10FALL MAGAZINE VISION FROM THE VORTEX Turbulence expert PAGE takes the helm 14 1 SPRING 2009 “The EEE coursework taught me how to WANT TO SOLVE analyze the economic and environmental impacts of developing new energy sources. Focusing on a thesis project that aligned with ENERGY my career interests helped me to transition to my new role as a petroleum engineer.” — Bryan Jolley ’06 ChE, M.Eng. ’07, PROBLEMS? Shell Exploration & Production Company DEPaRtmEntS CoRnEll EnginEERing magazinE/Fall 2010 2 27 31 contentsNewS PEoPlE HomEtown HERo Linda Smiley Features Stiff Resolve: Biomedical engineer takes on two deadly diseases. 10 By Lauren Cahoon Calling on Cornell Curiosity: The new Master of Engineering specialization in Students find energy-saving Energy Economics and Engineering from Cornell’s solutions for Verizon. School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is 18 By Sharon Tregaskis for people who want to design, build, operate, and regulate conventional and alternative energy sys- tems. The program takes a unique systems approach, giving graduates an understanding of the complex economics of different energy options. Master of Engineering Those with B.S. degrees in these fields are encour- from Cornell University aged to apply. • bioengineering Engineering Paths to Success: • chemical engineering Vision from the Vortex Four alumni show the versatility • civil and environmental engineering turbulence expert takes the helm. of an engineering degree. By Dan Touhy • mechanical engineering 14 By Robert Emro 22 • materials science and engineering • chemistry • physics Find2 SPRING 2009out more at www.cheme.cornell.edu/eee Cornell engineering 3 am E phy a R ing t ing C a otog R ‘Smart Walker’ patented H Baja team takes f irst ll P MAGAZINE E Y n it a land- and water-traversing vehicle built R Co Cornell biomedical engineering low-strength users need only vers by the Cornell Baja Racing team took first students working with weill touch a button to electronically /Uni place against 70 other teams at a June ce an 10–13 competition in Rochester, n.Y. Cornell medical College-affiliated disengage the brake and begin R F Y a in its sixth year, the Baja racing psychiatrist Dr. Eli Einbinder have moving. once a user removes iSSn 1081-3977 DS hands from the handlebar, the in team, which builds an off-road vehicle Volume 16, number 2 designed an electronic braking l system for walkers, with buttons walker automatically resets to designed to withstand a variety of Fall 2010 difficult terrains, took the top overall replacing bicycle-style squeeze the braked position. the added Cornell Engineering brakes. their walkers also have stability and ease of operation for prize at the international Baja SaE Magazine is published automatic braking that can users with reduced hand strength (formerly Society of automotive by the Cornell University College of Engineering prevent slips, slides, and falls promises to dramatically reduce Engineers) competition held at when a user grabs the handgrips. accidental falls—a significant Rochester institute of technology (RIT). it Dean For three years, a team of gradu- source of injury among the was their first overall first-place finish. lance Collins Jospeph Silbert Dean ate students from the Depart- elderly with limited mobility. it also for the first time, the team of Engineering ment of Biomedical Engineering can further reduce injury among took its vehicle, gP06 (named in and undergraduate seniors from the elderly by encouraging a honor of george Petry, an unofficial Associate Dean for Administration several departments in the Col- more active lifestyle. team adviser), to the water. the RIT Cathy Dove lege of Engineering worked with the braking system the team The “Smart Walker” starts in the braked position, and low-strength users need competition required vehicles to drive Einbinder and BmE Senior lecturer devised has a single highly only touch a button to electronically disengage the brake and begin moving. through standing water as part of the Executive Editor Barbara l. Cain David lipson on a prickly problem: sensitive button. the button runs for users with low strength or patent for his solution in June. endurance race. it was a chance for the Director how to prevent elderly users with to a microprocessor, which sends impairment in their hands. Einbinder has been a consultant team to showcase its first amphibious Engineering Communications limited mobility from falling when information to a linear actuator this electrically assisted to the project since its inception, vehicle—no small feat, considering the and media Relations they use a braking walker. that in turn pulls on a mechanical walker project, first reported in working with lipson’s team at engineering challenges associated with Editor the “Smart walker” relies on brake to make the wheels come the Spring 2007 issue of CEM, least weekly via conference calls such versatility. Robert B. Emro to a complete stop. that means stems from 16 years of work and e-mail. the Cornell students’ design involved assistant Director handgrip sensors. the walker Engineering Communications starts in the braked position, and this walker will brake safely by Einbinder, who received a a hydrodynamic flotation system on the and media Relations underbelly of the car, explained team co-leader andrew Cypher ’10 mSE, and Art Director todd Edmonds two fenders that let the tires spin in the Creative Director/CEo 100+ MPG Team withdraws from X Prize competition water and propel the car forward, much irondesign.com like a jet ski. Graphic Designer “a lot of compromises had to be made,” passenger vehicle class (judged separately louis Johnson Cypher said. “a lot of things that are Senior Designer from alternative-class vehicles), after faster in the water are slower on land.” irondesign.com being winnowed from a list of more than During the four-hour endurance race, Printer 100 qualifying vehicles back in april 2009. the Cornell students thought all was lost midstate litho they were also the only university team when the car nose-dived and flipped, Endicott, n.Y. representing mainstream vehicles. setting them back a half hour to replace Photography the team arrived at michigan international several parts and repair the engine. all photos by University Speedway June 14 to prepare to race. they Photography unless But thanks to some skillful driving by otherwise indicated passed the final technical inspection near Connor Broaddus ’10 mE and alexander the end of the week, and they noticed the Kopache ’10 BE, gP06 surpassed car Editorial and Business Offices problem with the batteries June 17. after after car and came in fourth—allowing spending most of June 17 and 18 trying to B1D Carpenter Hall them to earn enough points to win the ithaca, nY 14853-2201 figure out the problem, they decided to competition. phone 607 255-3981 withdraw at about 1 p.m. June 18—just before “they just drove lights out,” Cypher said. fax 607 255-9606 their first endurance race. e-mail cornell_engr_mag@ as in years past, the team was also cornell.edu Redshift, the Cornell X Prize car, passed technical inspection at Michigan International Speedway. “we just ran out of time, and i think if we judged in such dynamic and static were able to have a few days of testing we Visit Cornell Engineering categories as design, maneuverability, Magazine online at after passing a technical inspection and that monitor the car’s lithium-iron battery would have figured out what the issue was,” suspension, and cost. www.engineering.cornell.edu/ magazine reaching the first knockout qualifying stage at packs. lacking the time to fully diagnose the said team co-leader David zlotnick ’11 ECE. —Anne Ju michigan international Speedway, the Cornell problem, they chose to withdraw from the the team intends to get the vehicle running 100+ mPg team was forced to withdraw from contest. reliably to showcase new technologies and to competition for safety reasons. “we don’t know if it was a design flaw or use it as an educational and promotional tool Competing in the Progressive insurance a manufacturing flaw,” saida l george, team for Cornell. the team is also working with a © 2010 Cornell Engineering automotive X Prize, which offers a $10 million co-adviser. “there is a lot of energy stored in popular magazine to have a third party measure Magazine Printed on recycled paper. prize to cars that get 100 miles to the gallon those batteries.” and publish the vehicle’s overall efficiency in a or equivalent, the team experienced two Cornell finished their run in the contest as series of real-world driving scenarios. 09/10 ml 46m 100196 separate failures in the electronic components one of nine teams in the mainstream, four- —Anne Ju 4 Fall 2010 Cornell engineering 5 phy a R Faculty brief Congress on cybersecurity otog H Researchers make ultra-thin magnetic sheets P ber B /JFa la most information systems power usage at a central ber ER materials do funny things at the the work is detailed in a paper atomic layers can ruin the films’ ll today are designed to lose, location. “there’s a lot of things nanoscale. a metal oxide complex published online June 14 in conductivity. these defects don’t Mu Jim Fa / according to two faculty who i can tell about what’s going on S ti called lanthanum strontium the journal Proceedings of the matter as much on a larger scale. U briefed Congress april 30. in your home based on minute- o manganite is ferromagnetic in National Academy of Sciences. to examine manganite samples urk “we’re in a situation in which by-minute power consumption large quantities. But scaled to “a number of research grown by their collaborators we’re basically always putting data,” said wicker.