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Spring 2001
Dr. Young
Dr. R. Michael Young, assistant professor of computer science at
NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career
Development (Career) Award from the National Science Foundation
(NSF), effective March 15, 2001, to run through February 28, 2006.
The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $465,695 in funding over
the next five years. Young will use the award to support his
research project entitled, "Plan-Based Integration of Control
and Coherence in Intelligent Exploratory Environments."
His investigation will develop new models for the structure of user
interactions within 3D virtual worlds. In particular, Young
will explore the ways that cognitive models of narrative and story
inform our interactions inside virtual reality environments.
By structuring the activities within a virtual world as a dynamically
created interactive storyline, Young hopes to create systems for
education, training, entertainment and social interaction that are
more effective, engaging and compelling than current interactive
systems. Young's research interests include task related communication particularly
in virtual worlds, integration of intelligent systems into informal
and loosely structured learning environments, natural language discourse
generation, and the development and use of computational models
of narrative to describe the structure of human and computer interaction.
Young received his B.S. in computer science from California State
University in 1984, his M.S. in computer science from Stanford University
and his Ph.D. in intelligent systems program from the University
of Pittsburgh in 1997. Prior to joining the NC State faculty
in 1999, Young was a post-doctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics
Institute.
-- powell --
The College of Engineering Awards for Excellence presentation
was held March 29 in Broughton Hall. The 2001 Awards for Excellence
winners display their award plaques with associate deans Dr. Sarah
Rajala and Dr. John Gilligan. Pictured are (left to right) Dr. Sarah
Rajala; Margery Page, computer science; Rudy Salas, electrical and
computer engineering; Ellen McDaniel, information technology and
engineering computing services; and Dr. John Gilligan.
Saunak Chakrabarti
Saunak Chakrabarti, a computer science major minoring in philosophy,
is also a talented musician, writer, and classicist. He is
well versed and accomplished in several artistic areas. Saunak
takes weekly vocal lessons and is proficient on the harmonium and
the tanpura, two instruments of Indian classical music. His
poetry and short stories have been published and won awards, including
the North Carolina State Award for Poetry; the Burlington Women’s
Club Award for Fiction, Non-fiction, and Poetry; and the Great Mills
Award for Writing. He is proficient or fluent in Bengali,
English, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Spanish. As an amateur classicist,
he is able to recite in original form such classical Sanskrit works
as the Sri Bhagvad Gita, a significant accomplishment.
An excellent student in both his engineering and humanities courses,
Saunak is a University Scholar and a Nortel Scholar. He is
a member of Golden Key, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Eta Sigma, Gamma Beta
Phi, and Upsilon Pi Epsilon. He received a commendation for
a philosophical paper on the mind-body problem, a topic of extensive
philosophical debate.
We wish Saunak well with all his future endeavors.
Christina Hammock
Christina Hammock’s commitment to humanitarian service runs
deep. She is active in so many community and university service
organizations that it’s impossible to list them all here.
Three common threads woven through many of Christina’s volunteer
activities are equality, education, and internationalism.
She has been active in International Day of Silence; World AIDS
Day; Equality North Carolina Political Action Committee; Campus
in Action; African American Heritage Society; Engineers Without
Borders; and as a tutor for NC State ECE students, the Wake Tech
Adult Education pre-GED program, and the Salvation Army Shelter
and Kid’s Cafe child tutoring programs. In addition
to participating herself in a study abroad program in Ghana, she
is an advocate for international experiences through her work with
the International Friendship Program and as an International Scholar
and Student Services volunteer.
Christina’s numerous academic honors include an Astronaut
Scholarship, NC State College of Engineering Faculty Senior Scholarship,
Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Beta Kappa, and University Scholar’s Program
recognition as a senior with a 4.0. She is working on a double
major in electrical engineering and physics.
Christina gives both her time and her heart to social causes she
cares about. We will miss her enthusiasm for helping others
and wish her all the best.
Daniel Amerson
Daniel Amerson is an outstanding scholar who has taken advantage
of the academic and service offerings of NC State and the College
of Engineering. His intellectual and community service lives
weave together seamlessly, making his academic achievements all
the more noteworthy. Dan is a Park Scholar, a National Merit
Scholar, and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Phi Eta
Sigma, Omicron Delta Epsilon, National Honor Society, Golden Key,
and the Order of Thirty and Three. He was named Outstanding
Senior in Economics for 2000. His service activities include
administration of a group called Service Raleigh that coordinates
volunteer projects in the area.
Dan’s academic prowess is exemplary. While earning
a double major in computer science and economics, he found time
to co-author a paper and presentation for the Artificial Intelligence
Spring Symposium entitled “Real-Time Cinematic Camera Control
for Interactive Narratives.”
We look forward to hearing about Dan’s future academic achievements,
and we wish him well.
Seth Whitaker
Seth Whitaker is a man of remarkable abilities and boundless energy.
NC State has been the recipient of his unique leadership capabilities
for the past four years. He has been active in the NC State
University Fellows Program, student government, the University of
North Carolina Association of Student Governments, and the NC State
University Student Senate, where he was elected president for 1999-2000.
Student Senate president is one of the top leadership positions
on campus. Seth has also been active in several North Carolina
and national government internship programs.
Seth has produced four substantial academic documents. He
is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi, Omega Chi Epsilon, Pi
Sigma Alpha, Golden Key, and Phi Eta Sigma. He has participated
in the University and Benjamin Franklin Scholars Programs.
Three characteristics that mark great leaders -- compassion, responsibility,
and intellect -- are present in Seth. He has been accepted
to the J.D. program at Harvard University starting in the fall,
and we wish him the best of luck as he embarks on this exciting
next phase of his career.
Dr. Genzer
Dr. Jan Genzer, assistant professor of chemical engineering at
NC State University, has been awarded the 2001 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar
Award. Genzer is one of only 16 faculty members from across
the United States to receive this award.
Established in 1969 by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation,
this award strengthens the teaching and research careers of faculty
in the chemical sciences by providing a $60,000 unrestricted grant
to advance teaching and research programs. Of this total amount,
$5,000 is allocated to the Teacher-Scholar’s department for
undergraduate educational proposes.
Genzer's research interests include behavior of polymers at surfaces
and interfaces, polymer thermodynamics, and materials self-assembly.
Genzer joined the chemical engineering department in the summer
of 1998.
-- powell --
- from "Undergraduate
Research Symposium"
Justin M. Lawson of Lewisville has been selected to receive an
Ernest James and Ethel Hudgins Angelo Scholarship in the College
of Engineering at North Carolina State University. Lawson
is the fifth recipient of the Angelo scholarship.
William E. Angelo and his brother, the late Dr. E. James Angelo
Jr., established the scholarship in memory of their parents.
Recipients must be from Forsyth County, demonstrate an interest
in the environment and pursue an engineering degree that will give
them the opportunity to work to protect the environment.
Lawson, who is the son of Michael E. and Victoria P. Lawson, both
of Lewisville, will graduate this spring from West Forsyth High
School in Clemmons, where he is a member of the junior marshals,
an honors graduate and a North Carolina Academic Scholar.
Lawson participated in the National High School Math Exam his junior
year. He is active in the Boy Scouts Explorer Program in Engineering
and in the Lewisville Student Advisory Council.
Angelo scholarships, valued at $7,500, provide full tuition, fees,
room and board for one year and are renewable.
-- rudd --
Dr. Fuh-Gwo Yuan, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace
engineering at NC State University, and 34 aerospace engineering
students attended the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
(AIAA) Southeast Student Conference held in Atlanta, Georgia, April
4 to 6.
A total of four awards were given at this year’s conference,
with NC State’s Aerospace Engineering receiving three: Best
Student Branch of 2000, Second Place in Undergraduate Papers, and
Best Aircraft Design.
-- powell --
The Electrical and Computer Engineering Design Day will be held
on Wednesday, May 2 from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM in the Talley
Student Center.
Dr. Rajala
Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, associate dean of academic affairs and professor
of electrical and computer engineering at North Carolina State University,
has been selected by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) Eastern North Carolina Section to be recognized
as 2001 Outstanding Engineering Educator for Contributions to the
Field of Engineering Education. IEEE noted Rajala’s
contributions to her field and profession as a credit to the Easter
NC section, the community, and to engineers throughout the world.
The presentation of this honor took place at the 2001 Awards Celebration,
Saturday, April 21, at the Talley Student Center on the NC State
University campus.
Rajala is an internationally recognized expert in image and video
processing. Her research interests include engineering education,
the analysis and processing of images and image sequences with application
to the areas of color imaging, image coding/compression, motion
estimation and target acquisition and tracking.
In addition to being the chief academic officer for undergraduate
students in engineering, Rajala is the NC State Southeastern University
and College Coalition for Engineering Education (SUCCEED) site coordinator.
Rajala received her B.S. in electrical engineering from Michigan
Technological University in 1974, and her M.S. and Ph.D. in electrical
engineering from Rice University in 1977 and 1979, respectively.
-- brinson --
Dr. Richard R. Johnson, associate professor and associate head
of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State
University, has been selected as the College of Engineering’s
nominee for the Board of Governors’ Award for Excellence in
Teaching.
Johnson was selected for this nomination for his devotion to engineering
students and engineering education.
A native of South Africa, Johnson earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees
in mechanical engineering at the University of Cape Town in South
Africa. He earned his Ph.D. degree in engineering science
in 1974 from the University of Florida. Johnson joined the
mechanical and aerospace engineering department in 1981.
-- powell --
Dr. Joni E. Spurlin has been named director of assessment for the
College of Engineering at North Carolina State University, effective
March 7, 2001.
Previously, Spurlin was director of institutional effectiveness,
research and planning at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida.
Spurlin earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the
University of Georgia in 1976 and her doctorate in cognitive research
psychology at Texas Christian University in 1982.
-- rudd--
McCarter
Mr. John T. McCarter, president and CEO of GE Latin America, Sao
Paulo, Brazil, will give a presentation entitled “Pathways
for Engineers/Managers Who Desire to Go to Upper Management.
How Can They Prepare Themselves?” on April 25, at 4:00 P.M.,
Room 1402 Broughton Hall on the NC State University campus.
McCarter, a native of Philadelphia, PA, and later a resident of
Hickory, NC, received his bachelor's degree in nuclear engineering
from NC State in 1973. In 2000 he was named Distinguished Engineering
Alumnus.
He began his lifelong career with General Electric as technical
director of installation for the nuclear steam supply system at
Carolina Power & Light's Brunswick Nuclear Plant. After serving
in a series of developmental marketing positions in the power generation
industry, he was a sales engineer for GE's Power Generation Business,
first in Atlanta, then in Charlotte.
Later he rose through several positions for GE's Power Systems
in Schenectady, NY, ultimately serving as general manager of customer
service and later GM of North America sales to electric utilities
and power generators. After taking over the Latin America operations
for GE's Power business, he became president and CEO of GE Latin
America. He has received numerous GE management awards.
McCarter currently serves on the board of the NC State Engineering
Foundation and is GE's executive liaison to the University.
Students and faculty of the College of Engineering and College
of Management — as well as the University community at large
— are invited to attend.
--brinson -- Media Note: Media representatives interested in attending
may contact Andrea Powell at (919) 515-2350 or andrea_powell@ncsu.edu.
A website in computer ethics by Dr. Edward F. Gehringer, associate
professor of electrical and computer engineering, was picked up
by USA Today as a “Hot Site” on April 4.
To view Gehringer's website, go to www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/2001-04-05-hotsites.htm
and click on "Ethical Advice" or go to www.eos.ncsu.edu/eos/info/computer_ethics/.
-- powell --
Two engineering students at North Carolina State University are
among this year’s 80 winners of Udall Scholarships; Jennifer
L. King, a junior majoring in Environmental Engineering and Erik
S. Welf, a junior double majoring in Chemical Engineering and Pulp
and Paper Science.
Each year, the Foundation awards undergraduate scholarships of
up to $5,000 to around 80 American juniors and seniors in fields
related to the environment. Over 500 students were nominated in
this year's competition.
For more information about the Udall Foundation, go to www.udall.gov/p_scholarship.htm
-- 30 --
Dr. de los Reyes
Dr. Francis L. de los Reyes III, assistant professor of civil
engineering at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty
Early Career Development (Career) Award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF), effective July 1, 2001, to run through June 30,
2006. The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $374,998 in funding over
the next five years. De los Reyes will use the award to support
his research project entitled, "Molecular and Engineering Approaches
for Analyzing Microbial Selection in Activated Sludge: Competition
between Filaments and Floc-formers." His investigation will examine
fundamental wastewater treatment-plant microbiology and engineering
using molecular techniques. By combining molecular modeling and
reactor studies to integrate theories of microbial selection of
floc-formers over filaments, the design and operation of efficient
activated sludge systems for treating wastewater will be impacted.
De los Reyes’ research interests include aerobic biological
processes for wastewater treatment, anaerobic wastewater treatment,
molecular and applied microbial ecology, and reactor design and
operation.
De los Reyes received his B.S. in agricultural engineering from
the University of the Philippines at Los Baños in 1990, his
M.S. in civil engineering from Iowa State University in 1994 and
his Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign in 2000. He joined the NC State faculty in 2000.
-- powell --
Dr. Mohammed A. Zikry, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace
engineering at North Carolina State University, has been awarded
the 2001 Ralph Teetor Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers
(SAE). Zikry, one of ten faculty members from universities across
the United States to hold this honor, received his award at the
annual SAE convention held in March in Detroit, Michigan.
Established in 1963, this award recognizes research and educational
contributions of engineering faculty to the engineering community.
Zikry's research interests include dynamic plasticity and fracture
mechanics, constitutive relations for solids and computational solid
mechanics. Zikry joined the mechanical and aerospace engineering
department in 1990.
-- powell --
- from "Bell
Tower Celebrations 2000 - 2001"
Dr. Krim
Dr. Hamid Krim, assistant professor of electrical and computer
engineering at North Carolina State University, has been selected
as an associate editor for the IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing
for three years, effective April 1, 2001.
Krim, who received a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development
(Career) Program award from the National Science Foundation in February
2000, received his doctoral degree from Northeastern University
in 1991, his master's degree from the University of Washington (Seattle)
in 1980, and his bachelor's degree from the University of Southern
California and the University of Washington in 1979, all in electrical
engineering. Krim joined the NC State faculty in 1998. Prior to
his appointment, he was a research scientist at MIT.
His research interests span the fields of vision, information
and signal theory, statistics/probability and mathematical modeling
with applications to real-world problems (imaging, communications,
etc.).
--brinson--
Dr. Reisman
Dr. Arnold Reisman, professor emeritus of electrical and computer
engineering at North Carolina State University, has been awarded
the Electrochemical Society Award in Solid State Science and Technology.
He received his award at the 199th meeting of the Electrochemical
Society held in March in Washington, D.C.
Established in 1971, this award recognizes distinguished contributions
to solid state science and technology and is the highest honor that
the Electrochemical Society confers in this field. Reisman's award
citation is "for pioneering studies of materials, processes and
thin film technologies used in microelectronic devices."
Reisman's research interests involve plasma-assisted gas-solid
reactions, high dielectric constant materials, growth of thin oxides,
process-induced radiation damage, low temperature processes and
selective area thin film deposition. He has published more than
170 technical papers, books and book chapters and holds more than
50 issued patents and an equal number of patent publications.
Reisman received his B.S. in chemistry from City College in New
York in 1949, his M.A. in polymer chemistry from Brooklyn College
of New York in 1953 and his Ph.D. in physical chemistry/solid state
from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn in 1958.
-- rudd --
The student chapter of the Association of Computing Machinery and
the Association of Information Technology Professionals (ACM/AITP)
in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University
announces the installation of 30 newly donated computers in Waynesville
Middle School’s eighth grade classrooms on Saturday, March
31, 2001, at 10:00 a.m. at the school, located at 507 Brown Avenue,
Waynesville. Information about the school may be found at www.haywood.k12.nc.us/public/wms/index.shtml
or by calling (828) 456-2403. ACM/AITP has been working with the school for three years to upgrade
their computer capability. The Goodwill Community Foundation of
Goodwill Industries International, Inc. donated the computers, including
monitors and keyboards, for the project. Microsoft donated the software
programs Microsoft Office 2000 and Windows 98. -- rudd --
Dr. Rotenberg
Dr. Eric Rotenberg, assistant professor of electrical and computer
engineering at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty
Early Career Development (Career) Award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF), effective March 1, 2001, to run through February
28, 2006. The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award NSF will provide $300,000 in funding over
the next five years. Rotenberg will use the award to support his
research project entitled, "Slipstream Processors." In
this project he will investigate a new way to run a computer program
faster: two redundant copies of the program are run at the same
time and they cooperate to improve performance. The project name
is borrowed from a car racing technique, slipstreaming, where two
cars collaborate aerodynamically to speed up both cars. More generally,
the project investigates novel ways to harness single-chip multiprocessors
and simultaneous multithreading processors.
Rotenberg’s research interests include all areas of computer
architecture, with emphasis on high-performance microprocessors.
Rotenberg received his B.S. in electrical engineering in 1991
and his M.S. and Ph.D. in computer science in 1996 and 1999, respectively,
from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. From 1992 to 1994, he
participated in the design of IBM's AS/400 computer in Rochester,
Minnesota. He joined the NC State faculty in August 1999.
-- powell --
Dr. Edward Grant, associate professor of electrical and computer
engineering and director of the Center for Robotics and Intelligent
Machines at NC State University, was the guest speaker at a luncheon
meeting of the Central Carolina Chapter of the Professional Engineers
of North Carolina held February 22.
Grant spoke on MOCASIn 2, a robot, he and Dr. John Muth, assistant
professor of electrical and computer engineering, originated that
has the look ofa cyber-inchworm and uses pneumatics to force padded
"feet" against the pipe walls as it extends and contracts
its body along the pipe course. The pipe-crawling robot could enable
rescuers to find survivors in earthquake or explosion rubble without
endangering more lives in the rescue.
-- powell --
Tommy Cleveland, a senior in mechanical engineering at NC State
University, won first place and $300 in the egg-drop competition
held on campus in mid-February.
The goal of the 120-plus entrants was to keep an egg from breaking
when it hit the bricks after an 18-foot fall outside of Bostian
Hall.
Tommy's winning design was a single piece of foam, plate-like
in shape, with a small cylinder on top to hold the egg. Other designs
ranged from a pink stuffed cat, to makeshift parachutes, to bubble
wrap and duct tape. A Duke University student took second place
with a paper cone design, topped with tabs that slowed the egg's
fall.
-- powell --
EPA Administrator Christie Todd Whitman honors M. J. Soffe Co.
for energy efficiency
From a release by the Industrial Extension Service, NC State
University, Ruthann Cage.
Energy Star® has named M. J. Soffe Co. a Partner
of the Year for its outstanding commitment to pollution prevention
through continuous improvement of their sportswear manufacturing
facility’s energy performance. Environmental Protection Agency
Administrator, Christie Todd Whitman, will recognize M. J. Soffe’s
achievement at a special ceremony in Washington, DC, on March 20,
2001.
M. J. Soffe, an Energy Star or Climate Wise partner since 1997,
was honored for its leadership incorporating strategic energy management
into its business plan, thereby protecting the environment and strengthening
its bottom line. NC State Industrial Extension energy specialists
Jim Parker and Jim Haven assisted M.J. Soffe, a clothing manufacturer,
in developing solutions to save the company money. Solutions in
areas such as the dyeing and finishing operation, waste heat recovery
and steam trap programs as well as improved maintenance have enhanced
production and reduced gas consumption. New chilled water air conditioning
has improved working conditions and shaved electrical consumption
in Manufacturing and Decorated Divisions. Motion controlled lighting
in the new Distribution Center and variable speed conveyor controls
in the old distribution area have also reduced the kWh’s and
peak loads. Since joining the Energy Star program, M. J. Soffe Co.
has helped to reduce air pollution by 6349 lbs. of carbon dioxide,
and saved more than ($.75 Million) in operating and energy costs.
"M. J. Soffe Co. is pleased to partner with Energy Star on
this important effort," said Anthony Cimaglia, Vice President
and General Manager of M. J. Soffe Co. "As an Energy Star partner,
we now operate more efficiently and cost-effectively, and therefore
have been able to prevent any price increases for the last year.
We are also proud of the positive effects these efforts have on
the environment." The Energy Star Award is given to a variety of organizations to
recognize their efforts to use energy efficiently, both in their
own buildings and in the products they manufacture.
"Energy Star's award for buildings recognizes top energy performance
in publicly and commercially owned buildings. A comprehensive approach
to energy efficiency including lighting, ventilation, and heating
and cooling equipment, reduces a building’s energy costs by
about 30 percent while reducing air pollution. This year we are
proud to acknowledge M. J. Soffe Co. as a leader in building energy
efficiency and environmental stewardship," said Kathleen Hogan,
Director, Climate Protection Partnership Division.
Energy Star was introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce
air pollution through increased energy efficiency. Energy Star now
works with more than 7000 partners improve the energy efficiency
of products, homes, buildings and businesses. Energy Star offers
an easy way to identify the most energy efficient products and now
has relationships with more than 1600 manufacturers. Together, Energy
Star and its partners offer more than 11,000 products in more than
30 categories that bear the Energy Star Label. Energy Star offers
labels to identify the most energy efficient homes, buildings, office
equipment, heating and cooling equipment, lighting, major appliances
and home electronics.
-- 30 -- For further information: M.J. Soffe Co. 910-435-3132
Dr. Buckner
Dr. Gregory D. Buckner, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace
engineering at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty
Early Career Development (Career) Award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF), effective February 15, 2001, to run through January
31, 2006. The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $375,000 in funding over
the next five years. Buckner will use the award to support his research
project entitled,"Intelligent Control Systems for Active Magnetic
Bearings: An Enabling Technology for Flywheel Energy Storage Systems."
His investigation will focus on intelligent (self-learning) techniques
to characterize unmodeled dynamics and parametric uncertainties
associated with flexible rotors and will result in AMB controllers
that can accommodate large numbers of lightly damped vibration modes.
Buckner’s research interests include autonomous systems,
intelligent system identification and control and electromechanical
actuators (design, analysis and control).
Buckner received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Louisiana
State University in 1986, his M.Sc. in mechanical engineering from
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in 1987 and
his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas
at Austin in 1996. He joined the NC State faculty in 1999.
-- powell --
The College of Engineering at North Carolina State University
received an Outstanding College Performance Award at the sixth annual
Freshman Honors
This award is presented by the University to colleges that create
an environment conducive to African American student success. At
least half of the African American freshmen in the recognized college
must obtain a first semester grade point average of 3.0 or higher
to qualify for the Outstanding College Performance Award. In the
College of Engineering, 45 of 88 African American freshmen achieved
this level of academic performance.
Dr. Nino A. Masnari, dean of the College of Engineering, stated,
"The College of Engineering has, for several decades, kept
as one of its top priorities the goal of increasing the number of
underrepresented minorities and women and implementing programs
that nurture and guide them toward success. We are extremely pleased
to receive this award recognizing these efforts."
--powell--
The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation –
part of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History
Research Institute – holds its fifth annual "March Madness
for the Mind" Wednesday, March 7. The one-day exhibit by the
National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) highlights
the innovations of 15 teams of student inventors – engineers,
scientists and entrepreneurs – selected from across the US.
One of the teams is from North Carolina State University. Three
mechanical engineering students will participate in the March Madness
for the Mind. Master’s degree students Brian K. Rhoney and
William I. Clark and doctoral student Jun Qu are working on projects
involving wire machining technology. Rhoney will present his research
on wire electrical discharge machining of metal bond diamond wheels
for precision form grinding of ceramics and metal matrix ceramic
composites. Clark is working on the fixed-abrasive diamond wire
saw machining of wood and ceramics. Qu’s research concerns
wire electrical discharge machining of cylindrical parts made of
hard, wear-resistant advanced engineering materials and on micro-fabrication
of shafts, needles and plungers.
Other student projects from across the nation include an indicator
system that lets athletes know the lifespan of their shoes to prevent
injury, an environmentally friendly protection anchor used in rock-climbing,
an automatic door opener for homes, a prosthetic device for drumming
and a motorized golf ball placement machine.
The NCIIA provides support to colleges around the U.S. for student
invention "E-teams" ("E" for excellence and
entrepreneurship) and their projects. The NCIIA selects teams whose
work appears likely to result in the startup of entrepreneurial
ventures or in the licensing of new products or technologies. "March
Madness" is part of the annual NCIIA meeting held March 6-9.
Admission is free to the National Museum of American History, located
at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W. and open
from 10 to 5:30 daily.
Media preview: Wednesday, March 7, 9 a.m.-10 a.m., National
Museum of American History
Call (703) 920-5918 (Amy Kehs) to attend.
portions excerpted from Smithsonian press release
Dr. Lazzi
Dr. Gianluca Lazzi, assistant professor of electrical and computer
engineering at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty
Early Career Development (Career) Award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF), effective March 1, 2001, to run through February
28, 2006. The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $375,000 in funding over
the next five years. Lazzi will use the award to support his research
project entitled, "Advanced Bioelectromagnetics for Wireless Biomedical
Devices." The objective of his investigation is to bring about fundamental
advances toward the development of novel wireless transcutaneous
electromagnetic devices for biomedical applications by integrating
macro- and micro-scale phenomena in the same framework.
Lazzi’s research interests include development of numerical
techniques for the solution of electromagnetic problems, bioelectromagnetics
and electromagnetic effects on the human body, application of electromagnetic
fields to medical problems, wireless electromagnetics, and analysis
and design of antennas and microwave circuits for wireless communications.
Lazzi received his Dr. Eng. in electronic engineering from the
University of Rome "La Sapienza" in 1994 and his Ph.D. in electrical
engineering from the University of Utah in 1998. He joined the NC
State faculty in 1999.
-- powell --
Dr. Veena Misra, assistant professor of electrical and computer
engineering at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty
Early Career Development (Career) Award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF), effective February 1, 2001, to run through January
31, 2006. The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $375,000 in funding over
the next five years. Misra will use the award to support her research
project entitled, "Novel Approaches for Integration of Vertical
Si Nanoelectronics." In this project she will investigate novel
approaches in the integration of high-K dielectrics and metal gates
with vertical CMOS devices.
Misra’s research interests include MOSFET device design,
advanced gate stacks, CMOS process integration, characterization
of thin films, molecular electronics and quantum computing.
Misra received her B.S., M.Sc. and Ph.D. in electrical engineering
from NC State University in 1991, 1992, and 1995 respectively. She
joined the NC State faculty in 1998.
-- powell --
Dr. Robert F. Davis, Kobe Steel, Ltd. Distinguished Professor of
Materials Science and Engineering and Distinguished University Professor
of Materials Science and Engineering, and Dr. Thom J. Hodgson, James
T. Ryan Professor of Industrial Engineering and Director of the
Integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute, of NC State
University have been elected to membership in the National Academy
of Engineering (NAE). Election to NAE is one of engineering’s
highest professional honors. According to NAE, this membership honors
those who have made "important contributions to engineering
theory and practice, including significant contributions to the
literature of engineering theory and practice," and individuals
who have demonstrated "unusual accomplishment in the pioneering
of new and developing fields of technology."
Davis, who joined the NC State faculty in 1972, was cited for "contributions
in the development of silicon carbide and group III-nitrides as
practical electronic materials for devices." He is recognized
worldwide as a leader in semiconductor materials research. His professional
interests include growth and characterization of semiconductors,
ceramic thin films and ceramic coatings as well as kinetics and
mechanisms of creep in ceramic materials. Davis worked as a research
scientist at Corning Glass Works prior to joining the NC State faculty.
He received his B.S. from NC State in 1964, his M.S. from Pennsylvania
State University in 1966 and his Ph.D. from the University of California—Berkeley
in 1970, all in ceramic engineering.
Hodgson was cited by NAE for "contributions to the advancement
of industrial, manufacturing and operational systems in industry,
academia and government." His research interests include scheduling,
production and inventory control; manufacturing systems; and applied
and military operations research. Hodgson was a professor at the
University of Florida for thirteen years prior to joining the NC
State faculty in 1983. He received his B.S.E. in science engineering,
his M.B.A. in quantitative methods and his Ph.D. in industrial engineering
and operations research from the University of Michigan in 1961,
1965 and 1970, respectively.
-- rudd --
Dr. Kuruvilla Verghese, professor in the Department of Nuclear
Engineering, is serving as the interim director of the Nuclear Reactor
Program effective January 1. 2001. He replaces Dr. Charles W. Mayo,
professor of nuclear engineering, who stepped down as director.
-- powell --
Thomas H. Brown, director of Successful Student Transitions in
the College of Engineering at NC State, has been named the director
of the Undergraduate Distance Education Program effective January
1, 2001.
-- powell --
Dr. Ducoste
Dr. Joel J. Ducoste, assistant professor of civil engineering at
NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career
Development (Career) Award from the National Science Foundation
(NSF), effective September 1, 2001, to run through August 31, 2006.
The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the award, NSF will provide $375,000 in funding over
the next five years. Ducoste will use the award to support his research
project entitled, "A Unified Approach to Understanding, Education
and Design of Disinfection Processes Using Computational Fluid Dynamics."
This investigation will integrate research and education to pioneer
innovative techniques for comprehensive characterization of disinfection
processes using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Another major
component of this research is the development of a protocol that
will help engineers customize CFD models for a specific water treatment
plant with unique raw water quality conditions and pre-disinfection
processes.
Ducoste’s research interests include advanced water/wastewater
treatment modeling, computational and experimental fluid dynamics,
solid/liquid separation processes, water treatment process scaleup
and optimization.
Ducoste received his B.S. and his M. Eng. in mechanical engineering
from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1988 and 1989, respectively,
and his Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of
Illinois in 1996. He joined the NC State faculty in 1998.
-- rudd --
Dr. Healey
Dr. Christopher G. Healey, assistant professor of computer science
at NC State University, is the recipient of a Faculty Early Career
Development (Career) Award from the National Science Foundation
(NSF), effective February 1, 2001, to run through January 31, 2006.
The award is the highest honor given by NSF to young university
faculty in science and engineering.
As part of the ward, NSF will provide $370,403 in funding over
the next five years. Healey will use the award to support his research
project entitled, "Assisted Navigation in Large Visualization Spaces."
This research will investigate methods for assisting with the navigation
of large, complex information spaces by combining a detailed local
display with a high-level global overview of the locations and structure
of areas of interest within the dataset. The local view will use
perceptual cues to harness the abilities of the low-level human
visual system. Elements of interest in the global overview will
be identified in a semi-automated fashion; graph construction and
traversal algorithms will be used to structure the elements of interest
and to navigate the dataset in an efficient manner.
Healey received his B.Math in computer science from the University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, in 1990 and his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in
computer graphics from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver,
Canada, in 1992 and 1996, respectively. He was a postdoctoral fellow
in computer graphics at the University of California at Berkeley
before joining the NC State faculty in 1998.
Healey joins six other Career award recipients in the Department
of Computer Science: Dr. Annie I. Anton, assistant professor; Dr.
James C. Lester, associate professor; Dr. Injong Rhee, assistant
professor; Dr. Jonathan G. Rossi, assistant professor; Dr. George
N. Rouskas, associate professor; and Dr. Munindar Singh, assistant
professor.
-- rudd --
Chemical Engineering department head Dr. Peter K. Kilpatrick
with Dr. Christine S. Grant
Dr. Christine S. Grant, associate professor of chemical engineering
at North Carolina State University, was recently inducted into the
Science and Technology category of the 2000 Academy of Women sponsored
by the YWCA of Wake County. This award recognizes the contributions,
achievements and diversity of women community leaders in Wake County,
North Carolina.
According to the YWCA Academy of Women Steering Committee, the
Science and Technology Award "recognizes excellence in the nominee's
field of science research, health, technology and related fields
of study."
Grant has received numerous awards recognizing her contributions
in chemical engineering and student mentoring. These awards include
the North Carolina State University African-American Advocacy and
the Professional Development Awards in 1999 and 1996, respectively;
the National Technical Association's 1998 Top Women in Science and
Engineering Award in 1998; and the Lloyd Fergusson Young Scientist
Award in 1997. She was also elected to the Council of Outstanding
Young Engineering Alumni of Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996.
Grant's research interests focus on the development of environmentally
friendly chemicals and processes, particularly research involving
the removal of contaminants from metal and glass surfaces. A recent
award of approximately $500,000 from NSF in the XYZ on a Chip Program
focuses on the reduction of stiction in the processing of micromachines
(or MEMS). She is also co-director of the NSF Green Processing Undergraduate
Research Program for 2000-2005.
Grant received her Sc.B. in chemical engineering from Brown University
in 1984 and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in chemical engineering from
Georgia Institute of Technology in 1986 and 1989, respectively.
-- rudd --
Dr. Rajala
Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, professor of electrical and computer engineering
and associate dean of academic affairs at North Carolina State University,
has been elected to serve as a member of the Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Women in Engineering Committee.
The Women in Engineering Committee addresses ways to improve the
climate for women in IEEE and the workplace, gathers and disseminates
information regarding the status of women and enables mentoring
and education programs to improve the entry into and retention of
women in engineering programs.
At its December 3, 2000, meeting the IEEE Board of Directors confirmed
Rajala’s appointment for a three-year term from January 1,
2001, to December 31, 2003.
-- rudd --
Dr. Shigeo Obata, senior research scientist with the Department
of Aerospace Engineering of the Japanese National Defense Academy
(NDA), visited North Carolina State University on Friday, January
12, 2001. Obata was the guest of Dr. Mohammad N. Noori, head of
the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Dr.
Bill Roberts, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering
and the associate director of the Applied Energy Research Laboratory.
Obata presented a seminar about his research on Friday, January
12. Obata’s research work focuses on Japan’s version of
the supersonic airplane, initiated by the American National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) in early 1980s. The project, named
the "Oriental Express," was aimed at building a hydrogen-fueled
supersonic plane that could travel the distance between New York
and Tokyo in under five hours. Because of budget cuts at NASA, the
project was cancelled. Japanese researchers at NDA are continuing
the project by developing a supersonic plane using hydrocarbon fuel.
This a challenging problem for combustion research. However, according
to Obabta’s presentation, in a few years the NDA project will
result in the first prototype of this high-speed plane. In Japan,
the project is referred to as the "American Express."
Noori and two other colleagues from Japan, Dr. Tadatoshi Furukawa
and Dr. Arata Masuda, are part of a US - Japan multi-university
research team formed to study the development of new technologies
for earthquake mitigation of urban structures. Furukawa arrived
here September 1 and will stay until March; Masuda will stay one
full year, until August 2001.
Obata’s visit is part of an effort to expand American -
Japanese cooperation to other areas where the College of Engineering
has matching expertise and to enhance the global visibility of the
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
-- rudd --
Students from the College of Engineering at North Carolina State
University displayed their creativity during the first week of December
2000 in the Talley Student Center ballroom. Two events, the first
annual Freshman Engineering Design Day and the established annual
Senior Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Design Day, gave
students the opportunity to explore varied applications of technology
to real-world problems.
Freshmen Engineering Design Day provided a venue for the fall
2000 entering class in the College of Engineering to present the
results of their semester-long projects from the Introduction to
Engineering and Problem-Solving course. Each student team in the
course designed, built and tested one of four simple engineering
projects: a balsa-wood bridge, a web page, a catapult or a miniature
electronic robot. Student teams presented their designs in a "trade
show" format for the design contest.
For Senior ECE Design Day, professors, parents and industry representatives
observed senior students' solutions to practical engineering challenges
posed by a variety of industry sponsors. The students' projects
were the products of their participation in the Senior Design Project
course at NC State. According to Barton J. Greene, director of the
Electrical and Computer Engineering Design Center, "The Senior Design
Project course represents the culmination of their engineering education
as it calls on them to utilize their engineering skills in the design
of a solution to a real-world problem." The projects covered a variety
of areas, including aids for disabled children and the elderly,
a beverage-can-recognizing robot, automotive safety improvements,
testing and measurement improvements, wireless technology refinements
and distance education tools.
-- rudd --
|
May
17, 2001 
Dr. Misra
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College of Engineering
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina