PAMS Focus - December 2004

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 pamsalumni@lists.ncsu.edu.

Anonymous donor doubles your contribution to The Science House

Until Dec. 31, an anonymous donor will double your contribution to support The Science House. For more information visit http://www.science-house.org/give.html or contact Anita Stallings, Executive Director of Development and College Relations at 919-515-3462 or astallin@ncsu.edu.

Sayers memorial fund established

Family and friends of Dale Edward Sayers have established a scholarship fund in his memory. Sayers, professor of physics, 60, died Nov. 25, 2004 following an unexpected illness. For more information, visit http://www.pams.ncsu.edu/news/sayers.php.

Aerosols play role in earth's carbon cycle

Researchers in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and other colleagues, have shown that the amount of aerosols - dust particles, soot from automobile emissions and factories, and other airborne particles - in the atmosphere has a significant impact on whether the surface area below either absorbs or emits more carbon dioxide (CO₂). Besides documenting the effects of aerosols on the carbon cycle, the research also showed that the type of landscape also influenced whether a surface area served as a carbon sink, an area that absorbs more CO₂ than it emits, or as a carbon source, an area that emits more CO₂ than it absorbs. For more information, visit http://www.ncsu.edu/news/press_releases/04_12/296.htm

Tsiatis named Drexel Professor

Anastasios "Butch" A. Tsiatis, Ph.D., has been named Drexel Professor of Statistics at North Carolina State University . His honor was recently celebrated with a reception hosted by the Department of Statistics and the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

He is known internationally for his biostatistics research, specifically in the areas of survival analysis, clinical trials, surrogate markers, cost of care and quality of life, among others.  His expertise is frequently sought by medical research centers. For more information, visit http://www.ncsu.edu/news/press_releases/04_12/316.htm

PAMS Foundation announces new board members

The North Carolina State University Physical and Mathematical Sciences (PAMS) Foundation board of directors recently announced newly elected members.

New directors are Rob Lindberg, director of technology development for the NC Biotechnology Center, RTP; Catherine Sigal (BS chemistry - 1976), retired director of international research for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, New York; and Miriam Zietlow, market manager - auto coatings and electronics, Lord Corporation, Cary.

Directors elected to additional terms are Stephen Frye (BS chemistry - 1983), worldwide head of high throughput chemistry, GlaxoSmithKline, RTP; Charles Joyner (BS chemistry - 1971, MA economics - 1984), attorney, Bahama; Michael Peirson (PhD marine, earth and atmospheric sciences - 1983), president, Cherrystone Aqua-Farms, Eastville, Virginia; and Meredith Williams (PhD physics - 1994), product line manager, Applied Materials, Sunnyvale, California.

The mission of the PAMS Foundation is to promote the educational, research and service programs of the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences through personal advocacy by the board of directors and by securing private funding for priority programs of the college.