UTD Home

Friday FYI

Newsletter from the Office of the Vice President for Research and Economic Development- U. T. Dallas

Upcoming Events

Neuroengineering Now (June 26-28)

The University of Texas at Dallas is launching an initiative in the field of Neuroengineering by hosting a conference highlighting the work of internationally recognized leaders in this emerging and exciting field.

The Program will run from 9:00-5:30 Monday, June 26 and Tuesday, June 27 and from 9:00- Noon on Wednesday, June 28. Meetings will be held in the Texas Instruments Auditorium in the UTD Engineering and Computer Science Building South (ECSS) Rm. 2.102 on The University of Texas at Dallas campus at 900 West Campbell Road. For more information, email Neuroengineering@comcast.net

[ FYI Index ]

Conference on India's Energy Challenges, Opportunities, Strategies and Solutions (June 29)

The conference on India's Energy Challenges, Opportunities, Strategies and Solutions, being held on June 29, 2006, at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston. The conference is designed to be a resource for anyone who is interested in understanding the energy industry in India, from many perspectives. The conference has three broad topics: 1. Challenges/Opportunities - morning session 2. Doing Business in India - parallel afternoon session 3. Alternative Technologies and Paradigms - parallel afternoon session.

Speakers include: Ronen Sen, India's Ambassador to USA; Roopchand Pal, Member of Parliament of India; Atul Chandra, President of Reliance India International Operations; John Gibson, Executive Chairperson & CEO Paradigm; Adil Jafry, CEO, Tara Energy; Ron Somers, US India Business Council, US Chamber of Commerce; Scott Smouse, Program Manager, India Clean Coal Program, NETL, US Dept. of Energy; Vik Rao, VP Technology, Halliburton; Partha S. Ghosh, Partha S. Ghosh Group; Tim Challand, VP Technology, KBR; Sanjaya Sood, VP, Schlumberger; Ankur Gupta, Paradigm Geo, India; Arvind Chandrasekar, AMD India; Harsh Neotia, CEO Gujarat Ambuja Cement; Sanjeev Kapur, Shaw Stone & Webster; Michelle Foss, UT Center for Energy Economics; Sitima Fowler, Manager Systems Development, General Motors; Nicola Salazar, Senior Technology Manager, Coal Monetization, KBR; Dr. Amos Avidan, PVP Technology, Bechtel Corp; Dr. Leena Srivastava, The Energy Research Institute, India; Kyle Datta, Rocky Mountain Institute; Koustuv Ghoshal, VP, Siemens; Jayshree Pandya, CEO, The Risk Group; and others.

Agenda Information and Registration materials and other information is available on India's Energy Challenges, Opportunities, Strategies and Solutions website.

[ FYI Index ]

Bringing the Metroplex to Life: BIOTECH Venturing In the DFW Region (beginning July 5)

The University of Texas at Dallas is pleased to announce that Donald A. Hicks, Ph.D. Professor of Political Economy and Public Policy ( School of Economic, Political and Policy Sciences) beginning July 5, 2006 will teach a biotech certificate course titled, BIOTECH Ventures in the DFW Metroplex.

BIOTECH Ventures in the DFW Metroplex will explore trends and dynamics in the United States and globally that are shaping and reshaping the biotechnology industry and the regional economies that incubate and host new biotechnology-related startup ventures. And it will focus on the prospects for an emerging bioscience/technology-intensive (S&T) industry base in the DFW Metroplex. Special attention will be devoted to the potential for identifying technology strengths in the DFW region's economy and industrial base that could lead to the region joining the ranks of the nation's (world's) leading centers of biotechnology activity.

Doctor, researcher, investor, venture capital firm, institutional investor or lawyer, this course is organized around a series of "key questions" each of which is relevant to developing a world class bio- S&T "cluster" in the DFW Metroplex. Following the introductory sessions by the Dr. Hicks, subsequent sessions will be led by guest expert lecturers who have special competence and experience in the specific topic. "Key Question" topics will include:

This twelve week Biotech Certificate Course running from July 5, 2006 to September 27, 2006 will cost $1,200.00. The class will meet in the School of Management Executive Education wing room 1.502 at 7:00 pm. Please contact Sharon Pianka at 972-883-2597 to register. If you need additional information please contact either Dr. Hicks at 972-883-2733 or John Fowler at 972-883- 4697.

[ FYI Index ]

Pentagon Official to Discuss WW II Aerial Attacks As Part of UTD's Annual Jalonick Lecture Series (July 8)

Dr. Richard P. Hallion, a senior advisor for air and space issues and director for security, counterintelligence and special programs oversight at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., will discuss the significant battlefield aerial attacks of World War II at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 8 in the McDermott Library Auditorium (MC 2.410) at The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD).

Hallion's talk is free and open to the public and is part of the George W. Jalonick III and Mary Cockrell Jalonick Memorial Distinguished Aviation Lecture Series.  The lecture is put on annually by the library's Special Collections Department through an endowment established by the late George W. Jalonick IV in memory of his parents.

The lecture, titled "Herald of Victory:  Battlefield Air Attack in the Second World War," will examine the origins of specialized air-ground attacks during the Great War. Hallion will trace the method through the interwar years and explore what it accomplished in a variety of actual combat campaigns.

Prior to his appointment at the Pentagon, Hallion was a visiting professor at the U.S. Army War College and the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.  

A reception will follow the presentation in the Special Collections Department on the third floor of the library.  Seating is limited in the auditorium and there are no reservations.  Please call 972-883-2570 for more information.

[ FYI Index ]

IEEE Consumer Electronics Society Meeting (July 11)

The next IEEE Consumer Electronics Society meeting will be Tuesday, July 11, at the Holiday Inn Select in Richardson. Nancy Eastman, Director of Altium Designer Applied Technologies, will present "Free to Innovate – liberating electronic product development." Lunch will be served 11:15 am - 11:45 am and the presentation is 11:45 am - 12:45 pm. For more information check IEEE website.

[ FYI Index ]

14th International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine (July 14-16)

The 14th International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine, one of the finest conference worldwide on cutting edge preventive medicine will be held from July 14-16 at the Stephens Convention Center in Chicago. There will be more than 70 presentations and up to 53 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits possible. For more information or to register, call 800-558-1267 or visit the A4M International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine website.

[ FYI Index ]

The Sixth Annual Emerging Information Technology Conference (EITC-06) (August 10-12)

Besides discussing the cutting-edge topics that will dominate the Global intellectual and economic landscapes will be the theme of this conference for Tech-Titans, the sixth annual Emerging Information Technology Conference (EITC-06) will also feature Mark Ellison from Texas Governor Rick Perry's office of economic development and presidents from some outstanding research universities in the Pacific Rim.

The conference will be held from August 10-12 on The University of Texas at Dallas campus.

Mark Ellison is the Director of the $300 Million Texas Emerging Technology Fund, which was recently approved by Governor Perry and the Texas Legislature to assist the development and commercialization of technologies important to the future of Texas. The Emerging Technology Fund aims to improve university research, expedite the launch of technology firms, and speed transition of inventions from the lab into the hands of consumers.

This year is also the first time for EITC to host a research university presidents forum.  For the past two decades, with significant economic growth, research universities in Asia are also seeing unprecedented growth, both in student population as well as research quality and output. The participants so far are from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Paul C. W. Chu), National Taiwan University (S. C. Lee), National Tsinghua University (W. T. Chen) and National Chiao-Tung University (Vice President W. Hwang).  Topics that will be discussed include responsibilities of research universities in the landscape of globalization, recruiting world class scholars, educating versus training the best young minds, and last but not least, promotion and interactions with the corporate worlds and commercialization. Dr. Da Hsuan Feng, Vice President of Research and Economic Development of University of Texas at Dallas will moderate the forum.

The conference will include programs on

  1. Nanotechnology,
  2. MEMS,
  3. SoC (Systems-on-Chip),
  4. Bioinformatics,
  5. C4I (Content, Computer, Communications, Consumer Electronics, and Integration),
  6. EET (Emerging Energy Technology), and
  7. VC (Venture Capital).

For more conference details, please contact the Executive Secretary Office of the EITC team at: 713-963-9433. Information is also available by visiting the EITC website.

[ FYI Index ]

Ross Perot to Open Major Nanotechnology Event in Dallas (Sept. 27)

H. Ross Perot of Dallas, internationally renowned business leader and two time Presidential candidate, will deliver the opening remarks at nanoTX'06 September 27, a world scale nanotechnology conference and expo held at the Dallas Convention Center. Chosen in 2004 as one of history's 10 greatest entrepreneurs, Mr. Perot is known to have followed advances in nanotechnology since 1999. Today Perot is heavily invested in nanotechnology firms with undervalued intellectual property rights, including trademarks, trade secrets, patents and copyrightable material. His opening message on the business of nanotechnology will be riveting, bringing new insights in his most quotable style.

nanoTX'06 will be held on September 27-28 at the Dallas Convention Center.

Perot has a history of betting on promising technology and made the bulk of his $3.7 billion fortune by starting the data-processing company Electronic Data Systems (EDS)

Over the years Perot has received numerous awards for his business success and community service, including the Eisenhower Award for support of the nation's Armed Forces, the Winston Churchill Award, the Horatio Alger Award, the National Business Hall of Fame Award, the Smithsonian Computerworld Award (first recipient; given for contributions to the computer industry), the Sarnoff Award (for contributions to the electronics industry), Medal for Distinguished Public Service (highest civilian award presented by the Department of Defense; given for his efforts supporting U.S. prisoners of war), the Raoul Wallenberg Award (first recipient; given for lifetime service reminiscent of the Swedish diplomat), the Jefferson Award for Public Service, the Patrick Henry Award (first recipient; given to a U.S. citizen for outstanding service to his country). As a noted author, his several books include Preparing Our Country for the 21st Century.

In the evening of the 27 th sponsors, exhibitors, and chosen guests will gather in the atrium of the Business Hall for the Exhibitor's Cocktail Reception where the Foresight Institute's Feynman Award winners will be announced. The following day two winners will present their work as the conference continues.

The Foresight Institute Feynman Prizes of $10,000 are given in two categories, one for experimental and the other for theory advances in nanotechnology. The prize is named after Dr. Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner in Physics, whose original goal for nanotechnology — systems of molecular machines building with atomic precision, is the guiding vision of long-term nanotechnology.

Established in 1993, the Foresight Feynman Prizes in nanotechnology are given to researchers whose recent work have most advanced the achievement of Feynman's goal for nanotechnology: the construction of atomically-precise products through the use of molecular machine systems.

Presented by the Texas Nanotechnology Initiative, the event carries the theme: The Promise of Tomorrow—The Business of Nanotechnology. Sponsors include Lockheed Martin, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, the Japanese Consulate, Winstead, Zyvex, BioForce Nanosciences, Raymor Industries of Quebec, among other big firms and organizations in nanotechnology.

Also expected at nanoTX'06 are Madam Congressman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-30 th Dist.) on the House Science Committee and Madam Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) who, as chairman of the Department of Defense Appropriations Committee, included $15 million in new funding for Research in Nanotechnology (SPRING). The program is a consortium comprised of the University of Texas (UT) at Arlington, UT- Austin, UT-Brownsville, UT-Dallas, UT-Pan American, Rice University and University of Houston, that are participating in nanoTX'06, September 27-28, 2006. Also part of the event is Texas State Technical College.

This funding will build on that effort and continue the consortium's work to establish a collaborative network of well-equipped research centers to rapidly develop and promote nanotechnology.

[ FYI Index ]

Call For Papers: The 6th International Triple Helix Conference on University-Government-Industry Links (Conference Date: May 16-18, 2007)

The 6th Biennial International Triple Helix Conference on University-Industry Government-Links will be held in Singapore from May16-18 , 2007 with the theme "Emerging Models for the Entrepreneurial University: Regional Diversities or Global Convergence". The conference will be organized by National University of Singapore (NUS) Enterprise in Singapore.

Organized for the first time in Asia, Triple Helix VI 2007 will provide a global forum for academic scholars from different disciplinary perspectives as well as policy makers, university administrators and private sector leaders from different countries to exchange and share new learning about the diverse emerging models of the entrepreneurial university, the changing dynamics of University-Industry-Government interactions around the world and the complex roles of the university in local, regional and national economic development.

Scholarly paper contributions are being called for that seek to advance over understanding of the dynamics of University-Industry-Government interactions in general and the emerging entrepreneurial university models in particular.  Also welcome are practitioner-oriented contributions that provide insights on new policy innovations and share knowledge on practices, as well as proposals for workshops and poster presentations that contribute to promoting exchange and dialogues on how universities in the 21 st century can better cope with the challenges of globalizations while serving local and regional goals.

Submissions of extended abstracts are welcome in the following categories:

Papers and poster presentations will be selected based on abstract submissions which should be of a maximum length of two pages including figures and references.

Authors of accepted abstract will be required to submit their full papers / poster abstracts according to the submission guidelines which  are  available in the conference website.  Authors of the best papers presented at the conference will be invited to submit their contributions to a number of special issues of relevant international journals.

For more details on the conference sub-themes and paper submission procedures and guidelines, please visit The 6th International Triple Helix Conference. Any logistics-related query you may have about the conference to organizing chair ( infotriplehelix6@nus.edu.sg). Queries related to abstract/paper submissions and the conference theme can be directed to the organizing chair ( papertriplehelix6@nus.edu.sg).   

[ FYI Index ]

IEEE Emerging Technologies Conference (September 15)

From the heart of the "Telecom Corridor", the Dallas Section IEEE brings together international experts, educators and colleagues in a one-day conference of workshops and technical sessions to address emerging technologies and their applications.

This year's conference will be held on Friday September 15th. A reception sponsored by local companies and universities will be held on Friday evening following the conference program. This year's focus areas include consumer electronics, mobility and the digital home.

Please note: the deadline for paper submission is July 31. Please see more information on the IEEE website.