News and Notes
Commencement: Former presidential adviser and general officer on Joint Chiefs of Staff will address graduates David Gergen, a former presidential adviser and currently a professor of public service at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and director of its Center for Public Leadership, and Lt. Gen. Kathleen M. Gainey, a general officer on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an Old Dominion alumna, will address the university’s graduates during spring commencement exercises Saturday, May 9, at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Approximately 3,380 May and August graduates will be eligible to take part in the ceremonies. Gainey will address graduates of the colleges of Arts and Letters, Engineering and Technology and Health Sciences at the 9 a.m. ceremony, while Gergen will speak to graduates of the colleges of Business and Public Administration, Education and Sciences at the 2 p.m. program. Gergen served as director of communications for President Reagan and held positions in the administrations of Presidents Nixon and Ford. In 1993, he agreed to first serve as counselor to President Clinton on both foreign policy and domestic affairs, then as special international adviser to the president and to Secretary of State Warren Christopher. In addition to his current position at Harvard, Gergen is editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and a senior political analyst for CNN. In 2000, he published a best-selling book, “Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton.” Gainey received her commission as a second lieutenant through Army ROTC in 1978, upon her graduation from ODU with a bachelor’s degree in special education. Currently, she is the director for logistics, J-4, with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Her previous commands were in Ford Island, Hawaii; Fort Eustis, Va.; Bamberg, Germany; Cumberland, Pa.; and Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Among her many assignments was a stint as deputy chief of staff for resources and sustainment with the Multi-National Force - Iraq. Her awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster and Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster. Both of the speakers will receive honorary doctorates during the commencement exercises.
Tuition for in-state undergraduate students will increase by 5 percent, and for in-state graduate students by 5.1 percent. Combined with comprehensive fees, in-state undergraduate students will pay $7,080 for 30 credit hours in 2009-10, an increase of 5.8 percent. In-state graduate students will pay $8,350 for 24 credit hours, an increase of 5.7 percent. Room and board rates will increase an average of 5.5 percent, to $7,526. Out-of-state undergraduate students will see tuition and comprehensive fees rise by 6.3 percent, to $19,768, for 2009-10. Out-of-state graduate students will see an increase of 6.1 percent, to $20,494. Pending approval of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), the university, by 2012, will be able to instruct students from high school right through to the doctoral level in the rapidly expanding field of modeling and simulation. ODU hopes to offer freshman and sophomore years of the fully accredited program as early as the 2009-10 fall semester. Proponents of the program explained to the board that the Hampton Roads area has the potential to lead the world in modeling and simulation, provided the workforce is available and trained to fill openings in the rapidly expanding field. The “missing component” in the educational mix needed to expand the M&S workforce is the presence of an undergraduate modeling and simulation program, the proponents argued. The undergraduate M&S program would make use of faculty experts in all six colleges, although the degree awarded would be a bachelor’s of science from the engineering college. The Virginia Modeling, Analysis and Simulation Center would also play an active role in the program. The board also approved the reorganization of the Darden College of Education, effective July 1. The new structure increases the number of academic departments by one, and all of the departments will have new names. Among the many considerations in reorganizing the college were the development of administrative arrangements that would facilitate interdisciplinary-based collaborations, enrollment and the potential number of faculty in a department. In other action, the board:
Education equity advocate to give Wallenberg Humanitarian Lecture A long-time champion of education and social justice issues in America will give the Marc and Connie Jacobson Raoul Wallenberg Humanitarian Lecture Thursday, April 23, at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Jonathan Kozol is an award-winning author and advocate for education equity. In the middle of the U.S. civil rights movement in 1964 and 1965, Kozol moved from Harvard Square into a poor black neighborhood of Boston and became a fourth-grade teacher in the city’s public schools. “Death at an Early Age,” Kozol’s book describing his first year as a teacher, was published in 1967 and received the 1968 National Book Award in Science, Philosophy and Religion. He is also the author of “Rachel and Her Children,” a book about homeless mothers and their children, and “Savage Inequalities.” His 1995 bestseller, “Amazing Grace: The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation,” described his visits to the South Bronx, the poorest Congressional district in the United States. “Amazing Grace” received the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in 1996, an honor previously granted to the works of Langston Hughes and Martin Luther King. In his most recent book, “Letters to a Young Teacher,” Kozol draws on four decades of experience to guide the nation’s next generation of teachers into the complicated challenges, but also the “sheer joy and passionate rewards” of teaching as a profession. Kozol also is working to convince Congress and the president to radically revise the punitive aspects of No Child Left Behind. A Harvard graduate and Rhodes scholar, Kozol has been called “today’s most eloquent spokesman for America’s disenfranchised” by the Chicago Sun-Times. His talk, which is free and open to the public, starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room at the Constant Center. Back to top
Eligible classified employees may receive assistance for up to 15 credit hours per year: six credit hours for the fall semester, six for the spring semester and three for the summer sessions at the in-state rate. Eligible part-time classified employees and hourly employees are eligible to receive 75 percent of the benefit or less (prorated upon the hours worked per 40-hour week). Eligible faculty and faculty administrators will be awarded tuition support, not to exceed three credit hours per semester and three for the summer sessions at the in-state rate. The income cap for all tuition assistance programs is $89,000. The tuition assistance program for dependents and spouses of employees is not available in the summer but is offered for the fall and spring semesters. The policies are available on the Web at: www.odu.edu/af/humanresources/benefits. For general information and application forms go to: http://forms.odu.edu/browse.php?cat=4. For questions or more information call Natalie Watson at 683-4237. Back to top
The evening will begin with a reception and cash bar at 6 p.m., followed by the dinner and program at 6:30 in the Hampton/Newport News Room of Webb Center. The cost is $35. To be published this spring by Princeton University Press, Adam’s book presents nearly 100 questions that might occur to someone on a nature walk. He shows how to arrive at answers using mostly basic mathematics. Adam, who was a 2007 recipient of the SCHEV Outstanding Faculty Award, is known for his ability to make numbers interesting. His research has involved mathematical modeling and mathematical biology focused on tumor growth and wound healing. But with his popular writing he has explored a more whimsical side of mathematics and patterns. An earlier book, “Mathematics in Nature: Modeling Patterns in the Natural World,” won the Association of American Publishers Mathematics and Statistics Professional/Scholarly Award in 2004 and was one of Choice’s Outstanding Academic Titles for 2004. Kimberly Adams Tufts, associate professor of nursing and role coordinator for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, will receive the Friends of the ODU Libraries Outstanding Achievement Award. Tufts’ research led her to realize that African American women were rapidly overtaking Caucasian males regarding HIV incidence and prevalence. Thinking about what these women would need in order to live better, she began to form partnerships with others in the Hampton Roads community to promote self care and explore self-care patterns in African American women living with HIV. These partnerships, with colleagues from Eastern Virginia Medical School and AIDS services organizations, have set the stage for developing effective interventions for these women. Reservations for the dinner are due Thursday, April 23, and can be made by calling 683-4141. Back to top Physical Sciences II Building opening set for April 21 Two guest speakers will be on the program when Old Dominion officially opens the Physical Sciences II Building at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 21. The new wing is connected to the Oceanography and Physics Building, which will be called Physical Sciences I. Delivering remarks will be Hugh Montgomery, director of the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility in Newport News, and Roger McManus, vice president for marine programs with the Conservation International Foundation. A reception and tours of the building will follow the program. Back to top
Seat locations at Foreman Field will be determined based on the Big Blue Club’s priority point system and date of ticket purchase for non-Big Blue Club members. Full payment for tickets and a minimum payment of 50 percent of the annual Big Blue Club donation must be paid by May 1, with the balance of Big Blue Club pledges payable by Aug. 15. The priority point system is based on the level of donation, cumulative years of giving and season ticket history. Applicants who are awarded seats will be notified about seat selection dates in June. Donors to the Big Blue Club will receive priority parking, based on giving levels. To place an order, call 683-4444 or order online at www.odupsorts.com. For information about the Big Blue Club, call 683-6963. Back to top
As part of National Library Week (April 12-18), the ODU Libraries will collect new or gently used children’s books for children up to age 18. All of the books will be donated to the women and children of YWCA South Hampton Roads. Books may be donated at the reference desk on the first floor of Perry Library. For more information contact Marissa Jimenez at 683-4182 or mjimenez@odu.edu. Back to top
More than 425 vocalists and nearly 70 teachers attended the event, held at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music March 6-7. The competition was divided into 31 categories, which began at the high school level and advanced through the continuing education category, which had no age limit. Kerry Jennings serves as coordinator of ODU’s voice program. The university’s award winners were:
Among the winners of the adjudications performed at a recital on March 7 were:
The test involves a simple cheek swab and should take no more than 30 minutes for each person to register and be tested. For more information call 683-3359. Back to top
Members of the campus community can make repairs to their own bikes here or take advantage of free help from the staff. The shop is open noon to 6 p.m. and can be reached at 683-3389. Back to top
For details call 650-1275. Back to top
Co-hosted by Allied Command Transformation, in conjunction with the 2009 Azalea Festival’s most honored nation, the Czech Republic, the symposium is free and open to the public. It will bring together policymakers, academics and military officers from both sides of the Atlantic to explore how the alliance, using the tools of persuasion and inspiration, will help build a stable and peaceful international order in the 21st century. Acting President John Broderick and Gen. James Mattis, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, NATO, will deliver opening remarks at 9 a.m. Gen. John Reith, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, NATO, will give the keynote address at 9:15, “Political and Military Transformation of the Alliance – What Next?” followed by panel sessions and talks:
All attendees are invited to celebrate the symposium and the Czech Republic at a reception at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott Hotel at 6:15 p.m. Seating at the symposium is limited and early registration is recommended. To register, go to www.act.nato.int/azaleasymposium. Back to top
Guest speaker Gwen Lee-Thomas, assistant professor of educational leadership and counseling, will give a talk on “Generations in the Workplace,” which will address why today’s generation is so different from previous generations. “Researchers say that Millennials are smart, pressured, conventional, sheltered, team-oriented, confident and achievers,” Lee-Thomas says. “So, why the conflicts with older generations? If you’ve pondered this and similar questions, this presentation will offer a fun and interactive conversation.” The program will also include the installation of officers and presentation of the HACE Staff Member and Rookie of the Year awards. The cost for the luncheon only is $14. Current and new members can save $2 off the price of the combined cost of the luncheon and the $5 annual membership fee by paying $17. The buffet luncheon will include seasoned beef and chicken fajitas, refried beans, Spanish rice, dessert and drink. Checks, made payable to HACE, should go to treasurer Shawnda Green, 219 Koch Hall, by Friday, May 8. Back to top
The campaign kicked off last month and runs through May 8. All members of the campus community are encouraged to participate. In a March 23 letter to faculty and staff, campaign co-chairs Janet Katz (faculty) and Kwanza Hood (staff) said that all levels of participation can make an impact. “We, the faculty and staff of ODU, have adjusted our budgets and lifestyles a bit due to the economic status of our nation,” they wrote. “However, we continue to provide a quality educational experience for our students during these difficult times. These accomplishments are possible due to the dedication of ODU’s close-knit community of faculty, staff, students and loyal alumni. “Your support is more important than ever as we face budget cuts and work to find ways to supplement the state budget shortfall.” The goals this year are the same as last year: $236,355 in donations and 975 donors. In light of the economy, CCC representatives and co-chairs decided not to increase the goals from last year. Instead, they are expecting to maintain the success of last year’s 47 percent participation rate. Those who made a gift to the campaign last year were treated recently with a Nestle Crunch bar to thank them and to underscore the budget crunch ODU is currently experiencing. Gifts may be made via payroll deduction, check or credit card, and designated for university priorities (unrestricted funds), athletic priorities or “other.” Contributions in the “other” category may be targeted, for example, to a college or department, the library, a specific sports program, a specific academic or athletic scholarship, or the Alumni Association. Employees who contribute $100 or more will automatically be entered in a contest to win a paid reserved parking space for one year. Also at the end of the campaign, an ice cream party will be awarded to the two offices or areas with the highest participation rates. The volunteer coordinators are: Osman Akan, Debra Bell, Judy Bowman, Evette Brooks, Ann Campbell, Katrina Davenport, Rick Fisher, Bill Heffelfinger, Kwanza Hood, Janet Katz, Pat King, Donna Meeks, Carlisa Merritt, Rick Minney, John Nunnery, Bob Olson, Dawn Richardson, Angela Rioux, Mike Sachon, Lisa Sisson, Brandi Valet, Anita Wiggins-Bailey and Kathy Williamson. Back to top
The third annual “Taste of India” festival,” which is free and open to the public, will highlight the culture, politics and history of India through live musical and dance performances, video displays, ethnic Indian foods and a wide variety of exhibits and booths. In addition, teams from several universities, including ODU, will compete in a Bhangra dance contest. Bhangra is a traditional Punjabi folk dance. According to Vinod Agarwal, professor of economics and organizer of the event, “Taste of India” is one of the largest Asian Indian festivals in Virginia. “We had more than 7,000 attendees last year and we expect more than 10,000 this year,” he said. The Asian Indian community plays an important role in the Hampton Roads region, Agarwal added, contributing $140 million annually to the local economy. “This community is represented by over 140 physicians, 50 Ph.D. scientists and engineers, many hotel and small-business owners and numerous software and IT professionals,” he said. “Old Dominion alone has 28 professors of Asian Indian descent.” For more information about the event visit www.tasteofindiahr.org or contact Agarwal at vagarwal@odu.edu. Back to top
Dr. Arthur A. Kirk is a retired orthopedic surgeon from Portsmouth with a wide array of interests. So when Kirk thought he might make a large donation to Old Dominion, he wanted to make sure his gift would have a unique and lasting impact. Kirk has donated $100,000 to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering for a very specific purpose. The gift will fund educational and research opportunities for faculty and students in a very specific area – looking at how to limit damaging floods from the Blackwater River in low-lying Franklin, Va. “I spent a lot of time in Franklin when I was younger,” Kirk said recently, during an interview in the Portsmouth home where he’s lived for more than 50 years. “It’s a great place. I have a lot of memories. My father ran a sawmill in the area.” Kirk’s late son Bill was a graduate of ODU in civil and environmental engineering. His daughter-in-law Pamela Kirk, a 1988 graduate, sits on the university’s Board of Visitors, and is a member of the Administration and Finance, and Student Advancement committees. Just a few years ago, Kirk donated a large parcel of land adjacent to the Blackwater River to the Virginia Nature Conservancy. Ironically, it’s among the pieces of land that could be protected from flooding by the research ODU will do. Professor Gary Schafran, chair of the civil and environmental engineering department, said Kirk’s donation is much appreciated. “His contribution reflects his philanthropy and interest in scientific issues.” This is the first individual gift that will fund its own research project under ODU’s civil and environmental engineering department. “The grant will be used to support graduate students and faculty in the collection of watershed, meteorological and hydrological data for the Blackwater River and its watershed,” Schafran said. The project may start as early as this summer, with data collection to occur over the next six to nine months. In 1999, in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd, the Blackwater River reached a historical crest of 26.4 feet, submerging much of downtown Franklin under as much as 12 feet of water. More than 175 businesses and 150 homes were damaged. The devastation was revisited in 2004, when a rainstorm caused the Blackwater River to crest close to 23 feet. ODU researchers want to study hydrologic and hydraulic data to determine how studies can be designed and conducted to identify options for addressing flooding in the Franklin area, as well as the upstream and downstream areas that impact the hydraulic response of the system. Follow-up studies will evaluate alternative flood-mitigation strategies for the city of Franklin. Schafran said the stakes could not be higher. “Both floods were the result of remnants of hurricanes that passed over the Blackwater River watershed. With the anticipation that hurricane activity and severity may increase with global climate change, there is the potential that these extreme events may occur more frequently,” he said. Kirk says he’s happy to help out any way he can. “I’ve been up there at times when the water is very high. It’s tough, there’s no outlet for the floodwater,” he said. “I wanted them to try to find a way to help.” Back to top
Bill Portlock, Senior Educator for the Bay with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and an award-winning nature photographer, will deliver Old Dominion’s annual Lytton J. Musselman Natural History Lecture on Thursday, April 16. The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 7 p.m. in the Mills Godwin Jr. Building auditorium. Portlock, a Norfolk native and ODU alumnus who now lives in Caroline County in north central Virginia, has worked for three decades as a naturalist and field biologist. Before joining the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in 1981, he served as a state park naturalist and curator with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation. Photos taken by Portlock have appeared in numerous publications, including the foundation’s Save the Bay magazine, as well as in several books such as “Chesapeake: Exploring the Water Trail of Captain John Smith,” written by John Page Williams and published by National Geographic Books in 2007. The Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History is featuring an exhibition of 40 of Portlock’s photos through April 26 at its Jamestown, N.Y., facility. He will present a slide show of around 150 of his photos during the ODU lecture. A short audio-visual program on the Chesapeake Bay’s environmental health will also be part of the lecture. The Virginia Museum of Natural History Foundation, in association with the Smithsonian Institution, honored Portlock in 2005 with the Thomas Jefferson Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Natural Science Education. The citation commended his “inspiring, lifetime work as an environmental educator and bay naturalist.” Portlock has led hundreds of politicians and policymakers on field trips to give them firsthand knowledge about the Chesapeake Bay. His field investigations and courses have been attended by more than 5,000 teachers and school administrators, and 75,000 students. He often uses his photos in his educational programs. Portlock became an accomplished photographer during his years pursuing a biology degree at ODU. More recently, he has focused on hunting for images on river banks, beaches and marshes where the water meets the land. “I try to capture that critical moment in animals’ lives without intruding on them,” he said, “to capture that and share it with people and get them to go experience it for themselves. Then, armed with greater knowledge and appreciation for the natural world, they will become better stewards of the Earth. ” Lytton Musselman, the Mary Payne Hogan Professor of Botany at ODU and for whom the lecture series is named, was one of Portlock’s instructors nearly four decades ago. Musselman remembers Portlock as an “absolutely enthusiastic field biologist,” and someone who proves ODU success in training field biologists. This is the sixth annual lecture in the series, which is supported by an endowment. The effort to build the endowment was led by Michael Pitchford, an ODU alumnus and former biology student, who now serves as president and chief executive officer of Community Preservation and Development Corp. in Washington, D.C., and supported by a substantial gift from Pitchford and his wife, Sue, also an ODU graduate. Back to top
Old Dominion’s Strategic Planning Committee will host two open forums this month for members of the campus community to hear and comment on the first draft of the Strategic Plan for 2009-14. The forums are scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 28, in 1012 Batten Arts and Letters Building, and 3-5 p.m. Wednesday, April 29, in 1005 Constant Hall. The strategic planning process provides the university an opportunity to review progress on its current Strategic Plan and chart a direction for the next five-year period and beyond. The committee has gathered input from multiple constituencies, including the faculty, Board of Visitors, students, staff and members of the external community. Provost Carol Simpson and Ken Daley, professor of art, serve as co-chairs of the Strategic Plan Executive Task Force. The principal themes behind the new plan are:
For more information about the strategic planning process visit the Web site www.odu.edu/ao/sp.
With the company poised to become a leading player in the rapidly expanding field of electronic surveillance, ipConfigure has set up its global sales office at Innovation Research Park @ Old Dominion University to take advantage of its proximity to the ODU Vision Lab, also located at IRP, and the ready pool of well-trained, enthusiastic workers who are just a few minutes away from the company’s door. ipConfigure develops software to manage large-scale video surveillance systems. What makes the company’s operations unique is that ipConfigure uses readily available “off-the-rack” camera technology and creates software and monitoring methods that enable thousands of cameras to be managed through a computer and an Internet connection. ipConfigure, which has sold more than 60,000 IP (Internet Protocol) camera software licenses, moved into the Norfolk area from its Houston headquarters in 2008. Negotiations with Innovation Research Park @ ODU, located in Old Dominion’s University Village, started last year. Thomas Osha, IRP president and CEO, said companies such as ipConfigure are why IRP was built in the first place. “ipConfigure’s multidimensional relationship with ODU is a perfect example of the university-private sector collaboration Innovation Research Park @ ODU fosters,” Osha said. Uiterwyk agreed that ODU was the ideal partner for his company’s projected growth. Uiterwyk, himself, is an ODU graduate – in management information systems – and most of his key staff are fellow alumni: senior software developer Jeffrey Patterson, national sales manager Brade Stice, sales and marketing coordinator Bethany Messier and graphic designer Sami McLenegan. “It’s a company run by alumni, hiring graduates, creating internships for students, leveraging research, and taking advantage of the amenities of the campus and the University Village,” Osha said. Uiterwyk has lots of ideas about how to collaborate with ODU, including using the campus as a test model for surveillance camera technology, even running security seminars for other colleges and universities. Early in March, ipConfigure conducted a three-day course, IP Video Surveillance University, which was attended by other school and city officials, and technical experts in the field. The attendees heard a presentation from scientists from the ODU Vision Lab, who talked about the applicability of facial recognition technology in surveillance cameras. “We certainly want to build on the expertise that already exists here. We’d love to make Hampton Roads the center of video surveillance technology,” Uiterwyk said. The Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance was involved in the negotiations to bring ipConfigure to Innovation Research Park @ ODU. “ipConfigure is a significant and impressive addition to ODU’s Innovation Research Park and one that HREDA is proud to have been involved with,” said Alliance president and CEO Darryl Gosnell. “Not only did the region score with ipConfigure’s decision to locate its global sales office in Norfolk, we retained locally educated talent. That is how regions thrive.” Larry Lombardi, business development manager – technology, for the city of Norfolk Department of Development, is excited about ipConfigure’s potential for growth in the video surveillance field. “ipConfigure is a company with tremendous upside in growth and job creation which is compatible with the city of Norfolk’s goal of building and sustaining a technology-based economy in the 21st century,” Lombardi said. Back to top
Dance Theatre concert set for April 16-18 Guest artists, ODU dance faculty and students will contribute their creative choreography. The concert is scheduled for 8 p.m. each day, with an additional performance at 2 p.m. on April 18, at the University Theatre. Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for general admission. “Women of Lockerbie” comes to Stables Theatre The play tells the story of a group of women from Lockerbie, Scotland, who are fighting the U.S. government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the wreckage of Pan Am Flight 103. Determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, they want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victims’ families. “The Women of Lockerbie” is loosely inspired by a true story, although the characters and situations are fictional. A poetic drama, the play is written in the structure of a Greek tragedy. Performances are scheduled for 8 p.m. April 16-18 and 21-25, and 2:30 p.m. April 18 and 25. Tickets are $10 for students and $15 for general admission. Chuck Redd to perform with John Toomey Trio Redd began performing internationally when he joined the Charlie Byrd Trio in 1980 at the age of 21. He has since toured with Mel Torme and his All-Star Jazz Quintet, and is featured on more than 50 recordings. Redd can be heard on the sound track to the popular PBS television series, “The Great Chefs,” and the NPR broadcast “Jazz Smithsonian.” Opera workshops on tap “Letter to Warsaw,” by Thomas Pasatieri, will be performed at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 26. It is co-sponsored by the ODU Institute for Jewish Studies and Interfaith Understanding. “Cosi fan tuti” will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 30, and Thursday, May 2. Both opera workshops will take place in Chandler Recital Hall at the Diehn Center. Tickets are $5 for students and $10 for general admission. Music groups in concert
The forum, which will be held in Webb Center, is free and open to the public. Those attending are asked to be in their seats by 6:45 p.m.; Kaine’s talk will begin at 7. Renew Virginia, which was launched late in 2008 by Kaine, calls for legislative and executive actions to make the state a leader in energy conservation/efficiency and in protecting the environment. The initiative seeks to create “green” jobs to promote economic recovery along with the protection of natural resources. The Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, which is headquartered at ODU and includes scientists and engineers from other state universities, is studying several “green” technologies that could be cornerstones of Renew Virginia. One such technology involves the production of biodiesel fuel from algae. Others involve harnessing wind and wave power. Because seating is limited for Blue Planet Forum events, advance registration is recommended by phone at 622-1964 or by Internet at www.cbf.org/blueplanet. The forum is sponsored by Nauticus, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and ODU. Its mission is to educate and engage the public on important environmental issues facing Hampton Roads and the nation. Back to top
In its first year as a competitive event showcasing independent films, the Old Dominion University - City of Norfolk (ONFilm) Festival made quite a splash on campus and nearby venues March 25-28, screening more than 30 top independent films from around the world and hosting an appearance by Academy Award-winning actor Richard Dreyfuss. Dreyfuss, who kicked off the festival the evening of March 25, spoke to an audience of more than 700 at the Ted Constant Convocation Center. Decrying the state of civics education in American schools, he said, “The idea that we will raise a generation of children who don’t understand the gifts that America has created and the uniqueness of its statehood is something that I cannot accept and will not accept.” Dreyfuss stayed long after his on-stage “conversation” with WHRO’s Cathy Lewis, talking to audience members during a Q&A session and signing autographs. Waiting for the program to start, ODU alumnus Bruce Rogers remarked, “I grew up with ‘Jaws’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind.’ This is great.” Surveying the room with his wife, Debbie, the couple agreed that the ONFilm Festival promised to be a wonderful event. “We’re both ODU grads, and it’s great to see this much activity at ODU,” Bruce said. Director Stephen Israel, the festival chair who cast Kevin Spacey as the lead character in the 1994 independent film “Swimming with Sharks,” thus launching the actor’s career, screened every film submitted for the competition. He said the festival offered “a really representative variety of what independent films can deliver. “These are great films that you just won’t see anywhere else.” He added that he hopes the festival, which grew significantly in its first 11 years as a retrospective event, will act as a stimulus to the film industry in the area. “Pinhas,” a short film from Israel about a 9-year-old boy from a Russian family who must make a difficult choice, won the top prize at the festival, the Grand Jury Award. “The Last Days of Shishmaref,” a documentary about a small Alaskan Eskimo island community that may disappear in as little as 10 years due to climate change, won awards for both Best Documentary and Best Environmental Film. A Spanish drama about factory workers in Barcelona, “Under the Snow,” won Best Feature, and the British film “Gone Fishing,” the touching story of a boy and old man coming to terms with bereavement, won the award for Best Short. The festival also featured screenings, followed by panel discussions, of the films “Mother of All” and “Revolution ’67,” together billed as “From Africa to America: 2 Visions of Identity in the 21st Century.” In addition, the festival included a film industry career day, plus the third annual Stephen E. Konikoff Student Filmmaker Awards program. The winning student film in the fiction category was “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” by Joel Budgen, a wacky romp about a troublemaking hand. In nonfiction, Trevor Banks won for his documentary “Through Homeless Eyes,” a touching and very real portrait of two homeless men in Norfolk, Victor and Jimmy. Film festival director Lane Dare, reflecting on the whirlwind four days of the festival, said, “I think it has delivered in terms of programming what it promised to deliver. In terms of excitement from the participants involved, it couldn’t have been better.” Back to top
But Doug Alexander, acting director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, said the occasional friendly reminder doesn’t hurt. “We’ve done Earth Day activities before where we’ve organized big activities and meetings – and we haven’t had much participation,” Alexander said. So this year, organizers are commandeering the common areas of Webb Center on Tuesday, April 21, where on- and off-campus exhibitors will demonstrate their green initiatives to students during the mid-day activity hour. Groups that are promoting efforts on the actual Earth Day the next day, such as a creek cleanup being organized by Alexander’s office, can recruit volunteers with their Webb Center displays. Outside vendors that have signed on to participate include Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., Keep Norfolk Beautiful, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Green Alternatives and Synergy Recycling. Groups from ODU that will set up displays include the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, Sustainability Institute, Facilities Management, Dining Services, Student National Environmental Health Association, Go Green Committee and the environmental health and safety office. Alexander said the Earth Day event is also valuable because it lets students and staff know about things that are already being done on campus. “There are all kinds of positive examples,” he said. “One of the biggest is the rainwater collection system on the surface of Forman Field. It helps water plants all around the stadium.” For more information about Earth Day activities on campus, call 683-4495. Back to top
Laroussi’s invention, the cold plasma pencil, which looks something like a small light saber, will be featured in the program. Researchers at ODU are studying germ-killing applications of the hand-held device. The crew also video-recorded Laroussi's cold plasma cloak, which someday could shield potential targets such as aircraft from radar and certain weapons systems. All of the demonstrations for the cameras were performed at ODU’s Laser and Plasma Engineering Institute, which Laroussi directs. Motion Picture Production Inc., of Santa Monica, Calif., has contracted with the History Channel to produce “Science Impossible” segments. Director Matt Irving was particularly interested in Laroussi’s recent discovery that the cold plasma plume that shoots out of the pencil body is composed of many tiny pellets, and not a continuous gaseous flow. Irving video-recorded slow-motion computer screen images of the pellets. Laroussi has been a pioneer in the generation and bio-application of cold plasma that is cool enough to pass a finger through even though it packs enough wallop to kill bacteria. – Jim Raper Back to top
The survey was conducted last summer, and since that time the university has experienced budget reductions and a change in leadership. The purpose of the presentation is to report on the initial findings from the survey and to generate discussion about recommendations for improving the QUL so that reports can be finalized. Once the recommendations from the town hall meetings have been compiled and added to the QUL results, full reports and survey result tables will be posted on the Office of Institutional Resarch and Assessment’s Web page and may be accessed via Midas login. Additional town hall meetings will be held in the next few weeks for teaching and research faculty, administrative and professional faculty, and for hourly employees. The times and locations for these sessions were not available by press time. Classified employees are encouraged to attend the April 10 meeting; they should notify their supervisors about attending the session. Supervisors are encouraged to allow release time for their employees to attend, provided offces have adequate coverage. Back to top
Each year, the institute offers faculty members the chance to share, reflect, analyze and learn from one another on the subject of what works (and sometimes, what doesn’t work) when integrating technology into the teaching and learning process. This year’s CLT institute, Web 2.0: Social Media and ODU, focuses on social media and on the technologies that students are using to communicate at home, at work and at school. On Monday afternoon, May 18, a pre-institute Technology Fair will offer examples of the new technologies that a number of faculty members have been utilizing in their courses. Refreshments will be served, and guests are encouraged to mingle among recent Faculty Innovator Grant recipients, online course developers, social media implementers and others to observe and discuss the various highlighted projects. (Faculty members who would like to share stories of any technology that has worked well in their courses should contact Susan Boze at sboze@odu.edu.) On Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, May 19 and 20, guests are invited to participate in a series of seminars which define Web 2.0 and social media to help determine what applications these popular media may have in the academic arena. A panel of students will discuss the ways that they use social media. Institute participants can also take part in a “speed dating” event, at which they will be introduced to a variety of different social media. The legal and ethical issues raised by the use of social networks (including privacy, data mining and intellectual property) will also be addressed. In the afternoons, a series of brief hands-on workshops will be held in the CyberLoft in Webb Center, offering faculty members an opportunity to try out a variety of social media (including wikis, blogs, virtual worlds, and photo and audio sharing) and determine what applications they may have in their teaching and research efforts. Participants will enjoy continental breakfasts and luncheons on Tuesday and Wednesday. Door prizes will be awarded at various times during both the Technology Fair and the Summer Institute. Participants may attend all or any portion of the institute. More information is available at http://clt.odu.edu/si. To register, visit http://clt.odu.edu/facdev. So that CLT can get an accurate count of participants for food and door prizes, participants should register for each day that they plan to attend. For more information, write clt@odu.edu or phone Boze at 683-3172. Back to top
– “Fox News’s mad, apocalyptic, tearful rising star” “Think short term – in baby steps. Save paycheck to paycheck, instead of hoping for a windfall.” (Leona Tam, assistant professor of marketing) – “Best way to save: One day at a time” “We have a lot of sunshine, a lot of water, and algae grows profusely in the Chesapeake Bay. Virginia is really well primed for an algae-to-biofuel initiative.” (Patrick Hatcher, professor of chemistry and biochemistry ) – “Creating ‘green’ jobs” “One of us looked at the other and said, ‘Why don’t we start a computer consulting business?’ And the other one said yes.” (Ken Ampy ’90, Board of Visitors member, recalling a conversation with his college roommate, Sam Young Jr., 23 years ago) – “MBL honors owners of Richmond’s Astyra Corp.” “You’ve got to give it time to work. It’ll affect the market. The question is: Is it enough? Is it enough to stabilize prices? And is it enough to turn prices around? I think it’s directed to stabilize prices in the housing market.” (Gil Yochum, professor of economics, on President Obama’s plan to slow the tide of home foreclosures) – “Area foreclosures keep rising over 2008” “We have 15 spring practices and about 25 more beginning in August before we play. Football at ODU is not that far away anymore.” (Bobby Wilder, football coach) – “Monarchs open spring drills today with 15 practices set” “We’re looking for a different kind of person, somebody who has a level of familiarity with a YouTube or MySpace. You still need to reach traditional audiences in traditional ways, but you also have to face the fact that a 20-year-old may never see something in the Wall Street Journal.” (John Broderick, acting president) – “Streaming media” “Virginia’s economy is doing a little better – it’s not doing great, don’t get me wrong – but it’s doing better than the U.S.” (Vinod Agarwal, professor of economics) – “Hampton Roads unemployment hits 6.7 percent” “We were happy to get the rights to do the show. It teaches us acceptance and that you don’t have to be afraid to be different. It’s very heartwarming.” (Hugh Copeland, adjunct faculty, communication and theatre arts, on the Hurrah Players’ upcoming performance of “The Ugly Duckling”) – “‘Honk!’: Ugly duckling’s story entertains with a message” “Statistically, France is lucky. As for why Germany and Finland have suffered more mass gun violence, I don’t think anyone knows.” (Aaron Karp, instructor of political science) – “Massacre raises issue of gun control in Europe”
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