TECHNICIAN
Ravi Chittilla Deputy News Editor
Matthew Konar, an alumnus of both the N.C. State Colleges of Engineering (’97) and Design(’01), has started a local non-profit venture, hoping to bring together people working on various projects that inspire a sense of community and growth. Konar, an architect by profession, said he “didn’t want to be someone that sat behind a desk the entirety of (his) career,” and was inspired by numerous ideas that individuals in Raleigh wanted to create for the community. Encouraged by noted national projects, such as DetroitSOUP, and the community funding model of Kickstarter, Konar decided he wanted to bring something to Raleigh that met its needs, and suited its own culture. “I always wanted to do something more than work 9-5,” Konar said. “Architects have a real tendency to be stationary. I would sit at my com-
KONAR continued page 3
january
10 2013
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
N.C. State alum starts local microfunding initiative
thursday
Physicists team makes Top 10 Tim Gorski Correspondent
A team of physicists and engineers from N.C. State and other institutions have been recognized for making one of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2012 by Physics World Magazine. N.C. State’s team, led by Daniel Stancil, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at N.C. State, became the first to use the elusive subatomic particles known as neutrinos to send the word “neutrino” through 240 meters of Earth. Neutrinos are subatomic particles most commonly found radiating from the sun as a result of nuclear fusion. They have nearly no mass, a neutral charge, and do not interact much with other forms of matter. According to the article featured in Physics World, a neutrino could easily pass through 1000 light-years of lead without being affected. It is this property which led researchers to search for a way to utilize these particles as a means of communications since the early 1970’s, according to Stancil. However, until recent times, scientists have lacked the ability to accurately detect the neutrinos to the degree in which they could decipher the messages sent. The experiment was conducted at FermiLab, the United States Department of Energy’s national
PHOTO COURTESY OF N.C. STATE NEWS SERVICES
Daniel Stancil (left), head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, helped develop research on neutrinos that was recognized as a top ten breakthrough of 2012 by Physics World Magazine.
laboratory, where researchers from the NASA Glenn Research Center, among over 100 others, collaborated to accomplish this scientific feat. In the experiment, a concentrated neutrino beam was aimed at an underground cavern containing the neutrino detector, a five ton device comprised of alternating strips of metal and plastic. The device, judging by the increments in which the neutrino beam was fired over a period of six minutes, was able to receive the message in binary code, which was then translated into English. Although the practical appli-
Revitalizing Greek Village
cations of this new medium of communications are far from operational, they are by no means unfeasible. According to Stancil, neutrinos could be a new medium for communicating with submarines in the near future. Today it is very difficult to send data from land to an underwater vessel due to the fact that radio waves do not travel well through salt water. This means in order for messages to be sent, the submarine must surface, leaving it vulnerable to attack. Neutrinos are not only unimpeded by water, they are easier to detect
in the presence of it. If a working model for this new form of land to underwater communication is actualized, the strategic advantages would be highly beneficial to the military. Other potential uses include a secure, reliable and decentralized means of communication in case of a manmade or natural catastrophe. Physics World Magazine is one of the worlds leading physics magazines. Any discovery worthy of be-
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Remembering Sue Cross Alex Kenney
Elizabeth Moomey
Cross created many programs and events around Centennial Campus to promote health and wellness, inPartner services specialist for cluding “HealthWorks!” The service Centennial Campus, Sue Cross, made mobile mammograms, blood recently died after being hit by drives, heart and vascular screena truck in Atlantic Beach, N.C. ings, and a variety of diet seminars She was 57. available to the employees of CenSue Cross, a Wake County na- tennial Campus. tive, worked with the University Cross also created programs that for 34 years before retiring in gave N.C. State’s campus a sense of April 2012. Not community, such only was she as the Executive involved with Brea k fa st club, the Centennial and the Summer Campus PartFarmer’s market. nership office, Dennis Kekas, but also many associate v ice other departchancellor of the ments at N.C. Centennial CamDennis Kekas, associate vice State, including pus Partnership ofchancellor for Centennial the Department fice, also worked in Campus Partnership o f F o r e s t r y, close contact with CALS Dean’s Office, Friends of Sue Cross and stressed her leaderthe College Concert Series and ship skills. the Talley Student Center and “She was a great leader, she could Arts Program. make people feel good about any Amy Lubas, director of part- circumstance,” Kekas said. “She got nership development for the things done and gained the respect Centennial Campus Partnership of so many people along the way.” office, worked closely with Cross Sue cross is survived by her husfor several years at N.C. State. band, Robbie Cross, and her chil“She really cared about being dren, Erin Cross Gross and Travis healthy and having a healthy Cross. workplace,” said Lubas. “We “I can’t say enough nice things miss her terribly and had plans about Sue Cross,” said Kekas. “It for her to come back. She was was the sheer nature and power of such a valuable part of our her personality that influenced evteam.” eryone that knew her.” Correspondent
Staff Writer
The Visions for Greek Village team completed their first project: the construction of the Kappa Delta sorority house. The house is a part of a 14-year project, started in 2008, to allow Greek Court to grow and make it more accessible, according to the N.C. State’s Greek Life website. Kappa Delta members moved into the $4 million house in early October. The funding for the house came from the national chapter, PHOTO COURTESY OF NIKKI SWANGO which raises money from sororities The new Kappa Delta house, part of large construction project in Greek selling magazines and a loan from Village. the bank. According to John Mountz, the director of Greek Life, the houses “strengthened our sisterhood.” transportation to Greek Village have been rented from the UniverThe new house has humbled the becoming much easier. sity for 50 years, and many of the members of Kappa Delta, since they Their goal is to implement walkGreek organizations wanted the op- were recently added as a sorority at ways and roads to create a more efportunity to own their own house. N.C. State. fective route to and from campus. The house is “unlike anything else The Kappa Delta house was the The growth of Greek Court is a rein our Greek Village stock,” Mountz first part of the construction proj- flection of the membership over the said. Abby Van Horn, Kappa Delta ect to be built because they obtained last 10 years, according to Mountz. president and jutheir funds early. “The houses are going to grow nior in fashion texHowever, there are Greek Life in members,” Van Horn tile design, agreed many other sorori- said. “They wouldn’t have taken saying it was a huge ties and fraternities on the project unless they thought change from their participating. The it was beneficial.” old house, which groundbreaking cerThe houses will be fully owned, was formerly an emony for the new designed, operated and constructed office building. Sigma Nu house was by the chapters, and the land will “The duplex had on Saturday, Jan. 5, be leased from the University. The John Mountz, Director a dorm-style hall and construction goal is to have 20 lots for individuof Greek Life and limited space,” workers will soon al chapter houses, a row of Greek Van Horn said. begin erosion con- townhouses, a community center, “We were always running on top of trol. Three other houses, Pi Kappa an amphitheater, outdoor shelters each other.” Phi, Sigma Nu and Sigma Phi Epsi- and other amenities by 2022. The house has a full commercial lon, will be demolished as well this Stewart Engineering is planning kitchen, wireless capability, chapter year. the project, Sam Reynolds of Reynmeeting room, formal and informal Van Horn is excited about another olds & Jewell Architects designed it living rooms and three floors. house being built, and the expan- in 2006 and Greek Court RedevelVan Horn said the house helped sion of Greek Court as a whole, be- opment Task Force is maintaining the “f low of the function of the cause it will “bond each chapter.” it. chapter and school life” and She is also looking forward to
“(The house) is unlike anything else in our Greek Village stock ”
“...She could make people feel good about any circumstance.”
insidetechnician Tarantino’s latest: off the chain See page 8.
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