Daily News Briefs

Opening ceremonies were held over the weekend for Duke University's Center for Interdisciplinary Engineering, Medicine and Applied Sciences, a $100 million complex of four new buildings that more than double existing teaching and research space to better integrate disciplines such as photonics, genomics and environmental engineering. Construction began in May 2002 and was completed last August. The Durham, N.C., center is part of expansion efforts at the Pratt School of Engineering under Dean Kristina Johnson's guidance, who said it represents a shift from "myopic, departmentalized teaching to a more holistic and practical approach."