2011 Spring - WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources ...

Message from the DeanDear Friends:“By 2020, West Virginia University will grow in nationalresearch prominence, thereby enhancing educationalattainment, global engagement, diversity, and the vitalityand well-being of the people of West Virginia.”positions will work in partnership with colleagues in othercolleges across the University campus in an effort tofoster creative activity and innovation in several areas,including energy and bioengineering.Spring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV2The mission of the WVU College ofEngineering and Mineral Resourcesis to prepare students to practicetheir profession and to contributeto the well-being of societythrough academic study, research,extension, and service.This vision statement, taken from the 2020 StrategicPlan for the Future as outlined by WVU President JamesP. Clements, Ph.D., in January 2011, sets the stagefor an exciting time in the future of the University andthe College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Thegoals of the strategic plan, especially as they relate toresearch activities in the STEM disciplines (science,technology, engineering, mathematics), innovation,mentorship, and partnership are hallmarks of the College.In this issue of EngineeringWV, you will see howresearchers in biometrics are working in partnershipwith institutions across the country to help secure ourborders. Innovative modeling techniques developed atWVU using artificial intelligence and data mining arehelping drilling companies optimize production from theMarcellus shale. And the research done as part of theCollege’s partnership with NASA through the Centerfor the Robotic Servicing of Orbital Space Assets willhelp support future Goddard Space Flight-related spaceexploration issues.While we are proud of our achievements, there is stillmuch to be done.As part of the 2020 Strategic Plan, WVU will fund30 new tenure track faculty positions next year instrategically placed research areas. We are awaiting wordon what we hope will be a number of these positionsbeing awarded to the College. Many of our proposedThis influx of new faculty brings vibrancy to the College.Two examples of this vibrancy, Drs. David Klinke andBrian Anderson, assistant professors of chemicalengineering, are featured in this issue. Klinke is therecipient of a CAREER award from the National ScienceFoundation (NSF), which is given to junior facultywho exemplify the role of teacher-scholars. Andersonwas selected to participate in a national symposiumfocused on ways to ensure students learn engineeringfundamentals. WVU received a $3.2 million grant fromthe NSF ADVANCE Program last fall to help increase thenumber of women in the STEM disciplines. CEMR is anactive participant in this initiative.Our number one goal remains unchanged: to engageundergraduate, graduate, and professional students ina challenging educational and research environment.Kerri Phillips, Zack Mayes, Eric Jobe, and Andrew Garrettare but a few examples of the quality of student beingeducated by our faculty. They will soon become CEMRalumni who are among the nation’s leaders in careerreadiness. Someday, we hope they will return to campuslike Bret Marks, William Poundstone, William McCartney,Jon Hammock, Jon McBride, and others to share theirexperiences with our students.Eugene V. Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean and Professor

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESFEATURESCOntentsNews from the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources4 Researchers Use Artificial Intelligence toOptimize Marcellus Shale Production8 next Level ... Boeing’s New Super HornetInternational Roadmap Expands theCapability Spectrum12 wvU and NASA Partner to Provide Economicand Educational Opportunities13 chinese Delegation Visits WVU to StudyMine Safetypage 223 nationally Recognized Diversity ExpertDelivers Hiner LectureIN EVERY ISSUEDEAN’S MESSAGEFACULTY/RESEARCH NEWSACCOLADESCOLLEGE NEWSALUMNI NEWSSUPPORTpage 13ON COVER / A robotic arm, equipped with vision and touch sensors, can positionitself independently to grapple and dock with a satellite, allowing for refueling andrepair. The research is being performed at the WVU Robotics Center as part ofNASA’s Space Servicing Capabilities Project.SPRING 2011Dean and Publisher / Eugene V. Cilentogene.cilento@mail.wvu.edu / 304.293.4157Editor / Mary C. Dillon / mary.dillon@mail.wvu.eduContributing Writers / Lindsay Bailey / Philip Carder / Betty Mei /Cate Mihelic / Deborah Miller / Nicole RigglemanMagazine Design Coordinator / J. Paige NesbitAddressWVU College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesDevelopment Office / PO Box 6070 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6070www.cemr.wvu.eduChange of AddressWVU Foundation / PO Box 1650Morgantown, WV 26504-1650Fax: 304.284.4001 / e-mail: info@wvuf.orgwww.mountaineerconnection.comEngineering West Virginia is published twice each year, in spring and fall, for the alumni,friends, and other supporters of the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.Copyright ©2011 by the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Brief excerptsof articles in this publication may be reprinted without a request for permission if EngineeringWest Virginia is acknowledged in print as the source. Contact the Editor for permission toreprint entire articles.West Virginia University is governed by the WVU Board of Governors and the West VirginiaHigher Education Policy Commission. WVU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.page 21page 26Volume 7 Issue 11

Faculty ReseaRChResearchers use artificialoptimize Marcellus shaleproductionBy Mary C. DillonThe Marcellus shale, an immense stretch of rock that runs deepunderground through parts of Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and WestVirginia, is rich in natural gas. Scientists have known about the formationfor a long time, but it wasn’t until recently that they realized it couldbe one of the largest-known natural gas fields in the world. A grant for$353,934 from the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) will enable researcherswith West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and MineralResources to use data-intensive science to optimize gas production inthe region.Dr. Shahab Mohaghegh, a professor inWVU’s Department of Petroleum and NaturalGas Engineering, is leading a team ofresearchers in applying the latest technologyto reservoir modeling. Mohaghegh isa pioneer in the application of artificialintelligence and data mining (AI&DM) in thepetroleum industry.Spring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV“Traditionally, in order to increase productionDr. Shahab Mohagheghyou would build a predictive reservoir modelusing conventional technology,” Mohaghegh said. “The technology weare using is new and unconventional. It is not based on physics andmathematics, but on ‘top-down’ modeling.”Conventional reservoir simulation and modeling is a bottom-up approach.It starts with building a geological model of the reservoir that is populatedwith the best petrophysical and geophysical information available at thetime of development. Engineering fluid flow principles are then addedand solved numerically to arrive at a dynamic reservoir model. Themodel is calibrated using the production history of multiple wells, and thehistory-matched model is used to strategize field development in order toimprove recovery.4

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESintelligence toAlums named toMarcellus task forceAccording to Mohaghegh, top-down, intelligent reservoir modelingapproaches the reservoir simulation and modeling from the oppositeangle. It integrates traditional reservoir engineering analysis with AI&DMtechnology to generate a full-field model. Using this new technologyleads to savings of both time and research resources to obtain accuratepredictive models. Over time, more wells and more historical dataenhance the results of the model.“This is very new technology that has been extensively and exclusivelyused here at WVU,” Mohaghegh said. “People in the industry are quiteinterested to see how our research in this area progresses.”GTI is a nonprofit organization with more than 65 years of experience inthe development and deployment of technology solutions that contributeto a secure, abundant, and affordable energy future. GTI programshave resulted in nearly 500 products, 750 licenses and more than 1,200associated patents.Funding for the project is provided through the Ultra-Deepwater andUnconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum Resources Researchand Development Program, authorized by the Energy Policy Act of2005. This program—funded from lease bonuses and royalties paid byindustry to produce oil and gas on federal lands—is specifically designedto increase supply and reduce costs to consumers while enhancingthe global leadership position of the United States in energy technologythrough the development of domestic intellectual capital.The Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) isunder contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National EnergyTechnology Laboratory to administer several elements of the program.RPSEA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium with more than 180members, including 22 of the nation’s premier research universities, sixnational laboratories, other major research institutions, large and smallenergy producers, and energy consumers. The mission of RPSEA,headquartered in Sugar Land, Texas, is to provide a stewardship rolein ensuring the focused research, development and deployment of safeand environmentally responsible technology that can effectively deliverhydrocarbons from domestic resources to the citizens of the UnitedStates. Additional information can be found at www.rpsea.org.•Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin recentlyannounced the formation of a Marcellusto Manufacturing Task Force. The taskforce will research and develop potentialeconomic development opportunitiesrelated to Marcellus shale and natural gasbyproducts such as ethane and ethylene.The 12-member task force includes threealums of the College of Engineering andMineral Resources: Greg Babe, presidentand CEO of Bayer Corporation and BayerMaterials Science LLC; Kevin DiGregorio,executive director, Chemical Alliance ZoneWest Virginia; and Michael John, presidentand CEO, Northeast Natural Energy.The task force has been asked to researchand analyze the feasibility of convertingethane to ethylene using thermal or steamcracking; identify potential private-sectorcompanies that specialize in constructingand operating thermal or steam crackersand develop strategies on how to attractsuch companies; and locate existinginfrastructure in the state, includingpipelines and storage facilities, which maybe upgraded to be used in conjunction withmanufacturing processes associated withethane, ethylene, and other natural gasbyproducts.Volume 7 Issue 15

Faculty ReseaRChSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV6WVU’s Klinke earnsNational ScienceFoundation CAREERawardAward to Support FundamentalResearch Toward Understanding howCancer Cells Resist Targeted TherapyBy Mary C. DillonDr. David KlinkeMonoclonal antibody drugs and natural killer cells pack a one-two punch in the fight againstcancer. But sometimes, cancer cells escape the therapeutic action of these antibodies. A$416,483 Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National ScienceFoundation (NSF) will allow West Virginia University’s Dr. David J. Klinke to help determine whysome cancer cells resist these targeted therapies.Klinke, an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering andMineral Resources, is hoping the fruits of his research can improve therapies for cancer, adisease that kills one in three in developed countries.A monoclonal antibody is produced naturally by the body but can also be engineeredcommercially to attach itself to specific molecules displayed on the surface in cancer cells. Bylabeling the cancer cells, they attract natural killer cells, the body’s natural first line of defensein attacking tumors and virally infected cells, to do their job. “The emergence of resistance totargeted therapies is an increasing, and poorly understood, problem” said Klinke. “Withouta better understanding of how cancer cells resist the action of molecular targeted therapies,designing effective treatments will remain limited.”According to Klinke, the underlying idea he aims to test is that cancer cells fight back; theysecrete biochemical signals that interfere with how natural killer cells recognize and destroycancer cells that monoclonal antibodies have labeled. His research, using aspects of cellularengineering, immunology, cancer biology, and computationally intensive model-basedinference, will attempt to understand this “cross-talk” between cancer cells and naturalkiller cells. Klinke is an expert in the emerging field of systems biology, a field that integratesmathematical modeling with experimental study to better understand biological systems.“Model-based inference is the process of encoding our prior knowledge of how cells interpretbiochemical signals in the form of a mathematical model,” said Klinke. “We then update ourknowledge by testing whether our prior knowledge is consistent with the experimental data.”The CAREER Program offers the NSF’s most prestigious awards in support of junior facultywho exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education,and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of theirorganizations.Klinke is affiliated with the Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cell Biology andthe Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center at WVU’s School of Medicine. He has authored 30publications and holds two patents.•WVU researcherpart of teamthat correctlyestimates Gulfoil spill numbersThe efforts of a researcher in West VirginiaUniversity’s College of Engineering and MineralResources were confirmed when the Departmentof Energy (DOE) released its report on the amountof oil spilled during last year’s Deepwater Horizonoil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.Dr. Shahab Mohaghegh, a professor in CEMR’sDepartment of Petroleum and Natural Gas, workedas part of the Flow Rate Technology Group’sNodal Analysis Team. The team, led by Dr. GeorgeGuthrie of the Department of Energy’s NationalEnergy Technology Laboratory, consisted ofsubteams from five DOE national laboratories.According to their estimates, 53,000 barrels perday were escaping as a result of the offshoredrilling rig that exploded on April 20, 2010. Forthree months, the resulting leak continued to gush,making it the largest accidental marine oil spill inthe history of the petroleum industry.“It was a heroic process,” said Mohaghegh. “Wehad 15 people working on it around the clock.”The Nodal Analysis Team used input from reservoirmodeling (including pressure, temperature,fluid composition, and properties over time) andpressure and temperature conditions at the leakpoints on the sea floor, along with details of thegeometries of the well, blowout preventer, andriser to calculate fluid compositions, properties,and fluxes from both before and after riserremoval. According to Mohaghegh, the teamused both conventional and advanced modelingtechniques, based on artificial intelligence anddata mining.For his efforts, Mohaghegh was awarded $55,600from the URS Corp. for “Gulf Oil Spill ResponseEffort Support.” The final numbers released by theDepartment of Energy were very close to thosecalculated by the research team.

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESWVU, NASA EPSCoRcollaborate toconduct researchBy Cate MihelicCollaborating with industry leaders to conduct state-of-the-art researchis possible in rural states such as West Virginia because of initiativesset forth by NASA EPSCoR.Housed in the West Virginia University College of Engineering andMineral Resources, the NASA Experimental Program to StimulateCompetitive Research, or EPSCoR, establishes partnerships withgovernment, higher education, and industry that are designed to effectlasting improvement in a state or region’s research infrastructure,research and development capacity, and national competitiveness.The NASA EPSCoR Program is directed at jurisdictions that have notparticipated equably in competitive aerospace and aerospace-relatedresearch activities. Twenty-seven states and the Commonwealth ofPuerto Rico currently participate.One major component of the NASA EPSCoR Program in WestVirginia is competitively won research cooperative agreements thatare designed to strengthen and support research activities that areOne such project aims to develop a model for the spray coolingprocess of air- or spacecrafts in zero gravity environments. It is apartnership between NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, NASAGlenn Research Center, and WVU. John Kuhlman, a mechanicaland aerospace professor, is the science principal investigator;Donald Gray, a professor in the Civil and Environmental EngineeringDepartment, is the co-investigator.Another research project being conducted at CEMR involvesunmanned aerial and space vehicles with adaptive and intelligentflight control systems. These systems will be capable of maintainingacceptable levels of performance even in the event of failures. MarcelloNapolitano, director of WVU’s Center for Advanced Research inAutonomous Technology, is the science principal investigator. BojanCukic, a co-investigator, is a Robert C. Byrd Associate Professor inthe Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering.This team has partnered with NASA research centers such asDryden, Ames, and Langley, as well as the Department of Defense,Department of Transportation, and the Green Bank Telescope. Thereare six industry partners, and the University of Virginia, Penn StateUniversity, and the University of Michigan are involved.In the third project, researchers are working to develop localizedwing morphing technology with smart skins to improve aerodynamicefficiency. Wade Huebsch, a mechanical and aerospace professor, isthe science principal investigator. His co-investigators include DarranCairns and Ever Barbero, both from the Mechanical and AerospaceEngineering Department. Supporters of this research at NASA Langleyhave identified several areas in aeronautics where they hope to see“The partnerships that are formed are beneficial to both parties.”beneficial to the research capabilities of the state, as well as advancingNASA’s research priorities. These are three-year competitive grantsfor up to $750,000 of federal funds per winning project, supplementedwith cost sharing from the researcher’s home institution. WV NASAEPSCoR currently has five research cooperative agreements withNASA, three of which are based at CEMR.“NASA has specific research goals and priorities, and they chooseto work with universities such as WVU to help achieve these goals,”noted Majid Jaraiedi, director of NASA WV EPSCoR. “The partnershipsthat are formed are beneficial to both parties.”this technology applied. This project is a collaboration between WVUand industry partners.A second component of NASA WV EPSCoR is the ResearchInfrastructure Development Program. This program supplies researchseed grants, travel grants, and a college-university collaborationprogram that promotes mentoring roles from WVU or Marshall withsmaller colleges in West Virginia.For more information about NASA WV EPSCoR, please visitwww.nasa.wvu.edu.• Volume 7 Issue 17CorrectionIn the fall 2010 issue of ENGINEERINGWV, it was incorrectly noted that Lian-Shin Lin,who was promoted to associate professor, was in the Lane Department of ComputerScience and Electrical Engineering. Dr. Lin is in the Department of Civil andEnvironmental Engineering. The editorial staff apologizes for the error.

INDUstRY FEatUREBoeing’s Super Hornet International Roadmap is composed of six new advancedoptions that will enable international customers to customize capability basedon their unique requirements. The new options include: enhanced performanceengines; enclosed weapons pod; conformal fuel tanks; missile/laser warningsystem; internal infrared search and track system; and a next-generation cockpit.(Boeing photo by Ron Bookout)Next Level ... Boeing’sNew Super HornetSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWVInternational Roadmap Expands the Capability SpectrumBy Philip Carder, APR, Boeing F/A-18and EA-18 Communications8Boeing Test Pilot Ricardo Traven briefs journalists on the new capabilities the Super HornetInternational Roadmap delivers for international tactical aviation customers on February 8, 2011, atIndia’s Air Force Station Yelahanka during the Aero India 2011 air show. (Boeing photo by Kevin Flynn)

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESAs international air forcesaround the world look for everincreasingcapability to meetnew threats that evolve onan almost daily basis, Boeingis applying an innovativeapproach to meet the needs oftactical aviation customers.On February 8 at India’s Air Force Station Yelahanka, locatednear the city of Bengaluru in the southern Indian state ofKarnataka, thousands of government and military officialsfrom around the globe got their first look at Boeing’s new F/A-18 Super Hornet International Roadmap, an aircraft outfittedwith options designed to give international customers theability to tailor their aircraft to not only defeat today’s threats,but ensure continued air dominance for decades to come.Roadmap to the FutureIn architecting the Super Hornet International Roadmap,Boeing engineers and analysts looked deep into the futureto determine what capabilities would deliver a knockoutpunch in tactical air operations in the coming decades. BretMarks, Boeing’s director of F/A-18 International Operations,said the team believes it has unearthed a gem with the newSuper Hornet options. “The Super Hornets we currentlyFeaturing a new 11 X 19 inch touchscreen display, Boeing’s next-generation cockpitfor the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet will provide pilots with an interactive 3-D perspectiveof the air and ground threat environments. (Boeing photo by Ron Bookout)build in St. Louis are some of the most advanced tacticalaircraft produced in the world today,” said Marks. “With theintroduction of the International Roadmap, we have providedinternational air forces with the ability to enhance currentSuper Hornet capabilities to best address the unique threatsthey will encounter in their operating environments.”Marks, who earned a bachelor of science degree inaeronautical engineering in 1984 from West VirginiaUniversity’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources,joined Boeing that same year as an engineer in theAerodynamic Technology Applied Research Group. Today,Marks leads Boeing’s F/A-18E/F International Programsunder the Global Strike division, located in St. Louis. “To besuccessful in the international tactical aviation market, youmust understand the core needs of your customers,” saidMarks. “Air forces around the world need tactical aircraftthat provide the flexibility to meet current and emergingthreats. However, they also need aircraft that are affordable,and reliable, with real growth capability to ensure long-termrelevancy.”Evolutionary growthMarks, who has accumulated nearly 27 years of engineeringand program management experience on tactical aircraftprograms at Boeing, said the team in St. Louis is focused onan evolutionary path of inserting new, advanced technologiesinto the combat-proven Super Hornet. “What we are doingwith this approach is maximizing capability while minimizingdevelopment risk,” he said. “When we insert these advancedapplications onto a proven platform, like we have in the SuperHornet, we eliminate much of the risk that exists with themore revolutionary approach of attempting to incorporatenew technology onto new platforms. The result is the ability tooffer truly advanced capability, while minimizing developmentcost and schedule risks. It’s a best-value approach for ourcustomers.”Six super optionsThe Super Hornet International Roadmap is composedof six new advanced options that Marks said will enableinternational customers to customize capability accordingto their needs. “The options deliver increased survivability,situational awareness, aerodynamic performance, andprovide a compelling value proposition for our internationalcustomers,” said Marks. Specifically, the options include:an internal infrared search and track system (IRST); nextgenerationcockpit featuring large area displays; missile/laser warning systems; enclosed weapons pod; enhancedperformance engines; and conformal fuel tanks.“The combination of internal IRST and missile/laser warningsystems provide the war fighter with greater battlespaceawareness,” said Marks. “That’s critical in all combatoperations.” For customers who desire increased power, Markssaid pilots will see a 15 to 20 percent increase in thrust withthe enhanced performance engine.continued...»Volume 7 Issue 19

INDUstRY FEatUREcontinued...» A noticeable addition under the aircraft’s fuselage is theenclosed weapons pod. Able to carry a variety of air-to-air and airto-groundweapons, Marks said the pod gives operators wide-rangingweapons options for a variety of missions, while improving missionperformance and increasing overall aircraft survivability.“Another option gaining popularity with the international customercommunity is the next-generation cockpit that features an 11 x 19inch touch screen with the ability to present the pilot with a 3-Dperspective of the air and ground threat environments,” said Marks.“It’s certainly a stunning feature whose benefits are immediatelyapparent when you climb into the cockpit,” he said. The new displaywill ultimately allow aircrews to move and combine images andinformation on the screen via touch screen technology.Spring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV10Bret Marks, who earned a bachelorof science degree in aeronauticalengineering in 1984 from WestVirginia University’s College ofEngineering and Mineral Resources,joined Boeing that same year asan engineer in the AerodynamicTechnology Applied Research Group.Today, Marks leads Boeing’s F/A-18E/F International Programs underthe Global Strike division, located inSt. Louis.Bret Marks returned to his alma mater this past fall as part ofthe College of Engineering and Mineral Resources DistinguishedLecture Series. Marks’ lecture, “Mountaineer to Engineer—Livingthe Dream,” detailed his more than 26 years of experiencewith Boeing, where he has previously held positions as anaerodynamicist, supplier manager, program manager, Global StrikeFlight Systems Lead, and Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft F/A18 India program manager. He has published and presented anumber of technical papers on advanced fighter aircraft controlconcepts, F/A-18 flight control system development, and carriersuitability flight test evolution.“To be successful inthe international tacticalaviation market, you mustunderstand the core needsof your customers.”—Bret Marks, Boeing F/A-18E/F InternationalPrograms director located in St. LouisThe most noticeable option is the new conformal fuel tanks mountedon the aircraft’s dorsal deck. The tanks provide an additional 3,000pounds of fuel, without the drag of externally mounted fuel tanks,traditionally mounted under the wing. “The conformal fuel tankspermit significant enhancements in aerodynamic performance,”said Marks. “By removing external tanks from under the wing andreplacing them with conformal fuel tanks designed to maintain anoptimal area rule profile, we are able to achieve substantial dragreduction, which directly benefits performance.”Marks said depending on customer requirements, some options couldbe ready for customers by 2015. “One of the exciting aspects of theInternational Roadmap is that each of the six options are retrofittableto current Super Hornets,” he said.“The Super Hornet was designed for growth from its inception,” saidMarks. “As we look across the international landscape, we understandcustomers need aircraft that are designed to evolve as threats continueto evolve,” he said. “That’s exactly what the International Roadmapoptions deliver—long-term growth and evolutionary capability.”•Copyright (c) 2011 Boeing. All rights reserved.

FACUlty NEWSWVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESCEMR professorappointed to ABETaccreditation boardBy Cate MihelicAnother engineering professor is reaching outbeyond the classroom and making an impacton education and the future of the industry.Samuel Ameri, chair and professor ofpetroleum and natural gas engineering at West Dr. Samuel AMERIVirginia University, has been appointed toserve on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology(ABET) board of directors.Ameri said that he was humbled and surprised by his appointmentto the board of directors of ABET.“It is my policy and vision to ensure that all students continue tostudy in a stimulating, innovative, and high-quality environmentin order to gain the best engineering education possible,” saidAmeri. “I am proud of WVU because it continuously creates anenvironment where there is a tremendous opportunity relative tothe professional development for the faculty.”The ABET board of directors consists of a federation of 30professional engineering and technical societies represented by 38board members.ABET accreditation ensures that a college or university programmeets the quality standards established by the profession forwhich it prepares its students. ABET continues to provide worldleadership in ensuring quality and in stimulating innovationin applied science, computing, engineering and technologyeducation.Ameri was appointed as a representative from the Society ofPetroleum Engineers. His term officially began in the fall of 2010and will last for three years. His main duties will be to attend boardmeetings and to review and approve accreditation criteria. Theboard members also elect officers, approve the annual budgetand fees, and approve the criteria assessment formula.•Anderson participates inprestigious Frontiers ofEngineering EducationSymposiumBy Nicole RigglemanFostering growth and leading innovation areimportant in academia. Dr. Brian Anderson,assistant professor of chemical engineering,Dr. Brian Andersonhas been recognized for doing both.Anderson was one of 52 young engineering educators selectedto participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s secondannual Frontiers of Engineering Education symposium.The two-and-a-half-day event provided young professors with aplace to share ideas, learn from research and best practices ineducation, and leave with a charter to bring about improvementin their home institution. This year’s program focused on waysto ensure that students learn the engineering fundamentals, theexpanding knowledge base of new technology, and the skillsnecessary to be an effective engineer or engineering researcher.“I learned innovative teaching methods and course design ideasfrom fellow faculty members with a similar desire and energy toeducate our future engineers,” said Anderson. “We were ableto brainstorm and vet ideas on ways to reinvigorate engineeringeducation, actively engage students in the classroom, andattract some of the best and brightest students to the field ofengineering.”Over the next year, Anderson will incorporate some of theeducational techniques he learned into his classes. One techniquewill be to get students more involved in research and thecommunity. In addition, he is working with other colleagues fromaround the country to offer a virtual community for students.“As a response of the Frontiers of Engineering EducationWorkshop, the faculty members in attendance from the chemicalengineering discipline are starting a virtual community for chemicalengineering education,” said Anderson. “We are building arepository of classroom examples, projects, and problems, as wellas a community forum for sharing ideas that we use in and out ofthe classroom to further students’ learning.”Volume 7 Issue 111Anderson received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineeringfrom WVU in 2000. He earned his master’s degree and doctoratein chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology in 2004 and 2005, respectively. His research focuseson energy technologies.•

COLLEGE NEWSWVU and NASA partnerto provide economic andeducational opportunitiesBy Nicole RigglemanSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV12Former Congressman Alan B. Mollohan andWest Virginia University President James P.Clements joined NASA officials in November todedicate the Center for the Robotic Servicing ofOrbital Space Assets.The Center, located at the West VirginiaHigh Tech Consortium in Fairmont, has beenestablished by WVU as part of a cooperativepartnership with NASA Goddard Space FlightCenter.“This project highlights three elements that havebeen key to north central West Virginia’s growingreputation as a high-tech magnet: West VirginiaUniversity’s research arm, the West VirginiaHigh Tech Consortium, and a growing NASApresence,” Mollohan said.The Robotics Center provides the academicleadership for the collaborative scientific andengineering research associated with evaluatingsensors and algorithms for autonomousrendezvous docking and small-scale contactdynamics for space robotic platforms supportingfuture Goddard-related space explorationmissions.“This is an exciting initiative, one built oncollaboration and partnerships,” said Clements.“I am very proud that our WVU faculty, students,and post-docs will be working alongsideother scientists and researchers in developingrobotic platforms for future space missions. Ittruly speaks to the high-quality education andinnovative research we are engaged in at WVU.”WVU was awarded a grant from NASA in 2010to begin establishment of the lab. The RoboticsCenter is operated by the West Virginia UniversityResearch Corp.“This is a great opportunity for the University todevelop national visibility in robotics servicingof orbiting assets in the post-shuttle era,” saidGene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Collegeand principal investigator for the grant. “We viewour role as part of the NASA Goddard team thatprovides out-of-the-box thinking, innovation, andindependent support for their missions, and alsotraining for the bright young scientific minds whowill go on to contribute to the continued successof NASA in the future.”•

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESChinese delegationvisits WVU to studymine safetyBy Nicole RigglemanA delegation from China traveled halfway aroundthe world to study mine safety practices fromWest Virginia University officials. The purposeof the visit was to study practices developedand implemented by the U.S. government andacademic institutions to reduce accidents andimprove health conditions in the mining industry.“We came here to see Western technology inmine safety,” said Ma Heping, deputy bureauchief of the Party Leadership Group. “We wantto learn the technology to improve coal minesafety in our country.”“We want to learn the technology to improvecoal mine safety in our country.” -Ma HepingThe day included a presentation and overviewof operations by WVU Mining and IndustrialExtension Director Jim Dean, a tour of thesimulated underground mining facility at DollsRun, and a discussion of how WVU officials canassist China in accomplishing its goals. This isnot the first international delegation to visit thefacility. Four other delegations from China visitedthis past year, as well as a delegation fromAustralia.“The interest from the different delegations wehave visit shows that WVU is being recognizedas an international leader in mine safetytraining,” said Dean. “The Australia delegationis actually looking at building a facility in theircountry modeled after ours.”While the Chinese delegation already has afacility in their country, they are looking for waysto communicate and improve their technologythrough discussions with WVU officials.“We have to learn these (training techniques)to train our workers in our country,” Hepingsaid. “Some of the techniques may inspire ourprogram and improve our work so we canimprove coal mine safety.”The WVU Mining and Industrial Extensiondepartment is housed in the College ofEngineering and Mineral Resources.•Volume 7 Issue 113

COLLEGE NEWSWVU, Slippery RockUniversity signarticulation agreementCilento Myers Wheatly WilliamsBy Cate MihelicWest Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resourcestook another step in forging new partnerships when it signed an articulationagreement with Pennsylvania’s Slippery Rock University (SRU) on Tuesday,January 18.The agreement between Slippery Rock’s Physics Department and CEMR will helpcreate a simplified transfer process for students.“This agreement is important because it lays out a transparent road map forstudents,” said Warren Myers, associate dean for academic affairs at CEMR.“This will make transferring easier for students because they will know exactlywhat they need to take, and when they need to take it.”According to the agreement, students will complete three years in the SRUphysics program before transferring to WVU, where they will complete their finaltwo years. Upon graduation, they will receive a bachelor of science degree inmechanical or civil engineering.WVU Provost Michele Wheatly and SRU Provost William Williams signed theagreement in Stewart Hall. Other SRU representatives attending the signingincluded Ben Shaevitz, chair of the physics department; Arthula Heart, physicsprofessor; and Susan Hannam, dean of the College of Health, Environment andScience.CEMR has articulation agreements with five other schools, but Slippery Rock isthe first institution outside of West Virginia.“We recruit heavily from Western Pennsylvania,” said Myers. “This agreementwill provide students in that region with opportunities to attend an accreditedengineering college.”Upon signing, WVU will begin recruiting SRU students for the fall 2011 semester.“West Virginia University and Slippery Rock University have been working togethersince last spring to bring this agreement to fruition,” said Myers. “Slippery Rockhas a desire to provide their students with opportunities to study engineering, andnow they will have that option.”SRU’s Physics Department also has an articulation agreement with Penn StateUniversity.•Dr. Ever BarberoaccoladesSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV14GangaRao nameddistinguished alumnusDr. Hota GangaRao, professor of civil andenvironmental engineering, was one ofeight recipients named an Indian Institute ofTechnology-Madras Distinguished Alumnus for2011. The honorees were announced in Januaryby the institute’s director, Madaboosi SantanamAnanth.Dr. GangaRao earned his bachelor’s degree incivil engineering from the institute in 1965. Heis also the director of the Constructed FacilitiesCenter at WVU, whose faculty conducts researchand development activities in areas that can helpreduce or remedy deterioration of our nation’sinfrastructure.Professor honored for global impactAn engineering professor’s career research andacademic accomplishments are being recognizedglobally. Dr. Ever Barbero, professor in WVU’sDepartment of Mechanical and AerospaceEngineering, was recently named an honoraryprofessor at the Universidad Nacional de Trujillo, Peru.The title was presented during a ceremony held atTrujillo’s municipal concert hall. An honorary professoris entitled to all the rights and privileges of regularpermanent faculty of the university.Barbero, who visited the university five years ago torecruit graduate students, has worked closely withthe students, faculty, and administration to guidevisiting students who come to West Virginia Universityto study.“Dr. Barbero’s recent honor shows the impactthat our faculty are having around the world,” saidGene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College ofEngineering and Mineral Resources. “As our Collegeand University strive to increase global relations, ourfaculty will continue to play a vital role.”Barbero plans to further relations with the universityby bringing top senior students to the United Statesfor six-month periods to work on their undergraduatetheses. Once the work is complete, the students willreturn to Peru to defend their thesis.“It is an agreement that is valuable to both parties,”Barbero said. “They get a top research department fortheir students to complete their undergraduate theses.We get them here and, hopefully, some of them willcome back as graduate students.“If we manage to eventually graduate a few Ph.Dswho go back as faculty to Peru, then we would havecemented a fruitful relationship for generations tocome,” Barbero added. “It is a slow process, but thepotential payoff is extraordinary and crucial in thisglobal age.”

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESWatts Museum opens‘Helmet Men’ exhibitionBy Cate MihelicThe Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum at WestVirginia University recently opened the exhibition HelmetMen: Mine Rescuers of Appalachia’s Coalfields.The exhibition, open through August 14, explores thedevelopment of mine rescue teams in the United States,particularly the Appalachian region. The exhibitionfocuses on the roles of rescue team members and thetransformation of mine rescues from uncoordinated,chaotic events into organized group operations.At the turn of the 20th century, rescue missions atAppalachian coal mines were haphazard efforts,undertaken by anyone near the accident scene. Whenlarge-scale mining disasters in the early 1900s createdpublic pressure for mine safety reform, the federalgovernment established the Bureau of Mines.The bureau organized rescue teams to investigate minedisasters, assist in rescue efforts, and train miners inrescue techniques. State agencies, coal companies, andprivate organizations soon followed the government’s leadby organizing their own rescue teams.With the formation of these “helmet men” teams, minerescue efforts became increasingly systemized andeffective. Like today’s rescuers, early team memberswere knowledgeable, physically fit, and level headed,with a strong capacity for teamwork. These specializedvolunteers worked together, often risking their own lives,to save their fellow miners.“When mine accidents occur, we tend to focus on thehazards of mining, the lives that are saved or lost, andthe disaster’s impact on families and communities,” saidDanielle M. Petrak, museum coordinator and curatorof the Watts Museum. “With this exhibition, I wantedto acknowledge the role of the rescuers and theircommitment to the mining industry and fellow miners.”Helmet Men showcases a selection of equipment usedto prevent and respond to mining disasters, along withhistorical photographs and film footage of mine rescuers.The objects featured in the exhibition are either owned bythe Watts Museum or on loan from other institutions andprivate collections.The Watts Museum is located in Room 125 of the MineralResources Building on the Evansdale Campus of WestVirginia University.The exhibition was curated by Petrak and DanielleLaPresta, a graduate assistant.Housed in the College of Engineering and MineralResources at West Virginia University, the Royce J. andCaroline B. Watts Museum is dedicated to preserving andpromoting the social, cultural, and technological historyof the coal, oil, and natural gas industries of the stateof West Virginia through the collection, preservation,research, and exhibition of objects relevant to theseindustries. The Museum is named in honor of RoyceJ. Watts, associate dean of the College of Engineeringand Mineral Resources, and his wife, Caroline, whohave tirelessly supported its mission.•Volume 7 Issue 115

Undergraduate Research Day(above) West Virginia University was well represented on January25, as almost half of those participating in the eighth annualUndergraduate Research Day at the Capitol were Mountaineers.Fifteen institutions were represented at the event, which ran from8 a.m. to noon, in the Capitol Rotunda; 30 of the 67 studentswere from WVU.« Members of WVU’s MicrogravityResearch Team spoke with DelegateGary Howell from District 49 duringUndergraduate Research Day. Pictured,from left, are Alex Squires, Mark James,Travis Corwell, and Delegate Howell.Garrett earns scholarship fromSociety of American Military EngineersLt. Col. Jeremy Anfinson; Jacky Prucz, interim chair of Mechanical and AerospaceEngineering; Andrew Garrett; Warren Myers, associate dean for academic affairs.Andrew Garrett, an aerospace engineeringmajor at WVU, was awarded a $1,000scholarship from the Society of AmericanMilitary Engineers.Garrett, a native of Ripley, W.Va., is active inthe University’s Air Force Reserve Officers’Training Corps (AFROTC). He maintains a3.63 grade point average in his major andhas been awarded the AFROTC AchievementAward, the American Veterans Award, and theAFROTC Academic Achievement Award threeconsecutive semesters (fall 2008, spring 2009,fall 2009).A Cadet Flight Commander, Garrett led 20freshmen cadets and was responsible forteaching and developing the cadets in AirForce basics (marching, drill, customs, andcourtesies), as well as helping to integratethem into the AFROTC Program during theirfirst semester at WVU. This semester, Garrettis the Special Projects Officer, and is in chargeof planning, executing, and completing variousprojects within the cadet wing such as theDetachment coin, Detachment cleanup, Cadetof the Month Program, and Flag Details.“Cadet Garrett stands out among his peersacross the board,” said Lt. Col. JeremyAnfinson, commander, Detachment 915. “Heis a natural leader and exceptionally sharpin all areas. He is definitely deserving of thisrecognition.”•Volume 7 Issue 117

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESWVU to compete in Second AnnualLunabotics Mining CompetitionEncouraged by retired nasa astronaut Captain Jon McBrideBy Cate MihelicUnder the mentorship of former astronaut Jon McBride, West Virginia University’sCollege of Engineering and Mineral Resources will compete in its first LunaboticsMining Competition.NASA’s second annual Lunabotics Competition challenges teams from aroundthe world to design and build a remote controlled excavation robot that iscapable of collecting and depositing a minimum of 10 kilograms of “lunarsimulant”—simulated moon soil—within 15 minutes. Other competitioncategories include a technical paper, outreach project, slide presentation, andteam spirit.“The reason for this competition is to prepare for mining of minerals and variousraw material that are essential to the long-term human presence on the moonand other planetary bodies,” said Dr. Majid Jaraiedi, director of NASA WestVirginia Space Grant Consortium/NASA West Virginia Experimental Program toStimulate Competitive Research. “Eventually, technologies such as this will makesustainable human settlement on the moon and Mars a possibility.”The WVU Lunabotics Team, formed at the beginning of the year, consists of15 engineering students—six graduate and nine undergraduate—and facultyadvisor, Dr. Powsiri Klinkhachorn, a professor in the Lane Department ofComputer Science and Electrical Engineering. The team, a multidisciplinarygroup, represents computer and electrical engineering, as well as mechanicaland aerospace engineering. The team is also collaborating with the Mining andCivil Engineering departments.At a meeting on January 27, the Lunabotics Team presented its design andinitial planning to retired astronaut Captain Jon McBride, a CEMR alum. As anunofficial technical advisor and mentor, McBride, a member of the KennedySpace Center Astronaut Encounter team, was able to offer critiques and adviceto the team.“I am honored that McBride, a son of West Virginia who has achieved somuch for his country and state, would take the time to mentor us,” said BenKnabenshue, student team leader. “The meeting was great; he gave us a veryinspiring talk and some great feedback on our preliminary designs.”Currently, 54 teams are registered for the competition, which will take place May23-28, 2011, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.“We have an amazing team, and I think that we have an excellent opportunity tobring home a victory for WVU,” noted Knabenshue.WVU’s Lunabotics team is sponsored by NASA’s Exploration Systems MissionDirectorate, the NASA WV Space Grant Consortium, WVU College of Engineeringand Mineral Resources, and the Lane Department of Computer Science andElectrical Engineering.For more information about the competition, visitwww.nasa.gov/offices/education/centers/kennedy/technology/lunabotics.html.•Volume 7 Issue 119

STUdent NEWSWVU students engagedwith international peers inresearch programAnnual Pumpkin Drop asmash hitBy Cate MihelicSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWVBy Cate MihelicIn September, two WVU students spent a week in Sweden taking part ina graduate program in Boundary Lubrication and Tribo-Chemistry at LuleaTechnological University.The course was part of the annual Swedish Research School in Tribologythat brings together top doctoral students from Sweden and Europe foradvanced study under the direction of world experts from academia andindustry.Aaron Kessman and Nick Morris are doctoral candidates in mechanicalengineering at WVU and both are recipients of prestigious graduatefellowships from the National Science Foundation.These awards include a $30,000 annual stipend and a $10,000 cost ofeducation allowance that enabled them to take part in this program, alongwith 35 students from Sweden, Portugal, and the Netherlands. The coursewas led by world-renowned professors and practitioners from the UnitedKingdom, Sweden, and Japan.“This program was a wonderful opportunity to be on the cutting edge,”Morris said. “It gives you a different perspective to study with other peoplefrom around the world.”Both Morris and Kessman are supervised by Dr. Darran Cairns, assistantprofessor in mechanical and aerospace engineering.“We have some superb graduate students at WVU who have made a choiceto study here despite offers to study elsewhere,” said Cairns. “The ability totake part in global programs like the Swedish Tribology School help to enrichtheir graduate school experience and prepare them for productive careers ininternationally competitive fields.”•More than 1,000 participants weathered the cold to watch pumpkins drop from the roofof the Engineering Sciences Building as part of the 23rd Annual Pumpkin Drop.The event, which is sponsored by the West Virginia University student chapter of theAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers, challenges teams to create a contraption thatwould help a pumpkin survive an 11-story drop onto a target. More than 160 pumpkinswere launched off the roof.First place went to a team from Suncrest Middle School with pumpkin number 157,submitted by Sami Kanj and Sebastion Bravo. Their pumpkin landed intact and within 2feet 7 inches of the target.Second place was awarded to Morgantown Learning Academy’s “The Pumpkings.” Thepumpkin was submitted by Sevanna Kisko, Emily Ward, Nico Toro, Olivia Sidwell, and EllisWorks. It landed 3 feet 7 inches from the target.The third place winners were the “Skittle Ninjas” from Doddridge County Middle School.Submitted by Ty Edgeworth, Dustin Jones, Michael Blankenship, and John Wyckoff, thepumpkin landed 3 feet 10 inches away from the target.“This was one of the largest contests we have had,” said Pat Goldie, one of the event’scoordinators. “We had more than 1,000 students participate from all over the state. Itwas cold, but everyone stuck around.”•Proceeds from the Pumpkin Drop’s entry fees benefited Morgantown’s Ronald McDonald House.WVU President James ClementsThird annual Trunk-or-Treat sponsored by IIE By Cate Mihelic20This past Halloween, monsters, ghosts, and superheroes haunted theWest Virginia University Shell Building next to the Coliseum in searchof candy. The third annual Trunk-or-Treat was hosted by the studentchapter of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE).Despite cold, rainy weather, students from various organizations acrossthe University handed out candy from the trunks of their decorated carsto more than 2,500 costume-clad children, nearly tripling last year’sattendance of 900.“IIE organizes this event to give local children a safe and central locationto come out and ‘Trunk-or-Treat,’” said IIE President Daniel Norris. “It’salso a great opportunity for student organizations to get involved in thelocal community.”IIE is the world’s largest professional society dedicated solely to thesupport of the industrial engineering profession and individuals involvedwith improving quality and productivity. Founded in 1948, IIE is aninternational, nonprofit association that provides leadership for theapplication, education, training, research, and development of industrialengineering.

ALUmni NEWSStatler Inducted Into Academy ofDistinguished AlumniNancy DiPaolo, chair, WVUAlumni Association Board ofDirectors, welcomes BenjaminM. Statler to the WVU Academyof Distinguished Alumni.Retired coal executive and College of Engineering and Mineral Resourcesgraduate Benjamin M. Statler was one of three members inducted into theWest Virginia University Alumni Association Academy of Distinguished Alumni.The ceremony, which took place on February 4, honors graduates who haveattained national or international distinction in their profession or discipline.Statler was born and raised in Monongalia County. A third-generation coalminer, he received his bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from WVU in1973. While at WVU, Statler began his career at CONSOL Energy as a laboreron the night shift.“I can remember how he would drag himself into the classroom afterworking the night shift at the coal mines,” said Sam Ameri, professor andchair of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering at WVU and a classmate ofStatler’s. “He worked hard throughout his time at WVU and brought his workethics to every undertaking in his life.”For 30 years, Statler held various positions at CONSOL Energy before retiringas senior vice president of mining in 1999. He then started his own miningcompany, PinnOak Resources LLC, serving as president and CEO until hesold the company in 2007.“Under his leadership, PinnOak grew in production capacity, exceeding 7million tons of metallurgical coal annually,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. HinerDean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “His companyemployed the latest technology available to the industry, resulting in cleaner,higher-quality coal that is more efficient and safer to mine.”“During my career, I have seen a lot of engineering and technology advancesin mining that have made the U.S. coal industry safer and more productive,”said Statler. “Many of those advances were the result of work done here atWVU by a group of distinguished and accomplished faculty in our engineeringschool. Other advances were achieved by engineers who trained here andthen went on to hold significant leadership positions in many of this country’sgreatest mining or mining equipment companies.“Based on my 40 years of experience, I can say, without fear ofcontradiction, that West Virginia University has produced some of the bestmining engineers in the world.”Today, Statler and his wife, Jo, are successful entrepreneurs and theymaintain strong ties to their community and to WVU. In 2007, the Statler’sannounced a $25 million gift to WVU, the single largest gift to the University.The gift has provided cancer research, academic enhancements, and athleticimprovements for the University and its students.Their generous contribution to the WVU Alumni Association helped the newalumni center became a reality. In recognition of their support, Statler WilsonCommons now serves as the official home of The Erickson Alumni Centerand Raymond J. Lane Park.“You know, being able to maintain a relationship with the Universitythroughout my career, and now to be in a position to give back to it, hasbeen one of the great joys in my life,” Statler said. “Jo and I have tried tosupport several aspects of University life, from academics, to athletics, to thefacilities of this Alumni Center,” Statler said. “Others will choose differentthings—things of interest to them. But regardless of what they support or thelevel to which they can support it; and regardless of whether they give theirmoney or just their time, it is the act of giving ... this continued connectivitybetween Alumni and the University that will keep WVU strong.”“He is a proud alumnus of the College and he has served his alma materin many ways over the years,” Cilento said. “He has actively served on theDepartment of Mining Engineering Visiting Committee and has providedsignificant advice and counsel to me as dean. Ben currently serves on theWVU Foundation Board of Directors, and he has taken leadership roles inseveral professional organizations within the coal mining community.”Statler has received awards from the Department of Mining Engineering andwas a distinguished Poundstone Lecturer in 2006. He and Jo were named“Most Loyal West Virginians” in 2007 and “Outstanding Philanthropists” in2008, and were granted a WVU honorary doctoral degree in 2009.“It is my hope that I will always be a part of WVU and be able to help theUniversity achieve its vision for scholarship, research, and outreach,” Statlerconcluded. “Just as the University is leading the way in Health Sciences, myhope is that WVU will also become recognized as THE energy engineeringcollege in the country—producing engineers with the skills and abilities tohelp meet the challenges we face as a state, nation and world, and also whocarry in them the unquenchable desire to make a difference.”Joining Statler in this year’s class were the Al Zamil family of Saudi Arabiaand Bahrain and Dr. Kimberly Weaver, an astrophysicist at NASA’s GoddardSpace Flight Center.•Volume 7 Issue 121

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESNationally recognized diversityexpert delivers Hiner LectureHiner Cilento Clements SteeleDr. Shelby Steele, the Robert J. and Marion E.Oster Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution,spoke in October as part of the Glen H. HinerDistinguished Lecture Series in the College.Steele’s lecture was entitled, “Is Diversity aThreat to Our Common Values?”Steele, who is known for his writings on raceand social issues both in American societyand the larger world, said that diversity doesnot achieve intellectual stimulation. Rather, itbreeds a kind of fearfulness and uniformity.“Diversity promises to bring mutual respectbetween different groups, races, ethnicities,the two genders, and so forth,” said Steele.“But in reality, it breeds a kind of low-levelresentment because it functions by coercionrather than by persuasion. Ironically, ratherthan bringing people of different backgroundstogether, it oftentimes causes one groupto feel resentful of what seems to be anadvantage given to another group.”Steele focused his remarks on affirmativeaction and its effects on the very people it triesto help.“I remember writing an essay some years agoon affirmative action … I remember a student Italked to on one campus who told me he wasa math major. He said, ‘You know, I’m reallygood at math. I’m good at math, but in mymath class, I feel like I have an AA stamp onmy forehead. People think I’m here becauseI’m black, not because I’m a good mathstudent ...’“How did we come to this place as a society?How did we become a people who coulddisregard some of our most sacred principlesand human dignity itself?”Citing examples of hypocrisy through history,Steele noted that in the 1960s, out ofdesperation, America created what he calledthe “idea of the good.” Ideas like schoolbusing, affirmative action, multiculturalism,diversity, and the creation of welfare served toundermine personal freedom.“I think that what’s wrong with ‘ideas of thegood’ is that they flatten people out intogroups,” Steele said. “Diversity causes youto fail to see the human being, the individual,and what talent that person has or whattalents they may not have, what they need todevelop and so forth. It becomes a pernicious,dehumanizing policy. “Ideally, Steele said he would rather have asingle standard that is flexible, fair, and thataccounts for people only as individuals. “If ourinstitutions were devoted to that, to creating asingle standard, I think we could begin to getsomewhere in society.”Steele received the National Book CriticsCircle Award in 1990 for his book, TheContent of Our Character. Other publicationsinclude White Guilt: How Blacks and WhitesTogether Destroyed the Promise of the CivilRights Era, A Dream Deferred: The SecondBetrayal of Black Freedom in America, andA Bound Man. He has written extensively formajor publications including The Wall StreetJournal, The New York Times, Time Magazine,Newsweek, and Fortune, as was, for manyyears a contributing editor at Harper’sMagazine. He has appeared on nationalcurrent affairs news programs like Nightline,60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, Bill Moyers, andC-Span with Brian Lamb.Steele has also written and narrated twodocumentaries: “Jefferson’s Blood” forFrontline (WGBH, Boston, 2003) and “SevenDays in Bensonhurst” for Frontline (1980),which received an Emmy, the Writer’s GuildAward, and the San Francisco Film FestivalAward.In 2004 he was awarded the NationalHumanities Medal, and in 2006, he receivedthe Bradley Prize for his contributions to thestudy of race and social policy in America.•Volume 7 Issue 123

ALUmni NEWSSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV24William N.PoundstoneLectureSerieshostsnamesakeWILLIAM N. POUNDSTONEThe esteemed namesake of the Department of Mining Engineering’sWilliam N. Poundstone Lecture Series served as its 2010 speaker.William N. Poundstone, consultant and retired executive vice presidentof Consolidation Coal Company, delivered his presentation, “My Careerin Coal,” in September at Erickson Alumni Center.During his career with Consol, Poundstone held positions rangingfrom timberman to belt foreman to assistant to the vice president ofoperations before becoming executive vice president in 1965. He isthe holder of 34 U.S. patents and has authored numerous technicalpublications. Also, he has served as spokesman for the coal industryin testimony at numerous Congressional hearings on environmentaland mining research matters.Poundstone, who retired in 1982, has received many awards andhonors throughout his career including being inducted into theWest Virginia Coal Miners Hall of Fame and being recognized by theNorth American Coalbed Methane Forum for his pioneering workon development of drilling techniques for coal seam degasification,mine safety and coalbed product. He has also been awarded the1991 COMER Outstanding Alumni of the Year, as well as an HonoraryDegree from WVU in 1981.The WVU Department of Mining Engineering established the WilliamN. Poundstone Lecture Series in 2000 to honor Poundstone, adistinguished alumnus of the department, and to bring mining industryexperts to campus to share their expertise with students and faculty.william mccartneyWVUFoundationboard memberdelivers CEMRDistinguishedLectureWilliam “Bill” McCartney, West Virginia University FoundationBoard member and energy trader with Vitol CapitalManagement, presented a lecture entitled, “Marcellus Shale:Alternative Ideas for Career Opportunities,” as part of the Collegeof Engineering and Mineral Resources Distinguished LectureSeries. The lecture was held in February.McCartney received his bachelor’s degree in chemicalengineering from WVU in 1995. He began his career as a systemplanning engineer with CNG Transmission (now DominionTransmission) and later began trading natural gas at CNG EnergyServices. Since moving to Houston in 1998, McCartney hasworked for some of the leading companies in energy tradingincluding Pacific Gas & Electric, Texaco, and El Paso, managingsignificant natural gas asset portfolios.He currently manages a crude oil and natural gas derivativesportfolio. Since 2004, McCartney has held several positionsat Vitol, including leading the acquisition and eventual sale ofnatural gas storage and transportation assets valued at morethan $250 million.McCartney with his wife, Christine, serve as co-presidents ofthe WVU Alumni Chapter of Houston, focusing the group onvolunteering and capital contribution development during theirtenure.

WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESCEMRalum givesMcNairScholarsLectureJon McbrideJon HammockKeyLogicPresident andCEO presentedDistinguishedLectureJon Hammock, president and chief executive officer of KeyLogicSystems, Inc., presented a lecture on Thursday, November 4, to apacked audience in the Engineering Science Building.Hammock’s lecture was entitled, “Charting Your Course:Successfully Navigating Through Transformation.”With more than 20 years of technical and managementexperience, Hammock has proven that he has the ability toprovide strategic planning, systems engineering, contractmanagement, recruiting, financial analysis, and technical projectmanagement.He has led numerous leading-edge information technologyprojects including large enterprise systems, data warehouses,document management solutions, e-portals, system integrationsand conversion of legacy systems for clients including theDepartment of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, NationalOceanographic and Atmospheric Administration and Departmentof Energy.Hammock has a proven history of delivering high-quality,successful IT projects within budget and on schedule. At KeyLogic,he has a special focus on ensuring customer satisfaction andestablishing new client relationships.Hammock has a bachelors degree in computer science fromWest Virginia University and an MBA from the University of SouthCarolina. Before founding KeyLogic, he worked for GeneralElectric, DuPont, and Westinghouse.By Betty MeiIt has been 25 years since the Challenger space shuttle broke apartover the Atlantic Ocean killing all of its crew members. On January27, West Virginia University’s Ronald E. McNair Post-BaccalaureateAchievement Program commemorated the anniversary with retiredastronaut Captain Jon McBride.McBride, an alumnus of WVU’s College of Engineering and MineralResources,, spoke about his time as an astronaut and the life ofRonald E. McNair in a presentation titled, “Triumph to Tragedy toTriumph.” McNair was one of the astronauts who lost his life on theChallenger.“We encouraged not only the WVU community, but also local familiesto attend the event with their children so they could meet theastronaut, and also learn about a part of U.S. history and the McNairscholars program,” said Betty Mei, assistant director of WVU’s McNairscholars program. “The sacrifice which Dr. Ronald E. McNair madehas brought wonderful changes in many students’ lives. This is aspecial time to give tribute to Dr. McNair.”McBride began his career as an astronaut at NASA in 1979. Hisassignments for NASA have included lead chase pilot for the maidenvoyage of Columbia; software verification in the Shuttle AvionicsIntegration Laboratory; capsule communicator for Space Shuttlemissions five, six, and seven; Flight Data File manager; and orbitalrendezvous procedure development.He was scheduled to command a crew in March 1986, but his flightwas one of many deferred by NASA after the Challenger accidentearlier that year.Currently McBride is a member of the Kennedy Space CenterAstronaut Encounter team. He retired from NASA and the Navy in1989. He has logged more than 8,800 hours of flying time, including4,700 hours in jet aircraft.The U.S. Congress launched the Ronald E. McNair Post-BaccalaureateAchievement Program in McNair’s memory shortly after the accidentoccurred.The program, which targets low-income, first-generation andunderrepresented students, encourages undergraduate students toenroll in graduate studies in order to earn a doctoral degree.Volume 7 Issue 125

ALUmni NEWSZach JohnsonIndustrial Engineering Graduate andSoccer Player Drafted by LA GalaxyBy Cate MihelicSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV26Zach Johnson, a recent industrial engineering graduate,was taken in the third round of the Major League Soccersupplemental draft by the Los Angeles Galaxy.Johnson, of Lumberton, N.J., was one of the most prolificgoalies in West Virginia University history. He had 36career shutouts and earned All-Big East first-team honorsin 2008. He was a second-team pick in 2009 and 2010.“Congratulations to Zach on his selection by the LAGalaxy,” said West Virginia coach Marlon LeBlanc. “Hehas certainly proven himself to be a quality goalkeeperduring his career at WVU.“I am also pleased that our program is consistentlydeveloping players for the next level. We provide ourstudent-athletes with the best resources to achievetheir goals on the field and in the classroom. Zach is theperfect example of that.”Johnson is the all-time leader in career goals-againstaverage with 0.71. He also broke the total goalkeeperminutes for a career with 7,548, started and played in80 games and ranks fourth in all-time saves with 282.In 2007, Johnson recorded 13 shutouts in the season,surpassing the 2005 record of 12.In 2008, Johnson was named Big East Goalkeeper of theYear. He has also been a Big East Academic All-Star anda member of the Athletic Director’s Academic Honor Roll.Johnson is the seventh Mountaineer and fifth underLeBlanc to be drafted professionally.•Job search websites forstudents and alumniMountaineerTRAK is WVU’s job search portal for students and alumni.To get access to MountaineerTRAK, please send an email toLloyd.Ford@mail.wvu.edu.Another resource is the WVU CEMR Group at LinkedInwww.cemr.wvu.edu/linkedinwvucemr.If you have any questions, please contact Lloyd Ford at 304.293.4370.

SupportWVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESIt started as an idea called “Bucks for Brains” that sought to invest in the future ofWest Virginia. It became a state initiative called the Research Trust Fund (RTF). Thefund matches state dollars with private donations in an effort to encourage universityresearch and leverage private giving. This dollar-for-dollar match is only availablethrough March 8, 2015.The fund supports research in advanced energy initiatives, biomedical and healthresearch, nanotechnology and material science, and security and intelligence. RTFcreates an incentive for donors to support certain priority areas of study that align withWVU’s research priorities—efforts that enhance the long-term research objectives andstimulate research-based economic development and economic diversification.The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources recently received the following gifts,which were matched with Research Trust Funds:Donors TakeAdvantageof ResearchTrust FundMatchFund Matches Gifts in Priority Areas:• Advanced Energy Initiatives• Biomedical and Health Research• Nanotechnology and Material Science• Security and IntelligenceThe Michael Baker Corporation Endowment in Civil andEnvironmental EngineeringThe Michael Baker Corporation, an engineering and consulting services firmheadquartered in Moon Township, Pa., established this endowment to support researchin the areas of energy and environment in the Department of Civil and EnvironmentalEngineering. The endowment also created the Michael Baker Corporation Laboratoryin Civil and Environmental Engineering, an engineering structure lab, housed in theEngineering Sciences Building. The new laboratory will be officially dedicated at anevent planned for fall 2011.James Bergen and Randy Monteith Anderson ResearchEndowmentRay Monteith Anderson established this endowment in memory of his parents, RandyMonteith Anderson and James Bergen, to support students and energy research by theDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.Virginia Oil and Gas Research EndowmentMike Ellis, CE ’78, vice president of Virginia Oil and Gas, established this endowment tosupport students and energy research in the Department of Petroleum and Natural GasEngineering in relation to Appalachian shales.Darrell (BSPNGE ’65) and Diane Williams ResearchEndowmentDarrell Williams and his wife, Diane, established the Darrell and Diane Williams ResearchEndowment to support students and energy research in the Department of Petroleumand Natural Gas Engineering in relation to Appalachian shales.Volume 7 Issue 127To learn more about making a private gift to support the Research Trust Fund of WestVirginia University, contact Dawn Sandone, director of development in theCollege of Engineering and Mineral Resources, at 304.293.4036 or via email atDawn.Sandone@mail.wvu.edu.

supportAlumnus makes WVUpart of his estate planBy Deborah MillerTommy StuchellSafety Managers’Board of DirectorsestablishesscholarshipBoth family and education have played important roles in Tommy Stuchell’s life. Now vice presidentof Strategic Development for NuStar Energy in San Antonio, he often remembers how both of hisparents stressed the importance of education. “All three of my siblings earned at least one degreefrom WVU, too,” said Stuchell.Originally from Preston County, Stuchell graduated from West Virginia University in 1987 with adegree in electrical engineering. He also holds a law degree and an MBA from schools in Texas. “Itell folks all the time that if I could relive any part of my life, it would be my time at WVU,” Stuchellsaid. “I made friends and have memories that will last my lifetime.“When it was time to update my estate plan, I immediately thought of WVU,” he added.While including a gift provision in a will is an easy option, naming the WVU Foundation as the futurebeneficiary of retirement accounts, life insurance, annuity policies, and other estate assets alsoworks well.Through good planning, Stuchell established the Thomas D. Stuchell Engineering Endowment in2010. His estate will also supplement the fund later. “I wanted to do something to honor the memoryof my dad while helping others in the Lane Department, now and for years to come,” Stuchell said.“Naming an endowment fund after him was a great way to meet both objectives.“Although I have spent most of my adult life in Texas, West Virginia and WVU have never been farfrom my heart,” Stuchell added. “WVU has meant so much to the Stuchell family.”The board of directors for the InternationalHarold M. GordonBoard for the Certification of SafetyManagers has established an annual scholarship to be presentedto a student studying the discipline at a master’s level at WestVirginia University. Dr. Daniel Della-Giustina, professor of safetymanagement in the College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesDepartment of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering,will coordinate the application and selection requirements for theUniversity.The $1,000 Harold M. Gordon Hazard Control ManagementScholarship is named in honor of Harold M. Gordon, whoestablished the certified hazard control manager credential in1976 and served as the executive director of the Board of HazardControl Management (BCHCM) until his retirement in 2007. Gordoncurrently serves as the chair of the organization’s board of directors.“Gordon’s foresight about the importance of individual safetycredentials, along with advocacy using management principles toprevent loss, makes this award very compatible to the outstandinggraduate safety management degree offered by WVU,” said JimTweedy, executive director of BCHCM.In memoriamSpring 2011 ENGINEERINGWV28Staff Sergeant Nick OliverStaff Sergeant Nick Oliver, 88, of Morgantown,W.Va., passed away on February 5, after a long battlewith cancer.A native of Belle Vernon, Pa., Oliver enrolled at WestVirginia University after being discharged from theMarine Corps following his service in World War II.He graduated with honors in 1949 with a degree inelectrical engineering.Oliver enjoyed a long career in industry, workingwith CONSOL Coal Co., Chrysler Missile Division,RCA, Wheeling Pittsburgh Steel Co., and U.S. SteelCorp. in positions that took him around the world. Heretired in 1992 from the U.S. Department of Energyin Bruceton, Pa., where he served as manager ofengineering and construction for more than 20 years.Oliver is survived by his wife of 62 years, MaryTheresa Silletta; three children; six grandchildren; twosisters; and five brothers.Dave RidenourDavid Ridenour, 47, of Vernon, Wisc., passed awayunexpectedly on October 13.An accomplished small-bore rifle shooter, Ridenourreceived an athletic scholarship to West VirginiaUniversity, and was the first person in the UnitedStates to earn an NRA Collegiate All-AmericanAward in two sports for four consecutive years. Afterearning his bachelor of science degree in electricalengineering from WVU in 1986, Ridenour worked as asoftware engineer for Rockwell Automation, where hereceived an innovation award for his contributions.STANLEY faRRStan Farr, 90, of Morgantown, W.Va., passed awayon March 2, at the Naval Hospital of Pensacola, Fla.A native of Lochgelly, W.Va., Farr enrolled at WVU,majoring in chemical engineering. A member of theReserve Officers’ Training Corp, he was called upto serve in World Work II as a member of the U.S.Army Corps of Engineering in the Pacific. He returnedto WVU to complete his degree and continuedto serve in the U.S. Army Reserves, organizingboth an engineering company and a research anddevelopment company in Morgantown. He retiredfrom the reserves at the rank of major.Farr went onto earn a master’s degree from WVU inphysics and he taught in the department for manyyears.Following retirement, Oliver established a VFW Postin Belle Vernon, worked as an instructor of electricaltechnology at the Monongalia County TechnicalEducation Center in Morgantown, and was namedVeteran of the Year 2010 for Monongalia County.His personal interests included sailing, scuba diving,traveling, and cooking and sharing wine with friends.He is survived by his wife of 10 years, Marge; hisfather, Donald; and many other relatives.He is survived by his wife of 63 years, ValendaVonceil McCutcheon Farr; three sons; sixgrandchildren; and two great grandchildren.

News of noteStudentsSean Adams, a senior computer science major, recently received theDepartment of Defense Information Assurance Scholarship Program yearlyscholarship, which provides full tuition, a monthly stipend, books, a guaranteedsummer internship, and a guaranteed job upon completion of his degree. Adamswill work for the Department of Defense after graduation.Nicco Campriani, an industrial engineering senior, had a perfect 600 score ina recent NCAA rifle match against Alaska. This has occurred only once before inNCAA history. At this match, his combined score was the best in the nation, andhe broke three WVU records.Computer science majors James Mantheiy and Ying-Wooi Wan were recentlyawarded scholarships from the computer science honorary Upsilon Pi Epsilon.Rob Murphy, a mechanical engineering graduate student from Beckley, W.Va.,has earned the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education Fellowship fromthe Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown.Murphy has been active with the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders,as well as recruiting for the College.Byron Patterson, a mechanical and aerospace engineering major from UpperBlack Eddy, Penn., has been awarded a U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityUndergraduate Scholarship. Eleven scholarships were awarded nationwide.WVU’s student chapter of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, andExploration was named first runner-up in the 2010 student chapter contest andthe first-place winner of the SME GEM student chapter contest. The students willbe recognized at this year’s annual meeting in Denver.For the second year in a row, the West Virginia University student chapterof the Institute of Industrial Engineers took Best Chapter and Best Paperhonors at their regional conference held in Knoxville, Tenn. The chapter is led byDan Norris; top paper honors went to Victoria Phillips. Forty-one students fromWVU attended the conference, accompanied by Dr. Majid Jaraiedi.AlumniMichelle and Stan Cardwell, BSME ’84, recently adopted Lazarus OjooCardwell, age 15. Lazarus lost both his parents in the civil war in northernUganda. He joins older sisters, Rachel, 18, and Rebecca, 16, and brother, Daniel,15, in the Cardwell family.Dr. Cheng Lok Hing, BSCE ’00, MSCE ’02, PhD CEE ’06, has been namedthe recipient of the Edmund Friedman Young Engineer Award for ProfessionalAchievement by the American Society of Civil Engineers. Hing currently works forMichael Baker, Jr., Inc.John Klim, BSME ’95, was named as the new chief facility engineer at theVA Medical Center in Huntington, W.Va. He is in charge of all facility operationsincluding the physical plant, capital construction projects, and biomedicalengineering.Edward Lewis, BSChE ’88, was promoted to the position of principal engineerwith Canon Virginia, Inc., Canon’s major North American manufacturing facility inNewport News, Va. He has worked for Canon for more than 16 years and spentthe past several years working with engineers in Japan starting up a $750 millionfacility on the Virginia campus. Since joining Canon, he completed his master’sdegree in materials science and engineering from the University of Virginia anda professional degree in engineering management from George WashingtonUniversity. This past summer, Lewis served as one of the trap range instructorsat the 100th anniversary National Boyscout Jamboree.WVU COllEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAl RESOURCESSteven R. Marcus, MSChE ’80, is celebrating 30 years of employment with theWest Virginia operations of the Dow Chemical Company. He currently works inthe ethylene oxide technical center’s licensing department.John R. Pinion, II, BSME ’88, has transitioned to a new leadership positionas a result of the integration of Genentech and Roche. He is the senior vicepresident of quality and compliance for all pharmaceutical and biotechnologytechnical operations. His wife, Penny, and their two sons, Johnny, 11, andMichael, 7, recently moved from San Francisco to Basel, Switzerland.Steven R. Sawyer, MSSM, ’05, has completed the requirements forcertification as a Certified Safety Professional. Sawyer, who has worked in thesafety industry for 10 years, is employed as a safety consultant for KFSA inHutchinson, Kan.Sarah (Lovell) Soliman, BSCpE ’07, was married on October 10, 2010, inGreenbrier County, W.Va.Dr. David Statler, PhD ChE ’08, was presented with the Mid-AtlanticTechnology, Research, and Innovation Center’s (MATRIC) Star Employee award inthe area of chemical and environmental technologies.F. David Wilkin, BSAE ’67, MSAE ’69 (and EdD Harvard University, ‘80)retired July 2010. Working as an aerospace engineer early in his career, Wilkintransitioned to higher education, serving community colleges for 37 years, 27as president/chief officer. He is a member of the Irvin Stewart Society and wasadmitted to the Academy of Distinguished Alumni of Aerospace Engineering in2003. Wilkin and his wife, Erna, reside in Abingdon, Va.Faculty and StaffMark Adkins, mining extension, won first place in mixed media public in theNational Mine Academy’s Training Resources Applied to Mining Conference. Hecreated a PowerPoint program used to train operators of diesel equipment usedin the state’s underground mines. His presentation meets all of the regulations ofstate’s Office of Miners’ Health Safety and Training.Chris Bise, chair of mining engineering, was selected to receive the AIMEMineral Industry Education Award at the Society for Mining, Metallurgy andExploration 2011 Annual Meeting and Exhibit in Denver, Col.Parviz Famouri, professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science andElectrical Engineering, has been elected to serve as the Institute of Electricaland Electronics Engineers Nanotechnology Council’s vice president for technicalactivities.Dr. Keith Heasley has been named The Syd S. Peng Ground Control in MiningAward winner by the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration. The award ispresented annually to outstanding professionals who have demonstrated insightand understanding of ground control issues by developing concepts, theories, ortechnologies that have been adopted by the mining community or the successfulimplementation of ground control designs or practices.Jim Smith, director of the Center for Industrial Research Applications, andmechanical and aerospace engineering professor, was the keynote speakerat the AEROQPRO-2010 conference, sanctioned by the Society of AutomotiveEngineers-International. The theme of the conference, held in Mexico, was“strengthening ties between academia and industry in the aerospace area.”Volume 7 Issue 129

WVU College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesPO Box 6070, Morgantown, WV 26506-6070Non-ProfitOrganizationUS PostagePAIDMorgantown, WVPermit No. 34Address correction requestedSave the DatesLane Department Academy BanquetApril 1Mechanical and Aerospace Visiting CommitteeApril 825th Anniversary of Chemical Engineering AcademyApril 14-15Mining Engineering Visiting CommitteeApril 15Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Visiting CommitteeApril 15College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Honors DayApril 15Civil and Environmental Engineering AcademyApril 29-30Emeritus LuncheonMay 6CommencementMay 14College of Engineering Visiting CommitteeSeptember 22-23Poundstone LectureSeptember 22Your NewsSend your professional news, photos, and/or contributions toengineeringwv@mail.wvu.edu, or to Alumni Notes, College of Engineering andMineral Resources, West Virginia University, PO 6070, Morgantown, WV 26506-6070. You also may give online at www.cemr.wvu.edu/contribute.Name_________________________________________________________________Address________________________________________________________________City State Zip___________________________________________________________Email__________________________________________________________________Graduation Year_________Degree(s)_ _______________________________________q Yes, I want to support the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.Enclosed is my contribution of: $____________ Thank you for your support.My news: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________EWV2011SPRGCheck us out onFacebookTwitterLinkedInKeep up with current happenings in our College by becoming a fanof our Facebook page, or following us on Twitter or LinkedIn.www.facebook.com/wvucemrwww.twitter.com/wvucemrwww.cemr.wvu.edu/linkedinwvucemr