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IPRT in the NewsHighlights of IPRT-related news in the media and on the Web.
2010CCAT's Lin Named John D. Corbett Professor in ChemistryVictor Lin, director of IPRT's Center for Catalysis and professor of chemistry at Iowa State University, has been named the next John D. Corbett Professor in Chemistry. This professorship was established by John D. Corbett, Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences, professor of chemistry and senior chemist with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory. Corbett made plans through his estate to support three-year professorships for faculty members in the Department of Chemistry at $100,000 a year over a period of time. See news release. -- Mar. 2, 2010 Central Academy Wins 2010 Middle School Science BowlCentraCentral Academy Middle School of Des Moines, Iowa, won a pair of matches against Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School of Dubuque, Iowa, to capture the 2010 Ames Laboratory/Iowa State University Regional Middle School Science Bowl. As part of the competition, the 16 teams also raced model solar cars they designed and built. Home Schools of Eastern Iowa won that competition, topping runner-up South Hamilton. The regional Middle School Science Bowl is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory, Iowa State University and IPRT, among others. See Ames Laboratory release.--Mar. 2, 2010 CCAT's Sadow Wins NSF and Sloan AwardsAaron Sadow, a researcher with IPRT's Center for Catalysis, has been presented with the prestigious NSF-CAREER award, which will provide support for the Sadow group research and teaching activities for five years. Sadow, who is also an assistant professor of chemistry at Iowa State, and his group investigate transition metal chemistry, particularly focused on catalytic chemistry. The $600,000 award supports catalytic transition metal chemistry involving silicon chains that have important synthetic and technological implications. Sadow was also recently named a Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellow. This highly competitive prize recognizes accomplishments of junior faculty in across the physical, mathematical, and biological sciences. The award comes with unrestricted $50,000 grant that will support Sadow group research in synthetic and catalytic chemistry. -- Feb. 18, 2010 IPRT Researchers to Develop BiofuelsIowa State University researchers will receive a total of $8 million over three years from a U.S. Department of Energy program to research and develop advanced biofuels. Victor Lin, director of IPRT's Center for Catalysis, will lead a team embarking on a $5.3 million study of biodiesel production from algae. Robert C. Brown, driector of IPRT's Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies and the Iowa Farm Bureau director of Iowa State's Bioeconomy Institute, will lead a $2.7 million study of the thermochemical and catalytic conversion of biomass to fuels. See Iowa State release. -- Jan. 15, 2010 VRAC Startup Software Appears on "The Biggest Loser"Eliot Winer, associate director of IPRT's Virtual Reality Applications Center, and Jim Oliver, VRAC director, are founders of Bodyviz.com, an Ames, Iowa, startup company that makes software for visualizing patient data from CT and MRI scans. The technology was first developed at VRAC. The company's software is being used by NBC's "The Biggest Loser" reality show to help illustrate to contestants how body fat can cause health problems. The show airs Jan. 12, 7 p.m. CST. Read more in Des Moines Register. -- Jan. 12, 2010 2009MRC's Biswas Named APS FellowRana Biswas, a scientist with IPRT’s Microelectronics Research Center, has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society. According to the APS citation, Biswas was elected a Fellow for "theoretical contributions to the dynamics of semiconductors, solar materials, and photonic crystals." Biswas is also an Iowa State University adjunct associate professor of physics and astronomy and of electrical and computer engineering and a physicist at the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Ames Laboratory. Each year, no more than one half of one percent of the Society membership is recognized by their peers for election to the status of Fellow in the American Physical Society. -- Dec. 23, 2009 Hand Sanitizer Project in Ames TribuneA research project managed and co-funded by IPRT's Technology Commercialization Group has been featured in the Ames Tribune. The article explains how Prefenz, a Muscatine, Iowa, company, came to IPRT and Iowa State for help with analyzing its alcohol-free hand sanitizer product. The hand sanitizer is now on the shelves of local stores. See article in Ames Tribune -- Nov. 24, 2009. IPRT's Lopez Receives Industry AwardRick Lopez, metallurgist with the Materials Group in IPRT Company Assistance, recently received the Nondestructive Testing “Better Way” award from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Air Transport Association (ATA) for the second time in five years. Lopez, along with an international team of government and airline industry professionals, was recognized for accomplishments in working with a novel inspection method that utilizes self-adhesive polymeric sensors containing vacuum channels.See IPRT news release. - Nov. 19, 2009 VRAC Startup in the News
Eliot Winer (left), associate director of IPRT's Virtual Reality Applications Center, and Jim Oliver, VRAC director, are founders of Bodyviz.com, an Ames, Iowa, startup company that makes software for visualizing patient data from CT and MRI scans. The technology was first developed at VRAC. The effort is the focus of a recent Iowa State news release. R&D Innovator of the Year has IPRT LinkIowa State University's Hans van Leeuwen, who has led research teams awarded back-to-back R&D 100 awards for biofuels developments, has also been named R&D Magazine's 2009 Innovator of the Year. One project that helped Leeuwen earn the honor was done with assistance from IPRT's Technology Commercialization Group. The project focused on purifying ethyl alcohol with ozone and activated carbon and involved Mello3z, LLC, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Leeuwen is an Iowa State professor in civil, construction and environmental engineering. See Iowa State news release or R&D magazine article. -- Nov. 6, 2009 CNDE Unveils New "T-ray" FacilityThe new Terahertz Ray (or "T-ray") Research Facility at IPRT's Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) gives researchers a state-of-the-art tool to measure and characterize materials. Electromagnetic rays in the terehertz range can penetrate many common gases, non-metal solids and some liquids. Researchers say the instrument should produce useful data for automotive, aviation, food, energy, materials, pharmaceuticals, medical, forensics, defense and homeland security fields. See Iowa State news release. -- Oct. 26, 2009 Art & Science Lecture has IPRT Connection"A Biorenewable Evolution of Soywax in Encaustic Painting," a lecture by Iowa State University researchers, relates to an IPRT Company Assistance project on development of new kinds of soy wax. The lecturers are Barb Walton, ISU art and design; Toni Wang, ISU food science and human nutrition; Hui Wang, ISU postdoc; and Larry Johnson, ISU Center for Crops Utilization Research. The lecture is Oct. 22, 2009, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in the Brunnier Art Museum, 295 Scheman, Ames. -- Oct. 21, 2009 New Materials Tests Available to Iowa Companies[Iowa companies now have ready access to two sophisticated materials testing methods, thanks to new equipment acquired by the Materials Group in IPRT Company Assistance. A new cyclic corrosion testing chamber exposes products to harsh conditions for accelerated comparisons of coatings or alloys. Also new is an optical emission spectrometer, which makes quantitative measurements of material chemistry for alloys based on iron, copper and aluminum. See full article for more information. -- Oct. 19, 2009 IPRT Reach Throughout Iowa... and WorldIn fiscal year 2009, IPRT worked on over 150 projects with 125 Iowa companies and organizations in 50 cities and towns. Most of this work was performed by IPRT Company Assistance, but many IPRT research centers also did projects with Iowa companies. In keeping with their world-class status, IPRT's research centers also collaborated with organizations in 37 states and the District of Columbia as well as in 22 countries around the world. See IPRT Interactions 2009 interactive map and IPRT National and International interactions map. -- Oct. 19, 2009 Solar Decathlon Team Nabs 12th PlaceThe final results are in: Iowa State's Solar Decathlon team finished in 12th place in the 2009 DOE Solar Decathlon. In contests announced Oct. 16, 2009, the team took 6th place in net metering and 5th in engineering. Overall, Germany's team finished first, followed by Illinois and Team California. IPRT is one of the Iowa State team sponsors. -- Oct. 16, 2009 VRAC Startup Wins Business Plan CompetitionVisual Medical Solutions, LLC, won first place and $25,000 in the 2009 John Pappjohn Iowa Business Plan Competition. The company develops BodyViz, software for visualizing 3D medical data such as MRI and CT scans. The software was first developed at IPRT's Virtual Reality Applications Center. See article in the Business Record. -- Oct. 13, 2009 IPRT Company Assistance Impact Averages $12.8 MillionA summary of project evaluation data shows that Iowa companies with technical problems and research and development needs continue to find technical help through the services of IPRT Company Assistance. Companies report positive impacts affecting their sales, investments, and operating costs. Of the 55% of IPRT clients responding to the survey, the estimated annual average impact over a five-year period is approximately $12.8 million per year, while the impact in FY2009 was approximately $14.5 million. --Oct. 7, 2009 Solar House Goes Up on National Mall in D.C.The Interlock House is being assembled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. It's Iowa State's entry into the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Solar Decathlon. The competition starts Oct.8. IPRT is a sponsor of the team. Follow the event on the team's blog. -- Oct. 2, 2009 Technology Commercialization Group to Exhibit at Venture Capital ConferenceIPRT Company Assistance's Technology Commercialization Group will be exhibiting at the 2009 Iowa Venture Capital and Entrepreneur Conference on Oct. 6, 2009. IPRT will be showing examples of how it assists start-up companies. The event offers companies, entrepreneurs, and investors a broad range of networking opportunities, informational workshops, and presentations. -- Oct. 6, 2009 Solar House Featured in Des Moines RegisterThe Interlock House, Iowa State's entry into the U.S. Department of Energy's 2009 Solar Decathlon competition, has been featured in the Des Moines Register. The article provided an overview of the house and included several interior and exterior photos. IPRT is a sponsor of the ISU team. See Des Moines Register article -- Aug. 29, 2009 IPRT Director Gets Grant to Study Parkinson's TreatmentGeorge Kraus, IPRT director and professor of chemistry at Iowa State, is part of a team that has received a grant to develop an effective neuroprotective drug for treatment of Parkinson's disease. He is working with Anumantha Kanthasamy, a Clarence Hartley Covault Distinguished Professor of Biomedical Sciences and PK Biosciences Corp. at the Iowa State Research Park. The State Board of Regents approved the competitive grant from the state's Grow Iowa Values Fund. The goal to support development of technologies with commercial potential and growth of companies using those technologies. For more on Iowa State's other Grow Iowa Values Fund projects, see Iowa State release. -- Aug. 6, 2009 Iowa Governor Tours MRC Solar Energy ProjectIowa Governor Chet Culver visited IPRT's Microelectronics Research Center on Aug. 5. He learned about a low-cost photovoltaic energy conversion project led by Vikram Dalal, MRC director and funded initially by the Iowa Power Fund, a state program to advance energy innovation and independence. MRC's research is aimed at increasing the efficiency of thin-film solar cells while keeping manufacturing costs low. The technology will eventually be commercialized to produce low-cost solar power. The project is also helping to train students to work in this high-tech industry. The tour was covered by the media. -- Aug. 5, 2009 See Solar House Before it Moves to Washington, D.C.The public is invited to tour the Interlock House, Iowa State's entry into the U.S. Department of Energy's 2009 Solar Decathlon competition, on Aug. 29. The solar-powered home will soon be shipped to Washington D.C. for the competition in October. The open house is Aug. 29, 2009, from 2 to 5 p.m. and is located north of the Ames, Iowa, airport. IPRT is a sponsor of the team. See open house flyer for details (PDF) -- July 30, 2009 VRAC Researchers Win R&D 100 AwardTwo researchers affiliated with IPRT's Virtual Reality Applications Center have won an R&D 100 award for development of Virtual Engineering Process Simulation Interface (VE-PSI), software that helps engineers design highly efficient and low-emission power plants. The award winners are Mark Bryden, a VRAC faculty affliate, and Doug McCorkle, a VRAC associate scientist. See Iowa State news release -- July 20, 2009 Two Minutes with Solar Decathlon Engineer Tim LentzTim Lentz, a member of Iowa State's Solar Decathlon team and a mechancial engineering student, is featured in the "Two Minutes" series on ISU's Web site. IPRT is a sponsor of the team. See Engineering Iowa State's solar decathlon house -- July 16, 2009 VRAC Spinoff Featured in Des Moines RegisterVisual Medical Solutions, LLC, maker of the BodyViz software that helps surgeons visualize MRI and CT scans in 3D, has been featured in the business section of the Des Moines Register. The technology was first developed at IPRT's Virtual Reality Applications Center. Company founders include Jim Oliver, VRAC director, and Eliot Winer, VRAC associate director. See Des Moines Register article -- July 6, 2009 Iowa Company Markets New Kind of Hand Sanitizer with Help from IPRT Company AssistancePrefense LLC of Muscatine, Iowa, is marketing a new kind of hand sanitizer said to last longer than traditional alcohol-based products. Called “PrefenzBotanicals Hand Sanitizer,” the product got a key boost from assistance by Iowa State University and IPRT’s Company Assistance group. See news release -- June 15, 2009 Join IPRT on LinkedInIPRT Company Assistance has started a group on LinkedIn, the popular social media Web service for professionals. We encourage Iowa companies and entrepreneurs as well as IPRT supporters, and friends to join our group. LinkedIn provides yet another channel for potential clients to discover more about IPRT Company Assistance. Go to LinkedIn to join the IPRT group (you have to become a member of LinkedIn first). We'll also post news items and event previews to the group. -- June 22, 2009 Two Minutes with IPRT's BrownIowa State University is featuring Robert C. Brown, director of IPRT's Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies, in its "Two Minutes" series. See Two Minutes with Robert C. Brown -- May 11, 2009 New Offices, Same MissionIPRT's administrative offices have moved into Gilman Hall on the north side of the Iowa State campus. IPRT's main address is now 2156 Gilman Hall. Note that all IPRT phone and fax numbers as well as email addresses remain the same. See the staff directory for all current addresses. -- May 8, 2009 Davenport Manufacturer & IPRT Host Event for Eastern Iowa IndustryDavenport area manufacturers and entrepreneurs are invited to attend “IPRT Industry After Hours,” an event to introduce technical and other services offered by Iowa State University’s Institute for Physical Research and Technology. The information session and reception is being held 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 7, at the Radisson Quad City Plaza, 111 East 2nd Street, in Davenport. See news release -- Apr. 25, 2009 |
![[PHOTO]Eliot Winer and Jim Oliver, VRAC](../assets/images/vrac_bodyvizweb.jpg)
![[IMAGE]Interlock House cabinetry](../assets/images/solarhouse_kitchen.jpg)
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