May 2010

Twitter poetry contest winners announced at fifth anniversary of university's principles of community reception

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A reception was held in April to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the signing of Virginia Tech's Principles of Community and to announce the winners of the related Twitter poetry contest.

Green500 List asks for submissions in its ranking of energy-efficient supercomputers

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The next submission deadline for the Green500 List, which ranks the most energy-efficient supercomputers in the world, will be June 7.

Virginia Tech history published online

Fri, 28 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

OK, you think you're an astute fan of Virginia Tech. You know the evolution of the university's mascot, the HokieBird. You can recount unusual etymology of the hoki-name. But, who was the first academic dean? What was the score of this fledgling college's first football game? What is the origin of the class ring tradition?

New 'tree of life' established by researchers for one of the largest groups of bacteria

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A new "tree of life" has been constructed by researchers at the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech for the gamma-proteobacteria, a large group of medically and scientifically important bacteria.

Hokies on the Hill internship program propels students to pursue careers in public service

Thu, 27 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

"It has taken everything I've learned, both in class and extracurricular, and thrown it all together for an amazing semester."

Powe Award supports development of nanocomposites to monitor wind turbine blade structure

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Gary D. Seidel, assistant professor of aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has received a Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award to support development of a carbon nanotube-enhanced composite for structural health monitoring sensors to improve the resiliency of huge wind turbine blades.

Extension, College of Natural Resources offer course on wildlife-related income options for forest landowners

Wed, 26 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Many options are available to forest landowners who want to earn supplemental income from their property.

Hahn Horticulture Garden offers a taste of the islands at the sixth annual Garden Gala

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Virginia Tech's Hahn Horticulture Garden will be transformed into a tropical paradise for the sixth annual Garden Gala on June 12 from 5:30 to 9 p.m., at the garden on Washington Street on the university's campus.

Heather Evans named director of Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Tue, 25 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Heather Evans of Blacksburg has been appointed director of Fraternity and Sorority Life at Virginia Tech.

Virginia Bioinformatics Institute installs hybrid-core computing platform

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Harold "Skip" Garner, executive director of Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech, says he pays close attention to the DNA of high-performance computing (HPC).

Student awarded Fulbright to study tuberculosis in Africa

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Graduate Student Bonnie Fairbanks has been awarded a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to pursue her research in Botswana studying tuberculosis in mongoose populations.

Stephen Sundlof joins Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine

Mon, 24 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Stephen F. Sundlof , director of the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has accepted a two-year assignment with the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine, part of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, to expand its programs related to food safety and security.

Heather Riley Chadwick named marketing and communications director of new Center for the Arts

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Heather Riley Chadwick has been named marketing and communications director of the Center for the Arts at Virginia Tech.

Ambulance donated by General Federation of Women's Clubs of Virginia benefits Virginia Tech Rescue Squad

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A two-year fundraising drive by the General Federation of Women's Clubs of Virginia (GFWC) recently culminated in the organization presenting Virginia Tech's student-run rescue squad with a new ambulance.

University celebrates 3 millionth rider with Blacksburg Transit

Fri, 21 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As students unloaded the Tom's Creek bus along the Drillfield on the morning of Tuesday, April 27, each student was handed an envelope. Inside one was a special ticket recognizing the recipient as the honorary 3 millionth Blacksburg Transit rider for the year.

Bev Watford named as interim head of engineering education program at Virginia Tech

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Bevlee Watford, associate dean of academic affairs at Virginia Tech's College of Engineering, has been named interim department head of the college's engineering education department.

College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences dean to premiere new play in Czech Republic

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sue Ott Rowlands, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences at Virginia Tech, will take her new one-woman play "fig. 1" to the Prague Fringe Festival for a nine-show run from May 28-June 5. The play will make its world premiere at Divadlo Inspirace (Inspiration Theatre), which is in the Mala Strana district of Prague.

Virginia Bioinformatics Institute, partners receive $1.45 million award for plant protection in developing countries

Thu, 20 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

A research collaboration led by a professor from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute at Virginia Tech will work to develop methods to protect agriculturally important crops in developing countries from devastating attacks from plant pathogens with the support of a $1.45 million award from the Basic Research to Enable Agricultural Development (BREAD) program sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Center for Space Science and Engineering Research receives continued support with third $15,000 donation from VPT Inc.

Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Blacksburg-based company VPT Inc. has donated $15,000 to the Virginia Tech College of Engineering's Center for Space Science and Engineering Research, commonly referred to as the Space@VT program. It is the third such donation from VPT in four years, bringing the total to $45,000.

Genomes of citrus canker pathogens decoded

Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

An international team of scientists from Brazil and the United States have completed the draft genome sequences of two strains of the Xanthomonas bacteria that cause citrus canker.

Virginia Tech, Town of Blacksburg team to present Summer Arts Festival 2010, lineup announced

Wed, 19 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The 19th annual Summer Arts Festival, a joint effort by the Virginia Tech School of Performing Arts and Cinema and the Town of Blacksburg, announces its lineup of concerts, movies, theatre, festivals, and art exhibits.

Karen Till named Association of American Geographers National Councilor

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Karen Till, associate professor of urban affairs and planning, and government and international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, has been elected a Association of American Geographers (AGG) National Councilor.

Milestone notes progress on first parking deck

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

In April, the final piece of precast concrete was set into place on Virginia Tech's new parking garage located in the former Perry Street lot, marking a significant milestone towards the completion of the 1,300-parking-space, $26 million project.

Growers Academy helps farmers, growers break new ground

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The new Growers Academy offered by VT EarthWorks helps people in the region break into farming.

University statement on U.S. Department of Education findings

Tue, 18 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

On January 21, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) notified Virginia Tech President Charles Steger in a preliminary report subsequent to university actions on the morning of April 16, 2007, that it found the university in violation of the federal law, The Clery Act, which requires a "timely warning" to a campus upon knowledge of certain crimes committed on the campus.

Summer programs, renovations keep campus busy

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

As spring semester draws to a close, Virginia Tech is gearing up for orientation sessions, renovations, and summer conferences that will take place during the university's first summer session, which runs from May 24 through July 1, and second summer session, which will take place from July 6 through Aug. 12.

Counterterrorism expert Joshua Sinai joins Virginia Tech Center for Technology, Security, and Policy

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Joshua Sinai recently joined the Center for Technology, Security, and Policy as associate professor/research.

ACC grant to help fund Virginia Tech student research focused on global security in Europe

Mon, 17 May 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Atlantic Coast Conference has awarded a grant under its International Academic Collaborative to help support Virginia Tech students in conducting independent research focused on a global security topic in Europe.

Kelly A. Parkes receives 2010 XCaliber Award