Icarus at the Edge of Time

Thousands of Students Experience Multimedia Epic:
Icarus at the Edge of Time

On Wednesday, February 4, more than 3,500 area middle and high school students from across the South Plains came to the City Bank Auditorium for two performances of “Icarus at the Edge of Time,” a multimedia science and art epic that tells the story of a young man who lives on a spaceship. The event included the Texas Tech College of Visual and Performing Arts Orchestra, directed by music professor Dr. Keith Dye, performing a score from Oscar-nominated composer Philip Glass. Dr. Brian Greene, a physics professor at Columbia University, narrated the story live and first wrote “Icarus” as a book with a multimedia performance in mind.

Middle and high school students watch "Icarus at the Edge of Time" with Dr. Brian Green narrating and live musical accompaniment by the Texas Tech CVPA Orchestra.

Greene is the co-founder of the World Science Festival in New York City and has written numerous nationally best-selling books, including “The Fabric of the Cosmos” and “The Elegant Universe.” He has been interviewed on “The Colbert Report” and the “Late Show With David Letterman” and discussed his book “The Hidden Reality” during a cameo on “The Big Bang Theory.” He earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard and his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar.

For more information on “Icarus,” watch the trailer, read a review, or go to Brian Greene’s website.

Texas Tech Hosts Engineers Week: February 23-27

In conjunction with National Engineers Week, the Whitacre College of Engineering is hosting Texas Tech Engineers Week 2015, a week long celebration of engineering on February 23 through 27. The week will feature a variety of engaging events and activities that will expose both students and staff to engineering, opportunities, and resources. Engineers Week is dedicated to ensuring a diverse and well-educated future engineering workforce by increasing the understanding of and interest in engineering and technology careers.

Texas Tech Engineers Week 2015

Activities Include:

• Lunch and Learns
• Engineering Olympics (Trivia Night, Ultimate Frisbee, Relay Race, Engineering Idol, Volleyball)
• Bridge Bash
• Order of the Engineer Ceremony
• Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
• Mr. and Ms. Engineer
• Food, Fairs, and much more!

For a full schedule, visit www.ttueweek.com

Engineering: Get Into Real Learning (eGIRL) Camp

College to Host eGIRL Camp

Traditionally, females have been underrepresented in math and science fields, including engineering. For example, the national average of women in engineering programs is only about 19.9%. In an effort to change this, the Whitacre College of Engineering is hosting a one-week summer camp program, supported by Halliburton, for female high school juniors and seniors with an interest in pursuing a career in engineering: Engineering: Get Into Real Learning (eGIRL) Camp. This camp aims to increase the percentage of women in the undergraduate engineering program and female representation in the engineering industry. This program will also expose students to the various and exciting opportunities available at Texas Tech in addition to future career options offered by Halliburton.

Now Accepting Applications: Female high school juniors and seniors with an interest in pursuing a career in engineering.
Sunday, June 14 - Friday, June 19, 2015

The week will begin with a welcome event hosted by Dr. Al Sacco, dean of the Whitacre College of Engineering, along with a female member of the Dean’s Council and a female Halliburton employee who will be able to share her experience working for Halliburton and the opportunities the company has offered her. The first day will also include a tour of Texas Tech and the college, a laboratory safety session, and a design project related to the energy industry. This project will allow students to work in groups and discover the applications of their math and science knowledge. The project will also highlight the role of Halliburton in the oil and gas field. Tuesday through Thursday, students will attend classes in which they will learn about and explore different disciplines of engineering. Seminars will also include topics such as tips for applying to college and various scholarships, as well as time management and study skills. Friday, students will finalize and present their design projects and there will be an awards banquet to close the event.

Through this camp, prospective students will be exposed to a university campus and college life, becoming responsible for finding and arriving at their classes on time, learning about various engineering topics, and conducting a hands-on group project. Students will be given the opportunity to explore different disciplines of engineering and ask questions about possible career paths associated with each one. Students will also be able to interact with current students and other campus leaders to learn valuable tips for applying to college and the realities of university living. The camp will provide students a firsthand look at the value of an engineering degree, the different opportunities offered in industry for engineers (as shown by Halliburton support), as well as the opportunities offered at Texas Tech University.

Ultimately, the goal of the program is to connect high school students with engineering, offer them hands-on experiences to connect their math and science understanding to tangible application, and show them the resources and opportunities an engineering degree from Texas Tech could offer them. It is hoped that these students will be encouraged to attend Texas Tech and remain in their program until graduation, upon which they will enter industry and help to increase the number of females in engineering fields. There is also great potential for this program to grow in the future, as female alumni from Texas Tech engineering may return to help inspire young women to become engineers as well. The program will not only impact the student population of the college, but also of the community and of industry as a whole, allowing women to continue to become strong leaders and innovative engineers of the future.

Fillingim

Fillingim Named Finalist for Hertz Foundation Fellowship

Andrew Fillingim, an undergraduate researcher in the Biomedical Micro/Nano Device Lab, has been named one of 50 finalists for the 2015 class of Hertz Fellows. The Hertz Foundation funds graduate education for leaders in the fields of applied physical, biological, and engineering sciences and encourages its awardees to pursue science for the public good.

Each fellowship consists of up to five years of academic fiscal support valued at $250,000 and research freedom at a participating graduate institution in the United States. Finalists represent many of the top public and private universities. Alumni of the Hertz Fellowship include two Nobel Laureates, a Fields Medal Recipient, and a National Science Medal Recipient. Fellows have also gone on to found more than 200 companies, register 3,000 patents, head major universities, lead in key positions at National Laboratories, and hold senior positions in the United States military.

Ivenso

Ivenso Receives Biophysical Society Student Research Achievement Award

Ikenna Ivenso, a doctoral student, was awarded the 2015 Student Research Achievement Award and a 2015 Education Committee Travel Award from the Biophysical Society. He presented his abstract at the Biophysical Society's 59th Annual Meeting, which was held in February 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland.

More than 6,000 scientists attended the Biophysical Society Annual Meeting, which included presentations, symposia, workshops, platform sessions, and poster sessions. The meeting provides an opportunity for biophysicists and scientists in related disciplines to share their research, collaborate, and receive feedback on their research.

Xu

Xu's Article Identified as Key Scientific Article

Dr. Rong Xu, an August 2014 Ph.D. in chemical engineering graduate, was recently recognized by Renewable Energy Global Innovations (REGI). REGI identified her paper as a Key Scientific Article. The paper was titled “The Conceptual Design of a Two-Step Solar Hydrogen Thermochemical Cycle with Thermal Storage in a Reaction Intermediate” and was published in the International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

Li

Li Receives Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award

Dr. Changzhi Li, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is the recipient of a Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award.

Recognizing excellence in teaching, research, and commercialization, these awards represent the most prestigious honors granted to faculty members throughout the Texas Tech University System. The Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research award recognizes outstanding research, scholarship, and creative activity of faculty members in the developmental stages of their careers. His research focuses on the study of integrated circuits and energy efficiency of microelectronics.

Smith

Smith Named Fellow of ASCE

Dr. Douglas A. Smith, an associate professor of civil, environmental, and construction engineering, has been elected as a fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). ASCE Fellows have made celebrated contributions and developed creative solutions that change lives around the world. This is a prestigious honor held by fewer than four percent of ASCE members. Fellows are leaders in the civil and related engineering professions and have made an ongoing commitment to the profession.

Clark

Clark Named Vice President of Burns & McDonnell DFW Office

Scott Clark, a 1987 graduate with a Bachelor of Scientist in mechanical engineering, has been promoted to vice president of the Dallas-Fort Worth office of Burns & McDonnell and is now an officer at the firm. He previously was general manager of the 160-person office, which also includes Raleigh, N.C.

Scott joined Burns & McDonnell in January 2010 and helped open the firm’s Fort Worth office. He has more than 25 years of experience in the OnSite Energy & Power field. Much of his work has been with universities, hospitals, utilities, and airports providing master planning, central plant design, and construction of large campus utility systems. Clark is a registered professional engineer in Texas and a member of the International District Energy Association.

January 15, 2015 – February 18, 2015

* Primary Investigator

See a full listing of the college's events on the Engineering Master Calendar.

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