Echoes Summer 2023

LIFE AT ROSE

BUILDING COMMUNITY, COLLABORATION & CONNECTIONS FOR A LIFETIME

ROSE-HULMAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DRIVEN TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Rose Partnership has Student MANDY CHICK

Raising Awareness of Women in Racing, STEM

CANTWELL

STORY BY PAUL SHEPHERD PHOTOS BY LIZ MCFARLAND & BRYAN

It was meant to be a metaphor, but early in her first race at Daytona International Speedway, mechanical engineering student Mandy Chick relayed an important message to her team: “This car is a rocket ship.”

After qualifying 25th, moving up to 11th and then falling to 31st following a penalty for speeding in the pits during a stop early in the race, Chick and her No. 74 Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology rocket soared to a fifth-place finish February 18 in the season-opening 200-mile ARCA Menards Series stock car race—before a national television audience.

In 2022, Chick competed in a pair of races in the stock car league. This summer she’s participating in the series’ superspeedway and smaller track races, when her Rose-Hulman schedule allows.

“I have always wanted to pursue a career in NASCAR, and for me this is just another step closer to that,” says Chick, a third-generation racer from De Soto, Kansas, who has been racing since she was 6 years old.

Helping her realize her goal was a partnership with Rose-Hulman that covered the Daytona race and April 22 event at Talladega Superspeedway. The partnership is one-of-akind, with NASCAR officials confirming Chick is the only known active racer on the circuit who

MOTORSPORTS DREAMS

Fast Track

is both a full-time student and sponsored by the university they attend.

The Rose-Hulman name and logo were prominently featured on Chick’s car, race suit and pit crew uniforms, putting the college in front of Fox Sports 1 viewers at both races.

“I'm seeing my professional engineering career opportunities collide with the racing that I've done since I was little. Being able to bring that to the racing industry, knowing that Rose-Hulman has a deep history in racing, that's huge for me,” states Chick, who used the Rose partnership to increase awareness in STEM fields among women. “If you look at my career and my education, I've been in male dominated fields since I was very little. It puts me in a unique position to inspire other women to pursue those careers. I think it's very important for me to use the partnership with Rose-Hulman to leverage that and show young women that they can succeed in STEM and in racing.” n

Learn more about Mandy’s time on the track, as a student at Rose, and how she plans to inspire others at rb.gy/plx8l or use the QR code at left.

“I'm extremely proud to represent Rose-Hulman in such a positive manner. Again, we showed that with focus and dedication anyone can accomplish great things.”

Mandy Chick Mechanical Engineering Student ARCA Menards Series Driver

6 CAMPUS CONNECTIONS

16 SPRUCED UP

32 MICKEY MEMORIES

12 DESIGNING CAREERS

20 HAPPY DAYS

36 BREAKING GROUND

PUBLICATION CREDITS

Vice President for Communications and Marketing: Santhana Naidu

Vice President for Institutional Advancement: Steven Brady Alumni Association President: Nellie Hohne, Class of 1999 Office of Alumni Relations: Carrie Bose, Special Events Coordinator; Kerrie James-Hunter, Assistant Director-Alumni Experience; Holly Kowalski, Administrative Assistant; and Charlie Ricker, Director Office of Communications and Marketing: Bryan Cantwell, Photographer; Hyung-Jung Chang, Graphic Designer; David Essex, Multimedia Producer; Ashlan Fortner, Marketing Specialist; Shaun Hussey, User Experience Strategist; Dale Long, Executive Editor and Director of Media Relations; Paul Shepherd, Senior Director; Steve Voltmer, Web Developer; and Majel Wells, Communications and Operations Manager

Executive Editor: Dale Long

Cover & Page Design: Chris Denison

Contributors: Tim All, PhD; Sylvia Carlisle, PhD; and John McSweeney, PhD

Contributing Photographers: Landon Bundy, Disney Media Relations, Clay Fette, Peter Garnache/Battle Bots, Greg Hawkins/Stellantis, Cindy Thomas Kalkomey and Kurt Kalkomey, Marc Lebryk, Michelle Lollie, Liz McFarland, Andy Milluzzi, Mic Orman, Penske Performance Racing, RATIO Architects, Barry Schneider/Steel Dynamics, Team Penske, Bryan Wallace, and Luke Zhang/Resultant

Class Notes/Alumni News Contact: Send alumni news and address updates to alumniaffairs@rose-hulman.edu

Echoes is published by: Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

5500 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47803

Echoes Contact: Dale.Long@rose-hulman.edu

Digital copies of this and past issues are available at www.rose-hulman.edu/echoes

It is the policy of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to admit students on the basis of their academic ability. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, citizenship status, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation.

WHITE CHAPEL The Latest RHIT Lego Kit

The Office of Alumni Relations has again teamed with Ichiban Toys to produce the next kit in the multi-year series depicting campus buildings— following the success of the Deming Hall residence hall and Mussallem Union kits.

The White Chapel LEGO kit has 312 pieces and you have the option to add miniature themed bride and groom figures to your order. The kits are made with certified Lego bricks and will come in a specially designed box, with assembly instructions.

The cost of the White Chapel kit is $95, plus sales tax ($6.65), for a total cost per kit of $101.65.

Minifig pairs (Bride/Groom, Groom/Groom and Bride/Bride) are an additional $20.

Order kits at www.rose-hulman.edu/legorose

To order multiple kits, make your selection and add to the basket, then select ‘continue shopping’ to repeat the selection. (This can be done up to five times.)

Kits will be shipped through the U.S. Postal Service. Domestic shipping will cost an additional $15. (For kits being shipped outside of the contiguous United States, please contact Holly Kowalski at alumnirelations@rose-hulman.edu to place your order.) n

From the President

We recently celebrated our Commencement, and as I told the Class of 2023, it was a day to honor their four years of striving.

The dictionary tells us that striving is “trying very hard,” devoting serious effort and energy to making something happen. And strive they certainly did. Many late nights, countless challenging projects, studying for exams, writing reports, and ultimately checking off all the requirements for their respective

degrees. This year’s graduates certainly deserved their day for recognizing and celebrating a difficult job well done. (See the Commencement Recap on pages 20-22.)

But I also reminded them that what we were really celebrating was not a column full of checkmarks or a piece of parchment with their name in calligraphy. What they really polished in their four years at Rose-Hulman was the attitude that they must always Strive to Thrive. That is an attitude that serves not only our new graduates but all alumni and, for that matter, the Institute itself.

Thriving, from what the dictionary tells us, is more like a state of being than simply a goal. It is flourishing, succeeding, and prospering. It is being fortunate now, while at the same time continually growing and developing vigorously. It is focusing on the right things in life, and continually doing so into the future.

Our Class of 2023 certainly has thrived amid a whole host of challenges. Much of their time on campus was impacted by the pandemic in one way or another. They watched the world be rocked by racial and social unrest, discord, and dissent. As they strived and studied and worked toward their respective academic accomplishments we celebrated this spring, the world around them experienced political turmoil, warfare, inflation, and expanded concern about the health of the planet.

BY ROBERT A. COONS , PRESIDENT coons@rose-hulman.edu

Amid all of that, they thrived. And so did Rose-Hulman. Getting through those challenges has required dedication, determination, and endurance, with a healthy dose of persistence and courage.

“What is true for [our Class of 2023] is true for all our alumni, and for Rose-Hulman as an institution. We are, collectively, an integral part of the answer to our society’s challenges. Together, we possess a wealth of technological knowledge and insight, ready to apply to the problems that we face.”

“As we look to continue thriving long-term, we are putting the finishing touches on our long-term strategic plan, set to launch in 2024. The plan’s four themes around infusing sustainability into the curriculum and culture, instilling a mindset of innovation and entrepreneurship, leading in a global and diverse society, and increasing the affordability and value of a Rose-Hulman education have each been shaped by our entire community, including our alumni.”

And again, what is true for them is true for all our alumni, and for Rose-Hulman as an institution. We are, collectively, an integral part of the answer to our society’s challenges. Together, we possess a wealth of technological knowledge and insight, ready to apply to the problems that we face. Even more important, we share the problem-solving skills needed to apply that knowledge, the passion required to rise to the occasion and the perseverance needed to continue when the path isn’t easy. And we share the love of learning that helps us grow from every experience. In short, we all know how to strive, how to put in the effort and energy needed to make things happen. We all know how to Strive to Thrive.

This is true of not only our recent graduates, but also our institution as a whole. Indeed, the pandemic forced quick changes in the way Rose-Hulman operated and provided educational experiences—we strived to adapt, thrived throughout, and even discovered new ideas and approaches that we will carry forward. This also included the learning and improvement opportunities enabled by the national conversation on racial and social injustices and inequities. Again, as a result we are better positioned to thrive.

I shared with our graduates that they have not only thrived through the challenges of the past four years—but that their academic pursuits will help them be part of the solution to the world’s problems going forward. Elements of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics skills they mastered during their time at Rose together hold the answers to many of the challenges of today and tomorrow. As do our graduates.

As we look to continue thriving long-term, we are putting the finishing touches on our long-term strategic plan, set to launch in 2024. The plan’s four themes around infusing sustainability into the curriculum and culture, instilling a mindset of innovation and entrepreneurship, leading in a global and diverse society, and increasing the affordability and value of a Rose-Hulman education have each been shaped by our entire community, including our alumni, and I want to thank everyone who provided their input. We will have more details to share about the plan in our next issue of Echoes.

We remain grateful for you and for all who continue to support Rose-Hulman through this invigorating and challenging point in our history. As we move towards our 150th year sesquicentennial in 2024, I am confident that together, we will keep growing, developing, and flourishing—we will keep thriving. n

LIFE AT ROSE

From riding a skateboard across campus to catch an early-morning class, grabbing a coffee break or latte at Beanies in the Mussallem Union, enjoying intramural activities in the Sports and Recreation Center, sharing experiences with roommates in a residence hall, or studying with classmates in a booth within the New Academic Building—like most things at Rose-Hulman, life seems to be constantly in motion.

That hasn’t changed in the college’s nearly 150 years of existence.

However, many aspects of campus life continue to evolve, grow, and prosper, thanks to the recent additions of several new campus buildings and facilities, supported by generous philanthropic donors.

This section takes you inside some of the fun times our students enjoyed during the 2022-23 school year, building those special connections with classmates and others that make that Forever Rose feeling so unique.

STORY BY LONGDALE

Year-Long Activities Build CampusStrong Connections

24 Hours, 24 Events, Only One ‘Greatest Floor’

Over the course of 24 hours, the best residence hall floor on campus is determined through a variety of 24 activities in the Office of Student Affairs’ annual Greatest Floor competition. The challenging events may change each year, but the fun never ceases—further strengthening the close friendships between each floor’s residents and staff. n

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‘Greek Games’ Return for High-Spirited Events

A thriving Greek life community built upon the principles of brotherhood, sisterhood, goodwill, and service was featured in a friendly and highspirited Greek Games that returned to campus this spring after a lengthy absence. And, in true Olympic Games fashion, the winning team, Alpha Tau Omega, wasn’t determined until completing the last of the 10 events.

The day’s relay race and human pyramid contests required teamwork and athletic skill. Agility and determination were keys to success in the kickball and dodgeball events. Strategy and cleverness helped earn valuable points in the golf and cornhole challenges. And good old-fashioned fun was featured in watermelon eating, music video, and Minute to Win contests.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students Erik Hayes (BSME, 1997/MSME, 2001) stated the real “winners” are the students who gain valuable leadership skills, make lifelong friendships and work together to improve the campus and community through service projects provided by groups each school year.

“We’re fortunate to have such a vibrant Greek system that compliments everything we strive to achieve in building worthwhile student relationships on campus. They give back so much to the campus and community and are great ambassadors of Rose,” he says.

Nearly one-third of the college’s student body are members of the 11 Greek social organizations (eight fraternities; three sororities), according to the Office of Student Affairs. n

Fall Festivities Begin Before the Leaves Start Falling

Between a New Student Orientation, Career Fair and Homecoming, early fall is an especially active time for students on campus. Students joined together to continue the tradition of building the Homecoming bonfire. This year’s Fall Career Fair brought a record 283 companies from across the country to meet students interested in full time, internship and co-op positions. Several students had interviews on the next day that resulted in on-the-spot job offers. And the football team won the Homecoming game 48-14 against Manchester University. n

Campus Full of Spaces to Study, Relax

It didn’t take long after their openings for students to find places in the New Academic Building and the Mussallem Union and its adjacent Pi-Vilion to study, stretch and relax, meet with friends, host group meetings, and enjoy life before, in between and after classes. There are also renovated study spaces available in the Logan Library, Olin Hall and the Olin Advanced Learning Center. And Phil Brown Field’s new scoreboard has a large electronic display that offers opportunities

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Events Celebrating Campus Diversity

Rose-Hulman’s commitment to promoting a safe and affirming campus climate is being enhanced by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion , which provides a welcoming environment for all through cultural and community building programming, intercultural dialogue and interaction, and learning opportunities.

This year’s Diversity Speakers Series had Freeman A. Hrabowski III, PhD, sharing his inspirational “Beating the Odds” story of being a child leader jailed during the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s, in a special Martin Luther King Jr. Day presentation. He retired in 2022 following a 30-year tenure as President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

In another event, philanthropist and photojournalist Saul Flores shared the hardships, joy and hope migrants face by detailing his 5,328-mile, three-month journey walking and hitchhiking from Ecuador to Charlotte, North Carolina. His “Walk of the Immigrants” campus presentation commemorated the birthday of Cesar Chavez. Meanwhile, Culture Fest brought students, faculty, staff, and their families together to enjoy food from a variety of cultural cuisines, music, activities, and giveaways from student identity-affinity organizations, and information from local diverse community vendors and partners.

The South Asian Student Alliance celebrated the onset of spring with its annual Holi celebration. Also known as the Festival of Colors, it featured people throwing colorful powders, called "gulal," and water at each other. The colors represent the various hues of spring and are a symbol of the diverse cultural and social backgrounds of those celebrating the change of seasons. n

Learn more about the Center for Diversity and Inclusion at www.rose-hulman.edu/diversity

Creativity Spread Across Campus, Hatfield Hall Stage

At a STEM-focused institution where answers are typically black or white, Artist-inResidence Alan Bundza taught students to work in shades of gray during the 2022-23 school year and creativity continues on the Hatfield Hall Theater stage with Rose Drama Club members presenting such dazzling shows as “Frankenstein: The Musical,” “Clue”

Innovation Around Every Corner

Tinkerers, makers and gearheads rub elbows work together on hands-on projects in the Branam and Kremer Innovation Centers, attached campus workspaces that are alive with student creativity, collaboration and, of course, innovation. Students work to develop a variety of design and competition projects; several 3-D printers spew out designed parts throughout each day; there are other areas for students to learn about welding, machining, hand forging, and painting; and there is also a robotics laboratory and miniature wind tunnels for learning STEM principles. n

See what happens inside these spaces at: www.rose-hulman.edu/bic

Customized Biomedical Engineering Program Designed for Students’ Success

After learning elements of design thinking, materials, instrumentation, and research through the department’s classroom, laboratory and internship experiences, biomedical engineering graduates fully comprehend and appreciate the skills they develop that provide medical devices and procedures to improve people’s quality of life.

An extensive design component, starting in the student’s first academic quarter, is a core program feature. Other elements include communication and leadership development, along with background in design ideation and implementation, regulatory affairs and physiology–all led by a skilled and caring faculty and staff.

And it all culminates with unique customized coursework that aligns with students’ career goals. For instance, those interested in entrepreneurship could take a variety of engineering management courses. Others wishing to emphasize neural engineering could take courses in robotics and mechanical engineering, while those wanting to expand their horizons in tissue engineering could study biochemistry.

“We’re empowering students to set their own course and craft their own adventures to realize their personal goals and career

aspirations. It’s all about the journey that a student wants to take,” says Head of the Department and Associate Professor Bill Weiner, PhD.

Noah Woodson, a 2023 program graduate, studied manufacturing design, Six Sigma principles and quality methods after completing a summer internship with Boston Scientific. He has returned to the company to begin his career. Classes in tissue engineering, biostatistics and biosignal processing helped prepare recent graduate Blake Deckard to work in toxicology with Paustenbach and Associates.

Meanwhile, junior Noor Ali Abufares is spending this summer as an Engineering Fellow, specializing in computational medical imaging and therapy technologies, at Washington University of St. Louis; 2023 graduate Luci Duncan is pursuing a doctorate in applied biomedical engineering, specializing in neural science, from Cleveland State University; and senior Kylie Rathbun is contributing to a National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, emphasizing neural science, this summer at the University of Oklahoma.

These opportunities have resulted from a curriculum emphasizing hands-on design principles following feedback from alumni and corporate and industry representatives. First-year courses center on teaching design thinking and communications, realization, and human-centered products. Design methodologies, leadership and teamwork are covered in the second year, and medical device research and design are part of the third year. That prepares students to work in teams for a five-quarter-long and real-world capstone design project that provides time for problem definition, prototyping, construction, verification, and validation—reflecting industry practices.

“Design skills are built year to year, with continuous educational touch points, to ensure students have the skill sets required for career in medical device research and product development,” says Professor Renee Rogge, PhD. “The learning process is enhanced when the students are actively involved and can see the results of their work through a finished product.”

Professor Jameel Ahmed, PhD, remarks, “We’re graduating students with the skills, abilities and mindset to make impacts in their careers, whether it’s in industry or a research setting, while being lifelong learners.” n

An Engineering Day activity at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum provided valuable project feedback to sophomores who created prosthetic devices as part of a Design Methodologies course.

Interactive Jacket Provides Good Vibes for Engineering Design Students

The Beach Boys aren’t the only ones providing Good Vibrations, as a student team created a jacket during the 2022-23 school year in an entrepreneurial-inspired project that turned music listening into a full-body experience. The project, named Good Vibes, was inspired by 2023 Engineering Design graduates Nathan Atkinson, Sophie Baer, Jackson Costa, and Sage Dooley, along with computer engineering senior Josiah McGee. Haptic devices and other technology placed throughout a lightweight and fashionable jacket sync with the rhythms of songs to allow users to “feel” the music being played at a concert, on the radio, or by an audio player.

This technology could also enable music to be more assessable to those with auditory impairments.

“It’s pushing the envelope of the music-listening experience and was a whole lot of fun to produce, with lots of hard work and trial-and-error design,” says Atkinson, who developed the idea for the project last summer. “The idea came, and I started writing down rough concept ideas. Then, during the school year, I got with other students to make this project possible. Fortunately, the Engineering Design program has lots of creative students, like me, who like making things like this jacket possible.”

Other projects developed this year by program students included a portable and compact water filtration system that could bring clean water to remote locations and a wearable necklace and wristband that allow users to monitor their biometrics through adaptive LED lighting and Bluetooth technology.

The Engineering Design program has been living up to its name since its inception in 2018, providing interesting design challenges through six different design studios. Real-world design experiences come from numerous internships, extended co-ops and study abroad experiences.

Along their academic journeys, Engineering Design students also learn the core principles of electrical, mechanical, biomedical, and software engineering that make them well prepared for success in today’s competitive global economy.

After having co-ops with Parsons Corporation and IMMI and an internship with Rose-Hulman Ventures, Dooley is now a production engineer, specializing in cybersecurity, with ICR Inc.

“In a program that’s full of really creative people, it’s hard not to come away from the Engineering Design environment with creative ways to solve problems,” she says.

Four co-ops and internships prepared Costa to become a design engineer with Endress+Hauser, while Baer had two co-ops in preparation for a postgraduate job as a systems engineer with Raytheon Technologies.

“My extensive design portfolio, through several projects, made me so unique,” Baer says. “I had numerous examples to show prospective employers about my skills and abilities. It made me so marketable.” n

Good Vibes project team member Jackson Costa helps a student experience the rhythms of the music while wearing the interactive jacket during this spring’s Rose Show event on campus.

Popular Rose Squared Program Adds Civil Engineering Option

Changing Times

The academic schedule has been modified in recent years to provide 10-minute passing periods between classes. This means that each day’s nine class periods are scheduled to begin at the top of each hour, 8 a.m. through 5 p.m.

a unique and creative way, the Rose Squared (R2) program is growing in popularity with current and prospective students. R2 provides students the option to study concurrent degree programs, taking graduate-level coursework while pursuing their undergraduate engineering education, to earn master’s and bachelor’s degrees in just four years at no additional cost.

The program allows eligible students to put their Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, and other earned college credits to work for them.

Since its introduction in 2020, nearly 190 students have expressed interest in participating in the program, and 15-20% of students in incoming classes have been interested in taking advantage of the program during their college careers.

They can earn a Master of Engineering Management degree track with all academic majors, and, new for this fall, is a Master of Civil Engineering degree specializing in Structures.

In the structural engineering track, civil engineering students will have the flexibility to

Learn more about the R2 program at www.rose-hulman.edu/r2

take graduate-level structural engineering courses during the final two years of their four-year Rose-Hulman education.

With aging infrastructure, regulatory changes, and increased population, demand for civil engineers continues to be incredibly high. The American Society of Civil Engineers reports that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting 25,000 new civil engineers will be needed each year throughout the rest of this decade, and that number doesn’t consider the impact of the federal government’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“These degrees offer incredible opportunities for civil engineers to play a major role in designing and building infrastructure and other facilities that will shape our future,” says Department Head and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering Jim Hanson, PhD. “With more than half of our civil engineering majors going on to get their master’s at some point in their careers, and that often taking two years or more, this program offers students an accelerated path to earning a master’s degree and expanding their professional possibilities and earning potential.” n

New Fellows Program Expanding Student Research Experiences

A unique research fellowship program has been designed to give the world’s most gifted STEM students the opportunity to conduct meaningful research during their first and second years on campus. The initiative, starting this fall with 15 students, is open to incoming and current first- and second-year students from a variety of academic majors.

The new Rose Research Fellows program supports undergraduate research on campus. Students will have courses that introduce them to the process of research and provide skills for success in the laboratory. There will also be paid research experiences and opportunities to develop a valuable academic network with faculty and fellow students.

“We wanted to offer an opportunity for students to get involved with research right away when they get to Rose,” says Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Irene Reizman, PhD. Reizman created the Rose Research Fellows program as part of her position as the Alfred R. Schmidt Endowed Chair for Excellence in Teaching. “This program creates a pathway for students to find faculty with active

research projects, as well as for faculty members to find interested students,” she said.

Reizman believes the Rose Research Fellows program illustrates the unique advantages that Rose-Hulman offers students.

“With Rose-Hulman’s focus on undergraduate education and given the size of our campus, it allows students to have an opportunity to work directly with faculty on research. That’s not always possible with other schools,” states Reizman.

In addition to the course credit and access to faculty research mentors, students accepted to the fellowship program will be invited to attend networking and speaker events, apply for research travel awards, and present their work at a spring research symposium. The program also prepares students for career and post-graduate opportunities. n

Global Experiences Enhance Learning

Students spanned the globe this spring and summer to enhance their classroom experiences in a variety of academic areas.

Seven chemical engineering seniors spent two weeks in Germany this spring completing an advanced design project with students from the country’s Technical University of Darmstadt and Provadis University. Teams designed a process involving the hydrogenation of raw refinery products. Professor Adam Nolte, PhD, was the contingent’s faculty mentor.

Meanwhile, an Introduction to Sustainability course, taught by Professor of English Mark Minster, PhD, had students traveling to Belgium and the Netherlands to visit historic windmills and state-of-the-art wind farms, world-class solar farms, and greenhouses. They also met scientists, engineers, activists, and experts from climate and eco-power cooperatives and car-sharing initiatives.

This summer, a Chemistry of Food and Drinks in Japan course had students visiting Tokyo, Kanazawa, Kyoto, and Hiroshima to study the chemistry behind meals and drinks developed through different regions of the country. The course was taught by chemistry professors Luanne Tilstra, PhD, and Fumie Sunahori, PhD. n

Bridging Data Science and Storytelling

Using data to advance social justice issues and reduce disparities was the impetus behind an interdisciplinary course, Social Justice and Statistical Concepts, offered by the Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts Department in cooperation with the Mathematics Department. The course was developed by Associate Professor of Mathematics Eric Reyes (MA/ECON, 2006), PhD, and Professor of English Jessica Livingston, PhD. They saw a natural overlap with respect to data’s social implications and technology. n

MOENCH HALL Gets a Makeover

Top-to-Bottom Transformation

Prepares Iconic Academic Building for Future

A four-phrased extensive renovation to Moench Hall will keep providing avenues for classroom instruction, provide opportunities for students and faculty to put STEM concepts into practice in state-of-the-art laboratories, and give students more ways to enjoy life on campus. The project to renovate the college's original academic building, started in June 2021, is scheduled to be completed at the end of this summer—within its original budget.

Learn more about aspects of the project on the following pages.

Commons Café: The former Commons/mailroom/canteen areas will become the home of a coffee shop, with seating areas, and a living wall (like one featured in the Mussallem Union). A new student mail delivery system has been implemented next to the campus bookstore in the student union.

Expanded Gateway to Crapo Hall: A redesigned hallway between the lower level of Moench Hall and Crapo Hall now allows students to easily move between the buildings.

Major aspects of the renovations include:

• Updating heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems

• Updating the skylight and roof

• Creating a Commons Café

• Improving accessibility

• Updating all faculty office areas, laboratories, GM Room and E-104 lecture halls, and other campus department offices

• Adding carpeting to all hallways and offices

More Student Study Spaces: Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Mathematics students are enjoying new and expanded study spaces throughout the building. A student lounge area in the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts has also been expanded.

CAMPUS RENOVATIONS

Changing Times

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New Skylight: The top floor’s skylight has been updated to provide sunlight inside the building, while the roof is also being replaced this summer–two aspects to improve energy efficiency.

Changing Times

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The renovation project was made possible because of the addition of the New Academic Building, opened for the 2021-22 school year, with its new chemistry and biochemistry laboratories and additional classrooms. That allowed the Mathematics and Electrical and Computer Engineering departments and faculty offices to move into the former chemistry lab areas.

Departments’ New Digs: The Mathematics Department along with Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and their faculty offices have moved into areas formerly occupied by chemistry and biochemistry laboratories and faculty offices. Other departments have offices in the building that have also been renovated.

The project required a well-coordinated plan involving the Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Facilities Operations, several academic departments and their faculty, and other offices.

This is the third significant renovation to the building which had its cornerstone laid September 13, 1922, to mark the building’s opening and the college’s move from its original location in downtown Terre Haute, starting in 1874. n

Alumni can see the “new” Moench Hall during Homecoming, September 29-October 1.

Improved Accessibility: Ramps on the north and south ends of the top floors have improved accessibility to the Computer Science and Software Engineering and Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts areas (and getting to other areas of campus).

Root Quad Getting New Look

Flat Pathways, Improved Seating & Lighting Among Coming Attractions

Walking through the middle of campus will become more convenient, accessible and picturesque after donor-supported renovations being made to the Root Quad, starting later this summer.

This common ground is located west of Moench Hall, north of Hadley Hall and Olin Hall/Advanced Learning Center, and south of Crapo Hall, Cook Laboratory for Bioscience Research, and Logan Library.

Features of the renovated camp quad will include:

• New sidewalks will replace all stairs, providing flat, accessible pathways to campus buildings.

• New seating along a central pathway.

• New concourses near entrances to Moench Hall, Hadley Hall and Logan Library

• Additional lighting, trees and landscaping throughout the area.

The project is expected to be completed in June 2024.

Moench Hall

Logan Library Hadley Hall

CLASS OF ‘23 STRIVES TO THRIVE

Members of the Class of 2023 have spread themselves across the world to begin their professional careers, graduate school studies or military commissions after receiving their bachelor’s and master’s degree diplomas during this year’s Commencement. Along the way, the college’s 145th graduating class overcame a disruption of their higher education careers by COVID-19 pandemic health and safety precautions. They studied new academic degrees in engineering design and data science. They also enjoyed such campus additions as the New Academic Building, the Kremer Innovation Center, synthetic football and soccer varsity athletic fields, and the Pi-Vilion addition to the Mussallem student union.

President Robert A. Coons presented diplomas to 405 graduates. However, he proposed that the goal for the group was to use the skills learned at Rose-Hulman to thrive in their chosen careers.

Inside The Class of ‘23

405 Number of Bachelor of Science and master’s degree graduates

63 Number of firstgeneration graduates receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees (16%)

102 Number women receiving bachelor’s and master’s degrees (25%)

137 Number of graduates declared of diverse/ethnic populations (35%)

34 States represented among graduates, plus the District of Columbia; Top States: Indiana (133 students), Illinois (50), Ohio (39), California (27), Michigan (15), and Texas (13)

Other Countries Represented (8): China (27 students), India (4), Germany (3), South Korea (2), Saudia Arabia (2), Cameroon (1), Thailand (1), and Turkey (1)

Graduates’ future plans include working for such companies as: Blue Origin, Caterpillar, Collins Aerospace, Eli Lilly and Company, Google, Microsoft, Procter & Gamble, Raytheon, Marathon Petroleum, Northrop Grumman, Milwaukee Tools, and Kiewit

Graduate school plans include attending such schools as: Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and Northwestern

“ Engineering is the beginning of a lifelong learning process. It is about the technical aspects, innovation, creativity, and problem-solving. We are trained to think critically, analyze and create unique solutions to real-world problems. Our ability to tackle challenges head-on and adapt to new technologies and changing environments is what sets us apart.”

Sage Dooley (ENGD, 2023) Senior Class President

Photos by Bryan Cantwell, Marc Lebryk and Mic Orman

“You are bright and your future is bright. The world will benefit from your problem-solving skills, whether the issues you tackle are small or immense. You have what it takes to thrive because you know how to strive. Your past four years of experiences here have set you up to thrive, no matter what unknown challenges lie on the path ahead … Keep growing and developing vigorously. Continue to flourish. And continue to focus on the things in life that feel right. When you do, you will keep experiencing what it means to thrive. Strive to Thrive.”

— President Robert A. Coons

Goldsmith’s Advice: “Go for it”

In addressing the Class of 2023, alumnus Marshall Goldsmith (MA/ECON, 1970) passed along advice from being a best-selling business book author and recognized executive leadership coach. His exclusive leadership coaching list features a Who’s Who of more than 200 highest level global chief executives, with a six-month waiting list for potential new clients.

Among his many tips were: Ask questions, be happy in the present, appreciate family and friends, and follow your dreams and aspirations. Also, do what you can do to help others. Finally, don’t have any regrets.

“Life is short, have fun … go for it,” he said.

As a special parting gift, Goldsmith presented each of the graduates copies of latest book, “The Earned Life,” which offers practical advice, taken from Buddhism inspiration, to help readers lead a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

Goldsmith also was presented with a Doctor of Engineering honorary degree.

Relive the Class of 2023's Commencement Day at rb.gy/y5amw or this QR code

Linda White Adds to Family Legacy

Student Awards

John T. Royse Award

Most outstanding graduate, based upon academics, student leadership, activities, and campus citizenship

Emma Goodman | Chemical Engineering/Biochemistry

Herman A. Moench Distinguished Senior Commendation

Commendable influence on the Rose community

Alyssa Pinkston | Computer Science

Heminway Gold Medal

Highest academic achievement

Blake Baker | Computer Engineering

William Chong | Electrical Engineering

Zili He | Computer Engineering

Faculty/Staff Awards

Dean’s Outstanding Teacher

Kimberly Henthorn (CHE, 1999), PhD | Chemical Engineering

Board of Trustees’ Outstanding Scholar

Simon Jones, PhD | Mechanical Engineering

President’s Outstanding Service

Nick Sanders | Lead Audiovisual Technician

John T. Ying Excellence for Student-Faculty Collaboration

Azad Siahmakoun, PhD | Physics and Optical Engineering

Fredrick Flynn | Electrical and Computer Engineering Student

Outstanding Academic Advisors

Receiving an honorary degree in engineering at Commencement accomplished a lifetime goal for Linda White and added to her family’s proud legacy at the college.

White, a Rose-Hulman trustee, became the ninth member of her extended family to receive a Rose-Hulman degree. That alumni list features her late father John White (BSME, 1947/HD, 1997), who was a financial contributor for the college’s White Chapel; brother Steve White (ME, 1973); uncle William Noel (EE/ME, 1939); brother-in-law and Board of Trustee emeritus Jim Trueblood (ME, 1977); Jim’s brother David Trueblood (ME, 1969); Jim’s daughter Anne (Trueblood) Trobaugh (ME, 2003); her husband, Corey Trobaugh (CHEM, 2003); and Corey’s brother, Derek Trobaugh (AB, 2006).

“I’m proud to receive this honorary degree from an institute that means so much to me and my family. It was great to share this special day with the Class of 2023, whose members are ready to be the latest Rose-Hulman graduates to make a difference in their science, engineering and mathematics career fields,” says Linda White.

White has devoted more than 40 years to the Deaconess Health System, an organization with acute care hospitals throughout Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. After retiring in 2017, White became executive director of the Deaconess Foundation and chief administrative officer of Deaconess Henderson Hospital in Henderson, Kentucky. She is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.

Sriram Mohan, PhD | Computer Science and Software Engineering

Amir Danesh-Yazdi | Mechanical Engineering

Excellence in Service

Campus Groups Development & Implementation Team

Kristen Merchant (AB, 2011) | Student Affairs

Kyle Rhodes (SE/PH, 2010) | Student Affairs

Shining Star

Leanne Myers | Associate Director of Residence Life

Make a Difference

Kathy Kassissieh | Associate Director of Career Services and Employer Relations

Henthorn

Danesh-Yadzi

Mohan

Pinkston

Goodman Sanders Myers Kassissieh

Jones

Merchant Rhodes

Victoria Kinnamon | Biochemistry

Julia McGuire | Civil Engineering

Kenton Pardue | Civil Engineering

Army ROTC Battalion Named Nation’s Best

The Wabash Battalion ROTC unit earned the prestigious Department of Defense ROTC and Partner Institution Excellence Award in recognition of being the top performing collegiate program among all military branches (Army, Navy and Air Force) for the 2021-22 school year. The battalion was the Army’s representative after earning the 2022 MacArthur Award as the military branch’s top program.

The battalion’s achievements included:

• Commissioning 35 officers

• Cadets exceeded every performance metric during 2021 Cadet Summer Training exercises

• Six cadets ranked in the top 20% nationally and earned distinguished military graduate honors

• 54% of battalion cadets earned top evaluation

“outstanding excellence” reports

“We are honored to partner with the outstanding professionals at Rose-Hulman to develop the next generation of military leaders,” stated Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III in announcing the award. He pointed out Rose-Hulman’s ROTC unit stood out among the nation’s best college programs for overall performance, educational institutional support, and other noteworthy achievements by cadets.

Presenting the award was Colonel Edwin L. Chilton, commander of the U.S. Army Cadet Command’s 7th Brigade, and Retired Major General James K. Gilman (BSBIOE, 1974/HDENG, 2011), a former Wabash Battalion ROTC cadet who had a distinguished 35-year military career.

Partnership Grows Integrated Device Opportunities

Research Pursuits Earn Student Prestigious Goldwater Scholar Honor

A partnership with the University of Illinois

Urbana-Champaign and Stanford University is establishing the Intel-sponsored Higher Educational Initiative in Integrated Device Manufacturing (HIVE). This effort is intended to revitalize America’s microelectronics and semiconductor industry to meet future manufacturing workforce needs and make the industry more accessible to future employees. The initiative will bring researchers and educators from these three institutions together with industry partners to update semiconductor manufacturing and microelectronics curricula and develop pathways that could potentially impact students through university coursework and broader engagement and training opportunities each year.

“This partnership is an ideal collaboration of top institutions in integrated semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing,” said Azad Siahmakoun, PhD, director of Rose-Hulman’s Micro-Nanoscale Devices & Systems cleanroom facility and professor of physics and optical engineering.

Physics and computational science major Ishaan Mishra was named a 2023 Goldwater Scholar, by the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, for his research in physics and space propulsion.

This marks the third straight year and sixth time within the past seven years that a Rose student has been recognized as a Goldwater Scholar, the preeminent honor for undergraduate students pursing degrees in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics.

Mishra has built a high-resolution torsional pendulum thrust balance that could be used to facilitate testing of electric propulsion devices. He also founded the Rose-Hulman Electric Propulsion Group, a student-led research group, to develop space propulsion devices.

Colonel Edward L. Chilton (left) presented the Partner Institution Excellence Award to President Robert A. Coons. Wabash Battalion Cadet Commander Tatiana Andrade (CHE, 2023) and Retired Major General James Gilman (BSBIOE, 1974/HDENG, 2011).

Show at rb.gy/0aacp or the QR code.

Entrepreneurial Spirit Sprinkled Across

‘Rose Show’

Projects

Innovative projects that went from inspiration to aspiration, sprinkled with entrepreneurial spirit and ingenuity, were featured among nearly 100 student projects from almost all academic areas filling the Sports and Recreation Center’s fieldhouse at this spring’s Rose Show, the college’s version of the World’s Fair that was first held in 1927. Co-winner of the William A. Kline Innovation Award (honoring the legacy of the college’s former dean of innovation) was a team of first-year engineering design students Calvin Jorgensen, Connor Luce, Randyn Tarnoff, and Michael Wilson for developing an element offroad axle disconnect system that featured a universal, modular and disconnecting axle shaft which decreases tire wear. It also allows for future developments in turning brakes and four-wheel steering for side-by-side applications.

Sustainability and resourcefulness were key elements of the other Kline Award winning project: a low-cost automated injection molder designed and created by 2023 mechanical engineering graduates Emily Bartling, Annalise Gant, Bryson Halsey, and Tommy Welch. The Reclaim device uses recycled PLA plastic from campus 3D printers to create novelty tokens for visitors to Rose’s two innovation centers. Along the way, the project makes 3D printing operations more sustainable.

Kearney is New VP and Chief Business Officer

Tyler D. Kearney, PhD, is supporting the college’s overall financial and providing operational oversight as the new vice president and chief business officer. He spent the past six years as associate vice president of finance and administration at Louisiana State University.

In a nearly 20-year career in higher education, Kearney has provided leadership for procurement services, property management, and auxiliary services, and coordinated system-wide budget and financial reporting. He started at the University of Illinois, where he earned a doctorate in higher education, a master’s degree in business administration, and a bachelor’s degree in actuarial science and finance.

Grant Supports ‘AskRose,’ RoseSTEM College Prep Programs

A $3.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. is allowing the free AskRose Homework Help program to help more middle and high school students in Indiana, including historically underserved students, excel in their math and science homework.

AskRose helps provide Indiana students with an aptitude and interest in math and science and promotes valuable tools in STEM education. The homework helpline service will address the needs of English as a Second Language students by hiring bilingual students to create dedicated Spanish-speaking tutoring hours and pilot this concept with two high schools and STEM-oriented academies.

The grant also is supporting a new RoseSTEM college preparation program that equips historically underserved students with additional resources to pursue STEM fields. A pipeline of highly prepared students for college will be built through partnerships with high schools and Community-Based Organizations in Indianapolis, Chicago, Northwest Indiana, and Terre Haute.

AskRose tutors are available for free tutoring sessions Sunday through Thursday from 5-10 p.m. (Eastern Time) from early August through the middle of May each school year. Contact through AskRose.org (accessing video, email or chat) or calling 877-ASK-ROSE.

Look at many of the projects featured at this year’s Rose

Sustainability Efforts Make ‘Green’ Colleges List

A strong commitment to the environment through sustainability campus policies, programs and practices has had Rose-Hulman named to the Princeton Review’s 2023 Guide to Green Colleges list. More than 25 data points were analyzed to select the schools on the list.

The New Academic Building became Indiana’s first building to earn full WELL Certification from the International WELL Building Institute; the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry became Indiana’s first higher education institution to adopt a Green Chemistry Commitment; and an Introduction to Sustainability course had students traveling to Belgium and the Netherlands during Spring Break to study international wind and solar energy efforts.

Plastic Recycling Project Underway : A new student-organized plastic recycling effort is promoting Terre Haute’s “Green” footprint. The Student Government Association started the initiative this spring to encourage students to discard Type 2 and Type 5 plastic waste at campus collection stations. Engineers for a Sustainable World members prepare the plastic products for donation to Terre Haute’s reTHink, Inc., a non-profit group promoting the community’s environmental sustainability efforts.

Two Department Heads Named, Two Reappointed

Two academic departments are under new leadership while two other department heads have been reappointed. The appointments were announced by Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Rick Stamper (ME, 1985), PhD.

Professor Sriram Mohan, PhD, is leading the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering that he has been a faculty member of since 2007. He replaced J.P. Mellor, PhD, who had been the department head since the 2015-16 academic year and will remain on the department’s faculty.

Bill Weiner, PhD, is the head of the Department of Biology and Biomedical Engineering, where he has been an award-winning faculty member since starting in 2000. He replaces Jameel Ahmed, PhD, who is returning to teach within the department he led since the 2011-12 school year.

Richard Onyancha, PhD, will remain head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, a position he has held since 2019. He has been a member of the faculty since 2007 and now services as chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering’s ME Department Heads and Chairs Executive Committee.

Galen Duree, PhD, returns as head of the Department of Physics and Optical Engineering. He has led the department since 2015 and has earned the Dean’s Outstanding Teacher Award. He provides students with practical experiences working on projects with the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

Richard House, PhD, has been named the new Associate Dean of Professional Development. He had been the head of the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences and the Arts since 2017 and became a member of the faculty in 2001. House replaces Ella Ingram, PhD, who was the first associate dean in that role, serving since 2017. She will return to full-time teaching responsibilities in Biology and Biomedical Engineering.

House Named Associate Dean:

Mohan Duree House Weiner Onyancha

On Earth Day, SGA provided students reusable cups to promote a new campus plastic recycling effort.

Faculty Trio End Award-Winning Teaching Tenures

Award-winning professors Wayne Padgett, PhD, David Purdy, PhD, and Robert Throne, PhD, concluded their impactful teaching careers teaching by retiring from the Rose-Hulman faculty at the end of the 2022-23 academic year.

Padgett taught electrical and computer engineering since 1994 and is a senior member of IEEE’s Signal Processing Society; Purdy, the 1993 Dean’s Outstanding Teacher Award winner, had been a professor of mechanical engineering since 1987 and formerly was head of the academic department; and Throne, former head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was the Board of Trustees’ 2021 Outstanding Scholar Award winner and Lawrence J. Giacoletto Endowed Faculty Chair from 2018-21.

Athletics Captures HCAC Commissioner's Cup

With seven championships and three second-place finishes, the Athletic Department earned the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Commissioner's Cup, along with the Men's All-Sports Trophy, for the 2022-23 athletic season. This marks the eighth time Rose has received the Commissioner’s Cup.

This year's HCAC championship teams for the Fightin’ Engineers included men's soccer, men's cross country, men's swimming & diving, men's indoor and outdoor track & field, women's indoor track & field, and women's golf.

Women’s Golf Places 20th at NCAA Championships:

The women’s golf team finished 20th in the weather-shortened NCAA Division III Championships at Howey-In-The-Hills, Florida. The team qualified for its third straight NCAA tournament by winning the HCAC title by 37 strokes over a three-day event.

Hobbs a Two-Sport All-American/HCAC

Male Athlete Of Year:

Jailen Hobbs finished fourth in the 100-meter dash (10.39 seconds) at the NCAA DIII national championships to become the first Rose student-athlete to earn All-American honors in two different sports—track and football. He also was named the HCAC Male Athlete of the Year.

East Asian Cultural Residency Program Coming This Fall

Rose-Hulman students will expand their global horizons this fall when the campus hosts a two-week educational residency program that fosters an appreciation for East Asian culture by examining aspects of Tibetan mindfulness practices. The activity is being hosted by Associate Professor of China Studies Timothy Grose, PhD, and sponsored for the first time by the ASIANetwork.

The residency program will feature visiting monks from the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana, including daily yoga classes and meditation sessions. There also will be a variety of visiting guest lectures and presentations by Associate Professor of Psychology Alan Jern, PhD, and Grose about holistic approaches to Tibetan culture and connecting it to science.

Purdy Padgett

Hobbs

Throne

Women’s Scholarship Honors Alumnus Ted Thomas

A scholarship fund supporting women students has been established through a $500,000 donation by Cindy Thomas Kalkomey and Kurt Kalkomey in loving memory of her father and late 1943 alumnus Charles “Ted” Thomas— fulfilling the couple’s personal mission of helping “give others the opportunity to succeed and live without fear.”

Cindy Thomas Kalkomey states, “The impact my father has had on my life wasn’t through momentous events or mighty words, but through a consistent, daily example. Dad was probably the most patient person I’ve known. I can only remember once in my lifetime that I had seen him angry, and that was with a lot of provocation from me. He always saw the best in people and assumed their intentions were good. I can’t even recall him ever speaking ill of someone. This quality in him seemed to bring out the best in people when they were around him.”

She adds, “My dad must have received an outstanding engineering education at Rose, because he was always able to explain to me how something worked. I still find myself today, more than 20 years after his death, wishing I had him here to answer my questions.”

A native of Clinton, Indiana, Ted Thomas graduated with high honors in electrical engineering from Rose Polytechnic Institute in 1943. He accentuated

his engineering skills with a master’s degree from Southern Methodist University. Thomas spent 28 years as an electrical engineer with Texas Instruments’ defense systems division, retiring from a technical leadership position in 1986. He settled in the Dallas area with his longtime devoted wife, Grace, before his death in 1998. The couple had three children, daughters Ann Luedke of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Cindy Kalkomey of Dallas, along with son Terry Thomas of Dallas.

Pi Day of Giving Offers Limitless

Potential, Sets Record

Pi Day—March 14—has always held special meaning on the Rose-Hulman campus. This year, it was extra special as it also served for the first time as the date for the college’s Giving Day.

Building off a “Together, we are limitless” theme, alumni, friends and supporters contributing a record $508,607 to meet Rose’s greatest needs, including scholarships, academic programs, clubs, and teams. The total raised surpassed the previous record of $491,180 set in 2022. A total of 590 individual gifts were contributed this year.

3.14.23

Several donors spurred the giving with matching gift challenges. Those included significant gifts from Jane and Dave Hummel (CHE, 1980) and Katherine and Jim Umpleby (ME, 1980), supporting the Rose Prime program; Ray Lepp (ME, 1963), supporting the Rocketry Club; Frank Huff (CHE, 1960), for Rose’s greatest needs; Becky (CHE, 2005) and Frank Levinson (ME, 2003), donated towards Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Analysis and Design curriculum, Lyle Carlson (CPE, 1991), for developing cybersecurity initiatives; and Jon and Dana Peirson (CHE/ ECON, 2006), supporting athletics.

Cindy and Kurt Kalkomey established a scholarship fund in recognition of Ted Thomas (inset).

SAWMILL SOCIETY Encouraging Campus’ Growing Entrepreneurial Spirit

Entrepreneurial thinking is alive and flourishing among alumni, students, faculty, and staff. That mindset was readily apparent after a Sawmill Society Weekend full of shared insight from successful enterprises. There also were networking opportunities, information about the college’s future aspirations, and encouragement for the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.

The second gathering of this growing network featured discussions about entrepreneurship and innovation on campus, presentations about innovative projects by students and faculty, and a session on sustainability enterprises. The “Path to CEO” keynote address was presented by Society member Erica Buxton, a 2002 chemical engineering alumna who is president of Hello Bello, a brand that’s making premium and affordable baby products available to all parents, regardless of their family budgets.

The Sawmill Society is a group of more than 90 innovative and forward-thinking alumni and friends of Rose who know what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur. The organization’s mentor, ventureship and angel networks are encouraging the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators in a variety of STEM areas. “It’s nice to see the entrepreneurial spirit that first caught my attention many years ago is still vibrant and growing on campus,” states Dustin Sapp, a 2001 computer engineering alumnus who was Rose-Hulman Ventures’ first entrepreneurial fellow before going on to start several successful enterprises. “Rose teaches students to come up with creative solutions to challenging problems … When you’re pushing the limits on technological innovations, the learning process carries Rose-

This year's Sawmill Society Weekend allowed students to get insight from members, including Marty Wessler (middle), and former inspirational professor Tom Mason (right).

Hulman graduates to new levels. That’s what you see in the Sawmill Society, a group of people with the know-how to get things done.”

Alumni participating in sessions were Ventures’ senior director Brian Dougherty, who earned electrical engineering (1993) and engineering management (1999) degrees; CamoAg CEO Corbet Kull, a 1990 electrical engineering graduate; and Wessler Engineering CEO Marty Wessler, a 1987 civil engineering graduate.

Faculty presenters were Miles Canino, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical engineering; Jenny Mueller, PhD, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and Nicole Pfiester, PhD, assistant professor of physics and optical engineering. n

Fette Awarded First Tom Mason Innovation Award

Alumni Tanya Colonna (BSBE/BCMB, 2013; MSEMGT, 2015) and Hobey Tam (BSBE/BCMB, 2012) pitched their Oro Muscles BV startup idea (top) to potential Sawmill Society investors while students discussed their ideas for future potential products.

A special part of this year’s Sawmill Society Weekend was FetTech and StemSys Chief Executive Officer Clay Fette being the inaugural recipient of the Tom Mason Innovation Award. Rose-Hulman and the Sawmill Society are planning to present the honor annually to an alumni, faculty or staff startup founder on behalf of Mason, a member of the faculty and administration for 38 years (1972-2010) who started the engineering management academic department and its master’s degree program.

“Considering everything that Dr. Mason has done to foster innovation and create an environment where the Sawmill Society could be formed and to represent his work in this way is something I’ll always appreciate,” states Fette, who earned bachelor’s (1999) and master’s (2004) degrees in chemical engineering. “It’s a more appreciated distinction when it’s given by your peers, because of the talented pool of other innovators and entrepreneurs in the Sawmill Society.”

Fette worked with such biomedical companies as Cook Biotech, Biomet 3i and ACell Inc. before founding FetTech in 2012 and StemSys in 2015 to advance medicine through innovative products and technology.

He is working with Rose-Hulman Ventures, Sawmill Society colleagues, and Rose’s Department of Chemical Engineering on possible forthcoming products.

“When I have run into a new problem that maybe today’s technology can’t solve or isn’t ready for, I have always been able to reach out to a Rose-Hulman department, Ventures, or the Sawmill Society to help find a path forward. It’s exciting to have these resources as an entrepreneur and innovator,” Fette says.

AWARD WINNERS

Alumni Recognized for Making a Difference

Rose-Hulman and its Alumni Association recognized alumni, faculty, staff, and students for their considerable career achievements, service to their communities, and dedication to the institute in the 2023 Alumni Awards ceremony.

Honor Alumni Awards

The Alumni Association’s highest alumni award recognizes exceptional achievement in any career field, vocation, and service to society.

John Swearingen

Chemical Engineering, 1981

A 39-year career with Marathon Petroleum Corporation brought John throughout the U.S. for various assignments, retiring in the fall of 2020 as executive vice president of logistics and storage. After providing scholarships to support Rose students, John and his wife, Anne, made a $2 million donation to establish the Department of Chemical Engineering’s first endowed faculty professorship, along with supporting laboratory and technology modifications for the department.

Tom Wegman

Mechanical Engineering, 1967

The value of hard work led him to have a rewarding career contributing to NASA’s Skylab project and becoming a partner and board chair with Stevens Industries in his hometown of Teutopolis, Illinois. In a 45-year career with the company, Wegman helped build the firm’s domestic market base through his innovative, forwardthinking business approaches.

Career Achievement Award

This honor highlights alumni whose professional achievements have brought distinction to themselves, credit to Rose-Hulman and benefit their communities.

Richard Correll

Chemical Engineering, 1986

The vice admiral in the U.S. Navy also is deputy commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, helping keep America and its allies safe. He previously commanded elements of the Navy’s nuclear submarine group and assisted the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense.

David Dusick

Mechanical Engineering, 1999

Combined interests in motorsports and engineering to found/lead RaceTrack Engineering, which has supported more than 150 racing facilities and major events. He also formed a foundation that benefits the Riley Hospital for Children.

Sophia Percival

Biomedical Engineering, 2009

Catalent Pharma Solutions’ director of drug manufacturing led primary supply production of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine during the pandemic. She also has supported women in the workplace and Habitat for Humanity’s Women Build projects.

Amy Wicks

Civil Engineering, 2004

She implemented sustainable design practices at Babcock Ranch, a living lab for sustainability near Fort Myers, Florida, with special emphasis on storm resistance. Those design strategies are being used in other cities to combat climate change.

Distinguished Young Alumni Award

Alumni are recognized for achieving significant success within their first 10 years after graduation in the areas of career accomplishments, community service and dedication to Rose.

Spencer Bohlander

Mechanical Engineering, 2013

After being an accomplished oil drilling supervisor and engineer, he co-founded an entity that’s developing an advanced, proactively adaptive, and genuinely sustainable source of energy. He has contributed to other energy industry innovations.

Mike McDonald

Computer Engineering/Computer Science, 2014

This Crusoe product manager is aligning the future of computing and climate through platforms that make software development faster, easier, and more accessible. He formerly worked on innovative projects with Google, GitHub and Firebase.

Alumni Volunteer Award

This new honor recognizes alumni who have donated significant time to Rose, toward the advancement of STEM education, in professional/industrial groups and organizations.

Steve Gillman Chemical Engineering, 1979

In retirement after 35 years with Eli Lilly and Company, he serves on the boards of several community service groups, such as Starfish Initiative and Bread for the World-Indiana, and supports several STEM education initiatives.

Honorary Alumni Awards

A faculty and staff members are recognized for their commitment to Rose, its students and alumni, along with professional achievement and dedication to the betterment of their departments.

Christine Buckley, PhD

Associate Professor of Biology & Biomedical Engineering

Collegian Rosie Award

This honor recognizes an alumnus who as a faculty and staff member has helped elevate the institute’s mission, strengthened the bridge between alumni and campus, and proven themselves to be an advocate for lifelong relationships with their alma mater.

Matt Lovell, PhD Civil Engineering, 2006 Associate Professor of Civil Engineering Senior Director, Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment

Rachel M. Romas

Future Alumni

Award

An outstanding current student is honored for excellence in academics and character, while demonstrating a strong commitment to Rose’s initiatives.

Rachel Becker

Civil Engineering, 2023

Charlie Brown Utility Custodian

Watch the 2023 Alumni Awards ceremony at rb.gy/7890b

Imagineer Imagineer

ANDY MILLUZZI HELPING DISNEY WORLD TELL MAGICAL STORIES

Software and computer engineering alumnus Andy Milluzzi has one requirement for aspects of his life, work or play interests—it must be fun. Well, that’s not hard to accomplish when you’re an Imagineer at Walt Disney World, a place known as “the most magical place on Earth.”

STORY BY DALE LONG

Andy Milluzzi, a Senior Ride Control Systems Engineer with Walt Disney Imagineering, has used his skills to help design The Cheetah Ball and Hungry Hungry Hornbills devices at Disney Park’s Animal Kingdom (shown on Page 33) and aspects of the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind attractions.

“ Because of the quality of my Rose experiences, I'm technically very strong and tend to gravitate toward the bigger and more challenging projects with Disney.”

Andy Milluzzi (SE/CPE, 2017)

Since 2017, Milluzzi has helped bring a sense of adventure to current and future attractions through his expertise in high-performance computing, robotics, and engineering. And not all the thrills have been created for the millions of people from throughout the world who visit the central Florida resort annually.

Last year, the 2012 graduate led a multidisciplinary technical team that designed a new spherical robotic enrichment device to entertain large cheetahs in the Kilimanjaro Safaris section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. The Cheetah Ball was a project mixing engineering, design and theming, and animal science that was featured along with Milluzzi in a “Chilled Out Cheetahs” episode of The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom television show broadcast on the National Geographic Channel (also streaming on Disney+).

“Like any cat, they like playing with balls and respond well to them being thrown into the wildlife habitat. However, they quickly lose interest if the ball isn’t moving,” says Milluzzi, a Senior Ride Control Systems Engineer with Walt Disney Imagineering. “We needed to develop a durable object that remained in constant motion or moving just enough to keep the cheetahs from becoming bored … This is one of those after-normal-work-hours pet projects that I had for the past five to six years, but once we got deep into development, it quickly came to life.”

A similar concept was used to create another unique enrichment Hungry Hungry Hornbills device that mimics naturalistic foraging behaviors for Abyssinian Ground Hornbills that roam throughout Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. The brightly colored ground birds use their long down-curved bill to uncover turtles and other prey from within tree trunks. So, Milluzzi’s team designed a project that encouraged the hornbills to find toy pinecones and deposit them inside a simulated tree stump. This achievement would activate a radio-frequency identification device to release a clay turtle. A little more investigative work by the hornbill would uncover an appeasing treat— like what happens in their natural environment.

Much more ambitious projects had Milluzzi and other Imagineers creating aspects of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (opened in 2019), the most complex attraction at Walt Disney World and Disneyland; Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (opened in 2020), at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the first ride at

any Disney Park to star Mickey Mouse and friends; and Epcot’s Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (opened in 2022).

And Milluzzi considers himself fortunate to be among an elite group of engineers who are working on a variety of other Disney Parks located throughout the world.

“As an Imagineer, I’m only looking forward at any new project that’s going into the parks. We’re always forward thinking,” he states. “I’m having lots of fun. On my worst days, I’m still having the opportunity to work on a Disney ride. There are so few people around the world that get to do what I do. It’s a very, very tough job to get.”

Milluzzi’s passions for Legos and Lego Mindstorms motivated the Westlake, Ohio, native to study engineering, with a specialization in

robotics, at Rose-Hulman, assisted by a scholarship from northeast Ohio alumnus and emeriti trustee Gregg Lowe (BSEE, 1984/HSENG, 2014). Master’s and doctorate degrees in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Florida further enhanced his job prospects with Disney.

“Because of the quality of my Rose experiences, I’m technically very strong and tend to gravitate toward the bigger and more challenging projects with Disney,” he remarks.

Those lessons have extended as Milluzzi concentrates on those attractions that put the “magic” in the Disney experience.

“At Disney, our project constraints are driven by the creative story. That story dictates everything else,” he remarked. “When we design a ride, it’s because creative wants the ride to cause a certain feeling at a certain point. As an Imagineer it’s our job to help capture those feelings through lights on a show’s set or even how the vehicle is moving. We’re not going for the tallest or fastest roller coaster; we’re trying to tell an appealing story. After all, the first element of a Disney job posting is ‘at Disney, we’re storytellers.’”

And Milluzzi is having lots of fun doing it. n

“ On my worst days, I'm still having the opportunity to work on a Disney ride. There are so few people around the world that get to do what I do. It's a very, very tough job to get.”

Andy Milluzzi (SE/CPE, 2017)

STORY BY DALE LONG

CHAMPION OF DIVERSITY

Greg Hawkins’ leadership skills bringing change to automakers, suppliers and communities

Aself-motivated and experienced change leader of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the automotive industry, 1997 mechanical engineering alumnus Greg Hawkins is passionately putting a new twist to the familiar adage “If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime.”

His adaptation: “If you teach a man to market, sell and produce the fish they already know how to catch, you’re helping him feed an entire community.”

For more than 15 years Hawkins has worked in sales and training, project design, process development, and supplier diversity with automotive manufacturers and parts suppliers—large and small—throughout the world. He’s a business resource group and global integration manager with Stellantis, one of the world’s leading automakers and mobility service providers carrying brands such as Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep, and Peugeot.

As part of this role, Hawkins is managing diversity supplier development for the automaker. In 2022, Stellantis took the lead in establishing the National Business League National Black Supplier Development Program, an initiative developing and supporting Black-owned supplier companies within the auto industry through education, connections and resources. The first 15 Black-owned supplier businesses were announced in 2022, with more to follow. For this and other efforts, Hawkins was awarded Automotive News’ Notable Champion of Diversity honor at Stellantis last year.

“I’m passionate about individual’s development and ensuring that everyone that comes into work every day delivers something great. While my passion here has always been cars and racing, my true passion was helping people within this community find that same level of commitment within the company,” says Hawkins, who also is chair of the automaker's Gay and Lesbian Alliance. “The impact I’m having today is broader than me, broader than the individuals I’m helping, and broader than the companies I help. It is impacting directly the communities of kids like me who were looking to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.”

At Rose-Hulman, Hawkins’ personality, leadership and problem-solving skills flourished within the close-knit, hard-working and team-approach campus community. He was a three-year residence life staff member, helped the college make a successful transition to coeducation, and founded the National Society of Black Engineers student chapter.

Hawkins made similar impacts on the automotive industry. Stellantis’ National Black Supplier Development Program is connecting suppliers to companies and other businesses while providing opportunities for program participants to work with the automaker.

“We’re building a unique network of people and organizations that are committed to getting things done and making incremental change in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion in the auto industry and other business landscapes. We’re looking to change communities as well,” remarks Hawkins. This goes back to elements within his twist of the “teach a man to fish” adage. n

LUCAS ALUMNI AWARD WINNER

Hawkins received the Office Student Affairs’ 2023 Jess R. Lucas Alumni Leadership Award, recognizing a former residence life staff member for distinguished career achievements.

“The impact I’m having today is broader than me, broader than the individuals I’m helping, and broader than the companies I help. It is impacting directly the communities of kids like me who were looking to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.”

— Greg Hawkins (ME, 1997) Business Resource Group & Global Integration Manager, Stellantis

Lollie Breaks New Ground in Science

Call it fate, destiny or just good fortune that aligned like the fundamental elements of science to pave the way for 2016 physics alumna Michelle Lollie, PhD, and her groundbreaking pathway toward a worthwhile career in science.

And an amazing journey.

How else do you explain how, as a 28-year-old bank employee in Atlanta, with a bachelor’s degree in finance, she happened to come upon a research paper on quantum teleportation. It piqued her interest in becoming a quantum physicist.

Or, later being motivated to send an email to Rose-Hulman’s Admissions Office to inquire about the possibility of enrolling as a non-traditional student to the college’s highly respected optical engineering program. By that fall, at age 30, she was studying first-year level STEM courses alongside much younger classmates on campus.

“To consider the trajectory of my career, it all started with Rose,” assesses Lollie. “The words #ForeverRose and ‘Fightin’ Engineers’ mean a lot to me, as they do to a lot of students who go there.”

Lollie went on to become the first Black woman to receive a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University’s Department of Physics and Astronomy and since last fall has been an advanced laser scientist specializing in lasers and optics at Quantinuum outside of Denver. That brings her story back to that seminal research paper on quantum information theory, that caught her attention as she became frustrated with her work in finance.

“I didn’t know what it was at that time, but I knew I wanted to study whatever quantum teleportation was about. The paper mentioned entanglement (a quantum mechanical concept), and I figured out that meant I should study physics,” says Lollie.

Filling gaps in her educational background at RoseHulman, Lollie went on to gain valuable experiences in directed research on campus. That led to internships

in Germany, at the Naval Air Warfare Center’s Atomic Physics Lab and at LSU. Another asset was the American Physical Society’s Bridge Program, which helps underrepresented students of color pursue PhDs.

“It wasn’t easy,” Lollie remarks in reflection on her fascinating journey. “Rose-Hulman kicked my butt on several occasions, but never dashed my resolve and determination that I couldn’t make it. The handson learning that you get at Rose-Hulman was the foundation for me … There are people along the way at Rose who saw something in me. I don’t know what that was. I’m spiritual, so I think it was just meant to be. There are just certain things that just lay out for someone during their journey, their path, and Rose-Hulman was a big part of that for me.”

So, it may have been kismet after all. n

“Rose-Hulman kicked my butt on several occasions, but never dashed my resolve and determination that I couldn’t make it.”

Michelle Lollie (PH, 2016)

Advanced Laser Scientist, Quantinuum

STORY BY DALE LONG

Luke Zhang a Rising Star in Indy’s Growing Tech Scene

With decorated degrees in computer science, software engineering and mathematics from Rose-Hulman, Luke Zhang could have followed other young hightech professionals in seeking fame and fortune in California’s Silicon Valley, the Great Northwest or New England/New York City areas.

Instead, the 2017 graduate has become a rising star in Indianapolis’ growing tech community as a senior data scientist with Resultant, a modern consultancy that’s in the heart of the Circle City.

Zhang has a demonstrated history of making worthwhile contributions in the data science, machine learning and software industry. His ProtoType team is revolutionizing the consulting industry by providing a free six-week trial of building proof of concept services with design thinking methodology.

DALE LONG

He also contributed to tech tools that helped the Indiana Governor’s office and Indiana Department of Health address COVID-19 pandemic health issues. Other projects have included development of data frameworks that’s optimizing Indiana Arts Commission’s statewide grant review process, assisting in the detection of potential unemployment benefit fraud cases for the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, and automating a pilot hiring plan for Indianapolis-based Republic Airways.

“A data scientist is a person with a little bit of business knowledge, quite a bit of math know-how, and the necessary coding skills to develop a technical process that quantifies complex problems,” Zhang says.

That’s why he believes the career is moving more in the direction of being a “decision” scientist than one that puts data in a form that helps others make decisions.

“I like looking at the science,” he later remarks. “Today, we’re creating data from mathematical algorithms at such experientially exploding rates and time frames. We need to make sense of all the data that’s being collected. That’s where I and others come in—to help paint the picture and contribute to the decisionmaking process.”

Along his career pathway, Zhang had opportunities to be lured to work with some of the nation’s largest technology companies. But he remained loyal to his “new home” in Indiana.

“I wanted to have an impact,” he states. “In Indiana, right now everything is booming in the tech area. I also like a small, flexible team that works closely, hacks together, and does incredible things together. I like knowing that I’m contributing to something big and have an active role in my company’s success.”

Those growing responsibilities with Resultant have allowed Zhang to work with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb and other high-ranked state leaders on projects that’s helped improve the health, mental wellness and cultural landscape of Indiana communities and their residents. He’s been a finalist for Indianapolis’ 2023 Elevate Emerging Leader of the Year Award and listed among Indy’s Best and Brightest 2022 award winners. n

“ We need to make sense of all the data that’s being collected. That’s where I and others come in—to help paint the picture and contribute to the decision-making process.”

Luke Zhang (CS/SE, MA, '17) Senior Data Scientist, Resultant

By Tim All, Sylvia Carlisle and John McSweeney, Associate Professors

of Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics continues its strong association with the Bailey Challenge as associate professors Tim All, PhD, Sylvia Carlisle, PhD, and John McSweeney, PhD, have provided problems for this issue.

All’s mathematical expertise is in number theory and finds joy in teaching a variety of math classes. “It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to do when I was younger. But I was always happiest when I was solving a problem or helping someone else to understand,” he says. “I love creating math problems and puzzles. It’s a great way to think deeply of simple things and I enjoy the creative process that goes into it.”

Carlisle’s expertise is mathematical logic and model theory for metric structures, with Calculus 2 being her favorite class to teach. Really, she loves to teach any class that includes writing proofs. “Math is a perpetual source of interesting challenges,” Carlisle remarks. “It is fun to create puzzles for other people to enjoy and perhaps learn from. It is especially satisfying when we can point out hidden patterns and illustrate how mathematics is used in everyday life.”

Meanwhile, probability theory – anything that has a random component – interests McSweeney. He has studied applications of math to finance, biology, sports, and crossword puzzles. “I’ve always been more interested in the ‘why’ and ‘how’ of something, and what I like about math is that it allows me to pursue those questions as far as possible,” he states. Creating these Bailey Challenge problems allows McSweeney to show that “there’s so much more to math than just moving symbols around.”

SUMMER PROBLEM 1

We’ll call a whole number x “magical” if for every way to factor x=axb as the product of two positive whole numbers a and b, the quantity a+b is a prime number. For example, x=6 is magical since the only ways to factor 6 are 6=1×6 and 6=2×3, and 1+6=7 and 2+3=5 are both prime. What’s the largest magical number between 0 and 99?

SUMMER BONUS PROBLEM

SUMMER PROBLEM 2

A rectangular aquarium on a flat table is 12 inches wide and 18 inches high. When you tilt the tank up on one end (with one 12-inch edge remaining on the table) until the water in the tank exactly covers one of the 12- by 18-inch faces, you find that the water covers only 60% of the length of the tank (see picture). What is the depth of the water in the tank when the bottom is flat on the table?

In soccer’s English Premier League, there are 20 teams that play each other exactly twice (so every team plays 38 games). A team earns three points for a win, one point for a draw (tie) and no points for a loss. The three teams with the lowest point totals at the end of the season are relegated to a lower league. What is the largest possible number of points a team could earn and still be relegated? (Any ties in the number of points in the final standings are broken according to criteria which are not important for this problem – no matter what, exactly three teams are always relegated.)

Send your solutions to BaileyChallenge@rose-hulman.edu or to:

WINTER PROBLEM SOLUTIONS

PROBLEM 1: 14 correct answers

PROBEM 2: 301 eggs

PROBLEM 3: 30 degrees

Dale Long, CM 14, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, 5500 Wabash Ave., Terre Haute, IN 47803. Alumni should include their class year. Congratulations to the following solvers of the fall problems:

ALUMNI: T. Jones, 1949; D. Camp, 1955; J. Moser, 1956; C. Ambuehl, 1958; D. Bailey, 1959; B. Perkins, 1960; R. Archer, 1961; R. Checkley, 1961; L. Hartley, 1961; R. Ireland, 1961; J. Tindall, 1961; E. Creekmore, 1965; B. Radecki, 1965; R. Kevorkian, 1966; T. Wellings, 1968; R. Dutton, 1969; J. Spear, 1969; S. Jordan, 1970; D. Jordan, 1971; T. Luster, 1971; W. Pelz, 1971; S. Sample, 1971; G. Houghton, 1972; C. Martens, 1972; D. Willman, 1972; R. Kominiarek, 1973; M. Marinko, 1973; T. Rathz, 1974; D. Wheaton, 1974; M. Clodfelder, 1975; R. Herber, 1975; B. Hunt, 1976; J. Schroeder, 1976; B. Bayles, 1977; D. Lewis, 1977; S. Wilson, 1977; T. Greer, 1978; R. Priem, 1979; J. Slupesky, 1979; R. Joyner, 1980; J. Koechling, 1980; B. Krehely, 1980; L. Smith, 1980; P. Gunn, 1981; S. Nolan, 1981; R. Roll, 1981; M. Taylor, 1982; D. Batta, 1983; B. Downs, 1983; S. Hall, 1983; B. Jeffers, 1983; J. Marum, 1983; R. Russo, 1983; G. Swinehart, 1983; B. Wade, 1983; J. Huller, 1984; C. Wilcox, 1985; T. Fresher, 1987; D. Johnson, 1987; M. Lancaster, 1987; B. Seidl, 1987; T. Yarling, 1987; S. Johnson, 1988; J. Jachim, 1989; S. Barndt, 1990; J. Harrell, 1990; B. Burger, 1991; R. Hochstetler, 1991; C. Schlimm, 1991; J. Zamora, 1991; K. Koziol, 19 ; B. Swanson, 1992; R. Antonini, 1993; W. Haas, 1993; M. Pogue, 1993; J. Markwardt, 1995; B. Hochstedler, 1996; M. Pilcher, 1998; C. Ehrhart, 1999; Jason Mathison, 1999; K. Beto, 2000; C. Elgin, 2000; P. Reksel, 2000; A. Lo, 2003; T. Kibbey, 2003; R. Stanis, 2003; B. Hirsch, 2004; J. Somann, 2004; S. Galler, 2005; S. Tourville, 2005; D. Dominik, 2006; V. Roczniak, 2006; T. Homan, 2007; K. Kamischke, 2008; B. Shover, 2008; D. Schoumacher, 2010; M. Schoumacher, 2010; M. Rooney, 2011; and Y. Liang, 2017

FRIENDS/STUDENTS: M. Altschul, P. Baum, D. Bremmer, T. Cutaia, G. Gstattenbauer, M. Hilgert, A. Kosiol, R. LeMay, J. Marks, L. Metcalfe, E. Robertson, J. Robertson, P. Rozmaryn, A. Stanis, J. Walsh, J. Walter, and A. Yarling

50s

Carl T. Herakovich (CE, 1959), PhD, has documented his incredible life–before, during and after his time at Rose–in his memoir “My Serendipitous Life” (EDXDYDX.myshopify.com). After leading the nation in scoring for the undefeated 1958 football team, Herakovich went on to a rewarding career as a professor at Virginia Tech and University of Virginia before retirement.

70s

Michael A. Mussallem (BSCHE, 1974/HDENG, 1999) retired after 23 years as chief executive officer of Edwards Lifesciences, transforming the Irvine, California-based company into a leader in advancing health care throughout the world. He will continue as a non-executive chairman of Edwards’ board of directors.

Douglas J. Hileman (MA/CHE, 1976) was a principal author and the only sustainability specialist of “Achieving Effective Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting” (March 2023), supplemental guidance released by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. A year in the making, the document aims to improve reliability of sustainability reporting for capital markets and other stakeholders. Hileman is a consultant and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) specialist, and a member of the former ESG Leadership Knowledge Group.

Dan T. Montgomery (ME, 1976) retired from Imagine Products, Inc., a leader in software applications used in the media and entertainment industries. He and his wife, Jane, founded the company in 1991. His

career spanned several engineering and tech companies, including a decade with Deere & Company. Montgomery served on several Indiana state technology advancement advisory boards.

Kevin Luksus (EE, 1979), M.D., received a Very Important Volunteer Award from two Muncie Rotary clubs for founding and serving as volunteer medical director of Muncie Mission Clinic, a new venture providing free medical care for individuals experiencing barriers to better health. He retired after more than 30 years in family medical practice, including 12 years as a supervising physician in the IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital Family Residency Program.

80s

David E. Womble (MA, 1982), PhD, has retired after six years as director of the U. S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory artificial intelligence initiative.

Drew L. Gehman (EE, 1985) is now director of information technology with Garmong Construction. He formerly managed and owned Mathnasium Learning Centers in the Indianapolis area.

Larry W. McIntyre (EE, 1986) has published “Boswell − And the early history of Benton County” (Barnes and Noble Press). The book investigates the early settlers and history of Benton County, Indiana, where Larry grew up.

Kevin Muckerheide (EE, 1989) is the vice director of the engineering development complex with the Arnold Air Force Base (Tennessee). He brings 26 years of active duty military service and nearly four years of Air Force civil service work.

Michael B. Thoeny (EE, 1989) is president of Flex Inc., which has been recognized among General Motors Company’s 2022 Suppliers of the Year for providing leading-edge innovative technologies.

Cindric, George Inducted into IMS Hall of Fame

Cindric

90s

Corbett S. Kull (EE, 1990) is now chief executive officer of CamoAg, a rebrand of his original Tillable, Inc. startup. The new company is focusing on providing business-to-business agriculture technology and software services.

Spiro J. Megremis (BSME, 1990/MSBE, 1995), PhD, was named among seven 2023 dental, oral and craniofacial research fellows by the American Dental Association (ADA). The program recognizes professionals who are driving research to advance health and personal well-being. He is director of research and standards for the ADA’s Science Institute and adjunct clinical associate professor of biomaterials in orthodontics at the University of Illinois-Chicago’s College of Dentistry.

Kurt F. Breischaft (EE, 1991) is spending this year as president of the Wire Association International, a worldwide technical society for wire and cable industry professionals. Since 2013, he has been president with SDI La Farga Copperworks, a copper rod and wire mill in New Haven, Indiana.

Chad S. Elmore (CHEM, 1991), PhD, published his 100th paper in peer reviewed journals and book chapters. This latest paper published in the American Chemical Society’s JACS Au journal was a collaboration with Troels Skrydstrup of Aarhus University (Denmark). It detailed the synthesis and use of a Carbon-14 containing reagent to prepare Carbon-14 labeled drug molecules.

Rodney J. West (ME, 1991) was promoted to director of product safety with Schneider Electric USA. He has 12 patents for a variety of electrical equipment, represents Schneider on several National Fire Protection Association technical committees.

George,

president and

Tim J. Cindric (BSME, 1990/HDENG, 2021) and trustee Tony H. George (HDENG, 2003) have been inducted into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame for their contributions to motorsports and the speedway.

serves as president of Team Penske with overall management responsibility for the team’s racing operations, including the NTT IndyCar Series and NASCAR Cup Series. His IMS successes feature nine Indianapolis 500 wins. Cindric was the 2021 Commencement speaker, where he received a Doctor of Engineering honorary degree.

a member of the Board of Trustees and 2003 honorary degree recipient, served as

chief executive officer

of the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation from 1989 until 2009, continuing the

work of

his grandfather, Anton “Tony” Hulman Jr. Under George’s leadership IMS underwent significant changes, including bringing different racing series, technological innovations, and facility enhancements to the famed track.

Cindric CLASS NOTES Alumni News

Troy O. Cooprider (EE, 1992) is the vice president overseeing global technology with Stoneridge, Inc. He formerly was vice president of advanced engineering and engineering excellence and was the inventor on more than 25 patent applications. Cooprider has more than 30 years of automotive electronic experience, working with Aptiv and Delphi.

Bryan S. Ware (AO, 1992) is the chief executive officer of LookingGlass Cyber Solutions Inc. after founding Next5, a business intelligence and strategic advisory firm, and being the assistant director of the federal government’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Bobby W. Cain (EE, 1993) was feature in Forbes’ 2023 list of 50 top leaders who are leveraging technology to transform their companies. He is senior

Andy Cain Makes History as Academic Hall of Famer

Andrew M. Cain (ME, 1999) became the first former Rose-Hulman student-athlete inducted into the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America Hall of Fame in a ceremony hosted by ESPN broadcAast professional Holly Rowe. Cain enjoyed a record-setting collegiate pitching career, with 28 wins and a 1.99 earned run average, and more importantly an impactful career in a 20-year commanding officer training path in the U.S. Navy. He currently serves as a military assistant to the Under Secretary for Nuclear Security with the National Nuclear Security Administration after four years as commanding officer of the USS Helena.

CSC has recognized 170 past Academic All-Americans for having impactful careers and influencing their communities.

vice president and chief information officer with Schneider Electric North America.

David R. Olivencia (EE, 1994) is chief executive officer of Angeles Investors and a member of the Board of Directors with Schurz Communications after spending 28 years in a variety of roles with Accenture. He is passionate about early-stage investing and as a member of the Irish Angels has invested in more than 70 startups, including 10 with valuations of over $100 million.

Scott Bowling (CE, 1995), PhD, is the new executive director of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials. He has been superintendent of the Crawfordsville (Indiana) Community School Corporation since 2014 and was named Regional Superintendent of the Year in 2020.

Jeff D. Pontius (ME, 1995) is head of brake research and development with HL Mando Corporation, which was selected among General Motors Company’s 2022 Suppliers of the Year–the third straight year the firm has been recognized exemplary service.

Jason T. Durst (ME, 1996) is vice president of commercial desktops and education notebooks with Dell Technologies, where he has worked in a variety of technical and sales positions since 2000. He is known for bringing transformative change to organizations and helping define the next generation of products.

Terry D. Patcheak (CHE, 1996), PhD, is vice president of research and development for sustainability and program management with Amcor Rigid Packaging. The company received the Plastics Industry Association’s 2023 Re/ focus Leadership in Sustainability Innovation Award for developing Quantum lightweight technology for bottle finishes and PepsiCo’s returnable, reusable and refillable bottle.

Kevin Lanke (ECON, 1997) is the associate vice president for athletics at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College after being associate athletic director for communications at his alma mater. He was a member of the Rose-Hulman staff for 25 years.

Sam P. Jackson (EE, 1998) is now president of BSA LifeStructures after serving as chief operating officer. He joined the Indianapolis-based architecture, engineering, interior design, and planning services company after graduation.

Col. Andrew J. Emery (CPE, 1999) is deputy program executive officer of the U.S. Space Force’s space sensing directorate, which procures the nation’s missile warning and weather satellite systems. His family is entering

its 24th year of active duty adventure spanning various mission areas and 10 duty stations. Emery’s latest assignment was with NATO in Brussels, Belgium.

00s

Amanda L. Benik (CHE, 2001), environmental health and safety director of the Hammond Group Inc. in Hammond, Indiana, completed the Leadership Northwest Indiana program at Purdue Northwest. Scott M. Tomlinson (CE, 2001), a research engineer at the University of Maine, is senior program manager and lead researchers in the development of the world’s largest thermoplastic 3D printer that created the first house, BioHome3D, made entirely with bio-based materials. The project was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, MaineHousing and the Maine Technology Institute.

Fiona K. Haulter (CE, 2002) is the chief operations officer with CA South, a Nashville, Tennessee-based real estate development firm. The LEED professional is a 20-year veteran of commercial real estate projects after being senior vice president with GBT Realty Corp. and having positions with CBRE and Gresham Smith in the Nashville area.

Eric C. Sollar (ME, 2003), PhD, is chief business officer with Outpace Bio, a company using protein design and cell engineering to create advanced cell therapies. He has nearly 20 years of scientific expertise in the biotechnology sector, being entrepreneur-in-residence with Versant Ventures and co-founder of BlueRock Therapeutics.

Kevin H. Tierney (EE, 2003), General Motors’ chief cybersecurity officer, has been appointed to the Cybersecurity Advisory Committee, a panel within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that provides recommendations to improve the nation's cybersecurity.

Jessica (Farmer) Albert (CHE, 2004) is the director of sustainability integration with LyondellBasell, one of the world’s largest plastics, chemical and refining companies. She served nearly three years as the firm’s corporate process safety manager for the Americas.

President Robert Coons and Athletic Director Ayanna Tweedy attended the award ceremony.

James “Jimmie” C. Merk (ME, 2004) earned the Judges’ Choice Award of Dancing with the Terre Haute Stars, a fundraising event for Terre Haute’s Chances and Services for Youth organization. He is senior manager of Cook Medical Group’s manufacturing operations in Spencer, Indiana.

Laura J. Hemming (CE, 2005) has been named to the Department of Defense’s 2023 senior leader development program. She is the deputy garrison manager of the U.S. Army’s Garmisch community in Bavaria, Germany.

Laura C. Nash (ME, 2005) is now an application engineer with Advanced Performance Parts, working on developing electric vehicle conversion kits for classic cars. These kits earned runner up Best New Product honors at the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s 2022 convention in Las Vegas.

Timothy P. King (CE, 2006), vice president and principal with Guidon Design, was among Indianapolis Business Journal's 2023 Forty Under 40 Award recipients. He now leads the firm’s sales staff after working on a variety of engineering projects, including the DigIndy sewage tunnel and Indiana University Health’s upcoming downtown hospital campus.

Michael C. Reeves (CE, 2006) was named the Columbus (Ohio) Building Industry Association’s 2023 Associate of the Year. He is an engineer with Kimley-Horn who specializes in water resources and site development.

Stephen A. Smith (ME, 2006) has been promoted to senior director of devices manufacturing operations and supply chair with Eli Lilly and Company, where he was worked since graduation.

Schneider Advances in Steel Dynamics’ Leadership

Barry T. Schneider (BSME, 1990/MSEMGT, 2011) is in the newly created position of president and chief operating officer with Steel Dynamics. He is responsible for the company's long products steel group, steel fabrication platform and metals recycling platform, and reports to Mark D. Millett (HD, 2021), the company’s chairman and chief executive officer. This is the latest role in Schneider’s 28 years with one of the nation’s largest and most diversified steel producers and metal recyclers. He was previously senior vice president of the flat roll steel division and served in various operational and leadership roles within steel production operations throughout the United States and in Mexico.

Professionally, Schneider also serves as a director with the Association of Iron & Steel Technology.

John A. Baer (CE, 2007), senior project manager with Woolpert, Inc., was recognized among Airport Business magazine’s 2022 Top 40 Under 40. He has led more than 100 airfield infrastructure projects, several winning awards for construction design and implementation.

Riley S. Buttry (ME, 2007) is vice president of projects and engineering for lifecycle performance services with FORTNA, a company bringing optimization and automation to warehouse operations. He formerly spent nearly six years in department manager roles with Bastian Solutions.

Shane M. Hollingsworth (ME, 2007) is vice president of sales with KAPP Technologies, the North American subsidiary of the KAPP Group. He has had sales roles with the company since 2016.

Megan (Knilands) Heyman (MA, 2008), PhD, is a member of the third cohort of the Independent Colleges of Indiana’s Leadership Academy, a year-long program specializing in addressing talent development of private college faculty. She is associate head and associate professor in Rose-Hulman’s Department of Mathematics.

Kenneth B. Hurst (ME, 2008) is the chief engineer with Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Lexington, Kentucky. He joined the company in 2021 after more than 12 years with Solar Turbines.

Ben C. Butz (CE, 2009) has been promoted to bridge design production manager with Butler, Fairman & Seufert Civil Engineers in Indianapolis, where he has worked since 2018.

Morgan (Coan) Ericksen (AB, 2009) is the director of operations with Asphalt Materials, Inc. She formerly managed plant operations with Laticrete International Inc. and Owens Corning.

Chuck W. McClish (EE, 2009), a senior design engineer with Microchip Technology Inc., earned the Stuart Sutherland Best Paper Award at the 2023 Design and Verification Conference (San Jose, California). His presentation covered the topic “Take AIM! Introducing the Analog Information Model.”

David A. Phelps (ECON, 2009) has been appointed to the volunteer board of trustees for the Brown County Community Foundation in Nashville, Indiana. He is director of technology with Brown County Schools.

10s

Capt. Vinh Dao (CE, 2010) is an U.S. Army construction control representative for the Department of Veteran Affairs’ Medical Center building project in Louisville.

Jarod C. Markley (BE, 2010) is director of quality and regulatory affairs with Recovery Force, where he has worked since 2022. He formerly was an engineer with Integra LifeSciences, BD and CSL Behring.

Lauren N. (Griggs) Tauber (BE, 2010) is a senior quality manager with Boston Scientific, where she has worked in a variety of quality engineering positions since graduation.

Jacob J. Carr (BSBE, 2011/BSME, 2013) has been promoted to director of sales enablement and strategy with NICO Corporation, where he has worked since 2017.

Patrick S. Duncan (ME, 2011) is a manufacturing engineer with the Air Squared aerospace company after spending nearly nine years with Zimmer Biomet.

Tyler P. Kimbrell (ME, 2011) is now the supplier continuity team manager and plant integrator with Cummins Inc.’s plant in Fridley, Minnesota. This is his fourth different position with the company since graduation.

CLASS NOTES

Mark A. Calhoun (BE, 2012), PhD, is oncology manager and medical science liaison for Natera’s northeast region. He has had a variety of positions with the company since 2021.

Michael Meyer (BSCPE 2012/MSEM 2013) is an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at University of Eastern Washington's Spokane campus. He formerly taught at Waseda University in Japan.

Zachary J. Ernst (ME, 2014), PhD, earned a doctorate in aerospace engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology. He worked in the aerospace systems design laboratory to develop controller methodology for atmospheric entry vehicles. This project began at NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Julian O. Strickland (CE, 2014) is training to become a member of the Indianapolis Fire Department, following the footsteps of his mother and stepfather in public service to his hometown.

Thomas P. Foulkes (EE, 2015), PhD, is among the latest class of Mitch Daniels Leadership Fellows, a two-year program striving to create a statewide network of change agents within a variety of career fields. He is founder and chief executive officer of Pacergy LLC, a sustainability-focused engineering and manufacturing HUBZone small business in Terre Haute.

Kendal J. Rosenbaum (CE, 2015), manager of quality and batching with Indianapolis’ Circle Beverage,

was among young Indiana professionals in advanced manufacturing and logistics recognized in Conexus Indiana’s Rising 30 program.

Ke Jack Ding (CE, 2016), PhD, has been named an Environmental Justice Technology Fellow with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center in Washington, D.C. He is co-director of Vanderbilt University’s Drinking Water Justice Laboratory.

Ian G. Ludden (CPE/MA, 2016), a graduate student at the University of Illinois, co-authored with faculty colleagues a study in the Health Care Management Science journal that examined COVID-19 year to year death rate trends among various demographic groups.

Zach S. Langbartels (EE, 2016) is now specializing in substation engineering with Barr Engineering Company’s office in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He formerly worked with Black & Veatch.

Angela C. Hanson (MA, 2017), PhD, was one of 10 Outstanding Teaching Award recipients for 2022-23 at University of Kentucky. While earning her PhD, she taught and conducted research in algebraic geometry. Hanson will be an assistant math professor at Villanova University, starting this fall.

Grant I. Brown (ME, 2018) is now an investor in the clean energy investment firm 8090 Industries after leading The Williams Company’s new energy ventures development group.

Andrea L. Schultz (ME, 2018) is a product development validation testing engineer at Ford Motor Company’s Louisville production facility, where she has worked since early 2022.

Bailey R. MacInnis (BE, 2019), a fourth-year student at the University of Illinois’ Carle Illinois College of Medicine, applied her engineering skills to help redesign a common hospital bedside table to improve patient care and the workspace for nurses and other medical professionals.

Simon P. Tsaoussis (EP, 2019) is chief executive officer of the startup KostaCLOUD, the first fully featured Cloud-based optical design and simulation tool. The enterprise was a finalist in the 2023 SPIE Startup Challenge at the PhotonicsWest conference.

20s

Samuel M. Patton (BE, 2020), a continuous improvement engineer with Cook Medical, was recognized in Conexus Indiana’s Rising 30 program. It honors young professionals in advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors who are poised to become Indiana’s future industry leaders.

Garrett A. Wight (ME, 2020) is a senior engineer and project manager of Eli Lilly and Company’s Equipment Development Group.

Kaitlin D. Weik (CE, 2022) has joined Hanson Professional Services Inc.’s Seattle regional office as a civil railway designer.

A trio of 1981 chemical engineering alumni (from left) Bryan K. Wallace, Brad J. Burton and Dave L. Whikehart completed this year’s Alamo Half Marathon in San Antonio. They proudly wore Rose-Hulman shirts with “ChE Class of ’81” on the back. Whikehart also reports: “The best chemical engineers have beards!”

Garnache Helps Robot Enter ‘BattleBots’ Arena

Peter J. Garnache (ME, 2020) used his proficiency in robotics and engineering to provide valuable technical expertise in a clash of large-scale combat robots on this season’s “BattleBots” TV show. He was a significant contributor for the rookie Team Horizon, a hammersaw-type vehicle with two spinning steel disks the end of its 7-foot wide arms that won one of four matches in the smash-filled confrontation between two robust robots that brazenly disable the opponent.

“‘BattleBots’ offers the ultimate adrenaline rush—three minutes of pure fun and excitement. I love the challenge of it all. I really enjoy designing something that’s supposed to be impenetrable, then going out and seeing if that’s true,” says Garnache, a professional specialty robotics engineer in the Dallas area. He became active in combat robotics as a member of Rose’s Robotics Team, and eventually became the team’s captain.

Now, 13 of Garnache’s small-scale 3- and 1-pound combat robots have won more than 170 bouts across the country, with 11 event victories and 29 top-three finishes.

Weddings

Stephen R. Schnelle (EE/CPE/MA, 2007) married Allison Maas on January 21, 2023, at the Cincinnati (Ohio) Art Museum. They reside in Dayton, Ohio. Stephen is an engineer with Radiance Technologies.

Matthew S. Welmers (BSCHEM, 2014/MSCHEM, 2016) married Matt Mercer (SE/CS, MA, 2014) on October 15, 2022, at Rose-Hulman’s White Chapel. They currently live in West Chicago, Illinois. Matthew is an analytical chemist with INX International Ink Co. while Matt works from home as a software engineer. Alumni in the wedding party were officiate Jonathan W. Soulsby (ME, 2016) and Adam S. Bruner (CHE, 2013), Lauren (McLennan) Cunningham (CHE, 2017) and Charlie Fenoglio (SE, 2018).

Kylie M. McCollum (CHE, 2015) married Evan Parks on December 10, 2022, in St. Joseph, Michigan, where the couple resides. Kylie is a senior engineer with Whirlpool Corporation. Alumni in the wedding party were bridesmaids Lisa J. Nelson (ME, 2015), Jess M. Ahlborn (BE, 2015) and Lorena H. Maxwell (MA/ECON, 2015).

Meghan Sandlin (CHE, 2016) married Christopher Coffey on December 10, 2022, in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains region. The couple lives in Martinsville, Indiana. Meghan is an inside sales engineer with Endress+Hauser.

Garrett A. Wight (ME, 2020) married Libbie on May 21, 2022, in Brown County, Indiana. They live in downtown Indianapolis. Alumni and current students in the wedding party were groomsmen Harrison S. Wight (CS, 2024), Scott A. Dayton (ME, 2021) and Karl A. Schumacher (ME, 2020), along with officiant Justin B. Klein (ME, 2020). Garrett is a senior engineer with Eli Lilly and Company.

Rosebuds

Stefani Vande Lune, M.D., J.D., (BSAB, 2006/MSBE, 2008) and husband, Zack Peterson, welcomed their first child, Vivian Lou, in August 2022. The family lives in Portsmouth, Virginia, where Stefani works as an emergency medicine physician for the U.S. Navy.

Ali S. Almajed (SE/CS, 2014) and wife, Reem, had a daughter, Eithar, on November 16, 2022. The family is residing in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, where Ali is a cloud specialist with Saudi Aramco.

Natalie M. (Freienmuth) Shipley (CHEM/BCMB, 2011), and husband, Colin S. Shipley (ME, 2010), welcomed their third daughter, Luna Valentine, on January 8, 2023. She joins big twin sisters Alice and Jane, who were born in 2018. The family resides in the St Louis area. Colin is the senior automation engineer with Bastian Solutions’ robotics division. Natalie is a full-time mother.

Theresa R. (Henke) Owen (CE, 2011) and husband, Stephen C. Owen (CE, 2011), had their third daughter, Isabelle Reese, on March 31, 2022. The family lives in Lexington, Kentucky.

Celeste L. (Kline) Huster (BE, 2015) and husband, John C. Huster (ME, 2014), had daughter, Lucille Asa, on June 6, 2022. They are living in Blaine, Minnesota. Celeste is a senior engineer with Metavention and John is president of Sofos Robotics.

Emily E. (Lemon) McWilliams (CHEM, 2014) and Derek A. McWilliams (CHE, 2014) welcomed their second child, David Abner, on March 21, 2023. The family lives in Martinsville, Indiana.

Bennie T. Waters (BSSE, 2011/ MSEMGT, 2014) and wife, Catherine, had a daughter, Gwendolyn Jane, on September 30, 2022. The family lives in Indianapolis, where Bennie is a software engineer at SEP.

Zack R. Gosnell (ME, 2012) and wife, Caitlin, had their first child, Hunter, on November 13, 2022. The family lives in Lebanon, Indiana. Zack is an engineering specialist with Caterpillar Inc.

Mackenzie Gossard (CHE, 2018) and husband, Marcus Wechselberger (ME, 2018), had a daughter, Murphy Rose, on June 7, 2022. The family lives in Milwaukee, where Mackenzie is a continuous improvement manager with Nestle Tollhouse and Marcus is a senior design engineer with Milwaukee Tool.

Christopher Schenck (ME, 2017) and wife, Barbara, welcomed their first child, daughter Grace Bernadette, on May 29, 2022. The family lives in Indianapolis. Christopher is a project engineer with Wynright Corporation.

Kate R. (Kasch) Schulstad (CE, 2018) and husband, Matt P. Schulstad (CE, 2017) welcomed their first child, Bennett, on January 29, 2023. The family lives in Algonquin, Illinois. Kate is a project engineer with Hampton Lenzini and Renwick while Matt is a senior project engineer with Collins Aerospace.

In Memoriam

John F. Funkhauser (ME, 1943), 100, died March 30, 2023, in Springfield, Illinois. He retired as an engineer with Stewart-Warner Company.

Louis W. Fellwock (EE, 1947), 96, died November 4, 2022, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He worked in a variety of engineering leadership roles during a 40-year career with Whirlpool Corporation.

William E. Backes (CE, 1948), 97, died April, 2022, in Placentia, California. He retired as vice president with Gage-Babcock & Associates Inc.

Robert L. Royer (EE, 1949), 95, died March 5, 2023, in Louisville, Kentucky. He retired after serving as president, chief executive officer and director with Louisville Gas and Electric Company. He also was an emeriti Rose-Hulman trustee.

Robert G. Rinker (CHE, 1951), PhD, died February 12, 2023, in Santa Barbara, California. He was a distinguished chemical engineering professor at the University of California Santa Barbara, founding the department in 1965, retiring from full-time teaching in 1992, and continuing as an emeritus professor until 2005.

Edgar S. Utterback Jr. (ME, 1954), 90, died January 24, 2023, in Terre Haute, Indiana. He was chief engineer with CBS’s Columbia House Division for 32 years and also worked with Utterback Heating, Sheet Metal, and Air Conditioning and Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing.

Gerald C. Rose, (EE, 1957), PhD, 87, died January 25, 2023, in Highland, Maryland. He retired in 1997 after starting Systems Engineering Group and working with Applied Physics Lab and Technology Service Corporation.

Robert J. Stearley (ME, 1957), 93, died December 5, 2022, in St. Louis. He retired after a successful career as a business executive. He also served as a trustee for Logan University.

Glen A. Miles (CHE, 1958), 86, died November 18, 2022, in Plainfield, Indiana. He was a chemical engineer for more than 30 years with General Motors Corporation’s Allison Gas Turbines Division.

Robert J. Schukai (EE, 1960), 84, died March 3, 2023, in St. Louis. He retired after a long career with Union Electric Company/Ameren Corporation. Survivors include Robert Schukai Jr. (EE, 1986).

Robert H. Turecky (CE, 1961), 84, died March 31, 2023, in Dallas. He spent most of his career with Texas Instruments after jobs with International Pipe and Ceramics Company and the U.S. Department of Conservation.

Clyde R. Metz (CHEM, 1962), PhD, 83, died May 6, 2023, in St. Augustine, Florida. He taught chemistry at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis and the College of Charleston (South Carolina) and was an Indiana Academy of Science Fellow.

James L. Leaver (ME, 1967), 77, died February 15, 2023, in Plant City, Florida. He worked for Manitowoc Grove Cranes Company, Dow Corning Corporation and FMC Corporation.

Fredrick H. Wheeler (ME, 1967), 77, died February 22, 2023, in Townville, South Carolina. He worked 32 years with Michelin North America Inc., retiring as head of the company’s military products division.

Charles M. Boesenberg (ME, 1970), 74, died June 7, 2023, in Saratoga, California. The former Rose-Hulman

trustee (2002-10) was senior vice president of U.S. sales with Apple Computing and held corporate leadership positions with MIPS Computer, Central Point Software, NetIQ Corporation, Magellan, and Integrated Systems.

R. Michael Sweany (EE, 1970), 74, died April 25, 2023, in Brownsburg, Indiana. He retired after a 35-year career as an engineer with Rotz Engineers, Inc.

William B. Engle (ME, 1972), 72, died March 15, 2023, in Columbus, Indiana. He had a 38-year career with Reliance Electric Company/Rockwell Automation/Baldor Electric Company, retiring as a plant manager. He was credited with inventing a submersible gear-motor.

David M. Augenstein (CHE, 1973), 69, died October 29, 2021, in Louisville, Ohio. He worked in environmental engineering with corporations, consultants and government.

Bruce A. Brown (CHEM, 1973), 71, died February 17, 2023, in The Villages, Florida. He retired after 36 years with The Dow Chemical Company, then became a corporate consultant for another 10 years.

Hugh T. Winslow II (ME, 1979), 65, died May 5, 2023, in Yorktown, Indiana. He had a variety of roles with Boeing Company, Beech Aircraft and Huntington Ingalls Industries.

Jeffrey S. Gilton (EE, 1980), 64, died June 5, 2023, in Lebanon, Ohio. He was a software engineer and Designated Engineering Representative with General Electric Company.

A. Christopher Leyh (EE, 1983), 61, died December 21, 2022, in Spring Grove, Illinois. He retired as the chief electrical engineer with Motorola Solutions, where he worked for 40 years.

Mark R. Lee (ME, 1984), 60, died May 2, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. He was an engineer with Boeing Company after working at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.

Andrew S. Hintz (BSEE, 1998/ MSEE, 2003), PhD, 45, died December 9, 2022, in Avon, Indiana. He was a senior software developer with Scientia.

Jordan T. Nielson (BSME, 2012/ MSENGT, 2013), PhD, 35, died April 17, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas, where he had been an engineer with the Southwest Research Institute.

FACULTY/STAFF/FRIENDS

Alberta M. Clark, 75, died April 5, 2023, in Terre Haute. She retired after serving the campus community as a custodian in the Office of Facilities.

John R. Gibbs, 72, died March 9, 2023, in Carmel, Indiana. He was an entrepreneur, philanthropist, investor, and executive businessman who served as a Rose-Hulman trustee.

Dennis A. Lewis, PhD, 80, died December 25, 2022, in Terre Haute. He was a professor of chemistry and the college’s first head of the Department of Chemistry. He also received the Dean’s Outstanding Teacher Award in 1984 and was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.

Burnell R. Roberts (HDENG, 1986), 95, died February 28, 2023, in Centerville, Ohio. He retired as chairman and chief executive officer with Mead Corporation.

Donald W. Scott, 87, died May 27, 2023, in Terre Haute. He was an emeritus trustee and former local business and community leader.