Alumni Newsletter Spring 2016

College of Engineering

By: Kathleen Tuck

Dean: AMY MOLL (208) 426-1153 amoll@boisestate.edu

Boise State was awarded $211,098 from the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission (IGEM) for the research and development of a sensor adapter for the machineto-machine (M2M) market. The sensor adapter will drastically improve data collection and modification and delivery of remotely sensed global positioning systems (GPS), vehicle diagnostics and other related field data.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: JANET CALLAHAN (208) 426-1153 janetcallahan@boisestate.edu

Civil Engineering Chair: MANDAR KHANAL (208) 426-3743 mkhanal@boisestate.edu

Computer Science Chair: TIM ANDERSEN (208) 426-5767 tandersen@boisestate.edu

Construction Management Chair: ROBERT HAMILTON (208) 426-3764 rhamilton@boisestate.edu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Chair: NADER RAFLA (208) 426-1167 nrafla@boisestate.edu

Currently, LiGO and similar existing solutions cannot accommodate additional sensors without custom connections and programming. This makes the solutions fragile and expensive and reduces scalability in the marketplace. The development of an M2M sensor adapter will allow LiGO to grow the variety of sensors that can be collected in vehicles, and improve the ability to manage and modify these data as received and utilized in the LiGO Cloud platform.

Boise State has had five IGEM awards to date. Other projects and industry partners are listed below.

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Don Warner, Department of Chemistry/Gem Pharmaceuticals — modifying an existing cancer treatment drug

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Trevor Lujan / MWI and West Vet — testing hip resurfacing technology for dogs

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Owen McDougal / BHS — reformulating waste products to make them more compliant with federal FDA regulations

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Tim Andersen/Simplot (Big Data) – growing the Boise State computer science program to meet the needs of Big Data

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Chair: TONY MARKER (208) 426-1312 anthonymarker@boisestate.edu

Materials Science & Engineering Chair: PETER MÜLLNER (208) 426-5639 petermullner@boisestate.edu

Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering Chair: DON PLUMLEE (208) 426-4078 dplumlee@boisestate.edu

Spring 2016

IGEM creates partnerships that pair private sector experts with research professionals to bring commercially viable technologies to market. Principal investigator Sin Ming Loo, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is partnering on the project with MarshallGIS, which provides a robust mobile resource management tracking solution called LiGO. Fast and simple to deploy, LiGO provides real time and historic location-based information and metrics to support the management of people and moving assets.

Assistant Dean for Research & Infrastructure: REX OXFORD (208) 426-5744 roxford@boisestate.edu Development Director: CHRISSY SHELTON (208) 426-1422 chrissyshelton@boisestate.edu

Newsletter

IGEM Grant Supports Sensor Adapter

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Micron Foundation Gives $25 Million for Materials Science By: Kathleen Tuck Boise State University received a $25 million gift from the Micron Foundation that will have a transformational impact on the field of engineering and materials research. The largest gift in the university’s history will fund the establishment of a new Center for Materials Research, operated by the College of Engineering. Current plans call for the building to be constructed west of the Engineering Building on University Drive.

“We are thrilled with the generosity and continuing partnership of Micron,” said Boise State President Bob Kustra. “This gift recognizes our growing reputation as an innovator in the area of materials science and will allow us to contribute on a grander scale to a field that has incredible significance in today’s ever-evolving world.”

“Since its inception, we have proudly partnered with Boise State’s College of Engineering to inspire the next generation of innovators,” said Mark Durcan, chief executive officer of Micron Technology and chairman of the Micron Foundation. “This donation builds on the program’s accomplishments by giving the brightest minds the tools and resources they need to compete on a global level. Together, we are empowering both our students and our community to engineer the future.”

The Center for Materials Research will allow Boise State to better answer industry’s call for a more broadly based, technically fluent workforce. Students earning a degree in materials science and engineering emerge as important contributors across many scientific disciplines, including manufacturing technology, new materials, cancer research, energy studies, space and aeronautics, and the development of new sensors and microelectronic devices.

“Materials science is a highly essential area of study due to its inherent interdisciplinary nature and applicability within a variety of fields, including medicine, technology and commercial merchandise,” said Brittany Cannon, a Ph.D. student in materials science and engineering and a member of the Nanoscale Materials and Device Group. “The implementation of new state-of-the-art lab facilities at Boise State University will provide unique opportunities for future students to have better access to equipment and lab space that will broaden their skill set, complement and enhance their classroom experience, and enable greater collaboration between research groups within the university.”

“There has never been a more urgent need for this center,” said Amy Moll, dean of the College of Engineering. “It will elevate our materials research to national prominence and allow students and faculty access to a world-class facility in which to conduct research that will lead to profound discoveries.”

Jenni Domanowski, a materials science junior, agrees. “In all of my past internships, my employers have constantly stressed how crucial hands-on experience is in the hiring process,” she said. “Being able to present myself with confidence and a lot of experience, especially as an undergraduate, opens up countless opportunities for me in the field of materials science.”

Materials define the performance limits of any device, from the car to the computer chip, added Peter Mullner, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). “Materials define what is technologically possible, and through their manufacturability, they also define what is economically possible.” continued on page 2

From the Dean’s Desk Transformation – it’s the word we use when we want to emphasize a radical change. A dramatic new way of being or doing.

Transformation often requires a catalyst to kick start the process.

Something to light the fuse, spark the ignition, or initiate the reaction.

Micron Foundation Gives $25 Million for Materials Science continued from cover

In research, we are thrilled to announce our new, ground breaking Center for Materials Research – a world-class facility for research and innovation that will transform our already outstanding materials research capabilities to a level of national prominence. As we describe in this issue, the catalyst for this exciting transformation was a $25 million gift from the Micron Foundation.

Our computer science department is also undergoing a transformation. The department has tripled in size in terms of enrollment and the number of faculty. The number of graduates from the program has also tripled. In July, the department will move downtown into the Gardner Company’s latest development, City Center Plaza, adjacent to The Grove in downtown Boise. This move will put the department in the center of more than 20 high tech companies in Boise. The department has significantly increased its research activities and its partnerships with industry. At the same time, CS is providing dozens of teachers with the education to offer computer science classes in high schools throughout Idaho.

I’m proud of the way our students, staff, faculty, and community partners are acting as catalysts for transformation throughout the College of Engineering. In the pages of this newsletter, we share many more examples of transformation and achievement in teaching, learning, and research in the college and beyond.

Amy Moll Dean and Professor College of Engineering

All-Girl Team Competes at FIRST Regional Robotics Competition at Boise State

By: Kathleen Tuck

By: Kathleen Tuck Work done by a group of Boise State construction management students in conjunction with the university’s service-learning program is being recognized by the Society for History in the Federal Government.

Here in the College of Engineering, we’re seeing transformations in the way our students are learning, the strategies our faculty are using to teach, the innovations we create through our research, and the way we measure our success. And each of these transformations has a catalyst that is making change possible.

In teaching and learning, Boise State’s PERSIST initiative (Promoting Educational Reform through Strategic Investments in Systemic Transformation), is transforming the classroom. We have seen that students learn better when they are engaged in active roles in the classroom rather than seated passively at their desks while the teacher lectures at the podium.

Our faculty, supported by Boise State’s Center for Teaching and Learning, have invested countless hours in honing their instructional skills and redesigning courses for today’s active learners. One of the important catalysts for this transformation was a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Construction Management Students Recognized for Work at Minidoka Site

MSE is a department on the move. To meet a growing demand for materials scientists, Boise State’s program has doubled its faculty since 2012. Undergraduate and graduate enrollment continues to increase with a goal of 10 Ph.D. graduates per year. More than half of materials science graduates find employment in the Treasure Valley (many with Micron) and others continue their education with graduate school or as post-doctoral researchers.

“Micron’s investments in Boise State’s programs and facilities have made it an indispensable partner in the university’s ongoing transformation as a metropolitan research university of distinction,” said Laura C. Simic, vice president for university advancement.

“Our histories are deeply intertwined, going back more than 20 years. The partnership is a stellar example of how philanthropy creates intellectual capital and enhances economic development.”

Boise State’s College of Engineering was first established in 1997 with a $6 million donation from Micron to build a new engineering complex. Through generous gifts from Micron and the Micron Foundation, undergraduate and Ph.D. programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering were created.

White House Recognizes Boise State Computer Science Efforts By: Kathleen Tuck Boise State University has been recognized by the White House for its effort to improve K-12 computer science teaching. The university’s IDoCode program, in collaboration with the College of Innovation and Design, is developing a CS badge for teachers.

Amit Jain, associate professor of computer science and principal investigator for Boise State’s IDoCode project funded by a $1 million NSF Award, notes that educating teachers to offer high-quality computer science instruction is critical as we work to expand access to computer science in Idaho schools. Through its partnership with the Idaho Technology Council and local industry, the IDoCode project has been instrumental in convincing the state legislature to support CS education in K-12.

“There has recently been a tremendous emphasis on K-12 computer science education, both nationally and in Idaho,” he said. “The IDoCode project at Boise State University has led the effort to create programs for high school teachers and currently has 40 teachers in the programs. This additional badge, in cooperation with the College and Innovation and Design, along with the replication of our programs will expand the scope of the programs to more teachers across the state.”

Jain said it will take a year of courses to earn the badge. Learn more about IDoCode here. https://news.boisestate.edu/update/2015/12/16/amit-jain-3/.

2 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

The project to build a historical reconstruction of a guard tower at the Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County in 2014 will receive the John Wesley Powell Prize for outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation projects.

“The award committee made the selection because the project is an excellent example of collaboration and reconstruction of a structure that is strongly tied to a place and time that is fading in many memories,” wrote members of the awards committee. “The students and volunteers learned not only how to build a tower, but also heard the experiences of the people who were guarded at Minidoka National Historic Site.”

The award was presented March 17 at the joint annual meeting of the National Council on Public History and the Society for History in the Federal Government held in Baltimore, Maryland.

Idaho’s Minidoka National Historic Site was one of the largest and most remote Japanese American relocation compounds during World War II and was one of 10 relocation centers during the war. More than 120,000 United States citizens of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated during the war, an act now recognized as a violation of civil liberties.

The first Japanese-Americans arrived at Minidoka on Aug. 10, 1942.

At its peak the relocation center held nearly 9,000 people, making it the seventh-largest city in Idaho. Today, Minidoka is a National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service.

Thirteen students enrolled during fall 2013 to work on the initial project planning while learning about the historical context of the incarceration and the political and social factors that contributed to it.

About half of those students enrolled in the spring break 2014 class to complete the project on site.

Students built the tower as completely as possible in Boise State’s construction management highbay lab. They then partially deconstructed the tower in order to transport it to Minidoka. At Minidoka, the students completed the tower’s construction and placed it on its foundation.

“This project is an excellent example of how service-learning enhances the educational experience at Boise State,” said Amy Moll, dean of the College of Engineering. “The students learned important project management and construction skills while gaining a better understanding of the unique history of Minidoka.”

Members of the Construction Management Association (CMA), an Associated General Contractors (AGC) student group, assisted in the process. The entire structure was managed and built by students with faculty supervision — from estimates and orders for materials to final construction.

More than 3,000 teams of high school students across the world prepared to design and build robots to strategically breach their opponent’s fortifications, launch boulders and capture the tower. It’s all part of the annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics Competitions being hosted in various cities across the world.

For the first time ever, Boise State University hosted a regional competition; in the past, Treasure Valley students have had to travel to other areas to participate. Several Treasure Valley teams joined teams from around the region at Taco Bell Arena March 31-April 2.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges high-school students – working alongside professional mentors – to construct a robot of their own and compete in the ultimate sport for the mind that measures the effectiveness of each robot, the power of teamwork and collaboration, and each team’s display of “gracious professionalism.”

The regional event also marked the first time the College of Engineering has sponsored a team — the 11-member girl-powered Chickadees, featuring girls from high schools across the valley. The Chickadees had just six weeks to design and build a robot to meet this year’s engineering challenge and they made it to the semifinals this year.

ASCE Canoe and Bridge Competition Boise State’s Civil Engineering Student Club competed at the 2016 Pacific Northwest American Society of Civil Engineering Student Conference held at University of Idaho. The Civil Engineering Club was represented by 18 students. The students competed in the Concrete Canoe, Daniel M. Mead Technical Paper, Steel Bridge, Concrete Frisbee, Volleyball and Surveying categories. We are excited to announce that the concrete canoe team won the ASCE Spirit Award. This award is given to the school that best embodies the spirit of the competition, and displays excellent team spirit and camaraderie.

Boise State will be hosting the Regional Competition next year. Go Bronco Engineers!!!

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

7

Alumni News Computer Science Stephen Porter, CS 2014 Software Developer at Scentsy, Inc. in Boise, ID. Keith Ward, CS 2014 Web Developer at Bethel Media in Redding, California.

Faculty in Action Koyuki Fritchman, MSE 2014 Manufacturing Engineer at Plexus Corporation.

Nicole Leraas, MSE 2014 Research Engineer at Ormond LLC in Auburn, WA.

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Construction Management Joe Jackson, CM 1995 Vice President of Operations at Engineered Systems Inc. was elected President of the Idaho Chapter of the Associated General Contractors for 2016.

Daniel Boel, CM 2014 Project Engineer at Fortis Construction, Inc. Landon Northey, CM 2015 Project Manager with Boise Hunter Homes.

Civil Engineering Marlin Gochnour, CE 2003 Regional Manager at Civil West Engineering Services in Oregon.

Greg Taddicken and Mike Slegers, were recognized as new PE’s at annual ISPE luncheon at Boise State Greg Taddicken, CE 2011 Department Manager for Materials Services at Terracon Consultants in Boise

Greta Doyle, ME 2005 Project Manager for the Office of Information Technology – Project Management Office at Boise State University.

Tom Simenc, ME 2012 Refrigeration Engineer at CTA Architects and Engineers in Boise, ID. After graduating I spent two years teaching Math and Physics at a private high school. In June of 2015, I started work at CTA in the refrigeration group. CTA is a full service Architecture and Engineering firm and the refrigeration group specializes in commercial refrigeration design for the retail sector.

Aaron Smith, ME 2012 Completed a PhD from Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland in 2015, and is now a Senior Engineer for Shaw Mountain Technology LLC in Boise.

Brooke Ward, ME 2014 Mechanical Engineer at Bechtel Marine Propulsion. My job is to aide in restoring sites previously used for radiological work back to the environmental conditions before the work.

Toby Grant, ME 2015 Works at Bechtel Marine Propulsion. He attended the Spring 2016 Boise State Career Fair as a recruiter.

Mike Slegers, CE 2011 Bridge Engineer at at HDR in Boise Ray McEwan, CE 2013 Development Services-Access Engineering at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in Mt. Baker, WA. I am working on several projects throughout the counties of Skagit, Whatcom, Island.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Holly Angell, EE 1999 Senior Vice President of Store Development at Southeastern Grocers in Jacksonville, Florida.

Chris Raymes, EE 2007 Project Manager at Apex Manufacturing Solutions in Boise.

David Knight, EE 2008 Electrical Engineer at Aspen Labs in Boise.

Power Engineers hosted an information session for current students in March 2016. Several COEN alums were there to visit with students: Kyle See (ME) Jacob Lemmon (EE) Jess Kuenning (CE) Corey Scrima, CE 2012 Zach Nixon, ME 2015 Chris Mckillop, EE, Kiewit Gabe Sutherland, ME, Rekluse

Charles Scott, EE 2006 Obtained a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2008, and is now an Electrical Engineer at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona.

Materials Science and Engineering Brittni Blessie, MSE 2013 Process Integration Engineer at Northrop Grumman at the Advanced Technology Laboratory (ATL) for the Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. .

6 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

was programmed to “see” an egg, grab it with customized scoops and return it to the edge of the field.

Alumni Notes We want to stay in touch.

Please send your updates to Leandra Aburusa-Lete at laburusa@boisestate.edu

Megan Frary received the Outstanding Teaching Award at the annual conference of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) PNW Section, held March 31-April 2 in Boise.

The award recognizes outstanding classroom performance among teachers of engineering and engineering technology students, and serves as an incentive to make further significant contributions to teaching.

Frary was nominated by College of Engineering Dean Amy Moll. In her nomination letter, Moll noted Frary’s commitment to her students, her excellent evaluations, her experience with the Boise State Teaching Scholars’ program, her work as a faculty associate with the Center for Teaching and Learning, her work with undergraduate researchers and her efforts in founding the MSE Student Club, a chapter of Materials Advantage, a national professional society student organization.

Elisa Barney Smith was quoted in a story at KTVB. com about the fourth annual Easter egg hunt on the Blue held at Albertsons Stadium on March 26. This year featured a studentbuilt robot, decked out with bunny ears, that

Sole Pera’s work with local startup relEVENTcity was featured in the Idaho Business Review. The article highlights the interest the company has been drawing since winning the Boise Young Professionals’ b|launched competition in May. Memristor work by Kris Campbell for the start-up company Knowm Inc. was featured in a story on the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design Community website. Titled “Memristor Variants and Models from Knowm,” the article focuses on the company’s recent announcement of the availability of new variations of memristors targeting different neuromorphic applications. Campbell is Knowm’s R&D lab partner.

Amit Jain attended the White House Workshop on K-12 Computer Science Education as part of CS EdWeek 2015 on Friday, Dec. 11.

According to the White House, the few dozen workshop invitees were selected for their demonstrated national leadership in computer science education. Participants discussed their work and best practices on a variety of topics

and brainstormed new ways to expand computer science access even further.

The Association for Education, Communications and Technology (AECT) Division of Organizational Training and Performance, awarded OPWL faculty Quincy Conley and Steve Villachica the 2015 Outstanding Roundtable Session Award.

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) has selected David Estrada to receive the SHPE Technical Achievement Recognition (STAR) Innovator of the Year award. Estrada is an assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

The National Science Foundation recently awarded a $164,000 grant to a multidisciplinary team of researchers from three colleges at Boise State.

Janet Callahan from Materials Science and Engineering, Yu-Chang Hsu and Yu-Hui Ching from Educational Technology, and Doug Bullock from Mathematics will use the grant to develop an app for STEM students.

CAREER Awards Moore’s law, an observation made in 1965 by Gordon E. Moore that the overall processing speed of computers will double every two years, has governed research and development in the tech industry for years. But the physical limitations of standard silicon technology can’t support that kind of exponential growth forever. That means the industry is scrambling to find new ways to improve computer function. Paul Simmonds, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics, is working on the cutting-edge of that problem.

Trevor Lujan, assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering, earned a five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to investigate why the meniscus fails so often and how the risk of failure is affected by age. The award is the NSF’s most prestigious program supporting junior faculty who effectively integrate outstanding research and education within the context of their organization’s mission.

His work is being funded by a five-year, $510,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. The award is the NSF’s most prestigious program supporting junior faculty who effectively integrate outstanding research and education within the context of their organization’s mission.

It is intended to give promising researchers an early career boost by providing stable research funding over an extended period of time.

The NSF CAREER grant also includes an educational component. Lujan will create 3D computer models that high school teachers can use to help students visualize why knee injuries happen in terms of physics and mechanics.

Simmonds, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is looking to use his research into semiconductors and sub-atomic processes to contribute to this drive toward faster, smarter computers.

“The CAREER grant is unique in that it provides funding to integrate research into education,” Lujan said. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to tie my biomechanics research into high school education and to support visual learning in engineering.”

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016 3

Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Student Spotlights

Boise State Student Captures Competitive Marshall Scholarship

By: Janet Callahan My name is Louise McGowin and I am studying Mechanical Engineering. In 2013, I received my first bachelor’s degree from University of North Carolina in Information Systems.

After working for HP as a software engineer for a couple of years, I realized my passions and interests are better aligned with Mechanical Engineering, so I decided to come to Boise State University.

I grew up in Alabama, where winters are far and few between, and the year-round heat fostered my appreciation for snow sports. I used to be a skier, but the prevalence of knee injuries in skiers inspired me to pick up snowboarding. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I would love to design safer ski/snowboard equipment or a new ski lift that can handle intense winds. When I’m not at work or school, you can find me on the slopes at Bogus Basin. During the off seasons, I enjoy mountain biking, hiking and backpacking. I also enjoy puzzles and brainteasers, and I’m always up for a challenge.

My name is Nick Demars, and I am a mechanical engineering major, halfway through my third year. I am originally from Everett, Washington, about 20 miles north of Seattle. I pursued engineering because I have always enjoyed making things and figuring out how things worked.

When I was younger I enjoyed fiddling with bicycles and other things, and I’d like to be able to do that as a career.

I came to Boise State originally for a handful of reasons. One of the major ones was the engineering program. I also came and walked on to the track and field team, throwing the shot put (a 16 pound steel ball). I competed on the Bronco track team for two years before deciding to pursue other interests. Most days when I am not busy with my engineering work, I enjoy being in the outdoors skiing, biking, and hiking.

My name is Justina Freilich and I am a sophomore in the Materials Science and Engineering program. I was born in California and moved to Kuna, Idaho in 2004. I graduated from Kuna High School in 2014 and decided to attend Boise State University to further my education and gain some real world experience to help me in my future career. I am a National Science Foundation Scholar.

At the end of my freshman year at BSU, I began working in a Materials Science research lab on campus for Dr. Peter Mullner studying magnetic shape memory alloys. It has been an incredible experience and I plan on continuing as an undergraduate research assistant in Professor Mullner’s lab until I graduate. Being able to learn in the lab enhances normal in-class

4 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

Hi, my name is Sahil Verma and I am a mechanical engineering major, from New Delhi, India. I selected Boise State University because of the high national ranking of the college of engineering and because of its affordability. “I could feel the difference in air quality when I arrived in Boise,” when asked for first

learning and has been invaluable to my college experience so far.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy Stand Up Paddle Boarding and spending time with my ball python, George. I also enjoy going on rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing adventures through Boise State University’s Outdoor Program.

My name is Josh Newberg and I am studying mechanical engineering at Boise State University. I am originally from Woodland, Washington but decided to attend Boise State because of the wrestling program and its location in the Pacific Northwest.

For the 2015-16 season I am the starting 133 pounder on the Boise State wrestling team, which meets from the first weekend in November through mid-March. Together, my studies and training take up just about all of my time.

I am pursuing a degree in engineering because I appreciate everything that I am learning. To me, gaining knowledge and solving problems are extremely important and enjoyable. I love the idea of solving problems that could possibly benefit our world. I also enjoy designing, drawing, and trying to invent my own products.

BSU has incredible resources and faculty that have aided and will continue to aid me in gaining my mechanical engineering degree. I also have support from athletic advisors, coaches and teammates. Go Broncos!

I am Kyle Rink, a Junior in the Civil Engineering Program here at Boise State, from Puyallup, Washington, and will graduate in 2017 (the four-year plan works)! One of the reasons I love Boise State is because of the amount of outside opportunities. I currently hold leadership positions in the Civil Engineering Club and at St. Paul’s Catholic Center, and I play trumpet in the Blue Thunder Marching Band and the All Campus Band. It is an incredible experience to be part of Bronco Nation, and be on the center stage at football games. It has been one of the most exciting experiences I have had in college, and I have never regretted my decision to join.

My name is Josh Kincaid and I’m a Mechanical Engineering student here at Boise State. I’m from San Jose, CA and I play ice hockey for the Boise State Hockey Club. This will be my third year here at Boise State and also my third year playing for the team. I’ve played ice hockey for about 15 years and I currently play defense. Last season, we defeated Utah State University at regionals to move on to nationals which were held in Utah and ended up ranked #13 in the nation. Check out our schedule online at boisestatehockeyclub.com for another great year. I chose Boise State after visiting Boise when I was 12 for a hockey tournament, and then the campus when it came time to apply – I love Boise State’s college campus!

By: Sherry Squires

impressions of Boise .

I lived in the Engineering Residential College my first year, where I met a great community of engineering students and I am on track to graduate in four years. I am pictured in Agra, India, visiting the Taj Majal the summer after my freshman year, with my roommate from the ERC together with my parents and sister.

Hi, my name is Alex Morales. I was born in Peru and at the age of 16 I moved to Boise and graduated from Borah High School. At the end of high school I almost joined the Air Force; because I wanted to be a pilot (still do). Ultimately, I decided to come to Boise State University.

In summer, 2015 I worked with Prof.

Steven Cutchin to create and design a website using WebVR, a JavaScript library that allows you to use 3D graphics, using OculusRift and Google CardBoard. Then, I put all the 3D panoramas we have into the website.

Moreover, I traveled with Dr. Cutchin to Redwoods National Park, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas to capture panoramas for the 3D displays.

Regarding my hobbies, I play DOTA2 whenever I have time and of course I play soccer every week alongside fellow Boise State College of Engineering students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Our team, BYTE ME, actually won the league championship in August, 2015!

Hi, my name is Andee Morton, and I am from Bozeman Montana and currently I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and plan to graduate in 2018. I am also a National Science Foundation S-STEM Scholar.

During my first year at Boise State University I became involved in many different ways. One of the things that I chose to get involved in was the Engineering Residential College which was an amazing opportunity as a living learning community. I met many great people and was able to get a jump start on networking myself for possible engineering opportunities. I also started a Country Swing Dance Club my freshman year which was a great learning experience and also a lot of fun.

I am looking forward to these next three years and all of the other opportunities that may come! Over the summer I worked at Big Sky – I enjoyed the zip line!

Kelly Schutt, a senior materials science and engineering major and member of Boise State’s Honors College, is one of only 32 students nationwide to be awarded a 2016 Marshall. It will allow him to pursue graduate studies in England researching affordable and sustainable solar energy.

“My career goals are to reduce poverty and improve sustainability,” Schutt said. “Three billion people live on less than $2.50 per day.

As a scientist, the best way I can effect change is by improving solar energy. I have applied to Oxford University, the world leader in this solar cell technology, and I’m hoping eventually to be able to find a research connection back to Boise State and the state of Idaho.”

Schutt is Boise State’s first Marshall recipient. Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom. Up to 40 Scholars are selected each year to study at the graduate level at a UK institution in any field of study. Schutt’s award will cover the full costs of earning a graduate degree in the UK, including tuition, travel and a stipend for living expenses. As with the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, only about 3 percent of Marshall applicants receive a scholarship, and Schutt’s selection puts him in the company of winners from Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton.

2016 Top Ten Scholars Congratulations to John Everingham: B.S. in mechanical engineering, minor in biomedical engineering (Honored Faculty: Trevor Lujan, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering) and Lacie Rasley: B.S. in civil engineering (Honored Faculty: Janet Callahan, associate dean, College of Engineering) for being recognized as 2016 Top Ten Scholars.

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016 5

Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Student Spotlights

Boise State Student Captures Competitive Marshall Scholarship

By: Janet Callahan My name is Louise McGowin and I am studying Mechanical Engineering. In 2013, I received my first bachelor’s degree from University of North Carolina in Information Systems.

After working for HP as a software engineer for a couple of years, I realized my passions and interests are better aligned with Mechanical Engineering, so I decided to come to Boise State University.

I grew up in Alabama, where winters are far and few between, and the year-round heat fostered my appreciation for snow sports. I used to be a skier, but the prevalence of knee injuries in skiers inspired me to pick up snowboarding. With a degree in Mechanical Engineering, I would love to design safer ski/snowboard equipment or a new ski lift that can handle intense winds. When I’m not at work or school, you can find me on the slopes at Bogus Basin. During the off seasons, I enjoy mountain biking, hiking and backpacking. I also enjoy puzzles and brainteasers, and I’m always up for a challenge.

My name is Nick Demars, and I am a mechanical engineering major, halfway through my third year. I am originally from Everett, Washington, about 20 miles north of Seattle. I pursued engineering because I have always enjoyed making things and figuring out how things worked.

When I was younger I enjoyed fiddling with bicycles and other things, and I’d like to be able to do that as a career.

I came to Boise State originally for a handful of reasons. One of the major ones was the engineering program. I also came and walked on to the track and field team, throwing the shot put (a 16 pound steel ball). I competed on the Bronco track team for two years before deciding to pursue other interests. Most days when I am not busy with my engineering work, I enjoy being in the outdoors skiing, biking, and hiking.

My name is Justina Freilich and I am a sophomore in the Materials Science and Engineering program. I was born in California and moved to Kuna, Idaho in 2004. I graduated from Kuna High School in 2014 and decided to attend Boise State University to further my education and gain some real world experience to help me in my future career. I am a National Science Foundation Scholar.

At the end of my freshman year at BSU, I began working in a Materials Science research lab on campus for Dr. Peter Mullner studying magnetic shape memory alloys. It has been an incredible experience and I plan on continuing as an undergraduate research assistant in Professor Mullner’s lab until I graduate. Being able to learn in the lab enhances normal in-class

4 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

Hi, my name is Sahil Verma and I am a mechanical engineering major, from New Delhi, India. I selected Boise State University because of the high national ranking of the college of engineering and because of its affordability. “I could feel the difference in air quality when I arrived in Boise,” when asked for first

learning and has been invaluable to my college experience so far.

Outside of school and work, I enjoy Stand Up Paddle Boarding and spending time with my ball python, George. I also enjoy going on rafting, backpacking, and rock climbing adventures through Boise State University’s Outdoor Program.

My name is Josh Newberg and I am studying mechanical engineering at Boise State University. I am originally from Woodland, Washington but decided to attend Boise State because of the wrestling program and its location in the Pacific Northwest.

For the 2015-16 season I am the starting 133 pounder on the Boise State wrestling team, which meets from the first weekend in November through mid-March. Together, my studies and training take up just about all of my time.

I am pursuing a degree in engineering because I appreciate everything that I am learning. To me, gaining knowledge and solving problems are extremely important and enjoyable. I love the idea of solving problems that could possibly benefit our world. I also enjoy designing, drawing, and trying to invent my own products.

BSU has incredible resources and faculty that have aided and will continue to aid me in gaining my mechanical engineering degree. I also have support from athletic advisors, coaches and teammates. Go Broncos!

I am Kyle Rink, a Junior in the Civil Engineering Program here at Boise State, from Puyallup, Washington, and will graduate in 2017 (the four-year plan works)! One of the reasons I love Boise State is because of the amount of outside opportunities. I currently hold leadership positions in the Civil Engineering Club and at St. Paul’s Catholic Center, and I play trumpet in the Blue Thunder Marching Band and the All Campus Band. It is an incredible experience to be part of Bronco Nation, and be on the center stage at football games. It has been one of the most exciting experiences I have had in college, and I have never regretted my decision to join.

My name is Josh Kincaid and I’m a Mechanical Engineering student here at Boise State. I’m from San Jose, CA and I play ice hockey for the Boise State Hockey Club. This will be my third year here at Boise State and also my third year playing for the team. I’ve played ice hockey for about 15 years and I currently play defense. Last season, we defeated Utah State University at regionals to move on to nationals which were held in Utah and ended up ranked #13 in the nation. Check out our schedule online at boisestatehockeyclub.com for another great year. I chose Boise State after visiting Boise when I was 12 for a hockey tournament, and then the campus when it came time to apply – I love Boise State’s college campus!

By: Sherry Squires

impressions of Boise .

I lived in the Engineering Residential College my first year, where I met a great community of engineering students and I am on track to graduate in four years. I am pictured in Agra, India, visiting the Taj Majal the summer after my freshman year, with my roommate from the ERC together with my parents and sister.

Hi, my name is Alex Morales. I was born in Peru and at the age of 16 I moved to Boise and graduated from Borah High School. At the end of high school I almost joined the Air Force; because I wanted to be a pilot (still do). Ultimately, I decided to come to Boise State University.

In summer, 2015 I worked with Prof.

Steven Cutchin to create and design a website using WebVR, a JavaScript library that allows you to use 3D graphics, using OculusRift and Google CardBoard. Then, I put all the 3D panoramas we have into the website.

Moreover, I traveled with Dr. Cutchin to Redwoods National Park, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Las Vegas to capture panoramas for the 3D displays.

Regarding my hobbies, I play DOTA2 whenever I have time and of course I play soccer every week alongside fellow Boise State College of Engineering students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends. Our team, BYTE ME, actually won the league championship in August, 2015!

Hi, my name is Andee Morton, and I am from Bozeman Montana and currently I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and plan to graduate in 2018. I am also a National Science Foundation S-STEM Scholar.

During my first year at Boise State University I became involved in many different ways. One of the things that I chose to get involved in was the Engineering Residential College which was an amazing opportunity as a living learning community. I met many great people and was able to get a jump start on networking myself for possible engineering opportunities. I also started a Country Swing Dance Club my freshman year which was a great learning experience and also a lot of fun.

I am looking forward to these next three years and all of the other opportunities that may come! Over the summer I worked at Big Sky – I enjoyed the zip line!

Kelly Schutt, a senior materials science and engineering major and member of Boise State’s Honors College, is one of only 32 students nationwide to be awarded a 2016 Marshall. It will allow him to pursue graduate studies in England researching affordable and sustainable solar energy.

“My career goals are to reduce poverty and improve sustainability,” Schutt said. “Three billion people live on less than $2.50 per day.

As a scientist, the best way I can effect change is by improving solar energy. I have applied to Oxford University, the world leader in this solar cell technology, and I’m hoping eventually to be able to find a research connection back to Boise State and the state of Idaho.”

Schutt is Boise State’s first Marshall recipient. Marshall Scholarships finance young Americans of high ability to study for a graduate degree in the United Kingdom. Up to 40 Scholars are selected each year to study at the graduate level at a UK institution in any field of study. Schutt’s award will cover the full costs of earning a graduate degree in the UK, including tuition, travel and a stipend for living expenses. As with the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, only about 3 percent of Marshall applicants receive a scholarship, and Schutt’s selection puts him in the company of winners from Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and Princeton.

2016 Top Ten Scholars Congratulations to John Everingham: B.S. in mechanical engineering, minor in biomedical engineering (Honored Faculty: Trevor Lujan, assistant professor, Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering) and Lacie Rasley: B.S. in civil engineering (Honored Faculty: Janet Callahan, associate dean, College of Engineering) for being recognized as 2016 Top Ten Scholars.

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016 5

Alumni News Computer Science Stephen Porter, CS 2014 Software Developer at Scentsy, Inc. in Boise, ID. Keith Ward, CS 2014 Web Developer at Bethel Media in Redding, California.

Faculty in Action Koyuki Fritchman, MSE 2014 Manufacturing Engineer at Plexus Corporation.

Nicole Leraas, MSE 2014 Research Engineer at Ormond LLC in Auburn, WA.

Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Construction Management Joe Jackson, CM 1995 Vice President of Operations at Engineered Systems Inc. was elected President of the Idaho Chapter of the Associated General Contractors for 2016.

Daniel Boel, CM 2014 Project Engineer at Fortis Construction, Inc. Landon Northey, CM 2015 Project Manager with Boise Hunter Homes.

Civil Engineering Marlin Gochnour, CE 2003 Regional Manager at Civil West Engineering Services in Oregon.

Greg Taddicken and Mike Slegers, were recognized as new PE’s at annual ISPE luncheon at Boise State Greg Taddicken, CE 2011 Department Manager for Materials Services at Terracon Consultants in Boise

Greta Doyle, ME 2005 Project Manager for the Office of Information Technology – Project Management Office at Boise State University.

Tom Simenc, ME 2012 Refrigeration Engineer at CTA Architects and Engineers in Boise, ID. After graduating I spent two years teaching Math and Physics at a private high school. In June of 2015, I started work at CTA in the refrigeration group. CTA is a full service Architecture and Engineering firm and the refrigeration group specializes in commercial refrigeration design for the retail sector.

Aaron Smith, ME 2012 Completed a PhD from Lappeenranta University of Technology in Finland in 2015, and is now a Senior Engineer for Shaw Mountain Technology LLC in Boise.

Brooke Ward, ME 2014 Mechanical Engineer at Bechtel Marine Propulsion. My job is to aide in restoring sites previously used for radiological work back to the environmental conditions before the work.

Toby Grant, ME 2015 Works at Bechtel Marine Propulsion. He attended the Spring 2016 Boise State Career Fair as a recruiter.

Mike Slegers, CE 2011 Bridge Engineer at at HDR in Boise Ray McEwan, CE 2013 Development Services-Access Engineering at the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) in Mt. Baker, WA. I am working on several projects throughout the counties of Skagit, Whatcom, Island.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Holly Angell, EE 1999 Senior Vice President of Store Development at Southeastern Grocers in Jacksonville, Florida.

Chris Raymes, EE 2007 Project Manager at Apex Manufacturing Solutions in Boise.

David Knight, EE 2008 Electrical Engineer at Aspen Labs in Boise.

Power Engineers hosted an information session for current students in March 2016. Several COEN alums were there to visit with students: Kyle See (ME) Jacob Lemmon (EE) Jess Kuenning (CE) Corey Scrima, CE 2012 Zach Nixon, ME 2015 Chris Mckillop, EE, Kiewit Gabe Sutherland, ME, Rekluse

Charles Scott, EE 2006 Obtained a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2008, and is now an Electrical Engineer at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona.

Materials Science and Engineering Brittni Blessie, MSE 2013 Process Integration Engineer at Northrop Grumman at the Advanced Technology Laboratory (ATL) for the Navy’s E-2D Advanced Hawkeye. .

6 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

was programmed to “see” an egg, grab it with customized scoops and return it to the edge of the field.

Alumni Notes We want to stay in touch.

Please send your updates to Leandra Aburusa-Lete at laburusa@boisestate.edu

Megan Frary received the Outstanding Teaching Award at the annual conference of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) PNW Section, held March 31-April 2 in Boise.

The award recognizes outstanding classroom performance among teachers of engineering and engineering technology students, and serves as an incentive to make further significant contributions to teaching.

Frary was nominated by College of Engineering Dean Amy Moll. In her nomination letter, Moll noted Frary’s commitment to her students, her excellent evaluations, her experience with the Boise State Teaching Scholars’ program, her work as a faculty associate with the Center for Teaching and Learning, her work with undergraduate researchers and her efforts in founding the MSE Student Club, a chapter of Materials Advantage, a national professional society student organization.

Elisa Barney Smith was quoted in a story at KTVB. com about the fourth annual Easter egg hunt on the Blue held at Albertsons Stadium on March 26. This year featured a studentbuilt robot, decked out with bunny ears, that

Sole Pera’s work with local startup relEVENTcity was featured in the Idaho Business Review. The article highlights the interest the company has been drawing since winning the Boise Young Professionals’ b|launched competition in May. Memristor work by Kris Campbell for the start-up company Knowm Inc. was featured in a story on the Semiconductor Manufacturing and Design Community website. Titled “Memristor Variants and Models from Knowm,” the article focuses on the company’s recent announcement of the availability of new variations of memristors targeting different neuromorphic applications. Campbell is Knowm’s R&D lab partner.

Amit Jain attended the White House Workshop on K-12 Computer Science Education as part of CS EdWeek 2015 on Friday, Dec. 11.

According to the White House, the few dozen workshop invitees were selected for their demonstrated national leadership in computer science education. Participants discussed their work and best practices on a variety of topics

and brainstormed new ways to expand computer science access even further.

The Association for Education, Communications and Technology (AECT) Division of Organizational Training and Performance, awarded OPWL faculty Quincy Conley and Steve Villachica the 2015 Outstanding Roundtable Session Award.

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) has selected David Estrada to receive the SHPE Technical Achievement Recognition (STAR) Innovator of the Year award. Estrada is an assistant professor of materials science and engineering.

The National Science Foundation recently awarded a $164,000 grant to a multidisciplinary team of researchers from three colleges at Boise State.

Janet Callahan from Materials Science and Engineering, Yu-Chang Hsu and Yu-Hui Ching from Educational Technology, and Doug Bullock from Mathematics will use the grant to develop an app for STEM students.

CAREER Awards Moore’s law, an observation made in 1965 by Gordon E. Moore that the overall processing speed of computers will double every two years, has governed research and development in the tech industry for years. But the physical limitations of standard silicon technology can’t support that kind of exponential growth forever. That means the industry is scrambling to find new ways to improve computer function. Paul Simmonds, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics, is working on the cutting-edge of that problem.

Trevor Lujan, assistant professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering, earned a five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award to investigate why the meniscus fails so often and how the risk of failure is affected by age. The award is the NSF’s most prestigious program supporting junior faculty who effectively integrate outstanding research and education within the context of their organization’s mission.

His work is being funded by a five-year, $510,000 CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation. The award is the NSF’s most prestigious program supporting junior faculty who effectively integrate outstanding research and education within the context of their organization’s mission.

It is intended to give promising researchers an early career boost by providing stable research funding over an extended period of time.

The NSF CAREER grant also includes an educational component. Lujan will create 3D computer models that high school teachers can use to help students visualize why knee injuries happen in terms of physics and mechanics.

Simmonds, who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, is looking to use his research into semiconductors and sub-atomic processes to contribute to this drive toward faster, smarter computers.

“The CAREER grant is unique in that it provides funding to integrate research into education,” Lujan said. “I’m delighted to have the opportunity to tie my biomechanics research into high school education and to support visual learning in engineering.”

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016 3

From the Dean’s Desk Transformation – it’s the word we use when we want to emphasize a radical change. A dramatic new way of being or doing.

Transformation often requires a catalyst to kick start the process.

Something to light the fuse, spark the ignition, or initiate the reaction.

Micron Foundation Gives $25 Million for Materials Science continued from cover

In research, we are thrilled to announce our new, ground breaking Center for Materials Research – a world-class facility for research and innovation that will transform our already outstanding materials research capabilities to a level of national prominence. As we describe in this issue, the catalyst for this exciting transformation was a $25 million gift from the Micron Foundation.

Our computer science department is also undergoing a transformation. The department has tripled in size in terms of enrollment and the number of faculty. The number of graduates from the program has also tripled. In July, the department will move downtown into the Gardner Company’s latest development, City Center Plaza, adjacent to The Grove in downtown Boise. This move will put the department in the center of more than 20 high tech companies in Boise. The department has significantly increased its research activities and its partnerships with industry. At the same time, CS is providing dozens of teachers with the education to offer computer science classes in high schools throughout Idaho.

I’m proud of the way our students, staff, faculty, and community partners are acting as catalysts for transformation throughout the College of Engineering. In the pages of this newsletter, we share many more examples of transformation and achievement in teaching, learning, and research in the college and beyond.

Amy Moll Dean and Professor College of Engineering

All-Girl Team Competes at FIRST Regional Robotics Competition at Boise State

By: Kathleen Tuck

By: Kathleen Tuck Work done by a group of Boise State construction management students in conjunction with the university’s service-learning program is being recognized by the Society for History in the Federal Government.

Here in the College of Engineering, we’re seeing transformations in the way our students are learning, the strategies our faculty are using to teach, the innovations we create through our research, and the way we measure our success. And each of these transformations has a catalyst that is making change possible.

In teaching and learning, Boise State’s PERSIST initiative (Promoting Educational Reform through Strategic Investments in Systemic Transformation), is transforming the classroom. We have seen that students learn better when they are engaged in active roles in the classroom rather than seated passively at their desks while the teacher lectures at the podium.

Our faculty, supported by Boise State’s Center for Teaching and Learning, have invested countless hours in honing their instructional skills and redesigning courses for today’s active learners. One of the important catalysts for this transformation was a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation.

Construction Management Students Recognized for Work at Minidoka Site

MSE is a department on the move. To meet a growing demand for materials scientists, Boise State’s program has doubled its faculty since 2012. Undergraduate and graduate enrollment continues to increase with a goal of 10 Ph.D. graduates per year. More than half of materials science graduates find employment in the Treasure Valley (many with Micron) and others continue their education with graduate school or as post-doctoral researchers.

“Micron’s investments in Boise State’s programs and facilities have made it an indispensable partner in the university’s ongoing transformation as a metropolitan research university of distinction,” said Laura C. Simic, vice president for university advancement.

“Our histories are deeply intertwined, going back more than 20 years. The partnership is a stellar example of how philanthropy creates intellectual capital and enhances economic development.”

Boise State’s College of Engineering was first established in 1997 with a $6 million donation from Micron to build a new engineering complex. Through generous gifts from Micron and the Micron Foundation, undergraduate and Ph.D. programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering were created.

White House Recognizes Boise State Computer Science Efforts By: Kathleen Tuck Boise State University has been recognized by the White House for its effort to improve K-12 computer science teaching. The university’s IDoCode program, in collaboration with the College of Innovation and Design, is developing a CS badge for teachers.

Amit Jain, associate professor of computer science and principal investigator for Boise State’s IDoCode project funded by a $1 million NSF Award, notes that educating teachers to offer high-quality computer science instruction is critical as we work to expand access to computer science in Idaho schools. Through its partnership with the Idaho Technology Council and local industry, the IDoCode project has been instrumental in convincing the state legislature to support CS education in K-12.

“There has recently been a tremendous emphasis on K-12 computer science education, both nationally and in Idaho,” he said. “The IDoCode project at Boise State University has led the effort to create programs for high school teachers and currently has 40 teachers in the programs. This additional badge, in cooperation with the College and Innovation and Design, along with the replication of our programs will expand the scope of the programs to more teachers across the state.”

Jain said it will take a year of courses to earn the badge. Learn more about IDoCode here. https://news.boisestate.edu/update/2015/12/16/amit-jain-3/.

2 College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

The project to build a historical reconstruction of a guard tower at the Minidoka National Historic Site in Jerome County in 2014 will receive the John Wesley Powell Prize for outstanding achievement in the field of historic preservation projects.

“The award committee made the selection because the project is an excellent example of collaboration and reconstruction of a structure that is strongly tied to a place and time that is fading in many memories,” wrote members of the awards committee. “The students and volunteers learned not only how to build a tower, but also heard the experiences of the people who were guarded at Minidoka National Historic Site.”

The award was presented March 17 at the joint annual meeting of the National Council on Public History and the Society for History in the Federal Government held in Baltimore, Maryland.

Idaho’s Minidoka National Historic Site was one of the largest and most remote Japanese American relocation compounds during World War II and was one of 10 relocation centers during the war. More than 120,000 United States citizens of Japanese ancestry were incarcerated during the war, an act now recognized as a violation of civil liberties.

The first Japanese-Americans arrived at Minidoka on Aug. 10, 1942.

At its peak the relocation center held nearly 9,000 people, making it the seventh-largest city in Idaho. Today, Minidoka is a National Historic Site managed by the National Park Service.

Thirteen students enrolled during fall 2013 to work on the initial project planning while learning about the historical context of the incarceration and the political and social factors that contributed to it.

About half of those students enrolled in the spring break 2014 class to complete the project on site.

Students built the tower as completely as possible in Boise State’s construction management highbay lab. They then partially deconstructed the tower in order to transport it to Minidoka. At Minidoka, the students completed the tower’s construction and placed it on its foundation.

“This project is an excellent example of how service-learning enhances the educational experience at Boise State,” said Amy Moll, dean of the College of Engineering. “The students learned important project management and construction skills while gaining a better understanding of the unique history of Minidoka.”

Members of the Construction Management Association (CMA), an Associated General Contractors (AGC) student group, assisted in the process. The entire structure was managed and built by students with faculty supervision — from estimates and orders for materials to final construction.

More than 3,000 teams of high school students across the world prepared to design and build robots to strategically breach their opponent’s fortifications, launch boulders and capture the tower. It’s all part of the annual FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Regional Robotics Competitions being hosted in various cities across the world.

For the first time ever, Boise State University hosted a regional competition; in the past, Treasure Valley students have had to travel to other areas to participate. Several Treasure Valley teams joined teams from around the region at Taco Bell Arena March 31-April 2.

The FIRST Robotics Competition challenges high-school students – working alongside professional mentors – to construct a robot of their own and compete in the ultimate sport for the mind that measures the effectiveness of each robot, the power of teamwork and collaboration, and each team’s display of “gracious professionalism.”

The regional event also marked the first time the College of Engineering has sponsored a team — the 11-member girl-powered Chickadees, featuring girls from high schools across the valley. The Chickadees had just six weeks to design and build a robot to meet this year’s engineering challenge and they made it to the semifinals this year.

ASCE Canoe and Bridge Competition Boise State’s Civil Engineering Student Club competed at the 2016 Pacific Northwest American Society of Civil Engineering Student Conference held at University of Idaho. The Civil Engineering Club was represented by 18 students. The students competed in the Concrete Canoe, Daniel M. Mead Technical Paper, Steel Bridge, Concrete Frisbee, Volleyball and Surveying categories. We are excited to announce that the concrete canoe team won the ASCE Spirit Award. This award is given to the school that best embodies the spirit of the competition, and displays excellent team spirit and camaraderie.

Boise State will be hosting the Regional Competition next year. Go Bronco Engineers!!!

College of Engineering Newsletter | Spring 2016

7

College of Engineering

By: Kathleen Tuck

Dean: AMY MOLL (208) 426-1153 amoll@boisestate.edu

Boise State was awarded $211,098 from the Idaho Global Entrepreneurial Mission (IGEM) for the research and development of a sensor adapter for the machineto-machine (M2M) market. The sensor adapter will drastically improve data collection and modification and delivery of remotely sensed global positioning systems (GPS), vehicle diagnostics and other related field data.

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs: JANET CALLAHAN (208) 426-1153 janetcallahan@boisestate.edu

Civil Engineering Chair: MANDAR KHANAL (208) 426-3743 mkhanal@boisestate.edu

Computer Science Chair: TIM ANDERSEN (208) 426-5767 tandersen@boisestate.edu

Construction Management Chair: ROBERT HAMILTON (208) 426-3764 rhamilton@boisestate.edu

Electrical & Computer Engineering Chair: NADER RAFLA (208) 426-1167 nrafla@boisestate.edu

Currently, LiGO and similar existing solutions cannot accommodate additional sensors without custom connections and programming. This makes the solutions fragile and expensive and reduces scalability in the marketplace. The development of an M2M sensor adapter will allow LiGO to grow the variety of sensors that can be collected in vehicles, and improve the ability to manage and modify these data as received and utilized in the LiGO Cloud platform.

Boise State has had five IGEM awards to date. Other projects and industry partners are listed below.

•

Don Warner, Department of Chemistry/Gem Pharmaceuticals — modifying an existing cancer treatment drug

•

Trevor Lujan / MWI and West Vet — testing hip resurfacing technology for dogs

•

Owen McDougal / BHS — reformulating waste products to make them more compliant with federal FDA regulations

•

Tim Andersen/Simplot (Big Data) – growing the Boise State computer science program to meet the needs of Big Data

Organizational Performance and Workplace Learning Chair: TONY MARKER (208) 426-1312 anthonymarker@boisestate.edu

Materials Science & Engineering Chair: PETER MÜLLNER (208) 426-5639 petermullner@boisestate.edu

Mechanical & Biomedical Engineering Chair: DON PLUMLEE (208) 426-4078 dplumlee@boisestate.edu

Spring 2016

IGEM creates partnerships that pair private sector experts with research professionals to bring commercially viable technologies to market. Principal investigator Sin Ming Loo, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is partnering on the project with MarshallGIS, which provides a robust mobile resource management tracking solution called LiGO. Fast and simple to deploy, LiGO provides real time and historic location-based information and metrics to support the management of people and moving assets.

Assistant Dean for Research & Infrastructure: REX OXFORD (208) 426-5744 roxford@boisestate.edu Development Director: CHRISSY SHELTON (208) 426-1422 chrissyshelton@boisestate.edu

Newsletter

IGEM Grant Supports Sensor Adapter

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Micron Foundation Gives $25 Million for Materials Science By: Kathleen Tuck Boise State University received a $25 million gift from the Micron Foundation that will have a transformational impact on the field of engineering and materials research. The largest gift in the university’s history will fund the establishment of a new Center for Materials Research, operated by the College of Engineering. Current plans call for the building to be constructed west of the Engineering Building on University Drive.

“We are thrilled with the generosity and continuing partnership of Micron,” said Boise State President Bob Kustra. “This gift recognizes our growing reputation as an innovator in the area of materials science and will allow us to contribute on a grander scale to a field that has incredible significance in today’s ever-evolving world.”

“Since its inception, we have proudly partnered with Boise State’s College of Engineering to inspire the next generation of innovators,” said Mark Durcan, chief executive officer of Micron Technology and chairman of the Micron Foundation. “This donation builds on the program’s accomplishments by giving the brightest minds the tools and resources they need to compete on a global level. Together, we are empowering both our students and our community to engineer the future.”

The Center for Materials Research will allow Boise State to better answer industry’s call for a more broadly based, technically fluent workforce. Students earning a degree in materials science and engineering emerge as important contributors across many scientific disciplines, including manufacturing technology, new materials, cancer research, energy studies, space and aeronautics, and the development of new sensors and microelectronic devices.

“Materials science is a highly essential area of study due to its inherent interdisciplinary nature and applicability within a variety of fields, including medicine, technology and commercial merchandise,” said Brittany Cannon, a Ph.D. student in materials science and engineering and a member of the Nanoscale Materials and Device Group. “The implementation of new state-of-the-art lab facilities at Boise State University will provide unique opportunities for future students to have better access to equipment and lab space that will broaden their skill set, complement and enhance their classroom experience, and enable greater collaboration between research groups within the university.”

“There has never been a more urgent need for this center,” said Amy Moll, dean of the College of Engineering. “It will elevate our materials research to national prominence and allow students and faculty access to a world-class facility in which to conduct research that will lead to profound discoveries.”

Jenni Domanowski, a materials science junior, agrees. “In all of my past internships, my employers have constantly stressed how crucial hands-on experience is in the hiring process,” she said. “Being able to present myself with confidence and a lot of experience, especially as an undergraduate, opens up countless opportunities for me in the field of materials science.”

Materials define the performance limits of any device, from the car to the computer chip, added Peter Mullner, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE). “Materials define what is technologically possible, and through their manufacturability, they also define what is economically possible.” continued on page 2