TOYOTA EXEC is COMMENCEMENT speaker
Wilbert W. “Wil” James, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky Inc. (TMMK), will deliver the commencement address at North Carolina A&T State University’s fall exercises Saturday, Dec. 14, at Greensboro Coliseum.
Aggies to Hold First Walk for
National Diabetes Awareness
The School of Nursing and Sebastian Health Center at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University seek to bring awareness to the seriousness of this disease through the first on-campus Diabetes Awareness Walk on Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 11:15 a.m. Photo: iStockphoto.com/coverdale84
2013–14 Human Rights Medal nomination packets available
North Carolina A&T State University invites the university and community to nominate distinguished individuals for the 2014 Human Rights Medal. As part of its annual Feb. 1 program, the university annually recognizes individuals who have endeavored to correct social injustice and have significantly contributed to the betterment of the world.
The award was established to honor individuals whose courageous actions are a reflection of the extraordinary action against social injustice that was demonstrated by Jibreel Khazan (Ezell Blair Jr.), Franklin Eugene McCain, Sr., Joseph Alfred McNeil and the late David Richmond Jr. Their bold move to lead a group of students to take a stand for justice by sitting down at the lunch counter of the local “five and dime” initiated a wave of similar sit-ins by college students across the South.
Nominations are due no later than 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, and can be sent to the Committee for Awards and Honorary Degrees, c/o Dr. Benjamin Uwakweh, dean of the School of Technology, 1601 East Market Street, Greensboro, N.C. 27411. To receive a packet, contact Vernita Slade by phone at 336-285-2469 or email, vbslade@ncat.edu.
Distinguished speaker
The College of Engineering will host Dr. Janis Terpenny at the next Dean’s Distinguished Speaker Series, Tuesday, Nov. 12, at 11 a.m. in McNair Auditorium. The lecture topic is “Assistive Technology: Rich in Opportunities for Research, Teaching and Service.” Terpenny will lead a discussion on projects that have served as the foundation for research, advances in technologies and understanding of human capabilities and behaviors.
Terpenny is the Joseph Walkup Professor in Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering and chair of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering at Iowa State University. She is also the director of the Center for e-Design, a multi-university NSF industry/university cooperative research center (I/UCRC). Her research focus is engineering design (process and methods of early design; knowledge and information in design; product families and platforms; obsolescence in products and systems; and complexity of products and systems) and design education (multidisciplinary teams; impacts of project choice and context; and the retention and success of underrepresented students).
She is also a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE), and is a former program director for the Division of Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation.
Contributions still needed
North Carolina A&T’s Combined Campaign still needs your help. Your gift(s) will help the university reach its goal of $250,000. Contact the campaign coordinator in your department and make your donation today. University employees are eligible to win prizes weekly for turning in their campaign contributions.
Open enrollment deadline extended
The open enrollment period for State Health Plan and NCFlex benefits has been extended through Friday, Nov. 15, to give employees an opportunity to enroll in the Enhanced 80/20 Plan or the Consumer-Directed Health Plan to reduce their employee-only monthly premium. Failure to act will result in automatic enrollment of employees and dependents in the Traditional 70/30 Plan. A short video—“How Does the CDHP Work?”—is available online. For answers to other questions, contact the Benefits Office at 336-285-3789.
Military Appreciation Day, Vet Tailgate and Expo
In honor of Veteran’s Day, the Office of Veteran and Disability Support Services and the Department of Athletics will honor all veterans of the United States Armed Forces during the N.C. A&T vs. Savannah State football game, Saturday, Nov. 16, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Tickets are $15 with a valid Military ID or VA Card (two tickets per person); children 12 and under, $10. Tickets are available at the University Ticket Office or at the gate. Military personnel will be recognized during halftime.
National Diabetes Month
In observance of National Diabetes Month 2013, the School of Nursing, in collaboration with the Sebastian Health Center, will host a campus Diabetes Awareness Walk. Students, faculty and staff are invited to participate and wear red and white for a two-mile walk Tuesday, Nov. 19, at 11:15 a.m. The walk will begin in front of Noble Hall near the February One Monument.
Diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans, and an estimated 79 million people are at risk for developing this disease. For more information, contact Dr. Ruth Phillips at drruth@ncat.edu or 336-285-2926.
Retirement celebration
On behalf of Chancellor Harold L. Martin Sr., the university community is invited to attend a retirement celebration (floating reception) for Dr. Deborah J. Callaway, special assistant to the chancellor, on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 4–6 p.m. in the Alumni-Foundation Event Center. For more information, call the Office of University Relations at 336-256-0863.
Caregivers Education Conference
The Center for Outreach in Alzheimer’s, Aging and Community Health at N.C. A&T will host the Fifth Annual Caregivers Education Conference, Help•Hope•Healing, Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., in the Alumni-Foundation Event Center.
Sponsored by the Center for Outreach in Alzheimer’s, Aging and Community Health, in partnership with the African American Alzheimer’s Disease Research Study and the Western Carolina Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, the conference offers help with the critical role the caregiver plays in the life of their loved one and is designed to provide important information to persons impacted by dementia, their family care partners and professional caregivers. Experts from health, legal and research fields will inform and provide caregivers with help, hope and healing to better manage their caregiving responsibilities.
Free parking and lunch will be provided. Register online at www.ncatad.com or call 336-285-2176. Admission is free for registered guests and $10 on the day of the event. The deadline to register is Nov. 22. For information call Dr. Dora Som-Pimpong at 336-285-2176 or email dorasom@ncat.edu.
Dr. Solomon Bililign, professor of physics and director of the NOAA-ISET Center, was invited to attend the Africa Climate Conference in Arusha, Tanzania, Oct. 15–18. The conference is organized through the collaborative efforts of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the African Climate Policy Center (ACPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and was hosted by the University of Dar es Salaam. Bililign presented a paper, “Impacts of Biomass Burning Organic Acids, and Aerosols on Climate and Air Quality over the African Continent.” Over 300 people representing several African countries attended the meeting. A related paper, “The Potential Air Quality Impacts of Fires: Isocyanic acid HNCO,” in which Bililign is a co-author, was presented by the main author at the International Smoke Symposium at the University of Maryland, Oct. 21–24. This work was published recently in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Dr. Guibing Chen, assistant professor in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences and lead scientist for food processing and engineering at the Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies, has had two articles summarizing results from his research published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology. “A comparison of two methods for estimating microbial survival parameters from dynamic survival data” summarizes some of Chen’s research into food sterilization and pasteurization processes. “Estimating microbial survival parameters from dynamic survival data using Microsoft Excel” describes a simplified process for estimating microbial survival parameters. Chen is also the recent recipient of a $299,988 USDA Capacity Building Grant for a three-year study, “Development of wheat bread enriched with microfluidized corn and oat brans.”
Dr. Mary T. Lewis, associate professor of social work, presented two workshops on “Cross-cultural Helping Skills” in Taipei, Taiwan. The first presentation was a daylong workshop with practicing Taiwanese social workers and the second was for undergraduate and graduate social work students at National Taiwan University. The presentations led to discussions on how N.C. A&T and National Taiwan University can continue building a professional connection.
Dr. Thaddeus McEwen, professor and director of the Interdisciplinary Center for Entrepreneurship and E-Business in the School of Business and Economics, and Dr. Samuel Owusu-Ofori, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, led the Framework for Opportunity Convergence and the Utilization of Sustainable Solutions (FOCUSS) Idea Competition that was held at N.C. A&T on Nov. 6.
The competition provided engineering students with an opportunity to share and cultivate creative solutions to a sponsoring corporation, Honda Aircraft. Finalists had eight minutes to present their idea on how to reduce aviation’s impact on the environment by improving fuel efficiency and reducing noise and harmful emissions. Five winners, including a grand prize of $1,000, were based on innovativeness, creativity, presentation, community involvement and business development.
Dr. Kenneth Ruff, director of N.C. A&T's Blue and Gold Marching Machine, is featured in "Diamond in the Ruff," an article in this month's O.Henry Magazine (pp. 66-69). The article is about Ruff's journey from flute player in a Greensboro public school band to director of A&T's award winning, nationally recognized marching band.
Dr. Scott Simkins, director of the Academy of Teaching and Learning, has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $247,901 to develop online tools that students can use to improve their math skills in economics courses. “The Math You Need, When You Need It: Modular Student Resources to Promote Successful Integration of Quantitative Concepts in Introductory Economics Courses,” is led by Simkins, with co-investigators Dr. Mark H. Maier of Glendale Community College (Glendale, Calif.), and Dr. Jeffrey Sarbaum of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
The two-year project focuses on 10 core math concepts identified by researchers in economics education as frequent obstacles to student learning. Project investigators will develop an online module for each concept, providing students with practice and assessment using that concept in an economics context. The project’s goal is to improve student learning in introductory economics courses by promoting the successful integration of basic math concepts with core economic concepts. When complete, the Math You Need modules will become part of the Starting Point site resources.
A team of scientists and students in the Department of Animal Sciences have had their study, “Airway metrics, anatomy and growth performance of pigs reared indoors and outdoors,” published in the current issue of American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences. Authors include Dr. Jenora Waterman, assistant professor, who led the study and is corresponding author; Dr. Sang-Hyon Oh, assistant professor; Chakia Joi McClendon, doctoral student (energy and environmental systems), and Sherrell Pettiford, senior laboratory animal science major. The article compares the tracheas of swine reared indoors and swine raised outdoors to determine if the housing environments correlate to growth rates. Poor air quality in swine confinement housing is suspected to be a cause of respiratory complications in pigs and humans.
NOV 13 | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Institute (Part I)
Location: 1020 Wendover Building,
Room 007
Contact: Human Resources,
336-334-7862
NOV 13 | 4:30–8:30 p.m.
Text-in-Community
Rethink Your Drink
Location: Williams Dining Hall
NOV 14 | 9 a.m.–1 p.m..
Equal Employment Opportunity
Institute (Part II)
Location: 1020 Wendover Building,
Room 007
Contact: Human Resources,
336-334-7862
NOV 14 | 4–6 p.m.
Tech Thursday Information Session
Location: Smith Hall, Room 2014
Contact: School of Technology,
336-334-7359
NOV 14 | 6–7:30 p.m.
Text-in-Community: School of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences Symposium
Location: Webb Hall Auditorium
Contact: Dr. Manny Reyes, 336-334-7787
NOV 15
State Health Plan and NCFlex open enrollment ends
NOV 16 | 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Military Appreciation Day
Veterans Tailgate and Expo
N.C. A&T vs. Savannah State
Football Game
Location: Aggie Stadium
NOV 19 | 11:15 a.m.
Diabetes Awareness Walk (2 miles)
Location: Noble Hall (near February
One Monument)
Information: Dr. Ruth Phillips,
336-285-2926
NOV 19 | 4–5 p.m.
Traditional B.S.N. Entry Option
Information Session
Location: Noble Hall, Room 116
Contact: Carliss Lee, 336-285-3567
NOV 19 | 5 p.m.
Deadline to submit nomination
packets for the 2014 Human
Rights Medal
Information: Vernita Slade,
336-285-2469
NOV 19 | 5–6 p.m.
B.S.N. Completion Entry Option
Information Session
Location: Noble Hall, Room 210
Contact: Carliss Lee, 336-285-3567
NOV 19 | .5–6 p.m.
Accelerated B.S.N. Entry Option
Information Session
Location: Noble Hall, Room 116
Contact: Carliss Lee, 336-285-3567
Nov 28–29
University Holiday (Thanksgiving)
DEC 5
Last day of classes
DEC 7 | 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Fifth Annual Caregivers
Education Conference
Theme: Help Hope Healing
Location: Alumni-Foundation
Event Center
Contact: Dr. Dora Som-Pimpong,
336-285-2176
DEC 14 | 8:30 a.m.
Commencement
Location: Greensboro Coliseum
JAN 14 | 7:30 p.m.
N.C. A&T featured on
North Carolina NOW
Location: UNC TV (PBS)
CHANCELLOR
Dr. Harold L. Martin Sr.
INTERIM VICE CHANCELLOR FOR
UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Nicole Pride
ASSOCIATE VICE
CHANCELLOR FOR
UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
Nicole Pride
EDITOR
Sandra M. Brown
PROOFREADERS
Samantha V. Hargrove
Courtney J. Jackson
PHOTOGRAPHER
Charles E. Watkins
PRODUCTION
Derek Brandon
Yvonne L. Halley
CREATIVE SERVICES
Bouvier Kelly, Inc.
CONTRIBUTORS
David Arneke
Laurie Gengenbach
Terri Godwin
Courtney J. Jackson
Akua Matherson
Dr. Kimberly McNeil
Terri Williams