Posts Tagged ‘College of Business’

Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center

Top national and state economists will unveil their economic forecasts for 2012 at the inaugural Economic Outlook Conference sponsored by the College of Business at New Mexico State University and Wells Fargo Bank. The free conference takes place from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Corbett Center Student Union on the NMSU campus.

“Wells Fargo’s decision to co-host its economic forecast conference in Las Cruces reflects the growing importance this region has on the overall state economy,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development.

“Wells Fargo is proud to partner with NMSU to present this inaugural economic outlook event,” said Lisa Riley, regional president for Wells Fargo New Mexico. “The purpose of this event is to deliver the very latest information concerning the United States and New Mexico economies. Recent history, current state and future paths of each of these economies will provide the business owner or executive with the best information available to plan for the coming year.”

Delivering the national economic forecast for Wells Fargo will be Eugenio Alemán, a senior economist and vice president for the company. Alemán will discuss the country’s strengthening economy as job creation rises and the housing market stabilizes. He also will discuss the challenges still facing the nation’s economy, particularly the risk posed by a potential collapse of the euro.

At Wells Fargo, Alemán forecasts national, regional and international economic trends. His primary focus is the United States, including interest rates and the economies of Texas and Arizona. He also is an expert on the economies of Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Within that area, his specialties include the economies of border towns that trade with Mexico and the maquiladora-manufacturing sector along the U.S.-Mexico border. He is based in Charlotte, N.C.

After Alemán’s presentation, NMSU economist Jim Peach will provide the state’s economic forecast. Peach will explain how the national economy affects New Mexico and also will focus on economic growth prospects for the state.  “Three sectors of the state economy – government, energy and construction – will be key factors in both the short- and long-run recovery in New Mexico,” Peach said.

To register for the event, contact Judy Wetzel at 575-521-6849 or at judith.a.wetzel@wellsfargo.com.

Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center

WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Sara Patricolo, 575-646-2066, spatrico@nmsu.edu

Small business owners can learn more about how health care reform affects them at the Spring 2012 Domenici Institute Forum. The forum takes place from 4-5 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the KRWG-TV studios on the campus of New Mexico State University. The event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Bob Graboyes, senior fellow for health and economics for the National Federation of Independent Business Research Foundation, will discuss the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and what it means for small businesses.

“Small businesses are dealing with numerous challenges in this difficult economy, including health care reform,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business and director of NMSU’s Domenici Institute. “Through this Domenici Institute Forum, small business owners in the region will have the opportunity to learn from a nationally prominent expert how health care reform is expected to impact them.”

At the forum, Graboyes will discuss 12 needed reforms to the health care legislation that are of importance to small businesses.  In addition to his work with the National Federation of Independent Business, Graboyes teaches health care professionals in master’s and doctoral programs at Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of Virginia and George Mason University. Graboyes was an economist at the University of Richmond, the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, Va., the Virginia Department of Taxation and Chase Manhattan Bank.

The Domenici Institute Forum is an extension of the university’s yearly Domenici Public Policy Conference. The goal of the forums is to engage the public and encourage them to discuss and take part in issues of public interest, specifically, important policy matters.

The forum will be taped for broadcast, so those attending must arrive on campus by 3:30 p.m. and be at the KRWG studios in Milton Hall by 3:45 p.m. Taping will begin promptly at 4 p.m. For those who cannot attend the forum, KRWG will broadcast the proceedings at 7 p.m. Jan. 19, 5 p.m. Jan. 21 and 11 a.m. Jan. 22. For more information and a parking guide, log onto http://domenici.nmsu.edu.

Christopher A. Erickson, Ph.D.

Dr. Christopher Erickson will be the featured speaker at the November meeting of the MVEDA Business on the Border Forum. The luncheon will be held on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet followed by a brief update by MVEDA staff.

In his “Update and Outlook for the Las Cruces Economy” Dr. Erickson will discuss the outlook for Las Cruces next year and beyond. He will also discuss the outlook for the state and national economy.

Dr. Erickson has served on the faculty of the NMSU Department of Economics and International Business since 1987. He is a frequent speaker on financial economics, macroeconomics and the border economy. His primary teaching interest is money and banking. He is the author or co-author of numerous articles on financial economics, including supplemental money and banking text that has been adopted on more than 100 college campuses. He is the Executive Editor of the New Mexico Business Outlook, the e-newsletter of the College of Business at New Mexico State University.

Luncheon cost is $20.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. Due to space limitations, reservations are required. Please confirm your attendance no later than Thursday, October 27 by sending an email to rsvp@mveda.com or by calling the office at (575) 525-2852. The meeting is open to the public.

Article courtesy of the NMSU News Center

Writer: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu

The nation’s debt crisis, national security and health care reform are the hot-button topics experts will address at the 2011 Domenici Public Policy Conference Aug. 31-Sept. 1 at the Las Cruces Convention Center, 680 E. University Ave.

“Once again, under the leadership of Sen. Pete Domenici and the NMSU Domenici Institute Advisory Committee, we have assembled an outstanding lineup of national leaders to discuss very topical policy issues, to include the competitiveness of U.S. education, health care reform, the national debt and national security — all issues that the senator has championed for many years,” said Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business and director of NMSU’s Domenici Institute.

Among those set to speak at the conference are former U.S. Sen. Thomas A. Daschle, who championed health care reform while in Congress and has published two books on the topic; New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez, who will discuss matters affecting the state; and retired Air Force Gen. Michael Hayden, who as former director of the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency will speak on cyber security.

Now in its fourth year hosting the conference, the Domenici Institute is named after New Mexico’s longest-serving U.S. senator, Pete V. Domenici. Every year, the conference brings together some of the country’s top experts to discuss a variety of important issues facing the nation.

This year, Domenici will provide his thoughts on the national debt, a topic he is well versed in as a former chairman and ranking minority member of the Senate Budget Committee. He also co-chairs the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Debt Reduction.

“The task force supported raising the debt ceiling promptly and mandating actions to put the federal budget back on a sustainable path,” Domenici said. “We also proposed a tough enforcement mechanism with any debt ceiling legislation in order to build bipartisan confidence among members of Congress that future deficit cuts will actually occur.”

The conference will close with the premiere of a documentary on Domenici’s life in public office. The documentary not only will capture the legacy of Domenici’s accomplishments, but it also will serve as testimony to New Mexico’s participation in issues of national importance.

The 2011 Domenici Public Policy Conference also will feature:

National Debt

Alice M. Rivlin is a senior fellow in the Economic Studies Program at the Brookings Institution. Last year, President Obama named Rivlin to the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. She also co-chairs the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Task Force on Debt Reduction. Rivlin served as vice chair of the Federal Reserve Board from 1996-1999, was director of the White House Office of Management and Budget in the first Clinton Administration, and was the founding director of the Congressional Budget Office.

National Security

James L. Jones served as National Security Advisor for Obama from January 2009 to November 2010. He is a retired U.S. Marine Corps General who held the positions of Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and Commander of the United States European Command until December 2006. Jones is president of Jones Group International, created to help address challenging geo-strategic issues.

Health Care

Karen Ignagni is president of Washington, D.C.-based America’s Health Insurance Plans. She is a nationally recognized spokesperson for the health care industry and has appeared before Senate and House committees to share her expertise. She has written articles on health care policy for numerous publications, including The New York Times, USA Today, and the New England Journal of Medicine. She also has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, CNN, MSNBC and CNBC.

J. Mario Molina is a physician and the president and CEO of California-based Molina Healthcare. As the son of Molina Healthcare founder, C. David Molina, the younger Molina has worked in various capacities within the company. He has received the Ernst & Young Greater Los Angeles Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 2005 was featured in Time magazine as one of the 25 most influential Hispanics in America.

Science and Technology: Can America Compete?

Norman R. Augustine is the former CEO and chairman of Lockheed Martin. Along with working with other aerospace companies such as Martin Marietta and Douglas Aircraft, Augustine held several positions in the Department of Defense. He served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as assistant director of defense research and engineering, as well as assistant secretary, under secretary, and acting secretary of the Army.

The 2011 Domenici Public Policy Conference costs $50 to attend, with registration and payment available online at domenici.nmsu.edu. The event is free to NMSU students. For more information, call the Domenici Institute at 575-646-2066.

This project is partially sponsored by the Department of the Army, Office of the Surgeon General. The content of the information does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the U.S. government and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Article courtesy of NMSU News Center

Writer: Jay Rodman, 575-646-1996, jrodman@nmsu.edu

New Mexico State University photo

New Mexico State University is significantly expanding its capacity to accomplish critical algal biofuel research with the recent installation of a new photobioreactor system from Solix BioSystems at the university’s Fabian Garcia Research Center in Las Cruces. The system promises to accelerate the university’s emergence as a leader in this important research area.

“Energy security and sustainability are global challenges,” said Vimal Chaitanya, vice president for research at NMSU. “With the demand for energy in developing nations projected to far outweigh that in the industrialized nations, it is critical to develop clean-energy options. Otherwise, developing countries will have no choice but to implement ‘business-as-usual’ approaches to energy production, with serious negative impacts on the global environment.

“We are happy to be engaged in developing approaches that will not only grow the local economy in New Mexico, but will maintain U.S. leadership in the global environment and energy security while reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.”

Funds to purchase the system came from a recent $2.3 million U.S. Air Force grant. Long range operational costs will be covered by a $49 million Department of Energy grant that established the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts consortium.

The Solix BioSystems Lumian AGS4000 is an algae cultivation system with a 4,000-liter production capacity that allows faster and denser production of algae than open “raceway” systems. In the new photobioreactor, algae culture will grow in enclosed panels suspended in an open 61-by-11-foot water filled basin. Control of various factors, such as temperature, carbon dioxide content and nutrient supply, is very precise and the panels are designed to optimize solar exposure. The result is a system that can accelerate the rate of carbon dioxide absorption, and therefore the rate of algae growth, up to 10 times the rate of raceways and can produce up to three times the density of algae per liter of water.

“The NMSU team plans to experiment with algae cultivation using the high performance AGS4000 to produce improved algal ‘seed’ culture for cultivation ‘scale-up’ in less expensive raceway systems,” said Peter Lammers, NMSU research professor and technical director of the university’s Algal Bioenergy Program. “Optimizing those steps will allow us to develop cultivation practices for both improved control of ‘weedy’ algae and maximizing oil content.”

Solix engineers, working with NMSU researchers and facilities personnel, completed the initial setup of the complex system April 8. Lammers said the system should be fully operational sometime in May.

In the context of NMSU’s multifaceted algal research agenda, the photobioreactor has a dual purpose, Lammers said. Not only will it help answer major research questions about how best to raise algae in the southern New Mexico climate, it will assume an expanding role as a production facility.

The standardized algal biomass it generates will be used for research on algal oil extraction and fuel conversion technologies, as well as the development of algal co-products such as high-protein animal or fish meal and fish-oil replacements.

“The economics of algae-derived fuel will be very difficult without generating revenue from every portion of the algae biomass,” Lammers said.

Among the researchers in four NMSU colleges whose work will be supported by the new system are Wiebke J. Boeing, Shanna Ivey, Tanner Schaub and Adrian Unc in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences; Meghan Starbuck in the College of Business; Wayne Van Voorhies in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Shuguang Deng and Nirmala Khandan in the College of Engineering.

The Lumian AGS4000 will help researchers answer many critical questions, including: What varieties of saltwater algae thrive in southern New Mexico? What combination of factors will optimize their lipid content? Can industrial carbon dioxide and brackish water be used in their cultivation? Can municipal and/or agricultural waste be used as nutrients? What is the best way to extract the lipid content of the algae and refine it into fuel? How can the production process be engineered to make it economically viable? Can the non-lipid biomass be used to feed livestock? Can water from the Solix system be used to irrigate certain plants?

For more information about NMSU’s role in the National Alliance for Advanced Biofuels and Bioproducts, visit research.nmsu.edu/naabb.