of the 350-500 million people who contract malaria annually. For decades, scientists have been searching for a way to target malaria-causing parasites that have infected the human body. Researchers from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) found a way to do that when they discovered and characterized a protein the parasites make, called Heme Detoxification Protein (HDP). Dharmendar Rathore, formerly an assistant professor at the institute, led the effort, working closely with Dewal Jani, a molecular and protein biologist, and Rana Nagarkatti, protein biochemist and molecular biologist, to identify and isolate the protein that is so vital for the parasite’s survival. “New drugs developed with this discovery will have a huge impact,” said Otto Folkerts, associate director of technology development at VBI. “It’s an entirely new mechanism of action and can help with the increasing problem of drug resistance, for example, as part of a cock- tail therapy with other existing drugs.” Once infected mosquitoes bite and transmit the parasite to the human body, it replicates exponentially and infects the red blood cells, which are composed of approximately 90 percent hemoglobin. The parasite feeds on the globin component of the hemoglobin, and because the leftover free heme component is c h

toxic, the parasite uses a protein to detoxify te

the heme and convert it into a new form called a ini

hemozoin. That protein is HDP. g ir v

2008-09 annual report 15 Groundbreaking research leads to national prominence (continued)

“We’ve discovered the piece to the puzzle and have unusual properties compared Environmental Implications of Nano- that was missing,” said Rathore. with larger objects made from the same technology consortium is headquartered material. These unusual properties at the University of California at Los Scientists to look at nanotechnology in make nanomaterials attractive for use in Angeles and includes the University of the environment everything from computer hard drives California at Santa Barbara. The centers In 2008, researchers from geosciences to sunscreens, cosmetics, and medical are charged with studying the behavior and civil and environmental engineer- technologies. However, the environmen- of nanomaterials and helping to assess ing learned that they would be part of a tal implications of these materials are existing and future concerns surround- consortium of four principal universities virtually unknown. ing their environmental implications. and five other schools to study nano- Outreach is another key component technology and the environment. This CEIN, which is headquartered at Duke of CEIN. Thus, the center will develop consortium and another, both funded by University, will integrate the expertise of educational tools for high school science the National Science Foundation, form researchers in such fields as ecology, cell teachers as well as curricula for partner a national Center for the Environmental and molecular biology, geochemistry, en- museums, 4-H council, and other learn- Implications of Nanotechnology (CEIN). vironmental engineering, nanochemistry, ing venues. Total funding for the project is $14 mil- and social science. In addition to Virginia lion over five years with an opportunity Tech and Duke, the other schools in- to renew for another five. Virginia Tech’s volved in the project are Carnegie Mellon portion of the grant is $1.75 million. University and Howard University, with the University of Kentucky and Stan- Nanoparticles are as much as a million ford University playing smaller but also times smaller than the head of a pin important roles. The other Center for the c h te a ini g ir v

16 annual report 2008-09 One of the Nation’s Best notable Undergraduate rankings Graduate rankings U.S. News & World Report U.S. News & World Report Virginia Tech was 30th among national public universities. The College of Engineering moved up one place to 27th among Among national universities, including such private institutions all graduate schools of engineering. In addition, four depart- as Harvard and Yale, Virginia Tech ranked 71st. ments finished in the top 10 of their respective categories. The College of Engineering undergraduate program ranked The Charles E. Via Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental 14th in the nation (tied with Johns Hopkins and Northwestern) Engineering tied for seventh among civil engineering programs; among all accredited engineering schools that offer doctorates. the Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineer- It was eighth among engineering schools at public universities. ing ranked fourth among industrial/manufacturing programs; the biological systems engineering department, also part of the Eight undergraduate engineering specialties earning top 25 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, tied for seventh among rankings: industrial engineering, sixth; aerospace engineering, biological/agricultural programs; and the environmental engi- 10th; agricultural (biological systems), 12th; civil engineering, neering program ranked ninth. 12th; mechanical engineering, 13th; environmental engineering, 15th; electrical engineering, 17th; and chemical engineer- The College of Science’s psychology department ranked 33rd ing, 24th. among clinical psychology programs. The Pamplin College of Business undergraduate program The career and technical education program in the College of ranked 43rd among the nation’s undergraduate business pro- Liberal Arts and Human Sciences’ School of Education tied for grams and 24th among public institutions. Pamplin’s overall fourth among vocational and technical specialties. The program ranking places it in the top 10 percent of more than 500 U.S. un- has placed among the top five seven times and has been a top-10 dergraduate programs accredited by the Association to Advance selection for the past 15 years. Collegiate Schools of Business International. The public affairs program in the School of Public and Interna- Virginia Tech is also recognized as having one of the top 14 tional Affairs, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, ranked cooperative education and internship programs in the nation. 27th. Other rankings Other rankings Virginia Tech’s architecture program in the School of Archi- DesignIntelligence ranked the School of Architecture + Design’s tecture + Design was recognized by DesignIntelligence as one graduate architecture program and the graduate interior design of America’s World-Class Schools of Architecture with highest program sixth in the nation. distinction, tied with Harvard, Yale, and Columbia universities. Individual programs within the School of Architecture + Design were also nationally ranked: undergraduate architecture, Research rankings second; undergraduate interior design, ninth of 148 programs; Virginia Tech’s rank for agricultural and natural resource research and undergraduate industrial design, 13th of 47 programs. spending jumped four places to sixth in 2007, according to the Virginia Tech ranked 15th nationally among public colleges National Science Foundation (NSF). Expenditures in 2007 were and universities that offer a first-class educational experience at $92 million, an increase of $15 million over 2006. a bargain price, up from 18th in 2007, according to Kiplinger’s Based on research expenditures of $366.9 million in fiscal year Personal Finance magazine. (FY) 2007, the NSF ranked Virginia Tech 42nd in the nation, c h te

Virginia Tech was 24th in the nation in the number of alumni according to figures released in August 2008. The university had a

(43) serving as Peace Corps volunteers. been ranked 54th the previous FY. ini g ir v

| 2008-09 annual report 17 New steps broaden technology leadership roles Virginia Tech has long been proud of its leadership in and innovative uses of technology, and continues to make great strides in the field. As a result, the university has received global recognition.

Getting women into IT professions technology Like many institutions, the university has struggled to get women into information technology (IT). Now, two Tech researchers have a $2.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to investigate ways to engage females in IT career fields in five states: Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Caro- lina, and West Virginia. This five-year project, “Appalachian Information Technology Extension Ser- vices (AITES),” is led by Peggy S. Meszaros, director of the Center for Tech- nology Impacts on Children, Youth, and Families, and Elizabeth Creamer, professor in the university’s School of Education. Despite efforts to recruit women to computer-based fields, studies conducted by the same Virginia Tech professors show that skilled females with an interest in technology consistently disregard the area and also express less confidence in their abilities than do their male counterparts. “Factors shown to deter young women from viewing IT as a career choice include lack of encouragement from parents, gender stereotypical views World ranking held by parents and teachers, stereotypical views about the nature of IT places Tech work, lack of opportunities to use computers in creative and collaborative among the best ways, and having few trusted or credible sources of IT-related information,” Meszaros said. Virginia Tech ranked No. 26 among Creamer explained that in many states, technology courses are not part colleges and universities world-wide of the curriculum at any level. An effort to recruit and retain women in IT in a 2008-09 “Webometrics Ranking necessitates building broad-based, community-oriented early intervention of World Universities.” programs that are grounded in local norms and values. The survey that resulted in the rankings is a “The AITES project links community-oriented efforts in workforce devel- project of the Cybermetrics Lab, a research opment, educational outreach, and economic development to connect and group of the Centro de Información y Docu- support local students’ entry into local information technology jobs,” said mentación, part of the National Research Meszaros. Council, the largest public research body Counties participating in the AITES project were selected because of a bal- in Spain. According to the group’s website, ance of both need and existing infrastructure to support the development of the rankings are published to promote open interest in information technology jobs. access to academic materials online. “Web presence and visibility are used as indica- The AITES approach will provide Community Cohort Teams comprised of tors of global performance of a university, school counselors, information technology teachers, family and consumer science Extension agents, and 4-H Extension agents, and will ensure that taking into account its teaching commit- community development professionals have the tools they need to increase ment, research results, and its perceived interest among middle and high school girls in jobs requiring these skills. international prestige,” the website said. The ratings take into particular account NSF project could advance radio technologies open access documents of academic interest In other technology news during 2008-09, the National Science Foundation or relevance. awarded a four-year, $1 million grant to the Network Dynamics and Simula- Virginia Tech was the highest-ranked uni- tion Science Laboratory at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute to develop versity in Virginia. Massachusetts Institute high-performance computer modeling tools for wireless telecommunication networks. of Technology, Stanford University, Harvard University, the University of California at The laboratory will work with the State University of New York at Stony Berkeley, and Cornell University were ranked Brook and Alcatel-Lucent Bell Labs to develop models and algorithms that one through five. support the work of policy- and decision-makers who want to design ef- ficient wireless spectrum markets. Cybermetrics Lab is devoted to the quan- titative analysis of the Internet and Web “We are experiencing unprecedented advances in radio technologies that contents, especially those related to the heighten the demand for the optimal design of spectrum markets,” said Anil Vullikanti, senior research associate in the Network Dynamics and generation and scholarly communication of Simulation Science Laboratory and assistant professor in the Department of scientific knowledge.

c h Computer Science. “The need for this type of research is being driven by the

te rapidly growing demand for wireless communications, the limited availabil- a ity of spectrum for wireless communication, and apparent under-utilization ini

g of some spectrum bands.” ir v

18 annual report 2008-09 Arts Initiative develops creative presence The Arts Initiative, a comprehensive, university-wide effort to enhance the presence and practice of the arts across campus and in the communities served by the university, blossomed into tangible reality in 2008-09.

The initiative has become a major player in the Central to this ongoing transformation is the Arts intersections of art, education, and technology. The university’s latest trek into pioneering collabora- Initiative’s most significant project, the Center for the CCTA operates across disciplines and in collabora- tions that will strengthen Virginia Tech’s missions of Arts (construction scheduled to start in 2010). The tion with public school teachers to develop, test, teaching and learning, research and discovery, and complex will feature a 1,300-seat, state-of-the-art and deliver innovative arts platforms and learning outreach and engagement. performance hall, a visual arts gallery, and the Center models, methodologies, and materials to secondary New and renovated buildings related to the Arts for Creative Technologies in the Arts., school students. The CCTA’s approach includes the latest computer design tools, digital art and music Initiative were planned for the area where College “The project has a university-wide focus,” says Senior technology, and three-dimensional prototyping, Avenue and Alumni Mall meet Main Street — where the Fellow for Resource Development Minnis Ridenour. and will better prepare students to participate in Virginia Tech campus meets the heart of downtown “There is no question that it can further serve as a an increasingly creative workforce and technology- Blacksburg. And it is there that the strides made toward magnet for community enhancement and economic based global economy. the goals of the Arts Initiative are now most visible. development throughout the region. The potential for the center’s impact is extraordinary.” The Arts Initiative shows that Virginia Tech has clear Renovations to Henderson Hall to prepare it for the plans for a creative presence that befits a top-tier Less obvious to the general public is the impact the university’s departments of Music and Theatre Arts research university committed to fulfilling the Arts Initiative is having on instruction and learning. A got under way during FY 2008-09 and were completed responsibilities of its land-grant mission. In order changing global economy; a wired, integrated world; by press time for the annual report. Construction also for the university to attract the best faculty and and an expansive, international reach have dictated began during the fiscal year— and is now finished students, the curriculum, opportunities, and events

that the arts assume a more central and integrated c h — on an experimental theatre that looks out upon the must reflect the direction of creative thinkers who same street as the historic Lyric Theatre. Located near role in our lives. te seek unique learning and research paths. a

the performance venues in Squires Student Center, One result is the Center for Creative Technologies in ini g

these projects signal the emergence of a performing the Arts (CCTA), a technological incubator, labora- ir v

arts district that will benefit both town and gown. tory, and studio setting for exploring the boundless | 2008-09 annual report 19 20 v ir g ini a te c h 2008-09 report annual philanthropy ing communities and is still inventing the future. future. the inventing still is and communities ing on surround impact an making still is university The foundation. research and academic its in but also endeavors, fundraising its in not just success, to see Tech continues Virginia recover. economy does the when more quickly even to move forward positioned well- be it will means which outreach, and research, teaching, in excellence its continue to university the enables support Such faculty. and students supporting 100 funds than more created year, benefactors This programs. academic and fellowships, scholarships, of support generous their continuing by mission core the supporting more, donors are Further the program. of history the in total giving annual highest second the year, fiscal past this $3.3 million nearly raised Fund of note. Annual The successes other are There university. the of life the in participation their from how much it benefits and porters sup its values Tech Virginia of how much areflection are efforts 2007-08. Those in set record the 16 by besting rose percent, to supporters visits of personal number The alumni. and friends with contact on personal emphasis continued university’s of the result a direct It is no accident. is challenges economic of unprecedented face the in progress steady The goals. campaign their meeting toward way of the percent 80 now atleast are units of 18 Eleven goal. fundraising support future ($236.8 of the million) 95 percent and goal support 76 ($573.2 percent current raised of the has million) paign cam The goal. campaign of orthe 80.9 percent to $809.94 million, raised funds bringing $126.45 totaled 2008-09, in million commitments campaign New elapsed. campaign the of percent 80 with of schedule, ahead remained Future Tech: the Invent for Virginia paign $1of Cam The goal ambitious billion the toward progress that is more encouraging Even mission. they believe inthestudentsandfacultyatVirginiaTech andarewillingto its support omy inrecenthistory. VirginiaTech’s friendsandalumnihave proven onceagainthat it isthethird-highestgivingtotal ever atVirginiaTech —this,despite theworstecon- this figurerepresentsa13percentdecreasefromlast year’s record-breakingresults, Private givingto theuniversity infiscal year 2008-09 totaled $79.2 million.Although Private stillgenerous givingdipsbutsupporters - - - - - Full-Time In-stateStudent Budget andFinancialPlanning Source: Virginia Tech Officeof percent from theprevious year. for 2009-10,adrop ofalmost25 an estimated$6,110perstudent reductions are onpacetoresult in and significantadditionalmid-year state generalfundappropriation reduction intheuniversity’s annual contribution rose slightly, abase While the2008-09state headcount. instead reflect anannualized The numbersinthisyear’s report full-time equivalentheadcount. fall registration tocalculatethe have reflected amethodthatused past theAnnualReportfigures Annual Reportsbecauseinthe slightly from numbersinprevious chart forallyearswilldiffer NOTE: Figures inthestatefunding 00 00

$8,787 $13,864 01 01

$9,501 $13,273 02 02

$9,429 $12,375 State Funding Per 03 Full-Time Student 03

$12,523 Endowment Per $7,689 04 04

$13,962

$7,119 05 05

$7,765 $15,310

06 06

$8,108 $16,447

07 07

$18,972

$8,487 08 08

$18,216

$7,975 09 09 $8,005 $15,130 university university Financial Highlights Highlights (3) (2) (1) Student FinancialAid Assets andFacilities Changes inNetAssets(1) Revenues, Expenses,and Sponsored Programs Value) Endowments (At Market University NetAssets(1) Virginia Tech Foundation Faculty andStaff (head count) Total StudentEnrollment Student Admissions Total research expenditures forNSFreport were notavailableatpublicationdate. university. include stateappropriations, gifts,andinvestmentincome.These revenue sources discovery, are usedforgeneraloperations in supportofthelearning, andengagement missionsofthe The universitywillalways beexpectedtoshowanoperatingloss sincesignificant recurring revenues are shownasnon-operating.Major revenue sources reported asnon-operating Statement —andManagement’s Discussion andAnalysis—forPublicCollegesUniversities. AccountingStandardThe universityadoptedthenewGovernmental Board (GASB)reporting modelinfiscalyear2002as required byGASBStatementNumber 35,BasicFinancial Operating revenues Capital assets, net of accumulated depreciation (1) Total university assets (1) Unrestricted Restricted Invested in capital assets, net of related debt Facilities-owned gross square feet Facilities-leased square feet Operating expenses Other revenues, expenses, gains, or losses Non-operating revenues and expenses (2) Employment opportunities Grants, scholarships, and waivers Managed by VTF under agency agreements Owned by Virginia Tech Owned by Virginia Tech Foundation (VTF) Total assets and managed funds Gifts and bequests received Loans Research expenditures reported to NSF (3) Number of awards received Expended in support of the university Loans Grants, scholarships, and waivers Value of awards received Employment opportunities Percent of instructional faculty tenured Support staff P14 faculty Total faculty and support staff Other faculty and research associates Full-time instructional faculty Graduate and first professional Undergraduate Other countries Other off-campus locations Other states Virginia Northern Virginia Center Blacksburg campus Graduate Undergraduate (freshmen only) Graduate Graduate and first professional Graduate Undergraduate Undergraduate (freshmen only) Undergraduate Net increase (decrease) in net assets Operating loss (2) TOTAL BY AMOUNTS MAJORCATEGORY STUDENTS RECEIVING SELECTED TYPES OFFINANCIALAID RECEIVINGSELECTEDTYPES STUDENTS Total endowments supporting the university Total Financial Aid DEGREES CONFERRED ENROLLMENT BY RESIDENCE ENROLLMENT BY CAMPUS ENROLLMENT BY CLASSIFICATION OFFERS ASAPERCENTAGE OFAPPLICATIONS NEW ENROLLMENTASAPERCENTAGE OFOFFERS TOTAL APPLICATIONS RECEIVED(INCLUDES TRANSFERS) For theyearsendedJune30,2005-2009(alldollarsare inmillions;square feetinthousands) 6.4 $ 670.4 $ 465.1 $ $ 361.7 $ 58.2 $ 58.8 $ 93.6 $ 500.9 $ $ 698.9 $ $ 290.0 $ $ $237.1 $ 408.9 $ $ 97.8 $ $ 71.6 $ 189.5 $ $ 1,046.9 $ (241.0)$ $ 106.4$ 35.5 48.7 2004-05 741.9 14,088 10,962 25,629 20,453 18,839 21,330 264.4 7,923 2,086 6,467 6,639 6,938 6,289 1,463 1,265 1,869 4,837 8,147 3,515 1,041 2,141 40.8 94.8 64.7 35.9 40.7 67.0 67.4 599 949 224

50.5 $ 81.8 26.1 $ 543.8 $ 496.8 $ 728.0 $ 321.7 6.9 $ 100.0 $ 72.3 $ 39.4 $ $ 101.0 $ 733.2 $ 398.3 $ 255.6 $ 1,078.1 447.8$ $ 102.4 $ 195.9 $ (271.4) 815.3 2005-06 14,481 11,140 20,281 25,915 19,246 21,627 284.7 8,454 8,067 2,122 6,689 3,606 2,026 6,503 6,352 1,568 1,304 1,908 1,030 1,034 104.1 4,913 6,707 42.6 68.2 65.3 41.7 37.8 604 211 66

883.8 122.3 $ 78.5 $ 568.9 $ 367.0 53.4 $ 107.3 $ 203.1 $ 469.4 $ 525.1$ $ 275.4$ $ 1,298.8 $ 159.4 $ 940.9 $ 814.5$ $ 148.3 $ 102.2 $ 592.7 $ 91.7 $ (291.1) 2006-07 7.9 15,600 11,067 21,570 21,997 19,817 26,371 8,498 317.1 119.8 6,920 3,698 1,649 6,654 1,340 1,999 1,086 4,887 6,878 1,013 2,131 1,807 6,473 8,101 65.3 40.6 65.6 65.2 41.8 47.8 682 233

$ 871.5 $ $ 373.3 $ $ 1,339.3 $ 118.9$ $ 475.5 $ $ 105.9 $ $ $ 127.1 $ 117.7 $ 227.6 7.4 $ 925.6$ $ 528.0$ $ 303.5$ $ $ 91.6 $ $ 622.9 25.2 58.4 $ 40.0$ $ 633.7 $ (311.9) 945.6 2007-08 22,126 16,221 23,041 27,572 20,917 11,376 326.7 8,699 2,263 139.2 7,052 5,050 7,462 1,690 1,954 1,253 8,551 6,857 6,811 1,073 2,170 3,774 1,371 63.4 38.0 65.4 42.0 45.1 67.7 684 217 2008-09 2008-09 $ 972.2 $ 5.8 $ 1,429.5 $ (285.6) 60.3 $ $ 113.1 $ 136.2 $ 65.1 46.1 $ 684.5 $ 59.5$ $ 669.7 $ 346.3 $ 124.8 $ 410.7$ $ $ 452.1 $ 127.9 $ $ $ 942.1 970.1 232.3 28,259 23,567 23,351 16,812 12,077 21,337

299.0 2,234 1,940 8,457 1,373 2,384 5,308 8,263 1,369 8,946 7,172 158.1 3,816 7,168 7,175 1,761 annual report annual 1,107 64.0 62.9 35.6 43.1 61.9 37.3 229 858 N/A 21 | v ir g ini a te c h 22 v ir g ini a te c h 2008-09 report annual 08 NOVEMBER JULY SEPTEMBER DECEMBER TIMELINE AUGUST OCTOBER

Landon Carter Minor, who became munities for promoting healthy urban other service agencies. Past awardees July Virginia Tech’s first president in 1872. forest management and engaging the include the John F. Kennedy Center for NEW EQUITY OFFICE IS FORMed Minor kept the diary while serving as campus community in environmental the Performing Arts in Washington, a captain in the Confederacy. In 1864, stewardship. D.C., and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine for his Two long-standing offices at Virginia a Union soldier and musician acquired support of the Virginia Medicaid Buy-In Tech, the Office for Equal Opportunity Army ROTC runners the diary and used it to record his Program. and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, shine own experiences at the battles of the merge to become one entity, the Office Training pays off for two Virginia Tech Taubman features for Equity and Inclusion. The expanded Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna Army ROTC Detachment Army 10-miler Tech-built exhibit office provides leadership and serves River, and Cold Harbor. Records from teams. The runners travel to Washing- Faculty members in the Virginia Tech as the focal point for university-wide Minor’s presidency at Virginia Tech ton, D.C., for the Army 10-miler, which, School of Visual Arts, in collaboration efforts to promote and sustain just, were destroyed in a fire, so this diary with 18,857 participants, is America’s with the university’s departments of fair, diverse, and inclusive working and serves not only as an important tie to largest 10-mile race. The Tech teams computer science, music, and theatre learning environments in the university the university’s first leader, but also a finish first and third among the 49 ROTC arts, create a multimedia exhibi- community. remarkable specimen of Civil War his- team competitors, and they finish 33rd tion — ”Revo-oveR” — for Roanoke’s tory from both Confederate and Union and 41st among the 507 overall teams. Taubman Museum of Art’s grand PAMPLIN TO ESTABLISH perspectives. NEW CURRICULA Cadet John Steger of Springfield, Va., opening. Professors and students spend The Pamplin College of Business is one Message boards added records the fastest time of any cadet — three years creating and installing of two schools selected to partner with to classrooms ROTC or service academy — finishing in the piece, which sends virtual entities audit and consulting firm Deloitte to Virginia Tech improves its emergency 57 minutes, 43 seconds and coming in into constant motion across free-form develop much-needed college account- notification system to ensure rapid dis- 74th overall. projection screens. These entities then ing curricula on the International Finan- semination of important information to Environmental confer- react to the presence of visitors within cial Reporting Standards (IFRS). IFRS is the university community. Among the ence draws hundreds the installation by moving and making being used in more than 100 countries improvements, the university installs Virginia Tech hosts the 2008 annual sounds as the gestures and voices of the and about 40 percent of Fortune Global electronic message boards in all 165 conference of the Society of Environ- audience are processed by elements of 500 companies, and materials are general assignment classrooms on the mental Journalists (SEJ), which attracts the exhibit’s system. Blacksburg campus. needed to help teach the differences more than 600 working journalists, DECEMBER between IFRS and U.S. accounting rules. government officials, industry leaders, Website shows how Tech April 16 records are helps Virginians business executives, and nonprofit AUGUST released Virginia Tech launches ThisIsTheFu- administrators to the Roanoke and New Virginia Tech releases an archive of GOBBLERFEST DEBUTS ture.com, a user-generated website River valleys. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine University Unions & Student Activities documents related to the April 16, 2007, that highlights how the university’s opens the conference with Virginia shootings to families of those who lost initiates Gobblerfest, a new welcoming innovative research and high-quality Tech President Charles Steger and West event for Virginia Tech students. Activi- loved ones and to surviving victims. educational and outreach programs Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin. In 2009, the archive is made available ties include a business showcase expo, have affected the daily lives of Virgin- student job fair, student organization NOVEMBE R to the public in the Library of Virginia ians. Another focus of the project is in Richmond and Newman Library showcase, VT-ENGAGE volunteer fair, to get people who visit the website to Spencer takes student Meet Your Neighbor, the Wayne Rob- affairs helm in Blacksburg. All public documents share their own stories of how they within the archive are accessible except inson Principles of Community Family impact the lives of Virginians. Edward F.D. Spencer is appointed vice Run/Walk, the Class of 2010 kick-off president for student affairs. Spencer those unique to a victim and that which concert, food, games, and prizes. OCTOBER will oversee 15 university departments, would otherwise be private. Fralin and IBPHS get VT Alerts requirement is including such areas as housing and Ford retires, Tech hires a new name expanded dining, career services, university Wubah The Fralin Biotechnology Center and Virginia Tech requires all students, unions and student activities, inter- David R. Ford retires as vice president the Institute for Biomedical and Public regardless of class level or campus, to national and multicultural programs, and dean of undergraduate education Health Sciences (IBPHS) merge adminis- notify the university whether or not recreational sports, student health after more than two decades of service tratively to form the Fralin Life Science they want to subscribe to VT Alerts, services, and the corps of cadets. He has to Virginia Tech. Under Ford’s leader- Institute at Virginia Tech (Fralin). The the university’s emergency notification spent the past 25 years dedicated to ship undergraduate enrollments have Fralin Biotechnology Center was es- method used to reach mobile com- student life at Virginia Tech as director grown, the University Honors Program tablished in 1995 to promote research, munications devices. of housing and residence life, director has expanded, academic advising has education, and outreach related to the of residential and dining programs, been strengthened, and the VT Path- Zenobia Hikes dies assistant vice president for student ways to Learning was launched to guide life sciences. IBPHS was created in 2003 Vice President for Student Affairs to provide strategic support to enhance affairs, and associate vice president of students throughout their undergradu- Zenobia Lawrence Hikes dies from com- biomedical research at Virginia Tech. student affairs. ate career. Named to succeed him is plications following cardiac surgery. Daniel A. Wubah, associate provost for William Skelton She was 53. (See page 12.) Tech garners disabilities award undergraduate academic affairs at the passes away University of Florida. The Hokie Nation mourns the death of Foundation salutes urban Virginia Tech is selected as a 2008 one of the university’s most loyal sup- forestry efforts Virginia Department of Rehabilitative New department over- porters, William E. Skelton, who was Through its Tree City USA program, Services Employment Champion. The sees emergencies 89. (See page 12.) the Arbor Day Foundation recognizes Disability Employment Champions Virginia Tech establishes a new depart- Virginia Tech for best practices in campus Award honors individuals and organiza- ment to oversee emergency planning SEPTEMBER community forestry. Eight other college tions in public, private, and nonprofit and preparedness and names Michael c h campuses across the United States are sectors who have championed the J. Mulhare, chief of the Office of Emer- te Library adds Minor diary a to collection also recognized for their efforts. The employment of people with disabilities gency Response and the emergency ini University Libraries acquires a diary program honors college campuses and through partnerships with the Depart- response administrator for the Rhode g ir v

written during the Civil War by Charles the leaders of their surrounding com- ment of Rehabilitative Services and/or Island Department of Environmental | 2008-09 annual report 23 MAY JANUARY MARCH JUNE FEBRUARY APRIL

09 TIMELINE (continued) Management, as director of emergency Dean Sharron Quisenberry announces the ranks of such great philosophers as first Solar Decathlon Europe, which management. Mulhare will be respon- that she is leaving Virginia Tech to Albert Einstein, Jean-Paul Sartre, and takes place in Madrid in June 2010. The sible for an all-hazard approach to the become vice president for research and John Dewey with the publication of The competition is modeled on the biennial coordination and management of risk economic development at Iowa State. Philosophy of Marjorie Grene, a volume U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decath- assessment, emergency management, Mark McNamee, senior vice president in The Library of Living Philosophers, lon. In these decathlons, universities disaster planning, and continuity of and provost, praises Quisenberry as a in 2002. Inclusion in the series is one compete to design and build a self- operations planning. transformative leader who is leaving of the highest honors a professional sufficient house using solar power as the college poised for continued success philosopher can receive. JANUARy the only energy source. The Tech team as one of the most progressive agricul- will enter the house they are developing Funds to help students ture programs in the country. APRIl facing financial Second building is for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar hardships FEBRUARy named for Hahn Decathlon in October 2009. The university creates an emergency Sobral steps down, The 85,000-square-foot Chemistry- Medical school ready loan fund for students and families continues research Physics Building is named Hahn to recruit first class buffeted by changing employment The founding director of Virginia Tech’s Hall-North Wing in honor of T. Marshall The Virginia Tech Carilion School of conditions. The Horizons Program fea- Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI), Hahn Jr., Virginia Tech president from Medicine and Research Institute (VTC) tures a pool of $500,000 that will assist Bruno Sobral, announces he will step 1962 to 1974. An adjacent building was receives word that its educational pro- enrolled Virginia Tech undergraduate down effective March 2. Sobral will named for him in 1990 and now will gram leading to the doctor of medicine students and families experiencing a be known as Hahn Hall-South Wing. remain on staff to continue his scien- (M.D.) degree has received preliminary significant reduction in income due to Hahn spearheaded some of the most tific work in cyberinfrastructure and accreditation by the Liaison Committee family job loss or other similar signifi- pathosystems biology and his efforts significant changes in the university’s cant reduction in family funds. The loan history by fully opening enrollment to on Medical Education, which is spon- to secure large-scale grants. Under So- sored by the Association of American fund is in addition to other financial aid bral’s leadership since 2000, VBI grew women, eliminating the requirement Medical Colleges and the American resources already available. to become one of the largest research that male freshmen and sophomores be Medical Association. Preliminary Graduate student is institutes at Tech with more than $97 in the corps of cadets, and reorganizing murdered in Donaldson million in active research. the institution’s colleges to transform accreditation means that the school Brown Tech into a comprehensive research meets nationally accepted standards of Lavery dies The Virginia Tech community is struck university. educational quality, a requirement to Virginia Tech’s 12th president, William by tragedy again when a female gradu- recruit students and begin operating. Edward Lavery, dies at age 78. (See New dean to come ate student from China is assaulted VTC’s first class of 42 aspiring physicians page 12.) from within and killed in the Graduate Life Center Virginia Tech names Paul Winistorfer will begin their studies in fall 2010 and at Donaldson-Brown. The suspect is a Classes on hold for as dean of the College of Natural graduate in spring 2014. male graduate student, Haiyang Zhu, April 16, 2009, and 2010 Resources effective on the September 25, also from China. The victim, Xin In what Senior Vice President and 2009 retirement of Dean Michael Kelly. JUNE Yang, 22, had just arrived in the U.S. Provost Mark McNamee calls a complex Winistorfer came to the college in 2001 Board approves public to begin graduate studies in account- and emotional decision, the University from the Forest Products Center at the health degree ing. Police, who cannot determine the Steering Committee for the April 16, University of Tennessee to head up The board of visitors approves a master reason for the murder, say the two 2009, Day of Remembrance recom- the wood science and forest products of public health degree program that students knew each other. mends that classes be suspended in department. He moved the department will be based in the Virginia-Maryland 2009 and 2010 but that regular classes Highty-Tighties perform forward through the creation of Wood Regional College of Veterinary Medicine for president resume April 16, 2012, which will fall Week at Virginia Tech and by co-leading and operated as a collaborative on a Monday. McNamee and President The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets a biomaterials faculty recruitment program with the Virginia Tech Carilion Charles W. Steger accept the recom- Regimental Band, the Highty-Tighties, initiative with other departments and School of Medicine and Research mendation. performs in the inaugural celebration colleges on campus. Institute. The nation is facing a critical for President Barack Obama. This is the MARch Researchers fight shortage of trained public health pro- 12th time the band has marched in the Research expenditures mosquitoes fessionals coinciding with a period of inaugural parade. The last time was up again Researchers from Virginia Tech and substantially increased risks related to in 2005 for George W. Bush’s second For the 10th consecutive year, research Molsoft LLC receive a five-year, $3.557 food safety, zoonotic infectious disease inauguration. expenditures at Virginia Tech reach a million grant from the National Insti- agents, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Pritchard Hall record high – $373.3 million for fiscal tute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to continue their promising Pamplin College welcomes women year 2008, which ended June 30, 2008. namesake dies Pritchard Hall, the largest all-male The figure represents an increase of work on a new class of resistance- breaking insecticides to reduce Former chair and CEO of Georgia-Pacific college residence hall on the East Coast, $6.3 million. In addition, the 2007 fiscal Corp. Robert B. Pamplin Sr. dies at age is going co-ed. Pritchard housed 1,016 year total moved Tech to 42nd in the malaria transmission. Because of a 97 after a long illness. (See page 12. men for the 2008-09 academic year, nation. For 2008, federal and private growing resistance to the pyrethroid and since opening in 1967, has housed funding grow, but state funding drops insecticides, the research is striving BOV goes green to develop a new class of insecticides more than 40,000 men. Administrators sharply and the research ranking falls The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors that will be safe for use on nets and plan the conversion because of increas- to 46th. adopts the university-wide Virginia Tech ing demand for co-ed housing and the effective against pyrethroid-resistant Renowned philosopher mosquitoes. Climate Action Commitment Resolution changing gender balance of the Virginia dIes and accompanying Sustainability Plan, Tech campus. In 2009-10, Pritchard will c h Marjorie Grene, Honorary University May making it official university policy. It also te have a mix of 41 percent females and 59 Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Tech going to European takes its own step toward sustainability a percent males. and professor emerita at Virginia Tech, solar contest by going paperless. Now, board members ini

g Quisenberry moves on passes away at age 98 after a brief ill- Virginia Tech is one of only two U.S. use laptops instead of three-ring binders ir

v College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ness. Grene was the first woman to join universities invited to compete in the stuffed with paper.

24 annual report 2008-09

President John R. Lawson II, Rector Charles W. Steger George Nolen, Vice Rector Senior Vice President and Provost Michael Anzilotti Mark G. McNamee Beverley Dalton Vice President for Alumni Relations Thomas C. Tillar Ben J. Davenport Jr. Vice President for Finance and Michele L. Duke Chief Financial Officer Douglas R. Fahl M. Dwight Shelton Jr. L. Bruce Holland Vice President for Administrative Services Sherwood G. Wilson Calvin D. Jamison Sr. Vice President for Development and Sandra Stiner Lowe University Administration University University Relations James W. Severt Sr. Elizabeth A. Flanagan James R. Smith Vice President for Information Technology Board of Visitors Virginia Tech Earving L. Blythe Philip S. Thompson Vice President for Equity and Inclusion Lori L. Wagner Kevin G. McDonald Vice President for Research Robert Walters Hardus Odendaal Faculty Representative Vice President for Student Affairs Edward F.D. Spencer Tom Tucker Staff Representative Vice President and Executive Director, National Capital Region Arlane Gordon-Bray James Bohland Undergraduate Student Representative Vice President and Dean for Undergraduate Education Lindsey Barker Daniel A. Wubah Graduate Student Vice President for Outreach and Representative International Affairs Kim O’Rourke John E. Dooley Secretary to the Board Vice President and Dean for Graduate Education (July 1, 2008 ~ Karen P. DePauw June 30, 2009) University Treasurer and Chief Operating Officer, Virginia Tech Foundation Raymond D. Smoot Jr.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Loke T. Kok (interim) College of Architecture and Urban Studies A. Jack Davis Deans College of Engineering Richard Benson College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Sue Ott Rowlands College of Natural Resources Michael Kelly Prepared by the Office Pamplin College of Business Richard E. Sorensen of University Relations College of Science Virginia Tech Lay Nam Chang Blacksburg, VA 24061 Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine Virginia Tech does not discriminate Gerhardt Schurig against employees, students, or applicants for admission or employ- University Libraries ment on the basis of race, gender, Eileen E. Hitchingham disability, age, veteran status, national origin, religion, sexual Virginia Tech Carilion orientation, or political affiliation. School of Medicine Anyone having questions concern- Cynda A. Johnson ing discrimination should contact University Legal Counsel the Office for Equity and Inclusion Kay Heidbreder VT/1209/15M/NSJ10-12/MM (As of June 30, 2009) Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Office of the President 210 Burruss Hall MWI Blacksburg VA 24061

Invent the Future

w w w. v t . e d u