Eat Their Dust! - Robert Morris University

Erevelles is extremely proud of the team’s results, buteven more so of their efforts.“I offered the team my thanks and congratulationson a job well done,” says Erevelles. “The first race isalways the toughest, and each of the team membersworked extraordinarily hard to bring this maiden raceto a memorable conclusion. I cannot tell you howproud I am of our engineering students for their effortand perseverance in the face of significant odds. Thisis a prime example of student engagement and activelearning. I am also grateful to the members of theSEMS Board of Visitors, whose contributions towardsstudent projects and initiatives funded variousexpenses associated with the event.”Iannelli admires the team’s commitment,enthusiasm and determination. “Failure is aword that just does not exist in the vocabulariesof these energetic students,” says Iannelli. “Imarveled at their stamina as they kept workinginto the early morning hours, two days beforethe competition, in the parking lot of a Peoriahotel, welding last-minute components to thevehicle. Their resolve made RMU’s Baja SAEparticipation an unquestionable success.”Baja SAE 2008 was not only a great way forHendrickson to finish his studies at RMU, it wasalso a positive springboard to launch him into hisnext endeavor as a software developer for Boeing inHouston, where he now works on software qualitytesting for the International Space Station.“RMU’s software engineering program is excellent,”says Hendrickson. “It helped me get a job by givingme the tools I need to succeed on the next level. Whatmore can you ask for?”Written by Valentine J. BrkichPhotography byKevin CookeOrr credits Gary Yarmeak, an associate labengineer in RMU’s Department of Engineering,for creating several additional vital components.Shawn Auth ’07 was one of the students whoworked on the project at RMU, and he washired by Penna Flame after he graduated inDecember. The former manufacturingengineering major now oversees thecompany’s nascent robotics division.“It’s definitely a hands-on job,” saysAuth. “The applied lab work I had inmy engineering classes at RMU is reallyhelping me now.”CARES is the industrial outreacharm of the RMU School ofEngineering, Mathematics andScience. It offers technical and consulting services to local industrieswhile providing hands-on, real-world experiences for RMU students.The center offers a series of professional development workshopsthroughout the year for manufacturers, managers and other technicalprofessionals. “The Penna Flame project highlights what CARES andour school can do for the region,” says Winston Erevelles, Ph.D.,dean of the School of Engineering, Mathematics and Science. “Weare pleased to have had this opportunity to work with PennaFlame and Innovation Works for the betterment of our region.”“The successful completion of the Penna Flame project is one of theexamples that demonstrates how CARES can successfully deliverpractical and effective solutions,” says Zbigniew J. Czajkiewicz,Ph.D., head of CARES and a professor of engineering.“In the process,we also offer excellent educationalopportunities to our students.”