FREE Your Mind Can Engineers Cross the Temporal

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE THE FLORIDA 349 Weil Hall PAID P.O. BOx 116550 PERMIT NO. 230 Gainesville, Fl 32611-6550 PANAMA cITy, FL EN INEER fall 2009 g volume 96

FREE yOuR mInD Can engineers cross the temporal

200906_edge_sustainablecert_new.pdf 1 6/12/09 10:05 AM divide to meld form with function?

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C M EVEN MORE Y CM SUSTAINABLE ENGINEERING MY CERTIFICATE Three classes, one year. CY VALUABLE. With complete online delivery from UF EDGE, you can ENV 6932: Green Engineering Design & Sustainability CMY continue your Gator Engineering education without NEW! with Dr. Angela Lindner K disrupting your current career. EES 6318: Principles of Industrial Ecology with Prof. J.J. Delfino

EMA 6938: Materials & Sustainability with Dr. Amelia Dempere THE FLORIDA THE gATOR ENgINEER gETS NAmED EN INEER An excerpt from a 1959 article g “In football today, mental fumbles probably cost more games than any other single factor. For this reason today’s football player must be able to think quickly and accurately. We in the College of Engi- neering are justly proud of our contribution to the Florida Gator Football team. At present there are 14 football players (varsity, red shirts, and B team) taking engineering courses. From the Freshman team there are an additional nine football players, CONTENTS bringing the total to 23 from engineering.” features fall 2009 IF yOu buILD IT, IDEAS 18 wILL COmE The 23-county three-university Florida High Tech Corridor initiative is putting the state on the U.S.’s pedestal of innovation. And UF researchers have secured a spot as a crucial part of the enterprise.

On the cOver: F RAmINg 22 I NgENuITy There wasn’t a ritual sacrifice of pocket protectors and TI-89 calculators to the Gods of Engineering for this inspired idea, it was much more simple. Art students teamed with freshmen engineers on a mission to create aesthetically p.22 pleasing and functional VOC detectors. ENgINEERED ART this anima- 100 yEARS AND tronic canary was one of six projects 30 COuNTINg … in this summer’s A century of revolution is not easy to Art and engineer- ignore. Besides, who would want to? ing Design class Follow your engineering roots team taught by as they wind through 10 decades of faculty from the innovation. More than 50,000 engineers engineering and are a part of the Gator Engineering fine art colleges. Nation, including you. p.08 departments 05 FROm 300 wEIL HALL Dean Cammy Abernathy moved into 300 Weil Hall in August. Naturally, the column name still fits. kwise from top): shannon kalahar; C lo

C 06 ENgAgE Where wickedly cool meets the intentionally brief, albeit delightful morsels of engineering engagement. 38 ENgINEER upDATE See what your old classmates are up too and submit your own engineer update. p.09 42 DEvELOpmENT Harris Corp. President and CEO Howard Lance shares FuTuRE gAmE CHANgERS AND SupER-CHARgED SpEED From Gator his vision for Gator Engineering. graduate students who will change the way our world looks and operates to a juiced-up Gator engineered computer that reigns as the fastest in the world. 44 CLOSINg TImE dan page; shannon kalahar shannon kalahar Cover illustration: eddie guy; this page ( A few shared thoughts and words from the FE editor.

T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 1 THE FLORIDA THE gATOR ENgINEER gETS NAmED EN INEER An excerpt from a 1959 article g “In football today, mental fumbles probably cost more games than any other single factor. For this reason today’s football player must be able to think quickly and accurately. We in the College of Engi- neering are justly proud of our contribution to the Florida Gator Football team. At present there are 14 football players (varsity, red shirts, and B team) taking engineering courses. From the Freshman team there are an additional nine football players, CONTENTS bringing the total to 23 from engineering.” features fall 2009 IF yOu buILD IT, IDEAS 18 wILL COmE The 23-county three-university Florida High Tech Corridor initiative is putting the state on the U.S.’s pedestal of innovation. And UF researchers have secured a spot as a crucial part of the enterprise.

T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 1 CONTRIBUTORS leTTeRS THE FLORIDA barriers that women face,” said Kath- EN INEER leen S. Matthews, the dean of natural g sciences at Rice, … “There are circles and communities of engagement where women are by and large not included.” P UB l IS h e R Worse yet, the third factor cited Cammy R. Abernathy actually blames the women already dean in the field as a cause of the plateau. [email protected] “Women who had bad experiences....” discourage their junior counterparts. wriTe Us: Speaking openly about existing condi- [email protected] D IR eCTOR O f tions (even if it discourages young CO m m UNIC aTIONS engineers) should not be framed as a Megan E. Gales cause of the problem but as a healthy AlexAnder GelfAnd is a writ- Alisson ClArk is a UF alum whose [email protected] way to shine light on the problem and er in NYC, a former science teacher & ethnomusi- work appears in FLORIDA, FamilyFun, mental_ bring it into the open where it can cologist who taught astronomy in Massachusetts, floss and People. After working as a feature writer e D I TO R be resolved. played jazz piano in Manhattan & drummed for and columnist, she spent five years as a stay-at- Nicole Cisneros McKeen As a woman with a successful 25- animal sacrifice in Ghana, his work appears in The home mom before barging back onto the journal- [email protected] plus year career in engineering, I will New York Times, The Economist, Wired and Tech- ism scene as an editor of Gainesville Magazine. She’s not stop talking about my experiences nology Review. alexandergelfand.com now a freelance writer. alissonclark.webs.com a RT DIR eCTION as a woman in that field until those EmDash LLC Preventable Maintaince experiences stop limiting my ability emdashonline.com In your article “The Big Fix: Engineering’s Role in Repairing America’s Broken to perform at my potential simply Healthcare System” by Donya Currie, it fails to mention a very big, and prob- because I am a woman. If you are a S S I S Ta NT D e SI g N e R ably the most important part of the health care system, and that is public health going to publish on the subject, please John Dunne and preventive medicine. Although your section titled “Prevention, the best do not sugar coat the topic but base it [email protected] prescription” it still does not focus on prevention. By the time patients reach on research. Only when the engineer- the hospital, we are most likely talking about improving the most expensive ing community is willing to come to part of health care. To decrease that expense and prevent people from going to terms with the reality of the engineer- a Dv ISORy B Oa RD the hospital in which a specialist is needed, more effort and money are needed ing environment is the number Mike Foley, in public health. Unfortunately, very few engineers go into public health. I just of women in engineering going to Joseph Hartman, Meg Hendryx, happen to be one of them. grow significantly. Aaron Hoover, Mark Law, Angela Lindner, David Norton, Liesl O’Dell, MiChAel wAshinGTon lindA siGAllA hedGes, Ph.d, Paul Pegher, Mark Poulalion, Erik Sander, B.S ISE ’92, Deputy Director of the Preparedness Modeling Unit at the CDC .M.S.CHE ‘83 Wolfgang Sigmund, Ted Spiker Plugged In Boonsri diCkinson was born John Crowley when he’s not im- The Florida Engineer is published by the a gator and grew up on campus in Diamond Vil- mersed in technology working as a news producer University of florida College of engineering, keeping alumni, Coffee-Table Worthy the article as the cause of the plateau I am writing to commend you on your lage. Later, she returned to UF to study chemical with the Yahoo! Front Page team, he’s report- students and friends of the College connected with I wanted to let you know that the were not based on research. It is well Summer 2009 issue of “The Florida engineering. She is an assistant editor at Dis- ing on tech trends in Silicon Valley. The 20-year Gator engineering by reporting on issues relevant and timely to magazine has been fantastic recently. documented that once in the field of Engineer”. It’s a joy to see you and cover magazine in New York. Most recently, she veteran journalist considers Walter Cronkite his the field of engineering and the University. I actually take the time to sit down engineering, women face a different your team put out such a quality pub- went hunting for dinosaurs, Jurassic park style. greatest professional influence, yet is partial to and read it from cover to cover now – and often more challenging environ- lication. I was particularly impressed We welcome your boonsridickinson.com Stephen Colbert. even the covers and graphics seem so ment than their male colleagues. with the quality of the layout, pictures comments, suggestions great! Excellent job! Research into this area (National and other illustrations used in the and ideas. We reserve a Dv e RTISIN g Academy of Sciences, National Science articles. You succeeded in giving the the right to publish Nicole Cisneros McKeen AndreA r. Brown any submission to the Foundation, National Research Coun- issue a high-quality “Wired” type of FE. While we will do 352.392.0984 P.E., BSCE (99), ME EES (08) cil) has shown the technology playing feel. Keep up the good work! [email protected] our best to keep your field is still not level for women who submission intact, we choose careers in engineering and the Jos CoCqUyT e N g IN e e RIN g may edit for length, CO m m UNIC aTIONS & m a R k e TIN g hard sciences: “The reality is there are B.S. MAE ‘04 style and clarity. University of Florida 349 weil hall, P.o. Box 116550 Gainesville, fl, 32611-6550 THE PHONE LINEs ARE NOW OPEN p. 352.392.0984 | f. 352.392.9673 [email protected] You may have noticed The floridA enGineer has a different look, a new energy, if you will. This look isn’t only skin deep. We’ve also redefined

The Florida Engineer is a member of the content. It’s important to address issues significant not only to the Gator wAyne GArCiA is a 25-year vet- shAnnon kAlAhAr is a third The florida Magazine Association and CAse, Nice Girls Finish Last? Engineering community, but to the entire engineering community. The com- the Council for the Advancement eran of Florida journalism and politics, as a year fine art student at UF and a business owner While I was at first pleased to see an ments have been good, but sparse. Don’t be shy, this is YOUR magazine. and support of education. newspaper reporter, political consultant, edu- specializing in natural light portraiture. When article in “The Florida Engineer” on cator and award-winning online journalist. He she’s not in the darkroom (yes, she still uses a Tell us what you think, what you love, what you loath, what you want... just tell the plateau of women engineers in the is spending the next year on the UF campus as darkroom) she can be found cooking or running —THE FLORIDA ENGINEER sTAFF a visiting lecturer in the College of Journalism rampant through Payne’s Prairie. wakinghour- field of engineering, I was very disap- us: [email protected] and Communications. sphotography.com pointed that the four factors noted in

2 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 3 CONTRIBUTORS leTTeRS THE FLORIDA barriers that women face,” said Kath- EN INEER leen S. Matthews, the dean of natural g sciences at Rice, … “There are circles and communities of engagement where women are by and large not included.” P UB l IS h e R Worse yet, the third factor cited Cammy R. Abernathy actually blames the women already dean in the field as a cause of the plateau. [email protected] “Women who had bad experiences....” discourage their junior counterparts. wriTe Us: Speaking openly about existing condi- [email protected] D IR e CTOR O f tions (even if it discourages young CO m m UNIC aTIONS engineers) should not be framed as a Megan E. Gales cause of the problem but as a healthy AlexAnder GelfAnd is a writ- Alisson ClArk is a UF alum whose [email protected] way to shine light on the problem and er in NYC, a former science teacher & ethnomusi- work appears in FLORIDA, FamilyFun, mental_ bring it into the open where it can cologist who taught astronomy in Massachusetts, floss and People. After working as a feature writer e D I TO R be resolved. played jazz piano in Manhattan & drummed for and columnist, she spent five years as a stay-at- Nicole Cisneros McKeen As a woman with a successful 25- animal sacrifice in Ghana, his work appears in The home mom before barging back onto the journal- [email protected] plus year career in engineering, I will New York Times, The Economist, Wired and Tech- ism scene as an editor of Gainesville Magazine. She’s not stop talking about my experiences nology Review. alexandergelfand.com now a freelance writer. alissonclark.webs.com a RT DIR e CTION as a woman in that field until those EmDash LLC Preventable Maintaince experiences stop limiting my ability emdashonline.com In your article “The Big Fix: Engineering’s Role in Repairing America’s Broken to perform at my potential simply Healthcare System” by Donya Currie, it fails to mention a very big, and prob- because I am a woman. If you are a S S I S Ta NT D e SI g N e R ably the most important part of the health care system, and that is public health going to publish on the subject, please John Dunne and preventive medicine. Although your section titled “Prevention, the best do not sugar coat the topic but base it [email protected] prescription” it still does not focus on prevention. By the time patients reach on research. Only when the engineer- the hospital, we are most likely talking about improving the most expensive ing community is willing to come to part of health care. To decrease that expense and prevent people from going to terms with the reality of the engineer- a Dv ISORy B Oa RD the hospital in which a specialist is needed, more effort and money are needed ing environment is the number Mike Foley, in public health. Unfortunately, very few engineers go into public health. I just of women in engineering going to Joseph Hartman, Meg Hendryx, happen to be one of them. grow significantly. Aaron Hoover, Mark Law, Angela Lindner, David Norton, Liesl O’Dell, MiChAel wAshinGTon lindA siGAllA hedGes, Ph.d, Paul Pegher, Mark Poulalion, Erik Sander, B.S ISE ’92, Deputy Director of the Preparedness Modeling Unit at the CDC .M.S.CHE ‘83 Wolfgang Sigmund, Ted Spiker Plugged In Boonsri diCkinson was born John Crowley when he’s not im- The Florida Engineer is published by the a gator and grew up on campus in Diamond Vil- mersed in technology working as a news producer University of florida College of engineering, keeping alumni, Coffee-Table Worthy the article as the cause of the plateau I am writing to commend you on your lage. Later, she returned to UF to study chemical with the Yahoo! Front Page team, he’s report- students and friends of the College connected with I wanted to let you know that the were not based on research. It is well Summer 2009 issue of “The Florida engineering. She is an assistant editor at Dis- ing on tech trends in Silicon Valley. The 20-year Gator engineering by reporting on issues relevant and timely to magazine has been fantastic recently. documented that once in the field of Engineer”. It’s a joy to see you and cover magazine in New York. Most recently, she veteran journalist considers Walter Cronkite his the field of engineering and the University. I actually take the time to sit down engineering, women face a different your team put out such a quality pub- went hunting for dinosaurs, Jurassic park style. greatest professional influence, yet is partial to and read it from cover to cover now – and often more challenging environ- lication. I was particularly impressed We welcome your boonsridickinson.com Stephen Colbert. even the covers and graphics seem so ment than their male colleagues. with the quality of the layout, pictures comments, suggestions great! Excellent job! Research into this area (National and other illustrations used in the and ideas. We reserve a Dv e RTISIN g Academy of Sciences, National Science articles. You succeeded in giving the the right to publish Nicole Cisneros McKeen AndreA r. Brown any submission to the Foundation, National Research Coun- issue a high-quality “Wired” type of FE. While we will do 352.392.0984 P.E., BSCE (99), ME EES (08) cil) has shown the technology playing feel. Keep up the good work! [email protected] our best to keep your field is still not level for women who submission intact, we choose careers in engineering and the Jos CoCqUyT e N g IN e e RIN g may edit for length, CO m m UNIC aTIONS & m a R k e TIN g hard sciences: “The reality is there are B.S. MAE ‘04 style and clarity. University of Florida 349 weil hall, P.o. Box 116550 Gainesville, fl, 32611-6550 THE PHONE LINEs ARE NOW OPEN p. 352.392.0984 | f. 352.392.9673 [email protected] You may have noticed The floridA enGineer has a different look, a new energy, if you will. This look isn’t only skin deep. We’ve also redefined

2 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 3 by the numbers Cammy Abernathy letter from the dean

ucked away in Murray Hill, people around them, finding ways to listing dean Abernathy’s dEgREEs N.J., was a long multi-story make life better for everyone. They accomplishments would take EARNEd building full of some of the spend their careers in the service of up the entire magazine. And world’s most creative and others, solving practical problems and dedicated scientists and re- meeting tangible needs. Their passion frankly, listing each journal Tsearchers. It was Bell Labs, arguably the for people motivates them to do the publication she contributed capitol of communications R&D in its unexpected and attain the impossible. to would make the engineer’s heyday. Innovations as ubiquitous as the The best engineers — the ones truly destined to make a difference — re- engineer wobbly-eyed. instead, transistor, the laser, information theory, yEARs MONTHs the UNIX, and the C programming lan- flexively reach beyond cultural, tempo- here’s a taste of the curriculum guage trace their roots back to Ma Bell. I ral and disciplinary boundaries. They vitae mapping the career path 15A gATOR — (As Of OcTObER 200910) was 27 when I was fortunate to land a job understand that isolationism is a death that helped put that new line at there as a member of technical staff. The sentence to creativity, but embracing 3 ink on my Ph.D. diploma was still wet, differences cultivates innovation. the top of her resume: dean of and my hair was still brown. At the University of Florida College the college of Engineering. from300 It was at Bell Labs that I learned of Engineering, this is the kind of cul- one of the most profound lessons of ture we wish to encourage, one which my professional life: No engineer is allows us to create new interdisciplinary Weil Hall an island. There I was part of a larger programs attacking problems from a aWaRDs team. People weren’t labeled as materi- variety of perspectives. Because of our fellow of the Avs, 2002; Avs distinguished lecturer, 2001; Alumni chair of als engineers, electrical engineers or people and our broad array of research mechanical engineers. Instead, we initiatives, our college has the opportu- Materials science and Engineering, 2001; fellow of the Electrochemical society, focused on making a difference, on nity to be a leader in this approach and 72 2000; university of florida MsE faculty Excellence Award, 2003, 1998, 1997; having impact. And without labels, capitalize on advances in areas like in- pAgEs Of cuRRiculuM viTAE stanford Engineering graduate fellowship, 1980 there were no intellectual limits. formation technology, nanotechnology, The most successful engineers im- and computational science to address merse themselves in the lives of the the myriad of problems facing society. MORE THAN 8 How will we ensure the availability of high quality, affordable health care? 533 jOuRNAl publicATiONs What will we do to address the nation’s need for energy in an environmentally friendly manner? When and how will we rebuild the nation’s infrastructure? cO-AuTHOREd bOOk We must shed our labels and remem- million 1 ber instead that the true mission of an 6.5 engineer is simply to help people. REsEARcH MONEy REcEivEd The days ahead of us are rich with cONfERENcE pApERs possibility. As I unpack boxes in an 401 office that has been occupied by all but two of the College’s deans, I am reminded of our heritage of innova- EdiTEd bOOks tion, and energized to think of the days 7 ahead of us. Once again — with hair much grayer this time — I find myself sEvEN immersed in a hub of creative thought. Our country depends more then ever on 8 bOOk cHApTERs the R&D performed in our universities. Gator Engineering is ready to meet this need for the exciting years to come. patents 38 iNviTEd pREsENTATiONs Sincerely,

PREVIOUS POSITIONS Cammy Abernathy 3 Dean stanford university | research assistant AT&T bell laboratories | technical staff uf college of Engineering | professor of materials, Ph.D STUDENTS Wanna talk to DEAN science and engineering, alumni chair; AbERNATHy? send her an assoc. dean for academic affairs; dean MENTORED e-mail: [email protected]

4 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu 19 T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 5 by the numbers Cammy Abernathy letter from the dean

4 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu 19 T H E F L O R I D A E N g INEER 5 EN A g E g CuTTINg-EDgE EDuCATION Shortly before midnight on June 2, 1965, Houston had a problem. On that night — the night before the first space launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida but controlled completely from the Johnson Space Center in Texas — a faulty relay station brought down the communications line NASA rented for the occasion. Gator Engineering came to the rescue. By MEgAN gALEs

homas Martin came to UF from the University of Arizona in July 1963 to become dean after Joseph Weil retired. Florida’s space and technology industry was booming, and to keep up, companies were eager to provide employees with graduate educa- Ttion. As a result, the state legislature called on UF to create a branch engineering school to serve East Central Florida. Martin spent six months searching for a location, racking up 18,000 miles on his new beige Pontiac and flying 1,000 more miles. “Everyone from Daytona Beach to Melbourne wanted a branch school and needed one,” Martin said in a 1964 “Gainesville Sun” article. Martin’s aha! moment came during dinner with an engineer friend. The solution was television. He devised the Graduate Engineering Education System, or GENESYS. More interac- tive than the competition, it used televisions and telephones to extend the classroom in real time to seven sites statewide. Classrooms had 23-inch TVs that could receive any channel. Audio could come from radios, telephones, microphones, phonographs or cable. Instead of raising a hand to ask a question, students pressed a button on a telephone, which triggered a light in the instructor’s location. Approved in January 1964, GENESYS officially opened in June 1965, days before NASA’s middle-of-the-night appeal for help to program director John Hummer. NASA took what it needed from UF’s early experiment in distance education, allowing Texas to make countdown for the launch in Florida. Gator Engineering helped fix the communication malfunction and the mission at stake, and Gemini IV made history with the first U.S. space walk. GENESYS eventually led to the modern-day UF EDGE program, which delivers course content entirely online. Students from all over the world — even military pilots in Afghanistan — earn graduate degrees and certificates without visiting Gainesville. With a record 1,000 course enrollments, the program remains a popular continuing education tool for companies.

AHEAD OF ITs TIME A Gainesville student flicks the telephone switch, activating a light in the transmitting studio, where John V. Wait, who is lecturing on electrical systems analysis, is alerted that the Gainesville classroom has a question.

6 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 7 EN A g E g CuTTINg-EDgE EDuCATION Shortly before midnight on June 2, 1965, Houston had a problem. On that night — the night before the first space launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida but controlled completely from the Johnson Space Center in Texas — a faulty relay station brought down the communications line NASA rented for the occasion. Gator Engineering came to the rescue. By MEgAN gALEs

6 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 7 EN g A g E IN THE NEWS 07.09 supER COMpuTER TAkEs FLIgHT A supercomputer named Novo-G, described by its lead designer as likely the most powerful computer of its kind in the world became operational at UF. By AARON HOOvER sIx TO wATCH these engineering graduate students have the moxie to ovo-G gets part of its name from the Latin term make a difference in our lives, from creating stronger space materials for “make anew, change, alter,” and the next part from “G” for “genesis.” A reconfigurable to computer modeling gene networks to making sure third-world computer, it can rearrange its internal circuitry countries have clean water. gATOR ENgINEERINg to suit the task at hand. Applications range has never looked so cool. By ALIssON CLARk Nfrom space satellites to research supercomputers — anywhere size, energy and high speed are important, said Alan George, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of UF’s National Science Foundation Center for High-Performance Reconfigurable Computing. Traditional computers use so-called “fixed logic devices” to perform a large variety of tasks. But this jack-of-all-trades approach requires a substantial amount of overhead in space and energy, no matter what work needs to be done. On the other hand, special-purpose computers can be built to perform certain tasks very well but are not flexible. George says reconfigurable computers make the best of “It is very powerful technology, but it is also very complicated technology and we don’t want it to only be accessible by experts.”

both worlds. That is because they can rearrange their internal circuitry like Lego blocks, creating the most appropriate architecture for each assignment. As a result, a reconfigurable computer can be from 10 to 100 times faster than other computers its size while using five to 10 times less energy. Reconfigurable computers remain at the research stage and are not easy to use. One of the main goals of the NSF Center is to pioneer techniques to make reconfigurable computers more accessible.“It is very powerful technology, but it is also very complicated technology,” George said. “We don’t want this important technology to be accessible only to experts.” UF has three partner universities in its reconfigurable computing center — Brigham Young University, George Washington University and Virginia Tech — as well as about 30 involved industry and government agencies. on by Dan page I

Can’t get enough COLLEgE NEws and updates? Check out the Headlines section: www.eng.ufl.edu Illustrat shannon kalahar

8 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 9 EN g A g E IN THE NEWS 07.09 supER COMpuTER TAkEs FLIgHT A supercomputer named Novo-G, described by its lead designer as likely the most powerful computer of its kind in the world became operational at UF. By AARON HOOvER sIx TO wATCH these engineering graduate students have the moxie to ovo-G gets part of its name from the Latin term make a difference in our lives, from creating stronger space materials for “make anew, change, alter,” and the next part from “G” for “genesis.” A reconfigurable to computer modeling gene networks to making sure third-world computer, it can rearrange its internal circuitry countries have clean water. gATOR ENgINEERINg to suit the task at hand. Applications range has never looked so cool. By ALIssON CLARk Nfrom space satellites to research supercomputers — anywhere size, energy and high speed are important, said Alan George, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of UF’s National Science Foundation Center for High-Performance Reconfigurable Computing. Traditional computers use so-called “fixed logic devices” to perform a large variety of tasks. But this jack-of-all-trades approach requires a substantial amount of overhead in space and energy, no matter what work needs to be done. On the other hand, special-purpose computers can be built to perform certain tasks very well but are not flexible. George says reconfigurable computers make the best of “It is very powerful technology, but it is also very complicated technology and we don’t want it to only be accessible by experts.” both worlds. That is because they can rearrange their internal circuitry like Lego blocks, creating the most appropriate architecture for each assignment. As a result, a reconfigurable computer can be from 10 to 100 times faster than other computers its size while using five to 10 times less energy. Reconfigurable computers remain at the research stage and are not easy to use. One of the main goals of the NSF Center is to pioneer techniques to make reconfigurable computers more accessible.“It is very powerful technology, but it is also very complicated technology,” George said. “We don’t want this important technology to be accessible only to experts.” UF has three partner universities in its reconfigurable computing center — Brigham Young University, George Washington University and Virginia Tech — as well as about 30 involved industry and government agencies. on by Dan page I

Can’t get enough COLLEgE NEws and updates? Check out the Headlines section: www.eng.ufl.edu Illustrat shannon kalahar

8 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 9 EN g A g E

ERIN TAyLOR, ece kEvIN HOMRICH-MICOCCI, cce LIMINg xIONg, mae HyO sOO kIM, mae DIpANkAR gHOsH, mae sTEvE MyERs, bme class of 2010 class of 2009 class of 2010 class of 2009 class of 2009 class of 2010 “I love WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: “We know WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: As an WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: This Ph.D. WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: Kim spent WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: Ghosh, a WHy WE’rE WaTcHINg: Millions “An the sequence of the human genome, but undergrad at UF, the 23-year-old from student from Central China caught the three years as a manufacturing engineer Ph.D. student, is working to improve of epileptics – up to 45 percent – who coming up we have no clue what to do with it,” says Winter Park learned a statistic that attention of the Georgia Institute of at a Volvo construction-equipment fac- boron-carbide armor, used in tanks, don’t respond to drug treatment often engineer Taylor, a fifth-year doctoral candidate. haunted him: Worldwide, 25,000 Technology and Sandia National Labora- tory in South Korea. When the company aircraft and body armor. Ghosh looks resort to a vagus nerve stimulator, a with new Her bid to solve that problem lies in people die each day from water- tories with simulation tools functioning wanted to produce a new excavator, it at why the strong, lightweight ceramic pacemaker-like implant. It sends elec- wants to approaches dynamic computer modeling of human related diseases. He vowed to use his on atomic, nano and microscopic scales. was poised to spend billions on a new armor offers less protection against trical impulses through the body at a set get things gene networks. engineering degree to help develop- While existing multiscale technology machine shop until Kim came up with projectiles moving at high velocity. interval that doesn’t adapt to the indi- to a “Gene networks are how we work ing countries, but it wasn’t until this cobbles together separate simulations, a way to modify the existing machinery. “The weakness at high velocity vidual patient. Myers’ research focuses done,” he problem. – it’s what makes us what we are. If summer he realized he already had Xiong’s concurrent simulation would “It wasn’t my job directly, but I went reduces the effectiveness of the armor, on controllers that fire based on signals says. “It’s so we can understand them, we have the the skills to make a difference. “I pave the way for faster, more streamlined down to the shop floor and saw the but no one knows why it happens. from the seizure sufferer’s body. There’s power to cure every disease known to started out at UF as a chemistry and materials development. “So many phe- current machine could be modified to ac- By using microscopic technology to “The gold standard would be a gratifying man. This is the last missing piece of the math double major, but I realized nomena cannot be explained by single- commodate the new model – it was really capture the mechanism, I hope I can controller that can predict and detect nothing that puzzle – the future of genetic research.” what I was doing was theory, not scale simulation. They are fundamentally simple,” he said. Kim decided to go back improve our understanding,” he says. when a seizure is coming an hour to work on compares Taylor teases out those interac- problem-solving. It wasn’t as applied multi-scaled,” Xiong says. to school. “They were very sad, but I told “Once you know why it happens, you before and stop it,” he says, adding that research tions with simulations, focusing on a as I wanted,” Micocci says. “I was WHaT’S NExT: With a unified-scale my manager, ‘I need to study more.’” can find out how to prevent it.” he hopes to have an improved control- to the pathway scientists have nicknamed attracted to civil engineering because simulation reliably predicting the Upon his arrival at UF, Kim set to WHaT’S NExT: In addition to his work ler licensed and on the market within that can feeling of “Sonic Hedgehog” after the popular I could see it everywhere around me. performance of a material, researchers work turning what his adviser, associate with boron carbide, which has attracted five years. video game. That network governs It’s hands-on.” can develop targeted materials faster and professor Tony Schmitz, calls a “back-of- the attention of the U.S. Army, Ghosh WHaT’S NExT: Myers plans to design be applied the ‘aha’ neural development in utero, but also While in Kenya on a church trip, cheaper. “When engineers study fracture the-envelope sketch” for a new type of also works with ultra high-temperature medical devices, applying the first- now, not 20 impacts brain health throughout our Micocci worked with local water-man- and plasticity, the traditional approach displacement-measuring interferometer ceramics that can handle the toughest hand knowledge from a yearlong clini- moment. lives, so unlocking the secrets of Sonic agement officials to design, plan and is to establish fracture mechanics only into reality. His new model, which he aerospace applications, such as nose cal preceptorship at Shands. “When or 30 years That’s what Hedgehog could lead to cures for birth contract a well in the drought-stricken at the microscopic level. With this tech- finished in less than a year, eliminates cones and leading edges. As the current you spend time in a hospital, you see from now.” defects, Alzheimer’s and brain injuries. Naivasha region. He’s now leading nology, we can see atoms’ motion and periodic error by using acousto-optical space shuttle fleet moves toward retire- all of these great devices sitting in a keeps The same pathway also has implications an effort at First United Methodist separation, develop new theories, create modulators instead of a polarizing beam ment, Ghosh is optimistic that his work corner covered in dust, because the —erin taylor in skin cancer. Church of Winter Park to raise the stronger alloys. For aerospace, we can de- splitter. Eliminating periodic error could could help identify better materials for person who made it didn’t talk to the compelling WHaT’S NExT: Taylor hopes to post $16,000 needed to complete the work. sign materials and know they will be able be critical for applications from bio- the next generation of spacecraft. people who use it when they’re work- me to work an open-source model of Sonic Hedge- WHaT’S NExT: After he graduates in to sustain high temperature and pressure medical engineering to semiconductor “The materials used in the space ing on its design. They might follow a hog online within six months. Her larg- December, Micocci hopes to go back at the micro, nano and atomic level. This fabrication. “Many applications will need shuttle are not very strong, and they have doctor for a couple of days, but every on new er goal, however, is to develop methods to Kenya to oversee the implementa- will solve fundamental problems for more precise measurements. This model poor oxidation protection. This research doctor is different. That’s where the problems.” of uncovering network interactions that tion of the well. He’ll return to Florida engineers, whether they’re designing a can do that,” he says. could help determine what can be used in engineering program’s close relation- can be applied to any gene network in to work, but plans to continue giving car or a space shuttle,” he says. Biomedi- WHaT’S NExT: In his final year in future space shuttles,” he says. “Whether ship with Shands is a huge advantage. —steve myers the body. She hopes the site will launch his time and talent to help with third- cal engineering also benefits. Biological the Ph.D. program, Kim continues to it is armor or nose cones, a weakness or I get first-hand experience in the an online community where researchers world water issues. matter is particularly hard to explain in hone his prototype, in order to bring small crack can lead to catastrophic fail- hospital; I have conversations with post models for others to download and Word from THE fIEld: Associ- single-scale. No man-made material is as the technology to market. He hopes to ure. The fundamentals are very impor- doctors in the hallways. That’s going use. “I want to bring these computer ate professor Chick Glagola, who has strong as human bone and nobody knows continue his research and mentoring tant to understand.” to help me make a device that not only models to the biological community in known Micocci for two years, says it’s why. If we understand the mechanisms (he supervises two master’s students) Word from THE lab: Knox P. works really well, but one that people a way that’s accessible to people with not just Micocci’s philanthropy that of bones from simulation, we can make a as a professor. Millsaps Professor Ghatu Subhash, will want to use.” different backgrounds,” she says. sets him apart. material that mimics them, he said. Word from THE lab: Associate pro- Ghosh’s adviser, says “He is a quick Word from THE lab: Paul Carney, Word from THE lab: Assistant “What I tell my students is that Word from THE lab: Assistant fessor Tony Schmitz says Kim works with learner who is not afraid to probe Wilder Professor and director of the professor William Ogle, Taylor’s the variable that’s most uncontrol- professor Youping Chen nominated him MAE’s Korean Student Assoc. to help into complex physics and chemistry pediatric epilepsy program at UF’s supervisor in the McKnight Brain lable is people. He’s very outgoing, for MAE’s 2009 Grad Student of the new graduate and undergraduate students of materials. He is undoubtedly the McKnight Brain Institute, says My- Institute biomedical engineering lab very friendly, and also very results- Year (he won), she pointed to his perfect find housing, choose courses and navigate best student I have advised in terms ers’ excellent communication skills, says “Her computational modeling driven. That combination gives him scores on UF’s qualifying exam, 12 journal the maze of paperwork international of research quality, dedication to the entrepreneurial savvy and leadership has already changed the way we think the innate qualities to be a success,” papers, 10 conference presentations and students face. He says Kim is “diligent, given task, work ethic and number of will make him “an excellent neural

about a type of cellular signaling.” Glagola says. five upcoming manuscripts. shannon kalahar (all photos) intelligent and humble.” high-quality publications.” engineering scientist.”

10 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 11 EN g A g E

I T’s COMpLICATED Recognition is nice. Funding is better. This year, these junior faculty have both. All were awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award or PECASE (Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers) meant to nurture “the academic leaders of the 21st century.” Their research ranges from leading- edge to bleeding-edge. But with up to $1 million in support, the smart money is already on them to succeed. By ALExANDER gELFAND

productive Doodling JINg guo CAREER Award Winner

Jing Guo wants to make computer chips faster and more powerful. And he wants to do it by making them more like pencils. The assistant professor of electrical and computer engineer- prepare for the worst ing wants to build chips using graphene, a nanoscale carbon yoNgpEI guaN CAREER Award Winner material similar to the tracings left behind by a standard No. 2 whoa, That’s Heavy pencil — only millions of times thinner. Some people fear the unknown. Yongpei Guan just “It’s truly two-dimensional, just one atom thick,” says Guo of mIcHElE maNuEl wants to manage it better. the substance, first isolated in 2004. CAREER Award Winner Guan, an assistant professor in the Department of “Silicon has been the workhorse for a half-century,” says Industrial & Systems Engineering, develops stochas- Guo. Yet chip designers are now running up against its limita- Hybrids and electrics are worse than tic and robust integer programming methods to help tions. This is true both with respect to processing speed, and gas-guzzlers at turning stored energy make rational decisions about an uncertain future. to the communications capabilities required by networked into power, according to Michele “We use mathematical programming techniques to and mobile devices. Graphene, which conducts both electrons Manuel, director of the Materials structure. And it ing new sensors solve probability problems,” says Guan, whose research and heat extremely well, has emerged as a leading contender in Design and Prototyping Laboratory. Opposites Attract lies at the heart with novel can be applied to fields ranging from retail sales (when the race to find a silicon substitute. They also weigh more, thanks to their Jacob JoNES of all transducer- capabilities. should a retailer restock his shelves given unreliable Because electrons move faster through graphene than they heavy batteries and added electronics. PECASE Winner driven sensor Now Jones is demand?) to oil drilling (when should workers on an do through silicon, the ultrathin material has the potential to Manuel is working with GM to technologies, able to boost offshore platform be sent packing in the face of pos- produce faster CPUs. It also emits and detects photons more create new magnesium alloys to help The title of the “smart materials” from ultrasound useful working sible bad weather?). efficiently, which should make it friendlier to fiber optic sys- alternative-fuel cars shed pounds and project that in which electri- imaging to ac- temperatures The “stochastic” part of Guan’s work involves devel- tems transmitting information in the form of light. become more fuel efficient. earned Jacob cal, magnetic celerometers. of his materials oping algorithms that can generate all of the possible Graphene-only chips are a long way off. For now, Guo is Magnesium has long been an Jones a $1 million and mechanical Jones seeks to by “a couple of outcomes for a given situation, attach probabilities to building physical and predictive computer models based on attractive candidate for vehicle manu- PECASE grant forces are all better under- hundred de- each scenario and determine the best response to each quantum physics to design silicon-based chips incorporating facturing; three times lighter than — “Domain Wall coupled. These stand how do- grees,” a useful one. For many applications, like inventory control or graphene components. He shares these models through nano- steel and 30 percent lighter than alu- Evolution in Phase composite ce- main walls affect trick for extend- stock pricing, this means minimizing costs and maxi- HUB.org, a nanotechnology Web site. Researchers in Europe, minum, “it’s even lighter than some Transforming Ox- ramics are expert the behavior of ing the range of mizing profit. A wise retailer will order just enough in- Asia, and the U. S. already use them to run more than 10,000 plastics,” says Manuel. Unfortunately, ides” — is daunt- at converting one existing smart environments in ventory to meet the most likely level of demand without graphene-related simulations per year. the asymmetrical, anisotropic crystal ing enough. But form of energy to materials, and which they could running low or leaving goods on the shelves. structure of the metal means it can you know you’re another: Apply to develop new be used. But that Sometimes, however, there’s more at stake than just only be rolled into sheets at high tem- really in trouble an electric field ones by pushing just scratches dollars and cents. Poor evacuation planning, for ex- peratures, making it too expensive to when Jones’ best to them, and they multiferroics into the surface of ample, can lead to loss of life. That’s where the “robust” compete with its heavier cousins. effort to explain might gener- extreme states — what his super- bit comes in: using mathematical models to predict and Manuel is blending magnesium his work in small, ate a magnetic exposing them ceramics might avoid worst-case scenarios, like stranding workers on with nanoparticles of rare earth simple words one in return. to electric and yield if prop- the open sea in a hurricane. elements like yttrium and cerium to leaves your head Expose them to magnetic fields erly tweaked. “... Guan’s models involve tens of millions of variables make alloys that can be worked at spinning. “Imag- a magnetic field, simultaneously, imagine imaging and require loads of computing power. So he’s also look- room temperature. The nanoparticles ine,” he begins, and they might for example, or a magnetic field, ing for ways to use computer resources more efficiently, reduce the size of the metallic grains “that you were one respond with a working them at which would be both by improving the methods he employs to search

in the composites, and may allow chael neelon / alamy nanometer tall...” mechanical vi- high tempera- transformative, for optimal decisions, and by breaking large problems

the atoms in those grains to slip past mI Jones, assis- bration instead. tures — to see or sensors used down into smaller ones. The latter technique allows each other more easily. But scientists tant professor of This magic is what new proper- in space applica- him to solve even the most complex problems through don’t yet understand exactly how materials science made by a domain ties will result. tions, which are grid or parallel computing methods, harnessing large such nanoparticle inclusions work, so and engineering, wall: a break or With luck, those in extraordinarily batches of networked processors rather than relying on Manuel aims to figure that out, too. studies multifer- defect in the properties will extreme environ- a single supercomputer. tore photo:

Istockphoto (all photos) s roics, a class of material’s atomic lead to developments,” he says.

12 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 13 EN g A g E

in the composites, and may allow chael neelon / alamy nanometer tall...” mechanical vi- high tempera- transformative, for optimal decisions, and by breaking large problems the atoms in those grains to slip past mI Jones, assis- bration instead. tures — to see or sensors used down into smaller ones. The latter technique allows each other more easily. But scientists tant professor of This magic is what new proper- in space applica- him to solve even the most complex problems through don’t yet understand exactly how materials science made by a domain ties will result. tions, which are grid or parallel computing methods, harnessing large such nanoparticle inclusions work, so and engineering, wall: a break or With luck, those in extraordinarily batches of networked processors rather than relying on Manuel aims to figure that out, too. studies multifer- defect in the properties will extreme environ- a single supercomputer. tore photo:

Istockphoto (all photos) s roics, a class of material’s atomic lead to developments,” he says.

12 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 13 EN A g E g Robots are a Real good shot davId arNold PECASE Winner

Mechanized microchips. Steerable bullets. Robots so small you can barely see them. This is the stuff of sci-fi fantasy. It’s also the stuff David Arnold, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is cooking up in his lab. Arnold, who specializes in micro- electromechanical systems (MEMS) and microfabrication, previously The New Rush Hour Traffic developed coin-sized, 8-watt electri- Tao lI CAREER Award Winner cal power generators. Now, armed with $1 million in PECASE funding, nano-scale particles and the same electroplating methods used to fabricate everything from microchips to jewelry, he’s building micromanets no more than a micrometer (µm) wide (1 µm is 1/100 the diameter of a human hair.) His goal: Use these itty-bitty attractors, which are fabricated much like conventional silicon chips, to power miniature valves, pumps and switches. Thanks to their minuscule mass and volume, these micromachines should handle extremely high frequencies and current densities. They will also operate at lower voltages and offer larger “stroke,” or displacement, than elec- trostatic or piezoelectric actuators. Macro-sized magnetic actuators are found in everything from audio speakers to electrical motors, and Tao Li calls it core” chips con- analysis techniques of a chip.) the range of applications for Ar- “the new Moore’s taining hundreds, to provide a global In addition, Li nold’s micro-sized versions promises law”: whereas the if not thousands, view of the behav- is developing soft- to be just as vast. The U.S. Army, for number of transis- of them. ior across an entire ware tools to help example, is interested in construct- tors packed onto Li, who founded chip while simul- manage the flow of ing “synthetic jets,” tiny oscillating a computer chip the Intelligent taneously zooming data. These tools diaphragms that push fluid over the was once expected Design of Efficient in on individual also use on-chip surface of a wing to reduce drag and yodel-ay-ee-oooo! to double every Architecture Lab- subprocessors. sensors to monitor increase lift. These would open the aNdrEaS HaSElbacHEr which the latter occur at various concentrations. Proving this empiri- 18 months, now oratory, compares Such models will performance and door not only to tiny surveillance CAREER Award Winner cally is next to impossible: the powder cloud hides everything beneath it’s the number managing the flow allow chip archi- data traffic. planes, but also to “directed muni- it, and avalanches tend to destroy everything in their path — including of CPUs likely to of data through a tects to minimize “We’re five or tions”: bullets and mortars that Growing up in Switzerland, Andreas Haselbacher saw plenty of snow- research equipment. double over the many-core chip the amount of 10 years ahead can be steered during flight. Mag- slides. “Depending on the weather conditions, you would see multiple Enter Haselbacher. The assistant professor of mechanical and aero- same period. And to directing the time and power of what industry netic microactuators could also be avalanches every day,” he recalls. Now Haselbacher is trying to figure space engineering plans to put his background in computational fluid while manufac- flow of traffic required to transis doing today,” used to build miniature surgical out what makes them tick. dynamics to work developing computer simulations that will accurately turers like Intel through New York fer data from one Li says. But with robots and high-performance cell Until recently, he explains, some avalanches were assumed to be model a phenomenon so dangerous and unpredictable that it is very and AMD have City: you need to area of a chip to Moore’s new law phone speakers. nothing more than clouds of fine powder — albeit ones that travel at difficult to study in the wild. figured out how to monitor the whole another, while re- taking effect, “We just recently built and speeds approaching 300 km/h, leaving death and destruction in their By improving our understanding of how avalanches work, the models build multi-core system from above, ducing the amount it won’t be long tested the first functional actua- wake. But that assumption didn’t jibe with the masses of wet, dense should also help predict them more accurately. They may also shed chips contain- while paying atten- of heat generated before chip manu- tors using our micromagnet tech- snow they typically leave behind. light on related natural phenomena, like the pyroclastic flows that ac- lamy

ing up to eight tion to street-level by cores stacked facturers find nology,” says Arnold, who seems a The latest hypothesis, therefore, posits the torrent of powder we see company some volcanic eruptions. processors, they’re bottlenecks. like crates on a de- themselves in need intent on proving the axiom that obscures a more slowly moving mass of dense snow below. Scientists going to need a That’s why he’s livery truck. (Heat of Li’s prescrip- good things come in small pack- also suspect there is an intermediate stratum of snowball-sized par- whole new suite developing com- degrades both the tions for relieving ages. “The devices were 2 to 3 mm ticles, called the “saltation layer,” between the two. Learn more about these amazing, young, inspiring researchers: of tools to design puter models that performance digital-traffic in diameter, and only .5 mm thick.” If this were true, it would represent a classic example of a dilute- thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu

so-called “many- employ geospatial and reliability congestion. Istockphoto (all photos) stockshot / dense multiphase flow: a moving mixture of fluids and particles in

14 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 15 EN A g E g Robots are a Real good shot davId arNold PECASE Winner

14 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 15 EN A g E and execute quickly. Have a picture in g your head of what you want to see in the world. Start small, and build piece by piece, involving others as you go. Every detail matters, so be patient and strong,” IN THE NEWS 07.09 Dorsey says. get Out Of your FEELINg Is BELIEvINg Comfort Zone As CEO of Discover Financial Services, That’s the premise of this video game-like project geared toward teaching kids the David Nelms, B.S. MAE ‘83, says being basic concepts of nanotechnology through touch. The project recently received almost strong with numbers in engineering is helpful in financial services. After gradu- $200,000 in funding from the National Science Foundation. By kIM FuLsCHER ating, Nelms says he paid a lot of attention to detail by focusing on results and execu- fter interest in engineering started declining, environment — it’s a much more effective way to learn nanotech- tion early on in his career. “The rotations THE COOL UF began participating in programs to instill a nology than by traditional graphics and lectures. He’s working at GE and Bain & Company gave me kIDs DO IT fascination in science for kids. Curtis Taylor’s hard to make sure kids want to grow up to be engineers. exposure to multiple industries,” he says. As advanced project even leaps a few steps forward. The video “There are no TV shows about engineers,” Taylor said Nelms, who gave up the sunshine in Flori- as a nano-tech- game-like software can be used to teach visually with a laugh. da to move to Chicago, says it’s important nology themed Aimpaired students about nanotechnology. He may have already got one hooked, though. to be willing to relocate. Throughout his video game “What’s unique about our project is we’re looking at a Jackson McKeen, 7, got to try his hand at the software in career, he moved to Boston, Delaware, seems, pint- student population that’s traditionally marginalized,” said Taylor’s lab. According to the second-grader at Gainesville’s Kentucky, and Virginia. “I took lateral sized product Taylor, an assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace Saint Patrick Interparish School, this device could help him learn opportunities by shifting companies and testers grasped engineering. “I knew that there exists very few methods for about science in a way he would never in his school’s science class. learned more along the way,” Nelms says. the idea within teaching visually impaired students.” “This is much better,” Jackson said. “You get to see what He always tried to do a better job than the moments. When Taylor spoke to homeschooled third- to eighth- these things feel like.” person before him and would volunteer graders several years ago, he became interested in this idea. It’s even a little better than his video games at home. to work on extra projects so he could get Trying to get across a concept they couldn’t even see, he “On my games, on my PlayStation 2, you just play games more time with management. started making analogies of how small an atom is — smaller and you don’t get to feel,” he said. “There’s options — you than bacteria, an ant, or a grain of salt. can turn vibrations on — but I don’t think that counts.” pursue your Dreams “When it comes to nanotechnology, I’m blind, students Nanotechnology is so important because smaller materials Bob Uhler, M.E. EES ‘74, is CEO of are blind,” Taylor said. “So why can’t we use this to teach can create superior, reliable, stronger products. For instance, MWH Global. “I can’t image life with- visually impaired students as well?” Taylor said, the cell phone in the 80s was “the size of a suit- out a passion to accomplish something Breaking it down, nanotechnology is the engineering and ma- case and could only make a call.” Now, partially thanks to and make a positive difference in the nipulation of tiny molecular materials. Engineers know exactly nanotechnology, the cell phone possibilities are endless. lives of others. The formula to my suc- what that is, but it’s a hard concept for kids to grasp. So Taylor is To help explain these tiny materials, Taylor’s project lets cess has been to have a dream, stay with creating the ability to touch and interact with a nanoscale virtual students like Jackson feel nanoscience with their hands — a it and surround myself with opposites,” feat that few elementary science classes can conquer. A famil- he says. “The dream can be refreshed, iar object, such as a coin or compact disc, is zoomed in to the THE sAvvy ENgINEER but everyone needs an end goal and to be microscale then to the nanoscale with the surface of the ob- able to articulate that goal to yourself. By BOONsRI DICkINsON ject magnified on a computer screen. Think of this software Success Secrets from Superstar Engineers Life is full of setbacks, failures and like a microscope, only with the added kinesthetic aspect. adversity and you should not let them Using a joystick, the user — ideally children between 5 and ix engineers reveal their secret to success: They are motivated, goal ori- destroy the potential of your dream. 17 years old — controls exploration over the magnified object. ented, can recognize opportunity and love what they do. Overcoming adversity makes us stronger The joystick mimics the high power atomic force microscope While there is no magic bullet for success, there are certain ways to and wiser if you want to learn. In the that Taylor uses in his lab to obtain images of material surfac- achieve it. Erik Sander, B.S. ME ‘84, has taught many UF grads how end, if you don’t make your dream, don’t es. This instrument has the ability to observe features as small to turn their bright ideas into technologies that can transform lives. let it destroy you because it is the journey as atoms. The joystick is like the needle on a record player, SSander measures success by “how someone changes the world and how they are and pursuing your internal passion that and lets the user feel the grooves, bumps, and tiny features on remembered after they pass on.” Engineering sharpens analytical skills people counts the most.” the object at the nanoscale. In addition, the user is allowed need to solve problems in our complex world. The most successful engineers are to feel the unique nanoscale forces and interaction. The user hard workers, love finding a solution, and have an insatiable drive to make the Recognize A problem and Fix It doesn’t have to see at all to feel that an object actually has world a better place. Michael Dancu, CEO of Arteragen, many more properties than appear on the surface. received his Ph.D. in bioengineering from Now, Jackson doesn’t just know what a lecture about atoms Penn State University. The key to success sounds like. He can tell you what an atom looks and feels like. Create your Own Reality Have A goal in Mind is to be passionate about what you do, he “You’ve seen a Coke fizz, right?” Jackson said. “Well the atom Entrepreneur John Dasburg Jack Dorsey, a computer engineer says, and to keep on learning. Recognizing was green and looked like that. There were small green bubbles received all three of his degrees from who dropped out of New York Uni- problems in health care and the inability on the atom and they have a blue outline. It’s sort of thick.” UF (B.S. ISE ’66, MBA ’70, JD ‘73) versity a semester before graduation, of new technologies to penetrate the field, unne D Taylor and his small team of researchers ultimately want to use aylor — and is the chairman and CEO of created Twitter. When Dorsey visited Dancu set out to create solutions to im- t s

the funding to help get this learning device in classrooms across I ASTAR Air Cargo. Dasburg worked New York City as a teenager, he was prove the healthcare system. “By nature, the country within a few years. Before that can happen though, hard for success. “Being poor motivat- fascinated with the dispatch technology I am a designer who utilizes the tools of urt

the software/joystick combination needs more testing. c ed me to be successful. I lived in the used by taxis and emergency vehicles science, mathematics, engineering to cre-

on by john same room with my sister and father and wanted to apply that to instant mes- ate new ideas and concepts. All I can say is I until I was 10,” says Dasburg. “Engi- saging. Success did not come overnight. that I am a nerd and like to solve problems See professor CuRTIs TAyLOR talk about nano-technology neering teaches a very disciplined It took several years to get millions with an open perspective.” He now owns research: thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu way of thinking and it requires a hooked on tweeting. “The secret to several biotech companies and has more llustrat courtesy of I correct answer.” any success is fairly simple: start now than a hundred patents.

16 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 17 EN A g E and execute quickly. Have a picture in g your head of what you want to see in the world. Start small, and build piece by piece, involving others as you go. Every detail matters, so be patient and strong,” IN THE NEWS 07.09 Dorsey says. get Out Of your FEELINg Is BELIEvINg Comfort Zone As CEO of Discover Financial Services, That’s the premise of this video game-like project geared toward teaching kids the David Nelms, B.S. MAE ‘83, says being basic concepts of nanotechnology through touch. The project recently received almost strong with numbers in engineering is helpful in financial services. After gradu- $200,000 in funding from the National Science Foundation. By kIM FuLsCHER ating, Nelms says he paid a lot of attention to detail by focusing on results and execu- fter interest in engineering started declining, environment — it’s a much more effective way to learn nanotech- tion early on in his career. “The rotations THE COOL UF began participating in programs to instill a nology than by traditional graphics and lectures. He’s working at GE and Bain & Company gave me kIDs DO IT fascination in science for kids. Curtis Taylor’s hard to make sure kids want to grow up to be engineers. exposure to multiple industries,” he says. As advanced project even leaps a few steps forward. The video “There are no TV shows about engineers,” Taylor said Nelms, who gave up the sunshine in Flori- as a nano-tech- game-like software can be used to teach visually with a laugh. da to move to Chicago, says it’s important nology themed Aimpaired students about nanotechnology. He may have already got one hooked, though. to be willing to relocate. Throughout his video game “What’s unique about our project is we’re looking at a Jackson McKeen, 7, got to try his hand at the software in career, he moved to Boston, Delaware, seems, pint- student population that’s traditionally marginalized,” said Taylor’s lab. According to the second-grader at Gainesville’s Kentucky, and Virginia. “I took lateral sized product Taylor, an assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace Saint Patrick Interparish School, this device could help him learn opportunities by shifting companies and testers grasped engineering. “I knew that there exists very few methods for about science in a way he would never in his school’s science class. learned more along the way,” Nelms says. the idea within teaching visually impaired students.” “This is much better,” Jackson said. “You get to see what He always tried to do a better job than the moments. When Taylor spoke to homeschooled third- to eighth- these things feel like.” person before him and would volunteer graders several years ago, he became interested in this idea. It’s even a little better than his video games at home. to work on extra projects so he could get Trying to get across a concept they couldn’t even see, he “On my games, on my PlayStation 2, you just play games more time with management. started making analogies of how small an atom is — smaller and you don’t get to feel,” he said. “There’s options — you than bacteria, an ant, or a grain of salt. can turn vibrations on — but I don’t think that counts.” pursue your Dreams “When it comes to nanotechnology, I’m blind, students Nanotechnology is so important because smaller materials Bob Uhler, M.E. EES ‘74, is CEO of are blind,” Taylor said. “So why can’t we use this to teach can create superior, reliable, stronger products. For instance, MWH Global. “I can’t image life with- visually impaired students as well?” Taylor said, the cell phone in the 80s was “the size of a suit- out a passion to accomplish something Breaking it down, nanotechnology is the engineering and ma- case and could only make a call.” Now, partially thanks to and make a positive difference in the nipulation of tiny molecular materials. Engineers know exactly nanotechnology, the cell phone possibilities are endless. lives of others. The formula to my suc- what that is, but it’s a hard concept for kids to grasp. So Taylor is To help explain these tiny materials, Taylor’s project lets cess has been to have a dream, stay with creating the ability to touch and interact with a nanoscale virtual students like Jackson feel nanoscience with their hands — a it and surround myself with opposites,” feat that few elementary science classes can conquer. A famil- he says. “The dream can be refreshed, iar object, such as a coin or compact disc, is zoomed in to the THE sAvvy ENgINEER but everyone needs an end goal and to be microscale then to the nanoscale with the surface of the ob- able to articulate that goal to yourself. By BOONsRI DICkINsON ject magnified on a computer screen. Think of this software Success Secrets from Superstar Engineers Life is full of setbacks, failures and like a microscope, only with the added kinesthetic aspect. adversity and you should not let them Using a joystick, the user — ideally children between 5 and ix engineers reveal their secret to success: They are motivated, goal ori- destroy the potential of your dream. 17 years old — controls exploration over the magnified object. ented, can recognize opportunity and love what they do. Overcoming adversity makes us stronger The joystick mimics the high power atomic force microscope While there is no magic bullet for success, there are certain ways to and wiser if you want to learn. In the that Taylor uses in his lab to obtain images of material surfac- achieve it. Erik Sander, B.S. ME ‘84, has taught many UF grads how end, if you don’t make your dream, don’t es. This instrument has the ability to observe features as small to turn their bright ideas into technologies that can transform lives. let it destroy you because it is the journey as atoms. The joystick is like the needle on a record player, SSander measures success by “how someone changes the world and how they are and pursuing your internal passion that and lets the user feel the grooves, bumps, and tiny features on remembered after they pass on.” Engineering sharpens analytical skills people counts the most.” the object at the nanoscale. In addition, the user is allowed need to solve problems in our complex world. The most successful engineers are to feel the unique nanoscale forces and interaction. The user hard workers, love finding a solution, and have an insatiable drive to make the Recognize A problem and Fix It doesn’t have to see at all to feel that an object actually has world a better place. Michael Dancu, CEO of Arteragen, many more properties than appear on the surface. received his Ph.D. in bioengineering from Now, Jackson doesn’t just know what a lecture about atoms Penn State University. The key to success sounds like. He can tell you what an atom looks and feels like. Create your Own Reality Have A goal in Mind is to be passionate about what you do, he “You’ve seen a Coke fizz, right?” Jackson said. “Well the atom Entrepreneur John Dasburg Jack Dorsey, a computer engineer says, and to keep on learning. Recognizing was green and looked like that. There were small green bubbles received all three of his degrees from who dropped out of New York Uni- problems in health care and the inability on the atom and they have a blue outline. It’s sort of thick.” UF (B.S. ISE ’66, MBA ’70, JD ‘73) versity a semester before graduation, of new technologies to penetrate the field, unne D Taylor and his small team of researchers ultimately want to use aylor — and is the chairman and CEO of created Twitter. When Dorsey visited Dancu set out to create solutions to im- t s the funding to help get this learning device in classrooms across I ASTAR Air Cargo. Dasburg worked New York City as a teenager, he was prove the healthcare system. “By nature, the country within a few years. Before that can happen though, hard for success. “Being poor motivat- fascinated with the dispatch technology I am a designer who utilizes the tools of urt the software/joystick combination needs more testing. c ed me to be successful. I lived in the used by taxis and emergency vehicles science, mathematics, engineering to cre-

16 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 17 illusTraTion BY curTis Parker

iF You Build iT, ideas Will coMe Gator Country to Disney World. Tampa Bay to the Space Coast. In the middle of Florida’s sunny coastal borders lies the HigH TecH corridor where three universities threw away territorial imperatives and decided collaboration, innovation and a dash of tenacity was exactly what Florida needed. BY Boonsri dickinson

THE F L O R I D A E N INEER 18 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu g 19 illusTraTion BY curTis Parker

THE F L O R I D A E N INEER 18 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu g 19 ria can either multiply inside the body after growing on urinary WHY: First company to distribute a human tissue-based catheters or it can grow on surfaces like nursing call buttons, nerve graft that bridges transected peripheral nerves bed rail control panels, and cardiac monitor screens. helping to support the body’s own natural healing pro- uF iMPacT: Sharklet Technologies received two grants cess. Nerve damage can happen after a traumatic injury that supported six faculty members and six students. or due to surgery. These injuries can impact a person’s “The High Tech Corridor money enabled us to expand ability to feel or control their muscles. our bacterial studies significantly to include multiple WHY We noTiced: “We’ve restored the tibia nerve allowing THe Florida HigH TecH corridor council Is strains,” says Brennan. The researchers expect to obtain a 15-year-old girl to walk again and done breast reconstruc- patents for their IP work. tion to allow for sensory regeneration,” says Grooms. Nearly LIkE MATcH.cOM FOR cENTRAL FLORIDA TEcHNOLOgy 1,500 patients benefited from the company’s tissue-based technology that promises to help restore and repair nerve gainesville function in the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. cOMpANIEs AND uNIvERsITy REsEARcHERs “This product directly impacts people’s lives so significantly, sINMAT from children and soldiers to people that need to be able to smile or walk again,” says Grooms. By using micro-surgical WHo: Rajiv Singh, co-founder and vice president and mate- procedures to implant the nerve graft, nerves are able to rials science and engineering professor at UF, and his wife, naturally re-grow and potentially restore nerve function. The Corridor’s Matching Grants Research Program is dedicated to supporting university researchers so they can further Deepika Singh, founder and president of Sinmat uF iMPacT: “We’ve done a significant amount of our clini- develop their commercially viable products and ideas into something company partners can take to market. “The funds drive WHaT: A materials nanotech company that will make every- cal work as well as pre-clinical work at the University of technology toward commercialization for economic development,” says Erik Sander, the University of Florida College of thing we do more energy efficient. Florida,” says Grooms. They also tend to recruit interns Engineering’s director of industry programs. And that drive, that commerical motivation, is exactly the intent. WHY: Singh makes cheaper semiconductors and he knows how and have hired some as full-time employees. The FHTCC is an economic development initiative proven to attract, retain, and grow high-tech industry and the work- to manipulate the copper wiring so the chips have minimal force to support its 23 counties, according to the council’s 2008 benchmark study. defects. As a result, his substrates decrease the cost of manu- The Corridor began in 1996, as an alliance between the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida. facturing chips in half. His technology saves energy in other UF joined the corridor in 2005 and now FHTCC reaches cities like Gainesville, Tampa, and Orlando, and along the coasts ways: It can make LED lights that are 60 percent more energy “i don’T knoW iF We WanT To including Sarasota, Melbourne and Daytona. But the real power lies in the technology companies and university researchers efficient, improve solar cells, and plug into smart grids. “There that connect because of the corridor. are a billion transistors on a chip. It’s a miracle if it works. Ev- Be silicon valleY, BuT We are And for the University of Florida, progress is good. UF has received about $5 million of funding from the State of Florida erything is ruined if one thing goes wrong,” Singh says. Today, of which about 80 percent has gone to Gator Engineering projects. Since 2005, the Corridor approved 50 grants to UF the typical substrates are the size of a hand around 12 inches, researchers, matched by grants from their industry partners. We want to create this high-tech hot spot and want smart but Singh is making them into the size of an 18-inch pizza. deFiniTelY carving ouT our people to flock here, Sander says. WHY We noTiced: President Obama recognized Sinmat in “I don’t know if we want to be Silicon Valley, but we are definitely carving out our own identity. Gainesville is a biotech his “Clean Energy” speech on March 23 because of the com- oWn idenTiTY.” –erik sander hub, Orlando is known for simulation and training, and Tampa is known for IT and space technology,” said Sander. pany’s energy saving solutions. Twenty-three Central Florida counties, 13 years since its inception, three major research universities, more than 300 company uF iMPacT: Sinmat has received several grants totaling partnerships, more than 250 participating university faculty, more than 2,000 graduate students, 90 patents, a return of more $8 million dollars. It has supported three faculty members gainesville than $600 million to the State of Florida — WELcOME TO THE FLORIDA HIgH TEcH cORRIDOR cOuNcIL. and 10 students over the years. xHALE MelBourne rivervieW is brought back to use, such as parks, native scrub-land or WHo: CEO Richard Allen; UF principle investigators in- wetlands,” she says. AuDIgENcE clude Dr. Donn Dennis, anesthesiologist, Dr. Richard Melk- MOsAIc uF iMPacT: The FHTCC provided Mosaic Fertilizer with the er, anesthesiologist, Dr. Tim Morey, anesthesiologist, Dr. brains of six faculty members and 10 students, and invested a WHo: CEO Lee Krause; UF partners include Alice Holmes, Matthew Booth, chemist WHo: Charlotte Brittain, research & development manager total of $400,000 into the project. communicative disorders, and Rahul Shrivastav, communication WHaT: Start-up company that applies breath and novel vapor in phosphates at Mosaic Fertilizer and David Hahn, UF me- sciences and disorders analysis in pharmaceuticals, health monitoring and diagnostics chanical and aerospace engineer gainesville WHaT: Clarujust™ software helps personalize cochlear im- WHY: To improve healthcare with breath detectable SMART WHaT: A crop nutrition company working with UF faculty mem- plants, digital hearing aids, and cell phones, so the hearing drugs, breath-based diagnostics and to reduce hospital ac- bers to improve their phosphate mining and processing. Various sHARkLET impaired can tune their device to speech sounds. The typical quired infections. new sensors will assist with monitoring the process and other hearing aid amplifies sound. WHY We noTiced: Xhale has several projects in the pipe- advanced technologies to enhance clay settling characteristics. TEcHNOLOgIEs WHY: 28 million people currently require a hearing device. line. HyGreen™ is a real-time hand hygiene system that re- WHY: About 75 percent of U.S. mined phosphate comes from Krause become deaf in his 20s, and insisted on having a co- minds healthcare workers to wash their hands, records hand Florida. Crops and animals need phosphorous to survive, and WHo: CEO Joe Bagan of Sharklet Technologies; Tony Bren- chlear implant attached to his skull, so his brain could sense hygiene compliance data, and can help track disease vectors in there’s no synthetic substitute for it. Farmers need it for their nan, UF materials science and engineering professor and sounds as actual signals. The digital hearing devices can tune the healthcare setting. The SMART Medication Adherence crops to grow. It’s a relatively old industry, but UF researchers Founder and CTO of Sharklet Technologies to the individual when he hears speech sounds, rather than System works with patients and physicians to ensure compli- helped with new, innovative, methods for mining and process- WHaT: The company engineers surfaces so MRSA, E. coli, tune using tones. The person doesn’t need much — just needs ance to medications. Xhale’s diagnostics division is working ing phosphorous. After passing heat exchangers and a sulfur and Staph cannot grow in places like hospital rooms. Bren- access to the Internet and a computer. on a breath-based glucose monitor measures glucose in the tank, equipment moves the phosphorous rock into the opera- nan designed the pattern after the skin of a shark to prevent WHY We noTiced: Clinical tests are being done at UF. It is breath. Other projects include a Propofol monitor, ethanol tion. Then the warehouse holds the gigantic mound of diam- bacteria from growing on its surface. awaiting FDA approval. detector, and therapeutic drug monitoring. monium phosphate until it’s ready to be shipped. WHY: “We anticipate the Sharklet surface in a hospital will uF iMPacT: Audigence received about $200,000, and fund- uF iMPacT: Xhale received two grants providing them with WHY We noTiced: Mosaic must remove huge amounts of reduce the amount and strength of cleaners required. It re- ed two faculty and two students. $400,000 from FHTCC. This helped support six faculty dirt from the ground and separate the phosphate from sand. duces the transference rate of bacteria between surfaces via members and one student. In all, breath-based technologies Hahn’s laser-based sensors can provide real-time sensing and either humans or other contact mechanisms,” says Brennan. gainesville provide a safer medical environment with non-invasive testing replace the manual process the company relies on. Other In the lab, when Brennan immersed the shark-like surface in to replace finger sticks and blood draws. UF researchers can help quicken the clay settling process. algae water, the surface had 85 percent less algae growing. AxOgEN For phosphorous removal, the mined ore is pumped for up WHY We noTiced: Green algae and bacteria tend to com- to 10 miles through slurry pipes, which clog if overloaded. municate and can join forces. When the biofilms start growing WHo: CEO Jamie Grooms This was just a sampling of Corridor brilliance. See all The company hopes to place sensors along the pipes to avoid on surfaces or within the body, they slowly build an army until WHaT: Bringing the science of nerve repair to life through the companies involved in the FLORIDA HIgH TEcH this. When the company finishes mining phosphate, they they attack — and sometimes, this can be fatal. Yet hospitals the development of tissue-based technologies that struc- cORRIDOR: thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu restore the land to an equal or better condition. “The land provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria: There, the bacte- turally support nerve re-growth.

20 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 21 ria can either multiply inside the body after growing on urinary WHY: First company to distribute a human tissue-based catheters or it can grow on surfaces like nursing call buttons, nerve graft that bridges transected peripheral nerves bed rail control panels, and cardiac monitor screens. helping to support the body’s own natural healing pro- uF iMPacT: Sharklet Technologies received two grants cess. Nerve damage can happen after a traumatic injury that supported six faculty members and six students. or due to surgery. These injuries can impact a person’s “The High Tech Corridor money enabled us to expand ability to feel or control their muscles. our bacterial studies significantly to include multiple WHY We noTiced: “We’ve restored the tibia nerve allowing THe Florida HigH TecH corridor council Is strains,” says Brennan. The researchers expect to obtain a 15-year-old girl to walk again and done breast reconstruc- patents for their IP work. tion to allow for sensory regeneration,” says Grooms. Nearly LIkE MATcH.cOM FOR cENTRAL FLORIDA TEcHNOLOgy 1,500 patients benefited from the company’s tissue-based technology that promises to help restore and repair nerve gainesville function in the nerves outside the brain and spinal cord. cOMpANIEs AND uNIvERsITy REsEARcHERs “This product directly impacts people’s lives so significantly, sINMAT from children and soldiers to people that need to be able to smile or walk again,” says Grooms. By using micro-surgical WHo: Rajiv Singh, co-founder and vice president and mate- procedures to implant the nerve graft, nerves are able to rials science and engineering professor at UF, and his wife, naturally re-grow and potentially restore nerve function. The Corridor’s Matching Grants Research Program is dedicated to supporting university researchers so they can further Deepika Singh, founder and president of Sinmat uF iMPacT: “We’ve done a significant amount of our clini- develop their commercially viable products and ideas into something company partners can take to market. “The funds drive WHaT: A materials nanotech company that will make every- cal work as well as pre-clinical work at the University of technology toward commercialization for economic development,” says Erik Sander, the University of Florida College of thing we do more energy efficient. Florida,” says Grooms. They also tend to recruit interns Engineering’s director of industry programs. And that drive, that commerical motivation, is exactly the intent. WHY: Singh makes cheaper semiconductors and he knows how and have hired some as full-time employees. The FHTCC is an economic development initiative proven to attract, retain, and grow high-tech industry and the work- to manipulate the copper wiring so the chips have minimal force to support its 23 counties, according to the council’s 2008 benchmark study. defects. As a result, his substrates decrease the cost of manu- The Corridor began in 1996, as an alliance between the University of South Florida and the University of Central Florida. facturing chips in half. His technology saves energy in other UF joined the corridor in 2005 and now FHTCC reaches cities like Gainesville, Tampa, and Orlando, and along the coasts ways: It can make LED lights that are 60 percent more energy “i don’T knoW iF We WanT To including Sarasota, Melbourne and Daytona. But the real power lies in the technology companies and university researchers efficient, improve solar cells, and plug into smart grids. “There that connect because of the corridor. are a billion transistors on a chip. It’s a miracle if it works. Ev- Be silicon valleY, BuT We are And for the University of Florida, progress is good. UF has received about $5 million of funding from the State of Florida erything is ruined if one thing goes wrong,” Singh says. Today, of which about 80 percent has gone to Gator Engineering projects. Since 2005, the Corridor approved 50 grants to UF the typical substrates are the size of a hand around 12 inches, researchers, matched by grants from their industry partners. We want to create this high-tech hot spot and want smart but Singh is making them into the size of an 18-inch pizza. deFiniTelY carving ouT our people to flock here, Sander says. WHY We noTiced: President Obama recognized Sinmat in “I don’t know if we want to be Silicon Valley, but we are definitely carving out our own identity. Gainesville is a biotech his “Clean Energy” speech on March 23 because of the com- oWn idenTiTY.” –erik sander hub, Orlando is known for simulation and training, and Tampa is known for IT and space technology,” said Sander. pany’s energy saving solutions. Twenty-three Central Florida counties, 13 years since its inception, three major research universities, more than 300 company uF iMPacT: Sinmat has received several grants totaling partnerships, more than 250 participating university faculty, more than 2,000 graduate students, 90 patents, a return of more $8 million dollars. It has supported three faculty members gainesville than $600 million to the State of Florida — WELcOME TO THE FLORIDA HIgH TEcH cORRIDOR cOuNcIL. and 10 students over the years. xHALE MelBourne rivervieW is brought back to use, such as parks, native scrub-land or WHo: CEO Richard Allen; UF principle investigators in- wetlands,” she says. AuDIgENcE clude Dr. Donn Dennis, anesthesiologist, Dr. Richard Melk- MOsAIc uF iMPacT: The FHTCC provided Mosaic Fertilizer with the er, anesthesiologist, Dr. Tim Morey, anesthesiologist, Dr. brains of six faculty members and 10 students, and invested a WHo: CEO Lee Krause; UF partners include Alice Holmes, Matthew Booth, chemist WHo: Charlotte Brittain, research & development manager total of $400,000 into the project. communicative disorders, and Rahul Shrivastav, communication WHaT: Start-up company that applies breath and novel vapor in phosphates at Mosaic Fertilizer and David Hahn, UF me- sciences and disorders analysis in pharmaceuticals, health monitoring and diagnostics chanical and aerospace engineer gainesville WHaT: Clarujust™ software helps personalize cochlear im- WHY: To improve healthcare with breath detectable SMART WHaT: A crop nutrition company working with UF faculty mem- plants, digital hearing aids, and cell phones, so the hearing drugs, breath-based diagnostics and to reduce hospital ac- bers to improve their phosphate mining and processing. Various sHARkLET impaired can tune their device to speech sounds. The typical quired infections. new sensors will assist with monitoring the process and other hearing aid amplifies sound. WHY We noTiced: Xhale has several projects in the pipe- advanced technologies to enhance clay settling characteristics. TEcHNOLOgIEs WHY: 28 million people currently require a hearing device. line. HyGreen™ is a real-time hand hygiene system that re- WHY: About 75 percent of U.S. mined phosphate comes from Krause become deaf in his 20s, and insisted on having a co- minds healthcare workers to wash their hands, records hand Florida. Crops and animals need phosphorous to survive, and WHo: CEO Joe Bagan of Sharklet Technologies; Tony Bren- chlear implant attached to his skull, so his brain could sense hygiene compliance data, and can help track disease vectors in there’s no synthetic substitute for it. Farmers need it for their nan, UF materials science and engineering professor and sounds as actual signals. The digital hearing devices can tune the healthcare setting. The SMART Medication Adherence crops to grow. It’s a relatively old industry, but UF researchers Founder and CTO of Sharklet Technologies to the individual when he hears speech sounds, rather than System works with patients and physicians to ensure compli- helped with new, innovative, methods for mining and process- WHaT: The company engineers surfaces so MRSA, E. coli, tune using tones. The person doesn’t need much — just needs ance to medications. Xhale’s diagnostics division is working ing phosphorous. After passing heat exchangers and a sulfur and Staph cannot grow in places like hospital rooms. Bren- access to the Internet and a computer. on a breath-based glucose monitor measures glucose in the tank, equipment moves the phosphorous rock into the opera- nan designed the pattern after the skin of a shark to prevent WHY We noTiced: Clinical tests are being done at UF. It is breath. Other projects include a Propofol monitor, ethanol tion. Then the warehouse holds the gigantic mound of diam- bacteria from growing on its surface. awaiting FDA approval. detector, and therapeutic drug monitoring. monium phosphate until it’s ready to be shipped. WHY: “We anticipate the Sharklet surface in a hospital will uF iMPacT: Audigence received about $200,000, and fund- uF iMPacT: Xhale received two grants providing them with WHY We noTiced: Mosaic must remove huge amounts of reduce the amount and strength of cleaners required. It re- ed two faculty and two students. $400,000 from FHTCC. This helped support six faculty dirt from the ground and separate the phosphate from sand. duces the transference rate of bacteria between surfaces via members and one student. In all, breath-based technologies Hahn’s laser-based sensors can provide real-time sensing and either humans or other contact mechanisms,” says Brennan. gainesville provide a safer medical environment with non-invasive testing replace the manual process the company relies on. Other In the lab, when Brennan immersed the shark-like surface in to replace finger sticks and blood draws. UF researchers can help quicken the clay settling process. algae water, the surface had 85 percent less algae growing. AxOgEN For phosphorous removal, the mined ore is pumped for up WHY We noTiced: Green algae and bacteria tend to com- to 10 miles through slurry pipes, which clog if overloaded. municate and can join forces. When the biofilms start growing WHo: CEO Jamie Grooms This was just a sampling of Corridor brilliance. See all The company hopes to place sensors along the pipes to avoid on surfaces or within the body, they slowly build an army until WHaT: Bringing the science of nerve repair to life through the companies involved in the FLORIDA HIgH TEcH this. When the company finishes mining phosphate, they they attack — and sometimes, this can be fatal. Yet hospitals the development of tissue-based technologies that struc- cORRIDOR: thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu restore the land to an equal or better condition. “The land provide an ideal breeding ground for bacteria: There, the bacte- turally support nerve re-growth.

20 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 21 photographs by While the SHANNON L. KALAHAR marriage of art and engineering may seem strange, it is, in fact, considered educational vogue in the national debate on redefining engineering education. And in an old Framing warehouse in Gainesville, Fla., more than two dozen freshmen ingenuity engineering students and four art students took part in an experimental collaboration poised to electrify both disciplines at UF.

by WAyNe GARciA

22 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 23 photographs by While the SHANNON L. KALAHAR marriage of art and engineering may seem strange, it is, in fact, considered educational vogue in the national debate on redefining engineering education. And in an old Framing warehouse in Gainesville, Fla., more than two dozen freshmen ingenuity engineering students and four art students took part in an experimental collaboration poised to electrify both disciplines at UF.

by WAyNe GARciA

22 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 23 he warehouse is nondescript, tucked happens when good engineering meets good design.” away behind a strip of retail stores A second advantage for students is that the course puts on University Avenue in a neighbor- freshman engineers thick in the middle of the design pro- hood that has seen better days. It cess, with its exhilarations and challenges, instead of wading is sparce, at the end of a one-block through book-thick math and physics courses for two years street, with only the smallest of signs before getting into design-process work. Abernathy wants to to announce it as “WARPhaus.” find a way to mainstream the art-meets-engineering idea and It is the University of Florida’s offer this course to every incoming freshman engineer. School of Art and Art History’s stu- And third, the concept of inculcating art concepts and dio and gallery space. On an after- vocabulary in engineers gives them new tools to better com- noon in August, art and engineering municate how engineering relates to the public, a key pre- students are starting to filter into the cept “Changing the Conversation,” the National Academy of space, gathering around five different Engineering’s clarion call for engineers to better engage the tables framed by walls covered with Post-It notes and sche- public at large in the importance of what they do. Tmatics that chart the course of their design processes. Bill Wulf gets it. As president emeritus of the National Acad- At one table, five or six students gather around a cubic-foot emy of Engineers and one of only 13 faculty members at the clear-plastic box set atop a plain, black surface. A bright yellow University of Virginia to carry the title “university professor,” animatronic canary is the only thing on the stark surface. A Wulf says engineering education is in the early stages of tran- computer ribbon runs from the sition away from a 1950s math- base of the clear canary cage to and-science model to a more ho- a laptop computer as one stu- listic, customer-driven model. dent tries to calibrate the bird, “The reason we are in transition which is tweeting loudly and is that more and more people intermittently. believe we lost something when “Do you think this is messed we made that 1950s transition; up?” one freshman engineering it’s the teamwork,” said Wulf, student asks another in the de- a computer sciences engineer. sign team dubbed Enginerds. “[We need to] really deeply un- SAD, buT cRAFTy: “It seemed to just read it,” derstand what the customers’ Since canaries are so the colleague replies of the requirements are. That’s not a sensitive to methane sculpture’s on-again, off-again mathematical thing; that’s a hu- and carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds man thing.” miners used to bring a (VOC) detector. Wulf points to the kinds of caged canary into new After six weeks of classes and technical innovations that have mines. As long as the working as teams three or four changed the world online: the canary kept singing, nights a week plus weekends, World Wide Web and Google, the miners knew their the design teams taking EGN to name two. “[In] all the re- air supply was safe. A 1935 Art and Engineering De- ally important developments, dead canary in a coal sign, during the summer semes- the underlying impetus was a mine signaled imme- ter, have scant minutes before creative one, not a mathemati- diate evacuation. two professors — engineering cal one, and an intensely hu- Dean Cammy Abernathy (a ma- man one.” SuccESS (IN terials science engineer) and Jack Stenner, an assistant profes- Exploring the relationship between art and engineering is THEORy) The sor of digital media art in the School of Art and Art History an emerging trend at just a handful of U.S. universities, but “Intellectually, people often tend to separate form and experimental at UF — who will judge their creations. its importance to industrial design cannot be denied. Take fusion of design Team Captain Planet, Team Clean, the Enginerds, D2: this observation from the reclusive Jonathan Ive, the senior and engineer- Dynamic Design, Team Awesome and Gators 4 Change all designer for Apple credited with the look and function of such content,” Stenner says. “For both disciplines [art and ing students was scramble together to finish projects that are part art display, groundbreaking designs as the iPod and the current brushed successful, at least part engineering feat. Their task: work in a collaborative struc- stainless-steel Macintosh laptops who spoke of his landmark engineering], this class illustrates how form and content measured by the ture to design a marketable product that will detect airborne products in a rare 2003 interview: “The defining qualities are enthusiasm shown VOCs and give an alert to the user. More importantly, they had about use: ease and simplicity. Caring beyond the functional by the students. to integrate the ideas of art students with the ideas of computer, imperative, we also acknowledge that products have a signifi- work together to provide better design outcomes.” Dean Abernathy mechanical, electrical and civil engineering students. cance way beyond traditional views of function.” says this class will This is the story of how they worked together, what they Ive also supports another objective of the UF pilot course: be offered again. designed and produced, and a growing discipline of cross- getting freshman engineering students quickly into team aspire to satisfy requirements that are internally derived. If prominent engineering schools’ pioneering efforts in this area. pollinating arts and engineering to produce a new level of design settings. nobody else likes or understands the outcome, it doesn’t matter Northwestern University, for instance, has for years enjoyed creativity and understanding of design. “Teamwork is the only way —not out of principle, but out because the work need only satisfy the artist to be successful. a partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago to produce “Intellectually, people often tend to separate form and of necessity,” Ive told Ten4 magazine in 2006. “You can’t Designers and engineers need to satisfy requirements that are lectures and research into art conservation science. And the content,” Stenner says. “For both disciplines [art and engi- develop these ideas and take them to market by yourself.” externally derived. If design or engineering requirements are best known arts-engineering curriculum exists at Princeton neering], this class illustrates how form and content work to- Exploring the relationship between form and function, or de- not satisfied, a product will objectively fail. How do art, design, University, where civil and environmental engineering pro- gether to provide better design outcomes. An approach such sign and engineering, is crucial in today’s marketplace, says Wil- and engineering relate? Art serves the artist. Design serves the fessor David Billington teaches two wildly popular courses as this can produce better artists AND better engineers.” liam Lidwell, the author of “Deconstructing Product Design”, set need. Engineering serves the function.” (Structures and the Urban Environment, originated in 1974, That was what Abernathy hoped for when she reached out to be published later this year by Rockport Publishers. He added: “Engineers need to learn more about how prod- and Structures and Machines in Urban Society, started in to the art school to partner on the pilot-project course. “The popular answer is that art focuses on form, engineer- ucts are perceived, why products get accepted and rejected, and 1985) that have their roots in the “Swiss synthesis,” an edu- “There’s a growing trend in engineering that to be really ing on function, and product design sits at the intersection. how products are actually used in the wild. The program that cational model that merges science and art education “with creative, you have to engage both sides of the brain,” Aber- This view is more wrong than right,” Lidwell said in an e-mail successfully connects engineers to users in this way is the pro- complex mathematical analysis and unwavering attention to nathy says. More and more, aesthetics is driving engineering interview from his office in Houston, where he works as a con- gram that will define the future of engineering education.” form,” as the university describes it. Billington uses K’NEX design. Just look at the iPod, she adds, “the example of what sultant and author on design and technology issues. “Artists UF’s pilot art-meets-engineering class follows several toys to create elegantly designed bridges in one course.

24 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 25 he warehouse is nondescript, tucked happens when good engineering meets good design.” away behind a strip of retail stores A second advantage for students is that the course puts on University Avenue in a neighbor- freshman engineers thick in the middle of the design pro- hood that has seen better days. It cess, with its exhilarations and challenges, instead of wading is sparce, at the end of a one-block through book-thick math and physics courses for two years street, with only the smallest of signs before getting into design-process work. Abernathy wants to to announce it as “WARPhaus.” find a way to mainstream the art-meets-engineering idea and It is the University of Florida’s offer this course to every incoming freshman engineer. School of Art and Art History’s stu- And third, the concept of inculcating art concepts and dio and gallery space. On an after- vocabulary in engineers gives them new tools to better com- noon in August, art and engineering municate how engineering relates to the public, a key pre- students are starting to filter into the cept “Changing the Conversation,” the National Academy of space, gathering around five different Engineering’s clarion call for engineers to better engage the tables framed by walls covered with Post-It notes and sche- public at large in the importance of what they do. Tmatics that chart the course of their design processes. Bill Wulf gets it. As president emeritus of the National Acad- At one table, five or six students gather around a cubic-foot emy of Engineers and one of only 13 faculty members at the clear-plastic box set atop a plain, black surface. A bright yellow University of Virginia to carry the title “university professor,” animatronic canary is the only thing on the stark surface. A Wulf says engineering education is in the early stages of tran- computer ribbon runs from the sition away from a 1950s math- base of the clear canary cage to and-science model to a more ho- a laptop computer as one stu- listic, customer-driven model. dent tries to calibrate the bird, “The reason we are in transition which is tweeting loudly and is that more and more people intermittently. believe we lost something when “Do you think this is messed we made that 1950s transition; up?” one freshman engineering it’s the teamwork,” said Wulf, student asks another in the de- a computer sciences engineer. sign team dubbed Enginerds. “[We need to] really deeply un- SAD, buT cRAFTy: “It seemed to just read it,” derstand what the customers’ Since canaries are so the colleague replies of the requirements are. That’s not a sensitive to methane sculpture’s on-again, off-again mathematical thing; that’s a hu- and carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds man thing.” miners used to bring a (VOC) detector. Wulf points to the kinds of caged canary into new After six weeks of classes and technical innovations that have mines. As long as the working as teams three or four changed the world online: the canary kept singing, nights a week plus weekends, World Wide Web and Google, the miners knew their the design teams taking EGN to name two. “[In] all the re- air supply was safe. A 1935 Art and Engineering De- ally important developments, dead canary in a coal sign, during the summer semes- the underlying impetus was a mine signaled imme- ter, have scant minutes before creative one, not a mathemati- diate evacuation. two professors — engineering cal one, and an intensely hu- Dean Cammy Abernathy (a ma- man one.” SuccESS (IN terials science engineer) and Jack Stenner, an assistant profes- Exploring the relationship between art and engineering is THEORy) The sor of digital media art in the School of Art and Art History an emerging trend at just a handful of U.S. universities, but “Intellectually, people often tend to separate form and experimental at UF — who will judge their creations. its importance to industrial design cannot be denied. Take fusion of design Team Captain Planet, Team Clean, the Enginerds, D2: this observation from the reclusive Jonathan Ive, the senior and engineer- Dynamic Design, Team Awesome and Gators 4 Change all designer for Apple credited with the look and function of such content,” Stenner says. “For both disciplines [art and ing students was scramble together to finish projects that are part art display, groundbreaking designs as the iPod and the current brushed successful, at least part engineering feat. Their task: work in a collaborative struc- stainless-steel Macintosh laptops who spoke of his landmark engineering], this class illustrates how form and content measured by the ture to design a marketable product that will detect airborne products in a rare 2003 interview: “The defining qualities are enthusiasm shown VOCs and give an alert to the user. More importantly, they had about use: ease and simplicity. Caring beyond the functional by the students. to integrate the ideas of art students with the ideas of computer, imperative, we also acknowledge that products have a signifi- work together to provide better design outcomes.” Dean Abernathy mechanical, electrical and civil engineering students. cance way beyond traditional views of function.” says this class will This is the story of how they worked together, what they Ive also supports another objective of the UF pilot course: be offered again. designed and produced, and a growing discipline of cross- getting freshman engineering students quickly into team aspire to satisfy requirements that are internally derived. If prominent engineering schools’ pioneering efforts in this area. pollinating arts and engineering to produce a new level of design settings. nobody else likes or understands the outcome, it doesn’t matter Northwestern University, for instance, has for years enjoyed creativity and understanding of design. “Teamwork is the only way —not out of principle, but out because the work need only satisfy the artist to be successful. a partnership with the Art Institute of Chicago to produce “Intellectually, people often tend to separate form and of necessity,” Ive told Ten4 magazine in 2006. “You can’t Designers and engineers need to satisfy requirements that are lectures and research into art conservation science. And the content,” Stenner says. “For both disciplines [art and engi- develop these ideas and take them to market by yourself.” externally derived. If design or engineering requirements are best known arts-engineering curriculum exists at Princeton neering], this class illustrates how form and content work to- Exploring the relationship between form and function, or de- not satisfied, a product will objectively fail. How do art, design, University, where civil and environmental engineering pro- gether to provide better design outcomes. An approach such sign and engineering, is crucial in today’s marketplace, says Wil- and engineering relate? Art serves the artist. Design serves the fessor David Billington teaches two wildly popular courses as this can produce better artists AND better engineers.” liam Lidwell, the author of “Deconstructing Product Design”, set need. Engineering serves the function.” (Structures and the Urban Environment, originated in 1974, That was what Abernathy hoped for when she reached out to be published later this year by Rockport Publishers. He added: “Engineers need to learn more about how prod- and Structures and Machines in Urban Society, started in to the art school to partner on the pilot-project course. “The popular answer is that art focuses on form, engineer- ucts are perceived, why products get accepted and rejected, and 1985) that have their roots in the “Swiss synthesis,” an edu- “There’s a growing trend in engineering that to be really ing on function, and product design sits at the intersection. how products are actually used in the wild. The program that cational model that merges science and art education “with creative, you have to engage both sides of the brain,” Aber- This view is more wrong than right,” Lidwell said in an e-mail successfully connects engineers to users in this way is the pro- complex mathematical analysis and unwavering attention to nathy says. More and more, aesthetics is driving engineering interview from his office in Houston, where he works as a con- gram that will define the future of engineering education.” form,” as the university describes it. Billington uses K’NEX design. Just look at the iPod, she adds, “the example of what sultant and author on design and technology issues. “Artists UF’s pilot art-meets-engineering class follows several toys to create elegantly designed bridges in one course.

24 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 25 TESTINg 1,2,3 Marc Plaisant tests a volatile organic com- pound sensor. VOCs are made with high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and

standing on top of the recycling box he has something to say;” and “the more “This has been mechanical, electrical in-depth audience” might recognize the circle of the turtle’s hula motion engineering. This has been art, sculpture, as reminiscent of the circular nature of recycling. “A little bit of humor, a little bit of iro- computer engineering, [and] programming. You ny,” he concludes. “The sculpture is an environmental satire, I would say, with a name it, this class has everything rolled into one.” productive moral. It’s educational.” And, unassembled, it works. An- other team member places a Sharpie pen near the VOC detector, and the Across the room from the Canary in a Coal Mine project, slight fumes from the black marker set off the electronics. Team Captain Planet is working furiously on and around its The turtle sways; the recycling emblem lights up; and (in- project, a “Hula Green” prototype of a grass-skirt-wearing congruously) the unit plays the theme from the 1960s hit turtle perched atop an upside-down blue recycling bin. television series Hawaii Five-O. “This has been mechanical, electrical engineering. This has Over at Team Awesome, Michelle Gibson, a first-year en- been art, sculpture, computer engineering, [and] programming. gineering student, stands next to Kishi, the Japanese name You name it, this class has everything rolled into one,” says a hot- (it means “happiness to the earth”) the team has given to its glue-gun weilding Jake Kubisz, a candidate for the master of fine VOC detector, a three-foot-long orange-and-blue wooden arts degree and the art student in Team Captain Planet. gator sculpture. The Hula Green detector looks horribly far from being Incorporating aesthetic concerns into their project ready; as Kubisz glues, another student fine tunes the VOC “helped us make it a little more interesting,” Gibson says. detector. Three or four pieces remain disconnected from each Team Awesome’s gator is covered with rhinestones, but its other, and all seem like they will barely fit inside the small VOC detector is tucked inside the opened jaws. The team recycling-bin base. envisions placing the gator at The Hub bus stop to alert But what the Hula Green detector lacks in completeness students to exposure to high VOC levels. Green LED lights it more than makes up for in artistic symbolism and kitsch. in the eyes and mouth turn to red when the brightly painted Kubisz explains: sculpture is exposed to VOCs. The sea turtle is “a symbolic icon on drainage ditches” to And therein, as they say, lies the problem. The team paint- remind people of not dumping, to preserve the environment; ed the gator orange and blue, and the drying paint is still the turtle also “makes an allusion to soapbox preachers by giving off VOCs as it dries. And the background VOCs in

26 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu TESTINg 1,2,3 Marc Plaisant tests a volatile organic com- pound sensor. VOCs are made with high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and

26 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu the art studio aren’t helping either. Kishi’s eyes are glow- wire dotted with tiny LED red, yellow and green lights. ing bright red even without a test sample of a VOC source “Originally, we named it Wally because it was supposed to (either a Sharpie pen, methyl ethyl ketone or PVC cement) be on the wall,” explained Adriana Espinal, a first-year me- being set near it, which is how the course’s professors will chanical engineering student. “But now we changed its name to be testing all the projects. WATCH —Wireless Application Transforming Community’s So Team Awesome waits for its laptop to arrive to tweak its Health. With our piece, we pretty much still wanted to remain VOC detector. Only minutes remain until judging starts. with the same concept, that VOCs are everywhere. That’s sort All the teams were taught the basics of the IDEO collab- of what the LED lights signify. The sphere is the world. We’re orative process, a user-centered system developed by engi- trying to say that VOCs are everywhere, in every community neering pioneer David Kelly. They developed their concepts, and by being able to sense them, we’re improving our health.” brainstormed and presented a design plan to the class. Based Even the box has meaning as well as function, the Gators on feedback, they continued to alter their designs and pre- 4 Change team explains: The clear box says that when waste pared to fabricate prototypes to be entered into the end-of- goes into the atmosphere, it is trapped and doesn’t dissipate. class competition. We have to live in it. For the freshmen, not used to collaborative work or fabri- “All the bad that we’re doing to the world, it’s not going cating from scratch, it was akin to learning how to swim by to go away by itself,” Espinal says. being thrown into the pool. But each team overcame those Fellow engineering student Alexis Weill then details how early struggles. the WATCH sculpture comes with a small, metal sensing “There was a point in the semester where it went from box that actually contains the VOC detector and relays a panic to ‘we can do this,’” Abernathy says as she waits to signal wirelessly to the sculpture box. judge the projects during the last class meeting. “You’ve got “We decided we would have a sensor that you can move to have the ability to function as a team.” around,” Weill says. The sensor likewise has LEDs. You can have And the benefits went both ways, as the art students were the direct input with the three LEDs or you can put the [sensor] thrown into an unfamiliar situation, as well. box anywhere you want in your apartment or your house or your “You learn about the value structures that emanate from back yard and have this piece of art in your living room.” a particular discourse; in this case, engineers,” Stenner says Team Clean is up next. Its project is called “The Iron Lung,” before the judging. “They normally don’t work this way when and it consists of a 3-foot-tall rotating fan that has been retrofit- they are making art. You don’t normally do collaborative types ted with a VOC detector that triggers two alerts: a color panel of artwork. It’s not typical for most of these students.” that changes colors when VOCs are present, and a four-stage The competition judging begins. The Gators 4 Change audible cue. The fan sounds like it is breathing when there are no team gathers around a clear Plexiglass box that resembles VOCs present, and the breathing becomes increasingly labored modernist art, with a spherical spiral of thick metal suspended into outright coughing as VOC levels increase. It is whimsical from the top of the cube and surrounded by a web of very fine and (after a bit of tweaking and delay) functional as the class leans

the results are in… a week after the judging, stenner gives the following assessment: “i think they all did remarkably well forward to hear the low, steady breathing that emanates. And even as applause for the project rings out, instructors “W.A.T.c.H.” OuT considering the time constraints, particularly given the Once perfume is sprayed into the fan’s front panel, how- ask for one more test: “Ride it.” Another team member hops aka ”wireless ap- amount of time required for other classes they were ever, the prototype begins to cough. aboard and takes it for a VOC-detecting spin around the plication helping taking. all of the projects were creative and technically The other teams give their presentations, with varying de- small gallery space, and nothing falls off. transforming com- challenging for people who had limited experience ac- grees of success. Gators 4 Change get Kishi the gator working When it is time for the canary, all the other team members munities health.” tually making things, much less utilizing electronics.” after two false starts. Team Captain Planet’s Hula Green had its gather attentively. The loud bird’s electronic chirps have been the lights change wiring broken as team members tried to stuff too much circuit heard on and off throughout the afternoon, and everyone wants colors depending on D2’s bike DeteCtOr board and other electronics into a too-small base underneath the to see it work. But despite three different VOC sources put in the various levels of “eco-trip, worked reallY well.” dancing turtle. No hula and Hawaii Five-O this afternoon. front of the canary box’s fan, the bird won’t chirp. The problem toxins in the air. a D2: Dynamic Design is up next with its Eco-Trip, a bicycle is a transistor that, as it heats, changes the sensitivity setting of unique facet of this teaM Clean’s irOn lung outfitted with a VOC detector housed in a sleek, silver mod- the VOC detector. After a quick adjustment, the bird’s box is design, is the sensor “i love Fantastic’s idea of the ‘breathing’ fan.” ule. It is a complex project, with lots of wires running from re-assembled and PVC cement is held to the box’s fan. located in an exter- the detector to an alert and down to a motor powered by the The canary sings like, well, a canary. It bobs and twirls nal box, (also fit with teaM CaPtain Planet bicycle wheel. The team wins kudos for its modularity, how and chirps loudly. the green, yellow “hula-green was delicious in a kitsch kind of way.” it split up into a design team and electrical team, which was The competing teams applaud. A few people laugh. and red lights) that split into the sensor and the LED teams. The competition is over. There is no single winner. Just fires the leDs from the enginerDs After a successful test of the VOC detector, first-year civil engineers talking in more aesthetic and holistic terms, and a distance. “the Miner’s Canary was a really nice blend of metaphor engineering student and D2 member Christopher Bailey tells artists thinking about how to apply their newly learned de- (pictured: alexis with an aesthetic twist that made it more suggestive the tale of the project’s difficult birth. velopment process. weill, mekutabasi and meaningful. “ “You know how you all talk about the good side first of the “To be able to pull this off, you did a great job,” Aber- archibong, genivier project?” he starts. “I feel we have to talk about the negative nathy tells them. “I’m really impressed with the teamwork, peterson, adriana teaM awesOMe side first to show you our pain. Saturday, we’re here creating the design philosophy that you were able to incorporate. espinal, and asya “Of course, kishi the gator was something every uF this project, we’re gluing this together, we end up with a cir- This just shows that when two very different disciplines get hudson). sports fan would want/need.” cuit board and everything is great, and it breaks right when together, some interesting and fun things, useful things, we attach it. So, it’s Sunday night, the project is due today, can happen.” gatOrs 4 Change right? We have no tools, this [studio] is locked.” But with a “i liked the social capability of the watCh piece and the knife to cut breadboard and some creative rewiring without way it would unify recognition of environmental exposure solder, “somehow we got it work,” Bailey explains. watch the behind-the-scenes action unfold of engineering around a central display/artwork. “ Engineering graduate assistant Marc Plaisant intones: meeting art: thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu “Guys, welcome to college.”

28 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 29 the art studio aren’t helping either. Kishi’s eyes are glow- wire dotted with tiny LED red, yellow and green lights. ing bright red even without a test sample of a VOC source “Originally, we named it Wally because it was supposed to (either a Sharpie pen, methyl ethyl ketone or PVC cement) be on the wall,” explained Adriana Espinal, a first-year me- being set near it, which is how the course’s professors will chanical engineering student. “But now we changed its name to be testing all the projects. WATCH —Wireless Application Transforming Community’s So Team Awesome waits for its laptop to arrive to tweak its Health. With our piece, we pretty much still wanted to remain VOC detector. Only minutes remain until judging starts. with the same concept, that VOCs are everywhere. That’s sort All the teams were taught the basics of the IDEO collab- of what the LED lights signify. The sphere is the world. We’re orative process, a user-centered system developed by engi- trying to say that VOCs are everywhere, in every community neering pioneer David Kelly. They developed their concepts, and by being able to sense them, we’re improving our health.” brainstormed and presented a design plan to the class. Based Even the box has meaning as well as function, the Gators on feedback, they continued to alter their designs and pre- 4 Change team explains: The clear box says that when waste pared to fabricate prototypes to be entered into the end-of- goes into the atmosphere, it is trapped and doesn’t dissipate. class competition. We have to live in it. For the freshmen, not used to collaborative work or fabri- “All the bad that we’re doing to the world, it’s not going cating from scratch, it was akin to learning how to swim by to go away by itself,” Espinal says. being thrown into the pool. But each team overcame those Fellow engineering student Alexis Weill then details how early struggles. the WATCH sculpture comes with a small, metal sensing “There was a point in the semester where it went from box that actually contains the VOC detector and relays a panic to ‘we can do this,’” Abernathy says as she waits to signal wirelessly to the sculpture box. judge the projects during the last class meeting. “You’ve got “We decided we would have a sensor that you can move to have the ability to function as a team.” around,” Weill says. The sensor likewise has LEDs. You can have And the benefits went both ways, as the art students were the direct input with the three LEDs or you can put the [sensor] thrown into an unfamiliar situation, as well. box anywhere you want in your apartment or your house or your “You learn about the value structures that emanate from back yard and have this piece of art in your living room.” a particular discourse; in this case, engineers,” Stenner says Team Clean is up next. Its project is called “The Iron Lung,” before the judging. “They normally don’t work this way when and it consists of a 3-foot-tall rotating fan that has been retrofit- they are making art. You don’t normally do collaborative types ted with a VOC detector that triggers two alerts: a color panel of artwork. It’s not typical for most of these students.” that changes colors when VOCs are present, and a four-stage The competition judging begins. The Gators 4 Change audible cue. The fan sounds like it is breathing when there are no team gathers around a clear Plexiglass box that resembles VOCs present, and the breathing becomes increasingly labored modernist art, with a spherical spiral of thick metal suspended into outright coughing as VOC levels increase. It is whimsical from the top of the cube and surrounded by a web of very fine and (after a bit of tweaking and delay) functional as the class leans the results are in… a week after the judging, stenner gives the following assessment: “i think they all did remarkably well forward to hear the low, steady breathing that emanates. And even as applause for the project rings out, instructors “W.A.T.c.H.” OuT considering the time constraints, particularly given the Once perfume is sprayed into the fan’s front panel, how- ask for one more test: “Ride it.” Another team member hops aka ”wireless ap- amount of time required for other classes they were ever, the prototype begins to cough. aboard and takes it for a VOC-detecting spin around the plication helping taking. all of the projects were creative and technically The other teams give their presentations, with varying de- small gallery space, and nothing falls off. transforming com- challenging for people who had limited experience ac- grees of success. Gators 4 Change get Kishi the gator working When it is time for the canary, all the other team members munities health.” tually making things, much less utilizing electronics.” after two false starts. Team Captain Planet’s Hula Green had its gather attentively. The loud bird’s electronic chirps have been the lights change wiring broken as team members tried to stuff too much circuit heard on and off throughout the afternoon, and everyone wants colors depending on D2’s bike DeteCtOr board and other electronics into a too-small base underneath the to see it work. But despite three different VOC sources put in the various levels of “eco-trip, worked reallY well.” dancing turtle. No hula and Hawaii Five-O this afternoon. front of the canary box’s fan, the bird won’t chirp. The problem toxins in the air. a D2: Dynamic Design is up next with its Eco-Trip, a bicycle is a transistor that, as it heats, changes the sensitivity setting of unique facet of this teaM Clean’s irOn lung outfitted with a VOC detector housed in a sleek, silver mod- the VOC detector. After a quick adjustment, the bird’s box is design, is the sensor “i love Fantastic’s idea of the ‘breathing’ fan.” ule. It is a complex project, with lots of wires running from re-assembled and PVC cement is held to the box’s fan. located in an exter- the detector to an alert and down to a motor powered by the The canary sings like, well, a canary. It bobs and twirls nal box, (also fit with teaM CaPtain Planet bicycle wheel. The team wins kudos for its modularity, how and chirps loudly. the green, yellow “hula-green was delicious in a kitsch kind of way.” it split up into a design team and electrical team, which was The competing teams applaud. A few people laugh. and red lights) that split into the sensor and the LED teams. The competition is over. There is no single winner. Just fires the leDs from the enginerDs After a successful test of the VOC detector, first-year civil engineers talking in more aesthetic and holistic terms, and a distance. “the Miner’s Canary was a really nice blend of metaphor engineering student and D2 member Christopher Bailey tells artists thinking about how to apply their newly learned de- (pictured: alexis with an aesthetic twist that made it more suggestive the tale of the project’s difficult birth. velopment process. weill, mekutabasi and meaningful. “ “You know how you all talk about the good side first of the “To be able to pull this off, you did a great job,” Aber- archibong, genivier project?” he starts. “I feel we have to talk about the negative nathy tells them. “I’m really impressed with the teamwork, peterson, adriana teaM awesOMe side first to show you our pain. Saturday, we’re here creating the design philosophy that you were able to incorporate. espinal, and asya “Of course, kishi the gator was something every uF this project, we’re gluing this together, we end up with a cir- This just shows that when two very different disciplines get hudson). sports fan would want/need.” cuit board and everything is great, and it breaks right when together, some interesting and fun things, useful things, we attach it. So, it’s Sunday night, the project is due today, can happen.” gatOrs 4 Change right? We have no tools, this [studio] is locked.” But with a “i liked the social capability of the watCh piece and the knife to cut breadboard and some creative rewiring without way it would unify recognition of environmental exposure solder, “somehow we got it work,” Bailey explains. watch the behind-the-scenes action unfold of engineering around a central display/artwork. “ Engineering graduate assistant Marc Plaisant intones: meeting art: thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu “Guys, welcome to college.”

28 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 29 YEARS

BENTON HALL, 1911 Before Orange met Blue, there was engineering. The University of Florida’s predecessor institutions offered degrees, but the program needed and counting… strong leadership and clearly defined objectives. When the Buckman Act consolidated Florida’s higher education institutions and created modern-day UF, engineering education became a Gator tradition. BY mEgAn E. gAlES

30 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 31 YEARS

30 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 31 “The local people got interested < 1926 in trying to sell Gainesville to mECHANiCAL ENGiNEEriNG the rest of the world, and so went “Dr. Benton was one of the finest BUiLdiNG OpENs to the legislature, and prevailed professors that ever taught at the Now called Walker Hall, the College’s second building was upon the legislature ... to make university up there.” located adjacent to the first, Benton Hall. a powerful radio station so that — Leon B. “Skeet” Thrasher (B.S. CE 1913), who became a leading they could sell Gainesville to expert on Florida’s roads. In 1925, Thrasher built U.S. 441 across 1923 1928 Payne’s Prairie — and silenced critics who claimed the road would New York and Atlanta and succumb to its marshy surroundings. When he died in 1991, Thrasher UpsiLON CHApTEr OF siGmA GrAdUATE Boston and what have you.” was a week shy of his 100th birthday, the last charter member of the TAU HONOrArY ENGiNEEriNG prOGrAms Florida Engineering Society, and the oldest UF alumnus. — Joseph Weil, on the founding of the area’s first radio station. The

FrATErNiTY EsTABLisHEd < EsTABLisHEd state legislature in 1925 appropriated $50,000 for the station, but it wasn’t enough. Two years later, it added an additional $100,000 and put the station under the supervision of the College of Engineer- 1910 ing. Dean John Benton chose Weil, then the head of electrical engi- 1929 neering, to oversee it. Headed to a family vacation in Pittsburgh, sCiENCE HALL ANd ExpErimENT ENGiNEEriNG Weil and his wife, Anna, took the later-legendary radio announcer sTATiON BUiLdiNG OpEN ExpErimENT Red Barber, who had just graduated from UF, with them so he These buildings, now named Keene-Flint Hall and Newell Hall, could interview for a job at WLW in Cincinnati. respectively, gave Gator Engineering a home until the College sTATiON found a more permanent location the following year. EsTABLisHEd WrUF siGNs

ON THE Air < 1910 Dean John R. Benton 1921 B.S., Trinity College, BENTON mEETs WEiL 1897 / B.A., Trinity 1911 John Benton often used his summers College, 1898 / Ph.D., ENGiNEEriNG for continuing education. in 1921, he University of Gottin- went to pittsburgh for a course at gen, Germany, 1900 BUiLdiNG Westinghouse, where he met a 24-year- It began with a man 1914 old recently married electrical engineer named Benton. Recruited to the Sunshine OpENs named Joseph Weil. State by UF’s first president, andrew Sledd, BENTON This building was later the College’s founding dean was one of the ENGiNEEriNG renamed Benton Hall in University’s original faculty members. honor of the College’s “I thought, ‘what sOCiETY founding dean. could be nicer than FOrmEd 1930 1910 to get a job with dEATH OF COLLEGE OF an educational JOHN BENTON The F.F.F. — Florida’s Faithful ENGiNEEriNG 1916 institution where Five — exists no more. death has CrEATEd FLOridA you worked a few made a breach in the line of the Old “Gentlemen, it will look a little pre- ENGiNEEriNG hours a day — I Guard, and the surviving four stand tentious for our University to be or- smitten— too much hurt to tell what ganized into separate administrative sOCiETY thought — and have they are suffering. The sudden and groups known as colleges, but i am FiLLEd the rest of the day unexpected demise of him who was looking to the future... You will have to them successively doctor, dean, to start with small enrollments, but all and night to do what Benton, John — even if they did not great things have small beginnings. comes naturally!’” call him by his first name — is all the Gentlemen, you will see the day more a shock, for he is the first of the when more colleges will be added. it — Joseph Weil on why he pursued a career little group of men, thirteen in all, is imperative that we lay a foundation in academia. At 2 o’clock in the afternoon who formed the original faculty of the for big things in the future.” on the day after Labor Day in 1921, Weil University of Florida, to die while still — UF President Albert A. Mur- and his new bride, Anna, arrived in connected with the institution; and 1932 phree, addressing the faculty in 1909. Gainesville on a wood-burning train. of the five remaining until now on the dEAN BLAKE r. VAN LEEr Four colleges, engineering among Benton met them at the station in his campus, he was the youngest. B.S. EE, Purdue University, 1915 / M.S. them, were officially formed before car and took them to the Commercial — Dr. C. L. Crow in an article titled ME, University of California,1920 / M.E., the 1910-1911 school year. Hotel. For their first meal in Hogtown, “Death Calls Dean Benton: Beloved 1918 Weil walked to a nearby tobacco store Member of “Florida’s Faithful Five” Purdue University, 1922 / Sc.D., Washing- and bought what turned out to be a dry Yields to Pneumonia at Home on ton and Jefferson University, 1943 / D. Eng., WOrLd WAr i orange (and at 15¢, it was expensive) and Purdue University, 1944 University activities put on hold January 8,” published in The Florida a box of moldy crackers. Alumnus, January 1930

32 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 33 “The local people got interested < 1926 in trying to sell Gainesville to mECHANiCAL ENGiNEEriNG the rest of the world, and so went “Dr. Benton was one of the finest BUiLdiNG OpENs to the legislature, and prevailed professors that ever taught at the Now called Walker Hall, the College’s second building was upon the legislature ... to make university up there.” located adjacent to the first, Benton Hall. a powerful radio station so that — Leon B. “Skeet” Thrasher (B.S. CE 1913), who became a leading they could sell Gainesville to expert on Florida’s roads. In 1925, Thrasher built U.S. 441 across 1923 1928 Payne’s Prairie — and silenced critics who claimed the road would New York and Atlanta and succumb to its marshy surroundings. When he died in 1991, Thrasher UpsiLON CHApTEr OF siGmA GrAdUATE Boston and what have you.” was a week shy of his 100th birthday, the last charter member of the TAU HONOrArY ENGiNEEriNG prOGrAms Florida Engineering Society, and the oldest UF alumnus. — Joseph Weil, on the founding of the area’s first radio station. The

32 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 33 “Yes, we were supposed to teach students. We “It was an interesting time... Because many 1957 1959 also had a faculty and of the students were older and interested NUCLEAr mETALLUrGiCAL only in getting their education, I think ENGiNEEriNG ENGiNEEriNG it was part of our ob- I had more acceptance. UF prepared me dEpArTmENT dEpArTmENT ligation to build our very well. I was not spoon fed EsTABLisHEd FOrmEd faculty. And it was also and the faculty always en- an obligation that the couraged the students to < 1963 professional knowl- reach beyond where we dEAN THOmAs edge that we had could touch easily.” L. mArTiN Jr. should be available not B. EE, Rensselaer — Maryly Van Leer Peck (M.S. CHE ’55, Ph.D. Polytechnic Institute, 1942 / only to the University CHE ’63) in The Florida Engineer, January 1985. Peck, M. EE, RPI,1948 / Ph.D., of Florida, but to the who was the daughter of the College’s second dean, went Stanford University, 1951 state as a whole. And it on to a successful career in both industry and academia. was not unusual for us to get calls... that they 1955 had a problem, could FirsT WOmAN TO EArN A we help them with the 1937 GATOr ENGiNEEriNG dEAN JOsEpH WEiL GrAdUATE dEGrEE problem. We would in B.S. EE, Johns Hopkins University, 1918 / 1964 every case do so.” M.S., University of Pittsburgh, 1926 / D.Sc., GENEsYs prOGrAm ApprOVEd Jacksonville University, 1960 January 21, 1964, was a red letter day for engineering education — Joseph Weil on his philosophy of the Joseph Weil had a budget of $67,000 and a in the state of Florida. On that date, the state Cabinet Board of College of Engineering’s role payroll of 24 people when he became dean. Education gave final approval to the Graduate Engineering Edu- cation system (GENEsYs) program of the College of Engineer- ing. This approval gave final clearance to launching the program 1937 and a target date of January, 1965, was set for the operation of all units of GENEsYs. preliminary operation, in temporary facilities 1966 LET THErE BE LiGHT at some of the locations, may be feasible by July, 1964. 1934 “The Athletic department is anxious >to secure an BENTON HALL dEpArTmENT estimate on the cost of lighting the stadium for — Florida Engineering News, a publication of the Engineering and dEmOLisHEd night football. There is a possibility that we may be Industrial Experiment Station, February 1964 OF iNdUsTriAL able to do this in the near future, and of course the

& sYsTEms cost is the most important factor. Consequently < ENGiNEEriNG we are asking that, if possible, you and your staff 1953 prepare an estimate of the cost of this installation.” ENGiNEErs FAir EsTABLisHEd — Percy Beard, assistant athletic director, in a letter to Joseph Weil, Sept. 28, 1937 TrAdiTiON rEViVEd The annual event had been on hiatus 1934 since the days of WWii, but in honor of the University’s 150th anniversary, once College again became an every-year thing. hoSt FIRSt 1941 Built in 1912 to house the engIneeRS’ EiEs FUNdEd 1950 College of Engineering and The state’s funding of the Engineering and indus- FaIR engIneeRIng anD department of physics, Brought more than 3,000 trial Experiment station helped grow the College’s Benton Hall was recently people to campus research program. “By conducting research at our InDUStRIeS BUIlDIng condemned after 53 years of between 7 p.m. and 11 own University on problems of direct interest to When Florida’s Fighting gators played service to the University of p.m. exhibits included a the industries of the state, we imbue our graduates their first football game of the 1950 sea- Florida. The building was re- wireless lightbulb, a per- with the needs and requirements of Florida.” son, the spectators received an additional cently evacuated because the petual motion machine, — Ralph A. Morgen, EIES director, in a 1950 report treat. at the south end of Florida Field north and south walls were copes, microscopes, stood the new engineering and Industries found to be leaning outward. airplane engines and more 1943 Building, illuminated by flood lights. It This condition is attributed to WOrLd WAr ii was an impressive sight; significantly so, the weight of the heavy tile “While we can’t say we developed the proximity for this building is symbolic of the strides roof with a 45 degree pitch fuze, we certainly added to the development of which the state of Florida has taken in and the fact that there were that fuze very materially.” engineering and industry. no horizontal ties to resist the — Joseph Weil on the College’s war-era research — The Florida Engineer, January 1951, in outward thrust. efforts. The proximity fuze allowed missiles to be an article titled “A Modern Home... The — Engineering Facts From activated when they neared their targets. Engineering And Industries Building” Gatorland, Vol. 2, No. 2

34 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 35 “Yes, we were supposed to teach students. We “It was an interesting time... Because many 1957 1959 also had a faculty and of the students were older and interested NUCLEAr mETALLUrGiCAL only in getting their education, I think ENGiNEEriNG ENGiNEEriNG it was part of our ob- I had more acceptance. UF prepared me dEpArTmENT dEpArTmENT ligation to build our very well. I was not spoon fed EsTABLisHEd FOrmEd faculty. And it was also and the faculty always en- an obligation that the couraged the students to < 1963 professional knowl- reach beyond where we dEAN THOmAs edge that we had could touch easily.” L. mArTiN Jr. should be available not B. EE, Rensselaer — Maryly Van Leer Peck (M.S. CHE ’55, Ph.D. Polytechnic Institute, 1942 / only to the University CHE ’63) in The Florida Engineer, January 1985. Peck, M. EE, RPI,1948 / Ph.D., of Florida, but to the who was the daughter of the College’s second dean, went Stanford University, 1951 state as a whole. And it on to a successful career in both industry and academia. was not unusual for us to get calls... that they 1955 had a problem, could FirsT WOmAN TO EArN A we help them with the 1937 GATOr ENGiNEEriNG dEAN JOsEpH WEiL GrAdUATE dEGrEE problem. We would in B.S. EE, Johns Hopkins University, 1918 / 1964 every case do so.” M.S., University of Pittsburgh, 1926 / D.Sc., GENEsYs prOGrAm ApprOVEd Jacksonville University, 1960 January 21, 1964, was a red letter day for engineering education — Joseph Weil on his philosophy of the Joseph Weil had a budget of $67,000 and a in the state of Florida. On that date, the state Cabinet Board of College of Engineering’s role payroll of 24 people when he became dean. Education gave final approval to the Graduate Engineering Edu- cation system (GENEsYs) program of the College of Engineer- ing. This approval gave final clearance to launching the program 1937 and a target date of January, 1965, was set for the operation of all units of GENEsYs. preliminary operation, in temporary facilities 1966 LET THErE BE LiGHT at some of the locations, may be feasible by July, 1964. 1934 “The Athletic department is anxious >to secure an BENTON HALL dEpArTmENT estimate on the cost of lighting the stadium for — Florida Engineering News, a publication of the Engineering and dEmOLisHEd night football. There is a possibility that we may be Industrial Experiment Station, February 1964 OF iNdUsTriAL able to do this in the near future, and of course the

34 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 35 > 2001 1970 1997 dEAN prAmOd p. ENGiNEEriNG NEW ENGiNEEriNG > KHArGONEKAr COmpLEx dEdiCATEd BUiLdiNG OpENs B. Tech. EE, Indian Institute of Technol- The $19-million New Engineering Building ogy - Bombay, 1977 / M.S. Mathematics, “These buildings, representing eco- was dedicated in February 1997 after two University of Florida, 1980 / Ph.D. EE, years of construction. With 135,000 gross University of Florida, 1981 nomical construction and flexibility of square feet, the building houses classroom, pramod Khargonekar was the first Gator design, are a major asset to the State of office and laboratory space for the depart- Engineer to return to his alma mater and ments of Environmental Engineering sci- become dean. Florida. The nine buildings cost over ences, Aerospace Engineering, mechanics $8.5 million...As we move into the de- and Engineering sciences, and Electrical 2002 cade of the seventies, and toward our and Computer Engineering. dEpArTmENT goal of excellence in engineering educa- OF BiOmEdiCAL tion, it is now up to the faculty and the 1988 ENGiNEEriNG dEAN WiNFrEd CrEATEd students to prove that the investment m. pHiLLips by the Legislature, the University Ad- B.S. ME, Virginia Polytechnic 2004 ministration and the various Federal Institute, 1963 / M. AE, University FirsT FEmALE ofVirginia, 1966 / D.Sc. AE, agencies was justified.” University of Virginia, 1968 AssOCiATE dEAN — Dean Robert Uhrig, in the program for Engineering Complex Dedication. AppOiNTEd The dedication included the naming of four noteworthy buildings: the new Benton Hall, after the College’s founding dean, John R. Benton, whose origi- 2005 nal namesake building had been torn down four years prior; Black Hall in disTANCE honor of influential and accomplished chemistry and environmental engineer- LEArNiNG ing Research Professor Emeritus Alvin Percy Black; Larsen Hall in memory 2009 of former electrical engineering department Chair Merwin J. Larsen, who led OVErHAULEd OpENiNG OF THE the department through a 14-year period of tremendous post-war growth until What began as the GENEsYs his death in 1965; and Weil Hall, in honor of Dean Emeritus Joseph Weil, program, then became FEEds, BiOmEdiCAL who spent his entire 45-year academic career in the College. then OEEp, was transformed sCiENCEs BUiLdiNG and beyond... into an all digital, internet-based program. Today, dr. pamela 1986 dickrell (ph.d. mE ’05) leads

1969 1973 s “So I wrote him a letter, and told UF EdGE, which enables stu- “There is a clear national consen-

VE COmpUTEr sCiENCEs iNVENTiON OF dEAN WAYNE H. CHEN i dents to earn complete master’s

B.S. EE, National Chiao Tung Univer- him ‘I would love to work under CH ANd ENGiNEEriNG sus that biomedical engineering is BiOGLAss r degrees entirely online. A sity, 1944 / M.S. EE, University of a very important emerging field... Larry Hench, professor of materi- you on my Ph.D., but I can’t come A BUiLdiNG OpENs Washington, 1949 / Ph.D. EE, Math,

als science & Engineering, created rid University of Washington, 1952 if I don’t have financial assistance While we have had a graduate pro-

Bioglass, the first manmade material > 1985 2006 FLO to bond to living bone. because I am too poor.’ Within a dELTA pLANE CrAsH geneRoUS gIFt gram in Biomedical Engineering, OF month he wrote me back saying he philip d. “don” Estridge, an iBm executive UF Presi- there is a growing sense that it is TY and active University of Florida alumnus, dent Bernie rsi time to form a Department of was happy to receive me as a student was one of 132 people killed Friday after- Machen VE and that he would take care of i noon in the fiery crash of delta Air Lines announced Biomedical Engineering.” UN Flight 191 near dallas. As corporate vice- the rest. Before I knew it, I was here today that St. — Pramod Khargonekar in a memo to faculty dated Sept. 18, 2001,

THE president for manufacturing, Estridge had Petersburg on the importance of biomedical engineering. It had been part of the

AT led iBm’s effort to develop the company’s [in Gainesville, Fla.]. That letter was inventor, College for a surprisingly long time the turning point in my life.” ss personal computer. surgeon and NE

— The Gainesville Sun, Aug. 6, 1985, entrepreneur

— Pramod Khargonekar, who would later become reporting on the tragedy that killed> both J. Crayton

VAN 2009

the College’s eighth dean L Estridge and his wife, Mary Ann. Pruitt Sr. r has commit- dEAN CAmmY r. CA 1978 ted$10 million to UF for its Depart- ABErNATHY OF ment of Biomedical engineering. as Y B.S. MSE, MIT, 1980 / M.S. MSE, prAmOd KHArGONEKAr s a result of the gift, University officials Stanford University, 1982 / Ph.D. TE ArriVEs iN GAiNEsViLLE r will name the department in honor of MSE, Stanford University, 1985 1969 Living in Bombay, india, pramod Khargonekar the Pruitt family, making it the first- COU dEAN rOBErT was about to start graduate school and wanted s ever named department at UF. 2008 to study with the best: rudolf Kalman, a world — From a press release issued by the Uni- E. UHriG AGE authority in systems theory and professor versity of Florida Foundation and the NANOsCALE B.S. ME, University of Illinois, 1948 im / M.S., Iowa State University, 1950 / in UF’s department of Electrical Engineering. College of Engineering on Jan. 17, 2006 rEsEArCH ALL Ph.D., Iowa State, 1954 FACiLiTY OpENEd

36 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 37 > 2001 1970 1997 dEAN prAmOd p. ENGiNEEriNG NEW ENGiNEEriNG > KHArGONEKAr COmpLEx dEdiCATEd BUiLdiNG OpENs B. Tech. EE, Indian Institute of Technol- The $19-million New Engineering Building ogy - Bombay, 1977 / M.S. Mathematics, “These buildings, representing eco- was dedicated in February 1997 after two University of Florida, 1980 / Ph.D. EE, years of construction. With 135,000 gross University of Florida, 1981 nomical construction and flexibility of square feet, the building houses classroom, pramod Khargonekar was the first Gator design, are a major asset to the State of office and laboratory space for the depart- Engineer to return to his alma mater and ments of Environmental Engineering sci- become dean. Florida. The nine buildings cost over ences, Aerospace Engineering, mechanics $8.5 million...As we move into the de- and Engineering sciences, and Electrical 2002 cade of the seventies, and toward our and Computer Engineering. dEpArTmENT goal of excellence in engineering educa- OF BiOmEdiCAL tion, it is now up to the faculty and the 1988 ENGiNEEriNG dEAN WiNFrEd CrEATEd students to prove that the investment m. pHiLLips by the Legislature, the University Ad- B.S. ME, Virginia Polytechnic 2004 ministration and the various Federal Institute, 1963 / M. AE, University FirsT FEmALE ofVirginia, 1966 / D.Sc. AE, agencies was justified.” University of Virginia, 1968 AssOCiATE dEAN — Dean Robert Uhrig, in the program for Engineering Complex Dedication. AppOiNTEd The dedication included the naming of four noteworthy buildings: the new Benton Hall, after the College’s founding dean, John R. Benton, whose origi- 2005 nal namesake building had been torn down four years prior; Black Hall in disTANCE honor of influential and accomplished chemistry and environmental engineer- LEArNiNG ing Research Professor Emeritus Alvin Percy Black; Larsen Hall in memory 2009 of former electrical engineering department Chair Merwin J. Larsen, who led OVErHAULEd OpENiNG OF THE the department through a 14-year period of tremendous post-war growth until What began as the GENEsYs his death in 1965; and Weil Hall, in honor of Dean Emeritus Joseph Weil, program, then became FEEds, BiOmEdiCAL who spent his entire 45-year academic career in the College. then OEEp, was transformed sCiENCEs BUiLdiNG and beyond... into an all digital, internet-based program. Today, dr. pamela 1986 dickrell (ph.d. mE ’05) leads

1969 1973 s “So I wrote him a letter, and told UF EdGE, which enables stu- “There is a clear national consen-

VE COmpUTEr sCiENCEs iNVENTiON OF dEAN WAYNE H. CHEN i dents to earn complete master’s

als science & Engineering, created rid University of Washington, 1952 if I don’t have financial assistance While we have had a graduate pro-

THE president for manufacturing, Estridge had Petersburg on the importance of biomedical engineering. It had been part of the

— The Gainesville Sun, Aug. 6, 1985, entrepreneur

— Pramod Khargonekar, who would later become reporting on the tragedy that killed> both J. Crayton

VAN 2009

36 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu THE F L O R I D A E N g INEER 37 director of the firm’s survey department in Supertex, Inc. and Micrel, Inc before e N i N e e r u p d at e 2003. In June of 2004, he became one of g launching MPS in 1997. aLumNi by year the first geographic information systems “That actually had many benefits. professionals in the country to receive the We improvised and engaged and designation geographic information systems we reacted very quickly to business 1984 professional by the GIS Certification Institute. conditions and opportunities in the andre dupont, B.S. CHE Rayman was named a partner in the firm in marketplace. And the current organi- recently published the book “An American May of 2005. He developed and managed Solution for Reducing Carbon Emissions: the GIS Systems for the Town of Lake Clarke zation is operated in this way. We’re Averting Global Warming Creating Green very nimble, extremely efficient. We Shores, the Town of Ocean Ridge, the Town of Energy and Sustainable Employment” Gulf Stream and Northern Palm Beach County can change direction in days.” carbondioxidecontrol.com Improvement District. He has also played an MPS’ advanced analog and mixed- active role in the local community by serving on signal semiconductors are used the Countywide GIS Technical Committee and extensively in computing and network 1987 by being a member of the Florida Surveying and communications devices, LCD moni- John (Jay) brown, B.S. CISE Mapping Society. 1992 tors and TVs, and a wide variety of was promoted to senior development manager, consumer and portable electronics. CNN Broadcast Production Systems, in 2008. He’s a member of the technical staff at CNN 1992 The San Jose-based firm has grown that was recognized in 2008 by the National at a staggering rate — annual revenue michael Washington, B.S. ISE Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for became the deputy director of the Prepared- increased by an average of 46 percent its development and implementation of an in- ness Modeling Unit at the CDC. The goal of between 2003 and 2008. Last year MPS tegrated and portable IP-based live edit, store- the expertise both internally and internationally reported annual revenue of $161 mil- and-forward digital news-gathering system. is to support the development of models and lion. You’ll find it on the NASDAQ under In September 2007, CNN was recognized for modeling programs emergency response the symbol MPWR. development of the same IP-based contribution cycle (i.e., mitigation, preparation, response, “We see a billion dollar business system with the IBC Innovation Award. recovery), with the aim of improving community ahead of us” Hsing said. resilience to and recovery from health crises. Incredibly, Hsing has found time 1988 They plan to work with models in all areas of the to fit another passionate pursuit into CDC, including but not limited to transmissible C. andre rayman, B.S. Survey and disease epidemics (H1N1 pandemic influenza his life. Mappintg, P.S.M, GISP virus), food-borne disease outbreaks, toxic Several years ago he began tak- Rayman was named president of Engenuity exposures, hurricanes and other calamitous ing flying lesson to combat a fear of Group, Inc. Rayman who has been with weather-related events, CBRNE terrorism heights. He received his pilot’s license Engenuity Group, Inc. since 1988, was made events, etc… Eventually, they will move into in March 2007 and six months later began training in aerobatics, which involves rotation of the aircraft on courses ruled his — most recently, its longitudinal (roll) axis or lateral 1978 academic sched- Clariant Corp. (pitch) axis. J. paige Straley, B.S. EES ule — but words in North Aerobatics, although graceful in and poetry dot- Carolina. He its movements, pushes both the pilot ted his extracur- was the envi- and the machine to their individual ricular schedule. ronmental and limits. In some countries, the pilot During Straley’s safety manager must wear a parachute when perform- time at UF, and worked in ing. Hsing recently placed 8th at a visiting musical permit writing, Western states event. artists such as recycling and His plane is a German-made, car- pianist George contracts. He bon-fiber machine that slices through Winston and a won an award for the sky with a 300-horsepower Russian violinist a project in sul- engine. The MPS logo is emblazoned captivated him, fur black-sodium in blue on both sides, framed by the along with lec- phiosulfate The president, chief executive officer aircraft’s distinctive silver-and-red tures on topics clean up. 1988 and director of Monolithic Power Systems color scheme. such as animal After Clari- Inc. is as relaxed and tranquil as the It pulls a lot more Gs than the Red Straley had get home in time engineering work and human ant, Straley was shady, tree-lined office park that’s home Baron,” he said with a smile, proudly dreams that had for Christmas. didn’t influence cognition. did consulting to the company known as MPS. pointing to a framed picture in his office. nothing to do In November “Jack’s Christ- “Everything work and is now mi CHaeL HSiNg “We work hard and strive to do our And while they are two distinct and with physics, 2006, that poem mas” much, but was happening, retired. It was Relaxed and tranquil thrives in competitive Silicon Valley best,” Hsing said of his 650-person separate aspects of his life, the paral- recycling or air was turned into his wife disagrees. man,” Straley after retirement team, “but at the same time, we lels between engineering and aerobat- quality. “Jack’s Christ- “There’s a love said. “It was a hell when Straley by JOHN CrOWLey must enjoy it.” ics are undeniable. Three decades mas,” an illus- for the environ- of an intellectual let writing take That theme is evident throughout “They’re both about solving ago ,on a night trated children’s ment (in the time for me.” over. It is one ichael Hsing has spent a lifetime with his gaze fixed firmly on the Hsing’s entire operation — where problems,” Hsing said. “They’re before fall finals, book. About book) and keep- While an part of his life horizon. meetings rarely last more than an hour, both about dealing with an unusual clutching an 2,100 copies have ing it clean — so environmental he says won’t Whether it was moving from Shanghai, China to study engi- laughter punctuates employee conver- environment. How do you react when illustration of a sold, and it re- people like Jack engineer, Straley change — his neering at the University of Florida (B.S. E.E.), building one of the sations and the air hums with a blend continuously challenged? The answer hare in one hand, cently went into a can have a place worked for dif- fascination with world’s leading analog semiconductor companies, or competing of creativity and efficiency. to that is what defines fulfillment Straley sat at his second printing. to live,” Dianne ferent engineer- poetry Min high-performance aircraft, his focus on what’s ahead remains precise and “When I started the company I had and success.” desk and wrote A sequel is also in Straley joked. ing companies and writing. unwavering. no actual business plan. No document. about a bunny the making. At UF, URDITT Despite the demands of his ultra-competitive, high-stakes global field, Hsing, We only had a simple idea behind it,” For more stories about alumni go named Jack who Straley said his environmental Check out Jack’s Christmas online. y B 50, is not a man of unbridled intensity. He’s devoted to his wife and son and said Hsing, who held senior techni- to development.eng.ufl.edu just wanted to environmental engineering www.jackschristmas.com OB

refuses to subscribe to the typical 24-7 Silicon Valley schedule. cal positions at companies such as T

38 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 39 director of the firm’s survey department in Supertex, Inc. and Micrel, Inc before e N i N e e r u p d at e 2003. In June of 2004, he became one of g launching MPS in 1997. aLumNi by year the first geographic information systems “That actually had many benefits. professionals in the country to receive the We improvised and engaged and designation geographic information systems we reacted very quickly to business 1984 professional by the GIS Certification Institute. conditions and opportunities in the andre dupont, B.S. CHE Rayman was named a partner in the firm in marketplace. And the current organi- recently published the book “An American May of 2005. He developed and managed Solution for Reducing Carbon Emissions: the GIS Systems for the Town of Lake Clarke zation is operated in this way. We’re Averting Global Warming Creating Green very nimble, extremely efficient. We Shores, the Town of Ocean Ridge, the Town of Energy and Sustainable Employment” Gulf Stream and Northern Palm Beach County can change direction in days.” carbondioxidecontrol.com Improvement District. He has also played an MPS’ advanced analog and mixed- active role in the local community by serving on signal semiconductors are used the Countywide GIS Technical Committee and extensively in computing and network 1987 by being a member of the Florida Surveying and communications devices, LCD moni- John (Jay) brown, B.S. CISE Mapping Society. 1992 tors and TVs, and a wide variety of was promoted to senior development manager, consumer and portable electronics. CNN Broadcast Production Systems, in 2008. He’s a member of the technical staff at CNN 1992 The San Jose-based firm has grown that was recognized in 2008 by the National at a staggering rate — annual revenue michael Washington, B.S. ISE Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for became the deputy director of the Prepared- increased by an average of 46 percent its development and implementation of an in- ness Modeling Unit at the CDC. The goal of between 2003 and 2008. Last year MPS tegrated and portable IP-based live edit, store- the expertise both internally and internationally reported annual revenue of $161 mil- and-forward digital news-gathering system. is to support the development of models and lion. You’ll find it on the NASDAQ under In September 2007, CNN was recognized for modeling programs emergency response the symbol MPWR. development of the same IP-based contribution cycle (i.e., mitigation, preparation, response, “We see a billion dollar business system with the IBC Innovation Award. recovery), with the aim of improving community ahead of us” Hsing said. resilience to and recovery from health crises. Incredibly, Hsing has found time 1988 They plan to work with models in all areas of the to fit another passionate pursuit into CDC, including but not limited to transmissible C. andre rayman, B.S. Survey and disease epidemics (H1N1 pandemic influenza his life. Mappintg, P.S.M, GISP virus), food-borne disease outbreaks, toxic Several years ago he began tak- Rayman was named president of Engenuity exposures, hurricanes and other calamitous ing flying lesson to combat a fear of Group, Inc. Rayman who has been with weather-related events, CBRNE terrorism heights. He received his pilot’s license Engenuity Group, Inc. since 1988, was made events, etc… Eventually, they will move into in March 2007 and six months later began training in aerobatics, which involves rotation of the aircraft on courses ruled his — most recently, its longitudinal (roll) axis or lateral 1978 academic sched- Clariant Corp. (pitch) axis. J. paige Straley, B.S. EES ule — but words in North Aerobatics, although graceful in and poetry dot- Carolina. He its movements, pushes both the pilot ted his extracur- was the envi- and the machine to their individual ricular schedule. ronmental and limits. In some countries, the pilot During Straley’s safety manager must wear a parachute when perform- time at UF, and worked in ing. Hsing recently placed 8th at a visiting musical permit writing, Western states event. artists such as recycling and His plane is a German-made, car- pianist George contracts. He bon-fiber machine that slices through Winston and a won an award for the sky with a 300-horsepower Russian violinist a project in sul- engine. The MPS logo is emblazoned captivated him, fur black-sodium in blue on both sides, framed by the along with lec- phiosulfate The president, chief executive officer aircraft’s distinctive silver-and-red tures on topics clean up. 1988 and director of Monolithic Power Systems color scheme. such as animal After Clari- Inc. is as relaxed and tranquil as the It pulls a lot more Gs than the Red Straley had get home in time engineering work and human ant, Straley was shady, tree-lined office park that’s home Baron,” he said with a smile, proudly dreams that had for Christmas. didn’t influence cognition. did consulting to the company known as MPS. pointing to a framed picture in his office. nothing to do In November “Jack’s Christ- “Everything work and is now mi CHaeL HSiNg “We work hard and strive to do our And while they are two distinct and with physics, 2006, that poem mas” much, but was happening, retired. It was Relaxed and tranquil thrives in competitive Silicon Valley best,” Hsing said of his 650-person separate aspects of his life, the paral- recycling or air was turned into his wife disagrees. man,” Straley after retirement team, “but at the same time, we lels between engineering and aerobat- quality. “Jack’s Christ- “There’s a love said. “It was a hell when Straley by JOHN CrOWLey must enjoy it.” ics are undeniable. Three decades mas,” an illus- for the environ- of an intellectual let writing take That theme is evident throughout “They’re both about solving ago ,on a night trated children’s ment (in the time for me.” over. It is one ichael Hsing has spent a lifetime with his gaze fixed firmly on the Hsing’s entire operation — where problems,” Hsing said. “They’re before fall finals, book. About book) and keep- While an part of his life horizon. meetings rarely last more than an hour, both about dealing with an unusual clutching an 2,100 copies have ing it clean — so environmental he says won’t Whether it was moving from Shanghai, China to study engi- laughter punctuates employee conver- environment. How do you react when illustration of a sold, and it re- people like Jack engineer, Straley change — his neering at the University of Florida (B.S. E.E.), building one of the sations and the air hums with a blend continuously challenged? The answer hare in one hand, cently went into a can have a place worked for dif- fascination with world’s leading analog semiconductor companies, or competing of creativity and efficiency. to that is what defines fulfillment Straley sat at his second printing. to live,” Dianne ferent engineer- poetry Min high-performance aircraft, his focus on what’s ahead remains precise and “When I started the company I had and success.” desk and wrote A sequel is also in Straley joked. ing companies and writing. unwavering. no actual business plan. No document. about a bunny the making. At UF, URDITT Despite the demands of his ultra-competitive, high-stakes global field, Hsing, We only had a simple idea behind it,” For more stories about alumni go named Jack who Straley said his environmental Check out Jack’s Christmas online. y B 50, is not a man of unbridled intensity. He’s devoted to his wife and son and said Hsing, who held senior techni- to development.eng.ufl.edu just wanted to environmental engineering www.jackschristmas.com OB refuses to subscribe to the typical 24-7 Silicon Valley schedule. cal positions at companies such as T

38 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 39 e N g i N e e r u p d at e 2007 Nathan Currier, B.S. CCE FaCuLty updateS M.E. CCE ’08 NSF CAREER, PECASE and yIP awards are the most is a bridge designer with Finely Engineering Group, prestigous honor bestowed on young reserachers modeling STIs, chronic diseases, and other Inc. As a structural engineering graduate research public health systems. “Medical Decision Mak- assistant, he researched the cracking behavior in Career communication, simulations using ing” was published this summer on the capacity priority during said. “If anything determination 1973 the days of his ever happened eventually got prestressed segmental bridges under thermal and aWardS data storage, and innovative numeri- and cost of a mass influenza/pneumococcal mechanical loading, utilized analysis and testing vaccination clinic, which is very timely consider- Jim allchin, B.S. CISE close work with I wanted leave him to Microsoft. imaging functional- cal methods and methods in structural applications and conducted ities into existing minimal empiricism ing the potential of mass influenza vaccination Bill Gates and them with that When he’s not data analysis and reporting. Currier has been active campaigns this influenza season. He will also Steve Ballmer. piece of music.” spending time in both professional and community organizations integrated circuit to understand the travel to Uganda to train U.S. and African A seasoned This isn’t the first with his children, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, technologies, and physical processes graduate students about economic epidemio- musician since his time in Allchin’s he’s playing the ASCE Southeast Conference — steel bridge team, significantly extend that govern mixed logical modeling. undergraduate life he’s given up guitar, writing or and a Hurricane katrina relief project. the chip capacity flow/powder snow between structure days at the UF, work for music. recording up to through functional avalanches and macroscopic 2002 he wanted to use As an undergradu- six or seven hours Judah richardson, M.S. MAE diversification. properties of piezo- Jason kirk, M.E. EES his free time to ate studying in a day working on joined Cessna Aircraft Co. in Wichita, kansas and CISE electric ceramics in serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Charleston write and record the seminal days a second blues works on their business jets as a stress engineer. tamer kahveci the time domain. South Carolina District of the U.S. Army Corps an album for his of UF’s computer album. “I thought Ricardson says he is headed to Wolfram Alpha in won a CAREER This will be accom- of Engineers where he assumed command in July. sons. The album is science program I would work with Champaign, Illinois as a research engineer. award for plished by develop- titled “Enigma,” he left multiple computers until [i developing ing time-resolved As an engineering and server net- after primi- times to tour the was] 90, so music 2008 mathematically stroboscopic data 2004 powerhouse with works, but now tive de-coding Southeast as a is kind of a dream sound algorithms collection. deanna Hasenauer pafundi, B.S. Lauren Sher, B.S. CCE Microsoft, Jim he’s just trying machines. It was musician. Broke world to curl up is a civil engineer with the utility engineering for comparing two MSE NRE, M.S. NRE ‘06, Ph.D. NRE ‘09 Allchin helped to build chord released this year and dejected from in,” he said. group at Calvin, Giordano & Associates in pathways so the ECE michele manuel yip is a clinical medical physics fellow at Mayo Clinic develop Windows progressions. and received life on the road, Fort Lauderdale. She’s currently part of a team entities that map tao Li won a CAREER in Rochester, Minn. Her work has been published NT, Windows XP, Since his retire- significant recog- he returned to To read more working on the next generation of water supply — are functionally, won a CAREER award to increase in many journals. She continues her research in about Jim Allchin treating wastewater to extremely high standards homologically and award to construct the room tem- radiation treatment accuracy. Windows Vista ment in 2007, nition from Real education with and Windows Allchin re-ignited Blues Magazine. “I a strengthened and hear his for reuse. She is also an active member of Emerge topologically new foundations perature ductil- Server. He was a his passion for always wanted to sense of oppor- music go to the- Broward, a young professionals group which hap- similar. for many-core ity of magnesium pens to be full of Florida Gators. 2006 master at building music, which was record an album tunity, he said. floridaengineer. scale architecture alloys through amanda york ely, Ph.D. BME operating systems a second or third for my sons,” he- Allchin said the ufl.edu analysis, modeling nano-particle is a scientist at RTI Biologics in Alachua, Fla. 2009 and optimization. reinforcement. Steven rushing, B.S. MAE CISE is attending Vanderbilt University Law School peCaSe my t. thai See what happens when it’s not Gameday with a focus in patent law. received the Jane said, “Come, Dick. DoD YIP Award david tumblin, M.S. ISE for her research Come and look. is a systems engineer with DRS Tactical Systems, CISE proposal entitled Inc. in Melbourne, Fla. alper Üngör “C-WMD: Mod- Oh, come and look at the wonderful won a CAREER els, Complexity, award for combin- ECE and Algorithms supplemental material available on mark LaW WaS Named ing the strengths Liuqing yang in Complex Dy- The Florida Engineer Web site!” aSSOCiate deaN FOr aCademiC of theoretical won the CAREER ECE namic and Evolv- Paddling on the Santa Fe River algorithms (time award to establish david arnold ing Networks.” aFFairS iN auguSt complexity, output distributed data won a PECASE Law, who holds master’s size optimality, and storage and collec- award to find new ETING

k and doctoral degrees in quality guarantees) tion mechanisms and better ways

AR electrical engineering and practical to optimize to make and use M from Stanford Univer- heuristics (ease of the ACOustic “magnetic micro- implementation, Underwater Sensor systems” – tiny AND sity, spent the past six

years as chair of the performance in NETwork devices that can Department of Electrical practice, scability). performance. act as switches, & Computer Engineer- pumps, valves or ISE ing. He came to the perform other Vladimir Hall of Florida Fossils University 21 years ago functions – for boginski as an assistant professor. industrial, medical, received the DoD OMMUNICATIONS military and con- YIP Award for his C Before UF, Law worked at Hewlett-Packard from 1982 to 1985. On top of an im- sumer products. research proposal pressive battery of awards bearing his name (everything “New Robustness from National Science Foundation Presidential Faculty MSE Characteristics ALLCHIN Fellow to Iowa State Outstanding Young Alumni to Col- ECE MAE Jacob Jones and Phase Transi- NGINEERING JIM E lege of Engineering Teacher of the Year to UF Research Jing guo andreas won a PECASE tion Problems for Kanapaha Botanical Gardens OF OF Fellow to IEEE Fellow). Law has written more than 200 won a CAREER Haselbacher award to establish Complex Net- y y papers on process and device modeling and has advised award for engineer- won a CAREER a new framework works in Dynamic 17 Ph.D. students. He has had a part in nearly $15 million ing graphene for award to produce to investigate and Uncertain www.theﬂoridaengineer.eng.uﬂ.edu where nature and culture meet of research funding throughout his career. integration of predictive the relationship Environments.” OURTES COURTES www.VisitGainesville.com (866)778-5002 C

40 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 41 e N g i N e e r u p d at e 2007 Nathan Currier, B.S. CCE FaCuLty updateS M.E. CCE ’08 NSF CAREER, PECASE and yIP awards are the most is a bridge designer with Finely Engineering Group, prestigous honor bestowed on young reserachers modeling STIs, chronic diseases, and other Inc. As a structural engineering graduate research public health systems. “Medical Decision Mak- assistant, he researched the cracking behavior in Career communication, simulations using ing” was published this summer on the capacity priority during said. “If anything determination 1973 the days of his ever happened eventually got prestressed segmental bridges under thermal and aWardS data storage, and innovative numeri- and cost of a mass influenza/pneumococcal mechanical loading, utilized analysis and testing vaccination clinic, which is very timely consider- Jim allchin, B.S. CISE close work with I wanted leave him to Microsoft. imaging functional- cal methods and methods in structural applications and conducted ities into existing minimal empiricism ing the potential of mass influenza vaccination Bill Gates and them with that When he’s not data analysis and reporting. Currier has been active campaigns this influenza season. He will also Steve Ballmer. piece of music.” spending time in both professional and community organizations integrated circuit to understand the travel to Uganda to train U.S. and African A seasoned This isn’t the first with his children, including the American Society of Civil Engineers, technologies, and physical processes graduate students about economic epidemio- musician since his time in Allchin’s he’s playing the ASCE Southeast Conference — steel bridge team, significantly extend that govern mixed logical modeling. undergraduate life he’s given up guitar, writing or and a Hurricane katrina relief project. the chip capacity flow/powder snow between structure days at the UF, work for music. recording up to through functional avalanches and macroscopic 2002 he wanted to use As an undergradu- six or seven hours Judah richardson, M.S. MAE diversification. properties of piezo- Jason kirk, M.E. EES his free time to ate studying in a day working on joined Cessna Aircraft Co. in Wichita, kansas and CISE electric ceramics in serves as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Charleston write and record the seminal days a second blues works on their business jets as a stress engineer. tamer kahveci the time domain. South Carolina District of the U.S. Army Corps an album for his of UF’s computer album. “I thought Ricardson says he is headed to Wolfram Alpha in won a CAREER This will be accom- of Engineers where he assumed command in July. sons. The album is science program I would work with Champaign, Illinois as a research engineer. award for plished by develop- titled “Enigma,” he left multiple computers until [i developing ing time-resolved As an engineering and server net- after primi- times to tour the was] 90, so music 2008 mathematically stroboscopic data 2004 powerhouse with works, but now tive de-coding Southeast as a is kind of a dream sound algorithms collection. deanna Hasenauer pafundi, B.S. Lauren Sher, B.S. CCE Microsoft, Jim he’s just trying machines. It was musician. Broke world to curl up is a civil engineer with the utility engineering for comparing two MSE NRE, M.S. NRE ‘06, Ph.D. NRE ‘09 Allchin helped to build chord released this year and dejected from in,” he said. group at Calvin, Giordano & Associates in pathways so the ECE michele manuel yip is a clinical medical physics fellow at Mayo Clinic develop Windows progressions. and received life on the road, Fort Lauderdale. She’s currently part of a team entities that map tao Li won a CAREER in Rochester, Minn. Her work has been published NT, Windows XP, Since his retire- significant recog- he returned to To read more working on the next generation of water supply — are functionally, won a CAREER award to increase in many journals. She continues her research in about Jim Allchin treating wastewater to extremely high standards homologically and award to construct the room tem- radiation treatment accuracy. Windows Vista ment in 2007, nition from Real education with and Windows Allchin re-ignited Blues Magazine. “I a strengthened and hear his for reuse. She is also an active member of Emerge topologically new foundations perature ductil- Server. He was a his passion for always wanted to sense of oppor- music go to the- Broward, a young professionals group which hap- similar. for many-core ity of magnesium pens to be full of Florida Gators. 2006 master at building music, which was record an album tunity, he said. floridaengineer. scale architecture alloys through amanda york ely, Ph.D. BME operating systems a second or third for my sons,” he- Allchin said the ufl.edu analysis, modeling nano-particle is a scientist at RTI Biologics in Alachua, Fla. 2009 and optimization. reinforcement. Steven rushing, B.S. MAE CISE is attending Vanderbilt University Law School peCaSe my t. thai See what happens when it’s not Gameday with a focus in patent law. received the Jane said, “Come, Dick. DoD YIP Award david tumblin, M.S. ISE for her research Come and look. is a systems engineer with DRS Tactical Systems, CISE proposal entitled Inc. in Melbourne, Fla. alper Üngör “C-WMD: Mod- Oh, come and look at the wonderful won a CAREER els, Complexity, award for combin- ECE and Algorithms supplemental material available on mark LaW WaS Named ing the strengths Liuqing yang in Complex Dy- The Florida Engineer Web site!” aSSOCiate deaN FOr aCademiC of theoretical won the CAREER ECE namic and Evolv- Paddling on the Santa Fe River algorithms (time award to establish david arnold ing Networks.” aFFairS iN auguSt complexity, output distributed data won a PECASE Law, who holds master’s size optimality, and storage and collec- award to find new ETING

k and doctoral degrees in quality guarantees) tion mechanisms and better ways

40 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 41 e N i N e e r u p d at e g FrieNdS We’LL miSS

makiNg tHe beSt OF Hard timeS Successful companies and individuals know investing in the future is never an option, but a necessity.

hile it may be tempting the future of our companies and – by ex- in today’s very challeng- tension – the state of Florida. To that end, Online Master’s Degrees ing economic climate Harris is providing a $3 million gift to to apply our resources create the Harris Gateway to Learning & Pharmacy & Business Administration solely to today’s priori- Innovation in the University of Florida’s Wties, we must continuously think about College of Engineering, Computer and what we are doing to nurture an environ- Information Sciences building. The University of Florida College of ment for future opportunity and success. The Harris Gateway is aptly named, Pharmacy is working in partnership with I believe a key part of our return to in that it will provide a ‘door’ to many the Stetson University School of Business economic stability lies benefits. It will sup- Administration to offer a combined program in rejecting hasty reac- port the recruitment tions and having con- and development of leading to two degrees designed to give you fidence and optimism outstanding fac- a competitive edge in a downsizing economy. that our nation will ulty, enhance industry recover from this reces- partnerships, create a } MSPharm: The UF College of Pharmacy sion and be even better dynamic educational provides expertise in Applied Pharmaco- than before. When that model, produce better time comes, we will scientists, and play a economics, the cornerstone of success in need the skills of many key role in recruiting pharmaceutical & biomedical businesses. talented, well-educated individuals on outstanding students to UF. whom we can rely for the continued Times of economic uncertainty do have } MBA: Stetson University provides success and growth of our businesses some benefits. One is that they force us to and communities. focus on what really matters. At Harris, foundational expertise in marketing & Harris Corp. has a lengthy record of we know that our investments in educa- management for career advancement in commitment to supporting education- tion and university partnerships pay divi- the business world. al programs at all levels, especially in dends many times over. These initiatives the areas of math and science. We are are helping to ensure development of a Each institution transfers credit from the other especially proud of our long association highly skilled and diverse workforce that with the University of Florida and are will carry Harris and other companies to allow for the completion of both degrees honored to count some 850 UF gradu- into the future, well past this recession. 1924 William H. Keen oct. 1, 1969 1928 A. L. Clayton Jr. st augustine, fla., july 29, 2009 1931 Edward J. Hill B.S. ME tallahassee, fla., in as little as three years. ates among our talented employees. I encourage you to share our vision dec | Alden F. McDonald B.S. EE portland maine ug Clyde A. Brady Jr. B.S. CHE st augustine fla nov Instead of reducing our financial sup- of optimism and continue to invest in . 22, 2004 , , a . 20, 2009 1933 . , ., . 3, 1993 1934 Everard L. Stuhrman B.S. EE delray beach fla nov 1935 Joel R. Baker B.S. CHE lauderhill fla aug | Henry R. Relocation is not necessary. All courses are port of educational initiatives during this higher education. , ., . 18, 2004 , ., . 20, 2007 recession, I think that right now is actu- Howard Lance Harper wilmette, ill., dec. 1, 1987 | Vivian W. Moss Jr. B.S. CHE st. pete beach, fla., jan. 22, 2008 1936 Col. Charles W. Matheny Jr. B.S. CE taught online, making the program ideally ally the very best time for us to invest in CEO and president, Harris Corp. suited for today’s working professionals. zolfo springs, fla., april 30, 2007 1938 Edward L. Bonney B.S. ME old lyme, conn., july 23, 2003 1939 Colonel Bert W. Humphries B.S. ME Courses are no more than 7 weeks in length oceanside, calif., feb. 20, 2006 1940 Wallace F. Armstrong M.S. baton rouge, la., may 15, 2009 | Overby C. Branch Jr. B.S. CHE ocala, fla., and there is no thesis required for either SaVe tHe dateS... may 30, 2009 1941 Walter F. Taylor B.S. CE athens, ga., dec. 2, 2002 1946 John E. Lake MSE schenectady, n.y., aug. 22, 2002 1947 Orland program. Students with an undergraduate Nov. 6-7, 2009 gineering building, Nov. 6-7, 2009 Nov. 19-21, 2009 M. Brown Jr. M.S. CHE baton rouge, la., may 8, 2009 1949 Christopher W. Holtz B. CE youngsville, n.c., march 5, 2007 | Joel T. Rodgers College of engi- which stood near milestone anni- grand guard degree in any discipline are welcome to apply. B.S. ME st. petersburg, fla., nov. 14, 2008 1950 Philip J. Lawson B. IE hilton head island, s.c., may 19, 2009 1953 Robert C. Watkins Jr. B. neering Centen- where Grinter Hall versary Celebra- reunion nial kickoff is today. tions for CCe, Join us for a festive CHE borger, texas, jan. 27, 2009 1955 William O. Rowell B. IE lexington, s.c., may 6, 2009 1957 Alfred E. Crosby B. EE gainesville, fla., For More Information: eCe, iSe, mae weekend of events aug. 9, 2009 | Bobby R. Jacobs B. CE decatur, ala., may 15, 2009 1958 James W. Follansbee B.S. ME jan. 1, 1976 1959 Albert L. Dryden B.S. honoring the Class visit the program Web site at: Friday Saturday and Nre Centennial gator engineer- Department of 1959 and all EE melbourne, fla., june 19, 2009 1962 Kenneth W. Causseaux B.S. CE sorrento, fla., july 30, 2009 | Alton R. McMullen B. EE inverness, http://pharmreg.dce.ufl.edu/partner.html Historical marker ing tailgate tours, presenta- prior years, hosted fla., dec. 14, 2007 1963 David E. Knittle B. ME san jose, calif., may 18, 2009 | Fraser D. Smithson B. ME naples, fla., june 12, 2009 1964 dedication & reunion tions and celebra- by the University Michael Callahan B. EE atlanta, ga., nov. 21, 2007 1968 Richard J. Adams M.S. melbourne beach, fla., may 1, 2009 1971 Kenneth B. Fess

mark the site of the UF vs Vanderbilt JOHN CE fairfax, va., june 27, 2009 1978 Jaime M. Benavides B.S. EAE key west, fla., may 4, 2009 1979 Dr. Gerald W. McDonald M.E. ISE Stetson Contact: Dr. Ted Surynt at y B

original Benton football game. For more info: www.ufalumni.ufl.edu jacksonville fla june | mechanicsville va aug [email protected], (877) 292-8837. Hall, UF’s first en- or call 352-846-3580 100years.eng.ufl.edu , ., 16, 2009 Cheryl H. Watson B.S. CE , ., . 5, 2009 1982 Capt. John H. McGugan B.S. EAE miami, fla., june 20, 2009 1983 James W. Parkes M.S. EE trenton, fla., july 22, 2009 1986 David A. Smith B.S. CIS boynton beach, fla., may 4, 2007 1987 Thomas P. Acker B.S. CIS longwood, fla., dec. 20, 2000 | Andrew D. Grose III B.S. EE salt lake city, utah, oct. 24, To find out how you can help the College contact:m eg HeNdryx | Senior Director of saint cloud fla july port saint lucie fla july Development | [email protected] ILLUSTRATION 2003 1995 Jeffrey V. Capps B.S. ENS , ., 2, 2009 1996 Jeffrey P. Micklow B.S. ENE , ., 13, 2009

t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 43 e N i N e e r u p d at e g FrieNdS We’LL miSS makiNg tHe beSt OF Hard timeS Successful companies and individuals know investing in the future is never an option, but a necessity. hile it may be tempting the future of our companies and – by ex- in today’s very challeng- tension – the state of Florida. To that end, Online Master’s Degrees ing economic climate Harris is providing a $3 million gift to to apply our resources create the Harris Gateway to Learning & Pharmacy & Business Administration solely to today’s priori- Innovation in the University of Florida’s Wties, we must continuously think about College of Engineering, Computer and what we are doing to nurture an environ- Information Sciences building. The University of Florida College of ment for future opportunity and success. The Harris Gateway is aptly named, Pharmacy is working in partnership with I believe a key part of our return to in that it will provide a ‘door’ to many the Stetson University School of Business economic stability lies benefits. It will sup- Administration to offer a combined program in rejecting hasty reac- port the recruitment tions and having con- and development of leading to two degrees designed to give you fidence and optimism outstanding fac- a competitive edge in a downsizing economy. that our nation will ulty, enhance industry recover from this reces- partnerships, create a } MSPharm: The UF College of Pharmacy sion and be even better dynamic educational provides expertise in Applied Pharmaco- than before. When that model, produce better time comes, we will scientists, and play a economics, the cornerstone of success in need the skills of many key role in recruiting pharmaceutical & biomedical businesses. talented, well-educated individuals on outstanding students to UF. whom we can rely for the continued Times of economic uncertainty do have } MBA: Stetson University provides success and growth of our businesses some benefits. One is that they force us to and communities. focus on what really matters. At Harris, foundational expertise in marketing & Harris Corp. has a lengthy record of we know that our investments in educa- management for career advancement in commitment to supporting education- tion and university partnerships pay divi- the business world. al programs at all levels, especially in dends many times over. These initiatives the areas of math and science. We are are helping to ensure development of a Each institution transfers credit from the other especially proud of our long association highly skilled and diverse workforce that with the University of Florida and are will carry Harris and other companies to allow for the completion of both degrees honored to count some 850 UF gradu- into the future, well past this recession. 1924 William H. Keen oct. 1, 1969 1928 A. L. Clayton Jr. st augustine, fla., july 29, 2009 1931 Edward J. Hill B.S. ME tallahassee, fla., in as little as three years. ates among our talented employees. I encourage you to share our vision dec | Alden F. McDonald B.S. EE portland maine ug Clyde A. Brady Jr. B.S. CHE st augustine fla nov Instead of reducing our financial sup- of optimism and continue to invest in . 22, 2004 , , a . 20, 2009 1933 . , ., . 3, 1993 1934 Everard L. Stuhrman B.S. EE delray beach fla nov 1935 Joel R. Baker B.S. CHE lauderhill fla aug | Henry R. Relocation is not necessary. All courses are port of educational initiatives during this higher education. , ., . 18, 2004 , ., . 20, 2007 recession, I think that right now is actu- Howard Lance Harper wilmette, ill., dec. 1, 1987 | Vivian W. Moss Jr. B.S. CHE st. pete beach, fla., jan. 22, 2008 1936 Col. Charles W. Matheny Jr. B.S. CE taught online, making the program ideally ally the very best time for us to invest in CEO and president, Harris Corp. suited for today’s working professionals. zolfo springs, fla., april 30, 2007 1938 Edward L. Bonney B.S. ME old lyme, conn., july 23, 2003 1939 Colonel Bert W. Humphries B.S. ME Courses are no more than 7 weeks in length oceanside, calif., feb. 20, 2006 1940 Wallace F. Armstrong M.S. baton rouge, la., may 15, 2009 | Overby C. Branch Jr. B.S. CHE ocala, fla., and there is no thesis required for either SaVe tHe dateS... may 30, 2009 1941 Walter F. Taylor B.S. CE athens, ga., dec. 2, 2002 1946 John E. Lake MSE schenectady, n.y., aug. 22, 2002 1947 Orland program. Students with an undergraduate Nov. 6-7, 2009 gineering building, Nov. 6-7, 2009 Nov. 19-21, 2009 M. Brown Jr. M.S. CHE baton rouge, la., may 8, 2009 1949 Christopher W. Holtz B. CE youngsville, n.c., march 5, 2007 | Joel T. Rodgers College of engi- which stood near milestone anni- grand guard degree in any discipline are welcome to apply. B.S. ME st. petersburg, fla., nov. 14, 2008 1950 Philip J. Lawson B. IE hilton head island, s.c., may 19, 2009 1953 Robert C. Watkins Jr. B. neering Centen- where Grinter Hall versary Celebra- reunion nial kickoff is today. tions for CCe, Join us for a festive CHE borger, texas, jan. 27, 2009 1955 William O. Rowell B. IE lexington, s.c., may 6, 2009 1957 Alfred E. Crosby B. EE gainesville, fla., For More Information: eCe, iSe, mae weekend of events aug. 9, 2009 | Bobby R. Jacobs B. CE decatur, ala., may 15, 2009 1958 James W. Follansbee B.S. ME jan. 1, 1976 1959 Albert L. Dryden B.S. honoring the Class visit the program Web site at: Friday Saturday and Nre Centennial gator engineer- Department of 1959 and all EE melbourne, fla., june 19, 2009 1962 Kenneth W. Causseaux B.S. CE sorrento, fla., july 30, 2009 | Alton R. McMullen B. EE inverness, http://pharmreg.dce.ufl.edu/partner.html Historical marker ing tailgate tours, presenta- prior years, hosted fla., dec. 14, 2007 1963 David E. Knittle B. ME san jose, calif., may 18, 2009 | Fraser D. Smithson B. ME naples, fla., june 12, 2009 1964 dedication & reunion tions and celebra- by the University Michael Callahan B. EE atlanta, ga., nov. 21, 2007 1968 Richard J. Adams M.S. melbourne beach, fla., may 1, 2009 1971 Kenneth B. Fess

UF Contact: Professor David Brushwood DUNNE reception Three hours be- tion banquets. of Florida Alumni at [email protected], (352) 273-7810. This event will fore kickoff of the Association. M.E. roseville, calif., oct. 16, 2004 1975 Ronald W. Meyer M.S. EE etowah, n.c., june 16, 2009 1977 Dr. Thomas H. Culpepper PH.D. mark the site of the UF vs Vanderbilt JOHN CE fairfax, va., june 27, 2009 1978 Jaime M. Benavides B.S. EAE key west, fla., may 4, 2009 1979 Dr. Gerald W. McDonald M.E. ISE Stetson Contact: Dr. Ted Surynt at y B original Benton football game. For more info: www.ufalumni.ufl.edu jacksonville fla june | mechanicsville va aug [email protected], (877) 292-8837. Hall, UF’s first en- or call 352-846-3580 100years.eng.ufl.edu , ., 16, 2009 Cheryl H. Watson B.S. CE , ., . 5, 2009 1982 Capt. John H. McGugan B.S. EAE miami, fla., june 20, 2009 1983 James W. Parkes M.S. EE trenton, fla., july 22, 2009 1986 David A. Smith B.S. CIS boynton beach, fla., may 4, 2007 1987 Thomas P. Acker B.S. CIS longwood, fla., dec. 20, 2000 | Andrew D. Grose III B.S. EE salt lake city, utah, oct. 24, To find out how you can help the College contact:m eg HeNdryx | Senior Director of saint cloud fla july port saint lucie fla july Development | [email protected] ILLUSTRATION 2003 1995 Jeffrey V. Capps B.S. ENS , ., 2, 2009 1996 Jeffrey P. Micklow B.S. ENE , ., 13, 2009

t H e FLO r i d a e N g i N e e r 43 CLOS i N g t i m e reFLeCt, reNeW, reiNVeNt These words aren’t in the thesaurus next to engineering, perhaps they should be

here’s an undeniable energy on campus each “The first issue of the FLORIDA ENGINEER is now a fall. It’s a time to reflect, renew, reinvent and reality. We of the staff sincerely hope it meets with your ap- even create. proval. A small group of University of Florida engineering It’s the beginning of 1,121 freshman engineer- students have worked this past summer to produce this ini- ing careers; 19 companies looking to 145 Inte- tial copy of your magazine. As we garner more of the talents Tgrated Product & Process Design students to solve their and efforts of the engineering college student body, we hope problems in the next 8 1/2 months; 51,000 backpack-laden to make subsequent issues of the FLORIDA ENGINEER students getting lost in the maze that is Turlington Hall; better and better. From you, our readers, we earnestly 102,000 season-invincible flip-flops spanking the Reitz solicit ideas, articles, criticism and remarks. Let’s make the Union’s terrazzo floor (yes, they will be wearing flip-flops FLORIDA ENGINEER the best publication of its type!” when it’s 30 degrees); and of course... the return of Ga- — Staff note in The Florida Engineer, tor football’s mesmerizing grip on the Gator Nation. But November 1950 there’s also a nostalgia that takes over — especially for the faculty and staff, some of whom are Gators by earned rite, This earnest message reflects the same energy and excite- others Gators by proximity. ment our small staff and merry band of freelancers feel In the flux of the fall hubbub, hunting for parking, com- creating this magazine for you. And even funnier is that it batting the September love-bug infestation, and putting asks for what we still need more of: interaction from you. together this issue of The Florida Engineer, history replaced So, as the College gears up for its 100th anniversary, many nostalgia when I came across this gem from 60 years ago, of these pages pay homage to our decorated past through published in the first issue EVER of the magazine: timelines, old photos, good stories, and even the Engineer Update (to which you should contribute). You’ll also read how the state of Florida is reestablishing its economy by It’s almost here. Join us as we kick off the College of Engineering’s year-long centennial 96 iSSueS reinventing itself as technological powerhouse through celebration, as well as recognize significant anniversaries for some of our departments. Later... partnerships with UF and other Florida universities, com- Students first munity colleges and industry. Creation abounds as our new published the dean, Cammy Abernathy, breaks the mold — not only by FE 69 years becoming the first woman to steer the College, but also as th th ago. It was she reexamines how we teach engineering. This summer, SCHeduLe Friday, November 6 Saturday, November 7 produced by just as she was transitioning from associate dean to dean, she OF College of Engineering Centennial Gator Engineering Barbecue & Reunion them until was introducing freshman engineers to the tangible side of eVeNtS the early 80s. engineering two years earlier than usual. This is an amaz- Historical Marker Dedication & Reception UF vs Vanderbilt football game ing time for our College. Our history is rich, and our future 3:30 pm Celebrating 100 Years of three hours before kickoff is brighter than the culmination of flash bulbs when Tim location: Reitz Union Lawn regi Tebow throws a jump pass. This is Gator Engineering, and Engineering at UF Ster I’m thrilled to be along for the ride. location: Center of UF Campus NoW! As you (hopefully) enjoy this issue of The Florida Engi- neer, take a moment to reflect on your time at UF. Renew near Walker Hall connections and passions in your own world, or even reach back into this one. Reinvent the routine. And, create... but, well, you already do that — you are an engineer. alumNi barbeque & Football ticket package available 100yearS.eNg.uFL.edu Sincerely,

In Spring 2010 look for more about the centennial lectures series on: Engineering and Health Care | Information Systems | Engineering Education | Nanotechnology

Nicole Cisneros McKeen, For more information about events go to: 100years.eng.ufl.edu editor | [email protected] To register for Milestone Anniversary Celebrations for CCE, ECE, ISE, MAE and NRE,

ALAHAR Department tours, presentations and celebration banquets go to: 100yeras.eng.ufl.edu k SHANNON

44 www.thefloridaengineer.eng.ufl.edu CLOS i N g t i m e reFLeCt, reNeW, reiNVeNt These words aren’t in the thesaurus next to engineering, perhaps they should be here’s an undeniable energy on campus each “The first issue of the FLORIDA ENGINEER is now a fall. It’s a time to reflect, renew, reinvent and reality. We of the staff sincerely hope it meets with your ap- even create. proval. A small group of University of Florida engineering It’s the beginning of 1,121 freshman engineer- students have worked this past summer to produce this ini- ing careers; 19 companies looking to 145 Inte- tial copy of your magazine. As we garner more of the talents Tgrated Product & Process Design students to solve their and efforts of the engineering college student body, we hope problems in the next 8 1/2 months; 51,000 backpack-laden to make subsequent issues of the FLORIDA ENGINEER students getting lost in the maze that is Turlington Hall; better and better. From you, our readers, we earnestly 102,000 season-invincible flip-flops spanking the Reitz solicit ideas, articles, criticism and remarks. Let’s make the Union’s terrazzo floor (yes, they will be wearing flip-flops FLORIDA ENGINEER the best publication of its type!” when it’s 30 degrees); and of course... the return of Ga- — Staff note in The Florida Engineer, tor football’s mesmerizing grip on the Gator Nation. But November 1950 there’s also a nostalgia that takes over — especially for the faculty and staff, some of whom are Gators by earned rite, This earnest message reflects the same energy and excite- others Gators by proximity. ment our small staff and merry band of freelancers feel In the flux of the fall hubbub, hunting for parking, com- creating this magazine for you. And even funnier is that it batting the September love-bug infestation, and putting asks for what we still need more of: interaction from you. together this issue of The Florida Engineer, history replaced So, as the College gears up for its 100th anniversary, many nostalgia when I came across this gem from 60 years ago, of these pages pay homage to our decorated past through published in the first issue EVER of the magazine: timelines, old photos, good stories, and even the Engineer Update (to which you should contribute). You’ll also read how the state of Florida is reestablishing its economy by It’s almost here. Join us as we kick off the College of Engineering’s year-long centennial 96 iSSueS reinventing itself as technological powerhouse through celebration, as well as recognize significant anniversaries for some of our departments. Later... partnerships with UF and other Florida universities, com- Students first munity colleges and industry. Creation abounds as our new published the dean, Cammy Abernathy, breaks the mold — not only by FE 69 years becoming the first woman to steer the College, but also as th th ago. It was she reexamines how we teach engineering. This summer, SCHeduLe Friday, November 6 Saturday, November 7 produced by just as she was transitioning from associate dean to dean, she OF College of Engineering Centennial Gator Engineering Barbecue & Reunion them until was introducing freshman engineers to the tangible side of eVeNtS the early 80s. engineering two years earlier than usual. This is an amaz- Historical Marker Dedication & Reception UF vs Vanderbilt football game ing time for our College. Our history is rich, and our future 3:30 pm Celebrating 100 Years of three hours before kickoff is brighter than the culmination of flash bulbs when Tim location: Reitz Union Lawn regi Tebow throws a jump pass. This is Gator Engineering, and Engineering at UF Ster I’m thrilled to be along for the ride. location: Center of UF Campus NoW! As you (hopefully) enjoy this issue of The Florida Engi- neer, take a moment to reflect on your time at UF. Renew near Walker Hall connections and passions in your own world, or even reach back into this one. Reinvent the routine. And, create... but, well, you already do that — you are an engineer. alumNi barbeque & Football ticket package available 100yearS.eNg.uFL.edu Sincerely,