SECCM NEWS
THE NEWSLETTER OF THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, COMPUTING, AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Welcome!
Welcome to the Spring 2023 newsletter of the School of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management (SECCM) at Roger Williams University (RWU)!
The end of the Fall 2022 semester saw the completion of the SECCM Strategic Plan – Impact, Innovation, and Inspiration, which we summarize in this newsletter. This five-year plan provides updated mission and vision statements for our School, states our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and describes goals that will help us achieve our mission and progress toward achieving our vision.
In this edition, you’ll discover the amazing achievements of our SECCM faculty members during the Fall 2022 semester, get to know one of our Computer Science faculty members, learn about an Engineering alumna, and be introduced to three of our current undergraduate students. As we continue to celebrate the opening of the Bready Applied Learning Laboratory, this edition of our newsletter also highlights the Construction Management program’s Methods and Materials Laboratory.
I hope you enjoy reading about the Multi-cultural STEM Alliance, the RWU-wide club that aims to increase the sense of belonging of people of color in STEM fields. This group was started by some industrious students in SECCM who saw a need to support students across the entire campus.
I wish to emphasize my personal commitment to increasing our community’s diversity, in all its forms. I have been fortunate in my life – both personally and professionally – to have interacted with people of different religions, races, sexual orientations, gender identities, learning styles, and physical abilities. What I have learned from these individuals has shaped how I conduct myself outside of the workplace and my approach to research, teaching, and administration. My life has been enriched by knowing them. I wish the same type of experience for all SECCM students, faculty, and staff.
As always, please let me know if you have any questions or comments – I’m always available by phone or electronic mail (401-254-3498, rgriffin@rwu.edu).
I hope this finds you and yours safe and well.
With warmest regards,
Rob March 20232023
SPRING
RECENT NEWS
The Fall 2022 semester was busy for the students, faculty members, and staff of SECCM. While continuing our day-to-day delivery of our courses and activities, we focused on several different aspects of our operations, including:
RESEARCH – The Engineering program hosted an event during which students who performed research during Summer 2022 (both at RWU and not) presented their work and welcomed the Dean and Associate Dean for Research from the School of Engineering at URI to discuss a path to graduate school with our seniors. In addition, Dr. Maija Benitz and Dr. Koray Özer presented information to interested students on obtaining a summer research position at other universities. SECCM faculty continued working – in collaboration with students - on existing projects (from RIDOT, NASA, NSF, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, etc.) and submitting proposals for funding new research activities (to NSF, RI-INBRE, NBEP, etc.).
CONFERENCE AND COMPETITION ATTENDANCE – Several Construction Management students and faculty attended Associated Schools of Construction conferences/competitions in Prague, Czech Republic (Region 8) and Albany, NY (Region 1). For many of our students, participating in such competitions is a significant moment in their RWU academic journey. Several members of the SECCM community – particularly from Electrical Engineering and Computer Science also attended the IEEE Women in Engineering Forum.
CM Students Participating in ASC Student Competitions in AlbanyCAREER DEVELOPMENT – SECCM partnered with the RWU Center for Career and Professional Development to organize three days of hiring days/fairs, where over 40 employers had the opportunity to connect with more than 230 students. This was in addition to Career Information Sessions and Alumni Mock Interviews (thank you to those of you who participated) as well as CCPD activities within specific SECCM courses.
COMMUNITY AND SUPPORT – In addition to creation of the Multicultural STEM Alliance described later in this newsletter, SECCM offered opportunities to strengthen our sense of community and provide support to our students in new ways. SECCM organized a mixer exclusively for individuals who identify as female from our faculty, staff, and student body. The Women of SECCM mixer event aimed to foster an atmosphere of fellowship, networking, and support. During Fall 2022, students enrolled in the Shawmut Scholars Program - an initiative to promote diversity in Engineering and Construction Management - had the opportunity to meet with their professional mentors from Shawmut. The event took place at the RWU Sailing Center and provided an excellent platform for students to engage with industry professionals and gain valuable insights into their chosen fields.
Construction Management Career Fair
Engineering Career Meet and Greet
Women of SECCM Event
Shawmut Mentoring Session
STRATEGIC PLAN
You can find the new SECCM strategic plan – Impact, Innovation, and Inspiration – at rwu.edu/about-seccm
As part of our strategic planning process, we crafted a statement on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and new mission and vision statements:
The School of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management is committed to promoting and celebrating the differences that contribute to the vibrancy of our community, fostering a space where all individuals can be their authentic selves, and following practices that allow and empower all community members to thrive.
OUR MISSION: To prepare our students to be ethical and technically proficient leaders who can make an impact on our world.
OUR VISION: To be a creative and inclusive academic community that provides state-of-the-art scholarly opportunities in areas that support RWU’s strategic efforts.
Impact, Innovation, and Inspiration outlines goals for our school under several themes:
THEME 1: STUDENT EXPERIENCE – We are committed to the success and well-being of our students. We provide innovative curricula and experiential opportunities to inspire our graduates to impact their personal and professional communities positively. This theme focuses on developing curricula, providing extra- and co-curricular activities, research opportunities and international experiences, growing our community, and enhancing student career development.
THEME 2: OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION – The SECCM community recognizes the importance of using innovative mechanisms to create an atmosphere where all are welcome and feel a sense of belonging. In line with broader RWU efforts and in collaboration with partner offices, we will increase the knowledge and appreciation of the impact of diversity in our fields, inspiring our community for similar impact. Here, we reiterate our commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. This theme focuses on providing a welcoming atmosphere and diversifying our community.
THEME 3: VISIBILITY AND ENGAGEMENT – We will communicate stories of our success effectively internally and externally, which will further develop our sense of community. This theme focuses on increasing our communication efforts through in-person outreach, newsletters, social media and improved internet presence and deepening interaction with our alumni, industry partners and families.
The plan also includes a separate support generation section, as we recognize that many of these efforts require additional physical, financial, and personnel support. However, we did not classify this as an individual theme to avoid focusing on generating resources for the mere sake of doing so.
FACULTY NEWS
Our faculty members continue to shine in their various endeavors. Read on for a brief overview of some of their accomplishments during the Fall 2022 semester.
Ahmet Akosman (ENGR) continued work on a NASA RI Consortium Seed Grant for the development of sensor platforms using THz negative curvature fibers
Chunyan Bai (COMSC) was a member of the ABET/CAC accreditation visiting team for their first on-site Computer Science evaluation since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic
Janet Baldwin (ENGR) attended the national Society of Women Engineers conference in October, held in Houston, Texas, along with eight students
Maija Benitz (ENGR) became the faculty mentor for a newly formed student group, the Multicultural STEM Alliance, which aims to develop a sense of community and belonging for students of color in STEM across the entire RWU community
Sonya Cates (COMSC) created multimedia content for the most recent edition of Java Software Solutions, published by Pearson
Anne Anderson and Michael Emmer (CNST) took a team of students to the Associated Schools of Construction International Construction Management/Quantity Surveying competition at the Region 8 conference in Prague, Czech Republic
Amine Ghanem (CNST) advised two students that performed research focused on the COVID-19 impact on student learning and that submitted an accepted abstract to the Annual Associated Schools of Construction International Conference
Jonathan Gomes (CNST) is advising a computer science senior capstone project focused on a utility overlay and tracking mobile application for as-built utilities
Jung Hyun Lee (CNST) coached a student competition team that won 3rd place in the Design-Build group at the 2022 Associated Schools of Construction Region 1 Competition in Albany, NY
Lillian Jeznach (ENGR) collaborated with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program to guide a SECCM student intern in research focused on collecting and analyzing microplastics in Rhode Island freshwaters
Pamela Judge (ENGR) earned support from the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program and will support a student intern to perform research focused on the potential for a net (made of 3D-printed soybean-based filament) to reduce soil erosion in an environmentally benign manner
Allison Marn (ENGR) developed a Bioinstrumentation course exploring concepts of electronic systems for biological measurements, which included students capturing and analyzing their own heart signals
Nicole Martino (ENGR) collaborated with the University of Rhode Island, the RIDOT, and the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center to investigate the feasibility of ground penetrating radar to evaluate the condition of asphalt pavements, specifically in areas with a high water table
Koray Özer (MATH) was named the SECCM Faculty Member of the Semester by the Student Senate
William Palm (ENGR) began his second year as the Director of the University Honors Program in which SECCM students now represent 15% of the incoming honors class
Issa Ramaji (CNST) founded the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) club to create a platform for interdisciplinary collaboration among various programs; in December, the club hosted a mixer event where students experienced Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality technologies in the context of the AEC industry
Anthony Ruocco (COMSC) was the Chair of two sessions at the IEEE Region 1/Region 2 Women in Engineering Forum held November 3-5, 2022, in Providence
Matthew Stein (ENGR) (who speaks intermediate French) lived in Nantes, France for three months while on a sabbatical at Ecole Centrale de Nantes; the project focused on constructing a dynamic model of a 2R robot arm using SolidWorks and Gazebo
Gordon Stewart (ENGR) and two Engineering students attended the North American Wind Energy Academy Conference at the University of Delaware in September and presented their work “Impacts of Wind/Wave Misalignment on Wake Meandering of Floating Wind Turbines”
Charles Thomas (ENGR) taught a Circuits Laboratory (outside of his area of expertise) for the first time (and loved doing so) while continuing to pursue his musical interests as a French Horn player for the Fall River Symphony Orchestra and Ocean State Pops Orchestra
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
We continue our faculty spotlight segment with a focus on Associate Professor Sonya Cates from the Computer Science program, who has been at RWU since 2014.
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I grew up in Georgia, in the exurbs of Atlanta.
WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR DEGREES?
I have Bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Math from the University of Chicago. I have an MS and a PhD in Computer Science from MIT.
WHAT OTHER JOBS HAVE YOU HELD?
Before joining the faculty at RWU, I worked in quantitative finance for about seven years. I worked on creating predictive models from very large data sets. I also had quite a few part time jobs while I was in school, including swimming instructor, tech support at an elementary school, computer lab manager, LSAT tutor, and math teacher at a summer program for high school students (just to name a few).
WHAT’S THE LAST BOOK YOU READ FOR FUN?
The Death of the Necromancer by Martha Wells. She is one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend her Murderbot Diaries series.
WHAT’S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I was on a national championship winning cycling team while I was at MIT.
WHY DID YOU WANT TO BE A PROFESSOR?
Growing up I thought I might like to be a professor, but I changed my mind during the course of my PhD and didn’t even consider academic jobs when I graduated. A few years later I gave teaching a try as an adjunct at RWU for one course. I decided I liked it and joined the faculty full time a couple years later.
WHY RWU?
I like that RWU is teaching focused and has small class sizes. I can really get to know all of my students and see their progress through all four years.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON (IN ADDITION TO YOUR ALREADY HEAVY TEACHING LOAD!)?
I have been collaborating with Construction Management professor Issa Ramaji for several years on applications of machine learning and augmented and virtual reality in construction.
Professor Cates, cross-country skiing in Vermont DR. SONYA CATESALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
If you have news to share or would like to be featured in our alumni news section, contact Dean Griffin. Here, we spotlight Andi Wright, class of 2015, Engineering, who has done some amazing things since leaving RWU.
WHAT WAS YOUR ENGINEERING SPECIALIZATION?
Mechanical Engineering
DID YOU HAVE A MINOR?
Mathematics
WERE YOU A PART OF ANY EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, BOTH RELATED TO SECCM AND NOT?
Quite a few: RWU Rowing team, Orientation Advisor, Volunteer at the FIRST Lego League that SECCM hosted, SECCM tour guide during an Accepted Students Day, Volunteer at a local elementary school with Dr. Thomas to teach the students what an engineer is and help the students build bridges out of wooden sticks, Volunteer to rebuild houses in New Orleans with RWU’s InterVarsity club during two spring breaks, and Volunteer to help build a deck at a home in Providence with InterVarsity/Habitat for Humanity
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE COURSE AND WHY?
My favorite course was Mechatronics. Even though it was probably the toughest and most time-consuming course, I learned a lot of invaluable lessons and gained many “stressful but fun” memories. It also helped that I had a cool robot I could talk about during interviews.
WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT POSITION? HAVE YOU HAD ANY OTHER POSITIONS SINCE GRADUATING?
I’m currently an R&D Engineer II for spine surgery medical devices, which is my second position since graduating. My first job was as a Mechanical Engineer at a company that manufactures industrial/commercial combustion systems and products.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR JOB?
The coolest part of my job is going out into the field, attending spine surgeries and conversing with surgeons and scrub techs about how we can improve our product offerings to best serve their needs. My personal favorite part of my job, though, is when I get to spend time in SolidWorks working on new ideas and going through the iteration process of design -> prototype -> testing -> design again, and so forth. The SolidWorks models/drawings side of my job is definitely more fun than the FDA paperwork side (ha ha!).
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE RWU?
Honestly, I chose RWU because it had a rowing team, a great location, and overall impressive facilities that I could longboard around all day and not need a car to get anywhere. As a freshman I came in undecided, knowing I wanted to pursue something math-related, and it took me the whole semester to figure out that I wanted to be a mechanical engineering major.
ANY OTHER INTERESTING BITS OF INFORMATION YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE?
Besides my engineering job I’m also a drummer in a band. Having a solid Physics foundation helps me follow along in conversations with my nerdy audio engineer bandmates, and being a project manager in my full-time career directly lends to my ability to step up into a band manager role and be an effective team player. Who would’ve thought the two would be so related?
ANDI WRIGHT ’15
Andi Wright ’15
MEET SOME OF OUR FANTASTIC STUDENTS
We realize that you learned more about faculty and alumni in these newsletters and thought that you’d also like to get to know some of our top-notch students!
MAJOR/MINOR/CORE/SPECIALIZATION/2ND MAJOR: Computer science major with a double minor in marketing and mathematics, a core concentration of mathematics and a custom specialization (courses include Human-Centered Interaction, Machine Learning Research, Application Development, etc.)
YEAR: Senior
HOMETOWN: Middleton, MA
MOST IMPORTANT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Hawkettes Dance Team and Society of Women Engineers
FINISH THE QUOTE: I CHOSE RWU BECAUSE… it gave me the ability to explore the various academic passions of mine through my major, minor, and specialization. There is an inviting atmosphere that the students and faculty created that drew me in as well. It felt like a home away from home where I would be able to kickstart my professional career.
MAJOR/MINOR/CORE/SPECIALIZATION/2ND MAJOR: Construction Management and Spanish Double Major with a Minor in Business
YEAR: Sophomore
HOMETOWN: Cranston, RI
MOST IMPORTANT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Being part of the executive board of the Woman of Color Club, for which I serve as the treasurer, as well as being a Resident Assistant in North Campus Residence Hall
FINISH THE QUOTE: I CHOSE RWU BECAUSE… of the Construction Management program and the different growth opportunities RWU has to offer. The construction management program has taught me all the necessary skills to become successful in my career, and I cannot wait how much more I can learn from my professors and peers in my time left at RWU. Thanks to RWUs Partnership with Shawmut Design and Construction, I was able to network since the beginning of my freshman year with internship and immersive program opportunities that have helped me become who I am today and will continue to help my growth outside this institution after graduation. Being able to make different connections and create an impact on campus, representing people of color and first-generation students in a field like construction management remind me daily why I chose RWU. It has been a great experience, and I am grateful for all the help I have gotten from RWU.
Computer Science Major Rachel Piraino Construction Management Major Jenifer GomezMAJOR/MINOR/CORE/SPECIALIZATION/2ND MAJOR: Engineering, Mechanical Specialization, Mathematics Core Concentration
YEAR: Senior
HOMETOWN: Watertown, CT
MOST IMPORTANT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES: Being a pole vaulter and captain of the varsity RWU track and field team and being president of ASME
FINISH THE QUOTE: I CHOSE RWU BECAUSE… it gave me the opportunity to continue my athletic career and focus heavily on my education in a growing engineering program and community that offers every resource necessary to reach my future goals
Engineering Major Luke Calabrese
STUDENT CLUB SPOTLIGHT
MULTICULTURAL STEM ALLIANCE
Our students are involved in many extra- and co-curricular activities across campus – from athletics to the arts to service and beyond. We host a large number of SECCM-specific clubs that focus generally on the professional development of a subset of our student body (IEEE, ASME, AGC, etc.). Other clubs focus on increasing the sense of belonging and inclusion of some segments of our community – for example, Women in Construction and the Society of Women Engineers. These organizations do a fantastic job of supporting our students and providing opportunities for community, growth, and fun.
To ensure that all students feel this sense of belonging, the Engineering program queried its students about interest in hosting an event with local professional chapters of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) and/or the National Society of Black Engineers and in assisting with the event when it occurred. The students who expressed interest took this idea and ran with it, expanding their efforts across campus to create the Multi-cultural STEM Alliance, a group that aims to support all students of color in STEM or STEM-adjacent fields across campus. With support from SECCM, the executive board has tabled in the commons to increase membership and held several general meetings to develop community and provide support. For example, one of these events was focused on minimizing stress during exam periods by hosting a coloring night. The formation of the MSA has generated much enthusiasm among the student members, and we eagerly anticipate the many great initiatives that will emerge from it. The club president, Josh Ongera, expressed his enthusiasm for the newly established multicultural STEM club, stating,
“I am super excited to facilitate the development of our newly formed multicultural STEM club, I am honored to lead a community that celebrates diversity and promotes inclusivity. Our club aims to foster a welcoming environment for students from multicultural backgrounds to explore the vast and exciting world of STEM. Together, we can unite a community that celebrates our differences and fosters a professional and collaborative environment where we can learn from each other and make a meaningful impact in our respective fields. I look forward to working with everyone to promote inclusivity, creativity, and innovation in STEM!”
Multicutural STEM Alliance MSA Executive Board (L to R): Yvon Guillaume (Outreach), Edvin Caniz-Garcia (Treasurer), Joshua Ongera (President), Romeo Cadet (Recruitment & Retention), Viannely Francisco (Vice President), and Lucas Wigley (Secretary).SPACES
Those of you that graduated in 2019 or earlier and have been back to campus might have noticed the brand-new (opened in January 2020) Richard Bready Applied Learning Laboratories (or SECCM Labs Building -SELB). One of the gems of campus, SELB houses teaching and research facilities for all of our programs. In case you have been unable to visit in person, we would like to give you some insight into some specific aspects of the building.
The ~3400-sf Construction Management High Bay – generously supported by Shawmut – is a two-story space dedicated to the CM program laboratory sequence. This is central to the curricula for all CM majors –especially in the first and second years during Methods and Materials classes. It is an open space, has been fully equipped with both metal and wood working tools, and facilitates small group construction activities. In the high-bay section of the laboratory, an overhead crane allows students to learn and practice crane use. If you have been on campus during fall, this laboratory is where the CM students build the house as part of their learning – a highlight of admissions office tours of RWU. If you haven’t been to visit our new space, please come by for a personal tour!
Students in action in the CM Lab
CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
We invite you to follow us on Twitter - @DeanRobGriffin and @Go_khan, as well as the Twitter of RWU and the Construction Management program: @myRWU and @RWUCM. Keep an eye on our webpage for new format and content coming soon!
OPPORTUNITIES
Are you looking for more ways to support SECCM?
In addition to the traditional ‘annual fund gift,’ there are numerous other opportunities to contribute to SECCM. You can hire our students for internships, externships, or full-time employment or offer to present to one of our student clubs or courses. Becoming a mentor, sponsoring a field trip, research project or a student competition team, or joining one of our Professional Advisory Boards are all great ways to make an impact. If you’re unsure about where to start, reach out to Dean Griffin.