PAMS Focus  -  February 2007

PAMS Focus is a periodic e-mail newsletter about activities, achievements and other news from the NC State College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences (PAMS). If you have any suggestions or comments, please share them with us by e-mailing pams_info@ncsu.edu.

NC State selected for Astronomy Picture of the Day

Physicists at NC State recently made news when they determined that young stars can undergo the same kind of thermonuclear explosion thought to only happen to old stars.  Related research is featured with an image of Kepler’s supernova remnant, which was selected as a NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day, located at: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070116.html.

MEAS hosts David Archer lecture

As part of a multidisciplinary examination of the global warming issue, The Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences will present a public lecture by world-renowned chemical oceanographer David Archer of the University of Chicago, on Feb. 28, 3 to 5 p.m. in the Witherspoon Cinema. Archer has published a new book that explains how environmental evidence and computer models can predict the intensity and effects of global warming over the next century. After his presentation, there will be a one-hour panel discussion in which Archer and NC State faculty members will explain various issues related to global climate change. For more information about his and other related events, visit http://www.chass.ncsu.edu/chass/global_warming.

Hunter endows two Statistics professorships

Taking advantage of a fortunate alignment of two separate matching programs, Stu Hunter (PhD ’54 Experimental Statistics) has endowed two professorships. The J. Stuart Hunter and Gertrude M. Cox distinguished professorships will reside in the Department of Statistics.  Matching funds are still available, allowing donors to endow a $1 million professorship for $333,000. For more information about this 67 percent-off “sale” on professorships, visit http://www.pams.ncsu.edu/development/professorships.php or contact Anita Stallings at 919-515-3462 or astallin@ncsu.edu.

About 200 expected at alumni-sponsored student recruitment event

PAMS will host its annual student recruitment event this Friday in the Dail Club at Vaughn Towers at Carter-Finley Stadium. Designed to encourage accepted students to select NC State for their college education, the event is sponsored by the PAMS Alumni & Friends Advisory Board. Faculty and alumni will be on hand to talk to prospective students and their parents.  This year’s event will draw the largest audience since the College began having such gatherings.

Mark your calendar now!

The 2007 PAMS Alumni & Friends Weekend will be held Oct. 12-13. More information will be available at a later date.