President's Weekly Perspective - 12.10.2012

Good morning.

Let me start by wishing all our students good luck on finals. I know this is an intense week for you, the culmination of this semester's hard work. Just think how good it will feel to have them behind you.

Los Alamos Visit
Last week I visited Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) with Provost Chaouki Abdallah and Dr. John McGraw, interim vice president for Research and Economic Development. We were there to meet with Director Charlie McMillan and continue our exploration of ways to increase our partnership with the lab. LANL runs an astonishing number of programs and we had the opportunity to visit several while we there. The Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT), jointly managed by Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories with facilities at both sites, is a scientific user facility, which means that scientists and engineers can access expertise and capabilities through a peer-reviewed proposal process.

CINT provides a set of resources in nanoscience and nanotechnology at the local national labs that UNM students and faculty can access through the proposal process. UNM currently has many faculty and students who work with CINT on nanomaterials synthesis, characterization and modeling. This kind of collaboration with our national labs is very important and beneficial for UNM and the kind of engagement we hope to expand. CINT, along with other like programs, could be better incorporated into our long-range vision for UNM. For more information, please visit: CINT.

LCF and Lobos for Legislation
We are preparing for the upcoming 60 day legislative session. Last week Dr. Paul Roth and I both testified at the Legislative Finance Committee meeting. College of Education Dean Dick Howell also testified on teacher evaluations. In the evening, we attended an Alumni Association Lobos for Legislation reception. UNM Alumni Association Executive Director Karen Abraham and her team did a terrific job organizing the event, which was well attended. Alumni are important in helping us make our case to the legislature, and Karen and her team do an excellent job in helping make those connections.

Go Lobos
Our sports teams are doing us proud this year. I've spoken in the past about the positive changes taking place in football. Now our men's and women's basketball teams are taking the stage and giving us reason for Lobo pride. But they are not the only sports teams that are carrying the UNM charge this year. We have a number of All-Americans, including Josephine Moultrie in women's cross country, and Luke Caldwell in men's cross-country. We have two men's soccer All-Americans in Devon Sandoval and Kyle Venter, and a freshman All-American in Ben McKendry. In Golf, the Lobo men's team is ranked fourth in Golfweek, while our women's team has the conference's top ranked golfer in Manon de Roey. Even sports that aren't fully in season yet have had terrific results, such as skiing, swimming and diving, and tennis and we are dominating the Rio Grande Rivalry with New Mexico State.

As you all know, I was a Lobo athlete, so the athletic achievement is something that resonates for me personally. It takes discipline to be a student and pursue a competitive sport, and I sincerely applaud that effort.

Have a good week, good luck on finals, and GO LOBOS!

Bob