December, 2011
Vanderbilt researchers receive Grand Challenges grant to help provide low-cost medical diagnostics suitable for use in rural clinics
Dec. 20, 2011—They call it “The Extractionator.” The prototype looks like nothing more than a length of clear plastic tubing until you inspect it closely. But it could be the basis of an easy-to-use and low-cost sample collection and preparation system that will help bring the benefits of medical diagnostic testing to the people who live in...
Consortium based at Vanderbilt to help set environmental priorities at Oak Ridge
Dec. 19, 2011—About two million pounds of mercury dating back to the early days of the Cold War is still trapped inside old process buildings at the Oak Ridge, Tenn. nuclear facility and saturating the ground around them, according to a Dec. 18 article in the Knoxville News-Sentinel. The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge office, with the...
Cummings to receive Touloukian Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Dec. 16, 2011— Peter Cummings, John R. Hall Professor of Chemical Engineering in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Vanderbilt University, will receive the 2012 Yeram S. Touloukian Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The award, consisting of a bronze medal, certificate and travel grant, is awarded once every three years to...
Rosenthal named a fellow of the AAAS
Dec. 15, 2011—Sandra J. Rosenthal, director of the Vanderbilt Institute of Nanoscale Science and Engineering and professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is one of 14 members of Vanderbilt University’s faculty to be elected fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) this year. This is the largest number of Vanderbilt fellows to be...
Cummings named associate editor of the flagship journal of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
Dec. 15, 2011—Effective January 1, 2012, Peter Cummings will assume the role of an associate editor of the AIChE Journal, the flagship journal of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Cummings is the John R. Hall Professor of Chemical Engineering in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering at Vanderbilt University. He also is Principal Scientist, Center...
New method for enhancing thermal conductivity could cool computer chips, lasers and other devices
Dec. 14, 2011— The surprising discovery of a new way to tune and enhance thermal conductivity – a basic property generally considered to be fixed for a given material – gives engineers a new tool for managing thermal effects in smart phones and computers, lasers and a number of other powered devices. The finding was made...
Tamara Brown, BE’93 honored as White House Champion of Change
Dec. 12, 2011—The White House recognized 12 community heroes, including Vanderbilt engineering alumna Tamara Brown, BE’93, as leaders in engaging women and girls in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The ceremony took place December 9 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House where Brown was named a Champion of Change,...
Fauchet to succeed Dean Kenneth Galloway at School of Engineering – effective July 2012
Dec. 8, 2011— Nanotechnology expert comes from University of Rochester Philippe Fauchet will be the new dean of the school of engineering at Vanderbilt University. Fauchet, currently chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Rochester, begins work at Vanderbilt July 1, pending approval by the Vanderbilt Board of Trust. “This is...