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The German government has honored an engineering faculty member at SIUC for his work in environmental areas.  Xingmao "Samuel" Ma, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, was among 15 of those throughout the world the Germans named a "Green Talent." The award, given by Annette Schavan, federal research minister, cited Ma's work in environmental remediation in the context of bio- and nanotechnology.  The federal Ministry of Education and Research named the winners after holding a contest this year aimed at finding outstanding scientific talent in environmental technology. A jury of top German scientists and researchers selected the winners.  The jury honored Ma and the others for their research's long-term contributions to solving global environmental issues such as climate change, diminishing resource management, energy resources and pollution.

SIUE has been cited by its peers and reported in U.S.News & World Report as a school “firmly focused on improving the job they’re doing today.” The listing in the magazine’s Best Colleges of 2010 issue recently hit newsstands. In addition, for the fifth consecutive year, SIUE is in the senior capstone experience category, among 17 universities — including Yale, Harvard, MIT and Princeton — for its comprehensive program measuring the competency of graduating seniors. At SIUE, the program is called Senior Assignment and is required curriculum for all seniors to demonstrate their degree of general education knowledge, as well as knowledge within their disciplines prior to graduation. Also, according to the publication, SIUE is among the top 15 public universities in the Midwest-Master’s category for the third consecutive year and also in the top one-third of all public and private Midwestern universities. Overall scores are based on academic preparedness of students, graduation rates, faculty characteristics and the reputation of SIUE in higher education. 

Citing its high-quality instruction, excellent faculty-student rapport and strong public support, the Council on Rehabilitation Education Inc. has reaccredited SIUC's rehabilitation counselor education program for eight years.  Offering master's level training since 1955, SIUC's program — the country's oldest — receives consistently high marks in U.S.News & World Report rankings, most recently placing No. 6 nationally.  In her letter notifying SIUC officials of the program's reaccreditation, Council President Linda R. Shaw underscored that fact. She also noted that faculty members have extensive teaching and practical experience, have published widely, serve on editorial boards, hold national offices and obtain grants. Praising them as accessible, flexible, responsive and supportive, she pointed to the effect these faculty members have on their students.  SIUC's rehabilitation counselor education program teaches students how to help those with physical, mental or emotional disabilities become the best they can be in all areas of their lives.

A physician at the SIU School of Medicine in Springfield has been awarded a five-year federal grant from the National Cancer Institute, a division of the National Institutes of Health, for the study of exercise and breast cancer.  Total budget for the grant is $3,581,688.  Dr. Laura Rogers, associate professor of internal medicine and member of the SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at SIU, is the principal investigator for the project.  The study will test how well exercise improves physical activity behavior in breast cancer survivors after they finish the three-month program.  It also will look at whether the exercise program improves physical fitness, quality of life, fatigue and joint dysfunction.  The results of the research may improve health benefits for patients, reduce side effects and reduce breast cancer recurrence.  The SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at SIU is focusing the medical school's efforts in cancer research, physician and public education, and treatment for patients from across central and southern Illinois.

Bill Retzlaff, chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, recently co-hosted a discussion group about sustainability initiatives to reduce oils, metals and pollutants in storm water systems. Green Roofs and Permeable Pavement was the topic of the group discussion at the Sustainable University Symposium in Palos Hills. The event was sponsored by the Illinois Green Governments Coordinating Council through the state of Illinois. Retzlaff talked about the 16,000-square-foot green roof on the new Student Success Center on campus and the results of research projects and the educational programs that have developed out of SIUE research programs. As a University, SIUE has taken important steps to introduce sustainability measures on campus, as well as ways to monitor the success of such initiatives. A partner of ENERGY STAR® through the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the University has committed itself to measuring and tracking the energy performance of its facilities whenever possible by using ENERGY STAR® tools; developing and implementing a plan to achieve energy savings, in line with the ENERGY STAR® Energy Management Guidelines; spreading the word among the SIUE community about the importance of energy efficiency; supporting the national call-to-action through the ENERGY STAR® Challenge by improving the energy efficiency of the campus' commercial and industrial buildings by 10 percent or more and highlighting the University's achievements through ENERGY STAR® recognition.

When it comes to student-produced television, there are few who can argue with the success at SIUC.  Alt.news 26:46, the University's award-winning half-hour alternative TV news magazine, has racked up seven nominations for the 2009 National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Mid-America Regional Chapter Emmy Awards.  The 33rd annual awards ceremony is Oct. 3 at the Renaissance Grand St. Louis.  In March, the show earned its fourth national college Emmy in the last eight years when it received best collegiate television magazine show in the nation. Since 2001, the program has earned 23 regional Emmys; 21 from NATAS' Mid-America chapter in St. Louis, and two from the Chicago Midwest Chapter.  The chapter is comprised of television markets primarily in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, and surrounding designated market areas, or DMAs.

Edward A. Zelinsky, an internationally recognized scholar in employee benefits, will discuss the costs of reforming the nation's health care system next month at the SIU School of Law.  Zelinsky will deliver the 2009 Dr. Arthur Grayson Distinguished Lecture, "Reforming Health Care: The Conundrum of Cost," at 5 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 24. The lecture will take place in the Hiram H. Lesar Law Building auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public.  Zelinsky is the Morris and Annie Trachman Professor of Law at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University in New York.  It's expected that Zelinsky's presentation will focus not only on the politics behind the current debate over health care reform, but also the substantive policy issues involved in the discussions.

U.S. Rep. John Shimkus, (R-Collinsville,) recently presented grants totaling roughly $598,000 to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville programs that stimulate the economy, help local businesses improve processes and become more efficient, and provide retraining and jobs for dislocated workers. The grants totaled $360,000 for the National Corn-to-Ethanol-Research Center and $238,000 for the Southwest Illinois Advanced Manufacturing (SIAM) Center. SIAM is a partnership between the SIUE School of Engineering and Lewis and Clark Community College. From a podium in the lobby of the SIUE Engineering Building, Shimkus talked about the relevance of both programs.

Rivers and watersheds are some of the most complex systems in nature and have enormous impact on human life, for good and ill.  A team of researchers at SIUC will use a major grant from the National Science Foundation to train the next generation of watershed scientists using an intensive, interdisciplinary approach.  The NSF recently awarded SIUC a $3.2 million Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship grant. The highly competitive grant will fund a six-year effort aimed at educating up to 20 leading watershed scientists while they earn their doctorates at SIUC.  The University is recruiting students for the program this fall and plans to start the first group of students in June 2010. By the time they are finished, the students will be leaders in the field, studying floodplains, water resources, ecosystems, economics, public use and best management practices to protect and utilize these natural resources.

The SIUC football team debuted at No. 7 in the preseason Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll that was released Aug. 24.  The No. 7 ranking extends SIUC's streak to 82-consecutive weeks being ranked in the Top 20 in either the coaches or Sports Network national polls, which is the longest active streak in the Missouri Valley Football Conference.  The program, whose 59 wins since 2003 are the 11th most in all of Division I football (FBS and FCS), returns 18 starters from its 2008 squad that had a 9-3 record and reached the FCS playoffs for the sixth-straight season. Only Montana has a longer streak of consecutive playoff appearances.  The Salukis kick-off their season Sept. 5 at Marshall.  The Dawgs' first home game is Sept. 19 against Southwest Baptist.  Game time is 6 p.m.  For ticket info, call the Saluki Ticket Office at (618)453-2000.