No. 55November

2016

“Education is the most powerful

weapon which you can use to change the

world”, said Nelson Mandela, and the

inauguration of this academic year was another

opportunity for our University to renew its pledge to

provide, among others, the best educational services to

the young people in its care.

On 3 October, students, academic staff, invitees,

representatives of public administration, local governance,

and industries who convened in great numbers at the

University's Aula Magna were greeted, as ever, by the anthem

Gaudeamus igitur.

In his commencement address, professor Ioan Vasile

Abrudan, Rector of Transilvania University of Brașov, reiterated the

essential contribution of the academe for the future professionals, their

employers, as well as for society at large.

Brief speeches followed. They were delivered by Mr Gheorghe

Scripcaru, Mayor of Braşov city, Mr Ciprian Băncilă, Prefect of Braşov County, and

by this year's special guest, Mr Dean Thompson, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S.

Embassy in Romania.

� The students left the inauguration ceremony sharing in our belief that

becoming a student at Transilvania University is the optimum solution for a young

person on their way to building a successful career.

Gaudeamus igitur – So let us all rejoice for them!

Dr Liliana Rogozea, Dr Andrea Deaconescu

CONAT 2016FREE AND UNPREDICTABLE MUSICMEETING WITH VIRGIL NEMOIANU AT THE

FACULTY OF LETTERSA MAGICAL EVENING WITH PIANIST BOTOND SZÖCS

ON THE STAGE OF THE BRAȘOV PHILHARMONICERASMUS EVENTSSTATE‐OF‐THE‐ART TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FIELD OF

ELECTRIC AXES

MUSICA CORONENSIS FESTIVALFOREST AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CVTC CENTRE RELATED TO THE MELOTHERAPHY MASTER PROGRAM

COOPERATION WITH SCHUBZ CENTRE THE MOBILE FRITSCH LAB

THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE AT BRAȘOVFEEDBACK FROM ALUMNI AT VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION MODELS ELEVATION – SONGS FROM AFARPROFESSORS FROM THE USA AND AUSTRIA VISIT THE FACULTY OF WOOD ENGINEERING

eHERITAGE AT THE END OF ITS FIRST YEARTHE EUROPEAN SATELLITE NAVIGATION COMPETITION AWARDS IN MADRIDTWO BOOK LAUNCHES AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE UNILTED – NOIMACIBv 2016 SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI

thBetween 26 and 28 October, Aula Magna was the venue of the 12 edition of

the International Congress of Automotive and Transport Engineering, CONAT 2016,

co‐organized by the Romanian Society of Automotive Engineers (SIAR), SAE

International (USA) and Transilvania University, under the patronage of The

International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (FISITA) and the

European Automobile Engineers Cooperation (EAEC), presided by Murli Iyer,

Vice‐president of FISITA and SAE.Specialists, students and representatives of the automotive

industry from Romania, Germany and Austria attended the roundtable

entitled “Collaboration in the horizontal automotive industry”,

facilitated by Dr Peter Pleus, CEO Automotive Schaeffler AG,

Germany. More than 200 participants from 16 countries

appreciated the exhibition of automotive products and

solutions showcased by Schaeffler, Renault, AVL, Horiba,

INAS and Siemens. Automotive students from eight

Romanian universities and from Morocco took part in the

Automobile Dynamics Contest, the Student Products

Contest, and the Automotive Students Conference.Truly special were are also the artistic

moments that punctuated the event: the ASTRA

Choir recital, the violin and piano recital of

Valentin Șerban and Valentin Mureșan, the piano

recital of Botond Szöcs, the recital of soprano

Mădălina Bourceanu, accompanied by pianist

Ovidiu Mezei, and the organ concert at the

Black Church.The qual i ty, popular i ty, and

extensive thematic and geographical

coverage make this congress consistent

with FISITA's standards.

Dr Anghel Chiru

THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF AUTOMOTIVE AND TRANSPORT ENGINEERING ‐ CONAT 2016

COMMENCEMENT OF 2016‐2017 ACADEMIC YEAR

COMMENCEMENT OF 2016‐2017 ACADEMIC YEAR

It is not the walls that make a school, but the spirit that reigns within.

NEWSLETTERTransilvania University of Bra�ovWhat purpose does the university serve if not to pave the way for the society of wisdom?(King Ferdinand I)

(Paolo Blasi)

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

André Gide stated that “The capacity to get free is nothing; the capacity to

be free, that is the task.” In order to show that this statement can be both proved and

disproved in a creative manner, artists convened to open the 2016‐2017 concert season

at Transilvania University.A special invitee, Nicolas Simion, saxophone player, artist of improvised music,

composer, orchestrator and producer, impressed his audience with the multiplicity of musical thgenres in his repertoire, and with the folk influences bearing 20 century touches. Author of 40 albums

and a multifaceted performer and entertainer, Nicolas Simion played in turns the saxophone (soprano

and tenor), the flute and the piano. He was masterfully accompanied by Sorin Romanescu, artist of

guitar improvisations, sound designer, and musical composer for contemporary dance shows or

documentary films.Through their performance, the two artists genuinely proved that the world of jazz music is

one in which freedom is not that difficult to handle. Despite several remote traces of cult music, not

everything was as it seemed: Bartok was not Bartok, Jora was not Jora, Enescu was not Enescu, and

Bach was certainly not Bach. Actually, the entire musical repertoire ‐ from Gershwin, Răducanu,

Ellington, to Nicolas Simion – was borrowed, filtered and delivered in a profoundly interiorized and personal manner. All this made the evening of 3

October a moment suspended in time, an evening dedicated to a new kind of music, free, graceful, and nostalgic.

ndMagdalena Lazăr, II year student

FREE AND UNPREDICTABLE MUSIC

OPENING THE CONCERT SEASON AT TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

On 13 October, the Multicultural Centre of Transilvania University played host to a double book launch,

in the presence of Professor Virgil Nemoianu, one of the most famous theorists and philosophers of culture. The

two volumes, România și liberalismele ei. Tradiție și libertate (Romania and Its Liberalisms. Tradition and

Freedom) and Surâsul abundenței. Cunoaștere lirică și modele ideologice la Ștefan Augustin Doinaș (The Smile of

Abundance. Lyrical Knowledge and Ideological Models with Ștefan Augustin Doinaș) are the latest in a six‐

volume author series initiated by Spandugino Publishing House. The event was facilitated by Dr Adrian Lăcătuș,

Dr Rodica Ilie and Dr Adrian Lesenciuc, President of the Writers' Association, Brașov.Dr Adrian Lăcătuș, Director of the Multicultural Centre, introduced Professor Nemoianu and

applauded the invitee's constant preoccupation with grand ideas and concepts, with minute immediate facts of

universal and Romanian literature, as The Smile of Abundance well illustrates. Speaking about the other volume,

Dr Rodica Ilie noted that it seems to have been spurred by a series of enquiries the author constantly deals with as

part of his inherent critical curiosity. Further on, Dr Adrian Lesenciuc examined the objective perspective upon the period of transition after 1989 as

displayed in Romania and Its Liberalisms.

� Prof. Nemoianu is a third‐time guest at our Faculty of Letters. In 2013, Prof. Nemoianu acted as keynote speaker at the second edition of the

International Conference on Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies.Luciana Sima, PhD student

I have always believed that in order to perform Chopin's Piano Concerto No.1 in E minor, Op. 11, the

musician should possess a consummate piano technique, virtuosity, energy and sensitivity. On 13 October, we

all enjoyed the performance of such a piano virtuoso ‐ Botond Szöcs – a complex personality, endowed with

abilities that hold the promise of a grand future.

� His recital made a deep impression on his audience who appreciated the rich artistry, the attention to

details, and the swift, magical passage from sublime to dramatic. We were privileged to witness the

performance of a quintessential Chopin, a genuinely romantic composer! It is indeed the sign that Botond

Szöcs has mastered the art of performing Chopin and that his artistic development under the supervision of Dr

Stela Drăgulin, a particularly skilled mentor, is on the right track.We unreservedly congratulate the protagonist and his maestro, we appreciate their work, and wish

them good‐luck for the future!Dr Elena Criveanu

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 BY FREDERIC CHOPIN

MEETING WITH VIRGIL NEMOIANU AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERSON LITERATURE AND FREEDOM

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

A MAGICAL EVENING WITH PIANIST BOTOND SZÖCS ON THE STAGE OF THE BRAȘOV PHILHARMONIC

On 10 October, specialists from FESTO Company gave a presentation on topic of Electric Axes at the FESTO National Training Centre coordinated by the Industrial Engineering and Management Department within the Faculty of Technological Engineering and Industrial Management. The turnout consisted of specialists representing local industries and students enrolled in the Machine‐Tools and Manufacturing Systems study program. The event included: a presentation of FESTO Company, a presentation of the electric axes range (the range of products, Handling Guide Online, documents and guidelines download) and Positioning Drives – the dimensioning program, as well as a Festo Configuration Tools, Hands‐On demonstration – software installation applications for various electric axes.

Taking place within the wider frame of collaboration between the Industrial Engineering and Management Department and FESTO, this event afforded all those present the opportunity to get up to speed with the latest achievements in the field.

Dr Mihai Ionescu

The highlight of the Musica Coronensis Festival hosted by our university was the get‐together of a group of seven young artists from the diaspora, graduates of Romanian universities, with current students at the Faculty of Music and highschoolers at the local Tudor Ciortea Music High School.

The topic of this meeting was a retrospective of the development of the seven young guests, starting with their evolution as undergraduate students, up to their present international careers. All of them are currently soloists and members of various chamber music ensembles or orchestras, performing on some of the most prestigious international stages, participate in or deliver master classes: Teodora Gheorghiu, bel canto soprano at the Opera House in Vienna; Teodora Ducariu, flute, University of Music of Lucerne; Sabina Vîrtosu, violin, The Royal College of Music of London; Ioan‐Dragoș Dimitriu, piano, University of Music and Dramatic Arts of Vienna; Andrei Stanciu, violin, Yehudi Menuhin Academy of Switzerland; Valentin Șerban, violin, University of Music of Graz; Teodor Rusu, violoncello, Mozarteum University of Salzburg.

Modest and open‐hearted, they expressed their admiration and gratitude for their teachers at the Music High School of Brașov and at their respective faculties of music. A stumbling block in their path was the access to the elite of the European music, where the competition is fierce and the standards are impressive. Beyond their native talent, the secret of their great success lies in the degree of commitment and depth of their study.

Delivered to a young audience hung on their every word for three solid hours, their passionate speeches were redolent of the depth and sensitivity of the musical discourse they communicate to audiences in international concert halls.

Dr Ioan Oarcea

FESTO PRESENTATION AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL MANAGEMENT

A PROFESSIONAL CAREER IN CLASSICAL MUSIC

It took me twenty years to be able to express my gratitude for a gift that I was once given. I was wandering through Porto and I ended up at Constantin Sandu's piano concert at Casa da Música. He invited me into his home where we talked about the Portuguese, about their innate melancholy so that, ever since, hearing someone talk about these peaceful and likable people whose language sounds like the murmur of water and whispers always give me a start. But on that occasion, I discovered an absolutely remarkable man.

On 18 October, I listened to him performing three celebrated Beethoven sonatas, “Pathétique”, “Moonlight” and “Appassionata”. About the last piece, Lenin said “if I keep listening to Beethoven's Appassionata, I won't be able to finish the revolution”. There is a moral here: world peace and total reconciliation supported by music constitute the polar opposite of the Hegelian‐Marxism‐derived, resentment‐begetting negativity instilled in the politicians. Having listened to the three sonatas, is there any more place for hatred for the fellow men? It is fascinating to see how an artistic event is created on the spot, around two hundred years old music, and giving one the feeling of being Beethoven's coeval, and listening to these compositions for the first time. The recital was homogeneous, intense, and artistically challenging, all of which brought out the pianist's virtuosity.

� Here are some thoughts. I think that the various events scheduled at Aula Magna should be prefaced with an audio and visual background including fragments from previous recitals. I reiterate an older suggestion: projecting symphonic concerts held at Aula Magna on a large screen mounted in the Council Square. This would be a first step to reinventing the citadel's metaphysical spirit. This would also lead to saving the artist's identity since, as the Greek thinkers argued, in order to save one's soul, one must become a part of someone else's memory.

Dr Ștefan Ungurean

APPASSIONATA, MOONLIGHT, PATHETIQUE

A MEMORABLE ARTISTIC FEAT: CONSTANTIN SANDU'S PIANO INTERPRETATION OF THREE BEETHOVEN SONATAS

STATE‐OF‐THE‐ART TECHNOLOGIES IN THE

FIELD OF ELECTRIC AXES

MUSICA CORONENSIS FESTIVAL

The start of each academic year is a particularly busy time for the Erasmus Office at our university. This year we welcomed the highest number of incoming students who opted for study or practicum programs with us.

On 12 October the incoming students took part in the Erasmus Welcome Meeting at the university's Multicultural Centre. This get‐together was aimed at orienting newcomers, introducing them to the opportunities offered by our university, in terms of both study and leisure. Participants were handed information packs and met with the Erasmus coordinators of their respective faculties, as well as with representatives of the Erasmus Student Network.

The large number of incoming students and the more diversified events and activities targeted at the Erasmus students can be considered the corollary of the hard work and sustained efforts put in by our office. At the same time, these outcomes are a further incentive to develop the university's educational offer even further.

Dr Laura Teodora David, Incoming mobilities Coordinator

WELCOME MEETING FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

ERASMUS EVENTS

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

Between 7 and 8 October, the Faculty of Silviculture and Forest Engineering hosted an event which gathered 150 participants from national and international universities and prestigious institutes. Romania was represented by academics, PhD candidates and undergraduate students from Brașov and from other Romanian universities, as well as by researchers affiliated to the National Research and Development Institute in Forestry.

The symposium represented a good opportunity to communicate the results of research into various aspects of forestry and geodesy: forests and biodiversity, the management of forestry ecosystems, forestry policies and economics, management of wildlife, forestry engineering, advanced geomatics. The plenary presentations, scientific communications and presentations were grouped under six panels. On the second day of the event, the participants took a field trip to the forests in the area of Piatra Craiului National Park.

The symposium also included the award‐giving ceremony commending the young teacher and researcher of the year 2015. Awarded by Alexandru Tissescu Foundation, the prize went to Dr Ion Cătălin Petriţan, in recognition for his valuable contribution in the field of silvic sciences.

Dr Stelian Alexandru Borz

This year's session of the MediTech2016 Conference, organized by the International Federation for

Medical and Biological Engineering and the University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Cluj‐Napoca, represented a

landmark moment for research in the medical field. The participants' contributions highlighted a number of

important investigations in the field of medical engineering, many of whom are ahead of their time.The auspicious work environment created by the team of organizers led by Professor Nicolae Marius

Roman matched the highly topical subjects approached. By organizing the 5th International Conference on

Advancements of Medicine and Health Care through Technology – MediTech2016, the Technical University

reconfirmed the excellence of this university centre based in Cluj‐Napoca.As an invited plenary speaker, I was happy to report on the scientific activity conducted by the

International Association of Online Engineering, as well as the special activities of the CVTC Centre of

Transilvania University of Brașov, concerning the special field of the Melotherapy master program. This was the

topic of the plenary entitled Online Technologies and Virtual Instrumentation in Sensing ‐ Monitoring –

Medicine. “Cloud Instrumentation and IoT”, co‐authored by D. Ursuțiu, Transilvania University of Brașov, the

Academy of Romanian Scientists (AOSR), C. Samoilă, Transilvania University of Brașov, the Academy of Technical Sciences of Romania (ASTR), Stela

Drăgulin, Transilvania University of Brașov, the Faculty of Music.

Dr Doru Ursuțiu, Chair of IAOE

The Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences hosted, on 21 October, a symposium on a highly topical issue: Education for Sustainable Development. The event is part of the collaboration between our faculty and the SCHUBZ Centre at Lüneburg (Germany). Our traditional partner in this event is the Mioritics Association Romania, promoter of this educational model at SCHUBZ Centre in Râșnov funded by Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt.

The participants in the symposium were teaching staff from pre‐university education, students attending the psychology and pedagogy study programs, and faculty staff interested in this type of education. The agenda of the event was rich and varied; after an attractive presentation of the history of Lüneburg SCHUBZ centre, Dr Franz Corleis highlighted the most important goals of an education for sustainable development and the way in which they can be achieved with children from primary and lower‐secondary education. He also stressed the importance of developing friendly attitudes towards the environment. Florentina Florescu and Luminița Tănasie, collaborators of the Râșnov SCHUBZ Centre, went on to present the educational programs “Let's discover the forest”, “The water laboratory” and “Protected natural areas”. When these programs are put into practice with students, they are based on direct contact with nature and on interactive experiential methods which focus on contact with nature as an essential part of education at all ages.

A moving highlight of the symposium was the confession made by Hans Elsen, whose former home serves as HQ to the current Râșnov SCHUBZ Centre. A retired primary school teacher who now resides in Germany, Mr Elsen argued for the power of good example that teachers can set for the younger generation in matters related to environment‐friendly behaviour seen as an essential condition for the real efficiency of any activity directed at sustainable development.

Dr Mariela Pavalache‐Ilie

FOREST AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZED BY THE FACULTY OF SILVICULTURE AND FOREST ENGINEERING

EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT SYMPOSIUM

COOPERATION WITH SCHUBZ CENTRE

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ONLINE ENGINEERING (IAOE) PRESENT AT MEDITECH 2016

THE ACTIVITIES OF THE CVTC CENTRE RELATED TO THE MELOTHERAPHY

MASTER PROGRAM

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

The Faculty of Materials Science and Engineering together with Sartorom

SRL have included Transilvania University in the tour of the Fritsch Laborgeräte GmbH

mobile laboratory. Fritsch is a company specialising in the production of tools for sample

preparation and particle sizing, used in many fields of industrial activity.

Although the surface of a mobile laboratory is fairly limited, Fritsch has equipped the

laboratory with 10 of the most representative pieces of equipment, among which five types of mills

used for pregrinding, quick or fine grinding (up to nano dimensions) of soft, hard or breakable

materials. In the mobile laboratory visitors could also see dynamic granulometric analysers or laser

ones for the measurement of size and shape of particles, the sample divider, the mechanical mortar

and the breaker with jaws.

On 21 October, the mobile lab was parked on the university premises for seven hours. This

gave an opportunity to ten university staffs and researchers to check the performance of the

equipment, by testing their own samples and materials. These tests showed whether a certain piece of

equipment was appropriate or not for the kind of processing it was originally designed. The samples

which, for objective reasons, could not be tested on the spot were taken by the technical team of the

mobile lab for processing by means of adequate equipment. The tests and their results are to be sent to

the interested parties. The mobile Fritsch lab also benefitted other specialists from industries such as

pharmacy, construction materials and medicinal plants.

Dr Dorin‐Ioan Cătană

On 16 October, alumni in various programs of the U.S. Department of State from numerous fields

ranging from academic to economic met in the vintage atmosphere of Café Festival 39 as invitees of Ms Mala

Adiga, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs.

On behalf of Transilvania University, present at the meeting were Dr Adrian Lăcătuş, Dean of the

Faculty of Letters, Dr Gabriela Chefneux coordinator of the American Studies program, Dr Emilia‐Adela Salcă

from the Faculty of Wood Engineering and Fulbright Program alumna.

Ms. Mala Adiga was accompanied by Mr John Hishmeh, PA, Mr Ron Hawkins, Public Affairs Officer and

Ms Cornelia Vlaicu, Cultural Affairs Assistant at the US Embassy in Bucharest.

In a casual, relaxed atmosphere, every alumnus briefly described their personal and professional

experience during the mobility in the USA and their professional path and prospects following the mobility.

Dr Emilia‐Adela Salcă

STATE‐OF‐THE‐ART EQUIPMENT PRESENTATION AND TESTING

MEETING WITH REPRESENTATIVES

FROM THE BUREAU OF EDUCATIONAL AND

CULTURAL AFFAIRS AND FROM THE USA EMBASSY

FEEDBACK FROM ALUMNI AT VARIOUS PROGRAMS OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Well‐known for its iatro‐history school represented by A. Huttmann, P. Binder, G. Nussbächer or Emil

Bologa, Brașov was the venue of the National Reunion for the History of Medicine, which took place between 20

and 22 October. The turnout consisted of members of the National Society for the History of Medicine and

members of the National Society for the History of Pharmacy.

Their reunion responded to the need to analyse and understand the historical phenomena because, as

Valeriu Lucian Bologa said, “to be able to comprehend the fundamental and permanent ideas, the very essence

of medicine itself, in other words, in order to get a good grasp of its status and acquire a philosophical view of it,

familiarity with the present, inductively‐derived data is simply not enough; one needs to feel, live and relive it.”

Prominent medical personalities together with students debated topics such as: Novel data about USA

internships by Romanian physicians between the two world wars (N. Marcu), The evolution of surgery at

Constanta military hospital between 1882‐2016 (V. Sârbu, R. Melihov, O. Unc, D. Costea), The French medical

mission in Romania during the First World War and straight after the Great Union (D. Baran), Health legislation under the Austro‐Hungarian

monarchy. Transilvania between 1876‐1914: A case study. (O. Habor), The anti‐cholera campaign during the second Balkan war, 1913 (F. Leașu),

Pioneers in neurosurgery: over 130 years since the first successful ablation of an olfactory grove meningioma (Al.V. Ciurea, A.A. Marinescu, G. David,

A. Mohan), Medical SPA press in the 19th century and the first half of the 20th – history and continuity (R. Miclăuș, L. Rogozea, A.S. Nica, N. Roman, S.

Caloian, C. Mateescu), The tribute to the Romanian Army in the work of col.dr. Constantin Iugulescu. (A. Carată).

Dr Liliana Rogozea

THE HISTORY OFMEDICINE AT BRAȘOV

THE MOBILE FRITSCH LAB

REUNION OF MEDICAL HISTORY SOCIETIES

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

Representatives from Transilvania University Library of Braşov, together with delegates of other libraries, academic and research institutions around the country, participated in the National Conference Access to Scientific Literature: Updating the Education and Research Systems in Romania. Research and Publication Models, 4th edition.

The event took place in Bucharest between 26 and 28 October, and was organised by ENFORMATION in partnership with the National Library of Romania, together with international academic publishing houses, partner companies, the Association of the Universities, Research and Development Institutes and the Central University Libraries in Romania Anelis Plus.

The main goal of the conference was to offer opportunities for interaction between people interested in academic documentation for research, academic publication, technology transfer and research tools.

A number of topics of current and general interest were approached, among which Research –

from a global perspective to successful business; Scientific literature: paradigms and resources; Juniors

and seniors for educational reform: concepts, practices and projects; Companies, organisations and

associations which support education.The event attracted a large turnout; among the participants were Romanian researchers from all fields of academic inquiry, teachers,

librarians, as well as graduate and undergraduate students.The conclusions emphasized the need for updated information for and about research as well as the role of education in societal

development.Corina Pop, Transilvania University Library

Elevation, the New York quartet led by pianist and composer Lucian Ban, opened the Chamber Jazz at

Transilvania University series with a remarkable recital held on 7 October. The quartet consists of established

American musicians: apart from leader Lucian Ban, it includes Abraham Burton (saxophone), John Hebert

(bass), and Eric McPherson (percussion). For this particular event, they were joined by a guest singer, Gavril

Țărmure.

The audience of 400 present at the event shared into a genuine artistic feat: modern jazz interspersed

with a tinge of traditional Romanian music resulted in an original rendition, where the masterfully punctuated

rhythm kept by each instrument together with the vocalist's great performance managed to instil new life into

old Transylvanian folk music, conjuring a wide array of feelings among the audience, from the deepest

melancholy to an almost frivolous joie de vivre.

To us, the high artistic standards set by Lucian Ban's Songs from afar hold the promise of a series of jazz

concerts of the finest quality to take place in the future.

Maria Ghiurțu, Transilvania University's Multicultural Centre

Between 24 and 28 October, Dr Salim Hiziroglu from the Natural Resource Ecology and Management Department at Oklahoma State University (USA) visited the Faculty of Wood Engineering.

Dr Hiziroglu gave undergraduate and graduate students two lectures on the current status of research in the USA on the subject of composite panels made from less exploited wood species and from non‐wood materials, as well as on data regarding wood engineering and timber technology in the USA.

At the same time, the staff from the Department of Wood Processing and Design of Wood Products welcomed Dr Marius Cătălin Barbu, visiting professor at Salzburg University, Kuchl, (Austria), whose lecture brought third and fourth year undergraduates up to speed with the latest in the international research on composite panels.

The students showed much interest in participating in the interactive classes taught by the two invited professors. Dr Hiziroglu and Dr Barbu met with the faculty staff and management and discussion took place on the ways of extending the professional collaboration and academic exchanges within the frame of the Erasmus program. Dr Hiziroglu gladly agreed to visit, together with a group of undergraduate students at the Faculty of Wood Engineering, the Museum of Urban Civilisation in Braşov – an opportunity to acquire a novel cultural experience.

Dr Emilia‐Adela Salcă

RESEARCH AND PUBLICATION MODELS

THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ACCESS TO SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE

COMPOSITE PANELS, WOOD ENGINEERING

AND TIMBER TECHNOLOGY

THE CHAMBER JAZZ SERIES KICKS OFF AT TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

ELEVATION – SONGS FROM AFAR

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

PROFESSORS FROM THE USA AND AUSTRIA VISIT THE FACULTY OF WOOD ENGINEERING

Launched on 1 November 2015, the project titled “Expanding the

Research and Innovation Capacity in Cultural Heritage Virtual Reality Applications –

eHERITAGE”, based on a European H2020‐TWINN‐2015 funding, has reached the end of

its first year.Both the staff of the coordinating institution (Transilvania University of Brasov) and

the personnel of the partner institutions Institut Jozef Stefan (JSI) from Ljubljana, Slovenia and

Scuola Superiore Di Studi Universitari E Di Perfezionamento Sant'Anna (SSSA) from Pisa, Italy, made

considerable efforts to complete the activities and to achieve the performance indicators proposed in

the project.During this first year, six staff members at Transilvania University were involved in brief

training programs with our partners, an opportunity to initiate collaborations which resulted in

contributions in conferences and specialist journals. These activities have brought the eHERITAGE

consortium one step closer to its main goal: increasing the competence and effectiveness of the

research staff at the Department of Motor Vehicles and Transport (DATR) of Transilvania University of

Brașov in the field of preserving cultural heritage using VR technologies. Important events meant to conclude the first year of the project were an open day

dedicated to the general public, and a workshop on topics closely related to the objectives of

eHERITAGE. On 11 October this year, these events took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, within the

frame of the multi‐conference Information Society 2016 (IS2016).

Dr Mihai Duguleană

On 20 October, the university's Multicultural Centre was the venue for a double book launch: Oameni

obosiți (Tired People) and Regele dimineții (King of the Morning). Issued by Cartier Publishing House, the books

contain collections of poetry by the late writers Andrei Bodiu and Alexandru Mușina, respectively. The volumes

were curated by two established poets, Claudiu Komartin and Radu Vancu, which adds to their artistic value.

The official book launch took on the form of a free discussion involving editor Gheorghe Erizanu,

writers and critics Caius Dobrescu, Romulus Bucur, Adrian Lăcătuș, Cristina Vasilică, and the two curators, Radu

Vancu și Claudiu Komartin. Acknowledging the momentous nature of their publication, the curators described

the two volumes of collected poems as the outcome of their own understanding of the artistic and intellectual

contribution made by each of the two late poets to the development of indigenous poetry. In this spirit, each of

the two volumes is an illustration of the particular ways in which one poetic mind channels and echoes another.

In both content and layout, the books constitute landmark events on the local editorial agenda, while

also being good entry points for anyone interested in the works of their authors.

Maria Ghiurțu, Transilvania University Multicultural Centre

EXPANDING THE RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CAPACITY IN CULTURAL HERITAGE VIRTUAL REALITY APPLICATIONS

OAMENI OBOSIȚI BY A. BODIU AND REGELE DIMINEȚII

BY A. MUȘINA

TWO BOOK LAUNCHES AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE OF TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

On 25 October 25, Dr Titus Bălan represented Transilvania University of Braşov in the European

Satellite Navigation Competition Awards held in Madrid (Spain). The European Space Agency awarded Dr Titus

Bălan and his team members, Dr Dan Robu and Dr Florin Sandu, the ESNC Regional Winner prize for Romania.The award winning project, AwareAnywhere ‐ Nowcasting and Localised Response Force Mobilisation,

is a mobile application that can be used for notifications, alerts, assistance, and resource mobilisation, based

solely on GNSS coordinates (Global Navigation Satellite Systems). Unlike current addressing possibilities (which

are limited to an identifier – an email address, phone number, IP address, etc.), the innovative method behind

AwareAnywhere allows the user to contact a point (human or vehicle) without knowing or finding out their

identity, based solely only their location – so the messages are sent to “a location”, not to “a recipient”.The application can be relevant to institutions responsible for public safety with support from mobile

operators. For emergency notifications (nowcasting) – weather reports, natural disasters, anti‐terrorist

warnings, etc. AwareAnywhere facilitates localized measures (assistance via voice calls, instructions and

additional data, mobilisation of relevant human and non‐human resources nearby). This technical method uses

LISP (Locator/Identifier Separation Protocol), without the need for any changes in the IP network or Internet infrastructure. Apart from the award‐winning project, another three projects originated from our university. Among the national finalists was Guardian

Angel, a project authored by graduate student Cristian Suciu, under the supervision of Dr Florin Sandu.

Dr Florin Sandu

THE EUROPEAN SATELLITE NAVIGATION COMPETITION AWARDS

IN MADRID

eHERITAGE AT THE END OF ITS FIRST YEAR

THE ESNC REGIONAL WINNER PRIZE AWARDED TO THE TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY TEAM

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

On 28 October the Multicultural Centre opened its gates for the public

interested in contemporary art work exhibited by group the German group V8,

consisting of Franziska Degendorfer, Alexander Frohberg, Michael Grudziecki, Daniel

Wogenstein, from Karlsruhe, and the Romanian group NOIMA, made up of Sorin Scurtulescu,

Andrei Rosetti, Dan Gherman, Cosmin Frunteş.The diversity – a typical feature of collective exhibitions ‐ manifest in the techniques used by

these artists is tamed by the unity of a common outlook. This pervasive coherence fosters the

constructive dialogue, in which those involved agree to disagree. Most of the works presented under the title UNILTED are depictions or reworkings of

elements pertaining to Sumedru's Fire ceremony performed in Șirnea village. This common motif that

the artists chose to explore via different techniques contributes towards imprinting the final products

with the kind of vitality that only successful artistic experiments can bring about.

Maria GhiurțuTransilvania University Multicultural Centre

Marcian Cîrstea graduated the Faculty of Electrical Engineering as valedictorian, in 1990. After

earning his PhD at Nottingham Trent University in the UK, he worked as lecturer at DeMontfort University,

Leicester, teaching Power Electronics, Digital Integrated Circuits Design, Mechatronics, Automotive

Electronics, while also supervising, BSc projects and master's dissertations.

In 2004 he became associate professor and in 2007 he earned a full professorship in Industrial

Electronics. As early as 2004 he had held the office of Head of Department at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge

(UK).

Throughout his career he has published seven specialized books and more than 140 scientific papers.

Marcian Cîrstea is the recipient of numerous awards and academic titles, including:

Doctor Honoris Causa ‐ Transilvania University of Brasov, Romania, 15 January 2016

Vice‐President for Membership Activities, IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, January 2013

Anglia Ruskin University Vice‐Chancellor Award: Our University in the International Arena 2008

UK Student Counsellor of the Year Award 2003 Institute of Engineering & Technology, UK

� Between 2003 and 2016 he was invited to give a series of lectures and tutorials at prestigious international

fora in the UK, Brazil, the USA, Greece, Poland, Croatia, France, Australia, China and Romania.

Dr Bianca Tescașiu, Alumni coordinator

UNILTED ‐ NOIMA

OPENING OF UNILTED EXHIBITION AT THE MULTICULTURAL CENTRE OF TRANSILVANIA UNIVERSITY

SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI

PROFESSOR MARCIAN CÎRSTEA

Between 28 and 29 October, Transilvania University played host to the International Conference CIBv

2016 ‐ Civil Engineering and Building Services, an event organized by the Faculty of Civil Engineering.The conference brought together outstanding personalities in higher engineering education from

home and abroad, of the Academy of Technical Sciences in Romania – the Department of Civil Engineering and

Urban Planning, representatives of high profile research, design, construction units, and of the local public

administration, presidents and vice‐presidents of some professional associations as well as other categories of

specialists or service providers in this domain.CIBv is a scientific event held annually at the Faculty of Civil Engineering. This edition attracted over 120

participants – academics, graduate and undergraduate students from Romanian universities, as well as of some

distinguished personalities from the academic community of Konstanz, Darmstadt (Germany) and Subotica

(Serbia).The content and quality of the lectures, discussions and exchanges of ideas on current and general

interest topics, made CIBv 2016 a forum for exchange of ideas and promotion of the latest developments in the

area of constructions and installations.

Dr Ioan Tuns

CIVIL ENGINEERING AND BUILDING SERVICES INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

CIBv 2016

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA