Engineering 360˚
NESBIT
APPOINTED Debangsu Bhattacharyya, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, has been named the GE Plastics Material Engineering Professor. Bhattacharyya has conducted extensive research in the areas of advanced modeling and simulation of energy-generating systems, smart-grid, condition monitoring, fault diagnosis, uncertainty quantification, sensor placement, biomimetic control and advanced manufacturing.
NESBIT
BHATTACHARYYA
In 2015, Bhattacharyya won an R&D 100 Award, known as the “Oscars of Innovation,” for the development of a virtual realitybased software that provides the energy industry with an unprecedented high-tech look inside the operation of power plants. In 2016, he won a second R&D 100 Award for creating a toolset that aids in the development of carbon capture.
Their innovative method was designed to extract natural gas without producing harmful by-products and allow for local production that would eliminate the difficult task of transporting natural gas in developing countries. Additionally, the by-products created during production could be utilized as fertilizer, making their company both environmentally friendly and sustainable. The event was held in Sao Paolo, Brazil, in August, in conjunction with the third annual Student Congress, an international seminar hosted by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and Power and Energy Society.
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ENGINEERINGWV MAGAZINE
BANNA
DECEMBER GRAD LANDS RACING ENGINEER POSITION
HUANG
Qingqing Huang, assistant professor of mining engineering, was recognized with two prestigious awards by the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration. For the second time, Huang was selected as a distinguished speaker for SME’s Henry Krumb Lecture Series. The program is offered to SME sections to enhance their appreciation and understanding of important new methods and technologies by bringing outstanding speakers to local sections. Lecturers are selected from the professionals who present technical papers at the SME Annual Conference and Expo. Only 10 are selected for the honor annually out of more than 800 professionals. Huang was also selected as the 2018 recipient of SME’s Mineral and Metallurgical Processing Division Outstanding Young Engineer Award. The award, which recognizes significant contributions of a young individual within the Mineral Processing and Extractive Metallurgy discipline, will be given to her in recognition of her “creative use of mineral processing and mining engineering technology to minimize respirable dust and underground coal dust explosions.”
PHOTOGRAPH SUBMITTED
Hasan Ul Banna, an electrical engineering doctoral student from Lahore, Pakistan, won first place along with teammates from Jordan, India and Costa Rica, at the 2018 Green Entrepreneur Competition for their proposal to create a startup company that would use wheat straw, mushrooms and beans to produce natural gas.
PHOTOGRAPH SUBMITTED
GOING GREEN
AWARDED
ZIEGLER
When the cars from Roush Fenway Racing hit the tracks in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series this year, they will have at least one Mountaineer to thank for their success. Mark Ziegler, who graduated with a degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering in December, officially joined the team at Roush Fenway Racing in January, working as an aerodynamics design engineer. Ziegler conducts design work focused on a car’s aerodynamics and will spend some time at the wind tunnel, trying to find ways to better use some of the areas of the car that are more aerodynamically sensitive. A seasoned team member of WVU’s Formula SAE team, Ziegler completed internships at Arena Racing USA in 2014 and Chip Ganassi Racing in 2017. He spent most of 2018 as a racing intern with Rooster Hall Racing, participating in six touring car races in the 2018 Pirelli World Challenge Series. Thanks to a gift from WVU alums Dan and Betsy Brown, RHR, which is owned by their son, Todd, and his wife, Michelle, were able to offer two internships to WVU students while also supporting the SAE team.
SPRING