In Celebration of the Inauguration of
Dr. David M. Dooley
Academic Symposium II -- Wednesday, April 7, 2010, 3 - 4:30 p.m.
The Role of the University in Transforming the Globe
Moderator
Margaret Leinen, Ph.D., '80, Chief Executive Officer, Climate Response Fund
As head of the Climate Response Fund, Margaret oversees a new nonprofit organization created to stimulate and support discussion and research into 'geoengineering' or climate intervention techniques and other activities needed to explore innovative solutions to the climate crisis facing the world. Prior to that role, she served as Dean of Oceanography and Acting Dean of Environment and Life Sciences at URI, and Assistant Director of Assistant Director of Geosciences at NSF.Panelists
Medicinal Foods: Dr. Navindra Seeram, Assistant Professor of Pharmacognosy, has a research group, the Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory that investigates the health properties of plant compounds including medicinal foods such as berries. Navindra, named as one of 10 to watch by URI, is regularly quoted in the popular press, and has co-authored over 70 peer-reviewed research articles, 13 book chapters and is a co-inventor on several international patents. He is also the series editor of a recently launched book series by CRC Press/Taylor and Francis Group called 'Clinical Pharmacognosy'. Languages: Dr. Alain-Philippe Durand, Professor of French, English, and Film Media, is the recipient of the Palmes Académiques, the highest honor awarded to academics from the government of France, and the URI Foundation Teaching Excellence Award. An expert on French literature and culture, he is the author of 4 books, and over 30 peer-reviewed articles and chapters. He was appointed Visiting Professor in universities in Brazil, France, and Germany. He has helped to establish joint programs with French and any other major offered on campus in addition to placing students in graduate programs and careers in universities, businesses, and organizations all over the world. Security: Dr. Jimmie Oxley, Professor of Chemistry, participates on a research team that investigates the chemistry of thermal decomposition of highly energetic materials. Among the materials studied are military explosives, such as nitramines, nitroarenes, and nitrate esters; improvised explosives, such as TATP and HMTD; energetic salts, such as ammonium nitrate and perchlorate; and reactive chemicals, such as peroxides, hydrazines, hydroxylamines. Research ranges from laboratory scale-studies determining reaction kinetics, identifying decomposition products, and developing analytical methods to modeling of results and full-scale detonation and cook-off testing. She heads the Department of Homeland Security Center for Excellence in Explosive Detection, Mitigation, Response and Characterization, managing millions in grant funding, and co-directs the URI Partnership in Forensic Science. Atmosphere: Dr. John Merrill, Professor of Oceanography, conducts research work on long range transport at large scales, in collaboration with atmospheric chemists, volcanologists, and paleoclimatologists. His research team uses ozonesondes to obtain vertical profiles above Narragansett to study the role of meteorological processes in atmospheric chemistry, and in satellite validation efforts. Textiles: Dr. Martin Bide, Professor of Textiles, Fashion Merchandising, and Design, completed a two-year term as President of the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC)at the end of 2008. Previously he has chaired AATCC committees on Applied Dyeing Theory, Safety,Health and Environmental Technology, and Publications. Dr. Bide's research interests are dyeing, printing, color science, the environmental effects of textile processing, and biomedical textiles. He has worked on pollution prevention projects in Tunisia, Ecuador, and India. Narragansett Bay Campus, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett
Corless Auditorium, Watkins Building
Transforming the World
Any text can go here!
Inaugural Events Livecast
April 7-8 on URI Live!
Site Coordinator
Dr. S. Bradley Moran, Assistant VP of Research and Economic Development.
Reception follows in the Watkins lobby.
Location
Narragansett Bay Campus
215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett
Corless Auditorium, Watkins Building.
Information
Symposia Schedule (.pdf)
Narragansett Symposium (.pdf)
