Engineers' Forum April 2022

Engineers’ Forum APRIL 2022

VOLUME 43 NUMBER 2

VIRGINIA TECH’S PREMIER STUDENT-RUN ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

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Volume 43, No. 2

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Photo / Nidhi Chopdekar

On the Cover The new Holden Hall 2.0.

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Engineering Open House 2022 Jolene Ghosh

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Transitioning Majors Jessica Barbish

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Holden Hall

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Hitt Hall

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SWE: Evening with the Industries

Nidhi Chopdekar

Johnathan Tan

Adeline Ghosh

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ENGINEERS’ FORUM GRADUATES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Julia A. Pimentel Materials Engineer at Lockheed Martin Space Mechanical Engineering PhD student at CO School of Mines

CREATIVE DIRECTOR RJ Weaver Freelance Designer at ClearEdge3D Master of Science in Computational and Advanced Design at DesignMorphine

MANAGING EDITOR Alexander Petsopoulos Aerospace Engineer at U.S. Naval Research Laboratory Aerospace Engineering M.S. student at Virginia Tech

WEBMASTER Hayley Stout UI/UX Designer for Business & Management Systems with Virginia Tech

(Background)

In the Countryside Photo / Sean Stroud, VT Spark. Instagram: @stroud_shotz

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Welcome to the April 2022 issue of Engineers’ Forum!

With the end of the spring semester near, our team is glad you picked up a copy of our magazine. In this issue, we have a wide variety of articles ranging from the experience of changing majors to exploring the newest engineering buildings on campus. Enjoy.

Jolene Ghosh leads our magazine with an article illustrating the upcoming 2022 Engineering Open House, featuring lab tours, student-led design teams, and additional programs offered by the College of Engineering to enhance our education.

Sharing her unique experience transitioning into a different engineering major, Jessica Barbish gives insight on how the pandemic impacted her education and provides advice for those interested in switching their career path.

Curious about the latest additions to the row of engineering buildings at Virginia Tech? Nidhi Chopdekar and Johnathan Tan write about Holden Hall 2.0, the mining and materials science and engineering building, and Hitt Hall, the construction engineering building. These modern facilities offer brand new laboratories, classrooms, and study spaces for students and professors.

We conclude our magazine with future Editor-in-Chief, Adeline Ghosh, who highlights the annual Evening of the Industries event hosted by the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). This opportunity enables students to interact with a variety of industry professionals and subject matter experts in hopes of inspiring the next generation of engineers.

Lastly, congratulations to all the seniors graduating in May! I want to give a huge thank you especially to RJ Weaver, our Creative Director, Alex Petsopoulos, our Managing Editor, Hayley Stout, our Webmaster, and Dianna Kim, our former Chief Copy Editor. The past few years have been challenging, especially given the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, we continue to persevere. As a graduating senior, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to lead the Engineers’ Forum family for the past 2 years; I am looking forward to the future of EF under the strong guidance of Adeline Ghosh. I urge all readers to continue spreading awareness for STEM communication, pursuing engineering outreach, and sharing your perspective and story.

Always Aspire to Exceed Expectations.

Signing off,

Julia A. Pimentel Editor-in-Chief

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Engineers’ Forum Editor-in-Chief Creative Director Chief Copy Editor Managing Editor Business Manager Social Media Manager Webmaster

Writers

Photography Team

Design Team

Faculty Advisors

@vtengineers_forum

Julia A. Pimentel - Materials Science and Engineering (‘22) RJ Weaver - Industrial Design (‘22) Bethany Hillmann - Creative Writing (‘25) Alexander Petsopoulos - Aerospace Engineering (‘22) Adeline Ghosh - Economics (‘24) Jessica Barbish - Materials Science and Engineering (‘22) Hayley Stout - Industrial Design (‘22)

Adeline Ghosh - Economics (‘24) Bethany Hillmann - Creative Writing (‘25) Jessica Barbish - Materials Science and Engineering (‘22) Johnathan Tan - Architecture (‘22) Jolene Ghosh - General Business (‘25) Nidhi Chopdekar - Computer Science (Graduate)

Nidhi Chopdekar - Computer Science (Graduate) Sean Stroud - WIldlife Conservation (‘22) Jessica Savage - General Engineering (‘25)

RJ Weaver - Industrial Design (‘22) Hayley Stout - Industrial Design (‘22) Thomas-Mark Peterson - Architecture (Graduate) Johnathan Tan - Architecture (‘22) Stella Shin - Architecture (‘25)

Linda Hazelwood Alex Parrish

Virginia Tech - Engineers’ Forum

www.vtengineersforum.com

(Background) Parts from Randolph Hall Photo / Kendal Price

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Virginia Tech’s 2022 Engineering Open House Article /

Jolene Ghosh

WELCOME

Illustrations by Stella Shin

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Kollmorgen Boxing Robots | Picture by Jolene Ghosh

What is The Engineering Open House?

This year’s Engineering Open House will be taking place in Squires Student Center on April 4th, 2022 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. It is an event that takes place each year to provide high school students with the opportunity to learn about all that Virginia Tech’s Engineering Program has for its students. Last year, the event took place in a virtual format, but this year’s open house will be an in-person event. The deadline to register was March 25th, 2022. Students are allowed to attend the open house with their parents, as well as additional guests.

Lab Tours When students registered for the open house, they were given the option to pick their top three choices for possible lab tours that they will be attending. Each student will be allowed to attend one lab tour. There were a total of 15 options available for labs to visit, including Harris Manufacturing Processes Lab, Stretch Lab, Helmet Lab, Occupational Ergonomics and Biomechanics Lab, Industrial & Systems Engineering Learning Factory, Stability Wind Tunnel, Frith Lab, Kroehling Advanced Materials Foundry, Advanced Propulsion and Power Laboratory, Hydroelasticity Lab, Ware Lab, Autonomous Master Prototyping (AMP) Lab, Holden Hall, Advanced Engineering Design Lab, and DREAMS Lab. Virginia Tech has a variety of labs available for students to use to conduct research and projects. The labs have access to the latest technology and equipment that advances students' innovation and approaches to solving problems. During lab tours, students will be able to learn more about research projects that are being conducted and facilities that will be available to them as engineering students.

The labs are one of many resources available at Virginia Tech that allows the Engineering Program to excel and promote innovative problem-solving.

Wendy & Norris E. Mitchell ‘58 Robotics Laboratory | Picture by Jolene Ghosh

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Student Organizations An opportunity that prospective Virginia Tech students will not want to miss at this year’s open house is meeting members of student engineering organizations. This allows students to get an exclusive chance to learn more about design teams and other organizations. Some of the clubs you can expect to see at the Engineering Open House include The Society of Women Engineers, Steel Bridge Design Team, Hybrid Electric Vehicle Team, Human Powered Submarine, BOLT Electric Motorcycle, and many more. The organizations will be positioned inside and outside of Squires Student Center and The Graduate Life Center. Design Teams are a great opportunity for Engineering students to gain hands-on experience working on projects and even competing with their designs.

The Phantom 4 submarine designed by the Human-Powered Submarine (HPS) Team at Virginia Tech Picture by Jolene Ghosh

The Engineering Department In addition to meeting with student organizations and participating in a lab tour, attendees of the open house will be able to take part in informational sessions to learn about the Engineering majors available at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech has 13 undergraduate degrees including Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering and Management, Electrical Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering, Materials Science Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Mining Engineering. In the past, many information sessions on the majors available to students have been given by professors at Virginia Tech. Students will also be able to meet with people from each department, so they will be able to answer any questions they may have and tell them about opportunities they would have as students.

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The CEED office at Hancock Hall Picture by Jolene Ghosh

Galipatia Living Learning Community for Engineers at Hoge Hall | Picture by Jolene Ghosh

Living Learning Communities and Peer Mentoring Programs Prospective Engineering students are also encouraged to join the Galipatia community. Galipatia consists of Galileo and Hypatia which are for male and female engineering students. It is one of the many living and learning communities that Virginia Tech has for its students and is specifically directed towards engineers and advancing the resources available to them and connections that they will make with other students. It is located in Hoge Hall which has a total of eight floors. The Galipatia program gives students the option to stay in Hoge Hall for their entire college experience or only for the first year. Students get exclusive opportunities through the Galipatia living-learning community to network with companies, have access to innovative technology, and participate in mentorship programs. Students will have access to a design lab, 3D printers, a laser cutter, and various other tools to help them succeed in any project they are conducting.

However, if a student chooses not to be part of the living-learning community, they will still be able to thrive and gain support from their fellow engineers. One form of support available to students outside of Galipatia is the CEED Peer Mentoring Program. There are four different groups available for students to choose from, including Academic Hispanic OutReach Alliance (AHORA), Black Engineering Support Teams (BEST), General Undergraduate Engineering Support Teams (GUEST), and Women in Engineering Support Teams (WEST). Through these programs, students will learn more about how to build their resumes, prepare an elevator pitch, study spots on campus, and participate in the Engineering Expo career fair and other events. The Engineering Open House will make sure students are aware of their options and opportunities to further their success as Engineering students at Virginia Tech.

Rolls Royce Trent 1000 Jet Engine at Goodwin Hall | Picture by Jolene Ghosh Volume 43, No. 2

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Transitioning Majors

Article /

Transitioning your major in college is a very difficult decision to make, as it can result in changing several classes and possibly spending additional time at college. Whether you are struggling with your classes or just not as passionate about the subject, something made you think about changing your major. There are a few things to think about when considering changing your major. You should think about why you would want to transition to your new major of choice.

Is there something leading you to believe that you would be more successful? Do you see yourself with a future in that field? You also will need to look into the requirements for both transitioning into that major, as well as what you will need to do to graduate.

It will help you to know what you will be committing to when you change your major.

Speaking from personal experience, I have transitioned my major relatively recently. I entered college as a freshman in general engineering and met the difficult decision of choosing what kind of engineering I wanted to pursue. After debating between a few, I decided to go into Mechanical Engineering. I wasn’t sure of the decision as it seemed like a huge decision to make when I still didn’t quite understand how my future and career would be affected. However, I felt that I enjoyed physics and seemed interested in the field in general, so I decided to pursue the

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Jessica Barbish (‘22)

major. Sophomore year started off without much of a change, as many of my classes were still ones that everyone needed to complete for several engineering majors. My choice of major had very little effect on my class schedule, and I made it through happily with my decision.

Then during my second semester of sophomore year, we were hit by COVID, which changed a lot in my life. School went online, and I was faced with the challenges of a new lifestyle and method of learning. In general, I didn’t like online schooling and the transition of not sitting in the classroom, but I kept on going through it all. During this time, I started to have my doubts about my choice in major. As soon as junior year came around, I started to ask myself the hard questions about what I wanted to do with my life. I honestly was struggling to figure out what track I wanted to take in my career and what I wanted to pursue. I could tell my initial investment in the major had already started to waver, as I was starting to look at the possibilities not typically offered as part of Mechanical Engineering. I started to wonder if maybe I had chosen wrong back in my freshman year when I applied for the major change. This was just the first sign of many where I could tell that something was wrong, but I figured I was already too far into my major to change, as it was already my junior year.

reignited for me, and it made everything a lot easier for me. My classes became less of a burden and more of something I looked forward to in life. I attended engineering expo again and managed to secure two interviews and eventually two possible internships to choose from. I had never had success from the career fairs, but suddenly several opportunities became present at once, and I was fully invested in the thrill of my new found passion. I also was invited to attend the Materials Science and Technology Conference and loved the trip that let me learn about some current research in the field, as well as making new connections. I can truly say that I have never felt more satisfied and happy with my decision to change to Materials Science Engineering.

All this showed me that, while changing my plan in life was intimidating and a difficult decision to make, it was worth it in the end. I also learned that I was far from the only one going through this change, as I made several friends who also changed majors too.

I don’t think it is ever too late to change your future plans and find your passion. Always feel free to talk to others about the change or see the transitional advisors at Virginia Tech to help you make your decision. I am now happily continuing my classes in Materials Science Engineering and pursuing a career in the metallurgical field. I look forward to my future and can’t wait to see what will happen next in my life.

Getting to the end of my junior year, I found I struggled with classes and did not have as much interest in my classes. It wasn’t that it was too hard for me, but that I wasn’t invested in the topics anymore. I wasn’t sure what to do at this point, as I knew that I had a big decision to make: changing my major, taking a break from school and working for a year, or trying some alternative beyond that. The whole process took a lot of thought, and I ended up talking to several people to gather my thoughts and the reasons for each decision. After a lot of debate and discussing the further steps I would need to take for this decision, I decided to apply for Materials Science Engineering. I was accepted and began the transition into my new major.

Transitioning majors did change my courses and would require me to stay for an additional year than originally planned, but I was alright with this change.

I was worried that I may be making another mistake, but I figured it was best to just try my best to succeed and see where it takes me. As fall semester came along, I was completely immersed in materials courses from the very beginning. I found myself happy to actually enjoy my classes and lectures and be more invested in the topics discussed in class. I could tell I had a change from within. The spark of passion was

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Holden Hall shines bright on a sunny morning.

Photo / Nidhi Chopdekar

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All about Holden Hall “Holden Hall 2.0 is all set to reopen this spring” Article /

Nidhi Chopdekar (Graduate)

Holden Hall is an academic facility that houses the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Department of Mining and Mineral Engineering, in addition to the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research. The building was originally built in 1940 and has now been renovated in 2022. Holden Hall 2.0 will contribute to Virginia Tech’s academic mission of becoming a top global university. The most exciting part about the renovation is that it brings all the faculty members, students and laboratories together, which were formerly spread out.

History: The construction of the former building was completed in 1940, and it was known as the Mineral Industries Building, until 1949, when it was renamed as Holden Hall. Holden Hall is named after the notable geologist, Roy Jay Holden, who was also the head of the Geology Department of Virginia Tech for 38 years. He was well known for siting the first gas well at Virginia Tech and locating water wells when a shortage threatened the university, but it was in the classroom that he built his true legacy. He was a great instructor who stimulated a lifetime scientific interest in his students. Due to maintenance issues, Virginia Tech announced that the 80-year-old building would undergo extensive renovations and started the renovation in the beginning of the academic year 2019-2020.

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Construction Background:

Renovated Space:

The original building was spread over 42,100 GrossSquare-Foot (GSF). In addition to a tiny basement, the structure had a three-story south wing with a total area of approximately 20,166 GSF and single-story east and north wings with a total area of approximately 21,648 GSF. The renovation project expanded the building’s three-story south wing, demolished the single-story east and north wings and replaced the north wing with a new four-story wing, in addition to the replacement of the east wing with a new three-story wing. Each of these replacements matched the footprint of the original single-story wings. The replacement wings sum up to a total of 86,600 GSF. The overall building totals 102,000 GSF of new and renovated space. The construction can be tracked live on the Virginia Tech website, along with the time-lapse video and photo galleries at https://www.mining.vt.edu/news/holden-hall-renovation.html. Ultimately, the project was made possible through the support of the state and commercial donors.

Holden Hall has nearly tripled in size, transforming the old building into a centerpiece of research and learning for the Department of Mining & Minerals Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering. The revamped building reinforces academic, research and transdisciplinary learning offerings for these two departments. Furthermore, the upgrade enhances experimental learning and boosts the recruiting opportunities for students of the department. The renovation will enormously benefit the research conducted by the two departments. Inside the newly developed wings are new labs and computational spaces, as well as classrooms equipped with cutting-edge technology, such as A/V capabilities, transmission electron microscopes for observing natural resources, and internet connections for collaborating with other projects around the world. Students will be able to learn from resources given by quarries, as well as autonomous devices made by electrical and mechanical engineering students, by immersing in an artificial mining environment. In addition, students will be able to evaluate samples at the atomic level, utilizing the most advanced technologies.

Facilities:

Renovated Holden Hall.

Photo / Nidhi Chopdekar

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New laboratories built as part of the renovations will revolutionize the development of materials, utilizing cutting-edge technology. Larger equipment was added in the laboratories that were missing in the previous ones, which was a limiting factor for research. Three new 50seat classrooms will promote academic programming, while new computing spaces will encourage transdisciplinary cooperation. Its spacious laboratories and collaborative spaces will enhance team learning. Holden Hall’s two-story space will allow students to work closely with natural materials. Mining Engineering students can work

on autonomous mining in the glasses-in area of the two-story mine. The Center for Autonomous Mining and Robotics, will now be called the Mock Mine.

One of its important features is the three scaled pits that can be filled with any kind of mined materials, making it very customizable. This mine is available to students on campus, which makes it a part of the student’s day to day academic life, allowing them to experience hands-on learning. The fourth floor of the building has a computational space with well equipped novel technologies. The labs can be used for a variety of discovery opportunities where students can build 3D ore body models. The renovated space will benefit all the students of Virginia Tech.

The active learning spaces in the building are open to the entire campus community, which will help in pioneering new teaching strategies. General assignment classrooms will help students across the university, and multiple disciplinary research will allow faculty from other departments to partner with the departments in Holden Hall in order to conduct research. The modern up-to-date facility will help attract talented students and faculty now and in the near future.

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A V ISION OF TH E FU TU RE O F C ON STRU C TIO N E N GIN E E RIN G Article + Graphics / Johnathan

Tan

A wave of new construction engineering, management, and building construction majors is about to shake up the status quo at Virginia Tech and respond to the increasing demand in the growing construction industry. Enter Hitt Hall. Located near West Campus Drive, the building hopes to provide an environment conducive to innovation and development.

In a collaboration between the College of Architecture and Urban Studies and the College of Engineering, Hitt Hall plans to expand the physical presence of the Myer-Lawson School of Construction through the development of a state-of-the-art building. This 100,000 sq. ft. facility will bring together students by forming bridges between different disciplines and contributing critical dining and academic spaces to the overall campus experience.

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Co nc e pt io n + F unding

With any construction venture, funding is vital, and this key came in the form of the Hitt family, whose HITT Contracting Foundation contributed $5 million to the realization of this building.

“The HITT family has always cared deeply about philanthropic efforts and volunteerism, particularly with regards to construction education, technology, and community building.”

BRETT HITT, Co-Chairman of HITT Contracting

Along with the donations from multiple sources, the building – once completed – will complement the $45.5 million Intelligent Infrastructure Complex currently under development along the western end of campus that incorporates two new interdisciplinary research and education buildings and intelligent dining facilities.

Brett Hitt (highlighted) with his father, Russell Hitt, and James Millar.

Arc hi tec t ure

Designed by Cooper Cary Architects, Hitt Hall will take on a classic collegiate gothic expression, including Virginia Tech’s signature Hokie Stone cladding. With the hybridization of modernity and tradition, the building will remain aligned with the university’s Campus Design Principles while utilizing newer fabrication techniques.

Complementing the building, are two outdoor terraces integrated seamlessly into the architecture through consistency in materiality.

As the global movement of more environmentally conscious decision-making expands, Hitt Hall will aim to obtain or exceed LEED Silver Certification, a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement and leadership. This checklist covers a wide range of practices such as utilizing energy-efficient HVAC systems and windows, water-efficient plumbing, refillable water bottle stations, and building materials secured through sustainable procurement practices.

Image (above): Graphic by Johnathan Tan, Original render courtesy of Virginia Tech Capital Construction.

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Additionally, Hitt Hall will feature a new dining facility to increase and evenly distribute dining services for students, faculty, and staff on the Blacksburg campus.

This 600-seat, full-service multi-venue dining facility will be spread across two floors in the building’s west wing, with flexible general assignment classrooms on the third floor and open collaboration zones.

Co mmunit y Im pa c t Despite only having under 200 graduating students in the Construction Engineering major in 2019-2020, the Myer-Lawson School of Construction remains ambitious. The building’s unique two-story Innovation Lab will provide program opportunities for temporary and large-scale student-based projects, spawning countless connections between partner companies and students to reinforce the recruiting pipeline that exists today.

Graphic by Johnathan Tan, render courtesy of Virginia Tech Capital Construction.

“Hitt Hall will enable us to double the undergraduate enrollment in our Construction Engineering and Management and Building Construction programs.”

ROSEMARY BLIESZNER, Interim Dean, College of Architecture and Urban Studies

Current construction progress of Hitt Hall. Photo by Johnathan Tan

Lo o ki n g A he a d

Since obtaining the funding approval from Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors in August 2021, Hiit Hall has gone on to break ground on February 2, 2022, in a ceremony attended by school leaders and donors, which marked the beginning of the construction currently underway. This vision of the Myer-Lawson School of Construction’s future ambition aims at completion in the spring of 2024.

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EWI volunteers helping to sign in companies and students.

Photo / SWE at VT

Evening with the Industries: An Event Brought to Students by SWE 19

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Article /

Adeline Ghosh (‘24)

EWI, what is it?

Evening with the Industries is an event planned by the EWI chair from SWE. The purpose of the event is to introduce students to companies in a more intimate setting before the CAMEO career fair. This year, the venue was the Lane Stadium Club, which provided the perfect place for students to meet company representatives in a location that makes them comfortable! EWI is especially useful for students who have not attended a career fair before, since it gives them the opportunity to network more casually, rather than having a lot of pressure on an elevator speech. Companies also appreciate having time to get to know students on a personal level before getting down to business at CAMEO.

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Introducing the EWI Chair: Megan Gulian, a sophomore in Biomedical Engineering, was the student behind the whole event! She worked from Fall of 2021, all the way up, until the late February event date. Gulian planned elements like hors d’oeuvres (with associated catering), decorations, and gathered companies to participate.

She worked on budgeting with the SWE sponsor and treasurer to ensure that the event would have everything that she thought was necessary. For a venue, she ended up choosing the Lane Stadium Club.

This venue was great for students since it provided a comforting place in the stadium they know and love.

The Day of the Event:

Lane Stadium Venue.

Photo / Adeline Ghosh

The venue was not available until about an hour before the event started. Luckily, SWE officers were happy to jump in and help with tasks like decorations, set-up, student and company check-in, and final clean up. Meanwhile, Gulian focused on making sure that final details were done, for example, setting up company name tags and student maps, and personally working with caterers and company representatives to make sure the event went smoothly.

Students talking with Dewberry.

Photo / SWE at VT

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Students appreciated the event since it gave them an opportunity to get to know company representatives on a more personal level. They were able to speak with representatives without having to prepare an elevator speech and could really take a genuine shot at networking.

In terms of company turnout, there were a total of 19 companies that attended. Some of which included Boeing, Dewberry, Collins Aerospace, General Motors, etc. Each company brought a number of representatives which allowed for a more even representative to student ratio.

EWI Event.

Photo / SWE at VT

Conclusions: Overall, the Evening with the Industries is a great opportunity for students who would like to network and get more comfortable before the Cameo Career Fair.

It is open to all engineering students and includes a variety of companies from different backgrounds to ensure that all students have representatives to visit at the event. For companies, it gives them an opportunity to get to know students more personally before recruiting them for intern or full-time positions. This can be helpful since the conversation is less scripted and more free flowing due to the casual setting. EWI is an event that takes place every year in the early spring time, so be sure to look out for this event next year!

Students talking with GM. Photo / SWE at VT

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