S P R I N G 2 0 0 4

C A P S T O N E EXCELLENCE AND LEADERSHIP IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

E n g i n e e rE n g i n e e rSTUDENT ENGINEERING

Projects Building . . .STUDENT ENGINEERING

Projects Building . . .

. . . provides unique learning experiences.. . . provides unique learning experiences.

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COVER STORY:Student Engineering Projects BuildingProvides Unique Learning Experiences . . . . . . . . . 2An SAE formula race car and a concrete canoe are just a few

of the projects that students are working on now.

Student Research Impacts Many . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4From the IE design clinic to ChE labs, UA engineering students

are involved in numerous research projects.

CES Recognizes Longtime Members . . . . . . . . . 16Thanks to members for 15+ years of support

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Surveying the College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Alumni Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

In Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

C A P S T O N EEngineering Society

1-800-333-8156

Rodney W. Summerford, PEMobile, Ala.

National Chair, Board of Directors

Cheryl AltemaraDirector,

Capstone Engineering Society

Timothy J. GreeneDean,

College of Engineering

Karen Meshad BaldwinDirector of Advancement

Mary WymerEditor

Anna FowlerAssistant Editor

Issue No. 29Capstone Engineer is published in the

spring and fall by the Capstone Engineering Society.

Address correspondence to the editor: The University of Alabama,

Capstone Engineering Society, College of Engineering, Box 870200,

Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0200.

Roderick GuillenDesigner

Christine DietschProofreader

Alice Wilson, Rickey Yanaura, Mary Wymer, Debbie Sims

Photographers

Visit the College of Engineering website at www.eng.ua.edu

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

MC6791

C A P S T O N E

E n g i n e e rE n g i n e e r

D E A N ’ S M e s s a g e

Our College of Engineering graduates have long been known for their excellent hands-onskills. They are known for their ability to analyze a problem, design workable cost-

effective solutions, and then implement those solutions successfully. To maintain this excellenttradition and to give our students additional hands-on experiences outside the classroom, the College of Engineering has just completed the construction of the Student EngineeringProjects Building.

The Student Engineering Projects Building is a 6,000-square-foot Butler building situatedbehind and between two of the wings of Hardaway Hall. The building is unique in that it will not house classes or research. This building is dedicated solely to student engineeringprojects. These projects are varied, having included in the last several years the ASCE concrete canoe, ASCE steel bridge, SAE formula race car, SAE Mini-Baja vehicle, and ASMEdesign competition.

The building does house a machine shop, welding room, concrete mixing room and paintarea, as well as bays for five or more projects to be worked on concurrently.

We believe that with this new facility we will expand the number of student engineering projects, giving our students additional hands-on experiences. The building was funded completely by private gifts. Our thanks to Arthur and Estelle Taylor, BE&K Inc., Brasfield &Gorrie LLC, Addison Products Co., and S. T. Bunn Construction Co. Inc., who came together to make this a reality.

Beyond the Student Engineering Projects Building, I think you will see in this issue multipleexamples of how our students not only are learning in the classroom but are learning bydoing. They are working side-by-side with outstanding faculty members in their research laboratories as well as in design clinics. They graduate not only being able to say that they can do, but also that they have created exciting designs that are real and meaningful projects.

If you or your company would like to assist in supporting one of our design teams’ studentprojects, please contact one of our department heads, Karen Baldwin or me, and let’s discusshow you can assist our students in getting the hands-on experience that makes them so valuable to employers upon graduation.

Timothy J. GreeneDean, College of Engineering

For many years, engineering students built projects wherever theycould—in hallways, in crowded lab space, in storage areas, evenin a boiler room. From assembling a Mini Baja vehicle to pour-

ing concrete for a canoe, the students persevered and completed proj-ects in the not-so-best conditions imaginable.

On Sept. 5, all that changed—the College of Engineering held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication for its new StudentEngineering Projects Building.

The new Student Engineering Projects Building, located behindHardaway Hall, is the only building on the UA campus that will beused strictly for engineering-student projects—no research will be donenor classes held in it. It is the only building used in this manner inthe state and only the third building like it in the Southeast, said Dr.Timothy J. Greene, dean of the College of Engineering.

“The new Student Engineering Projects Building provides our stu-dents with more hands-on learning experiences and enables a more well-rounded education from theory to application,” explained Greene.“One of our goals is to provide the best facilities for our students and this new building has all of the materials needed to build top-notch engineering projects.”

The new Student Engineering Projects Building has already been alearning tool for many UA engineering students. Mechanical engi-neering students helped with the air conditioning and heating design;civil engineering students helped with the foundation and the struc-tural design; and electrical engineering students helped with the elec-trical system design.

“Working on the air conditioning and heating design was one of themost valuable learning experiences I had as an undergraduate,”explained Barbara Hattemer, a mechanical engineering graduate stu-dent who worked on the building as an undergraduate. “It providedme with hands-on work, something that is very important in prepar-ing me for a professional career.”

Student engineering projects that are in the works in the new building include an ASCE concrete canoe, a Society of AutomotiveEngineers formula race car, an SAE Mini Baja vehicle, and an ASCEsteel bridge.

STUDENT ENGINEERINGProjects Building. . .

STUDENT ENGINEERING

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Projects Building. . .

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provides unique learning experiences.

“These projects provide real-world experience to engineering students,which is an education no one can get in the classroom,” said MattMoody, a senior mechanical engineering student and team leader forthe SAE formula race car. “This new building allows us to focus onbuilding the best car while not having to worry about the space weare occupying.”

Features of the 6,000-square-foot building include three garage-doorentrances, a paint area, a concrete mixing area and a machine shop that is supervised by mechanicians for safety.

Donors who helped make this project a reality for UA studentsinclude Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Taylor Jr., BE&K Inc., Brasfield & Gorrie,S. T. Bunn Construction Co. Inc. and Addison Products Co.

Far left: Students analyze the 2001 SAE formula car as they begin the design process for

building the 2004 model.

Above and right: Civil engineering students work ona 20-foot-long canoe frame for their entry in the

American Society of Civil Engineers’ annual concrete canoe competition.

provides unique learning experiences.

4

Student ResearchMANYIMPACTS

By Anna Fowler

Brian Blalock (left), Tom Turner (right), Dan Mitchell andNathan Vaughn (not pictured) prepare a presentation forthe Hanna Steel Corp.’s Gadsden plant project.

The light bulb, telephone and assembly line are all inventions that tooklong hours of research to become successful creations. Many UA engineer-ing students take part in research projects that develop more productivebusinesses, produce more site-specific medicines, construct more environ-mentally friendly and cost-efficient vehicles as well as develop safer airport-runway regulations. Even if the students do not make millions ofdollars for their research findings, their research could lead to million-dollar discoveries, and more importantly, they will gain the experience toattain careers in engineering.

IE DESIGN CLINIC IMPROVES LOCAL BUSINESSESTaught to industrial engineering majors, Systems Design I and SystemsDesign II classes give students the opportunity to conduct projects forcompanies and organizations to make them operate more efficiently. Theclasses are conducted within the industrial engineering design clinic thatworks with local businesses to improve productivity and quality in produc-tion and service systems.

Dr. Robert Batson, director of the industrial engineering design clinic andprofessor of industrial engineering at the University, said the projects notonly benefit the businesses but the students also. “The students gain theexperience they need to be successful in the workplace because oral andwritten communication skills are emphasized. It is up to them to recom-mend to the client the best ways to improve material, people or informa-tion flows,” Batson said.

The Systems Design I class recently conducted individual projects forHouser Hall’s computer lab. They worked with the College’s informationtechnology and engineering services department to develop a list ofdesign constraints, needs and wants for the lab. The staff specified thetables and chairs to be used in the lab to provide a more open and modern look. In addition, updated PCs will be installed after room renovations are completed in Summer 2004.

Each student designed two or three layouts that balanced the desire formaximizing the number of workstations with other criteria, such as minimizing distractions and walking distance to printers. The studentspresented the layouts and assessments, and the information technologyand engineering services department will study the written reports andselect the best layout to implement next summer.

“This project gave the students an opportunity to upgrade a College labthey had used as freshmen,” Batson said.

In the Spring 2003 Semester, the System Design II class worked with theHanna Steel Corp. headquarters in Fairfield, Ala., where they invented aquote generation system that enables sales personnel to automatically gen-erate quotes for customers, whether or not that particular size and shapeof tubing has ever been produced before. Another team worked on opti-mal allocation of production among three tube plants. A third teamworked with the Hanna Steel Corp.’s Gadsden plant to computerize met-rics for operation efficiency of key equipment.

Another group in the spring class worked with Zoe’s Kitchen restaurant inBirmingham, for which they drew a layout of the restaurant and usedcomputer simulation to conduct a customer waiting time and flow analy-sis. The team was able to tell how many tables and counter seats the

5C A P S T O N E E n g i n e e r

Brad McKinney works on a research project investigatingmagnetically controlled drug-delivery systems in one of the ChE labs.

restaurant could provide and what the waiting and dining time would befor customers based on the arrival patterns, the number of registers open,and the number of cooks.

The IE design clinic continues to conduct projects with companies andorganizations to make them more efficient, including University ParkingServices, the College’s Office of Engineering Student Services and UPS’sAlabama District.

CHE STUDENT RESEARCHES MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLEDDRUG-DELIVERY SYSTEMSBrad McKinney, a senior majoring in chemical engineering, researchedmagnetically controlled drug-delivery systems this past year and presentedhis findings in a poster competition at the National AIChE meeting inIndianapolis. His poster was titled “Magnetic Controlled Release UsingAqueous CoFe Dispersions in Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogels,” which wonthird place in the competition.

McKinney, a native of Oneonta, Ala., worked with chemical engineeringprofessors Drs. Chris Brazel and Duane Johnson to create a poly(vinylalcohol) hydrogel that was able to hold the drug, magnetic dispersion andplasticizer that allowed the polymer to be flexible. The research provedthat the magnetic dispersion stayed in the polymer during the testingphase of the product. Drug release was triggered using an oscillating mag-netic field to force open pores in the polymer allowing the drug to diffuse.

“The magnets will hopefully one day be used to concentrate all drugrelease to a specific area of the body; say, to target a cancer tumor,”McKinney said.

The study also showed that the drug delivery device made using a water-based magnetic dispersion would not be harmful to the human body. Byraising the pH on the poly-acrylic acid magnetic dispersion to 13, the dis-persion stayed in a single phase for hours. This allowed enough time for apolymer to form with consistently dispersed magnetic particles. “The mag-netic polymer contained no ingredients harmful to the human body,”McKinney said, “but there is still much research to be done.”

EMSYL GRADUATE STUDENTS WORK TO IMPROVE ACHEVROLET TRUCKUA electrical engineering graduate students in the Electro-MechanicalSystems Laboratory (EMSyL) are working to produce an environment-friendly, electric-vehicle technology testbed that is based on a ChevroletS10 truck.

The vehicle is propelled by a custom induction motor and power-electronicdrive assembly. The vehicle is fully instrumented so that new and novelcontrol methods and vehicular hardware can be developed, tested andevaluated. It is also well suited for development of hybrid electric-vehiclearchitectures, including but not limited to, fuel-cell power plants.

Dr. Tim Haskew, associate professor of electrical and computer engineer-ing, is the director of the project and said it is a complementary effort tothe fuel-cell research taking place on UA’s campus. “We want to use thetestbed to integrate the electro-mechanical systems research into the ongo-ing research in the advancement of vehicle technology as well as help pro-tect our environment and save money,” said Haskew.

CE STUDENTS GRADE ALABAMA RUNWAYSLanding an airplane can be risky, but even more so if the runway itself isdangerous. Fortunately, four civil and environmental engineering studentsconducted research to examine topographic deficiencies near Alabama airport runways that may compromise safety, future licensing and FederalAviation Administration funding for runway pavement.

The project included the study of 82 Alabama general-use airports, fromwhich the students produced a survey data sheet that may be posted onthe Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) Aviation Bureau licensing database. The students then determined if a runway area needsrenovating under the revised weighted licensing procedures for Alabama’sgeneral-use airports.

Dr. Charles Haynes, professor of civil engineering, said the research project would greatly benefit the state’s airport runways. “We hope toimplement topographic requirements in the inspection and licensingprocess for airports in Alabama to make them safer for our aircraft,” saidHaynes. “Far too many of our general-use airports contain approach anddeparture obstructions.”

The project relates to previous research conducted by the UniversityTransportation Center for Alabama. The students generated a final report, including code for the ALDOT Aviation Bureau Web-based inspection/licensing software.

6

Engineers have school spirit!Engineers have school spirit!Show your pride in the College of Engineering with top-quality apparel and gifts.

Choose from polo shirts, coffee mugs, baseball caps and more.

Profit generated from the sale of these items contributes to the Capstone Engineering Society, which provides scholarship funds to UA’s College of Engineering.

Call 1-800-333-8156.

Come by 174 H. M. Comer.

Click www.eng.ua.edu.

College of EngineeringBox 870200

Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-02001-800-333-8156(205) 348-2452www.eng.ua.edu

7C A P S T O N E E n g i n e e r

N E W S

Capstone Engineering Society Board, Fall 2003

CAPSTONE ENGINEERING SOCIETY ADDS NEW BOARD MEMBERS

The Capstone Engineering Society nominated and elected six new boardmembers during the fall board meeting. The new members will serve two-year terms and assist with Capstone Engineering Society membership,student recruitment for the College and general promotion of the Collegeand the University.

The new board members are

Vance Ballard, B.S.M.E. ’00, M.B.A. ’03, Member-at-LargeVance Ballard lives in Birmingham and works for United States SteelCorp. While in school at the Capstone, Ballard was president of the ACEs(Ambassadors for the College of Engineering).

Selina Lee, B.S.E.E. ’90, Member-at-LargeSelina Lee lives in Pell City and works for Alabama Power Co. as assis-tant to the senior vice president of power delivery.

Bradley Newman, B.S.I.E. ’91, M.S.I.E. ’99, Region V ChairBrad Newman lives in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and is the plant manager forCollins & Aikman in Nashville.

Jonathan Noland, B.S.M.E. ’92, Region I ChairJon Noland lives in Birmingham and is manager of field sales forAmerican Cast Iron Pipe Co. Jon has been very active in coordinating theGreater Birmingham-Area CES Golf Tournament for the past two years.

Nathan Reamey, B.S.I.E. ’01, M.B.A. ’03, Member-at-LargeNathan Reamey lives in Birmingham and works for Vulcan Painters Inc.as the ISO and continuing improvement coordinator. During Reamey’syears at the Capstone, he received the Marvin A. Griffin EngineeringScholarship and was an ACE.

Margaret “Ferne” Wlodarski, B.S.M.E. ’81, Alabama District 4 ChairFerne Wlodarski lives in Huntsville and works for the U.S. Army MissileCommand as a general engineer.

SWE NATIONAL CONFERENCE HELD IN BIRMINGHAM

The Society of Women Engineers took Alabama by storm in October asnearly 3,000 women engineers and engineering students from across thecountry attended the SWE 2003 National Conference at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.

The major highlight of the conference was a two-day career fair with morethan 150 engineering companies looking to recruit students for permanentpositions. More than 50 current UA engineering students participated bygiving companies a CD with their résumés.

Other activities that took place during the conference included technicaland career development presentations on topics such as “Hydrogen-FueledTransportation” and “Salary Negotiations.” In addition, students participat-ed in design competitions and SWE’s own version of the College Bowl.

The conference concluded with the Student Awards Ceremony at the his-toric Alabama Theatre. ChevronTexaco presented a scholarship to AshleyErickson, a junior in mechanical engineering, and the Partnership toAdvance Science Engineering and Technology awarded UA mechanicalengineering graduate student Heather Hendrix the Outstanding CollegeStudent Horizon Award. UA’s SWE student chapter also received thirdplace in the Outstanding Student Section competition in the medium-sizedschools category behind Stanford and Arizona State.

The CapstoneEngineeringSociety sponsoreda reception forUA alumni andstudents at therecent SWENationalConference.

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

American Society of Mechanical Engineers for support of mechanicalengineering scholarships

W. Donald Bell for continuing support of electrical and computer engineering and computer science scholarships

ChevronTexaco for continuing support of engineering scholarships

David and Jackie Courington for continuing support of the chemical engineering fund

Earl and Elna Crittenden for continuing support of their endowed scholarship in industrial engineering

Eastman Chemical Co. for continuing support of engineering scholarships

Mr. Ed and Dr. Betty Englebert for continuing support of their endowedscholarship in chemical engineering

ExxonMobil Corp. for continuing support of engineering scholarships

Mildred Ray Hire Fleming for continuing support of her endowedmechanical engineering laboratory

Hua-An Liu for continuing support of chemical engineering scholarships

Kimberly-Clark Corp. for continuing support of engineering scholarships

Leroy McAbee for continuing support of engineering scholarships

Mrs. Claire Nichols for continuing support of the endowed industrial engineering scholarship in memory of her husband, Dr. William G. Nichols

A. John and Miriam K. Still for continuing support in establishing anendowed scholarship in chemical engineering

Dr. Daniel Turner for continuing support of civil engineering scholarships

Judge John C. Tyson for establishing an endowed engineering scholarship

United States Steel Corp. for continuing support of the Council ofPartners in the Multicultural Engineering Program

Volkert & Associates for establishing an endowed civil engineering scholarship

STUDENTS SAY THANKS

With rising tuition costs, some students would not be able to attend theCapstone without the generous support of our alumni and friends whohave endowed scholarships. The following are newly endowed scholar-ships, and the College and our students say, “THANKS!”

John and Linda Daniel for an endowed general engineering scholarship

Drs. Kenneth and Sharon Harwell for an endowed aerospace engineering and mechanics scholarship

The Haskell Co. for an endowed civil engineering scholarship

James A. and Carolyn McCollum for an endowed chemical engineeringscholarship

McGiffert & Associates LLC for an endowed civil engineering scholarship

The family of Holt Rast for an endowed civil engineering scholarship

Mark A. and Chrystine B. Roberts for an endowed mechanical engineering scholarship

Margaret Lindsey Smith, in honor of Col. Clifton Lindsey, for anendowed general engineering scholarship

ACES HOST LEADERSHIP DINNER

More than 50 engineering student leaders attended a Leadership Dinneron Nov. 11 hosted by the Ambassadors for the College of Engineering(ACEs). Mr. Jim Fehrmann of BE&K Inc. spoke about the differencebetween managing and leading, after which managerial situations werepresented and discussed in small groups. The dinner took place on cam-pus at the President’s Pavilion and was co-sponsored by BE&K and theCapstone Engineering Society.

WWW.ENG.UA.EDU HAS A NEW LOOK!

The College has been diligent-ly working on its new Webpresence. The new site includesareas for prospective studentsand alumni and has links toother major areas of theUniversity. Visit the site oftento stay updated about the hap-penings at the College ofEngineering.

9C A P S T O N E E n g i n e e r

S U R V E Y I N G T H E C O L L E G E

COE STUDENTSELECTED AS PORTZSCHOLAR BY NATIONALCOLLEGIATE HONORSCOUNCIL

College of Engineering senior RobDavis has been selected as one of three 2003 Portz Scholars in theNational Collegiate Honors Council’scompetition for outstanding under-graduate honors papers—a first for any UA student.

Davis, a member of the University Honors Program and Computer-BasedHonors Program majoring in aerospace engineering, was the principalauthor of a paper titled “Mass Loss and Blunting During High-SpeedPenetration” based on research done at UA with Amanda Neely, a juniorin aerospace engineering, and Dr. Stanley Jones, Cudworth Professor of aerospace engineering and mechanics.

Davis was selected to participate in this past summer’s NASAUndergraduate Student Research Program at the Marshall Space FlightCenter in Huntsville, and he received the 2003 American Institute ofAeronautics and Astronautics (UA chapter) Outstanding Senior Award.Davis worked as an undergraduate research assistant for Jones on a project sponsored by the U.S. Air Force, and he is currently working withDrs. Michael Polites and Semih Olcmen, both associate professors of aero-

space engineering and mechanics, ona joint project of UA and NASA.

COE CONTINUES RISEIN U.S. NEWS & WORLDREPORT RANKINGS

The College of Engineering hasagain been ranked by U.S. News &World Report as one of the bestundergraduate engineering programsin the nation for colleges with doctor-al programs. This year COE ranked84 among all engineering collegesnationwide, up from 88 last year

and 98 the year before. This is the third consecutive year the College hasbeen ranked, and the third consecutive year COE has moved up in therankings. Among public engineering colleges, the College ranks 53 in thenation.

ME PROFESSOR WINS OUTSTANDINGMANUFACTURING ENGINEER AWARD

Dr. Yuebin Guo, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, receivedthe Society of Manufacturing Engineers 2003 Jiri Tlusty Outstanding

Rob Davis

Young Manufacturing Engineer Award. SME presented Guo with theaward at the North American Manufacturing Research Conference inHamilton, Ontario, Canada. He was one of eight academic recipients, andone of 12 overall, in recognition of significant achievements and leader-ship in manufacturing engineering.

COLLEGE OFENGINEERINGANNOUNCES ALTON N.SCOTT PROFESSORSHIP

The College of Engineering recentlyannounced that Dr. Richard C. Bradthas been appointed as the Alton N.Scott Professor for his excellence inresearch. Bradt, professor of materi-als engineering, has been at UA since1994, and he is a Fellow of theAmerican Ceramic Society and theASM International.

The Alton N. Scott Professorship was established in 2002 from an $8 mil-lion endowment from the estate of Alton N. Scott. The bequest is thelargest gift ever given to the College of Engineering, and the secondlargest bequest in the history of the University. The income distributionsfrom this endowment are earmarked for the “promotion, encouragementand funding of research projects.”

IIE STUDENT CHAPTER RECEIVES GOLD AWARD

UA’s Institute of Industrial Engineers student chapter received the GoldAward in the 2003 IIE national chapter recognition competition for thethird consecutive year. The Gold Award is the highest chapter recognitionaward from IIE, and recognizes chapter improvements and progress. Only18 out of more than 150 student chapters worldwide received the award.The UA chapter was the only chapter in the state to receive the GoldAward.

UA GOLDEN KEY TAKES TOP INTERNATIONALAWARD

The prestigious Key Chapter Award was recently presented to members of the University of Alabama chapter of the Golden Key Honour Societyat the society’s international conference in Chicago, Ill. Lynn Hamric,administrative secretary in mechanical engineering, has served as chapteradvisor for the past six years. The Golden Key president, Nick Seamon, isin chemical engineering and the treasurer, Blake Stuart, is in mechanicalengineering.

Dr. Richard C. Bradt

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S U R V E Y I N G T H E C O L L E G E

Research NewsUA RESEARCHER COMBINES RECYCLINGAND CONSTRUCTION

In the last 10 years, the nation has seen a surge in householdrecycling. Communities across the country are collecting tons of recycled material every day. This trend led Dr. AndrewGraettinger, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, to develop a new lightweight fill made of recycledplastic bottles.

Traditionally, soil fills the space behind retaining walls, such asthose built for interstate highway dividers and sound barriers.Soil is extremely heavy and exerts a lot of pressure against theretaining wall. Over time, the wall can lean or crack because ofthe pressure.

The plastic-bottle blocks would be used in replacing soil behindinterstate highway retaining walls. The blocks would be coveredwith some soil and grass for aesthetic purposes.

“The plastic-bottle blocks weigh considerably less than soil,” saidGraettinger. “For construction applications, the lighter-weightplastic bottle fill is easier to handle and will save money becausethe retaining wall does not have to be as strong.”

The plastic-bottle blocks are approximately two-feet high by two-feet wide by two-feet deep and contain 150 to 200 plastic bottles.Urethane foam holds the bottles together in the square blockform. The four-square-foot bottle block can withstand up to twotons of weight.

The blocks weigh approximately two pounds per cubic foot com-pared to soil, which weighs approximately 110 pounds per cubicfoot. “This means that five stories of plastic-bottle fill weigh thesame as one foot of soil,” explained Graettinger.

Drs. Andrew Graettinger (left) and Philip Johnson (center),with the assistance of two students, cut one of the plastic-bottleblocks in half as they prepare to install it on part of a bike trailat Lake Lurleen State Park.

The plastic-bottle blocks are covered with landscape fabric.After the fabric was in place, Dr. Graettinger and the team covered it with soil. This switchback on the bike trail is nowlevel and safer.

11C A P S T O N E E n g i n e e r

why join ces?� Increase the prestige and value of your engineering or

computer science degree.

� Help us achieve higher rankings through increasedalumni participation.

� Provide much needed financial support for our students and the College.

� Stay in touch with friends.

� Receive updates and information about the College.

� Receive the Capstone Engineer.

� Receive invitations to pre-football game events.

Call Cheryl Altemara at 1-800-333-8156, e-mail caltemara@coe.eng.ua.edu or visit the website at www.eng.ua.edu.

Help keep us the

South’s best engineering schooljoin the capstone engineering society today.

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E V E N T S

GREATER BIRMINGHAM-AREA CES CHAPTERMEETS AT CAHABA PUMPING STATION

Birmingham-area engineers met at the Cahaba Pumping Station on Aug.27. About 30 alumni attended the event and listened to departmentupdates from Dr. Will Sutton, mechanical engineering’s new departmenthead, and Dr. Ken Fridley, civil engineering’s new department head.

COE ALUMNI ENJOY ELK GATHERING

The College of Engineering and ElkCorp of Alabama heldan alumni gathering on Sept. 30 at the NorthRiver YachtClub Captain’s Cabin where guests were treated to horsd’oeuvres and dinner. Approximately 50 COE alumnigathered to enjoy the delicious food and fellowship.

ATLANTA ENGINEERING ALUMSMEET FOR AN EVENING OF FUNAT DAVE & BUSTER’S

Atlanta-area UA engineers gathered at Dave &Buster’s on Oct. 15 for an evening of fun, fellowshipand networking. In addition to Dean Greene’supdate about the College, about 20 guests enjoyedthe food and games of the famous restaurant. Ifyou’re interested in attending future events in theAtlanta area, please contact the CapstoneEngineering Society at 1-800-333-8156.

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E V E N T S

GREATER BIRMINGHAM-AREA CES CHAPTERENJOYS TOUR OF MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM

Richard Jacobs, B.S.C.E. ’67 (left), and Jon Noland, B.S.M.E. ’92 (center),discuss the museum with the Barber’s event coordinator.

THE COLLEGE HOSTS ABOUT 1,000 STUDENTSDURING E-DAY 2003

The College of Engineering held Engineering Day (E-Day), an open housefor junior-high, high-school and community-college students on Oct. 2.About 1,000 students from schools throughout the state toured labs andviewed exhibits in each of the College’s eight departments. E-Day 2004will be held on Oct. 7. For registration information, contact Alicia King at (205) 348-2547 or aking@coe.eng.ua.edu.

ALUMNI AND PROSPECTIVE STUDENTSGATHER IN NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans area alumni gathered at the home of Sorrell andNell Lanier on Nov. 21 along with local high-school counselors,students and parents. Representatives from the College includedDean Tim Greene, Alicia King and Cheryl Altemara, who werejoined by Rick Funk from UA’s Office of UndergraduateAdmissions and special guest Dr. Margaret King, UA’s new vicepresident for student affairs. The Laniers host an event annuallyto assist the College with the recruitment of excellent studentsfrom the New Orleans area. If you would like a student toreceive information about our engineering programs, please con-tact Alicia King at (205) 348-2547 or call CES at 1-800-333-8156.

BARBER MOTORSPORTS PARK ATTRACTS CES MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

Greater Birmingham-area UA engineers and friends toured the newBarber Motorsports Park in Leeds on Oct. 29. The tour included a drivearound the course and the extensive motorcycle museum, which is consid-ered the largest in the world.

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A L U M N I N O T E S

JOBS/PROMOTIONS/AWARDS

1950George Hopson, B.S.M.E. ’50, M.S.M.E. ’55, recently lec-tured the mechanical engineering propulsion and classicalthermodynamics class at the Capstone. Hopson was nameda Distinguished Engineering Fellow in 1992 and recentlyreceived NASA’s Distinguished Service Medal, the highesthonor NASA confers.

1961Chester C. Carroll,B.S.E.E. ’61, M.S.E.E. ’62,Ph.D. ’65, was recentlyappointed as the president of the Lyman Ward MilitaryAcademy. He is holder emer-itus of the E. A. LarryDrummond Eminent ScholarChair in computer architec-ture at UA, and he wasinducted as a DistinguishedEngineering Fellow in 1988.Carroll also serves as amember of the College’s Leadership Board.

1978John Ray Jordan, B.S.M.E. ’78, recently became a full-time classical music announcer for public radio stationKEDM 90.3 FM in Monroe, La.

1979Charles Daley Speer,B.S.Ch.E. ’79, M.S.Ch.E. ’85,was inducted into the BoyScouts of America’s Order ofthe Arrow National HonorSociety.

1981Brian Barr, B.S.C.E. ’81,recently presented a lectureon the role engineers play inconstruction project deliveryto a civil and environmentalengineering class at the Capstone. Barr is the AlabamaDistrict 1 chair on the Capstone Engineering Society Boardof Directors.

1983Beth N. Gore, B.S.Ch.E. ’83, was chosen to representDistrict 5 as Teacher of the Year for 2003–04. She was one of eight finalists and was honored at a reception inMontgomery. She teaches chemistry and physics at ChoctawCounty High School.

1984Chuck Karr, B.S.E.E. ’84, M.S.Mh. ’86, Ph.D. ’89, was pro-moted to associate professor in UA’s aerospace engineeringand mechanics department.

Harold Wright Jr., B.S.Ch.E. ’84, recently lectured classesat UA and Mississippi State University about personalfinance. Wright is the Region VIII representative on theCapstone Engineering Society Board of Directors.

1985Paul W. Lammers, B.S.Ch.E. ’85, recently presented several lectures to chemical engineering classes at theUniversity. He spoke on the difference between the chemical-process and pharmaceutical industries and also aboutrésumé writing. Lammers is a member-at-large on theCapstone Engineering Society Board of Directors.

1986Khairy Abu-Salah, B.S.C.E. ’86, was honored at the 2003Department of Defense/States/EPA Region 4 EnvironmentalConference in Atlanta with a Certificate of Excellence for hisoutstanding leadership, commitment to the environmentalprogram, and for the professional manner in which heworked with military installations in Mississippi.

Larry T. Burns, B.S.M.E. ’86, has received his fourthNavy and Marine Corps Commendation medal for hisexceptional service while aboard the ballistic missile subma-rine USS Georgia. He serves as Navy commander toSubmarine Squadron 17 out of Silverdale, Wash.

1989Ashok T. Reddy, M.S.Ch.E. ’89, was promoted to programdirector for best practices and product management lines atIBM Software Group in Cupertino, Calif.

1998Erin Young Akin, B.S.C.E. ’98, will be pursuing a doctorof veterinary medicine degree at Auburn University. She wasaccepted into the Class of 2007 at the College of VeterinaryMedicine.

Andy Bernard, B.S.C.E. ’98, has written a book titledSeven Steps of Pitching, published by Winepress Publishing.The book is an instructional manual geared to teaching base-ball pitching to all age groups.

Dr. Chester C. Carroll

Charles Daley Speer

15C A P S T O N E E n g i n e e r

I N M E M O R Y

EMILY LATHAM CUDWORTH

Emily Latham Cudworth, the widow of James RowlandCudworth, retired dean of the College of Engineering, diedon Sept. 23, 2003. She is survived by two sons, JamesRowland Jr. and Allen Latham, five grandchildren and onegreat-grandchild.

Cudworth established the James R. Cudworth MemorialEndowed Scholarship Fund in 1981 to honor the memory ofher late husband. The scholarships are given to deservingstudents majoring in engineering.

The board of trustees also established the James R.Cudworth Memorial Engineering Professorship Fund in1984 to attract and retain the nation’s most eminent engi-neers by offering a nationally competitive salary scale.

ELON E. ELLIS

Elon E. Ellis died on Sept. 13, 2003, and is survived by hiswife, Betty, sons Elon III and John, daughter BarbaraChristenson, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Ellis received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in1942 and was inducted as a UA Distinguished EngineeringFellow in 1997.

For 26 years, Ellis worked for Timber Structures Inc. inOregon and helped establish the company as the state’smain producer of laminated structures for buildings acrossthe nation. He was also the owner and CEO of a wholesaledistributor of machinery, ID Inc., and he retired in 1986when he sold this company.

Ellis was a founding member of Golf Enterprises Inc., whichbrought what became the Portland Open to the Rose City.He later founded Tournament Golf Inc., which brought theLadies Professional Golf Association Tour to Portland, rais-ing more than $4 million for children’s charities. He wasdirector and officer of the Western Golf Association for morethan 30 years.

ROBERT RUSSELLFAYLES JR.

R. Russell Fayles Jr. died onJan. 1, 2003. He spent 46years in the iron and steelbusiness, establishing a dis-tinguished career in engi-neering operations and main-tenance activities. He served10 years as the president ofHoeganaes Corp., one of the

world’s largest and best-known providers of iron and ferrousalloy powders for the metallurgy industry.

Fayles served on a number of committees, including theAmerican Institute of Iron and Steel refractories committeeand general research committee. He also served terms aspresident of the Metal Powder Producers Association and ofthe Metal Powder Industry Federation.

Fayles received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineer-ing at the University in 1936. He was selected as aDistinguished Engineering Fellow by the College in 1992.

DR. DONALD H.MCLEAN

Dr. Donald H. McLean, pro-fessor emeritus of civil engi-neering, died on Sept. 13,2003. He is survived by threesons, Donald Jr., Russell andDuncan, and nine grandchil-dren.

McLean was a professor ofcivil engineering at UA for36 years and received the

distinction of professor emeritus upon his retirement in 1987.He was one of only five faculty members of the College ofEngineering to win the National Alumni Association’sOutstanding Commitment to Teaching award. After servingfive years as director and one year as president of theAlabama section of the American Society of Civil Engineers(ASCE), he received the ASCE Student Chapter Professor ofthe Year Award in 1985.

McLean also was a member of Chi Epsilon, the Society ofSigma Xi, and the Canadian Order of the Iron Ring.

Faculty, staff and alumni will remember all of his work, bothwithin and outside the College, and they have made contri-butions to the Dr. Donald H. McLean Endowed EngineeringScholarship in his honor. If you would like to make a dona-tion in memory of Dr. McLean, please mail it to KarenBaldwin, Director of Advancement, The University ofAlabama, College of Engineering, Box 870200, Tuscaloosa,AL 35487-0200.

Robert Russell Fayles Jr.

Dr. Donald H. McLean

16

The Capstone Engineering Society was founded in 1973 as part of The University ofAlabama’s Capstone Foundation, and it serves as the alumni support group for theCollege of Engineering. CES is dedicated to maintaining relationships and resources withUA engineering and computer science alumni to ensure a superior educational experiencefor UA engineering and computer science students.

The Capstone Engineering Society would like to thank the alumni listed below for theirloyal support of the College of Engineering through their membership in CES. Each hasbeen a CES member for the last 15 years or more.

Mr. J. Steve Biggs

Mr. Doyle Winston Blair

Mr. Calvin B. Blevins Sr.

Mr. Philip H. Bradley

Mr. Joel Webb Cooper Jr.

Mr. John W. Covington III

Mr. John Edgar Daniel

Mr. Edward L. Englebert

Mr. L. Lamar Faulkner

Mr. Harry M. Gabriel

Dr. Samuel C. Gambrell Jr.

Mr. David Wilds Gilbert

Mr. John Hugh Graham

Mr. Joseph Charles Hedstrom

Mr. Charles Wayne Helms

Mr. Harry Hill Holliman

Mr. Raymond M. Hollub

Mr. Louis Richard Hovater

Mr. Hansel Richard Hudson

Mr. Frank Jacobs

Mr. James Hodge Johnson Jr.

Mr. W. Gene Kerlin Jr.

Mr. Charles Allen Long Jr.

Mr. Donald Ray Lucas

Mr. Jack Whiting MacKay

Mr. Reese Ewell Mallette Jr.

Dr. R. Wayne Masters

Mr. Joseph W. Mathews

Mr. Leroy McAbee

Mr. David Earl McCoy

Mr. Carlos W. McDonald

Mr. John William Pamplin

Mr. Alsey C. Parker Jr.

Mr. Charles M. Rampacek

Mr. Kenneth Edward Riggs

Mr. James Edward Rorex

Mr. Joseph Aubrey Schill

Mr. Charles Allen Sipe Jr.

Mr. Robert Lewis Taylor

Mr. William N. Thomas

Mrs. Susanna V. Tomlinson

Mr. Bennett D. Tucker Sr.

Recognizes Longtime MembersCAPSTONECAPSTONE ENGINEERING SOCIETY

The Fourth Annual Capstone Engineering Society GolfTournament is scheduled for Tuesday, April 13, 2004, at

the beautiful Bent Brook Golf Course between Birminghamand Tuscaloosa. Join Dean Tim Greene and others for a funtournament sponsored by the Birmingham Chapter of CES.

The format for the tournament will be a four-person scramblewith a shotgun start. The registration fee of $125 includesgreens fee, cart, range balls, beverages, lunch and a tourna-ment golf shirt. Registration starts at 11:00 a.m. and the tournament begins at 1:00 p.m.

You may participate in the following ways:

Team Level ($500) • Team of four with all the registration amenities

Individual Level ($125) • Single registrationHole Sponsorship ($300) • Recognition on one hole

plus recognition at the tournament

Thanks to Crest Cadillac of Birmingham, the hole-in-one prize is a two-year lease of a Cadillac Escalade, a 345-horsepower, V8, all-wheel-drive SUV.

Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the CapstoneEngineering Society’s efforts to provide engineering andcomputer science students with a superior educationalexperience. Our goal is to have 120 players in the 2004CES Golf Tournament. Please help us achieve this goal. Sign up today!

If you have any questions about the tournament or sponsorship, please call 1-800-333-8156 or e-mail caltemara@coe.eng.ua.edu to contact CES Director Cheryl Altemara for more information.

THE FOURTH ANNUAL CAPSTONE ENGINEERINGSOCIETY GOLF TOURNAMENT

2

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

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage Paid

Tuscaloosa, ALPermit 16

COE WILL HOST SUMMER PROGRAM FOR HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS — SITE

The College of Engineering will host three Student Introduction toEngineering programs (SITE) during July. SITE is a weeklong residentialprogram for high-school juniors and seniors interested in engineering.SITE students live in residence halls, tour a plant to see engineers atwork, and engage in teaming and communication exercises. At the end of the session, they take part in a design competition.

If you know students who would be interested in attending SITE, contact Alicia King at (205) 348-2547 or aking@coe.eng.ua.edu for registration information.

2004 SITE DATES

July 11–16July 18–23July 25–30