V-Me President, CEO on This Week's New Mexico In Focus

Since it’s launch in March of 2007, V-me, the first U.S. Hispanic Network to partner with public television stations, has become the fastest growing Spanish language network in history. KNME was one of 15 charter stations nationwide to air V-me. Co-host Gene Grant interviews its President and CEO, Carmen DiRienzo, on “New Mexico in Focus,” KNME-TV channel 5’s weekly hour-long public affairs show, will air on Friday, July 3 at 7 p.m. on KNME-TV channel 5.1 and repeat on Sunday, July 5 at 6:30 a.m.

Lobos Post 3.12 GPA for 2009 Spring Semester

The combined grade point average (G.P.A.) of the University of New Mexico's 21 athletics programs for the 2009 spring semester was 3.12 according to the UNM registrar’s office. That’s the highest spring semester G.P.A. since UNM began tracking grades in 1988, and the second-highest G.P.A. overall. The record of 3.14 was set in the fall of 2008, meaning the top-two semesters have been achieved in the past two terms. The Lobos have now reached a G.P.A. of 3.00 or better for 13 of the last 14 semesters.

Visiting Professor Series Opens with Signature Program for Child Health Research

Childhood Obesity and injury, two research studies connecting childhood obesity and injury risk, will be presented by Dr. Keshia Pollack on Tuesday, July 14 from 3:30 to 5 p.m., in room 2112 at the UNM Domenici Center. Pollack’s work focuses on the importance of considering injury prevention and control as part of policies and programs that address childhood obesity. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Photo: Dr. Keshia Pollack

Phishing E-mail Attempt Sent to Several UNM Addresses

Many UNM and HSC employees have received an e-mail message claiming to be from the UNM Information Technology Service center, informing them
that mail systems will undergo scheduled maintenance and asking users to reply to the message and confirm their e-mail information.

Mathewson Appointed Acting Director of Africana Studies Program

Alfred Mathewson, professor, UNM School of Law, was recently named acting director of the Africana Studies Program for 2009-2010 announced Brenda Claiborne, dean, College of Arts and Sciences. Mathewson assumed the role July 1.

Photo: Alfred Mathewson, professor, UNM School of Law

Anderson Professor Earns Credential as Financial Forensics Expert

Rich Brody, Rutledge Professor of Accounting at the UNM Anderson School of Management and CPA financial forensics expert, was recently awarded the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) Credential by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). The CFF Credential, established in 2008 by the AICPA, is granted to qualified CPAs with considerable professional experience in financial forensics.

Photo: Rich Brody

UNM Staff Picnic Tickets on Sale

Tickets for the 2009 UNM Staff Picnic are now on sale. Tickets are $5 and include all-day access to the Rio Grande Zoo, Botanical Gardens and Aquarium and to the picnic at the zoo from 6:30-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 1. To purchase tickets, staff must show a Lobo ID. There is no limit on the number of tickets each person may purchase. Tickets will be available at a number of locations throughout campus.

UNM Speech & Hearing Center Receives 2009 Best of Albuquerque Award

The University of New Mexico Speech & Hearing Center was selected for the 2009 Best of Albuquerque Award in the speech pathologists category by the U.S. Commerce Association.

Hickey Leads Panel on ‘Hopper at the Harwood’

Artist panel includes Dennis Hopper, Larry Bell, Ron Cooper, Ronald Davis, Ken Price and Robert Dean Stockwell

Acclaimed art and culture critic Dave Hickey will moderate a panel with Dennis Hopper and the artists of the “Hopper at the Harwood” exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 1, 6-7:30 p.m. at the UNM Harwood Museum of Art in Taos. The discussion will explore the artists’ participation in the West Coast art movement that began in the early 1960s at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles and the circumstances that brought these artists to Taos.

Photo (l. to r.): Ronald Davis, Ron Cooper, Robert Dean Stockwell, Dennis Hopper and Larry Bell. Photo Courtesy of Bill Davis.

UNM-Gallup to Offer Online IT Certificate

University of New Mexico-Gallup will offer an online Information Technology degree this fall. The program targets high school seniors and employed adult learners in the surrounding service areas of New Mexico and Arizona. The online certificate is designed to prepare students for entry-level employment in computerized environments.

Civil Engineering Professor’s Pavement Study Fueled by NSF CAREER Award

It’s the complexity of asphalt pavement that fascinates Rafiqul Tarefder, assistant professor of Civil Engineering. It is the variations in load as the flow of traffic cycles from bicycles to cars to pickups to heavy tractor trailers, and the physical changes as the pavement heats, cools, oxidizes, ages and cracks. His interest in pavement is now paying off with a National Science Foundation CAREER grant.

Photo: Rafiqul Tarefder

Congressman Harry Teague visits UNM to Discuss Biofuel Training

New Mexico’s Second Congressional District Congressman Harry Teague visited the UNM campus to announce legislation intended to set aside funds for training and fellowships in accredited biofuels engineering programs. Teague says his bill will allow for a one time grant to study appropriate standards for the accreditation of undergraduate and graduate biofuels engineering programs.

Photo: Congressman Harry Teague visits with Vice President for Research Julia Fulghum.

Harwood Museum of Art Breaks Ground on 10,000 Sq. Ft. Expansion

The Harwood Museum of Art officially breaks ground for a 10,000 sq. ft. expansion on Wednesday, July 1, 10 a.m. at 238 Ledoux Street in Taos. The result of several years of fundraising and planning, the project is expected to increase community and student resources and improve art preservation. The groundbreaking ceremony also introduces new Director Susan Longhenry.

Kapur to Receive Herbrand Award

Distinguished Professor of Computer Science Deepak Kapur will be presented the Herbrand Award at the 22nd International Conference on Automated Deduction in August. The award is given to honor individuals for exceptional contributions to the field of automated deduction.

Photo: Distinguished Professor of Computer Science Deepak Kapur

Native American Studies Takes Dawn of Nations Today to the Web

Dawn of Nations Today appears online for the first time this year. Through a course in UNM’s Department of Native American Studies, students working on Dawn of Nations Today learn the business of news, from writing and editing to production and distribution.

Curanderos Are Coming to UNM

Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Eliseo “Cheo” Torres presents the 2009 Curanderismo Class, “Traditional Medicine without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest & Mexico,” a two week course, July 20-31, from 8:10 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. in Anthropology Lecture Hall Room 163.

UNM-Taos Celebrates Energy Independence Day

UNM-Taos hosts Energy Independence Day in celebration of construction of their three and one half acre solar array, the largest solar generation plant in the state of New Mexico, Wednesday, July 1 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Maxwell Museum Presents West African Balafon Performance

The Maxwell Museum of Anthropology is presenting internationally acclaimed balafon player Balla Kouyaté in a free performance on Saturday, July 11 at 2:30 p.m. at the museum. Kouyaté's instrument, the balafon, is a West African ancestor of the marimba and the first instrument of the Mande Empire. The public is invited.

Photo: Balla Kouyaté

UNM Plans to Test Campus Warning Siren

Systemwide test scheduled

The University of New Mexico is planning an exercise of its Campus Warning Siren System on Monday, July 6. At 11:02 a.m., the sirens will be sounded for approximately one minute. There will be a one-minute pause of the sirens, followed by an "all clear" siren. The “all clear” siren will sound for approximately one minute.

Young Named Anderson's New KPMG Professor

The Anderson School of Management has announced Professor Joni Young's appointment as UNM’s new KPMG Professor. The designation makes Young one of only 38 professors in the United States to hold this prestigious title. She succeeds James Hamill, who held the KPMG Professorship at UNM from August 2000 to June 2009.

Photo: Joni Young

Parent Workshop Explores Transportation Options for Students

Creative, efficient transportation options for UNM students will be explored during the free Parent Connection Workshop Wednesday, July 1, from 6 to 7 p.m., main campus Student Services Building, rm. 260. Danielle Gilliam of UNM Transportation and Parking Services and Nick Manole of the City of Albuquerque Transit Department will share information about parking and alternative transportation options for students living on and off campus.

Biology Professor Named Visiting Fellow at University of Melbourne

Biology Professor Rob Miller was recently named a Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellows at the University of Melbourne. Miegunyah Distinguished Visiting Fellows are international scholars that spend up to two months in residence at the University of Melbourne each year. Miller was nominated for being an internationally well known expert in the immune systems of marsupials. His current research is focused on Marsupial Immunobiology, funded by the National Science Foundation.

Photo: Rob Miller

Albuquerque’s High Drop-Out Rate, “Man-Ram’s” Isotope Appearance and More on This Week’s “New Mexico in Focus”

It’s the summer, and the thought of school is far from the minds of many. But a summit that was held in May to address Albuquerque’s high drop-out rate was just the start of the discussion for area education professionals. Host David Alire Garcia sits down with some of them to do a follow-up on the “Drop-Out Summit.” “New Mexico in Focus,” KNME-TV channel 5’s weekly hour-long public affairs show, will air on Friday, June 26 at 7 p.m. on KNME-TV channel 5.1 and repeat on Sunday, June 28 at 6:30 a.m.

Researchers at CASAA Awarded $400,000 Grant from NIH

Grant to study mechanisms of behavior change in addiction treatment using magnetoencephalography

Researchers at UNM’s Center on Alcoholism, Substance Abuse, and Addictions (CASAA) have been awarded a $400,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study mechanisms of behavior change in addiction treatment using a state-of-the-art neuroimaging technique known as magnetoencephalography (MEG).

Network Access Control Will Improve Security

The ITS Department is in the process of deploying the Network Access Control (NAC) project across campus. The NAC system is a security measure designed to authenticate and confirm identities for network users at UNM, and will require all students, faculty and staff to authenticate by signing in with their NetID and password each time they access the network.

ITS Network Upgrade Scheduled

The ITS Department will complete a network upgrade on Tuesday, June 30 from 5 a.m. - 7:30 a.m. The upgrade will strengthen and enhance existing network infrastructure within this campus network zone hub. Network services, including all e-mail, Internet access, Internet Native Banner (INB), WebCT, and telephone and voice services at the Centennial Engineering Building will not be available during this time.

UNM to Begin Construction New Parking Structure

The New Mexico State Board of Finance has approved construction of a new 850-space parking structure to be located on the southeast corner of Lomas and Yale Boulevards. Work at the site will begin shortly.

UNM-Gallup First among New Mexico Colleges in Graduating American Indians with Associate Degrees

The University of New Mexico-Gallup awarded more associate degrees to American Indian students than any other college in New Mexico during the 2007-2008 college year, according to U.S. Department of Education data printed in the June 15 issue of the Community College Week newspaper.

ITS Reports E-mail Delivery Problems to Certain ISPs

The ITS Support Center has received reports of UNM sent e-mails being delayed or undeliverable to e-mail addresses associated with MSN Hotmail and Qwest. ITS has been in constant contact with technicians for all three e-mail servers and has been working internally to address these e-mail issues.

Fulbright Experience Brings Joy, Eye-Opening Experience and… Deep Concern to Professor

Professor of Mechanical Engineering Ron Lumia is always looking for new ways of seeing and thinking. That’s what led him to become a Fulbright Scholar at the Indian Institute of Science in (IISc) Bengaluru, India, in quest of a new microgripper packaging technique using Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems or (MEMS).

Photo: Ron Lumia

KUNM Earns Seven First Place AP Awards

KUNM’s news department took home seven first place Associated Press awards for 2008, winning the top spot in all but two categories in the radio awards. The radio broadcast awards this year were consolidated to include all radio stations across the state, from Taos to Las Cruces. Competition was stronger, and KUNM continued to excel. This year’s awards were judged by Tennessee broadcasters.

Nepstad’s Publication Receives Outstanding Book Award

Sharon Nepstad, director, Religious Studies and professor of sociology, published “Religion and War Resistance in the Plowshares Movement,” with Cambridge University Press in 2008. The book just won the Outstanding Book Award for the American Sociological Association section on Peace, War, and Social Conflict.

UNM, City of Albuquerque and Sandia Corporation Sign Memorandum of Understanding

Today, in UNM’s Zimmerman Library, representatives of the University of New Mexico, the City of Albuquerque and Sandia Corporation, operator of Sandia National Laboratories, signed a memorandum of understanding to participate in a Community Research Collaborative.

Photo (l. to r.): Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez, UNM President David Schmidly, SNL President Tom Hunter

Center for Southwest Research Opens Collection of New Mexico Congressman Steve Schiff

Republican Steve Schiff – congressman, district attorney and U.S. Air Force Reserve colonel, died in 1998. His papers are now open for researchers at the Center for Southwest Research at UNM. They reflect a serious and conscientious public servant who took on a number of tough projects along with one of New Mexico’s biggest mysteries.

Photo: Steve Schiff

Former Astronauts Work With Students in Summer Science Camp at UNM

Former Astronaut John Bennett Herrington worked with students attending the ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp at UNM today as they competed to design rafts from straws and aluminum foil that could carry a cargo of pennies. The experience is part of a summer science camp in the School of Engineering at the UNM campus.

Cooney Concludes Assignment as Interim Executive Director at UNM Gallup June 30

Barry Cooney, interim executive director of the University of New Mexico-Gallup, concludes his service to the branch on June 30, the last day of his contract. Paul Kraft, Student Services director, will assume administrative duties until Sylvia Rodriguez Andrew, the newly appointed executive director, arrives in mid-August.

Photo: Barry Cooney

“When Growth Stalls,” Health Care Refore on this Week’s “New Mexico in Focus”

Steve McKee, president of Albuquerque’s McKee Wallwork Cleveland Advertising and author of “When Growth Stalls: How it Happens, Why You’re Stuck, and What to Do About It,” talks about his five-year examination of more than 700 corporations and the book that resulted from that research with this week’s guest host Sophie Martin. “New Mexico in Focus,” KNME-TV channel 5’s weekly hour-long public affairs show, will air on Friday, June 19 at 7 p.m. on KNME-TV channel 5/5.1 and repeat on Sunday, June 21 at 6:30 a.m.

UNM Brings Home Six Awards from National Federation of Press Women

Competing with some of the best writers, designers, podcasters and editors in the country, the University of New Mexico garnered six awards in the National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest.

ITS to Upgrade Campus E-Mail System

The ITS Department is upgrading the campus e-mail system (Webmail and Communigate) now and throughout the summer. These hardware and software improvements include an upgrade to CommuniGate 5.2 in early August and a more streamlined interface on Webmail.

Parents of High School Students Invited to Live, Learn at UNM July 24-25

Parents of high school students have an opportunity to immerse themselves in a college experience through a new, free program offered at the University of New Mexico. Parents or guardians of students entering 9th through 11th grade are invited to live and dine on campus and attend casual, informative sessions during the second annual “Parent Experience Program” Friday and Saturday, July 24-25. The registration deadline is Friday, June 26.