INSIDE RESEARCH 2000 BINGHAMTON UNIVERSITY STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK Opening the doors of discovery UNLOCKING MYSTERIES THROUGH RESEARCH AND CREATIVITY Education is about discovery — for students, for faculty Research is the leading edge of educational and economic and for our society. Some might say not much is left to know. development. It helps define the need for new pathways and That has been said during every period in history, but it is then forges vision into reality, for the University and the never true. We are proud of the many discoveries that occur at community in which it thrives. Binghamton University, and through this publication we will When I look at the scope of research and scholarship illustrate some of them. presented in this report, I see an “engaged For example, in the tiniest environ- University,” consistently bringing its ment, chemist Wayne Jones is seeking to commitment to excellence in research and build electronics on a molecular level. scholarly pursuits to the larger community. In the expanse of evolution, paleoanthro- This is research for the public good: pologist G. Philip Rightmire is searching visionary academic projects across the for the origins of humans. disciplines, carried out by an entrepreneur- We plan to open the arena of ial faculty, that effect positive changes in discovery in the next year and beyond. our world and produce solutions to the Within the past few months we have important issues facing us all. created a new Division of Research, led by The success of the engaged univer- Vice President Frances E. Carr, formerly sity evolves from sustained commitment — vice provost for research and graduate studies. This reorgani- commitment to providing rigorous educational and training zation confirms the University’s commitment to enhancing opportunities, as well as to addressing urgent societal needs research and scholarship. through discovery and partnership. But research itself is not enough. It goes hand-in-glove This year we established four new organized research with teaching. At Binghamton, the enhancement of centers — bringing the total number of University research our graduate studies and research enriches our excellent centers to 19 — to enhance opportunities for collaboration undergraduate program. We must, after all, depend on those and outreach. The newly formed Institute of Biomedical in the next generation to take these discoveries to the next Technology, Center on Democratic Performance, Center for the stage of development. Historical Study of Women and Gender and Roger L. and Another important aspect of our work at Binghamton Mary F. Kresge Center for Nursing Research will enhance is applying research to real-life solutions. For example, the Binghamton’s profile as a research institution. These centers University’s Integrated Electronics Engineering Center is will help us to continue to develop pioneering partnerships working with local company Rainbow Displays Inc. to and attract federal, state and private funds to support the develop flat-panel technology that will revolutionize TVs and growth and vitality of the region. computer monitors. Within a few years, discoveries and We are especially pleased to acknowledge that our assistance that Binghamton provides to Rainbow and other faculty received a total of 305 new awards this year, an companies will help inform and entertain people through a 8 percent increase over last year. Further, our external funding wide, thin screen that hangs on their walls. is now in excess of $20 million, marking an all-time University At Binghamton, we have discoveries in all fields of high. Such success translates into a direct economic benefit to study, as illustrated in English Professor John Vernon’s the community. Not only does research activity benefit area scholarship. His study of his brother’s life sheds light on how companies, healthcare providers and schools, it is also key to objects relate to the way people live. the creation and retention of jobs in the region. I hope you enjoy learning about these findings in the Overall, Binghamton University has benefited from the following accounts of some of our projects. We appreciate inherent and remarkable synergy between research and your joining us in opening the doors to discovery. graduate studies. Not only do our researchers conduct groundbreaking research in University laboratories and libraries, they also enhance public life by helping to educate a new generation of scholars. Ultimately, these students are our future: They are the promising new teachers, scholars, Lois B. DeFleur scientists, critics and thinkers of the next millennium. President Frances Carr Vice President for Research INSIDE RESEARCH INSIDE RESEARCH 2000 Binghamton University Lois B. DeFleur President, Binghamton University State University of New York CONTENTS Frances Carr Vice President for Research John Hachtel Briefs Associate Vice President for 2 University Relations Updates on new grants, programs and awards Denise Czuprynski Director of Publications 4 Opening the doors of discovery University, community reap benefits of innovative research EDITORIAL STAFF Steve Morelli Editor 6 Rainbow’s end Susan E. Barker University’s role crucial to company’s flat-panel display success Writer/Editor Director of Communications for Research 8 Concealed weapons Trudi Marrapodi Tiny tools may help fight disease Copy Editor Evangelos Dousmanis 10 An intellectual capitalist Photographer Professor’s connections link University to advanced laser equipment David Skyrca Designer 12 Surreal estate Molecular architecture creates designs for a nanomaterial world Inside Research is published annually as a joint project by the Office of University Relations and the Office of Research and 14 Brain food Sponsored Programs. Researcher links glucose and mental function POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Inside Research, Office of University 16 Challenging preconceptions Relations, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, New York Does “teacher thinking” result in biased classrooms? 13902-6000. Bulletin of the State University of New York 18 Tracking human evolution at Binghamton Anthropologist travels the world to unravel clues 1999-2000 Volume 53, Number 4 2000 Publication # 886-280 20 How children survive sexual abuse Multiple factors may define individual’s trauma The Binghamton University Bulletin is published four times a year in March, June, August and September by the State University The first millennium of New York at Binghamton, PO Box 6000, 22 Binghamton, New York 13902-6000. Periodi- In the year 1000, the world was smaller, simpler — and smellier cals postage paid at Binghamton, New York. 24 Getting to the core of substance abuse Binghamton University is strongly committed Psychologist seeks adolescent addiction links to affirmative action. We offer access to services and recruit students and employees without regard to race, color, gender, religion, Edifice complex age,disability, marital status, sexual orienta- 26 tion or national origin. Divining culture from society’s structures 28 Profile WWW. BINGHAMTON. EDU Author searches for brother in memoir INSIDE RESEARCH 2000 BRIEFS UNIVERSITY ESTABLISHES FOUR BINGHAMTON WINS NSF NOD NEW RESEARCH CENTERS FOR HIGH-SPEED INTERNET 2 Binghamton University has established Binghamton University will receive a four new research centers: the Institute for $350,000 grant over the next two years to Biomedical Technology, the Center on Demo- support access to the next generation of cratic Performance, the Center for the His- Internet services — the high-bandwidth, torical Study of Women and Gender and the high-performance Internet 2. Roger L. and Mary F. Kresge Center for In making the award, the National Sci- Nursing Research. ence Foundation recognized that The new centers are expected to enhance Binghamton researchers have “meritorious Binghamton’s profile as a research institu- scientific applications” that warrant access tion, leverage increased federal support, to the Internet 2, which connects some 160 garner national recognition and propel inno- research universities. vative graduate and undergraduate educa- Most of these universities are members of tion programs, said Frances Carr, vice presi- the University Consortium for Advanced dent for research. Internet Development. The consortium is The new centers bring to 19 the number overseeing the development of the technol- of organized research centers. ogy used in the “very-high-speed band- The point is not to promote a prolifera- width network services” (vBNS) offered tion of research centers, but to encourage through Internet 2 and in the Abilene Net- coalitions that build on the University’s work, which will offer even more capabili- FULL-SIZED RIG DRILLS FOR strengths, energize the natural evolution of ties and provide a research test board for WATER KNOWLEDGE faculty research, and unify approaches that new technology. amplify available resources, Carr said. Binghamton applied for the grant as part It’s not every day that you see a full-sized “I feel very strongly that scholarly pur- of a group of six New York universities and drill rig on a university campus. But for suits are the leading edge for our graduate was one of two to receive the maximum students of Karen Salvage and Joseph education and undergraduate programs,” amount awarded by NSF. Graney, assistant professors of geological Carr said. “It’s an integrated paradigm.” NEW LABS SUPPORT HIGHER LEVEL OF RESEARCH With the completion this year of