Issuu

IN THIS ISSUE

8 Changing the Face of Engineering Carisa Ramming's appreciation for mentorship changes her career path.

14 Raising the Bar Starting this fall, the way students are accepted into CEAT is changing to better improve their chances for success.

18 Plane Education A partnership with another OSU college gives students in MAE hands-on experience in the sky.

DEAN, COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

Paul Tikalsky, EACR MARKETING

Ph.D., P.E., F.ASCE, F.ACI,

MANAGER

Kristi Wheeler Kylie Fanning CEAT ART DIRECTOR

34 Safer Roads Engineering experts in CEAT are helping develop materials that will give drivers more traction on slick roads.

52 Tornadic Sound Brian Elbing's research into sound may lead to improved tornado warnings.

56 A Change ofldentity Alumnus Devin Hedgepeth discovers there's more to life than football.

UNIVERSITY

Office

EDITOR

of OSU Brand

Management

ART DIRECTOR

Office

of OSU Brand

Management

PHOTOGRAPHY

Phil Shockley,

Gary Lawson,

CEAT Staff

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Progress. Innovation. Transformation. These are our guideposts and our goals for the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology. Inside this issue, we're telling stories about where we've been, where we are, and most importantly, where we're headed. Join us, won't you?

CEAT is working hard to attract students earlier and earlier to courses and ultimately careers in its fields.

Associate professor Josh Ramsey and graduate student Momen Amer are exploring a new concept.

Youthful Appeal

Bunking Bioreactors

ON THE COVER... CEAT students Bill Liando and Bailey Hackler introduce students Alex Wang, Harini Vora and Raygan Leach to STEMin ENDEAVOR.

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

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From the Dean he College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State launches a new future this year. Our new strategic plan integrates new pre-college standards and freshman advising, retention initiatives to provide more pathways to degree completion in four years, accelerated research and development, and a large step forward in interdisciplinary hands-on learning and entrepreneurial opportunities. We continue our push to engage diverse and underrepresented populations. We once again led the nation in Native American engineering technology and engineering graduates, and the number ofHispanic students has more than doubled in the past six years. The diverse intellect of these future professionals from all socioeconomic and lifeexperience backgrounds is driving a new rising tide of American leadership in innovation. CEAT is proud to be part of this 21st-century transformation. The ENDEAVOR initiative launches this year. The 72,000-square-footlaboratory along with an interdisciplinary platform of education, are a push to train the next generation of professionals. ENDEAVOR opened in August with a shared $35 million investment by donors, corporations and the university, and nearly$5 million in new equipment to train engineering, technology and architecture students. There is no other university building like it in the nation. The students have invested in the building with a change in fee structure that will sustain and maintain the building for many years to come. The college's future is about the pedagogy and experiences that graduate world-class engineers and professionals with strong technical knowledge, interdisciplinary training, business acumen and articulate communication skills. CEAT has hired more than 70 new faculty in the past six years, bringing new ideas and cutting-edge technologies. It may take a decade to see the true impact of this giant investment, but we are leading a new generation ofOSU. We have engaged industry, alumni, faculty, students and university leaders in our strategic plan that elevates the impact of our research and our reputation with leading employers and peers. We have partnered with OSU's University College, University Admissions and Tulsa Community College to strengthen the pathway to graduation for all students who want to enterCEAT. None of this is possible without the generous support of donors and industry partners who are providing the financial support of scholarships, internships, equipment and faculty support. Alumni donated more than $10.1 million in the past year by putting their family resources and names behind scholarships, industry presence in our laboratories, and estates and trusts into supporting the colleges newest programs. We are truly a Cowboy Family that will endure for generations to come. I hope you will visit OSU this coming year and bring your daughters and sons, grandchildren and friends to see ENDEAVOR in action. GO POKES!

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Paul Tikalsky Dean College ofEngineering,Architecture

IMPACT 2018

and Technology

CEATbythe

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From Academic Affairs ear friends and alumni, Today's students are the intellectual capital that will drive innovation in the future, and we place the highest priority on providing our students an outstanding education to help them succeed in their long-term career goals and aspirations. We are committed to continuous improvement, and we have several new initiatives in place and in process to keep raising the bar! In the fall of2018, the academic standards for enrolling in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology as a freshman increased. CEAT is the first OSU college that has been approved for higher enrollment standards than the standards for admission to OSU. Students who meet OSU's admission requirements but fall below CEAT's enrollment criteria can join OSU's University College preCEAT program, where they will get special advising and assistance to prepare them for success. They can transition from pre-CEAT to CEAT when they are ready to enroll in the first calculus course and have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Our goal isto ensure that students admitted to CEAT have the right academic preparation to succeed within our math- and science-focused programs and to provide these qualified students the academic, community and financial support they need. CEAT and Pre-CEAT enrollment for the fall semester has exceeded previous years. Improving retention amongCEAT students will be a high priority, with a focus on the CEAT Parker Living Learning Community and increased investment in advising. The CEAT Parker Living Learning Community is dedicated to CEAT freshmen and includes special resources and programs to help residents succeed. Many students living in CEAT Parker will start their academic career with a robust 2½-week Summer Bridge program and will continue with special programming and academic support activities throughout their freshman year. The CEAT Scholars program increased in 2018 from 20to 60 students. A CEAT special program coordinator position has been created to increase access to enrichment programs such as study abroad, the Grand Challenge Scholars program and the Honors program. And, of course, ENDEAVOR, which came online in the fall, will includes more hands-on and interdisciplinary learning earlier and throughout the curriculums. ENDEAVOR will be more than a hands-on laboratory- it will also be an entrepreneurial maker-space for students after 4 p.m. We expect students from throughout campus will utilize the space. Increasing diversity- including the number and percentage of female CEAT students - is another priority. CEAT's new strategic plan indicates an ambitious goal of increasing the four-year CEAT graduation rate. Curriculum changes continue across many of our programs to streamline curriculums and integrate ENDEAVOR within them. These are exciting times!

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Randy Seitsinger Associate Dean, Academic Affairs

IMPACT 2018

PHOTOS

GARY LAWSON

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"Wisdom begins with wonder." - SOCRATES

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Changing the Face of Engineering Ramming works with young women in CEAT with a goal of attaining equality for those in industry arisa Ramming may not be the person you picture when you think of an engineer. The most obvious difference is that the associate professor in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology's School of Architecture is a woman in the male-dominated field. As a female engineer, Ramming is indeed a minority, but she's working to change that. She is encouraging and mentoring the young women in Maude's Squad, a group of female freshmen who live in the CEAT living learning community in Parker Hall. It takes its name from Maude Spear, the first woman to graduate with an engineering degree from Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now known as Oklahoma State University. "That's been a really nice addition to my role at the university, and I really enjoy it," Ramming said. "We organize different programs for these young women, and it'sjust another way to have that connection. Hopefully they feel they have someone they can reach out toin us. We try to meet with them once a week, and then when I see them in my classes, it's nice because they already know me." Plus, her work with the young women gives her hope for the future of the industry. "Thankfully it's becoming more prevalent that there are more women in the engineering workforce," Ramming said. "I don't want to say that it's easier because there is still work to do but at least we are helping to establish a better support system. Youwant to feel like you're the same as everyone else and

8 IMPACT 2018

that when you're out in industry that it doesn't matter that you're female. There's the feeling that, I just want to be me and I want to apply for a job and be successful because I'm a good candidate and not because they need a girl." "But there are some things that are different and I think recognizing these differences and being aware is helpful. For example, it might be valuable for students to attend a program focused on understanding body language because, at times, females can express different body language than males. Understanding these differences in unspoken communication can be beneficial if these young women are aware that they're even happening." As an 8-year-old, watching new homes rise in her neighborhood piqued her interest in engineering. Her father, also an engineer, took a little time to recognize that his daughter would follow his footsteps, but she ended up going to OS U and earning a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering in 2001. "When I graduated from OS U I went to work in Tulsa," Rammingsaid. "It was the spring after September 11th and the economy was suffering, so I was laid off almost immediately after starting. I had already applied togo to graduate school but instead of only going part-time, I decided I'd come back to Stillwater that fall and just do it all." By 2004, she had two master's degrees in hand, one in architectural engineering and a second in civil engineering with a focus on construction management. "I've had to adapt and go in different directions throughout my life,"

STORY KYLIE FANNING

Ramming said. "In hindsight, getting laid off and going back to school was probably one of the best things that's ever happened to me." She took her degrees and went to work in engineering. Still, her experience as a graduate teaching assistant stuck with her and eventually led her back to OSU in 2007 part-time as a visiting faculty member. She was hired in January 2009 as a tenuretrack faculty member in architectural engineering. Now an associate professor, she teaches engineering science statics, steel design, and building foundations, among other subjects, and advises

II PHOTOS COURTESY

CARISA RAMMING

several student clubs, including the Architectural Engineering Institute and the Society ofHispanic Professional Engineers. "The relationships you form are pretty incredible, and they don't just end when the student leaves," Ramming said. "There's this whole other aspect that I don't think people consider when they think of teaching. I have some students from the very first year I was teaching who ask me stuff about jobs or just want me to know what's going on in their lives. I reallyappreciatethat. That's special and not something that I really thought about when coming back." Ramming also leads study abroad trips through the college. She has led students to Germany, Spain and France. "Study abroad trips are always so meaningful. The focus for each of the trips is technology and engineering and how they are affected by the culture of the countrywe are visiting," she said.

"It's not a sightseeing tour. We want to see the culture and learn about the history but also see what engineering is like in that country. Leading study abroad has been very rewarding and something that I didn't think would become such an impactful role in my life. Just watching students see and experience things for the first time is amazing. If you can help facilitate that kind of experience, it's incredible." For her work and dedication, Ramming has received many awards. While each one is an honor, the awards chosen by the students mean the most to her. "A mentor once told me, 'You can get a lot of awards but ones that are chosen by the students are the ones that are going to be the most special,'" Ramming said. "The ones that are student-picked are my most special ones because they help me stay focused and know I'm doing something right." ■

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

Carisa Ramming (far right) and her students take a break in Park Guell in Barcelona, Spain.

ARCHITECTURE

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A Passion for Recruiting Julie Blatt oversees Prospective Student Services for CEAT

tu.dent, alumna, industry recruiter, engineer and mom - all titles Julie Blatt has held. Now, Blatt holds the title of coordinator of Prospective Student Services for the College of Engineering,Architecture and Technology (CEAT) at Oklahoma State University. Born and raised in Ponca City, Oklahoma, Blatt earned her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at OSU in 1992. While atOSU, she was CEAT Student Council president, the Dean's Outstanding Engineering Student and OSU Homecoming queen. Blatt even met her husband, Tony, at OSU. They were both part of the first CEAT Scholars class. Tony graduated in 1993with his bachelor's in architecture and is now one of the principal owners ofan architecture firm in Edmond, Oklahoma. After graduation, Blatt became a project engineer and manager for large engineering firms. She "retired" from engineering after having her third child and moved on to raise her children, teach piano, play the organ at church and volunteer. It wasn't until she was asked to help with a FIRST Robotics competition as an alumna that Blatt made her way back to OSU. "While working at a booth at the competition, a young girl approached me, stating that she wished to be an engineer but her parents forbade her since there must be a reason so few women are in the field," Blatt said. "I was able to tell her I am a licensed professional engineer and that she, too, can become an engineer. The conversation with the young girl sparked my passion to recruit the best students for CEAT and to emphasize the importance of a diverse student body for our workforce." In 2015, Blatt came back to OSUto pursue this passion in the office ofCEAT Prospective Student Services. This office oversees all CEAT recruitment activities such as college tours, college fairs, high school visits, STEM fairs andOSU admission events. Blatt and her team visit with more than 2,000 students each year.

Julie Blatt: "I understand the importance of a mentor providing the guidance and an ear while pursuing a rigorous degree." -

IMPACT 2018

STORY KYLIE FANNING II PHOTOS

GARY LAWSON

The office also oversees the CEAT Student Ambassador program. When Blatt attended OSU, she was one of only two ambassadors her senior year. "When I started in 2015, the office had five to six student workers who assisted with recruitment and daily tours," Blatt said. "This year, the program has grown to 30 ambassadors who are selected from an application and interview process. The ambassadors represent all CEAT majors and are from various locations across the country from Beaver, Oklahoma, to Brooklyn, New York. They represent a wide range ofhigh school class sizes and they are involved in a variety of activities athletics, marching band, competitive fishing, rocketry club, student government, residential life, Greek life and thelistgoes on." Blatt is also a faculty adviser for Maude's Squad, a living and learning program created exclusively for female freshman majoring in CEAT. The group is named after Maude Spear, the first woman to receive an engineering degree from Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College, now known asOSU. "I had a wonderful mentor as a student," Blatt said. "I understand the importance of a mentor providing the guidance and an ear while pursuing a rigorous degree. I meet with the girls on a regular

basis for coffee and schedule programming such as a dinner with all CEAT female faculty, speakers from industry or a group self-defense class." Women are a minority in engineering in the United States. For 2014-15, only 18 percent of bachelor's degrees in engineering and engineering technologies went to women, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. "It is just unfortunate that society does not encourage our underrepresented groups to consider the many opportunities in engineering, architecture and technology," Blatt said. "I enjoy reaching out to a diverse group of students and educating them that our degree programs are available to any student who has a desire to make an impact on the world with math and science as their design tools." Blatt's love for CEAT and recruiting doesn't stop once she leaves work. She is working toward her master's in engineering technology management. Her son, Conner, is a senior at OSU in chemical engineering. Her daughter, Sydney, is a freshman at OSU studying architecture. Her youngest son, Jonathan, is a freshman at Edmond Santa Fe High School and has been attending CEAT summer programs to explore his college options. ■

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

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Hall of Fame to Induct Ramakumar Professor honored for 51 years of research

ama Ramakumar, an Oklahoma State University College of Engineering,Architecture and Technology Regents Professor in electrical and computer engineering and PSO/AlbrechtNaeter Professor, will be inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame on Nov. 5. Since 1994, the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society has recognized individuals whose achievement and leadership in scholarship, teaching, research, administration, staff support, outreach and public service have brought honor and distinction to higher education in the state by inducting them into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame. To date, more than 200 people have been so honored. "I was fortunate to come to Oklahoma State University in 1967when the field of renewable energy was in its nascent state, especially in the minds of the energy/power community," Ramakumar said. "It has been a rewarding experience to be involved with the research group at OSU over the past 51 years and see the nationwide and global growth of renewable technologies. I am humbled by the honor ofbeing inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame." Ramakumar received his bachelor's and master's degrees in India and his doctorate from Cornell University. He joined Oklahoma State University in 1967. What started as a16-month visitingappointmentturned into 51 years at Oklahoma State University's

School ofElectrical and Computer Engineering. Ramakumar has taught over 4,000 undergraduate and graduate students in 30 different courses, mentored 18 doctorate and numerous master's degree students. During his tenure at OSU, he received more than $2 million in grants and contracts for his research work and other activities associated with the Engineering Energy Laboratory. His research interests are in renewable energy, energy conversion, power engineering, energy storage, engineering reliability and the utilization of alternate energy sources to improve the human living environment in developing countries. His work has been documented in over 250 technical papers in various journals, transactions and conference proceedings. With others, he holds four U.S. patents and contributed chapters in four books and sections in 11 handbooks in the areas of energy and power. "Dr. Ramakumar's dedication to the teaching and research mission of Oklahoma State University has been abundantly evident in each of his 51 years of continuous service in the School ofElectrical and Computer Engineering," said Jeffrey Young, department head andOSURF Endowed Chair of Engineering in ECE. "The high honor ofDr. Ramakumar being inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society is most certainly welldeserved." ■

STORY KYLIE FANNING II PHOTO GARY LAWSON

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

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Raising the Bar CEAT partners with the University College to raise enrollment standards

he College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology has partnered with the University College to raise the freshman enrollment standards ofCEAT to ensure first-year students succeed at Oklahoma State University. The enrollment standards identify academically prepared students and provide a successful path for them. As the state's financial support for higher education diminishes and the demand for engineering and architecture professionals increases, there is a strong drive to invest more college scholarships and resources into students who are well prepared to graduate in four years.

24 ACT COMPOSITESCOREAND A 24 ACT MATHSCOREOR 24 ACT COMPOSITESCOREAND AN UNWEIGHTED3 5 GPA IN THE 15-UNIT HIGH SCHOOLCORE

Students who fall below these initial standards will be advised and enrolled through the OSU University College. Their major will be listed as Pre-CEAT General Studies (PCGS), but they will take prerequisite coursework toward the CEAT major they want. "Pre-CEAT students receive academic advising from professionals whose aim is to complete their preparation for the academic demands of the CEAT curriculum and success beyond their academic career," said Paul Tikalsky, dean ofCEAT. Once the student is ready to enroll in the first calculus course and has an overall GPA of at least 2.5, they will officially transfer into CEAT. As students enter CEAT courses, the college offers free tutoring for students. "This decision was based on findings from a study that found freshmen who did not have

14 IMPACT 2018

adequate math and science in high school find it hard to keep up with students who are well prepared. lftheytrytojump into the engineering, architecture or technology curricula, they incur substantial debt only to have to change majors or drop out because they weren't prepared," Tikalsky said. CEA T's new admission standards may mean fewer students will be admitted, but more students are likelier to stay in the college and earn a degree. "This past year, we issued 833 undergraduate degrees," Tikalskysaid. "That's 93 percent more engineering degrees than we did a few years ago, and engineering graduates are in high demand with rewarding salaries. The average student loan debt for these graduates is around $24,000, which can be paid off within two years of graduation. "We want to create this integrated seam that will take them to the engineering, architecture and technology world. We don't want them to spend their first two years taking preparatory math courses. "With these new enrollment standards, we now have students coming in the door who are college ready, and pre-CEAT students who can explore majors across campus, including CEAT majors," Tikalsky said. Recruiting efforts aim to help students who are college-ready graduate in four years, prepared for whatever path they choose. "CEAT's focus is more on eliminating us doing anything remedial and focusing the college's resources on educating great engineers and architects," Tikalsky said. "We are excited about raising the bar and helping those who meet it to graduate faster with a more comprehensive education in engineering, architecture and technology. We have confidence that more students will come to OSU to have this experience." ■

STORY KRISTI WHEELER

ACADEMICS

Competing Cowboys Contests offer students real-world simulations and experiences tis common for Oklahoma State students to gain hands-on experience in their craft outside the classroom. But some in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology take it to another level. Each year, exciting competitions and challenges test the skills and knowledge that students have acquired at OSU. These competitions encourage the integration of students from various degree programs. From mechanical and aerospace to electrical and computer engineering, students have equal opportunity to partake and showcase their talents. One of the larger competitions involves students from other universities and even high schools, as well as OSU. At Speedfest, an annual competition hosted by OSU, participants design high-speed, stealth jet aircraft that can deploy two payloads into a specified area. This year, several students also designed autonomous cars. "This project was great for our students in that it showed them how hard it is to nail the final details ofa project," said Aaron Alexander, mechanical engineering technology professor at

osu. "They thought they had it mastered when they were at 90 percent completion only to find out that most of the real work consists of getting the last bits to work out right. This insight, along with the importance of testing, will be their most valuable lessons as they ... start their careers." Not only do students have fun competing, they also gain hands-on experience that may help them after graduation.

Global interest CEAT's Mercury Remote Robot Challenge (MRRC) draws students and spectators alike. The competition invites students from around the globe, welcoming competitors from a variety of disciplines, including electrical and computer engineering and mechanical and aerospace engineering.

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Started in 2010, the MRRC challenges participants to create a robot that can perform certain tasks while being controlled from at least 50 miles away. Teams from across the United States, as well as countries as far away as Colombia and Indonesia, flock to the competition. One of the hardest things these students often encounter is underestimating the amount of time a single project can take. Kyle Fanning, a member of the winning 2018 team, noted that "even though a single task may seem simple, it's a good idea to start working early because something will inevitably be more complicated than anticipated." As a testament to the competition's success, several other countries, including Mexico and Colombia, have replicated this challenge attheir universities.

Senior success One program that is unique to OSU highlights CEAT seniors who develop a final design project, often working alongside students from different disciplines. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Senior Design Exposition requires students to develop, test and present a final project. Many designs require the assistance and collaboration of students from other degree programs within the college. The students work together to create functional systems that could be applied in a wide scope of fields, from aquatic and marine life studies to agricultural research. Team POKES placed first in the 2018 exposition by creating a differential mass measurement scale for a research project conducted by the American Society ofHeating, Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning Engineers. This scale can help a company measure minuscule changes in mass while maintaining accuracy in projects. Byworkingwith students from other degree programs, the participants learn to create in an

STORY JENNY BERRY II PHOTOS

KRISTI WHEELER

environment more representative ofwhattheywill face after graduation. The college strives to give students opportunities that will prepare them to succeed in the real world bytes ting the knowledge they have gained in the classroom. These competitions also allow students to learn and grow with their peers in a fun, challenging environment. And the college is expanding instruction beyond the traditional classroom environment to one that increases time for interdisciplinary, hands-on and industry-aligned learning. That's incredibly apparent in the new ENDEAVOR lab. "We are launching a new era in engineering education that's turning the whole model to a forward vision of innovation," CEAT Dean Paul Tikalsky said. ■

The college strives to give students opportunities that will prepare them to succeed in the real world by testing the knowledge they have gained in the classroom.

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Real-World Lessons Partnership takes aero lab students' experiences to the skies

any college students can find it difficult to translate the information they're learning from books to real-world situations. The Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department in the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University uses partnerships to ensure that students truly learn to apply that information. The Aerospace Engineering Lab (MAE 4223) pairs with the Aero Capstone Project class in the students' last semester. Aero lab develops students' skills in aerospace experiment development and analysis with an emphasis on flight test engineeringtechniques. MAE has partnered with the Aviation and Space program (AVED) in the College ofEducation, Health and Aviation to give students a real flight in a Cessna 172. "We've got planes, and they've got people that want to seethe inside of planes, and really need to for their future career," said Evan Bird, AVED flight instructor. 'Tm tickled to death because I know these [MAE students] who are going to be building and designing our future aircraft have actually been in a plane before, and! think a lot of other engineering programs can't say that." Bird, a certified flight instructor and instrument instructor, received his bachelor's degree in aviation administration and operations with a professional pilot option from OSU in 2017. Since its start in the early 1980swith eight students, the partnered course has grown. This year, 72 students enrolled; next year, more than 80 students are expected. Before stepping foot inside the Cessna 172, the MAE students use a fixed base simulator lab to introduce flight test techniques, practice executing a realistic flight test and prepare for the real flight demonstration experience. This helps them link the material from courses in aerodynamics, performance, and stability and control to realworld behaviors in the airplane. "The physiological environment of the real airplane adds yet another dimension to the

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experience," said James Kidd, associate professor of MAE. "The overall goal is that our aerospace engineering graduates have a solid appreciation for the implications of aircraft design decisions along with expertise on the technical material." Bret Valenzuela and Nick Foster were in the course last semester. They graduated in May with bachelor's degrees in mechanical and aerospace engineering. Growing up, Valenzuela spent a lot of time at Tinker Air Force Base with his grandfather who had been a combat pilot, and he wanted to know how all the planes worked. Foster attended the pre-engineering academy at Francis Tuttle Technology Center in high school, which taught him what engineering is and the specialization course options. "The aero lab course is a really cool opportunity," Foster said. "Most of us are going into the aircraft side of things, so getting to learn and see what the pilot sees and does is pretty critical. If you leave the pilot out of that equation, it's bad engineering in general." Before the flight demonstration, Valenzuela described his expectations for the flight. "These planes are really well designed, and so up there we're checking the stability characteristics to compare to the flight simulation we did with Dr. Kidd and then comparing that to all we've been doing on paper to see how they compare and actually check out," Valenzuela said. "I will speak to the pilot and request certain maneuvers, and [Foster] will take data off the digital readout, and then we'll go back and sift through the data and compare the plots." After their flight, Foster and Valenzuela said they understood the importance of this project and partnership as well. "It's a big difference between the feeling when you're in an aircraft versus just the simulator," Foster said. "Seeing it all happen and feeling it all happen are just really different. It was super cool." ■

STORY AND PHOTOS

KYLIE FANNING

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

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EXTENSION

From Engineering Extension reetings! The mission of engineering extension is to expand innovation and practice, create solutions to engineering problems and create sustainable impacts around the world. That mission - the land-grant mission - remains as vital today as it did when the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology began. Our programs continue to expand to serve our stakeholders and partners around the globe. Many of our extension programs in CEAT focus on safety. This year, we established the OSHA Institute within our Professional Development unit, which offers safety courses to a variety of industries throughout Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and New Mexico. Our Local Transportation Assistance Program works closely with cities and communities across the state to provide training that helps Oklahomans manage traffic mishaps. The Traffic Incident Management program builds its foundation on effective interagency collaboration, understanding and cooperation among law enforcement, fire, transportation, emergency medical services, towing, public works and hazardous material disciplines. Newly passed legislation expands our Center for Local Government Technology programs, which assist Oklahoma's county assessors. This is the culmination ofa seven-year effort in partnership with the state's associations of assessors and county officers. Our staff will be working to improve the software and other technology used to assess property, which will enhance the funding available for schools and local government. A priority for the college is increasing the number of high school students interested in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) careers. The U.S. has a shortage of engineers. This year, working with our faculty and corporate partners Dolese and Halliburton, the engineering extension staffinitiateda statewide effort to build interest in engineering. Summer camps for students in kindergarten through 12th grade held across the state saw wonderful results. Boys and Girls Clubs in Oklahoma City and Bartlesville hosted camps for kindergarten through sixth-grade students. To reach rural children, camps were held in Guymon as well. High school camps were held on topics such as materials science, robotics and unmanned aerial systems. Our success this summer serves as a foundation for expanding the summer camps initiative in the years ahead. Engineering Extension's 10 units and over 100 employees remain strongly committed to expanding innovation and practice to Oklahoma, the United States and around the world. Through our programs and services, the college benefits safety, the economy, and innovation throughout the engineering and technology

EdKirtley CEAT Assistant Dean of Extension

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"Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in) education. The human mind is our fundamental resource." - JOHN F. KENNEDY

CEAT student Bill Liando (right) introduces STEM concepts to Raygan leach, Harini Vora, and Alex Wang.

PHOTO PHIL SHOCKLEY

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EXTENSION

Moving to CEAT Fire and Emergency Management Administration gets a new home

wenty years ago, Bob England and Mike Hidinger created a stand-alone graduate degree program for individuals looking to work their way up in fire and emergency management. The two originally approached the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology to house their developing program that would draw many students from the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology (FPST) program. CEATleadership determined it would be better suited to the College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Political Science since most of the faculty members had a political science background.

IMPACT 2018

"The CEAT leadership saw that the program was loaded with public administration courses, so it went to the Department of Political Science," England said. A few years later, Anthony Brown from the Department of Political Science led the effort to create a doctoral degree in the Fire and Emergency Management Administration Graduate Program (FEMP). "Students in FEMP were mostly in-service firefighters who were looking for an opportunity for promotion, whether immediately or in the future," England said. "It was a degree you could put in your back pocket and use down the road afteryougainedon-thejob experience or as a furthering educational experience for current fire chiefs, deputy chiefs and battalion chiefs." Twenty years later, the program's focus remains the same. But the industry has changed, and it started to make more sense to bring FEMP to CEAT as the FEMP and FPST programs increased their collaborations. On July 1, FEMP officially moved to the Division of Engineering Technology in CEAT. "The FEMP program is the first master's and Ph.D. program ofits kind in the world," said Ed Kirtley, assistant dean of engineering extension. "There is a general feeling of excitement about the move ofFEMP to CEAT." According to Virginia Charter, assistant professor and FPST program coordinator, the move enhances the synergy between FEMP and FPST. For FPST students, the connection will make for an easier transition to graduate school. Many FPST students take FEMP classes as electives or to complete degree minors.

STORY DAKOTA KEITH

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"MovingFEMP to the Division of Engineering Technology provides us the opportunity to work more closely with both FPST and the Fire Safety and Explosion Protection programs, as well as other programs in CEAT," said Dr. Haley Murphy, FEMP program coordinator. "We believe that our social science foundation can help strengthen their program offerings, and FEMP will benefit from the more technical side of the engineering programs." According to CEAT Dean Paul Tikalsky, the FEMP mission and goals will align better with the resources and research opportunities in the professional fire and emergency programs in CEAT. Randy Seitsinger, associate dean of academic affairs in CEAT, said the change will have no immediate impact on the original curriculum. "While it still needs to go through approval, the only change we anticipate will be that the course prefixes will change from a Political Science prefix to aFEMP prefix, and FEMP students will also have more access to certain electives,"hesaid.

MostofFEMP is an online program with only nine on-campus hours required. "Our first goal is to integrate the program into CEAT and provide support forit,"Kirtleysaid. "One of the benefits from the move to CEAT is the online technology," he added. "With the technology available in our classrooms, the quality of the synchronous on line learning experience for the FEMP students will be enhanced, including more opportunity for interaction among the students and instructor. This greater interaction allows our students to also learn from each other. Our students are primarily working professionals with experiences to share." The FEMP program will have access to new online learning equipment and the Evertz software system, which can integrate across multiple media platforms almost immediately. This technology allows for a better synchronous on line learning experience and more asynchronous online learning opportunities for FEMP.

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"CEAT Online Learning is great for working professionals who wish to continue their education. Many of the students enrolled in the FEMP program are already committed to their careers and need the flexibility ofbeing able to complete course work in a nontraditional setting," Kirtley said. "CEAT is able to provide this. Using up-to-date technology, students will have various options for viewing lectures, completing assignments and taking exams." FEMP moving to CEAT makes Oklahoma State University the only program in the world that has brought the technical and sociocultural elements of fire and disaster risk together within the same program. "As a co-founder of the program, I am excited about the move ofFEMP to CEAT," England said. "I am confident that during the next 20 years of its existence, FEMP will grow in terms of student numbers and will continue to serve the higher educational needs of American firefighters and emergency managers." ■

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Mission: Fighting Fires Globally CEAT students and faculty expand their education to South Africa ire knows no boundaries. And that's why OSU's fire safety programs take students around the world. This year, for example, faculty and students from the Fire Protection and Safety Engineering Technology Program (FPST), the Fire and Emergency Management Administration Program (FEMP) and Fire Safety and Explosion Protection (FSEP) at OSU returned to South Africa to gain a better understanding of the fire risks in informal settlements. "In South Africa, at least 10-16 million people live in informal settlement 'shacks'," said Dr. Richard Walls, professor at Stellenbosch University in the Western Cape ofSouth Africa. "Approximately 1 billion people worldwide live in such areas."

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Informal settlements are characterized by a lack of infrastructure, little ownership, high population densities and poor construction materials. "Large fires regularly ravage informal settlements. Cape Town is South Africa's most fire prone city, with informal settlement fires occurring approximately 360 days a year," Walls said. Rodney Eksteen is the assistant director in the Department of Local Government for Fire and Rescue Services of the Western Cape Province in South Africa, responsible for the implementation of programs that mitigate fire risk in the province. He has been a key contact in the partnership withOSU. "Several reasons factor into the high fire rates," Eksteen said. "The walls and roof are made from corrugated steel sheets, timber planks, plastic sheeting or any readily available material. Areas between shacks often contain stored materials, which increase the speed of spread from one dwelling to the next. Narrow aisles between dwellings make residents' escape and access by firefighters difficult. Unsafe lighting, heating and cooking sources are used inside the structures." One of the largest fires in recent history was the lmizamo Yethu fire on March 11, 2017. The response effort eventually included 176 firefighters and two helicopters; still, the fire lasted over 13.5 hours and burned over 19 acres. Four people were killed and some 9,700 were left homeless after 2,197 structures were destroyed. Total damages exceeded $10 million. "The people of South Africa and residents in informal settlements face

STORY KYLIE FANNING II PHOTOS COURTESY OF HALEY MURPHY AND VIRGINIA CHARTER

many challenges in fire prevention," said Ed Kirtley, assistant dean of extension in CEAT. "This year, our OSU group had the opportunity to spend more time learning about the activities of the non-governmental organizations that areworkingon the fire problem." When the OSU group first traveled to South Africa in 2017, they assisted in installing smoke alarms in the informal settlements, which resulted in only five fires in the area that year, with no fatalities and only one non-serious injury. Prior to the installation of these smoke alarms, it was typical to see five to 10 fatalities per year due to fire. The 2018 OSU group visited Nelson Mandela University, where fire officials offered lessons aboutwildland fires. The collaboration with OSU has influenced the South African representatives strongly. To continue research and efforts to solve the fire problems in South Africa, Eksteen is attending OSU in fall 2018 to pursue his doctorate. "The trip to South Africa included students and faculty from three programs," said Haley Murphy, assistant professor and program coordinator ofFEMP. "Our students had the opportunity to learn from each other and from the wonderful professionals and citizens ofSouthAfrica that took the time to let us experience both fire administration and emergency management in their beautiful country. I know that our students brought back a different perspective on their own studies and jobs from this trip." In fact, senior FPST student Jacob Branstetter is considering attending Stellenbosch Universityto pursue a graduate degree in fire engineering because of this trip. "As I learn more about the world through the lens of fire service, I see more things that fascinate and interest me," Branstetter said. "My curiosity is getting the better ofme. The trip with OSU put grad school on my radar. Before going, I had never seriously considered graduate school. I couldn't wait to get done with my bachelor's program. But this trip exposed me to a new way of thinking about education. It has also

Informal settlement shacks in South Africa are at risk for fatality fires.

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shown me that continuing my education doesn't necessarily mean sitting in a classroom for a few more years. "I'm looking at Stellenbosch Universityvery seriously as an option because not only is Stellenbosch a great school, but South Africa has a unique and different culture and the opportunityto advance my career while learning about that culture sounds like too much fun to pass up." OSU faculty members also found this experience life-changing from their personal lives to their classrooms. This study abroad program impacts how and what faculty teach, changing their curricula. "Our visit to South Africa was amazing," said Virginia Charter,

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assistant professor and program coordinator for FPST. "We were able to see and experience firsthand the fire problems in South Africa. We met with and learned from individuals from all walks oflife on how they are working to make a fire safe environment, particularly in the informal settlements. Our students saw the importance of both technology and social work to create areal impact and change in fire safety in South Africa. I think this experience will stick with me for the rest ofmy career, and I look forward to growing relationships internationally to focus on global problems in fire protection." ■

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Building Leaders Initiative aims to help OSU community develop leadership skills eadership is a critical skill for success at Oklahoma State University as well as for success in life. The College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology recognizes the importance of sound leadership at all levels and has designed initiatives to enhance personal skills and focus in this area. "The development ofleadership skills and perspectives should never be left to chance," said Ed Kirtley, assistant dean ofEngineering Extension in CEAT. "I believe that we have a responsibility to provide opportunities for our students, staff and faculty to learn about leadership and in doing so, help them improve their leadership experience." The Dean's Building Leaders Initiative (DBLI), sponsored by CEAT, began in 2014 as a monthly series of lectures and workshops. By building strong leadership skills, CEAT hopes to

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improve its ability to meet OSU's land grant mission. "One ofour original goals, and still the goal of the program, is to provide staff, faculty and students campuswide the opportunity through short, meaningful presentations to learn more about what leadership is and be introduced to the skills necessary for leadership development," Kirtley said. "It can be hard for faculty and staff to get away for a full day and longer sessions. The one-hour lunch session makes leadership topics available to everyone." The series has been well received by the OSU communitywith attendance averaging around 70 people. Featured speakers have ranged from professors to community leaders. These have included Deidre Myers, deputy secretary of commerce for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce; Mike

Boynton, OSU head basketball coach; Will Joyce, Stillwater mayor; Ann Hargis, first Cowgirl; Dr. Todd Misener, OSU chief wellness officer; and Jerod Millirons and Dr. Dave Monks oflron Monk. "I believe one of the most beneficial parts of this program is that each presentation is given by a person who is a proven, effective leader," Kirtley said. "They generally are speaking from their experiences, which is a great way to learn about leadership and it provides new perspectives to our participants." Speaker topics include effective leadership through stories, leadership in local government, leading wellness, mentoring, conflict resolution, diversity, and relationships. Upcoming speakers will focus on leadingfromjunior positions, generational differences, and networking, among other things. ■

"Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."

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- COACH VINCE LOMBARDI

STORY KYLIE FANNING II PHOTOS COURTESY

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Formulating -the Future Enriching programs help prepare potential students early

Stillwater Boy Scouts learn about fire safety with CEAT's Fire Service Training.

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ide eyes and curious faces stare back at four Eagle Scouts. These young Boy Scout troops are anxious to learn - and earn a few merit badges in the process. A group of faculty members and students from the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology took on the challenge of training Stillwater Troops 802,814,818 and 820 on engineering, architecture, fire safety and emergency preparedness. Dean Paul Tikalsky, Assistant Dean Ed Kirtley, Dr. Erick Reynolds, Moh'd and Suzanne Bilbeisi, and Rob Hill all assisted with the training. Four CEAT students who are also Eagle Scouts Nolan Hill, Wes Kinsey, Ben Snyder and Gage Strom - also helped with many activities of the training. The Bilbeisis led the architecture merit badge training, which focused on the contexts and styles of architecture and how architecture affects society. "We had agreattimetalkingto the Scouts about the architecture of campus and showing the Scouts what a career in architecture is all about," said Suzanne Bilbeisi, head ofOSU's School of Architecture. During the architecture session, the troops sketched the Edmon Low Library, toured architecture's daylighting lab and reviewed the construction process of the ENDEAVOR lab. Kirtley and Reynolds taught fire safety concepts and behaviors. The troops also visited a local fire station to learn about fire service in the community. "[The] Scouts learned about the physics of fire, common causes ofhouse fires, appropriate action to take when a

fire occurs and fire safe practices during camping," Kirtley said. Tilcalsky led the engineering merit badge training with Mike Barnett from FLIR Systems, a thermal imaging company. The pair introduced the troops to engineering concepts and how engineering is involved in our everyday lives. The Scouts learned how to reverse engineer mobile lighting systems, about processes involved in manufacturing components and toured CEAT's Advanced Technology Research Center, where they learned about many different fields in engineering. Reynolds, director of Oklahoma's Fire Service Training Program, and Hill, director ofStillwater Emergency Management, taught fire safety and emergency preparedness, which included home, fire and weather safety. "The motto ofBoy Scouting is 'Be Prepared.' The pursuit of the Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness merit badges helps to accomplish this goal," Reynolds said. "The Scouts loved the experience and saw a giant world of opportunities in life," Tikalsky said. "Running from the sleeping quarters to the firetruck in 80 seconds, and drawing with Moh'd Bilbeisi were truly highlights." But that isn't the only way CEAT is helping younger generations learn about engineering, architecture and technology. Through the Science Saturday program at Stillwater's WONDERtorium, CEAT Student Council members volunteer to teach children through hands-on engagement. CEAT students Ben Davis, Savannah Robisch, Cameron Jump,Jordan

STORY KAROLYN MOBERLY II PHOTOS ERICK REYNOLDS, KRISTI WHEELER, KYLIE FANNING

Taylor, Grace Kramer, Tyler Goldsmith, Christen Parmley and Tyler Martin led multiple activities, including stomp rockets, catapults, water acidity testing, potato lights, smokey bubbles and planting flowers. An array ofSTEM summer camps kicked off this summer, aimed at drawing students from kindergarteners to high school seniors into the college's realm. Whilemostwereheldin Stillwater, others were in Tulsa and even as far away as Guymon, Oklahoma. "We wanted to reach the rural and underserved communities and children that might not get an opportunity to be exposed to STEM," said Brandy Mays, assistant manager of outreach education. The college is also giving back to the community and inspiring students to pursue STEM careers through scholarships. Through the Engineers of Tomorrow scholarship, middle school, high school and community college students are encouraged to pursue a STEM education and a degree in engineering

at OSU-Tulsaor OSU-Stillwater. The $2,000 scholarship is awarded to 50 Tulsa-area students who show an interest in STEM and helping younger STEM students succeed. "Research shows that the engineering/STEM education pipeline needs to start as early as elementary school in order to help young girls and boys realize they can address the grand challenges of the 21st century through engineering," Tikalsky said. "This unique scholarship program and other OSU efforts to start STEM camps across the state for elementary and middle school students are part of CEA T's vision to not wait until students are in high school to encourage them to pursue an engineering and technologybased career." The Engineers of Tomorrow scholarship partners include OSU College ofEngineering, Architecture and Technology, OSU-Tulsa, Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance (TRSA), Tulsa Community College, NORDAM and Flight Night.

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CEAT student Christen Parmley teaches children about water acidity at the Oklahoma WONDERtorium in April.

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"The Engineers of Tomorrow scholarship is a game changer for Green Country students considering becoming engineers" saidXan Black, TRSA program director. "These generous scholarships impact our students in many ways. Imagine the impact it would have on a student's self-esteem and confidence to win an engineering scholarship as a middle schooler or even high school student! "The Engineers of Tomorrow scholarship provides assistance with that next financial step as students transition from TCC to OSU on their journey to engineering," Black said. "This will change the lives of our students as they work in the light of knowing that no less than OSU along with TRSA, Flight Night and TCC have put a down payment on their future." ■

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Professor Moh'd Bilbeisi instructs Stillwater Boy Scouts in the techniques of drawing structures.

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"The Scouts loved the experience and saw ) a giant world of opportunities in life." - PAUL TIKALSKY

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Opening My Eyes Weeklong visit to OSU propels my interest in engineering. Every girl should get this opportunity. ven as career opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields multiply, they remain male-dominated areas. Unfortunately, this is especially true in engineering. In high school, young girls are able to choose from a variety of science, technology and math classes, but their exposure to engineering is often limited. It seems to me that any female student interested in STEM will not discover the countless opportunities in the field of engineering unless she chooses to take engineering classes ata university. Without proper pre-college exposure to engineering, young women lack the passion and interest to choose careers in engineering. I'm Krishna Vekariya, a senior in high school in Tampa, Florida. I love STEM, but I feel ignorant about my knowledge of engineering. I've wanted explore the engineering aspect ofSTEM and experience research because most of the universities I'm considering claim advanced research facilities. I had the opportunity to visit Oklahoma State Universityto explore the research experience with Dr. Hitesh D. Vora. Dr. Vora is an assistant professor in mechanical engineering technology at OSU's College ofEngineering, Architecture, and Technology. He is also the director of the university's Smart Manufacturing Advanced Research and Technology(SMART) Lab and its Industrial Assessment Center (IAC). He is playing a pioneer role in developing a Digital Manufacturing lab in the new CEAT building called ENDEAVOR. Labs in the building were in their finishing stages when I was granted the ability to complete my engineering research exploration there.

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I learned about 3D printed materials and their biomedical applications. I found the advanced technology of the 3D printers was fascinating. I spent a week working closely with Dr. Vora and a couple of his students to learn the basics about additive manufacturing and its implications in the real world. I primarily focused on exploring the properties of auxetic materials, which may be used in future biomedical applications, such as in designs for body protection pads. I learned CAD software (Solidworks) and 3D printing (Craftbots) quickly and chose three geometric patterns - Honeycomb, Bowtie and Arrowhead to study. I modeled 2D objects with these three geometric patterns and used a 3D printer to print the designs. The designs were printed on CraftBot 3D printers using Ninjaflex filament. Ninjaflex, developed by NinjaTek, has industryleadingproperties of flexibility and elongation. I then observed aShimadzu tensile testing machine operate on the 3D printed materials. I investigated the load versus displacement graph as the tensile testing machine pulled the object and observed the strength of the Ninjaflex. Each material behaved differently undergoing the tensile test. I found that the arrowhead design was the most durable versus the honeycomb and bowtie designs. Workingwith advanced engineering technology can be complicated and difficult for anyone inexperienced in the field; however, with the hands-on experience I received at OSU, I feel more comfortable operating software and technology.

KRISHNAVEKARIYA II PHOTOS COURTESY

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These experimental research investigations at OSU have opened my future to countless new possibilities in career choices. Prior to my trip to OSU, I, like many of my female peers, considered engineering to be a boring career field full of math and hard concepts. Through my experience, I realized the beauty and significance of engineering in the real world. STEM consists of a variety of careers, but the gap that many girls face is unfortunately inexperience in engineering. It is critical that young girls are exposed to all STEM fields because it enables them to learn and understand the fundamentals ofSTEM careers in order to help them choose a career path. Learning STEM hands-on as I did at OSU enhances education and promotes concepts that otherwise students may not find interesting. STEM fields are known to be demanding and require a higher level of education than many other fields. However, they are also relatively higherpaying, full of opportunities and fastgrowing fields in a fast-growing society. Being a woman should never stop someone from pursuing a career. Gender roles should be left in the past, and we as a society should work on promoting women in STEM. It is incredibly important to close the STEM gender gap and encourage female students to learn from hands-on experiences in STEM. By guiding young women into STEM a tan early age, they will explore new interests and passions, breaking the stereotype that only men excel in STEM careers. The future of STEM resides in young students today. Initiatives to break the gender gap need to start to start now. OSU's fantastic engineering research

labs and faculty granted me the ability to open my future up to thrive in a STEM workplace; hopefully, many other young girls will receive similar opportunities. With research opportunities, summer camps and gender initiatives, we can create an environmentwhereyoung women are motivated to pursue STEM careers. By exploring their curiosity, young women enhance their knowledge and make better-supported decisions in choosing majors in college and pursuing careers. Wouldn't it be promising if you asked your little girl what she wants to be when she grows up and she said an engineer or a scientist?

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I'd like to offer a few acknowledgments: Special thanks to Dr. Vora for mentorship and providing this wonderful research experience. Also, many thanks to CEAT Dean Dr. Paul Tikalsky, ENDEAVOR Director Dr. Brad Rowland, Dr. Joe Conner, Dr. Qinang Hu, Benjamin Davenport, Garrett McCafferty, CEAT, MET and OSU for helping and providing resources for this research. ■

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hat's how many traffic safety engineers are describing an innovative, life-saving pavement application called High-Friction Surface Treatment (HFST) that's being developed with help from researchers in Oklahoma State University's College ofEngineering, Architectu.re and Technology. This fall, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will increase its efforts to decrease fatalities and prevent crashes by applying a new round of surface treatments under a multi-county Systemic Curve Treatment Safety Improvement Plan. "We did asystemwide screening to see where this technology really made sense. A rural twolane highway near Salina, where we were observing high speeds and run-off-the road crashes, fit the criteria," said David Glabas, ODOT assistant chief traffic engineer. "ODOT Division Eight had done everything they could to improve the safety of the highway, including adding rumble strips and oversized chevron signs. During the HFST application process, the neighbors were showing up and thanking us." High- Friction Surface Treatments are pavement-surfacing systems with exceptional skid-resistant properties not typically provided

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Josh Li, Kelvin Wang, Justin Thweatt and Cheng Chen are working on the High-Friction Surface Treatment project.

by conventional materials. Calcined bauxite is a mineral aggregate that adds protection and friction to the roadway. The high-performance binder locks the aggregates firmly in place, creating a durable surface capable of withstanding extreme roadway friction demands, such as heavy braking, severe horizontal curves and steep grades. "I was at a Kansas City summit when I first heard about this," said Bryan Cooper, afield services manager in ODOT's Office ofResearch and Implementation. "As the manager of the longterm Pavement Performance Program, I was anxious to be involved." Since then, Cooper has been monitoring field-implemented EDC projects. With HFST, he is charged with visual monitoring of pavement condition at the sites. Cooper has been collaborating with researchers Kelvin Wang and Josh Li of CEA T's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

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"Pavement friction matters," said Wang, pointing to research from the Federal Highway Administration that states that "22 percent of crashes occur in adverse weather conditions, in which 73 percent occur on wet pavements, which are largely related to friction." The new Systemic Curve Treatment Safety Improvement projects planned for Oklahoma will cover eight counties, four ODOT divisions and 11 locations, according to Jami Short, engineering manager, ODOT Traffic Engineering Division. "This is not a pavement rehabilitation project, and we're not going for pretty," Short said. "We're establishing more friction at these sites with a goal to save lives." "Before HFST, we were seeing a high rate of crashes occurring on SH-20, especially in wet conditions," noted Trapper Parks, maintenance engineer, ODOT Division 8. "Although we're noticing some aggregate loss at these sites now, they're still producing good friction numbers." "We've been concerned by the crashes on State Highway 82 north of the SH-82 and SH-lO0junction in Sequoyah County," said Justin Calvarese, ODOT Division One traffic engineer. "We're hopingthatthe HFST provides additional traction so that drivers are less likely to crash at that location." Winding roads through the Ouachita, Winding Stair and Kiamichi Mountains

in LeFlore County have ODOT Division Two engineer Anthony Echelle and his team striving to reduce the number of collisions, injuries and fatalities there. In 2016, the Oklahoma Highway Safety Office recorded 15 fatal crashes in the county. "We're always ready to bring in anything that will further enhance safety. We have lots of curvy roads and places where using a treatment like HFST can make a difference," Echelle said. As part of the curve safety project, ODOT will install curve advisory signs, LED blinking lights, loweredspeed limit signs,guard rails and HFST along a stretch ofU.S. Highway 259 that passes through the Kiamichi Mountains. ■

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From CEAT Research he research landscape in the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology is spanning the distance in so many ways. From expanding metal printing capacity in advanced manufacturing to using unmanned aircraft systems to improve airport navigation systems for the FAA, from applying infrasonics to detect tornadoes (Page 52) to using tiny insects to improve technology, (Page 40) the college is a happening place! In addition to advanced manufacturing and unmanned systems, the college has significant research capacity in several additional emphasis areas including energy and biomedical. The goal of all our research endeavors is to create impact through a growing research enterprise that engages faculty and students in funded federal, state and industry-based innovation. This goal addresses the need to mentor our students in innovation and provide intellectual capital to the economy of Oklahoma, the United States and the world. As a major public research institution, OSU has the mandate to help develop sustainable enterprises that improve the economy through innovation, reduce the impact of energy use on our resources and environment, and contribute to a better and more secure nation and world. How dowe make this happen? We do this by focusing on research efforts valued by specific agencies and industries around portfolio-strong areas of expertise, by leveraging and investing in existing strengths, and by seeding and enabling research development in new strategic areas. Undergraduates are key to research in the college and for the future growth of Oklahoma's contribution to developing a high-tech workforce for the state and the nation. Some of our students participate in the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates programs. Other undergraduates work alongside master's and doctoral students in the Freshman Research Scholar and Wentz Scholars programs. This coming year, the college's inaugural class of35 Undergraduate Research Scholars will work closely with research mentors to more than double the number of students supported by the college and the university. This number of students is on par with the number of undergraduates who are formally sponsored by external research for the Department of Defense, the National Science Foundation and many private sponsors. Another way that undergraduates participate in research is the Grand Challenge Scholars Program. It is an exciting time to be participating in the success of faculty and students and making a difference in the state, country and the world. The solutions that are developed in the college will be in the news sooner than you think! Watch for and join us in celebrating our success!

Chuck Bunting, Ph.D. Associate Dean ofResearch

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"Research: The distance between an idea and its realization." - DAVID SARNOFF

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Raygan Leach learns 3D printing with CEAT's STEM counselor Bill Liando

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Keeping Pace Chemical engineering team is working on a bioreactor concept

chemical engineering team in the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology is keeping pace with the everchanging pharmaceutical industry. Josh Ramsey is an associate professor of chemical engineering, and Momen Amer is his doctoral student. Together, they are working to make extraordinary improvements to processing pharmaceuticals. Amer, who joined Ramsey's lab four years ago, came up with the idea for a single-use bioreactor. Single-use bioreactors are vessels where a chemical process takes place that involves organisms or biochemically active substances derived from such organisms. Pharmaceutical companies face a number of challenges using these bioreactors. "One of the inherent traits of growing cells for producing proteins or protein therapeutics is that you have to start at a very small scale and incrementally work your way up," Ramsey said. Also needed are trained people who are good at safelytransferringthe cells between the different bioreactors. The transfers can make contamination very easy. Additional support equipment, materials and supplies also add significant costs. Amer's idea was for a new single-use bioreactor that would work over a much wider range of volumes and reduce the equipment needed for the intermediate stages. "I think ofit much like the Russian nesting dolls, where one doll is inside the larger doll, which is inside a larger doll and so on," Ramsey said. "This concept will be more cost-effective, and it will reduce the risk of transferring the contents from vessel to vessel. Typically, products inside these vessels can be worth several millions of dollars, so reducing the risk of contamination is a big deal. Another significant advantage is the production space this approach frees up, enabling a company to overcome a common bottleneck in the production process." Before joining OSU,Amerworked for a biopharmaceutical manufacturing company in Egypt. He earned his bachelor's degree in

IMPACT 2018

pharmaceutical sciences and his master's degree in biotechnology in Egypt. "My job was to grow mammalian cells and scale the cell culture from a few milliliters up to hundreds or thousands ofliters for the production scale," Amer said. "This process requires multiple pieces of expensive equipment, bioreactors, and carries the risk of microbial contamination that would ruin the product." At the time, Amer and his wife were expecting their second baby. They were living in a small house and realized that a bunk bed woulds ave space in the kids' room. Perhaps a bunk bioreactor would address his work problems as well, Amer thought. "I thought about a multi-chamber bioreactor with different volume chambers on top of the other like the bunk bed," he said. Amer put his thoughts to pen and paper, rendered some drawings and wrote out a business plan. He held onto those plans until he moved to Stillwater to pursue his doctorate in chemical engineering at OSU, where he started working with Ramsey on a different project. Amer was introduced to OSU's Technology Business Development Center at a seminar. This program, run through OSU, invests money into inventions that could generate a revenue source for the university by getting a patent that could be licensed or by developing research that could be used to start a company. Amer decided to pull out his business plan and present his idea. "Dr. Ramsey was very welcoming to shift my research topic to developing my invention," Amer said. Amer and Ramsey set off to make this idea a reality. A class in the Spears School of Business led to the two participating in a National Science Foundation I-Corps Program, where they learned the details ofstartinga business. During this process, the two surveyed different businesses to see if there would be interest in Amer's product. Turns out there was a great deal of interest. Amer's wife, Yasmine Gabal, who is also a doctoral student in Ramsey's lab, and Austin

STORY KRISTI WHEELER

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OF JOSH RAMSEY

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Jasmine Gabal, Momen Amer, Dr. Josh Ramsey and Austin Beaver win first place in the OSU Business Plan Competition, winning $8,000.

Beaver, a mechanical engineering student at OSU, joined the team and began entering business plan competitions. "Working with an interdisciplinary team was important because it's not only using the bioreactor application, which chemical engineers would do, it also requires figuring out how to actually physically produce the bioreactor," Ramsey said. Ramsey and Amer have received multiple awards. They were awarded two grants that totaled$50,000 from the Technology and Business Development Program to develop and test their early prototype. They recently received $300,000 from OCAST OARS, which included a $150,000 match from Cowboy Technologies to further develop their technology. They won $3,000 from NSF-I-Corps Program for technology validation and customer discovery activities. They also won first place in the OSU Business Plan Competition for $8,000 and second place in Oklahoma Love's Cup Business Plan Competition for $10,000. They

are now working with Dr. Robert Taylor, director ofOSU's New Product Development Center, to develop the technologythatwill help produce these bioreactors. Amer wants to start his own company once he graduates, building a company to produce these bioreactors and sell them to pharmaceutical companies. "I have started Multivate LLC, which is still a sole proprietor company," Amer said. "I always hoped to work on a research project that delivers an end product to the hands of a customer, and to see someone benefit from it. I hope my work, in the next few years, will deliver a market-ready product to be available to all biopharmaceutical manufacturers, to help them do their work more efficiently, more economically and simpler. I also hope to startup an Oklahoma-based company to commercialize the new bioreactor, and so create jobs for Oklahomans." ■

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RESEARCH

Real-World Lessons Tiny insects could make a big difference in engineering

tudyingtiny insects can be a daunting task. But it's Arvind Santhanakrishnan's passion. Santhanakrishnan, known as "Dr. S" by many, studies tiny organisms such as thrips, fairy flies and krill to improve technology in the engineering world. Santhanakrishnan, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College ofEngineering, Architecture and Technology at Oklahoma State University, does research that overlaps biology and engineering. He uses engineering techniques and principles to study the movement of organisms in air and water. During Santhanakrishnan's graduate studies, he was happy studying aerospace engineering tailored around drones, but he always had a curiosity for biology. After he graduated, he decided to challenge himself and learn more about biology and how he could combine the two disciplines to improve engineering technology. "This is highly interdisciplinary work, because we take data on live animals and try to replicate them in robotic models in the lab, and then we look at questions that we cannot study on the animals," Santhanakrishnan said. One insect he studies isthrips, whose species number more than 5,000; most are about the size of a grain of sand. Despite their invisibility to the human eye, they cause major havoc to the agricultural sphere, resulting in diseased crops. Because it's very difficult to see them, it's very challenging to study their behavior, what their movement patterns are and understand how to control the damage they cause. "Previously, researchers speculated that th rips couldn't intentionally migrate to a targeted location, and instead acted very much like a dandelion seed and went where the wind took them," Santhanakrishnan said. "However, what field studies have found is that there are patterns in which they can disperse, so it's not just a matter of going where the wind blows. They can go small distances, more targeted and intentional destinations."

IMPACT 2018

STORY KRISTI WHEELER

Santhanakrishnan noted thatthe wings ofthrips are very different than the wings oflarger insects. Thrips can have hundreds of hairs or bristles on their wings with very little solid surface area. "What we're asking now is if that particular wing design is what enables them to sustain their flight at such extraordinarily small sizes," Santhanakrishnan said. Santhanakrishnan and his team collaborate with biologists in North Carolina researchingthrips. They capture slow-motion videos offreeflyingthrips in North Carolina and use robotic models in his OSU lab to replicate the wing movement patterns. The idea is to test whether th rips' unique wing structure offers an advantage in flying at small scales, compared with more solid wings that lack bristles. "There are two fronts that are going to be informed from this research," Santhanakrishnan said. "One is in biological control. Knowing how thrips move could inform us about how they migrate in large swarms, which can then be used to control their dispersals. This could help us to reduce the extent of diseased crops without relying entirely on harmful pesticides." On the engineering side, there has always been a quest to miniaturize drones. A lot of emphasis has been placed on how to make smaller power sources to propel their wings, but there's not as much effort on changing wing design to efficiently consume power. Santhanakrishnan's research focuses on how to modify the wing design of drones to replicate the wing structure and wingbeat patterns used bythrips. The need for smaller drones is high, and they could be useful in defense and national security- as well as something like troubleshooting inside a pipeline. Today's drones are too large to investigate these types of issues.

"Not only are they too large, but they would interrupt the flow of the fluid going through the pipeline," Santhanakrishnan said. "A smaller drone wouldn't impede the flow as much. A smaller drone would also be able to capture the big picture a lot better, since it would fit into places that are hard to access." He also studies aquatic organisms such as krill and shrimp. Despite the krill's small size, it is heavier than water - so it can sink ifit's not continuously swimming. He has set out to look at how they paddle their swimming limbs to support their weight and move forward. "They don't row in a motion that you would typically think of rowing," Santhanakrishnan said. "Instead, they use five sets of limbs to paddle underwater. They paddle very similarly to how fans in a football stadium perform a wave, where one limb will start paddling, then the next, and so on. This type of movement pattern can produce small jets of water in between each limb that can help in supporting their weight and swimming forward." He hopes his research on small aquatic organisms leads to new methods of propelling underwater drones. Being able to understand a krill's maneuverabilitywill help. Current underwater drones are very large and expensive to deploy. "When Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 crashed into the ocean in 2014, drones were deployed into the sea in hopes of finding some debris from the airline. It cost about $1 million per drone for some ofthese missions," Santhanakrishnan said. Miniature drones would be able to cover more area at a significantly lower cost. Drone technology has seen significant advancements in the last few years. However, there's still much to learn and much to improve. ■

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

ARCHITECTURE

AND TECHNOLOGY

From Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center

ear Alumni and Friends: The Helmerich Advanced Technology Research Center on the OSUTulsa campus is part of the College ofEngineering,Architectu.re and Technology at Oklahoma State University. This 126,000-square-foot state-of-theart facility,located in the heart of Tulsa, offers multiple engineering programs that directly benefit workforce and economic development and provide advanced technology support to the northeastern Oklahoma region. Academic programs at the HRC include master's and doctoral programs in the School of Materials Science and Engineering and bachelor's in mechanical engineering. These programs are geared to serve and mentor nontraditional students in partnerships with entities such as Tulsa Community College and the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance as well as with several industrial partners. We are currently developing a cohort-based gateway program that enables peer-to-peer mentoring and supportto increase retention and graduation for non-traditional students in the bachelor's program at OSU-Tulsa and help them transition into the master's MSE program at OSU-Tulsa. Furthermore, we are also in the process of offering specifically tailored certificate and graduate degree programs that serve the needs oflocal industry. Research conducted at the HRC encompasses a broader focus in the areas of energy, advanced materials and advanced manufacturing. As an example, projects include the research and development of organic optoelectronic nanomaterials; the development of advanced solutions for recovery of produced water; gel-based advanced manufacturingofbone scaffolds; the development of storage tanks for aerospace and land-based applications; the development of novel multifunctional materials for energy storage; and research into atomization, sprays and dropletbased microfluidics. In addition, the HRC houses core lab user facilities, the Tulsa office of the statefunded New Product Development Center, and the federally funded Small Business Development Center. These facilities support both local and non-local users. The HRC also directly supports several other industrial partners through facility user agreements. Industry-university partnerships are being strengthened through a newly formed Strategic Advisory Board for the HRC. Go Pokes!

Raman P. Singh, Ph.D. Associate Dean for Engineering, OSU-Tulsa Director, Helmerich Research Center

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(

"If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough."

)

- MARIO ANDRETTI

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

ARCHITECTURE

AND TECHNOLOGY

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Dr.Myronl.Hayden,CIVE75&JudithHayden BrianC.Price,CHE72&BrendaPrice Sigenicslnc. HomeBuildersAssociationofGreaterlulsa StevenB.Huckaby,MAE'Bl&DawnHuckaby EdwardG.Stokes,CIVE75&ClaudiaStokes AIM.Slre<ker,ECEN'71 Johnson&Johnson $100,000-$499,999 TriangleCooperativeServiceCo.lnc. WilliamH.Johnson,ENGRTECH76&BarbaraJohnson AAONlnc. DavidW.Kerr,ENGRTECH'BS&SandraKerr W&WAFC0Steel WayneAllen,MAE'59&JudlthAllen Rocklowery,ENGRTECH'78&Janetlowery J.D.Waggoner,MAE'57 HichaelH.Damore,ARCH73&Dr.SharonJ.Damore Tonil.Melton Waterfurnacelnternationallnc. ExxonMobil VanR.Weathers,IEM'64 Natiooalfi'eProtectionAssociatioo RickieY.Fowler 0G&EEnergyCorp. $1,000-$4,999 Phillips66 Ann0glesby,CHE'87&Bi11D.0gles1Pf ABBlnc. XTOEnergy 0klahomaAeronauticsCommission AcmeBrickCo./FortWorth JamesR.Penn,CIVE'79 $50,000-$99,999 Adolfson&PetersonConstruction Dr.K.KamalakarRao,MAE'61 Ce<ill.CulverJr.,OlE'54 AGC0Corp. ArthurM.Rigg,ECEN'49 SteveW.Herod&LorieHerod AIA0klahoma CartA.Robertson,CHE'86 JohnE.Klopp,CIVE'63 Stephen8.Anen,ENGRTECH'79&LindaAllen Dr.GeneR.SmithJr. Hartin Family foundation AllenContractinglnc. UtopiaCompressionCorp. Niagara Bottling LL{ ArvindU.Amin,MAE75&HemaAmin ThomasW.Wallace,ARCH75&SusanWallace AnnawynD.Shamas Anadarko Petroleum Corp. Gordon E.White, GE'63&Carol White BillyW.Travis,MAE'59&Janelravis GilbertB.Asher,ECEN'66&JaneAsher RonaldD.Wickens,MAE'57&JuliaWickens SharonD.Voskuhl,MAE'80&AlanStaab Associationof0klahomaGeneralContractorslnc. GaryW.Wilson,CHE'89&KerriWilson DoyleE.Young Austin Commercial LP $5,000-$9, 999 KevinD.Bailev,CEAT'95&Desiree8ailey $25,000-$49,999 RobertJ.Agnew,E~RTECH'99&GinaAgnew Balfour Beatty Construction 3MCo. GaryD.Allen,ENGRTECH'82&JudyAlen MatthewS.Balven,CIVE'04&RachelBalven DebbieAdams,CHE'03&ChartesAdams KenE.Barrett,MAE'64&LorettaBarrett DavidW.BardwellJr.&SherrtynBardwell AISCEducationfoundation NatalieP.Bieber BartlettCockeGeneralContractorsLLC Avery Dennison Corp. BoschlhermotechnologyCorp. BASF Phyllisl.Brawley Paull.Caldwe11Jr.,MAE70&Mabe1Caldwell TomaszK.Baumiller JohnE.Brown,CIVE'66&Judy8rown JamesD.CobbJr.,CIVE'59&LaVernaCobb MartaBaumiller Brue<knerGroopUSAlnc. 0ttoE.Behunin,IEM'64&Kathryn8ehunin DelbertP.Crawford,ECEN76&PamelaCrawford ChevronPhillipsChemicalCo.LP CrosslandConstructionCo.lnc. Dr.KennethJ.Bel&KarenBell ConocoPhillips Danfoss FrankR.Berrv,ENGRTECH'62&Diana8erry EdwardR.Cotten Dr.SuleimanY.Diab,CHE'B0 MOOammedBilbeisi,ARCH'Bl!&SuzanneBilbeisi Harkl.Dickerson,GE74&LeeAnnDickerson DannyR.Blakelv,ENGRTECH'Bl&MelanieBlakely Dow Chemical Foundation EIDuPontdeNemours&Co. Jacque Fowler BoldtCo. General Electric Corp. GE0ExchangeCorp. Bonavistalechnologieslnc. Kimberly-{larkCo. Jackl.Goertz,IEM'73&SusanGoertz EdwardA.Bond&LaurenBond Laurettelahey,MAE'86&TimothyG.Lahey JackH.Graham,ECEN'59 Dr.LarrvJ.Bradley&NancyBradley RobertA.Milam,CIVE'84&RamonaMilam Dr.DanielR.Grischkowsky WendyBranstetter&RexM.Branstetter KentPowers,IEM76&SherylPowers Johnl.Hatheway,MAE'53&BettyHathewav ArthurBreipohl Procter&GambleCo. Linda Bryant Dr.KerryS.Havner,CIVE'55 LaurenceF.Rooneylll&KathleenRooney GlenE.Hicks,MAE'68&DianeHicks Burns&McDonnellfoundation Terry L Stewart, OE72&Karen Stewart StevenD.Hofener,CIVE'75&SherrylHofener Dr.Richardl.Bush,IEM'63 UPMRaflatac Dr.KennethM.Butler,ECEN'BS&Dr.StephanieW.Butler Koch Industries Inc. PatrickZ.Wyers,MAE'61&JoyceWyers RandyE.Kreie,ARCH76&ValdaKreie PaulN.CarrisJr.&JoyCarris $10,000-$24,999 JohnJ.Lawrence,CHE'Bl&Carolynlawrence Central0KSe<tionllluminatingEngineeringSocietv AEP/PublicServiceCompanyo!0klahoma/Tulsa SamirA.Lawrence,CIVE'63&Lucillelawrence CHGuernsey&Co. American Concrete Pumping Association DonaldR.Lehman,CHE'69&Lauralehman JohnChau,ARCH'89 AT&T foundation Loren Cook Co. Chevron CalebA.Bates,ENGRTECH'07&WhitneyBatesJessicaP.Lu,CHE'97 KalliK.Clark-Egan,CIVE'02&SaenEgan LarryV.Blake,CHE71&KathyCowan Dr.Clifford{lottey,CIVE'77 Merck Animal Health BoeingCo. Jodiel.Millemon,CHE'II CLSE/ThomasS.WalerScholarshipfund Gary A.Bornemann CooleyConstructionLLC FrankH.Narcomev,ENGRTECH'79&CindyNarcomev SidneyH.DePriest ConcreteStrategiesLLC ONEOK Foundation ScottB.Edwards,MAE'86&LouAnnEdwards RaymondLPappe,MAE'SB&ShirteyPappe Kennethl.Cooper,MAE76&Jane11Cooper DeloresEtter&JerryR.Etter Teresal.Cooper Poe&Associateslnc. Halliburton Foundation Inc. AshleyG.Price,CHE'04 FrederickLCornelllCIVE'77

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THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS!

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

ARCHITECTURE

AND TECHNOLOGY

From the Foundation rivate support continues to play an integral role in advancing the mission ofOSU's College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology. With ongoing budget cuts from our state legislature, we need private support now more than ever to help advance our mission. State budget cuts to higher education is not a unique phenomenon across the country, so the opportunity exists for OSU CEAT to distinguish itself from other state-sponsored engineering programs. If our alumni and friends will fully engage in supporting our mission, we will continue our influence regionally and could advance our influence nationally. Your support for the college's mission can come in a variety of forms. Whether it be through your time volunteering, sharing your expertise or including

CEAT as a part of your charitable donations, your appropriately applied support can help in significant ways. Therefore, we welcome an opportunity to hear from every one of our alumni and friends on how you can support the college. In partnership with the OSU Foundation, the college has five team members with more than 40 years ofexperience in higher education, dedicated to answering any questions you may have related to supporting the college. We know the greatest need of our students, professors and programs, and we can leverage your resources to the fullest potential. As you consider making OSU CEAT a beneficiary of your support, please feel free to call or email a representative from our development team with your inquiries.

Associate Director of Development, CEAT 405-385-5623 bkillingsworth@osugiving.com

405-385-5618 lwilbourn@osugiving.com

IMPACT 2018

College Heads

Suzanne Bilbeisi, AIA Professor and Head Centennial Professor of Architecture School of Architecture

Dr. Jeffrey L. Young, P.E., F.IEEE Professor and Head OSURF Endowed Chair ofEngineering Electrical and Computer Engineering

Dr. John Veenstra, P.E., BCEE

Dr. James (Rob) Whiteley, P.E.

Dr. Norb Delatte, P.E., F.ACI, F.ASCE

Professor and Head Decker Dawson Chair Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

Professor and Head Bartlett Chair Chemical Engineering

Professor and Head M.R. Lohmann Endowed Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dr. Sunderesh Heragu

Dr. Dan Fisher

Dr. Young Chang, P.E., CFPS

Regents Professor and Head Donald and Cathey Humphreys Chair Industrial Engineering and Management

Professor and Head Albert H. Nelson Jr. Chair School ofMechanical and Aerospace Engineering

OSU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING,

ARCHITECTURE

Professor and Head Engineering Technology

AND TECHNOLOGY

EXTENSION

Win-Win

-A

CLGT gets plan to improve technology and education in Oklahoma passed

n 1988, legislation was passed to give county assessors in Oklahoma the software and training they needed to modernize. That software has remained unchanged for 30 years. The story starts in 1972 when professor Jim Shamblin sought to find a way to offer small towns and local governments a way to use engineering technology. The result was the formation of the Center for Local Government Technology (CLGT). "We worked with Oklahoma Municipal League at first with an emphasis to work with small towns," Shamblin said in an interview for CLGT archives in 2002. "We began to work with county commissioners and I offered to provide training programs from the center and to work with the auditor's office on purchasing problems on what might be done. That's how the county training program started." The CLGT expanded in 1982 with the Local Technical Assistance Program, which provides training and technical assistance to local government agencies responsible for the planning, maintenance and construction of transportation systems. Legislation passed in 1988 led to the computerization of assessor's offices and the Computer Assisted Mass Appraisal (GAMA) system, which remains unchanged today. CLGT also began the Assessor Training and Accreditation Program, also mandated by state law. The program provides statutory training and technical assistance to county assessors, deputies and county board of equalization members in Oklahoma. The first accreditation class was held September 1989. The CCAP group was transferred to OSU in 2008. "Part of the 1988 legislation was to give county assessors the software and training so they could appraise people's property," said Gary Snyder, CLGT manager. "Some counties had already gone out and purchased their own, but 62 counties relied on the state. Today, 52 of those counties are still using that same software." Because property taxes are the main funding for public education, keeping STORY KYLIEFANNINGII PHOTO KRISTIWHEELER

IMPACT 2018

Gary Snyder helped spearhead a plan to upgrade county

assessors' software.

assessments up to date benefits education across the state. Snyder, a former county assessor for Noble County, came to OSU in 2000 as a program manager for CLGT. Since 2010, the state Assessors Association officers have worked with the Oklahoma legislature to establish a permanent funding source for the educational program. Gov. Mary Fallin rejected 2013 legislation to transfer the training and support of the GAMA software system from the Oklahoma Tax Commission to CLGT. "When a person buys a house and goes to file their deed at the county clerk's office they are required to pay documentary stamps," Snyder said. "The amount is based on the value of the home transaction. Of those collections, county clerks were to send 70 percent to the OTC, which wound up in the general fund. Counties would retain 30 percent of those funds to use in their own budgets. So our pitch at the Capitol was to let the CLGT use part of that 70 percent from the county ... [for] training and securing new software for assessors to appropriately and accurately appraise property." Thirty years after the first legislation to computerize the assessor program, Fallin signed House Bill 3372- the GAMA Bill - on May 8, which makes CLGT responsible for the Radiant Software cost, support, training and updates. It also funds GAMA with those county revenues, which are not subject to fiscal year limitations, starting in 2019. "This will allow CLGT to secure a new GISbased GAMA system for participating counties and greatly increase the training for county assessors on anew GAMA but also on mass appraisal concepts and methodologies," Snyder said. "This will allow for fair, equitable and appropriate levels of assessments of all properties across the state of Oklahoma." Though Dr. Shamblin died in 2010, his CLGT, now with a defined mission and permanent funding, continues to improve and help small towns and local governments across Oklahoma. ■

Transforming Education New facility becomes centerpiece for CEAT's paradigm shift

(

"This building surrounds you. It's open so you see ) into everything. You could call it a cathedral." - BRAD ROWLAND, SAFETY COORDINATOR OF ENDEAVOR AND CLINICAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

alkingaround the new ENDEAVOR facility at the College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology, it's easy to see something's different about Oklahoma State University's newest building. Spacious laboratories, four of them the size of a basketball court, feature high ceilings and large windows that reveal the inner workings of technology and innovation as well as the work spaces with an entrepreneurial focus. Open space and glass dominate. "This building surrounds you. It's open so you see into everything," said Brad Rowland, safety coordinator of ENDEAVORand a clinical assistant professor of chemical engineering. "You could call it a cathedral." A paradigm shift is underway at OSU where ENDEAVORis the centerpiece of a new, innovative concept to educate engineers, architects and technology undergraduates. The vision ofCEAT Dean Paul Tikalsky is expanding instruction beyond the traditional classroom environment to one that increases time for interdisciplinary, hands-on and industry-aligned learning. "We are launching a new era in engineering education that's turning the whole model to a forward vision of innovation," Tikalsky said. The model, which Tikalsky calls the ENDEAVOR Concept, is revolutionary and necessary to prepare a new generation of engineers. Even before coming to OSU, Tikalsky said he recognized the need for change at universities to keep pace with today's fast-evolving industrial workplace. The vision was reinforced in

IMPACT 2018

listening to corporate leaders and managers to learn what they're looking for in young engineers. An observation repeated time and time again is that engineers can no longer work in silos. Universities must tear down the walls between disciplines and bring individual expertise into interdisciplinary teams - mechanical engineers working with chemical engineers working with computer engineers working with the business sector, and so on. That's how growing companies work. Rowland called it immersive education, where students take the theories they learn in the classroom and apply that knowledge through hands-on, studentdeveloped and faculty-mentored projects. "'We're increasing the number of touches that students have with technology," he said. OSU is on the cutting edge of this movement. In fact, CEAT is so far ahead of the curve, it's alone. "No one else in the country is doing this at this scale," Tikalsky said. At 72,000 square feet, ENDEAVORencompasses three floors oflabs and maker spaces for innovation, assembly and fabrication. Industry-aligned labs, sponsored by corporations, are home to seniors working on interdisciplinary capstone design projects in collaboration with companies. One of those sponsors is petroleum refiner Valero, which gave $1.25 million to CEAT for the Valero Process and Transport Laboratory. Sponsors fund labs aligned with their businesses and provide company employees to mentor students.

STORY JEFF JOINER II PHOTOS KRISTI WHEELER

Other industry donors include Chesapeake Energy (currently the largest donor at $1.85 million), ExxonMobil, Devon Energy, National Instruments, Blair Stone, Shimadzu, Williams Cos., McAlpine Energy, Northstar Battery, Mark Brewer and many other individuals. "More than half the cost of the building is paid for by donors," Tikalsky said. Along with corporate donors, CEAT students are contributing to the cost of building operations through a $20 per-credit-hour increase in student fees, approved by the college's forward-looking student council. It was Tikalsky's inspiration that planted the seed, but the ENDEAVORConcept took shape through input from industry, faculty, alumni and CEAT and university administration. The college's faculty jumped on board once plans began totakeshape. In just four years, ENDEAVORwent from concept to the completion of construction. '"There was a flood of great ideas once people realized this could actually happen,"Tikalsky said. Laboratory classes focus on areas like mechatronics, robotics, digital manufacturing, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, materials, sustainable building concepts, sensors and electronics, energy systems and radio frequency communications. ENDEAVOR is full of more than $5 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment and instruments available to students who can be trained and certified to use them. No equipment is off limits. "We don't just bring students in and say, 'Look at this sophisticated thing, but don't touch,'" said Randy Seitsinger, CEAT associate dean for academics. "Use it." ENDEAVORfeatures a 35-footwind tunnel; 3D printers, including one that prints objects made of metal; and composite printers that create objects made offiber reinforced polymers, such as carbon fiber, Kevlar and fiber glass. Alternative energy systems

are being studied using a windmill, solar panels and ground source heat pump systems. Drones and other autonomous systems will be tested in an indoor, threestory-tall test arena surrounded by glass, providing visibility from outside and from balconies inside. The building's open design encourages anyone to watch students test and improve their prototypes. ENDEAVOR is just the latest CEAT facility replacing its aging laboratories, many built before 1970. During that time, the number ofCEAT students has more than doubled, making it impossible to accommodate the numbers. "Sometimes alumni come back and see these aged facilities and say, 'Hey, this looks exactly like it did when I was here in 1975,"' Seitsinger said. "We don't want that." Engineering, architecture and technology students will also be taught to think about projects as future businesses, something new to many engineers. Working with entrepreneurship programs at Spears School ofBusiness and expertise in the College of Human Sciences and the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, CEAT students are learning how inventive products could lead to business startups. Rowland said more than 2,000 students a week this fall will use ENDEAVORfacilities, which will service 39 courses. That number will grow to more than 3,000 by 2019 and service approximately 56 courses. "This is a revolutionary process, not an evolutionary one," Tikalsky said. ENDEAVORis center stage for experiments in more than material analysis or thermodynamics - it's also part of retooling an education system. On a recent tour, visitors stopped in a lab doorway to study the equation for the Law of Thermal Transport set in stainless steel in the concrete floor. This equation, and others in the entries to all ENDEAVORlabs, reminds people of the theories behind that lab. Through the doorway is where the application of those theories comes to life. ■

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CEAT Seniors Earn Top Honors leven CEAT seniors were named Oklahoma State University Seniors of Significance by the OSU Alumni Association. The award recognizes students who have excelled in scholarship, leadership and service to campus and the community, and have brought distinction to OSU.

Cassidy Gierhart, Tyler Martin and Wendy Lau Wong were also named 2018 Outstanding Seniors by the OSU Alumni Association. The award recognizes seniors who excel through academic achievement; campus and community activities; academic, athletic or extracurricular honors or awards; scholarships and work ethic during their time at OSU.

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CEAT Scholars Scholarship programs aid outstanding students in college achycar, Oklahoma State University and the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology award thousands of dollars in scholarships to outstanding CEAT students who are both intellectual and organizational leaders.

GRAND CHALLENGESCHOLARS The Grand Challenge Scholars Program is a combined curricular and extracurricular program with five key components designed to prepare students to solve the 14 Grand Challenges of the 21st century. The Grand Challenge Scholars Program in CEAT wouldn't be possible without a generous donation from professional golfer Rickie Fowler. With this gift., CEAT is determined to graduate 20 scholars per year from the Grand Challenge Scholars Program who will have access to funding for research, entrepreneurship and global awareness. "Grand Challenge has taught me responsibility, to be a lender, and accountability through solving the world's greatest challenges," said Muwanika Jdiobe. There are six continuing Grand Challenge Scholars for the 2018·19 academic year, and the application for new scholars closes Oct. 1.

ALLEN SCHOLARS TheW.W.AllenBoysandGirlsClub Scholarship is awarded to an incoming freshman who was a member of a Boys and Girls Club in high school. The scholar receives more than $75,000 toward a bachelor's degree in engineering. The award includes a four-year cash scholarship, enrichment activities and professional development programs. This year, Kaitlyn Lane of Beulah, Colorado, was selected us the W.W.Allen Boys and Girls Club Scholar. Lane held leadership positions in 4·H, DECAand the National Honor Society. "My journey with the Boys and Girls Club began asan effort to find meaningful commWlity service experiences, but it has transformed into so much

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more than that; it isa way I can genuinely make a difference in the lives of others in my community," she said. The W.W. Allen Scholars Program includes more than $135,000 in scholarship, enrichment activities, professional development and national and international travel, followed by full tuition and housing for a master's degree at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom. Up to two new awards are made each year. This year, Aarushi Singh of Tulsa was selected as a W.W.Allen Scholar. In high school, Singh held leadership positions in her school's color guard, yearbook staff and Key Club. She also won the Girl Scout Gold Award, the orbtanization's highest honor. "I was so excited and surprised when I got the call that I was selected to be a 2018·2019 W.W. Allen scholar!" Singh said. ~This scholarship will strengthen my academic, leadership, and social

STORY AMANDA

WILLIAMS

II PHOTO KRISTI WHEELER

CEAT Scholars pose with OSU and professional golfer Rickie Fowler and Dean Tikalsky.

will begin their research this fall, each guided by a faculty sponsor and a graduate student mentor. Niblack said his undergraduate research experience impacted the direction of his life. After completing his bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1960, he continued his education at the University oflllinois, graduating with a doctorate in biochemistry. Eventually, Niblack conducted research and managed the development of pharmaceuticals for Pfizer Inc. He was later named vice chairman of the company. After he retired, he founded the Niblack Research Scholarship to offer OSU undergraduates the same research opportunity he had.

CEAT SCHOLARS

skills, and I'm grateful to be mentored by some of the top engineering faculty members OSU has to offer. I'm excited for the opportunity to visit other countries with CEAT scholars and also to pursue a master's degree from Cambridge University." These scholarships would not be possible without the generous donation ofW. Wayne Allen, retired CEO of Phillips Petroleum Co.

NIBLACKSCHOLARS Three students were selected as 2018-19 Niblack Research Scholars. Carley Eastep, Shelby Mohr and Fatama Sornaly each received an $8,000 scholarship to OSU. The annual program, funded by OSU alumnus Dr. John Niblack and his wife, Heidi, allows undergraduates to gain hands-on experience by conducting research outside the classroom. They

The CEAT Scholars Program includes a package worth over $19,000 for a select group of students. The program engages mentors, creates global awareness and develops leaders through a unique set of enrichment activities. Due to the generosityofCEAT donors, the college tripled the size of the program and can now select up to 100 new scholars each year. These scholars are chosen after attending the CEAT Scholars interview day. To qualify for the program, students must be admitted to OSU by Nov.!, carry a 3.75 GPA upon graduation from high school, score at least a 31 on the ACT or 1420 on the SAT, and demonstrate leadership and community engagement. There are 71 continuingCEAT Scholars and68 freshman CEAT Scholars for the 2018-19 academic year. One CEAT Scholar, Kyle Bennett, described the program by saying, "What I love about being aCEAT Scholar at OSU is the opportunities it presents. From enrichment events to going on international trips, the CEAT Scholars Program has provided me with experiences that have helped me grow not only as an engineer but also as a culturally aware world traveler." ■

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RESEARCH

-A

Sound Impact Elbing's research on infrasound may lead to earlier and better tornado warnings klahoma: the state of sweeping plains, breathtakingsunsets,glorious lakes and ... tornadoes. If you've experienced Oklahoma's spring tornado season,you know the discomfort, uneasiness and occasional fear it can bring. Dr. Brian Elbing may be able to ease those fears soon. Elbing, an assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Oklahoma State University's College ofEngineering, Architecture and Technology, has a new way to improve tornado forecasting that involves sound. And no, it's not the "roar of a freight train" so closely associated with the destructive storms.

IMPACT 2018

Running with an idea Elbing had a college internship at NASA's Langley Research Center, and he stayed in contact with one ofhis mentors there, Allan Zuckerwar, an engineer who died in 2014. Zuckerwar did research on high-frequency systems for NASA, but he was interested in low-frequency sounds as well. "After I took this job at OSU, Zuckerwar called me and said, 'Hey, there's some evidence that tornadoes start emitting this low-frequency sound,"' Elbing said. "I started looking into it." Once he settled at OSU in 2013, Elbing dove into his research, developing a system of microphones

STORY JENNY BERRY II PHOTOS PHIL SHOCKLEY

(

"Ifwe can get that [false] warning number down, people start listening."

and soaker hoses to capture these lowfrequency sounds, or infrasound. The human ear can pick up sounds between 20 to 20,000 hertz, but infrasound is below this threshold. The ultra-sensitive microphones are encapsulated in a canister with garden hose attachments. Because of their porous nature, soaker hoses allow sound to pass through the holes and travel to the microphone at the end of the tube. After they receive the data from the microphones, Elbing and his team can interpret how the storm is forming. With this technology, scientists will be able to predict tornadoes before they form and potentially determine the size and intensity of the rotation. "There's strong reason to believe that how loud [the infrasound is] is directly related to how strong [the tornado] is," Elbing said. "We still need more data to prove that, but if that's the case, we should be able to listen and say, 'Well it's this loud, it's an EF-4."'

Bring in the drones Elbing collaborates with CLOUDMAP, a multi-university coalition that develops drones used in weather forecasting. By partnering with the group, Elbing can fly these drones to the site ofa developing tornado and measure the atmosphere. "There's evidence that tornadoes can start emitting infrasound an hour beforehand," Elbing said. "So, if I have a drone, when I start detecting this infrasound, I could deploy the drone and go measure the atmosphere at that location."

- BRIAN ELBING

These measurements could be important in increasing the accuracy of tornado warnings. Currently, roughly 75 percent of tornado warnings in Oklahoma are false. lfyoulive in the state,you may know people who gather outside during warnings, taking the meaning of"tornado watch" quite literally. This flippancy can become dangerous during an actual tornado. "Ifwe can get that [false] warning number down, people start listening," Elbing said. And the science has implications beyond the plains ofOklahoma. Because infrasound is not interrupted by hills or mountains, Elbing believes this technology can be potentially revolutionary for the southeastern United States, where tornadoes are less frequent but often deadlier. That region's hilly terrain prevents effective radar detection of tornadoes, which delays warnings and can cost lives. With Elbing's system, people in the Southeast could receive warnings up to an hour before a tornado hits, allowing them plenty of time to find shelter.

A group effort While Elbing is the architect behind this research, he mentions a number of students who help him with this project. Chris Petrin, a doctoral student at OSU, assists Elbing with his research. Former projectleadArnesha Threatt (who's now with Pratt and Whitney) set up and deployed the microphones. Elbing also has a handful

)

ofundergraduate students researching withhim. "I put an emphasis on trying to give undergraduates an opportunity to get some experience," Elbing said. "When I got the opportunity to do research early on, it changed my career." He believes that the opportunity to conduct research in school can help students determine if they want to continue research after graduation while teaching them problem-solving skills. "This is a tough problem that's realworld, and we're dealing with real data," Elbing said. "It's not always as clean and nice, and the answers aren't as obvious. I think it's really valuable for the students." His research could save lives, provide a deeper understanding of the environment and restore Oklahomans' faith in the power of the tornado warning. ■

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Remaining -Involved CEAT graduate continues to make a difference in the world r. Ray 0. Johnson's resume instantly shows a man driven to succeed. Full careers with the U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin and titles of captain, senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief technology officer are sprinkled throughout the document. He's a busy man. Does he ever sit down? Johnsonjustlaughs. He does - at the helm ofhis Harley-Davidson motorcycle. His other favorite hobby, scuba diving, doesn't involve much sitting. But what he enjoys most is working to make a difference in the world. "I try to work on things that would create a future for the world," said Johnson, an alumnus ofOklahomaState University's College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology and 2010 CEAT Hall of Fame inductee.

Dr. Ray 0. Johnson's career path has included stints in the military and private industry.

IMPACT 2018

His career path shows he's successfully followed that mantra. Johnson spent 21years in the Air Force. The military sponsored his 1984 bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from OSU. He later earned a master's and doctorate in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute ofTechnology. His military career included leadership assignments in weapon system survivability and analysis; foreign intelligence; command, control and communications; laser physics and systems design; and electro-optics systems research and development. "I look back at the 21years I spent in the Air Force in a very positive way," Johnson said. "I gained a lot of engineering, operational, military and national security experience. I used experiences I gained from the Air Force to work on the more commercial side of things and continued to leverage my technical education for business purposes. I tis not just a technical world we are living in; it is a technical and business world." After retiring from the military in 1995, he stepped into the business world, landing at Science Applications International Corp. in 1996, where he was senior vice president and general manager of the advanced concepts business unit. In 2005, he went to Modern Technology Solutions Inc. as chief operating officer until 2006 before joining aerospace and defense company Lockheed Martin as the senior vice president for engineering, technology and operations, and the chief technolo~<yofficer. During Johnson's last three years at Lockheed Martin, the company experienced the best operational performance in its 104-year history. "When I retired from Lockheed Martin in 2015, I became an executive in residence with Bessemer Venture Partners," Johnson said. BVP is perhaps the oldest venture capital firm in the U.S. and invests in seed-stage to growthstage enterprises, focusing on consumer and health care technology startups around the world.

STORY DAKOTA KEITH II PHOTOS COURTESY

RAY JOHNSON

"Sitting on the board of portfolio companies, I help from an operational point of view," Johnson said. "Awide variety of activities I am a part of within Bessemer take advantage of my experience in engineering, technology and the operational side of a business." Johnson, currently living in Washington, D.C., also became an executive director ofQxBranch, a data analytics and quantum computer company that is taking a step into anew arena. "QxBranch and [London partner] New Nordic Advisors just invested in a new company called Envelop Risk," Johnson said. Envelop Risk is acyber-security risk analytics company, and Johnson joined its board of directors to aid in its cyber security mission. Additionally, Johnson is involved in energy, serving on the advisory board ofS Rivers, a company that developed the Allam Cycle. "For energy states like Oklahoma and Texas and for the world looking for carbon dioxide alternatives, this Allam Cycle process allows natural gas to be used to generate electricity without the associated carbon dioxide emissions," he said. Johnson also serves on the Technical and Industrial Advisory Board of Terrestrial Energy, a next-generation nuclear energy company in Canada. "Terrestrial Energy has developed a small modular reactor based on integral molten salt reactor technology," he said. "The advantage is this form of nuclear energy is non-carbon dioxide letting, which helps with issues like climate change, carbon dioxide emissions and greenhouse gases. The process is non-proliferable and very safe." Johnson is on the board of governors for the Argonne National Laboratory, providing guidance, oversight and advice on scientific and technical issues and long-range objectives, among other things. That's not all. "Finally," Johnson said, "I work internationallywith a technology-based company in Bangkok, Thailand. My goal is to help them create three new lines ofbusiness that have the potential growth of$! billion in five years." Johnson is a lifelong learner who stays involved in engineering, technology and business. "Throughout your career you have to continue to adapt, learn and focus on your education and business opportunities," Johnson said. "It's not just the technical education that matters; it's the continuing education and adaptability that enable you to progress in your career and continue to make a difference in the world." ■

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Triumph -Through Tragedy Alumnus succeeding despite the loss of his football 'identity'

evin Hedgepeth was a football player. This was his identity from a young age, growing up in Derby, Kansas. And he was good. During his junior year of high school, Hedgepeth committed to play football at Oklahoma State University. He even graduated from high school a semester early so he could move to Stillwater to begin practicing as soon as possible. His hard work led him to start as a defensive back in 2010 as a true freshman, a rare situation. Hedgepeth led the Big 12 in interceptions and began receiving national attention. He was even predicted to be one of the NF L's top draft defensive back picks. Then life happened. During a game against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette in 2012, Hedgepeth's left Achilles suffered its third rupture, ending his playing days and killing his chances in the NFL. "The end of my football career signified the end ofme and my identity," Hedgepeth said. "Up until that point, I was a football player, and all of a sudden that was taken from me at the snap ofa tendon. When you experience a loss of that magnitude, it forces you to reframe your view on the world. What was my true purpose?Why did this happen to me? The hard truth I found was that feeling sorry for myself was only hurting me and my future. The only way to move forward was to pick my head up and go." Hedgepeth chose to move his focus to his studies in the College ofEngineering,Architecture and Technology, where he majored in industrial engineering. "My true calling was much deeper than the game of football. It was to excel at whatever I chose to pursue," he said. "This gave me new energy and life because it was at that time that I knew I could still make it to the elite level of the game that I chose; it just wouldn't be football." During hisjunioryear, Hedgepeth became a member of Alpha Pi Mu, the industrial engineering honor society, impressing his professors with his commitment.

Devin Hedgepeth: "The end of my football career signified the end of me and my identity."

I MPACT 2018

STORY KYLIE FANNING II PHOTOS OSU ATHLETICS

"He would be a poster child for industrial engineering," Camille Deyong, who taught Hedgepeth's introduction to industrial engineering class, told The Oklahoman in 2012. "He is just the epitome of what you would want the studentathlete to be. I wish we could clone him. With or without football, we would take 100 Devin Hedgepeths." "One thing that does not get enough attention in my story is my experience through CEAT at OSU," he said. "After my injury, I fell into a state of depression, anger and fear. But I was one of the lucky ones who had not only an engineering workload in which I could immerse myself in to combat the pain but also the people to support me. The staffofthe industrial engineering and management department respected my space, encouraged my soul and let me know everything would be OK. They allowed my learning to take hold and fill the void that football had left behind." Before walking across the stage at Oklahoma State during graduation, Hedgepeth signed a contract with a Fortune 500 company. "I still had my draft day after all!" Hedgepeth said. "And I can trace this success back to the people ofOklahomaState as well as the resilience that I developed along my tough times." To learn more about Hedgepeth's journey, visit his blog at achilleshealed18.com._■

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Strategic Advisory Council he Strategic Advisory Council is a strategic group of industry leaders and alumni representing each discipline in CEAT. Each member volunteers their time to work with the Dean to provide a better college experience for all our students. They are dedicated to improving our research, retention, and reputation by bringing innovation and industry into our classrooms.

Executive Director

John Doerner Project Reservoir Engineer Advisor (retired) Anadarko Petroleum

Vice President XTO Energy

Gregg Bradshaw Joe Hall General Contractors

Kohler Power Systems

IMPACT 2018

Studio Architecture

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

JeffHume Vice Chairman Strategic Growth Initiatives Continental Resources Inc.

Okie Pokes of Texas

Neal Jones President Jones Studio Architects

Jaime McAlpine Chermac Energy Corporation

Chief Executive Officer Eagle Claw Midstream LLC

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