A Magazine for Alumni and Friends of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering
International Outlook ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: STUDENTS TACKLE REAL-WORLD PROJECTS through epics DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI FAITH IN OUR LEADER SENIOR DESIGN SHOWCASE
Volume 12, No.1 April 2013
A Message from the Dean of the College of Engineering
Increasingly, graduates of ONU’s T.J. Smull College of Engineering will find themselves working within a global business environment that will take them far from the reaches of our rural community in Ada. While the vast majority of our students come from Ohio and the surrounding states, these students come into contact with a diverse group of international faculty and students that increase their knowledge of the world around them. In my seven years as dean of the College of Engineering, we have welcomed students from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Japan, Korea, Brazil and others. Likewise, international faculty members have come to educate our students from countries like China, Egypt and Jordan. Finally, we have sent students out into the world to serve others in Kenya and the Dominican Republic and to study abroad in Germany and South Korea. Through all of these experiences and interactions, our domestic students grow both personally and professionally. In this edition of Smull Talk, we recognize and celebrate those international students and faculty who have graced our institution. In particular, we highlight Keng-Siang Lim, BSCE ’89, who came to Ohio Northern University through a partnership with Singapore Polytechnic that was started by former Dean Bruce Burton, ACIT ’94, Hon. D. ’08. Lim went on to earn his master’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and then headed to Silicon Valley, where he has been an extremely successful entrepreneur in the world of technology. Lim looks fondly at his time at Ohio Northern and refers to Ada as his birthplace in the United States. While at ONU, Lim was allowed to double major in both civil engineering and computer science and was touched by the many caring faculty and staff that entered his life during that time. We were pleased to welcome Lim back to campus to give the 2013 Spotts Lecture and receive the 2013 College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award. Our current students continue to impress me every single day. Through their efforts, we have the opportunity to battle with the University of Notre Dame on the robotic football gridiron as well as serve the greater community through our new EPICS (Engineering Projects In Community Service) program, which provides students with rich design experiences that address the engineering or computer science needs of a community partner. I hope that you enjoy reading about these new initiatives along with the many accomplishments of the college’s students, faculty and alumni. As always, thanks for your support of ONU’s T.J. Smull College of Engineering. Go Bears!
Eric Baumgartner, Dean of the College of Engineering
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table of
Campus Contacts
contents INTERNATIONAL OUTLOOK
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EPICS Program Tackles Real-World Projects
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DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
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ROBOTIC FOOTBALL
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FAITH IN OUR LEADER
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DESIGN ON DISPLAY
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FACULTY/COLLEGE NEWS
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STUDENT NEWS
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THE ARCHER FUND
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ADVISORY BOARD
SMULL TALK Publication of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering at Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio, 419-772-2371, www.onu.edu/engineering On the cover: Keng-Siang Lim, BSCE ’89 ©2009 Doug Logan / douglogancreative.com
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Dr. Eric Baumgartner Dean of Engineering Voice: 419-772-2372 Email: e-baumgartner@onu.edu Professor Thomas Zechman Assistant Dean Voice: 419-772-2698 Email: t-zechman.1@onu.edu Dr. Jonathan Smalley, BSCE ’71 Chair, Civil Engineering Voice: 419-772-2377 Email: j-smalley@onu.edu Dr. Khalid Al-Olimat Chair, Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science Voice: 419-772-1849 Email: k-al-olimat@onu.edu Dr. John-David Yoder Chair, Mechanical Engineering Voice: 419-772-2385 Email: j-yoder@onu.edu Dr. Ken Reid Director of First-Year Engineering Voice: 419-772-2383 Email: k-reid@onu.edu Professor Laurie (Kahl) Laird, BSME ’86 Director of Corporate and Alumni Relations Voice: 419-772-2421 Email: l-laird@onu.edu Jacqueline Daley-Perrin Director of Development Voice: 419-772-2390 Email: j-daley-perrin@onu.edu
International Outlook An international outlook enriches the Smull College of Engineering. While the college’s international students, professors and alumni may be small in number, they make a big impact.
Diversity champion
No one has championed the importance of cultural diversity on campus more than Dr. Bruce Burton, ACIT ’94, Hon. D. ’08.
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Technology entrepreneur
e’s worked tirelessly for several decades to recruit international students to ONU and make the campus an inviting place for students from all cultures.
A technology entrepreneur in Silicon Valley, Keng-Siang Lim, BSCE ’89, got his start at ONU.
Burton spent 40 years in the College of Engineering. He started as an instructor in mechanical engineering in 1958, chaired the Department of Mechanical Engineering for 20 years, and became college dean in 1985, a position he held for nine years before stepping down for health reasons. He then taught five more years and retired in 1999. As dean, Burton led efforts to increase the number of international students in the College of Engineering. He believes a well-rounded education requires exposure to different cultures and that students who learn how to relate to people from other countries are better prepared to work in an increasingly connected world. ONU may not have a large population of international students, but the University works hard to integrate the students into their majors and campus life, according to Burton. International students live, study and play right alongside their American counterparts.
“Often, students have misconceptions about a certain culture,” explains Burton. “But when they get to know someone from that culture through daily interaction, those barriers begin to break down.” In 1987, when Burton was dean, he spearheaded an initiative that brought engineering students from Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic to ONU to complete their bachelor’s degrees. The Singapore program – the first of its kind at ONU – continued for several years. Around 30 Singaporean students received engineering degrees from ONU through the program. After he retired in 1999, Burton began working part-time in International Admissions, where he has recruited hundreds of students from different countries. A worldwide traveler, he has visited Russia, China, Kenya, Europe, Egypt, Israel and Vietnam in the role of ONU ambassador. Burton also brought the Sakae Institute of Study Abroad to ONU. This summer institute prepares approximately 25 Japanese students for study in America. Each year, several Sakae students decide to stay at Northern. Burton also helped to design a program for ONU’s Saudi Arabian students who need to learn English and adjust to American culture before they begin their studies. With no imminent plans to retire for a second time, Burton says he’ll champion diversity for as long as he’s able. “It’s been gratifying to meet so many outstanding international students,” he adds.
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im was one of the first three students to attend ONU through the Singapore program started by Dr. Bruce Burton in 1987.
Today, he’s a successful entrepreneur in the fast-paced world of technology, building five reputable Internet and software companies and holding 30 approved and pending patents. He’s currently the founder, chairman and CEO of NextLabs Inc., a leading provider of risk management software for large enterprises. Born in Malaysia, the second of six boys in his family, Lim became an entrepreneur at age 13, starting his own tutoring business. With dreams of building “magnificent structures,” he attended Singapore Polytechnic and uncovered a new passion computer software. Lim came to ONU because British universities wouldn’t let him major in both civil engineering and computer science. “Dr. Burton completely changed my perspective when he told me, ‘You can study anything you want at ONU!’ With those few magic words, he changed my life forever. And I am very thankful.” Lim’s intelligence and motivation made him a standout student at ONU. He looks back on his student days with fondness, remembering his first experience with snow, the kindly gift of a bicycle to help him traverse campus and town, and Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations with Burton and professor Clyde Dornbusch and their families. Lim even nurtured his entrepreneurial streak at ONU by helping to open Ada’s first Chinese restaurant! “ONU is the birthplace of my life in America,” he says. “I met so many great people and felt humbled by the unconditional help and open arms of so many friends and families. Most of what I know about American culture and values I learned at ONU, including my true understanding and embracement of creativity and freedom of thinking.” Lim says his early exposure to global cultures, languages and religions shaped him into a global citizen and leader. He feels a responsibility to give back to society, thankful to the many mentors who positively influenced his life. Passionate about education, global citizenship and entrepreneurism, Lim reaches out to young people in high school and college. He promotes outreach programs for cultural diversity and helps budding entrepreneurs learn how to successfully bring their innovations to market. Smull Talk
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International Outlook (Continued)
Computer Science, Al-Olimat cultivates a greater understanding of Islamic and Middle Eastern cultures on campus and in the Ada and Lima communities. Hailing from Jordan, Al-Olimat received his master’s degree from Bradley University in Illinois and his doctorate from the University of Toledo. He joined ONU’s faculty in 1999, establishing himself as an exceptional instructor and researcher in the fields of power engineering and control systems. In the past 14 years, he’s garnered numerous teaching awards and research grants.
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r. Kanti Shah earned icon status for his dedicated service to his students and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). A professor of civil engineering at ONU for 31 years, Shah oversaw hundreds of student projects – some with an international twist – in his classes and for ONU’s ASCE student chapter. Born and raised in India, Shah visited the U.S. as a young man and decided to stay and continue his education. He received his master’s degree from the University of Kansas and his doctorate from the University of Oklahoma. He came to ONU in 1971 after working as a civil engineer in India, Kansas and Pennsylvania.
nations. “The average American uses more than 100 gallons of water per day, while the average Indian uses just 25 gallons,” he says. “I would try to point these things out. I would let my students know they were lucky.” As the advisor for ONU’s ASCE student chapter, Shah helped student members tackle projects for area municipalities, such as designing bridges and sewer systems. During his tenure as advisor, ONU’s ASCE chapter consistently ranked as one of the top five in the country. Alumni and students honored Shah’s commitment to excellence and lengthy service by naming the ONU student chapter of ASCE the “Kanti L. Shah Student Chapter” after Shah’s retirement in 2001.
Leading voice
He also tried to open his students’ eyes to the hardships facing people in developing 6
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He believes diversity is important in higher education because it leads to personal growth. “When students are exposed to different cultures, it improves and sharpens their self-knowledge and insight. When they experience multiple viewpoints, it promotes creative thinking,” he says. A devout Muslim, Al-Olimat willingly shares information about his religion with ONU students and the wider community. He challenges misconceptions and points out the shared values between Islam and other major world religions. After Sept. 11, 2001, he played a vital role in calming fears and promoting peace and religious tolerance on campus. Describing himself as the “elected Muslim community leader,” Al-Olimat serves as the advisor to ONU’s Muslim Student Association. He, along with other ONU Muslim faculty members, founded the Islamic Society of Ada, a nonprofit entity recently approved by the state of Ohio. These groups bring together area Muslims for shared worship and religious observations and host numerous social and educational events throughout the year for people of all faiths.
Specializing in environmental and water resource engineering, Shah was a leading expert in his field. He wrote a textbook still used in college courses today. He helped develop the environmental option in ONU’s engineering curriculum and a freshman course that taught analytical and creative thinking. Shah often engaged his students in hands-on projects to teach them how to think outside the box. Whenever possible, he incorporated an international twist to his lessons. For example, one of his freshman projects required students to develop a series of sketches for tourists to help them overcome the language barrier.
Al-Olimat values the close-knit community found at ONU. “I really like a small institution,” he says. “ONU recruits top-quality students, and it’s a pleasure to build relationships with them and share my knowledge.”
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r. Khalid Al-Olimat is a leading voice on campus for religious tolerance.
A professor of electrical and computer engineering and chair of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and
Al-Olimat says his goal is to raise funds to build a small mosque in Ada. “My dream is to have an actual mosque in Ada where Muslims can pray daily in congregation,” he says. “The mosque will also allow Muslims to be more involved with the local community and strengthen the relationship between different faith groups.”
Knowledge seeker Yousef K. Shuhaibar Scholarship for International Students
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abio Jacob wants to harness American knowledge and technology and bring it back to Brazil.
He’s spending one year at ONU studying electrical engineering through the Brazil Scientific Mobility program, a study-abroad initiative funded by the Brazilian government. The contrast between Jacob’s hometown, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Ada, Ohio, couldn’t be starker. The temperature in Sao Paulo rarely dips below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and Sao Paulo ranks as the eighth largest city in the world. Yet Jacob quickly adjusted to his strange new surroundings. The weather may be cold, he says, but the people are warm. “I’m used to living in a big city, but I like that ONU is a small school because people are really interested in getting to know you. I’ve been impressed by how friendly and helpful everyone has been.”
An engineering alumnus, Yousef K. Shuhaibar, BSCE ’64, Hon. D. ’98, and his wife, Josie, established the only endowed scholarship fund at ONU for international students. A former University trustee and member of the College of Engineering Advisory Board, Shuhaibar founded and operated an architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Kuwait with branches in several countries. To date, 56 scholarships have been awarded through the fund. Shuhaibar’s two sons, Khalil Shuhaibar, BSEE ’93, and Bassel Shuhaibar, BS ’96, are ONU graduates. Alumni and friends interested in supporting international students at ONU can designate their gift to the Shuhaibar International Student Scholarship.
Determined to make the most of his experience, Jacob signed up for as many classes as he could. He also joined the men’s swimming team and a senior design team that is designing and building an automated lawnmower for commercial use. Many of Jacob’s engineering classmates have never traveled outside of the U.S., and they are curious about his culture. “I teach them about Brazil and how it compares to the United States. I give them a firsthand account that they can’t get on the Internet,” he says. Meanwhile, Jacob is soaking up new knowledge and insights every day. “You are used to how something is done in your country, and you think that is just how it is,” he explains. “But when you live somewhere else, you see different ways of doing things. It broadens your mind to new possibilities and new solutions. You adapt, and you are not the same person. The experience changes you, and that change is for the better.” Jacob plans a summer internship in the U.S. with a multinational company before returning to Brazil. He will never forget his ONU friends and experiences, he says. “I will carry them with me for life.”
This year’s recipient of the Shuhaibar International Student Scholarship is Yuki Matoba, a junior computer engineering major from Habikinoshi, Japan.
Fabio with his senior design teammates. They are designing and building an automated lawnmower for commercial use From left to right; Elizabeth Gall, Daniel Ashburn, Tyler Cler, Bryan Burkholder, Fabio Jacob and Patrick Whitten. Smull Talk
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ONU students working on EPICS projects are, from left to right, Rebekah Douglass, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Ashland, Ohio; Michael Sunyak, a junior electrical engineering major from North Royalton, Ohio; Alec Flemming, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Powell, Ohio; Andrew Woodruff, a freshman mechanical engineering major from Dayton, Ohio; Kathryn Skobrak, a junior mechanical engineering major from New Albany, Ohio; Kurt Meyer, a sophomore mechanical engineering major from Columbus Grove, Ohio; Elizabeth Spingola, a junior engineering education major from Butler, Pa.
Student engineers tackle real-world projects
Alec Flemming has spent his free time working on a team to build a replica of the Mars rover Curiosity and is expected to deliver the finished product to a local air and space museum by the end of the school year.
And he’s only a freshman. Flemming, a mechanical engineering major from Powell, Ohio, credits this hands-on engineering experience to ONU’s EPICS program, which kicked off in 2012 with a series of projects designed to match students with real-world challenges. EPICS, which stands for “Engineering Projects In Community Service,” first began at Purdue University in 1995 and has now been adopted at more than 21 universities around the world. “This program has been a fantastic way to apply concepts taught in the classroom, like the design process and teamwork, to a real project,” says Flemming. “The experience I gained has been tremendously valuable.” In addition to designing and fabricating the rover, other sections of the one-credit EPICS classes are designing new bases for Civil War-era cannons for a local village and redesigning the website for the village of Ada. “We’re always looking for opportunities to engage our students in meaningful ways,” says Eric Baumgartner, dean of the College of Engineering and advisor of the Mars rover team. “Service learning is an important
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concept that we utilize to help advance engineering education. EPICS provides rich design experiences, but always with the customer in mind.”
A NASA-worthy mission
The Mars rover team project began when Baumgartner met Christopher Burton, executive director of the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
“When I heard about the EPICS program, I immediately began to think of the engineering projects that might benefit the museum,” says Burton. “The rover model should be completed by the end of the school year. Once delivered to the museum, it will be exhibited in the Modern Space Gallery when not in use. The rover also will make frequent appearances at community festivals and area high schools.” Baumgartner, who worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., for 10 years, was the perfect person to oversee the work. “When I first went to work for NASA, I was part of a group that was charged with building technology that would advance NASA’s capability for robotics-based space exploration,” he says. “We were a prolific group in building rovers, pumping out rover after rover – usually one or two a year. So when I think about what these students are going through, I think of my time on the research team. The experience that the students are gaining here at ONU is very similar to the one I had at NASA.”
Restoring a centuries-old landmark Another group of students is tackling a concrete problem – literally. The students, under the leadership of Tom Zechman, are refurbishing cannon bases for two Civil War-era Rodman cannons that were originally given to the village of Forest, Ohio, in 1906. The concrete bases that were built to support the cannons at that time are crumbling, so the village reached out to ONU for help. “Each cannon weighs in excess of eight tons,” says Zechman, assistant dean for academic and student affairs in engineering and assistant professor of civil engineering. “Initially, there was a whole lot of historical research to make sure the students understood the cannons: how they were built, why they were built and what the original supports looked like.”
The project is something that would have otherwise gone to a civil engineering firm. “It’s a rich experience for the students on a couple of different levels,” Zechman says. “Our goal is to prepare students for the real world – they’ve gone to a park board meeting, they’ve been out in the field measuring, and the next phase is to meet with a fabricator. It is just every step of a genuine project that they’ll get their fingers on, a cradle-to-grave type of design.” As an instructor, Zechman says he benefits from the EPICS experience, too. “It gives me an opportunity to emphasize some things that don’t come up otherwise,” he says. He has stressed on several occasions with the students that the fabrication of the supports “has to happen right, and it has to happen faithfully. We’re not sacrificing any safety, we’re not sacrificing any integrity in the design process. I’m not sure I have the opportunity to make that case in a typical class.” Nate Ogden, a sophomore civil engineering major from Avon, Ohio, says the experience has been meaningful to him. “I am currently in charge of the communications aspect of the project, which entails everything from talking to the mayor of Forest to finding an affordable construction crew,” he says. “This class is fantastic because it has the students putting together a project that a real engineering firm would.”
Revamping a website side-by-side with the mayor
Another team is overhauling the website for the village of Ada, Ohio – a challenge that is intimately familiar to Dave Retterer, mayor of Ada, associate professor of mathematics and computer science, and the instructor for the EPICS team that is tackling the site. Last fall, a team of students worked on analyzing the existing site and creating a new organizational structure. The spring group is tasked with developing the new site. The village benefits from having a group of student consultants that will listen carefully to constituents’ and administrators’ needs and develop a product under the mayor’s watchful eye. “In the past, someone has come and taken our ideas and gone and built something,” says Retterer, adding that often the finished product may not meet the village’s standards. “That is not going to happen here, because I’m involved every week,” he says. “So the students are learning agile software development techniques – every week, you sit down, you go over it.” Retterer says that, in addition to working through the painstaking process of developing a fully functioning, userfriendly site, his students also are learning something about civics along the way.
Do you know of an EPICS project? The College of Engineering is interested in creating partnerships for potential EPICS projects in the future. Alumni and friends of the University are encouraged to contact Dean Eric Baumgartner with information on ways that ONU engineering or computer science students might help tackle realworld projects. Contact Baumgartner at e-baumgartner@onu.edu or 419-772-2372. Smull Talk
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From left to right: O. Glenn Smith, BSME, ’56, H of F ’97, Eric Baumgartner, dean of the College of Engineering, and Dan DiBiasio, president of Ohio Northern University. Smull Talk
From left to right: David Retterer, mayor of Ada and associate professor of mathematics and computer science, Robert Hovis, professor of mathematics emeritus, Keng-Siang Lim, BSCE ’89, and Earl Lhamon, BA ’58, BSEE ’59, professor of mathematics emeritus.
College of Engineering gives Distinguished Alumni Awards On Monday, Feb. 25, the College of Engineering hosted its annual Spotts Lecture, which featured Keng-Siang Lim, BSCE ’89, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of NextLabs. Lim’s presentation was titled “Globalize and Innovate: Making of the 2020 Era Engineer” During a reception and dinner before the Spotts Lecture, the College of Engineering presented its 2013 College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Awards to Lim and O. Glenn Smith, BSME ’56, H of F ’97, for their outstanding contributions to the engineering field. The T.J. Smull College of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Awards recognize those who have distinguished themselves through outstanding personal qualities and significant contributions to his or her chosen field. To be eligible for the award, an individual must be a graduate of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering, be distinguished in his or her profession, business or other worthy endeavor, have received recognition from his or her contemporaries, have made a significant contributions benefitting his or her community, state nation, the University or the college, and be a person of such integrity, stature and demonstrated ability that the faculty, staff, students and alumni of the college will take pride in and be inspired by his or her recognition. Keng-Siang Lim Lim, is the founder, chairman and chief executive officer of NextLabs. As CEO, he is responsible for the vision, leadership, strategic direction and successful growth of the company and its employees. IDG Demo recognized him at the DEMOfall 2009 with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his significant contributions to the advancement of technology. Lim is credited for his contributions to web and SOA technologies, ecommerce, SaaS, and information security software. Lim is a proven entrepreneur and has built a distinguished executive management career in Silicon Valley. Over the last 20 years, he has built reputable Internet and software companies, including Approach Software, Kiva Software, Netscape, Escalate and Sygate Technologies. He has been recognized by several key organizations as one of the
industry’s “most influential people on the Internet” for the creation and advancement of the Application Server product and market. Prior to NextLabs, Lim played a central role in launching Sygate Technologies, a leading provider of enterprise endpoint security enforcement software, with its founder Chris Guo in 1998. Lim served as chairman until Sygate’s acquisition by Symantec Corp. in 2005. Lim founded Escalate in 1999 and grew it into a leading multi-channel order management and ecommerce ASP company. Red Prairie acquired Escalate in February 2011. Prior to Escalate, Lim joined Netscape in 1997 as vice president and general manager of the Application Server and Web Infrastructure Products Division. He drove a large part of the Netscape’s core infrastructure software business – application server, web server, business process, content management, Java script, and Java development tools – and played a key role in transforming Netscape from a browser company into an infrastructure software company. Lim joined Netscape through its acquisition of application server pioneer Kiva Software, a company he founded in 1995 and for which he served as chairman and CEO. At Kiva, he was credited as one of the inventors of the Java application server. Lim pursued his first startup, Approach Software, a desktop database software provider acquired by Lotus in 1993, and began his career with Oracle Corporation. Lim holds a bachelor’s degree with high distinction majoring in computer science and civil engineering from Ohio Northern University and a master’s degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He is a member of the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. He is the holder of more than 30 approved and pending patents in the Internet and information security-related areas.
University of Pittsburgh. He worked as a fellow engineer with Westinghouse Electric Corp. and as a heat transfer specialist at Atomic Power Labs. In 1967, he began what would become a long and distinguished career in project engineering and management for NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. After the decision to stop Apollo moon missions, Smith was the study manager of a NASA in-house effort to identify costs, schedules and recommendations for various uses of Apollo launch-ready systems. These potential uses included Skylab II, the Apollo-Soyuz mission, artificial gravity tests, manipulator development, solar power satellite demos and museum pieces. Smith also was the project lead for a team of astronauts, scientists and engineers tasked with designing controls for the Apollo telescope mount in Skylab, and he acted as project lead for the development of Earth resources instruments for the Skylab program. He was manager of a NASA applications program for developing practical applications of satellite Earth resources data, managing approximately 450 contracts with university researchers and other users. He next was a rocket engine specialist in the Shuttle Systems Engineering Office at Johnson Space Center, specializing in the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) built by Rocketdyne. Smith was a deputy manager of systems engineering for the space shuttle, transferring to the Space Station Program Office after the first eight Shuttle flights, and he was the manager of science and applications experiments for the International Space Station.
O. Glenn Smith While a student at Northern, Smith was a member of Sigma Xi (scientific honorary), Alpha Sigma Phi (social fraternity), Tau Beta Pi (national engineering honorary) and Kappa Kappa Psi (college band honorary). He played varsity baseball, basketball and golf and was elected to ONU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1997.
While with NASA, Smith lectured to the European Space Agency on systems engineering, was the winner of 25 outstanding or superior performance awards, and gave testimony to various congressional committees regarding the safety and cost of space launch systems.
After graduating from Northern in 1956, Smith earned his Master of Science and then a Ph.D. (both in mechanical engineering) from the
Smith retired from NASA in 1994 and continues to serve as a consultant on space launch systems. Smull Talk
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Robotic football Michael Horth, a senior mechanical engineering major from Akron, Ohio, allowed himself a moment to ponder the potential headline:
Ohio Northern beats Notre Dame Should the ONU team prevail in an April meeting with the Fighting Irish here on campus, that would be an accurate, although slightly incomplete, summary of what had really transpired. “We would have to put a little asterisk next to it, but it would definitely be cool to see that in print,” Horth says. “And I definitely think we have a chance to pull it off.” Horth is referencing a football game in which the players are robots and the coaches operating them are students from the two schools. Notre Dame originated the competition and defeated ONU last year in South Bend, but the 2013 game will be played at Ohio Northern. Does Dr. John-David Yoder, professor and chair of mechanical engineering who oversees the ONU team, anticipate any kind of home-field advantage this year? “I’m not sure, but we’ll find out,” he says. Besides his role in assembling ONU’s team of engineers, Yoder also is a fan of the robotic football series. “I think, in general, competition excites students,” he says. “They are, in some sense, representing the University, and having the intercollegiate aspect helps get the creative juices going.” The ONU team started work on its team of robots early in the fall semester. The group plans to build six new robots and use several from last year’s competition to complete the team. The game is played under the same rules as eight-man football, with a quarterback, linemen, running backs, wide receivers and a kicker on each team. Different color lights illuminate to indicate when a robot is tackled or injured. 12
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Horth admits to having no football background, but he understands the value in reviewing film of previous games. After looking at last year’s match, he and teammate Hunter Turner, a senior mechanical engineering major from Tipp City, Ohio, knew ONU needed to find more speed for the 2013 game. “The other team beat us mostly with speed,” Turner says. “It makes sense that faster would be better, so we’ve put a lot of our budget into making our running back faster this year.” Yoder believes that the robotic football game challenges his students to explore outside the normal class regimen. “I think that’s been one of the biggest changes in engineering education, compared to 20 years ago: There’s now an emphasis on applying what you learn in the classroom,” he says.
Notre Dame professor Michael Stanisic says the strong backgrounds in electromechanical systems of Yoder and Dr. Eric Baumgartner, dean of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering, and the fact that both are Notre Dame alumni, made ONU a logical challenger.
“We are also impressed by ONU’s performance in intercollegiate competitions. These factors made ONU a solid choice for our first intercollegiate opponent.” Horth said it will take a “huge team effort,” but if ONU can prevail in the robotic showdown with traditional football powerhouse Notre Dame . . . “It would be one of the nerdiest Cinderella stories ever,” Turner says.
Faith in our Leader When Charles Leader, BSME ’60, founded Leader Engineering Fabrication back in 1984, he did so on a strong foundation of faith. Since then, his beliefs have fueled most every action of the company. Leader is dedicated to his faith in God and shares quite often that He is the reason for any success he has had. Leader takes great pride in his company’s business model, which he adapted from the Bible’s “golden rule”: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
“I work for the service to people, not the money.” With this in mind, Leader Engineering Fabrication has made a mission of providing quality services to its customers, employees and the community. Leader strives to assist his customers in developing new ideas and then transforming those ideas into equipment that overcomes manufacturing challenges.
process. Existing methods to hand-mount and align the printing plates on the printing cylinder were somewhat accurate but could be extremely error-prone or time-consuming for the operator, leading to costly delays between print runs. During the flexographic process, each separate color run must be in perfect alignment so that the overlapping colors can create a clear print. Once aligned, the press operator must then stop to examine his or work; if out of alignment, the entire process must begin again. To put an end to such delays, Leader developed the Leader Vision Center Mount System, a device for which he holds a patent. Created in 1989, Leader’s fully automated digital system is easy to operate and delivers quick and precise mounting. Because the software in the system does all of the alignment work, the risk of human error has been eliminated. The end result of this state-of-the-art vision system? The highest-quality printing in the flexographic industry. Leader says that developing this printing process is one of his greatest achievements. “We have developed an accuracy with this machine that cannot be duplicated,” he says.
One such challenge involved the flexographic printing industry, and the solution developed by Leader is one of his proudest accomplishments.
In addition to the Leader Vision Center Mount System, Leader Engineering Fabrication specializes in die-casting equipment, foodprocessing equipment, and custom machine design and production for automakers and tier-one automotive suppliers. Past and current clients include General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Navistar and Caterpillar.
A mainstay for printing packaging containers, flexographic systems were long troubled by the bottleneck created during the pre-press
Another hallmark of the company is its loyalty to Leader’s hometown of Napoleon, Ohio, where it was founded in 1984 with six
employees in a 6,000-square-foot facility. The company’s first activities involved fabricating steel cans for Campbell Soup. The business expanded until the company built a 24,000-square-foot office and manufacturing facility using a development grant from Henry County and the city of Napoleon. Scott Bauman, a senior mechanical engineering major from Napoleon, Ohio, met with Leader last spring and was instantly impressed. “Coming from a town of less than 10,000 people, I had limited options in finding a person to look up to,” Bauman says. “As a child, I looked up to family members, teachers, and people I read about or saw on TV. After visiting with Charles Leader, I feel that I have found someone from my own town to look up to.” Today, the company counts 35 employees; among them are five mechanical engineers and eight electrical engineers. Leader values each and every one. He believes that one person does not make a company; it takes many people to be successful, and as an owner, he remembers to appreciate the work these people do. “The company is only as weak as the weakest person here. If they’re not doing their job, that’s all we have,” he says. “I have the right people here at the company, from the software developer to the guys in the shop.” “I know we send the best quality machines out the door that we can build,” he continues. “If there are problems, we will take the necessary steps to fix it.” At the end of the day, Leader just wants to treat his clients with the same respect he would hope to receive. Do unto others, and success will follow. “My customers are the best advertising we have.” Smull Talk
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DESIGN ON DISPLAY
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cheduled for April 9, this event will feature the capstone projects of senior design teams from the College of Engineering. At ONU, senior capstone design projects act as a culmination of the knowledge gained from a student’s undergraduate courses; this knowledge is applied to solving a given problem through a major design project. To explain the work involved with converting their ideas into finished products, the students will incorporate posters and prototypes into their Showcase demonstrations. Industry professionals, members of program working groups, and faculty members will evaluate and judge the projects from different points of view. “The basic idea is to let our students show their work to a broader audience, instead of only to faculty,” says John-David Yoder, professor of mechanical engineering and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “This concept allows us to show surrounding communities, specifically the industry community, what our students are capable
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This spring, the College of Engineering plans to put the talents of its seniors on full display through a new signature event, the Senior Design Showcase.
of,” says Khalid Al-Olimat, professor of electrical & computer engineering and chair of the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering and Computer Science.
“We want people to experience the quality of our engineering and computer science programs.” For ONU engineering students, the benefits are many. They’ll get the chance to interact with industry partners, departmental program working groups and members of the public, which helps them develop greater perspective and professionalism. At the same time, poster presentation allows the seniors to hone their communication skills, a fundamental element in communicating and “selling” a design concept. Finally, by providing such additional exposure of student work, the event gives the participating companies and businesses the opportunities to interact with ONU seniors for potential hires.
“We also hope that teachers in surrounding schools encourage their students to attend the event to increase awareness of the engineering and computer science professions among middle and high school students,” says Al-Olimat. This year’s Senior Design Showcase is the first of what should become an annual event. “I hope it becomes an event that our students, faculty and alumni all look forward to each year,” says Yoder. “We strongly believe that industry partners are instrumental to our success and play a major role in the development of highquality graduates who are industry-ready for the 21st century,” explains Al-Olimat.
For future senior capstone design projects, the College of Engineering seeks project ideas and funding from outside sources. If you would like to contribute in any way, please contact Jacque Daley-Perrin, director of development, at j-daley-perrin@onu.edu or 419-772-2390.
Faculty and college news professor of entrepreneurship, and alumni have produced various extracurricular activities for students and staff, including a summer camp for high school kids, a CEO club, workshops, speakers, the annual Idea Pitch Competition and a student-run business. These efforts to inspire collaboration and entrepreneurship earned KEEN an Edison Gold Medal in the category of Collaborative Networks and Support on, April 26, 2012, during the Edison Awards’ 25th anniversary celebration in New York City.
KEEN happenings Ohio Northern University has received a Kern Entrepreneurship Education Network (KEEN) grant from the Kern Family Foundation to support “Saturating the Ohio Northern University Undergraduate Engineering Student Experience with the Entrepreneurial Mindset,” under the supervision of Dr. John-David Yoder, professor and chair of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Robert Kleine, associate professor of marketing.
This grant supports ongoing University efforts to cultivate the entrepreneurial mindset in all ONU students and support those students interested in becoming entrepreneurs. The grant proposal was designed to develop the entrepreneurial-mindset educational efforts at ONU focused on engineering students, improve outcomes-based assessment tools for KEEN, and strengthen
ties to the other 19 colleges and universities in KEEN. KEEN is comprised of 20 undergraduate engineering schools: Baylor University, Boston University, Bucknell University, Gonzaga University, Kettering University, Lawrence Technological University, Mercer University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, Ohio Northern University, Saint Louis University, Santa Clara University, Union College, University of Dayton, University of Detroit Mercy, University of Evansville, University of New Haven, Villanova University, Western New England University, Widener University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. The KEEN grant, totaling $442,580 over three years, provides the necessary funding for continued support for the project, which began in 2005. The Kern Family Foundation has contributed a total of $624,565 to ONU since then. Yoder and Kleine began working together by creating interdisciplinary teams of business and engineering students. Since then, KEEN funding and effective collaboration with Dr. Jim W. Fenton, dean of the Dicke College of Business Administration, Dr. Eric T. Baumgartner, dean of the T. J. Smull College of Engineering, Dr. Tammy Schakett, assistant
The colleges involved with KEEN were recognized for their collaborative work in creating the 21st-century engineer by instilling the entrepreneurial mindset in all of the nearly 19,000 students they collectively teach. In addition to the rigorous technical fundamentals they offer as part of their normal courses, the schools offer experiential opportunities aimed at instilling in the students a set of professional skills necessary for their future work. KEEN’s founders, Drs. Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern, have a strong commitment to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education, which opens many doors for students to become productive citizens in a technology-driven world. They believe that a solid background in math and problem-solving concepts, coupled with an understanding of responsible innovation, are the keys to meeting the challenges that America will face in a rapidly changing global economy. According to KEEN, students with the entrepreneurial mindset can effectively collaborate in a team setting, apply critical and creative thinking to ambiguous problems, construct and effectively communicate a customer-appropriate value proposition, persist through and learn from failure, effectively manage projects through appropriate commercialization or final delivery process, demonstrate voluntary social responsibility, and relate personal liberties and free enterprise to entrepreneurship. Smull Talk
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inspiring creativity Faculty and college news New faculty Bryan Boulanger
Associate professor of civil engineering Boulanger comes to ONU after five years as an assistant professor of environmental engineering at Texas A&M University. Before this, he served as a National Research Council post-doctoral associate in environmental engineering with the Environmental Protection Agency in Cincinnati. This year, Boulanger is teaching Freshman Engineering 1 and 2, Introduction to Environmental Engineering, Water and Wastewater Treatment, and Environmental Systems Analysis. His additional teaching interests relate to environmental engineering and chemistry, with a focus on water and wastewater treatment. His research interests revolve around surface reaction chemistry as it applies to materials synthesis, surface stability, and applications in water and wastewater treatment or biofuel processing. Boulanger earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering, a Bachelor of Science in German and, later, a Master of Science in environmental engineering from the University of Connecticut. He earned his Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Iowa.
Heath LeBlanc
Assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering LeBlanc comes to the College of Engineering from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, where he earned a Ph.D. in 2012 and a Master of Science in 2010, both in electrical engineering. Prior to this, LeBlanc worked as a controls engineer at Champion Technology Services Inc. in Baton Rouge, La. He earned his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Louisiana State University, also in Baton Rouge. At Northern, LeBlanc teaches Freshman Engineering 2, Control Systems, Advanced Controls, Electric Circuits and Electromagnetics. His research interests resilient cooperative control of multi-agent networks, cyber-physical systems, distributed algorithms, complex networks and social networks, and networked control systems. Designing with Creo® Parametric 1.0 provides students or practicing engineers with a basic introduction to engineering design while learning the 3D modeling Computer-Aided Design software called Creo Parametric from Parametric Technology Corporation®. The topics are presented in tutorial format with exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce the concepts covered. It is richly illustrated with computer screen shots throughout. This text is designed to help the reader expand their creative talents and communicate their ideas through the graphics language. Features of the First Edition
• The text focuses on applying Creo Parametric 1.0 as a design tool. • Design intent is referenced and used throughout.
• More than 875 screen shots and figures are included. • Step-by-step tutorials appear throughout the text.
• Review questions are presented at the end of each chapter.
• An extensive chapter on dimensioning an engineering drawing is included. • Supplemental part files are available for downloading. • An instructor’s solutions manual is available.
Visit www.mhhe.com/rider1e
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Drs. Reid and Baumgartner publish book chapter Dr. Ken Reid, program director of engineering education and director of firstyear engineering, and Dr. Eric Baumgartner, dean of the College of Engineering, have published a chapter in Advancing the STEM Agenda: Quality Improvement Supports STEM. The chapter, “Toward a New Paradigm: A Bachelor of Science Degree with a Major in Engineering Education,” describes Ohio Northern’s Bachelor of Science in Engineering Education program, now entering its second year. The book can be found online (ISBN: 978-0873898393) or on ASQ’s website.
Rider publishes engineering design book Michael Rider, professor of mechanical engineering, had a book, Designing with Creo Parametric 2.0, published by SDC Publisher in April 2013. The book provides high school students, college students and practicing engineers with a basic introduction to engineering design while teaching them the 3-D modeling computer-aided design software Creo Parametric from Parametric Technology Corporation. This text was written for Creo Parametric and is not modified from a previous version of Pro/ENGINEER® Wildfire. The topics are presented in tutorial format with exercises at the end of each chapter to reinforce the concepts covered. It is richly illustrated with computer screen shots, and the text is designed to help readers expand their creative talents and communicate their ideas through the graphics language.
Donation benefits computer science program
The College of Engineering’s Programming Environments course has a new component, thanks to a donation of 20 Texas Instruments Chronos watches, secured by the efforts of Dr. John K. Estell, professor of computer engineering and computer science. The Chronos looks like a sports watch but is a highly integrated, wireless development system that provides a complete reference design for developers creating wireless smart watch applications. Chronos is a reference platform for many applications, such as wireless watch systems, personal displays for personal area networks, and wireless sensor nodes for remote data collection. The donation was made through Texas Instruments (TI) Worldwide University Program at the request of Estell following conversations with TI representatives at the recent American Society of Electrical Engineers (ASEE) annual conference. Computer science majors in the Programming Environments course are required to undertake a large design project. The TI Chronos watches provides them with the opportunity to develop real-world software applications for a wireless environment. Students follow an entrepreneurial design model where they pitch their individual design, undergo multiple critical design reviews, test and evaluate their product, and produce a short video advertising their final product.
Faculty and college news Engineering professor awarded grant to research algorithms
ONU presents advanced energy seminars Ohio Northern’s 2012-13 academic year has brought a series of seminars and workshops focusing on advanced energy. The College of Engineering’s Advanced Energy Program is sponsored in part by a grant from the American Electric Power (AEP) Foundation. The first seminar in the series, “Energy Economics – Keeping the Lights On,” took place as part of Homecoming 2012 and was held at The Inn at Ohio Northern University on Oct. 5, 2012. Jan Klaiss, BSCE ’79, a senior planning analyst at Consolidated Edison (ConEd) in New York City, was the featured speaker. “Energy Economics” concentrated on the economics of the energy industry and its impact on the field of engineering. Klaiss’ presentation covered how energy economics has gone from focusing on the supply of electricity (in the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s) to today’s demand for electricity, along with how deregulation has pushed the change. The presentation also covered the confusion about how to approach supply to grid to demand. The series’ second seminar, the “Ohio Shale Oil and Gas Seminar,” took place at Kokosing Construction Company in Westerville, Ohio, on March 21. Presenters included Dr. Robert W. Chase, professor and chair of the Department of Petroleum Engineering and Geology at Marietta College, Tom Stewart, executive vice president of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association, Rebecca Heimlich, Ohio campaign manager at the American Petroleum Institute, Craig Kasper, BSCE ’84, chief executive officer of Hull & Associates Inc., and Ron Cochran, project executive for Kokosing Construction Company. Both seminars offered continuing professional development credit to their participants. Keep an eye out for future continuing education opportunities from the College of Engineering.
Dr. Srinivasa Vemuru, professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded a National Science Foundation Enhancing Access to the Radio Spectrum (EARS) grant to conduct a collaborative research project with the University of Akron, the University of Toledo and Norfolk State University. Titled “Enhancing Spectral Access via Directional Spectrum Sensing Employing 3-D Cone Filterbanks: Interdisciplinary Algorithms and Prototypes,” the grant totals $49,964. Vemuru said he and six ONU students will develop laboratories for spectrum-aware sensing applications for cognitive radio and participate in research activities with the collaborating universities. The objective of the project is to explore a new class of algorithms and architectures for important applications aimed at significantly increasing broadband system capacity up to tenfold from presentday levels. Vemuru adds that the project also seeks to advance spectrum-aware education at graduate and undergraduate levels to develop next-generation radio and networking engineers.
Engineering Education receives grant from Procter & Gamble Ken Reid, program director of engineering education and director of first-year engineering, and Deborah Gallagher, assistant professor of education, have received an $8,000 grant from the Procter & Gamble Fund Higher Education Program for a project titled “Cutting edge, real-life application of Engineering Education.” This involves the creation of a unique, multidisciplinary course, International Application of Engineering Education, which combines ONU’s innovative programs in STEM education with a focus on international, hands-on experiential learning. Smull Talk
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Two new Concentrations now offered in THE COLLEGE OF Engineering Robotics Concentration Recognizing the broad appeal and tremendous popularity of robotics, as well as the ever-increasing industry demand for robotic automation, the College of Engineering has developed a robotics concentration for students majoring in computer science and mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. Students fulfill some requirements within their own major classes, adding electives such as Intelligent Systems, Industrial Controllers and Computer Vision. Many current and prospective students have expressed enthusiasm for this new opportunity. At least one high school senior has tracked the process through to its final approval and considers the robotics concentration a decisive factor in his decision to enroll next fall. An elective course scheduled to be part of the concentration is ME-4211, Robotics, taught by Dr. John-David Yoder, professor and chair of mechanical engineering. Two students in the class, Courtney Hetrick, a senior electrical engineering major with biomedical sciences and applied mathematics minors
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Advanced Energy Concentration
Courtney Hetrick and Brooke Hayden from Frazeysburg, Ohio, and Brooke Hayden, a senior electrical engineering major with a computer science minor from New Carlisle, Ohio, have already landed jobs. After graduating this spring, Hetrick will work for RoviSys in Aurora, Ohio, and Hayden will work for WrightPatterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
As the world strives to meet an increasing demand for energy with dwindling natural resources and a graying workforce, the need for engineers focused on energyrelated issues rapidly increases. To help address this need, Ohio Northern University has developed an advanced energy concentration that builds on a foundation of strong fundamentals within the chosen discipline and provides additional topics in the other disciplines relative to energy production, delivery and use. The concentration requires both specific and elective energy-relevant courses. An undergraduate degree in mechanical, electrical or computer engineering with an advanced energy concentration is excellent preparation for careers in energy-related industry, including electric utilities, highefficiency equipment design, power control systems, and alternative energy generation, control and distribution. Graduates with this concentration will also have a solid foundation for postgraduate studies in energy-related programs and topics.
Student news STUDENT Competitions Each year, many students from the College of Engineering band together to showcase their engineering and computer science talents in various student design competitions. These students exhibit staggering levels of commitment as they strive to achieve and maintain their tremendous successes on both regional and national stages.
ASCE Concrete Conoe
Robotic Football
ASCE Steel Bridge
Ohio Northern’s Baja SAE team will compete at Baja SAE Tennessee Tech in Cookeville, Tenn., from April 18-21, 2013; Baja SAE Washington in Bellingham, Wash., from May 16-19, 2013; and Baja SAE Rochester in Rochester, N.Y., from June 6-9, 2013.
IEEE Micromouse
Baja SAE
The ASCE Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge teams
will compete at the 2013 North Central Regional Conference at Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Mich., from April 6-8, 2013.
The ASME Human Powered Vehicle team will compete at the 2013 ASME Human Powered Vehicle Challenge (HPVC East) at Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Mich., from April 26-28, 2013. The IEEE Micromouse team will compete at the 2013 IEEE Region 2 Student Activities Conference (SAC) at West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va., on April 20, 2013.
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Student news Engineering students conduct STEM academies in Piqua and Bluffton ONU’s newly formed student chapter of American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) has hit the ground running, taking the lead on several outreach programs for the college, including STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) days in Piqua and Bluffton. Tyler Hertenstein, a sophomore engineering education major from St. Marys, Ohio, and one of the four original enrollees in ONU’s engineering education department, serves as the coordinator for this year’s program. The school year’s first STEM academy took place in November 2012 at Washington Intermediate School in Piqua, Ohio. Thirty students from Ohio Northern University led the Washington Intermediate students through five different 30-minute workshops. The workshop supervisors included five engineering education majors, along with civil, electrical and mechanical engineers and education students from the Getty College of Arts & Sciences. Fourth-graders conducted a project management exercise, built a lemon battery, studied buoyancy by building boats out of aluminum foil, explored “bubbleology” and created tornados in a two-liter bottle. Fifth-graders built a chairlift to carry a pingpong ball, examined the structural integrity of a house built with cards, constructed a parachute to examine air resistance, and examined the effectiveness and efficiency of an assembly-line production process. Sixth-graders tested the insulation value of different filter media in solar water heaters and built a LEGO Mindstorms Mars Rover. They also designed a life-vest capable of supporting a can of soup and constructed a tennis racquet from everyday household materials. This semester, in February 2013, a group of ONU students visited Bluffton Elementary School to present a second STEM academy. This time, the students constructed a cardboard robotic arm with a clothes 20
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About ONU’s ASEE student chapter
hanger and clothespins, mimicked a NASA lunar landing by sending a marble down a zip line before dropping it on a target, and performed a project management communication exercise with gumdrops and tooth picks. During both STEM academies, the goal was to give ONU students teaching experience while helping to recruit future STEM-skilled people for the workforce. In addition, the workshops promoted collaboration and teamwork. At the same time, the academies hopefully get elementary-school students excited about STEM learning, something that everyone can appreciate. To bring a STEM academy from Ohio Northern University to your school, contact Tom Zechman, assistant professor and assistant dean of the College of Engineering, at t-zechman.1@onu.edu or 419-772-2648.
Engineering education majors in the College of Engineering established a student chapter of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in fall 2012. The fundamental goals of ASEE student chapters include encouraging engineering students to pursue academic careers, increasing pedagogical understanding (i.e. knowledge of how to teach), providing a network and a community across all engineering and related disciplines, and promoting engineering outreach to K-12 students to encourage the study of engineering. Basically, ASEE student chapters aim to disseminate information, teach skills, promote engineering and engineering education, and foster community. The first ASEE student chapter was founded in 1993 at Purdue University, and the ONU chapter is one of only 20 in the country. Tyler Hertenstein, a sophomore engineering education major from St. Marys, Ohio, is the chapter’s president, and Dr. Ken Reid, program director of engineering education and director of first-year engineering, is the faculty advisor.
Archer Memorial Fund marks 25 years
Dean Lawrence “Larry” Archer, BSCE ’47, ACIT ’82, H of F ’88, holds a special place of honor in the Smull College of Engineering. He devoted his entire professional career to ONU, serving as the engineering dean for 34 years, from 1951 to 1985. The impact of the Archer Fund can be felt every day in the College of Engineering through the out-of-classroom learning opportunities it supports. All senior capstone and freshman design projects, student/faculty research initiatives, leadership, mentoring, and student participation in professional engineering societies and conferences are financed through the Archer Fund. 2013 marks 25 years since the Archer Memorial Fund was established in 1988, one year after Archer died in May 1987. Thanks to generous contributions from alumni, faculty and friends, the Archer Memorial Fund is an integral part of the College of Engineering’s academic program. Archer became the first World War II veteran to enroll at ONU after the war. He pursued a degree in civil engineering at ONU and later became the College of Engineering’s longest serving dean.
A strong and no-nonsense leader, he cared deeply about his students. He personally reviewed each and every application for admission and graduation and was known to give money out of his own pocket to students facing financial difficulties. Merritt Redick, BSEE ’59, has fond memories of Archer. He recalls how his classmates once placed him in a sticky situation, electing him to talk to Archer about a professor who they believed was grading too tough. Redick says he’ll never forget the smooth and diplomatic way Archer handled the situation. “He put us in our place, yet he made everyone happy,” he explains. “He was just remarkable in that way.” Redick, retired since 2000, worked as an electrical engineer for the mining industry. He traveled to more than 90 different countries during the course of his career. Through the years, he’s made several significant gifts to the Archer Memorial Fund. “Dean Archer told us we owed our school something. And that made a big impression on me,” says Redick. “I’ve tried to make it a habit to give back what I could to help students with their educations.”
Joseph Charles, BSCE ’59, remembers Archer as an “honest, serious and delightful” person. “He was the type of guy you looked up to,” he says. Charles, who worked as a civil engineer for the Ohio Department of Transportation for 37 years, has made a gift to the Archer Memorial Fund every year since it was established. He, too, remembers Archer asking students to give back after they graduate. “I remember his request, and contributing every year to the Archer Memorial Fund is a way to honor that request. Dean Archer devoted his whole life to making the College of Engineering a great school. He will always be remembered by me, and I am sure by many others,” he says. With a gift to the Archer Fund, you can help continue Archer’s inspirational legacy. Please consider making a gift today. Contact Jacque Daley-Perrin, director of development, at j-daley-perrin@onu.edu or 419-772-2390.
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A Conversation with Kevin Freese Chair of the Smull Advisory Board Kevin Freese, BSME ’84, is president and CEO of Affordable Living Spaces Ltd. in Cleveland. His company revitalizes, repurposes and renews vacant, distressed or abandoned residential and commercial real estate holdings. Before his current venture, he worked as a C-level executive in the defense, radiology, cardiology, oncology and toy industries. His previous roles included president and COO of Raydon Corporation, a world leader in ground warfare virtual-reality training products, and vice president of ADAC Laboratories, a world leader in nuclear medicine. During a distinguished military career, he directed the design, development and manufacture of billions of dollars of aircraft and aerospace-related products for many high-profile programs, including the cargo transportation infrastructure for the space shuttle and developmental test of Air Force One.
2012-13 Members of the Smull Advisory Board Board Chair Kevin Freese BSME ’84 President and CEO Affordable Living Spaces Ltd. Cleveland, Ohio Dr. Donald Campbell BSME ’59, ACIT ’95, Hon. D. ’98, ACIT ’11 Deputy Administrator, Special Assistant and Director (Retired) NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, Ohio
Bruce Hollinger BSCE ’75 President/Co-Founder WiSys LLC Flowery Branch, Ga. Deborah (Green) Houdeshell, P.E. BSCE ’87 Senior Associate Hazen and Sawyer Akron, Ohio Frederick “Fritz” Kucklick BSME ’69, ACIT ’09 Engineering, Management and Litigation Consultant IMT Consulting Inc. Cassopolis, Mich.
Michael Chow, P.E., LEED AP BSEE ’92 Owner/Principal Metro CD Engineering LLC Powell, Ohio
Dr. E.F. Charles LaBerge Professor of the Practice of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Maryland, Baltimore County Baltimore, Md.
Lori (Burgett) Gillett BSCE ’96 Business Development Manager Kokosing Construction Company Westerville, Ohio
Susan (Di Nezza) Lettrich BSEE ’85 Director of Business Analytics FirstEnergy Services Company Akron, Ohio
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What are the keys to your success in your career?
Passion, persistence and, most importantly, resiliency.
What trends have you noticed in engineering?
Innovation and adoption of new technologies occur at geometric rates. We communicate, collaborate and access information instantaneously. The college needs to be in tune with the trends – not fads – and adapt to the needs of our prospective students. Engineering and innovation today are like Mohr’s law on steroids!
What are the biggest strengths of the college?
The college’s values are second to none and provide students with a strong moral compass. We also offer an intimate learning environment and an intense focus on engineering basics as the building blocks.
Victor Marone, P.E. Senior Partner Chesapeake Management Associates Annapolis, Md. Lt. Col. Brett Mason BSEE ’86 Vice President, Intelligence Community AC4S Tampa, Fla. Scott McClintock, P.E. BSCE ’86 Project Manager Kass Corporation/ 2AW LIMITED Pataskala, Ohio Neil Naiman, P.E. BSEE ’74 Manager, Downstream Planning and Strategy (Retired) Marathon Petroleum Company LLC Findlay, Ohio Michael Rencheck, P.E. BSEE ’83, ACIT ’08 President/CEO AREVA NP Inc. Lynchburg, Va. Khalil Shuhaibar BSEE ’93 Project Manager Discovery Communication Inc. Silver Spring, Md.
But our people – the dedicated, caring faculty, staff and advisory board members who inspire students to excel – are the college’s biggest strength and the reason why we are so successful in offering a top-notch engineering education. Our people make it happen!
What are the exciting things happening in the college?
I continue to be impressed by the awesome faculty, staff, students and advisory board members. For the past decade, I have had the pleasure of interacting with various students, from freshmen to seniors, to judge their projects. In a word, our students are “amazing”! As I listen to them and ask questions each year, I am struck by their intelligence and talent. They are adept at solving problems, and they realize that problems are not problems, but opportunities.
Where do you see the college heading in the future?
The college will stick to its roots and maintain an intimate learning environment, strong relationships and solid academics. But with the advent of new technologies, the demands of our future students and our current aging building, we’ll need to make a number of strategic decisions for the future. One important decision will be whether to build a new facility or renovate the existing one to enhance, inspire and accelerate learning. As chair of the Smull Advisory Board, my role is to assist the dean and faculty with crafting the future vision for the next generation of engineers and innovators to arrive at ONU. The advisory board members serve at the pleasure of the dean and act as advisors. Together, we’ve identified five areas for discussion: improving the student experience, improving our recruitment, continued improvement of student retention, facility
planning and improvement, and preparing students to be industry-ready.
What opportunities exist for alumni to get involved?
Where do I begin?! There are so many ways to share your time, talents and, of course, financial resources to advance an area you believe to be of value to future students. We welcome alumni involvement in recruiting students and sharing positive ONU experiences. We’ll put your talents to use! We encourage and welcome the opportunity to tell our story and to hear yours as we travel to meet with you or welcome you back to campus. To get connected or contribute to the success of the College of Engineering, please contact Jacque Daley-Perrin, director of development, at j-daley-perrin@onu.edu or 419-772-2390.
Over the past few months, Eric Baumgartner, dean of the College of Engineering, has gathered small groups of engineering alumni to network and to share college highlights and thoughts about the future direction of ONU’s engineering program. Alumni engagement is an important component of the college’s outreach efforts as it continues to develop and shape a vision for the T.J. Smull College of Engineering.
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College of Engineering 525 S. Main St. Ada, Ohio 45810
ENGINEERING SUMMER CAMPS
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June 16-21
Engineering Pathways
What: A weeklong residential camp that introduces students to civil, computer, electrical and mechanical engineering. Where: Ohio Northern University When: June 16-21, 2013 Who: High school students entering the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade in fall 2013 Cost: $480, which includes room, board, travel for field trips and educational materials.Transportation to and from camp is not included.
CAMP GEMS Girls in Engineering, Math and Science July 14-17
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What: A four-day residential engineering, mathematics and science camp Where: Ohio Northern University When: July 14-17, 2013 Who: Girls entering the seventh or eighth grade in fall 2013 Cost: $300, which includes room, board and educational materials.Transportation to and from camp is not included.
Contact Laurie Laird, director of the camps, at 419-772-2421 or l-laird@onu.edu