Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine) Engineering, College Of

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine) Engineering, College of Spring 2006 Engineering@Nebraska - Spring 2006 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/engineeringalumnimag Part of the Engineering Commons "Engineering@Nebraska - Spring 2006" (2006). Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine). 1. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/engineeringalumnimag/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Engineering, College of at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Engineering@Nebraska (Alumni Magazine) by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Spring 2006 features A Swine Sensation 12 William Velander is creating a safe, inexpensive treatment for hemophilia using protein from the milk of transgenic pics. Bridging a Community 16 UNL and the Nebraska Department of Roads join together to build the United States’ first tied-arch bridge in Ravenna. Five Men and a Machine Shop 18 The Engineering and Science Research Support Facility helps UNL faculty turn ideas into reality. From the Gridiron to G-forces 20 Graduate student Curt Tomasevicz makes his Olympic debut. The Industry Standard 22 The new Charles Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction is expected to train the next generation of industry leaders. Racing Against the Clock 24 Students in ASC competition have just 18 hours to put together a manage- ment plan for a major construction project. departments From the Dean 4 Front and Center 5 Connections 26 n When she’s not dealing After Hours 29 with student records, Lori Straatmann leads troops into battle or teaches fellow Society for Creative Anachronism colleagues how to create pottery. See page 29. Editor Constance Walter Assistant Editor Ashley Washburn Graphic Designer Amy Hensley Contributing Writers Tricia Akerlund and Tina Stokes Editorial Correspondence [email protected]; 114 Othmer Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588-0642; telephone (402) 472-8309, fax Magazine On-line Address Changes (402) 472-7792 www.nuengr.unl.edu/publications.shtml [email protected]; telephone College of Engineering (402) 472-4236, fax (402) 472-4635. Engineering @ Nebraska is published by the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln University of Nebraska–Lincoln does not discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran’s status, national Spring 2006 or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. FromtheDean A New Era of Engineering With this issue of Engineering @ Nebraska, we are beginning a new era in engineering in Nebraska. Our goal is to be the best engineering program in the country in providing creative opportunities for our students. We don’t want our students to just “think outside the box,” we want to throw the box away. To some of you this may sound strange, but we engineers actually love what we do, and we want to infect others with our passion for engineering. In the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln we are exploring an ever-growing ménage of educational offerings we will provide the next generation of innovative minds in our state. For too long higher education has been hampered by our own inability to Photo by Tim Randall grow beyond our educational parentage. This has been especially true in the engineering disci- plines, wherein we have languished in classroom hegemony that is narrow in scope, thereby trans- ferring our own shortcomings to those we intend to serve the most—our students. At Nebraska, we have recommitted ourselves to serving students, because they are our future. You see, for us, engineering means ingenuity! I want to take this opportunity to tell you about some of the programs we are developing that promise to change our students in ways you n Dean David Allen might never have imagined. First, we have the Engineering Learning Community, which allows freshmen with similar academic interests to live and take classes together, foster closer interac- tions with faculty and create a sense of community within the larger university atmosphere. In addition, every spring there is an Engineering Learning Community trip that allows students to see first-hand what goes on behind the scenes. One year they went to Disney World, another time to the Coors Brewery and yet another to Dade-Behring. This year, they went to Seattle to visit Microsoft, Boeing and HDR. The College of Engineering is also heavily engaged in international education for our students. We currently have study abroad programs in Italy, France, Brazil and China, and we are developing opportunities in Venezuela and Sweden. We are one of the few engineering colleges in the country that offer a variety of true engineering programs abroad. In just three years our study abroad programs have grown to about 75 student participants each year. In fact, we are ranked in the top 25 engineering programs in study abroad offerings in the United States. Finally, I am pleased to tell you that this year we are kicking off our first ever summer camp for entering freshmen. After a wildly successful program put on last year in the Department of Computer & Electronics Engineering, chaired by Professor Bing Chen, we have decided to go collegewide. This summer, approximately 30 percent of our entering freshman class will enjoy two days of activities that will introduce them to Nebraska Engineering. I am proud of the efforts made by our faculty and staff to give the people of Nebraska an ever expanding and improving educational program in the College of Engineering. We believe that the new programs are just the start of a new era at Nebraska. We want you to know that at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, engineering is not just a degree program, it’s a way of life! —David H. Allen Spring2006 FrontandCenter Engineering College Architecture merged with the University of The department hosted a ribbon-cutting Changes Name Nebraska at Omaha’s College of Engineer- ceremony Jan. 6 to mark the lab’s move from ing & Technology. The architecture program the first floor of Othmer Hall to the basement. o reflect its changing educational mission, became the College of Architecture. The new lab mimics a factory so students Tthe University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s can use equipment similar to that found in engineering college has shortened its name to College Celebrates factories and research labs, said William the College of Engineering. It was known as Opening of New Lab Velander, chair of chemical & biomolecular the College of Engineering & Technology. engineering. It also features enhanced utility Dr. David Allen, dean of the college, said eniors in the Department of Chemical & hookups necessary for chemical processing. the college removed “technology” from its SBiomolecular Engineering returned from “This is really a beautiful facility. It’s a name because UNL is following a national winter break to receive another gift—a new state-of-the-art unit operations lab,” Velander movement to eliminate technology develop- Unit Operations Lab. said. ment programs from engineering curricu- Photo by Ashley Washburn lum. The college recently discontinued its industrial systems technology major and is in the process of discontinuing the construction engineering technology program. “That is not to say we will no longer be in the business of educating people involved in technology,” Allen said. “We will be teaching people the intellectual property to develop new technologies. This is what we believe is the most significant product our college can develop in the state of Nebraska.” The University of Nebraska Board of Regents and the state Coordinating Commis- sion on Postsecondary Education approved the change. The college had been known as the College of Engineering & Technology since 1974 n Chemical & Biomolecular when UNL’s College of Engineering and Engineering Unit Operations Lab Photo courtesy of University Communications Photography c.1992 Former Professor Dies The lab is used for Chemical Engineering 430, a senior capstone class. It has stations ussell Nelson, associate dean of for chemical reactions, continuous and batch Rgraduate studies and Emeritus distillation and other devices used to separate Professor in Mechanical Engineering at chemical mixtures. Students can control the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, died equipment manually, or remotely from a March 15. Nelson, who taught at UNL for control room overlooking the workspace. 31 years, was instrumental in getting the Construction began in early 2005. The metallurgy program started at UNL. space was configured for equipment that uses Nelson spent 10 years as associate steam, pressurized air, heated and cooled dean in graduate studies. According to a water, and electricity. Velander said the lab is 1993 Contacts article, Nelson witnessed unique because the services needed to oper- a real change in the College of Engineer- ate chemical processing equipment are at a ing. “I walked in (the classroom) and we significantly larger scale than those needed in had 10 female students in the room and a typical chemistry lab. I thought I was in the wrong building,” “Students need to have hands-on knowl- Nelson said. n Russell Nelson edge so they know how to work in the A well-respected and admired profes- industry,” said Leonard Akert, lab manager. sor, Nelson received eight teaching and low in the American Society of Engineer- “This room is much better for that type of service awards, including the Distin- ing Education. operation.” guished Teaching Award from UNL. The Nelson is survived by his wife, Doro- —Ashley Washburn year he retired, 1992, he was elected a fel- thy, two children and grandchildren. Engineering@Nebraska FrontandCenter Small Piano Keyboard their initial data collection in November nique was better on the smaller keyboard. a Perfect Fit 2005. The study included 26 expert and inter- “There are a number of injured pianists mediate pianists with small hands.

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