WSU Spokane Campus
Bulletin
Issue 2001-26 (September
5, 2001)
IN
THIS ISSUE
·BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT TO SPEAK AT WSU PULLMAN, SPOKANE
CAMPUSES
·STRATEGIC PLANNING BROWN-BAG LUNCHES
SET
·MASSIVE RESEARCH FUNDING MEETS MASSIVE COMPUTER
POWER
·WSU SPOKANE DENIM SHIRTS
·PERSONNEL DYNAMICS
·TIP SHEET OF SEPT. 3, 2001--WSU SPOKANE FACULTY
EXPERTS AVAILABLE TO MEDIA
·MEDIA COVERAGE
·NOTEWORTHY
·EVENTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIOTECHNOLOGY EXPERT TO SPEAK AT WSU
PULLMAN, SPOKANE CAMPUSES
Thomas
J. Hoban, an international expert on the growing use of biotechnology in
society, will discuss the public perceptions of the industry during a 4 p.m.
talk on September 12 at Washington State University's Todd Hall, Room
302.
For the past 10 years, the professor and extension specialist in the
Department of Sociology and Anthropology at North Carolina State University has
researched how American agriculture, the food industry, public officials and
others can most effectively respond to issues surrounding biotechnology. His
most recent research project examines what global leaders think and know about
biotechnology.
Hoban also will speak at 1 p.m., September 13, at WSU
Spokane's Riverpoint Campus, 668 N. Riverpoint Blvd., in the Phase I classroom
building, Room 118, on the same topic. Both lectures are open to the public,
without charge.
More information online: http://www.wsu.edu/NIS/releases4/ds109.htm
STRATEGIC PLANNING BROWN-BAG LUNCHES
SET
Barb
Chamberlain
We will pick up on the strategic planning topics
discussed at the August 23 faculty/staff kickoff for brown-bag discussions,
moving from broad-brush visions to some specific questions about what it takes
to get us from here to there.
A summary of the workshop notes will be
sent separately via email. If you don’t receive a copy, please contact Joyce
Harbison, harbison@mail.wsu.edu, so we can update our email list.
Mark
your calendar for the following dates. All discussions will be held noon-1pm,
Phase One Classroom Bldg, first floor conference room (we'll move if we need
more space). Bring your lunch.
Tues Sept 11: Service/outreach
Fri Sept
14: Recognition of faculty/staff
Tues Sept 18: IT infrastructure
Thur
Sept 20: Research
Tues Sept 25: Program delivery
Thur Sept 27: Learning
environment
Tues Oct 2: Student experience
Thur Oct 4:
Identity
MASSIVE
RESEARCH FUNDING MEETS MASSIVE COMPUTING POWER
(Reprinted from the Terabyte Triangle Newsletter, Volume
1, Issue 8, August 30, 2001. Sponsored by: Downtown Spokane Ventures
Association. Prepared by Billie Moreland and Associates.)
Original
research in biomedical engineering will occupy much of Dr. Paul Schimpf’s
time and energy for the next three years. Schimpf, associate professor of
engineering at WSU Spokane, will receive a $400,000 grant from the National
Science Foundation (NSF) to fund his research. He is based in the SIRTI building
in the Riverpoint higher education park.
The NSF grant will not only fund
Schimpf’s research, but will make possible the work of two new PhD students and
one Master’s candidate. Besides the final report, when the grant is satisfied,
the research will have produced two Doctor of Philosophy dissertations, one
Master’s thesis, several technical publications, and a software package for
distribution to other researchers.
Schimpf discusses his research with
enthusiasm, trying to make something undeniably complicated accessible to the
layperson. He talks about Poisson equations, partial differential equations, and
direct and inverse systems. He discusses electrical conductivity, voltage, and
current as it applies to human tissue. He suggests neurological and
cardiological applications. When Schimpf’s work is done, he will have created a
numerical tool to aid other biomedical researchers seeking noninvasive
information about the electrical activity of the human heart and brain. This
could lead to novel new approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
The “short form” of the research project is to take the information
currently gleaned from such medical diagnostic tools as the Electrocardiogram
(ECG) or Electroencephalogram, (EEG) and analyze the data using partial
differential equations and computational algorithms to pinpoint the source of
electrical activity. This problem must be constrained to be solvable, is very
computation-intense, and requires a lot of computer power. The diagnostic is
further complicated by the fact that no two humans are ever alike, so all
readings are unique and each requires its own computation. It requires so much
computer power that it will require parallel computing. Solving the parallel
computing difficulties is yet another research problem. Schimpf intends to
reduce an otherwise incredible amount of numerical computation by constraining
the problem with a spatial hierarchical search. “In summary” says Schimpf,
“we’ll have to work smart.”
When the research tool is complete, Schimpf
and his collaborators may turn their attention to possible clinical
applications. Certainly the numerical, computational tool will be a help to
Spokane’s growing medical research community.
Schimpf teaches computer
engineering, electrical engineering and computer science courses for WSU
Spokane. He also coordinates the Engineering Consortium, a collaborative program
between WSU Spokane, University of Idaho and Gonzaga University for
nontraditional students wishing to complete a bachelor of science in computer
engineering. -- Billie Moreland
WSU SPOKANE DENIM SHIRTS
This is your last chance to order the new WSU Spokane
logo-embroidered shirt from the Communications Department. Shirts are
available in men's and women's sizes Small through XL for $27 each, XXL for $28
each, and XXXL for $29 each. Samples are available to try on in the
Communications Department on the first floor of the Metropolitan Financial
Center. Contact Joyce Harbison at 358-7540 or harbison@wsu.edu to place
your order by Friday, September 7.
PERSONNEL DYNAMICS
Coming
Marlene O'Dea, Office Assistant III,
Area Health Education Center
Bryan Valley, TV/Video Equipment
Operator II, Information Services
Michael McDonell, Research
Assistant, WIMIRT
Anne Strode, Research Associate,
WIMIRT
Going
John Turner, Director, WRICOPS, to the
Attorney General's Office
TIP SHEET OF SEPT. 3, 2001--WSU SPOKANE FACULTY EXPERTS
AVAILABLE TO MEDIA
Soy-based foods
and kidney stones: New research indicates that soybeans and soy-based
foods, a staple in the diets of many health-conscious consumers, may promote
kidney stones in those prone to the painful condition. Linda
Massey, professor of human nutrition at Washington State University Spokane,
is a leading researcher on kidney stones whose work is used by the American
Dietetic Association to set standards for kidney stone sufferers. Massey
says her research - the first of its kind on soy foods - shows that no soybean
or soy-based food tested could be recommended for consumption by patients with a
personal history of kidney stones.
Looming pharmacist
shortage: As the aging baby boomer generation increases the demand for
prescription drugs, experts predict a critical shortage of pharmacists.
From 1999 to 2000, retail prescription volume increased 5 percent. This
year that figure is expected to climb another 5.5 percent to a total of 3
billion retail prescriptions, says WSU College of Pharmacy Dean Bill
Fassett. Over the next 10 years, that rate of increase (which is
expected to rise, not fall) will increase retail demand for pharmacy
services by more than 50 percent, but the supply of pharmacists is likely to
increase by much less than that. That does not include demand for pharmacy
services in hospitals, where latest figures show a 21 percent vacancy rate for
pharmacist positions.
Pain relievers for arthritis:
Is there a downside to common pain relievers for arthritis? About 30 million
baby boomers are expected to suffer from arthritis by 2020, according to recent
reports. Two WSU researchers, Steve Setter and Cynthia Corbett, are
experts on the effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as
ibuprofen, frequently used by older patients for relief of arthritis
symptoms. Both are working on a community education campaign for the safe
use of NSAIDs. Targeted at physician clinics and hospitals, the
campaign is the nation's first such targeted community education outreach
campaign.
MEDIA
COVERAGE
Steve Setter, assistant
professor, pharmacy practice, will be interviewed by Medical Crossfire
during the week of September 4-7 concerning Parkinson's. They are online at
http://www.medicalcrossfire.com/ and have a print
publication. (This came as a result of our response to a query on ProfNet, a
national media inquiry service to which we subscribe.)
David Wang,
associate professor, architecture, is one of three faculty to be featured
in the September 15 WSU football program. The piece focuses on branch campus
faculty who bring the research mission into the classroom and connect with
students.
Martin Hoegl, assistant professor, management, was
interviewed by Doug Nadvornick of KPBX/KSFC on teamwork concepts as they apply
to the Spokane City Council. The interview airs on KSFC at approximately 5pm
today, Wed. Sept. 5.
Lisa Myers of KREM and Northwest Cable News
interviewed Bettie Rundlett, Area Health Education Center, on Project
HOPE, which places middle school students in health care settings to learn about
careers, and on college internships in health care. The middle school piece
aired Sept. 3; the college piece is set to air Sept. 11.
NOTEWORTHY
Jeff Harrell (PharmD 01), David Greeley, MD
(movement disorder neurologist), and Steve Setter, assistant professor,
pharmacy practice, recently published: Neuroimmunophilin ligands: a novel
treatment for Parkinson's disease. The Consultant Pharmacist
2001;16(8):767-770
Dr. Joseph Coyne, associate professor,
Health Policy and Administration, was a Guest Lecturer at Peking University
Health Science Center during the past summer to a group of 50 hospital directors
from major teaching hospitals located throughout northern China. His topic
was "Making the Transition from a Planned Economy to a Market Economy in the
Health Sector". Through the assistance of four translators from Peking
University, Dr. Coyne presented over 200 PowerPoint slides on a wide variety of
health topics during several days of lecture. During his stay in Beijing,
Dr. Coyne represented WSU as a international health management faculty on
possible areas of collaboration between WSU and Peking University, which
resulted in a recent visit from a group of five delegates including the
Chancellor from Peking University.
Martin Hoegl, assistant
professor, management and decision science, and coordinator of the Spokane
master's of technology management program, presented research on collaboration
and leadership in team-based R&D organizations at the Academy of Management
Conference, Washington, DC, and the Portland International Conference on the
Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), Portland,
Oregon.
Hoegl's paper titled "Teamwork Quality and the Success of
Innovative Projects: A Theoretical Concept and Empirical Evidence" is now
published by Organization Science. Co-author is Hans Georg Gemuenden, Technical
University of Berlin.
Bettie Rundlett, program coordinator, Area
Health Education Center, has been appointed the chair of the Health Careers
Subcommittee for the Spokane Area Professional Technical Advisory
Consortium. SAPTAC is an advisory council for six regional school
districts, bringing business and industry partners together with
professional-technical educators to better prepare high school students for
careers in our communities.
Donald Epley, Victor C. Lyon/CCIM
Distinguished Professor of Real Estate, made a presentation in May to the
Educational Foundation of the CCIM Institute at its recent meeting in Denver.
The presentation covered the results of research into needed curriculum,
concepts, and skills that specialists in commercial and investment brokerage and
leasing should know to receive a professional designation. This project
represents the third year of funded research by the
Foundation.
Congratulations to Gretchen Arend for raising $457 for
the 2001 March of Dimes Campaign to help save babies. This year's campaign title
was Survivor Africa 2001: Safari Adventure to Help Save Babies. The Jail and
Bail campaign was located on the first floor of Riverpark Square complete with
three walls of bars on August 30 and 31. With the assistance of WSU Spokane and
friends, Gretchen was bailed out of jail and met the safari challenge of
painting new stripes on a faded zebra without taking a hoof in the mouth.
Funds raised by Arend will go towards giving all babies a fighting chance
against prematurity, birth defects, and low birthweight.
Jeanne
Johnson, associate professor, speech and hearing sciences, is conducting a
workshop on September 7 for Physical and Occupational Therapists at Shriners'
Children's Hospital in Spokane regarding the assessment for and implementation
of augmentative communication systems.
Steve Setter, assistant
professor, pharmacy practice, gave a presentation last week to the lay public
entitled "Treatment of Memory Loss, Agitation, and Depression Associated with
Alzheimer's Disease" at the NorthPointe Retirement Center. He will be presenting
"Osteoporosis and You: What You Need to Know and Do!" at the Senior Wellness
Conference on September 6. Setter will be participating in an upcoming
Parkinson's Disease Traineeship in Michigan in October.
SEND YOUR
NOTEWORTHY NEWS about staff, faculty, students, or graduates of WSU Spokane
to chamberlain@wsu.edu for inclusion in future editions of the weekly campus
bulletin and spokane@wsu.edu, the quarterly
newsletter.
UPCOMING EVENTS
INTERNAL EVENTS
September 20:
All-University Address. President Rawlins will hold the 2001 fall
All-University Address on Thursday, September 20, at 3 p.m., Bryan Hall
Auditorium. A reception will follow.
EXTERNAL EVENTS
September
13: "Public Perceptions of Biotechnology." Presentation by Tom Hoban, Ph.D.,
of North Carolina State University. Free and open to the public, 1 to 2 p.m.,
Phase One Classroom Building, Room 118.
October 5: Live After 5 Visual
Arts Tour. Pick up an Inlander the week before October 5 for an event map
and plan your own visual arts tour through downtown Spokane. Be sure to stop by
the Metropolitan Financial Center to see the art exhibit hosted by WSU Spokane.
The music of Trailer Park Girls, Canned Music, Lindell Reason, and Spokane's
favorite local band, Delbert, will fill the night air. Rally in the Alley will
wrap-up the evening and this year's Live After 5 event season.
Send
corrections on event information to
.
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The
Bulletin is usually published on Wednesday weekly during the academic year,
biweekly during breaks and summer session. Deadline is Monday of the week of
publication.
------------------------------------------------------
The
Bulletin covers news of interest to the faculty and staff of WSU Spokane.
Regular columns cover personnel changes, upcoming events, professional
accomplishments, opportunities for involvement in the campus community and the
Spokane community, notices of new developments on campus, and other news.
The Bulletin also serves as a source of information for the quarterly
external campus publication, spokane@wsu.edu, which now goes to
approximately 2700 alumni and friends of WSU Spokane. You'll read it here
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