Foresight – Fall 2020

UW COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE Fall 2020, Volume 46, No. 1

DISCOVER THE

DIFFERENCE360 A

ENGINEERING

IMPACT

. m o o r s s a l c e g a r e v A r u o no t y e Discover the difference at the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

e 300+

MERIT-BASED SCHOLARSHIPS OFFERED EACH YEAR TO CEAS STUDENTS

54%

PERCENTAGE OF UW STUDENTS WHO GRADUATE DEBT-FREE

70,000

$

AVERAGE STARTING SALARY FOR CEAS GRADUATES

uwyo.edu/ceas

3

16

26

30

Features

Departments

3 / Engineering the Student Experience Distance learning takes on new meaning during COVID-19 pandemic.

02 / Message from the Dean

6 / UW Innovation Wyrkshop Team’s COVID-19 Operations Go Statewide

12 / Faculty in Action

16 / UW College of Engineering and Applied Science Computer Science Department Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary Reflections on past accomplishments and future opportunities drive world-class academic department to new frontiers.

20 / News & Notes

24 / Supporting Recent Grads and Alumni ‘When Cowboys Call, We Answer’ campaign assists recent graduates seeking employment.

26 / Teaching By Design Construction Management Program receives grant for Residential Construction Program development.

08 / News & Notes 10 / Students in Action 15 / Alumni in Action 30 / CEAS Highlight 32 / Alumni In Memoriam

On the Cover The UW College of Engineering and Applied Science features distinctive teaching, learning, research and outreach in support of its land-grant mission.

Fall 2020 • 1

Message from the Dean

University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Interim Dean Cameron Wright Interim Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education David Mukai Interim Associate Dean, Graduate Education and Research David Bagley Director, Business Operations Mēgan Barber Administrative Associate Jeanne Moede Departments: Atmospheric Science Bart Geerts, Head 307-766-2261 | uwyo.edu/atsc Chemical Engineering Vladimir Alvarado, Head 307-766-2500 | uwyo.edu/chemical Civil and Architectural Engineering Tony Denzer, Head 307-766-2390 | uwyo.edu/civil Computer Science Ruben Gamboa, Head 307-766-5190 | uwyo.edu/cosc Electrical and Computer Engineering John McInroy, Head 307-766-2240 | uwyo.edu/electrical Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering Carl Frick, Head 307-766-2122 | uwyo.edu/mechanical Petroleum Engineering Dennis Coon, Interim Head 307-766-4258 | uwyo.edu/petroleum Editors Caitlyn Spradley, Micaela Myers, Chad Baldwin, and Baillie Miller Graphic Design Michelle Eberle, Emily Edgar and Brittny Wroblewski Photography All photos by Ted Brummond and Kyle Spradley unless otherwise noted *Thank you to all contributing writers for creating a dynamic and diverse collection of content.

Foresight is created twice per year as a collaboration between CEAS and UW Institutional Marketing. For additional copies, contact us at 307-766-3256.

The University is committed to equal opportunity for all persons in all facets of the University’s operations. All qualified applicants for employment and educational programs, benefits, and services will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability or protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law and University policy.

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THE UW COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE Dear Colleagues and Friends, In this edition of Foresight, we are excited to feature distinctive examples of the teaching, learning, research and outreach in which our engineering faculty, students and alumni engage each day to support the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science’s land-grant mission.

The College of Engineering and Applied Science serves the citizens of Wyoming through engineering and technology-oriented educational and research programs, yielding graduates and technology advancements that positively impact Wyoming’s economic growth and diversification. For example, we are proud to celebrate the Department of Computer Science’s 50th anniversary.

With reflections on past accomplishments and eyes on future opportunities, we cannot wait to see what is in store next for this innovative group.

Our engineering program broadens and deepens our commitment to student success, community and industry engagement, and interdisciplinary research.

We are proud to support such programs as the “When Cowboys Call, We Answer” campaign, that is assisting our 2020 UW graduates facing uniquely challenging times navigating the job market after the impact of COVID-19.

As a leader within engineering education in Wyoming, stakeholder engagement, and the application of knowledge to the benefit of our economy and our citizens, I am proud to share our continued commitment with our Construction Management Program’s future development and implementation of a residential construction training program. The initiative’s primary goals are to provide programs that respond not only to current issues affecting the homebuilding industry, but also provide the tools and skill sets needed by graduates to anticipate and prepare for the future; and increase the number of qualified college graduates who enter the residential construction industry.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to tell you that we are deeply grateful to Ken Boilsen (BSCE ’66) for his exceptionally generous estate gift that will benefit the H.T. Person Endowment Fund, which supports UW’s most studentfocused engineering faculty, “leaders in engineering,” for informative lectures and workshops and related support. It is a fitting tribute—UW’s H.T. Person was beloved by students—including Ken—and peers alike.

I hope you enjoy reading these stories, which highlight our commitment to making a difference in so many ways.

Sincerely,

Cameron H.G. Wright Interim Dean College of Engineering and Applied Science

Engineering the Student Experience

Distance learning takes on new meaning during COVID-19 pandemic.

Senior Academic Professional Lecturer Tawfik Elshehabi sets up multiple computer stations within the Drilling and Completions Simulation Laboratory, with remote software to allow students to virtually participate in what was once hands-on learning operations.

Tawfik Elshehabi demonstrates in real time the operations and processes of the equipment in the Drilling and Completions Simulation Laboratory to students learning online, which allows students to learn in a collaborative team manner, ask questions during the demonstration and get immediate feedback.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created the most significant challenges the higher education community worldwide has ever seen within its history. One of the most urgent hurdles presented during this unprecedented time was the unexpected switch for previously face-to-face courses to be taught online, upending current education practices, models, and processes.

The new reality that COVID-19 has brought has been a crash course for online learning plans and technology for students and faculty.

University of Wyoming Department of Petroleum Engineering Senior Academic Professional Lecturer Tawfik Elshehabi has approached the new conversion to online learning in stride.

“My mindset was that this change involves two modes of learning – remote learning and online learning,” says Elshehabi.

According to Elshehabi, in remote learning, the instructor demonstrates hands-on experiments and facilitates the student’s engagement, while in online mode, students engage with their peers and take the initiative to learn by doing.

Immediately Elshehabi got to work setting up multiple computer stations within the Drilling and Completions Simulation Laboratory, a new simulator suite at the University of Wyoming Engineering Education and Research Building, with remote software to allow students to virtually participate in what was once hands-on learning operations.

“While students are able to virtually log in to class to participate, I can demonstrate in real time the operations and processes of the equipment, which allows the students to still learn in a collaborative team manner,” says Elshehabi. “Students are able to ask all kinds of questions during the demonstration and get immediate feedback. Then, students were given remote 24/7 virtual access to practice and complete comprehensive team projects using the simulators.”

This educational experience is critical because of the laboratory’s importance in training future talent for the oil and gas industry using cutting-edge simulator technology and immersive training techniques such as 4 • Foresight

virtual reality. The lab also helps develop new innovative solutions for the global energy sector and industry through simulation, visualization, modeling, consulting, and training.

The ability of universities to go to remote learning stems from how technology has evolved over the years.

Web-based learning software allows institutions to manage digital learning, educators to create and present online learning materials and assess student learning, and students to engage in courses and receive feedback about skill development and learning achievement, in combination with video conferencing systems that are critical to the educational learning environment.

“Tawfik is setting the standard for the department by stepping up to make online learning for a traditional faceto-face course a reality,” says Dennis Coon, department chair and H.T. Person Professor in Engineering at UW. “If Tawfik had not been able to make this learning accommodation transition successful, we would not

Tawfik is setting the standard for the department by stepping up to make online learning for a traditional faceto-face course a reality.”

– Dennis Coon

have been able to graduate students on time.”

According to Coon, students and faculty miss the face-to-face components of traditional engineering education.

“The pandemic required a rapid conversion to online learning, and everyone needed new skills and new approaches. Ensuring that learning continues during these new approaches is a primary focus of the faculty,” says Coon. “Dr. Elshehabi is leading by example in developing effective approaches to online learning.”

“Students’ feedback has been very reassuring,” says Elshehabi. “They acknowledged that even when faceto-face teaching was disturbed; luckily, our hands-on learning didn’t have to stop.”

The sudden switch to online learning may have been abrupt due to COVID-19, but it is certainly here to stay.

“Like all technology shifts the biggest challenges usually involve cultural change,” says Coon. “Online learning requires accountability, so students can get

the most from their online class even when life outside of school becomes chaotic. Learning will be digitized, nudging faculty to change styles and ushering in a new generation of instructor teaching styles.”

Analytics will become more prevalent, according to Coon.

“The new digital learning experience will provide a barrage of new metrics and data for faculty to review and analyze for their effectiveness in teaching materials and for students’ absorption,” says Coon.

Overall, the engineering profession has changed in some fundamental ways due to the pandemic.

“It has adjusted very quickly to allow engineering talent to collaborate over distance to continue to solve problems and add value,” says Coon. “The collaboration skills gained during online learning will be very valuable to students as they graduate and enter the engineering profession.”

Fall 2020 • 5

UW Innovation Wyrkshop Team’s

COVID-19 Operations Go Statewide Student volunteers in the Innovation Wyrkshop use 3D printers to produce hospital masks and face shields during the initial supply chain shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was just a matter of time before the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Innovation Wyrkshop’s first round of creating 3D surgical masks would prove successful and medical facilities throughout Wyoming would request the much-needed equipment in the fight against coronavirus COVID-19.

Tyler Kerr – the UW makerspace coordinator in the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Innovation Wyrkshop, located in the new Engineering Education and Research Building – and his team have produced over 7,500 3D printed surgical facemasks and protective face shields for 43 medical centers around Wyoming during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Originally sparked from a phone call with nurses at the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in March, the Wyrkshop’s production capacity rapidly grew. In the intervening six months, 43 Wyoming medical facilities and departments requested thousands of pieces of safety equipment – including 1,400 surgical masks and 5,800 face shields and visors.

“In the early days of the pandemic,

we were outputting anywhere between 50 and 150 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) a day,” Kerr says. “These days, with supply chains caught up, we’ve slowed down production quite a bit. We’re still producing PPE for groups throughout the state, but on a much smaller scale.”

Now, Kerr and his team have shifted gears back to teaching workshops and hosting classes, but during the makerspace’s peak PPE production, eight other UW departments and other schools, such as Laramie County Community College, temporarily loaned the team an additional 16 3D printers to help print at a much greater capacity.

“My student staff and I would stop by on weekends or later at night to ensure printers didn’t have much down time,” Kerr adds. “For about eight months straight, we were printing on almost all 30 machines, day and night.

A true testament to the reliability of these machines and the skills of the student staff and volunteers.”

In March, Kerr and his team only produced a few prototypes of a number of different facemasks and face shield designs for health professionals to view for approval. By April, Kerr and his group were mass-producing parts in a makerspace jam-packed with machines.

Most of the larger facilities sought one of three available face shield designs, while smaller medical centers or practices requested surgical masks and shields.

In some cases, such as with the Wyoming Dental Association (WyDA), the makerspace prototyped, and 3D printed 1,300 custom-fitted face shields to accommodate special equipment like loupes worn by medical teams. As of December, the Wyrkshop has produced 5,700 total pieces of equipment in-house – many of those have been face shields or custom parts – and helped to coordinate with makers across the state to produce another 1,800 parts off-campus.

Notably, the UW team never charged any of the medical facilities in the state for material or use of the machines.

“It wasn’t our goal to ask these communities to pay for the 3D printed personal protective equipment. The materials were and continue to be funded from the makerspace’s budget, as well as through generous support from the Wyoming Community Foundation,” Kerr says.

Since March, the Wyrkshop has served as a member of the leadership team of the statewide Wyoming Technology Coronavirus Coalition (WTCC), which has been coordinating high-impact technological efforts to assist the state

in confronting the ongoing pandemic.

According to Kerr, at its peak, 32 makerspaces or makers across Wyoming organized through the WTCC helped to print medical supplies for the medical centers that requested assistance, and adds that the Wyrkshop will still print surgical facemasks and protective shields for all community groups and medical centers that ask for assistance until the crisis is over.

“I think all recognition should go toward the UW Wyrkshop student staff for their selflessness and willingness to pitch in and help, as well as the makers across the state and across the world who are making a difference during this crisis,” Kerr says. “The Wyrkshop is really just one makerspace among thousands that rallied to help.”

Despite the pandemic, Kerr points to an exciting future for the Wyrkshop.

Thanks to generous funding and a strong partnership with the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR), the Wyrkshop has begun to set up five brand-new Wyrkshop minimakerspaces around the state.

“In the short-term, these spaces will serve as a means to help local state agencies and businesses produce PPE

and to quickly prototype new designs that might address future statewide challenges,” Kerr says.

According to Kerr, the second longterm goal for the five new makerspaces is to build an innovative, accessible, creative network where students, young adults, and community members of all ages and abilities can easily attend free workshops, develop critical science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) skills, and learn how to succeed in a wide range of highdemand creative STEAM industries.

“The technologies you typically find in a makerspace have proven to be an essential part of the short-term pandemic response, with creative grassroots groups designing and getting approval from government agencies to produce everything from surgical masks and face shields to complex parts like respirator valves and even testing swabs. The future of making feels pretty limitless,” Kerr says.

Makerspace Coordinator Tyler Kerr holds up a ‘Montana Mask,’ a 3D printed face mask designed by a grassroots maker group from Billings, Mont., which was quickly mass-produced by makerspaces around the world during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mask requires a much smaller amount of filter material than a traditional ear-to-ear surgical mask, allowing medical facilities to stretch supplies of surgical masks much further during times of crisis.

News & Notes

EIGHT RECEIVE UW OWN IT! AWARDS FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE Eight University of Wyoming employees and students are the recipients of the fifth annual Own It! Awards that recognize women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The Own It! Awards honor “the outstanding women on campus and around Wyoming who are doing amazing work in STEM,” says Lisa Abeyta, UW coordinator of Student Research Programs. The program is located with Wyoming NSF EPSCoR (National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research). Wyoming EPSCoR and its partners develop award nomination criteria.

Because of COVID-19 concerns, this year’s celebration to honor the recipients was canceled, but the complete list of winners and comments on each individual is listed here.

Winners are: • Undergraduate student: Aisha Balogun Mohammed, a computer engineering senior, from Ilorin, Nigeria.

• Graduate student: Rhiannon Jakopak, a master’s degree student in zoology, and environment and natural resources, from Scotland, S.D. • STEM professional: Jane Crayton, Coe Library makerspace coordinator.

• Pre-tenured faculty: Karen Mruk, School of Pharmacy assistant professor.

• Tenured faculty: Jennifer Tanner Eisenhauer, Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering associate professor.

• Antell Diversity Award: Bethann Garramon Merkle, associate research scientist with the Wyoming Migration Initiative.

• Committee choice: Jessica Sutter, a graduate student from Portland, Ore., and Rachel Watson, chemistry senior lecturer.

Other sponsors of the Own It! program are the Wyoming IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) program; the Wyoming NASA Space Grant Consortium; the College of Engineering and Applied Science; Women in Math, Science and Engineering (WiMSE); and the Learning Actively Mentoring Program (LAMP).

For more information and updates, visit the Wyoming EPSCoR website at www.uwyo.edu/epscor.

UW Researchers, Colleague Receive Grant for COVID-19 Testing Two University of Wyoming researchers and a colleague recently received a grant to develop a diagnostic assay for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. They also will test for antibodies to the virus in human samples.

Associate Professor Patrick Johnson and Assistant Professor Karen Wawrousek, both from the UW Department of Chemical Engineering, along with Professor Gerard Wall in the Department of Microbiology at the National University of Ireland Galway, received a little more than $236,000 for a oneyear grant from the Health Research Board of Ireland.

Johnson and Wawrousek will develop an assay that will be rapid – approximately 15 minutes – and portable with a hand-held, battery-operated device, while still being highly sensitive and specific.

Meanwhile, Wall will produce antibody fragments for use in the detection of the virus that are more robust than the antibodies currently used in detection test kits. The antibody fragments will enable high sensitivity and reproducibility of the assay, and can be produced in large quantities.

“Our test will have higher sensitivity than other rapid tests and will not require any sample preparation,” Johnson says. “The idea is to have an accurate, portable, on-site test 8 • Foresight

Patrick Johnson

Karen Wawrousek

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with results within 15-20 minutes. This will allow rapid answers while the patient is still present, enabling immediate intervention and treatment.”

This type of assay will allow for testing in rural and remote areas, and on-site at airports, among other locations, Johnson adds.

Samples can be collected via saliva, nasal swab or blood. The samples then would be placed in glass vials and inserted into hand-held instruments, called Raman spectrometers, for analysis.

The project team plans to use Raman spectrometers developed by entrepreneur Keith Carron, a UW professor emeritus of chemistry and CEO of Metrohm Raman in Laramie.

The project team will work with Noah Hull, Microbiology Laboratories manager at the Wyoming Public Health Laboratory in Cheyenne, to test against known positive and negative samples to validate the assay.

Nga Nguyen Receives UW Engagement Fellowship Nga Nguyen, an assistant professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is among four recipients of the 202021 Faculty Engagement Fellowship awards.

She will receive the Office of Engagement and Outreach (OEO) Faculty Engagement Fellowship.

Nguyen will work with OEO and the Science Initiative’s Rachel Watson to combine her work on renewable energy resources with outreach to Wyoming’s K-12 students.

The competition attracted proposals from a broad range of disciplines across UW, from people working in public engagement, engaged teaching, engaged scholarship and outreach focused on community impacts.

The other three UW recipients are Alyssa McElwain, a human development and family sciences program option assistant professor; Tiger Robison, a music education assistant professor; and Reshmi Singh, a social and administrative pharmacy associate professor.

The awards are for faculty members working on projects during the 2020-21 academic year. Fellows receive a stipend of $10,000 and up to $2,000 to support outreach programs and travel expenses. Recipients will work with the OEO and members of the UW Engagement Council to develop their projects and organize at least one significant outreach program series both on and off campus. Projects focus on faculty development or enhancing engagement and outreach in their respective fields of study.

This is the second faculty engagement fellowship competition.

“This year, our new cohort of Engagement Fellows comes from a wide variety of backgrounds and presents new ideas and solutions to problems around the state and the world,” former OEO Director Jean Garrison says. “We look forward to working with the new fellows and seeing their creative solutions for engagement during this time of uncertainty.”

She adds that the fellowships, along with UW’s Marvin Millgate Awards for faculty, staff, students and community partners, are the top awards given by OEO. Nguyen’s project, titled “Small Scale Renewable Energy Generations – Early Education for Children of Wyoming about Renewable Energy Resources,” is to educate Wyoming

youth about renewable energy resources through classroom visits. The project will give students the ability to create their own renewable energy resource generators.

Nguyen and her team of graduate students will visit five middle schools around the state and engage students through in-class lectures; group activities of assembling a renewable energy resource generator; and group discussions. The goal is to engage with at least 50 students at each visit.

Local school visits are with the assistance and collaboration of UW’s Science Initiative Learning Actively Mentoring Program (LAMP), an outreach program that has a strong relationship with Wyoming’s K-12 educators. Nguyen will work with Watson, LAMP’s director, to engage with more than 250 students during the academic year.

Nguyen also hopes to bring specifically interested students to campus to design and build their own renewable energy resource generators with the help of her team. Students will create small capacity generators that can supply electricity for a lighting system or charging a mobile device with materials supplied through the project.

Students also will use the UW Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering facilities to model their electrical systems to see the impacts of their renewable resource integrations into a small power grid, Nguyen says.

“Through this, students will be able to model carbon, sulfur and nitrogen dioxide emissions of a conventional generator – with the same capacity as their product – to see the real impact of renewable energy resources on the environment,” she adds.

“Students will be encouraged to present results from their projects at their own schools or science fairs.”

Fall 2020 • 9

Students in Action

Awards Announced for Virtual UW John P. Ellbogen

$50K Entrepreneurship Competition Four finalists will share a total of $65,000 in prize money after being selected as winners of the University of Wyoming College of Business 2020 John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition, which took place virtually May 8-9.

Resono Pressure Systems team members Jonathan Naughton and Pourya Nikoueeyan.

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The grand prize winner, Resono Pressure Systems, was awarded $30,000.

Team members are Pourya Nikoueeyan, a doctoral student from Laramie, and Jonathan Naughton, a professor of mechanical engineering at UW. The company was founded to commercialize an innovative unsteady pressure measurement system for advanced aerospace and wind energy applications.

“For the past 20 years, this entrepreneurship competition has represented one of the most prestigious

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venues for UW students to get a jumpstart on living out their entrepreneurial dreams,” says Patrick Kreiser, UW Rile Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship and Leadership. “Throughout this year’s competition, the dedication and preparation of all seven finalist teams were readily apparent to the judges and audience. In the midst of the COVID crisis, Wyomingites can take faith in the resilience and passion that were shown by these student entrepreneurs.

These businesses aren’t just based upon good ideas – these are socially and economically responsible businesses that are dedicated to bringing innovative and unique business models to the Wyoming economy.”

Other winners were: • CellDrop was awarded $20,000.

Team members are Benjamin Noren, a doctoral candidate in chemical engineering with a graduate minor in gender and women’s studies, from Ironwood, Mich., and John Oakey, a professor of chemical engineering at UW. CellDrop uses a patented cell delivery process to quickly and permanently regenerate tissue by encasing mesenchymal stem cells in microscopic hydrogel droplets (cells in tiny gel marbles).

• Landseer was awarded $10,000.

Team members are Kurt Stahlfeld, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering, from Pittsburgh, Pa.,

and Erica Belmont, a UW assistant professor of mechanical engineering.

Landseer is producing next-generation lithium battery anodes, with the potential to double the energy density of current lithium batteries, via a novel production process with unique cost and environmental advantages.

• NexRel was awarded $5,000. Team members are Fritz Ogden, a senior majoring in chemical engineering; Steve Bagley, financial controller and data scientist for NexRel; and Chas Ogden, a mechanical engineer and technical developer for NexRel, all from Laramie.

NexRel aims to revolutionize how heavy industry uses current remote sensing technologies and big data. The Nexus Connect platform saves not only time and money, but also keeps maintainers and operators safe by preventing catastrophic failures before they occur.

In order to support further mentoring and business development opportunities, all of this year’s finalists have been offered rent-free space in the university’s business incubator, the Wyoming Technology Business Center.

In addition, for the first time this year, a course was offered during the spring semester that helped the finalist student teams prepare for the competition covering topics such as value proposition, customer discovery, market research and financial analysis, while also offering guidance about how to prepare comprehensive

written reports as well as impactful presentations.

“My father was always a strong believer in the power of education to transform lives,” says Mary Ellbogen Garland, president and chair of the John P. Ellbogen Foundation. “Offering a course to support this year’s finalist student teams achieved an important educational outcome: the integration of theory and concepts with real-world

practice. The high quality of this year’s finalists, which is evidenced by the additional financial support offered to these teams, shows the importance of providing meaningful entrepreneurship education for our students.”

For more information about all of this year’s teams and about the John P. Ellbogen $50K Entrepreneurship Competition, go to www.uwyo.edu/ business/entrepreneurship.

Electrical Engineering Student Receives DOD SMART Scholarship Award University of Wyoming student Holden Bindl, from Fort Bridger, recently was accepted into the Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship-for-Service Program, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD).

The DOD SMART scholarship is a service program that awards college students a full scholarship that covers the total cost of full-time tuition, provides a monthly stipend and arranges civilian employment at DOD facilities after completing their degrees.

Bindl, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering, expects to graduate this semester.

“When I found out that I had been accepted into the SMART Program, I was relieved and elated,” Bindl says.

“Not only did I have guaranteed funding for my master’s degree, but all of the hard work I put into my prior education was finally paying off.”

Bindl credits faculty members in UW’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering with preparing him to work in such a prestigious job with the DOD. “The educational and professional experience from UW armed me with the tools needed to get the award and subsequent job,” Bindl says.

According to the scholarship criteria, an applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student currently pursuing a technical degree in one of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) disciplines. An applicant also is required to be a student in good standing with a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0.

SMART scholarship recipients participate in summer

internships at DOD facilities. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bindl was unable to participate this year.

According to the SMART scholarship’s website, 323 scholarships were awarded this year, which was 13 COURTESY PHOTO percent of all applications.

“Holden has been a student in several of my classes, and he’s always been a standout,” says Cameron Wright, interim dean of the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science. “I’m confident he will make important contributions to our nation’s security in his work with the DOD.” Bindl explains that he heard about the scholarship through a fellow graduate student who also had received the award.

“I heard about this amazing scholarship opportunity, and I applied for it because the professional path it creates is second to none,” Bindl says.

After graduation, Bindl will move to Washington, D.C., to begin his job with the DOD. “Pursuing an electrical engineering degree at UW is a lot of work,” Bindl says. “The best advice I can give is that you have to remain persistent, and liking math doesn’t hurt either.”

For more information about the SMART scholarship, visit www.smartscholarship.org/smart.

Fall 2020 • 11

Faculty in Action

RESEARCHERS’ NASA GRANT IS FOR MACHINE LEARNING MATERIALS, MANUFACTURING METHODS FOR SPACE Three University of Wyoming College of Engineering and not suffer from these drawbacks.

Applied Science professors have been awarded a $750,000 “Our team is researching thin films of a single material that NASA grant to lead a team of researchers in developing can be treated with a low-power laser to manufacture circuits machine learning materials and manufacturing methods for and replace or upgrade devices,” he says. “This technique can space. be used to create submicron-scale conductive lines in carbon The team is composed of Patrick Johnson, an associate materials of arbitrary dimensions and consumes less power professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and than 3D and inkjet printing techniques.”

Assistant Professors Lars Kotthoff, in computer The researchers’ efforts look to merge synergistic science, and Dilpuneet Aidhy, in mechanical expertise in materials development and and energy systems engineering. computer science for the development of The three-year grant for their powerful methods to design and model project, titled “Artificially Intelligent the behavior of advanced materials Manufacturing of Flexible and manufacture of advanced CRUCIAL FOR SPACE Electronics,” was funded through devices.

EXPLORATION IS NASA’s Established Program to Johnson says the grant Stimulate Competitive Research will continue to foster DEVELOPING FLEXIBLE (EPSCoR). interdisciplinary research among ELECTRONICS AND “Crucial for space exploration chemical engineering, mechanical IN-SPACE is developing flexible electronics engineering and computer science, and in-space manufacturing,” giving UW undergraduate and MANUFACTURING. Johnson says. “The limitations to graduate students opportunities in – PATRICK JOHNSON the kind of objects that can be made applying machine learning to advance in space with additive manufacturing laser manufacturing and computational techniques is an important and vexing materials science research. problem, and NASA has put a high priority on “The grant enables the production of advanced identifying solutions to this challenge.” materials and training of machine learning scientists According to Johnson, game changing developments from in advanced manufacturing processes, which is especially NASA partner Made In Space’s VULCAN, a 3D printer important in the current economic climate,” he adds. “This that will be able to use metals and polymers for additive grant will help facilitate Wyoming’s transition to a high-tech manufacturing, and Archinaut, a system to manufacture state and attract investment beyond its traditional industries.” large-scale parts that cannot be transported into space, Cameron Wright, interim dean of the College of will allow the manufacturing of parts required for space Engineering and Applied Science, praises Johnson and his exploration. Those include heat shields and antennae, in colleagues for securing the NASA grant. space, during a mission.

“This project will have direct applicability to the future of However, while both methods hold a lot of promise, they NASA’s space exploration, and support both our educational come with a number of drawbacks, the researchers say. mission and economic development in Wyoming. It’s really a “Made In Space’s approach cannot manufacture electronics win-win,” Wright says. from scratch, but only integrate existing components,” Johnson’s team of collaborators for the project — besides Johnson says. “Inkjet printing relies on different materials, Kotthoff and Aidhy — include Meyya Meyyappan, chief namely different inks and the substrates, to be available. The scientist for exploration technology, and Jessica Koehne, size of the manufactured circuit is limited to the size of the a scientist in the Center for Nanotechnology, both at the inkjet printer. Both techniques require relatively large amounts NASA Ames Research Center. of power over relatively long periods of time to operate.”

For more information about the “Artificially Intelligent Johnson’s team, in the Artificially Intelligent Manufacturing Manufacturing of Flexible Electronics” grant or UW’s AIM (AIM) center in the UW College of Engineering and Applied center, email Johnson at pjohns27@uwyo.edu or Kotthoff at Science, has developed a complementary technique that does larsko@uwyo.edu.

“

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ATSC Researcher Studies Near-Surface Wind Effects on Landscape Evolution The accurate characterization of near-surface winds is critical to understanding past and modern climate. Dust lifted by these winds has the potential to modify surface and atmospheric conditions, according to a University of Wyoming researcher who was part of a study on the subject.

“This study demonstrates an intricate coupling between land surface changes and wind speeds. Specifically, the wind acts to erode sandy deserts,” says Zachary Lebo, a UW assistant professor of atmospheric science. “As a result, the surface transitions from a sandy surface to one composed of large rocks that tend to be darker and, thus, absorb more sunlight or decrease the albedo on the surface. This causes the ground to warm.”

Surface albedo is the fraction of sunlight reflected off a surface, Lebo says. For example, snow has a really high albedo because it reflects a lot of light from the sun. On the other hand, asphalt has a very low albedo because it reflects very little light and, thus, absorbs a lot of sunlight, which causes it to be quite warm in many instances.

“Why is this important? Temperature gradients can ultimately impact wind speeds,” Lebo continues. “So, changing the temperature over the desert changes the temperature gradient, which changes the wind speeds — in this case causing them to increase.”

Lebo was a contributing author of a paper, titled “A WindAlbedo-Wind Feedback Driven by Landscape Evolution,”

that was published Jan. 3 in Nature Communications, an open-access journal that publishes high-quality research from all areas of the natural sciences. Papers published by the journal represent important advances of significance to specialists within each field.

Jordan Abell, a graduate student at Columbia University, was the paper’s lead author. Other contributors to the paper included researchers from Clemson University, the University of Arizona and Lanzhou University in Lanzhou, China.

Numerical simulations were conducted for the period Feb. 1-June 1, 2011. The simulations spanned the climatological peak in wind speeds in the Turpan-Hami depression, located along the western fringe of the Gobi Desert in northwestern China, which was the focus region for this study.

Lebo and Alex Pullen, an assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences at Clemson University, discussed the potential for surface wind speeds to have increased over the region of interest, due to the erosion of the sandy land, thus darkening of the surface. This led to the hypothesis that recent increases in wind speeds in the Turpan-Hami depression were related to the darkening of the surface from erosion and, thus, increased temperature gradients.

Lebo says the Weather Resource and Forecasting model, which produced controlled simulations, performed “quite well” in replicating the surface winds at most observation stations in the western part of the Gobi Desert.

“My role was developing a model configuration that could test the hypothesis as well as running the simulations,” Lebo explains. “I worked very closely with the lead author with regard to interpreting and analyzing the results as well as the model-observation comparison.”

The study’s results show that altered surface thermal properties – through the winnowing of fine-grained sediments and formation of low-albedo gravel-mantled surfaces – lead to an increase in near-surface winds by up to 25 percent.

Paradoxically, wind erosion leads to faster winds regionally.

The East Asian dust-producing regions are located upwind of a prominent high-nutrient, low-chlorophyll area in the North Pacific where the productivity of photosynthetic organisms is limited.

“This work, albeit focused on a single basin in western China, has implications that may extend to other similar sandy deserts around the world, including the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula,” Lebo says. “Another real-world implication of the wind-albedo-wind impacts is on the supply of nutrients from dust around the world. Dust from sandy deserts, such as the Gobi, provide key nutrients for plant growth that extend far beyond the deserts themselves. The ever-evolving surface, impact on winds and subsequent feedback on dust emissions could affect nutrient supplies downwind.”

Fall 2020 • 13

Faculty in Action

Brian Toelle, a professor of practice in UW’s Department of Petroleum Engineering, and Maohong Fan, a UW School of Energy Resources professor in chemical and petroleum engineering, recently received a provisional patent for their FlareNitro process, a method using cryogenic transport, to help the oil and gas industry reduce emissions created by flaring and venting of natural gas.

Over the years, capturing produced gas has proven to be economically and technically challenging for the oil and gas industry.

One possible solution is the liquefaction of natural gas at the well site, Toelle says.

“Produced or solution gas comes out of solution when oil is produced in some geologic plays, like the Bakken in North Dakota. If there is no pipeline nearby, it is often flared so the oil can be produced,” Toelle says. “This can be both wasteful and harmful to the environment.”

Currently in the conceptual phase, the FlareNitro process would work like this: At the well site, produced gas is gathered and stored at the well location. Liquid nitrogen is then transported from a nearby facility by tanker truck. A FlareNitro reaction vessel also is taken to the well site and charged with liquid nitrogen. The internal temperature inside the reaction vessel would be brought to less than minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit.

The natural gas stored on-site would then be flowed into the reaction vessel, where it would condense and be collected as liquefied natural gas (LNG), which is then loaded onto another tanker truck. The LNG tanker truck would then be driven to a nearby pipeline and off-loaded.

“Once in operation, a FlareNitro regional base could be set up in various locations where high gas-tooil ratio oil reservoirs are being produced,” says Toelle, who spent 34 years in the oil and gas industry working for Texaco, Saudi Aramco and Schlumberger. “One

Professors Receive Provisional Patent for

Method to Reduce Gas Flaring

14 • Foresight

of these regional bases could service the well sites for multiple operators in the area.”

While waiting for pipeline to be constructed at the well site, a FlareNitro service could gather all of the natural gas that would normally be flared or vented, he says, allowing the operator to obtain financial benefit from the produced gas that would normally be flared, resulting in more environmentally friendly operations at the location.

“The FlareNitro process shifts the energy input for this from the well location to a liquefaction center,” Toelle says. “This means the need for a fuel source at the well location is decreased, if not eliminated.”

Toelle explains the FlareNitro process idea “came to my attention during a visit to the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. I was with a group of visitors to the Department of Energy when they indicated that this was a priority for them.”

The flaring of natural gas occurs in many producing basins within the U.S., including the Bakken in North Dakota and the Permian Basin in west Texas, Toelle says.

In March 2015, roughly 45 billion cubic feet of natural gas was flared in North Dakota, which is 5 percent of natural gas production, Toelle says.

“Using the largest truck tankers available, this amount of gas would require 3,450 tanker runs to move all of that flared gas,” he says. “With two tanker runs per day, all the gas normally flared in North Dakota could be transported with a fleet of approximately 62 tankers.”

If the FlareNitro process could be proven, this could be a big help to the industry for the flaring and venting of produced gas at the well sites as well as the stranding of producible gas fields, which are economically too far away from existing pipelines.

Toelle adds that the amount of money an operator could save using the FlareNitro process “depends on the company and the geologic play.”

Toelle and Fan are seeking roughly $160,000 in funding over two years from the industry to help bring their concept to reality.

“Only a few key technologies still need to be researched in order to produce FlareNitro as a viable service. This will include what materials the reaction chamber needs to be composed of and what configuration,” Toelle says. “Additionally, we need to produce research on what type of insulation is needed in order to maintain a good energy balance and keep the system economic.”

Alumni in Action

Engineers Making a Difference PHOTO BY BRIAN E KUSHNER STOCK.ADOBE.COM

UW Alum Ken Boilsen Engineers Aircraft and UW’s Future

COURTESY PHOTO

“Every time you see Air Force One, you will be looking at a part of Ken’s life,” wrote the author of a tribute to Ken Boilsen, engineer and philanthropist.

That’s because Ken, a Laramie native and UW engineering alum, devoted his life to developing Boeing’s 747, including its military applications and its transformation into Air Force One, the aircraft that carries the President of the United States.

“Ken’s groundbreaking work with Boeing was not only vital to our country but brought great credit upon UW,” says Cameron Wright, interim dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “His significant contributions will live on.”

After graduating from UW with a bachelor’s in civil engineering in 1966, Ken took a job with Boeing Company in Seattle, Washington. He worked in commercial airplane product development exploring military applications of the 747, including its size, range, and speed capabilities.

Through this work, he held a patent

for the missile carrier airplane system design, “a floor mounted track system for moving missile racks into a launch position adjacent to a side opening in the fuselage and ejecting missiles,” according to patent documents. His work then transitioned to overseeing, as program manager, the development of a 747 version of Air Force One. Growing up and throughout his life, Ken loved the outdoors. He would return to Laramie as often as he could to hunt and fish, and he was an active member of Ducks Unlimited. He also played softball and bowled for the Boeing company team, “always striving to maximize the fun with tempered competitive engagement,” his obituary stated.

His dad Elwood had been foreman of the UW Experimental Farm for 39 years, conducting research on new agricultural methods and coordinating with faculty and research staff. Ken’s brother David, who also attended UW, works for the Wyoming Highway Department.

While at Laramie High, Ken pursued his love of photography. In high school and college, Ken played guitar with the Imperials, a dance band, which helped him cover his college expenses. At UW, he was an active member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Ken named UW in his will and

also as beneficiary of his retirement plan. His substantial estate gift will benefit the H.T. Person Endowment Fund, which supports UW’s most student-focused engineering faculty, “leaders in engineering,” for informative lectures and workshops. It is a fitting tribute—UW’s H.T. Person was beloved by students—including Ken—and peers alike. He served as an engineer, professor, dean, and university president.

A retirement plan can be a taxefficient and simple way to include UW in your estate plan. The best method is to name UW as a beneficiary on your plan’s beneficiary designation form.

A retirement plan with an individual as a beneficiary is subject to income taxes and possibly estate taxes, while a charity that is named as the beneficiary does not pay income or estate taxes on the distribution. Thus, the full value of the distribution supports UW students and the faculty and programs you designate. Yearly required minimum distributions from IRAs can also be given to UW to minimize a donor’s taxable income during their lifetime.

If you are interested in learning more about making a planned gift or gift during your lifetime, please contact Teddi Freedman, College of Engineering and Applied Science Director of Development, at teddi.freedman@ uwyo.edu or (307) 766-3967.

Fall 2020 • 15

UW COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT CELEBRATES ITS

50 Anniversary TH

Reflections on past accomplishments and future opportunities drive world-class academic department to new frontiers

(1) Left – Computer Center, New Philco 2000 (1965) (2) Middle – IBM Unit (1961) (3) Right – Adrian Barberis spearheaded the development and incorporation of virtual reality (VR), creating custom software for an omni directional VR treadmill.

T

he year was 1971. The cost for a gallon of gas was 40 cents. “Dirty Harry” opened to popular acclaim with Clint Eastwood introducing audiences to the famous line, “Do ya feel lucky, punk?” And the voting age in the United States was lowered to 18 years old with the ratification of the 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Meanwhile, at the University of Wyoming, a small group of professors was forming the foundation of one of the first computer science departments in the country, blazing the trail in a field that would significantly impact so many areas of science, industry, and government.

“We are excited to celebrate the history of computer science at the University of Wyoming, but we are also looking to the future with machine learning, cybersecurity, computer graphics, and computational science and engineering,” says Ruben Gamboa, department head and professor of computer science at the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Due to COVID-19, faculty, alumni, and friends will be invited to take part in an upcoming spring 2021 virtual celebration, with more details to be shared at a later date.

Until then, displays organized around the theme of computer science will be appearing soon at the legacy Engineering Building.

The celebration will commemorate how computer science emerged 50 years ago as its own field separate from mathematics, where it was first offered at the University of Wyoming through the College of Arts and Sciences.

But Gamboa says the event will also celebrate how the department has adapted to meet evolving student interest while maintaining the original educational mission.

“The department started with an educational mission, and that is still true today,” says Gamboa. “We take great pride when we hear from regional employers that our students are better prepared than those of other schools.”

While never losing that original connection, the department is expanding and encouraging new avenues of exploration in imaginative ways. In the past 50 years, it has become more focused on research, attracting faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized, and offering advanced degrees in computer science. The department also has a strong tradition of creating research opportunities for undergraduates.

IBM Department (1955)

“The department started with broad collaborations across the university, particularly with the departments of mathematics and statistics, but today, we are now seeing similar collaborations with the College of Business, for initiatives such as the Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation,” says Gamboa.

According to Gamboa, computer science can trace its roots to the successful John von Neumann computer architecture, which is still the predominant architecture used today, who was inspired, in part, by Alan Turing’s papers on abstract computation. Turing went on to use a von Neumann computer to crack the Nazis’ Enigma code, playing a major role in World War II, all before people thought of computer science as an academic discipline.

“The effects of computer science have been felt throughout industry. Decision makers have access to more information in a timely manner than they ever dreamed possible. Computer automation has made industry more productive, than steam did during the Industrial Revolution,” says Gamboa. “More recently, were it not for computer science, the world would have literally halted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not hyperbole to say that the 21st century is digital.”

Computer terminal in a bull pen for the state fair. (1973)

Fall 2020 • 17

Artificial Intelligence Lab, Mike Magee’s Robot Arm. (1982)

It is computer science’s ability to adapt and collaborate that makes it so successful.

“Computer science is one of those disciplines that works best in conjunction with another discipline,” says Gamboa. “Through collaboration with other areas, computer scientists can process information quickly across a myriad of subject areas, allowing insights to emerge from otherwise raw, basically useless data.”

In looking to celebrate the department’s 50th

anniversary, two threads will be intertwined throughout the day: remembrance of the trailblazers who helped create the department and an appreciation of why computer science is a successful academic discipline.

Among those trailblazers was David Winkel, who joined UW as a chemistry professor in 1957 and 14 years later led the effort to build the computer science department from scratch and later become the first department head.

Governor Matt Mead visits faculty and students in the computer science and computer engineering programs.

Student Jeff Clune provides a demonstration. (2016)

18 • Foresight

Electrical and Computer Engineering student Aisha Balogun works with NAO, a humanoid robot that can be programmed to do certain tasks such as walking, sitting down, and dances. (2017)

“Dr. Winkel was a true pioneer in computer science.

As a chemist, he broke into the field by using computers to solve the key quantum mechanical equation for diatomic molecules. This led him to found the university’s first computing center and to make computer resources available to UW students for the first time. I recently discovered that he was the author of the very book from which I learned basic digital design principles,” says Gamboa.

According to Gamboa, the secret sauce to what makes computer science so successful is the problem-solving approach of computational thinking.

“The language of mathematics was once the gateway to understanding the world,” says Gamboa. “It still is, but now it is joined by the language of computing.”

In looking toward the future, Gamboa reflects on the challenges facing the computer science department as it begins its next 50 years.

At the forefront of these, perhaps, is maintaining academic excellence as more students choose computer science training as increasing industry demands look to hire individuals with computational skills.

“Computer science is a discipline that works best in conjunction with others. Interested in art? Maybe computer graphics and animation are for you. Do you like finance?

Then maybe simulating financial markets and derivatives is for you. Do you like automation? Then maybe machine learning is for you. Do you like writing industrial software, then maybe software engineering is for you. Do you like to keep private information private? Then maybe cybersecurity

is for you. The list goes on and on,” says Gamboa. “The problem is we can’t cover all of these areas with a single course. One computer graphics course does not prepare a student to contribute meaningfully to Pixar. We need more courses in each sub-discipline.”

However, with every challenge Gamboa sees the opportunities that lie in wait.

“As we move toward the future, we continue to address our curriculum to make sure it keeps pace with the practice of modern computing and we are very excited by the collaborations that have been springing up across campus because of the growing interest in computer science skills,” says Gamboa. “In the next 50 years, computer science will revolutionize the world again.”

Chuck Thompson from Student Personnel and Guidance with an IBM test scoring machine. (1959)

Fall 2020 • 19

News & Notes

Kam Ng Receives NSF Grant for Research Equipment to Study Underground Civil Infrastructure, Energy Resources One of the most pressing challenges currently facing the state of Wyoming is energy transition, according to Kam Ng, an associate professor in the University of Wyoming Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. However, he says his current equipment cannot fully simulate subsurface conditions and meet current research demands.

The demand for better underground civil infrastructure and energy resources requires an improved basic understanding of the complex behaviors of manmade or natural materials, such as COURTESY PHOTO bedrocks. To accomplish this end, Ng applied for and received a $794,593 National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. simulating coupled THMCB processes of porous materials, The title of the grant is “MRI: Acquisition of a High according to Ng. Pressure and Temperature True Triaxial Testing Equipment The three-year grant will have a broad research impact with a Multiphase Fluid System.” The grant is jointly funded on the improvement of civil infrastructure and build by the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and environments; wellbore stability; safety of nuclear storage; Transport Systems-Major Research Instrumentation Program reservoir prediction; carbon capture and storage; and (CBET-MRI) and the Established Program to Stimulate improved extraction of groundwater, hydrocarbon and other Competitive Research (EPSCoR). The UW match amount to resources from rock reservoirs. the NSF grant is $340,544, bringing the total award amount Ng will serve as the grant’s principal investigator (PI) for to more than $1.1 million.

UW. His co-PIs at UW are Vladimir Alvarado, a professor The grant commenced Sept. 1 and runs through Aug. 31, and head of the Department of Chemical Engineering; Dario 2023.

Grana, an associate professor in the Department of Geology “This grant will support the acquisition of a true triaxial and Geophysics; and Pejman Tahmasebi, an assistant testing equipment with the capability to simulate high professor in the Department of Petroleum Engineering. pressure and temperature, three-dimensional stresses, test The scope of the grant also will include training specimens and fluid at the same target temperature, and future scientists and engineers as well as broadening the multiphase fluid flow conditions,” Ng says. “With this grant, participation of women, underrepresented minorities and researchers will be able to advance fundamental research on persons with disabilities in STEM (science, technology, rock mechanics, materials science, geophysics, biological engineering and mathematics) fields. engineering, environmental engineering and sustainability, Additional educational activities will be pursued as part of hydrologic science, transport phenomena and thermo-hydrothe grant, including the incorporation of equipment testing mechanical-chemical-biological (THMCB) processes.” into existing undergraduate and graduate courses, Wyoming Data provided by the state-of-art research equipment will State Science Fair exhibits and Engineering Summer Program reveal the physics behind the complex failure mechanism of classes. Other activities include establishing an educational materials; quantify three-dimensional material strengths; website, an outreach program for Wyoming school districts determine the impact of chemical and biological processes and annual workshops. on permeability; develop new numerical techniques to study For more information about the NSF grant, research groundwater flows; improve interpretation of geophysical equipment and future training workshops, email Ng at data; and advance multiphysics computational models for kng1@uwyo.edu.

20 • Foresight

TAHMASEBI RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL 2020 ARIE VAN WEELDEN AWARD Pejman Tahmasebi, an assistant professor in the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Applied Science, is this year’s Arie van Weelden Award winner.

“I am extremely honored by this award, which reflects all of the research accomplished during my past positions as a Ph.D. student, a postdoc and also at UW,” says Tahmasebi, who works in the UW Department of Petroleum Engineering. “I appreciate the support I received from my mentors, students at UW and my family. I do not look at this award as a prize, but as a reason to excel in our research and address more long-standing and major problems related to geoscience and geomaterials.”

Dennis Coon, interim head of the UW Department of Petroleum Engineering, praises Tahmasebi’s award.

“Tahmasebi is an energetic, creative and very productive faculty member.

This award is a recognition that Tahmasebi’s innovative research has a significant impact on the geosciences field,” Coon says. “I congratulate Tahmasebi on his award and am certain that he has a very bright future in the field.”

The Arie van Weelden Award is presented to a member of the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers (EAGE) who has made a highly significant contribution to one or more of the disciplines in the association – and who qualifies as an EAGE young professional (a geoscientist or engineer aged 35 or below) at the time of the nomination.

EAGE is a leading international organization honoring excellence in geoscience and geophysics.

The van Weelden Award consists of a medal and a certificate as well as a cash prize equal to 1,000 euros.

Among his many scientific achievements, Tahmasebi is recognized for his outstanding work in several major fields: description of large-scale porous media, stochastic modeling of (sub)surface systems, machine learning and the problem of reconstruction of a 3D model from a 2D slice.

Developing what is now called cross-correlation-based statistical simulation, Tahmasebi’s method produces highly accurate realizations of the geosystems that honor the available data and provide predictions for those properties for which no data are used in constructing the model. The computations are fast, and the memory requirements are modest. This work is frequently cited and widely used.

In addition, Tahmasebi has developed a solution to the classical reconstruction problem: Given a single 2D slice image of a 3D porous medium, is it possible to produce a 3D model for the whole medium? Tahmasebi has shown his method works in a wide variety of systems, including brain images, a human lung, a river delta and granular packing of particles.

“The research we currently are conducting is in the intersection of various fields of science and engineering,” Tahmasebi says. “This makes our research more important and, at the same time, challenging. However, we are actively working on the problems that matter and can help our society. Thus, we are extensively working on fundamental unknowns and finding solutions for such problems. This is truly enjoyable and rewarding when you can see that the results of your research are used and recognized.”

For his excellent research work, Tahmasebi received the 2017 Andrei Borisovich Vistelius Research Award from the International Association for Mathematical Geosciences.

Tahmasebi came to UW in 2016. He has published three book chapters and has led or contributed to 82 scholarly papers published in research journals. He completed his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Sahimi from the University of Southern California and then attended Stanford University, the University of Texas-Austin and the California Institute of Technology as a research scientist.

THE RESEARCH WE CURRENTLY ARE CONDUCTING IS IN THE INTERSECTION OF VARIOUS FIELDS OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.” PEJMAN TAHMASEBI COURTESY PHOTO

Fall 2020 • 21

News & Notes

TWO UW FACULTY MEMBERS RECEIVE DOE GRANTS TO RESEARCH ALLOYS, QUANTUM COMPUTER MATERIALS Dilpuneet Singh Aidhy is studying high entropy alloys that are potential materials for large structural applications, while Jifa Tian is researching a solution to create materials and understand the fundamental physics for future quantum computers that can process problems classic computers cannot.

The University of Wyoming faculty members’ research projects are two of 31 for which the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) granted $21 million in total Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) funding.

“These alloys are potential materials for large structural applications due to their vastly superior mechanical properties over conventional alloys,” says Aidhy, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering. “In particular, these alloys have shown potential to break away from the ductility versus strength trade-off.”

In conventional alloys, if the strength is increased, the ductility decreases. In these high entropy alloys, both can be increased simultaneously, he says.

“Our work will develop a fundamental understanding of atomic and electronic-level processes that lead to achieving high strength and high ductility in high entropy alloys,” Aidhy says. “In particular, we will elucidate the role of electronic charge density on twinning in high entropy alloys.”

Aidhy’s grant is for $375,000 over three years, funding two graduate students and one undergraduate student, and will collaborate with Ames Laboratory and its complementing techniques to advance scientific understanding.

Tian, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, says that, in classical computers, information is processed based on two 22 • Foresight

Left: Jifa Tian

COURTESY PHOTO

Below: Dilpuneet Singh Aidhy

resistance states called “0” and “1” states. However, a quantum computer uses quantum bits, or qubits, to encode information as “0, “1” or a coherent superposition of both. This enables quantum computers to process enormous combinations of states at the same time and in a much shorter timeframe.

“Majorana particle, the only particle that is its own antiparticle, is one of the most compelling quests in condensed matter physics because of its potential for creating qubits to build future quantum computers,” Tian explains.

“In this project, we are looking to realize and manipulate such Majorana particles in a simple materials system, 2M tungsten disulfide (WS2), at the atomic scale. Here, 2M stands for a monoclinic structure with two layers per unit cell.”

The project is in collaboration with the following co-principal investigators: TeYu Chien, an associate professor of physics and astronomy; Jinke Tang, department head and professor from

physics and astronomy; Brian Leonard, an associate professor of chemistry; and John Ackerman, an adjunct professor in chemical engineering.

Tian’s grant totals $750,000 over three years and includes funding for four graduate students and, potentially, some undergraduate students.

Tian says the research will help UW build strong partnerships with Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories; and develop competitive capabilities in the field of topological superconductivity in condensed matters.

“The projects announced are collaborative DOE lab-academia efforts that will simultaneously advance science and technology, as well as strengthen America’s research infrastructure and capabilities,” says Paul Dabbar, the DOE’s undersecretary for science. “Both EPSCoR states and the national laboratories benefit strongly from these very productive, innovative research partnerships.”

Former UW Engineering Faculty Member Receives ASCE Honor The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) honored Ryan Kobbe with the 2020 President’s Medal at the ASCE Annual Convention in October.

Kobbe, who serves as a structural engineer for the engineering firm T-O Engineers, was a recipient of the medal for his “dedicated service to ASCE student members, both as an inspirational University of Wyoming faculty adviser and as an astute leader and student advocate within the society.”

Instituted in 1986, this award is presented annually to not more than two individuals and recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of eminent engineers to the profession, the ASCE or the public. The award is conferred at the initiative of the society’s president, with the concurrence of the executive committee, and consists of a bronze medal depicting the ASCE emblem and engraving identifying the award and the recipient.

Kobbe and his wife, Dea, returned to Park County in January when he accepted a position with T-O Engineers. Before returning home to the Big Horn Basin, Kobbe was a faculty member in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering from 2008-2019 as well as the faculty adviser to the university’s ASCE student chapter.

“Working with the students at UW will always be a bright spot in my professional career,” Kobbe says. “I have always wanted to make a lasting difference as an engineer, and having the opportunity to influence the next generation of aspiring professionals provided a unique opportunity to do so.”

Throughout Kobbe’s time in this position, students were recognized nationally as finalists for the Robert Ridgway Award

for the most outstanding student chapter (2016-18); the Region 7 Distinguished Chapter (2016-19); and earned multiple certificates of commendation, which represent the top 5 percent of all student chapters (2012, 2014-15). Additionally, students received recognition for community service benefiting others outside of their ASCE student chapter in 2015 and 2018, and won the Richard J. Scranton Outstanding Community Service Award in 2016.

“Seeing my alma mater, and Wyoming in general, recognized as a special and exceptional place is very satisfying,” Kobbe says.

“I have always believed in the power of positivity and in building relationships, and this award is testament that this philosophy can take even small and unassuming groups to new heights.”

As a consulting engineer, Kobbe looks forward to continuing to work with young professionals as he seeks to develop the structural services business line for T-O Engineers. While no longer in the classroom, Kobbe continues to support Wyoming’s engineering community through his service as UW ASCE’s practitioner adviser, president of the Wyoming Engineering Society and as an active member of the ASCE Wyoming Section.

“The decision to return to consulting after a decade-long hiatus in academia was not an easy one to make. The primary driver was my desire to continue to evolve and learn new things,” Kobbe says. “My hope was to have the opportunity to influence the next generation of professionals and leaders beyond the classroom, and I look forward to leading and learning from T-O’s interns and engineers-in-training as we seek to solve new engineering challenges.”

Fall 2020 • 23

Supporting Recent Grads and Alumni

In these recent times of economic uncertainty, it can be difficult to know where to offer career support or where to look for it. With that in mind, University of Wyoming (UW) President Ed Seidel had a call to action requesting an initiative to support the university’s recent graduates and experienced alumni seeking career opportunities and resources. In response, the University of Wyoming Alumni Association (UWAA), Advising, Career and Exploratory Studies (ACES) program, and campus partners, proactively worked together to establish the ‘When Cowboys Call, We Answer’ (WCCWA) career support campaign.

The campaign’s main objective is to offer industry specific opportunities or professional resources to support 24 • Foresight

both UW alumni and 100% of the university’s 2020 graduates affected by the current economic climate. UW’s extensive network of alumni and friends have already made an impact by sharing over 20 industry specific career opportunities and support ranging from full or part-time jobs, part-time/seasonal jobs, short-term projects, volunteer experience, and career fair collaboration or participation.

UW alumni seeking career support can opt in to receive resume guidance or career mentoring, possibly be directed to alumni networks or chapters in their area, and can have their profile highlighted on the UWAA LinkedIn page. “When I was first referenced to the ‘When Cowboys call, We Answer’ program I was

immediately met with people who I felt really wanted to help,” said an alumnus, “The individuals that reached out to me were not only dedicated in helping me look for opportunities, but successful in their efforts. The people in this program really cared and put forth a lot of effort to help a fellow alum look for career opportunities.”

All alumni, friends and UW affiliates can help with post-graduate success by sharing career opportunities, and the UWAA and ACES look forward to creating and directing these meaningful actions to recent graduates and alumni.

For more information on the program, please visit, https://bit.ly/UWAlumniWCCWA.

Faculty in Action

DENZER RECEIVES EDUCATOR AWARD FROM ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING INSTITUTE Tony Denzer, a University of Wyoming associate professor of civil and architectural engineering, recently received the Architectural Engineering Institute’s (AEI) 2019 Outstanding Architectural Engineering Educator Award.

“I was very excited to get the news. It’s a great honor to be recognized by AEI,” says Denzer, who also is head of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering. “I’m always experimenting with different teaching methods, because I want to create the best environment for students to learn.”

AEI, part of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), is the premier organization for architectural engineering.

AEI promotes an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to planning, design, construction and operation of buildings by encouraging innovation, collaboration and excellence in practice, education and research of architectural engineering.

Traditionally, the award is presented during AEI’s annual awards banquet; however, ASCE canceled this year’s program due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Because AEI includes academics and professionals, there is a great interchange of ideas and opportunities, Denzer says.

“Since I joined AEI in 2006, it has grown quite a bit, but it is still a close-knit, supportive community,” Denzer says.

Denzer joined the UW engineering faculty in 2005, where he rose from assistant professor to associate professor serving the architectural engineering program.

“My role as an educator, over the years, has evolved to stay in step with the ever-changing landscape of our professional practice. New computing tools have revolutionized how buildings are designed, and there’s a much stronger emphasis on sustainability,” Denzer says. “It takes a lot of effort to stay aware of the

cutting edge and bring those practices into the classroom.”

In 2015, Denzer became head of the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, where he works to open doors, solve problems and connect alumni and industry partners with students, faculty and staff.

“It’s so critical that we impart on architectural engineering students that the big picture is to improve the quality of life for individuals and communities, so it’s a noble calling,” Denzer says.

“When you graduate and go to work, the accomplishments will be tangible and direct.

It’s tremendously satisfying to see a project from conception to completion and, then, see people using it. Professional responsibility is very important, because a poorly designed building can hurt people, but a well-designed building is a gift.”

Denzer offers some advice for anyone interested in becoming an educator in the architectural engineering field.

“A friend told me I staple wings onto kids and make them fly,” he says. “That’s a fun way to think about it.”

To learn more about the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering in the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science, visit www.uwyo.edu/civil/.

26 • Foresight

G n I H C A TE n g i s E D By

Construction Management Program Receives Grant for Residential Construction Program Development

The Construction Management Program at the University of Wyoming has received a four-year, $80,000 grant to develop and implement residential construction training.

The UW College of Engineering and Applied Science program received a Homebuilding Education Leadership Program (HELP) grant from the National Housing Endowment, the philanthropic arm of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). This is the first award of this type for the UW Construction Management Program.

For more than a decade, the HELP initiative has awarded grants to leading colleges and universities to help them create, expand or enhance residential construction management programs. The initiative’s primary goals are to encourage academic institutions to provide programs that respond not only to current issues affecting the homebuilding industry, but also provide the tools and skill sets needed by graduates to anticipate and prepare for the future; and increase the number of qualified college graduates who enter the residential construction industry.

NAHB represents the largest network of craftsmen, innovators and problem solvers dedicated to building and enriching communities, operating at the local, state and national levels.

“The development of residential construction training in Wyoming is imperative,” says Francois Jacobs, the grant’s principal investigator, and a UW associate professor in civil and architectural engineering and construction management. “This grant will help us secure a capable future construction workforce in Wyoming.”

The core focus of the grant will: • Integrate residential construction training as a mandatory degree requirement for all students in the UW Construction Management Program.

• Develop an articulation agreement platform with Wyoming community colleges and high schools, which will allow community college students to transfer up to 30 credits toward their UW construction management degrees and high school students to transfer concurrent enrollment credits.

• Implement a financially sound, stackable credential workforce training program for workers in the field that is fully supported and funded by the Southeast Wyoming Builders Association and the Wyoming Department of Workforce Services. This training program will provide training for up to 40 construction workers per semester.

“Until recently, no accredited construction education and training existed in Wyoming, causing construction skill attainment to lag behind that of adjacent states,” Jacobs says. “The Wyoming State Legislature and the University of Wyoming have committed to our four-year Bachelor of Science in construction management degree program in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. This grant is another testament to that commitment.”

To learn more about UW’s Construction Management Program, visit www.uwyo.edu/civil/construction-management.

TAKE A 360° VIDEO TOUR OF OUR FACILITIES AT UWYO.EDU/CIVIL/CONSTRUCTION-MANAGEMENT

Fall 2020 • 27

Faculty in Action

Liping Wang Receives NSF CAREER Award to Study Indoor Green Solutions to Climate Change A University of Wyoming researcher received a big boost to help her study how to combat the environmental challenges of climate change.

Liping Wang, an assistant professor in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering, hopes to shed some light on the subject through an approximately $500,000 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program Award she recently received from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

The project is titled “Commercial Building Indoor Greenery Systems’ Effects on Thermal Environment and Occupant Comfort on Climate Change.” The grant began Feb. 15 and runs through March 31, 2025.

The overarching research goal is to quantify the effects of indoor greenery systems on building energy consumption and occupant thermal comfort through experiments and integrated modeling.

“The environmental challenges of climate change increase the energy use and peak demands of buildings.

This interdisciplinary research will

quantify the contribution of indoor greenery systems, such as living walls, to building energy efficiency,” Wang says.

“The knowledge gained in this study will form the scientific foundation of design guidance for architects, interior designers and engineers on indoor greenery systems -- and will promote the integration of indoor greenery with HVAC systems for energy efficiency in future buildings.”

Wang and her students will create a thermal model for indoor greenery systems that predicts evapotranspiration rates and the thermal interactions with the indoor environment, and validate the model based on measurements from lab experiments.

Her group also will identify the relationship between thermal comfort and leaf-to-floor area ratio and evapotranspiration for spaces with indoor greenery systems through thermal comfort experiments. The influence of indoor greenery systems on building performance will then be quantified through a coupled modeling approach that combines building energy simulation and indoor greenery system models. The developed thermal model for indoor greenery systems and the integrated modeling approach can contribute to other domains, such as vertical farming and horticulture, Wang says.

Spreading Knowledge As part of the NSF CAREER Award, Wang will incorporate integrated educational activities such as experiments, design competitions and summer camps into curricula for middle/high school and university students.

“The educational goal is to enhance energy efficiency and sustainability

28 • Foresight

education,” Wang says.

The CAREER Program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.

“My long-term career goals are to advance the frontier knowledge about emerging technologies for energy efficiency to mitigate climate change, and to engage future generations for a sustainable, healthy built environment,” she says. “The outcomes of this project will provide a foundation for my longterm career.”

The Environmental Sustainability Program in the Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems within the NSF recommended Wang for the award.

Budgeted over five years, the grant funding will support two Ph.D. students to conduct the research, as well as travel costs and supplies.

Wang’s areas of expertise include building energy simulation; fault detection and diagnosis; and control optimization for HVAC systems.

She received her Ph.D. at the National University of Singapore, and her master’s degree and bachelor’s degree, both from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology in China.

“Ultimately, my research and educational efforts will have a tangible positive impact on future generations, scientific communities and industries toward a resilient and sustainable built environment,” Wang says.

GIVING DAY 2020

$77,340 3RD

 14 Funds were Supported TOTAL RAISED

 15 States Gave to the Campaign  8 Wyoming Cities Gave to the Campaign

HIGHEST DOLLAR TOTALS ACROSS ALL 50 UW CAMPAIGNS!

$545 189

 2 Countries Gave to the Campaign (US and Norway) AVERAGE GIFT SIZE

DONORS

The Engineering Career Services Team helped me achieve my goal of obtaining my first chemical internship by reviewing my résumé and helping me craft a cover letter to impress my employer. Through preparation and encouragement to be myself, I felt confident and ready when I interviewed for the job.”

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Fall 2020 • 29

Highlight

A Homegrown Entrepreneurial Spirit

PHOTO BY BEN WINCKLER PHOTOGRAPHY

New start-up business, Flowstate, is creating machine learning software aiming to solve the problem of pipeline leak detection.

We sat down with their COO, Angie Schrader (BSME ’00), a Riverton native, to discuss the present and future opportunities of this exciting new enterprise.

Q: What piqued your interest about Flowstate and becoming a part of its founding team?

For the past seven years, I had been working for Autodesk, a global Fortune 500 company – which was very exciting. What piqued my interest about Flowstate though was the opportunity to develop a groundbreaking technology for the energy industry and to do it here in Wyoming.

Q: How is Flowstate different than current and/or traditional methods?

The simple answer – we offer a new approach in machine learning, which is something that has not found a lot of application in this industry. Many existing solutions for leak detection are cumbersome, outdated, and inflexible. The combination of these barriers has meant that many pipelines have inadequate monitoring. We are working to build a solution that meets those needs.

Q: How do you define success at Flowstate?

Success will be defined largely by two metrics. First, we deliver a solution that helps to ensure that more of the pipelines across our lands are monitored with accurate and reliable leak detection. Secondly, that we have built a successful tech company in the heart of Wyoming.

Q: Since you became co-founder and COO in 2019, Flowstate has really picked up speed. What challenges come with that amount of growth, and how can leaders help overcome those challenges?

30 • Foresight

We have seen a lot of growth and it has been very exciting. One challenge with that kind of growth at this stage is knowing when to keep on the accelerator and when to pump the brakes. As a leader, it is important always to be a steward of the company, the product, and the people behind it.

Q: How is Flowstate innovative and creative?

One thing that makes us innovative and creative by nature is being a startup. Our team is all new – so we are all bringing new ideas, perspectives and experiences to the table. Teams or companies that have been around for years sometimes have to be very deliberate in working to cultivate that kind of fresh perspective or diverse contribution.

Q: What do you value most about Flowstate’s culture and vision?

What excites me about our culture and vision is the opportunity to join software development and data science with a generations-old industry like oil and gas. It’s exciting to talk to people who are ready to try new things or explore new technologies. And, have I mentioned, we’re proud to be doing this in Wyoming?

Q: How do you raise the bar as co-founder and COO at Flowstate?

One way my co-founder, Jerad Stack, and I are looking to raise the bar is to bring more cutting-edge technology to Wyoming. It is common for people to think that technology like ours comes from large companies or start-ups in large cities and we have seen our homegrown talent leave the

state pursuing this misconception.

We know there is an opportunity to change that paradigm.

Q: What would you look for if you were in the position to hire new graduates from the College of Engineering and Applied Science for Flowstate?

I AM in a position to hire new graduates from CEAS. One thing that stands out for me is experience beyond the classroom. I’m impressed by students that have done research or internships. Coming out of school with that hands-on experience is a real benefit. I look for people who have gone beyond their specific studies or training to take on a project or participate in something that shows they are able to translate skills or talent to real world action. I also am drawn to students who have diverse interests and activities as a leading indicator of creativity, commitment, passion – things I want in a member of my team.

Flowstate team members include Jerad Stack (CEO and Co-founder), Ben Brus, Basheer Kafaf, Nico Tripeny, Angie Schrader (COO and Co-founder), Brayton Sanders, and Braden Fitz-Gerald (not pictured: Auston Larson and Anna Haneline). COURTESY PHOTO

Q: How do you see Flowstate in the future? In what direction is the industry moving?

The software industry is always moving rapidly, and machine learning is finding new applications every day.

While many people think of machine learning as face/voice recognition or self-driving cars and other futuristic tech, there are many ways that Industry 4.0 will improve existing technologies and processes, such as manufacturing and operations. It is an exciting frontier.

Q: What advice do you have for entrepreneurs/innovators looking at a career in your industry?

First, surround yourself with bright, motivated people that will keep you inspired and energized because starting a business or blazing a trail is a lot of work. There are a lot of unknowns, challenges, and occasional setbacks.

Not only is it helpful to have a solid team at your side, it is more fun and rewarding to share the experience.

Second, remember you do not know everything. Build a network, ask questions, seek information, find help, and welcome feedback and critique.

Q: What do you hope Flowstate’s legacy is?

Flowstate started because a team of people, when presented with a challenge, rejected the status quo and came up with their own innovative and courageous idea. They then had the fortitude to chase that idea to turn it into a new product and a new company. Of course, that is the essence of the entrepreneurial spirit. I hope Flowstate’s legacy is to encourage more innovators to think big and develop diverse, impactful businesses here in Wyoming.

Fall 2020 • 31

Alumni in Memoriam

Since our last issue, we regret to announce the passing of the following alumni. Our greatest sympathy is extended to the families of these valued friends.

Julian Abas Alum, Non-Grad ’17 – Laramie, WY William Acton BSCE ’61 – Temple, TX Larry Aksamit BSEE ’70 – Casper, WY George Bell BSCE ’57 – Cheyenne, WY Kenneth Boilsen BSCE ’66 – Woodinville, WA Roger Bush BSME ’58 – Cody, WY Henery Choutea BSME ‘50 – Santa Fe, NW Harold Creel BSME ’52 – Glen Mills, PA John Cully Alum, Non-Grad – Rawlins, WY Edwin Dowding MS ’67 – Keizer, OR Howard Gallensky BSME ’48 – Cheyenne, WY Rodney Girmus BSEE ’60 – Torrington, WY Roland Hart Gen Eng ’51 – Casper, WY

Roy Hempley BSME ’67 – Woodford, VA

Donald Shepardson BSCE ’78 – Las Vegas, NV

Albert Jordan BSME ’74 – Grant, FL

Gordon Shipp BSEE ’59 – Tucson, AZ

Walter Kalasinsky BSEE ’72 – Centennial, CO

Dean Smith BSCE ’62 – Boise, ID

Kenneth “Ken” Kennedy BSCE ’48 – Wheatland, WY

Calvin Vaudrey* BSCE ’48 and MS ’50 – Litchfield Park, AZ

Gale Macklay BSCE ’52 – Charleston, WV Ray Marley BSEE ’59 – Vista, NM Jacob McJunkin BSCE ’62 – Lander, WY Jerrold Moore BSCE ’56 – Corpus Christi, TX Lanny Myers BA ’61 – Bountiful, UT Michael Popp Gen Eng ’50 – Rockport, TX Cecil Rhodes Alum, Non-Grad ’52 – Long Beach, CA Gholamreza Salafian MSEE ’85 – Santa Barbara, CA Paul Schueler BSPE ’54 – Uvalde, TX Richard Schultz BSCE ’78 – Grand Junction, CO

Craig Volz BSCE ’65 – Sheridan, WY Mainard Wacker BSCE ’55 – Cheyenne, WY David Wedemeyer Alum, Non-Grad ’71 – Ava, MO David Welke BSEE ’87 – Kennedy Space Center, FL John Werner BSCE ’55 – Cody, WY Marvin Wilkins BSCE ’59 – Dumfries, VA Wallace Willard BS ’51 – Salt Lake City, UT Lyle Wilson BSCE ’50 – Eufaula, AL Wayman Wing* BSCE ’47 – Evanston, WY

* CEAS Hall of Fame Member

32 • Foresight

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CoNgrat uLat ioNs!

RECOGNIZING OUR RECENTLY PROMOTED FACULTY Jonathan Brant Civil and Architectural Engineering Professor Joseph Holles Chemical Engineering Professor Saman Aryana Chemical Engineering Associate Professor

Erica Belmont Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Domen Novak Electrical and Computer Engineering Associate Professor Liping Wang Civil and Architectural Engineering Associate Professor