TOOLS FOR SUCCESS SPRING 2020
DEAN’S REPORT
DEAN’S LETTER
Dr. John-David Yoder
The world has changed since we started drafting this newsletter – based on recommendations from Governor Mike DeWine, JD ’72, ONU and other Ohio universities have moved to online instruction for the remainder of the semester. As a college that values personal relationships and hands-on opportunities, this has been a challenge. Thankfully we have great faculty, staff and students who are doing an amazing job of making this transition work. I am grateful for their efforts to make the best of this disruptive situation as ONU and the state of Ohio work to prioritize safety. I’m proud of all ONU is doing, from donating a truckload of PPE to hospitals, to our College of Engineering technicians and faculty working to produce and donate as many face shields as possible to local essential businesses. Despite the somber situation, we want to provide you with some of the highlights from the past year. You will learn more about our new state-ofthe-art, 105,000 square foot James Lehr Kennedy Engineering Building. This report also showcases some of the work our faculty and students are doing and introduces you to our three new faculty members. You will also learn that, like so many of our alumni, Julie Grantier, BSME ’88, has been incredibly successful in her career at NASA. We were very pleased to welcome her back to campus to deliver the annual Spotts Lecture. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about the successes in the T.J. Smull College of Engineering at Ohio Northern University.
SPOTTS
LECTURE GIVES INSIDE LOOK AT NASA’S NEW FRONTIER
In February, the College of Engineering hosted its annual Spotts Lecture in the Freed Center for the Performing Arts.
technology projects in the areas of propulsion, power and actuation systems. Most recently, she worked on the development of NASA’s Orion spacecraft in the position of project lead engineer for the Orion European Service Module.
Julie Grantier, BSME ’88, senior technologist for systems engineering at the NASA Glenn Research Center, delivered the lecture, which was titled “Shooting for Mars: How Engineering at NASA is Evolving.”
Grantier has worked successfully throughout NASA and within industry and academia as a subject matter expert in systems engineering. She is responsible for developing systems engineering approaches that have been implemented successfully on major NASA programs and adapted by large aerospace companies. She received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Service for sustainable excellence in engineering and systems engineering for her roles in major space science and aeronautics programs. She has also received the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for exceptional and sustained leadership while serving as the technical lead for the European Service Module team.
Grantier has spent the majority of her career working space flight projects in support of NASA’s human space exploration programs. Early in her career, she worked on the development of several NASA shuttle payload experiments as a fluid systems engineer and lead systems engineer. She has led the systems engineering effort on several space
HOME AT LAST THE COLLEGE MAKES THE JAMES LEHR KENNEDY ENGINEERING BUILDING ITS OWN
A
fter nearly a decade of anticipation, the new James Lehr Kennedy
Engineering Building finally took its place as the new official home of the T.J. Smull College of Engineering in fall 2019. From the outside, the building is certainly a sight to behold, but in the past few months, it’s been equally exciting to finally see the building in use. Students and faculty alike have quickly made the space their own and are taking full advantage of its many unique and innovative features. For first-year students in the College of Engineering, the James Lehr Kennedy Engineering Building has become the central hub of their life at Northern. Many freshmen spend many hours in the building, and the dedicated space for first-year students is an ideal environment to dive into high-impact learning and develop the foundational skills they need to be successful later on in their respective programs.
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My favorite thing about the new building is the conference rooms. I utilize them to their fullest with my friends. It has greatly benefited us in our studies and is just a very nice facility overall. George Rak Mechanical Engineering
“My favorite thing about the building is its accessibility, which makes it the perfect place to study and work on assignments,” says Aliya Mitchell, a freshman civil engineering major. “The first-year workspace has many tools that aid in the learning experience.” Along with the new building has come new capabilities that didn’t exist before in the Biggs facility. The machine shop is a prime example. Thanks to the generosity of alumni and donors, the new space features innovative high-quality equipment like a sheet metal shear, a programmable hydraulic press brake and a CNC lathe – all brand-new additions to the machine shop’s repertoire. “The new machine shop is enabling our students to make things on campus that they’ve never been able to before,” says David Mikesell, BSME ‘97, professor and chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “Students design a myriad of complex parts for various classes, competition teams and capstone projects; many more of these they are able to manufacture themselves in-house, rather than outsourcing them. Students gain the skills from doing it themselves, and their satisfaction in the end product grows.” The new Maker Space has also proved to be a valuable addition, especially for non-mechanical engineering majors. A flexible space for students to work on their projects, the Maker Space has nine 3D printers, two laser engravers, a thermoforming machine for molding plastics, a photobooth for photographing projects, eight computers and an
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I spend a LOT of time in the engineering building weekly. This is because I do almost all of my studying in the available workspaces, attend classes in the building, and participate in clubs that meet there. Courtney Ream Mechanical Engineering
84-inch screen students can connect to. Drop-down power outlets from the ceiling and retractable ventilation ducts allow students to solder electronic devices and perform assembly operations on their projects. The specialized fabrication area of the Maker Space allows students to assemble more complex projects using the three microscopes available and the advanced circuit board fabrication and soldering equipment. For senior engineering education major Will Sierzputowski, the mere existence of the Maker Space is a novel privilege. “Giving engineering students a place to build and experiment is invaluable,” he says. “While the building has an advanced machine shop, being able to manufacture and build circuits is great for all engineering majors too, and that’s what the space provides.”
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It is so fun to show alumni around this space. They really light up when they see what students have access to now. David Mikesell Professor of Mechanical Engineering
For faculty members, the new building offers more options for integrating classroom work with laboratory work, all within the same space. In the environmental lab, for example, faculty members can do in-class demonstrations without moving locations, and flexible furniture makes it quick and easy to switch between different classroom setups. The associated laboratory storage area allows them to store experimental systems and bring them out when needed, instead of leaving everything out all the time like they did in Biggs.
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The new facilities have also resulted in increased functionality and efficiency for student organizations like the ONU Baja SAE team. The first floor’s large garage doors and hallways make it a breeze to transport the Baja car indoors and outdoors, whereas before it was a laborious task when the group’s workspace was spread out over multiple floors in Biggs. Now, having a centralized area on the first floor saves students both the time and hassle of constantly transporting tools and parts via the elevator and stairwells. The Baja vehicle is quite literally showcased since the workspace is surrounded entirely by glass near the epicenter of the building, making it more visible than ever to students and visitors alike. “We are hopeful this will encourage future members to join and make our organization more well-known to prospective students as they can see the current car being built, where it was previously housed in the basement,” says Megan Loos, a senior mechanical engineering major. Of course, this is only just the beginning. Every day, the college grows more accustomed to its new space, and students and faculty are constantly learning more about it. There’s still more to figure out, but certainly everyone can agree: it’s good to be home.
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The space is big, clean and has great lighting at all times of the day. Lighting is very important to an engineer, and the superb lighting helps to make projects possible. Will Sierzputowski Engineering Education
ENGINEERING COLLEGE WELCOMES NEW FACULTY Stephany Coffman-Wolph is a visiting assistant professor of computer science, teaching Programming 1, Programming Languages, Python and Problem Solving, Programming 2, and Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (special topics course). Her research interests include fuzzy logic/artificial intelligence; increasing diversity in STEM fields; and computer science, STEM and engineering skills in K-12 education. Prior to coming to ONU, she was an assistant professor of instruction at the University of Texas at Austin. She earned a Bachelor of Science in computer science engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Science in computer science from Bowling Green State University. In 2013, she earned her Ph.D. in computer science from Western Michigan University.
Ramin Rabiee is a visiting assistant professor of civil engineering, teaching Foundations of Design 1, Statics and Strength of Materials. His research interests include advanced experimental studies (real-time hybrid simulations), resilient structural systems using smart damping devices, base isolation systems and vibration control of structures, as well as servo-hydraulic actuator systems control and effective force testing. Prior to coming to ONU, Rabiee was an instructor at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va. He earned a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering from Azad University in Iran, and a Master of Science in civil engineering from Shiraz University of Technology in Iran. He recently earned his Ph.D. in civil engineering from Old Dominion University.
Ahmed Ammar is a visiting assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, teaching Electric Circuits, Applied Electromagnetics and Digital Logic. His research interests include relay scheduling, selection and assignment in systems/networks with energy harvesting technology and wireless energy transfer, and statistical signal processing for communications. Ammar earned a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Sirte University in Sirte, Libya, and a Master of Science in electrical engineering from West Virginia University, where he also recently earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering.
GRANTS
PROMOTE STEM CAREERS
AND FACULTY MENTORSHIP The College of Engineering recently received three grants – two of which will help increase STEM engagement at the University, state and local levels, and another that will support faculty mentorship. In December 2019, the University was awarded nearly $1.8 million from the Choose Ohio First program to increase the number of students pursuing careers in the areas of computer science and computer engineering. The funds will be invested over five years to support enrollment and fund scholarships for students enrolled in computer science and computer engineering. The goal is to increase first-time enrollment in these two programs. Since most ONU graduates pursue careers in the state of Ohio upon graduation, this endeavor is intended to support the mission of the Choose Ohio First program in increasing the number of computing-related students and, consequently, the number of computing professionals in the state. In January 2020, the University also received a $20,000 grant from the PPG Foundation on behalf of its coatings facility located in Lima, Ohio. The funds will support the College of Engineering’s STEM activities by expanding participation in the annual TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics and Science) competition, which focuses on collaboration and problem-solving ONU Engineering hosted the largest TEAMS competition in the skills that are valued in nation with 65 teams from 25 schools that totaled 480 students. engineering education and the profession. Among other purposes, the grant funds will allow for the participation of 10 teams from five underserved schools that have previously not been able to take part in the competition, subsequently increasing the diversity of participants. Additionally, the College of Engineering will deepen its commitment to faculty development thanks to a $100,000 grant awarded to the University by the Arizona State University Engineering Faculty Impact Collaborative. The grant supports a pilot study that will look at the impact of providing mentorship for faculty from small engineering programs by utilizing a larger pool of mentors from outside institutions. The program will bring together 16 faculty across eight institutions in pairs of mentors and mentees. Dr. J-D Yoder, dean of the college, and Dr. Bryan Boulanger, professor and chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve as ONU’s co-principal investigators for the grant.
to output these metrics. Once this is completed, they will send the software over to an engineer at Wilson who will integrate it into their existing X-Pro software. For Eaton and Heitkamp, this capstone has afforded them a great deal of experience with a specialized expertise that they wouldn’t be able to obtain inside a classroom. The project is unique from most of the other capstone projects in that the end product is not a tangible, finished product. It’s experimental in nature, which is precisely one of the reasons why the experience is so valuable.
EXTRA POINTS ith the rise of big data, virtually every industry is finding ways to incorporate data analytics into what they do. The National Football League is no exception. This spring, two computer science students are getting in on this modern trend through their capstone project with Wilson Sporting Goods. In recent years, Wilson has been using its new X-Pro sensor technology to experiment with data analytics as a training and evaluation tool for football players. The in-ball sensors collect data that can be used to generate metrics such as spin rate, launch angle, velocity and throw count that could help players evaluate and subsequently improve their performance. Wilson is currently in the process of fine-tuning a software that captures data from footballs when they are thrown, but the company would also like to fashion an extension of this software that applies to kicks and punts. It is precisely this task that sums up the objective of senior computer science majors Kenneth Eaton and Jordan Heitkamp’s capstone project. Since spring 2019, Eaton and Heitkamp have been devising a way to not only capture sensor data from kicks, but also channel that data into useful metrics. With the help of assistant professor of engineering education Todd France, a former NFL kicker, they generated data samples from more than 60 different kicks. Then, they took that data and used it to output a series of graphs showing acceleration values from three different sensors within the football. The bulk of their work this spring semester consists of determining what kind of metrics to mine from the data, and then coding out software programs
“I think this is a good way to not only have this idea in your head, but actually have to make it work and program it,” says Eaton. The project also required Eaton and Heitkamp to do outside research on programming techniques and practice coding in a new programming language called “R.” “It’s a very popular language – probably one of the top two for data science, and we chose it because it was free to use. It was similar to what Wilson is using for their existing software, and I guess we both just wanted the challenge of learning a new language,” says Heitkamp. Another skill the project has helped them refine is the ability to break down complicated computer science terms and concepts into language that anyone can understand. “Everything we do has to be applicable to football coaches and players. We have to be able to explain it to someone so when Wilson gets our software program they can actually turn it into a product that people want to buy,” says Eaton. Ideally, parts of the programs Eaton and Heitkamp are creating will one day be present in a marketable product that will become a valuable asset to professional sports. It wouldn’t be the first time for ONU to make an impact on such a big stage, and it certainly won’t be the last.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING IT HAPPEN
525 S. Main St. Ada, OH 45810
The results are in....the ONU SAE Aero Design Team finished in 11th place overall in the East competition, Regular class! This was out of 31 teams. Only 2 U.S. teams finished in front of the “Bad News Bears”. Congratulations, Bears! Excellent plane, and excellent team!
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Thank you to all of you who made our new building possible! Nearly 800 donors contributed almost $17 million to the Campaign for Engineering: Building Impact at ONU. Now that the building is complete, we renew our attention to what takes place inside. To continue your support, gifts to the Dean’s Innovation Fund provide Dean J-D Yoder with resources to support the most current and emerging needs of engineering students and faculty. These funds have been used to purchase equipment, invest in student projects and travel, and respond to the unexpected. If in the past you have made gifts online via www. onugive.com, you may continue to do that by simply checking the box titled “Other” and filling in “Dean’s Innovation Fund.”