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Dayton Engineer

2015 in Review

By School of Engineering

KEEN Big Green Challenge: February 21-22

During the University of Dayton KEEN Big Green Challenge, students presented ideas to a panel of judges to accelerate UD’s campus sustainability movement. First Place: The team “procrastOnators,” Candida and Cameron Crasto, awarded $1500, their idea: Installation of Kinetic Tiles at the University in high traffic areas or in athletic venues to capture energy in the footprints, thus creating renewable energy for the School. Second Place: The team “Fit Flyers,” Nicole Erlich, Mariana Lopes, Ahmad Maarafi, Daniel Smith and Molly Remenowsky, won $1000, their idea: RecPlex “Green Zone” to harness the output of human power while exercising. Third Place: A tie between the team “Army Green for KEEN,” Jeff Gorski and Will Randerson won $250, their idea: Artstreet Reverse Vending Machines, their idea: machines to provide an incentive for students to recycle cans and get housing points in return, and the team “Greengineers,” Tyler Bagdasarian, Aleksandar Grocic, Julia Hauser and Jose Panameno were also awarded $250, their idea: Flyer Footprint App, which would use a point system to incentivize students to reduce energy usage, waste and carbon footprint.

Engineers Week February 21-28, Chemical and Materials Engineering—Department Winner!

Departments competed throughout the week in various activities, such as the Giant Paper Airplane Challenge, the Calculator Toss, Jeopardy, and many more. Engineers Week 2015 department winner was the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, which was awarded a whopping 580 points compared to the second place department, which was the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with 408 points.

Engineering Ambassadors

The Engineering Ambassador Team works throughout the academic year with the dean’s office to provide insights to prospective students and their parents about life as an engineering student at the University of Dayton. The Engineering Ambassadors 2015-2016 are Deidre Cathey, Michelle Coffey, Jennie Manka, Brian Morman, Brandon Payne, Danny Raimondi, Lauren Rivera, Andrew Tarutani.

Engineering Technology Study Abroad to Leipzig, Germany

Professor Falko and Professor Edmonson, along with Dr. Heitmann and Dr. Mosher, led a two-week study abroad trip for 19 students to Leipzig, Germany. The students studied automotive technology, history, and culture from a European perspective. The group visited the Mercedes Sprinter Plant, the BMW Motorcycle Plant, and the Porsche Factory. At these various plants, students participated in lean manufacturing activities, while learning the companies’ mission of sustainability.

2015 Ohio Valley Student Conference Steel Bridge Competition

University of Dayton Civil Engineering students participated in the annual Ohio Valley Student Conference Steel Bridge Competition on April 6th.

Engineering Students Helping Others: Dominica

In June, five engineering students went to Dominica to work with the Dominica Manufacturer’s Association (DMA) in order to develop coconut based products for both cottage industries, as well as to invent a new way to export products to larger markets. A project from last year was carried over to this year’s group, which included working with a coconut oil facility to produce an all-natural virgin coconut oil. While a new project being started up as well by this year’s group was collaborating with 11 small-scale coconut cheese producers to improve the production process, packaging and marketability that meet international standards. The student team was also looking to improve the total quantity of production so that exporting to larger markets can occur as soon as possible. We are proud of what our students do when they aren’t taking classes!

Society of Women Engineers Outstanding Collegiate Member Award

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) was founded in 1950 as a non-profit educational and service organization to inspire women in engineering. SWE demonstrates the true value of diversity. Every year, the Society recognizes women studying to be professional engineers at various colleges and universities with various awards and scholarships for achievements both in and out of the classroom. In 2015, our very own Brooke Sroczynski ’15, civil engineering and Abigail M. Spohn ’15, mechanical engineering, received SWE’s Outstanding Collegiate Member Award.

The Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE) Outstanding New Chapter Inspire Award

SASE was founded in 2007 as a non-profit organization to help Asian heritage scientific and engineering professionals. SASE encourages all of their members to contribute to the communities in which they live and to celebrate diversity on their respective campuses and workplaces. In 2014, the University of Dayton SASE chapter was founded by Vijay Krishna Jayaprakash, and received the Outstanding New Chapter Inspire Award. The group will receive this award for their outstanding accomplishments and will be identified as a role model to other chapter leaders by SASE-national. Congratulations to the SASE-UD chapter!

SASE Collegiate Star Award

The SASE Collegiate Star Award is given to members of the SASE community who demonstrate significant contributions both inside and outside of the society. The Midwest Region award has been given to our very own Vijay Krishna Jayaprakash, who is currently a Mechanical Engineering Graduate student. Vijay founded the SASE-UD chapter this past year, and has made impressive contributions to the Society since it has been found. He was honored on October 9th in Houston, Texas at the 9th annual SASE National Conference. Congratulations to Vijay! We are looking forward to all of your future work.

Congratulations to Dr. Partha Banerjee and the Graduate Electro-Optics (EO) Program!

Dr. Partha Banerjee, director of the Graduate Electro-Optics Program, shared the good news that the book Analog and Digital Holography with Matlab has been published. With the majority of its research completed at our EO Lab, the book was authored by three former EO students who graduated from the University of Dayton: Dr. George Nehmetallah, Ph.D., 2006; Dr. Rola Aylo, Ph.D., 2010; and Dr. Logan Williams, Ph.D.

2015 Center of Excellence Award

On September 17, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the University of Dayton’s Industrial Assessment Center (UD-IAC) the 2015 Center of Excellence Award. Since 1981, the UD-IAC, using teams of students and faculty, has performed more than 900 assessments, helping manufacturers reduce their energy use. Their reports include an analysis of clients' energy bills, lighting, compressed air and waste streams, along with processes for saving opportunities. In addition to the 2015 Center of Excellence award, UD-IAC previously received the DOE award, and the Excellence in Applied Energy Engineering awards from the DOE in 2011 and 2014, and the 2006 Ohio Governor's Award for Energy Excellence. In 2011, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy named UD-IAC Director Kelly Kissock as champion of energy efficiency.

Congratulations to Dr. Vijayan Asari and his research team!

In September’s IEEE Signal Processing Magazine, Dr. Vijayan Asari and his research team were acknowledged for their development of an automated surveillance technique that will provide further protection for underground pipeline infrastructures.

Design of Innovative Machines Lab (DIMLab)

DIMLab, currently funded by the National Science Foundation on a research project to develop variable geometry extrusion dies for polymers.

New SoE Faculty and Staff

Dr. Vamsy Chodavarapu, associate professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University at Buffalo in 2006, and his research interests include: biological and chemical sensors, implants, prosthetics, and wearables, and CMOS microelectronics and sensors. Mark Diller, assistant professor, Department of Engineering Technology, received his M.S. in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University in 1997, and his research interests include: design process, 3D printing, and new product development. Dr. Andrew Chiasson, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, received his Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming in 2007, and his research interests include: solar energy utilization, energy efficient buildings, and community energy systems.

New University of Dayton Research Institute Director

As 2016 begins, we welcome Allan Crasto in his new role as director for the University of Dayton Research Institute. Crasto has worked at the Research Institute for 27 years.

UD Celebrates International Year of Light

On December 20, 2013, the U.N. General Assembly’s 68th Session announced that 2015 would be the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015). With proclaiming this news, the U.N. has recognized the importance of raising global awareness about how light-based technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to global challenges in energy, education, agriculture, and health. In order to celebrate this momentous occasion, UD and the Electro-Optics Program hosted the International Year of Light Celebration on April 10th, 2015. The event hosted a multitude of speakers, including but not limited to Dr. Jeff Warrender, Dr. Sergei Lyuksutov, Dr. Imad Agha, and Matthew Evans. Along with the speakers, the IYL Celebration ended with a short reception at the Electro-Optics offices. The reception included tours of the Electro-Optics laboratories, with desserts being served. The IYL Celebration was sponsored by Electro-Optics, the Department of Physics, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as UD’s chapters of Optical Society of America (OSA), the International Society for Optics and Photonics (SPIE), and the Society of Physics Students. Special thanks to organizers Sarah Krug, President of UD’s OSA/SPIE chapter, Colleen Bransley, President of UD’s SPS chapter, Drs. Imad Agha and Jay Mathews, Assistant Professors of Physics.

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The Kern Entrepreneurial Engineering Network 2015 Outstanding Dean Award

Named dean of the University of Dayton School of Engineering in July 2014 following a national search, Dr. Eddy Rojas brought to the University a background in administration, teaching and research. At the 2016 KEEN Winter Conference in Tempe, Arizona, January 4-6, our very own, Dean Rojas, was selected to be the recipient of the 2015 KEEN Outstanding Dean Award!
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Engineering Alumni News: Spring 2016

University of Dayton Magazine information from UD engineering alums: Patricia Forbes Pearce '85 (CME), Jon Tirpak '85 (MAT), James Blust '92 (MEE) and Julia Stojak Maurer '94 (CME).
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