On Oct. 17, ITS will automatically uninstall outdated versions of the Chrome and Firefox web browsers from all Drake-owned computers, including both Windows and Mac platforms. This change will not affect Microsoft Edge and Apple Safari. This update is part of our efforts to enhance security and protect our network from potential cyber threats.

To avoid losing your personalized settings, remember that both Chrome and Firefox allow you to create an account and login to save your bookmarks, preferences, and extensions, which can be accessed on any device where you login.

After the outdated browsers are removed, you can easily reinstall the latest version of your preferred browser by using the preconfigured installation apps in Company Portal (Windows) or Self Service (macOS). These installations ensure your browser is automatically updated for better security and performance.

If you have questions or need help after this change, contact us by submitting a ticket though the ITS service portal at service.drake.edu/its or by calling the Support Center at 515-271-3001.

— Becky Klein, ITS

Tuition Exchange, Inc. (one of the tuition exchange programs in which Drake participates) is offering a free webinar to families that will provide an overview of the tuition exchange process. To learn more and register, click here.

— Ryan Zantingh, Financial Aid Office

The Sponsored Research Administration and Research Compliance (SPARC) Office would like to congratulate the following faculty members on their grant awards from the National Science Foundation. These awards are the impressive result of their hard work and diligence.

Klaus Bartschat, PhD, Ellis & Nelle Levitt Professor of Physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy was awarded a three-year, $319,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant for his project entitled Photon- and Electron-Driven Atomic Collision Processes: General Theory and Accurate Numerical Calculations.

This study examines collisions of light (mostly lasers) and charged particles (mostly electrons) with atoms and ions. Elastic and inelastic processes, including excitation, single and double ionization, autoionization, and excitation-ionization for a wide variety of targets will be investigated by combining general collision theory with the development and subsequent application of highly sophisticated numerical methods. Continuing the close interaction with many groups in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia will lead to a deeper understanding of the quantum-mechanical collision dynamics while simultaneously producing data needed for many modelling applications, specifically in plasma and astrophysics.

Jerrid Kruse, PhD, Professor, and Lindsay Woodward, PhD, Associate Professor and Chair, Teaching and Learning Department, were awarded a three-year, $628,791 grant for their project entitled, Engaging Elementary Teachers in Developing and Implementing Instructional Materials Promoting Socioscientific Literacy.

Navigating complex societal issues such as water shortages, forest fires, and other phenomena-based problems requires understanding the social, technological, and scientific dimensions surrounding the issues and the ways these dimensions interact, shift, and change. Despite its importance, however, developing students’ socioscientific literacy has received limited attention in elementary science teaching and learning contexts. This project begins to address this problem of practice by focusing first on developing elementary teachers’ socioscientific literacy and their capacity to integrate socioscientific issues and local phenomena in their science teaching practice.

— Preston Miller, Sponsored Programs Administration and Research Compliance