IPRT provides news about its research, company assitance, and education efforts for a variety of audiences, from IPRT and Iowa State University employees and to Iowa industry and the general public.
Dr. James Oliver, Director of Iowa State University’s Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC), is excited about Google Glass. Oliver thinks the augmented reality glasses could greatly enhance the lives of many people and help improve some businesses. Stephen Gilbert, VRAC’s Associate Director, will receive training this summer on working with Google Glass. Additionally, VRAC will encourage students to develop applications for the headset.
Arthur Winter, assistant professor of chemistry at Iowa State University and Center for Catalysis member, is working with his research group to encourage women to pursue careers in chemistry. The group is creating a collection of video interviews with successful female scientists, which they then host on a website (http://winter.public.iastate.edu/chefs-initiative). Winter’s motivation for this project, known as the Chats with Eminent Female Scientists (ChEFS) Initiative, stems from the low number of female chemists in academia.
Dr. Javier Vela, assistant professor of chemistry, Center for Catalysis member and Science Bound supporter, earned a 2013 NSF CAREER Award. NSF gives this award to faculty members in their early years of research. As part of the award, Vela will receive $620,000 over a five-year period for his research project on extracting different forms of energy from photoactive nanocrystals. The award is partially based on a commitment to education. Vela is active in increasing the amount of ethnically diverse Iowa students who plan to pursue agriculture, science, technology, engineering or mathematics in college.
Vikram Dalal, Director of the Iowa State Microelectronics Research Center, has developed a collaborative partnership with researchers at Nazarbayev University (NU) in Astana, Kazakhstan. Dalal and NU researchers are working together to improve organic solar cells. These cells are more cost-effective than conventional solar panels, but they are currently inefficient and unstable.
Members of the Industrial Advisory Board were at the Iowa State campus for thier binannual meeting on April 5, 2013. They spent the full day touring various facilities, meeting with IPRT Center scientists, researchers and Directors, including a poster presentation session with the students and researchers at IPRT's Microelectronics Research Center. A photogallery of thier visit will be available shortly.
Arthur Winter, affiliated with IPRT's Center for Catalysis and Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemistry at Iowa State University recently recieved the Cottrell Scholar Award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement for his excellence in teaching and research.
Iowa State University's MIRAGE lab combines real and virtual elements to test new research and training ideas. The article covers research by a team from Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC) to study the effectiveness of the lab for military training. “It’s engaging your whole body,” says Stephen Gilber, associate director of VRAC, and assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, who is part of the research team, “It’s much more visceral.”
Michael Gallagher
IPRT Communications Specialist
2156 Gilman Hall
Tel 515 294-1193
iprtinfo@iastate.edu
