Engineering Quarterly Fall 2024

Engineering Quarterly VOL.VII. . . No.1

University of Mary

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FALL 2024

W ELCOME !

It is amazing to look back at the past ten years from the conception to the construction and completion of the Hamm School of Engineering. All of the work that went into the research and design of curriculum with the help of dozens of companies across the state, the hiring of our 15 faculty and staff members for Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Construction Engineering, and Construction Management, the raising of funds, the design and construction of the classrooms, laboratories, and offices, the purchasing of equipment and development of the many laboratories we offer across our degrees, the marketing to students across the country, and the ABET accreditation of our degrees. It is so gratifying to see it all now in completed form. We have around 250 students, five cohorts of graduates who are now practicing engineers across the country and the world. Some of whom have already completed their five years as Engineer in Training and have received their licensure as Professional Engineers. The goal of our program has shifted now from one of program building to one of continuous improvement. We strive to improve each of our programs and each of our courses and labs to ensure that we stay at the cutting edge of new technological developments such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Automation, Big Data, new power sources, new regulations, and changing student demographics.

We are also starting research programs so that our faculty can develop professionally and introduce the students to the exciting world of cutting edge research. Engineering, for us, is not merely a job, it is our passion and our vocation. There is nothing more satisfying to us than to see the spark of understanding in a students eyes, the excitement they experience when completing their design projects, the joy they experience when they walk across that stage and receive their degree, and the satisfaction they exhibit when they return to visit during our alumni events and share with us their successes in their companies, their families, and their communities. This really is the life! In this issue we invite a new faculty member to our Mechanical Engineering department and a new administrative assistant to our school. We outline the details of our new degree in Computer Engineering, we share a sampling of stories by some of our students about their fun summer internships, scholarships our students have received, research projects our faculty are working on, research grants we have been awarded, promotions our faculty have achieved, service projects we have undertaken for our surrounding community, companies that have visited our campus

to hire our students, and even a look at an tion system, which aligns with his belief that engineering project from our history when faith fosters integrity and moral responsibility. our former University of Mary President, Sister Thomas Welder, spoke at the dedication ceremony of the new Apple Creek bridge after the original bridge suddenly collapsed 38 years ago. We hope you enjoy this issue of Engineering Quarterly and we hope you will share it with your friends who are interested in Engineering, the University of Mary, or those who would like to become members of our family of students.

N EW M ECHANICAL E NGINEERING P ROFESSOR The Hamm School of Engineering is pleased to welcome Bishal Bhattarai, who joined our faculty as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering this Fall. Bishal comes to the University of Mary with a strong academic and research background, combined with teaching experience from his previous role as an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Adams State University in Colorado.

Bishal earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Idaho in 2023, where his research made significant contributions to the field of biophysical ecology, specifically in the study of salmon redds using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD).

His work involved detailed flow analysis of river water to understand how variables like flow depth, speed, redd shape and size, and the permeability of sand and gravel beds influence the survival of salmon embryos. This research is particularly vital as it sheds light on the critical factors that affect oxygen and nutrient supply to the developing embryos, which are essential for their survival. In addition to his work on salmon redds, Bishal’s research portfolio includes studies on the microfiltration of oil-in-water emulsions and the wetting properties of nanoparticle-enhanced superhydrophobic surfaces, showcasing his diverse study in fluid dynamics and surface engineering.

Born and raised in Nepal, Bishal has the unique experience of studying across different countries, including Nepal, India, and the United States, bringing a rich cultural perspective to his teaching. Bishal moved to the U.S. in 2016 to pursue his master’s degree in Dayton, Ohio, and has since continued his academic and professional journey in the country. He is married to his wife Sushma, and after nearly two years of marriage, they have been enjoying life together as a couple.

Bishal’s personal values, rooted in kindness, compassion, and a deep respect for nature, resonate strongly with the mission of the University of Mary. He appreciates the university’s commitment to a faith-based educa-

Dr. Bhattarai at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, June 2024 As he embarks on this new chapter at the University of Mary, Bishal is eager to apply his extensive research and teaching experience to contribute meaningfully to the Mechanical Engineering Department and the broader community.

N EW A DMINISTRATIVE A SSISTANT

The Hamm School of Engineering welcomes Emily Zahn as our new administrative assistant.

“I am a graduate of Ridgewater Technical College, where I earned my certification as a Medical Assistant. My journey in healthcare began with a passion for helping others, which led me to work at Sanford Health. Initially, I immersed myself in the nursing field, I then transitioned into information technology, where I found a unique way to blend my medical knowledge with tech solutions. Beyond my professional endeavors, I am married to Kyle Zahn, and together we are the parents of four wonderful children: Ethnie (19), Kinzie (16), Keelie (12), and Emberlyn (6). I have dedicated the past seven years to coaching figure skating. This experience has not only allowed me to share my love for the sport but

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also to mentor young athletes, helping them develop their skills and confidence on the ice.”

“I am excited to take the next step in my career by joining the University of Mary community, where I hope to continue making a positive impact in the lives of those around me.”

R ECORD E NROLLMENT !

This is the second year in a row that the University of Mary, and the Hamm School of Engineering has had record enrollment.

The above graph shows the trajectory of our enrollment numbers since we started the engineering school in 2015 along with our Vision 2030 goal of 400 students. The distribution of our students by major, by home state, and by religion are shown in the following pie charts.

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teach all of the courses in our eight different majors as well as a number of adjunct professors who are professional engineers from industry and come in to teach a variety of courses for us – which gives our students direct experience with the cutting edge in the field. In these days of low college enrollment nation-wide it is nice to know that more and more students are choosing the University of Mary for their higher education.

and begin to crumble at 1/8" diameter, usually around 15 to 20 percent moisture. To remove so much water, students tried sunshine, hair dryers, bathroom hand dryers, fans, blowing, mixing, and rolling for a solid hour before the soil was close to testing. The above picture shows the students early on when the enthusiasm was at the highest.

Wes Dickhut, P.E., is an Adjunct Professor in our Department of Civil Engineering

A SSOCIATED G ENERAL C ONTRACTORS S CHOLARSHIPS

FACULTY P ROMOTIONS

On Thursday, September 26, Tom Todd from Northwest Contracting and Russ Hanson from Associated General Contractors of North Dakota presented scholarships to Construction Engineering students Nathan Holthaus, Tanner Roers, and Marisa Shiland. The Associated General Contractors of North Dakota awards scholarships each year to high school seniors who are pursuing a career in construction. The AGC awards over $60,000 in scholarships each year to students going into construction related fields.

ATTERBERG L IMITS L AB

Our first promotion occurred in 2021 when our Laboratory Coordinator Rodrigo da Costa Aparecido was promoted from Instructor to Assistant Professor. This year five of our faculty in the Hamm School of Engineering were promoted. Dr. Nancy Kelly, Dr. James Carrico, Dr. Anthony Garcia, and Fr. Athanasius Oweis were promoted to Associate Professor and Dr. Terry Pilling was promoted to Professor. The Rank & Promotion Luncheon was held on August 28, 2024 during our annual faculty formation day and was attended by faculty friends and family. Promotion at the University of Mary is granted after five years of service and is based on performance in the areas of Teaching, Service, and Scholarship. We are very proud of this achievement by our faculty members and for their record of excellence to the students, the university, and to the community.

By WES DICKHUT

RESEARCH: U.S. D EPARTMENT OF E NERGY G RANT

By ASSAL HADDAD

We are very pleased with both our total student numbers as well as the distribution of majors. With the recent addition of professors Michael Douglas and Bishal Bhattarai we now have a full compliment of professors to

On September 27, 2024, the students in soil mechanics completed step 2 of the Atterberg Limits lab, a test used to define the engineering behavior of clayey soils. Week one started by finding the moisture content where a sample of clay transitioned from a plastic to a liquid material, usually 30 to 100 percent moisture. To perform step 2, the soil had to be much drier so that it would roll into a thread

The Hamm School of Engineering Environmental Engineering program has been awarded a federal Department of Energy research grant through the state energy program in the amount of $41,419.20 for increasing awareness of and preparedness for roles in sustainability, organic waste management, and green energy through the development of a biogas project.

University of Mary is located in a very active agricultural region where the solid waste stream is relatively organic. The project aims at creating a small-scale plot to produce biogas from organic solid waste generated on campus. This small plot can then be used to measure the methane potential for different

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organic solid waste streams generated from various agricultural and animal husbandry activities in the surrounding local region. Finally, a cost and a life cycle assessment will be carried out demonstrating the feasibility and impacts of this solid waste management option. Anaerobic degradation with gas collection will be compared to solid waste combustion with energy harvesting on one hand and with the current practice (landfilling) on the other. This project will be incorporated into courses: ECI432 - Environmental Engineering, ENV411 - Solid Waste Management, S UMMER I NTERNSHIPS ENV 433 - Advanced Environmental Engineering, and ENV 421 - Environmental Sustainability.

Leo Devick As a result of this project engineering studid an interndents will have a greater awareness of sustainship at MDU ability, organic waste management, and green Resources this energy and the opportunities and challenges summer on the associated with them. They will be more Business and likely to seek out jobs pertaining to sustainCustomer facability, solid waste management, and green ing Web Develenergy and will be better prepared and more opment Teams. confident in those roles.

“I was assigned This material is based upon work supcustomer supported in part by the Office of Energy Effiport tickets for ciency and Renewable Energy (EERE), U.S. our internal apDepartment of Energy, under Award Number plications, which were mostly bug fixes and DE-EE010044. pain points that users were having with the apps. I also was the chairman of the Swirl Steering Committee. Swirl is a low-code application for creating RESTful API endpoints RESEARCH: P UBLICATION that can query SQL and Oracle databases,

By BISHAL BHATTARAI and was written by my manager in Java using the Springboot framework. As Chairman, I was responsible for leading weekly meetings Professor Bishal Bhattarai had a research and reviewing microservices with the team paper accepted for publication in the Jour- to determine which of these services could nal of Hydrodynamics this semester. The be replaced with Swirl endpoints. A lot of article is entitled Evaluation of Reynolds- our Java microservices are old and need to be averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models in upgraded, so we are rewriting them in Swirl open channel flow over salmon redds and it to make vulnerability management easier. was published in the September 13, 2024 isI enjoyed working with the BWEB and sue.

CWEB teams again. I work with a few UMary Alumni and it has been fun to swap stories about school. The most exciting day in Software Engineering was on a Thursday when our Payroll application broke. The payroll application is written in Visual Basic, and uses a framework called Crystal Reports to generate Payroll PDFs that we send to the bank to pay the employees. One of the System Admins had just upgraded Crystal to use x64 instead of x86 the night before. Thursday morning, my inbox was filled with trouble tickets for the payroll app, as well as the treasury app.

The main developer of these apps, my intern mentor, was out for the weekend, so I had to work with the Admins to diagnose what the problem was and fix it before Friday when RESEARCH: P UBLICATION these pay statements needed to be submitted.

By DAYAKAR LAVADIYA We discovered that an old x86 library was still somehow included with the application, and it did not like being run as a x64 bit application.”

Professors Dayakar Lavadiya and Eric Garcia, along with engineering students Clare James Campion worked last year as a NPD Pankratz and Kristine Kalthoff have submit- manufacturing engineering co-op at the Bobted a research paper for publication in MDPI cat excavator factory and this year he started - Civil Engineering this semester. The ar- working as a Quality Engineering Intern in the ticle is entitled Alternative Slope-Deflection Student Development Program at the Bobcat Equations for Static Analysis of Indeterminate Acceleration Center from January-August.

Structures and is based on research conducted “A big project I worked on was completely in their ECI 351: Structural Analysis course. revamping visual dashboards for torque tool

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controller statistics. I became one of the most knowledgeable employees at the company on the dashboards from the Thingworx software.

I wrote over 18 Java scripts to collect and report the data and made innovations that allow manufacturing engineers to easily troubleshoot and diagnose the health of all torque tools in an assembly line.

Another project I worked on was R&D for a manufacturing sound sensor for the excavator factory. I got to research how to capture specific frequencies of sound and worked with a measurement company to get a demo kit for me to use and capture data. Some of the fun things about the job was getting the opportunity to operate all the different machines that Bobcat makes with some other intern friends.

I’ve really enjoyed my experience working for Bobcat because of the great people and mentorship. It’s been great to gain all this experience while still working on my mechanical engineering degree and I’m excited to work as a Design Engineer Intern this fall going into my senior year at UMary.”

Iliyana Chumachenko worked at the ND DOT Design Division, with the Utilities section, located in Bismarck, ND (a couple floors above the DMV), “My job was mostly helping my supervisor and some coworkers with side projects, but I mainly worked on finding specific land documents that had to do with utilities, and I uploaded them and the corresponding data into a mapping system. Then, I connected the location that the document was referring to with the document itself. I also learned about OCR, ArcGIS Pro, and much more, in the process!

The internship was enjoyable. At first it was hard to get used to office work every day for 8 hours... but over time I got used to it. I learned about Microfilm – crazy old documents that have been stored for the long term on film paper. That was an interesting project. I was on the hunt for ONE peculiar document among all of the plots of land being used by random

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people with various last names, ranchers asking the state for a cow pass, pictures of old fencing and housing on a weird plot of land.

Very interesting stuff – I enjoyed this a lot.

I also started using some of the coding that I learned at UMary for a certain GIS project that I am working on! I thought I would never use it - haha (though I was told it would useful someday) now I see the power of coding! It’s so useful, everyone should know it!

I got to go on a tour with the DOTC group.

It was pretty fun. I also enjoyed this! I and three other interns were invited to learn and present about AASHTO’s engineering STEM kits at a teacher’s convention. We talked with the teachers and made some fun connections.

The teachers seemed very interested, and we even got on the news! Interestingly enough, it sparked an interest in me to learn more about teaching. We got on the ASSHTO webpage, on prairie public, and on the NDDOT webpage (may be internal though). Oh! Not to mention, another UMary student in the bridge section was also helping – Peter Lane. He also got in the news.”

time there.

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I really enjoyed my co-op! I learned a lot about the design process and what it is like being a part of a bigger company. I also got hands on experience, and they trusted me to work on certain projects by myself. I had a really great team, which helped me learn to work with others and see other engineers thought process. My co-workers were fun to work with, and always willing to help when I needed it.

For engineering week, we had a day of STEM games and building community with the fellow engineers. I got to witness multiple tests on new parts. They had a party for national intern day.”

Some cool things I got to do were make liquid nitrogen ice cream and help test a heat exchanger for a hydrogen fuel cell airplane. I also conducted a test on different manufacturing methods of nitrogen fin vaporizers. The results I found will save the company half a million dollars per year in production time! I am excited to return back to Chart next sumCaleb Raes re- mer!” turned to work another internMadison Camp- Megan Achbach worked at Bobcat in Bisship at PhiBer bell worked marck this summer. “This summer was my Manufacturat Collins Aerospace third summer interning for Bobcat here in ing in Crysin Jamestown, Bismarck. I worked on the Electrical Design tal City, ManND, as a NPI team in New Product Development. I was itoba, Canada, (new product responsible for harness and schematic designs this summer. introduction) for various platforms including loaders and “I worked with mechanical de- mowers. One of the best parts of the summer R&D in the sign co-op stu- was when my biggest project actually went design team. dent this sum- to production. This project was a quality imMost of my mer. “Some of provement that I started last summer. I got to time was spent working in CAD software my main re- see it from conceptualization to prototypes, designing parts to be laser cut, form, and then sponsibilities through design release to production. It was welded together. The company was in the were: assist- an incredibly rewarding experience to see my midst of designing and prototyping a new ing with redesigning and designing models designs on a machine and positively received range of products, so I was able to be right in and assemblies, run model checks and ad- by our manufacturing teams! I helped out the process of designing new components and just the models them to best practice, read during our Doosan Day of Community Serwatching all the different parts come together. model based drawings, help set up a test for vice where I was on a team refinishing docks, I also did some work with 3D printers, para restraint system, making arrangements in adding sand to the beach, and pruning trees ticularly with tool changing printers such as assemblies to show the functions of parts, as- at McDowell Dam. I look forward to starting the Prusa XL, on multi-material prints. This sisting with software testing, check and apply my career with Bobcat after graduation in Demeant that I could combine multiple materials the correct finished and materials to parts, cember! for parts with higher performance or wider checking parts and assemblies for correct usage scenarios. center of gravity, apply PMI to CAD models, T. Paul KarI really enjoyed my internship; it was create an instruction manual on how to install iuki worked at especially nice to be able to return to a work- a cargo system, and create a PowerPoint to National Inforplace that I already knew and was established explain my calculations. mation Soluin. It was also very insightful to see all the tions Coopermistakes that younger me had made and how ative (NISC) in it highlighted how far I had come.”

Mandan, ND. this summer.

Justin Simones “I started as a worked at Chart part-time SoftIndustries in ware DevelopNew Prague, ment intern in MN, this sumthe office in mer. “I was part February and of the Research transitioned to and Developa full-time remote position in the summer. I ment team. I worked on NISC’s End User Billing Team. worked as an They build the software that calculates bills intern, but my job title was actually Mechanfor the Member companies’ customers and ical Engineer 1. I had to write test plans, set then prints them and sends them out. I helped up tests, run tests, analyze the data, and write maintain the software that generates reports the reports. I learned a lot about cryogenics on all the billings for the last few months. I over the summer, and I really enjoyed my loved being able to work on software full-

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time! The specific kind of programming I did was not my favorite, but I had an absolutely amazing team who was welcoming and helpful. I was working on code that was older than me! It was a very good experience and I’m grateful I got to see what it was like working on a software development team.

Over the course of the summer, a few companies joined as Members and a few more left the co-op, so I sometimes had projects with a deadline because the code I was writing was being used to onboard or transition out a Member company. It was awesome knowing that my code was actually being used!”

Gavin Argent worked as a mechanical engineering intern at Worley in Bismarck, ND. “Worley is an engineering consultant with a focus in the power industry. They are headquartered in North Sydney, Australia and have locations all over the world. The Bismarck location has about 10 engineers who work on mainly refinery and power plant projects. My main responsibilities for the summer were assisting in a piping and instrumentation drawing walkdown and various mechanical engineering activities.

I spent most of my time at the Mandan Marathon Refinery making sure their piping and instrumentation drawings (P&IDs) matched up to what is in the field at the refinery. The P&IDs tell you where pipes go to and from, where valves are located, and where instrumentation is, as well as many other things. Sometimes changes are made in the field without updating the P&IDs and someone needs to verify the drawings. We spent time making sure pipes connected to where they were supposed to, verifying instrumentation, and marking changes that need to be made to the P&IDs. It is an ongoing project at Worley, but our focus for the summer was the tank farm and oil movements areas.

My other responsibilities while we were in the office were assisting the mechanical engineering department. The project I worked the most with was a wastewater treatment project.

For this project, I analyzed the pipe stress using a computer program to make sure the pipes would not fail in numerous load cases.

This was very interesting. I also was involved in some procurement processes for specialty items in this project. This involved getting quotes from manufacturers and verifying we are receiving the correct item. The final mechanical engineering activity I did was recommending various requirements like hydrotest pressure, paint coating process, max allowable working pressure, and non-destructive testing requirements. These were all derived from company codes and standards as well as the ASME 31.3B code for process piping.

I developed a good understanding of the refinery process and how products are moved around and monitored. I was exposed to so much equipment related to process piping.

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2024 I enjoyed the P&ID walkdowns because we were outside and looking at interesting stuff constantly. I also enjoyed the office projects because I learned how all pipes and instruments are designed before they are implemented.

Gannon Steffes worked at Packet Digital in Fargo ND. “This summer I worked as a hardware engineering intern where my main responsibility was based around PCB (printed circuit board) design. I am still employed there but over my summer I was able to design two boards in their entirety.

Both of these boards were meant to support our internal testing team to test various battery packs we were developing. This is the 3rd internship I’ve had, all of which have been in different industries. Packet Digital is involved in the electronics manufacturing industry, and this was my first exposure to it. Virtually everything I did on the job was a new learning experience which was extremely difficult but also what makes it fun. This has been my most enjoyable internship, and I still have plenty more to learn. During my time I learned all about the PCB design process from the design software (Altium) to how they are manufactured and assembled. I also learned some good soldering techniques and how to solder under a microscope. I also got to do some destructive fuse testing where we would pump a couple hundred amps or a couple thousand volts through fuses until they exploded.”

Alonso Gutierrez de Velasco worked for Architectural Grilles and Sunshades in Frankfort Illinois. “We make and design architectural finishes such as sunshades and canopies, as well as glazing for windows.

I worked full time for a year and three months to save up money for university as well as to gain experience in a real work environment. I started in the warehouse, manning the CNC machines since I had experience with G-Code from my 3D Printing hobby. I was then moved into the office to work as a general assistant and secretary for the whole team. I would be given all sorts of tasks by the general manager. These varied from reprogramming project logs to be automatic or scanning in every aluminum extrusion die we still had access to. I even was put in charge of finding a new and better IT service provider. I enjoyed it, I took calls and redirected them to the proper employee, made notes of when we would receive

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shipments, and helped the others work a bit more smoothly. I had very little experience in programming before I worked on the project log and had to learn how Excel worked. It was easiest for me to learn since I was still the most experienced programmer in an office full of architects and engineers! One of the managers loved to set up events where the office and warehouse could eat together at lunch. Hot Dog Day for Independence Day, Chili Cook-off Competition, sending me to go pick up pizza when the blizzards made it dangerous for them to go out and take a lunch break (my car was the only one they trusted to go out in the snow). I also worked to interpret between the immigrant workers in the warehouse and the non-Spanish speakers in the office. I even made a handy translation guide for the most common words to hear in the warehouse. Drive, pick up, “don’t touch that”, simple phrases for when I left. I had to help translate when they transitioned from temp workers to full time employees once they got their citizenship, and helped explain the withholding wages tax system. That was a hassle.”

Clare Pankratz worked at KLJ Engineering in the Aviation Sector (airports not airplanes) this summer.

“I worked on construction inspection as well as pavement history updates, cost estimates, grant writing and assembly, alongside other various tasks. I really enjoyed it. The team in Bismarck is awesome! Super fun group to work as well as they all took me under their wings as I learned how airports operate and the FAA works. I had a very high security clearance at the Bismarck airport and got to scan through gates with my badge which was fun. I also got to be right next to the aprons, taxiways, and runways as the airport was still in full operation. Being that close to a plane hits a little different.”

Samantha Sheridan worked in Billings, MT, for Northwestern Energy this summer. “I don’t have pictures of me working, but I do have pictures of what I saw and from the hot air balloon festival that I helped organize volunteers for.

My main responsibility was to support the New Construction Engineering department that designed distribution power lines. I helped with various parts of the business process like calling customers, creating quotes,

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mapping services for construction, and staking projects. I really enjoyed this internship because I had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects, and I got to do a lot of field work.

Mary and the North Dakota University Systems (NDUS) hosted the Being Human and Working in the Age of Artificial Intelligence conference, a platform dedicated to examining the evolving relationship between humans and AI in the context of work, society, and personal development. As AI continues to reshape industries and redefine the nature of work, it is essential to explore how we can maintain our humanity while leveraging the transformative power of artificial intelligence. Speakers ranged from researchers, industry practitioners, policymakers, educators, and thought leaders. There were presentations, panel discussions, workshops, and interactive sessions that addressed the conference themes and offered insights into the human experience in the age of artificial intelligence.

It is more and more important that we, as academics and as a society, explore the human dimensions of AI integration and seek to foster a deeper understanding of how we can harness the potential of artificial intelligence while preserving our humanity so that we can shape a future where technology serves to emAll of the people I worked with were very power and enhance the human experience.

The conference themes included: friendly, and everyone was happy to answer any questions I had. I got to tour the coal mine • Human-Centric AI Design: How can and generating facility in Colstrip, Montana, AI technologies be designed and impleand I was also able to help give tours of the mented to prioritize human well-being, new generating facility in Laurel, Montana. autonomy, and dignity in the workplace?

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Science major and added minors in both Computer Science and Computer Engineering.

Here are the degree requirements for each of these new programs.

C OMPUTER S CIENCE M AJOR Description: Prepare for a career in software development in a wide range of fields, including game development, the Internet-ofThings, Embedded Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Neural Networks, data science and analysis, communication and security algorithms. Become a better software engineer by understanding computer engineering design principles.

Student Outcomes: • Learn to use technology as a tool for analysis and development • Software Development utilizing a number of languages (C, C++, Java, Python, Kotlin, and Assembly) • Knowledge of data structures, algorithms, and computer networks • Knowledge of basic cybersecurity, cryptography, and algorithms • Utilize Artificial Intelligence and Neural Networks for machine learning • Data Analysis using Large Language Models • Strong theoretical mathematical background in linear algebra and statistics

• Ethical Challenges of AI Integration: Addressing ethical considerations and • Basic Circuit design in order to become challenges associated with the integraa better computer scientist tion of AI systems in various sectors, Program Length: 4 academic years / 132 including privacy, bias, accountability, credits and transparency.

• Skills for the AI Era: Exploring the skills and competencies needed for individuals to thrive in an AI-driven economy, including adaptability, creativity, emotional intelligence, and ethical decision-making.

Program Requirements: Need a grade of “C-” or better for all courses required of the major, as well as any pre-requisite courses for the major requirements. Student must also achieve a GPS of 2.5 or higher for all courses required of the major.

• Human-AI Collaboration: Examining strategies for fostering productive col- Required Courses: laboration between humans and AI sys- CSA 220 Computer Networking Essentials tems, leveraging the unique strengths of CSA 300 Systems Development I each to achieve shared goals.

As part of my internship, I had a volunteer project where I organized volunteers for a community event called the Big Sky Balloon Rally, and I was able to go up in one of the balloons. Finally, one of my favorite parts of my internship was watching the linemen work on new installation projects.”

• Workplace Dynamics and Organiza- CSA 340 Webpage Development tional Culture: Investigating the impact CSC 102 Principles of Software Engineering of AI on workplace dynamics, organizational culture, job design, and em- CSC 106 Software Programming Concepts ployee well-being.

CSC 107 Programming Language Funda• Faith in AI design and/or implementamentals tion: Examining the interplay between faith, ethics and artificial intelligence in CSC 203 Introduction to Object Oriented Programming collaboration with the spiritual applications of AI in moral decision making.

CSC 204 Graphical Application Programming

A RTIFICIAL I NTELLIGENCE C ONFERENCE

N EW C OMPUTER E NGINEERING M AJOR

CSC 211 Software Frameworks

Development

with

CSC 356 Intermediate Object-Oriented Programming

CSC 357 Programming for Internet-ofThings The University of Mary’s Hamm School of Engineering has a new major beginning in CSC 360 Computer Architecture On September 26, 2024 on the campus of Val- Fall 2024 in Computer Engineering. We have ley City State University, the University of also modified and modernized our Computer CSC 370 Foundations of Data Science

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CSC 440 Software Protocols & Algorithms

CSC 356 Intermediate Object-Oriented Pro- EEL 206L Circuits I Lab gramming EEL 313 Circuits II CSC 457 Hardware Programming CSC 370 Foundations of Data Science EEL 313L Circuits II Lab CSC 471 Artificial Intelligence & Neural Networks C OMPUTER E NGINEERING M AJOR EEL 462 Digital Systems with Lab CSC 487 Operating System Engineering

Description: Prepare for a career in software development and computer/microcontroller EEL 206 Circuits I design in a wide range of fields, including software development, engineering design EEL 206L Circuits I Lab and analysis, and creative problem solving through hands-on experimental learning. BeENR 101 Introduction to Engineering come a better computer engineer by underENR 200 Computer Applications in Engi- standing what it takes to program your deneering signs.

ENR 101 Introduction to Engineering

ENR 210 Computer Aided Measurement

ENR 304 Computer Aided Analysis

ENR 280 Engineering Design Lab I ENR 281 Engineering Design Lab II ENR 304 Computer Aided Design ENR 452 Embedded Systems with Lab ENR 460 Engineering Economy ENR 470 Engineering Ethics ENR 488 Senior Design MAT 204 Applied Statistics MAT 209 Calculus I MAT 210 Calculus II MAT 306 Combinatorics MAT 312 Linear Algebra PHY 251 Newtonian Mechanics

ENR 210 Computer Aided Measurement ENR 280 Engineering Design Lab I ENR 281 Engineering Design Lab II

Student Outcomes:

ENR 338 Advanced Engineering Mathematics • Explore ways to design and build technology through hands-on experiences MAT 209 Calculus I • Software Engineering (coding, testing, MAT 210 Calculus II as well as program design) • Knowledge of designing, coding, and MAT 211 Calculus III testing software and computer systems MAT 306 Combinatorics • Adapt to working with a wide range of software, depending on the hardware MAT 334 Differential Equations architecture ENR 419 Engineering Data Analysis • Ability to select the best hardware components for desired software environ- ENR 452 Embedded Systems with Lab ment ENR 460 Engineering Economy • Ensuring hardware and software work ENR 470 Engineering Ethics together • Strong mathematical background in cal- ENR 488 Senior Design culus and physics PHY 251 Newtonian Mechanics

Program Length: 4 academic years / 131 PHY 251L Newtonian Mechanics Lab credits

Program Requirements: Need a grade of “C-” or better for all courses required of the major, as well as any pre-requisite courses for C OMPUTER S CIENCE M INOR the major requirements. Student must also Description: The Computer Science minor achieve a GPS of 2.5 or higher for all courses introduces computer programming using im- required of the major. perative, functional, procedural and objectoriented programming paradigms. The stu- Required Courses: dent will learn how to develop software modules from scratch and utilizing frameworks, CSA 300 Systems Development I as well as use data science methods for anaCSA 340 Webpage Development lyzing results.

CSC 102 Principles of Software Engineering Program Length: 19 semester credits CSC 106 Software Programming Concepts Program Requirements: Need a grade of CSC 107 Programming Language Funda“C-” or better for all courses required of the mentals minor, as well as any pre-requisite courses for the minor requirements. Student must also CSC 203 Introduction to Object-Oriented achieve a GPS of 2.5 or higher for all courses Programming required of the minor.

CSC 204 Graphical Application Programming Required Courses:

PHY 251L Newtonian Mechanics Lab

ENR 200 Computer Applications in Engineering

C OMPUTER E NGINEERING M INOR Description: The Computer Science minor introduces computer programming using imperative, functional, procedural and objectoriented programming paradigms. The student will learn how to automate measurements and analyze the results of electrical systems.

Program Length: 19 semester credits Program Requirements: Need a grade of “C-” or better for all courses required of the minor, as well as any pre-requisite courses for the minor requirements. Student must also achieve a GPS of 2.5 or higher for all courses required of the minor.

Required Courses: CSC 102 Principles of Software Engineering CSC 106 Software Programming Concepts

CSC 107 Programming Language FundaCSC 356 Intermediate Object-Oriented ProCSC 102 Principles of Software Engineering mentals gramming CSC 203 Introduction to Object Oriented CSC 106 Software Programming Concepts CSC 357 Programming for Internet-ofProgramming Things CSC 107 Programming Language FundaCSC 356 Intermediate Object-Oriented Promentals CSC 360 Computer Architecture gramming CSC 203 Introduction to Object Oriented CSC 457 Hardware Programming ENR 210 Computer Aided Measurement Programming CSC 487 Operating System Engineering ENR 304 Computer Aided Analysis CSC 211 Software Development with Frameworks EEL 206 Circuits I

VOL.VII. . . No.1

S ERVICE P ROJECT AT F ORT YATES

Each fall, the University of Mary holds a Day of Service, where the student body, faculty, and staff venture into the Bismarck/Mandan community and perform acts of service. This year, on Monday, October 7th, the faculty from the Hamm School of Engineering constructed a Gaga ball arena for the students at the St Bernard Mission School in the town of Fort Yates on the Standing Rock reservation.

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This year Michael Douglas, Anthony Waldenmaier, Fr. Athanasius, Assal Haddad, James Carrico, and Terry Pilling, along with Mike’s son Tim, took part in the construction of the arena for the St. Bernard’s Mission School.

At this point a gate is constructed for the arena with a latch mechanism. While students and faculty add the second and third boards to each side, the gate hinges and latch are marked into place and the gate is constructed and attached by the hinges.

Preparation for the construction starts about a month prior to the Day of Service since we have to order the materials such as the wood, the bolts, and the door hinge mechanism. We then prepare both the materials and the tools and also contact the Call-BeforeYou-Dig utilities representatives to ensure that there are no buried utility lines in the area.

This year’s Day of Service Gaga Ball pit was a tremendous success and we are confident that current and future students of the Standing Rock school will enjoy the pit for many years to come!

Gaga Ball is a game that combines elements of dodge-ball and four-square, and requires an octagonal enclosure to be played properly.

This is the third time we have constructed a Gaga ball pit on the playground of a rural elementary school. The first one, in 2018 was at Apple Creek school. The picture above is a Google Maps street view image of that one today.

Construction of the arena was then accomplished by moving from post to post around the octagon, allowing for minor changes in elevation and ensuring the pit encloses all eight sides. We began with the first post, allowing for a sufficient space for the entire pit, as The second one that we built was in 2020 at roughly measured using basic geometry.

Manning school and above shows a Google Maps image of that one today. The School of Engineering has always treated the Day of Service as an opportunity to use the engineering skills of our faculty and students as an advantage. In 2019, we constructed 6 planter boxes for Apple Creek Elementary School which allow each grade level to plant small gardens/plants and learn about gardening, farming, and biology in the process.

After the first hole is dug and the post is pounded into place, the lower board is attached to measure to the next post placement.

The process continues around the octagon until the first and last post are attached and the pit is closed.

FALL C AREER FAIR

On Tuesday, October 15, from 9:00am to noon we held our annual Fall Career Fair in Founder’s Hall and Chick’s Place. This year there were 85 different employers who attended in search of students to do summer internships and co-op’s with their companies.

Below we list the companies who attended. It was gratifying to be reunited with many of our own alumni who were representing their companies at the career fair.

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• Ackerman-Estvold - Minot, ND • Adolfson & Peterson Construction Golden Valley, MN • Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services - Grand Forks, ND

9

• Doosan Digital Innovation America Bismarck, North Dakota

• Knife River - Bismarck, ND

• DRN/ReadiTech - Ellendale, North Dakota

• MAP Industrial, Ic. MAP General Mechanical Contractors - Fargo, ND

• Lowry Engineering - Fargo, ND

• Marathon Petroleum Company - Findlay, Ohio

• American Engineering Testing - St. Paul, MN

• MBN Engineering, Inc - Fargo, ND

• Ames Construction - Burnsville, MN

• McGough - Roseville, MN

• Apex Engineering - Fargo, Dakota

• MDU Resources Group, Inc/WBI Energy, Inc - Bismarck, ND

North

• Applied Engineering - Fargo, ND

• EAPC Architects Engineers - Grand Forks, North Dakota • Enterprise Mobility - St. Louis, Missouri • Fastenal Company - Winona, Minnesota

• Bartlett&West - Topeka, Kansas

• FCI Constructors, Inc - Grand Junction, Colorado

• Miller Insulation - Bismarck, North Dakota

• G&R Controls - Sioux Falls, SD

• Minnkota Power Cooperative - Grand Forks, North Dakota

• Basin Electric Power Cooperative - Bismarck, North Dakota

• Moore Engineering, Inc - West Fargo, ND

• BNI Coal - Center, North Dakota

• Mountain Plains, LLC - Bismarck, ND

• Bolton & Menk, Inc - Mankato, MN

• National Information Solutions Cooperative - St. Louis, Missouri

• Braun Intertec- Minneapolis, nesota • Brosz Engineering, Inc. North Dakota

Min-

• ND Air National Guard - Fargo, ND

- Bowman,

• North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality - Bismarck, ND

• Burian & Associates LLC - Fargo, North Dakota

• North Dakota Department of Transportation - Bismarck, ND

• Butler Machinery Company - Fargo, North Dakota

• Garrison Diversion Conservancy District - Carrington, North Dakota • HDR, Inc - Omaha, NE • Houston Engineering - Fargo, ND • Indian Health Service - Rockville, Maryland • Interstate Engineering - ND, SD, MN, MO, WY

• City of Mandan- Mandan, Dakota

• Northrop Grumman Corporation -Falls Church, VA • Rainbow Energy Center - Underwood, ND

North

• SRF Consulting Group - Minneapolis, MN

• City of Minot - Engineering - Minot, ND

• Steffes - Dickinson, ND

• Civil Science - Lehi, Utah

• The North American Coal Corporation - Plano, TX

• Collins Aerospace - Charlotte, North Carolina

• Titan Machinery - West Fargo, North Dakota

• Consolidated Construction Co. Inc Appleton, Wisconsin

• US Army Corps of Engineers -Omaha, NE

• CW STRUCTURAL Engineers - Bismarck, North Dakota • Doosan Bobcat - West Fargo, North Dakota

• Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing Dickinson, ND • KLJ Engineering - Bismarck, ND

• Western Area Power Administration Lakewood, CO • WSB & Associates, Inc - Golden Valley, MN

VOL.VII. . . No.1

Engineering Quarterly FALL 2024 technical vocation that God is calling them to. Each Faculty Member has seen the True, Good and Beautiful through the lens of their discipline, and every last one enthusiastically shares this knowledge with their students. As Engineers, we blur the line between Science and Art, and our curriculum lets us experience the joy of creation, while also learning to grow through our failings.”

-Leo Devick Junior, Computer Engineering

T HOUGHTS FROM OUR S TUDENTS

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of Mary can often be seen jogging or walking down the trail that runs through campus and then down the hill along the west side of North Dakota Highway 1804 and across Apple Creek. Oftentimes, you can even expect an officer of the State Highway Patrol or the Bismarck Sheriff’s Office to be parked in the parking lot in Swenson Park next to the bridge with their radar gun detecting people from both directions who creep up over the 55mph speed limit in this section of ND 1804.

“The UMary Engineering program clearly strives for excellence in its students by means of its philosophy and its dedicated professors. You can feel how privileged you are to study here with professors that care.”

-Eamon Kummings Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering

“I spent a few years outside of higher education after my first year in college. Now a formal transfer student, I can only beam whenever anyone asks me how my studies are going, especially at their most challenging.

My professors are passionate, talented, skilled and hardworking people from all around the world. If I have ever felt lost, it has never been for long. The program here, through everyone that has made it possible, stands with conscientious intention as a breakthrough for our shared future.”

-Ariel Arriaga Junior, Mechanical Engineering

“The most fulfilling part of being a student at the University of Mary majoring in an Engineering field lies in the challenging nature of the coursework itself. Any Engineering student here is promised vast opportunities for personal-development if they are willing to fully immerse their mind in the brilliant task and so long as they are willing to ask for help. The enthusiastic instructors here are always incredibly supportive of any question an Engineering student may have and they truly treasure their student’s academic success. The support here is unmatched – and so is the potency for growth.”

-William Purvis “If I had to recommend UMary to a friend Freshman, Mechanical Engineering for one reason, it would be for the Hamm School of Engineering.”

“STEM is Science, Technology, Engi-Joshua Franz neering, and Mathematics. The University Senior, Electrical Engineering of Mary helps students through the STEM

University of Mary students also enjoy the picnic shelter at Swenson Park next to the Apple Creek Bridge where they spend time fishing and enjoying a rest after a healthy jog from campus.

courses with exceptional enthusiasm and “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here prowess.” at Mary! As a mechanical engineer, I’ve -Jeffrey Vander Poel learned a lot I never expected to learn, espeFreshman, Civil Engineering cially regarding coding. I’ve found several applications from the skills I’ve attained in my everyday life, including using things like Bash and CAD design to speed up or increase accuracy in projects. As a sophomore, I’m A COMPELLING STORY OF TEAM WORK , RESPONSE TO NEED , AND learning how to be on a team and work with NEIGHBORLINESS a common interest. I also am part of Concert

By TERRY PILLING Choir, which helps me grow in community and in faith through a blend of voices. Mary has in many ways become my home.”

-Nicholas Standage Apple Creek starts near the town of Wing, ND Sophomore, Mechanical Engineering and flows for 65 miles into the Missouri River near the University of Mary.

“My favorite thing about the University of Mary Engineering program is the faculty’s interest in your success. They know who I am, what I do, and why I am here. I have developed relationships on a first name basis with multiple professors, something that is rarely offered in other programs. The faculty care deeply about me, my education, and my future. Being a student-athlete, they are committed to making sure my education is the priority while still fully supporting my athletics.”

-Gavin Argent The creek is known as a place for kayakSenior, Mechanical Engineering ing, fishing, hiking, and hunting and it also hosts the Apple Creek Country Club and the “The Hamm School of Engineering is a Menoken Indian Village, a state historical site, haven for aspiring engineers to grow into the near its banks. Students from the University

The original Apple Creek Bridge was constructed in the 1800’s and in Dakota Datebook, Cody Goehring, while perusing the archives of the Bismarck Daily Tribune and the Bismarck Weekly Tribune from 1885, found numerous interesting stories in those newspapers involving the creek and the bridge. For example, back in in 1885, residents also considered the creek a recreational spot for fishing and exploring. One article reported how a man named J. H. Rickerts discovered a “mammoth” snapping turtle weighing “sixty-three pounds” in the creek. Others

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called the bridge “inadequate and insufficient” because it was too narrow for farm machinery and still others declared that crossing the Apple Creek bridge after dark, or even with a shy team of horses by daylight, could be perilous.

One story involved a wagon and a team of horses owned by Thomas Foster. The team and wagon had gone missing, but were later found in the creek. The horses had drowned, possibly “precipitated into the water by fright.” There was also a story describing how one day, railway postal clerks H. Fink and E. S. Beardsley were hunting in the creek bottoms and they came across some wild grapes and, while picking and eating them, Fink accidentally shot himself and died.

The history of Apple Creek and the Apple Creek bridge is rife with interesting stories like these from 1885 but our story here begins a hundred years later, on April 11, 1986, when Christine Angell was driving on highway 1804 just north of the University of Mary campus. As she was crossing the Apple Creek bridge, the structure collapsed and she and her car went down with the bridge! Thankfully, sustaining only minor injuries.

Assistant Human Resources Director Judy Froseth was in the Department’s Traffic Safety section at that time. Occupant protection was one of her program areas. In the mid-1980s seat belt usage in North Dakota was low. Judy remembers “We had a ‘Saved by the Belt’ program to promote adult safety belt use and child restraint use. A plaque was given to individuals who were wearing proper restraints when they were involved in collisions. Chris was wearing her safety belt when the bridge collapsed. She routinely wore her safety belt, which was credited with saving her from serious injury.”

After the collapse Bridge Engineer Keith McLean directed Roger to get on site to conduct an inspection and determine the most

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probable cause of failure. Roger’s memories of that inspection are “The ‘old’ structure was a timber structure on timber pile.

I recall thinking that I would get onsite and find a mess of timber splinters and it would be difficult/impossible to determine a probable cause. However, when I arrived on site, I could see how the structure collapsed and was quite confident on what caused the collapse. The timber piles were short piles and were damaged by a combination of very high stream flow, shifting stream channel, and ice Don Wolf, the Department’s Chief of Land Acquisition completed negotiations movement.” with Donald and Hazel Falconer, and with Marion Unruh on May 6th for the acquisition of the right-of-way. On May 8th the Department certified to FHWA that right of way was acquired. A mere 8 days prior to the opening of the bidding process for construction.

Planning and design for replacing the bridge had been underway since mid-1985 and after the collapse Highway Commissioner Walt Hjelle immediately signed an order allowing the Department to construct a detour while the replacement structure could be designed and built.

Northern Improvement was the low bidder on the project at $346,784.52 and started work on June 2nd. The final cost of the project was $355,713.77.

Design Engineer Roger Weigel was the bridge designer for the replacement structure. Roger recalled “The replacement bridge was in the project development phase. I was the lead bridge designer for the replacement bridge.

The plan set for the replacement bridge was near completion, since the project was scheduled to be bid within 4-5 months. I was directed to get the final plan set complete ASAP. My recollection is the plans were completed within 7-10 days after being notified of the collapse.”

Materials Engineer Ron Horner was in the Design Division of the North Dakota Department of Transportation in 1986 and remembers being shocked to “hear about it and then to see the pictures in the paper.” Ron added that he “was involved with a design team to put the roadway plans together on both sides of the bridge.”

On October 10, 1986 the bridge and approach roadways were ready for public use.

The Department coordinated an on-site dedication. Speakers that day included Lieutenant Governor Ruth Meiers, Highway Patrol Colonel Brian Berg, Christine Angell, who was the first person to “officially drive over the new bridge,” Walt Hjelle, and Sister Thomas Welder, President of the University of Mary. Sister Thomas recalled “I remember the entire episode so well. It remains a compelling story of team work, response to need, and neighborliness.”

Contact Information The digital version of this, and all previous issues, of this newsletter can be found at issuu.com/ umary-engineering For more information about our engineering program or to comment on any of the articles please feel free to email us at Engineering@umary.edu Next issue: February 2025

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