Spring Break
Professors
Nasreen Iqbal
Issue date: 6/19/09 Section: NEWS
While some UNT students view summer as a time when they can go home to relax after a year of studying, many UNT professors and employees are still busy on campus teaching summer school and grading papers. However, some have their hands full with interesting school-related summer plans that involve delving into research projects and jet-setting out of the Denton area.
Science and summer mix
"Summer is the ideal time to research," said Jincheng Du, a UNT science and engineering professor. "I am not teaching classes so I have much more time to devote to my own studies."
Du was recently awarded a $200,000 grant by the National Science Foundation to continue his research on bioactivity and bioactive glass.
"Bioactivity basically means that the materials we are working with are tolerated and accepted by the body," Du said.
Du said such research is vital to a scientific community dedicated to helping prolong the lives and health of people suffering from bone or limb loss where bioactive materials could be used as a substitute.
The belief in bioactive material and its possibilities is not new, but a thorough understanding by the scientific community must be met prior to making any kind of real implementation, he said.
"Before you can develop or improve any kind of product there must be an understanding of that product," Du said.
This summer, Du, a team of two graduate students and one Texas Academy of Math and Science student will conduct research at Discovery Park that relates to bioactivity. When he is not working, Du, who resides in Denton, says he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.
Musically bound
UNT's nationally ranked music department also has plans this summer: to send its top acapella choir to Taiwan to perform at an international choir festival.
"It is a very important festival in the East that has an international following. It's considered an honor to be invited," said Jerry McCoy, a UNT music professor and acapella choir conductor.
McCoy said that consideration for attendance and participation in the festival is given to choirs that have outstanding reputations, and, so far, UNT's choir is the only American one attending.
From July 27 through August 3, 36 singers from UNT's acapella choir, as well as recent alumni, will sing with other choirs from across the world in several cities and on several stages in Taiwan.
McCoy said that members of the choir are typically busy performing in other concerts throughout the summer so it was difficult to make sure that the scheduling worked for everyone.
"Once we worked out the schedule we accepted the invitation," McCoy said. "It is an exciting time for everyone involved."
The invitation could not have come at a better time for McCoy and members of the acapella choir as this year marks the 70th year that the choir has been at UNT.
Science and summer mix
"Summer is the ideal time to research," said Jincheng Du, a UNT science and engineering professor. "I am not teaching classes so I have much more time to devote to my own studies."
Du was recently awarded a $200,000 grant by the National Science Foundation to continue his research on bioactivity and bioactive glass.
"Bioactivity basically means that the materials we are working with are tolerated and accepted by the body," Du said.
Du said such research is vital to a scientific community dedicated to helping prolong the lives and health of people suffering from bone or limb loss where bioactive materials could be used as a substitute.
The belief in bioactive material and its possibilities is not new, but a thorough understanding by the scientific community must be met prior to making any kind of real implementation, he said.
"Before you can develop or improve any kind of product there must be an understanding of that product," Du said.
This summer, Du, a team of two graduate students and one Texas Academy of Math and Science student will conduct research at Discovery Park that relates to bioactivity. When he is not working, Du, who resides in Denton, says he enjoys spending time with his wife and kids.
Musically bound
UNT's nationally ranked music department also has plans this summer: to send its top acapella choir to Taiwan to perform at an international choir festival.
"It is a very important festival in the East that has an international following. It's considered an honor to be invited," said Jerry McCoy, a UNT music professor and acapella choir conductor.
McCoy said that consideration for attendance and participation in the festival is given to choirs that have outstanding reputations, and, so far, UNT's choir is the only American one attending.
From July 27 through August 3, 36 singers from UNT's acapella choir, as well as recent alumni, will sing with other choirs from across the world in several cities and on several stages in Taiwan.
McCoy said that members of the choir are typically busy performing in other concerts throughout the summer so it was difficult to make sure that the scheduling worked for everyone.
"Once we worked out the schedule we accepted the invitation," McCoy said. "It is an exciting time for everyone involved."
The invitation could not have come at a better time for McCoy and members of the acapella choir as this year marks the 70th year that the choir has been at UNT.
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