New on Full Circle
Vivoni chosen for prestigious leadership program
An ASU engineering faculty member will join select colleagues in learning to better communicate about environmental research to aid decision makers and the public. Read the Article.
In the news
Philanthropist Ira Fulton extols the rewards of giving (Deseret News – Salt Lake City)
In a newspaper interview, Fulton Schools of Engineering namesake Ira A. Fulton talks about his background, his philanthropic contributions to universities, engineering schools, charitable and religious organizations, and his outlook on giving. Benefactors talk about Fulton’s valuable impact on lives of students and others. Read the article.
Fighting Ebola with simulations and algorithms (IEEE Spectrum)
An article in the engineering and science news publication of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers details a new National Science Foundation-supported project by three ASU researchers to help battle the spread of the Ebola disease. Professor K. Selçuk Candan, adjunct professor Gerardo Chowell-Puente and adjunct professor Maria Luisa Sapino are developing new computational models to analyze data to reveal patterns of Ebola epidemics. The goal is to provide empirical data to guide decision makers in devising strategies to combat the disease. Candan and Sapino are on the faculty of the School of Computing, Informatics, and Decision Systems Engineering. Chowell-Puente is on the faculty of the Mathematical and Computational Modeling Sciences Center at ASU. Read the article. Read more about the project on Full Circle.
Sewage sludge could contain millions of dollars worth of gold (Science magazine)
A report in the research journal Environmental Science & Technology on the discovery by ASU researchers that there potentially are significant amounts of valuable metals – including gold and silver – to be found in sewage sludge made some headlines. The lead author of the research report is Paul Westerhoff, a professor in the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment. In addition to Science magazine, the study was reported on in Smithsonian.com, Discover magazine, the International Business Times, Gizmodo and News.com.au (Australia).
Scientists develop technique aimed at preventing spread of bio-engineered organisms (The New York Times)
Karmella Haynes is quoted in an article reporting on scientists developing a solution that “addresses a longstanding problem in biotechnology” – how to prevent genetically modified bacteria from spreading outside the laboratory and posing a potential environmental risk. Haynes is a synthetic biologist and an assistant professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering. In addition to being quoted in The New York Times article, her comments about the significance of the method devised to prevent such potential problems with genetically modified organisms are also in an article in the Boston Globe, the International Business Times and an Associated Press report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Preventing falls in seniors an ongoing effort (Baltimore Sun)
As the numbers of elderly people increases, more attention is being focused on the common problems of senior citizens. This has led to more studies on how to prevent falling that can sometimes lead to serious injury for older persons. Thurmon Lockhart, a professor in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, has studied the mechanics of falling. He talks in the article about what researchers are exploring as possible solutions. Read the article.
‘Spare Parts’ tells dreams of glory crashing head-on into the immigration system (Fox News Latino)
Oscar Vazquez, who graduated from ASU in 2009 with a degree in mechanical engineering, is portrayed in the new feature film “Spare Parts.” It tells the story of Vazquez and three fellow Phoenix-area high school students who in 2004 won the finals of a national robotics competition over a student team from one of the country’s most prestigious universities. The movie is generating news and commentary in a variety media outlets, including The New York Times, Fox News Latino, Fusion and Diverse: Issues in Higher Education.
Women in science and engineering bring female presence to Polytechnic campus (The State Press)
ASU freshman engineering students Halie Bartlowe and Kylee Burgess are part of an article about a student chapter of Women in Science and Engineering that is fostering a sense of community among women science and engineering majors at the university’s Polytechnic campus in east Mesa. Read the article.
