NJIT Magazine / Spring 2008

spring 2008 the alumni magazine of new jersey institute of technology

Cover Story

NCE Dean Sunil Saigal Q& A Real Experience and Real Knowledge for the Real World OUr failing infrastructure

on the cover

NCE Dean Sunil Saigal in the new Vincent A. Stabile Systems Engineering and Management Laboratories. See the interview with Dean Saigal on page 10, and more about the leading-edge Stabile facility and master’s program on page 3.

inside 2 @njit

What’s new, what’s hot, who’s in

NJIT Magazine The Alumni Magazine of New Jersey Institute of Technology Spring 2008 Jean M. Llewellyn

Executive Director University Communications Dean L. Maskevich

Editor Christina Crovetto MS `03

Assistant Editor Babette Hoyle

Production Coordinator Bernhardt Fudyma Design Group

Design Editorial Advisory Board

8 Real Experience and Real Knowledge for the Real World

10 An Interview with NCE Dean Sunil Saigal 12 Alumni circuit

Alumni profiles, Mal & Friends, class notes, alumni calendar

17 Hard copy

Failing Infrastructure — Threatening our Economy and Way of Life

Joel Bloom, Robert A. Boynton, Bernard Coopersmith `44, Charles R. Dees, Jr., E. Perry Deess, Kirstie Gentleman, Ellen McGrath `82, Priscilla Nelson, Gene R. O’Brien `62, Carol Pilla, Henry Ross, Donald H. Sebastian, Nancy Steffen-Fluhr, Sheryl Weinstein

NJIT Magazine is published by New Jersey Institute of Technology, University Communications. Its mission is to foster ties with alumni, university friends and corporate partners and to report on relevant issues, particularly those in education, science, research and technology. The university has been publishing an alumni magazine since 1948.

Visit us on the web at http://magazine.njit.edu.

Please send letters of comment and requests to reproduce material from NJIT Magazine to: NJIT Magazine University Communications University Heights Newark, NJ 07102-1982 Dean.Maskevich@njit.edu Robert A. Altenkirch

President Charles R. Dees, Jr.

Vice President University Advancement Robert A. Boynton

Executive Director Alumni Relations

Letter from the president

“Society is indeed a contract. It is a partnership in all science; a partnership in all art; a partnership in every virtue.” — Edmund Burke

NJIT has long engaged in partnerships with individuals and organizations vital to the university’s success in education, research and economic development. We have partnered with generous donors who have advanced our mission over the decades, and with groups in the public and private sectors that have expanded the scope of the opportunities available to our students. The continuing significance of these partnerships is clearly evidenced in the pages that follow.

The cover portrait of NCE Dean Sunil Saigal was taken in the new Vincent A. Stabile Systems Engineering and Management Laboratories. This state-of-the-art facility was made possible through the foundation created by the personal generosity of Vincent and Antoinette Stabile. The laboratories and graduate fellowships endowed by the recent gift from the Stabile Foundation will prepare students studying industrial and manufacturing engineering for leadership in the global economy.

In their generosity, Vincent and Antoinette Stabile join numerous supporters of NJIT in a partnership critical to the success of

talented young women and men, as well as to the prosperity of our nation.

Increasingly in the 21st century, successful careers must be built on a combination of classroom instruction and real-world experiences. That’s why universities nationwide are partnering with businesses, government agencies and non-profit groups to provide students with opportunities for adding the value of experiential learning to higher education. NJIT students are benefiting from our partnerships with large corporations, startups, government agencies at all levels, and many other organizations. Each semester, a growing number of students gain an edge essential for entry into the workplace as interns, co-op employees and participants in other experiential learning programs.

NJIT greatly values the commitment of all who help to sustain these partnerships.

Two hundred years ago, the preeminent Irish statesman Edmund Burke alluded to the social importance of such partnering. It remains vital to what we aspire to achieve in the present century.

Editorial Note — This issue of NJIT Magazine has been published in two versions. One version, combining feature articles and university news with a supplement recognizing donors to NJIT, Honor Roll, was sent to contributors on record as of December 2007. Our other readers received the abbreviated version of the magazine without the Honor Roll supplement. Readers who would like to consider contributing to NJIT can visit www.njit.edu/giving for information about the many options available.

letter from the president NJIT magazine

Sustaining vital partnerships

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Fab Lab Adds Beauty to a Building Site Richard Garber, assistant professor in New Jersey

Downtown New York sponsored the contest. The council

School of Architecture, won first place in a competition

challenged creative thinkers to enhance the experience

to design and build a visually pleasing yet utilitarian

of pedestrians who must navigate dim and labyrinthine

construction-site walkway at Manhattan’s MTA Fulton

walkways in the vicinity of World Trade Center construc-

Street Transit Center. The largely plywood creation was

tion projects.

conceived and prefabricated by Garber and students at NJIT’s Fab Lab — a contraction of Fabrication Laboratory — the university’s state-of-the-art facility for translating creative concepts into reality in a variety of media. The

n

See “Imagination Made Tangible” in the winter 2006 NJIT Magazine at http://magazine.njit.edu.

New Jersey School of Architecture: http://architecture.njit.edu

Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Alliance for

Engineers Without Borders Make a Difference in Haiti

NJIT MAGAZINE

Owen Fitzgerald (left), a construction engineering technology major, and Allyn C. Luke of NJIT’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering calibrate a GPS system in Milot, Haiti.

“With a little bit of effort, we can make a big difference,” says Jay Meegoda, professor of civil and environmental engineering and faculty advisor to the new NJIT chapter of Engineers Without Borders (NJIT-EWB). EWB is a non-profit humanitarian organization established to partner with developing communities worldwide to improve the quality of life. It was in this spirit that members of the NJIT chapter traveled to Haiti to assess the requirements for their inaugural project — designing a water filtration system for a family in the city of Milot. The team plans to help construct 100 such systems, and students will earn graduate or undergraduate credits while applying their knowledge and skills in raising living standards with critically needed facilities. n Meegoda@njit.edu for more information

Photos: photoTECTONICS/Fabian Birgfeld, Ketline Anne M. St. Victor, Goksel Cabuk

Helping the Smithsonian Acquire Communications History Daniel A. Henderson, president of PhoneTel Communications, Inc. and a member of the Albert Dorman Honors College Board of Visitors, helped the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History acquire two prototype devices and documentation related to pioneering wireless picturephone technology. Henderson holds six U.S. patents for innovations in the wireless field, and the new donation adds to a previous collection associated with wireless technology that he gave to the museum’s Information Technology and Communications Division in 2003. This includes the Casio Z-7000 “Zoomer,” immediate predecessor to the PalmPilot, and the Atari Portfolio, the first palmtop computer. n See Daniel Henderson’s “Hard Copy” column “Living in the Wireless Neighborhood” in the fall 2003 NJIT Magazine at http://magazine.njit.edu.

A demonstration of leading-edge manufac-

perity. Tailored for both full-time students

turing technology was one of the highlights

and part-time working professionals, the

of a February open house showcasing NJIT’s

program was launched in fall 2007 with 56

new Vincent A. Stabile Systems Engineering

students on board for the MS in Engineer-

and Management Laboratories. The facility

ing Management, the principal degree

is a central resource for graduate students

associated with the Stabile program. The

and faculty researchers participating in the

Department of Industrial and Manufacturing

Stabile Systems Engineering and Manage-

Engineering administers the program.

ment Program — NCE’s flagship master’s

Vincent Stabile, who passed away in

program emphasizing the innovation, entre-

2002, was an outstanding engineer and

preneurship and management skills essential

entrepreneur who invented a fastener used

in today’s global economy.

in numerous consumer products. His family-

Located in the Stabile wing of the

owned Industrial Retaining Ring Company,

university’s Guttenberg Information Tech-

based in Irvington, contributed to New

nologies Center, the lab complex includes

Jersey’s prosperity for many years, creating

ten experimental stations, the Festo System,

jobs and generating economic growth.

which gives students “hands-on” training in

Vincent, together with his sister Antoinette,

solving practical problems using robotics for

was a generous philanthropist dedicated

automated manufacturing.

to fostering talent in a wide rage of fields,

Gifts totaling $2 million from the Stabile Foundation created, and now support,

including education, medicine and the arts.

On the cover of this issue is Newark College

the lab group, the graduate program, the

of Engineering Dean Sunil Saigal in the new

Vincent A. Stabile Endowed Graduate Schol-

systems engineering and management labs.

arships and the Stabile Memorial Lecture.

Also see the interview with Dean Saigal on

The Stabile gifts, and a $1 million matching

page 10. n

contribution by NJIT, will support education

http://industrial.njit.edu

and research in fields that offer the prospect of significant personal success for students, and which are vital for U.S. economic pros-

Part of the new laboratory and teaching facility dedicated to the late Vincent A. Stabile

@NJIT NJIT magazine

A Gift to Manufacture the Future

Scholarly Exchange with Japan The global economy is expanding geographic horizons in higher education as well as in commerce. NJIT’s newest international engagement is an agreement launching a three-year exchange program between the School of Management and Ube National College of Technology (UNTC) in Ube City, Japan. As part of the exchange, Takao Ito, head professor of UNTC’s business department, began a one-year sabbatical at NJIT in spring 2008. Ito is an expert on network organization, especially Toyota’s management systems. n

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http://management.njit.edu

Professor Somenath Mitra holding the material for a “printable” solar cell

Printing Power from the Sun NJIT researchers have taken major steps toward inexpensive solar-power cells that can be printed on flexible plastic sheets, and which one day might even be painted onto a building’s walls or roof.

In 2007, the science of this advance was detailed in

the background of the accompanying photo. The less costly

“Fullerene single wall carbon nanotube complex for

and simpler solar-cell technology developed at NJIT employs

polymer bulk heterojunction photovoltaic cells,” a cover

carbon nanotubes and carbon “Buckyballs” (fullerenes) to

story of the Journal of Materials Chemistry published by

produce an electric current from solar radiation.

NJIT MAGAZINE

the Royal Society of Chemistry. The society, based at

“Someday, I hope to see this process become an

Oxford University, is the British equivalent of the American

inexpensive energy alternative for households around

Chemical Society. The article was co-authored by NJIT

the world,” says Mitra. “Or imagine driving in a hybrid

Professor Somenath Mitra, leader of the university’s

car with a solar panel painted on the roof, which produces

pioneering solar-power team and acting chair of the

electricity for the engine. The opportunities are endless.” n

Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science.

http://chemistry.njit.edu

Purified silicon, also used for making computer chips, is a core material for fabricating conventional solar cells, seen in

Photos: Kai Chan, Jessica Liatys, Bill Wittkop

In the Top 50 Student comments on the RateMyProfessor website placed Soha Abdeljaber — NJIT university lecturer in math and ’01 alum — at number 45 among the 50 highest-rated college teachers in the nation for 2007. RateMyProfessor is the most popular site of this type in the country, with a recent tally of some 7.5 million faculty ratings for schools nationwide. Abdeljaber, who has taught pre-calculus and calculus, has also been honored by NJIT with an excellence in teaching award. n http://math.njit.edu

Recently patented technology to speed identification of afflic-

of fluid, a capability especially important for quick detection of

tions ranging from cancer to bird flu has earned NJIT Professor

dangerous diseases in parts of the world where labs with more

Timothy Chang a Thomas Alva Edison Award from the Research

costly equipment may not be available. Central to the patent

and Development Council of New Jersey. Chang, a member of

“Delivery of Metered Amounts of Liquid Materials” is Chang’s

the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, shared

innovative SmartPin system, which facilitates dispensing and

the honor with co-innovator Peter Tolias, executive director

analyzing droplets less than 60 microns in size — about half the

of the Institute of Genomic Medicine at UMDNJ-New Jersey

thickness of a typical human hair. n http://ece.njit.edu

Medical School. The technology offers small and medium-sized facilities a precise and economical way to test minute amounts

Cyber-Pioneers Honored Long-time NJIT professors Starr Roxanne Hiltz and Murray Turoff were lauded in a traditional European manner — with a celebratory “festschrift” — for achievements that include their prescient 1978 book The Network Nation, which envisioned the communications revolution made possible by the personal computer. At the October campus event, colleagues worldwide attested to the influence of the two cyber-pioneers’ work on their own, either in person or electronically via text and video messages. Although Hiltz and Turoff did not invent e-mail, they developed the first groupware systems, and a platform for evaluating applications now commonplace, such as group communications for emergency management, planning and forecasting, online learning, project management, decision support and more. Officially retired, they plan to remain active researchers, working with doctoral students. n http://ccs.njit.edu

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Biomedical Breakthrough Garners R&D Council Award

Sports@NJIT

DeRogatis Cited as Outstanding Student-Athlete

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Austin DeRogatis, NJIT graduate and four-year member of the Highlanders baseball team, was honored by the Collegiate Athletic Administrators of New Jersey as the male 2007 Student-Athlete of the Year from among the state’s NCAA Division I, Division II and NAIA athletic programs. DeRogatis, who majored in civil engineering, was enrolled in Albert Dorman Honors College, graduating with a cumulative GPA of 3.915. He was a four-year regular, three-year starter and senior captain of the team, playing in 132 career games (101 starts) and posting a .268 career batting average on 91 hits in 339 at-bats. He finished with nine doubles, 11 home runs and 62 RBI’s. As a senior in 2007, he was tri-captain of the first NJIT team to compete at the Division I level. n

Division I Volleyball Honors

Sabrina Baby

Academic performance as well as athletic ability won women’s volleyball players Sabrina Baby, Katrina Hornstein and Danielle Thompson berths on the national NCAA Division I Independent All-Academic Team for 2007. In order to be eligible for the honor, the student-athletes needed a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20, at least sophomore athletic standing and play as a starter or important reserve. Baby, a sophomore from Florianopolis in Brazil, and Thompson, a graduate of Ward Melville High School in New York, are both business majors. Hornstein, a graduate of Marshall School in Minnesota, is a mechanical engineering major.

Baby led the Highlander defense with 694 digs and 62 service aces, ranking first in Division I Independent Volleyball statistics in

both categories. She recorded double-figure totals in every game but one while posting a Highlander Division I record for 42 digs against Sacred Heart on October 31, surpassing her own record of 41 set in September.

Baby was also honored on October 2 and 16 as Defensive Player of the Week.

Hornstein is a strong all-around player who recorded 16 double-doubles this year, posting a season-high 18 kills on two occasions and 26 digs against Harvard on September 22. She ranked second on the team with 299 kills and tied for third in service aces (34).

Thompson, a junior, ranked second on the team with 443 assists and fifth in service aces (24). She reached double-figure totals in 22 out of 27 games for the year. n

NJIT MAGAZINE

Ironbound Express Soccer Arrives at NJIT The Newark Ironbound Express soccer team, one of 63 teams that comprise the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League, will play their home games on NJIT’s Lubetkin Field beginning in May 2008. Ironbound Express President Joseph Branco ’74, an NJIT soccer alumnus, made the announcement at a university press conference in early February. Branco is also a member of the NJIT Highlander Athletic Advisory Board. The Ironbound Express provides the best U.S. and Canadian players ages 19-23 with the opportunity to perform in a professional setting during the summer months while maintaining their college eligibility. “We are hoping to attract the best players in New Jersey to play with us over the summer and give them the opportunity to go to Europe and South America,” said Branco. n

Photos: Larry Levanti

The Highlanders Athletics Campaign, now in its broader public phase, has already scored big among contributors — with $3.96 million raised toward its $5 million goal by the end of February. The campaign’s overall objective is to build a solid foundation for future excellence in athletics at NJIT. “We launched the campaign to raise funds essential for upgrading athletic facilities and increasing the scholarships available to outstanding student-athletes,” says Charles R. Dees, Jr., president of the NJIT Foundation and vice president for university advancement.

“We want to dedicate $3 million to upgrading facilities, $1.5 million for scholarships and $500,000 for program support. Among the campaign’s giving options in each of these areas, there are still opportunities for commemorative and honorary naming gifts.”

Upgrading NJIT’s athletics program to match its academic stature has been a priority for NJIT President Robert A. Altenkirch since his arrival on campus in 2002. “Fostering academic success is of primary importance at NJIT with respect to all students,” says Altenkirch. “However, our young women and men are also encouraged to participate in activities outside the classroom to enrich their college experience. Many of them choose to don a Highlanders uniform and pursue the same excellence in athletics.”

For more information about participating in the Highlanders Athletics Campaign, contact Darlene Lamourt, campaign director at (973) 596-3403 or darlene.lamourt@njit.edu. Also, visit www.njit.edu/athleticscampaign. n

Three Make All-Atlantic Soccer Conference

Erik Magnusson

Erik Magnusson, Gustav Warfving and captain Scott Rietze were named to the All-Atlantic Soccer Conference (ASC) team for 2007. Magnusson, a sophomore midfielder, won First-Team recognition while Warfving and Rietze were selected for Second-Team honors.

Magnusson started 15 of the team’s 17 games. He scored a team-leading six goals and picked up two assists combining for 14 points. Erik leads the team in shots (26) and shots on goal (18). He was selected ASC Player of the Week on three different occasions and was named Offensive Most Valuable Player of the Soccer Post/Aztec Classic men’s soccer tournament, where he scored two goals over

nationally ranked San Diego State.

Warfving, playing with a year of college soccer under his belt, ranked second on the team with two goals and two assists totaling six points. His 21 shots and 14 shots on goal rank him under teammate Magnusson.

Rietze, a strong defender whose leadership was recognized on the field, played and started 17 games in the back for the Highlanders. Scott was named to the All-ASC Second Team in 2006. n Get the latest news about all NJIT sports at www.njithighlanders.com.

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Get in the Game with The Highlanders Athletics Campaign

The Capstone perspective Capstone projects call upon students to help develop solutions for real-world needs in many fields. For example, since its inception in 2002, the Capstone program initiated by University Senior Lecturer Osama Eljabiri in the College of Computing Sciences has involved more than 1,500 students in some 300 projects. Clients and sponsors have included CBS News, CIT, Honeywell, PSE&G, Saint Barnabas Health Care System and the U.S. Army, as well as smaller high-tech firms. Capstone students

have also joined NJIT research teams, and projects have been sponsored by the City of Newark, the New Jersey governor’s office and the FBI. Under Eljabiri’s direction, the program has expanded to include a pre-college component — Connections: A Real World Education Program for High School Students. Talented young people from high schools across New Jersey participate in work-experience projects for companies, non-profit organizations and other groups under the guidance of industry experts, and NJIT faculty and students.

Recently, a Capstone team that included high school students worked on software for the “Global Microscope” at New Jersey’s Liberty Science Center. This powerful projector allows visitors to view graphic depictions of atmospheric changes, tsunamis, global warming and other geophysical phenomena. (Visit www.lsc.org for more about the Global Microscope.) n AUTHOR: Dean L. Maskevich is editor of NJIT Magazine.

Visit NJIT Career Development Services at www.njit.edu/CDS for more information about internships, co-op employment and other experiential learning opportunities, as well as for information about career services available to alumni.

A Wealth of Benefits Over a thousand NJIT students gain the diverse, substantial benefits of experiential learning each semester, and the summer offers other opportunities. Computer engineering major Mohamad Alsafrjalani, for example, spent two summers in the 10-week BioMEMS Summer Institute at NJIT, helping to design a device that measures blood viscosity. The NSF-supported program is an intensive introduction to BioMEMS technology at the heart of microelectromechanical pumps and sensors increasingly important in medicine.

The co-op or intern experience also offers the benefit of learning if a particular type of work is really to one’s liking. That’s been the experience of Erika Taugher, star NJIT soccer player and mechanical engineering major in Albert Dorman Honors College. Taugher, who won a highly competitive Wall Street internship at JPMorgan Chase & Co., also spent a summer at Panasonic working on technical manuals.

“The Wall Street internship was so important because it helped me to channel my interests,” Taugher says. “The internship at Panasonic was just as important because I learned that the work wasn’t for me. It’s easy to read job descriptions or shadow someone for a day and assume you want that job. But there’s no way to really know until you try it.” Taugher’s internship at JPMorgan led to an offer of full-time employment in corporate finance with the firm.

Two internships at Schering-Plough were equally significant for another Albert Dorman student — Stephanie Monteiro, a chemical engineering major with a minor in math. “I experienced quite different sides of the pharmaceutical

industry, research and management,” she says. “I was also able to start building personal relationships with people who might be future colleagues in the industry.” Some of the people Monteiro met as an intern may very well be colleagues in the near future. Nearing completion of her undergraduate degree, she has accepted an offer of full-time employment with Schering-Plough’s Global Technical Services group.

Real Experience and Real Knowledge for the Real World NJIT magazine

Gregory Mass, NJIT’s executive director for career development services, enthusiastically elaborates on how experiential learning adds value to education in the classroom and promotes professional development.

“An outstanding academic record is no longer enough to obtain the most desirable positions when you enter the workplace,” he says. “Employers seek graduates who are not only technologically proficient, but who also have developed communication and teamwork skills.” There’s also a significant advantage when it comes to paying for college. While not all interns are paid, co-op students earn a salary as well as academic credit.

Mohamad Alsafrjalani in NJIT’s clean room

NJIT MAGAZINE Q&A with Dean Sunil Saigal 10

withDean Sunil Saigal

Sunil Saigal was named dean of Newark College of Engineering in 2007, with an appointment as distinguished professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He comes to NJIT from the University of South Florida, where he served as interim dean of the College of Engineering and as a professor and chairman of civil and environmental engineering, with a joint appointment in the biomedical engineering program. Saigal, who holds a PhD in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University, has received more than $4.3 million in funding from federal agencies, including the National Science Foundation.

NJIT Magazine: What attracted you to NJIT? Saigal: Bringing my family to an intellectually vibrant part of the country was a personal attraction. Of course, the location attracted me professionally as well. For example, New Jersey has one of the nation’s highest concentrations of companies in the pharmaceutical and biomedical fields. Interaction with these organizations, and companies in other high-tech industries, offers great potential for helping to enhance the reputation of a fine engineering school and an outstanding university.

NJIT Magazine: Which experiences do you feel were especially important in preparing you for the post of dean at NCE? Saigal: I have benefited from a variety of experiences, beginning with getting a sense of management styles

Photo: Kai Chan

from my graduate advisor at Purdue. He was dean of the school of engineering at the time, and he started me thinking about what it takes to be an effective, innovative leader in academia. It’s something that I continued to be aware of as I entered teaching, progressing from assistant to full professor and reflecting on what constitutes the best academic environment.

I’ve also managed National Science Foundation programs, which helped me gain insights into funding and managing research. My administrative experiences at the University of South Florida, where I chaired the department of civil and environmental engineering and served as interim dean of the College of Engineering, have been very important as well. You might say that I have put these experiences in the bank over the years.

technologies, energy, and infrastructure development are some examples. That’s why we are planning new master’s degrees as well as taking a close look at all of our current programs. A very significant aspect of this process is making it possible to serve a greater number of students, especially on the graduate level. Reevaluating prerequisites to make graduate study more accessible to non-engineering undergraduates and offering working professionals the flexibility to customize programs in their fields are important steps in this direction.

NJIT Magazine: What are your thoughts on involving students in research, and what are the challenges of doing so at NCE, and NJIT in general?

Saigal: First, let me say that education and research are inseparable at a university such as NJIT. Engaging students in research at all levels also adds great value to their university experience and will enhance our educational reputation as well. It benefits everyone.

However, let me add that there are definite challenges.

One is that many NJIT students work in order to afford a college education. We must take such a demand on their time into consideration when designing a curriculum that emphasizes the research experience. We must make it possible for them to participate in this key aspect of an education in science and technology to the greatest degree possible. We must recognize the needs of all our students and be flexible and creative in meeting those needs.

NJIT Magazine: How can alumni help to achieve NCE’s goals and objectives?

Saigal: Alumni have helped to support the college for many years, and in various ways. But we need even greater involvement. That’s why I have personally reached out to alumni groups in New Jersey, and on recent trips to Connecticut, Florida, and Washington D.C. While financial support is always important, we need greater alumni assistance with recruiting students across the country, and in key advisory capacities.

NCE alumni have achieved positions of leadership in many industries and in government. Their advice and perspectives are critical when it comes to the future direction of our educational and research programs.

Quite simply, alumni are NCE’s best champions, our best marketeers. n INTERVIEWER: Jean M. Llewellyn is executive director of university communications at NJIT.

http://engineering.njit.edu

Q&A with dean sunil Saigal NJIT magazine

Now I have the opportunity to draw upon all of them at NCE. NJIT Magazine: What can you tell us about how you will approach your role as dean?

Saigal: I like to actively engage with people, one on one, and I try to do my best as a mentor. The success of our mission in education and research depends primarily on the success of our faculty and staff. It is my intention to do whatever I can to ensure that our people receive all of the support needed to succeed professionally in their respective positions.

I also like to give people every opportunity to share their ideas and their concerns with me. I am always available for this, and I want to be open about sharing my ideas, too.

NJIT Magazine: And some of your ideas are?

Saigal: I think we need to clarify short- and long-term goals, and we need to be specific about what we want to accomplish. For instance, I think it would be very effective for us at NCE to focus on three or four research areas where we can achieve excellence in the relatively near future. We can plant the seeds of such excellence today with the expectation of seeing initial results in, say, four to five years.

For the longer term, I would like to build on the substantial reputation for research that NCE already has and develop even more effective strategies for achieving truly national recognition in research excellence. NCE can make important contributions to NJIT by becoming a national research powerhouse.

It will be an important part of my role to move toward these goals by encouraging consensus among all concerned — faculty, staff and students. Together, we must decide how best to invest all of our intellectual and capital resources in the future.

NJIT Magazine: In addition to research, what are your educational priorities?

Saigal: What we can do for the future success of our students is on the same level as research in my mind.

They are the two sides of the same coin. Today, the reality is that we must do all that we can to prepare students to become global leaders in science and technology. I know that you will hear the same thing from many people. But that is the reality of the 21st century.

Preparation for leadership in this globalized environment is what will continue to enhance our reputation as a college of engineering.

We also have to offer undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students for careers in disciplines where professional demand is greatest. Bio-related

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Alumni Circuit

alumni circuit

Honoring Jerome Murawski ’36

WHAT’S NEW? Do you have a new job, addition to your family, recent honor or award? Would you like to tell us about your professional field? We want to hear from you!

There are three ways to share your news with Alumni Relations for class notes in NJIT Magazine: 1. On the Web, visit www.njit.edu/alumni/ classnotes to access a form for sharing your news.

2. By e-mail, send news and photographs to alumni-classnotes@njit.edu.

3. Via U.S. mail, send news and photos with your graduation year(s) to: Robert A. Boynton Executive Director, Alumni Relations New Jersey Institute of Technology Eberhardt Hall NJIT Alumni Center Room 218 323 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

Newark, NJ 07102-1982

Julia Murawski with NJIT President Robert A. Altenkirch

The North Wing of Eberhardt Hall NJIT Alumni Center has been formally dedicated to the late Jerome Murawski ’36 in recognition of the continuing commitment of the Murawski family to NJIT. The dedication ceremony in December was attended by his wife, Julia, as well as by other family members and friends.

Upon receiving his degree from Newark College of Engineering, Jerome went on to engineering and marketing positions in the petroleum industry, work that took him and Julia to many parts of the globe. Since Jerome’s passing in 1985, Julia has sustained a relationship with NJIT through vital scholarship support for students in civil and environmental engineering. This commitment will continue far into the future through the generosity of the Murawski family in the form of The Jerome Murawski Memorial Endowed Scholarship.

“Don’t Call Your Boss an Idiot” Advises Alan Rosenthal ’65

NJIT MAGAZINE

The importance of social skills for career advancement in every field was the focus of a seminar presented at NJIT by former Bank of America vice president and NJIT alumnus Alan Rosenthal. The seminar, sponsored by NJIT’s College of Computing Sciences, explored how communication and social skills in the workplace and the relationships one encounters can ultimately affect a career.

Rosenthal’s discussion of diplomacy on the job included relationships with supervisors, colleagues, clients and vendors. At Bank of America, Rosenthal headed the information technology business architecture group.

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Photos: Kai Chan

Alumni Help Launch PSEG Scholarship

Visit www.njit.edu/giving to learn about the many options for contributing to NJIT.

(Chemical Engineering), founder and president of ResinTech, Inc., has received the Annual Merit Award given by the International Water Conference. Each year, this award honors outstanding individuals in the field of industrial water technology. Michael was selected for his contributions to ion exchange technology in research and development, innovations as a manufacturer of ion exchange resins, and a leader in the field of special applications. ResinTech is a supplier of ion exchange resins, activated carbon and selective media for the water and wastewater marketplace. Headquartered in New Jersey, ResinTech also has locations in Florida, Texas and California.

1966 _John Bakum (Electrical Engineering), MS ’68 has been elected president of the Kings Theatre Company Board of Directors.

Founded in 1998, the Kings Theatre Company is the primary resident

Weston Medal for William Paulus Jr. ’63

theater group at the Lycian Centre

NJIT’s Edward F. Weston Medal for Professional Achievement was awarded to William Paulus Jr. at the 2007 University Convocation.

Paulus, who received his master’s degree in civil engineering from Newark College of Engineering in 1963, is president of Paulus, Sokolowski & Sartor, the engineering and architecture firm he founded. A founding member of the NCE Board of Visitors, Paulus has previously been honored with the NCE Distinguished Alumni Service Award.

dent of Middlesex County College

for the Performing Arts in Sugar Loaf, New York. John, a resident of Warwick, New York, retired as presiin New Jersey. In addition to his NJIT degrees, he holds a doctorate in education from Rutgers.

1974 _Walter Wallach (Electrical Engineering) is vice president of software engineering at NetXen, Inc. Walter has extensive experience in senior technical leadership positions in the server and software industries. NetXen is a privately held company that manufactures intelligent 10 gigabit Ethernet networking chips that advance enterprise datacenter performance and agility.

1975 _Anthony E. Stavis (Mechanical Engineering Technology) has been honored with the ITT Engineered for Life Award for the development of a smart variable frequency drive used in pumping applications.

Weston Medal recipient William Paulus Jr. with NJIT Provost Priscilla P. Nelson and Senior Vice President for Research and Development Donald H. Sebastian

alumni circuit NJIT magazine

Freshmen enrolling next fall in NJIT’s Albert Dorman Honors College will have the opportunity to apply for a new scholarship endowed with an initial gift of $150,000 from NJIT alumni employed at Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) in Newark. Scholarship recipients will also be able to consider a compensated internship at PSEG, parent organization of Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G).

“The scholarship symbolizes the ongoing partnership between our institutions,” says Rodney Dickens, 1985 NJIT alumnus and PSE&G’s vice president of asset management and centralized services. “There is a tradition of NJIT alumni who have had long, successful careers with Public Service. This scholarship will help make an NJIT education more affordable, and help to ensure a pool of skilled workers for companies like PSEG in the future.”

PSEG alumni maintain an active and visible presence through the PSEG/NJIT Corporate Club. The group, which meets several times a year, participates in events that include luncheons and lectures. They also participate at NJIT career fairs.

1963 _Michael Gottlieb

13

Mal & Friends Author: Mal Simon is professor emeritus of physical education and athletics at NJIT.

alumni circuit

After joining the faculty in 1955, he served as director of physical education and athletics, and coached the men’s soccer team for 30 years. In 1993, Mal was awarded the Cullimore Medal for his many years of dedicated service to the university.

When diagnosed with prostate cancer last year, my search

success rate of treatment has risen to almost 95%, so I

for a cancer specialist ended with Dr. Andrew Zablow ’70,

urge all men to get an annual exam or PSA test.

rated one of the top ten radiation oncologists in the New Jersey/New York area, at the St. Barnabas Cancer Center

Mark Naser ’89 made an auspicious debut at the 2007 soccer/basketball alumni golf outing by teaming with Dr.

in Livingston, New Jersey. Andy was an outstanding

Norman Loney ’77 and Len Kaplan, NJIT athletics

soccer goalkeeper at NJIT so I knew I would be in “good

director, to win team honors. Mark, a scientist with Avon,

hands” (pun intended). After graduating from NJIT, Andy

lives in Franklin, New Jersey, with his wife, Barbara, and

earned an MBA at Temple University. He then worked as

two children. Other outing awards went to Roy Knutsen

an industrial engineer for several firms. While at Interpace

’62 for the longest drive and Gregg McEntee, son of Bob

Corp. in Parsippany, he spent a year in Tanzania manufac-

McEntee ’62, for closest to the pin. Paul Dreyer ’64 and Richard (Skip) Wilkins ’64, varsity basketball players at NCE, missed the outing as they were on a vacation with their wives in South Africa. Highlights of their trip included Table Mountain National Park, Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, and the Cape of Good Hope peninsula. They also stayed at the Inkasi Lodge, a reserve home to giraffes, rhinoceros, Cape buffalo, leopard, cheetah and many other species. They spent the last night of their vacation in an outdoor pub watching South Africa beat England in the World Cup Rugby Championships being held in France. They wore their Springbok (South Africa’s nickname) shirts and with 100 of their “closest” friends toasted the champions with Springbok shots (half crème de menthe and half Amarula liquor).

NJIT MAGAZINE

Andrew Zablow ’70

14

Diane and I spent a few days with Charlie ’53 and Liz Wilson at their new home in historic Winston-Salem,

turing concrete pipes for water transport. Upon his

North Carolina. Charlie, professor emeritus of mechanical

return, he was accepted to medical school in Guadalajara,

engineering, was a volunteer instructor in sailing,

Mexico. He spent three months in Guadalajara learning

windsurfing, canoeing and kayaking at NJIT. So that

Spanish, after which his wife, Ronna, and their baby,

Charlie could continue his interest in outdoor activities,

Stacey, joined him. They returned to New Jersey for an

Liz and their daughter, Jennifer, found the ideal home

internship at UMDNJ, during which time their son, Aaron,

south of the Blue Ridge Mountains near many hiking trails

was born. He moved to St. Barnabas for a four-year

and lakes.

residency in radiation oncology, the last year as chief

Paul Tubbs ’68 spent two months installing and maintain-

resident, and has been attending physician and vice

ing electronic controls at the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi

chairman for over 20 years. My confidence in Andy and

Arabia and consulates in Dhahran and Jeddah.

his staff was rewarded as I am now cancer free. My cancer

It was great to see Alan Paschedag ’75 at the NJIT

was detected as part of my annual medical examination

Athletics Golf Outing. The last time I saw him was about

and fortunately was localized in the prostate. Early

five years ago at the Midland Run, a fundraiser for the

detection of prostate cancer is a major reason why the

Midland School in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he was

competing in the 15K race. A runner since high school, Alan has competed in three marathons and a number of

1976 _Robert Sawdye (Mechanical Engineering) has been

15K races and triathlons. He had the honor of carrying

appointed vice president of produc-

the U.S. flag in the 2007 U.N. International Friendship

tion at Formula Telecom Solutions,

Run held the day prior to the NYC marathon. He also

Inc., in charge of development,

races cars and has won two regional championships and

professional services, and product

set a number of track records with his small Indy-type car powered by a four-cylinder engine. Rounding out his hobbies, he collects beer cans and related items and was

ment. In addition to his bachelor’s from NJIT, Robert earned a master’s and doctorate at MIT. Formula Telecom Solutions is a major sup-

Alan has worked for Foster Wheeler and Burns and Roe, a

plier of business control, billing and

consulting engineering firm, and currently is an engineer-

CRM products for communications

ing manager at Siemens, working on coal-fired equip-

service providers.

ment for the power industry. Al lives in West Caldwell, New Jersey.

Joining the list of NJIT alumni marathoners is Gerry Kurth ’67. Gerry ran the 2007 NYC Marathon in 5 hours, 25 minutes and 21 seconds, placing 651 among the 1102 runners in his age group. He sent me a threeminute film showing a portion of the race and I got tired just watching it.

An NJIT Southern California Alumni Club now being

1983 _Orlando A. Carreño

telematics products and services, such as electronic toll collection systems. Alan will be responsible for the company’s activities in the U.S., the largest market in the world for advanced toll systems. _Patrick McGowan (Construction Technology, Construction Management Engineering) has been profiled in a “My Turn” business feature in The Star-Ledger, New Jersey’s most widely read newspaper. McGowan, who founded his own company, McGowan Builders in 2002, was born in Ireland and came to the

(Chemical Engineering) has been

U.S. as a teenager. In addition to

appointed vice president for the

New Jersey, his growing company is

western region of Basin Water Inc.

active in markets that include New

The appointment is part of Basin’s

York, Louisiana and Florida.

plan to provide local support for its

_Marcelino Susas (Electrical

customers and expansion across the

Engineering) has joined the senior

United States through five regions

management team of Energy

serving the potable water market.

Conversion Devices, Inc. (ECD) as

With the company since 2002,

vice president for strategic market-

organized held an initial meeting during the men’s soccer

Orlando is the first such regional

ing. He will lead ECD’s initiatives to

tournament in San Diego in September 2007. NJIT

vice president and will oversee

assess global marketing opportu-

sales and service operations in

nities and drive strategic plan-

California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho,

ning for increasing market share

Oregon, Washington and Hawaii.

and long-term profitability. EDC

The process solutions that Basin

manufactures and sells thin-film

Water provides for clients include

solar laminates that convert sunlight

introduced the members of the soccer team and spoke

building and implementing systems

to energy. The company has also

about the team’s prospects. A highlight of the reception

for the treatment of contaminated

pioneered technologies that include

was a talk by NJIT Distinguished Professor Phil Goode,

groundwater as well as waste reduc-

a new type of faster, less costly

director of the Big Bear Solar Observatory. The weekend-

tion and resource recovery.

nonvolatile digital memory.

long activities also included two golf outings and a

1989 _Alan P. Allegretto

1995 _Kevin Bogerman

tailgate reception for alumni and guests at the soccer

(Construction Engineering Technol-

(Surveying Engineering Technol-

tournament at the University of San Diego, where NJIT

ogy) has been designated head

ogy) has been named a partner at

of the U.S. subsidiary of Kapsch

McNally Engineering, LLC, a civil

TrafficCom AG. Previously, Alan was

engineering firm headquartered in

founder, president, and CEO of the

Oakland, New Jersey. Kevin, who

GovScience Consulting Group LLC,

has more than 15 years of supervi-

specializing in international technol-

sory on-site experience, is a licensed

Armen Bedrossian ’87, Eric Borowsky ’63, Dick

ogy and infrastructure projects.

land surveyor in the states of New

Chmielewski ’70, Al Emslie ’75, Steve Garan ’62, Brian

Over the past three decades, he

Jersey and New York.

Miller ’80, Gerry Schomberg ’61, Barry Schram ’66, Hani

has been heavily involved in the

2001_Ahmed Soliman

President Bob Altenkirch and Vice President for University Advancement Charles Dees welcomed alumni and guests.

Also attending from NJIT were Len Kaplan, director of athletics, and Pedro Lopes, soccer coach. Coach Lopes

was taking part along with the University of California at San Diego and Fairleigh Dickinson University.

I was fortunate to attend and happy to see the large alumni turnout, which included former NJIT athletes

Shouga ’87 and Roman Skripkus ’67. I will bring you up to date on these alumni in my next column. Also to be featured in the next column will be evidence that 1951

development and implementation of projects ranging in size up to $2.5 billion for government agencies, the military and many compa-

was indeed the first year of soccer at NJIT. I humbly

nies. A retired U.S. Air Force officer,

apologize to Jim Boyle ’58 for doubting his word.

Alan also studied at the College

Keep the news coming to me at mal.simon@njit.edu or

of the Air Force and the Air Force

coach7157@yahoo.com, and be sure to check all the

Institute of Technology. Head-

news about grads and other events in “Alumni Circuit.”

quartered in Vienna, Austria, Kapsch TrafficCom AG is a leading

(Communication) now has a weekly column in The Record, New Jersey’s second-largest daily newspaper. The column will appear on the Op-Ed page of The Record each Thursday.

Since graduation, Ahmed’s career has spanned a wide range of media activities as a journalist and film maker. These have included being senior anchor and producer for the daily world news on Bridges TV.

alumni circuit NJIT magazine

president of the Breweriana Collectibles Club of America.

and customer account manage-

provider of innovative traffic

15

In Memoriam NJIT Mourns Former Provost Gary Thomas Known to many in the NJIT community for his dedication as an educator and administrator, Gary Thomas was remembered at a memorial service held on campus

alumni circuit

in late January. At the service, NJIT

Alumni Calendar Save These Dates!

Calendar and Regional Club

of 1938 through 2003 celebrating

pages on the Alumni Relations

fifth-year anniversaries.

Website for more information:

Friday-Sunday, June 6-8

www.njit.edu/alumni/clubs

President Robert A. Altenkirch

For the most current information

announced that a new fellowship

about all alumni events —

Young Alumni Club

has been established to honor

including specific dates — visit

The Young Alumni Club plans and

Thomas, who died at age 70 on

www.njit.edu/alumni/events and

sponsors social gatherings and net-

January 1, 2008.

the websites of the individual

working events for alumni who have

clubs and groups listed.

graduated within the last 20 years.

distinguished career in engineer-

Information is also available from

For 2008, the Young Alumni Club’s

ing, education and administration

the alumni relations office:

schedule of events has included a

Thomas devoted 18 years of his

to NJIT, from 1980 through 1998. He served the university as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, vice president for research and graduate studies, and vice president for academic affairs. Thomas also helped to form NJIT’s College of Science and Liberal Arts (serving as its first dean), the School of Management, and Albert Dorman Honors College.

Subsequent to his tenure at NJIT, he was appointed chancellor of the University of Missouri – Rolla and retired from that position in 2005.

973-596-3441 Or alumni@njit.edu

Tasting of the Foods and Wines of Europe” at the NJIT University Club in Eberhardt Hall, and a Young Alumni

NJIT’s Corporate Clubs provide a

Happy Hour in Washington D.C.

valuable networking opportunity for alumni within the workplace while also assisting NJIT students and faculty. Current NJIT Corporate

pay tribute to Thomas’ leadership in graduate education and the growth

Clubs include: Eng-Wong Taub,

For information about all Young Alumni Club activities: www.njit. edu/alumni/clubs

of research at NJIT. The program will support two doctoral candidates with

Hatch Mott MacDonald, Langan En-

Alumni Reunions

tuition, fees and stipend for the first two years of their candidacy. During

gineering & Environmental Services,

Although Alumni Reunion Weekend

years three and four, when recipients will receive The Gary Thomas Award in

PSEG, Schering-Plough and United

2008 is almost here for the classes

the amount of $2,000, they will be expected to obtain additional support in

Parcel Service.

of 1938 through 2003 celebrating

For information about contributing to the Thomas fellowship, contact

Corporate Club information and events: www.njit.edu/alumni/clubs

Jacquie Rhodes, associate vice president for development at 973-596-3407 or rhodes@njit.edu.

NJIT also notes with sadness the passing of the following alumni: Albert Earl Ott ’44 Robert Louis Moss ’50, MS ’63 Edward Stephen Chatlos ’51 Carlos Girod, Jr. ’61, MS ’67 George Eng ’70

fifth-year anniversaries, planning for 2009 fifth-year anniversary reunions is under way for the classes of 1939 through 2004.

Regional Clubs Events scheduled for 2008 include a Florida Regional Club gathering for a Tampa Bay Rays baseball game and BBQ on April 20th, a Philadel-

For information about reunions and Alumni Reunion Committee meetings, visit your class website at www.njit.edu/alumni/class.

phia Regional Club reception and

Reunion information is also available

engineering tour of Independence

from the Alumni Relations Office:

Hall on May 8, and the Monmouth

973-596-3441 or by e-mail to

County and Ocean County Regional

alumni@njit.edu.

Club’s annual Lakewood BlueClaws baseball game and BBQ on June 22.

NJIT MAGAZINE

bowling event in New York City, “A

Corporate Clubs

The Gary A. Thomas Doctoral Fellowship Program has been established to

the form of external research grants.

16

Check the Alumni Events

Alumni Reunion Weekend — Classes

AUTHOR: Patrick J. Natale P.E. ’70, MS ’75 is executive director of the American

Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). He previously served as executive director of the National Society of Professional Engineers and held top-level management positions with the Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) of New Jersey.

A blackout in the Northeast, failure of the levees in New Orleans, a steam-pipe explosion in New York and a bridge collapse in Minneapolis are just a few recent examples of how vast and tragic the impact of our nation’s failing infrastructure can be. Fixing the foundation our country was built upon — our infrastructure — is one of the greatest challenges we face.

Our growing population is relying on an aging infrastructure, and not only are we inadequately repairing and replacing it, but we are also ineffectively planning for the future.

The American Society of Civil Engineers periodically issues a report card assessing the condition of our roads, water systems and other public works. As the experts entrusted with designing, building and maintaining America’s infrastructure, we believe it is our obligation to inform the public about its condition. In ASCE’s most recent Report Card for America’s Infrastructure, 15 critical infrastructure categories received an overall grade of D. To raise that grade, ASCE is engaged in educating legislators, civil engineers and the general public about the need for leadership, increased funding and innovative solutions for the infrastructure systems that support daily life.

Leadership

presidential election cycle has taken a leadership position on this issue. That must change.

Funding ASCE estimates that the United States must invest $1.6 trillion in federal, state and local funds over a five-year period to bring the nation’s infrastructure to a condition that meets the needs of our current population. However, as much as half of the total investment needed is already allocated in existing budgets, and complementary funding methods — like user fees, public-private partnerships and tolling — will help us more quickly and effectively deal with our immediate infrastructure needs.

Innovative Solutions Being innovative means looking for alternative, holistic solutions to our problems. It cannot just be about building more roadway miles; it must also be about increasing our use of mass transit. We can lessen our traffic woes if we encourage people to bike, carpool and support telecommuting, job sharing and alternate work schedules. We can find creative ways to build, repair and maintain structures so that they will be longer-lasting. We can develop and use innovative building materials that will improve the long-term performance of our infrastructure systems.

Crumbling infrastructure has an impact on us all, but who will rise to this challenge? Those of us in infrastructure-related professions have an obligation to help fix our nation’s most precious and now fragile resource. But as users of the nation’s roadways, drinking-water systems and airports, I assert that we all have a vested interest in seeing America’s infrastructure GPA rise.

A crumbling infrastructure cannot support a healthy economy, so I urge you to join me in calling for national leadership on this vital issue. Our future well-being as individuals, and the well-being of our nation, depend on it. n Editorial Note: Current presidential candidates started to address the crucial challenges of rebuilding and improving the nation’s infrastructure as this issue of NJIT Magazine went to press, clearly amplifying the urgency expressed by Patrick Natale.

NJIT magazine

Leadership isn’t just about identifying problems. To be truly effective, leadership must be about championing solutions.

The first step in ASCE’s leadership plan — Raising the Grade: Small Steps for Big Improvements in America’s Failing Infrastructure (www.infrastructurereportcard.org) — outlines specific measures Congress should implement to protect our infrastructure systems. And lawmakers are beginning to heed this call to action.

The National Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2007, passed by the Senate last August, calls for establishing a national commission on infrastructure. The commission would report to Congress by 2010 on issues such as: the capacity of infrastructure improvements to sustain current and anticipated economic development; the age, condition and capacity of our infrastructure; repair and maintenance needs; and potential financing methods and investment requirements.

However, despite infrastructure’s vital importance to every person in this country, none of the contenders in the current

hard copy

Failing Infrastructure — Threatening our Economy and Way of Life

Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future, And time future contained in time past.

- T. S. Eliot

Although our NJIT experiences become memories all too quickly, they remain vital to a rewarding present and promising future. In elegant celebration of this enduring connection to our alma mater, we are pleased to offer these commemorative watches by Seiko in sizes for men and women.

Alumni can purchase the NJIT watch at a special price of $137.50 through the Office of Alumni Relations. Visit www.njit.edu/alumni/store to order a timepiece of unique personal significance.

Non-profit organization

u.s. postage

paid

newark, nj

permit no. 3353

New Jersey Institute of Technology University Heights Newark, NJ 07102-1982 www.njit.edu