Capstone Engineer - Fall 2013

EngineerCapstone

Fall 2013

Through the Schoolhouse DoorsLike UA, the College has grown the past 50 years.

E n g i n E E r i n g H o m E c o m i n g 1 0 / 5 / 2 0 1 3

All engineering and computer science alumni and friends are

invited to join us as we carry on an engineering tradition of

the homecoming tailgate party. The college of Engineering

Tailgate Party will be oct. 5 three hours before kickoff on the

Science and Engineering Quad. Join us as we cheer for the

crimson Tide against the georgia State Panthers. roll Tide!

Visit eng.ua.edu/homecoming.

{ Capstone Engineer • Fall 2013 } 1

Features

12 COE Integration

16 International Ambassador

18 Function with Form

22 A 3D Printing Lab Open to Creativity

Departments2 Dean’s Message

3 Surveying the College noteworthy news and Research from Ua engineering

10 Currents events from around the College

26 Alumni Dynamics Items of Interest to Capstone engineers

35 Bits and Bytes The College from outside

36 End User Capstone engineers on today’s technology

37 Message from the CES

1 9 6 3 – 2 0 1 3C O U R A G E • C H A N G E • P RO G R E S S

2 { The University of Alabama }

Dear Alumni and Friends,one of the first great engineers in this state was Horace King, a slave who earned freedom through designing and constructing bridges, buildings and public-works projects across the antebellum south. The bridges he oversaw were innovative for the time, and he ran the state’s first sawmill with a new method for cutting wood.

african-americans have a proud history of engineering and science achievement in alabama even though King and generations after him were barred from alabama’s flagship institution, which meant the loss of generations of ideas and creativity.

This year, The University of alabama has marked the 50th anniversary of the doors opening to african-americans, along with students from all backgrounds. now, Ua ranks third among 50 flagship institutions for the percentage of total degrees conferred to african-american students.

Change on campus brought diversity to the College of engineering as well. The College strives to better our profession and engineering through inclusion of all backgrounds.

engineering education is a crucial part of the pipeline in getting diversity of thought into the process of innovation. The profession and society improve when people of all views and backgrounds are represented. When students come from similar backgrounds, there is a tendency for single-minded group think. The more diverse a classroom, lab or project for our students, the more ideas expressed. engineers and computer scientists know that in problem solving, different approaches often yield better solutions.

our students graduate into a global marketplace of ideas, and they benefit from exposure to peers of all races, backgrounds and viewpoints. Diversity is a powerful engine for creativity, and we are committed to that ideal.

Dr. Charles L. KarrDean

Capstone Engineering Society 205-348-2452Milton A. Davis, Chair, Board of Directors • Charles L. Karr, PhD, Dean, College of Engineering • Nancy Holmes, Manager, Capstone Engineering Society • Adam Jones, Editor • Judah Martin, Writer • Issue No. 48 • Capstone Engineer is published in the spring and fall by the Capstone Engineering Society. • Tori E. Nelko, Designer • Benita Crepps, Proofreader • Jeff Hanson, Samantha Hernandez, Zach Riggins, Matthew Wood, Photography • Address correspondence to the editor: The University of Alabama, Capstone Engineering Society, College of Engineering, Box 870200, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0200 • Visit the College of Engineering website at www.eng.ua.edu. • The University of Alabama is an equal-opportunity educational institution/employer. • MC8521

Dean’s Message


Surveying the CollegeNoteworthy News and Research from UA Engineering

Surveying the College


University’s Goldwater Scholars are engineersall four University of alabama students recognized by the Barry M. Goldwater scholarship and excellence in education Foundation this year for accomplishments in their science and engineering studies are engineering students.

two of those students are part of the 2013 class of Goldwater scholars.

The foundation awarded scholarships for the 2013-14 academic year to Ria Domier and Josh Moon and selected Michael Bolus and David Gillespie honorable mention. Domier, Moon and Bolus are majoring in chemical engineering. Gillespie is majoring in electrical engineering and physics.

The 271 Goldwater scholars this year were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,107 mathematics, science and engineering students nominated by the faculties of colleges and universities nationwide. The Goldwater Foundation scholarship program was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in mathematics, natural sciences and engineering, and it is the premier undergraduate award of its type in these fields.

The one-year and two-year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees and books, along with room and board, up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Domier and Moon join six other students from the Ua College of engineering honored as Goldwater scholars since 2005.

“For the College of engineering to have two winners this year speaks volumes to the quality of the students in our College, the outstanding commitment of our faculty to education and the wonderful facilities we have on campus,” said Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of engineering.

College students recognized for researchThe national science Foundation selected five recent College of engineering graduates from among more than 13,000 applicants for its Graduate Research Fellowship program.

among 2,000 nsF graduate research fellows, the students from the College will receive financial support for graduate studies. The five College of engineering students include Hisham K. ali, of Muscle shoals, ala.; Jordan e. easter, of Cropwell, ala.; sarah e. Johnson, of Mesquite, texas; aeriel D. Murphy, of Wetumpka, ala.; and Drew springall of Montgomery, ala.

ali, who studied aerospace engineering, worked on the application of luminescent photoelastic coatings to measure the surface strain of complex objects and to integrate that technology with 3D printing. a mechanical engineering graduate, easter’s research at Ua was on combustion engines, working

Previous page: Completed this summer, the North Engineering Research Center is the final piece in the four-building science and engineering quad. Above: Ria Domier and Josh Moon, both studying chemical and biological engineering at The University of Alabama, are 2013 Goldwater Scholars.



on technologies to improve emissions and control combustion stability in small spark-ignited engines. Research activities on campus for Johnson, a mechanical engineering graduate, include improving performance and emissions of biodiesel and alcohol-based engine fuels.

Murphy, who studied metallurgical engineering, researched developing nanopatterned-graded media for hard-disk drives and also worked to determine the behavior of a type of magnesium alloy during casting. a computer science graduate, springall’s research activities on campus included improving a method of text retrieval in software source code and testing virtual password function, an emerging method of generating passwords, for security flaws.

Baker named head of aerospace engineering and mechanicsDr. John Baker became the head of the department of aerospace engineering and mechanics during the spring semester.

Baker has taught engineering at the University since 2001 and has been campus director for the alabama space Grant Consortium since 2004. also, the Ua national alumni association selected him for the outstanding Commitment to teaching award in 2007, the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching.

“His record of outstanding teaching, robust research and leadership make him more than qualified to serve as the head of the department of aerospace engineering and mechanics,” Dean Karr, said.

Before his appointment this semester, Baker was a professor in the department of mechanical engineering and an adjunct professor in the aerospace and mechanics department. Baker teaches thermodynamics courses at the undergraduate and graduate level, along with heat-transfer courses and elective courses in rocket propulsion and other space-exploration-related topics.

Baker said his top priority will be providing the best education possible for students while growing the aerospace engineering program and maintaining the quality, size and current momentum of the mechanics program. “Given the importance of the aerospace industry to the state of alabama, it is critical for us to be a resource for economic development in the state,” Baker said.

Hackney awarded to HaskewDr. tim a. Haskew, professor and head of the department of electrical and computer engineering, is the recipient of the 2013 t. Morris Hackney endowed Faculty Leadership award that honors a faculty member who exemplifies the constant guidance and leadership necessary to make the College of engineering exceptional.

Haskew joined the Ua faculty in 1991 as an assistant professor of electrical engineering. In 1997, he was tenured and

Dr. Tim A. Haskew, center with award, was the 2013 recipient of the T. Morris Hackney Endowed Faculty Leadership Award. Dr. Haskew is flanked by his family from left, son Austin Haskew, wife Ashley Haskew and son Logan Haskew.


Continued on page 6


promoted to associate professor, and in 2006, he was promoted to full professor. In 2012, Haskew was appointed head of the department of electrical and computer engineering after two years as interim head. He was also director of the electrical and computer engineering graduate program.

In the 1990s, Haskew and others secured grants from nasa and the national science Foundation to begin the electromechanical systems Laboratory at Ua. He has directed the lab since 2000 and oversaw its transition into the south engineering Research Center. Researchers in the lab have worked on thrust-vector control, hybrid-electric vehicles, electric-motor control, power-source integration, power electronics and renewable energy.

In appointing Haskew as department head, Dean Charles L. Karr said, “He brings an infectious excitement, a passion for young people and experience in research to the position.”

This award was created as a tribute to t. Morris Hackney and was made possible by the contributions from John H. Josey and his son, Howard Josey.

Students recognized for serviceThe College of engineering chapter of student engineers in action, formerly engineers Without Borders, has received the 2012 service project of the Year award for a home rebuilding project. each year, Ua’s Community service Center solicits nominations for service

project of the Year from community partners, as well as from Ua students, faculty and staff.

With the help of a $15,000 donation from state Farm Insurance Co., the student engineers in action worked in conjunction with Habitat for Humanity of Greensboro, ala., to transform an abandoned Centreville, ala., house into a comfortable home. The group then donated the property to a deserving family who had been living in a motel since a tornado destroyed their residence.

“We involved ourselves in the many aspects of the home rebuilding and worked closely with the family throughout our time at the house,” said Matt Weider, civil engineering student and project leader. “at the end of the day, it was not about rebuilding an abandoned home for the family, it was about rebuilding the lives and future for the family.”

Lunabotics team finishes strong in international competitionafter winning first place in the 2012 nasa Lunabotics Mining Competition, a team of students called alabama Lunabotics from Ua and shelton state Community College finished third place overall out of 50 international teams in the 2013 competition held at Kennedy space Center, Fla.

tasked with designing and building a robot capable of navigating through and excavating 10 kilograms of simulated lunar soil, teams were also judged on a host of other competencies.

Members of the 2013 Alabama Lunabotics team pose for a photo at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. The team, advised by Dr. Kenneth Ricks, far right, comprises students studying electrical, computer, mechanical, aerospace and chemical engineering.



alabama Lunabotics won first place in the technical engineering paper and first place in the technical presentation. During one of the team’s competition runs, a connector unexpectedly loosened and cut off control of the mining buckets. The empty run proved too costly to overcome, said Dr. Kenneth Ricks, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Ua and a team adviser.

“While the team was not satisfied finishing third, the week was a complete success as the Ua program received lots of recognition for their involvement,” Ricks said. “The Ua students did an outstanding job the entire week by representing Ua in a first-class manner.”

CS professor part of nationwide effort to spur graduate studiesThe University of alabama is one of seven universities recently chosen by the national science Foundation to launch the Institute for african-american Mentoring in Computing sciences, or iaaMCs.

With the iaaMCs program, nsF seeks to increase participation of black graduate-level students in computer science. Dr. Monica anderson, associate professor of computer science at the University, is a part of the program and has led several initiatives on campus for mentoring underrepresented minority students.

Future U.s. competitiveness relies upon the ability to leverage

the talents of a diverse population,” anderson said. “although jobs in computer-science-related fields will continue to grow over the next 10 years, there are projected shortfalls in computer scientists at all levels of education.”

The iaaMCs program operates under the premise that there exists a “leak in the pipe,” meaning many african-american undergraduate students simply do not return for graduate studies. The program seeks to guide those undergraduate students toward a path to advanced degrees. anderson described mentorship of undergraduate students as the lead strategy for the program since the pool of those students is sufficient.

New engineering building openedThe University of alabama opened the fourth and final phase of the science and engineering Center for the fall semester. The four-story building has about 206,000 gross square feet that includes 59 research laboratories, five instructional labs and a 7,000-square-foot clean room. Used nearly entirely by the College of engineering, the north engineering Research Complex will focus on research in materials characterization and technology, specifically in structural characterization, composite and nanocomposites, coatings and corrosion, materials processing, welding and joining, as well as electronic, magnetic and photonic devices. There will be more about the neRC in the spring issue of the Capstone Engineer.

Left: Members from the UA chapter of Student Engineers in Action work on renovating an abandoned house in Centreville, Ala., into a home for a displaced family. Right: Dr. Monica Anderson, left, talks with students in her robotics lab. Anderson is part of a national effort to spur minorities to pursue graduate studies in computer science.



AEM professor named ASME fellowDr. stanley e. Jones, the retired James R. Cudworth professor and University Research professor of aerospace engineering and Mechanics, was elected as a fellow of the american society of Mechanical engineers. Jones was elected for both his research contributions and his accomplishments as an educator. It is the highest honor offered to asMe members with significant contributions to engineering and at least 10 years of dedicated service to the society.

ChBE professor earns distinctionUa trustees named Dr. arunava Gupta, professor of chemistry and chemical and biological engineering, a Distinguished University Research professor. This title recognizes Ua faculty who have achieved international accomplishments with extensive peer recognition for their scholarly contributions and noteworthy academic service. Gupta is associate director of Ua’s Center for Materials for Information technology, or MInt, and known for investigating thin films and nanostructured materials for use in information technology and energy applications.

CE student wins NASA fellowshipThe nasa space technology Research Fellowship awarded civil engineering student Will Guin, BsCe ’13, a renewable fellowship for graduate school. The Winfield, ala., native will continue his graduate studies in the College, working with Dr. Jialai Wang, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering. With the program, nasa seeks to develop ties with researchers at universities and cultivate new, highly trained engineers and scientists by providing scholarships to graduate and doctoral students pursuing science, mathematics and engineering related to nasa research.

Students win UA awardssarah Johnson, BsMe ’13, was recognized as the Capstone engineering society outstanding senior and also won the Catherine Johnson Randall award that recognizes the most outstanding graduating senior at Ua. other winners of campus awards include the following:• Christine Evans, BSME ’13, was awarded the Algernon Sydney

sullivan award for excellence of character and service to humanity.• Dr. Yanping Zhang, PhD ’12 in computer science, won

outstanding Doctoral Dissertation.• Matthew Shannon, doctoral student in chemical and biological

engineering, was selected for excellence in Research by a Doctoral student.

• Luke Colburn, computer science student and lead student developer at the Center for advanced public safety, won the 2013 Ua student employee of the Year award.

• The Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Award program recognized chemical and biological students including Dorothy Crowley Casey, andrew Jones, Joshua Moon, Matthew outlaw, alex paulsen and amanda Rushdi for outstanding undergraduate research.

In Brief


Clockwise from top: Dr. Stanley E. Jones, Dr. Arunava Gupta,Will Guin and Sarah Johnson



RetirementsDr. Stanley E. Jones, the James R. Cudworth professor and University Research professor of aerospace engineering and Mechanics, retired after 26 years at Ua. Jones, who came to Ua in 1987 as the head of the engineering mechanics department, was named University Research professor in 1990. In 2001, he was named the Cudworth professor. He became head of the department of aerospace engineering and mechanics in 2006 before stepping down in December 2012. In mechanics, he had fundamental contributions in hydraulic surge control and pressure generation along with key analytical viscoplastic material response, necking plates in bars and prediction of forming limits. He pioneered contributions in the development of online distance learning, co-authoring two books and developing companion interactive courses in linear and nonlinear partial differential equations.

Dr. Garry W. Warren, professor of metallurgical and materials engineering, retired after 27 years at Ua. He came to Ua in 1986 after teaching at Carnegie Mellon University. His research interests included electrochemistry, corrosion and hydrometallurgy. Warren received several honors and awards throughout his career, including the outstanding professor award in 1988 from the student chapter of the american Foundry society and both the 1988 Distinguished service award and the 2007 structural Materials Division education Resource award from The Minerals, Metals and Materials society. He was national president of tMs in 2011–12.

New to the CollegeDr. Jinwei Shen, aeM

Dr. Sriram Aaleti, CCee

Dr. Stephanie Vereen, CCee

Dr. Jacob Chakareski, eCe

Dr. Andrew Lemmon, eCe

Dr. Alexy Volkov, Me

Dr. Lin Li, Mte

Promotion and TenureTenure and promotion to associate professorDr. Yuping BaoDr. nitin ChopraDr. seongsin “Margaret” KimDr. nicholas a. KraftDr. patrick KungDr. Jaber a. abu Qahouq

Promotion to professorDr. edward BackDr. subhadra GuptaDr. Yang Xiao

Clockwise from top: Dr. Garry Warren, Dr. Edward Back, Dr. Subhadra Gupta, Dr. Yang Xiao


Currents

CurrentsEvents from Around the College


Opposite page: Students participate in the Alabama Robotics Competition in the rotunda of Shelby Hall in April. Left: Erica Barnes, a student in metallurgical and materials engineering, speaks with alumni at the CES Networking Reception. Right: The University of Alabama Hovercraft Team stand with their craft at Lake Lurleen State Park before beginning the competition they helped form.

CES networking reception growingproving popular with members of the Capstone engineering society and students, the Ces networking Reception moved to a larger space in Hotel Capstone in February. The Ces board designed the reception to help upperclassmen transition to the engineering and computer science professions by engaging students with alumni in their particular disciplines and fields of interest. about 125 students came to network with more than 40 alumni and faculty from the College of engineering.

CS hosts robotic competitionMore than 350 students from third graders to seniors in high school from across alabama came to shelby Hall in april, telling robots what to do and hoping their instructions were good enough to win the alabama Robotics Competition.

The competition, which is in its third year, is hosted by the Ua College of engineering’s department of computer science. The goal is to spur interest in computer science among the state’s primary and secondary education students, said Dr. Jeff Gray, associate professor of computer science.

Unlike other robotics competitions, students are not judged on building the robot, but rather on how the robot performs in obstacle courses. students program the robots at a computer before watching the robots autonomously carry out their instructions on the playing field.

“It’s a programming contest within the context of a robotics competition,” Gray said. “We take a fun context and make it exciting for the students, but they are still learning the fundamentals.”

AEM students build hovercraft, start race with rivala team of Ua engineering students participated in the first University Hoverbowl Challenge at Lake Lurleen state park just outside tuscaloosa.

The race, hosted by the Hoverclub of america, pitted the Ua Hoverteam against the Hovering tigers, a team of engineering students from cross-state, athletic rival auburn University, along with amateur hovercraft racers from across north america.

The University Hoverbowl Challenge is the first race in alabama sponsored by Hoverclub of america, a nonprofit organization that promotes the hover sport. The contest formed when a group of five seniors studying aerospace engineering at Ua decided to build a hovercraft for their senior-design project, said Hisham ali, Bsae ’13.

The Ua seniors designed and built their hovercraft from scratch using donated pieces and parts either bought or built by the team. Using computer-aided design software and 3D printing, the team designed the craft from what they learned studying engineering, said Dillon Malone, Bsae ’13.

Currents


In many ways Larry summerville is the realization of a dream that began more than 50 years ago. an african-american who studies engineering at The University of alabama, he walks through doors open to all students.

summerville, a senior in metallurgical and materials engineering who recently won first place for his research poster presentation at a regional meeting of the national society of Black engineers, credited his accomplishments in the field to the sacrifices made by his predecessors.

“I never let my skin color hold me back,” summerville said. “If I feel that I know I’ll be a great candidate for a certain job, I will definitely try to go out for the position.”

This year the University commemorates the 50th anniversary of the stand in the schoolhouse Door with a series of activities and events designed to honor the desegregation of Ua. The theme for the year is “Though the Doors,” and the major remembrance was a ceremony in June.

“During this year, Ua will recognize the courage and dedication of Vivian Malone and James Hood, the two african-american students who enrolled in the University on June 11, 1963, as well as

the University’s ongoing commitment to change over the past 50 years and to continued progress in the next 50 years,” said Ua president Judy Bonner.

The Ua College of engineering also celebrates those who supported african-american students who have come to the College in the past 50 years and Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College, said efforts to recruit and retain underrepresented groups in engineering and computer science will continue.

“The College of engineering has been a leader in diversity efforts at The University of alabama, and we will continue our efforts to recruit the best and brightest students and faculty without regard to race or background,” Karr said.

“The challenges we face in our global society are large and complex. We cannot afford to neglect any of our talent. We need diversity of both perspective and thought to successfully tackle our problems.”

today, Ua is second out of 50 public flagship universities in the nation in the enrollment of african-american students, with african-americans representing more than 12 percent of the student body. The University ranks third among those flagship institutions for the percentage of total degrees conferred to african-american students. also, the University ranks third among flagship universities

By Adam Jones and Judah Martin

Continued on page 14

“The sacrifices made by earlier generations of

black students are greatly appreciated because

without their sacrifices, stands and achievements

black engineers today wouldn’t have the same

opportunities.” —Larry Summerville, Student

1 9 6 3 – 2 0 1 3C O U R A G E • C H A N G E • P RO G R E S S

Through the Doors and Staying the CourSe


in the percentage of full-time african-american faculty.

In the College, black students account for 12 percent of students, and enrollment of african-american students and all minority students is growing. In the last eight years, enrollment of african-american undergraduates rose 78 percent, and all underrepresented groups in engineering and computer science, including women, make up more than a third of undergraduate students in the College.

There has been a lot of progress during the past 50 years, but engineering and computer science, along with all science and technical fields, continually face the challenge of recruiting underrepresented groups. It’s a challenge the College has gladly tackled.

efforts to recruit, retain and graduate a diverse student body continue, and it is people such as Gregory singleton, director of engineering student services and the minority engineering

program, who keep the wheels of progress moving.

“I’m very optimistic regarding students of color and women,” singleton said. “engineering has historically been all white males. When it comes to women and minorities, the numbers were small, and we still need to do more. Fortunately, we’ve had strong organizations such as naMepa, naCMe, sHpe, nsBe and sWe that have been very active in support of the effort to increase the numbers of underrepresented groups in engineering.”

shortly after joining Ua in 1987, singleton began a summer program for rising high school juniors and seniors who are interested in steM fields. During the weeklong session, those in student Introduction to engineering, or sIte, live in residence halls and engage in team exercises. They attend minicourses in mathematics, engineering, computer science and english, as well as participation in an engineering design project.

Greg Singleton came to the College in 1987 to lead efforts to recruit minority students into engineering and computer science. In 1997, he became director of Engineering Student Services.

“We’ve had strong organizations such as NAMEPA, NACME,

SHPE, NSBE and SWEthat have been very active in

support of the effort to increase the numbers of underrepresented

groups in engineering.”—Gregory Singleton


It began as a one-week summer camp, primarily for minority students, and is now open to all students. The camp has increased to three separate sessions over three weeks in the summer, with a waiting list of students wishing to attend. This past summer, about 150 students came to the camp.

The College also continues to be an active partner with seCMe, the southeastern Consortium for Minorities in engineering, an organization former Dean edward Lear helped form in the 1970s. seCMe helps increase the diversity of students wanting to study science, technical, engineering and math, or steM, fields by working with K-12 educators, mentors and students. singleton serves as chair of the seCMe University Council, and Ua hosted the 2011 and 2012 seCMe summer Institute. The institute is designed to provide middle school and high school steM teachers with tools to enhance their classroom activities to encourage students to consider the steM fields upon graduation from high school.

professors also reach out to the education community to help underrepresented groups interested in the steM fields. For instance, Dr. Monica anderson, associate professor of computer science at the University, has led several initiatives on campus for mentoring underrepresented minority students. earlier this year, her efforts led Ua to be one of seven universities chosen by the national science Foundation to launch the Institute for african-american Mentoring in Computing sciences, or iaaMCs, that seeks to increase participation of black graduate-level students in computer science.

Dr. Viola acoff, professor and head of the metallurgical and material engineering department, was one of the first two tenure-track, black faculty members in the College. Later, she was the first african-american to reach the rank of professor in the College. as a researcher and respected engineer in her field, acoff sees the need to continually ensure that students from all backgrounds can study and work in engineering.

“although women make up half the potential pool of professionals, women are still a distinct minority in the field of engineering,” acoff said. “similarly, people of color now account for most of the population growth in our country but are also at a distinct minority in the field of engineering. Based on these facts, it is important that we continue our efforts to develop better ways to recruit and retain students from groups that are underrepresented in the field of engineering.”

Because of the progress of the past 50 years and the efforts of today’s leaders, students such as summerville can now feel satisfied their race will no longer present them with the same barriers faced by engineers just one or two generations removed.

“The sacrifices made by earlier generations of black students are greatly appreciated because without their sacrifices, stands and achievements, black engineers today wouldn’t have the same opportunities,” he said.

One of the first African-American faculty members in the College, Dr. Viola Acoff now heads the metallurgical and materials engineering department.

Students in the SITE summer program launch lightweight airplanes they designed in a contest to see which team’s plane flies furthest. The hands-on activity is meant to encourage interest in an engineering or technical education in college.


Ambassadori n t e r n a t i o n a l

Engineering student spreads message of cultural awareness • By Judah Martin

Lubna alansari has enjoyed playing the role of ambassador since the day she established a

Model United nations club in her high school, and perhaps that’s why she has taken on the real-life role at The University of alabama.

Upon arriving at the University after leaving her home in al-Khobar, saudi arabia, to come to Ua, alansari noticed a great deal of misconceptions among students regarding her home country.

“I had people come up to me and say, ‘I might be wrong, but this is what I know; tell me if I’m right or wrong,’” said the Ua junior who is majoring in chemical engineering. “so they’re always willing to hear; they’re not just set on a certain mind-set.”

alansari was able to address those discrepancies directly after a few professors invited her to speak about saudi-arabian culture to their classes. she felt a particular need to address misconceptions about saudi women.

“[people] look at me and they’re like, ‘You’re dressed normally; why is that?’ and I’m like, this is how everyone dresses back home,” alansari said. “I would say it’s more of a personal belief; people do it for a lot of different reasons and people do it in different degrees.”

When she isn’t busy speaking with students, alansari serves as vice president of the alabama International Relations Club. It was there that she became involved with alabama Model United nations, or aLMUn.

she worked closely with the Black Belt Development Initiative, going into middle schools and high schools to help them establish Model Un clubs.

Undoubtedly, her experience starting both a Model Un and a robotics club in her own high school has aided her success with the program in the Black Belt.

“That’s what got me thinking about engineering in the first place,” alansari said of establishing the robotics team. “If I sit down, I know I can solve it, and you always get the result at the end.”

after establishing Model Un clubs in alabama’s Black-Belt schools, she and other BBDI volunteers returned to teach the students fundraising and promotion strategies.

“It’s extremely rewarding whenever you walk into a committee during aLMUn and you see all these students applying everything

that you’ve taught them,” alansari said. “so they’re raising their placards, they’re making amendments; they’re debating with other people.”

another project close to her heart is KIVa, a microlending foundation for businesses in developing nations.

“a lot of these businesses have been farms, have been little stores, have been basket making, things that people in that community need, you know, and that will help them start that business and help them start making a living,” alansari said.

In her spare time, alansari has found comfort in sharing her story with other Ua students after

several professors extended invitations for a guest lecture. “I always say when people ask me, ‘It’s very different, ’” alansari

said. “at the same time, there are similarities. I feel like I’m able to connect to a lot of people here, and I feel that they feel the same way when they’re talking to me even though we come from completely different backgrounds, so there has to be something there that is making us see eye to eye and making us feel closer to each other.

“I started seeing that there was a very good response,” alansari said. she described feeling baffled when Dr. Beverly Hawk, former

director of the Crossroads Community Center, sent her an email in november requesting a résumé to nominate her for an award. a few weeks later, Dr. samory pruitt, vice president for community affairs, called to tell her she would be the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Realizing the Dream 2013 Horizon award at Ua’s annual concert ceremony honoring King’s legacy.

“I just never thought anything of the work I’ve been doing; it’s just something that I’ve always done, something that I’ve always been passionate about,” she said.

alansari said receiving the Horizon award has motivated her to continue her social work, no matter where life takes her.

“My plans are whatever career choice feels right at the time,” she said. “I’m very grateful to have professors at the University like Dr. Hawk who acknowledge students that are trying to make a change. Receiving this award means that someone has been listening, and I haven’t just been speaking in vain.”

“I feel like I’m able to connect to a lot of

people here and I feel that they feel the same way when they’re talking to

me even though we come from completely different

backgrounds …”


new foundry ready for engineering and open to the arts


With the snip of a ribbon, The university of alabama opened a new foundry to encourage creative collaboration

between engineering and art students.Located between hardaway hall and the old Bureau of

Mines building, the foundry provides space and facilities for teaching, research and service to metal-casting and processing industries for students in the College of engineering. The facility also adjoins a foundry used by the College of arts and Sciences, and students from both colleges will share expanded and renovated collaborative space.

“i am excited about the opportunities the new joint-use foundry will present our students,” said dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College of engineering. “i strongly believe students from the arts and engineering can learn from each other. This space allows our students to enhance their creativity, and it is a plus for our College.”

not only will there be opportunities for collaborative work, but the close proximity of the new facilities enhances resource sharing. Students and faculty in both colleges will learn from one another about the different kinds of investment, or mold-making, processes, as well as how to work with additional kinds of metals and alloys for different purposes.

“The Bureau of Mines’ art and engineering complex will be a space where any student can come create something,” said dr. robert olin, dean of the College of arts and Sciences. “This space is meant to provide a place for inspiration and encourage our students to develop their great ideas and turn them into reality. We want them to have somewhere they can get their hands dirty and experience the enjoyment of seeing a project come to fruition.”



Still, at its heart, the foundry serves the needs of the metallurgical and materials engineering department since it replaces the foundry in a part of h.M. Comer hall razed to make way for the north engineering research Center.

“i am pleased we were able to construct our new facility because our students get a leg up on other graduates from across the country due to their experiences in our foundry,” Karr said.

The ua metallurgical and materials engineering department is one of just eight metallurgical engineering programs accredited by the accreditation Board for engineering and technology, and it is one of only 20 Foundry educational Foundation Certified Schools in north america.

“having a fully functional modern foundry is vital to us being able to maintain our aBet accreditation as a metallurgical engineering program,” said dr. Viola acoff, head of the department of metallurgical and materials engineering .

With about 5,000 gross square feet, the new foundry will incorporate all basic types of equipment used in operating foundries, and it permits demonstration to students of most of the practices encountered in making cast iron, steel and nonferrous alloys.

equipment highlights include the following:• three Inductotherm melting furnaces for melting cast iron, steel,

brass, bronze and aluminum-based alloys

• a NASA withdrawal furnace for melting and casting superalloys under vacuum that can produce up to 25-kilogram turbine components cast into ceramic-shell molds

• molding equipment and a core machine for making green sand and pepsetbased molds and cores

• finishing equipment• spectrometer by Spectro Analytical Instruments• an investment casting lab with a 3D printer “Thermoset” by 3D

Systems for making investment patterns• a sand-testing lab and a dedicated computer lab where students

can perform mold and casting design using advanced casting and ingot simulation software tools

The withdrawal furnace was acquired by the department a few years ago from the naSa Marshall Space Flight Center, but it could not be installed in the old foundry. The state-of-the-art furnace is used by aerospace companies to make aircraft engine components typical on commercial passenger jets.

“With this additional capability, students will be exposed to every major type of casting process, ranging from traditional casting of cast iron to the casting of nickel-based superalloys used in various aerospace applications,” acoff said.

From left, University of Alabama student James Davis, College of Arts and Sciences Associate Dean Thomas Wolfe, UA President Judy Bonner, College of Engineering Dean Charles Karr, metallurgical engineering and materials head Dr. Viola Acoff and engineering student John Calhoun cut a ceremonial ribbon to a new foundry that puts art and engineering students in a shared space to spur creativity.


Above: A sculpture from the department of art and art history was being made in the shared foundry between the colleges of engineering and arts and sciences. Below: Wayne Coppedge, BSMtE ’73, and Allen Henry, BSMtE ’73, along with other alumni and friends of the metallurgical and materials engineering department, gathered for a reunion and to dedicate the new foundry.


When the forefathers of what we call the Internet were connecting their computer centers together in the

1960s, it is doubtful any could have predicted the radical changes the network would one day bring. Like any new technology, it is the unexpected applications that often are the most exciting.

society is still in the infancy of additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, and government and industry are mostly using the technology as predicted. That will one day change in ways futurists can only now speculate, and it will be those experimenting today that introduce the remarkable changes of tomorrow.

This idea prompted the College of engineering to open a lab that encourages creativity among students and faculty, and not just from those in engineering. The Ua 3D printing Lab is free to anyone on campus to test the bounds of additive manufacturing, the process of creating objects by layering material on itself. In its first semester, the lab attracted faculty and staff from art, theater, biology, engineering and the other sciences eager to use the technology.

“The lab will allow us to better prepare our students for the sorts of environments they will see when entering the work force and help them develop the skills so critical in getting products to market,” said Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the Ua College of engineering. “We made the conscientious decision to open the laboratory to students across the campus because it allows for the added benefit of providing engineering students with access to a truly cross disciplinary environment, one that will allow for innovation and creativity.”

printing lab open to creativitya


By Adam Jones

{ Capstone Engineer • Spring 2013 } 23



The lab is a collection of new 3D printers and printers that were already in the College of engineering, said Dr. andrew Graettinger, lab director and associate professor in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering. There are three desktop-sized printers for smaller jobs and two commercial-scale printers for intricate or larger jobs. There is also a scanner that can create 3D models from real-world objects. The 3D printers generate accurate representations of parts designed in several software programs, including solidWorks, autoCaD and Google sketchUp.

“We’re really on the cutting edge with the lab’s capabilities,” Graettinger said. “The College and University are in an excellent position for the future.”

The process is quick. The lab can receive a design and often print the part within a day, reducing fabrication, manufacturing or shipping delays, he said.

The 3D printing works similar to a standard printer, but instead of printing flat words on paper with ink, 3D printers

build up layers of plastic and continue upward and outward to create objects, even those with moving parts. as the technology has improved roughly over the past 15 years, it has become cheaper and smaller, allowing for desktop-sized 3D printers costing not much more than a personal computer. Graettinger said the technology’s impact could be similar to the printing press that made publishing easier and cheaper centuries ago.

“You’ve basically taken manufacturing and given it to everybody now,” he said.

engineers of every stripe will likely use the technology in the

coming years as it spreads to a broader range of industries and businesses, and the College’s lab will help Ua students tinker with the technology outside the classroom, Graettinger said.

“We want to promote creativity, and that means keeping it open and free,” he said. “If there is a true need for the part, then we encourage people to turn their ideas into something they can hold in their hand.”

“We’re really on the cutting edge with the

lab’s capabilities.The College and University

are in an excellent position for the future.”

—Dr. Andrew Graettinger

At left, Dr. Andrew Graettinger, 3D Printing Lab director and associate professor in the department of civil, construction and environmental engineering, talks with Jarr Strydom, lab assistant and sophomore in mechanical engineering from Alpharetta, Ga.


already, engineering students working on project teams, such as concrete canoe, Rocket Girls, hovercraft and alabama Lunabotics, flocked to the lab to make prototypes or usable parts. The lunabot had at least 50 printed parts, many made several times as design needs changed.

“Without the lab, we would have spent a lot of time making stuff out of metal that we wouldn’t have been as happy with,” said Caleb Dean, lunabotics team lead and electrical engineering student.

others have come as well. a biology professor printed out a model of a microscopic bug to show in class, Graettinger said. students from the College of arts and sciences used the lab to print parts for theater set design, and art students print creative pieces for design courses.

“There are some very complex forms that would otherwise be extremely difficult to construct without this technology,” said Jamey Grimes, an instructor in the department of art and art history who teaches a 3D design course popular with engineering students.

“Including this new tool just makes sense next to other traditional methods, especially in classes where the goal is thinking and creating in three dimensions,” Grimes said. “There is a lot of work involved in this type of project, so that a student on the band saw has as much to coordinate as someone working with a 3D printer. The fundamental thinking and communication does not change.”

Working with the engineering 3D printing Lab and also with the Rodgers science and engineering library, which

has an open-use 3D printer, Grimes brought three 3D printers to Kentuck art night, a monthly exhibition and sale of artwork in downtown northport, ala. the display was a statement on 3D printing’s emerging presence in the cultural consciousness. people lingered over the printers asking endless questions and taking pictures with cell phones. one woman told Grimes the printer was magic.

“Lots of different people are using this technology, and it still feels new,” Grimes said. “Like any other tool, once people see how it works and get a chance to play, it can inspire new ideas.”

“We want to promote creativity, and

that means keeping it open and free.”

—Dr. Andrew Graettinger

Top left: Jamey Grimes, an instructor in the department of art and art history who teaches a 3D design course popular with engineering students, displayed 3D printing at an art show. Bottom left: Objects printed with the College’s printers on display at Kentuck Art Night. Right: The lab’s 3D printers have been in heavy demand from students since opening earlier this year.


Alumni DynamicsItems of Interest to Capstone Engineers and Computer Scientists

Alumni Dynamics


Alumni Dynamics

UA Honors Six Distinguished Engineering FellowsThe University of alabama College of engineering honored six alumni by inducting them into its 2013 class of Distinguished engineering Fellows.

each year, the College of engineering inducts a select group of alumni and friends as Distinguished engineering Fellows. Recognition as a Distinguished Fellow is the highest commendation given to graduates and others who have strengthened the reputation of the College of engineering through their efforts.

since the recognition’s inception 25 years ago, fewer than 400 individuals out of an estimated 27,000 alumni and friends have been recognized as Distinguished engineering Fellows.

The 2013 class, all from alabama, includes earl R. Foust, of Birmingham; George t. Goodwyn, of Montgomery; patricia t. Martin, of Madison; pamela McCue, of athens; Richard L. Mullen, of Jasper; and Walter schoel III, of Birmingham.

The inductees were honored at a March 16 ceremony at the northRiver Yacht Club in tuscaloosa. For complete biographies of this year’s Distinguished engineering Fellows, visit http://eng.ua.edu/awards.

Earl R. Foust, group president of Global Utility Business segment within Valmont Industries Inc., has been a dedicated engineer in the utility business for more than 40 years. Foust came

to Ua through alabama power, which sponsored his master’s work in the College of engineering. advancing throughout his career, Foust rose to head Valmont-newmark in Birmingham, now a part of Valmont Industries. The GUBs within Valmont Industries is a global leader in supplying the utility industry, ensuring the utility grid is durable, environmentally friendly and economical. The company is the world’s largest provider of spun concrete, tubular steel and hybrid poles used in electrical transmission, distribution and substations systems and has more than $800 million in annual sales. The firm designed and built some of the most difficult projects ever attempted in their field. a 2007 inductee in the state of alabama engineering Hall of Fame, Foust is also a registered professional engineer and holds three patents. Foust resides in Birmingham with his wife, nan, president of Micro Concepts, and they have a son.

George T. Goodwyn, retired founder and president of Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc., has never been satisfied with being merely adequate whether in his roles as an army officer, a business owner, a philanthropist or an engineer. The small, civil engineering firm Goodwyn began in 1965 grew into one of the largest and most successful multidisciplinary design firms in the southeast, with offices across the region. With more than 300 employees, Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood Inc. implements more than $400 million in construction projects annually. The legacy of Goodwyn’s professional career is apparent in much of central alabama’s infrastructure, and in recognition of his accomplishments, he was inducted into the state

The 2013 Distinguished Engineering Fellows include, from left, Earl R. Foust, MSME ’78; Dr. Walter Schoel III, BSCE ’80 and PhD ’85; Richard L. Mullen, BSMinE (Min) ’81; Pamela McCue, BSEE ’82; George T. Goodwyn, BSCE ’59; and Patricia T. Martin, BSChE ’83.


Alumni Dynamics

Dr. Charles L. Karr, dean of the College of Engineering, gives an overview of the College at the annual Distinguished Engineering Fellows ceremony.

of alabama engineering Hall of Fame in 2011. He has influenced many practicing engineers through his mentoring and exemplary career. Goodwyn resides in Montgomery with his wife, Charlotte, and they have three children and 10 grandchildren.

Patricia T. Martin, retired director of the engineering Directorate within the U.s. army aviation and Missile Research, Development and engineering Center, dedicated her 30-year career to serving the United states army, its soldiers and its engineering missions. she is known for her leadership and expertise in the fields of systems and specialty engineering and rapid-response prototyping. she has worked as a systems engineer for missile simulation tests and as the first program manager for the prototype Integration Facility. In 2006, Martin joined the senior executive service as the director, of the engineering Directorate. During her tenure at the aviation and Missile Research, Development and engineering Center, Martin managed an annual business portfolio of more than $900 million and was responsible for ensuring aviation and missile products were producible, reliable, sustainable and of high quality. she has received numerous awards during her, career including the Meritorious presidential Rank award. Martin and her husband, Ken, reside in Madison, ala., and they have two children.

Pamela McCue, director of the Missile and space Intelligence Center in the U.s. Department of Defense, leads hundreds of engineers and scientists in conducting both analytic and laboratory assessments. In this role, McCue’s focus is ensuring the United states

Department of Defense has detailed intelligence to build effective systems, countermeasures and survivability equipment needed by the military. Throughout her career, McCue has planned, executed and directed efforts in building the engineering capability to analyze intelligence information on foreign missile and space systems. she has received various government awards during her service, including recognition from the office of the secretary of Defense Federal Women’s program in 2006 as the science, technology, engineering and Mathematics supervisor of the Year. McCue resides in athens with her husband, Michael.

Richard L. Mullen, executive vice president of mining for Drummond Co. Inc, has dedicated more than 30 years of engineering expertise to Drummond Co. Mullen rose from a mining engineer to executive vice president, and, along the way, he helped the company become an international leader in the coal industry. In his role as executive vice president, Mullen is responsible for all of Drummond’s surface mining operations, including those in alabama and Colombia, south america, as well as railroad and port operations and gas-development activities in Colombia. He assists in expansion plans and activities of ongoing projects in Colombia that will include a total of $3.8 billion in capital when completed. a registered professional engineer, Mullen is the past state chair of the society for Mining, Metallurgy and exploration. Mullen resides in Jasper with his wife, Cheryl, and they have two children.


Alumni Dynamics

Milton Davis, BSChE ’81, is the current chair of the Capstone Engineering Society and has been loyal to the College since graduating.

Dr. Walter Schoel III, president of Walter schoel engineering Co. Inc., has devoted his career to the growth and continued success of Walter schoel engineering Co., a business founded by his family 125 years ago. The firm was inducted in the state of alabama engineering Hall of Fame in 2007. schoel began his work for the company while earning his doctorate at the Capstone, pioneering the design of stormwater-management devices in the Jefferson County area. In his role of president and chief engineer, schoel has supervised the design of numerous landmark projects in alabama, and he has leveraged his expertise in hydrology to improve infrastructure throughout the state. He is the co-author of part one of the npDes permit for Jefferson County and included municipalities, and he has been involved in numerous FeMa flood studies. schoel resides in Birmingham with his wife, tammy, and they have four adult children. two of his sons are Ua engineering graduates. His father is also a Ua Distinguished engineering Fellow. Walter schoel engineering Co. was inducted into the state of alabama engineering Hall of Fame in 2007.

Davis receives the UA Engineering Outstanding Alumni Volunteer AwardIn 1995, the College of engineering began a yearly tradition of recognizing alumni who have provided excellent volunteer assistance to the College. The 2013 outstanding alumni Volunteer award recipient is Milton arthur Davis Jr.

Davis has demonstrated his consistent loyalty to Ua’s College of engineering since his graduation. He is a member of Ua’s Chemical and Biological engineering advisory Board and has been active in the Capstone engineering society, serving on the board of directors. Davis was chair of the 2010 Ces Golf tournament and has served on the golf committee for several years, along with serving as the facilitator for the 2011 Ces networking Reception. This fall he will serve as the chair of the Capstone engineering society. Davis and his wife, alpha, are generous donors to the Capstone and have established the alpha and Milton Davis Jr. endowed scholarship. The scholarship is given to entering freshmen enrolled in the College of engineering. In 2012, he was inducted as a Ua Distinguished engineering Fellow.

Davis, a 1981 chemical engineering graduate, is one of the top-performing, business-development managers in his industry, with 30 years of progressively challenging experience. For the past 12 years, Davis has used his engineering expertise on the business-development end of construction and process engineering. as director of industrial-business development with B.L. Harbert International in Birmingham since 2011, his responsibilities include market analysis, sales, strategic planning, client presentation, risk analysis and contract negotiations. Davis resides in Birmingham with his wife, and they have two children.


Alumni Dynamics

ADTRAN Inc. for continuing support of the aDtRAn Mark C. smith endowed engineering scholarship

Alabama Motorcoach Association for continuing support of the Civil engineering scholarship Fund

American Cast Iron Pipe Co. for continuing support of the aCIpCo engineering scholarship program

Dan Bailey Family Legacy Fund for support of the William M. and Carolyn D. Fleming endowed scholarship

Mr. Jeffrey W. Barker for support of the Mechanical engineering Gift Fund

Mr. and Mrs. James A. Blackwell Jr. for continuing support of the James a. Blackwell Jr. and Billie F. Blackwell endowed scholarship

Boeing Co. for continuing support of the Boeing Corporation scholarship and the Boeing Corporation Multicultural engineering scholarship

Brasfield & Gorrie LLC for continuing support of the Brasfield & Gorrie Founders’ scholarship, the Brasfield & Gorrie endowed support Fund and the Brasfield & Gorrie Discretionary Fund

Ms. Tammie Jean Butts for continuing support of the tommie Ray Courington Memorial endowed scholarship

Dr. Robin B. and Mr. William P. Buckelew for continuing support of the William p. and Robin B. Buckelew endowed engineering scholarship

Chevron for continuing support of the Chemical engineering Fund, the Chevron Chemical engineering scholarship, the Chevron Mechanical engineering scholarship, the Mechanical engineering Gift Fund, the Multicultural engineering Gift Fund and the society of Women engineers Gift Fund

Mr. Andrew Cibulas for continuing support of the andrew Cibulas technology support Fund

Computer Technology Solutions for support of the Computer science Gift Fund

Mrs. June N. Crowder for continuing support of the William e. Crowder scholarship in aerospace engineering

Miss Elizabeth Burford Crump for continuing support of the James noble Crump endowed electrical engineering scholarship

Cummings Aerospace for establishing the Cummings aerospace ace scholarship

Friends and family of the late Nickless Devin for continuing support of the nickless Devin endowed scholarship

Drummond Co. Inc. for continuing support of the Drummond Company annual scholarship in engineering and the Drummond Company Inc. endowed scholarship

Dynetics Inc. for support of the aerospace engineering Gift Fund and the electrical engineering Gift Fund

Eastman Chemical Co. for continuing support of the Chemical engineering Fund, the Multicultural engineering Gift Fund and the engineering Co-op Gift Fund

Mr. Clyde L. Edwards Sr. for support of the electrical engineering Gift Fund

Mr. James M. Faircloth Jr. for continuing support of the James M. Faircloth Memorial endowed scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald W. Gray for continuing support of the Mr. and Mrs. Clifford s. Gray endowed scholarship

Mrs. Jane L. Griffin for continuing support of the Marvin a. Griffin Memorial endowed Industrial engineering scholarship

Mr. Kendall A. Gustafson for support of the William e. Crowder endowed scholarship in aerospace engineering

Hager Oil Co. Inc. for establishing the Hager oil engineering scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Haubein for continuing support of the Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Haubein endowed engineering scholarship.

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin M. Hostler for continuing support of the Becky and Kevin Hostler endowed engineering scholarship

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


Alumni Dynamics

Friends and family of the late Charles Edward Jones III for the continuing support of the Charles edward Jones III “tre” Memorial scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. George M. Jones III for continuing support of the George Merrell Jones III and Carole Jurenko Jones endowed scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Tom D. Kilgore for continuing support of the Myra Blevins Kilgore endowed scholarship

Mr. Vincent D. Lauria for establishing the Vincent D. Lauria endowed scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Lee for establishing the Jack and Jean Lee endowed engineering scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. MacKay for continuing support of the Rick and Barrett Brock MacKay Chemical engineering Discretionary Fund

Ms. Catherine E. Massey for continuing support of the James Bennett Massey scholarship

McAbee Construction Inc. for continuing support of the Mcabee Construction Inc. endowed scholarship

McAbee Foundation for continuing support of the Mcabee Foundation scholarship

National Space Grant Foundation for continuing support of the electrical engineering Gift Fund

Mr. and Mrs. Terry Neeley for continuing support of the terry L. neeley endowed scholarship

Nucor Corp. for continuing support of the nUCoR student Introduction to engineering support Fund and the Metallurgical engineering Gift Fund

Mr. Alsey C. Parker Jr. for continuing support of the alsey C. parker Memorial endowed engineering scholarship

Friends and family of the late Germanique Pickens for establishing the Germanique pickens Memorial Fund in engineering

Mr. G. William Quinby for continuing support of the G. William Quinby endowed engineering scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. David E. Roberts Jr. for continuing support of the Roberts engineering scholarship Robins & Morton for continuing support of the Robins & Morton scholarship Mr. Robert S. Ryan for continuing support of the engineering scholarship Fund and the aerospace engineering and Mechanics endowment and for establishing the Jean Ryan endowed Music scholarship

Mr. Dennis Schroeder for continuing support of the Dennis a. schroeder endowed scholarship

Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Sipe Jr. for continuing support of the Charles a. sipe Jr. and nelle sipe endowed scholarship

Friends and family of the late Rodney Summerford for establishing the Rodney summerford Memorial endowed scholarship

Mr. Wallace A. Swanson Jr. for continuing support of the Wallace a. and Thelma C. swanson endowed scholarship

3M Foundation – Decatur for continuing support of the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Minority scholarship and the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company scholarship

URS Energy & Construction for support of the Civil engineering Gift Fund

Vulcan Materials Co. for continuing support of the Vulcan Materials Company endowed support Fund


From left to right: Dr. Mohammad A. Karim, Jerry R. Cook, Dr. Sundaram Narayanan, Brandon Satterwhite and David W. Holt

Alumni Notes Jobs. Promotions. Awards.

Alumni Dynamics

1968 Lee H. Richey, BsMe and MsMte ’69, served as interim vice chancellor for facilities at the University system of Georgia. Richey owns Creative Facilities solutions, a higher education consulting business.

1977 Michael Hendon, BCMine, was recently promoted to general manager for transmission-reliability engineering at the tennessee Valley authority.

1979 Dr. Mohammad A. Karim, Msee ’79 and phD 1982, was appointed provost and executive vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth. He was previously vice president of research at old Dominion University.

1983 Steve Milligan, BsChe, was named Isocyanates and Chlor-alkali operations manager for sadara Chemical Co. in saudi arabia, a joint venture of Dow Chemical Co. and aramco.

1985 Jerry R. Cook, BsMe, was selected as the deputy director of nasa’s John C. stennis space Center in Mississippi, nasa’s primary testing ground for rocket engines and propulsion systems and its systems-engineering center for applied-science activities.

1989 Dr. Sundaram Narayanan, MsIe, was named provost of Wright state University in Dayton, ohio. Before, he was dean of WsU’s college engineering and computer science.

1998 Brandon Satterwhite, BsMe, was elected grand regent, or national president, of Theta tau professional engineering fraternity. satterwhite is a staff engineer at pratt and Whitney in West palm Beach, Fla.

1999 William B. Jernigan III, BsCe, became a registered professional engineer in alabama. He is a senior project manager with Brasfield and Gorrie in Birmingham.

2002 Bobby Elliot, Mse (environmental), is the new maintenance construction-division manager for the Douglas County, Ga., Department of transportation.

2003 Jason A. Partain, BsCe and MsCe ’05, received the engineering Council of Birmingham’s Young engineer of the Year award and recently became a forensic structural engineer with Has engineers and scientists in Birmingham.

2006 Aaron Andrew Quick, BsCe and BsChe, opened Crimson Construction and Consulting in Wake Forest, n.C. The company is a full-service, project-management and consulting firm for process manufacturing and heaving-industrial applications.

Justin Peeples, Bsee, became a registered professional engineer in alabama. He is a substation maintenance engineer with alabama power Co. in tuscaloosa.

2007 David W. Holt, BsChe, MsChe ’09 and JD ’10, spoke at the 2013 spring meeting of the american Institute of Chemical engineers in san antonio, texas. He presented an introduction to the america Invents act to open a session on patent law.

Jordan Johnston, BsIe, is completing a second year of an MBa program at the Kellogg school of Management at northwestern University.

2010Jerrad Funderburk, Bsee, was promoted to system engineer at nasCo in atlanta, Ga.

2011Calvin Culliver, BsCone ’11, was hired as assistant engineer in Greene County, ala.

Something we missed? please send us your professional achievement and

recognitions for inclusion in alumni notes by visiting eng.ua.edu/alumni/update.


Alumni Dynamics

L. Earl CrittendenL. earl Crittenden died May 17, 2013, in Jacksonville, Fla. Before graduating from high school in Florence, ala., Crittenden served as a seaman in the U.s. navy, piloting landing craft in the pacific theater of World War II. after the war and graduation from high school, he came to The University of alabama to study industrial engineering, graduating in 1951. That year he joined southern Bell, later Bellsouth, in Jacksonville, where he would remain for his entire 40-year career. He moved up the company ranks to vice president for northern region of Florida.

His extensive civic involvement included serving as president of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville. He served on several boards, including as a trustee for the University of north Florida. For his engineering achievements, he was recognized as a Ua Distinguished engineering Fellow in the inaugural class of 1988. He and his wife established the L. earl and elna R. Crittenden scholarship in the College of engineering.

Giles Milton Ellis Jr.Giles Milton ellis Jr. died June 1, 2013, in augusta, Ga. a tuscaloosa native, ellis earned a chemical engineering degree from the University, as well as an officer’s commission in the Corps of engineers in 1937. afterward, ellis went to work for Champion paper and Fiber Co. in Canton, n.C., before reporting for duty at the start of World War II. ellis continued his active duty for the Corps of engineers and was transferred to the engineer school at Fort Belvoir, Va., where he served as an instructor and, later, as assistant to the director of officer courses. at the end of

World War II, ellis returned to his position at Champion paper and Fiber Co. He later worked as power superintendent at southern paperboard Corp. in Wentworth, texas. He was transferred to the company’s new York office and finally to augusta, Ga. after retiring in 1985, he served as assistant project manager at augusta Mill before retiring again in 1987.

Harry Leo GoganHarry Gogan died april 26, 2013, in albuquerque, n.M., after serving in the U.s. army air Corps in World War II, Gogan came to Ua , graduating in 1948 with a degree in aerospace engineering. He worked for nasa in Virginia before joining the air Force special Weapons Center at Kirtland air Force Base in albuquerque. His work included defense projects and the space shuttle propulsion system, and he earned a master’s in public administration from Harvard University. He retired in 1987 and became a deacon in the Catholic Church for 26 years.

Melvin Carl MooreCarl Moore died May 5, 2013, in Birmingham, ala. He served four years as a lieutenant in World War II before graduating from the Ua College of engineering with a degree in civil engineering in 1947. He worked 40 years in the mining division of U.s. steel Corp.

In Memory

From left to right: L. Earl Crittenden, Harry Leo Gogan and Germanique Monay Pickens



Germanique Monay PickensGermanique pickens died april 28, 2013, in singapore. a tuscaloosa native, she came to Ua in 2003. During her time at Ua, she was a research assistant in the metallurgical and materials engineering department and a co-op student with Honda Manufacturing. Before graduating in 2008, pickens was recognized for several honors, including outstanding senior for the Mte department. she took a job with exxon Mobil Development Co. in Houston, texas. Her last assignment was quality lead on a project in singapore. Her family and friends established an engineering scholarship in her honor. Donations in pickens’ honor can be made by contacting the College.

Will H. SawyerWill sawyer died June 2, 2013, in Fairhope, ala. after serving in the army air Corps and attending officer training at Yale University, sawyer graduated from The University of alabama with a mechanical engineering degree in 1946. afterward, sawyer worked 31 years as a flight engineer, co-pilot and then captain with eastern air Lines.

Christopher F. WittelChris Wittel died Jan. 29, 2013, in Canton, ohio. Wittel was a part of the Crimson tide football team during his time at the University, including the national championship team in 1992. He graduated in 1996 with a mechanical engineering degree and later earned a master’s degree in engineering from the University of akron. His last position was with Goodyear in akron, ohio.

Friends We Will MissRobert Baker Jr., BsCe ’49

Rodney L. Beans, Bsee ’85

William W. Crow Jr., BsChe ’43

Thomas e. Dilworth Jr., BsMe ’57

Joseph “Joe” Cary Franklin, Bsae ’63

Robert “Bob” Thompson Hamel, Bsee ’43

Robert “Bob” Leon Haney, BsIe ’47

Herbert J. Harris, BsIe ’50

eugene t. Johnston sr., MsIe ’71

Walter Davis Lawley Jr., BsMe ’58

Rex. D. Markham, BsCe ’83

James B. peck, BsIe ’53

William Ronald Rainey, Bsee ’81

James R. Riddle, Bse ’69

Boyd H. smith, BsIe ’54

alan e. stuart, BsMine ’50

Houston “sonny” taylor Jr., Mseng ’69

Charles Thomas Watson, BsMte ’39

Leo H. Winter, Bsae ’43

Lincoln M. Young, BsMe ’50

Alumni Dynamics

In Memory Continued


Tweetgineering — Because engineers use Twitter, too

“It’s a dual objective. At the lower wind speeds we try to keep your house together … and at those higher wind speeds, we’re looking for life safety and that means a safe room in the house.” — Dr. Andrew Graettinger, associate professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering , in the segment “Can Anything Be Done to Tornado-Proof a House?” on NPR’s “Morning Edition” for May 22.

“Our research in nanotechnology materials led to the products and processes manufactured by MagnnPro LLC.” — Thomas Macher, chemical engineering graduate student, on how a company began with research in the UA College of Engineering in the article “Upstart Startups,” Business Alabama.

“Not only would collegiate hovercraft racing bring a new sport to campus that’s way better than Ultimate Frisbee, it would also create an interdisciplinary challenge for engineering students to work together on a single project.” — writer Keith Barry on the University Hoverbowl Challenge between UA and Auburn hovercraft teams in his article “Forget the Iron Bowl — The Real Action Is at the Hoverbowl,” Wired.

“We just want to show what our university can do and show what we can do, that we don’t need guys to do it.” — Shelby Cochran, aerospace engineering student, on the Rocket Girls, the all-female team of UA students who compete in the NASA Student Launch Initiative, in the article “University of Alabama all-girls rocket team aims to launch more women into engineering fields,” Al.com.

“I think it’s fair to say that we want the College of Engineering, and the University as a whole, to understand that engineers can be, and are, funny, creative, outgoing, and just as entertaining as anyone out there.” — Jonathon Whitesell, mechanical engineering student and president of COE Does ART, in the article “In the Spotlight,” PE Magazine.

Bits and BytesThe College from Outside

Bits and Bytes

“every time I type ‘get’ my phone autocorrects it to ‘Fe.’ I think it’s telling me something. #study #engineeringproblems @bamaengineering” — Macy Matthews, BSCE ’13.

“It was snowing as our plane landed so you could actually see the streamlines over the wing! #prettycool #imanerd @bamaengineering” — Anthony Bombik, junior in aerospace and mechanical engineering.

“Reviewing fluids for the Fe exam. You could say I’m trying to get back into the flow of things.” — Charles DeSio II, BSAE ’13.

Kristi Bardosi, a junior from Orangevale, Calif., majoring in civil engineering , speaks with WBRC Fox 6 in March about the concrete canoe.

CE: Why is NASA interested in exploring 3D printing in space?

Chou: nasa is interested in exploring 3D printing in space for a variety of reasons, including making repair tools used in outer space, such as the International space station, part fabrications for long-range missions and/or remote habitats, and even making foods like pizza.

CE: What are the challenges for this technology?

Chou: the challenges for metal-additive manufacturing tech-nologies like electron beam additive manufacturing include accuracy and precision, as well as consistency in build-part properties. Moreover, engineering materials used for space appli-cations are difficult to process due to, for example, high melting temperatures. In addition, unique manufacturing environments such as low or zero gravity present additional difficulty.

CE: Why does EBAM show promise?

Chou: eBaM is able to 3D print full-density parts made of metals, such as titanium alloy, with superior properties and unique structures unachievable by any other manufacturing means. there have been several successful cases in aerospace, biomedical and other applications using the eBaM technology with different alloys.


Dr. Kevin Chou, mechanical engineering professor, leads a UA research team exploring, via a NASA grant, whether a type of 3D printing called electronic beam additive manufacturing, or EBAM, can make durable space-vehicle hardware.

Working with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the team hopes to advance EBAM, which melts and fuses metallic powders at more than 2,700 degrees to make full-density, functional components.

The other team member is Dr. Viola Acoff, professor and head of metallurgical and materials engineering.

End User

End UserCapstone Engineers and Computer Scientists on Today’s Technology


Dear Alumni and Friends,over the past several months, much of my time has been spent with Gayle Howell, the senior career consultant for the Ua Career Center, working on the College’s new Mentor Upp: Undergraduate peer partnering program. Currently, we are working on an alumni-to-student module that will center on College alumni mentoring juniors, seniors and graduate students, with plans to launch it in 2014.

Mentor Upp is a unique mentoring program because it has both mentoring and networking components as well as a peer-to-peer mentoring and coming-alumni component. The design of Mentor Upp is different from most of the other programs in higher education because of its interdisciplinary nature, mentoring and networking structure, as well as engaging both students and alumni.

our students are learning the importance of networking and the value of staying connected with other students, faculty and alumni through programs like Mentor Upp. You, our alumni, represent a vast array of industries and offer valuable advice and experience. College alumni also understand the importance of a quality education, so who better than our alumni to share experiences, industry knowledge and expertise, all of which is of benefit to our students?

The Capstone engineering society continually reaches out to both our alumni and students, encouraging them to connect through networking events, social media and now through Mentor Upp because as the needs of our students and alumni change, we must change as well.

Thank you and Roll tide!

nancy n. HolmesManager, Capstone engineering society

Capstone Engineering SocietyCollege of engineeringBox 870200 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0200

nonprofit organization

u.S. Postage Paid

tuscaloosa, aL

Permit 16

“ You see the impact you make on student lives through helping them get scholarships, but you also have the opportunity to network with people from your area and outside your area … It’s a network that’s throughout the generations. Everyone is tied together by this College of Engineering and University of Alabama experience, and that’s not easy to find.”

— Joan Smith, BSMtE ’08, and CES member

as an alumna or alumnus from Ua’s College of engineering, you are a valued member of a network of more than 27,000 engineering and computer science graduates throughout the world. The Capstone engineering society can help make valuable personal connections to your fellow graduates. tell a friend or colleague about joining the College alumni network through the Ces.

eng.ua.edu/alumni

Capstone Engineer - Fall 2013

Documents

Transcript of Capstone Engineer - Fall 2013