OH, BY THE WAY...
BNSF FOUNDATION MAKES $230,000 GIFT TO K-STATE
The BNSF Foundation, Fort Worth, Texas, recently made a gift of $230,000 to establish an outreach partnership with the College of Engineering at K-State.
The partnership between K-State's Women in Engineering and Science Program, or WESP, and the BNSF Foundation will fund events designed to encourage diverse populations of young people to pursue careers in engineering and science.
"The BNSF Foundation has a long history of supporting organizations and projects in higher education and youth development in the communities we serve," said John Williams, general manager of BNSF Railway's Kansas Division. "This K-State program is dedicated to attracting a more diverse population to the fields of engineering and science. We recognize the future of the economy and of the communities we serve will depend on that and we are grateful for the opportunity to support a program that will help make that future possible."
"The College of Engineering is very grateful to the BNSF Foundation," said John English, dean of the College of Engineering and Kimberly Douglas-Mankin, director of WESP. "This generous partnership will make it possible for WESP to reach out to hundreds of young people to illustrate the possibilities and rewards in science and engineering careers. We know that many of these young people will pursue those careers through higher education. That is an outcome that benefits all of society."
K-State's Women in Engineering and Science Program was recently recognized as the nation's outstanding women in engineering program. The award, from the Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network, was presented in April at the network's joint conference with the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates in Baltimore, Md.
The award is presented annually to one outstanding women in engineering program that serves as a model for other institutions. The Women in Engineering and Science Program is a collaborative effort between K-State's colleges of Engineering and Arts and Sciences, according to Douglas-Mankin.
KEITH RUTLIN JOINING K-STATE'S CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATOR
Keith Rutlin is joining Kansas State University as educational programs administrator of K-State's Center for Sustainable Energy.
The center conducts and facilitates research for global, sustainable energy systems and lower greenhouse gas emissions; educates students and the general public about sustainable energy; and facilitate industrial adoption of new technology.
In his job, Rutlin will support the development of academic and outreach programs for the center and be responsible for their implementation. The center currently has a National Science Foundation-funded Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship, or IGERT, program, which provides training for doctoral students from multiple K-State colleges in the field of bioenergy and biorefining; a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates program that hosts eight to 12 undergraduates each summer; a U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded program for the faculty development of new distance courses; a U.S. Department of Energy-funded outreach program; and a U.S. Department of Education-funded Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, or FIPSE, project that supports travel for six to 10 students a year.
Rutlin will report to the center's co-directors Mary Rezac, ConocoPhillips Professor of Sustainable Energy, and Ron Madl, director of K-State's Bioprocessing and Industrial Value-Added Program.
K-STATERS PARTICIPATE IN GROUNDBREAKING FOR KIOWA COUNTY COMMONS IN GREENSBURG
On April 20, Kiowa County officials and officials from K-State conducted the groundbreaking ceremony on Main Street in Greensburg for the $6.1 million Kiowa County Commons building.
The Kiowa County Commons -- to be built to LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Platinum standards -- will house the Kiowa County Media Center, the Kiowa County offices of K-State Research and Extension, the Greensburg branch of the Kiowa County Library, and the Kiowa County Historical Museum. The building is expected to be finished in May 2011.
Speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony included Daryl Buchholz, associate director of K-State Research and Extension, and Bert Biles, associate director of K-State's National Institute for Land Management and Training. Biles has been extensively involved with the design and development of the Kiowa County Media Center within the Commons building.
Other K-Staters also in attendance at the groundbreaking were K-State Research and Extension representatives Paula Peters, assistant director, and Phil Sloderbeck, Southwest Area director; Brandon Utech, director of technical services with the National Institute for Land Management and Training; Gloria Freeland and Steve Smethers, faculty members of the A. Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications; Dave Procter, director of the Center for Engagement and Community Development; and Victoria Clegg, director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning.
Commissioner Gene West called the building "the jewel in the crown" of Kiowa County's recovery efforts from the EF-5 tornado that devastated the community and much of Kiowa County May 4, 2007.
Wichita television coverage of the April 20 groundbreaking ceremony can be viewed at http://bit.ly/caX32E or http://www.kake.com/kansas/headlines/91651179.html
IT ROUNDTABLE: TRAVELING SAFELY
With summer just in view, the traveling season will soon begin. This IT Roundtable will focus on how to travel safely so people can protect themselves from identity theft, financial fraud and other threats related to information and technology while on vacation. The session will be 9-10:30 a.m. Friday in room 213 of the K-State Student Union.
Topics will include:
*What and where are the travel risks?
*Using Internet cafés safely: Is it possible?
*Using wireless/WiFi "hot spots" safely
*Protecting your eID and other passwords
*Protecting your personal and financial information
*Risks of ATMs and ATM "skimmers"
*Airport risks
*Laptop security
*Things to do before you leave, like backing up your files
*Export restrictions on certain technologies
This is a repeat of the roundtable given a year ago, with updated and new information.
Harvard Townsend, K-State's chief information and security officer, will give a presentation and facilitate the discussion.
This roundtable is open to anyone.