2016: A Year in Review at Rutgers

Date

December 21, 2016

TOP HEADLINES

	Obama to Class of 2016: 'It's Your Turn Now to Shape Your Nation's Destiny' Barack Obama, the first sitting president to speak at a Rutgers commencement, said the history of Rutgers mirrors the evolution of America while also commending the university for its persistence in inviting him.
	Rutgers Celebrates 250 Years of History, New Beginnings for State University The university’s 250th milestone is one that few higher education institutions have achieved. Look back at how the university marked the year, which was capped off with the Empire State Building being lit in scarlet.
	Rutgers Revolutionaries This series commemorated Rutgers' 250th anniversary by celebrating the university's people and innovations that have changed lives around the world.
	Board of Governors Approves Creation of Rutgers Health The innovative, statewide academic health care provider organization will revolutionize patient care across New Jersey.
	RWJBarnabas Health and Rutgers Partner to Create World-Class Sports Medicine Program The RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center will serve athletes, students and communities throughout New Jersey.
	'Scarlet and Black' Brings Rutgers Untold Story Out of the Shadows The new book published by Rutgers University Press was the result of work by the Committee on Enslaved and Disenfranchised Populations in Rutgers History.
	Rutgers Athletics Big Ten Build Campaign Surpasses $50 Million The three largest gifts in Athletics' history bolstered the $100 million campaign to upgrade facilities.
	Election Update 2016: Rutgers Research Provides Insight for Trump Presidency The work of Rutgers faculty and staff provides voters with a greater understanding of the issues to cut through the sound bites.
	Rutgers Day 2016 Attracts Record Crowd More than 100,000 people came to New Brunswick, Newark and Camden to celebrate all things Rutgers. Rutgers Day Storify
	Witnesses to War Read these firsthand accounts of Rutgers men and women who have served throughout the centuries.

UNIVERSITY EXPANSION and ENHANCEMENT

	College Avenue Apartments Transform Rutgers Housing Step inside the new College Avenue Apartments and you will find breathtaking views stretching to the Raritan River, a Sky lounge on the 14th floor, several restaurants and much more. Watch our video to see it for yourself.
	Rutgers Opens New Academic Building, Student Housing on College Avenue Campus Students return to new and renovated facilities at Rutgers University-Camden, Rutgers University-Newark, Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences.
	New Active Learning Classrooms Transform Teaching at Rutgers Three new classrooms introduced as part of technology master plan encourage more student problem solving and collaboration.
	Rutgers Gardens Celebrates Centennial With Ambitious Growth Plan A treasured oasis that draws thousands for classes, weddings and walks in the woods, Rutgers Gardens is on the cusp of a major facelift as it celebrates its centennial. Leaders envision a 1.5-mile path highlighting the 400 million-year evolution of plants.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

	Texting at Night Affects Teens' Sleep, Academic Performance A Rutgers researcher finds that instant messaging in the dark makes a difference compared to having the lights on.
	Most Powerful Supernova to Date Discovered With Help From a Rutgers Professor The exploding star, nearly 4 billion light years from us, is about 570 billion times brighter than our sun.
	Exercise and Meditation – Together – Help Beat Depression, Rutgers Study Finds Scientists say combining exercise and meditation and learning new cognitive skills can help reduce overwhelming negative thoughts.
	Ants Were Socializing – and Sparring – Nearly 100 Million Years Ago, Rutgers Study Finds Several species of ants, well-preserved in ancient Burmese amber, were studied by Phillip Barden, a biologist at Rutgers University-Newark.
	Trapped in Amber: Rutgers Botanist Names New Flower Species Strychnos electri makes its debut after being preserved in fossilized resin for at least 15 million years.
	Preventing Alzheimer's Disease in African Americans by Strengthening the Brain A Rutgers neuroscientist leads team that will use a $1-million grant to teach people how to protect their brains through exercise.
	Informed Consent: Women Considering Abortions in Many States Often Get Medically Inaccurate Information Rutgers researchers find that the highest percentage of information inaccuracies are related to the first trimester of pregnancy.
	Smartphone Security: Are Doodles Better Than Text Passwords Drawing a free-form gesture on your smartphone may soon be the way you unlock it. Using your fingers to create doodles may be the future of securing digital devices. Watch our video to see the technology in action.
	Climate Change: Greenland Melting Tied to Shrinking Arctic Sea Ice The dramatic trends in the arctic meltdown and global sea-level rise are linked, according to a new study.
	Research Study Maps Availability of Female Condom A Rutgers study focusing on a high-risk area in Philadelphia finds 1 percent of service providers sell or provide female condoms.
	Rutgers Scientists Help Create World’s Largest Coral Gene Database An international team of scientists led by Rutgers faculty has conducted the world’s most comprehensive analysis of coral genes, which will help shed light on which species survive climate change.
	World’s Richest Source of Oceanographic Data Now Operational at Rutgers An $11.8 million grant launches an initiative which collects and shares data from more than 800 instruments and a transmission network across the Atlantic and Pacific.
	A Small Dragonfly Is Found to Be the World's Longest-Distance Flyer Rutgers scientists say matching genes on multiple continents show how insects migrate thousands of miles across oceans.
	Silly Talk Directed at Infants May Be More Educational than Imagined A Rutgers University-Newark mathematician's analysis finds “motherese” sounds are easier to understand and help babies to learn.
	2016 PGA Championship Played on Rutgers Turfgrass Turfgrasses bred at Rutgers are widely used at golf courses, sporting fields and parks around the world. Video
	Brewery Boom Could Revive New Jersey Hops Production Rutgers researchers are working with hops farmers across the state to identify best practices for growing and analyzing hops to better serve the growing number of micro brewers opening in New Jersey. Watch the video and read our story to learn more.
	'Squishy' Motors and Wheels Give Soft Robots a New Ride Rutgers engineers, in a breakthrough, create a motor that could power versatile soft robots and might be suitable for search and rescue missions.
	Rutgers Researchers Debunk 'Five-Second Rule': Eating Food off the Floor Isn't Safe Turns out bacteria may transfer to candy that has fallen on the floor no matter how fast you pick it up.In some cases it happens in less than a second.
	As the Climate Warms, We are 'Primed' for Worse Storms Than Sandy Rutgers professors warn that as the earth becomes warmer there will be stronger storms that will put a rising number of people at risk.

STUDENT EXCELLENCE

	Humans of Rutgers Founder Unites University Through Stories Jeremy Berkowitz has likely met more people at Rutgers than anyone. The Humans of Rutgers project founder has interviewed hundreds, sharing each of their stories with us on Facebook and Instagram.
	Rutgers Habitat for Humanity Builds One Family’s Home, Sets Sights on Another After raising $100,000 for a home in Plainfield, Rutgers students seek $50,000 for a barrier-free home so a 2-year-old boy can finally live with his family.
	Mason Gross Student Releases Album to Acclaim in Bangladesh and India Shabnam Abedi’s Indian classical music interprets melodies of 19th-century Bengali composer for 21st-century audience.
	Rutgers Physics Major Named Goldwater Scholar Jenny Coulter thought she might study art in college. Then she took a physics class in high school and knew that she had found her passion.
	Youngest Summer Scholar Ever Finds a Perfect Fit at Rutgers Ennyn and her 11-year-old sister Enna are studying green-fluorescent protein, Förster resonance energy transfer and other scientific concepts.
	One of Nation’s Youngest Physicians Enters Medical Residency at Rutgers Ola Hadaya, 22, has always been the youngest, starting high school at 11, college at 17 and medical school at 21. She is passionate about women’s health and becoming an OBGYN.
	Increase in International Students Puts Global Face on Rutgers In the last five years Rutgers has seen a steady rise in students coming from abroad for research opportunities, greater academic freedom or simply a better education than is available at home.
	Chickasaw Nation Makes a Big Investment in Rutgers Graduate Student Jaxcy Odom plans to bring expertise on autism back to her tribe where the disorder is still in the shadows. The Chickasaw Nation Lifetime scholar was fascinated by her mother's culture from a young age.
	Working to Create a Place for All Students For the fourth year in a row, Rutgers University-New Brunswick is on Campus Pride’s ‘Best of the Best’ list of LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities.
	Rutgers Students Grow Their Own Food Through New RU Ready to Farm Program The New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station’s course teaches undergraduates and the public how to break into farming.
	Golfer, Journalist and Entrepreneur: Kayla Jackson is a Renaissance Student A multi-talented Rutgers senior’s latest ambition is a crowd-funding startup to help students pay for college.
	A Dancer Who Can't Hear the Music Rutgers senior Anna Gichan is privy to two special worlds. In one, she wears her hearing aids and interacts with the frenetic sounds of everyday life. In the other, she exists in near silence. This duality informs her love of dancing and sense of happiness. Watch her incredible story.
	Sex Ed in the Mosque A Rutgers School of Nursing graduate student is using her personal story to help guide Muslim teenage girls and young women by conducting workshops that teach abstinence.
	Rutgers Takes 13th Annual College Fed Challenge Rutgers students won the national College Fed Challenge, beating teams from Dartmouth and Princeton. The competition encourages students to learn about then U.S. economy and monetary policymaking. Watch the team featured on Bloomberg TV.

FACULTY and TEACHING

	Pulitzer-winning Poet Joins Rutgers-Camden faculty Gregory Pardlo, who won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for poetry, joins the faculty as a member of the master’s of fine arts program in creative writing.
	Up in the Air: Rutgers Nursing Professor Reflects on 25-year Career in U.S. Air Force Elizabeth Scannell-Desch served as a command nurse at the Pentagon, where she directed nursing policy and practice for Air Force Reserve nursing personnel worldwide.
	At a State Prison, a Rutgers Professor Teaches Classics and Inspires Convicts Emily Allen-Hornblower’s teachings on tragic heroes resonate with inmates at New Jersey state prisons, where she shares the literary masterpieces of the ancient world.
	Richard H. Ebright and Joachim Messing Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences Rutgers University professors are among 213 national and international scholars, artists, philanthropists and business leaders honored.
	Rutgers Physics Professor Elected to National Academy of Sciences Alexander Zamolodchikov, a renowned professor of physics at Rutgers University, has been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences.
	Rutgers Doctor Helps Reconstruct Face Thainara Ramos was unable to eat or speak after a childhood ear infection spread, fusing the bones in her face and jaw shut. Watch our video to see how a surgeon with Rutgers University Dental Associates, the faculty practice of the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, helped her get her life back.
	Rutgers Board of Governors Approves New Chairs in Cancer Genomics, Alzheimer's Disease and Philosophy of Religion The chairs have been endowed by foundations and individual donors, each gift matched by an anonymous donor.
	Mourning a Rutgers Scholar, Educational Innovator Alison Bernstein served as director of the Institute for Women’s Leadership. She will be remembered as a woman of keen intellect, fierce determination and imagination, abundant good will and a lively sense of humor.
	Rutgers Engineering Professor is a Woman of Firsts Lisa Klein has been a pioneering professor and scientist, faculty union president and strong supporter of women and minorities.
	Ten Rutgers Professors Named Fellows of American Association for the Advancement of Science They are among 391 fellows from the U.S. and abroad who were chosen by their peers.
	Rutgers Creates Clement A. Price Chair in Public History and the Humanities The chair is named in honor of beloved history scholar at Rutgers University-Newark who passed away in November 2014.
	Felix Browder, Renowned Rutgers Mathematician, Dies at 89 Before receiving the National Medal of Science, Browder, shadowed by his father’s life as a Communist, struggled to find work during the McCarthy era.

GOVERNANCE and ADMINISTRATION

	Acting State Attorney General John J. Hoffman to Lead Rutgers’ Legal Team as General Counsel Hoffman had been the state’s acting attorney general since June 2013. Before that, he served in the senior leadership team of Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa, as executive assistant attorney general.
	Noted Legal Education Innovator and Criminal Law Scholar Named Co-dean of Rutgers Law School in Camden Michael T. Cahill will join Ronald Chen as co-deans of Rutgers Law School, New Jersey’s only public law school.
	Rutgers Names New Dean of Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Francine Conway, a clinical psychologist recognized for her work in aging and child psychopathology, will begin her position at Rutgers University-New Brunswick July 1.
	State of the University Read the text of the 2016 report President Robert Barchi delivered to the University Senate.
	Steven Libutti Names as New Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey Director Libutti also will serve as Senior Vice President of Oncology Services for RWJBarnabas Health, further strengthening the university’s partnership with the healthcare system.
	Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration Appoints New Dean Charles E. Menifield has served as an associate dean at the Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs, University of Missouri-Columbia, since 2013.

ALUMNI

	First Years Out Read the profiles in an ongoing Rutgers Today series that follows young Rutgers graduates as they make their way in work and life.
	Pam Fessler's Journey from Rutgers to NPR National Public Radio correspondent and Rutgers alumna Pam Fessler began her career when real-life role models were hard to find.
	Rutgers Graduate Gains More than a Better Physique on TV’s 'The Biggest Loser' Stephen Kmet, who earned his MBA at Rutgers-Camden, joined the reality show to become a better role model for his kids and boost his self-image.
	First Female-Driven Wall Street Film, Equity, Has Deep Rutgers Ties Rutgers Board of Governors member Candace Straight gathers financial backers, including two alumna, for movie premiered at Sundance.
	BuzzFeed Names Rutgers MFA Graduate Executive Editor of Culture As a gay writer of color, Saeed Jones says he finally feels at home among the Internet media giant's diverse roster.
	Rutgers Announces 2016 Hall of Distinguished Alumni Honorees This year’s honorees included five extraordinary graduates nationally and internationally recognized in such areas as oil and gas exploration and production, finance, professional sports and cancer research.
	Gloria Steinem Mentorship Program Addresses Underrepresentation of Women In Media, Technology A program tied to the proposed Gloria Steinem Endowed Chair connects alumnae with female industry leaders.
	NFL Player to Open Barbershop at The Plaza at Rutgers Former Rutgers wide receiver Tim Wright, who went on to play with the New England Patriots and Detroit Lions, returns to fulfill a lifelong passion for cutting hair.
	Female Action Figures that Inspire Empowerment Rutgers alumna’s fast-growing company, ‘ IAmElemental,’ gets applause from therapists, teachers, children and grandparents.
	Chief of New York City's Zika Testing Lab is a Rutgers Graduate When the media started reporting on the Zika virus outbreak in South America earlier this year, Rutgers graduate Jennifer Rakeman knew she and her staff were in for a very busy 2016.
	New Politico Editor Traces her Career Success to Rutgers Carrie Budoff Brown takes over the helm of a media organization that has been a leader in web-based journalism.
	A Life-Saving Friendship Two French horn players who became friends while at the Mason Gross School of the Arts are forever linked by the selfless act of one and the gratitude of the other.

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