Momentum 2007 Fall by Bagley College of Engineering

FALL 2007

inside this issue: stories from the other side of the world reality is what you make it making a difference in mississippi champions up for a challenge

Bringing students together & enriching lives

Greetings from the Bagley College of Engineering at Mississippi State! The beginning of a new term is an exciting time for our faculty, staff, alumni, and friends. As we all welcome new and returning students, we realize that we have the unique and awesome responsibility of helping students reach their full potential. There is no doubt that the role of our jobs is to impact the lives we touch in order to make the world a better place. Sometimes the work the students, faculty and staff accomplish here at the BCoE make for great headlines in the media. For instance, the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) student Challenge X team won the national championship of the Challenge X: Cross-Over to Sustainable Mobility competition. General Motors and the U.S. Department of Energy sponsor the four year event. The first three years involved redesigning a 2005 Chevrolet Equinox to gain higher fuel mileage and emit emissions that are safer for the environment. The fourth year involves the BCoE CAVS national championship team showcasing their SUV across the country. Our BCoE team was one of only 17 engineering colleges selected from across the nation to compete in the event. Other stories of success in this issue of Momentum magazine include how our Engineering Engagement and Outreach Service (EEOS) is partnering with several industries in an effort to help Mississippi build a stronger economy. CAVS-Extension and the Industrial Outreach Service form the core of the EEOS, and collectively through multiple service and development projects they have generated a return on investment of more than $800 million to the state. This outreach service, as well as our diversity, cooperative education, and study abroad programs are helping students apply the knowledge they gain in the classroom to real-world

projects. You’ll read how these students are working with heads of companies to make a significant impact in the community and the state. Another positive indication that the student programs and curriculum are effective here at the BCoE is the increase in numbers of this year’s entering class. Students vote with their enrollment, and they are telling us they like what they see and are excited about the programs at the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Enrollment figures are as follows:

• Undergraduate student enrollment is up seven percent • Master’s student enrollment is up 18 percent • Doctoral student enrollment is up 12 percent Where there is the honor and pride of being the chosen college, there also comes the great responsibility of fulfilling the expectations of those earning degrees from the BCoE. We give you an inside look at how we live up to our reputation through stories about our alumni and how the BCoE helped them accomplish their life achievements. Their stories are truly inspirational. As you will see and read, it’s a great time to be involved at the BCoE.

Go Dawgs! Glenn Steele

Message from the Dean

FALL 2007

table of contents 03

Editors

Stories from the other side of the world: BCoE students learn about South Korean culture

Kay Jones John Brocato

Champions up for a challenge

Writers

Diane L. Godwin Susan Lassetter

Mississippi students are driving by the sun

Making a difference in Mississippi

Ar t Direction Heather M. Rowe

At Mississippi State, reality is what you make it

Photographers

Cooperative education offers many benefits

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

Engineers - Not just the stereotypical “pocket protector” students

Diversity programs enrich students’ lives

Advisory Board

Development Notes

W. Glenn Steele Roger King Donna Reese Robert Green Ryan Little Michele Anderson

Alumni remember their roots

Movers & Shakers

MS Power energizes ECE department with new endowment

Subscription, Inquiries & Address Changes: Momentum PO Box 9544 Miss. State, MS 39762 or publications@ bagley.msstate.edu

www.bagley.msstate.edu

Diversity programs enrich students’ lives Cover: (L-R) Vanessa Daniels, a junior mechanical engineering student; Robert Walker, a sophomore engineering major, and William Carruth, a senior civil engineering student.

Stories from the other side of the world: BCoE students learn about South Korean culture

By Diane L. Godwin

“Ahn-nyung ha-seh-yo ban-gap sup-nee-da” translates into “Hello, it’s nice to meet you” in Korean. It is one of the many phrases that the 11 Bagley College of Engineering students learned on their cultural exchange trip to Korea. They, along with 19 other Mississippi State students, were selected for a 10-day trip to visit South Korea. The trip, organized by Dr. J. P. Shim of the College of Business and Industry, is part of the new Global Leadership program developed by MSU President Robert “Doc” Foglesong to help students broaden their world perspective. “The university is focusing on offering more international education experiences to help students develop international and cross-cultural competency; as American companies globalize their businesses, they need to hire a globally-minded workforce,” said Foglesong. “Mississippi State graduates will need this understanding and capability in order to successfully work alongside people with diverse cultural backgrounds.” Engineering students Rob Cochran, Christopher Digesu, Caleb Dulaney, Grant Chandler, Jeral Self, and Nashlie Sephus agree. Through their experiences abroad, they were able to gain perspectives not easily grasped through classroom lectures. We caught up with them during summer break to ask them about their South Korean educational experience. 03

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What did you do to prepare yourself for the trip to Korea? Grant: While I told myself that I would try to learn some Korean before the trip, the rigorous schedule of a senior engineering major at the end of the semester got the best of me, and, needless to say, the only Korean education I received before our plane landed in Seoul was the small phrasebook I had on the plane. Luckily, for the entire group and me, South Korea has a lot of English infused into its culture. Almost all signs, including most menus, are written in Korean, as well as English. I was surprised at the number of people who were extremely fluent in English. While I expected our Korean organizers and university personnel to speak our language well, I was pleasantly surprised to see many shopkeepers and waiters who could speak fluent English. Jeral: Everyone there for the most part is bilingual. They speak fluent English and Korean. What is more surprising, however, is the fact that many are trilingual. That impressed me and taught me that Koreans understand and value the fact that speaking different languages for global interactions is necessary. I wish Americans had the same outlook on life.

When meeting for the first time, do you think you fit into the “American stereotype” from the Korean citizens’ pointof-view? Jeral: “I assumed you all would have been fat and ugly, but you are nothing like the Americans we see on the television news.” These were the first words spoken to us by one of our Korean “buddies,” as we referred to them. This statement showed me not only how many American television shows and movies these students had seen but also how Americanized their society really is. On every street corner, if you looked hard enough, you would see a Burger King, Krispy Kreme or an Outback Steakhouse restaurant.

How is their educational system different from ours? Rob: Students get to school at 8 or 9 in the morning and do not leave until 9 or 10 at night. Even though the students were not in class this entire time, they were involved in some type of school project. It really surprised me that they would go home from school, go to sleep, and repeat the entire schedule the next morning. I admire their ability and perseverance to do this, but I do not feel that it is necessarily better than the American system. I would rather see students spending more time at home with their families. My assumption that Korean students seem less individualistic than American students is very

true. In America, students all want to look and act differently. This seemed far from the truth during my time in Korea. There was a definite sense of unity among the citizens. People were much more shy and subdued, and, therefore, attracted less attention to themselves.

How is their economic and business commerce different from ours? Nashlie: Since I’m a huge shopping fan, I have to take this time to describe the “shopping” in South Korea. I emphasize “shopping” because it takes on a whole new meaning in South Korea. The traditional Korean markets flood the sidewalks with souvenirs; even parts of the streets and underground subways are filled with vendors and merchandise. Many of the wholesale markets are open until 5 a.m. The Electronic Market has about seven floors, which are the size of Target retail stores, filled with nothing but electronics, from MP3 players to plasma television screens. One unusual thing I noticed was that the long strip malls have the same kinds of stores right next to each other. I counted 10 separate bridal stores sitting in a row on the left side of a street and at least eight camera stores on the other side. I do understand, however, that there must be multiple stores to compensate and fit the needs of such a huge and densely populated city.

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Rob: In America, almost every city has a WalMart. In Seoul, I noticed there were not as many supermarkets, but many smaller stores that were family-owned. These stores only carried a certain type of good, instead of trying to sell every kind of product on the market. Also, many products and services used by Koreans are domestic (meaning Korean). I am not saying that Koreans do not import products, but they seem to be more loyal to domestic products.

Is the Korean culture more traditional or innovative? Jeral: Koreans ingrain tradition and an appreciation for history in almost every aspect of their lives. As we learned the language, we were exposed to the hierarchical system that has been in practice since the country’s creation. The fact that there was no consistent word or name for a person was extremely surprising. Each person had a specified word or name, and, depending on the sex or age of the person described, that word often changed. We experienced a Korean tea ceremony and wore the Hanbok that the women of Korea wear. We were exposed to how everything had a place and in every place a purpose. Whether it was the many tea cups laid out flat before us to make sure that the tea tasted perfect or the intricate beading on the ceremonial Korean hat that was upon my head, each ceremony was special and specifically detailed in a certain manner for a reason established hundreds of years ago, but still in practice today. Caleb: They became overjoyed when I spoke what little Korean I knew. They also appreciated my love of Korean foods from na-chi (live octopus) to sam-kyup-sal (a spicy Korean meat dish). After thinking about the experience, though, I think they were most appreciative of the act of trying something new and different and giving new things a chance. I think this is a big part of dynamic Korea because they try new ideas while remaining firmly rooted in tradition. I think this must also be one of the defining characteristics of a global leader.

How can you relate to someone of another nationality if you can’t let go of your own reservations and fully embrace another’s culture? Jeral: Their technology is amazing. The fact that one could watch a baseball game between the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets while riding on their subway by simply turning on a cell phone blew my mind. DMB (Digital Media Broadcasting) is leading the way in the digital broadcast industry. With global powerhouses like Samsung and LG centrally based in South Korea, this country essentially has a leg up in the advanced technology race. Despite the fact that they are so technologically advanced, they are at the same time spiritually and culturally rooted in the past.

What are the differences in the way they practice medicine from the way we practice medicine? Christopher: I’m studying biological engineering, and I am a pre-medicine student. I really appreciated the opportunity to contrast the way we practice medicine here to their health care system. Their medicine is very different from ours and concentrates on the use of herbs and acupuncture as alternatives to synthesized drugs and surgeries. This gave me a very different perspective of the medical field and opened my mind to the best ways to treat patients. Because herbal medicine is natural and causes fewer side effects, I began looking into the Oriental medicine field for the future. We were also introduced to major technological research institutes. The high-tech equipment was endless, from the fusion reactor to the bone density instruments. Each was incredibly inspiring, and I believe they serve as a testament to the Korean drive for success.

What is the most important thing you discovered about yourself? Caleb: I found myself asking many times how Koreans view our American culture. I told the President of Kwangwoon University that there were countless things about South Korea I wish we had in the U.S. I then asked if there were things in America he wished Koreans could have. He surprised me with his answer when he said that the one thing he wished they could have was America’s sense of freedom. I was amazed because South Korea seemed as free as the U.S. I guess the idea of freedom, though, is not so ingrained in Koreans as it is in Americans. I came to the stunning realization that the U.S. is not defined by its products or its military power. Instead, the United States is defined by an idea and a dream of freedom that makes our country unique. I will venture to say that in a country of countless cultures and nationalities, the culture of America is our sense of freedom. This moment in the trip truly made me proud to be an American. Jeral: I finally understand why I could not know Korea’s culture by simply reading or hearing about it. The reason? I had to be in Korea, in person, to feel and experience it. Initially, before the trip when I was studying their culture, I didn’t want to accept their thoughts and beliefs because I was in fear of losing my sense of self in another culture. By the end of the trip, my heart was in sync with the many hearts of the people there. I did not want to leave, but I had to. My “safety net” had been formed. South Korea had become my home away from home. When I finally embraced it all, I could say that I had found my niche in the Korean world— a world that seemed so far away two weeks previously. In the end, I could say comfortably a heartfelt “jeonun hankuk saram imnida” (“I am Korean”) as well as “jeonun miguk saram imnida” (“I am American”), and it felt tremendously good.

Fall 2007

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Champions up for a challenge “We rely a lot on foreign oil, and of course everyone knows gas prices are rising, and we definitely need a solution. We want the public to know that Mississippi State University students are actually working on a solution to this problem,” said Amanda McAlpin.

of the brightest engineering students from across the country to develop innovative and environmentally friendly sport utility vehicles.

McAlpin is a student team member and the outreach coordinator for the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering’s Challenge X: Cross Over to Sustainable Mobility team. General Motors (GM) and the U.S. Department of Energy created Challenge X to explore advanced automotive technologies that address important energy and environmental issues. The four-year competitive program is challenging some

GM approved their design and assigned the team GM engineer Bill Biggs to consult with as the students built their vehicle. Biggs said the BCoE is one of 17 engineering colleges from across the U.S. and Canada selected to re-engineer from concept to completion the Chevrolet Equinox SUV.

“It’s a four-year competition. The first year we didn’t even have a vehicle; it was all simulations and research. We had to come up with a design,” explained McAlpin. “At the end of the first year, we were invited to the General Motors proving grounds in Detroit, and we presented our vehicle design to General Motors engineers—just as if we were General Motors engineers.”

“Basically, we adapted GM’s vehicle development program and made some modifica-

By Diane L. Godwin

tions so it would fit the students’ schedules,” Biggs said. “It’s actually very similar to how we design and develop vehicles. The program gives students an insight of what GM engineers do in their jobs on a daily basis.” Earlier this year, the BCoE team and their 16 college competitors from across the nation gathered at the GM testing track in Detroit. The event marked the third year of competition and involved judging the teams’ final development and designs of the vehicles. Kyle Crawford, a proud member of the Challenge X student team said, “The first year of competition, some members of the other teams were saying, ‘Who are these guys from Mississippi? They don’t know anything about automotive engineering.’ So, I guess a lot of people were questioning our ability and thought that we were just some shade tree mechanics.”

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The BCoE had something to prove. Not only did the team develop the SUV, they won the entire competition, making them the national champions. And they won it competing against engineering colleges that have the reputation as the powerhouses, the elite, the “Ivy League” of engineering. Competitors included the University of Wisconsin—Madison, Virginia Tech, Ohio State, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Team adviser Dr. Marshall Molen, an electrical and computer engineering faculty member, proudly bragged that the BCoE team built a winning SUV that gets more than 35 miles to the gallon and has low emissions. There also was talk that the student-designed vehicle could accelerate from 0-60 miles per hour in 7.8 seconds. When asked to confirm that fact, Molen laughed and said, “Let me correct you. The first time we ran the acceleration test, we ran it in 7.4 seconds. Then, one of the teams protested because they were questioning the fuel we were using, and they thought we added something to it. So, we were asked to rerun it and then we had a clutch failure— even with that we reran it in 7.6 seconds with a clutch slipping.” Running 0-60 in 7.4 seconds proved to the team that they had built an SUV that was worthy of a national title, but they knew they first had to overcome some adversity, which was the slipping clutch. Molen explained that the SUV is front-wheel-drive, and replacing the clutch meant removing the entire engine. “First of all, we had a challenge of acquiring the clutch for the vehicle because it is a European power train,” Molen said. “But we were able to get a clutch and a fly wheel flown in the next day.” At that point, the team had to make a decision—compete and settle for what they could win or take a risk and remove the engine to replace the clutch.

Team member Matthew Young said, “We had the confidence that we could do it because we had taken the engine out so many times, but we were not real sure how fast we could get it done.” Molen said at that point the other teams began offering their condolences. “They were thinking, ‘Well, that is it for Mississippi State,’ and people were telling us, ‘Well, you all ran a good race,’ and ‘Sorry about this.’” As the other teams were counting them out, BCoE students worked against the clock and began ripping the engine out of the SUV. Team member Steven Phillips said they were focused and determined to accomplish their mission of winning the Challenge X national title.

“Most of the teams were watching us, and they were totally amazed. They couldn’t conceive of tearing their car completely apart and putting it completely back together at the competition. They were standing around in awe with expressions on their faces that conveyed, ‘What are they thinking?’ We kindly reacted with, ‘What are you guys looking at?’ They responded with, ‘We can’t believe you’re tearing your car apart.’ We said, ‘Well, you know it needs to be done. We built it, and we can tear it apart and fix it. We want to do well, and we’re not going to limp through with a bad clutch.’”

The students took the engine out and were ready to reinstall the good clutch in a record time of three hours. However, they still had another barrier to overcome. The pits closed each night at eight, which meant they had to wait until the next morning to complete the clutch installation. In spite of all adversity, they placed first and second in all 12 events. Biggs said that every tenth of a second counted, especially when the MSU BCoE team won the national title by only three points out of 1,000. “In this type of contest it really comes down to getting every point possible, and the team really focused on earning every point. I really believe that is what actually enabled them to win. It was a very close contest between first and second place.” Phillips pointed out that the competition was so close every team member seemed to hold their breath as the awards were announced. “First, they named the top six teams. Then, they announced that Virginia Tech won third place. I thought, ‘Well, this is interesting.’ Then, the University of WisconsinMadison won second place, and for a split second I thought, ‘Oh, man! We must have placed seventh!’ Then, they announced, ‘And the Challenge X champions are the members from the Mississippi State Bagley College of Engineering team.’” Crawford, who is now an MSU graduate and GM engineer, said there are some added advantages to winning the Challenge X competition. “Really, more than anything, it was a great learning experience. As a result, several of us now work at General Motors. I work in the diesel power-train group.” The BCoE team also received a total of $31,500 in prize money, including $15,000 from the National Science Foundation for Outstanding Faculty Adviser.

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“Solar it up.” That might be what the Houston Vocational Center High School solar car team members say when using sun as an alternative fuel resource to power their car. The 18-member team competed in the Dell-Winston Solar Car competition, a national educational program that teaches high school students how to build roadworthy solar cars. For the past six years, the Sundancer team from Houston, Miss., has won the Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge. They raced 11 other teams— three of them from Mississippi—for a seventh win in this year’s competition. Team adviser Keith Reese said students, researchers and faculty members from the Bagley College of Engineering gave them a few pointers on how to build the car during their first attempt six years ago.

Mississippi students are driving by the sun By Diane L. Godwin

“When we first began competing, they advised us about the design of the car, and when we were test racing they gave us realtime data on how the car was performing by creating a telemetry link with an MSU support vehicle,” said Reese. “We are so fortunate to have them as an engineering resource. They provide the engineering consultation support to help us make the car more aerodynamically efficient and structurally sound. If we hadn’t had their advice, I don’t think we would be in a position to compete internationally,” he added. Since then, the Houston student team has rebuilt and re-engineered their solar car several times. The students and experts at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS) were always willing to share their advice and expertise anytime the students called on them. “We just shared our advice,” said Marshall Molen, electrical and computer engineering professor and the MSU Challenge X team adviser. “These high school students built the car themselves.” Molen added that one of the roles for the MSU Challenge X student team and CAVS is outreach—getting grade and high school

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kids interested in science, engineering and technology. There is another advantage, he added. “The students are learning about the importance of alternative fuels and the impact of environmentally friendly technology.” The Sundancer solar car has obtained speeds of 78 mph on a test track. This year the solar car traveled 689 miles in 17 hours, 45 minutes and 13 seconds with an average speed just under 40 mph. The nine-day cross-country challenge started in Texas and ended in New York. The Houston team competed against 44 solar car challengers from 22 countries in the World Solar Challenge race held in Australia—it’s a race that took them 2,000 miles across the Outback. One of the race’s

objectives is to help increase public awareness of the potential for solar energy in transportation. “Sundancer I” is traveling across international waters making its way home from Australia. As the student team waits for their original car to arrive, they have already begun construction on a new car, “Sundancer II.” The new car means the team will be competing next year in all three divisions of the Dell-Winston race. Each year, the Dell-Winston School Solar Car Challenge rotates between the Texas Motor Speedway and a cross-country route starting from Dell’s headquarters in Round Rock, Texas. This year, 11 teams from across the United States and Puerto Rico participated in the cross-country

solar journey. The 2007 race began on Monday, July 16, at Dell’s headquarters, made a pit stop to re-energize their cars at the Mississippi State CAVS extension center in Canton, Miss., and went on to finish in Newburgh, N.Y., covering 2,020 miles of roadway. The three other Mississippi teams competing in the challenge were Choctaw Central High School, Newton County Career and Technical Center and Ocean Springs High School. For final race results and more information about the Dell Winston Solar Car Challenge, visit www. winstonsolar.org/challenge.

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Making a difference in Mississippi By Diane L. Godwin

The Engineering Engagement and Outreach Service of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, in cooperation with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership of Mississippi (MEP.ms), has made one of the largest economic impacts for the state in the history of MEP.ms. CAVS Extension-Canton and Industrial Outreach Service create the core of the BCoE Engineering Engagement Outreach Service. Collectively, they’ve generated more than $800 million in economic impact on the state and created 280 jobs by helping prestigious manufacturing companies and their service industries produce world-class goods in a more efficient and globally competitive way, while bringing state-of-the-art technology to Mississippi industry.

“We were able to work in areas where hundreds of millions of dollars had to be rationalized. We were able to develop a threedimensional simulation of plant operations that showed the processes and flow of true production days and the impact random events would have on the line—just like they would occur in real-life. Creating virtual simulations helps companies find where the bottlenecks in production are and to identify critical resources that they have to maximize in order to produce the best product possible,” he continued.

with companies and provide expertise in expansion management, developing projects, streamlining work processes, and creating plans to build facilities from concept to completion. These are just a sample of the kinds of services they have provided to companies such as the Franklin Corp., Long Branch Corp. Inc., Griffin Industries, M-Tek, Mueller Copper Fittings, Nissan North America-Canton, Orman’s Welding, Precision Machine and Metal Fabrication, Tower Automotives, Faurecia, Blackwater Farms, C and M Tire Disposal Inc., Electric Motor Sales and Service, Sheldon Lab Systems, Yarbrough Wood Products, and Wade Services Inc.

Familiar high-profile companies, including North American Eurocopter, Raytheon, Aurora Flight Services, Toyota, Peterbilt’s PACCAR, Miltec, ATK Southern ComFaurecia, a French company, is an automoposites, Clear Orbit, GE, Rolls Royce, tive seat frame supplier to Chrysler. The SeverCorr, and Nissan, all have begun Cleveland plant recently turned to CAVS “CAVS Extension, with the help from the doing business or are manufacturing Extension for help to radically improve Manufacturing Extension Partnership, products in the state of Mississippi. Their the quality and quantity of their products. has formed relationships with more than return on investment since locating to Werner Forster, plant manager, worked 45 companies to assist them with project the Magnolia State has been so positive with Walden to create Kaizen Events (indevelopment processes,” said Clay Walden, that they are producing entrepreneurial tensive team-based solving sessions). Thirty engineering manager for CAVS Extensionopportunities for new service industries of Forster’s management team members Canton. or for existing businesses to realign their and employees attended sessions that incorfacilities. The BCoE’s CAVS Extension and porated Six Sigma and lean management Industrial Outreach Service are engaged practices. Bagley College of Engineering Momentum 10

“We were facing high customer demand of our products and there were orders we feared we were going to be unable to fulfill without buying additional equipment or adding more shifts. These solutions were not financially feasible for us,” said Forster. “Working with CAVS Extension enabled us to find ways to increase productivity, improve material flow, and achieve standardized work processes. Our quality improved from the back line by 80 percent.” Forster is now in the process of organizing workshops for Faurecia’s European and North American management group. “I’m very pleased that CAVS Extension will continue supporting us on our next big workshop because this training event will be an important milestone for all the plants in North America.” Another automotive supply company called on CAVS Extension to help them design a new manufacturing facility in Meridian. Tower Automotive is one of the largest independent global suppliers of stamped, formed and welded components for the automotive industry. With headquarters in Novi, Mich., the company has more than 12,000 employees in 15 countries. CAVS Extension’s role was instrumental in the company building a second Mississippi facility. Using virtual simulation and computer modeling tools, CAVS Extension was able to provide Tower’s management several layout scenarios of the 310,000-foot facility. Tower’s administrators were able to change and test many design scenarios that enabled them to avoid expensive repair and renovations as the building was constructed. Former Tower Plant Manager Daryl Brazier said, “The CAVS Extension team assisted us in making financially feasible decisions that led to creating a ‘lean’ manufacturing facility.” Another advantage of the Engineering and Engagement Outreach Service is the “real-life” job experience these projects are giving to engineering and architecture students. One particular project involves

the Industrial Outreach Service (IOS) and their work with the Mississippi Industries for the Blind (MIB). As a non-funded state agency, MIB generates its operating funds and salaries from manufacturing projects, while providing employment opportunities to people who are blind or sight-impaired. Stephanie DeShazer, a senior industrial engineering major, has been providing support to the MIB on how to improve its layout for its industrial sponge-making operation. “I’m studying the employees and how they go about creating their products, I’m studying their work processes. I’m evaluating past data to see what has and hasn’t worked. My goal is to make their job easier and meet deadlines without them having to expend a lot of energy, because if they’re tired, that affects the quality of the product.” Then Deshazer contemplated for a moment and enthusiastically expressed, “You know, I’m going in as a student to meet and talk to heads of companies, and they’re taking my advice, and it’s working, and they’re giving me compliments on my work—that is a great feeling.” In addition to the IOS providing consultation for the MIB to streamline work processes, the MIB also has asked them to determine new requirements for a new facility or realign and remodel their existing antiquated manufacturing building. Normally, the plans to build or transform an existing state facility is a project the Mississippi Bureau of Building’s architect would create. However, typical government buildings are not built to meet manufacturing facility stipulations. That is when the Bureau of Buildings and the MIB consulted with the BCoE’s Industrial Outreach Services for their expertise in developing plans to construct a manufacturing facility that meets all federal and state guidelines and specifications. Stuart Dean, senior project manager for IOS, said “We’re providing a road map for better project flow, more efficient use of space, and creating process layouts that

will allow them to produce more quantity and quality with fewer employees. Basically, we’re providing the expertise to help them streamline their facility.” He added, “Chris Cosper, from the Mississippi State College of Architecture, Art and Design’s (CAAD) Carl Small Town Center, is helping us draft, design and organize an architectural program.” CAAD and IOS are pooling their resources and knowledge to provide MIB services that it could not find anywhere else in the state. Cosper said, “The IOS knows the manufacturing side of the business and what MIB needs to be successful and efficient. We know how to organize that knowledge into a format that describes required spaces, equipment and utilities. We will create an ‘architectural program’ that will give an architect a good idea of what is needed to get started on the project.” Yet, there is another neat aspect of this project. The CAAD always is looking for ways to engage students with projects that involve a thoughtful approach to accessible design and the specific needs for people with disabilities. Charles Berry, a third-year architecture student, said, “It’s great to work on a real project with real people who have real needs and to know that my work will make the world a better and more comfortable place for them.” Danny Isonhood, facility manager for MIB added, “We also are appreciative for the number of engineering and architecture students who have spent many man-hours with staff here at the MIB while under IOS and CAAD supervision. These students have played an important part in the progress we see here today at MIB.” For more information on how the outreach centers at the BCoE can help your company, contact Roger King of the Engineering Engagement and Outreach Service at 662-325-2189.

Fall 2007

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At Mississippi State, reality is what you make it By Susan Lassetter Writers, politicians and movie-makers use their words and audiences’ imaginations to make people view the world differently, but for Dr. Ed Swan, a professor of computer science and engineering in the Bagley College of Engineering, making people see things in a new way has more literal implications. Through the augmented reality research he conducts at the Institute for Neurocognitive Science and Technology (INST), he hopes to bring the technology of Hollywood blockbusters and gamers’ dreams to life. “Most people are familiar with virtual reality. They’ve seen it in movies or read about it in newspapers and magazines, but they are typically confused when you mention augmented reality,” Adam Jones, INST systems administrator, said. “In virtual reality you are completely immersed in a virtual, computer-generated environment, but with augmented reality it’s like putting on a pair of glasses. You still see what you would normally see but with virtual elements added in.” Jones and fellow computer science and engineering doctoral candidate Gurjot Singh

joined Swan at INST after learning of his research efforts through classes. By joining Swan in his interdisciplinary research, the two students hope to help advance augmented reality technology, and the cognitive sciences behind it, to a point where it can be used on a commercial level. “I had heard of Dr. Swan’s research in class and I came across it again when I was looking for a thesis area,” Singh explained. “This research is really cool and interesting. As we progress in our research, we see that there are more and more possibilities for this technology.” Virtual reality has been around since the late 1960s, but despite all of the advances in engineering and research, one phenomenon cannot be explained and has contributed to keeping the technology from being used in many practical training applications. In virtual reality, users’ perception of the depth and size of their immediate surroundings becomes skewed; creating a world that looks and feels smaller than it really is. Theoretically, virtual technology could be a useful training tool for the military, police, firefighters, and other

groups who sometimes work in hazardous surroundings. However, without an accurate sense of the size of one’s surroundings, virtual training cannot be fully effective. “In virtual reality, scenery becomes compressed so it appears smaller and closer to the user than it actually is, but the experiments we have conducted so far are suggesting that the same thing happens with augmented reality only on a much smaller scale,” Swan said. “It might mean that an augmented reality system would allow people to train with a more accurate sense of spatial layout than when training in a purely virtual environment.” Swan first witnessed this phenomenon while at the Naval Research Laboratory, where his group was creating a wearable augmented reality system, but when depth perception was identified as a critical area of research, he turned to the academic world for help. He found himself at Mississippi State, where he invested his startup funding to begin augmented reality research. With assistance from Jones, as well as Eric Kolstad, a doctorial candidate in computational engineering, he began

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conducting experiments and gathering data. Respected in his field, Swan was able to spend several weeks with researchers at NASA’s Ames Research Laboratory sharing information and gathering data. “I spent 10 weeks at NASA Ames right in the heart of Silicon Valley,” Swan said. “Their lab was the first to develop the modern design for the head-mounted displays, which are used in virtual and augmented reality. Based on my experience and collaborations there, I was able to get funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for my efforts at MSU,” he explained. “I had a great time there, and I hope to eventually accompany my students out there so they can experience it, as well.” With funding from NSF, Swan’s augmented reality research is guaranteed to continue for another three years. The researchers hope the time will give them an opportunity to explore some of the many possibilities of augmented reality technology. From a training tool to video games to something straight out of a comic book, the technology has the possibility to impact many aspects of people’s lives and give them unfathomable abilities—even if they aren’t from Krypton. “We have several long-term goals with augmented reality. One thing we can do is give the user a form of x-ray vision, similar to what Superman has had since the 1930s,” Swan pointed out. “We can show you an object located behind an opaque wall while you are wearing the headset. The interesting question, which nobody has yet asked, is exactly where you would perceive the object to be located,” he noted. “Another possible application, which is Adam’s primary interest in the research, is in the medical field. Already, this technology is helping surgeons train, and soon it will help surgeons operate on patients more quickly and less invasively.” With all the possibilities of augmented reality, the researchers are eager to continue their experiments and developments in refining the technology. Their contributions to the field are helping ready augmented reality for eventual widespread commercial use, so that years from now this technology, which seems like something out of a scifi movie, could be available to make people’s lives better. “I’ve always been interested in visualization and how people perceive it, but I really never thought I’d have the opportunity to work with something this amazing. I feel really lucky to have gotten connected with Dr. Swan to get to work with this kind of research,” Jones said. “It’s the stuff you see in movies and think there’s no chance you’ll ever get to work with anything like that. Then an opportunity like this comes along, and you get to do very meaningful research that could potentially have an impact on the future.”

In Memory We’d like to take a moment to remember Bill Boyd, a 1960 MSU graduate who died this past spring. Boyd was an aerospace engineering graduate and worked in the field for 12 years. R.F. Tanner, a lifelong friend and roommate while attending Mississippi State, said, “Bill’s first job after graduation was with MITRE Research out of Montgomery, Ala.” The two aerospace majors graduated from MSU at the same time and stayed in touch throughout their careers. When Dr. Joe Cornish, the former head of aerophysics at MSU, took a job with Lockheed in Georgia, he recruited both graduates to work for the engineering conglomerate. Boyd was transferred to Lockheed, Calif., and then moved back home to McComb. It was at this time that he opened a radio and television repair shop with his dad. In the early 1990s, the two of them decided to open a Radio Shack franchise. “Bill was like a brother I never had,” added Tanner, fondly. “Bill was brilliant, passionate about life, and he lived it to the fullest.” Boyd spent his free time riding motorcycles. He was a member of several different riding clubs, such as the BMW-Riders of Mississippi and the BMW-Motorcycles of America. His wife of more than 38 years, Patsy Boyd, as well as his two daughters and son, said Boyd died doing what he loved: “On the morning of May 2, he rode his motorcycle into the McDonald’s parking lot to meet friends for coffee. As he was parking the bike and flipping down the kickstand, he reached for his cell phone and that is when the Lord called him home.” Family, friends and BCoE alumni will miss him.

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Cooperative education offers many benefits By Susan Lassetter

Many students come to college to find themselves—find a major, find a career, find a future, find a dream, and often times find themselves without money. Inevitably, the path to graduation comes with detours to stress and worry, now more than ever, because of increased competition for entrylevel jobs. But, for the ambitious engineering student, there is a way to bypass many of those common stressors and build a résumé in the process. “Cooperative education has many benefits to students. One of the earliest is they get a chance to see their career choice in action, and see if that is something they really want to do,” explained Mike Mathews, associate director of cooperative education at MSU. “Sometimes, they even get more detail about their major and discover what direction within it they want to go. It’s putting the theory they get in school into practice.”

A secret weapon in a recent graduate’s arsenal, cooperative education (co-op) can mean the difference between being one in a 1,000 entry-level engineers looking for a job and having a contract signed before donning a cap and gown. In fact, completing semesters of co-op work often helps students reach their graduation date by putting them ahead in their classes.

variety of choices about where they spend their time. This flexibility allows students to carefully select the employer that is the right “fit” and often leads them to complete additional work semesters. Once a student concludes their commitment, they have accumulated more than a year of realworld work experience, making them a hot commodity among new grads.

“Grades go up significantly for an average co-op student, and they become more motivated in their classwork,” Mathews said. “Then, of course, they are also getting a break from school so they don’t get burned out, which is often a problem for students in demanding engineering classes.”

“For many employers, co-op is a recruiting tool. They are not just hiring these students as workers; they are hiring them as trainees,” Mathews said. “They pay nice wages and often offer benefits such as housing, so they give the students as much experience as they can handle. That way, when they go back for another semester, they can receive a pay raise and additional responsibility.”

Co-op students agree to complete at least three alternating work semesters for Upon graduation, most co-op students their employer. With approximately 200 have one or more job offers, and generally employers looking for engineering co-op one of those is from their co-op employer. students each semester, students have a Bagley College of Engineering Momentum 14

Currently, 75 percent of Mississippi State’s co-op students, approximately 375 students, are from the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering. Even with that large a representation, they are filling only about 20 percent of the co-op opportunities for engineers. “All of our students with general criteria get placed in co-op positions,” Mathews explained. “Then, at graduation, virtually 100 percent of those seeking a job have a job and 90 percent of those have offers from their co-op companies.”

Thomas explained. “I was able to talk to people who actually worked for the company and see what they did on a daily basis. Talking to them about school and how they progressed in their careers really made me realize that I could do this, and this is what I wanted to do.” At the conclusion of each work semester, Thomas returned to MSU with an increased understanding of his coursework and a little extra money in his pocket. It was with an extra spring in his step that he returned for his senior year, because Shaw Industries had offered him a job. While other students fretted over their studies, compiling résumés and going on interviews, Thomas knew his immediate future was set. “Having a job lined up made my senior year go so much smoother,” Thomas boasted. “I had the regular stresses of class, but as far as worrying about where I was going to go and what was my next step in life, I wasn’t worried about that at all. So that was a lot of pressure off.”

Larry Thomas, Natchez 2007 Graduate, Industrial Systems Engineering

Thomas finished his degree in July. Although other companies made offers to try and lure him away, he began his career at Shaw Industries in September where, because of co-op, he already has a love for the people—not to mention a year of experience and seniority.

“I found out that IE is a versatile kind of engineering,” Thomas said. “In IE we get to touch on a lot of different fields. I took some classes and thought it seemed like a good fit for me. It fit my personality.”

“I wanted to work in my field before I graduated. So, I went looking for an internship, but I kept getting turned down,” Cagle-Brown recalled. “I sent a résumé to the United Space Alliance, but they only took co-ops. So, I just put everything aside and said co-op is the way to go, and I’ll graduate eventually.” Although she made the decision somewhat begrudgingly, Cagle-Brown has never regretted her choice to co-op with the United Space Alliance (USA) in Houston, Texas. Having dreamed of being an astronaut since elementary school, aeronautics has been a driving force throughout all of her education. While this dream led her to Mississippi State’s aerospace engineering program, it appeared it might not see her through as she started experiencing something that is common among engineering students–educational burnout. “Once I began co-oping, I realized that if I hadn’t, I would have gotten burned out easily,” Cagle-Brown said. “Having that semester off from school was a great break. It was like, oh I can breathe again, and then I went back to school. It was a good choice.” Having completed three co-op work semesters, she realizes that the experience has not significantly delayed her graduation date, and she appreciates the diversity it has added to her college years. With some industry experience behind her, Cagle-Brown now knows that aerospace engineering is the right field for her. Her semesters in Houston have given her more confidence about her future, as well as an increased drive to succeed.

As a freshman at Mississippi State, Larry Thomas knew his future would include engineering. What kind of engineer, took five years, three majors and one co-op experience to determine. Electrical engineering was left behind after one class meeting, chemical engineering after a year, but industrial engineering (IE) fit just right.

Having found a major that would take him to graduation, it was time for Thomas to shift his focus to life after classes. Consulting with friends who were already in the professional world, he quickly understood that his path to success needed to include real-world experience. Soon after, Thomas found what he was looking for in MSU’s co-op program and Shaw Industries in Dalton, Ga. Through co-op, he was able to build his résumé and assure himself that IE was the career he wanted to pursue. “Co-op really helped me see my career path,”

badly she wanted to turn in her textbooks, her education would not be complete without some real-world experience.

Chris Cagle-Brown, Louisville, Ky. Senior, Aerospace Engineering Graduating as quickly as possible and gaining real-world work experience often act as polar opposites in a college student’s career. Demands on their time mean they can’t have both, forcing students to decide which pull is stronger. Many times, students end up pushing through their coursework in a race toward graduation, leaving them to enter the competitive professional world armed solely with their degree. Luckily, Chris Cagle-Brown realized no matter how

“Co-op made me realize what is beyond my graduation date, so that gave me something to focus on, which was nice. I discovered that I have the ability to support myself, which should ease some of the shock after graduation,” Cagle-Brown explained. “It made me realize that engineering and aerospace engineering is so much broader than I ever thought. There’s so much out there that you can do almost anything with engineering.” Cagle-Brown expects to graduate in spring 2009. She intends to complete at least one more co-op semester to keep her place in the USA internal system in hopes of becoming a full-time employee after graduation.

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While at Tindall, he was able to observe seniorlevel co-op students and get a taste for what will come when he returns to South Carolina. These students and the professional engineer he worked under were able to give him some direction as to which elective classes would be the most beneficial for his future. Knowing what opportunities are available to him as he continues his co-op rotations, Alvarado is eager to further his education so he can take on more responsibility at Tindall.

Alex Alvarado, Tegucigalpa, Honduras Junior, Civil Engineering When people think of international students’ lives, they instinctively see language barriers and cultural differences, but many don’t consider the regulations that govern the lives of those with student visas. While visas grant students from around the globe the chance to get an American education, they limit those students’ activities to academic pursuits, often making it difficult for them to gain practical experience in their fields. This leads many in that position to take on teaching and research assistant positions, but Alex Alvarado of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, wanted more.

“The older students were doing entire processes and calculations by hand, so I am eager to go back and do more of that,” Alvarado beamed. “I like it in South Carolina. I had never been that far north before, but it is still more like the South and the people are friendly. Coming to school in America is probably one of the best decisions I ever made, even though I never thought I wanted to.” Alvarado came to Mississippi State after completing five semesters at Meridian Community College where he played soccer. He has several semesters left at MSU, during which time he will finish his coursework and at least two more co-op semesters.

“As an international student, you can’t work outside of campus, but I wasn’t interested in being a teaching assistant,” Alvarado explained. “But, then I heard about co-op and learned that I would get to work with a company to gain experience and the pay with co-op is pretty good, too. So, it was a great combination for me.” This past summer, Alvarado completed his first co-op work semester with the Tindall Corp. in South Carolina. Although he learned about civil engineering by watching his father, a civil engineer in Honduras, his co-op semester gave him firsthand experience in the industry. This helped him see that he not only had made the right choice in a major, but also was following the right concentration within civil engineering, giving him added focus in his studies. “My co-op semester has confirmed my decision to study civil engineering and go into structures,” Alvarado said. “Now, going back to class, I know what the industry is like, and it is encouraging me to keep going and be more dedicated. I’m not just focused on getting A’s and B’s, but also on actually understanding the subject and trying to apply it to the real world.”

Miles Byrd, Louisville Junior, Mechanical Engineering Co-op work semesters offer students practical experience in their field, but the process of finding the right company offers its own rewards. Students who wish to co-op often go through several days of multiple interviews. This helps show them what companies hope to find in job candidates, which is exactly what Miles Byrd was looking for when he signed up for an interview with the Southern Co. “I heard that the employers would rate us on our

interviewing skills and that’s all I was looking for, but I ended up getting a job offer,” Byrd explained. “It had been a tough semester, and they offered more money than I expected, so I just asked how far away would they relocate me, and the next thing I knew I was on my way to Atlanta.” Now, two years later, Byrd has finished his co-op rotations with the Southern Co. and has accepted a role as an MSU Co-op Ambassador. Although he didn’t start out actually seeking a co-op job, he now helps other students gain real-world experience by introducing them to cooperative education, helping arrange job fairs and sharing what he learned. “Now that I’ve been through co-op, I can say that the workplace is nothing like I thought it was going to be,” Byrd said. “I’ve experienced good bosses and bad ones, good days and boring ones. I got a taste of the real world, with taxes and everything else that comes with it. I lived on my own, in a new state and got a feel for what life will be like once I graduate. The experience is definitely worth it.” Being a co-op ambassador, he will not have time to complete another work semester before finishing his degree, but the eye-opening experience of working in industry has given him a direction for his future. Having always favored mechanical engineering, he didn’t think working in the power industry would interest him. However, after working on control logic for a turbine and other electrical aspects of engineering, Byrd realized his degree can offer him many different opportunities, even unexpected ones. “I know once I graduate that the Southern Co. would be a great place to work,” Byrd said. “But I realized, if I enjoyed power plant engineering, after having no prior interest in the area, there are probably a million other things I would enjoy. I just need to experience them. So, after graduation, I plan to experience as many different areas as finances allow before I settle on a career.” Byrd has enjoyed the boost his co-op experience has given him in class by applying what he learned from the power industry to courses like thermodynamics. He expects to complete his mechanical engineering degree within the next two years. However, before he leaves State, he hopes to explore more specific areas of interest by taking advantage of MSU’s research in automotive engineering and alternative fuels.

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“My deciding factor in signing with Mississippi State was the engineering program.”

Engineers Not just the stereotypical “pocket protector” students By Susan Lassetter

Stereotypes run rampant on college campuses. From members of the Greek system having hard partying ways to the tendency of art majors to be emo, it seems everyone is prejudged according to their major or social crowd. But through the years, none of these snap judgments have generated as much attention as those made about athletes and “brains.”

“Engineering--that was one of the main reasons I wanted to come to Mississippi State. They have one of the top engineering programs, and I liked what I saw when I attended a camp here,” said Marneshia Richard, starting point guard for the Lady Bulldogs basketball team. “My deciding factor in signing with Mississippi State was the engineering program.”

After all, athletes are brawny, not brainy, right? You would never expect one to crack a book or solve a complex equation. And students who are good at math and science, well, they must be scrawny and certainly wouldn’t have a clue what it means to “post in the paint,” right? Well, as much as it may shock some, that’s simply not the case any more–-at least not at Mississippi State’s Bagley College of Engineering.

Richard, a junior majoring in civil engineering, dreams of one day opening her own engineering firm, but first she wants to survive the next semester as she works to balance classes with college basketball. She is one of several student-athletes currently balancing sports with the equally demanding work of engineering classes. For them, college life means schedules dominated by workouts, labs, practices, classes, and games, but these determined

student-athletes can’t afford to drop the ball in any of their activities. “Last year, I would tell my mom it was like having two full-time jobs at once,” mechanical engineering major Greg Houston, a pitcher, explained. “Baseball and school take up most of my time.” For these students, the demands on their time come with added pressure from teachers, coaches and fans, most of whom want them to succeed for different reasons. They are constantly being pulled in different directions to simultaneously increase their success on both the academic and athletic fronts. Because of this, their lives come down to time management. Calendars are at times so tight among student-athletes that sleeping becomes a scheduled luxury, but, driven to achieve success in both of their chosen fields, it is a necessary sacrifice.

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“Ultimately, I want to be an engineer, but I would like to do something baseball-related like build stadiums or design bats.”

“I have to plan ahead and go ahead and get things done,” Richard said, “There are so many things going on that I can’t afford to lolly-gag around.” While personal responsibility helps these students prioritize their efforts, the support of their professors, classmates and coaches often gives them an extra push. It is through their patience and understanding that the student-athletes are able to further their talents and help maintain Mississippi State’s standing as one of the more successful academic athletic programs in the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

my classmates help me get the notes I miss when I’m on the road.” Richard’s ability to stay focused on schoolwork, even during basketball season, helped her earn a spot on the SEC Freshman Academic Honor Roll in 2006, an honor Houston earned for himself this past spring. For him, the extra push to succeed in all of his pursuits comes from Diamond Dawg Head Coach Ron Polk, who is known for expecting high marks from his players. “Coach has a pretty strict regimen of things we have to do,” Houston said. “Pretty much, if you do what he says to do, I don’t see how you could not succeed. You have to take advantage of your time.”

a freshman. He and the Diamond Dawgs squad earned the highest cumulative GPA among men’s teams at MSU and took top academic honors among the CWS participants. Both Houston and Richard hope their hard work will translate into future success. Like most kids who begin sports careers at a young age, both would like to pursue athletics after college, but they don’t underestimate the value of their education. Athletics is a fickle field which often has a high turnover rate, but an education and its benefits last forever.

“Given the opportunity, I would like to play baseball after college,” Houston explained. “Ultimately, I want to be an Houston found success this year both in engineer, but I would like to do something the books and on the mound, boasting a baseball-related like build stadiums or College World Series (CWS) appearance as design bats.” Bagley College of Engineering Momentum 18 “My professors are really understanding,” Richard explains. “They sometimes let me get assignments early and turn them in early if I’m going to be out of town, and

Diversity programs enrich studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives By Susan Lassetter

In the hustle and bustle of life on a college campus, students can easily become lost in the shuffle. As enrollment figures surge, college administrators must take extra measures to preserve the feeling of kinship between students and faculty. Students need to feel that they are not simply numbers on a spreadsheet and that the college cares about their success. To maintain a feeling of community, Mississippi Stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE) has instituted several programs to ensure the betterment of its students and to allow all students to feel they are an equal part of the college. Several of these programs fall under the umbrella of diversity programs and allow the college to reach out to students who are minorities in race or gender. 19

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“The Bagley College of Engineering has several diversity programs to help make sure that every student in the college feels like a part of the BCoE family,” explained Tommy Stevenson, assistant dean for diversity and student development. “The diversity programs are comprehensive and allow us to take a holistic approach to student advancement from the time they enroll as freshmen to their graduation and beyond.” Currently, the BCoE has three main diversity programs: the National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE), Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education (IMAGE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). Throughout the year, each of these groups conduct activities with their members, as well as outreach activities within the community and surrounding areas. While these groups strive to enhance their members’ college experience, they also work to bring more minorities into engineering. “While we don’t have figures yet for this fall, on average about 16-17 percent of our student body is female,” said Donna Reese, associate dean and faculty adviser to SWE. “That’s pretty close to the national average, which has been drifting down. We are hoping to reverse that trend and that’s why we do much of our outreach. We try to get girls interested early, so we can recruit them into engineering when they come to college.” These programs strive to reach students at a young age to foster an interest in engineering. Programs such as WISE Women, a summer camp that involves high school girls in engineering projects, help show students how math and science can be interesting and applicable to everyday life. Once students enter college, these same programs are then able to assist them throughout their college career by offering support and activities to supplement their education. Opportunities such as the IMAGE-sponsored Summer Bridge Program give incoming freshmen a jump-start on their college credits by combining summer courses with enrichment seminars and experiences. NSBE

then sponsors seminars on a variety of topics and teaches leadership to its collegiate members.

members academically, but also personally and socially by helping to mold them into well-rounded leaders.

“The diversity programs motivate students to become active not only in the Bagley College of Engineering, but around campus,” Stevenson explained. “The different groups hold seminars on topics ranging from stress management to dating issues and from time management to community service. We’re trying to teach them the importance of making a difference in their communities and at the same time give these students the leadership skills they will need after graduation.”

“When I started my doctoral program at MSU, I joined NSBE,” said Kylie Nash, NSBE’s current vice president. “Since then, I’ve been able to help with outreach programs and participate in planning conferences. This organization has been a great help to me. It has allowed me to make connections with other engineers and get to know people.”

NSBE offers students more than a line on their résumés Many student organizations offer little more than a few meetings with pizza and résumé filler to their members. With more than 30 organizations open to students in the BCoE, many potential members get bogged down with a barrage of similar meetings and activities, often resulting in disinterest and a lack of participation. Yet, many organizations have found a way to break away from the pack. The Mississippi State chapter for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has found a way to reach students on a personal, professional and often profound level. “Without NSBE I don’t think I would be here,” Terrance West, the 2007-08 president of NSBE, explained. “It formed an academic support group for me when I arrived at State. The other members had been through the same things and that showed me that I could do it, too. Now, as a Ph.D. student, I have the opportunity to talk to undergraduate and graduate students to offer them support because I’ve been where they are.” West joined NSBE after attending the Summer Bridge Program at Mississippi State. Eight years and two degrees later, he still is an active member and, as president, helps show younger students how much can be gained from the organization. By hosting a variety of seminars and speakers, the group not only helps develop its

While NSBE helps its college members become leaders, it also offers them an opportunity to be role models to future engineers. Many NSBE members act as counselors during the Summer Bridge Program. They also help junior high and high school students increase their understanding of math and science through tutoring and ACT prep, allowing members to give back to the schools and communities that helped prepare them for college. “I can see personal growth happening through NSBE,” Nash said. “I like participating in the role of diversity outreach and getting more minorities into higher education. It’s even made me realize that once I finish my Ph.D. program, I would like to use it in the academic arena.”

Student organization breaks through cultural norms For generations, culture has ingrained many Americans with the idea that studying engineering requires a Y-chromosome. Images of June Cleaver, no matter how outdated, still reside in the subconscious levels of people’s minds, allowing them to let young girls’ interest in science and math fall by the wayside. Fortunately, groups such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) have emerged to help develop girls’ talents in technical subjects and support women in their pursuit of advanced degrees and successful careers in male-dominated fields. Currently, the Mississippi State chapter of SWE works tirelessly to encourage females of all ages to explore the possibilities of engineering.

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“When I was in high school, I attended the WISE Women camp sponsored by State’s SWE chapter. It introduced me to all of the different fields of engineering,” Maria Bibbs, an electrical engineering major, explained. “I had always liked science and math, and the camp bridged the two subjects together. It really gave me a sense of what actually goes on in engineering. After that, I knew I wanted to go into engineering, and I wanted to come to MSU because they have one of the best engineering programs in the South.” Bibbs is now a senior at Mississippi State and currently serves as the 2007-08 SWE president. Working with faculty advisers Dr. Donna Reese and Emma Seiler, she helps plan outreach and enrichment activities for other members and the community. The organization sponsors activities ranging from Girl Scout engineering merit

badges to Dress for Success workshops, which educate women on professional attire. But SWE’s reach doesn’t stop with those completing a degree. They also strive to foster relationships between student members and female professionals. “We are strengthening our relationship with the female faculty in the Bagley College,” Bibbs said. “These relationships, as well as those between members and women in the industry, help us become more professional. It teaches you how to communicate as an engineer and gets your name out there.” Along with participating in chapter meetings, active SWE members also attend conferences where they can share program ideas with chapters from across the nation. The chapters all share the same goal of promoting women in engineering and en-

hancing the field as a whole, because SWE membership is also offered to men. “Our SWE chapter is open to all engineering students, guys or girls,” Reese explained. “We simply strive to recruit more women into engineering and support the women already in those fields, whether in industry or academia. This has been a rewarding group to be a part of.”

IMAGE helps students imagine their success Far too frequently, capable students fall through the sometimes gaping holes in our educational system. Without proper role models, mentors and a belief in their own abilities, many students do not pursue higher education, which is sometimes due to nothing more than not knowing how to succeed.

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It falls to organizations such as the BCoE’s Increasing Minority Access to Graduate Education (IMAGE) to help students reach their potential. By allowing incoming students to get a jump-start on their education and introducing them to their academic peers, IMAGE helps bridge many of the gaps in education. “You can get a perception from Orientation and from what you read in pamphlets, but to have someone tell you to not make the same mistakes they did offers a whole new insight into things,” explained Adam Pittmon, a freshman chemical engineering major. “The people I met through IMAGE are in the same shoes I am. They’ve had the classes I’m taking and helped me learn the ropes.” Pittmon was one of 21 students who participated in this summer’s IMAGE-sponsored freshman Summer Bridge Program. As part of the program, students come to campus early to begin taking classes. This, along with seminars, tours of the facilities and advice from peer counselors, allows

participants to be familiar with college life and a step ahead of their classmates when fall classes commence. “It was nice when classes started. There were a bunch of people who were lost, but I already knew my way around campus,” freshman chemical engineering major Adeola Adebiyi said. “When classes started, I already knew how to study. Summer Bridge taught me not to waste my time and to go ahead and get my homework done.” IMAGE offers Summer Bridge programs to both incoming undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing degrees in science, math, engineering, or technology. Participants come from around the South, offering students the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds. While graduate students have their own program, they also are afforded the chance to work as freshman counselors. With seminars and lecture topics ranging from relationship issues to the benefits of good credit, participants gain a broader view of what being in college and having adult responsibilities are about.

“We had workshops with current and former students who talked to us about the different engineering majors,” Adebiyi said. “One explained the importance of our grade-point averages and how you set your GPA in your freshman and sophomore years. That motivated me to work harder because the grades I make now will stay with me for the next four years.” IMAGE strives to help its members become well-rounded, mature students. Sponsoring programs like Summer Bridge help the group ensure students’ academic success by teaching them to take their education seriously and to not become part of the negative statistics. By showing students the value of a strong education, they are helping create the next generation of graduate students and professionals. “Coming to Summer Bridge and taking summer classes was a new experience for me, but it was an experience I needed to gain, and it has helped me this fall,” Pittmon said.

Development Notes It’s no secret that we’re living in an era where higher education administrators have to make critical decisions about resource allocation because the amount of state funds is dwindling. Thankfully, Bagley College of Engineering (BCoE) alumni are providing donations that help close that financial gap. Your donations are helping the Bagley College update and build facilities, establish additional scholarships, provide global internships, create diversity retention programs, generate and produce more professorships and chairs, as well as build strong curriculum programs.

full time, and also help us retain our student population. A study by the National Association for Independent Schools states that:

All of your actions have had an outward-looking mission of helping students and the university succeed. As the BCoE competes fiercely for top faculty, students and research dollars, there is no doubt that all of these accomplishments would take years or decades to accomplish without your support.

Our alumni are powerful assets to the Bagley College of Engineering’s success. You can be assured that your efforts are not viewed, as some would say, “another day, another dollar” at the BCoE. Your efforts are changing lives.

• The average salary for professors at low attrition schools is 35 percent higher than it is for schools with high attrition. • Schools with diversity programs have a much higher retention and recruitment rate. • Schools with low attrition rates offer state-of-the art facilities and technology.

The monetary gifts you give help us recruit higher qualified faculty, students and staff. Your support is of the utmost importance because financial challenges have a significant impact on the academic success of students. Monetary gifts help relieve students from the burdens of working multiple jobs and going to school Bagley College of Engineering

F. Ryan Little Director of Development Momentum

Alumni friends remember their roots By Susan Lassetter

Hennington

L-R: Meiners, Hennington, and Little

Meiners

With all the emphasis today on picking majors, official university visits and comparing various rankings, some people might cringe at the thought of how easily three 1957 alumni made their college choice. For Dodds Hennington, Jerry Little and Donald Meiners it was simple– “If you were going to major in engineering, and be successful, you were going to go to Mississippi State.” “By the end of our senior year, Jerry and I had both decided to major in engineering,” Meiners explained. “That worked out well, since we both liked Mississippi State, and it was the best engineering school around. However, Dodds was planning to attend another college to major in accounting, but we talked him into coming to State and studying engineering. The next thing we knew, we were in Starkville. Sometimes in life big decisions are made in a hurry.” Hennington, Little and Meiners became friends while attending a consolidated school in Hazlehurst. Although they all had different backgrounds and personalities, the friendship they formed as teenagers turned into a lifelong bond starting with the times they shared at MSU. They left Hazlehurst together in 1953, by way of the Natchez Trace, on their way to experience a new environment and opportunities. Mississippi State was a different place

Little

then. There was a golf course where the Northeast Village now stands, historic Old Main Dormitory was still in operation, there were no computers in sight, and freshman hazing was still the norm.

college environment was then. Thanks to the technological and social changes that have taken place over the past decades, “the college life” now has a completely different connotation.

“We hadn’t been in Starkville for 30 minutes when a football player shaved our heads in front of Old Main,” Little recalled. “All the freshmen’s heads were shaved, but the hazing came to an end after Dr. Hilbun’s first year as president. So, we didn’t get to return the favor and that’s a good thing. Freshmen don’t need the added stress of serving upperclassman.”

“MSU was the largest university in the state with about 3,000 students. It had recently become co-ed, but there were very few girls,” Meiners said. “Which probably worked out for the best. The Korean War veterans were coming back, and they were mature, serious, good students and we didn’t need any distractions.”

Hazing was a fact of life, and as freshmen the three classmates faced belt-lines if the dormitory phone rang more than three times or if they couldn’t spell Oktibbeha when asked. Holidays brought along another test as they were required to learn the “Freshman Report,” which Little admits he still remembers. “Wherever you were, if asked to give the report you would have to get up and do it whether it was on a table in the cafeteria, at the theater, or during a football game,” Little explained. “The report gave the number of days until vacation, and if you didn’t get it right, you faced a belt-line.” Although hazing is socially unacceptable today, it helps illustrate how different the

Despite enduring the pressures of competing for grades, going to class Monday through Saturday and, in Hennington’s case, working his way through school, the three survived their first year of college as very successful students. Little and Meiners were freshman roommates. Hennington joined them their sophomore year, allowing the three to consult each other about homework, even though Hennington and Meiners studied electrical engineering, while Little pursued mechanical engineering. “When I arrived in Starkville, I was not a dedicated student. With the wrong roommates I could have ended up at the Crossroads drinking beer all the time. I was ripe to fall to the wrong influences, like a lot of kids are, but with the influence of my two

Fall 2007

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roommates, who would always be studying when I came to the room, I developed their habits,” Little said. “Don and Dodds were two dedicated boys, especially Dodds. He worked in the cafeteria, getting up to help with breakfast while still attending class and doing his coursework, to help put himself through college.”

Old Main

The three also found time for fun. They attended midnight movies at the State Theater or sporting events on campus. Meiners even had the opportunity to see Elvis Presley perform at a festival in Tupelo–prior to Elvis’ now historic Ed Sullivan Show performance. They completed their degrees at Mississippi State with many good memories and a quality education behind them. The men were prepared to enter the professional world of engineering at a time when technology was making significant advances. Immediately after college, Meiners went to work for Chance-Vaught Aircraft in Texas entering into the “space race”. It was during that time that the Russian satellite Sputnik was launched, and he knew of a young test pilot named John Glenn who also worked for the company. During this time, Hennington and Little put their talents to use at Lockheed Aircraft in Georgia. “We had jobs right after college. I moved to Texas. Dodds and Jerry went to Georgia. Dodds and I took advanced ROTC in college and in a year we would serve in the Army,” Meiners explained. “We finished our military years and began working at Mississippi Power and Light. Jerry came back to Mississippi also and worked at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula.”

Though their careers took them in different directions, the three always remained close by attending high school reunions and visiting each other. Unfortunately, their careers kept them busy and unable to visit the campus at Mississippi State very often. “I went to Ingalls to work as an engineer in the nuclear submarine program, which was brand new. Then, I went to work with the Department of the Navy to help administer Navy contracts with different shipyards in the area,” Little explained. “I worked there until I retired, but if I had known retirement was this good I would have done it sooner or never worked at all.” Little retired as director of quality assurance for the Department of the Navy after 30 years of service. Meiners left the workforce after 40 years of service, having served as president of four different Entergy Subsidiaries in Louisiana, plus Mississippi Power & Light, now known as Entergy Mississippi Inc. Hennington, who also retired from Entergy Mississippi, served the company for 38 years and retired as a distributionplanning engineer. All three are enjoying their retirement and work to help Mississippi State through alumni endeavors. They try to visit the campus whenever the opportunity arises. “I’m really proud of the changes Mississippi State has gone through over the years,” Hennington said. “I believe it is important for kids to do something with their lives, and Mississippi State is a great place to start.”

a strong alumni association. With our support the university has accomplished some great things.” “People’s support of the university made it possible for us to do what we did,” Meiners explained. “If you graduate and forget the school then you are turning your back on the people who helped you. I feel that we have an obligation to return the favor for the future generations of students to come.” Despite the changes the university has gone through since their time as students, they believe the friendly atmosphere around campus has remained the same. They especially appreciate the great care that has been taken of the campus, so that many of the features they grew to love as students are still around to be enjoyed. “The changes to the university have been astronomical, but the way everything has been planned and implemented is wonderful,” Little said. “The university has maintained its good reputation across the country, and it is still the best place in the SEC to buy cheese.” “I continue to be impressed by the students. I’m just floored by how bright, energetic and dedicated they are,” Meiners beamed. “I’ve always thought it was a nice campus, but I think it’s one of the prettiest now with the landscaping and the new buildings. The new facilities are amazing.”

While on campus for their 50th class reunion, the trio realized how important alumni support is to the success of the university and its students, as well as how many advances are made possible through alumni support. “The success of the school really depends on the alumni. We are the ones who help convince students to come here, and without the alumni being really supportive, the school can’t prosper,” Little said. “State does a good job of having

Don Meiners, vice president of the engineering school executive council, seated second from the right in the first row.

Bagley College of Engineering

Momentum

Alumni Dr. Angie Bukley, (EE, B.S., ’80; M.S. ’81), joined the University of Tennessee Space Institute as assistant vice president for Research and Development.

Movers & Shakers

David Childs, (BE, B.S., ’01), named as one of Florida Trend’s Up and Coming Attorneys in their annual Legal Elite issue. The Florida Bar nominates young attorneys, who have been practicing fewer than ten years, for the award. He specializes in environmental and intellectual property law with Hopping, Green and Sams in Tallahassee, Fla. Laura Bilbro Connor, (ABE, B.S. ’87; MBA, ’89), became one of the recipients of Georgia-Pacific’s 2007 Women of Achievement Awards. She serves as environmental, health and safety manager in the company’s Naheola, Ala. plant. Joshua Fairley, (EE, B.S. ’00), received the Department of Defense David O. Cooke Excellence in Public Administration Award for his work in Countermine Phenomenology, Joint Antiterrorism/Force Protection and Antiterrorist Barrier programs. He serves as an electrical engineer and program manager at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.

Are you an alum of the college of engineering at MSU? Have you received a promotion, a new job, an exciting recognition or award? Send alumni updates to the Publications & Communications Office, so that we can spread the good news to your colleagues and peers. Publications and Communications Office PO Box 9544 Mississippi State, MS 39762 Want to be added or removed from our mailing list for Momentum? Drop an email to

Norman Ford, (NE, BA, B.S., ’86), elected president of the Association for Convention Operation Management’s 2007 Board. He serves as director of business and operations for the Vicksburg Convention Center and Vicksburg Auditorium. M. Brent Hayan, (EE, B.S., ’89), recently accepted a position as plant manager with Armstrong World Industries to oversee their manufacturing facilities in Jackson, Tenn. He previously served with ABB in Alamo, Tenn., as operations manager. James C. Nelson, P.E. (CE, B.S., ’81), was promoted to vice president with Allen & Hoshall Engineers, Architects, Planners where he will oversee activities and leadership of the Jackson, Miss., regional office and the firm’s infrastructure division.

Faculty & Staff

Robert A. Green, BCoE undergraduate coordinator, has earned the rank of Fellow in the National Society of Professional Engineers. A registered engineer and society member since 1988, he also directs the BCoE leadership program. Stanislaw Grzybowski is the first recipient of the BCoE’s new Mississippi Power Endowed Professorship. A professor in electrical and computer engineering and director of the High-Voltage Laboratory, he will earn funding through the endowment to help with his research projects. Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, Roger King, was named Honorary Professor by Cardiff University in the United Kingdom. The title is one of the highest honors bestowed by the university. David Marcum was named an Honorary Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Wales, Swansea. This five year appointment recognizes his significant collaboration with the faculty at Swansea. ECE Department Head, Sarah Rajala, has been named president-elect for the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), ASEE Electrical and Computer Engineering Division Educator of the Year, and Fellow of ASEE. The Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) honored Rajala with the IEEE Education Society Achievement Award for her work and leadership in engineering education. Associate Professor of electrical and computer engineering, Noel Schulz, was elected treasurer of the IEEE Power Engineering Society. Keith Walters, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received a 2007 National Science Foundation (NSF), Career Award. Emma Seiler, K-12 outreach coordinator, has been named the 2007 Outstanding Informal Science Teacher by the Mississippi Science Teachers’ Association. Aerospace engineering Department Head, Tony Vizzini, was named president-elect of the American Society for Composites. He has been a member of the society since 1987 and was named an ASC Fellow in 2004.

Having recently been named a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering, John Berry joins B. Keith Hodge, Mark F. Horstmeyer and Glenn Steele as publications@bagley.msstate.edu the fourth faculty member in mechanical engineering to receive the honor. Fall 2007 25

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Students The BCoE’s iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machines) team took bronze medal honors among 54 universities from around the world which took part in this year’s competition. Comprised of biological engineering majors, team members include James Kastrantas, senior; Lauren Beatty, senior; Joseph Chen, senior; Scott Tran, senior; Sam Pote, sophomore; Caleb Dulaney, sophomore; Robert Morris, graduate student; and Victor Ho, graduate student. The Dave C. Swalm School of Chemical Engineering’s student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is the 2007-08 “Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year.” This is the seventh consecutive year the MSU student organization has been honored with the prestigious national award in the 37 years of its existence. Jared Brock, a junior software engineering major, has been selected as the 2007-08 recipient of the Hilton Hotels Corporation

Information Technology Award, a one-year scholarship. This scholarship is awarded each year to a student in the CSE Department who is in good academic standing and displays leadership qualities. Nick Chambers and Mark Dickey were named Alex Charter Student Scholars by the Hypervelocity Impact Society. Chosen because of their research and work in hypervelocity impact, they are two of only five students in the United States selected for the international honor. As part of the honor, the society covered recipients’ registration, travel and lodging costs to attend the Hypervelocity Impact Symposium. Jason King, a chemical engineering major, received a Southwest Chemical Association Scholarship. It is a national award based on a student’s GPA, character, activities, and vision for the future of the field. Kaela Leonard, a chemical engineering graduate student, received first place in the American Electrophoresis Society Poster Session. Her poster was entitled, “Rapid Cell Rupture in a Dielectrophoretic Field.”

Senior James Moore, computer science, and senior Brandon Witbeck, mechanical engineering, were inducted into the Society of Scholars. The society is celebrating its 25th year and is the highest honor offered to MSU undergraduates. It requires that students demonstrate the highest levels of academic excellence and possess a broad and rigorous exposure to courses in the arts, sciences and humanities. Jackson Rice, an ISE graduate student, is the recipient of the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship from the Department of Defense. He received one of approximately 100 awards from a pool of 1,500 applicants. The scholarship includes annual stipend, full tuition, book allowance, health insurance, paid summer internship, and postgraduation employment placement with the United States Air Force. Roberto Velasquez is the recipient of the Society of Petroleum Engineering Scholarship for 2007-08. This scholarship is awarded annually at Mississippi State University by the Mississippi Section of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Left: This year’s BCoE Outstanding Seniors are: (Front, L-R) Josie Smith - industrial engineering, Lauren Beatty - biological engineering, Alta Knizley - mechanical engineering, and James Davis - computer science. (Back, L-R) Marshal McClure - software engineering, Jason King - chemical engineering, Michael Windham - civil engineering, and Brian Schilling - aerospace engineering. Not pictured is Ridzky Riyadi - computer engineering and Palmer Burks - electrical engineering. Right: Stanislaw Grzybowski receives his endowment medallion from Dr. Glenn Steele for the new Mississippi Power Endowed Professorship.

Bagley College of Engineering

Momentum

MS Power energizes ECE department with new endowment By Susan Lassetter

MS Power CEO Anthony Topazi receives a medallion commemorating the endowment from Interim Dean Glenn Steele

Mississippi State University’s Bagley College of Engineering recently added a new endowed professorship in electrical and computer engineering to its ever-growing list of faculty awards. Dr. Stanislaw Grzybowski was named as the first recipient of the Mississippi Power endowed chair, which is the 25th endowed position in the BCoE. “The college is very appreciative of Mississippi Power’s support of our faculty in the electrical and computer engineering department,” said Glenn Steele, interim college dean. “The outstanding individual holding this professorship will pursue research and outreach projects that will attract both students and other scientists into the power area.” Funded through Mississippi Power’s Education Foundation, the endowment will provide support for the named professor, as well as enabling them to develop cutting-edge research and educational tools. For Grzybowski, a native of Poland, the endowment will aid his continued research in high-voltage engineering. Currently, he serves as director of MSU’s High-Voltage Laboratory, which is considered one of the largest academic electrical research facilities of its kind in the nation. “We as a company value and appreciate the strength of the power systems programs offered by Mississippi State,” said Anthony Topazi, Mississippi Power’s chief executive officer and president. “It is the level of excel-

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

lence demonstrated by these endowed professors who will produce our industry leaders of tomorrow.” As a Life Fellow for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Grzybowski is known throughout his field for research in the areas of lightning protection of electrical power systems, warships, aircraft, and other objects. His contributions to the field of electrical engineering have allowed him to hold positions on numerous committees in international professional organizations. Through his research with the Bagley College of Engineering, he has been able to garner international recognition for the university. “I am honored to have received this endowed professorship from Mississippi Power and look forward to fulfilling the additional duties and responsibilities this position brings,” Grzybowski said. “This endowment will help provide better education and research opportunities in high-voltage engineering at MSU and help the BCoE solidify its standing as a leader in the field.” For more information about the HighVoltage Laboratory, contact Dr. Stanislaw Grzybowski at (662) 325-2148 or stangrzy@ ece.msstate.edu. For information regarding the BCoE’s endowed positions, please contact Director of Development Ryan Little at (662) 325-0386 or rlittle@engr.msstate.edu.