Start Making Sense: NC State Bioinformaticist Brings Numbers to Life
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NC STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2011 scopeA LOOK INSIDE THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES Start making sense NC State bioinformaticist brings numbers to life IN THIS ISSUE Pirates of the Paleolithic 8 NC State’s Top Rocker 10 NC’s Year of Communicating Science 20 scope PAMS Foundation Board of Directors Scope is published by the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Officers Rob Lindberg The College is made up of internationally Cathy Sigal, Chair Roy Martin recognized departments: Leigh Wilkinson, Vice Chair Ed Mathers Anita Stallings, President Alan Menius Chemistry Michelle Duggins, Secretary Randy Miller Marine, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Kathy Hart, Treasurer David Montgomery Mathematics Charles Leffler, Assistant Treasurer Connie Moreadith Physics Michael Peirson Statistics General Members Mitch Perry Molecular & Structural Biochemistry Susan Atkinson Stephen Smeach Tom Blinten Cecil Smith John Brocklebank Phil Summa Dean Michael Thompson Charles Case Daniel Solomon Sheila Chickene Bill Trent Maureen Droessler Barton White Managing Editor David Duncklee Ji Zhang Anita Stallings Jonathan Earnhart Miriam Zietlow Kathy Harris Editor Lawrence Ives Emeritus Steve Townsend Roger Liddle Richard Cook Contributing Writers Ernie Hood Tracey Peake Star-Lena Quintana PAMS Alumni & Friends Advisory Board Design Officers General Members Zubigraphics Benton Satterfield, President Stephen Ashley Nancy Ridenhour, Vice President Damon Butler Larry James, Secretary Kim Deaner On the cover: Robert Hill, Assistant Secretary Todd Fuller Alison Motsinger-Reif with colleagues Bob Jackson Jorge Piedrahita and Matthew Breen Maggie LaPLante from NC State’s College of Veterinary Sherice Nivens Medicine. Photo by Marc Hall. Glenn Osmond Er Ralston Jean Richardson 13,500 copies of this public document Pam Pittman Robinson were printed at a cost of $7,200.00 Aimee Tattersall or $.53 per copy. Joselyn Todd Mike Trexler Chip Wentz in this issue... FALL 2011 Dean’s message 2 Milestone provides an opportunity to celebrate our past, present and future 4 College news 3 NC State students anxiously await “New Talley” 10 NC State’s top rocker: PAMS student learns to balance her coursework with her role as general manager of WKNC 16 PAMS welcomes new members to its leadership team 19 Risley named Entrepreneur of the Year 20 North Carolina’s Year of Communicating Science Research highlights 4 Start making sense: NC State bioinformaticist brings numbers to life 10 8 Pirates of the Paleolithic: Using geology to dig deeper into the mysteries of our seafaring ancestors Honors 9 Department of Mathematics makes history with back-to-back AMS awards 14 Beichner named 2011 recipient of McGraw Prize in Education 14 Kneller earns DOE CAREER Award 15 Notables 14 Alumni and Development news 18 Risleys establish endowed physics professorship 19 How to make a gift Just for Fun 12 Meet your PAMS Ambassadors 18 Milestone provides an opportunity to celebrate our past, present and future Happy quasquicentennial, NC State! It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, but give it some time. The entire university com- munity will have all of next year to learn some new Latin as we celebrate the quasqui- BY BECKY KIRKLAND PHOTO centennial––or 125th anniversary––of NC State’s founding back in 1887. Friends and alumni of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences will not be surprised to know that our fields have been an integral part of the institution from the very beginning. In fact, when the uni- versity opened its doors to its first class of students two years later in 1889, a full one- third of the six member faculty represented academic disciplines that are housed in PAMS today. Although the world is a much different place than it was at the end of the nineteenth century, NC State’s mission has changed surprisingly lit- tle over the years. As we were in the beginning, we continue to be dedicated to excellence in teaching, research and service “that transforms lives and provides leadership for social, eco- nomic, and technological development across North Carolina and around the world.” Scope, which discusses the pervasive and Dean Dan Solomon addresses PAMS students, While we initially applied our talents pri- powerful bioinformatics research of Alison faculty, volunteers and endowment donors marily to agricultural and mechanical con- Motsinger-Reif (page 4). This issue covers at the college’s 12th annual Realizing cerns, today’s NC State researchers are other great stories from across the college, Possibilities celebration. applying their considerable talents to a from the back-to-back national awards remarkably broad set of societal challenges. earned by our Department of Mathematics understanding of the importance of talking about our work. As the scientific challenges we face as a society continue to mount so, too, does the importance of promoting an under- While we initially applied our talents primarily standing and appreciation of scientific topics. Through the use of publications like Scope, to agricultural and mechanical concerns, outreach activities like our annual Scope Academy (page 20) and many other vehicles today’s NC State researchers are applying their and venues, we in PAMS are doing our part to promote this appreciation and understanding considerable talents to a remarkably broad set among scientists and non-scientists alike. I look forward to celebrating with you of societal challenges. throughout 2012 and beyond NC State’s legacy of excellence and our scientific achievements that are yet to come. Here in PAMS, we are paying specific atten- (page 9) to the renaissance spirit of chem- tion to challenges that lie at the intersection istry major Molly Matty (page 10) to the Sincerely, of the mathematical, computational, physi- ingenuity and generosity of physics profes- cal and life sciences. sor John Risley (page 18). You will see a prime example of this type Just as our skills have evolved to meet the of work in the cover story of this issue of high aims of our mission so, too, has our Daniel L. Solomon, Dean 2 ■ FALL 2011 | scope NC State students anxiously await “New Talley” COURTESY OF NC STATE CAMPUS ENTERPRISES CAMPUS OF NC STATE COURTESY Artist’s rendering of the new The university broke ground Some planned features that have students Talley Student Center from the vicinity last summer on a project that especially excited include: of the Free Expression Tunnel will provide significant n Two coffee shops n A food court that will feature Mexican, While the project is ongoing, a temporary additional and upgraded pizza, diner and deli options student center and NC State bookstore have n An upscale, internationally themed restau- been set up in a building near and dear to space to the Talley Student rant that will include Japanese, Korean, many PAMS students and alumni: Harrelson Thai, Mediterranean and Italian options Hall. The Division of Student Affairs has Center. n A more laid-back restaurant that will fea- worked hard to create an inviting, functional ture live music and entertainment as well space in Harrelson, and it has been well The existing Talley Student Center was con- as oven-baked flatbread sandwiches and received by students. structed in 1972 when the NC State student pastas You can keep up to date on the Talley population was 14,000. Thirty-nine years later, n A large convenience store, more than twice Student Center addition and renovation on NC State boasts 34,000 students, all of whom the size of any other C-store on campus, the project Website: go.ncsu.edu/newtalley. require access to tools, technologies and infra- with student favorites like “Howling Cow” The site includes artist’s renderings and a structure that did not exist four decades ago. ice cream by the scoop, fresh sandwiches, Webcam to follow the progress. As needs have changed, so must Talley. snacks and beverages Twitter (@ncsu_talley) and Facebook Some of the more noteworthy upgrades (search “TalleyStudentCenter”) also offer quick include increased and improved space for stu- The lead design firm for the project is and easy ways to stay current on traffic and dent organizations and facility services; more Durham-based Duda/Paine Architects, LLP. construction impacts. For more information, meeting, lounging and recreational space; Turan Duda, who earned his bachelor of envi- please contact NC State University Campus expanded retail and dining options; an ronmental design in architecture at NC State, Enterprises at 919-513-2524 or campusenter- expanded bookstore; and LEED Silver is the lead design principal for the project. [email protected]. Certification. scope | FALL 2011 ■ 3 START MAKING SENSE: NC State bioinformaticist brings numbers to life These days, when it comes to the amount of raw data being generated in biomedical research, you commonly hear words like “tidal wave” and “avalanche” being used to describe the unimaginably huge data sets emerging from experiments being run on highly automated, high- throughput technological platforms. To separate the wheat from the chaff, to pinpoint the needle in the haystack, to filter the barely detectable signal from the overwhelming noise –– you need state-of-the-art bioinformatics, the field of science in which statistics, biology, computer science, and information technology merge to form a single discipline. You need Alison Motsinger-Reif. t’s no coincidence that Motsinger-Reif is shown that she has the tools and breadth of the Department of Genetics, she works at the among the most highly cited authors on knowledge to help ensure that a given project Bioinformatics Research Center in Ricks Hall, the NC State faculty. Even though she will produce results that are robust, repro- where world-class innovations in bioinfor- received her Ph.D. less than five years ago, ducible, and rich in information. With nearly matics are happening up and down the third- she has already made major contributions 80 peer-reviewed publications to her credit floor hall.