ICTAS and the Doctoral Scholar Program September 3, 2008 CRC RB XV 2018 Conference Room

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ICTAS and the Doctoral Scholar ProgramSeptember
3, 2008CRC RB XV 2018 Conference Room
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The Institute for Critical Technology and
Applied Science at Virginia Tech

• ICTAS is a part of Virginia Techs strategic plan
  to become an internationally-renowned
  institution that attracts the worlds best
  teachers, researchers, and students and ensures a
  path to vibrant economic development.

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ICTAS is about . . .

• PEOPLE
• PEOPLE
• PEOPLE
• We all play important roles, links in a chain,
  varying in scope and influence, but all equally
  important.

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Dreams Can Transform

• Proceed in the direction of your dreams and you
  come across unprecedented happiness
• Emerson
• We would like ICTAS to be a creative home for
  our faculty, staff, and students a place where
  individuals can dream big dreams and actually
  transform dreams to realize goals.

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• The important thing is not to stop questioning.
  Curiosity has its own reason for
  existing.

The most incomprehensible thing about the world
is that it is comprehensible. Einstein

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ICTAS Grand Challenge

• Through the creativity and discovery of the
  people working with ICTAS,
• We want to establish ICTAS as a world class
  organization for creative research.
• We want to make this complex world a little more
  comprehensible.
• We want to employ the comprehensibility to make a
  positive contribution to the lives of people with
  a bias towards sustainability.

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The ICTAS Invitation to You

• In fulfilling our broad mission, we seek your
  help, your advice, your energy and your
  commitment.
• We can innovate and share our innovations with
  others.
• We can work together for the larger societal
  good.
• We can contribute to the sustainability of the
  systems that will grow and nurture our world.
• THIS IS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT and you are a part
  of this.

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NBIC Tetrahedron
Nano
Bio
Cogno
Info
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Identifying Areas of ResearchNBIC with
sustainability bias
This diagram represents the ICTAS view of the
technology areas that will play a key role in the
transformation of our lives in the 21st century.
The ICTAS thrust, focus, and theme areas are
either a subset of or at an intersection of these
technologies.
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ICTAS Research Organization

• ICTAS Thrust Areas
• Nanoscale Science and Engineering
• Nano-Bio Interface
• Sustainable Energy
• Renewable Materials
• Water
• Cognition and Communication
• Emerging Areas

The ICTAS research enterprise is organized within
these key technology areas as fields of study
known as thrust areas.
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ICTAS Research Organization (continued)

• Each field of study or Thrust Area may be
  populated by focus areas, theme areas, and seed
  projects in order of hierarchy.
• Focus Areas characterized by 16-20 engaged
  faculty members involved in comprehensive,
  in-depth research of an important
  interdisciplinary topic with a target annual
  research expenditure of 6-8 million.
• Theme Areas characterized by 6-8 engaged
  faculty members involved in comprehensive,
  in-depth research of one aspect of a broad topic
  with a target annual research expenditure of 2-3
  million.
• Seed Projects selected on the basis of
  innovation and potential for growth and external
  funding.

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ICTAS Facilities - ICTAS AOpened for Business
July, 2007
ICTAS Nanoscale Characterization and Fabrication
Laboratory NCFL Director Professor Bill
Reynolds http//www.ictas.vt.edu/ncfl Building
Inauguration September 21, 2007
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ICTAS Facilities (continued) - ICTAS I Getting
Ready
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ICTAS Facilities - ICTAS IIDesign Phase
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ICTAS Doctoral ScholarsProgram Profile

• The ICTAS Doctoral Scholars Program was
  established in 2007.
• The program honors exceptional Ph.D. applicants
  through award of financial support (tuition and
  stipend) for the Ph.D. qualifying period (maximum
  of four years).
• Successful candidates of the highest caliber are
  selected for this honor.

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Program Profile (continued)

• This program is a cooperative effort supported
  and coordinated primarily by ICTAS, with
  significant contributions from participating
  departments, colleges, and the Graduate School.
• The initial goal for the program is to establish
  a steady state of 40 ICTAS fellows by 2011 ad
  infinitum.

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Program Profile (continued)

• The ICTAS Doctoral Scholars Program award
  provides full graduate tuition support plus a
  graduate student stipend award and associated
  benefits for the entire period of Ph.D. pursuit
  to a maximum of four (4) years for each selected
  honoree.
• Additionally, ICTAS supports pre-approved travel
  for professional development and external
  presentations.

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ICTAS Doctoral Scholars Program 2007-2008

• Eleven Doctoral Scholars were selected for the
  inaugural class involving 5 colleges, 10
  departments, and the Graduate School.
• 3 scholars from College of Engineering
• 3 scholars from College of Science
• 2 scholars from College of Agriculture
• 2 scholars from College of Natural Resources
• 1 scholar from College of Veterinary Medicine

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2007 ICTAS Doctoral Scholars by Departmental
and College Affiliation
College of EngineeringJeremy S. Archuleta,
Computer ScienceMuhammad Karami, Engineering
Science and MechanicsMarcel Christophe
Remillieux, Mechanical Engineering College of
ScienceQian He, PhysicsMatthew Williams,
StatisticsSihui Zhang, Biological
Sciences College of Agriculture and Life
SciencesJustin Lemkul, BiochemistryJonathan
Weekley, Horticulture College of Natural
ResourcesS. Carter Fox, Wood Science and Forest
ProductsQingqing Li, Wood Science and Forest
Products College of Veterinary MedicineTila
Khan, Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology
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ICTAS Doctoral Scholars Program 2008-2009

• Ten Doctoral Scholars were selected for the
  second class involving 5 colleges, 9 departments,
  and the Graduate School.
• 3 scholars from College of Engineering
• 3 scholars from College of Science
• 2 scholars from College of Agriculture
• 1 scholar from College of Natural Resources
• 1 scholar from College of Veterinary Medicine

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2008 ICTAS Doctoral Scholars by Departmental
and College Affiliation
College of Engineering Mehdi Ghommem,
Engineering Science and Mechanics Syed Makhmoor
Mazahir, Chemical Engineering Xiaoyue (Selina)
Zhang, Industrial Systems Engineering College
of Science Adam Bowman, Mathematics Matthew
MacInnis, Geosciences Myuao Shen, Biological
Sciences College of Agriculture and Life
Sciences Su Wan Myung, Biological Systems
Engineering Noppadon (Tik) Sathitsuksanoh,
Biological Systems Engineering College of
Natural Resources Karthik Pillai, Wood Science
Forest Products College of Veterinary
Medicine Thomas Rogers-Cotrone, Biomedical
Sciences Pathobiology
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ICTAS Expectations for Doctoral Scholars

• Notification of the names of the degree committee
  members as soon as established. Remember to
  include the ICTAS Director as a non-voting
  member of the committee.
• Notification of research interests and plan.
• Acceptance of at least 4 archival publications
  that is, presentation of proof of acceptance
  prior to degree completion.

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ICTAS Expectations for Doctoral Scholars (cont.)

• Report of breakthroughs of any kind during the
  degree earning period.
• Participation in ICTAS promotional materials and
  activities.
• Notification of invitations to present
  publications.
• Ongoing communication with program director to
  update status, progress, etc.

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Where do we want to be ?

• A 50 Million research institute by 2011 a 100
  Million RI by 2016.
• An institute known for NBIC with Sustainable
  Development, among the top ten by 2011, top 3 by
  2016.
• An organization with sufficient human resources
  and systems in place to support its research and
  people agenda.
• An institute recognized by VT faculty as the
  place to go for
• Growth of innovative, interdisciplinary research.
• State-of-the-art equipment and facilities in a
  few selected areas.
• An institute known for promoting Big Research,
  Unencumbered Research .
• An organization known for being people-centric
  and fair.
• An organization known for being nimble and
  Schumpeterian.
• An organization known for its devotion to
  enhancing the quality of life.

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We can't solve problems by using the same kind
of thinking we used when we created
them. Einstein