School of Engineering Embarks on First Hong Kong Student Exchange

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Robert Burns Receives
2007 <strong>Engineering</strong> Award
In honor <strong>of</strong> his outstanding achievements in the
field <strong>of</strong> engineering, Robert (Bob) Burns, B.M.E.
1951, received the 2007 <strong>Engineering</strong> Distinguished
Alumni Award at the October 2007 homecoming
luncheon. Accepting on his behalf was Burns’ son,
Matt Burns, B.E.E. 1980. More than 80 students,
faculty, alumni, administrators and staff were on
hand at the October 2007 homecoming luncheon,
where Dean Nguyen presented the plaque following
brief remarks by Provost James Brennan.
Sixty years ago, in 1947, Robert Burns returned
home from serving in World War II, and enrolled
in engineering classes at CUA on the GI Bill. He
graduated with a Bachelor <strong>of</strong> Mechanical
<strong>Engineering</strong> degree in 1951 and worked for an
engineering firm in Washington, D.C. opening a
branch <strong>of</strong>fice in Philadelphia, where the company
was working on a project for the airport. When
the project was completed, Burns stayed to
start his own firm in Philadelphia: Robert C.
Burns Associates.
Under his leadership, Robert C. Burns Associates
provided mechanical, electrical and plumbing
engineering services. He developed expertise in
airfield lighting systems, for which he gained
international recognition. In 1972 he received an
<strong>Engineering</strong> Achievement Award from the American
Council <strong>of</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> Companies for the design
<strong>of</strong> an in-pavement airfield lighting system. Today
the firm, now called Burns <strong>Engineering</strong>, Inc. is run
by his sons Matt and John, and continues to thrive.
Burns was a founding member <strong>of</strong> the Consulting
Engineers Council <strong>of</strong> Philadelphia and has taken
the city’s history to heart. As host committee cochairman
for the 1981 ACEC National Convention,
Burns dressed up like Ben Franklin to greet engineers
visiting Philadelphia. He served on the City
<strong>of</strong> Philadelphia’s Electrical Code Advisory Board, as
well as the American Arbitration Association. He is
a member <strong>of</strong> several pr<strong>of</strong>essional organizations,
including the Pennsylvania Society <strong>of</strong> Pr<strong>of</strong>essional
Engineers, the Illuminating <strong>Engineering</strong> Society;
Matthew Burns, son <strong>of</strong> Robert Burns
and the American Society <strong>of</strong> Heating, Refrigeration
and Air Conditioning. Burns is a pr<strong>of</strong>essional engineer,
registered in Pennsylvania and 23 other
states. He retired in 1991 and currently resides in
Media, Delaware County, Pa., with his wife,
Betty. Mr. and Mrs. Burns have four sons —
three <strong>of</strong> whom are electrical engineers from
CUA — and eight grandchildren.
Vietnamese Students Arrived at CUA for 2+2 Program
The 2+2 program between the CUA <strong>School</strong>
opinion after being at CUA for a year, the
<strong>of</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> and the International
Vietnamese students expressed their happiness
with the size <strong>of</strong> CUA, particularly in
University <strong>of</strong> the Vietnam National
University-Ho Chi Minh City had a good
terms <strong>of</strong> student-faculty interaction, small
start. After the Undergraduate Board <strong>of</strong> the
class size and personal attention. In addition,
CUA Academic Senate approved the proposed
2+2 program in May 2007, an
facilities and engineering curricular that
they were impressed by the laboratory
agreement was <strong>of</strong>ficially signed by the two
emphasize design and experiments versus
institutions. Students who participate in this
the theoretical emphasis <strong>of</strong> the curriculum
2+2 program spend the first two years at
at HCMIU. “The students here at CUA can
HCMIU and the last two years <strong>of</strong> their bachelor’s
degree program at CUA. As a result <strong>of</strong>
pared to my university. They are very helpful
access more easily to pr<strong>of</strong>essors as com-
the agreement, three Vietnamese students
and friendly…The CUA campus is so big
arrived at CUA in September 2007. Despite
and beautiful,” said Thang Hoang. Trang
its modest size, this group <strong>of</strong> students
Dinh added, “The university and the dean’s
From left: Du Le, Trang Dinh, Thang Hoang
made history at the <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong>
<strong>of</strong>fice really helped us a lot to adapt to the
because it was the first-ever group <strong>of</strong> students
who transferred to CUA together as a group from a foreign institution better. We have a chance to practice by doing many class projects that deal with
new life here. The program at CUA is a lot
thanks to a 2+2 program.
real world problems.” All these positive comments in no way implied that
Du V. Le and Thang Hoang major in biomedical engineering and electrical everything was perfect. The students initially encountered issues adapting to
engineering, respectively, while Trang Dinh studies electrical engineering. life in the United States, registering for courses, transferring credits, and
Despite some initial difficulties with the English language, all transfer students finding <strong>of</strong>f-campus housing. The <strong>School</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Engineering</strong> has conducted a
managed to be on the dean’s list for both semesters <strong>of</strong> the 2007-2008 survey with the transfer students whose feedback will be used to improve
academic year by earning a grade point average <strong>of</strong> over 3.5. Asked for their the 2+2 program to better serve the students coming to CUA in the future.
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