the College of Science & Engineering - Seattle University

The College of
Science & Engineering
SPRING 2011 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 1
The College
at 40!
Honoring the Core
Values of the Jesuits
page 2
INSIDE
Professor Yandl Retires (Again) page 4
Extraordinary Students pages 7-8

2 Science & Engineering seattle university 3
The College at 40! Honoring the Core Values
message from the dean: dr. michael j. quinn
Forty years ago a campus reorganization combined science, mathematics, and engineering
programs to establish what is now the College of Science and Engineering. As we celebrate this
anniversary, it is appropriate to look back and consider the legacy of our “founding Fathers.”
We owe much to the leadership and vision of the Jesuits who
promoted science and engineering education on our campus.
Seattle College began with a charter to offer its students “a
thorough classical and commercial education.” Father Joseph
Tomkin, SJ, who became President in 1914, recognized the
importance of science in a college education. He moved quickly
to reform the undergraduate curriculum by adding science courses
in lieu of classes in some of the more traditional subjects, such
as Latin and Greek.
Father Lammert (Bert) Otten, SJ
Father Otten, SJ, taught in the Department of Electrical and
Computer Engineering from 1983-2005. Since his retirement from
Seattle University, he has taken up residence in the small African
village of Chikuni, Zambia.
Father Eric Watson, SJ
Father Watson, SJ, is a chemist and is at present the only Jesuit
teaching in the College of Science & Engineering. He joined the
faculty in the fall of 2009.
Photos courtesy of Chris Joseph Taylor
After World War II, Father Edmund R. McNulty, SJ, the first Dean
of the School of Engineering, played a leading role in creating
space for the School in the renovated Madison Street Cable Car
Barn (now the Fine Arts Building). He also used his contacts with
the military to acquire war surplus equipment for the electrical
and mechanical laboratory.
Two Jesuit electrical engineering professors have played a particularly
influential role in our College’s history. In the early 1960s,
Father Frank Wood, SJ, established a tradition—which continues
to this day—of sending some of our best engineering graduates
to doctoral studies at Stanford University. He also spearheaded
the establishment of the Master of Software Engineering program
in 1979, which granted the nation’s first MSE degree in 1982.
At the beginning of the new century, Father Bert Otten’s trips to
Africa demonstrated to the rest of the College how engineers
can actualize the preferential option for the poor, a key social
teaching of the Catholic Church. Dozens of students, faculty,
and staff at Seattle University are now following his lead. Our
student chapter of Engineers Without Borders and the staff-led
Professionals Without Boundaries groups continue projects in
Haiti, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Zambia.
In some respects our College has changed immensely in the past
forty years. We have new majors like environmental science,
and personal computers are ubiquitous. Dozens of our students
stay on campus every summer to perform research under the
mentorship of faculty members. Many students study abroad or
complete a service-learning experience in a developing country.
Our fundamental mission, however, has not changed. You may
find but a single Jesuit in the College, but you will still see the
legacy of the Jesuits in the way our faculty and staff collectively
uphold the core values of care for each person, an insistence
upon academic excellence, a commitment to educating the disadvantaged,
and a belief that we should measure our success by
the success of our students. ■
Father Edmund R. McNulty, SJ
1907-1982
Father McNulty, SJ, served as Dean of the newly-formed School of
Engineering from 1942 to 1956. The 1953 Aegis yearbook was
dedicated to him, giving tribute “to one whose selflessness and
perseverance have been most instrumental in building a greater
Seattle University for a greater Seattle.”
Photo courtesy of Lemieux Library Special Collections
Father Francis P. Wood, SJ
1917-1992
Father Wood, SJ, served as chair of the Department of Electrical
Engineering for 25 years, from 1959 to 1984. He was notable for
taking summer jobs in industry, first with the Bonneville Power
Administration, and then with The Boeing Company, where he did
work in control systems for jet airliners. He was known for his rigor
in the classroom, and was both feared and revered by many students.
Photo courtesy of Lemieux Library Special Collections
Photo courtesy of Lemieux Library Special Collections
“The six-week trip I took to Zambia in 1998 had a big effect on
me. I saw the many projects Fr. Otten had undertaken—from
solar panels to dams to water purification—and the improvement
these projects brought to the local people. I was so inspired
by this trip that I ended up leaving an engineering career after
three years to join the Peace Corps. I wanted to use my education
to help those in need as we had done in Zambia. After returning
from the Peace Corps I continued to correspond with Fr. Otten,
and we met up each year when he returned to the United States.
We exchanged ideas, particularly on battery-powered LED lights,
and I was again inspired by his work in this area. This led me to
develop a website (buildabetterlight.org) detailing construction
techniques for LED lights suitable for people living off-grid in
developing countries. Fr. Otten’s ingenuity, his generosity, and his
dedication to service had a profound impact on my direction in
life, and for that I’m forever grateful to him.”
Jared Ellerbrock ’98, ‘05
President Albert Lemieux, SJ, and Thomas Bannan inspect a model of the
new science building in 1961.
“I had Fr. Watson as a professor for my third quarter of general
chemistry. I went to public school my whole life until arriving at
Seattle U, so I assumed I would have some Jesuits as professors.
I didn’t realize how rare having a Jesuit in the College of Science
and Engineering was until I told my family and they were blown
away. My brother didn’t think that priests or Jesuits were professional
scientists assuming that it would present a conflict of
interest for them. Once my family had pointed out the rarity of
being taught chemistry by a Jesuit, I started to think about it
more. Not only do I admire Fr. Watson’s intelligence, but I think
I share a similar view of the relationship, not conflict, between
science and my religion.
General chemistry presented me with a constant challenge of
staying interested and following a sometimes dry lecture. When
I got to third quarter, I was refreshed with Fr. Watson’s witty
comments and ability to poke fun at chemistry. It felt like he
came down to our level. It was a nice change, and I was able to
get more out of lecture because he kept my attention better.
I am now in organic chemistry, so I don’t have the opportunity
to see Fr. Watson in the classroom this year. I do get to run into
him frequently at the 9 p.m. mass on Sunday nights, though. He
always asks how my classes are going and how I’m doing. I feel
fortunate to have professors like him remember me and continue
a relationship even if I’m no longer in their classes; it reminds me
how special Seattle University is and how glad I am that I made
the decision to attend.”
Emily Becker
We remember… Gerald Beezer, SJ Ernest Bertin, SJ James Cowgill, SJ Leo Gaffney, SJ
Eugene Healy, SJ John Koehler, SJ Paul Luger, SJ Clair Marshall, SJ Leo Schmid, SJ

4 Science & Engineering seattle university 5
A Legacy of Caring: Professor Andre Yandl
In early 1956, newly-minted master’s degree recipient Andre Yandl waited anxiously to hear
from Seattle University’s Mathematics Department regarding an unadvertised position. He was
thrilled to find that he was successful, along with his colleague C.C. Chang. They taught in
leaky Quonset huts on the site of the current St. Iganatius Chapel — a far cry from the beautiful
campus we see today!
Andre Yandl joined the Seattle
University Mathematics
Department in 1956, bringing
the number in the department
to four.
Yandl was born in Algiers. During
World War II, a British soldier, Dick
Bird, taught him to play ping pong
on “a lark.” Bird was one of the
best players in England and an able
teacher. In a few months, Yandl
mastered the game and helped to
beat “the Yanks” in an historic
match. His passion for the sport
never diminished, later bringing
him a campus title against stiff
competition from Chinese students.
He trained the Saudi Arabian team
in 1976 and accompanied them to
the Montreal Olympics.
After the war, Yandl immigrated to Wenatchee and enrolled in
high school. A French speaker, he attended classes taught in
English in hopes that something would “click.” An observant
teacher recognized his exceptional aptitude for mathematics
and introduced him to teachers who encouraged him in science
and mathematics. His academic success led him to the University
of Washington for undergraduate and graduate degrees in
mathematics. Except for a year spent at Western Washington
University, Yandl has spent his entire teaching career at Seattle
University.
In 1969, Yandl was named a full professor. He has received
numerous awards including ASSU’s first Outstanding Teacher
award and the Excellence in Teaching award. He annually hosted
the Math Club in his home for dinner and served as chair of the
Mathematics Department from 1966-1979. He has published
seven textbooks and countless articles and pamphlets. Throughout
the years he has taken leadership positions in a multitude of
professional organizations.
The greatest legacy he leaves Seattle U
lies in his availability to students. He has
spent countless hours sitting over coffee
in the Collegia, working with students in
their own environment.
Professor Emeritus Andre Yandl greets one and all in his office with his
traditional warmth.
In 2001, at the age of 70, Andre Yandl retired — for the first
time. He was granted the title of professor emeritus but continued
to teach. Now, in 2011, as he approaches his 80th birthday, he will
retire again. It is difficult to believe that he will ever slow down.
What is Professor Yandl’s legacy after 45 years at Seattle U? He has
attained an international reputation for excellence in mathematics
education. He is known among his peers for his collegiality and
dedicated service. But the greatest legacy he leaves Seattle U lies
in his availability to students. He has spent countless hours sitting
over coffee in the Collegia, working with students in their own
environment. He loves his subject but, even more, he loves each
student who sits in his class. What has made him extraordinary is
his selflessness and joyous generosity of spirit. As he is wont to
say to undergrads, “The teacher is the doctor. You don’t go to see
the doctor when you are about to die. You go when you are
sick.” And this doctor is always in.
We offer our heartfelt appreciation to this exemplary professor for
his long and loyal service to the students of Seattle University. ■
Campus “Boeing Day” Spotlights Ethics
On January 20th, Seattle University celebrated “Boeing Day” on
campus. Boeing recruiters were available to speak with students
about employment and internship opportunities with the company.
In keeping with a theme of ethics and accountability, the College
of Science & Engineering welcomed Advisory Board member
Deborah Limb ’88, Director of Payloads & Structures Engineering
at The Boeing Company, to campus to lead a panel discussion
entitled “Accountability and Me” for students and faculty. Her
powerful presentation explored issues surrounding ethical
decision-making in the business environment and how core values
shape the professionals of the future. Ms. Limb cited specific
examples of situations where she was challenged to make significant
decisions for Boeing and told of how grateful she was to
have been deeply rooted in the ethical discernment she learned
as a student at Seattle University and through Fr. Robert Spitzer,
SJ. She also spoke about how grateful she was to work for a
company that was deeply committed to fostering ethical
practices and personal accountability in all dealings, internally
and externally. The audience was captivated by her candor and
enthusiasm.
Ms. Limb’s presentation was followed by a panel discussion.
Joining her were fellow Advisory Board member Carolyn
Brandsema, Vice President of Airplane & Production Systems at
Boeing Commercial Airplanes, and Michael Delaney, Vice President
of Engineering for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. The panel
was ably chaired by J.J. Iwasaki ’89, Ethics Officer for The
Boeing Company.
On February 11, the College’s undergraduate
research program was
highlighted at the Board of Regents
meeting when faculty and students
talked about their research.
Dr. Doug Latch and student John
Berude generated a lot of questions
from the Regents after they spoke
about pollution to the Duwamish River
caused by chemicals being washed
into storm sewers.
Dr. Joanne Hughes-Clark and student
Andrew Hankins discussed research
into identifying “dark matter” galaxies
near the Milky Way. The audience
members were intrigued to hear that
highly sophisticated telescopes can be controlled by laptop
computers via the Internet.
An engaged audience listens intently to Boeing executive and College Advisory
Board member, Deborah Limb ’88, as she speaks about the everyday
challenges in making ethical decisions. Boeing Executives Mike Delaney
and Carolyn Brandsema joined her in a panel discussion (front row).
Photo courtesy of Lindsey Wasson
The panel discussion was followed by a presentation by Jim
Albaugh, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, at the Albers
School of Business and Economics. An audience of 400 heard
Albaugh’s thought-provoking presentation, “There Are No Shortcuts:
Reflections on Leadership, Ethics, and Innovation.” Following
the presentation, a reception for Boeing SU alumni was held in
the Boeing Room of the Library and Learning Commons. ■
Undergraduate Research Highlights Board of Regents
Sophomore Caitlyn
Echterling discusses the
effects of floods on river
channels at the Board of
Regents meeting in
February. Photo courtesy
of Heath Braun
Dr. Wes Lauer and student Caitlyn Echterling are investigating
how river channels change over time. They described a model they
are developing to estimate the amount of sediment contributed
by each tributary of a river system. The Regents were impressed
to learn that Caitlyn, Andrew, and John are already involved in
research projects, even though they are only sophomores.
After the professors and students spoke, Dean Quinn addressed
the Board of Regents. He discussed the rapid growth in undergraduate
student research within the College of Science and
Engineering over the past few years, thanks to a generous grant
from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The summer research
program is a great opportunity for students to get a summer job
related to their career goals. Students who participate in research
get the opportunity to deepen their knowledge, develop
expertise working with sophisticated scientific instruments, and
in many cases help write scientific papers. All of these experiences
can improve a student’s prospects, whether that student’s
goal is to attend graduate school, go to medical school, or find
employment. ■

6 Science & Engineering seattle university 7
Bannan Scholar Profile: Aziz Yuldashev
Yes, I once was a shepherd in a small town with no electricity.
Yes, I go to Seattle University.
And heck yes, I’m going to design microchips!
My name is Aziz Yuldashev. I was born and raised in Uzbekistan,
one of Soviet Republics until 1991. My childhood was spent in
the mountains. I was raised in a lower middle-class family in
provincial Jizzakh. My mom and dad were born and raised in
Kazakhstan, went to college in Uzbekistan where the government
assigned them to work. When the Soviet Union collapsed, they
were forced to become Uzbek citizens and became separated
from their families in Kazakhstan. I have three sisters much older
than I.
I did not have a playful childhood. The hardship caused by the
totalitarian Uzbek government made it very hard for people to
make a living. In this political situation, children do physical labor.
My dad explained to me how hard it was to support the family,
and told me that I needed to help. I was nine years old when my
father arranged for me to be a shepherd with a family friend in
the nearby village for five summers.
Although sustaining a large herd of livestock was a great
achievement and the experience was truly unforgettable, being
a shepherd was not what I wanted to do. I was always interested
in math, science, and foreign languages. So when I was fourteen,
I signed up for English lessons in a school run by the Peace Corps
where volunteers taught me English and helped me apply for
the U.S. State Department’s education exchange FLEX program
(Future Leaders Exchange). Getting into this competitive program
changed the trajectory of my life. I came to the U.S. as an
exchange student and lived with a wonderful family in Seattle.
With financial help from my host family, I attended North Seattle
Community College, graduating with an Associate of Science
Degree in June 2009. Though I received a great offer from
Columbia University and many other schools throughout the
country, my decision to transfer to Seattle University was made
the day I opened the letter of acceptance. I feel accepted,
understood and at home at Seattle U. I am enrolled full-time,
studying electrical and computer engineering.
Becoming a Bannan Scholar means the world to me. Not only
does the Bannan Scholarship ease my financial constraints, it
also offers a great opportunity to do community service, be
The Bannan Scholarship allows me to
find mentors in the fields of science and
engineering, and to do my part as a
mentor for younger students.
Bannan Scholar Aziz Yuldashev of Uzbekistan will graduate from Seattle
University in June with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Photo courtesy
of Hilary Northcraft
engaged in the science and engineering community, and meet
leading researchers at new innovative companies. These researchers
develop modern and advanced technologies that are
pertinent to my interests and future career. I can further explore
both with undergraduate research and summer internships. The
Bannan Scholarship also allows me to find mentors in the fields
of science and engineering, and to do my part as a mentor for
younger students. As a Bannan Scholar, I am encouraged to be
more involved on campus and in the local community. The Bannan
Scholarship proved to me that science and engineering students
don’t sit in the lab all day and work on their crazy projects!
I am an engineer and I have a great desire to help others and to
“be involved”. This year I became Vice Chair of Seattle University’s
IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers) chapter
and a Resident Assistant (RA) in Xavier Global House. After
graduation, my plan is to continue my studies at a graduate
school. Currently, I am interested in the ongoing research of cost
and energy efficient semiconductor devices, which are the
building blocks of logic and memory microchips.
Thanks to the Bannan Scholarship I have grown as a person, in
addition to my academic success, so thank you donors! ■
Senior Lindsay Stetson prepares for a seminar as she readies herself for the next step in her career – doctoral studies at the University of Pennsylvania.
Photo courtesy of Chris Joseph Taylor
Carrying a Seattle University Legacy into the Future
My name is Lindsay Stetson. Three days after my last final exam at
Seattle University, I will begin doctoral studies as an NSF Graduate
Research Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania. As a Ph.D.
student in Genomics and Computational Biology, my goal is to
develop computational tools to improve biological research. I am
grateful to Seattle University for small classes, personal attention,
outstanding teaching/mentorship, and research and travel
opportunities that prepared me for the next phase of my career.
I began my computer science/software engineering research
with Dr. Roshanak Roshandel in the summer of 2009 in an NSFsupported
project exploring approaches where architecturebased
dependability models and analysis results can be reused
among related products. Generous travel awards from the College
of Science & Engineering, NASA, and SU’s Research Committee
enabled me to present portions of this work at three academic
conferences. These experiences, coupled with research collaborations
with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and two research
universities, are unusual for undergraduates, setting me apart
from other Ph.D. applicants.
The unparalleled support of Seattle U faculty helped me create
in-depth academic experiences that have prepared me for future
tasks at the University of Pennsylvania. With encouragement
from faculty mentors, I was awarded an NSF Research Experience
position in computational biology at the University of Wisconsin-
Madison, where I compared the efficacy of different treatments
for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This year my work focused on a
capstone project with real-world relevance. As part of a team of
student software engineers, I am designing and implementing a
mobile software solution that facilitates the sharing of digital
ultrasound images. This project gave me the opportunity to lead
a team, meet the expectations of business clients, and develop
a product to be deployed by industry.
Many opportunities at SU would have been out of reach at a
larger institution. The emphasis on community involvement and
leadership encouraged my involvement with organizations
promoting women in the technical sciences—an area where
women are traditionally under-represented. In March I again copresented
a computing workshop at the Seattle Expanding Your
Horizons (SEYH) conference, nurturing enthusiasm for science
and mathematics in middle-school girls. I am pleased that the
college consistently supports women in the engineering disciplines
through the Society of Women Engineers and Women
in Computing.
Seattle University faculty members were instrumental in encouraging
me to pursue a career in academia and helping me create
clear, compelling, and concise essays for my Ph.D. and fellowship
applications. I am grateful to my advisor, Dr. Roshandel, as well
as Dr. Dingle and Dr. Kuder, Dr. Arabshahi at the University of
Washington, and Dr. van der Hoek at University of California Irvine.
The opportunities that I have enjoyed as a Seattle U student will
ensure my success at the University of Pennsylvania and will
certainly benefit future generations of students. ■
Years ago Lindsay Stetson left college to become primary caregiver
for a grandmother with Alzheimer’s disease. While exploring
treatments, she became interested in computational neuroscience,
bringing this interest to SU. As a first generation college student,
she generously mentors others. “I aspire, personally and professionally,
to combine my academic and research experiences with
outreach that assists women in discovering opportunities within
the field of computing….The field of computer science, present
and future, will be more robust when young women strongly
associate computing with fields in which they demonstrate
interest, including the health sciences and human services,
domains that increasingly benefit from advances in computing.”

8 Science & Engineering seattle university 9
Student Global Engagement
Fighting Cholera in Haiti
Vance Warren (BSCE ’03) was working with Medical Teams
International and preparing to travel to Haiti in areas devastated
by cholera. He contacted Phil Thompson, chair of the Civil &
Environmental Engineering Department, to get some advice on
obtaining fresh water. After reviewing the basics of solar disinfection
and chlorine dosing with Warren, Thompson suggested
that he look for clinics needing access to safe water. Within four
days, Warren had met Dr. Jhonny Fequiere, Director of the Claire
Heureuse Clinic, near the heart of the outbreak, who hoped to
establish that clinic as a source of safe water for local residents.
In October 2010, Rotary member Tara Dacus heard Dr. Thompson
speak at a Rotary function in Bellevue, Washington and was
motivated to join efforts to provide Haitian medical clinics with
access to safe water. A Rotary Club from Fairfield, California
donated funding for fabrication of the water treatment system for
the Claire Heureuse Clinic. Seattle University students assembled
the water treatment system and shipped it to Haiti two days
after Christmas.
With the help of Seattle-based medical teams, Thompson is
developing a list of clinics in Haiti requiring safe water. His goal
is to install 12 of these systems in 2011. Each of the $6,500
systems can be locally maintained and includes two years’ worth
of replacement supplies.
On April 9th, Thompson welcomed 21 members of the Meredith
Mathews East Madison YMCA Black Achievers to campus to
learn about the water treatment system. Students spent the
morning learning about the engineering processes behind water
treatment, and in the afternoon they assembled three more systems
for shipment to medical clinics in Haiti. Two of the treatment
systems were donated by Seattle’s Emerald City Rotary Club. ■
Civil engineering major Mark Beggs and Professionals Without Boundaries
leader Steve Szablya assess progress on the trench local families are digging
with the help of the Seattle University team. The team installed a new main
water line for the village of San Juan de Conception in Nicaragua.
Civil Engineering major Katie Nolan checks a recycled pickle barrel used to
ship the disaster relief water systems. The recycled containers serve a dual
purpose; after they are unpacked, they will be used for critically needed
water storage in Haiti.
The Gift of Water in Nicaragua
Imagine living where water was available only five days per
week and, if more was needed, a one mile walk was required to
fetch it. After four years of planning a new water line, the leaders
of the village of San Juan de Concepcion, Nicaragua, were
thrilled to greet a Seattle University team last December. Local
engineer Raduan Dipp joined Steve Szablya, John Schrader and
Johnny Llamas from Professionals Without Boundaries, students
Mark Beggs, Katie Rawson, and Renee Vandermause from the
student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and Albers MBA
alumna Letitia Goodjoint.
Each of the 350 families in the village agreed to dig four meters of
the 1,600-meter-long trench for the new pipe. The Seattle University
team helped install the PVC pipe the connected the well to the
homes of nearly 1,500 residents. “As we worked, people would
stop us on the road to thank us and said it was a great early
Christmas present. I will always remember this experience…,” said
Beggs. Project sponsors included Starbucks, the College of Science
& Engineering, and the Clean Water Foundation. ■
Providing homes for the poor in Mexico
In December 2010, SU Civil Engineering students Sergio Legon-
Talamoni, Chris Kemly, Amanda Connell, James Smith, Omar
Ongoco, Brynn Watanabe and John Conway accompanied
Campus Ministry students on the 16th annual Mexico Mission
Trek to Tijuana. Joining efforts with non-profit organization,
Esperanza, the 16 students and 3 staff members laid the foundation
of a home for a struggling family. The students witnessed
extreme poverty and “staggering environmental degradation,”
as student James Smith wrote. These issues did not preclude
new friendships, bridging socio-economic and cultural barriers
in the true “mission spirit” of SU. ■
Clockwise from top left: Stephanie Cao (Biology), Nicole Suleiman (Biology),
Shannon Nakamine (General Science), Derrik Hanson (Physics & Math),
Carlo Itchon (Mechanical Engineering), Justin Willis (General Science),
Elizabeth Hirshberg (Biology), Cara Southworth (Chemistry).
Student Scrapbook
Chemistry Club
On January 27th the Chemistry Club hosted a series of “Do-it-Yourself”
experiments. Here students view results of the same chemical reaction
mechanism used in fireworks—in this case potassium chlorate and
Gummy Bears! Students were also invited to view a demonstration of
making liquid nitrogen ice cream. Club Co-President Sonam Ghag
reported that over 35 students participated in the festivities, proving
that science can entertain as well as instruct.
Photo courtesy of Sonam Ghag
Future Cities
Seniors Wayne Urubio and Vinh Ho watch while a student tries out
the human-powered generator at the Future Cities Competition on
January 22. The Seattle Center event, attracted middle school
students from across the state. The goal of Urubio, Ho, and their
senior design project teammates, Yousef Alganna and Steven Cruz, was
to design 100 watt generators that can be used in rural communities
without access to the electricity grid. These generators can be used to
charge batteries for lamps, radios, and cellular phones. Their faculty
advisor, Henry Louie, gave the keynote speech entitled “Engineering
a Future City,” which describes the role engineers will play in making
tomorrow’s cities a reality.
Peer Mentor Program
This year, the Science & Engineering Peer Mentor Program expanded
to serve new students from all majors in the College. Over 60 new
first-year and transfer students signed up to work with a junior or
senior peer mentor, trained to coach new students on a variety of
academic and university life issues. The mentors host academic and
social events, conduct 1-on-1 consultations, and hold “drop in” hours
in the Advising Center. The mentor group hosted a fall quarter event
to help first-year students with first-time registering for classes, a
mentor-mentee snowshoeing trip, and a party to view “The Big Bang
Theory”, whose lead characters are physicists.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Sorensen
Project Center
Rain doesn’t bother this team of Civil Engineers! SU Project Center
teammates James Appleyard, David Julian, Darton Riely-Gibbons
and James Smith are collaborating with King County to assess the
potential for reduction of the University’s contribution to combined
sewer overflows (CSOs). To meet King County’s needs, the team will
develop a “green” storm water infrastructure master plan which to
include a comprehensive inventory of the existing storm water
infrastructure. The project will make recommendations for future
green storm water projects appropriate for the SU campus. Faculty
advisors on this project are Dr. Nirmala Gnanapragasam and
Dr. Wes Lauer in Civil & Environmental Engineering.
Photo courtesy of Hilary Northcraft

10 Science & Engineering seattle university 11
Faculty Notes
Biology
Becky Hartley, associate professor, gave a presentation on
“What is Physiology?” and a reflection on her career as a scientist
to 80 middle school children at Holy Family Parish School in
Kirkland, at the invitation of the school’s science teacher. Her
presentation was part of Physiology Understanding Week 2010
(PhUn Week) sponsored by the American Physiological Society.
Margaret Hudson, associate professor, published “Interviews
with Two Naturopathic Physicians: An Advisor’s Perspective”
in the December 2010 issue of The Advisor, the quarterly publication
of the National Association of Advisors for the Health
Professions (NAAHP). The article featured two Seattle University
graduates who have chosen to pursue careers in Naturopathic
Medicine.
Carolyn Stenbak, assistant professor, has been awarded a
$58,000 grant by the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust for the
research project entitled Study of Packaging Determinants
within the C-terminus of Foamy Virus Polymerase Protein.
Lindsay Whitlow, assistant professor, partnered with Eckstein
Middle School teacher, Sarah Hoofnagle, to author an article on
service-learning in ecology entitled “Mud, Muck, and Service”
in Science Education & Civic Engagement: An International
Journal.
Cheryl Wotus, assistant professor, has been awarded a
$50,000 grant by the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust for the
research project entitled Circadian regulation of Hypothalamic-
Pituitary-Adrenal Responsivity.
Chemistry
Joe Langenhan, assistant professor, co-authored a paper entitled
“A Direct Comparison of the Anticancer Activities of Digitoxin
MeON-Neoglycosides and O-Glycosides,” which appeared in
ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters. Seattle University undergraduate
Derek Rogalsky was another co-author of this paper.
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Wes Lauer, assistant professor, and J. Willenbring, a geochemist
at the University of Pennsylvania, recently published a paper
entitled “Steady-state reach-scale theory for radioactive tracer
concentration and sediment aging in a simple channel/floodplain
system” in the prestigious Journal of Geophysical Research-
Earth Surface.
In December, Phillip Thompson, associate professor and department
chair, Civil/Environmental Engineering, published a
paper entitled “Economically Sustainable Safe Drinking Water
Systems for the Developing World” in the Journal of Business
and Society Review.
Computer Science and Software Engineering
Late in 2010, Rich LeBlanc, professor and department chair,
was appointed to a prestigious national 17-member steering
committee created to manage the development of the next
Computer Science volume (“CS 2013”), which will provide
international curricular guidelines for undergraduate programs
in computing.
Roshanak Roshandel, assistant professor, Jeff Gilles, instructor,
and Rich LeBlanc, professor, will present a paper titled “An
Experience in Community-based Software Engineering Education”
at the upcoming 24th IEEE-CS Conference on Software
Engineering Education and Training, in May 2011.The paper
describes their experiences and presents a model for incorporating
Academic Service Learning into graduate software
engineering curriculum.
Diagnostic Ultrasound
Carolyn Coffin, chair, was pleased to receive news of a $5,000
grant from Seattle University’s Mission and Ministry fund to
connect students with the King County Project Access Partnership.
KCPA has developed a system to provide specialty
service to eligible low-income, uninsured and underinsured
patients in King County. The grant will permit students in the
ultrasound program to scan patients referred by the King
County program.
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Henry Louie, assistant professor, is leading a collaborative
group of PES/IEEB — Engineers Without Borders engineers
from the Seattle area in the design of a wind turbine to be
used in rural areas of developing countries. This research project
was mentioned in an article in IEEW Women in Engineering in
December 2010 entitled “Power and Responsibility: Technology
for Developing Countries Fuels Podmore”. The group now has
a working prototype that was constructed on the Seattle U
campus (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A36rhuNaaco).
General Science
In July, Lyn Gualtieri, adjunct faculty, attended the Volcanoes
Exploration Project Workshop at Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park. During the workshop, she was part of a team that developed
a volcano hazards lab exercise for introductory geology
students which utilizes real-time data from the Hawaii Volcano
Observatory. Dr. Gualtieri also gave a talk at the workshop
entitled “Experiencing Volcanoes using Google Earth.”
Jennifer Sorensen, director, was recently interviewed by the
national periodical Education Week for a special issue they are
doing on informal science education. Sorensen and her coprincipal
investigator, Stephanie Lingwood from The Girl
Scouts of Western Washington, spoke of their “Inquiry in the
Community” collaborative project. In addition, Sorensen has
presented the initial results from the project at two national
Junior biology major Taylor Fannin (center) investigates the physics of balloon rockets with two Girl Scout leaders. Photo courtesy of Jennifer Sorensen
conferences: The National Girls Collaborative Project Collaboration
Conference and the National Conference on Science
and Technology in Out of School Time.
Mathematics
Shusen Ding, professor, supported by the Bannan Chair course
release, has continued research in the operator theory of differential
forms and related fields. Ding has recently published
six research papers in these peer-reviewed mathematical journals:
Nonlinear Analysis: Theory, Methods and Applications; Nonlinearity;
the Illinois Journal of Mathematics; Nonlinear
Analysis: Theory, Methods and Applications; and the Journal
of Inequalities and Applications.
Allison Henrich, assistant professor, has published a paper coauthored
with Sam Nelson (Claremont McKenna College)
entitled “Semiquandles and Flat Virtual Knots” in the Pacific
Journal of Mathematics. In March 2011, another paper, written
with students and entitled “A Midsummer Knot’s Dream,” will
appear in the Mathematical Association of America’s College
Math Journal.
Andre Yandl and Carl Swenson, professors emeriti, received
news that their paper, “Partitioning Triangles Using Pythagorean
Angles,” has been accepted for publication in The College
Mathematics Journal.
Physics
Paul Fontana, associate professor, and research student Ed
Titmus attended the 63rd Annual Meeting of the American
Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics in Long Beach,
California last November. They gave two oral presentations
entitled: “Experiments in the Stability of Basic Two-Dimensional
Flows” and “Measurement Techniques: Viscosity and Surface
Drag in Quasi-Two-Dimensional Flows.”
Joanne Hughes Clark, associate professor, is the recipient of a
subcontract from the University of Washington (UW) for a project
titled “From Undergraduate Research to Research Scientist”
funded by the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium.
The grant will fund four $3,500 research scholarships to
students in science and engineering disciplines relevant to
NASA programs.
Woo-Joong (Andy) Kim, assistant professor, has co-authored a
paper in the international journal Nature Physics that is already
getting significant attention. As part of his recent postdoctoral
research in the laboratory of Yale University Physics professor
Steve Lamoreaux, Andy and his colleagues made the very first
measurement of the thermal Casimir force, predicted by the
Russian theoretical physicist Evgeny Lifshitz in 1955. Their paper
has been featured in the American Physical Society’s Weekly
News Brief and in Physics World of the Institute of Physics in
Europe.
The Science & Engineering Newsletter is published semiannually by
the Seattle University College of Science and Engineering.
Editor: Patricia Whitney (senews@seattleu.edu)
Dean: Michael Quinn
Contributors: Heath Braun, Sonam Ghag, Henry Louie, Hilary Northcraft, Shelley
Rolfe, Jennifer Sorensen, Lindsay Stetson, Steven Szablya, Chris Joseph Taylor,
Phil Thompson, Lindsey Wasson, and Aziz Yuldashev. Our particular thanks to
Lemieux Library Special Collections.
This newsletter is printed on FSC Mixed Sources paper — a product group
from well-managed forests, controlled sources and recycled wood or fiber.

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PROJECTS
DAY 2011
JUNE 3, 2011 // NOON – 5 PM // SULLIVAN HALL
The College of Science and Engineering and The Albers School of
Business and Economics students unveil their capstone projects
with presentations, poster sessions, project demonstrations, and
a reception with live music. This event is free and open to the
public. Visit www.seattleu.edu/projectcenter for more details.