I feel extremely fortunate that our Mechanical Engineering program at Texas A&M University is in a state whose economy is still strong. At a time when other programs have had to make significant cuts, we’ve been able to continue expanding. This past year, we hired four new faculty. Three of them, Dr. Nicole Zacharia, Dr. Joe Kim and Dr. Richard Malak, joined us in September. The fourth, Dr. Molly Gentleman, joins us in January 2010. The addition of these four faculty allows us to achieve a milestone of 60 tenured and tenure-track faculty. These new faculty help strengthen our program in the areas of materials, design and vibrations. Our overall research expenditures for this past fiscal year topped $13 million for the first time ever. Some of our faculty were part of a team from several universities that won an AFSOR Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI). We continue to see growth in new projects ranging from materials to biofuels. Some of these projects are highlighted in the research section of this report. Some of our faculty are also being recognized for their research. Dr. Ana Muliana won a coveted Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). She is the first faculty member from our faculty to win this award. Dr. Sy-Bor Wen also won a NSF CAREER award. Even with the down economy, our graduates continued to be strongly recruited by industry. Our Career Center reported over 200 companies recruiting Mechanical Engineering graduates on campus this year. Starting salaries for our B.S. graduates remained at about $65,000 this year. With the strong job market for our graduates, we continue to have a record number of students eager to join our program. Last fall, we were the first engineering major to fill our quota of incoming freshman students. Within this report are articles about the accomplishments of some of our former and current students. We are extremely proud of all of them. This past spring, one of our Ph.D. graduates, Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson was named President of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Another graduate of our program, Mr. Kahlid A. Al-Falih, was named President of Saudi Aramco, which is the largest oil corporation in the world. We recognized three of our distinguished graduates, Quentin Baker ‘78, Tony Best ‘72 and Gary Markham ‘72, at our spring awards banquet. A team of our undergraduates competed in the Formula Hybrid racecar event for the first time in May 2009 and won the competition. This builds on their wins from previous Formula SAE and Road and Track competitions. Our program in Qatar (known as TAMUQ) continues to grow and excel. They had an ABET accreditation visit in Fall 2008, and were officially accredited in summer 2009. Because of continued growth in the program, we added three new faculty this year. Faculty were successful in securing research funds through the Qatar National Research Fund, which is the equivalent of our National Research Foundation. We are hopeful that a graduate program will be approved at TAMUQ. Currently, some of our graduate students from the main campus are involved in research projects at TAMUQ and spend a semester or more there to do their thesis work with TAMUQ faculty. We are extremely appreciative of the commitment of our former students to our program. It is through their generosity that for the second year in a row, we are able to award over 180 scholarships to our students despite the losses to our endowments with the drop in the stock market. These scholarship resources helped us attract 23 new National Merit Scholars and Semifinalists as well as three National Hispanic Scholars and one National Achievement Scholar in the incoming freshman class of 2009. I hope you enjoy reading this report. I think you’ll find that our department continues the tradition of excellence that you have come to expect from the Mechanical Engineering program at Texas A&M University. Dennis O’Neal Holdredge/Paul Professor and Department Head
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History Since the founding of the State Agriculture and Mechanical College of Texas in 1876, the mechanical arts have been an essential part of the curriculum. In 1880, the Department of Engineering, Mechanics and Drawing first appeared. Total enrollment at A&M was 127 students. To meet the strong trend toward industrial and vocational work, the college developed a new curriculum in 1881-82 that placed more emphasis on practical training. The department was fully accredited for the first time by the Engineering Council for Professional Development, later renamed the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET). Every six years since, the department has continued to be accredited. Very little research was conducted in the department before the introduction of the Ph.D. program in 1948. Industries and government agencies began to sponsor research within the department. Fellowships and graduate assistantships encouraged growth in graduate studies. In 1953, the first Ph.D. degree in mechanical engineering was awarded to L.P. Thompson who was already a mechanical engineering faculty member. He later became dean of engineering at Arizona State University. Our vision continues to evolve, with emphasis on developing the graduate programs to the same quality and reputation that the undergraduate program has enjoyed for almost 100 years. The graduate enrollment is now over 450. The department’s research activities have increased dramatically over the past twenty years, impacting industry in both the state and the nation. The department also provides lifelong learning opportunities for engineers through symposia and short courses. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has three recognized research programs: the Turbomachinery Laboratory, the Polymer Technology Center and the Energy Systems Laboratory. We have hired over 3o new faculty in the past six years which has allowed us to address strategic areas such as materials, design, microfluids, and combustion. Approximately 40% of our graduate students are in the doctoral program. Currently 65% of our graduate students are international, and about 11 percent are minorities and women. We want to provide more scholarships to attract highly qualified undergraduates. Our long-term goal is to raise $20 million in endowments to support graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships. These financial resources are critical fot the department to continue to recruit the best students to our programs. Currently, our undergraduate students have capstone design projects their senior year that are sponsored by industry or government laboratories. Our students get project design experiences built on a foundation of engineering science. These projects provide significant experience to the students as they wrestle with ‘real world’ design challenges from industry sponsors.
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Department of Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering 2009/2010 enrollment: Undergraduate: 1147 Graduate: 462 (M.S. 274, Ph.D. 215) 2009/2010 incoming freshmen: 164 out of 1147 were in the top 10% for mechanical engineering The pass rate for the spring 2009 FE Examination for mechanical engineering was 95%. The national pass rate is 83%. Approximately 319 companies interview our graduates each year Average SAT scores of entering freshmen: Math: 676, Verbal: 613, Total: 1289 The average GRE score for graduate students admitted to the program: Verbal: 518, Quantitative: 769 Over $253,000 in undergraduate scholarships and graduate student fellowships were awarded to our students this past year Rankings among public institutions (2009 U.S. News & World Report): Graduate Program: 10th Undergraduate Program: 9th Sixty tenure/tenure track faculty: 24 professors 13 associate professors 23 assistant professors Of these there are: 10 named Professorships 4 Chairs 3 University Distinguished Professors 1 Regents Professor 3 Career Development Professorships
Dwight Look College of Engineering The Dwight Look College of Engineering is one of the largest engineering colleges in the nation. It ranks among the top five producers in the country for undergraduate engineering degrees. The Dwight Look College of Engineering is the largest college on the Texas A&M campus with more than 10,000 engineering students enrolled in our 12 department. The faculty are dedicated to teaching, research and discovery in all of the major engineering fields. Texas A&M Engineering also includes three state engineering agencies that provide engineering research, education, and outreach. The Dwight Look College of Engineering is consistently ranked among the nation’s top programs. It is also among the top universities in the number of National Merit Scholars, nationally recognized faculty and funded research. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Texas A&M Engineering graduate program 8th overall among 185 U.S. universities and the undergraduate program 9th among 181 U.S. universities. Texas A&M College of Engineering was ranked first in the nation in the latest Hispanic Outlook survey of America’s schools. The College includes nine university Distinguished Professors. Among our senior faculty are holders of 36 endowed chairs and 66 endowed professorships. Nine members of our faculty are members of the national Academy of Engineering.
Thirty-five editors or associate editors in over seventy journals Forty-four faculty are Fellows or Honorary Fellows in thirteen professional societies Fourteen faculty have received Association of Former Students Teaching Awards
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Undergraduate Program
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Mechanical engineering involves the design of machines and equipment including robots; biomedical devices; vehicles for ground, air and space transportation; machines for converting fuels into energy; consumer products; and the climate control of buildings. Mechanical engineers bring together design graphics, engineering materials, manufacturing, thermo-dynamics and heat transfer, and the principles of mathematics and science to find solutions to human needs. They often work directly in the design and operation of food processing plants, power plants, manufacturing plants, refineries and other industrial operations. The goal of our undergraduate program is to provide our graduates with a broad engineering education so they may apply analytical and practical skills to solve complex problems and to design systems in a variety of industries. Our program includes courses on design, controls, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, dynamics, energy conversion, properties and selection of materials, manufacturing, and the application of computers to these topics. The curriculum balances basic fundamentals, analytical methods and design applications of current knowledge, preparing our graduates for entry into the profession and a life-long career. The employers of our graduates include aircraft and automobile companies, food processing companies, machinery and equipment companies, oil companies, semiconductor manufacturers, gas and electric utilities, architectural and engineering firms, and many agencies in federal, state and local governments. Students have more options today to enrich their education. Many of our students take advantage of certificate programs and minors. The certificate programs allow students to go beyond the traditional curriculum and gain specific knowledge in a concentration area. Certificate programs are available are in the areas of energy engineering, engineering project management, engineering scholars program, international certificate for engineering students, polymers, and systems safety engineering. Students can also take
advantage of exchange programs to enrich their international experience. These provide our students with more skills and a broader education than in earlier years. The department has an enrollment management program to bring enrollment in line with the available resources and facilities. Students are required to make a prescribed grade point average (GPA) of 2.85 on a specified group of freshman–level courses to be admitted to the upper division of the Department. Enrollment varies between 1,000 and 1,200. A priority for our department has been increasing the number of women in the program. For fall 2009 the department had 164 female undergraduates, the highest number to date. Our undergraduate students are among the top in the university. For the 2009-10 school year, the department had 23 National Merit Scholars and semi finalists in our Freshman class. Freshman scored an average 1289 on the SAT. Because we make most national corporations’ short list for preferential recruiting gives us confidence that our undergraduate program continues to be one of the best in the country.
2008/2009 Undergraduate Scholarship Awards Clarence Albert ‘29 Scholarship
Peter Nystrom
Gladys M. & William D. Allison ‘44 Scholarship
Matthew Harris
ASME Golf/MESF Edmond I. Bailey ‘61 Memorial Scholarship Dr. Allison J. Berry ‘76 Scholarship
Nathan Holleck Michael McWilliams
Eric Pennington
Kye Kinzer Wayne Maxwell
Rodrigo Garza Urquiza
Catherine Dierksen Kenneth McCown
Claire Mero
Henry J. Bettencourt, Jr. ‘49 Scholarship
Daniel Steck
BP Scholarship
Travis Cagle
BP Diversity Scholarship Mr. & Mrs. Douglas E. Broussard ‘44 Scholarship
Justin Thompson Jeremy Weise Bridget Wells Kate Yoder
Clayton T. Burger ‘00 Scholarship
Amanda Lara
Carl Schwendeman
Chevron Scholarship
Christopher Benson
Aaron Cohen Engineering Scholarship Jeanette & Robert B. Conn ‘51 Scholarship Don P. Dixon ‘57 & Sons Scholarship
Peter Rench Christopher Maslonka
DOW Aggies Endowed Scholarship
Alejandra Camou
Emily Null
Billie G. Earnhart Memorial Scholarship
Christina Cordaro
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Fisher ‘66 Scholarship
Damien Brummert Jason Files
Martin Jasper
Fluor Aggies Scholarship
Terry Dike Hao Huang Christian Mappus
Mitchell Martin Matthew Sanders Nathaniel Sperry
Edgar Galvin
Morris E. Foster ‘65 Scholarship
Kolin Loveless Travis McNeal
Marie M. & James H. Galloway, Jr. ‘51 Scholarship
Nicholas Cook
Shanna Simmons
Stephanie Simerskey Rachael Solari
Courtney Blankenstein Elliot Howard
Christopher Schneider
Jonathan Arendtj Christopher Bily Emily Bledsoe Ross Busby Kimberly Caleon Jose Cespedes Kristen Clauss Amanda Clonts Gary Daigle Carlos de la Guardia Thomas Fawcett
Mark Godsey Jeanne Jones Collin Kleypas Lauren artin Teryn cGinness Jack Mis Joseph Nathan Abbie Palmieri Nathan Quinn Michael Simon Cory Sparwasser
A. W. Guill ‘41 Scholarship
Cullen Breithaupt
Michael Lassiter
Bill & Janice Hanna Scholarship
Sarah Alexander Byron Bolding Peter Cowan Joshua Gutz
Scott Hom Wesley Moran Liang Wu
Ernst H. & Eva C. Gras Scholarship
Charles Jackson ‘50 Scholarship
Daniel Gamboa
Nicholas Nudo
Michael Glier Michael Guymon
William Zumalt
John A. Langston ‘12 Memorial Scholarship
Conrad Boucher Ashley Casteel Bryan Castillo Hau Dinh Nathaniel Gardner Jessie Haberer Jeffrey Miller William Patterson
Daniel E. Ramirez Michael Ruffino Emily Schreiber Abnet Tekle Joel Turtle Keele Venable Jermaine Wariboko Amy Waughtal
Frank M. & Wilton H. Leverett Scholarship
Kyung-Min Hong Kyle Richter
Matthew Walker
Raymond Marlow Scholarship
Yonatan Beyene Kyle Blanchard Christopher Bounds Lauren Konvalin
Kelvin Singleton, Jr. Victoria Templeman Anosh Wadia
Joe C. Merritt ‘63 Scholarship
Kristen Barkger William Dixon Andrew Gowdy Rebecca Hollkamp
Kason Knight Sarah Mannen Rebecca Millican
Colin Bailie David Hightower Christopher Kenefake Ryan Krug Nathan Mentzer Jeremy Mercier Juan Munoz Hunter Palmer
Elbert Pramudya Damon Ritter William Roady Kevin Rudy Shana Timmons Steven von der Lindon Kimberly Wightman
Edward C. Mrozik Scholarship
Gary Johnston
Gerry Tran
Ginny & Emmitt J. Nelson ‘51 Scholarship
Daniel Mann
Tim Kerlee, Jr. Memorial Scholarship
San Antonio/MESF
George & Ruby Lee Sandars Scholarship David L. Sanders ‘90 Scholarship
Nathan Conde Michael Dunaway Jacob Quintanilla
Mary Ann & Gordon Gibson ‘55 Scholarship
April Neigut
MESF
Joshua Freeman John Kauffman
Bobbie & Louis Gee ‘44 Scholarship
Professor Edwin S. Holdredge Scholarship
Ben McCaleb III
Travis Jones
FMC/MESF
Jesse Walker
Adam Castillo Stephanie Claybourn Collin Fleming Jonathan Paschel Kelsey Schulz
Cockrell Freeport Scholarship
William M. Hays, Jr. ‘64 Scholarship
Sandford Scholarship
Sarah Corbitt Amanda Musgrove John Norton Michael Penny
Kelsey Red Joseph Reed Brittiny Stetson
Berkey Ashcraft
Daniel Brubaker
Douglas Simmons Paul Pereira
Schlumberger Scholarship
Armelinda Melanson
Neda Moayedi
Linda & Ralph Schmidt ‘69 Scholarship
Tiffany Jefferson Chris Kulhanek
Jerome Staha Kristin Vorderkunz
Mary Jo & Donald R. Schroeter ‘63 Scholarship
Amanda Schultz
Mollie & Ji Schulze ‘50 Scholarship
Rameen Bakhtiary Johnathan Dahmann Thomas Deetjen
Amber Tucker Bryan White
Dr. Cliifford M. Simmang ‘36 Scholarship
Caleb Jacque Jeffrey Johnson
Allison Weber
Keith R. Slaughter ‘49 Scholarship
Elizabeth Darby Kevin Havis
Kally Wendel
Jay H. Stafford ‘48 Scholarship
Katherin Bhora Maxwell Davies
Brian Floeck Michelle Hunter
Ted & Dee Stephens ‘52 Scholarship
Jeremy Dudik
Donald Winkler Memorial Scholarship
Daniel Bauer
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2009/2010 National Achievement Scholar Matthew Fox 2009/2010 National Merit Scholars Kaitlyn Becker John Charlesworth Robert Cheyne Kaitlin Farr Matthew Gill Garrett Hallmark Henry Harrity Bridget Hill James Lassen Scott Lenfest Ashley Loest Joshua Lucas Garrett Mcdaniel Justin Montgomery Clayton Mulvihill Christopher Newkirk Duncan Oconnor Blake Renner David Rodin Brandon Rogers Travis Schott Sarah Widger Timothy Woolsey 2009/2010 National Hispanic Scholars Aaron Griffin Victoria Noris Rene Salinas
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Undergraduate Enrollment Male
Female
Total
09/10
983
164
1147
08/09
932
148
1080
07/08
984
132
1116
06/07
1039
151
1190
05/06
970
144
1114
04/05
913
129
1042
Graduate Enrollment Masters
Ph.D.
Total
09/10
247
215
462
08/09
312
138
450
07/08
253
122
375
06/07
220
141
361
05/06
216
126
342
04/05
179
135
314
Graduates B.S.
Masters
Ph.D.
08/09
170
95
25
07/08
204
89
29
06/07
174
69
31
05/06
172
87
32
04/05
162
95
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As our graduate program has grown in national visibility, it also has grown in size, with an increase in student enrollment from 231 in the fall of 1995 to over 450 in the fall of 2009. The quality of our graduate student body has also improved significantly. In 2009, our graduate program ranked 10th among mechanical engineering graduate programs at public institutions according to U.S. News & World Report. Approximately 35% of our students are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, with the others being outstanding international students from universities around the world. From 2005 to 2008, the number of females in Texas A&’s mechanical engineering graduate program rose by 53 students. This was the largest growth among the Top 15 public programs. Nearly 75% of the students are supported as either graduate research or teaching assistants with monthly stipends ranging from $1,400 to $1,800 per month. Graduate research and teaching assistants also receive full health insurance benefits, and their tuition is paid for them. Additional competitive fellowships and scholarships are available for qualified students. University, college and departmental fellowships are awarded to our graduate students each year. During the past twenty years, as Texas has sought to diversify its economical base from oil and agriculture to high technology and manufacturing, our department has been able to provide highly educated engineers with post-graduate degrees to support this economic development. Many of our former graduate students are well placed in industry, research laboratories, and academia around the world. The presence of engineering colleges with strong graduate/research programs in the state is also a critical factor in persuading major national and international corporations to locate in Texas.
Graduate Program
2009/2010 Graduate Fellowship Awards Bowen Fellowship
Jacob McFarland
Crawford Fellowship
Balakrishna Ayyagari Mariana Ceballos Thomas Chirathadam Thien Chi Duong Michael Glier Mark Hardy Madelyne Harris Sung Huh Phani Neehar Kapila Bala
Harmeet Kaur Habtamu Kefeni Kyungeun Kim Hyun-Eun Kwak Kevin Laux Gang Li Daniel Midura Derrick Morgan Nick Nudo
Vu Huy Nguyen Cheryl Osterman Richa Paliwal Amrish Ravidas Raja Selvamani Gagan Singh Galina Sukhonosova Vishal Wadhvani
Fletcher Fellowship
Jianxi Fu Siresha Gogineni Byoungsoo Ham Wonjoong Hwang Chunliu Mao Brent Nelson Chan Hyun Park Wonchang Park
John Pemelton Wiliam Pollard Nolan Polley Zalak Purohit Rahul Rangaraj Sankaranarayana Ravi Ramnath Sekar Yishu Song
Jose Silva-Rivas Vijay Surdaram Hossain Tanvir Brandon Travis Venkata Vasiraju
Fowler Fellowship
Brandon Rotavera
Kozik/Hervey Fellowship
Robert Parker
Reed Tool Fellowship
Ravishankar Arun Enas Aziz Chien-Fan Chen
Nishitha Jetta Mong-Cheng Ko Kuo-An Li
Lichao Ma Peng Yin Huisung Yun
Thompson Fellowship
Josh Camp Surya Chaturvedla Rohit Chintala Josh Davis Dustin Eseltine
Akshay Gandhir Travis Gaskill Yue Liu Sreekar Parimi Fatima Roma
Ying-Yu Su Siva Sankar Thanapal Shraddha Waikar
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2009/2010 MEEN 681 Graduate Seminar Speakers Ozden Ochoa Texas A&M University Dr. Can Saygin The University of Texas San Antonio Dr. Kenneth Hall Associate Dean, COE Deputy Director- TEES Texas A&M University Dr. Olimpia Salas ITESM Dr. Henry Sodano Arizona State University Dr. Kon-Well Wang University of Michigan Mr. Darayus Pardivala Sulzer Turbo Services Mr. Roger Schonewald Technology External Programs GE Energy Dr. Erian Armanios University of Texas Arlington Dr. Mark Stremler Virginia Tech & SU Dr. Peter Lichtner Los Alamos Dr. Juan Pontaza Shell Global Solutions Dr. Clare Rimnac Case Western Reserve University
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Introduction to MEEN 681 Enabling “Lean Manufacturing� using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Conventional Transportation Fuels from Biomass
Protection of High Temperature Alloys Against Metal Dusting Multifunctional Composites with a Piezoelectric Interphase Multi-Field Tailoring an Adaptive Structural Systems Sulzer - 175 years of Industry Leading Engineered Products and Services Distinguished Fowler Lecture Perspectives on Wind Energy - Opportunities and Challenges The Challenge of Achieving Hygrothermal Stability in Composite Structures Mixing Fluids with Chaos: Stirring Topology, Ghost Rods, and Almost Invariant Sets Modeling Multiscale Processes in Pourous Media with Application to Uranium Transport at the Hanford 300 Area On the Numerical Stimulation of Fluid-Structure Interaction to Estimate Fatigue Life of Subsea Pipeline Spans Engineering the Natural History of Total Joint Replacements
Today’s world needs leaders who can communicate, who can seek answers beyond traditional academic boundaries, and who can understand the social and ethical consequences of their work. The department is facing this challenge by providing experiences that encompass both academic and extracurricular opportunities. This means offering our students opportunities to participate in the community to build on existing community service and to take part in leadership development programs. Our goal is to show our students that we are committed to their success and to help them understand that they belong to a larger international community.
ASHRAE
The Texas Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air–Conditioning Engineers) was chartered in 1937. Its goals are the advancement of heating, refrigerating, and air-conditioning engineering and related sciences; the continuing education of the members and other interested persons through lectures, demonstrations, and publications; and the rendering of career guidance to students of the sciences. Application to the Texas A&M student chapter of ASHRAE is open at any time during the semester. The chapter offers monthly speakers and plant trips, as well as providing student members the opportunity to apply for student awards, scholarships, Washington Internships for students of engineering, grants-in-aid, and student society activities.
ASME
ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) was founded in 1880 as a forum for engineering professionals. Today, ASME International consists of over 125,000 members worldwide and serves the professional community as a nonprofit educational and technical organization. The Texas A&M student ASME section hosts several programs that link students with engineering professionals. Tours, conferences, and speakers not only expose members to the inner workings of industry, but highlight employment opportunities for graduates. One of ASME’s most successful programs is the Mexican Exchange Program. The interaction between A&M students and their Mexican counterparts promotes international awareness and industrial experience.
Materials Advantage
ASM International considers itself the materials society. The Department of Mechanical Engineering has revived its student chapter and is actively recruiting new members. ASM hosts three to four meetings per semester, and each fall the chapter visits a local manufacturing plant. ASM has combined with The American Ceramics Society (ACerS) and The Metallurgical Society (TMS) to form a student group called Material Advantage. The student membership fee entitles them to membership to all three societies and access to their publications. The students are looking forward to the future growth of this organization.
Student Organizations
MEGSO
The Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Organization (MEGSO) was founded to promote positive communication within the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program at Texas A&M University. To achieve its mission, MEGSO provides a forum for communication between faculty and the graduate student body and promotes the Mechanical Engineering Graduate Program at Texas A&M University. Another important role of MEGSO is helping the department recruit prospective graduate students. Monthly speaker meetings are held so members can get together and promote social and professional interaction. An important aspect of these regular meetings is to inform members about current issues that affect mechanical engineering graduate students.
Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society
The Pi Tau Sigma Honor Society recognizes outstanding achievement of undergraduate students in mechanical engineering. The Texas A&M chapter is an active chapter initiating 10 to 20 new members a semester. By participating in the pledge process and other chapter activities, students are able to serve their community as well as interact with leaders in industry. Pi Tau Sigma promotes faculty/student interaction. Since Pi Tau Sigma membership is for life, over 20 faculty members in the Department of Mechanical Engineering share a common membership with current students. Pi Tau Sigma also promotes leadership engineering by keeping members informed about opportunities in industry and in graduate programs across the nation.
SAE
SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) is an educational and scientific organization dedicated to advancing mobility technology to better serve humanity. The Texas A&M student chapter of SAE provides opportunities for students to learn about transportation industry challenges and opportunities. Beginning in 1999, Texas A&M SAE also offered students the chance to gain realworld design experience by participating in the Formula SAE student design competition. Students design, construct, test and compete with a small race car with guidance and financial support from both Texas A&M and industry.
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Senior Design Program
The senior design classes, MEEN 401 and 402, are the capstone of the undergraduate mechanical engineering curriculum. In these courses, the students integrate the knowledge they have acquired in their engineering science courses to design a system or device to meet a customer need. They learn and apply an advanced design process based on an abstraction approach that encourages and enables innovation. These design courses also address a variety of issues that are critical in the corporate environment but cannot be covered in depth in the under-graduate curriculum; e.g., cost, manufacturing, teamwork, oral and written communication, environment, project management, etc. Projects range from systems for drilling on Mars, to large tensioners for offshore drilling platforms, to tiny orthodontic appliances. These challenging projects are provided by our industrial partners, who also provide support from engineering staff to define the project, answer questions during the design process, and critique the students at several design reviews. Sponsors benefit from a fresh perspective on the design because the students do not know what cannot be done. Confidentiality agreements are often executed, and the sponsor owns any intellectual property developed. Past projects have led to new products and patentable concepts for the sponsoring companies. The sponsoring company managers and engineers also benefit from access and exposure to students during the design process. Project attributes that enhance the educational value to the students and the technical value to the sponsor are: technically challenging, of current interest to the sponsor but not an active project (not schedule critical), project sponsor with decision authority, and company commitment. For further information on the Department’s design program contact Dr. Steve Suh, 8451417, ssuh@tamu.edu.
Design Sponsors
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3M
Knust-SBO
Alcoa
Kvaermer
American Orthodontics
Lockheed Martin
Applied Materials
Lufkin Industries
Boeing
NASA
British Petroleum
NCH Corporation
Chevron
Northrup Grumman
Cameron Drilling Systems
Oil States/Hydrotech
HP Compaq
Ransome Corporation
Department of Energy
Raytheon
Dril-Quip
Rental & Fishing Tools
DrillTech Mission
Sandia
Fluor Daniel
Schlage Lock
Ethicon Corporation
Schlumberger
FMC Technologies
Shell Global Solutions
Ford Motor Company
Stewart & Stephenson
Formula SAE
Surgimedics
GE/Vetco Gray
TTI
General Motors Research
Tapco/Triter
Halliburton
Trinity Industries
Hughes Christensen
URS
Ingersoll Rand
USAF
IODP
Valvtron, Inc.
Keystone Valve USA
Varco
Aggie Formula Hybrid car wins international competition A team of engineering students from Texas A&M University has won the 2009 international Formula Hybrid race car competition on their first try. The team scored 981 out of a possible 1,000 points to win four of five events in competition against 29 other teams from colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, India, Taiwan and Russia with a hybrid gasolineelectric powered formula-style race car. The competition was held May 4-6 in Loudon, N.H. Colorado State University and Drexel University finished second and third, respectively. The team won events in which they presented their design and a business case to a panel of judges. They also won the autocross event — a test of the car’s agility — and the 24-lap endurance event. In a test of acceleration, the car finished third in electric motor-only acceleration and second in electric plus engine acceleration. The students designed and built the formula-style vehicle in a twosemester senior design course. They designed the car during the 2008 fall semester and presented the design concept and final design to a review panel of engineers and racing and automotive experts. In spring 2009, the students built and tested the car. This is the first year Texas A&M has participated in the Formula Hybrid competition. Texas A&M teams have taken part in the international Formula SAE competition since 1999 and won that competition in 2000, 2006 and 2007. Team advisor Make McDermott, associate professor of mechanical engineering, estimated that the students spent about 15,000 person-hours designing, building and testing the vehicle. The 29 students from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and and the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology program in the Department of Engineering Technology and Industrial Distribution took part in the 2009 Formula Hybrid competition.
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New Endowments At the heart of the department’s priorities is the development of new scholarships and fellowships that can make a tremendous difference in students’ lives. The department awards more than $240,000 in scholarships and fellowships annually to deserving students. Scholarships assist students with the cost of education. They are awarded on the basis of academic criteria, but can also include financial need, campus and community activities, leadership positions and work experience. Scholarships are designed to reward, encourage and assist students in pursuing academic excellence and leadership roles Generous support from former students, private industry, and community groups provides these scholarships. Without your help, college would not be possible for many of our students. A scholarship is a very personal investment—a special agreement between donor and student. As a scholarship contributor, you decide the educational goals you want to support and the type of student you want to help. And students accept your scholarship as an affirmation that someone believes in their dream and their ability to achieve it.
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Joe Mattei leaves a legacy Joseph “Joe” Braden Mattei , the “ultimate Aggie”, passed away on Sunday, February 8, 2009. Mattei’s contributions to the department will create both the Eddie and Joe Mattei ‘53 Scholarship in Mechanical Engineering and the Eddie and Joe Mattei ‘53 Graduate Fellowship in Mechanical Engineering. Joe was born February 3, 1932 in Austin, Texas to Charles Adrian and Emily Braden Mattei and was raised in San Antonio. While at A&M, Mattei was active in the Corps of Cadets and student activities, serving as Senior Class President. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1953 and served two years of active duty in the Field Artillery of the US Army following graduation. Upon completion of his military service Mattei joined the Humble Oil and Refining Co. (now Exxon) where he worked in Production, Coal and Minerals and Management. During his time with Exxon, Joe completed assignments across the world from New York to Libya to Australia. He retired from Exxon in 1992 with 39 years of service. Post-retirement, Joe was active as a Certified Financial Advisor, President of EEM Enterprises and Vice-President of Carter Financial Management. He continued to serve his beloved A&M as his class of ‘53 agent for ten years and was a past President of the Houston A&M Club. Mattei was also on the Board of Directors for the 12th Man Foundation and was named a distinguished Alumnus of A&M in 2004. Joe believed the most important things in life were the “ 3 F’s”- Faith, Family and Friends. Joe loved sports and had a special fondness for the Aggie tennis team and the women’s basketball team. Joe founded “Blair’s Buddies”, a group of Former Students who came together to support Aggie athletics. Joe is survived by wife Edna “Eddie” Earle, to whom he was married for 51 years. They were active in St. Cecelia Parish and traveled the world with the “Traveling Aggies” group. Joe is also survived by son Joseph Braden Mattei of Sabah, WI., daughter Karyn Saucedo, brother Charles A. Mattei and grandchildren Joey Saucedo, Georgi Saucedo and Michael Braden Thornton.
Family recalls O’Leary as having big impact The first born of three children, Thomas Christopher “Chris” O’Leary was, “the best kid you could ever have,” said his mother, Merri Walsh. O’Leary was in the middle of his sophomore year as a mechanical engineer at Texas A&M before he died from injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on October 26. “He never caused any problems and I never worried about him because he was always so conscientious and observant,” she said. “He was just such a perfect kid and he would do anything for anyone.” O’Leary remained close to his family, taking the role of a responsible older brother to his sister, Paige, and his brother, Tim. He is also survived by his father, Thomas O’Leary, his stepfather Fred Walsh, his stepbrother Matt and his stepsister Whitney. “I had the best big brother in the world. He was my protector and one of my very best friends,” Paige said. “He also worshipped my dad. He was exactly like him, and my dad was his best friend, and vice-versa. He also loved my mom very much.” His mother said he spent a lot of his spare time working on his truck. “He was very disciplined. We always thought of him as an old man in a young man’s body because he would always work first, then play later,” his mother said. “And he loved anything with wheels that moved: motorcycles, Go Karts, dirt bikes, four wheelers, all of those things.” He shared a tremendous amount of love with his family, friends and his girlfriend, Courtney Harris. Harris said O’Leary hated seeing people sad and he could cheer anyone up with his impressions and caring personality. She said he was different than the average guy and was respected for his decisions. “That is one thing I admired about him. He had such a pure heart and such a genuine kindness about him that shined on everyone he met,” she said. “He was the sweetest person in the whole world to me, and could always be trusted and turned to for anything at any time. I loved Chris so much that it can’t be described in words. He was beautiful inside and out, and by far the best boyfriend I could ever ask for,” Harris said. Harris said some of her fondest memories are of the trips they would take on his motorcycle. She said he was very passionate about riding and was very good at it. “It’s unbelievable how much impact a single person can have,” she said,”but he sure had it.”
Ursula Magliolo Guill honored husband with scholarship Ursula Magliolo Guill, 89, a 49-year resident of New Canaan, Connecticutt, died December 2, 2008. Born in Galveston, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Mary DiMare Magliolo, and the wife of the late A. W. Guill ‘41. After earning her degree in Zoology and Chemistry from the University of Texas in 1941, she taught Science at Ball High School in Galveston. She became a medical technician in the blood bank at the UT Medical Branch, Galveston. Married in February 1945, Ursula and A. W. lived in Texas, England, Scotland, and finally New Canaan with their five children. A. W. Guill was born in Memphis, Texas, in December 1919. He graduated from Texas A&M University in 1941, receiving a degree in mechanical engineering and an officer’s commission in the United States Army. He joined the Union Carbide Corporation in 1947 and retired in 1986 as a systems manager of special projects. Upon A. W.’s death, Ursula and her five children set up a scholarship in mechanical engineering in his honor.
Departmental Gifts $25,000 & above
Donald G. Hervey ‘65
Exxon Mobil Corporation
Kharafi National WLL
Joe B. Mattei ‘53
Marathon Oil Company
Shell Oil Company
Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Pelletier ‘75
Jay H. Stafford ‘48
PHI Consulting, LLC
Fred G. Walsh ‘74
Kumbakonam R. Rajagopal
$10,000 to $24,999 3M Company Baker Hughes Foundation BP Products North America, Inc. Caterpillar Foundation ChevronTexaco Mr. & Mrs. Charles Mast ‘51 Marmon Mok, LLP Dr. & Mrs. Junuthula N. Reddy $1,000 to $9,999 Mr. & Mrs. William D. Allison ‘44 Dwain Andrews Bechtel Group Foundation Boeing Gift Matching Program Dr. Early B. Denison ‘66 EControls Inc. FMC Energy Systems Mr. & Mrs. Morris E. Foster ‘65 Mr. & Mrs. Robert Hagner ‘48 Halliburton Foundation, Incorporated
David L. Sanders ‘90 Col (Ret) Thaddeus H. Sandford ‘62
Giving to the department The Department appreciates the support and generosity of its many former students, friends, and corporate sponsors to achieve our goals. These gifts enable us to provide scholarsips to undergraduates, fellowships to graduate students, professorships to faculty, upgrades and renovations of classrooms and laboratories, sponsor student acitivities and so much more. Opportunities for supporting the department are numerous. If you would like to learn about different giving opportunities, including estate planning, donations to an existing endowment, or creating a funded endowment in the name of chosen individual or entity, please contact: Jennifer Hester Director of Development, Engineering Texas A&M Foundation 401 George Bush Drive College Station, Texas 77840-2811 979.845.5113 http://giving.tamu.edu
Schlumberger Technology Corporation Shell Oil Company Foundation Mr. & Mrs. William L. Shepherd ‘61 Society of Tribologist & Lubriation Engineers Society of Plastic Engineers Incorporated Spetra Energy Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Robert S. Steele ‘80 Mr. M. Sutton ‘78 & Dr. K. Sutton ‘78 TAMU ASME $500 to $999 All Star Incorporated Amtex Machine Products, Inc. H. Grady Ash, Jr. ‘58 Russell I. Bayh III ‘75 Nhai T. Cao ‘91 Mr. & Mrs. Kevin J. Chilcoat ‘70 Dr. James B. Couch
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Departmental Gifts Continued Dr. Maryann Guill Couch Sean D. Kerlee Larry G. Porter & Associates Liska Construction Company Gary Markham ‘71 Mr. & Mrs. Emmit J. Nelson ‘51 Plank Companies Incorporated, The Oscar Schuchart ‘43 Spencer Engineers, Inc. Robert D. Tolles ‘84 Mr. & Mrs. Larry Varner ‘98 Jerry W. Wauters ‘79 $250 to $499 Robert V. Baylis ‘58
Mr. & Mrs. James H. Foster ‘49
Mr. & Mrs. John Dannelly ‘55
Pamela Harvey
Colin R. Hestilow ‘97
Mr. & Mrs. Kelly Jacobsen ‘82
Ronny L. Hise ‘08
Reverend Janice C. Kerlee
Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Knaub
Timothy D. Kerlee
Keith Krause ‘08
Wayne C. Lin ‘92
Mr. & Mrs. John J. Kubinsky
Raymond Marlow ‘53
Joseph E. Leeney
Jeremy Napier ‘93
Mr. & Mrs. Jason D. Liscum ‘00
Daniel Nicholson ‘88
Kathleen L’Hommedieu
Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Ori ‘98
Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin Lawrence
Gerard A. Pelletier ‘77
Mr. & Mrs. David Magliolo
William Penny ‘60
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Magliolo
Michael S. Reddin ‘82
Mr. & Mrs. S. P. Mandell ‘39
John T. Ritter ‘99
Mr. & Mrs. Warren Martin ‘56
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence R. Bloomquist ‘79
Garry Scoggins ‘75
Dr. & Mrs. John R. Massey ‘52
Mr. & Mrs. William Shepherd ‘61
Mr. & Mrs. George Morales ‘79
J. Christopher Cook ‘93
Mr. Jack M. Smither ‘42
New Canaan Sewing Group
Robert Davies ‘45
Steven R. Sobolik ‘82
Kenneth Nolen ‘57
Mr. & Mrs. Don H. Davis, Jr. ‘61
Mr. & Mrs. David Tees ‘66
Mr. & Mrs. Paul J. Orland
Nathan L. Kelley ‘03
Philip A. Tschoepe ‘80
Mr. & Mrs. William B. Peyton ‘61
Mr. & Mrs. Timothy Kerlee
Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Tyree ‘69
Mr. Scott T. Rappaport ‘06
Jeffrey W. Lipscomb ‘79
Richard G. Urquhart ‘78
Dr. & Mrs. Jason T. Rhodes
Larry G. Porter & Associates
Merrilyn Vernon ‘75
Mr. & Mrs. Warren P. Rummele ‘90
David L. Sanders ‘90
Christopher Whitesell ‘94
Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Salo
$100 to $249
$20 to $99
Mr. & Mrs. Robert C. Schindler
Dr. & Mrs. David Beers ‘66
Mr. & Mrs. James Beamer ‘64
Marvin J. Schneider ‘60
Mr. & Mrs. John D. Bronson ‘92
Susan B. Barton
Mr. & Mrs. Larry Sikes ‘86
Donna M. Crowe
Mr. & Mrs. Brian H. Branum ‘90
Ms. Betth H. Skinner
Venkataramanan Dileep
Mr. & Mrs. Mark T. Conrad
Dora S. Sowell
Joseph Dillard ‘53
Wendell Dedman ‘41
James W. Romer
John T. Echols ‘70
James Dove ‘85
Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Vernon ‘72
EControls, Inc.
George R. Faulkner ‘70
Mr. & Mrs. Robert K. Voss ‘78 Donna Wilkinson
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Fowler Lecture Series
Wind Energy Today: Opportunities and Challenges for the Future
The Department of Mechanical Engineering hosts the Fowler Distinguished Lecture Series at which nationally recognized engineers and scientists are invited to lecture at Texas A&M. Past speakers of the Fowler Series include Dr. William Johnson, California Institute of Technology; Dr. Robert Stengel, Princeton University; and Dr. Ben Zinn, Georgia Institute of Technology. The lecture series is made possible by gifts from Don and Joe Fowler, both former students of the department and successful leaders in the field of engineering. Don Fowler ‘66 is the owner of Fowler Energy Company, which provides energy cost reduction services to users of electricity, natural gas and wastewater. He is currently a member of the President’s Council of Advisors at Texas A&M. Don is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a member of the National Energy Services Association, the Gulf Coast Power Association, the Natural Gas and Electric Society of North Texas, the Natural Gas Society of the Permian Basin, the Houston Energy Association and the Electricity Consumers Resource Council. In addition, Don holds several U.S. and foreign patents related to the transportation of compressed natural gas. Joe Fowler ‘68 is president and co-founder of Stress Engineering Services, Inc. With offices in Houston, Cincinnati, New Orleans, Denver and Atlanta, the engineering consulting firm provides design, analysis and testing services to a variety of industries. Joe is a former member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering’s Development and Advisory Council, a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and a member of the Society of Experimental Mechanics and the Society of Petroleum Engineers. He holds numerous U.S. patents.
Roger Schonewald Mr. Roger Schonewald is Manager of Technology External Programs with GE Energy. He is responsible for GE Energy’s advanced technology developments that are performed in collaboration with the US Department of Energy in product areas including wind turbines and gas turbines. Through these programs, GE Energy is developing the innovative technologies needed to meet the power generation challenges facing the United States. Mr. Schonewald is also responsible for GE Energy’s Strategic Alliance program with Universities. Mr. Schonewald holds a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College in Easton, PA. Mr. Schonewald’s 30-year career has been in Engineering/Technology with General Electric. He spent 13 years with GE’s aircraft engines business in Lynn, MA in a variety of positions ranging from Design Engineer to Manager of an engineering team. He spent 10 years with GE’s Power Systems business (now GE Energy) in Schenectady, NY with roles included being Systems Manager on the development of a new generation of gas turbine (H System™). He has been located at GE Energy’s Greenville, SC facility since 2003.
Over the past four years, the U.S. has been at the forefront of renewable energy, and that’s particularly true of wind energy. The U.S. wind industry hit its high watermark to date in 2008, when over 8.5 gigawatts (GW) of wind power were installed, enough to power approximately 7 million homes. Wind energy is clean energy, and in the U.S. wind power avoids the emissions of 28 million tons of carbon dioxide from traditional power plants annually – equal to taking six million cars off the road. While there are many factors that have led to this US success story, a key one is technology advancement. The innovative work of researchers combined with engineering development and validation has led to significant improvements in wind turbine reliability, energy capture, grid integration and reductions in wind turbine cost. All factors that directly impact the decision a customer makes when considering purchasing wind turbines. The promise of even greater capabilities from tomorrow’s wind turbines will be realized based upon the engineering and research activities taking place now. As we look to the future, there are significant opportunities for continued growth in wind power generation that will benefit the US, both environmentally and economically. A 2008 report issued by the US Department of Energy examines a scenario that could lead, by 2030, to 20% of the electrical power generation in the US coming from wind. However, such growth is not certain. There are challenges and issues in areas such as public policy, siting, and transmission that must be overcome. Taken from the perspective of GE Energy, the leading producer of wind turbines in the US, this lecture will explore the wind energy industry today, the challenges and opportunities for the future, and the role of technology.
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Current Student Recognition
Graduate students receive awards at TRS and MRS international conferences Mr. Nan Li and Mr. Osman Anderoglu, graduate students in mechanical engineering, were honored with prestigious awards at the The Metals, Minerals and Materials Society annual meeting in February 2009. Li received first prize in the Graduate Student Paper Contest for his paper, “He Ion Irradiation Damage in Fe/W Nanolayer Films.” He received the award, along with a $1,000 monetary prize, from TMS president, Dr. Diran Apelian. Anderoglu received the best poster award for his work on, “Plastic Flow Stability of Nanotwinned Polycrystalline Cu Foils,” at the same meeting. Fu also received the best poster award at the 2008 MRS fall meeting for his poster presentation on the, “Impact of He Ion Irradiation on the Microstructure and Hardness of Sputtered Cu/V Nanolayers.” The research from this presentation will be published in the Journal of Materials Research as an outstanding symposium paper. Mr. Engang Fu was awarded the best poster award at the Materials Research Society fall 2008 meeting. All three students are Ph.D. candidates in Materials Science and Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Xinghang Zhang, a professor in mechanical engineering. Zhang is very proud of his students’ outstanding achievement and said, “these prestigious awards not only recognize the high quality of graduate students we have in the department, but also demonstrates the quality of research conducted at TAMU.”
Sophomore named Goldwater Scholar The Texas A&M University Honors Program announced that Joel Turtle ‘11 has been selected as a Barry M. Goldwater Scholar. Originally from Pullman, Washington, Turtle is a sophomore mechanical engineering student. He intends to pursue a Ph.D. in materials science and hopes to focus his research on sustainable design while teaching at the university level. Turtle is one of 278 sophomores and juniors in the nation to receive this award, out of a pool of more than 1,000 students, each of whom was also nominated by their college or university. To date, 35 Texas A&M University students have been honored as Goldwater Scholars. Turtle currently conducts research in the Department of Nuclear Engineering under the direction of Dr. Yassin Hassan and Elvis Dominguez-Ontiveros. The Goldwater Scholarship is the United States’ premier undergraduate award for the fields of math, science, and engineering.
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Students named finalists for Outstanding Senior Engineer Award
Senior mechanical engineering students Colin David Baile and Rodrigo Garza Urquiza were named finalists for the 2009 Craig C. Brown Outstanding Senior Engineer Award. The awards were presented at the October 8th Engineering Advisory Council. Only five Texas A&M engineering students received this distinction.
Two seniors receive NCMR scholarships Two mechanical engineering seniors have been awarded scholarships by the National Consortium of Measurement and Signals Intelligence Research (NCMR) Scholars Program. Jason Poole Files and Hugo Rene Martinez Jr. will receive grants of $10,000 each for the 2009-2010 academic year for tuition, textbooks, and room and board. The NCMR Scholarship is awarded through the NSF and supports scholarships and technical exchange initiatives by the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. The scholarship program was established to encourage future scientists and technologists to consider technical career paths within the intelligence community.
Peterson named president of Georgia Institute of Technology Dr. G. P. “Bud” Peterson, chancellor of the Univeristy of Colorado at Boulder, was named the eleventh president of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. Peterson’s academic career has been spent at three institutions, not counting a one-year assignment with the National Science Foundation in 1993-94. He worked for 19 years at Texas A&M University, where he served as head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering for three years (199396) and executive associate dean of engineering for four years (1996-2000). Peterson also had the title of associate vice chancellor for the Texas A&M University System from 1996-2000. He was recruited to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, as provost in July 2000. Peterson served in this position until 2006 when he accepted the position of chancellor at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Khalid A. AlFalih heads Saudi Aramco
Former Students
Mr. Khalid A. Al-Falih is President and Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Aramco and a member of its Board of Directors. Prior to this, he served as executive vice president of operations. Mr. Al-Falih joined the company in 1979. Following several managerial assignments, he was named president of the Petron Corporation, a joint venture between Saudi Aramco and the Philippine National Oil Company. In early 2003, he was appointed to head a newly formed organization, New Business Development, and in 2004 he became vice president of exploration, before being named senior vice president of Gas Operations. He also serves as the chairman of The Board of the South Rub’ Al-Khali Company, a joint venture among Shell, TOTAL and Saudi Aramco. Mr. Al-Falih is a 1982 graduate of Texas A&M University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. He received a master’s degree in Business Administration in 1991 from the King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Foster elected to lead TAMU Board of Regents Morris E. Foster, former President of ExxonMobil Production Company in Houston, was elected to serve a two-year term as Chairman of the Board of Regents in May 2009. A native of Belton, Texas, he received his Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in 1965. Upon graduation, Mr. Foster joined Exxon and served in a number of production engineering and management assignments in California, Louisiana, and Texas. In January 1995, he was appointed a Senior Vice President and a member of the Management Committee of Exxon Company, U.S.A., with responsibility for the company’s upstream business. Mr. Foster was appointed President of Exxon Upstream Development Company in 1998; and, following the merger of Exxon and Mobil, was named to the position of President, ExxonMobil Development Company. He was named to the position of President, ExxonMobil Production Company and Vice President, Exxon Mobil Corporation in October 2004. Mr. Foster is on the Board of Scott & White Medical Institute, United Way of the Texas Gulf Coast, Greater Houston Partnership and First State Bank of Temple, Texas. He is also a member of the American Petroleum Institute, the Society of Petroleum Engineers and the Texas Oil & Gas Association. Mr. Foster was appointed to the Board of Regents by Governor Rick Perry in 2007 His term on the Board expires February 1, 2013.
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Gadgets approved for rebate program get tough Former student and engineer Scott Jarman ‘86, has made Austin Energy a test bed for 21st-century technology designed to save energy and money. On snack machines in the break room, he once tested a device called the VendingMiser, and he found it cut energy use by a third by using a motion detector to turn a machine off when no one was around. In 2003, the city began offering the $179 product for free to businesses. In the building’s elevators, Jarman switched out incandescent light bulbs for light-emitting diodes to see whether they lasted as long and burned as brightly. They failed on both points. And in other city buildings, he’s testing the performance of small-scale wind turbines, solar panels and thermal energy storage systems. A lot of money rides on the outcome of these experiments: Jarman, in concert with other Austin Energy employees, folds the technologies that work into the annual $20 million citywide rebate programs, giving companies that manufacture products such as compact fluorescent light bulbs or programmable thermostats a leg up in marketing to Austin Energy’s 388,000 customers. Jarman, in effect, is a gatekeeper, deciding what the vanguard of energyefficiency will look like. Conventional wisdom holds that the fastest, cheapest way out of the energy crunch is to cut back on the electricity we use to cool our homes and light our offices. Austin Energy has made the argument for its rebate programs, which are paid for by an electricity use surcharge, saying that cutting energy use means the city-owned utility can put off the construction of another multimillion dollar power plant. Manufacturers of a refrigerant oil additive designed to make air conditioners operate more efficiently also have appealed to Jarman. No dice, he said, because the scientific literature is too murky. All petitioners get a polite hearing, and then Jarman, who earned his mechanical engineering graduate degree at Texas A&M University, might put the piece of technology through a gantlet of tests aimed at figuring out whether it will cut rates and attract participants and whether its benefits outweigh its costs. “Is there a way to calculate savings and are they predictable?” is the type of question that Jarman, who is fond of squiggling out graphs on his office white board, asks. “For how long will it lead to savings? We call that ‘persistence of savings.’ How long will it take to reduce the peak demand and save energy?”
Davis Petroleum Corporation appoints Michael Reddin as new President and CEO Michael Reddin is a 27-year veteran of the US oil and gas industry. Most recently, he led the evaluation and execution of strategic alternatives as President and CEO of Kerogen Resources, Inc. Before that, he served as Vice President of Gulf of Mexico Production and Developments for BP, and held various technical and leadership roles with Vastar Resources and ARCO. He received his BS Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1982. Davis Petroleum Corporation is an independent private oil and gas exploration, development, and production company, focused primarily in the onshore Gulf Coast and deepwater Gulf of Mexico. Major shareholders include Evercore Partners, Sankaty Advisors, and Red Mountain Capital Partners.
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Bombardier Commercial Aircraft Appoints Former Student as New Director of Sales for India Bombardier Commercial Aircraft announced the appointment of Mr. Sunder Venkat to the position of Director, India Sales effective September 2008. Mr. Venkat has accumulated nearly 30 years of aviation business experience, operating out of the United States, and has served India-based airline customers since 1989. Mr. Venkat holds an MBA from the University of Hartford, Connecticut, a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Texas A&M University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (I.I.T-Madras). An ardent aviation enthusiast, he also holds an FAA Commercial MultiEngine Instrument Rating, and a Seaplane rating. A world-leading manufacturer of innovative transportation solutions, from commercial aircraft and business jets to rail transportation equipment, systems and services, Bombardier Inc. is a global corporation headquartered in Canada.
ONEOK Partners, L.P. names former student to its board of directors
Craig F. Strehl was elected to the ONEOK Partners, LP board, effective immediately. Strehl is chief operating officer and a director of LONESTAR Midstream Partners II, L.P. Prior to joining LONESTAR, Strehl was president of Southern Union Gas Services. He was president of the Bass Family’s Sid Richardson Carbon & Energy Company and directed the sale of its energy assets to Southern Union. Previously, he held various executive and senior management positions with Southern Union, Aquila Energy and TXO. He earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University in 1980. ONEOK Partners, LP is one of the largest natural gas distributors in the United States, and its energy services operation focuses primarily on marketing natural gas and related services throughout the U.S.
Former student helps brings ideas to market Former student Thomas Crippen is part of the design team at PCDWorks team, a small firm that helps commercial clients from around the world bring a project from an idea into a marketable product. The types of products PCDWorks helps develop usually aren’t consumer products, but often are industrial, medical or military-based and involve technology -- motors, drives, gears, electronics. Projects have been varied -- an automated tie-down system to help military personnel rapidly secure and release cargo aboard naval vessels; a digital torque wrench combining precision with affordability; a cardiopulmonary bypass machine that better organized pumps and tubing into a compact structure; and a portable wastewater bio-digestion system that can be used in military operations and disaster relief, are among the company’s products. Crippen, a professor at UT Tyler and a specialist in medical products and medical engineering with a doctorate from Texas A&M in mechanical engineering, as well as the rest of the team, provide a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience to clients from around the world.
Bryan Woram Joins H&R Block Former student, Brian Woram, joined H&R Blcok as Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Before joining H&R Block Woram was with Dallas-based Centex Corporation where he served since 2005 as Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer. At Centex, one of the nation’s largest homebuilders, Woram oversaw all legal and corporate compliance functions. Prior to his 14-year career at Centex, Woram was a partner with a prominent Dallas law firm specializing in real estate transactions. A native of Texas, Woram earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Texas A&M University and his law degree (J.D.) from the University of Texas.
John B. Stevenson named NEBBS president John B. Stevenson ‘70 was elected president of the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) at the group’s 2008 annual meeting. Stevenson is the vice president of TAB Technologies, a test and balance firm located in Austin, Texas. Stevenson’s NEBB service includes a stint as president of Texas Environmental Balancing Bureau president in 1999, and as member of the National Board of Directors since 2002. Stevenson is a NEBB Air & Hydronics Certified Professional as well as NEBB HVAC & Plumbing Commissioning Certified Professional.
Magdy Attia ‘95 accepts TTEngine Turbine Truck Engines, Inc. announced that Dr. Magdy Attia is their new Chief Operating Officer. Attia has been a director of the company since February 2007. Turbine Truck Engines Inc. is a technology company focused on developing, manufacturing and testing of its new energy and environmental efficient truck engine intended for mass market in the United States and abroad. This new engine design can utilize any known fuel source (gasoline, diesel, propane, natural gas, hydrogen, ethanol or LPG) or fuel mixture, yet requires zero coolant, lube oil, filters, or pumps. The unique, lightweight turbine design has few moving parts, significantly reducing maintenance costs. The innovative cyclic detonation process will result in greater fuel economy and fewer harmful exhaust emissions.
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Industry Development & Advisory Council One key element in the success of the mechanical engineering program is the significant involvement with industry and the substantial support from many industrial friends. Of particular importance is the Industry Development & Advisory Council, which met for the first time in 1989 as a forum where the department could interact more effectively with our primary customers. Composed of individuals who are leaders in industry and government agencies, the council provides a broad perspective on the changing requirements for engineering education and helps the department identify new opportunities in research. Many changes in the department are the result of the guidance provided by this distinguished council, which meets twice each year.
Current Members Randy Armstrong Radomes & Specialty Apertures Technical Staff Raytheon Company McKinney, Texas Russel Bayh III ‘75 Technology Manager Halliburton Energy Services Dallas, Texas Amy Buhrig ‘81 Enterprise Technology Strategy Leader The Boeing Company Seattle, Washington Jim Bylander Manager Lead Specialist 3M Company Austin, Texas Grayum Davis ‘65 Bryan, Texas David Fulbright ‘81 Chief Executive Officer Cheetah Tool Systems Waco, Texas Lawrence Paul Graviss ‘71 President Eagle Engineering Group Inc. Winchester, Tennessee Kennon Guglielmo ‘88 President EControls, Inc. San Antonio, Texas
Sandeep Kishan ‘85 Vice President ERG Austin, Texas
Mike Reddin ‘82 President & CEO Davis Petroleum Corporation Houston, Texas
Jeffrey W. Lipscomb ‘73 JWL Engineering Anchorage, Alaska
Ty Schmitt ‘93 Dell Computers Round Rock, Texas
Lisa Mahlmann ‘85 Senior Manager Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Fort Worth, Texas
Robert Tolles ‘84 Engineering Twin Creek Technologies San Jose, California
Gary Markham ‘72 Consultant Rimkus Consulting Group Houston, Texas
Phil Tschoepe Project Development ExxonMobil Refining & Supply Baytown, Texas
Srinivas Mirmira ‘99 Associate RedShift Ventures Arlington, Virginia
Jerry Wauters ‘79 Vice President Halliburton Completion Tools Houston, Texas
Rodney Moss ‘88 Vice President/ Chief Legal Officer Balfour Beatty Corporation Dallas, Texas
William Richard Welch ‘79 Operations Manager Knust- SBO Houston Texas
Arnold Muyshondt ‘95 Manager Sandia National Laboratories Albuquerque, New Mexico
Jimmy Williams, Jr. ‘83 Director Alcoa Defense Sector Alcoa Technical Center Alcoa Center, Pennsylvania
Lary Porter ‘64 Chair Larry G. Porter & Associates
L. Dale Wooddy III ‘79 President Medco Energi USA Lafayette, LA
Chad Sparks ‘96 Principal Engineer Bell Helicopter Mansfield, Texas
Emeritus Members Terry Baughn Engineering Fellow Raytheon Company Dallas, Texas
A. J. “Tony” Best ‘72 Best Energy Jim Blacksmith ‘78 URS Corporation Larry Bloomquist Mechanical Reps, Inc. Arthur W. Brooks Frito-Lay Inc. Thomas Burger ‘70 ExxonMobil Corporation Aaron Cohen ‘52 Texas A&M University
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Aaron Cohen ‘52 Texas A&M University
Charlie A. Mast ‘51 Austin, Texas
Howard E. Decker ‘44 Goetting & Associates
Ernie McWilliams ‘78 Reliant Energy
Dana D. Dorsey ‘92 3M Emtech
Harvey O. Mohr ‘58 HydroTech Systems, Inc.
D. E. “Dori” Ellis Sandia National Laboratories
Tony Pelletier ‘75 Alamo Resources, LLC
John Fuller ‘79 Bell Helicopter
Antonio ‘Tony’ Perez, Jr. ‘73 Motorola Semiconductors
Brenda Hightower ‘81 Celanese Chemicals Ltd.
Thaddeus H. Sandford ‘60 Boeing Integrated Defense Systems
Frank “A.J.” Jones Applied Materials Raymond Marlow ‘53 Marlow Industries, Inc.
Richard M. Alexander ‘65 Lelsie Appelt ‘41 Joseph Ashy ‘62 Quentin Baker ‘78 David Barker ‘66 Stuart Bell ‘86 Tony Best ‘72 Ray M. Bowen ‘58 Lola Boyce ‘80 William B. Boyd ‘45 Douglas E. Broussard ‘44 Jack E. Brown ‘46 Charles Castine ‘70 Aaron Cohen ‘52 Don H. Davis, Jr. ‘61 Orval C. “Cliff” Davis ‘42 Howard E. Decker ‘44 Richard L. Engel ‘68 Bannister W. Farquhar, Jr. ‘57 L.S. “Skip” Fletcher ‘58 James Foster ‘49 Morris Foster ‘65 Louis S. Gee ‘44 Fred Goldsberry ‘68 Robert H. Gruy ‘69 R.C. “Bud” Hagner ‘48 C. Melvin Harrison ‘52 William M. Hays , Jr. ‘64 Joe D. Hoffman ‘56 Charles Jackson ‘50 Peter E. Jacobson ‘55 Arnold Levine ‘67 Earl Logan, Jr. ‘49 Larry V. Macicek ‘71 Gary Markham ‘72 Raymond Marlow ‘53
Charlie A. Mast ‘51 William C. McCord ‘49 Richard L. McGannon ‘50 Arthur McKnight ‘31 Hugh D. McMillian, Jr. ‘46 Reid P. McNally, Jr. ‘65 Harvey O. Mohr ‘58 William E. “Ed” Nelson ‘51 Donald H. Niederer ‘53 Ozden O. Ochoa ‘76 C.E. “Pat” Olsen ‘23 James R. Partrigde ‘58 Thomas C. Paul ‘62 G. Paul Pepper ‘54 George P. “Bud” Peterson ‘85 Herman L. Philipson, Jr. ‘45 Michael Plank ‘83 Henry O. Pohl ‘56 Robert L. Poland ‘42 Thaddeus Sandford ‘62 Oscar W. Schuchart ‘43 Edwin “Ned” des Snead ‘51 Charles W. “Bill Soltis ‘55 Karl J. Springer ‘57 Charles R. Steele ‘56 Harry J. Sweet ‘56 Ed J. Szymczak ‘61 David G. Tees ‘66 Lee P. Thompson 41 Bill Tompkins ‘65 J. Mike Walker ‘66 Jack V. Walker ‘58 Barton B. Wallace, Jr. ‘47 Jack R. Woolf ‘45 Oscar S. Wyatt, Jr. ‘45
Academy of Distinguished Graduates The Department established its Academy of Distinguished Graduates in 1992. This academy recognizes and honors our former students who have excelled in the mechanical engineering profession and highlights the significant contributions and achievements of these individuals. Through this award, the department hopes to promote a closer association between our current mechanical engineering students and outstanding mechanical engineering professionals. To be considered for selection, nominees must be graduates of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M and have: • attained prominence in and made significant contributions to the mechanical engineering profession; • made significant contributions toward improving the quality of the educational program within the department; • demonstrated leadership in service to professional societies or the community; and • exhibited the highest standards of integrity and character. Nominations may be made by any graduate of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, any faculty or staff member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and any Texas A&M former student.
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2009 Academy Inductees
Quentin Baker ‘78 Quentin Baker is president of Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants, Inc. He also serves as program manager and lead author in rewriting a book for the Center for Chemical Process Safety, a
group within AiChE. Baker has managed a number of projects to develop computer programs to calculate the blast loads on structures from high explosive, vapor cloud explosion, and bursting pressure vessels. He has developed numerous protocols in cooperation with government and private investigators. He has designed and conducted tests in accident investigations to evaluate functionality or performance of equipment recovered from accident sites. Baker was involved in developing a hydrocode to predict bursting pressure vessel and vapor cloud explosion blast parameters, and to develop blast curves for both classes of explosion. Baker has investigated over 85 accidental explosions, both domestic and international, to determine the number and magnitude of explosions, their locations on the site, probable causes of initiation, and root cause of the accident. He has provided accident investigation training to private industry and government personnel.
Tony Best ‘72 Tony Best has been in the oil industry and energy business for over 29 years. Best is currently president and CEO of St. Mary Land and Exploration Company. Prior to joining St. Mary, Best worked as President and CEO of Pure Resources, Inc. Best started his career with ARCO in Alaska, where he progressed through numerous managerial positions, advancing to Prudhoe Bay Field Manager, Vice President of External Affairs for ARCO Alaska, President of ARCO Permian in Midland, Texas, and President of ARCO Latin America headquartered in Caracas, Venezuela. When British Petroleum acquired ARCO in 2000, Best began his own consulting practice offering leadership and oil and gas consultation to energy companies and volunteer organizations. He has served on numerous industry and nonprofit boards including the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum, the Texas Oil & Gas Association, IPAA, IPAMS, and the United Way. Best served as president of the 10,000 member Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets Association in 2006.
Gary Markham ‘72 Gary Markham is one of the original organizers of Rimkus Consulting Group, Inc. Rimkus is a group of engineers, scientists, business, and construction professionals who provide technical consulting services to those involved in claims and disputes. Markham’s areas of expertise include project management and supervision, construction cost estimating, contract maintenance management, and construction safety programs. He is responsible for the design and construction of large industrial facilities such as oil terminals, specialty chemical plants, newspaper plants, pipelines, compressor stations, wastewater treatment facilities, and forest product plants. Markham has provided numerous expert reports and testimony in his areas of competence, including: plant engineering and maintenance, design/build engineering and construction projects, direct-hire construction management, construction project management, and contract maintenance. Markham owns and operates a registered Red Brangus beef cattle operation in Brazoria County, Texas.
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Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) is a branch campus of Texas A&M University. TAMUQ offers Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical, and Petroleum Engineering. The curricula is the same as the respective engineering programs at the University’s main campus in College Station, and academic instruction is in English and coeducational. Mechanical engineering students are given a solid education in the fundamental principles of engineering including social, ethical, and environmental concerns with a strong emphasis on design. An introduction to engineering is given during the freshman year. In the sophomore year, a student takes the basic engineering science courses that build on an understanding of physics, chemistry, and mathematics. During the junior and senior years students take specialized mechanical engineering courses such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, materials and manufacturing, advanced mechanics of materials, heat transfer, and controls. In addition, the program culminates in a series of design courses where the previous education comes to fruition in real world design projects. Students’ work in teams to provide a solution to industry posed problems. As part of the process, student teams present their findings and recommendations to their industrial sponsors. Class sizes are small, typically 10 or 12 students for upper division mechanical engineering courses. The student body is international in its makeup. Courses are taught in classrooms and laboratories, which have access to current technology. Industry has requested that students be able to work on diverse teams and the program uses teaming and active learning to help develop the educational program and promote learning. Currently, the Mechanical Engineering program has about eleven faculty members who cover a wide range of teaching and research interests. Many of the areas are related to energy, which is of such importance for Qatar and the region. There are excellent opportunities for undergraduate students to work on research projects with faculty members. The program is only six years old and the initial graduates earned their degrees in May 2008. The department has a wide variety of equipment for students’ use in classes and for projects. In controls, thermo-fluids, mechanics, materials, and design, the department has state of the art equipment available.
TAMU Qatar
Texas A&M’s Qatar campus is part of the multi-institutional Education City, a campus dedicated to education, research and technology, established on a vast 2,500-acre site near Doha, the country’s capital. Texas A&M’s neighbor institutions in Education City are Virginia Commonwealth University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Carnegie Mellon University, and Georgetown University.
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In Memoriam: Jack V. Perry Former professor, Dr. John V. “Jack” Perry, Jr., passed away in January 2009. In 1948, at 23 years of age, Jack joined the A&M Mechanical Engineering department as a graduate assistant instructor and began work on a master’s degree. Jack’s professional reputation garnered attention with requests to share his expertise as a design engineer with Douglas Aircraft in California and Convair in Fort Worth, Texas.In May 1954, he earned his Master of Science degree followed by a contract with the Boeing Aircraft Company to assist with the landing gear design for the B47. Jack joined the department in August 1963 as an assistant professor. He focused all his academic energy into his classroom instruction. One colleague said, “In the classroom, he encouraged questions and never demeaned a student... He was superbly versed in the fundamentals and details of his subject, and was able to communicate ideas to students and could illustrate theory from his own practical engineering experience.” He became a full professor in 1974. Jack accepted a sabattical teaching post at West Point Military Academy during the 1979 to 1980 acadmic year. In July 1984, Jack retired from the Army after more than 40 years of service. He ended his military career as a Colonel. From 1984 to 1995, Jack concentrated on teaching engineering fundamentals at Texas A&M. For 47 years he was a dedicated, responsible and capable teacher who greatly contributed to the academic environment of the university and to the intellectual growth of three generations of students. Jack’s former students remember him fondly because he made classes both enjoyable and practical. His relationship with them was always one of mutual respect.
In Memoriam: Dick Thornton Dick Thornton passed away on May 9, 2009 He was a Professor Emeritus in the department and a former Associate Department Head. He joined the department in 1967 and retired in 1997. He taught and conducted research in composite materials while at Texas A&M. He was also advisor to both the ASM and Society of Women Engineers chapters and coached the ‘ME Bunch” intramural football league. Prior to coming to Texas A&M University, he worked in the space program at General Dynamics in Fort Worth and for the National Bureau of Standards in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the American Ceramic Society, American Society for Metals, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, SAMPE, American Welding Society (Adams Memorial Award), American Institute of Chemists (Fellow, Professional Chemist), and the New York Academy of Sciences. He is listed in Who’s Who in Frontier Science and Technology. Thornton was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Tau Sigma, Sigma Xi, Blue Key, Keramos and was certified as a Professional Engineer in Texas. Thornton was active in many community organizations, serving as coach and president of the Little League East for several years and as a mentor in the Bryan HOSTS (Help One Student to Succeed) program at Crockett Elementary School. He also worked with the Brazos Church Pantry, RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), the Upper Burton Creek neighborhood association, and Friends of the Library. Thornton had a brilliant mind, achieved many professional accomplishments and gave his time and energy to his community and church. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, Thornton said he wanted people to remember him as a good son, husband, father and grandfather.
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Department sees increase in research funding
Research
The department of mechanical engineering has continued to see increased success in securing new contracts to fund our research programs. Over the past five years, research expenditures have grown from $11.3 million in fiscal year 2005 to over $13.1 million in fiscal year 2009. In the first two months of fiscal year 2010 (September and October), the department secured over $3.5 million in new contracts. As shown below, over 70% of our research expenditures are from federal sources.
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TAMU Mechanical Engineering faculty participate in MURI program The Texas A&M Dwight Look College of Engineering has been selected as the winner of the 2009 DoD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative Program (MURI) Topic 18: Synthesis, Analysis and Prognosis of Hybrid-Material Flight Structures. A total of $7.5 million will be awarded over the next five years to support this program. THE MURI program supports research by teams of investigators who intersect more than one traditional science and engineering discipline in order to accelerate both research progress and the transition of research results to application. Five mechanical engineering and four aerospace engineering faculty at Texas A&M University will participate in partnership with colleagues at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Stanford University and University of Dayton. Together, they have proposed Synthesis, Characterization and Modeling of Functionally Graded Multifunctional Hybrid Composites for Extreme Environments. Dr. Ozden Ochoa will lead the program here at Texas A&M. Their principal goal is focused on the development of a novel multifunctional ceramic/metal/polymer hybrid composite system for hightemperature aerospace applications. They plan to utilize modern material design concepts including functionally graded materials, interpenetrating phase composites, high-temperature polymer matrix composites, actively cooled polymer matrix composites, multiscale stimulations, and multiscale characterization. This comprehensive research program will integrate these concepts by coupling thermal-acoustic-mechanical flight loads to guide the design of multifunctional Functionally Graded Hybrid Composite (FGHC) systems with integrated sensing capabilites for extreme environments. TAMU Mechanical Engineering faculty participants include Xin-Lin Gao, Ibrahim Karaman, Ozden Ochoa, Miladin Radovic and J.N. Reddy along with Aerospace Engineering faculty Paul Cizmas, Dimitris Lagoudas, Zoubeida Ounaies and John Whitcomb.
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Multi-scale Framework for Multi-field Analyses of Smart Composites Developing smart composites offers great potential for advancing structural health monitoring techniques, stealth and morphing aircrafts, high-speed vehicles, and many others. Each of these applications could subject the composite to simultaneous mechanical loading, extreme environments, and electric fields leading to nonlinear behaviors and strong coupling between various physical properties in the composites. Heat generations and shape changes at different rates during high-speed flights, where dynamics effects such as vibration are pronounced, cause complex multi-field responses at multiple time-scales. Heterogeneities in the composites at multiple length scales, i.e., laminate, ply, and constituent phases, present discontinuities in stress, strain, temperature gradient, etc., at the interphases due to mismatches between the properties of the constituents. The current understanding of load transfer mechanisms between the active and non-active constituents and their effects on the overall responses of smart composite structures is far from satisfactory and, in addition, long-term responses and life predictions of smart composites under multi-field effects have not been fully explored. This study investigates the effects of the coupled thermal, electrical, and mechanical responses including the loading rate effect at the constituent levels on the multi-field performance of smart composites and to develop interphase models between the active and non-active constituents that minimize stress discontinuities. Laminated composites, having flexible piezocomposite transducers, with applications to multifunctional morphing structures are studied. The flexible PZT fiber/epoxy is conformable to curved structures resulting in better morphing performances. The objectives are to build a multiscale framework that integrates nonlinear coupled multi-field responses of the constituents to the overall behaviors of the smart composite structures and to effectively model and characterize the nonlinear properties of the constituents. For more information on this research, contact Anastasia Muliana at 979.458.3579 or amuliana@tamu.edu.
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DOE funds solar power storage project A team of Texas A&M engineering faculty members and researchers has been awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which announced selections for negotiations of award under the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), Advanced Heat Transfer Fluids and Novel Thermal Storage Concepts for Concentrating Solar Power Generation. The Texas A&M Engineering/Texas Engineering Experiment Station team’s project, “Molten Salt-Carbon Nanotube Thermal Energy Storage for Concentrating Solar Power Systems,” will create a suspension of carbon nanotubes in a molten salt material in order to improve thermal stability, heat capacity and thermal conductivity in the thermal region of 500°C to 600° C. The project will be funded up to $1.9 million. Dr. Michael J. Schuller, associate research engineering with the TEES Center for Space Power, is the PI on the project. Other team members include Dr. Debjyoti Banerjee; assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering; and Dr. Frederick Best, associate professor, nuclear engineering. The TEES/Texas A&M project was one of 15 funded, for up to approximately $67.6 million, that will facilitate the development of lowercost energy storage for concentrating solar power (CSP) technology. These projects support former President Bush’s Solar America Initiative, which aims to make solar energy cost-competitive with conventional forms of electricity by 2015. Increasing the use of alternative and clean energy technologies such as solar energy is critical to diversifying the Nation’s energy sources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on foreign oil. As the lead agency for former President Bush’s Advanced Energy Initiative, DOE is committed to the diversification of our energy resources by spurring widespread commercialization and deployment of clean solar energy technologies. The development of innovative technologies will help to provide long-term economic, environmental, and security benefits to the United States. “Harnessing the natural and abundant natural power of the sun and more cost-effectively converting it into energy has enormous potential to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide greater stability in electricity costs,” said DOE acting assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy John Mizroch. “These projects will not only spur innovation in photovoltaic technology, but they will help meet the President’s goal of making clean and renewable solar power commercially viable by 2015.” CSP systems utilize the heat generated by concentrating and absorbing the sun’s energy to produce electric power. A CSP plant with storage can operate continuously during periods of intermittent sun and produce electricity for extended periods without the sun. With thermal storage, the CSP plant is also able to match its electricity production with demand. This enables solar power to be provided to homes and businesses whenever it is most needed, day or night. In addition, thermal storage can lower the levelized cost of electricity from a CSP plant. This project is expected to promote DOE’s goal of reducing the cost of CSP electricity from 13-16 cents per kilowatthour (kWh) today with no storage to 8-11 cents/kWh with six hours of storage by 2015, and to less than seven cents/kWh with 12-17 hours of storage by 2020. For more information contact Debjyoti Banerjee at 979.845.4500 or at dbanerjee@ tamu.edu.
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Faculty and graduate students developing composites to convert heat to electricity Dr. Jaime Grunlan and Dr. Choongho Yu, assistant professors in the Department, are developing polymer composites that can convert heat into electricity. The heat-to-electricity conversion property is known as the thermoelectric effect. The researchers say direct thermal-to- electrical energy conversion using thermoelectric systems are promising for a variety of applications because they can be operated with a small temperature gradient that could be present in the environment or generated from any type of heat sources. This is not the case for conventional power generation systems, including solar cells. “The human body alone could produce enough heat, through normal everyday motions, to power a cell phone if someone was wearing a shirt made of our thermoelectric composite,” Grunlan said. Of particular interest is the use of these devices in military operations. Small, portable thermoelectric devices could supply power to sensors for detecting chemical or biological weapons, or to cell phones used by soldiers in the field. The thermoelectric devices can be attached to military uniforms to utilize body heat for power generation. And as the devices can also be used for heating or cooling, thermoelectric-equipped uniforms could maintain a comfortable temperature in severe environments. Grunlan said that though thermoelectrics are not as well known as solar cells, the potential for thermoelectrics is significant due to the vast amount of “waste heat” in our environment. But despite their potential, the researchers say current thermoelectric bulk materials based on bismuth- and tellurium-containing semiconductors are expensive, heavy, toxic and inefficient. Grunlan and Yu have demonstrated the thermoelectric behavior of polymer nanocomposites, which have not been widely studied. In order to make the polymer thermoelectrics viable, it is necessary to increase their electrical conductivity, which the researchers said can be enhanced significantly by incorporating conducting nanoparticle networks. “Polymer composites are very promising because they can be made low-cost and lightweight compared with current state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials,” Grunlan said. Grunlan and Yu’s work was published in the December 2008 issue of Nano Letters, one of the top journals in the field of nanotechnology that publishes only the highest impact nanotechnology-focused work.
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Grunlan receives grant for flameresistant coating Dr. Jaime Grunlan, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has received a grant worth more than $250,000 over three years from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Building and Fire Research Lab for flameresistant coatings. Grunlan, and his fellow researchers in the Polymer Nanocomposites Lab, have developed a thin film composite coating (of polymer and clay) that three-dimensionally lines the walls of a foam object and renders it flame resistant. In fabric, each thread can be individually coated with a flame retardant clay-filled thin film and still remain soft and flexible. The proposed research, being carried out by Ph.D. student Yu-Chin Li and undergraduate student Jessica Schulz, seeks to understand the mechanism by which these thin nanocomposite coatings containing clay are able to render foams and fabrics flame retardant. Understanding exactly how the coating works and the variables that influence the performance of the coatings will allow for more effective protection for foams and fabrics. “Many buildings use polyurethane foam insulation, which has been attributed to numerous fires that have cost the lives of civilians and firefighters over the years,” Grunlan said. “Anti-flammable clothing, especially in children’s wear, is also a challenging problem that we may have the answer to.” The researchers will also investigate combining the benefits of these unique coatings with those of other flameretardant additives (such as metal hydroxides or boric acid) to further enhance flame suppression. For more information contact Jaime Grunlan at 979.845.3027 or jgrunlan@tamu.edu for more information.
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Muliana named a PECASE winner by White House, receives a 2008-2009 AFOSR YIP Award Dr. Anastasia Muliana was among the 100 beginning researchers named by President Barack Obama as recipients of the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), the highest honor bestowed by the United States government on young professionals in the early stages of their independent research careers. Muliana was one of 41 scholars nominated by the U.S. Department of Defense. The recipient scientists and engineers will receive their awards in the fall at a White House ceremony. Muliana, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, came to Texas A&M in 2004.She received her master’s degree and Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a member of the American Society of Composites and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She has authored numerous publications and in 2005 received the CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. In 2008 Muliana received a grant as part of the Air Force’s Young Investigator Research Program. Her proposal for research was to develop a framework that integrates coupled thermal, electrical and mechanical responses of the constituents of composites to the overall responses of smart composites, with application to morphing structures. She also plans to investigate long-term responses of these smart composites. The proposed framework will enhance understanding of the multifunctional performance of smart structures under extreme environments and can support design optimization of intelligent aerospace vehicles, which can significantly reduce development cost and time. The Presidential Early Career Awards embody the high priority the Administration places on producing outstanding scientists and engineers to advance the nation’s goals and contribute to all sectors of theeconomy. Nine Federal departments and agencies join together annually to nominate the most meritorious young scientists and engineers — researchers whose early accomplishments show the greatest promise for strengthening America’s leadership in science and technologyand contributing to the awarding agencies’ missions. The awards, established by President Clinton in February 1996, are coordinated by the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President. Awardees are selected on the basis of two criteria: Pursuit of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and a commitment to community service as demonstrated through scientific leadership, public education, or community outreach. Winning scientists and engineers receive up to a five-year research grant to further their study in support of critical government missions. Muliana also received a 2008-2009 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Program Award. The Young Investigator Program accepts scientists and engineers at research institutions across the United States who have received Ph.D. or equivalent degrees in the last five years and demonstrate exceptional ability and promise for conducting basic research. Muliana will develop a framework that integrates coupled thermal, electrical and mechanical responses of th econstituents of composites to the overall responses of smart composites, with application to morphing structures. The framework will support design optimization of intelligent aerospace vehicles, which may reduce deveelopment cost and time.
Faculty/Staff Awards
Wen receives NSF CAREER Award Dr. Sy-Bor Wen, assistant professor, received a 2009 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award for his research in optically-induced nanoscale heat transfer with an emphasis on nano-optical devices. Nano-optics is a new branch of optical engineerning that has the potential to revolutionize the science and industry with its ability in lower power, high speed and high spatial resolution detection, fabrication and operation. Wen joined the faculty in September 2007 after receiving his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley and finishing a one year postdoctoral research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. NSF awards the prestigious CAREER grants to outstanding junior faculty members to help them advance their research and teaching activities.
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Rasmussen named distinguished new faculty Bryan Rasmussen, assistant professor, received the 2009 Distinguished New Faculty award at the 20th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. Sponsored by the International Academy for the Scholarship of Learning Technology, the Distinguished New Faculty Award is a new award designed to pay tribute to new educators who are guiding the millennial students into the future. New pedagogical techniques and creative ways of thinking are needed to engage and motivate the students of tomorrow. Today’s new faculty are responsible for this challenge. This award is designed to recognize new faculty who are meeting this challenge, by celebrating their current contributions to advancing education, and to encourage their future contributions to the teaching profession. Each person has been nominated by their institutions to be considered for the 2009 Distinguished New Faculty Award.
Rajagopal named Regents Professor Dr. K. Rajagopal was one of three professors from the Dwight Look College of Engineering and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) to be named Regents Professor for 200708. Rajagopal is the Forsyth Chair Professor in mechanical engineering and has a joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He joined the engineering faculty in 1996. In 2003 he was named a University Distinguished Professor and in 2004 he was awarded the Bush Excellence Award for Faculty in International Research. He has published more than 290 papers in archival journals, written three books, edited three others and given more than 200 lectures and seminars at university and national labs.
Grunlan receives DOW Young Faculty award Jaime Grunlan, assistant professor, was recognized by DOW for his innovative research in polymer nanocomposites. Grunlan holds a joint appointment with the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering. The award, established by Rohm and Haas Corporation, which is now a subsidiary of Dow, recognizes a non-tenured faculty member at an accredited university for his/her outstanding research achievement or potential in chemistry, polymers or materials science. Grunlan joined the department in 2004. He received his bachelor’s degree from North Dakota State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. In 2007, he received the prestigious National Science Foundation NSF CAREER award for his research into controlling the microstructure of high aspect ratio nanoparticles (e.g., carbon nanotubes) using stimuli-responsive polymers. The Young Faculty Award is now sponsored by the Dow Chemical Technical Community Organization (TCO), which aims to encourage scientific excellence, provide opportunities for professional development, promote the exchange of new technology and fosteri the spirit of cooperation within the company’s technology community.
Jacobs selected for Montague-Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar Program Timothy Jacobs, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been selected for the 2009-2010 Montague-Center For Teaching Excellence Scholar Program. The program recognizes one tenure-track assistant professor from each college who has already demonstrated a commitment to, and potential for, excellence in undergraduate teaching. Jacobs was chosen from the Dwight Look College of Engineering. Jacobs came to Texas A&M in 2006 after earning bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He teaches courses in thermodynamics and internal combustion engines. His reseach interests are in internal combustion engines; in-cylinder combustion and emission formation processes; fundamental experimental diagnostics and investigations; advanced and novel combustion processes (low-temperature combustion, homogenous charge compression ignition, premixed compression ignition); alternative fuels (natural/compressed/landfill gases, bio-based fuels, hydrogen); and aftertreatment systems (lean NOx traps, selective catalytic reducers, diesel oxidation catalysts). The Montague-CTE Scholar program, named for founding donor Kenneth Montague ’37, honors earlycareer excellence in undergraduate teaching at Texas A&M. This award includes a $6,500 grant for each recipient to encourage further development of undergraduate teaching excellence.
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Other Awards McDermott receives Excellence in Engineering Education Award Dr. Make McDermott, associate professor, received the Excellence in Engineering Education Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). McDermott has taught and conducted research at Texas A&M since 1972. He currently advises the Texas A&M Formula Hybrid team and teaches design part-time. He served as the associate department head twice, leader of the Dynamic Systems and Controls Group twice and director of the Institute for Innovation and Design in Engineering. He conducted research on automotive adaptive equipment for handicapped drivers from 1972 until 1990 and the work of his research group at Texas A&M provided the basis for SAE Standard J2092 on wheelchair lifts for vans. From 1994 through 2007, McDermott served as faculty advisor to the Texas A&M student chapter of SAE which won Formula SAE international student design competitions in 2000, 2006 and 2007. He earned his bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin. His research interests include design education, vehicle dynamics, and dynamic systems and controls. Established in 1995, the Excellence in Engineering Education Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the SAE Engineering Education Board and is funded through the SAE Foundation. He received his award in April at the 2009 World Congress in Detroit.
N. K. Anand Mechanical Engineering Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award Debjyoti Banerjee 2008/2009 TEES Select Young Fellow Swaroop Darbha 2008/2009 Dwight Look College of Engineering Faculty Fellow 2008/2009 Tenneco Meritorious Teaching Award 2008/2009 Association of Former Students Achievement Award in Teaching Jaime Grunlan DOW Young Faculty award TAMU 2009 Teaching Excellence Award Tim Jacobs Peggy L. & Charles L. Brittan ‘65 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award Montague Scholar Reza Langari ASME Fellow Sarah Morgan Mechanical Engineering Staff Excellence Award Anastasia Muliana Presidential Early Career Award 2008-2009 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Award Kalyana Nakshatrala
Schneider named Thibodaux College Alumnus of the Year William C. Schneider, a 1958 graduate of Thibodaux College, a predecessor to E.D. White Catholic High School, was honored to be inducted as E. D. White’s 2008 Alumnus of the Year. The award is given to a graduate of Thibodaux College, Mount Carmel, Thibodaux Central Catholic or E. D. White who exemplifies the charisma of the Sisters of Mount Carmel and the Brothers of the Sacred Heart in his or her life and who has achieved success in the global community. During his three years at Thibodaux College, Schneider played football as a guard and tackle on both offense and defense. He was also on the track team, throwing the shot put and the discus. After graduation, Schneider enrolled at Louisiana State University-New Orleans. That is where he really excelled academically and made the Dean’s List. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1962, and was offered a job at NASA. Schneider was a 38-year employee at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He rose to senior engineer at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, overseeing the safety and design of the space shuttle program before retiring in 2000. He holds 13 U.S. patents on space-related technologies. He is currently a visiting professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A&M University and a consultant for Las Vegas-based Bigelow Aerospace, LLC. Of all his patented inventions, the one he is still working on is the Inflatable Human Habitat Spacecraft. It was originally designed to go to Mars, but NASA cancelled the project after Schneider retired. Hotel billionaire Robert Bigelow, owner of Bigelow Aerospace, bought the patent rights and hired Schneider as a consultant. He has another project in the works with Canadians partners. He wants to develop a large dirigible that can lift 170 tons. It would be used mainly in isolated oilfields where there are lots of trees and no accessible roads. Schneider still resides in Houston with his wife of 40 years, Virginia. They have three grown children (Kathy, Bill, and Amy), and four grandchildren.
TAMU 2009 Teaching Excellence Award Dennis O’Neal ASME Fellow Eric Petersen ASME Combustion & Fuels Best Paper Award Bryan Rasmussen 2009 International Academy for the Scholarship of Learning Technology Distinguished New Faculty Award TAMU 2009 Teaching Excellence Award Taher Schobeiri Pacific Center of Thermal Fluid Engineering Senior TEES Fellow Sivakumar Rathinam Morris E. Foster ‘65 Faculty Fellowship Cris Schwartz Student Led Award for Teaching Excellence (SLATE) Peggy L. & Charles L. Brittan ‘65 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award Dan Turner 2008/2009 Charles W. Crawford Service Award Mitch Wittneben Mechanical Engineering Staff Excellence Award Sy-Bor Wen 2009 National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award Make McDermott SAE Excellence in Engineering Education Award Kumbakonam Rajagopal 2007-2008 Regents Professor William Schneider Thibodaux College Alumnus of the Year
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Faculty
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Texas A&M faculty are committed to providing students with the knowledge, compassion and critical thinking skills not only to be successful in their chosen career, but also to serve humankind throughout their lives. More than 2,800 faculty and researchers in 10 colleges are in the classroom and laboratory every day preparing the next generation of leaders and pursuing life-changing research discoveries. After class and in the evenings, faculty advise and mentor A&M students and student organizations, taking a special interest in ensuring student success. This level of commitment has positioned Texas A&M at the top statewide in student retention and graduation and made Texas A&M the university of choice for students from all walks of life. Texas A&M has added a net of 447 new faculty in the past five years under one of the most aggressive faculty hiring programs in the United States. We offer more than 120 undergraduate degrees and more than 240 master’s and doctoral degrees as well as a doctorate in veterinary medicine. Many of these programs are ranked among the very best in their respective disciplines. More than 2,000 companies actively recruit our graduates through the University’s Career Center. Research expenditures for fiscal year 2008 rose to a record $582 million for Texas A&M University, including the agricultural and engineering agencies. To support our new faculty members and help ensure excellence in our educational environment, Texas A&M has approximately $800 million in construction in various phases of completion or advanced planning.
Aaron Ames
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 2006 Research Interests: hybrid systems, dynamical systems and control, mechanics and robotics, complexity and fragility, algebraic topology and homology, hybrid system implementation, and embedded and networked systems.
N. K. Anand
Professor & Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs Ph.D., Purdue University, 1983 Research Interests: condensation heat transfer, numerical heat transfer and fluid flow, numerical techniques, heat exchangers, porous media, and aerosols.
Malcolm Andrews
Professor Ph.D., Imperial College, England, 1986
Ray Bowen Professor & President Emeritus Sara & John H. Lindsey ‘44 Chair Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1961 Research Interests: continuum mechanics and applied mathematics.
Jerald Caton Thomas A. Dietz Professor Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1980 Research Interests: internal combustion engines, modeling engine and combustion processes and thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics and fundamental and applied combustion topics.
Dara Childs Regents Professor & Leland T. Jordan Chair Ph.D., University of Texas Austin, 1968
Research Interests: computational fluid dynamics and heat and mass transfer, development of materials for controlled release strategies in medicine and agriculture, and detailed measurements of turbulence in Rayleigh-Taylor mixing.
Research Interests: design of generic new operating devices and systems, including patents; invention disclosures; software systems in use in industry or elsewhere.
Kalyan Annamalai
David Claridge Leland T. Jordan Professor Ph.D., Stanford University, 1976
G. Paul Pepper Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1975 Research Interests: combustion, coal and biomass, animal waste, energy conversion, pollutants, fire and thermodynamics.
Research Interests: monitoring and analyzing energy use, expert system applications in buildings, and energy accounting and management.
Raymundo ArrĂłyave Assistant Professor Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2004
Terry Creasy Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Delaware, 1997
Research Interests: computational thermodynamics and kinetics of materials and development of phase field methods to describe the time evolution of microstructures.
Research Interests: synthetic multifunctional materials, nastic materials for active structures, nanoscale/microscale properties of materials, and equal channel angular extrusion of polymer matrix composites.
Debjyoti Banerjee Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 1999
Swaroop Darbha Associate Professor Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, 1994
Research Interests: multi-phase flow and heat transfer (boiling), microfluidics, nanotechnology, thermal and fluid sciences: multi-phase flows and heat transfer (boiling), and micro-scale heat transfer, computational fluid dynamics.
Research Interests: dynamics and control of large scale systems with applications to modeling and control of traffic flow and collections of unmanned vehicles; diagnostics and control of air brake systems in trucks.
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Andrew T. Duggleby Assistant Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and University, 2006 Research Interests: understanding of turbulent transport of mass, momentum, and heat in fluids and plasmas using high performance computational diagnostics and mathematical analysis. Xin-Lin Gao Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Wisconsin Madison, 1998 Research Interests: micro- and nano-mechanics, nanoparticle- and nanotube-reinforced composites, high-order (non-local, gradient) continuum theories, and multi-scale materials modeling.
Research Interests: energy efficient industrial equipment, industrial assessment, and combustion.
Harry Hogan Associate Professor & Undergraduate Faculty Advisor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1984 Research Interests: orthopedic biomechanics and bone biomechanics, Investigations of changes in properties due to mechanical unloading, estrogen deficiency, diet changes, and other treatments.
Jaime Grunlan Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2001
Timothy Jacobs Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2005
Research Interests: polymer nanocomposites with properties that rival metals and ceramics, while maintaining beneficial polymer mechanical behavior.
Research Interests: Internal combustion engines, fundamental experimental diagnostics and investigations, alternative fuels, bio-based fuels and after-treatment systems.
Bing Guo Assistant Professor Ph.D., Tsinghua University China, 1998
Suhada Jayasuriya Kotzebue Endowed Professor Ph.D., Wayne State University, 1982
Research Interests: aerosol sampling, concentration and collection, health effects of aerosols and air pollution control, and aerosol formation in combustion and other processes.
Research Interests: cooperative control, condition-based monitoring, closed loop system identification, mobile sensor networks and directional features of feedback for diagnostics, flow control, active control of vibration, robust control, nonlinear sensors, and signal processing.
Je-Chin Han
Ibrahim Karaman Dietz Career Development Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2000
Distinguished Professor & Marcus C. Easterling Chair Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1976 Research Interests: thermal fluid sciences–heat transfer and cooling in gas turbines, film cooling in unsteady high turbulent flows, and advanced hydrogen turbine for future electricity generation. Karl T. Hartwig, Jr. Professor Ph.D., University of Wisconsin Madison, 1977 Research Interests: structure-property-processing relationships, sever plastic deformation of materials via equal channel angular extrusion, and applied superconductivity.
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Warren Heffington Associate Professor Ph.D., University of California San Diego, 1977
Research Interests: processing-microstructuremechanical property relationships in metallic materials and micro-mechanical constitutive modeling of crystal plasticity.
Won-jong Kim Dietz Career Development Professor II Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997 Research Interests: precision mechatronics, nanoscale engineering and technology, real-time control systems design, novel actuators and sensors, and networked control systems.
Yong-Joe Kim Assistant Professor Ph.D., Purdue University, 2003
Richard Malak, Jr. Assistant Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008
Research Interests: active and passive noise/ vibration, acoustics.
Research Interests: engineering design, computer-aided design, numerical methods for engineers, modeling and simulation in design, engineering database design, regression analysis, design of experiments.
Tom Lalk Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, 1972
Daniel Arthur McAdams
Research Interests: internal combustion engines, energy systems.
Research Interests: design theory and methodology with specific focus on functional modeling, design of innovative automated products through process modeling, and failure avoidance as applied to product design.
Reza Langari Professor Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, 1991
Gerald Morrison
Research Interests: intelligent control, fuzzy linguistic control, adaptive and self-organizing systems, vehicle dynamics and control, diagnostic systems.
Research Interests: fluid mechanics and heat transfer, turbulence, acoustics, flow instabilities, flow induced noise, turbomachinery, pumps, compressors, computerized data acquisition and analysis, laser anemometry.
Sai Lau
Anastasia Muliana
Professor & Graduate Program Director Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1980
Assistant Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004
Research Interests: internal turbine blade cooling, with and without rotation, heat transfer enhancement for single phase convection and boiling; heat exchangers; electronic package cooling; and conjugate heat transfer.
Research Interests: analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches in areas of structural and computational mechanics.
H. ‘Helen’ Liang
Kalyana Babu Nakshatrala
Associate Professor Ph.D., Stevens Institute of Technology, 1992
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign, 1980
Research Interests: surface properties-behavior relations, (nano)tribology, tribochemistry, bionanointerface,biomaterials, nanomanufacturing, and CMP.
Associate Professor Ph.D., Univeristy of Texas Austin, 1999
Nelson-Jackson Professor Ph.D., Oklahoma State University, 1977
Research Interests: theoretical and computational aspects of mechanics of heterogeneous porous media with an emphasis on developing relevent mechanics, and numerical techniques.
Julie Linsey
Ozden Ochoa
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Texas Austin, 2007
Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1980
Research Interests: engineering design theory and methods, engineering innovation and creativity, conceptual design and design by analogy, design cognition, and engineering education.
Research Interests: composite materials, carbon foam, damage mechanics, and computational mechanics.
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Dennis O’Neal
K. R. Rajagopal
Holdrege/Paul Professor & Department Head Ph.D., Purdue University, 1982
Distinguished Professor & J. M Forsyth Chair Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1978
Research Interests: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning; frost formation on heat exchangers; heat pump system defrost performance and dynamics; ventilation air heat pumps; and aerosol mixing in ventilation systems.
Research Interests: design, vibrations, strength of materials, fluid mechanics, and elasticity and plasticity.
Alan Palazzolo
Devesh Ranjan
Professor Ph.D., University of Virginia, 1981
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Wisconsin/Madison, 2007
Research Interests: rotordynamics, fluid film/ball/ magnetic bearings, energy storage flywheels, drillstring dynamics, vibrations, machinery diagnostic systems, finite and boundary elements, stress analysis, machinery dynamics.
Research Interests: experimental fluid mechanics, inertial confinement fusion, turbulent mixing and supersonic combustion, shock tube applications, and design of thermal systems.
Alexander Parlos
Bryan Rasmussen
Professor Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, 2005
Research Interests: machine condition assessment and end-of-life prediction, distributed sensor/actuator networks, intelligent mechatronics devices, intelligent control for system life extension.
Research Interests: dynamic modeling and control of thermo-fluid energy systems. Model reduction, model validation, automated modeling, nonlinear control, robust control, alternative energy systems.
Michael B. Pate
Sivakumar Rathinam
Professor Ph.D., Purdue University, 1982
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 2007
Research Interests: alternative energy, energy conservation and efficiency, green building technology and sustainability, heat transfer and heat exchangers, and thermal processes and refrigeration properties.
Research Interests: collaborative decision making for large scale systems, autonomous systems, vision based control, remote sensing of infrastructure systems, and air traffic control.
Eric L. Peterson
J. N. Reddy
Associate Professor Ph.D., Stanford, 1998
Distinguished Professor & Oscar S. Wyatt Chair Ph.D., University of Alabama, 1973
Research Interests: propulsion, shock wave physics, shock tubes, chemical kinetics, solid rocket propellants, optical diagnostics, reacting flow fields, gas dynamics, fluid mechanics, and gas turbines.
Research Interests: analysis of laminated composite plates and shells with actuators/ sensors, and development of robust and efficient computational technology for the solution of critical problems of mechanics.
Miladin Radovic
Luis San AndrĂŠs
Assistant Professor Ph.D., Drexel University, 2001
Mast-Childs Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1985
Research Interests: processing and characterization ceramics, of ceramic, hightemperature materials for energy application, solid oxide fuel cells, high temperature mechanical properties of ceramics, reliability and durability of ceramic materials.
Research Interests: analysis, design and testing of fluid film bearings and gas bearings and seals for oil-free turbomachinery, and rotordynamics of turbomachinery, structural vibrations, computational mechanics.
William Schneider
Chii-Der ‘Steve’ Suh
Visiting Professor Ph.D., Rice University, 1972
Associate Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1997
Research Interests: mathematical engineering mechanics, structural and mechanical design, spacecraft entry thermal protection systems and large space structures.
Research Interests: nonlinear machining dynamics, MEMS and NMEMS fabrication, microelectronic packaging reliability, stress wave propagation, and laser induced stress wave thermometry.
Taher Schobeiri
Dan Turner
Professor Ph.D., Technical University Darmstadt, 1978
Professor Ph.D., University of Oklahoma, 1969
Research Interests: experimental and theoretical investigations of flow within turbomachinery components, analysis of dynamic behavior of turbomachinery systems, turbine performance.
Research Interests: energy efficiency, solar energy, monitoring and verification of energy retrofits, building continuous commissioning.
Christian Schwartz
Sy-Bor Wen
Assistant Professor Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2006
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Berkeley, 2006
Research Interests: artificial joints, modeling of soft tissues, protection of skin from shear injuries, active biomaterials, biotribology, polymers, tribological composites, tissue engineering, life-cycle engineering design, design education, manufacturing of biomedical devices.
Research Interests: laser processing with ultrahigh speed pulsed laser, chemical analysis with laser induced plasma, nanomaterial generation with laser ablation, and nanoscale energy and mass transport with near field effects.
Arun Srinivasa
Choongho Yu
Associate Professor Ph.D., University of California Berkeley, 1991
Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2004
Research Interests: plasticity of metals and polymers, thermomechanics of dissipative processes, dislocation dynamics, Cosserat continua, design and dynamics of compliant mechanisms.
Research Interests: investigation of energy transport in nanostructures and synthesis of nanostructured materials for energy conversion applications , thermal insulation, and thermal energy dissipation.
David Staack
Nicole Zacharia
Assistant Professor Ph.D., Drexel University, 2008
Assistant Professor Ph.D., MIT, 2007
Research Interests: non-thermal plasmas, microand nano-scale plasmas, electric propulsion for spacecraft, plasma enhanced materials processing and synthesis, plasma enhanced fuel conversion and combustion, biomedical plasma applications, laser and spectroscopic diagnostics.
Research Interests: nanoscale colloidal structures, polymer-metal composite structures for nanomotors and nanocapsules, microphase separation and creation of swellable-shrinkable fibers.
H. J. Sue
Xinghang Zhang
Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1988
Assistant Professor Ph.D., North Carolina State University, 2001
Research Interests: nanomaterials synthesis, functionalization, exfoliation and structureproperty relationship of polymers, coatings, adhesives, and composites.
Research Interests: radiation damage in nanostructured metals, nanotwins induced strengthening, magnetic shape memory alloy films.
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Dr. John Bryant
Associate Professor
TAMU Qatar Faculty
Bryant has worked in the HVAC field for more than 23 years. Bryant has extensive applied engineering experience in mechanical consulting/ design, field energy metering installation, and energy management systems operation and maintenance.
Dr. Andrew Conkey Assistant Professor
Conkey’s research interests are vibrations, sensors and turbo machinery. Since coming to Doha, he has been teaching design and mechanics.
Dr. Richard Griffin
Program Coordinator Griffin’s background is metallurgy and material science. His research areas are corrosion and education. In corrosion, he has worked with environmental cracking, coatings, erosion and lifetime prediction. In education, he has worked with the foundation coalition and pursued the introduction of technology, active learning and teaming in the engineering classroom.
Dr. Steven Gyeszly Visiting Professor
Gyeszly has more than thirty-five years of combined experience in university teaching, academic administration, senior management in industry, and consulting with major U.S. corporations. His current teaching subjects are Principles of Materials Engineering, Mechanics of Materials, Economic Analysis of Engineering Projects, Materials Science, and Materials in Design.
Dr. Mansour Karkoub Visiting Professor
Karkoub is an active and experienced researcher in design and control of mechanical systems. He has worked and published in the area of controls, mechatronics, design and artificial intelligence. He initiated the artificial intelligence center at Kuwait University and has held faculty positions at Kuwait University, INRIA, France, and The Petroleum Institute of Abu Dhabi.
Dr. Ghassan Kridli
Visiting Associate Professor
Kridli’s interest area is product design and manufacturing with specific experience in elevated temperature processing of aluminum alloys. He has been a faculty member at the University of Michigan-Dearborn since 1997. He also works with the US automotive industry on projects related to aluminum forming and stamping die design.
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Dr. Houshang Masudi Visiting Professor
Masudi, a visiting professor, has a great deal of experience as a researcher, educator, and service provider at national and international levels. He has worked extensively in areas such as mechanical system and design, energy, composite materials, CAD/CAM, biomechanics and failure analysis.
Dr. Nesrin Ozalp Visiting Assistant Professor
Ozalp’s research interests include thermodynamic analysis of energy conversion processes for efficient and clean energy technologies; utilizing concentrated solar power for producing hydrogen through thermal decarbonization of fossil fuels via cracking and reforming; and energy and environmental policy.
Dr. Annie Ruimi Visiting Assistant Professor
Ruimi has research interests in classical continuum mechanics, Cosserat continuum, linear and finite elasticity, Piezoelectricity, plasticity, finite element analysis with applications ranging from MEMS design to mechanics of biomaterials. Her research projects are in the areas of medical simulation, MEMS, oil drilling and exploration, and multifunctional materials for energy conversion.
Dr. Reza Sadr
Assistant Professor
Sadr’s research interests include micro- and nano- scale fluid mechanics and heat transfer, Brownian dynamics and particle-fluid interaction, electroosmotic fluid mechanics at micro- and nano-scale, and related surface chemistry, and turbulent jets; and particle-laden flows.
Dr. Reza Tafreshi Visiting Assistant Professor
Tafreshi is an associate researcher with the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. He has seven years of industrial experience. His research interests include biomedical signal processing, machine fault diagnosis, dynamic systems and control, and robotics and automation.
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