College of Technology: Innovation - Spring 2013

innovation COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE _ 2013 _ SPRING

Innovation Magazine VolumE _ 8 _ Issue _ 1 Spring _ 2013

Published annually by the College of Technology for alumni and friends, Innovation magazine is produced by the college’s marketing and communications office in collaboration with Purdue Marketing and Media (PMM).

[Editorial _ Staff] Steven _ Lincoln _ editor Eric _ Nelson _ writer (PMM) Della _ Pacheco _ writer (PMM) Linda _ Terhune _ writer (PMM) Julie _ Sadler _ designer (PMM) Andrew _ Hancock _ photographer (PMM) Kim _ Medaris _ Delker _ marketing consultant (PMM)

[images _ & _ graphics] iStockPhoto, Shutterstock, Rolls-Royce, Lockheed Martin

[Your _ Feedback] The staff at Innovation wants to know what you think of the magazine and its content. Send your comments, questions, or suggestions to:  technews@purdue.edu  Innovation Magazine Purdue University College of Technology 401 N. Grant Street West Lafayette, IN 47907

[keep _ in _ touch] Share your news with fellow alumni. Visit www.purduealumni.org/alumnus and click on “Submit a Class Note” in the top links bar. Be sure to request your news be sent to the College of Technology (at the end of the submission process).

[Connect]  LIKE us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/techpurdue  Follow us on Twitter: @techpurdue

[alumni _ services] Visit www.tech.purdue.edu/Alumni-andFriends for information specific to being a College of Technology graduate.

[Giving] Visit www.tech.purdue.edu/giving for information about the ways you can support the college financially. © 2013 Purdue College of Technology. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without written permission of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information included in this publication at the time of printing, the publisher shall not be liable for damages from errors or omissions.

An equal access/equal opportunity university Produced by Purdue Marketing and Media COT.12.3020

Students, faculty and staff shared their dreams — funny and serious — as part of the college’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in January.

Read all of the submissions at: www.tech.purdue.edu/ innovation

MESSAGE FROM THE

DEAN 04 _ data 06 _ on

flow

demand

12 _ career outlooks for students

A variety of sources help departments forecast demand for their graduates.

16 _ defining technology by its alumni

The careers of technology graduates can help place the discipline in context.

20 _ partners in progress

Shared reputation for excellence bonds Purdue, Rolls-Royce.

26 _ pro 28 _ in

files

person

29 _ faculty

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volume _ 8 _ issue _ 1

Opportunities for innovation and improvement abound on the Purdue University campus. That is true for students, for faculty and staff, and definitely for an academic unit like the College of Technology.

Since the day I interviewed for the dean’s position, I have been known as the Good to Great leader. I have been championing the philosophy of Jim Collins, urging everyone in the college to envision what a great College of Technology can look like. This year, we took a big next step in that journey.

We are in the midst of discussing what a transformed College of Technology should be to capitalize on the ever-changing nature of technology and the creativity of our students and faculty. The college-wide conversation has ranged from curriculum, new degree programs, and even different names for the college and departments. I consider this an exercise in shaping and ensuring the future of the college.

Recently, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote about the changing face of higher education. “We’re moving to a more competency-based world where there will be less interest in how you acquired the competency . . . and more demand to prove that you mastered the competency,” he said. The nature of our discipline which blends theory with practice ensures that our graduates have mastered the competency of their respective technology.

While our transformation discussions have centered on change, there are two things we know we won’t change because they are the foundation of our college: our charge to prepare graduates to have an immediate impact in their careers, and our promise to blend theory with practice through project-based learning.

We will also need to be able to easily differentiate our programs from those offered in the colleges of Engineering and Science.

We must show our students and industry where we can stand out from our colleagues in these colleges. Conversely, we must complement and collaborate with programs across campus to add value to their education or sponsored projects.

This issue of Innovation magazine leans heavily toward the types of outcomes our students can expect when they successfully complete our program. The percentage of Technology students employed or continuing their educations six months after graduation is among the top at Purdue, and average starting salaries are extremely competitive. Our hope is that the college’s transformation will help others fully understand the potential of our programs and the abilities of our alumni.

gary r. bertoline, phd, dean, college of technology

P.S. Follow me on Twitter (@garybertoline) or my blog at http://blog.tech.purdue.edu/techdean

DATA _ FLOW Next Generation Security Billions of online transactions occur every day, and the numbers are growing. An estimated $8 trillion was exchanged over wired and wireless networks last year. Purdue researchers want to ensure that consumers have confidence in the security of those transactions and don’t fall prey to cybercrime.

Through a grant from the U.S. National Strategy for Trusted Identities in Cyberspace (NSTIC) to Daon, a provider of identity management and authentication solutions, a team led by Stephen Elliott, associate professor of technology leadership & innovation, will test Daon’s IdentityX technology, which operates across multiple platforms to improve user authentication methods. Other participants on the project include PayPal, AARP, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) and a major bank.

The project focuses on improving the privacy, security and convenience of sensitive online transactions, a critical need in today’s growing digital world. The Purdue team combines expertise from four different Purdue units: the Biometric Standards, Performance and Assurance Laboratory (BSPA); the Cyber Center at Discovery Park; the Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS); and the Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP) division.

“We combine expertise in biometric testing, cyber security, privacy and practical real-world information technology,” said Elliott, who is working with Elisa Bertino, professor of computer science and director of the Cyber Center. The IdentityX pilot project will look at the end user’s mobile phone or tablet and different combinations of security options to provide various levels of identity assurance. Identity can be verified using multiple authentication methods including proof of possession of the phone, digital certificate, PIN/password, geolocation, out-of-band, and voice and facial recognition.

For a simple transaction with low risk, such as transferring a small sum between bank accounts, identity verification could require just phone possession plus a PIN entry. Higher-risk transactions, such as transferring large sums, could require PIN and face and voice matching along with GPS to confirm the user’s location. The Purdue research will focus on investigating the performance of novel biometric approaches as well as analyzing data security and privacy of identity management in mobile distributed systems.

Elliott said that although this is the first formal partnership with Daon, representatives from the company have served as part of BSPA’s Industry Advisory Board and provided student mentorship opportunities.

They may not be in every home just yet, but 3-D printers are moving out of industry and into mainstream life.

Exploring 3-D Potential Technology analysts are predicting a 3-D printing revolution in the near future that could rival the Internet revolution in its impact. College of Technology researchers in two departments are taking part in that revolution with efforts to make the printers and their products better.

“Imagine you are a hobbyist, and you have a vintage train model. Parts are no longer being manufactured, but their specifications can be downloaded from the Internet, and you can generate them using a 3-D printer,” said Bedrich Benes, associate professor of computer graphics technology (CGT).

The 3-D additive printers create shapes layer-by-layer out of various materials, including metals and plastic polymers.

Industry has used 3-D printing in rapid prototyping for about 15 years, but recent innovations have made the technology practical for broader applications, Benes said.

There is a challenge, however. Objects created using current 3-D printing can be fragile and often fall apart when

exposed to stress, or they can lose their shape. Benes and his graduate student researchers are addressing these issues.

The High Performance Computer Graphics Lab creates software systems related to computer graphics and 3-D objects. They can evaluate and test a 3-D model before it is created using additive manufacturing. “The interesting part for us is that we try to fix them in such a way that it alters the shape of the model in a minimal way. It is essentially a mathematical optimization problem,” Benes said.

Ondrej Stava (PhD ’12), a computer scientist at Adobe, created a software application that automatically strengthens objects either by increasing the thickness of key structural elements or by adding struts. The tool can also reduce the stress on structural elements by hollowing out overweight elements.

The new tool automatically identifies “grip positions” where a person is likely to grasp the object.

Henry Zhang, assistant professor of mechanical engineering technology (MET), is studying 3-D printing from another perspective. His research group designs and builds 3-D printers and writes programs for them. In his Multidisciplinary Design Laboratory, the newly designed printers have more friendly features for precision control and performance.

Zhang’s MET colleague Mark French is fascinated with the potential of the printing technology and is working to integrate it into the curriculum.

“When we are able to make 3-D printing a routine part of what our students do, the division between design and manufacture fades,” French said. “For now, we are pretty much limited to making objects with plastic, but that will change.

Our students will have design latitude that I couldn’t have imagined when I was in college. Very cool.”

A CoT 3-D printer captured in motion, printing a dragon model.

ON _ DEMAND Space for Student Teams The planned Innovation Design Center (IDC) at Purdue will provide dedicated work space for student projects such as the EcoCAR 2, Solar Decathlon or Rube Goldberg competitions.

The first phase of the IDC, which will be located at Third and Russell streets, will be coordinated by the colleges of Technology and Engineering.

The student-led committee to design the facility focused heavily on developing spaces that lead to creativity and collaboration. In fact, two of the areas are named “Magnet Spaces.” They include a large commons area, five conference rooms for teaming spaces and enough office space for up to 32 projects.

The students also wanted to foster discussion across academic majors, what they call “intellectual collision.” The proposed laboratories are available to all students who use the IDC and will bring students together and reinforce the concept of learning by doing.

The lab spaces include three design studios, a printing studio for large-scale posters and lamination, and a prototyping studio to help users create three-dimensional pieces based on their ideas.

Two other workspaces have larger scales: the Manufacturing Lab complex and Vehicular and Alternative Energy Lab complex.

The manufacturing area will offer a full-range of equipment, from massive 10-ton lasercutters (to be used under supervision) to a drill press and belt sander. The smaller tools would be available for use 24 hours a day. This area of the IDC would also include a store stocked with common, small hardware items for purchase and tools available for check-out.

The Vehicular and Alternative Energy Lab will make it easier to conduct wind and solar energy tests and for teams to work on vehicle projects such as evGrand Prix, Solar Car or EcoCAR 2.

The colleges of Technology and Engineering are in the fundraising phase of this $17 million project. Contact the College of Technology Office of Advancement at 888-428-1489 for more information about funding and naming opportunities.

Carlos Morales has been charged with helping to expand the distance learning activities of the college.

expanding technology’s reach With technology advancing by the minute, today’s students demand more than ever before. And that means professors need to be able to use technology to keep the attention of students in the classroom, as well as meet their expectations of educational availability from anywhere.

Enter Carlos Morales, a professor of computer graphics technology, who leads distance-learning initiatives in the College of Technology. Morales’s charge from the dean is to create an environment where distance learning can thrive and expand.

“My goal is to encourage distance learning, primarily by taking the work off the professors,” he said. “That way, professors can focus on teaching their subject matter, and we can concentrate on the technology.”

Although Morales and his team have the ability to record a simple lecture, he said his group would like to do much more for professors.

“Done correctly, we can portray materials that are hard to show in a

classroom, therefore adding value to the teaching,” he said.

as smartphone apps or specialized animations or visualizations.

Morales and a group of about a dozen students in CGT 49000 (Distance Learning Video) staff the Digital Interactive Multimedia Laboratory in Knoy 326. The group has created several videos that highlight their technical expertise, including a turbine engine animation and a helmet visualization that was featured on the

Morales’s primary mission is to assist the College of Technology, but because his advanced equipment and expertise is rare on campus, he’s open to working with other academic units.

Big Ten Network.

The studio lab includes a variety of computers that enable Morales or students to virtually control the movement of the cameras. The lab also features high-definition cameras and has the ability to store uncompressed video and manipulate it in real time. In addition, the studio has a green screen that allows the background to be changed.

Morales said the lab’s main focus is on working with professors who need a distance-learning component for their classes. The lab also can develop its own technology, such

“A lot of other colleges approach us, and as long as we have time and space, and the project is strategic, we are open to working with them,” he said.

The lab was made possible by a gift from John (’92 OLS) and Terri Dickey.

Check out examples of some of the instructional videos created

by Morales and his team: http:// tinyurl.com/az9vxsj

the jobs of

technology Chances are you’ve heard the question, “what is the College of Technology?”

Over its 49-year history, it has been many things, depending on industry needs of the time and on the vision of the administration. Maybe you have your answer ready to go. Maybe you have a hard time putting it into succinct descriptions that make sense to others.

As the college is poised to celebrate its 50th anniversary, this issue of Innovation magazine takes a deeper look at the College of Technology through one specific lens: jobs. There is no succinct definition here. Instead, it is an examination of three areas:

$ $ $ $ $ $$ career outlooks Job trends are specific to careers and industry needs at a given moment. We often look at the 4.5 percent unemployment rate from 2007 and wax nostalgic. We compare it to today’s much higher rate and wonder where college graduates will go. But the College of Technology and its graduates have weathered the storm and continue to post higher-than-average job offers for graduating students.

defined by our outcomes

understanding our worth

The careers of technology graduates can help place the discipline in context, from starting salaries to job titles, and from job-specific competence to transferable skills. We can learn a lot from the successes of our alumni, and so can those who are confused about what we offer.

With degrees that span a variety of industries – aviation, construction, manufacturing, graphics – the College of Technology prepares graduates to share their expertise across the workforce spectrum. There are certain instances, however, when the size of an employer meshes with the strengths of the college so well that the employer can use the talents of more than one type of graduate from the college. Rolls-Royce is one such employer. Over the years, they have hired graduates from nearly all of the Technology programs in their efforts to shape the future.

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technology graduates have a lot to offer a wide range of employers, and the extended forecast looks bright.

By Steven Lincoln

Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development publishes “Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs.” U.S. News & World Report tracks the 100 Best Jobs. There is even a list for the Top 10 companies college students want to work for (and Technology graduates do!).

At the root of these lists is an attempt to provide direction and incentive to potential employees and job creators.

They highlight opportunities for a wide range of skills, and most agree that the careers College of Technology students are prepared for are some of the most sought after. From computing to construction management, the majors within the College of Technology are proving to be high-demand degrees for the future workforce.

Consider this: the placement data collected by Purdue’s Center for Career Opportunities shows Technology graduates getting hired at a higher rate than the University as a whole. Their starting salaries rank third behind the colleges of Engineering and Science.

With such good news now and on the horizon, the college should be bursting at the seams. Perceptions about a Technology degree and confusion

about its relationship with Engineering have led many new students to choose a different major during their first year. The College of Technology and its majors see growth in the second and third year of a student’s college career as they begin to understand the value of the college’s offerings.

Jobs forecast

The academic departments within the College of Technology use a variety of sources to help them gauge the needs of the workforce. The main organization is the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks careers and attempts to gauge demand for employees and skill sets. Most of the careers Technology graduates are prepared for stand to see growth through at least 2020, and a few can expect very rapid growth.

In addition, the Department of Aviation Technology relies on the Current Market Outlook released by Boeing. It tracks potential aviation careers globally, and the outlook is rosy, especially in the international markets. With larger airline fleets and increased traffic, the entire aviation industry is expected to see growth. That means

great demand for workers at all levels, including those who graduate from Purdue’s aviation programs.

The introduction of technology into many processes also bodes well for new graduates. Because they have been exposed to several technologies as students and as early adopters, they are well-versed in using technology in many formats and scenarios.

That extra knowledge is a great selling point for today’s employers who are trying to replace a slew of retirees in the next few years.

Perhaps the brightest spot in the CoT career outlook is for graduates of the computer and information technology program. Every “best jobs” list includes multiple careers that require the skills garnered from the degree program. The continued growth of all things computer means there will be continued demand for these workers for years to come.

External factors often make it hard for at least one department to have a clear picture of future jobs. Changes in tax laws, elections, natural disasters and insurance companies all influence supply and demand of construction services, according to Robert Cox, former head of the Department of

73.9%

81.7%

$57,652

$47,875

Aeronautical Engineering Technology

Computer Graphics Technology

76.2% $38,127

Aviation Management

87.7% $57,042

Computer & Information Technology

82.8%

85.3%

$35,196

$56,692

Professional Flight

Electrical Engineering Technology

96.2%

100%

$51,493

$54,474

Building Construction Management

Manufacturing Engineering Technology

Building Construction Management and now associate dean for engagement and globalization.

“We get most of our career outlook from our Construction Advisory Council,” he said. “We can also look to our recent graduates. You get a good sense of which sectors are hiring based on what companies they are concentrating in.”

Recent graduates are seeing a lot of interest from more of the heavy construction areas, such as power, highways and other infrastructure.

The bulk of 2012 graduates went to companies specializing in healthcare construction and electrical or mechanical contracting, three of the six concentrations the department offers.

87% $52,525

Mechanical Engineering Technology

66.7% $48,550

Industrial Technology/ Industrial Distribution

83.1% $41,870

Organizational Leadership and Supervision

88.9% $36,354

Technology Education Percent of graduates between March 2012 and February 2013 who reported being employed or continuing their education.

Overcoming perceptions

One challenge Purdue and the College of Technology has is educating the public and prospective students about the career possibilities available to a

CoT graduate. Whether it is a mistaken perception about the nature of the degree or lack of information, it is often difficult to attract students to the academic programs that lead to these in-demand careers.

For example, because of degree names that include the words “industrial” or “building construction,” students don’t realize the skills they gain are applicable in a wider setting.

“For example, we have students who are going into the healthcare industry.

When they came here, they didn’t know their skills were applicable in that field,” said Ragu Athinarayanan, head of the Department of Technology Leadership & Innovation. “They thought they would be working for an automotive company or another manufacturer. Many of the skills we foster have a broader impact on society, so our graduates can go look for a government job or healthcare industry job as well as the traditional manufacturing positions.”

In Aviation Technology, the faculty have adjusted the curriculum to provide a fuller picture of the aviation industry.

Individual majors see where they fit into the larger system, and they gain a better understanding and appreciation

for the skills others bring to the team.

The department has adopted a sixcourse core that all majors must take.

“We have learned, for a given program, that students from the other programs can make valuable contributions from a learning and research standpoint,” said John Mott, assistant department head for academics. “Now, students get cross-pollination of ideas and input across all three programs. Each program has become stronger as a result.”

This rethinking of programs has received a boost this year as Gary Bertoline, dean of the College of Technology, challenged the academic departments to delve into their curricula to ensure they are up-to-date and ready for the fast-paced changes of technology careers. Discussions are still taking place about potential new programs, most of which would take an interdisciplinary approach to prepare students for emerging technology careers.

The departments must also challenge perceptions put forth by 50 years of instruction. The needs of employers and students 20-50 years ago are not necessarily the same needs of today or of the future. And the departments can learn from each other about how

to approach education and marketing of their students.

“Anywhere there is a need for people with systems thinking — the systems approach to problem-solving — that’s where you’ll see a lot of our students go.

Their skills are applicable in many other places,” Athinarayanan said. “These are the people who interface between the technology and the business aspects of it. They are really looked upon as the leaders to manage and lead innovation.”

Ties to industry

One key to ensuring continued demand for Technology graduates is continued partnerships with related industries.

For accreditation purposes, most academic departments maintain an advisory council of industry leaders.

In addition to offering insights into trends and needs, these leaders also become potential employers.

Throughout the college, input from advisory boards influences the types of classes taught, the approach professors take, and the expectations of academic outcomes. Likewise, each department maintains constant contact with industry professionals, whether they are Purdue alumni or supporters of the University.

This helps open doors for students who are looking for insights, internships or full-time employment.

According to Purdue’s Center for Career Opportunities, a recent survey indicated companies plan to hire about 13 percent more new college graduates this year compared to 2012. Many of those companies are focusing a lot of their efforts on Purdue.

Tony Denhart, region manager of university relations for General Electric and a 1989 Technology alumnus, said Purdue is a prime recruiting area for the corporation.

“There are endless reasons why Purdue continues to be one of GE’s top universities,” he said. “The education Purdue provides is one of the reasons GE has historically hired more students from Purdue than any other university. The education, coupled with the soft skills, sets Purdue students apart. GE knows Purdue students will arrive with the leadership, communication and critical thinking skills needed to compete in a global world.”

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the careers of technology graduates can help place the discipline in context.

By Kim Medaris Delker

Technology is one of modern language’s most-used words. It also is one of the most vague and least understood.

Merriam-Webster defines “technology” as “the practical application of knowledge, especially in a particular area,” but that definition leaves a lot open to interpretation.

Because “technology” is in its name, Purdue’s College of Technology often experiences definitional questions of its own. What do the students study, and what kinds of jobs do they secure upon graduation? And on a campus like Purdue, with a world-renowned College of Engineering, what makes a technology major different than an engineering major?

College of Technology Dean Gary Bertoline said the college has a targeted mission to break down the definition barrier to help prospective students, their parents and potential employers better understand how technology can be defined by its successful alumni.

“We have a unique role in the state and national economy in preparing

students with a more applied educational experience that produces graduates who can be described as engineers and applied computer scientists,” Bertoline said. “The college fills a very important piece in the employment continuum in these areas that are underserved nationally. Fundamentally, we have a unique place to fulfill, and it’s an important place, especially with our current economy and its dependence on technology.”

Just what is that place? College of Technology researchers put into motion what is known as “use-inspired” research that can help business and industry in the short and medium terms, leading to an immediate return on investment, and, in some cases, innovation.

Thanks to a large percentage of the college’s faculty having served in industry, Bertoline said, the college serves a role in the state that is unique.

“We’re doing more applied research with companies, asking them about their most difficult problems they

can’t seem to find the time to solve or find the right people or researchers,” he said. “We can help Indiana business and industry become more competitive.”

What do technology grads do?

In short, College of Technology graduates are career-ready. They’re equipped to make a difference as soon as they earn a degree.

College of Technology graduates hold a wide variety of job titles, from engineers of all types to project manager, human resources director, software developer, airline pilot and supplychain specialist. In short, the answer to the question, “What do technology graduates do?” is perhaps another question: “What don’t they do?”

Technology graduates often hold the same or similar jobs as engineering and computer science graduates, and they are compensated at near-equal rates. According to data collected

by Purdue’s Center for Career Op-

portunities salary survey of May 2011 graduates, the average starting salary for electrical engineering technology graduates was $59,466, and for mechanical engineering technology graduates, it was $53,600.

“If you go to business and industry, many of our graduates have ‘engineer’ in their title,” Bertoline said.

“Business and industry understand the important role the college has in producing applied engineers.”

So if graduates of an engineering program and an engineering technology program often hold the same positions, what is the difference between them?

The answer lies in the very definition of the word “technology” as a “practical application of knowledge.” Someone who is studying in the College of Technology has specialized knowledge that lies in the middle of the technician-technologist-engineer continuum.

For instance, a technician is highly skilled in a particular technology (such as home heating and air-conditioning), but they have little understanding

Job titles of recent Technology graduates:

% with “engineer” in title: 32.5 % with “manager” in title: 7 % with “consultant” in title: 3.6 % with “specialist” in title: 2.3

or need of the theory behind that technology. Meanwhile, engineers are primarily engaged in the design of the technology or system. But technologists are firmly in the “sweet spot,” as Bertoline describes it, complementing the roles of engineers in business and

industry. Technologists focus specifically on how to apply knowledge to solve problems.

“Those in technology tend to be self-directed learners who can solve open-ended problems by using off-the-shelf technology, whereas engineers are more focused on the theory and math,” said Ken Burbank, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology.

“Technology and engineering are really two paths to the same profession.”

Practical application of knowledge

Kyle Bowen is a shining example of someone who has taken the skills he learned as a College of Technology student and spawned that knowledge into innovation. Bowen, a 1999 computer graphics technology alumnus, is director of informatics at Purdue, where he leads a technology group focused on creating innovative tools for teaching and learning. Some of his recent projects include Hotseat, a col-

laborative, micro-discussion tool that allows students to provide near-and real-time feedback during class via Facebook, Twitter, text message or an app and Mixable, a learning application that blends a student’s course enrollment information with their Facebook account.

Bowen said he chose to attend the College of Technology over other options because of the college’s focus on “a unique combination of relevant theory and hands-on practical skills that was responsive to the latest technology trends.”

Bowen credits not just excellent faculty but a strong yet flexible program with giving him the tools he’s needed to be a success.

“My College of Technology degree provided an excellent foundation for life-long learning, but it wasn’t too rigid that it locked me into a specific career path,” he said. “My studies taught me that technology is but a medium. The real opportunities are in how technology can be applied.”

Computer and information technology alumna Diana Ephlin believes the College of Technology instills far more than technical skills into its students.

She earned a degree from Purdue in 1983 and has held a variety of positions throughout her career. Currently at Eli Lilly & Co. as vice president of human resources – global manufacturing and quality and Elanco Animal Health, she feels what she learned in the college helped her get where she is today.

“The computer technology program taught me to think logically and rationally, collaborate with others and focus on the needs of the customer or business,” she said. “These are essential skills I still use today in human resources.”

A major priority in the coming years is to make sure the college’s curriculum adequately meets the needs of students and, in turn, of what business and industry are looking for so the

Top five states where recent Technology graduates end up:

college can continue to be attractive and relevant to students.

“Our focus is on changing the world,” Bertoline said. “We want to change the world and become the model for the nation in the preparation of graduates in technology education.”

Indiana 549 Illinois 193

Texas 72

ohio 59

Flexible for the future

As the College of Technology looks to the future, in addition to continuing to turn out successful alumni who are moving our world forward, it has lofty goals, according to Bertoline.

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shared reputation for excellence bonds purdue, rolls-royce

By Eric Nelson

Most people associate the Rolls-Royce brand with luxury automobiles, evoking memories of such classic models as the Ghost and the Phantom.

As the world economy changed, however, so too did the legendary carmaker, shifting its primary business to the aerospace, marine propulsion, energy and defense industries while licensing its iconic nameplate to other auto manufacturers.

Today, you’ll find Rolls-Royce engines driving everything from commercial and military aircraft to nuclear submarines and offshore oil-drilling platforms, making it one of the world’s leading providers of power systems and services. And just as these engines require many parts working together to run smoothly, the Rolls-Royce company requires employees with a variety of academic backgrounds and skill sets to come together as a team to push the company forward.

That makes Purdue University a natural partner to Rolls-Royce, a top employer of Purdue graduates, including a growing number of College of Technology alumni.

More than 100 alumni representing most of the college’s majors and departments work at the company’s

sprawling Indianapolis location.

Acquired from Allison Engine Co. in 1995, the complex is now home to Rolls-Royce Aerospace, which includes the Civil, Defense and Helicopters aircraft engines groups, LibertyWorks advanced development group and Marine and Energy groups.

Scores of other alumni are employed at one of more than 150 Rolls-Royce manufacturing and operational sites worldwide.

Among the Indianapolis-based grads is Scott Baier, who began his career at the former Allison location in 1984 as a technical writer after receiving his bachelor’s degree in aviation technology. “We were in the midst of a recession at the time and jobs were scarce,” he said. “I’d taken a technical writing course as part of my Technology classes at Purdue, so that got my foot in the door.”

Other opportunities soon followed, including positions of increasing responsibility in product training and service engineering. Baier, who also earned an associate degree in applied science (AAS) in aviation maintenance and an Airframe and Powerplant

(A&P) mechanic’s license at Purdue, credits that early career success to the broad range of skills he developed in the College of Technology.

“The Purdue AT program isn’t just about developing the technical skills needed to become a licensed aircraft mechanic, but also about understanding how a system operates on a larger scale,” he said. “You have the opportunity to learn systems engineering and operations theory and apply it to business and project management outside the classroom, which in turn promotes team building and leadership development.

That’s a combination other universities don’t offer.”

Baier became a Purdue student again after being promoted to manager of business development, earning a master’s degree in technology through a College of Technology program offered on-site at the Rolls-Royce training center in Indianapolis. He now serves as senior manager of fleet operation services, leading a team that supports 16,000 engines and 13,000 helicopters in the fleets of more than 5,400 individual customers worldwide.

Rich Sinks, an alumnus of both the aviation maintenance and the professional flight programs, has also spent his entire career at Allison and RollsRoyce, joining the company in 1990 after earning his bachelor’s degree, an A&P, a commercial pilot’s license and a Flight Engineer rating.

Like Baier, Sinks is a licensed aircraft mechanic and began as a technical writer before using his broad skill set to advance through the ranks. He is now senior manager of off-wing service operations for Roll-Royce’s fleet of AE 2100 and AE 3007 civil aerospace engines, including a global network of authorized maintenance centers.

“My degree from Purdue has given me an incredible set of tools and abilities to build upon,” Sinks said. “I might go from a budget meeting to a quality assessment review to network strategy planning and global performance measurement in a single day.

“Because of the base of skills that Purdue gave me, though, I’ve never felt overwhelmed in my career. I’ve always been able to take the next challenge, master it and move on. I

don’t think I would have been able to do that with a degree from a different program.”

Another veteran Purdue alumnus at the Rolls-Royce Indianapolis location is Curt Perry, who earned an AAS degree in 1984.

“Although my degree was in industrial illustration technology (now computer graphics technology), my skills, training and proficiency allowed me to be promoted several times into various roles and disciplines until I found myself working with information technology,” he said.

Today, Perry is the IT administrator for the support engineering area, overseeing the computer systems and software used to produce all the maintenance, repair and overhaul media for RollsRoyce aerospace turbine engines and power systems.

“Purdue and its faculty helped prepare me for the real world,” he said. “I was able to step from the classroom into a professional office and be productive from the first day. Very little acclimation was required because I already had the knowledge and education necessary to succeed.”

Other College of Technology graduates have taken less direct routes to RollsRoyce, including James Olsen, BS ’01 (aviation technology), MS ’07, and Patricia Boardman, BS ’78 (organizational leadership and supervision). But both say their Purdue experience was critical to getting there.

“My degree from the College of Technology opened many doors for me,” Boardman said. “It led me to my first job at TRW, and from there my career snowballed. My degree and work experience also led me to my MBA degree, which brought further growth opportunities.”

“My undergraduate education was invaluable, particularly my internship with Continental Airlines,” Olsen said.

Boardman’s professional development has continued at Rolls-Royce. After taking on additional responsibilities as a production systems coach, she acquired her Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and recently chose to return to a more hands-on role as a technical specialist in support engineering. “It has provided me with new challenges as well as new opportunities,” she said.

“It gave me real-world insight into the day-to-day work being done to manage a large business, and also provided me with industry contacts that I still maintain today.”

Hired by Rolls-Royce in 2005 as a reliability forecaster, Olsen was promoted in 2010 to fleet business manager with responsibility for the company’s growing portfolio of aftermarket business, including cost reduction strategy, new service strategy and operational forecasting.

With more than 25 years of experience in manufacturing engineering, Boardman brought her diverse array of technical and managerial skills to Rolls-Royce in 2006 as director of new product introduction.

New opportunities also await Travis Cash, BS ’03 (aeronautical engineering technology), who is completing his first year at Rolls-Royce as AE lease engine manager.

“The Purdue brand and my degree from the College of Technology have been key to my entire career,” he said.

“It began with a valuable internship at Teledyne Continental Motors, which gave me an edge to be hired on at

Boeing. That later enabled me to get a job with a major regional airline and eventually led me to a great position at Rolls-Royce.”

Rolls-Royce veteran Rich Sinks, who, along with Scott Baier, serves on the Industrial Advisory Committee for the Department of Aviation Technology, said future Boilermaker alumni can expect similar career prospects with the company.

“Our industry is more competitive than it used to be and hiring is more selective, but the College of Technology has kept step and been very responsive over the years understanding our needs,” Sinks said. “The caliber of students we see today is higher than ever before, and even our new hires from Purdue come into the company at management-level positions with a tremendous amount of upward mobility.”

Rolls-Royce is one of many companies that relies on College of Technology and other Purdue alumni to staff their workforces. Here is a list of other companies that employ a large number and variety of Technology graduates. The numbers reflect the number of Purdue graduates who report working for each company.

1630 General Motors Company

760 ArcelorMittal S.A.

1519 General Electric Company

734 Cummins Inc.

1277 Boeing Company

669 Caterpillar Inc.

968 Lockheed Martin Corporation

524 Rolls-Royce

853 Delphi Corporation

445 United States Steel Corporation

relationship includes research

Purdue is not only a steady source of skilled employees for Rolls-Royce, but also a partner in research and education.

Among the University’s numerous alliances with industry is the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) Center, which fuses resources from the colleges of Technology, Engineering and Science to provide companies with tools and processes to help them develop, manage and support their products.

According to Nathan Hartman, associate professor of computer graphics technology and the center’s co-director, Purdue’s early work with RollsRoyce coincided with the company’s initial deployment of PLM processes, including data migration and geometry automation techniques, the configuration of tools for computer-aided process planning, and the conversion of 2D manufacturing tooling drawings to 3D models.

Those efforts have continued over ensuing years, Hartman said, all with the goal of making the Rolls-Royce

user community more efficient, consistent and productive. One example is the airfoil seed generator (ASG), a Purdue-created software utility that allows a product modeler to create a variety of different blade models for turbine engines.

“Historically, this would take anywhere from 14 to 20 hours per blade model,” he said. “That time was reduced to between 5 and 10 minutes with the use of the ASG, resulting in substantial cost reductions for Rolls-Royce as the technology became integrated into the airfoil design process.”

The center’s work with Rolls-Royce and its other industry partners is equally beneficial to Purdue and the College of Technology, Hartman said.

“It engages students and faculty with meaningful problems to solve involving the design, manufacturing and support of real products, as well as the role technology plays in those processes. It also helps companies like Rolls-Royce to make better products, which in turn impacts their relationship with customers.”

Conclusion The past decade has seen a steady drumbeat from a multitude of experts – we need more college graduates in the STEM disciplines: science, technology, engineering and math. It was pushed further with President Obama’s challenge to educate and subsequently employ thousands of engineers. Entire conferences are planned around improving STEM education and getting younger students interested in the concepts and potential. Countless research projects have been funded to help educators figure out the strategies that work best in attracting a student to STEM areas. It’s a big problem with several possible solutions.

Jobs and careers are a very tangible way to examine the issue. We could just as easily have examined how STEM subjects are taught, how the information is retained, or how entrepreneurs can help fill the skills gap. The College of Technology has made educating the 21st century technologist its main objective. To have the most impact with this goal, we need more students. We need a vibrant and dynamic curriculum that can adapt to change. And we need a sense of where our graduates will use their skills to help make the cycle complete.

We welcome your input on the subject. Visit us online (www.tech.purdue.edu/innovation) to share your ideas and perspectives about improving and stabilizing both STEM education and a STEM workforce. www.tech.purdue.edu/ innovation

ON _ COURSE Accepting the Challenge Customers don’t think much about how their wireless connections happen until they lose the connection or it slows down. Constant wireless coverage and connectivity is a challenge, which is one reason why the wireless offloading company formed by three Technology students is called Challenge Systems.

Graduate students Parker Woods, Ben Doll and John Lewis — all in the Department of Computer and Information Technology — have operated their company for a year while still fulfilling the academic and assistantship requirements of their programs.

Challenge Systems specializes in wireless solutions based on the best available technologies. And they prove that any company could use their services. Current clients include a concrete company, an attorney and a financial planning firm. They also assisted the Purdue University Industrial Roundtable, boosting the wireless capability of the outdoor career fair that attracts thousands of students.

Their approach to customers has been a good selling point for them.

“We are very transparent and straightforward with clients about their challenges and environment.

Project execution is a strength,” Woods said. “We don’t sell somebody something they don’t need.”

Many similar companies are also sales forces for a specific technology. Challenge Systems is “vendor agnostic,” which allows them to integrate any system together to provide the best results.

“That ability comes from the networking curriculum in our department. We can make anything work together,” Lewis said. The trio believes starting their company as students has had definite benefits.

“If you look at entrepreneurship as a whole, most people attempt to start a business after working for a while,” Woods said. “I look at it as now is the time. As a graduate student, I don’t have nearly as much risk. Try it while you’ve got nothing to lose.”

There are also a plethora of campus resources – people and programs – to provide guidance and expertise throughout the process. All you have to do is ask.

“There are always smart people around here, and they love teaching,” Doll said. “If all you do is go to class every day and go back home, you’re not getting your money’s worth.”

The students also help teach undergraduates about entrepreneurship and provide them with practical experience. Students in CNIT 45600 (Wireless Security and Management) have been able to test Challenge Systems’ solutions for coverage and security as part of the lab curriculum.

With support from administration, much of the push for more sustainable practices on campus is coming from student groups.

Greening Technology Through a new initiative dubbed Project [Re]Green, College of Technology students are working to make sustainability an everyday reality within the college.

Holly Chan, a graduate student in the Department of Technology Leadership & Innovation, is working with the college administration to research sustainability and how to incorporate its ideals into the college’s culture.

“We have to take a holistic approach with our sustainability efforts,” she said. “They touch all areas: economic, environmental, social and educational.”

Chan and Kirti Chintalapudi, a College of Technology sophomore majoring in industrial technology/industrial distribution, have taken on the leadership roles for Project [Re]Green and are points of contact for other sustainability initiatives.

Throughout this academic year, they solicited ideas from students, faculty and staff about improving the college’s environmental efforts. They

received 123 submissions during the process. Several of those will be implemented as part of a new class during Fall 2013, TECH 19900 (Applied Sustainability Principles).

Winners of the [Re]Green contest included: separating paper towel waste in restrooms for composting, powering down computer labs when not in use, installing motion-sensor lights throughout Knoy Hall, and more diligent purchasing of recycled and recyclable office products.

In addition, Chan and Chintalapudi have been in discussions about installing a green roof at Knoy Hall. Chintalapudi is vice president of the campus Boiler Green Initiative (BGI), which helped install the first green roof at Purdue in 2009 at Schleman Hall of Student Services. She is leading the Knoy Hall discussions for BGI with co-chair and civil engineering major Andrew Martin.

The committee is focused on planning, educating and fundraising to make the green roof a reality.

The group lists several benefits for adding a green roof to Knoy: reduced utility costs, built-in sustainability research laboratory, storm water management and filtering, and creating a social space. A final decision about the green roof should be made later this summer.

There are plenty more initiatives to explore and assist with, including LEED certification of Knoy Hall and other campus buildings. And the work being done by Chan and Chintalapudi, while affecting larger audiences, is enhancing each of their educations.

Just as Chan has incorporated sustainability into her graduate program, Chintalapudi has asked her advisor and professors about weaving more sustainability topics into her major, such as lean processes.

Read other stories about sustainability and CoT: http://blog.tech.purdue.edu/ techpurdue/tag/sustainability

PRO _ FILES Planning for extremes Superstorm Sandy wreaked havoc not only on homes and businesses but also on area communications networks. It especially highlighted the vulnerabilities of the emergency communications system. Alex Coleman, as vice president, public sector markets for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, has been charged to help find ways for public safety customers to modernize their emergency communications infrastructure.

“This particular area has not seen a lot of technological change,” said Coleman, a 1986 electrical engineering technology graduate. “While our country’s Emergency Communications Networks like E911 work well and meet the needs of the public, modernization of the network is required to allow for advanced capabilities, such as text to 911 and video, to further support the needs of our citizens and the first responder community.”

Coleman believes he and his company can help make the system more efficient and cost effective.

A new national broadband public safety network (www.broadband.gov), administered by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), may include assistance and infrastructure from providers such as Verizon.

“Change is on the horizon,” Coleman said. “First responders in one city will be able to communicate across multiple networks to other cities without dropping a voice or data call. First responders will be able to use video, analytics, voice and other information to get to the root of the problem.”

The area Coleman is in charge of also provides machine-to-machine communications (telematics) and cloud computing technology to help solve customer business problems. His team is charged with leveraging all Verizon assets to provide solutions to the public safety community.

He said he uses his Purdue education daily to help make his employer a preferred provider. And because of his experience, he knows Verizon can look to Purdue for even more potential hires. “Universities like Purdue are preparing our future workforce to be successful in our ever changing technological world,” he said.

Heidi Moore keeps pilots’ needs in mind as she helps design cockpits for the F-16.

Fighter pilot advocate Heidi Moore, as she describes it, is an advocate for pilots who will fly one of Lockheed Martin’s flagship aircraft. Since she graduated from Purdue’s flight program in 2004, she has worked on Lockheed’s F-16 Pilot-Vehicle Interface (PVI) team as a systems engineer.

“My job is to listen to our customers, hear about their needs in the field and figure out what they need in order to do combat better in defense of freedom,” Moore said.

She uses that information to configure the cockpit to help achieve the pilot community’s goals.

“With all of the F-16’s capabilities, we have to get creative. We have to think outside the box and still stay in line with design philosophies,” Moore said.

The process relies heavily on good communication skills as well as an understanding of an airplane’s systems, both of which she worked on as a Purdue student.

It was as a student that she first heard of Lockheed Martin. She and her co-pilot for the Women’s Air Race Classic helped the team become an officially recognized student organization on campus, complete with a ground crew. They also met with Lockheed to discuss team sponsorship options.

After touring facilities in Ft. Worth, Texas, Moore knew she wanted to work for the company. And now that she has been there for nine years, she has been nominated for Lockheed’s Advanced Technical Leadership Program. She is part of a new T-X competition to build the next fighter training airplanes.

“It’s a good fit for me,” she said. “I was a flight instructor at Purdue.

We want to help the student pilot think quickly and not have as big of a learning curve transitioning from undergraduate pilot training to advanced jet training. Their first flight in single-seat fifth generation fighters

(F-22 and F-35) must be as safe as possible.”

While Moore loves flying – she wishes she could be a full-time aerobat — she only recently had the chance to fly the F-16. A customer coordinated the event, and she was able to perform a few aerobatic maneuvers and experience 9Gs. “It was so amazing. It was one of the best days of my life,” she said. “I wanted to stay up in the air as long as possible.”

See Heidi Moore’s “rules for a successful life” at www.tech.purdue.edu/innovation

IN _ PERSON 50 years of transformation Next year, we will celebrate the College of Technology’s 50th year of existence. The yearlong celebration will be more than an anniversary observance, however. It will be a chance to remember the foundations of the college, which stretch to the beginning of Purdue’s existence. And it will be a chance for us to look forward and imagine where the college will be after its next 50 years.

The history of the college is fascinating. Despite higher education’s reputation for creating silos of activity within individual colleges, the first discussions about our existence took place among faculty from across the university. The University Extension Council included senior faculty from several departments, and they “served to bring the engineering technology programs into the University’s mainstream” wrote Calvin Lawshe, the first dean of the School of Technology.

1955, James R. Maris, who in 1964 would become the first head of the Department of Aviation Technology in the School of Technology, works with students in the engine lab at the Purdue University Airport.

The main mission of the school in 1964 was to offer associate degrees at the regional campuses and in West Lafayette. In fact, the school employed more faculty across the state than it did in West Lafayette. Within the first year, the first faculty council of representatives had approved junior and senior engineering technology curriculum and a four-year professional pilot curriculum. These were the first plans of study to result in a School of Technology bachelor of science degree.

July 1, 1964, the School of Technology opens, offering all of Purdue’s associate degrees and a bachelor of science degree in industrial education.

Since that time, the college has worked to meet the ever-changing needs of industry and society.

It has gone through program name changes, an upgrade from School to College, four deans, growth to eight locations outside of West Lafayette, and accreditation for all West Lafayette bachelor’s degrees (and some at Statewide). The academic programs now include master’s and doctoral degrees, master’s degrees for the working professional, and millions of dollars annually in sponsored research. And because innovation never stops, it feels like we’re only getting started.

1983, the School of Technology expands in Indiana with the creation of the Statewide Technology system.

A committee of faculty and staff has laid the groundwork for an event-filled 2013-14 academic year that will educate, inspire, reflect and celebrate. A full list of activities will be released soon.

We invite you to join us on campus or online to participate in all or part of the celebration.

Vanessa Buntin and Steven Lincoln CoT 50th Anniversary Committee co-chairs Photo from College of Technology Archives, Courtesy of Purdue University Libraries, Karnes Archives & Special Collections

1984, Knoy Hall of Technology, a $15 million building, opens on the corner of Grant Street and Northwestern Avenue.

2005, the school changes its name to College of Technology.

[more _ online]: www.tech.purdue. edu/innovation

 Class Notes – see updates from fellow College of Technology graduates.  Many of the stories in the magazine were edited for length. Full-length stories are published online.

faculty database Robert Herrick, PhD, Robert A. Hoffer Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering Technology, was named a fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE). The fellow grade of membership is conferred in recognition of outstanding contributions to engineering technology education for at least 10 years.

Bill Hutzel, associate professor of mechanical engineering technology, is one of several Purdue faculty who will work with the University of the West Indies and Partners of the Americas to foster clean energy deployment across the Caribbean and Central America. Building on expertise at the two universities, the project will develop a solar energy demonstration site at UWI’s St. Augustine campus in Trinidad and Tobago.

Michael D. Kane, PhD, associate professor of computer and information technology, is one of four authors of a new textbook titled Pharmacogenetics, Kinetics, and Dynamics Personalized Medicine. The book is available from Jones and Bartlett Learning.

Suranjan Panigrahi, PhD, professor of electrical and computer engineering technology, coordinated a scientific meeting on water health at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP).

The project, titled “Multidimensional Technological Innovations for Water-

linked Health and Wellness,” is funded by Purdue’s Office of the Vice President for Engagement and is a part of the PurdueIndia engagement activities.

Marvin Sarapin, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Computer Graphics Technology, and Mihaela Vorvoreanu, PhD, assistant professor of computer graphics technology and technology leadership & innovation, serve as co-editors for the Journal of Technology Studies (JOTS), the referreed scholarly journal of Epsilon Pi Tau (EPT), the Honor Society for the Professions in Technology.

Rick Homkes, associate professor of computer and information technology at the Purdue College of Technology at Kokomo, has been elected secretary/treasurer for the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group for Information Technology Education (ACM SIGITE).

Chien-tsung Lu, PhD, associate professor of aviation technology, and Bedrich Benes, PhD, associate professor of computer graphics technology, received Faculty Fellowships for Study in a Second Discipline for the 2013-14 academic year.

Lu will explore airport hazard reporting systems and conduct a statistical analysis of early alert systems. Benes will explore computational modeling and simulation within the materials sciences.

Brent Bowen, PhD, professor and head of the Department of Aviation Technology is the director of a new center at Purdue University: the Advanced Aviation Analytics Institute for Research-Center of Research Excellence (A3IR-CORE).

It explores traditional and emerging methodological and analytical techniques that will promote interdisciplinary research in several areas, including aviation and aerospace, domestic and international policy, management and leadership, and applied engineering technology integration.

Five other College of Technology faculty are affiliated with A3IR-CORE: Erin Bowen, PhD, assistant professor of technology leadership & innovation; Thomas Carney, PhD, professor of aviation technology; Chien-tsung Lu, PhD, associate professor of aviation technology; John Mott, clinical assistant professor of aviation technology; and Michael Suckow, clinical associate professor of aviation technology.

Three faculty in the Department of Building Construction Management were recognized by the Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) this year. Brad Benhart received ASC’s National Excellence in Teaching Award; James L. Jenkins was presented with the ASC Outstanding Educator Award; and Steve D. Schuette, professor emeritus, was the recipient of the ASC Lifetime Achievement award.

Several College of Technology faculty have written or edited books available in the 2013 catalog of Purdue University Press: • Understanding the Global Energy Crisis, Eugene D. Coyle and Melissa J. Dark, editors. Coyle, a professor at Dublin Institute of Technology, was a Fulbright Scholar in the college in 2012-13; Dark is the Furnas Professor of Technology in the Department of Computer and Information Technology.

• Manufacturing Facilities Design and Material Handling, fifth edition, Matthew P. Stephens, professor of technology leadership & innovation, co-editor.

• Methods of IT Project Management, second edition, Jeffrey L. Brewer and Kevin C. Dittman, both associate professors of computer and information technology.

• Project and Program Management, A Competency-Based Approach, second edition, Mitchell L. Springer, PhD, executive director for operations and strategic initiatives and of the Center for Professional Studies in Technology and Research.

• Construction Site Planning and Logistical Operations, Site-Focused Management for Builders, Randy R. Rapp, associate professor, and Bradley L. Benhart, clinical assistant professor, both in the Department of Building Construction Management, editors.

 Alumni profiles and student successes from throughout the year  Alumni, student and faculty awards

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