BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING THE FUTURE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH

SUMMER 2003 PUBLISHED BI-ANNUALLY. ISSUE NO.16 A NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE USF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING: THE FUTURE OF INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH SUMMER 2003 ISSUE NO.16 PUBLISHED BI-ANNUALLY A NEWSLETTER FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF THE USF COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING Biomedical Engineering: Exploring New Ground At The College Of Engineering A remote vehicle control system that gives severely disabled individuals the ability to drive; A non-invasive way to detect and possibly treat heart disease in its early stages; An implanted sensor that would constantly check and report glucose levels in diabetes patients; The combination advanced imaging/computing system to detect breast cancer in its earliest forms; A system for delivering drug therapies directly into affected cells without damaging healthy cells. These are just some of the possible products that could come from research currently underway at the USF College of Engineering and is part of the nationwide increase in biomedical engineering that began in the 1990s. In July 1997, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provided this definition of bioengineering: “Bioengineering integrates physical, chemical, or mathematical sciences and engineering principles for the study of biology, medicine, behavior, or health. It advances fundamental concepts, creates knowledge for the molecular to the organ systems levels, and develops innovative biologics, materials, processes, implants, devices, and informatics approaches for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, for patient rehabilitation, and for improving health.” The definition gave little indication of how the field of biomedical engineering exploded just before and into the new millennium. A look at the State University System (SUS) in Florida provides a good illustration. When the USF College of Engineering had its Master’s Degree in Biomedical Engineering program approved by the SUS in 1998, there was only one other medical bioengineering program in the state. A year later, all the large state schools were offering bioengineering degrees and many of the smaller state schools had programs in various stages of development. That’s according to Dr. William Lee, director of the biomedical engineering program at the USF College of Engineering. Lee said USF is ideally suited to provide the interdisciplinary services needed to make an expanded biomedical engineering program work. “We probably have the best potential for research interaction in the state,” he said. “It’s almost as if the University was designed with biomedical engineering in mind.” Lee pointed out that the USF Tampa campus is home to, or is near, many of the medical and health facilities needed to make a biomedical engineering research effort successful. For example, the USF Colleges of Public Health, Medicine and Nursing combine to make up the USF Health Science Center (HSC). Lee said the Health Science Center would be a key partner in the University’s biomedical engineering future. The University also has key affiliations with several unique hospitals. The H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and the Tampa Shriner’s Hospital are located on campus. The James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, one of the largest Veterans’ Administration hospitals in the country, is just across the street from USF. The University has also maintained a long-standing relationship with Tampa General Hospital, which provides training for HSC physicians and contains programs such as transplant and trauma services. Dr. Mike VanAuker of the Department of Chemical Engineering, one of the faculty members currently conducting biomedical engineering research, agrees that these unique resources could make USF a leader in the field. “Biomedical engineering is an evolving and multiIlercil, and Leo Ondrovic, a researcher in the Department of Surgery, who is working on improving an artificial heart valve design. “In my research group, we are studying how changes in biomechanics are related to the causes and consequences of diseases such as valvular heart disease and hypertension. We are also working on developing new therapeutic strategies and ways to evaluate their effectiveness. These projects involve analyses combining in vitro experimentation, computer simulation, and clinical studies,” VanAuker said. VanAuker is working with Dr. Venkat Bhethanabotla of the Department of Chemical Engineering on developing a new drug delivery system, and with Dr. Shekhar Bhansali of the Department of Electrical Engineering to develop noninvasive sensors. “We seek to develop new non-invasive diagnostic/prognostic tools and therapeutic strategies. We are especially interested in developing markers for the early detection of disease, since biomechanical changes such as stiffness of the arteries or heart valve tissue appear to precede overt, symptomatic disease,” he said. Dr. Francis Moussy is a new faculty member in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and is working on developing the next generation of glucose sensors. “The main objective of our research program is to develop a reliable glucose sensor that can be totally implanted in diabetic patients for years. To this date, nobody has been able to achieve this goal,” he said. Moussy said the reason for the failure to produce this type of sensor is the complexity of the problem. Not only would the sensor need to detect glucose levels, it would have to do so without effecting the surrounding human tissue or being affected by the body’s biological systems. Moussy’s research is divided into eight sub-projects that he is working on with the help of College of Engineering faculty members Drs. Yvonne Moussy, Mark Jaroszeski, and Richard Gilbert. Francis Moussy’s work also involves Dr. Julie Harmon of the USF College of Arts and Sciences Department of Chemistry and Domenico Coppola of the USF College of Medicine, as well as collaborators from private companies and other universities. The team of researchers in VanAuker’s lab include: (seated, left to right) Monica Gonzalez, Sergio Gutierrez, (standing, left to right) Sukit Leekumjorn, and Wilfredo Colon. disciplinary field, requiring faculty who can build bridges between, and speak the languages of, the two fields. Dean Martin-Vega has expressed a desire to foster interdisciplinary efforts here in the college, and I believe recent hires of faculty with expertise in the biomedical area reflect this commitment,” he said. To expand cross-institution, interdisciplinary efforts and attract more researchers, the College of Engineering has sought state approval for two items: The establishment of a doctoral program in biomedical engineering, and the creation of a Department of Biomedical Engineering that will be part of both the College of Engineering and the HSC. “The new department would be staffed with 50 percent of the faculty coming from the College of Engineering and 50 percent from the College of Medicine. It would be co-administered by both colleges,” Lee said. Lee, whose own research is in biomedical sensors and biomechanics, said the College of Engineering researchers, often in collaboration with HSC colleagues or researchers in various USF departments and institutions have established strong national presences in a number of fields. These fields include rehabilitation engineering, biomedical imaging, and cellular and molecular engineering. College of Engineering researchers are also heavily involved in work in cardiovascular engineering, biomechanics, health systems management, bioinformatics/medical computing, and biomedical sensors. Lee said the new interdisciplinary department would allow researchers to work in an organized way without restricting their freedom. The research covers a wide range of biomedical engineering issues. Dr. Rajiv Dubey, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, oversees the multi-million dollar Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology Program (RETP) at the College. The program allows researchers to study and design devices that could be used to assist disabled individuals. (For a detailed overview of the program, see the Winter 2002 issue of the Bridge Builder, found on the web in PDF format at http://ead.eng.usf.edu/docs/BridgeBuilder15.pdf.) VanAuker is working with colleagues in the USF College of Medicine, including Drs. Joel Strom, Arzu Monica Gonzalez (left) and Sergio Gutierrez (right) demonstrate some of the equipment used in VanAuker’s lab to examine the behavior of artificial joints. Sunil Saigal Appointed Department Chair Dr. Sunil Saigal was appointed Chair of the USF College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering by Dean Louis A. Martin-Vega beginning in the Spring 2003 Semester. Saigal joined USF from Carnegie Mellon University, where he was a Dr. Sunil Saigal Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Previously, he was the Program Manager of the Mechanics and Materials program in the Civil and Mechanical Systems Division of the National Science Foundation from 1996-1998. Saigal holds a B.S. degree from Punjab Engineering College, a M.S. degrees from the Indian Institute of Science and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. Saigal’s teaching and research interests are in the area of computational solid mechanics. His research has focused on linear and nonlinear finite element methods, boundary element methods, Element Free Galerkin (meshless) methods, and particle-based methods for advanced structural and failure applications. Saigal serves as the Associate Editor of the AIAA Journal and on the Editorial Board of the International Journal for Numerical Methods in Engineering. He served as an Associate Editor for the ASCE Journal of Engineering Mechanics from 1997-1999. Saigal is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, a senior member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and a member of the American Society of Engineering Education. CRASAR Increases Activities and Training The College’s Center for Robot-Assisted Search and Rescue (CRASAR) was recently involved in two events designed to facilitate the use of robots in emergency rescue situations. The center, which gained international recognition for deploying rescue robots following the destruction of the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, took part in a Super Bowlrelated event in January 2003 and hosted an international seminar in the following month. The “Shadow Bowl” was a community emergency response drill that took place in San Diego, Calif. during the week of the Super Bowl football championship game. According to the National Science Foundation, “The purpose of the Shadow Bowl exercise was to test biomedical technologies and communication systems that could be used in a mass casualty event. This provided extremely valuable feedback for decision makers, first responders, and hospital based providers to learn from new tools and technologies that not only will be useful in the event of a mass casualty but may also create more efficient process flow, patient safety and cost effectiveness in day to day healthcare settings.” CRASAR, led by Dr. Robin Murphy, a faculty member in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, was chosen to participate in the event based on the World Trade Center response. CRASAR used the Shadow Bowl to test “reach-back” capabilities for the robots that would allow interested parties anywhere in the world a chance to access data coming from the robots. This information could allow medical professionals to determine the best course of treatment for someone still trapped in rubble or help rescuers find the ideal way of reaching a victim. Researchers from around the world gathered at the USF Tampa campus the following month to take part in a one-day workshop sponsored by CRASAR. The workshop was part of the Feb. 19-20, 2003 International Workshop on Safety, Security, and Rescue Robotics (SSRR), sponsored by the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society and hosted by CRASAR. “It’s important to get computer scientists into the field so they can get a real-world perspective on human-machine interaction,” Murphy said. The workshop’s aim was to introduce the experience of search-and-rescue fieldwork to robotics researchers who often spend much of their time in a laboratory, Murphy added. The second day of the event featured a demonstration of the rescue robots working on a rubble pile located at the USF engineering complex. CRASAR is internationally recognized as a leader in the use of robots for search-and-rescue operations. In December 2002, CRASAR conducted the first use of rescue robots in a joint international exercise in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been added to the United Nations registry as the only international response team specializing in rescue robots. CRASAR also maintains a self-sufficient response team with a cache of robots ready for rapid deployment within 4 hours, nationally and internationally. Murphy and her work was cited in Discover Magazine’s “Top 100 Year In Science Stories 2002” issue. USF College of Engineering graduate student Jennifer Caspar (left) demonstrates a CRASAR robot during the recent SSRR workshop. Hydrogen Research Program: Developing The Fuel Of The Future Research underway at the USF College of Engineering is part of a larger effort funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) focused on the safe and efficient use of hydrogen as a fuel source. Hydrogen, which has often been viewed as being impractical as an energy supply, recently received notice from the top federal official during U.S. President George W. Bush’s January 28, 2003 State of the Union address: “…this century, the greatest environmental progress will come about not through endless lawsuits or command-and-control regulations, but through technology and innovation. Tonight I'm proposing $1.2 billion in research funding so that America can lead the world in developing clean, hydrogen-powered automobiles. “A single chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen generates energy, which can be used to power a car -- producing only water, not exhaust fumes. With a new national commitment, our scientists and engineers will overcome obstacles of taking these cars from laboratory to showroom, so that the first car driven by a child born today could be powered by hydrogen, and pollution-free. “Join me in this important innovation to make our air significantly cleaner, and our country much less dependent on foreign sources of energy.” Dr. Lee Stefanakos, a professor and chair of the College’s Department of Electrical Engineering and the director of the College’s Clean Energy Research Center, said USF’s research doesn’t specifically deal with hydrogen automobiles. Stefanakos said the work funded by the NASA grant will play a part in someday making hydrogen available for a variety of applications, including the President’s future motorist. Hydrogen is the naturally-occurring chemical that is a part of the air we breathe and the water we drink. However, hydrogen alone is extremely flammable, making it difficult to adapt to widespread use as a fuel source. That’s why NASA’s 18-month, $8.12 million grant to Florida’s State University System (SUS) calls on researchers at the various state universities to study hydrogen production, storage and safety. The principal investigators on the study come from the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. Stefanakos, through the Clean Energy Research Center, oversees the College’s part of the grant, estimated at $750,000. The College also hosted the mid-year review session for the researchers involved in the grant. USF’s research efforts cover a variety of topics. During the mid-year review session, Dr. Shenkar Bhansali of the Department of Electrical Engineering updated the researchers on his MEMS magnetocaloric refrigerator project and Dr. Burt Krakow of the College’s Clean Energy Research Center discussed his work on by-product hydrogen production and metal hydride devices for storing hydrogen. Dr. Venkat Bethanbotla of the Department of Chemical Engineering, relayed his findings in the area of hydrogen detection, and Dr. Muhammad Rahman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering presented his work on cryogenic storage systems. Dr. Robert Benson of the Department of Marine Science Center for Ocean Technology discussed the production of hydrogen from alternate methane sources. “Thanks to this grant we have six new projects underway,” Stefankos said. 2 Microturbine Project Evaluated By College Researchers Engineers from around the country had a chance recently to view a new electricity generating system located at the Hillsborough Heights Landfill. The system uses methane produced at the landfill to power a microturbine. A system of filters and dryers, such as the refrigerated dryer (blue box at the right of the photo) removes moisture and purifies the gas for use by the microturbine. Dr. Lee Stefankos, through the College’s Clean Energy Research Center, will evaluate the project. Faculty Milestones The Florida Board of Education recognized five College of Engineering faculty members during the 2002-2003 academic year. Alaa Ashmawy of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor. Scott Campbell of the Department of Chemical Engineering was promoted to Professor. Lawrence Dunleavy of the Department of Electrical Engineering was promoted to Professor. Ashok Kumar of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was awarded tenure. A. Gray Mullins of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor. Huseyin Arslan of the Department of Electrical Engineering received an Honorable Mention award from the USF Presidential Young Faculty Award committee. Lawrence O. Hall of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering presented a talk titled “An Analysis of Neural Network vs. Decision Tree Performance on a Bio-Informatics Problem,” at the joint Moroccan-National Science Foundation workshop on information technology. The workshop was held in Rabat, Morocco on March 18, 2003. Abraham Kandel of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering received a Fulbright Award for the 2003-2004 academic year. The award will allow Kandel to conduct research at Tel-Aviv University in Israel. Autar Kaw of the Department of Mechanical Engineering was named Engineer of the Year for 2002 by the ASME Florida West Coast Section in February 2003. The award is make for outstanding contributions and professional services to engineering. Ram M. Pendyala of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering received the 2003 MAUTC Distinguished Lecturer Award from the Director of the Mid-Atlantic Universities Transportation Center (MAUTC). Jose Porteiro’s expertise was sought out by numerous media outlets following the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia. Porteiro, a faculty member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, explained to newspapers and television reporters the workings of the shuttle’s heat-shielding tiles. The American Concrete Institute has named Rajan Sen of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering a Fellow of the institute. The organization held its induction ceremony in Vancouver, B.C. in March 2003. John Wolan of the Department of Chemical Engineering was invited to be a speaker at the federal Department of Energy workshop, “Basic Research for Hydrogen Production, Storage, and Use,” on May 13-16, 2003, in Washington D.C. New Materials Certificate Program Begins Graduate students and working engineers wanting additional education and training in the growing field of materials science and engineering will have their wishes fulfilled beginning in the Fall 2003 semester. That’s when the USF College of Engineering begins its new Materials Certificate Program. Dr. John Wolan of the Department of Chemical Engineering is closely affiliated with the new program. Wolan said the Materials Certificate Program is the culmination of years of work on the issue. Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega, Dean of the College of Engineering, and Dr. Robert Carnahan, Associate Dean for Research, adopted the effort and played a leading role in making the certificate program a reality. According to Wolan, the new area of study is designed for graduate students and working engineers who want to focus on this exciting and rapidly changing field. There are two main benefits to students enrolling in the program. “First, the student will establish an organized area of concentration. Secondly, once the program is completed students will have a certificate describing their efforts and concentrations in Materials Science and Engineering. This will serve to increase our certificate students’ marketability in today’s very competitive job searches,” Wolan said. To earn the Certificate in Materials Science and Engineering, students have a carefully arranged, interdisciplinary plan of study. Wolan said the instructors would share their own unique expertise with the certificate students. “There are more than 15 faculty members involved in the program from various engineering departments, as well as the physics and chemistry departments. The faculty roles range from teaching the various courses offered to research and advising,” he added. “The certificate will serve to bring together all materials research and teaching activities at the University of South Florida. Since many departments, colleges, and institutes are conducting materials research, this group facilitates the transfer of new ideas and permits the maximum utilization of shared resources,” he said. For more information on the Materials Science and Engineering Certificate Program, contact Dr. John Wolan at (813) 974-6250, wolan@eng.usf.edu or visit the program’s website at http://mwg.eng.usf.edu/. STARS Provides Resources To K-12 Educators Teachers of grades K-12 can now turn to the USF College of Engineering for assistance in teaching math and science, thanks to an innovative new program. The program, called STARS, provides fellowships for graduate and undergraduate students to aid school instructors. STARS, which stands for Student, Teachers, And Resources in the Sciences, is sponsored by the USF College of Engineering and the USF Institute on Black Life in partnership with public and private schools in Hillsborough County. The new program is funded through a three-year, $1.5 million National Science Foundation Grant. The principal investigators from the College of Engineering are Drs. Tapas Das, O. Geoffrey Okogbaa, and Grisselle Centeno of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering, Ashok Kumarof the Department of Mechanical Engineering and College of Engineering Dean Dr. Louis A. Martin-Vega. The principal investigators for the College of Education are Drs. Brenda Townsend and Michael Churton. The program’s goal is to use the latest educational research and information technology to stimulate math, science, and engineering interests in K-12 students. To do this the program will select fellows, drawn from the ranks of College of Engineering students, to serve as resources for teachers. The teachers can tap the engineering students’ specialized expertise in math, science and engineering when the school curriculum delves into these areas. “We want to build a unique program that infuses engineering and science principles such as nanotechnology and optics,” Das said in a recent Tampa Tribune article. “For example, instead of just teaching students about how to use a computer, we teach them how a computer works. We discuss the small devices and electronics circuits so they really understand the instrument.” Dean Martin-Vega Heard Coast-to-Coast Passengers on both American Airlines and US Airways in January and February had an opportunity to hear USF College of Engineering Dean Louis A. Martin-Vega discuss the current status of engineering education programs at the College. A four-minute interview with the dean was broadcast to thousands of airline passengers over the in-flight “Sky Radio” service. If you didn’t catch the interview in the air, you can hear it at the College website at: http://www.eng.usf.edu/ with the Windows Media Player. 3 Undergraduates Exhibit Research At The First Annual REU Symposium Posters explaining the research efforts of 41 undergraduate students filled the USF College of Engineering’s Hall of Flags as part of the First Annual Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Symposium. The highlight of the event was the judging of the research posters and the awarding of cash prizes for the leading displays. Dr. Rudy Schlaf, an assistant professor in the College’s Department of Electrical Engineering, oversees the REU program. Schlaf said he was proud of the achievements symbolized by the first REU symposium. “I think it was a great success. Forty-one contributions after only one year of REU efforts is very impressive. The posters were designed very professionally and the presentations were a testimony to the students’ achievements,” Schlaf said. He added that the REU program began in 2002 and has grown rapidly, thanks to the strong support of the College’s administration. “We are extremely grateful to Dean (Louis A.) Martin-Vega and (Associate Dean for Research) Bob Carnahan for their guidance and support,” Schlaf said recently. He said funding for the program comes from the College and through grants awarded to individual researchers. Undergraduate research topics range far and wide across departments and research interests. Posters presented during the symposium included work on topics ranging from nanotechnology, wireless and microwave communication, solar cells, MEMs, biomedical imaging, VLSI CAD, artificial intelligence, process control, computer simulations and statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, transportation issues, quality management, and reliability modeling. The symposium had two main benefits: Encouragement and recruitment. “Several participating students said they enjoyed seeing the other student's projects. Also, several nonREU students were apparently encouraged to participate in the REU program by seeing the accomplishments of their fellow students at the symposium,” Schlaf related. Alumni and campus partners of the College were invited to meet the REU students and judge the research posters and presentations during the symposium. The external judges for the First Annual REU Symposium were: Catherine Batsche, USF Associate Provost; Pat Beyer’ 72, President of the TBE Group; Ralph Bosek, ’77; Michael Gibson, ’79, Vice President, TECO BGA; Cardiology, USF College of Medicine, and Karl E. Muffly of the Department of Anatomy, USF College of Medicine), “Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of the Effects of Sinus Geometry and Coronary Artery Origin.” Third Place: J.D. Schumacher, a graduate student who did his REU work in the Department of Electrical Engineering (working with student N. Nguyen, and Drs. Y.N. Emirov, and M.M. Beerbom of the Center for Microelectronics Research, and R. Schlaf of the Department of Electrical Engineering), Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor For Growth of Aligned Carbon Nanotubes.” Honorable Mention: Sarr Carmel, a senior in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, (working with Drs. Mark Last and Abraham Kandel of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering), “Compact Set – A Technique For Creating Test Case Sets.” Honorable Mention: Maria Daniela Avala, a senior in the Department of Electrical Engineering, (working with Drs. Rudy Schlaf and Bert Lagel of the Department of Electrical Engineering), “Characterization of the Electrical Properties of Surfaces Using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM).” Honorable Mention: Leornardo Gomez, a senior in the Department of Electrical Engineering, (working with Drs. Elena Oborina of the Center for Microelectronics Research and Andrew Hoff of the Department of Electrical Engineering), “Improving Electrical Characteristics of SiC Oxide Films.” Students, faculty, judges, and guests review the posters in the College’s Hall of Flags during the First Annual REU Symposium. Georg Kleine, Associate Dean, USF Honors College; Sofia Rovira, Executive vice President, CSA Group. Those receiving awards at the First Annual REU Symposium were: First Place: Nivedita Gulati, a senior in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (working with Dr. Ashok Kumar of the Department of Mechanical Engineering), “Chemical Mechanical Polishing: Study of Cu-TEOS and Cu-OSG Systems for ULSI Interconnects.” Second Place: Joseph A. Knight, now a graduate student who did his REU work as a senior in the Department of Chemical Engineering, (working with Drs. Michael VanAuker of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Joel Strom of the Department of Internal Medicine – Division of The First Annual REU Symposium at the USF College of Engineering afforded these undergraduate students an opportunity to present their work. Project Nets Student Design Team Third In State Competition A USF College of Engineering student design team has won third place in the 2003 Student Chapter Design Competition, sponsored by the Florida Water Environment Federation (FWEA). The design team members, Fannie Howard, Anand Mody, Valerie Hansard, Andy DiLorenzo, and Ashutosh Vakharkar, are all students in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. The title of their design project was “Biosolids Treatment Alternatives for Beneficial Reuse, Altamonte Springs.” The design team evaluated multiple alternatives for the management and beneficial reuse of biosolid residuals produced from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Altamont, Florida. The team selected a lime treatment process as the best approach to destroying pathogens and reducing the mass of the biosolids, followed by beneficial reuse by land application to agricultural cropland. “This project was very exciting because we were able to select and design a technology that is cost-effective and beneficial for the environment” said Andy DiLorenzo, the president of the FWEA Student Chapter. “Participating in this design project has been a fantastic learning experience and the best thing I have done at USF,” said FWEA Student Chapter member Fannie Howard. The FWEA design competition is held annually among Florida’s universities. FWEA is affiliated with the Water Environment Federation, an international professional organization based in Alexandria, Virginia that is dedicated to water quality and environmental protection. The design team’s third place prize earned them a trophy and carried a one thousand dollar scholarship award. For the second year in a row, The USF College of Engineering’s student chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) earned first place in the College Bowl regional competition. The USF SHPE chapter won over teams from Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon and the University of North Carolina's. Pictured, left to right, are team members: Edgardo Ortiz - SHPE President; Mercedes Quintas - Public Relations; Antonio Ortiz - SHPE Vice-President; and Dr. Grisselle Centeno - SHPE Advisor. 4 Trip To Puerto Rico Promotes Collaborations Fourteen faculty members and administrators from the USF College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences traveled to Puerto Rico recently to strengthen ties and seek new areas of collaboration with officials from the University of Puerto Rico – Mayaguez (UPRM). According to Dr. José Zayas-Castro, chair of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering and a member of the College’s delegation, the main goals of the trip were to give the UPRM officials an overview of the USF College of Engineering and discuss the possibility of collaborating in research. USF representatives also provided UPRM administrators and students details on the College’s graduate-level programs and financial aid opportunities. Zayas-Castro said the USF College of Engineering will continue to strengthen the new ties with UPRM and there are plans to follow-up on this initial meeting with others in the coming year. He said already there have been UPRM students enrolling in the USF College of Engineering graduate programs. The USF College of Engineering delegation included: Drs. José L. Zayas-Castro, Grisselle Centeno and William Miller of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering; Dr. Rajiv Dubey of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Dr. Babu Joseph of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Dr. Sunil Saigal of the Department of Civil Engineering, Dr. Rafael Pèrez of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Alicia Slater-Haase of the Office of Development; and Sally Szydlo of FEEDS. Student Accolades Chemical Engineering students Jodie Pope and Rachael Myers each won Honorable Mention Awards in the poster competition at the Florida Chapter of the American Vacuum Society and the Florida Society for Microscopy 2003 Annual Joint Symposium held March 17-20, at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. Four College of Engineering graduate students earned recognition for their outstanding research work by each receiving a USF Graduate Council’s Outstanding Master’s Thesis and Dissertation Prize. This year’s awards went to: Min Shin, Department of Computer Science & Engineering received the Outstanding Dissertation Prize (Major Professor: Dmitry Goldgof); Cataline Alupoaei, Department of Chemical Engineering, was awarded the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Prize (Major Professor: Luis Garcia-Rubio); Steven Eason, Department of Electrical Engineering, received the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Prize (Major Professor: Thomas Weller); And Savvas Nikiforou, Department of Computer Science & Engineering was awarded the Outstanding Master’s Thesis Prize (Major Professor: Eugene Fink). AIChE Student Chapter at USF won "Best Society in Expo 2003." The Chemical Engineering Magic Show was an educational display of reactions and kinetics that used household items and chemical compounds to create explosions, show color changes, and prove just how cold liquid nitrogen really is. AIChE members also participated in three displays from labs that included a heat exchanger, a fuel cell showing how hydrogen can be used to power a motor and a portable oxygen separator for consumer use. Representatives from the USF College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences enjoyed dinner at the home of UPRM Chancellor Dr. Jorge I. Vélez-Arocho (seated, far right) and his wife, Professor Digna Hernández. Camaraderie Highlights Engineering Fun Day A rare spell of bitterly cold weather dissipated just in time for USF College of Engineering students, faculty and staff to enjoy the first annual Engineering Fun Day on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2003. The bright Florida sun warmed the participants gathered at the USF Tampa campus intramural fields for a day of food, music, and sports. With luck faculty and staff members will have the sore limbs and stiff backs healed in time for the second annual event. Katie Rhodes, (at right) a chemical engineering undergraduate student, won two awards and a $1,000 scholarship at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Southern Region annual conference on March 7, 2003. She received awards for first place in her division for her oral presentation and for placing second overall for the entire conference for her presentation, "Characterization of pressure recovery in aortic stenosis: in vitro investigations." Graduate student Danielly Orozco of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department won the 2003 Student Award from the American Water Works Association. Her achievement was recognized during the West Coast Engineer’s banquet held Friday, February 21 at the Wyndham Westshore Hotel. Also honored during the banquet were: Ryan Florence (American Society of Civil EngineersASCE Award); Vinh Hoang (Women in Transportation Society –WTS Award); and Cheryl Spinks (American Society for Highway Engineers – ASHE Award). The softball competitors pause long enough to take a group shot during the Engineering Fun Day. 5 Bull-arney Tradition Keeps The Fun In Fundraising Magic was in the air during the recent USF College of Engineering’s 7th Annual Bull-arney event. The evening’s enchantment was supplied in part by the celebrity waiters, many of who were dressed as wizards, magicians, leprechauns and gypsies. The event included a reception featuring brews from Ireland, a silent auction and the dinner where the colorfully garbed waiters demonstrated their serving skills and fundraising magic. Since 1997 Bull-arney, held yearly near St. Patrick’s Day, has generated the money needed to award 40 scholarships to deserving College of Engineering students. To take part in Bull-arney 2004, mark your calendar for March 13 at 6 pm at the USF Embassy Suites. Many a Bull-arney patron “cracked” a smile when the waiter team knows as “Chicks With Brains” entered the room. On any other day these two are known as Sally Szydlo (left), director of FEEDS, and Grisselle Centeno, a faculty member in the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. This is much more disturbing when you realize Ricky and Lucy Ricardo are both guys; USF Alumni Association staff members Emmanuel Auguste (left) was Ricky and Jeffrey Huggins (right) was Lucy. Sue Balter’s mischevious grin and the snap of husband Gene Balter’s (’77) latex examination gloves resulted in many good-natured groans from the Bull-arney patrons. Waiter Scott Campbell, a.k.a. Safety Man, (left) is inspiring either fear or hunger among his dinner guests. The Bull-arney reception has become famous for its bountiful beverages and sensational silent auction. The Harley-Davidson “Whizzer” motorbike was one of many notable items up for bid during the Bull-arney silent auction. Omar Garcia (’92) (left) and Robert Garcia (’72) put the nuns in nunsense. Yes, former State Representative (and part time leprechaun) Rob Wallace’s (’74) steaks were indeed “magically delicious.” Entertainers, including street performer Martin Smith (left) and Petals the Clown, provided laughter and amazement to Bull-arney patrons. Dean Louis Martin-Vega (left) demonstrated his rather dubious guitar-playing skills while his wife Maggie entertained the audience with a gypsy-inspired dance and castanet performance. Not your average photo of the dean shaking hands with University President Judy Genshaft. You know the evening is a success when it ends in a lengthy conga line! CLASS NOTES Gene Balter, P.E., BSE ’77, is the project manager of the Cooper River Bridge Project in Charleston, SC for T.Y. Lin International. Doug Belle, BSE ’80, is the Operations Manager for Cargill Phosphate Production located in Bartow, Fla. Larry Bishop, P.E., BSCE ’87, ME ’91, has been promoted to branch manager of Boyle Engineering’s Sarasota Office. He has over 14 years of management experience with global environmental/procurement/construction projects, including water, wastewater, and solid-waste projects. Dan Fernandez, BSE ’80, MSEM ’86, is Accounts Manager with DES of Florida, LLC, located in Tampa, Fla. Don Higgins, BSE ’67, MSE ’69, is the Principal Software Developer with Micro Focus in Pinellas Park, Fla. César O. Malavé, Ph.D (Industrial) ’87, has been appointed Assistant Dean for International Programs at Texas A&M University. He joined the faculty at Texas A&M in 1987 and his research centers on process and production planning for electronic assembly. Sandy Pettit, BSChE ’94, is working as a project manager with Hillsborough County’s Division of Public Works. Her main responsibilities include roadway improvements, signalization, and drainage projects. Oliver R. Rodrigues, P.E., BSCE ’91, has joined PBS&J as a senior engineer in the Tampa office’s Transportation Planning Group. M.C. “Marney” Schrock, BSEE ’83, is the Manager of Meter Services Energy Delivery for the Tampa Electric Company in Tampa, Fla. James F. Thompson, P.E., BSCE ’96, has been named as the National Society of Professional Engineers Young Engineer of the Year for 2003. Thompson is a project manager with Miller, Legg & Associates in Broward County, Florida. David Wehner, P.E., BSCE ’98, has received his professional engineer license. He is a civil engineer with the firm of McKim & Creed. Timothy Zygula, BSChE ’91, is a Senior Technical Engineer for NOVA Chemicals in Bayport Port, Texas. 6 Alumnus Michael Washington Receives National Honor Michael Washington (M.S. 1995, Ph.D. 1998) was recently named one of the New Faces in Engineering as part of National Engineering Week. New Faces in Engineering is a new program that began in 2002 and spotlights the outstandCollege of Engineering Alumnus ing contributions of America's youngest professional engiMichael Washington neers. Washington currently works as an industrial engineer in the National Immunization Program of the national Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Ga. He said he was pleased and excited to receive the honor. “I felt most excited when I told my family, especially my father. However, the main feeling that I had was one of relief. Numerous people told me that what I was doing was not engineering, and people tried to persuade me to not go into public health. A number of key people believed that an IE (industrial engineer) in public health could only be involved with occupational health and safety and ergonomics. I appreciated those who thought otherwise and supported me. I knew that industrial engineering skills were needed elsewhere in public health, and now the engineering field has recognized my work. One can receive no higher honor than to be appreciated by his peers,” Washington said. His main task at CDC is working with the center’s National Immunization Program (NIP) to create computer simulations to model a smallpox/influenza pandemic vaccination clinic. These simulations will help assure the maximum numbers of people are vaccinated with whatever staff is available. Washington’s work covers a variety of issues as well. “I am developing a workshop for public health commission officers to educate them on what variables to consider when creating a mass treatment facility, especially one that would be used to vaccinate a large group of individuals against smallpox. I am involved in forecasting federal vaccine and funding needs for 64 immunization programs across the United State and its territories. Additional projects include determining and measuring advantages and disadvantages of immunization registries through time studies,” he said. Washington also assisted in developing a complex survey and analyzed the data to assess factors that influence a parent’s decision to have their child vaccinated against hepatitis A. Washington applied project management techniques to document the creation of the National Immunization Survey -- the country’s main database to assess the immunization coverage of states and the nation. In September 2002 Washington traveled to Ghana, West Africa, to work with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. His three-month stay allowed him to consult, train, and provide data management and analysis assistance on surveillance databases concerning five vaccine-preventable diseases: polio, yellow fever, measles, neonatal tetanus, and meningitis. Washington gives a lot of credit for his successes to the education he received at USF. “The most important training I received came from Dr. Anita Callahan. She was my major professor, and she provided me with the confidence and encouragement to continue working in the area of public health, and supported me through some difficult times at USF. Under her guidance, I learned how to deal with individuals who did not have the same goals as I,” said Washington. “Drs. Paul Givens and Paul McCright also provided lots of support and guidance to help me constantly improve. I appreciate the training and guidance that I received from Dr. Suresh Khator. Although he was tough, he was fair. His classes in simulation rekindled my joy for the tool, and it is the tool I use the most at the CDC.” Washington said his classes in the USF College of Public Health helped him navigate through the often complex world of the CDC. He also paid tribute to Dr. Ike Tribble of the Florida Educational Fund’s McKnight Doctoral Fellowship Program for giving him guidance and moral support during tough times in graduate school. There was also one other group Washington singled out for praise: “Finally, my classmates in industrial engineering and public health have helped considerably in my professional career. They not only provided me with support, but also provided a helpful ear to guide me in some critical decisions. This is one USF characteristic that not many schools in the nation have,” he said. Washington’s path to CDC was neither direct nor smooth. He had intended to teach in the area of public health, but several colleges he contacted said he lacked certain classes required for instructors. His wife, April Turner, a USF College of Public Health graduate, suggested he try the CDC. Washington said he found a fellowship position that was primarily designed for economists and decided to apply when he realized his IE background would allow him to perform the required management analysis and computer modeling. “After I demonstrated my skills and graduated from the fellowship, the fellowship organizers expanded their target audience to include industrial engineers and operation researchers because they realized that an engineer could provide additional skills to help make valuable public health decisions,” he said. “Although I did not obtain my goal of teaching in a public health school, I found a greater prize in that I get to work for the ultimate and most recognized public health institution, and one of the most recognized institutions, period, in the world. What I’m saying is that no matter what obstacles people confront, they should always try to obtain their goals. Although they might not get exactly what they’re looking for, they might obtain something even better.” Alumni Show Support For Basket Bulls The annual Engineering Night with the Bulls tailgate party gave alumni the perfect chance to show support for the USF Bulls basketball team. The torrential rains that preceded the tailgate party didn’t dampen the high spirits as the College’s alumni ate some southern-style barbecue and chatted with their friends and former classmates. Alas, the fierce support of the College of Engineering alumni couldn’t push the Bulls past Memphis and USF lost the game, 73-66. Dean Louis A. Martin-Vega chats with two alumni during the College’s annual basketball tailgate party. USF President Judy Genshaft (left) may be getting a few tips on improving her golf game from alumnus Robert Garcia (right). Bull Session Coming Nov. 13 Cool sea breezes and cold drinks are just two of the enticements awaiting College of Engineering alumni, faculty and staff at the annual Bull Session on Nov. 13, 2003 at Landry’s Seafood House on the Courtney Campbell Causeway in Tampa. The Bull Session is a chance for former engineering students to spend time with friends and current College of Engineering faculty members in a relaxed, casual atmosphere. USF Athletic Director and NFL Football Hall of Fame member Lee Roy Selmon provided the inside scoop on USF’s athletic programs, including the Bull’s football team, during last year’s Bull Session. A chance to unwind with friends is one of the best features of the annual College of Engineering Bull Session. Pictured, left to right, are: Red Clanton (’82), Gene Balter (’77), Lee Roy Selmon, Alicia Slater-Haase, Ed Copeland (‘73 ), Jon Kile, Bob Murray (’77). 7 Engineering Advisory Board Welcomes Two New Members Two company presidents, one of a medical manufacturing company and the other of a technology consulting firm, are the newest members of the USF College of Engineering’s Advisory Board. The board’s primary mission is to advise College administrators on the current needs and demands of the engineering profession. Geary Havran The collective experience of the board helps the College’s leaders prepare students to enter this challenging field following graduation. The new board members include Geary Havran, Chairman of the Board and President of NDH Medical, Inc., a medical device contract manufacturer located in St. Petersburg, Florida. The company produces single-use medical products and components. Prior to becoming one of the founders of the NDH Medical, he was employed by The BOC Group, PLC for nearly twenty years holding various positions Joseph Reineman in their medical gas, medical devices, and pharmaceutical businesses in the areas of manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and international operations. Geary is the current Chairman of the Florida Medical Manufacturers’ Consortium, a trade group that represents the interests of the medical device manufacturers in the State of Florida. Geary holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University and a Master of Business Administration from Baldwin Wallace College. He is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) and was issued a patent in the medical device field. The second new board member is Joseph Reineman, President of Reineman and Associates. Reineman has forty years experience in the telecommunications and electronics industries. After three years as a pilot in the Strategic Air Command, Joe joined GTE (now Verizon) where he held numerous engineering management positions. As Vice President Engineering and Construction in GTE Headquarters, Joe led the digital conversion of the GTE network and was instrumental in the creation of the GTE cellular business. Joe also started an industry first GTE Associate Technical Degree Program awarding over 500 associate degrees. After retiring from GTE, Joe formed Reineman and Associates to consult in technology, marketing and general management. Customers have been major telecommunications and computer manufacturers. Joe has been active in a large number of professional and civic organizations: Distinguished Lecturer of the National Communications Forum; Steering Committee of the Florida Governor’s Management and Efficiency Study Commission; Treasurer of the Exchange Carrier Standards Association; Board Chairman of the Tampa Bay Performing Art Center Producers, etc. He graduated from Trinity College with a BS in Engineering, Math and Physics. In 1997, Mr. Reineman was honored by Trinity College with the “Engineering Achievement Citation.” Dr. L.A. Scott Honored By Alumni And Friends Mentor, friend, teacher, advisor, inventor – caring, giving, and thoughtful; these are just a few of the terms used to describe Dr. L.A. “Scotty: Scott when over 200 friends, former students and colleagues of Dr. L.A. “Scotty” Scott gathered in Tampa to honor one of the first faculty members of the USF College of Engineering. Dr. Scott joined the USF College of Engineering in 1964 as the founding chair of the Energy Conversion and Mechanical Design Department. During his tenure in the College, he was chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Associate Dean of the College. He taught over 200 classes and touched the lives of hundreds of engineering students. Attendees of the dinner had a chance to leave personal messages to Scotty and his wife Betty on life-sized cutouts of the couple. Following the reception and dinner, a number of former students, along with faculty members and friends, took to the podium to describe Scott’s influence on their lives and careers. The dinner also honored the Scotts’ continuing influence on students through the L.A. Scott Endowed Scholarship Fund the husband and wife team have supported for many years. Through that scholarship the Scotts will impact students for years to come. As Scotty often said, “The person who helps others benefits the most.” Dr. L.A. Scott (second from the right) was honored by the College during a dinner held this winter. Scott and his wife, Betty (second from the left) hold a check for $1,500 that was donated to their scholarship fund as part of the dinner. Also pictured are: Alicia Slater-Haase, Executive Director of Advancement for the College of Engineering (left) and Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, Dean of the College of Engineering (right). Friends, students and colleagues of Dr. L.A. Scott turned out in force to honor the pioneering faculty member. Local Firms Support Students Two local engineering consulting firms have shown their commitments to the USF College of Engineering through the scholarship process. Because of these commitments, students at the College may now be able to pursue their academic goals free from some of the financial worries that are part of modern university educations. Gray-Calhoun & Associates, Inc. (GCA), a professional engineering consulting firm founded in 1985, has established a scholarship at the College. The firm, which specializes in traffic engineering, transportation planning and transit planning, has offices in Atlanta and Tampa. GCA is known for emphasizing the quality of its products and the need for creative, practical solutions to transportation problems. Gray-Calhoun has also become known as a civic-minded organization. Owner Jay Calhoun, Transportation Engineer Sara Olney, and Chief Financial Officer Jeunne Enriquez contacted the College of Engineering late last year and asked about setting up a scholarship fund. As a result of this contact, the Gray-Calhoun & Associates Scholarship was established in the College of Engineering. The criteria for receiving the scholarship are: Recipients must be Florida residents majoring in civil engineering, have a financial need, and must have performed community service. Gray-Calhoun has committed to endow the scholarship within five years and it is anticipated that the first award will be made in 2004. Stan Newton BSE ’75, Anita Crosby BSChE ’85, and Don Crosby BSChE ’84 have made the same commitment to aiding College of Engineering students. The three are the principals of Engineering Matrix, a mechanical/electrical/plumbing engineering consulting firm located in St. Petersburg. Engineering Matrix, with approximately 30 employees, has been able to provide multi-disciplined engineering services with a team of engineers, designers, and drafters. This year Engineering Matrix expanded in a new direction by establishing the Engineering Matrix Scholarship at the USF College of Engineering. The three USF Engineering alumni have committed to fully endow this fund in the next five years so that future engineering students will have additional opportunities afforded them while attending USF College of Engineering. Newton, Crosby and Crosby, in an attempt to structure the scholarship in a fashion that mirrors their own careers, have established the criteria for the Engineering Matrix Scholarship to require recipients be juniors or seniors in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Chemical Engineering, residents of Hillsborough, Pinellas or Pasco County who have maintained a 2.5 or greater grade point average. It is anticipated that the first recipient will be named in 2006. Anita Crosby BSChE ‘85 Don Crosby BSChE ‘84 Stan Newton BSE ‘75 8 Mantini Delights Music Lovers and Scholarship Recipients The sound of a piano playing the works of Claude Debussy, Robert Schumann, Johann Sebastian Bach, Enrique Granados and Frederic Chopin filled Ferguson Hall at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center on April 13 as part of the 7th Annual Franz Mantini Scholarship Concert. The concert has become an annual treat for music lovers in the Tampa Bay region while also serving as an on-going benefit for scholarship recipients at the University of South Florida. The annual concert supports the Jacques Abram Memorial Scholarship at the USF College of Visual and Performing Arts and the Franz Mantini Scholarship at the USF College of Engineering. This concert this year featured guest pianist Miroslava Panayotova, a native of Bulgaria. Panayotova began the concert by playing Debussey’s Reflets dans l’eau followed by Schumann’s Kreisleriana. Following the intermission, Mantini played the toccata, allemanda and corrente from Bach’s Partita #5 in E Minor. Next came Granandos’ Spanish Dances -- No. 2 in C Minor and No. 1 in G Major. Chopin’s Poloniase in G Sharp Minor and the Scherzo #2 in B Flat Minor, Op. 31 were the next pieces in the program. Panayotova joined Mantini for a duet on Gabriel Faure’s Dolly Suite, Op. 56. The Franz Mantini Scholarship Concert is an effort the pianist began shortly after his graduation as a way to show his appreciation for his two fields of study – music and engineering. Mantini took an unusual route to the concert stage. Although he had piano lessons since his youth, it was not until Franz auditioned for then USF distinguished artist-in-residence Jacques Abram that he became serious about the music. Inspired by the teaching of Abram and the beauty of the piano literature, Franz renewed his studies with enthusiasm, performing frequently and winning the school's Concerto Competition before graduating in 1987. Mantini has since continued an active schedule of both solo and chamber music, including several recital series at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Mr. Mantini’s area credits include performances of concertos by Rachmaninoff and Beethoven and a prizewinning performance in the 1990 Florida West Chopin competition. He has also performed in concerts with the Lafayette String Quartet and principle members of the Florida Orchestra. Despite his musical pursuits and accomplishments, piano was not the chosen field of study for his degree at USF. He instead earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and later a master's degree in engineering management. He has applied this training working at a variety of commercial, automotive, and defense electronics companies in the Tampa Bay area. Mantini resides in Tampa with his wife, Julie, and son, Gabriel. Panayotova is also an award-winning pianist. She has appeared in recitals and as an orchestra soloist in Canada, USA, Bulgaria, Russia, Romania and Slovakia. Her numerous awards include the silver medal and second prize at the Svetoslav Obretenov National Piano Competition in Bulgaria; Honorable Mention at the Carl Filtsch International Piano Competition in Romania; semifinalist at the 2002 Missouri Southern International Piano Competition; and first prize at the USF 2002 Emerging Artist Competition. Panayotova holds a bachelor and a master’s of music degree from the State Academy of Music in Sofia, Bulgaria, where she studied with Prof. Daniela Andonova. As an active participant in master classes and music festivals, she has worked with pianists John Perry, Menahem Pressler, Andre Laplante, Marc Durand, and Logan Skelton. Currently she is a graduate assistant at the USF School of Music where she studies with Svetozar Ivanov. Panayotova is the recipient of the 2002 Jacques Abram Piano Award. The 7th Annual Franz Mantini USF Scholarship Concert was sponsored by the Batson-Cook Company with support from the Borrell Electric Company, Inc., Robert & Edie Dressler, Embassy Suites-USF, Sypris Electronics, the Music Gallery, TECO Energy, Tom Pianists Miroslava Panayotova and Shirley Sawyer, Anthony Salomone and the (left) and Franz Mantini (‘87) Tampa Port Authority. Inventor of Therapeudic Robot Makes Donation forth, upward and downward, depending on the guidance from the computer. Once the patient’s condition is reviewed, the Therbo swings into action. The arm hovers over the patient’s appropriate pressure points and slowly begins to apply pressure. “The robot can apply more pressure for a longer period of time than any human can.” Meilus said. “Plus, it never calls in sick,” he joked. Meilus’ drive to create the therapeutic robot grew out of his own health problems. Meilus, who had worked as a project engineer with General Electric, began suffering from migraine headaches and other muscle-related problems. Meilus said he went so far as to hire bodybuilders to apply the relief-giving intense pressure on his neck muscles, but even this failed. “They couldn’t keep up the pressure long enough to make a real difference,” Meilus said. Meilus had seen robots in action at various GE plants and thought his cure might reside in this form of modern technology. As an engineer, the inventor knew he would need two things – development funds and outside expertise. By the early 1990s, Meilus knew where to turn for the engineering help (mostly from engineers at Lockheed Martin), and he asked the College to help find the financing he would need to develop the robots. Years later, after several improved versions and five U.S. patents, the Therbo Robot made its clinical debut. Meilus’ robotic treatments soon found favor with individuals who value their muscles the most – athletes. Meilus’ list of famous patients include such wellknown names as golfer Andy Ben, Billy Joe Hobert of the New Orleans Saints and pitcher Dwight “Doc” Gooden of the New York Yankees. Gooden told the New York Times in September 2000 that the Therbo Robot played a vital role in his return to the major leagues after being let go by the Yankees. Mike Ryan, a trained physical therapist and the president of Leading Edge Physical Therapy in Lakeland, Fla., began using the Therbo Robot from the day he opened his clinic. “We pretty much use it everyday,” he said. “People are getting better sooner because of the Therbo Robots.” Ryan said he has three of the therapy machines in his clinic and hopes to add more in the near future. He echoed Meilus’ sentiment that the robots are able to provide more pressure and longer than even the most experienced therapist. “I believe this is going to change our profession. It is the most effective thing I’ve seen to improve someone’s condition,” he said. Meilus said the robot is able to return a full range of motion to a patient’s muscles because the computer controlled arm’s intense pressure removes knots in muscles. “You can stretch all you want, but you can’t stretch past the knot. Our machines remove those knots. A full range of motion is our goal here,” Meilus said. Meilus said the popularity of the treatment has developed through the word-of-mouth endorsement of patients. He said even though he has demonstrated the Therbo Robots at past Superbowls and professional golf events, the testimonials of past users have been the most effective form of advertisement. Meilus and his wife could both provide endorsements as well. “We use the robot every day,” he said. Meilus said he found it comforting to know that he will be able to continuing helping others even after he has passed away. He said his estate gift will be a way of supporting the College as it supported him early in his therapy career. “I can honestly say that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the support of people at the USF College of Engineering. They were with us from the start,” Meilus said. Al Meilus and one of his Therbo Robots Al Meilus, inventor of a therapeutic system for treating muscular conditions, and his wife, Maureen, have announced they plan to donate a portion of their estates to the University Of South Florida College Of Engineering. Meilus, who lives along the waterfront in St. Pete Beach and whose business is based in Pinellas Park, Fla., said the College was instrumental in getting his business started. He specifically pointed to the help he received from Les Cahoon, who at the time was director of STAC (Southern Technology Applications Center) a USF program based in the College. Through the program, Meilus was able to secure the grants that allowed him to develop the Therbo Robot. Because of the growing popularity of the Therbo Robot, Meilus has watched his business expand over the years. He said 15 therapy clinics nationwide have purchased his robotic therapy system. Numerous Therbo Robots can be found in professional sports training rooms and have helped a growing number of football, baseball, hockey and tennis players, along with professional golfers. Meilus was able to make his generous gift to the USF College of Engineering thanks to the device that looks as unusual as it is effective. The Therbo Robot system consists of a frame above a treatment bed. On the frame are the controls and the computer system that operates a robotic “arm.” The arm hangs below the frame and moves back and 9 Engineering EXPO 2003 Links Fun With Education Hundreds of middle school and high school students joined members of the community for two days of education and fun during Engineering EXPO 2003, February 21 and 22. Visitors to the College of Engineering had a chance to view exhibits from leading engineering firms, experience science-related shows and compete in various contests. The annual engineering fair is organized and conducted by College of Engineering students with guidance from faculty member Paul McCright of the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. The exhibits and activities at Engineering EXPO are judged each year and commendations are presented to the various groups during the awards ceremony that closes Engineering EXPO. The winners for 2003 include: Outstanding Corporate Exhibit – TECO. Outstanding Government Exhibit -- Environmental Protection Commission. Outstanding Department -- Electrical Engineering. Outstanding Show -- The Society of Physics Students for "Physics: The Science of Everything!" Outstanding Student Society -- American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Most Popular Exhibit -- Civil and Environmental Engineering for "Florida Water Environment." Outstanding Graduate Student Exhibit ($500 cash award) -- Joe Knight, "Aortic Valve,” Biomedical Engineering. Outstanding Undergraduate Student Exhibit ($250 cash award) -- Dwayne Polzer, "Driving Simulator," Mechanical Engineering, Rehabilitation Engineering. Florida’s Water Environment was judged “The Most Popular Exhibit” at the 2003 EXPO. Local firefighters showed EXPO visitors how engineering improvements to public safety save lives. This exhibit, sponsored by the Rehabilitation Engineering Program, gave area students a chance to experience some of the challenges facing disabled individuals. As the song goes, “If I had a proper, ergonomically-designed hammer, I’d hammer in the morning...” This year’s McGuyver Challenge was again one of the most popular (and devilishly hard) contests at Engineering EXPO. The goal: control all the factors involved to get a golf ball to drop into the hole. Local students, while appearing to re-enact the slave galley scenes from the movie “Ben Hur,” are actually learning the engineering behind competitive rowing. Name the Alumni Publication! Our most Frequently-Asked Question has to be, “Why is the alumni publication called ‘The BridgeBuilder?’” The answer can be found in the poem by Will Allen Dromgoole, found on the back cover of this edition of the newsletter. The BridgeBuilder has used this name for over seven years. However, exciting changes are coming to the publication and those changes may include a new name. It’s all up to you, the readers. Do you want us to retain the name BridgeBuilder? Do you have a suggestion for a new name for our publication? Let us know. Email Alicia Slater-Haase at slater@eng.usf.edu with your comments. 10 College, NSBE Host First African-American Astronaut A packed house greeted former astronaut Dr. Guion Bluford for a presentation he made on the Tampa campus this Spring. Bluford’s talk was sponsored, in part, by the USF College of Engineering and the College’s student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers as part of Black History Month. Bluford is the first African-American to fly in space. His talk, coming just days after the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia, centered on how to achieve one’s goals and the need to continue space exploration despite the tragic loss of life. Bluford told the crowd that his father guided him to push for excellence in his chosen careers. He said the parental encouragement helped him strive for what seemed to be impossible goals. "I never dreamed I would be a fighter pilot," Bluford said. "I never dreamed I would be an astronaut." Before he became an astronaut, Bluford was a fighter pilot for the Air Force, served in the Vietnam War, and flew over 4800 hours in jets. He became an astronaut in 1979 and spent 14 years with NASA, logging 688 hours in space. He flew on two space shuttles, Discovery and Challenger (before the latter’s destruction in 1986). In 1983, Bluford became the first African-American to go into space and set another record when his shuttle made the first nighttime launch and landing. In 1985, he flew aboard a Spacelab mission. In 1991 and 1992, Bluford flew on two Department of Defense shuttle missions. During his USF presentation Bluford showed some of the vast archive of spectacular photos of Earth he took while on space shuttle missions. The photos showed views of the planet that included an erupting volcano and the Grand Canyon. The former astronaut said he accomplished everything he wanted to do in space, except take a space walk. He told the assembled audience that the space program will recover from the Columbia tragedy and that operating the international space station is the next big project for NASA. “Look to the future and recognize that the future is bright,” Bluford said. Dr. Guion Bluford, (left and in insert, right) the first African American in space, greets a young future astronaut and his family. Second Annual Career Day Planned for Fall 2003 The 2nd Annual USF College of Engineering Career Day is scheduled for Oct. 28, 2003 at the Embassy Suites – USF in Tampa. The event follows on what is widely considered the unqualified success of last year’s Career Day. All current USF College of Engineering students are encouraged to attend Career Day. Like last year, the 2003 Career Day will feature panel discussions composed of alumni involved in careers in the “real world.” One discussion focused on alumni working in the more traditional engineering fields, such as civil and environmental engineering, consulting, utilities, and teaching. The other discussion delved into several relatively unexpected areas of the profession, including the military, law, and politics. The panelists for the first Career Day included: Moderator Cindy Amor received her BSIE from USF in 1988. While at USF, she held a co-op position with Tampa Electric, was a USF Ambassador, a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, Alpha Pi Mu (Industrial Engineering Honor Society), and Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society Ron Giovannelli earned his BSE in 1975 in Civil Engineering and his MSE in 1977 in Water Management from USF. He is currently Vice President-Water Business Line for URS Corporation in Tampa. Dr. Wilfrido "Willie" Moreno, originally from Venezuela, earned his BSEE in 1983, MSEE in 1985, and Ph.D. in 1993, all from USF. He is an Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering at USF and director for the Ibero American Science and Technology Consortium. Marguerite “Maggie” Dominguez, native of Havana, Cuba, immigrated to the United States in 1964 and earned her BSIE in 1974 from USF. She has since held various positions with Tampa Electric Company. Jan Ash received her BSES in 1987 and her MSCE in 1990 from USF. She started Ash Engineering in 1993 from an office in her home. Today, Ash Engineering has 37 employees and 9,000 square feet in North Tampa and an office in Cocoa Beach. Brenda Harp, born in Tampa, received her BSEE in 1983 from USF, Magna cum Laude. She was the first recipient of the Edgar Kopp Scholarship. She has been with Agilent Technologies (formerly Hewlett Packard) for 20 years. Steven H. Slater received his BSEE from USF in 1985 and his J.D. from Southern Methodist University. He represents clients in the electronics, telecommunications, computer, consumer products and software industries. Robert E. Wallace III graduated from USF with a BSE in 1974. In 1979, he founded Environmental Engineering Consultants, Inc. and serves as the company's president. In November 1994 Rob was elected to the State House of Representatives, District 47 and was re-elected in 1998. Major Andy Johnson, USAF (retired), graduated with a Ph.D. from the USF College of Engineering in 1981. He has his BS in Electrical Engineering from Auburn University in 1985, and his MAS from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 1983. For more information on the 2nd Annual USF College of Engineering Career Day, contact Jon Kile at (813) 974-4470. Dr. Rudy Henning of the Department of Electrical Engineering prepares to cut and serve out slices of the anniversary cake for the YES, We Care! engineering program. The Saturday-morning program was designed by Henning 21 years ago to help area middle school and high school minority students prepare to meet the rigors of college-level science and mathematics. Some of the YES, We Care! participants surround Henning in the photo, awaiting a sweet reward for their hard work. The cake cutting was held during EXPO 2003. USF College of Engineering Alumni (left to right) Maj. Andy Johnson, ‘81, Brenda Harp, ‘83, Steven Slater, ‘85, and Rob Wallace, ‘74, discussed nontraditional career paths for engineers during the first College of Engineering Career Day. Al Schiff, chair of the USF College of Engineering Advisory Board, used his own professional experience as a springboard to encourage graduating students during the recent Induction to the Profession Ceremony. During the ceremony, often referred to as “the ring ceremony,: graduates take the oath of an engineer, are welcomed to the profession by their faculty members, and receive a ring symbolic of their chosen profession. Schiff’s remarkable career has included stints as President and COO of Gilbarco, Inc. and Toledo Scale and later as President of his own private investment company, Schiff & Associates. Part of the mission of the advisory board is to help ensure the College’s curriculum prepares students to become professional engineers. Students from around the country, such as this group from Albany State University in New York, traveled to USF to take part in the 10th Annual Career Expo of the Florida-Georgia Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering & Mathematics. The event was hosted by the USF College of Engineering and featured exhibits, a career fair, oral and poster presentations by students, and student-oriented workshops. 11 College of Engineering University of South Florida 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ENB 118 Tampa, FL 33620-5350 (813) 974-2541 www.eng.usf.edu Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PA I D Tampa, FL Permit No. 257 BridgeBuilder is a periodic publication of the USF College of Engineering intended for use by its constituents. Questions and comments should be directed to: Alicia SlaterHaase at the address above. Events, activities, programs and facilities of the University of South Florida are available to all without regard to race, color, marital status, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, Vietnam or disabled veteran status as provided by law and in accordance with the University’s respect for personal dignity. Dean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Louis A. 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Hillborough Printing Company The Bridge Builder An old man, going a lone highway, Came at the evening, cold and gray, To a chasm vast and deep and wide; The old man crossed in the twilight dim, The sullen stream had no fear for him; The sullen stream had no fear for him; But he turned when safe on the other side; And built a bridge to span the tide. “Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “you are wasting your strength with building here; your journey will end with the ending day, you never again will pass this way; you’ve crossed the chasm deep and wide; why build you this bridge at evening tide?” The builder lifted his old gray head — “good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “there followeth after me today, a youth whose feet must pass this way: this chasm that has been naught to me to that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be; he, too, must cross in the twilight dim — good friend, I am building this bridge for him.” Will Allen Dromgoole Engineer the Future — Plan today for your gift tomorrow. Remember USF Engineering in your will.