Dean's Weekly Significanct Activities Report 9 April 2014

Reported by Dean’s Institute of Innovation and Development www.westpoint.edu/innovation

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Dean’s Weekly Significant Activities Report

9 April 2014

The Dean’s Weekly Significant Activities Report is an internal report on all activities

conducted within the Departments, Centers & Staff. The Report is provided to the Dean for

situation awareness, throughout the organization for shared situation awareness, and to

select external organizations for outreach and communication. Portions of the Dean’s

Weekly Significant Activities Report are further staffed in a report to the Superintendent.

POC for the report is MS Lesley Beckstrom at 938-5105.

Picture of the Week

Law Major Cadets Meghan Mitchiner, Gabrielle Mangru,

Allyson Hauptman, Brianna Miller, James Doyle, Andrew

Fitzsimmons, and Jared Heslop at the International Institute

of Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy.


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Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership

Completed Events

Follow BS&L on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Point-NY/Department-of-Behavioral-

Sciences-Leadership/44253274507

5th

Annual West Point Negotiation Workshop.

On 3-4 April 2014, BS&L's West Point Negotiation

Project ran a negotiation education workshop for

approximately 85 participants, including 43 West

Point

cadets, 29

visiting

cadets, and

13 officers.

Visiting

cadets came

from the

U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Air Force Academy, Royal Military

College (Canada), and ROTC programs at Princeton, Yale, MIT,

University of CT, Cornell, Dartmouth, Norwich, Boston

University, Syracuse, University of Virginia, and University of

North Carolina. During the workshop, cadets learned the

importance of negotiation as a leader competency, were introduced to a framework for systematic analysis

of negotiation situations, and practiced negotiating in a series of role-playing exercises, including a team

competition. Cadets also heard from guest speakers, who helped them understand how they will use

negotiation as junior officers. Guest speakers included the Superintendent, LTG Caslen; the Commanding

General of the Maneuver Center of Excellence, MG (P) McMaster; Supervisory Special Agent Mark Flores,

of the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit; and MAJ Steve Flanagan, a Special Forces officer in BS&L who shared

with cadets how he used negotiation to avert a tribal

uprising while deployed to Iraq. Cadets also heard from

three recent West Point graduates who took the course

Negotiation for Leaders (MG390) as cadets and used

negotiation skills while leading in the Army. The West

Point Negotiation Project is a USMA faculty effort to

improve the ability of military leaders to negotiate and is

an activity within BS&L's West Point Leadership Center.

POC: MAJ Neil Hollenbeck, BS&L, x2945.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Point-NY/Department-of-Behavioral-Sciences-Leadership/44253274507

http://www.facebook.com/pages/West-Point-NY/Department-of-Behavioral-Sciences-Leadership/44253274507


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The students, cadets, and advisors of the 2014 Wharton-West Point Leadership Exchange.

BS&L Hosts the annual West Point-Wharton Leadership Exchange. On 4-5 April, 20 undergraduate

students from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business along with 15 cadets, mostly

from BS&L, participated in the West Point-Wharton Leadership Exchange. The cadets escorted the

Wharton students and taught them about leadership and leader development at West Point. Activities

included briefings on the West Point Leadership Development System (WPLDS), weapons and military

equipment static displays, the Leadership Reaction Course (LRC), the Engagement Skills Trainer, eating

Meals Ready to Eat (MRE), a leadership discussion between students and instructors MAJ Brett Lanier, and

an After Action Review (AAR). Each Fall, BS&L sends a group of cadets to learn from Wharton students

in Philadelphia, while each Spring, Wharton sends a reciprocal group to West Point. POC: MAJ Brett

Lanier, BS&L, x5021.

Cadet Wes Mathews demonstrates Cadet Phil Le and his team work together to lay a

How to put on and properly seal the plank on one the Leadership Reaction Course

Protective Mask during the military obstacles.

equipment and Weapons static display.


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Cadets attended the expo as part of their PL372: Marriage and the Family course. Cadets focused on

elements of marital ceremonies in American culture, marriage ritual artifacts, and wedding costs. The floral

center pieces stole the show. Cadets (left to right) Jozlyn McCaw (’14), Stephanie Koo (’15), Jocelyn

Lewis (’14), and a reluctant Zachary Hoffman (’15), got serenaded by a music and entertainment vendor at

the Hotel Thayer Wedding Expo on April 6, 2014. POC: [email protected].

Dr. Lily Cushenbery spoke in PL300: Military Leadership classes. On 4 April 2014, Dr. Lily Cushenbery, Assistant Professor at Stony Brook University's School of Business,

spoke in MAJ Lovelace's and MAJ Fanitzi's PL300: Military Leadership classes. Dr. Cushenbery discussed

her research on leader mistakes and recovery strategies. The discussion with cadets defined leader errors,

reviewed several studies that Dr. Cushenbery conducted to examine leader errors, and reviewed multiple

strategies that leaders can employ to recover from their mistakes. The session culminated with a discussion

between Dr. Cushenbery and the cadets about general lessons leaders should keep in mind when they do

make an error.

Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science

EE&CS Honors Top Scholars

By: CPT(P) John Zehnpfennig, EE&CS

Photo Credit: CDT Joseph Delay, 2015

On Wednesday, 26-March, the Department of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science hosted

its annual honor society induction. The dinner celebrated the academic, moral, and social achievements of

sixteen cadets majoring in electrical engineering, seventeen cadets majoring in computer science, and five

cadets majoring in information technology as well as two members of the EE&CS faculty. This ceremony

was made possible by a generous donation by Professor and Mrs. Harry Van Trees, a USMA ’52 grad, MIT

mailto:[email protected]


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Professor of Electrical Engineering, and close friend of USMA’s Department of Electrical Engineering &

Computer Science.

Electrical Engineering academic majors and faculty joined Eta Kappa Nu (HKN) – The Electrical

and Computer Engineering Honor Society. Computer Science and Information Technology academic

majors and faculty joined Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) – The Honor Society for Computational Sciences. In

order to be considered for induction into the honor society for their academic discipline, a cadet must be

academically ranked in the top quarter of the second-class or top third of the first-class within their

discipline.

The seventeen Electrical Engineering honorees were inducted by the HKN–Iota Phi Chapter

President, Cadet Mark Mihalik. Mark is an Electrical Engineering major and a member of the Class of

2014. In addition to academic excellence, HKN requires that its members desire to use their education to

help society, have an unimpeachable character, possess good attitude, and use common sense. The new

members inducted into the Iota Phi chapter of HKN are:

HKN EE&CS Faculty

MAJ Julianna Eum

HKN Class of 2014

CDT Robert A. Melvin CDT Jamonté Little

HKNClass of 2015

CDT David Chacko CDT Ames Evans

CDT Lucas Ruff CDT Mitchell Binger

CDT Matt Kane CDT Benjamin Young

CDT John Marotti

HKN Class of 2016

CDT Clayton Jaksha CDT Neal Eichenberg

CDT Andrew Kane CDT Richard Shmel

CDT Michael Shares CDT Peter Zeidler

The USMA Chapter of Eta Kappa Nu.

The twenty-four Computer Science, Information Technology, and Electronic and Information

Technology Systems honorees were inducted by the UPE–Kappa Chapter President, Cadet Rosemary

Betros. Rosemary is a Computer Science major and a member of the Class of 2014. In addition to being

top academic performers, UPE requires that its members distinguish themselves as true professionals, meet


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societal standards of practice, and work to improve and innovate the state of the art. The new members

inducted into the Kappa chapter of UPE are:

UPE Faculty

Maj. Mark E. DeYoung,

USAF

UPEClass of 2014

CDT Zachary Gorak CDT Christian Young

CDT Brian Petty CDT Dylan Hyde

CDT Jason Decoursey CDT Geoffrey Gibson

CDT Jacob Lademan

Class of 2015

CDT Andreas Kellas CDT Leo St. Amour CDT Lukas Saul CDT Brian Teachout

CDT Scott Horras CDT Luke Miller CDT Cort

Thompson

CDT Michael Milbank

CDT Xiao Tan CDT Michael Finocchio CDT Askia Mapp CDT Yu Li

CDT Frederick Ulrich CDT Peter Sunderland CDT Jorge Figueroa-Cecco

Cecco

The USMA Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon

Left: Newly-inducted members of HKN and UPE must sign the Chapter Registers.


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Center: The Department Head and Senior Faculty congratulate each new member.

Right: COL Ressler delivers the keynote address.

The Prof. and Mrs, Van Trees gift is managed by the USMA Association of Graduates, who

contribute to the recognition of these outstanding cadets by funding the lifetime membership fees for each

cadet. The EE&CS Department Head, Colonel Eugene Ressler, delivered the keynote speech in which he

challenged the honorees to continue to excel and achieve. COL Ressler stressed the importance that we, as

members of several professions, owe society our top priority of work and utmost effort.

Cadet Stuart Baker ‘14, an HKN member, provided the invocation. Throughout the

invocation, Baker stressed many of the same points that COL Ressler would later reinforce: a desire to

serve the profession and the people, to execute tasks diligently and with care, and to gain wisdom and

understanding over time.

The ceremony was a professional, somber affair that reinforced to the inductees and longtime

members that above all, members of these disciplines commit themselves to a lifetime of service to a

trusting public. All departed the evening with a renewed vigor to do just that.

Nine West Point EE, CS, and IT Presentations at the National Conference for Undergraduate

Research at the University of Kentucky

BY: CPT(P) John Zehnpfennig, PE (EE&CS)

Photo Credits: CPT(P) Zehnpfennig, CDT Andrew Blood ’14,

CDT Andrew Oswald ’14, CDT Matthew Abreu ‘14

Last week ten EE, CS, and IT major Cadets and one Officer from the Department of Electrical

Engineering and Computer Science attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR)

2014 from 3-5 April and presented their research or capstone project work. The cadets gave the five oral

and four poster presentations on site at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.


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The USMA team at NCUR 2014, held at the University of Kentucky. Left: in the basketball gym - UK

basketball took the Final Four semifinals twelve hours after this photo. Right: on and around the UK

mascot, the “Wildcat.” In the mascot picture, the people are (from left) CDTs Morgan White, Sean

D’Antonio, Andy Oswald, Pongpat “Dome” Taephanitcharoen, Matthew Abreu, Andrew Blood (on Cat),

Joseph Salmento, Matthew Carroll, CPT(P) John Zehnpfennig, CDTs Stephen Patten, and William Koch.

This was one of the largest NCUR conferences in recent memory with almost 2,000 talks, posters, and

artistic presentations. NCUR drew over 3,000 presenters and faculty from around the world, mainly US

colleges and universities.

Each Cadet oral presentation had an audience between 6 and 40 people. The cadets each presented in a

very professional, engaging manner that spoke of their deep understanding of their subject matter, and an

interest in developing the studies further. The audiences listened intently, asked many good questions, and

offered excellent suggestions.

The oral presentations were (presenter in bold, pictures above citations):


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“Pan Species Chemical Agent Detector through Optomechanics of Surface Acoustic Waves,” CDT

Andrew Oswald, MAJ Matthew Rapp, and CPT John Zehnpfennig, PE.

“Prostheses: Through the Lens of a Unifying Theory of Innovation,“ CDT Matthew Abreu and COL

Barry L. Shoop, PE, PhD.


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“White Line Detection in an Autonomus Vehicle,” CDT Joseph Salmento, CDT William Koch, and COL

Eugene Ressler, PhD.

“DynaMA – Dynamic Malware Detection,” CDT Jake Clark, CDT Sean D’Antonio, CDT Hayden Tippet,

CDT John Zeidler, MAJ Todd Arnold.


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“NetViz – Network Traffic Visualization,” CDT Andrew Blood, CDT Joe Choban, CDT Brian Petty, CDT

Chris Roberts, CDT Zach Short, and LTC David R. Raymond, PhD.

The four hour-long poster presentations each saw between 10-15 interested visitors and each presenting

cadet had ample opportunity to describe their work and discuss it in detail with a variety of interested folks.

The poster visitors offered good insight and, through their interest, inspired each cadet to redouble their

efforts to deliver top capstone or research products.

The poster presentations were (presenter in bold, pictures above citations):

“Towards Ultrafast Arrays of Photonic Crystal Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser,” CDT Pongpat

Taephanitcharoen, CDT Jason Wilkes, CDT Matthew Carroll, CPT William North, MAJ Mathew Rapp,

CPT John Zehnpfennig, PE, and COL James J. Raftery, Jr., PhD.

“Treadmill Sensor Analysis,” CDT Morgan White and COL Lisa Shay, PE, PhD.


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“Towards a Deployable, Low-Cost, High Speed, Long Distance Fiber Optic Network for the US Army,“

CDT Jason Wilkes, CDT Pongpat Taephanitcharoen, CDT Khirsen Corbins, and CPT John Zehnpfennig,

PE.

“CALYPSO – Mobile App Security,” CDT Wil Brown, CDT Kevin Keyes, CDT Stephen Patten, CDT

Matt Thompson, and Maj. Mark DeYoung.

In addition to giving their presentations, each Cadet attended a wide variety of talks, posters, and artistic

presentations throughout the conference. Because NCUR is discipline non-specific, there were

presentations from almost every college major available worldwide and presented in almost every

imaginable format. The cadets were greatly enriched by attending presentations from within and outside of

their disciplines.

The trip OIC learned that the Cadets were considered “tough” audience members at presentations because

they asked challenging questions of the presenters. In speaking with one presenter, CPT Z learned that he

(the speaker) first discounted the presence of uniformed folks in the room and was pleasantly surprised to

have them (the cadets) ask difficult, pointed questions about his research.


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The OIC learned a great deal as well. In addition to attending many great presentations, he also

moderated two sessions, both outside of his discipline – an International Studies session and an Economics

session, both through the lens of “Gender Studies.” Although he did not choose which sessions to

moderate, CPT(p) Zehnpfennig was glad he was assigned these sessions as they were both enlightening and

very well presented.

This trip was funded and made possible by the Professor and Mrs. Harry Van Trees Professional

Development Fund gift to the Department Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. Each Cadet is

writing Prof. and Mrs. Van Trees heartfelt and deeply appreciative thank-you letters.

Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering

Completed Events

USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals: During 2-6 April, LTC Ken Allen traveled to Tempe, AZ with the

West Point Triathlon team to the USA Triathlon Collegiate Nationals. The team had four podiums to

include winning the military award by beating Navy and Air Force. They tied for 3rd overall with UCLA.

Student American Nuclear Society (ANS) Conference: During 3-5 April, COL Bryndol Sones traveled

to University Park, PA with a total of 14 cadets from the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering

to the Student American Nuclear Society (ANS) Conference held at Penn State University where they

presented work from their capstone experience NE496/496 and from their independent studies

NE498/PH489. All 14 cadets were presenters. Two cadets earned distinction with Best Undergraduate

Paper in their respective technical sessions: Cadet Dan Murphy (NENO 2014) for his work on modeling

nuclear weapons effects in New York City and Cadet Steven Sloan (NENO 2014) for his work in analyzing

new nuclear reactor fuel cladding.


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Group shot after the Awards Dinner, Cadets Murphy and Sloan in front

Cadet Jenna Vercollone with fellow nuclear engineering majors, Richard Calvin and Kyle Maxwell,

posing in front of Jenna’s poster on a medical collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer

Center in NYC


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21st Annual Army Research Laboratory / USMA Technical Symposium: On 8 April, four members

from the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering traveled Aberdeen Proving Grounds to participate

in the 21st Annual Army Research Laboratory / USMA Technical Symposium. Dr. Paula Fekete, CDTs

Jordan Blanchard and Kaeleigh Warfield presented their work on Graphene Production by Mechanical

Exfoliation. LTC Ken Allen presented work performed in the USMA particle accelerator on Materials

Testing Using Non-Radiating Techniques.

Dr. Paula Fekete and CDTs Blanchard and Warfield


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LTC Allen

Future Events

NE355 Trip Section: On 17 April, Dr. Brian Moretti will travel to Schenectady, NY with his NE355,

Nuclear Reactor Engineering students to visit the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) critical reactor

facility. Under the supervision of an RPI faculty member, cadet will perform experiments on the reactor

that will complement NE355 course content.

NE474 Trip Section: On 21 April, LTC Rob Prins will travel to New York City with his NE474,

Radiological Safety students to visit Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The cadets will be briefed

and receive a demonstration on medical radiation devices and treatment procedures which is significant for

them in understanding the complexities of the application to the theory for medical health physics.

NE300 Trip Section: On 22 & 23 April, MAJ Sam Heider and LTC Ken Allen will travel to Buchanan,

NY with cadets enrolled in NE300, Fundamentals of Nuclear Engineering to visit Indian Point Energy

Center to gain understanding of the nuclear fuel cycle and electrical power generation.


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Department of Foreign Languages

Current Week HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Hosting Visitors:

The Director of the Education Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office

(TECRO) in New York Dr. Charlin Chang and two of her staff members visited Dr.

Gallagher, Dr. Chao, MAJ Jensen, and MAJ Kessler of the Chinese-language Section to

discuss USMA SAP and AIAD programs in Taiwan. Dr. Chang expressed her full

support for our programs.

The Arabic-language section assisted in the visit of the Republic Of Yemen’s Minister of

Defense and eight others (to include the Deputy Minister and the Chief of Staff of the

Yemeni Air Force) as they visited West Point on 2-3 April. The MoD was briefed on

officer accessions, leader development, and school structure and curriculum.

2. Semester Abroad Program (SAP) / Academic trip sections:

a. Russian SAP at Kazakhstan: Nine Cadets visited the Almaty Defense Institute in

Almaty, Kazakhstan in order to experience and observe the daily life, education and

training of Kazakh cadets. The Cadets took part in daily routines similar to West

Point, as well as getting to learn maintenance and operations on Russian-made

armored vehicles, and firing AK-74s and an RPG-7. The cadets took part in all

aspects of cadet life in Kazakhstan, including being in charge of formations. The

cadets were also given a cultural tour of Almaty.


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Photo: USMA Cadets pose with their Kazakh counterparts at the Almaty Defense Institute in

Almaty, Kazakhstan.

Photo: A USMA Cadet takes aim with an RPG during a weapons-familiarization event at the Almaty Defense Institute in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

b. Spanish SAP in Spain: From 5-6 April, Cadets James and Trainor met with Cadets

Vagie and Drew (both studying in Portugal) in Sevilla to exchange Semester-Abroad


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experiences. The Cadets explored the Cathedral, Real Alcázar and Barrio de Santa

Cruz the Plaza de España by bicycle and happened upon a traditional Spanish fair.

Photo: Cadet Trainor reviews sheet music while visiting Barcelona to gain more musical skills

for his work with the choir in Granada.

c. Spanish SAP in Mexico: Cadet Rachel Anderson presented on one of her studies at

the Instituto Tecnológico de Monterrey in Mexico City. The topic was on

healthcare issues from a social perspective.

Photo: Cadet Rachel Anderson, studying at Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, presents on healthcare

issues as part of her studies there.


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d. Arabic SAP: Nine Arabic Cadets continue their studies in Morocco, Jordan, and

Oman. As part of community outreach and service-based learning, Cadets in

Jordan continue their work with children in Jordan’s SOS Children’s Village.

e. Cadets in Oman visited Masandam on the straits of Hormuz. Cadets in Morocco

are making great strides through their Arabic Media course.

3. Language Section or International Club key events:

a. The International Cadets of West Point (ICWP) attended the annual International

Ball at the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD on 5 April 2014. The

event recognized the contributions of International Exchange Officers and

Midshipmen at USNA and celebrated US relations with our international partners.

Several clubs performed cultural exhibitions. USMA International Cadets

temporarily suspended inter-service rivalry to build rapport with International

Midshipmen and others from the greater Washington DC community.

Photos: The International Club of West Point poses at the annual International Ball at the U.S.

Naval Academy at Anapolis.


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b. MAJ Jensen of the Chinese-language section coordinated interdepartmental

participation in the I Corps China LPD Symposium from 3 to 4 April at the I Corps

China LPD. LTC Chacho presented two briefings: China's Foreign Policy and PRC

Political System. MAJ Jensen presented two briefings: Chinese Core Values and

Chinese Internet Use. CPT Halub presented a two-part briefing: Myths and

Legitimacy - A Short History of Imperial China. The presentations were well

received and more are planned for next semester and beyond.

c. CDT Caleb Johnson and CDT Theodore Fong will present at the second half of the

Forum for American-Chinese Exchange at Stanford (FACES,

http://faces.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/index.html) hosted by Peking University and Renmin

University in Beijing, China from 12 to 20 April. Last semester, the cadets presented

the first half of their work at Stanford.

4. Major milestones in research or scholarly work:

As part of the Semester Abroad Program preparation series, CLCRS provided 38 out

of 68 Cadets with a foundational cross-culture brief discussing the opportunities they

will have while abroad to compare and contrast host nation customs, values and

traditions

with their own. A group of International Cadets were in attendance to discuss and

share vignettes about their respective countries based upon their experiences here at the

Academy and in their home countries.

5. Upcoming Events

On 11 April, the Cadets and Russian-language instructors from LR204 plan to travel to

Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, NY, to speak with Russian immigrants and experience

the Russian community in the area.

On 15 April, MAJ Jensen, MAJ Frank Kessler and Dr. Martha Gallagher will have

dinner with the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in New York City.

Also attending will be BG Trainor, COL McPeak, COL Ebner, and Cadets William

Boccard, Colby Hyde, Caleb Johnson, Zachary Newquist, Sean Slattery and Allen Xu.

Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering

West Point Wins RecycleMania Photo Contest. On 2 April 2014, the G&EnE

Engineers and Scientist for a Sustainable World Club, which spearheads the West Point

RecycleMania competition efforts, won 1st place in the national RecycleMania Photo contest. The

competition was sponsored by the National Wildlife Foundation (NWF) and is featured on the

http://faces.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/index.html


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NWF and RecyleMania websites at www.nwf.org/rmcontest and www.recyclemaniacs.org. The

photograph, taken by Dr. Jon Malinowski (G&EnE) will be recognized in a national

RecycleMania press release and at the Portland Association for the Advancement of Sustainability

in Higher Education (AASHE) Conference. Additionally, the photo will be featured on the

RecycleMania homepage during next year’s competition. Results for this year’s RecycleMania

competition will be released on 11 April 2014. With one week to go, West Point was in 4th

place

in the per capita classic (lbs recycled per person) and 2nd

place in corrugated cardboard category.

The POC is MAJ Barrett Thomas at [email protected]. Go Army, Beat Trash!

Picture: Dirtman and CDT Carissa Pekney ’16, in winning photo featured on the RecycleMania web page

at http://recyclemaniacs.org/contest.

Scout Master Council Camporee Support. COL Mike Hendricks, Department of

Geography and Environmental Engineering, created a map to support the 52nd

West Point Boy

Scout Camporee at Lake Frederick. The map will be useful to all participants and contains helpful

information about parking, vehicle drop off and restrictions on routes. The POC is COL Mike

Hendricks at [email protected].

http://www.nwf.org/rmcontest

http://www.recyclemaniacs.org/


http://recyclemaniacs.org/contest



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Picture: Map created by COL Mike Hendricks for 52

nd West Point Boy Scout Camporee.

Faculty Members Present at the American Society for Engineering Education

Zone 1 Conference. MAJ Matt Baideme and MAJ Cristian Robbins presented a paper co-

written with LTC Jeff Starke at the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Zone 1

Conference held at the University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, Connecticut, from 4-5 April. The

paper “A Model to Build, Assess, and Reflect on Students’ Metacognition through the Classroom

Debate of Controversial Environmental Issues” will be published in the conference’s peer-

reviewed proceedings. The paper describes a model that uses a 360o assessment of student

participation in in-class role-play debates of controversial environmental issues to help the

students build, assess, and reflect on their metacognitive abilities, skills crucial to helping them

develop the habits of lifelong learners. The POCs are MAJ Matt Baideme at

[email protected] or MAJ Cristian Robbins at [email protected].

EV388a – Physical Geology Trip Section. On April 2, cadets in Physical Geology took a

tour between West Point and New Paltz to experience the geology of the local area. This tour

included stops on the Hudson Highlands, the Black Dirt Region, the remnants of the Hudson &

Delaware Canal, and the Shawangunk Mountains. This trip allowed the Cadets to see the processes




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that have been discussed in class in the real world, giving them a better appreciation of their

current location and demonstrating the amazing history of the surrounding area. The POC is MAJ

Adam Brady at [email protected].

Picture: CDT Kelly Redmond, ’16, briefing EV388a on the deposition of gravel while standing in

front of a gravel pit. The gravel deposition in the area is due to streams formed by runoff during

the retreat of Pleistocene glaciers. These glaciers are responsible for much of the topography seen

throughout the area.

West Point Family Fun Night. On 27 March 2014, Dirtman visited the West Point

Elementary School for Family Fun Night. The event was in conjunction with the book fair and

Dirtman’s presence was requested along with several others in the science, technology,

engineering, and math (STEM) sector. Armed with his Goode’s World Atlas and a model of karst

topography, Ditman seized the opportunity to reach out to local students and spread his infinite

knowledge on all things “Dirt.” The POC is CPT Jay Ireland at [email protected].




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Picture: Armed with his Goode’s World Atlas, Dirtman answers questions posed by West Point Elementary

School Students related to groundwater flow and karst topography.

Defense & Strategic Studies Program

http://www.warcouncil.org/

GEN(R) Stanley McChrystal Guest Lectures to DMI Faculty and DSS First Class Cadets. GEN

McChrystal spoke to DMI faculty for an hour on Monday, presenting his own five-step framework for

better implementing national security. He then presented to DSS cadets from the program’s capstone

course, DS498 Colloquium in Military Affairs, and a few other select programs. His talk focused on his

efforts as the JSOC commander to balance efficiency and adaptability in the JSOC organizational design to

meet the challenges of the contemporary operating environment.

MAJ Betson Provides Support to African Military Education Program. Major Andrew Betson

traveled with an interdisciplinary team of USMA faculty to Niamey, Niger to provide educational support

to the African Military Education Program. The AMEP is the Department of State security cooperation

initiative focused on making African military training institutes more professional.

War Council Event Focused on the Utility of Junior Officer Strategic Understanding. Major Matt

Cavanaugh, creator of the War Council series, held a brief lecture Wednesday on the purpose of fostering

strategic understanding in junior officers followed by a lengthy Q & A session.

Department of Law

LTC Mark Visger and seven Law Majors traveled to Sanremo, Italy, where the cadets competed

in the International Institute of Humanitarian Law’s 13th

Annual Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)

Competition for Military Academies. The week long international competition had cadets from

numerous countries apply the LOAC in simulations based on contemporary armed conflicts. The

competition introduced cadets to the legal concerns of multi-national operations in an

international, multi-cultural, and linguistically-diversified setting. Cadet Jared Heslop's team

won second place in the overall competition for best mixed team.

http://www.warcouncil.org/


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Law Major Cadets Meghan Mitchiner, Gabrielle Mangru, Allyson Hauptman, Brianna Miller,

James Doyle, Andrew Fitzsimmons, and Jared Heslop at the International Institute of

Humanitarian Law in Sanremo, Italy.

Department of Civil and Mechanical Engineering

Completed Events

1. Faculty Member Attends American Concrete Institute Conference - COL Fred Meyer

attended the Spring Conference of the American Concrete Institute in Reno, NV from 23-27

March. Meyer chairs Committee S802, Teaching Methods and Educational Activities, and is

an active member of committees 318 Sub A, General Building Code, 239, Ultra-High

Performance Concrete, and 213, Lightweight Aggregate and Concrete. During this

conference, Meyer was recognized as a new member of the Board of Directors, a position he

was elected to by members of the institute to hold for a period of three years. POC is COL

Fred Meyer, [email protected].

2. 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers Virginias Student Competitions - LTC Craig

Quadrato travelled to Charlottesville, Virginia from 3-5 April as the ASCE Committee on

Student Members representative to the civil engineering competitions hosted by the University

of Virginia. LTC Quadrato was the mentor for the competition organizers and represented

ASCE at the event. The competitions included the concrete canoe, steel bridge, Marr

Technical Paper, Hardy Cross Technical Presentation, an Environmental Engineering

Challenge, and a technical problem solving competition. There were 285 students representing

13 schools from West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington, DC at the event. LTC Quadrato



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spoke at the business meeting about ASCE and interfaced with hundreds of students and their

advisors during his visit. POC is LTC Craig Quadrato, [email protected]

3. A Super Week (Month!) for SIP Hut Activities - This past week saw a plethora of events

take place regarding the SIP Hut. From 27 to 31 MAR, COL Fred Meyer, LTC Steve Hart,

and Cadets Scott Ratzer, Diego Crespo, Mike Altonji and Jackson Callaghan traveled to the

Construction Engineering Research Laboratory to build SIP Hut 3.0. Mr. Garth Anderson,

MAJ Drew Johannes, and CPT Tom Decker provided coordination for the project. Builders

erected this SIP Hut in just five squad hours! (See Figure 1.) Innovations in the third

generation SIP Hut included factory applied interior paint, factory applied polymer roof, wall,

and floor coatings, and a wrapped floor configuration that reduced the number of screws in the

building by 66%. Additionally, the complete SIP Hut comes shipped in one 20-ft shipping

container (See Figure 2). Packing requires less than two squad hours.

On 1-2 April, LTC Hart and Cadets Matt Barber, Zack Baldwin, Nate Gooden, and Mack

Howell traveled to Aberdeen Proving Ground to investigate the response of both a SIP Hut and

a B Hut to a simulated 120mm mortar/107mm rocket blast. Partial structures of each type

were built and then subjected to a multiple blasts of 2.5 pounds of C4 explosive. The first blast

at 15 feet destroyed the B Hut (See Figure 3 showing the blowout of all B Hut studs; the studs

flew up to 20 ft away!) but caused only superficial damage to the SIP Hut. A second blast at

12 ft from the SIP Hut caused minor, but quickly reparable damage. Finally, a third blast at 6

ft destroyed the SIP Hut. (See Figure 4 for a team picture in the destroyed SIP Hut and note

that although destroyed, the SIP Hut did not collapse and did not fragment.)

On 3 April, LTC Hart, Dr. Chris Conley, and Cadets Ed Kelly and Anthony Cardoso

completed 18 months of fragment protection experiments using various applied armor panels

for the SIP Hut. The goal of this work was to find appropriate protective panels to provide

protection from 120mm mortar fragments in areas where soil filled containers were not

appropriate. This final set of experiments tested eight panels provided by the Nano-materials

Infrastructure Research Group at the University of Mississippi.

On 4 April, LTC Hart, Mr Steve Tucker of NSRDEC, and all the cadets involved in the Boeing

Advanced Energy Concepts Capstone Project erected the Photo Voltaic Fly at the West Point

SIP Hut. The SIP Hut energy laboratory will be the basis for the technology demonstration

phase of this capstone project and will be presented to Boeing on 1 May. Currently, West

Point, ERDC-CERL, and the 554th Engineer Battalion are planning for the construction of a

fourth and fifth SIP Hut at the CBI-TEC at Fort Leonard Wood. POC is LTC Hart at

[email protected]




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Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4


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4. ME496 Capstone Quadrotor Testing with ARDEC at Picatinny Arsenal

USMA Cadets Anthony Grady (Company H1, Class of 2014), Trevor Knowles (C2, ’14), Jay Trexler

(D2, ’14), and Kevin Zander (H1, ’14), and research engineers from the Armament Research,

Development, and Engineering Center (ARDEC) conducted tunnel navigation testing at Picatinny

Arsenal’s Homeland Defense site on 3 April 2014. The cadet team modified and equipped a

commercially available quadrotor with sonar sensors to force the vehicle to remain at a predisposed

altitude in the tunnels. This initial test successfully demonstrated the vehicles ability to navigate

tunnels while being controlled remotely by a pilot; ultimately, the goal of this project is to map and

navigate tunnel networks semi-autonomously. The Vertical Take Off and Landing (VTOL) Quadrotor

project is part of ME496, Mechanical Engineering Capstone; the project is supported by the Rapid

Equipping Force (REF) Grand Challenge. POC: LTC Van Poppel, [email protected]

Department of English and Philosophy

Past Events 1. Studio Arts Forum participated in a photography workshop

On 31 March, Studio Arts Forum cadets participated in a photography workshop led by Dr. Laura Vidler of the Department of Foreign Languages. The workshop introduced cadets to both the technical and aesthetic principles of photographic work, concepts that overlap in a number of ways with those practiced in the plastic arts to include subject placement, use of light and



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lines, and how to use the tool- the camera- to create aesthetically interesting images. The workshop blended a technical orientation to digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) and mirrorless cameras, what their settings mean, and how to manipulate the settings to achieve different visual effects.

2. PY201x Workshop, Reed Making: The Craft Behind the Magic

On 26 March two sections of PY201x participated in the third of four workshops on creativity created by elements of the West Point Band. SSG Anna Pennington led the workshop on the craft of reed making in the world of professional oboists. She began with a lovely performance and then discussed through hands-on demonstration the process and tools of reed making and the variety of decisions that go into the crafting of a single reed for a given performance. Achieving the magic one observes during a professional performance, like the one cadets saw at the beginning of the workshop, requires a great deal of technical mastery, not only of music and the instrument itself, but also of the hand-crafting of the reed, where hundredths of a millimeter can make a difference in sound quality. The oboist must create

Dr. Vidler helps CDTs Anna Gulbis and Daniel Ivey understand some of the technical functions of the DSLR camera.


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new reeds on a regular basis, spending many hours per week crafting new reeds in addition to practicing her instrument.

3. The Fourth Mid-Hudson Undergraduate Conference at Marist College

On 5 April, Third-Class Cadet David Grossman (Company H3) presented his paper, “Principles

Governing the Morality and Ethics of Business,” and First-Class Cadet Sean Gill (Company F2) provided a

commentary on a student paper, during the Fourth Mid-Hudson Undergraduate Philosophy Conference at

Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York. The two cadets interacted and exchanged ideas with

undergraduates from local colleges (Bard, Marist, and Vassar colleges) and presenters from the University

of Detroit-Mercy and Skidmore College/University of Madrid. In attendance for both cadets’ presentations

was Catherine Wilson, the Distinguished Professor of Philosophy from the City University of New York

SSG Pennington introduces cadets to the variety of tools (displayed on the table) required to execute the reed making

process.

(Left) CDT Bethany Russell (Class of 2016), observes the raw material for great reeds—special bamboo cane imported from France. (Center) SSG Pennington demonstrates one of the many steps in the reed making process. (Right) CDT Chandler Cole (Class of 2016)

admires the finished product.


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(CUNY) Graduate School. During the open discussion, Professor Wilson questioned if Cadet Grossman’s

three business principles sufficiently addressed the ethical challenges of the corporate environment. As an

economics major, Cadet Grossman responded by using his understanding of business practices and ethical

theories to suggest that morality and profit are not exclusive from one another. Cadet Grossman’s paper

was an expanded and refined version of an assignment from PY201 (Introductory to Philosophy); his

presentation and responses to impromptu comments/questions displayed the excellent critical thinking,

reading, writing, and speaking skills that are required and developed during cadets’ core philosophy course.

Cadet David Grossman (Right) and Ryan Ellman (Left) have a friendly discussion about business ethics during the Fourth Mid-

Hudson Undergraduate Philosophy Conference at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York.


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4. EP380 Cadets participated in the Japanese Tea Ceremony (chanoyu)

On 1 April, members of the Omotesenke Domonkai discussed the cultural meaning of the Japanese

Tea Ceremony (chanoyu) and demonstrated the ceremony for cadets enrolled in EP380 (Eastern Thought)

and for cadets who are members of the Japanese Forum. Each cadet received a serving of tea and Japanese

dessert (wagashi), and two cadets were able to participate in the ceremony. The Tea Ceremony illustrated

many of the ideas that cadets have studied in EP380.

Cadet David Grossman (left) presents his paper “Principles Governing the Morality and Ethics of Business” and later takes notes while Ryan

Ellman (middle) compliments and critiques the premises of his paper. Also, Cadet Grossman (right) was afforded the opportunity to respond to

comments from a businessman sitting in the audience.

Cadets David Jerome and Patrick Monfort participate

in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. The Kanji characters

on the scroll mean harmony, respect, purity, and

tranquility.

Members of the Omotesenke Domonkai perform the

Japanese Tea Ceremony.


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5. 2014 Northeast Modern Language Association conference in Harrisburg, PA

Four members of the Department of English and Philosophy English faculty presented papers at the 2014 Northeast Modern Language Association (NEMLA) conference in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 3-6 March. LTC Peter Molin presented a paper titled “Contemporary War Theater: The Violence That is There and the Violence That is Not” for a panel entitled “Doing Violence in Literature and Photography.” MAJ Nick Utzig presented “’Ick can dat wel doen’: Stage Dutch in Thomas Dekker’s The Shoemaker’s Holiday” for a panel titled “Reconfiguring Linguistic Hierarchies in Early Modern Literature.” MAJ Karin Gresham’s paper, “Magical, Beastly Ambition: John Webster’s Critique of Political Power in The White Devil,” contributed to a panel titled “Sorceresses and Witches: Enchanting Women On and Off the Renaissance Stage.” Dr. Richard Johnston read a paper titled “Rereading/Misremembering/Forgetting” for a panel on “The Art of Reading: Theory, Practice, and Pedagogy.” The four DEP members’ contributions to the 2014 NEMLA conference represent significant professional accomplishments and demonstrate the range of expertise within the department’s faculty, as well as its ability to participate in important contemporary scholarly debates. NEMLA is one of the nation’s premier literary conferences, attracting scholars from across the nation and around the world who specialize in English literature and the literatures of a number of foreign languages.

6. Dr. Richard Johnston Presents at the DEP Works-in-Progress Colloquium

On 1 April, Dr. Richard Johnston gave a presentation during the Department of English and Philosophy’s (DEP) monthly Works-in-Progress Colloquium. Dr. Johnston's shared his work on Rereading/Misremembering/Forgetting that he will present at the NEMLA convention. There were approximately 20 staff, faculty, and cadets in attendance who provided valuable feedback to Dr. Johnston's work. The DEP Works-in-Progress Colloquium is a monthly reoccurring forum for faculty and cadets to share their current research projects and engage with the work of their colleagues from within the department—and from other departments as well.


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7. The Philosophy Forum hosted Professor Randy Dipert, the C.S. Pierce Professor of American

Philosophy at SUNY- Buffalo and former USMA faculty member

On 1 April, the Philosophy Forum hosted Professor Randy Dipert, the C.S. Pierce Professor of

American Philosophy at SUNY- Buffalo and former USMA faculty member. Professor Dipert discussed

“The Distinctive Ethical Problems of Cyber Warfare,” previously published in the Journal of Military

Ethics. Cadets and faculty from a number of academic disciplines and the Cyber Research Center

highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of the talk. Earlier in the afternoon, Professor Dipert also

facilitated a seminar for Department of English and Philosophy faculty where he discussed his views on a

moderate form of military realism.

Dr. Richard Johnston presents to a group of 20 cadets, faculty, and staff at the DEP Works-in-Progress Colloquium on 1 April.


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8. COL John Nelson co-authored an interdisciplinary paper with COL Greg Conti and COL Lisa

Shay

COL John Nelson co-authored an interdisciplinary paper titled “A Conservation Theory of

Governance for Automated Law Enforcement,” with COL Greg Conti and COL Lisa Shay, of the

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Professor Woodrow Hartzog, of Samford

University. The paper was presented on 5 April at “We Robot 2014,” a conference on legal and policy

issues and robotics, hosted by University of Miami School of Law.

9. The Interdisciplinary Nineteenth-Century Studies Annual Conference

Dr. Jason Hoppe recently attended the annual conference of the Interdisciplinary Nineteenth-

Century Studies Association, an international group of scholars dedicated to interdisciplinary discussion

and research grounded in the long nineteenth-century. The conference was held in Houston, Texas. The

theme of this year’s conference was “Nineteenth-Century Energies.” Dr. Hoppe’s paper examined the

dynamic relationship of the deeply religious Mary Moody Emerson (1774-1863) to her famous nephew

Ralph Waldo, whose literary ambitions she sought to channel to theological purposes by way of a strangely

energizing poetics of ‘mortification.’ His participation in the conference contributed to the continuing

enhancement of the academic reputation of the Unite d States Military Academy.

10. Cadet Writing Fellows Present Papers at the University of Connecticut’s Annual Conference on the Teaching of Writing

On 4 April, a select group of Cadet Writing Fellows—Judy Farrow (’15), Matt Hager (’16),

Melissa Wells (’15), and Matt Williams (’15)—participated in the Ninth Annual Conference on the

Professor RandyDipert discusses “The Distinctive Ethical Problems of Cyber Warfare” with cadets and faculty from at

least three academic departments and a number of disciplines.


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Teaching of Writing, hosted by the University of Connecticut. Their panel, “Maximizing Peer-to-Peer

(Author)ity: Voice, Risk, and Process According to the West Point Writing Fellows,” explored the

challenges that first-year college writers face from their unique perspectives as peer consultants at the

newly established West Point Writing Center. Connecting their experiences tutoring fellow cadets to

extensive research in the field of composition studies, the Writing Fellows took up issues that often hinder

the development of student writers—flagging confidence, frustration with grading, inadequate planning and

outlining—and proposed nuanced, thoughtful, and creative solutions to them. Ultimately, their participation

in this conference, which was otherwise dominated by full professors and graduate students, testifies to

their exceptional ability to contribute to high-level scholarly conversations; such contributions, in turn,

enhance the resources on hand to all West Point cadets for the development of their thinking and writing.

The cadets’ panel was chaired by LTC Sean Cleveland (Officer in Charge, Writing Fellows Program) and

received additional support from Dr. Mary Anne Myers (DEP) and Dr. Jason Hoppe (Director, Writing

Fellows Program).

Cadets Matt Williams (’15), Matt Hager (’16), Melissa Wells (’15), and Judy Farrow (’15) recently

presented papers at the Ninth Annual Conference on the Teaching of Writing, hosted by the University of Connecticut on 4 April. Their panel, “Maximizing Peer-to-Peer (Author)ity: Voice, Risk, and Process According to the West Point Writing Fellows,” grew out of their experiences

researching high-level scholarship in composition studies and tutoring fellow cadets at the West Point Writing Center.


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11. Eminent Scholar Carol Gilligan Discussed Gender at the Philosophy Forum and Visited EP373

On Monday April 7th, the acclaimed scholar of gender and moral development, Dr. Carol Gilligan,

presented a talk at the Philosophy Forum titled “Resisting ‘Masculinity’ and ‘Femininity’” and visited Dr.

Graham Parsons’ class, EP373: Topics in Ethics, to discuss her work. This semester EP373 is focused on

gender and ethics. Between the class and the Philosophy Forum lecture, Dr. Gilligan continued the

discussion with cadets over dinner in the Mess Hall. Throughout the day, Dr. Gilligan focused on the

gender binary, its effects on the psyches of boys and girls, and the importance of psychological resistance to

the binary for democracy. Dr. Gilligan was profound and inspiring. She gave cadets conceptual tools to

think and speak about gender and its importance. After the Philosophy Forum talk, a male cadet, inspired

by Dr. Gilligan’s research on girl’s development, said, “I am going to go call my 13 year-old sister to talk

about what she has been going through.” Carol Gilligan has written numerous books, including the

international bestseller “In a Different Voice,” and is also a novelist and playwright. She was the first chair

of gender studies at Harvard University and is currently University Professor of applied psychology and the

humanities at New York University. She has been named by Time Magazine as one of the 25 most

influential Americans. This event is an example of the department’s ability to address issues of

contemporary relevance, to contribute to cadet’s ethical development, and to promote diversity among the

Corps.

Cadets Matt Williams (’15), Matt Hager (’16), Judy Farrow (’15), and Melissa Wells (’15) present their papers at the Ninth Annual Conference on the Teaching of Writing, hosted by the University of Connecticut on 4 April. Their panel, “Maximizing Peer-to-Peer (Author)ity: Voice, Risk, and Process According to the West Point Writing Fellows,” grew out of their experiences researching high-level scholarship in composition studies and tutoring fellow cadets at the West Point Writing Center.


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12. USMA represented at Inauguration of Connecticut College’s 11th President, Katherine Bergeron.

On 5 April, COL Krawczyk represented USMA as one of 100 delegates from colleges and

universities around the country that participated in the ceremonial activities marking the installation of

Connecticut College’s 11th President, Katherine Bergeron, former Dean of Brown University. COL

Krawczyk marched in a procession that included representatives from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, UNC, the

University of Michigan, Middlebury College, USNA, and the Coast Guard Academy, among others.

During the day’s events, COL Krawczyk attended lunch with Connecticut College undergraduates and

parents, toured the campus, and attended one of the academic panels sponsored by the Blaustein

Humanities Center: “The World Is Our Home: Higher Education in Local/Global Communities.”

COL Krawczyk makes a comment during a panel held as part of events celebrating the Inauguration of

Connecticut College’s 11th

President, Katherine Bergeron, who is pictured here looking on (front row,

far right). Six panelists, representing five different disciplines, addressed the theme, “The World is

Our Home: Higher Education in Local/Global Communities.”

Dr. Gilligan discusses gender and moral development at the Philosophy Forum. The talk gave cadets

conceptual tools to think about gender and its importance.

Dean's Weekly Significanct Activities Report 9 April 2014

Documents

Transcript of Dean's Weekly Significanct Activities Report 9 April 2014