Green roofs are roofs that are either partially or completely covered with vegetation. “Green roofs help cool rooftops, conserve energy, prevent urban flooding, provide wildlife habitat and create urban green space,” says Bruce Dvorak, a professor in Texas A&M’s Department of Landscape Architecture & Urban Planning, and one of three faculty members leading students in the rooftop planting project.

The green roof project on Langford Building A is funded by a Tier One Program (TOP) grant, a funding initiative at Texas A&M designed to enhance students’ learning experiences.

(from left:) Texas A&M Professors Bruce Dvorak, Astrid Volder and Don Conlee

In addition to Landscape Architecture, students from the Department of Horticultural Sciences, led by Professor Astrid Volder, and the Department of Atmospheric Sciences, led by Professor Don Conlee, are participating in the project, “designing, constructing, installing and maintaining all elements of the green roof including physical structures, instrumentation, planting and plant maintenance, and associated data processing and display,” Dvorak explains.

The first phase of the project began last fall when 20-30 students started to propagate plants and assemble the rooftop equipment. This spring, about 15 students have been working to complete the planting and design a modular “living wall,” a vertical planting system that will result in a vegetation-covered wall.

“The living roof/wall industry is relatively young in the United States and very young in Texas,” says Kirk Laminack, a horticulture graduate student who is helping to manage the Langford green roof project. “Showing that such projects can be carried out successfully in Texas adds to a maturing industry and helps it expand and gain momentum.”

Texas A&M students and faculty work together to complete the early stages of planting atop the Langford building.

With the project being carried out mostly by students, Laminack says he and the other student participants are being exposed to experiences that go beyond traditional classroom learning. “I’m gaining experience in management and construction, data collection, and in researching the many types of green roofs and walls,  and investigating how to adapt ours to work in our area.”

This multifaceted project uses the three disciplines of architecture, horticulture and atmospheric sciences in conjunction with one another.  “Students from all disciplines cross over into each other’s expertise and get a chance to develop well-rounded skill sets,” says Dvorak, whose areas of interest include sustainable design, planning and construction.

“Architecture supports the structural and design background for design and implementation,” he adds.

“Landscape architecture and horticulture work together to provide the plant and ecological knowledge to create a functioning ecosystem with plants that can thrive under harsh growing conditions such as very high light, extreme temperatures, high wind and very little precipitation,” explains Volder, who specializes in horticultural landscape ecology.

And since weather is such an important factor, “atmospheric sciences contributes by developing environmental monitoring systems that help document the roof and wall effects on wind speed, air temperature and humidity,” notes Conlee, a specialist in weather forecasting. He says the monitoring system also documents the factors that determine plant success such as precipitation, solar radiation, soil water availability and soil temperature.

The living wall on Langford's roof is in its early installation stage.

The group will continue to design and plant this summer and fall and hope to present their findings at student and other scientific meetings later this year.

The public will be able to experience the Langford green roof project via Internet, says Conlee, once their web program becomes active this summer. “We will have a web-accessible interface that monitors environmental conditions on the roof to show the effect of the green roof and wall on the environment,” he says.

The group hopes the project will raise awareness of green technologies and demonstrate the feasibility of widespread implementation. “We’re training a new generation of practitioners in the green economy,” Dvorak notes.

There’s only one drawback to this green roof project, says Volder, who like any horticulturalist, appreciates the beauty of plants: “Once we’ve done the planting and it all grows, it will be so beautiful, but unfortunately, most people won’t even see it way up here on the roof!”

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About 12 Impacts of the 12th Man: 12 Impacts of the 12th Man is an ongoing series throughout the year highlighting the significant contributions of Texas A&M University students, faculty, staff and former students on their community, state, nation and world. To learn more about the series and see additional impacts, visit http://12thman.tamu.edu.

About Research at Texas A&M University: As one of the world’s leading research institutions, Texas A&M is in the vanguard in making significant contributions to the storehouse of knowledge, including that of science and technology. Research conducted at Texas A&M represents an annual investment of more than $700 million. That research creates new knowledge that provides basic, fundamental and applied contributions resulting in many cases in economic benefits to the state, nation and world.

Media Contact: Lesley Henton, News & Information Services at Texas A&M University; (979) 845-5591; lshenton@tamu.edu.

Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO

The event was a milestone for the university as it is commemorating its 10^thyear in Qatar at the Qatar Foundation Education City campus. Midway through the yearlong celebration, the university is acknowledging its comprehensive growth from its inaugural class of 29 students in 2003, to one that boasts over 480 current students, a graduate program and more than $130 million in research.

Mark H. Weichold, Texas A&M at Qatar dean and CEO, noted that the graduates will be playing key roles in Qatar’s development, saying, “Congratulations to the graduates of the class of 2013 on your momentous achievement. You are a special class for the university, as you represent 10 years of Aggie engineering education in Qatar. It is an honor to be present as the university graduates its 113th new engineer; we are incredibly proud of this achievement and its contribution toward the State of Qatar’s National Vision. As engineers, you will be responsible for the further building of Qatar and for creating the new knowledge that will realize Qatar’s goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy. This is truly a time when the future is in your hands. Use the lessons you learned at Texas A&M at Qatar well and carry the Aggie values of integrity, excellence, leadership, respect and selfless service with you wherever your career takes you.”

Texas A&M at Qatar is building capacity for Qatar and the region through its mission of teaching, research and engagement, and seeks to populate the workforce with world-class engineers and leaders, training future Aggie engineers and researchers to solve critical problems and provide new knowledge and technologies needed to push Qatar toward its goal of becoming a knowledge-based economy and a global center for learning.

In his remarks, Al-Falih warmly welcomed the Class of 2013 to a worldwide network of Texas A&M alumni, noting it is “a fellowship distinguished not just by the quality of its education, but by a lasting sense of identity and purpose.” Al-Falih also outlined what sets a Texas A&M engineer apart and encouraged the graduates to leverage their unique Aggie academics, “other education” and values to meet the engineering challenges of the 21^stcentury. “This bright and hopeful day is not only the launch pad for your careers; I believe it can also be the start of a better world, thanks to you.”

Khalid A. Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco and Texas A&M ’82 graduate

Al-Falih is the recipient of Texas A&M’s Distinguished Alumnus 2013 award and the Outstanding International Alumnus 2010 award. He is one of only three Texas A&M former students to achieve both recognitions. Al-Falih has maintained throughout his career a commitment to quality education and professional development, and was instrumental in the effort to establish the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.

The May 2013 graduating class is diverse, featuring 24 chemical engineers, 29 electrical engineers, 32 mechanical engineers and 28 petroleum engineers. The class is 36 percent female and represents 28 countries.

VIP speakers at the commencement event also included Texas A&M University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, Karan L. Watson; David B. Prior, executive vice president and provost at Hamad bin Khalifa University; Doha Aggie Club President, John Fenn, Jr., ’05; and student speaker, Hamad Ali H.A. Al-Badr, ’11, mechanical engineering.

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About Texas A&M University at Qatar

Texas A&M University, recognized as having one of the premier engineering programs in the world, has offered undergraduate degrees in chemical, electrical, mechanical and petroleum engineering at Qatar Foundation’s Education City campus since 2003. One hundred fifty one engineers have graduated from Texas A&M at Qatar since 2007. In addition to engineering courses, Texas A&M at Qatar provides classes in science, mathematics, liberal arts and the humanities. All four of the engineering programs offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are accredited by ABET. The curricula offered at Texas A&M at Qatar are materially identical to those offered at the main campus in College Station, Texas, and courses are taught in English in a co-educational setting. The reputation for excellence is the same, as is the commitment to equip engineers to lead the next generation of engineering advancement. Faculty from around the world are attracted to Texas A&M at Qatar to provide this educational experience and to participate in research activities now valued at $70 million, and that address issues important to the State of Qatar. Visit www.qatar.tamu.edu.

Dancin’ in the Dark will take place today (May 1), from 5:30-7 p.m. in the Rec Center Archery Room.  Dancin’ in the Dark is free to attend and open to the general public.  The first 50 entries will receive a commemorative Dancin’ in the Dark tank top.

More information is available online at recsports.tamu.edu, or on Facebook at facebook.com/TAMURecSports. The official Twitter hashtag of the event is #tamuDITD.  Direct questions to DeAun Woosley at 979.862.3995 or dwoosley@rec.tamu.edu.

Alex Dehgan, USAID

The first five academic departments that have at least 20 students and/or faculty attend the lecture will win a scholarship to be awarded competitively within their respective units.

To win a $1500 scholarship, departments must pre-register at least 20 attendees for the lecture at condevcenter.org/lectureseries and then have at least 20 attendees sign the attendance sheet at the lecture entrance. Departments that don’t pre-register still have an opportunity to win a $1000 scholarship by attending with 20 faculty/students, each signing the attendance sheet at the door.

The scholarships will be awarded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation Chair on Conflict & Development, based in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Texas A&M.

The scholarships may be awarded any time within the next 12 months and can be used by students for travel or other research expenses, or they can be used by a club or group within the department for an event concerning conflict and development.

For more information about ConDev, visit condevcenter.org.

Follow ConDev on Facebook and Twitter @ConDevCenter and use the hashtag #HESN to share this event.

About Conflict & Development at Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University is a member of USAID’s Higher Education Solutions Network (HESN)— a partnership which aims to utilize academic institutions to help fuel research and progress in tackling our world’s most challenging development problems. As one of seven institutions selected to join the HESN, Conflict and Development at Texas A&M University seeks to improve the effectiveness of development solutions for conflict-affected and fragile countries.

Recipients of the 2013 awards for distinguished service in the academic advising profession are Rosalinda Aregullin, Academic Advisor II, Department of Hispanic Studies; David “Poppy” Capehart, Senior Academic Advisor II, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences; Holly Gaede, Assistant Instructional Professor and Undergraduate Advisor, Department of Chemistry; Trina Gregory, Academic Advisor II, Department of Biochemistry;  and Donna Witt, Senior Academic Advisor II, Department of Animal Science.

Each of the recipients will be recognized with a $2,000 cash award and a plaque, to be presented at the University Advisors and Counselors Awards Breakfast on May 1.

This week, the C&D is hosting a planning workshop in Washington, D.C., but many of the sessions can be viewed online here.

There will be three mornings of discussion devoted to Human and Institutional Capital and Conflict (April 23), Natural Resources and Conflict (April 24), and Science, Technology, Food Security and Conflict (April 25).

The Mount Washington Glass Company was an innovator in the American Art Glass industry, which reached its zenith between 1885 and 1895. Beginning with the first American Art Glass, known as Sicilian or Lava Glass in 1878, the company developed several styles of immensely popular glass, including Burmese, Peach Blow, Albertine, Royal Flemish, Colonial Ware and Napoli, all of which are included in the collection of the Forsyth Galleries. Featuring pieces from the Bill (’35) and Irma Runyon Art Collections, as well as pieces generously loaned by Robert and Pamela Smits, the exhibition illustrates the opulence and splendor of the American Gilded Age, as well as the influences of Exoticism and the Aesthetic movement on decorative arts.

The Forsyth Galleries are located in the Memorial Student Center. All exhibitions are free to the public. Gallery hours are Tues-Fri 9 a.m.-8 p.m. and Sat-Sun 12-6 p.m.

Several sculptures created by former Texas A&M student and renowned artist Lawrence M. Ludtke grace Texas A&M's College Station campus, including the statue of James Earl Rudder.

In conjunction with Muster, Texas A&M University Press will launch the book Life in Bronze: Lawrence M. Ludtke, Sculptor by Amy Bacon, a biography of the late sculptor, with a campus walking tour of Ludtke Sculpture followed by a reception, program and book signing.

The campus walking tour of Ludtke Sculpture will be held 2:30 p.m. April 21, beginning at the Sam Houston Sanders Corps of Cadets Center. The reception, program and book signing will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the James R. Reynolds Student Art Gallery in the Memorial Student Center.

Both events are free and open to the public, and visitors who are unable to arrive for the walking tour are welcome to join for the reception only.

Written by Texas A&M alumnus Amy Bacon, Life in Bronze is a biography based on personal interviews with the artist as well as family, friends, colleagues and patrons, such as H. Ross Perot.

After attending Texas A&M, Ludtke played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He went on to become a Fellow in the National Sculpture Society and a Corresponding Member of the Royal Academy of British Sculptors.

Among the Ludtke pieces Aggies might recognize are the Rudder statue on campus and a memorial to 1973 environmental design graduate Stephen Moore on display behind the Langford Center. Ludtke collabored on the piece — a boy with a golden retriever — with renowned sculptor Veryl Goodnight.

Ludtke’s work also graces the halls and grounds of the United States Air Force Academy, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Rice University, CIA headquarters, the National Cowboy Hall of Fame, the Pentagon, Lyndon Baines Johnson Presidential Library, and the National Battlefield Park at Gettysburg, Pa. He has also created significant liturgical art, most notably a life-size Pieta for St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston and a Christ and Child for Travis Park Methodist Church in San Antonio.

For more information about Life in Bronze or the campus walking tour, contact Holli Koster, Texas A&M University Press, at 979-458-3982 or holli.koster@tamu.edu.