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NEWS
Friday, February 26, 2010
UT among schools to receive funding for research center By Radhika Sakalkale Daily Texan Staff UT, along with four other universities, has been granted $25 million by the National Science Foundation to establish a multiuniversity center for promoting evolutionary biology research in both digital and natural settings. The BEACON center, or Bio/ computational Evolution in Action CONsortium, will act as the central research facility and will synthesize scientific discoveries into computer science and engineering designs. These computational methods will be used to solve problems in evolutionary biology, said foundation spokeswoman Lisa-Joy Zgorski. “The neat thing about this science technology center is that it capitalizes on collaboration. [The center] really does draw cutting-edge research abilities from a number of different entities,� Zgorski said. Researchers from Michigan State University, the University of Washington, the University of Idaho, North Carolina AT&T State University and UT will collaborate using video-conferencing courses and workshops to provide long-distance education to graduate students, said integrative biology professor David Hillis. Video conferencing will also be used to facilitate research among the researchers at the universities. “Each of the universities in the grant brings a set of strengths to the center,� Hillis said. “That’s why all those different universities were chosen — to try to develop those strengths across the nation. [This research effort] benefits undergraduate students by the creation of new things.� Students and researchers will engage in face-to-face meetings once a year at the BEACON cen-
ter, where they will discuss their research, Hillis said. The theme of this project is to view evolution in action. Specific applications of evolutionary biology are studied — for instance, looking at a virus as it affects human health, Hillis said. “A good example, currently, is influenza. The reason we need to have a new flu vaccine each year is because influenza evolves so rapidly. New strains emerge [through] the evolution of influenza in short periods of time,� Hillis said. The digital aspect of this research is based on a program that shows evolution in action with the use of computer organisms, MSU Principal Investigator Erik Goodman said. The computer program can account for variables, like mutations, to help show the concept of natural selection, or survival of the fittest. Hillis said the computer program can be used to track epidemics in human populations, make predictions about which strains of the virus may be emerging and use this information for development of new vaccines to deal with influenza. Zgorski said the universities involved were chosen through a competitive peer-review process. A blue-ribbon panel with experienced colleagues has extensively reviewed these proposals. There were 247 schools applying to receive the grant and participate in the research program. Of that number, 45 schools were invited to submit full proposals and the science foundation visited 11 of the schools. From those visited, five schools — including UT — were chosen for the grant. The funds will be distributed in increments throughout a fiveyear span, Zgorski said. Additional reporting by Gabrielle Cloudy.
Maxx Scholten | Daily Texan Staff
Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland, addresses an audience in the LBJ auditorium Thursday. Robinson, who was also the former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, focused on the role of ethics in a world leader’s job.
Irish president delivers address By Aziza Musa Daily Texan Staff The first female president of Ireland reflected on her 20-year career as a fierce advocate for human rights on the UT campus Thursday. Mary Robinson, former United Nations high court commissioner for human rights, opened the Hatton W. Sumners Student Leadership Conference in front of a crowd of more than 100 people. Robinson said after ascending to the Irish presidency, she always wondered how to fulfill the expectations of the population and the promises she made to them. She spoke of the difficulties she encountered in Ireland, including religious conflicts between Protestants and Catholics,
protection for the GLBT community and providing the local communities with bigger voices. She said the focus of the U.S. government has shifted away from human rights since the 9/11 attacks. “It’s desirable that human rights and security should work together,� Robinson said. While she was president, Robinson worked to ensure the security of several African countries, including Somalia and Rwanda. She rushed to the people’s aid after the genocides by building awareness as the high commissioner for human rights under the United Nations. Since leaving her position at the United Nations, Robinson remains involved in the human rights movement. She chaired the Council of Women World Leaders, which brings together about 30 women of high
stature that encourages gender equality in government. She currently teaches Practice of International Affairs at Columbia University and continues to take part in numerous leadership opportunities that advocate human rights. Robinson’s focus on the relationship between human rights and security and her experience in Africa attracted English graduate student Molly Hardy. Hardy said Robinson’s willingness to criticize people and their actions she believed to be unjust make her an admirable political figure. Robinson was one of the four confirmed speakers for the seventh annual conference, which brings college students from across the U.S., as well as from some from universities in Mexico. The conference seeks to increase awareness of leadership
challenges, to develop networks through which students can communicate and to inspire students to become leaders, said Howard Prince, director of the LBJ School of Public Affairs and co-chairman of the conference. Prince said Robinson fit into the goals of what the conference was trying to accomplish. “I heard her speak about five years ago, and I was inspired and impressed about what she had to say and what she had accomplished,� Prince said. Prince said Robinson wanted to change the religious and conservative Irish society by holding a leadership position. “She is a very good role model for future women leaders,� Prince said. “We [wanted her] to come because [she sees] the value in contributing to the education and development of the next generation of leaders.�
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