E-Insight

December 2004

University News

Associate Dean Appointed to Equine Teaching and Outreach

Dr. Jim Heird, Associate Dean at the College of Agricultural Sciences, recently was named Director of Teaching and Outreach for the Equine Sciences Program and Director of the Colorado Agricultural Rural Leadership programs. Dr. Heird also will serve on the Y-Cross Ranch management committee, which he currently chairs, a University property holding in Wyoming. In addition, he'll continue to serve as the college's liaison in the long-running partnership with the National Western Stock Show. Dr. Heird has been a member of the University faculty within the College of Agricultural Sciences for 18 years.

Equine Sciences has the largest number of undergraduate students enrolled as compared to any other major option within the College of Agricultural Sciences. Colorado State offers the only equine sciences degree from a land-grant university, and about 40 percent of the students enrolled in equine sciences are out-of-state students. Many students who major in equine sciences leave the university to work in fields such as ranch management, equine nutrition and supplies, real estate and banking. About 25 percent of the students in this field have a double major in business or agricultural business.

"This program is unique in its ability to combine equine production with business management," Dr. Heird said. "Students leave this program with a variety of strengths such as equine reproduction, nutrition and behavior management, as well as business management and communication skills."

Colorado State Recycles 1.8 Million Pounds of Waste Per Year, Encourages Others to Join In

Colorado State University, which recycled more than 1.8 million pounds of waste this year, marked its success on America Recycles Day, Nov. 15, at a campus celebration that recognized both University and community efforts to recycle with booths from local businesses, entertainment and remarks from Mayor Ray Martinez.

Colorado State recycled 50 percent of its waste stream last year, diverting 1,812,414 pounds - or 906 tons - from the landfill through various campus-wide programs for staff and students. The campus recycles products ranging from paper to ink cartridges. Recycling bins are placed across campus, in each resident hall room and university apartment, and within academic departments on campus.

The University last year became the first in the country to offer wind power to students living on campus. A student initiative was passed by the Associated Students of Colorado State University and the Residence Hall Association in the spring of 2004 to make the option available within residence halls and student apartments. The option costs students $17 per school year within the residence halls, and $26 per semester for students living in university apartments. The average student living in the residence halls uses 1,600 kilowatt-hours of electricity each year. That equates to 2,000 pounds of coal and 3,680 pounds of carbon dioxide. Students opting for wind power help to reduce this pollution.

Colorado State Chemistry Professor Named AAAS Fellow

Dr. Branka M. Ladanyi, a Professor in the Department of Chemistry, recently was named a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world's largest scientific society. Dr. Ladanyi was honored for what the AAAS called her "groundbreaking work in the theory and modeling of the dynamics and structure of liquids, supercritical liquids and molecular clusters."

"It's a major recognition," said Dr. Ladanyi, who has been at Colorado State for 25 years. "It's a sign that my peers recognize my contributions."

Dr. Ladanyi's research interest is theoretical physical chemistry. She uses computations to model chemical events, starting at the molecular level. Her work is focused primarily on modeling chemical reactions in the liquid state, which is how they are usually carried out in the laboratory and how they often occur in the environment, for example, in groundwater and sea salt aerosols.

AAAS Fellows are nominated by other Fellows, the organization's Steering Group for each scientific discipline, or the chief executive officer. New Fellows will be presented with an official certificate and a gold and blue (representing science and engineering) rosette pin on Feb. 19 in Washington, D.C.