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ORAU Sponsors Lecture by Nobel Laureate on "The Coming Revolutions in Fundamental Physics"

The dimensions of the universe, quantum gravity, time and space and more of physics' most intriguing questions were explored by Nobel Laureate Dr. David J. Gross during the 12th Annual Putcha Venkateswarlu Memorial Lecture recently at Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Ala. ORAU was a sponsor of Dr. Gross' lecture, which was titled, "The Coming Revolutions in Fundamental Physics." Read more about the presentation.

Grants Provide University Researchers Access to Some of the World’s Fastest Computers at ORNL

ORAU announces a call for proposals for a series of high-performance computing grants that would allow faculty and student research teams the opportunity to participate in research with the benefit of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's (ORNL) computing resources and staff. The competitive grant program, open to ORAU's member institutions, provides potential funding of up to $75,000 for three years, allowing participant teams the opportunity to take full advantage of ORNL's ultrascale computing resources for scientific discovery in any discipline. Read the news release.

MBA Graduate Assistants Help Y-12 Extend its Reach "Beyond the Fence" for Business and Collaboration Opportunities

Bill Nalls and Will Chappell are part of a second wave of students who are participating in the Y-12/Oak Ridge Associated Universities Graduate Assistantship program with the University of Tennessee's (UT) College of Business. The partnership was launched during the summer of 2008 as a means to help the Y-12 National Security Complex extend its reach to the outside world and find commercial applications for its technologies.

John Nemeth to Retire as VP of ORAU University Partnerships; Dr. Dick Toohey to Serve as Interim

In the interim, Dr. Richard “Dick” Toohey will head up oversight of this office during the search for Dr. Nemeth's replacement. Dr. Toohey began his appointment on Monday, Aug. 10, working with Dr. Nemeth to maintain continuity of leadership for the office. Read the news release.

ORAU Member University Wins $400,000 Grant from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR) has won a $400,000 grant from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). The grant will support 10 PUPR students to conduct research at the university and participate in summer research programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory from August 2009-August 2013, said Dr. Houssain Kettani, PUPR professor and director of the university's Partnership Development Office. Read more about the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission Grant winner.

Pennsylvania State University Graduate School Dean is Named Under Secretary for Science at the Smithsonian Institution

Eva J. Pell, senior vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at Pennsylvania State University, has been named under secretary for science at the Smithsonian Institution. Pell has been vice president and dean since 2000 and was promoted to senior vice president for research and dean of the graduate school at the university in 2006. She will begin at the Smithsonian Jan. 4, 2010, and report directly to Smithsonian Secretary Wayne Clough. Read the news release.

Students Conclude Oak Ridge National Laboratory Summer Research Programs and Get Glimpse of Graduate School Opportunities at ORAU Fair

Approximately 175 students from across the United States gathered at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in August for a student poster session that showcased their summer participation in 14 scientific and technical research participation programs at ORNL. Read the news release.

Alabama A&M University Selects New President; Opens New Engineering Center of Excellence

Dr. Andrew Hugine Jr., will take the helm as the new president of Alabama A&M University on July 16, the university announced. Dr. Hugine formerly served as president of South Carolina State University.

The university has also opened a new Center of Excellence in Integrated Sensor Systems.

Fisk University Announces New Leader

Dr. M. Christopher Brown II will serve as Fisk University’s provost and executive vice president, states a news release from the university.

ORAU Partners with Y-12 and Georgia Tech to Organize Workshop Focused on Nuclear Security Enterprise Issues

An invitation-only workshop organized by the Y-12 National Security Complex and ORAU engaged nuclear security enterprise subject-matter experts in discussions critical to national security recently at Georgia Tech in Atlanta. The workshop was hosted by Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, and the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Read more about the Transforming the Nuclear Security Enterprise Workshop.

Purdue Team Wins ORNL Global Venture Challenge 2009; ORAU Member University Teams Earn First and Second Runner-up Awards and Prizes

During the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Global Venture Challenge Idea to Product® Competition held March 25–27 at ORNL, students from Purdue University matched a bright idea with a market need, capturing the first place award and the grand prize of $25,000. ORAU was an Innovator Sponsor of the competition and hosted a reception at Pollard Technology and Conference Center for the semi-finalist teams on March 25. Read more about the 2009 Global Venture Challenge.

ORAU Welcomes its 100th Sponsoring Institution

ORAU welcomed Temple University as its 100th sponsoring institution during the 64th annual meeting of the ORAU Council of Sponsoring Institutions held in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Texas-Pan American were also accepted as the 15th and 16th associate members. Read the news release.

Thanks to Grant, Faculty and Students from ORAU Member Schools Will Perform Research Using ORNL's “Jaguar” and Other Supercomputers

ORAU and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have announced four winners in the first high-performance computing grants competition. The grants, open to ORAU member institutions, allow faculty and student teams the opportunity to participate in research at ORNL with the benefit of ORNL’s computing resources and staff. Read the news release on the awarding of these grants.

Georgia Tech Group Visits Oak Ridge to Discuss Technology–Policy Issues and Potential Collaborations

The Georgia Tech Sam Nunn School of International Affairs visited Oak Ridge, Tenn., recently and met with representatives from the Y-12 National Security Complex and Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) about technology and its relationship to government policies. ORAU organized the Georgia Tech visit. Read more about the Georgia Tech Sam Nunn School of International Affairs visit to Oak Ridge.

Two ORAU Consortium Members Receive Prestigious NSF Engineering Research Center Awards

The National Science Foundation has announced that its third-generation Engineering Research Center awards have gone to five universities, two of which are members of the ORAU consortium: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State (A&T) University, one of the nation’s most outstanding research-oriented Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and North Carolina State University.

Referred to as “Gen-3 ERCs,” these new engineering research centers will pursue technological breakthroughs. Said ORAU’s Dr. John Nemeth, vice president for ORAU’s University Partnerships: “We are so proud of our member schools. These prestigious, much deserved awards are examples of the highest quality contributions that virtually pour from our nation’s research universities.” Read the NSF news release on the Engineering Research Center awards.

Physicist from Member University Alabama A&M to Coordinate $15 million NSF Grant for EPSCOR

An Alabama A&M University physicist who directs its Research Institute has announced a five-year $15 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help build the state’s ability to participate in, conduct and compete for nanotechnology research.

Dr. Daryush Ila, heads Alabama’s Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), a seven-school partnership that enables the state to become a more formidable force in conducting and promoting nanotech research.  Ila, as executive director of EPSCoR, recently announced that the consortium has been awarded $3 million annually for five years in a  cooperative agreement from NSF to boost the state’s research capacity. Read more about the $15 Million NSF Grant to EPSCOR.

DOE Real World Design Challenge Seeks to Align Secondary Education with 21st Century Workforce Needs

Educators from community colleges and universities met with representatives from Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), ORAU and Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC) for a workshop at ORNL recently to develop a statewide strategy and implementation plan for the U.S. Department of Energy pilot Real World Design Challenge. ORAU was a co-sponsor of the workshop. Read more about the DOE Real World Design Challenge.

Virginia Tech Team Wins NASA Design Contest

A group of aerospace engineering students from ORAU-member institution Virginia Tech recently took first prize at NASA's Fundamental Aeronautics Student Competition. The six-member team spent two months creating the commercial airplane of the future and won out over 15 other teams from around the country. Read more about the NASA design competition at roanoke.com.

Nobel Laureates Talk Physics with Brightest Young Scientists at Conference in Lindau, Germany

Sixty outstanding graduate research students attended the 58th Annual Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates and Students in Lindau, Germany, from June 29 through July 4. The event featured lectures and discussions on physics. Read the news release.

High School Students Get Insider’s View of Emerging Technologies during Visit to Oak Ridge

During the fifth and final week of their studies and field trips as participants in the inaugural class of Tennessee Tech University’s (TTU) Governor’s School for Emerging Technologies, 54 of the state’s top high school juniors and seniors recently visited Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the Y-12 National Security Complex and the Technology 2020 facility to learn about some of the world’s leading technologies. Read the news release.

ORAU Announces Call for Proposals for a New High Performance Computing Grant Program with Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Learn about ORAU's newest competitive grant program with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) that provides ORAU member institutions with a monetary award and valuable access to ORNL's leadership class computing resources and staff. Read more about the HPC Grant Program call for proposals.

ORAU Hosts Workshop with Y-12 and Member Universities, Signs Agreement for Research Partnerships

Faculty representatives from 15 ORAU member universities and leaders from Y-12 recently met at a workshop organized and facilitated by ORAU titled, “Accelerating the Transformation of the Nuclear Weapons Complex Through Collaborative Research.” The purpose of the forum was to explore the possibilities for collaborative research with member universities using Y-12’s unique facilities, materials and resources. Continue reading about the Y-12 Workshop.

Research Doors Open for B&W Y-12, ORAU with MOU Signing

B&W Y-12, the contractor operating the Y-12 National Security Complex, and ORAU, a consortium of 97 doctoral-granting institutions, signed a memorandum of understanding today that will allow the two institutions to engage in a number of collaborative research partnerships. Read the news release.

ORAU Awards Research Grants to 30 Junior Faculty at Its Member Universities

In an effort to invest in the future of science education, ORAU has made its annual selection of Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award winners. Read the news release.

ORAU Grants $5,000 to Universities Participating in 18th Annual Environmental Design Contest

Six universities received a total of $5,000 as part of ORAU’s sponsorship of the 18th annual WERC (formerly known as Waste-management, Education and Research Consortium) Environmental Design Contest. Read more about the 18th Annual Environmental Design Contest.

Student Competition Targets the Global Energy Crisis

Thirteen university teams and one high-school team converged on Oak Ridge National Laboratory April 2-4 as semi-finalists vying for top honors in Global Venture Challenge 2008 (GVC), an idea-to-product competition that focused on technologies to solve the world's growing energy problems. ORAU was an Innovator Sponsor of GVC. Read more about the Global Venture Challenge.