Start Making Sense: NC State Bioinformaticist Brings Numbers to Life

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 community 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 university 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 little 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. She is also an adjunct assistant Ithrough several collaborations in a variety of already in her young career, it’s clear that she professor in the Institute for Pharmacoge - scientific arenas. When a researcher needs sta- is highly productive and in great demand. nomics and Individualized Therapy at UNC- tistical help, from study design to data analy- An assistant professor in the Department of Chapel Hill, and has worked closely on several sis and interpretation, Motsinger-Reif has Statistics and an associate faculty member in projects with its director, Dr. Howard McLeod.

4 ■ FALL 2011 | scope father, Motsinger-Reif knew early in her life that science was her calling. “I never had much delusion that I was going to do anything else,”

PHOTO BY MARC HALL PHOTO she said. “I started working as a high school student at Wake Forest University in a research lab. I answered a classified ad for somebody to wash glassware in a lab, and I just really wanted to be in that environment. The person I worked with was amazingly supportive, and by the end of high school I was running my own experiments.” After high school, she spent the next seven years at Vanderbilt University, earning a B.S. in biology, an M.S. in statistics, and ultimately her Ph.D. in human genetics in 2007. She had originally intended to pursue a research career in immunology, but as is so often the case, exposure to a new area caused her to change direction early in graduate school. “I’d always loved statistics, but didn’t really know how statistics and computer science intersected with biology. I learned about bioinformatics that first year of grad school, and just got really excited,” said Motsinger-Reif. “Our program had lab rotations that you did in that first year, so I did a couple of rotations in bioinformatics, and just loved it. I found out that what I really enjoyed was making sense of the data.”

Bioinformatics to the Rescue Making sense of the data: It sounds simple enough, but in reality, the rapid and acceler- ating growth in genomic sciences since the completion of the human genome sequence in 2003 has brought about a virtual arms race between the increasingly complex and volu- minous data sets being generated (not to men- tion the emergence of new sciences in the -omics arena such as proteomics, meta- bolomics, transcriptomics, etc.) and bioinformaticists’ ability to answer the profoundly important questions being posed. Just in the past few years, the gap between the two has been narrowing as young investigators like Motsinger-Reif come into their own and advance the field. And researchers have begun to factor in the need for a strong bioinformatics component in their studies, bringing She specializes in bioinformatics that links applied projects and develops new statistical in the statistics expertise early in the process. genotype (the internally coded genetic “blue- methods as gaps in knowledge emerge. To “I think what has changed is that people prints” of all living organisms) and phenotype thrive in both worlds requires a unique com- have appreciated that it’s going to have to be (the observable structure, function or behav- bination of skills, interests, and intellect––a part of their projects, are no longer ignoring ior that results from those blueprints). This perfect storm of qualifications and background that it’s a huge component, and are reaching includes important work in areas related to to face the tidal wave. out to bring bioinformaticists on board from human health, such as disease outcomes and Born and raised in Winston-Salem, North the beginning of their project, instead of at the individual responses to drugs. She both brings Carolina, by “wonderfully supportive parents,” end as an afterthought,” Motsinger-Reif her bioinformatics toolkit to bear on specific a schoolteacher mother and business owner observed. She values that change, and the feel-

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 5 ing of true collaboration that comes with it. “If and calls for new approaches and new meth- nets that are better at predicting the disease I can get involved at the beginning of the study, ods from the statisticians. outcome or toxicity outcome of interest sur- and actually influence the study design, we can vive and advance. “Most of them will do really make sure that it reflects the questions that Survival of the Fittest Algorithms badly, but each one of the random neural nets they’re asking and that we do the power cal- Motsinger-Reif develops complex models will be assigned a fitness that’s proportionate culations to make sure it’s going to be powered to predict such complex outcomes. In simple to how good they are at classifying your dis- to answer those questions.” In essence, you can terms, she combines the principle of evolution ease status,” she said. “The most fit neural net- see Dr. Goodstats now, or you can see her later: from the field of biology with the principle of works get selected to pass their genetic material, “Coming in at the beginning keeps you from neural networking from the field of informa- which in this case is the structure of the neu- having to do the autopsy on the statistics, where tion theory to spawn the modeling approach ral network, on to the next generation, and you can’t save the study any more, and you can she has pioneered known as grammatical evo- diversity is introduced as models undergo only tell them that the study is dead, and what lution neural networks. It uses evolutionary mutation and cross-over.” The process runs for it died of.” Motsinger-Reif conducts her own research in developing new bioinformatics methods, but stresses that those endeavors are inevitably fed by the issues that arise in her applied, collabo- BY MARC HALL PHOTO rative work. “I see them as completely tied together,” she said. “What I think is interesting is answering those biological questions in the applied work, and you quickly see that there aren’t the statistical methods to answer the questions you want to ask, so you need to build some. And then you can ask those new questions.” Much of her applied work is in the pharmacogenomics field, where instead of mapping the gene for a particular disease, researchers map genetic variants (known as single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs) that predict individual response to drugs or toxicities, which may manifest as variations in efficacy or as adverse reactions. Under - standing those variations and harnessing their predictive power are the vital elements in the potential clinical value of pharmacogenomics, which is one of the cornerstones of personalized medicine—knowing precisely the right dose of the right drug for the right condition in the right person at the right time. And if those variables aren’t enough, mix in gene- gene and gene-environment interactions that affect response and you can end up with lit- computing algorithms, a set of machine learn- Researchers in NC State’s College of erally millions of variants that may or may ing tools inspired by evolution and survival of Veterinary Medicine help translate Alison not be involved. This all also ties in with the fittest, with mutation and selection mech- Motsinger-Reif’s work from the computational changing theoretical and technological anisms built in. “They’re algorithms that are to the biological. approaches as the genomics field transitions designed to evolve the best solutions possible from genome-wide association studies that for a given problem,” she explained. “I use thousands of computer generations, and ulti- seek common variants to explain common them to build classifiers, originally neural net- mately reaches a plateau where fitness does not diseases to so-called “next-generation” works. They start with just random models. If improve. The method is not perfect, Motsinger- sequencing, which posits that common dis- I’m having grammatical evolution build a neu- Reif noted, but it’s one way to glean useful eases more often result from combinations of ral network, I’ll start off generating thousands knowledge from data sets that would take life- rare variants of high penetrance (the propor- of neural networks that all have random input times to process using traditional combinato- tion of individuals with a disease-associated variables––we’ll have picked different SNPs to rial approaches. The next step is to see how the mutation expressed as clinical symptoms). put in that classifier, different architectures of model does in the biological real world. “When That type of modeling, in both disease out- how the neural net itself is set up, and most of I get that model back, now I’ve got a small set comes research and pharmacogenomic stud- them will be terrible classifiers.” of genetic variants that predict the outcome,” ies, ups the bioinformatic ante considerably As the process literally evolves, the neural she said. “Then we go back to the biologist and

6 ■ FALL 2011 | scope say, ‘What does this mean to you? Does this potential, and is now saving lives in the clin- has been. Seeing more of those types of trans- prediction mean something for function?’” ical setting. She was a member of the statis- lation steps is what I hope for.” She’s aware that Depending on the specifics of the project, tical analysis team for the International she plays an essential role in the bioinformatic follow-up at that point occurs in a few differ- Warfarin Pharmacogenetics Consortium, a scheme of things, and for her, the translational ent ways. For example, one of Motsinger-Reif’s global collaboration that built a reliably pre- potential is motivating. “That’s what gets me ongoing collaborative projects with UNC dictive pharmacogenetic algorithm for dosage out of bed: hoping to make some contribution involves gene mapping for genes that predict of the blood thinner warfarin, which has a to human health at the end of the day. Statistics individual responses to chemotherapy drugs. notoriously narrow safe dosage window that and bioinformatics are what I’m using to try to In that instance, initial screening is performed varies considerably from person to person. do that, but that’s the exciting part––hoping from human blood cells, statistical associa- “Because it’s also rat poison, you dip below somebody’s life is a little bit better because I tions are derived, and then functional valida- [the correct dose] and there’s no efficacy. Dip spend all my time coding!” tion is conducted, often using existing clinical above, and you bleed out. Up to now it’s been She is also stimulated by the sheer variety of scientific challenges she faces, including her collaborations with researchers at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). She “That’s what gets me out of works with Dr. Matthew Breen on canine cancers, using some of the same pharmacoge- bed: hoping to make some nomic techniques employed in the human chemotherapy research. contribution to human “The dogs are a fascinating potential model organism,” she said. “They aren’t in a lab. health at the end of the day. They’re just dogs that come into the clinic. So they’re exposed to the same things humans Statistics and bioinfor - are. They’re living in people’s homes and eat- ing the same food (even if people think they’re matics are what I’m using not). They get the same drugs that people get, they get the same cancers, which look a whole to try to do that, but that’s lot like human cancers, but there are so many more questions we can ask with the dogs, the exciting part—hoping things we can investigate, data types you just somebody’s life is a little can’t get in humans. There have been some very obvious connections.” She has also col- bit better because I spend laborated with Dr. Jorge Piedrahita from CVM in his work in pigs as a model organism. “We all my time coding!” did mapping in pigs and then took those genes into human populations to say, ‘You’re seeing this in your pigs; do the same genes predict —Alison Motsinger-Reif that outcome in humans?’” she explained. “That’s a really powerful way to identify genes, and go back and forth.” trial data to show that the predicted outcomes a very crude trial-and-error dosing process No End in Sight stand up. Simply proving that respone to indi- to get a patient to a safe and effective dose,” Motsinger-Reif looks forward to making vidual chemotherapy drugs is heritable is half she explained. “There were genes that people more contributions in the future to improve the battle in that study, which is known as the knew predicted this, so this consortium was human health. “It’s been exciting to do the gene CEPH-DA Project. Thus far the group has seen formed to close the gap between knowing the mapping, and I’m hoping to carry through on heritabilities of between 10 percent and 65 per- associated genes and building a predictive projects that are started, to be able to walk cent in the first 50 drugs they’ve looked at. model to put into the clinic.” The algorithm these models into practice and see them get Such information will eventually help to usher developed by the group is now in widespread translated and expanded,” she said. “The field in personalized chemotherapy, which should clinical use. of pharmacogenomics has had a few really be safer and more effective by targeting ther- Motsinger-Reif finds this aspect of her work good successes, and watching them build on apeutic regimens more precisely to the indi- particularly rewarding. “There was a clinical each other and expand to other drugs and vidual patient’s genotype. trial launched to test the predictive algorithm, other predictors is very exciting. So I don’t and it is on the drug label now––the FDA has anticipate a dramatic shift, but would like to Found in Translation approved it,” she said. “It’s really exciting that keep doing more of the same and be able to Another major project in which Motsinger- the genetic knowledge of that drug had matured better develop how we properly translate this Reif participated has gone beyond theory and enough that it was ready for translation, and it —how we take it to the clinic.”

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 7 PIRATES OF THE PALEOLITHIC: Using geology to dig deeper into the mysteries of our seafaring ancestors

Avast, ye scurvy Homo erectus! those beaches, they determined how long ago OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS COURTESY Recent archaeological finds from Crete these tools were left behind by matching the show that the first seafaring humans set sail series of beaches to known sea levels, and then for parts unknown––or maybe parts barely extrapolating the age. visible to the naked eye––more than 10 times NC State’s Karl Wegmann, an assistant pro- swim. “They had to have used some sort of earlier than previously thought. So instead of fessor in the Department of Marine, Earth and boat,” says Wegmann, “although we will prob- man settling the Greek island around 10,000 Atmospheric Sciences, was asked to put the ably never find preserved evidence of one.” years ago, we now have evidence of human tools in just this geological context. For Wegmann, the implications go beyond activity there from at least 125,000 years ago, “We started with the baseline radiocarbon just dating the geology surrounding the civi- and that’s the low end of the estimate. dating, using spiny oyster shells, which con- lization. “We all have this idea that early man How do we know? Because Crete, unlike firmed that the lowest of these beach terraces wasn’t terribly smart,” he says. “This finding other islands in the Aegean, has been rising from was at least 45,000 to 50,000 years old,” Weg - shows otherwise––that our ancestors were the sea at a rate of about one millimeter per mann says. “That’s the upper limit from the smart enough to build boats, and adventur- year. As Crete rose, and global sea levels fluctu- radiocarbon. From there, we knew that the age ous enough to want to use them.” ated due to growth and melting of continental of the beaches increased with time. Basically, Wegmann and his colleagues published ice sheets, a series of marine terraces, or beaches, the formula is elevation divided by time.” their findings in the July 2011 issue of the formed on the island. Crete’s continual vertical Now the scientists had proof that people Journal of Quaternary Science. movement guaranteed that the beaches––and were on Crete much earlier than they thought. the items left on them by early settlers––were But how did they get there? There wasn’t a land A version of this article originally appeared in preserved. So when archaeologists from Greece route available at the time, and the shortest dis- “The Abstract,” the ofﬁcial research blog of NC and the United States found stone tools of the tance over water was about 10 kilometers or State University News Services: web.ncsu.edu/ sort routinely used by Homo erectus on one of around six miles––probably a bit too far to abstract.

8 ■ FALL 2011 | scope Department of Mathematics makes history with back-to-back AMS awards In April, the American Mathematical Society domestic students into its graduate program. on interdisciplinary problems with researchers (AMS) named the NC State University Depart- Another factor is the substantial support the in other university departments, in industry, ment of Mathematics one of two winners of its department offers to students. An S-STEM and in government laboratories. 2011 “Mathematics Programs that Make a (Scholarships in Science, Technology, En - The final, and perhaps most important, fac- Difference” award. The award recognizes NC gineering and Mathematics) grant from the tor is the faculty’s commitment to students. State’s “extraordinary record in serving students National Science Foundation provides finan- The department’s success with students from who have traditionally been underrepresented cial support for all of the department’s African underrepresented groups is not due to out- in mathematics, especially African Americans.” American students during the first two years sized efforts by a small number of faculty Just last year, the department won the soci- in graduate school. A third factor in the depart- members. Indeed, the 13 African Americans ety’s other departmental award, the AMS Award ment’s success lies in the broad and flexible who received their Ph.D.s in the department for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a nature of its graduate program. Students have during the academic years 1999–2000 to Mathematics Department. Nearly 1,400 math- a wide variety of research areas to choose from, 2010–2011 were spread among 12 different ematics departments are eligible for these two and many opportunities are available to work advisors. awards. NC State is the ﬁrst ever to win them in back-to-back years. The text below is from the award announcement on the AMS Website: www.ams.org.

he recipient of last year’s AMS Award for an Exemplary Program or Achievement in a Mathematics Department, the Department of Mathematics at North Carolina TState University, has excelled in just about everything mathematics departments do. This time, the department was chosen for the “Programs that Make a Difference” distinction for one particular achievement: its extraordinary record in serving students who have traditionally been underrepresented in mathematics, especially African Americans. According to the annual survey of mathematics departments that the AMS and collab- orating organizations prepare each year, the nation’s main Ph.D.-producing mathematics departments awarded doctorates to 73 African Americans during the academic years 1999– 2000 to 2008–2009 (this counts U.S. citizens only). Nine of these 73, or 12.3 percent, graduated from NC State. And the university is not an enormous producer of mathematics Ph.D.s overall; in that same time period and within that same group of mathematics departments, NC State accounted for just 2 percent of the total number of Ph.D.s produced. The department’s impressive record has continued, with a total of four additional African Americ ans receiving their Ph.D.s in the 2009–2010 and 2010–2011 academic years. What accounts for this achievement? One

factor is the department’s commitment, start- OF MATHEMATICS OF DEPARTMENT COURTESY ing more than a decade ago, to recruiting

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 9 NC STATE’S TOP ROCKER: PAMS student learns to balance her coursework with her role as GM of WKNC

ovalent bonds: Stronger than her immense dislike for the sound of her Stepping Outside Her Comfort hydrogen and many ionic bonds, recorded voice. Eventually, new relationships Zone…Again covalent bonds are superior when won out over self-consciousness. “I never Like anyone taking on a new challenge, it comes to keeping atoms to gether. wanted to be on the radio,” Matty recalls, “but Matty had some reservations about becoming However, even covalent bonds I ended up making so many friends, I stuck WKNC’s general manager. She put a lot of Cseem weak when compared to the bond with it.” pressure on herself to live up to the station’s between Molly Matty and her love for WKNC- After working as a DJ, Matty took a posi- 45-year legacy, its 120 current staff members FM. Matty, a senior chemistry major from Port tion as the station’s assistant promotions direc- and relatively large and diverse fan base. There St. Joe, Florida, was introduced to WKNC, NC tor and began working with NC State’s Union was also the matter of the time commitment. State’s student-run, alternative programming Activities Board and other campus organiza- Her new role added 20 hours a week at the sta- radio station, through friends and the Double tions to promote events. While in the promo- tion to a 21-credit-hour course load. (It is Barrel Benefit, a two-day concert that serves as tional role, Matty was encouraged by a worth noting that she still managed to pull off the radio station’s largest fundraiser of the year. colleague to apply for the general manager a 4.0 GPA last spring.) Matty, who is also minoring in genetics, position. She was elected unanimously to the Matty was also concerned that, as an out- began her time at the radio station as a disc position by the Student Media Board at their of-state student with no ties to North Carolina, jockey––an interesting decision, considering March 2011 meeting. she would never know enough people in the

10 ■ FALL 2011 | scope PHOTOS BY ALEX SANCHEZ PHOTOS

Molly Matty is equally at home in the CD stacks at WKNC-FM (left) and in the advanced synthetics chemisty lab in Dabney Hall (above).

The Long Road to Raleigh and surrounding areas to campus. Her success is likely due, at least in part, to While the Belin Scholarship made the deci- past experiences stepping outside her comfort sion to attend NC State a pretty easy one, zone. Growing up as a self-described “quirky Matty still had a few second thoughts early on. girl” in a small town wasn’t always easy, so “I felt really tiny when I came to Raleigh,” she Matty got involved in many activities and recalls. organizations to expand her horizons and her She made sure to stay on top of her aca- social circle. She also began taking online and demics while she adapted to the other aspects community college courses to give herself an of college life. She spent hours studying and edge on the city kids she would be competing made sure to meet with all of her profes- against when applying to colleges. sors––which she has continued to do through- Deciding on a college took some time for out her NC State career. “I like to make sure my Matty, who started her search in her home professors know who I am,” she says. “I enjoy state of Florida, but none of the options getting to know them and it makes me more impressed her. “They all seemed to overdo the comfortable asking them for help if I need it.” tropical flavor,” she recalls with a smile. “There In addition to a rigorous course load and were too many palm trees and coconuts.” WKNC, Matty is a member of the University She began to expand her search and settled Honors Program and has held various lead- on the state of North Carolina as a top choice. ership and service roles with Alternative Spring “Where could I be hot in the summer, but cold Break, Habitat for Humanity and the NC State area to be successful building the relationships in the winter; drive to the beach, but also see Undergraduate Tutorial Center. She has also she would need. As usual, she carefully assessed colorful leaves and the mountains? Easy: North conducted undergraduate research in the the situation and confronted the challenge Carolina.” departments of Chemistry, Genetics, and head on. She spent her entire summer away North Carolina seemed too far away at first, Molecular and Structural Biochemistry. from her hometown to immerse herself in her but a visit from a representative of NC State’s As for the future, Matty plans to go on to new North Carolina home. It seems now as College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences graduate school. Duke University and the though she has met everyone in Raleigh––or on a student recruiting trip changed all that. University of California, San Francisco are cur- at least everyone in the Raleigh music scene. It was shortly thereafter that Matty learned rently at the top of her list. She is considering While the time commitments may be even she was eligible for the Jacob & Betty Belin applying to a post-baccalaureate research pro- greater as she starts another academic year at Scholarship. gram at a National Institutes of Health facil- the helm, it seems as if nothing can dampen A native of Port St. Joe, Jacob Belin left ity in Research Triangle Park before heading her enthusiasm for the job. “At work, it’s all Florida for Raleigh in the late 1960s to major off to graduate school. “I feel like I just got con- fun,” she says. “I get to interview bands and go in applied mathematics. Belin was so positively nected with Raleigh,” she says. “I’m not quite to concerts. I get to help plan events that peo- influenced by his NC State experience that he ready to leave.” ple from across the Triangle can enjoy.” and his wife established a full-ride scholarship Whenever she is ready to leave, her next stop to recruit worthy students from his hometown better be ready for her.

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 11 MEET YOUR PAMS AMBASSADORS The Advancement Office and the Office of Academic Affairs partnered this summer and fall to establish the PAMS Student Ambassador Program. PAMS Ambassadors will participate in a variety of activities throughout the academic year. Their primary function is to serve as liaisons between the college and the community and to help bridge the gap between past, present and future students.

PAMS Ambassadors are selected from faculty and staff nominations of students of high academic standing and outgoing and friendly demeanor. Read on to learn more about our inaugural group.

NAME: Oindree Banerjee NAME: Matthew Draelos MAJOR: Physics, Chemistry MAJOR: Chemistry/Biochemistry GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 HOMETOWN: Kolkata, India HOMETOWN: High Point, NC FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: Dr. Dean Lee, Dr. Stephen Graduate School for Chemistry Reynolds, Ms. Catherine Buell OTHER ACTIVITIES: PAMS Council, PHOTOS BY MELVIN MOORE AND STEVE TOWNSEND BY MELVIN PHOTOS OTHER ACTIVITIES: Tutor for American Chemical Society, Student Support Services, Under- Service Raleigh graduate Research in Chemistry

NAME: Mary Burkey NAME: Christian Hart MAJOR: Physics, Chemistry, MAJOR: Chemistry Applied Mathematics GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 HOMETOWN: Charlotte, NC HOMETOWN: Garner, NC FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Organic Chemistry Quantum Mechanics PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: OTHER ACTIVITIES: Dancing with Dental School Wolves, PAMS Council, Society of Physics Students, Honors Program

NAME: Logan Dawson NAME: Ismail Kassim MAJOR: Meteorology, Marine MAJOR: Chemistry Science GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 GRADUATION YEAR: 2012 HOMETOWN: High Point, NC HOMETOWN: Birmingham, AL PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Medical School Synoptic Weather Analysis OTHER ACTIVITIES: Society of and Forecasting African American Phys. & Math. FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: Scientists, Univer sity Honors Dr. Gary Lackmann Program, Krispy Kreme Challenge

NAME: Patrick Devore NAME: Adam Keith MAJOR: Meteorology MAJOR: Physics, Applied GRADUATION YEAR: 2012 Mathematics HOMETOWN: Raleigh, NC GRADUATION YEAR: 2012 FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: HOMETOWN: Raleigh, NC Dr. Gary Lackmann, FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Dr. Jeremy Feducia Computational Physics OTHER ACTIVITIES: Student FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: Government, Head of NCSU Dr. Stephen Reynolds Weather

12 ■ FALL 2011 | scope NAME: Elizabeth Kripner NAME: Star-Lena J. Quintana MAJOR: Marine Science MAJOR: Mathematics GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 HOMETOWN: Lenoir, NC HOMETOWN: Hagerstown, MD FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Calculus 3, Dr. Kay Sandberg Differential Equations 1 OTHER ACTIVITIES: Mentor for OTHER ACTIVITIES: PAMS Council Women in Science and Engineering President, Engineering Career (WISE) Fair Coordinator, University Scholars Program

NAME: Mark Schillaci NAME: Valeria Lozano MAJOR: Physics, Applied MAJOR: Statistics Mathematics GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 HOMETOWN: Prospect Hill, NC HOMETOWN: Wilmington, NC FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: Dr. Jamila Simpson Graduate School in Physics OTHER ACTIVITIES: PAMS Council, OTHER ACTIVITIES: Society of Mi Familia Physics Students, Society for Undergraduate Mathematics

NAME: Aaron Marcus NAME: Meera Venkataraman MAJOR: Applied Mathematics, Physics MAJOR: Statistics, Economics GRADUATION YEAR: 2012 GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 HOMETOWN: Cary, NC HOMETOWN: Portsmouth, VA FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Differential FAVORITE PAMS CLASS: Equations 1 and 2 Introduction to Probability OTHER ACTIVITIES: PAMS Council OTHER ACTIVITIES: Raleigh Civic Treasurer, Math Honors Program, Symphony Orchestra, CSLEPS University Scholars Program, Leadership in Action Program Undergraduate Research

NAME: Hadeer Metwally NAME: Bethany Vohlers MAJOR: Chemistry, Biochemistry MAJOR: Statistics, Computer GRADUATION YEAR: 2013 Science HOMETOWN: Albemarle, NC GRADUATION YEAR: 2014 PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: HOMETOWN: Cary, NC Medical School FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: OTHER ACTIVITIES: Research in Dr. Bill Swallow Neurochemistry, Teacher’s PLANS AFTER GRADUATION: Assistant for Organic Graduate School in Statistics Chemistry Lab

NAME: Garrett E. Pangle MAJOR: Physics WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU? GRADUATION YEAR: 2012 HOMETOWN: Morgan City, LA Alumni and friends of the College of Physical and FAVORITE PAMS PROFESSOR: Mathematical Sciences are encouraged to share your Dr. Russell Philbrick latest success stories, update your contact information, OTHER ACTIVITIES: Society of or submit any questions or comments to Physics Students, Undergraduate [email protected]. Research

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 13 Beichner named 2011 recipient of McGraw Prize in Education obert J. Beichner, Alumni Dis tin - guished Undergraduate Professor Robert Beichner in action in one of NC State’s of Physics at NC State and a leader SCALE-UP classrooms in the research and development

of new technologies in STEM (sci- BY MARC HALL PHOTO Rence, technology, engineering and mathematics) classrooms, has received the McGraw Prize in Education. The other 2011 recipients are Mitchel Resnick, professor of learning research, MIT Media Lab; and Julie Young, president and CEO, Florida Virtual School. The McGraw Prize “recognizes outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to education innovation.” Honorees are chosen by a panel of leading figures in the education community and receive a gift of $50,000. In announcing his selection as a 2011 recipient, the McGraw Foundation had the following to say about Beichner: “Robert Beichner is an award-winning professor of physics at North Carolina State University and is receiving the prize for his work at the post- secondary level. He has changed how students learn in the science classroom not only on his home campus, but at the more than 100 insti- for the 2010-2011 academic year and co- Past recipients of the McGraw Prize in tutions of higher education that have adopted authored the most widely used college physics Education include former North Carolina SCALE-UP, an approach that uses digital tech- textbook in the country. Since 2007, he has Governor Jim Hunt and first lady Barbara nology combined with innovative teaching been the director of NC State’s STEM Bush as well as current and former U.S. edu- approaches centered on hands-on activities Education Initiative, with a mission to study cation secretaries and senators. Please visit and roundtable discussions. He was named and improve STEM education in North www.mcgrawprize ined.com for more infor- an American Council on Education Fellow Carolina and around the world.” mation.

James Kneller Kneller earns DOE CAREER Award

n NC State astrophysicist hopes to trino’s flavor is not fixed at the moment it is gain better understanding of one of created; rather neutrinos can change from one nature’s most elusive parti- flavor to another as they move along. By deter- cles––neutrinos ––as well as the mining how and why this flavor mixing supernovae that spawn them. occurs, scientists will be able to gain a better AJames Kneller, an assistant professor in the understanding of the forces at work inside Department of Physics, has received a five- galactic supernovae, and will also be able to year, $750,000 Early Career Research Program fill in some of the blanks concerning the prop- grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to erties of neutrinos. study how neutrinos interact with one another Kneller’s project involves improving the way in extremely hot and dense environments, such scientists detect neutrino signals. This could as those found in galactic supernovae. help researchers analyze the particles more accu- Neutrinos come in one of three types rately and gain critical insight into both the par- which scientists refer to as “flavors.” Over the ticles themselves and what happens in the core

PHOTO BY STEVE TOWNSEND PHOTO past decade, physicists have found that a neu- of a star during a supernova explosion.

14 ■ FALL 2011 | scope Notables Tom Banks (Mathematics) and Robert

Beichner (Physics) were elected as Fellows BY STEVE TOWNSEND PHOTO of the American Association for the Advanc- ement of Science (AAAS). Each year, the AAAS Council, the policymaking body of the society, elects members whose “efforts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications are scientifically or socially distinguished.” Fellows are nominated by their peers and undergo an extensive review process. Zachary Clawson (B.S. ‘11 Applied Mathe - matics) has received a prestigious Nation al Science Foun dation Graduate Research Fellowship. Clawson, a Caldwell Fellow who conducted undergraduate research with Dr. Robert Martin, is using his fellowship to pursue graduate studies in applied mathematics at Cornell University. Daniel Comins (Chemistry) has been Kay Sandberg awarded his 40th United States patent. Comins and his former Ph.D. student, Emilie Smith, were awarded U.S. patent number 7,888,512, Foundation. Daniels is spending the 2011–2012 gale David, an accomplished statistician in titled “Synthesis of Nicotine Derivatives from academic year at the Max Planck Institute for combinatorial probability theory. Nicotine.” This patent came out of work in Dynamics and Self-Organization in Gottingen, Ilse Ipsen (Mathematics) was named a Comins’ lab designed to synthesize nicotine Germany. Fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied derivatives as potential pharmaceuticals that Marie Davidian (Statistics) received the 2011 Mathematics for her “contributions to numer- may be useful in the treatment of multiple Florence Nightingale David Award, which is ical linear algebra, perturbation theory, and human disorders, including Alzheimer’s dis- presented biennially by the Committee of applications.” Ipsen is the fifth member of the ease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, mi - Presidents of Statistical Societies and the NC State Department of Mathematics to graines, depression, pain and others. Caucus for Women in Statistics. The award achieve this distinction. Karen Daniels (Physics) has received a fel- recognizes a female statistician who exem- Maria Hernandez (B.S. ’82 Mathematics) lowship from the Alexander von Humboldt plifies the contributions of Florence Nightin - was inducted into the YWCA of the Triangle’s Academy of Women. Hernandez, a teacher of mathematics at the NC School of Science and Karen Daniels Mathematics, was honored in the “Science and Technology” category. Kay Sandberg (Chemistry) was named one of the nation’s top 10 “Tough Love” professors PHOTO BY ROGER WINSTEAD PHOTO by MyEdu, a Website that compiled data from 800,000 student ratings at the nation’s 777 largest colleges and universities. To make the list, a professor had to be well-regarded by students, but the average class grade could not be above a C. John Thomas (Physics) has won the Jesse W. Beams Award, given by the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society for significant and meritorious research. Thomas, Fritz London Professor Emeritus at Duke University, recently moved his research program to NC State’s Department of Physics. Thomas is internationally known for his work in atomic physics, most recently in the study of atomic Fermi gasses.

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 15 PAMS WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS TO

Three of the ﬁve academic departments in the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Marine, have experienced transitions in their leadership during the last calendar year. While their names BY MARC HALL PHOTO Earth and and faces are likely familiar to many of you, here is a brief introduction to the college’s new depart - Atmospheric mental leaders. Sciences: Chemistry: Walt Robinson Chris Gorman Dr. Walter Robinson was Dr. Christopher Gorman chosen to serve as head of the was selected to serve as chair of Department of Marine, Earth the Department of Chemistry, and Atmospheric Sciences, effective July 1, 2011. Gorman effective August 16, 2011. succeeded Morteza Khaledi, Chris Gorman Robinson succeeded John who returned to the chemistry and electronic properties, particularly at Fountain, who returned to the nanometer length scales. This work has led to faculty after serving two full more than 70 scientific publications, more faculty after nearly a decade of than $10 million in research grants and six service as department head. terms as chairman. patents. Gorman attended Drew University in Gorman has been recognized throughout Robinson received his B.S. and M.S. in Madison, New Jersey, where he graduated his career for his commitment to excellence in physics from the University of Pennsylvania. summa cum laude in 1987 with a B.A. in com- research and teaching. Some of his awards Following a year measuring cosmic radiation puter science and chemistry, with specialized include the Unilever Award for Outstanding at McMurdo Station in Antarctica, he resumed honors in chemistry. He went on to earn a Graduate Research in Polymer Chemistry; his studies and was awarded a Ph.D. in geo- Ph.D. from the California Institute of Tech - California Institute of Technology Herbert logical sciences from Columbia University in nology in 1991. He wrote his thesis, titled Newby McCoy Award for Outstanding 1985. He then spent three years as a postdoc- “Highly Conjugated Substituted Polyacetylenes Research in Chemistry; Young Investigator toral researcher at the University of via the Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymeriza - awards from the Army Research Office and the Washington before joining the faculty of the tion of Mono substituted Cycloocta te traenes,” Office of Naval Research; and a National Department of Atmos pheric Sciences at the under the direction of Robert H. Grubbs, the Science Foundation Early Career Development University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2005 recipient of the Nobel Prize in chemistry. Award. where he remained until 2006, ultimately He went on to serve in postdoctoral research NC State’s history in the field of chemistry achieving the rank of full professor. positions at the NASA Jet Propulsion Labor - dates back to the very beginning of the uni- Robinson then served for three years at the atory and Harvard University before joining versity. William Alphonso Withers, a profes- National Science Foundation's Climate and the NC State faculty in 1994 as an assistant sor of chemistry, was one of the university’s Large-Scale Dynamics Program, first as asso- professor. In 1999, he was promoted to asso- founding six faculty back in 1889. While we ciate director and then as director, before com- ciate professor with tenure and, in 2003, he have taught chemistry to our students ever ing to NC State in 2009 as a full professor. achieved the rank of full professor. since, NC State’s research enterprise in chem- Robinson’s research uses theory, compu- Gorman’s research focuses on physical istry has grown dramatically in the last two tational models, and data analysis to under- organic, inorganic, organometallic, materials decades. The department now conducts more stand the dynamics of Earth’s atmosphere as and polymer chemistry. He has particular than $5 million annually in research and rou- it relates to climate variability and climate interest in the design and synthesis of new tinely leads the university––by a wide mar- materials with interesting and useful optical gin––in patent applications and issuances.

16 ■ FALL 2011 | scope ITS LEADERSHIP TEAM

Statistics:

Montse Fuentes BY MARC HALL PHOTO PHOTO BY STEVE TOWNSEND PHOTO Dr. Montserrat “Montse” Fuentes was named head of the Department of Statistics, effective July 1, 2011. She succeeded Sastry Pantula, who vacated the headship to serve as director of the National Science Founda - tion’s Division of Mathematical Sciences in the Mathematical

Walt Robinson and Physical Sciences Montse Fuentes Directorate. Peter Bloomfield change. He is best known for work on the as a member of the Biostatistical Methods and interactions between atmospheric eddies served as interim head during Research Design study section of the National (high- and low-pressure systems) and the Institutes of Health and a member of a com- global-scale circulation of the atmosphere. the transition. mittee of the National Research Council of the His current projects include studies of the Fuentes received her B.S. in mathematics National Academies working on the impact of North Atlantic storm track and its responses and music from the University of Valladolid ozone on human mortality. to climate change, analyses of observed and in Spain, and her Ph.D. in statistics from the Fuentes was elected as a fellow of the Amer - modeled surface temperatures over the University of Chicago. She spent six months ican Statistical Association in 2008 for out- United States, and the processes that cause as a postdoctoral researcher in the National standing contributions to research in spatial the atmospheric circulation over the Arctic Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) statistics, for excellence in the development and to change abruptly in the spring. before joining NC State in 1999 as an assistant application of statistical methodology in atmos- Robinson served for seven years as an edi- professor. In 2003, she was appointed to asso- pheric sciences, air pollution and ocean ography; tor of the Journal of the Atmospheric Sciences, ciate professor with tenure and, in 2008, she and for service to the profession. She is the edi- and he is currently a member of the Advisory achieved the rank of full professor. tor of the Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Committee for Geosciences at the National Fuentes’ work has led to the development Environmental Statistics (JABES), a joint pub- Science Foundation. of new statistical methods that she applies to lication of the American Statistical Association NC State’s Department of Marine, Earth air pollution, weather prediction, hurricane and the International Biometric Society. and Atmospheric Sciences is one of the forecasting and environmental health risk NC State has a long tradition of excellence in largest interdisciplinary earth systems depart- assessment problems. This work has led to statistics, beginning with the founding of the ments in the nation. The department offers more than 60 scientific publications and more Department of Experimental Statistics by graduate and undergraduate degrees in than 20 research grants, with total funding of Gertrude Cox in 1941. Faculty and students in atmospheric science/meteorology, geology more than $10 million. the department have made countless contribu- and marine science. The department’s multi- Widely considered and utilized as an advi- tions to the discipline and profession of statistics disciplinary nature lends itself to the study sor and expert in her field, Fuentes currently in the decades since. Notably, the department of such challenging problems as severe serves on the Institute of Mathematical Statistics was the birthplace of SAS, which is today the weather forecasting, coastal erosion, surface Council; as a scientific advisor to the Environ - largest privately owned software company in the and ground water pollution and global cli- mental Protection Agency’s Integrated Human world. NC State now ranks among the top four mate change. Exposure Committee; and as the U.S. represen- programs in the nation in competitive research tative on the Board of Directors of the Intern- and development funding in the mathematical ational Environmetrics Society. She also served and statistical sciences.

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 17 John and Dellaine Risley with Physics Department Head Michael Paesler and Dean Dan Solomon PHOTO BY BRAND FORTNER PHOTO Risleys establish endowed physics professorship

The College of Physical and Mathe matical The Risley Professorship will be the first viding departmental and college leadership Sciences has announced the establishment of named professorship awarded in the history with the flexibility to respond to unforeseen the John S. Risley Distinguished Professorship of the NC State Department of Physics. It is challenges or opportunities. These funds have in the Department of Physics. The professor- the second professorship established in the been used in the past for such purposes as ship was made possible by a gift from John and department, overall, joining an endowment supplementing faculty start-up packages or Dellaine Risley that, with matching funds, will made possible by a 2008 planned gift from scholarship or stipend funding for top under - provide a $1 million endowment to provide Risley’s colleague, Brand Fortner. graduate and graduate students. salary and other support in perpetuity for a “I think it says a lot that now a second fac- Planned, or deferred, gifts can often be senior faculty member. ulty member, who has such intimate knowl- financially beneficial to the donor and recip- John Risley is a longtime NC State faculty edge of the department––and his spouse, who ient. According to Anita Stallings, PAMS asso- member and the founder and CEO of Raleigh- probably knows more about it than she’d care ciate dean for advancement, donors are based Advanced Instructional Systems. He to admit––have such confidence in the path increasingly looking to include such giving in joined the Department of Physics in 1976 after of the department and such a strong com- their financial, retirement and estate plans. earning his Ph.D. at the University of Washing - mitment to its continued success,” said PAMS “Planned gifts come in many sizes and vari- ton. Trained as an atomic physicist, he became Dean Dan Solomon. eties,” Stallings says. “Most people are familiar interested in the application of computer tech- with the traditional will bequest, but there are nology to teach physics in the early 1980s. Two gifts are better than one all sorts of ways to plan deferred gifts of real In 1997, Aaron Titus, a graduate student, The establishment of an endowed profes- property, IRAs, life insurance or other assets and Larry Martin, a visiting professor from sorship wasn’t the only way John and Dellaine that can actually increase the donor’s income North Park University in Chicago working in Risley showed their confidence in the future of or reduce their tax burden in the near term.” Risley’s lab, created the first version of Web the Department of Physics. The Risleys have To support the Risley Professorship or for Assign, a unique online service that enabled also committed a substantial planned gift––a more information on establishing your own students to complete their homework and have will bequest of 10 percent of their estate––to endowment or planned gift in PAMS, please it automatically graded online (see more on the department. contact the Office of College Advancement at WebAssign on the following page). Such gifts are extremely important in pro- [email protected] or 919-515-3462.

18 ■ FALL 2011 | scope Risley named Entrepreneur of the Year PHOTO BY DAO NGUYEN BY DAO PHOTO

John Risley

ll good professors hope to make an guidance, the software and the company–– at over 1,500 educational institutions impact on the students they teach. which is headquartered on NC State’s Centen - worldwide. Very few can say they’ve had the nial Campus––have experienced continued In November, the NC State University impact John Risley has had on growth and success. Office of Technology Transfer recognized the learning experience of mil- The company currently boasts more Risley for his continued work to grow and lionsA of students at high schools, colleges and than 140 employees. To date, more than develop WebAssign and Advanced Instruc - universities around the world through his work five million students have used WebAssign tional Systems. Risley was one of four hon- developing WebAssign. to submit over a billion answers to home- orees at the university’s 22nd annual WebAssign was spun off from the Depart - work assignments, tests and practice prob- Celebration of Innovation and Entrepre- ment of Physics as part of Advanced Instruc - lems. During any one academic term, more neurship, where he was named an Entre- tional Systems, Inc., in 2003. Under Risley’s than 500,000 students are using WebAssign preneur of the Year.

To support existing funds To explore other options How to To contribute to a scholarship, fellow ship If you have questions about gift planning, or other fund, fill out our secure, online gift we can help you identify tax benefits, choose make a gift form at www.pams.ncsu.edu/give or mail a between permanent endowment versus one- check to the PAMS Foundation, Campus Box time support, and explore estate planning or You may remember how difficult it was to 8201, Raleigh, NC, 27695. Make checks life-income options. manage the expense of higher education. You payable to PAMS Foundation and write the There are many ways to match your inter- may want to help today’s students achieve name of the fund on the “notes” or “for” line. ests with specific college needs, and several their dreams. If your employer provides matches for char- possibilities for making your vision a reality. The PAMS Foundation provides many ways itable donations, please send a completed Whether using cash, appreciated stock, real to support students, faculty and programs of matching gift form with your contribution. estate or a bequest, we can help you find the the college. Whether you want to contribute to There are many funds not mentioned in this best way to make the most of your gift. an existing scholarship, support a departmental issue of Scope. For a full list of funds, visit Contact us at 919-515-3462 or by e-mail at enhancement fund, make a memorial gift or www.pams.ncsu.edu/development/funds.php [email protected]. consider support in other areas, our staff is or contact our office. available to help you explore the options.

scope | FALL 2011 ■ 19 North Carolina’s Year of Communicating Science

Sharing the excitement of scientific discov- PAMS Scope Academy virtual to real nature and be the site of live pro- ery with a broad audience is a vital part of the April 14––NC State University College of gramming on breaking science news. mission of the College of Physical and Mathe - Physical and Mathematical Sciences matical Sciences. We will have some wonderful www.pams.ncsu.edu/weekend ScienceWriters 2012 opportunities to do so in the coming months PAMS invites you to “Join Us in Discovery” October 26–30––Research Triangle, NC as the entire state of North Carolina––and the and explore today’s exciting frontiers in chem- www.sciencewriters2012.org Research Triangle, in particular–– becomes cen- istry; mathematics; physics; statistics; marine, ScienceWriters is the joint annual meeting of ter stage for science throughout 2012. earth and atmospheric sciences; and more. the two largest and most influential profes- Sponsored by the NC State University Physical sional organizations for science journalists: the and Mathematical Sciences Foundation, Scope Council for the Advancement of Science

Science Online BY MARC HALL PHHOTO January 19–21––McKimmon Center, NC State University http://scienceonline2012.com/ ScienceOnline is a gathering of researchers, bloggers, reporters, authors and students who are passionate about science. And they’re not just passionate about science research, but SAVE THE DATE about communicating to the world about sci- April 14, 2012 ence. Frankly, we need more of that. Research shows that only 28 percent of adults in the U.S. Academy has quickly grown into scope Writing (CASW) and the are scientifically literate enough to understand the university’s premier scientific academy National Association of Science the Tuesday Science section of the New York education outreach program. The Writers (NASW). ScienceWriters is Times. Scientific advances are becoming 2012 edition features student poster held in a different city each year and increasingly complex, and those advances pres- presentations and classroom sessions, led by typically attracts 350 international partici- ent opportunities and risks that we––as a soci- PAMS faculty, on some of today’s most pants over a three-day span, with added days ety––will have to deal with. thought-provoking topics. The highlight of before and after for intensive tours of local sci- the event is a keynote address on “Communi - ence-oriented venues. Hosting this meeting NC Science Festival cating Science” by Margaret D. Lowman (a.k.a. is an opportunity to showcase a region’s best April 13–29–– Statewide “Canopy Meg”), the director of the new Nature science, its most impressive venues, and its www.ncsciencefestival.org Research Center at the NC Museum of Natural most appealing researchers in a way that will The NC Science Festival is a multi-day cele- Sciences and a research professor of natural make these journalists and authors take note bration showcasing science and technology. sciences in PAMS. and want to explore further. Planning for this The festival highlights the educational, cul- event is being spearheaded by science and tural and financial impact of science in our research communications leaders from Duke, state. Through hands-on activities, science Nature Research Center NC State, and the UNC campuses in Chapel talks, lab tours, nature experiences, exhibits Grand Opening Hill and Charlotte, with an ever-growing list and performances, the festival engages a wide April 20–21––NC Museum of Natural Sciences of educational and corporate partners. range of public audiences while inspiring http://naturesearch.org future generations. The NC Science Festival The Nature Research Center (NRC) is a new and others like it offer an opportunity to cel- 80,000-square-foot wing of the North Carolina ebrate science in fun and welcoming settings. Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown This festival provides the opportunity to cul- Raleigh. The NRC will bring research scien- tivate a positive environment that encourages tists and their work into the public eye, help children to pursue science-related careers and demystify what can be an intimidating field of encourages businesses to invest in North study, better prepare science educators and

Carolina. Most importantly, scientists want students, and inspire a new generation of SCIENCES OF NC MUSEUM NATURAL COURTESY everyone to know what they know––that sci- young scientists. The centerpiece of the NRC ence is fun! will be the SECU Daily Planet, an immersive, three-story multi-media space that will link Nature Research Center

20 ■ FALL 2010 | scope Ensure two LEGACIES

How can you secure a legacy for yourself and the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences all at the same time? By ensuring that your ﬁnancial, retirement and estate plans are in order, and considering a deferred gift to the PAMS Foundation in the process.

Through careful coordination with your ﬁnancial planner and the PAMS Foundation, it is possible for you to increase income or reduce taxes––including income, capital gains, gift, and estate taxes––while making a greater investment in the future of PAMS than you ever thought possible.

Deferred, or planned, gifts come in many shapes and sizes. Contact us today for more information on achieving ﬁnancial security for you and PAMS through:

n beneﬁciary designations for wills, trusts and retirement plans n charitable gift annuities n charitable remainder trusts n charitable lead trusts n remainder interest in a residence or farm n life insurance

NC STATE UNIVERSITY

NCSU Physical and Mathematical Sciences Foundation Campus Box 8201 110 Cox Hall Raleigh, North Carolina 27695-8201

[email protected] 919-515-3462 NC STATE UNIVERSITY Nonprofit Org US Postage College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences PAID North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC Campus Box 8201 Permit #2353 Raleigh, North Carolina 27695–8201

SAVE the scope 2012 DATE academy

“Join Us in Discovery” and explore today’s exciting frontiers in chemistry; mathematics; physics; statistics; marine, earth and atmospheric sciences; and more. SATURDAY, APRIL 14

9:00 a.m. — Registration and Poster Session Chat with PAMS students and faculty as you browse posters highlighting some of their exciting current research projects.

10:00 a.m. — Scope Seminars Engage your brain in intriguing discussions on today’s most thought-provoking scientific topics, led by our outstanding faculty.

11:00 a.m. — Scope Lecture Presented by Margaret D. Lowman (a.k.a. “Canopy Meg”). Lowman is the director of the new Nature Research Center at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and a research professor of natural sciences in PAMS, where she focuses on initiatives involving science communication to the public.

12:30 p.m. — BBQ Lunch Provided by Backyard Bistro Cost for the lunch is $10; pre-registration will be required.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION Online registration for Scope Academy will be available at www.pams.ncsu.edu/weekend beginning in January. For information in the meantime, please contact the PAMS Office of College Advancement at [email protected] or 919-515-3462.

Sponsored by the NC State University Physical & Mathematical Sciences Foundation