University of Wyoming College of Engineering Foresight Wyoming Family

University of Wyoming College of Engineering Foresight 2004 Wyoming Family of the Year The Bellamys volume 29 no.3 Dean’s Desk A recent report from the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), funded by NAE and the National Science Foundation, attempts to predict the roles that engineers will play in the future. Entitled “The Engineer of 2020,” the report makes recommendations for changes in engineering education necessary to meet future challenges. In the past, engineering education has tended to follow technological developments. For example, the disciplines of mechanical, electrical, aerospace, nuclear, petroleum, and chemical engineering emerged as a result of specific technological developments (steam engine, electrical energy, manned flight, nuclear energy, petrochemical industry). In the future, however, technological development will proceed at such an accelerated pace that if the profession hopes to be a major contributor it needs to anticipate developments rather than follow. This presents considerable challenge since none of us have a proven crystal ball. Developments in nanotechnology, biotechnology, materials science and photonics, and information/ computing/communications technology are expected to have dramatic impact on society and hence the nature of engineering. In addition, several very significant challenges face society including environmental issues, a deteriorating infrastructure, and providing energy, housing, clean water, and health care for a rapidly growing population. Finally, the environment in which engineers work will be greatly influenced by the evolution of a global marketplace. With the above as background, the report calls for “engineers who are broadly educated, who see themselves as global citizens, who can be leaders in business and public service, and who are ethically grounded.” The ultimate recommendations or suggestions are that the engineering profession must develop an exciting vision for its future, transform engineering education to assure that engineers will play a central role in achieving the vision, establish a clear image of the new roles for engineers in our society, quickly incorporate innovative developments from other fields into processes and products, and strengthen the ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment. It is an exciting and challenging time to Regardless of the specific vision for the future, be involved in engineering education. discussions of engineering education suggest additions to the curriculum - more systems engineering, addition of nano-, bio-, and info- technology topics, more business and economics, more on world culture, public policy and societal issues, etc. The typical engineering graduate already takes approximately 10% more hours than required by other bachelors degrees and, on average, completes the degree in 4.8 years. This results in considerable discussion of adding one or two years to the curricula leading to the first professional degree. Before the publication of “The Engineer of 2020” faculty in the College were already working on many of the topics covered in the report. We have made some progress in improving communication skills of our graduates, bringing biotechnology into the curricula, exposing more students to additional depth in business and economics, and working in an interdisciplinary environment. Our International Engineering Option is in place to broaden the global perspective of those graduates who elect to do so. This year a group of faculty is examining the first two years of our curriculum both in terms of content and delivery. When this project is completed I hope that we will be in an even stronger position in terms of educating the “engineer of 2020.” It is an exciting and challenging time to be involved in engineering education. There is no doubt that we will see significant changes in the engineering profession and engineering education during the coming decade. I believe that it is also an exciting time for our students who are embarking on careers in engineering and computer science. During their careers they will undoubtedly be called upon to solve problems that have significant impact on society and develop new products and processes that are far beyond our imagination. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 2 Gus Plumb, Dean The Bellamys With a legacy that is intertwined with achievements in engineering, benchmarks in Wyoming state history, and five generations of University of Wyoming graduates, the Charles and Mary Bellamy family has been designated the Wyoming Family of the Year. The Associated Parents of the University of Wyoming selected the Bellamys for this honor in recognition of their contributions to higher education, the field of The Bellamy Engineers - John (BSCE/ exp. 06), John (BSCE/36), Michael (BSAR/ 04), engineering, and community and public service. UW has awarded Bill (BSEE/72, MSCE/74) and John (BSEE/62). The 13 degrees to family members, more than half from the College of youngest John and Michael are Bill’s sons. Engineering, and one family member is currently enrolled in the College. Charles Bellamy, an admired engineer and mineral surveyor in Wyoming in the late 1800s, obtained the nation’s first professional engineering license in 1907 at the age of 56. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1851, endured the 1870 Siege of Paris, was a charter member of the Boston Scientific Society, and was present when Alexander Graham Bell made his first telephone call. As a U.S. government surveyor in the Rockies region in the late 1880s, Charles named most of the lakes and streams in the Snowy Range, including Lake Marie (for his wife) and Bellamy Lake. In 1913 he founded the private engineering and land surveying firm Bellamy & Sons, Engineers. After Charles died in 1934, the Wyoming Bellamy Chapter of the National Society of Professional Engineers was named in his honor. Mary Godat Bellamy was active in various organizations, including the Cheyenne and Laramie Women’s Clubs, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Ladies’ Aid of the Presbyterian Church. She served as Albany County’s superintendent of schools in 1902 and in 1910 was elected as Wyoming’s first woman legislator. She led Wyoming’s effort to pass the 19th amendment, giving women the right to vote. In 1952 at the age of 90, Mary received UW’s highest award, the honorary doctor of laws degree. The Albany County Historical Museum is home to items from her personal collection. Charles and Mary’s two sons both earned engineering degrees from UW. Benjamin discovered and developed the Ferris Oil Field, served as Laramie’s city engineer and helped design the Lincoln Tunnel in New York City. When he made his way back to Wyoming he served as the field engineer in the construction of the Hart Mountain Irrigation Project. Fulton Bellamy was an artillery lieutenant in France during World War I. He served as assistant state engineer and taught classes at UW during World War II. Later, as the Federal Aviation Administration’s midwest district airport engineer, he oversaw construction of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Benjamin’s son John earned a UW civil engineering degree and a master’s degree in nuclear physics from the University of Wisconsin before becoming a partner in Bellamy & Sons. In response to preparations for World War II, he obtained a private pilot license and volunteered for a meteorological training course at the University of Chicago (UC). While employed by UC he conceived and tested the “Bellamy Drift” navigational technique over the North Atlantic, served as the Director of the Institute of Tropical Meteorology at the University of Puerto Rico, and developed and implemented the wind analysis and forecasting techniques used in the Army Air Corps’ Guam Weather Central – for which he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. After the war John Bellamy received his doctoral degree in meteorology from UC in 1948 and was the Associate Director of the Cook Research Laboratories in Chicago until he returned to UW in 1960 as a teacher and director of its Natural Resources Research Institute. From 1968 to 1977 he served as Wyoming’s member of the Western Interstate Nuclear Board. He was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 1968, and after his retirement was selected in 1991 as the Wyoming Eminent Engineer by the Wyoming Alpha chapter of Tau Beta Pi. John was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame in 2000. continued on page 4 Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 3 The Bellamys ...continued John’s wife Josephine (Jo) also attended UW. She received Laramie’s Community Service Award in 2002 in recognition of over 35 years of volunteer work in various capacities. She and John still serve the community in the “Meals on Wheels” program that they helped to initiate. John Bellamy II, a UW electrical engineering graduate, received his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona, and has more than 30 years of Jo and John Bellamy experience in telecommunications and computer systems product development. The third edition of his definitive book on “Digital Telephony” was published in January 2000. Bill, John’s second son, earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and a master’s degree in civil engineering from UW, and a doctor’s degree in environmental engineering from Colorado State University. Bill served for two years in Vietnam and was awarded two Purple Hearts. He is currently the vice president of water supply and treatment for the CH2M Hill Corporation. He has worked on many international water supply problems and assisted the Environmental Protection Agency on numerous projects. In 2001, Tau Beta Pi named him Alumnus Eminent Engineer. Bill’s wife, Cheri, is a graduate of UW’s School of Nursing. Daughter Louise Bellamy re-enrolled in UW after raising her two children, eventually earning a degree in computer science. She is now a computer engineer at Storage Technology in Louisville, Colorado. Her sister, Mary, attended UW for a short time before moving to Denver where she is currently working for a local CPA firm. The family tree continues to expand, and the fifth generation has ties to UW. Bill’s son Michael graduated in May 2004 with a bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering, and his brother, John, is currently enrolled in civil engineering with an environmental option. A former marine, John’s UW studies were interrupted in 2001 when, as a member of the Wyoming Air National Guard, he was deployed during Operation Enduring Freedom. John II’s daughter Cary (Bellamy) Bush has attended UW and her husband, Monte, received his bachelor’s degree in rangeland ecology and watershed management. The Bellamy’s philanthropic commitment to the University ranges from funds for Wyoming Public Radio and the School of Nursing to two scholarships in the College of Engineering: the Bellamy and Sons Engineering Scholarship and the Fulton D. Bellamy Memorial Scholarship. The senior John Bellamy and his son, Bill, are also very generous with their time, serving on the H.T. Person Committee and the College’s National Advisory Board respectively. The College could not be more proud of the Bellamy family – especially its many engineers! This truly outstanding award is richly deserved. T he Wyoming Cap and Gown Chapter of Mortar Board selects members from the senior class who have demonstrated scholarship, leadership, and service, both on campus and in the community. Each Mortar Board member is allowed to honor a professor who has made a positive impact on their academic career. This year’s Top Profs and the students who nominated them are: Mortar Board Members Name Top Profs Jerry Hamann by Trevor Castillon, Electrical and Computer Engineering Richard Schmidt by Luke Donovan, Civil and Architectural Engineering Henry Haynes by Kim Nicholas, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Thom Edgar by Evan O’Toole, Civil and Architectural Engineering Rob Erikson by Kerri Puckett, Civil and Architectural Engineering Morris Argyle by Peter Schultz, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Paul Dellenback by Paul Teini, Mechanical Engineering Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 4 New Department Chairs The College of Engineering is extremely fortunate to have attracted worldrenowned control systems expert Professor Mark Balas to fill the position of Head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. A Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, he was one of the founders of aerospace structure control. He has made theoretical contributions in linear and nonlinear systems, especially in the control of distributed and large-scale systems. His work in reduced-order control and the alleviation of instability via residual mode filtering is well known throughout the field of active aerospace structures. Balas has developed controllers for many space systems, including the Hubble Telescope, the Teledesic Communications Satellite Array, and the U.S. Air Force Deployable Optical Telescope Demonstration project. Mark Balas He is also developing controls for computationally intensive fluid-structure interactions using his work in model reduction. This research focuses on the study of aeroelasticity to create controllers for flutter suppression in high performance aircraft. NASA, AFOSR, and NSF have supported these areas of research. Of particular interest to those in Wyoming is the fact that Balas is one of the principal researchers in the area of variable-speed horizontal-axis wind turbine control for electric power generation. The research, supported by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory/National Wind Technology Center, incorporates aerodynamics, flexible structures, power electronics and controls to reduce the cost of wind energy. Balas comes to UW from the University of Colorado at Boulder. (BSEE University of Akron, OH; MS in Mathematics, University of Maryland; MSEE University of Denver, CO; PhD in Applied Mathematics, University of Denver.) Professor Brian Towler has been named Head of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. He has been a faculty member in the College of Engineering for 16 years. After receiving a PhD (1978) in chemical engineering from the University of Queensland, Australia, and doing two years of post-doctoral research at the University of California at Davis, he was appointed senior reservoir engineer by Arco Oil and Gas Company. In 1983, he returned to Australia to work as the principal reservoir engineer for Oilmin NL and the Moonie Oil Group of Companies. His research involves petroleum wax deposition, reservoir simulation, CO2 flooding, water flooding, petroleum trapping mechanisms, and decline curve analysis. He teaches a wide variety of petroleum engineering courses in Reservoir Engineering, Reservoir Simulation, Water Flooding, Flow Through Porous Media, and Log Analysis. Towler also teaches Engineering Science courses including Fluid Dynamics, Thermodynamics, Engineering Computing and Mechanics of Materials. Brian Towler Towler’s textbook, Fundamental Principles of Reservoir Engineering, was published in 2002 by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and quickly became a best seller after being widely adopted by universities. The book outlines the techniques required for the basic analysis of petroleum reservoirs prior to reservoir simulation. It reviews rock and fluid properties, reservoir statics, determination of original oil and gas in place by volumetrics and material balances, evaluation of drive mechanisms, fluid flow in porous media, aquifer influx, well testing, fluid distribution and displacement, and declinecurve analysis. The most up-to-date techniques for each of these topics are covered in Towler’s book. This book can be found on the web at spestore.spe.org/ Towler is a member of SPE, AIChE and a registered professional engineer in the State of Wyoming. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 5 2004 Hall of Fame The Hall of Fame in the College of Engineering was established in 1998 to honor outstanding graduates who have distinguished themselves through their professional achievements and leadership in their fields. This year, Dale Groutage of Lander, WY, and the late Norman O. Gunderson were inducted. Dale Groutage (BSEE/66, MSEE/68) began his career as a research engineer at the Naval Weapons Center in Corona, CA, and did graduate work at the Naval Postgraduate School and the University of California. From 1971 to 1988, he conducted research in the areas of ocean surveillance and autonomous vehicles at the Naval Ocean Systems Center (NOSC) in San Diego, where he developed a new loitering missile concept called Persistent Antiradiation Missile (PARM). He was lead project engineer for the development and testing of the first three systems used to baseline the billion dollar Tri-Service program “TACIT RAINBOW” (mini-cruise missile system). In 1988 he became a research scientist at the naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Dale and Nancy Groutage in Bremerton, WA. In 2001, the National Society of Professional Engineers selected Groutage in front of the Hall of Fame Wall as NSWC Engineer of the Year, and one of the top ten engineers in federal government. After a distinguished career in the public sector and significant recognition within the academic community, Groutage accepted a position with Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as a senior investigative scientist in the Sea Technology Division in Bremerton. One of his most important contributions occurred in the last two years of his career (2003-2004) when he led a team of national caliber scientists in the development of the Twisted Bi-Cone Array, used for measuring the new quiet classes of U.S. submarines, the Seawolf and Virginia. The late Norman O. Gunderson (BSCE/39, MSCE /46)was a man of extraordinary vision. He served as the head of the San Jose State College (SJSC) Division of Engineering from 1953-1955 before becoming Dean of the School of Engineering from 1955-1970. He anticipated how crucial engineering would become to the Santa Clara Valley and successfully lobbied the California State Legislature to launch an accredited engineering school at San Jose State College, which would offer graduate degrees and engage in research. For this accomplishment, he was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Hall of Fame in 1995. At the time of his death in 1996, more than 4,000 students had received engineering degrees from SJSC. After Gunderson’s term as dean, he conceived and implemented the master’s program in cybernetic systems, acclaimed in the U.S. and abroad as an outstanding interdisciCherielyn and John Gunderson plinary curriculum directed toward the resolution of increasingly complex social problems. accept their late father’s award He was truly a pioneer in the effort to bridge the gap between the scientific and liberal arts communities. Having rank of Lt. Colonel. UW 1941-1946 as an infantry officer in Alumnus in 1979, retired as a reserve officer in 1966 with the served his country fromnamed Gunderson a Distinguished the U.S. Army, he and in 1981, SJSC recognized Gunderson with its Engineering Award of Distinction. Zyskowski is H.T. Person Lecturer Michael Zyskowski, aerospace and software engineer for Microsoft was the H.T. Person Homecoming Lecturer. His presentation centered on the MS Flight Simulator, the most popular commerical flight simulation software in the world today. He is responsible for the development of the core simulation engine and the aircraft flight models that are included in the Flight Simulator products. The core theme is “As Real as it Gets....” Over 20,000 airports all over the world are realistically simulated in the product, as well as visual effects that make a virtual flying reality. Zyskowski discussed the history, current capabilities, and future of the Flight Simulator to a rapt packed house. He graciously and enthusiastically answered many questions after his presentation, and was joined by his wife and small son for the Hall of Fame Banquet the following evening. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 6 Flanked by Dean Gus Plumb (l) and H.T. Person Chair Charles Dolan, Mike Zyskowski accepts a framed poster of his presentation announcement. Homecoming Families The Whitmans – Makayla Hoselton, Ellen Whitman, Associate Dean David Whitman, Ashlee Whitman (BSME /04), family friend Andy Downham (BSME /04), Angela (Whitman) Johnson (BSCE /99) holding Jordyn, Wade Johnson (BSAR /00), Andrea (Whitman) Hoselton (BSCH /97) holding Morgan, and Ben Hoselton. George Mathes III (BSCE/96, MSCE/97) with wife, Tara; mother, Jeri; and daughter, Ashlyn. See YOU next year ? Bret Felton (BSEE/96), Toni (Woodhouse) Felton (BSEE/95), and son, Garrett. Professor Emeritus Len Baldwin with wife Dr. Mary Baldwin, and daughter, Alice. Professor Emeritus Christos Constantinides; wife, Janet; son, Alexios, daughter-in-law Laurel; and granddaughter, Hannah. Heath Overfield (BSCE and BSAR/01) with wife Bobbi (Carlson) Overfield. Baby on board! Electrical engineering student Andrew Cornia with wife, Mary, and (l to r) Benjamin, Megan, and Samuel. Andrew is on the “many years” plan while he works. Working ! The moving force behind Homecoming 2004: Thyra Shepperd joined the College’s Development Office this summer. Great job! Lynn Durkee, the College’s Executive Business Manager, and Mike Allen, Manager of the College’s shop, try their hands at brats and burgers. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 7 2004 Homecoming l to r: Tom Lockhart (BSEE/57), emcee for the College’s Hall of Fame banquet; Lynn Lockhart, and Floyd Bishop (BSCE/42). Lockhart and Bishop are Hall of Fame members. Friends Jerry Littlefield, came from Marietta, Ohio, to celebrate his 50th reunion. front: Joe Lord (BSCE/71), Wyoming Engineering Society (WES) secretary/treasurer and wife, Beth, were joined by long-time WES member Rob Overfield and wife, Doss, who will be proud grandparents in March courtesy of Heath and Bobbi (p. 7). Paul (BSCE/48; MSCE/49) and Mary Lou Rechard. Jay Puckett, Head of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, visits with Bev and “Boots” Nelson (BSCE/59). Boots gamely hobbled around with a crutch due to a serious accident with his horse. l to r: Dottie Landis, wife of Development Officer Bruce Landis, visits with UW Vice President for Budget and Planning, Phil Harris and his wife, Paula. Foresight editor Susan McCormack gets on the other side of the camera with friends former UW President Terry Roark, Eugenia Wing, Beverly Roark, and Wayman Wing (BSCE/47). The Wings made the trip from New York. Abishek Pandey, graduate student in mechanical engineering, was named UW Gold at Homecoming. The award is voted by peers and is based on academic success, community service and leadership. Michael Doherty, graduating senior in mechanical engineering, was one of the surprised recipents of a Microsoft Flight Simulator, presented by Michael Zyskowski, H.T. Person Lecturer. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 8 The College Welcomes John Mayer, is a new Academic Professional Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science. He earned his PhD in 1990 at the University of Michigan with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Natural Language Processing. His disseration research focused on machine learning and modeled the process by which people learn from reading explanatory text. He has taught at several institutions including Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Southern Polytechnic State University in suburban Atlanta, and Bunker Hill Community College in Boston. During that time he has taught introductory programming courses as well as more advanced courses in Programming Language Concepts and Artificial Intelligence. He has also worked outside academia, first in the Information Technology department at DeKalb Medical Center where he witnessed a Y2K non-event, then more recently at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he joined a team of Java programmers supporting genetics research. Working chiefly on the graphical user interface, he wrote software to display known areas of genetic diversity (points along a chromosome where people have some variety in their DNA). The College is pleased to have a faculty member with Mayer’s credentials on board, and extends a warm welcome. John Mayer K. Thomas McPeek joins the architectural engineering faculty in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. He brings his experiences as a project manager and architectural practitioner to the classroom. His project experience includes a variety of commercial project types including office, retail and hospitality projects (hotels and restaurants) many of which involved the adaptive reuse of historic properties. His teaching interests include design studio, practice management, and design com-puting. This semester‚McPeek’s studio project involves the design of a new fairground for Laramie County, giving the students the opportunity to get real world experience in this community-based project. McPeek is currently completing his PhD in Architecture from Texas A&M University. He has also earned an MS in Architecture from Texas A&M and a BS in environmental design from Ball State University. He will definitely be a great addition to his department. Tom McPeek Have you visited the College’s website recently? There’s a world of information waiting for you! wwweng.uwyo.edu Foresight is coordinated by Professor David Whitman and edited by Susan McCormack Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 9 Tau Beta Pi The Wyoming Alpha chapter of Tau Beta Pi (TBP) has won the top national TBP award for the second time in four years. Of the 228 national chapters, 19 chapters were considered, and the R.C. Matthews Outstanding Chapter Award for 2003-2004 was given to the University of Wyoming. The criteria included: 1) quality and variety of chapter projects; (2)organization of the chapter; (3) number of projects; and (4) promptness and completeness of reports to Headquarters. UW was complimented on the success of demonstrating the goals of Tau Beta Pi through such projects as its study sessions and blood drives and through its impeccable level of organization. Tau Beta Pi’s chief advisor Steve Barrett could not be more proud of our outstanding group of hardworking Tau Bates. TPB chapter president Josh Duncan receives the R.C. Matthews Awaard from Matthew W. Ohland, national president of TBP. Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honors Banquet Friday, April 8, 2005 Yellowstone Ballroom in Wyoming Union 6 p.m. Reception 7 p.m. Dinner RSVP by March 25 307-766-4248 or email Thyra Shepperd at thyra@uwyo.edu Tau Beta Pi Call for Nominations If you know of an outstanding engineer you wish to nominate for either Outstanding Alumnus Engineer or Wyoming Eminent Engineer please visit the Wyoming Tau Beta Pi website at wwweng.uwyo.edu/societies/tbp and click on Eminent Engineer Nominations or contact Evan O’Toole at evano@uwyo.edu Deadline: February 11, 2005 Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 10 Joel Coffey (BSCE/80) passed away this summer after a brief fight with fast-moving cancer. Very much a non-traditional student, he already had a BS and an MS in mathematics, a career, and a family when he decided to enroll in engineering at UW. Coffey had played basketball in high school and attended Hastings College on a basketball scholarship. Before coming to Laramie, he taught math and science at Medicine Bow High School where he also coached basketball. In Laramie, before embarking on his engineering career, he taught at the junior high school. Married to a Laramie gal, Dona Lamb, his father-in-law was civil engineering’s legendary prof, Don Lamb. When Coffey announced his intentions to become an engineer, Lamb could not have been more happy. Coffey eventually became a Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor and his firm, Coffey and Associates, L.L.C., enjoyed much success. Shortly before his death, Coffey and Lamb attended an alumni and friends picnic on a cold, rainy day in June, and it was apparent to all how very proud Lamb was of his son-in-law. In addition to his wife Dona, a kindergarten teacher in Laramie, he leaves his daughter Twila, her husband Gabe, and son David and his wife, Beth, and their children T.J. and Alexandra. David, who is also an engineer, has returned to Laramie and taken over the helm of the family firm. The College offers its condolences to a family we all know so well. Memorials may be made to the Joel Coffey Memorial Scholarship Fund, attn: Bruce Landis, Dept. 3295 College of Engineering, 1000 E. University Avenue, Laramie, WY 82072. In Memoriam Joel Coffey Steadman Named NSPE Fellow John W. Steadman (BSEE /64, MSEE/66)) former head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UW, has been named a Fellow of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The Fellow grade honors those active NSPE members who have demonstrated exemplary service to the profession, the Society, and the community. NSPE is the national society of engineering professionals from all disciplines that promotes the ethical and competent practice of engineering, advocates licensure, and enhances the image and well-being of its members. Founded in 1934, NSPE serves more than 50,000 members and the public through 53 state and territorial societies with more than 500 chapters. Steadman is currently the Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Wilson Receives National Award Professor Emeritus Gene Wilson has been awarded the national Edmund R. Ricker Traffic Safety Individual Award by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. The selection chairman noted that, “He has a real passion for safety that’s well known throughout the profession.” The award states, “Particularly noteworthy are his efforts in promoting road safety audits in the U.S. and his leadership of local technical assistance programs. In addition to teaching in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, Wilson founded the highly successful Wyoming Technology Transfer Center in 1985, using federal and State funds to assist Wyoming cities and counties with transportation issues. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 11 What’s New? $20,000 Kick for Trenton Bowers A computer science major from Lovell, WY, had more than luck riding with him when he took part in Pepsi’s half-time punt, pass, and kick contest on Oct. 2. His athletic background at Lovell High School served him well as he threw a 60-yd pass from the back of the end zone, punted photo courtesy of Michael Smith to the 20-yd line, and kicked Laramie Daily Boomerang a field goal to clinch the $20K as his wife, Kylah, and the fans went crazy. The Bowers have a 19-month old son, Teagan, and the money will definitely come in handy. Way to go, Trenton! Yes, Al is still racing! Al Rodi (BSME/97), the moving force behind the dune buggy when he was in college, still races. He raced his Mercury Bobcat for two years in the Mini Stock class, winning champion points both years and then moved up to the faster Hobby Stock class and has consistently placed in the past three years. In the photo above, Rodi is flanked by his gal, Jennifer Kaiser, and May Valley Speedway track official, David Zavalla. Rodi’s day job is the Power Train team leader at Neoplan USA in Lamar, CO. The firm produces heavy-duty transit buses for cities such as Boston, Denver, and Los Angeles. Councilman Carson Seth Carson (BSAR/02) describes himself as an optimistic realist. With that in mind, and with the backing of some professionals in the community who want to be ready for changes in Laramie’s future, Carson ran for City Council... and won! A graduate of Laramie High School, he says he knows Laramie is expanding and would like to see it done in an orderly, logical manner. What better role for an engineer? He is the owner of Bluefeather Design/Build Associates. LLC. Sergei Kasakow Living his Dream Sergei Kaskow (BSME/95) was three years into his engineering career when he decided to do something about his lifelong dream of being a pilot. After leaving UW, he attended the field artillery basic course at Ft. Sill, OK, before going to Ft. Knox for his armor officer basic course. In 1997 he took a job as production supervisor in a vinyl siding plant in Grinnell, IA, but the job was more management than hands-on engineering. That’s when he started taking flying lessons, and in 2000 he left Iowa for the San Francisco Bay area where he attended a flight training school, became a flight instructor and ground school instructor, teaching aerodynamics and systems. Kasakow says his ME background in fluid dynamics and gas turbine engines made it easy for him to understand the advanced concepts of aeronautics. He also credits UW with instilling the necessary discipline to succeed in pilot training, an area where less than 20% of students finish. In 2003 he took a job as a cargo pilot in a twin engine prop aircraft, and flew up and down the California coast and in the Sierras, where the weather is often unpredicatable. The hours were long, the pay not great, the conditions not the best, but it provided the excellent experience he needed to be hired by Continental Express. He is now First Officer on the Embraer Regional Jet, one of the most advanced airplanes in the skies today. Living the dream. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 12 Dune Buggy Dash H.T. Person Chair Professor Charles Dolan has come up with another winner to give give our freshmen their first taste of engineering design. The students in ES 1000 – – (Orientation to Engineering) all star ted on equal even ground with a 4.5 volt electric motor, gear a gear set, and battery box. The challenge was was to build an electric motor-powered dune buggy that would transverse The Sandbox – the sediment-filled area used in the College’s alluvial research. Students did not see the final course before the competition began. Seventy teams comprised of 260 students took part in the competition which began at 10 a.m. on a Saturday morning. To make the weekend exercise a bit more bearable, 22 dozen donuts magically appeared in the registration area (see photo, right). Once the competition started, no incentive other than the excitement of the event was needed. Groups of students, friends, and faculty cheered as the vehicles attempted to cross the terrain which included a sand-covered bridge. There were incredibly innovative attempts including a balloon-supported, propeller-driven vehicle; a buggy within a wheel; and the trebuchetlike shot where the car sailed over the course and hit the wall behind the spectators. All in all, a memorable design challenge. Students went on to discuss the reasons for their failures and successes in their ES 1000 classes the following week. Dolan has next Fall’s challenge planned – stay tuned for another exciting event from the College of Engineering. Architectural Engineering Students awarded ASHRAE Scholarships Three UW students have received the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Rocky Mountain Chapter’s 2004 student scholarship. Each scholarship is worth $1,000 and our students were selected to receive the scholarships out of 19 applications from l to r: Dustin Carter, Diana Coronado universities in the region. Diana Coronado, Derek Hudak and and Derek Hudak Dustin Carter are architectural engineering students pursuing the building mechanical systems emphasis. Congratulations! Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 13 Retirements ... Don Smith Excellence in engineering education has been Professor Don Smith’s byword at the University of Wyoming for over 30 years. After completing his PhD in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan (UM) in 1971, he went to work for Xerox in Rochester, New York. When Jim Matheny, UW’s former mechanical engineering department chair, contacted a friend at UM looking for some bright new talent, he was pointed toward Smith. Since he had never been west of the Mississippi, he decided to take a look at what this part of the world had to offer. When he got to Laramie, Smith folded his 6’ 4” frame into Matheny’s Porsche 914 for a spin through the Rockies, and the rest is history. Smith’s main interest has always been teaching, and the courses he has taught during his career cover an impressive array of mechanical engineering topics as well as Engineering Science core courses such as Statics, Dynamics, Circuits, Mechanics of Materials, and Introduction to Engineering Computing. He also taught the cross-listed Numerical Modeling and team-taught Electrical Engineering’s Robotics with Professor Ray Jacquot. Much of Smith’s research was in areas that facilitated teaching. One of the projects he tackled with professors Ray Jacquot and David Whitman resulted in a software package that enhances the teaching of Dynamics. Another involved the digital simulation of dynamic and kinematic machinery systems. Smith’s papers and presentations in the area of applications of the computer to engineering education are too numerous to mention. The design of mechanical components with his graduate students occupied much of Smith’s non-teaching time. The culminaton of many years work is COMMEND – COMputer-aided Mechanical ENgineering Design, which can be found at wwweng.uwyo.edu/commend/. Topics include Design Calculators for Compression Springs, Extension Springs, and Spur Gears. The Spur Gear Design Calculator is a site which logs an extremely high number of “hits.” When asked about the highlights of his career at UW, Smith answered instantly that it was working with students who were willing to go the extra mile on their Senior Design projects. He truly enjoyed mentoring the dedicated students who polished their projects beyond UW requirements and submitted paperwork that led them to many regional and national awards in such competitions as the Lincoln Arc Welding, the Aluminum Association, and the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Creative Engineering Design/Computer Graphics. Smith has been named a Mortar Board “Top Prof,” has received Distinguished Service Awards from the CoED division of ASEE, and was selected for the UW Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching and Advising. An alumni of both the University of Michigan and Ohio State, the thought of watching football games over the 2004 Thanksgiving weekend brought a smile to Smith’s face. Before retirement, he used to spend that time grading System Dynamics lab reports. We trust that Don Smith will enjoy the games and his well-earned retirement to the fullest. Larry Pochop Professor Larry Pochop joined the UW faculty in 1967 and spent 37 years in the Colleges of Engineering and Agriculture teaching and researching Wyoming and western U.S. water issues. His retirement caps a long and productive academic career. His extensive consumptive use research culminated in a widely-used publication, Consumptive Use and Consumptive Irrigation Requirements in Wyoming. Also, he and the late Professor Bob Burman co-authored the book Evaporation, Evapotranspiration and Climatic Data. Recently, Pochop has served as Director of the USGS Water Resources Institute Program and the UW Office of Water Programs. These programs address water issues with a broad range of interdisciplinary research and student training and focus upon State and regional concerns. He has also served as UW’s co-advisor to the Wyoming Water Development Commission, and twice during his distinguished career, he was Wyoming’s State Climatologist. continued next page Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 14 Henry Haynes The fact that Professor Henry Haynes came to UW at all was the direct influence of the late Professor Howard Silver. After three years in the Synthetic Fuels Department of ESSO Research and Engineering in Texas, working on plans for a grass roots coal-to-gasoline plant, Haynes accepted a position at his alma mater, the University of Mississippi. Silver’s coal liquefaction research at UW was on Haynes’ radar screen, and their friendship prompted an offer from UW. Because Haynes had only been on the Ole Miss faculty a year, he wanted to give that position a fair shake. He progressed through the academic ranks at Ole Miss, always keeping in touch with Howard Silver. He eventually took a sabbatical to come to Laramie, and after completing his Ole Miss obligations, returned to UW permanently in 1982. Haynes’ teaching philosophy was based on the premise that those who teach chemical engineering students should also be practitioners. Most faculty stay current through their research, as Haynes did. He continued his coal liquids refining work and delved into work related to underground coal gasification. In the late 1980s, his group took a unique step by building a Continous Coal Liquefaction Microreactor (CCLM) for testing catalysts on a laboratory scale. An Electric Power Research Institute representative commented that the CCLM could have saved tens of millions of dollars as his organization was operating a large scale pilot plant in Alabama. By the mid-1990s, there was a world-wide “oil glut” and it became impossible to convince the government that projects to convert coal into liquid transportation fuels should be funded. Haynes shut down his lab, and became Head of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering. He stepped down as Head after serving four years of a three-year term and resumed his teaching load. During this period, he also spent considerable time convincing trona companies to fund research projects at UW. Although he notes his wife, Linda, has been retired for two years and seems to be having fun, his own retirement is self-described as “not sitting in any easy chair.” There are many things waiting on the back burner, including a book he has been writing for ten years: Heterogeneous Reaction Kinetics. Then there are some consultations in the trona industry...and the old Ford that needs fixing up...and the tough chemical engineering problems that continue to fascinate him...and the computer software business is beckoning. Henry, are you sure this is retirement? Although his research was timely and rewarding, it was always the students who made the difference to Pochop. The feeling was mutual. Professor Jay Puckett, Head of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, offers this comment: “Larry has made such a difference in so many students’ lives. He will be sorely missed not only in the classroom but with the individual teaching so often lent in his office. In our exit interviews with our graduates, Larry is most often cited as the professor who has made the biggest difference in our graduates’ academic careers. His commitment to UW and the State water community is simply unparalleled.” In the course of almost 40 years at UW, Pochop developed and taught 19 different courses. His teaching career has earned him numerous awards, including U.S. West Excellence in Education, CASE Professor of the Year, UW Excellence in Advising, the Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year, the coveted UW Ellbogen Meritorious Teaching Award, the Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award, and Mortar Board’s “Top Prof.” He is a three-time recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers Outstanding Teaching Award. Pochop’s fondest memories include the students and colleagues with which he worked. He is looking forward to continuing these contacts, both on campus and throughout the region. Please join us in wishing Professor Larry Pochop a productive retirement at pochop@uwyo.edu. He has no immediate intentions of sitting still. Foresight • Fall 2004 • page 15 Trenton Franz Receives National Award Trenton Franz, senior offensive center for your Wyoming Cowboys, is one of eight Division 1-A football players to be awarded a National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Post-Graduate Fellowship. To be eligible for the $18,000 fellowship, the student-athlete must have a grade point average of at least 3.0; be a senior or graduate student in his final year of eligibility; have shown superior academic application and performance; have outstanding football ability as a first-team player; and have demonstrated strong leadership. Currently pursuing a graduate engineering degree, Franz’ UW undergraduate gpa was a spectacular 3.8 in civil engineering. He is also a Rhodes’ Scholar nominee. A three-time Mountain West Academic All-Conference selection, twotime CoSIDA Academic All-District pick, and two-time All-Conference Hon- career. One of the nation’s top offensive orable Mention pick, Franz has started at center every game of his collegiate centers, his name appears on the 2004 Outland Trophy Watch List. Franz is a member of both the engineering national honor society, Tau Beta Pi, and the Wyoming Cap and Gown Chapter of the senior honor society, Mortar Board. He has been generous with his time in terms of community service as well. “I am extremely honored to receive this recognition,” Franz said. “As I look at the names of the other winners, I am very proud to be listed among them.” He plans to use his award for post-graduate work in the water resources area of engineering. College of Engineering Dept. 3295 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 Nonprofit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID University of Wyoming