A Matter of Interest -- OSU Scientists Create Substance Predicted by Einstein
In the early 1920s, world-renowned scientists Albert Einstein and Satyendra Nath Bose predicted a new form of matter. Eighty years later, a group of OSU scientists and students, led by assistant physics professor Gil Summy, has created the material known as Bose-Einstein Condensation. It's a first for Oklahoma, and the OSU team is one of only three in the world that has created the matter using an all-optical method. The older, more cumbersome and more expensive method uses heavy magnets and lots of electrical power. Summy says the OSU experiment proved the optical method is viable. He says this area of research may have military applications that include creating "gravitational maps" of the earth so that U.S. Navy submarines would not have to depend on external navigation signals and other methods that leave them vulnerable to detection. The matter was first created in 1995 by a group of Colorado scientists who went on to claim the Noble Prize in physics. Summy says having this type of research at OSU will mean plenty of opportunities for additional grant funding and for Oklahoma students to work in this exciting new area.
You can read more about this research at http://www2.okstate.edu/pio/summy.html
Ridership on 'The Bus' Growing
Ridership of "The Bus" for both on- and off-campus routes has increased 123% since the beginning of the fall 2004 semester. Hugh E. Kierig, OSU Parking and Transit Services Manager, says that since August 23, on- and off-campus ridership has averaged 2,824 riders per day and that an all-time high of 3,004 riders occurred on September 1. This compares to ridership one year ago that averaged 1,238 passengers per day. He attributes it to more routes, new bus stop signs and expanded evening service to the community. In case you don't know, "The Bus" is our local transit system, as opposed to "BOB," the buses that take you to OSU-Tulsa. You can read more at http://www2.okstate.edu/pio/ridership.html
Parent's Association Announces Scholarship/Award Program
The OSU Parents Association has announced a student scholarship and faculty/awards program for outstanding faculty, staff and students. For more info, call Kent Sampson or Marie Basler at 744-5488. Applications and nomination forms are available at the Campus Life information desk at 062 Student Union. Deadline is Sept. 27. Amounts are a $500 scholarship for students, a $500 award for faculty and $250 awards for professional and classified staff. One of each will be presented during Parents Weekend Oct. 2.
'Three-Peat' in National Competition for Chemical Engineers
OSU chemical engineering students have won first-place for the third time in the 10-year history of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers' National Team Plant Design Competition. Ashley Price, Shelby Hutchens and Megan Burns completed their entry as a 30-day, outside-of-class project assigned last spring as part of the school’s senior design course. The course is taught by professors Jan Wagner and Robert Whiteley. The students’ technical paper detailed their concept for an economically viable process for conversion of 20-year-old bio-hazardous waste extracted from salt caverns into a safer, less volatile substance. The conversion's by-product is ethanol, so the students demonstrated that a company could use it, not only to clean up a site in Louisiana and avert pending federal fines, but also to generate a profit.
OSU in the News!
Lots of OSU news in the metropolitan media this past week and weekend about the OSU System record enrollment, Orange Peel, the game, the Colvin Center dedication and in the Sunday Oklahoman - an interview with Dr. Stephen McKeever, OSU Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer. McKeever was featured in the business section. OSU alumnus Boone Pickens also was quizzed about high oil prices. Pickens says America will never see cheap oil prices again.
'Born Again' Candid Campus Returning to the Airwaves
Speaking of the Colvin Center, the facility will be featured on television Sept. 20 when a program that highlights the state's colleges and universities returns to the airwaves. "Candid Campus," last seen about two decades ago, is born again as a new and much "peppier" and more interesting program that will air at 10 p.m., Mondays on OETA. The program is produced by the Higher Education Alumni Council of Oklahoma and OSU's Educational Television Services.
Service Learning Fair Scheduled
OSU's Service Learning Volunteer Center will hold its ninth Service Learning Fair and Thank You Reception Sept. 16 for all faculty, staff, and students who have been or are interested in community service. The fair will is scheduled from 1 – 4 p.m. in the Student Union Atrium. Everyone is welcome to attend. Refreshments will be served and door prizes awarded. For more information, call 744-5145.
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