The Carl A. Westerdahl Forum Inaugural Event

By now all Friends should have received an invitation to "Making the Connection:  Rensselaer Graduates Who Built Bridges over the Hudson" that the Friends is sponsoring next month.  The committee planning the event, headed by Friends Board of Directors members Rick Hartt and Meg Gallien, have put a lot of effort into this and are excited to offer not one but two presentations to all who are interested in learning about civil engineering training at the Institute in the late 1800s and the role Rensselaer alumni had in the design and construction of bridges in the Hudson Valley and nationwide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
 
We are very fortunate to have Frank Griggs '56, engineer, bridge restorer, and historian, as our featured speaker.  He'll be joined by Chris Letchford, head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at RPI, and George Christian, M.S. '76, who has over 38 years of engineering and management experience in varied bridge planning, design, construction, and evaluation activities in the New York State Department of Transportation Office of Structures.
 
The Carl A. Westerdahl Forum memorializes the creative contributions made by Carl A. Westerdahl (1937-2013), former dean, director, and historian at Rensselaer, through programs that explore education, history, art, architecture, engineering, and science as they relate to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. 

The online invitation with information, including directions to RPI and parking instructions, and a registration form that can be sent in can be obtained at http://www.lib.rpi.edu/documents/friends/Carl.pdf /

Online registration is now available!
 
If anyone has any questions, please feel free to contact me at bircha@rpi.edu or (518) 452-0618.

I hope to see many of you at the event.  It promises to be an excellent introduction to the annual lecture series honoring Carl who was committed to the Institute and took great pleasure in sharing its history, contributions, and success stories with others.

Adrienne Birchler
Coordinator
Friends of the Folsom Library

Lunch & Learn for September

"Celebrating a Non-traditional Life"

 

Speaker:  Judith Barnes '71, '84

 

 Friday, September 12, 2014

12:00 noon to 1:00 pm

Fischbach Room

Judith Barnes, Ph.D., is an entrepreneur, educator, speaker, and writer with a four-decade national consultancy in communication, technical communication, marketing, and advertising.   

As a result of deciding to become a consultant in 1971 – a very non-traditional choice back – she has had the pleasure of working with people in a wide range of fields including technology, fashion retailing and manufacturing, finance, automotive, business and industry, education, arts, and healthcare.  Judy was also a founding officer of a company commercializing micro fuel cells as a future power source for portable electronics, a longtime Adjunct Professor for the Executive MBA program in the Lally School of Management & Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and is a frequent guest lecturer in Rensselaer’s leadership programs.

Judith Barnes

Judy has authored five books, and her essays have aired on public radio. She was a co-writer and executive producer for a short film on personal responsibility screened at over 25 film festivals. The film was also featured on a public television program and used by therapists nationwide. In addition, she is a frequent guest speaker and lecturer for educational, civic, and cultural groups. 

 

Judy has a Ph.D. and M.S. from Rensselaer. She has received numerous professional awards; has been active in leadership positions on the boards of many civic, educational, and arts organizations; and has extensive experience in institutional development and community fundraising activities.  

 

Having come into contact with people in so many different lines of work, Judy has many interesting stories to tell. Come hear about some of her exciting and perhaps unusual assignments.  I'd like to hear about the job she's now working on for Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes.

 

Everyone is invited. Bring your lunch or pick up one at the Library Café. Dessert will be provided.

 

 

Adrienne Birchler

Coordinator

Friends of the Folsom Library