The IU School of Informatics received a $25,000 fellowship to advance graduate students' research, according to a press release. \nAlumnus Chin-Cheng Wu, who earned a master's degree in computer science from IU in 1977, made the donation in honor of Paul W. Purdom Jr., former chairman of the IU Department of Computer Science. Wu is the chairman of Acopia Networks, a Massachusetts-based technology company.\n"Professor Purdom taught me how to think pragmatically when it comes to problem-solving," Wu said in the release. "Professor Purdom has always focused on research of algorithmic constraints that have profound impacts and results. To me, that is an absolutely essential step in putting theoretical discovery into practical uses."\nThe fellowship's first recipient will be chosen later this year, and it will be awarded to an informatics or computer science student with a particular interest in algorithmic research and application. \n
IU to research \nsugar's role in cancer, alcoholism
\nThe National Institutes of Health will provide IU chemistry professor Milos Novotny and colleagues in the IU Department of Chemistry, the School of Medicine and the School of Informatics with $3.2 million during the next three years to establish the National Center for Glycomics and Glycoproteomics, according to a press release. \nGlycomics is the study of sugar chains, and glycoproteomics looks at the differences in the ways sugar chains attach to proteins. Novotny's research focuses on the attachment of sugars to large molecules inside the human body and their functions. These sugar chains can aid the function of biological molecules or help put the body's immune system at ease. Some might play a role in alcoholism and some types of cancer. \nThe center's staff will devise new technologies to allow scientists to better investigate biological sugars and organize collaborative research of glycoproteins associated with cancer and alcoholism. \n
SPEA establishes new overseas \nsummer program
\nThe IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs will begin a new overseas study program for undergraduates this July with the introduction of "IU at Oxford." The program will focus on public policy and will include lectures from Oxford University faculty. Trips to the Oxford Museum and the British Parliament in London will also be included. The program will run from July 8 to Aug. 5. \n"This is going to be a great program for IU undergraduates," SPEA professor Kenneth Richards said in a press release. "Oxford University is such an inspirational setting, and the faculty members there are outstanding."\nThe program will cost $3,721 for in-state students and $500 more for out-of-state students. Costs have been reduced through a grant from the Edward L. Hutton Foundation. \nFor more information, contact the Office of Overseas Study at overseas@indiana.edu. The deadline for applications is Feb. 13. \n
New computer \nprogram tracks political donors
\nMatthew Kane, a doctoral student in the School of Informatics, has created a computer program that identifies political donors, their addresses and the amount of money they gave to 2004 presidential candidates and Republican and Democratic parties, according to a press release. Users can access the information on the Web site, www.cs.indiana.edu/~markane/i590/contributors.html, and type in the ZIP code for which they want information. Red or blue balloons will appear on a Google Map, and users can click on a balloon for donors' names, addresses and the amount he or she gave to an individual candidate or either of the two major political parties.\nThe idea for the Web site came from an assignment in Kane's information security class in which students were to extract information they thought was private but was actually public record. \n"Since I have a deep interest in politics, I knew that political campaign contributions were in the public domain and that some people would prefer not to have others know exactly what political contributions they had made," Kane said in the release. \nKane received the donors' information from the Fundrace Project, an online resource that details the 2004 election information on record with the Federal Election Commission. \n
IU, Purdue join to strengthen Indiana's economy
\nIU has joined its intrastate rival Purdue University in designing a grant program titled Collaboration in Life Sciences and Informatics Research. The program is designed to advance life sciences and informatics research and development in Indiana, according to a press release. \nThe two schools put forth $250,000 in the program, which ultimately attempts to generate larger, ongoing research projects from initial projects.\n"The state must become more competitive in attracting external funding for its economic development activities," said Michael McRobbie, IU's vice president for research and information technology, in the release.\nCharles Rutledge, Purdue's vice president for research, said the collaboration between IU and Purdue will strengthen the life sciences corridor that extends from Bloomington through Indianapolis to West Lafayette.
