Fairfield University - School of Engineering Update - 2022

SCHOOL OF

ENGINEERING

U P DAT E FAIRFIELD UNIVERSITY | SPRING 2022

PREPARING CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS TO FIGHT BACK SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE | SPRING 2022 i

Message from the Dean

E

ach fall semester, we welcome eager high school students and their families to our beautiful campus for Fairfield University’s open house events. I enjoy these interactions tremendously, especially because this reflects on our identity and our pledge to be present, meet students and their families, and support them along their journey. It is also a wonderful opportunity to communicate the uniqueness of our School of Engineering. Typically, at each open house event, I reflect on how formative the next four years will be in their lives.

The college years are a period of personal and professional growth, so the decision of which college to attend is an important one in more than one aspect; it is one with lifelong value. As a Jesuit-educated engineer myself, I can point back to many teaching moments I experienced, role models I interacted with, and especially to the environment that allowed me to grow personally and professionally while honing my human skills — all of which have stayed with me for decades.

“Standing on the foundation of our Ignatian pedagogical framework and the Magis Core Curriculum, Fairfield engineers and computer scientists become leaders in their fields who display critical thinking, excellent communication skills, and a profound awareness of greater societal and environmental issues.”

This is why at open house events, I make sure to emphasize a simple takeaway: while we offer students an excellent experience and campus environment during their years at Fairfield, we are passionately focused on who they will become when prepared with a Fairfield Engineering education.

ON THE COVER:

The School of Engineering launched an MS in Cybersecurity program in the fall of 2020.

SCHOOL OF

ENGINEERING

U P DAT E Andres Leonardo Carrano, PhD Dean Harvey Hoffman, EdD Associate Dean and Interim Chair, Computer Science and Engineering Elif Kongar, PhD Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Jessica Teri, MS Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies Uma Balaji, PhD Chair, Department of Electrical and Biomedical Engineering Shahrokh Etemad, PhD Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering

Standing on the foundation of our Ignatian pedagogical framework and Magis Core Curriculum, Fairfield engineers and computer scientists become leaders in their fields who display critical thinking, excellent communication skills, and a profound awareness of greater societal and environmental issues. They understand their social responsibility for using their talents, technical skills, and precision of thought in an ethical manner and as contributors towards a more just and equitable society.

Sara Colabella ’08, MA’11 Integrated Marketing Manager

My hope is that our prospective students see what many already know: that the Fairfield University School of Engineering is a remarkable place where we produce engineers with a higher purpose.

Send Inquiries to: School of Engineering Fairfield University 1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, CT 06824-5195 203-254-4147 fairfield.edu/soe

Sincerely,

Phil Maroney Director of Development Nancy (Gelston) Dobos ’91 Designer

Follow us on social media:

Andres Leonardo Carrano, PhD Dean & Professor of Mechanical Engineering ii S PR IN G 2 02 2 | SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE

FairfieldUniversitySOE @fairfieldengineering

Contents

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Study Abroad Opens World of Opportunity Engineers Excel at International Baja SAE Competition Students and Professors Innovate with 3D-Printing for Organ Transplant Preparing Cybersecurity Professionals to Fight Back Undergraduate Students Showcase Biomedical Research on National Stage Welcome Elif Kongar, PhD

Future Engineers Compete at StagHack Ronald M. Salvatore ’64: Cultivating the Next Generation of Engineering Leaders

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE | SPRING 2022 1

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING FAST FACTS

#2

TOP 5

Public and Private Universities in Connecticut

Jesuit Universities

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

#3

100% Placement Rate

Best Colleges 2022, Northern Region

six months after graduation*

U.S. News & World Report

75%

14:1

Engineering students participating in one or more industry internships

Undergraduate student-to-professor ratio

$72,499

Median starting salary for Fairfield University SOE graduates*

*Based on respondents to Class of 2021 survey

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“Fairfield University is thrilled about offering a unique study abroad program that can lead into an articulated five-year international MS degree.”

Jessica Teri Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies School of Engineering

Study Abroad Opens World of Opportunity Imagine boarding a plane and landing not only in a new country, but in a new learning opportunity, designed to offer a global perspective on classroom courses. Students in Fairfield University’s School of Engineering can do exactly that when they choose from one of two programs offered

by Global Fairfield.

“Fairfield University is thrilled about offering a unique study abroad program that can lead into an articulated fiveyear international MS degree,” said Jessica Teri, assistant dean for undergraduate studies at the School of Engineering.

“These learning opportunities optimize the international setting and bring an elevated, global understanding to a student’s undergraduate experience.”

Offering undergraduate students opportunities to become globally aware leaders through international travel, Global Fairfield allows engineering students to choose from specially tailored programs designed to expand their horizons in engineering education.

In the fall semester of junior year, students can study select courses in either mechanical or biomedical engineering at Fairfield’s partner institution, the prestigious National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG). Coursework in this Galway program is primarily focused on engineering courses and is accompanied by core or elective courses.

According to Assistant Dean Teri, students who complete the Galway program as undergraduates become eligible for graduate admission consideration. “Successful completion of the undergraduate semester of study in biomedical engineering will allow for assessment by NUIG for a conditional admission into their one-year master’s in

biomedical engineering program — a top-ranked program,” she noted.

While the semester-long study abroad program in Galway is in its third year, engineering students also have a new option to pursue their studies in Spain. “Anticipated to launch in the academic year 2022-23, is the mechanical or electrical engineering semester abroad program with IQS School of Engineering at Universitat Ramon Llull, a Jesuit institution in Barcelona,” Teri said. “This program has been custom-built between the Fairfield University and IQS engineering schools. Students in this program will enroll in a prescribed curriculum based on their major field of study.”

Fairfield juniors who attend IQS can choose from either electrical or mechanical engineering tracks for a fall semester experience.

According to Teri, study abroad opportunities available to engineering students have real-world benefits that extend far beyond the undergraduate experience. “Many engineering students find it very difficult to study offcampus for a semester because of the rigorous and lockstep nature of their academic schedule,” she said. “The School of Engineering and Global Fairfield believe that incorporating an international study-abroad experience while an undergrad will benefit them both professionally and personally.”

In addition to the semester-long study abroad experiences, there are also short-term options available during winter or S summer breaks for students to earn core or elective credit. l For more information, visit fairfield.edu/globalfairfield.

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ENGINEERS EXCEL AT INTERNATIONAL BAJA SAE COMPETITION Seven students from the School of Engineering competed at the Baja SAE Design Competition and Validation Event in Louisville, Kentucky in May 2021.

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t Louisville’s Drop Forge Proving Grounds, the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Baja Competition featured teams of students designing, building, and racing singleseat, off-road vehicles that can operate in dirt, mud, and on rocky, rough terrain, within a strict set of design rules. This year’s competition operated in a hybrid model in order for international teams to participate.

“The Baja Design Competition is an international event that requires students to go through the entire design process, which includes fabrication and testing, cost analysis, conformance to design standards, technical report writing, and project management. The main outcome is becoming familiar with industry-wide design processes and preparing [engineering students] for the workforce,” explained Sriharsha Srinivas Sundarram, PhD, the Brinkman Family Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering, who serves as SAE Baja co-advisor with adjunct professor Robert Wojna.

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Representing Fairfield University at Baja SAE were Daniel (Tea Young) Kim ’22, George Barlow ’23, Clarissa Rotonto ’22, Nwachukwu Ibekwe ’22, Ryan Peterson ’22, Ali Al Rawendoozi ’22, and Joseph Liucci ’23.

Fairfield’s Baja Buggy team is led by students and prepares them to be career-ready after they graduate.

The competition also helps students build important connections with peers and engineering companies.

The students’ journey to the competition began last year, in the middle of the pandemic, when they inherited the previous Fairfield team’s unfinished vehicle. Consulting with former team members, they came up with a design and began work.

“When I first saw the buggy, I had absolutely no thought of us driving with it to the competition, but through a ton of dedication and late-night welding, fabrication, and design, it was brought to life! And man, it was cool seeing it rip up the hill by the loading dock,” said Al Rawendoozi.

Out of 150 team entries, Fairfield’s Baja Buggy was one of

only 60 to pass all inspections for the final endurance race in Louisville, and placed well in both the Hill Climb and Suspension & Traction categories.

“We are thankful to the Earl & Hildagunda Brinkman Family Foundation for their continuous support and encouragement in promoting the Baja Vehicle international competition,” commented Shahrokh Etemad, PhD, Mechanical Engineering Department Chair. “Students worked extremely hard to get the vehicle ready for the competition, while also going through final exams.”

Describing the experience, Al Rawendoozi said, “We have all gotten to know each other’s strengths, and through building the buggy we’ve exchanged a ton of knowledge and skills. I would say it’s made all of us better and more well-rounded engineers.”

Already revving up for next year’s competition at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Fairfield’s Baja team is using their knowledge and experience from this year’s event to race ahead with a brand-new vehicle design that is certain S to drive them across the finish line to victory. l

LEFT: Fairfield’s Baja Team fine tunes the vehicle before the endurance race.

ABOVE: Seven students from the School of Engineering competed at the Baja SAE Design Competition and Validation Event in Louisville, Kentucky in May 2021.

Contributed photos

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STUDENTS AND PROFESSORS INNOVATE WITH 3D-PRINTING FOR ORGAN TRANSPLANT

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rofessor Sriharsha Sundarram, PhD, and his team of students are building three-dimensional tissue scaffolds in a lab, allowing living cells to proliferate and aiding in the development of artificial organs.

With the development of a three-dimensional framework, the cells are able to attach and grow in all directions, which replicates more closely their behavior in the human body. The challenge is that the surface on which the cells grow must be either porous or hollow, explained Dr. Sundarram, the Brinkman Family Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering.

“Think of a sponge, with all the channels throughout it,” he said. “Likewise, a tissue scaffold has to have channels.

Yet, the 3D-printed scaffold is made of polymer and that is not a porous material. We must create the pores in order to increase surface area and roughness, allowing for better cell adhesion and growth during cell culture.”

Because the process used to create these pores must be chemical-free, since even trace amounts of chemicals have the potential to interrupt cell development, Dr. Sundarram and his undergraduate research assistants use a process called “microwave foaming.” With this technique, carbon dioxide is diffused into the scaffold using high pressure.

The scaffold is then placed into a microwave synthesizer for heating. As the polymer tries to outgas and escape, it generates microscopic pores, thus forming the structure.

Once the scaffolds are seeded with cells, they are placed into bioreactor chambers fitted with sensors and fluidic networks that encourage cell growth. Within 10 days, new cells should fill the entire scaffold.

Currently, the team is growing a particular type of cancer

“I was looking for a research experience and this one piqued my interest because it was very intricate. I was also excited about using instruments like the scanning electron microscope and contributing to cancer research.”

Nwachukwu Ibekwe ’22

cell so that professor of biology Shelley Phelan, PhD, and her students can complete their study of a drug they hope will be effective in treating breast cancer. This lab-created tissue can provide a way for doctors to understand the effects of drugs and drug interactions on a system, said Dr. Sundarram.

The three-dimensional scaffolds will serve another purpose as well. “Because they replicate the function of tissue within the body more closely, fabrication of a scalable, inexpensive system for the development of bio-artificial organs is a key outcome. The end result will hopefully be organ transplantation,” said Dr. Sundarram.

The students assisting Dr. Sundarram ­— seniors Nwachukwu Ibekwe, Stephanie Prado, Sean Feeney, and Clarissa Rotonto – hail from Fairfield’s mechanical and biomedical engineering programs.

Ibekwe, a mechanical engineering student from Nigeria, began working with Dr. Sundarram last year. “I was looking for a research experience and this one piqued my interest because it was very intricate,” Ibekwe recalled. “I was also excited about using instruments like the scanning electron microscope and contributing to cancer research.”

Typically, Dr. Sundarram’s students design the scaffolds, test them, carry out procedures, and analyze cell growth and viability. They also prepared a project presentation, “Micro-Bioreactor for Tissue Scaffolds,” for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition in November 2021.

“Learning how the properties of materials function at a nano level is very helpful,” said Ibekwe, who has an interest in system dynamics and hopes to go into the aerospace industry someday. “This research experience, my training, and the chance to learn how to use these machines will be very useful in my future career.”

Dr. Sundarram presented his research on campus this past October when he delivered the prestigious Robert E. Wall lecture, an annual lecture series celebrating S outstanding scholarly research. l

ABOVE LEFT: Students assisting Dr. Sundarram build three-dimensional tissue scaffolds in a lab.

RIGHT: Dr. Sundarram and his research assistants analyze tissue scaffolds.

Photos by Fairfield University Media Center 6 S PRIN G 2 02 2 | SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE

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CYBERCRIMINALS STOLE ALMOST A TRILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR; THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING’S NEW CYBERSECURITY LAB PREPARES GRADUATES TO STOP THEM.

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PREPARING CYBERSECURITY PROFESSIONALS TO FIGHT BACK

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he estimated global losses from cybercrime in 2020 were projected at almost $1 trillion, as the coronavirus pandemic — with everyone working from home, doing everything on their phones and computers — opened up new vulnerabilities for cybercriminals to exploit. That figure is according to a recent report in The Washington Post, citing data from the Center for Strategic and International Studies and computer security company McAfee. It is almost double the financial losses from cybercrime in 2018.

To address the demand for cybersecurity professionals across industries both nationally and internationally — from the public to the private sector — Fairfield University’s School of Engineering launched a Cybersecurity graduate program in the fall of 2020.

“The main goal of the master’s program is to prepare professionals for the cybersecurity space with both technical hands-on experience and a broad understanding of the policies required for security governance in most companies,” said Dean of the School of Engineering Andres

L. Carrano, PhD. “The students who graduate from this program will be able to assess and remediate threats, but also to participate actively in all the managerial aspects of the cybersecurity program of an organization.”

The scale of the demand for cybersecurity professionals is staggering. According to The New York Times, citing a report by leading research company Cybersecurity Ventures, there will be as many as 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs globally this year, as cybercrime damages climb into the trillions of dollars.

With such staggering anticipated demand, Fairfield’s MS in Cybersecurity program has much to offer, and with its location in the middle of a thriving Northeast life-science and data-science corridors, Cybersecurity graduates are well-positioned to gain full-time employment in the field after graduation.

Dean Carrano said, “We offer a master’s degree in cybersecurity that can be completed entirely online with the flexibility to choose between two concentrations: a technical and a managerial track. We aim to become a steady and reliable source of cybersecurity experts to a wide array of companies.”

The School of Engineering program is supported by a new state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Lab, designed in partnership with Pulse Secure, the leading provider of Zero Trust Secure Access solutions. The lab supports the cybersecurity curriculum both in-person and online, and provides students with a realistic environment to solve sophisticated, real-world security threats.

Admission to the program is open to students who hold a bachelor’s degree and come from a broad array of professional or academic backgrounds such as — but not limited to — information technology, business, engineering, science, and law.

Similar to other graduate-level engineering programs at the School of Engineering, the Cybersecurity program requires a two-semester capstone experience. During the capstone, students work in teams with local businesses or nonprofits to take on cybersecurity tasks that could vary from running vulnerability scans to implementing cybersecurity S frameworks. l Learn more about the program at fairfield.edu/cybersecurity.

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Students Showcase Biomedical Research on National Stage “My biggest takeaway from the conference is how much great work is being done out there to advance healthcare and serve people. It reminded me how exciting this field is, and the impact we can have for so many people.”

Stephanie Rodgers BME’23

RIGHT: (l-r) Stephanie Rodgers BME’23,

Chizimuzo Chibuko ’22, and Jenna Madigan ’22 were given the opportunity to present original research at the 2021 Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Contributed by Stephanie Rodgers

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hree undergraduate engineering students took their research from the School of Engineering to a national stage this fall, at the 2021 Biomedical Engineering Society Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

Chizimuzo Chibuko ’22, Jenna Madigan ’22, and Stephanie Rodgers ’23 were given the unique opportunity to present original research to a national audience of industry and academic professionals and leaders. The students participated in the poster presentations with research they conducted under the supervision of assistant professor of biomedical engineering Isaac Macwan, PhD. Fairfield junior Stephanie Rodgers presented original research conducted over the summer at the University of Alabama, as part of a research experience for undergraduate students (NSF REU), which focused on identifying frequency bands of interest to support automated identification of swallowing activities in sEMG (surface electromyography) datasets. Commenting on her overall conference experience, she said, “My biggest takeaway from the conference is how much great work is being done out there to advance healthcare and serve people. It reminded me how exciting this field is, and the impact we can have for so many people.”

Jenna Madigan presented her research, “The Onset of Mismatch Repair by the Human Mismatch Repair Protein,

MutSbeta,” which examined the role that MutSbeta plays in identifying DNA errors, which when left unfound, can lead to Lynch Syndrome and colorectal cancer. Reflecting on her time in Orlando, Madigan noted, “My biggest takeaway from the conference was that the power of young minds will be instrumental in the future of biomedical engineering. The innovation was so exciting to see and be a part of, and I hope to be able to return in the future!”

Chizimuzo Chibuko presented “The Computational Approach to Understanding LAT1 and Gabapentin.” Her research was conducted with Tanmay Mehta, a student from Cornell University, under the guidance of Dr. Macwan.

In addition to presenting their research, students throughout the conference had the ability to meet representatives from biomedical engineering schools. There were presentations from students and professionals from the biomedical industry as well as other disciplines like biochemistry.

Chibuko said, “It was great to be at the center of so many new and innovative technologies and research. I talked to some PhD students from different schools and was exposed to some of the new and upcoming discoveries in the medical engineering world. I also got to interact with new people from different schools and gained some new S insights on possible [future] projects.” l

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WELCOME ELIF KONGAR, PHD

Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research Prior to joining Fairfield, you were a professor at the University of Bridgeport. What drew you to the field?

Prior to joining Fairfield, I was a professor of technology management and mechanical engineering, and the chair of the Technology Management Department at the School of Engineering at the University of Bridgeport (UB). My professional background is in industrial engineering.

My inspiration comes from my parents. My mother was the first female general manager of an insurance company in Europe and my father was a sociology professor. I learned the value of education at an early age and dedicated my whole life to academic pursuits. I had extraordinary role models, especially STEM teachers who played an important role in my decision to pursue a career in STEM. I am, however, also a literature, art, and drama enthusiast who was lucky enough to choose a discipline that allowed me to combine creativity and analytical thinking in my work. Industrial engineering is a perfect bridge between decision makers and engineers, which allows interpersonal and analytical skills to grow concurrently.

Can you tell me about your research on economic and environmental sustainability?

I am passionate about my research that aims to create environmental and social sustainability models for circular economies. My main goal as a scholar is to add value to the discipline and to society. By working on creating economically feasible and environmentally benign solutions, I feel like I can contribute to both more easily 12 S PR IN G 2 02 2 | SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE

than in any other research field. I also believe it is the responsibility of every scholar to add value to society. Upon arrival to Fairfield University, I became the faculty advisor for the Engineers without Borders student organization.

Can you tell me about your involvement in encouraging women to join the STEM field?

With rapidly advancing technologies, fostering a culture of continuous, interdisciplinary learning for groups that are historically underrepresented is important. Mentoring underrepresented women by equipping them with skills is crucial if we are to accommodate for this changing technological environment. Women in STEM also suffer from a lack of networking opportunities. In this regard, I aspire to build long-term collaborations in the form of women-led mentorship opportunities.

As a leader, I am committed to promoting an inclusive culture, being fully aware that collaboration among diverse groups is the best way to cultivate innovation and creativity. I am the department editor of the IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management journal and an active member of various national and international technical committees, advisory boards, program committees, and editorial boards, which allows me to interact with and support many STEM women. I also serve as an elected member of the IEEE Technology and Engineering Management Society Board of Governors and chair of the IEEE TEMS Professional Training and Education Ad Hoc Committee. Under the leadership of Barbara Porter, chief operating officer at Fragrance.com, we recently

initiated a podcast series where we primarily interview women in STEM. What excites you the most about becoming the associate dean for Graduate Studies and Research at Fairfield’s School of Engineering? What do you most look forward to in your first year?

I look forward to continuing to strengthen our collaboration with other schools and offices to grow our programs and offer new ones that will put us on the international map.

I would like to realign our curriculum and create more visibility to attract a wide range of industry professionals and engineering graduates.

I’m also interested in teaching subjects both inside and outside my area of expertise. I firmly believe that today we are responsible for training students for job titles that do not yet exist. I also look forward to being more involved in student organizations, increasing research activities and grant applications, and contributing to a culture of support and S scholarship based on mutual respect and collaboration. l

A SAMPLING OF COMPANIES THAT HIRE FAIRFIELD SOE GRADUATES AND INTERNS

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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS B.S. in Biomedical Engineering B.S. in Computer Science B.S. in Electrical Engineering B.S. in Mechanical Engineering

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AND SOCIETIES

FUTURE ENGINEERS COMPETE AT STAGHACK If you’ve ever participated in a hackathon, you’re

students participating from all over the world, with

Innovator’s / 3D Printing Club

probably familiar with that edge-of-your-seat

two first-place winners.”

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

feeling as the clock counts down while you

During the competition, each team had to solve

feverishly innovate to solve a real-world problem.

healthcare-themed problem sets; the solutions

Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)

At this year’s first-ever “StagHack,” high school

were then judged by School of Engineering

students did just that.

faculty members. Joining the presenter panel this

Engineers Without Borders (EWB) Engineering Student Society (ESS) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Tau Beta Phi (Engineering Honor Society)

A hackathon is an event for students interested

year were Scott Wilson, chief of staff and vice

in problem-solving, working on a team, and

president of product development at Goodroot

collaborating with others to solve a problem and

Inc., and Nicholas Mercadante ’04, founder and

present their solutions. At the StagHack hackathon,

chief executive officer at Pursue Care.

teams collaborated with mentors to solve issues in the biomedical and healthcare industry.

One of the winning teams developed an app that would help young adult drug users connect with

This year’s hackathon featured keynote speaker

resources anonymously. The app was designed to

Gary Sorrentino, global deputy chief information

connect individuals with emergency services, alert

officer at Zoom. During his speech, he discussed

nearby hospitals of a potential overdose, provide

how Zoom became the dominant communication

information on signs of what an overdose looks

platform for business and social interaction during

like, and show how to use Naloxone in the event

the pandemic.

of an overdose. StagHack’s winning teams were

“We had such a successful hackathon event,” said Assistant Dean of the School of Engineering Jessica Teri. “We had about 40 high school

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awarded both scholarship and cash prizes. lS

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Bridgeport Engineering Institute Scholarship Maciej Lewicki ’23 Dylan Richardson ’23 Keshav Sule ’23 Maeve O’Connell ’25

Alexis Zaveruha Bridgeport Engineering Institute Scholarship Phil-Jay Whyte ’25

2020-21 Bernadette and John Porter Scholarship Nicholas Belov ’25 Faizah Chowdhury ’25

Martha Rogers Bridgeport Engineering Institute Scholarship

Phuc Nguyen ’25

Noor Khattak ’23

Luke Brown ’25

Matthew Shoneye ’25 Amir Alibali ’25 Maria Pettigrew ’25

J. Gerard Phelan Scholarship

Chayne Howard ’25

Kafo Bagagnan ’23

Jack Klausner ’25

Irene Kandilas ’25 Samuel Deustachio ’25

Habibul Huq ’24 Juthika Rasul ’24 Jason Rosales ’24 Mateo Davalos ’24 Alvin Thomson ’24 Dafne Lazaro ’23 Ashley Milone ’23 Erick Ruilova ’23 Maaz Vohra ’23 Akul Khatri ’23

GRADUATE PROGRAMS Biomedical Engineering

Cybersecurity

Fairfield County Instrument Society of America Scholarship

Data Science Electrical and Computer Engineering

Kobi Okpoti ’23 Stephanie Rodgers ’23

Management of Technology

Christopher Rodriguez ’23

Mechanical Engineering

Society of American Military Engineers Scholarship Dylan T. Richardson ’23

Software Engineering

Beatriz Guevara ’22

CERTIFICATE PROGRAMS

Guillem Perez I Petrenas ’22

Cybersecurity

Basheer Alkhalil ’23

Kyle Clarke ’24 Joseph Scannell ’24 John Shashaty ’24

Data Science and Big Data Technology

Philip Ruggirello ’24

Network Technology

Karen Exantus ’22

Web and Mobile Application Development

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE | SPRING 2022 15

CULTIVATING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERING LEADERS

2021-22

R

EXECUTIVE ADVISORY BOARD

Ronald M. Salvatore ’64

onald M. Salvatore ’64 started Stamford-based Accurate Lock & Hardware in 1972 with three part-time employees. Fifty years and more than 100 employees later, the custom lock and hardware manufacturing company has stood the test of time in lower Fairfield County, claiming a space as the largest manufacturer in the city.

The company has grown to offer three different kinds of products and services: it serves as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to sell mechanical components to be used with hardware; it produces institutional safety hardware used in behavioral health settings; and it provides high-end, custom-made residential hardware. Accurate Lock & Hardware has even done high-profile work such as restoration on hardware at the White House, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and the National Diet Building in Japan.

The company has also grown to be something of a family business. Salvatore’s sons, Rodd and Reed, have since joined Accurate Lock & Hardware in leadership roles, and Reed has joined his father on the School of Engineering’s Advisory Board.

Reed was interviewed recently about a Fairfield cohort program aimed at giving engineering students real-life experience at Accurate Lock: Describe the program for students: What do they work on? How do they get involved? What are the outcomes?

The students were selected by the faculty. Based on knowing what our program is and what our business is about, Fairfield found five students who they thought would be a good fit to work with us throughout the summer.

Our goal is to give the students as much hands-on experience as possible and try to apply it to what they’re learning in the classroom. So, we set up a program where 16 S PR IN G 2 02 2 | SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UPDATE

they are rotated through a four-week program. We had them work in the company to try to understand a little bit about our business, how it works, and operational flow.

On our end, we get some benefits by having intelligent, well-trained students spend some time working with us. We give them some problems that they can work on from an engineering standpoint that hopefully result in some creative solutions. And potentially, if there’s an opportunity and there’s a good fit, we can offer a longer-term relationship with any of these students.

What has the feedback been like from students?

The feedback has been very positive. Students were really engaged. It didn’t make a difference what they were doing, they were all really thoughtful and asked good questions.

Our business is pretty unique because we go from concept to product quickly. So they can actually come up with an idea, then we’ll prototype it and make it, and we might even sell it as part of a customized solution — all in the time that they’re here. Obviously, we’re trying to get the value out of what we’re doing with them, but in a positive, really constructive way that keeps them busy and interested.

How do you hope to continue this program and your relationship with the School of Engineering going forward?

It’s a great way for us to get to know some of the students at Fairfield who work with us, and it’s a great way for them to get to know us. There’s a great deal of satisfacS tion that comes from helping people in this way. l

CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Robert Sobolewski ’70 President and CEO of Bob Sobolewski Consulting President and CEO (retired) ebm-papst MEMBERS

Jean-Paul Boillot Chairman and CEO, Servo-Robot, Inc. Michael J. Buckenmeyer ’11 Postdoctoral Fellow, National Cancer Institute (NIH) John E. Butala Vice President of Technology, O’Keefe Controls Co. Alicia J. Carroll, Esq. ’10 Associate Attorney, Locke Lord LLP Frank J. Fanzilli ’78 Senior Advisor, Credit Suisse Melissa Fensterstock Co-Founder & CEO, Landsdowne Labs John LaViola Chief Technology Officer, Tibidabo Tim O’Neil BEI ’84 Senior Director for Advanced Technology Programs, ASML Margaret Osmulski ’14 Vice President, AMP Capital Ronald M. Salvatore ’64 Chairman, Accurate Lock & Hardware Reed Salvatore CEO, Accurate Lock & Hardware Deacon Patrick Toole Episcopal Delegate & Secretary of the Curia, Diocese of Bridgeport

VISION

PURPOSE

The School of Engineering will be a recognized leader in modern, experiential-based engineering education and known for innovative, applied research that, together, fosters a student-centered and researchfocused educational experience that prepares graduates for successful and rewarding careers in service to others.

We believe a strong, experientially based curriculum, supported by faculty with an applied research focus will lead to: • Enhanced academic reputation.

• Increased scholarship (i.e., scholarship of application, scholarship of teaching and learning).

• Students, imbued with the serviceto-humanity character of the engineering profession, prepared to meet the future challenges of a rapidly evolving, technology-based society.

MISSION The School of Engineering is dedicated to: (1) providing transformative educational experiences that prepare our graduates for successful careers; (2) advancing engineering knowledge through applied research; and, (3) supporting the University’s mission of whole-person development (cura personalis) by inculcating into our students the service-to-humanity character of the engineering profession.

VALUES “Our Ethics in Action” • Excellence in all we do • Engagement at every level • Innovation across all disciplines • Character as a foundation of Leadership • Diversity and Inclusion in all things • Service to Humanity as a lifelong goal

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1073 North Benson Road Fairfield, Connecticut 06824-5195

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