News briefs and announcements

NSF awards $273,951 grant for neuroscience equipment

The NationalScience Foundation hasawarded Craig H. Kinsley, professor of neuroscience in the Department of Psychology, a grant of $273,951 to purchase a suite of microscopy and behavioral neuroscience equipment.

The equipment will allow Kinsley and his students to conduct more sophisticated studies using cutting-edge microscopy techniques and devices and obtain more reliable behavioral and neural data. The new equipment also will add to the existing set of high-end apparatus in the Gottwald Center for the Sciences, thereby increasing both the number and quality of studies performed and the number of undergraduate and master’s level students who can get involved in their own hands-on, original research.

For 16 years, Kinsley has led a collaborative research program studying changes in the neural structures of maternal rats. The new equipment will allow Kinsley and his group to make further advances in understanding the development of the maternal and paternal brain.

Jeffress Trust awards grants to three

Three University faculty members have received awards from the Thomas F. Jeffress and Kate Miller Jeffress Memorial Trust of Richmond.

Mirela S. Fetea, assistant professor of physics, received a one-year award of $21,550 for her project “Dynamic Symmetries in Nuclei.” Fetea will target topics of current interest not fully explored theoretically and experimentally, such as structural evolution, dynamical symmetries, phase transition and critical points—topics that are important not only in physics but also in chemistry and biology.

The funds will provide summer support for Fetea and one of her students, travel to Yale University for research collaboration and additional computing resources.

Emma Goldman, associate professor of chemistry, received a $10,000 renewal award for the third year of her project “Synthesis, Characterization and Electrochemical Studies of an Electrocatalyst for the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide.” Funds will provide summer support and supplies.

Scott W. Knight, assistant professor of biology, received a $10,000 renewal award for the second year of his project “The Role of Zinc-Finger Protein in RNA Interference.” The funds will provide summer support for Knight and a student as well as supplies.

University signs articulation agreements

The University has signed agreementswith John Tyler Community College and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College to allow students who meet certain criteria to seamlessly transition into a bachelor’s degree completion program through the School of Continuing Studies. Richmond Provost June Aprille, J. Sargeant Reynolds President Gary L. Rhodes and John Tyler President Marshall W. Smith signed the agreements.

Under the agreements, SCSwill guarantee acceptance to any John Tyler or J. Sargeant Reynolds student who has completed an associate of applied arts, associate of arts and sciences or associate of applied science degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.0. Students from either John Tyler or J. Sargeant Reynolds also will have the option of applying to SCS immediately after they begin their educations at either community college so that they may begin planning for their eventual transfers.

Osher Foundation funds institute for third year

The Bernard Osher Foundation has awarded a $100,000 grant to the University to fund a third year of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a membership organization for adults 50 and older.

The Osher Institute, administered by the School of Continuing Studies, provides liberal arts courses and activities in the fall, spring and summer semesters. Offerings include undergraduate credit courses for audit, special interest minicourses, community service projects, performing arts events and more. There are no entrance requirements, tests or grades. No previous college background is needed.

Membership in the Osher Institute tripled in less than one year, now totaling more than 350 members toward a goal of 500. Reaching that goal will make it eligible to apply for a $1 million endowment from the foundation.

Grant encourages collaborative research in math

The math and computer science department received $24,000 from Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) for undergraduate research.

Funds were provided to ACS’ undergraduate collaborative research and engagement program by the RobertW. Woodruff Foundation.

Kathy Hoke, associate professor of mathematics, and William Ross, professor of mathematics, submitted a proposal, “LURE: Long-term Undergraduate Research Experience,” in which mathematics facultywill engage in a two-year research experience with undergraduates. Research projects spanning two summers and two academic years will involve four faculty members, each mentoring two students.

The objective is to attract interested and qualified students to mathematics in their first year at the University and help them transition from classroom to research mathematics. It also is designed to prepare students for more challenging coursework and graduate school. Each member of the mathematics faculty has volunteered to serve as a mentor in the program.

ACS awards grants to five Richmond professors

Five Richmond biology professors have received grants from Associated Colleges of the South (ACS) science reform program.

W.M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles provided funds to ACS for projects that address the problem of science literacy and fluency among non-science majors.

Joseph Gindhart, associate professor of biology, received $6,750 to develop a new non-majors course, “Biotechnology and Society,” to help students understand better the scientific, commercial and ethical issues of biotechnology.

Malcolm Hill, associate professor of biology, received $14,210 for “Making the Land-Sea Connection in Inner-city Richmond Classrooms.” The project will get students from the “Marine Biology of the Chesapeake Bay” course involved in elementary science classes.

Paula Lessem and Maren Reiner, directors of the biology labs, received $7,800 to develop a non-majors course on “Emerging Infectious Diseases: Biology, Historical Significance and Public Policy.” Students will investigate disease-causing microbes and the danger diseases can present locally and globally.

Gary Radice, associate professor of biology, received $10,000 for “Teaching Biology According to How People Learn.” The project will redesign a lecture-based non-majors course called “Biology of Human Development” into one based on active learning.

C.F.A. Institute selects Robins School

Richmond business majors are among students at only 11 universities worldwide studying a new program to prepare them for certification and careers as chartered financial analysts.

The C.F.A. Institute, a nonprofit organization that sets ethical, educational and professional standards for chartered financial analysts, selected Richmond’s Robins School ofBusiness as one of its first 11 program partners to offer the special C.F.A. track.

Students in the program will take the institute’s Candidate Body of Knowledge— a trademarked course of study covering concepts and principles identified by investment industry leaders worldwide as essential to global practice by C.F.A.s.

The Robins School was the first college program to integrate parts of the Candidate Body of Knowledge into its degree curriculum. By offering a C.F.A. track, a student-managed investment fund, C.F.A. seminar series, Junior Analyst Society chapter and mentoring program, Robins School students have achieved what the institute called outstanding passage rates on the Level I C.F.A. exam.

Mortar Board chapter receives national awards

The University’s Pi Alpha chapter of Mortar Board has received the Silver Torch Award and Project Excellence Award for 2005–06. The chapter was one of 40 to receive the Silver Torch, presented for timeliness and dedication while exemplifying the ideals of scholarship, leadership and service.

The chapter was one of 27 to receive the Project Excellence Award for two projects— a president’s forum titled “Scholarship, Leadership and Service: Student Engagement through the Years” and bookshelf painting and a donation to a pediatric office in a low-income area of Richmond.

Cinderblock sale generates Habitat contributions

Students and parents purchased more than $4,800 worth of recycled cinderblocks— at $2 each—to create extra storage space in dorm rooms. All proceeds went to Habitat for Humanity. University Facilities and the Chaplaincy helped organize and coordinate the sale.

From the libraries

Audio e-books available from NetLibrary

eAudiobooks from NetLibrary are digital versions of recorded books from the latest best sellers (fiction and non-fiction) and award-winning authors. These titles and more can be downloaded for listening on a PC or other WMA-compatible listening device. For more information, connect to: http://library.richmond.edu/about/libraries/mrc/eaudiobooks.htm.

Times Digital Archive in University Libraries’ collections

University Libraries recently added the Times Digital Archive, 1785–1985 to its growing collection of full-text, digital newspapers. The archive is the complete, full-text facsimile of the original Times of London. Connect to the archive on the library’s Web site at http://library.richmond.edu through the library catalog or online databases links.

Connect to the libraries through LibMobile

LibMobile allows users of University Libraries greater access to library information (UR library catalog, PC availability, Ask a Librarian, etc.) through mobile devices such as cellular phones, PDAs and pocket PCs. To get started, just point the browser on your mobile device to the URL http://oncampus.richmond.edu/academics/library/mobile/.

RSS updates on new book titles

RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds are now available for new book titles in University Libraries. RSS provides a way for users to receive a list of newly received book titles through a RSS or Blog Reader. Connect to the library’s Web site or http://library.richmond.edu/information/rss.htm for details.