OGI School of Science and Engineering Receives $1.2 Million in Recent Grants

November 25, 2002

Portland, Ore.

Oregon Health & Science University's OGI School of Science & Engineering, based in Hillsboro, Ore., has recently received the following grants:

• A three-year, $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for Wu-chang Feng, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science and engineering in the OGI School of Science & Engineering. Feng will develop ways to more quickly and efficiently identify and deter computer hackers with the goal of reducing computer break-ins.

• A four-year, $377,533 grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation for Melanie Mitchell, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science and engineering in the OGI School of Science & Engineering. Mitchell will explore ways to create complex, adaptive computer systems that can perceive patterns and recognize similarities (i.e., make analogies) among the patterns. Such research is at the heart of intelligent computer systems of the future.

• A four-year, $96,000 grant from the National Science Foundation for L.E.L. "Bets" Rasmussen, Ph.D., a biochemist in the OGI School of Science & Engineering. Rasmussen and collaborators from Hendrix College and Georgia Southern University will continue studies into the chemical signals African elephants use to communicate during reproduction. Better understanding the subtleties of elephant communication is aiding the development of elephant containment systems, helping to resolve human/elephant conflicts.

The OGI School of Science & Engineering (formerly the Oregon Graduate Institute of Science & Technology) became one of four schools of the Oregon Health & Science University in 2001. The School of Science & Engineering has more than 100 full-time and adjunct faculty, and more than 300 master's and doctoral students seeking degrees in five academic departments. In addition, there are more than 300 students taking credit courses, but not seeking degrees at this time. Each year, the school's Center for Professional Development enrolls more than 1,000 working professionals who take not-for-credit classes.

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