Capstone Engineering - Spring 2015

CAPSTONE Spring 2015

The

Sporting Life

A growing number of Crimson Tide athletes studying engineering, computer science

M O N D A Y, S E P T. 21 , 2 015

Riverchase Country Club H T T P : / / G O L F . E N G . U A . E D U

Features 12 COE by the Numbers 14 The Sporting Life

A growing number of Crimson Tide athletes studying engineering, computer science

18 Two Degrees of Separation College offering new programs in

environmental, architectural engineering

22 Auto Focus

College working with auto industry for tomorrow’s vehicles, workforce

24 Making a Name

College alumni from the era of recent expansion are beginning to make a name for themselves and UA

Departments 2 Dean’s Message 3 Surveying the College

Noteworthy news and research from UA engineering

9 Currents

Events from around the College

28 Alumni Dynamics

Items of interest to Capstone engineers and computer scientists

39 Bits and Bytes

The College from outside

40 End User

Capstone engineers and computer scientists on today’s technology

41 Message from the CES

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Dean’s Message

Dear Alumni and Friends, I came to The University of Alabama College of Engineering in 1980, and there were exceptional students here during my time earning three degrees from the College. Even today, our students are truly outstanding, and the data backs that up.

In fall 2013 — the latest data available — the College enrolled 63 National Merit and Achievement Scholars, some of the most prestigious honors a high school student can earn. We had more scholars than 284 other institutions that year. Not engineering colleges, but entire universities. In fact, in the last five years, 336 of our students were either National Merit or Achievement Scholars.

This year we have just more than 5,100 students, about 14 percent of the University’s total student body. But we punch above our weight, if you will. For instance, the UA Honor’s College requires high test scores and a solid high school GPA for admittance, and students from the College of Engineering make up 29 percent of those enrolled in the Honors College this year.

In areas where you might think engineering and computer science students would not be well represented — the proud Million Dollar Band and our excellent athletic teams — students from the College of Engineering are an integral part. In the marching band, students from our college have a long history of involvement, and they account for about 15 percent of the marching band. Our students make up about 12 percent of athletes.

Our students also go toe-to-toe with the best students from around the country. In the past 11 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration awarded Hollings Undergraduate Scholarships to 12 of our students. No other similar college from across the United States can claim that many Hollings Scholars in the same span.

Also during the past 10 years, 11 students from the College of Engineering were awarded nationally competitive Goldwater Scholarships. That puts us in the top 10 for Goldwater Scholars among peer colleges.

For some time now, my wife has joked that I am the dean of a college I could not have gotten into coming out of high school. Well, truth be told, given our improvements over the years, she may well be right. Our students are among the best in the nation, and we are proud they will soon call The University of Alabama their alma mater.

Dr. Charles L. Karr Dean

Capstone Engineering Society 205-348-2452 Milton A. Davis, Chair, Board of Directors • Charles L. Karr, PhD, Dean, College of Engineering • Nancy Holmes, Manager, Capstone Engineering Society • Adam Jones, Editor • Judah Martin, Writer • Issue No. 51 • Capstone Engineer is published in the spring and fall by the Capstone Engineering Society. • Natorio Howard, Designer • Benita Crepps, Proofreader • Jeff Hanson, Bryan Hester, Zach Riggins, Matthew Wood, Photography • Address correspondence

to the editor: The University of Alabama, Capstone Engineering Society, College of Engineering, Box 870200, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0200 website at www.eng.ua.edu. The University of Alabama is an equal-opportunity educational institution/employer. • MC8755

•

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• Visit the College of Engineering

Surveying the College

Surveying the College Noteworthy News and Research from UA Engineering

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Surveying the College

Previous page: Dr. Michael Sealy is part of a startup company started from UA research on biodegradable medical implants.

Above: UA President Judy Bonner, left, and Rector Christian Maercker, professor and president of University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Esslingen, signed an agreement to begin an international exchange program between the two institutions.

Exchange program to give students international experience

The University of Alabama is a partner with a German institution in a student exchange program aimed to provide students deep international industrial, educational and cultural experiences.

About 20 UA students from the freshman engineering class will be selected each year to take a rigorous course of study that couples engineering and computer science instruction with German-language courses. During the summer between their freshman and sophomore years, they will work for the MercedesBenz U.S. International automobile manufacturing plant located about 20 miles from the UA campus.

Their junior years will be spent studying at the University of Applied Sciences, Hochschule Esslingen, located in a suburb of Stuttgart, Germany, and the high-tech hot spot of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, home of such multinational companies as Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Bosch and the ZF Group.

After the semester of coursework, the students will stay in Germany another semester to work for Mercedes-Benz in either production or research and development.

Mercedes-Benz strongly supports the student exchange, and it is likely more companies will be added to the program as several German automakers and their suppliers have a presence in Alabama and surrounding states, said Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian, executive director of UA’s Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies and professor in mechanical engineering and electrical and computer engineering.

“It has been said before, but the world truly is flat,” said Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College of Engineering. “We prepare

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{ The University of Alabama }

our students to compete for jobs across the globe, and this program furthers that mission. In addition to the technical knowledge gained, they will acquire cultural and language skills to make them more successful in working for multinational companies.”

Researchers develop novel method for making electrical cellulose fibers

By using liquid salts during formation instead of harsh chemicals, fibers that conduct electricity can be strengthened, according to a patent issued to a team of researchers at The University of Alabama.

The new method of crafting the fibers could open up normally flimsy materials, such as cotton, to conduct electricity in technologies normally reserved for stronger fibers.

The process could also make conductive polymer composites, as they are called, less expensive to prepare with fewer harmful environmental side effects.

Conductive polymers have wide-ranging physical and electrical properties. They are used in applications from organic transistors to coatings for fuel cells, smart textiles and electromagnetic shielding.

However, the process for making conductive polymer composites such as electrically-conductive cotton, wool or nylon is difficult since the mechanical properties, or their strength, are weakened during preparation.

The inventors of the patent are Dr. Scott Spear, a research engineer with UA’s Alabama Innovation and Mentoring of Entrepreneurs, or AIME; Dr. Anwarul Haque, associate professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics; Dr. Robin Rogers,

Surveying the College

Left: Drs. Scott Spear, left, and Anwarul Haque discuss their work while examining a spool of cellulose fiber with polypyrrole in a lab at The University of Alabama. Right: Dr. Michael E. Kreger is the Garry Neil Drummond Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering at the University.

former UA chemistry professor; Dr. Rachel Frazier, a research engineer at AIME; and Dr. Dan Daly, director of AIME. “In the future, cloth or fabrics will not only protect the wearer but also have intelligent built-in features, such as multifunctional sensors or computing devices,” Spear said. “Conductive cotton fiber represents an important component in the development of smart materials for a variety of military, industrial and commercial applications.”

Structural expert named Drummond chair in civil engineering

With more than 30 years of experience, Dr. Michael E. Kreger recently joined the faculty as the Garry Neil Drummond Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering.

He is recognized internationally as a leader in reinforced concrete structures and earthquake engineering. He will serve as the director of the Large-Scale Structures Laboratory, or LSSL. Also, Kreger will be associate director of the UA Center for Sustainable Infrastructure, established to be a focal point for research and development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including mitigating the effects of natural hazards.

Kreger’s research, which has resulted in more than 150 technical publications, has focused on earthquake resistance and rehabilitation of structural concrete buildings, behavior of preand post-tensioned concrete bridge structures and durability of structural concrete.

“Dr. Kreger is a recognized international leader in the area of earthquake engineering research, and he is also a highly regarded teacher, well known for his exceptional work both in the classroom

as well as in the lab,” said Dr. Kenneth Fridley, senior associate dean for administration.

Prior to joining the faculty in the College of Engineering, Kreger was a professor for more than 10 years in the School of Civil Engineering at Purdue University.

Students selected for environmental contest

A team of UA College of Engineering students was selected along with 41 other student teams by the federal Environmental Protection Agency for a national competition to design solutions to challenges facing the environment.

The students explored a new method of disinfecting water using ultraviolet LED lights instead of traditional UV lamps that create harmful mercury waste and are inefficient compared to LED technology.

“It’s clear that, like LED flashlights and light bulbs, ultraviolet LEDs are the wave of the future, but the best way to use this emerging technology to treat drinking water requires research,” said Dr. Mark Elliott, assistant professor in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering and an adviser for the team.

EPA’s P3 — People, Prosperity and the Planet — Program is a unique college competition for designing solutions for a sustainable future. P3 offers students quality hands-on experience that brings their classroom learning to life, highlighting the use of scientific principles in creating innovative projects focused on sustainability. Past P3 teams have used their winning ideas to form small businesses and nonprofit organizations.

Continued on page 6

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Surveying the College

The Surface Integrity team includes, from left, Chenhao Fu, a graduate student; Dr. Michael Sealy, a recent mechanical engineering graduate; and Dr. Yuebin Guo, a professor of mechanical engineering.

College of Engineering appoints two associate deans

Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of The University of Alabama College of Engineering, announced the hiring of two new associate deans.

Karr named Dr. Ken Fridley senior associate dean for administration and Dr. Viola Acoff as associate dean for undergraduate and graduate programs. Dr. John Wiest, who has served as an associate dean in the College since 2005, was given the additional responsibility of economic development.

“These appointments give the College a chance to address needs that will help us accelerate our progress, strengthening our position as an engine for economic development and helping students meet tomorrow’s challenges,” Karr said.

As senior associate dean for administration, Fridley will have responsibility for College facilities, including space allocation.

Further, he will be involved with strategic planning and operational matters.

Acoff will maintain overall responsibility for both undergraduate and graduate programs with responsibility for program accreditation, student code of conduct issues and graduate student recruitment.

Wiest will continue to oversee the College’s research efforts, working with research funding agencies and assisting engineering faculty with research proposals and projects. His expanded role in economic development will allow him to engage business and industry in efforts that improve the College’s mission to educate the workforce of tomorrow, Karr said.

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UA startup finishes second at International Innovation conference A University of Alabama-based startup company that specializes in biodegradable medical implants placed second at the International Innovation in Materials Science Competition in Boston, Massachusetts.

Surface Integrity LLC, which has a patent pending for controlling the degradation of magnesium orthopedic implants, survived two rounds of elimination and was one of 26 finalists from six countries selected to demonstrate inventions.

The International Innovation in Materials Science Competition, known as iMatSci, provides a platform for all science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments at universities and startups to demonstrate their newest materialsfocused technologies in practical applications.

Surface Integrity, started by Dr. Yuebin Guo, a UA professor of mechanical engineering, and Dr. Michael Sealy, a recent UA mechanical engineering graduate, uses a laser-peening process whereby shock waves alter the surface and corrosion rate of a magnesium implant. Surface Integrity uses the process to control the corrosion rate of magnesium with the goal that a surgical rod or plate degrades after it has served its purpose.

Sealy, a co-inventor of the technology, said his company is trying to eliminate permanent implants for patients who do not need them as well as the second surgeries often required to remove them.

Surveying the College

Left: Dr. Edward Back has been with the College of Engineering since 2008 and was recently tapped to head civil, construction and environmental engineering. Right: Catherine King, a double major in chemical engineering and chemistry, attended a United Nations conference on climate change.

Student attends U.N. climate-change talks in Peru

The American Chemical Society selected eight students nationwide, including a University of Alabama senior, as representatives to attend the United Nations climate-change conference in Lima, Peru.

Catherine King, a Huntsville native studying chemical engineering and chemistry at UA, attended the first week of the December conference where representatives from more than 190 nations gathered to forge an international climate change agreement.

King’s role included interviewing world leaders and blogging about the talks in an attempt to prompt others to take additional interest in climate change.

“I don’t look at climate change in a political way but more in a fact-based way,” King said.

King, who conducts research on campus alongside Drs. Gabriela Gurau and Julia Shamshina, employees of the UA-based startup company 525 Solutions said she was encouraged to apply for the ACS slot by Dr. Robin Rogers, a former UA chemistry professor.

During the sessions, officially known as the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the students also participated in U.N. events and discussed how the known science of climate change may be incorporated into international policy.

In her UA research, King, a graduate of Huntsville’s Bob Jones High School, studies ways chitin, a naturally occurring compound found in the shells of shrimp, other crustaceans and insects, can be

used in medical applications, including a new type of bandage that releases medication through the wearer’s skin.

Back to head department, research center Dr. Edward Back was selected to head the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering as well as the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure.

Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College of Engineering, announced both appointments last fall.

Back, awarded the Donald H. McLean Civil Engineering Professor of the Year Award in 2014, joined UA in 2008 and has extensive research experience in the field of construction engineering with particular emphasis in the areas of project execution planning, construction methods, cost and schedule control, and materials management.

He has conducted research for a variety of private-sector clients, including some of the nation’s largest engineering construction companies, as well as other organizations representing a variety of industries, including power generation, light and heavy manufacturing, and pharmaceutical/chemical.

Created by The University of Alabama Board of Trustees in 2013, the Center for Sustainable Infrastructure, or CSI, serves as an innovative technical resource, knowledge center and educational provider addressing critical issues related to sustainable infrastructure.

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Surveying the College

In Brief Thompson recognized for research

Dr. Gregory B. Thompson, professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, received the 2014 Blackmon-Moody Outstanding Professor Award, presented annually to a UA faculty member judged to have made extraordinary research contributions.

Thompson, who came to UA in 2003, researches the thermodynamics and mechanisms of phase transformations and their effect on microstructure.

Gray honored as distinguished educator

Dr. Jeff Gray, computer science professor, was one of 49 scientists, engineers and educators named a distinguished member of the Association for Computing Machinery. He is one of five educators worldwide recognized as a 2014 distinguished educator and the first educator from Alabama to receive this award.

The distinguished member grade honors ACM members who have achieved significant accomplishments or have made a significant impact on the computing field.

Guo named fellow by manufacturing society

Dr. Yuebin Guo, a professor of mechanical engineering, was elected a fellow by the Society for Manufacturing Engineers, or SME, one of two elected fellows in this year’s class from American universities.

SME fellows are recognized by their peers and the manufacturing community for outstanding contributions to the social, technological and educational aspects of the manufacturing profession. Guo was cited by SME for seminal contributions to the development, understanding and control of process− surface integrity−functionality relationships in a broad range of manufacturing processes.

Acoff selected as outstanding teacher

The University of Alabama National Alumni Association selected Dr. Viola Acoff, associate dean for undergraduate and graduate programs, along with three other UA professors for the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching: the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award. Acoff, who joined the UA faculty

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Clockwise from top right: Dr. Jeff Gray, Dr. Gregory Thompson, Naomi Powell and Dr. Yuebin Guo

in 1994, has been active in research on welding metallurgy and has been awarded more than $7 million in externally funded research grants.

CE doctoral students named fellows by international organization

Samwel Zephaniah, a native of Kenya pursuing a doctorate in civil engineering, was named a fellow by the International Road Federation. The fellows program is designed to enhance fellows’ leadership skills and provide insight into the transportation industry through visits to prominent domestic, regional and international organizations.

Co-op names Powell director

Naomi Powell was named director of The University of Alabama Cooperative Education and Professional Practice Program. She has worked with UA co-op for 20 years and will replace longtime UA co-op director Roy Gregg, who retired in 2014.

Amy Ratliff replaced Powell as associate director of UA co-op.

She has worked with UA co-op for nearly six years.

Currents

Currents Events from Around the College

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Currents

Previous page, bottom right and opposite page: Art designs created by students from the College of Engineering were on display as part of the [Enter]Connect show. Top left: Alumni and friends of the College dropped by the annual CES homecoming tailgate last fall. Top right and bottom left: The annual E-Day brought a record crowd.

Crowd comes for annual E-Day

The College of Engineering hosted more than 1,100 prospective students, parents, teachers and counselors at the annual Engineering Day, or E-Day. The College’s open house gives prospective students a closer look at the College, and participants receive a realistic view of how engineering skills are used in everyday life. Lunch was provided

by McAbee Pigfitters.

COE helps sponsor interactive art show

An art show sponsored by the College of Engineering brought interactive new-media technologies and 3-D fabrication to Tuscaloosa’s Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center last November.

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The show, called [ENTER]Connect, also sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences, had students from both colleges display work created by new-media technologies’ 3-D-printed and laser-cut sculptures to computer-generated animation and sound installation.

The art was created by UA Makerspace, a new interdisciplinary student group that explores creative projects with the aid of emerging technologies located in Hardaway Hall

Alumni return for homecoming tailgate

College of Engineering alumni and friends returned to the Capstone for the annual homecoming tailgate on Nov. 22 before the Crimson Tide’s victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts. The tailgate was held on the UA Quad, and tailgaters visited with Alabama Astrobotics.

Currents

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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COLLEGE OF E N G I N E E R I N G by th e n u m b ers ENROLLMENT

UA Enrollment:

36,155

334

BY CLASSIFICATION

BY DEGREE (UNDERGRADUATE ONLY)

UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE

METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING COMPUTER SCIENCE CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING CIVIL ENGINEERING CHEMICAL ENGINEERING AEROSPACE ENGINEERING UNDESIGNATED

4,771

COE Enrollment:

5,105

TOP 10 IN GOLDWATER SCHOLARS NATIONWIDE

THE PAST 10 YEARS COOPERATIVE EDUCATION

STUDENTS

PARTICIPATE

67% 33%

IN STATE OUT OF

STATE

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{ The University of Alabama }

NO.110 YEARS IN HOLLINGS SCHOLARS NATIONWIDE THE PAST

THE AVERAGE STARTING

SALARY FOR COLLEGE

GRADUATES IS

$61,500

PATENTS 4 2008

7

0

1

1

2

2

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

I nnovation for

TOMORROW

COLLEGIATE SWE MEMBERS,

THE MOST IN SWE SINCE 2009

• • •

25 60 257

25

• • •

• • •

• • •

342

408

443

476

489

08–09

09–10

10–11

11–12

12–13

TOTAL

30

• • •

19 76 313

22 88 333

34 101 354

TOTAL

TOTAL

TOTAL

TOTAL

• • •

4500 31 88 455

4000

PHD MASTER’S BACHELOR’S

574

G

ENROLLMENT SCHOLARS

3000 2500

1500

13–14

1000 29.4

500 0

08–09 09–10 10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14

26.7

24.8

SINCE 2006,

CAPSTONE ENGINEERING SOCIETY (CES)

24

HAS AWARDED

ENGINEERING

20

3500

UNDERGRADUATES ON MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS

2000

TOTAL

MEAN ACT SCORE FOR ENTERING FRESHMEN

19%

IE NG A

OUTSTANDING 19 98 359

ALUM

EM ENT

UMN

1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000

DEGREES AWARDED

16%

NI

3,965

O UT

4,673

2009 726

7

65%

4,903

2010 956

0

S

5,672

1,362

2011 1,048

CES SUPPORTS

EA H C

2012

OLARSHIP CH

6,374

AL

ENGINEERING

6,965

1,720

R

TOTAL

2,015

2013

S

HONORS COLLEGE STUDENTS

2014

$318,000

UA AVERAGE

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

IN

SCHOLARSHIPS

The

Sporting Life A growing number of Crimson Tide athletes studying engineering, computer science

By Adam Jones and Judah Martin

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{ The University of Alabama }

uring his senior year in high school, Da’Shawn Hand announced on ESPN he planned to attend The University of Alabama to study civil engineering.

“I love civil engineering, and they have that major,” said Hand while surrounded by the press and supporters at his school.

OK. That’s not the whole story.

Hand, a native of Virginia, was one of the most soughtafter high school football players in the country at the time, and Nick Saban, head coach of the Crimson Tide football team, had offered Hand a scholarship to play on the team.

After signing, Hand went on to be a contributor as a freshman during the Crimson Tide’s 2014 Southeastern Conference championship season.

But Hand, selected to be part of Woodbridge High School’s focused engineering curriculum, also made it clear he wanted to study engineering while playing NCAA Division-I football on an athletic scholarship. Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College of Engineering, met with Hand during recruitment and told him it was possible to do both at Alabama.

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{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Previous page: From left, student athletes Da’Shawn Hand, football; Keely McNeer, gymnastics; Phillip Deaton, swimming and diving; and Kevin Shannon, track and field, also study engineering. Above: Keely McNeer competes at a gymnastics meet during the 2015 season.

“Dean Karr didn’t paint a false picture,” Hand said in an interview and we don’t want them being frightened of the word engineering,” with Capstone Engineer. “He told me it was going to be hard, but if I did Dever said. “Being a student-athlete and getting an engineering degree says a lot about your discipline and time management because you’re it, there would be a lot of reward.”

Hand is part of a growing number of Crimson Tide student- doing a lot of things other students don’t have to do.”

Phillip Deaton knows all too well about athletes studying engineering or computer balancing engineering coursework with science in the College, something John athletic competition. Deaton, a student Dever, associate athletics director for majoring in chemical engineering, was the student services, attributes partly to Karr and others in the College working to help captain of the men’s swimming and diving team student-athletes succeed on and off the his senior year. Since coming to the University, field.

Deaton has been named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and, recently, he was named an All“We’ve got more kids in engineering American Scholar by the College Swimming right now than in my 23 years here,” Dever Coaches Association of America. said. “There is huge cooperation between athletics and engineering.”

“I’ve never felt like swimming has hindered Along with cooperation from the my academic performance; I think it just taught College, academic support for studentme better time management,” Deaton said.

—John Dever, associate athletics “When I was a freshman, there were senior athletes at UA has improved tremendously director for student services engineering majors on the team who could over the past decade or so, making timelead me down the right path. Now I have the consuming majors such as engineering less opportunity to do the same for other freshmen.” daunting, Dever said. There are 18 people Even before coming to the University, Deaton had been learning on Dever’s staff and more than 100 tutors during a year. UA’s roughly to balance his athletic activities with his academic aspirations. When 500 student-athletes carry an average 3.2 GPA. “We want our students to major in whatever they want to study, he was still in middle school, he began swimming competitively with

“We’ve got more kids in engineering right now than in my 23 years here.

There is huge cooperation between athletics and engineering right now.”

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Da’Shawn Hand, No. 9 on the left, receives the Ozzie Newsome Most Improved Freshman Award from Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban after the 2015 A-Day game.

his local high school team in Madison, Alabama, ultimately helping the team to secure seven championships before graduating high school.

Like Deaton, gymnast Keely McNeer also began competing in high school, but back then she had no plans to become a college athlete. In high school, McNeer divided her time between rigorous advanced placement coursework and gymnastics.

At the time, McNeer, a native of Madison, Mississippi, was on the path to compete in the Olympics, but during her senior year, she suffered several injuries. During this time, she devoted herself to her studies, eventually finishing high school a semester early and graduating with a high GPA. Because of her injuries, she doubted a return to gymnastics; nevertheless, she was contacted by several college recruiters while recovering. Just a few months later she enrolled at UA. “My injuries made me question why I was doing (gymnastics),” McNeer said. “But the coaches here are really supportive. I’ve grown to love the sport again by being here.”

Now a sophomore in chemical engineering, McNeer wants to attend medical school after graduating.

“I can pretty much say that when I’m not (in the athletic center), I’m doing school work,” she said. “It’s very strenuous, but I don’t mind.

I like having things to do.”

For Kevin Shannon, a junior in computer science from Vestavia, Alabama, who competes in the javelin throw for the track and field

team, compartmentalization is the key to keeping his GPA above a 4.0 while still adhering to a rigorous athletics schedule.

“The javelin throw is a very technical event, and you expend a lot of mental energy,” Shannon said. “Before class starts, I try to get there five minutes early and read over all of my notes again so that my brain is already working.”

In the more high profile sport of football, Hand was the only football player his freshman year on scholarship with an engineering major, although there are several walk-on players on the team majoring in engineering. Dever said Hand’s choice in his studies will help future student-athletes see that UA helps them pursue academic and athletic goals.

“Having a high-profile kid like Da’Shawn helps,” he said. “It takes that one person to knock the lid off and show it can be done.”

For Hand, he’s heard from those who doubt he can do football and engineering at a high level, and he is not deterred. He’s ready for higherlevel classes, and, while all-in with football, he hopes to one day manage his own civil engineering firm.

“Anyone who knows me knows I’m a hard worker, and I want to get the job done,” Hand said. “If you want to be successful, you’ll make sure you do what you got to do.”

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Two

Degrees of Separation

College offering new programs in environmental, architectural engineering

By Judah Martin

A

s opportunities in industry continue to grow for engineering graduates, The University of Alabama is making sure to keep the pace. In the 2014–15 academic year, the University began offering degrees in architectural engineering and environmental engineering.

The College of Engineering previously offered minors in both areas along with degree programs in civil and construction engineering that incorporated some of the principles of each major. With the new programs, though, students should be better-equipped for a job market increasingly geared toward specialization. Because the various disciplines of civil engineering are similar, students in the new degree programs take most of the same courses during their first two years.

“All of these programs are disciplines within civil engineering,” said Dr. Derek G. Williamson, associate professor and director for the undergraduate programs for civil, construction and environmental engineering. “It gives students the common understanding of the field. So civil engineers, construction engineers, environmental engineers and architectural engineers will all be working together.”

Continued on page 20

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Anna Atchley, left, and Beau Greer will be the first two graduates from the College’s two new degree programs. Atchley graduated with a degree in architectural engineering in May 2015, and Greer is scheduled to graduate in environmental engineering in August.

This similarity allows civil engineering students to easily transfer into the new programs. This is especially helpful for upperclassmen civil engineering majors like senior Anna Atchley, who switched to the new architectural engineering program when it was offered.

Atchley has known she wanted to work in building and design since she was in middle school, but she wasn’t sure what major to choose. She thought about majoring in architecture, a field that focuses on a building’s form and function. Since UA does not offer a degree in architecture, her adviser recommended studying civil engineering with a minor in architectural engineering, placing her on track to later attend graduate school for architecture.

Unlike an architectural program, a degree in architectural engineering emphasizes planning, design, construction and maintenance of buildings. Architectural engineers bridge the gap between architecture and the traditional disciplines of civil, mechanical and electrical engineering.

The further she got into her coursework, the more Atchley realized how fascinated she was with the systemic components of a building, such as the electrical and ventilation systems necessary to create a successful structure.

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“I’ve often heard there is a gap between architects and engineers, the designer and the builder,” Atchley said. “With architectural engineering, I hope to close that gap by understanding the concerns of the contractor as well as the desires of the architect and creating a building that satisfies both.”

As a civil engineering student, Atchley took classes on subjects such as transportation engineering and cost estimating. Now she takes classes on heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, and electric power and machines engineering.

“If I never had an idea of how HVAC systems worked, I would never be able to properly design a building to efficiently use the system, so I am very glad the curriculum is different,” she said. “I find these classes much more useful, applicable and interesting for the field I want to pursue. They challenge me to think differently and have a greater understanding of the building as a whole.”

Nathan Campbell, a freshman from Collierville, Tennessee, chose to study environmental engineering at UA because, more than anything, he just wants to get his hands dirty.

“I would love to work hands-on in the outdoors,” he said. “I’ve always liked playing in dirt.”

Students in a senior-design course in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering incorporate architectural engineering into their projects.

Of course his passion for nature goes much deeper than that. While using many of the resources already available within the University’s engineering, geological science, biology, physics and chemistry disciplines, the new program trains students to evaluate potential environmental hazards and thus protect human populations from the consequences through factors such as recycling, waste disposal, public health, control of water and air pollution, and natural resource management.

“The world faces millions of problems concerning the environment and mankind’s place in the natural environment in which it coexists, and most of these problems come without a solution,” Campbell said. “I want to have the knowledge needed to assess and help find solutions to these problems. After graduating, I would love to work at protecting and restoring habitats, particularly water ecosystems such as rivers, swamps, marshes. I would also enjoy working towards pollution control in water, land, or air.”

Work has already begun on a new laboratory course for undergraduate students studying environmental engineering, and because the College of Engineering has offered courses in

environmental and architectural engineering, new faculty will not be required for either program.

Both programs will be unique in Alabama. While there is an architectural program and a variety of programs that focus on the environment, UA will be distinctive in offering engineering training in both disciplines. Williamson said he expects the new programs to receive accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology by 2017. Once the programs are accredited, UA will be the only institution in the country to offer all four accredited engineering degrees that focus on designing and improving many aspects of everyday life.

“I am extremely excited the College of Engineering will be offering students the chance to pursue their passion in architectural engineering and environmental engineering,” said Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the UA College of Engineering. “I am confident that these degrees will be both popular with students and a real plus for the state of Alabama.”

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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AUTO FOCUS College working with auto industry for tomorrow’s vehicles, workforce

By Adam Jones

T

en years from now, cars and trucks will have more electronics and software than mechanical parts, which creates an opportunity for research and innovation.

“There is a dramatic shift in electrical drive and batteries, and with this move comes more questions we can research and analyze,” said Dr. Bharat Balasubramanian, executive director of the Center for Advanced Vehicle Technologies in the UA College of Engineering.

Analyzing and answering questions is at the base of academic research, and Balasubramanian, who retired in 2012 as vice president of group research and advanced engineering at Mercedes-Benz in Germany, said The University of Alabama must help the auto industry build the car of the future.

Part of the College’s research and academic focus is fixed on the auto industry, which has a heavy presence in Alabama and the Southeastern United States. Researchers from across the College have worked with companies to better understand or improve their products in hopes of benefiting industry and enhancing the educational experience for students.

“The auto industry in our state can use us to understand

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{ The University of Alabama }

the science needed to make engineering advancements in their products,” said Dr. Gregory Thompson, a professor of metallurgical and materials engineering. “We can add value to being in Alabama.”

Thompson’s work is an example of the breadth of research auto manufacturers and their suppliers can call upon from academia.

With a state grant from the Alabama Innovation Fund, Thompson worked with Nucor Steel–Decatur in developing next-generation, low-alloy, high-strength steels that would eventually be used in auto manufacturing.

For the project, Thompson was able to use the University’s Local Electrode Atom Probe, or LEAP, essentially a powerful microscope that shows the location and distribution of atoms in various materials. Looking at the steel under the atom probe helped Nucor understand the properties of the alloys, which can be used to further improve the steel.

“They’ve been making these steels, but they haven’t had the level of detailed characterization and scientific investigation to understand all the factors that contribute to its good properties,” Thompson said.

“Once you understand something, then you can engineer it.”

The College of Engineering offers several auto competition teams that allow students to learn engineering through hands-on experience. From left, Crimson Racing team members Cole Frederick, studying mechanical engineering, and Chris New, studying electrical and computer engineering, work on their car.

Along with providing scientific understanding, academic researchers can save companies time and resources on testing. Dr. Mark Barkey, a professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics, has worked on projects with auto makers like GM and Ford and, most recently, he was contacted by Chrysler to investigate the stress rubber engine mounts can handle with temperature.

“Companies want to do a lot more computer-aided engineering, and they need to have data for that,” Barkey said. “Computer simulations help them to reduce the amount of testing, which can be very expensive. Now they’re just looking for that extra edge … those data that will help them design their cars.”

Dr. Samit Roy, the William D. Jordan Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics, is also using computers to quicken testing for an auto company. He and his students work with Mercedes-Benz U.S. International to help perfect a new rivetingwelding method.

This method can save manufacturers both time and money, but because it’s new, manufacturers do not yet fully understand the mechanical behavior of the rivet joints from a quality control point of view. So, researchers, such as Roy, are generating data to help manufacturers better estimate the strength and reliability of the rivet connections.

Rather than physically damage sheets of metal in testing, Roy and his students gather data using a sophisticated computer-simulation program as an alternative to destructive testing.

Balasubramanian has worked with Mercedes to secure research partnerships to help engineer tomorrow’s technology, including a project to better manage the state of charge and state of health in vehicle batteries.

Dr. Jaber Abu Qahouq, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is working with Mercedes to find out how some battery cells degrade faster than others, which is a problem because batteries are only as good as their weakest cells. With batteries being expensive parts of electric vehicles, extending their lives could make the technology more affordable, Balasubramanian said.

But assisting the auto industry is more than research, Balasubramanian said. He and others in the College are working to beef up curriculum that prepares students to engineer future vehicles.

Balasubramanian said he hopes the curriculum, when combined with sponsored research and internships, will help UA attract topflight students into the auto industry in the Southeast.

It’s a course he believes UA and other institutions in the South must pursue.

“To keep the industry flourishing in our state and region, we need an ecosystem between education, applied research and industrial projects to attract and keep the students and preserve the competitive advantage of the Southeastern U.S. over lower-cost countries such as Mexico and China,” he said.

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Making a

Name

College alumni from the era of recent expansion are beginning to make a name for themselves and UA

By Adam Jones

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T

hey were called the “best and the brightest,” and now many of the students who helped kick-start the current era of The University of Alabama are taking positions of responsibility in their careers, strengthening their alma mater’s name as well as their own.

“Having these fine graduates begin to rise in their respective organizations is both great for them as well as for the College of Engineering,” said Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College. “Their success reflects positively on our institution and allows us to continue our momentum. It is a positive cycle.”

In 2003, Dr. Robert E. Witt, former president of the University and current chancellor of The University of Alabama System, announced a plan to enroll more students than ever. He said UA would seek out the “best and brightest” students from Alabama and the rest of the country.

Since then, each academic year has opened with record enrollment, and the number of graduates has increased along with the growth of the student body. Since the 2003–04 academic year, the UA College of Engineering has seen the number of degrees awarded increase nearly 82 percent.

“In the past decade, we have seen a sharp increase in the number of graduates from our program, and we are very proud of the success that our graduates have experienced over the years,” Karr said.

Tim Bailey, BSEE ’08, is one of the College’s alumni to experience success. Less than a decade after college, where he worked on audio production for Crimson Tide athletic events, he has become manager of Systems Commissioning at Waveguide Consulting, a leading technology and audio-visual consulting firm based in Atlanta, Georgia.

At Waveguide, Bailey heads one of four company departments and reports directly to the owners. He oversees 30–40 projects at a given time around the country and internationally, he said. In working on projects, he has encountered many UA engineering graduates.

“There is a shared camaraderie and pride that may be as simple as a five minute conversation before a meeting, but it establishes a mutual respect,” Bailey said. “In my experience, the reputation UA has amongst its (Southeastern Conference) peers and around the rest of the country creates a similar opportunity to develop relationships on project teams.

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{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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LaTasha Merchant began her career designing roadways with the Alabama Department of Transportation and is now a section manager for ALDOT. (Photo courtesy of ALDOT.)

“Some days it’s exchanging a ‘Roll Tide’ for ‘Roll Tide,’ other days maybe a ‘Roll Tide’ to a ‘War Eagle’ or ‘Go Vols,’” he said “I’m pretty sure I have also heard ‘Go Trojans,’ ‘Go Ducks’ and ‘Go Irish’ all around conferenceroom tables. Every time it leads to me sharing one of many stories from my experience at UA.” Bailey chose UA with help from his grandfather, who loved the University, and is glad he chose to study electrical engineering at the Capstone.

“At the risk of sounding cliché, the educational process at UA engineering taught me how to approach, digest and master technical concepts and issues,” Bailey said. “As

my job roles and responsibilities have changed, which aspects of my experience at UA I draw from changes as well, but no less valuable today as the day I started.”

For Joey Glasgow, BSME ’03, his experience at UA prepared him to work across many working groups and cultures at Mercedes-

Benz U.S. International in Vance, Alabama, he said. After starting with MBUSI, Glasgow has worked his way from welding engineer to his current position as senior manager of body shop operations within the auto-production plant. He oversees production, maintenance and engineering on the build of the body for GLS, GLE, GLE Coupe and R-Class cars.

In his role, Glasgow interacts a lot with students working at MBUSI as part of UA’s Cooperative Education and Professional Practice Program, getting a front-row seat to the quality students in the College, some of whom go on to work at the plant after graduation.

“We’ve got some really high-quality people — Joey Glasgow from the University, whether it be full-time or co-op,” he said. “It makes me really proud to be a graduate.”

Kendale Thomas, BSME ’10, agrees that his entire experience in the College prepared him for his job, and he credits his former

“We’ve got some really high-quality people from the University, whether it be full-time or co-op. It makes me really proud to be a graduate.”

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Joey Glasgow is a senior manager of body-shop operations at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International. (Photo courtesy of MBUSI.)

professors for their guidance. He keeps in touch with Drs. John Baker and Clark Midkiff, he said.

“Those are relationships that I will always cherish,” Thomas said.

“To me, that is what separates UA’s College of Engineering from any other school. The time and effort that the professors put in to get to know their students is priceless.”

After internships at Vulcan Materials Co., BE&K Engineering and Kellogg Brown & Root Inc. during college, Thomas went to work for Eaton Aerospace after graduation. He then transitioned back to KBR as a mechanical engineer before becoming a project manager at Kinder Morgan, a leading pipeline-transportation and energy-storage company.

At Kinder Morgan, he manages a wide range of natural-gas pipeline and measurement projects on the Southern Natural Gas Pipeline System. He still calls upon his courses at the University — from heat transfer to fluids — but more than that, he learned how to dig deep into complex problems at UA, he said.

“Anyone can solve an easy problem,” Thomas said. “What separates the good from the great in corporate America is the

willpower to solve problems or issues that most would shy away from because of the level of difficulty. At UA, I gained the confidence and belief that all problems were meant to be solved.”

The College prepared LaTasha Merchant, BSCE ’04, for the transition from college student to full-time engineer. She began her career designing roadways for the Alabama Department of Transportation and is now a section manager for ALDOT, responsible for supervising, reviewing and approving geometric designs and plan assemblies and ensuring projects run on time.

Merchant said she has worked with UA engineering graduates during her career.

“My first boss was a UA grad, and that was really exciting coming right out of college to have someone that shared the UA experience and pride,” she said. “I don’t think my first six years here at ALDOT would have been the same without it.”

Thomas agrees. Two project managers he works with at Kinder Morgan are UA engineering graduates.

“We do have a shared camaraderie and pride in our school,” he said. “‘Roll Tide’ is the normal ‘hello’ for us.”

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics Items of Interest to Capstone Engineers and Computer Scientists

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Alumni Dynamics

Previous page: Tom Moxley, son of the late Stephen D. Moxley, accepts his father’s induction plaque for the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame from James C. Bambarger, chairman of the AEHOF board of directors, as a ceremony in Auburn. Above: The two UA alumni inducted this year into the AEHOF are Clint S. Coleman, left, and Moxley, right.

Two inducted into Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame

Among this year’s class of inductees in the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame were two UA College of Engineering alumni, Clint Coleman of Huntsville, Alabama, and the late Stephen D. Moxley.

Founded in 1987 by proclamation of the governor, the Hall of Fame honors, preserves and perpetuates the outstanding accomplishments and contributions of individuals, projects, corporations and institutions that brought, and continue to bring, significant recognition to the state.

Clint S. Coleman was a charter member of an engineering design team that helped ADTRAN Inc. become a leading global provider of networking and communications equipment, with a portfolio of intelligent solutions deployed by some of the world’s largest service providers, distributed enterprises and small- and medium-sized businesses.

ADTRAN solutions enable voice, data, video and Internet communications across copper, fiber and wireless network infrastructures. During his 27-year tenure at ADTRAN, Coleman has led many major development efforts, including the team that allowed ADTRAN to become the world leader in the business-access market.

His innovation and hard work led to his selection as vice president for engineering at ADTRAN. Coleman received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from The University of Alabama in 1983, joining ADTRAN, also in Huntsville, as a design engineer four years later. The company’s success stems from its history in telecommunications. Incorporated in 1985, ADTRAN began operations in 1986 following AT&T’s divestiture of the Regional Bell Operating Companies, or RBOCs. This created an opportunity for companies such as ADTRAN to supply network equipment to the seven RBOCs as well as the more than 1,300 independent telephone companies in the United States.

His creativity as a design engineer helped ADTRAN become the dominant telecommunication supplier of the products he developed.

Coleman was co-inventor on three patents that helped his company become a leader in its industry.

In 2010, he became vice president of Carrier Networks Division Engineering, responsible for design groups with more than 400 employees. He oversees ADTRAN’s products and services in broadband access, narrowband access, carrier Ethernet, Optical Networking Edge, along with networking and configuration management.

Continued on page 30

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics

Coleman accepted his award at a ceremony at the Auburn Marriott Opelika Hotel and Conference Center at Grand National in February.

Coleman serves on Biztech’s board of directors and UA’s Electrical and Computer Engineering Advisory Board and is the ADTRAN executive sponsor for UA. He is a member of the UA College of Engineering Leadership Board. In 2003, he was named a distinguished engineering fellow by UA’s College of Engineering.

For more than 40 years, Stephen “Steve” D. Moxley was a major player in the growth and innovation of the American Cast Iron Pipe Co. and a constant and influential presence in the civic life of his city, state and nation.

During his life, he helped bring international prominence to ACIPCO, a new industrial water supply and a full engineering school to Birmingham, and the Warrior-Tombigbee Waterway to Alabama.

In college, as later in life, his energy was seemingly boundless as he helped found and lead the Theta Tau engineering fraternity and the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society, all while earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering by 1922, four years after coming to Tuscaloosa.

In 1923, he joined ACIPCO as a draftsman. While there, he 30

{ The University of Alabama }

conceived and designed a number of machines for the production of cast-iron pressure pipe by the sand-spun process. He was also coinventor of the centrifugal casting method of producing iron pipe using sand-lined molds, a production of super-strong, cast-iron pressure pipe. He climbed the ranks at ACIPCO and was named president in 1955, a position he held until his retirement in 1963.

A well-known engineer, Moxley is credited with numerous inventions and many technical papers, including 10 patents. He was made a fellow by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in 1953 for his technical achievements.

Moxley was also an advocate for education. He led a committee in 1951 that equipped a foundry for The University of Alabama College of Engineering, and he led a drive that resulted in the first degreegranting engineering school in Birmingham, now The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Engineering.

His civic engagement was also extensive. As president of the Warrior Tombigbee Development Association, he helped promote the successful completion of the waterway, which, though completed

Alumni Dynamics

Participants at the CES Golf Tournament included Stephen Burton, BSChE ’07; Austin Minter, BSChE ’07; David Holt, BSChE ’07, MSChE ’09 and JD ’10; and Tyler Mann, BS in marketing ’06.

long after his death, is an economic engine for the Southeast and the entire country.

Moxley served eight years as chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Industrial Water Committee that helped bring a new industrial water system to Birmingham. In 1958, he was elected first chairman of the city’s Industrial Water Board.

In 1966, he was awarded an honorary doctor of science by UA. He was inducted posthumously into the Alabama Business Hall of Fame in 1984 and named a distinguished engineering fellow by UA in 1990.

Golf Tournament

you, more than $40,000 was raised for the Capstone Engineering Society.

Over the past 12 years, the CES Golf Tournament has raised more than $290,000 for the College of Engineering.

“The results of this tournament certainly make a difference for the Capstone Engineering Society and The University of Alabama College of Engineering in our mission to provide scholarships and to ensure that UA engineering and computer science students are provided a superior educational experience,” said Nancy Holmes, CES manager.

“We are grateful to our sponsors, players and volunteers who made the CES Golf Tournament a success.”

The 14th annual Capstone Engineering Society Golf Tournament was held in September at Riverchase Country Club in Hoover, Alabama.

This year, seven tournament sponsors, 33 hole sponsors, one puttingcontest sponsor, multiple silent-auction donors and 136 players participated in the tournament. Thanks to generous contributors like

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics

The 14th annual Capstone Engineering Society Golf Tournament raised a record amount for scholarships. This year’s tournament will be at Riverchase Country Club in Hoover, Alabama, on Sept. 21, 2015.

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{ The University of Alabama }

The Capstone Engineering Society thanks the sponsors of the 14th annual CES Golf Tournament.

Tournament Sponsors

Putting-Contest Sponsor

INTERNATIONAL

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics

Hole Sponsors 3M Decatur Apache Construction Corp.

Barnett, Jones, Wilson LLC Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP C&B Piping Inc. C.S. Beatty Construction Chesapeake Consulting Inc. David G. Courington Consulting LLC David and Jackie Courington Enercon Enerfab Energen Resources Corporation (two holes) Energy Systems Southeast LLC (ESSE) Ferguson Waterworks Geocent LLC Hargrove Engineers and Constructors Hoar Program Management Hunt Refining Company LBYD Inc. Marathon Electrical Contractors Inc. Nucor Steel Decatur Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa Process Automation & Simulation Services Inc. Ready Mix Inc. Southland Pipe & Supply Spectrum Environmental Inc. Vulcan Materials Company Vulcan Painters Inc. Wade Sand and Gravel Co. Inc. Walter Schoel Engineering Co. Inc. Whitaker & Rawson Inc.

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{ The University of Alabama }

Alumni Dynamics

Annual 14 Golf Tournament The

th

CAPSTONE ENGINEERING SOCIETY

Hole Sponsors

Alumni Dynamics

From left, Dr. Mark Whorton, Greg Bowen, Chad Christian and Shannon Reed

Alumni Notes 1987

Dr. Mark S. Whorton, BSAE and MSAE ’89, was promoted to chief technologist for Teledyne Brown Engineering in Huntsville, Alabama.

1993

Jennifer Hardesty, BSCS, was named the 2014 Professional Woman of the Year by the National Association of Professional Women. Hardesty is an independent informationtechnology consultant in the health care industry.

1994

Greg Bowen, BSChE, was certified as a chartered financial analyst. Bowen is director of wealth management for Wilkins Miller LLC in Mobile, Alabama.

Jobs. Promotions. Awards.

1996

Chad Christian, BSCE, was named city engineer for Foley, Alabama.

1997

Shannon Reed, BSCE, joined Hanson Professional Services in Jacksonville, Florida, a consulting firm providing architecture, planning and allied services.

2008

Ken Collins, BSME, became a licensed professional engineer in Alabama. He is a project engineer with Rock-Tenn Co. in Stevenson, Alabama.

2011

Something we missed?

Please send us your professional achievement and recognitions for inclusion in Alumni Notes by visiting eng.ua.edu/alumni/update.

Daniel Gerber, BSME, took leave from his job as drilling engineer at Shell Exploration and Production Co. in New Orleans, Louisiana, to pursue an MBA at Yale University.

2014

Colgan Hobson Bryan III, MSCE, MBA and MSMIS, joined Deloitte Consulting as a senior technology consultant in Atlanta, Georgia.

Nick Morrison, BSAE, accepted a position with Lockheed Martin Corp. as a mechanical engineer.

Continued on page 36

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics

In Memory Robert N. Almon Sr.

Robert N. Almon Sr. died on Nov. 19, 2014, in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

After high school, Almon served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, later retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University in 1955 and 1964 respectively. A registered professional engineer and land surveyor, Almon founded Almon Associates Inc. and helped to found Tuscaloosa Testing Laboratory. He was inducted as a UA distinguished engineering fellow in the inaugural class in 1988. He was also inducted into the Alabama General Contractor’s Construction Hall of Fame and honored by the University’s Chi Epsilon chapter, the civil engineering honor society. .

William Edward Brown

William Edward Brown died on Dec. 20, 2014, in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Brown served in the Korean War as a member of U.S. Army, and he later enrolled at the University, where he earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1961. After graduating, he became owner of Woods Metal Co. in Nashville, Tennessee, and later Competition Powder Coaters in Gallatin, Tennessee.

Robert Thomasson Clark

Robert Thomasson Clark died on July 30, 2014, at his home in Mobile, Alabama. After high school, Clark enrolled in the Army Specialized Training Program at North Carolina State University and attended Camp Blanding for basic training. He received a degree in chemical engineering from The University of Alabama in 1947 and later earned a Master of 36

{ The University of Alabama }

Business Administration from the University of Connecticut. He worked 40 years for International Paper, beginning in the Mobile Research Lab and later transferring to company headquarters in New York City. He returned to Mobile in 1984 and helped to found the Alabama School of Math and Science.

David Morris Green

David Morris Green died on Aug. 7, 2014, in Bellaire, Texas. Green received a degree in electrical engineering from the University in 1965. He later earned a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Afterward, he went to work for Coastal Corp./El Paso Energy. He served as a leader in many organizations, including the Willowbend Civic Club, Westbury Methodist Church, Wharton Club of Houston and Cape Royale Boating Association. .

Andrew Timothy “Tim” Wuska

Andrew Timothy Wuska died on Oct. 10, 2014, in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. A native of Virginia, Wuska served in the Army Air Corps in France and Germany during World War II. Afterward, he received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University in 1950. After graduating, he began a career at American Cast Iron Pipe Co. During his 42 years at the company, Wuska served on the national board of directors and was president of the National Management Association chapter.

Active in professional organizations, he was named Engineer of the Year by the Birmingham Engineering Council. In 1996, he was selected as a UA Department of Mechanical Engineering fellow.

Alumni Dynamics

Friends we will miss Robert N. Almon Sr. , BSCE ’55, MSCE ’64

Rodney Taylor Jackson, BSEE ’51

Bernie A. Thompson Jr., BSCE ’62

Luther Boyce Alverson, BSME ’47

Stanley H. Japal, BSEET ’83

Whitman Franklin Thompson, BSCE ’61

James Everett Battles, BSME ’60

William Ralph Lane, BSEE ’60

Peter Michael Willemoes, BSME ’84

Frank Wallace Bockman BSCE ’64, MSCE ’75

Robert Eugene Lavender, BSAE ’49

Luther William Byram Jr., ’61

Larry Dale McBride, BSME ’67

Philip M. Caraccioli, BSME ’59 Lecil McCoy Colburn, BSCE ’64 Billy M. Cox, BSME ’52 DuVal H. Easley, BSIE ’52 James William Edwards, BSChE ’56 Rasa Kulpa Garrison, BSIE ’81 Joe R. Hagerman, BSME ’41 Johnnie L. Halcomb, BSME ’49 Curtis Glenn Harvey, BSAE ’53 Royal Hatch Jr., BSME ’74 Charles N. Hill, BSME ’50

John K. McKinley, BSChE ’40, MSChE ’41 Brian Michael McSorley, BSEE ’87 John Clement Miller, BSIE ’59 Clifton Shipman Penick Sr., BSEE ’50 William Lee Phillips Jr., BSME ’65 Frank Martin Oden Jr., BSIE ’43 Edgar Allan Poe Jr., BSIE ’60 Abraham Rosenberg, BSME ’44 Phillip A. Roth, BSEE, ’58 James Henry Rives Jr., BSCE ’54 Steven Craig Sandy, BSEE ’64

Myroslav Hnatyshyn, BSEE ’57

Ewell Marvin Scott Jr., BSEd ’50, EdM ’53, BSIE ’60

Waymon Humphries, BSAE ’68

Lauren Earl Sechriest, BSEE ’61

Lofton Guy Jackson, BSEE ’60

Robert Lee Stark Jr., MSIE ’65

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Alumni Dynamics

Because of You

Our students express gratitude for the support of the college’s alumni and friends.

“I cannot thank you enough for providing me a scholarship to study here at The University of Alabama for four years. The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering has become a sort of second home to me during my time here at UA. This close-knit community that has helped me through group projects, late night homework, test-cramming sessions and hours of biopharmaceuticals research each week has made this college experience unforgettable. I could not have experienced this all without your support, and for that I am so thankful. As I apply to medical schools this semester, I know that my background in chemical engineering will be so helpful in my future career. It has been truly a blessing to study here with such a substantial scholarship.”

– Hannah Bowers

“Attending college has always been a dream of mine and a scholarship allowed me to pursue my dream. The scholarship removed much of the financial pressure that is brought on from college expenses, and has allowed me to focus more on the academic aspect of college. Thank you for donating money to the scholarship fund, you are making a difference in many lives.

One day I hope to be able to do the same and help educate a new generation of engineers.”

– Michael Royko

“None of this would have been possible without the support you bring. Your support allows me to be at this University and dive into all the opportunities surrounding me. These opportunities broaden my understanding of what an engineer does, as well as provide a way for me to pass on my experience to others. Thank you for supporting my education, and I hope that my future endeavors are worthy of the generous support you have provided me.”

– Evan Phillips

“I am truly appreciative of your willingness to invest in my college career through the College of Engineering Scholarship.

Having people that I have never met, and may never meet, helping to fund part of my college experience and giving me such great opportunities is something that I am deeply grateful for.”

– Brandon Poole

“Thank you so much for providing me with this amazing scholarship. I am currently maintaining a 4.0 GPA in my attempt to ensure the high standard of excellence placed on me by the University, myself and my family, and those who have aided my journey, like you… There’s no way I would have been able to come to Alabama if not for the generosity of so many people, and I hope to always do my best to be successful as my personal thank you to everyone who got me here. “

– Ryan Gorman

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Bits and Bytes

Bits and Bytes The College from Outside “We think there is more value in understanding computing — how the Internet works, how software works — than there is in dissecting a frog.” —Dr. Jeff Gray, professor of computer science, in the article “Computer science instruction to get boost,” the Decatur Daily “It breaks my heart to hear about young women who are discouraged from entering STEM fields.

Too often it’s not a matter of women not being good enough to succeed, but that they aren’t even encouraged to consider them.”—Tanzania Adams, BSEE ’93, an area manager for Georgia Power Co. and a member of Women in Technology, in the article “For women in technology, a little support goes a long way,” the Atlanta Journal-Constitution “Efficiency is a big part of things that we don’t ever talk about, right? How much waste do we create just by being humans and not turning off light bulbs when we should? So we can blame the oil and coal and whatever fuels we’re burning, but I think we also have to look at our own habits as well and just be less wasteful,” —Dr. Jason Bara, assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering, in the segment “‘Carbon Capture’ One Key to Combating Global Warming,” Alabama Public Radio

Tweetgineering —

“I have never seen the universities within the state have as good a working relationship as they have right now. An example of that is when we were recruiting Airbus, all of the universities banded together to put a good foot forward.” —Dean Charles L. Karr in the article “At Farnborough, Alabama universities play role in aerospace talks,” MadeInAlabama.com

Dr. Laura Myers, deputy directors of UA’s Center for Advanced Public Safety, speaks with WBRC Fox 6 about severe weather warnings.

Because engineers use Twitter, too

“Heat Transfer professor: this statement is true for now, but I’ll revise it next Friday. #engineeringprobs” — Elizabeth Cook, junior in chemical engineering “If your professor doesn’t throw in Auburn jokes relevant to the material, do you even go to Bama?” —Chase Parsons, freshman in aerospace engineering and mechanics “Right before I say ‘data’ out loud, I have a brief internal battle on how I should pronounce it.” —Brandon Duley, junior in mechanical engineering

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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End User

End User

Capstone Engineers and Computer Scientists on Today’s Technology Dr. Edward Sazonov, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the lead on a project to test the practical accuracy of a wearable sensor in tracking diet. Already proven viable, the device will be updated, further miniaturized and validated in a more formal, robust experiment in the community.

Called an Automatic Ingestion Monitor, or AIM, it has potential to monitor eating by automatically detecting and capturing imagery of food intake and to estimate the mass and the energy content.

CE: We seem to be rushing into the trend of using wearable sensors to monitor ourselves. Is this a good thing?

Sazonov: The concept of wearable devices is not new. Pocket and wrist watches have been around for 500 years and still are going strong. Just like a watch enables us to keep track of time more accurately, the new generation of wearable devices allows us to keep a more accurate track of other aspects of our life, such as physical activity, diet or physiological indicators of health. As they say, knowledge is power; so, yes, it is a good thing.

CE: What’s complicated by tracking diet with currently available technology, and how does the AIM attempt to address that problem?

Sazonov: Tracking diet is one of the most challenging problems because of the great variability in the foods we eat and complexity of the eating behavior. Traditionally, researchers have relied on various forms of self-report — such as keeping a diary either on paper or on a smartphone — for estimating the energy intake from food. However, the self-report methods are highly inaccurate. AIM attempts to improve the accuracy of monitoring by eliminating the need for self-report and automatically detecting and characterizing food intake. In addition, AIM can describe in much greater detail what happens during a meal: how fast the food was eaten, how long was the meal, how many atomic eating episodes there were and so on.

CE: It seems a lot of us live willfully ignorant of our actual intake.

What advantages can we gain from this data on ourselves?

Sazonov: Diet tracking may be useful for weight loss and maintenance. We are working on development of behavior 40

{ The University of Alabama }

modification programs in which AIM first learns the food intake patterns of an individual and then provides real-time feedback to modify them in a way where overall intake is reduced without a major discomfort to the individual. This is relatively far in the future, but one day we hope to test this approach and see if it can be useful for healthy weight maintenance.

CES Message

Dear Members of the Capstone Engineering Society,

Earlier this year, a student came to my office to meet with me regarding mentoring. As she spoke, she conveyed that she is financially independent and solely relies on scholarships to fund her education.

She shared her story, almost welling up, and said how moved she was that people she doesn’t even know care so much about her and her education. Without her scholarships, her dream of becoming an engineer would never have been in the realm of possibility.

As I listen to our students, I am filled with pride that they understand not only the value of a great education but that they also recognize the sacrifices that have been and continue to be made on their behalf. Almost every week, students tell me about the kindness and generosity of our alumni and friends — job shadowing, networking, mock interview opportunities, a note of encouragement from a mentor or answering questions about job searches or senior design. I am so fortunate to be in a position where I hear and see what a difference a scholarship support fund or time can make to a student.

Additionally, I am equally fortunate to hear the stories of alumni and friends who so deeply care and want to change the lives of our students. There are so many different reasons why they want to give back: sheer kindness, to pay it forward, because someone cared for them, to make a difference or, just simply, because they want to.

Whatever the reason, it makes a significant impact and changes the students’ lives.

I hope you were able to spend a few minutes looking over our new section, “Because of You,” in this edition of the Capstone Engineer.

Whether you share your time by being a mentor; by volunteering; by providing resources, knowledge or skills through networking; by being available on LinkedIn; or by providing financial support through an annual gift or a scholarship endowment, because of you, a difference is being made in the lives of our students. Thanks!

Roll Tide!

Nancy N. Holmes Manager, Capstone Engineering Society

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2015 }

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Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID The University of Alabama

Capstone Engineering Society College of Engineering Box 870200 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0200

“Young alumni should definitely join. The CES is a great way to stay connected at a time in our lives when we are just getting started. A lot of time we are devoting so much time to our career that it’s hard to look back and remember where we came from.”

— -Jennifer Elwell, BSCS ’06

As an alumna or alumnus from UA’s College of Engineering, you are a valued member of a network of more than 27,000 engineering and computer science graduates throughout the world. The Capstone Engineering Society can help make valuable personal connections to your fellow graduates. Tell a friend or colleague about joining the College alumni network through the CES. eng.ua.edu/alumni