SPR I N G/SU M M E R
COVER STORY
Learning By Doing: MSOE students dive into experiential learning New Softball Stadium 5, 22 The Cove 6 World’s Largest Bowl of Cereal 18
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RETHOUGHT WHAT WAS POSSIBLE Katie Snyder ’21 posed in front of the new MSOE sign in the University Terrace. Be sure to take your photo and share it on social media the next time you’re on campus! You’ll find the University Terrace near Viets Tower, Diercks Hall and the Alumni Center, between Broadway and Milwaukee Street.
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I accomplished something that felt impossible a few years ago. I can finally say I have two undergrad engineering degrees from the Milwaukee School of Engineering—a B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering. I am now “interning” at GE Healthcare until the Edison Program starts in July. Thank you to everyone who has supported me ... and I’m so excited to see what comes next.” — KATIE SNYDER ’21, ON LINKEDIN
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Alumni and Friends, Our mission calls on us to be the university of choice for those seeking an inclusive community of experiential learners driven to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. This is reflected in our day-to-day activities on campus and throughout our strategic plan. I’d like to call out one phrase in that mission statement: “inclusive community.” Under the leadership of Seandra Mitchell, vice president of student affairs and campus inclusion, MSOE has developed a threeyear strategic plan for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). The Faculty and Staff Diversity Council is working diligently and collaboratively with everyone at MSOE to create a sense of community where all voices are heard. Through the voices of multiple MSOE stakeholders, we have identified and adopted five major goals for our DEIB Strategic Plan. I encourage you to visit msoe.edu/deib to review the plan and our full commitment to DEIB and to commit to helping us build an inclusive campus and learning environment. Our physical environment continues to transform, and we are excited that our new Welcome Center is now open! You will no doubt be amazed at the renovation that has taken place. What was once the Todd Wehr Conference Center is now a bright and welcoming space for prospective students and their families. The center is home to the Office of Admissions and the new MSOE Raider Shop, where you can find all of your favorite MSOE spirit wear, gifts and textbooks. This spring we celebrate the completion of our new University Terrace in the heart of campus. With extensive landscaping, a hammock grove, a student green, and places for students, faculty and staff to gather, the terrace anchors MSOE in downtown Milwaukee as a bustling campus environment. Our next project is to build a state-of-the-art softball stadium on our existing athletic field. Read more about this—and our generous project sponsors—in the following pages. Finally, our alumni reunion returns this summer! I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible July 15–17 at Summer in the City. There will be ample opportunities to explore all of the new spaces on campus, reconnect with your classmates, and enjoy summer in Milwaukee. Sincerely,
JOHN Y. WALZ, Ph.D. President
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IN THIS ISSUE IN THEIR WORDS ...
“Our last week at Repairers of the Breach was a valuable learning experience and it gave us a glimpse of the harsh realities of our vulnerable community members. It was a great learning experience seeing how powerful pure compassion is.” JACKIE NGUYEN, NURSING STUDENT
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FEATURES
DEPARTMENTS
6 Into the Cove The Cove at the CREATE Institute is empowering students to explore their passions and make connections. 14 Learning By Doing “Experiential learning” is one of the latest buzzwords in higher education, but for MSOE it’s nothing new.
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President’s Message At the Forefront Around Campus In the Community Raiders Wrap-Up Impact Class Notes From the Archives
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Hidden in a heartbeat: See how students are using machine learning to aid diagnoses with ECGs.
ON THE COVER: Jack Flitcroft shows the smartwatch app developed by his senior design team.
The Nelson Prototype Lab within the Cove offers endless opportunities for collaboration and exploration.
AT THE FOREFRONT
The flagship publication of Milwaukee School of Engineering. With stories inspired by our mission and vision, Dimensions shines a light on our students, faculty, alumni and campus events, all while highlighting the values that unite us.
Editor JoEllen Burdue
Managing Editor Annette Pirrung
Creative Director Kristin Dunn
Graphic Designers Peg Houghton, Chase Patt
Contributing Writers Jillian Kokott, Colin Terrill, Dr. John Walz
Images Front Room Photography, Brianna Griepentrog, Kevin Harnack, Mark Hines, Erik Landru/Bokeh Effect, Hayley McCormick, Alexandra Nicole Photography, John Nienhuis, Gary Porter, Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors, Jake Schilling, Kat Schleicher, Laura Segall, Katie Snyder Use, reproduction or storage of the name, address or other information about any individual identified within this magazine is strictly prohibited and constitutes misappropriation of corporate property.
Address correspondence to Dimensions Magazine 1025 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202 marketing@msoe.edu or (414) 277-7117
SPRING/SUMMER 2022 Volume 36, No. 2
NEW LEADERSHIP
MSOE welcomes new senior advisor to the president MSOE recently welcomed Dan Bergen, Ph.D., to its leadership team as the senior advisor to the president. Bergen works closely with President John Walz to lead the development and implementation of new strategic initiatives to help the university achieve its vision. He also works to ensure the university maintains a constant focus on innovation and strategic thinking for the future. “Our vision at MSOE is to set the standard for preparing leaders to solve the diverse technical challenges of the 21st century,” said Walz. “Dan is an established leader in higher education. I am thrilled to have him join MSOE and help implement the many initiatives in our strategic plan, identify new opportunities to advance our institution, and continue building our relationships with corporate, community and educational partners.” Bergen most recently served as the executive director of community engagement within Marquette University’s Office of Economic Engagement. There, he worked with senior leaders across campus and the Milwaukee region to develop and implement strategic initiatives around community and corporate engagement. Bergen’s experience also includes serving as interim assistant vice president of student affairs and assistant director for university apartments and off-campus student services at Marquette. “MSOE has a long and distinguished history of providing students with a rigorous, worldclass experiential education. I am honored to join President Walz, the leadership team, and the MSOE community in supporting and advancing this proud tradition,” said Bergen. Bergen holds a Ph.D. in English-British Literature from Marquette University, an M.A. in English-Cultural Studies from Kansas State University, and a B.A. in Journalism-Advertising from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He is a member of the Milwaukee Rotary Club, Milwaukee Forum, Milwaukee Repertory Theater Impact Board, Milwaukee Succeeds and MKE United, and is a juror for the Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Initiatives (MANDIs).
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AT THE FOREFRONT
CELEBRATING THE DIFFERENCES
DEIB Strategic Plan To further support MSOE’s commitment to fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment, the university developed a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Strategic Plan. MSOE believes that communities are greater when everyone is invited to the table. As a collective, the Faculty and Staff Diversity Council put thoughts into words, words into action, and action into change. The strategic plan outlines goals and action items to provide a pathway to achieve its goals. The plan is consistent with the university-wide strategic plan. Through the voices of multiple MSOE stakeholders, and in alignment with and supporting the current strategic goals for the university, five major goals were created to support efforts to realize the promise of an inclusive learning environment: • Enhance the effectiveness of educational programs and culturally responsive pedagogy. • Enhance services and practices that support an inclusive organizational culture. • Actively work to eliminate disparities within enrollment, retention and graduation rates. • Ensure staff and faculty reflect the composition of available talent in all areas. • Foster and sustain a welcoming feeling of belonging for all internal and external stakeholders. To stay accountable, MSOE will update its progress in a DEIB Annual Progress Report, which will be shared with the campus community in the fall. VISIT MSOE.EDU/DEIB TO SEE THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND READ MORE ABOUT MSOE’S COMMITMENT TO DEIB.
DIMENSIONS SPRING/SUMMER 2022
New softball stadium coming to campus Recruiting and retaining a diverse student population and enhancing the overall collegiate experience are key commitments in Milwaukee School of Engineering’s strategic plan, and MSOE Raiders Softball Stadium is the university’s latest investment in these efforts. The $2,935,000 stadium is part of a larger project to expand the facilities for MSOE Athletics, provide greater opportunities for women athletes, and expand co-curricular arts programming. This expansion is being funded by a gift from Dr. Kathy Ruehlow ’72, MSOE Regent, as well as gifts from MSOE Regent Matthew ’99 and Jodi ’98 Burow, and Fiduciary Management Inc. Read more about the expansion in the Fall/Winter 2021–22 edition of Dimensions and in this issue on page 22. MSOE Raiders Softball Stadium will replace the university’s existing softball field. It will feature: • A natural grass and dirt field • Dugouts for each team • A single lane batting cage and bullpen on each side of the field • 227 feet from home plate to the center field fence and 200 feet from home plate to the left and right field corners
• A building behind home plate featuring a press box, ticket window and concessions • A combination of permanent and temporary “in season” fencing to keep the facility in top condition • Seating for 250 spectators
Dr. John Walz (right) presents MSOE Regent Kathy Ruehlow ’72 with a softball signed by MSOE’s women’s softball team. The field area also will retain MSOE’s sand volleyball court, Frisbee golf holes, walking paths and green space. MSOE Raiders Softball Stadium was designed by Ramlow/Stein Architecture + Interiors in collaboration with 4Most Sport Group. Catalyst Construction will serve as the project manager. Construction begins this spring. FIND MORE RENDERINGS OF THE STADIUM AND PHOTOS FROM THE UNVEILING AT MSOE.EDU/NEWSROOM.
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INTO THE COVE 6
FEATURE STORY
Exploring possibilities while building community
Above: Nolan Washburn studies in the Ladish Co. Entrepreneurial Space within the Cove. Right: Students discuss project ideas in the Nelson Prototype Lab.
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
Moments like this reinforce McNeill’s mission for the Cove. “I not only want to help students explore their interests in the Nelson Prototype Lab at the Cove, but I also want the Cove to be a place where all students feel welcomed, supported, and can be connected to other places on campus where they can continue to grow their passions and interests in other ways,” said McNeill. The Cove also hosts workshops, networking activities and guest speakers to help students grow as leaders of character, responsible professionals and value creators. Kobie Boykins, principal engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), made a special visit to the Cove in advance of his featured talk at the Marcus Center for Performing Arts, “National Geographic LIVE: Kobie Boykins—Exploring Mars.”
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The Cove, an extension of the CREATE Institute located on the ground floor of Viets Tower, is more than just another lab on campus for students, it’s a space designed to support and encourage interdisciplinary exploration between all members of the MSOE community. Take mechanical engineering sophomore Joseph Smith for example. Smith entered the Cove with a desire to learn more about 3D printing. After some equipment instructions, he was off 3D printing his own projects—from car logos to business card holders and phone cases—and he was hooked. He had a thirst to learn more and dive into industrial 3D printing. Kristen McNeill, program coordinator for the Cove at the CREATE Institute, knew just the place on campus to connect Smith: the Rapid Prototyping Center (RPC). Thanks to McNeill’s introduction, Smith landed a two-year internship with the RPC as an undergraduate research assistant. In his role he helps the engineering team model, prototype and 3D print projects for different companies. “My favorite part is learning how to use the larger industrial 3D printers and learning about the new, evolving technology,” said Smith.
At his presentation in the Ladish Co. Entrepreneurial Space within the Cove, Boykins shared his personal experiences working with NASA and the unforgettable feeling of working on projects that made it to the surface of other planets. In more than 25 years at JPL, Boykins worked on the Pathfinder mission, built the solar arrays for the Mars Exploration Rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, led the mobility and remote sensing teams for the Mars Science Laboratory Rover, and is serving as chief engineer on the Europa Clipper team. Students were able to ask Boykins their questions during a Q&A session that was moderated by Eric Baumgartner, MSOE executive vice president of academics and former NASA engineer and colleague of Boykins. Being able to connect with industry experts in an intimate and informal setting was a unique and motivating moment for students. “I felt pretty inspired,” said software engineering senior Paul Rinaldi. “Being an engineer is really meaningful. You’re working on problems that are really difficult or you don’t know the answers to, so you have to figure it out and problem solve, and that’s just a lot of fun.” McNeill emphasized the importance the Cove plays in building community. “We hope to create a community that empowers all students to explore the changing world around them,” said McNeill. “Through Cove programming, we hope students recognize that by collaborating with others and persisting through challenges, they can create extraordinary social, societal, economic and personal value.”
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AROUND CAMPUS
BE OUR GUEST
Now open: MSOE Raider Shop and Welcome Center When visitors enter the Campus Center doors at the corner of Broadway and Highland Avenue, they are now greeted by the new Welcome Center. The Welcome Center serves as home base for prospective students and their families when they arrive at MSOE and meet with the Office of Admissions and tour campus. It includes flexible meeting spaces, private meeting areas for families and their admissions counselor, and common areas for students, faculty and staff to work, study and collaborate. It also houses the new MSOE Raider Shop, MSOE’s bookstore and spirit-wear shop.
SPRING/SUMMER 2022
From left, Anna Marnell, Matthew Tonkel, Avila Berns and Justin Klamik were part of MSOE’s Concrete Canoe team. The team took first place in the regional competition and advances to the national competition in June in Louisiana.
MSOE Concrete Canoe races to the top The MSOE Concrete Canoe team took first place overall in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2022 Western Great Lakes Regional Competition with their canoe Rejuvenation. The team also finished second for their project proposal and placed within the top three in several races. They were tasked with creating a strong, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing 20-foot long concrete canoe prototype. The team had to ensure the canoe could withstand the rigors of racing and be fully submerged, with the ability to pop back up. Rejuvenation’s design depicts a tree’s lifeless and barren past on one half of the canoe, and a vibrant and brilliant future on the other half. Another aesthetic feature that was incorporated into this canoe was temperature dependent color changing concrete on the inside inlays. Congratulations to Captain and ASCE President Matthew Tonkel; Captain Justin Klamik; Mix Design Lead Gonzalo Palacios; team members: Anna Marnell, Avila Berns, Gavin Storlie, Zain Sitabkhan, Aaron Bond, Bryan Berres, Lucas Migliaccio; and Team Advisor Dr. Fran Mahuta, on their first-place overall finish.
Dawn Thibedeau, vice president of finance/CFO, to retire from MSOE Vice President of Finance/CFO Dawn Thibedeau, CPA, will retire from MSOE on May 31, 2022. Thibedeau joined MSOE in 2013 and has had a transformative impact on many aspects of the university including IT, accounting, financial aid, student accounts, risk management and dining services. She has managed the finances behind more than $150M in MSOE acquisitions and construction projects during her tenure. MSOE is currently experiencing a period of significant growth and success. Under Thibedeau’s leadership, the university effectively managed the impacts of COVID-19 and is in a strong position to further advance its mission.
Over the past five years, the university has strategically invested over $90 million in facilities including new construction and renovations with additional projects planned for the future. MSOE secured its first public underlying rating of “A-/Stable” from Standard & Poor’s in a recent bond refinancing. Thibedeau previously served as VP of finance & CFO at Lutheran Social Services (Milwaukee), controller at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and executive director of finance at Alverno College. She has the distinction of being MSOE’s first-ever female vice president serving on the Leadership Team.
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AROUND CAMPUS
Student Award Winners Fred F. Loock Outstanding Student Nathan DuPont Daniel E. Sahs Memorial Award for Service John Bilkey Thomas W. Davis Student Leadership Anne-Marie Warren Student Employee of the Year Michael Rinaldi Diversity and Inclusion Student Award Edwina Sofia Paredes Aimei Nie Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Student Champion Award Anne-Marie Warren
Mechanical engineering teams take first and third in the world The Adiabatic Flame (pictured) and The Wet Bandits, two teams of students from MSOE’s chapter of the American Society for Mechanical Engineering, won first and third place, respectively, in ASME’s annual Student Design Competition. Students were advised by Dr. Mohammad Mahinfalah and were challenged to design a scaled, proof-of-concept prototype for water energy conversion. Their prototypes had to propel their vehicles by converting the potential energy of water that was manually loaded into their device. Adiabatic Flame’s solution to the challenge was named W.A.D.E. (weight-activated delivery effort). W.A.D.E. uses the force from a large tank of water to propel it forward. Custom gearboxes structurally supported the water tank as well as multiplied the distance moved. A custom control system enabled a driver to actuate brakes as well as steer. The team placed first overall in the worldwide competition, moving nearly 80 gallons of water. The Wet Bandits’ third-place design consisted of a drop tank where the water tank carrying the item for delivery drops, and a gear and pulley system propels the vehicle forward. The vehicle was built without the use of any control systems. However, several subsystems worked together to help the vehicle make its trip across the competition field: an aluminum frame, gear and pulley system, drain system, wheels, steering system, and more.
Greek of the Year Riley Hornilla Senior Scholar Athletes Quinn Borchert, Women’s Volleyball Corbin Gustafson, Men’s Rowing Senior Athletes of the Year Kendall Marks, Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Garrett Gintoli, Men’s Hockey Nursing Leadership Ashley Krueger Vincent Canino Outstanding Biomedical Engineering Seniors Nicole Ratts and Jacqueline Teele Northwestern Mutual Outstanding Actuarial Science Student Awards Benjamin Brogan Angel Carbajal-Castaneda Joseph Cibulka Michael Emerich Mary Ladwig Benjamin Leisher Colton Lindquist Owen Podziemski Drew Van Camp Diversity and Inclusion Staff and Faculty Advocate Dr. Kip Kussman Student Advocate Award (staff award) Angela Moureau Greek Advocate Award (faculty/staff award) Katie Toske
DIMENSIONS SPRING/SUMMER 2022
WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS
Raider Robotics lock in Design Award MSOE’s Raider Robotics team advanced to the World Championship after winning the Design Award at the Purdue University Memorial VEX U Qualifier. The Design Award goes to the team with the strongest project management design process and team organization. They placed ninth overall at the World Championship and brought home three awards. “Our team made massive technical accomplishments before the tournament,” said team lead Nathan DuPont. “We were one of the first teams in VEX history to run open-source industry software packages on our robot, and we created our own printed circuit boards (PCBs) to control various electronics on our robot for less than 5% of the cost that teams normally buy them for.” Raider Robotics is the only team in the competition that keeps their work public and open-sourced for others to see. This allows teams around the world to view their work and learn from what they are doing.
Phi Beta Lambda qualifies for nationals
ASC scores third place Students in MSOE’s Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management Department competed in the Associated Schools of Construction Student Competition in Reno, Nevada and took third place in the National Preconstruction Competition. For the competition, the students received a request for proposal for a real project and had 16 hours to turn in their proposal. They presented their solution to a panel of judges, which included individuals who were involved in the actual project. The project they worked on was a $9.1 million, 13,000 square-foot, 2-bay fire station that will improve the response time for medical and fire emergencies as well as maintain services associated with the forecasted population growth of the area.
The leaders of MSOE’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) placed in the top three in their events at the PBL State Leadership Conference and qualified for the National Leadership Conference in Chicago. This is the 17th year in a row that MSOE students have qualified for the national conference. Dr. Trina Moskalik serves as both the MSOE chapter and Wisconsin state advisor for PBL. Congratulations to Benjamin Kraft, computer engineering, who received first place in Computer Concepts and Help Desk; Nathan Johnson, mechanical engineering, who received first place in Macroeconomics, Microeconomics and Project Management; and Alex Kuriatnyk, BBA accounting, who received first place in Business Ethics and third place in Accounting Principles.
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AROUND CAMPUS
AT T H E
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FAMILY, ACTIVISM AND EDUCATION
Familias Unidas: Tribute to the Migrant Farm Worker Labor Movement in Wisconsin, 1960s–’70s Through Aug. 21, 2022
The Wonderland of Oil, 1942, Thornton Oakley [1881-1953], Pastel and gouache, 30 x 40 in.
COMING UP
A Time of Toil and Triumph: Selections from the Shogren-Meyer Collection of American Art Sept. 9, 2022–Feb. 26, 2023 As a part of its 15th anniversary celebration, the Grohmann Museum is organizing a blockbuster exhibition from one of the premier collections of American industrial art— The Shogren-Meyer Collection. Focused primarily on the art of the 1930s and ’40s, it also includes many fine examples from the surrounding decades, with many created during the depression era—a time of both toil and triumph. Now making their home in the Twin Cities, Dan Shogren and Susan Meyer met while in college at the University of Minnesota Duluth, where they both majored in history. It was at that time they took a keen interest in the “interwar period,” a time of American reinvention—economically, socially and artistically. They have since built one of the finest collections of American art concentrating on this time. Selected from the hundreds of works in their collection, A Time of Toil and Triumph includes dozens of paintings and photographs by Aaron Bohrod, Margaret Bourke-White, John Steuart Curry, Walker Evans, Lewis Hine, Edmund Lewandowski, Dorothea Lange, Thornton Oakley and Isaac Soyer, among many others. Organized alongside the exhibition are several educational programs (lectures, tours, workshops and panel discussions) planned throughout its run, specifically created in celebration of this museum milestone. GROHMANNMUSEUM.ORG
In the 1960s and 1970s, Chicano/a and Latinx migrant farm workers and other community members organized to improve working conditions, housing and social services, challenge discrimination in hiring practices, and advance bilingual programs and greater access to education. The Farm Workers Movement continues to be consequential to the Hispanic community and nation at large today. The Grohmann Museum and Latino Arts Inc. present this exhibit, which reflects on the drive behind the actions taken by underserved people and allies. MSOE’s University Scholars Honors Program students played an instrumental role with Dr. Candela Marini in bringing this exhibit to fruition.
DIMENSIONS SPRING/SUMMER 2022
NOTEWORTHY
Faculty/staff achievements Robin Gates, assistant professor, School of Nursing, was named to the board of directors for Prevent Blindness Wisconsin. Kip Kussman, dean of students, earned his Ed.D. from Peabody College of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University. Dr. DeAnna Leitzke ’98, ’08, associate vice president of academic excellence, earned her Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service in Higher Education from Cardinal Stritch University. Paul Michael, manager of tribology, Fluid Power InstituteTM, was awarded a $6,800 research supplement from the NFPA Education and Technology Foundation. It will support his research project, “Polymer-Enhanced Fluid Effects on Dynamic Response of Hydraulic Pumps.”
New Biomechanics Laboratory enhances experiential learning
Dr. Wujie Zhang, associate professor, Physics and Chemistry Department, was named among Wisconsin’s 34 Most Influential Asian American Leaders by Madison 365. He also was named STEM Forward’s Young Engineer of the Year for his significant contributions to the engineering field.
Students are literally jumping up and down for experiential learning in the new Biomechanics Laboratory. Located in the Science Building, the Biomechanics Laboratory features a state-of-the-art motion capture system that integrates ground reaction force data, muscle activity and motion data to analyze movement. Within the lab, students can measure movement with the help of high-speed infrared cameras, reflective markers and a sophisticated scale. Students become the test subjects by putting reflective markers on their feet, legs and hips, and then jumping on the scale. The reflections from the markers are picked up by the cameras to measure angles, while the scale measures force. The results are depicted on a screen and computer within the lab, providing instant data. The new lab is an asset in biomechanics courses as it provides hands-on learning experiences to teach the fundamental concepts of human movement. It also enables students to broaden the scope and scale of their senior design projects. “Biomedical engineering projects often involve design of devices to address problems associated with rehabilitation, assistive devices and sports biomechanics. Our students will now be able to work on more types of biomechanics projects and go further with their designs,” explained Dr. Jeff LaMack ’97, associate professor and biomedical engineering program director.
American Chemical Society first place winners Biomolecular engineering senior Muskan Kanungo and biomedical engineering senior Noah Hutchinson tied for first place at the annual American Chemical Society (ACS) Milwaukee Chapter poster competition. Both Kanungo and Hutchinson participated in MSOE’s NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program and assisted one another on their research projects. Dr. Wujie Zhang, associate professor in the Physics and Chemistry Department, served as the advisor for both students, all pictured above.
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FEATURE STORY
Learning By Doing “Experiential learning” is one of the latest buzzwords in higher education, but for MSOE it’s nothing new. In fact, it’s how the university has been teaching since 1903—and it’s happening in every major at MSOE. Here are a few of the exciting real-world projects students got their hands on this year.
Medical diagnoses through deep learning An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, is a medical test that monitors the state of the heart by recording electrical signals produced by the heart. Many diseases throughout the body display cardiac symptoms that can be picked up by an ECG. These ailments include maladies such as traumatic brain injuries, COVID-19 and more. Diagnosing a patient for such maladies is difficult to do from an ECG because the visual indicators are small and can be hard to notice, even to a trained eye. Deep learning, however, has proven to be a powerful tool in solving such detailed problems. Nathan Chapman, Jack Flitcroft, Stuart Harley, Errin Miller and Kyle Rodriguez are a team of seniors majoring in computer science. They are working with the Medical College of Wisconsin to build deep learning-based models that predict whether a patient has a high likelihood of having COVID-19 or a traumatic brain injury. They are training deep learning models using Rosie, MSOE’s supercomputer, based on the data collected from ECGs.
“ECGs are really inexpensive and quick medical tests, and provide a lot of information about the body,” said Flitcroft. “The issue is that to the human eye it’s difficult, to say the least, to gather from an ECG whether someone has some illness. This is where artificial intelligence (AI) comes in. AI is really good at spotting small differences within a healthy versus unhealthy ECG, and with this we can predict whether someone has a number of different health conditions from this simple test.” Flitcroft and his teammates are taking this technology one step further and putting it directly in the hands of anyone who owns a smart watch. “Even smart watches have ECGs in them now,” he said. “Imagine if you hit your head hard and want to know if you have a concussion. We are building an app to take your ECG on the smart watch, and let you know if the model thinks you have a concussion.” From athletes to the average person, everyone is at risk for concussion after a big bump or fall. This new technology is another tool to encourage individuals to seek medical attention.
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Community compassion In the Nursing Care of the Community course, students learn how to use the nursing process in partnership with communities for improving health. They explore and discuss issues relevant to population-based nursing care and societal trends that influence community health. Over the winter they had clinical experiences at Repairers of the Breach, a daytime shelter and resource center for the homeless, where they helped members of the community with basic health needs. Nursing students Cass Lyles and Jackie Nguyen reflected on their experience with one of the patients who visited the shelter, but only wanted to be seen by a doctor. “Professor Robin Gates was able to reassure the patient that we were competent and would be able to provide care for her,” said Nguyen. “She was immediately reassured, and we were able to start taking her vitals. Initially, she mentioned that she was at the clinic for a wellness check, but I wanted to dig a bit deeper because I had a feeling there could be something else that she may have needed.” “When assessing her, she mentioned that she hit her head and was injured due to being attacked on the streets earlier in the morning,” said Lyles. “She then opened up [and shared] that she was sexually assaulted by someone she knew. We were able to have emergency services take care of her, but while we were waiting, I stayed with her in the room so she would not be alone to process the trauma.” “I’m glad that the clinic was available for her to come to in a time of need and that we had a supportive group to be there for her,” said Nguyen. “I can tell that she felt safe around us and that we did our best to guide her the best way we could. Our last week at Repairers of the Breach was a valuable learning experience and it gave us a glimpse of the harsh realities of our vulnerable community members. It was a great learning experience seeing how powerful pure compassion is.”
MSOE nursing students tend to basic health needs at shelters and community clinics.
Testing it out An MSOE senior design team is working to develop an over-the-counter test that will check for both COVID-19 and influenza. Team Argus is comprised of biomolecular engineering seniors (above, from left) Steven Imp, Brian Chavez, Benjamin Bruckert and Rebekah Bartels and advised by Drs. Eryn Hassemer and Gul Afshan, Physics and Chemistry Department. “Our goal for this project is to create a product that can safely, accurately and quickly detect and differentiate COVID-19 from influenza,” explained Bartels. “COVID-19 and influenza are both respiratory diseases and can display similar symptoms to each other, even though their severities are much different. We hope our design gives clarity as to whether someone has one, both or neither of the diseases.”
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Lighting the skyline Often, experiential learning opportunities are multifaceted and involve significant community engagement. In another prime example, SHARP Literacy has partnered with MSOE and Light the Hoan to launch “Beyond the Classroom – Code the Hoan: STEAM Scholars.” Through the program, middle school students will tap into their creativity and problem-solving skills and learn about the technology behind the Hoan Bridge’s lighting system. Industrial engineering students at MSOE are designing and building a scale model of Milwaukee’s iconic Hoan Bridge that will travel from school to school throughout the city as part of a mobile learning unit. Using LED Lights and virtual reality software, the young students will learn the principles of coding and critical thinking. They’ll interact with a fully online coding and training platform to program the lights on the model bridge—just like professional coders work to program the lights on the Hoan Bridge itself. Through projects like this, MSOE students are transformed into community builders and leaders. They are helping inspire the next generation of STEM
students and professionals,” said Dr. DeAnna Leitzke, associate VP of academic excellence. “Project-based experiential learning is at the core of the MSOE experience and MSOE’s CREATE Institute supports campus to ensure projects like this help students develop the skillset and mindset they need to solve the complex challenges of today and tomorrow.” “Technology holds promise for the next generation; however, for many students in our community, this opportunity is not top-of-mind or accessible without SHARP’s Design Through Code program,” said Lynda Kohler, SHARP president and CEO. “We are beyond thrilled to be able to join forces with Light the Hoan and MSOE to empower today’s students with the digital literacy skills that will serve as the foundation for future success.” The Code the Hoan: STEAM Scholars program is made possible by a $218,000 grant SHARP Literacy was awarded from Governor Tony Evers’ statewide Badger Bounceback Beyond the Classroom Grant Program. VISIT MSOE.EDU/DIMENSIONS FOR VIDEOS AND PHOTOS OF EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING AT MSOE.
DIMENSIONS SPRING/SUMMER 2022
Enhanced designs With a classroom embedded within the office of MSOE’s Marketing Communications Department, students in the user experience (UX) program didn’t have to look far to find a real-world project to dive into. Over the winter they audited and redesigned the information architecture (IA) of numerous sections of the MSOE website using innovative online tools that helped with content auditing, brainstorming and project management. To prepare for the project, students reviewed other university websites. They also completed individual and group assignments and prepared presentations for their client, Josh Hertzog, MSOE’s director of digital marketing. “Who better to help us enhance MSOE.edu than our very own students,” said Hertzog. “The students have fantastic ideas.” Hertzog is currently reviewing the students’ work and hopes to implement many of their suggestions in the future. The students’ work also will become part of their senior UX digital portfolio. A few of the ideas presented by Jessica Oratch and Kayla Yakimisky are pictured at right. From computer science to industrial engineering and everything in between, MSOE students have one thing in common: they learn by doing.
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IN THE COMMUNITY
RECORD BREAKING
MSOE students make world’s largest bowl of cereal After discovering a free pallet of unsellable Cocoa Puffs cereal on Facebook Marketplace, mechanical engineering senior Joseph Carey set out to crush the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest bowl of cereal. After months of meticulous planning, Carey and his 80 volunteers transformed a dumpster in his parents’ backyard into the unofficial world’s largest bowl of cereal, weighing in at a whopping 9,045 pounds. After they completed the task, Carey wanted to be sure the cereal wouldn’t just sit around in bags in a landfill. He was able to find a place where they could compost it when they were finished, eventually turning the Cocoa Puffs into topsoil.
SWEET MELODIES
MSOE Music Program illuminates Marcus Center Women Developing Wisconsin MSOE’s Rader School of Business hosted the 3rd annual Women Developing Wisconsin Conference (WDW) at Diercks Hall this spring. WDW is designed to provide learning and networking opportunities to empower women in construction, business, finance and real estate industries. This year’s conference theme was “Grow Your Effectiveness.” The day was filled with networking opportunities, presentations, panel discussions and breakout sessions. Kimberly Kane, president and CEO of Kane Communications Group, delivered the keynote address, “Empowering Wisconsin Women—Fueling Your Career from a Place of Purpose.” Thank you to Gold Sponsors PieperPower, Mortenson, MSOE Rader School of Business, Walbec Group and We Energies Foundation.
The MSOE Music Program illuminated the Marcus Center for Performing Arts with the sounds of hit songs during their Ensemble Showcase this winter. The 12-piece Symphony Orchestra took the stage and performed selections from “House of Cards” and “Downton Abbey,” among others. The 18 voices of the choir performed Vivaldi’s “Gloria,” “Let the River Run,” and more. The 21 members of the Concert Band brought songs such as “Manhattan Adventure” and “With Honor and Valor” to life. And the 20-piece Jazz Ensemble had audience members dancing in their seats to favorites including “Freddie the Freeloader” and “I’m Still Standing.”
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ROCK ON
Spotlighting bioethics The 14th World Conference on Bioethics, Medical Ethics and Medical Law lent new insight and opportunity to MSOE faculty. A delegation that included Dr. Charles Tritt, associate professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department; Drs. Jon Borowicz, David Howell and Patrick Jung, Humanities, Social Science and Communication Department; Dr. Victoria Carlson-Oehlers, School of Nursing; Dr. Bernard Cohen ’71, MSOE Regent; and Megan Brock ’21, graduate student, M.S. Perfusion, traveled to Porto, Portugal in March to present their work on bioethics and medical ethics. The conference offered an international platform for fruitful scientific discourse on more than 60 topics and subtopics in the fields of bioethics, medical ethics and health law. MSOE’s ethics programming has been steadily growing over the past decade as innovations in technology, medicine and business bring new moral challenges to the forefront. Borowicz is working to build a worldwide network focused on applied bioethics in medicine, education and engineering. He presented his paper on “Moral Friendship as the Cultivation of Moral Taste and Judgement in Professional Life” at the conference. “For many professionals, organizational dynamics repress their autonomy,” he said. “They often face moral distress: they know what the right thing to do is, but they are constrained and do not have the autonomy or authority to make the right decision.” With the connections he made in Porto, Borowicz gathered support and interest in establishing a new Department of Professional Autonomy within the International Chair in Bioethics. In April he received official approval to launch the department and soon will have the infrastructure in place for an ongoing online discourse for professionals from industry and 250 universities worldwide.
Rockabilly Chili heats up the competition Chili lovers united once again in the Kern Center for the 20th annual WMSE Rockabilly Chili fundraiser. More than 2,200 guests enjoyed chili samples from 33 restaurants and raised $57,000 to support WMSE. Congratulations to this year’s winners! Best Meat: Kettle Range Meats Best Veggie: Lazy Susan Best Heat: Camino Most Unique: Lazy Susan Best Display: Buckatabon Tavern and Supper Club Not only did attendees support WMSE, they also generated 17 pounds of food and $1,817 in cash donations for the Hunger Task Force.
St. Patrick’s Week traditions live on MSOE’s annual St. Patrick’s Week celebration carried on this year and even took to the streets. The MSOE Student Government Association coordinated the university’s appearance in Milwaukee’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade through downtown. According to John Shields III, an SGA Senator and industrial engineering major, “We were fortunate enough this year to have a parade to not only participate in, but to put the MSOE Mindset and vision on display for downtown Milwaukee! It was a frigid morning, but that still didn’t stop the MSOE team from putting two floats, a band and a squad car in the parade! This was a huge project that involved almost a half-dozen MSOE departments, about a dozen student orgs and well over 50 people in total to make this celebration happen.” RELIVE THE FUN AND SEE THE FLOATS, ROSCOE RAIDER, THE PEP BAND, SAE TEAM VEHICLES, MSOE PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORE AT: HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/DNBVRWBLXVY
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RAIDERS WRAP-UP DIGGING DEEP
Raiders play with heart in challenging seasons The 2020-21 school year was a challenging ordeal for everyone, and that included collegiate athletic teams across the nation. After having entire spring and fall seasons wiped off the calendar, most universities and conferences attempted to jam an entire athletic year into just five short months. MSOE got through it, and with quite a bit of success: two soccer divisional championships, a second-place finish for men’s hockey in the Harris Cup playoffs, a men’s track and field outdoor title, and the second straight berth into the NCAA tournament for softball. That success continued into this past fall, specifically for Raiders men’s cross country and women’s soccer. For one team, it was a long-awaited return to the sport that they love. For the other, it was the second half of a grueling marathon.
Running with heart While the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) did technically have a championship in the spring of 2021, only a handful of teams participated since the outdoor track and field season was in full swing. Having won the 2019 title, the fall of 2021 served as the Raiders’ first chance at fully defending their crown.
“The season had very special meaning for us after we lost Josh,” said Massoels. “The guys had another, and maybe even bigger, reason to win. One of the student-athletes said to the team that not everyone knew Josh, but there wasn’t a run or race that they didn’t run for him.”
“Just getting the lads back together for a fall season was special for each and every one of us after all the time away,” said MSOE men’s cross country head coach Bill Massoels. The road to getting back to competition dealt with more than just the ongoing pandemic. The squad also lost one of their own, Joshua Antongiovanni, who passed away unexpectedly over the summer.
The Raiders turned in several impressive performances before blowing out the competition at the NACC championships to win their second straight full season title. “It was great to win the outdoor conference, but each sport creates its own dynamic, and cross country is no exception.” The team ultimately fell short of their goal of a trip to the NCAA championships, but they still felt Jesse Lambrecht (left) and Nolan Kozinski helped the men’s cross country team win its second straight NACC championship. Below: Women’s soccer players celebrate winning the NACC North Division championship.
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like they had made an impact and carried over those lessons learned into the indoor track and field season where they fell just 0.5 points short of the school’s first inside title since 2011.
Soccer’s crowning achievements While running isn’t the only thing that women’s soccer does when they compete, it is still a large part of their game and the fall 2021 season felt like their second of back-to-back marathons. Soccer was one of the fall sports lucky enough to play in the spring and salvage a year of play, even if the campaign was shortened and there was no overall NACC or NCAA title to play for. Instead, the conference was split with Illinois and Wisconsin schools only playing against teams in the same state as them. The number of games or opponents didn’t bother the team, as they went to work and took home the NACC North divisional crown at the end of the year. Normally a season would end in November, and the team wouldn’t begin play again until the following August. For the 2021 fall season, they still started in August, but only had three months off to refocus. “Winning the NACC North Division championship was a big accomplishment, but I think that left us really wanting more,” said sophomore defender Molly Pekala. “We wanted to prove that we deserved that championship and to be able to play in the NCAA tournament.” The Red and White came out and did what no other team has ever done in school history—they were awarded an at-large bid into the NCAA tournament after a season in which they won a three-way share of the NACC regular season championship but fell short in the NACC tournament. “The fall was really difficult because less than half of our team had ever played a real collegiate season before, so in a way it was like half of our team were freshmen,” said sophomore defender Theresa Bueckers. “That makes it that much more rewarding and showed the strength of our players and team.”
The men’s baseball team got a taste of the big leagues when they played UW-Milwaukee at American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers. Here, Collin Truitt waits for the pitch.
In Memoriam MSOE is saddened to share the news of the passing of retired Athletic Director Dan Harris on April 14, 2022. He led a storied coaching and administrative career at Nathan Hale Ray High School, the U.S. Air Force Academy, UW-Milwaukee and Concordia University, and served as MSOE’s athletic director for 20 years. He retired in 2015, bringing his 53-year career to a close. Under Harris’ leadership, MSOE athletics enjoyed remarkable growth and success, going from 14 to 21 sports in his tenure, including the addition of men’s volleyball, men’s rowing and men’s lacrosse, as well as men’s and women’s track and field. MSOE teams won 47 conference regular season and tournament championships during his tenure, while making seven NCAA Tournament appearances. The Raiders also had 25 individual qualifiers for national championships and boasted 19 All-Americans, among many, many other team and individual awards. Under Harris, success was not limited to the playing field, as the department featured 14 CoSIDA Academic All-Americans. Dedicated to creating opportunities for students to compete in varsity athletics, Harris was instrumental in forming the Midwest Lacrosse Conference and served as its first commissioner. He also was instrumental in the founding of the Midwest Collegiate Hockey Association (now Northern Collegiate Hockey Association) and served as that league’s first president. In recognition of his efforts, the NCHA’s championship trophy is named the Harris Cup.
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IMPACT
Making an impact on and off the field “From getting a walk-off in my first collegiate game to our team winning a NACC championship on our home field last year, some of the best moments of my life have been on this field.” MSOE softball catcher and biomedical engineering student Jenna Trewyn spoke about the impact athletics have had on her collegiate experience on April 8 when an excited crowd of student athletes, alumni, community members, staff and faculty gathered to hear about phase two of an investment in women’s athletics at MSOE. It includes the construction of MSOE Raiders Softball Stadium, a 2.9 million-dollar-project that will be the new home to MSOE’s NCAA Division III women’s softball team. The stadium is part of a larger multi-year plan, announced last fall, to expand facilities for MSOE Athletics and provide greater opportunities for women athletes. The effort is also aimed at improving the overall student experience and includes enhancing MSOE’s arts programming with the first-ever dedicated space on campus for the student band. The plan furthers MSOE’s mission and ongoing work focused on diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB). “At MSOE, this commitment is not just about words, but actions,” said Vice President of Student Affairs and Campus Inclusion Seandra Mitchell. “Investing in this is also a testament to the
“Being a collegiate athlete has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It is more than just a game. It is the special moments created while being a part of a team, the lessons learned from the hard practices and the pride you feel when you can represent the school and city you love.” JENNA TREWYN, STUDENT ATHLETE
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Giving Day success The MSOE community came together to raise a total of $412,339 on this year’s Giving Day! These gifts will make a tremendous impact across campus by supporting scholarships, student clubs and organizations, STEM programming, DEIB, athletics, academics and more. Thank you to everyone who participated on this annual day of giving!
Left to right: Bladen Burns, Fiduciary Management; Jenna Trewyn, student; Dr. Kathy Ruehlow ’72, MSOE Regent; Cavalier Johnson, Milwaukee mayor; Jodi ’98 and Matthew ’99 Burow, MSOE Regent; Dr. John Walz, MSOE president.
dedication of our university and the collective impact we can have when stakeholders come together to help us expand our reach.” The expansion is being funded by a gift from Dr. Kathy Ruehlow ’72, MSOE Regent, as well as a gift from MSOE Regent Matt ’99 and Jodi ’98 Burow. Fiduciary Management is also providing support to construct the new softball field. For Ruehlow the gift means improving the experience of all students and helping secure the university’s growth in the future. “I am so honored to be part of this project. I hope these changes allow current and future students to engage in extracurricular activities while pursuing an exceptional education at MSOE.” For the Burows, both of whom are alumni and former athletes at MSOE, supporting this project also hits close to home. “Jodi and I are excited about the project because of its core to reaching the diversity goals of MSOE,” said Matt. “We believe this project provides several new avenues to reach more female students and grow MSOE.” “I have always felt blessed to have attended MSOE as it was an important part of shaping who I am both professionally and personally,” said Jodi. “I appreciate the vision of MSOE to grow women and as an athlete, I believe this project is a huge step forward.” Matt Burow is chairman and CEO of Catalyst, the construction firm that will build the new stadium. “MSOE has an incredible collection of student athletes, with unlimited potential for greatness on the field, court, track … and eventually the world. Support from these generous gifts provide us the tools to get there,” said Trewyn.
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PAGE TITLE IMPACT FACES OF PHILANTHROPY
Alumnus’ scholarship honors parents Last fall, Matt Tadisch ’06 made a surprise announcement while accepting his MSOE Alumni Achievement Award. He intended to honor the role his parents played in his academic and career successes by starting a scholarship in their name. In spring his plan came to fruition, as the CAECM alumnus made a pledge of $10,000 establishing the Charles and Nancy Tadisch ’72 Scholarship Fund. The scholarship will support a student from northeastern Wisconsin studying architectural engineering, construction management or nursing. The Tadisch Family is from the Green Bay, Wisconsin area. The timing of the first awarding of the scholarship will also coincide with Nancy’s 50th reunion year of graduating from the Milwaukee County General Hospital School of Nursing, which became the MSOE School of Nursing in 1995.
Corporate partner supports Society of Women Engineers at MSOE Komatsu Mining Co. is demonstrating their commitment to advancing women in STEM through their sponsorship of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) chapter at MSOE.
Left to right: Charles Tadisch, Nancy Tadisch ’72, Matt Tadisch ’06
Thanks to the company’s generosity, SWE hosted another successful “Hands on the Future” event in January of 2022, during which high school students visited campus to participate in hands-on activities and heard from industry professionals about careers in STEM. In March, members of SWE also attended the SWE conference in Iowa. The visit included a career fair and professional development workshop, competitions, and networking with SWE members from across the country.
To learn more about supporting scholarships or how you can make an impact at MSOE through philanthropy, contact Greg Casey, senior director of development, at casey@msoe.edu.
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Paving the way for future generations “I’m so thankful for the hands-on, practical education I received at MSOE. It is a big reason for the success I have enjoyed in my professional career.” For business alumnus Gregg Mattek ’04, his connection to this campus has played a pivotal role in helping him launch his career.
Gregg and Heather Mattek at Gregg’s graduation from MSOE’s Rader School of Business in 2004. The couple’s son, Carter, will be attending MSOE in fall 2022.
Memorable moments like Mattek’s happen each day— inside classrooms, on the athletic field or over coffee—and now thanks to the new Pave the Way campaign, they can be commemorated for years to come. In February, the Office of University Advancement launched Pave the Way as a unique opportunity for students, alumni, parents, industry partners and friends of MSOE to honor their special ties to the university while also helping build a foundation for future Raiders. With a gift to the campaign, you can purchase a small, medium or large size paver and customize it with a message to honor a classmate, teacher, mentor or recognize your own time as a student at MSOE. In turn, that gift goes to support the education of a future student through an endowed scholarship.
“Pave the Way is a great way to support MSOE and be a permanent and visible part of the school’s growth.” BEN GOVER, ’97 For Ben Gover ’97, supporting Pave the Way felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase his family’s legacy with MSOE. “My father Bill Gover graduated in 1972 with a degree in mechanical engineering. I received my undergrad in mechanical engineering and master’s in engineering management, and my oldest son Noah will be finishing his freshman year at MSOE and is also pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering,” said Gover. Gover is one of dozens whose personalized pavers will be laid this summer in the new Alumni Plaza, located inside the University Terrace. The new campus green space opens in spring and serves as another beautiful spot for the MSOE community to connect.
Left to right: Bill Gover ’72, Ben Gover ’97, Noah Gover
Mattek says having a paver in the plaza is just one step forward in paying back the university he credits to have helped him achieve so much personal and professional success. “Pave the Way is a great way to support MSOE and be a permanent and visible part of the school’s growth. Until I get the opportunity to have my name on a building on campus, this paver seems like a great starting point toward making sure MSOE is still around for many more generations of my family.” IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LEAVE YOUR MARK ON CAMPUS OR LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PAVE THE WAY CAMPAIGN, VISIT GIVE.MSOE.EDU/PAVETHEWAY.
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CLASS NOTES
1990s Theodor Schneider 90 EET, chief technology officer, 7SIGNAL, Independence, Ohio Keith Kressin 92 EE, president and CEO, MemryX Inc., Ann Arbor, Mich. Sarah Frecska 96 AE was named a Notable Woman in Engineering 2022 by BizTimes Milwaukee. DeAnna Leitzke 98 AE, 08 MSEM earned a Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service in Higher Education from Cardinal Stritch University. Clinton Silvis 98 EE, hardware engineering manager, Abaco Systems, Austin, Texas William Demshar 99 CM, estimator III, The Boldt Company, Appleton, Wis.
A Major League Baseball lockout didn’t stop the MSOE Raiders alumni from gathering for their annual tailgate event at American Family Fields in Phoenix. Alumni and friends enjoyed a cookout at the ballpark, touring the Milwaukee Brewers’ spring training stadium, and hanging out with the racing sausages.
1980s Stephen Gustafson 82 EE, senior electrical project engineer, Inventus Power, Woodridge, Ill.
Steven Frisch 88 EET
president and chief strategy officer, Plexus Corporation, Neenah, Wis.
2000s Clover Barnes 01 NU, senior deputy director, DC Department of Health, Washington, D.C. Mechelle King 04 BUS was admitted to the District of Columbia Bar after earning a Juris Doctor from William & Mary Law School, Williamsburg, Va. Sarah Elger 05 MSEV was selected as one of BizTimes Milwaukee’s Notable Women in Engineering 2022. Travis Thul 06 EET was appointed to Minnesota’s Board of Engineering and Board of Electricity by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. Ryan Atwood 07 SE, software engineer, Bigeye, Milwaukee Aaron Ratka 07 ME, technical product manager–emerging tech, Molson Coors, Milwaukee Chad Labucki 08 AE/CM, project director, Clayco, Phoenix Jeffrey Simon 08 MSE, program manager– functional safety, Uhnder Inc., Austin, Texas
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2010s
Dana Guthrie 10 CE
was named one of Wisconsin’s 48 Most Influential Black Leaders by Madison365 and Community Leader of the Year by BizTimes Milwaukee. Amber Hetzel 12 ME, 21 MSEM, senior technical product manager, GE Healthcare, Milwaukee Mathias Pelka 12 EE, professor of automation technology, Lübeck University of Applied Sciences, Lübeck, Germany Anthony Slomczewski 14 EE, 21 MBA, senior manufacturing engineer–electrical systems, Harley-Davidson Motor Company Inc., Milwaukee
Rodney Lynk 15 MBAEL
CEO, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, Milwaukee Sheng Zhang 19 EE, 21 MSE, electrical engineer, Foxconn Industrial Internet USA, Mount Pleasant, Wis.
Jon Paul ’07 and Charlotte Paul lace up their skates at the annual Alumni Family Skate event in the Kern Center. No skates? No problem! Doug Reed ’95 and his family hit the ice via sled.
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CLASS NOTES
2020s Maria Clifford 21 IE IE, project engineer, cGMP Consulting Inc., Lake Forest, Ill. Lucas D’Amato 21 IE IE, industrial engineer, Global Power Components, Milwaukee Sean Hardiman 21 ME ME, engineer I–engine development, Generac Power Systems Inc., Waukesha, Wis. Lucas Harding 21 ME ME, process engineer, Marian Inc., Milwaukee Jedidiah Heinrich 21 ME ME, manufacturing engineer, Kenall Lighting, Kenosha, Wis. Madison Howell 21 UXCD UXCD, associate design researcher, Rocket Companies, Detroit Arandu Huerta 21 CE CE, software engineer, Dematic Corporation, Wauwatosa, Wis. Kyle Jablonski 21 IE IE, control systems engineer, Thermo Systems, DeKalb, Ill. Evan Koenig 21 AS AS, actuarial analyst, State Auto Insurance, Columbus, Ohio Jake Kraus 21 ME ME, design engineer, MacDon Industries, Sun Prairie, Wis. Evelyn Kurtz 21 BME/EE BME/EE, software architect analyst, Accenture, Milwaukee Mason Lebreck 21 BBA BBA, supply chain analyst, Komatsu Mining Corporation, Milwaukee Katie Merriman 21 BME/EE BME/EE, CRTA fellow, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md. Connor Minx 21 BIOE BIOE, clinical laboratory scientist, Exact Sciences, Madison, Wis.
Carol (Cayo) LeValley 12 IE and her 21-monthold twins, Dean and Eleanor, enjoyed the annual Alumni Family and Skate event at the Kern Center in March. The twins also had fun seeing their mom’s basketball photos throughout the halls of the Kern Center.
Rilind Morina 21 EE EE, associate test engineer, Harley-Davidson Motor Company Inc., Milwaukee Saurabh Patel 21 MSE, test engineer, Foxconn Industrial Internet USA, Mount Pleasant, Wis. Fredrick Perry 21 MBAEL, high school special education lead, Milwaukee Excellence Charter School, Milwaukee
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Emmanuel Rodriguez 21 UXCD, social media marketing manager, Wisconsin Detail Services Inc., Glendale, Wis.
Mary Tuscon 21 NU,
labor and delivery nurse, Waukesha Memorial Hospital, Waukesha, Wis. Monica Vincent 21 CVE, project engineer, Symbiont, West Allis, Wis. George Volling 21 EE, controls engineer, Modine Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis. Samuel Wagner 21 EE, field services engineer, Radyne Corporation, Milwaukee Morgan Wenzlaff 21 BBA, multimedia designer, PFERD North America, Milwaukee Amanda Ziegler 21 NU, registered nurse, Milwaukee VA, Milwaukee
Director of Alumni Affairs announces retirement from MSOE After 22 years Cathy Varebrook, director of alumni affairs, is ready for her next career venture: retirement. Varebrook joined MSOE in 2000. Under her leadership the university saw significant growth in the annual President’s Golf Outing and Regents’ Golf Outing which netted millions of dollars supporting scholarships for MSOE students. Varebrook also produced many notable campus events, including President Walz’ inauguration and the 10th anniversary celebration of the Grohmann Museum. She also helped establish the Executive Motorcycle Group rides for alumni and Corporation members, engaging dozens of MSOE industry partners through manufacturing tours across the state of Wisconsin, and spearheaded fun events like the annual Brewers Tailgate in Arizona, Summer in the City reunion and Alumni Family Skate. While her accomplishments at MSOE are many, her dedication to our alumni enhanced that success. Varebrook was committed to placing them first in every program and event she planned for the university, and in the daily interactions she had with them. Varebrook’s last day at MSOE will be June 13. Congratulations on a well-deserved retirement!
IN THE CITY Alumni Reunion Weekend
July 15–17, 2022
msoe.edu/reunion
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Marriages
Zachary Dam 15 CE and Jill Vande Boom 18 AE/ CVE/MSCVE were married Sept. 3, 2021, in Saukville, Wis. Other MSOE alumni or current students in the wedding party included Joel Vande Boom 10 AE/CM, Luke Nelson 20 ME, Helton Vandenbush 21 ME and Alec Dam EE. Grayson Vandenbush ME (not pictured) served as an usher for the ceremony.
Ashley Casper 17 NU married Michael Tutkowski in September.
Aleah Quast 18 BM and Sam Stealey 18 BIOE were married on Sept. 11, 2021, in Hermann, Mont.
Chandlar Armstrong 19 ME and Samantha Felhofer 19 ME were married Sept. 4, 2021.
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Olivia Boden 20 NU and Lucas Hass 20 CM were married Sept. 11, 2021 after meeting in the elevator during move-in their freshman year at Roy W. Johnson Residence Hall. Several alumni were in the wedding party. From left: Kayla Knueppel, Megan Ratkovich, Allison Laurent 20 NU, Gabi Bernarde 20 NU, Jenalyn Boden, Chiree Andrus, Olivia (Boden) Hass 20 NU, Lucas Hass 20 CM, Ethan Van Thiel 20 EE, Nate Bevers 20 AE, Julian Sonn 20 CVE, Erik Tank 20 EE, Cody Ratkovich, Jestin Boden 13 ME. Brianna Berillo 20 BME and David Chon 20 IE were married Oct. 16, 2021. The couple met at MSOE in their first freshman studies class where Brianna sat behind David.
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CLASS NOTES
In Memory
Craig Tallar 82 IM
Forrest Salter 50 EE
Curtis Frahm 89 MSEM
Charles Monk 51 ACT
Thomas Hundt 92 EE
Herbert Johl 52 EE
Robert Kaufman 04 BUS
Stanley Spence 52 EE
Dr. John “Jack” Slater, professor emeritus, passed away Nov. 30, 2021. Slater began his 27-year career at MSOE in 1972 as a professor and the program director of the fluid power engineering technology program. He also served as chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department and chairman of the Faculty Senate and Council. In addition to teaching at MSOE, he developed and taught fluid power courses at the plants of MSOE clients and was a consultant and expert witness. Slater was a well-regarded expert in the fluid power industry, and was inducted to the Fluid Power Hall of Fame in 2020.
Judith Krolikowski 54 NU Patricia Lyons 54 NU William Otto 54 NRTT Donald Hallwachs 55 EE Edward Boggs 56 ACET Janet Martin 56 NU Merrick Beane 57 EE Frank Bourbeau 57 EE H. Blair Tyson 58 EE James Wanta 58 INDT, 62 ME Martin Murray 59 ECT, 62 EE Bernard Schneckenburger 59 EE Walter Meyer 61 CT Paul Roth 61 ECT William Welch 61 EPET Rockne Koch 63 ME Laverne Denlinger 64 ME Marlin Fegely 64 EE Harry Hackler 64 ME Edward Schmidt 65 ME, 70 MSEM Russell Beimler 68 EE Paul Goebel 70 ME Gordon Wall 70 IET, 72 MET John Kohlmeier 71 MET Gary Meyer 72 EE Dale Hoium 74 ICEET, 76 MET Gary Keefer 74 EE Russell Zdon 77 MET Robert Jacky 78 FPET/MET John Greiner 80 ACET
Robert Rack 87 CET/IM
Dr. John C. Koss, MSOE Regent Emeritus and founder, former chairman, president & CEO of the Koss Corporation passed away Dec. 21, 2021. Koss was most known for his role in introducing the world to personal listening with the world’s first high fidelity stereophone and for the many headphone, audio and technological innovations brought on thereafter by the Koss Corporation. Koss was awarded the MSOE Pioneer Award in 1980 as well as an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree in 1983. MSOE Regent Emeritus George E. Wardeberg passed away Dec. 23, 2021. Wardeberg was the former CEO of Wicor Inc., which became Wisconsin Energy (now WEC Energy Group). He played a key role in the merger of Wicor Inc. and Wisconsin Energy. Donald D. Maurer ’60 ECT, MSOE Regent Emeritus passed away Jan. 7, 2022. After graduating from MSOE, he went on to work as an electrical engineer for Medtronic. In 1977, Maurer founded Empi Inc. and grew the company from a small re-marketing company to a successful manufacturing business of electrical medical devices.
On Jan. 26, 2022, Dr. James B. Wigdale passed away. Wigdale was a member of the MSOE Board of Regents for a number of years and was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Business and Economics from MSOE in 2004. He spent his career at Milwaukee-based Marshall & Ilsley Corp., operator of M&I Bank, where he became CEO and board chair in 1992. He retired as CEO in 2001 and as chair in 2004. BMO Harris Bank bought Marshall & Ilsley in 2011. Dr. Michael Cudahy, MSOE Regent, passed away March 11, 2022. Cudahy began his service to MSOE in 1982 as a member of the Corporation and within a few years was named a Regent. He was a key member of several committees, contributing to a number of influential initiatives and decisions throughout the last four decades. The Michael J. Cudahy Student Center in the Campus Center building was created as a tribute to his commitment and generosity to the university. He received an honorary Doctor of Engineering from MSOE in 1983. James R. Klauser, MSOE Regent Emeritus, passed away March 15, 2022. Klauser joined the Board of Regents in December 2003. He was formerly senior vice president at Wisconsin Energy Corp. before retiring in April 2007. Professor Joanne Dyskow passed away April 11, 2022. She retired from MSOE in 2006 after 41 years of service. She taught a broad range of courses in the General Studies Department including German, fine arts, composition, literature and speech. Dyskow served on MSOE’s Library and Fine Arts Committees and was on the staff for the annual student literary publication, Ink Waves.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
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PANAMA JACKS
MSOE’s degree offerings and student diversity have continuously evolved in the past 12 decades, reflecting the needs of industry and today’s students. However, industry-sponsored projects have remained an integral feature of an MSOE education since day one. The story featured here appeared in the “Transmitter” newsletter in 1947.
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Milwaukee School of Engineering 1025 N. Broadway Milwaukee, WI 53202-3109
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Trenton Bowser, Nathan DuPont, Christian Hennig, Julian Singkham and Joseph Weller took home the grand prize at the Rosie Supercomputer Super Challenge. Created and judged by MSOE Regents Dr. Dwight Diercks ’90 and Nick Haemel ’02, the challenge required students to showcase how they used Rosie the supercomputer to solve a problem.
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