Annually, the University Communication and Marketing (UCAM) Department compiles a list of its Top-10 General News stories during the course of the year. Below is the list of UNM's Top-10 General News stories for 2013. The stories are listed in chronological order.
UNM Ranks as Top Peace Corps Volunteer Producing Hispanic Serving Institution
The Peace Corps recognizes the University of New Mexico as the top volunteer-producing Hispanic Serving Institutions. UNM jumped four spots in 2012 to lead the 2013 list with 24 undergraduate alumni currently serving as Peace Corps volunteers and 439 alumni having served since 1961. Currently, more than 615 Peace Corps volunteers report they are Hispanic.
UNM Joins Coursera for Online Courses
The University of New Mexico and nine other state university systems and public flagships will be partnering with Coursera to explore the possibilities of using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to increase student access to high-quality online educational content.
UNM Takes Measures to Conserve Water
Before anyone was saying “drought,” the University of New Mexico was implementing ways to conserve water. Gary Smith, associate director of environmental services and maintenance and operations in the Physical Plant Department, said that UNM has initiated measures that target indoor and outdoor water use.
Harwood Announces Major Gift of Contemporary Art
Susan Longhenry, director of the Harwood Museum of Art, announces that Gus Foster pledged to give the museum his collection of 341 works by 86 contemporary artists including Ken Price, Larry Bell, Ron Davis, Lynda Benglis, Ron Cooper, Robert Ray, Lee Mullican, Earl Stroh, Emil Bisttram and Vija Celmins. This gift, comprising one of the foremost collections of contemporary art in the Southwest, was unanimously accepted, approved and celebrated at the University of New Mexico Harwood Museum of Art Governing Board meeting.
W.K. Kellogg Foundation, UNM College of Education Faculty Team Up with Zuni Public School District
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation recently awarded the University of New Mexico a $596,000 grant to work with the Zuni (N.M.) Public School District (ZPSD) to support teacher preparation and professional development. The project, titled, “Zuni: Engaging Teachers and Community (ZETAC)” is designed to enhance the educational attainment of children in the ZPSD by focusing on the continuing education, professional development and recruitment of teachers in Zuni to empower a community of learners in the northwestern New Mexico pueblo.
Science-Based Treatment Helps Addicts
Marita Campos-Melady grew up in Santa Fe and saw firsthand the ravages of drug abuse on the community. A 2002 graduate of Santa Fe High School, nearly half of her classmates dropped out before their senior year. She earned a Ph.D. in psychology from UNM this summer. Her research and her work is in science-based psychology to treat substance abusers and people with eating disorders.
AIMS Recognized as 2013 National Blue Ribbon School
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan recently recognized the Albuquerque Institute of Math & Science at UNM Charter School (AIMS@UNM), as one of 12 charter schools nationwide as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2013 based on its overall excellence and progress in improving student academic achievement.
ARTS Lab Receives International Award for Innovation
ARTS Lab lives in the intersection of art, research and technology. Dome poems, expressing culture through technology and giving teachers new ways to teach nutrition are just a few projects that earned ARTS Lab the 2013 International Digital Media Association Innovative Program Award from the International Digital Media & Arts Association (iDMAa). Tim Castillo, associate professor of architecture in the UNM School of Architecture and Planning, is also in his fourth year as director of ARTS Lab.
New Mexico Educators FCU Donation Boosts Innovate ABQ Effort
Innovate: to introduce something new, as if for the first time. The word couldn’t be more appropriate for the Innovate ABQ project, spearheaded by the University of New Mexico. Now the project has added its first private sector investment with UNM’s announcement of New Mexico Educators Federal Credit Union as a founding partner. The credit union has committed $3 million in support of the innovation center in downtown Albuquerque.
Brueck, Moler First Presidential Medal Recipients
The University of New Mexico honored two of its own with the first-ever Presidential Awards of Distinction this fall. Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering and Physics Steve R.J. Brueck and Emeritus Professor of Computer Science Cleve Moler received the inaugural award at the Fall 2013 Commencement on Friday, Dec. 13, at University Arena. President Robert Frank established the award to recognize outstanding career achievement, scholarly excellence, leadership in a profession, noteworthy public service or humanitarian endeavor.