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Govindaraju elected IEEE Fellow
Venu Govindaraju, professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Buffalo, recently was elected a fellow by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for his contributions to handwriting recognition.
The IEEE is a major international association of technical professionals whose members come from such fields as computer science, aerospace engineering, telecommunications and consumer electronics.
It recognizes a select group of technical professionals each year following a rigorous evaluation process. Election to IEEE Fellow is one of the institute's most prestigious honors, as well as the highest grade of membership in the IEEE.
Govindaraju's achievements include a patent on a unique system of recognizing words written in cursive script. He also has developed an optical character recognition (OCR) system for Hindi, Sanskrit and other South Asian languages based on Devanagari script—innovative technology that narrows the gap between developed and developing nations.
He currently is working on developing OCR software for unconstrained handwritten Arabic documents.
Govindaraju has received numerous honors and awards, among them the Outstanding Young Investigator Award from the International Conference on Document Analysis and Recognition, and a Global Indus Technovators Award from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Indian Business Club. He is also a fellow of the International Association of Pattern Recognition.
Govindaraju is director of the Center for Unified Biometrics and Sensors (CUBS) at UB and the associate director of UB's Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR).
He also serves on the editorial boards of IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence and IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics.
Govindaraju received an undergraduate degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, and master's and doctoral degrees in computer science from UB.
Teaching workshop set
"Teaching in America: A Guide for International Faculty" will be the feature presentation at the next screening of "CTLR at the Movies," to be held from 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 17 in 120 Clemens Hall, North Campus.
The video and discussion session will be facilitated by Keith E. Otto, director of the English as a Second Language Program in the English Language Institute.
Sponsored by the Center for Teaching and Learning Resources, the session will discuss the obstacles and opportunities international faculty members face when teaching in the United States. It is open to all members of the university community, including current and prospective faculty members and international teaching assistants.
The session is free of charge, but registration is required. To register visit the CTLR Web site at http://www.buffalo.edu/ctlr or contact Lisa Francescone at 645-7328, or lcf@buffalo.edu.
Kids to receive free dental care
Hundreds of children and their parents are expected to fill the dental clinics at the School of Dental Medicine tomorrow for the fifth annual "Give Kids a Smile" day.
Children from across Western New York who do not have access to dental care will receive dental treatment free of charge that day as part of the UB dental school's community outreach programs.
Last year, 132 volunteer dental faculty, alumni and dental students provided care to 550 children.
Children ages 1-18 from local Head Start centers, elementary schools, high schools and Hearts-4-Homeless locations will be transported to the school, along with their parents. Children will receive a dental exam, fluoride treatments, x-rays, sealants, oral hygiene instruction and other consultations or treatments as needed.
These services improve the oral and general health of children and prevent future oral health problems.
The Buffalo event is part of a national effort to encourage children to adopt healthy dental habits early on so they can avoid major problems later. Local co-sponsors of the event are Ivoclar Vivadent, a leading supplier of dental systems headquartered in Amherst, and the Eighth District Dental Society.
Valentine's dinner planned
Campus Dining & Shops will present its third annual Valentine's Day Dinner from 5-8 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Center for Tomorrow, North Campus.
The dinner is open to all UB students, faculty and staff. Reservations are required.
The special meal will feature an Italian buffet, strolling musicians, chocolates and a chocolate fountain. A courtesy shuttle bus will run, beginning at 4 p.m., with pickups and drop-offs at Goodyear, Michael Hall, Governors and Ellicott.
The cost for the dinner is $12, payable with Dining Dollars, Campus Cash or cash. Students with a traditional meal plan may attend in lieu of dinner in the dining hall that evening.
Reservations must be made by Feb. 10 at rsvp@myubcard.com, at the UB Card office in the Commons, or at the RSVP table in any dining hall.