Beginning March 24, the N.C. Museum of Art, in Raleigh, in partnership with Penland School of Crafts, presents 0 to 60: The Experience of Time Through Contemporary Art. The exhibit looks at how contemporary artists blur the boundaries among art, craft and design while incorporating elements from science, engineering, robotics, computer software and gaming technology to explore the concept of time. The exhibit was conceived by Linda Dougherty, the museum's chief curator, and Jean McLaughlin, Penland's director.

Lynda Ayers, resident artist at Sunflower Studio & Gallery, which is located in a 1930s bungalow in downtown Wake Forest, announced that the second Friday of each month is Art After Hours. The artists' reception, including refreshments and live music, is from 5 to 9 p.m and a variety of demonstrations begin at 7 p.m. The guest gallery artists in March are Mary Stella Cronberger and Mary Snowden, whose show continues until April 6. Cronberger specializes in ceramic art and Snowden makes jewelry that's inspired by nature.

This month at Cary Gallery of Artists, Elda Hiser displays brush works in the Chinese tradition and Ann Howe presents works in collage and encaustic inspired by the land and sky of North Carolina. The show runs through March 26.

Paint-Tastic!, with featured artists Shawnda Rossi and Tarrah Huff, is on exhibit during First Friday, March 1, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Local Color Gallery, a Raleigh co-op run by 12 women.

Eno Gallery, in Hillsborough, features New Horizons, a solo exhibition of new paintings by Nancy Tuttle May. May has been working as a professional artist for almost 40 years, and her work is exhibited and collected internationally. The reactive process between the elements that May currently uses imbues her new canvases with additional texture and depth.

FRANK gallery, an artists' co-op in Chapel Hill, presents its third annual Member Spotlight from March 5 through May 5. The opening reception is March 8 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Gallery A, in Raleigh's Five Points, exhibits new works by Sean Marlin through March.

ArtSource Fine Art & Gallery presents Without Bounds, an exhibit of the works of Angela Nesbit and Elena Madden. Both artists layer colors to create depth and energy in serene images. The show runs March 8 through April 5.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce announced the 2012 Business of the Year award winners, including:

• The Chair's Award for Public-Private Partnership went to Rosemary Waldorf, as well as George Cianciolo, co-chairs of Chapel Hill 2020.
• The Chamber Ambassador of the Year was Helen Antipov of Comfort Keepers.

Jennifer Bosser, assistant executive director of Wake County Economic Development, a program of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, was a winner in the economic development profession's "40 Under 40" awards. These are the first-ever honors for young talent in the economic development profession.

The Cary Chamber of Commerce announced:

• At the Business of Women luncheon, Dr. Tiffany Lowe-Payne of WakeMed Cary Hospital talked about the role of the primary care provider in ensuring quality health care.

N.C. Central University, in Durham, announced:

• Debra Saunders-White, Ph.D., deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs at the U.S. Department of Education, was selected as the 11th chancellor by the board of governors. She will assume her new duties June 1. In 1999, Saunders-White joined Hampton University as assistant provost for technology, tasked with designing and building the university's first information-technology organization. In 2005, she was promoted to the newly created post of vice president for technology and chief information officer. Saunders-White left Hampton the following year to join UNC-Wilmington as vice chancellor for information technology systems. In the spring of 2011, she was tapped by the White House to serve as deputy assistant secretary and reported to Washington to assume her current post.
• Anita Walton, director of alumni relations at N.C. Central University, assumed the chair of CASE District III board of directors at the organization's annual conference last month. CASE is the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, an international professional association for education fundraising, marketing, communications and alumni relations staff.

Laura Woods, a veteran science teacher at Broughton High School, in Raleigh, earned the annual Big Sweep Excellence Award from the Wake Soil & Water Conservation District for her dedicated volunteer spirit and for instilling the same in her students. Woods was recognized for leading her school's environmental club, S.A.F.E. (Student Action for the Environment) in cleaning up local waterways for more than 20 years. Woods believes that students need opportunities to get knee-deep in environmental stewardship and volunteerism as it lays a solid foundation for their continued civic involvement throughout adulthood. Along with her students, Woods involved her husband and two children, making Fall Big Sweep a family tradition over two decades.

William Peace University, a private four-year university located in downtown Raleigh, announced:

• Debra M. Townsley, Ph.D., its president, was appointed to lead the board of directors of Cooperating Raleigh Colleges, a nonprofit consortium that works to promote collaboration among higher education institutions located in Wake County.
• Lynn C. Owens, Ph.D., an assistant professor of communications, earned tenure.
• Julie B. Fleming was named the academic advisor of the School of Professional Studies.

Researchers at N.C. State University, in Raleigh, developed a classroom design that gives instructors increased flexibility in how to teach their courses and improves accessibility for students while slashing administrative costs. The new classrooms take advantage of the fact that students are bringing their own technology, such as laptops, to class. The classrooms also include mobile infrastructure, where whiteboards, desks and tables can be reconfigured. "These classrooms work really well in terms of engaging students, particularly in regard to helping students bridge the gap between in-class instruction and out-of-classroom assignments," says Dr. Susan Miller-Cochran, an associate professor of English and director of the First-Year Writing Program at N.C. State and lead author of a paper on the flexible classroom design.

UNC-Chapel Hill announced:

• Maryann Feldman, a public policy professor, will receive the 2013 Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research in Stockholm in May. Feldman is the Heninger Distinguished Professor in the College of Arts and Sciences and a senior fellow at the Frank Hawkins Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise. The award is the leading international honor in entrepreneurship research.
• The American Council on Education gave BRIDGES, which is offered through the Friday Center for Continuing Education, its award for an innovative program that helps advance women and women's issues in higher education. BRIDGES received the council's State Network Leadership Award for the Advancement of Women in Higher Education. Founded in 1993, BRIDGES strengthens women's academic leadership capabilities, helping them identify, understand and move into leadership roles.
• Mary Karr, author of The New York Times bestselling memoir "The Liars' Club," presented a free public reading from her works last month. She is the 2013 Distinguished Writer-in-Residence at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The board of directors of First Bancorp, headquartered in Troy, N.C., elected Chapel Hill's Mary Clara Capel to serve as chairman. In the past eight years, Capel has served as both chairman and director of First Bank. Capel is the director of administration at Capel, Inc., a rug manufacturer, importer and exporter based in Troy. Last year, she was appointed to the N.C. State Banking Commission.

Liz Broadway and Amy Smith were named partners of Hughes Pittman & Gupton, a CPA firm in Raleigh. Broadway is a CPA with more than 18 years of public accounting experience. She has been with the firm since 2006 and leads its construction and real estate groups. Smith is a CPA with more than 16 years of public accounting experience. She has been with the firm since 2008 and leads the government contractor group while co-leading the transfer-pricing group, serving multi-national clients.

Jennifer D. Terry was named director of market strategy at Paragon Bank, headquartered in Raleigh. In her new role, Terry will build the Client Experience Management Program, further develop the private banking offering and work to expand awareness of the Paragon brand through various marketing strategies. Terry will maintain her role as senior vice president and client development officer.

Crystal Suazo, president of the Raleigh chapter of the American Society of Women Accountants and partner in Vaco Raleigh, announced that the American Society of Women Accountants changed its name to Accounting & Financial Women's Alliance. Along with the renaming, the group added a tagline of "Connect. Advance. Lead." Both moves occurred in order to broaden the visibility of the organization on a national level.

Adriane Gainey, a billing expert with 14 years' experience in rural health centers, was hired by Raleigh-based AMS Software, specialists in rural health.

Jamie Forbes joined SfL+a Architects, of Raleigh, as a graphic designer.

The Special Event Company, an event and meeting management firm based in Research Triangle Park, announced:

• Sally Webb, CSEP, the firm's CEO, received high honors from the The Steve Kemble Leadership Foundation in the special event industry
• The firm managed the launch of Teen Cancer America, a charity devoted to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer in the United States, along with The Who's Roger Daltrey.

Yates, McLamb & Weyher, a Raleigh-based litigation firm, announced that several of its attorneys were honored by North Carolina Super Lawyers. These include founding partner Bonnie Weyher, who was named to the "Top 50 Women Lawyers North Carolina Super Lawyers" list for a fifth consecutive year. Additionally, four firm members were named 2013 Rising Stars. These include:

• Lori Meyerhoffer: Rising Star for the first time in Injury Defense – Medical Malpractice and Health Care
• Erin Young: Rising Star for a second consecutive year in Personal Injury Defense – General and Personal Injury Defense – Medical Malpractice

Raleigh-based organizational expert Geralin Thomas won the award for Best Chronic Disorganization Expert at the 7th annual Organizing Awards presented by the Los Angeles chapter of the National Association of Professional Organizers.

Jennifer Fair was promoted from senior account executive to senior account manager at MMI Public Relations, in Raleigh.

Rondy McKee, a Taekwondo grandmaster, was named Ambassador to the Martial Arts by the Action Martial Arts Magazine Hall of Honors at a national expo. McKee is the owner and head instructor of White Tiger Taekwondo and Family Fitness center in Cary. In addition to accepting the award at a black-tie banquet, she taught seminars for owners of other martial arts schools.

VIETRI, America's largest importer of fine Italian handcrafted dinnerware, flatware, glassware, linens, decorative accessories and garden urns, announced that 2013 marks its 30th year in business. To celebrate this milestone, the Hillsborough-based company has partnered with SunTrust Bank to build a home with Habitat for Humanity in Orange County. Founder Susan Gravely breaks ground on March 22.

Mary Long, owner of Posh The Salon, announced that assistant Taylor Jones was one of four finalists in Redken's Young Talent National Color competition. She won a trip to Redken's International Symposium in Las Vegas.

The Triangle did exceptionally well in the James Beard Foundation's list of semifinalists for its annual awards. The Beard awards are the highest honor for food and beverage professionals working in North America. They'll be presented in May at New York City's Lincoln Center. Semifinalists included:

• Ashley Christensen, chef/owner of Poole's Diner, in Raleigh, for Best Chef – Southeast
• Phoebe Lawless, chef/owner of Scratch, in Durham, for Outstanding Pastry Chef
• Outstanding Restaurant – Lantern, in Chapel Hill, where the chef/owner is Andrea Reusing (a former winner of Best Chef in the Southeast)

Kim Hunter opened a restaurant in downtown Raleigh's Seaboard Station. Kimbap's menu features Korean-inspired comfort food, including dumplings, rolls and soups. The restaurant is named for a popular Korean dish that's similar to a sushi roll. Hunter was the owner of Sarah Cecilia's Good Food Company, which offered an eclectic mix of lunch options last year at the downtown Raleigh Farmer's Market and the LoMo mobile Market.

Cottage Lane Kitchen, of Chapel Hill, won third place for Relish (Hot) in the 2013 Fiery Food Challenge for its product called Get Me a Switch. Samantha Swan is the founder of the company.

Lorrie L. Dollar was named chief deputy secretary of administration for the state Department of Public Safety. As an attorney in private practice with Stephenson, Gray and Waters, in Cary, Dollar handled civil and administrative litigation as well as transactional matters. A certified mediator, she was appointed to the Dispute Resolution Commission last year. Previously, she served as chief deputy state auditor; deputy commissioner with the N.C. Industrial Commission; and staff attorney with the Department of Human Resources.

The Chapel Hill Town Council selected Sally Greene for the vacant council seat resulting from the resignation of Penny Rich. Greene, who was on the council from 2003 to 2011, will serve the remainder of Rich's term of office, until December.

Cris Mulder is the new deputy secretary of Internal and External Affairs for the state Department of Transportation. Mulder is responsible for all aspects of communication for the department.

The N.C. Department of Commerce recognized Main Street Champions, individuals designated by their local N.C. Main Street programs for the contributions they have made to the downtown revitalization process. They include Mary Christofferson of Fuquay-Varina Downtown and Mary S. Smith of Burlington Downtown Corporation.

The members of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority at UNC-Chapel Hill host the 24th annual Franklin 5K, supporting breast cancer research and awareness, on March 2 at 9:30 a.m. It's the sorority's biggest philanthropy event of the year. The race benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the Arc of Orange County, the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center, Ashton's Angels and the ZTA Foundation. The race typically attracts 800 participants and raises almost $50,000. The course takes runners around the Chapel Hill campus and surrounding neighborhoods. Prizes are awarded to the top runners in each age group at the after-race party, which features complimentary food and local talent.

The UNC Association of Nursing Students hosts the 2nd annual Heels for Healing 5K and Kids' Fun Run on March 23. It benefits BounceBack Kids, a local nonprofit that brings together and serves children with life-challenging medical conditions to enrich their lives and the lives of their families. Chapel Hill's Lisa Brachman is executive director of the organization.

In anticipation of the inaugural Wilmington Race for the Cure, four teams of runners participated in the RunRaleigh Relay. The 132-mile route began in Raleigh at the offices of Susan G. Komen for the Cure North Carolina Triangle to the Coast Affiliate. It ended in Wilmington. The teams participating in the relay were the N.C. Road Runners, Savage Crew (N.C. State University graduate students), Wake Forest Area Runners and RunRaleigh Races. The groups departed Raleigh on the morning of Feb. 28 and arrived in Wilmington on the afternoon of March 1. Captain Linda Jackson, a retired Raleigh police officer and breast cancer survivor, drove an RV alongside the runners.

Cornucopia Cancer Support Center hosts Denim & Diamonds on March 8. The fundraiser begins at 5:30 p.m. at Brier Creek Country Club in Raleigh. Jane Smith and her husband, Moyer Smith, retired executive director of the UNC Ram's Club, are honorary chairs. The president and CEO of the organization is Mary Lawrence.

The League of Women Voters announced:

• It's celebrating its 93rd anniversary. Since its founding in 1920, the organization has worked to protect and uphold the constitutional right to vote. There is a local chapter in Wake County as well as one that covers Orange, Durham and Chatham counties.
• The League of Women Voters of Orange, Durham and Chatham Counties is hosting a series of discussions on the impact of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act on North Carolinians. On March 20 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Extraordinary Ventures, in Chapel Hill, insurance, physician and hospital representatives share their views.

The North Carolina chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, based in Raleigh, kicked off its Triangle Man & Woman of the Year competition to raise money for blood cancer research and patient services. Candidates compete for the title by raising funds in honor of local survivors. Candidates competing for 2013 Woman of the Year are Christina Coffey of Hunter & Associates; Hayley Coyle; Sesha Gaston of Sullivan's Steakhouse; Ashley Shilen of The Select Group; DeShelia A. Spann of DeShelia Spann Photography; and Sarah J. Styron of Group3 Communications. Candidates for the titles are judged on the basis of their success in generating funds to benefit the organization. The candidates with the most votes locally will be crowned at a grand finale celebration at the Raleigh Marriott City Center on May 4.

Through March 29, the members of the Raleigh Jaycees are collecting new headwear to donate to the Duke Cancer Center for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Donated items can include homemade or store-bought hats (preferably soft ones), scarves and wigs. Donations can be dropped off during business hours at: Durfey-Hoover-Bowden Insurance, in Raleigh; Brown Financial Group, in Durham; or the Raleigh Jaycees office on March 10 and March 24 from 2 to 5 p.m.

The Cary Women's Giving Network, a women's collective giving circle, hosted its first annual grants awards luncheon last month at The Matthews House, in Cary. The event celebrated three local grantees: CORRAL Riding Academy, The Carying Place and Dorcas Ministries.
The Triangle Division of March of Dimes announced that twins Sophia and Roman Sebastianelli, age 3, and their family are the foundation's 2013 Triangle March for Babies ambassadors. As ambassadors, the Sebastianelli family will speak at local and regional meetings, explaining how the March of Dimes has benefited them and encouraging others to join the cause. The March of Dimes walk is April 27 starting at the Imperial Center, in Durham.

The board of directors of SAFEchild, Wake County's only nonprofit agency providing direct child-abuse-prevention services to families, announced the results of the 2012 Believe in SAFEchild campaign. Total revenues for the 2012-2013 fiscal year are projected to be $398,000. Nearly 200 new donors have made a gift to SAFEchild. "We are encouraged to have great community support through the Believe in SAFEchild campaign," said Beth Voltz, campaign chair. The top fundraising volunteers included Kim Mattoon and Christine Gentry.

More than 30 local artists donated work to benefit the Triangle Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. The animal-themed pieces for sale during Art for Wildlife are on display throughout this month at Chapel Hill Art Gallery (formerly Focal Point Gallery). The artists include Jessica Bradsher, Pam Epperson, Louise Francke, Cathy Kiffney, Andria Linn, Libby Lynn, Paula MacLeod, Debbie Martz and Emily Weinstein.

The N.C. Psychoanalytic Foundation, a Raleigh-based nonprofit working to create a more resilient community, received a landmark gift. At $100,000, it's the largest ever received by the organization. It will be used to establish the Priscilla Freeman Endowment, which will honor the memory of Freeman through the support of children's mental health programming.

Lucy Daniels Center, nationally recognized for its programs that support the social and emotional needs of children, announced an ambitious expansion of its early childhood programs to include 1st and 2nd graders in the coming school year, with plans to enroll children through 5th grade by 2015-16. The Lucy Daniels School, as it will be known, will serve children ages 3 to11 in a classroom setting that provides the specialized child mental health services for which the center, based in Cary, is known.

The Deep Dish Theater Company, in partnership with the town of Cary, presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning rock musical "Next to Normal," March 1 to 24. The production, with musical direction by Julie Florin, will be performed at the Deep Dish Theater in Chapel Hill's University Mall as well as at the Cary Arts Center. The musical tells the story of a woman and her family as they struggle to come to terms with her mental illness through a variety of tribulations and therapies. The cast includes Abigail Coryell, who is a student at UNC-Chapel Hill, and Lisa Jolley, who lives in Raleigh. The design staff includes Annika Pfaender (costumes) and Brittany Bugge (properties).

Burning Coal Theatre Company's "Wait Till You See This" series and Mortallcoile Theatre Company present Adam Rapp's "Nocturne," directed by Dana Marks. Nocturne runs March 14 to 24 at the Murphey School, in Raleigh. The play is a chilling, poetic tale of a family splintered apart by tragedy and a son seeking absolution. Marks is an actress, director and musician who lives in Durham.

Tracy Hudson was promoted to marketing coordinator of the Carolina Ballet, the Raleigh-based professional ballet company.

The boards of directors of The ArtsCenter and the Carrboro Modern Dance Company announced an agreement by which Carrboro Modern Dance Company has become an independent component of The ArtsCenter. Mary Norkus is co-founder of Carrboro Modern Dance Company. Betsy James is chair of The ArtsCenter board.

The Preiss Company, which specializes in the development, acquisition and management of off-campus student housing, announced:

• For the third consecutive year, it was recognized by Student Housing Business magazine as one of the nation's Top 25 Owners of Student Housing. The Raleigh real estate company was ranked ninth based on number of beds owned.
• Donna Preiss, founder and CEO, is participating in a panel discussion when she attends the Crittenden Multifamily Conference in Dallas this month.

DHIC announced the promotion of Sheila Porter to manager of the Homeownership Center. In this role, Sheila is responsible for overseeing the operations and compliance of the center, which will relocate to Carlton Place, one of DHIC's mixed-use affordable communities in downtown Raleigh, this spring. DHIC is a nonprofit that owns 1,669 apartments homes serving more than 3,000 lower-income Triangle residents. Its Homeownership Center provides educational services to first-time homebuyers.

Fonville Morisey, in Raleigh, announced:

• Linda Romano was named vice president/sales manager of its Falls office.
• Heather Petrovich joined the Inside the Beltline office as a full-time sales associate.

The Research Triangle Park-based National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, announced:

• NIEHS researchers Stephanie London, M.D., Dr.P.H., and Douglas Bell, Ph.D., received grants totaling nearly $3 million over the next three years to study the effects of tobacco smoke. The grants come from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Center for Tobacco Products.
• A new study from NIEHS and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health found that women who received a vaccine against the H1N1 influenza virus in 2009 showed no increased risk of pregnancy loss while unvaccinated women who experienced the flu had an increased risk of miscarriages and still births.

N.C. State University, in Raleigh, announced:

• Ever wonder why sand can both run through an hourglass like a liquid and be solid enough to support buildings? It's because granular materials – like sand or dirt – can change their behavior, or state. Physicist Karen Daniels and a graduate student found that the forces individual grains exert on one another are what most affect that transition.
• Researchers, including Eleanor Spicer Rice, Ph.D., found that one of the most aggressive invasive ant species in the United States – the Argentine ant – appears to have met its match in the Asian needle ant. The Asian needle ant is successfully displacing Argentine ants in an urban environment, indicating that the Asian needle ant – with its venomous sting – may be the next invasive species to see a population boom.

A new study from the UNC School of Medicine, in Chapel Hill, reveals the huge diversity of U.S. biobanks and raises questions about the best way to manage and govern them. Biobanks are organizations that collect, store and share human specimens, such as blood, solid tissues and hair, for research. The rise of the human genome project and large-scale genetics studies have spurred a dramatic increase in the number of biobanks in the last decade, increasing their importance in biomedical research. The study leader was Gail Henderson, Ph.D., professor and chair of social medicine at the UNC School of Medicine. She also heads UNC's Center for Genomics and Society.

The N.C. Writers' Network announced:

• Lee Anne McClymont gives a talk on "Voice Tattoos: Where the Printed Word Meets the Spoken Word," about the connection between writing a book and building up a platform on the radio, on March 4 at Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill.
• Karen Pullen reads from her debut mystery "Cold Feet" on March 5 at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, March 13 at the Chatham County Public Library in Pittsboro, and March 24 at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh.
• Lee Smith discusses her book "Mrs. Darcy and the Blue Eyed Stranger" March 21 at McIntyre's Fine Books at Fearrington Village, in Pittsboro.