Inside

Inside: PKU home test . . . . . . . . . 2 Academic Senate . . . . . . . 3 In Brief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Campus Events . . . . . . . . . 4

F A C U L T Y / S TA F F N E W S PA P E R

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WHISTLE Vo l u m e 2 9 , N u m b e r 4 0 • D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 0 4

Biomedical engineering student named a Marshall scholar David Terraso Institute Communications and Public Affairs

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mbika Bumb knows firsthand about the importance of technology in medicine. As an intern at GE Healthcare last summer, she helped her team diagnose and repair a problem that caused new blood pressure monitors at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to take more than 10 minutes to get a reading — time that could mean the difference between life and death in an emergency room. The experience reinforced Bumb’s commitment to developing life-saving medical technologies. She’ll continue to chase her dream next fall at Oxford where she’ll pursue a Ph.D. in medical engineering as a recipient of a 2005 Marshall Scholarship. “This may sound idealistic,” said Bumb, “but I want to help come up with a new technology or treatment for a disease. I want to be the person

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Registrar announces retirement Michael Hagearty Institute Communications and Public Affairs

who follows it through to make sure it reaches the people I’m developing it for,” she said. Bumb said she knows medical treatments won’t help anyone if they can’t be commercially viable. “You have to tailor the research to the market,” she said. “For example, you develop drugs for Africa, not treatments that require lots of machines.” A senior in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Bumb plans to get her degree this spring, just three years after she enrolled on a Reginald S. Fleet President’s Scholarship. “Being at Georgia Tech has changed what my future is going to be. It’s offered me so many opportunities and the President’s Scholarship gave me the opportunity to be at Tech,” she said. While at Tech, Bumb has worked with associate professor Gang Bao on developing nanomolecular beacon tracking devices to map the territory

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fter 23 years at Georgia Tech and 36 years in the University System of Georgia, Jo McIver has announced her decision to retire as registrar at the end of May 2005. Whether they know it or not, students place a great deal of trust in their registrar, since that office is responsible for maintaining the official academic record for students at Tech. It is precisely that trust that her colleagues pointed to when discussing her leadership. “The position of registrar has always required a person of the utmost integrity who has an unwavering commitment to upholding Georgia Tech’s high academic standards,” said Bob McMath, vice provost for Undergraduate Studies and Academic Affairs. “It has also come to require someone who could envision new ways of doing things and could manage a technology-intensive operation. On both counts, Jo has won the

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Megan McRainey Institute Communications and Public Affairs

Tiny power plants point to the future of portable electronics

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photo by Nicole Cappello

A microgenerator produces useful amounts of electricity by spinning a small magnet above a mesh of coils fabricated on a chip, such as the ones seen here.

THE GEORGIA INSTITUTE

t may be tiny, but a new microgenerator developed at Georgia Tech can now produce enough power to run a cell phone and may soon be able to power a laptop. The microgenerator is about 10 millimeters wide, or about the size of a dime. When coupled with a similarly sized gas-fueled microturbine engine, the system has the potential to deliver more energy and last 10 times longer than a conventional battery. Developed by doctoral candidate David Arnold, postdoctoral fellows Iulica Zana and Jin-Woo Park, and Professor Mark Allen in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the microgenerator produces useful amounts of electricity by spinning a small magnet above a mesh of coils fabricated on a chip. The microelectromechanical system (MEMS) was developed in close collaboration with Sauparna Das and Jeffrey Lang in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the

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Jo McIver

admiration and trust of the Georgia Tech community. “Throughout the whole time I have been in this position, I have relied on Jo’s good judgment, her problemsolving skills and her unfailing good McIver continued, page 2

Smaller, with 10 times the life of lithium ions Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). While work has been underway for several years on various microengine concepts, Georgia Tech’s generator has now demonstrated the ability to produce the wattage necessary to power an electronic device, Arnold said. “We can now get macro-scale power from a micro-scale device,” Arnold added. The advancement is key in incorporating microengines into products, possibly replacing conventional batteries in certain electronics. “This is an important step in the development of MEMS-based micropower systems,” Allen said. The device’s magnet spins at 100,000 revolutions per minute (rpm) MEMS continued, page 3

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December 6, 2004

“QUOTEUNQUOTE” “[Creatine] has been studied for seven or eight years with no real problems, except for those with preexisting kidney problems. It’s clearly not in the same league as ephedra, but all it’s going to do is help you gain five pounds or so in the first week.” —Mindy Millard-Stafford, a professor in the School of Applied Physiology, commenting on one of the more popular nutritional supplements used by high school athletes. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

“Very little has happened.” —Rich DeMillo, dean of the College of Computing, on the progress of National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace, launched two years ago as a federal government initiative to protect the Internet from a terrorist attack. (Cox News Service)

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GTRI aids in home test for rare genetic disorder T.J. Becker Research News

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ome-testing kits have made it easier for diabetics and hypertension patients to track their conditions, but such self-monitoring hasn’t been possible for people with phenylketonuria (PKU). Georgia Tech researchers and an Atlanta start-up company hope to change that by introducing the first home-testing device for PKU patients. PKU is a genetic metabolic disorder in which the body lacks a particular liver enzyme. Inattention leads to excessive amounts of phenylalanine in the bloodstream, which is toxic to

McIver, cont’d from page 1

humor,” he added. “I will miss her greatly.” When she assumed directorship nearly five years ago, McIver said she wanted to improve the level of technical sophistication for managing and delivering information to faculty, staff and students. The Banner System was initiated as a means of automating student registration for the campus, but also allowed users to perform various administrative tasks, such as schedule modification and viewing. “Through the use of the Banner system, we have moved a lot of our functions on the Web,” she said. “I think the thing I’m most proud of is our Web site, because I feel it’s very useful and it’s complete.”

brain tissue and the central nervous system. If untreated in newborns, PKU can cause brain damage and mental retardation. There is no drug that can cure PKU. It can only be treated through diet, but frequent testing can be costly and inconvenient. Similarly, because PKU is considered an “orphan disease” – one that affects a small sector of the population – large pharmaceutical companies haven’t pursued a home test for the disease. Richard Shunnarah, president of Atlanta-based MetGen Inc., approached Jeff Sitterle, chief scientist at the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) for assistance in

developing a prototype. An interdisciplinary project, GTRI engineers built the electronics while Sheldon May, a Regents’ professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, developed a special reagent strip for the device. Georgia Tech has also been helping MetGen find manufacturers for the chemical strip and electronic device. MetGen hopes to win FDA approval and begin marketing the PKU home test in early 2005. “This may be a small market,” Shunnarah said, “but real-time feedback on blood levels will make a significant impact on the lives of PKU patients.”

Complete, but not necessarily finished. Students and staff can expect future enhancements to the site, which include an online student advisement system known as Curriculum, Advisement and Program Planning (CAPP) and an imaging archive, which will digitize a student’s history — from application to final grades — at Tech. The ultimate goal, she said, is a truly paperless office. This kind of attention to service is a big reason why McIver was so successful, according to Vice President for Enrollment Services Deborah Smith. “She is very forward-thinking and always interested in trying new things,” Smith said. “Most of all, she is always focused on the best interest of the students.” McIver joined the Registrar’s Office as senior associate registrar in 1981,

a period when Tech used punch cards to register for classes. She was promoted to registrar in 2000. Before coming to Tech, McIver worked for Augusta State University, Clayton College and State University, and Georgia State University. At Tech, McIver serves the Academic Faculty on curriculum committees for undergraduates and graduates, as well as the Student Regulations Committee and the Student Academic and Financial Affairs Committee. Smith and McMath will convene a search committee later this month to locate a successor.

For more information...

Office of the Registrar www.registrar.gatech.edu

Editor: Michael Hagearty Published by Institute Communications and Public Affairs. Publication is weekly throughout

Scholar, cont’d from page 1

throughout the summer. Archived issues of The Whistle can be accessed electronically through the Georgia Tech Web page, or directly at www.whistle.gatech.edu. Calendar submissions e-mailed to [email protected], or faxed to 404-894-7214 must be sent at least 10 days prior to desired publication date. Classified submissions are on a first come, first serve basis. For more information, call 404-894-8324. Institute Communications and Public Affairs Wardlaw Center 177 North Avenue Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0181 Georgia Tech is a unit of the University System of Georgia.

of cells. This year, she’s extending this research by designing a new tracking tool, a quantum dot, for vitamin D in the lab of professor Barbara Boyan. The quantum dot could be used to help treat bone and cartilage diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets. “She’s a natural leader and very insightful,” said Boyan. “I have been struck by her systematic approach and her willingness to put in the hours necessary to tackle the problem in an organized and quite innovative way.” Bumb said academics aren’t the only thing to get out of college. At Tech she served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board, working with prominent business leaders to advise the administration on future goals. She also served in student government on the Joint Finance Committee, helping to decide how to allocate $3.5 million collected from the student


the academic year and biweekly

Marshall Scholar Ambika Bumb

activities fee. “The finance committee was a huge learning experience in how to take resources to benefit the most people that you can,” she said. In addition, she helped start a new Indian dance team at Tech,

Nazaaqat, which played to a packed house at the Ferst Center for the Arts. Bumb is the sixth Georgia Tech student to win the Marshall, a scholarship established by the British Government for American students in 1953 in appreciation for assistance received after World War II under the Marshall Plan. The scholarship encourages potential leaders to become ambassadors for the United States and establish personal ties between the two countries. Bumb said she hopes someday to fill the shoes of the Marshall Scholars who came before her. “Like most kids, when I was little I had dreams of saving the world — inventing a cure or finding the key to world peace,” she said. “However as you get older everyone around you becomes more realistic and you push off idealism for practicality. Now I have returned to that childhood fantasy, actually seeing that there may be a chance of me being able to make an impact on the world in some way.”


December 6, 2004

Academic Senate briefed on faculty handbook, master plan Michael Hagearty Institute Communications and Public Affairs

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cumbersome manual is finally getting a makeover. At last week’s fall meeting of the Academic Senate, Ron Bohlander, chair of the Statutes Committee, reported on the status of the format revision to the faculty handbook. His committee has been looking at ways to improve the manual, which has been criticized for its excessive section numbering and limited readability on the Web. The solution, he said, lies in restructuring the text and using content management tools to publish the handbook electronically in a way that improves ease of use. The committee is preparing a draft for review by the Executive Board and administration, he said, and hopes to seek general faculty approval by the spring.

IN BRIEF:

Also at the meeting, Les Saunders, director of Capital Planning and Space Management, spoke about the update to the campus master plan, which was approved by the Board of Regents during its October meeting. The short presentation concluded with Saunders noting that the entire document will be available for downloading via the Web site www.space.gatech.edu/masterplan.htm. President Wayne Clough, who directed the meeting, opened by noting the accomplishments of undergraduates Jeremy Farris (International Affairs) and Ambika Bumb (Biomedical Engineering) who were named recently as Rhodes and Marshall Scholars, respectively. He also congratulated the football team for its sixth consecutive bowl game, to be played Dec. 21 in Orlando. Other items on the agenda included course additions and other minor changes to both undergraduate and graduate curriculums, all of which were unanimously approved. For a complete agenda with supporting documentation, visit www.facultysenate.gatech.edu.

Prominent Tech alumnus and benefactor dies William E. “Bill” Moore, has left a vast legacy to Georgia Tech. Moore died on November 21 at his home in Woodside, California. He served on the Georgia Tech Advisory Board, the Centennial Campaign Council, and the Fiftieth Reunion Committee for the Class of 1938. He was a past president of the Georgia Tech Alumni Club of Northern California. In the early 1990s, Moore’s contribution of $5 million to Tech resulted in the construction of the Bill Moore Student Success Center, which houses the Offices of Undergraduate Admission, Student Financial Aid, Career Services and the President’s Scholarship Program. Moore also provided the funding for what would ultimately be named the Bill Moore Tennis Center. As a student, Georgia Tech offered him a partial athletic scholarship; as team captain, Moore led the tennis team to a Southeastern Conference Tennis Championship. After graduating, Moore served in the Pacific Theater during World War II, then returned home to co-found Kelly-Moore Paint Co.

OIT offers new, user-friendly personal firewall software Central support to review and respond to security incidents

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nyone on campus who has been annoyed by “chatty” or troublesome personal firewall software will appreciate the RealSecure Desktop software now available from the Office of Information Technology (OIT). RealSecure Desktop, a product of Internet Security Systems, is replacing ZoneAlarm as the supported personal firewall for Georgia Tech desktop computers. OIT is operating the central console for RealSecure Desktop

users at Georgia Tech. Through the console, OIT will manage the application’s firewall policies, collect security event data and automate the distribution of updates. The centralized administration of RealSecure Desktop can reduce the number of warnings that pop up on desktop computers, freeing users from having to manage the application themselves. Personal firewalls protect desktop computers from Internet threats by providing intrusion detection and prevention. RealSecure Desktop is effective with minimal effort on the part of the end user

because the application can be managed from a central console by the IT staff. The default version of the software is available for download from OIT’s software distribution site. This version is compatible with the Institute’s administrative software applications. In the future, campus units will have the option of setting up their own consoles and building departmental versions of the software.

CoC expands Ph.D. program

For more information...

OIT’s Software Distribution www.oit.gatech.edu/software


MEMS, cont’d from page 1

— much faster than the comparatively sluggish 3,000 rpm of an average car engine. Speed like that is capable of producing 1.1 watts of power, or enough juice to run a cell phone. If the project reaches its projected goal, it will eventually produce as much as 20 to 50 watts, capable of powering a laptop. The research is part of a larger project funded by the Army Research Laboratory to create lighter power sources to replace the heavy batteries that currently power equipment such as laptops, radios and GPS systems. Researchers at the University of Maryland and Clark Atlanta University also collaborate on the project. One of the team’s key problems was figuring out how to spin the magnet fast enough to get useful amounts of power, while keeping the magnet from breaking apart. High-performance magnets are brittle and easily broken up by the centrifugal force created by high speeds. To overcome this problem, the researchers have optimized the magnet dimensions and encased it in a titanium alloy to increase its strength. In the lab, the team used an air-powered drill — similar to what a dentist would use — that

From left, doctoral candidate David Arnold, postdoctoral fellow Iulica Zana and postdoctoral fellow Jin-Woo Park,with Tech’s microgenerator. simulates the spinning of the magnet by the micro gas turbine. Now that initial tests have been successful, they hope to increase the speeds to what would be used in an actual microengine to squeeze out more power. The team will present their progress with the project at the International Conference on MEMS in January.

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The College of Computing has announced a new Ph.D. program in Human-Centered Computing (HCC). While attracting the best and brightest from around the world, the new degree meets the nation’s industrial and societal needs for education and research in humanizing computer technology. The focus of the HCC program is not on computer technology, but rather how computers affect lives. The degree draws from several areas of concentration — multimedia and digital media studies, human factors, ergonomics, assistive technologies, industrial design, cognitive science, sociology and public policy — opening the possibility for new discoveries in underlying issues of science, engineering, art and design. The HCC committee, chaired by Professors Jim Foley and Nancy Nersessian, developed the doctoral program with a strong interdisciplinary orientation. “The HCC Ph.D. is yet another step toward broadening the CoC’s intellectual base,” said Foley. Nersessian agrees. “We see this as a step in fulfilling and further articulating our vision to extend the boundaries of computing,” she said. For more information about the HCC program, visit www.cc.gatech.edu/hcc.

Calling secret Santas The Library and Information Center is collecting educational gifts during the holiday season for the residents of the Atlanta Children’s Center, a day shelter for homeless children. Suggestions include adult and children books, building and stacking toys, puzzles, arts and crafts supplies, back packs and school supplies, or videos with educational themes. Items can be placed in the library’s donation boxes, located in the rotunda. Donations will be accepted through December 17. For additional information contact Karen Manning at 894-4523 or Jackie Boyd at 894-4521.


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Arts & Culture

Dec. 11

Ongoing

Dec. 9

Fall commencement will be divided into two ceremonies, with undergraduates at 9 a.m. and graduates at 3 p.m. For more information, visit www.gatech.edu/commencement.

Techmasters — Tech’s chapter of Toastmaster’s International — meets every Thursday at 7:30 a.m. in room 102 of MiRC. For more information, visit www.techmasters.gatech.edu.

The American Museum of Papermaking hosts an opening reception for its two newest installations — “Lift: Recent Works by Ashley Ott” and “Paper Comes to Georgia” — from 5 - 7 p.m. For further details, visit www.ipst.edu/amp.

Dec. 13

Campus Recreation Center holiday hours*

A Fidelity Investments retirement counselor will be conducting confidential consultations. To schedule an appointment, e-mail [email protected] or call 404-239-7303.

Dec. 18 The Ferst Center welcomes jazz pianist George Winston for an 8 p.m. performance. For tickets, call 894-9600 or visit www.ferstcenter.org.

Dec. 6-10 — normal hours

Dec. 15

Miscellaneous

Dec. 7 The Georgia Tech Faculty Women’s Club hosts its annual wine and cheese party for all faculty and guests from 5 - 7 p.m. in the Global Learning and Conference Center Atrium.

Dec. 11-12 — closed

The VOICE Initiative invites you to learn more about how you can play a role in ending sexual violence at Georgia Tech. A one-hour orientation will be held at noon. To sign up, e-mail [email protected] or call 894-9980.

Deadline for students to submit a President’s Undergraduate Research Award (PURA) application for spring semester. For more information, visit www.undergradresearch.gatech.edu/institutewide.htm.

Dec. 18-19 — closed Dec. 20-23 — 6 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Dec. 24 — 6 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Dec. 25 - Jan. 3 — closed

Dec. 27 - Jan. 3

Jan. 4-7 — 6 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. Jan. 8 — 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Campus closed for the holidays.

Dec. 10

Dec. 13-17 — 6 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 9 — noon - midnight

Jan. 10

Jan. 10 — resume normal hours

Spring semester begins. *This information is being relisted, due to an error in last week’s issue.

Faculty and staff with spring events should e-mail them to [email protected] as soon as they are finalized. Submissions within two weeks of the scheduled date will be listed as space allows.

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AUTOMOBILES 1990 Ford Aerostar 7-passenger minivan, automatic, a/c, cassette radio. Well-maintained, all records, runs great, interior and exterior in excellent condition. $2,000 OBO. E-mail [email protected] or 678-8380893. 1993 Mazda MX-3 Limited Edition, 5 speed, V-6, sunroof, leather interior. Interior and exterior in good condition, needs minor mechanical work. $2,000 OBO. E-mail mattryll@ bellsouth.net or 678-838-0893. 1993 Mazda Protege, good daily, dependable driver. $1,300 OBO. E-mail [email protected] or call 385-2382. 1997 Convertible Pontiac Sunfire. Red and black, brand new rebuilt engine, good body condition, good tires and brakes. Very well maintained by owner. $6,500, negotiable. E-mail [email protected]. 1999 Mitsubishi Mirage, green, 42K miles, excellent condition, impeccably maintained. $3,800 OBO. Call Maria at 404-372-7697. COMPUTERS Sun USB keyboard (Type 6). Part number 320-1273, includes wristrest, $15. E-mail [email protected]. Sony laptop w/bag and accessories, $400; HP iPAQ Pocket PC h1945, $225; Nokia 3390 T-Mobile phone and accessories, $60; HP CD-Writer 8200 series, $50; Iomega ZIP Drive, $40. All items negotiable. Call: 770472-2330.

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FURNITURE Sofa, $250; chair/ottoman, $150; table, $40; microwave, $20; lamps, $20; Contact [email protected]. 35-inch Sony Trinitron KV35V35 with matching stand, $550. Matching media cabinets, $100/ea. Octagonal brass and glass coffee/end tables, $75. Call 404-385-1696 or e-mail [email protected]. Contemporary glass-topped dining room table with 4 chairs (steel-framed with brushed, stainless steel curved backs and light-gray micro-fiber cushions) $750 OBO. Furniture is 2.5 years old, looks brand new. E-mail [email protected] or call 8949862 for pictures. REAL ESTATE/ROOMMATES Cozy home in perfect Decatur location – 3BR/1.5BA, LR, large eat-in kitchen, deck and huge front and back yards. Recently restored, new appliances. May consider lease/buy arrangement. Call George, 404-3030759 or e-mail [email protected]. 1BR/1BA condo in Midtown. Many upgrades. Low association dues, gym, pool, covered parking, security, storage unit. $169,500. Call 404-3862395 or e-mail [email protected] for pictures. 2BR/2BA condo in Vinings, 20 minutes to Tech. Wood flooring, Berber carpet and tiled floors. Fireplace, new appliances and fixtures. Fitness center and pool. $164,000. E-mail [email protected] for photos.

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2BR/1BA home less than 10 minutes from Tech. HW floors, screened porch, fenced back yard, 2-car carport. Kitchen redone. Quiet neighborhood. $1,050/mo. Call 404-352-1399 or e-mail [email protected] Rent-to-own 3BR/2BA home in Roswell. The house has hardwood floors, new appliances, a huge deck, huge bonus room, large 3/4-acre lot, open kitchen and plenty of space. $1,195/month or $169,900. Call 678656-6992 or e-mail [email protected]. 1BR/1BA apartment for rent on North Druid Hills. Gated entrance, 800 sq. feet, all electric, garage. The lease is for 4.5 months available midDecember 2004(flexible in dates). $679/month + utilities. E-mail [email protected] or call 404-434-3652. Cozy 3BA/2BA ranch home for sale by owner in Douglasville. Fenced yard,1,250 sq. ft., patio, vaulted ceilings, security system. Ideal starter home or investment. $89,900. Call 678-641-9442. Luxurious Midtown apartment for rent. 1BR/1BA in the Mayfair Renaissance with upgrades. View of Piedmont Park. Available furnished or non. Short-term leases possible. $1,200/month. Call 404-271-4266 or e-mail [email protected]. 3BR/1BA house for rent, 1 mile from Emory and CDC, $1,300/month + utilities. Detached garage, W/D, renovated kitchen, daylight basement, screened porch. Call 404-378-6068.

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SPORTS/FITNESS/RECREATION Kickboxing/stand-up punching bag, $25. Olympic weights (310 lbs.) w/bench, $100. E-mail [email protected]. Peugeot racing bicycle, $125. Call 385-1696 or e-mail [email protected]. MISCELLANEOUS Beautiful 9-foot Fraser Fir Christmas tree. Will bring to campus. Paid $350, sell for $225. Photos upon request. Used for 2 years. Looked smaller in the store! Call 894-4888 or e-mail becky.fitzgibbon@arch. gatech.edu. Free black female and orange male cats (siblings, approx. 5 years old). Excellent health, affectionate, fixed and de-clawed. Call 770 845-1821. 1981 Kawasaki KZ-440 LTD. Carbs rebuilt, new battery, $400 OBO. E-mail [email protected] or call 770355-4966 with questions. Home audio equipment for sale after upgrade: Sony STR-DE725 A/V receiver, $75; Sony CDP-CE525 5-disc CD changer, $50; Yamaha YST-SW40 subwoofer, $50. All for $150. Includes remotes/manuals. E-mail [email protected]. The classifieds are a free service provided to members of the faculty and staff. To submit an ad, e-mail the text to [email protected]. Due to the volume of submissions, it may take several weeks for ads to appear in print.