070212 S&D Magazine 8 Final
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Office of the Vice President for Research Spring 2007 Search discovery RESEARCH AT MICHIGAN contents 3 Research Perspectives STEPHEN R. FORREST VICE PRESIDENT FOR RESEARCH 4 Confronting Climate Change WRITERS LINDA FITZGERALD 8 Shape Shifters: Compliant systems LEE KATTERMAN morph without joints or hinges ADRIENNE LOSH ROBIN STEPHENSON 12 Picture of Success: SUZANNE TAINTER Minority youths do better in school SARAH WALKLING when they see links between academics, racial identity, and their futures. COPYRIGHT 2007, REGENTS OF On the Cover THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN Global warming and the environmental JULIE DONOVAN DARLOW, ANN ARBOR 15 Lab Culture: An inside look at the changes that will ensue (and are already LAURENCE B. DEITCH, BINGHAM FARMS laboratory of Dr. Arul Chinnaiyan taking place) will put stresses on bio- OLIVIA P. MAYNARD, GOODRICH logical, social, political, and economic REBECCA MCGOWAN, ANN ARBOR 17 Slipping Inside: systems around the world. ANDREA FISCHER NEWMAN, ANN ARBOR Understanding cancer metastasis ANDREW C. RICHNER, GROSSE POINTE PARK S. MARTIN TAYLOR, GROSSE POINTE FARMS 18 The Energy Challenge: KATHERINE E. WHITE, ANN ARBOR Report from U-M symposium MARY SUE COLEMAN (EX OFFICIO) 19 Plans Get Rolling for Ann Arbor NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY STATEMENT after Pfizer THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER, 20 Distinguished Innovator COMPLIES WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND Awardee on Entrepreneurship STATE LAWS REGARDING NONDISCRIMINATION AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION, INCLUDING TITLE IX OF THE EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972 AND 21 The View from Washington DC SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973. THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN IS COMMITTED TO 22 Research Notes A POLICY OF NONDISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL Cited More, Safe Forever: OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL PERSONS REGARDLESS OF Deep Blue Makes it Possible RACE, SEX*, COLOR, RELIGION, CREED, NATIONAL ORIGIN OR ANCESTRY, AGE, MARITAL STATUS, Russian Academy of Sciences SEXUAL ORIENTATION, DISABILITY, OR VIETNAM- Honors U-M Geologist ERA VETERAN STATUS IN EMPLOYMENT, EDUCA- Single Molecule Symposium TIONAL PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES, AND ADMISSIONS. INQUIRIES OR COMPLAINTS MAY Research Administrators BE ADDRESSED TO THE SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR Receive Awards INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY AND TITLE IX/SECTION Ancient Funerary Marker Installed 504 COORDINATOR, OFFICE FOR INSTITUTIONAL EQUITY, 2072 ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES BUILDING, Five Chosen for ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48109-1432, 734-763-0235, Guggenheim Fellowships TTY 734-647-1388. FOR OTHER UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN INFORMATION CALL 734-764-1817. 24 Research Contacts *INCLUDES DISCRIMINATION BASED ON GENDER IDENTITY AND GENDER EXPRESSION. MM&D 070212 research perspectives t is clear that universities contribute The lead article, “Confronting Climate community. Her experiments are prom- in numerous ways to modern society. Change,” deals with global warming and ising, and she hopes to see this effort For example, at this time every how the U-M is involved in many inter- through to wide adoption in schools. iyear, the University of Michigan gradu- national efforts to understand what is ates about 10,000 students who will happening to our planet. Rosina Bierbaum, If there ever was an opportune time for become the future leaders of Michigan, dean of the School of Natural Resources the University of Michigan to emphasize the United States, and the world. Our and Environment, is a leader in these engagement with the outside community, students and faculty also conduct funda- efforts, having been deeply involved in it surely is now. From local economic mental research in all areas of inquiry, the recent United Nations report on disruptions such as the closing of the from medicine and engineering, to social global responses to climate change. The Pfizer R&D laboratory in Ann Arbor, sciences, public policy, and the arts. This close connection of climate change to the nation’s energy crisis, to the research has changed the way we perceive research by our faculty to the shaping of changing foundations of the regional our world. In recent years, however, the public policy exemplifies social engage- economy from a manufacturing to a University community has undergone ment of the highest order. This research knowledge base, U-M is involved as never a large-scale shift in how it views itself is vital to the health and perhaps survival before as an active participant in affect- as an agent of change and how it must of our planet as we know it. ing change. And why shouldn’t we? As engage society to fulfill its mission of a public institution, it is our inherent educating the public, and ensuring that Another article describes how Professor mission to serve the public. the product of its intellectual resources Sridhar Kota has developed a variety the vp for research letter from benefit humanity. This focus on an engaged of micro-electro mechanical machines Furthermore, if there was ever a time to university does not, nor should it, displace (called MEMs, which are micrometer- “pay back” the state of Michigan after our traditional roles in education research being supported by its citizens for nearly by more applied and “outward focused” scale electronically driven mechanical 200 years, it is surely now. This does not areas of inquiry. All of these roles are devices) as well as applying this technol- conflict with our traditional missions of extraordinarily important, and their co- ogy to the dynamic control of jet wing fundamental inquiry or in providing a existence at our university ensures that one and helicopter rotor surfaces. In the past, always will gain strength from the others. work such as Professor Kota’s would spectacular education to all of our stu- only be published in specialized scientific dents, but rather supports it. In this issue of Search & Discovery, journals and then left for others to find we highlight U-M linkages to the world applications. Today it is increasingly The Office of the Vice President for beyond its doors. In each article, an out- common for our faculty to be personally Research, along with the rest of the standing research program is described, involved in applying their academic out- University of Michigan, is committed to and we can see the roots of these pro- put directly to the realization of new supporting our engagement with indus- grams in the highest quality fundamental products and processes. Sometimes, try, the community, and the larger society research. What distinguishes this work, as in Professor Kota’s case, that means outside of our academic environment. and makes it a strong contributor to our forming a company that takes the uni- mission as a public and engaged institu- versity research into the marketplace. tion, is that in each case fundamental inquiry has taken that “extra step”— A third example is found in the work by affecting public policy, by changing of Professor Daphne Oyserman in the —Stephen R. Forrest our way of educating young people, and Psychology Department and School of by creating a technology that finds its Social Work. Professor Oyserman has way into a practical application. looked at the limited academic success 2007 of minority students in Detroit and has developed a psychological model to help Spring understand why this occurs. She has taken this work further by developing 3 interventions to enhance student success, and has tested these interventions in the U-M dean and colleagues analyze environmental changes facing the global community and outline strategies for mitigating the likely risks s the 21st century unfolds, there may Bierbaum made these statements in late February be no area of engagement where uni- in announcing the completion of a report enti- versities can have a greater impact than tled “Confronting Climate Change: Avoiding through involvement in the issues related to the the Unmanageable, Managing the Unavoidable.” warming trends on Earth. The consequences The report, which provides an overview of the of the rise in temperature are already contribut- science of climate change, was delivered to the ing to climate and ecological perturbations that United Nations Commission on Sustainable may set in motion irreversible—or worse, cata- Development and was sponsored by the United strophic—changes for humankind. Nations Foundation and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. Bierbaum and Peter Raven, “The world is experiencing climate director of the Missouri Botanical Garden, co- disruption now and the increases in chaired the Scientific Expert Group on Climate droughts, floods, and sea level rise Change and Sustainable Development, a panel that will occur in the coming decades of 18 eminent scientists from 11 countries will cause enormous human suffering responsible for the report. and economic losses,” said Rosina Bierbaum, dean of the University Bierbaum and her co-authors state their conclu- of Michigan School of Natural sion in stark terms: “Global climate change, driv- Resources and Environment (SNRE). en largely by the combustion of fossil fuels and by deforestation, is a growing threat to human “We imperil our children’s and well-being in developing and industrialized grandchildren’s future if we fail to nations alike. Significant harm from climate improve society’s capacity to adapt change is already occurring, and further damages to a changing climate,” she contin- DEAN ROSINA BIERBAUM are a certainty. The challenge now is to keep ues. “We can manage water better, bolster dis- climate change from becoming a catastrophe.”