Professor Voiculescu Gets IEEE Prize for Best Paper on Sensors

CCNY-Led Team Makes “Green” Antibacterial Paints
Researchers at CCNY and Rice University have developed a low-cost, environmentally friendly technique for embedding antimicrobial silver nanoparticles, which have strong antibacterial properties, into vegetable oil-based paints. The method, reported in the March issue of Nature Materials, could give homes and workplaces a new defense against germs by applying a fresh coat of paint. The CCNY/Rice team developed a “green chemistry” approach to synthesize metal nanoparticles in common household paints in situ without using hazardous reagents and solvents. “We extensively worked on poly-unsaturated hydrocarbon chain containing polymers/oils to devise a novel approach to nanoparticle formation” said Dr. George John, Professor of Chemistry at CCNY and lead author of the article. “The simplicity of the process and economics should allow us to commercialize these paints as a versatile coating material for health and environmental applications,” added Dr. Pulickel M. Ajayan, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science at Houston-based Rice University, and co-author. In laboratory tests, the nanoparticle embedded coating, which can be applied like traditional paints, exhibited efficient antibacterial activity toward Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). The antibacterial property is important for hospitals and other public buildings that are prone to bacterial growth, a main cause of infection and disease. More on this story.

Harriet Alonso Chronicles Life of Robert Sherwood
CCNY Professor of History Harriet Hyman Alonso is receiving rave reviews from peers for her fourth book, “Robert E. Sherwood: The Playwright in Peace and War”(University of Massachusetts Press, 2007), published last December.  Sherwood was a film critic, speechwriter for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and an award-winning Broadway producer as well as a noted pacifist.  In her book, Professor Alonso unravels Sherwood’s inner struggle and portrays his political journey. She brings together history, theater and film studies, and peace studies in this interdisciplinary political biography. “This reader-friendly book, written in lucid, accessible prose, is an extraordinary accomplishment,” says Howard Stein, Professor Emeritus at Columbia University’s Center for Theatre Studies.  Professor Alonso “brilliantly demonstrates the complexity of pacifism as a personal belief system,” adds Melanie Gustafson of the University of Vermont history department. At CCNY, Professor Alonzo chairs of the Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at the Center for Worker Education.

CCNY Researcher Awarded $542,940 for Cancer Detection
Dr. Wubao Wang, a senior scientist at the Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers (IUSL) at CCNY, was awarded a three-year, $542,940 grant by the U. S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command for noninvasive methods for detection of prostate cancer. He and collaborators Dr. Min Xu of Fairfield University and Dr. James Eastham of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) are developing a rectal near-infrared (NIR) light-based scanning polarization imaging unit and independent component analysis algorithm for detecting prostate cancer. The current standard tests for prostate cancer, the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and the digital rectal exam (DRE), can indicate an abnormality, but do not provide a definitive diagnosis. A needle biopsy is recommended to confirm presence of cancer, however, malignancies are discovered in only one-quarter of all men who undergo the procedure. Given the low degree of accuracy of PSA and DRE tests and the need to avoid unnecessary, invasive procedures, a more accurate, noninvasive method of diagnosing prostate cancer is highly desirable. More on this story.

CCNY Receives State Funds for Stem Cell Research
CCNY was one of 25 institutions selected to receive the first grants awarded through New York State’s new $600 million multi-year stem cell research program. The funding, for $198,000 over one year, will strengthen CCNY’s stem cell research capabilities by supporting training of researchers and infrastructure development. “While CCNY faculty members now can conduct biomedical research related to stem cells, these funds will help us develop long-term research capabilities using human embryonic stem cells,” said Dr. John Tarbell, Wallace Coulter Distinguished Professor and Chair of Biomedical Engineering. Dr. Tarbell and Dr. Sihong Wang, Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, are co-Principal Investigators on the grant. The grant to CCNY will be support comprehensive stem cell training for faculty members doing stem cell research and fund acquisition of an essential piece of equipment for stem cell characterization and isolation. Besides Professors Tarbell and Wang, grant beneficiaries are Dr. Bingmei Fu, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering; Dr. Lane Gilchrist Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering; Dr. Ira Josephson, Associate Medical Professor, Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, and Dr. Shubha Govind, Professor of Biology. More on this story.

Grad Student Thurman R Solano Wins $6G LSAMP Scholarship
T. Raymond Solano, a graduate student in physics, has won a $6,000 research scholarship from the New York City Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NYC-LSAMP) in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. “I have to say that I was a bit surprised at winning because I applied for this very close to the submission deadline, but of course I’m pleased to be academically recognized enough by them to be a scholar,” said Mr. Solano.  Since 2005, he has been conducting research on ice detection and adhesion on material surfaces at the Institute for Ultrafast Spectroscopy and Lasers (IUSL) with NASA funding. His mentor is Dr. Wubao Wang, IUSL senior scientist.  Mr. Solano, who also is an adjunct professor at New York City College of Technology, plans to become an applied physicist. The NYC-LSAMP is an alliance of 16 CUNY Colleges and the CUNY Graduate Center. Its goal is to substantially increase the number of underrepresented minority students who majoring in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Sophie Davis Names Donald Kollisch, M.D., Deputy Dean
Dr. Donald O. Kollisch, M.D., a family medicine specialist with nearly 30 years experience as a teacher, researcher and practitioner, has been named Deputy Dean of The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education.  The native New Yorker returns to his home town from Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H., where he was Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine.  In announcing Dr. Kollisch’s appointment, Dr. Stanford A. Roman Jr. Dean of Sophie Davis, cited his “incredible wealth” of knowledge and experience. “We are delighted to have Dr. Kollisch on board. His presence further enhances this institution and its mission,” Dr. Roman added.  As Deputy Dean, Dr. Kollisch will manage curriculum and have oversight of the School’s clinical education programs in community health centers and hospitals. Additionally, he will advise and counsel students in accordance with the School’s academic policies and will assess its educational programs.  After graduating from medical school, Dr. Kollisch practiced Rural Medicine in northern New Hampshire and taught at Dartmouth for 11 years before spending four years on the faculty of the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. He began a second stint at Dartmouth 12 years ago.  More on this story.

Two Engineering Professors Present at NY Terrorism Meeting
Dr. Beth Wittig, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, and Dr. Zhigang Zhu, Professor of Computer Sciences, presented papers at the Protect New York conference on protecting New York state from terrorism and disaster. Professor Wittig’s presentation, “Transport and Dispersion of Threat Agents in a Scale Model of a Subway Station,” co-presented with Jennifer Richmond-Bryant of Hunter College,described the study plan, considerations and expected outcomes of a novel approach to investigating the potential exposure to subway passengers and transportation authority personnel. The project involved creating a modular scale model of the W. 135^th Street subway station, which is one block east of the CCNY campus. Professor Zhu’s presentation, “Fast Response in NYC: Real-time Airborne 3D and Motion Reconstruction for Security and Planning of Urban Transportation,” described a technology created in the CCNY Visual Computing Laboratory that could fly an airplane with a video camera, detect, measure and analyze static and dynamic objects in an area, and then reconstruct the scene into multiple 3-D panoramic views. The event, co-sponsored by the CCNY-based University Transportation Research Center, was held January 10 – 11 at the SUNY Levin Institute in Manhattan. 

City College Celebrates Black History Month
City College is celebrating Black History Month with several events on the campus and at the Center for Worker Education (CWE). Highlights include screenings of Spike Lee’s documentary “When the Levees Broke,” an exhibit by the Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels and lectures on the slave trade by writer-historian Dr.Sylviane Anna Diouf. Lee’s Emmy award-winning documentary examining the government’s response to Hurricane Katrina will kick-off the observance in the Hoffman Student Lounge on February 5. Subsequent screenings follow February 7 and 14 at the main campus and February 15, 22 and 29 at CWE, 25 Broadway in Lower Manhattan. CWE will also host a screening and discussion of “Roots of my Heart,” an independent movie by Gloria Rolando, Cuba’s only living black female filmmaker, February 23. Other events include motivational speaker Dennis Rahiim Watson discussing black love and a celebration of Dominican Independence Day led by the CCNY Salsa Mambo club. For a complete list of events, times and venues, contact the following: on campus, the Office of Student Life & Leadership Development at (212) 650.5002; at CWE, Deborah Edwards-Anderson at edwa@ccny.cuny.edu or (212) 925-6625, ext. 235. All events are free and open to the public.

Broadway, Film Director Arthur Penn to Deliver Dortort Lecture
Award-winning Broadway and film director Arthur Penn will present the “David Dortort Lecture in the Dramatic Arts: Stage, Film and Television” 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 26, in the Great Hall. Professor Jerry W. Carlson, Coordinator of Critical Studies in the Film & Video Program at CCNY and an Emmy nominated Senior Producer for CUNY-TV, will host the event, which is free and open to the public. Mr. Penn made his Broadway directorial in January 1958 with “Two for the Seesaw,” which ran for almost two years, followed by “The Miracle Worker” in 1959, which earned him a Tony Award. His productions of “Toys in the Attic”and “All the Way Home” (both 1960) received New York Drama Critics Circle Awards. Mr. Penn’s film directing credits include: “The Miracle Worker” (1962) and “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), both of which earned him Oscar nominations for best director, and “Alice’s Restaurant” (1969), for which he was nominated for best screenplay. The Dortort Lecture was endowed in 2005 by David Dortort, ’36, creator of classic TV westerns “Bonanza” and “The High Chaparral.” His wish was to bring to CCNY the most creative and talented writers, directors and other artists from stage, film and television. Call (212) 650-6145 or email events@ccny.cuny.edu to RSVP.

SAUDLA Holds Spring Lecture Series
The School of Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (SAUDLA), has announced its Spring 2008 Lecture Series. Entitled “Architecture: A Social Vision,” the series consists of six lectures and begins February 7. A list of dates, speakers and their topics follows: February 7: Kathryn Dean, Partner, Dean/Wolf Architects, New York, and Assistant Professor of Architecture, Columbia University, “Impact of Identity;” February 21: Martin Filler, architecture critic with Conde Nast publications, “Contemporary Architecture and Its Critics;” February 28: Peter Gluck, Principal, Peter L. Gluck & Partners, New York, “Fear of Architecture: A Problem of Process;” March 13: Evan Douglis, Principal, Evan Douglis Studio, and Chair of the Undergraduate School of Architecture at Pratt Institute, “Infinity Nets in an Era of Amnesia;” March 20: Herman Hertzberger, prominent Dutch architect and Professor Emeritus, Technical University of Delft, The Netherlands, “Social Space;” March 27: Amanda Burden, AICP, Chair of the New York City Planning Commission and Director of the Department of City Planning, “Shaping the City: A Strategic Blueprint for New York’s Future.” The series is sponsored by F.J. Sciame Construction Co. For additional information, call 212-650-7118. More on this story.

Nat Holman Gym Hosts CUNY Hoops Tournament
For the second consecutive year, the CUNY Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournament semifinal and final rounds will be held in CCNY’s Nat Holman Gymnasium. The Men’s semifinal rounds take place 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 19. The Women’s semifinal matches will be held 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. the following day. The championships will be decided in the final rounds Friday, February 22, with the ladies playing first at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men at 7:45 p.m. CUNY Athletic Conference Executive Director Zak Izkovic says CCNY was selected as the venue because the Nat Holman Gymnasium, which seats 2,000, is the largest facility in the conference. If the tournament draws a large turnout, the gym, which is located in the basement of Marshak Science Center, could become the tournament’s permanent home.

Richard Gomez Named Division III All America in Baseball
CCNY men’s baseball senior third baseman Richard Gomez was named to the NCAA Division III Second-Team All-America list. Gomez led the nation in runs batted in (1.75 per game) in 2007, ranked fourth in batting average (.463), 19th in slugging percentage (.748) and 25th in toughest to strike out (once in every 28.8 at-bats) in 2007. He was selected to the ABCA/Rawlings All-New York Region First Team after helping the Beavers (16-13, 11-7 CUNYAC) to a second-place finish in the City University of New York Athletic Conference Championships during his junior campaign. Gomez's cumulative totals on the season included four home runs; a team-high 39 runs scored and 49 RBIs.

Sustainable CCNY Holds Public Kickoff February 19
Sustainable CCNY, the multidisciplinary task force of faculty, administrators and students at The City College of New York charged with promoting sustainable practices at CCNY will hold a kickoff meeting for members of the College community 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 19, in The Great Hall. The session will consist of an overview presentation on the project, discussions about the 11 working groups and their objectives, and breakout sessions for the working groups to discuss their charges and set up future meetings. For additional information on Sustainable CCNY, visit http://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sustainable/. To join a working group, a sign-up form can be found at www.ccny.cuny.edu/sustainable/application.htm.

CUNY FIRST Presentations Announced for Administrative Staff
CCNY administrative staffers are urged to attend presentations this month to prepare for the advent of CUNY FIRST, the new computing platform that will replace SIMS, COPS and other mainframe-based management systems, beginning in July. The Information sessions are for all staff in the HEO series, Gittelsons, supervisors, directors and other administrators, such as IT associates and non-teaching adjuncts. Times, dates and locations follow: 3 p.m. Tuesday, February 5, Center for Worker Education; 10 a.m. Thursday, February 7, 10 a.m. Monday, February 25 and 2 p.m. Thursday, February, all in Aronow Theatre, North Academic Center. “We recommend that staff in other titles attend as well, since “everyone will interact to some degree with the new system,” said Michael Rogovin, CUNY FIRST Campus Executive for CCNY. “Technology aside, the way we do everything from conducting searches, reappointments, signing up for benefits, registering for courses, advising students, entering grades, paying bills, ordering goods, updating employee records, etc. will change. These changes will affect every member of the CUNY community, including faculty, staff and students,” Mr. Rogovin added. Participants should RSVP to (212) 650-6464 or cunyfirst@ccny.cuny.edu and give their first, second and third choice for which session they would like to attend.

Alumnus John Vig Chosen IEEE President-Elect
CCNY alumnus John Vig has been selected as president elect of IEEE. Dr. Vig, a member of the Class of 1964, who now lives in Colts Neck, N.J., will serve as the volunteer leader of the world’s largest technical professional association in 2009. Dr. Vig, who came to the United States in 1957 from his native Hungary, has been active in IEEE for over 30 years. Currently working as a consultant with System Planning Corp. and a technical adviser to SiTime Corp., a venture capital-funded startup, he spent 36 years in research and development at the U.S. Army Laboratory at Fort Monmouth, N.J. There he helped develop quartz crystal resonators for electronics applications including atomic clocks and sensors. In 2000 – 2001, he served as Founding President of the IEEE Sensors Council. In addition he has been an IEEE national Director and Vice President for Technical Activities. The holder of 55 patents, he has authored or co-authored more than 100 publications, including nine book chapters. “Without CCNY, I probably would not have a college education today, and, I definitely would not have been elected to high positions in the IEEE,” he said.

Evi Abeler, M.F.A. ’06, Exhibits Photos at German Consulate
Opening at the German consulate in Manhattan on February 11 for three weeks will be an exhibition of color photographs by 2006 M.F.A. graduate Evi Abeler titled “Family Project.”  The installation, open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, runs through March 6.  It comprises snapshots from German-born Ms. Abeler’s childhood juxtaposed with restaged photographs featuring her family today.  The viewer quickly discovers that much more is visible in the re-creations than the same old green bathroom tiles.  As time passed, childhood friends disappeared, grandparents perished and relationships became distant.  “Through the recreation of photographs I am looking to connect to the past as well as to my family and hope to gain insight into the many tangled layers of ever changing family relationships,” said Ms. Abeler.  The Manhattan resident, whose M.F.A. is in studio art, has exhibited her photography at the Kenkeleba Gallery and the Henry Street Settlement in New York and the Atlantic Center for the Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., where she was an artist-in-residence.  The German consulate is located at 871 United Nations Plaza (First Avenue at 49th Street). To attend the February 11 opening, held at 6 p.m., please RSVP to (212) 610-9759.

From the President

And speaking of looking good, I hope you have all had a chance to see – in fact, I don’t see how you could have missed them – the posters hanging around campus with the tag line “My college. My mission. We’re all CCNY.” I want to give special thanks to Prof. Nancy Tag from (where else?) CCNY’s very successful Ad/PR program for creating, with Lynn Appelbaum, this important campaign for all of us.

Finally – I want to extend my personal invitation to all of you to the February 26 David Dortort Lecture in the Dramatic Arts by film-maker Arthur Penn. After all – he made “Bonnie and Clyde”!

Gregory H. Williams

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