UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING | SPRING 2018 A DEADLY REIGN THE STRUGGLE TO SHIELD US FROM ANTIBIOTIC-RESISTANT BACTERIA 20 PARKER SHOOTS FOR THE SUN 9 EEL-STYLE POWER 12 BIONIC BRIDGES VISUAL ADVENTURES 700 CLICKS TO ADELAIDE Novum, the U-M solar car team’s newest solar-powered electric vehicle, races through the Australian outback during last October’s Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a 3,000-kilometer race from Darwin to Adelaide. Novum is a drastic departure from conventional solar car design; it delivered a second-place finish in the race, the U-M team’s best-ever results. Learn more about Novum’s radical design on page 11. PHOTO: Evan Dougherty SPRING 2018 VOLUME XXXV, NUMBER 1 PUBLISHER Alec D. Gallimore Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner Professor Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Aerospace Engineering EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jennifer Judge Hensel EDITOR Brad Whitehouse SENIOR CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD Mathias-Philippe Badin ASSISTANT EDITOR Gabe Cherry 20 | MEET PARKER RANDOM ACCESS EDITOR Behind the scenes with the hottest solar probe in the universe Nicole Casal Moore FEATURE EDITOR Kate McAlpine PRODUCTION SUPPORT Tonya Marion CONTENT CREATORS AND CONTRIBUTORS Stephen Alvey, Charles Amyx, Alexandra Cabadas, Ben Collins, Robert Coelius, Evan Dougherty, Esther Eppele, Cara Gonzalez, Levi Hutmacher, Emily Legleitner, Ben Logan, James Lynch, Randy Milgrom, Steve Nagle, EJ Olsen, Marcin Szczepanski, December Therrien, Josh Walker, Alison Wells, Amy Whitesall, Joseph Xu 44 | REVERSE-ENGINEERING EDUCATION 28 | TINY TERRORS ADVISORY COUNCIL A professor’s mission to build systems for success Can science outsmart antibiotic-resistant superbugs? John Balbach (BS ‘95), Tarolyn Buckles (BSE CEE ‘93), Greg Ewing (BSE CEE ’13, MSE ‘15), Kimberly Johnson, Emma Kraimer, Mitch Rohde (BSE EE ‘94, MS ‘96, MS BME ‘97, PHD ‘00), Ken Snodgrass (BSE ME ‘69, MSE ‘72), Laura Wojcik (MSE ME ‘94, PhD ME ‘97), Brad Whitehouse, ex officio MISSION STATEMENT The Michigan Engineer is a magazine for the University of Michigan College of Engineering community, and especially alumni. Its main mission is to engage the College’s alumni through content that is thought-provoking, by covering the intersection of engineering, the world and their alma mater. 4 | REWARDING RISK 11 | SOLAR CAR 60 | CAN’T-MISS BOATS The Michigan Engineer is published twice a year by A plan to help make U-M a bolder place Novum goes small, wins big U-M alum makes floating works of art the University of Michigan College of Engineering and is the winner of Pride of CASE V awards. The Michigan Engineer magazine offices are located at: Communications & Marketing 3214 SI North 1075 Beal Avenue CONTENTS Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2112 Phone: 734-647-7085 Email: [email protected] 1 Visual Adventures 18 View from Ann Arbor 61 Brain Hacks Website: engin.umich.edu Send address changes to the above postal or email Rollin’ in the sun A State Street sunset Three cubes, one mystery address. 4 Focal Point 52 Victors for Engineering 62 In Memoriam Postage paid at Ann Arbor, MI Bold risks, big rewards Steppin’ it up THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 6 Comments, Tweets & Letters 57 Throwback 64 Parting Shot Michael J. Behm, Grand Blanc All the Tweets that fit What’s that sound? How’s your Arduino? Mark J. Bernstein, Ann Arbor Shauna Ryder Diggs, Grosse Pointe 8 Random Access 58 Alumni Notes Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor Printable meds and bulletproof knees Ann Arbor gets unicorned Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park Ron Weiser, Ann Arbor 36 | DARK MATTER MASTER Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor Mark S. Schlissel, ex officio Talking physics, space and Ohio State with Nobel laureate Samuel Ting Cover illustration: Stephen Alvey PHOTO: Jan Collsioo/Pressens Bild AB, courtesy AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives, Gift of Eleanor Dahl Gift Archives, Visual AIP Emilio Segrè courtesy AB, Bild Collsioo/Pressens Jan PHOTO: FOCAL POINT SKY-HIGH BLUE SKY 4 Venture capital An investment to advance a ACCELERATING transformational idea RESEARCH ACCELERATOR Angel investor A one-time infusion of funds BOLDER IDEAS to get a mid-stage idea off the ground A novel funding program enables mechanisms will give faculty the freedom to be more daring in pursuing new research ideas that are not yet ready for more traditional research aggressive research exploration funding agencies.” The program builds on the existing success for funding research at CLUSTERS & THEMES Michigan Engineering has set its sights on enhancing its culture of Michigan Engineering. Faculty are already accomplished researchers Seed funding creativity, innovation and daring, and is implementing a unique and are good at attracting funding for their projects. These initiatives For faculty with similar expertise or approach to investing in faculty research as a key part of the plan. leverage this track record of success to broaden and define areas of interests to break down boundaries Three new funding programs, enacted as part of the research pillar in the scientific and technological leadership, creating incentives for teams and organize Michigan Engineering 2020 strategic plan (see p. 16 for details), will enable to form, and acknowledging and supporting the resources required to A STARTUP APPROACH TO RESEARCH FUNDING researchers to explore the boundaries of creative thought and risk-taking. pursue transformational ideas. The programs draw inspiration from entrepreneurial funding “The intent is to reinforce and expand our research excellence models, introducing three separate funding options that are analogous and the capabilities of our faculty, better positioning teams to secure to early-, mid-, and late-stage funding for a startup business. However, support from external partners,” said Alec D. Gallimore, the Robert the analogy is not one-to-one – commercial viability is not the main or J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. “We aim to help foster an ecosystem only goal. Instead, it is about engaging in bold research. that celebrates bold thinking, embraces noble failures and engenders “We’re doing this to catalyze and incentivize faculty – especially intellectual curiosity. I am excited to see what happens when we open teams of faculty – to pursue high-risk, high-impact ideas,” said Steve new doors for our faculty to explore.” Ceccio, associate dean for research and Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gallimore is also an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, and the Richard F. Gorguze Professor of Engineering. “Our hope is that these new funding and Eleanor A. Towner Professor of Engineering. BLUE SKY CLUSTERS & THEMES RESEARCH ACCELERATOR UP TO $2.5M OVER THREE YEARS The Blue Sky initiative supports transformational concepts – UP TO $25K UP TO $250K high-risk, high-reward ideas. While it is analogous to the later- stage, higher-dollar contributions of venture capital funding These seed investments are meant to kickstart an idea that is Faculty can apply to the Research Accelerator for a one- for entrepreneurs, the goal is not to launch a company. earlier-stage or has not yet taken definite shape. time investment of funds to advance an idea. It is similar to Instead, teams will progress through a series of defined A cluster is a group of faculty with related expertise. For angel investors or accelerators in a startup funding model milestones to consistently assess the development of their example, a dozen researchers working in microfluidics across in that it provides a jumpstart. concept, and will have a strategy in place to explore and secure campus could organize to buy a piece of equipment or hire This is a good option for faculty when they require external investments to develop and expand the concept. This someone to run a joint lab. resources to move concepts past a critical juncture in their could come from a federal entity like NASA or the NSF, or Themes form when faculty with similar research interests development. For example, a group of faculty working on from a corporate partner. – but different expertise – join to tackle a problem. This could affordability solutions for health care might need funding Blue Sky will give teams the resources to aggressively be sorting cancer cells or reducing carbon emissions. Funds to generate preliminary data or acquire a unique piece of pursue an idea to either reinforce or define Michigan’s could be used to organize a workshop or conference, or to hire equipment. leadership position in areas ranging from revolutionizing a student to help the group work together. mobility to utilizing big data. #UmichEngin g THE MICHIGAN ENGINEER SPRING 2018 g engin.umich.edu COMMENTS, TWEETS & LETTERS COMMENTS, TWEETS & LETTERS 6 TECHSPEAK This is a beautiful story. Imagine how great RANDOM ACCESS RANDOM ACCESS “HAVING WORKED IN INDUSTRY, THE VAST DIFFERENCE 14 15 BETWEEN A PROOF-OF-CONCEPT PROTOTYPE AND A PRODUCT WAS CLEAR TO ME. A TRUE SOLUTION TO A SOCIETAL NEED IS ONE THAT HAS BEEN PUT TO PRACTICE. WE FORGED A Haiti would be if even a small percentage ELEGANT MECHANICS FOR UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE TO TRANSLATE THESE INNOVATIONS TO A COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY THAT IS CLINICALLY RELEVANT, AND STREAMLINED SURGERY POTENTIALLY GAME-CHANGING.” Fundamental engineering principles give this all-mechanical surgical instrument Shorya Awtar of the ones that leave come back to help. Associate professor of mechanical engineering and co-inventor of FlexDex with Jim Geiger, the Daniel H. the dexterity of a robot at a fraction of the cost. Teitelbaum M.D. Collegiate Professor at the U-M Medical School. Awtar is CTO of FlexDex Surgical and Geiger is CEO. Virtual center of rotation: FlexDex’s most important innovation Amazing. This spring, U-M startup FlexDex Surgical situates the instrument handle’s input joint at the same point in released a paradigm-shifting needle driver space as the user’s wrist.