Dr. Mladen Vouk Named Interim Department Head
Dr. Mladen A. Vouk, professor of computer science and associate vice provost for information technology at NC State University, has been named interim head of the Department of Computer Science effective July 1, 2004. He replaces Dr. Alan L. Tharp, who had served as head of the department since 1993. Vouk, whose research interests include software engineering, scientific computing, computer-based instruction and high-performance networks, is immediate former technical director of the Center for Advanced Computing and Communication, co-founder and former co-director of the Computer Science Software Systems and Engineering Laboratory, and founder and former director of the NC State Multimedia and Networking Laboratories. A fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Vouk received his Ph.D. in solid state physics from the University of London, Kings College, in 1976. He joined the faculty at NC State University in 1985.

Departmental Research Grants, Gifts, and Support
Congratulations to Drs. Rada Chirkova and Mladen Vouk, who each received a 2004 Faculty Award from IBM each in the amount of $35,000.

Faculty/Staff News
Dr. George Rouskas was recently awarded the Alcoa Foundation Engineering Research Achievement Award, intended to recognize young faculty who have accomplished outstanding research achievements during the preceding three years. READ MORE

Jennifer Anderson, faculty secretary in the Venture Complex on Centennial Campus, left the department on July 27th to move back to the Charlotte area. She will be greatly missed and we wish her the best in her future endeavors.

Dr. Barbara Adams has joined the staff as undergraduate advising assistant, working with Ms. Joyce Hatch, coordinator of undergraduate advising. Barbara has been working this summer with Joyce on new student orientation & registration and other student advising issues. She has bachelor's degrees in psychology and education from Queens College of the City University of New York and a doctorate in psychology from City University of New York.

Super ePartner Network Appliance Announces Major Business Expansion in North Carolina
In a special ceremony held at the state capital on July 27th, North Carolina Governor, Mike Easley was joined by Network Appliance president, Tom Mendoza, announcing Network Appliance's plans to expand its operations in the Triangle, bringing 361 new jobs and $59 million in additional investment to the area. The company anticipates purchasing three shell buildings owned by Cisco Systems in the Research Triangle Park and should initiate incremental hiring later this year. The jobs, which will primarily focus on research and development, will also include sales and customer support positions. The average salary for the positions is projected to be at least $115,000. Network Appliance's press release acknowledges the close partnership enjoyed with our department saying, "Network Appliance has a strong working relationship with N.C. State University and participates in the University "ePartners" program. For the past two-and-one-half years, Network has been a "Super ePartner", the highest level of corporate involvement. "ePartners" support the University's computer science department financially and undertake collaborative work with faculty and students." READ MORE

CSC Students Gain Software Insight at Apple Conference
A trip to San Francisco in the summer may conjure up images of sightseeing and relaxing activities, but for two NC State University seniors, it was a week filled with training sessions and discussions about the latest development software available through Apple. Neha Jain and Jack Frink, both computer science seniors, received scholarships to attend Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, CA, June 28 to July 2. READ MORE

24 Sr Design Team Projects Presented at Spring Posters & Pies
For over 10 years, computer science undergraduates have been pulling together all they’ve learned to complete projects posed to them through the capstone CSC 492 course. They’re led in their efforts by Dr. Robert Fornaro, professor and director of the Senior Design Center. “The center was created to help students develop the teamwork, leadership, and communication skills that are essential for today’s increasingly competitive global workforce,” Fornaro says. Summaries of the 24 spring projects were presented at the April 27 Posters & Pies, attended by about 300 parents, students, sponsors and other guests, including several Raleigh television reporters. READ MORE For information about sponsoring a project, contact Ken Tate, director of corporate and alumni relations for the computer science department, at kmtate2@ncsu.edu; phone: 919-513-4292.

"Girls on Track" Camp Participants Gain New Perspective on Math & Science
"Sometimes I look and see how you can find math in almost everything.” So said one of this summer’s participants in Girls on Track (GoT), a two-week long summer camp for middle school girls designed to help raise their interest in math and science. The camp is part of an ongoing research project managed through NC State's Center for Research in Mathematics and Science Education in the College of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Computer Science in the College of Engineering! READ MORE

Career Connection Date Set for September 29th
ePartners are asked to mark their calendars for Wednesday, September 29th for our 5th Annual Career Connection event. This exclusive ePartners recruiting and networking event has been conveniently scheduled to follow the NCSU Minority Career Fair. The event will officially run from 10 am to 2:30 pm in Withers 210-B & 214 located on NCSU's Historic North Campus. ePartner representatives should plan to arrive by 9:30 am for space assignments and set-up. Tables will be available for any materials or displays that you bring. As always, lunch will be provided. Please RSVP to Ken Tate at kmtate2@ncsu.edu no later than Friday, August 27th, so that promotional materials may accurately reflect participating companies and so that appropriate arrangements can be made for your visit.

NC State Science Building Renamed in Honor of Chancellor Fox
The North Carolina State University Board of Trustees recently announced that the Undergraduate Science and Teaching Laboratory will be named the Marye Anne Fox Science Teaching Laboratory in honor of the departing chancellor and her six years of service to the university. Peaches Gunter Blank, chair of the NC State Board of Trustees, said, “Marye Anne Fox was the driving force behind NC State’s continued evolution into a comprehensive community of scholars nationally recognized for its excellence. We’re sad to see Marye Anne go, but we hope the newly named Marye Anne Fox Science Teaching Laboratory will commemorate her dedication and service to the university. The building will serve as a lasting legacy of Marye Anne’s commitment to NC State.” READ MORE

Centennial Campus Golf Course One Step Closer to Reality
At the NC State Board of Trustees meeting on Monday, July 12, members approved the ground lease for a Centennial Campus golf course that will provide training for students enrolled in the turfgrass management and professional golf management (PGM) programs as well as a home for NC State’s men’s and women’s varsity golf teams. The $16 million project – which includes the golf course, research and training center, and clubhouse – will be entirely funded with private money and will encompass 193 acres on Centennial Campus. Construction is expected to begin in 2005 and the golf course is expected to open in 2007. READ MORE

Corporate Sponsorships Available
Budgetary constraints continue to challenge us, forcing us to constantly look for new and innovative ways to provide the highest quality educational experience possible to our students. The need for outside funding has never been greater and we hope that you will consider one of the numerous "named" sponsorship opportunities currently available through the department of computer science for the remainder of the academic year:

ACM/AITP Meetings - A complementary named sponsorship event is available to any ePartner for the ACM/AITP Meeting on Sept 1st and Oct 13th at 7 pm. You simply need to provide a guest speaker and a technical topic of 30-40 minutes in length. This event is also available to non-ePartners for a sponsorship of only $250.

Fall Diploma Ceremony - Over 1500 graduates, family, friends and faculty are expected to attend this beautiful ceremony on Dec 15th in the Meymandi Concert Hall in downtown Raleigh. Your tax-deductible contribution of $2,500 will provide you co-named sponsorship recognition at the event and help us cover the rising cost of facility rental, refreshments, entertainment, and publications.

Women in Computer Science - Your contribution of $1,000 or more will provide named sponsorship support for this strategic initiative designed to increase the attraction and retention rate of women in the computer science field.

New CSC "Systems" Colloquium - Named sponsorship is available for helping fund the launch of a new "systems" focused colloquium spearheaded by Dr Frank Mueller. A $5,000 contribution (in whole or smaller amounts for multiple sponsors) would help provide funding for speaker fees and travel for this new colloquium.

In most cases, your sponsorship contributions are fully tax-deductible and may qualify you for higher levels of recognition. For more information, please contact Ken Tate at 919-513-4292 or kmtate2@ncsu.edu.

'Naming Rights' Available for New Facility
The official groundbreaking ceremony for our new 100,000 sq. ft, $41M state-of-the-art teaching and research facility on Centennial Campus was held on October 24th, 2003. At that same time, we launched the official Naming Rights Campaign with opportunities ranging from $25,000 to over $1M. Premiere naming spaces include an expansive atrium and a series of terraces designed to host events of all sizes, as well as labs, classrooms, conference rooms, and faculty offices. More information is available at http://epartners.ncsu.edu/naming_rights.html, and more details will officially be released on this campaign in the coming months. If you have questions or would like more information, please contact Ken Tate at 919-513-4292 or kmtate2@ncsu.edu.

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