MSOE Dimensions Magazine - Spring/Summer 2023

LET’S CELEBRATE

Ken’Triana McDade, mechanical engineering, receives her stole at the Bestowing of the Kente Ceremony from her friend Jack Hoeffel, also a mechanical engineering major. The Bestowing of the Kente is a pre-commencement celebration to honor students of African descent. The ceremony acknowledges the sense of scholarly community among students and is a tribute to African and African American culture and culminates with a Kente stole presentation.

Dear Alumni and Friends,

We officially closed out the 2022–23 academic year and said goodbye to our quarter system. With this came several “lasts,” including our last Winter Commencement and last week 11 finals, but we look forward to the “firsts” that lie ahead.

In the pages ahead, you’ll see how we are continuing to build a community that supports MSOE Mindset development. From ongoing campus enhancements like the just-announced Kendall Breunig Center for the Built Environment and the newly-opened Raiders Field to evolving student organizations and volunteerism locally and abroad, you don’t have to look far to see the mindset in action. Philanthropic support from the Kern Family Foundation is also helping us to further implement and institutionalize the MSOE Mindset and the entrepreneurial mindset.

Last month we had the honor of welcoming Dr. Leo Lambert to campus as a guest speaker for the inaugural President’s Learning Series for faculty and staff. As committed as we are to providing our students with a world-class education, we are equally committed to supporting our employees’ professional development. Dr. Lambert is a professor and president emeritus of Elon University, which is widely recognized for excellence in experiential learning and its undergraduate teaching.

Dr. Lambert also is the co-author of “Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College,” and “The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most.” Relationship-rich education is key to the MSOE Mindset.

During his time on campus, Dr. Lambert met with faculty and staff, and held a workshop to integrate relationship-rich education into our work to advance and elevate the MSOE Mindset. Our goal is when students graduate, they are leaders of character, responsible professionals, passionate learners and value creators.

This summer I look forward to spending time with my family and attending MSOE’s annual reunion weekend, Summer in the City, which returns July 28–30. This year’s event is filled with exciting opportunities to reconnect with old friends, meet new faces and explore the latest advancements on campus. I hope to see you and your families there!

Sincerely,

JOHN Y. WALZ, Ph.D. President

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ON THE COVER: The Kendall Breunig Center for the Built Environment will be the new home of the Civil and Architectural Engineering and

“Thank you to MSOE for supporting opportunities like this for student-athletes and thank you to my teammates. You guys make every mile worth it.”

— KAITLYN RODMAN, BIOMEDIC AL ENGINEERING STUDENT AND CROSS COUNTRY RUNNER

Midnight Robotics, MSOE’s new combat robotics club, works to perfect their antweight and beetleweight robots for competition.

Alumni impact $232.1 million

The flagship publication of Milwaukee School of Engineering. With stories inspired by our mission and vision, Dimensions shines a light on our students, faculty, alumni and campus events, all while highlighting the values that unite us.

Editor

JoEllen Burdue

Managing Editor

Annette Pirrung

Creative Director

Kristin Dunn

Graphic Designers

Peg Houghton, Tyler Beaver

Contributing Writers

Courtney Hess, Jillian Kokott, Colin Terrill, Dr. John Walz

Images

Kylie Bridenhagen/MSOE Athletics, D3Photography.com, FISU Games, Front Room Photography, Erik Landru, Bryan Pechacek, Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors, Laura Seagall

Use, reproduction or storage of the name, address or other information about any individual identified within this magazine is strictly prohibited and constitutes misappropriation of corporate property.

Address correspondence to Dimensions Magazine

1025 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 marketing@msoe.edu or (414) 277-7117

SPRING/SUMMER 2023

Volume 37, No. 2

Construction spending impact $15.3 million

Operations spending impact $51.5 million

ADDING

MSOE adds $321 million in economic impact

To assess the economic impact MSOE has on the region, and the return on investment of an MSOE education, the university enlisted Lightcast to conduct a study. The results showed in fiscal year 2020–21, MSOE added $321.2 million in income to the Southeast Wisconsin economy, a value equal to approximately 0.2% of the total gross regional product (GRP). Expressed in terms of jobs, MSOE’s impact supported 3,167 jobs.

As a private educational institution, MSOE takes a little from the state but contributes a lot. Wisconsin taxpayers’ benefits constitute $113.1 million in the form of MSOE students’ higher lifetime earnings, increased business output, and reduced demand for government-funded services. MSOE enhances the productivity of the regional workforce, thereby increasing business profits and tax revenues along with public sector savings. Receiving very little funding from the state, MSOE nevertheless significantly increases its economic base.

MSOE retains and creates wealth. Income, or value added, is just another way of talking about the extra money generated in the region even after subtracting costs of production and leakages (most money spent on computers in Wisconsin, for example, leaves Wisconsin for Seattle to pay Microsoft). The remaining funds for the region are wages, profits and other forms of income: money that otherwise wouldn’t exist in the region if MSOE didn’t exist. The university also creates wealth by educating students who add to their businesses’ output. This alumni impact would never have come to exist if MSOE hadn’t existed.

An investment in an MSOE education provides a stronger return than the stock market. The S&P 500 has delivered an average return of 10.5% over the last 30 years. MSOE’s students enjoy a rate of return of 12.6%, which means that their investment in an MSOE education is a safer and stronger alternative to the stock market. MSOE creates value in many ways. In addition to providing students with the education, training and skills they need to have fulfilling and prosperous careers, MSOE facilitates new applied research developments to help solve industry’s toughest challenges. The university draws visitors and students to the region, generating new dollars and opportunities for the City of Milwaukee. Operations spending, construction spending and student spending have incredible, positive impact on the region as well.

VIEW THE FULL REPORT MSOE.EDU/ECONOMIC-IMPACT

MSOE welcomes Dr. Jeremy Kedziora as Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence

Jeremy Kedziora, Ph.D. joined MSOE as the university’s first PieperPower Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence. Kedziora is an award-winning researcher and scientist with 17 years of experience developing new methods in machine learning, Bayesian inference and game theory. Previously, he was a director of data science and analytics at Northwestern Mutual, where he managed the development of machine learning and modeling efforts focused on cybersecurity. Prior to that, Kedziora led product development at financial tech (fintech) startup Giant Oak where he focused on natural language processing. Kedziora also served for nine years at the Central Intelligence Agency as a chief methodologist where he led applied R&D efforts in data science and modeling. He holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Rochester, has taught at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and serves as an advisor to multiple fintech startups.

The PieperPower Endowed Chair in Artificial Intelligence was made possible through a $2.5 million gift from Pieper Electric Inc. and the PPC Foundation Inc. This new role at MSOE further positions the university at the forefront of artificial intelligence education and next-generation technologies.

Kedziora holds a full-time faculty position in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at MSOE and will pursue research advancing the interaction of artificial intelligence with humans and its potential impacts on society. He acts as a catalyst to establish a global collaboration that will address the societal challenges and opportunities brought forth by the widespread use, and increasing power of, artificial intelligence and AI-based solutions that solve the complex technical and ethical challenges of today and tomorrow, consistent with MSOE’s mission.

Paul Matson named VP of finance and CFO

Paul Matson, CPA is MSOE’s new vice president of finance and CFO. Matson succeeds Dawn Thibedeau, who retired from the university after nine years of service. Matson is an established leader in finance and accounting, having previously served as the CFO and controller for several manufacturing, distribution and service organizations with global reach and revenues ranging from start-up to $600 million. He has experience at privately held and Fortune 500 companies as well as nonprofit organizations, most recently as corporate controller and treasurer at Versiti Inc.

Prior, Matson held leadership roles at EFCO Corporation, Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Pioneer Hi-BredInternational (DuPont), and Waste Management International.

Matson has an MBA from Washington University (St. Louis) and a B.S. in Accounting and Finance from Indiana State University, and has completed executive programs in product introduction and marketing strategy from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

$2 million grant supports development of MSOE Mindset

MSOE received a $2 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation to further implement and institutionalize the MSOE Mindset and entrepreneurial mindset. This is the second grant from the foundation to support these efforts at the university.

“I am grateful for the Kern Family Foundation’s support and investment in providing faculty with valuable resources and opportunities to engage our students and develop both their technical skills and entrepreneurial mindset,” said Dr. John Walz, MSOE president. “I am excited to see these efforts continue to grow on our campus.”

As MSOE transitions to a semester-based academic calendar, faculty are developing common learning outcomes and assessment tools, and in many cases, transforming engineering education so that it provides undergraduate engineers the tools and guidance to develop an entrepreneurial mindset and empowers them to live flourishing lives.

The CREATE Institute was founded in 2018 with support from the Kern Family Foundation and serves as MSOE’s center for teaching and learning. It is helping to design and implement a robust faculty development program to provide faculty with the resources they need to leverage MSOE’s industry partnerships to effectively use real-world experiential learning and Entrepreneurial Minded

SUPER POWERS

Rosie Supercomputer Super Challenge

MSOE Regent and alumnus Dr. Dwight Diercks ’90 challenged students to make use of Rosie, MSOE’s GPU-powered supercomputer in Diercks Hall, in the second annual Rosie Supercomputer Super Challenge. Five teams were selected as finalists and competed for the grand prize of $5,000 and an NVIDIA GPU. Students were challenged to go beyond their course work to solve an interesting problem or improve an existing process using Rosie.

Jonny Keane and Michael Conner, both computer

science majors, took home the grand prize for their project, “The Music Transformers,” which examined the automated state-of-the-art music transformer model created by Google Brain to improve how effectively the transformer generates its own music composition. Second place went to Nigel Nelson for “Prostate Cancer Segmentation,” while Jordan Schlick and Ben Leisher took third place for “Tornado Detection.”

• Demonstrate constant curiosity about the changing world.

• Explore a contrarian view of accepted solutions.

• Integrate information from many sources to gain insight.

• Assess and manage risk.

CREATING VALUE

• Identify unexpected opportunities.

• Persist through and learn from failure.

Learning (EML) techniques to help students develop the MSOE Mindset. Student and community programming also helps to create high-impact learning environments that cultivate the MSOE Mindset. This early work by the CREATE Institute and MSOE faculty has led to the support of EML at MSOE. Faculty in all departments are reimagining the curricula and taking this opportunity to institutionalize both EML pedagogy and institutional learning outcomes throughout the revised curricula.

The grant will also support MSOE with the addition of visiting faculty, who will provide project time to build out new courses that fully integrate the MSOE Mindset and EML; academic support specialists and a program coordinator; faculty development support; and support for program directors and department chairs to develop assessment strategies for new institutional learning outcomes in alignment with ABET assessment.

MSOE.EDU/MINDSET

Something for Everyone: New

Orgs Empower Students To Fuel Their Passions

TThere’s a beetle invasion at MSOE—but it’s not insects, it’s robots. Midnight Robotics, MSOE’s new combat robotics club, is hard at work creating one-pound antweight robots and three-pound beetleweight robots to battle in combat competitions.

MSOE has more than 90 student organizations on campus—ranging from special interest groups to professional organizations—that offer a place for everyone to find their niche. And the best part is, students have the power to spearhead their own groups, like Midnight Robotics.

Combat robotics is a form of competition where custom-built machines fight to disable the other robot. “Over the course of a three-minute match, the goal is to disable your opponent’s robot through destructive means. This can be achieved in a variety of ways, such as horizontal spinners, vertical spinners, flamethrowers, flippers and more,” explained Ben Young, Midnight Robotics vice president. Although a new group, they already have 30 members from a variety of majors. The group is led by Young and Griffin Hill, Midnight Robotics president. Their main focus is designing antweight and beetleweight robots as well as developing a test box and competition arena to ensure safe operation of their robots.

From reverse engineering controllers, to installing electronics and drawing 3D CAD models, students get to put their tech passions into practice across Midnight Robotics. For Young, the best part is sharing this passion with likeminded individuals.

“My favorite is being able to develop and refine a framework that allows us to support all of the member-led projects we have going on,” said Young. “I’m always giddy whenever we host our end-of-term pizza parties. It’s fun to celebrate our progress over some Ian’s pizza and music!”

The group recently received a $10,000 grant from Norwalk Havoc Robot League (NHRL), the world’s largest and most accessible robot combat league, to support their mission. Midnight Robotics plans to use the grant to help grow their inventory of electrical components, raw materials and tools to make the fabrication process easier. “This will allow us to take advantage of our resources to design, build and ultimately compete with our robots,” said Young.

The group is incredibly grateful for the grant and the opportunities it will lead to.

“Our entire E-board was ecstatic,” said Young. “This grant will go a long way to help support our club for the coming academic year, especially considering we are a newer club on campus. We can’t wait to represent MSOE in the combat robotics space!”

Midnight Robotics members hosted their first community event during the MSOE Robotics End of Season Showcase. They were able to show off the robots they’ve created and have some fun battling against one another.

The Muslim Student Association is another new student group built from the ground up to share their passions and cultures with the MSOE community. MSOE had a variety of faith-based student organizations when Layla Masoud set out to start her own to

foster a sense of belonging on campus. The Muslim Student Association became an official club in February 2023.

“I wanted to build a safe community for not only myself but others who are looking for that same bond,” said Masoud, president of the Muslim Student Association. “I feel that students now would have a sense of belonging as they grow closer to others who have the same goals and aspirations.”

The organization strives to provide a space for students to gather and learn from one another at events. “Our goal is to have events that are not only fun but informative as well, where both Muslim and non-Muslim students can join, learn and share different ideas and experiences.”

The Muslim Student Association and International Student Association teamed up to host a Ramadan Iftar event in April. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and observed by Muslims as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community. During Ramadan, adult Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.

The predawn meal is called suhur, and the nightly feast that breaks the fast is called iftar.

Students, faculty, staff and families enjoyed Middle Eastern food and learned about traditions at MSOE’s Ramadan Iftar event. It featured an informative lecture from Janan Najeeb, president and CEO of Milwaukee Muslim Women’s Coalition, and ended with a prayer for Muslims.

Masoud feels honored to be able to share her religion and cultural traditions with the MSOE community. “It honestly feels so amazing being able to educate others on the importance of Muslim traditions such as Ramadan or Eid as it’s not highly publicized to the general population, and being able to share pieces of information with fellow MSOE students makes a big impact!”

The Muslim Student Association is led by its executive board consisting of Masoud, president; Nishath Hussaini, vice president; Mustafa Maykhan, treasurer; and Muhammad Alliyu, secretary. Tamara Omari, assistant professor in the

Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management, serves as the faculty advisor for the group. “We are all very excited to make this group happen and strive for the same goal,” said Masoud.

In the future, the group hopes to collaborate with other Muslim Student Associations at UW-Milwaukee or Marquette University to help spread their mission.

From the single-wheeled enthusiasts of Unicycle Club to the adrenalin junkies in Rock Climbing Club, MSOE student organizations and clubs showcase the unique passions of the university and foster engagement across campus. Student organizations and clubs like these foster a greater sense of belonging for students and empower them to build connections, develop as leaders, learn from others and create lifelong bonds and friendships.

TEATIME

Tuesday Teas offer a taste of new cultures

Students, faculty and staff take their taste buds on a trip around the world with Tuesday Tea. The biweekly meetup showcases teas and snacks from different countries and cultures each week. Featured countries have included Germany, Poland, China, Nigeria, Ireland and many more. Multicultural Affairs organizes the event as part of its Culture Uncovered series.

In addition to Tuesday Tea, the Culture Uncovered series also dives into the sights and sounds of the featured country with a Q&A, a list of books and films curated by the Walter Schroeder Library, and a WMSE interview with a student from the highlighted country to discuss regional music and culture.

Students travel abroad with German Art History class

From original works by Leonardo da Vinci and Albrecht Dürer to visiting the Belvedere and Schonbrunn Palace, students in MSOE’s German Art History course got to see the artwork they studied in class up close and personal during their trip to Germany and Austria over winter break.

“Students see some of the greatest art treasures in the world that are not simply photographs on a page or computer,” said Dr. Patrick Jung, Humanities, Social Science and Communication Department professor. The trip includes stops in Vienna, Austria and Munich, Germany with museum visits and opportunities for extracurricular activities and excursions—such as visiting the fortress where the Sound of Music was filmed or touring Mozart’s childhood home. The international trip gives students a chance to expand their learning beyond the classroom, bring their course work to life, walk through history and experience new cultures.

Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge teams turn heads

What weighs 300 pounds, is 19’4” long, and is made of concrete? MSOE’s award-winning canoe, of course. The MSOE Student Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) won first place in the Concrete Canoe regional competition in Duluth, Minnesota in three categories: Project Proposal, Product Prototype and Overall Best. This is their third year in a row winning the regional competition. The team, advised by Professor Douglas Nelson, was required to construct a prototype canoe to withstand the rigors of a series of race demonstrations consisting of 200- and/or 400-meter sprints with 180-degree hairpin turns, and a 200-meter slalom course, including the transportation to and from various venues. Teams had to research, design, procure and test materials, and construct a full-scale prototype in full compliance with the RFP, taking into consideration the specifications, constraints and other requirements.

FAMILY BOND

Nursing a tradition

Sixty-five years after graduating from the Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing, Sharon Paczkowski ’58 got to pass the torch to her granddaughter, Eva Gretz ’23, when she placed the nursing pin on her granddaughter at the MSOE School of Nursing Achievement Ceremony for the Winter 2022-23 graduating class on Feb. 24.

“I’m very thankful that my grandma was able to participate in the pinning ceremony. It means so much to me to have a fellow nurse do my pinning,” said Gretz.

Another team of students within MSOE’s chapter of ASCE put their knowledge to the test in the Student Steel Bridge Competition, also in Duluth. The competition is offered by ASCE and the American Institute of Steel Construction. MSOE’s team, advised by Dr. Ed Sippel, was one of only six teams (out of 14) that successfully passed both lateral and vertical deflection. Each team develops a concept for a scale-model steel bridge to span approximately 20 feet and to carry 2,500 pounds according to the competition rules. Teams also determine how to fabricate their bridge and plan for an efficient assembly under timed construction conditions at the competition. Bridges are also load-tested, weighed, and judged on aesthetics.

Throughout the challenges of the fast-paced Accelerated Second Degree Bachelor of Science in Nursing program, Gretz kept her grandma’s wise words in the back of her head. “My grandma always told me to live in the present, not the past. Nursing school is extremely challenging, especially in an accelerated program. There were difficult times throughout the program, but her encouragement and words of wisdom helped me remember to keep going and to not dwell on past challenges.”

International ties with Lübeck University

MSOE’s partnership with Technische Hochschule Lübeck (THL), or the Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, has provided students with valuable study abroad experiences for decades. The German exchange program allows electrical, mechanical and industrial engineering students as well as Rader School of Business students the opportunity to spend their junior year in Germany, and for THL students to spend their senior year at MSOE.

Dr. Muriel Helbig, THL president, and fellow THL leadership members visited MSOE in December to discuss advancing the program and expanding opportunities to reach more students.

Women’s History Month celebrates campus community

From social events hosted by student organizations to guest speakers and informational sessions, Women’s History Month events celebrated women on campus and in the community.

“My favorite part of the Women’s History Month celebrations was seeing everyone come together to learn how to provide a more inclusive environment

and support the women on campus,” said Alexandria Such, president of the Society for Women Engineers.

In addition to events on campus, Alpha Omega Epsilon (AOE) strived to help those in the community by hosting a Menstruation Donation Drive. The group wanted to host this drive to normalize discussion around the topic of menstruation as well as

raise awareness for the need for menstrual hygiene products. “Having access to period supplies is something I think one can often take for granted,” said Teresa Toohil, AOE sister.

The Women’s History Month events across campus provided an opportunity for students to connect, learn and celebrate one another. “I think it’s important to celebrate with events like these since they

promote inclusivity and raise awareness of how far we’ve come with improving our society and university,” said Such. “These events bring passion toward learning how we can do better and make the world a better place for everyone.”

GIRL POWER

Baja SAE team tackles rough terrain

MSOE’s Baja SAE team cruised through the SAE National Competition in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. They participated in the Cost Event, Acceleration Test, Sled Pull, Design Presentation, Maneuverability, Suspension and the four-hour Endurance Event, which was their best event with a 21st place finish out of 82 teams. The team completed the Endurance Event with 24 laps, making them the highestranking school in Wisconsin for that event. Dr. Nebojsa Sebastijanovic was the team’s advisor.

“Tech in MKE” podcast features President Walz

Milwaukee is gaining a national reputation as a tech hub and Milwaukee School of Engineering is at the heart of it all. President John Walz sat down with Steve Glynn ’98 for the “Tech in MKE” podcast to discuss how MSOE is contributing to Milwaukee’s brain gain, attracting and retaining tech talent to power our region. Listen today to hear how MSOE is doubling down on tech—especially emerging technologies.

663 supporters

MSOE Giving Day

$613,035 raised

Thank you to everyone who supported MSOE’s annual Giving Day on April 20. We doubled the number of supporters and surpassed our goals. Your gifts support scholarships, academic departments, athletics, student clubs and more!

VANISHING VIEWS

David Plowden: The Architecture of Agriculture

Through Aug. 20, 2023

The Grohmann Museum once again showcases the photography of David Plowden in honor of the artist’s 90th birthday. But instead of Plowden’s trademark work featuring railroads, bridges and heavy industry, this exhibition looks at feed mills, grain elevators, barns and the human impact on the landscape of the Midwest and Great Plains. Over 50 years of photography is distilled in this collection of vanishing views of America’s past. As with much of Plowden’s work, many of the scenes captured are no more, existing only on film, in memory or in scattered remains across the rural countryside.

COMING SOON!

Sept. 8 – Dec. 17, 2023

Mining Gems: Stories from the Collection

Over the course of its short history, many stories have surfaced related to the art and artists in the Grohmann Museum’s permanent collection. For this exhibition, the museum’s curators have assembled many of the most entertaining and compelling tales gathered over the past 16 years.

From typesetters in pressrooms giving us the terms uppercase and lowercase to correspondence from international visitors prompting the reattribution of artwork in both time and geography, dozens of narratives reveal rare insights into the collection. This scavenger hunt style exhibition will allow visitors to discover that rather than a static assortment of paintings and sculptures, a museum collection is an assemblage that evolves and grows as new works, new ideas and new stories are collected.

GROHMANNMUSEUM.ORG

Faculty/staff achievements

MSOE’s Johanna Seelhorst Distinguished Staff Award was given to JoEllen Burdue, Marketing Communications. The annual award honors excellence of character, outstanding ability, a high order of integrity, loyalty and dedication, and a sincere willingness to cooperate with others in maintaining the highest standards of staff performance and service.

Scott Habegger, Rader School of Business, published the book, The Marketing Detective: Discovering the Secrets of Small Data to Fulfill Customer Needs.

Dr. Olga Imas ’99, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Dr. DeAnna Leitzke ’98, ’08, CREATE Institute, were named Notable Women in STEM by BizTimes Milwaukee.

Sid McCain, WMSE, was named a Woman of Influence by the Milwaukee Business Journal.

Dr. Kelly Ottman, Rader School of Business, received the Regional Teaching Excellence Award from the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Dr. Tammy Rice-Bailey, Humanities, Social Science and Communication, co-authored the book, Interpersonal Skills for Group Collaboration: Creating High-Performance Teams in the Classroom and the Workplace.

David Rollins, Rader School of Business, earned his Doctorate in Business Administration in Information Technology and Supply Chain Management from UW-Whitewater.

Drs. Robert Strangeway and Steven Holland, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, co-authored Electromagnetics and Transmission Lines: Essentials for Electrical Engineering, 2nd Edition with Dr. James Richie.

Liz Taylor, STEM, received the Young Alumni Award from her alma mater, Kettering University.

Dr. John Walz, president, was named a Notable Leader in Higher Education by BizTimes Milwaukee.

Jordan Weston ’10, ’15, ’18, Rapid Prototyping Center, was re-elected to the Additive Manufacturing Users Group board of directors as director, education and conference.

MSOE’s Oscar Werwath Distinguished Teacher Award was given to Dr. Wujie Zhang, Physics and Chemistry, to recognize excellence in teaching and is voted upon by students. Awardees must have a minimum of seven years of full-time service to MSOE and exemplify the values and beliefs of MSOE’s founding family.

PEDAL TO THE “MEDAL”

Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge Team earns three awards

Jeff Kaas, freshman, management; Daniel Cantu, sophomore, mechanical engineering; and Brandon Janes, junior, mechanical engineering, wowed the judges at the National Fluid Power Association (NFPA) Fluid Power Vehicle Challenge competition. Their task was to redesign a traditional bicycle using hydraulics as the mode of power transmission. With a lot of hard work and support, the young team evolved from having zero experience with fluid power to taking home three different awards at the competition: third place in the sprint race; second place in the Regen Race; and Judge’s Choice Award for Meritorious Achievement by Underclassmen. Dr. Luis Rodriguez serves as the team’s faculty advisor.

MSOE.EDU/NEWSROOM

Building the Future: New Facility Will Enhance MSOE Campus

Kendall Breunig Center for the Built Environment

Presentation Area

Transportation Laboratory

During an investment class with Dr. John Zachar (pictured at left) more than four decades ago, Dr. Kendall Breunig ’79 was inspired to dip his toe into the world of real estate. Within three months of graduation, the future MSOE Regent bought his first income property, and started what would become a very successful career—and ultimately lead to a new home for MSOE’s Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department.

“I got into real estate investment because of Dr. Zachar, who is now in his 50th year at MSOE,” said Breunig. “As a student, you never know, sometimes it just takes one thing to hit for you with your classes that will set your path for the future.”

Breunig worked in construction management for 10 years after graduation and invested in approximately 100

apartments. “By then, I figured I could make a living doing this. Not only do I do the design, I do the development with my own construction crew and manage and hold the properties. I specialize in anything that’s not pretty—I only buy troubled and foreclosed properties that may have structural or environmental issues. They are the most challenging and the most rewarding.”

However, one property that isn’t troubled caught Breunig’s eye: the building located at 310 E. Knapp St., across from Viets Field and the Kern Center. When the building went up for sale about 10 years ago the owners approached MSOE, hoping to sell it to the university. At the time, there wasn’t a need for it. Breunig kept his eye on it though, and in time he learned MSOE’s Civil and Architectural Engineering and

“MSOE means a lot to me. Thanks to Dr. Zachar, I got to where I am now.”

DR. KENDALL BREUNIG ’79 MSOE REGENT

Construction Management Department was beginning to outgrow its current space in the lower level of the Campus Center.

“Once I knew there was a purpose for the Knapp Street building, I kept watching it. I was able to get the price down a bit more and bought it two years ago. This past March 1, I donated the property to MSOE to be used by the department I graduated from,” said Breunig. “MSOE means a lot to me. Thanks to Dr. Zachar, I got to where I am now.”

Breunig and his three younger brothers all graduated from MSOE. He credits the university for pulling them together and keeping them close. Over the years they partnered on a couple businesses related to pharmaceuticals and chemicals. Breunig’s granddaughter is currently enrolled in the architectural engineering program and as he puts it, with any luck, his grandson will soon be a Raider as well. One of his dreams is for them to take a class in a building with their grandfather’s name on it.

Breunig made the property available to MSOE through a bargain sale from his company, Sunset Investors, allowing the university to purchase it for approximately

$9 million less than its assessed value. Renovations to transform the building into the new academic home for the Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department will cost $14 million, all of which will be financed through private philanthropy. Breunig has pledged $2 million toward the renovation, and MSOE has launched a fundraising campaign to secure the remainder of the funding from alumni, friends and corporate partners.

“This gift perfectly captures Kendall Breunig. He’s extremely smart and always thinking about what can be done. He had his eye on the building for years, even before I started at MSOE,” said MSOE President John Walz, Ph.D. “Kendall wanted it to be home to where he earned his MSOE degrees. He loves his alma mater and told me several times, one of his priorities was making sure getting that building would not be a burden at all for MSOE.”

The Breunig legacy will live on at MSOE in the Kendall Breunig Center for the Built Environment. It is a three-story building with 58,429 square feet that was built in 2000. The term “built environment” encompasses buildings, the distribution of utility systems,

Lily Antczak, architectural engineering, watches as her grandfather, Dr. Kendall Breunig ’79, shares plans for MSOE’s newest building.

and roads, bridges and transportation systems—essentially everything that is taught in MSOE’s civil engineering, architectural engineering and construction management programs.

Renovations will begin once MSOE has raised the funds needed to complete the first phase of the project and the current tenants have moved out, both of which are expected by early 2024. The first phase will allow faculty and students to occupy the second floor of the building. Work will begin on the remaining portion of the facility when the fundraising campaign is complete.

Once renovations are finished, students will enjoy an outdoor plaza and an indoor commons area; learn in seven laboratories and six classrooms; hone their skills in the presentation area; and study in a variety of collaboration rooms and spaces.

Breunig graduated from MSOE with an Associate of Applied Science in Architectural and Building Construction Engineering Technology in 1978 and a bachelor’s degree in the same field in 1979. He received an M.S. in Civil Engineering from Marquette University in 1987 and

was later awarded an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from MSOE in 2017. He served as a member of the MSOE Corporation before joining the Board of Regents in 2016 and was inducted to MSOE’s Alumni Wall of Distinction in 2021.

SEE MORE RENDERINGS AT: MSOE.EDU/DIMENSIONS

If you would like to learn more about the campaign to make this transformative project possible, including opportunities to name spaces in the facility, please contact Greg Casey, senior director of development, at casey@msoe.edu or (414) 277-4510.

Environmental Laboratory

Collaboration Stair

CYBER CHEESE FIRST Robotics team competes at world championship

In only its second year of existence, MSOE’s community FIRST® Robotics Competition team, Milwaukee Cyber Cheese, competed in the world championship April 19-22 in Houston, Texas. The team of high school students qualified for the championship after being the winning alliance at the Wisconsin Regional competition.

Milwaukee Cyber Cheese is comprised of Milwaukee-area high school students who do not have a FIRST Robotics competition team of their own. The students are from Golda Meir, Pathways, St. Joan Antida, St. Augustine Prep, Greendale, West Allis Central and Shorewood high schools.

The team practices in the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE and is coached and mentored by MSOE students and staff. Milwaukee Cyber Cheese’s trip to Houston was made possible thanks to support from MSOE and private philanthropy from MSOE alumni, faculty, staff and supporters, as well as generous gifts from We Energies, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, CT Cubed Inc. and ODK Capital Management.

HEATING UP Rockabilly Chili spices up spring

Taste buds were tingling at the 21st Annual WMSE Rockabilly Chili. More than 3,000 chili lovers filled the Kern Center to sample signature chilis of varying heat levels and spices from 37 Milwaukee restaurants.

A whopping 1,300 pounds of food was donated to Hunger Task Force. This year’s event featured a special edition hot sauce, Hellraiser, developed exclusively for WMSE by A&M Provisions.

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

Women Developing Wisconsin

Wisconsin

The Women Developing Wisconsin Conference returned to MSOE and provided learning and networking opportunities to empower women in the construction, business, finance and real estate industries. This year’s theme was “Harnessing Your Power” and featured keynote speaker Francesca Mayca Wegner, president and chief possibilities officer of HPGM. She shared her story as the daughter of a Peruvian immigrant and Midwest Latina who has not let the worst thing that ever happened to her define who she is or keep her from getting what she wants. She shared the importance of knowing yourself, believing in possibilities and the power of

Women Developing Wisconsin helps women of all ages build a strong support network and learn from each other. MSOE students, faculty, staff and industry leaders attended the event and engaged in sessions, empowerment panels and networking opportunities. Conference sponsors included the We Energies Foundation, MSOE, PieperPower, Sunset Ivestors, Walbec Group, Mortenson, Wisconsin CREW, CBRE, Boldt, HGA and Groth Design Group. The funds raised are used to support students through scholarships and sponsoring their attendance at industry conferences.

Girls + AI provides hands-on learning

Northwestern Mutual and MSOE teamed up to host the annual Girls + AI, an Hour of Tech event at the We Energies STEM Center at MSOE. Nearly 40 eighth grade female students from Notre Dame School of Milwaukee visited MSOE to learn about artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.

Girls + AI provides an extended opportunity for the students to interact with representatives from Northwestern Mutual and MSOE around hands-on STEM subject matter. During the event, the students programmed robotic hands to follow commands from neural networks, learned about the 5 Big Ideas in AI, and learned about AI and data literacy.

Girls + AI was one of multiple opportunities led by a collaboration between MSOE’s K–12 STEM program and Northwestern Mutual’s hi, Tech program available to students during the 2022 Greater MKE Hour of Tech.

HELPING HANDS

Making a world of difference

Improving the health and wellbeing of Hondurans was the focus of this year’s trip for MSOE’s chapter of Global Brigades. Twenty-three students volunteered in the Public Health and Medical Brigades, serving several rural communities during their time in the country with Dr. Victoria Carlson-Oehlers, Dr. Edward Chandler, Dr. Patrick Jung and Kristine Radtke-Norris, their faculty advisors.

Students in the Medical Brigade worked alongside doctors to provide general health consultations, reproductive health screenings, vision screenings, eyeglasses and dental extractions to 268 patients. For many community members, this was their first opportunity to have their medical needs addressed, and several traveled hours by foot to seek care.

The Public Health Brigade assisted in the building of eco stoves. Many families in rural Honduran communities cook over open flames in rooms with poor ventilation. Eco stoves are equipped with a chimney to filter smoke outside of the home. They use significantly less wood than traditional stoves and provide a safer and more sustainable way to prepare meals. Once this work was completed, students shifted to working with community members to develop an action plan for improving infrastructure including roads, sanitation and water supply for their villages.

Students volunteered in Public Health and Medical Brigades to serve rural communities in Honduras.

Students Strut

Brainpower at Senior Project Showcase

MSOE’s Senior Project Showcase is a long-standing tradition for students to display the knowledge they’ve gained and skills they’ve honed over their academic career at MSOE. Family and friends, faculty and staff, and community partners and corporate sponsors filled campus to celebrate the graduating seniors and their hard work.

(Above) Wave Energy Conversion project; (right) WiSE Guys— Network of Interconnected Radio Modules for Arcade Logic (NIRMAL) project

(Clockwise from top left) Discovery World Nature Exhibit project; The Pro Lane: Stance Team project; Gas to Electric: FPI Tractor Upgrade project; Bancroft Luxury Apartments for Racine, WI (Team E); and TippyTap: Smart Tap Handle System project

Season highlights

Men’s tennis won their first ever NACC regular season and conference tournament championships and advanced to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2010.

Softball opened up MSOE Raiders Field with two victories. The first hit ever recorded at the field was a home run by junior catcher Jenna Trewyn. Women’s rowing earned their first ever medal in a Varsity 8+ race at the Illinois Collegiate Rowing Invitational.

Men’s track and field won a share of the NACC Indoor Conference Championships back in February, their first indoor title since 2011.

Men’s hockey student-athlete Gramm McCormack was named NCHA Freshman of the Year and was among the best first-year players in the country when he made the All-USCHO Rookie First Team.

McKayla Zastrow (women’s soccer) and Steven Arthur (men’s soccer) were both named CSC Second Team Academic All-Americans in November.

RECORD BREAKER

Making every mile worth it

Kaitlyn Rodman entered the record books when she stepped out onto the course on a chilly morning in Michigan’s state capital this past November. The junior runner became the second ever MSOE female participant at a NCAA National Championship cross country race and she represented the school well. Rodman finished in the top half of the results and did so in record time for MSOE.

Her journey started well before that race, though. Rodman had one of the most dominate fall seasons for a female at MSOE out on the racecourse. She led the Raiders in every single race throughout the season, which included a fourth-place finish at the 2022 NACC Championships with a time of 24:10.2. It was only a couple of days after that race when she found out she was national bound. “I didn’t really have any clear thoughts after I learned that I had qualified for nationals,” said Rodman. “There was just a really strong feeling of disbelief. It’s important to me that I thank MSOE for their support both athletically and academically and for all the opportunities.”

Rodman finished in 139th place out of a total of 293 runners with a time of 23:44.5. That mark was yet another record for the junior as it was the fifth fastest 6K time in program history. “It was great to see Kaitlyn race on the national stage because not everyone can say they competed at the national championships,” said head cross country coach Bill Massoels. “It is also great to know that she has five more opportunities to race on this level with the best in the nation. She represented MSOE with pride, and as Coach Miller states, she represented MSOE ‘The Raider Way.’ I couldn’t more proud of Kaitlyn!”

Rodman dealt with winter-like conditions and snow on the course, but she made sure to take in the experience as it’s the highest honor a cross country runner can hope for. “It was an awesome course and an unbelievable experience. I had a ton of fun out there,” she said. “Thank you to MSOE for supporting opportunities like this for student-athletes and thank you to my teammates. You guys make every mile worth it. Every step is a gift.” Rodman now owns three of the fastest 6K times (first, second and fifth) and the second fastest 5K time for the women’s program.

From the red and white to the red, white and blue

Senior MSOE men’s hockey student-athlete Matt Hanewall got the honor of a lifetime this past January when he was one of the players selected to represent the United States at the 2023 Winter World University Games. This year’s games marked the first time that the USA men’s ice hockey roster was comprised of players from the D-III ranks across the country.

“We are extremely proud of Matthew for being able to represent his country in this incredible event,” said MSOE Raiders men’s hockey head coach Graham Johnson at the time of his selection. “It’s a very special thing to wear your country’s crest on your jersey. We know he will represent his country, himself, his family, and Milwaukee School of Engineering with tremendous pride!”

Represent, he did. Hanewall appeared in every game for the United States and helped lead the team to the gold medal game against archrival Canada. While the red, white and blue didn’t come away with top medal honors, Hanewall did everything he could to earn the silver he wore around his neck during the awards ceremony. The Raiders’ forward took 22 shots in total, which resulted in four goals and three assists for seven total points.

“It is a great honor to be selected to play for your country and one that I definitely didn’t take for granted because few people get the chance to do it,” said Hanewall. “It was a

great opportunity to put MSOE on a world stage and show people that we are more than an engineering school. Athletes can come here, get a great education and have success in their sport.”

Hanewall returned to Milwaukee after the tournament that took place in northern New York to finish off his career in a red and white sweater. He ended his Raiders career with 42 total goals, including seven game-winnings strikes, and his 78 career points were also comprised of 36 assists in 88 games across four seasons. Hanewall’s career didn’t end when MSOE’s season did in the NCHA playoffs, however. The Chicago native went on to play three games with the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL, the third-highest level of professional hockey in the country, and scored the game winner in their 5-2 win over the Indy Fuel on March 10. Hanewall was the second Raider to appear for Iowa this season, following in the steps of teammate Kyle Herbster who saw action in six games.

It was a great opportunity to put MSOE on a world stage and show people that we are more than an engineering school. Athletes can come here, get a great education and have success in their sport.”

MATT HANEWALL

education and their sport.”

Raiders Field was o cially dedicated on Saturday, May 6. Raiders Field was funded entirely through the philanthropy of Dr. Kathleen Ruehlow ’72, MSOE Regent; MSOE Regent Matthew ’99 and Jodi ’98 Burow; and Fiduciary Management Inc.

From left: Amanda Manssen ’20, softball alumna; Brooke Gajewski, head softball coach; Bladen Burns, Fiduciary Management; Matthew Burow ’99, MSOE Regent; Dr. Kathleen Ruehlow ’72, MSOE Regent; Dr. John Walz, MSOE president; Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee Mayor, and his daughter.

MSOE Regent Kathy Ruehlow’s grandchildren, Nora and Henry Woods, threw out the first pitch at the Raiders Field celebration.

Mary Ann Pedtke ’72

“I’ve realized the knowledge of medicine is useful in everyday life.” At age 16, alumna Mary Ann Pedtke ’72 already knew she wanted to become a nurse. “My first job was working as a nurse’s aide, and I remember having so much admiration for the head nurse.”

Pedtke graduated from Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing in 1972, prior to the program's merger into the MSOE School of Nursing in 1995.

The Kenosha native started her career as a staff nurse at Evanston Hospital and in research at Northwestern University in Chicago. She worked at medical clinics in Villa Park, Illinois and Buffalo, New York before retiring from Minnetonka and St. Louis Park School Districts in Minnesota where she did early childhood screening.

In fall of 2022, Pedtke and her husband Richard pledged $10,000 to set up a scholarship to support a student in MSOE’s nursing program. “Education is empowering and builds one’s skill to make change for a better world. I made this gift because I want to encourage a student to fulfill their dreams of becoming a nurse and enjoy this rewarding career,” said Pedtke.

Terrell (Terry) Williams ’67

Terrell (Terry) Williams ’67 and his wife Betty pledged $20,000 to establish a scholarship to support an MSOE student looking to pursue a degree in engineering and who displays an eye toward building something new in their future career.

“There is a period around high school graduation when one must formulate a vision of a path into the world of survival and opportunity. It would be a shame if lack of funding puts that potential realization and dream out of reach.”

Williams’ realization came during his high school’s career day when he met an engineer who shared how he got to create things that had never existed before. Thanks to an opportunity made possible by MSOE, Williams fulfilled his dream of going to college. He graduated from MSOE in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering.

During his accomplished career, he pursued advances in the treatment of heart disease and was responsible for developing the drive system of an implantable heart at the Applied Science Division of Litton Industries. He received 53 U.S. patents before retiring in 2012.

“The mind is a terrible thing to waste,” said Williams. Through his gift to MSOE, he hopes to open possibilities for students who demonstrate the creativity he once did and to give them the opportunity to achieve both academic and career success.

Badger Meter donation bridges communities

International travel through Engineers

Without Borders can be a life-changing experience for MSOE students and the communities they serve. An experience that almost didn’t happen this year, were it not for the quick and generous action of an MSOE corporate partner.

MSOE’s Student Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) was ready to travel to Guatemala to execute a bridge construction project in the community of Caserío Alconá. Two days before the trip they discovered an important tool for the project was broken.

“We learned EWB Guatemala’s concrete vibrator was kaput,” said MSOE professor and co-advisor of the EWB-MSOE group Dr. Douglas Stahl. Having a concrete vibrator is essential to getting structural concrete to consolidate and fill the spaces in the formwork of a bridge.

Thanks to a key piece of equipment provided by Milwaukee-based Badger Meter, junior architectural engineering major Molly McClyman’s experience installing that bridge was a success. She

said, “This project had to be completed on a very tiny catwalk so having a small portable concrete vibrator was a life saver.”

“Within two days our crew had the $1,500 tool with us on our way to Guatemala,” said Stahl.

“In keeping with Badger Meter’s commitment to protecting our most valuable resources and helping those in need, we were honored to partner with MSOE to play a small role in helping build this needed infrastructure in rural Guatemala,” said John Leto, national account manager, Wyco Products, a division of Badger Meter.

Weston Lema, a senior civil and structural engineering major and the team’s project lead, said the community of Caserío Alconá had requested the bridge to create a safe passageway over a river that divides the town.

“The river separates around 15-20 families from all the essential services that are on the other side of town. During the dry season traveling across it is relatively safe,

The concrete vibrator tool was an essential piece of equipment needed to complete the Alconá bridge project in Guatemala. The tool was donated by MSOE corporate partner Badger Meter.

however during rainy season it can become dangerous due to high water depths and increased velocity,” said Lema. The construction of the bridge was completed in 15 days, a new EWB-MSOE chapter record, and it’s estimated it will now help more than 3,000 people who need to travel across the river to sell their goods. The Alconá project was the eighth vehicular bridge project for the EWB-MSOE chapter, and the 12th overall the group has implemented for residents of Joyabaj.

“Being part of this team was one of the highlights of my trip. I am extremely excited to use these new skills I’ve learned on future projects down the road,˝said McClyman.

Perry Bishop ’82 networks with prospective students and families at the DEIB Accepted Student Reception. The annual event invites prospective students to connect with MSOE students, faculty, staff and alumni.

1980s

Edward Schultz 83 FPET, president, EDZ Technologies Inc., Kissimmee, Fla.

Robert Cooney 85 ME was named engineering fellow in mechanical design, electronic enclosures and packaging by Collins Aerospace.

Michal Riege 89 IE, production manager, Scan-Pac Mfg. Inc., purchased Flyrite LLC.

Michael Trader 89 EE, principal engineer, BioIntelliSense Inc., Redwood City, Calif.

1990s

Linda Cottrell, 93 ME senior safety engineer, Nel Hydrogen, Oslo, Norway

2010s

Jason Mankowski 11 NU, clinical informatics specialist, credentialed trainer, Ascension, Milwaukee

Tyler Barlow 12 ME, 22 EE, principal mechanical engineer, Leonardo DRS, Milwaukee

Nicholas Gorden 14 MIS completed an Executive Master of Business Administration from Quantic School of Business and Technology.

Frederik Karsten 14 ME, chief engineer, Scag Power Equipment Inc., Mayville, Wis.

Gage Wright 19 ME, design engineer, GS Global Resources Inc., Mukwonago, Wis.

2020s

Jeff Genovese 20 MBAEL received the George Gray WASBO New School Business Manager of the Year Award. Genovese is the school business manager for the Yorkville (Wis.) Joint #2 School District.

Daniel Ruehle 94 CE, software engineer, Block Inc., San Francisco.

Maribeth Achterberg 98 MSEM, VP solution delivery, Molson Coors Beverage Company, has been named to CDO Magazine Global Editorial Board.

2000s

Thomas Hill 01 CE, CEO and board member, MarketLab, Caledonia, Mich.

Wesley Daoust 02 AE, vice president of mechanical engineering, Urban-Gro, Lafayette, Colo.

Sumit Sehgal 04 SE, chief information officer, Midwest Vision Partners, Chicago

Travis Thul 06 EET has been appointed to the Board of Engineering and Board of Electricity by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Katrina Barhouse 09 EE, industrial control systems team lead, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Cambridge, Mass.

Joshua Spitza 09 ME, VP of operations, Hamilton Power, Sun Prairie, Wis.

GRADS

Hannah Abbott-LaPayne 22 NU, registered nurse, Aurora Health Care, Milwaukee

Dinara Beth 22 NU, registered nurse, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, Milwaukee

Aaron Brost 22 AE, project engineer, Doral Corporation, Milwaukee

Quinn Brousseau 22 EE, controls engineer, IAS, New Berlin, Wis.

Kacie Gresenz 22 NU, labor and delivery RN, Unity Point Health Meriter, Madison, Wis.

Louis Halperin 22 AE, plumbing engineer, EXP, Milwaukee

Muhammad Hassan Mansoor Malik 22 MSE, new product engineer, R&B Wagner Inc., Butler, Wis.

Lolita Obolenskaya 22 NU, registered nurse, Advocate Aurora Healthcare, Milwaukee

Jennifer Ortiz 22 NU, nurse, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

CLASS OF 2022–23

Hello Fellow Raiders!

My name is Ploy Chongvatanabandit and I am the incoming president of the MSOE Alumni Association Board. I graduated from MSOE in 2019 with a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and minor in technical communication. I lead GE HealthCare’s materials purchasing strategy as a part of the global materials team.

I have served on the MSOE Alumni Association Board over the past five years, and I’m thrilled to lead our next chapter together. We’ve been working hard to focus our efforts into three committees: Programming: finding opportunities for alumni to engage with each other; Affinity: developing and fostering like-minded alumni to meet and flourish together; and Awards: acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of our talented MSOE alumni. With this as our foundation, I am hoping to be able to help guide our board to reach new heights starting in July 2023.

There are so many ways to stay connected to MSOE. It can be as simple as attending an upcoming event like Summer in the City July 28–30, learning about other alumni through our monthly spotlight stories, nominating your peers to be considered for alumni awards, applying to join the Alumni Association Board or giving back to our community. Learn more about these opportunities at msoe.edu/ alumni.

However you decide to connect, I hope to see you and your family at a campus event in the future!

Best Wishes,

Ploy Chongvatanabandit ’19 MSOE Alumni Association Board President

Rishi Patel 22 AE, graduate engineer, WSP, Chicago

Will Smith 22 ME, engineer, Manitowoc Ice, Manitowoc, Wis.

Yilda Torres 22 MSCVE, lab supervisor/ EHSS coordinator, A.O. Smith Corporation, Milwaukee

Leah Busse 23 NU, registered nurse, cardiovascular operating room, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center, Milwaukee

Vonn Gohr 23 BSE, machine design engineer, Signicast Corp., Hartford, Wis.

Eva Gretz 23 NU, registered nurse, cardiac PICU, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Makayla Grimm 23 NU, nurse, Froedtert Hospital, Milwaukee

Cesar Hernandez-Mora 23 IE, lean engineer, Pentair, Brookfield, Wis.

Trey Maccaux 23 ME, controls engineer, Uline, Pleasant Prairie, Wis.

Noah Marvil 23 EE, hardware debug engineer, Extreme Engineering Solutions, Verona, Wis.

Elijah Nicks 23 MBAEL, science teacher, Believers In Christ Christian Academy, Milwaukee

Zachary Pasbrig 23 CE, firmware engineer, Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp., Brookfield, Wis.

Madisen Penna 23 NU, nurse, Advocate Aurora Health, Milwaukee

Nathan Roelse 23 IE, manufacturing engineer, Nordco Inc., Oak Creek, Wis.

Gustas Valentukaitis 23 IE, manufacturing engineer, JW Speaker Corp., Germantown, Wis.

Heath Wright 23 NU, nurse resident, cardiac telemetry, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Portland, Ore.

Pave the Way

“Attending MSOE provided me valuable problem-solving skills that I have utilized throughout my career— from designing products at Apple to securing a deal on Shark Tank for my company Hug Sleep. MSOE’s real-world, hands-on approach has greatly shaped who I am today.”

– Matt Mundt ’14

Learn how to leave your mark on campus at give.msoe.edu/pavetheway

Ploy Chongvatanabandit visiting GE HealthCare headquarters in Tokyo, Japan for a training.

From Sea to Space

Bill Seufzer ’83

Bill Seufzer’s career took him on a journey spanning from sea to space and everywhere in between. Seufzer earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from MSOE in 1983. He started his career as an avionics system engineer and U.S. Air Force officer at Wright-Patterson Air Force base in Ohio. During that time, he and a coworker thought it might be fun to also learn how to scuba dive, uncovering a passion for marine science and shaping his future.

One of his first diving adventures was participating in Project Ocean Search, an educational and research project led by Dr. Richard Murphy and Jean-Michel Cousteau, the son of famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.

Seufzer proceeded to obtain his Ph.D. in Marine Science and then began working as a contractor at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia. In 2003, Seufzer became a computational scientist with NASA and played a pivotal role working on the Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication (EBF3) project.

“My involvement led to rides in the NASA zero-gravity C-9 (aka The Vomit Comet), three patents, one of which I authored, and development of SHAZAM, a laser measurement system to measure deposition height. SHAZAM played a key role in fabricating NASA’s first 3-D printed full-scale upper-stage rocket nozzle that fired for 90 seconds.”

Seufzer was named NASA’s chief information security officer (CISO) in 2020 and in 2023 he started a new position within the Science Mission Directorate as an embedded cyber professional.

Out of all these incredible career and life experiences, Seufzer’s most prized accomplishment is his family. When he’s not working, he’s playing the role of supportive and involved soccer, figure skating, dance, band, and musical theatre dad—a role he values and cherishes beyond all his career accolades.

Top: Bill Seufzer upside down on the C-9 zero gravity flight. Center: Seufzer (standing, center) in the British Virgin Islands where he went on scuba and snorkeling excursions to gather information for a research project.

Bottom: Seufzer describes the advantages of metal additive manufacturing to a group of interns at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia.

Births

To Laura and Nicholas Gorden 14 MIS, a daughter, Leliana Gorden, born Feb. 13, 2023

Marriages

Zachary Dawiec 16 AE/CM married Elizabeth Bitante

15 ME on June 25, 2022. Several alumni were in attendance. From left, front: Brad Helm 15 ME, 17 MSE; Kamille Villegas 17 NU; Mariely (Ramirez) Caelwaerts 16 NU; Gabriel Nelson 16 CVE/MSCVE; Mitch Setterman 10 AE; Logan Kupferman 18 EE; Brett VanDaalwyk 15 ME. Middle: Dan Amann 87 ME; Josh Mueller 15 ME; Danielle (Plambeck) Simono 16 NU; Kevin Smith 95 ME; Elizabeth (Bitante) Dawiec 15 ME; Zachary Dawiec 16 AE/CM; Emily (Dvorsky) Nelson 15 AE; Branden Schneider 15 AE; Maureen (Thompson) Schneider 14 BIOE. Back: Jason

Allen 99 AE; Gretchen (Grams) Amundson NU; James Simonson 16 CM; Josh Reed 15 BME; Thomas Winchell 15 AE; Michael Caelwaerts 15 ME; Joel Menk 15 MIS; Brandon Lehrer 17 AE.

To Colleen and Matt Waech 14 IE, a son, Joseph Patrick Waech, born Oct. 20, 2022.

Colin Bekta 16 SE married Kelly-Ann Kato 16 EE on Nov. 4, 2022.

In Memory

Floyd Totten 51 NRTT

William Wampler 52 ACT

Marvin Keiser 54 EE

Darrell Picht 57 ACT

Earl Beyer 58 ACT

Richard Sanneman 58 EE

Barbara Edge 60 NU

Raymond Charlton 61 ECT

Walter Dickmann 62 IM

Parmjit Jaspal 62 ACT

Frank Magalski 63 CT

George Gould 66 EE

Lawrence Stern 70 EE

Lawrence Jacobi 71 ECT, 73 EET

Peter Allen 72 NU

Lewis Enderle 73 IM

Paul Jakielo 74 EET

Douglas Shuit 74 EPET, 75 EET

Thomas Goehner 76 FPET

Christopher Gall 81 CET, 82 EET

Ronald Fisher 95 EET

David Anderson passed away on Jan. 28, 2023. Anderson served as the CEO of Milsco Manufacturing Company before his retirement in 2000. He was a member of the MSOE Corporate Board and the Executive Motorcycle Group.

Regent Emeritus Jack Blank passed away on March 7, 2023. Blank served as a member of the Board of Regents and held an Honorary Doctor of Engineering from the university.

Dr. Jeff Blessing, professor, passed away in April 2023. Blessing joined the MSOE faculty in 1986. He taught in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department for 16 years before becoming a professor in the Rader School of Business. He was the first to develop and teach courses at MSOE in artificial intelligence, object-oriented programming, cybersecurity, and cross-platform mobile and web application development.

Terry McCart passed away on Jan. 21, 2023. McCart was a lab manager in the Fluid Power Institute at MSOE from 2017–2023.

Dr. Michael Vieau passed away on Dec. 12, 2022. Vieau taught cybersecurity as an adjunct professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at MSOE from 2015–2022.

HISTORY BUFF

“The MSOE Historical Society is my love letter to the university.”

Over his four years at MSOE, history buff John Bilkey (pictured right) had the pleasure of watching the university transform and hearing stories from students and long-term faculty and staff, including Professor Emeritus Hans Schroeder ’55 and Dr. Eckhart Grohmann. “I came to understand how incredibly rich the 120-year history of MSOE is.”

Bilkey wanted to share these stories with others, so he created the MSOE Historical Society, a club dedicated to sharing and preserving the stories and history of MSOE in a fun and engaging way. “We go beyond telling the ‘fun facts,’ and tell the personal side of these stories and put them in the context of larger historical events and trends,” said Bilkey.

The group meets in the library and brings in featured guests to dive into the histories of campus traditions, buildings, projects, major events and more. About 20 participants attend the meetings and even more watch the recorded meetings on YouTube, which helps with their mission of preservation.

A student cuts the tie of Dr. Robert Spitzer, MSOE’s third president, at a St. Patrick’s Day celebration in the early 1980s. Tie cutting was one of the many St. Pat’s week traditions the MSOE Historical Society discussed with featured guests Nick Seidler, Residence Life, and Dr. Charles Tritt, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department. Watch the full meeting at youtube.com/@MSOEHistoricalSociety.