Science informatics program begins in fall
A bachelor's degree in science informatics will be offered as a new program
in the fall, designed to prepare graduates to work in a diverse array
of New Jersey's high-tech companies, particularly pharmaceutical, biotechnology
and other data-intensive industries.
"Advances in computer hardward/software, biochemistry, molecular
biology, geoscience and mathematical modeling have added information science
to traditionally laboratory and field-based sciences," said Jinan
Jaber, assistant dean of the College of Science and Mathematics. "The
degree has interdisciplinary coursework providing both breadth and depth
in four departments -- Biology and Molecular Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Computer Science and Mathematics -- and a specialized concentration in
one of three areas: biochemistry, computer science and molecular biology.
In addition to the 37-credit general education requirements, the major
requires 67 credits of core courses and 17 or 18 credits in one of the
three specialized concentrations. Each concentration requires an internship
in industry, providing students with real-world experience and opening
doors for future employment.
The concentration in molecular biology will prepare students for a career
or graduate program in bioinformatics. "This concentration will emphasize
the application of computational tools to problems of storing, retrieving
and analyzing scientific data related to DNA/RNA and protein sequences,
structures, functions, pathways and genetic interactions," Jaber
said. The concentrations in biochemistry and computer science will prepare
students to work with the massive databases developed in chemistry, environmental
science, forensics, neuroscience and the mathematical sciences.
Men's track and field team takes championship
The men's 4-by-400-meter relay team took first place in its section at
the 2003 Verizon Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 7, completing
the circuit in 3:29.34 minutes. The Red Hawks returned to New York on
Feb. 9 to compete in the Collegiate Track Conference Championships, where
the men's team placed first and the women's team placed eighth out of
22 schools. The men's 4-by-200-meter relay team finished second (1:31.92
minutes) while the men's 4-by-400 relay team came in first (3:20.62).
Junior Darryl Louis won the men's 200-meter dash in 22.56 seconds, and
also won the 400-meter dash in 49.26 seconds. Junior Alex Torres was third
in the 400 meters (49.71), and freshman Paul Noel finished first in the
500-meter dash (1:05:54). Sophomore Chris Monaco placed second (1:06.75),
while sophomore Osei Bonsu claimed the men's 55-meter hurdles in 7.96
seconds. Freshman Curtis Sylvester won the men's triple jump with a leap
of 13.61 meters.
Senior Tierra Hicks won the women's 200-meter dash in 25.63 seconds and
the women's 400-meter dash in 56.74 seconds. Hashan Johnson finished third
in the long jump with a mark of 5.29 meters.
Board News
At its Feb. 13 meeting, the Board
of Trustees approved three faculty appointments, seven professional/managerial
staff appointments, 39 faculty reappointments, 80 professional staff reappointments,
16 faculty sabbaticals, one leave of absence without pay and seven professors
emeriti: James Boylan and Maurie Sacks of Anthropology, Gerard Caracciolo
of the School of the Arts, Chuanyu Ed Chen of Information and Decision
Sciences, and William Dell, Lee Cullen Khanna and Morton Rich of English.
Priest speaks about Middle East crisis
Father Roy Bourgeois, the Maryknoll priest and founder of School of the
Americas Watch, will lead a discussion on Tuesday, Feb. 25, linking the
current crisis in the Middle East with ongoing American foreign policy.
The discussion will take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Newman Center.
Earlier in the afternoon, at 4 p.m., Bourgeois will give a lecture on
the School of the America Watch in the Student Center, Café C.
The talk is sponsored by the Latin American Student Organization.
Father Bourgeois recently returned from Iraq with a Voices in the Wilderness
delegation and will present many parallel issues between Latin America
and the Middle East. A Vietnam veteran and a priest since 1972, he was
a missioner in Latin America. Appalled by the killings of Archbishop Romero
and the Jesuit and Maryknoll missioners, he sought to discover not only
the perpetrators but also the reason behind the crimes. This quest led
him to discover the record of human rights abuses at the School of the
Americas in Fort Benning, Ga. He has dedicated his life to closing the
school.
Father Bourgeois is the winner of many justice and peace awards, and his
film on the School of the Americas has been nominated for an Academy Award.
Father Bourgeois also will speak in the evening, at 8:15 p.m., at St.
Peter Claver Church, 56 Elmwood Ave. in Montclair.
'The Spirit of Ireland' comes to campus
Long before Riverdance, Ceol Chiarrai was a prominent Irish institution
of song and dance, teaching and guiding the finest young dancers in the
land. Chiarrai's new production, "The Spirit of Ireland," will
be performed on Friday, March 7, at 7:30 p.m. in Memorial Auditorium.
Tickets, priced at $20 and $25, are available at the Box Office.
"The Spirit of Ireland" is a broad-brush look at Irish culture
featuring 12 dancers and a young, hot band affectionately dubbed by one
radio reviewer as the "Young Chieftains."