WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
SPRING 2011
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PARTNERSHIPS Inside Securing Our Borders Boeing’s New Super Hornet Hiner Lecturer Shelby Steele CEMR Alum Gives McNair Scholars Lecture
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
Dear Friends:
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The mission of the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is to prepare students to practice their profession and to contribute to the well-being of society through academic study, research, extension, and service.
“By 2020, West Virginia University will grow in national research prominence, thereby enhancing educational attainment, global engagement, diversity, and the vitality and well-being of the people of West Virginia.”
positions will work in partnership with colleagues in other colleges across the University campus in an effort to foster creative activity and innovation in several areas, including energy and bioengineering.
This vision statement, taken from the 2020 Strategic Plan for the Future as outlined by WVU President James P. Clements, Ph.D., in January 2011, sets the stage for an exciting time in the future of the University and the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. The goals of the strategic plan, especially as they relate to research activities in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, mathematics), innovation, mentorship, and partnership are hallmarks of the College.
This influx of new faculty brings vibrancy to the College. Two examples of this vibrancy, Drs. David Klinke and Brian Anderson, assistant professors of chemical engineering, are featured in this issue. Klinke is the recipient of a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation (NSF), which is given to junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars. Anderson was selected to participate in a national symposium focused on ways to ensure students learn engineering fundamentals. WVU received a $3.2 million grant from the NSF ADVANCE Program last fall to help increase the number of women in the STEM disciplines. CEMR is an active participant in this initiative.
In this issue of EngineeringWV, you will see how researchers in biometrics are working in partnership with institutions across the country to help secure our borders. Innovative modeling techniques developed at WVU using artificial intelligence and data mining are helping drilling companies optimize production from the Marcellus shale. And the research done as part of the College’s partnership with NASA through the Center for the Robotic Servicing of Orbital Space Assets will help support future Goddard Space Flight-related space exploration issues. While we are proud of our achievements, there is still much to be done. As part of the 2020 Strategic Plan, WVU will fund 30 new tenure track faculty positions next year in strategically placed research areas. We are awaiting word on what we hope will be a number of these positions being awarded to the College. Many of our proposed
Our number one goal remains unchanged: to engage undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in a challenging educational and research environment. Kerri Phillips, Zack Mayes, Eric Jobe, and Andrew Garrett are but a few examples of the quality of student being educated by our faculty. They will soon become CEMR alumni who are among the nation’s leaders in career readiness. Someday, we hope they will return to campus like Bret Marks, William Poundstone, William McCartney, Jon Hammock, Jon McBride, and others to share their experiences with our students.
Eugene V. Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean and Professor
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
FEATURES
CONTENTS News from the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
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RESEARCHERS USE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO OPTIMIZE MARCELLUS SHALE PRODUCTION
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NEXT LEVEL ... BOEING’S NEW SUPER HORNET INTERNATIONAL ROADMAP EXPANDS THE CAPABILITY SPECTRUM
12 WVU AND NASA PARTNER TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
13 CHINESE DELEGATION VISITS WVU TO STUDY
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MINE SAFETY
23 NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DIVERSITY EXPERT DELIVERS HINER LECTURE
IN EVERY ISSUE DEAN’S MESSAGE FACULTY/RESEARCH NEWS ACCOLADES COLLEGE NEWS
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ALUMNI NEWS SUPPORT ON COVER / A robotic arm, equipped with vision and touch sensors, can position itself independently to grapple and dock with a satellite, allowing for refueling and repair. The research is being performed at the WVU Robotics Center as part of NASA’s Space Servicing Capabilities Project. SPRING 2011 Dean and Publisher / Eugene V. Cilento gene.cilento@mail.wvu.edu / 304.293.4157
Contributing Writers / Lindsay Bailey / Philip Carder / Betty Mei / Cate Mihelic / Deborah Miller / Nicole Riggleman
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Magazine Design Coordinator / J. Paige Nesbit Address WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Development Office / PO Box 6070 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6070 www.cemr.wvu.edu Change of Address WVU Foundation / PO Box 1650 Morgantown, WV 26504-1650 Fax: 304.284.4001 / e-mail: info@wvuf.org www.mountaineerconnection.com
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Engineering West Virginia is published twice each year, in spring and fall, for the alumni, friends, and other supporters of the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Copyright ©2011 by the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Brief excerpts of articles in this publication may be reprinted without a request for permission if Engineering West Virginia is acknowledged in print as the source. Contact the Editor for permission to reprint entire articles. West Virginia University is governed by the WVU Board of Governors and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. WVU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.
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Editor / Mary C. Dillon / mary.dillon@mail.wvu.edu
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FACULTY RESEARCH
ENGINEERING RESEARCHERS CONDUCT SUCCESSFUL MINE SHELTER TEST BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
A handwritten note from 33 miners who survived a disaster in Chile offered hope to miners throughout the world in the midst of a chilling crisis. West Virginia University researchers are crafting and bombarding a shelter that could increase the likelihood of similar notes from future trapped miners.
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GANGARAO
CILENTO
The “Guardian Angel” shelter, designed to withstand explosions and fires in addition to protecting miners from harmful gases, underwent its latest round of successful testing in August. The test exposed the shelter to 1,000 degrees of heat to simulate an underground fire while sensors inside monitored air quality and temperature. Earlier testing subjected the enclosure to explosions and crushing weights, simulating a collapse. Hota GangaRao, a civil engineering professor and director of the WVU Constructed Facilities Center, is the lead researcher on the project. Working with him are John Zondlo, professor of chemical engineering, and David Rice, a consultant. GangaRao and his colleagues began developing the shelter after the 2006 Sago disaster that killed 12 and led to new federal regulations requiring mine shelters and other increased safety measures. GangaRao said
shelters currently in place in West Virginia mines are mostly tent-like structures designed to protect miners against carbon monoxide. The “Guardian Angel” shelter is designed to also withstand explosions and fires in an attempt to meet new and more stringent federal regulations that will go into effect in 2013. “There is no doubt that this shelter could have saved lives at Sago and that it can save lives in the future,” said GangaRao. The 24-foot by 8-foot by 5-foot steel structure has food, safety equipment, and other items to keep 10 miners safe for four days. An MSHA study of mining accidents from 1900 to 2006 determined that 264 miners died during rescue operations or escape attempts after the initial incidents. “All of the testing conducted thus far has been very successful,” GangaRao said. More testing lies ahead, including placing people inside the chamber to live. The researchers hope to complete testing in April. Trinity Resources of Eleanor, W.Va., will manufacture and market the shelters once they receive federal approval.
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WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
WVU RESEARCHERS WORK TO HELP SECURE OUR BORDERS BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN
A $400,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence in Border Security and Immigration, or BORDERS project, to WVU’s renowned biometric experts is part of a 14-institution, $16 million, six-year project being led by the University of Arizona. The goal is to develop technologies, processes, and policies that will help protect our nation’s borders, foster international trade, and enhance long-term understanding of immigration trends and dynamics. Researchers at WVU will be conducting research on biometric identification and surveillance. “The ability to positively confirm the identity of people crossing international borders has always been of paramount importance,” said
Bojan Cukic, principal investigator for WVU. “In spite of significant advances in the field of biometrics, accurate human identification at the borders remains a challenge. An increase in the number of travelers at designated border crossings dictates that their positive identification is prompt, nonintrusive and accurate. Given the evergrowing size of biometric datasets (visa applicants, watch lists, etc.) meeting such requirements represents a difficult challenge to current operational concepts deployed at U.S. ports of entry.” BORDERS is developing, testing, and evaluating prototypes in both the laboratory and the field to inform future design and implementation for border security and immigration. As a result, BORDERS provides real, measurable improvements from a practical standpoint, as well as scientific validity from a critical perspective. “We are also committed to training and mentoring the next generation of leaders in border security and immigration,” said Dr. Elyse Golob, executive director of BORDERS Center of Excellence. “As such, we provide
a unique and irreplaceable resource to the Department of Homeland Security, Congress, federal and state agencies, stakeholders, the academic community, and the public good.” “Given the research reputation that WVU has built in the field of biometrics, the research we conduct within BORDERS completes the spectrum of research projects we perform for the federal government sponsors,” said Cukic. “It also provides WVU students with opportunities to learn firsthand about the challenges in the national security arena and be better prepared for the job market.”
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Knowing who is coming into the country is key to security, but continues to be challenging. Researchers in West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources are working with colleagues across the country to use biometrics to solve the problem.
Donald Adjeroh, Arun Ross, Vinod Kulathumani, and Mridul Gautam are co-investigators on the project.
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Participating organizations include Arizona State University, Migration Policy Institute, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Penn State, RAND Corporation, RTI International, San Diego State University, University of California-Irvine, University of Minnesota, University of Texas-Pan American, and University of Washington.
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FACULTY RESEARCH
RESEARCHERS USE ARTIFICIAL OPTIMIZE MARCELLUS SHALE PRODUCTION BY MARY C. DILLON
The Marcellus shale, an immense stretch of rock that runs deep underground through parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia, is rich in natural gas. Scientists have known about the formation for a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that they realized it could be one of the largest-known natural gas fields in the world. A grant for $353,934 from the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) will enable researchers with West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources to use data-intensive science to optimize gas production in the region.
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
Dr. Shahab Mohaghegh, a professor in WVU’s Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, is leading a team of researchers in applying the latest technology to reservoir modeling. Mohaghegh is a pioneer in the application of artificial intelligence and data mining (AI&DM) in the petroleum industry.
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“Traditionally, in order to increase production DR. SHAHAB MOHAGHEGH you would build a predictive reservoir model using conventional technology,” Mohaghegh said. “The technology we are using is new and unconventional. It is not based on physics and mathematics, but on ‘top-down’ modeling.” Conventional reservoir simulation and modeling is a bottom-up approach. It starts with building a geological model of the reservoir that is populated with the best petrophysical and geophysical information available at the time of development. Engineering fluid flow principles are then added and solved numerically to arrive at a dynamic reservoir model. The model is calibrated using the production history of multiple wells, and the history-matched model is used to strategize field development in order to improve recovery.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
INTELLIGENCE TO
Alums named to Marcellus task force
According to Mohaghegh, top-down, intelligent reservoir modeling approaches the reservoir simulation and modeling from the opposite angle. It integrates traditional reservoir engineering analysis with AI&DM technology to generate a full-field model. Using this new technology leads to savings of both time and research resources to obtain accurate predictive models. Over time, more wells and more historical data enhance the results of the model. “This is very new technology that has been extensively and exclusively used here at WVU,” Mohaghegh said. “People in the industry are quite interested to see how our research in this area progresses.” GTI is a nonprofit organization with more than 65 years of experience in the development and deployment of technology solutions that contribute to a secure, abundant, and affordable energy future. GTI programs have resulted in nearly 500 products, 750 licenses and more than 1,200 associated patents. Funding for the project is provided through the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program, authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This program—funded from lease bonuses and royalties paid by industry to produce oil and gas on federal lands—is specifically designed to increase supply and reduce costs to consumers while enhancing the global leadership position of the United States in energy technology through the development of domestic intellectual capital.
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The task force has been asked to research and analyze the feasibility of converting ethane to ethylene using thermal or steam cracking; identify potential private-sector companies that specialize in constructing and operating thermal or steam crackers and develop strategies on how to attract such companies; and locate existing infrastructure in the state, including pipelines and storage facilities, which may be upgraded to be used in conjunction with manufacturing processes associated with ethane, ethylene, and other natural gas byproducts.
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The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) is under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to administer several elements of the program. RPSEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium with more than 180 members, including 22 of the nation’s premier research universities, six national laboratories, other major research institutions, large and small energy producers, and energy consumers. The mission of RPSEA, headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, is to provide a stewardship role in ensuring the focused research, development and deployment of safe and environmentally responsible technology that can effectively deliver hydrocarbons from domestic resources to the citizens of the United States. Additional information can be found at www.rpsea.org.
Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin recently announced the formation of a Marcellus to Manufacturing Task Force. The task force will research and develop potential economic development opportunities related to Marcellus shale and natural gas byproducts such as ethane and ethylene. The 12-member task force includes three alums of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources: Greg Babe, president and CEO of Bayer Corporation and Bayer Materials Science LLC; Kevin DiGregorio, executive director, Chemical Alliance Zone West Virginia; and Michael John, president and CEO, Northeast Natural Energy.
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FACULTY RESEARCH
WVU researcher part of team that correctly estimates Gulf oil spill numbers
WVU’S KLINKE EARNS NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION CAREER AWARD Award to Support Fundamental Research Toward Understanding how Cancer Cells Resist Targeted Therapy DR. DAVID KLINKE
BY MARY C. DILLON
Monoclonal antibody drugs and natural killer cells pack a one-two punch in the fight against cancer. But sometimes, cancer cells escape the therapeutic action of these antibodies. A $416,483 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will allow West Virginia University’s Dr. David J. Klinke to help determine why some cancer cells resist these targeted therapies.
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
Klinke, an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, is hoping the fruits of his research can improve therapies for cancer, a disease that kills one in three in developed countries.
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A monoclonal antibody is produced naturally by the body but can also be engineered commercially to attach itself to specific molecules displayed on the surface in cancer cells. By labeling the cancer cells, they attract natural killer cells, the body’s natural first line of defense in attacking tumors and virally infected cells, to do their job. “The emergence of resistance to targeted therapies is an increasing, and poorly understood, problem” said Klinke. “Without a better understanding of how cancer cells resist the action of molecular targeted therapies, designing effective treatments will remain limited.” According to Klinke, the underlying idea he aims to test is that cancer cells fight back; they secrete biochemical signals that interfere with how natural killer cells recognize and destroy cancer cells that monoclonal antibodies have labeled. His research, using aspects of cellular engineering, immunology, cancer biology, and computationally intensive model-based inference, will attempt to understand this “cross-talk” between cancer cells and natural killer cells. Klinke is an expert in the emerging field of systems biology, a field that integrates mathematical modeling with experimental study to better understand biological systems. “Model-based inference is the process of encoding our prior knowledge of how cells interpret biochemical signals in the form of a mathematical model,” said Klinke. “We then update our knowledge by testing whether our prior knowledge is consistent with the experimental data.” The CAREER Program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Klinke is affiliated with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology and the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU’s School of Medicine. He has authored 30 publications and holds two patents.
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The efforts of a researcher in West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources were confirmed when the Department of Energy (DOE) released its report on the amount of oil spilled during last year’s Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Shahab Mohaghegh, a professor in CEMR’s Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas, worked as part of the Flow Rate Technology Group’s Nodal Analysis Team. The team, led by Dr. George Guthrie of the Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory, consisted of subteams from five DOE national laboratories. According to their estimates, 53,000 barrels per day were escaping as a result of the offshore drilling rig that exploded on April 20, 2010. For three months, the resulting leak continued to gush, making it the largest accidental marine oil spill in the history of the petroleum industry. “It was a heroic process,” said Mohaghegh. “We had 15 people working on it around the clock.” The Nodal Analysis Team used input from reservoir modeling (including pressure, temperature, fluid composition, and properties over time) and pressure and temperature conditions at the leak points on the sea floor, along with details of the geometries of the well, blowout preventer, and riser to calculate fluid compositions, properties, and fluxes from both before and after riser removal. According to Mohaghegh, the team used both conventional and advanced modeling techniques, based on artificial intelligence and data mining. For his efforts, Mohaghegh was awarded $55,600 from the URS Corp. for “Gulf Oil Spill Response Effort Support.” The final numbers released by the Department of Energy were very close to those calculated by the research team.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
WVU, NASA EPSCoR COLLABORATE TO CONDUCT RESEARCH
One such project aims to develop a model for the spray cooling process of air- or spacecrafts in zero gravity environments. It is a partnership between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Glenn Research Center, and WVU. John Kuhlman, a mechanical and aerospace professor, is the science principal investigator; Donald Gray, a professor in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, is the co-investigator.
BY CATE MIHELIC
Another research project being conducted at CEMR involves unmanned aerial and space vehicles with adaptive and intelligent flight control systems. These systems will be capable of maintaining acceptable levels of performance even in the event of failures. Marcello Napolitano, director of WVU’s Center for Advanced Research in Autonomous Technology, is the science principal investigator. Bojan Cukic, a co-investigator, is a Robert C. Byrd Associate Professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.
Collaborating with industry leaders to conduct state-of-the-art research is possible in rural states such as West Virginia because of initiatives set forth by NASA EPSCoR. Housed in the West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, the NASA Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, or EPSCoR, establishes partnerships with government, higher education, and industry that are designed to effect lasting improvement in a state or region’s research infrastructure, research and development capacity, and national competitiveness.
This team has partnered with NASA research centers such as Dryden, Ames, and Langley, as well as the Department of Defense, Department of Transportation, and the Green Bank Telescope. There are six industry partners, and the University of Virginia, Penn State University, and the University of Michigan are involved.
The NASA EPSCoR Program is directed at jurisdictions that have not participated equably in competitive aerospace and aerospace-related research activities. Twenty-seven states and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico currently participate.
In the third project, researchers are working to develop localized wing morphing technology with smart skins to improve aerodynamic efficiency. Wade Huebsch, a mechanical and aerospace professor, is the science principal investigator. His co-investigators include Darran Cairns and Ever Barbero, both from the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department. Supporters of this research at NASA Langley have identified several areas in aeronautics where they hope to see
One major component of the NASA EPSCoR Program in West Virginia is competitively won research cooperative agreements that are designed to strengthen and support research activities that are
“The partnerships that are formed are beneficial to both parties.”
“NASA has specific research goals and priorities, and they choose to work with universities such as WVU to help achieve these goals,” noted Majid Jaraiedi, director of NASA WV EPSCoR. “The partnerships that are formed are beneficial to both parties.”
this technology applied. This project is a collaboration between WVU and industry partners. A second component of NASA WV EPSCoR is the Research Infrastructure Development Program. This program supplies research seed grants, travel grants, and a college-university collaboration program that promotes mentoring roles from WVU or Marshall with smaller colleges in West Virginia. For more information about NASA WV EPSCoR, please visit www.nasa.wvu.edu. �
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beneficial to the research capabilities of the state, as well as advancing NASA’s research priorities. These are three-year competitive grants for up to $750,000 of federal funds per winning project, supplemented with cost sharing from the researcher’s home institution. WV NASA EPSCoR currently has five research cooperative agreements with NASA, three of which are based at CEMR.
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Correction
In the fall 2010 issue of ENGINEERINGWV, it was incorrectly noted that Lian-Shin Lin, who was promoted to associate professor, was in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Dr. Lin is in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The editorial staff apologizes for the error.
INDUSTRY FEATURE
Boeing’s Super Hornet International Roadmap is composed of six new advanced options that will enable international customers to customize capability based on their unique requirements. The new options include: enhanced performance engines; enclosed weapons pod; conformal fuel tanks; missile/laser warning system; internal infrared search and track system; and a next-generation cockpit. (Boeing photo by Ron Bookout)
INTERNATIONAL ROADMAP EXPANDS THE CAPABILITY SPECTRUM BY PHILIP CARDER, APR, BOEING F/A-18 AND EA-18 COMMUNICATIONS
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
NEXT LEVEL ... BOEING’S NEW SUPER HORNET
8 Boeing Test Pilot Ricardo Traven briefs journalists on the new capabilities the Super Hornet International Roadmap delivers for international tactical aviation customers on February 8, 2011, at India’s Air Force Station Yelahanka during the Aero India 2011 air show. (Boeing photo by Kevin Flynn)
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
As international air forces around the world look for everincreasing capability to meet new threats that evolve on an almost daily basis, Boeing is applying an innovative approach to meet the needs of tactical aviation customers. On February 8 at India’s Air Force Station Yelahanka, located near the city of Bengaluru in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, thousands of government and military officials from around the globe got their first look at Boeing’s new F/A18 Super Hornet International Roadmap, an aircraft outfitted with options designed to give international customers the ability to tailor their aircraft to not only defeat today’s threats, but ensure continued air dominance for decades to come.
ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE In architecting the Super Hornet International Roadmap, Boeing engineers and analysts looked deep into the future to determine what capabilities would deliver a knockout punch in tactical air operations in the coming decades. Bret Marks, Boeing’s director of F/A-18 International Operations, said the team believes it has unearthed a gem with the new Super Hornet options. “The Super Hornets we currently
international air forces with the ability to enhance current Super Hornet capabilities to best address the unique threats they will encounter in their operating environments.” Marks, who earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1984 from West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, joined Boeing that same year as an engineer in the Aerodynamic Technology Applied Research Group. Today, Marks leads Boeing’s F/A-18E/F International Programs under the Global Strike division, located in St. Louis. “To be successful in the international tactical aviation market, you must understand the core needs of your customers,” said Marks. “Air forces around the world need tactical aircraft that provide the flexibility to meet current and emerging threats. However, they also need aircraft that are affordable, and reliable, with real growth capability to ensure long-term relevancy.”
EVOLUTIONARY GROWTH Marks, who has accumulated nearly 27 years of engineering and program management experience on tactical aircraft programs at Boeing, said the team in St. Louis is focused on an evolutionary path of inserting new, advanced technologies into the combat-proven Super Hornet. “What we are doing with this approach is maximizing capability while minimizing development risk,” he said. “When we insert these advanced applications onto a proven platform, like we have in the Super Hornet, we eliminate much of the risk that exists with the more revolutionary approach of attempting to incorporate new technology onto new platforms. The result is the ability to offer truly advanced capability, while minimizing development cost and schedule risks. It’s a best-value approach for our customers.”
SIX SUPER OPTIONS
Featuring a new 11 X 19 inch touchscreen display, Boeing’s next-generation cockpit for the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet will provide pilots with an interactive 3-D perspective of the air and ground threat environments. (Boeing photo by Ron Bookout)
build in St. Louis are some of the most advanced tactical aircraft produced in the world today,” said Marks. “With the introduction of the International Roadmap, we have provided
“The combination of internal IRST and missile/laser warning systems provide the war fighter with greater battlespace awareness,” said Marks. “That’s critical in all combat operations.” For customers who desire increased power, Marks said pilots will see a 15 to 20 percent increase in thrust with the enhanced performance engine. continued...»
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The Super Hornet International Roadmap is composed of six new advanced options that Marks said will enable international customers to customize capability according to their needs. “The options deliver increased survivability, situational awareness, aerodynamic performance, and provide a compelling value proposition for our international customers,” said Marks. Specifically, the options include: an internal infrared search and track system (IRST); nextgeneration cockpit featuring large area displays; missile/ laser warning systems; enclosed weapons pod; enhanced performance engines; and conformal fuel tanks.
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INDUSTRY FEATURE continued...» A noticeable addition under the aircraft’s fuselage is the enclosed weapons pod. Able to carry a variety of air-to-air and airto-ground weapons, Marks said the pod gives operators wide-ranging weapons options for a variety of missions, while improving mission performance and increasing overall aircraft survivability.
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ENGINEERINGWV
“Another option gaining popularity with the international customer community is the next-generation cockpit that features an 11 x 19 inch touch screen with the ability to present the pilot with a 3-D perspective of the air and ground threat environments,” said Marks. “It’s certainly a stunning feature whose benefits are immediately apparent when you climb into the cockpit,” he said. The new display will ultimately allow aircrews to move and combine images and information on the screen via touch screen technology.
Bret Marks, who earned a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1984 from West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, joined Boeing that same year as an engineer in the Aerodynamic Technology Applied Research Group. Today, Marks leads Boeing’s F/A18E/F International Programs under the Global Strike division, located in St. Louis.
Bret Marks returned to his alma mater this past fall as part of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Distinguished Lecture Series. Marks’ lecture, “Mountaineer to Engineer—Living the Dream,” detailed his more than 26 years of experience
—Bret Marks, Boeing F/A-18E/F International Programs director located in St. Louis
The most noticeable option is the new conformal fuel tanks mounted on the aircraft’s dorsal deck. The tanks provide an additional 3,000 pounds of fuel, without the drag of externally mounted fuel tanks, traditionally mounted under the wing. “The conformal fuel tanks permit significant enhancements in aerodynamic performance,” said Marks. “By removing external tanks from under the wing and replacing them with conformal fuel tanks designed to maintain an optimal area rule profile, we are able to achieve substantial drag reduction, which directly benefits performance.” Marks said depending on customer requirements, some options could be ready for customers by 2015. “One of the exciting aspects of the International Roadmap is that each of the six options are retrofittable to current Super Hornets,” he said.
18 India program manager. He has published and presented a
“The Super Hornet was designed for growth from its inception,” said Marks. “As we look across the international landscape, we understand customers need aircraft that are designed to evolve as threats continue to evolve,” he said. “That’s exactly what the International Roadmap options deliver—long-term growth and evolutionary capability.”
number of technical papers on advanced fighter aircraft control
Copyright (c) 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.
with Boeing, where he has previously held positions as an
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“To be successful in the international tactical aviation market, you must understand the core needs of your customers.”
aerodynamicist, supplier manager, program manager, Global Strike Flight Systems Lead, and Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft F/A
concepts, F/A-18 flight control system development, and carrier suitability flight test evolution.
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WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
FACULTY NEWS
CEMR PROFESSOR
ANDERSON PARTICIPATES IN
APPOINTED TO ABET
PRESTIGIOUS FRONTIERS OF
ACCREDITATION BOARD
ENGINEERING EDUCATION
BY CATE MIHELIC
SYMPOSIUM BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN
Another engineering professor is reaching out beyond the classroom and making an impact on education and the future of the industry. Samuel Ameri, chair and professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering at West DR. SAMUEL AMERI Virginia University, has been appointed to serve on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) board of directors. Ameri said that he was humbled and surprised by his appointment to the board of directors of ABET. “It is my policy and vision to ensure that all students continue to study in a stimulating, innovative, and high-quality environment in order to gain the best engineering education possible,” said Ameri. “I am proud of WVU because it continuously creates an environment where there is a tremendous opportunity relative to the professional development for the faculty.” The ABET board of directors consists of a federation of 30 professional engineering and technical societies represented by 38 board members. ABET accreditation ensures that a college or university program meets the quality standards established by the profession for which it prepares its students. ABET continues to provide world leadership in ensuring quality and in stimulating innovation in applied science, computing, engineering and technology education.
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DR. BRIAN ANDERSON
Anderson was one of 52 young engineering educators selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s second annual Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium. The two-and-a-half-day event provided young professors with a place to share ideas, learn from research and best practices in education, and leave with a charter to bring about improvement in their home institution. This year’s program focused on ways to ensure that students learn the engineering fundamentals, the expanding knowledge base of new technology, and the skills necessary to be an effective engineer or engineering researcher. “I learned innovative teaching methods and course design ideas from fellow faculty members with a similar desire and energy to educate our future engineers,” said Anderson. “We were able to brainstorm and vet ideas on ways to reinvigorate engineering education, actively engage students in the classroom, and attract some of the best and brightest students to the field of engineering.” Over the next year, Anderson will incorporate some of the educational techniques he learned into his classes. One technique will be to get students more involved in research and the community. In addition, he is working with other colleagues from around the country to offer a virtual community for students. “As a response of the Frontiers of Engineering Education Workshop, the faculty members in attendance from the chemical engineering discipline are starting a virtual community for chemical engineering education,” said Anderson. “We are building a repository of classroom examples, projects, and problems, as well as a community forum for sharing ideas that we use in and out of the classroom to further students’ learning.” Anderson received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from WVU in 2000. He earned his master’s degree and doctorate in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004 and 2005, respectively. His research focuses on energy technologies.
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Ameri was appointed as a representative from the Society of Petroleum Engineers. His term officially began in the fall of 2010 and will last for three years. His main duties will be to attend board meetings and to review and approve accreditation criteria. The board members also elect officers, approve the annual budget and fees, and approve the criteria assessment formula.
Fostering growth and leading innovation are important in academia. Dr. Brian Anderson, assistant professor of chemical engineering, has been recognized for doing both.
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COLLEGE NEWS
WVU AND NASA PARTNER TO PROVIDE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN
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Former Congressman Alan B. Mollohan and West Virginia University President James P. Clements joined NASA officials in November to dedicate the Center for the Robotic Servicing of Orbital Space Assets. The Center, located at the West Virginia High Tech Consortium in Fairmont, has been established by WVU as part of a cooperative partnership with NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. “This project highlights three elements that have been key to north central West Virginia’s growing reputation as a high-tech magnet: West Virginia University’s research arm, the West Virginia High Tech Consortium, and a growing NASA presence,” Mollohan said. The Robotics Center provides the academic leadership for the collaborative scientific and engineering research associated with evaluating sensors and algorithms for autonomous rendezvous docking and small-scale contact dynamics for space robotic platforms supporting future Goddard-related space exploration missions.
“This is an exciting initiative, one built on collaboration and partnerships,” said Clements. “I am very proud that our WVU faculty, students, and post-docs will be working alongside other scientists and researchers in developing robotic platforms for future space missions. It truly speaks to the high-quality education and innovative research we are engaged in at WVU.” WVU was awarded a grant from NASA in 2010 to begin establishment of the lab. The Robotics Center is operated by the West Virginia University Research Corp. “This is a great opportunity for the University to develop national visibility in robotics servicing of orbiting assets in the post-shuttle era,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College and principal investigator for the grant. “We view our role as part of the NASA Goddard team that provides out-of-the-box thinking, innovation, and independent support for their missions, and also training for the bright young scientific minds who will go on to contribute to the continued success of NASA in the future.”
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WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
CHINESE DELEGATION VISITS WVU TO STUDY MINE SAFETY
BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN
A delegation from China traveled halfway around the world to study mine safety practices from West Virginia University officials. The purpose of the visit was to study practices developed and implemented by the U.S. government and academic institutions to reduce accidents and improve health conditions in the mining industry.
“We want to learn the technology to improve coal mine safety in our country.” -MA HEPING The day included a presentation and overview of operations by WVU Mining and Industrial Extension Director Jim Dean, a tour of the simulated underground mining facility at Dolls Run, and a discussion of how WVU officials can assist China in accomplishing its goals. This is not the first international delegation to visit the
“The interest from the different delegations we have visit shows that WVU is being recognized as an international leader in mine safety training,” said Dean. “The Australia delegation is actually looking at building a facility in their country modeled after ours.” While the Chinese delegation already has a facility in their country, they are looking for ways to communicate and improve their technology through discussions with WVU officials. “We have to learn these (training techniques) to train our workers in our country,” Heping said. “Some of the techniques may inspire our program and improve our work so we can improve coal mine safety.” The WVU Mining and Industrial Extension department is housed in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
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Volume 7 Issue 1
“We came here to see Western technology in mine safety,” said Ma Heping, deputy bureau chief of the Party Leadership Group. “We want to learn the technology to improve coal mine safety in our country.”
facility. Four other delegations from China visited this past year, as well as a delegation from Australia.
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COLLEGE NEWS
WVU, SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY SIGN ARTICULATION AGREEMENT
CILENTO
MYERS
WHEATLY
WILLIAMS
BY CATE MIHELIC
West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources took another step in forging new partnerships when it signed an articulation agreement with Pennsylvania’s Slippery Rock University (SRU) on Tuesday, January 18. The agreement between Slippery Rock’s Physics Department and CEMR will help create a simplified transfer process for students. “This agreement is important because it lays out a transparent road map for students,” said Warren Myers, associate dean for academic affairs at CEMR. “This will make transferring easier for students because they will know exactly what they need to take, and when they need to take it.”
included Ben Shaevitz, chair of the physics department; Arthula Heart, physics professor; and Susan Hannam, dean of the College of Health, Environment and Science. CEMR has articulation agreements with five other schools, but Slippery Rock is the first institution outside of West Virginia. “We recruit heavily from Western Pennsylvania,” said Myers. “This agreement will provide students in that region with opportunities to attend an accredited engineering college.” Upon signing, WVU will begin recruiting SRU students for the fall 2011 semester.
According to the agreement, students will complete three years in the SRU physics program before transferring to WVU, where they will complete their final two years. Upon graduation, they will receive a bachelor of science degree in mechanical or civil engineering.
“West Virginia University and Slippery Rock University have been working together since last spring to bring this agreement to fruition,” said Myers. “Slippery Rock has a desire to provide their students with opportunities to study engineering, and now they will have that option.”
WVU Provost Michele Wheatly and SRU Provost William Williams signed the agreement in Stewart Hall. Other SRU representatives attending the signing
SRU’s Physics Department also has an articulation agreement with Penn State University.
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DR. EVER BARBERO
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
ACCOLADES
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GANGARAO NAMED DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS Dr. Hota GangaRao, professor of civil and environmental engineering, was one of eight recipients named an Indian Institute of Technology-Madras Distinguished Alumnus for 2011. The honorees were announced in January by the institute’s director, Madaboosi Santanam Ananth. Dr. GangaRao earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the institute in 1965. He is also the director of the Constructed Facilities Center at WVU, whose faculty conducts research and development activities in areas that can help reduce or remedy deterioration of our nation’s infrastructure.
PROFESSOR HONORED FOR GLOBAL IMPACT An engineering professor’s career research and academic accomplishments are being recognized globally. Dr. Ever Barbero, professor in WVU’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was recently named an honorary professor at the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Peru. The title was presented during a ceremony held at Trujillo’s municipal concert hall. An honorary professor is entitled to all the rights and privileges of regular permanent faculty of the university. Barbero, who visited the university five years ago to recruit graduate students, has worked closely with the students, faculty, and administration to guide visiting students who come to West Virginia University to study. “Dr. Barbero’s recent honor shows the impact that our faculty are having around the world,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “As our College
and University strive to increase global relations, our faculty will continue to play a vital role.” Barbero plans to further relations with the university by bringing top senior students to the United States for six-month periods to work on their undergraduate theses. Once the work is complete, the students will return to Peru to defend their thesis. “It is an agreement that is valuable to both parties,” Barbero said. “They get a top research department for their students to complete their undergraduate theses. We get them here and, hopefully, some of them will come back as graduate students. “If we manage to eventually graduate a few Ph.Ds who go back as faculty to Peru, then we would have cemented a fruitful relationship for generations to come,” Barbero added. “It is a slow process, but the potential payoff is extraordinary and crucial in this global age.”
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
WATTS MUSEUM OPENS ‘HELMET MEN’ EXHIBITION BY CATE MIHELIC
The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum at West Virginia University recently opened the exhibition Helmet Men: Mine Rescuers of Appalachia’s Coalfields. The exhibition, open through August 14, explores the development of mine rescue teams in the United States, particularly the Appalachian region. The exhibition focuses on the roles of rescue team members and the transformation of mine rescues from uncoordinated, chaotic events into organized group operations. At the turn of the 20th century, rescue missions at Appalachian coal mines were haphazard efforts, undertaken by anyone near the accident scene. When large-scale mining disasters in the early 1900s created public pressure for mine safety reform, the federal government established the Bureau of Mines. The bureau organized rescue teams to investigate mine disasters, assist in rescue efforts, and train miners in rescue techniques. State agencies, coal companies, and private organizations soon followed the government’s lead by organizing their own rescue teams.
“When mine accidents occur, we tend to focus on the hazards of mining, the lives that are saved or lost, and
Helmet Men showcases a selection of equipment used to prevent and respond to mining disasters, along with historical photographs and film footage of mine rescuers. The objects featured in the exhibition are either owned by the Watts Museum or on loan from other institutions and private collections. The Watts Museum is located in Room 125 of the Mineral Resources Building on the Evansdale Campus of West Virginia University. The exhibition was curated by Petrak and Danielle LaPresta, a graduate assistant. Housed in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, the Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting the social, cultural, and technological history of the coal, oil, and natural gas industries of the state of West Virginia through the collection, preservation, research, and exhibition of objects relevant to these industries. The Museum is named in honor of Royce J. Watts, associate dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, and his wife, Caroline, who have tirelessly supported its mission.
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With the formation of these “helmet men” teams, mine rescue efforts became increasingly systemized and effective. Like today’s rescuers, early team members were knowledgeable, physically fit, and level headed, with a strong capacity for teamwork. These specialized volunteers worked together, often risking their own lives, to save their fellow miners.
the disaster’s impact on families and communities,” said Danielle M. Petrak, museum coordinator and curator of the Watts Museum. “With this exhibition, I wanted to acknowledge the role of the rescuers and their commitment to the mining industry and fellow miners.”
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STUDENT NEWS
WVU lineman recognized for academic excellence West Virginia University senior offensive lineman Eric Jobe was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Two first team in November. Jobe, who earned a spot on the all-district team for the second consecutive year, advanced to the national ballot for second round voting for inclusion on the All-America team. In the classroom, he has posted a 3.50 grade point average, majoring in industrial engineering with a minor in business administration. Jobe is a four-time Dean’s List selection, three-time Big East Academic All-Star, three-time WVU Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll honoree, and a recipient of the Blue and Gold Academic Scholarship. He is a three-year starter on the Mountaineers’ offensive line.
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ENGINEERINGWV
Chemical engineering student excels beyond expectations Life is what you make of it. Just ask Zack Mayes, a senior chemical engineering major, who made a lot out of his recent internship.
Spring 2011
Zack spent the summer interning for Milliken & Company, one of the world’s largest privately held textile, chemical, and floor covering manufacturers. During that time, he completed all the requirements needed for a Six Sigma greenbelt certification with the company. The Six Sigma certification program is a fact-based, data-driven philosophy of quality improvement. The program emphasizes defect prevention over defect detection.
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“(Zack) did in two and a half months what it normally takes at least six months to do,” said Steve Alford, BSChE ’87, corporate director of Lean and Continuous Improvement at Milliken, and Mayes’ mentor during his internship. “We have people who took the class at the same time as Zack and they are still not finished.” “(This internship) was a good way for me to grasp what I am going to do after I graduate,” said Mayes. “It was good to see all that I can do with my degree.” ALFORD
MAYES
Zack’s successful internship ended with two job offers. Currently, he is keeping his options open and is focused on graduation this year.
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Undergraduate Research Day (above) West Virginia University was well represented on January 25, as almost half of those participating in the eighth annual Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol were Mountaineers. Fifteen institutions were represented at the event, which ran from 8 a.m. to noon, in the Capitol Rotunda; 30 of the 67 students were from WVU.
« Members of WVU’s Microgravity Research Team spoke with Delegate Gary Howell from District 49 during Undergraduate Research Day. Pictured, from left, are Alex Squires, Mark James, Travis Corwell, and Delegate Howell.
Garrett earns scholarship from Society of American Military Engineers
Lt. Col. Jeremy Anfinson; Jacky Prucz, interim chair of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering; Andrew Garrett; Warren Myers, associate dean for academic affairs.
Garrett, a native of Ripley, W.Va., is active in the University’s Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (AFROTC). He maintains a 3.63 grade point average in his major and has been awarded the AFROTC Achievement Award, the American Veterans Award, and the AFROTC Academic Achievement Award three consecutive semesters (fall 2008, spring 2009, fall 2009). A Cadet Flight Commander, Garrett led 20 freshmen cadets and was responsible for
teaching and developing the cadets in Air Force basics (marching, drill, customs, and courtesies), as well as helping to integrate them into the AFROTC Program during their first semester at WVU. This semester, Garrett is the Special Projects Officer, and is in charge of planning, executing, and completing various projects within the cadet wing such as the Detachment coin, Detachment cleanup, Cadet 17 of the Month Program, and Flag Details. Volume 7 Issue 1
Andrew Garrett, an aerospace engineering major at WVU, was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Society of American Military Engineers.
“Cadet Garrett stands out among his peers across the board,” said Lt. Col. Jeremy Anfinson, commander, Detachment 915. “He is a natural leader and exceptionally sharp in all areas. He is definitely deserving of this recognition.”
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STUDENT NEWS
WVU aerospace doctoral candidate receives prestigious fellowship for women
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
BY CATE MIHELIC
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Kerri Phillips, a doctoral candidate in aerospace engineering, received an Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International, which works to advance the status of women worldwide. A native of Weirton, W.Va., Phillips completed her undergraduate education at West Virginia University. She decided to remain at the University and focus her research in developing flight controls for aircraft to maintain safe flight in the event of a failure. The Amelia Earhart Fellowship has enabled her to conduct this research, which will culminate in May 2011 when she defends her dissertation. Phillips accepted this award in Akron, Ohio, at the Zonta International District 5 meeting, where she also received her flight wings. During her acceptance speech, Phillips thanked all of the women who have encouraged her to pursue her dreams. “Sometimes in West Virginia, whether it is a small steel town or a coal mining town, kids need a little encouragement—that extra nudge to tell them that there is a whole world out there for them if they work hard,” noted Phillips. “I want to serve as that inspiration to let young girls know that anything is possible.” “Kerri has been an inspiration already for many young women, and I know she will continue to be throughout her professional career,” said Gene
KERRI PHILLIPS
Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Other accolades that Phillips has earned include being named a Swiger Doctoral Fellow, Barry M. Goldwater Scholar, USA Today All-College Academic Third Team, WVU Honors College Nath Outstanding Senior, WVU Presidential and PROMISE Scholar, as well as being inducted into the Order of the Augusta. Phillips has accepted a position at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, in Baltimore, Md., as a senior staff technical analyst. Established in 1938 in honor of famed pilot and Zontian, Amelia Earhart, the Amelia Earhart Fellowship is awarded annually to women pursuing Ph.D./ doctoral degrees in aerospace-related sciences and aerospace-related engineering who demonstrate a superior academic record. The Fellowship of $10,000, awarded to 35 Fellows around the globe each year, may be used at any university or college offering accredited post-graduate courses and degrees in these fields. Zonta International was founded in 1919 and has more than 31,000 members in 66 countries.
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WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
WVU to compete in Second Annual Lunabotics Mining Competition Encouraged by retired NASA astronaut Captain Jon McBride BY CATE MIHELIC
Under the mentorship of former astronaut Jon McBride, West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources will compete in its first Lunabotics Mining Competition.
“The reason for this competition is to prepare for mining of minerals and various raw material that are essential to the long-term human presence on the moon and other planetary bodies,” said Dr. Majid Jaraiedi, director of NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium/NASA West Virginia Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. “Eventually, technologies such as this will make sustainable human settlement on the moon and Mars a possibility.” The WVU Lunabotics Team, formed at the beginning of the year, consists of 15 engineering students—six graduate and nine undergraduate—and faculty advisor, Dr. Powsiri Klinkhachorn, a professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. The team, a multidisciplinary group, represents computer and electrical engineering, as well as mechanical and aerospace engineering. The team is also collaborating with the Mining and Civil Engineering departments.
“I am honored that McBride, a son of West Virginia who has achieved so much for his country and state, would take the time to mentor us,” said Ben Knabenshue, student team leader. “The meeting was great; he gave us a very inspiring talk and some great feedback on our preliminary designs.” Currently, 54 teams are registered for the competition, which will take place May 23-28, 2011, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. “We have an amazing team, and I think that we have an excellent opportunity to bring home a victory for WVU,” noted Knabenshue. WVU’s Lunabotics team is sponsored by NASA’s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, and the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. For more information about the competition, visit www.nasa.gov/offices/education/centers/kennedy/technology/lunabotics.html.
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NASA’s second annual Lunabotics Competition challenges teams from around the world to design and build a remote controlled excavation robot that is capable of collecting and depositing a minimum of 10 kilograms of “lunar simulant”—simulated moon soil—within 15 minutes. Other competition categories include a technical paper, outreach project, slide presentation, and team spirit.
At a meeting on January 27, the Lunabotics Team presented its design and initial planning to retired astronaut Captain Jon McBride, a CEMR alum. As an unofficial technical advisor and mentor, McBride, a member of the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Encounter team, was able to offer critiques and advice to the team.
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STUDENT NEWS WVU students engaged with international peers in research program BY CATE MIHELIC
The course was part of the annual Swedish Research School in Tribology that brings together top doctoral students from Sweden and Europe for advanced study under the direction of world experts from academia and industry. Aaron Kessman and Nick Morris are doctoral candidates in mechanical engineering at WVU and both are recipients of prestigious graduate fellowships from the National Science Foundation. These awards include a $30,000 annual stipend and a $10,000 cost of education allowance that enabled them to take part in this program, along with 35 students from Sweden, Portugal, and the Netherlands. The course was led by world-renowned professors and practitioners from the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Japan.
ENGINEERINGWV
“This program was a wonderful opportunity to be on the cutting edge,” Morris said. “It gives you a different perspective to study with other people from around the world.”
Spring 2011
BY CATE MIHELIC
More than 1,000 participants weathered the cold to watch pumpkins drop from the roof of the Engineering Sciences Building as part of the 23rd Annual Pumpkin Drop.
In September, two WVU students spent a week in Sweden taking part in a graduate program in Boundary Lubrication and Tribo-Chemistry at Lulea Technological University.
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Annual Pumpkin Drop a smash hit
The event, which is sponsored by the West Virginia University student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, challenges teams to create a contraption that would help a pumpkin survive an 11-story drop onto a target. More than 160 pumpkins were launched off the roof. First place went to a team from Suncrest Middle School with pumpkin number 157, submitted by Sami Kanj and Sebastion Bravo. Their pumpkin landed intact and within 2 feet 7 inches of the target. Second place was awarded to Morgantown Learning Academy’s “The Pumpkings.” The pumpkin was submitted by Sevanna Kisko, Emily Ward, Nico Toro, Olivia Sidwell, and Ellis Works. It landed 3 feet 7 inches from the target. The third place winners were the “Skittle Ninjas” from Doddridge County Middle School. Submitted by Ty Edgeworth, Dustin Jones, Michael Blankenship, and John Wyckoff, the pumpkin landed 3 feet 10 inches away from the target. “This was one of the largest contests we have had,” said Pat Goldie, one of the event’s coordinators. “We had more than 1,000 students participate from all over the state. It was cold, but everyone stuck around.”
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Proceeds from the Pumpkin Drop’s entry fees benefited Morgantown’s Ronald McDonald House.
Both Morris and Kessman are supervised by Dr. Darran Cairns, assistant professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering. “We have some superb graduate students at WVU who have made a choice to study here despite offers to study elsewhere,” said Cairns. “The ability to take part in global programs like the Swedish Tribology School help to enrich their graduate school experience and prepare them for productive careers in internationally competitive fields.”
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WVU President James Clements
Third annual Trunk-or-Treat sponsored by IIE
BY CATE MIHELIC
This past Halloween, monsters, ghosts, and superheroes haunted the West Virginia University Shell Building next to the Coliseum in search of candy. The third annual Trunk-or-Treat was hosted by the student chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE).
“IIE organizes this event to give local children a safe and central location to come out and ‘Trunk-or-Treat,’” said IIE President Daniel Norris. “It’s also a great opportunity for student organizations to get involved in the local community.”
Despite cold, rainy weather, students from various organizations across the University handed out candy from the trunks of their decorated cars to more than 2,500 costume-clad children, nearly tripling last year’s attendance of 900.
IIE is the world’s largest professional society dedicated solely to the support of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involved with improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, IIE is an international, nonprofit association that provides leadership for the application, education, training, research, and development of industrial engineering.
ALUMNI NEWS
STATLER INDUCTED INTO ACADEMY OF DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Retired coal executive and College of Engineering and Mineral Resources graduate Benjamin M. Statler was one of three members inducted into the West Virginia University Alumni Association Academy of Distinguished Alumni. The ceremony, which took place on February 4, honors graduates who have attained national or international distinction in their profession or discipline. Statler was born and raised in Monongalia County. A third-generation coal miner, he received his bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from WVU in 1973. While at WVU, Statler began his career at CONSOL Energy as a laborer on the night shift. “I can remember how he would drag himself into the classroom after working the night shift at the coal mines,” said Sam Ameri, professor and chair of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at WVU and a classmate of Statler’s. “He worked hard throughout his time at WVU and brought his work ethics to every undertaking in his life.” For 30 years, Statler held various positions at CONSOL Energy before retiring as senior vice president of mining in 1999. He then started his own mining company, PinnOak Resources LLC, serving as president and CEO until he sold the company in 2007.
“During my career, I have seen a lot of engineering and technology advances in mining that have made the U.S. coal industry safer and more productive,” said Statler. “Many of those advances were the result of work done here at WVU by a group of distinguished and accomplished faculty in our engineering school. Other advances were achieved by engineers who trained here and then went on to hold significant leadership positions in many of this country’s greatest mining or mining equipment companies. “Based on my 40 years of experience, I can say, without fear of contradiction, that West Virginia University has produced some of the best mining engineers in the world.” Today, Statler and his wife, Jo, are successful entrepreneurs and they maintain strong ties to their community and to WVU. In 2007, the Statler’s
announced a $25 million gift to WVU, the single largest gift to the University. The gift has provided cancer research, academic enhancements, and athletic improvements for the University and its students. Their generous contribution to the WVU Alumni Association helped the new alumni center became a reality. In recognition of their support, Statler Wilson Commons now serves as the official home of The Erickson Alumni Center and Raymond J. Lane Park. “You know, being able to maintain a relationship with the University throughout my career, and now to be in a position to give back to it, has been one of the great joys in my life,” Statler said. “Jo and I have tried to support several aspects of University life, from academics, to athletics, to the facilities of this Alumni Center,” Statler said. “Others will choose different things—things of interest to them. But regardless of what they support or the level to which they can support it; and regardless of whether they give their money or just their time, it is the act of giving ... this continued connectivity between Alumni and the University that will keep WVU strong.” “He is a proud alumnus of the College and he has served his alma mater in many ways over the years,” Cilento said. “He has actively served on the Department of Mining Engineering Visiting Committee and has provided significant advice and counsel to me as dean. Ben currently serves on the WVU Foundation Board of Directors, and he has taken leadership roles in several professional organizations within the coal mining community.” Statler has received awards from the Department of Mining Engineering and was a distinguished Poundstone Lecturer in 2006. He and Jo were named “Most Loyal West Virginians” in 2007 and “Outstanding Philanthropists” in 2008, and were granted a WVU honorary doctoral degree in 2009. “It is my hope that I will always be a part of WVU and be able to help the University achieve its vision for scholarship, research, and outreach,” Statler concluded. “Just as the University is leading the way in Health Sciences, my hope is that WVU will also become recognized as THE energy engineering college in the country—producing engineers with the skills and abilities to help meet the challenges we face as a state, nation and world, and also who carry in them the unquenchable desire to make a difference.” Joining Statler in this year’s class were the Al Zamil family of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and Dr. Kimberly Weaver, an astrophysicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.
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“Under his leadership, PinnOak grew in production capacity, exceeding 7 million tons of metallurgical coal annually,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “His company employed the latest technology available to the industry, resulting in cleaner, higher-quality coal that is more efficient and safer to mine.”
Nancy DiPaolo, chair, WVU Alumni Association Board of Directors, welcomes Benjamin M. Statler to the WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni.
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ALUMNI NEWS
BABE
CILENTO
FISCHER
DeWITT
THREE WITH TIES TO ENGINEERING INDUCTED INTO STATE BUSINESS HALL OF FAME BY LINDSAY BAILEY
The West Virginia Business Hall of Fame has welcomed three new inductees, all of whom have strong ties to West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. CEMR graduates Gregory S. Babe and Thomas J. DeWitt, and friend of the College, Dr. Addison M. Fischer, were inducted into the Hall of Fame as top business leaders during a ceremony held in November.
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
Babe, president and CEO of Bayer Corp. and Bayer MaterialScience LLC, is responsible for the North American activities of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care, nutrition, and high-tech materials group based in Germany. Babe also chairs the Bayer Political Action Committee and the Bayer USA Foundation. For five years he also served as the executive sponsor of the Bayer Diversity Advisory Council.
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Babe currently serves on the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers and American Chemistry Council. In addition, he serves on the Allegheny Conference on Community Development’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee and on West Virginia University’s Foundation Board. A native of West Virginia, he holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering. DeWitt is a partner, president, and CEO of Swanson Industries Inc., a manufacturing, re-manufacturing, metal finishing, engineered products, and distribution company headquartered in Morgantown, W.Va., with 10 operating companies in the United States and one joint venture company in Shanghai, China. Under the leadership of DeWitt and his partners Swanson has grown nearly 10-fold since 1995 and now has 742 employees. DeWitt is also senior managing director of, and a partner in, Tiefenbach North America LLC, a Morgantown joint venture that provides electro-hydraulic controls and other products for the mining industry. DeWitt earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering at CEMR. Fischer founded Fischer International Systems Corp. and serves as its chairman. As major owner of RSA Data Security, he founded VeriSign, the internationally recognized standard of Internet commerce integrity. In addition to his business interests, he is involved in preserving the environment, resources, health, and freedom. In 2005, Fischer began supporting and working closely with Dr. Jane Goodall and her worldwide conservation efforts. He presently serves as a board member of the Jane Goodall Institute. He received a degree in mathematics from WVU. The West Virginia Business Hall of Fame celebrates those who have demonstrated accomplishments in the world of business and provide inspiration for entrepreneurs and business leaders of the future.
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The Glen H. Hiner Distinguished Lecture Series is named in honor of the outstanding alumnus who, in 2005, established an endowment to support the deanship of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University. Glen H. Hiner graduated from WVU’s Department of Electrical Engineering in 1957, then embarked on an outstanding 35-year career with General Electric. In 1992, he became chief executive officer of Owens Corning. He has served on several College of Engineering and Mineral Resources advisory committees, as a visiting professor in the WVU College of Business and Economics, and as a member of the WVU Foundation Board of Directors.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED DIVERSITY EXPERT DELIVERS HINER LECTURE
HINER
Dr. Shelby Steele, the Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, spoke in October as part of the Glen H. Hiner Distinguished Lecture Series in the College. Steele’s lecture was entitled, “Is Diversity a Threat to Our Common Values?” Steele, who is known for his writings on race and social issues both in American society and the larger world, said that diversity does not achieve intellectual stimulation. Rather, it breeds a kind of fearfulness and uniformity.
Steele focused his remarks on affirmative action and its effects on the very people it tries to help. “I remember writing an essay some years ago on affirmative action … I remember a student I talked to on one campus who told me he was a math major. He said, ‘You know, I’m really good at math. I’m good at math, but in my
CLEMENTS
math class, I feel like I have an AA stamp on my forehead. People think I’m here because I’m black, not because I’m a good math student ...’ “How did we come to this place as a society? How did we become a people who could disregard some of our most sacred principles and human dignity itself?” Citing examples of hypocrisy through history, Steele noted that in the 1960s, out of desperation, America created what he called the “idea of the good.” Ideas like school busing, affirmative action, multiculturalism, diversity, and the creation of welfare served to undermine personal freedom. “I think that what’s wrong with ‘ideas of the good’ is that they flatten people out into groups,” Steele said. “Diversity causes you to fail to see the human being, the individual, and what talent that person has or what talents they may not have, what they need to develop and so forth. It becomes a pernicious, dehumanizing policy. “ Ideally, Steele said he would rather have a single standard that is flexible, fair, and that accounts for people only as individuals. “If our institutions were devoted to that, to creating a single standard, I think we could begin to get somewhere in society.”
STEELE
Steele received the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1990 for his book, The Content of Our Character. Other publications include White Guilt: How Blacks and Whites Together Destroyed the Promise of the Civil Rights Era, A Dream Deferred: The Second Betrayal of Black Freedom in America, and A Bound Man. He has written extensively for major publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Newsweek, and Fortune, as was, for many years a contributing editor at Harper’s Magazine. He has appeared on national current affairs news programs like Nightline, 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, and C-Span with Brian Lamb. Steele has also written and narrated two documentaries: “Jefferson’s Blood” for Frontline (WGBH, Boston, 2003) and “Seven Days in Bensonhurst” for Frontline (1980), which received an Emmy, the Writer’s Guild Award, and the San Francisco Film Festival Award. In 2004 he was awarded the National Humanities Medal, and in 2006, he received the Bradley Prize for his contributions to the study of race and social policy in America.
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“Diversity promises to bring mutual respect between different groups, races, ethnicities, the two genders, and so forth,” said Steele. “But in reality, it breeds a kind of low-level resentment because it functions by coercion rather than by persuasion. Ironically, rather than bringing people of different backgrounds together, it oftentimes causes one group to feel resentful of what seems to be an advantage given to another group.”
CILENTO
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ALUMNI NEWS
William N. Poundstone Lecture Series hosts namesake
WILLIAM N. POUNDSTONE
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
The esteemed namesake of the Department of Mining Engineering’s William N. Poundstone Lecture Series served as its 2010 speaker.
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William N. Poundstone, consultant and retired executive vice president of Consolidation Coal Company, delivered his presentation, “My Career in Coal,” in September at Erickson Alumni Center. During his career with CONSOL, Poundstone held positions ranging from timberman to belt foreman to assistant to the vice president of operations before becoming executive vice president in 1965. He is the holder of 34 U.S. patents and has authored numerous technical publications. Also, he has served as spokesman for the coal industry in testimony at numerous Congressional hearings on environmental and mining research matters. Poundstone, who retired in 1982, has received many awards and honors throughout his career including being inducted into the West Virginia Coal Miners Hall of Fame and being recognized by the North American Coalbed Methane Forum for his pioneering work on development of drilling techniques for coal seam degasification, mine safety and coalbed product. He has also been awarded the 1991 COMER Outstanding Alumni of the Year, as well as an Honorary Degree from WVU in 1981. The WVU Department of Mining Engineering established the William N. Poundstone Lecture Series in 2000 to honor Poundstone, a distinguished alumnus of the department, and to bring mining industry experts to campus to share their expertise with students and faculty.
WILLIAM McCARTNEY
WVU Foundation board member delivers CEMR Distinguished Lecture William “Bill” McCartney, West Virginia University Foundation Board member and energy trader with Vitol Capital Management, presented a lecture entitled, “Marcellus Shale: Alternative Ideas for Career Opportunities,” as part of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture was held in February. McCartney received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from WVU in 1995. He began his career as a system planning engineer with CNG Transmission (now Dominion Transmission) and later began trading natural gas at CNG Energy Services. Since moving to Houston in 1998, McCartney has worked for some of the leading companies in energy trading including Pacific Gas & Electric, Texaco, and El Paso, managing significant natural gas asset portfolios. He currently manages a crude oil and natural gas derivatives portfolio. Since 2004, McCartney has held several positions at Vitol, including leading the acquisition and eventual sale of natural gas storage and transportation assets valued at more than $250 million. McCartney with his wife, Christine, serve as co-presidents of the WVU Alumni Chapter of Houston, focusing the group on volunteering and capital contribution development during their tenure.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
CEMR alum gives McNair Scholars Lecture
JON McBRIDE
BY BETTY MEI JON HAMMOCK
KeyLogic President and CEO presented Distinguished Lecture Jon Hammock, president and chief executive officer of KeyLogic Systems, Inc., presented a lecture on Thursday, November 4, to a packed audience in the Engineering Science Building. Hammock’s lecture was entitled, “Charting Your Course: Successfully Navigating Through Transformation.” With more than 20 years of technical and management experience, Hammock has proven that he has the ability to provide strategic planning, systems engineering, contract management, recruiting, financial analysis, and technical project management.
Hammock has a proven history of delivering high-quality, successful IT projects within budget and on schedule. At KeyLogic, he has a special focus on ensuring customer satisfaction and establishing new client relationships. Hammock has a bachelors degree in computer science from West Virginia University and an MBA from the University of South Carolina. Before founding KeyLogic, he worked for General Electric, DuPont, and Westinghouse.
McBride, an alumnus of WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources,, spoke about his time as an astronaut and the life of Ronald E. McNair in a presentation titled, “Triumph to Tragedy to Triumph.” McNair was one of the astronauts who lost his life on the Challenger. “We encouraged not only the WVU community, but also local families to attend the event with their children so they could meet the astronaut, and also learn about a part of U.S. history and the McNair scholars program,” said Betty Mei, assistant director of WVU’s McNair scholars program. “The sacrifice which Dr. Ronald E. McNair made has brought wonderful changes in many students’ lives. This is a special time to give tribute to Dr. McNair.” McBride began his career as an astronaut at NASA in 1979. His assignments for NASA have included lead chase pilot for the maiden voyage of Columbia; software verification in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory; capsule communicator for Space Shuttle missions five, six, and seven; Flight Data File manager; and orbital rendezvous procedure development. He was scheduled to command a crew in March 1986, but his flight was one of many deferred by NASA after the Challenger accident earlier that year. Currently McBride is a member of the Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Encounter team. He retired from NASA and the Navy in 1989. He has logged more than 8,800 hours of flying time, including 4,700 hours in jet aircraft. The U.S. Congress launched the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program in McNair’s memory shortly after the accident occurred. The program, which targets low-income, first-generation and underrepresented students, encourages undergraduate students to enroll in graduate studies in order to earn a doctoral degree.
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He has led numerous leading-edge information technology projects including large enterprise systems, data warehouses, document management solutions, e-portals, system integrations and conversion of legacy systems for clients including the Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and Department of Energy.
It has been 25 years since the Challenger space shuttle broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean killing all of its crew members. On January 27, West Virginia University’s Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program commemorated the anniversary with retired astronaut Captain Jon McBride.
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ALUMNI NEWS
ZACH JOHNSON
INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE AND SOCCER PLAYER DRAFTED BY LA GALAXY
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
BY CATE MIHELIC
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Zach Johnson, a recent industrial engineering graduate, was taken in the third round of the Major League Soccer supplemental draft by the Los Angeles Galaxy.
80 games and ranks fourth in all-time saves with 282. In 2007, Johnson recorded 13 shutouts in the season, surpassing the 2005 record of 12.
Johnson, of Lumberton, N.J., was one of the most prolific goalies in West Virginia University history. He had 36 career shutouts and earned All-Big East first-team honors in 2008. He was a second-team pick in 2009 and 2010.
In 2008, Johnson was named Big East Goalkeeper of the Year. He has also been a Big East Academic All-Star and a member of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll.
“Congratulations to Zach on his selection by the LA Galaxy,” said West Virginia coach Marlon LeBlanc. “He has certainly proven himself to be a quality goalkeeper during his career at WVU. “I am also pleased that our program is consistently developing players for the next level. We provide our student-athletes with the best resources to achieve their goals on the field and in the classroom. Zach is the perfect example of that.” Johnson is the all-time leader in career goals-against average with 0.71. He also broke the total goalkeeper minutes for a career with 7,548, started and played in
Johnson is the seventh Mountaineer and fifth under LeBlanc to be drafted professionally.
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Job search websites for students and alumni MountaineerTRAK is WVU’s job search portal for students and alumni. To get access to MountaineerTRAK, please send an email to Lloyd.Ford@mail.wvu.edu. Another resource is the WVU CEMR Group at LinkedIn www.cemr.wvu.edu/linkedinwvucemr. If you have any questions, please contact Lloyd Ford at 304.293.4370.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
SUPPORT
It started as an idea called “Bucks for Brains” that sought to invest in the future of West Virginia. It became a state initiative called the Research Trust Fund (RTF). The fund matches state dollars with private donations in an effort to encourage university research and leverage private giving. This dollar-for-dollar match is only available through March 8, 2015. The fund supports research in advanced energy initiatives, biomedical and health research, nanotechnology and material science, and security and intelligence. RTF creates an incentive for donors to support certain priority areas of study that align with WVU’s research priorities—efforts that enhance the long-term research objectives and stimulate research-based economic development and economic diversification. The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources recently received the following gifts, which were matched with Research Trust Funds:
THE MICHAEL BAKER CORPORATION ENDOWMENT IN CIVIL AND
Fund Matches Gifts in Priority Areas: • Advanced Energy Initiatives • Biomedical and Health Research • Nanotechnology and Material Science • Security and Intelligence
The Michael Baker Corporation, an engineering and consulting services firm headquartered in Moon Township, Pa., established this endowment to support research in the areas of energy and environment in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The endowment also created the Michael Baker Corporation Laboratory in Civil and Environmental Engineering, an engineering structure lab, housed in the Engineering Sciences Building. The new laboratory will be officially dedicated at an event planned for fall 2011.
JAMES BERGEN AND RANDY MONTEITH ANDERSON RESEARCH ENDOWMENT Ray Monteith Anderson established this endowment in memory of his parents, Randy Monteith Anderson and James Bergen, to support students and energy research by the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.
VIRGINIA OIL AND GAS RESEARCH ENDOWMENT Mike Ellis, CE ’78, vice president of Virginia Oil and Gas, established this endowment to support students and energy research in the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering in relation to Appalachian shales.
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DONORS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESEARCH TRUST FUND MATCH
ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING
DARRELL (BSPNGE ’65) AND DIANE WILLIAMS RESEARCH ENDOWMENT Darrell Williams and his wife, Diane, established the Darrell and Diane Williams Research Endowment to support students and energy research in the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering in relation to Appalachian shales. To learn more about making a private gift to support the Research Trust Fund of West Virginia University, contact Dawn Sandone, director of development in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, at 304.293.4036 or via email at Dawn.Sandone@mail.wvu.edu.
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SUPPORT
ALUMNUS MAKES WVU
SAFETY MANAGERS’ TOMMY STUCHELL
PART OF HIS ESTATE PLAN
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ESTABLISHES SCHOLARSHIP
BY DEBORAH MILLER
Both family and education have played important roles in Tommy Stuchell’s life. Now vice president of Strategic Development for NuStar Energy in San Antonio, he often remembers how both of his parents stressed the importance of education. “All three of my siblings earned at least one degree from WVU, too,” said Stuchell. Originally from Preston County, Stuchell graduated from West Virginia University in 1987 with a degree in electrical engineering. He also holds a law degree and an MBA from schools in Texas. “I tell folks all the time that if I could relive any part of my life, it would be my time at WVU,” Stuchell said. “I made friends and have memories that will last my lifetime. “When it was time to update my estate plan, I immediately thought of WVU,” he added. While including a gift provision in a will is an easy option, naming the WVU Foundation as the future beneficiary of retirement accounts, life insurance, annuity policies, and other estate assets also works well. Through good planning, Stuchell established the Thomas D. Stuchell Engineering Endowment in 2010. His estate will also supplement the fund later. “I wanted to do something to honor the memory of my dad while helping others in the Lane Department, now and for years to come,” Stuchell said. “Naming an endowment fund after him was a great way to meet both objectives. “Although I have spent most of my adult life in Texas, West Virginia and WVU have never been far from my heart,” Stuchell added. “WVU has meant so much to the Stuchell family.”
The board of directors for the International HAROLD M. GORDON Board for the Certification of Safety Managers has established an annual scholarship to be presented to a student studying the discipline at a master’s level at West Virginia University. Dr. Daniel Della-Giustina, professor of safety management in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, will coordinate the application and selection requirements for the University. The $1,000 Harold M. Gordon Hazard Control Management Scholarship is named in honor of Harold M. Gordon, who established the certified hazard control manager credential in 1976 and served as the executive director of the Board of Hazard Control Management (BCHCM) until his retirement in 2007. Gordon currently serves as the chair of the organization’s board of directors. “Gordon’s foresight about the importance of individual safety credentials, along with advocacy using management principles to prevent loss, makes this award very compatible to the outstanding graduate safety management degree offered by WVU,” said Jim Tweedy, executive director of BCHCM.
Spring 2011
ENGINEERINGWV
IN MEMORIAM
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STAFF SERGEANT NICK OLIVER Staff Sergeant Nick Oliver, 88, of Morgantown,
W.Va., passed away on February 5, after a long battle with cancer. A native of Belle Vernon, Pa., Oliver enrolled at West Virginia University after being discharged from the Marine Corps following his service in World War II. He graduated with honors in 1949 with a degree in electrical engineering. Oliver enjoyed a long career in industry, working with CONSOL Coal Co., Chrysler Missile Division, RCA, Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Co., and U.S. Steel Corp. in positions that took him around the world. He retired in 1992 from the U.S. Department of Energy in Bruceton, Pa., where he served as manager of engineering and construction for more than 20 years. Following retirement, Oliver established a VFW Post in Belle Vernon, worked as an instructor of electrical technology at the Monongalia County Technical Education Center in Morgantown, and was named Veteran of the Year 2010 for Monongalia County.
Oliver is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Theresa Silletta; three children; six grandchildren; two sisters; and five brothers.
STANLEY FARR
DAVE RIDENOUR
A native of Lochgelly, W.Va., Farr enrolled at WVU, majoring in chemical engineering. A member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corp, he was called up to serve in World Work II as a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineering in the Pacific. He returned to WVU to complete his degree and continued to serve in the U.S. Army Reserves, organizing both an engineering company and a research and development company in Morgantown. He retired from the reserves at the rank of major.
David Ridenour, 47, of Vernon, Wisc., passed away unexpectedly on October 13. An accomplished small-bore rifle shooter, Ridenour received an athletic scholarship to West Virginia University, and was the first person in the United States to earn an NRA Collegiate All-American Award in two sports for four consecutive years. After earning his bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from WVU in 1986, Ridenour worked as a software engineer for Rockwell Automation, where he received an innovation award for his contributions. His personal interests included sailing, scuba diving, traveling, and cooking and sharing wine with friends. He is survived by his wife of 10 years, Marge; his father, Donald; and many other relatives.
Stan Farr, 90, of Morgantown, W.Va., passed away on March 2, at the Naval Hospital of Pensacola, Fla.
Farr went onto earn a master’s degree from WVU in physics and he taught in the department for many years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Valenda Vonceil McCutcheon Farr; three sons; six grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.
NEWS OF NOTE STUDENTS Sean Adams, a senior computer science major, recently received the Department of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program yearly scholarship, which provides full tuition, a monthly stipend, books, a guaranteed summer internship, and a guaranteed job upon completion of his degree. Adams will work for the Department of Defense after graduation. Nicco Campriani, an industrial engineering senior, had a perfect 600 score in a recent NCAA rifle match against Alaska. This has occurred only once before in NCAA history. At this match, his combined score was the best in the nation, and he broke three WVU records. Computer science majors James Mantheiy and Ying-Wooi Wan were recently awarded scholarships from the computer science honorary Upsilon Pi Epsilon. Rob Murphy, a mechanical engineering graduate student from Beckley, W.Va., has earned the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellowship from the Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown. Murphy has been active with the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, as well as recruiting for the College. Byron Patterson, a mechanical and aerospace engineering major from Upper Black Eddy, Penn., has been awarded a U.S. Department of Homeland Security Undergraduate Scholarship. Eleven scholarships were awarded nationwide. WVU’s student chapter of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration was named first runner-up in the 2010 student chapter contest and the first-place winner of the SME GEM student chapter contest. The students will be recognized at this year’s annual meeting in Denver. For the second year in a row, the West Virginia University student chapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers took Best Chapter and Best Paper honors at their regional conference held in Knoxville, Tenn. The chapter is led by Dan Norris; top paper honors went to Victoria Phillips. Forty-one students from WVU attended the conference, accompanied by Dr. Majid Jaraiedi.
ALUMNI Michelle and Stan Cardwell, BSME ’84, recently adopted Lazarus Ojoo Cardwell, age 15. Lazarus lost both his parents in the civil war in northern Uganda. He joins older sisters, Rachel, 18, and Rebecca, 16, and brother, Daniel, 15, in the Cardwell family.
John Klim, BSME ’95, was named as the new chief facility engineer at the VA Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. He is in charge of all facility operations including the physical plant, capital construction projects, and biomedical engineering. Edward Lewis, BSChE ’88, was promoted to the position of principal engineer with Canon Virginia, Inc., Canon’s major North American manufacturing facility in Newport News, Va. He has worked for Canon for more than 16 years and spent the past several years working with engineers in Japan starting up a $750 million facility on the Virginia campus. Since joining Canon, he completed his master’s degree in materials science and engineering from the University of Virginia and a professional degree in engineering management from George Washington University. This past summer, Lewis served as one of the trap range instructors at the 100th anniversary National Boyscout Jamboree.
Steven R. Marcus, MSChE ’80, is celebrating 30 years of employment with the West Virginia operations of the Dow Chemical Company. He currently works in the ethylene oxide technical center’s licensing department. John R. Pinion, II, BSME ’88, has transitioned to a new leadership position as a result of the integration of Genentech and Roche. He is the senior vice president of quality and compliance for all pharmaceutical and biotechnology technical operations. His wife, Penny, and their two sons, Johnny, 11, and Michael, 7, recently moved from San Francisco to Basel, Switzerland. Steven R. Sawyer, MSSM, ’05, has completed the requirements for certification as a Certified Safety Professional. Sawyer, who has worked in the safety industry for 10 years, is employed as a safety consultant for KFSA in Hutchinson, Kan. Sarah (Lovell) Soliman, BSCpE ’07, was married on October 10, 2010, in Greenbrier County, W.Va. Dr. David Statler, PhD ChE ’08, was presented with the Mid-Atlantic Technology, Research, and Innovation Center’s (MATRIC) Star Employee award in the area of chemical and environmental technologies. F. David Wilkin, BSAE ’67, MSAE ’69 (and EdD Harvard University, ‘80) retired July 2010. Working as an aerospace engineer early in his career, Wilkin transitioned to higher education, serving community colleges for 37 years, 27 as president/chief officer. He is a member of the Irvin Stewart Society and was admitted to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of Aerospace Engineering in 2003. Wilkin and his wife, Erna, reside in Abingdon, Va.
FACULTY AND STAFF Mark Adkins, mining extension, won first place in mixed media public in the National Mine Academy’s Training Resources Applied to Mining Conference. He created a PowerPoint program used to train operators of diesel equipment used in the state’s underground mines. His presentation meets all of the regulations of state’s Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training. Chris Bise, chair of mining engineering, was selected to receive the AIME Mineral Industry Education Award at the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration 2011 Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Denver, Col. Parviz Famouri, professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, has been elected to serve as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nanotechnology Council’s vice president for technical activities. Dr. Keith Heasley has been named The Syd S. Peng Ground Control in Mining Award winner by the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. The award is presented annually to outstanding professionals who have demonstrated insight and understanding of ground control issues by developing concepts, theories, or technologies that have been adopted by the mining community or the successful implementation of ground control designs or practices. Jim Smith, director of the Center for Industrial Research Applications, and mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, was the keynote speaker at the AEROQPRO-2010 conference, sanctioned by the Society of Automotive Engineers-International. The theme of the conference, held in Mexico, was “strengthening ties between academia and industry in the aerospace area.”
Volume 7 Issue 1
Dr. Cheng Lok Hing, BSCE ’00, MSCE ’02, PhD CEE ’06, has been named the recipient of the Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for Professional Achievement by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Hing currently works for Michael Baker, Jr., Inc.
WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES
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Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Morgantown, WV Permit No. 34
WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources PO Box 6070, Morgantown, WV 26506-6070 Address correction requested
Save the Dates Lane Department Academy Banquet April 1 Mechanical and Aerospace Visiting Committee April 8
YOUR NEWS Send your professional news, photos, and/or contributions to engineeringwv@mail.wvu.edu, or to Alumni Notes, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia University, PO 6070, Morgantown, WV 265066070. You also may give online at www.cemr.wvu.edu/contribute. Name__________________________________________________________________
25th Anniversary of Chemical Engineering Academy April 14-15
Address________________________________________________________________
Mining Engineering Visiting Committee April 15
Email__________________________________________________________________
Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Visiting Committee April 15 College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Honors Day April 15 Civil and Environmental Engineering Academy April 29-30 Emeritus Luncheon May 6 Commencement May 14 College of Engineering Visiting Committee September 22-23 Poundstone Lecture September 22
City State Zip____________________________________________________________ Graduation Year_________Degree(s)_ _______________________________________ q YES, I want to support the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Enclosed is my contribution of: $____________ Thank you for your support. My news: ____________________________________________________
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