Momentum 2010 Fall

inside this issue:EcoCAR celebrates victory

BCoE preps state aerospace industry for take-off

Bulldogs go to the coast

FALL

201

0

All in the Bulldog

Engineering Family

2 Momentum Fall 2010 www.bagley.msstate.edu

The Bulldog engineering family has achieved a great deal in the last two years. We have seen our undergraduate and graduate programs grow by 13 percent and we now have 2,975 students enrolled at the college. Our U.S. News and World Report graduate program ranking improved 15 places in the last two years to a ranking of 81st in 2010. The recognition and improvements we have achieved thus far are very exciting and we are looking forward to continued success this year with our talented faculty and outstanding students.

The BCoE is exceptionally proud of the hard work of our faculty and researchers. I’d like to extend a special congratulation to Rafael Hernandez, an associate professor in chemical engineering, who now holds the Texas Olefins Endowed Professorship; Sergio D. Felicelli, a professor in mechanical engineering, who was awarded the Coleman and Whiteside Professorship; and Pedro Mago, associate professor in mechanical engineering, who was recently awarded the Tennessee Valley Authority Professorship in Energy Systems and the Environment. Gov. Haley Barbour appointed Dennis Truax, department head of civil and environmental engineering, to the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors. The Tau Beta Pi 2010 Donald Mentor award went to Donna Reese, who is also currently serving as the interim department head for computer science and engineering. The college would also like to recognize CAVS Extension for its outstanding

work. They received the 2010 National Award of Excellence in Business Assistance and Entrepreneurship from the University Economic Development Association. Our faculty members and researchers keep striving for excellence and setting great examples for our students who, in turn, are doing the same.

While our students are here at MSU earning their degrees, they are also involved in student competitions and design projects that extend what they have learned in the classroom to creating complex engineered systems that result in success and opportunities. Most notably, our EcoCAR team took first place overall this year in the second round of the vehicular design competition EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge. Our unmanned aerial systems team soared to a second place finish at the eighth annual student Unmanned Air Systems Competition sponsored by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. The Mississippi State Space Cowboys, an undergraduate student rocket design team, recently placed second in NASA’s University Student Launch Initiative, along with our robotics team that finished third at the IEEE Southeastern region solar-powered robot competition. Our Engineering Bulldogs participated in the 2010 Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) Collegiate Design Series Competition, as well as being filmed racing against a rival Southeast school for the Extreme College Rivals series for Fox Sports. The MSU vs. Clemson episode will air at a later date, so make sure to keep an

eye on our BCoE Facebook and Twitter pages for the announcement of when to watch our students race on TV. Even though each team has members from different engineering disciplines, the students are able to see and find solutions through teamwork, which not only allows them to be successful at competition but also prepares them for success after graduation.

I’ve recently returned from Johannesburg, South Africa, where I was invited to be the plenary speaker for the inauguration of the South African Society of Engineering Education. I was also recently in Singapore attending the World Engineering Education Forum where I had the opportunity to learn about the most recent advances in engineering education and was selected to be the chair-elect of the Global Engineering Deans Council. These experiences remind me how important it is to have the opportunity to network and share ideas with colleagues and peers. Our Bagley College of Engineering faculty, researchers and students are working hard to engineer new solutions for our state and the nation. Their success is a result of recognizing that diverse teams built across colleges and with industry create more effective solutions to the challenges facing our world.

Best regards,

Sarah A. Rajala, Ph.D.Dean of the Bagley College of EngineeringEarnest W. & Mary Ann Deavenport Jr. Chair

While our students are here

at MSU earning their degrees,

they are also involved in

student competitions and

design projects that extend

what they have learned in

the classroom to creating

complex engineered systems

that result in success and

oppor tunities.

Greetings Alumni and Friends;

All in the Bulldog Engineering Family:

Bulldog images throughout this issue are for stories

about engineering MSU families. Also make sure to

check out the back cover to enter a drawing to win

one of two bulldog metal sculptures.

table of contentsEditor

Allen Snow

WritersDiane L. Godwin

Susan Lassetter

Ar t DirectionHeather M. Rowe

PhotographersMegan Bean

Diane L. Godwin Russ Houston

Heather M. Rowe

Editorial BoardJohn Brocato

Lori Mann BruceBennett EvansSarah A. Rajala

Rita BurrellRobert Green

N. Eric Heiselt

Subscription, Inquiries &

Address Changes:Momentum

PO Box 9544Miss. State, MS 39762

orpublications@

bagley.msstate.edu

www.bagley.msstate.edu

04Engineering innovations: Student inventors find career paths while helping develop technology

06Program takes a byte out of crime

11Lifeline

13 A job ‘heaven sent’ for professor and his colleagues

15Energizing Education: Doctoral students use fun, creativity to teach teens about energy

16How to build your own Rube Goldberg machine

17Civil engineering bonds three generations of bulldogs

20Engineering helps like-minded twins find distinctive paths

22European adventure grounds graduate with life affirming habits

24BCoE preps state aerospace industry for take-off

28Family motto provides return on investment

30Business success makes alumnus ‘big fish’ in hobby world

34Students ‘VOW’ to promote alternative energy

38Mississippi company helps students phone in assignments

40Don’t Panic

42Random happenstance brings brothers to MSU

44Alumnus gives MSU fans ‘More Cowbell’

46Racing for the ‘Green’

48Bulldogs go to the coast: MSU engineers spring into action to assist with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

54EcoCAR celebrates victory Mississippi State style

56Development notes

58Movers and Shakers

Want to send an

electronic copy of

Momentum to a friend or

colleague? Check out the

media tab at www.bagley.

msstate.edu.

FALL 2010


Engineering innovations: Student inventors find career paths while helping develop technology

While not exactly having their names in lights, Jim Gafford and Darrell Sparks must have felt like rock stars when they saw their names on U.S. patents.

The payoff for countless hours of work, those little slips of paper put the young engineers in the same category as Edison, Carver and Jobs before they even had time to frame their graduate degrees.

“When I first found out we were working on a patentable idea, I was really excited, but also a little terrified,” Gafford said. “Once you realize there is patent potential, that’s really just scratching the surface.”

Gafford was just beginning to pursue a master’s in electrical engineering when he began working as a research assistant for Dr. Mike Mazzola. Through the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) the two began developing an onboard vehicle power system, which could convert the DC voltage of an automobile into AC voltage suitable for powering equipment such as laptop computers.

“I got really excited about the research I was doing, and began to put a lot of time into developing this technology,” Gafford explained. “Before long I was working 40 or more hours a week on the project.”

By 2003, Gafford had finished his coursework and was spending so much time on research that he was brought on as full-time staff while he completed his thesis. It was around this same time that Sparks finished his bachelor’s degree and entered the Bagley College of Engineering’s direct to Ph.D. program in chemical engineering.

“About the time I started graduate school, Drs. Todd French, Rafael Hernandez and Mark Zappi came up with this idea to use microorganisms in wastewater treatment plants to produce fat and oils to create biodiesel,” Sparks explained. “I and another student helped them develop the idea and became involved in the patent process. It was a great experience.”

Both Gafford and Sparks have no illusions about the patenting process. It is long, slow and arduous, adding hours of literature review and paperwork to already packed workdays.

“Patents aren’t easy to get and can be expensive, so not everyone gets a chance to be involved in that, but when students do have the opportunity to get involved, they definitely should,” Sparks said.

Both Sparks and Gafford believe that the atmosphere of the Bagley College of Engineering and MSU provides

unique opportunities for researchers to explore the full potential of their science. Numerous campus units, such as the Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) and the Entrepreneurship Center, provide monetary and logistical support for university inventors.

“Many researchers who might have patentable ideas choose to only publish their work,” Chase Kasper, interim OTC director explained. “By utilizing our office, they can have the opportunity to do both. We can work with them to protect their ideas and inventions, while still allowing them to share their research with their colleagues in the academic community.”

“Technology improves the lives of the general public. The more knowledge transfer we can facilitate, the greater public benefit that will be gained. This will allow the university to better fulfill its mission of education, research and service to its constituents and stakeholders.”

This support and encouragement to explore new technology is part of the reason that both Sparks and Gafford decided to continue their careers at Mississippi State following graduation, despite having opportunities to go elsewhere. Sparks is currently an assistant professor in the department of biochemistry and molecular biology, and Gafford is a research associate at CAVS.

“I feel that I retain at least partial ownership of this intellectual property and I believe that is unique to the university setting,” Gafford explained. “The patent says Jim Gafford, inventor, not some company, and that provides me with a sense of personal pride. ”

Both engineers say that seeing their patents awarded provides encouragement to continue exploring technology and ways to apply it to people’s lives. Kasper sees it as a more university-wide trend.

“These are exciting times. We are witnessing the emergence of a new culture of innovation and invention. This is particularly true among students, whether they are working as co-inventors with faculty members or exploring patent possibilities on research related to theses or dissertations,” Kasper said. “It adds dimension to their experiences by opening their eyes to the best of both worlds. They are getting to explore technological advances and bridge the gap to the commercial world.”

For more information about inventors at Mississippi State, visit http://otc.msstate.edu/._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

Momentum 5

Armed with myriad digital devices, today’s criminals constantly find new ways to accomplish their fiendish feats. As these methods evolve, so must the tactics for stopping them. With the help of the Bagley College of Engineering-led National Forensics Training Center, investigators across the country have become experts in this kind of 21st century crime fighting.

“We are pretty well known in the law enforcement community,” explained Kendall Blaylock, the center’s lead instructor. “We are the only university that offers free digital forensics training. The officers are eager to learn the material and the price is right for their departmental budgets, so our training is in high demand.”

The center began its digital forensics training program for law enforcement five years ago through a U.S. Department of Justice grant. Since that time, more than 3,500 officers have been trained in how to collect and analyze evidence from computers and digital media through the curricula developed at Mississippi State.

In 2008, a grant from the National Science Foundation allowed the digital forensics training team to include wounded and transitioning veterans in its training.

“With law enforcement, we are teaching from the legal standpoint. They come in and want to figure out how to examine digital evidence in a forensically sound manner so it can be presented in court,” Blaylock said.

He added, “The veterans will most likely use this training for civil cases or intelligence gathering. We help them understand what types of work they can do. We even discuss business practices and ways they can get help in starting their own small businesses.”

Led by center director Dr. Dave Dampier, the program currently offers eight classes, which include a computer forensics primer and a seminar series of special topics. Classes are offered on Mississippi State’s campus at no cost to students—they simply have to get to Starkville. However, if a large enough group is interested in the training, the center’s two instructors don’t mind taking their classes on the road. They have taught law enforcement officers from more than 32 states, including holding classes in Alaska twice. They also frequently hold classes at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“We’ve had a lot of people go through this program, but there is still a huge demand for our basic classes,” Dampier said. “We have begun partnering with other universities, which use our curricula to teach forensics classes on their campuses. This allows us to begin offering a more diverse set of classes.”

“There are exciting things happening with this program,” he added.

PROGRAM TAKES A BYTE OUT OF CRIME


“We are the only university that offers free digital forensics training. The

officers are eager to learn the material and

the price is right for their depar tmental budgets,

so our training is in high demand,” said Blaylock.

Bagley College of Engineering Momentum 7

“A lot of these cases can only be made through digital evidence. If our unit didn’t exist, many of these criminals would still be committing crimes,” Cunningham said.


Expanding options for more empowered investigatorsConsidering the prevalence of technology in today’s society, it’s no wonder police across the country want to learn the basics of cybercrime-fighting. Meanwhile, as the program’s graduates return to their jobs and realize how beneficial the training is, they are eager to continue their education.

“There’s a big demand for us to expand our course offerings,” Blaylock explained. “We’ve been in a pretty steady state of growth with our law enforcement students, but this year our big push has been to get new material for our former students who want to go deeper into the field. We’ve even had special request for things like cell phone forensics.”

Wesley McGrew, who helps develop the program’s courses, said he is currently working on two new classes, which he hopes to launch within the year.

“One class is basically an introduction to computer forensics for prosecuting attorneys. It will introduce them to the concepts of digital storage and networks, so that when it comes up in a case they will know what it all means, legally speaking,” he said.

McGrew added, “I am also helping develop a network forensics class which looks at how computers are linked together—how they communicate with each other and share information, how to analyze their traffic, and investigate crimes over the Internet. It will also look at social networking.”

A course on concept mapping is also in the pipeline. Based on the dissertation research of April Tanner, the course will provide investigators with a way of visually tracking their cases.

“The goal of my research is to provide an easier way for law enforcement officers to organize, examine and analyze digital forensics evidence throughout the investigation process,” Tanner said.

Concept maps are diagrams that show relationships between objects or ideas. Each item is represented in a hierarchical structure and linked by directional lines, which serve to illustrate how things are related. In a criminal investigation, this could mean where a particular digital device was found, who it belonged to, or what files it contained.

Tanner’s approach uses a five-step process to help the investigator identify key concepts, attributes and other information about a particular case.

“There are so many different ways to search for evidence that it is very important to keep cases organized,” explained Tanner, who will receive her doctorate in December. “These concept maps will help police officers manage their cases and provide an easy to follow visual overview.”



Beyond the classes, the forensics training center also provides tangible tools for cybercrime fighting. The Department of Justice grant has helped them establish 14 forensics labs in Mississippi since 2007, with five more to be added this year.

The labs are strategically placed throughout the state to maximize their potential. Each lab unit consists of specialized software and hardware, which facilitates the collection, examination and organization of digital evidence. When funding becomes available, the labs are provided to departments that have staff trained in digital forensics and are in jurisdictions that have a need for cybercrime solving capabilities.

“To make the most impact, we also try to be sure that the departments that receive labs are willing and able to assist with other jurisdictions’ cases as necessary,” Dampier said.

While these units help solidify the training for students who have access to them, the instructors understand that not every student will go home to a fully functioning cybercrime lab. With that in mind, the researchers are working to make sure no one leaves the class empty handed.

Currently, McGrew is leading a group of student researchers to develop a software CD that will allow the investigators to load a

forensics examination environment from any computer.

“This tool will allow law enforcement professionals to quickly and easily establish a workstation to do investigations,” McGrew said.

Putting training into actionJames Cunningham knows how valuable access to a digital forensics environment can be. He is one of two investigators in the Lee County Sheriff’s Department Cybercrime Unit.

“Training is important, but if you don’t have access to the equipment to actually do the work correctly, it’s not going to do you any good,” Cunningham said. “That’s why we are so grateful for MSU’s support. We received one of the first forensics labs in the state and they recently helped us expand our capabilities.”

Since it was founded in 2007, the Lee County unit has worked on 42 criminal cases, including sexual crimes against children, narcotics, threats and harassment, homicides, missing persons, and fraud. It has also provided support for the surrounding counties, the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and the FBI.

“Technology has played into every aspect of crime, but through our lab we are able to stay on top of it,” said Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson. “Because of this lab, our department

is staying ahead of these criminals and helping stop the growth of cybercrime in north Mississippi.”

Before the Mississippi State digital forensics program was established, most of Mississippi’s digital evidence was processed by the state attorney general’s office, which led to a backlog of work. The addition of the MSU supported labs across the state allows for the work load to be shared and cases to be processed quicker.

Since it was created, the Lee County unit has processed thousands of pieces of digital media, including computers and portable storage devices. Cunningham and his partner, Danny Giroux, operate the lab as volunteers and because much of its equipment was donated by MSU, the entire unit runs on a part-time deputy’s salary.

Each case takes countless hours of work and a commitment to continued training, but Cunningham believes that it’s worth it for the results. He explained that many of the crimes investigated by their unit are so solid that the defense attorney makes a plea deal. Of the cases that have made it to trial, they have a near perfect conviction record.

“A lot of these cases can only be made through digital evidence. If our unit didn’t exist, many of these criminals would still be committing crimes,” Cunningham said. “When 95 percent of what we investigate involves crimes against children, we can’t allow this unit to fail. Thanks to the training and support we get from MSU, we’ve locked up a lot of people for very little tax payer money.”

More information about Mississippi State’s forensic training programs is available online at http://www.security.cse.msstate.edu. For additional information, contact Dr. Dampier at [email protected]._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]


One photo creates an unlikely connection between two families that alleviates a lifetime of pain. Billy McMillan, a Kosciusko Star Herald journalist, snapped the once-in-a-lifetime image voted America’s best journalistic photo of 1950 by the National Press Photographers Association. The small town photographer took top honors from news story giants like Life and Time magazines and National Geographic.

The photo and newspaper articles that drew national attention were preserved in a scrapbook created by Billy McMillan’s wife, Della, who handed it down to their son, Stokes McMillan. More than a half century later, the Mississippi State aerospace engineering alumnus decided to write about the true story in a book called “One Night of Madness.”

A story of a beautiful African-American woman, Mary Ella, stalked by a Caucasian madman, Leon Turner, who’s attentions also turned to her teenage daughter. He threatened to kill her husband and four

other children: 4- and 8-year-old daughters, an 11-year-old son, and their 6-month-old baby.

“Growing up, I always looked at the scrapbook, but never realized the significance of the story and the role my dad played in reporting the story, working with the national press and convincing Judge Coleman to allow photographic journalists into the courtroom,” McMillan explained. “Although my dad had a small, but historic role in this story, the book isn’t about my father. It’s about Mary Ella and Leon Turner. The dilemma I had was overcoming the

impression that I was writing this to get my dad in it.”

It was Christmas of 2001, 18 years after Billy McMillan passed away that his grandson asked if he could have a poster sized photo of his grandfather’s award winning photo to hang in his college apartment.

“I made the photos and gave my middle son and his younger and older brothers each a copy. I wanted to tell the boys about their grandfather’s work and the story behind the photograph. Over the holidays, I read the scrapbook articles that depicted a story

Lifeline


of love, fear, race, revenge, politics, and courtroom drama,” McMillan said. “One of the last letters from my dad said, ‘Son, maybe you will write the book someday that I never did.’”

The novice writer believed it would only take him two years to write the creative non-fiction work, but working full time as an aerospace engineer at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, combined with dozens of research interviews, it took 24 months just to gather and find the facts of the story.

“Writing non-fiction, you can’t just make stuff up. I had to find bits and pieces of information and interview people who in their 70s and 80s had to recall things that happened 50 years ago. Sometimes their memory was shaky, and comparing their accounts to the newspaper versions didn’t make a lot of sense sometimes,” McMillan recalled. “It took a lot of organization, thought and logic to write the book and that blended well with my engineering, where you have to use logic.”

After completing a long work day, McMillan discovered that writing after hours was mind-boggling, so he began his writing ritual at four in the morning.

“After I made a cup of coffee and sat down at the computer, I was really awake and my mind was fresh. I would write a good two and a half-hours, until 6:30 or 7 a.m.,” McMillan said. “On top of that, I would try to find spare time to write. When driving to visit relatives in Austin, my wife would drive and I would take my laptop and that was some great writing time because I could share ideas with my wife.”

Finding an agent to market a book to publishers is said to be one of the most difficult tasks for an author, but that task came easy for McMillan.

“I attended a writing conference where I showed an agent the scrapbook and she was fascinated and asked for a book proposal. When writing non-fiction, you send a proposal that outlines each chapter rather than writing the book itself,” McMillan

explained. “I submitted a 60-page proposal and thought, ‘man this is easy,’ but because I had to work full time to support a family, it took me eight years to write the book and my agent lost interest.”

In the publishing world, agents like to market story themes that are popular and more likely to sell. At the time McMillan finished his book, vampire fiction was on the bestseller “hotlist.”

“The second time, I had trouble finding an agent or publisher. After six months, I decided to self-publish, because the people in my book started passing away,” McMillan stated. “I promised Mary Ella I would tell the story and get the book out before it was too late.”

McMillan cut his original 750-page book down by nearly half and hired a professional editor to add finishing touches. He then worked with Amazon’s CreateSpace online self-publishing company.

“They have a cadre of services that you can select, like marketing, graphic design, printing, and binding the book. They created three cover designs and sent a draft. Then I made suggestions and eventually approved the version I preferred,” McMillan said.

After the editing and designing process, the book was finished in November 2009.

“The first time I interviewed Mary Ella was about seven years ago. I was extremely nervous. There I was a total stranger who needed to ask her about a horrific event in her life—the worst event a parent could experience. I told her that if she was pained by the questions that she didn’t have to answer,” McMillan said. “I’ll never forget her response and exact words, ‘Lord, Lord, I’ve been waiting 50 years for somebody to write that book.’”

Mary Ella went on to say that McMillan’s work was the answer to her prayers.

“This caused a huge lump in my throat. So, yes, I think she enthusiastically supported the writing of it. She was totally open and candid during the three live interviews and

several phone conversations I had with her. She personally read and approved chapter three about herself.”

Mary Ella is 95 years old and living in Durant. Her son, James, now 61, is college educated and looks after his mother. Mary Ella’s grandchildren love the book. They and their father, James, are thankful to the McMillans for keeping a scrapbook that inspired an author to write a book that tells the true story of a tragic event that gives their grandmother, Mary Ella, a lifeline to inner peace and soothes a family of broken hearts.

“James is the 6-month-old baby Mary Ella carried when she escaped from the house,” McMillan said. “He appears at several book signings with me and is much more popular than me!”

Stokes McMillan, who obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering at MSU, resides in Houston, Texas, and works at the NASA Johnson Space Center. His book, “One Night of Madness,” may be purchased at Amazon.com, StokesMcMillan.com and at the Barnes & Noble, Book Mart & Café in Starkville._________________________________Written by Diane L. [email protected]


A job ‘heaven sent’ for professor and his colleagues Golf fans probably won’t find Dr. Tom Lacy, an aerospace engineering

professor, on his knees praying to the heavens to make good on a difficult golf shot. The avid golfer has a one handicap. In the golf world, they assign good players a handicap to allow other players at different proficiencies to play at equal levels.

Part of the reason Lacy spends his free time on the golf course is because the science of aerospace engineering also applies to the game of golf. This combination creates a perfect background suited for a major golf magazine consultant.


For the past two years, Lacy has served as a scientific adviser for Golf Digest. He is among a select group of scientists and engineers helping the popular sports magazine, with a circulation of more than 1.6 million, to evaluate and rank new and innovative golf equipment.

“Golf Digest asks a group of six scientific advisers, golf pros and amateur golfers to evaluate which equipment launching into the market holds the most promise,” Lacy explained. “The three panels make the assessments completely independent of one another to avoid any bias.”

An image of Lacy swinging clubs on a manicured golf course with lush fairways and tranquil waterways in 70-degree, blue-sky weather is hardly accurate. For two and half days, Lacy spends time in a windowless conference room reviewing experimental data, computer simulations and scientific formulas provided by manufacturers that claim their product is a consumer best-buy in the golf world.

“The holy grail every year is to increase the forgiveness of a club for the average golfer, so if the ball strikes the club face a little off center, it will go about the same distance as if it hit the sweet spot,” Lacy said. “The manufacturers tinker with the club head-weight distribution to optimize golf ball launch conditions, and often perform computational fluid dynamic simulations of a golf club head during the swing in an attempt to streamline the aerodynamic profile of the club head. There is an amazing amount of science and technology that

goes into a state-of-the-art golf club. The fun part for me is that I get to work with a talented group of researchers who assess that technology.”

Closer to home, Lacy plays golf with his two sons, who also love the sport, on the Mississippi State championship university golf course, nominated by Golf Digest as one of the premiere public golf courses in the United States. It is here that Lacy met good friend and colleague Tony Luczak, director of the MSU Golf Institute and the course’s golf pro.

“Tony, myself and my aerospace engineering colleague, Dr. Keith Koenig, who serves as a consultant on the NCAA Baseball council, are studying and comparing the performance of two different golf ball launch monitors. TrackMan is a $30,000 golf radar system that tracks the ball during flight and gives club swing speed, ball spin-rate, launch angle, velocity, and other impact data. We’re comparing that to a $6,000 G2 system developed by Foresight Sports.”

The initial ball velocity, launch angle and spin rate are parameters used by golf pros to determine optimal drivers to fit individual golfers. Lacy, Luczak and Koenig are in the process of reporting their comparisons to Golf Digest.

“The same things we use to design aircraft, the making of lightweight materials, aerodynamic flows, and Newton’s Laws, we apply them to the

architecture of sports equipment. Even the instrumentation we use for aircraft is similar. So, it is pretty easy to transfer and apply the expertise,” Koenig offered. “The secret is collaborating with a golf pro like Tony Luczak, who uses the data and the science of golf to teach and improve the game.”

Lacy’s connections through Golf Digest, Luczak’s ties with equipment dealers and Koenig’s years of experience researching the effect of aerodynamics on sports accessories has led the MSU trio to create some of their own state-of-the-art equipment.

The three colleagues are in the process of developing an innovative, wireless sensor monitor to help amateur golfers improve their game. For proprietary, copyright and patent reasons, the idea is being kept top secret; however, the project is in need of investor backing.

“In some ways, we are very well along on the project. We’re having to work in a little more innovation on miniaturization,” said Koenig. “Ultimately we hope to be able to tell golfers how they are swinging their clubs when they are actually out on the course playing a round of golf.”

If their creative collaboration works, soon golfers will be kissing their clubs instead of throwing them because they will be making heaven-sent shots.

Lacy and his Golf Digest scientific team’s recommendations will be printed in Golf Digest’s 2011 “Hot List” findings, included in the January edition.

For more information about the Koenig, Lacy and Luczak golf innovation, please call 662-325-2754 or the MSU Institute of Golf at 662-325-3028._________________________________Written by Diane L. [email protected]


When it comes to math and science, teenagers often can’t see past their next test. They work toward earning a passing grade, rather than a full understanding of the potential applications of the principles they are studying.

Through a new Saturday engineering program, Nicole Poe and Aaron Smith are helping bridge that gap between memorization and true understanding.

“Sometimes it’s hard for kids to understand why what they are learning is useful,” Poe said. “With our program, we’re showing them how to apply the formulas and things that they practice everyday in school.”

The mechanical engineering doctoral students assisted in creating the program as part of their Mississippi Space Grant Consortium graduate fellowships. With a curriculum developed by Eric Heiselt, the BCoE director of educational outreach, and Dr. Dana Franz, a professor of math education at MSU, the program is designed to introduce seventh- and eighth-grade students to the principles of energy

through the reinforcement of math and science skills.

“Energy is a big part of what we do in mechanical engineering,” Smith said. “Energy systems tend to be exciting and interesting so we thought that would be the best way to reach these students.”

Working with the BCoE’s outreach office and principal Joseph Stone, Poe and Smith first introduced the program to nearly 25 students at Starkville’s Armstrong Middle School. The program covered an introduction to energy, energy conservation, electricity, and alternative forms of energy during four, four-hour classes.

“Each Saturday morning, we started with an introduction, then we had an interactive demonstration to get the students engaged. We ended each class with a hands-on activity related to the lesson,” Poe said. “The projects were enjoyable and we could tell that the students were really excited to

be there. I wish there had been a program like this when I was in middle school.”

The hands-on projects included creatively flipping a coin with a Rube Goldberg machine and building a hydropowered generator. Smith believes that mastering these practical hands-on activities builds the students’ confidence in their academic abilities.

“It’s not like they will be able to go out and build a power plant tomorrow, but we taught them enough to make them feel like they mastered the concept,” Smith said. “Kids are afraid to fail, but if you can give them the confidence that they can do it, they can and will succeed.”

Poe and Smith plan to build on the success of their initial program, by expanding it to more schools this fall. They will continue to refine their curriculum to create a teaching unit that can be used in classrooms across the state._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

Energizing Education:Doctoral students use fun, creativity to teach teens about energy


Rube Goldberg machines use a creative series of steps to accomplish a task. Can you build one that will flip a coin using the potential energy of a household object? Here’s how we did it.

Materials

3 hardcover books1 ruler1 roll of packing tape1 coin1 racquetball1 wooden pencil broken into three pieces2 markers3 pieces of string2 tables of varying heights

1. Attach one piece of string to the racquetball, one to one-third of the pencil and one to a second-third of the pencil.

2. Stack two books on top of each other on the taller table. Place the free end of the racquetball string between the table and the books. Wrap the string under the table, placing the racquetball beside the stack of books.

3. Open the cover of the top book and keep it open with one of the pieces of pencil on a string. Allow the string to hang down from the table. Place a marker against the open book pointing toward the racquetball.

4. Place the third book on the second table and keep one end of it raised by the support of the second pencil piece with a string. Tie the free end of the string to the roll of packing tape, placing the roll of tape on the edge of the second table so that it is able to roll

5. Place the second marker underneath the middle of the ruler to make a

seesaw. Put the raised end of the ruler on the second table underneath the raised part of the third book.

6. Put the coin on the lowered end of the ruler.

Now, watch the energy transfer from object to object.

Pull the string that is hanging from the first table. This will close the open book, which pushes the marker and causes the ball to roll off the table. The ball and string will act as a pendulum, and as it swings, it will hit the tape, causing it to roll. As the tape rolls, it pulls the pencil support to from under the third book, which allows the book to fall on the ruler. As the ruler moves, it flips the coin.

Now that you’ve flipped the coin, what other tasks can you accomplish using the energy of your Rube Goldberg machine? Can you pop a balloon? Flip a light switch? Look around your house for materials and let you imagination run wild.

A Way To Keep You From Forgetting To Mail Your LetterAs you walk past cobbler shop, hook (A) strikes suspended boot (B), causing it to kick football (C) through goal posts (D). Football drops into basket (E) and string (F) tilts sprinkling can, (G) causing water to soak coat tails (H). As coat shrinks, cord (I) opens door (J) of cage, allowing bird (K) to walk out on perch (L) and grab worm (M) which is attached to string (N). This pulls down window shade (O) on which is written, “YOU SAP, MAIL THAT LETTER.”

HOW TO Bu i ld your own


Rube Goldberg is the ® and © of Rube Goldberg, Inc. The 2011 Rube Goldberg Machine Contest is underway. Visit www.rubegoldberg.com for more information.

Standing on the Drill Field, Dr. Bob Scholtes looks up at McCain Hall, points to a window just to the left of the arch, and says, “That was my office.” He inquires about whose name is on the door now.

It’s been 20 years since the former civil and environmental engineering department head retired. Looking around, he shares stories about the people and places of MSU and the experiences he’s had since becoming a Bulldog in 1948. He’s such a wealth of information about the university, that it’s hard to believe how abruptly he came to join the ranks of the Maroon and White.

“As a senior in high school, I had no thoughts about going to college until the Perkinston Junior College football coach offered me a football scholarship,” Scholtes said. “I knew I wanted to major in engineering. After studying the State catalog, I decided on civil.”

“Not having an automobile, I asked my sister and her husband to bring me to Starkville as they passed through on their way to visit relatives,” the Pascagoula, Miss., native added. “They drove to the west end of Lee Hall, set my stuff out on the curb, wished me well, and drove off. That was my orientation. I registered for classes and was on my way.”

After taking some time off to save enough money to continue his education, Scholtes earned his bachelor’s degree in 1951. He began working as an instructor in the department and added

Civil engineering bonds three generations of Bulldogs



a master’s in 1956. After a brief leave of absence while he earned a doctoral degree, he returned to Mississippi State, where he began to move up the faculty ranks until his appointment to department head in 1966.

He was in the perfect position to experience the many changes that shaped education, Mississippi State and civil engineering during the second half of the 20th century. When his son, Robby, and later his granddaughter, Sara Beth, decided to follow in his footsteps and study civil engineering, he got to see these changes from different perspectives.

“When I was teaching, everything was slide rules,” Bob said.

“I only learned a few basic functions of one as a kid,” Robby added.

“And I wouldn’t even know what one was if it was sitting in front of me,” Sara Beth added with a laugh.

A 1984 graduate, Robby said he might not have known instantly that he was going to study civil engineering, but he definitely has been a Bulldog since day one.

“In high school, Ole Miss was interested in recruiting me for football,” he said. “I spoke to their coach on the phone, but I said, ‘It’s been nice talking to you, but I’ll pay my way to Mississippi State before I’ll take a scholarship to Ole Miss.’”

In the end, Robby didn’t have to pay Mississippi State. He played Bulldog football for two years until it became too much to balance practices and class work. It was during his time in college that computers began to emerge as viable educational tools.

“I graduated just as personal computers were becoming affordable, and things like programmable calculators were coming out,” Robby said.

“That changed things for us as teachers,” Bob recalled. “Do we allow students to use these on quizzes? After all, you could program in information that would be good to know for the test. And not all students could afford them. How do you keep things fair?”

“Finally, we had debated for so long that someone looked around and realized that everyone had a handheld calculator, so it didn’t matter anymore,” he added with a chuckle.

For Sara Beth, it’s hard to imagine a time when having a calculator or computer was a big deal. As a senior, she not only has access to those tools, but she can instantly communicate with her professors via e-mail or check her calendar from a smart-phone. And if the technological changes aren’t enough, the simple fact the she is set to graduate in civil engineering illustrates another shift in the field.

“There was only one girl in my class when I graduated,” Bob said. “I saw more and more females choosing the major during my career, but it was still a male dominated field. I had no idea that Sara Beth planned to major in civil engineering until she registered for classes.”

Growing up around civil engineers, Sara Beth was confident of her choice in major and aware that she would probably be in the minority. However, being prepared didn’t stop her from feeling intimidated when she was introduced to her orientation group.

“I was the only girl in my group,” she said. “I called my mom, saying, ‘I’m the only one. This is awful.’ I was afraid the guys would think I was stupid or think I couldn’t do it. But my dad and granddad talked to me. They just said go to your classes and do your first semester. Don’t back out before you start.”

“So I didn’t and it was fun,” she added. “I went to my classes and it ended up there were other girls. And no one treats us differently.”

Robby said, ”We knew she could do it, but I didn’t want her to feel like she had to major in civil engineering because we wanted her to. But she made her own decision and we are proud of her.”

Even though there were times when classes were tough and she was tempted to switch majors. Sara Beth believes she made the right decisions.

“The closer I get to graduating, the more I realize that I did the right thing. This is where I want to be,” she said._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

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Blake and Brett Jeter are like most twins. They look alike, sound alike and for most of their lives have maintained like interests. It was no surprise, then, when both brothers decided to attend Mississippi State and major in biological engineering.

The ironic thing is that choosing the same university and major is what’s helped them find their individuality.

“I’m starting medical school this fall,” Brett said.

“And I’m going to merge my biological engineering degree with business,” Blake added.

As the sons of MSU alumni, the brothers say they’ve been Bulldogs since birth. Before enrolling, they were already familiar with the campus, traditions and university programs—specifically the Bagley College of Engineering. Brett explained that knowing about the educational and extracurricular opportunities that would be available had them excited about the

four years they would spend in Starkville. However, a few well-intentioned words of caution made the twins hesitant to become too involved in campus life.

“When we got here people told us that since we were in engineering, we wouldn’t have time to get involved on campus,” Blake recalled. “I really took that to heart, but over time, I realized that it came down to priorities and it’s really important for people to have things outside of their majors. ”

With a little determination and a lot of dedication, the Brandon natives quickly developed an impressive list of activities. In their freshman year alone, they joined the Student Association, a fraternity, and the Campus Crusade for Christ. Later, they

earned positions as Alumni Delegates and memberships in numerous honor societies, all while devoting a portion of their free time to community service groups such as the Starkville Boys and Girls Club.

“I hope our story can help dispel the stigma that if you are in engineering, you can’t get involved,” Blake said. “I’ve always said that you get two educations when you come to State—one is inside the classroom and one is outside the classroom. You learn so many things, such as building relationships, the value of commitment, organization skills, and maturity. I know I’ve grown a lot in my four years here.”

Brett added, “Getting involved on campus was an amazing choice for us and enhanced our college experience so much, but it was these experiences throughout the years that put us on different career paths.”

The differences are subtle and won’t show on the twin’s resumes, but they are there. Though they took many of the same

Engineering helps like-minded twins find distinctive paths

classes and participated in many of the same organizations, each brother took away different experiences and impressions.

For Brett, his four years in biological engineering strengthened his desire to become a doctor.

“I feel that my classes have uniquely equipped me for success at the next level by teaching me how to think and analyze problems,” Brett said. “I’ve done community service projects and know that I want to use that knowledge to make an impact on people’s lives. I want to serve and make a difference.”

Blake, who served as the Student Association president for 2009, found a new avenue for reaching out to people.

“I realized pretty early in my college career that while I probably would enjoy medical school, my passion lies in management and dealing with people,” Blake said. “I really think I will like consulting and systems integration to help make companies more efficient.”

The brothers completed their bachelor’s degrees in May, and while their careers are going in different directions, there is one likeness they still can’t shake. Both plan to continue their careers in Mississippi.

“I’m a simple guy and I love this state,” Brett said. “It’s an amazing place to live with amazing opportunities. We don’t always have the best reputation, but look at the facts. We are one of the poorest states in the nation, but we are the most giving and that shows the amazing character of Mississippi.”

Blake added, “We both went to public schools in Mississippi and want to give back to help make the state better. I want to live here, work here, and help bring in business and industry to be part of the cumulative effort to move our state forward.”_________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]



She did it. She got the chemical engineering degree and the job.

For the past four years of Christina Young’s college career, she spent nights and weekends engrossed in calculating chemical engineering formulas and analyzing data results from scientists’ laboratory research projects. With her goals accomplished and a job start date six months from the day of graduation, the question became, “What’s next, now what?”

“One of the words that describes me is assertive, so it wasn’t a surprise that I earned a degree in a male dominated field. And it wasn’t surprising to me that as a college graduate and a Southern girl, I was still single and going against tradition with no plans of marriage,” said Young.

Young’s resume lists her intern experience with corporate America. The fact that she was an honor student and an entrepreneur who earned awards for creating an iPhone

application and building a small business while still in college all looked good on paper. However, the more important point she realized was why those accomplishments didn’t give her feelings of more fulfillment or confidence.

“My fate didn’t include the typical plans of following Southern tradition for a girl graduating from college. I’m not at all against that sort of thing, but I came to the realization that my future was taking a different path from most of my peers.” Young explained. “My plans included moving to a city, when my friends were laying down Southern roots, and then traveling to Europe when most were becoming settled into and enjoying their comfortable homes.”

The remedy for the transition from student to professional, and her second-guessing of decisions included becoming submerged into different cultures, so she could become familiar with and know her own world.

European adventure grounds graduate with life affirming habits


“Out of the six and a half weeks that I was in Europe, I booked a room for eight days in Rome and then made reservations to stay two weeks in Paris and then my flight home from London was 10 days later. Those were the only definite plans I had,” Young said. “I discovered that traveling alone, you find serenity in solitude.”

The lesson of not having every minute of her schedule planned and learning to manage the chaos of spontaneity in a strange land led Young to find the feeling of internal peace.

“Being open minded and having the courage to submerse yourself into another culture, and then to discover and appreciate that you can adapt to any circumstance, will serve you well in any job situation that you find yourself in,” Young said.

Young started her job at Exxon Mobil. After her initial 16 weeks of on-the-job training, she will use her education and chemical engineering experience to

help the company market their products worldwide. She says her travel experience made her more grounded in the belief of standing by her word, to never second-guess decisions and to live life with positive internal affirmations.

“I think something that we can all strive for is to not necessarily gauge our success on the amount of money we make or the company we work for,” Young offered. “But evaluate ourselves more along the lines of what is most important and that is the question of, ‘Is what we are doing making us happy? Do we have the time to spend with family and friends? Do we take the time to smell the roses and enjoy that long meal or vacation?’”

For more information about Young’s adventure of self-discovery, please visit her blog, The Miss from Mississippi at http://www.themissfromiss.blogspot.com.________________________________Written by Diane L. [email protected]

“Being open minded and having the courage to submerse yourself

into another culture, and then to discover and appreciate that

you can adapt to any circumstance, will serve you well in any job

situation that you find yourself in,” Young said.

Tips for Going SoloStudy the history of the region, the language and the customs.

Pre-arrange where to stay and how to travel from one city or country to another.

Check with the State Department for any warnings about the country you will visit.

Pack lightly; solo travelers packed down with too much luggage are easy targets.

Don’t be afraid to make friends, but analyze the person first and make the initial contact to avoid scams.

Be observant. Walk with confidence; solo travelers are less likely to become targets when they’re aware of their surroundings.

When checking into a hotel, ask for a room near the elevator to avoid walking down long, low-lit hallways.

Ask the hotel clerk to write down the room number instead of saying it out loud.

Avoid hanging a filled-out breakfast card on your door—doing so lets people know you’re alone in the room and it creates an opportunity for you to open the door to someone other than room service.

Arrive during the day to get your bearings and sense of direction before dark.

BCoE preps state aerospace industry for take-off


Long gone are the days of king cotton in Mississippi. Modern Southern economic development looks to the sky for inspiration.

Already home to numerous NASA and military installations, the Gulf Coast states are working to add a strong aerospace industry presence to the area in an effort to cement the region’s status as a hub for all things aeronautical.

In Mississippi alone, aerospace firms are directly responsible for 5,335 jobs, not including the more than 8,000 indirect jobs created to fulfill the companies’ and employees’ needs. Reports for the second quarter of 2010 show that employees in the aerospace industry earn an average of $66,766. The Mississippi Development Authority reports that the state’s growth in this industry currently exceeds the national pace by 14 percent. State leaders don’t plan to let that lead diminish anytime soon.

A recent agreement between the governors of Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana formed the Aerospace Alliance, a public-private partnership dedicated to establishing the Gulf Coast states as the largest aerospace corridor in the world.

“The area’s resources make the region ideal for attracting defense and aerospace industries that contribute to our national security and local economies,” said Rep. Travis Childers at a recent aerospace conference on Mississippi State’s campus. “It’s about creating jobs and a more secure national defense. No one is better poised to contribute to these areas.”

Groups like the Aerospace Alliance tout things such as available space, manufacturing-friendly policies, and an able workforce, to entice companies from around the world to open manufacturing facilities in the region. Although it could easily go unnoticed, Mississippi State University has been instrumental in helping create these favorable conditions.

“When a company wants to get involved in high tech manufacturing, it looks at education in the area and, I think, it looks for support as well,” explained Sen. Roger Wicker. “We have great

universities that are very much involved in this, including the top-notch programs and technology transfer at Mississippi State.”

The Starkville-based university boasts the highest ranked aerospace engineering program in the Aerospace Alliance area, which spans Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida panhandle. The latest National Science Foundation numbers rate it 10th out of 109 schools for research and development expenditures, which were $12.5 million in the ranked time frame. MSU also has the region’s only flight research center—Raspet Flight Research Laboratory.

“MSU’s expertise in research brings in both manufacturing and research and development jobs to the area, making our university an incredible asset for economic development in the state and Southeast region,” said Dr. David Shaw, the university’s vice president for research and economic development. “We fill a unique niche, making us a natural go-to entity for aerospace industry in the region. We have partnered with these companies to address some of their most pressing needs.”

Helping companies gain a foothold in MississippiOne of the chief ways Mississippi State has helped meet these companies’ needs is by providing an easy way for them to establish operations in the area. Through what is known in the business world as incubating, Raspet can provide companies with the necessary infrastructure to get their manufacturing operations under way, while their stand-alone facilities are under construction.

“We are large enough to supply these companies with the physical things they need to begin their operations,” explained Dr. Phil Bridges, Raspet’s recently retired director of flight operations. “Instead of

having to wait until their factory is built, they can come in, have access to a secure space, high-power electricity, equipment, and start training their people right away.”

He added, “In the past, people talked about the functions of a university as being teaching, research and service, which just meant doing good things. But I think people are starting to discover that economic development is a very important service the university can perform.”

In the last 10 years, Raspet has provided this service to four companies, including American Eurocopter, Aurora Flight Sciences, Stark Aerospace, and GE Aviation. Each of these companies now calls Mississippi home.

“The college of engineering and aerospace engineering department played a key role in bringing these companies to the state,” said Dr. Lori Bruce, the Bagley College of Engineering’s associate dean for research. “Without these companies, Mississippi wouldn’t be on its way to becoming an aerospace powerhouse, and without MSU, where would these companies have started their operations.”

Greg Stewart of Aurora Flight Sciences said that the university was part of the reason the company considered Mississippi a prime location for its manufacturing facility.

“Raspet Lab is a great incubator,” he said. “They understand the scale of what is needed to produce the type of product and do the type of work that we do. Our Orion aircraft has a 132-foot wingspan. It takes quite a bit of space to manufacture, and Raspet’s facilities have that space for us to use.”

While the company did bring in some specialized equipment for its super-sized products, he said that many of the tools needed for the manufacturing process were readily available at the lab. The lab’s website provides a list of these tools, but company representatives say their units also benefited from the intangible benefits of partnering with a university.

“If we had issues dealing with the start-up of our operation, the university was right



there to lend support,” said Earl Walker of American Eurocopter. “The engineering staff was available to address our needs and help find solutions to our problems.”

Through these partnerships, MSU faculty and staff are available to address issues ranging from technical problems to increasing efficiency. Even though most would think aerospace companies would only be interested in the expertise of MSU’s aero-related programs, they actually can draw support from other engineering disciplines.

Bridges said, “The college of engineering has faculty and staff members with a variety of expertise, meaning these companies don’t have to seek out assistance for any problems that might arise. It gives the companies the flexibility to easily adapt to new situations without slowing their progress.”

One example of this is GE Aviation. When the company was building its Batesville, Miss., facility, MSU’s Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Extension provided a revised layout for the plant which saved the

company $400,000 before they even opened their doors. The company recently added 350 jobs at the location.

Ensuring future success through planningContinued access to the university is another incentive for companies to begin operations in the Magnolia State.

While many of these companies cite a built-in, trainable employee pool as a reason to locate in Mississippi, it’s their continued presence that will help shape that workforce in the future.

In addition to funding research projects in the college and aerospace department, the companies’ leadership can provide advice for ensuring that BCoE graduates are competitive in the job market. For instance, Marc Paganini, American Eurocopter’s CEO, serves on the dean’s advisory council, which helps guide the direction of the college.

“Through our relationships with these companies, we can get a better idea of the qualities they look for in their engineers,” explained Bruce. “Any specialized training or expertise that they may require can be incorporated into our curriculum.”


She added, “It’s not that our core classes will change, but we may offer more electives in a certain area or even some special research topics. The benefit to our students is that they know they have the experience and training that the companies are looking for.”

Interim department head Pasquale Cinnella believes that the growing aerospace influence will help recruit more students to the engineering program and encourage successful students to stay in the area.

“When I first moved to Starkville 20 years ago, our graduates had to leave the state if they were going to stay in the aerospace industry,” he said. “Now, because of the increased research and manufacturing presence, our graduates don’t have to look as far for employment. It allows us to keep our best and brightest in the state instead of sending our talent to other parts of the nation.”

He also believes that collaborations with the aerospace companies will help draw faculty and additional research dollars to the university. It’s a chain reaction that Bridges says will lead to increased aerospace success at Mississippi State and in the state of Mississippi.

“If you get enough of one material in one place, it becomes self-sufficient. It reaches critical mass and begins to grow by itself,” Bridges said. “That’s what you want to push for. You want to attract enough industry that you reach this idea of critical mass.”

He added, “I think that is what’s happening with the aerospace industry in Mississippi. If we get a few more companies, then suddenly we’ll be a big name, so when people think of aviation, they won’t think of Seattle or Atlanta. They’ll think of Mississippi and Mississippi State University.”

For more information about aerospace engineering at Mississippi State, visit http://www.ae.msstate.edu or call 662-325-3623. Information about Raspet Flight Research Laboratory can be found at http://www.raspet.msstate.edu.______________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

While playing football for the MSU Bulldogs, Glen Young learned the truth behind the adage, “no pain, no gain.” Used by countless coaches to motivate players during long, hot practices, he quickly realized the benefit of applying that idea to everyday life. Today, his daughters Chamel, Glenda and Jasmine, have put their own twist on his maxim to get through long, stressful nights studying engineering.

“’No deposit, no return’, that’s our motto,” Glenda explained. “It’s something our dad taught us. It pushes us to never be afraid to go for what we want, just persevere, work through it and make sacrifices up front. That way, we can do whatever we choose in the future.”

The sisters always knew their futures would include college degrees, but it was Chamel who first entertained the idea of studying engineering. She became active in Starkville High School’s junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and decided to study computer engineering at Mississippi State. Knowing that her two younger sisters would soon be following in her footsteps, she had more than the usual freshman stressors weighing on her mind.

“I knew I had younger siblings watching me and that I had to be there for them as a role model,” Chamel said. “I made the decision to set goals and stick to them. I knew that if I went to school and got a degree, they would see what I went through and what I did to be successful.”

Glenda and Jasmine explained that their oldest sister’s college experience served as their formal introduction to engineering and helped establish their goals for the future.

“I saw what Chamel did in high school and knew that I needed to do what she did, plus a little more,” said Glenda, a senior in industrial and systems engineering. “That way, I’m living up to her example, but still accomplishing things on my own. I think that is part of the reason we each ended up choosing different majors. We all chose engineering, but we put our own spin on it and chose something that fit our individual personalities.”

Jasmine, a chemical engineering major, added, “I’ve always looked at my sisters as examples and that means I have two success stories to build on as I finish school.”

Beyond their classroom accomplishments, the sisters have each left their mark on campus organizations. Chamel served as president of Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education for two years, Glenda was inducted into the Bagley College of Engineering Hall of Fame, and Jasmine, a sophomore, is already active on campus and is helping breathe new life into an organization for chemically minded students. However, despite the desire to achieve more than the others, by choosing three distinct paths, the sisters have avoided many of the pitfalls of sibling rivalry. It only takes a few minutes of conversation to see how truly proud they are of one another.

“Seeing how successful Chamel has been able to be, it’s living proof that hard work really does pay off,” Glenda said. “She was able to accomplish so much and she did it while getting married and starting a family. It was like Super Chamel. If she can do it through all of that, I know that we can do it, too.”

Chamel completed her bachelor’s in 2006 and earned a master’s in computer science in 2008. She currently works for the Department of Defense in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, Marcus Evans, and 2-year-old son, Braylon. Glenda intends to enter a graduate school after completing her undergraduate degree and later work in the health care industry and consulting. Jasmine plans to minor in food science so she can work in the food manufacturing industry when she graduates.

With the “no deposit, no return” motto firmly instilled in their minds, Chamel knows she can bank on the fact that Glenda and Jasmine will accomplish everything they set out to do. In fact, she believes that the hard-working, success-topping mentality will lead to great things for generations of Youngs to come.

“Each generation should be better than the one before, but that doesn’t mean that everyone has to follow the same path. By sacrificing up front, you can have the same kind of success, but do what makes you happy,” Chamel said. “I want our children to grow up knowing what we did and that they can do even better—to see the things that we’ve succeeded in and eventually go above and beyond that in their own lives.”_________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

Family motto provides return on investment



In his free time, Martin Jue enjoys nothing more than casting his line, waiting for a bite. When he’s lucky, he reels them in from all around the world, using only his ham radio operator’s license and outgoing personality as bait.

“Ham radio is not about talking to someone specific, it’s about fishing. It’s about getting on the air and calling ‘CQ, CQ,’ trying to catch someone you’ve never talked to before,” Jue explained.

Jue, who has been a licensed ham for 50 years, is as comfortable using Morse code abbreviations in conversation as other people are with slang. He explained that to a ham, CQ translates into seek you and is usually followed by the seeker’s call sign, given in phonetics. In his case, that’s K5FLU or kilo-5-foxtrot-lima-united; funny-looking-underwear in his personal, humorous phonetics.

“That tends to catch people’s attention a little better,” he added with a grin.

No one can argue with that logic. His office contains thousands of QSL cards he has received from hams all around the world, each one confirming a transmission and friendly conversation between two hobbyists who might never meet in person.

Jue first discovered amateur radio when he was 8 years old. He built a crystal radio from a Cub Scout handbook and says that he knew then that he was going to be an electrical engineer.

“Using the radio I built, I started picking signals out of the air and it was like magic. You could just hear things,” Jue said. “Years later, I built a transistor radio and one night, I was lying in bed listening to my little radio when all of a sudden, someone came on the air and started talking. It turned out to be a local TV repairman. I got curious, so I went to see him and found out all about the world of ham radio.”

Ham, or amateur, radio is a noncommercial, worldwide network of independent operators who use specialized equipment to communicate wirelessly. This hobby allowed Jue to reach far beyond his home in the small Delta town of Hollandale. While in high school, he turned the attic at his family’s grocery store into a workspace where he could explore his hobby.

“To earn a little money, I would fix amplifiers for area blues bands using parts I salvaged from old radios and televisions,” Jue said. “That allowed me to buy a few special electronic parts, but almost all of my ham equipment was homemade.”


He added, “Learning how to fix and make your own equipment like that is good training for anyone who wants to be an engineer.”

His hobby and natural interest in electrical engineering led Jue to Mississippi State, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1966. After earning a master’s from Georgia Institute of Technology, he moved to Champaign-Urbana, Ill., where he designed military electronics until an MSU professor called to offer him an assistantship within the electrical engineering department.

“I finished all of the coursework for a doctorate in three semesters, but I knew I wanted to start some kind of business,” Jue said. “I started by designing and building electronic circuits for some of the departments here and selling some of the ham accessories I designed. But I couldn’t get much bigger because I was doing everything myself, so I began hiring students to do the manufacturing.”

That was the beginning of MFJ Enterprises. For the next six years, Jue worked as an electrical engineering instructor to keep food on his table and a roof over his head, while any profit he made from selling his products was reinvested into his fledgling company.

“I started with no grants, loans or anything,” Jue explained. “I just built up the business from scratch.”

Today, Jue says MFJ is the largest manufacturer of ham radio equipment, with most of its 2,000 products produced at one of its four Starkville facilities.

Since it’s founding in 1972, the company has undergone many expansions, including the acquisition of five subsidiaries: Ameritron, Hy-Gain, Mirage, Vectronics, and Cushcraft.

The company’s products, which include a Morse code translator and a “grab and go” complete communications system that can be powered by a vehicle’s cigarette lighter, are detailed in its 120-page catalog and can be purchased in 35 countries. Staying true to its roots, many of MFJ’s products are still designed by Jue and other designers from Mississippi State.

And despite the prevalence and ease of more modern forms of communication like cell phones and the Internet, Jue isn’t concerned. He knows that ham radio still has a place, even in our always-connected society.

“Right now, you could go to any grocery store and buy all the fish you want, but people still go out and catch their own. Why? It’s a sport. It’s something to play around with, and it’s the same way with ham radio,” Jue said. “Sure, you can pick up the phone and call anybody you want, but where’s the fun in that.”

_________________________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

Students ‘VOW’ to promote alternative energy W VOWe

Waste Vegetable Oil Wagon



It was a day that 11 students made a solemn promise to make a difference. On April 20, 2010, two incidents took place. One of international significance was the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the worst manmade disasters in history. The other was more of a local, environmental, grassroots campaign, the MSU Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE) W(e) VOW project.

Together, the students vowed to travel across the country from Mississippi to the West Coast to promote alternative energy and fuels that are safe for the environment.

“W(e) VOW is an acronym for Waste Veggie Oil Wagon,” Jason Riley, a recent chemical engineering graduate, said. “My family lives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and experienced the ramifications of the oil spill first-hand. That’s when my friends and I realized that we could sit back and blame the oil companies, but the only way we’re going to make the biggest impact is by getting individuals to change the way they use petroleum resources.”

The original nine of the students all attended Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus. At first, the group wanted to travel cross-country to attend a Sasquatch music festival two hours outside Seattle, Wash. Thankfully, the tickets were sold out or their pledge to take action to use alternative energy and go “green” wouldn’t have come to fruition.

“When we couldn’t get tickets, we all still wanted to do something together. The oil spill motivated us and we discovered we all had a uniting interest in using alternative energy,” Liz Kazal, a senior in chemical engineering, explained. “We wanted to make an impact in some way that would send the message that America needs to wean itself off petroleum products.”

As billions of gallons of oil were gushing into the Gulf, the MSU students pooled their

money and purchased a 1995 International 3800 school bus advertised on the Internet. Each contributed $250 to make the $2,500 purchase, using the extra $250 for travel to North Carolina to pick-up and return the bus to Starkville. For college students, this financial endeavor of purchasing a 15-year-old bus wasn’t a small investment. Owning the bus meant there was now no turning back on their plans to drive it cross-country, fueled by recycled vegetable oil. But first, they had to retrofit it to become a mean, lean, “green” machine.

“It took several days of research to learn about the recreational vehicle and environmental regulations we had to abide by,” Louis Rosa, recent graduate of Georgetown University and University of Mississippi law student, said.

Riley, Rosa and Justin Liddell, a recent mechanical engineering graduate, began modifying the bus by adding a custom filtration system to filter debris from the oil, a fuel pump, a 55-gallon tank, and a three-way switch to convert from diesel to vegetable oil.

“One of the first things we did was call upon a friend, Will Mann, a local mechanic at Import Auto Werks in Starkville, and got a diagram of the bus’ fuel system,” said Liddell. “The next step was fitting the extra tank into the system; that was a bit of a challenge.”

“Drilling through the frame of the bus was pretty tough,” explained Riley. “The steel on that bus was five-sixteenths to half-an-inch thick and we were breaking metal drill bits to create holes to mount the tank to the frame.”

“When you’re underneath a bus drilling, it isn’t the most desirable angle, especially when hot metal is flying and hitting you on the arms,” Rosa said.

The conversion process also included remodeling the bus interior. The requirements included creating enough space for 11 people to drink, eat, wash, and sleep together while crisscrossing the country, logging more than 6,000 miles.

“We took all the seats out except four and reworked the interior to include two sets of bunk beds, two couches, a futon, and a hammock,” explained Cassandre Man-Bourdon, a biochemistry and microbiology graduate, who is studying for her master’s degree in public health at the University of Michigan. “We even had room for a water tank, saving space to avoid bringing water bottles that are toxic for the environment.”

Sticking to their recyclable and environmentally safe mantra, most of the materials to rebuild the bus interior were second-hand supplies and recyclable products. The funds to purchase the used parts and fuel for the trip were provided by Bio Crude LLC, an alternative fuel research company funded by professors, and the BCoE Jack Hatcher Entrepreneurship Program.

“We had our logo, our theme, our message, and we were ready to leave. Actually, all of us showed up on time to leave at 6 a.m.,” Taylor Gair, graphic design major and the artist of the W(e) VOW logo, said. “Within the first five hours of the trip, it seemed like we couldn’t get the bus out of Mississippi.”

Just 30 minutes outside of town, the bus started billowing white steam. After getting help from the nearest gas station, the team fixed the coolant leak. However, the next challenge proved more difficult and involved the diesel to vegetable oil conversion.

“When we hooked up to the restaurant’s large vat outside of Flowood, we found that the suction pump didn’t have enough horsepower to pull the viscous oil from the large vat and through the filter to our holding tank,” Riley said. “Basically, the pump couldn’t withstand the pressure build-up on the filter from the debris of the oil and we were not getting any flow, just a little dribble on the other end.”

Three hours later, the 55-gallon tank wasn’t nearly full, and the team needed to improvise.

“We removed the filters directly from the vat and just used the filters that the oil fed into before going into the holding tank and


then the fuel tank itself,” Rosa said. “With that system, we went through filters pretty quickly, but we were able to fill up two 55-gallon tanks and two 15-gallon back-up tanks in about an hour.”

The bus was set up with two different tanks, one for vegetable oil and one for diesel. The engine modification included a heat exchanger that utilized engine coolant and heated each individual part of the oil system: tank, fuel pump, filter, and finally heat exchanger.

“The bus is started on diesel and then makes the switch to veggie oil, because the veggie oil is too thick and will clog up your engine injectors,” Liddell said. “The vegetable oil is heated to lower the viscosity, so it will flow like diesel. It’s important to switch back to diesel before shutting the engine down so it isn’t saved in the engine, or it won’t start.”

“Yes, the key,” Riley pointed out, “is to not leave vegetable oil in your diesel tank, because that tank isn’t heated, but if a little diesel gets in your vegetable holding tank, that’s okay, because the diesel will cut the thickness and that tank is heated.”

The extra time it took to fill up the tanks from the restaurants’ huge vats was advantageous

for the VOW team to draw attention and deliver their alternative fuel message to curious clients.

“We realize vegetable oil isn’t going to replace petroleum products, but we wanted to demonstrate to people that there are alternatives out there,” Kazal continued, “After the oil spill, we really wanted to do something to help, and promoting alternative energy that is friendly to the environment was our way to contribute.”

Before the W(e) VOW bus trekked through Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Oregon, Kazal and Man-Bourdon divvied up a call list among their peers to contact restaurants along their travel route to gain permission to fill up with waste vegetable oil.

“It’s not every day that a franchise restaurant receives a call from a group of young college students asking to use their waste cooking oil to fuel a bus,” Man-Bourdon explained. “So, initially, especially from corporate franchise restaurants, we collected a lot of denials and hang-ups.”

The best method, the team discovered, was to fill up at family owned restaurants.

“We were in New Mexico buying more filters. Across the street I noticed a family owned Mexican restaurant,” Gair explained, “I crossed the street and asked the lady if we could use their used cooking oil. She walked to the back to inquire, came back and said,‘We don’t use vegetable oil.’”

As Gair left the restaurant, he noticed a huge vat of vegetable oil and asked a passer by who owned the vat. The reply was that the restaurant he just came out of owned the vat.

“So I returned and asked the lady again and she denied that they use vegetable oil. Then the owner walked in and she deferred me to him,” Gair continued, “I told the owner our story about using the oil to fuel the bus to promote alternative energy. The owner was more than happy to give us the oil for free. In fact, he fed all of us lunch for half-off.”

People from children to their grandparents and everyone in between were drawn to the bus as they filled the tank from the vegetable oil vats.

“We would stop at truck stops, and truckers were extremely interested in what we were using the oil for. We would lift the hood of the bus and discuss performance,” Rosa said.

“Truckers’ livelihoods depend on the prices of fuel. I was explaining to one trucker that we traveled a good 600 miles, 13-14 hours, on one tank and he replied,‘Yeah, if you’re not getting good gas mileage, you’re working for free.’”

“We were like our state’s ambassadors on this trip,” Kazal said. “It made us feel really good that we’re from a university that is leading the way in finding alternative energy through the Sustainable Energy Research Center. It was nice to be from a state that is on the forefront of this issue. It felt really good and we were very proud.”_______________________________Written by Diane L. Godwin

[email protected]


When Keni Steward pulls out his cell phone during class, he doesn’t worry about getting into trouble with his instructor. He’s more likely to get a reaction of, “Hey, cool. Let me see that.”

Steward is one of 14 students in the department of computer science and engineering’s game design course, which allows students to get first-hand experience in the competitive smart-phone development industry through a partnership with Cellular South.

“Our primary goal with the partnership was to foster education efforts related to the innovative and new Android platform,” explained Orien Watson, a representative for the Ridgeland-based company.

He said the company originally approached the university because of Mississippi State’s history of being on the cutting-edge of technology. After learning of the game design class, he and the course’s instructors felt it was a natural fit.

“As a game design course, we want our students to get exposure to actual game design platforms, and smartphones are a

Mississippi company helps students phone in assignments



natural outgrowth of this,” said T.J. Jankun-Kelly, an associate professor. “The smart phone market is growing by leaps and bounds and cell phone games are a very sizable part of the gaming market.”

The company provided HTC-Hero phones for the students to use for game development. The devices were introduced for the students’ second class project. Working in groups, they had five weeks to develop a concept, perfect their programming and create unique artwork and music for a completely original smart phone-based game, which had to be presented in class.

“This is a senior level class, so we were already familiar with the programming languages and Google has made it really easy to be able to create innovative things on the mobile platform,” Steward said. “Really, the stressful part of the project was coming up with the initial idea. After that, it was pretty much a piece of cake.”

Steward and his fellow group members decided to capitalize on the Android platform’s ability to sense movement. In their game, “King Defender,” the player

must move the phone to control a shield, which deflects an ever-increasing number of projectiles away from the king character’s fortress. Their programming also includes a two-player mode which, when two phones are placed together, allows the projectiles to move from screen to screen.

“Around the time we started the project, a lot of my friends got Android phones,” Steward said. “They were a great test group and were able to tell me what kind of games and applications they wanted.”

Other groups in the class chose to exploit different aspects of the technology. One group created a space-based action game, while another used the system’s built-in GPS to create a maze game based on Mississippi State’s campus.

“This partnership exceeded our best expectations,” Watson said. “To develop games of such sophistication in such a short time frame is very impressive. This success is a tribute to the student skill level at Mississippi State and the flexibility of the Android platform.”

He added, “Developers, in large part, direct the future of the platform. These students now have direct experience on the platform and can submit their suggestions for development and improvement.”

A lifelong gamer, Steward says the class and the opportunity to work with the smart phones has inspired him to further explore the industry.

Dr. Ed Swan, an associate professor, knows other students feel the same way.

“The smart phone industry is a big area of growth,” Swan said. “The companies know it, the students know it, and being able to say on their resumes that they’ve done this kind of development is only going to help them in terms of the kinds of positions they might find when they graduate.”

For more information about the game design class, contact Swan at [email protected]. More information about the department of computer science and engineering can be found at http://www.cse.msstate.edu._________________________________Written by Susan H. Lassetter

[email protected]


D O N ’ TPA N I C

If David Horton ever writes a guide to the university, it will be much like one in Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, with the words “don’t panic” inscribed in large friendly letters on its cover.

“I had a lot of friends who changed their major after the first semester,” the sophomore biological engineering major said. “They had never made less than an A, they came to college, didn’t do so hot on a test, and panicked. I tried to help them stick it out, but fear of failure pushed them out of their majors.”

They should have consulted the student’s guide to Mississippi State University. But this isn’t a story about those students. This is a story of how three sophomores became successful in one of the most competitive colleges on campus.

At the first sign of bad news, the successful student doesn’t lie down with a paper bag

on his head and wait for the world to end. He or she simply calls upon the invaluable advice of upperclassmen, compiled and handed down each year to freshmen just starting out on their paths.

Take Braden Joe, for instance. A computer science major, he found classes were not entirely unlike what he was expecting the first day of his freshman year.

The university, he says, is vastly different from high school. Not in a bad way, but different, nonetheless. Unlike Horton’s friends, Joe didn’t panic. He simply spoke up, activating his guide to the university, for help.

“I talked to some upperclassmen friends and they told me I would need to be more independent than in high school,” he said. “They emphasized that, yes, things would move fast, but to not be afraid to ask for help. I made adjustments to how I prepared for class and studied and didn’t feel overwhelmed any more.”

Friends, the sophomores agree, might be

the single most useful tools for becoming a successful student. Available in many different varieties, they can be found at many locations on campus. Abby Sherriff, aerospace engineering, recommends campus organizations as a starting point for the student who finds himself or herself in a new setting without a familiar face.

“There are lots of ways to meet people when you first get to campus,” she said. “Your dorm is a good place to start, but you can also form friendships with classmates or, if you want to find people who have similar non-academic interests, there are lots of campus organizations you can check out.”

It’s a long, fun road that leads to a college education, one that should be shared with your fellow travelers. And for all the ups and the downs that come along, Horton, Joe and Sherriff offer their Student’s Guide to Mississippi State University._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected] thanks to Adam Jones.


Hotty Toddy

Hotty Toddy

C+

$#!?

A Student’s Guide to the University—Abridged

Don’t Panic. No really, don’t.

One bad grade is not going

to kill you. It’s just a wake-

up call to buckle down and

study a little harder.

Cars are a dominant life

form on campus. Give them

plenty of respect when

crossing roads, and yourself

ample time to find a parking

space when in the driver’s

seat.

Go on, ask your professors

and fellow students for help.

We promise, they are mostly

harmless.

You don’t need a guide

to tell you to beware of

representatives from the

school up north. But under

no circumstances should

you let them recite their

“hotty toddy” poetry to you.

It is widely accepted as the

worst in the universe.

Don’t turn into a paranoid

android. Go meet other

students with genuine

people personalities; online

gaming personas do not

count.

A cowbell can be the

single most important thing

to an MSU student. Don’t

forget to bring it, ring it and

proudly use it to decorate

your dorm room.

It’s a big university,

populated with many

different kinds of intelligent

life forms. Keep an open

mind and always try to see

things from others’ points of

view.

An understanding of

how campus works is like

your own hyperspace

expressway. It can help you

save time and frustration.

The best answer in the

universe isn’t very useful

if you don’t ask the right

question. Speak up and ask.

There are likely at least 42

other students who would

like to know, too.

Don’t become so lost in

deep thought—studying

the meaning of life, the

universe and everything—

that you forget to enjoy

being a student.

Considering that the Bupp brothers each completed high school in a different state, one might expect that their college careers would follow suit. However, once introduced to Mississippi State, a new family tradition was born.

Following the lead of oldest brother Kevin, a Utah high school graduate, Chris, who graduated in Georgia, and David, a product of a Florida public school, each found his way to MSU and the Bagley College of Engineering’s computer science and engineering department.

But how Kevin initially found his way from the deserts of Utah to the lush, green Starkville campus was more of a random happenstance than is usually associated with enrolling in college.

“Growing up, I always thought we had a grandma and grandpa, aunt and uncle, and a couple of cousins on each side. That was the extent of my knowledge of our family,” Kevin explained. “Then, before my senior year in high school, my grandmother decided to retire in her hometown of Wiggins, Miss.”

He continued, “I ended up spending the summer down there and meeting a lot of extended family. There were second and third cousins, and everyone was talking about the universities they attended in the state. They said I should consider a Mississippi school so I could visit them all the time. I thought that was a great idea.”

“But, of course, I wasn’t too serious,” he added. “I didn’t really think about it again until that December when I began applying to different colleges. I remembered what they had told me and did a quick search. Mississippi State came up and I was really impressed by what I saw: great rankings, numerous opportunities and a nice campus.

I applied, was awarded scholarships, came down for orientation, and was instantly sold on being a Bulldog.”

Kevin originally intended to major in graphic design, focusing on the computer aspects of the discipline. However, he quickly realized that he belonged in computer science. He switched majors, added a minor in software engineering, and never looked back.

“I’ve been interested in computers since I was a kid,” Kevin said. “As a kid, you start playing computer games and realize that you are picking it up faster than your parents, so you feel like you’re naturally gifted at computers. Because of that, I took programming classes in high school, so computer science just made sense.”

Kevin had a three-year head start in the field before younger brother Chris joined him in the university’s honors residence hall.

“I applied and was accepted to several schools. In fact, since we were living in Georgia at the time, I had a full scholarship to Georgia Tech because of the education lottery,” Chris explained. “My twin chose to stay in-state for school, but in the end, I just appreciated the culture of Mississippi State more than any other university. Plus, I knew I was going into computer science and had seen the quality education Kevin was receiving.”

“I had been to Starkville a couple of times to visit, so I already knew my way around just well enough to get lost,” he added jokingly.

Kevin completed his bachelor’s degree in 2004. He currently works for NVision Solutions, a geospatial information systems

company in Bay St. Louis, less than an hour away from his extended family and the small Mississippi town that first drew him to the state.

Chris graduated in 2008. He currently works for Dynetics, an engineering technology firm in Huntsville, Ala.

Even though his brothers have already graduated, David, a sophomore, can still draw from his siblings’ experiences to help guide him through his college years and into his professional life.

“It’s nice to have them as kind of an archival database,” David said. “I can fall back on their advice about things like classes and campus activities.”

With pride, Chris added, “But I think he would be fine completely on his own. He knew more programming languages before starting MSU than I did when I graduated.”

David is on track to graduate in 2013 and plans to further follow in his brothers’ footsteps by joining the cooperative education program and getting involved in undergraduate research activities._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

Random happenstance brings brothers to MSU


Alumnus gives MSU fans

‘More Cowbell’



Mississippi State fans have a fever; luckily Eric Vlietstra has just what the doctor ordered.Through his website, http://www.mycowbell.com, the 1995 industrial engineering graduate helps supply Bulldog fans across the nation with the loudest, most unique symbol of State pride—the cowbell.

“Until recently, the cowbell gig was just a source of some extra income, but in the spring of 2010 I decided to make some bold moves,” Vlietstra said.

Vlietstra first began making cowbells 10 years ago when, after moving to Chattanooga, Tenn., he discovered he no longer had his well-used cowbell. That’s an unacceptable situation to most MSU faithful, but he soon realized that since he lived outside of Starkville, replacing the noisemaker would be difficult. At the time, there was no online source, so his only option was to mail order a couple of bells from an MSU spirit shop in Mississippi.

“I ordered one maroon and one white,” Vlietstra explained. “But when they arrived, they had not been individually wrapped, so there was white paint on the maroon one, and maroon on the white. I called the store to let them know what had happened, but they never acknowledged that there had been a mistake.”

“When I hung up the phone, the light came on. I thought, ‘I can do better than that. I can provide cowbells and quality service over the Internet. There must be plenty of State fans living outside of Starkville who could use a service like that,’” he recalled.

The cowbell has been a Mississippi State symbol since the 1930s when a jersey cow wandered onto the football field as the Bulldogs beat in-state rival Ole Miss. The cowbell soon became a good luck charm, and despite the fact that they’ve been banned from Southeastern Conference sporting events since 1975, the sound of thousands of clanging bells wielded by diehard fans is synonymous with MSU sports.

Like most Maroon and White faithful, Vlietstra fondly remembers the cowbell he bought while in college, and the games he snuck it into.

“I remember having to pass up a few meals in order to afford one,” he said. “I bought a big maroon cowbell and decorated it with decals. I rang that thing until I got blisters. Then I switched hands. Then I just dealt with the pain.”

He drew upon his experiences to develop a prototype, working with a welder to attach the handle and trying different grips to find just the right material that would provide secure, comfortable ringing capabilities for users. He learned how to build a website and by football season 2000, he had sold his first cowbell online.

“I’m not sure how long it took from the moment I published my website to the moment I received my first order, but seeing that order notification in my e-mail was very satisfying,” Vlietstra said.

Despite having very little marketing, Vlietstra’s business began to steadily grow while he worked at his day job as an engineer at a factory in Tennessee. He said that as the orders came in, the more he dreamed of selling cowbells full time. After a record-breaking year of sales in 2009, he decided he could make that dream come true.

“I resigned from my job this July, right as I was to receive my first shipment of cowbells from my new supplier,” Vlietstra said. “I enjoyed my time as an industrial engineer and without that experience I could never have made this move. There is nothing more fulfilling than owning your own company and turning it into something profitable.”

“And I put my engineering knowledge to use everyday,” he added. “Things like cost analysis and methods for inventory management come in very handy when you own your own small business and every penny counts.”

Vlietstra says his family was very supportive of his decision, which couldn’t have come at a better time. It was purely coincidental, but

as he prepared to enter the cowbell business full time, the 12 schools of the Southeastern Conference established what is being called the Cowbell Compromise, which allows artificial noisemakers to be used legally at certain times during sporting events.

Personally, Vlietstra says he wasn’t concerned with the outcome of the compromise vote.

“I knew that the tradition was already established. State fans wanted cowbells whether they could take them into a football game or not,” he said.

Although maroon, white and chrome are the most traditional colors for MSU bells, he also keeps a variety of other colors in stock. After all, most fans want their bell to be a unique reflection of their Bulldog spirit.

“I’ll provide the bell and you make it your own,” Vlietstra said. “My current prized possession is a 17-inch, three-color cowbell. It took me three days to paint it.”

And this football season, when Christopher Walken comes on the big screen prior to football games and declares, “We need more cowbell!” as part of the now famous Saturday Night Live skit, Vlietstra proudly rings his bell with 50,000 other Bulldog fans, knowing that his small business is helping keep tradition alive in Starkville._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]


Fueled by clean diesel, Brian Whitmire, a mechanical engineering graduate, has been racing and competing in one of the greenest racing series in America. It was early last year in Las Vegas, Nev., when Whitmire qualified and was chosen from more than 200 candidates to compete in the Volkswagen Jetta TDI® Cup Motorsports Series. It’s an accomplishment many racing enthusiasts dream of, turning a race car hobby into a profession.

In his pursuit of trying to reach his dream of becoming one of America’s next best race car drivers, the shade of green will no doubt affect him in another way. He will race under the clock to find sponsorship that will enable him to pursue his heart’s desire to compete in the sport of racing next season.

“I’ve been interested in racing since I was little, but there was no avenue for me to pursue it, until college. I majored in mechanical engineering because of my

interest in cars and racing,” Whitmire explained. “I came to Mississippi State because they have a student team that designs and custom builds formula one-style race cars. They compete in the international Formula Society of Automotive Engineers Collegiate Design (FSAE) competition.”

After graduating with a master’s degree in the spring of 2009, Whitmire landed a full-time job with Dow Chemical, and took his hobby from racing in parking lots to racing in the most historic tracks in the country by qualifying as a Volkswagen Jetta TDI® Cup driver. The VW Motorsports Racing Series is one of the largest and most prestigious in the country.

“I think the biggest challenge besides putting in a long work week, on top of concentrating on racing, is the extra work you have to put into the business side of the profession,” Whitmire said.

Volkswagen covers the expense of maintaining and transporting the car and

incorporating the latest technology, but the drivers generate the extra sponsorships to recover the initial $45,000 season fee and other expenses, such as car repair. Most fans don’t realize the financial commitment and process it takes to become a professional race car driver. It is unlike the monetary rewards of becoming a professional baseball or football player, who can earn hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars to sign an initial contract.

“It’s funny, people who aren’t familiar with racing say, ‘Oh, you make all this money on the side racing,’” Whitmire said. “I reply, ‘No, I spend all this money on the side racing.’ Then they have this impression that I get picked up in a limousine. I explain that I pay for the travel to get myself to the racetrack.’”

The 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI® Cup racing series began April 23 at the Virginia International Raceway and ended Sept. 25 in Pueblo, Mexico.

Racing for the ‘Green’


His first year for qualifying and competing in the event also marks the year Whitmire will age out. The racing series is for drivers ages 16-26. As a participant, Whitmire has learned the value of creating and writing business proposals, and has been coached by some of the best car drivers in the industry, including fourth place finisher of the 2009 Indianapolis 500, Townsend Bell.

“I hope my plans for the future include racing. That depends on how much money I can raise in sponsorships,” Whitmire said. “I was approached by a Porsche team to race a 911 GT3 through the International Motor Sports Association. The same association that runs the Le Mans. In fact, this smaller series is a feeder to the 24 Hour of Le Mans, the most famous sportscar race in the world.”

It will take a half-million-dollar investment for Whitmire to continue his professional racing dream. He is hoping that the attendance of approximately 500,000

people at seven races and the million-plus viewers reached through the television tape-delayed series will generate the needed sponsorship.

“Obviously, I can’t make that step on my own. The budget includes buying the car and paying the team to maintain and transport the car, as well as the entry fees to all these races,” Whitmire said.

To learn more about the 2010 Jetta TDI® Cup final standings, visit http://www.volkswagenjettacup.com.

For more information about creating value through advertising in the sport of motor racing with Whitmire Motor Sports, visit http://www.brianwhitmiremotorsports.com.______________________________Written by Diane L. [email protected]

“I think the biggest challenge besides putting in a long work week, on top of concentrating on racing, is the extra work you have to put into the business side of the profession,” Whitmire said.

Bulldogs go to the coast:MSU engineers spring into action to assist with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill



The term ‘oil’ on the Gulf CoastMike CarronDirector, Northern Gulf InstituteStennis Space Center, Mississippi

The term “oil” has caused many people turmoil on the Gulf Coast. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill, one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in history, has taken a financial and emotional toll on the wildlife, fishing and tourism industries, not to mention the effects it may have on the sea life environment for years to come.

The extent and range of damage is still unknown. Those are the answers Dr. Mike Carron, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Northern Gulf Institute (NGI) is trying to resolve. NGI, led by Mississippi State, is a collaboration of five research institutions that include the University of Southern Mississippi, Louisiana State University, Florida State University, and Dauphin Island Sea Lab (Alabama). NGI also has developed a collaborative relationship with the National Institute for Undersea Science and Technology at Ole Miss and the Harte Research Institute at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Since the oil spill catastrophe, Carron has been in overdrive collaborating with NOAA directors from two other cooperative institutes, located at Florida Atlantic University and the University of Miami, identifying oceanic research experts, as well as organizing, facilitating and securing funding for research proposals so marine scientists can assess the health of the Gulf now and in the future.

“We’re collaborating expert resources from NOAA institutes whose research portfolios range from satellite climatology and fisheries biology to atmospheric chemistry and coastal ecology,” Carron explained. “We have a coordinated research program from Florida all the way to Texas that pools scientists’ data sets together to

make them available in an organized and understandable way. Our studies will help officials make management decisions that affect and are of benefit to the Gulf ecology, preserve coastal community lifestyles, and have a positive impact on the economy.”

NGI, the Florida Institute of Oceanography and Louisiana State University were awarded unrestricted grants totaling $25 million from the recently established BP Gulf of Mexico Initiative. NGI’s share is $10 million.

Despite the massive clean up, people who are dependent on the coast’s economy, such as the fishing and tourism industries, are absorbing the after-effects.

“Vacations planned by tourists, they need to know they won’t find a trace of oil on the beaches, and the seafood has been tested and is safe and good to eat,” Carron said. “People need to keep in mind that the reports for the June time frame are quite different than what’s happening now. Also, the research we’re conducting for the marine ecosystem doesn’t happen overnight and the effects are not always evident immediately. It’s going to take some time until we know what kind of impact this oil spill has had on sea life.”

Wrangling oil, cowboy style Justin LiddellMechanical engineering, B.S. 2010Vicksburg, Mississippi

They were cowboy heroes for sure, but not of the Wild West variety. The environment of extremely hot and long days was similar, but the product they were responsible for catching was a lot more toxic. Their boots and gloves were made of rubber, not leather, they wore coverall jumpsuits versus jeans and their lasso was a boom and their horsepower came not from the four-legged variety, but boats powered from the very product they were cleaning up, a petroleum derived product called oil.

Wrangling is lingo the Hazardous Waste

Operations and Emergency Response team members used to describe the effort to trap and collect the 4.9 million barrels of oil that leaked from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Residents from Prince William Sound, Alaska, not only empathized with Gulf Coast residents who relied on the marine ecosystem for their livelihoods, but they also traveled to the Gulf Coast for another reason. A team who worked the clean up for the Exxon Valdez oil spill trained Justin Liddell, a mechanical engineering graduate.

“They told us that they continuously train. In fact, once a year they run a drill to make sure they are ready in case another oil spill happens in Alaska,” Liddell said. “They trained us on how to wrangle the oil, how to safely handle and dispose of it via the tar barges. How to decontaminate ourselves and the boats, as well as clean the booms, so we wouldn’t contaminate the fish estuaries when we came ashore at night.”

After working and hearing stories from the Alaska team, the only thought on Liddell’s mind when he first encountered tar balls the size of bowling balls and weighing more than two times the weight, was, “What was going to happen to the coast?”

“You know, when I saw the tar balls for the first time, I never really thought of the beaches or tourism or anything like that. What I thought about was the families that depended on shrimp fishing for their livelihoods. What were they going to do and how were they going to survive?”

After picking up tons of tar balls, Liddell said he needed to quit the work because of a question of ethics.

“There are charter fisherman that take tourists out to fish and they make extra money that way. Well, the tar factory, after about four or five weeks into the clean up, started letting go the shrimp fishermen first and keeping the charter boat fisherman on the payroll, so that kind of stuff made me realize I couldn’t consciously work for them anymore and eventually I quit.”

When the fishing ban on shrimp was lifted, Liddell was relieved because that meant his friends were able to get back


to the work they have depended on for generations. Although Liddell was paid well for his work, the MSU Bagley College of Engineering graduate believed money can’t buy everything, but discovered it does drive a lot of motivations. The bad ones are what the cowboys of the Wild West would term “horse traders or outlaws.”

Magnolia state offers no rest for the wearyRichard HarrellChemical engineering, B.S. 1992Jackson, Mississippi

Richard Harrell had already entered full disaster response mode when the Deepwater Horizon rig sank into the Gulf. However, at the time of the crisis, he was more than 200 miles inland where an outbreak of tornadoes had devastated 17 Mississippi counties.

“I was helping establish debris cleanup and disposal operations in counties affected by the tornadoes,” Harrell said. “Once others were able to assume responsibility there, I transitioned to the oil spill response,

complete with 16-hour workdays, seven days a week.”

A chemical engineer with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MSDEQ), Harrell has served as Mississippi’s on-scene coordinator at disaster response headquarters in Mobile, Ala. From that centralized location, more than 1,100 people worked to assess the status of the coast, enact protective measures and cleanup the oil as it came on shore.

“It was a whirlwind of activities—taking samples, monitoring beaches, deploying boom and skimmers, and overseeing BP contractors to make sure things were getting done,” Harrell explained. “We also worked closely with the Mississippi operation group to ensure that our state’s needs were being met under the One Gulf Plan.”

The One Gulf Plan was developed to ensure that the nation’s resources were used strategically throughout the entire Gulf region. Preventative measures helped crews keep much of the oil away from the beaches, but Harrell says that it is still difficult to determine the long-term effects of the spill.

“MSDEQ has worked many oil spills in the past, but never one of this magnitude. We’ve

worked closely with other departments to assess all impacts to our state and will contract out with state universities to study the effects,” Harrell explained. “While there is damage to our ecosystem, our beaches, fishing and state waters are open. We expect many years of restoration, but that doesn’t mean things are unsafe for our citizens.”

He says that even though Mississippi seems to have been hit particularly hard by disasters in recent years, the resiliency of its citizens provides hope for a full recovery. In fact, he explained that one of the most difficult tasks during the spill was managing the thousands of volunteers.

“Everyone wanted to help,” he said. “But when you are dealing with potentially hazardous materials, you can’t have the general public out there picking it up. This experience is another example of the can-do spirit of our citizens and the local and state employees.”

He added, “The people of MSDEQ have really stepped up to protect our state’s citizens and natural resources through this challenging event. We have worked together to protect our state. It’s one of those times that I am proud to be an engineer, state employee and citizen of Mississippi.”


Shifting gears personally and professionallyJared McKeeCivil and environmental engineering, B.S. 2006, M.S. 2008Dauphin Island, Alabama

Lights from distant drilling platforms dot the horizon off Alabama’s beaches. Always there, always on, these rigs were simply part of the landscape for most residents until a similar structure exploded off Louisiana’s coast.

“I never thought I’d work on oil spill recovery,” confessed Jared McKee, a marine ecology researcher at Alabama’s Dauphin Island Sea Lab. “I’m sure a lot of people down here didn’t anticipate that there would be an oil spill that could reach the beaches of Alabama and Florida, but it quickly became an urgent reality.”

McKee leads a project to build and install nearly two miles of oyster reef to improve fishing and prevent erosion in the Mobile Bay and Mississippi Sound. Crews only had a few weeks of work left when oil started leaking into the Gulf.

“We decided to stop deploying reef to see what would happen with the oil,” McKee

said. “We were waiting, watching, listening, and kind of dreading what was going to happen.”

He added, “We immediately began sampling the beaches of Baldwin County, checking for hydrocarbons and getting census numbers for all of the little critters that live in the sand. That gave us pre-oil statistics we can now measure against.”

Since the spill, McKee has been traveling everywhere from the Chandeleur Islands of Louisiana to the beaches of Florida, to measure the impact of the spill. He is starting a project to specifically look at how the oil has affected larval fish recruitment to sea grass beds.

McKee has resumed his pre-oil work on the oyster reef restoration and finished its deployment this fall. Despite the circumstances, he says that oysters have already been busy colonizing and attracting fish to the reef that was deployed before the oil spill. He hopes his life can return to normal as quickly.

“The spill has changed the way I look at my job and the way I look at my lifestyle,” McKee explained. “Part of the reason I took this job was to live on the coast, eat the seafood, go

sailing, swimming and snorkeling, and have no fear of oil and dispersants, but that is something I have to take into account every day.”

He added, “I’m glad to be actively involved in the recovery and it makes me feel better about getting back to normal. I’ve gone back to swimming, and eating shrimp po’ boys, and I hope everything will work out for the best.”

Tracking oil helps put coast on road to recoveryHunter JohnsonCivil and environmental engineering, M.S. 2008Athens, Georgia

Hunter Johnson launches his boat into the Gulf waters. He readies his equipment for the tasks ahead, and sets off into the hot summer sun for another long day on the water. This routine has become second nature in the six months since the oil spill.

“We sent our first crew down to the coast a couple of weeks after the initial explosion and we’ve been working down there ever since,” explained Johnson, an environmental

Jared McKee inspecting an oyster reef.


engineer with the Environmental Protection Agency. “I’ve been with crews taking samples from Panama City, Fla., all the way west to the Mississippi and Louisiana line.”

Based out of the EPA’s Athens, Ga., office, Johnson and other researchers have been busy collecting water and sediment samples from the Gulf and its surrounding bays.

“We’re looking at many different parameters,” Johnson said. “By measuring things like pH levels, salinity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen levels, and turbidity, we are able to tell a lot about water quality on the spot. All of our samples are also sent to a lab to be further analyzed.”

Representatives of the oil spill information center say that the EPA’s samples have helped guide the coastal clean-up efforts. By providing nearly instantaneous water quality measurements, the crews ensure that time and manpower is not wasted in non-affected areas. Although, from Johnson’s perspective, there’s been no shortage of people looking to pitch in.

“The response down on the coast has been amazing,” Johnson said. “Everybody around that area really stepped up. Whether it was private citizens or other agencies, there have been tons of people out there working.”

He added, “It was interesting to see the harbors in the mornings, the amount of boats and people heading out to work and working around the clock, was just amazing. I was really proud of how everybody has come together.”

Johnson and his colleagues are dedicated to continuing their work on the coast, as long as their expertise is still needed. He believes that the education he received at Mississippi State helped prepare him for situations, like the Deepwater Horizon leak, that he has faced since joining the EPA.

“The water resource program at State covers a wide range of specialties and water quality really piqued my interest,” Johnson said. “The education I got was really tailored to doing this kind of ecological assessment, so whether it’s flow measurement in the mountains or a big water quality study in the Gulf, I’m committed to my environmental work.”_____________________________________Written by Diane L. Godwin, [email protected], and Susan E. Lassetter, [email protected]

“The response down on the coast has been amazing,” Johnson said. “Everybody around that area really stepped up. Whether it was private citizens or other agencies, there have been tons of people out there working.”


Mississippi State’s automotive design team earned a hero’s welcome when it returned to Starkville this summer as the year two champions of EcoCAR: The NeXt Challenge.Taking a victory lap around campus with President Mark Keenum and Bagley College of Engineering Dean Sarah Rajala, the team was greeted with ringing cowbells and cheers of support.

“It was great to know that we had supporters in Starkville, people following our tweets and wishing us well while we were at competition,” said Tom Goddette. “It was nice to come back to campus and celebrate our victory with everyone.”

The team had plenty of reasons to celebrate—153 to be exact. That was the

number of points separating Mississippi State and its nearest competition.

“Everyone in the room kind of gasped when they announced the points,” Goddette, a mechanical engineering senior, recalled. “I don’t think even the organizers expected that kind of a point jump. I know everyone on the team was shocked.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and General Motors, the EcoCAR competition asks 16 competitively selected teams to re-engineer a donated SUV to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions while maintaining consumer appeal. The first year of the competition evaluated the teams’ designs through computer simulations. The end of the second year took the student designed vehicles on the road.

At GM’s Desert Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz., each team’s vehicle was judged for safety, acceleration, handling, and other performance measures.

Mississippi State’s plug-in hybrid vehicle was the first in the competition to pass safety inspection and one of only three to survive the desert heat and complete every event. It earned a 60-mile all-electric range and 118 mpg—exceeding the team’s initial efficiency estimates.

Additionally, the Bulldogs were the only ones to maintain the SUV’s cargo space. Other teams lost anywhere from an inch of height to whole rows of seats in order to incorporate their new systems.

“Our battery set-up was the envy of most schools,” said team controls group leader Brian Benoy. “People, including the manufacturers of the battery, would stop to ask how we did that.”

He explained that A123 Systems donated battery packs to select teams, but it was up to the students to incorporate it into the vehicle’s systems and build a safe housing for it.

EcoCAR celebrates victory Mississippi State style


“Lithium ion batteries are notorious for getting hot,” Benoy said. “That causes a safety hazard and the heat can also ruin your efficiency. We developed a housing that has micro-channel fins, which allows coolant to pass through on three sides of the module. We were able to sandwich our batteries closely together to allow for efficient heat transfer and reduce the space needed for our pack.”

He added, “We have never seen our battery rise more than two degrees above the ambient temperature, which is unheard of for a student design. From a consumer acceptability standpoint, when you opened the door, it looked like nothing had been done to the interior of the vehicle. We were really proud of that.”

Returning from the year two awards ceremony, the team wasted no time diving into the competition’s final year, which focuses on optimization and consumer appeal. During the summer, the students designed a one-of-a-kind digital gauge cluster. They also plan on replacing

the automobile’s radio with a 7-inch touch screen entertainment center, which will feature a navigation system, complete with weather and electric-range indication overlays, as well as normal radio functions. By networking the system with the digital instrument panel, the team also plans to create an eco-training system, which will alert the driver to ways to improve efficiency by altering driving behaviors.

“I am looking forward to this year of optimization. Once you bring computers into a vehicle, the sky is the limit as to what you can do,” Benoy said. “It’s going to be fun to see how we can improve performance and what we can squeeze out of our systems.”

For more information about Mississippi State’s EcoCAR team, visit http://www.ecocar.msstate.edu. Follow @MSStateEcoCAR on Twitter for the most up-to-date details as the team prepares for the final year of competition._________________________________Written by Susan H. [email protected]

The team had plenty of reasons to celebrate—153 to be exact. That was the number of points separating Mississippi State and its nearest competition.

Awards WonFirst Place Overall

Best Fuel Consumption

Best Tailpipe Emissions

Best Well-to-Wheel Greenhouse Gas

Best Well-to-Wheel Petroleum Energy Use

Best Acceleration

Best Autocross

Best Mechanical Presentation

Best Controls Presentation

Best Vehicle Design Review Presentation

First Place Outreach Program

Best Media Relations Program

Best Education Program

Best Creative Promotion of EcoCAR

Best Team Website

Hardware-in-the-loop Evaluation (3rd place)

Best A123 Systems Battery Pack

Mathworks Modeling Presentation (3rd place)

dSpace Sponsor Award (2nd place)

Greetings, Engineering Bulldogs!

The Bagley College of Engineering’s (BCoE) continued success is due to its talented faculty and staff, dedicated students and loyal alumni. Our alumni support is even more appreciated now and we would like to take a moment to remind everyone to consider gifts to our Excellence Fund. This fund allows our contributors to help the college, dean and department heads to have the ability to purchase operating supplies while being able to continue to support student organizations, faculty and other BCoE entities. Gifts to the Excellence Fund help the BCoE take on the budget challenges with confidence.

I’m excited to introduce P.K. Thomas, our new assistant director of development. We are glad to have him as part of the BCoE team. He holds a 2003 communication degree from MSU and earned a master’s in physical education and sport administration in 2008. For the past two years, he worked as a district executive for Yocona Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. Prior to that, he served for two years as an admissions counselor for Mississippi State. We are exited about the valuable experience that he brings to the position and I’m looking forward to working along side him as we visit with alumni and promote the college of engineering.

At the university level, President Mark Keenum has an initiative called StatePride. MSU has a goal of accommodating more than 22,000 students by 2015. Funding will be needed to create scholarships and faculty support to help facilitate that growth. At MSU, the StatePride initiative will focus on the core goal by increasing scholarship offerings for the “best and brightest” students. It also will include faculty support to retain top performing faculty in all areas of study and increase faculty research opportunities. This support is a matching challenge for scholarships and faculty support. A donation that qualifies for an employee-matching gift also will qualify for an athletics match. The athletics match will include the entire donation. It’s a great time to give and make the gift count twice as much!

Your support could range from making a gift towards the Excellence Fund, encouraging prospective students to visit campus or connecting with current students. The next generation of engineers can always benefit from the experience and advice from their predecessors. Alumni loyalty to the BCoE and MSU is what will help keep the college moving forward towards obtaining its goal of preparing engineers for the 21st century. To learn more about how you can make a difference, please contact me at (662) 325-0386.

Bennett EvansDirector of Development

Development Notes


P.K. Thomas

Bennett Evans

BCoE StatePride Donors3MAccenture Foundation, Inc.Mr. Vincent R. Altese, Jr.American Eurocopter CorporationMr. Hubert D. BatsonDr. Robert S. BernardMr. William B. BerryMr. William B. BerryMr. Morris D. Bloodworth, Jr.Boeing Charitable TrustMs. Ruth F. BourgeoisMr. Jack R. BradleyMr. Gerald BraggMrs. Cathy BrannonDr. Larry G. BrownMr. Thomas S. BryantBurns Cooley Dennis, Inc.Dr. Thomas R. ByrdC. W. H., Inc.Calvert Spradling Engineers, Inc.Mr. Charles T. Carley, IIIMs. M. M. CarrioMr. John L. CarterMr. Bill R. CartyCellular SouthMs. Helen Pool ChalstromDr. Jen P. ChenChevron Pascagoula RefineryDr. Pasquale CinnellaMr. Charles B. CliettMr. Edward C. CollumDr. Krissten N. CooperMs. Nell CurtisMr. Robert E. DayMr. Wilbur G. Dees, Jr.Mr. Joseph DilgMr. Alfred F. Eaton, Jr.Electric Power Association of MississippiMr. John ElwoodEubank Construction Company, Inc.Eustis Engineering Co., Inc.Ms. Pauline EustisMrs. Gray EvansMr. Howard M. Evans, IIIMr. Thomas FainMr. William M. Fondren, Jr.Dr. L. Michael FreemanMr. Carl R. Furr, Sr.Dr. Jerome A. GilbertMrs. T. J. GilbertMr. Ellis G. GillMr. Thomas M. GladneyMr. Rick GonderMs. Margie GristMr. Mayo Grubbs

Mr. Dewey C. HaynesHearin FoundationDr. Robert F. HeathMrs. Winafred M. HerndonDr. Mohammad HosniMr. Lawrence C. Howell, Jr.Mr. C. Michael IllanneJ. W. Bagley FoundationDr. Billy H. JohnsonMrs. Elizabeth D. JohnsonMr. Herbert V. JohnsonMr. Jonathan A. JohnsonMr. Rodger L. JohnsonMr. Ashley T. KeesMr. William P. KirkpatrickMs. Linda A. LandMrs. Sara S. LangMr. David C. LangstonMr. Steve LindsayMr. Christopher A. LittonMr. James H. MackMr. Robert ManuelDr. Jessica O. MatsonMr. Normond B. McAllister, Jr.Mr. James R. McBrideMr. George O. McDaniel, Jr.Mr. Jeffery McLainMs. Joanna R. MeadowsMr. Donald E. MeinersMendrop, Wages, LLCMilliken FoundationMr. Richard H. Mills, Jr.Mississippi Concrete Industries AssociationMississippi Power Education Foundation, Inc.Mississippi Rural Water Association, Inc.Mr. William C. MitchellMobile Shipbuilding and Repair, Inc.Ms. Jane A. MoringDr. Don H. MorrisMr. Jeff S. MunozMr. W. Carroll MurphyMr. Shelby D. Murray, Jr.Mrs. Dawn M. NallNeel-Schaffer, Inc.Mr. Willie J. NesterDr. John B. NoblinMr. Bobbit NoelMr. Charles H. OswaltMr. Jesse H. OswaltDr. John K. OwensMrs. Agnes B. ParkerMrs. Lyn D. PeakeLtc. John E. Pearson, Jr., USA(RET)Mr. Jeffrey H. PeoplesMr. Craig A. Peterhansen

Mr. Crymes G. PittmanMr. James W. Pittman, Sr.Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.Mr. Hershel PriceMr. Joffrey R. PryorMr. Everette R. RamageMr. Harry M. ReasonerMr. Bob G. RobertsMrs. Mary E. RookerMr. John P. RushMrs. Elizabeth Carter SantikosMr. Robert M. SchickMr. Stephen C. SchruffShaw IndustriesMr. Maury ShurldsMr. William D. SimsMr. William A. Sims, Jr.Mr. William F.H. SinclairSmith, Dukes and Buckalew, L.L.P.Society of Petroleum Engineers, Inc.South Central MS ChapterSouthern Ionics, Inc.Mr. Roland B. SpenglerMs. Margaret E. Swain, LCSWDr. Martha H. SwainMr. Douglas T. TerresonMr. R. H. Terreson, Jr.The Ayco Charitable FoundationThe Ayco Charitable FoundationThe John & Mary Redwine Charitable TrustThe Shackouls Family FoundationThe Wesley A. Caldwell FoundationMr. Thomas H. TheakerDr. Joe F. ThompsonMs. Kieu-Anh T. TranTri State Educational FoundationMr. Fred M. TynerMr. Chuck UeltscheyVictory Steel Products CorporationMr. Thomas H. Walker, PEMr. Javed A. WarsiDr. Shahab U. WarsiMr. Daryl M. WebbMr. Earl D. Weed, Jr.Mr. Nathaniel C. WhittenMr. Leslie WillhiteMr. Matthew H. WilloughbyMr. Anthony L. WilsonMr. Turner A. WingoMrs. Catherine O. WohnerMr. J. Collins Wohner, Jr.Mr. Harold E. WrightMrs. Barbara Young



Movers & ShakersAlumni

John Cullinane Jr., a civil engineering graduate, was named deputy director at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and, in connection, will become ERDC’s newest member of the Senior Executive Service. As deputy director, Cullinane will assist Director Jeffery Holland in managing ERDC’s seven laboratories and more than 2,500 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities and an annual research program exceeding $1.5 billion.

David Pittman, a civil engineering graduate and director of the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg was recently awarded the Bronze Order of the de Fleury Medal. Pittman was presented with the award for inspirational leadership to the Corps of Engineers and in recognition of 26 years of exceptional service to the engineer regiment.

Yoshiki Yamada, an aerospace engineering graduate, has been awarded the Keith J. Miller Young Investigator Award. His research has resulted in many discoveries on fatigue-crack-grow-rate behavior in the very low-rate regime and it will impact future testing and analysis of aging aircraft.

Daniel Zabaldano, a recent graduate in mechanical engineering, was awarded the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship and acceptance into the master’s program at Politecnico di Torino, Turin, Italy.

Students

Matthew Berk, a freshmen in aerospace engineering, participated in the World Spacemodeling Championship held in Serbia. His USA junior team won a gold medal in the rocket glider event.

Shakhrukh Ismonov was awarded one of two 2010 graduate scholarships from ASTM International, formally the American Society for Testing and Materials. The doctoral candidate has been published in the International Journal of Fatigue, the Journal of ASTM International and the Journal of Engineering Materials and Technology.

Ratessiea “Tessa” Lett, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, was selected by the National Science Foundation to receive an NSF graduate research fellowship award.

Ryan Nazaretian, a junior in computer engineering, has been named the regional student representative for Region 3 for IEEE. This region includes the states of Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi as well as Jamaica.

Tim Pitts, a senior in computer engineering, has been selected to receive a Phi Kappa Phi Fellowship for graduate study during the 2010-11 academic year. He will be entering the graduate program in computer engineering at Mississippi State University.

Faculty & Staff

Bill Elmore, interim department head for the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering, will be awarded

the classification of Fellow in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Sergio D. Felicelli, a professor in mechanical engineering, was named to the Coleman and Whiteside Professorship.

Pedro Mago, an associate professor in mechanical engineering, has been awarded the Tennessee Valley Authority Professorship in Energy Systems and the Environment.

Sarah Rajala, dean and Earnest W. and Mary Ann Daevenport Jr. Chair of the Bagley College of Engineering, has been selected as the 2010 recipient of the Phi Kappa Phi Scholar Award, as well as the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN) Educator Award.

Donna Reese, interim department head for the computer science and engineering department, was named the 2010 McDonald Mentor by Tau Beta Pi for engineering and education excellence in mentoring and advising.

Dennis Truax, James T. White Chair and head of MSU’s department of civil and environmental engineering, was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour to the state Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors.

Changhe Yuan, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER grant for his research that focused on helping distance learning students improve comprehension and enhance interactive learning while taking online classes.


A. Stan Grzybowski, an electrical and computer engineering professor and the director of the High Voltage Laboratory, was awarded the university’s 2010 Ralph E. Powe Research Excellence Award.

B. Four BCoE faculty members have earned a place in the college’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers. L-R: Keisha Walters, David Thompson, David Bridges, Yogi Dandass.

C. The BCoE honors ten new Distinguished Fellows for their commitment to the engineering profession. L-R: Peggy Wright, Jerry Welch, Joe Bickham, Robert Hester, David Palmer, Joan Campbell, Carrie Olsen, and Rick Farmer. Not pictured: Craig Peterhansen and Richard Taylor.

D. The Mississippi State Space Cowboys, recently placed second in NASA’s University Student Launch Initiative. Christa Finley, chief student engineer of the MSU Space Cowboy team stands next to the team’s rocket, which is nearly 8 feet tall and is 6 inches in diameter and carries a unique scientific payload concept.

E. Nine seniors were recognized as this year’s group of Outstanding Seniors. L-R: Samuel Sullivan, ChE; Nathan Rhoades, ME; Cole Glass, CEE; M.J. Hill, CSE; Missie Smith, IE; Matthew Young, EE; Emily Smith, BE; James Key, CPE; Michael Barton, ASE.

F. The 10-member student team, named Xipiter, placed second overall at the eighth annual student Unmanned Air Systems Competition by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International. Back L-R: Eric Hill, Matthew Campassi, Calvin Walker, Ben Nesbit, Jared Gates, Christopher Edwards, Tony Favaloro. Front L-R: Alex Smith, Jeffrey Morris and Rebecca Owens.

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Bagley College of EngineeringPO Box 9544Mississippi State, MS 39762

Mississippi State University complies with all applicable laws regarding affirmative action and equal opportunity in all its activities and programs and does not discriminate against anyone protected by law because of age, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex, handicap, or status as a veteran or disabled veteran.

w w w . b a g l e y . m s s t a t e . e d u

A Bulldog of your ownThe Bagley College of Engineering would like to invite all our alumni in a chance to win one of the two bulldog sculptures featured in this issue of Momentum. If you are interested in having one of these metal bulldogs for your very own, visit www.bagley.msstate.edu/bulldog and fill out the online survey and your name will be entered into our drawing. On Jan. 15, 2011, we will draw two names and will contact them by e-mail, as well as post the name of the winners on our Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/msuengineering.

Keep us in the loopAre you an alum of the college of engineering at MSU? Have you received a promotion, a new job, an exciting recognition or award? Send alumni updates to [email protected], so that we can spread the good news to your colleagues and peers.

Momentum 2010 Fall

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