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

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.”