Georgia Tech Hosts Congressional Infrastructure Briefing December 8

From transportation systems to power grids, America’s aging infrastructure continues to generate concern. To underscore the critical role that university research can play in addressing these challenges, the Georgia Institute of Technology is facilitating a congressional briefing on Monday, December 8, in Washington, D.C.

The briefing, “Tomorrow’s Infrastructure: Researching Sustainable Solutions,” will be moderated by Reginald DesRoches, associate chair and professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and feature a panel of experts including Michael D. Meyer, also a Georgia Tech Civil and Environmental Engineering professor. They will be joined by Douglas R. Rose, deputy administrator and chief engineer for operations with the Maryland State Highway Administration, and S. Massoud Amin, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Minnesota.

“Improving our nation’s civil infrastructure is the key to economic growth, national security, and quality of life,” said DesRoches. “We have an opportunity, through research and innovation, to define what the next generation of infrastructure can look like.”

Georgia Tech is uniquely positioned to address the nation’s infrastructure crisis based on its breadth of interdisciplinary and strategic research initiatives, according to DesRoches. Recent advances in materials science, nanotechnology, information technology, robotics and systems engineering provide unique opportunities for faculty to work on critical issues ranging from disaster resilient infrastructure to intelligent and adaptable infrastructure systems.

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Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich, Amity Shlaes, U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (OK), U.S. Rep. Tom Price (GA), and Others to Speak

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich, Amity Shlaes, U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (OK), U.S. Rep. Tom Price (GA), and Others to Speak at National Gathering of State Legislators in Washington, D.C.

/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Legislative Exchange Council's (ALEC) annual States & Nation Policy Summit will be held in Washington, D.C. at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road, NW, from December 4-6, 2008. State legislators from across the United States will gather for three days of intensive discussions on the critical issues facing the states and nation, share their knowledge and experiences with each other, and hear from national leaders and renowned policy experts who share their commitment to common sense, conservative policy.

"ALEC members participate in substantive public policy sessions throughout these meetings and legislators return to their state capitols better prepared to serve their constituents," said Arkansas State Senator Steve Faris, ALEC's 2008 National Chairman.

ALEC conferences are renowned for developing cutting edge legislative policy and garnering top policy speakers. This year's speakers include: Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, who will speak on state budget issues; former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Newt Gingrich, who will provide election analysis; syndicated columnist Amity Shlaes, author of The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression; U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin (OK), who will speak regarding federalism issues; and U.S. Rep. Tom Price (GA), the only medical doctor currently in the House of Representatives will speak on health care reform issues.

December 4 - 6, 2008
Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Road, NW
Washington, D.C.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation's largest nonpartisan, individual membership organization of state legislators, with over 2,000 legislator members from all fifty states, and 85 former members serving in the U.S. Congress. www.alec.org .

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Honor Flight Fayette Veterans Witness Sea of Support in Washington

Veterans on the October Honor Flight Fayette trip to see their memorial in Washington, D.C., were greeted by current members of the United States military. Bystanders who heard the veterans were arriving wanted to show their appreciation as well.

The veterans were surprised and visibly moved by the cheering crowd, and many later said that this was one of the highlights of the trip for them. After the war ended, the majority of the soldiers returned home without fanfare to seek jobs and adapt to civilian life, so this recognition may have been delayed but was much appreciated. Unfortunately, we are losing these members of the "Greatest Generation" at the rate of over 1,400 per day.

Honor Flight Fayette is preparing for their 3rd flight on November 12th, which will bring to over 200 the total number of veterans who have been taken to D.C. this year at no charge to them. Funds are raised through contributions from caring and generous businesses and citizens, and 100% of these monies are used for the flights.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, Honor Flight Fayette has a board of directors to guide the effort and keep it on track. Board members, guardians and volunteers consider this project a labor of love, dedication and determination, and they donate their time and talents as often as needed to make these flights a success. In fact, guardians pay their own way just to be of service to 2-3 veterans during the entire day trip to insure their safety and enjoyment.

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News to Use in Fayetteville, Atlanta, Peachtree City, Newnan and all of Georgia

Fall participants in UGA’s Washington Semester Program Head to the Nation’s Capital on Sept. 8

Against the backdrop of the upcoming presidential election this fall, University of Georgia junior Lucas Puente will have the opportunity to serve as an intern in the office of Senator Barack Obama through UGA's Washington Semester Program. Puente and the other UGA participants will start their fall internships Sept. 8.

“The Fall 2008 class once again represents the best of UGA,” said Don De Maria, director of the Washington Semester Program. “These bright, motivated students will have great opportunities at their internships, in the classroom and beyond. I am grateful for the support of our faculty, alumni and friends who make this a unique and defining experience for our students.”

Launched under the auspices of UGA’s Office of the Vice President for Instruction one year ago, the Washington Semester Program provides participants with classroom instruction and internship placement in congressional offices, nonprofit organizations and think tanks.

The students enroll in 12 credit hours, six of which include a traditional course and a seminar on life, work and culture in Washington, featuring guest lecturers from UGA and the D.C. area. The other six credit hours can be used for directed study, internship and/or research courses through the student’s academic department.

Joel Clark, director of the University of California, Berkeley’s Washington Program, will teach a course entitled, “Washington Ethics: Crisis, Reform, Reaction,” a course he specially created for students in academic internship programs in D.C.

“The interdisciplinary course explores several facets of politics in D.C., including ethical issues involving Congress, lobbyists, the president and his advisors, judiciary, and the media,” said Clark. “The elections will be a special topic of discussion this semester as we delve into topics such as campaign finance, fundraising and how the media reports on the presidential candidates’ public and private lives.”

The speakers who will be featured during the seminar will include Jere Morehead, UGA’s vice president for instruction; Thomas Lauth, dean of UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs; Joe Whitley, who served as the first general counsel for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Randy Nuckolls, partner at McKenna, Long and Aldridge who serves as Washington counsel for UGA; and Elaine Bunn, Distinguished Research Fellow at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at National Defense University.

Chiefs-of-staff from the offices of Georgia senators Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss, Arkansas senator Mark Pryor, and Georgia representatives Jack Kingston and John Barrow also will be speaking.

In addition, members of D.C. Dawgs, the Washington, D.C. chapter of UGA’s Alumni Association, are involved in academic and cultural activities for the program participants, serving as mentors, hosting events or giving a lecture about their experiences living and working in D.C.

“I am very impressed with the scope and variety of internship placements and the superb quality of students selected for the fall class,” said Morehead. “I look forward to lecturing and meeting with this outstanding class later this fall.”

The priority deadline for spring 2009 applications for the Washington Semester Program is Friday, Sept. 12 with first consideration given to those students who apply by then. Applications will be accepted after the priority deadline until all program spaces are full.

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