Evolve 2013

Evolve

The University of Oklahoma College of Engineering

2013

Inspiration

by Design John Fagan’s innovative teaching methods continue to inspire

Fall 2013 49

Evolve

Welcome from the Dean

University of Oklahoma College of Engineering

Dean Thomas L. Landers, Ph.D., P.E., AT&T Chair Photography Karen Kelly, Robert Taylor and Tricia Tramel Design and Layout Haley Fulco, University Printing Services Cover Photo: John Fagan reluctantly poses outside of the annual Open House of the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility.

Evolve is published annually by the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering Communications Office. For more information, contact: Karen Kelly Director of Communications 202 W. Boyd St., Rm. 104 Norman OK, 73019-1021 Phone: (405) 325-9037 www.ou.edu/coe engineering@ou.edu This publication, printed by OU Printing Services, is issued by the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering. 8,000 copies have been prepared and distributed at no cost to the taxpayers of the State of Oklahoma. © 2013 University of Oklahoma.

The University of Oklahoma in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, age, religion, disability, political beliefs, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures. This includes but is not limited to admissions, employment, financial aid and educational services. For questions regarding discrimination, sexual assault, sexual misconduct, or sexual harassment, please contact the Office(s) of Institutional Equity as may be applicable -- Norman campus at (405) 325-3546/3549, the Health Sciences Center at (405) 271-2110 or the OU-Tulsa Title IX Office at (918) 660-3107. Please see www.ou.edu/eoo.

iii Evolve

As we look back on the past 12 months, we are celebrating achievements. At the same time, we extend our help and sympathy to neighbors who have suffered much due to extreme weather events. There were several among our engineering family who suffered loss of property; but thankfully, none were physically harmed. You can learn more about the role engineering has played in a story highlighting our own Tiffany Smith’s experience in the aftermath of the Moore tornado (page 6).

As the winds have subsided, autumn has again come to the engineering campus; the falling leaves are indicative of a season in transition. And as the world around us changes, so too the College of Engineering finds itself undergoing some positive transitions.

In addition to a new freshman class of 646, we welcome two new directors and seven new faculty members. Randall Kolar, who joined OU in 1995, is the new director for the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science. Kolar is joined in CEES by new faculty members Robert Dreibelbis, Jeffery Volz and Naiyu (Natalie) Wang. President's Associates Presidential Professor Cengiz Altan is our interim director for the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Jivtesh Garg joins the AME faculty. Diana Bairaktarova joins the College of Engineering as assistant professor of engineering practice, with teaching focus in mechanical engineering courses vital to college-wide retention of undergraduates (page 28).

The dean’s office welcomes John Antonio back from a two-year leave with OU Research Campus company, MSCI. On Jan. 1, 2014, he will become the new associate dean for education.

Antonio has taught or served in a leadership position in the School of Computer Science since 1999. His vested interest in the college is evident by his three children who have chosen to study engineering at OU, two graduates: Alex and Victoria, and Nicole, currently a sophomore.

P. Simin Pulat will assume the role of senior associate dean overseeing college-wide faculty development. Musharraf Zaman will serve as executive director of the newly funded Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center (page 13) and will continue as David Ross Boyd Professor, Aaron Alexander Professor of Civil Engineering and professor of Petroleum and Geological Engineering.

The college leadership team is creating a new five-year strategic plan (2014-2018).

Contents Evolve Features Welcome from the Dean (continued) John Fagan, a much-loved professor and icon of experiential learning in the CoE, retired in May after 38 years of service (page 2).

2 Inspiration by Design

I am proud to report a first-place overall win in May for our Sooner Electric Racing Team. The ingenuity and determination of these student competitors is a testimony to the legacy of Fagan (page 37).

We lost a dear friend and colleague. John Campbell, a member of the National Acadamy of Engineering and former chair of Petroleum Engineering at OU for 12 years, passed away in late August (page 44).

We opened the bay doors on Jenkins Avenue for the third annual Open House of the ExxonMobil Rawl Engineering Practice Facility, welcoming visitors and fans on their way to the OU/TCU game. From meeting our teams and seeing their vehicles/projects to hands-on science activities with engineering applications for school-aged children, this outreach activity was one in which our students displayed true Sooner pride.

Great news was revealed in mid-October, in that Dolese Bros. Co. has donated most of the private company's stock to the foundations of the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Kansas State University. In the spirit of the donor’s vision, the CoE has been strategically using the funds to support the “Tomorrow’s OU Engineers” program. Started two years ago, the program specifically targets recruitment and retention efforts, thereby fulfilling the donor’s priorities to “increase engineering graduates for the state and the nation,” as declared by Mark Helm, president and CEO of Dolese.

It is corporate gifts like that of Dolese and so many more great companies that continue to make an impact. It is individual donors and friends who send in their support every fall in response to our Annual Fund request that makes a difference. It is the growing membership of the J.H. Felgar Society that makes the impossible possible. It is all of you who contribute to the incomparable education provided on our great campus that sets us apart as an exceptional institution of learning.

10 OU Computer Science Students Develop Transit Software for Oklahoma Rural Communities

Inside every issue Updates

6 Research

15 Alumni

22 College News

29

I thank each of you for all that you do for the College of Engineering.

Faculty Regards,

33 Students

Tom L. Landers Dean and AT&T Chair

40 Giving Update

44 In memoriam

48 Class Notes

Fall 2013

1

Inspiration In spring 2013, John Fagan retired from CoE. While students may not see him in the classroom, his innovative teaching methods continue to inspire engineering students and faculty alike.

By Lori Johnson Original artwork by local artist and cartoonist John G. Tullius.

The Driving Force in Electrical and Computer Engineering For more than four decades, John Fagan has been a driving force in the University of Oklahoma’s College of Engineering — both literally and figuratively. Fagan is credited with starting many of the classes taught in the college, garnering large research grants and making a name for the university in national and international car competitions.

Fagan retired from teaching last summer, leaving a lifelong impact on at least two generations of students.

“While John has exceptional credentials in all aspects of his academic career, I think his greatest legacy is the impact he has had on countless students,” said Thomas Landers, OU College of Engineering dean. “Not only have his students gone on to successful careers in industry and academia, but he is also mentoring protégés who may well be the next-generation leaders of academe.”

Those who follow in the professor’s footsteps should take note of their own experiences with Fagan because his approach to education is a big reason for their success.

An electrical engineer by trade, Fagan also is a master storyteller.

Instead of simply relaying details to his students, he flavors the conversation with voice inflections and sounds that pull the listener into the story. “Our car would go by – whoosh — and the other cars would follow — ticka, ticka, ticka, ticka,” animating as he describes an electric car race.

He is known for his “Faganisms” that former students to this day can still recite — and some they can’t repeat. But his secret tactic to successful teaching is capitalizing on students’ interests. “You sneak

2

Evolve

up on them and sprinkle in the knowledge while they are doing what they love to do,” Fagan explains. That also fits in nicely with what Fagan loves to do: touch the lives of his students.

Flying Machines and Broken Things Fagan joined OU in 1975 after receiving his bachelor’s and master’s of science and doctoral degrees from the University of Texas. He became full professor in 1994 and retired in spring 2013 as a David Ross Boyd Professor and a Presidential Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research focused on alternate energy transportation systems and the use of GPS as an aircraft landing and navigation tool.

Working with the FAA and the OU Department of Aviation, Fagan developed one of the most prominent flight navigation systems.

According to OU Electrical and Computer Engineering professor Jim Sluss, Fagan’s research has led to “easily deployable, next-generation precision approach and landing systems that will make flying safer at most locations on the planet.”

But Fagan didn’t always dream of being an engineer. Twice he considered alternate paths. For a time, Fagan went to seminary to become a priest, but eventually enrolled in college as a physics major.

“My dad was a bit spooked at that major,” Fagan said. “He gave me a ham radio receiver to give up amateur rocketry after one of my rockets went amuck.” The rocket went through the neighbor’s roof and landed in his living room. And just like any engineer worth his salt, the first thing Fagan did with the amateur radio was take it apart to see what made it work and how to fix the broken electrical device.

by Design During Fagan’s college years, his professors introduced several gadgets that were just coming to market, including the transistor radio and the color television. One of his professors, James Spradlin, was the lead engineer that helped develop the RCA color television system, camera and home receiver. Once again, it was the allure of the inner workings of electrical devices that propelled Fagan down the engineering path. “Working with the ultimate tinkerers made me want to be a master tinkerer,” explained Fagan. “So I became an engineer.”

Those five words launched the start of a noteworthy academic career, recognized with an impressive array of honors and awards.

Of Fact and Fiction In addition to teaching and research, Fagan has served as the director of the Electric Vehicle Research Institute and Advanced Vehicle Research Institute. He also remains active in professional organizations, including serving on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Control of Power Systems executive committee and the Institute of Navigation steering committee. Since 1991, Fagan has served on Oklahoma’s Alternative Energy Subcommittee and Clean Cities Oklahoma. But those are facts that can be verified; Fagan also seems to be associated with stories that aren’t fully confirmed.

Fagan recalls some of his craziest times at OU when he served as the Loyal Knights of Old Trusty adviser four different times. “I got a chance to meet almost all the law deans and knew the provosts and presidents on a first-name basis,” said Fagan. “I also learned to have plausible deniability in all matters of green mice, a green rat and green owls,” he added.

John Dyer, assistant professor for the OU Aviation Research Institute, research assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and former student, says Fagan carried a reputation as a rule bender. “Perhaps deservedly so, but all his efforts were categorically aimed at promoting a student’s best academic interests,” said Dyer. “This is one of the reasons he is so universally loved by the students – they sense immediately that he is their advocate."

This approach showed a successful balance from both the student and administrative perspective. Fagan was consistently rated by his students as one of the best teachers in the college and at the national level. In 2006 he was named a David Ross Boyd Professor, the highest honor OU bestows on faculty for outstanding teaching, guidance and leadership for students, and in 2010 he was elected to the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame for his career in teaching.

Fall 2013

3

Learning by Design Fagan was instrumental in developing several courses while at OU, including Introduction to Engineering, Numerical Methods for Engineering Computation, Energy Conversion, Electrical Power Systems and Analysis of Faulted Power Systems, to name a few. His upper-level class, Selected Topics, was the first course in the college devoted exclusively to design competitions and brought together multidisciplinary teams of students.

“Doc was doing experiential learning before we had a term for it,” said Chris Ramseyer, OU engineering associate professor. “He organized design, build and fly competitions. If there was a hole in experiential learning, he would fill it.”

Sometimes that meant creating a little noise to get the learning amped up. Ramseyer recalls Fagan demonstrating to him how to get a class’s attention. “He had this amazing ability to walk into a classroom and talk very calmly and quietly and then — BANG – make a loud noise,” recalls Ramseyer. “The students’ eyes would get wide, laptops would snap shut and the students would listen intently.” Fagan jokingly attributes this pedagogical approach to his days in seminary.

“I was trained by the Jesuits,” he said.

Engaging students by whatever manner was imperative to Fagan.

“Students are a wonderful, but fragile, commodity that we as faculty are entrusted with for a few short years,” said Fagan. “It is our duty to ignite their creative spirit, give them a sense of professional responsibility, and assure that they have the tools to succeed in their chosen profession.“

Awards 1978 ASEE Dow Chemical National Award for Outstanding Academic Accomplishment 1980 Eta Kappa Nu (Electrical Engineering honor society) C. Holmes Award for Outstanding Teaching Faculty 1995 Presidential Professor for excellence in teaching, mentoring, and research.

1999 IEEE SPAC Award 2004 FAA Center of Excellence Award 2006 David Ross Boyd Professor, the highest honor OU bestows on faculty for outstanding teaching, guidance and leadership of students.

2010 Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame *At that time, he was the second faculty member from the CoE ever inducted.

Within the College of Engineering, he received the Brandon H. Griffin Award for Outstanding Teaching and Advising an unprecedented nine times.

4

Evolve

It’s All Fun and Games Until the Pumpkin Smashes — Then It’s Learning One of the more memorable competitions was the Pumpkin Launch that has since been discontinued. Fagan’s innovative approach to teaching design processes led to a number of highly visible freshman-level student competitions: the Pumpkin Launch, Egg Drop, Rube Goldberg and Minimum Energy Auto. For more senior students, he established robot design challenges and competitions for Autonomous Sumo Bots, Seeker Bots, Battle Bots, Line Bots and Fire-fighting Bots.

“He set new standards for our students outside the classroom by providing them with opportunities to compete nationally and internationally in activities that hone and test their skills as engineers to the limit,” said Sluss.

One of the more memorable competitions was the Pumpkin Launch.

Freshman student teams were challenged to design and build a pumpkin launcher and hurl pumpkins at targets ranging from 250 feet to nearly a mile away without crushing the orbed gourd on launch. The pumpkins were launched at the Max Westheimer Airport in Norman. One year, a freshman student team broke the national distance record for pumpkin hurling over 5,000 feet.

“What was more amazing was the number of people who participated in the event,” recalled Fagan. The Pumpkin Launch had as many as 200 students in 20 teams, but more than 600 family members showed up to watch their family member compete.

“The pumpkin contest involved OU air traffic control and being on the tower frequency to clear each pumpkin launch because we were right under the traffic pattern of Westheimer,” recalls Dyer, hinting that there is more to the story. “I also recall a remote-controlled Mitsubishi losing its control link and crashing into the airport fence.” Dyer, and other former students recall the pumpkin launch as one of their most exciting and memorable events during college.

The Success Is in the Failure Another well-known competition Fagan oversaw was alternative energy car races. Under his mentorship, solar car student teams participated in the Sun Race, held at various places across the United States, and the World Solar Challenge, held in Australia in 1989, 1993, 1995 and 1996.

The Spirit of Oklahoma, or Spirit One as subsequent versions evolved, was OU’s first solar-powered car. The team’s first World Solar Challenge Fagan recalled as an“eye-opening experience.”

“We quickly realized we had a terrible car,” said Fagan. The Spirit of Oklahoma’s $50,000 investment was competing against teams funded by industry investments of up to $20 million. “But our crew had heart,” said Fagan. The team persevered through numerous mechanical and climate challenges to finish 17th overall and learned invaluable lessons in teamwork and design. Those lessons dictated the design the team uses today for solar car racing.

Post Note Fagan's retirement plans include keeping up with OU’s design teams, improving his golf score and spoiling his three grandchildren.

He also has plans to travel extensively with his wife, Cathy. At home, Fagan wants to take his dog Tony to the children’s wards and the senior living areas to “bring a little furry warmth to a few souls.”

Do you have a Fagan story to share? You are invited to post your experience to a blog created for just this purpose: www.factsfablesandfagan.blogspot.com/.

“It was incredibly uplifting to see the students grow as engineers and human beings on the field of battle,” Fagan said.

Fagan also steered OU’s electric cars to numerous successful competitions. From 1995 to 2005, the formula lightning car teams captured 12 first-place finishes, plus numerous second- and thirdplace finishes in national competitions across the United States and Canada.

But Fagan says the competitions are not about bragging rights (OK, maybe a little), but the means to get students interested in learning by doing — and failing.

“Racing is a zero-defect sport,” explained Fagan. “It teaches students the effect of defects in design, and quality defects in the implementation can have an extreme impact on the race outcome.

Students don’t know the impact of a mistake if they just get a low grade on a test. But if they put their heart, soul and time in a race car and then it loses because someone forgot to tighten one screw, or fudged a bit in the design – then that failure is the ultimate teacher.”

Learning by Research Fagan’s research success includes his exceptional ability to attract research funding. During his tenure his externally funded grants and contracts totaled more than $30 million and he consistently placed near the top of OU’s research ranking in terms of annual research expenditures and grants. He also holds 20 U.S. patents, seven in collaboration with his students.

“The students were welcomed into his research groups, provided unparalleled access to his mentorship and the great resources he could bring to bear with his research.”

The Measure of Success Reflecting on his academic career, Fagan declares it was a great ride.

“Where else can you have a perfect job where you don’t have to do anything but race cars and bend the minds of future engineers?”

Fagan queried. But, it takes only a quick glance and several minutes of reading over his litany of accomplishments to know Fagan did a lot more than race cars. However, that is not how Fagan measures his success. Instead, he measures it throuigh the success of his students.

During his tenure, Fagan graduated more than 20 doctoral, 50 master’s and numerous undergraduate students, many of whom were inspired to continue in the engineering profession.

“John Fagan was truly an inspiration to me on how to make engineering fun,” commented former student Dave Looper. Looper, a senior technical adviser at Halliburton, said people constantly remark on how he seems to love his job. “I have to give John a lot of credit for that and have tried to pass it on to all the young engineers I get to work with here at Halliburton,” he said.

Dyer, who now teaches his own classes, plans to carry on his professor’s enthusiastic teaching but in a new vein. “Fagan is an institution whose shoes will never be filled,” said Dyer. “We’ll just try and walk in parallel as best we can.”

The eternal educator, Fagan saw the lure of a potential patent as another opportunity to increase his students’ experiential learning.

“It's a great incentive for a student to want to participate in research if there is opportunity to have their name on a patent,” Fagan explained.

“He sought out the best and the brightest in his undergraduates to engage with him on his cutting-edge research,” said Sluss.

Fall 2013

5

Research

Devastating Tornado Rebuilds a Brighter Future

By Lori Johnson Few life-changing moments are seen beforehand. Often the defining moment is upon you before the enormity of the event is realized. But for Tiffany Smith and her husband, Zach, even a two-day warning could never prepare them for what happened next. Smith’s house was one of the estimated 1,400 homes damaged by the EF5 tornado that ripped through Moore, Okla., on May 20.

“I was already prepared for severe weather, thanks to the wonderful weather forecasters in Oklahoma and on our campus,” said Smith, student leadership and external relations coordinator and Women in Engineering coordinator at the University of Oklahoma. “But I don’t think anything could have prepared me for being in the path of a tornado.”

Three days before the tornado touched down, the weather community had been warning residents in central Oklahoma that the threat for severe weather was steadily increasing. Meteorologists were predicting May 20 to have the most potential to be a dangerous day.

Smith, thinking the worst storm casualty may be hail damage to her car, left work early that day to take care of her dog and put her car in the garage.

As the severe weather intensified, Smith, her dog and her neighbors went into an underground storm shelter. “A few minutes later it got eerie,” Smith described. “It was quiet and still outside. Two to three minutes later it (the tornado) hit.”

Smith said the tornado didn’t sound like a freight train, as commonly described. “There is nothing like it,” she recalled. “You could hear loud banging noises as heavy, huge debris hit the storm door.” Smith said the noises lasted about 30 seconds but to everyone in the shelter, “it felt like an eternity.”

After the banging stopped, the questions began. “I started asking, am I able to get out, what is left of my neighborhood, are my neighbors ok, were they at home?” said Smith.

The answers were hard to come by even after Smith and her neighbors were able to get out of the shelter and see the decimated neighborhood first hand. Phone service was sketchy and debris was everywhere. “The first thing I felt was emptiness and shock,” said Smith.

“Everyone seemed like they were in a daze. It was surreal.”

While Smith’s house was not totaled by the strong winds, it was uninhabitable. “I could see many 2-by-4 beams speared into my roof,” said Smith. Her roof had been uplifted, all of the doors and windows had been blown in and there was extensive water damage. “My house

6

Evolve

wasn’t a total loss, but they had to gut the entire inside and replace the roof.”

While Smith was already working with her insurance company on damage claims, she also wanted to have an independent structural review. “I wanted someone I trusted and knew was an expert,” said Smith. Fears Structural Engineering Laboratory director and associate professor in OU’s School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Chris Ramseyer offered to help. Ramseyer was already working with the National Science Foundation’s Rapid Assessment Team to evaluate and report on residential damage to the area.

“It is easy to determine damage to a home when the windows are blown out and the roof is ripped open,” said Ramseyer. “It is much harder to show structural damage when it is not readily visible.”

Ramseyer said the types of structural damage to houses near the tornado’s strongest winds are subtle structural damages that can be dangerous to the homeowner. A common after effect is the structure will rotate in relation to the foundation. “To what degree, how bad, are the connections still tight, and how to fix it are the questions to determine the home’s structural integrity,” Ramseyer said. He wrote an assessment for Smith’s house and worked with the insurance adjuster to evaluate its structural integrity.

Research In the Smiths’ case, the home was off of its original foundation by more than an inch, enough to warrant rebuilding the house. “I am grateful Dr. Ramseyer was there to help me,” said Smith. “I don’t want a new house. I just want a safe house. Ramseyer’s expert knowledge found damage that wasn’t easily recognized but still dangerous.”

Disaster recovery has been a slow process as the Smiths began rebuilding their lives. “After the initial shock of the disaster, you think it is all temporary,” said Smith. “You move place to place, living out of suitcases, getting used to new routines, then you realize everything has changed permanently.”

One positive thing that came from the disaster was it brought Smith and her husband closer to friends, family, coworkers and students. “I never realized how many people were there for me,” said Smith. “My boss was the first person to call me after coming out from my shelter.”

In addition to Ramseyer’s assistance with the structural review, Smith’s co-workers donated clothes, shoes and household supplies. Both co-workers and students collected money and even offered places to stay until their home was rebuilt.

“The emotional support from friends and family is what has really helped us through this,” said Smith. “My husband and I are lucky to have each other through this disaster as well. We were definitely more fortunate than many who lost everything.”

OU Engineer Part of National Disaster Assessment Teams Engineering associate professor Chris Ramseyer has played a part in both the protection from and recovery of the EF5 twister that ripped through Moore, Okla., on May 20. As the Fears Structural Engineering Laboratory director, Ramseyer worked with local builders and contractors for nearly a decade to devise improved housing structures.

“Working with private industry for structural design keeps me fresh and up to date with the design community,” explains Ramseyer. “It also helps me share what I know about structural engineering on the research side with the local community.”

It was his work with a local builder that brought Ramseyer to the recovery side of the disaster. At 7:30 a.m., the morning after the tornado hit, Ramseyer inspected damage to several of a local builder’s homes in the impacted area. His work on the ground garnered an invitation to be on the National Science Foundation’s Rapid Response Research Team, which included 20 professors and students from OU, Mississippi State, Florida State and the University of Alabama. The goal of the NSF RAPID is to quickly gather structural data before it is lost in the clean-up. “We literally went down every single street looking at houses and every shelter above and below ground,” Ramseyer said.

His immediate disaster response and prior knowledge of the area and building techniques helped the nationally assembled team gather complete data quickly. Ramseyer also served on the American Society of Civil Engineers and Structural Engineering Institute Moore, Okla. Tornado Assessment Team. The group assessed schools, hospitals and commercial buildings damaged by the tornado.

Reports from both the National Science Foundation's RAPID and ASCE-SEI are expected to be available this fall. Ramseyer has been asked to give presentations to the ASCE and the Oklahoma Structural Engineering Association concerning what was learned from the tornado. He is also speaking to the Oklahoma Legislature on methods to improve building codes.

“We build houses to withstand hurricanes and seismic shifts, but have ignored tornadoes because the winds are too strong and unpredictable,” said Ramseyer. “We have seen from this tornado that good construction techniques can survive strong winds. We can learn from this devastating event to build stronger homes and neighborhoods.”

$750,000 NASA Grant Awarded Four faculty members from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and one from the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences received a $750,000 grant from NASA – Headquarters for their project titled “Advanced Digital Radar Techniques for the Next Generation of Synthetic Aperture Radar and Student Training.”

The project, according to Mark Yeary, principal investigator and author of the proposal, is to improve existing radar technologies, develop new radar techniques and address the need for more accurate calculations of biomass on the surface of the Earth.

“NASA will use the research to further its observations of the Earth,” Yeary said. “One of the first experiments will be done over Costa Rica to understand measurements of biomass there.”

“Synthetic aperture radar works by taking many low-resolution radar snapshots as you fly over an area and synthesizing them into one highly focused, high-resolution image,” Yeary said.

Yeary’s team is looking to improve synthetic aperture radar by enabling polarimetry that allows the radar to send out vertical and horizontal waveforms at the same time, thereby allowing the radar system to determine the geometrical shape of objects on the Earth more accurately.

The research team started their work in the spring, recruiting qualified students to help with the project.

McCann Named OCAST Award Recipient One to three years of funding totaling $183,900 has been awarded to Patrick McCann, professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, for his research project to improve thermophotovoltaic technology, which converts heat into electricity.

McCann was one of seven researchers out of 39 applicants to receive Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology funding.

The funds are administered by OCAST through the Oklahoma Applied Research Support program and represent a long-term effort by the state to encourage technology-based economic development.

Fall 2013

7

Research OU Research Discovers Chemical That Increases Oil Recovery by 70 Percent; Find Benefits Small Oklahoma Producers

By Lori Johnson

Brine samples from a test well waiting for tracer analysis by gas chromatography.

An estimated 68 billion barrels of what was originally 84 billion barrels of Oklahoma oil still lie embedded in rock formations, even after second attempts to extract it. But Oklahoma producers may have a better, more cost-effective way to increase recovery. A team of University of Oklahoma researchers from the Institute for Applied Surfactant Research — Jeff Harwell, Bruce Roberts and Ben Shiau — have formulated a chemical flooding technique that increases oil flow in previously produced reservoirs. By using this technique, oil can move more easily with the injected water and be pushed to the production wells safely and more efficiently.

The most common secondary oil recovery method, water flooding, drives mobile oil toward the well bore,” Harwell said, “but when the injected water reaches the production wells, most of the oil remains trapped in the rock, much like a sponge traps water. Chemical flooding is used typically after water flooding stops being economical.

The IASR team first injects a tracer chemical in hundreds of barrels

8

Evolve

Oil well near Skiatook, Okla. being prepared for a partitioning tracer test to determine residual oil saturation in the reservoir.

Research of reservoir brine to evaluate the amount of residual oil remaining after the mobile oil has been produced. Then the team floods the reservoir with different chemicals, called surfactants, which cause the trapped oil droplets to be released from the rock. The reservoir is then flooded with more reservoir brine to drive the newly mobile oil to producing wells.

“The surfactant-technology we developed allows more oil to be produced from existing reservoirs without fracking and without having to have access to a supply of fresh water,” explained Shiau. “Our approach allows producers to use the same water they get from their reservoirs.”

assess and mitigate risk enhancing the environmental sustainability of oil and gas exploration and production activities. RPSEA is under contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory to administer three areas of research. RPSEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium with more than 180 members, including 24 of the nation’s premier research universities, five national laboratories, other major research institutions, large and small energy producers, and energy consumers. Additional information can be found at www.rpsea.org.

The traditional approach to chemical flooding involves building large water treatment and chemical mixing plants that can require millions of dollars of up-front investment. This approach makes the technology unattractive to the smaller companies that make up the majority of producers in Oklahoma. The OU team is focused on reducing this up-front investment to make the technology accessible to small producers.

“Oklahoma produces about 60 million barrels of oil a year,” explained Harwell. “The largest producer is 3 million barrels. The new approach to chemical flooding we are developing gives Oklahoma producers a cost-efficient advantage in oil recovery.”

The IASR team has successfully mobilized up to 90 percent of the residual oil in single-well tests run in conjunction with partner Mid-Con Energy of Tulsa. The team recently was awarded a $1 million grant from the Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America to support these efforts. The new technology is being commercialized through a start-up company, Chemical Flooding Technology (chemicalfloodingtechnologies.com/).

The Institute’s research also benefits Oklahoma producers by overcoming the problem of high salinity typically found in Oklahoma’s oil reservoirs. Oklahoma’s Pennsylvanian-age sands, which span much of the state, contain brines that have salt concentrations ranging from 10 to 25 percent by weight. Sea water is only 3 percent salts.

An average oil reservoir contains 10 percent brine. The high salinity of the Oklahoma brines makes it difficult to find surfactants that will be active at reservoir conditions, yet replacing the water in the reservoir with fresh water is cost-prohibitive. So the OU research team is committed to developing surfactants that will work with the reservoir brine.

“Oklahoma ranks fifth in crude oil reserves,” Harwell said, “so there are a lot of national and international energy companies interested in our state. Our research can help Oklahoma producers be competitive in their own backyard by recovering as much as 90 percent more oil from marginal wells.”

Funding for the project is provided through the “Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Research and Development Program” authorized by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This program — funded from lease bonuses and royalties paid by industry to produce oil and gas on federal lands — is designed to

Former OU doctoral student Peter Lohateeraparp, now field operations manager for startup company Chemical Flooding Technologies, checks calculations during a tracer injection test near Skiatook, Okla.

Fall 2013

9

Research

OU Computer Science Students Develop Transit Software for Oklahoma Rural Communities

By Lori Johnson

In the age of technology, imagine using pencil and paper to schedule more than 2.5 million trips annually, enough to circle the earth over 800 times, for people who are unable to travel independently. Until two years ago, using a pencil and paper was the only method some of Oklahoma’s rural transit agencies could afford.

Cimarron Public Transit System driver Sherry Blubaugh reviews the transportation manifest for the demand response program.

10 Evolve

Research With high fuel costs, vehicles, maintenance and staffing, many rural communities struggle to provide low-cost community transportation services for the general public and individuals with disabilities.

These rural community transportation operators had long wanted to purchase transit scheduling and tracking software. However, a high initial purchase price and annual maintenance fees made it out of reach.

Thanks to the ingenuity of students at the University of Oklahoma, all of that has changed. Today, more than 70 percent of the state’s agencies use the transportation tracking software TransitAssistant developed by computer science students at OU and their professor and director of the School of Computer Science, Sridhar Radhakrishnan.

In the early 2000s, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation began to experience problems with the magnitude of data required for transit services. It became apparent that a better system than manual tracking was needed to automate the processes of storing and compiling data for funding and legislative reporting, as well as scheduling and dispatching trips in real time.

“Those of us in the field saw every day how critical transit service was to those who may be completely isolated and depend on it to get groceries or visit the doctor,” said Ken LaRue, retired director of the transit division at ODOT. “But we didn’t have the manpower or resources to accurately track our ridership numbers, which are needed to secure additional resources and reimbursements from federal funders.”

Cimarron Public Transit System dispatcher Chancey Barton (seated), reviews the day’s itinerary while drivers (from left) Kim Bricker, Bill Crenshaw and Timothy Haspany, review their routes.

status,” Corff said. “It has definitely reduced the potential to overlook a passenger’s ride.”

OU doctoral student Jonathan Mullen, who manages the software, said TransitAssistant has allowed him to apply his programming studies into a software product that better helps communities serve their citizens.

LaRue heard about a project that Radhakrishnan and his students were doing for Tulsa Transit and reached out to OU about developing a more robust, inexpensive data collection system and dispatching software for rural transit agencies to meet the Federal Transit Administration’s requirements.

“Through the TransitAssistant project, students gain real-world experience training transit agency employees on the software, as well as receiving feedback from them about areas to improve the software or suggestions for new features that could help them better serve their community,” Mullen said.

As a result, the OU team built TransitAssistant, which fundamentally changed the way information is collected. Not only has it automated many of the dispatching processes and real-time feedback on the status of trips being serviced, but also improved the accuracy of information that is collected for reimbursements from the FTA, ODOT and Medicaid to cover most of the costs the communities incur to provide the transit service.

Mullen and the team of 10 undergraduate and graduate students are constantly looking for new ways to improve the software. The group is now integrating Google maps and GPS tracking and asking drivers to use tablets for quicker, more up-to-date dispatching, a task that is complicated by the lack of reliable cellular service in rural areas. This group continues work to improve the existing system in several novel ways in close collaboration with the ODOT director of transit division Ernie Mbroh and her staff.

“We really never imagined we would be able to afford electronic software such as TransitAssistant,” said Laura Corff, route supervisor at Cimarron Public Transit Service, a division of the United Community Action Program Inc., that serves five rural counties in northeast Oklahoma – Creek, Kay, Osage, Pawnee and Washington Counties – with populations of less than 50,000.

Corff, having worked at Cimarron Public Transit Service for the past 14 years, has seen the system evolve. The Cimarron Public Transit Service previously tracked more than 154,000 rides manually.

“TransitAssistant has improved efficiency in coordinating more rides, customers are able to get immediate information on their trip requests and dispatchers are able to get real-time feedback on trip

“The flexibility in reporting has changed how we do business,” Corff said. “We’re able to be more efficient in scheduling our resources to keep costs low for our riders, allowing us to expand our services to serve even more people in need of transportation.”

“What I like best about the project is that it is a win-win situation for everyone,” Radhakrishnan says. “Students not only get a unique opportunity to work on production software, but to see how their work genuinely benefits real people in their community. To me that is a priceless and rewarding experience for our students.”

Fall 2013 11

Research Energy Department Investment to Accelerate Next Generation of Biofuels One of four awards in the Carbon, Hydrogen and Separations Efficiency solicitation was awarded in July to principal investigator Daniel Resasco, Douglas and Hilda Bourne Chair and George Lynn Cross Professor, from the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. The award, up to $4 million, includes researchers from the Idaho National Lab, the University of Wisconsin and the University of Pittsburg. Co-principal investigators from OU’s CBME are Steven Crossley, Richard Mallinson and Lance Lobban.

The funded project will investigate two methods — thermal fractionation and supercritical solvent extraction — to maximize the amount of renewable carbon and hydrogen that can be extracted from biomass and converted to a refinery-compatible intermediate and suitable for final upgrading to a transportation fuel. The multidisciplinary research team includes experts in catalysis, separation, life-cycle analysis and techno-economic assessment.

The Power of Collaboration The exponential power of collaboration, as defined by Kelvin Droegemeier, vice president for research at OU, “advances technologies that extend and improve the quality of our lives.”

In this report from the Office of the Vice President for Research, collaborations from the fields of medicine, weather, transportation, early-childhood education and engineering, highlight six specific and dynamic research projects ongoing at the university today.

Featured engineering-related projects include “Fueling the Future” highlighting the switch to biofuels. “Engineering Better Health” focuses on the efforts of the Bioengineering Center as it concentrates on several of the country’s most pressing health concerns. “Giving a Basic Element More Flexible Properties” addresses the next frontier of nanotubes in the field of high-tech materials.

In addition to the project highlights, videos of Lance Lobban, director of the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering; Dave Schmidtke, director of the Bioengineering Center; and Daniel Resasco, researcher at the Center for Interfacial Reaction Engineering and a professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, further define the significance of the importance of this research.

Follow the link below to view the report online or download the iPad app. bit.ly/15Erjn7

12 Evolve

OU Research Groups Awarded National Science Foundation Grants to Expand Research and Training in Science and Engineering

By Jana Smith | November 2012 University of Oklahoma research groups will be able to expand the capabilities of research and training in science and engineering on the Norman campus with the assistance of almost $2 million in grants from the National Science Foundation. The three NSF grants achieved by OU as part of the NSF’s Major Research Instrumentation Program total $1,873,595 and are designated for the acquisition or development of shared instrumentation.

“These grants are critical to the OU research enterprise because they fund the acquisition and development of expensive instrumentation in the key areas of meteorology, high-energy physics and bioengineering,” says Kelvin Droegemeier, OU vice president for research, who noted that it is quite an accomplishment for any university to receive more than one of these grants in a single competition. “With this equipment, OU faculty and students will be able to perform cutting-edge research that leads to practical outcomes of improved weather forecasting, new electronic devices, and improved medical diagnoses.”

Michael Santos, director of the Engineering Physics Program in the College of Engineering and professor in the Homer L. Dodge Department of Physics and Astronomy in The College of Arts and Sciences, was the recipient of an $812,984 MRI grant for the acquisition of a state-of-the-art molecular beam epitaxy chamber that will be used for the training of students in contemporary growth techniques and will create new research opportunities for students studying physics and engineering.

David Parsons, director of OU’s School of Meteorology, received a $663,268 MRI grant with support from NOAA and the National Severe Storms Laboratory to develop a remote sensing facility that will produce continuous measurements of the vertical profile of wind, temperature and humidity within the lower atmosphere, which can be combined with measurement from radar, conventional meteorological sensors and even unmanned aerial systems to provide a more complete picture of atmospheric processes.

David Schmidtke, associate professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, received a $394,343 MRI grant for the acquisition of a stateof-the-art cell sorting shared-use facility. Cell sorting is recognized as an important and indispensable tool in fields ranging from basic biology in the life sciences to translational biomedical engineering research.

MRI grants have significance for education and the expansion of research opportunities that might not have existed without NSF assistance. Equally important is the acquisition or development of equipment that can then be leveraged within the organization through shared resources and outside the organization with private-sector partners. The broader impacts of MRI grants help OU research programs extend beyond the university to society where they have major impact in weather, biomedical and nanotechnology.

Research Multi-million Dollar Grant Addresses Region’s Transportation Infrastructure

By Karen Kelly | Sept. 27, 2013 The University of Oklahoma will lead the Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center, a University Transportation Center funded by a $2.6 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“Becoming a Regional Transportation Center presents a great opportunity to OU to become an even stronger leader in the field,” said OU President David L. Boren.

In addition to OU, the Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center consortium includes Oklahoma State University, Langston University, the University of Arkansas, University of New Mexico, Louisiana Tech University, University of Texas at El Paso and Texas Tech University.

Regional transportation centers differ from other U.S. Department of Transportation-funded centers in that consortium members must be located in the region they serve and address regional needs.

“Oklahoma’s central location positions our state at a critical crossroad for the shipment of goods and travel across the nation,” said U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, a senior member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. “Two primary constitutional duties of the government are providing a strong national defense and supporting a strong transportation and infrastructure system to facilitate commerce. With this grant, our Oklahoma universities will continue to advance Oklahoma’s research, technology and expertise in the transportation industry.”

“I am pleased that the Department of Transportation will award more than $2.5 million in grant money to the University of Oklahoma’s UTC consortium,” said Congressman Tom Cole. “This grant recognizes that Oklahoma is advancing viable solutions that will repair broken infrastructure and improve other transportation needs nationwide.

I look forward to the difference this money will make through the bright minds in Norman and through the seven other consortium universities in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas and New Mexico.”

“Extreme weather conditions can create enormous challenges for our transportation infrastructure,” said Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin. “This grant will support research that will help make our roads, bridges and rail systems more climate adaptive and less vulnerable to bad weather.”

workforce development at university-based centers of excellence. The two-year grant awards each regional UTC $2.6 million annually for the next two years, with eligibility to renew for multiple subsequent years.

“Increased truck traffic and limited resources for construction, maintenance and preservation of infrastructure challenge every state in the nation,” said Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation, Gary Ridley.

“But the southern plains region’s volatile weather conditions place an additional burden on the system.”

Extreme summer temperatures, flash floods and large numbers of freeze-thaw cycles, coupled with poor soils, create enormous challenges to the region’s transportation infrastructure and public safety. According to OU Civil Engineering Professor and Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center director Musharraf Zaman, counting only recent severe droughts, economic losses are estimated at almost $9 billion annually to managed systems in Oklahoma and Texas alone, including transportation infrastructure.

“Fortunately, we can access some of the world’s best weather research and information in our back yard,” said Zaman, referring to weather entities that include the National Weather Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Severe Storms Laboratory, and Radar Innovations Laboratory, located in Norman, Okla. Zaman said the Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center plans to overlay weather expertise upon infrastructure research to focus on climate adaptive transportation and freight movement. “This will give us a more accurate picture of the challenges and stress on the southern plains region transportation infrastructure and insight to the best solutions,” said Zaman.

The group plans to research all aspects of extreme weather on transportation infrastructure from direct impact to innovative materials, winter weather vehicles and multi-modal freight movement.

“The center will address the most challenging issues of both the Federal Highway Administration and State Transportation Agencies.

The commercial, agricultural and energy transportation corridors in the southern plains keep our nation’s economy moving forward.

OSU is proud to be a partner in this consortium,” says Oklahoma State University Engineering Dean Paul Tikalsky.

“Sustainable transportation infrastructure is crucial to public safety and economic prosperity. Through the Southern Plains Regional Transportation Center we have assembled an outstanding team that fully represents the states in our region, and we look forward to working together,” said OU Engineering Dean Tom Landers.

The funding helps advance U.S. technology and expertise in transportation through education, research, technology transfer, and

Fall 2013 13

Research Historical Flight of Research-Class Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Made at Kessler Field Station OU made history on March 14 at the Kessler Atmospheric and Ecological Field Station as students demonstrated the first flight of a research-class unmanned aerial vehicle under its Federal Aviation Administration’s Certificate of Authorization. The test flight was conducted in collaboration with the OU Aviation Program and coordinated with the FAA Terminal Radar Approach Control Facilities in Oklahoma City.

The research vehicle or SMARTSonde, as it is called, is a Small Multifunction Autonomous Research and Teaching Sonde. The SMARTSonde is outfitted with an autopilot and contains temperature, relative humidity and mean wind instrumentation, and was designed for controlled, in-situ boundary layer observations. The vehicle flown was designed to collect atmospheric data. A total of 22 flights reaching an altitude of 2,625 feet (800 meters) above ground level have been flown thus far.

Funding for the multidisciplinary project came from the College of Engineering SEED program. The next phase of the project will study the boundary layer sensor platform suitability as it relates to a hex copter.

Those involved with the project include Robert Huck, Dave Miller and Prakash Vedula from the College of Engineering; James Grimsley from the Office of the Vice President for Research; Ken Carson and Robin Torres from the Department of Aviation; Phil Chilson from the School of Meteorology; and Phil Gibson from the Department of Biology.

OU Research Team Developing Robotic Devices to Aid Infants With Cerebral Palsy as Part of National Science Foundation Initiative

By Jana Smith | October 2012 Learning to crawl comes naturally for most infants, but those with cerebral palsy lack the muscle strength and coordination to perform the 25 individual movements required for crawling. With a $1.135 million, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s National Robotics Initiative, University of Oklahoma researchers from the Norman and Health Sciences Center campuses are combining robotics, machine learning and brain imaging to assist infants with CP with the challenging, life-altering skill.

“Because infants with CP are unable to reliably perform the individual movements that make up crawling behavior, they learn to stop trying instead of continuing to practice these movements,” said project leader Andrew Fagg, associate professor in the OU School of Computer Science, Bioengineering Center and project leader. “This substantially delays their development of skilled crawling. In turn, cognitive development and other areas of development are delayed because they both rely on the infants being able to explore their surrounding world.”

“In our previous study, we were able to capture many of the infant’s actions and had a robot that could assist some of the infant’s attempts at crawling. These assists serve as rewards that encourage continued practice of specific limb movements. This grant will allow us, among other things, to develop new robot platforms that can allow a greater range of infant mobility,” said David Miller, professor in the OU School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering and the Bioengineering Center. “In the latter part of this grant, we will also start working with the transition from crawling to walking.”

“This grant is also important because it builds on and expands our previous work that maximizes the interaction of robotics with what an infant can do,” said Thubi Kolobe, professor of rehabilitative sciences at the OU Health Sciences Center College of Allied Health. “Infant learning is integral, and when infants stop trying, parts of the brain responsible for the skill are negatively affected. The next step of this research is to increase the level of help that infants with or at risk for CP are getting. We are looking for combinations of assists that result in the best incentives for these infants. We also want to see if there is a connection between what the infants are learning and what is happening in the brain.”

Lei Ding, assistant professor in the OU School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Bioengineering Center, will then perform brain scans using electroencephalograph to determine how the infants’ brains respond when they are assisted by the robotic device. The EEG technology will assess brain activity of infants during crawling and provide information about changes that occur because of robotics assists and infant efforts.

“Clinical trials have begun to test six infants without CP on the new crawling robot,” says Kolobe. “Then, one year later, we will conduct clinical trials to test 24 CP infants on the crawling robot. Initial tests on standing and walking with infants without CP will be conducted by the end of the project. No CP infants will be tested on standing and walking in this grant, only healthy infants.”

Robin Torres, a College of Continuing Education aviation student and a certified flight instructor at the OU Flight School, launches the OU SMARTSonde as Timothy Bonin, a doctoral student in the School of Meteorology, looks on.

14 Evolve

“This is groundbreaking research, and no one else in the world is doing it,” says Kolobe. “We want to invite anyone with an infant who is at risk for CP or severe developmental delays, between 4 and 8 months old, who is interested in participating in these clinical trials to contact Dr. Thubi H.A. Kolobe, at (405) 271-2131 Ext. 47121, or hkolobe@ouhsc.edu.”

Alumni Jeff Greene – Seeing the World Through a Systems Perspective

By Karen Kelly Jeff Greene has a special sense of sight. He sees the world in systems, which is one of the reasons studying industrial engineering at the University of Oklahoma was a good fit for him. His passion for identifying elements of a system that are not working efficiently led him to start multiple successful companies, the last of which, a company called MedEncentive, is being hailed as a potential breakthrough in solving our country’s health care crisis.

Greene’s journey began in 1968 when he came to OU to study engineering. The crimson and cream had been embedded in him from his older sisters, OU alums who convinced him he couldn’t be anything other than a Sooner. His mother, a daughter of the Depression whose brother had had a successful engineering career, encouraged her son to study engineering.

As a member of the OU track team and ROTC, Greene discovered how few athletes-military cadets majored in engineering. During his sophomore year, he was challenged by a semester’s one, two, three punch of calculus, physics and chemistry. Greene would face the coach, mandatory study hall and summer school; his grades would improve as a result.

Realizing he had fallen behind in his engineering curriculum, Greene took a one-year degree jump to the College of Business. Although he would transfer back to engineering, recognizing graduates were getting better job offers, he discovered an affinity for accounting and economics.

In 1971, Greene married Debby Lasater, an OU elementary education alumna, who began teaching in the Norman public school system while her husband worked to complete his engineering degree. “We were poor and happy,” Greene recalled. “After two years, I got my degree and my Army commission.”

What Greene had hoped for was realized. He received numerous job offers, and with pencil and paper in hand, he and Deb made a list of criteria that included location, compensation and quality of the company. In the end, they selected Procter and Gamble and moved to Cape Girardeau, Mo. After three months with P&G, Greene departed for basic training to fulfill his military commitment. As a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, he was stationed at Fort Belvoir, Va., where he learned how to build bridges and roads in the morning and how to blow them up

in the afternoon. Greene remained a member of the U.S. Army Reserve for 14 years, returning to Procter and Gamble for seven.

Greene’s next adventure brought him back home to Norman, as he assisted in the early days of the Shaklee plant, where he worked for three years in the Norman and San Francisco offices.

Greene wanted to stay in the Norman area and decided to strike out on his own, getting involved in a couple of startup companies. Initially, he sold and installed computers with medical billing software that ran on Texas Instruments equipment, requiring him to learn all about medical practice management. “I had to understand the needs of the doctors, and by learning this new trade, I became connected with the OU Health Sciences Center,” Greene stated.

Soon thereafter, Greene started a medical billing company, CompOne, with his brother-in-law and OU law grad, Cliff Winburn; began teaching a course on practice management at OU’s HSC to third-year residents, leading to an 18-year affiliation; and co-authored a textbook published by the American Academy of Family Physicians on how to manage a medical practice.

CompOne grew to serve locations from New Jersey to Denver, Chicago to Florida and all points in between. The company invested in applications that enhanced the daily functions of billing and appointment scheduling services for doctors’ offices. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, the company became known for its “Wow” tours.

“We would start the tour of our facilities with a challenge,” Greene said. “We would bet visitors $1 that they would say ‘Wow’ at some point during the tour. After viewing our processes, from scanning and indexing every piece of paper to digitally recording our call center conversations, the visitors invariably responded accordingly, resulting in a hallway filled with framed one-dollar bills.”

A Systems Solution to Health care After years of experience providing support to the medical profession, Greene found himself in a unique position – he had become an expert in the field of medical business processes and economics. He had also forged a friendship with two medical practitioners, Susan Chambers, an OBGYN and co-founder of Lakeside Women’s Hospital, and David Parke, an ophthalmologist and former CEO of Dean McGee Eye Institute (now executive vice present and CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology in San Francisco). Meeting weekly for breakfast over the course of 10 years, the three friends discussed the complex challenges facing the medical profession with one common theme emerging – creativity was the key to sustaining a predictable livelihood for physicians.

Eventually, CompOne grew large enough to become self-insured.

This meant the Greenes and Winburns were the health insurance company for their employees. Soon the conversion at breakfast with Drs. Chamber and Parke switched from how can we get physicians an increase in reimbursement to how can we fix “a broken system.”

Fall 2013 15

Alumni Greene realized he had a distinctive vantage point as a self-insured business owner, a medical practice management expert, and a human factors engineer.

“For decades, experts have been trying to solve a seemingly unsolvable problem of how a society can afford health care for everyone and not bankrupt the economy in the process. My background led me to conclude that the problem begs for a systems solution,” explained Greene.

“At one breakfast, I confided in Susan and David that I was losing sleep over the image of an overweight employee going to my physician client to demand an expensive treatment to ease some pain, while the underlying medical issue was ignored, and then having the bill promptly paid by the Greenes and Winburns, with no questions asked.

“It became obvious that the elephant in the room was misbehavior on the part all three stakeholders – the patient, the doctor and employer/ insurer,” said Greene.

“The patient isn’t following the doctor’s recommendations or adhering to healthy behaviors. The doctor, in many cases, isn’t adhering to best practices or adequately educating the patient to self-manage his or her overall health. The insurer/employer is underwriting the cost of health care in a manner that aids and abets this bad behavior. What we need,” Greene explained, “is a system that administers a three-way contract that promotes accountability and an alignment of interests.”

With names like Frank and Lillian Gilbreth, Abraham Maslow, Ivan Pavlov and Fredrick Taylor and engineering terms such as human factors, process markers, feedback loops, countermeasures, levers and boundaries, the foundation for a successful system to impact behavior was laid. Greene put them all together and founded MedEncentive.

“In the process of developing our solution, we learned that the strongest determinant of life expectancy and the amount of health care a person consumes in a lifetime is their level of health literacy,” Greene explained. “Studies have determined that nine out of 10 of us have a health literacy deficiency that impacts our wellbeing. So we knew our solution would have to address this issue.”

MedEncentive serves as an intermediary that provides a web-based platform for health plans to compensate doctors for declaring or demonstrating adherence (or providing a reason for non-adherence) to best practices and for prescribing educational material, called “information therapy,” to the patients. Health plans financially reward patients for responding to the information therapy prescription letters sent by MedEncentive that directs patients to the company’s website.

Once online, patients must pass an open-book test on educational material related to their medical condition, declare or demonstrate their adherence (or reason for non-adherence), and rate their doctor against what they’ve learned.

What ties the process together is that the financial rewards are paid only when the doctor and the patient agree to allow each other to confirm or acknowledge one another’s declaration or demonstration of adherence or reason for non-adherence. This process of checks and balances creates a level of “mutual accountability” that motivates patients, doctors and insurers to improve their behaviors.

16 Evolve

“In effect, patients don’t want their doctors to think they’re health illiterate or non-compliant; doctors don’t want their patients to learn they practice substandard care; and insurers and employers want to control costs as a result of better health,” Greene explained. “It’s an interconnected system engineered to create a three-way win, win, win.”

Greene’s system has been tested in multiple, multi-year trials, the results of which have been validated by academic researchers and industry experts. He was awarded a patent for his invention in 2011.

Recognized as “Risk Innovator™ of the Year” for 2013 by Risk & Insurance® magazine, Greene continues to garner recognition for his work to incentivize doctor, patient and insurer to improve health and lower costs.

Greene currently serves on the advisory board for the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering. He periodically visits campus to speak to current engineering students, encouraging them to be creative and persevere.

Postscript The most prestigious award in industrial engineering is the Frank and Lillian Gilbreth Industrial Engineering Award, named after the husband and wife who pioneered human factors engineering. When Greene was explaining the MedEncentive solution to his 94-year-old mother last year, telling her how it incorporates the Hawthorne effect and concepts from Maslow, Pavlov and the Gilbreths, his mother responded, “You know, your father and I knew Lillian Gilbreth.”

Greene was dubious as his mother explained how she and his father would meet Dr. Gilbreth each year at a scientific instrument conference where his father’s business sold thermometers. The Gilbreth’s were famous for being portrayed in the 1950 movie, Cheaper by the Dozen. The celebrated actress Myrna Loy played Lillian in the movie, as well as the sequel, Belles on Their Toes. Greene’s mother said she and Dr. Gilbreth struck up a relationship because his mother’s name is also Myrna.

Still a bit doubtful, Greene was astonished when his mother said, “In fact, I think I have a group picture with Lillian and me.”

Myrna Greene

Lillian Gilbreth

Myrna Greene at 1960 scientific instrument conference in Miami, Fla., with Lillian Gilbreth.

Alumni Two Alumni Share Leadership Experience With Engineering Students

By Kim Wolfinbarger Coordinator of Recruitment and Student Leadership Development, School of Industrial and Systems Engineering John Stupka

Archie Dunham

John Stupka (BSIE 1971) visited campus in the fall of 2012 as the first Executive in Residence for the ISE Leadership Program. Stupka is the founder and president of Strategic & Tactical Support, Inc.

Special guest Archie Dunham (BS, Geological Engineering, 1960, MBA 1966) met with a room full of engineering student leaders during an informal fireside chat in conjunction with the college’s November 2012 Board of Visitors meeting. The audience also included students from the Price College MBA program, recipients of the Chesapeake & Dunham Scholarships, engineering alumni, and several deans and directors.

Stupka has had a long and influential career in the telecommunications industry. As CEO of Southwestern Bell Mobile Systems from 1985 until 1995, he was a key player in the development of the cellular telephone network. His career provided him with a unique perspective on the evolution of a technology that today reaches people worldwide.

Speaking to a general audience of engineering students, Stupka shared his “Lessons in Practical Leadership.” He stressed the importance of building and maintaining strong personal values.

“Integrity is binary,” he said. “You either have it or you don’t. And integrity can never be taken from you. It must be surrendered by you.

You must avoid that at all costs.”

Following the talk, Stupka led an ethics workshop for members of the ISE Leadership Program. The students were impressed by his honest and open discussion on the topic of ethics, commenting later about the impact it had on their personal leadership development.

“John Stupka's ethics seminar really opened my eyes to how many shades of gray there can be in both a school and work environment,” said Sarah Yung, ISE senior. “It was, by far, one of the best seminars I went to at OU, and I still reference it today.”

Dunham graduated from OU in 1960 with a Bachelor’s degree in geological engineering and in 1966 with a master’s degree in business administration. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960 to 1964. He has spent his career investing in the energy sector, serving as president and CEO of Conoco Inc. from 1999 to 2002, then as chairman of ConocoPhillips until his retirement in 2004. Currently, he is the independent non-executive chairman of Chesapeake Energy.

During an open and conversational discussion, Dunham shared lessons learned from his leadership experiences. Leadership positions usually equate to hard work and long hours, he said, encouraging students to invest themselves fully during the early career-building years after graduation.

Dunham stressed the importance of investing in family relationships and treating all people well. Describing his faith as a compass, he elaborated on the role that faith has played in decision-making and building business relationships. He takes inspiration from the Book of James: At the beginning of every meeting, he said, he reminds himself to be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.” He encouraged students to look well beyond just making a living, to supporting organizations whose values align with theirs.

"It was an incredible opportunity to hear Mr. Dunham speak about his experience serving as a leader in many capacities throughout his career,” said Matt Summersgill, mechanical engineering senior. “He placed a strong emphasis on determining one's personal values and standing behind them – an important lesson for students preparing to begin careers of their own.”

The ISE Leadership Program provides professional and leadership development opportunities to junior and senior students majoring in industrial and systems engineering. Participants are selected by application. Members attend workshops and seminars led by noted business leaders, visit companies to learn about the modern business environment, and attend networking events with practicing engineers. The hallmark of ISELP is the mentorship program. Students are matched with industrial engineers, usually OU ISE alumni, and meet at least once a month to discuss life goals, strategies, decisionmaking and other professional issues. For additional information about the ISE Leadership Program, contact Kim Wolfinbarger at kimw@ou.edu.

Fall 2013 17

Alumni

Do you know the way to

San Jose?

By Karen Kelly

If you are like me, you are already humming this 1968 hit song sung by Dionne Warwick.

But a 2004 mechanical engineering alumnus and Amazon’s Lab 126 engineer wants to make sure future OU engineering graduates are humming a different tune — one that takes them 38 miles north of San Jose to the technological mecca known simply as Silicon Valley.

Devin Pauley is Oklahoma born and bred. He is proud to be an OU Sooner and even more proud to be a College of Engineering graduate. But this pride isn’t evident only by the crimson and cream he wears on football game days in friendly rivalries at Lab 126.

Pauley is one of many in a growing group of young engineering donors. Giving his time, sharing his talent and supporting the College of Engineering, he will tell you, is something that comes very naturally to this successful graduate and alumnus.

“I recognize the benefit my engineering degree gave me,” Pauley said. “I simply want to be able to create my own experiences in my career and share with current engineering students that they can, too. In life, you either get it or you don’t. I want our students to become those who get it.”

Pauley chose to study at OU because of his affiliation with people who either taught or attended OU. He viewed studying at OU not only as a good personal investment, but also an honor. “Life rewards action, and attending OU has given me the ability to influence others through a strong network,” Pauley related.

His is a story not unfamiliar for many who study in the College of Engineering. Tearing things down just so he could put them back together, young Pauley would walk around the house with a screwdriver in hand, on the ready to disassemble the next household appliance that caught his eye. He recalls his third-grade teacher, Mrs. Noakes, who challenged her students to prepare a collage on possible future careers. “I found this to be a turning point in my life. I had always had a passion for automobiles, but had never given much thought to how they were built,” Pauley recalled.

Asking his parents for guidance, the family went to the local library to research possibilities that lined up with this discovered passion. “It quickly became obvious that becoming a mechanical engineer was the career path for me.”

This third-grade exercise placed Pauley on a direct path to OU, where he discovered, in addition to pushing through the often challenging academic pace, a group of students working on a Formula SAE car. It wasn’t long before Pauley became vice president of the Formula SAE Team. In an effort to expand the team’s appeal and drive up membership, in 2000, he and President Ade Badiru renamed

18 Evolve

Alumni and team designed, to the Kindle Fire, Amazon has proven its commitment to the customer experience.

Not every company shares this mantra. Companies were named that did not have the foresight to understand what was happening around them. “The question to consider,” Pauley told the students, is “How can you be a disrupter?” In other words, look for the solution that simplifies a process or product. Get customer buy-in. Competitors likely will consider the concept insignificant. That’s OK. Before they know it, you will have disrupted their way of doing business because your solution works best.”

“Passion breeds success,” Pauley told the 25 or so students listening to his story in April. Like a coach preparing his team before they face the next opponent, Pauley gave the students advice to ensure a win: the team the Sooner Racing Team or SRT. The name change had the desired result.

This was nearly eight years before the ExxonMobil Lawrence G. Rawl Engineering Practice Facility was built. The goal now was the same as it was then – build a world-class car. Until 1999, the team met in the old machine shop located in Felgar Hall; from 2000 to 2003, north campus; and from 2004 to 2010, the car was built in a rented space on Tecumseh Road.

Pauley devoted himself to the SRT the entire four years of his collegiate career, serving as president two years and as a driver and lead on the engine, drivetrain and braking systems. He recalled his final year as brake lead in 2004, winning the Continental Teves award for best system, beating out the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Wollongong, Australia. “Not only was it a practical experience for me,” stated Pauley, “it was something I loved, which made it all the more rewarding.”

• If you don’t have a Linked In account, create one today.

• Participate in an internship.

• Be motivated by passion.

“At the end of the day,” Pauley explained, “life is short, so you want to be able to follow exactly what you’re passionate about. I’m passionate about design, global reach and impact. What are you passionate about?

“At Amazon,” Pauley repeated, “we obsess over the customer.” From an observer of Pauley’s continued commitment to the college, it is obvious that Devin Pauley obsesses over our students. He is committed to their success. Past SRT vehicles bear his name as a sponsor, for he truly understands not only what it takes for them to succeed but he shows our students the way.

Pauley’s road to Silicon Valley was staggered, starting first in 2004 as a product design mechanical engineer with Motorola for nearly four years. Ever heard of the Razr? It’s likely many of you reading this story owned one, as they were prolific in the mobile phone market, selling more than 130 million units in only four years.

Pauley then worked at Sony Ericsson for a one-year stint before earning yet another two years of experience in the telecommunications workforce at BlackBerry in Dallas, where he added Curves and Torches to his device portfolio.

As a current product design engineer for Amazon, Pauley was proud to introduce the students to the company during one of his many campus visits. “This is a company of owners, not renters,” he told them. “Amazon looks at the long-term value and impact of products. We obsess over the customer. At Amazon,” Pauley told the students, “we work hard, have fun and make history.”

Case in point: Kindle’s family of ereaders. From the Kindle and its newest ereader, the Paperwhite, that Pauley

Fall 2013 19

Alumni

It's a Better World After All

By Susan Calonkey As a COE staff member, it is a blessing to work with our students during their years at OU Engineering. It’s equally rewarding to catch up with our alums in later years and learn about their impressive contributions in the workplace.

On a recent family vacation, I had an opportunity to meet with two Disney “cast members” at Walt Disney World. OU alums David Stubsten and Michael Beier are graduates of Industrial and Systems Engineering.

Over tea in Walt Disney World’s China, we visited about their roles at Disney and some of their projects. Both Mike and David began their Disney careers in Orlando at Walt Disney World. In the past year, Mike moved to Disneyland in Anaheim. He is currently assigned to a team developing the latest park, Shanghai (China) Disney, set to open in 2014.

Of course, Disney is magical, but I gained a new appreciation for the role that engineers play behind the scenes. In the planning and operations throughout the park, industrial engineers team with Imaginers and other cast members. They determine the best flow of an attraction, minimize the wait time and creatively engage guests as they stage through the attractions. As important as entertainment, are there plenty of restrooms, shady cool zones and refreshments nearby?

From the moment guests arrive; engineers optimize guest comfort and satisfaction throughout the entire experience.

Michael Beier (left) and David Stubsten, OU alums from the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, use their engineering experience to enhance the magical experience as a Disney employee. Beier will be returning to Disneyland after his tour as a member of the Dinsey Shanghai development project team.

Through talent, creativity and technical skills, these ISE graduates contribute daily to a magical guest experience, and this Disney guest is most appreciative. We are OU proud of David and Mike.

An Interview with David Stubsten, Industrial Engineer for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and 2010 graduate of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering How did you come to work for Disney?

I had the opportunity to intern with the Industrial Engineering department shortly after graduation. After a rewarding summer working on projects throughout the resort, I became a full-time member of the department in the fall of 2010.

Can you provide a specific example of how you use your engineering degree with a specific task at Disney?

I've been with Disney almost three years now.

Design of Experiments and Statistics remain two of the most used classes from my Industrial Engineering curriculum. We're constantly trying to quantify and improve our guests' experiences, so understanding how to accurately study those elements, analyze the significant data and represent it to our audiences creates significant value in that regard.

Do you feel your engineering degree prepared you for what you are doing today?

What do you find to be the most rewarding part of being an engineer?

Yes! The education and extracurricular activities I chose to participate in while at OU helped me to thrive in an environment where I tackled new problems daily.

I have a daily opportunity to try new ideas to create a more efficient, effective and enjoyable human experience. It's rewarding to know that this knowledge base can be used in every industry and will be needed as long as we strive to improve the world around us.

How long have you been at Disney?

20 Evolve

Alumni

Applied Materials’ Randhir Thakur Named IEEE Fellow for Groundbreaking Contributions to Microchip Fabrication As announced by Applied Materials April 3, 2013 Randhir Thakur, executive vice president and general manager of the Silicon Systems Group at Applied Materials Inc. has been named Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Fellow is the highest grade of IEEE membership and is recognized by the technical community as a prestigious honor and an important career achievement. The grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an extraordinary record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. Thakur is recognized for his leadership in development and implementation of single-wafer technology in semiconductor manufacturing. Thakur's noted achievements in the development and commercialization of single-wafer rapid thermal processing technology led to significant improvements in device performance and manufacturing cycle time when compared to conventional batch methods. Single-wafer RTP refers to a semiconductor manufacturing process which quickly heats individual silicon wafers up to 1,200°C or more. “For over two decades, Randhir has been committed to his vision of enabling modern transistor fabrication through singlewafer equipment technology,” said Applied Materials chairman and chief executive officer Mike Splinter. “I am proud Randhir realized his vision at Applied Materials. He built our Front End Products business unit into a major division within Applied and he now runs our entire semiconductor equipment group.” Thakur systematically developed RTP applications in the areas of oxidation, dopant activation, heated reflow and foundational work in metrology and control. His seminal work has led to the widespread adoption of RTP technology in the manufacture of dynamic random access memory integrated circuits, where RTP enabled scaling below the 0.6 micron technology node and ultimately into the sub-50 nanometer regime. Once proven in DRAM manufacturing, RTP found widespread adoption

in the manufacture of other devices such as logic, nonvolatile memory, analog and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Today, RTP is a fundamental enabling technology in the fabrication of the most advanced semiconductor devices.

Thakur also championed the vision of integrating RTP and other semiconductor processes such as deposition, in a single machine, to enable improved transistor performance. He correctly forecasted the need for ambient environment control and interface management in single wafer processing, requiring multi-chamber tools that are now standard in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Thakur received a bachelor of science degree with honors in electronics and telecommunications engineering from the Regional Engineering College, Kurukshetra, India. He received a master of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma. He holds more than 300 patents and has published more than 200 papers, with the majority focusing on single-wafer semiconductor process technology. Thakur successfully transitioned from technical leadership into executive business leadership roles. His experience includes senior positions at Micron, SanDisk, Marvell Technology and Applied Materials.

Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) is the global leader in providing innovative equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Its technologies help make innovations like smartphones, flat screen TVs and solar panels more affordable and accessible to consumers and businesses around the world. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com.

To view the 07:25 minute video about Thakur’s elevation to IEEE Fellow, visit blog.appliedmaterials.com/randhir-thakur-ieee-fellow.

Fall 2013 21

College News

“There’s So Much to Appreciate About Art”

By Ed O’Rear, Francis W. Winn Professor, School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering President, Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Association Growing up, I was exposed to science and the fine arts as well as sports. My father’s interest in music ranged from Hank Williams to bagpipes while my mother’s centered on Big Band and classical pieces. It was her interest in art that led me eventually to travel to museums on my own initiative.

There’s so much to appreciate about art. Of course, the subject matter and the visual beauty are most apparent. One can learn about history and cultures and one can learn to appreciate the thought behind a work of art where a piece appeals to the mind’s eye.

Such art teaches us to understand beauty in a deeper way.

Centuries ago before literacy was so common, images contained symbols with messages that we generally don’t decipher as a contemporary observer of that time period would. Those might convey the power or authority of a leader or the identity of a religious figure. Stuart’s Lansdowne painting of George Washington and David’s portrait of Napoleon are great examples.

It’s also interesting to me to see the ways in which artists endeavored to represent three-dimensional space in a two-dimensional media.

Developing the ability to visualize or interpret images is a valuable skill for many engineers. For example, being able to visualize a physical event of interest, such as described in a homework assignment or a test problem, can help a student relate the actions to his or her own personal experiences. They can then use that knowledge to judge the validity of their results from mathematical analysis. Moreover, being able to “see” abstractions like the conformation of a molecule or the “holes” in a semiconductor, facilitates our understanding of important scientific concepts. In his book, Art and Physics, Leonard Shlain even claims that many abstract ideas in physics were first conceived by artists.

Through design, engineering also shares elements of creativity with the arts. It is certainly thought by some that stimulating one part of the brain can augment performance in others. So does an individual fostering his or her own creativity in the arts improve an ability to design as an engineer? I don’t know whether that’s true, but one can certainly enjoy the arts in any case! Viewing art can be fun, like doing puzzles as you try to guess who painted a particular canvas or as you

22 Evolve

look for specific things. I like Corot’s distinctive style of trees and I always look for a small dash of red, which he often includes.

I encourage my students to go to the art museum and to be involved in other activities at the university. Familiarity with a wide range of topics can be helpful in breaking the ice — a corporate officer may be more likely to remember that person from an elevator ride if there’s a common interest in opera or golf.

I was pleased to be invited some years ago to serve on the board of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art Association. The museum has truly become an extraordinary facility through the efforts of directors Eric Lee and Ghislain d’Humiéres under the leadership of President Boren and the generosity of a number of benefactors. Members of the board promote the museum by working at opening receptions and other events, recruiting new members of the Association, soliciting donations of prizes for the annual membership party, overseeing expenditures of Association funds and serving as a resource for the director.

I am currently the president of the Association and am happy to talk with anyone about art and our museum at the University of Oklahoma.

College News Dean Tom and Dr. Patti Landers Serve Camp Crimson Students as Namesakes

Dean Tom Landers (center) with the Camp Crimson “Landers Family” small group leaders.

Camp Crimson is a three-day, two-night crash course on what it means to be a Sooner. Held throughout the summer, these annual camps have become an OU tradition that connects new students to the University of Oklahoma.

A unique element of the camp experience is the connection between outstanding OU faculty and staff members who are invited to serve the students as Camp Crimson Namesakes. The Namesake experience offers new Sooners a chance to meet and learn from experienced and enthusiastic faculty and staff on a personal level, while also allowing the Namesakes the opportunity to make a lasting impact on a segment of the incoming class.

Both Landers were pleased to accept the invitation to serve the camp’s incoming freshman students as Namesakes this past July. From the opening ceremony, “family” meals and formal presentation by the Landers to the student’s skit performance about the Landers, the connection established between the two was evident.

Caitlin Rother, Camp Crimson orientation staff member, presents Dean Tom and Dr. Patti Landers with a signed photo of their namesakes.

“I really enjoyed getting to know these new students,” said Dean Landers. “I hope the time we spent together makes them feel a part of the OU family.”

While Camp Crimson is a great way for new students to learn the insand-outs of OU, the primary goal is that every camper leaves Camp Crimson feeling that they have been connected with a vital support system to help them succeed.

Fall 2013 23

College News Three New Members Inducted into Distinguished Graduates Society Priscilla Nelson Priscilla P. Nelson was one of three inducted into the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society during the May 11 Convocation on the Norman campus.

Nelson is a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Nelson received a bachelor of science degree in geological sciences from the University of Rochester in 1970, a master of science degree in geology from Indiana University in 1976, a master of science degree in structural engineering from OU in 1979 and a doctoral degree in geotechnical engineering from Cornell University in 1983. Nelson served as provost at the New Jersey Institute of Technology from 2005-2008 and has a national and international reputation in geological and rock engineering and the particular application of underground construction. She has more than 20 years of teaching experience, has mentored many students, and has more than 120 technical and scientific publications to her credit.

Her previous experience includes 11 years at the National Science Foundation, concluding with her service as senior adviser to the director of NSF. During her time at NSF, she acted in many capacities, including program director for the geotechnical engineering program,

director for Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education program, director of the Civil and Mechanical Systems division, and as program manager for the Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation. She received the NEES Community Visionary Award in 2005.

Nelson was appointed to the faculty in civil engineering at The University of Texas at Austin from 1983 through 1996, rising from assistant through associate and full professor ranks. She was elected to The Moles, an association of the heavy construction industry (1995) and inducted into Tau Beta Pi as an eminent engineer (2007). At the NSF she received the Director’s Award for Integrative Collaboration four times, and was presented the Director’s Award for Meritorious Service in 1997. In 1999, she was appointed to the senior executive service. Also in 1999, she received the Director’s Award for Superior Accomplishment from the NSF. In 2008, she received the Kenneth Andrew Roe Award from the American Association of Engineering Societies, and was honored in the Executive Women of New Jersey Salute to the Policy Makers. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Rock Mechanics Association, distinguished member of ASCE, and honorary diplomat of the Academy of Geo-Professionals. Nelson currently serves on the National Academy Committee on Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development, and as an adviser to the National Academy’s Center for Engineering, Ethics and Society.

Richard Milburn Richard A. Milburn graduated with honors with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautic and space engineering in 1964 and a master of science degree in aerospace engineering in 1965, both from OU. He is a member of the engineering fraternities Sigma Tau, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Gamma Tau. After receiving his pilot’s wings as a distinguished graduate in October 1955, he served as an interceptor pilot with the Aerospace Defense Command and served overseas with the 26th Air Division of ADC. He was the project engineer responsible for the YF-12 Interceptor (later SR-71) program, chief of the Weapons System Division of the Joint Chiefs of Staffs, and served in London as assistant air attache and chief of the foreign technology office.

In 1977, Milburn was selected chief of the Mutual Defense Assistance Office at the American Embassy in Tokyo, Japan. He retired as a colonel in 1980 after an assignment as chief of the Air Force Headquarters Management Policy Division. Milburn joined the Grumman Corp. in 1980 and later was promoted to vice president

24 Evolve

for defense programs. After multiple promotions and the merger of Northrop and Grumman, Milburn was appointed vice president, Northrop Grumman International, in Washington, D.C. After subsequent appointments to managing director and vice president for the Advanced Stand-Off Radar program in the United Kingdom as well as corporate director of Northrop Grumman Corp., Milburn retired from Northrop Grumman in 2011. Milburn currently is president of RAM International and continues to work with General Dynamics and Barbaricum.

Milburn is a member of the Order of the Daedalians, the Royal Aeronautical Society and the New York Academy of Science and is an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics. He is chairman emeritus of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group, and in that capacity is a member of the Conference of National Armament Directors of NATO. Milburn also served six years as chairman of the American League for Export and Security Assistance and is a member of the Board of the National Defense Industrial Association and the Board of the Robert C. Byrd Center for Aviation Education and Training as well as the Board of Advisors for the OU School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

College News Paul McEuen A Goldwin Smith Professor of Physics at Cornell University, McEuen directs the Laboratory of Atomic and Solid State Physics and the Kavli Institute at Cornell for Nanoscale Science. His research focuses on nanoscale electronic, optical and mechanical properties of graphene, nanotubes and related materials. He received a bachelor of science degree in engineering physics from OU in 1985 and a doctoral degree in applied physics from Yale University in 1991. He joined the faculty at UC-Berkeley in 1992 before going to Cornell in 2001.

McEuen is interested in both the science of these nanostructures and their applications in physics, materials science, chemistry, biology and engineering. He is particularly fascinated by nanoscale forms of carbon, especially graphene sheets and single-walled carbon nanotubes. His group has probed many fundamental aspects of electron transport in carbon nanotubes, including single electron charging, non-Fermi liquid behavior and topologically induced spinorbit coupling. They also have probed the physical and mechanical properties of both nanotubes and graphene. For example, they have shown that a one-atom-thick graphene membrane is an impenetrable barrier and functions as a high-performance drumhead resonator.

McEuen is excited about building tools to interface to the nanoscale world and the construction of functional nanomachines.

McEuen has served on a number of advisory panels and committees, including the DOE BESAC Grand Challenges in Energy Subcommittee (2006), the NRC Decadal Survey Team — Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (2006), and the APS Division of Condensed Matter Physics Executive Committee (2003-2006). He also has organized conferences and workshops, including the Kavli Futures Symposium on Cyborg Cells (2007) and the Gordon Conference on Condensed Matter Physics (2005).

Awards and honors include a Packard Foundation Fellowship, a National Young Investigator Fellowship and the Agilent Europhysics Prize. He is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He also is a novelist, and his debut scientific thriller SPIRAL was published in the United States by Random House in March 2011 and 15 markets worldwide. He was awarded best debut novel for 2011 by the International Thriller Writers Association.

Theresa Marks Recognized by National Advising Association The National Academic Advising Association has awarded the 2013 Certificate of Merit for Outstanding Academic Administrator to Theresa Marks, director of advising and study abroad liaison in the College of Engineering.

Marks has been contributing to the mission of the University of Oklahoma since 1984. She has been investing her talent in the College of Engineering since 2007.

Marks has implemented some innovative changes to improve the success of at-risk students. She and her staff in the Williams Student Services Center, located in Felgar Hall, have created an advising syllabus, which provides students with a year-by-year academic road map that monitors their progress.

Marks and her husband, Breck, also an OU staff member, have served as host parents to several international graduate students. It is of interest to note that Marks’ father-in-law, Barton Turkington, is a retired faculty member from the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, where he taught for 40 years.

The University of Oklahoma recognized Marks in 2012 with the Provost’s Outstanding Academic Advising Administrator Award.

Marks Memberships and Affiliations Oklahoma Academic Advising Association National Academic Advising Association Oklahoma Conference of Art Historians OU Music Theatre Opera Guild OU Museum of Art Association Established in 1983, the NACADA Annual Awards Program for Academic Advising honors individuals and institutions making significant contributions to the improvement of academic advising. NACADA publishes a scholarly Journal, a quarterly e-Publication, and occasional special publications.

In 1990, the College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society was established to honor our most accomplished alumni. Selection is based upon prominent and distinguished professional or technical achievement, notable public service, outstanding contributions, and other significant contributions to the engineering profession.

Membership in the society affords the public acknowledgment and recognition befitting these graduates. Each year, society awardees are honored by the administration, faculty and students of the College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma through participation in the induction ceremonies at spring convocation.

Fall 2013 25

College News Regents' Alumni Award Presented to DeWitte and Kenney Caroline Cochran DeWitte Caroline Cochran DeWitte received a Regents’ Alumni Award during a May 10 ceremony on the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus.

DeWitte is the visionary who founded the OU Club of Boston. As president, serving from 2009 to 2012, she began by securing regular Sooner watch party locations for area alumni, which proved popular from the beginning and has grown to the largest in the Northeast, attracting attendees from bordering states.

Throughout her tenure as president of the club, DeWitte also organized networking events and socials to foster friendships and networking among alumni. She created the club’s website and social media connections, including Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The club currently has more than 250 Facebook members and 100 Twitter followers. She now serves as club treasurer and fundraising chair, managing club funds and continuing to guide other club officers on the board.

During her time as a student at OU, DeWitte cofounded Engineers Without Borders (now Sooners Without Borders), served as a member of the UOSA executive cabinet as communications director, and was the systems leader for the Sooner Racing Team, where she won an international design award for the braking system she developed.

DeWitte helped establish OU’s Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth while serving as program manager intern with the Office of Technology Development, under current interim Price College of Business Dean Daniel Pullin. She graduated in 2007 with a bachelor of arts degree in economics and a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering.

Without her vision, perseverance, creativity and love for her alma mater, the OU Club of Boston would very likely not exist today.

DeWitte’s efforts have paved the way for greater collaboration with the university and connections among alumni.

Nominated by the OU Club of Boston.

John Kenney John Kenney received a Regents’ Alumni Award during a May 10 ceremony on the University of Oklahoma’s Norman campus.

Kenney has been actively involved with OU since graduating with industrial engineering and law degrees in 1971 and 1975. He has served nine years on the College of Engineering Board of Visitors, including his time as chair during the OU Engineering Centennial Celebration.

Kenney’s leadership throughout the College of Engineering has encouraged a community of generous donors. Along with is wife, Jane, the Kenneys have hosted many events in their home for the college and the Industrial Engineering school. Because of his leadership, today’s engineering students enjoy new facilities, renovated classrooms and meeting space as well as undergraduate and graduate scholarship support.

Kenney has been instrumental in OU's K20 Center for Educational and Community Renewal, serving as chair for the Board of Advisors and helping to develop a community that links professionals in K-12, university and industry settings with projects aimed at fostering improvements in learning at all levels. During his leadership of that

26 Evolve

board, the annual Oklahoma teacher SKIE award for innovative use of technology in STEM education was initiated and the K-20 Scholars program was established. He also serves on the Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College Board of Visitors.

He supports his beliefs in 21st-century learning through his daily interactions in service to OU. He was nominated by Dean Tom Landers, and the College of Engineering, in partnership with the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education and the College of Law. The Regents’ Alumni Awards are presented each year to honor alumni and friends for exceptional dedication and service to the University of Oklahoma. The OU Board of Regents and the OU Alumni Association present the awards.

Nominations are accepted from alumni, friends and OU faculty and staff.

The names of each year’s recipients are engraved on a permanent plaque that hangs in Oklahoma Memorial Union as a testament to the important role that OU’s alumni play in the life of the university.

College News African Sanitation Activist Honored With OU International Water Prize

By Lori Johnson

Dean Tom Landers and Dean Suzette Grillot present the Water Prize to Oko-Williams.

The University of Oklahoma Water Technologies for Emerging Regions (WaTER) Center has named development activist Ada Oko-Williams as the recipient of the 2013 OU International Water Prize. Oko-Williams, associate director at Water and Sanitation for Africa, was nominated and selected for her advocacy and collaborative community approach for clean water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa.

From poor, rural, disease-stricken communities in Nigeria to communities of the deep forests of war-torn Sierra Leone and Liberia to desert communities in Niger Republic, Oko-Williams is engaged with issues affecting access to water and sanitation.

Born and raised in Nigeria, Oko-Williams understands firsthand the problems a lack of access to water and sanitation can mean to a country’s development. She believes Africa’s development problems can be solved with the support and collaboration of the developed world and achieved with African citizens in the driver’s seat.

Water expert Idrissa Doucouré, CEO of Water and Sanitation for Africa, a Panafrican Intergovernmental Agency, nominated Oko-Williams at the OU WaTER Symposium in September.

“Ada Oko-Williams rebuilds lives as well as infrastructure,” Doucouré said. “She inspires communities to take action toward their own development through participatory processes and critical analyses of situations while offering solutions and actions designed to address undesirable situations.”

In the past five years, Oko-Williams has trained more than 350 sanitation practitioners in West Africa. She has directly worked with more than 1,000 communities, indirectly providing more than 600,000 people access to sanitation and hygiene in communities in West Africa. At the policy level, she has influenced the development of sanitation programs through direct engagements with governments and duty bearers.

Oko-Williams currently is exploring economic and business models in sanitation that better livelihood, support environmental sustainability, and spur economic development and growth at micro levels in Africa.

The OU International Water Prize recognizes and honors an individual or group that has made significant contributions in the field of water supply and sanitation, particularly for small villages and communities in rural or remote regions. It is one of the first and largest prizes dedicated to the field of water supply and sanitation in remote areas of emerging regions. Oko-Williams received the OU International Water Prize and gave the plenary lecture at the OU International WaTER Conference on Sept. 23.

About the University of Oklahoma WaTER Center The WaTER Center is part of the OU College of Engineering. The center started in 2006 as an organization focused on bringing water and sanitation to remote villages. The vision of the WaTER Center is a world in which all humankind has safe, reliable drinking water. The center’s mission is to help solve drinking water challenges for impoverished regions, both internationally and locally, through innovative teaching and research initiatives.

OU College of Engineering Hosts International Engineering Education Conference

Engineers who lead the world in technical innovation are in high demand and short supply. According to the National Science Foundation, less than five percent of all U.S. undergraduates complete engineering degrees.

The College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma addressed this problem by hosting a conference that attracts top professors from around the world to share knowledge on how to recruit, prepare, retain and graduate the best engineers possible.

The 43rd annual Frontiers in Education Conference, a four-day international conference, occurred Oct. 23 through 26 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

More than 500 engineering and computer science faculty, university administrators, students and leaders from government funding agencies and industries from across the globe shared educational innovations and research in engineering and computing education.

“Frontiers in Education is one of the biggest engineering education conferences in the world,” said Jim Sluss, conference co-chair and professor and director of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at OU. “It was an honor to be selected and speak to our state’s emphasis on preparing the next generation of technology leaders.”

Sluss said Oklahoma’s unique history and culture was reflected in the conference’s focus areas, including diversity initiatives, such as recruiting Native Americans, energy engineering education and interdisciplinary programs, including the interface between engineering and meteorology.

“As educators, we are charged with creating the next generation of engineering and technical workforce,” Sluss said. “This conference gave us the opportunity to learn and share from some of the best educational researchers in the world.”

The conference is sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Education Society, American Society for Engineering Education Educational Research and Methods Division and IEEE Computer Society.

For more information on the WaTER Center, visit WaTER.ou.edu.

Fall 2013 27

College News College of Engineering Announces New Hires and Promotions The University of Oklahoma College of Engineering announced new faculty in several departments, including new directors for the schools of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science and Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Randall Kolar, who joined OU in 1995, was promoted to director of the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science.

He is an Austin Presidential Professor and co-founder and associate director of the Water Technology for Emerging Regions Center.

Kolar has received several awards for his research and educational initiatives including the 2006 Oklahoma Regents for Higher Education Superior Education, awarded 2005 OU College of Engineering Teaching Scholar and the American Society of Electrical Engineering’s 2000 Dow New Outstanding Faculty Member award. Kolar was the recipient of the 1996 National Science Foundation CAREER award for junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research.

Kolar is joined by new assistant professors Robert Dreibelbis, Jeffery Volz and Naiyu (Natalie) Wang.

Dreibelbis comes from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where he served as senior researcher focusing on clean water and sanitation. He also earned his doctorate from the school.

Volz joins OU after teaching as an associate professor in the Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Department at Missouri University of Science and Technology. He earned his doctorate at Pennsylvania State University. Volz has more than 16 years of experience as a practicing structural engineer, including eight years working

28 Evolve

for a subsidiary of the Portland Cement Association.

Prior to coming to OU, Wang was a structural engineer at Simpson, Gumpertz & Heger Inc. Her research involved evaluating the reliability and system resilience of steel pipelines exposed to corrosion and developing criteria for renewing aging concrete pipe using carbon fiber-reinforced polymer matter. She earned her doctorate in civil engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering President's Associates Presidential Professor Cengiz Altan was promoted to interim director for the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. He received his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware. His research interests are in manufacturing, multicomponent materials and nanocomposites.

Altan’s honors and awards include the College of Engineering’s 2008 Alumni Teaching award, the 1998 OU Regents Superior Teaching award and the school’s Tom J. Love Most Outstanding Professor award.

Jivtesh Garg joins AME as assistant professor. He completed his doctorate in mechanical engineering at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and had been working as an engineer at GE Global Research.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Bin Zheng joins the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering as professor with tenure in electrical and computer engineering: He earned his doctorate from the University of Delaware and served as Fellow in the department of radiology at the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining OU, Zheng was a radiology professor and adjunct research professor in the department of engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.

Industrial and Systems Engineering Charles Nicholson joins the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering as assistant professor. He has more than ten years of industry experience in data-mining and advanced statistical analysis for large corporations with expansive data systems.

Prior to OU, Nicholson was a professor in the College of Engineering and Information Sciences Game and Simulation Programming Department at DeVry University. He earned his doctorate at Southern Methodist University.

College of Engineering Diana Bairaktarova joins the College of Engineering as assistant professor of Engineering Practice. She earned her doctorate from Purdue University, where she also served as faculty Fellow in the engineering school.

Through real-world engineering applications, Bairaktarova’s experiential learning research spans from engineering to psychology to learning sciences, as she uncovers how individual performance is influenced by aptitudes, spatial skills, personal interests and direct manipulation of mechanical objects.

Robert Huck joins the college as director of applied research and unmanned systems. He earned his doctorate from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at OU. His roles in the CoE include liaison with our researchers to further advance applied research through strong linkages to the private sector and utilization of the Center for Applied Research and Development framework. He also is active in teaching an ENGR 2002 professional development course. In the area of unmanned systems. He will lead initiatives in robotics research and experiential learning.

Faculty

A Tribute to the Faculty Each April during the Faculty Awards Ceremony, College of Engineering faculty members are recognized for excellence as evidenced in patent and innovator awards, professorships and years of service.

Patent Awards Spring 2013

David Ross Boyd Professorship

School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering Walter Alvarez Daniel Resasco

School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Kuang-Hua Chang

School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Michael Schmitz School of Electrical and Computer Engineering James Sluss Sesh Commuri Monte Tull Patrick McCann Pramode K. Verma Erik Petrich

Presidential Professorships School of Electrical and Computer Engineering Sesh Commuri Gerald Tuma Presidential Professorship

School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science Gerald Miller Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation Presidential Professor From left: Michael Schmitz, Sesh Commuri and James Sluss

Innovator Awards School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering Alberto Striolo Lloyd and Joyce Austin Presidential Professor

School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering Mahesh Budhathoki Jeffrey Harwell

The Presidential Professorship Program is one of President Boren’s cornerstone initiatives to recognize and reward top faculty members.

Years of Service School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering Recognized for 30 years of service Richard Mallinson Robert Shambaugh Far left: Mahesh Budhathoki; left of President David L. Boren, Jeffrey Harwell

Recognized for 20 years of service Daniel Resasco

Fall 2013 29

Faculty Atiquzzaman Receives Best Paper Award From Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

years and oversee a typical annual program budget of $7 million to $9 million.

Mohammed Atiquzzaman, Edith Kinney Gaylord Presidential Professor in the School of Computer Science, has received the Best Paper Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers for his manuscript titled “Bandwidth-Adaptive Application Partitioning for Execution Time and Energy Optimization." The award was presented in June at the 2013 IEEE International Conference on Communications in Budapest, Hungary. The paper discusses how to partition a task between a cell phone and the server to optimize energy and execution time, and is a topic of increasing interest due to recent proliferation of apps on mobile phones.

Papavassiliou’s goal as NSF program director is to expand fluid dynamics research in multiple fields, particularly at the nano- and micro-scales, in life and biology, atmosphere, oceans and the subsurface.

Atiquzzaman currently serves as the vice chair of the IEEE Communication Society’s Technical Committee on Communications Switching and Routing.

Papavassiliou is a Presidential Professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at OU. He received his bachelor’s degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He joined OU in 1999, after working with Mobil's Upstream Strategic Research Center in Dallas. He has co-authored more than 80 journal articles and presented his work in more than 130 conferences. He is actively involved in the American institute of Chemical Engineers, including the AIChE Journal Consulting Editorial Board.

Papavassiliou Selected to Serve as NSF Program Director for the Fluid Dynamics Program University of Oklahoma chemical engineering professor Dimitrios Papavassiliou has been selected to serve as a National Science Foundation program director for the Fluid Dynamics Program.

Papavassiliou will help establish the organization’s research policy in fluid dynamics as well as be involved in NSF initiatives that affect research directions in engineering and sciences more broadly.

“Being selected as an NSF program director is a reflection of national recognition and an indication of trust by the scientific community to lead research at a national level,” said Thomas Landers, OU College of Engineering dean. “It’s important to select a person who is wellrespected in their field since their decisions can affect the direction of federal funding for research as well as the career path of young faculty and students for several years.”

As an NSF program director, Papavassiliou will manage the NSF research portfolio in fluid dynamics, which is a research area in mechanical, chemical, aerospace, civil, petroleum and environmental engineering, applied mathematics, physics, and meteorology. The position includes setting research priorities at the national level, soliciting proposals and organizing their peer review, funding these proposals, and monitoring progress of already funded projects.

Program directors, called rotators, traditionally serve two to three

30 Evolve

“Fluid dynamics has been around for hundreds of years, going back to Leonardo Da Vinci, but there are important problems today that need and can be addressed with modern fluid dynamics experiments and computations,” said Papavassiliou.

“I would like to stir the community to become more extroverted, to not only take over projects of significance to our lives, but to also publicize their work to more visible outlets, engaging the public and young scientists to pursue a career in fluid mechanics,” said Papavassiliou.

Chris Ramseyer Recognized by National Council of Structural Engineers Association Chris Ramseyer, associate professor in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, was selected as one of the winners for the 2013 Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards given by the NCSEA for the SkyDance Bridge that spans the Crosstown Expressway near Robinson Avenue in downtown Oklahoma City.

Ramseyer served as the structural engineer for the pedestrian bridge, previously recognized as a piece of public art, architecture and innovation in design. The award, given by the largest structural engineering association in the country, recognizes excellence in structural engineering.

Ramseyer also was awarded the Urban Design Citation Award as part of the Awards of Excellence Program in November from the American Institute of Architects of Central Oklahoma.

Faculty Resasco Receives the 2013 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award Members of the Catalysis Club of Philadelphia recognized OU chemical, biological and materials engineering professor Daniel Resasco as the recipient of the 2013 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award. Resasco was presented with a plaque and a $1,000 honorarium at the club’s September meeting in recognition of his contributions in supported metal and solid acid catalysis, hydrocarbon conversion, nanotube synthesis and biomass-derived compound upgrading.

Resasco is a George Lynn Cross Research Professor and Douglas and Hilda Bourne Chair of Chemical Engineering. His research in heterogeneous catalysis is strongly grounded in fundamentals of structure-property relationships and characterization of catalysts and mechanisms. In the late ’90s, Resasco’s group began investigation of heterogeneous catalytic synthesis of single-wall carbon nano-tubes,, discovering that careful control of the catalyst nanostructure enabled unprecedented chiral selectivity in the nanotubes.

Their work led to the patented CoMoCat process, capable of scaleup to industrial production, and a spinoff company, SouthWest NanoTechnologies. More recently, Resasco’s work on upgrading of biomass-derived compounds led to the development of Janus nanoparticle catalysts, which simultaneously stabilize high interfacial area emulsions and carry out upgrading reactions in both the aqueous and organic phases. This work was initially reported in Science magazine in January 2010.

In addition to his research contributions, Resasco has authored more than 200 archival journal articles, which have been cited more than 8,000 times, 32 industrial patents and over 120 invited lectures.

ECE Faculty Member First in Oklahoma to Receive NSF BRIGE Grant Jessica Ruyle, assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, was awarded the $174,983 NSF BRIGE grant in August, an award for junior faculty members to integrate research and teaching. She is the first person from Oklahoma to receive the award. The project, Investigation of Improved Antenna Reconfiguration Mechanisms, develops mechanisms for slot antennas that will enable numerous unique reconfigurable

antenna designs for the next generation of wireless technology. The project represents the first step of a long-term goal to build a diverse team of researchers at OU investigating novel antenna architectures that address a national need to solve the spectrum crisis.

The proposed work will advance many types of reconfigurable antennas, which have the potential to operate at a range of frequencies, change the main beam to receive/transmit from a different direction, and/or adapt to changes in operating conditions.

This will enable truly cognitive radio/radar that can find and operate in unused spectrum - eliminating the requirement for strictly assigned spectrum use.

In addition to the broad impact upon future wireless systems, the proposed work will enhance the retention and recruitment of women in electrical and computer engineering. Ruyle is the founder and faculty adviser of Women in ECE at OU. The proposed work will expand previously initiated events and implement a laboratory workshop with WECE. Students who complete the workshop will be recruited to participate in undergraduate research with Ruyle.

Walden, Trytten and Wong Lowe Receive American Society for Engineering Education Wickenden Award Susan Walden, coordinator of undergraduate research programs, OU; Deborah Trytten, associate professor in the OU School of Computer Science, and Anna Wong Lowe, adjunct professor of Communication Arts at Oklahoma Baptist University, received the ASEE Wickenden Award in March for their paper “Asians are good at math. What an awful stereotype: The model minority stereotype’s impact on Asian American engineering students.”

The paper was previously published by ASEE in the July 2012 issue of the Journal of Engineering Education. The NSF supported research was conducted through the OU Research Institute for STEM Education.

Yeary Serving as Inaugural Distinguished Faculty Fellow ark Yeary, Hudson-Torchmark Presidential M Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has begun a term of service as the inaugural Distinguished Faculty Fellow in the Office of the Vice President for Research. In this capacity he will assist with the Defense, Security and Intelligence Strategic Initiative by working with the CoE and other faculty to identify funding opportunities, develop white papers and grant proposals, coordinate visits to agencies, etc.

Fall 2013 31

Faculty Hillel Kumin, Professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Retires After 44 Years of Teaching and Inspiring Students To those who know Hillel Kumin, it’s no surprise that he’s beloved by the countless students he’s taught over his long and impactful career.

Hillel Kumin joined the College of Engineering faculty in 1968. During his tenure as a professor Leslie Goodwin (left) and Katy Rubin (right), of industrial engineering industrial and systems engineering students, and associate dean of sit with Dr. Hillel and Mrs. Elaine Kumin academic programs, at the May ISE banquet, where Dr. Kumin was honored for his 44 years of service to the he provided wise School and College. and compassionate leadership for the college. Always placing the students first, Kumin has left an indelible mark on thousands of engineering students.

A recipient of the University of Oklahoma Regents' Superior Teaching Award, Kumin introduced students to the concepts of engineering through many different courses, including engineering statistics and systems modeling in operations research. Kumin advised numerous graduate students and served on the graduate council and academic programs council. In recent years, his role as an undergraduate

programs adviser gave him the opportunity to mentor students as they navigated academic and professional decisions.

During his time as associate dean, Kumin’s one-to-one approach to student recruitment, retention and mentoring helped to distinguish the College of Engineering from other universities. The National Scholars recruiting program he began positioned the college to compete for the best undergraduate students. Today, the OU College of Engineering is recognized nationwide for the high number of National Scholars enrolled. Kumin also made every effort to ensure that students graduated with not only a technical engineering education, but also a strong foundation for life. He was instrumental in establishing the college as a strong, student-focused organization.

Kumin received his bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Southern Methodist University, a master of science in mathematics from the University of Texas and his doctoral degree in operations research from the Case Institute of Technology. He married his wife, Elaine, in 1965 and is the proud father of two sons, Matthew and Michael.

Kumin’s loyalty to the College of Engineering is evident through his dedication to improving engineering education and the lives of students. He will long be remembered by students for his openness and genuine concern for their lives and their careers. He was a friend and mentor to students, staff and faculty. His thoughtful, cheerful and loyal devotion to the college will have a lasting impact.

Former OU Faculty Member Takes Over as Dean of Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management Effective Oct. 7, Adedeji Badiru accepted a new appointment as dean of the Air Force Institute of Technology’s Graduate School of Engineering and Management, located at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Prior to his new role, Badiru served seven years as professor and head of AFIT’s Department of Systems Engineering and Management.

Adedeji Badiru taught in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering at OU from 1985 to 1995 before serving University College for five years as professor and dean. “My sixteen years of service at OU’s College of Engineering paved the way for all my subsequent professional accomplishments,” Badiru said.

As dean, Badiru will be the senior academic officer responsible for planning, directing and controlling all operations related to granting doctoral and master’s degrees, professional continuing cyber education, and research and development programs.

32 Evolve

In his inaugural message, Badiru stated “...I am excited and enthused about the opportunities that lie ahead of us. With the ongoing budget sequestration, our nation is facing a very tough fiscal environment.

But, turbulent fiscal times require more resolve and determination to excel in whatever we do.”

Badiru holds a doctorate in industrial engineering from University of Central Florida. His research interests include mathematical modeling, project modeling and analysis, economic analysis, and productivity analysis and improvement.

The mission of AFIT is to advance air, space and cyberspace power for the armed forces, the Nation, and its partners by providing relevant defense-focused technical graduate and continuing education, research and consultation. AFIT accomplishes this mission through three resident schools: the Graduate School of Engineering and Management, the School of Systems and Logistics, and The Civil Engineer School. AFIT also manages all Air Force health, legal and chaplain graduate education at civilian institutions.

Students OU Engineering Program Challenges Creativity Through Contraptions The gold standard in engineering is to create efficiency, but for 47 University of Oklahoma incoming freshman students, the goal was total complexity.

Engineering students enrolled in the OU College of Engineering’s AT&T Summer Bridge Program were challenged to take a simple task, like turning a page, and make it complicated while still completing the task. The teams’ off-the-wall contraptions were famously inspired by the designs of Rube Goldberg.

“It may seem backwards, asking engineering students to take something as simple as hammering a nail and make it as complicated as possible, but by thinking through the grandiose process, these students are learning the basic skills of engineering mechanics such as the value of experimentation, teamwork and design reliability,” said Lisa Morales, program director.

The AT&T Summer Bridge Program is a four-week, on-campus residential program that prepares students for life as an engineering student. In addition to early exposure to course work, the students met fellow classmates, faculty and staff and earned early college credit.

“These students are highly motivated, as they already see the value in planning ahead and investing part of their summer to increase success in the classroom this fall,” said Tom Landers, dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering. “Because engineering coursework can be a challenge, this program prepares incoming freshmen academically for the rewarding road ahead.”

University of Oklahoma AT&T Summer Bridge Program is for incoming freshman students who have been accepted to OU and are planning to major in engineering. This program is geared toward students who are African American/Black, Hispanic/Latino, Alaskan Native/ Pacific Islander, American Indian or first-generation students; however, the program considers all applicants regardless of background. This annual program is intended to encourage diversity within the College of Engineering, helping students connect with engineering students, faculty and staff; acclimate to the college; and prepare academically for engineering and math coursework.

“The Rube Goldberg project helped me think outside the box and expand my thinking style.”

– Ramiro Brigueda, Weatherford, Okla.

“My favorite part about the AT&T Summer Bridge Program was the opportunity to get used to college life and meet crucial people in college career services. The Rube Goldberg project helped me prepare for the application of engineering. Whether you are a petroleum engineer or a civil engineer or any other kind of engineer, people need to put basic subjects like physics to work, they need to probably think of unconventional methods to accomplish such tasks. The Rube Goldberg project is the epitome of inventive thinking.”

– Hyeon Joon (Harry) Jun, Seoul, South Korea “My favorite part was experiencing college life and getting to know both other students in my field of study as well as the campus. The Rube Goldberg project gave me a little hands-on experience as well as an idea of the way I should think as an engineer in the future.”

– Desmond Alexander, Houston.

“I really enjoyed getting to experience dorm and campus life before everyone else. I also liked getting college credit for the class I took. Most importantly, I loved meeting all the campers.”

– Teresa Ayala, Wylie, Texas “Working on the Rube Goldberg project has helped me prepare for my first semester as an engineering major by being able to practice my problem-solving and math skills.”

– Hunter Bonham, Kingfisher, Okla.

“My favorite part about the AT&T Summer Bridge Program was meeting people from all over the United States who are planning to pursue engineering who are similar to me. We come from many different backgrounds but all share the same goal. The Rube Goldberg project taught me that if we get along with others easily what great wonders we will achieve.”

– Skylar Calhoun, Norman, Okla.

Fall 2013 33

Students University of Oklahoma – Tulsa Graduate Engineering Student Wins Honor From Society of Women Engineers The Society of Women Engineers has named OU-Tulsa graduate student Christella Chavez one of its 2013 Outstanding Collegiate Members. The award recognizes students’ significant contributions to SWE, the engineering community and their universities.

“I am surprised and honored to be chosen for this award from SWE, an organization I respect so much,” Chavez said. “I volunteer as a SWE member because I believe in its mission and wholeheartedly support the programs it offers for women and girls in engineering. It’s a real bonus when you receive recognition for doing something you truly love.”

Chavez is a Ph.D. (Engineering) candidate at OU-Tulsa, where her focus of study is mathematical modeling and policy recommendations for addressing telecommunications disruptions during disasters.

She returned to graduate school after more than 20 years in the military and corporate America. She earned her bachelor of science degree from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY, and an MBA from the University of Tulsa, where she specialized in management systems and international business. The mother of two college-age sons, Chavez jointed SWE more than ten years ago and has served in several capacities, including most recently a two-year term as regional governor. Chavez is a member of numerous other engineering organizations, and serves on the board of the Tulsa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. She also was coach and mentor for the first robotics program at Tulsa’s Cascia Hall High School and was a 2012 Fellow of the University of Oklahoma’s Center for the Creation of Economic Wealth.

Pramode Verma, professor of engineering and director of the Telecommunications Engineering Program at OU-Tulsa, said he is delighted that the Society of Women Engineers granted this recognition to Chavez. “Christella actively supports several professional engineering programs in Tulsa, including the Institute of Electrical and

Electronics Engineering. Her concern and support for the community at large are well known.”

The SWE encourages women to achieve full potential in careers as leaders and engineers and expand the image of engineering. Chavez will receive her award at the Society of Women Engineers' annual conference this October in Baltimore.

The University of Oklahoma Schusterman Center is home to all OU programs in Tulsa. Located on a 60-acre campus at 41st and Yale, it strengthens OU’s presence in northeast Oklahoma and expands educational, research and patient care programs in the Tulsa area. OU-Tulsa offers six bachelor’s degree completion programs; 14 master’s degree programs, including the physician assistant program, nurse practitioner program, doctoral programs in medicine, physical therapy, education, early childhood education, engineering, pharmacy and nursing, as well as nine residency programs in medicine.

It is also home to the OU School of Community Medicine, the first of its kind in the nation, created with the explicit purpose of improving the health of all Oklahoma communities. For more information about OU-Tulsa, call (918) 660-3318 or visit tulsa.ou.edu.

34 Evolve

Students Su-Min Huang-Page Keeps Her Eye On the Prize

By Karen Kelly Overcoming obstacles is commonplace for this non-traditional student and single mother of four. Su-Min will tell you she is a very lucky woman, but there is more than luck that has led her to obtain her bachelor’s degree, nearly complete her master’s degree in industrial and systems engineering and become a U.S. citizen.

Su-Min’s educational journey began in Japan, where she, as a citizen of Taiwan, crossed the East China Sea to study Japanese literature.

In spite of her love of math, women were not given the opportunity to pursue an engineering degree. When her mother planned a trip to Oklahoma to visit her sister, Su-Min went, too, discovering more opportunities and leading her to eventually move to the Sooner state.

Beginning her studies at Oklahoma City Community College, Su-Min worked part time as a work-study and full time as an assistant in the Math Lab during the course of four years, obtaining her associate degree in mathematics. Following completion of her associate degree, she continued to work full time, tutoring students, many of whom transferred to OU to study engineering after finishing their coursework at OCCC. Loving the learning process and yearning for more, it came as no surprise that many of Su-Min’s friends and fellow students recommend she study engineering. “I was really good at tutoring in rigid body and calculus curriculum. My friends said I should study engineering. I said, Why not?” relayed Su-Min. All appeared to be right with the world; Su-Min had met Randa Shehab, director of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, and had decided upon an undergraduate degree program. She continued to work part time at OCCC. She and her husband just moved into a new home. She had given birth to her fourth child and was a full-time engineering student at OU. But Su-Min's world was about to be shaken. Her husband lost his job and left his family. Su-Min was overwhelmed. How could she provide for her family, let alone continue her dream of obtaining that seemingly elusive bachelor of science degree in engineering?

In spite of what most might see as a drama made for daytime television, Su-Min refused to be bitter. As a mother of four children, she wore a smile in spite of the pain. She rose earlier than most students to cook her family’s breakfast, fix their lunch and provide for the needs of her newborn baby.

Su-Min's mother, a young widow who also raised four children as a single parent, flew from Taiwan to live with her daughter and care for her grandchildren.

She returned each semester for two years until May 2011, when Su-Min completed her undergraduate degree.

This allowed Su-Min to continue to work in Oklahoma City, driving back to Norman for classes and often back to Oklahoma City again to put in more hours at her job.

Shehab connected Su-Min with a faculty member in need of a student employee, thereby eliminating the commute back and forth to work. “Dr. Shehab kept telling me,” Su-Min recalled, “I know you can do it. If you give up, then you just lose everything. If you keep going, eventually you will reach your goal.”

Student leadership and external relations coordinator Tiffany Smith helped connect Su-Min with information on how to apply for a college scholarship, introducing her to the associate dean of undergraduate programs, P. Simin Pulat.

Classmates helped, too by sharing lecture notes if she had to miss class to attend to a sick child, Su-Min recalled.

Su-Min will tell you that she hates quitting anything. And she works harder than most, a trait she comes by naturally. She remembers something her grandmother always told her as a child. If a person pays you one dollar, then work as though you are earning two.

In September 2013, Su-Min took yet another exam, but this one did not have any questions relating to rigid body mechanics or requiring that she solve complex mathematical equations. Still, Su-Min passed the test with flying colors, joining her children in becoming a U.S. citizen.

What’s next for this engineering graduate, soon to be master’s alum and mother of a 14-, 10-, 8- and 5-year-old? Well, the first thing she wants is to give her children a better life. Next, she wants to work for a company as part of a team helping to solve real-world problems. After all, that’s what engineers do. And one day when her kids are all grown, Su-Min envisions herself reaching out to inspire underprivileged children to dream big dreams.

While the road to higher education has been tenuous at times, Su-Min is thankful for the many people who have helped her along the way.

She has kept her eye on the prize and is about to reap the rewards of an engineering education. Look out world. Here she comes.

Fall 2013 35

Students Yazdani Wins 2013 Student Paper Award

Seeds Planted in the Discovering Engineering Via Adventure in Science Summer Camp at OU Leads to Engineering Degree Path Tiffany Smith, student leadership, external relations coordinator and director of BP DEVAS Summer Camp, recently was tagged in an inspirational Facebook post from a 2011 camper. The message, posted below, reminds us of the value these camps provide to young students.

Dear Tiffany,

Hessam Yazdani, doctoral candidate from the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, won the 2013 student paper competition of the Deep Foundations Institute. The competition was open to all undergraduate and graduate students in accredited colleges and universities in the fields of engineering, construction and geological sciences.

Yazdani presented his paper, “Optimization of Piled-raft Foundations Considering Soilpile-raft Interactions,” at the 38th Annual DFI Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., in September.

Yazdani’s advisor is Kianoosh Hatami, associate professor in CEES.

I hope you are doing well! As a DEVAS Summer Camp alumna, I just want to thank you for everything you do for women in STEM fields! I attended DEVAS in 2011, and it was a major turning point for me. I came out of that week confident in my abilities and so secure in my decision to pursue engineering! Now I’m about to start my sophomore year at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and I’m studying civil engineering.

As my freshman year came to a close, I realized that quite a few of my peers were victims of the harsh attrition rate of undergraduate STEM programs.

So many friends (and even a few sorority sisters) transferred to other universities because they either did not like engineering or they weren’t prepared to handle the rigor. Thanks to DEVAS, my determination and mentors like you, I am ready to take on my remaining years at Mines and fulfill my dream of becoming an engineer! So thank you for encouraging women in engineering! You have helped so many girls accomplish their goals!

Sincerely, Gina Rossi

36 Evolve

Students Sooner Electric Racing Team Charges for the Win The speed may only top 60 mph, instead of the average 200 mph for Indy cars, but electric go-kart racing at the Indianapolis Raceway is still a race of speed — with an added qualifier of ingenuity.

In addition to how an electric go-kart finishes in the Electric Vehicle Grand Prix, teams also are judged in design, outreach and endurance.

The University of Oklahoma Sooner Electric Racing team proved their skills in all of the categories by winning overall first place in the 2013 event.

The winning team was a powerful combination of interdisciplinary students from electrical, mechanical and business majors comprised of freshman through graduate students. Team members were Jaime Cervantes, Bryce Cornet (driver), Jacob Henderson, Eli Natividad, David Sandmann, Joshua Wakeam and OU faculty sponsor John Fagan.

“The racing team exceeded my expectations,” said Fagan, OU electrical engineering professor. “Their ‘never-say-die’ attitude brought a welldesigned and well-tested car to the track, and it showed in their confidence in the machine and in themselves.”

“We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” said Sandmann. “We bought a used go-kart, did some research and followed Dr. Fagan’s advice.” The team placed first in design and outreach and eighth in endurance for an overall standing of third place.

The team applied the lessons they learned from their inaugural race to improve the car’s performance. The main modification was replacing the motor with a more powerful Permanent Magnet Alternating Current motor, or brushless DC Motor. In addition the team put a different controller and control system on the car, added high-performance tires and changed the car’s stance to improve its performance on the track’s corners. Their ingenuity paid off.

At the 2013 Indianapolis race, the SEC competed against 27 other universities to advance to the final heat, known as the A-final. The other advancing competitors were 14 teams from Indiana, Ohio and the United Kingdom. The SEC placed first in outreach and design and second in the main race, which earned them first place overall.

Collegiate electric go-kart racing is a relatively new competition with two races per year. One is held at Purdue University in April and the other at Indianapolis Raceway Park in May, as a pre-event to the famous Indy 500 race. This marked the second year the SEC team competed in the event.

“One of the reasons we won first in design both years was our high-speed battery change mechanism,” said Sandmann. The design allowed the team to change the car battery in eight seconds compared to the 45 to 90 seconds it took other teams. “Our pit times were so short that in many cases we could gain a half a lap just in our quick pit stops.”

Team leader David Sandmann said the first year SEC participated was meant to be more of an experiment than a competitive race. The crew participated in the Purdue race only to test their understanding of the rules. If the go-kart qualified there, it would be qualified for the larger Indianapolis race.

After a few months of enjoying the win, the team is already back in the design bay planning for next year. “We have the ambitious goal of making a few improvements to the chassis design of the 2013 cart, as well as adding a second cart to the 2014 season,” said Sandmann.

Fall 2013 37

Students Meeting the Demand for Entrepreneurial Engineers

By Mindy Rule

Students visit the Hitachi facility in Norman with Allen Ahlert, Director of Manufacturing Engineering.

Engineering is a demanding and challenging major, with an equally high demand for job qualifications, but in today’s marketplace even advanced engineering skills are not enough to drive innovation. Engineering students now are being asked to do more – tack on entrepreneur to their job title.

Students learned from local entrepreneurs including (from left front row) Terry Shyer; Bill Kennedy,

sponsor of the E-mmersion Boot Camp; Jean Vieux and Patrick McCann.

“Today’s engineer is asked to do more than design and build a product,” said Thomas Landers, “In business we balance our desire and idea with making a profit,” dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma.

Wheeler added. “My goal is to get engineers to turn their problem“They must also have an understanding of how to build a business.” solving skills into market development. Sometimes their thought To help students learn how to be successful entrepreneurs, the process is, ‘if I build it, they will come.’ The business side asks, ‘Who is college partnered with the OU Price College of Business for going to buy it, how are you going get it to them, how are you going a one-week entrepreneurship camp called E-mmersion 2013 source it, how are you going to manage it?’’

Entrepreneurship Boot Camp. Twelve engineering students from The participating engineering students were challenged to take their various disciplines were selected for the inaugural class. idea to market as they developed a business plan over the course “Engineers are the key to realizing innovation and creativity,” said of a week.

Jim Wheeler, executive director for entrepreneurial studies, Stanley “Many of our future graduates will be directly involved in creating White Directorship of the Entrepreneurship Center and Price College new products and companies,” Landers added. “The E-mmersion of Business professor. “These are the students that will build the next 2013 Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for engineers was a very special ‘Google’ and ‘Facebooks’ of the world.” opportunity for a select group of OU engineering students to explore Wheeler, who teaches entrepreneurship classes within the business this exciting and rewarding career choice.” college, led the course. The class brought in such guest lecturers as The E-mmersion Boot Camp is one of many ways the College of OU alumni Bill Kennedy, president and CEO of Sequoyah Group Inc., Engineering is incorporating entrepreneurism into the students’ who reviewed Harvard business case studies and conducted site curriculum. The college recently added an entrepreneurship course visits. By the end of boot camp, the engineering students knew more under its major requirements. about how to spot an opportunity, vet an idea, run problem-solving solutions, source production, manage a business and more.

38 Evolve

Students Winners of 2013 Regional Botball Tournament Announced

By Lori Johnson Nearly 400 students from Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas came to do battle this past spring, and they brought their robots to do the fighting for them. The students were part of 41 middle and high school robotic teams competing for top honors at the 2013 Oklahoma Regional Botball tournament in Norman, Okla.

Sponsored by a partnership of academia and industry, Botball encourages students to use science, engineering, technology and math to build autonomous robots as well as present their robot’s design and strategy, like real-world engineers. The Oklahoma Regional Tournament sponsors include the University of Oklahoma College of Engineering, NASA, Oklahoma Aeronautics Commission, Kirkpatrick Foundation, Oklahoma State Department of Education and other STEM partners.

Overall winners for the regional Botball tournament are determined by the overall scores in three areas; the seeding round; double elimination rank, where robots compete against each other; and online and onsite documentation.

First and second place in overall competition went to Texas teams, the Episcopal School of Dallas and DeWitt Perry Middle School in Carrollton. Oklahoma teams rounded out the top rankings. Norman Advanced Robotics in Norman placed third, Southwest Covenant School in Yukon placed fourth and rookie team Twin Hills Schools from Okmulgee placed fifth. All of the teams that competed at the regional tournament were eligible to compete in the International

Botball Tournament held during the Global Conference on Educational Robotics July 6–10 in Norman. The Norman Advanced Robotics team placed second in the world at the 2013 International Conference.

“We are the artificial intelligence robotics,” said Steve Goodgame, executive director of the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics. “Botball robots are always autonomous — no remote control is used. Instead, students program their robots in advance, enhancing their skills in computer programming, sensor technology and mechanical engineering.”

Goodgame said the competition challenges students as young as middle school to prepare for jobs of the future, not just for current computer applications.

“Most people think of movies like iRobot when they think of artificial intelligence,” Goodgame said, “but in the next 10 years autonomous robots could be a part of our daily lives. These students today will be the ones building those robots.”

To learn more about Botball visit www.botball.org.

About KIPR: The KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, kipr.org, is a nonprofit educational organization that uses hands-on robotics programs to communicate the excitement, knowledge and practical understanding of science, technology, engineering and math.

Fall 2013 39

Giving Update

Ray Collins and Jill Hughes attend the OU Foundation Investment Forum in Houston.

Sam and Sonia Wilson, sponsors of the annual Sam Wilson Lecture, listen to the guest speaker.

Bill Kennedy, center, stands with student participants from the week-long summer E-mmersion program that he sponsored..

Angie Armstrong, trustee for the Les and Mary Puckett Childrens Foundation, visits with Jill Hughes.

Dick Askew and Marilyn McCarty attend the Board of Visitors dinner in Norman.

Students and sponsors attend the Halliburton Women’s Welcome banquet at OU's Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.

40 Evolve

Paul McEuen attends DGS reception with his mother, Mary Lu and wife Susan Wiser.

Giving Update

Ed Holstein and Dean Landers enjoy lunch in Houston.

Engineering students tour Google during the summer entrepreneurship experience.

Barbara Conwell and Warren and Patty Court visit with Jill Hughes at a student entrepreneurship reception in San Francisco.

Engineering and business students meet with wine entrepreneur Chris Donatiello in San Francisco.

Donald and Virginia Kiltau visit the College of Engineering during Reunion Weekend festivities. Don is a 1963 civil engineering graduate.

CoE Board of Visitors members Bob Dye and David Gavia visit with students on the Sooner Racing Team.

Diversity and Inclusion board member Bill Weppner shakes hands with newly appointed Board of Visitors' member Ryan Burge who was recipient of scholarship funds donated by Weppner, when he was a student.

Dean Tom and Dr. Patti Landers visit with Neil Heeney at a reception in Chicago.

Fall 2013 41

Giving Update Do you want to invest in the College of Engineering?

Jill Hughes Executive Director of Development (405) 325-5217 jillq@ou.edu Tricia Tramel Director of Annual Giving (405) 325-4211 tramel@ou.edu Brandon Brooks Development Officer (405) 325-6971 bbrooks@ou.edu

Dean Landers speaks to guests in attendance at the 2012 inaugural J.H. Felgar Society Gala.

The J.H. Felgar Society The J.H. Felgar Society was implemented to provide the support that allows our faculty and students to excel. The College of Engineering continues to enjoy growth and success in increased enrollment, the academic strength of our students, and continued expansion of our research enterprise. Our student teams are competing regionally and nationally. Our facilities are a showcase to the community and collaborative space for students and faculty. However, in recent years, the college has been impacted by drastic budget cuts resulting in limited discretionary funding.

Last year’s inaugural J.H. Felgar Society Gala was a memorable evening of celebration.

Chair of the Board of Visitors Bob Purgason announced the $6.1 million in gifts and pledges that had been raised as of November 2012. After another successful year of connecting with faithful alumni and friends, the total in pledges and gifts has reached $8.2 million.

Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many students.

It’s a Great Time of the Year to Consider a Planned Gift From left, Brandon Brooks, Tricia Tramel and Jill Hughes

42 Evolve

Through a planned or deferred gift, donors can reach across the generations to touch the future of the University of Oklahoma and its students. A donor may make his or her gift unrestricted so that it can be used in an area where it is needed most, or may designate the gift to benefit a favorite school, department or program. Planned gifts are as unique as each individual who makes one and may be tailored in a way that best serves the donor's needs, objectives and wishes.

Among planned gift options are bequests, charitable remainder trusts, life insurance and retained life estate. Want to learn more?

Call or email your development team.

Giving Update The Quarter Century Club Did you know the OU Foundation launched a new program to honor donors of 25 years or more for their steadfast support of the university?

Members of the Quarter Century Club receive a personalized letter from OU President David Boren, an individualized report with accumulative total giving history and a commemorative OU pin, reflecting total years of giving.

There are 248 QCC members with an engineering degree.

The alumnus with the longest giving record from the College of Engineering is James and Jerrie Anderson with a total of 42 years of giving.

“Quarter Century donors are truly the backbone of OU’s charitable giving,” said Boren in his congratulatory letter. “Year after year, your gifts have enriched the programs you chose to support and encouraged the members of the University community associated with those programs.”

Boren and his wife, Molly Shi Boren, were among the first group of 1,600 Quarter Century donors who were recognized the first year of the program. Their first gift together, a contribution to the Bennie Owen Memorial Scholarship fund, was made in November 1977, the month they were married.

“Creating the OU Quarter Century Club is our way of saying thank you for your unwavering support,” OU Foundation President Guy Patton told donors. “Your generosity has put new programs in place, created new buildings on all three campuses, and sent thousands of outstanding OU graduates into the world to make it a better place. I’m looking forward to joining the club very soon.”

Members of the Quarter Century Club have contributed significantly to OU through annual giving and the building of endowments at the OU Foundation. Twenty-five years ago, the Foundation had total assets of $92,516,344 and a total endowment of $59,252,759. Today the Foundation has total assets of $1,044,889,428 with a total endowment of $723,803,779.

OU President's Associates Program and the College of Engineering

Associate Dean Simin Pulat (left) and Jill Hughes (center), welcome President's Associates team Cassie Gilman (second from left), Kaneisha Lloyd and Sharon Alexander to the recent Women in Engineering Reception.

Did you know membership in the President’s Associates gives you a ticket to OU’s major events, including dinners featuring speakers – renowned in politics, current events, and academics – from around the world? Since its beginning in 1979, the President’s Associates program has provided unrestricted funding that allows OU’s president to deal with critical issues and pursue initiatives that enrich OU’s academic mission. Because donors can designate half of their gift to a favorite college or program, Associates funds provide the same kind of opportunities to OU deans and program directors.

Under 40? For only $500 a year, you can be a member of the President's Associates program.

To join the President's Associates program call your Engineering development staff or visit www.give.ou.edu

Do you want to know how many years you have been supporting OU? Contact one of the College of Engineering Development staff today.

Fall 2013 43

In Memoriam

Remembering John Campbell A 17-year member of the CoE Board of Visitors as well as a 1995 inductee into the Distinguished Graduates Society, the highest honor the college bestows on its graduates, there is no doubt that John Campbell has left a lasting legacy.

Remembrances: From Lance Lobban, director of the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at OU

John was a great supporter of the College of Engineering as well as of CBME. While serving on the advisory board of the Laurance Reid Gas Conditioning Conference, I learned first-hand from the leaders in that industry of John’s many contributions to the field and to the conference itself. On more than one occasion, I had conversations with John about the early conferences; he was a great source of information and a wonderful storyteller. It is remarkable that he was able to make significant contributions in so many different areas of life – education at OU, continuing and industrial education through his company, technical advances in the industry – his leadership and fellowship will be missed.

John M. Campbell, Sr. 91, of Norman, Okla., passed away Aug. 24. Campbell was born in Virden, Ill. and graduated from Burlington High School in Iowa in 1940. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering at Iowa State University in 1943.

Shortly after graduation he was assigned to the Manhattan Project by his employer, DuPont, and was part of a group that developed the atomic bombs that were dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima, which ended the war with Japan. While on the project, he met and married Gwen Thompson. That began a wonderful 61-year marriage that ended with her death in 2006.

In 1946 he came to the University of Oklahoma as a graduate student and instructor in chemical engineering. In 1951 he received a doctorate in chemical engineering, the first offered in the College of Engineering. After three years in industry, he was rehired by OU in petroleum engineering and served as the chair of the department for 12 years. He also served as the director of the Petroleum Research Center and was the Halliburton professor before resigning in 1968 to found the first of several companies to serve the international petroleum industry.

By virtue of his high-profile international energy consultancy and his successful books and technical papers, he received many national and international honors, culminating in his election to the U. S. National Academy of Engineering.

Postscript from his sons: The above obit was written by our father prior to his death.

Being respectful of his wish, we have published it as he wrote it. Dad’s modestly written announcement grossly understates his personal and professional achievements and his contributions to the Norman community and the University of Oklahoma.

His flagship company, John M. Campbell and Company, is still the worldwide leader in training for natural gas conditioning and processing. This legacy company lives on employing 50 professionals in Norman with offices in Tulsa, Katy, Texas and Edmonton, Canada.

His influence and guidance to hundreds of young men and women who had the privilege of his mentorship is greatly understated by his modest words. To this day, many of these ex-students and colleagues still consider him as, not only their father figure, but the person who most influenced their lives. His wisdom, guidance, sense of humor, fairness, generosity, integrity and compassion will be missed by all who knew him, especially his family.

44 Evolve

In Memoriam To this day, many of these ex-students and colleagues still consider him as, not only their father figure, but the person who most influenced their lives.

Reflections on the Life and Influence of “Dr. John” Bruce Stover, Petroleum Engineering ‘71 I never had the privilege of being a student of John Campbell…or Dr. John as we all endearingly called him. I was a student at OU from 1967-71, a period of great unrest and agitation sparked by the ongoing war in Viet Nam and its spillover to college campuses all across the country. Being an engineer in those times was not a popular field of study for much of the campus population in those days. In fact, I had started college with a declared intent to major in architecture.

I grew up around the oil and gas business.

My dad was a petroleum engineer from OU, but he didn’t encourage me to follow in his footsteps. In fact, he told me in the summer of 1967 that he thought there was no future in the profession, so I abandoned the thought of being a PE and followed another interest in architecture.

I first met Dr. John through my fraternity, where he was then serving as faculty advisor.

He had retired as a full time educator at OU in order to pursue building his own consultancy and to write books and teach courses for the broader oil and gas sector.

One night after dinner at the fraternity house in early 1968, he asked me about my grades and my satisfaction with my early education in architecture. My grades were very good, but I felt a lack of creativity necessary to be a great architect. He said to me “Son… you should be an engineer. In fact, you should think about petroleum engineering given your roots”. When I told him of my dad’s lack of confidence in the future of the business and the uncertain need for PEs in the future, he told me. “With all due respect to your dad, I believe we will soon be looking at a revival in the business and there are too few PE graduates in the pipeline to meet the future needs of the industry. With your grades, I’m pretty sure we can get you a scholarship and summer job with a major oil company too. By the time you graduate, things will be different.” That encouragement and a subsequent interview with PE Department Chairman, Don Menzie, led to a change in major, a scholarship and a long and fulfilling career in the energy business over the last 40 years. My dad was happy about my scholarship and years later told me “Dr. John

was right…it’s good that he was there to give you advice and encouragement”. In a great sense, I feel I owe Dr. John full credit for getting me started on the path that has led me to so many rich experiences in my professional career.

Through my work on the advisory boards for petroleum engineering and later, the College of Engineering, I was able to keep up a long relationship with Dr. John as a fellow advisor and friend. He loved hearing stories about my professional experiences, as he did with all his former students. His love for the business, its ongoing vitality and durability through many downturns was always evident. He always believed that new technologies and bright new minds would keep our industry strong and resilient. It was clear to me that he loved teaching and had the privilege of following with great interest, the careers of many of his former students.

What a joy that was for him. What a legacy he has left! All of us whose lives he touched and influenced will miss him and remember him with great appreciation and affection.

Visit the blog “Remembering Dr. John Campbell” to post your memories and reflections of this one man’s remarkable life and influence: bit.ly/16dQIkU.

Fall 2013 45

In Memoriam Jack Love Blanton died July 25, at the age of 95. Born in San Angelo, Texas, he worked as an engineer for Exxon until his retirement. Jack enjoyed playing golf and traveling. He also loved the stock market and working with investments. Jack was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Medora Blanton.

John M. Campbell, Sr. 91, of Norman, Okla., passed away Aug. 24. Campbell was born in Virden, Ill., and graduated from Burlington High School in Iowa in 1940. He received a bachelor of science degree in chemical engineering at Iowa State University in 1943.

In 1946 he came to OU as a graduate student and instructor in chemical engineering. In 1951 he received a doctorate in chemical engineering, the first offered in the College of Engineering. After three years in industry, he was rehired by OU in petroleum engineering and served as the chair of the department for 12 years. He also served as the director of the Petroleum Research Center and was the Halliburton professor before resigning in 1968 to found the first of several companies to serve the international petroleum industry.

By virtue of his high-profile international energy consultancy and his successful books and technical papers, he received many national and international honors, culminating in his election to the U. S. National Academy of Engineering.

See tribute on page 44.

Jack Jacobi Coe, Sr. died June 3, 2012, at the age of 88. Coe lived in Camarillo, Calif. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Marilyn Robinson Coe, and by a son, Cary Carson Coe. In 1945, Coe earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering at OU, where he lettered in track. He earned a master's degree from Stanford and a doctorate from USC. During World War II, Coe served in the U.S. Navy as an ensign with the Seabees. He spent time in Japan and China as a personnel officer, and would later achieve the rank of commander in the Naval Reserve Civil Engineering Corps, retiring in 1984.

His love of the classroom was evident in the adjunct teaching positions he held at the engineering departments of Cal Poly Pomona and USC. Coe also served his profession through its principal organization, the American Society of Civil Engineers, in which he held many offices throughout the years. After retiring from the Department of Water Resources, he accepted a position as a consulting engineer at Boyle Engineering in Newport Beach, Calif., retiring in 2003.

An avid Dodgers' and Lakers' fan, Jack also rooted for Oklahoma and Stanford in football, basketball and track.

Glen Curtis Cooper Longtime El Dorado, Kan., resident Glen Curtis Cooper, 102, passed away Jan. 6. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, June. Born in Edna, Okla., in 1910, Cooper earned an engineering degree at OU, and then began a 47-year career at the Kansas Gas and Electric Co. A fixture at McDonald’s for decades, Cooper was chosen to appear in a local advertisement and formed lifelong friendships with many of the employees. The “regulars” looked forward to Coop’s jokes and stories.

Cooper loved garage sales and he never met a bargain he didn’t like. He collected many things, but in particular Bibles and Frankoma Pottery. Cooper worked hard to remain independent, following his mother’s example; she lived to nearly 113.

Two members of the College of Engineering’s development staff, in conjunction with the College’s centennial celebration, visited Glen Cooper in 2010 to honor his 100th birthday. In addition to a citation of accomplishment and recognition from his alma mater, Cooper was presented with a signed Bob Stoops football, which he proudly displayed in the nursing home until his passing.

James "Jim" Brian Coulter passed away on Aug. 12, 2012, at the age of 56. Born in Oklahoma City, he earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from OU in 1980. Coulter enjoyed an exemplary professional career spanning more than three decades and was a registered professional engineer in Texas. His career culminated in 2002 with the founding of Coulter Engineering, a successful engineering firm providing services throughout Central Texas.

Richard “Dick” Franklin Dudley Jr., 77, passed away on Oct. 12, 2012 in Ada, Okla.

He graduated from Hollis High School as senior class president in 1953. Dudley graduated from OU in 1959 with a degree in Civil Engineering. While at OU, he served as co-captain of the OU Track Team, setting several state records.

Dudley served as lieutenant J.G in the U.S. Coast Guard. In 1970, he moved his family to McAlester, Okla., launching his own engineering firm in 1983, Dudley & Associates, P.C., which grew steadily over the next 30 years.

Completing projects for communities, the private sector and water and sewer districts across Oklahoma, Dudley played a key role in the state’s growth. By the 1990s, he also became a long-term consultant for projects in Virginia and Georgia.

Dudley obtained a grant to establish the one-mile running track at Mike Deak Field in McAlester. He also secured funding for dozens of Oklahoma towns to fortify roadways and water and sewer treatment systems, which garnered both lasting friendships and loyal clients.

46 Evolve

In Memoriam Harold Omar Ebeling, died Aug. 26, in Tulsa at the age of 92. Ebeling attended New Mexico Military School and graduated from Classen High School in 1939. He joined the Air Force to serve during World War II and was honorably discharged as a second lieutenant navigator in 1945. He received a bachelor's degree in civil and mechanical engineering from OU in 1948.

Ebeling was involved in Mason's Blue Lodge, OU’s College of Engineering, Phi-Kappa-Psi, Pi Tau Sigma, the Petroleum Club and First United Methodist Church. He was president of Latoka Engineering located in Tulsa and Drumright, Okla. His success was evident in the many patented gas dehydration pieces of equipment he invented.

Ebeling was married to Billie Anne Bergman 68 years. He was an avid supporter of the Oklahoma Sooners.

Leon Norman Galoob passed away Sept. 3, 2012. He was born in Ardmore on July 25, 1927, the youngest of seven siblings.

Galoob served in the U.S. Navy in 1945 and 1946 before attending OU, where in 1951, he graduated with a degree in industrial management engineering. Galoob met his wife, Charlotte Ann (Chuck), at OU. At her passing in May of 2012, they had been married 62 years.

In 1963, he and two others founded Interstate Metals.

Bernard E. “Barney" Hendricks, died Dec. 15, 2012, in Parkland, Fla., at the age of 87. Born in Aurora, Ill., he graduated from East Aurora High School in 1943. Following graduation, he served in the Marine Corps until 1945. He graduated with honors from OU in 1949 with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and worked for Exxon for 36 years designing and building off-shore drilling platforms in Aruba, Venezuela, Malaysia, Norway and the Ivory Coast. He was married to the late F. Jean Hendricks for 57 years.

Ronald Edwin Holmes, 71, passed away Oct. 7, 2012, at an Ada, Okla., hospital. He was born in Chickasha and graduated from Ada High School. He received a bachelor of science degree from OU and a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from Rice University.

Holmes was a professor of mechanical engineering at Texas A & M University, retiring in 1995. He owned and operated Holmes Ranch in Pontotoc County, raising cattle until his death.

Joe S. McEuen, 71, of Norman passed away Nov. 9, 2012. He was born in McAlester, Okla., and graduated from McAlester High School in 1959. He attended OU, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. He is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Mary Lu.

businesses, including Sterling Pipe and Supply Co. He visited China many times, including a visit as part of the Oklahoma Governor’s International Team. He was active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes and a member of OU College of Engineering Board of Visitors.

David L. Maloney, 71, passed away on Sept. 3, 2012. Maloney earned a basketball scholarship, making him the first person in his family to go to college. As the starting point guard at Mount Saint Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Md., he led the team to the 1962 NCAA Division II National Championship and scored more than 1,000 points in his career, with a highlight game of 49 points against American University. In 1963, Maloney went to work as head basketball coach and director of guidance and counseling at Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Shamokin, Pa. In 1973, he earned his master's degree in education and counseling. In 1975, he became head basketball coach at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

In 1984, Maloney left coaching to head Carnegie Mellon University's alumni organization and then served as CMU's vice president for development. In 1993, Maloney and family came to Oklahoma, beginning a career with OU. He served first as executive director of development at the OU Health Sciences Center, and then became OU's vice president for development. In that role, Maloney led the university to a new level of fundraising success, with $1.26 billion in gifts and pledges recorded during his 12 years as vice president.

In 2004, AFP, the American Fundraising Professionals organization, recognized him as Oklahoma’s Outstanding Fundraising Professional.

Following his retirement from OU in September 2006, Maloney began a new career as a fundraising consultant, establishing strong and fruitful relationships with a wide range of organizations, including the Knights of Columbus' Center of Family Love in Okarche, St. Gregory's University in Shawnee, Oklahoma City Community College and Cameron University in Lawton.

William Joseph "Bill" Westhoff died Aug. 21, 2012 in Dallas at the age of 95.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Elizabeth Jean Risser Westhoff, and two sons.

Westhoff graduated in 1940 from OU with a degree in petroleum engineering. He worked 43 years as an executive in the petroleum industry, first with Shell Oil for 25 years and retiring in 1983 as president of the Mississippi Fuel Corp.

McEuen liked everyone he met. He had a very special relationship with his business partners and he loved to work. He started a number of successful

Fall 2013 47

Class Notes Janae Branch Class of 2011 – Industrial and Systems Engineering A special supplement to the Wall Street Journal, 2013 Universum Top 100 – The Most Attractive Employers in the U.S. as Voted by 75,000 Students in the 2013 Universum Student Survey, features Halliburton at number 86. Janae’ Branch, technical professional in the supply chain rotational program at Halliburton, served as the company’s representative in the print and online piece highlighting twenty employers. read.universumtop100.com/

Scott Dennis Class of 1993 – Mechanical Engineering Scott Dennis, CEO, and Alex Kunczynski, president of D&K Engineering, recently received Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year® 2012 San Diego Award in the Business Services category. For the past 26 years, the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award has recognized outstanding entrepreneurs who demonstrate excellence and extraordinary success in such areas as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Scott and Alex were selected from nearly 100 nominations by a panel of independent judges.

Zahid Hossain Class of 2013 – Civil Engineering Zahid Hossain, recent OU doctoral graduate from the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science, was awarded the Oklahoma Transportation Center 2012 Student of the Year award at the annual meeting of the Transportation Research Board Jan. 12 in Washington, D.C. Hossain previously was granted two master’s degrees from OU in civil engineering and computer science. He received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Khulna University of Engineering and Technology in Bangladesh.

Hossain’s research focuses on transportation materials, with a particular emphasis in asphalt pavement. He has made significant contributions in the characterization of unmodified and polymer modified asphalt binders through mechanistic, surface science and spectroscopy techniques. He has conducted applied research in developing sustainable pavement infrastructures using warm mix asphalt and asphalt recycling technologies. Hossain has published 13

48 Evolve

journal and 17 peer-reviewed conference papers. He also assisted in teaching several undergraduate and graduate level courses.

Because of his academic achievement, outstanding research, contributions to transportation improvement and teaching experience, Hossain was selected for this prestigious award.

This summer, Hossain accepted a position as assistant professor of civil engineering at Arkansas State University, where he teaches statics and transportation engineering. He is an associate member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineering.

Donna Shirley Class of 1963 – Professional Writing Class of 1965 – Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Donna Shirley received the 2013 JayMac Distinguished Alumni Award from the JayMac Alumni Association at the centennial celebration of OU's Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication in September. Shirley, who retired in 2004 as director of the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame in Seattle, and is currently president of Managing Creativity, is a wellknown manager, educator, speaker, consultant and trainer on the management of creative teams.

Shirley retired in August 1998 as manager of the Mars Exploration Program after a 32-year career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. Prior to becoming manager of the Mars Exploration Program, she managed the team that built Sojourner, the Microrover, which was landed by the highly successful Mars Pathfinder project on the surface of Mars on July 4, 1997.

In 2003 she retired from OU College of Engineering, where she was assistant dean and an instructor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. Shirley has a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, plus over forty years experience in engineering of aerospace and civil systems, including 30 years in management. She has numerous technical and management awards including four honorary doctorates. She is the author of Managing Martians, published in 1998 and 1999, and Managing Creativity, available at her website.

Marshall Smith Class of 1981 – Petroleum Engineering The Houston Business Journal honored Marshall Smith as CFO of the Year: Medium Public Company in August. Smith has worked at Ultra Petroleum, an independent natural gas exploration and production company, for eight years. bit.ly/1ak8m7H

Fall 2013 49

The University of Oklahoma College of Engineering 202 W. Boyd St. Carson Engineering Center, Room 107 Norman, OK 73019-1021 Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage

PAID

University of Oklahoma