Students Develop Adaptive Equipment to Expand Use of Computers and the Internet Among the Elderly
May 11, 2008
(Auburn, N.Y.) Bright ideas, solid research and teamwork won four students from The Laurel Hill School, East Setauket, New York, a spot as finalists in the Christopher Columbus Awards, a nationwide program that challenges middle-school students to explore opportunities for positive change in their communities. Sixth-grader Laurence Caradonna, seventh-graders S. Aleksander Caradonna, Marena Elle Minelli and Sarah Parente, and their coach, William Schmidt, made it to the semifinals earlier this month, and now are one of eight finalist teams in the country to compete for the grand prize—the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant.
With computers and the Internet playing a central role in their daily lives, the students wondered why the senior citizens with whom they interact—grandparents, other relatives and friends they have made through volunteer work—don’t make use of these vital technologies. They learned from the American Medical Association that 75 percent of people over the age of 60 are afraid of or have no interest in using computers. Considering the fact that the same study suggests that seniors who use computers are more independent, feel more connected to society and tend to suffer less depression than those who do not, the student team determined that efforts must be made to expand the use of computers and the Internet among the elderly.
The students worked with the County Office for the Aging, State Veterans’ Home and several Atria Assisted Living Residences to reach out to senior citizens in their area. First, they surveyed seniors about their current computer use and the specific challenges they have encountered in using computers and the Internet. Next, they trained seniors to use the IN2L (“It’s Never Too Late”) computer system, a $60,000 adaptive computer system that addresses the needs of senior computer users. It was a hit. The student team then developed its own adaptive computer system. While based on the IN2L, the $5,000 the student model is far more affordable, with few sacrifices.
“We realized that there were many benefits for senior citizens to be introduced to computers,” the team members remarked. “Seniors could use computers for entertainment, communication, education, hobbies, business and to learn new skills. They could decrease their depression, feel more connected to others, increase their self-esteem and improve their short-term memory.”
A panel of community leaders, scientists and experts in science education selected this idea as one of the top eight entries in the U.S. More than 600 students and coaches participated nationwide.
Team Wins a Trip to Walt Disney World
The team and their coach win an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World® Resort, where they will compete in the Christopher Columbus Awards National Championship Week, June 16-20, 2008, plus a $200 grant to further develop their project.
Each member of two Gold Medal winning teams will receive a $2,000 U.S. Savings Bond, and one team will receive the $25,000 Columbus Foundation Community Grant as seed money to help bring its idea to life in the community. The Grant winning team will receive support from the Christopher Columbus Awards staff and continued guidance from their coach and community leaders.
The finalists will also attend the Christopher Columbus Academy, a custom-designed educational program. Conducted by scientists, engineers and educators, the program reveals the science and technology behind the thrills and excitement of Epcot® and the Magic Kingdom.®
Positive Community Change
The Christopher Columbus Awards challenge teams of middle-school students to explore and discover opportunities for positive change in their communities using science and technology. The program is now in its 12th year, and has attracted more than 15,500 students from diverse backgrounds all across the U.S. The program is sponsored by the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation (www.columbusfdn.org) with support from the National Science Foundation, and is endorsed by the National Middle School Association. Past winners have included: a group of Native American girls who built a study hall out of straw bales on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana; and a team of students from Pennsylvania who developed a video/motion sensor device to deter motorists from trying to illegally pass stopped school buses.
Strong Participation from Girls, Minorities
The program attracts many students who may not typically enter a science competition. More than half of the entrants are girls, and nearly a fourth are from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, statistics that are higher than those of most science competitions. The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation believes the teamwork aspect and community focus draw a broader range of students to enter.
About the Sponsor
The Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation is an independent Federal government agency created by Congress in 1992 to encourage and support research, study and labor designed to produce new discoveries in all fields of endeavor for the benefit of mankind. The Foundation has established Frontiers of Discovery–Work in Progress and Discover the Future, programs that recognize “cutting edge” innovations, innovative ideas of America’s youth, and honor teachers. These programs include the four new Life Science Awards, $25,000 Homeland Security Award, Christopher Columbus Awards, and the $10,000 Freida J. Riley Teacher Award.
For more information, call 1-800-291-6020 or visit www.christophercolumbusawards.com.
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NYIT Announces 2008 Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients
May 1, 2008
(Old Westbury, N.Y.) New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) celebrates its 47th annual commencement on Sunday, May 18, 2008 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Before an audience of more than 10,000, NYIT President Edward Guiliano, will confer associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees, as well as professional diplomas and certificates, to more than 4,400 graduates representing all 50 states and 98 countries. The ceremony will take place, rain or shine, at NYIT’s Old Westbury, N.Y., campus.
Media admission is by press pass.
Schedule and Honorary Degree Recipients:
NYIT will award honorary doctorate degrees to: Fitzhugh Mullan, M.D., Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (Doctor of Humane Letters), and Stanford Ovshinsky, Co-Founder, Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. and Founder of Ovshinsky Innovation LLC (Doctor of Science).
The NYIT choir will open the program with a singing of the National Anthem. Student speaker Nigel Chiwaya has been selected to address the Class of 2008.
About NYIT’s Honorary Degree Recipients:
Fitzhugh Mullan, M.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
Dr. Mullan is the Murdock Head Professor of Medicine and Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and a professor of pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine. He is also a member of the medical staff at the Upper Cardozo Community Health Center in Washington, D.C. He served on both the President’s Task Force on Health Care Reform and the Council on Graduate Medical Education. His current research and policy work focuses on U.S. and international health workforce issues. Mullan graduated from Harvard University in 1964 with a degree in history and from the University of Chicago Medical School in 1968. He is the founding president of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship and the recipient of the American Cancer Society’s 1988 Courage Award. Dr. Mullan will deliver the keynote address at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYCOM) hooding ceremony on May 17th at Lincoln Center.
Stanford Ovshinsky, Doctor of Science
Ovshinsky founded Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) with his late wife Iris Ovshinsky. A pioneer in sustainable energy technology and information, he is the primary inventor of ECD’s technology, including the Ovonic thin-film photovoltaics and the nickel metal hydride (NiMH) rechargeable battery that is used in cell phones, computers, and hydrogen storage systems. His research in amorphous semiconductors revolutionized the materials used in solar cells, computers, optical memories, and electric cars, as well as those used in photocopy and fax machines and LCD displays. Ovshinsky Innovation LLC was formed in 2007 to accelerate his work in alternative energy and in the information field. Ovshinsky holds 360 U.S. patents. He serves on various scientific, educational, and civic boards, and has received numerous international accolades, including Time magazine’s “Hero for the Planet” designation; the American Chemical Society’s Heroes of Chemistry 2000 (with his late wife); The Economist’s Innovation Award for Energy and the Environment. Ovshinsky will speak at the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences commencement ceremony, immediately following the main ceremony.
The main commencement ceremony will be webcast live on NYIT’s Web site, www.nyit.edu, beginning at 9:30 (click on the “Commencement Ceremony” link).
About NYIT:
NYIT is the college of choice for more than 14,000 students enrolled in more than 100 specialized courses of study leading to undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees in academic areas such as architecture and design; arts and sciences; education and professional services; engineering and computing sciences; health professions, behavioral, and life sciences; management; and osteopathic medicine. As a private, nonprofit, independent institution of higher learning, NYIT embraces an educational philosophy of career-oriented professional education for all qualified students and supports applications-oriented research to benefit the greater global community. Students attend classes at NYIT’s campuses in Manhattan and Long Island, as well as online and in a number of programs throughout the world. To date, more than 69,000 alumni have earned degrees at NYIT. For more information, visit www.nyit.edu.
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eBay Files Corporate Governance Suit to Protect its Investment in Craigslist
April 26, 2008
(San Jose, C.A.) In order to safeguard its four-year financial investment in craigslist, eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY; ) today filed a lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware challenging recent transactions implemented by craigslist’s board of directors, consisting of Craig Newmark and Jim Buckmaster.
In 2004, after negotiating the transaction with craigslist’s board, eBay acquired a minority ownership interest in craigslist of 28.4 percent.
In January 2008, however, Newmark and Buckmaster adopted measures that, among other things, unfairly diluted eBay’s economic interest in craigslist by more than 10 percent. By taking these unilateral actions, eBay believes that Newmark and Buckmaster breached their fiduciary duties in violation of Delaware corporate law.
“The recent actions by the craigslist directors have disadvantaged eBay and its investment in craigslist,” said Mike Jacobson, eBay Senior Vice President and General Counsel. “Since negotiating our investment with craigslist’s board in 2004, we have acted openly and in good faith as a minority shareholder, so we were surprised by these recent unilateral actions. We are asking the Delaware court to rescind these recent actions in order to protect eBay’s stockholders and preserve our investment.”
The complaint is being filed under seal because some of the information about craigslist contained in the complaint is governed by confidentiality restrictions.
About eBay Inc.
Founded in 1995, eBay Inc. connects hundreds of millions of people around the world every day, empowering them to explore new opportunities and innovate together. eBay Inc. does this by providing the Internet platforms of choice for global commerce, payments and communications. Since its inception, eBay Inc. has expanded to include some of the strongest brands in the world, including eBay, PayPal, Skype, StubHub, Shopping.com, and others. eBay Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Source: Ebay
Canon U.S.A. Celebrates Earth Day 2008 with Alexandra Cousteau at its Lake Success Corporate Headquarters
April 22, 2008
(Lake Success, N.Y.) On Monday, Canon U.S.A. welcomed guest speaker Alexandra Cousteau, social environmental advocate and granddaughter of legendary explorer Jacques Cousteau to its Earth Day 2008 Celebration at the Company’s Lake Success headquarters.
In the spirit of its corporate philosophy of kyosei and its continued commitment to a sustainable environment, Canon U.S.A, Inc., hosted a number of Earth Day activities for employees. As part of the festivities, several presentations took place, including Ms. Cousteau, who is dedicated to advocating the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water resources in order to preserve a healthy planet. In addition to Ms. Cousteau, other organizations that joined Canon U.S.A. management and employees for Earth Day included:
- - The Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.
- - Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, in Oyster Bay, N.Y.
- - The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, N.Y.
- - Long Island Transportation Management, Melville, N.Y.
- - Clean Air NY, New York, N.Y.
- - The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), Washington, D.C.
Alexandra Cousteau Biography
Alexandra Cousteau is dedicated to advocating the importance of conservation and sustainable management of water resources in order to preserve a healthy planet. Granddaughter of legendary explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Alexandra’s first exploration took place at four months old with her father Philippe. She has grown up traveling the globe, feeding her passion for adventure and learning firsthand the value of conserving the natural world.
Alexandra’s most recent step in creating a legacy of her own came with the establishment of her own organization in 2008, Blue Legacy. The mission of Blue Legacy is to tell the story of our water planet to the world, to inspire people to take action on critical water issues in meaningful ways, and to help shape society’s dialogue to include water as one of the defining issues of our century and the primary vehicle through which climate change will be felt.
In addition to Blue Legacy, Alexandra co-founded EarthEcho International with her brother Philippe in 2000. The non-profit organization is devoted to inspire concern and commitment for the environment in today’s youth.
Currently, Alexandra is preparing to launch the Blue Campaign, a global campaign that recognizes that the beauty, power and life-sustaining essence of our water planet is in danger. It also recognizes that we, as individuals and communities, have the power to protect and heal our most valuable resource.
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Heather J. Hasay
Specialist, Public Relations
Corporate Communications
Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Office: 516.328.5111
Dowling College Holding Two Ongoing Cell Phone Drives
April 17, 2008
(Oakdale, N.Y.) The Office of Public Relations & Communications is collecting cell phones to be donated to VIBS, the Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk. VIBS is a non-profit Family Violence and Rape Crisis Center in Suffolk County. VIBS accepts cell phones for distribution to our clients or recycling. All cell phones are accepted. Broken, outdated or phones without chargers will be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner. Funds raised will be used to support VIBS’ counseling, advocacy, and preventive education & outreach services.
Phones can be left in VIBS’ drop box between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. at:
- The Bookstore at the Brookhaven Campus in Shirley
- Student Services in the Racanelli Center at the Rudolph Campus in Oakdale
The Dowling Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is having an ongoing cell phone drive for the Secure the Call Foundation. This organization distributes cell phones to domestic violence shelters, senior centers, neighborhood watch groups, school crossing guards and other agencies with an immediate need for 911 access. The website is www.donatemycellphone.org.
The phones can be dropped off in the Athletic Office at the Rudolph Campus in Oakdale between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
For additional information on either cell phone drive, please call 631-244-3318.
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in several disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education. www.dowling.edu
Dowling College Roundtable Hosts Congressman Israel, LIPA, Empire State Development Corp., and U.S Green Building Council
April 16, 2008
(Oakdale, N.Y.) In announcing the April 18, 2008 Long Island Economic and Social Policy Institute Roundtable, LIESP Director Martin Cantor said, “alternative energy solutions have become more vital than ever to the region’s energy policy, now that Governor Paterson has announced his opposition to Broadwater’s Liquid Natural Gas initiative in Long Island Sound.”
Cantor said that helping to bring reality to the notion of alternative energies will be Congressman Steve Israel (D, Dix Hills), LIPA Vice President for Environmental Affairs Michael Deering, Empire State Development Corporation Business Development Director Eugene Johnson, Dowling Professor Dr. Nicholas Mauro, and Vice Chair of the Long Island Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council Art Desin.
Congressman Steve Israel, one of the first public officials to promote the idea of alternative energies and green technology explained his initiatives and support for the greening of Long Island.
Art Desin, in announcing a series of scholarships to Long Island students interested in green issues said, “alternative and green energy resources has to become second nature and is vital to the sustainability of the region.”
Eugene Johnson of Empire State Development discussed the alternative energy task force that was headed by Governor Paterson while he served as Lt. Governor. Johnson said “New York State is seriously interested in energy conservation and alternative energy policies.”
Michael Deering explained, “the upcoming energy master plan for Long Island and also how LIPA is committed to economically viable alternative energy strategies and energy conservation policies.”
Dowling Professor Dr. Nicholas Mauro noted, “solar power is becoming more cost-effective each year for residential and commercial use, with the investment recovery period of investments in solar technology now under ten years.”
Cantor concluded, “there has to be a serious cost-benefit evaluation of the myths and magic of alternative energies and what green technology means in terms of lower energy costs if Long Island is to truly benefit.”
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in several disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education. http://www.dowling.edu/
LIPA and Town of Hempstead Host Free Solar & Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Seminar
April 9, 2008
(Uniondale, N.Y.) As concerns about global warming increase and the cost of fossil fuels continue to rise, homeowners are looking for ways to make a difference. The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) is providing an opportunity for residential customers to invest in the future and supplement their energy needs with solar power (Photovoltaic-PV) and improve overall home energy efficiency.
To help educate its customers on how to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels, LIPA is teaming up with the Town of Hempstead to offer a free Solar Energy and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Seminar. The program will be held Tuesday, April 15, 2008 at 7:30PM in the Town of Hempstead at Levittown Hall, 201 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville, NY. The seminar will include topics such as: how to lower your electric bill; types of PV systems; details on LIPA rebates and solar incentives; net metering; and how to choose a contractor.
“Replacing just one incandescent bulb with a Compact Fluorescent bulb (CFL) can save the typical electric consumer almost $18 per year while using up to 75% less energy then incandescent bulbs,” said LIPA President and CEO Kevin S. Law. “I commend Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray for her commitment to providing the residents with information enabling them to save on energy costs while reducing environmental damage. With the costs of energy rising, it is important to know what energy efficiency improvements will help keep home energy costs down.”
“We are pleased to partner with the Long Island Power Authority and Renewable Energy Long Island and host this informative program,” Supervisor Murray stated. “This is a great opportunity for homeowners to become solar pioneers and reduce electricity consumption while protecting the environment. This is also the first time we will be combining the solar seminar with a seminar on how to make your home more energy efficient with ENERGY STAR.”
“Supervisor Kate Murray must be commended for hosting these home energy efficiency seminars and RELI looks forward to working with the Town of Hempstead and its residents to help people save energy and money while reducing harmful emissions from our homes,” said Gordian Raacke, executive director of Renewable Energy Long Island (RELI), a not-for-profit organization. “We may not realize it, but our homes are often poorly insulated and use antiquated or needlessly wasteful heating and air conditioning systems, appliances and lighting. Thanks to LIPA’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, homeowners can now get help from specially trained home energy experts and find out how much money they can save by making energy efficiency improvements.”
LIPA offers significant rebates for PV systems up to 10 kilowatts (kW) in size. A 10kW can produce about 12,730 kWh per year, which would be an annual value of $2,291 at the current electric rates. The rebate available now for residential and commercial customers is $3.50 per watt. Investing in solar power enables customers to not only generate clean electricity, but also reduce the amount of electricity purchased from LIPA. And, any excess electricity produced can be sold back to LIPA through net metering.
In addition to the LIPA rebates, New York State offers up to a 25% tax credit with a $5,000 cap. The Federal government offers up to 30% tax credit with a $2,000 cap. Nassau and Suffolk Counties charge no sales tax on the equipment of PV systems, and homeowners can take advantage of New York State’s 15-year property tax exemption for solar energy systems. After all the incentives are applied it is possible to enjoy a 50% reduction on the total cost of a PV system.
To date, under its Solar Pioneer Program, LIPA has rebated over $30.8 million for the installation of approximately 1,208 PV systems Island-wide. That number breaks down to 1,117 residential and 52 commercial systems and 39 systems installed at educational, not-for-profit and government facilities. Additionally, there are 483 rebate applications pending for PV systems that are about to be installed.
In addition to the solar topics, homeowners are invited to learn how they can obtain a Comprehensive Home Assessment by an accredited Building Performance Institute (BPI) contractor, and implement cost effective measures for improving their home’s overall energy efficiency through the LIPA Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.
The LIPA Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program created a network of independent contractors that are accredited by the Building Performance Institute (BPI). BPI is a national resource for building science technology that sets standards for assessing and improving the energy performance, as well as the health and safety of homes.
Home Performance contractors have been trained in taking a “whole-house” approach when testing homes and identifying necessary energy efficiency improvements. This approach considers the inter-relationship between the various systems within a home (insulation, doors and windows, mechanicals and air leakage) and factors these relationships into a work scope designed to enhance the energy model of your home.
The time has never been better to maximize your home’s performance for greater energy and environmental savings. For more information on LIPA’s Solar Pioneer Program and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® programs and to sign up for FREE public seminars in your area, please call 1-800-692-2626 or visit www.renewableenergylongisland.org today.
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LIPA, a non-profit municipal electric provider, owns the retail electric Transmission and Distribution System on Long Island and provides electric service to more than 1.1 million customers in Nassau and Suffolk counties and the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. LIPA is the 2nd largest municipal electric utility in the nation in terms of electric revenues, 3rd largest in terms of customers served and the 7th largest in terms of electricity delivered. In 2006, LIPA outperformed all other overhead electric utilities in New York State in all three major reliability categories. LIPA does not provide natural gas service or own any on-island generating assets. More information about LIPA can be found online at: http://www.lipower.org
Microsoft Sets April 26th Date for Hostile Takeover of Yahoo Inc.
April 5, 2008
(Long Island, N.Y.) On Saturday Microsoft executives warned board members at Yahoo Inc. that if it did not accept its $41 billion buyout offer by April 26th, a three-week deadline, that it would launch a hostile takeover at a much less attractive price.
According to a press release, the warning was made by Microsoft’s chief executive, Steven A. Ballmer, in a letter sent by e-mail. It expressed dismay at Yahoo’s refusal to enter into formal negotiations over Microsoft’s January 31st takeover bid and warned that without an agreement by the deadline, Microsoft would move swiftly to oust Yahoo’s board.
“If we have not concluded an agreement within the next three weeks, we will be compelled to take our case directly to your shareholders, including the initiation of a proxy contest to elect an alternative slate of directors for the Yahoo board,” wrote Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer.
“If we are forced to take an offer directly to your shareholders, that action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal,” he wrote.
Yahoo’s board formally rejected Microsoft Corp.’s bid in February, saying it undervalues the company.
Since the offer was first made, public equity markets and overall economic conditions have weakened, while Yahoo’s search and page view shares have declined by some estimates, Ballmer said.
“By any fair measure, the large premium we offered in January is even more significant today,” adding that he believes the majority of Yahoo shareholders would agree.
Microsoft has said from the start that it would consider all possible ways of getting the deal done, including taking its offer directly to Yahoo’s shareholders, as well as working to elect its own candidates to fill Yahoo’s board at the company’s annual annual shareholder meeting, and thus the deadline for Microsoft to nominate its slate.
Yahoo has not set a new date for the meeting. Before Saturday, it was known that Microsoft had hired a proxy solicitation firm to help with a hostile bid, but the software maker had made no pronouncements as to when that might happen.
If it’s ultimately completed, a Yahoo deal would be the biggest acquisition in Microsoft’s history. Despite its legendary cash reserves, more than $21 billion as of the end of last year, Microsoft would need to borrow money to complete the transaction.
Microsoft executives have called the Yahoo acquisition bid key to their efforts to catch Google in the Internet search and advertising markets.
The online advertising market is expected to increase from over $40 billion in 2007 to nearly $80 billion by 2010.
Microsoft letter to the Yahoo! Inc. Board of Directors
http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/prnewswire/CLSA50005042008-1.htm
Dowling College Helps Preserve Critical Species on Brink of Extinction
April 3, 2008
(Oakdale, N.Y.) In an effort to protect a species that has survived the mass distinction of dinosaurs, the Long Island Horseshoe Crab Network, headed by Dr. John T. Tanacredi, Chairman of the Department of Earth and Marine Sciences at Dowling College, will conduct the sixth year of an Inventory of Horseshoe Crabs (HSC) at some 60 sites on Long Island, from
the tip of Montauk to the tip of Brooklyn.
Horseshoe crabs around the world face a set of common and growing threats including over fishing, habitat loss and alteration, and pollution. This animal is essential for many reasons. They provide a chemical, LAL, that is used in hospitals to detect bacterial contamination. Also, the eggs of horseshoe crabs feed shore birds, including ones that may also be on the verge of being endangered.
“Over the last dozen years there has been considerable controversy over the extent to which horseshoe crab harvesting has impacted the species’ existence,” explained Dr. Tanacredi. ”It is general knowledge that HSC habitat covers from the coast of Maine to Florida, with Long Island historically having a robust population of HSC. Anecdotal information from ‘coast-wise’ people have recently expressed concerns that once large numbers of HSC observed each year, are today a mere skeletal population.”
The HSC Network invites everyone to join in and help protect a species 350 million years in the making. There are 60 beaches identified to be surveyed over several days in MAY (5th & 20th), JUNE (3rd & 18th) and JULY (3rd & 18th) on full moons and high tides. To see the list of beach sites and register as a volunteer to be a “Beach Captain”, call Dr. Tanacredi at 631-244-3394. Anyone sighting a live horseshoe crab is asked to provide details and photos via an online field report form at www.hscli.org.
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in several disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education. www.dowling.edu
Innovative Bioengineering Research at Dowling College
March 27, 2008
(Oakdale, N.Y.) Dowling College is becoming known as a center for innovative Bioengineering and Biotechnological research on Long Island and a team of Professors has now developed a new way of designing experiments for designing the media for fermentation process. The work, co-authored by Dr. Fred Rispoli of the Department of Mathematics and Dr. Vishal Shah of Biology Department, has been published in the journal Biotechnology Progress and the Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology.
The team reports the modification of the method used for the design of experiments that is widely used in pharmaceutical and other industries to suit the biotechnology industry. The modified method increases the reliability of the results and provides more information on the influence of different nutrient component on the production while reducing the number of experiments that one would need to perform. The research focused on finding the right combination of various nutrient ingredients for maximum production of an enzyme from fungi. Earlier last year, team of undergraduate students and Dr. Shah reported the process of making biosurfactants from restaurant waste oil.
These projects provide a unique opportunity to the undergraduate students to gain industrially and academically relevant research experience. Dr. Rispoli, Director of the new B.S. program in Applied Math feels, “The research we are carrying out will give the students who will enroll in the new program a chance to complement their learning with research experience.” Dr. Shah insists, “That by allowing students to be involved in peer-reviewed innovative research, graduates that are well grounded in both the theoretical and research aspect of the subject can be developed.”
The new program of B.S. in Applied Math, Bioengineering track will be offered starting Fall 2008. This new program is intended to train students in the application of the life sciences and mathematics to define and solve problems in biology, medicine, healthcare, and other fields. Upon completion, students may pursue careers in areas such as pharmaceutical research, industrial microbiology, and biotechnology. For further details on the program or research, please contact Dr. Fred Rispoli at rispolif(at)dowling.edu or Dr. Shah at ShahV(at)dowling.edu.
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degrees in several disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education. http://www.dowling.edu
