Nuclear engineering minor up and running
Iowa State is now offering an undergraduate minor in nuclear engineering, providing students with an understanding of nuclear science and how it affects our world. The minor is offered in conjunction with the Big 12 Engineering Consortium, an organization created to increase the accessibility of engineering courses in high-demand areas. Read more at www.me.iastate.edu/news-events-amp-seminars/news-article/article/2110/983.html.

Sustainable engineering course approved for next summer
The Study Abroad and Exchange Advisory Committee recently announced that Applied Methods in Sustainable Engineering and International Development has been approved for next summer. Mark Bryden, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Richard LeSar, professor and chair of materials science and engineering, will teach the course for the second time in Mali, Africa.

Funding award
James McCalley, Dionysios Aliprantis, and Arun Somani, ECpE; Robert Brown, ME; Konstantina Gkritza, CCEE; and Lizhi Wang, IMSE; received a $1,983,266 award for ”21st Century National Energy and Transportation Infrastructures for Balancing Environmental Impacts, Costs, and Resiliency” from the National Science Foundation.

PERUSE pays off for mechanical engineering student
Dustin Dalluge, a senior in mechanical engineering, is featured on the Providing Experiences in Research for Undergraduate Students in Engineering (PERUSE) Web site. Visit www.engineering.iastate.edu/peruse/featured-profiles/dustin-dalluge-me.html to learn about his work and PERUSE.

Kelkar and Olsen part of projects advanced by Grow Iowa
Values Fund A grant from the Grow Iowa Values Fund, a state economic development program, will help advance 10 projects on Iowa State’s campus. From the ME department, Atul Kelkar, professor, and Michael Olsen, associate professor, are members of teams working on projects supported by the grant. Read more at www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2008/oct/givf08.shtml.

Upcoming Technology, Globalization and Culture speakers

• Tony Smith, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Iowa State University, will present "Towards a Critical Assessment of Global Capitalism" on November 18, 2008.
• Kirk Thompson, global product development leader for Dow Chemical Company, will present "Why Do I Need to Think Globally to be Effective in My Job?" on November 19, 2008.

The presentations will be in the Alliant Energy-Lee Liu Auditorium, Howe Hall, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Course instructors James Bernard and Mark Rectanus are opening the course Web site and the auditorium classroom to anybody who wants to learn more about globalization and the issues swirling around it. For a complete schedule of speakers and more information, visit the course Web site at www.ede.iastate.edu/TGC/TGC/Technology-Globalization-Culture.html.