PAMS Focus - May 15, 2006

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.

Bryant, Sall and Williams honored at PAMS Awards Dinner

Before family, friends, faculty and staff, the College honored three individuals at the May 4 PAMS Awards Dinner at the Cardinal Club in downtown Raleigh.

Robert Bryant (BS Mathematics '74) was recognized as the 2005 PAMS Distinguished Alumnus, an award which honors alumni whose exceptional achievements in business, education, research or public service have brought honor and distinction to the College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences and North Carolina State University.

Ginger Sall, a longtime champion of the College, was honored as the first recipient of the Zenith Medal for Service. This award recognizes alumni or friends of the college for distinguished contributions or advocacy that significantly advance our ability to make powerful impacts on science, the economy, the environment and the quality of human life.

Meredith Williams (PhD Physics '94) was honored as the first recipient of the PAMS Medal of Achievement. This award recognizes alumni of the college who have excelled through their chosen professions or public service, and proven themselves destined to make a significant impact in science, government, education, business or industry.

For more information about all three honorees, visit: http://www.pams.ncsu.edu/development/awards/

Chemist's "magnetic liquids" captures attention of business media

Researchers at NC State have successfully engineered liquid crystals that contain very high concentrations of metals - potentially paving the way toward the creation of "magnetic liquids" and liquid crystals that may have important ramifications for semi-conductor and solar energy research. The work earned a feature story in the April 28 issue of Triangle Business Journal. Dr. James Martin, professor of chemistry, along with departmental colleague Dr. Jaap Folmer and a team of graduate students, engineered liquid crystals with an inorganic content of up to 80 percent, more than twice the ratio of previously observed organic liquid crystals with incorporated metals. The findings appeared in the April edition of Nature Materials. For more, visit: http://www.ncsu.edu/news/press_releases/06_03/060.htm or the Triangle Business Journal at: http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2006/05/01/story5.html

Hunter receives honorary degree

Dr. J. Stuart "Stu" Hunter received an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree at the 2006 spring commencement ceremony. Hunter is a pioneer in industrial experimental design and co-author of the classic statistics textbook, Statistics for Experimenters. Hunter is professor emeritus in Princeton's School of Engineering and Applied Science. In 2004, Hunter received the PAMS Distinguished Alumnus Award. He earned three degrees from NC State - BS Electrical Engineering '47, MS Engineering Mathematics '49, and PhD Experimental Statistics in '54.

Mathematics Department earns teaching Award

All members of the Mathematics Department faculty were honored with the university's 2005-06 Departmental Award for Teaching and Learning Excellence.  Since 2000, these annual awards have honored up to two of the university's 72 departments for exceptional collective accomplishments in teaching and learning. PAMS has quickly built an excellent record of winning this distinction. The Statistics Department won the award in 2005, and the Physics Department won the award in 2003.

Alumni & Friends Weekend set for Oct. 13-14

Mark your calendars now for the 2006 Alumni & Friends Weekend, which is set for Oct. 13-14. Plans include a dinner with keynote speaker, special classes with faculty and plenty of time to catch up with acquaintances old and new. To check out last year's event, visit: http://www.pams.ncsu.edu/weekend/