Dimensions 2006 by Bagley College of Engineering

Message from the Dean Welcome to the 2006 publication of Dimensions, our annual report that highlights faculty success stories and research in the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State University. In this report, we focus on our facultyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research and the difference it is making in biomedical, aeronautical, and enterprise systems engineering, as well as the impact it is having on the environment. For instance, read how our biomedical faculty are getting closer to discovering the process of engineering pediatric heart valves. This process could save children the need to undergo multiple open-heart surgeries, because the valves will grow as the children grow. The most advantageous point about this research is that it could save lives. Throughout this magazine, you will learn how MSU faculty members are taking their responsibilities as researchers extremely seriously. They realize the moral duty they have working at a land-grant university and are excited about the opportunities to help our state, nation, and the world find the best solutions to our most challenging problems. Everyone here in the Bagley College of Engineering has discovered that finding the best research solutions comes from having the courage to reach across disciplines to ask questions, the confidence to collaborate and share information, and the character to contribute to the overall team effort. This approach lets us see opportunities instead of difficulties in making our world a better place for everyone.

W. Glenn Steele, Ph.D. Interim Dean, Bagley College of Engineering

Dimensions

2006 Annual Report

Message from Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies This past year, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to say that the Bagley College of Engineering has made some major accomplishments as we continue our journey toward our goal of greater excellence among engineering programs in the United States. A significant resource that helps us become one of the most recognized engineering colleges in the nation is our university research centers. The Bagley College of Engineering now has one of the top supercomputing centers in the world. Last year, the college installed the fastest computer system in the Southeastern Conference as the foundation of our research in the High Performance Computing Collaboratory (HPC2) center. The Raptor computer system is the 59th most powerful academic computer system in the world as ranked in the June 2007 edition of the Top500 Supercomputing sites. The amount of data Raptor can manipulate in a single second would take a human almost 340,000 years to accomplish. In fact, this year the HPC2 computer system at MSU was ranked 26th among U.S. academic sites with Top500 systems. With the power and capability of the Raptor, we expect our research products to rise to the next level. The Bagley College of Engineering also is improving the quality of life for many citizens of the state. In the past year, the HPC2, our eight college departments, and the other college and department research centers have established research collaborations with NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other organizations that have yielded enormous scientific and economic benefits for the state. For instance, our college has served as a small business incubator for several technology companies that have established themselves in the Golden Triangle area. Our collaborations with companies such as Griffin Inc., Aurora Flight Sciences, Eurocopter, and nCode International are beneficial for the corporations, as well as excellent networking and work-place experiences for our students. This report will provide some details on only a few examples of the many research projects taking place. There are many others that include mechanical, biological, civil, aerospace, chemical, industrial, computer science, electrical, and computer engineering. The point to keep in mind is that our exceptional faculty, students, alumni, and friends are the reasons why the BCoE aspires to greater excellence. Roger L. King, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies

Table of Contents Enterprise Systems Engineering: Changing the Way We Work............4 NASA and Northrop Grumman Turn to the MSU SimCenter for Real-World Solutions..............................................................6 Correcting the Past to Preserve the Future.................................................7 Tech Savvy Professors Collaborate With Corporate, Military and Educational Worlds.....................................................................9 Making the Heart Grow Stronger ............................................................... 12 Bagley College of Engineering Profile....................................................... 13 Aerospace Engineering................................................................................... 15 Biological Engineering.................................................................................... 16 Chemical Engineering..................................................................................... 17 Civil and Environmental Engineering........................................................ 18 Computer Science and Engineering.......................................................... 19 Electrical and Computer Engineering........................................................ 20 Industrial and Systems Engineering........................................................... 21 Mechanical Engineering................................................................................. 22 Faculty.................................................................................................................. 23 Research Centers and Laboratories............................................................ 26 Research Sponsors............................................................................................ 27 Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Advisory Council.................................................................................. 30 Leadership Team................................................................................................ 31

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the past, ISE focused on the shop floor with stopwatches, clipboards and methods engineering. Today ISE professionals have a much broader view of the whole enterprise and apply engineering methodologies to help companies understand how their work processes help or hinder their performance.â&#x20AC;? - Dr. Allen Greenwood 3

Enterprise Systems Engineering: Changing the Way We Work Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) Professor Allen Greenwood is helping companies transform the way they do business through “Enterprise Systems Engineering,” an engineering management approach for evaluating the work processes of the company as a whole. Greenwood conducts research to evaluate the company’s end-toend value stream from a very broad view. For instance, his research can evaluate how sales are generated and how products are developed, manufactured, and assembled. It even includes product and customer support, as well as infrastructures needed to support the modus operandi, such as finance, information technology, and human resources, among others. Greenwood’s research shows corporate administrations, management, and staff how all departments have an impact on the end product or service, and how to improve the work processes for maximum value. These processes are demonstrated through

computer simulations, charts and corporate communication. Even though the change in the process may make staff jobs easier and more efficient, people are usually resistant to change, mostly because of a lack of understanding of how their jobs have a significant impact on the end product or service. As a result, organizational change can be quite difficult. For successful implementation, employers need incentives, rewards, training, and education. Clarity of vision and mission of the company are also important success factors. A review and evaluation of all these steps are how Greenwood’s research team assists companies with their organizational transformation. Through computer modeling and simulation, Greenwood provides upper-management with the ability to see the effect of organizational change prior to committing. With customized models, methods and tools, company stakeholders can, for instance, evaluate information

system design and the support needed to implement the change, determine how job descriptions and performance evaluations will help or hinder the change process, and decide how to leverage finances for funding. “In the past, ISE focused on the shop floor with stopwatches, clipboards, and methods engineering,” said Greenwood. “Today ISE professionals have a much broader view of the whole enterprise and apply engineering methodologies to help companies understand how their work processes help or hinder their performance.” Greenwood pointed out that for a corporation to survive in this global business environment, it is a necessity to concentrate on the whole enterprise, which includes the company, its suppliers, customers, competitors, and other stakeholders. This real-world experience is transferred into the classroom. Greenwood teaches a course on the subject entitled “Enterprise

Systems Engineering” on the Mississippi State campus and through the college’s distance learning program. In addition, engineering and business students work with Greenwood and his colleague, Dr. Stanley Bullington, on research of systems simulation and project management. Greenwood and Bullington co-direct MSU’s Management Systems Engineering Laboratory. Greenwood summed up the impact an ISE education has on the way companies do business, “Today’s corporate environment places a high premium on graduates who can blend engineering methodologies, people skills, and business knowledge.” He emphasized, “It is essential that they know the value of systems thinking and how to create management and engineering systems that integrate people in productive ways.” 4

NASA and Northrop Grumman Turn to the MSU SimCenter for Real-world Solutions “What we do is provide the software tools to do the calculations that compute what would be the forces, temperatures and pressures in certain scenarios.” - Dr. Ed Luke

After the Columbia space shuttle disaster, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration turned to Dr. Ed Luke’s computer code simulations to help them design safer rocket-propelled vehicles for the future. Luke, an assistant professor of computer science and engineering, leads an MSU team of researchers who successfully help NASA simulate potential design and operational problems with the shuttle. It’s all simulated on a computer screen, which saves NASA money and time. Experiments that could take weeks or months to build are cut down to as little as two days, thanks to Luke’s simulation computer code software.

and create new adaptations for other computational problems. Northrop Grumman, a global defense company, is using an element of this simulation software to help them analyze what happens when firing missiles off a moving ship.

“What we do is provide the software tools that do the calculations to compute what would be the forces, temperatures, and pressures in certain scenarios,” explained Luke. “This helps NASA accurately analyze, improve, and develop new systems.”

The software also has everyday applications for the consumer. Companies that make jet engines and home appliances are using a form of the software to make their products more energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Another positive aspect of this high-performance technology is that it allows engineers with different expertise to collaborate

The centers responsible for Luke’s and Marcum’s work are part of the High Performance Computing Collaboratory (HPC2)

“Computational fluid dynamics technology will predict the behavior of the missile and its rocket exhaust during the initial launch from a ship,” says SimCenter director David Marcum. “This information is significant because the ignition of the missile must happen far enough away to avoid damaging the ship. When launching from the ground, the missile can be ignited immediately.”

at Mississippi State. It is a coalition of member centers that share a common goal of advancing state-of-the-art computing and engineering. The HPC2 is comprised of five independent centers: Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Center for Computational Science Center for DoD Programming Environment and Training Computational Simulation and Design Center Geo Resources Institute Data on the world’s leading supercomputer sites, termed the “TOP500,” is compiled and released twice a year by the universities of Mannheim (Germany) and Tennessee. The latest list shows MSU’s HPC2 as the 26th most powerful academic computer in the U.S. and 261st in the most-powerful-computer-sites-in-the-world category. It has been a catalyst for growth in research and development for many national and international industries, as well as government, and educational organizations. 6

Correcting the Past to Preserve the Future The Bagley College of Engineering’s Institute for Clean Energy Technology is working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Program to create solutions for nuclear waste disposal.

Researchers at the Bagley College of Engineering’s Institute for Clean Energy Technology (ICET) are helping the Department of Energy clean up one of the most polluted places in the Western Hemisphere. The Hanford Nuclear Reservation located in Southeastern Washington was used in the Cold War to produce nuclear weapon components. For 10 years, the ICET team–Drs. Jeff Lindner, Rebecca Toghiani, and Laura Smith–have worked with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Environmental Management Program on how to safely process and dispose of the more than 53 million gallons of legacy nuclear waste. The Hanford site is home to 177 underground tanks that house the radioactive waste. It is comprised of sludge, saltcake and highly concentrated brine. The tanks, dating back to the 1940s, were designed with a 40-to-50-year lifespan. Obviously many of them have exceeded their design life, which is a major concern. The

Columbia River runs adjacent to the site, and there is a high risk of contaminated groundwater seeping into it. The resulting downstream pollution would threaten the health of untold numbers of plants, wildlife, fish, and humans. There lies the challenge—time. Act too quickly and the risk of water contamination rises; act too slowly and it yields the same results. ICET researchers are helping scientists and engineers experiment and invent new ways to safely process and transport the nuclear contents to treatment plants. Their first concern is safely processing and removing the nuclear waste from the tanks. An issue exists when the build-up of sludge and crusting plugs up the pipeline. Another consideration in removing the waste is avoiding chemical reactions that cause the waste to crystallize in the stream while it is pumped or combined with waste from other tanks. That is when the ICET team provided process-

ing options to the Hanford engineers using a computer Environmental Simulation Program (ESP) that showed ways to reduce or slow the growth of the crust. In addition, ICET Researchers built a flow loop to observe and evaluate plug formation. As a result, the Hanford engineers were able to create a method that uses liquids to break up and mobilize the waste and wash it to a central pump. Today, ICET efforts have included expanding the applicability of the ESP program. Now the simulation system can apply measurements of the solubility of salt systems present in the waste and can give a more accurate prediction of the behaviors of the waste when treated. Thanks to ICET’s development of a database that captures the solubility measurements and the ability to use that information to simulate liquefying experiments, systems engineers are gaining additional insight that will provide safer waste process, mobilization and containment conditions. Long-term waste storage will be in the form of glass, produced by vitrifying--using heat fusion to change--the waste into glass-forming materials.

“If you can put the radioactive materials in a non-porous glass matrix, the possible migration of the waste through the glass and then through the capsule into adjacent geologies becomes negligible,” Lindner said. The ICET team--Lindner, Smith, and Toghiani--along with Dr. John Luthe and Valerie Phillips, have spent years contributing to the nuclear waste remediation efforts at Hanford. The MSU scientists enjoy their work because they know their contributions are a small but important part of the larger DOE team that is working to improve the future and the environment.

Photo L-to-R: Drs. Jeff Lindner, Rebecca Toghiani and Laura Smith

“In 1997, one of my first thoughts was that 90 percent of the people currently working on the Hanford cleanup will be retired before all the waste has been processed,” Toghiani said. “Sometimes it’s overwhelming when you see what you’re doing is a small part of a huge process.” While completion estimates of the Hanford remediation effort hover around 2040, research performed at the Institute for Clean Energy Technology is helping to ensure that lasting solutions are a reality. 8

Tech Savvy Professors Collaborate with Corporate, Military, and Educational Worlds

Lounge chairs, office furniture, computers, cars, and household appliances have something in common: they are designed to accommodate the human body. They are also products of human factors engineering, the science of how people interact with products, tools, and technology. Product safety and convenience for the consumer are key selling points for the retail world. However, professors at Mississippi Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE) are using computer interactive software and virtual human models to save lives, reduce work-force injuries, and improve transportation systems.

UPS Turns to Industrial and Systems Engineering for a Generation Y Problem Seventy million of them are breaking into the work force for the very first time. Generation Y, people ages 16-27, are the fastest growing segment of our work force, and they are influencing how companies train and retain their employees. Companies like UPS are finding that their workforce demographic is changing rapidly, and the conventional methodologies of training these young employees are not working. Generation Yers connect by using technology. They are comfortable multi-tasking by juggling e-mail, talking on a cell phone, downloading music to an iPod, while syncing their Blackberry, and surfing online. As a result, the traditional textbook manuals and tests companies are using in training are not capturing or holding their attention—putting the employees’ safety at risk. That is why UPS is working with the BCoE Industrial and Systems Engineering department. Dr. Kari Babski-Reeves, an assistant professor, is researching ways to help UPS Delivery Service Providers (DSP) improve the way they perform their jobs. She plans to do this by applying a methodology called human factors engineering. Human factors engineering is developing a way of work that seems natural and comfortable

to people. Her audience is the younger Generation Yers. “What we are developing are interactive computer reality based learning modules,” said Babski-Reeves. “These learning modules look, sound, and feel similar to playing a video game—only the game will be an obstacle course based on tasks and activities of a DSP—such as how to lift objects, push/pull activities, stepping off a truck, and the proper process of interacting with customers and their portable computer diads.” Babski-Reeves finished the research phase of the project this spring. A training pilot program is being introduced this summer to one of UPS’s largest service areas in Landover, MD.

“The program is a joint effort between Virginia Tech and Mississippi State. We plan to run the program through several classes and then assess and make refinements through November. UPS plans to implement the training program corporate-wide next winter.”

position themselves in the real world, more specifically how a soldier would move and carry newly designed artillery and survival gear. Santos is a virtual soldier research project. The University of Iowa developed the human digital model; collaboration is currently underway with Babski-Reeves to determine if this virtual soldier’s movement actually matches that of a human. Babski-Reeves will study and collect data from 100 people to compare their human postures with that of Santos. She will be comparing simple human factor postures such as reaching, touching, walking, and running. In the future, she will study Santos’ cognitive processes to see if he reasons like a human. The University of Iowa then will use Babski-Reeves’ expert findings to refine Santos. If successful, the implications of using this technology could save millions of dollars and the lives of many men and women. These advantages then could be transferred to the civilian world where the risk of injury could be reduced in the work place, as well as in homes, public playgrounds, and amusement parks.

Santos, a Virtual Soldier, Helps Save Lives

Working with Homeland Security to Keep Our Nation Safe

The University of Iowa and officials from the United States military are asking Dr. Kari Babski–Reeves to use a digital human model to study how people move and

Just four years ago, the state of New York lost 85 percent of its electrical power, causing one of the largest blackouts in history. Officials are still unsure of the cause, but

think that a downed 345,000-volt power line located east of Cleveland, Ohio, may have started the domino effect that caused 21 power plants to shut down. One of the reasons the cause of the blackout is still unclear is because the power grid systems that employees have to monitor are very complicated to read. A power grid controls all the electricity a power plant generates. Dr. Kari Babski-Reeves is working with Dr. Nicolas Younan, an electrical and computer engineering professor and the principal investigator of the project, to develop a visualization technique that will help power grid monitors improve their performance. Acting as an investigator, Babski-Reeves will evaluate employee tasks such as mental processes, decisionmaking, and responses as they assimilate information. The goal of her research is to develop easily recognizable visual signals to indicate the performance of a system. Consequently, power grid monitors will be able to quickly detect critical incidents and prevent catastrophic events. The Southeastern Regional Research Initiative, managed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and sponsored by Department of Homeland Security, is supporting the study led by Babski-Reeves and Younan. Their objective is to create technology-based programs to anticipate and prevent terrorist events and to enhance emergency preparedness.

Professors Develop Computer Simulation Modeling to Improve Our Nation’s Transportation Systems

We probably all can remember at least once when we were lost and confused when trying to find our gate at an airport terminal, not to mention the problems of overcrowding and trying to ask an airline or transportation agent for directions during rush hour. Industrial and Systems Engineering Assistant Professor Lesley Strawderman and Professor John Usher are trying to change those types of situations. Working with the Department of Transportation, they are developing a computer simulation model that accurately portrays the way pedestrians move through transportation systems, such as airports, subway terminals, and bus stations.

The hope is that transportation facilities around the nation will be able to import their computer-assisted drawings (CAD) of their facilities to see an accurate portrayal of how pedestrians move through their system. For instance, a transportation official could input data, such as: 5-7 a.m. is the busiest time frame and we have 3,000 people moving through at onehour intervals. The computer simulation will show them where there are congested walkways and hallways, where people are getting lost, and how to reroute movement to an under-used area. Strawderman stated a couple of advantages in using the computer simulation program.

“There are not a lot of guidelines out there right now for designing or improving a facility, so we’re hoping that by developing this computer simulation model, transportation officials can detect which methods are working and which ones are not,” said Strawderman.

“This computer simulation can help transportation officials save money, and it will educate them in providing the best emergency evacuation.”

Strawderman and Usher are in year one of the five-year project. At the beginning stages, they are recording and studying video footage to determine the trends of how pedestrians move, such as how fast they walk, whether they pass on the right or left, and how much space is between each person. This data then will be imported into a computer model.

This research may be adapted for future use in determining how hospitals and doctors’ offices process patients and move them through the health care system. Whatever the situation, it is obvious that human factors engineering affects lives. The Bagley College of Engineering professors are working every day to improve our quality of life.

Making the Heart Grow Stronger Biomedical research at the Bagley College of Engineering may soon heal the emotionally laden hearts of parents and their children who have heart valve disease. Dr. James Warnock, a professor in agriculture and biomedical engineering, is conducting research on how to grow new pediatric heart valves. His team’s success would mean a very good prognosis for children who suffer from heart valve disease and deformities. Currently, artificial heart valve replacement is avoided in children because the valves do not grow as children grow, which could mean as many as three or more open-heart surgeries during childhood and adolescence alone. Artificial, mechanical and bio-prosthetic implanted valves for adults have a more favorable prognosis because they do not fight the maturity issue. The first step in the study of the heart valve is trying to understand how physical forces such as high blood pressure affect it. Medical doctors know this disease increases the risk of damage to the heart valve, but they’ve never known why. Warnock’s research will study the biological processes of valve disease with the ultimate goal of one day developing a tissue-engineered heart valve.

“At the moment, we’re looking at a material called chitosan, which is derived from the exoskeleton of shellfish,” said Warnock. Chitosan is a by-product of processed shellfish. If MSU researchers can successfully grow chitosan tissue around a scaffold--a form that helps create the shape of a biomedical heart valve--the benefits also may increase economic growth in Mississippi. “Economically, this research could be very beneficial for the state of Mississippi because there would be a high demand for chitosan, and the state’s shellfish processing plants could meet the need at a relatively low cost,” explained Warnock The potential of this research provides new hope for pediatric heart valve patients, and means that adults could avoid a second surgery to replace worn out artificial valves. Another possibility is that in 15-20 years, biomedical companies may be able to use the outcomes of the research to manufacture a pill that prevents valve disease. 12

Bagley College of Engineering Profile Degree Programs Aerospace Engineering Biological Engineering Biomedical Engineering* Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Science Computational Engineering* Computer Engineering Electrical Engineering Engineering Physics* Industrial Engineering Master of Engineering** Mechanical Engineering Software Engineering * graduate degree only ** distance delivery only

UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS

ISE 6%

Fall 2006 Enrollment: 1,870

ME 23%

EE 10%

ASE = Aerospace Engineering................................ 152

CPE 8%

BE = Biological Engineering....................................173 ChE = Chemical Engineering..................................182 CEE = Civil and Environmental Engineering......267 CS = Computer Science............................................132

SE 3%

UD 1%

SE = Software Engineering........................................ 59 CPE = Computer Engineering.................................150

CS 7%

ASE 8%

EE = Electrical Engineering......................................182 ISE = Industrial and Systems Engineering..........112

BE 9%

ME = Mechanical Engineering................................439 UD = Undeclared........................................................... 22

CEE 15% ChE 10%

Certificate Programs

Research Clusters

STUDENTS

GRADUATES

Computational Biology Entrepreneurship Geospatial and Remote Sensing Engineering Information Assurance Materials Six Sigma Software Engineering

Advanced Electronic Systems Computational Engineering Energy and the Environment Enterprise Systems Human Factors and Systems Information Sciences Materials 21st Century Transportation Systems

Fall 2006 Enrollment: 2,252

Academic Year 2006: 464

Undergraduate Women..................... 302 Undergraduate Men........................ 1568 Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Women................................. 50 Masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Men . .................................. 195 Doctoral Women................................. 47 Doctoral Men.................................... 181

B.S....................................... 334 M.S...................................... 110 Ph.D...................................... 20

Faculty Tenure and Tenure Track..................................... 109 Research Professors.................................................44 (non-tenure track)

Other Faculty.............................................................98

GRADUATE MAJORS

(Research Associate, Post Doctoral, etc.)

Fall 2006 Enrollment: 473

Fellows of Professional Societies........................23

ASE = Aerospace Engineering .............................. 29

Endowed Chairs and Professorships.................25

BE = Biological Engineering................................... 25 ChE= Chemical Engineering................................... 32 CEE = Civil and Environmental Engineering.... 44

Ethnicity Enrollment

CME = Computational Engineering..................... 25

White.........................................................................78%

CPE = Computer Engineering................................ 32

African-American..................................................10%

CS = Computer Science............................................ 66

International............................................................. 8%

EE = Electrical Engineering..................................... 87

Other........................................................................... 4%

EP = Engineering Physics......................................... 28 ISE = Industrial and Systems Engineering......... 42

Research Expenditures

ME = Mechanical Engineering............................... 63 EP 6%

ISE 9%

EE 18%

23rd

32nd

24th

31st

CS 7%

CPE 5%

ASE 6%

Millions

34th

ME 13%

40 39th 30

10 BE 5% ChE 7%

CME 14% CEE 9%

FY99

FY00

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

Based on 2006 National Science Foundation Expenditure Rankings based on FY04 data.

“Man’s quest for the freedom of flight is embodied in our students, who arrive filled with excitement, eager to take their experiences– building model rockets, reading about aerospace pioneers, looking skyward at a passing jet–and apply them to their education here at MSU.” - Dr. Tony Vizzini, Department Head

ASE

Aerospace Engineering

The department of aerospace engineering emphasizes analytical and communication skills, along with engineering design, to prepare students to enter the engineering workplace. The program focuses on the analysis, design, testing, and prediction of performance aircraft, missiles, and spacecraft, which operate in the earth’s atmosphere, outer space, or in a fluid medium. Areas of study include aerodynamics, astrodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, stability and control, structures, composite materials, and multidisciplinary design. The department is home to the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, the largest university flight lab of its kind in the nation. The Raspet Lab, known nationally for its accomplishments in unconventional aircraft design and operation, gives students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience through a variety of aeronautical research projects. It is the only university-based institution where a student can carry and follow an idea from concept to design and from prototype to completion. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees are offered in aerospace engineering. The department also recently has changed the curriculum to provide separate upper-level programs for aeronautics and astronautics. In fall 2006, the department enrolled 152 undergraduates and 29 graduate students. Students can take part in various student organizations, including the Glider Club, Sigma Gamma Tau, Sky Dawgs R/C and Rocketry Club, and the August Raspet Student Branch of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Faculty members within the department include Fellows from the American Society for Composites, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Society for Testing and Materials, and the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Departmental research is focused in the following areas: aerodynamics, flight mechanics and structural mechanics of aircraft, mechanical properties of advanced composite and metallic materials, and performance of components in tension, compression, and fatigue loading.

“Biological engineering is the next wave of the biotechnology revolution that requires engineers to design and develop products that take advantage of our understanding of biology and biological systems.” - Dr. Bill Batchelor, Department Head

Biological Engineering

The biological engineering program provides an opportunity for students to prepare for careers in biomedical engineering, medicine, environmental engineering, as well as agriculture and natural resources. The research labs in biomaterials and tissue engineering, biomechanics, bioenergy production, environmental engineering, and water quality enhance the educational classroom experience by giving students the opportunity to apply theory in real laboratory situations. The agricultural and biological engineering department at Mississippi State was the first in the country to offer a degree program in biological engineering—beginning in 1968. The department now offers a bachelor’s degree in biological engineering, a master’s degree in biological engineering, a doctoral degree in engineering, and both master’s and doctoral degrees in biomedical engineering. In fall 2006, the biological engineering program enrolled 173 undergraduate and 25 graduate students. Approximately 95 percent of the biological engineering undergraduates are in the premedical or biomedical engineering area. In addition, 67 percent of undergraduates choose to continue their studies in graduate or professional school (i.e. medicine, dentistry, law) and over 90 percent of pre-med students are accepted into medical school. The department is involved in several national organizations, including the Institute of Biological Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Society, Society for Biomaterials, and the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Students participate in the state chapter of the Institute of Biological Engineers club. Recently, the department created the Synthetic Biology Club, which participated in an international conference to design a genetically engineered organism to detect hydrogen. The faculty includes one Fellow of the Biomedical Engineering Society and one Fellow of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. 16

“Career opportunities continue to increase in number and in diversity as our graduates seek positions in the traditional industries, such as chemicals and petroleum processing, and also in those emerging new technologies related to biomass conversion and utilization.” - Dr. Mark White, Department Head

CHE

Chemical Engineering

Housed in the Swalm Engineering Building, the Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering prepares graduates to make long-lasting impacts on the advancement of the physical sciences. The school incorporates into its program the economical aspects, environmental issues, ethics, health and safety issues, product and process design, and professionalism in the field of chemical engineering in order to offer a well-rounded curriculum. Last fall, the school celebrated its 50th anniversary. The chemical engineering school has experienced a long tradition of success. Thanks to our alumni and friends, undergraduates now practice in state-of-the-art laboratories, and two programs of study are offered at the master’s level: traditional chemical engineering and industrial hazardous waste management. The school also offers an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in engineering. As a result, graduate research has become extensive and chemical engineering provides a variety for most any interest in the field. Since 1989, the department has experienced significant growth in research funding to a level of nearly $3 million per year. The school offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as involvement in professional organizations such as the Society of Plastics Engineers, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the National Organization of the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, and the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry. The faculty includes Fellows of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Research within the Swalm School is diverse and includes green engineering, crystallization, corrosion, gas hydrates, environmental bioprocessing, alternative fuels, medical microdevices, catalysis, polymers, smart materials, thermodynamic separations, and conversion of biorenewable resources to chemicals and fuels. 17

CEE

“With a renewed focus on the condition of our nation’s infrastructure and our desire to prepare for natural disasters, civil and environmental engineers are shaping the foundation of our society.” - Dr. Dennis Truax, Department Head

Civil and Environmental Engineering

The department of civil and environmental engineering provides undergraduate and graduate students an opportunity to develop a working knowledge of the mathematics and science employed in the profession. The practice of civil and environmental engineering is multifaceted and involves design and management activities that directly affect our quality of life and the economic vitality of our state and nation. The areas of study include environmental management, construction geomatics, geotechnical and materials engineering, water resources management, construction engineering and management, structural systems, as well as design and management of intermodal transportation systems. The department offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees with emphases in the following engineering areas: environmental, water resources, structural, geotechnical, construction materials, and transportation. The bachelor’s degree also provides the educational basis for professional surveying. Though the department traditionally offers courses in environmental engineering, this year the department has initiated the combination of programs in civil, biological, and chemical engineering to create a concentration in environmental engineering. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from this program will be emphasizing environmental engineering as related to the management of watershed resources, protection of air, land, and water environments, as well as engineering applications in a variety of human health and environmental issues. In fall 2006, the department enrolled 267 undergraduates and 44 graduate students. Students receive instruction in both professional and technical aspects of civil engineering and have many opportunities to attend professional conferences and workshops on the state, regional, and national levels through the MSU student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE). Through ASCE and ITE, students compete in various events related to civil and environmental engineering and become involved in community service projects.

“The CSE Department has a long history of excellence that includes award-winning faculty and students, cutting-edge research that is integrated into our classes, and state-of-the-art teaching and research lab facilities.” - Dr. Julia E. Hodges, Department Head

CSE

Computer Science and Engineering

The department of computer science and engineering (CSE) is dedicated to maintaining quality programs for undergraduates, graduates, and research. We continue to emphasize research on applications and upon the synergistic relationships between theory and applications in which the most meaningful advances often result. The department has identified three specific areas in which we seek national prominence: software engineering, artificial intelligence, and high-performance computing/scientific visualization. The MSU Center for Computer Security Research, part of the department of computer science and engineering, is a National Security Administration-certified center that focuses its research on information security, computer crimes, and sensor data. The department provides scholarships for students interested in this program and gives them the opportunity to work with establishments such as the National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Forensics Training Center, part of the Center for Computer Security Research, trains law enforcement officers to investigate computers in criminal cases and fight cyber crimes. The department offers bachelor’s degrees in computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering, as well as a master’s degree and doctoral degree in computer science. For fall 2006, 132 undergraduates were enrolled in computer science, and 59 were enrolled in software engineering. Sixty-six graduate students were enrolled in computer science. Students also can participate in the Association for Computing Machinery and Upsilon Pi Epsilon during their studies within CSE.

The major research thrusts in the department are artificial intelligence, computer security and forensics, high performance computing, software engineering, and visualization and computer graphics. Faculty and students working in these areas are actively involved in exciting areas of application for their work, such as bioinformatics, augmented reality, information security, medical imaging, and parallel computing.

ECE

Electrical and Computer Engineering

“Electrical and computer engineers lead technological innovation in this nation and the world. From medicine to home electronics, energy systems to the environment, we create and apply knowledge to improve quality of life.” - Dr. Sarah A. Rajala, Department Head

The department of electrical and computer engineering offers degrees in electrical and computer engineering at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Students can focus their studies in one of the following areas: image/signal processing and visualization, electric power systems, electromagnetics and telecommunication systems, microelectronics, computing systems, and robotics and control systems. The department also offers off-campus graduate courses through continuing education. During fall 2006, the department enrolled 150 undergraduates in computer engineering and 182 in electrical engineering. Thirty-two graduate students were enrolled in computer engineering and 87 were enrolled in electrical engineering. Students can participate in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and Eta Kappa Nu. For the third time in five years, the IEEE Student Section placed first in the 2007 IEEE SECON robotics competition. The department houses the MSU High Voltage Laboratory, a non-industrial independent lab used for high voltage engineering. This lab is home to educational activities as well as research and testing, and is also used by manufacturers and other organizations and agencies. The High Voltage Lab is the largest of its kind among universities in the United States. The faculty includes two Fellows of the IEEE. The primary research areas include: image processing and visualization, lightning protection and power systems, emerging materials, semiconductor prototyping, and electromagnetics and telecommunications.

“ISE delivers modern curricula to produce top-caliber engineers. Our students are among the best–winners of national and regional competitions. Our professors are outstanding–authors of books and software used worldwide for systems design, simulation, and optimization.” - Dr. Royce Bowden, Department Head

ISE

Industrial and Systems Engineering

Industrial and systems engineering (ISE) is focused on designing and improving systems to make products or provide services. For example, industrial and systems engineers design worldwide networks of routes, hubs, and associated processes for trains, trucks, and jets to achieve overnight package deliveries. They also create processes for building and distributing personal computers better, faster, and cheaper. Industrial and systems engineers focus on process innovation because, as reported by The Economist, most companies create extraordinary amounts of wealth by “inventing great processes, not great products.” The ISE program affords graduates outstanding opportunities in a variety of organizations as virtually all enterprises operating in today’s global economy benefit from industrial and systems engineers. It is no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that of the more than 18 fields of engineering in the United States, the industrial and systems engineering field is among the top three employed. The department offers a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering along with master’s and doctoral degrees to prepare students for advanced industrial and systems engineering practice, research, and teaching. The department enrolled 112 undergraduate students, 23 master’s students, and 19 doctoral students for the fall 2006 semester. Additionally, the distance education program allows engineers to earn graduate degrees regardless of their location in the world.

The department has active research programs in human factors engineering, management systems engineering, operations research and production/manufacturing engineering. Sponsored research has been performed for such agencies as the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Air Force Research Laboratory, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Department of Transportation, and such local entities as Mississippi Department of Transportation, UPS, FedEx, Nissan, Northrop Grumman, Tecumseh Products, and Whirlpool.

Mechanical Engineering

“The ME program at MSU is nationally accredited and strong with skilled and talented students who are taught by energized and motivated faculty. Our program of study is challenging, demanding and rewarding, with our graduates in constant demand by corporate recruiters who come to campus.” - Dr. Louay Chamra, Acting Department Head

The department of mechanical engineering focuses its undergraduate program on energy and mechanical systems, and students are provided with both technical and theoretical education to prepare them for a successful career. Graduate students are able to earn degrees in all of the major areas of mechanical engineering and spend quality time conducting research. The mechanical engineering department offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees and enrolled 439 undergraduate and 63 graduate students for the fall 2006 semester. Students can be involved in the following organizations: American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Automotive Engineers, American Foundry Society, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers, Pi Tau Sigma, and Tau Beta Pi. The faculty includes Fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the American Society for Metals International, the American Powder Metallurgy Institute International, the Institute of Cast Metals Engineers, and the American Society for Engineering Education. The department’s research areas include: computational fluid dynamics, energy systems, and materials/solid mechanics. Current research projects in the heat transfer/fluid mechanics area include the following: computational fluid dynamics, heat exchanger design, heat transfer enhancement, energy conservation, thermal and fluid systems modeling, advanced HVAC technology, and uncertainty analysis. Current projects in the area of mechanical systems/materials are as follows: computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing, finite element analysis, metal casting technology, surface coatings, friction stir welding, and composite materials.

Bagley College of Engineering Departmental Faculty AEROSPACE Pasquale Cinnella, Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1989 Keith Koenig, Professor Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1978 James Newman, Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1974 Masoud Rais-Rohani, Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1991 Joe Thompson, Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1971 Anthony Vizzini, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1986 David Bridges, Associate Professor Ph.D., California Institute of Technology, 1993 Jonathan Janus, Associate Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1989 Thomas Lacy, Associate Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1998 James Newman III, Associate Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1997 David Thompson, Associate Professor Ph.D., Iowa State University, 1987 Carrie Olsen, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2001

Gregory Olsen, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 2001

Steven Elder, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan, 1998

Benjamin Magbanua, Associate Professor Ph.D., Vanderbilt University, 1994

Rani Sullivan, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2003

Sandun Fernando, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Nebraska at Lincoln, 2003

William McAnally, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 1999

Ming Xin, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Missouri-Rolla, 2002

Jun Liao, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Cleveland State University, 2003

Philip Gullett, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 2000

Thomas Hannigan, Instructor MS, Mississippi State University, 1990

Lester Pordesimo, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 1991

Isaac Howard, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 2006

Andrew Walters, Lecturer MS, Mississippi State University, 1996

James Warnock, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Birmingham, England, 2003

Li Zhang, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 2000

Mary Wolverton, Lecturer MS, Mississippi State University, 1986

Lakiesha Williams, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2006

Herbert King, Instructor MS, Mississippi State University, 1977

AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL

Christopher Saucier, Instructor M.S., John Hopkins University, 2000

William Batchelor, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 1993

James Martin, Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1984

CHEMICAL

Thomas P. Cathcart, Professor Ph.D., University of Maryland, 1987

Raouf Sinno, Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1968

Clifford George, Associate Director and Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1985

Jerome Gilbert, Professor and Associate Provost Ph.D., Duke University, 1982

Dennis Truax, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1986

Rudy Rogers, Professor Ph.D., University of Alabama, 1968

Jonathan Pote, Professor Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 1984

Thomas White, Professor Ph.D., Purdue University, 1981

David Smith, Professor Ph.D., University of Missouri, 1975

Harry Cole, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 1975

Kirk H. Schulz, Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Professor Ph.D., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1991

S. Filip To, Associate Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1990

Christopher Eamon, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Michigan, 2000

Mark White, Director and Professor Ph.D., Rice University, 1978 Mark Bricka, Associate Professor Ph.D., Purdue University, 1998

Bill Elmore, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 1990

Susan Bridges, Professor Ph.D., University of Alabama at Huntsville, 1989

Edward Luke, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1999

Michael Mazzola, Professor Ph.D., Old Dominion University at Norfolk, 1990

Hossein Toghiani, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Missouri at Columbia, 1988

Julia Hodges, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., University of Southwestern Louisiana, 1983

Mahalingam Ramkumar, Assistant Professor Ph.D., New Jersey Institute of Technology, 2000

G. Marshall Molen, Professor Ph.D., Texas Tech, 1974

Rebecca Toghiani, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Missouri at Columbia, 1988

Thomas Philip, Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1979

Changhe Yuan, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, 2006

Robert Moorhead II, Professor Ph.D., North Carolina State, 1985

William French, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2000

Donna Reese, Associate Dean for Academics and Administration and Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1985

Song Zhang, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Brown University, 2006

Joseph Picone, Professor Ph.D., Illinois Institute of Technology, 1983

Joseph Crumpton, Instructor MS, University of Tennessee, 1994

Sarah Rajala, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., Rice University, 1979

Lisa Henderson, Instructor MS, Mississippi State University, 2002

Raymond Winton, Professor Ph.D., Duke University, 1972

Andrew Watkins, Instructor Ph.D., University of Kent at Canterbury, England, 2005

Nicolas Younan, Professor Ph.D., Ohio University, 1988

Robert Little, Lecturer Ph.D., Louisiana Tech University, 1977

Jerry Bruce, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Nevada at Las Vegas, 2000

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER

James Fowler, Associate Professor Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1996

Lori Bruce, Professor Ph.D., University of Alabama at Huntsville, 1996

Yaroslav Koshka, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Southern Florida, 1998

John Donohoe, Professor Ph.D., University of Mississippi, 1987

Robert Reese, Associate Professor Ph.D., Texas A&M University, 1985

Stanislaw Grzybowski, Professor Ph.D., Technical University of Warsaw, Poland, 1964

Noel Schulz, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1995

Roger King, Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies and Professor Ph.D., University of Wales-United Kingdom, 1988

Yul Chu, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Canada, 2001

Rafael Hernandez, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2002 Priscilla Hill, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1996 Adrienne Minerick, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of North Dakota, 2003 Keisha Walters, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Clemson University, 2005 Charles Sparrow, Research Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1976 Qiangu Yan, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Chaugchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, 1998 Gouchang Zhang, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2000

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Ioana Banicescu, Professor Ph.D., Polytechnic University at New York, 1996

Rayford Vaughn, Professor Ph.D., Kansas State University, 1998 Edward Allen, Associate Professor Ph.D., Florida Atlantic University, 1995 Julian Boggess, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1981 David Dampier, Associate Professor Ph.D., Naval Post Graduate School, 1994 Eric Hansen, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, 1998 John Swan II, Associate Professor Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1997 Jeffrey Carver, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2003 Yoginder Dandass, Assistant Professor MS, Shippensburg University, 1996 T. Jankun-Kelly, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 2003

MECHANICAL

Justin Davis, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 2003

Stanley Bullington, Professor Ph.D., Auburn University, 1990

Qian Du, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Maryland, 2000

Allen Greenwood, Professor Ph.D., University of Delaware, 1998

Randolph Follett, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1988

John Usher, Professor Ph.D., Louisiana State University, 1989

Herbert Ginn, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Louisiana State University, 2002

William Smyer, Associate Professor Ph.D., Auburn University, 1979

Bryan Jones, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Clemson University, 2005

Kari Babski-Reeves, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2000

Georgios Lazarou, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Kansas, 2000

Burak Eksioglu, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 2002

Erdem Topsakal, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Istanbul Technology University, 1996

Sandra Eksioglu, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 2002

Jane Moorhead, Instructor MS, Mississippi State University, 1997

Mingzhou Jin, Assistant Professor Ph.D., LeHigh University, 2001

Jimena Bastos, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., University of South Carolina, 2005

Lesley Strawderman, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 2005

Guangda Chen, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Wuhan University, China, 2004

Larry Dalton, Director of Six Sigma MBA, Mississippi College, 1985

W. Glenn Steele, Interim Dean, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., North Carolina State, 1974

Anurag Srivastava III, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Illinois Institute of Technology, 2005

Lisa Bostick, Instructor BS, Mississippi State University, 1982

Bruce Cain, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Illinois, 1989

INDUSTRIAL AND SYSTEMS

Larry Brown, Lecturer Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 1971

Sergio Felicelli, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Arizona, 1991

Royce Bowden, Department Head and Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1992

George Adebiyi, Professor Ph.D., University of Manchester, England, 1973 John Berry, Professor Ph.D., University of Birmingham, England, 1959 Louay Chamra, Acting Department Head and Professor Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 1992 Steven Daniewicz, Professor Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1991 Randall German, Professor Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 1975 B. Keith Hodge, Professor Ph.D., University of Alabama, 1972 Mark Horstemeyer, Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1995 David Marcum, Professor Ph.D., Purdue University, 1985

Wen Li, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of Kentucky, 1991

Rogelio Luck, Associate Professor Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 1989 Judith Schneider, Associate Professor Ph.D., University of California at Davis, 1996 Pedro Mago, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Florida, 2003 Richard Patton, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Stevens Institute of Technology, 1990 Kalyan-Kumar Srinivasan, Assistant Professor Ph.D., University of Alabama, 2006 Dibbon Walters, Assistant Professor Ph.D., Clemson University, 2000 Mary Emplaincourt, Instructor MS, Mississippi State University, 1984 Elborn Jones, Lecturer Ph.D., Purdue University, 1974 Richard Forbes, Research Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 1968 Gregory Zdaniuk, Assistant Research Professor Ph.D., Mississippi State University, 2006

Research Centers and Laboratories High Performance Computing Collaboratory William B. “Trey” Beckenridge, III (662) 325-8278 www.hpc.msstate.edu

Center for Computer Security Research Rayford B. Vaughn, Jr. (662) 325-7450 www.security.cse.msstate.edu

Transportation Research Center Li Zhang (662) 325-3050 www.cee.msstate.edu/transres.htm

Center for DoD Programming Environment Training Joe F. Thompson (662) 325-7299 www.hpc.msstate.edu/pet

National Center for Intermodal Transportation Royce O. Bowden (662) 325-7623 www.ise.msstate.edu/ncit

Industrial Assessment Center B. Keith Hodge (662) 325-7315 www.me.msstate.edu/IAC/iac.html

Raspet Flight Research Laboratory David Lawrence (662) 325-3274 www.ae.msstate.edu/rfrl

Renewable Chemicals and Fuels Lab Rafael Hernandez (662) 325-0790

Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems Randall M. German (662) 325-5431 www.cavs.msstate.edu Computational Simulation and Design Center David L. Marcum (662) 325-3193 www.hpc.msstate.edu/simcenter Institute for Clean Energy Technology Roger L. King (662) 325-2189 www.icet.msstate.edu

High Voltage Laboratory Stanislaw Grzybowski (662) 325-2148 www.ece.msstate.edu/hvl Southeast CHP Application Center and MSU’s CHP and Bio Fuel Center Louay M. Chamra (662) 325-0618 www.chpcenterse.org

Fatigue and Fracture Laboratory James C. Newman, Jr. (662) 325-3623 Construction Materials Research Center Tom White (662) 325-7185 www.cee.msstate.edu/cmrc.htm Sustainable Energy Research Center William D. Batchelor and W. Glenn Steele (662) 325-3280 www.serc.msstate.edu 26

Research Sponsors Air Force Research Laboratory

Ecole Polytechnique, Montreal

MSU High Performance Computing Center

Seemann Composites, Inc.

AllTech

Entergy Services, Inc.

MSU Research Initiative Program

SemiSouth Laboratories, LLC

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

ESI Group

NASA Glenn Research Center

Sentel Corporation

EvaHeart Medical USA, Inc.

NASA Langley

Small Business Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

NASA Marshall

Smith Warner International

Florida State University

NASA Stennis

South Carolina Research Authority

Geneva Aerospace, Inc.

National Institutes of Health

Southern States Energy Board

Geo-Centers, Inc.

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Synopsys, Inc.

Golden Triangle Regional Airport

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Tennessee Valley Authority

Gulf Coast Hazardous Substance Research Center

National Science Foundation

Tetra Research Corporation

Hughes Associates

National Security Agency

Tetra Tech, Inc.

Hypercomp Engineering

Northrop Grumman Mission Systems

Thoratec Corporation

Jackson State University

Northrop Grumman Ship Systems

U.S. Agency for International Development

Lightning Technologies, Inc.

NSF CAREER

U.S. Army Research Office

Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems

Oak Ridge Associated Universities

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Los Alamos National Laboratory

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Michael Baker, Inc.

Ocean Systems Engineering Group

U.S. Department of Army, Aberdeen Test Center

Miltec Corporation

Office of Naval Research

U.S. Department of Army, Corp. of Engineers

Mississippi Department of Marine Resources

Ohio State University

U.S. Department of Army, Research Laboratory

Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality

PPG Industries, Inc.

Mississippi Department of Transportation

Purdue University

U.S. Department of Army, Engineer Research and Development Center

Mississippi Development Authority

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Mississippi Ethanol

S&K Technologies, Inc.

Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning

Sandia National Laboratory

Mississippi Technology Alliance

SatCon, Inc.

American Eurocopter, LLC American Iron and Steel Institute Applied Resources, Inc. Army National Automotive ASHRAE, Inc. ATA Engineering ATMOS Energy Augusta Systems Aurora Flight Science Corporation Battelle Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Boeing Company Cadence Design Systems, Inc. CAEC, LLC Clemson University Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District Creare, Inc. Cytec Corporation Department of Defense Education Activity DEPSCoR Drexel University East Mississippi Community College 27

U.S. Department of Commerce U.S. Department of Defense U.S. Department of Energy U.S. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Labor U.S. Department of Transportation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Forest Service U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Naval Oceanographic Office University of Alabama-Huntsville University of California in San Diego University of Florida University of Maryland University of Massachusetts University of Michigan University of Mississippi University of New Orleans University of Southern Mississippi University of Alabama at Birmingham Westar Corporation

Dean’s Advisory Council James W. Bagley Executive Chairman of the Board Lam Research Corporation   Fred W. Bailey President (retired) BailSco Blades and Casting   William B. Berry Executive Vice President of Exploration and Production ConocoPhillips   D. Hines Brannan, Jr. (Chair) Managing Partner (retired) Accenture   Fred P. Burke President and CEO Guardian Pharmacy   Virginia L. Carron Partner Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett and Dunner, LLP   William M. Cobb President William M. Cobb and Associates   Earnest W. Deavenport, Jr. Chairman and CEO (retired) Eastman Chemical Company   Henry W. “Buddy” Faulkner President Advanced Sales Institute, Inc.

Michael Forster Senior Partner Internet Capital Group   Carl Ray Furr Executive Vice President (retired) Engineering Associates/Pickering   Frank F. Gallaher Executive Vice President (retired) Entergy Services, Inc.   A. P. “Jack” Hatcher Chairman and CEO (retired) Robertson-Ceco   Hunter W. Henry President (retired) Dow Chemical   Matthew L. Holleman, III Chairman and CEO (retired) Mississippi Valley Gas   Herbert V. Johnson President HVJ Associates, Inc.   Rodger L. Johnson President and CEO Knology, Inc.   Vess L. Johnson President and CEO Silicon Metrics   Elton R. King President (retired) BellSouth

William W. “Bill” Lampton President - Asphalt Division Ergon, Inc.   Steve A. Lindsay Vice President of Corporate Marketing-Company Operations Lam Research Corporation   Douglas J. Marchant CEO and General Manager Unified Health Services, LLC   Terry J. Moran Principal Moran Engineering    Franklin T. Myers Senior Vice President of Finance and CFO Cameron International Corp.   Mark M. Seymour, Sr. Principal Seymour Engineering   Bobby S. Shackouls President and CEO (retired) Burlington Resources, Inc.   Dave C. Swalm Chairman and CEO (retired) Texas Olefins   James T. White President H. C. Price Co.   Danny J. Windham CEO Digium, Inc.

Leadership Team Administration Interim Dean and Bobby Shackouls Professor W. Glenn Steele, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Roger L. King, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Academics and Administration Donna S. Reese, Ph.D. Assistant Dean of Diversity and Student Development Tommy J. Stevenson, Ph.D. Instructor/Director and Chair Entrepreneurship Program Gerald C. Nelson Undergraduate Coordinator Robert A. Green Director of Development F. Ryan Little Assistant Director of Development Michele H. Anderson Manager, Graduate and Distance Education Rita A. Burrell Technical Communications Coordinator John W. Brocato 31

Business Manager Carol J. Martin K-12 Outreach Coordinator Emma E. Seiler Publications Coordinator and Graphic Designer Heather M. Rowe Publications Writer Diane L. Godwin Communication Specialist Susan E. Lassetter Computer Support Specialist Fuquiang â&#x20AC;&#x153;Johnâ&#x20AC;? Ye

Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering Mark G. White, Ph.D. white@che.msstate.edu (662) 325-2480 Civil and Environmental Engineering Dennis D. Truax, Ph.D. truax@cee.msstate.edu (662) 325-7187 Computer Science and Engineering Julia E. Hodges, Ph.D. hodges@cse.msstate.edu (662) 325-3912

Department Heads

Electrical and Computer Engineering Sarah A. Rajala, Ph.D. rajala@ece.msstate.edu (662) 325-3912

Aerospace Engineering Anthony J. Vizzini, Ph.D. vizzini@ae.msstate.edu (662) 325- 3623

Industrial and Systems Engineering Royce O. Bowden, Ph.D. bowden@ise.msstate.edu (662) 325-7623

Agricultural and Biological Engineering William Batchelor, Ph.D. batchelor@abe.msstate.edu (662) 325-3280

Mechanical Engineering Louay M. Chamra, Acting, Ph.D. chamra@me.msstate.edu (662) 325-3260

Dimension Credits Art Direction Heather M. Rowe

Writers

Diane L. Godwin Robbie Ward

Editors

John Brocato Kay F. Jones

Photographers

Diane L. Godwin Megan Bean Russ Houston Heather M. Rowe

Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteranâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated.