Foresight - Spring/Summer 2022

UW COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND APPLIED SCIENCE Spring/Summer 2022 | Volume 47, No. 1

f o t r A The

e Discover the difference at the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

e

67.6%

OF CEAS GRAD STUDENTS ARE OF A DIVERSE BACKGROUND

*This is based on information from academic year 21/22

$

OPPORTUNITIES FOR FULLY-FUNDED GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS AVERAGE STARTING SALARY FOR CEAS GRADUATES

$

ACCESS TO STATE-OF-THE-ART LABS TO CONDUCT RESEARCH

Dr. Vladimir Alvarado

Professor of Chemical & Petroleum Engineering

7

DEPARTMENTS WITH 11 MS AND 8 PHD PROGRAMS TO CHOOSE YOUR PATH

UWYO.EDU/CEAS

24 16

20

30

Features

Departments

4 / A Creative Approach Teaching creativity and inventive problem solving in science.

02 / Message from the Dean

16 / Laser Focus How CEAS students utilize 3D printing platforms.

24 / A Structural Legacy UW College of Engineering and Applied Science alumni architects design Engineering Education and Research Building.

27 / Shop Talk UW Engineering Shop re-brands to welcome all.

07 / News & Notes 12 / Faculty in Action 15 / Alumni in Action 20 / News & Notes 30 / CEAS Highlight 32 / Alumni In Memoriam On the Cover Engineer Brad Orr works with electronics in UW’s Engineering Shop, which provides technical consulting and a wide variety of design and fabrication services to the UW community including students, faculty, staff and associated entities.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 1

Message from the Dean

University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Cameron Wright Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education David Mukai Associate Dean, Graduate Education and Research David Bagley Director, Business Operations Mēgan Barber College Affairs Coordinator Jeanne Moede Departments: Atmospheric Science Jeff French, Head 307-766-3245 | uwyo.edu/atsc Chemical Engineering Patrick Johnson, Head 307-766-2500 | uwyo.edu/chemical Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management 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 Erica Belmont, 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, Hallie Davis 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.

2 • Foresight

THE ART OF ENGINEERING Dear Colleagues and Friends, In this edition of Foresight, explore how the engineering profession is an inherently creative endeavor in which engineers design and create new products, processes, or devices that solve problems in society and enhance the quality of life for all.

For example, our interdisciplinary collaboration and engagement with the real world are guiding principles for our college, where students and faculty eagerly pursue collaborations that are problem-centered, not disciplinary-centered. Learn how the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s collaborative efforts are building a framework for success.

Then discover how our faculty are pushing beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries (the infamous “stovepipes”) to identify and create new opportunities. For instance, this innovative exploration can be illustrated in the inventive problem solving taught within our programs and the new approaches to teaching that help to better align student learning outcomes.

Read about the spirit of generosity of one University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science alumnus as he explains why he supports the College of Engineering and Applied Science and the new opportunities it provides the college.

Learn more about our students as innovators and leaders, who through the combination of challenging classroom study in a wide variety of academic programs with opportunities for professional practice, have returned to campus as engineers of our college’s structures.

The UW College of Engineering and Applied Science is preparing the next generation of engineers with the inner spirit of the cowboy— independent, honest, courageous and relentlessly curious. Our students, faculty and staff are doers, thinkers and not afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work.

I invite you to learn more about our programs and the many opportunities that our college provides.

Sincerely, SIGNATURE Cameron H.G. Wright, Ph.D., P.E. Carrell Family Dean College of Engineering and Applied Science

2022 AWARD NOMINATIONS

The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Awards and Recognition Committee is looking for nominations for the Hall of Fame, Distinguished Engineer/Scientist and Distinguished Service Award.

Complete details about award descriptions and nomination forms are available online at www.uwyo.edu/ceas/development/awards/.

SHOWCASE THE ACHIEVEMENT. CELEBR ATE THE SUCCESS. NOMINATE SOMEONE TODAY!

TEACHING CREATIVITY AND INVENTIVE PROBLEM SOLVING IN SCIENCE

By Riley Box

The State of Engineering and Applied Science As technology advances in the world, the notion that highly technical jobs such as computer and math jobs and architecture and engineering jobs will no longer need humans becomes increasingly worrisome. To put that in perspective, 37 percent of computer and math jobs and 20 percent of architecture and engineering jobs are at risk for automation. Coming out of college graduation, a potential one out of every three to five students in the College of Engineering and Applied Science will be impacted in search for work. It is often wondered why some companies do not go fully automatic and do away with human workers entirely, and it comes down to one particular reason—creativity.

What differentiates us from the machines and software we create is our creativity. Students go into school and run into one of two types of teachers: those who preach memorization and retainment, and those who teach students how to learn and be creative. As technology advances, the need for retention of information diminishes significantly. Software is useful in completing the repetitive tasks and doing the job, but humans can create the job and see what the future should entail.

The Journey Through Academia Mike Borowczak, a professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Science, is the type of professor who focuses on creative solutions to problems. He knows that creativity is the best way to guide students into their future endeavors. Originally from Ohio, Borowczak completed his Bachelor of Science degree in computer engineering in 2007. Following that, he earned his Ph.D. in computer science and engineering in 2013, both at the University of Cincinnati.

On his journey to the University of Wyoming, Borowczak has participated in numerous jobs and projects in the scientific field. Prior to UW, Borowczak worked in industry as a hardware

4 • Foresight

security architect at Intel Corporation in Portland, Ore., and was a data scientist at several Boulder, Colo.-based startup companies.

As a Ph.D. student, Borowczak had two experiences that put him on the path he is on today. First, in addition to traditional research activities, he served as an NSF GK-12 Fellow spending 20 hours a week in high school classrooms bringing his computer security research to many math and science classes. Second, Borowczak recounts what brought him into the realm of computer security.

Early in graduate school, his adviser Ranga Vemuri, showed him a paper that claimed to be able to extract secret information from a hardware device

a football field away. This intrigued Borowczak so much that he decided to focus on computer security.

A Professor Hoping to Make a Change Why focus on creative problem solving? “It’s where we [humans] have a chance for innovation,”says Borowczak.

From early on, Borowczak knew he wanted to implement creative tools and projects into his classes and lessons.

After getting past the fundamental concepts, he gives students one or two opportunities to propose their own adventures and projects each semester.

For students who are used to strict requirements on projects, this can be a tough ask. These projects are useful in the vein that students can learn how

Mike Borowczak saw what needed to be taught in the College of Engineering and Applied Science and implemented it to the best of his abilities. Seeing that automation was taking a large number of jobs away from the people in his field, he created a lesson plan that focused on what humans could bring to the table: creativity.

With these methods, he has been able to learn with his students, create fun work environments, and harbor creative solutions to complex computer security problems.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 5

to use creativity to advance themselves in a profession that truly needs it.

The first example of a project in his class comes from his Introductory to Computer Security course. Borowczak asked students to replicate an “attack” they read online in real life. An attack is an information security threat that attempts to alter, implant or reveal information without authorized access.

The project consisted of students finding vulnerabilities in some of their favorite video games. The project ultimately led to a student publication.

Beyond this, there are many other types of projects that Borowczak has implemented in order to stir creativity in his students. One class had students developing their own mechanism for public voting using a blockchain. A blockchain is a shared, decentralized digital ledger that records transactions in the form of “blocks.” Another class had students finding out what website you’re accessing by measuring the power consumed on an outlet connected to a 3D printer. Depending on which sound it made, students were able to decipher the information.

Each project Borowczak implements into his classroom is unique to the class. He utilizes the students’

creative input and tries to push them toward even more creative endeavors.

Teaching creativity allows Borowczak to find what students are capable of, to teach them to hone in on their ideas and force them to become more knowledgeable and creative in the field they are pursuing.

Borowczak is involved in numerous projects in the realm of computer security that keep him excited to come to work every day. Several projects he is excited for revolve around the extraction of information from unexpected sources, resiliency of multi-agent and complex systems, and mechanisms to protect and harden distributed systems.

In the area of extraction and manipulation of complex systems, Borowczak has implemented projects that have included attacks on machine learning software and hardware, attacks on blockchain crypto-wallets, and an ongoing campaign on disruption and resiliency of multi-agent decentralized swarms. All of the projects look at computer security and see how attacks can be utilized to gather data, focus on improvement or learn more about any particular subject.

Outreach Beyond the Classroom Walls

Dr. Andrea Burrows

6 • Foresight

Beyond teaching, Borowczak is involved with many endeavors. Establishing the Cybersecurity Education and Research Center at UW, Borowczak aims to help mentor vibrant groups of students. With the research center, Borowczak, along with his partner, Andrea

Burrows in the College of Education, co-develop outreach opportunities for K-12 students and teachers. To date, both Borowczak and Burrows have published a significant number of papers for the outreach and brought in several million dollars in funding.

This opportunity drove Borowczak because he hopes to help further inspire creativity in students beyond the time slot of the class; as students feel inspired to pursue creativity and adventure in their learning, the more they can make the world a better and safer place for future generations.

Without the support and hard work from his students, fellow faculty members, administrators and external partners, Borowczak would not be able to pursue as much research and creativity as he desires. Furthermore, if it wasn’t for his push for creativity in the classroom and in life, the campus, the state and the world of engineering may be worse off than ever. Through a push in creativity, Borowczak has seen an incline of passion in his students, and with an automated working environment, it is the main element that allows humans to show their true abilities.

The Off-Time of a Scientist Beyond academia, Borowczak enjoys road cycling. “Though the season for it is short here in Laramie, I truly enjoy it,” he says. Beyond cycling, he is an avid searcher and listener of vintage records.

He tends to enjoy his records relaxing with a great cup of French press coffee.

News & Notes

UW Approves New Biomedical Engineering Minor for Fall 2022 The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science will launch a new biomedical engineering (BME) minor program for its undergraduate students starting in the fall semester.

The new minor, which recently received approval from the Office of the Registrar, will be coordinated within the Department of Chemical Engineering. The department has long offered a concentration in biomedical engineering, and several faculty members have research programs in this area.

A minor program is expected to significantly boost enrollment.

“Biomedical engineering is an interdisciplinary field that combines principles of biology and medicine with engineering design to produce health care innovations,” says Patrick Johnson, head of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

“Biomedical engineers contribute to medical technologies in a variety of areas, including diagnostics, therapeutics, imaging, bioinformatics and rehabilitation.”

According to Johnson, the biomedical engineering minor is intended to formalize existing coursework tracks within chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering, and molecular biology into a cross-disciplinary program. For example, the bioengineering option in electrical engineering is one of the

oldest biomedical-related programs in the country, established in the 1960s in response to NASA’s Mercury space program.

A minor would require 18 credits of electives. The course of study can be self-directed or tailored to a student’s major degree program. For students pursuing specific engineering majors, example coursework tracks can be found in the college’s Susan McCormack Center for Student Success Academic Advising Office.

Students may begin enrolling in the minor, with the first graduates anticipated in two years. Interest already is high among chemical engineering students, with 57 percent of undergraduate students recently polled showing interest in a BME minor.

“This new minor, brought to reality by the hard work of people like John Oakey (a professor of chemical engineering) and Patrick Johnson, opens up new and exciting opportunities for our students,” says Cameron Wright, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “I’m very happy to see this new BME minor get started.”

Information, including news on the enrollment process for interested students, will be available soon at the department’s website and through the college’s advising office.

Job & Internship Search

Resume Review

Interview Prep

Company Tracking

Job Fair Prep

Employer Relations

▼ ▼

▼ ▼

To learn more about our services and how we connect students and alumni with employers, contact us at CEASCareerServices@uwyo.edu

The Engineering Career Services Team played a major role in helping me to achieve my dream of becoming an intern at NASA. They worked with me from day one providing guidance on the formatting and style of my resume. This guidance and support carried over to the interview process. I practiced mock interviews with the team, gaining feedback and insight, that helped me find success in my interview. There is a lot that goes into the hiring process and much of it was new information to me; utilizing the Engineering Career Services Team made the process less daunting and allowed me to land the internship of my dreams.”

- AAroN V.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING ‘23

News & Notes

UW’s Aerosol Research To Be Highlighted in Documentary That Will Air on French TV in 2022

Lulin Xue (NCAR), the documentary team, and Daniel McCoy on site to film around the NCARWyoming supercomputer.

PHOTO BY SUMMER WASSON

By Ron Podell The University of Wyoming Department of Atmospheric Science recently received some international attention for its expertise. And that knowledge is expected to show up in a French documentary film about aerosols late this year.

Daniel McCoy, an assistant professor, and Larry Oolman, a senior research scientist, both in the Department of Atmospheric Science, were interviewed for a 90-minute documentary that is expected to be completed early this year, with a prime-time air date on France 5 in fall 2022.

France 5, much like PBS in America, is a French free-to-air public channel that primarily features educational programming. The working title of the documentary is “The Earth, a living body.” Two 52-minute versions, to be edited for a miniseries, will be made for international distribution.

“The section we contributed to is about clouds and aerosols, with a focus on aerosols that come from natural sources, such as sea spray and dust,” McCoy says.

“The documentary is set to appear on France 5 but could potentially air in the U.S. at some future date.”

The film crew, from Mona Lisa Production in Lyon, France, and led by director Pierre-François Gaudry, was on UW’s campus July 2-3, 2021. Filming took place in the 3D Visualization Center in the Energy Innovation Center; the UW Flight Center, which houses the King Air research aircraft; and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)-Wyoming Supercomputing Center (NWSC) in Cheyenne.

“UW’s Department of Atmospheric Science is one of the world leaders in understanding the physics of clouds, and one aspect of this is understanding aerosolcloud interactions,” McCoy says. “We have pretty unique facilities to do this through the National Science Foundation-supported aircraft that the department manages and our access to the NWSC.” A lot of modeling work has taken place at the NWSC. UW atmospheric 8 • Foresight

science faculty members, using the King Air research aircraft, have conducted numerous experiments and made countless observations of clouds, aerosols and trace gases. Additionally, department faculty members have published various papers on aerosol.

“Clouds need aerosol particles to form droplets on. More aerosol of the right size and chemistry means more cloud droplets in a given cloud,” McCoy explains. “If you have a fixed mass of water in your cloud, making it up of a lot of little drops instead of a few big ones gives you a brighter cloud because scattering of sunlight goes as surface area.”

Aerosol emitted by industrial activity has cooled the planet through this and other processes. Understanding how much cooling has occurred is important to interpreting the observational temperature record and predicting how climate will look in the future, he says.

Understanding the pre-industrial baseline set by nonanthropogenic aerosol sources is critical to understanding how big of an effect anthropogenic aerosol has had.

“One of the more important nonanthropogenic sources of aerosol is from marine phytoplankton,” McCoy says. “They produce dimetylsulfide, which oxidizes into sulfate in the atmosphere. Volcanic sulfur and sea salt are other examples. Another example might be Saharan dust, which is less good at nucleating cloud droplets. But, because of its crystallographic structure, it has a different very important effect: allowing super cooled liquid (less than 32 degrees Fahrenheit) to freeze into ice.”

Lulin Xue, a project scientist at NCAR’s Research Applications Lab, also was interviewed for the documentary. Other filming locations for the documentary include Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Falmouth, Mass.; Biosphere 2, an American earth system science research facility in Oracle, Ariz.; and the Azores in Portugal.

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING CO-OP EXPERIENCE Become a UW Department of Chemical Engineering Co-Op Experience industry partner today!

The program is looking for industry partners interested in giving students an experiential learning opportunity in Spring 2023 to Summer 2023.

Students in the program are supported by a department faculty mentor, college internship coordinator, as well as their industry mentor as they gain extensive experience while learning about potential career opportunities in the engineering industry.

TO LEARN MORE, CONTACT US AT: Chemical Engineering c/o Patrick Johnson, EN 4055 Dept. 3295 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 Phone: (307)-766-2500 Email: che-info@uwyo.edu

Students in Action Gad Sezirahiga, right, and his supervisor, Joseph Leimkuhler, the chief operating officer for Beacon Offshore Energy, with a deepwater well mural in the company’s Covington, La., office.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BEACON OFFSHORE ENERGY

Former War-Torn Camp Refugee Finds Career Success as UW Petroleum Engineering Graduate

By Milton Ontiveroz For 20 years, Gad Sezirahiga and his family endured refugee camp lives after fleeing the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). How he later landed a prestigious deepwater well internship in Louisiana—after coming to the University of Wyoming from landlocked Arizona to obtain his petroleum engineering degree and his U.S. citizenship— is all part of an amazing transformation for the UW nontraditional student.

Last spring, Sezirahiga, now 32 years of age, graduated from UW with a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science. He is living the American dream after his family fled the DRC because of ethnic war that ravaged his former home country.

His family settled in other parts of Africa and endured camp life for two decades. Later, Sezirahiga and part of his family came to the U.S. in September 2016, settling in Arizona.

After earning a physics degree in the Republic of Rwanda—the country of exile for his family—Sezirahiga became interested in petroleum engineering, but Arizona colleges did not offer him that career opportunity. So, he scoured the Internet in hope of finding a program that 10 • Foresight

offered a degree in his newfound passion.

“I searched for schools that could offer this major. I found UW on a list, and the program had favorable reviews,” he says. “I applied as a second bachelor’s degree-seeking student and got admitted.”

That was in 2019, the year that changed his life.

However, before that, Sezirahiga overcame many lifechanging obstacles living in the Kizba refugee camp, located west of Rwanda.

“Imagine living in a tent with hard dirt floors and surviving on very scarce food and water supply for about 20 years,” he says, “Despite all these hardships, I attained a bachelor’s degree in physics while in the camp.”

That drive to succeed led Sezirahiga to Laramie and UW—very different from living the nomad life as a refugee.

According to UW’s Department of Petroleum Engineering, petroleum engineers are involved in all facets of oil exploration and development, from identifying and characterizing reservoirs through drilling and completion to production. Petroleum engineers find new ways to extract oil and gas from older wells and travel around the world to where the reserves are located.

In his first semester at UW, Sezirahiga already was mapping

out his career and attended the department’s annual job fair seeking internships, especially those that piqued his interests.

“I wanted to learn the actual complexity of ongoing deepwater well operations,” he says. “My classes at UW provided me the basics of well operations and, while I understand the basic engineering behind the work, I wanted to get an actual feel for how the work is actually done, costs and time required executing the work.”

Attending a student interaction session with the Department Industry Advisory Board, Sezirahiga met Joseph Leimkuhler, the chief operating officer for Beacon Offshore Energy, a deep-water offshore company with assets in the Gulf of Mexico. He is responsible for all company engineering and offshore operations. Realizing how much he needed to learn outside of the classroom, Sezirahiga asked Leimkuhler if he could help mentor him in that area. Leimkuhler recalls that discussion in downtown Laramie on a spring night with snow falling outside his rental car under a streetlight.

“It was right out of a Hollywood movie—the backdrop, his sincerity, his story. It was all so compelling, you just can’t say no,” he says.

Thus began Sezirahiga’s path to Beacon in spring 2019.

Beacon—a company that at the time was still building its base organization—currently produces six subsea fields in the Gulf of Mexico and has sanctioned a multibillion-dollar -deep-water project, Shenandoah. The company’s wells sit in a range of water depths from 1,350 to more than 6,000 feet of water. Total drilling depths range from 21,000 to more than 28,500 feet. Beacon’s “fields” are located about 60 to 180 miles out in the gulf.

Because Beacon is a relatively new company, the operation had not yet developed a formal internship program. As luck would have it, Sezirahiga was one of the first offered the chance to secure an internship when the company initiated an internship program for students.

“Gad’s unique background, his perseverance and work ethic, and the timing of his availability in December and January led to his selection as our first engineering/ operations-based intern,” Leimkuhler says.

Sezirahiga’s internship began in Covington, La., in November 2020 and ended in late January 2021.

“I was reviewing prior well completion reports by categorizing the time required to execute each step of the process with the target of building a model that Beacon offshore can use to predict the cost to complete a deep-water subsea well,” he says about his internship.

Once a well is drilled, additional steps are needed to complete the process so that the well can flow into a subsea production system. Sezirahiga reviewed the daily operations reports from the rigs and helped build Beacon’s database, Leimkuhler says.

“Gad’s classes at UW provided the basics of well operations

and, while he understood the basic engineering behind the work, getting a feel for how the work is actually done, costs and time required executing each phase is hard to pick up in an undergraduate classroom environment,” Leimkuhler says.

“Gad was very appreciative of the opportunity to get a feel for how it all comes together in the field.”

Sam Oriol, Sezirahiga’s engineering mentor at Beacon, remembers the curiosity, the work ethic and the smile.

“Gad is such a unique guy with such a unique story. He inspired us as much as we inspired him,” Oriol says.

One part of the internship that Sezirahiga did not get to experience was actually going out into the Gulf of Mexico to see how a deep-water rig actually operates. The COVID-19 pandemic was at its height at the time, and Beacon placed restrictions on personnel being out on site offshore.

That Beacon internship experience has led Sezirahiga to seek a petroleum engineering master’s degree at UW, where he will graduate later this year. He has secured a professional job with Patterson-UTI Energy, based in Houston, Texas.

Currently he is getting a “baptism-by-fire” on the job training in the oil fields of Oklahoma.

Gad Sezirahiga reviews the well completion activity dataset from various wells.

Sezirahiga is always looking to better himself, something he learned a lifetime ago in a Rwandan refugee camp. He wants to put into practice his UW petroleum engineering knowledge of the oil and gas industry full time in all professional jobs that may come up in his future.

“The sum of these life story and educational experiences drives me to strive for a better life,” he adds. “Having lived a large portion of my life in energy poverty, I understand the importance of the production of affordable and available energy, especially oil and gas.”

He says he is most proud of achieving a 4.0 grade-point average after the fall semester, but more important, receiving his official U.S. citizenship earlier this year.

“Actually, becoming a U.S. citizen was my dream since 2009, that is when I started working on it,” Sezirahiga says. “I just cannot explain it. It is far beyond the measure of my words, and you can understand how I feel when I got it in January.”

Spring/Summer 2022 • 11

Faculty in Action

UW Center Breaks Ground for Char Demonstration

By Christine Reed The Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion (CCCC) in the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) recently broke ground on a demonstration house made of coal-derived carbon building materials and char bricks.

The house is being built in tandem with a second house made from conventional building products and Pacific Clay bricks. The coal-derived bricks are made using low-energy, ecofriendly process technologies developed in the CCCC. “The goal of the project is to see how the coal-derived building materials, especially char bricks, stand up to different environmental conditions and compare to conventional building materials that are currently used in the market,” says ChooiKim Lau, the civil and architectural engineering and construction management graduate student leading the project.

“Our team will evaluate performance characteristics, such as the mechanical integrity, thermal resistance, weight, fire resistance, toxicity and electromagnetic radiation tolerance, with comparative durability, noise resistance, moisture absorption and weathering.”

Originally from Alor Setar, Malaysia, and now resident of Laramie as a U.S. citizen, Lau is working alongside undergraduate students Noah Scott and Jonathan Scott, of Cheyenne. They work under the direction of Kam Ng, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering within the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Focusing on the future of Wyoming coal, the project is part of the 12 • Foresight

Carbon Engineering Initiative in the CCCC dedicated to discovering and advancing new uses for coal by making commodity products that are nonenergy and fuel based.

The goal of the demonstration is to showcase the various building materials that are made from Wyoming coal and, in particular, the coal-derived char bricks.

In the summer of 2021, the team manufactured over 4,000 coal-derived char bricks in the span of 30 days using basic tools and equipment. The bricks were produced using a zero-waste construction method in which they can be manufactured, transformed and recycled in a comprehensive life cycle, minimizing residual materials.

According to Lau, the initial findings regarding the properties of the char bricks show attributes that are superior to clay bricks. They are lighter weight, provide better insulation and have the ability to regulate the moisture content in the building.

“The porosity and thermal properties of the coal char bricks are such that they have the ability to absorb moisture from inside buildings on humid days, and release moisture on dry days, which mean that the building is consuming less energy,” Lau says. “Additionally, according to the industry-standard fire endurance test, char bricks receive a rating of Class A, which is the highest score possible.”

The char bricks are more economical

The UW team researching the performance of coal-derived carbon building materials in comparison with conventional building materials consists of, from left: undergraduate students Jon Scott and Noah Scott, of Cheyenne, and graduate student ChooiKim Lau, of Laramie. They are in the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management.

House to produce, as well. The team made each individual brick by hand and used the Wyoming summer sun to dry and cure the bricks, bypassing the costly firing process used in the manufacturing of clay bricks.

Richard Horner, the CCCC’s director, says products derived from coal are an extremely important step forward for Wyoming.

“Our objective in the School of Energy Resources is not just to do research, but to also commercialize these efforts and create new jobs and industries in Wyoming,” Horner says.

“Currently, coal is a main source of income for the state, so efforts to keep mines operating will allow us to have a continued revenue stream for our state to invest in education, infrastructure, medical care, emergency services and the overall well-being of Wyoming citizens.”

Once construction of the demonstration houses is completed, the team will carry out yearlong performance monitoring tests to provide a good baseline to see how the coal-derived building materials outperform the conventional building materials. The data and results then will be shared with interested industry partners, with the hope they’ll take the technology to market.

The team is optimistic about the feasibility for the scale-up or mass production of this technology.

“We are eager to gather performance data on our building materials,” says Professor Ng. “We hope that our research will highlight the competitive advantages of our coalderived char bricks to the construction industry and increase the products’ marketability, usage and consumption, further advancing to the next stage of commercialization and production.”

NEW RESEARCH PROGRAM ENHANCES SUBSURFACE ENERGY RECOVERY Assistant Professor of Petroleum Engineering Morteza Dejam is working to establish a world-class research program on “Enhanced Subsurface Energy Recovery” in the University of Wyoming’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.

The research is designed to be practical, addresses issues defined by the energy industry, and is focused on optimizing industry capacity to extract energy resources. The program will contribute to developing new environmentally friendly energy recovery technologies, a leader in integrated geothermal energy and hydrogen geological storage research, and a platform to engage stakeholders to address the critical energy industry challenges during the energy transition.

In addition, the program will lead research on energy-related areas with high potential for job creation in the region, which can lead to diversification and strengthen of Wyoming’s economy and the UW’s energy brand.

More importantly, the research program provides an opportunity to train the next generation of engineers that assist the industry in making decisions that reduce environmental impacts, produce a more sustainable energy future, and improve the economic prospect of the region during the energy transition.

The UW College of Engineering and Applied Science Department of Petroleum Engineering “Enhanced Subsurface Energy Recovery” research program has received financial support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, American Society for Engineering Education, UW’s Center for Global Studies International Research Grant, UW’s Tier-1 Engineering Initiative, and UW’s Department of Petroleum Engineering.

To learn more about this exciting research program, visit www.uwyo.edu/petroleum.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 13

Faculty in Action

CEAS Dept. of Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering Selects First Female Department Head in College’s History The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science is proud to announce the appointment of Erica Belmont, a talented academic leader, researcher, mentor and engineer, to the position of department head for the Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering Department. Belmont assumed her new role during the fall 2021 semester, and she has become the first female department head in the college’s 129-year history.

“UW’s Department of Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering is an incredible department full of talented students, staff, and faculty,” says Belmont. “I am glad to have the opportunity to support and help facilitate the many exciting and impactful things that these members of our department do.”

Belmont is stepping into a department that has been in the hands of Carl Frick for six years.

14 • Foresight

Belmont has been a faculty member in the department since 2014 and received her B.S. in chemical engineering and M.S. in mechanical engineering from Tufts University in Medford, Mass., and her Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.

“Many of us in the college recognized early on that Erica Belmont had both great technical competences, but also a rare ability to motivate and inspire those around her,” says College of Engineering and Applied Science Dean Cameron Wright. “That’s the basis of good leadership, and when the department head position became available, it was natural to think of her.

She’s doing a superb job and is a great role model for other female engineers.”

In addition to serving as the department head, Belmont is an active researcher. Her current research is funded by the National Aeronautics

and Space Administration and the National Science Foundation, including an NSF Faculty Early Career Development Program grant. She also co-founded a spin-off company, Evoseer LLC, with a Ph.D. student in her research group, Kurt Stahlfeld, based on their research together at UW. Evoseer LLC recently received a Small Business Technology Transfer Program grant from NSF for development of next-generation battery components.

The College of Engineering and Applied Science has been making a strong push to promote women in engineering over the years, in a field which suffers from severe underrepresentation.

Despite making up nearly half of the U.S. workforce, women are still vastly underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce.

Women made gains—from 8 percent of STEM workers in 1970 to 27 percent in 2019—but men still dominated the field.

Overall, female engineering students comprise only about 19.07 percent of the undergraduate population in the college.

“The UW Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering Department welcomes all students who want to advance technology, improve quality of life and contribute to solving the biggest problems of our time through engineering. We encourage interested students to reach out to us to find out more about our degree programs,” says Belmont.

For more information on Belmont and the Mechanical and Energy Systems Engineering Department at the College of Engineering and Applied Science, visit www.uwyo.edu/ mechanical.

Alumni in Action

The Ultimate STEM Playlist Music Video Project Celebrates Love of Science

By Micaela Myers Back in 2014, three best friends and University of Wyoming civil engineering undergraduates decided to enter a video contest promoting the field, starting a music video tradition that continues to this day.

“We were always up for an adventure,” says Britton Hammit Johnson. “We were all a part of American Society of Civil Engineers. Sierra Johnson is an extremely talented musician. Katie Sitler is the most creative person I know and was in the marching band. I think I brought the energy and the video-editing experience.”

The creative result of their efforts was a medley of popular songs with lyric changes and choreographed dance routines all over the Engineering Building. Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education David Mukai’s daughter joined them, representing the young women they want to help recruit to the field. Other engineering students participated, and members of the marching played backup.

Songs and lyric changes included: “Thrift Shop”— “I’m gonna draw some plans, only got a straight edge in my pocket”; “Life is a Highway”—“I design highways, airports, bike lanes, railroads”; “All About That Bass”—“I ain’t no chem-e, but I know reactions that they will never see”; “Single Ladies”—“All the geotech”; “Party in the USA”—“Now put your hands up, we’re civil engineers, the best job in the world”; and “Stacy’s Mom”—“Engineers have got it going on; civil is great, it’s been around for so long.”

They had so much fun creating the video their senior year that they never stopped. Together with a fourth friend and UW alumna, Lisa Johnson Mallon, they’ve continued to make music videos as they travel, visit one another and attend one another’s weddings.

“We’ve danced through London, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Lyon, Montpellier, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Vienna and continued that with many other videos where we road tripped through Wyoming, did the manikin challenge all over Washington, D.C., rafted down a river

Katie Sitler and Sierra Johnson “hooding” Britton Hammit Johnson at her Ph.D. graduation.

in Montana on an air mattress, and took a tour bus up to Niagara Falls and Toronto,” Britton says.

All three women have gone on to successful careers.

Britton, originally from Prescott, Ariz., went on to earn her master’s degree and Ph.D. from UW. She works at KimleyHorn, a civil engineering consulting firm in Massachusetts, as a traffic engineer with a focus on data analytics, intelligent transport systems and traffic simulation modeling. Last year, Britton and her husband started the process for an endowment fund for UW engineering students. Sierra, originally from Laramie, went on to earn her master’s degree from University of Colorado Boulder and works at Corona Environmental Consulting in Colorado as a water process engineer, helping to optimize water treatment. Katie earned her master’s degree from Colorado State University and works at Golder, a civil/environmental engineering consultant firm in Colorado, in the mine waste group, with a focus on civil design of mine waste containment and heap leach facilities.

They are contemplating a remake of their original video for its upcoming 10-year anniversary. Whether that happens or not, they will continue to stay friends, making music videos of their many adventures.

WATCH THE ORIGINAL VIDEO AT BIT.LY/ASCE-VIDEO Spring/Summer 2022 • 15

How CEAS Students Utilize 3D Printing Platforms

By Riley Box

3D Printing is Changing the World!

As technology and the need for speedy creation increase, the interest of new manufacturing also increases. The U.S. Advanced Manufacturing Initiative has openly stated that new technologies are needed, as they actively promote research in new manufacturing. 3D printing has been exactly that. 3D printing is used for much more than creating three-dimensional toys and gadgets. 3D printing has used high-performance materials to revolutionize the research and prototype process of aerospace and biomedical engineering.

3D printing is starting to be used in many other engineering fields as well, such as wind energy and nuclear energy. Both are two fast-growing energy sectors in Wyoming, enabling 16 • Foresight

economic diversification during its energy transition from fossil to sustainable sources. 3D printers have also been introduced into classrooms worldwide to help integrate technology into the curriculum and promote learning through tactile technology.

A Professor in the Center of it All

Xiang Zhang is an assistant professor in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Wyoming.

Zhang graduated with his Ph.D. in civil engineering at Vanderbilt University prior to his postdoctoral research experience in aerospace engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Since coming to UW

in 2019, Zhang has used his research and methods to help future students and doctors make positive changes in the field. He currently directs the Computations for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Laboratory, where he has four Ph.D. students and three undergraduate students collaborating to explore new avenues in engineering. One focus of his team is to use a combination of computational modeling and experimental study to advance the use of 3D printing in the field of engineering.

His personal research includes “developing sophisticated multiscale and multiphysics methods in conjunction with data-driven methods for modeling, design and manufacturing of high-performance materials and advanced-manufacturing

Far left: Metal 3D models created by graduate student Matthew Jones shows the initial possibilities of a metal 3D printer. Above: Undergraduate student Aaron Vigil demonstrates his knowledge of creating 3D printer ink by showing Xiang Zhang and his peers.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RILEY BOX

TOUR OTHER AREAS OF UW’S MECHANICAL AND ENERGY SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT, INCLUDING THE INNOVATION WYRKSHOP AT BIT.LY/CEAS-SYSTEMS-TOUR

Spring/Summer 2022 • 17

Ph.D. candidate Matthew Jones operates on the EOS M1000 3D printer in the Engineering Education and Research Building.

Successes of the Whole

processes,” says Zhang. Zhang focuses his graduate students on three goals. According to Zhang, the three goals are: “1. modeling of failure and deformation in advanced materials under extreme condition, such as high-performance alloys and composites used in nuclear and aerospace engineering; 2. modeling of manufacturing process including composite and ceramic 3D printing to guide the printing process; 3. 3D printing and testing of titanium and aluminum alloys. Currently, I also have three undergraduate students working with me developing a 3D printing platform and pursues various applications.”

Zhang continues to come to work every day to take on any new challenges that present themselves. He gets excited each day to work with his students, exchanging ideas with them, and researching with them and other researchers.

Zhang hopes to make significant advancements within the engineering community and address important issues in the field with the assistance of his team.

18 • Foresight

As previously mentioned, Zhang works with four graduate students and three undergraduate students. Zhang is proud to admit that his group has been extremely successful in gaining ground within the engineering community and more specifically through 3D printing.

One of the most important stories to come out of the group this last year is from Zhang’s graduate student Matthew Jones, who transferred into Zhang’s group just last year. Jones is the first student at UW to get the metal 3D printer running and print titanium and aluminum alloy parts. Jones works with a company called DJO, which donated $10,000 to support his research for 3D printed titanium implants. Jones is supported by a WSGC Graduate Research Fellowship and a WSGC NASA ESPCoR Seed Grant.

Another graduate student, Pengfei Shen, has also been developing computational models to stimulate the fatigue behavior of 3D printed Titanium. This research helps his team “develop proposals to NSF and NIST on studying the fatigue behavior of AM parts,” says Zhang.

Teaching and student engagement have been large points of

emphasis for Zhang. He has had a total of five undergraduate students work with him; currently he has three. One student co-wrote a paper with him, four students won the WSGC NASA Undergraduate Research Fellowship, and one student won a UW INBRE award in the summer 2022. Needless to say, Zhang allows his students to succeed with him.

Another major effort at Zhang’s group is developing a 3D printing platform that is based on a novel curing strategy called frontal polymerization. Based on this 3D printing technique, they are working toward 3D printing composites targeting aerospace application and ceramics for nuclear propulsion, and biomedical application. According to Zhang himself, “several NASA researchers expressed their interest for using this technique for in-space-manufacturing of composites and manufacturing ceramics for nuclear propulsion application”. Due to this, Zhang and his team have developed two different proposals and submitted to NASA in order to further their research on 3D printing.

Both applications are still pending.

In Conclusion…

3D printing is changing every facet of engineering. Due to its speed, cost and potential, there is no doubt as to why it has become a number one resource in the sciences. UW has gone all in to support the new developments of 3D printing and, with more interest, it could become a huge phenomenon in the state. Zhang and his team have worked tirelessly to utilize 3D printing to its full potential. With breakthroughs in running the metal 3D printer, interest from NASA, and a multitude of grants and research supporting these studies, UW is looking toward the future in more ways than one. Zhang still hopes for future progress in not only 3D printing at UW, but also the desire to learn about it from eager students.

Making Changes Locally

UW has embraced the art of 3D printing. As a part of the Tier-1 Engineering Initiative, the Engineering Education and Research Building has dedicated “3,500 square feet of lab space and houses over $1.4 million worth of state-ofthe-art equipment and technology,” says Zhang. Among the equipment is a multitude of 3D printing facilities from basic 3D printers to highly advanced metal 3D printers housed at the Innovation Wyrkshop in EERB. Zhang says: “We recognize that the Wyrkshop has been using these 3D printing resources to support and foster innovation and collaboration among students and faculties, and offers tremendous outreach activities to the community”. Zhang hopes for further advanced manufacturing research and course opportunities at UW. Zhang communicated with the Wyrkshop coordinator Tyler Kerr, and came up with a plan to provide an undergraduate course on additive manufacturing that will utilize 3D printing and other engineering developments.

This project was awarded a Wyoming NASA Space Grant Faculty Education Grant. Zhang expects to finish the course development over the summer 2022 and start teaching the course in the fall 2022 semester or the spring 2023 semester.

With the advent of this course, Zhang hopes he can “handle the students’ interest and desire to learn 3D printing and help train skilled workforce with advanced manufacturing background to meet the state’s and the nation’s needs.”

Xiang Zhang’s group includes both undergraduate and graduate students.

(L-R) Ryan Ruiz, undergraduate; Max Condell, undergraduate; Aaron Vigil, undergraduate; Zhuoting Chen, graduate; Min Lin, graduate; Pengfei Shen, graduate; Matthew Jones, graduate; and Dr. Zhang.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 19

News & Notes

TEACHING

is an Art and a Science HOW CO-TEACHING AIMS TO IMPROVE AND ALIGN STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES. Francois Jacobs and the University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management are building a pipeline across Wyoming—a co-teaching pipeline.

This co-teaching pipeline between UW, Casper College and Pathway Innovation Center high school has allowed instructors from different campuses as well as industry practitioners to team up and coordinate their curriculum for CM 2300: Construction Safety to ensure students receive a quality education, even during a global pandemic.

“The Construction Management (CM) Program at the University of Wyoming is steering this initiative, allowing

Guest instructor Jesse Henderson with Black Hills Energy instructing across three campus platforms. PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCOIS JACOBS

Casper College and the Pathway Innovation Center to align their curricula to mimic,” says Francois Jacobs, a UW associate professor in civil and architectural engineering and construction management. “Planning in support of this initiative has taken more than a year to schedule courses on the same days and time slots across different campus settings.

Each campus has its own instructor of record, who are listed as co-instructors on the course syllabus.”

20 • Foresight

According to Jacobs, education-to-work transitions can be a difficult time for students to navigate, often because of the differences in expectations between the two domains.

“The main factor causing this disconnect is that academic faculties and industry practitioners differ in their perceptions of the characteristics of a learning environment that leads students to be successful in their future careers,” says Jacobs.

“This inspired the UW Construction Management Program to adopt a Teaching with Industry (TWI) methodology where industry practitioners play a fundamental role in the design and delivery of construction course content taught in the program.”

In the TWI model, the original curriculum and assessment methods are not significantly altered with the inclusion of industry practitioners as co-instructors. Rather, the intent of this model is to have the original curriculum interpreted by the industry practitioners in ways they feel would be like the industry perspectives which they represent and give voice.

Although deliverables and material content can be requested from the instructor of record, it is the entire responsibility of the industry practitioners to conduct the class as they see fit.

“Despite the lack of experience in educational teaching, students generally enjoy classes taught by industry practitioners, since many real-life examples and insights about the practice of professions are discussed,” says Jacobs.

“By having a close interaction with the students, our industry partners can also benefit with their recruitment of our students to their companies.”

The CM 2300: Construction Safety course is mandatory for all CM students to take in order to graduate. The course introduces students to the importance on safety in the construction sector, teaches students how to write a safety plan and provide students with the opportunity to obtain their OSHA 30-hour certificate, which has become a requirement for construction workers in the industry.

With a total of five industry practitioners, with representation at the state level, such as Meredith Towle,

HOW IT WORKS • Course content (textbook chapters) were divided equally among the three instructors.

• Instructors rotate on the teaching of the content (chapters 123, 456, etc.).

• Students across all campuses take the same exams.

• Students across all campuses write a safety plan.

• Students across all campuses sit for their OSHA 30-hour certificate.

• Students across all campuses obtained the same student learning outcomes.

• Students at high school can transfer their high school credit to community college and students at community college to UW (articulation flow).

The co-teaching and TWI models take advantage of the combined benefits of three components: participation of co-instructors, industry practitioners and videoconference technology in order to provide a better teaching and learning experience to all the entities.

With this combination, in-class activities that stimulate students’ underdeveloped soft skills can be conducted efficiently.

This is what it looks like during a teaching session—Object 1 is teaching from a different campus.

“The students’ multiple ages and levels of prior experience have led to questions in our combined classroom that no single classroom could generate,” says Jason Eggemeyer, engineering technology and design instructor for Casper College. “This combined classroom has a much broader perspective than my one classroom could ever have.”

HOW IT BENEFITS STUDENTS “Students enjoy the diversity of co-teaching with the TWI method, because it allows them to experience different instructors and industry practitioner perspectives all in one course setting,” says Jacobs.

“In addition, students like the idea that they will obtain the same student learning outcomes, their OSHA 30-hour certificate, whether they are obtaining it through UW, Casper College or Pathway Innovation Center.”

HOW THE TEACHERS BENEFIT “Co-teaching with the TWI method has pushed faculty outside their comfort zone in adapting to a different teaching platform,” says Jacobs. “But the experience has also provided faculty with networking and collaboration opportunities that did not exist before.”

Since this teaching mythology has demonstrated a positive experience for instructors, industry practitioners and the students, Jacobs and his team hope to repeat this in the future, with the possible addition of additional campuses.

“Co-teaching has allowed my team and I to fulfill our mission of educating all students for tomorrow’s challenges and has given us a chance to close any learning gaps students may face,” says Jacobs.

the state of Wyoming’s occupational epidemiologist, to industry practitioner Jesse Henderson, Black Hills Energy damage prevention coordinator, utilizing the co-teaching style, which pairs two or more instructors for one course, allows the sharing of the responsibility of delivering instruction, lesson planning and reflection.

“The collaboration with UW and the Pathway Innovation Center has opened my classroom up to excellent guest speakers from the construction industry,” says Jason Eggemeyer, engineering technology and design instructor for Casper College. “The resources Francois Jacobs and Rob Hill bring to the table, especially the industry experts they know, have exponentially increased the shared knowledge my students receive.”

The integration of co-teaching and industry practitioners in

academia can be supported by videoconferencing technologies especially now, as in-person meetings have been restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Jacobs, the use of videoconferencing allows the industry practitioners to conduct classes remotely, as they are still responsible to their employers for their daily on-site work tasks.

“Although this may have been viewed as an inconvenience in the past, remote communication systems are now one of the most reliable technologies in the world and have made remote interaction almost as if in-person,” says Jacobs. “On top of that, we can utilize software such as Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams, which not only enhance the audio and visual quality of the learning experience, but also have user-friendly platforms.

Thus, remote classrooms have become commonplace.”

Spring/Summer 2022 • 21

News & Notes

Interdisciplinary Research Grows Roots Laboratory for low-carbon energy and environmental sustainability creates framework for collaboration.

UW’s College of Engineering and Applied Science Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management’s LowCarbon Energy and Environmental Sustainability Lab is fostering multidisciplinary collaborations to address critical challenges concerning our energy supply and use, climate and the environment.

Carbon capture and storage is regarded as a key technology that can deeply reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel power and industrial processes. Wyoming, the nation’s No. 1 coal producer, is a leader in advancing technological and policy changes for carbon capture and storage.

“Our group aims to develop a worldclass laboratory for low-carbon energy and environmental sustainability that promotes a long-term vision for the role of both technology and policy to cope with complex energy, environmental, and natural resource challenges,” says Haibo Zhai, the Roy and Caryl Cline Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources and an associate professor in UW’s Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management.

“This laboratory adds to UW a new dimension of interdisciplinary systems research on environmental science, technology and policy, energy infrastructure and climate change

22 • Foresight

mitigation.”

Established in August 2020, the laboratory aims to develop a worldclass research and education program that promotes sustainable energy transitions in the Wyoming and the nation.

“Our research involves a combination of computational modeling and analysis for energy and environmental systems with engineering economics, risk analysis and policy analysis in support of both technological and policy developments,” Zhai says. “To advance interdisciplinary research on energy transitions, our laboratory has established close collaborations with researchers from leading institutions including Carnegie Mellon University, Princeton University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory and National Renewable Energy Laboratory.”

Researchers in the lab are exploring new and improved solutions to meet future energy needs in the context of sustainability.

For instance, the laboratory has collaborated with faculty, staff and students from the College of Engineering and Applied Science, where it has sponsored two Ph.D. students, three postdoctoral researchers and one undergraduate student on a range of cutting-edge research topics related to energy transitions; UW

School of Energy Resources (SER), and the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources on energy-related research. In particular, the laboratory has collaborated with SER colleagues on a policy project that investigates the feasibility of deploying carbon capture and storage to meet the State of Wyoming’s Reliable and Dispatchable Low-carbon Energy Standards.

“Our laboratory will help students not only understand and master technical materials, but also acquire critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are essential as they confront various critical issues and challenges,” Zhai says. “To promote the students’ learning and growth toward excellence, we always encourage them to explore the broad implications of what they learn in order to reach a high cognitive level.”

Zhai’s hope over the next several years is to see the laboratory expand research areas to cover a broader spectrum of cutting-edge topics related

Associate Professor Haibo Zhai, the Roy & Caryl Cline Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources, works with graduate students Wanying Wu and Zitao Wu.

to transitioning to a carbon-neutral energy future, such as deep carbon capture and storage, carbon dioxide utilization, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, direct air capture and hydrogen production, as well as reuse of nontraditional water sources for power plant cooling in support of energy transitions.

“The laboratory will strive for academic leadership in advancing low-, zero- and negative-emission energy or environmental technologies and support policy development on climate change mitigation and environmental sustainability,” Zhai says.

To learn more about the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management’s LowCarbon Energy and Environmental Sustainability Lab, contact Haibo Zhai at hzhai@uwyo.edu.

Wanying Wu in Haibo Zhai’s Low-Carbon Energy and Environmental Sustainability Lab.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 23

A Structural Legacy UW College of Engineering and Applied Science Alumni Architects Design Engineering Education and Research Building.

If you have ever been on campus at the University of Wyoming, chances are you have stopped in to the Engineering Education and Research Building (EERB), one of the most advanced and collaborative engineering learning facilities in the nation, designed to promote engineering education, workforce training and research relevant to the economic interest of Wyoming. Did you know that the building was created by an interdisciplinary team comprised of College of Engineering and Applied Science alumni?

“Not only was the EERB project intended to be iconic from the north side of UW’s campus but working on the very college most of our staff members were educated from was of particular interest for our company,” says Patrick McManus, engineer-of-record and principal in charge for the EERB project at Martin/Martin Wyoming (MMWYO), a structural and civil engineering design solutions firm headquartered in Cheyenne, Wyo., and College of Engineering and Applied Science alumnus (B.S. architectural engineering ’99, M.S. civil engineering ’00, and Ph.D. civil engineering ’10.)

Completed in 2019, the approximately 110,000-squarefoot state-of-the-art engineering facility fosters innovation and collaboration among students and faculty and was the most ambitious construction project in the university’s

24 • Foresight

history at $105 million. The building, a key part of the Tier-1 Engineering Initiative, was made possible by generous private donations and a significant investment by the Wyoming Legislature.

“The four-story EERB features 150 educational spaces, including reconfigurable labs, innovative and collaboration areas, meeting rooms, offices and classrooms,” says Jera Likely MMWYO design engineer and CEAS alumna (BS architectural engineering ’10, M.S. civil engineering ’12). “The center of the building opens to the four-story atrium connecting the two entrance vestibules at the north and south of the building and boasts both decorative and functional cable supported walkways, intricate feature stairs and atrium style seating.”

The building’s design and function promote higher engineering education, expand on interdisciplinary methods for teaching, elevate student learning, provide one-of-akind training opportunities and support research key to the growth of the state of Wyoming.

“The driving goal of the EERB project was to elevate the UW College of Engineering and Applied Science to a top-ranked educational facility,” says Corrine Kerr, ZGF Architects lead designer and project manager and College of

ALL PHOTOS BY MATTHEW IDLER PHOTOGRAPHY

Engineering and Applied Science alumna (B.S. architectural engineering ’83). “By funding education projects, and particularly this project, the state sends the message that they value research and education for their residents and the community at large. The goal of the project was to build a facility that would attract talented educators, researchers and students by providing a high-quality environment that facilitated a holistic approach to learning and teaching, with an emphasis on cross-discipline collaboration and innovation.”

Students, faculty, staff and user groups participated in discussions to determine the overall project’s vision, goals, and needs.

“Being able to leave our mark on campus, especially our college’s program, is what motivated us as a team,” says Tyler Robison, MMWYO design engineer and College of Engineering and Applied Science alumnus (B.S. architectural engineering ’09, M.S. civil engineering ’10). “Knowing that our efforts would help solidify not only the Department of Civil and Architectural Engineering and Construction Management programs but all programs within the college for future generations of teaching and research, was very exciting.”

Within the EERB’s atrium alone, there are several

architectural and structural features that make the EERB one-of-a-kind.

To the north and south of the atrium are two multi-story, cable supported bridges that connect each of the wings of the building spanning approximately 50 feet. The cables were strategically located for both construction and aesthetic purposes, requiring careful sequencing and tensioning during construction to ensure each supported floor came out level in the final condition.

The stairs to the northwest of the atrium complement the bridges with a series of tensioned cable strands. While it appears the cables are supporting the stairs, they are supported by moment connections at the landings.

According to Likely, the EERB is also unique because it was built with the future in mind.

“As one would expect, the needs and function of a research building must be adaptable to the unknowns of future research space, teaching tools and equipment,” says Likely. “All levels of the structure and individual spaces were designed for various loading requirements, changes in configuration, stringent vibration requirements for sensitive equipment and with as few limitations as possible.”

The EERB project created some nostalgia for alumni reflecting on their educational experience at the College of Engineering and Applied Science and how it prepared them for this engineering opportunity.

“Some of the most significant experiences I enjoyed in college were the opportunity for hands-on work in the structures lab, to work alongside my peers and professors to solve real problems, and to prepare full building designs,” says Likely. “My education provided me with a deeper understanding of the design codes, how to apply the behavior of materials to out of the box type problems, and how to integrate structure with other disciplines. The EERB building is complex, and the design of the structure did not simply come with a how-to manual. These experiences and the type of learning received while at UW prepared me to not only understand the structure, but how the building would come together with the other trades from the start of design through the end of construction.”

According to McManus, MMWYO—an affiliate of Martin/Martin Inc., the largest structural and civil engineering firm in the mountain region, with a reputation for tackling significant and complex structures across the nation—has a long history of hiring UW College of Engineering and Applied Science graduates.

“While the EERB may pale in physical size to an arena

Spring/Summer 2022 • 25

A Structural Legacy or high-rise building, the structural challenges on the project were every bit as great,” says McManus. “It was a great pleasure to work with an overall team committed to the success of UW that both challenged us as structural engineers and afforded the flexibility and support for us to innovate creative solutions.”

According to Cameron Wright, College of Engineering and Applied Science dean, the Engineering Education and Research Building is an investment in Wyoming.

“We very much appreciate that the companies who worked on the EERB project value our College of Engineering and Applied Science graduates so highly,” says Wright.

“The building is a reflection of Wyoming’s distinguished spirit of collaboration among industry and our university, as it connects theory and practice, it is a hub for sharing experiences, knowledge and wisdom.”

According to Likely, the EERB is a testament to the level of education and learning that come from the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

“At MMWYO we are fortunate to be a part of a number 26 • Foresight

bit.ly/eerb_overview

of projects at UW. The EERB, however, is certainly one of the most significant because all of our structural engineers are alumni of the College of Engineering and Applied Science,” says Likely. “I personally consider the EERB as one of the most significant accomplishments of my career, not only because of my involvement in design, but also because it will forever be a place that inspires students and opens doors for future leaders in Wyoming.

It is a landmark building that we are all very proud of.”

Gary Puls TIG Welding 6061 Aluminum

UW Engineering Shop Re-brands To Welcome All.

The University of Wyoming College of Engineering and Applied Science Engineering Shop, formerly known as the Machine Shop, is reshaping public perceptions by emphasizing its creative aspects and world-improving impact.

“As our shop has grown over the years, it’s become more multidisciplinary. We aren’t in a position to just be machinists working from a single blueprint anymore, which is part of what initiated our re-branding,” Spencer Miller, Engineering Shop manager says. “We address our customers’ needs from a functional, user-friendly and aesthetically pleasing standpoint to ensure they receive the highest quality solutions we can offer. We build systems and parts that must meet mechanical, electrical and other system controls constraints, while working in a quick and efficient manner.”

The Engineering Shop is designed to provide convenient, flexible and cost-effective manufacturing and prototyping services to UW students, faculty, staff and the community.

The shop’s master technicians can use anything from rough sketches to formal engineering drawings to create products from aluminum, stainless steel, copper, plastics and other exotic materials. Staff in the shop work with multiple types of software and hardware including SolidWorks, Fusion360, LabVIEW, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and graphic design software.

Originally established in 1924, the Engineering Shop is located in the Legacy Engineering Building Room L65 and was one of several “trades” shops at the time on campus.

“At that time, the goal of the shops on campus was to assist research faculty, support university operations and partake in vocational instruction of students in the trades, through apprenticeship programs. As time passed, the multiple shops across engineering and across campus have combined down to just us, now in the Engineering Shop,” Miller says. “As we’ve combined and grown, we work in various technical areas covering multiple engineering disciplines and

28 • Foresight

“We’re here to help serve the mission of the university, so you can find us working one-onone with students reviewing their projects and providing value-added technical input to develop the applied engineering skills that employers in industry are looking for. Our Engineering Shop not only falls in line with the workforce needs of the state—it also aligns with our research, industry and community partners.”

— Spencer Miller interfacing with folks from nearly every college at UW and within the community.”

With growing demand in the manufacturing sector for skilled workers in Wyoming, the Engineering Shop is hoping that through its applied training within the shop, it is helping to prepare graduates to meet the economic demand that exists in the community and throughout the state.

“Our main goals are to support undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, faculty, staff and the community by providing them a background in a wide set of skills, so they are more prepared for industry demands,” Miller says. “We pride ourselves on teaching individuals how their designs can be conceived, Computer Aided Design (CAD) 3-D modeled, created and then tested. To be a successful engineer in industry, you must be multi-faceted. You have to think on your feet, bring different people’s skill sets together and be willing to see things from someone else’s perspective in order to successfully complete a project. So we try to bring some

of that insight to students as they’re working through the shop and collaborating with groups of their peers.”

Equipped with mills, lathes, OMAX waterjets, vertical and horizontal band saws, tungsten inert gas (TIG) and metal inert gas (MIG) welding equipment and a suite of electronics equipment and programs, the Engineering Shop enhances the quality of teaching and research by giving students experiential learning opportunities in mechanical and electrical fabrication, programming and testing.

Many of the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s undergraduate and graduate programs have curricula elements aligned to allow students to put theoretical concepts into action in the Engineering Shop.

“The Engineering Shop allows individuals to continue building on these experiences and apply what they are learning in their degree coursework and research in meaningful ways,” Miller says.

As the Engineering Shop looks to the future, Miller says the shop will continue to advance its offerings and work to expand its partnerships with industry.

“We look forward to improving our relationships with our internal and external partners and getting our name out there as a great technical resource to be utilized across campus and beyond. We’re excited to help prepare graduates for working in local Wyoming industries,” says Miller.

The Engineering Shop has varying cost levels for users, ranging from machine time to a flat labor rate, plus thencurrent material prices. Rates are adjusted periodically to reflect rising inflation costs. Interested in learning more about the Engineering Shop, past projects and its services and rates, visit www.uwyo.edu/ceas/shop.

Top: Quinton Royle-Grimes and Taylor Leivestad discussing design changes to WyoMoto’s competition hybrid racecar. Middle: Brad Orr troubleshooting a LabVIEW controls system for a research group. Bottom: Spencer Miller measuring WyoMoto’s chain guard and comparing to 3D CAD model.

Spring/Summer 2022 • 29

Highlight

WHy I Give

Lawrence “Larry” Carrell Class of 1965 (B.S.) and 1968 (M.S.) explains why he supports the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) and offers advice to fellow donors.

Q: What was your first gift to philanthropy and why?

I think it was probably to schools established to house and educate Native American children in Montana. I have donated to their cause for many years because I believe that education is the best thing you can provide for the young people to enable them to rise above the despair and poverty that they have experienced.

30 • Foresight

Q: Describe what interests you the most about UW CEAS. Their comprehensive approach to education.

My sense is that, in the classroom, they are attempting to educate at the highest possible level to prepare students to compete for job positions in current market conditions while simultaneously adapting to technological changes that dictate needs to supplement curriculums with current state-of -theart advances. Additionally, they are focusing on welldefined research projects that have potential to make significant changes beneficial to both industry and society as a whole.

Q: What does UW CEAS’s mission mean to you?

The stated missions of both the university and the college clearly set attainable goals achievable through dedication of the collective efforts of motivated staff, students, alumni and other entities.

The joint collaborative effort is necessary to achieve the desired highest level of success for both the university and the college.

Q: What are you most passionate about and why?

I want to be part of the effort to assist CEAS with delivering educational opportunities for their students that ranks as one of the best institutions in the country. I believe this is important because it gives the students better opportunities to succeed in their careers.

Q: Do you have any advice to other donors considering making a gift to UW CEAS? If you have achieved success in your career largely attributable to the education you received at UW such that you are comfortable both financially and personally, you should consider “giving back” to the institution that helped you succeed.

Q: Why do you think endowed deanships are a worthy cause for your philanthropy in particular? What do you wish everyone knew about this cause?

I believe that the endowed deanships truly enable the university to offer more attractive positions for prospective dean candidates, thereby making the University more competitive in its recruiting searches.

I would like everyone to understand that the endowed deanships provide annual funding from the endowment investment earnings for discretionary spending by the deans without the typical budget constraints. This gives the deans the ability to implement projects and/ or programs that they personally feel will be beneficial to their college.

Q: If you were talking to someone else about giving, what would you tell them?

If you have achieved success in your career and you attribute that success, at least in part, to the education you received at UW, you should consider giving to the university if you are comfortable both financially and personally in doing so.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish through your philanthropy?

I hope to make a contribution to the success and sustainability of CEAS and thereby, to UW. Q: If you had a family slogan, what would it be?

Define yourself by what you do; not by what you say you are going to do.

Lawrence “Larry” Carrell in his classic car display building with automobilia displayed on the walls.

The shirts were purchased off the backs of Carroll Shelby and some of his team members at a benefit auction at the Shelby museum in Boulder, Colo.

COURTESY PHOTO

UWYO.EDU/FOUNDATION

Q: How would you describe your personal mission?

I have never really had a stated personal mission.

I would describe myself as having been more of a goal setter who has never been satisfied without having new goals to achieve.

Q: Why do you enjoy giving to UW CEAS? Giving to them keeps me more closely involved and better informed about their progress and adaptation to technological changes to prepare their students to meet the needs of our everchanging society.

Q: How did you first decide to give to UW CEAS? I started donating to the college several years ago to “give back” after I had established comfort levels both financially and personally to support significant donations.

Q: What would you like to pass on to future generations?

You are in control of your destiny. Your future success will be a function of wise decision making and commitment to achieving your goals.

Q: How do you feel when you make a gift?

I find gifting to be rewarding because I am typically aware of the opportunities that my “giving” provides and in some cases even able to see direct physical results.

Q: What actions do you think would best cause the change you envision?

I don’t really envision making changes through my giving. I view it as being more of a supporting function to assist with making things happen that I believe are worthy causes and/or projects.

Q: What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Since semi-retiring, I have expanded my involvement in my longtime interests in classic and custom cars. Due to personal reasons, I sold 32 cars at auction in early 2021, but I am continuing to build custom cars to continue the hobby. In addition, I have been involved the past few years in building an electric powered dragster which currently holds the record for being the fastest electric powered vehicle in the world in the quarter mile. Being involved in these projects along with participating in various local community projects keeps me physically and mentally active, which I believe is very important.

Q: What are your dreams for UW CEAS community?

That they are able to continue to expand their capabilities to attract and retain excellent educators and administrators so they can deliver educational experiences for the students at a level competitive with the best universities in the country.

Q: How do you hope your support will impact UW CEAS? My hope is that my support will help to recruit and retain the most qualified educators and administrators such that the students will have access to educational opportunities that rank up with the best educational institutions in the country.

UW alumnus Lawrence “Larry” Carrell, second from left, poses with student handlers of Cowboy Joe—from left, Kendra Halder, Julia Halmay and Payton Hallsted—on a recent football game day. A $5 million gift from Carrell has created the Carrell Family Deanship in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

PHOTO BY CRAIG RUSSOW

Spring/Summer 2022 • 31

Alumni in Memoriam

CJ Chase BSME ’57 – Laramie, WY Frank Cole BSCE ’57 – Cheyenne, WY Kenneth Creek BSEE ’51 – Vancouver, WA Merle Duvall MS ’81 – Rozet, WY Keith Ellerbruch BSCE ’58 – Sherwood, OR Theodore “Ted” Gertsch* BSCE ’62 – Cheyenne, WY Robert Gose* BS ’47 – Powell, WY William King MS ’71 – Cheyenne, WY

Since our last issue, we regret to announce the passing of the following alumni.

Daryl Klein BSEE ’53 – Ridgeway, CO Keith Kreider BSPE ’84 – Summerville, SC Kenneth Moore BSAR ’57 – Laramie, WY

Harry Patterson BSME ’60 – Casper, WY Harry Reed BSME’64 – Carisle, MA Paul Ruggera BSEE ’66; MS ’68 – McLean, VA Richard Schween BSEE ’64 – Rockville, MD Gary Siebold BSME ’61 – Morrison, CO Nels Sostrom BSCE ’57; MS ’92 – Cheyenne, WY James Stoutamore BSCE ’54; MBA-Stanford – Lafayette, CA Todd White BSAR ’67 – Worland, WY

Our greatest sympathy is extended to the families of these valued friends. * CEAS Distinguished Engineer/Scientist and Hall of Fame member

32 • Foresight

Name: _______________________________________ Address: _____________________________________ City: _________________________________________ State: __________________ Zip: _________________ Phone Number: _______________________________ Email: _______________________________________ Update your information online at www.uwyo.edu/updateinfo

MY GIFT IS: o $2,500

 $1,000

o $500

o $250

o $125

o Other:_____________

Steamboat Society

MY GIFT IS FOR: o College of Engineering and Applied Science (600304) o Engineering Scholarship Fund (630223) o Atmospheric Science (500046) o Chemical Engineering (500131) o Civil and Architectural Engineering (500074) o Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (230428) o Mechanical Engineering (500272) o Petroleum Engineering (500132) o Other (please specify) _____________________

WAYS TO GIVE: ONLINE: www.uwyo.edu/giveonline CALL:

(307) 766-6300 or (888) 831-7795

MAIL:

Fill out and return mail with your gift to the University of Wyoming Foundation, 222 South 22nd Street, Laramie, WY 82070 Make checks payable to the University of Wyoming Foundation.

N22E2

College of Engineering and Applied Science Dept. 3295 1000 E. University Avenue Laramie, WY 82071-2000

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! @UWYOEngineer @uwyoengineering @uwyonews uwyo.edu/ceas bit.ly/engineeringinaction bit.ly/uwengineering

RECOGNIZING OUR RECENTLY PROMOTED FACULTY Mohamed Ahmed Civil and Architectural Engineering Professor

Milan Zlatkovic Civil and Architectural Engineering Associate Professor

Mike Borowczak Computer Science Associate Professor

Morteza Dejam Petroleum Engineering Associate Professor

Shawn Griffiths Civil and Architectural Engineering Associate Instructor

Soheil Saraji Petroleum Engineering Associate Professor

Katie Li-Oakey Chemical Engineering Professor