Capstone Engineer - Spring 2008

capstone

engineer Spring 08

Engineering Engineering Embraces creativity Creativity

As future engineers, students in UA’s College of Engineering know that it takes more than an exceptional education to be successful in the real world – it takes creativity.

Crimson is ...

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Engineering society 1-800-333-8156

John W. Covington National Chair, Board of Directors

Charles L. Karr, Ph.D. Dean, College of Engineering

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Karen Meshad Baldwin Director, External Affairs and Development

Trudeau B. Livaudais IV Coordinator, Capstone Engineering Society

Mary Wymer Editor

Allison Bridges

Engineering students are embracing a whole world of logic and art.

Students excel in music, which has strong connections to the world of math. Article is on page 8.

Assistant Editor

Table of Contents

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Creativity at the Heart of Engineering Alumni

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Composer’s Spirit Lives On

Capstone Engineering Society.

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Engineering Students Embrace Creativity

Tori E. Nelko

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News

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Surveying the College

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Our Students. Our Future.

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In Memory

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Alumni Notes

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Events

Issue No. 37 Capstone Engineer is published in the spring and fall by the

Designer

Cathy Butler Proofreader

Laura Shill, Mary Wymer, Mary Thompson Photography

Address correspondence to the editor: The University of Alabama Capstone Engineering Society College of Engineering, Box 870200 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0200 Visit the College of Engineering Web site at www.eng.ua.edu.

The University of Alabama is an equal-opportunity educational institution/employer. • MC7723

Dean’s message cre · a · tive \krê-â-tiv\ adj 1: marked by the ability or power to create 2: having the quality of something created rather than imitated Synonyms: produce, form, fabricate, construct, manufacture, build, erect, organize, develop Engineers, by our very nature, are creative. As problem solvers, we demonstrate the “quality of something created rather than imitated.” We are trained to analyze difficult situations and produce and improve processes and results. No matter what your discipline of engineering, we skillfully make society better through creativity.

As the current trend continues to shift jobs to off-shore locations for cost reductions, one thing that can never be replaced is creativity. Through a wellrounded education, our students are learning more than just engineering; they are learning how to be creative through exposure to dance, art, music, sports, and much more.

As you read this issue of the Capstone Engineer, I hope you enjoy learning about our students’ and alumni’s creative expressions. The College of Engineering recruits students that are involved in many activities. We want to foster these interests and develop highly creative engineers who can do a wide variety of things ... just like the people we see in this issue of the Capstone Engineer.

D ean C ha r les L . K a r r

Sources: Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (10th Edition); Roget’s 21st Century Thesaurus

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Creativity at the Heart of

Engineering Alumni

Photography, writing and music are all expressions of creativity and art. Engineering can also be considered a creative outlet, especially since the main focus of the profession is problem solving. But, what happens when engineers need to express themselves outside of the profession?

Writers Solve the Problems Through Words Thorough research, organized thoughts, solid interpretation and understandable presentation … all qualities of good engineers and good writers.

With storyteller’s souls, many engineering alumni have embraced the writer inside as a creative outlet.

Laura Beard Hayden, who received a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1978, saw a bleak employment situation upon graduation. She was first hired by South Central Bell and hoped to be able to transfer with them as her husband’s job in the Air Force moved them around. Unfortunately that didn’t work out so well, and she worked in a book store for a few years.

“Because almost all of my work incorporates varying degrees of mystery elements, I do a lot of reverse engineering -- here’s the crime, how did we get there, what clues do I allow the reader to see, how do I create a false trail?” said Hayden. “It’s all engineering to me. As an industrial engineer, I had a broad-based engineering education which appealed to my need to be a jack of all trades. It’s become an important part of my makeup as a writer.”

Bob Blalock agrees with Hayden about how much engineering is a part of his writing. As the editorial page editor for The Birmingham News, he writes columns that express the newspaper’s opinion in a way that informs and persuades, requires organization and research, and presents ideas in a way that can be understood.

Blalock’s skills of writing are top-notch as he was a finalist in editorial writing for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize and was the 2007 outstanding alumnus in journalism for UA’s College of Communication and Information Sciences.

“From an early age, I was immersed both in the world of art and that of engineering ...

I’m sure that my mother’s eye for composition influenced me.”

“The nice thing about industrial engineering is that its philosophies and tools work in almost any field. That was the best run used book store in the South!” explained Hayden.

After 12 years of consulting work, Hayden decided to seriously pursue a writing career, and in 1994, had her first book published. Although she wasn’t working in engineering, the profession still profoundly influenced her writing. Her first book was based on her summer experience working in the computer ordering section of a drug supply warehouse, and her second book was about her experience as an engineering trainee at a coal mine.

Hayden has published eight full-length novels, three short stories in anthologies, two mystery novels and one non-fiction book. She has won the Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award and served as the past president of the Pikes Peak Writers in Colorado.

“I knew after almost four years as a chemical engineering major that the world would be a better, safer place without me on the loose in a chemical plant or paper mill,” said Blalock. “So in 1979, during my senior year at UA, I began thinking about another career. Needless to say, my parents weren’t happy I was abandoning engineering for journalism, but that seemed like the natural outlet for a career in writing.”

After 25 years of working in oil and gas as an engineer, Tony Smithson’s career path has just recently led him to writing as the editor of Oilfield Review, Schlumberger Limited’s magazine. capstone

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Smithson had written a few articles, many training documents and technical papers, and he let people within the organization know that he had an interest in writing.

“Every article is a problem to be solved,” said Smithson. “I am expected to research and write on topics that I may have never encountered or know nothing about. As I have considered myself a lifetime learner, this position fits my profile.”

Music and Engineering in Harmony Music can be a great tool to help teach engineers some basic processes in electromagnetics. Dr. Bill Hunt, who received his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1976, is now a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and has incorporated some basic music concepts into his education philosophy.

Laura Beard Hayden

Bob Blalock

“Being engaged in creative endeavors in the arts is of great help to students of engineering,” explained Hunt. “I encourage them to follow their bent toward the arts, almost as an exercise in creativity.

When the Tide takes the field on a Saturday in the fall, no one questions the value of time spent in the weight room or on the track. It is understood that this sort of exercise enhances the player’s skill level and physical acuity. I would argue the same for art and engineering. The more you practice at creating, the better at it you become.”

Hunt has also expressed his musical creativity through the publication of a CD of solo piano compositions titled “Primal Heart.” In addition to his piano recordings, Hunt has recently been composing string quartets and hopes to have them performed.

Capturing More Than the Shot Light, lens, exposure and subject can all be manipulated by photographers. Just like any engineering problem, understanding the variables is the key to capturing the perfect shot that makes the viewer say, “Wow!”

Dr. Bill Hunt’s cover of his “Primal Heart” CD featuring solo piano compositions.

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After receiving his first camera while in high school, Lucas Hunter honed his photography skills while working on his engineering degree at the Capstone. As he was working on a master’s degree in business administration at Auburn University, Hunter opened his first studio and began photographing weddings and dance schools.

“My engineering background allows me to understand what the light is doing and what I need to do to set the camera for the perfect exposure,” said Hunter. “With the knowledge of light propagation that I learned while studying engineering, I can properly position groups of individuals so that each person in the group feels like they are looking in a mirror.”

Even though he operates Hunter Photography in Huntsville as the way to exercise the creative parts of his brain, he maintains that he is a civil engineer for the U.S. Army.

John Hubbard, a 1964 electrical engineering graduate and retired engineer from Intergraph Corp., has always had an interest in photography and recently became more active in honing his craft.

“My engineering background made it easy for me to understand the jargon of photography and how the light, lens and film interact to produce an image,” explained Hubbard.

Hubbard’s mother was an accomplished watercolor artist and his father was an engineer. “From an early age, I was immersed both in the world of art and that of engineering,” said Hubbard. “I’m sure that my mother’s eye for composition influenced me.”

Works by John Hubbard Top Left: Mona Lisa Lillies; Top Right: Passion Flower; Bottom: Lisbon Tram

Hubbard’s work has been shown at some small galleries and he is a member of the Huntsville Art League and the Huntsville Art Council.

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Composer’s Spirit Lives On

by Lundy Sykes and Charlotte Sykes It was the roaring 1920s — the flapper era. Jazz was new. Aviation was new. The Rose Bowl was the only college football bowl game in the nation, in which the University of Alabama team roared onto the scene on New Year’s Day 1926 with a victory over the University of Washington.

It was also the time of great college fight songs.

But The University of Alabama had none, and the people of Alabama demanded a new song befitting their hard-won status.

So in the spring of 1926, the Rammer Jammer (a celebrated literary and humor magazine published on campus from 1924 to 1956) and the Crimson White issued a challenge. Submit your songs, they said, and we will see if there is one that properly captures Alabama’s fighting spirit.

A number of songs were entered in the competition. An engineering student named E.L. “Ep” Sykes performed the songs on the piano for the judging panel. Although several were very good, none quite excited the judges’ imaginations.

Seeing an opportunity, Sykes posed his own challenge: “I can write a better song than any of these!” The response was, “All right then, if you think you can do better, go ahead. And by the way, the deadline is now!”

Back he went to the piano at the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity house where he sat up through the night, composing. He returned with his song the next day and waited.

Maybe it was because of his experience playing piano with the Capstone Five jazz band. Maybe it was because he was editor of the Crimson White, or because he was president of his fraternity chapter, a member of Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society and Omicron Delta Kappa, or a Rhodes Scholar finalist. Or maybe it was just because it was a good song and people liked it. Whatever the reason, “Yea Alabama!” was selected, and remains the University’s beloved fight song to this day.

No one can deny that the song reflects the exuberance, the humor and the fun of the era.

It became a popular jazz song of the day and is consistently listed among the top collegiate fight songs in the nation. But most of all, it captures the fighting spirit of The University of Alabama.

Does anyone doubt that this song helped build the momentum behind a football program that has won 21 SEC titles and 12 national championships?

When the first few notes begin, everyone within earshot experiences a little of the thrill of that Rose Bowl victory long ago, where “… Bama’s pluck and grit have writ her name in Crimson flame.”

Left: article in Rammer Jammer; Middle: Brig. Gen. E.L. Sykes; Right: the cover of the published sheet music for “Yea Alabama!” (Photos and artwork courtesy of the Sykes family and The University of Alabama Hoole Special Collections Library.)

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After the war, Sykes decided to remain on active duty and help with the organization of the Air Force as a separate service.

In December 1947, he became special military assistant to the first secretary of the Air Force, Stuart Symington.

In the mid 1950s, as Brig. Gen. E.L. Sykes, he became vice commander of the Air Force Missile Test Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla., where the Air Force was taking on the challenges of missile launches and space flight. Already rated a command pilot, Sykes was proud to earn a coveted Missileer’s Badge during this assignment, just at the time when America was launching its first satellite.

During World War II, E.L. “Ep” Sykes, flew PBY float planes and was a member of General Curtis LeMay’s staff in the Pacific.

So enjoy your song, Alabama. It was written just for you. Use it to carry on the spirit from which it was created.

Sykes carried on that spirit by joining the Alabama Air National Guard so he could learn to fly those wonderful new contraptions — airplanes. When President Franklin D. Roosevelt called up the National Guard and reserves in 1940, Sykes was delighted to be assigned to fly PBY float planes guarding the U.S. coasts. During World War II, he earned a key assignment as a member of General Curtis LeMay’s staff in the Pacific.

Sykes passed the spirit on to family members, too. He helped support his younger brother’s art studies, and as a young man, that brother, Alabama artist Maltby Sykes, apprenticed for Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Maltby Sykes later became emeritus professor of art at Auburn. His works are in museums, such as the Smithsonian, and his portraits of all of Alabama’s former governors hang in the capitol building in Montgomery.

Sykes passed away in 1967 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy, now 93, his son, Lundy, and his daughter, Charlotte. Throughout his life, he never lost his sense of fun, his love of music and his enthusiasm for seizing and building on life’s opportunities. All who experience the unbounded excitement of hearing the Million Dollar Band play “Yea Alabama!” get to share in this spirit and celebrate the accomplishments, past and yet to come, that it stands for.

Lundy Sykes is retired and lives with his wife in Norfolk, Va.; Charlotte Sykes is retired and lives with her husband in Cocoa Beach, Fla. capstone

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B y a ll i s o n B r i d g es

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s future engineers, students in UA’s College of Engineering know that it takes more than an exceptional education to be successful in the real world – it takes creativity. By taking advantage of opportunities that will further their creative growth, engineering students are developing a deeper appreciation for artistic performance, innovative design and the Capstone’s tradition of excellence.

Armed with an increased understanding of creativity, these future engineers’ contributions to COE does ART, the Million Dollar Band and Creative Campus are shaping the future of the College of Engineering by focusing on innovative outlets that build skillful and inventive leaders.

“We knew when we created this organization that we wanted to host at least one show each semester,” said Smyth. “We are hoping everyone will look forward to our spring 2008 show, ‘Welcome to Bedside Manner.’”

COE does ART Provides Engineers With an Outlet for Artistic Performance

“We had no hidden motives when we created this organization,” said Sewell. “We simply wanted to provide a creative outlet for ourselves and other engineering students to express themselves in a way that is not expected – through theatre.”

Since it was established in January 2007, the College of Engineering does Amateur Radical Theatre (COE does ART), a UA student-led organization, has aimed at disproving the stereotype that engineers are not capable of producing creative works of art. The organization allows students to capitalize on one of the most important engineering skills in the field – creativity – while providing an outlet for artistic performance.

“Our main goal with COE does ART is to get engineers involved in the arts,” said Samantha Smyth, a senior majoring in chemical and biological engineering and president of COE does ART. “We are simply doing something different from what many people expect of engineers, which is a goal in itself.”

COE does ART’s first theatrical performance opened on April 13, 2007, with dinner and an interactive musical based on the board game “Clue.” After the success of “CLUE: The Musical,” the organization began preparing for its fall 2007 show, featuring “Romeo and Harriet,” a comedic spin-off of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

Smyth and Mary Kathryn Sewell, a senior majoring in chemical and biological engineering, and vice president of COE does ART, serve as founders of the organization and directors of COE does ART’s performances. The duo has spent a significant amount of time ensuring the success of the organization and its performances, and they hope that their hard work will help other engineers realize the benefits of creative expression.

Despite the rigorous demands of the engineering curriculum, students in the College are eager to take part in COE does ART’s productions because the organization makes creative expression more accessible to students.

“The academic demands of the engineering program make it hard for students to seek opportunities to participate in theatre and musicals, so, we brought the arts to engineers,” said Sewell.

COE does ART performed “Clue: The Musical” in 2007 as part of their dinner theater event.

Even though it seems that COE does ART is primarily concerned with offering engineering students an outlet for creative expression, the organization provides its audience with not just a good time, but also a good stress reliever.

“Everyone needs a good laugh,” said Smyth. “I know it is hard to escape everyday stress, but COE does ART works hard to provide our audiences with shows that are not typical. We want everyone, especially students, to leave their stress at the door and have some fun.”

Million Dollar Band Instills Today’s Tradition of Excellence in Tomorrow’s Engineers

Engineering students participate in “Romeo and Harriet.”

“We simply wanted to

provide a creative outlet for ourselves and other engineering students to express themselves in a way that is not expected – through theatre.”

One word comes to mind when thinking of The University of Alabama – tradition. The Million Dollar Band, recognized nationally by Sports Illustrated and Southern Living for its colorful and entertaining halftime presentations, has been an integral part of the Capstone’s tradition of excellence since its founding in 1914. Today, the Million Dollar Band is the largest organization on UA’s campus and each member is responsible for leading the cheers of 92,000 members of the Crimson Tide community during each home football game.

Only 330 UA students are chosen to continue the Million Dollar Band’s tradition, and more than 20 of them are students in the College of Engineering.

Along with managing the high demands of the engineering curriculum, these students have chosen to further their creative growth through involvement in a quality musical program that exudes the tradition of excellence around which this campus revolves.

Todd Tilley, a sophomore majoring in computer science and a member of the Million Dollar Band for two years, has experienced this sense of tradition firsthand. He considers the experience during game days to be the most exciting because he knows that, during halftime, all eyes are on the band.

“The experience on game days is phenomenal,” said Tilley. “Whether it is during our walk to the stadium before the game or during halftime, people just look at you differently when you have on a crimson and white uniform.”

Even though her participation with the Million Dollar Band has provided her with countless experiences, Laura Beth Pockstaller, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering and a band member for two years, agrees that it was the tradition and excitement affiliated with Crimson Tide game days that influenced her to join the organization.

“I grew up a true Alabama fan, which means I have a profound appreciation for tradition,” said Pockstaller. “That is what UA is known for, and the Million Dollar Band is no different. We take pride in being able to get a stadium of 92,000 fans to erupt in cheers and song.”

Considering tradition is a crucial aspect of the Million Dollar Band, many of the engineers involved with the organization have developed a deeper appreciation for the opportunities they have been given as members of one of UA’s oldest organizations.

Chase Gamble, a senior double majoring in civil and construction engineering, and a member of the Million Dollar Band for five years, considers playing in the 2002 Iron Bowl halftime show an experience of a lifetime. Knowing that he was responsible for entertaining thousands of fans during one of the oldest rivalry games in the nation was overwhelming.

Million Dollar Band members from the College of Engineering. Clockwise from top left: Aaron Gertler, Devin McAnnally, Laura Beth Pockstaller, Nevada Walker

“The Million Dollar Band is a huge part of this University, and it is awesome to be able to play ‘Rammer Jammer’ and hear the crowd sing along after a significant win,” said McAnnally. “After the Tennessee and Florida games in 2005, ‘Rammer Jammer’ could be heard throughout campus; if that’s not a great tradition, I don’t know what is.”

Considering the legacy and reputation that members of the Million Dollar Band are expected to uphold, one would think that it would be incredibly difficult balancing the demands of the engineering curriculum with the responsibilities of being in the band. However, many engineering students don’t see time management as a problem because they are taking part in activities that they enjoy.

“It’s tough,” said Aaron Gertler, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and a two-year member. “But, I love the marching arts and I have always been a musician, so you just have to do what you have to do. I’ve been doing this for a while now, and if doing what you love means staying up late at night to get it done, then so be it.”

“I have a lot of great memories from my time with the Million Dollar Band,” said Gamble. “However, performing during the 2002 Iron Bowl was an experience of a lifetime because Auburn and Alabama fans look forward to that game 365 days out of the year, and it was the band’s responsibility to entertain them.”

However, for Nevada Walker, a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and a band member for three years, taking advantage of an opportunity to share the band’s tradition of music with residents of Capstone Village, a retirement community on campus, has been of the utmost importance.

“When we played for the residents of Capstone Village during the Thanksgiving holiday, the band was able to share its traditions with the residents, and vice versa,” said Walker. “It was great to know that I was a part of someone’s holiday, and I am hoping that we have begun a new holiday tradition with their community.”

There is also the undeniable tradition associated with winning football games at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Devin McAnnally, a senior majoring in civil engineering and a member for four years, considers one of the Million Dollar Band’s greatest traditions being able to play “Rammer Jammer” after a significant win.

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Creative Campus Furthers Engineers’ Skills in Innovative Design When UA’s Creative Campus, the first and only student-led arts initiative in the nation, noticed the need to provide more bike racks for students, they called on UA’s best and brightest – engineering students. These engineering students partnered with Creative Campus to design and build aesthetically pleasing bike racks that would not only be functional, but would enhance the creativity of UA’s campus.

When the project began, the team had several goals in mind, one of which was to have two types of students join together in a creative endeavor. The

result was a partnership between students majoring in art and engineering.

“The design that we followed was based on one of the art students’ concepts,” said Derek Smith, a 2007 graduate in mechanical engineering. “As engineering students, we depended on their creative direction a lot and they looked to us when it came time for the actual building of the product. It was definitely a joint effort.”

Advisors and students involved in the project hoped that their innovative design would influence other multidisciplinary teams of students to create more student-designed bike racks, leading to a more cultured campus environment that embraces creativity.

As the first university in the state to offer engineering classes and one of the first five in the nation to do so, our students are shaping the future of the state of

“Ideas and creativity are not limited to art ... working in teams with both engineering and art students was great because they both learned a lot from each other.”

Dr. Srianth Viswanathan, associate professor in metallurgical and materials engineering, introduced the project to his senior design class because he felt that it provided engineering students with real-world experience that is necessary in the engineering field.

Alabama by focusing on creative tactics that emphasize tradition, performance and design. We’re moving to the innovation economy and preparing students to logically and creatively think about real world projects in order to develop new ideas and solutions.

“Ideas and creativity are not limited to art,” explained Viswanathan. “Working in teams with both engineering and art students was great because they both learned a lot from each other.”

UA engineering students are focused on expanding their realm of thinking by developing an in-depth understanding of what it takes to become skillful and inventive leaders through participation with COE does ART, the Million Dollar Band and Creative Campus. Creativity is vital to the future of engineering, and students in the College of Engineering are dedicated to developing skills that will help them creatively think about real world problems that require innovative solutions.

Another goal of the collaborative team was to design a bike rack that represented UA. After e-mailing students a survey asking how the racks could be improved, the team found that most students were interested in artistic and aesthetically pleasing designs that offered more spacing, and an option to lock both the frame and the wheel of their bikes.

“We wanted the bike racks to represent the students at UA because they are the ones who will use them,” said Smith. “We felt that they should have the ultimate opinion in how the racks were designed.”

news COLLEGE RECEIVES SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS FROM PRATT & WHITNEY ROCKETDYNE

Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. representatives visited campus and presented the College with scholarship funds in aerospace engineering and mechanics, computer science, mechanical engineering, and electrical and computer engineering. From left to right: Joseph Florence, a sophomore in electrical and computer engineering; Will Warren, a sophomore in mechanical engineering; Tracy Lamm, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne government and community relations manager; Calvin Inabinett, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne software engineer; and Tom Kmiec, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Fellow, Rocket Engine Systems.

ME STUDENT ESTABLISHES TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT FUND Andrew Cibulas, a freshman majoring in mechanical engineering and participating in UA’s Air Force ROTC program, established the Andrew Cibulas Technology Support Fund to assist incoming freshman engineering students with laptops. From left to right: Capt. Jim Landers, Dean Charles Karr, Andrew Cibulas and Col. Norm Balchunas.

ChBE ADVISORY BOARD HONORS APRIL The Chemical and Biological Engineering Advisory Board surprised Dr. Gary C. April, head and professor of chemical and biological engineering, at the September board meeting with the presentation of an endowed scholarship. The Gary C. April Endowed Scholarship will assist students pursuing degrees in chemical and biological engineering at the Capstone. If you would like to contribute to this scholarship, please contact Karen Baldwin, director of external affairs and development, at 1-800-333-8156 or kbaldwin@eng.ua.edu.

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BIG THANKS!!!

We appreciate our recent partners in UA’s College of Engineering family for their support of our students and programs.

American Cast Iron Pipe Co. for continuing support of the ACIPCO Corporate Scholars Program in mechanical engineering and the ACIPCO Engineering Scholarship Program APA-The Engineered Wood Association for establishing the APA Wood Design Scholarship BE&K Inc. for establishing the BE&K Endowed Scholarship Mr. and Mrs. James A. Blackwell Jr. for establishing the James A. Blackwell Jr. and Billie F. Blackwell Endowed Scholarship Boeing Co. for continuing support of the Boeing Corp. Scholarship and the Multicultural Engineering Fund Mrs. Jane K. Bolton for support of engineering scholarships in memory of Michael John Bolton Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC for establishing the Brasfield & Gorrie Founders’ Scholarship, the Brasfield & Gorrie Endowed Support Fund, and the Brasfield & Gorrie Discretionary Fund Brice Building Co. Inc. for establishing the Brice Building Co. Endowed Support Fund Dr. and Mrs. Gary N. Durham for establishing the Gary and Deborah Durham Endowed Engineering Scholarship Excelsior Construction Inc. for establishing the Excelsior Construction Endowed Support Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest A. Fite for continuing support of the Ernest A. and Carol S. Fite Endowed Scholarship in Engineering Mrs. Mildred R. Hire Fleming for continuing support of the James M. and Mildred Ray Hire Endowed Mechanical Engineering Scholarship Golden & Associates Construction, LLC for establishing the Golden & Associates Endowed Support Fund

Ready Mix USA for establishing the Ready Mix USA Endowed Support Fund Rock-Tenn Co. for support of the Sam A Johnson III Endowed Scholarship Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. for continuing support of the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne Inc. Scholarship Fund

Mr. Tom D. Kilgore for establishing the Myra Blevins Kilgore Endowed Scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Mark A. Roberts for continuing support of the Mark A. and Chrystine B. Roberts Endowed Engineering Scholarship

Mr. Hau-An Liu for continuing support of the Chemical Engineering Endowed Discretionary Fund

Ambassador and Mrs. Joseph M. Rodgers for continuing support of the Rodgers Family Scholarship

LBYD Inc. for continuing support of the LBYD Inc. Civil and Structural Engineering Endowed Scholarship

Saiia Construction, LLC for establishing the Saiia Construction, LLC Endowed Support Fund

McAbee Construction Inc. for establishing the McAbee Construction Inc. Endowed Scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Sipe Jr. for establishing the Charles A. Sipe Jr. and Nelle Sipe Endowed Scholarship

McAbee Foundation for continuing support of the McAbee Foundation Scholarship Mrs. Jacqueline D. Pirkle for establishing the Laura Spence Davis Endowed Support Fund Mr. Charles M. Rampacek for continuing support of the Carl Rampacek Endowed Engineering Scholarship and the Charles M. Rampacek Endowed Engineering Scholarship

TTL Inc. for continuing support of the TTL Inc. Endowed Engineering Scholarship Volkert & Associates Inc. for continuing support of the Volkert & Associates Inc. Endowed Engineering Scholarship Mr. John D. Ward for support of engineering scholarships

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news UA LAUNCHES NEW EMBA PROGRAM The growth of the high-tech industry in Huntsville has led to an increased need for engineers, many of whom will at some point be faced with the decision of whether to continue on the engineering track or move to management. For those who choose the latter, The University of Alabama will begin offering an executive MBA degree in Huntsville in July 2008.

The degree will be offered through a cooperative agreement with The University of Alabama in Huntsville on the Huntsville campus. The courses will be taught primarily by faculty from UA’s Manderson Graduate School of Business on the Tuscaloosa campus, and the degree will be awarded by The University of Alabama.

The Huntsville classes will meet Friday evenings and Saturdays, every other week, for 21 months.

Application deadline for the first class in the Huntsville program is June 20, 2008. A minimum of five years of work experience is required. Cost for the 21-month program will be $39,500 without lodging, but including tuition, fees, books and materials, e-learning portal access, refreshments and lunch. Also included is a one-week international study abroad tour (except for airfare). All applicants must have taken the GMAT or GRE exam no more than five years before applying. The program requires a minimum score of 500 on the GMAT or 1000 on the GRE. Application can be made online at emba.ua.edu.

For more information, contact Donna Blackburn at (205) 348-8748 or e-mail dblackburn@cba.ua.edu.

NOMINATE YOUR ENGINEERING COLLEAGUES NOW! You know who is worthy and deserving of the honor – nominate them now for the distinction!

Nominations for the 2009 State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame are being accepted for outstanding individuals, projects and corporations. Nomination forms are available at aehof.eng.ua.edu, and are due July 1, 2008.

The deadline to nominate individuals for the College’s Distinguished Engineering Fellows is Sept. 1, 2008, and the forms are available at eng.ua.edu.

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news ALABAMA ENGINEERING HALL OF FAME INDUCTS BAMBARGER AND RYAN The State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame held its induction ceremony on Feb. 16, 2008. The following UA alumni received the prestigious honor.

Bambarger

Ryan

James C. Bambarger

Robert S. Ryan

Bambarger has demonstrated consistent leadership in the development of Alabama’s engineering consulting industry since he graduated from The University of Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1970. After graduation, Bambarger began working with TTL Inc., a diverse environmental consulting firm. He served as project engineer, project manager, geotechnical engineer and geotechnical consultant before becoming chief executive officer of TTL.

Ryan remains committed to advancing the aerospace engineering profession through consulting, teaching, and mentoring less-experienced engineers. He has made significant contributions to space exploration since he joined NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center upon its founding in 1958.

With Bambarger’s leadership, the company completed various projects with the DCH Educational Tower, UA’s Angelo Bruno Business Library, UA’s SewellThomas Stadium and the expansion of Bryant-Denny Stadium. He is now the retired CEO and chairman of the board for TTL. Because of his dedication to TTL, the company chose to honor Bambarger by endowing a UA engineering scholarship in his name. The scholarship has allowed for the education of Alabama’s best and brightest students since 2002. In addition, Bambarger and TTL have pledged more than $100,000 to support scholarships as part of the University’s “Our Students.

Our Future.” campaign.

In 2007, Bambarger was honored as UA’s College of Engineering Outstanding Alumni Volunteer. He was recognized as a UA Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 2002. Bambarger is a recipient of the UA KeithWoodman Award and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year Award.

Ryan received a master’s degree in engineering mechanics from The University of Alabama in 1964.

At NASA, he began monitoring crucial undertakings, including the Saturn, Apollo, Skylab, Spacelab and Hubble Space Telescope projects. When he retired as NASA’s deputy director of the Structures and Dynamics Laboratory, Ryan’s responsibilities had encompassed structural design, analysis and testing for all Marshall Space Flight Center projects.

Even though Ryan had previously prepared to teach secondary-school science by obtaining a bachelor’s degree at the University of North Alabama and a master’s degree from Peabody College for Teachers, his life changed when he became a leader in the aerospace engineering field.

Ryan was recognized with 10 different commendations during his 40-year career with NASA, including NASA’s Flight Honoree for the Shuttle’s 100th flight. In 1988, the Capstone named him a Distinguished Engineering Fellow, while UNA honored him as alumnus of the year in 1996. In addition, Ryan is a recipient of the City of Madison Citizenship Award.

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Legacy Crimson is ...

leaving

a

You help shape the future of UA Engineering by supporting the College financially. There are many ways to help – establish a gift in your estate plan or

donate gifts of cash, appreciated property, or equipment. Take pride in the knowledge that your contributions make UA’s College of Engineering

stand out in the eyes of the nation.

For more information, call us at 1-800-333-8156.

www.eng.ua.edu

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news

Crimson Is…Leaving a Legacy With rising tuition costs, some students would not be able to attend the Capstone without the generous support of our alumni and friends who have endowed scholarships.

The following are newly endowed scholarships.

The James A. Blackwell Jr. and Billie F. Blackwell Endowed Scholarship James “Micky” Blackwell and his wife, Billie, established their endowed scholarship in 2007 to support students majoring in engineering. Micky Blackwell received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1962, and retired as Lockheed Martin Corp.’s president and chief operating officer for the Aeronautical Systems Sector in 2000. Blackwell continues to have strong links to his alma mater as he was recognized as a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1988. Billie Blackwell attended Florence State Teachers College and majored in library science.

The Gary and Deborah Durham Endowed Engineering Scholarship Dr. Gary N. and Deborah Durham established their endowed scholarship in 2007 to support students majoring in engineering. Durham received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1967, and a master’s in business administration in 1987 from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He also received a master’s in civil engineering from Mississippi State University in 1971 and a doctorate in civil engineering from Oklahoma State University in 1976. Durham serves as president and co-owner of Durham Geo Slope Indicator since 1994. He continues to have strong ties to his alma mater as he was recognized as a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1994. Deborah Durham attended Jefferson State Junior College and is the chief financial officer and co-owner of Durham Geo Slope Indicator.

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news The Laura Spence Davis Endowed Support Fund In 2007, Jacqueline D. Pirkle, her husband, Paul, and son, Nick, established the Laura Spence Davis Endowed Support Fund to honor her mother, Laura Spence Davis. The fund supports the needs of the chemical and biological engineering department. Pirkle received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Capstone in 1996. Through Laura Spence Davis’ dedication to her family, Davis’ husband Jack, son Brian, and daughter Jacqueline, all received degrees from the Capstone in engineering.

The Myra Blevins Kilgore Endowed Scholarship Tom Kilgore established the Myra Blevins Kilgore Scholarship in 2007 as a way to honor his wife’s longstanding support and encouragement of his academic and professional careers.

Endowing this scholarship in Myra’s name is Tom’s way of honoring her selflessness and unyielding commitment to her family.

The Kilgores were married in summer of 1968 prior to Tom beginning his junior year at the Capstone. It was during this time that Myra began working as an administrative assistant in a Tuscaloosa-based accounting firm, allowing Tom the opportunity to complete his degree. Due to Myra’s tireless work ethic, Tom graduated from The University of Alabama in 1970 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. It should be noted, while Tom was earning his degree, Myra was earning hers too ... a “PhT” (Putting Hubby Through).

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The Charles A. and Nelle H. Sipe Endowed Scholarship Charles A. and Nelle H. Sipe established their endowed scholarship in 2007 to support students majoring in civil engineering. Sipe received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1947, and retired from Tennessee Eastman Division of Eastman Kodak Co. He continues to have strong bonds to his alma mater as he was recognized as a Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1988. Nelle Sipe served as secretary with the Birmingham Board of Education and Southern Bell in Atlanta, Ga.

Leaving a Legacy The College of Engineering’s goal is to secure scholarship funding for our undergraduates through endowed scholarships and general engineering scholarship funds. Scholarship funding can be provided as an individual or a company gift.

Scholarship endowments at the College of Engineering begin with contributions of $20,000. An agreement between the donors and the University is created to govern the naming and use of the funds.

Donations may be pledged over a period of years and can be received from any source. Scholarships often carry names to honor loved ones, and they are officially endowed by action of our Board of Trustees once the minimum contributions have been received. Once endowed, the corpus of the fund stays intact perpetually, and only the earnings are spent to support students. Currently, awards of about $1,000 per year are spent from a fund of $20,000. Donors receive annual reports each year to update them about the financial performance of the fund and the award recipients.

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Show your pride in the College of Engineering with top-quality apparel and gifts.

Choose from polo shirts, coffee mugs, baseball caps and more. Profit generated from the sale of these items contributes to the Capstone Engineering Society, which provides scholarship funds to UA’s College of Engineering.

Call 1-800-333-8156 Come By 174 H.M. Comer Click www.eng.ua.edu

surveying the college CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING FOUNDING PARTNERS The Capstone Engineer incorrectly identified the Construction Engineering Founding Partners in the fall 2007 issue and regrets the error. The College of Engineering congratulates the following as the Founding Partners of the Construction Engineering Program.

McAbee Construction Inc. joins as the newest founding partner.

Left to right: Wendell McAbee, Dr. G. Edd Gibson, Gary Nichols and Dr. Ken Fridley.

• Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama – honorary founding partner • BE&K for the BE&K Endowed Scholarship • Brasfield & Gorrie for the Brasfield & Gorrie Founders’ Scholarship, the Brasfield & Gorrie Endowed Support Fund, and the Brasfield & Gorrie Discretionary Fund • Brice Building Co. Inc. for the Brice Building Co. Endowed Support Fund • Davis Architects for the Davis Architects Excellence in Construction Engineering Endowed Support Fund • Mr. Thomas E. Doster III for the Thomas E. Doster III Endowed Scholarship • Excelsior Construction Inc. for the Excelsior Construction Endowed Support Fund • Golden & Associates Construction for the Golden & Associates Endowed Support Fund • Hoar Construction for the Hoar Construction Endowed Scholarship • MasonryArts Inc. for the MasonryArts Endowed Scholarship • McAbee Construction Inc. for the McAbee Construction Inc. Endowed Scholarship • RaCON Inc. for the RaCON Inc. Endowed Scholarship • Ready Mix USA for the Ready Mix USA Endowed Support Fund • Robins & Morton for the Robins & Morton Scholarship • Saiia Construction, LLC for the Saiia Construction, LLC Endowed Support Fund • Mr. Jerry F. Wilson Jr. and Mrs. Judith F. Wilson for the Jerry F. Wilson Jr. Family Endowed Support Fund

THREE UA PROFESSORS TO SERVE ON STATE OF ALABAMA ENERGY COMMITTEES Three professors in UA’s College of Engineering have been named subcommittee members of the Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Energy, a group that will help Alabama utilize its conventional and renewable resources by implementing responsible energy policies.

Dr. Peter Clark, associate professor of chemical and biological engineering, and Dr. Ajay Agrawal, Robert F. Barfield Endowed Professor of Mechanical Engineering, will serve on two subcommittees: the research and development subcommittee and the bio-fuels and alternative fuels subcommittee. Dr. Robert Taylor, professor of mechanical engineering, will serve on the energy efficiency and conservation subcommittee.

Dr. Peter Clark

Dr. Ajay Agrawal

Dr. Robert Taylor

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surveying the college Retired Dr. Gary C. April Dr. Gary C. April, University Research Professor and Head of Chemical and Biological Engineering, retired from the Capstone after more than 38 years of service.

April served the College in many ways throughout the years including department head, professor and advisor.

April started with the College in 1969, and he was promoted to head of the department in 1997. His research focused on the chemical and environmental engineering fields, including waste reduction and minimization and biomass conversion of agricultural and forest wastes.

April founded Project R.O.S.E. in 1977, a non-profit energy conservation program. Project R.O.S.E. preserved a valuable natural resource while protecting Alabama’s environment. The program helped establish community oil collection/recycling systems throughout the state.

April has authored and co-authored more than 50 papers published in research journals, and has presented over 80 talks at professional conferences and colloquia. As a well-known scholar in his specialties of waste reduction, biomass conversion, and mathematical simulation of natural and reacting systems, he was instrumental in establishment of the Alabama EPSCoR program having served as director of the State DOE/ EPSCoR program since its establishment.

April has also served his profession admirably throughout his career.

He has been active in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, both locally and nationally, having served on the Executive Board of the National Programming Committee. In addition, he has been a driving force behind the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame and has served as secretary/treasurer since 1993.

Dr. Raghvendra K. Pandey

Dr. Raghvendra K. Pandey, Cudworth Endowed Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, retired after more than 10 years at the University.

He joined the College in 1997 as professor and head of the electrical and computer engineering department. In 1998, he was named a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society, and in 2002, he was named a UA Cudworth Professor of Engineering. Pandey’s research focused on the growth of bulk single crystal and thin film of electronic materials and electrical and magnetic characterization.

Dr. Steve Kavanaugh Dr. Steve Kavanaugh, professor of mechanical engineering, retired after more than 22 years at the Capstone. Kavanaugh served the College in many capacities including interim mechanical engineering department head in 2002-03. He is considered one of the nation’s experts on ground source heat pump design. His research has primarily focused on heat pump development, and he is the author of two books and several articles about the systems. Kavanaugh has remained active in the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In 2003, he was elevated to the rank of Fellow of both these professional organizations.

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surveying the college BAKER RECOGNIZED WITH TOP TEACHING AWARD AT UA The University of Alabama National Alumni Association announced the 2007 recipients of the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching, the Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Awards. This year’s recipients include Dr. John Baker, associate professor of mechanical engineering. Established in 1976, OCTA recognizes dedication to the teaching profession and the positive impact outstanding teachers have on their students.

Baker joined the College of Engineering in 2001 after serving as a mechanical engineering faculty member at UAB. At UA, Baker teaches thermodynamics, heat transfer, and rocket propulsion and space-exploration related courses. He also serves as the campus director for the Alabama Space Grant Consortium, through which he has helped a number of undergraduates with their spacerelated research and design projects. One of these projects resulted in the Student Space Systems Program, a program dedicated to helping the next generation of engineering students meet the challenges associated with space exploration.

BURKETT NAMED AS ALABAMA POWER FOUNDATION ENDOWED PROFESSOR The College of Engineering recently named Dr. Susan L. Burkett as the Alabama Power Foundation Endowed Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering.

As the Alabama Power Foundation Endowed Professor, Burkett will establish an active research group in the microelectronics area to further use UA’s clean room facilities and material characterization capabilities.

Most recently, Burkett served as associate head and professor of electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas. She also held positions as program director in the division of undergraduate education for the National Science Foundation, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Boise State University, and assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at The University of Alabama.

The UA Board of Trustees established the Alabama Power Foundation Endowed Professorship in the College of Engineering in 2005 after receiving a $1 million contribution from the Alabama Power Foundation.

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surveying the college UA POSITIONS ITSELF AS NANOTECHNOLOGY LEADER Through faculty expertise, recent technology upgrades to the tune of more than $3 million in UA laboratories, and a new cooperative research venture with Imago Scientific Instruments, The University of Alabama has positioned itself as a leader in key segments of the field of nanotechnology.

How small is nano-small? A nanometer is one billionth of a meter. For perspective, a sheet of notebook paper is 100,000 nanometers thick. Or, put another way, it would take a million nanometers to span a grain of sand.

UA’s latest equipment acquisition in the research of the very small is called a Local Electron Atom Probe, known as a LEAP. The highly sophisticated instrument permits UA researchers to determine the position and type of atom in various materials and view the structure in 3-D. The University of Alabama is the first academic institution in the Southeast, and only the third in the nation, to obtain Imago’s most advanced probe (the new LEAP Si), according to Imago.

“Working at the nano level, and being able to identify the type, location and spatial position of atoms, helps us better engineer materials,” said Dr. Gregory Thompson, assistant professor of metallurgical and materials engineering. “Through the LEAP’s analysis, researchers can better design materials with tailored properties for such applications as transistors used in cell phones, hard drives for computers, or high-strength, low-weight steels used for fuel efficient automobiles.”

The LEAP will strengthen Alabama’s existing industries, particularly the development of new light-weight, high-strength materials for automobiles. UA researchers are already collaborating with Nucor Steel and Phifer Inc. in this capacity.

CIVIL ENGINEERS INSTRUMENTAL IN MOVING HISTORIC BLACK WARRIOR RIVER BRIDGE TO NORTHPORT The only existing span of the 125-year-old Black Warrior Bridge will soon be moved from its current location in the north part of Tuscaloosa County to downtown Northport. Once it is moved, the bridge will be part of a recreational walking trail near the Black Warrior River.

The Friends of Historic Northport, a non-profit community organization that promotes awareness of the city’s history, want the bridge moved to preserve one of the oldest bridges in the Southeast and place it in a location where people can appreciate it. The bridge will be part of the Northport riverfront development and will also serve as an educational tool for transportation and engineering students.

The Black Warrior Bridge was originally completed on Christmas Day in 1882. It was part of a multi-span structure that was used for traffic across the Black Warrior River from Tuscaloosa to Northport. Currently, the 203-foot bridge serves no purpose as it crosses North River on an abandoned segment of Delhert Farm Road in the most northern part of Tuscaloosa County near Highway 43.

Dr. Jim Richardson, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering, has been analyzing lifting methods and determining the strength of the wrought iron to help with the design of the bridge for its proposed location.

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surveying the college ACOUSTIC SENSOR TO BE DEVELOPED USING UA’S NEW HEMI-ANECHOIC CHAMBER The College of Engineering is developing a new acoustic sensor to be tested in UA’s new hemianechoic chamber. This new sensor could one day be used to help locate individuals trapped in collapsed buildings, such as after natural or manmade disasters.

Typically, multiple microphones are used to measure the location of an acoustic source, but this project is aimed at developing a single sensor that performs the same task. Its applications will be useful in aiding the military, homeland security and emergency rescue efforts.

Once a prototype is developed, the sensor will be tested in UA’s new hemi-anechoic chamber, which is one of the largest in the Southeast. The chamber is a room that is isolated from external sounds. The walls and ceiling are covered with a very thick, foam-like material that eliminates all acoustic reflections. This isolation allows for detailed acoustic measurements on a wide range of structures.

Visually, the chamber resembles a high-tech recording studio. The chamber walls are covered by 2-foot thick, gray, triangular-shaped foam wedges. The 8-inch thick metal walls are filled with insulation made from recycled denim material. Additionally, the entire chamber and the supporting concrete floor, all 150,000 pounds, float on springs to prevent outside vibrations from interfering with acoustic testing. The entire chamber is located in the AIME Building, which has 18-inch thick exterior concrete walls, another sound barrier.

“This chamber gives UA unique acoustic testing capabilities that most research organizations simply don’t have,” said Dr. Steve Shepard, associate professor of mechanical engineering. “Our ability to better understand how that machine radiates noise – and develop ways to make it quieter – has been greatly extended.”

Shepard was awarded the $120,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop the new sensor.

UA’s College of Engineering is partnering with Tuskegee University.

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surveying the college ENGINEERING STUDENTS DEVELOP SPECIAL CYCLES FOR UNITED CEREBRAL PALSY Senior mechanical engineering students designed and constructed special cycles for children who are involved in programs at United Cerebral Palsy of West Alabama. Students presented their designs in November with a demonstration in the James Massey Hire Jr. and Mildred Ray Hire Design Clinic Laboratory located in Hardaway Hall.

ENGINEERING PROJECT EXPLORES ENERGY CONSERVATION THROUGH SHARK RESEARCH The stars of the “Jaws” films – sharks – have recently become the subject of an engineering research project. Conducted by Dr. Amy Lang, assistant professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics, the project explores energy conservation and boundary layer control in regard to a shark’s surface.

The project findings will allow researchers to explore natural solutions for the reduction of skin friction over solid surfaces, which could result in new innovations and applications concerning energy conservation. This research will not only provide a greater understanding of the evolutionary development of sharks, but it will also investigate methods of flow control and drag reduction that can be easily applied to mobile vehicles.

Funded through a National Science Foundation Small Grant, the project is investigating the boundary layer flow over a surface that mimics the skin of a fast-swimming shark. The boundary layer is the area closest to the surface where viscous conditions cause drag – in this instance a shark’s skin.

Lang hopes to explain why fast sharks that swim upwards of 60 mph have smaller denticles, or scales, than slower shark species. Evidence suggests that sharks with smaller denticles have the ability to stick out their scales when they swim, allowing them to swim faster and creating a unique surface pattern on the skin that results in various mechanisms of boundary layer control.

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our students. our future.

PATTERSON SCHOLARSHIP IMPACTS MECHANICAL ENGINEERING STUDENT Tom and Carolyn Patterson understand the value of a good education. As one of the state’s leading entrepreneurs, Tom Patterson recognizes part of his success is due to the education he received at the Capstone.

In 1997, the Pattersons chose to promote the education of deserving engineering students by endowing a student scholarship. Since then, the Pattersons have greatly impacted the engineering profession by educating some of UA’s best and brightest students.

Matthew Westberry, a junior from Dothan majoring in mechanical engineering, has been a recipient of the Thomas L. and Carolyn L. Patterson Endowed Engineering Scholars Fund.

Westberry described himself as one who never strays from a challenge as he worked to excel in math and science classes in high school in hopes of receiving a scholarship from the University.

“I am personally grateful for being awarded the Patterson scholarship because it has allowed me to concentrate on my studies without having to worry about the daily financial stress of attending one of the most prominent universities in the nation,” said Westberry.

Westberry attributes much of his success at the Capstone to his involvement with UA’s Society of Automotive Engineers formula racing team.

“Working with this team of future engineers has been one of the most rewarding projects I

have ever worked on, and it has allowed me to strengthen my engineering skills in ways that are invaluable,” said Westberry.

This past summer, Westberry received a hands-on look at the automotive industry as he completed a co-op program with Honda. He worked with the frame assembly department and the equipment group to gain a better perspective on how the plant produces entire cars from a piece of stamped sheet metal.

“This experience was more beneficial than I could have ever imagined and it has influenced me to pursue a master’s degree in mechanical engineering to strengthen my skills in consumer robotics and automotive design,” said Westberry.

Realizing how fortunate he is for having received financial assistance, Westberry hopes that similar students will be impacted by the gifts of others. “I can only hope that other students will receive the same help I did because money should never prevent deserving students from receiving an education,” said Westberry.

Support UA’s future engineers by contributing to the College of Engineering’s “Our Students.

Our Future.” capital campaign. If you would like to discuss specific ways in which you can contribute, contact Karen Baldwin, director of external affairs and development, at 1-800-333-8156 or e-mail kbaldwin@eng.ua.edu.

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in memory Edmund A. Boniface Edmund A. Boniface of Fountain Hills, Ariz., died Dec. 26, 2007. Boniface received a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1935, and he was dedicated to the design and functioning of propulsion systems for commercial and military aircraft, helicopters and missiles.

Lewis J. Cook Lewis J. Cook of Huntsville died Oct. 18, 2006. Cook received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from The University of Alabama in 1953 before joining the Marshall Space Flight Center as an aeronautical engineer where he worked on guidance systems for the Saturn I and Saturn V, and helped develop flight systems for Gemini and Apollo space flights. Cook received the Silver Snoopy Award, the most prestigious honor given by NASA. Col. Dayton Robinson Jr. Col. Dayton Robinson Jr. of Tuscaloosa died Aug. 1, 2007. Robinson received a bachelor’s degree in biology from The University of Alabama in 1959 and a master’s degree from George Washington University. Robinson was the recipient of two Distinguished Flying Crosses, a Bronze Star, an Air Force Commendation medal and 13 air medals.

In 2006, Robinson and his wife, Helen, honored the memory of their son, Dayton Robinson III, by endowing a scholarship in his name for engineering students. Dayton Robinson III died as the result of an industrial accident, and this scholarship encourages the study of industrial safety.

Reese E. Mallette Reese E. Mallette of Birmingham died May 5, 2007. Mallette received a bachelor’s degree in mineral engineering from The University of Alabama in 1954 before receiving a degree in geology from Harvard University in 1960. He was president of Reese E. Mallette Associates Inc., a mining engineering and consulting geology firm.

Mallette was recognized as a UA College of Engineering Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1988. In 2007, he was commended by the Alabama Legislature for his professional contributions in engineering, surveying and geology.

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You made a career engineering things that last. Here’s another Chance.

Our university continues to build upon its tradition of excellence through generous, long-range gifts from private donors. Please remember the College of Engineering in your will, trust, or other estate plans.

For more information about giving opportunities without obligation, contact our professional staff toll-free at 1-888-875-4438, (205) 348-4767, or visit giving.ua.edu.

Our Students. Our Future.

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alumni notes Jobs

Promotions

Awards

1966 Phil Duke, BSMtE ’66, was presented with the 2007 William J. Grede Award from the American Foundry Society for his contributions to the expansion of the use of metal castings. Duke was named a UA Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1997.

1980 Rick Stanley, BSCE ’80, has accepted a position as global business development manager at BJ Services in Houston. Stanley has lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, for more than six years while he served as country engineering manager for BJ Services.

1969 Will Quinby, BSMinE ’69, MSMinE ’70, vice president of CH2M-Hill, will serve as the Panama Canal expansion program manager of dredging and excavation. Quinby was named a UA Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 2004.

1983 Alston Noah, BSCS ’83, was elected to AdeptMedia Corp.’s board of directors. He serves as vice president of business development for the Crafton Group.

1985

1975 Sid Leach, BSEE ’75, was named in the 2007 edition of Best Lawyers in America and in the Southwest Super Lawyers 2007.

(Image credit: NASA/MSFC)

1977 James Rock, BSME ’77, was promoted to works manager for PPG Industries’ manufacturing plant in Natrium, W.Va. He has worked for the company for more than 30 years.

John D. Winter, BSChE ’77, MSChE ’84, PhD ’88, was named vice president of engineering for Evergreen Energy Inc., a leader in solutions for energy and environmental needs.

1978 Charles C. Stewart, BSMinE ’78, was named president of United Land Corp. Stewart will remain president of Sloss Industries.

1979 Bob Blalock, BSChE ’79, was named UA’s 2007 Outstanding Alumnus in Journalism. He has won numerous state and national awards, and in 2006 was a finalist with The Birmingham News’ editorial page staff for the Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing.

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Jerry Cook, BSME ’85, was appointed to the senior executive service position of the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project manager at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Cook also received the 2006-07 Aerospace Engineer of the Year Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Troy Hester, BSEE ’85, was named top local Department of the U.S. Army Civilian of the Year by the Redstone-Huntsville chapter of the Association of the U.S. Army.

Steve Cornelius, BSME ’86, was selected as deputy director for the Program Executive Office for Missiles and Space at Redstone Arsenal. He has worked for 21 years with the Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center.

1991 Jason P. Windham, BSME ’91, was named president of the Shobe Financial Group.

alumni notes

1992 Matt Jackson, BSME ’92, was promoted to vice president of procurement for Crowley Maritime Corp. Jackson is responsible for materials management and purchasing, and oversees facilities development and travel for the corporation.

Lee Stegall, BSME ’92, was named vice president of R.H. Smith & Associates PC, a Tuscaloosa-based electrical and mechanical engineering consulting firm. Stegall has been with the firm for 14 years.

1997 Tera Wyatt, BSCE ’97, MSCE ’98, was appointed director of the Tuscaloosa Department of Transportation.

1998 Jason Hatter, BSIE ’98, was named the manufacturing outreach coordinator for the Alabama Productivity Center at UA. Katy Rooks, BSChE ’98, joined Valeritas LLC as senior manager of sales training. Valeritas is a medical technology company.

2000 Ray Lenski, BSAE ’00, was recently appointed senior scientist for the NC3A, NATO Consultation Command and Control Agency in The Hague, Netherlands.

HUGH MCINNISH – Back in class

by Meghan Menard

When Hugh McInnish stands on the Quad and looks at Denny Chimes and the giant oaks, he says he feels like it’s the 1950s.

But when he takes a few steps away from the Quad, the campus looks completely different from the way he left it. It’s been half a century since the 1956 UA graduate studied electrical engineering.

This past summer, McInnish was back at the University, but not for a football game or an alumnus visit. He was back for class. “I’m filling a campaign promise that I really didn’t make,” McInnish laughed.

Call it a conspiracy or a prank, but McInnish was nominated for president of the Golden Fifties Club, a club for UA graduates of 50 years or more that is sponsored by the National Alumni Association, by a friend who promised club members that McInnish so loved the University that he would become a student once again if elected. (Continued on next page) capstone

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alumni notes Luther Turner, the previous president of the Golden Fifties Club and old roommate of McInnish, conceived the idea of nominating and committing McInnish to re-enrollment as a student and then convinced a friend to nominate McInnish at the club’s annual meeting in the spring.

After a visit to the Capstone with his granddaughter last summer, McInnish reminisced about his undergraduate years and then told Turner that he would love to be a student again. “I had been absent for a really long time,” he said. “It felt good to be here again.”

When he walks across campus, he said he is reminded of life in the 1950s. “I first pass old Foster Auditorium, where on four consecutive sweaty Septembers I stood in one queue after another, working my way forward each time to a teacher seated at a table, and get my name on one of his three-by-five cards admitting me to a certain class,” he wrote in a letter about his experience.

As an undergraduate, McInnish said he was the president of his fraternity, Sigma Nu, and a member of the ROTC. He remembers standing on the steps of Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library with the corps of Air Force ROTC cadets taking a picture for the Corolla yearbook.

Although some sights are still familiar, McInnish said the atmosphere at the University has definitely changed. “It’s much less formal,” he said. “I’m still not used to the flip-flops.” He said students used to dress business-casual for class and that he misses the semi-formality.

After getting his master’s degree in math from The University of Alabama at Huntsville and a career as an aerospace engineering consultant, McInnish said he wanted to try something different.

“Politics and the government are of interest to me,” he said.

Meghan Menard is student life editor for the Crimson White; abridged article used with permission from that paper.

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events DEAN’S LEADERSHIP SERIES: CEO OF INFINITY SECURITY SOLUTIONS FEATURED Woodrow “Woody” Cannon, chief executive officer and president of Infinity Security Solutions, spoke with UA students on Nov. 19.

Cannon’s presentation was part of the College of Engineering’s Dean’s Leadership Series, which brings prominent business leaders to speak with students.

COE DOES ART PERFORMS DELICIOUSLY FUNNY “ROMEO AND HARRIET” The College of Engineering does Amateur Radical Theater, known as COE does ART, hosted their second dinner and a show with “Romeo and Harriet,” a comedic spin-off of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.”

The show was Nov. 30 – Dec. 2 in the H.M. Comer theatre.

COLLEGE HOSTS NETWORKING LUNCHEONS

The College of Engineering hosted a luncheon on Oct. 26 in recognition of ADTRAN Inc. Many of the ADTRAN Student Scholars attended the event and met with Clint Coleman from ADTRAN. The College of Engineering hosted a luncheon on Nov. 9 in recognition of the American Cast Iron Pipe Co. Many of the ACIPCO Student Scholars attended the event and met with Jon Noland and Jerry Burns from ACIPCO.

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events ENGINEERING DAY

On Oct. 4, the College of Engineering hosted Engineering Day, or E-Day, an open house for high school students and their families. E-Day hosted more than 750 visitors wanting to gain a realistic view of the College of Engineering.

ENGINEERING STUDENTS COMPETE WITH RUBE GOLDBERG DEVICE This year’s freshman engineering competition at UA consisted of a Rube Goldberg device, basically taking a simple task and making it complicated with multiple steps. A total of 16 teams designed devices that assembled a hamburger consisting of one precooked meat patty, two vegetables, two condiments and two bun halves. The machine had to complete the task with at least 20 steps in under two minutes.

2007 HOMECOMING TAILGATE PARTY

CES GOLF TOURNAMENT More than 350 people enjoyed the CES tailgate party on the Quad before the game on Oct. 6. Engineering alumni and friends relished fried fish and barbecue while discussing old times and awaiting victory over the University of Houston Cougars.

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Mark your calendars ‌ The eighth annual Capstone Engineering Society Golf Tournament will be April 24, 2008, at the beautiful Bent Brook Golf Course.

8th

The Annual Capstone Engineering Society

GOLF T o u r na m en t • 24 • 08 04 Thursday, April 24, 2008 Bent Brook Golf Course

Join fellow Alabama engineers for a wonderful day of golf and the chance to win great prizes.

All proceeds benefit the Capstone Engineering Society (CES) Scholarship Fund.

Modified four-person scramble.

B e n t B r o o k G o l f C o u r s e • (205) 428-1999 This championship 27-hole course features Pencross Bentgrass greens and Tifway 417 Bermuda grass fairways.

Bent Brook is located off I-459 at the McCalla Exit (Exit 1), eight miles west of the Riverchase Galleria.

T i mes :

11:30 a.m. Registration and Lunch 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start A meal will be served and prizes will be awarded after play.

F ees

Individual and twosomes are welcome!

Registration includes green fees, cart, range balls, beverages, meals, and tournament golf shirt.

$125 Individual $500 Team of Four

S p o n so r s h i p O p p o r t u n i t i es

Tournament Sponsor: $2,500 Hole Sponsor: $500 For more information, visit coeweb.eng.ua.edu/golf, or call 1-800-333-8156 or (205) 348-2452.

An Aspiring Chemical Engineer Works for Environmental Solutions with Nanoparticles

Milton T. Nettles Junior, Chemical and Biological Engineering Nationa l Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates

Milton Nettles’ research in chemical and biological engineering has allowed him to focus on environmental issues concerning nanocomposite films, especially the type used in packaging food products.

As a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduate Scholar, he worked on studying barrier properties, such as thermal and moisture stability, on low density polyethylene nanocomposite films after subjection to extreme environmental conditions. Nettles is just one of the best and brightest at The University of Alabama who walk the College’s halls every day. His achievements are witness to the generous scholarship support he has received. Your generosity can help our students and our future shine a little brighter.

To learn of ways you can support the College of Engineering, contact Karen Baldwin, director of external affairs and development, at (205) 348-7594 or 1-800-333-1856, or e-mail kbaldwin@eng.ua.edu.

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

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Tuscaloosa, AL Permit 16