Technician
Professors and students create winning virtual learning environment. Justin Rose Staff Writer
For the past six years, computer science professor James Lester and a team of computer scientists and educational researchers have been working to create an intelligent, game-based learning environment for middle school students. The game, called Crystal Island, puts players in the shoes of a researcher on an island plagued by disease. The player must solve the mystery of why everyone is getting sick, learning about microbiology in the process. The game uses Valve Software’s Source Engine, which also powers blockbuster video games like HalfLife 2 and Left 4 Dead. Crystal Island lets the user perform experiments in the lab, interact with other characters, read “virtual books” to obtain background information on diseases and collect data about the food recently eaten by the members of the research team. The game also offers some freeroaming exploration, allowing the user to walk around the island and visit the infirmary, lab, dining hall and living quarters of each member of the team. As of now, there are 20 goals to achieve and 300 unique actions across 50 in-game locations. Lester, an associate professor in computer science, said he thinks Crystal Island has great potential as a learning tool given the power of narrative-driven games. “It’s really promising. There’s something very attractive to people after looking at the sales of commercial
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insidetechnician
Making strides in biomechanics
Biomedical researchers discover lowerbody mechanisms for movement and balance. See page 6.
Student ticketing changes
2011
Fake antivirus software a concern Students should be on the look-out for malicious software claiming to be protective. Justin Rose Staff Writer
With their realistic appearance and scan animations, the latest antivirus Trojans — destructive programs that pretend to be benign applications — are more difficult for students and faculty to distinguish from the real antivirus software. N.C. State’s Office of Information Technology (OIT) has detected a total of 561 variants of antivirus Trojans on campus computers within the past three years and now removes about 1,000 infections each month. According to Tim Gurganus, IT
security officer, antivirus Trojans are OIT Security and Compliance (S&C) a growing problem on campus, but detected more than 400 Trojans or not any more than for the rest of the other malicious viruses — all originating from fake antivirus programs. world. The S & C staff “More people found a total of than you might more than 1,000 imagine are inmalicious viruses volved in this in April 2010. lucrative crimi“Fake antivirus nal enterprise, scammers maand it’s grownipulate public ing,” Gurganus trusted Web sites said. “The first such as Facebook professionallyto frighten usproduced fakes Tim Gurganus, IT security officer ers with pop-up were detected messages warnin January 2005. Back then there were two to five new ing that supposed scans have found versions of fake antivirus software per malicious software on their computmonth. The number of new variants ers,” Gurganus said. “The scammers per month has been growing since generate these pop-up screens to sell then and topped 30 new variants in programs to fix the alleged problems, but when users click to accept the ofMarch 2011.” Within the first 12 days of May 2010, fer, malware code is installed on their
“More people than you might imagine are involved in this lucrative criminal enterprise.”
OIT Breakdown:
Number of versions of fake antivirus software detected by N.C. State OIT: 2005: 2-5 2009: 12 2010: 20 2011: 30 OIT detects and removes about 1,000 infections each month. Source: TIM gurganus
computers.” Gurganus said many users fall victim to these attacks, which infect their computers with all kinds of malware viruses, purchase useless antivirus software, and then provide their credit card information as payment to the scammers. Google Inc. has also confirmed the
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Research community continues science forum Decades-old academic discussion series survives in Raleigh. John Wall Staff Writer
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences continued a tradition begun in the late 1990s at the Irregardless Café Tuesday evening. Duncan Dallas spoke on philosophy in British cafes until his death. The talks, called Café Philosophique, aimed to spread the study of philosophy to the general public by hosting prominent philosophy speakers in British eateries. Scientists caught wind of the idea and began hosting scientific talks across Europe. Café Scientifique took hold in the United States in the early 2000s, taking on the name Science Café. The museum in downtown Raleigh started hosting Science Café talks in 2006. Their events, held monthly at either Irregardless or Tir Na Nog Pub and Restaurant, cover a wide range of topics. “We do all different topics in science. They are cool topics; we can go anywhere with it,” event organizer Katey Ahmann said. Jeffrey Stumpf, a Ph.D. in genetics and postdoctoral researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, spoke to an audience of 130 at the Irregardless Café on Martin St. about genetic research in the 21st century. Stumpf kicked off the event with an overview of how researchers came about understanding DNA structure and replication. Opening remarks were short, though, since all café events are meant to have a question-and-answer focus. Attendees asked Stumpf complex and intricate genetics questions
Closed session of Board of Trustees to focus on personnel—not the budget. John Wall Staff Writer
Basler battles to get back in the water
Winston-Salem native endures “long road” following injury. See page 8.
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Maria White/Technician
Jeffrey Stumpf, a Ph.D. in genetics, speaks at the Irregardless Café in downtown Raleigh Tuesday, June 21. Stumpf discussed genetic mutations and concluded with the idea that "in the 21st century, the most important technology will be the ability to sequence genomes." Time was also provided for Q&A from members of the audience.
once given the opportunity. Irregardless’s staff hustled to serve the packed restaurant. “The restaurant is rarely this crowded on a Tuesday evening,” Irregardless employee Jessica Kleekamp said. Families and scientist-types ate and drank throughout the event. The bar was wet, and the kitchen doors swung wildly as servers scurried in and out while waiting tables. Museum marketing coordinator Steve Bopson said café talks have a large following.
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2011 Science Cafe Topics: May The Stealth Pathogen: Bartonella: Edward Breitschwerdt, professor of internal medicine April Black Holes - Relentless Attraction of Gravity: John Blondin, alumbi distinguished professor of physics March Security in the Digital Age – Are We Safe?: Douglas Reeves, professor of computer science
February Prevention of Heart Disease: Managing Risk Factors: Deepak Pasi, cardiologist and member of Rex Heart and Vascular Specialists in Raleigh January Rain Forests: Going, Going, Gone?: Meg Lowman, research professor and director of the Nature Research Center for the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
Source: N.C. museum of Natural Sciences
University trustees meet behind closed doors
New rules take away groups; list stricter “no-show” policies. See page 8.
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Kids learn microbiology with the aid of computer game
thursday
The University’s Board of Trustees will meet Thursday, but rather than discussing critical issues surrounding the recently passed state budget, they will focus on unidentified “personnel” issues. According to Keith Nichols, director of news and communication, personnel issues are required to be discussed in closed meetings. Nichols said he could not expand
on what issues are slated to be dis- 4 p.m., she was unaware of the meetcussed, but said the secrecy should ing entirely. “I would be invited to a regular not be construed to be ominous. meeting, but not to “This is a routine this one,” Thompson meeting,” Nichols said. said. “There is no While the implibig news that’s gocations of the state’s ing to come out of budget for the UNC this meeting.” system and the UniSince the meetversity are controing is closed session, versial topics, the only the executive Keith Nichols, director of news Board of Trustees is committee is inand communication currently incapable vited. Student Body of making necesPresident Chandler Thompson has a seat on the Board of sary decisions for the University since Trustees but is not on the executive it must wait on the decisions of the committee, and therefore cannot at- Board of Governors — an organizatend the meeting. As of Wednesday at tion overseeing the entire UNC sys-
“There is no big news that’s going to come out of this meeting.”
tem. The Board of Governors must first allocate funds to each of the 17 UNC campuses. Once the Board of Trustees knows the funds appropriated to N.C. State, it can then proceed with spreading the dollars across University units. “There is a step or two steps between now and the time that we know what our budget looks like for each unit going forward,” Nichols said. The Board of Governors is set to meet in early July, Nichols said. Although the Board of Governors will not discuss the budget Thursday, the Tuition Review Advisory Committee released its tuition increase rec-
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