http://www.syr.edu/newsSyracuse University News.en-us http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/commercialization-law-07-30.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/commercialization-law-07-30.html New York state invests more than $100 million a year in university research, and New York state universities invest nearly $4 billion annually in research through government, industry and internal funding. The longstanding challenge, however, has been transforming groundbreaking research and innovation investment into commercially viable products and processes, and ultimately creating new businesses and jobs.  To address this challenge, the New York State Senate and Assembly passed legislation (S.6964/A.9991) this June that advances the establishment of technology commercialization clinics at universities across the state, modeled after the successful Technology Commercialization Clinic (TCC) program launched and based at Syracuse University College of Law. These new technology commercialization clinics will serve to assist universities, entrepreneurs and companies in the state in commercializing new products and services.  The bill was sponsored jointly by Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D-120th District) and Sen. David Valesky (D-49th District). Since 2007-08, Magnarelli has secured state funding for the TCC to continue the work of promoting economic vitalization in New York.  For the past 24 years, the TCC program at SU College of Law has provided the template for the successful transition of research from the laboratory into the marketplace by providing business and legal information and analysis to early-stage technology companies. The Syracuse TCC utilizes graduate students, supervised by faculty, to provide pro bono consulting services to businesses through a clinic-style arrangement for academic credit. Each semester, law, business and engineering graduate students enrolled in the Syracuse TCC partner with companies to analyze the technical, business and legal issues related to a new technology.  Since its inception, the Syracuse TCC has undertaken more than 100 research projects on the commercial development of early-stage technologies on behalf of universities, federal research laboratories and technology development organizations as well as large, medium, small and start-up companies.  "The economic boom associated with ideas created in research and development is at the commercialization and manufacturing stage," says Magnarelli. "As a state, we've allowed this to be outsourced to other states. The Technology Commercialization Clinics will give entrepreneurs an added incentive to remain in the upstate New York area and develop their businesses here."  "New technologies and products are the foundation for job creation," says Valesky. "This legislation will aid us in transforming the investments our higher education institutions have made in research into commercially available jobs for New Yorkers." The Syracuse TCC currently collaborates with Niagara University, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Stony Brook University and Brooklyn Law School to offer a small network of TCCs that similarly advance the commercial development of new technologies in their respective regions. This TCC network provides both competitive advantages to New York state companies and a pool of technology commercialization professionals skilled in marketing early-stage technologies.  The proposal to further expand the TCC clinics across the state was also recommended in the Governor's Task Force on Diversifying the New York State Economy Through Industry-Higher Education Partnerships' final report, issued in December 2009. The Task Force-composed of New York university, industry, government and venture representatives-looked at recommendations for creating an "innovation ecosystem" in New York state to convert its substantial research capacity into sustained economic impact. The development of a New York state TCC network was one of several suggestions for building an innovation ecosystem in the state.  The SU TCC is jointly sponsored by the SU College of Law, the SU Center for Advanced Systems and Engineering (CASE) and the SU Office of the Vice President for Research. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Reis-aviation-07-30.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Reis-aviation-07-30.html Light Work is presenting an exhibition featuring the photographic work of Ithaca-based photographer Jon Reis. "By the Way: Two Decades of America Observed 1973-1993″ is on view in the Robert B. Menschel Photography Gallery in Syracuse University's Schine Student Center. This exhibition features black-and-white photographs from Reis' "Aviation" series. Many of the pictures were taken directly on the premises of the airports Reis photographed. This is in part due to his travel mode. He piloted his own plane to many of the airports and once there was without a car. He flew in, photographed and flew out again. But his speedy travel mode did not translate into rushed images. The captured moments communicate life at its best, spiced with a smidgen of humor, such as the two women chatting while resting their heads on a plane at Accomack County Airport, or a father sharing a happy moment with his toddler son as they inspect a Cessna airplane at Tompkins County Airport. Light Work has supported this project since the early 1970s-Reis received two Light Work Grants and was featured in two early Light Work exhibitions. Light Work also supported Reis in his application for a New York State Council on the Arts Conduit Grant, which he received in 1986. This substantial grant enabled him to photograph dozens of municipal airports and resulted in exhibitions at the following airports: Albany County, Syracuse/Hancock International, Rochester/Monroe County, Greater Buffalo International and Ithaca/Tompkins County. In 2009, Reis generously donated an additional 93 hand-printed silver gelatin images and photo postcards to the Light Work Collection, bringing his total of images to 112. Reis continues to work actively as an artist and runs a photography business in Ithaca. In addition to the Light Work Collection, his work can be viewed at http://www.jonreis.com and at http://www.arttrail.com/artists/REIS.html. Light Work will host a gallery talk and reception on Friday, Oct. 22, at 6 p.m. to celebrate this exhibition. Gallery hours are Sunday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (except SU holidays) and by appointment. To schedule an appointment, call (315) 443-1300. Both the exhibition and gallery talk are free and open to the public. Light Work invites groups and individuals to schedule tours and gallery talks of the exhibition and facility. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Alejandra-poet-07-30.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Alejandra-poet-07-30.html Point of Contact recently presented its latest publication, "ALEJANDRA," before the literary and artistic society of Buenos Aires. The international release of this new bilingual publication, supported by The College of Arts and Sciences and the Humanities Center at Syracuse University, and by Argentine Ambassador and poet Ruben Vela-was held July 22 at the Center for Documentation, Research and Publications (CeDIP) of the prestigious Recoleta Cultural Center, in the heart of Buenos Aires. Syracuse University professor of Latin American literature and founding editor of Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact Pedro Cuperman, accompanied by guest editor and renowned linguist and poet Ivonne Bordelois and Ana Aldaburu, director of CeDIP, greeted more than 300 guests and the media at the state-of-the-art center created as an interactive space for research, documentation and publications about contemporary arts. Other distinguished panelists included New York University/Buenos Aires professor Tamara Kamenszain and the Argentine poet Fernando Noy, who was a close personal acquaintance of Argentine poet Alejandra Pizarnik (1936-72), the subject of the book. "We are profoundly grateful to Syracuse University for its continuous support of Point of Contact through the last three decades. The presence and prestige of this Central New York institution of higher learning is strongly felt in Latin American arts and literature," Cuperman said at the event. "This new Point of Contact bilingual edition, ‘ALEJANDRA,' released today in Buenos Aires, soon to be presented on campus at Syracuse University, is the product of three years of groundbreaking research and arduous labor in editing and translation, a most significant contribution, and a work of art that we can all be proud of." The new bilingual issue of the Point of Contact book series focuses on the life and verse of Pizarnik, who was a leading feminine voice in contemporary Latin American letters. Based on a collection of letters from young Alejandra, all unpublished until now, this significant compendium approaches Pizarnik's work through critical and visual texts, including essays by Tamara Kamenszain, Fiona Mackintosh, María Negroni, Olga Orozco, Susana Chávez-Silverman, Madeleine Stratford and Silvia Baron Supervielle. Visual texts are by Patricia Bentancur, Nayda Collazo-Llorens and Graciela Sacco. The official release in the United States will take place on Oct. 20 at the Maxwell Auditorium on the SU campus. Co-sponsored by Point of Contact and the Syracuse Symposium, the event, including a panel discussion, is a program of the SU Humanities Center. The dialogue between guest scholars, poets and artists will focus on the essential conflict of this contemporary poet vis-à-vis her world and the existential clash faced by that generation of women. In 1975, Punto de Contacto/Point of Contact originated a journal about the verbal and visual arts, known as Punto de Contacto first, and later as Point of Contact. In time, through the development of a successful partnership with SU, this journal, now a book series, has become a medium for some of the most relevant contemporary artists and writers around the globe; many have become long-time collaborators, co-creators and designers of a project that continues to evolve and move forward in unforeseen ways. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/readyset-2010-07-28.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/readyset-2010-07-28.html First-year and transfer students starting their first semester need a lot of information to successfully transition to Syracuse University. From registering for the right courses to knowing where to eat, new students have lots of ground to cover before they arrive on campus. To help them prepare and get excited for the road ahead, Syracuse University this summer introduced the online readySET. A collaboration of SU's Division of Student Affairs (DSA), Division of Advancement and External Affairs (AEA) and SU Information Technology and Services (ITS), the readySET site was created with efficiency, sustainability and accessibility in mind. "We are very excited about the improvements we have made to the readySET this year," says Thomas V. Wolfe, senior vice president and dean of student affairs. "Not only is this method of sharing the readySET more efficient and sustainable, it's responsive to the needs of our students, who have been asking for a useful online resource for this information." Taking the once-print publication to an online format dramatically reduces the paper use and expense associated with previous editions of the readySET. The site is also compliant with the Section 508 Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, making it accessible to people with disabilities. The new format also solves the problem of misdirected or delayed packets, which frustrated students, especially students living outside the United States and those traveling throughout the summer. The expense of printed publications limited readySETs to one per student, which posed a challenge to non-custodial parents, who did not receive a copy of their own. "The readySET site effectively resolved a variety of large and small challenges for our office," says Greg Victory, director of the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs. "Though students grew to depend on their physical readySETs in the past, we had to deal with mail delays, lost copies and printer delays that slowed down our production schedule. Being able to make instantaneous changes and additions to the site has made a huge difference in our ability to get students the best up-to-the minute information. Students are discussing topics covered on the readySET site on Facebook, sharing links and answering each other's questions. That's an early indicator of success." Work on the site began with rigorous planning between DSA's units (Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs, Technical Services, and Communications), AEA's Technology & Systems Support group and ITS' Academic Applications and Service Centers (AASC). The team designed the site based on priorities and needs reported by the Office of First-Year and Transfer Programs: a checklist, easy navigation and a clear organizational scheme. "And photos," said a student tester. "Lots of photos." Features of the site include a checklist, distinct topic areas, a video feature, student-to-student advice and a photo gallery. In 2007, the Division of Student Affairs teamed up with units from across campus-including the offices of Admissions, Academic Affairs, Publications, and Word Processing and Bulk Mail Distribution-to create the first readySET, a series of organized, comprehensive publications mailed in phases to matriculated students. It replaced an unstructured and heavy stream of disparate mailings that left students and their families feeling confused and overwhelmed. The following year, readySET expanded to include a packet dedicated to academic matters, including course registration and the University Shared Reading book. Last year, readySET was streamlined in response to students' requests for more focused, concise information, all at once. This year's transition to an online version was a logical next step.  "Taking readySET online is another example of our efforts to leverage online capabilities in the service of our students and a good example of how well-planned collaboration can yield great results," says Jenny Gluck, ITS director of AASC. "This collaboration was so successful that we are now working jointly on the Study Abroad site with Enrollment Management."   Marcello Prattico, senior Web developer at AEA, brought essential experience to the effort. "The readySET site is integrated with and based on SU's Orientation site, which we built in the Cascade Web content management system," he says. "Using Cascade streamlined the production process while preserving the look and feel of the University's website."  The readySET site will remain active throughout the summer and part of the fall semester, and plans are in the works for a modified winter readySET site for students who will enroll at SU in the spring semester. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Joanne-Silverstein-death-07-27.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/Joanne-Silverstein-death-07-27.html Joanne Silverstein, assistant research professor at the Syracuse University School of Information Studies (iSchool) and director of research and development of the Information Institute of Syracuse, died July 27. She was 58 years old. A dedicated teacher, well-known researcher and cherished colleague, Silverstein stepped down from active duties in August 2007 to, in her words, "make time for the simpler pleasures in life and give [her] body and mind the time that it needs to heal from a chronic illness."  "Joanne made many wonderful contributions in the time she was with us, both in her teaching and her active research with the Information Institute," says iSchool Dean Elizabeth D. Liddy. "Joanne loved and excelled at the lofty aspects of academic research, as well as prizing the very real outcomes it could accomplish in the lives of students."  Silverstein first came to the iSchool in 1991 as a master's student in the information management program. After earning her master's degree in 1993, she went on to earn a Ph.D. in information science and technology in 1998. She was then hired as a professor by the school and researcher by the Information Institute.  Her research focused on digital literacy, participatory librarianship, ontologies, metadata and digital reference services. She was interested in the evolving role of the human intermediary in information seeking and retrieval. Her research was funded by such organizations as the U.S. Department of Education, the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the National Science Foundation.  R. David Lankes, associate professor and director of the Information Institute, credits Silverstein with helping to build the research center. "Her insatiable curiosity, dedication to the school and invaluable input at the Institute can never be replaced," he says. "She did some amazing research in the area of digital libraries and the information needs of children. She always sought the best for the school, and she never shied away from a hard problem. She was an heir to the legacies of former iSchool deans Robert Taylor, Jeffrey Katzer and Ray von Dran, and she served that legacy well."  A service will be held Friday, July 30, at 10 a.m. at the Temple Concord, 910 Madison St., Syracuse.  The iSchool has established a memorial site in her honor. It is available to all to share a memory, photo or comment at http://ischool.syr.edu/joanne. These remembrances will be compiled and shared with Silverstein's family at a later date. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/auction-ray-von-dran-fund-ischool.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/auction-ray-von-dran-fund-ischool.html From paintings, stained glass and quilts to handmade cards, jewelry and a Chinese screen, members of the Syracuse iSchool community and their friends are building up the inventory for an auction to benefit the Ray von Dran Fund. Photos of the items and information about the work and the creator can be viewed online at http://ischool.syr.edu/forever60. Among the artists are Amos Amit, Andrea Wiggins, Paula Bobrowski, Cathy Pence, Vince Petralito, Ruth Dukelow and Connie Johnson. Bidding begins online on Monday, July 26, and ends the evening of Friday, July 30 at the Forever 60 Celebration in Hinds Hall. The Forever 60 event celebrates the life of Von Dran, the iSchool's beloved former dean who died one week before his 61st birthday in 2007. Tickets can be purchased for a minimum donation of $100 and include a Dinosaur Bar-B-Q dinner consisting of ribs and pulled pork, beans, coleslaw and cornbread, and dessert. A vegetarian option is also available. In addition to the auction, the event at Hinds Hall features live music by the iSchool Band, free parking, door prizes and a cash bar. The money raised will go to the Raymond F. von Dran Fund for scholarships, research, and entrepreneurial and technological initiatives at the iSchool. For more information, visit http://ischool.syr.edu/forever60, or contact Gisela von Dran at gmvondra@syr.edu or (315) 443-2086. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/say-yes-festival-07-27.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/say-yes-festival-07-27.html Approximately 1,800 Syracuse City School District children, ages 7-10, who attended one of 12 Say Yes to Education summer camps, will gather in Thornden Park on Wednesday, July 28  for the Say Yes to Education Summer Festival. Students will showcase their work and demonstrate the new skills and talents that they have developed throughout their summer camp experience. The students, their families and community members will be greeted by Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, who is scheduled to address the festival goers at approximately 9 a.m.  Since early July, the students have engaged in hands-on activities, creative thinking and embarked on exciting adventures. They have spent their mornings engaged in challenging academic programs and their afternoons in outdoor activities including sports, music, photography, dance, theatre, nature, science and field trips. Approximately 230 college students were hired and trained as counselors to work with the students this summer. The  Say Yes Summer Festival is free of charge and open to the public. Festival hours are 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.  For more information, contact Susan Feightner at sfeightn@syr.edu or 443-1525. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/he-drug-policy-forum-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/he-drug-policy-forum-07-10.html Syracuse University’s College of Human Ecology, in collaboration with the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), the Drug Policy Alliance and Families Rally for Emancipation and Empowerment (FREE), will host a community forum on a public health and safety approach for drug policy in New York state on Monday, Aug. 2. The forum will take place in Room 304 of the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center from 6 to 8 p.m. It is free and open to the public. The forum is one of several statewide community dialogues to assist in providing a blueprint for a public health and safety approach to drug policy in New York state. The forum will explore how drug use and current responses affect communities, families and individuals, and how the policies can be improved. Members of the community are invited and encouraged to attend to assist in defining a public health approach to drug policy, as well as identifying the key problems, issues and policy barriers facing communities and individuals affected by drug use across the state. The forum hopes to identify effective strategies for moving towards a public health approach and develop a policy agenda for aligning existing policies. “Harmful drug use remains one of New York’s most difficult public health problems. It affects every segment of society, impacting individuals, families and communities,” says Dessa Bergen-Cico, assistant professor in the Department of Health and Wellness. “Despite recent reforms to the state’s Rockefeller Drug Laws, we need community input to help inform the next stages in policy reform. Community forums like this one will help develop a public health and safety approach to drug policy for New York.” Those interested in attending the forum are encouraged to R.S.V.P to Bergen-Cico at (315) 443-0250 or dkbergen@syr.edu, or Tracy Pugh (NYAM) at (212) 419-3551 or tpugh@nyam.org. For more information, contact Bergen-Cico. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/ebv-nasdaq-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/ebv-nasdaq-07-10.html Marine corporal Justin Bajema had plans to start his own business after his tour of duty was over, but when his vehicle was ambushed while on a nighttime patrol in Iraq, those plans were put on hold. Nevertheless, during eight surgeries and many months of physical therapy, his dream of becoming an entrepreneur never died.  A mere five years later, on July 23, 2010, Bajema will ring the closing bell at NASDAQ, as an entrepreneur and a representative of the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) program.  A live webcast of the NASDAQ Closing Bell will be available at: http://www.nasdaq.com/about/marketsitetowervideo.asx.  The EBV program is a novel social venture that provides experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to veterans with disabilities. The program was first launched at the Whitman School of Management in 2007, and since its inception the EBV has expanded to five other prominent business schools across the nation, including the University of Connecticut, Florida State University, Texas A&M, UCLA and Purdue University. The EBV training is offered without any cost to post-9/11 veterans with disabilities; more than 220 veterans have graduated from the program to date.   “I didn’t have a grand business plan,” Bajema says. “The EBV helped me pull it all together by getting it structured with achievable goals and a roadmap of what I wanted to accomplish.”  After graduating from the EBV program, Bajema founded Access Property Management Group, a residential real estate services company providing property management and leasing services throughout the state of Michigan. Today his company manages in excess of $9.5 million in assets, and is rapidly increasing market share.  Melvin Stith, the dean of the Whitman School and a former Army captain, says “It is an honor that the EBV Consortium is taking part in the NASDAQ closing ceremony. I am privileged that the Whitman School will be represented at the ringing of the bell and in recognition of the important work the U.S. military and its veterans do every day for our communities.”  Joining Bajema to close the NASDAQ at 3:45 p.m. on July 23 are representatives from each of the universities offering the EBV program, and also other graduates of the program – all who are today proud business owners. EBV Consortium participants closing the NASDAQ include:  Mike Haynie, creator and director of EBV and assistant professor of entrepreneurship at the Whitman School; P. Christopher Earley, dean of the School of Business at the University of Connecticut; Elaine Mosakowski, professor of management at the School of Business at the University of Connecticut; Jerry Lynch, interim dean of the Krannert School of Management; Caryn Beck-Dudley, dean of the College of Business at Florida State; Randy Blass, EBV program director at the College of Business at Florida State; Al Osbourne, senior associate dean in the Anderson School of Management at UCLA; Elaine Hagan, executive director of the Harold Price Center for Entrepreneurial Studies in the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.  EBV graduates attending the closing bell will be: Justin Bajema Justin Constantine Andrew Wyatt Ferris Butler Reggie Crane JR Martinez Mark Feffer Daryl Hill Joshua Cruce Peggy Laneri Brian Iglesias http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/law-gift-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/law-gift-07-10.html Even though they each graduated in the top 10 percent of their respective graduating classes in Syracuse University’s College of Law, Robert Emmet Dineen L’24 and Carolyn Bareham Dineen L’32, both faced major challenges in their paths to establishing law careers. Undeterred, they relied on their education, sheer tenacity and each other in building exceptional careers as lawyers and as respected members of the communities in which they lived and worked. Robert was appointed superintendent of insurance for New York state in 1943, and in 1965 became the president and chief executive officer of Northwestern Mutual Life. Carolyn, who earned a law degree at a time when, comparatively, few women were accepted into law school, practiced for many years with a Syracuse law firm. To honor their parents’ impressive legacy, their three children, the Honorable Carolyn Dineen King H’06, Kathryn Dineen Wriston and Robert E. Dineen Jr. L’66, all prominent attorneys in their own right, have pledged a naming gift of $15 million for the construction of a new building for the Syracuse University College of Law. The Dineen family gift is the lead gift in a fundraising campaign the University is launching for the new building. It is the largest gift in the history of the College of Law, one of the largest gifts in University history, and an important milestone in the University’s current $1 billion capital campaign—of which a new Law School building has been a priority. “The Dineens are quintessential members of the SU family,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “Robert and Carolyn Dineen exemplified the spirit of Syracuse University, triumphing over challenges as they forged extraordinarily successful careers. Carolyn, Kathy and Bob have built on that proud legacy and we are profoundly grateful for the leadership they have shown within the SU community. To be a great university you need a great law school, and the new building made possible through this landmark gift will be a fitting testament to the Dineen family legacy.” The new building is expected to cost between $85 million to $90 million and total approximately 200,000 square feet. SU Architecture alumnus Richard Gluckman ’70, G’71, of the Gluckman Mayner architectural firm in New York City, will be the lead architect on the project. The building will be constructed on a site immediately west of the college’s current buildings, E.I. White Hall and Winifred MacNaughton Hall, located on the SU campus’s western edge. This is especially meaningful to the Dineen family because the building, fittingly, will sit not far from the Irish immigrant neighborhood, which was known as “the swamp,” where Robert senior was born and raised. Robert junior, speaking for his family, said, “I think my parents would be overwhelmed,” when asked of what Robert senior and Carolyn Dineen would think of a building honoring their legacy and bearing their name. Robert junior is a member of Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees and a member of the College of Law’s Board of Advisors. “I am truly humbled by the incredible generosity of the Dineen family,” says Hannah R. Arterian, dean and professor in the College of Law. “Their gift will have a transformational effect on the learning environment of our students. This new building will be an iconic symbol for the College of Law, giving it a strong sense of place that law students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests will consider an inspirational home. This gift makes a profound statement about the Dineen family’s legacy and their commitment to legal education at Syracuse University College of Law.” The Dineen Family Robert and Carolyn Dineen worked hard and sacrificed much to establish themselves in the law community. Robert, a Syracuse native and the son of an Irish immigrant, had to choose between pursuing an undergraduate degree or going to law school (students at that time could go directly to law school without an undergraduate degree). He did not receive a law degree, but rather a “certificate of law.” After graduating in 1924, but deemed too young to practice law, he went to work as a claims adjuster for insurance companies in Upstate New York and Canada. He applied for a job with local law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King in 1926. There was initial hesitation on the part of the partners to accept someone so young, but they hired him based on a personal reference. He later became a partner in the firm. Robert served as superintendent of insurance for the State of New York from 1943-50, and then joined Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company. Fifteen years later, he became the company’s president and CEO. Carolyn Bareham Dineen, a Rochester, N.Y. native, faced challenges just by virtue of being a woman. She earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from William Smith College and Columbia University, respectively, and enrolled in the College of Law as one of only two women in the class. She worked as a newspaper columnist to put herself through school as her father, who did not believe women should be lawyers, refused to help her financially with her education. A pioneer among women, Carolyn went on to establish a successful law career at the local law firm of Costello, Cooney & Fearon and met Robert when they were representing co-defendants in a lawsuit. Robert junior says one of the proudest moments his father—and his family—experienced was at SU in June 1966, when his father was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University, bestowed by then Chancellor William Pearson Tolley. At a celebratory lunch that followed, the elder Dineen made an observation on just how much his hard work paid off. It was first time he ever used the front door of Sims Hall on campus (he had previously always used the back door when making deliveries for the Syracuse Ice Cream Company.) The elder Dineen also said there could be no more jokes about how he was the only one in the house without a degree. Robert junior says that Syracuse pride runs deep in every member of his family. “If my father and mother had not gone to the Syracuse University College of Law, Carolyn, Kathy and I would not be here today,” he said, speaking to College of Law students at the college’s annual Law Review Banquet in April. “Because of the opportunities and education that the College of Law provided to my parents, every member of the Dineen family owes their success to Syracuse.” The Dineen family gift to the College of Law supports one of the five priorities of The Campaign for Syracuse University—building futures. This campaign priority provides funding for infrastructure improvements—critical in today’s ever-changing world—that will enhance SU’s teaching and research facilities and provide state-of-the-art technology, whether on campus, at its regional centers in New York City, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., or in its study centers abroad. With a goal of $1 billion, The Campaign for Syracuse University is the most ambitious fundraising effort in SU’s history. More information about the campaign is available online at http://campaign.syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/commercialization-assistance-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/commercialization-assistance-07-10.html New York Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D-120), along with the Syracuse Center of Excellence and CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CEO), announced July 19 that five Upstate New York companies are the recipients of fifth-round Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP) awards—totaling $246, 475—to promote the commercialization of innovative green and clean technologies. The announcement was made at Syracuse University’s Green Data Center on SU’s South Campus, where technology by one of the recipients, Vette Corp., is being used. Combined, the projects being commercialized by these companies—thanks to funding secured by Magnarelli—have the potential for creating as many as 111 high-value jobs and tens of millions in new revenue for Central Upstate New York and other Upstate regions over the next five years. “CAP is a great opportunity for local entrepreneurs who focus on environmentally friendly products to stay in the Central Upstate New York area and commercialize their products,” says Magnarelli. “The renewed emphasis on green and clean products and services will allow Syracuse and its surrounding area to continue to distinguish itself as a leader in the field of environmentally-friendly product production.” The five CAP award-winning companies and their projects are: ACT Bioenergy of Schenectady, N.Y. (www.actbioenergy.com) Potential jobs created/retained: 30-50 within five  years. ACT Bioenergy is producing a commercial-scale, high-efficiency wood pellet/wood chip gasification boiler for use in institutional, commercial and multi-family residential buildings. The design is based on a European gasification boiler that has been proven in Europe and has now been adapted for the U.S. market.  Awarded $50,000. Orthogonal of Ithaca, N.Y. (www.orthogonalinc.com)Potential jobs created/retained: 25. Based on more than $1 million in research funded by the National Science Foundation and completed at Cornell University, Orthogonal is commercializing a patent pending, non-toxic photoresist (light sensitive material) for producing organic electronics, including photovoltaics and energy-efficient solid state lighting (OLEDs). Because of the photoresist’s non-toxic nature, as compared to conventional resists, Orthogonal will enable New York electronics manufacturers to produce next generation electronics and gain a higher profit margin with minimal capital investment.  Awarded $50,000. Cameron Manufacturing & Design of Horseheads, N.Y. (www.camfab.com) Potential jobs created/retained: 5- 8. Cameron Manufacturing & Design will create a comprehensive commercialization plan for the patented Grid Electrode Precipitator (GEP) (a device to remove air contaminants) that is currently in the final stages of design and manufacturing by Cameron at Clarkson University. It is being beta-tested at the Infotonics Technology Center in Canandaigua, N.Y.  Awarded $46,475. Vette Corp. of Ontario, N.Y. (www.vettecorp.com/www.coolcentric.com) Potential jobs created/retained: 32. Vette Corp.’s Open Sidecar—branded “Coolcentric”—is a passive “in-row” data center cooling product based on patent pending technology. As of Dec. 2009, five prototype units have been manufactured and installed at SU’s Green Data Center. The current prototype design enables complete neutralization of up to 40kW of heat generated by IT equipment mounted within an IBM NetBay Enterprise rack. In cooperation with SU and IBM, Vette is working through product field tests to gather additional quantitative and qualitative data on performance capabilities and product functionality.  Awarded $50,000. e2e Materials of Ithaca, N.Y. (www.e2ematerials.com) Potential jobs created/retained: 4. This project will focus on building e2e’s commitment to Central Upstate New York as the company works on the acquisition, installation, testing and trial of a press and custom tooling to make prototype forms for its petroleum-free, biodegradable composites, including a corrugated “i-core” shape for structural applications, as well as complex shapes like boxes and corners. The proposed pilot scale facility will enable in-house manufacturing of molded products and flat sheets for sale, prototype development of molded building product concepts and molded cubicle wall concepts, and future rapid development of other molded products to respond to partner interest and develop new markets.  Awarded $50,000. The Commercialization Assistance Program—which over five rounds has awarded a total of more than $1 million to 21 Upstate companies—is made possible by a grant secured by Magnarelli, administered through SyracuseCoE and CenterState CEO. CAP grants are awarded for projects that commercialize new products and services in the fields of indoor environmental quality, water resources and clean and renewable energy—the three focus areas of the SyracuseCoE.  To date, CAP has created or retained more than 152 green and clean technology jobs in New York state. Companies that have benefitted from the program can point to new products and services and, in some cases, new companies and expanded operations that are gaining a foothold in this competitive market.  Four of these companies are: O’Brien & Gere of East Syracuse, which thanks to a 2001 CAP grant has successfully commercialized systems for the capture and control of pollutants from industrial processes such as indoor dry material handling, surface coating, electroplating and metal machining; OrthoSystems of Syracuse, which thanks to a 2004 CAP grant has spun off AlloCAS, Inc., a company that sells molecular sensors for the rapid detection of waterborne pathogens and bioterror agents, and has leveraged more than $230,000 in additional R&D funding; NuClimate of East Syracuse, which thanks to a 2004 CAP grant has commercialized its “Q” Air Terminal, expanding its production facility from 4,000 to 15,000 square-feet and reporting $5 million in sales and $4.5 million in orders up to the fourth quarter of 2009; and Isolation Sciences of Williamsville, N.Y., which thanks to a 2008 CAP grant has received a patent for its energy efficient fumehood kit.  “For today’s CAP award recipients, these grants will help to bridge the gap from a smart idea to a great new product and, ultimately, a successful generator of jobs and revenue for the region,” says Robert M. Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “Together with Assemblyman Magnarelli and SyracuseCoE, we are proud of the jobs and economic impact that this program has already achieved and the promise it holds for the region’s future.”  ”SyracuseCoE’s Commercialization Assistance Program is a key stage in our innovation ecosystem model that seeks to take green and clean innovations from laboratories and workshops and into residential and commercial buildings, where they will create energy-efficient and more healthful and productive environments,” says Ed Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE. “None of these innovations would be possible without collaboration. I applaud these companies and universities for working together to develop, demonstrate and deploy urgently needed technologies, as well as Assemblyman Magnarelli and CenterState CEO for their continued support of and assistance with CAP.” Syracuse Center of Excellence (syracusecoe.org) accelerates the creation of environmental and energy innovations for a sustainable future, engaging collaborators at 200+ companies and institutions to address global challenges in clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality, and water resources. Our members conduct targeted research, demonstrate new technologies, commercialize innovation and educate the workforce. CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (centerstateceo.com) is a non-profit regional growth organization serving individuals, businesses, and communities across 12 counties in the heart of New York State. CenterState CEO works to achieve economic growth and prosperity through partnerships, planning and problem-solving. It identifies key issues of importance to its members, focuses on their collective vision; sets the regional economic development agenda; communicates business priorities to community leaders; pursues strategic investments; and responds to meaningful opportunities for the benefit of the region. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/lcs-messac-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/lcs-messac-07-10.html Achille Messac has been named as distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in Syracuse University’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science (LCS). The appointment is effective July 26. Messac becomes the second active distinguished professor in LCS, a rank that indicates he has attained the highest levels of achievement in his area of expertise. Messac comes to SU from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, N.Y., where he has been a professor in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering since 2000. He served as the acting department chair from July 2008 to July 2009. Mark Glauser, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and associate dean for research and doctoral programs in LCS, notes that, “Professor Messac is a fellow of both professional societies represented in the department—the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). This is a truly remarkable accomplishment from an outstanding researcher and academic leader.” The current thrust of Messac’s research revolves around energy systems design and optimization, including wind and solar energy harvesting. He is also currently leading the development of advanced design technologies, including physical programming, a methodology that brings optimization within easy reach of industry engineers. “Dr. Messac is most widely known for his pioneering work in Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) for which he was recently named the winner of the prestigious MDO Award, conferred every two to four years to one person internationally by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,” says LCS Dean Laura J. Steinberg. “He will be accepting the award this fall at the AIAA meeting as a member of the LCS faculty. I am very proud to have Achille join our team at LCS where he will undoubtedly be a wonderful colleague, an inspiring leader and a passionate researcher and teacher.” The MDO Award will be presented to Messac for his pioneering research in MDO in the areas of control structure, integrated design and physical programming. The citation also recognizes his outstanding and visionary leadership in the aerospace community. It is the highest technical award in Messac’s field of engineering. Prior to his appointment at RPI, Messac was a faculty member in the Department of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering at Northeastern University in Boston from 1994-2000. There, he led the successful reform of the academic design program. He was a senior member of the technical staff at The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge, Mass., from 1981-1994. In this position, Messac led and participated in numerous research and development efforts. He pioneered Control Structure Integrated Design, and led NASA efforts in the award-winning development of a large simulation for the dynamics and control of the Stabilized Payload Deployment System, a two-arm payload manipulator for the shuttle orbiter. He also led the development of a large simulation to study the dynamic stability, structural behavior and control properties of the space system composed of the space station (SS), the space shuttle and the translating SS mobile transporter. Messac holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He was a recipient of the prestigious CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation and has received the AIAA Sustained Service Award. Messac also received the Annual Capstone Design Award from Northeastern University in recognition of the successful pedagogical reforms he led while there. He is a fellow of the AIAA and the ASME. He is the former chair of the AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) Technical Committee (TC), and is a former member of the AIAA Structural Dynamics TC. He currently serves as the national AIAA deputy director for aerospace with responsibility for four technical committees. Messac is an editorial board member and associate editor of the journal, Optimization and Engineering. He is an associate editor of the AIAA Journal, and former member of the AIAA Publications Editorial Advisory Board of the Education Series. He is also an editorial board member of the Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization Journal of the International Society for Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization. Messac has authored or co-authored more than 165 publications. He is a member of the honor societies Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau, a member of the Strathmore, and the International Who’s Who. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/toastmasters-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/toastmasters-07-10.html The Orange Orators Toastmasters Club, sponsored by Syracuse University’s Office of Human Resources, has earned the President’s Distinguished Award, Toastmasters International’s highest honor. The award is bestowed upon a club based on a set of 10 criteria established by the organization and is achieved by fewer than 15 percent of Toastmasters Clubs worldwide. What makes the accomplishment noteworthy is that the Orange Orators Toastmasters is a young club, just three years old. Chartered in 2007, the club overcame formidable odds, gained critical membership and pulled together a team of enthusiastic officers and members. Under the leadership of club president Susan Watts, process manager in SU’s Information Technology and Services’ Enterprise Process Support group, the Orange Orators club completed nine of the 10 goals required by Toastmasters International to earn the award. “The success of our club has been a collective effort with everyone in the club pulling together—playing different roles at different times—but all pulling for the common goal,” says Watts. She also cites the support of the Office of Human Resources and area Toastmasters leadership for guidance and coaching. The mission of a Toastmasters Club is to provide a mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every individual member has the opportunity to develop oral communication and leadership skills, which in turn fosters self-confidence and personal growth. The Orange Orators Toastmasters Club is committed to helping individuals become better speakers and leaders in a fun and supportive environment. Using the time-tested Toastmasters format, members gain poise and confidence in their public speaking abilities, allowing them to succeed in whatever path they choose in life. The Orange Orators Toastmasters Club meets in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons at E.S. Bird Library, on the SU campus, Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m. Membership is open to SU faculty, staff, students and the general public. For more information, contact Carolynn Rayome at cmrayome@syr.edu. Toastmasters International is a nonprofit organization serving more than 250,000 members in 106 countries, through a worldwide network of 12,500 clubs. Since its founding in 1924,Toastmasters has helped more than four million men and women develop public speaking skills and become confident communicators at work and at home. For information about this and other local Toastmasters clubs, visit http://www.toastmasters.org. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/freund-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/freund-07-10.html Deborah A. Freund, distinguished professor of public administration and economics at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, has been appointed the 15th president of Claremont Graduate University (CGU). Freund will be the first woman to serve as CGU president and will formally take office in the fall. Founded in 1925, CGU is an independent institution devoted entirely to graduate research and study. The 19-acre campus in Claremont, Calif., has nine academic schools and conducts leading-edge research, awarding master’s and doctoral degrees in 24 disciplines. According to CGU Chairman of the Board Donald Baker, “Professor Freund personifies the 85-year tradition of dedication to academic excellence in research and teaching that is CGU’s hallmark. As an internationally recognized scholar and sought-after expert in the field of health care policies and economics, she will have a decidedly positive impact on CGU’s students and faculty. We are fortunate that she will bring extensive administrative experience to her service as president of Claremont Graduate University.” Freund was vice chancellor and provost at SU from 1999-2006, has been a professor at the Maxwell School since 2004 and also serves as a senior research associate at the school’s Center for Policy Research. An internationally recognized health economist, Freund additionally serves as an adjunct professor of orthopedics and pediatrics at State University of New York Upstate Medical University. “To be asked to lead an educational institution of such distinction and accomplishment as CGU in these changing times for higher education is a challenge and a privilege,” says Freund. “Meeting such challenges going forward will be possible because of the dedication, talent and enthusiasm of CGU’s trustees, faculty, students, alumni and staff. CGU’s pace-setting record of transdisciplinary research and teaching mirrors what I have also been committed to during my 30 years in the academy. “I have had 11 glorious years at SU, first in administration and now as a faculty member. I truly had the best of all worlds at one of the leading universities on the planet. This was a really hard decision because I am, and will always be, orange through and through. I have had the pleasure of serving the state and nation and working with others to develop the Upstate Health Research Network, but an extraordinary opportunity called me; in the end, I am always the kind of person to take on a new challenge. Neither the amazing project nor the presidency of CGU would have been possible without all of the positive experiences and people I had the pleasure of working with at SU.” “We are all very proud and delighted that Debbie is taking the next step in her academic and professional career to become president of Claremont Graduate University,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “I am confident that she will have an immediate and extraordinary impact at Claremont through the leadership, collaboration, knowledge and energy she brings, all of which are certain to strengthen academic excellence.” As vice chancellor and provost at SU, Freund spearheaded the development of a new academic plan in 2001 to build strategic research partnerships in the areas of information management and technology; environmental systems and quality; collaborative design; and citizenship and social transformation; along with a concerted effort to strengthen theory and practice integration, international field study, diversity and writing. In 2002, Freund also led the process of developing an academic space plan, which involved a major institutional investment—made through bonding and fundraising—in new and renovated facilities, including construction of a new building for the Martin J. Whitman School of Management; a third building for the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications; a new Life Sciences Complex; and the complete renovation of Slocum Hall for the School of Architecture. Freund earned a bachelor’s degree in classics at Washington University in Missouri, and later a doctorate in health economics and public finance at the University of Michigan. She was vice chancellor for academic affairs at Indiana University Bloomington before serving as SU’s vice chancellor and provost. From July 2006-November 2007, she was special advisor to the president and visiting professor of business administration in the Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester. At a date to be determined, Freund will be joined at CGU by her husband, Thomas J. Kniesner, the Krisher Professor of Economics at the Maxwell School and a senior research associate at the Center for Policy Research. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/vpa-ralph-zito-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/vpa-ralph-zito-07-10.html Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) has announced that Ralph Zito, a theater professional in voice, text and dialects who most recently served as the chair of the Juilliard School Drama Division’s voice and speech department, has been named chair of the Department of Drama.  Zito, who assumed the duties of chair on July 1, is responsible for the creative and academic leadership and vision of the department, including the oversight of administrative and curricular processes; recruitment of new faculty, staff and students; and faculty development and mentoring. He also holds the title of professor of drama.  Zito succeeds Maria Marrero, professor of theater design and technology, who will return to her role on the faculty.  “Ralph brings to the college and the Department of Drama not only a remarkable profile of accomplishments, but also a record of collaboration with faculty colleagues in building programs that nurture excellence and consummate professionalism,” says VPA Dean Ann Clarke. “His vision for the future of theater at SU is complemented by a demeanor of wisdom and grace that will serve us all well. We are excited to begin this new era with Ralph at the helm.”  “Ralph’s academic and professional experience makes him ideally suited to serve as chair of the Department of Drama, one of the few B.F.A. training programs in the country that enjoys a symbiotic relationship with a professional regional theater,” says Timothy Bond, producing artistic director of the department and Syracuse Stage. “I look forward to working with Ralph on future collaborations that will increase the level of excellence at both organizations and solidify SU Drama’s reputation as one of the nation’s premier professional theater training programs.”  “The department’s tremendous resources—a dedicated and experienced faculty, an on-site professional theater, actively involved alumni, an array of off-campus learning opportunities and a dynamic and supportive dean, to name only a few—make it an exciting place to be,” says Zito. “I am eager to begin the work of building upon those resources in order to lead the department to even greater accomplishments in the training of theater professionals.”  Zito began teaching in the voice and speech department at Juilliard’s Drama Division in 1992 before assuming his duties as chair of that department in 1999. He also served as associate director of the school’s mentoring program, which pairs students and faculty from different artistic disciplines to explore life in the arts.  Zito is currently a member of the American Society for the Alexander Technique, for which he also served on the board of directors, and is a member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association and the Voice Foundation. He was also an instructor at the Chautauqua Theater Company, where he served as artistic associate for seven seasons. His teaching experience also includes positions at Barnard College and numerous guest artist positions at programs around the country.  As a voice, text and dialects coach, Zito has worked on and off Broadway and on national tours for such productions as “The Orphans’ Home Cycle” at Signature Theatre Company, “Awake and Sing!”and “The Light in the Piazza” at Lincoln Center Theater and “The Tongue of a Bird” and “The Merchant of Venice” at the New York Shakespeare Festival. Regional theater credits include numerous shows at the Shakespeare Theatre and Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.; the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, N.J.; Hartford Stage in Hartford, Conn.; the Alley Theatre in Houston; and Center Stage in Baltimore.  Zito has also directed productions for the Juilliard School, Barnard College and the Chautauqua Theater Company. His acting credits include roles in “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Macbeth,” “The Gilded Age,” “Antigone” and “Five by Tenn.”  Zito holds an A.B. from Harvard University and a diploma in acting from the Juilliard School Drama Division. He also completed the Teacher Certification Program of the American Center for the Alexander Technique.  VPA’s Department of Drama offers conservatory-style B.F.A. programs in acting, musical theater, stage management and theater design and technology as well as opportunities for community engagement and interaction with guest artists, many of whom are alumni. Students benefit from the department’s collaboration with Syracuse Stage, a member of the League of Resident Theatres (LORT), through mentorship and instruction, casting in productions, internships, and other interaction with professional theater artists. Drama students may also study in London, England, and Florence, Italy through SU Abroad; in New York City through the department’s Tepper Semester, a rigorous artistic training and immersion program; and in Los Angeles through VPA’s Sorkin in LA Learning Practicum, a week-long immersion in the film and television industry. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/pal-photography-literacy-07-01.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/pal-photography-literacy-07-01.html Syracuse University’s Coalition of Museum and Art Centers (CMAC) has launched the Photography and Literacy Project (PAL) for local students to explore their world through photography, video and sound to promote critical thinking skills, writing, visual literacy and self-esteem. The PAL Project—which is based on ongoing work initiated by SU instructor Stephen Mahan of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA)—will be based in the community spaces at the Warehouse in downtown Syracuse. Mahan started his work at SU a few years ago by collaborating with the Syracuse City School District (SCSD), CMAC, VPA, the Partnership for Better Education, the Creative Writing Program, Light Work and other partnering area institutions. At its core, the project encourages students to explore their world as they photograph, film and capture sound recordings from their world and their lives, and then use their documents as prompts for verbal and written expression. PAL also provides a valuable opportunity for students to bring their home and community lives into the classroom. Photographs and videos, in turn, give teachers a glimpse into their students’ lives and, in increasingly diverse classrooms, give students a way to understand each other’s experiences. SU students in Mahan’s VPA Department of Transmedia class “Literacy Community and Media” participate in PAL projects by going into city school classrooms as teaching assistants and mentors. The PAL Project has involved numerous elementary, middle and high school teachers, as well as hundreds of children of varying ages and backgrounds. A good showcase for the PAL Project can be seen in the large-scale self-portraits made by SCSD students in a project called “The Best Part of Us” currently displayed on the walls of the former CASE Supply Building on Fayette Street in the city’s Near Westside neighborhood. Mahan has also worked on a similar project with patients at Hutchings Psychiatric Center in Syracuse, and youth groups at P.E.A.C.E., Inc. in the Near Westside. Mahan, who often quotes British author and education expert Sir Ken Robinson’s line about schools ‘filled with brilliant kids who think they are not,’ says his passion for using photography as an educational tool began while he was a graduate student at the University of Buffalo in the 1990s. “Our educational system is set up to deal most effectively with one type of learner, and I was the ‘other’ type of student with reading and attention problems that made me feel a certain way,” says Mahan.  “So what I try to do is even the playing field by using a camera as a storytelling device that articulates and validates each individual’s point of view, which builds self esteem. When the pictures are all laid out on the table, it is impossible to tell which kid has difficulties, and that is what motivates my passion.” Mahan has been named the new director of the PAL Project and will continue to teach the VPA course while leading the PAL Project under the CMAC umbrella. In his new role, which took effect July 1, Mahan will be responsible for establishing PAL based on past projects, as well as expanding the project to reach out to more students and other communities. “The Photography and Literacy Project truly defines the meaning of Scholarship in Action. It exemplifies collaboration among University departments including Light Work, the College of Visual and Performing Arts, the School of Education and the Coalition of Museum and Art Centers, just to name a few partners,” says Jeffrey Hoone, executive director of Light Work, and executive director of CMAC. “Through PAL these University departments, in turn, collaborate with the Syracuse City School District to work with students on a sustained basis to hopefully teach them skills to last a lifetime.” With the new physical offices at the Warehouse, the PAL Project will be able to provide a more permanent home to the students’ work through the exhibition space at the Link Gallery in the Warehouse. In addition to providing administration, scheduling, outreach and access for the existing community spaces, the PAL Project will create a new model for community engagement based on providing ongoing classes, workshops and lectures for children and teens, with the aim of promoting literacy through the exploration of photography, video and multimedia tools. The PAL Project will provide instructional learning and also function as a laboratory space with regular hours of operation after school throughout the week for students to continue their progress and further engage with other participants of the PAL Program and SU mentors. For more information about the PAL project, contact Mahan at scmahan@syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/dream-rocket-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/dream-rocket-07-10.html Jennifer Marsh G’08 is engaging tens of thousands of students, schools, teachers, Girl Scout troops and individuals from across the world in the Dream Rocket project, with the goal to challenge young generations to “Dare to Dream” through arts and education. Using themes such as health, community, conservation, science, technology and space, Marsh is organizing Dream Rocket participants from 100 countries and 50 states to create a 32,000-square-foot quilt that will completely wrap a 37-story, Saturn V moon rocket replica at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.  The fabric transformation of the Saturn V replica, scheduled for May and June 2011, aims to be the world’s largest collaborative art and education project. Powerful both in message and scale, it will represent the challenges of the future, as expressed by students and individuals across the world who are creating the fabric panels. “The Saturn V, which carried man to the moon, is an inspiring and tangible reminder that when people from all over the world collaborate on an important mission, nothing is impossible,” says Marsh, who is now an assistant professor of sculpture at the University of Alabama.  The Dream Rocket project has been entered into the Pepsi Refresh online contest to compete for $50,000, which Marsh says would go toward the sewing, engineering, construction, installation, and labor expenses needed to complete this global project. The Pepsi Refresh competition is based on public votes and runs through the month of July. To vote for the Dream Rocket project as part of the Pepsi Refresh competition, visit: http://www.refresheverything.com/thedreamrocket. Individuals can vote once each day throughout July.  The Dream Rocket project is part of Marsh’s non-profit organization, International Fiber Collaborative (IFC), whose mission is to unite communities and individuals around the globe through art and education, contribute to social awareness and create unique and inspiring initiatives. In 2008, as a graduate student in SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, Marsh received national attention when she wrapped an abandoned gas station on E. Colvin St. in Syracuse with 3,400 fabric panels. The realized goal of the World Reclamation Art Project (WRAP) was to provide an opportunity for people who enjoy working with fiber arts to come together and express their concern about the world’s dependency on oil. Participants crocheted, knitted, stitched, patched and collaged three-foot square fiber panels that covered the gas station and powerfully expressed their concern about this topic.  The Saturn V replica wrapping is scheduled to be displayed at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville during the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s “Dare to Dream” moon speech. “The Saturn V moon rocket is the ideal example of achieving a dream that seems impossible,” says Marsh. “Whether your dream is curing cancer, going to Mars or ending world hunger, the Saturn V is an inspiring visual reminder that any dream can come true. If we can work together to put a man on the moon, we can do anything.”  For more information, visit the Dream Rocket website at http://www.thedreamrocket.com, or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dream-Rocket/114636921363?ref=ts. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/whitman-risk-management-conference-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/whitman-risk-management-conference-07-10.html The supply chain management program in the Whitman School of Management will host the sixth annual Integrated Risk Management in Operations and Global Supply Chains Conference Aug. 8-9, with scholars and practitioners from across the globe leading discussions on the integration of financial and economic risks in supply chain management. All speakers were selected for their innovative work and research on the topic of managing uncertainty and risk associated with financial and economic markets in global supply chains. The conference was spearheaded by Burak Kazaz, associate professor of supply chain management at the Whitman School; Scott Webster, the Becker Professor of Supply Chain Management at the Whitman School; Panos Kouvelis, the Emerson Distinguished Professor of Operations and Manufacturing Management at the Olin Business School of Washington University in St. Louis; and Lingxiu Dong, associate professor of operations and manufacturing management at Olin. The conference will be co-sponsored by SU alumni Gar Grannell ‘88 and wife Francine Grannell G’04, the H.H. Franklin Center for Supply Chain Management in Whitman, and the Boeing Center on Technology, Information, and Manufacturing (BCTIM) at Olin. Home to the first supply chain management program in the nation, the Whitman School has two research centers that provide a bridge between industry and academia: the Franklin Center for Supply Chain Management and the R.H. Brethen Institute for Operations Management. In addition to these centers, the Whitman School has for more than 60 years honored the best in the field of supply chain management with the Salzberg Medallion. The 2009 recipients of the award were Michael C. Ward, president and CEO of CSX, and Malcom McLean, founder of Trailer Bridge and “the father of containerization.” For more information about the conference, visit whitman.syr.edu/INTRIM/. To register, contact Agnes Magnarelli, research centers administrator in the Whitman School, at (315) 443-1383 or ahmagnar@syr.edu. Media queries can be directed to Amy Schmitz, director of communications in the Whitman School, at 443-3834 or aemehrin@syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/say-yes-la-casita-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/say-yes-la-casita-07-10.html Several Syracuse-area organizations have teamed up to engage the public in selecting a logo for the La Casita Cultural Center Project, an initiative housed in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences that uses arts and culture as a tool for bridging existing gaps between Syracuse’s Latino community, SU and other Central New Yorkers.  Students in kindergarten through fourth grade participating in the Say Yes to Education Summer Camp at the Seymour School created potential La Casita logos during camp. A panel of artists and scholars selected a finalist from each grade on July 7.  The drawings from the five young artists are featured at http://blog.syracuse.com/cny-speaks.  Central New Yorkers can view the designs online and vote; voting concludes at midnight on Tuesday, July 20. The design with the most votes will become La Casita’s official emblem. Voting is free and open to all; a quick link to the voting can also be found at http://cnyspeaks.com/.  There are several additional events in July surrounding the logo contest and other La Casita activities. All drawings completed by the Say Yes campers will be hung at the Museum of Young Art (MOYA), 110 W. Fayette St. Student trips to MOYA will take all the students to see their art on display on July 19-21. An opening reception and awards ceremony will be held at MOYA beginning at 5 p.m., July 22.  Area organizations that have helped organize and promote this project are Say Yes to Education, CNYSpeaks, MOYA, The Post-Standard and the Seymour Dual Language Academy.  Also this month, La Casita is hosting a dual-language reading circle once each week as part of the Say Yes camp. The reading circle is just one example of the type of programming La Casita develops as part of its mission in Syracuse.  To learn more about the logo contest, the exhibit at MOYA or La Casita in general, contact Inmaculada Lara-Bonilla at 443 8743 or ibonilla@syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/whitman-bootcamp-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/whitman-bootcamp-07-10.html The Whitman School of Management will welcome 23 veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraqi conflicts to its Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV) on July 24. The program, offered entirely free (including travel and accommodations) to post-9/11 veterans, provides men and women representing all four branches of the U.S. military with cutting-edge training in entrepreneurship and small business management in an effort to help them “create their own jobs.”  During their nine-day residency on campus, veterans learn a range of business skills, including accounting, human resources, supply chain, operations, strategy and more from world-class faculty, entrepreneurs, disability experts and business professionals. More than 300 veterans from all over the United States have taken part in the EBV, and more than 100 successful ventures have already been launched by program graduates.  Offered in three phases, the program provides veterans the opportunity to engage in workshops to write their business plans, raise capital, attract customers and develop a marketing strategy that is most effective for their business model. Phase I is a self-study session in which the veterans complete courses through online discussions moderated by University faculty. Phase II requires that participants travel to the Whitman School, where they will become immersed in the residency, learning to develop their own business concepts and understand the basic elements of small business management. Phase III involves 12 months of ongoing support and mentorship provided to the veterans from faculty experts.  “The year 2010 marks nine years since our troops first entered into conflict in Afghanistan and seven years since the conflict began in Iraq,” says Melvin T. Stith, dean of the Whitman School of Management and a former Vietnam War-era Army captain. “Wounded warriors are coming back from these conflicts with fewer opportunities in the workplace. This program is a step towards providing them with the skills and knowledge to create their own opportunities. All six [consortium] schools provide these veterans with the skills and knowledge necessary to enter the marketplace and create and build their dreams. The Whitman School is proud to lead the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities consortium of outstanding business schools in this endeavor.”  The EBV was created by the Whitman School in 2007 and has since expanded into a nationwide partnership with five other business schools: UCLA Anderson School of Management, Mays Business School at Texas A&M University, Florida State University’s College of Business, the Krannert School of Management at Purdue University and the College of Business at the University of Connecticut. More than 150 veterans will receive training at the six consortium schools over the next four months.  “Providing opportunities to a group so deserving is consistent with the mission of higher education,” says Mike Haynie, assistant professor of entrepreneurship, creator and director of the EBV and a former U.S. Air Force major. “Every year, with the tremendous support of friends around the nation, the program is able to reach more wounded veterans.”  As a result of a significant gift from the family of SU alumnus Steve Barnes ’82, the EBV program at SU will be serving veterans for many years to come. Barnes is managing director at Bain Capital, a leading global private equity firm. A recent partnership agreement with PepsiCo will also help to grow the program around the U.S. to serve even more veterans.  To create disability-related curriculum and assist participants in understanding and leveraging programs at the intersection of disability and entrepreneurship, the program is offered in collaboration with SU’s Burton Blatt Institute, which seeks to advance the civic, economic and social participation of persons with disabilities.  To apply to the EBV, visit whitman.syr.edu/ebv or contact the Whitman School of Management at (315) 443-8736 or EBVinfo@syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/girls-get-it-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/girls-get-it-07-10.html Thirty-two middle school girls from the Syracuse City School District (SCSD) have the opportunity this week to engage in exciting engineering and technology projects, learn from leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines, and just have fun at the first Girls Get It! STEM camp at Syracuse University. The overnight camp, sponsored by the SCSD in collaboration with SU and JPMorgan Chase & Co., began Sunday and will conclude on Saturday, July 17. “The Syracuse City School District is supporting this week-long STEM residential program to enhance these students’ ability to increase performance in secondary school science through project-based and collaborative learning,” says David P. Morgan, director of the Partnership for Better Education (PBE).  PBE works closely with the SCSD and local colleges and universities to assist  students graduate and successfully pursue higher education. In 2007, SU and JPMorgan Chase formed a unique collaboration to transform the way technologists are trained in the classroom and on the job.  “An important objective of the JPMorgan Chase-Syracuse University collaboration is to leverage our resources and programs to benefit the surrounding community,” says Tommie Williams, JPMorgan Chase vice president and collaboration program manager. “To this end, we have planned activities focused on stimulating the interest of middle school girls in pursuing careers in the STEM fields.” Participating students are from the SCSD and will be entering eighth or ninth grade in the fall.  Many of the students also participate in the Hillside Work Scholarship Program and the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP). Teachers, resident assistants and graduate assistants will work with the students throughout the week; industry and student volunteers will help with the projects and other camp activities. Students will work collaboratively on six projects during the week, such as building an earthquake-proof structure, designing a website and discovering the engineering behind lipgloss. Projects will be introduced to students in the context of the real world, and students will be encouraged to use critical thinking skills to solve the problems that arise. Students will journal about their experience throughout the week. The week will conclude with an open house on Saturday, July 17, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in which the students will showcase their projects. The open house is by invitation only. About the Collaboration  In June 2007, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Syracuse University established a unique corporate-university collaboration and joint venture. The purpose of the collaboration is to develop education and work experience innovations in the area of financial services information technology, leveraging each other’s knowledge and expertise in the building of a best in class curriculum for entry-level technologists and to collaborate on projects of joint interest that provide value to both organizations and to society. About JPMorgan Chase & Co.  JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) is a leading global financial services firm with assets of $2.2 trillion, operations in more than 60 countries and more than 180,000 employees. JPMorgan Chase is a leader in investment banking, financial services for consumers, small business and commercial banking, financial transaction processing, asset management and private equity. The firm serves millions of consumers in the United States and many of the world’s most prominent corporate, institutional and government clients under its JPMorgan Chase brands. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/lgbt-resource-center-director-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/lgbt-resource-center-director-07-10.html The Syracuse University Division of Student Affairs has named D. Chase James Catalano as the new director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Resource Center. Catalano replaces current director Adrea Jaehnig, who is leaving the University and relocating this summer. Catalano’s appointment is effective Aug. 1.  Catalano is currently a doctoral candidate in social justice education at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, where he has designed and taught various courses and workshops addressing social justice and diversity in higher education, racism, sexism, identity, oppression and liberation. “Social justice education has given me additional language, theoretical frameworks and broader views to understand systems of oppression and privilege,” says Catalano. “In my doctoral work, I am able to complicate identity through exploring institutional systems, dominant culture, subversive paradigms and the multiplicity of identities through which we view experiences.”  He also worked as assistant residence director for residence life at UMass-Amherst from 2003-09, serving for two of those years as the primary supervisor to the resident assistant of the “2 in 20 Community,” a floor comprised of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning and ally (LGBTQQA) students.  “We are very excited to welcome Chase to both our campus and Syracuse communities,” says Rebecca Reed Kantrowitz, associate vice president of inclusion, community, and citizenship in the Division of Student Affairs. “He brings a wealth of knowledge of student development theory, social justice and issues impacting the LGBT community. Chase’s experiences will greatly enhance the work of the LGBT Resource Center and the Division of Student Affairs.”  Catalano holds a bachelor’s degree in American studies, with a gender studies concentration, from Dickinson College, and a master’s degree in higher education administration from UMass-Amherst. He has substantial presentation and teaching experience, and served for three years on the leadership team of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators’ Knowledge Community on LGBT Issues.  Catalano looks forward to connecting with students on integrating queer issues with other aspects of social justice and identity awareness and development, and discussing how their lived experiences are not detached from, or devoid of the content of their classroom education. “I hope to be able to work with students and colleagues in discussions about topics and issues that engage the many aspects of student and academic life on the campus,” says Catalano. “The LGBT Resource Center has many successful programs and resources already established, and I am inspired to imagine future possibilities.” http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/seiu-contract-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/seiu-contract-07-10.html In a ratification vote held July 7, bargaining unit members approved the proposed contract between Syracuse University and the Service Employees International Union (SEIU Local 200United).  SEIU is the largest union at SU, representing more than 800 Physical Plant, University Library and Food Services staff members.  As part of the negotiation process that began in early May, University and SEIU representatives shared proposals on wage increases, and subcontracting, the issue SEIU identified as being of highest importance.  Under the new contract, SEIU employees will receive wage increases equal to the pro-forma increment for non-exempt University employees, for each of the next three fiscal years.  The first wage increase will be retroactive to July 1, 2010. In addition, new wording pertaining to subcontracting non-construction trades bargaining unit jobs is added in the new contract.  “We’re pleased to have reached a fair and equitable agreement with our SEIU employees,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor.  “This is a result of the constructive dialogue and discussion that took place between the two negotiating teams during the past two months along with the good faith efforts of SEIU leadership. We look forward to building on this positive momentum with SEIU in the months and years ahead. “  “Job security was our members’ highest priority this contract and we worked hard to achieve this landmark agreement,” says Scott Phillipson, executive director of SEIU Local 200United.  “We applaud the Chancellor and the University for working diligently to arrive at the agreed upon process, which is transparent and gives workers a voice.” http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/project-advance-summer-06-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/project-advance-summer-06-10.html One hundred and thirty teachers from more than 69 high schools in Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island are on the Syracuse University campus attending the 2010 SU Project Advance Summer Institute, which runs through July 16. Successful completion of the summer workshops qualifies instructors to teach sections of the SU courses in their high schools during the regularly scheduled high school day. Faculty from SU’s School of Education, School of Information Studies, Martin J. Whitman School of Management, College of Arts and Sciences and L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science are offering 25 different workshops this year. Workshops focus on subject content, testing and grading standards for college courses, and additional topics related to college course administration. New workshops for 2010 include Latin, physics and Web design as teachers prepare to pilot SU’s newest course offerings through Project Advance. More than 170 high schools partner with SU through Project Advance, offering SU courses to more than 8,000 students annually. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/dance-intensive-07-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/dance-intensive-07-10.html The Syracuse University Summer Dance Intensive, administered by University College and co-sponsored by SU’s College of Visual and Performing Arts, has brought students from as far away as Europe and California to participate in one of the premier dance programs in the United States. Now in its fifth year, the students, ages 12 to 18, have the privilege of studying with internationally acclaimed teachers and guest artists during two- or three-week sessions. Among the world-renowned faculty selected by artistic director Danita Emma is dance legend Madame Gabriela Darvash. A Kirov-trained teacher, Darvash was artistic director and resident choreographer for the State Opera Ballet in Romania and is now company teacher for the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. Momchil Mladenov, a former principal dancer with the National Ballet of Bulgaria and currently a principal dancer with Suzanne Farrell Ballet at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., will also instruct the students. A highlight of the program will be a work choreographed by Kathryn Posin, a well-known choreographer whose works have been featured by many major ballet companies. Other distinguished faculty are Karen Brown, former principal dancer for the Dance Theater of Harlem; Michael Job, former principal dancer for the Boston Ballet; and Anthony Salatino of the Syracuse University Drama Department. Held on the SU campus, the program prepares aspiring young dancers to meet the challenges of today’s dance world. Students take daily technique classes in ballet, modern and jazz in an intense conservatory environment. With its emphasis on technical growth and artistic performance, the Summer Dance Intensive provides a challenging experience for aspiring dancers. Evelyn Kocak, who just left the Staatsballett Berlin and joined the Pennsylvania Ballet, will be returning to SU’s Summer Dance Intensive for her fourth year. “All the instructors are encouraging, passionate and highly trained professionals, passing on their superb knowledge, experience and love of dance,” says Kocak. “The smaller class size enables the teachers to pay greater attention to each dancer, thereby creating a more personal atmosphere than some other programs. I’m especially happy and proud to have such high caliber training in my hometown of Syracuse.” Eileen Coffman attended the Syracuse University Dance Intensive program in 2006 and went on to study at other summer dance intensives, including the American Academy of Ballet, the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts and the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City. She will be returning to SU’s Summer Dance Intensive program this summer. “Unlike other programs, students attending this intensive aren’t treated as just another number in a class of 30 to 40 students,” says Coffman. “The instructors are highly knowledgeable, not only in various forms of dance technique, but in every aspect of a dancer’s success. They are endlessly devoted to helping each student reach that success. I am really excited to start this Summer Dance Intensive at SU and couldn’t be more confident that the training I’ll receive this summer will improve every level of my dancing, even beyond my own expectations.” The program culminates in a public performance at Syracuse Stage on Saturday, July 31, at 1 p.m. The performance is free and open to the public. For more information, visit the Summer Dance Intensive web site at http://www.uc.syr.edu/ballet. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/westside-initiatives-06-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/westside-initiatives-06-10.html Business owners and emerging entrepreneurs in Syracuse’s Near Westside neighborhood will soon enjoy comprehensive initiatives aimed at boosting growth and encouraging new business development. The initiatives—which include the creation of a micro-lending program, formation of a business association, a peer mentoring program and an entrepreneurship training program—are the result of recommendations from the Near Westside Initiative’s Small Business Development Committee. The Small Business Development Committee was formed after the Near Westside Initiative (NWSI) commissioned a 2009 street-by-street survey and analysis of all business in the neighborhood. “Thanks to the hard work of Michael Short, who conducted the survey and is now a Syracuse University Engagement Fellow with the Near Westside Initiative, many of the needs of local businesses were brought to light,” says Maarten Jacobs, director of the Near Westside Initiative. “With this data, the committee has been able to create a system to provide resources to help the existing businesses expand and encourage new ventures to form.” As an Engagement Fellow—beneficiary of a program initiated by SU in 2009 to retain bright new graduates in the Syracuse area by partnering them with local businesses and nonprofits and supporting them with University resources—Short works as deputy director of the NWSI. “It’s very important to us that our projects are for local businesses by local businesses, which is why all of our initiatives are the product of a mutually beneficial collaboration with neighborhood business owners,” says Short, who authored the neighborhood business development strategy. The information gathered from the survey is available online at http://www.saltdistrict.com/survey. There are about 140 businesses in the neighborhood. The new business initiatives will include: The Near Westside Business Association—Based on the business survey, a need for a cohesive group to help unify the businesses in the neighborhood to better serve the needs of individual and collective businesses was identified. The new association will allow the business community to engage in cross promotion and joint advertising, as well as provide a forum where strategic partnerships can be nurtured and community resources shared. Several business owners will meet to establish a Near Westside Business Association July 6 at 6 p.m. at Stressdesign, located in the RockWest Center, 1001 W. Fayette Street. All neighborhood business owners and entrepreneurs are welcome to attend. Micro-lending program—The NWSI is also in the process of developing a self-sustaining micro-loan program for emerging entrepreneurs and existing businesses. The initiative is working with local nonprofits and private organizations to secure funding that will serve as guarantees for the small business loans. Entrepreneurship Program—Business owners and new entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to enroll in an entrepreneurship program to help learn more about ways to improve their business or launch a new venture. The NWSI has partnered with the South Side Innovation Center and Onondaga Community College’s Small Business Development Center to provide entrepreneurial expertise for businesses in the program. Peer Mentoring Program—Up-and-coming entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to work with more established business owners through a business peer mentoring program. Online Support and Outreach—The NWSI will dedicate a section of its website to the new business association. The page will include resources for businesses, including a commercial property database and an entrepreneurship section. The NWSI will also serve as a conduit for potential investors and residents interested in relocating or setting up businesses in the Near Westside neighborhood. These comprehensive initiatives will work with existing programs where elements of the proposed NWS business plans have already shown successful results. The entrepreneurship and micro-lending portions of the program, for example, will be modeled after the South Side Innovation Center—which already operates a successful micro-business incubator program. Bob Herz, SSIC director and also a member of the NWSI’s Small Business Development Committee, says the SSIC will work directly with any new entrepreneurs from the Near Westside. The model used by SSIC includes nurturing entrepreneurs from the very beginning through a discovery process in which each individual’s unique strengths and weaknesses are identified. The model also follows steps to play up the strengths and shore up entrepreneurs’ weaknesses through credit repair, computer literacy or market research, and ends with helping entrepreneurs secure the micro-loan and start their business. “The model works whether you are in business for a while or brand new,” says Herz. “We do the front end of the loaning because by the time we are ready to launch the business, we know the clients really well.” The entrepreneurial training program will also work with OCC’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which has been assisting start-up and existing businesses since 1984. The SBDC staff advises business owners and start-ups in areas including business plan development, organization structures, exporting, cost analysis, marketing, financial marketing, financial strategies, business expansion and research. The SBDC aims to help business owners in their program make the most informed decisions relating to their businesses to help promote stability and growth as well as increase productivity and profitability. The New York SBDC is one of only a few SBDCs in the United States with a full-time business library with free services for New York SBDC clients. “The SBDC is pleased to partner with business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in the Near Westside neighborhood,” says Patricia Higgins, regional director of the Onondaga SBDC. “In addition to training and advisement, the SBDC has access to the SUNY Research Network. For a business owner, obtaining the right information is as important as finding the right location, or getting the best price.” For more information on the SBDC, visit http://sbdc.sunyocc.edu. “I think it’s important for Near Westside companies to have a resource for business development,” says Marc Stress, owner of Stressdesign, host of the proposed business association’s inaugural meeting. “I think working together is better than work alone because there are going to be many opportunities for business-to-business collaboration and for business leaders to share what they’ve learned with each other.” For more information on the new initiatives, contact Short at (315) 443-5402 or mwshort@syr.edu. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/law-cold-case-fund-06-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/law-cold-case-fund-06-10.html Pompey, N.Y., residents Samuel (Sam) and Carol Nappi have made a $250,000 gift to Syracuse University that will support the SU College of Law’s Cold Case Justice Initiative. With support from the newly established Sam and Carol Nappi Fund, the CCJI will continue to seek justice for racially motivated Civil Rights Era murders, working on behalf of the victims, their families, local communities and society at large. Under the direction of SU law professors Paula C. Johnson and Janis L. McDonald, CCJI is an interdisciplinary project that engages College of Law faculty and students in the research and investigation of unresolved cases; offers academic courses, public forums and other special events; and serves as a clearinghouse for sharing and receiving information on active cases. CCJI was founded in response to the 1964 Civil Rights Era murder of shoe shop owner Frank Morris in Ferriday, La., which remains unsolved. College of Law students researched thousands of documents and worked with local investigative reporters, which led to witnesses providing new information, the appointment of a special agent by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a pledge by the U.S. attorney for a full review of the case. The students’ efforts have ignited the law enforcement investigation of additional deaths long suspected by the community to be racially motivated and committed by the Ku Klux Klan. “It is our honor to serve this important cause for freedom and justice,” says Sam Nappi. “We are proud to call Syracuse University our university. Carol and I are grateful to Paula and Janis and the students of the law school for having the heart, courage and intellect to seek this long-awaited justice. This important work being done by the students will lift the souls of the soldiers of freedom. They, too, are America’s greatest generation. On behalf of the King Center and the King family, who are also victims in America’s march to freedom, we would like to say a special thank you to Chancellor Nancy Cantor and Tom Walsh, executive vice president for advancement and external affairs, for the leadership demonstrated in deeds over a life’s work.” As part of his life’s work, Nappi has had a strong commitment to the Civil Rights movement. As a young man, he was drawn to the 1980 presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy. As a member of the advance staff for Sen. Kennedy, Nappi developed a bond with the senator and with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who served as state coordinator for his uncle’s campaign. Through this work, Nappi met and formed a strong friendship with Martin Luther King III, eldest son of Martin Luther King Jr. Over the years, Nappi has been a strong supporter of the Atlanta-based King Center and is actively involved as the King Center moves into an important new era in its history. “Sam and Carol’s generosity will help us build on the tremendous momentum of our Cold Case Justice Initiative,” says SU Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. “We know the best learning, teaching and discovery often take place in reciprocal partnerships with members of different communities, each one with something to offer and something to learn. The CCJI is such an effort, one that will continue to demand many minds, many hands and many miles on the road to find out what happened to so many victims who were cherished by their families and friends but abandoned by the criminal justice system and overlooked by history. Justice demands that their stories be told.”    “I am so pleased that our professors received such a generous commitment from the Nappis to continue their important work leading the Cold Case Justice Initiative,” says Hannah Arterian, dean of the College of Law. “Such a gift makes a major statement about the critical nature of the CCJI, the leadership of professors Johnson and McDonald, and the ability of our faculty to provide hands-on learning experiences for our students.” During the weekend of April 23-24, CCJI hosted a series of events in Atlanta titled “Never Too Late For Justice,” at which some 30 families that lost loved ones to Civil Rights Era murders gathered in one location for the first time. Events included a panel discussion at the Ebenezer Baptist Church attended by more than 500 people. During the panel discussion, representatives of family members whose loved ones were victims of still-unsolved murders in Mississippi and Louisiana joined Johnson and McDonald in discussing the social, emotional and historical impact of these unsolved killings; the current effects of the crimes; and the future implications for society in failing to resolve them. The event was followed by a free concert by Grammy Award nominee Mavis Staples. Families were also able to participate in a private, facilitated conversation to share experiences, identify needs and goals, and learn more about CCJI. Bernice King and Martin Luther King III, daughter and son of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., attended a number of the events.   “The Nappis’ gift is a major show of belief in the need for justice—no matter how long delayed—and the key role that universities and law schools can and must play in its pursuit,” says Johnson. “We are humbled to be part of this critical work with and on behalf of family members whose demands for answers and justice have long gone unheard. We are deeply honored and grateful for this gift, which supports resolution of these cases and provides accountability that the families and American society greatly deserve.” “From the moment we took on this task, it was about doing the right thing,” says McDonald. “The families of those who died by the worst acts of racial animosity and violence never wavered in their struggle for justice. The Cold Case Justice Initiative, its students, professors, administrators and alums recognize that the past is never past when justice is denied. Because of the Nappis’ gift, we are able to afford to expand by placing law students in Natchez, Atlanta and Syracuse to conduct investigations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi.” Nappi is founder and chairman of Alliance Energy Group LLC and Harmony Entertainment. Alliance Energy specializes in producing energy in a safe, reliable and efficient manner while simultaneously maintaining a high level of environmental stewardship. Harmony is a feature film and Broadway production company; its work is focused with a social consciousness. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/us-doe-grant-06-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/us-doe-grant-06-10.html The U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) has announced a $560,296 grant to a Syracuse University-led project to develop a virtual design studio to help building designers evaluate architectural and mechanical options in order to maximize the energy savings of residential and commercial buildings while ensuring healthy, comfortable and productive indoor environments. The Virtual Design Studio project—formally the “Integrated Computer Simulation Environment for Performance-Based Design of Very-Low Energy and High IEQ Buildings”—is led by Jensen Zhang of SU’s L.C. Smith College of Engineering and Computer Science and Michael Pelken of SU’s School of Architecture. The project is being developed in collaboration with Syracuse-based firm CDH Energy, the Florida Solar Energy Center and Syracuse Center of Excellence (SyracuseCoE), which will provide $84,122 in matching funds. Syracuse University will also provide $57,936 in matching funds via partial support for faculty member participation and tuition scholarship for participating students. This project adds a new capability to SyracuseCoE’s extensive portfolio of research and demonstration assets and projects that are advancing energy-efficient building products and services. “This significant award from the US DOE further demonstrates New York state’s potential to lead the nation in the development of energy efficient building technologies,” says Ed Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director. “Our state already benefits from energy-efficient building R&D taking place at Upstate research institutions such as Syracuse University. By targeting research toward improving or replacing aging housing and commercial building stock throughout the state, and especially in New York City, we can provide an energy-efficient building systems research-to-commercialization model for the entire nation.” “The Virtual Design Studio will integrate a suite of performance simulation models, a virtual building database and a knowledge base of architectural design principles to achieve fully coordinated, integrated and optimized building design,” says Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. “Buildings designed and constructed using a performance-based energy and IEQ design process that optimize the interaction between the building envelope and a building’s HVAC systems can save between 30 percent and 75 percent of energy costs while providing better indoor environmental quality.” According to the US DOE, the nation’s 114 million households and more than 74 million square feet of commercial floor space account for about 40 percent of the country’s primary energy consumption, as well as 39 percent of carbon dioxide, 18 percent of nitrogen oxides and 55 percent of sulfur dioxide emissions. In addition to helping the nation achieve energy independence by reducing its reliance on fossil fuels to heat and cool aging and inefficient buildings, the Virtual Design Studio project is expected to help create good jobs in both the supply and demand sides of the energy-efficient building market. Therefore, the project will be in direct support of the country’s economic recovery and development effort. In total, the US DOE has awarded more than $76 million for 58 advanced energy-efficient building technologies and commercial building training programs throughout the United States. The Virtual Design Studio project was one of five projects awarded a grant under the rubric of “Analysis, Design and Technical Tools,” which focus on improving the simulation of complex interactions between building elements, including climate, building envelope heat and moisture transfer, internal heat gains, lighting power, HVAC equipment, controls, thermal and visual comfort, and energy costs. “These projects will help the U.S. lead the world in advancing energy efficient technologies,” says U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu. “Energy efficient commercial buildings will help our country cut its carbon emissions and energy costs while the training programs will upgrade the skills of the current workforce and attract the next generation to careers in the emerging clean energy economy.” http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/summer-leadership-institute-06-10.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/summer-leadership-institute-06-10.html The Syracuse University School of Education will host the 2010 Annual Summer Leadership Institute Aug. 9-11 on the SU campus. The institute theme–“Equity, Inclusion and Excellence: Leaders Reinventing Schools for ALL”–will be examined through lectures, workshops, presentations and analysis of various media, including documentary film. Practicing or aspiring administrators and school leaders, including principals, special education directors, curriculum directors, superintendents and educational leadership students interested in attending can register by completing the required form at http://leadershipinstitute.syr.edu, or calling (315) 443-4696. The cost of individual registration is $590 for the three-day session, which includes materials, refreshments and parking; a discounted group rate is available. With increasing accountability for raising student achievement for diverse learners, including students with disabilities, this institute gives school leaders the opportunity to engage in intensive professional learning and gain new strategies for reinventing schools that meet diverse learners’ needs. The three days of presentations, workshops, film screenings and discussion groups were designed by the leadership team behind Schools of Promise: School of Education professors Julie Causton-Theoharis, George Theoharis and Christine Ashby. Schools of Promise is a partnership between the Syracuse City School District and SU dedicated to the support of fully inclusive environments for all learners. The Schools of Promise principles of inclusion and belonging are emphasized in the material presented at the institute. “Schools and districts that are serious about reaching all kids require ongoing professional learning for their administrators,” says Theoharis. “This institute provides an array of opportunities for leaders to both learn ways to be more effective and be inspired to become more inclusive.” The institute kicks off with a keynote address by Causton-Theoharis and Theoharis, and features a new lineup of nationally recognized presenters. Filmmaker Dan Habib will show “Including Samuel,” a film he made about life with his son, which also includes stories of other individuals living with disabilities. Other presenters include professor and cartoonist Michael Giangreco (University of Vermont), professor Alice Udavri-Solner (University of Wisconsin-Madison) and self-advocates featured in a new documentary film about autism, Tracy Thresher and Larry Bissonnette; the film was co-produced by School of Education Dean Douglas Biklen. Additional sessions will be led by School of Education professors Kathy Hinchman, Beth Ferri, Marcelle Haddix and Christine Ashby, and will address topics such as inclusive literacy instruction; the “real” cost of special education; teaching black and Latino/a students; and autism, communication and inclusion. The Summer Leadership Institute qualifies for academic credit; participation in additional sessions and course fees are required. Visit http://leadershipinstitute.syr.edu for more information. Registration instructions and information about overnight accommodations for out-of-town participants can also be found on the website or by calling (315) 443-4696. Registration for the Summer Leadership Institute is open until July 30 or until the program is filled. http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/upstate-venture-connect-06-18.html http://www.syr.edu/news/articles/2010/upstate-venture-connect-06-18.html Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) announced that Syracuse University has signed on as the first founding partner to support the creation of a social network to foster high-growth entrepreneurship in Upstate New York. UVC is a non-profit organization focused on creating thousands of high-tech, high-growth, private capital backed companies in Upstate New York that will provide entrepreneurial opportunities for a new generation of highly educated and highly skilled talent. UVC was formed in January 2010. Under the terms of the new partnership deal, UVC and SU will coordinate resources to develop the VConnect platform, expand alumni engagement to grow the pool of mentors, and pursue new opportunities for funding that will contribute to the growth and sustainability of both programs. As a founding member, SU will help support the new social network by leveraging the University's advanced network (including alumni from throughout the United States) and tapping into the intellectual resources available on campus. "We are excited about the opportunities for Syracuse University students, faculty and alumni to network with entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and incubator startups across New York state," says Bruce Kingma, associate provost for entrepreneurship and innovation at SU. "The size of a network matters. Collaboration between Syracuse University and other Upstate institutions, incubators, venture capital firms and startups will increase the number of opportunities for everyone." "Syracuse has a rich tradition of training entrepreneurs and over the past two years, the eNitiative program has clearly established a leadership role for accelerating entrepreneurship within higher education institutions across the Syracuse region," added UVC's CEO Nasir Ali. "This agreement will enable us to share SU-pioneered best practices for student startup incubation and talent retention with communities and educational institutions across Upstate New York." "UVC will forge multi-layered connections to grow and strengthen the community of entrepreneurial experts across Upstate New York," says SU Vice Chancellor and Provost Eric F. Spina. "Our founding partnership means that SU faculty and students will be deeply embedded in that community, multiplying opportunities for them to contribute to and benefit from launching new ventures and revitalizing the regional economy." According to UVC Chairman Martin Babinec, "Syracuse University has clearly shown that collaboration with regional education and community partners can deliver strong results quickly and cost effectively. The support for entrepreneurship is visible at the very top and echoed in every school across campus. We are extremely pleased to have them as our first founding partner." About Upstate Venture Connect UVC's mantra of "1,000 startups, 2,000 days" reflects its founders' belief that Upstate New York has vast entrepreneurial reserves within its corporate, research and higher education institutions. UVC's VConnect platform will serve as the foundation of an ecosystem linking Upstate New York venture entrepreneurs to sources of talent and support across the region and its vast alumni and expatriate resources. Interested parties can learn more about UVC's goals and get connected to Upstate New York's entrepreneur community by registering online at http://www.uvc.org and following UVC on Twitter (@UVConnect), Facebook (Upstate Venture Connect), and LinkedIn. For more information on UVC, please contact Ali, co-founder and CEO, at Nasir@UVC.org. For information on SU's entrepreneurship programs and initiatives, contact Kingma at brkingma@syr.edu.