FULLEngineering, Construction, CIRCLE and Computer Science News for Friends and Alumni of Arizona State University Fall 2005
Feature Stories Growing Infrastructure Creates New Research In This Issue Space for Fulton School New Fulton Fellowship Program Attracts Graduate Students Global Engagement Begins with Mexico
Curriculum Redesign Provides Foundation for Tomorrow’s Fulton Engineer
High-Performance Computing Facility Opens at ASU Show Your Fulton School Pride
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Small gifts commentscocommmm Contents CROUCH’S The Fulton School of Engineering School News ...... 2 is rife with energy and expectation Leveraging Space at ASU ...... 4 as we expand and emerge on many Global Engagement with Mexico ...... 8 fronts. Our capacity for research is Student News ...... 12 increasing, while our relationships Fulton Fellows ...... 12 with international neighbors continue Ph.D. Students Experience Real World . . .15 to thrive. Our educational programs Curriculum Redesign ...... 16 are being transformed and new ones Alumni News ...... 18 implemented. And, we celebrate the In Practice ...... 18 successes of our alumni, welcom- Fulton Alumnus Returns to ASU ...... 21 ing back those graduates who have Where are they now? ...... 22 returned to be a part of ASU. Discovery News ...... 24 High Performance Computing ...... 24 We are excited about the implications Door 2 Doc ...... 25 of our growth. Students, faculty and Understanding Hurricanes ...... 26 researchers alike are benefiting from Nanotech Center, New Energy Lead . . . . . 28 new classrooms, laboratories and workplaces that foster knowledge Faculty Accolades ...... 29 Dean Peter E. Crouch transfer, collaborative research and innovation. Of note is our new High Cover: Interdisciplinary Science & Performance Computing Initiative, which launched this fall enhancing the com- Technology Building at Arizona State putational engineering resources at ASU. University, Tempe Campus We are building global ties by acting locally. Our investment in Mexico is increasing as we cultivate our partnership with the Institute Technológico y de Dean: Peter E. Crouch Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. Exchange programs for students and new Editor: Karen Klimczak channels of professional networking for faculty members are among the oppor- tunities being created. Design & Production: Elaine Rettger Writers: Trisha Coffman, Jessica McCann, Our pursuit of excellence in engineering education led to the development Jan Murra, and Nicole Romanoff of a new fellowship program this year–Fulton Fellows–that is attracting high- Photographer: Kenneth Sweat achieving students to ASU with research appointments and unique professional development opportunities. Our undergraduate program also underwent a Please submit inquiries and items for publica- transformation in support of our aspiring ‘Fulton Engineers.’ tion to: [email protected] Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering In this issue of the Full Circle, we have included a new feature called “In Arizona State University Practice.” This alumni-written column is a forum for our graduates to share best P.O. Box 879309 practices from their own careers. Tempe, AZ 85287-9309 I hope you enjoy this edition of the Full Circle. We look forward to sharing www.fulton.asu.edu more news of the Fulton School as we focus on our mission of becoming a © 2005 Arizona Board of Regents. All rights world-class school of engineering. reserved. The sunburst logo is a registered trademark, and the word mark is a trademark of Arizona Board of Regents. All other brands, Sincerely, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks used herein are the property of their respective owners. Information in this document is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. Peter E. Crouch
Fulton School of Engineering 1 School News GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF Engineering Excellence at ASU in 2007 “But We Don’t Want To Be Teachers!” This headline blared from the Phoenix Gazette in 1946 when Arizona State University was still Arizona State Teachers College, and the young soldiers who fought victoriously in World War II returned to civilian life, GI Bills clutched firmly in hand, and clamoring for the promised government-paid education.
Grady Gammage, president of the General Electric Corporation contrib- electrical engineering said, “The growth fledgling teacher’s college, was never uted to the progress of the engineering of ASU and particularly the growth a man to back away from a door with school when it offered to build a plant here at the engineering school are tied opportunity beating on the other side, in Phoenix, Ariz. and install a million- very tightly with the growth of the so he created the desired engineer- dollar computer on the ASU campus community around us. As I see it, any ing classes and decided to fight the only if a full engineering program institution has to be of service to the battle to award degrees at a later date. was offered. That type of community group that supports it.” A decade later that battle resulted in involvement has remained constant over the first Bachelor of Science degrees the years, with local industry donat- If Gammage was the impetus behind in engineering at ASU and the gradu- ing equipment and materials for early the formation of the school of engi- ate engineering program established laboratories and the engineering school neering, Dr. Lee P. Thompson was shortly thereafter. providing educational opportunities. its architect and builder. Thompson served as dean of the new engineer The history of the school of engineer- In the Feb. 4, 1968 issue of the school, and with the collaboration ing is a colorful one, full of challenges, Arizona Republic, Dr. of assistant dean Dr. George Beakley, ingenuity and imaginative indi- Thomas Tice, designed an innovative curriculum, viduals rising above adversity. the chair of which was primarily responsible for Gammage did not stand alone the successful accreditation of each before the Arizona Board of Regents in 1956; he was joined by Dr. Dan Noble, vice president of Motorola, and Keene Browne, The engineering secretary of the Arizona AFL- complex on the CIO. Together the men formed ASU Tempe campus a triumvirate of industry/labor/ (left to right): Noble academia, all fighting for the Library, Engineering future of the school and the Research Center and community. Engineering G Wing. Photo by Stanton Photography.
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The beginnings of the Barry M. Goldwater Center for Science and Engineering in 1990. Photo by Kristine Baxter.
of the school’s academic disciplines. By the time of his retirement, Thompson had set the school of engineering on a firm foundation of scholarship and community involvement. Dean C. Roland Haden took the school further into the arena of research and con- tributed to the placement of ASU as a research institution.
Each of the departments within the school of engineering has its own story, with equally determined faculty The growth of ASU and particularly the growth here at the who dealt with shortages of funds and engineering school are tied very tightly with the growth of the equipment in creative fashions. The community around us. students in electrical engineering built their own laboratory with equipment designed by department chair, Dr. Russell Riese, and a small grant from local industry. Industrial engineering made use of state-confiscated pinball machines to support human engineer- ing classes. There were many times when creativity was not an option; it was a necessity.
The 50th anniversary of engineering education at ASU will be celebrated in 2007. The history of the engineer- ing school is currently being written and contributions are requested from alumni, current students, staff and faculty who have memories and anecdotes to add.
Contact [email protected] with any ideas or contributions to assist with the history compilation.
Construction of the Engineering Research Center in 1983. Photo by Conley Photography, Inc.
Fulton School of Engineering 3
ASU FC Fall 05.indd text:3 10/27/05 11:07:35 AM School News Leveraging Space
Personal space. Open space. CRAWL SPACE. Outer space. What is it about space? As we grow, as we learn, as we create, humankind has always craved it. And we always seem to need more of it, to accomplish our goals, to achieve our dreams. Naturally, finding space to grow, learn and create at ASU – associate dean of planning and administration for the Fulton and leveraging that space to its fullest benefits – has been an School, where he spent the past five years creating a strategic ongoing priority for the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering plan for space development at the school. in recent years. As a university, ASU has embarked on a dra- matic research infrastructure expansion that is creating more “When we began this process in the late 1990s, our research than one million square feet of new research space. Faculty was doubling about every three years. Today, that growth has and students of the Fulton School are already taking advan- been even more rapid,” Huey explained. “So we have worked tage of the opportunities that the new space provides. very hard at figuring out how to develop new space for the Fulton School and how to use what we have most effectively.” “The process of facilities development is always going to be very dynamic,” said Ben Huey, the new vice chair in com- Expanding Space puter science and engineering. Huey previously served as Acquisition of the Brickyard on Mill Avenue (below) pro- vided for the first of several significant bursts of critically needed space for the Fulton School. Build-out construction of several floors began nearly a year before the purchase was finalized in July 2004, and space filled up as soon as it was available.
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The Brickyard is now home to the Dean’s Office, the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and faculty offices. Within the complex, Artisan Court (right) also houses classrooms and research and instructional labs for computer science and engineering, with video broadcasting capabilities that support distance learning and collaborative research initiatives. The move more than doubled the computer science and engineering department’s space to about 60,000 square feet. The Brickyard also houses the Institute for Computing and Information Science and Engineering, which was created in 2003.
ASU’s new Decision Theater (below and right) debuted in May 2005 at the Orchid House, part of the Brickyard complex. Researchers there take input from facts and figures on paper and add the visualization of two more dimensions – space and time. The projects are then presented via a 270-degree, three-dimensional view, displayed on seven flat-panel screens. This provides an immersive environment for discussing research and policy questions, identifying common needs and interests, and creating models to explore patterns, relationships and the implications of actions in complex environments.
Computer science faculty members Anshuman Razdan, Gerald Farin, Gregory Nielson and Peter Wonka all have ongoing projects in the Decision Theater. Computer science and engineering department chair Sethuraman Panchanathan is also partnering on a number of projects with the theater.
“Many of these projects were going on before we opened, but the Decision Theater provides researchers a chance to focus on their work in a new way and give them more attention,” said Rick Shangraw, executive director of the Decision Theater. “And
Fulton School of Engineering 5 School News
because we’re right here in the Brickyard, next door to the Dean’s Office, we have developed a very close relationship with the Fulton School.”
In August, students and faculty began setting up research labs in the Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building (ISTB) II (on cover) located at McAllister Avenue near University Drive. The 60,000-square-foot facility is over- whelmingly occupied by Fulton School departments; civil and environmental engi- neering, materials engineering, and aerospace engineering have all staked a claim. The facility will include labs for pavement, soils testing, fluid dynamics, materials testing, structures, heat transfer, thermodynamics and combustion.
At the new Biodesign Institute at ASU (left and below), which opened its first of four buildings in December 2004, biologists, engineers and computer scientists work side by side, bringing highly-specialized expertise into a beautiful environ- ment where glass walls and flexible lab designs stimulate collaboration. Several Fulton School faculty members already have found homes there. For example, Bruce Rittmann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, serves as direc- tor of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the Biodesign Institute; and Joseph Wang, a professor of chemical engineering and chemistry, is director of the Institute’s Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors.
At the ASU Research Park in southeast Tempe, the Flexible Display Center also recently began operation. It is the result of a $43.7 million, five-year cooperative agreement between the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and ASU. The principal goal of the center is to develop commercially-viable, flexible displays that are lightweight, rugged and low cost for use in the field by military personnel. A number of Fulton School faculty conduct work at the center, and Gregory Raupp, professor of chemical and materials engineering, serves as its director. The award was formalized in February 2004, and by mid-year the center had already produced its first limited-flexibility four-inch diagonal concept devices.
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More on the Way The impact of this added space has been monumental, and it also opens up newly vacated space in existing facilities that can be redeveloped.
The space that the Dean’s Office vacated in the Engineering G Wing on the ASU Tempe campus, for example, will become home to a new student services center. Recruitment, admissions, minority programs, academic advising and a tutoring center are some of the student-oriented services that will occupy the first floor of G wing.
More is on the way, soon. The Biodesign Institute’s sec- ond building and ISTB I are both scheduled to open in early 2006. Biodesign Building B is planned for 172,000 square feet of high-tech laboratory and office space. It will include approximately 142,000 square feet of bio- engineering, biotechnology and integrative biomedicine laboratories, and 30,000 square feet of faculty/research and administrative offices. ISTB I will be approximately twice the size of ISTB II. Bioengineering will occupy most of the first and second floors of the building, totaling 23,000 square feet.
“We have many promising research opportunities underway,” explained Peter Crouch, dean of the Fulton School. “These new facilities are giving those projects – the faculty and students – the room they need to work and learn and develop new ideas.”
Researchers at the Flexible Display Center develop innovative technologies (above and left).
Fulton School of Engineering 7 School News Growing Globally Starts Next Door
ASU, along with its Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, is getting to know its neighbors. That aim is at the heart of an unprec-
edented partnership with one of Mexico and Latin America’s premier and far-reaching educational institutions, Tecnológico de Monterrey. The relationship fits squarely with ASU President Michael Crow’s global engagement design initiative and will help to further establish and broaden the presence of ASU’s research and curricula in the Americas. The list of benefits to both parties is of a neighborly standard: shared effort, global experience, international perspective and mutual understanding.
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With 33 campuses in Mexico, Tec de Monterrey is one of Dr. Rene Villalobos, industrial Mexico’s largest private educational institution, encompassing engineering professor, leads the high school, university, graduate and postgraduate schools “U.S.-Mexico Partnership on across Latin America. “Tec de Monterrey is not a typical institution in Education and Technology Mexico,” said Fulton School Dean and Vice Provost for Global Engagement Peter Transfer for International Logistics” supported by a 2003 Crouch. “It’s quite entrepreneurial. It’s also a very influential institution within engi- USAID grant. neering in particular, and many Mexican leaders are alumni of Tec de Monterrey.”
The institution’s quality and location made for a logical first step toward engaging ASU with the world. “It’s a good idea since they’re our closest neighbor. If you are going to expose students to another country, the first place should be the one that has significantly influenced Arizona culture, which is of course, Mexico,” Crouch said.
The Fulton School was a key component early in the partnership. Although ASU and Tec de Monterrey, headquartered in Monterrey, Mexico, began a student exchange in 2002, Sophie Rigollet, strategic relations associate for Pan American Initiatives at ASU, believes the true birth of the relationship was in summer 2003, when the engineering deans established a faculty exchange and research between colleges. Since then, several collaborative areas have progressed throughout the university and within the Fulton School.
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“The idea is that a U.S. student will have experience working in Mexico and a Mexican student will have experience working in the United States.”
— Dr. Howard Bashford, DEWSC Director of Graduate Studies
Today, the Fulton School and Tec de Monterrey have several for the program’s future. That’s similar to how Dr. Howard partnerships either underway or being formulated. A 2003 Bashford, Del E. Webb School of Construction (DEWSC) grant awarded by the United States Agency for International director of graduate studies and professor, sees the purpose of Development (USAID) Training, Internships, Exchanges and the dual master’s degree program in construction management. Scholarships (TIES) Program makes it pos- sible for Tec de Monterrey students “The idea is that a U.S. student will have experience to pursue a joint master’s degree working in Mexico and a Mexican student will in logistics from both institu- have experience working in the United tions, with a focus on the States,” Bashford said. The degree aerospace industry. “There program, with an emphasis on is a lot of interest in Mexico international construction to attract aerospace com- management, was formal- panies to put production ized in July and takes facilities there, and there the shape of an is a lot of interest by U.S. exchange program, companies to put production with students facilities in Mexico,” said Dr. Rene spending a year at Villalobos, professor in the industrial each institution. engineering department. A total of 21 students will participate, the first Traditional cohort of seven arrived at ASU in fall coursework in 2004. The participants study at construction man- ASU for nine months. agement will be included, enhanced “A flow of students from by a semester-long Mexico to here and from here internship with to Mexico,” is Villalobos’ vision a construction
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company. “Culture and personal relationships are very important in construction. “It sounds simple, but The internship will give students the opportunity to experience the culture and Tec de Monterrey and practices in another country,” Bashford said. Upon completion, the first cohort of ASU can accomplish students, commencing in fall 2006, will have earned a Master of Science in con- struction from both ASU and Tec de Monterrey. more together than duplicating our efforts The flow of information is also expedited via Tec de Monterrey’s virtual univer- individually. sity—a broad online and satellite network that is the second largest in the world In essence, by being and extends throughout Mexico, Latin America and into Europe. This past August, the Fulton School marked the launch of a Six Sigma Black Belt Professional good neighbors.” Certification program as a complement to Tec de Monterrey’s master’s degree in quality and productivity systems. — Sophie Rigollet, Pan American Initiatives at ASU Courses from the Fulton School’s industrial engineering department are administered by Tec de Monterrey’s virtual university. “We were instrumental in cultivating the partnership and then in packaging and supporting the delivery of the courses,” said Jeff Goss, assistant dean with the Center for Professional Development and executive director for professional programs. Goss explained that Tec de Monterrey manages the course and administers all exams and grades, while Fulton School faculty inte- grates live or synchronous components or lectures through videoconference. Assistant dean Jeff Goss (foreground) leads the Center The course content adds value to the Tec de Monterrey degree, Goss said. “In of Professional Development, some respects it’s from the folks who wrote the books. The ASU faculty members which delivers online graduate involved represent the depth of experts that makeup the industrial engineering engineering degrees and execu- department, some are the most renowned in their fields in the country.” tive education.
The program has 20 students this fall from seven Mexican cities, and it is expected that 50 will enroll for spring semester. They will receive the profes- sional certification from ASU in addi- tion to a degree from Tec de Monterrey.
As these programs mature and new collaborations are coordinated, les- sons are being learned—and not just by students. “We’re trying to mow down the obstacles so there are fewer impediments to the natural flow from institution to institution. If there are fewer obstacles, then people will be more inclined to take the opportunity,” Crouch said.
Fulton School of Engineering 11 StudentSchool News News F U L LTT O N FELLOWSFELLOWS
The best and the brightest. This description applies to a new kind of graduate student enrolled at the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering: the Fulton Fellow. For the first time this fall, the prestigious title of Fulton Fellow and its accompanying financial award were bestowed upon 28 inaugural recipients.
“The idea is that we’re The Fulton Fellowship program, developed during the going to become 2004-2005 academic year, is made possible by the Fulton Investment. The program remains true to the intention of the envy of the nation Mr. Ira A. Fulton’s endowment—to support faculty, research and programs that further the school towards its goal of in terms of opportunities for greatness, said Dr. Norma Hubele, director of strategic graduate students.” initiatives. “The fellows program is a scholarship and a professional development program,” Hubele explained. “The intent is to not only provide financial support that’s — Dr. Norma Hubele, competitive—to bring top minds to our graduate school, Director of Strategic Initiatives but also to create professional development opportunities that augment the students’ scholastic studies and foster their leadership potential.”
12 Arizona State University Student News There’s life beyond the lab The fellowship program—offering a one-year, incentive- F U L T O N FELLOWS based, supplemental financial package—provides funding to departments and research programs to recruit the highest quality doctoral students from around the United States. The purpose is three-fold, fulfilled through three types of fellowships: the Fulton Department Fellowship serves to increase the number of highly qualified doctoral candidates; the Fulton Signature Research Fellowship encourages interdisciplinary research; and the Fulton Enrichment Fellowship promotes diversity within the graduate student population.
While the funding allows for a strong recruitment effort and acts as an enticement for the best-of-the-best stu- dents, the professional development aspect is in the form of an enhanced educational experience. “We want to use the program to give these students special opportunities that will fall outside the classical form of engineering edu- cation,” said Dr. Ronald J. Adrian, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and a member of the task force That’s the message of the Fulton Graduate Student Association that developed the Fulton Fellows program. (FGSA), as it seeks to provide students a well-rounded education through a new-and-improved roster of activities and These graduate enhancement opportunities, created by programs. The school year kicked-off with the Fulton School graduate initiatives director Jennifer Cason, offer a closer graduate student orientation mixer. FGSA president Rajen look at engineering careers and professions. “The goal is Sidhu (above) said the event set the tone for the fall semester to invite leaders in research, industry and education to by encouraging casual interaction between faculty and students. meet our students and have them share useful insights about their professions,” Cason said. The FSGA supports four main programs: ▲ The annual Research in Engineering and Applied Sciences Symposium, “gives students confidence to present their work in front of an audience and is a good way to see what research is happening in other departments.” ▲ The “Looking Beyond the Degree” seminar series is designed to expand students’ focus beyond their research. The seminars brings in financial planners, immigration lawyers and other professionals to offer their expertise. ▲ The engineering outreach program allows students to promote their research and spread the engineering word at local high schools. ▲ The graduate mentorship program pairs incoming students with second-, third- or fourth-year students, providing them a contact for questions and issues large and small, assistance with the transition to graduate school, and The inaugural class of Fulton Fellows with Dean Peter opportunities to socialize with other departments. Crouch at the first “Dinner with the Dean” event held at Old Main on ASU’s Tempe campus.
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Adrian and Dr. Joseph C. Palais, also on the task force, share Cason’s vision for implementing these opportunities. “We tell these leaders, these are the best graduate students from around the country, and they would benefit from having personal interaction with you,” said Palais, director of graduate studies, professor of electrical engineering and academic director of online and professional programs.
Palais added that the Fulton School is in competition not only with other schools, but with companies as well, who draw many newly minted engineers immediately into industry with attractive salaries and benefits. The graduate enhancement opportunities will give fellows the chance to experience industry, even as they continue their studies. Through interaction with students, Palais said, industry leaders will be exposed to the quality of the Fulton “We want to use the Fulton Fellow program Fellows. to give these students special opportunities
The program marks another step in the Fulton School’s that will fall outside the classical form of upward trajectory. “The idea is that we’re going to become engineering education.” the envy of the nation in terms of opportunities for graduate students,” Hubele said. “We’re in the fifth largest — Dr. Ronald J. Adrian metropolitan area in the nation, with the third largest uni- versity. The graduate program is rising in stature, based on the quality of the faculty and research opportunities. The intent is that a graduate coming out of our program is not only going to have a taste of what it’s like to be an academic, but will have a taste of what it’s like to lead industry and government enterprises as a Ph.D., as well.”
It’s a plan that should bode well for both the graduates and the school. “In the short term, it will help us by attracting especially strong students,” said Adrian. “In the long term, it can be tremendously helpful by producing students who are especially empowered for success, and who will ultimately be able to help the Fulton School continue its quest for excellence.”
Dr. Joseph C. Palais
14 Arizona State University DiscoveryStudent News DDoctoraloctoral CCandidatesandidates Step Outside ASU
Industry opportunity offers new challenge Government lab provides more than just experience Wenlin Wang, a Ph.D. student studying process control in Teresa Clement, a Ph.D. student in the Department of chemical engineering, Chemical and Materials began an internship Engineering, spent her this semester with summer in an intern- Intel Corporation in ship position at Sandia Chandler, Ariz. With National Laboratories support in internships, in New Mexico. This fellowships and a repu- was not the first intern- tation for “cutting-edge” ship for Clement, who research, Intel maintains interned at Motorola a strong presence in the while pursuing her Ira A. Fulton School of B.S.E. at Arizona State Engineering. University.
Wang was recommend- Sandia is a national ed for the position by security laboratory an Intel employee with funded primarily by the whom he had become acquainted through networking. Although U.S. Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security an internship is not required for completion of his program, he and Department of Defense. Clement discovered the internship finds the industry experience invaluable. through a Sandia fellowship that she was awarded in 2004. She considers herself lucky to have had the opportunity to work at “What we learn from books is always more or less different from Sandia, as this type of government internship can be difficult to the real world,” Wang says. “Academic study builds the base for obtain and requires extensive background checks. a professional career, but to be successful in a professional career, an engineer has to have hands-on experience.” Clement describes Sandia’s Student Internship Programs (SIP) as very strong and organized, offering resources and mentors to help For Wang, this hands-on experience is the most exciting aspect with everything from working in the lab to living in an unfamiliar of the internship, allowing him to apply his extensive academic city. This assistance helped Clement to deal with the transition of studies to real-life situations. The position has also introduced being away from her husband for 11 weeks, and the familiarity of him to experiences outside of his process control engineering her research environment at ASU. focus. Wang credits the technical knowledge of his studies with the ease in which he has been able to jump into each new project Clement spent much of summer immersed in laboratory research quickly and successfully. relating to her dissertation on semiconductor nanowires, as well as professional development activities including technical writing, While the experience is proving to be a positive one, it has not presentation skills and networking. The culmination of the activi- been without its challenges. According to Wang, communication ties, and the highlight of her internship experience, was the SIP is not given much focus in engineering studies. Upon joining Annual Symposium held at the conclusion of the summer. The Intel, Wang was asked to converse with employees on a variety symposium brings Sandia interns together to formally present of topics. While he initially found the interfacing to be difficult, their research. Clement was among over 200 interns to present to Wang now participates in daily communication and idea sharing. the 800 attendees from around the country. Wang says the communication has provided him with a better understanding of the industry and has also helped him to forge a As she had hoped, interning at Sandia provided Clement with network of professional relationships. valuable experience and research to further her dissertation, but it also provided an unexpected outcome. Her experience in gov- “My internship helps me to achieve valuable industry experience. ernment research, which she describes as “somewhere between It is a wonderful bridge to connect my academic study to my industry and academia,” has clarified the direction in which she future professional career.” would like to pursue her career.
Fulton School of Engineering 15 Student News
Curriculum Redesign Provides Foundation for Tomorrow’s Fulton Engineer
In a profession that is intrinsically tied to the The new curriculum supports this ideal. It requires eight laws of science and physics, to the certainties of fewer credit hours for graduation than previously, and it math and computing, it may come as little sur- essentially eliminates the core class requirements. It also prise that engineering curriculum at American offers new courses relating to biology and business. The changes are intended to better prepare students for success in universities has been slow to change in the past their chosen disciplines. 40 years or so. In many ways, that’s the beauty of it – the certainty. “One of the motivations of the redesign was to do away with the basic structure, a core structure that had been in place Yet, engineering is also a profession of great innovation, for 40 years,” explained Barry McNeill (above), assistant dean change and advancement; and education must keep pace. of academic affairs, who has played a key advisory role in This coming fall, a new crop of students at the Ira A. Fulton the development and implementation of the new curriculum. School of Engineering will begin their degree programs “The department chairs and faculty are no longer hampered within a newly designed curriculum that has been in plan- with requirements that have little to do with their discipline. ning since June 2004. This frees up the programs to teach what they really have their hearts set on teaching.” As a precursor to the curriculum redesign, faculty and senior administrators met for a retreat in February 2004 to discuss The Fulton School has operated under a waiver from the and determine the ideal attributes, attitudes and skills of university permitting 128 credit hours for its degrees, rather the Fulton Engineer. From that retreat, five key points were than the university-standard 120 hours. It’s not a huge dif- developed. A Fulton Engineer will be technically sound; a ference, but those eight hours typically have added an extra leader; knowledgeable concerning pertinent biological issues; semester to an engineering student’s time at the school. knowledgeable of current business/entrepreneurial practices; “We have a societal responsibility to not keep them here and cultured, well-read and well-spoken.
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ASU FC Fall 05.indd text:16 10/27/05 11:10:47 AM Student News forever,” said McNeill. “We instituted the change in any kind of business bent, it makes things so much easier. credit hours, in part, with a desire to really get the students But even if you get to work as an engineer in a big company, through this program and on to their next step in life, where having some sense of how the business operates will also they can be a meaningful member of society.” help open up many new opportunities.”
The 120-credit hour bachelor’s degree in engineering will For the redesign, each department was required to develop a serve as the platform on which individuals can build their program that would be accredited by the Accreditation Board careers. They will be technically competent in their disci- of Engineering and Technology (ABET), as well as meet plines and have the wherewithal to go to work for a large university requirements for general studies. “Other than that, company, to pursue more technical skills through a master’s they’re free to develop a curriculum that they think is current degree, or perhaps to start their own businesses. According and brings in the topics that are important today for their to McNeill, the overriding goal is to develop an environment students,” McNeill noted. that fosters a successful group of lifelong learners. Alumnus Kevin Jardine of General Dynamics C4 Systems While the core requirements were removed from the new also likes the changes taking place in the program offerings. curriculum, their essence was not eliminated entirely. Each “They’re doing a good job of tapping into what industry program is still required to offer a mandatory “Introduction needs from graduates,” he said. Jardine is director of human to Engineering” class at the freshman level. Each must also resources for the company’s space and national systems divi- include a meaningful biology class and an introduction to sion, which hires as many as 60 new graduates each year. current business practices. So, as a new group of students embark on their quests to “I absolutely think a business course of some kind is vital,” become Fulton Engineers this coming fall, they can do so said Brenda McCaffrey, president and founder of White knowing that the revitalized curriculum will provide them Mountain Labs, who earned both her master’s and doctorate with the solid foundation they’ll need to build their futures. degrees in electrical engineering from ASU. “It’s pretty obvi- ous when you’re in a very small company that if you have
Fulton School of Engineering 17 AlumniDiscovery News News InPractice A new feature of the Full Circle, “In Practice” offers alumni a forum to share best practices and real-world tools from their careers with fellow engineers.
Solving a Complex Problem? Try an Integrated Approach By guest writer Steve Trimble, B.S.E. ’71
Our society is faced with numerous complex problems: crumbling infra- structure, global warming, vanishing natural resources, escalating healthcare costs and population growth. Complex problems lead to complex projects that encompass a wide range of customer needs, stakeholder concerns and numerous interrelated development issues. As engineers, we are problem solvers. We mix science with art to create innovative solutions. Are you working on a complex problem now or in the future? An Integrated Engineering Approach could help you.
The Integrated Engineering Approach has four interconnected ele- ments to solve complex problems: innovative design, systems engineering, business acumen and project management. These elements are integrated through teamwork and effective communications when executing an engi- neering project—the most frequently used construct for problem solving due to its interdisciplinary, cross-functional and interactive nature. An engi- neering project does not integrate these four elements in isolation. Instead it operates in and relates to an ever changing environment of forces such as industry trends and government regulation.
As Albert Einstein said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” Innovative design is the process of creating a new idea, then turning it into something of value—an effective Dr. Steven W. Trimble (B.S.E. ’71 from solution, which requires taking into account the other three elements of the ASU; M.B.A. and Ph.D. in business integrated approach. Creativity is the artful part of engineering. It can be a administration) has over 30 years of solitary endeavor or a team activity. It can happen through a free-flowing experience in program management, process, such as brainstorming, or a structured one, such as TRIZ (Theory systems engineering and power of Inventive Problem Solving, www.triz-journal.com), a process that origi- systems design. He is senior manager nated in the former USSR. One of my own tools for project team creativity for systems and processes at Stirling is the Contemplative Leadership Process, which utilizes reflection, trust Energy Systems, Inc. and operates his building and dialogue. own consulting practice (www.trimbleconsultinginc.com). Too often, engineers approach a complex problem by breaking it down into its parts and then optimizing each one separately. Most of the time,
18 Arizona State University Alumni News
Environment The Atlas Rocket: An Early Example of the Business Acumen when these parts are Integrated Engineering recombined, the Approach resulting whole is sub-optimized. To avoid this, systems By mid-1950s, both the United Systems PROJECT Project Engineering Management engineering seeks States and USSR were fi nalizing to guide the design nuclear devices that were light of all the parts from a systems perspective enough to be intercontinental Innovative (visit www.incose.org, weapons–if the right rocket could Design International Council on be developed. Faced with this Systems Engineering). It is a urgent, complex problem, the © Trimble 2005 holistic process of understanding the customer’s needs and translating USAF took an integrated approach: them into a full set of deliverable capabilities. 1. selected Convair to pursue its Business acumen is the understanding of how businesses make money. innovative idea of using internal Most engineering projects operate within businesses that provide products/ pressure that allowed the use services to customers; therefore, business knowledge is critical. This goes of paper thin (therefore light) beyond understanding the typical financial processes. It requires knowl- fuel tank/rocket walls, edge of the company’s mission, vision, values, strategy, processes, markets, core capabilities, and management philosophy and structure. 2. hired newly formed Ramo Woolridge Corporation The first step in gaining business acumen is to understand how a business relates to its customers, suppliers, competitors and the general operating (forerunner of TRW, Inc.) to environment. Basically, a business uses multiple resources to create a prod- provide systems engineering uct/service that meets the customer’s need at a lower cost than competing and technical direction for businesses. The reward for accomplishing this is profit. Just as a business contractors like Convair, who must be managed to maximize profitability, an engineering project must be managed to insure that the complex problem solution can be obtained in an lacked these capabilities in their affordable, timely manner. business models, and
Project management is concerned with the wise use of limited 3. directed the deputy secretary resources to meet customer expectations. It requires the management of of budget and program assets–people, equipment and supplies; time–schedules, task durations, and management to streamline the dependencies; money–costs, contingencies and profit; and scope–require- bureaucratic procedures to ments and goals. Project management starts with good planning, team building and clarifying goals with upper management. During the project, shorten schedules and reduce it requires careful activity monitoring, scope control and risk management. costs. The net effect was the fi elding of the Atlas rocket in Projects that seek to solve complex problems often fail. For example, time to avert “nuclear black- almost 50 percent of large information technology projects fall short of meeting their expected performance, budget or schedule goals. Research mail” by the Soviets. indicates that the root cause of most of these failures stems from the team and senior management not using project management philosophy to pro- vide upfront planning, monitoring, risk management or innovative actions for project recovery.
Fulton School of Engineering 19 AlumniDiscovery News News
ENVIRONMENT Top Ten Actions to Improve
Competitor Competitor Project Effectiveness
1. Insure clarity on goals, payment FIRM deliverables, and values Administration Customer Employees Facilities 2. Build trust and commitment product/ Expertise service Operations among all stakeholders 3. Understand the business case capital profi t payment supplies and environment
4. Translate customer needs into Shareholder Suppliers requirements
5. Avoid sub-optimization with system models A good start to refresh your knowledge is to visit the Project Management 6. Use development phases with Institute website (www.PMI.org) or learn about international project man- agement at (www.pmforum.org). exit criteria 7. Practice risk management Successful project teams recognize that they are integrating the above four elements in an environment of physical, political, economic, social and throughout the program technological change. The team must not only possess technical expertise, 8. Make the program plan a but must also be aware of outside forces, such as legislation, inflation, glo- living document balization, changing stakeholder demographics, and scientific advancements that can impact the effectiveness of their innovative design. The successful 9. Maintain excellent project leader will enlist team members who are curious about the envi- communications ronmental impacts and trends and how they apply to problem solving. In addition, discussions of these external forces need to be incorporated into 10. Make time for reflections and design and project reviews. innovation As part of the Integrated Engineering Approach, I have my list of “top ten actions” for increasing the effectiveness of a project. I challenge you to start your own list and keep improving it as you gain experience in manag- ing complex projects–hopefully with the Integrated Engineering Approach.
An active alumnus, Trimble recently engaged the ASU Combustion Laboratory to If you have comments or ideas for develop a test rig to accelerate analysis of a propane-based engine for a Stirling “In Practice,” please email application. At present, he is collaborating with mechanical and aerospace depart- [email protected]. We hope that ment leaders Dr. Robert Peck and Dr. Valana Wells to develop and teach a new undergraduate course starting fall 2006: The Engineering Profession. The course you find useful takeaways from this will feature Trimble’s Integrated Engineering Approach, the focus of this article. article!
20 Arizona State University Alumni News Researcher Returns to ASU
“We want to understand how catalysts work at a very basic level then go about developing new catalysts. Catalysts are the most important part of the hydrogen economy concept, lowering the amount of energy needed to activate the hydrogen cells.” — Dr. Cody Friesen
ASU graduate Dr. Cody Friesen had his reasons for returning to ASU as an assistant professor in fall 2004. “I want to be part of a rising star,” he said, referring to both the university’s direction under President Michael Crow and to the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. Friesen is something of a rising star himself, may sound very strange, and it should, because featured plentifully in the local media with nobody else has done it before,” Friesen said. He stories in the Arizona Republic, on the CBS 5 is also working on the storage of hydrogen. evening news, and on 620 KTAR, all touting his hydrogen research. But the recent recipient of Essential to Friesen’s work is the Fulton School’s a $300,000 grant insists he’s no media darling. High Performance Computing Initiative. “For “I’m not press hungry, but when the time comes nearly no cost I can run very large computa- to renew the grant, press is good,” he said. “It’s tional jobs in the computational laboratory, then also good for the school to have people see when I’m ready I can map that into the physical what’s going on here.” laboratory for experiments,” he said, noting that the facility is one of the foremost in the country, What’s going on in Friesen’s 1,200-square-foot lab and just one of many resources at ASU that is groundbreaking. Last May, Friesen was awarded make his job easier. a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen Program for his research in Friesen’s ASU experience as a student (B.S.E. nanoscale development of catalysts, a potential in materials science and engineering) assist- solution to the use problem of hydrogen. ing Fulton School professor Karl Sieradzki in research proved invaluable when he later Friesen and his five-person team are imple- applied to MIT. There he received his Ph.D., also menting a device that measures the mechanical in materials science and engineering. Friesen, response of catalysts down to a level of one part jointly appointed between the chemical and in a billion, allowing them to map the mechani- materials engineering and the mechanical and cal response of a surface to chemical reactions. aerospace engineering departments in the Fulton They then examine those reactions by looking at School, currently teaches a class in electronic, the mechanical deformation of a surface. “That magnetic and optical properties of materials.
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ASU FC Fall 05.indd text:21 10/27/05 11:11:19 AM Alumni News
Where Are They Now? Sabah Randhawa 1983 Ph.D. in industrial engineering Provost and Executive Vice President, Oregon State University
Since receiving his Ph.D. in industrial engineering from ASU in 1983, Dr. Sabah Randhawa’s career has moved steadily in an upward direction. He said it was a series of unanticipated opportunities that provided him with the necessary leader- ship skills to be named provost and executive vice president at Oregon State University (OSU) in May of this year.
Randhawa describes the appointment as the culmination of a university career launched by a broad-based industrial engineering program and some influential faculty at ASU. “The biggest contribution ASU made was to help me go into academia,” he said. “When I was going through the Ph.D. program, I was fully committed to going into industry.” But through the encouragement of two professors in particular— then-chair Dr. Richard Smith and current professor emeritus preparing the way for a concurrent role, six months later, as Dr. David Bedworth—his commitment to working within the the interim dean of the College of Business. Later as vice pro- university system was born. vost for OSU, he became responsible for leading the inter- national programs unit. Randhawa served twice as interim Since then, he has ascended faculty ranks in OSU’s College provost and following a national search, he was appointed to of Engineering and then those of central administration. He his current position as provost and executive vice president became vice provost for Academic Affairs in January 2000, of OSU.
Scott Sifferman 2004 B.S. in electrical engineering Research Assistant, Stanford University
Scott Sifferman, who graduated from ASU in 2004 with a His current research is an attempt to develop a useful, coher- B.S. in electrical engineering, is now on the Ph.D. path at ent infrared light source for a specific wavelength using a Stanford University. synchronously pumped optical parametric oscillator. “You input one wavelength and depending on how you adjust the While Sifferman can see himself in a professorial role1970 oscillator cavity, you can get several different wavelengths to someday, he plans to work in industry upon completion of come out the other side,” he explained. his Ph.D. For now, he is “just getting started with optics,” working as a research assistant in the field of nonlinear opti- Sifferman said the decision to continue his education was cal materials. “It’s the1980 first time I’ve ever done80 any serious0 influenced by his Fulton School professors, “Because of their research outside of coursework. It’s a learning process, get- example, I wanted to have those kinds of research and other ting adjusted to the goings-on of a lab,” Sifferman said. opportunities”.1990 22 Arizona State2000 University 0 Alumni News
Susan McCullough Deborah Koeneman 1984 B.S. in construction management 1990 B.S. and 1993 M.S. in bioengineering Human Resources Manager for Compensation Systems, Senior Director for Regulatory Affairs, OrthoLogic Bechtel It was a marriage proposal that beckoned Deborah Koeneman Having worked for back to Arizona in Bechtel Corporation 1996, but profession- since receiving her ally she found a good B.S. in construction fit as well. Back when management in 1984, she started working at Susan McCullough is OrthoLogic, the com- following family tradi- pany was in the medical tion. Both her father device business. During and grandfather spent its switch to biotechnol- their careers with the ogy, Koeneman used engineering, construc- her expertise to aid in tion and project man- the transformation. She agement company. Yet now serves as the senior her career path hasn’t director for regulatory been what she would affairs. “It involves han- call traditional. dling all of our submis- sions to the Food and McCullough began as Drug Administration a field engineer before spending time on project controls and and working with other working with the company on internal software development departments to make projects, each time living in a different U.S. city and also in sure we’re doing the correct kind of research and testing to London, before landing in San Francisco to work in finance support our products,” Koeneman said. in 1997. The position is appropriate, considering the FDA is where she Today she serves as human resources manager for began what she calls her less-than-conventional engineering Compensation Systems—a position in which she never career—one outside the lab, working often with paperwork imagined herself. “I always thought my career would stay and interfacing with the government. Koeneman was the first truer to the construction area,” McCullough said. It was the official bioengineering graduate of ASU to be hired at the combination of technical and business knowledge she picked FDA, where she worked as both a scientific reviewer—review- up while at ASU that helped her transition to various oppor- ing medical devices from orthopedic implants to sutures—and tunities. “I’ve been in the field, out on projects, in different a compliance officer. offices and in different roles. I feel that helps me in HR. It brings a certain amount of practicality to what I do now,” she Koeneman remains involved with the Fulton School’s said. 11950Harrington Department of Bioengineering on the industrial advisory board and is a frequent guest lecturer, speaking on McCullough remains involved with ASU as Bechtel’s manage- topics such as FDA design controls and regulations. ment1960 representative to the university. 011970 0 1980 Fulton School of Engineering 23
ASU FC Fall 05.indd text:23 1919909 10/27/05 11:11:41 AM DiscoverySchool News News HIGH-Performance computing facility gives ASU a competitive edge
Solving many of today’s most important and innovative new cooling technologies scientific and engineering problems allow it to deliver 600 watts of comput- requires the ability to manage ever-grow- ing capacity per square foot. ing volumes of data and to evaluate increasingly complex computational “It is all about being competitive,” said models. High-performance computing Stanzione. “High-performance comput- has emerged as the key player in signifi- ing allows our government and industry cantly accelerating research productivity, to maintain its role as innovators in information acquisition, time-to-manu- the global marketplace and the HPCI facture-and-market, knowledge discovery will grant researchers at Arizona State and innovation. The use of high-perfor- University access to this increasingly mance computing is important to the necessary advancement tool.” economic health of the United States and of Arizona. In the words of the Council Fully operational in fall 2005, the HPCI Simulation of the turbulent flow of on Competitiveness, “to out-compete is also hosts satellite clusters around air around an F-15E jet while in a flat to out-compute.” ASU, supporting university initiatives spin. This type of simulation is used such as the Decision Theater and the to improve aircraft design; similar The Fulton School is actively engaged Biodesign Institute. Research already techniques are applied to automobile, in enhancing this competitive resource underway includes modeling of weather helicopter, and even golf ball design. at ASU by establishing a large-scale and oceans, developing more effective (Squires, mechanical and aerospace) computing facility, the High Performance methods for drug delivery, and design- Computing Initiative (HPCI), utilizing ing high temperature materials for more off-the-shelf computer systems assembled efficient power plants. In addition to into clusters and connected via a fast providing accelerated computing capacity network. Under the direction of Dr. Dan for faculty research at ASU, the HPCI Stanzione, the Fulton School designed also facilitates student research, offers and built one of the densest machine specialized courses and integrates rooms deployed at a university, calculat- computational engineering as a ing up to two trillion computations per fundamental component in the second. The central computing cluster undergraduate degree cur- was installed in riculum. partnership with Dell Inc.
Primary greenhouse gas, CO2, is released when burning coal and oil.
CO2 must be captured and stored to limit fossil fuel impact on global warming. Simulation of magnesium extracted from a common mineral;
magnesium can combine with C02 released from cars and power plants to create an inert white powder which can be stored or reused. (Chizmeshya, et al, Center for Solid Dr. Dan Stanizone leads HPCI tour. State Science)
24 Arizona State University DiscoveryAlumni News Door-to-Doc Program Increases Patient Safety
A joint research effort between the Fulton School of Engineering and Banner Health, designed to decrease emergency room wait times, was recently awarded a two-year, $600,000 patient safety grant by the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ), an arm of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
The grant allows researchers to which will share lessons on how to The D2D process was implemented study the potential application of best implement processes like D2D at Banner Mesa, Ariz. in June 2004. the “Door-to-Doc” (D2D) program in to improve patient safety and satisfac- Within one month, patient satisfac- hospitals and medical centers, and is tion. Twila Burdick, Banner Health’s tion scores had risen from the 15th to one of 15 AHRQ grants nationwide vice president of organizational per- the 95th percentile. Additionally, the helping clinicians, facilities and formance, will serve as the principal emergency room handled a 16 per- patients implement evidence-based investigator of the project. Dr. Jeffery cent increase in patient volume over patient safety practices. Cochran, professor of industrial engi- the previous year, without increasing neering in the Ira A. Fulton School of the number of staff. It is hoped that Engineering, will direct research on the resulting D2D toolkits will help behalf of Arizona State University. other hospitals emulate this success.
The research includes “whole hos- Based in Phoenix, Ariz., Banner pital” thinking, recognizing that Health is one of the largest, nonprofit hospitals are not all the same and health care systems in the country. that emergency departments typi- cally exist as subsystems within the hospital. Consequently, emergency departments usually reveal symptoms of a hospital’s breaking point in terms of limits in capacity and resources. These symptoms include patients choosing to leave without treatment and “bed blocking,” where patients cannot be treated appropriately because inpatient beds are full. Dr. Jeffery Cochran “The consequences to patient safety The goal of D2D is to allow emer- and patient access of mitigating these gency room patients to see a physi- effects in hospitals is significant cian within 20 minutes of walking to society and is what originally through the door. Reports show that called me to this research,” said the D2D process improves patient Cochran. Burdick also added, “The flow and that patients report feeling partnership between Banner Health safer and more satisfied. A key com- and ASU is what makes this research ponent of the D2D project is devel- possible and allows contribution to oping a set of free, publicly available improving healthcare beyond our toolkits for health care providers, own organizations.”
Fulton School of Engineering 25 Discovery News R a c i n g Against Time and Nature Researchers Develop Inverse Ocean Modeling to Speed Understanding of Hurricanes
As power is restored one neighborhood at a time, debris is hauled from the streets by the truckload and residents slowly trickle back into the Big Easy, the question of how the city of New Orleans will be rebuilt is still under discussion. The true question, according to Julia Muccino, is whether it can be rebuilt in a manner that can successfully keep nature at bay.
“You can’t fight nature. Nature will always win,” said Muccino, an associate professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering. “But what we can do is rebuild in a way that is thoughtful and takes into account the many complexities of these large hurricanes. That way we can at least have a fighting chance at safeguarding the city.”
Muccino’s research focuses on finite element modeling of environmental fluid dynamics and data assimilation.
She works with a complicated numerical model – called the ADvanced CIRCulation model for oceanic, coastal and estuarine waters (ADCIRC) – that predicts water circula- tion along coast lines and estuaries. This model is used by Louisiana State University, among other universities and government agencies, to simulate hurricanes. Using informa- tion (such as coastline shape, contours of the ocean bottom, and atmospheric wind and pressure) and approximations to the laws of physics, the model can provide information such as the height and speed of water at certain points through- out a region.
26 Arizona State University
ASU FC Fall 05.indd text:26 10/27/05 11:12:20 AM Discovery News R a c i n g
Independently, scientists can use instrumentation to mea- as the physical ocean data. The software then takes over by sure the height and speed of water at some locations. This generating the advanced, yet more universal, code needed observational data won’t be in perfect agreement with model to complete the model. This not only speeds development simulations, however, because there always will be errors of the model, it minimizes the likelihood of user mistakes inherent in both. when building such an intricate algorithm.
In a field of research known as data assimilation, models Muccino not only works on the interface between ADCIRC and observations can be combined in sophisticated ways. and IOM, she also is key in the project’s educational efforts. She designed and built, with the help of a consultant, the “The result, ideally, is a melding of the best features of IOM website (http://iom.asu.edu), which serves as a reposi- both,” explained Muccino, who earned both her master’s tory for the software, a place for research exchange, and an and doctorate degrees at the University of Notre Dame. education tool for the techniques used in IOM.
On behalf of ASU, Muccino is part of a seven-university “The main objective is to make the data assimilation algo- consortium that has been operating under a National rithm more accessible to the scientific and engineering com- Science Foundation grant to develop a modular data assimi- munities,” said Muccino. “But, at the same time, we don’t lation system known as Inverse Ocean Modeling (IOM). want people to inadvertently misuse the software because The system software uses information technology to speed they don’t know how and why it works.” the development of this interface between numerical models and observational data by enabling computers to do more of As for New Orleans, plans to rebuild and safeguard the city the work. from future hurricanes already are in motion. With more advanced modeling systems, engineers and scientists will be “Computers are very patient,” mused Muccino. “They don’t better able to predict the forces of nature. Muccino and her mind doing millions of computations to produce a single colleagues will continue their work on IOM to make those number.” systems available as soon as possible.
Using IOM software, the model user can input the unique (or model dependent) components of the algorithm, as well
Fulton School of Engineering 27 Discovery News Research Highlights
ASU takes reins of national power New Center for Nanotechnology systems center ASU electrical engineering professor Vijay Vittal (left) has taken the helm of the Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC), a collaboration of 13 uni- versities dedicated to power systems research.
Vittal took over as direc- tor of PSERC in July for Bob Thomas of Cornell University, who stepped down after nine years in the position. This shift in direc- torship makes ASU the lead school in the organization. ASU has partnered with Motorola, Inc. to “This is very exciting for ASU,” Vittal says. “Reliability of the establish the Center for electric supply is a critical component of the economic competi- Interdisciplinary Research tiveness of the nation. To be the lead university in this group in Nanotechnology (CIRN), gives us national and international exposure.” taking a step toward estab- lishing Arizona’s reputation PSERC, which operates with a research budget of $2.4 million, as the Silicon Valley of is the largest collaboration funded by the National Science nanotechnology research Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center and production. initiative. “Our goal is to build the An example of the fruitful cooperation between member teams center into a major industry of PSERC is the ongoing investigation into the massive 2003 and university resource, and electrical blackout on the East Coast, says Vittal. As part of a eventually move into the joint United States-Canada task force, PSERC discovered that commercialization of products,” said Steve Goodnick (above), overgrown trees around power lines were an underlying fac- co-chair of CIRN. tor in the blackout’s severity. To mitigate that danger, PSERC researchers are now using satellite imagery to monitor and The United States is currently at the forefront of nanotechnol- predict tree growth. The ASU-PSERC team is made up of eight ogy research and Motorola hopes to curb rising competition, faculty members and 12 graduate students. specifically from Asia, by establishing ties with universities in order to encourage the number of students training to work in Vittal is the first Ira A. Fulton Chair in electrical engineering this science and technology industry. and a 2004 inductee into the National Academy of Engineering. At ASU, the center will be led by Fulton School faculty members Dr. Steve Goodnick of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Dr. Frederic Zenhausern (top) of the Biodesign Institute.
28 Arizona State University Discovery News Faculty Accolades
Ronald Adrian, Ira A. Fulton Professor of mechanical and aero- The 25th National Conference on Artificial Intelligence was space engineering and National Academy of Engineering member, well represented by the Department of Computer Science and was awarded the 2005 Fluid Dynamics Prize from The American Engineering. Professor Subbarao Kambhampati co-chaired Physical Society (APS). He will deliver the Otto Laporte Memorial the conference, while professor Chitta Baral presented an Lecture on “Organization in Wall Turbulence” at the annual APS invited talk and associate professor Huan Li offered a tutorial. Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting. Edward Kavazanjian, associate professor of civil and envi- Braden Allenby, professor of civil and environmental engi- ronmental engineering, was elected to a three-year term on the neering, was appointed Lincoln Professor of Engineering and Board of Governors of the American Society of Civil Engineers Ethics. He will also lead ASU’s participation in a new Center for Geo-Institute. He was also appointed to the National Academies Sustainable Engineering funded by National Science Foundation National Research Council committee to assess the performance of (NSF) and the Environmental Protection Agency with partners surface and subsurface engineered barriers. Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Texas at Austin. Michael Kozicki, professor of electrical engineering, was Allan Chasey, professor in the Del E. Webb School of awarded four U.S. patents in Programmable Metallization Cell Construction, was awarded the 2005 Willis J. Whitfield award by technology since January 2005, bringing his total U.S. patents to the Institute of Environmental Sciences and Technology (IEST) for 21 and foreign issued patents to 12 derived from ASU research. his publications on contamination control, support of the IEST, Michael Mamlouk, associate chair of civil and environmental and leadership of ASU’s Construction Research and Education for engineering, published the second edition of his book titled, Advanced Technology Environments Program. “Materials for Civil and Construction Engineers.” Chaitali Chakrabarti , professor of electrical engineering, was Civil and environmental engineering professor Larry Mays elected as the chair of the Design and Implementation of Signal published of four books this past year: “Water Supply Systems Processing Systems subcommittee of the IEEE Signal Processing Security,” “Water Resources Systems Management Tools,” 3rd edi- Society. tion of “Groundwater Hydrology” with David K. Todd, and a Nikhilesh Chawla, associate professor of materials engineer- new edition of “Water Resources Engineering.” ing, has published a book on “Metal Matrix Composites” co- Bruce Rittmann, professor of civil and environmental engineer- authored with professor Krish Chawla, University of Alabama at ing and director of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology Birmingham. in the Biodesign Institute, co-authored a new book titled, Joseph K. Davidson, professor of mechanical and aero- “Mathematical Modeling of Biofilms.” space engineering, received the 2005 Mechanisms and Robotics Andreas Spanias, professor of electrical engineering, received Committee Award for ‘cumulative contributions to the field of the Meritorious Service Award from the IEEE Signal Processing mechanism design and theory’ at the annual International Design Society ‘for his sustained and dedicated service and leadership Technical Conferences of ASME International, the professional soci- spanning a broad range of scientific activities.’ ety for mechanical engineers. Joseph Wang, professor of chemical and materials engineering John W. Fowler William C. Professor and associate professor and director of the Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors in Moor were named fellows of The Institute of Industrial Engineers the Biodesign Institute, received a $510,000 award from NSF to (IIE). Moor was also honored as the 2004-2005 IIE National develop ultra-sensitive nanoparticle-based bioelectronic assays of Faculty Advisor for his service to the seven-time gold award win- proteins and DNA. ning IIE Student Chapter. Vijay Vittal, professor and Ira A. Fulton Chair in electrical Ranu Jung James Abbas and , Harrington Department engineering, served as the Technical Chair of the 2nd CIGRE-IEEE of Bioengineering associate professors and co-directors of the Power Engineering Society symposium. Center for Rehabilitation Neuroscience and the Rehabilitation Engineering at the Biodesign Institute, secured four National Paul Westerhoff, professor of civil and environmental engi- Institutes of Health grants—totaling $3.9 million—to enhance neering, received the 2005 Walter L. Huber Civil Engineering the independence of and repair or replace lost function for people Research Prize and 2004 Journal of Environmental Engineering with spinal cord injury or other neurological disorders. Editor’s Award.
Fulton School of Engineering 29 Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering PO Box 879309 Tempe, Arizona 85287-9309
Class Notes Christina Ford (B.S.E. ’00, industrial engineering). Mike Luecker (M.S.E. ‘03, civil engineering). Mike Christina is the senior industrial engineering manager for is the state hydraulic engineer for the U.S. Department of American Express Business Travel (North America). She is in Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. He the process of completing her Six Sigma Black Belt certification is also a segment steward for the Arizona Trail Association and will be returning to school this fall to pursue her M.B.A. on behalf of the Arizona Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Phoenix Branch, Younger Member Forum. Ronald T. Foss, P.E. (B.S.E. ’94, electrical engineer- ing). Ron is the vice president of Associated Engineering, Juan Qiroz (B.S.E. ’98, mechanical engineering). Inc. in Phoenix, Ariz. He designs and oversees the electrical Juan has been with Honeywell since 1997. He is pursuing designs for commercial construction projects. Ron is cur- his M.B.A. and will graduate in October 2005. Juan and his rently a licensed P.E. in ten states. wife have two daughters. Juan’s participation in the Society of Automotive Engineers was one of his best experiences at ASU. Ron Jost (M.S. ’76 and Ph.D. ’02, electrical engi- neering). Ron retired in 2002 from Motorola as general ASU Alumni Association manager and corporate vice president. He is currently the Now is the perfect time for engineering graduates to become deputy assistant secretary of defense for C3 Programs, C3 active members in the ASU Alumni Association! When you Policies and Space Programs at the Pentagon. Ron and join, you’ll receive the benefits of membership — online job his wife Susan (MNS ‘76) have been married for 35 years. searching, discounts on products and services, and more. Daughter, Katy, (B.S. ’02, electrical engineering) is an engi- neer at Motorola and son, Tim (B.A. ’02, political science) Visit www.asu.edu/alumni/membership or call (480) 965- is deputy finance director for Massachusetts governor Mitt ALUM or 1-800-ALUMNUS Romney’s campaign committee.