envision - College Of Engineering - University of South Florida

in thisissue2 Welcome—Our VisionDrives Us3 Cognitive Radio—Intelligent WirelessNetworking Saves Lives3 Virtual MD Lab4 Researchers Work onRenewable EnergySolutions4 Faculty Inducted intoAcademy of Inventors5 Is it really green?5 DCI Solutions buildsan Ark6 Engineering, Real Life,Soccer and Legos6 TAD provides Mobilityto Disabled8 Bridge to DoctorateProgram8 NNRC Expands MajorToolset9 New ElectricalEngineering Chair—A Bridge Builder9 NSF Career Awards9 Building honorsDean Burdick9 NEW Alumni SocietyFacebook Page10 Alumni Notes11 Faculty & Staff Update11 Theirs is A Heartof Gold12 USF Unstoppable:College of EngineeringAdead cow is discovered in a ditch in the DominicanRepublic. This ditch is for pipe that will provide safedrinking water to a village, the work managed by aPeace Corps student in the Master’s International Program.Enraged, the cow’s owner has the hapless studentthrown into the fetid rural jail.On the day of the trial, the student is brought before thejudge, where the angry land owner itemizes his loss ofincome, sustenance and reproductive capabilities of theunfortunate bovine to a packed courtroom. The studentcontemplates his short life, and what it would have been liketo have taken that lucrative position in the corporate world.One by one, the people in the room come forward. Recognizinghis own villagers, the astonished student listens asthey defend him and his efforts to bring clean spring watervia a pipeline to their village in the valley. The judge weighsthe considerable loss of one cow against the testimonyof the people. He releases the student. Now clean waterflows through the pipeline, safely buried, to the village inthe valley.In 1997, Dr. Jim Mihelcic founded the Master’s InternationalProgram in Civil and Environmental Engineering.Currently the Director of the program at USF, Dr. Mihelcicuses the dead cow incident to underscore the major goalsof the Master/Peace Corps program: to deliver economic,environmental and social benefits to developing countries.“The people in this village took ownership of the project,”said Dr. Mihelcic. The economic gravity feed of the pipeline,the improvement in the water quality and the sensitivity tothe social structure of the people involved created a sustainableand successful engineering project.The program is simple:after successful acceptance and country placement bythe Peace Corps, the student spends one year on campuswith coursework in engineering, sustainable developmenttechnology, global public health and applied anthropology.Then, 3 months of training and two years of serviceabroad as a Peace Corps Volunteer doing engineeringwork related to his or her specialty. During those twoyears the student also fulfills the requirement of identifyingand completing a research thesis, thus, creating knowledgeto assist others. Extensive information on specific academics,application processes and student biographies is availableat: http://cee.eng.usf.edu/peacecorps.This is not your father’sPeace Corps.Students get real-world engineeringexperience. But theengineering will be definedby sustainability, appropriatetechnology and sensitivity to thesocial and economic needs ofenvi s i o nUniversity of South Florida | College of EngineeringPeace CorpsMaster’s InternationalProgram in Civil andEnvironmentalEngineeringthe people. In many parts of the world, hauling water isthe job of women. Some factors to consider are distanceto the water source; and type of containers they use; andcan these containers fit under the spigot; and will standingwater attract insects; and is laundry done in the area.Researching and applying the appropriate technologicaland social solutions to serve humanity, and creatingknowledge from these experiences, is all part of this globalchallenge.Distribution of Master’s International students is roughlyone-third Sub-Sahara Africa, one-third Central and SouthAmerica and one-third Pacific Rim such as Samoa, Fiji andthe Philippines. There are already 24 countries benefitingfrom this program. Students enrolled at USF are providedtraining unique to their placement country. For example,continued on p.2Cover photo—takenduring the InternationalCapstone Design projectat Tierras Nuevas, Bolivia.Provided by Linda Phillips,lecturer, Civil & EnvironmentalEngineering.The Republic of Mali is a landlockedFrench-speaking nation inWestern Africa. Top left, clockwise:USF student Brooke Ahrens standingnear a water pump in Sirakorobougou,a typical project in this program;Hygiene mural, serves as a community reminder;A traditional Mali well; Dr. Jim Mihelcic, program founder

PEACE CORPS—cont’d.environmental and economic aspects of small islandsare very different from large landmasses.While the interdisciplinary approach to the Master’sprogram is not new, the quest for sustainable developmentis a driving force. “There are some grandchallenges to be faced,” says Dr. Maya Trotz, one offaculty management team for the project. “Collaborationacross fields, the Internet, funding, and workingwith such entities as NOAA on climate change, all ofthese are pressing issues.” Growing up in Guyana, Dr.Trotz believes in a holistic approach in providing engineeringsolutions, and specializes in arsenic removalfrom groundwater.“Some of my students have remained in-country andwork in non-governmental organization capacities,” saidDr. Mihelcic. “Eight continued into Ph.D. programs andone works on Capital Hill and is also in law school. In thiscountry, I have an Indian health services worker specializingin water sanitation, and many students are engineeringconsultants, some even working on the restoration ofthe Everglades. The strong technical skills and the socialcomponent develop a world focus. The applied engineering professionalizesthe experience, and the human dimension is transformative.”Students in this program use Dr. Mihelcic’s Field Guide in EnvironmentalEngineering for Development Workers: Water, Sanitation, IndoorAir, (ASCE Press, 2009). In the foreword, President Jimmy Carterexpresses the ideals of this program: “Having access to the basicneeds of water, sanitation, hygiene and shelter are issues of humanrights, not just issues of development and engineering.” The faculty,mentors and students of the Master’s International Program sharethis philosophy and make their experience and education availableto benefit the most vulnerable members of humanity.For more information, please contact Dr. Mihelcic at jm41@eng.usf.edu and Dr. Trotz at matrotz@eng.usf.edu.Top right: Students and Mali residents work on new well projectBottom right: Completed wellOur VisionDrives UsSit down, grab yourfavorite beverage anddig in! Like familiesthat are far too long apartand distant, the time forour family reunion is longoverdue. The Universityof South Florida College ofEngineering is in its 45thyear of service to our students,the state of Floridaand the broader community.As with many 45 year oIds,we have spawned a large family. Some are closeto home and others, perhaps even you, havemoved on to distant places to seek their destiny.I am so pleased that we are finally able to reachout to you and to update everyone on our family’ssuccess and growth. As you start turningthe pages, you will gain an appreciation of thebreadth and impact of our family. We have facultyand students in the far reaches of the worldbringing water and a more modern standardof living to people. You will see what we aredoing about energy needs of the world. Learnhow going green makes green. Celebrate oursuccesses, from CAREER awards to OutstandingStaff Awards. Hear about your classmatesand our proud traditions such as Bull-Arney andthe Heart of Gold Scholarship Luncheon. It hasbeen awhile, we have much to share.In addition to our own 45th anniversary, the year2009 marks the 200th anniversary of CharlesDarwin’s birth. Darwin’s Theory of Evolutionplays out in many arenas besides the naturalworld. Even organizations have a continual evolution,and here at USF College of Engineering2 enVision | November 2009things continue to evolve.You may be wonderingabout the name and whathas happened since the daysof the Bridge Builder newsletter.Well, I can assure youthat, at the heart, all thatyou are fond of remain. Butthings have continued toevolve. The College communitymade a consciousdecision under Dean Martin-Vega,my predecessor,to seek a newsletter namethat captured a breadth ofDean John Wiencek disciplines beyond the implicationsof the Bridge Buildername. The USF Engineer was published for severalyears as a result. The stress of the economyand a difficult transition in the Dean’s office hasresulted in a two-year lapse in our newsletter. Itwas time to reassess where we are, and what weembrace going forward. There has been amplediscussion in the halls of Kopp Hall and the newlynamed Burdick Hall about the College’s logo andnewsletter name. USF Engineer was one of severalideas under consideration. After much discussion,we landed on enVision. The capital V isintentional. We are Bull engineers and scientistswith vision. We are humble team players, knowingthat the vision is what is most important. Ourengineering and scientific skills serve us well, butour Vision drives us.I am relatively new here at USF, but no longer anewcomer. The last two years have been roughon all of us—both here at USF as well as ourbroader USF family throughout the country. Intimes like these, it is all the more important thatwe seek the solace and rejoice in the triumphsof our family. I encourage you to please shareyour news with us. We need to hear from you.enVision Nov em ber 2009enVision is produced twice a year bythe College of Engineering at theUniversity of South Florida.EditorDesignerWritersJanet GillisWendy TeagueJanet DawaldJanet GillisMission StatementThe mission of the College of Engineering atthe University of South Florida is to improvethe quality of life in our community by providinga high quality education for our students andpracticing professionals; by creating newknowledge and solving real world problemsvia innovative research; and by engaging ineffective community service and outreach.To be added to our mailing list orfor more information, contact:Janet GillisCommunications and Marketing OfficerCollege of EngineeringUniversity of South Florida4202 E. Fowler Ave. ENB 118Tampa, FL 33620email: janetgillis@eng.usf.edu

Cognitive Radio—Intelligent WirelessNetworkingSaves LivesDuring Hurricane Katrina, thousandsof cell sites were knocked out ofservice by the hurricane, and landlines and switching centers were disabledfrom floodwaters. The sustained loss ofelectricity ensured that surviving facilitiesrunning on generators eventually ran out offuel. In New York, on September 11, 2001,various first responders used radio communicationsthat were incompatible withother responders. The most effective systemused by the Port Authority had beendisabled when the repeaters, placed in eachof the Twin Towers, were destroyed whenthe buildings collapsed. Overwhelming cellphone traffic led to crashes of the entireEast Coast cellular network.How does cognitive radio fit into this picture?In the not-too-distant future, cognitiveradio and networking will replace currentradio devices that need fixed infrastructureand use only specific radio frequencies.Instead, smart radio devices will detecteach other’s transmissions and adjust theircapabilities accordingly. A collection ofcognitive radios would build a wireless adhoc network whenever necessary, withoutthe need for nearby infrastructure. Thesedevices would be programmable to suittheir environment, the user’s requirementsand be able to utilize whatever radio frequenciesare available at the time.Dr. Hüseyin Arslan, anassociate professor ofelectrical engineering, seesthe future now. “Slowly theintelligence is going into theradio devices. When thishappens communicationwill be I-centric – the userwill have the power and control, not thenetwork. So we will have less functionalityin the network and more functionality in theuser. And the user will be able to communicatewith all the devices around it, even ifthere is no real network out there.”“These radios would work together andconfigure themselves immediately,” Dr.Arslan explains. “They can adapt to a givensituation, including the network that theyprefer to operate, the distance betweentransmitter and receiver, the used waveform,the available bandwidth and operatingfrequency, the required data rate,the remaining battery power, the userrequirements, and the environment thatthe radio is operating. Also, they can findan intermediate device to use as a relay inmulti-hopping schemes.”Another interesting application of cognitiveradio can be considered as the vehicleto-vehicleand vehicle-to-roadside communication,reminding us of the old TVfeaturesseries “Knight Rider.” Theoretically, anycar equipped with a radio can interact withevery car in the vicinity. Now, this is notfor the drivers to carry on conversations,but for traffic control, maintaining distancesbetween vehicles, alerts for accidentsand even to take over control of thebraking system of a car if the driver doesnot respond soon enough.The number of wireless applications perperson in the world is staggering. It is estimatedthat 80 percent of the world’s populationhas access to wireless devices. Thesedevices include cell phones, machine-tomachinecommunication, sensor communicationand telemetry. Is there enough radiofrequency bandwidth to go around? “Actuallywe don’t have a spectrum problem,” Dr.Arslan says. “Our problem is the inefficientusage of the spectrum, and how we haveassigned frequencies in the past. The FCCis slowly changing the rules. One example isopportunistic spectrum usage. If a detectedfrequency is not utilized by the primary,or owner of the frequency, then the smartradio device can be a secondary user, andbe able to grab that frequency.”The USF College of Engineering is one ofthe leading institutions in the developmentof cognitive radio technology. Imaginewhat the outcomes of Hurricane Katrinaand 9/11 would have been if there hadbeen reliable radio communications duringthese disasters. In the next 20 years, thistechnology will have a large impact on oursafety, society and economy.v i r t u a lMDSinan Önal, left, graduate student, and Krystal Foutner, undergraduatestudent, work on computer modeling in the VirtualMD Lab.If you are a fan of the Enterprise’s Holodeck, the VirtualMDLab is a wonder of 3D modeling, prototypingand futuristic medicine. Dr. Susana Lai-Yuen,assistant professor with the department of Industrial and ManagementSystems Engineering, works with state-of-the-art equipmentto produce both virtual and real medical devices. Even Dr. McCoywould be amazed at the collection of three-dimensional scannersand printers, robots, CNC machines and the sheer computingpower necessary to run this equipment.The primary focus of the VirtualMD Lab is partnering with the medicalcommunity to improve or create medical devices. Experts inengineering and medicine collaborate with students and faculty toprovide experience in all areas of research, development, manufacturingand physical use of medical devices.Truly an interdisciplinary approach, a recent project involved thecreation of a new surgical tool. Dr. Stuart Hart from the Collegeof Medicine described the need for a new device to assist inminimally-invasive surgical techniques. The students observed theactual operation, and then used 3D modeling and rapid prototypingequipment to design and create a prototype.For two days each February, the lab opens its doors during EngineeringExpo. “We have a virtual ‘rubber duck’ for the children,” Dr. Lai-Yuen explains. “It is made in virtual clay, and they can add or removematerial, paint it and add hair.” Part of this process involves the useof haptic devices, which is the interface between human touch and amachine. These devices impart forces or motions to the user. Withthem you can actually feel the clay being scraped off the virtual duck.It is fascinating to see what children come up with.”The projects vary from a USF bull-shaped iPod to improved cellphone design. “Sometimes I make the design open-ended, withthe only constraint being the working area of the prototypingmachines,” explains Dr. Lai-Yuen about the kinds of projects created.However, because of ongoing commercial development,some products cannot be discussed. “Many of our medical devicesare still in the process of being patented,” says Dr. Lai-Yuen.The Virtual Lab is sponsored by the College of Engineering at USF, theSociety of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Education Foundation, theCenter for Applied Research in Medical Devices (CareMed), and theFlorida Medical Manufacturers’ Consortium, Inc.enVision | November 2009 3

Researchers Work onRenewable EnergySolutionsThe Florida Energy Systems Consortium (FESC) is the collaboration of 11 Florida universities.Dr. Yogi Goswami, Professor of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, is USF’scontact for this project. These universities will be charged with sharing energy-relatedexpertise and assisting in the development and implementation of a comprehensive, longterm,environmentally compatible, sustainable and efficient energy strategic plan for the state.USF is proud to announce two projects in this area: Hydrogen Fuel Storage Technology andcreating Clean-burning Fuels from Florida’s agricultural biomass waste. Also, Dr. John Kuhnhas joined the Chemical & Biomedical Engineering Department. Dr. Kuhn received his Ph.D. inChemical Engineering at Ohio State in 2007. John’s focus will be on alternative and sustainableenergy. His specialty is nanostructed metal and metal oxide materials for energy applicationsincluding fuel cell electrocatalysis and catalytic fuel processing.Hydrogen Fuel StorageTechnology—TestingComplex Borohydridesfor Reversible HydrogenStorageOne of the most complicated chemicalprocesses for hydrogen-powered vehiclesis the storage of hydrogen gas. Materialsmust be efficient, lightweight, economicaland renewable. That’s a tall order inthe chemical engineering world, but tworesearchers from USF are serving it up.A number of promising borohydridestorage systems for the hydrogen havebeen studied in the past, accordingto Dr. Venkat R. Bhethanabotla,dept. chair. The systematic studyof zinc, manganese and multinaryborohydrides has led to testing anew complex borohydride—lithiummanganese borohydride. Instead of storingthe hydrogen in a tank (as most peoplethink), it is stored on the molecular levelin a solution and is converted to gaswhen required. Once the solution isdepleted of its hydrogen, it must beeconomically reversible, or capable ofbeing recharged with new hydrogen.In this scenario, you would pull upto the hydrogen “pump” and unloadyour spent borohydride, and then fill‘er up with the recharged borohydride.4 enVision | November 2009Pabitra Choudhury, doctoral student,who specializes in computational chemistry,uses theoretical techniques for studying thevarious borohydrides for fuel cell use. “Webelieve that borohydride materials couldbe very promising energy storage becauseof their high theoretical capacity as well aslight weight and reversible capability.”Clean-burning Fuels—One Day Your Car MightRun on GRASSFlorida is the largest producer of biomassin the country. Fortunately, USF chemicalengineers are improving the process ofturning this huge amount of biomass intoclean-burning liquid fuels. Abundant suppliesof bagasse from the sugar industry, citruspeels and native pine, switch grass andmunicipal yard waste create a lignin-richbiomass that can be transformed by twoprocesses: fermentation or thermochemical.Fermentation, as every wine or beermaker knows, is a biological process thatis slow, difficult to control and expensive.So researchers at USF are focused on thethermochemical method. This process firstconverts the partially oxidized biomass tosyngas (a gas mixture of carbon monoxideand hydrogen). The syngas is then convertedto clean-burning liquid hydrocarbonfuels such as gasoline, diesel or evenaviation fuels. This conversion process, theFischer-Tropsch Synthesis(FTS), was developed inGermany during the 1930’s touse coal as a feed stock. Thebiomass FTS process involvesa gasifier and catalyst, whichmust be fine-tuned for thespecific biomass used inFlorida. Minimizing pollutantswhile maximizing energyproduction and environmentalconsiderations are also anintegral part of this program.This renewable energy processwill take advantage ofFlorida’s unique and abundantsupply of biomass. Establishmentof this technology willcreate job opportunities andreduce the need for importedoil and gasoline.Principal Investigators: BabuJoseph, Yogi Goswami,Venkat Bhethanabotla,John T. Wolan, & VinayGuptaLeft: Doctoral student AliGardezi works with the benchscale plug flow reactor in Dr.John Wolan’s biomass lab.37 Faculty Inductedinto Academyof InventorsCollege of Engineering faculty memberscomprise 28% of the chartermembership of the USF Academyof Inventors at the inaugural luncheon onOctober 5.At the event, Dr. Ken Christensen, professorof computer science and engineering,received a 2009 Excellence in InnovationAward. Ken was nominated by Dr. LarryHall, chair of the computer science andengineering dept., for his research that hasresulted in innovations that reduce energyusage for computers and networks. Dr.Christensen’s research, funded by NSF forfour years and one year by Cisco, includestwo key standards adopted by the EPAEnergy Star Specification for Computers.Dr. Thomas Wade, professor of electricalengineering is president elect of the2009-2010 Executive Committee andDr. Thomas Weller, associate dean ofresearch, is a board member. Dr. JohnWiencek, dean of the college of engineeringwas presented as an honorary chartermember of the Academy.Chemical / BiomedicalVenkat BhethanabotlaRichard GilbertYogi GoswamiVinay GuptaMark JaroszewskiAydin SunolCivil & EnvironmentalStanley KrancGray MullinsDaniel YehComputer Science & EngineeringKenneth ChristensenDmitry GoldgofSrinivas KatkooriMiguel LabradorLes PieglNagarajan RanganathanSudeep SarkarElectricalShekhar BhansaliKenneth BuckleLarry DunleavyChristos FerekidesRichard GitlinAndrew HoffVijay JainAshok KumarDon MorelWilfredo MorenoStephen SaddowRudy SchlafElias StefanakosThomas WadeThomas WellerIndustrial & ManagementSystemsTapas DasGeoffrey OkogbaaMechanicalGlen BesterfieldNathan CraneDaniel HessStuart Wilkinson

Is it ReallyGREENor just Marketing?What can your humble dishwashertell you about being green? Onceconsidered an extravagance ofelectricity and hot water, can a dishwasherpoint the way to sustainability? Enter thelaboratory of Dr. Delcie Durham, professorof mechanical engineering, for anapplied lesson in cutting through the, ah,grease and getting down to the shine.Three issues determine if a product orsystem is sustainable: societal, cost/economicsand environmental impact.The societal factor ranges from meetingthe needs of developing countries to whatis marketable and what will sell in a givensociety. “Sustainability is always collaborativeacross many disciplines and expectations.It involves public health, anthropology,sociology and other’s feedback thatI cannot do without,” states Dr Durham.“Sustainability is always transdisciplinary.”“I look at the cost and environmentalimpact. What I choose to use in termsof materials and processes to producea product, and what kind of resourcesare going to be used while the product isused, and then what is going to happen atthe end-of-life with the materials in thatproduct. This is the total product lifecycle.The impact and costs are associated withmaterial, energy, water and waste.” Forthe metals in our dishwasher, databasesnow provide embedded environmentalcosts for every pound of steel, aluminum,copper and lead. Not only the dollar cost,but the environmental costs to mine,refine and mill the metals.The next generation of databases willprovide process information. What arethe ramifications of coating the steel withporcelain? Coating the trays with plastic? Inthe future we will have both the imbeddedcost for the steel and the additional environmentalcosts for coating the interiorwith porcelain or plastic or other materials.This is the core concept of sustainability,knowing entire environmental impactof raw materials, manufacturing processesand distribution.Manufacturers claim that costs will go up.Dr. Durham responds, “For those who arechanging, this is a win/win situation, thetriple bottom line” (accounting for ecologicaland social performance in additionto financial performance). For example,waste. Not only do sustainability practicesreduce waste, they reduce the actualmonetary cost of disposing of that waste.And some company’s waste can be transformedinto feedstock for another industry,sometimes at great profit. And if youdo “go green” you market that and take itto the bank.Now we can determine the environmentalissues in manufacturing our dishwasher, butwhat about the energy and water consumptionduring the use of the appliance?“This is where sustainability is creepinginto thinking about the dishwasher”, saysDr. Durham. The evidence is the brightyellow EPA Energy Star sticker. The costassociated with running a new appliance isnow readily available to every consumer.In addition, engineers use the concept of“exergy” when evaluating a product forenergy efficiency. Exergy can be thoughtof as “useful work.” The engineer knowsthat heat is useful to run the dishwasher, sohow do I eliminate useless heat loss? Exergyalso involves something as basic as knowingwhen to stop washing dishes. Does yourold dishwasher always work for 30 minutes,regardless of the fact that the dishes wereprobably clean in half that time?Wait, that means my dishwasher has to“know” when the dishes are clean. Thisconcept is called “resources on demand”and involves sensors or devices that candetermine when to shorten or lengthen agiven task. One dishwasher that Dr. Durham’steam investigated had this sensor.However, that unit cost three times theprice of the average dishwasher. It was,however, the most efficient over the totallife cycle.So now your older dishwasher has washedits last load. Sustainability looks at the totallifecycle of the dishwasher, how much canbe recycled, reused, or needs to be landfilled.This is called “end-of-life.” Obviouslythe steel parts are candidates for recycling,but are you going to dismantle it? (Well,maybe you have already tried this). If it wasdesigned to be recycled in the first place,the manufacturer might be very happy tocollect several hundred pounds of qualitysteel. (In some countries, recycling is theresponsibility of the manufacturer, knownas “take-back” laws.) In a truly greenproduct, end-of-life is designed into theproduct, not into the dump.In addition to the three issues of societal,economics and environmental impact,the concept of sustainability also involvesevaluating existing models and redesigningselected components. Ideally, for everyproduct there would be a set of rules, orblueprint that incorporates sustainabilityfrom start to finish.So, load up your current white, blackor stainless steel dishwasher and press“Start” because someday it will be green.DCI SolutionsBuilds an ArkEbrahim Mehrani, Ph.D., PE, SI,CGC, CCC, CBI, principal ofDCI Solutions, Inc., is constructingan ark-shaped building that willhouse a restaurant and retail storecontaining approximately 6,000 sq. ft.under roof and 3,200 sq. ft. of open airarea. This is a unique structure with acomplex construction technique. Inaddition to the restaurant and retailspace, there is an outdoor eating deck,a miniature golf course and drivingrange. Dr. Mehrani is a USF alum, B.S.and M.S. 1977 and Ph.D. 2005.Right: DCI Solutions Ark being built along I-4near Dinosaur WorldenVision | November 2009 5

Engineering, Real Life, Soccerand LegosThe Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supportsactive research participation by undergraduate students in anyof the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation.A more accurate description is “hands-on participation in cutting-edge engineeringin the scientific process in an international networking environmentwith great pay.”This past summer the students specialized in robotics. Using the Lego MindstormsNXT robots, the challenge was to program them to play soccer. Thestudents started from scratch, including robot construction, cameras, sensorsand programming. Dr. Miguel Labrador, associate professor of computerscience and REU coordinator divided the students into two teams;one graduate student to three undergraduates. On the day of the match,“We had some issues. The light and space in the open area of Engineering IIwas different from the lab. The robots are programmed to respond to lightand color, and the new surroundings caused some confusion in the roboticsoccer players. To be on the safe side, the students had programmed therobots to use a red soccer ball, making it easier to identify.“Then we had far more journalists and spectators than we anticipated,” Dr.Labrador continues. “The flash on one photographer’s camera created a redlight which drove the robots crazy. Then a spectator wore a red dress whichwas the same color as the soccer ball.”The summer’s programs are selected in January by the department. Herecruits students from many campuses in the United States, Puerto Ricoand South America. The main idea of this program is to give students realresearch experience to determine if they like it or not, so they can make aninformed decision about their education. Hopefully they will go on to graduateschool. Several of the students in the first and second year of the USFprogram are now in Ph.D. studies.The department of Computer Science and Engineering’s sixth summersession in 2010 is May 30 to August 6, and the deadline for applications isMarch 15. Part of the 10-week program includes housing at USF, transportationreimbursement and a $4,000 stipend. Aimed at juniors and seniorsfrom higher education institutions lacking world-class research facilities, thisprogram actively recruits women and minorities.If actual applied experience is not enough, there is more. Speakers arebrought in on a range of topics from personal finance to experts in the engineeringfield. Networking with professors, graduate students and industryrepresentatives provides incalculable benefits. “And, we also have fun, Dr.Labrador adds. Check out the schedule page on the website (http://www.csee.usf.edu/REU). You will see there is something new every week.”Despite the distractions, the soccer competition was fierce, and the threeundergrads beat the grad student four goals to one. “There was anotherimportant lesson here,” adds Dr. Labrador. “The graduate student’s strategywas complicated, and he ran out of time implementing it.” The trio ofundergrads won with a more simple approach. Talk about your real wordengineering experience!The REU program is a rich and rigorous ten weeks. The REU website has allthe information and application forms available. Be sure to check back earlynext year to see what the project for 2010 will be. “This is such an excellentopportunity,” said Labrador. “I wish I’d had these opportunities when I was astudent.”For more information contact Dr. Labrador, labrador@eng.usf.edu.Below: REU students, Kenneth Samuel Mendoza (left) and Abimilex Reveronprepare their robots for the soccer match.TravelAssistanceDeviceProvides Mobilityto DisabledWhat do a city bus, Google, and 911 have in common?Add a few more ingredients: enthusiastic researchers,visionary government employees and dedicated transitworkers. The terms “interdisciplinary” or “collaboration” do notbegin to cover the amazing development of the Travel AssistanceDevice (TAD). This revolutionary system helps disabled transitriders travel on city buses by providing real-time directions fromtheir cell phone.Under the working partnership between USF’s Center for UrbanTransportation Research (CUTR) and Computer Science andEngineering, sponsorship and encouragement by the FloridaDepartment of Transportation (FDOT) and U.S. Department ofTransportation, donations of phones and service from Sprint-Nextel,and cooperation with the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit(HART), this program has been successfully tested in the TampaBay area. TAD is now in the process of being tested and evaluatedwith five other transit providers. The TAD project has alsoattracted interest from over 50 transit agencies around the U.S. aswell as organizations in Canada, England, and Spain.First, some history. A few years ago, the Federal CommunicationsCommission mandated that 911 cell phone calls must include theirposition so they can be located by emergency responders. Thisled to Global Positioning System (GPS)—enabled cell phones. AtGoogle, a project for gathering all the bus routes in the U.S. wasunderway. This project incorporates the bus routes of participatingtransit companies into the Google Map system. Within thisproject, Google standardized the interface (Google Transit FeedSpecification, or GTFS), wherein the transit companies would submittheir bus schedules for Google to upload and maintain withintheir map system. Today, you can see the results of this projectwhen you plan a trip on Google; you will see a drop-down thatoffers the trip by car, by public transit, or by walking.Enter Amy Datz, the visionary FDOT project manager whoforwarded a St. Petersburg Times article to the CUTR researchers.In it, Mark Sheppard, talks about his job as a travel trainerwith HART and helping individuals with disabilities travel independentlyon the bus. At the time, CUTR happened to be working onsoftware applications for GPS-enabled cell phones. “We thoughtthis was something we could potentially help with,” says SeanBarbeau, Research Associate at CUTR. “We talked with MarkSheppard and began communicating with educators and otherresearchers that work with individuals with cognitive disabilitiesor special needs. From there, the idea grew into a proposal thatattracted the interest and support of then Florida Secretary ofTransportation Denver Stutler, and funding was obtained fromNational Center for Transit Research at CUTR. We were off andrunning.”The CUTR researchers then faced the same challenges asGoogle—loading and updating thousands of bus schedules fromtransit agencies all around the country in order to create a nationally-deployablesystem. This was a huge problem which couldhave derailed the CUTR project. Why not, asked the CUTR folks,use that same GTFS data that transit agencies already create andmaintain? “We built our software so it can essentially acquire datafrom all transit agencies that participate in Google Transit. Wetake that same data feed that the agencies provide to Google anduse it to update our TAD system,” adds Mr. Barbeau.The TAD system works with a Google Map-based Internetwebsite and GPS-enabled cell phones. A Java Micro Edition TADapplication is downloaded to the cell phone. A cognitively-disabledtraveler, or their caretaker, then logs onto the website and bringsup the appropriate bus routes. They enter the day and time oftheir trip, and simply click on the iconic bubbles for the starting6 enVision | November 2009

esearchMark Sheppard, HART Travel Trainer, shows another trainee how to use and program the TAD device.and ending bus stops. The route is given a name, like “Home to Work”and is saved in the TAD database on the Internet.When the traveler accesses the application on their cell phone, he or shewill see a list of the pre-set routes which have been planned using theTAD website, like “Home to Work.” After selecting it, the cell phonethen shows the rider the route name for the bus they should board. Forexample, “5 DOWNTOWN” would display on the cell phone as on thebus, so the traveler knows which bus will take them to their destination.While the rider is traveling on the bus, the phone display also shows thedistance to final stop, which counts down as the rider approaches the endof their trip. When the rider is several stops away from their destination,the phone vibrates, beeps, and gives an audible message to “Get Ready!”The distance counter continues to decrease, and when it is time for therider to exit the bus, they are instructed to “Pull the Cord Now” throughboth an audible and visual message displayed on the cell phone along witha continuous vibration alert. The traveler then punches the “OK” buttonto indicate acknowledgement and silence the alert.All of the user interface—what the traveler seeson the phone, is very simple. But behind thisinterface cutting edge technology is combinedwith real-world experience and human compassion.Mark Sheppard, a travel trainer for HARThas been instrumental in testing the TAD inTampa. Since he has trained many travelers, the“get ready” and “pull cord now” audio alerts wererecorded using his voice. Mark has also been ableto test the TAD software as he travels aroundTampa during his regular job and give the researchteam valuable real-world feedback. Sean Barbeauexplains, “We would give Mark the latest versionof TAD software, and he would put it throughthe paces on the actual bus.” During the design ofthe TAD cell phone software, the research teamencountered a significant challenge of trackingthe person using the cell phone’s GPS in a movingvehicle and giving the “pull cord now” alertat the right time and place. “We couldn’t have aperson with special needs get off too early or toolate”, said Barbeau. “They could easily end up ina location where the next bus could be an houraway, or lost in an unfamiliar environment.” Apatent-pending algorithm was created which runson the cell phone and tracks the rider’s locationin order to deliver the alert early enough to givethe rider adequate time to request the stop whilemaking sure they still exit at the correct stop location.Mark’s feedback on how well the systemwas working during development was invaluable:“Some of the things we thought would work greatdid not, and vice versa. This learning process waskey to the success of the project and an importantstep in moving the TAD technology out of the laband into the real world,” said Barbeau.The “back end” of this project interfaces withGoogle Maps and HART bus locations andschedules through the Internet. Recognizing thenatural concern of parents and guardians aboutletting their cognitively disabled loved one dependon TAD, the research team built in the capabilityto track a traveler through the web interface toprovide these caretakers with an early warningsystem. Since a traveler’s route is always known,if they deviate from that route, a text message canbe automatically sent to the traveler and caretaker.Of course, all efforts are made to protectthe traveler’s privacy and tracking can be disabled.Also, HART buses have GPS, so the TAD systemdoes not look at a static bus route table, but actuallyfinds that exact bus and calculates the minutesbefore arrival at the bus stop. This information is also shown to the rideron their phone as they are waiting for their bus stop so they know abouthow long it will be until their bus arrives.Philip Winters, Transportation Demand Management Program Directorat CUTR, explains that this project is a win-win solution for all involved.“The transit agency can save money and the user can get more mobilityand improved quality of life. Many of these individuals are fully dependenton transit—they won’t ever be able to drive.” Sight-impaired, elderly,wheelchair-bound and brain-trauma travelers can all benefit from the TADsystem.The applications for these types of location-based services (LBS) are staggering.Tourism is an obvious winner, providing travelers with walkingdirections, points of interest and the closest restrooms. Disaster workerscould be out photographing flood levels, and sending all the data and imagesnecessary to assess the situation, including the embedded GPS informationon their location and altitude. And there is more, but, excuse me, my phoneis telling me that my stop is coming up. Nice talking with you!PROJECT RESEARCHERS:Phil Winters—Transportation Demand Management Program Director, CUTR, USFSean Barbeau—Research Associate, CUTR, USFNevine Georggi—Senior Research Associate, CUTR, USFMiguel Labrador—Associate Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, USFRafael Perez—Professor, Computer Science and Engineering, USFAmy Datz—Transit Office, Florida Department of TransportationMark Sheppard—Travel Trainer, Hillsborough Area Regional TransitGigi Gonzalez—Transition Facilitator, Exceptional Student Education, HillsboroughCounty School SystemHarvey Berlin—Transit IDEA Program Manager, Transportation Research BoardAlfredo Perez—Graduate Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFMilena Sarmiento—Graduate Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFDmitry Belov—Graduate Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFOscar Lara—Graduate Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFIsmael Roman—Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFFrancis Gelderloos—Student, Computer Science and Engineering, USFArica Bolechala—Graduate Student, Applied Behavior Analysis Program, USFenVision | November 2009 7

USF Bridge toDoctorateProgramThe University of South Floridarecently held a kickoff event towelcome and introduce new NSFFlorida Georgia Louis Stokes Alliancefor Minority Participation (FGLSAMP)Bridge to the Doctorate fellows to theUniversity community. The programhas ridden a wave of success thanksto program co-directors, Dr. ShekharBhansali, professor of electrical engineeringand Bernard Batson, director ofDiversity and Outreach programs in theCollege of Engineering, faculty mentorsand support from USF leadership,including the Provost’s Office and theOffice of Research & Innovation.The Bridge to the Doctorate initiativewas established by NSF in 2003 toincrease the nation’s pool of talentedPh.D. scientists and engineers fromunderrepresented groups. USF’s firstBridge to Doctorate program, a jointCollege of Engineering and College ofMarine Sciences project, began in 2004with the National Science Foundationfunding 12 fellowships and USF contributingan additional eight fellowships. Byfall 2009, the fellowships have risen to75 (48 NSF supported and 27 funded byUSF) with minority Ph.D. students representingfour USF Colleges (Engineering,Arts & Sciences, Marine Science,and Medicine).Doctoral studentsTony and DoriellePrice say NSF’sBD and GraduateResearch Fellowships(GRF)have providedthem with theTony and Dorielle Price opportunity toconcentratesolely on their academic studies withoutdistractions of part-time employmentor financial burdens. It has also providedthem with the camaraderie of a group ofother graduate students who are morelike family and not just a network.The fellowships are highly competitiveand include a $30,000 per year stipendalong with full tuition and fees, and studenthealth insurance for two years.Al-Aakhir Rogers,a current Bridge toDoctorate studentsays, “The BDprogram has beena tremendous assetto my academiclife. So, as a futurefaculty member, I Rogersam confident thatmy preparation and successes will grantme the opportunity to give back to thescientific community as the BD programhas done for me.”The goal of the NSF FGLSAMP Bridgeto the Doctorate program is to developthese graduates to fill research andleadership roles in university, industry,and national lab environments.NNRC ExpandsMajor ToolsetThe Nanomaterials and NanomanufacturingResearch Center (NNRC), housed inthe Nanotech I building, is a universitywideuser fabrication and metrology centerthat provides state-of-the-art equipment,professional support personnel and infrastructureto enable multidisciplinary research. TheNanotech I facility supports research projectsof faculty, graduate students, undergraduatesand industrial researchers. Research areasinclude: nanomaterials and nanomanufacturingmethods related to fundamental materials science,sensors, actuators, electronics, bio-systems,medical products, optics and integratedmicro and nanoscale systems. The NanotechI (NTA) building is located on the Universityof South Florida Tampa Campus between theScience Center building (SCA) and the KoppEngineering Building (ENG).In the past few years, the Center has expandedits major investment toolset to enable somekey capabilities or process technologies.Highlighted below are these new tools alongwith some applications the USF Engineeringresearchers have performed with these tools.Focused Ion Beam MicroscopeThe Focused Ion Beam (FIB) microscope usesa focused beam of gallium ions to cut away(mill) materials with nano to micrometerdimensions. The dual beam instrument combinesthe FIB column with a multiple-modeScanning Electron Microscope (SEM) columnin a single vacuum chamber.The FIB is used to selectively remove materialfrom substrates (both insulating and metallic)in user-defined patterns. With the additionof an organometallic gas injection system,the FIB can also be used to create patternedstructures, typically from platinum or carbon.The SEM column is used for sample imagingor charge neutralization when milling insulatingmaterials. It is a variable pressure/environmentaltype that operates in high and lowvacuum conditions. For imaging, the instrumentis equipped with an array of electrondetectors such as secondary, backscatter, andlarge-field in addition to an energy dispersiveX-ray detector for compositional analysis. Athermoelectric stage can be fitted to controland vary sample temperature during imaging.Typical uses for the FIB include milling for crosssectional analysis and structural modificationat the microscopic level. The sample preparationprocedure for the Transmission ElectronMicroscope (TEM) requires use of all the FIBcomponents including the gas injection systemfor protection layer deposition, patternedcross-sectional milling, nano-manipulator forsample lift-out, and an additional step to thinthe sample and increase electron transparency.The combination of capabilities in a singleinstrument makes the dual beam FIB/SEM systema versatile multi-tool for performing tasksessential to nanomanufacturing and materialsresearch.Transmission ElectronMicroscopeThe Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM)uses a high energy electron beam focusedthrough a series of electromagnetic lenses toinvestigate a sample for imaging purposes. Thesample must be less than 500 nanometersthick for the electrons to pass through withoutsignificant absorption. The interactiona of theelectrons from the beam with the atoms inthe sample produce an image that is projectedonto a fluorescent screen for visual analysis ordigitally collected with a CCD camera.The short wavelength of the electrons generatedin the microscope enable the TEM toobtain images at atomic resolution in excess ofone million times magnification. The instrumentmust be insulated from vibration andtemperature fluctuations to achieve thisresolution. As a comparison, the maximummagnification of an optical microscope isapproximately one thousand times.The TEM is widely used in the scientificcommunity for imaging materials and analysisof composition, interfaces, defect sites, andcrystal orientation. The combination of atomicresolution imaging and material characterizationmakes the transmission electron microscopean indispensable tool for nanotechnologyresearch.Deep Reactive- Ion Etch ToolAlcatel AMS 100Deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) is a highlyanisotropic etch process used to create deep,steep-sided holes and trenches in substratesor wafers, with aspect ratios of 20:1 or more.It was developed for microelectromechanicalsystems (MEMS), which require thesefeatures, but is also used to excavate trenchesfor high-density capacitors for DRAM andmore recently for creating through wafer via’s(TSVs) in advanced 3-D wafer level packagingtechnology . The tool can etch either siliconor dielectric materials and is used for a widevariety of research projects.8 enVision | November 2009Bottom: Focused Ion Beam microscopeInset: Transmission Electron microscope

New Chair of Electrical EngineeringDepartment is aBridgeBuildeR“I build bridges. To strengthenthe department is to build manybridges, all sorts of bridges.”Dr. Sal Morgera is the new Chair for theDepartment of Electrical Engineering atUSF. To make USF Engineering one ofthe top electrical engineering schoolsin the nation is his lofty vision, but hisapproach is grounded in real-worldindustry experience. “Electricalengineering is not the narrowdiscipline it used to be. It’s a verybroad discipline that can influencea wide variety of otherareas,” Dr. Morgera explains.Dr. Morgera will begin withthe creation of an advisoryboard. Members will includeprofessionals in electricalsystems, medical doctors,Ph.D.’s, individuals fromsoftware and other industries,local corporations and educatorsfrom other universities.An exit interview with everygraduating student is also priority.“I’m going to close the door and askthem very frankly what were the highpoints and low points in their education.My intention is to meet with that group and find outwhat their experience was like. It is very important for thealumni to feel that they have graduated from a high-qualityprogram that has prepared them well and maintained itsstandards,” Dr. Morgera says. Increasing admissions standards,adding honors programs and creating leadershipopportunities will continue to enhance the experience forstudents and alumni.Dr. Morgera will focus on a multidisciplinary approach totraining engineers. “The grand challenges of the future willbe met through teamwork, where each team member is anexpert in a particular discipline, but is also conversant in otherdisciplines and has an appreciation for a multidisciplinaryapproach. So many distinct, but overlapping, perspectives atthe table will empower us to solve grand challenges.”Soft engineering skills will be given priority. These skillsinclude writing, speaking, project management, economicsand leadership. “What good is an outstanding engineer ifthey can’t effectively present what they are thinking aboutor what they are working on? I plan to have a few newcourses introduced into the curriculum which will be partof an Engineering Leadership Honors Program,” Dr. Morgerasays. He also wants to provide industry internships forcredit for every student in the department. “It really makesa difference in their confidence, their practicality in theirskills, this ability to exercise some of those soft skills. Theysee firsthand what industry demands of them.”“I want to bring life to engineering,” Dr. Morgera explains. “Iwant to emphasize the importance of making the traditionalengineering disciplines more lively and exciting throughinternship, cooperative education opportunities and as manyhands-on activities as possible in the curriculum. And I wantto bring engineering to life by working at the intersectionsof engineering and the life sciences and medicine in order toimprove quality of life and healthcare and a new model forclinical practice.”Bringing Life to Engineering – Bringing Engineering to Life.Both together describe an Electrical Engineering programthat is lively, exciting, and interdisciplinary – one of the finestin the nation!NSF Career AwardsThe Faculty Early Career Development(CAREER) Program is a Foundationwideactivity that offers the NationalScience Foundation’s most prestigious awardsin support of junior faculty who exemplify therole of teacher-scholars through outstandingresearch, excellent education and the integrationof education and research within thecontext of the mission of their organizations.Sanjukta Bhanja(Electrical Eng) DES auto for micro &NANO system, Computing Processes &ArtifactJay Ligatti(Computer Science & Eng)Trustworthy Computing,Advanced NET Infra & RSCHAndrés Tejada-Martínez(Civil & Environmental Eng)Icer, Fluid DynamicsAmy Stuart(Interdiscplinary) EnvironmentalSustainabilityRyan Toomey(Chemical Eng) PolymersHao Zheng(Computer Science & Eng)Computing Processes and ArtifactBuilding HonorsDean BurdickThe Engineering II building wasrenamed last year to theGlenn A. Burdick Building inhonor of Dr. Glenn Burdick theCollege’s second dean.Dr. Burdick quickly and ably filledthe shoes of our founding dean,Edgar Kopp who died suddenly.Alumni Society Facebook PageJoin today and find out Alumni news first. TheFacebook page has 80 fans and 165 Googlegroup members. Are you one of them?Send your personal and professional news andmilestones for the enVision magazine throughFacebook using the convenient form on thealumni page. Don’t be shy—we love picturesand may include them in a future issue.http://www.facebook.com/USF.EASenVision | November 2009 9

alumniDr. Cindy Bethel a summer Ph.D.graduate of the Computer Science andEngineering Department has been nameda 2009 Computing Innovation Fellow. Shewill do postdoctoral work at Yale Universityunder the mentorship of Brian Scassellati.This is a new NSF funded fellowshipposition that was highly competitive.This year marks the 10thanniversary of McCormickStevenson Corporation.Located in Clearwaterthey provide engineeringand design services. Theprincipals are proud USFAlumni: Noel McCormick,Founder and President B.S.M.E. 1986 andPaul Stevenson, Vice President B.S.M.E.1995. To learn more about their companygo to www.mccst.com.Alumni CareerQuest services will bedelivered by professionally trained careercounselors, job search coaches andemployment relation specialists at USF’sCareer Center in Tampa.Information regarding registration andAlumni CareerQuest services can befound on the USF Career Center website,http://www.career.usf.edu/.Most LucrativeCollege DegreesAccording to CNNMoney the top 15highest-earning college degrees belongto engineers. Check the list out athttp://money.cnn.com/2009/07/24/news/economy/highest_starting_salaries/index.htm?postversion=2009072404.EAS Members& FriendsENGINEERINGThe Engineering Alumni Society is pleasedto announce the 2009-10 Student GrantPrograms:Student Society Grants—EAS will beoffering grants for Student Engineering Societies.The grants will help fund leadershipand outreach programs, conference travel,and other events/activities which promoteUSF and the engineering profession.Conference Presentation Grants—Conference Presentation Grants are availableto undergrad and graduate studentswho have been accepted to present,speak, or compete at a regional or nationalconference. These grants will be availablethroughout the academic year.For more info about the EngineeringAlumni Society, visit us at www.facebook.com/USF.EAS.®BCI Engineers & Scientists, Inc., a Lakeland-basedengineering firm, is pleased toannounce the addition of Justin Chamberlainto their Forensic Engineering &Science group. BCI Engineers & Scientists,Inc. is a multidisciplinary engineering andenvironmental consulting firm, foundedin 1977. BCI’s primary focus is to developcomprehensive solutions to complexengineering and environmental issues usingstate of the art professional engineeringand scientific resources. For more information,visit www.bcieng.com.Alumni EventsCalendarFriday, November 20, 9-11:30 p.m.Serengeti Night Safari at Busch GardensThis unique opportunity is offered ata significantly reduced price for USFalumni.Reservations will be acceptedbeginning October 19, 2009. Call 1-888-800-5447 for more information and tomake reservations.Saturday, March 27, 2010, 6-10 p.m.Bullarney 2010Mark your calendar for this engineeringtradition. Tentative location EmbassySuites.Alumni CareerQuestOffers Free AlumniCareer ServicesRecognizing the difficulty of findingemployment in the current economy,the University of South Florida CareerCenter, in collaboration with the USFAlumni Association, now offers career andjob search assistance services to all USFalumni. The services will be exclusively forunemployed alumni who have earned adegree from USF and will be provided freeof charge.Alumni CareerQuest is not intended to bea job placement or employment program,but alumni will have access to a widevariety of on-site and virtual resources,professional career coaches, workshops,webinars and state-of-the-art job searchpreparation software systems and will alsobe eligible to participate in recruitmentvenues that will allow them to networkand connect with organizations seeking tohire candidates from USF.The University of South Florida CorporateAmbassador Program was started in 2005.The primary focus is to keep the engineeringalumni and business community apprised ofthe programs, activities and research of theCollege of Engineering. With over 30 ambassadorsfrom diverse backgrounds, the programhas been very successful in spreading theword within engineering-centric industries inthe Tampa Bay area. “I was an original memberand the ‘2006 Corporate Ambassador ofthe Year’,” said Mr. Stevenson. “It is especiallyimportant to us alumni as our involvement inthe program is our opportunity to give backto the institution that opened so many doorsfor us.”“I hope that any engineering alumni out therewho are interested in ‘spreading the word’within their businesses will consider becomingactive in the Corporate Ambassador program.Corporate AmbassadorProgram Restarts“As an engineer, and a small business owner, I can appreciate howeasy it is to get ‘down in the weeds’ and focus on your day-to-daysmall sphere of influence. It is important to be reminded that thereis a world-class educational and research organization in our ownbackyard, developing our future engineers and technologies.”Dean John Wiencek and EAS PresidentSandy Pettit give the Go Bulls sign atthe Heart of Gold Scholarship luncheon—Paul Stevenson, Vice President of McCormick StevensonB.S.M.E. USF, 1995As a conduit to others, they’ll demonstratetheir pride in their alma mater and affordothers the opportunity to reconnect with theUSF College of Engineering. The time commitmentis small, and the rewards are great”!For more information, engineering alumnishould contact Paul Stevenson, (727) 735-9633, paul.stevenson@mccst.com.Paul Stevenson is the Vice President of McCormickStevenson Corporation, a small mechanicalengineering firm located in Clearwater, FL.The firm specializes primarily in defense andaerospace product development. Fifty percentof their engineers are USF alumni. The companyis also the recipient of “Small Business of theYear 2005,” and voted one of the “Best Placesto Work” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal in2006.Saturday, March 27, 2010USF Embassy Suites(tentative location)Sponsorships and VolunteerPositions AvailableFor more information contacts-pettit@verizon.netUSF Engineering Alumni Society10 enVision | November 2009

College ofEngineeringStaff NewsEd Van Etten, IT support specialist inthe Chemical and Biomedical departmentreceived a Quiet Quality Award.Gloria Hanshaw, program assistant inthe Industrial and Management SystemsEngineering department received a QuietQuality Award.Yvette Blanchard, academic programspecialist in the Computer Science andEngineering department was recentlynamed College of Engineering OutstandingStaff member for 2008.Professor Dolores Gooding retired inApril after 33 years as a faculty memberof IMSE. Much of her work centered onstudents - teaching, mentoring and advising.She took on roles as department chairand director of various programs such asthe Florida/Yugoslavia Exchange programand collaborated with UF on the NASATechnology Transfer Program. Her mainresponsibilities have been Director of theEngineering Management Master’s Programand Director of the newly developedCenter for Applied Research in MedicalDevices (CareMed) with the support ofthe Florida High Tech Corridor Counciland the Florida Medical ManufacturersConsortium as well as the development ofan Executive M.S. in Engineering Managementand M.S. in Regulatory Affairs. ProfessorGooding is a co-founder of the USFEngineering Expo which helps introduceengineering to many of our pre-collegeyouth. —by Dr. Paul Schnitzlerfaculty&staffDr. Jose Zayas-Castro, professor and engineering materials, with a focus on thechair of the Industrial and Management interrelationship between material structure,Systems Engineering Dept. received thetheir properties, and means by whichJohn L. Imhoff Global Excellence Award they are processed. It impacts multiplefor Industrial Engineering Education atfacets of our economy, such as aerospace,a special awards ceremony held at theelectronics, transportation, communication,American Society for Engineering Educationconstruction, recreation, entertain-(ASEE) annual conference andment, environment and energy. The goalexposition in Austin, Texas on June 17,of the M.S. in MSE is to provide a route2009. This national award recognizes Dr. for well-qualified undergraduate studentsZayas-Castro’s work to promote Industrial for in-depth graduate-level work includingEngineering beyond our borders at USF structured courses and research experience,as well as in his previous work at otherin preparation for work in industryinstitutions.or for entrance into a relevant scienceor engineering Ph.D. program. For moreinformation visit http://mse.usf.edu/.Dr. Babu Joseph, professor andformer chair of the Chemical andBiomedical dept. was elected aFellow of the American Institute ofChemical Engineers in May 2009.This is an honor reserved for onepercent of the society membersbased on professional contributionsand service to the profession.Wayne Echelberger, Ph.D., P.E.,Professor Emeritus of Civil and EnvironmentalEngineering (DepartmentChairman, 1989-96) was honored asEngineer of the Year by the TampaChapter of the Florida EngineeringSociety the Tampa Bay EngineersWeek Banquet 2009.Masters DegreeProgram inMaterials Science& EngineeringMaterials Science and Engineering(MSE) applies fundamental principlesof physics and chemistry toTau Beta Pi, the engineeringhonor society, honoredDr. Thomas E. Wade,professor of electricalengineering for 40 years(24 of them at USF) itsfourth McDonald Mentoron October 17 at the 2009annual national conventionin East Brunswick,N.J. The award recognizesengineering educators whohave shown true concernfor the individual, supportingan environmentfor developing talents, andwho have earned respectand recognition for theircontributions to their fieldand to the greater community.Dr. Norman Pih (l.), member ofTau Beta Pi’s Executive Committee,presenting the McDonaldaward to Dr. ThomasWade at the 104th Tau BetaPi National Convention held inNew Brunswick, New Jerseyhosted by Rutgers UniversityTheirs is A Heart of GoldThere are two inspiring and remarkablepeople in the College of Engineeringwho have been on campuslonger than most of the students havebeen alive. Daily they share their knowledgeand encouragement to the discouragedand distracted. Two people with differentbackgrounds and experiences, bothcommitted to education, have establishedscholarships for students who are succeedingin their education but struggling tomake ends meet.Dr. Thomas E. Wade has taught electricalengineering for 40 years, 24 of those atUSF. He came to USF in 1985 as the veryfirst Associate Dean for Research in theCollege of Engineering. He has establishedthe Thomas E. and Ann C. Wade Scholarship,using a combination of his own funds,matching funds from Dean John Wiencekand honoraria from his many awards tohelp engineering students. After returningto the EE dept. in 1992, he taught bothgraduate and undergraduate courses. “Ihave taught an electrical circuits course foryears, which is the first EE course. It is theone that most students use to determinewhether to go into electrical engineeringor not,” Dr. Wade explains. “It is a gatewaycourse for engineers. I also teach thehistory of electronic technology, in whichabout 20 percent of the students are nonengineers.”Dr. Wade has specific advice for students,advice that he himself has followed.Undergraduate engineering classes areextremely challenging, and in 40 years, hehas advised a myriad students that, “If youset your mind to it, you can accomplishanything within reason.” Then he wouldpoint the student in the direction of tutors,financial aid and other assistance. In a fewyears, the students come back, grateful forthe encouragement. The letters of recommendationDr. Wade will write for thesestudents are his reward for the personaltime and effort he has invested in countlessstudents over the years.Linda (Lynn) Federspiel has workedat USF for 32 years. She has also establisheda scholarship with her life insurancepolicy. “I won’t be here to see the recipientsbecause I’ll be gone,” she said. “ButI also give book scholarships. It’s not a lotof money, but I was able to talk to themand help get them over the hump.” Lynnreceived a scholarship for her first yearof college, but then dropped out to starta family. She found a mentor and supporterin an in-law, a womanwith a Ph.D., who, as Lynn gratefullyacknowledges, “was insistent that I startback to school. I could not afford it andhad a two-year old son. And so she paid.”“You just have to hang in there and hold onand continue to move toward your goal,”says Lynn. “I know it was hard. SometimesI would say to my mentor ‘I don’t think Ican do this’, and she would pick me up andpump me up.” So when students wouldarrive in Lynn’s office looking for help, theyfound a person who had literally walked intheir own footsteps years earlier.Both Dr. Wade and Lynn Federspiel haveestablished multiple scholarships. Someare for USF students and some for otheruniversities that have held special significancein their lives. Both recognize theimportance of mentors, of financial aid andmost of all the encouragement and personaldedication it takes to get an education.Lynn and Dr. Wade encourage youto consider creating a scholarship fund ofyour own. If you would like more informationon how to establish a scholarship,please contact Brett L. Woods, CFRE,Director of Development at (813) 974-9199, bwoods@eng.usf.edu.enVision | November 2009 11

issue 1— November 2009USF College of EngineeringIs itreallyGREEN?Lots of productsadvertise they’regreen, but whatdoes it mean tobe green?ChemicalEngineeringresearcherswork onrenewableenergysolutions2009Heart of GoldScholarshipawards$115,000 to97 studentsNEWAlumni SocietyFacebook Page—p.11envi s i o nPEACECORPsmaster’sinternationalProgramCollege of Engineering at the University of South Florida4202 E. Fowler Ave. ENB 118Tampa, FL 33620Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDTampa, FLPermit #257College of EngineeringWelcome to your inaugural edition of enVision. We hopethat you enjoy your new magazine. Please let us know ifyou have thoughts, suggestions or know of a story that you’dlike to see.What better time to introduce myself than with the rollout of enVision. In case wehaven’t met, my name is Brett Woods. I joined the College in January after visitingcampus and finding myself somewhat awe-struck. I could not believe that USF wasonly fifty-three years young and the College of Engineering was forty-four yearsyoung! I was amazed that USF was the 9th largest public university in the countrywith some 47,000 students. I was inspired by the vision of Dean Wiencek and thebold and vibrant leadership of President Genshaft. With over a decade of experiencein higher education, I couldn’t imagine a more exciting place to be. The manyalumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff that I have met have all welcomed me tothe USF and the College of Engineering family with open arms—thank you!As you have likely heard by now, USF recently launched a significant comprehensivefundraising campaign titled USF:UNSTOPPABLE. The title of our new publicationjust happens to fit nicely with the Campaign. enVision an UNSTOPPABLE USFand College of Engineering. What do you dream of for the College? Perhaps a newundergraduate building to accommodate our growing numbers? More scholarshipsfor deserving and talented students? More professorships to attract those at thetop tier of the profession? As you might imagine, that is exactly what the DevelopmentOffice will be focusing on during the Campaign. We can become UNSTOP-PABLE by expanding all three of these key initiatives.Of course, there are other opportunities within the College, such as the Hall ofFlags project. This highly visible student space needs a serious facelift. This is ourflagship space. By creating an updated, fresh and inviting space, we know it willhelp with student collaboration and recruitment as well as providing a modernspace for firms recruiting our students. We invite you to consider how you mightbecome involved in refurbishing this prominent flagship space of the College.A month ago, we celebrated a very special day. That day we invitedour endowed scholarship donors to meet their student recipients. Thiswas a very special day for all involved. Our students are so grateful foryour support. For some, scholarships enable them to stay enrolled. Forothers, a scholarship provides well-deserved recognition for a job welldone and for others, a scholarship accomplishes both. For donors, theday enables them to personally meet the students they have invested in.Through the generosity of donor support to the College, we awarded$115,000 to 97 students. We call this event the “Heart of Gold” luncheon.Whether you support our students through the general fund orthrough a specific scholarship fund—we think you have a Heart of Gold!On behalf of our students, thank you for your support.My outstanding team-mate, Mandi Alexander and I look forward toworking with you to ensure that the College of Engineering is trulyUNSTOPPABLE. To those of you that have long supported USF and theCollege of Engineering, please accept our gratitude. We invite anyonewith ideas or questions concerning private philanthropic support of theCollege to contact us.We challenge you to enVision what an UNSTOPPABLE College of Engineeringwould look like. And we invite you to join our UNSTOPPABLEtrajectory with your time, talent and gifts if you haven’t done so already.