MICHIGANMICHIGAN - Michigan Engineering - University of Michigan

MICHIGAN 

Engineer 

University o f Michigan co l l e g e o f en g i n e e r i n g sp r i n g 2009 

MICHIGAN 

Engineer 

MICHIGAN 

Engineer 

CELEBRATION 

Gifts from Every Corner, for Every Purpose 

The Honor Roll – Giving Takes People

Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign 

AN AMAZING 

The end of the 1990s was the beginning of an ambitious 

journey. Our objective was to galvanize the extended College 

of Engineering community in support of a milestone 

resource-development effort, one that would build on 

core strengths and sink deep footings for the 21st century. 

These were the origins of Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary 

Campaign. 

We were optimistic – and with good reasons. After all, Michigan 

had long secured a place for itself among the world’s elite centers of 

engineering education. The College was well poised to build on its 

position by tackling new challenges. And alumni and friends had demonstrated 

their loyalty and generosity through four prior fundraising 

campaigns – all extraordinarily successful. 

Appropriately enough, the campaign was formally launched in May 

of 2004 to coincide with Michigan Engineering’s 150th anniversary 

celebration. 

That May, as we sat together under a tent on the North Campus 

Diag, none of us could have foreseen the dramatic economic events 

that would shake and shape our world in the intervening years. Yet, 

despite a severe economic recession, historic declines in the stock and 

housing markets, and four-dollar-a-gallon gasoline, the response from 

alumni and friends was nothing short of spectacular. And in tandem 

with the University-wide Michigan Difference Campaign, Progress 

& Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign achieved unprecedented 

success. 

A Time for Celebration 

In this issue of Michigan Engineer, we mark the completion of Progress 

& Promise – a record-breaking effort that generated more than 

$300 million in new resources for the College. 

There is much to celebrate. Michigan Engineering has changed in 

profound ways. Indeed, the impact of this landmark fundraising effort 

is evident in departments, classrooms and laboratories. 

Thanks to your generosity and vision, the College has new facilities 

and related programmatic support for the vital areas of biomedical 

engineering, integrated microsystems and nanotechnology, and information 

technology. Additions to the physical plant include a dazzling 

Computer Science and Engineering Building; the Carl A. Gerstacker 

A Message from the Progress & Promise: 

Building, one of two advanced facilities dedicated to biomedical engineering; 

and the Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility, a magnificent 

collection of laboratories that will usher in a new era of discovery 

at Michigan. 

Thanks to you, Michigan Engineering’s faculty and student body 

have been strengthened. New funds have established 17 endowed professorships, 

which will enhance, immeasurably, our ability to recruit, 

reward and retain the world’s best engineering researchers and teachers. 

They will provide numerous undergraduate scholarships, one of the 

best investments we can make in the future of the College and the 

future of engineering itself. 

Thanks to you, the College’s interdisciplinary research programs, 

so crucial to future discoveries and technologies, are more vigorous 

and far-reaching than ever. New research alliances are already yielding 

breakthroughs in areas ranging from advanced sensor technology to 

alternative energy. 

An Opportunity for Recommitment 

Progress & Promise was a momentous accomplishment. But it also 

represented a starting point to mobilize the College of Engineering in 

added service to our society and our world. 

Today, the world looks with hope – and with expectation – to its engineers 

and scientists. As an international leader, Michigan Engineering 

has a responsibility not only to sustain its research and educational excellence, 

but also to seek challenges commensurate with its capabilities. 

What does the global community need most from Michigan 

Engineering at this moment? Where are the greatest opportunities for 

impact? In response to those questions, the College has identified four 

key challenges. Each of them is a domain in which Michigan Engineering 

– in collaboration with other units of the University – is already 

making significant progress. 

| SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer

JOURNEY 

150th Anniversary Campaign Committee 

World-class Expertise for 

Worldwide Challenges 

Energy 

Worldwide dependence on fossil fuel poses one of the great 

threats to global stability and economic development. In facing 

down this crisis, Michigan Engineering has the advantage of 

vast experience in transportation, energy storage, and wind, 

solar and nuclear energy technology. Working through the 

University-wide Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute, 

our faculty will join forces with colleagues in economics, political 

science, sociology, public policy, law, business and environmental 

studies to create solutions that are both comprehensive 

and systematic. 

Health Engineering 

The U.S. healthcare system, as good as it might be, is inadequate 

to meet current demands. Through its new Health Engineering 

Research Initiative, and working in partnership with 

the U-M Health System, the College will focus on developing 

cost-effective and error-free delivery systems, improved diagnostics 

and treatments, and efficient and accurate computational 

technologies for medicine. 

Global Access to Clean, Safe Water 

Clean, reliable water is in scarce supply – and becoming 

more so with each passing day. In order to meet the need for 

worldwide access to clean water, Michigan Engineers will 

develop innovative technologies for water treatment, water 

monitoring and water recycling. And they will work closely 

with colleagues in social research, business, public health and 

natural resources management to craft and implement new 

public policy. 

Training a New Kind of Engineer 

Modern engineers must be technical experts as well as multidisciplinary 

problem solvers, entrepreneurial thinkers as well as 

superb team players. In addition to generating new knowledge 

and new technology, they must be prepared to generate new 

ideas and to engage the most complex and urgent public-policy 

issues of our day. With that in mind, the College will focus on 

expanded international programs, new cross-disciplinary design 

opportunities, and activities that promote high-level creativity 

and innovation. 

A Journey Ends, Another Begins 

In closing, we cite Dean Munson’s remarks, made during the Progress 

& Promise Campaign Finale: 

“Words can never convey our full appreciation for your generosity. 

Please know that our greatest expression of gratitude will be 

demonstrated in the accomplishments seeded today and realized in 

final definition some time into the future. While we cannot name 

that day, we can envision it. That is the reason we strive to solve the 

most difficult puzzles facing humanity. 

“At this moment, we recognize you. We salute your gifts to 

Michigan and your far-sighted commitment to the College. And 

we pledge that, together, we will move forward with pride in our 

legacy, with boldness of purpose and with confidence in our ability 

to make an enduring impact on the world.” 

The road to the future we all face is both steep and exhilarating. 

On behalf of the entire College of Engineering community, we thank 

you for bringing this phase of our shared journey to an outstanding 

conclusion. 

Sincerely, 

Ann Lurie 

(LLD Hon. ’03) 

Honorary Co-Chair 

Jerry W. Levin 

(BSE EE ’66, BSE M ’67) 

Co-Chair 

Peter S. Fuss 

(BSE EE ’56) 

C. Robert Kidder 

(BSE IE ’67) 

John L. Tishman 

(BSE EE ’46, DEng Hon. ’00) 

Honorary Co-Chair 

Kevin O’Connor 

(BSE EE ’83) 

Co-Chair 

Donald C. Graham 

(BSE IE ’55, MSE ME ’56) 

David E. Liddle, PhD 

(BSE EE ’67) 

SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer | 1

Published by the University of Michigan 

College of Engineering 

Publisher 

David C. Munson, Jr. 

Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering 

Professor of Electrical Engineering and 

Computer Science 

executive editor 

Byron Roberts (BA ’85) 

Managing editor 

Bill Clayton 

2 

12 

20 

4 

38 

senior graPhic designer 

Mira Lancaster 

MICHIGAN 

Engineer 

Progress & Promise 

150t h AnniversAry CAmPAign 

insiDe Letter from the 

Cover Campaign Committee 

4 Scholarship, Scale 

and Scope 

5 Major Gifts 

6 Endowed Scholarships 

8 Endowed Fellowships 

9 Michigan Engineering Fund 

10 Emeritus Class Gifts 

12 Senior Class Gifts 

14 Endowed Professorships 

contributing editors 

Beverly Achterhoff, Dawn Barton, Julie Christofferson, Linda 

Fitzgerald, Michele Semones, Bobbie Simson, 

Peggy VandeVoorde 

Photo credits 

Dwight Cendrowski, Scott Galvin, D.C. Goings, 

John Gray, Lin Jones, Mira Lancaster, Christopher Lark, 

Daryl Marshke, Bob Ramey, Scott Soderberg, 

David Tuman, Martin Vloet 

Printer 

University Lithoprinters 

Michigan Engineer connects alumni and other members of the Michigan Engineering community 

to the College and each other by providing information, inspiration and opportunities. 

University o f Michigan co l l e g e o f en g i n e e r i n g sp r i n g 2009 vo l. XXvi no. 1 

36 Engin NEWS 

38 Student LOG 

40 Faculty REPORT 

42 Donald Graham – 

Visionary Leader, Friend 

Michigan Engineer is published two times 

a year by the University of Michigan College 

of Engineering. 

Michigan Engineer offices are located at: 

1221 Beal Avenue 

Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2102 

Phone: (734) 647-7085 

Email us at: MichiganEngineer@umich.edu 

16 Infrastructure 

20 Giving Takes People 

22 Thanks for All Your Support 

25 When Giving Is Academic 

26 Students and Philanthropy 

28 Environment and Energy 

29 Creating Entrepreneurs 

30 Letter from the Dean 

31 The Promise 

32 Honor Roll 

43 Goff Smith – 

The Constant Philanthropist 

44 Alum notes 

45 In MEMORIAM 

Read Michigan Engineering online at 

www.engin.umich.edu/engineer 

Visit the College on the web at: 

www.engin.umich.edu 

Postage paid at Ann Arbor, MI. 

Send address changes to: 

Engineering Alumni Relations 

1221 Beal Ave, Room 2C11A 


Or email: Engin.Alumni.Relations@umich.edu. 

the regents of the university of Michigan 

Julia Donovan Darlow, Ann Arbor; Laurence B. Deitch, Bingham Farms; Denise Ilitch, Bingham Farms; Olivia P. Maynard, Goodrich; 

Andrea Fischer Newman, Ann Arbor; Andrew C. Richner, Grosse Pointe Park; S. Martin Taylor, Grosse Pointe Farms; Katherine E. White, Ann Arbor; 

Mary Sue Coleman, ex officio

photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M photo SERVICES 

Campaign exceeds expectations 

In 2004, Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign set out to capture $300 million in 

support that would help Michigan Engineering fulfill its promise for continued excellence in 

education, research and service well into the 21st century. Under the leadership of co-chairs 

Jerry W. levin (BSE EE ’66, BSE M ’67) and Kevin o’connor (BSE EE ’83), and with the 

support of thousands of alumni, faculty, staff, students, friends, corporations and founda- 

tions, Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign exceeded its objectives, amassing 

$303 million to support scholarships, fellowships, professorships, facilities upgrades and other 

enhancements. 

Levin, chairman of JW Levin Partners LLC, said that part of fulfilling 

Michigan Engineering’s promise involved “the funding of professor- 

ships, fellowships, scholarships, facilities and key research thrusts 

and programs – all of which ultimately enhances students’ lives and 

their learning experience.” 

It was an objective of the Campaign to position Michigan Engineer- 

ing to remain a vital academic community for decades to come. 

O’Connor, managing partner of O’Connor Ventures, said that the 

engine which moves Michigan Engineering is “people – talented, 

highly skilled educators, engineers and scientists. The competition 

for these people has always been fierce.” Having the funds to attract and retain them is key. 

u 

Read more about the campaign and its objectives: 

http://tinyurl.com/progress-promise 

photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M photo SERVICES photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES photo BY DAVID tUMAN photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M photo SERVICES 

SPRING 2009 | miCHigAn engineer | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer | 3 

photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES

4 


Michigan Engineering is a 21st-century educational institution 

with a reputation for excellence that attracts talented engineering 

students from across the country and around the world. 

An elite faculty, also assembled from around the globe, 

guides students through a challenging curriculum and 

Small and large. Far and wide. The College of 

Engineering has a well-known face. Its instruments 

traveled aboard the Mars lander. Its 

interdisciplinary teams are looking into 

ways to use nanotechnologies to deliver 

medications to individual body cells. 

International relationships with other 

universities expand educational 

horizons. Michigan Engineering’s 

web is vast, and 

its students are 

helping to shape Scale 

the world. 

Scholarship 

broadens the learning experience by sharing rich and varied 

cultural backgrounds. Student teams provide hands-on 

technical experience. Numerous annual awards – for 

faculty and students alike – are a testament to Michigan 

Engineering scholarship, which has few peers. 

Michigan Engineering’s 11 academic departments 

and more than 60 engineering fields 

reach nearly every point on the educational 

compass. Student organizations and new 

service-learning opportunities provide 

invaluable life lessons. And as part 

of the University of Michigan, the 

College puts astonishing resources 

at the fingertips of students and 

faculty – law, literature, business, 

medicine, 

music, art and 

Scope 

other disciplines 

– all of which 

complements 

and expands 

the engineering 

experience. 

Maintaining the Triangle of 

Excellence 

Scholarship, Scale and Scope 

In 1854, Alexander Winchell, a professor of physics and civil engineering, stepped into a 

classroom and taught the first engineering class at the University of Michigan. Winchell’s 

educational venture was the beginning of what would be 155 years of excellence in 

education and research. Today, Michigan Engineering is a global leader in engineering 

education and research. The reason: a rare combination of high-quality scholarship, largescale 

impact and a broad scope of teaching, research and service opportunities, all of which 

the Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign will elevate to new levels. 


Major gifts from alumni and friends 

have made more than a significant 

impact on Michigan Engineering’s 

mission and well-being. These largescale 

investments – in scholarships, 

fellowships, professorships and infrastructure – are endowed, 

providing support in perpetuity to build and renew resources at 

the College. 

Endowed Scholarships 

Above and Beyond 

Major Gifts to Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign 

Each year, approximately 2,000 new Michigan Engineers enter the 

workforce and graduate programs, prepared to make significant 

contributions to their chosen fields. These young people are not only 

Michigan Engineering’s legacy but its means of making an impact 

on the world. For its own sake and for society’s, the College must 

continue to enroll and retain highly qualified students, despite the 

fact that fierce competition and diminishing financial aid present 

considerable challenges. 

Endowed scholarships are one permanent solution to the 

financial-aid dilemma. They’ve become an ideal way to perpetuate 

a family or corporate name, memorialize a loved one or celebrate a 

graduating class. The Class of 31E has just such a story. 

Class of 31E 

In the fall of 1927, the economy was booming 

as 386 freshmen entered the College 

of Engineering. Two years later the stock 

market crashed. By 1931 the Great Depression 

had begun to take its toll. Despite the 

obstacles of that era, members of the Class 

of 31E succeeded and chose to support the 

College so that others would have a way 

to obtain the education they considered so 

important to their lives. 

Today, the Class of 31E Scholarship 

Fund has grown to $5.19 million and 

has supported more than 135 scholarship 

students over the years. 

Read more about the Class of 31E Scholarship 

at http://tinyurl.com/class31E 

SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer | 5 

u 

At annual class reunions, Class of 1931E 

members gather with their families, current 

and former scholars, and current scholars’ 

parents. 

Paul S. Bigby (BSE 

ME ’31) was elected 

president of the 31E 

senior class and 

served until his death 

in 2003.

6 


Endowed Scholarships 

PhoTo By D.C. GoinGS 

Raymond A. Pittman, ’42E Scholarship 

Raymond A. Pittman (BSE ME ’42, BSE AA ’42) was 

recognized as a talented engineer who helped develop safety 

standards for motor vehicles, laboring for 33 years to help 

Ford Motor Company protect its drivers. He retired in 1975, 

knowing that his success was, in great part, a product of his 

education. 

Knowing how he loved that Michigan Engineering education, 

his son, Raymond B. Pittman (BSE ME ’67, MSE 

’68), and grandson, Raymond J. Pittman (BSE CompE 

’91), established the Raymond A. Pittman, ’42E Scholarship 

Fund as a memorial. The scholarship provides need-based 

support to undergraduate students, with preference given 

to State of Michigan residents. Robert J. Vlasic Dean of 

Engineering David Munson has called the Fund “one of the 

College’s most important resources.” 

Raymond B. and Raymond J. Pittman flank Anthony Tricozzi, the 2008 recipient 

of the Raymond A. Pittman, ’42E Scholarship. 

Joseph M. Geisinger 

Scholarship 

The late Joseph M. Geisinger (BSE ME ’36) and Viola, his wife, created a 

trust fund to support students pursuing Michigan Engineering degrees. Their 

scholarship gift of $7 million, beginning with a gift in 2005 – the largest 

scholarship gift ever made to Michigan Engineering and third largest in the 

University’s history – funds the recruitment of students from the south and 

southwestern portions of the country, helping the College cultivate a diverse 

student body. The scholarship meets the needs of a large group of talented 

students during a time of budget challenges at the state and federal levels. 

Jessica Wang, a biomedical engineering undergraduate student, is one of 21 

students who currently hold a Joseph M. Geisinger Scholarship. Wang received 

the scholarship from Dean Dave Munson (left) at the 2009 Student Leaders 

and Honors Brunch. 

| SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer 

PhoTo By MARTin VloET, U-M PhoTo SERViCES

PhoTo By BoB RAMEy PhoTo By MARTin VloET, U-M PhoTo SERViCES Sanders 

M. Clark Endowed Scholarship 

Sanders M. Clark, who graduated with a degree in electrical engineering 

from Michigan Technical Institute in 1947, believed that “education was the 

great equalizer.” So it was a fitting tribute when his daughter, Regina McNeil 

(AB ED ’73), and Ronald McNeil, her husband, created the Sanders M. 

Clark Endowed Scholarship Fund through the Ronald D. and Regina C. 

McNeil Foundation. It provides merit-based scholarships to undergraduate 

students enrolled full-time in the College of Engineering. 

The current Sanders M. 

Clark Scholar is Kwame 

Searcy, a first-year undergraduate 

who was born 

in Ann Arbor and raised 

in ypsilanti, Michigan. 

he plans to pursue civil 

engineering and said that 

he “selected Michigan 

Engineering because 

minority support programs 

are awesome.” 

Irving J. Stewart Scholarship 

Marilyn Stewart, the wife of Irving J. 

Stewart (BSE IOE ’54, MSE ’55), honored 

her husband with the establishment of the 

Irving J. Stewart Fund, which supports a 

need-based scholarship for undergraduate 

students. Stewart retired in 1987 after 22 years 

with Cincinnati Milacron, where he developed 

and patented a unique guard system for highspeed 

grinders. 

Smita Purekar, a first-year undergraduate, is the current 

irving J. Stewart Scholar. She chose Michigan Engineering 

because it could give her “the means to do anything i 

wanted with both my undergraduate experience and then 

my career.” 

Marilyn and irving J. Stewart 


PhoTo By BoB RAMEy


Endowed Fellowships 

Association 

François-Xavier 

Bagnoud 

Wei Shyy, Clarence L “Kelly” Johnson Collegiate Professor 

of Aerospace Engineering and chair; Albina du Boisrouvray, 

mother of François-Xavier Bagnoud; Dave Munson, Robert J. 

Vlasic Dean of Engineering. 

The Association carries the name of François-Xavier 

Bagnoud (BSE Aero ’82), a helicopter pilot specializing 

in rescue operations, who dedicated his life to providing 

assistance to others. 

By the end of his secondary studies, he was already 

a licensed and experienced pilot. An aeronautics 

enthusiast, he entered the Department of Aerospace 

Engineering at the University of Michigan in 1979. After 

excelling in his studies, he obtained his engineering 

degree and published a reference manual: “Theory of 

the Helicopter for Private Pilots.” 

His passion for flying was such that he became the 

youngest professional Instrument Flight Related (IFR) 

airplane and helicopter pilot in Europe at age 23. This 

same ardor, combined with an extreme generosity, led 

him to join his father’s company, Air Glaciers, in Sion, 

Switzerland. Within three years, he carried out some 

300 rescue flights in the Alps and in the deserts of 

Africa. 

In 1986 at the age of 24, he lost his life during a 

helicopter-borne mission in Mali. In 1989, his mother 

Albina du Boisrouvray, his family and their friends 

founded the Association François-Xavier Bagnoud in 

order to pursue, in the field of development, the rescue 

missions that he led and to perpetuate the values 

of generosity and compassion that guided his life, 

focusing on AIDS orphans and vulnerable children. 

8 

Endowed fellowships provide full-to-partial tuition and stipends to ease the 

financial pressures on Michigan Engineering graduate students, and help them 

avoid prolonged years of debt. With the support of endowed fellowships, these 

students can focus on the demands of their coursework and research. 

PHoTo BY LIN JoNES, U-M PHoTo SERVICES 

FXB Fellowship 

The Department of Aerospace Engineering (Aero) has 

benefited from the generosity of the François-Xavier 

Bagnoud (FXB) Foundation in a number of ways, 

including the establishment of the François-Xavier 

Bagnoud Fellowship of Aerospace Engineering, which 

provides tuition and various fees and stipends for graduate 

students, and one trip home each year for up to five years. 

Wei Shyy, Aero chair and Clarence L. “Kelly” Johnson Collegiate 

Professor of Engineering, said that the FXB Fellowship 

“offers substantial opportunity for the department to 

recruit the brightest students and enable them to work with 

faculty mentors to pursue research topics without immediate 

external support. Consequently, we have opportunities 

to promote more ‘risk taking’ in our research and energize 

students and faculty to do forward-looking investigation to 

develop a significantly new knowledge base or revolutionize 

certain topical areas.” 

In addition to the FXB Fellowship, the FXB Foundation 

has magnified its impact on Aero by supporting the 

François-Xavier Bagnoud Professorship of Aerospace 

Engineering and contributing to the establishment of the 

FXB Building, which was completed in 1993; the creation 

of the Wave Field, a landscape sculpture designed by internationally 

renowned artist Maya Lin; the Aero Library and 

Learning Center; and the FXB Center for Rotary and Fixed 

Wing Air Vehicle Design. 

2002 FXB fellow 

Alexander Roup 


Gregory Burton 


Biju Thuruthimattan 


Marci Possner 


Jesse Linnel 


Leonardo Scalabrin 


Michigan Engineering Fund – 

Instrument of Opportunity 

Each year, the Michigan Engineering Fund makes many, many things possible… 

Outreach 

outreach programs enhance Michigan Engineering’s 

standing in the community and the world. 

They also enrich students’ lives, making their 

educations more well-rounded. 

Scholarships New Courses 

Undergraduates receive scholarships worth $300,000 every year. 

Student Teams 

The Mini Baja team 

builds an off-road vehicle for competitions that feature 

a number of high-performance tests. An engineering sales 

presentation is also part of each competition. 

Tower 

New engineering courses broaden students’ horizons. 

Modern labs and 

facilities are the 

scene of cutting-edge 

research. 

A high-frequency tower on the 

Electrical Engineering and 

Computer Science Building 

heightens the 

learning experience, 

be it in the classroom 

or in the lab. 

Cutting-Edge Research 

The Levin Challenge 

The Levin Challenge 

accomplished its goal of raising 

$1 million in new and increased 

gifts and pledges. Jerry Levin 

(BSE EE ’66, BSE M ’67) said he 

created the Challenge with the 

hope that it would motivate alumni to 

one equals three ee 

one one ne equals equals equals three three three h 

onee eeqquuuaaalss tthr 

How’s How’s Your Your Math? Math? 

Can 1=3? Absolutely . And it’ s not higher 

math. It’ s a function of your love for 

education, opportunity and a program 

known as the Levin Challenge, which 

contributes $2 for every* $1 you give to 

the Michigan Engineering Fund. 

It all adds up to this: Your tax-deductible 

gift to the Michigan Engineering Fund 

triples. 

Giving is easy . Just go to 

www.engin.umich.edu/levin. Select the 

COE-Michigan Engineering Fund from 

the pull-down menu. For more 

information, please call Justin 

Pusczykowski at 734-647-7034. 


PHoTo BY BoB RAMEY 

one equals three 

ss tthh hree hree hhr 

oonee eeqquuaaallss thr ree e 

give to the MEF. The Levin Challenge matched all 

new gifts and the additional portion of increased 

gifts to the Michigan Engineering Fund on a 2:1 

match basis, regardless of gift size. So, for every 

new or additional dollar, up to $1 million, the Levin 

Challenge added $2 to the MEF, resulting in $3 

million of total new resources. 

PHoTo BY MARTIN VLoET, U-M PHoTo SERVICES PHoTo BY BoB RAMEY

10 


Emeritus Class Gifts 

Michigan Engineering classes celebrating their 50-year reunions have a tradition of 

leaving significant legacy gifts to the College. These might be scholarship endowments, 

art works, landscaped sites – the list goes on. Each class, depending on the project and 

class size, sets goals. Class members start work on their project a year or two before the 

class reunion, at which they officially present the gift. 

Scholarships — Strengthening the Student Body 

One of Michigan Engineering’s main goals 

today is to meet the increasing demand for 

engineers by augmenting the volume of support 

available to its students. Emeritus class gifts for 

scholarships help to meet those objectives by 

establishing funds for deserving students, covering 

the costs of in-state or out-of-state tuition 

and fees, and allowing students to complete 

undergraduate degrees without accumulating 

large debt. 

Works of Art 

Indexer II 

In 2002, the Class of 1950E presented its emeritus gift: 

Indexer II, a modern sculpture created by Kenneth Snelson, a 

contemporary artist whose sculptural works are composed of 

flexible and rigid components. Indexer II stands at the south 

end of the Class of 47E Reflecting Pool. 

Tilted Donut with S, 2006 

photo by U-M photo services 

Tilted Donut with S, 2006, a work by kinetic sculptor Fletcher 

Benton, is the emeritus gift from the Class of 1956E. It is 

located on the south lawn of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie 

Biomedical Engineering Building. 


photo by MirA LANcAster

Emeritus Class Gifts During 

Progress & Promise: 

150th Anniversary Campaign 


Indexer II, by Kenneth Snelson 


Class of 1951E Scholarship Fund 








Class of 1955E Garden 


Tilted Donut with S, 2006 

by Fletcher Benton 





photos by MirA LANcAster 

Landscaping 

Class of 55E Garden 

At the end of the 47e reflecting pool and adjacent 

to indexer ii, the class of 55e Garden provides both 

aesthetics and function. seating is positioned near 

the top of the sloping south end, producing an ideal 

platform for viewing the 47e reflecting pool and 

the robert h. Lurie engineering center. two rows 

of tiered seating for 20 to 30 people, arranged in 

a semicircle, serve as a gathering space for class 

instruction or meetings. 


12 

photo BY SNoBoUND 

photo BY MARCIA LEDFoRD, U-M photo SERVICES 


photo BY BoB RAMEY 

Senior Cl 

The Engineering Senior Class Gift program, 

dating back to the early 1900s, gives each 

graduating class the privilege of leaving 

2000E Block M 

Cast in bronze and set in concrete, the Block M is located on North 

Campus at the crosswalk east of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Tower. 

This gift from the senior engineering class of 2000 is a defining element, 

providing a focal point on North Campus, just as the Diag 

does on Central Campus. 

2001E Wolverine 

The Wolverine, a gift from the senior engineering class of 2001, 

sits atop a large rock on a knoll at the northwest end of the 47E 

Reflecting Pool. 

2002E Senior Benches 

The 2002E Senior Benches are located between the Electrical Engineering 

and Computer Science Building and the Duderstadt Center. 

2003E Pool Table 

The 2003E Pool Table is located in Pierpont Commons. 


ass Gifts 

behind a legacy gift. Senior class gifts since 

2000 have become notable landmarks on 

North Campus. 

2004E Patio Furniture 

The 2004E Patio Furniture is located just outside the Computer Science 

and Engineering Building. 

2005E North Campus 

Wayfinder 

The 2005E North Campus Wayfinder is a map mounted on a pedestal 

near the Duderstadt Center. 

2006E Grove 

The 2006E Grove is located within Liddle Plaza in front of the Computer 

Science and Engineering Building. 

2007E Sitting Area 

When it is installed, the 2007E Sitting Area, an informal gathering space, 

will be located near the North Campus Diag. 

2008E Scholarship Fund 

As part of its mission to create a “global future,” Michigan Engineering’s 

senior class of 2008 established the 2008E Scholarship Fund to provide 

support to one junior and one senior student who are enrolled full-time in 

the College of Engineering and maintain a minimum grade-point average 

of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. 


photo BY MIRA LANCAStER 

photo BY BoB RAMEY 

photo BY DAVID tUMAN 

photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES

14 


Endowed Professorships 

Today, the College of Engineering has approximately 400 research and tenure-track faculty — highly skilled 

educators and investigators who are frequently the objects of nationwide searches by other institutions. The 

competition for faculty of this quality has become increasingly intense. Endowed professorships are one of 

the strongest incentives the College has for recruiting, retaining and rewarding such notable individuals in 

all areas of engineering. The freedom of an endowment also makes it possible for faculty to support new 

teaching projects, allocate seed money for research, purchase essential equipment and provide financial assistance 

for students. 

The Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign created 17 new endowed professorships, bringing 

the total at the College to 42 and ensuring that Michigan Engineering maintains its competitive position. 

Vincent T. and 

Gloria M. Gorguze 

Professorship of Engineering 

Vincent Gorguze (BSE Mtl ’41) and Gloria, his wife, established the 

Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze Professorship, an endowment that 

supports a College of Engineering professor for a five-year renewable 

term. 

Gorguze was also a prime mover in the campaign to finance the new 

Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility (see page 18). 

u Read more about the Gorguzes at http://tinyurl.com/gorguze 

In 2005, Peter Green joined the faculty as 

chair of the Department of Materials Science 

and Engineering and was named the 

Vincent T. and Gloria M. Gorguze Professor 

of Engineering. He’s also a professor in 

the Department of Chemical Engineering 

and investigates thin films, the properties 

of polymers at the nanoscale, and 

nanocomposites. 

Peter Green 

u Read more about Green at http://tinyurl.com/peter-green 

Vincent and Gloria Gorguze 


Photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M Photo SERVICES

Photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M Photo SERVICES 

Bredt Family Professorship 

In 2000, Thomas Bredt (BSE SE ’62) and Polly (AB 

’63, CERTT ’63), his wife, endowed the Bredt Family 

Professorship. The Bredts also made a leadership gift 

to restore and expand the University of Michigan 

Museum of Art. They presented an additional 

challenge gift for essential Museum needs. 

u 

Read more about the Bredts at 

http://tinyurl.com/tbredt 

Trevor Mudge, Bredt Family 

Professor of Engineering, 

teaches in the Department 

of Electrical Engineering 

and Computer Science. 

He researches new ways to 

build and apply computers 

in the Advanced Computer 

Architecture Lab. 

u 

Read more about Mudge at 

http://tinyurl.com/tmudge 

trevor Mudge 

DTE Energy Professorship of Advanced Energy Research 

Robert J. Buckler, retired president and chief operating officer of Detroit Edison; 

MMPEI Director Gary Was; and Fred Shell, DtE Energy vice president of corporate 

and government affairs and president of the DtE Energy Foundation. 

thomas and Polly Bredt 

The DTE Energy Foundation made a pledge to the College of 

Engineering and the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute 

(MMPEI) to create the DTE Energy Professorship of Advanced 

Energy Research to support a faculty member whose research will 

include alternative energy sources, energy storage and conversion, 

transportation, fuels or sustainability. This high-profile position will 

bolster Michigan Engineering’s research and teaching, while preparing 

tomorrow’s energy leaders. 

The grant was one of the largest the DTE Energy Foundation has 

ever made. 

As this issue of Michigan Engineer goes to press, the DTE Energy 

Professorship of Advanced Energy Research has yet to be named. 


u 

Read more about MMPEI at 

www.energy.umich.edu/about

16 


Infrastructure 

Building for Today and Tomorrow 

Investments in new facilities on North Campus have been a major 

contributor to Michigan Engineering’s leadership among peer institutions. But 

ongoing advances in technology demand continual improvements in and 

additions to buildings, laboratories and equipment. Progress & Promise: 

150th Anniversary Campaign has made these advances possible. 

Carl A. Gerstacker Building 

The Carl A. Gerstacker Building is home to a wide variety of research programs in which investigators 

in multiple laboratories are delving into areas such as high-tech ultrasonic imaging, nano- 

and micro-molecular biotechnology, bio-fluid mechanics, the development of an artificial lung 

and tissue engineering. 

Undergraduate Degree in Biomedical Engineering 

The BME expansion has made it possible for the department to create a degree for undergraduate students who 

enjoy math, physics and chemistry, but who also have a keen interest in biology and medicine. 

u 

Read about the Biomedical Engineering four-year undergraduate degree program 

at http://tinyurl.com/underbio 


Ann and Robert H. Lurie 

Biomedical Engineering Building 

The Biomedical Engineering (BME) department occupies two stateof-the-art 

research and educational facilities on North Campus, 

which have allowed BME to grow rapidly, with new faculty, students 

and degree programs. Established as a department only in 1996, 

BME now hosts one of the largest graduate programs in the nation. 

BUIldIng phoTo BY chrIsTophEr lark 

phoTo BY scoTT sodErBErg, U-M phoTo sErVIcEs phoTo BY chrIsTophEr lark phoTo BY MarTIn VloET, U-M phoTo sErVIcEs 

Completed in 2006, the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Biomedical Engineering 

Building features research laboratories, a variety of teaching 

labs, classrooms, conference rooms and faculty offices. 

u 

Read about the Ann and Robert H. Lurie 

Biomedical Building at http://tinyurl.com/lurie-bme 



Robert H. Lurie 

Nanofabrication Facility 

phoTos BY MarTIn VloET, U-M phoTo sErVIcEs 

The Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility (LNF) is 

an example of what vision can do, not only for the 

College of Engineering but also for high-tech companies, 

large and small, and the economy throughout 

southeastern Michigan. A $40-million facelift included 

a 37,500 square-foot addition to the previous facility. 

The expansion was funded in large part by a gift from 

Ann Lurie (LLD Hon. ’03), wife of the late Robert Lurie 

(BSE IOE ’64, MSE ’66). 

There are labs similar to the LNF in the Midwest, 

but none as advanced. Research groups from government, 

small companies and universities often don’t 

have the resources that the LNF can offer – but they 

can use the facility’s processes and equipment for a 

nominal fee. 

Everyone benefits – not only the LNF and the 

researchers who use the equipment, but also the 

vendors who donate equipment, because many of the 

researchers and companies who use the equipment 

in the LNF are potential customers who might buy the 

very same equipment for use in another location in 

the future. Furthermore, the LNF is motivating companies 

– especially small companies – and Michigan 

Engineering researchers to take the risks that are 

often necessary for discovery and entrepreneurial 

ventures. 

u 

Read more about the LNF at 

http://tinyurl.com/rhl-lnf 

18 | SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer

Computer Science and 

Engineering Building 

Multiple gifts to Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign made possible 

the Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Building, a state-of-the-art instructional 

and research facility. 

The building, which opened in 2006, is creating opportunities to advance 

current and recent projects such as: 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Computer infrastructures to create secure information systems 

“Smart cards” that tighten the security on computing systems 

Techniques to detect and identify attacks on computer networks 

Fault-checking capabilities that increase chip performance in computer 

processors and shorten the concept-to-market cycle 

Memory systems that retain their speed and tolerate system crashes 

CSE accommodates 56 tenure-track faculty and 11 new laboratories. It 

also provides a single home for Michigan Engineering’s Computer Science and 

Engineering division, which had been spread throughout three buildings. The 

new environment is flexible, open and dynamic, designed to encourage frequent 

interaction that promotes the exchange of ideas and problem-solving. 

u 

Read more about the Computer Science and Engineering 

Building at http://tinyurl.com/CoECSE 


phoTo BY daVId TUMan phoTo BY MarTIn VloET, U-M phoTo sErVIcEs phoTo BY daVId TUMan 

phoTo BY daVId TUMan

20 

photo BY SCott SoDERBERG, U-M photo SERVICES 

photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES 


Giving Takes People 

Lurie Philanthropy at Michigan Engineering 

In 1990, as his life drew to a close, Robert h. Lurie (BSE IoE ’64, MSE ’66) spent hours each day 

with Ann (LLD hon. ’03), his wife, discussing the future of their business investments. An 

important part of those daily discussions also involved philanthropy. 

Regarding his alma mater, Bob had one wish. “When the time is right,” he said, “do something 

for the College of Engineering.” It was a request that Ann would honor diligently and magnanimously. 

And it was one that dovetailed with her own philosophy of helping organizations with 

proven expertise move to an even higher level. 

General Motors Conference hall, Robert h. 

Lurie Engineering Center 

the LNF enables researchers to interface 

with living systems at the cellular level. 

Building a 

Cohesive Community 

It was in 1993, Ann recalled, that “Michigan representatives 

came to me with the idea of building 

a gateway to the Engineering facilities and further 

solidifying the North Campus with a bell tower.” 

When she learned that the architect selected by 

the College was Charles Moore (BAA CAUP ’47, 

RACK ARC Hon. ’92), someone long admired by 

her husband, “it sealed the deal.” 

That first gift from the Ann and Robert H. 

Lurie Foundation was instrumental in creating 

the Lurie Tower with carillon, and in completing 

the landmark Robert H. Lurie Engineering 

Center. “These two buildings accomplished what 

we all hoped they would,” she said. “They added 

an architecturally appropriate presence to the Engineering 

complex and provided a focal point for 

students and faculty as well as making a statement 

of solidarity.” 

“A Personal Coup” 

Lurie 

Ann and Robert h. Lurie tower 

“The ability to interface with living systems at the cellular level is very powerful,” said 

LNF Director Kensall Wise, the J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing 

Technology and William Gould Dow Distinguished University Professor of 

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. “Thanks to Ann Lurie’s generosity, 

we now have the capacity to correct some of the most debilitating diseases known to 

humankind.” 

For her part, Ann Lurie couldn’t be more pleased: “I see biomedical engineering as 

the perfect blend of my and Bob’s interests. It’s a personal coup, knowing that we’ve 

been able to provide more facilities for wonderfully intelligent people to do their 

work.” 



photo BY MIRA LANCAStER


Social Investing: 

WIMS and 

Nanotechnology 

As a former pediatric nurse and the founder of 

a major healthcare initiative in Kenya, Ann is 

passionate about healthcare and medical diagnostics. 

In 2002, that passion led her to invest 

in the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Biomedical 

Engineering Building, the Robert H. Lurie 

Nanofabrication Facility (LNF), and the Ann 

and Robert H. Lurie Professorship of Biomedical 

Engineering. She added to that investment 

in 2008 with major equipment funding for the 

LNF. 

According to Professor Khalil Najafi (BSE 

EE ’80, MSE ’81, PhD ’86), the gifts came 

LNF work has laid the foundation for everything from 

cochlear ear implants and prosthetic arms to environmental 

sensors and DNA analysis on microchips. 

at a critical time for CoE’s programs in wireless 

integrated microsystems and nanotechnology 

– both of which hold tremendous promise 

for 21st-century medicine. Najafi, chair and 

Schlumberger Professor of Engineering, heads 

up Michigan’s National Nanotechnology 

Infrastructure Network. He pointed out that 

“Michigan Engineering has been a pioneer 

in microassays and implantable biomedical 

devices. Our work has laid the foundation for 

everything from cochlear ear implants and 

prosthetic arms to environmental sensors and 

DNA analysis on microchips.” 

The addition of the LNF has not only kept 

the College competitive but, by providing 

R&D space for high-tech companies, contributes 

as much as $500 million annually 

to the state’s economy. The facility also hosts 

graduate students from 20 other universities 

and presents educational programs for highschool, 

middle-school and elementary students 

throughout the region. 

John Tishman – Loyal Friend 

of Michigan Engineering 

John tishman (BSE EE ’46, DEng hon. ’00), an honor- 

ary co-chair of progress & promise: 150th Anniversary 

Campaign, is a true friend of Michigan Engineering, 

and the consequences of that relationship are visible 

throughout the College – in bricks-and-mortar contributions, 

in the classroom, and in leadership that has 

energized and guided the College of Engineering for 

decades. 

tishman, who received the College of Engineering’s 

tishman 

Alumni Society Medal in 1998 and an honorary degree 

in 2000, has a reputation for generosity far beyond the Michigan Engineering campus. 

he serves on the Board of Directors of Carnegie hall. he helped establish Camp 

Central park, a summer educational outreach program for youth, and has served on 

the boards of the Ronald McDonald house, New York Medical Center and pratt Institute. 

the New York Landmarks Conservancy named tishman a “Living Landmark.” 

And he’s received the historic Business Achievement Award from the Museum of the 

City of New York. 

u 

Read more about Tishman at 

http://tinyurl.com/jtishman 

Tishman Hall 

Tishman Hall is a large atrium that houses a food court 

and the Fred C. Shure Lounge and Learning Center. Shure 

was Tishman’s friend and a former student. 

Akula 

Laird 

tishman hall 

The John L. Tishman Fellowship 

The John L. Tishman Fellowship supports an engineering graduate 

student each year. 

Manu Akula, the current John L. Tishman Fellow, earned his 

undergraduate degree from IIT Bombay. He said that he selected 

Michigan Engineering in order to be “part of one of the best engineering 

programs in the world.” 

The John L. Tishman 

Professorship of Engineering 

The John L. Tishman Professorship supports an endowed chair to 

advance the teaching and scholarship of a distinguished faculty 

member. 

Computer Science and Engineering Professor John Laird (BS ’75) is 

the John L. Tishman Professor of Engineering. 

u Read more about Laird at http://tinyurl.com/jlaird 


photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M photo SERVICES

22 


Throughout the years, Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign produced daily 

surprises and significant milestones. Your support never wavered. Michigan Engineering 

grew stronger. You made a difference, during the campaign, and your support will make 

a difference tomorrow – there’s no way to know how far into the future a gift might reach 

Thanks for All Your Support 

Groundbreaking for the Computer Science and 

Engineering Building took place November 21, 

2003. The shovels were in the capable hands of (l-r) 

Don Schmitt, Diamond and Schmitt Architects, Inc.; 

Dean Stephen W. Director; co-chairs Kevin O’Connor 

(BSE EE ’83) and Jerry W. Levin (BSE EE ’66, BSE M 

’67); U-M President Mary Sue Coleman; John Laird, 

professor, Electrical Engineering and Computer 

Science. 

The Carl A. Gerstacker Building, partially funded 

by The Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation, was dedicated 

on April 11, 2003. A sophisticated biomedical 

engineering complex, it facilitated the growth of 

the Biomedical Engineering (BME) department 

and fostered interaction and interdisciplinary work 

between BME, the Department of Materials Science 

and Engineering, and the nearby Center for Ultrafast 

Optical Science. 

The Ann and Robert H. Lurie 

Biomedical Engineering Building 

Construction Celebration took place 

April 1, 2004. Pictured: (l-r) Matt 

O’Donnell, BME chair; Frank Blanchard, 

director of communications, The 

Whitaker Foundation; Mary Sue 

Coleman, U-M president; Ann Lurie 

(LLD Hon. ’03), president, Lurie 

Investments; Dean Stephen W. Director. 

Progress & Promise: 150th 

Anniversary Campaign 

kicked off publicly on May 14, 

2004, at the sesquicentennial 

banquet. Speakers introduced 

the Campaign as one that had 

been designed to acknowledge 

the undisputed progress 

Michigan Engineering had 

made and fostered throughout 

its history, and its bright 

promise for continued excellence 

in education, research 

and service. 

A Campaign Donor Recognition 

Luncheon took place October 20, 2006, 

midway through the campaign, to honor 

those whose support had been instrumental 

in moving Progress & Promise: 

150th Anniversary Campaign forward to 

that point and keeping it on-track to its 

ultimate success. (l-r) Don Graham 

(BSE IE ’55, MSE ME ’56), Ingrid Graham 

(BS DES SOA ’57) and Kevin O’Connor 

(BSE EE ’83). 

2003 2004 2005 

Groundbreaking for 

the Robert H. Lurie 

Nanofabrication 

Facility took place 

April 15, 2005. Doing 

the honors were (l-r) 

Ann Lurie (LLD Hon. 

‘03), president, Lurie 

Investments; Dean 

Director; President 

Coleman; Jerry Levin 

(BSE EE ’66, BSE M 

’67); Don Graham 

(BSE IE ’55, MSE ME 

’56), chairman, The 

Graham Group. 


or how many lives it might touch. But it’s a sure thing that students will gradu- 

ate, researchers will develop new technologies, Michigan Engineering will thrive 

and the world will be a better place. We owe all of that to you. Thank you… 

thank you very much. 

Every Step of the Way 

On October 20, 2006, the Computer Science 

and Engineering Building was dedicated. 

A premier computer science and engineering 

facility, it opens doors of opportunity to 

undergraduate, graduate and faculty scholars 

who are pursuing the world’s next frontiers in 

computer science and engineering. 

The Ann and Robert H. Lurie Biomedical Engineering 

Building dedication took place October 20, 2006, opening 

up new research lab space for biomedical engineering 

groups, new instructional laboratories and classrooms, 

student project space and offices. 

1 

3 

one on one equals q three 

a n s w e r : equa equ q three 

one ne equals three t 

On October 26, 2007, the Michigan 

Difference Weekend Dinner celebrated 

the success of the College – its ranking 

among the top engineering schools 

in the country; its research budget, 

which is one of the largest of any public 

university; 11 academic departments and 

National Science Foundation Engineering 

Research Center; and its scholarship, 

international scale and multidisciplinary 

scope. 

2006 2007 2008 

In the fall of 2006, the Levin 

Challenge got underway. It was 

met by 5,000 donors, whose $1 

million in gifts resulted in $3 million 

of support for the College. 

On November 14, 2008, Progress & Promise: 

150th Anniversary Campaign Finale recognized 

the thousands of alumni and friends, corporations 

and foundations, faculty and staff who, together, 

fulfilled the vision of enabling future generations of 

talented students and faculty to achieve magnificent 

breakthroughs. 

The Robert H. Lurie Nanofabrication Facility, dedicated April 11, 2008, is 

expected to change the high-tech landscape in southeastern Michigan and the 

region. The new facility will accelerate Michigan Engineering’s pursuits in all 

areas of semiconductor device and circuit fabrication, integrated microsystems 

and MEMS technologies, nanotechnology, nanoelectronics, nanophotonics and 

nanobiotechnology. In addition, the new facility will enable researchers to explore 

new frontiers of material science for applications ranging from healthcare 

to national security. 


24 

The College of Engineering has long been a powerful force for 

the greater good, worldwide. The generosity of many throughout 

Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign has 

helped assure that Michigan Engineering will remain strong. 

The following contributions made a particularly profound 

impact. 

$25 million and above 

Ann Lurie 

$10 million to $24,999,999 

General Motors Corporation 

Donald and Ingrid Graham 

The Whitaker Foundation 

$5 million to $9,999,999 

Anonymous 

François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation 

Ford Motor Company 

Peter and Evelyn Fuss 

Joseph M. and Viola M. Geisinger Estate 

Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation 

Intel Corporation 

Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin 

Kevin and Nancy O’Connor 


photo BY MIRA LANCAStER photo BY MARtIN VLoEt, U-M photo SERVICES photo BY DAVID tUMAN photo BY MIRA LANCAStER photo BY LIN JoNES, U-M photo SERVICES

When Giving Is Academic 

Michigan Engineering faculty members have proved again and again that 

they have an unselfish devotion to the welfare of others, a sense of social 

responsibility, strong convictions about issues of importance – and a commitment 

to quality education. So it’s no surprise that faculty members contributed 

significantly to Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign. 

Walter J. Weber, Jr. 

Walter J. Weber is the Gordon M. Fair and Earnest Boyce Distinguished University Professor of 

Environmental Science and Engineering in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He’s a world 

authority on water science and technology and has been an invaluable asset to the College throughout 

his career – as an instructor, researcher and Michigan Engineering ambassador. He stepped up 

again during Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign, endowing the Walter J. Weber, Jr. 

Professorship of Sustainable Energy, Environmental and Earth Systems Engineering. 

u Read more about Weber: http://walterjweberjr.org 

Michael P. Wellman 

Michael P. Wellman, a professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department, 

created an innovative e-commerce course and succeeded to a large degree in presenting a coherent 

view of a key emerging field at the intersection of scholarship, technology and commerce. He 

revitalized the artificial-intelligence curriculum at Michigan Engineering and has made several widely 

acclaimed and fundamental contributions to research in the field. He’s drawn attention worldwide 

for his research in market-oriented programming, decision-making under uncertainty and economic 

approaches to artificial intelligence. And he made a significant impact on Progress & Promise: 150th 

Anniversary Campaign with the creation of the Morris Wellman Faculty Development Assistant 

Professorship of Computer Science and Engineering, named in memory of Morris Wellman. 

u Read more about Wellman: http://tinyurl.com/wellman 

Paul B. and Ruth A. Hays 

Emeritus professors might not be on campus as often as they once were, but they continue to support 

the College. For example, each year, one undergraduate student in Atmospheric, Oceanic and 

Space Sciences (AOSS) receives the Paul B. and Ruth A. Hays Scholarship. Paul Hays (BSE AA 

’58, MSE ’60, PhD ’64), who retired in 2000, is Dwight F. Benton Professor Emeritus of Advanced 

Technology. The scholarship was the first ever established for AOSS undergraduates. 


Weber 

Wellman 

paul and Ruth hays

26 


Students and Philanthropy 

Some students start making an impact on society before they graduate. Some create successful 

companies. Some take part in humanitarian outreach. Some play a major role in the fundraising that 

helps Michigan Engineering to provide the best student experience possible. And some inspire others. 

Years from now, when people recall the Campaign, the stories of two special students will still amaze. 

Inder Dhillon 

Inder Dhillon, currently a student pursuing a master’s degree in 

Industrial and Operations Engineering as part of the Engineering 

Global Leadership Honors Program, said that, at Michigan 

Engineering, he’s “developed the analytical and interpersonal skills 

necessary to make a lasting difference as a consultant. I can’t say 

enough about the opportunity to pursue a career in consulting. I’m 

enthused by the constant learning process.” 

The learning process took an unexpected turn during Progress & 

Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign, when his parents, wanting 

him to learn the importance of giving, presented Inder with 

$50,000 to use in a philanthropic manner. Feeling strongly about 

what the College of Engineering had given to him, he used the 

$50,000 to establish the Dhillon-Randhawa Family Educational 

Scholarship Fund. The first scholarship will be awarded in fall 2009. Inder Dhillon 

Jessica with dad, Dr. Dennis Zembala (PhD LSA Phys ’63) 

Jessica Zembala 

When Jessica Lea Zembala (BSE CEE ’93) passed away on April 18, 2003, she left 

behind family, friends and loved ones who wanted to establish a lasting memorial. 

The process began in an unusual manner, with Judy 

Sikes, the mother of Jessica’s fiancé, Allen Sikes, 

putting things in motion. With the support of family 

and friends, they created the Jessica Lea Zembala 

Memorial Scholarship Fund in her memory. 

Jessica and Allen, whom she’d met as a student at 

Michigan Engineering, devoted their time to environmental, 

social and urban issues. As a professional 

engineer with Pape-Dawson, a civil engineering 

firm in San Antonio, Texas, Jessica helped design 

San Antonio’s water reuse pipeline. 

Stephanie Guisbert, the current Jessica Lea 

Zembala Memorial Scholar, is studying structural 

engineering. She said that now she has “more time 

for my studies and extracurriculars, rather than 

working to help out with expenses.” Stephanie Guisbert 


Photo by bob rAmey

MichiganEngineering 

HOMECOMING 

W E E K E N D 

What’s coming in the fall 

2009 issue of Michigan Engineer? 

Michigan Engineering alums fan out around the globe 

doing amazing things. Most find their way into 

industry. Some teach. Some become artists, authors, 

doctors, vintners, archaeologists or any number of things. 

And some become public servants — in government, 

in non-profit organizations, in community action groups, 

in any number of ways. 

Read about those CoE grads 

and their unusual career paths. 

Are You a 

CoE Alum 

in Public Service? 

We’d Like 

to Hear from 

You 

Three Reasons to Attend 

Michigan Engineering 

Homecoming Weekend 

Sept. 24-26, 2009 

www.engin.umich.edu/alumni 

The fall 2009 issue of 

Michigan Engineer will 

feature stories about CoE 

alumni who are working in 

public-service positions. 

If you qualify – or if you 

know someone who does 

and might want to be part 

of our next magazine – 

contact Bill Clayton, editor 

of Michigan Engineer, at 

(734) 647-7089 or 

claytonb@umich.edu 

(with “Public Service 

Alum” in the subject line). 

Stay Connected 

Get Michigan eNews. Our free electronic update 

will keep you tuned in to recent College happenings. 

But first things first: Email us at 

MichiganEngineer@umich.edu and include your 

name, degree(s) and year(s) that you completed 

your studies. 

Check out our homepage. 

There’s a ton of Michigan Engineering info at 

www.engin.umich.edu 

Join us on Facebook. Become a fan. Talk to old 

friends. Find new ones. Tell us what’s going on 

in your life. Join in the fun at 

http://tinyurl.com/FacebookCoE 

Twitter us…it’s a real tweet. And it’s free. We can 

stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent 

answers to one simple question: What are you 

doing? Tweet us. 

We’re at http://twitter.com/UMengineering 

Read the Michigan Engineering Forum. Technology, 

education, research and the world in general 

– they’re all related, so our blog covers everything but 

the kitchen sink. (We might even get around to that, 

someday.) But whatever the topic, we always relate it 

to engineering. Not just Michigan Engineering. 

Access the Online Alumni Directory. Find other 

alums. Update your records. And do it all with the 

online Michigan Engineering Alumni Directory. 

Find out more at www.engin.umich.edu/alumni/info 


1 

2 

3 

Football • Friends • Fun 

and more…much more… 

Starting a Business? There’s more to entrepreneurship 

than having a good idea. Like what? 

Naming your business (more important than you 

might imagine). Finding a space (location, location, 

location). Signing a lease (big stakes in the 

fine print). Insurance (expect the unexpected). 

Tax issues (pay but don’t go broke). Licenses 

(don’t sign your life away). Record keeping (a 

million details, a small staff). Learn that and 

more. Sit in on an Entrepreneurship Hour (listen 

to a notable speaker, presented by the Center 

for Entrepreneurship), followed by a networking 

reception (rub elbows with other current and 

prospective entrepreneurs). It all happens Friday 

afternoon. 

Make It a College-Tour Weekend. A special 

tour on Friday afternoon will enable alumni, 

students and their family members to explore 

campus and Michigan Engineering’s various 

programs. 

From the Class of 59E? Celebrate the 50 

years that have passed since you received your 

diploma. Join your classmates for a trip down 

memory lane. Visit the arch. Share old stories. 

Rekindle friendships. Attend the University-wide 

Emeritus dinner and pin ceremony on Thursday 

night. Wear your pin all weekend.

28 

Environment and Energy 

Gifts to Michigan Engineering over the past eight years are contributing to the pursuit of 

several interdisciplinary initiatives, including environmental studies, energy development 

and the advancement of entrepreneurship. 

The Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute 

The University’s Graham 

Environmental Sustainability 

Institute (GESI) creates 

opportunities and encourages 

collaboration among science, 

policy, engineering and business 

faculty to extend the knowledge 

of, and offer solutions to, 

complex environmental 

sustainability issues. The 

Graham Institute has recognized six areas of research in which theoretical and 

applied knowledge are critical to reaching the goal of environmental sustainability: 

• Energy 

• Freshwater and marine resources 

• Human health and environment 

• Biodiversity and global change 

• Sustainable infrastructure, built environment and manufacturing 

• Environmental policymaking and human behavior 

u 


Read more about GESI and the U-M environmental initiative 

at http://tinyurl.com/coe-gesi 

pHoTo By BoB RaMEy Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute 

u 

Don Graham 

Read more about the MMPEI at 

www.energy.umich.edu/about 

Don Graham (BSE IE ’55, MSE ME ’56), founder of 

The Graham Group, initiated a study in February 

2004 that led to the establishment of GESI. He 

selected the University of Michigan to host 

GESI because of the University’s strength in the 

many disciplines that had to work together to 

formulate a complete sustainability package. 

Read more about Graham on page 42. 

The Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute (MMPEI) creates a 

focal point for energy-related education and four research thrusts: 

• Energy policy, economics and societal impact 

• Carbon-neutral electricity sources 

• Energy storage and utilization 

• Transportation and fuels 

The MMPEI provides a unified voice for the University’s existing 

energy-related research, policy studies and educational activities. The 

College expects the Institute to attract more of the world’s leading 

researchers and help secure funding for research efforts. The MMPEI 

also will enable corporate partners and local governments to take a 

leadership role in developing alternative energy sources. 


pHoTo By SCoTT GaLvIn, 

U-M pHoTo SERvICES 

pHoTo By BoB RaMEy pHoTo By LIn jonES, U-M pHoTo SERvICES pHoTo By BoB RaMEy 

Creating Entrepreneurs 

Center for Entrepreneurship - To enhance entrepreneurial activity, Michigan Engineering 

created the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE), which can help students and other members of the 

U-M community assess ideas and evaluate risks, and provide continuing education, consultation, 

legal advice and connections to potential partners. 

u Read about the CFE at http://cfe.engin.umich.edu 

The Samuel Zell & Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies, 

which is part of the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, collaborates with the CFE to include 

business courses in the Michigan Engineering curricula to help students bridge the gap between 

inventor and venture capitalist. 

u Read about the Institute at www.zli.bus.umich.edu 

The Medical Innovation Center (MIC), a partnership of the College of Engineering, the 

University of Michigan Medical School, the Stephen M. Ross School of Business and other campus 

units, develops innovative ideas and works with entrepreneurial companies to accelerate the 

transformation of promising medical technologies into commercially viable products. 

u Read about the MIC at http://tinyurl.com/mednew 

SoundSpecs, developed by Robert Littrell (MSE ME ’05, PhD ’09), are safety glasses that 

indicate, in real time, when noise levels are high enough to damage hearing. Sound Specs is one of 

many student innovations. 

Mohammed Islam, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and 

Computer Science, teaches “High Tech Entrepreneurship” (EECS 499), in which students 

learn to think entrepreneurially. 

Mpowered is a student organization with nearly 1,000 students who participate in activities 

that foster entrepreneurial interactions among students, faculty, alumni and industry. 

u Read about MPowered at http://mpowered.studentorgs.umich.edu 

Entrepreneurship Hours are a series of weekly lectures about innovative ideas. High- 

profile entrepreneurs speak about different aspects of entrepreneurship. 

u Watch the Entrepreneurship Hours at http://cfe.engin.umich.edu/videos 

Business Engagement Center - The University of Michigan’s new Business 

Engagement Center (BEC) shares space with the recently relocated Office of Technology Transfer. 

The two offices work together to strengthen U-M ties to business and community partners, 

while helping to revitalize and diversify the State of Michigan’s economy. 

u Read about the BEC at www.bec.umich.edu 


30 

In this issue of Michigan Engineer, you’ll notice a new look and feel. 

We want to make the magazine more accessible to all of our readers 

and introduce you to more of our valuable, supplemental online 

content. 

The rapidly changing media landscape and difficult economic 

conditions are challenging all institutions to rethink priorities and 

programs. These 

realities are catalysts 

for improvement to 

every operation. We 

are no different. Our 

magazine makeover 

is just one example. 

Like other college 

administrators, I’m 

deeply concerned 

about how the economic 

crisis will affect 

students, faculty, staff, 

alumni and the very 

infrastructure that’s 

become a birthplace 

for breakthrough 

technology. 

According to the 

biennial report from 

the National Center 

for Public Policy and 

Higher Education, 

the cost of attending 

college is threatening 

to put higher education 

out of reach 

for most Americans. The current economic crisis compounds the 

problem, raising unemployment rates and shrinking – sometimes 

eliminating – the savings that families put aside for college educations. 

Another economic consideration particularly significant for us is 

the Obama administration’s ability to make good on its promise to 

support the development of new technology as an investment in the 

nation’s economic future. What is the plan for long-term funding? 

While these macroeconomic developments occur, the College 

must be persistent in finding innovative ways to meet our ongoing 

commitments to education, research and service. 

Inside you’ll read about the success of our recent Progress and 

DEAN’S View 

From the Dean 

photo by dwight cendrowski 

Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign and the many people and 

institutions that made it possible. We’re celebrating the positive 

impact that the Campaign has had on Michigan Engineering – its 

students and families, faculty and friends. You’ll read about prominent 

alumni, dynamic faculty and intriguing students. 

As a result of this milestone achievement, we’re better positioned 

now – and frankly, better than many of our peers – to tackle 

society’s big challenges. Meanwhile, the College is keeping its eye on 

the ball, being especially prudent in the current economic climate, 

as we continue to build for the future. 

The economy will recover. And Michigan Engineering will be 

well positioned when it does. In the interim, we’ll continue looking 

for new and better ways to solve problems, educate students and 

serve our community. Among our current projects is a review of our 

undergraduate curriculum. Earlier this year, we met with a small 

group of you to solicit some ideas. We have to ensure, based on 

input from alumni like you, we’re preparing our students for the 

modern workplace. And we want to do more to support our alumni. 

For example, the University’s alumni association is offering free 

one-year memberships to expand access to the alumni network and 

a variety of career services, such as a new webpage (www.umalumni. 

com/economicresponse ) focused on the benefits alumni need most, 

right now. These include job postings, career counseling, careerfocused 

podcasts, short-term health benefits, savings and discounts. 

In addition, the site enables employed alumni to help others in the 

Michigan network by volunteering as career mentors and posting 

jobs at their companies. 

We have much to celebrate, some challenges to resolve and much 

we want to do to serve our students and you better. Your input and 

support are most welcome. 

I wish you good reading, good health and good times in the 

summer days ahead. 

David C. Munson, Jr. 

Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering 

Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science 


The Promise 

Water and 

the Environment 

The competition for 

water resources is 

fierce. The issues 

facing the environ- 

ment are stagger- 

University of Michigan 


2230 EECS 



ing and can get 

lost in statistics. 

Putting a human 

face on the 

numbers is particularly 

poignant when talking about 

the environment. For example… Water 

pollution kills 2.2 million people each 

year – that’s the equivalent of wiping out 

the population of Toronto every 365 days. 

About 4.6 million people – the population 

of Los Angeles and Detroit – die each 

year from causes directly attributable to air 

pollution. 

u 

Now that Progress & Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign has come to an 

end, the College of Engineering is poised for future achievement and solidly 

positioned to engage in new, ever larger challenges that, quite literally, could 

determine the future of life on this planet. 

Michigan 

Spring 2007 

E n g i n e e r 

University of Michigan College of Engineering 

Environment 

Preserving the Future, Today 

Read about Michigan Engineering’s 

Environmental Initiative at 

http://tinyurl.com/coe-environ 

Health Engineering 

Cross-disciplinary research at the College 

of Engineering is developing new devices, 

processes and systems for application in 

health problems – “scaffolding” that guides 

the growth of new bone tissue, cochlear 

implants for the hard-of-hearing, nano 

particles that ameliorate disease within individual 

body cells, novel uses of imaging 

techniques in the detection and treatment 

of disease, as well as error-free delivery and 

cost-effective treatments. 

u 

Energy 

The world’s fossil 

fuels aren’t sustainable. 

They load the 

atmosphere with 

carbon, which 

is leading to 

climate change. 

And America’s 

dependence on fossil 

fuels has undesirable geopolitical consequences. 

Yet today’s energy infrastructure 

depends on fossil fuels. So, one of society’s 

top priorities must be to shift away from 

a dominant reliance on fossil fuels and 

make the move to clean, affordable and 

flexible energy resources. 

u 

Read about CoE health engineering 

at http://tinyurl.com/coe-health 

Read about CoE’s approach to 

energy issues at 

http://tinyurl.com/coe-energy 

Education 

For more than 150 years, Michigan 

Engineering faculty have been challenging 

students and helping them develop 

the skills needed to negotiate the hurdles 

they’ll come upon in a rapidly changing, 

increasingly technical world. The College 

has succeeded as an educator for a number 

of reasons. Curricula have been practical, 

flexible and focused. The educational environment 

has reflected 

the diversity of the 

real world. Students 

have had opportunities 

to interface with 

industry in order to 

acquire an appreciation 

for engineering 

that’s applicable to 

real-world problems. 

And the 

College has been innovative in its 

approach to education. 


u 

Michigan 

E n g i n e e r 

Fall Fall 2005 2005 

University University University of of of Michigan Michigan MichiganCollege College College of of of Engineering 

Engineering 

Engineering 

Student Life 

and Learning 

in the 

21 ST Century 

Read about Michigan Engineering 

education at 

http://tinyurl.com/coe-education

32 


Honor Roll 

of Donors 

July 1, 2000 through December 31, 2008 

Gifts of $25 million and above 

Ann Lurie 

Gifts of $10 million to $24,999,999 

General Motors Corporation 

Donald and Ingrid Graham 

The Whitaker Foundation 


Anonymous 

François-Xavier Bagnoud Foundation 

Ford Motor Company 

Peter and Evelyn Fuss 

Joseph M. and Viola M. Geisinger Estate 

Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation 

Intel Corporation 

Jerry W. and Carol L. Levin 

Kevin and Nancy O’Connor 



Altarum 

Anonymous (3) 

Richard A. Auhll 

Carlos R. Bell Estate/Carlos and 

Gloria Wille Bell Trust 

The Boeing Company 

Thomas H. and Polly W. Bredt 

Wilbert H. Budd 

Family of Joseph B. Cejka and Florence V. Cejka 

Wai and Glenda Chang 

Chrysler Corporation 

Thomas L. Clark 

John C. Couch 

Wallace H. Coulter Foundation 

DTE Energy 

EDS 

Vincent and Gloria Gorguze 

John J. Hart Estate 

Verl J. Hawks Trust 

Hewlett-Packard Company 

Jon R. and Beverly S. Holt 


Gifts of $1 million to $4,999,999 contd. 

IBM Corporation 

W. M. Keck Foundation 

Stephen Kemp 

C. Robert Kidder 

James E. Knott Estate 

Thomas Lacchia 

Oskar and Elsie R. Loosme Estates 

Clara E. Mara Estate 

Roger L. McCarthy 

E. Guerrant Menard Estate 

Microsoft Corporation 

Robert M. and Frances Perry 

Joseph E. and Anne P. Rowe 

Shell Oil Company Foundation 

James R. and Judith W. Street 

Rufus S. and Joyce V. Teesdale 

Richard F. and Eleanor A. Towner 

Robert J. Vlasic 

Janine Johnson Weins 

Michael P. Wellman* 

Murray D. and Nannette P. Wikol 

Williamson Family Foundation 

Warren P. Williamson, III 

Gifts of $500,000 to $999,999 

3M 

Alcoa, Inc. 

J. Reid and Pauline V. Anderson 

Anonymous (3) 

Kenneth and Judy Betz 

BP Corporation 

Dr. Vivian L. Carpenter 

Caterpillar, Inc. 

Irwin Chase, Jr. 

Chevron Oil Company 

Cisco Systems, Inc. 

Barton Ballou Cook, Jr. Estate 

Detroit Area Pre-College 

Engineering Program, Inc. 

The Dow Chemical Company 

ExxonMobil Foundation 

Esther L. Haken Estate 

IMRA America, Inc. 

Michael E. Korybalski 

David E. Liddle 

Lockheed Martin Corporation 

Robert and Nancy Martelli 

Sidney and Susan Meier 

Ada M. Mitchell Estate 

Nortel Networks 

Northrop Grumman Space Technology 

The Procter & Gamble Company 

Willogene G. Rice Estate 

Richard D. Snell Estate 

Navdeep S. Sooch 

Doris M. Steffy Trust 

Marilyn Stewart 

Sun Microsystems, Inc. 

Joel D. and Shelley Tauber 

Toyota Motor Corporation 

Westinghouse Foundation 

R. Jamison and Betty J. Williams 

Gifts of $100,000 to $499,999 

Accenture 

Advanced Risc Machines, Ltd. 

Vivek and Sony Agarwal 

Aisin World Corp. of America 

Alcatel-Lucent 

AMD 

American Chemical Society 

American Heart Association, Inc. 

Analog Devices, Inc. 

Emil M. Anderson 

Anonymous (8) 

Applied Materials Inc. 

Helen M. Arens Trust 

AT&T 

Mrs. Robert H. Beeman 

Fletcher Benton 

BHP Billiton 

Seth Bonder* 

BorgWarner, Inc. 

Dale Edward Brandon 

The Burroughs Wellcome Fund 

James D. Butt 

Kenneth W. Cannestra 

The Chiao Tung University Alumni 

Foundation of America 

Thomas and Marilyn Mayer Culpepper 

Ivah L. DaLee Estate 

Paul R. and Elizabeth T. Daugherty 

Robert J. Daverman 

Mitchell E. Davis, M.D. 

DCES Educational Services 

Continued on page 34 

* also a Faculty 

or Staff Charter Donor 

“My engineering education 

at Michigan provided a 

foundation and direction for 

my entire life. I’m 

privileged and honored to 

support Michigan 

Engineering in maintaining 

our nation’s leadership in 

the practical application of 

science to human needs.” 

Bud Williamson 

(BSE EE ’52, MBA ’54) 



“The world and life 

have been mighty 

good to me. And I 

want to put some- 

thing back.” 

Ted Turner 

Gifts of $100,000 to $499,999 contd. 

Dell Computer Corporation 

Delphi 

Gridley Dement 

Matthew and Karen Devine 

Thomas and Barbara Dolan 

Bruce and Stephanie Dorfman 

Eaton Corporation 

Eli Lilly and Company Foundation 

James G. and Carol Ann Fausone 

Victoria S. Favorite 

William N. Findley 

Flint Ink Corporation 

Rosamund M. and Stephen R. Forrest* 

General Electric Company 

Brent LaVerne Godfrey 

James F. Goodrich 

Google, Inc. 

Hubert W. Gouldthorpe 

Guidant Foundation 

Carroll J. and Elaine H. Haas 

George I*. and Mary N. Haddad 

Margaret S. and Hugh C. Higley 

Donald E. Hillier 

Hitachi, Ltd. 

Honeywell 

William F. Hosford* 

Tim and Nancy Howes 

Hughes Network Systems, Inc. 

International Truck and Engine Corporation 

Jagdish C. and Saroj Janveja 

John Deere Foundation 

Arlindo Jorge 

Jack A. Josephson 

Keywell L.L.C. 

Alexander Kirsons Estate 

Wallace K. Klager 

James E. Knox 

Jenny H. Krauss & Otto F. Krauss 

Charitable Foundation 

Helen Anna Kreger 

Arnold M.* and Helen B. Kuethe 

Anthony C. Lembke 

Frederick J. Leonberger 

Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. 

James C. MacBain* 

Scott A. and Geraldine Macomber 

Edward and Mary Jo Maier 

Donald H. and Lucille Malloure 

Joseph and Nancy Malloure 

Richard B. Marsh 

Ralph L. and Helen A. McCormick 

Janice A. McCrath 

The Ronald D. and Regina C. McNeil 

Foundation, Inc. 

Mechanical Dynamics 

Medtronic Inc. 

Mellor Family Foundation 

Mentor Graphics Corporation 

Merck & Co., Inc. 

Monroe-Brown Foundation 

John C. and Sally Morley 

Motorola Foundation and Motorola 

Nalco Company 

National Instruments Corporation 

National Semiconductor Corporation 

Charles A. Nelson Estate 

Thomas and Garretta Newhof 

Nissan Technical Center North America, Inc. 

Paul A. Nordgren 

Ronald P. Nordgren 

Richard D. Oppenheim 

The Orchid Foundation 

The Edward Orton Jr. Ceramic Foundation 

Peter Eddy Parker 

Jacque Passino 

Captain Ralph R. and Florence M. Peachman 

Pfizer, Inc. 

Philips Research 

Phillips Petroleum Company 

POM Group, Inc. 

Gui and C. Cecelia Ponce de Leon 

William F. and Linda S. Powers 

John Ardell Pursley 

Elizabeth Quackenbush 

Qualcomm Incorporated 

Anson G. and Marian Beardslee Raymond 

The Barbara and Richard Raynor 

Medical Foundation 

Otto K. Riegger 

Margaret I. and G. William Richards 

The Riversville Foundation 

Jan and Paul Robertson Jr. 

Richard R. Roemer, Sr. 

Erwin Rohde Estate 

Lester Rosenblatt Estate 

Adnan H. Rukieh and Mary R. Folds 

Samuel I. Russell Estate 

Samsung Electronics Co. 

* also a Faculty or Staff Charter Donor 

34 | SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer

Gifts of $100,000 to $499,999 contd. 

Sandia National Laboratories 

Alda and Leo Schenker 

Schlumberger 

Robert D. Scott* 

Suzanne Sheldon 

Fred T. Shen 

Tsung Ying Shen 

Jack and Elizabeth Shuler 

Siemens 

The Skillman Foundation 

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 

David H. and Doris J. Smith 

Goff Smith 

Henry and Barbara Fenker Smithies 

SRC Education Alliance 

Dr. and Mrs. Monte Stavis 

Julian L. Steffenhagen, Jr. 

Helmut F. Stern 

Barbara and Clinton F. Stimpson III 

Victor L.* and Evelyn H. Streeter 

Takata - Automotive Systems Laboratory, Inc. 

Texas Instruments Inc. and Texas Instruments 

Foundation 

Kristine M. Thomas 

William A. Thompson 

William D. Tibbetts Estate 

Total E&P USA, Inc. 

Robert H. and Marianna Transou 

Frank and Brooke Transue 

Carlton E. Tripp, Sr. Estate 

United Technologies Corporation 

University of Notre Dame 

UPS 

U.S. Department of Energy and Bechtel Hanford, Inc. 

The Van Vlack Family 

Gary L. Verplank 

Jerrold L. Wagener 

H. Carl and Dorothy Walker 

Gary T. Walther 

Tony Kar-Hung Wang 

Bruce M. Wanta 

Marc A. Weiser 

Paul F. Werler 

David and Stephanie Whitford 

John V. Wickey 

Glen C. Wilber Trust 

Xerox The Document Company 

* also a Faculty or Staff Charter Donor 

Robert J. Vlasic – 

Senior Executive, Trusted Adviser 

Robert J. Vlasic (BSE ME ’49) has proved 

that there are many kinds of giving. For 

that, Michigan Engineering will be forever 

grateful. 

Throughout Progress & Promise: 150th 

Anniversary Campaign he demonstrated 

once again that he’s an enthusiastic supporter 

of Michigan Engineering as well as 

an invaluable friend and advisor, imparting 

wisdom born of experience and helping to address important issues. 

During the Design for Impact Campaign – years before Progress 

& Promise: 150th Anniversary Campaign began – he endowed the 

position of Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering, the first endowed 

deanship in any University of Michigan college or school. 

Vlasic, who founded the Vlasic Foods Company and then led 

the Campbell Soup Company, is a long time civic leader and has 

served in key roles at the Cranbrook Educational Community and 

the Henry Ford Health System. 

“Michigan Engineering has a long history of training the 

scientists and engineers who help make this country 

great. We are pleased to do our part to 

ensure that students with the ability to thrive and succeed 

at Michigan have the same opportunity to 

do so as I did.” 

Scott Macomber (BSE EE ’79) 

Scott and Geraldine 

Macomber 


36 

M-Pulse 

Becomes Museum Piece 

M-Pulse, Michigan Engineering’s 2001 solar car, is 

now housed in the Petersen Automotive Museum in 

Los Angeles. M-Pulse won the North American Solar 

Challenge and placed third in the World Solar Challenge. 

U-M Wins Big at 

the 2008 Great Lakes 

Open Judo Tournament 

U-M members of the Ann Arbor YMCA Judo Club had a great 

day at the 2008 Great 

Lakes Open Judo 

Tournament, the premier 

event in this area. 

Michigan Engineers on 

the U-M team showed 

up big time. AOSS 

doctoral student Daniel 

Gershman took third in 

l-r: Thomas Gomez (not U-M affiliated), Taniguchi, 

ruf, oscar Lahoud (U-M Medical School student). 

the intermediate division. 

In the black-belt 

division, Aero doctoral 

student Patrick Trizila placed fifth in his weight class. Sergio 

Duque, an EECS visiting scholar, competed in two weight classes, 

taking third place in one. In pairs kata competition, Chris Ruf 

(professor, AOSS, EECS, SPRL director) and his teammate took 

first place. AOSS doctoral student Shintaro Taniguchi and his 

teammate took second. 

On February 26 and 27, U-M faculty, staff and more than 50 

students descended on San Francisco’s Silicon Valley to meet 

venture capitalists and established entrepreneurs to pitch ideas, 

network, absorb real-world advice and discuss issues that rev up 

entrepreneurial minds. Corporations TIBCO Software and Google 

hosted the contingent, which listened to speakers cover a range of 

topics, from the challenges that start-up companies must consider 

Engin NEWS 

The University of Michigan Solar Car Team was the highest-ranking U.S. team at the 2001 World 

Solar Challenge. 

Safety/Security 

Presentation 

for ENG 101 Students 

With the unfortunate but necessary need to address 

safety/security issues on campus, the Office of Student 

Affairs developed a presentation that educates undergraduate 

students about potential problems and spells 

out how students should behave in the event of an 

emergency. The presentation also talked about the new 

phone system placed in many engineering classrooms, 

and how to evacuate a classroom safely and quickly 

in emergency situations. All ENG 101 students were 

required to attend. 

U-M Entrepreneurs Listen, Learn and Pitch in Silicon Valley 

and overcome, to the issues that entrepreneurial women face in 

raising venture capital. Serial entrepreneurs shared their insights, 

and the much-anticipated Pitch Competitions matched up teams 

of entrepreneurs who had three minutes to present new-business 

ideas. Judges narrowed the field to four teams, each of which then 

pitched its ideas in 30-minute presentations. 


phoTo CoUrTeSy of peTerSen AUToMoTive MUSeUM

Clean Energy Competition Gets Creative Juices Flowing 

Twenty-three teams of students from across and outside 

the University of Michigan competed in the Clean 

Energy Prize Competition, which challenged teams 

from Michigan colleges and universities to develop the 

best business plan for bringing to market a new, clean, 

cost-effective alternative energy technology that people 

of all income levels can afford. Sponsored by DTE 

Energy, U-M, the Masco Corporation Foundation and 

the Kresge Foundation, the competition came down to 

three teams: Algal Scientific Corp., Husk, and Ikanos 

Power. Algal captured the $65,000 first prize with its 

plan to use algae to simultaneously treat wastewater 

and produce raw materials for biofuel. 

u 

Read about the three finalists and their plans 

at http://tinyurl.com/cleantechfinals 

CoE Professor 

Creates Online Textbook 

Suspecting that traditional textbooks weren’t serving 

students well, Perry Samson, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, AOSS, 

created an online textbook that allows students to take notes, 

look up related subject matter and, in general, do everything that 

they’d do with a textbook – if they bothered to open it. However, 

Samson’s online book enables instructors to pose questions before 

class. The book points students to the pertinent text, so they 

come to class prepared or at least with a basic understanding of 

that day’s topic. Professors monitor online activity to see how a 

class fares – before the class meets – and plan their lectures to emphasize 

concepts that most people found confusing. The result: 

students are proving to be more engaged and learning more. 

The Multidisciplinary 

Design Minor 

Undergraduate students enrolled 

in a College of Engineering degree 

program can benefit from practi- 

MULTIDISCIPLINARY 

DESIGN MINOR 

Design. Build. Test. 

cal experience designing technology systems in collaboration 

with students from other disciplines both inside and outside of 

Engineering. That fact led to the creation of the Multidisciplinary 

Design Minor, which requires students to apply their in-depth 

analysis skills to projects that also require broader multidisciplinary 

concepts and approaches. 

The Multidisciplinary Design Minor was made possible by 

support from Ford Motor Company, Northrop Grumman 

Corporation, and Lockheed Martin Corporation. 

Geoff horst, Jeff LeBrun, Bobby Levine and John rice won the Clean energy prize for their business plan, 

which involves using algae to treat wastewater and provide the raw materials for a biofuel. horst is an 

ecology doctoral student at Michigan State University. LeBrun and rice are master’s of business administration 

students at U-M. Levine is a chemical engineering doctoral student at U-M. 

NERS Turns 50 

The Department of Nuclear Engineering 

and Radiological Sciences (NERS) 

celebrated its 50th anniversary in 

November 2008. The College of 

Engineering first offered courses in the discipline 

in 1947 but didn’t establish an official 

department until 1958. U.S. News & World 

Report ranks Michigan’s graduate program 

in nuclear engineering No. 1 in the country. 



nerS exhibits during the anniversary highlighted a broad range of ongoing research, 

attracting those who are well-schooled and those who are still learning. 


phoTo By SCoTT SoderBerG. U-M phoTo ServiCeS 

phoTo By SCoTT SoderBerG, U-M phoTo ServiCeS

38 

Flights of Imagination 

In mid-February 2009, Somali pirates 

looked skyward and saw an odd, small 

aircraft circling their ship. It looked 

harmless. But the unmanned aerial 

vehicle (UAV) carried a camera that 

was sending video footage of the ship 

and its crew to the USS Mahan, a 

destroyer, miles away, monitoring the 

pirates’ movements. Similar UAVs are 

showing up over remote areas, inspecting 

pipelines, monitoring forests for 

fire outbreaks and spotting schools of 

tuna for fishermen. 

UAVs usually run on batteries or 

gas-powered engines that can power a 

craft for one or two hours. Michigan 

Engineering’s SolarBubbles student 

team has done better – much better – designing, building and testing 

UAVs that run on fuel cells or solar cells. A SolarBubbles and 

Adaptive Materials Inc. fuel-cell-powered aircraft recently cruised 

over a field in Milan, Michigan, for more than 10 hours, eclipsing 

the world record for fuel-cell-powered flight time of nine hours held 

by a California engineering firm. 

PHOtO cOUrteSy Of SOLAr BUBBLeS teAm 

Students Patrick Senatore (AOSS graduate student research assistant) 

and Vince Lo Piccolo (Aero undergraduate student) adjust HUI, a 

prototype SolarBubbles solar-powered aircraft. 

The team hopes to build an autonomous, 

solar-powered craft with less 

than a 15-foot wingspan and a flighttime 

of 36-plus hours. 

Nick Rooney, an Aerospace Engineering 

senior and the SolarBubbles 

team leader, said that “undergraduate, 

graduate and even high-school 

students have participated in 

SolarBubbles. A lot of us are aerospace 

engineers, but we have members from 

throughout the College – electrical, 

computer science and mechanical, to 

name a few.” 

The team and its advisers, Aerospace 

Engineering associate professors 

Ella Atkins and Luis Bernal, and 

Arthur F. Thurnau Associate Professor Pete Washabaugh welcome 

anyone who’s motivated, interested and willing to work. 

CoE Student Is NSBE Graduate Student of the Year 

Nicole Campbell has received the National Society of Black Engineers Graduate Student of the 

Year Award. She adds it to a long list of honors that includes Michigan Engineering’s 2008 

Distinguished Leadership Award, the 2008 U-M Martin Luther King, Jr. Spirit Award, the 

National Consortium for Graduate Degrees 2007 “Most Promising PhD Fellow in Science 

Award,” a 2006 National Consortium of Graduate Degrees GEM Fellowship and a 2006 U-M 

Rackham Merit Fellowship… to name just a few. 

ME 

Student 

Outstanding 

Andrew Kneifel, a Mechanical Engineering 

undergrad, has been named 2008 Outstanding Stu- 

dent Engineer of the Year by the Engineering Society 

of Detroit. The award recognizes the undergraduate 

student who has distinguished oneself in the 

engineering and scientific 

communities. 

Student LOG 

u 

Read more about SolarBubbles at 

http://tinyurl.com/solarbubbles 

Another Michigan Engineering 

GEM Fellow 

Industrial and Operations Engineering (IOE) student Rachel Phillips 

has received the GEM Fellowship from the National Consortium 

for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science. 

The Fellowship provides financial support – often the deciding 

factor in pursuing graduate education – and practical experience 

through advanced-level internships. Phillips, who’s pursuing a master’s 

in IOE, shares her professional and educational experiences at 

GEM recruiting events and recommends qualified students to receive 

the fellowship. 


Hicks, Hoops and High Tech 

Veronica Hicks, a second-year undergrad in Industrial and Operations 

Engineering, has more on her mind than equations, labs and 

high technology. Basketball keeps Hicks on her toes, too. She chose 

Michigan Engineering because she’d “always been a math and science 

geek. I want a career that’s both technical and business-oriented 

– I’d like to be a partner of a major corporation one day, as well as 

play professional basketball.” 

Hicks is one of those talented student-athletes who knows what 

she wants – in the classroom and on the hardwood – and always 

manages to be at the top of her game. 

PHOtO By DAryL mArSHke 

Mechanical Engineering Student Makes International Splash 

Evan Quasney, an undergraduate in 

Mechanical Engineering, made quite a 

splash “across the pond,” taking second 

place overall in the first-ever Winnovation, 

an energy/sustainability competition that 

took place in Denmark and was sponsored 

by Vestas, the leading global supplier of 

wind-power solutions. 

The contest started with entrants – 

both engineering and business students 

– making presentations simultaneously in 

different rooms. Judges selected the top six 

business students and top six engineers, 

then paired each engineer with a business 

student to develop a way to store wind 

energy at night for sale during the day. 

Quasney decided to use integrated, highdischarge 

mechanical flywheels; his teammate, 

an MBA student from Columbia 

University, drew up a marketing strategy. 

The effort was good enough to take second 

place. 

Quasney said that the competition 

“really served as an arena to test my energy 

system engineering skills and put my 

coursework to practical use in an academically 

safe environment. My interest in 

energy systems and renewable energy storage 

dovetailed nicely into the focus of the 

Winnovation competition. I saw this 

STUDENT PROFILE: Arnaud Valeille 

A rolling stone gathers no moss. Neither does Arnaud 

Valeille, who, in his three years at the College, earned 

master’s and PhD degrees in Atmospheric, Oceanic and 

Space Sciences, a master’s in Applied Mathematics, and 

a doctorate from Nuclear Engineering and Radiological 

Sciences, and still managed to party four nights a week, 

run a Detroit Marathon and a Hawaiian Ironman, motor 

through 25 states just for kicks, jet to South Africa for 

Thanksgiving, hit the Mardi Gras in New Orleans and join 

the Michigan Snowboard Club for its outing to Canada. 

Valeille, a Paris native who speaks not only French and 

English but German and Japanese, taught himself to ride 

a unicycle. Those who know him well aren’t surprised 

anymore: he’s always finding something new to get 

competition as a chance to try and prove 

myself against students from around the 

world who felt the same way – and I 

believe I did!” 

Indeed he did. Quasney’s showing 

earned him a job with Vestas in production 

engineering and project management. 

He added that his biggest takeaway from 

the competition was that Michigan Engineering’s 

approach to energy systems 

engineering is “head-and-shoulders above 

the rest.” And now the whole world 

knows. 

into. Just as he learned Jiu-Jitsu. Just as he took up juggling. 

Just as he travels whenever he gets the itch. 

He’s a self-described butterfly. “I’m not sure where I’ll 

land next. But I know that, wherever it might be, there’ll 

be new challenges waiting and more interesting people 

to meet.” 

Some are more interesting than others. On his first 

day in Ann Arbor, Valeille went house-hunting, knocking 

on doors, scouring the area. He soon made friends with 

his housemates-to-be and ended up bartending at a 

“chocolate-pudding-fight party.” 

Valeille doesn't know where life might take him, but it’s 

sure to be somewhere new, doing something exciting. 


40 

Blaauw Austin 

Paul Green, 

adjunct associate 

professor, IOE, 

research professor, 

UMTRI, has 

begun his term as 

Green 

president of the 

Human Factors and Ergonomics 

Society. 

Judy Jin, 

associate 

professor, and 

Jing Li, PhD 

graduate, IOE, 

received a best 

Jin 

paper award at 

the 2008 Industrial Engineering 

Research Conference. 

David Blaauw, professor, and Todd 

Austin, associate professor, EECS, 

have received the 2008 Richard 

Newton Gigascale Systems Research 

Center’s annual Industrial Impact 

Award. 

Walter J. Weber, Jr., Gordon M. Fair and Earnest 

Boyce Distinguished University Professor of 

Environmental Science and Engineering, professor, 

ChE, and former Weber PhD student John 

Crittenden of Georgia Institute of Technology, were 

recognized as two of the 100 individuals who most 

Weber 

significantly shaped and influenced the direction of 

chemical engineering in the years following World War II. 

Valeria Bertacco and Ryan 

Eustice, assistant professors, EECS 

and NAME respectively, have been 

honored with Young Investigator 

Awards. Bertacco’s award came 

from the Air Force Office of 

Scientific Research. Eustice’s, from 

the Office of Naval Research. 

El-Sayed Wenisch 

Mohamed E.H. El-Sayed, 

assistant professor, BME, and 

Thomas Wenisch, assistant 

professor, EECS, have received 

the National Science Foundation 

CAREER Award. 

Bertacco Eustice 

Anastasios 

John Hart, 

assistant 

professor, 

ME, and 

MIT architect 

Hart 

Neri Oxman, 

have received the 2008 Holcim 

Next Generation Award for 

Sustainable Construction. 

Christian 

Lastoskie, 

associate 


CEE, BME, 

has received 

Lastoskie 

the 2008 Japan 

Carbon Award for Innovative 

Research. 

Mark 

Ackerman, 

associate 


EECS, has 

been elected 

Ackerman 

to the CHI 

Academy by the Association for 

Computing Machinery’s Special 

Interest Group on Computer- 

Human Interaction. 

Faculty REPORT 

Forrest 

Laird 

Raskin 

Lynch 

New Fellows 

Steve Forrest, U-M vice president for research, 

William Gould Dow Collegiate Professor of Electrical 

Engineering, professor, MSE, has been named a fellow 

of the American Physical Society. 

Sharon Glotzer, professor, ChE, 

MSE, has been named a fellow of 

the National Security Science and 

Engineering Faculty. She also was 

chosen to receive the Charles M. 

A. Stine Award from the American 

Institute of Chemical Engineers. 

Glotzer 

John Laird (BS CCS ’75), John L. 

Tishman Professor of Engineering, 

EECS, has been named a 

Cognitive Science Society Fellow. 

Vijayan Nair, professor, IOE, 

has been elected a fellow of the 

American Society for Quality 

(ASQ). 

Lutgarde Raskin, professor, CEE, Nair 

has been elected a fellow of the 

American Academy of Microbiology. 

Jerry Lynch, assistant professor, CEE, EECS, has 

received the 2009 Shah Family Innovation Prize 

and an NSF CAREER Award. Lynch also led a CoE 

team that, in association with several companies, 

received the 2008 Technology Innovation Program 

Award from the National Institute of Standards and 

Technology. 

Leland Quackenbush, 1920 - 2008 

Leland Quackenbush (BSE ME ’42, MSE ’48), professor emeritus, ME, assistant dean 

emeritus at the College of Engineering, passed away October 6. He returned to Michigan 

Engineering as an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in 

1957. He served as a program advisor and on many of the department’s academic and 

planning committees. Always creative in motivating students, Quackenbush led one class 

to invent an egg-throwing machine that students set up the day before the Ohio State 

game and then charged customers to fire away at a life-size effigy of Woody Hayes. 

He and his wife, Elizabeth, were married for 66 years. A scholarship has been set up 

in his honor at the College. Checks should be made out to “The University of Michigan 

College of Engineering.” The memo line should read: “Emeritus Professor Leland J. 

Quackenbush Memorial Gift.” Mail to U-M College of Engineering, Robert H. Lurie 

Engineering Center, 1221 Beal Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2102, Attn: Bobbie Simson. 

Frank Filisko, 1942 - 2008 

Frank Filisko, a long-time member of the Michigan Engineering faculty, passed 

away on November 11. Filisko joined the Department of Chemical and Metallurgical 

Engineering as an assistant professor in 1970. When the department split into chemical 

and metallurgical branches, he stayed with the Department of Metallurgical Engineering 

(now known as Materials Science and Engineering). Filisko was extremely active in the 

Macromolecular Science and Engineering program from its founding in 1978. He was 

promoted to professor in 1984 and served as MSE’s acting director from 1987 through 

1995. 


Perkins 

CoE Names New Endowed 

and Collegiate Professors 

Endowed Professorships 

Alfred Hero, EECS, BME, has 

been named R. Jamison and Betty 

Williams Professor of Engineering. 

Ian Hiskens, EECS, has been 

named Vennema Professor of 

Engineering. 

Hero 

Jack Hu, ME, associate dean for 

research and graduate education, 

has been named G. Lawton and 

Louise G. Johnson Professor of 


Kamal Sarabandi, EECS, has been 

named Rufus S. Teesdale Professor 


Hu 

Johannes Schwank, ChE, has 

been named James and Judith Street 

Professor of Chemical Engineering. 

Collegiate Professorships 

Michael Bernitsas, NAME, ME, has been named 

Mortimer E. Cooley Collegiate Professor of Naval 

Architecture and Marine Engineering. 

Schwank 

Bernitsas 

Drake 

R. Paul Drake, AOSS, has been 

named Henry S. Carhart Collegiate 

Professor of Atmospheric, Oceanic 

and Space Sciences. 

H.V. Jagadish, EECS, has been 

named Bernard A. Galler Collegiate 

Professor of Electrical Engineering 


Mark Kushner, EECS, has been 

named George I. Haddad Collegiate 

Professor of Electrical Engineering 


Noel Perkins, ME, Arthur F. Thurnau 

Professor, has been named Donald 

Jagadish 

Kushner 

T. Greenwood Collegiate Professor 

of Mechanical Engineering. 

Anthony Waas, AERO, ME, has 

been named Felix W. Pawlowski 

Collegiate Professor of Aerospace 


Waas 

Anna Michalak, CEE, AOSS, 

and Max Shtein, MSE, assistant 

professors, have each received the 

prestigious Presidential Early Career 

Award for Scientists and Engineers. 

Hiskens 

Sarabandi 

Michalak Shtein 

SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer | 

Vikram Gavini, 

assistant professor, 

ME, authored the 

cover article, “Role 

of Macroscopic 

Deformations 

Gavini in Energetics of 

Vacancies in Aluminum,” in the 

November 2008 Physical Review 

Letters. 

Zhuoqing 

Mao, recently 

named Morris 

Wellman Faculty 

Development 

Assistant 

Mao 

Professor, EECS, 

has received a 2009 Alfred P. Sloan 

Foundation Research Fellowship. 

Daryl Kipke, 

professor, BME, 

co-authored 

an article that 

received the 2007 

Outstanding 

Kipke 

Paper Award 

from the IEEE Transactions on 

Neural Systems and Rehabilitation 


Filipi 

Zoran Filipi, 

research professor, 

ME, has been 

selected to 

receive the SAE 

2009 Forest 

R. McFarland 

Award. 

Don Chaffin, G. Lawton and Louise G. Johnson Professor, and the R.G. 

Snyder Distinguished University Professor 

Emeritus, IOE, BME, hasn’t been letting 

any grass grow under his feet. Chaffin’s 

chairing an NAE section and an NRC panel, 

as well as supervising and mentoring 

PhD students, assisting the director of the 

HUMOSIM Consortium, writing papers, 

playing drums in a concert band, chairing 

an architectural and building maintenance 

committee for his condominium 

complex, restoring a 36-year-old motor 

yacht, taking drum lessons and playing 

in the Ypsilanti Community Concert Band. 

Phew! Now, that’s busy! 

Robert 

F. Beck, 

Richard 

B. Couch 

Professor 

of Naval 

Beck 

Architecture 

and Marine Engineering, 

delivered the 31st Weinblum 

Memorial Lecture in 

November 2008 in Hamburg, 

Germany. 

Dragomir 

Radev, 

associate 


EECS, 

has been 

Radev 

named a 

Distinguished Scientist in the 

Association for Computing 

Machinery. 

Peretz 

Friedmann, 

François- 

Xavier 

Bagnoud 

Professor of 

Gavini 

Aerospace 

Engineering, has been selected 

to receive the American 

Institute of Aeronautics 

and Astronautics (AIAA) 

2009 Ashley Award for 

Aeroelasticity. He was also 

named editor-in-chief of the 

AIAA Journal. 

EMERITus FACuLTy PROFILE: 

Chaffin and grandson Cole at 

helm of restored yacht. 

41

42 

By Bill Clayton 

Donald C. Graham (BSE 

IE ’55, MSE ME ’56) has 

enjoyed a career of thriving 

transformation, evolving 

from engineering into the realm of global 

investment. Graham initiated that progression 

by founding the Graham Engineering 

Company in 1960 in the basement of his 

farmhouse in York, Pennsylvania. This 

company expanded dramatically over the 

next decades and, today, consists of investment 

companies and operating interests in 

numerous diverse enterprises. 

His dynamic career is only one part 

of a multi-dimensional life in which he 

developed a passion for advancing environmental 

sustainability. His first exposure 

to environmental issues came more than 

70 years ago. His father, Sam Graham, 

was a professor of economic zoology at 

the University of Michigan. So, becoming 

an advocate for the environment and 

retaining a close association with U-M 

ALUMNUS Who’s Made a Difference 

Donald C. Graham 

Visionary Leader, Friend 

was a natural, as was the establishment of 

the Graham Environmental Sustainability 

Institute. This visionary Institute encourages 

collaboration among science, public 

policy, engineering and business faculty, 

finding ways to integrate economic growth 

with social responsibility. 

Graham expanded his involvement significantly 

at the University of Michigan by 

supporting programs in engineering and 

business, and by promoting the academic 

achievement of student athletes. He has 

been deeply engaged in the President’s 

Advisory Group and the College of Engineering 

National Advisory Committee, 

and was, along with his wife Ingrid (BS 

DES SOA ’57), an honorary co-chair for 

The Michigan Difference. Also active on 

advisory boards at other universities, Graham’s 

activities extend to his service as a 

trustee of the Mpala Foundation in Kenya, 

which supports local community health, 

education and resource management. He 

Graham stands outside the 

laboratories that carry his 

name in the Robert H. Lurie 

Nanofabrication Facility. 

has participated in organizations such as 

the World Business Council, Recycling 

Advisory Council, and Young President’s 

Organization. He created the Graham 

Foundation to advance his philanthropic 

work in educational, environmental and 

cultural issues. 

His extraordinary vision and deeprooted 

commitment to environmental sustainability 

led to trailblazing advances in 

global industry. He created opportunities 

for research collaboration and combined 

his expertise in engineering with his commitment 

to preserving natural resources. 

In the process, he has become an enduring 

influence on the vitality of the planet. For 

those and many other achievements, the 

University of Michigan recently bestowed 

upon Graham the honorary degree, Doctor 


Don Graham has proved, again and 

again, that he’s a true friend of the University 

of Michigan. 


pHoto by MaRtiN VLoet, U-M pHoto seRVices

The Constant Philanthropist 

Goff Smith – 1916 – 2008 

Constancy is only one measure of true friendship. But on 

that count alone, Goff Smith (BSE BA ’38, MBA ’39) 

ranks among Michigan Engineering’s most steadfast 

supporters. With his passing, the College has lost a very 

dear friend. 

For 70 years, Smith’s involvement highlighted an unwavering 

belief in the value of a Michigan Engineering education. “I’ve done 

the best I could,” he once said. “But it’s sure been easy to support 

Michigan with the confidence I’ve had in it. I was simply asked to 

consider opportunities and responded to some good ideas over the 

years.” 

Smith’s maize-and-blue devotion stretched back to the mid- 

1930s, when he left his hometown of Jackson, Tennessee, and went 

north to Ann Arbor. Here, he found people who shaped his life, including 

A.D. Moore, a popular electrical engineering professor who 

“laid it on the line, clearly and emphatically,” and legendary professor 

William Paton, whose introduction 

to accounting Smith credits with helping 

him rise from an Amsted Industries sales 

representative to the Chicago-based manufacturer’s 

chairman and CEO. “(Moore and 

Paton) did a helluva a job with me,” said 

Smith, who later earned a master’s degree 

in industrial management from the Mas- 

sachusetts Institute of Technology. “I felt 

like I got my nickel’s worth (of education) 

every day.” 

Those days were also spent traipsing 

across campus from the old Pretzel Bell to 

the banks of the Huron River with friends 

such as classmate Carl Gerstacker (BSE 

ChE ’38, LLD Hon. ’93), who went on 

to lead Dow Chemical. Smith even made 

smith, one of 

Michigan’s finest supporters, 

was president 

of his senior class in 

1938 and a member of 

sigma chi fraternity. 

friends with renowned football coach and athletic director Fielding 

Yost and his wife, Eunice. 

President of his senior class, Smith was instrumental in creating 

the 1938E Award, given annually in support of an outstanding 

engineering junior faculty member at Michigan Engineering. Smith 

was also a key contributor to the Tauber Manufacturing Institute 

(now the Tauber Institute for Global Operations), endowing one of 

its co-directorships, and he established the Goff Smith Lecture, one 

of Michigan Engineering’s most prestigious honors. 

Smith’s volunteer credentials are equally impressive. In the 

1970s, he served as Chicago-area chair for the Engineering Capital 

SPRING 2009 | MICHIGAN ENGINEER | www.engin.umich.edu/engineer | 

ALUMNUS Moment of Silence 

Campaign and for several years on the University of Michigan’s 

Development Council Board of Directors, including work as chair 

of its Corporations and Foundations Operating Committee. He also 

was a member of the advisory board for the School of Business (now 

the Stephen M. Ross School of Business). Smith was honored for 

his efforts with the University’s Sesquicentennial Award in 1967, a 

Presidential Societies Leadership Medal in 1989, and the College of 

Engineering’s Alumni Society Distinguished Service Award in 2000. 

“Goff Smith responded to Michigan’s needs over and over again,” 

said Dave Munson, Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. “He gave 

of his resources and his time with a consistent belief in the U-M 

that should make the entire University extremely proud. The impact 

of his commitment will be felt here for many years to come.” 

Reflecting on his long affection for the College of Engineering, 

Smith once said, “There are so many great things about it that I’d 

be an idiot to try and pick just one. I couldn’t appreciate anything 

more than I appreciate Michigan.” 

Article adapted from “The Constant Philanthropist,” which appeared in 

Leaders & Best, spring 2008. 

43

44 

Aerospace Engineering 

Dick Yeung (BSE AERO ’60, MSE ’61) 

Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences 

Brian Heikes (BS AOSS ’76, MS ’78, PhD ’84) 

Biomedical Engineering 

James W. Albers (BSE EE ’65, MS BioEng ’66, 

PhD ’70) 

Chemical Engineering 

Diane T. Finegood (BSE ChE ’78) 

Michigan Engineering 2008 Alumni Society Awards 

Alumni shared memories and enjoyed activities throughout Alumni Weekend 2008 

and, as always, the highlight of the weekend was the Alumni Society Awards Dinner, which honored 

those alumni who personify Michigan Engineering’s tradition of excellence and who have achieved 

significant accomplishments in their professional lives. 

John Seely Brown (PhD CompSci ’72) has revolutionized 

the vision and application of technology’s role in 

society. His research has spanned organizational learning, 

complex adaptive systems, ubiquitous computing, digital 

culture and more. During the mid-1980s, he was the director 

of the pioneering Xerox Palo Alto Research Center 

(PARC) and, later, chief scientist at Xerox Corporation. 

At PARC, he expanded the field of user interfaces and 

Edward E. Moon (BSE ME ’47) has made significant 

contributions to the College of Engineering. As chair 

of the Class of 1947E for more than 15 years, he has 

organized the Emeritus-year celebration, as well as other 

five-year class reunions. Moon has led members in raising 

Diane Kewley-Port (BSE SE ’64) begins 

her term as vice-president of the Acoustical 

Society of America in July 2009. 

Robert McGrath (BSE SC ’72, MA E SC 

’75, PhD) has joined Battelle Memorial 

Institute as a member of its Global Laboratory 

operations leadership team. 

Alumni Society Medal 

Recent Engineering Graduate Award 

Shawn J. Ward (BSE ME ’96) ) is president, chief executive 

officer and co-founder of SHANE&SHAWN, an 

innovative lifestyle company that creates footwear and accessories 

that combine fashion with function. Launched 

in 2003, the brand is carried in retailers such as Macy’s, 

Alum NOTES 

Distinguished Service Award 

user-centered design by exploring how a broader social 

context of technology could transform the workplace 

and social life. This helped to shape three movements – 

social computing, pervasive computing and knowledge 

management. Currently, he’s co-chairman of the Center 

for Edge Innovation at Deloitte LLP, and advisor to 

the provost and visiting scholar at the University of 

Southern California. 

Nordstrom, Zappos.com and Amazon.com. Shawn’s 

brand has appeared on NBC’s “Access Hollywood,” 

CNBC’s “The Big Idea” with Donny Deutsch, “The 

View” and the cover of Black Enterprise. 

more than $300,000 for two campus icons: the Class 

of 1947E Reflecting Pool and “Fred’s Fountain.” 

Additionally, Moon has helped the Class achieve the 

rare feat of a second gift, raising more than $300,000 

for the Class of 1947E Scholarship. 

Alumni Society Merit Award Recipients 

Departmental committees selected the following individuals to receive Merit Awards 

in recognition of significant accomplishments in their professional lives. 

Civil and Environmental Engineering 

Frank M. Transue (BSE CEE ’64, MSE ’66) 

Electrical and Computer Engineering 

Mehdi Hatamian (MSE ECE ’78, PhD ’82) 

Computer Science and Engineering 

Randal E. Bryant (BSE AM ’73) 

Industrial and Operations Engineering 

Kedrick Adkins (BSE IOE ’74) 

John Santini (BSE ChE ’94) has been 

named by Popular Science magazine as 

a member of the 2008 class of “young 

geniuses shaping the future of science.” 

Paul Podsiadlo (BS ChE ’02, MSE ’06, 

PhD ’08) was the winner of the 2008 

Collegiate Inventors Competition in the 

graduate category. His invention, “plastic 

Mechanical Engineering 

David E. Cole (BSE ME ’60, BSE M ’60, MSE ’61, 

PhD ’66) 

Materials Science and Engineering 

Kevin Hann Chang (MSE MSE ’85, PhD ’89) 

Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering 

Bruce S. Rosenblatt (BS NAME ’83) 

Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences 

Donald L. Cook (BSE NERS ’70) 

steel,” was based on his doctoral research 

with Professor Nick Kotov on ultra-strong 

nanostructured composites. 

u 

Brown 

Moon 

Read more Alum NOTES at 

http://tinyurl.com/alum09S 


Ward 

phOtOS By dWIght CENdROWSkI

’32 Byron C. Coats 3/9/2008 

’34 Joseph B. VanOrden 10/8/2008 

’35 Ralph Ernest Edwards 4/2/2008 

’36 Lt. Col. Robert F. Bowker 3/22/2008 

’36 James Crane 1/29/2008 

’36 Reeve R. Hastings 11/26/2008 

’36 Robert B. Waters 2/26/2008 

’36 Max Wender 8/21/2008 

’36 Robert M. Wopat 7/12/2008 

’37 Jerry Caward Barker 8/31/2008 

’37 John C. Duffendack, Jr. 8/8/2008 

’37 Hillard A. Sutin 10/12/2008 

’38 Dr. Jack Fribley Cline 8/17/2008 

’38 Irving P. Golden 5/24/2008 

’38 Goff Smith 12/8/2008 

’39 Robert G. Hahl 8/29/2008 

’39 Anand M. Kelkar 3/13/2008 

’39 Curtis Kelly 9/3/2008 

’39 Charles C. Patton 2/15/2008 

’40 Robert H. Jeffers 4/9/2008 

’40 William A. Kavanaugh 11/16/2008 

’40 Charles F. Kraut 8/17/2008 

’40 Fred Laviolette 10/27/2008 

’40 Harry W. Reed, Jr. 10/8/2008 

’40 Albert G. Richards 9/6/2008 

’40 David D. Wood 1/6/2008 

’41 George W. Gotfredsen 7/12/2008 

’41 Gilbert Samuelson, Jr. 11/1/2008 

’41 Robert D. VanCampen 11/7/2008 

’42 Melvin R. Colvin 4/20/2008 

’42 Raymond J. Green 10/23/2008 

’42 James H. Price 10/29/2008 

’42 Prof. Leland J. Quackenbush 10/6/2008 

’42 Gordon G. Ryther 8/18/2008 

’42 Robert A. Weinberger 6/18/2008 

’43 Bryce W. Broughton 10/21/2008 

’43 Gene D. Davis 9/22/2008 

’43 Thaine W. Reynolds 9/24/2008 

’43 Samuel J. Rupert 10/12/2008 

’44 Oscar L. Olson, Jr. 7/18/2008 

’45 George Aronowitz 2/18/2008 

’45 William C. Behrens 8/18/2008 

’45 William L. Culligan, Jr. 9/25/2008 

’45 Roger Styles Lewis 9/2/2008 

’45 John William Rockwell 9/7/2008 

’45 Thomas B. Walker 10/19/2008 

’46 James Ernest Cox 1/29/2008 

’46 William R. Hamilton 9/27/2008 

’46 John H. Johnson 10/3/2008 

’46 Robert H. Krieger 6/18/2008 

’46 Lewis W. Long 5/13/2008 

’46 Merrill Jos. Whitman 10/16/2008 

’47 John E. Bodkin 2/7/2008 

’47 Melvin L. Detwiler 4/17/2008 

’47 Leonard A. Duval 9/22/2008 

’47 Harold F. Gallagher 10/17/2008 

’47 Richard Carl Gelhaar 8/7/2008 

’47 Dr. August R. Hanson 6/18/2008 

’47 Alvin E. Jacobson, Jr. 10/16/2008 

’47 Roger Paul Johnson 3/22/2008 

’47 Allen Dexter Lewis 12/15/2008 

’47 Shepherd Lippa 5/11/2008 

’47 William L. Sherwood 8/18/2008 

’47 Richard Paul Shryock 2/20/2008 

’47 Richard G. Widman 11/22/2008 

’48 Ralph G. Bauer 10/17/2008 

’48 William W. Hayduk 11/29/2008 

In MEMORIAM 

’48 Robert C. Lee 2/3/2008 

’48 Capt. William G. Milner 12/7/2008 

’48 Mervin K. Moon 9/30/2008 

’48 Leland A. Pickett 8/22/2008 

’48 John M. Rosso 9/17/2008 

’48 George Vandesande 11/27/2008 

’49 David H. Clark 10/30/2008 

’49 Lloyd O. Crabtree 11/30/2008 

’49 Robert C. Guss 10/16/2008 

’49 Donald Rae Hudson 6/14/2008 

’49 Dr. Thomas S. Lough 10/11/2008 

’49 Lawrence E. Maisel 11/17/2008 

’49 Charles F. North 10/3/2008 

’49 Randall R. Rockwood 9/7/2008 

’49 Thaddeus J. Staniewicz 3/14/2008 

’50 Clark Ernst Allardt 4/15/2008 

’50 Edwin Joseph Dudka 3/7/2008 

’50 Henry D. Gaggstatter, Jr. 9/12/2008 

’50 James L. Glidden 9/15/2008 

’50 Franklin J. Kammeraad 10/26/2008 

’50 John R. Kruse, Jr. 10/6/2008 

’50 John C. Louie 12/11/2008 

’50 Henry Loring Newnan, Jr. 9/25/2008 

’50 Raymond E. Poterack 9/30/2008 

’50 Raymond J. Schultz 9/17/2008 

’50 Robert Allen Tracy 4/26/2008 

’50 Dan Henry Walters 3/2/2008 

’50 Donald C. Young, Jr. 8/7/2008 

’50 Stanley E. Ziaja 9/25/2008 

’51 Lawrence F. Calahan 9/23/2008 

’51 James A. Chipman 10/21/2008 

’51 Philip Genser 3/2/2008 

’51 David M. Hammock 1/3/2008 

’51 Robert Dan Jeska 1/10/2008 

’51 Steve C. Mulle 3/9/2008 

’51 John M. Ryken 10/7/2008 

’51 Dr. Alvin S. Weinstein 8/23/2008 

’52 Donald R. McVittie 1/20/2008 

’52 Charles H. Meyers 10/13/2008 

’52 Mark Jerome Pincus 9/8/2008 

’53 Dr. Bruce G. Bray 9/8/2008 

’53 Lou C. Creith, Jr. 10/7/2008 

’54 Raymond A. Gallant 10/8/2008 

’54 Horace S. Jeffrey 5/22/2008 

’55 Edward C. Peter II 11/12/2008 

’55 Roy Neil Wetterholt 4/27/2008 

’56 Robert A. Carlsen 4/11/2008 

’56 Roy David Hajek 5/12/2008 

’56 Tillman C. Oliver 3/15/2008 

’57 David Bruce Cherry 8/15/2008 

’57 Ronald A. De Cicco 9/6/2008 

’57 Roger G. Kline 10/30/2008 

’58 Shu-Yun Chan 10/5/2008 

’59 Frederick R. Channon 11/7/2008 

’59 Conrad S. Fenick 11/26/2008 

’59 R. Thomas Jones, Jr. 3/15/2008 

’59 George L. Wang 3/24/2008 

’59 S. Robert Ward 1/26/2008 

’60 Kendall J. Beerthuis 11/28/2008 

’60 John S. Briggs 10/14/2008 

’60 Beulah A. Dickason 11/1/2008 

’60 Charles R. Domeck 3/21/2008 

’60 Charles F. Hammerslag 8/18/2008 

’60 Harold Lombard 5/2/2008 

’60 Donald M. Ludlow 5/24/2008 

’60 Donald Elmer Lull 1/7/2008 

’60 Theodore J. Pletcher 5/23/2008 

’61 Jon Buyan 2/7/2008 

’61 Donald F. Dame 12/15/2008 

’61 David L. Dumond 9/8/2008 

’61 Bertram Herzog 7/11/2008 

’61 Eddie W. Levijoki 4/3/2008 

’61 Roger Ernest May 1/9/2008 

’61 George H. Milly 2/21/2008 

’62 Chin Hao Chang 2/24/2008 

’62 Duane R. Dice 8/26/2008 

’62 Gordon Feltman 1/29/2008 

’62 David R. Jenkins 3/7/2008 

’62 John L. Mansfield 4/14/2008 

’62 Alton Joseph Massie 1/8/2008 

’62 Thomas J. Negrelli 5/10/2008 

’62 Jack J. Schwem 10/11/2008 

’62 Dennis Hayes Sponseller 6/6/2008 

’62 William Sutar 4/12/2008 

’63 Ronald Bellaire 7/4/2008 

’63 Alfred D. Bodnar 10/16/2008 

’63 Paris Genalis 6/30/2008 

’63 Irving W. Rozian 10/28/2008 

’64 James Omer McDermott, Jr. 8/12/2008 

’64 William W. Redmond 5/17/2008 

’64 Mahlon C. Smith 5/30/2008 

’64 William S. Warren 6/3/2008 

’65 Richard R. Bayles 5/20/2008 

’65 James Carney Gregory 1/28/2008 

’65 Edwin C. Sage III 1/26/2008 

’65 Ronald K. Ziegler 11/4/2008 

’66 Gerald E. Bernier 6/14/2008 

’66 Daniel G. Colwell 8/20/2008 

’66 Louis C. Dye, Jr. 8/26/2008 

’66 John A. Fiebelkorn 5/22/2008 

’66 Carl M. Sneed 3/14/2008 

’66 Charles Y. Warner 11/8/2008 

’66 Chi Yuan 7/24/2008 

’67 James C. Brossier 8/11/2008 

’67 Hugh C. Higley, Jr. 7/12/2008 

’67 Wayne K. Lehto 7/12/2008 

’67 Charles C. Perry 10/21/2008 

’67 Robert J. Sanford 7/21/2008 

’67 Clare E. Wilson III 5/27/2008 

’68 David Lee Burt 8/19/2008 

’69 Carroll J. Haas II 6/19/2008 

’69 Bruce W. Temple 12/6/2008 

’70 Charles W. Dietrich 2/16/2008 

’70 Jerry L. Earl 4/13/2008 

’70 Martin Henry Foess 11/27/2008 

’70 James John Hosler 3/23/2008 

’70 Joe L. Menger 2/15/2008 

’71 Edward Dennis Rafalko 6/13/2008 

’71 Andrew James Taylor 12/13/2008 

’73 Norman D. Best 5/12/2008 

’73 Dyer Thomas Lennox 3/12/2008 

’74 Kenneth K. N. Chao 8/12/2008 

’75 Frank Borik 9/2/2008 

’75 George W. Cooper 8/20/2008 

’75 R. Neil Massey, P.E. 5/21/2008 

’75 Philip B. Vandernaald 8/26/2008 

’76 Richard L. Peterson 8/14/2008 

’85 Patricia A. Battey 10/1/2008 

’89 Gordon V. Hugo 3/6/2008 

’89 Gregory B. Knotek 6/5/2008 

’91 Robert J. Gagnon 1/26/2008 

’91 Deborah A. Land 1/30/2008 

’93 Timothy A. Himmelspach 10/5/2008 




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