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News
On October 1, 2008, a delegation of Vietnamese officials representing the University of DaNang and DaNang University of Technology signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish joint academic activities with the College of Engineering. The universities agreed to exchange faculty and students and could develop joint master’s degree programs in engineering. To read more about the agreement, click here.
The West Texas Mesonet team received the the 2008 Larry R. Johnson Special Award from the National Weather Association (NWA) at a luncheon at the NWA Conference in Louisville on Oct. 15. Wes Burgett, operations manager, along with West Texas Mesonet team members Brian Hirth and Ross Williamson, and faculty director Dr. John Schroeder, comprise the team. The award is presented to an individual or a group to recognize unique events or extraordinary accomplishments which significantly contribute to operational meteorology.
The annual Homecoming and Donor Appreciation Breakfast was held on October 11 in the Red Raider Ballroom in the Student Union Building. Chancellor Kent Hance, President Guy Bailey, Dean Pamela Eibeck, and student scholarship recipients Kerry Anderson, Amanda Gordon, and Ernie Onyia welcomed and thanked donors to the College of Engineering for their support. More than 225 faculty members, staff members, students, donors, and alumni attended the event.
The 2008 Engineering Job Fair was held on September 30 at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center. This fair was the college's largest job fair, welcoming 600 more students than the largest job fair in the past. More than 1,975 students registered at the door and 496 recruiters from 191 companies were able to reschedule to the new date to accommodate the victims of Hurricane Ike.
Faculty Recognition
At the Fourth Annual Faculty and Staff Awards Banquet, recognition was given to faculty and staff for accomplishments in the 2007-08 academic year. For a complete listing of awards, click here.
Teaching Awards
George Gray was given the Dr. Charles Burford Faculty Award. Dr. Mary Baker received the Butler Distinguished Educator Award. Dr. Michael Giesselmann was awarded the Halliburton Teaching Excellence Award.
Research Awards
Dr. Michelle Pantoya was named a Whitacre Faculty Fellow. The Whitacre Excellence in Research Award was given to Drs. Jordan Berg and Andreas Neuber, and the Whitacre Excellence in Research - Growth in Research Award was given to Dr. Ayrton Bernussi
External Grant Recognition
The following faculty members received more than $250,000 in external research funding during fiscal year 2007-08:
Over $500,000 |
$250,000-$500,000 |
Jordan Berg |
Xinzhong Chen |
Ayrton Bernussi |
Tim Dallas |
James Dickens |
Audra Morse |
Magne Kristiansen |
Sergey Nikishin |
Greg McKenna |
Michelle Pantoya |
Andreas Neuber |
Ken Rainwater |
Henryk Temkin |
Sindee Simon |
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Susan Urban |
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Yu Zhuang |
Dr. Brian Nutter, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, will receive $480,928 to devise an innovative way to model the human brain as a part of the Texas Tech Vice President of Research's Grant Competition. Nutter's project was one of two selected from 22 applications submitted by Texas Tech researchers. Independent experts reviewed the proposals and made recommendations to Texas Tech's Office of the Vice President for Research. Click here for more information.
Zhishan Liu was hired as a post-doctoral research associate in the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center on September 1.
Kornel Rozsavolgyi was hired as research associate in the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center on September 10.
Nabila Shamim was hired as post-doctoral research associate in chemical engineering on August 1.
Mohan Sridharan was hired as an assistant professor of computer science on October 20.
Siva Vanapalli was hired as an assistant professor of chemical engineering on October 1.
Richard Walker was hired as research associate in the Wind Science and Engineering Research Center on September 1.
Staff Recognition
At the Fourth Annual Faculty and Staff Awards Banquet, the 2008 Orval Leroy Lewis Awards were given to Derek Birkenfeld, PC/network support specialist in computer science, and Isaac Mora, senior technician in mechanical engineering. The awards are given in recognition of employees who demonstrate positive and friendly attitudes toward faculty, students, and colleagues, and commit personal energy over and above that required by the job description.
Marian Blaylock, coordinator in TechMRT, retired at the end of August.
Tosha Chambers was hired as an assistant advisor in mechanical engineering at the end of August.
Vanessa Hocutt-Jehangiri was hired as a senior business assistant in mechanical engineering on August 13.
GinaMarie Munch was hired as a senior business assistant in electrical and computer engineering on September 1.
Sarah Obenhaus was hired as an advisor in electrical and computer engineering on October 20.
Paula Saint-Ours was hired as a senior office assistant in computer science on September 15.
Joel Perez was hired as a technician III in electrical and computer engineering at the end of September.
Grants and Contracts
Chemical Engineering
- Dr. Gregory B. McKenna was awarded $180,000 by the U.S. Department of Energy. The title of the proposal was "Cyclic Macromolecules: Rheology and Flow Induced Crystallization."
- Dr. Gregory B. McKenna was awarded $10,750 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. The title of the proposal was "JPS - Physics."
Center for Multidisciplinary Research in Transportation
- Dr. Moon Won was awarded $67,749 by the Texas Department of Transportation. The title of the proposal was "0-5549: Horizontal Cracking in Concrete Pavements."
- Drs. Priyantha W. Jayawickrama, William D. Lawson, and Charles D. Newhouse were awarded $102,981 by the Texas Department of Transportation. The title of the proposal was "0-5849 Evaluating Existing Culverts for Load Capacity Allowing for Soil Structure Interaction."
- Dr. Moon Won was awarded $67,749 by the Texas Department of Transportation. The title of the proposal was "0-6190: Use of Dowel Bars at Longitudinal Construction Joints."
- Drs. Priyantha W. Jayawickrama, Sanjaya P. Senadheera, and Moon Won were awarded $59,289 by the Texas Department of Transportation. The title of the proposal was "0-6326 Rational Use of Terminal Anchorages in Portland Cement Concrete Pavement."
- Dr. Moon Won was awarded $18,034 by the Texas Department of Transportation. The title of the proposal was "5-4035-01: Construction and Evaluation of Post-Tensioned Prestressed Concrete Pavement."
Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics
- Drs. James C. Dickens and Andreas A. Neuber were awarded $39,992 by the BAE Systems Bofors, Sweden. The title of the proposal was "Flux Compression Generator."
Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Dr. Donald Lie was awarded $40,000 by the Texas Instruments Foundation. The title of the proposal was "CMOS Power Amplifier Design."
- Dr. Brian S. Nutter was awarded $11,950 by Enduro Corporation. The title of the proposal was "Cable Tray Interference Measurements."
- Dr. Mary C. Baker was awarded $51,012.78 by the Greater Texas Foundation. The title of the proposal was "Middle School Math and Science (MS)2: Understanding by Design."
- Dr. Timothy J. Dallas was awarded $149,996 by the National Science Foundation. The title of the proposal was "The 18mm2 Laboratory."
Mechanical Engineering
- Drs. Valery I. Levitas and Michelle Pantoya were awarded $40,110 by the National Science Foundation. The title of the proposal was "Melt-Dispersion Mechanism for Energetic Reactions of Aluminum Nanoparticles."
Nano Tech Center
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Drs. Hongxing Jiang and Jingyu Lin were awarded $113,343 by the
National Science Foundation. The title of the proposal was "1.54 Micron Optical Amplifiers and
Emitters Based Upon Erbium Doped III-Nitrides Grown on Silicon."
National Institute for Engineering Ethics
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Dr. William D. Lawson was awarded $35,494 by the National Science Foundation. The
title of the proposal was "Ethics Instruction for International Graduate Students in Engineering."
Water Resources Center
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Drs. W. Andrew Jackson and Kenneth A. Rainwater were awarded
$24,438.92 by B&W Pantex, LLC. The title of the proposal was "Laboratory Demonstration of In Situ
Treatment Effectiveness for Reduction of Perchlorate, TCE, and Chromium at Pantex Plant."
Student Accomplishments
The student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) was awarded
the Outstanding Student Chapter Award for the year 2007–08. This is the second consecutive year that
the Texas Tech student chapter has been recognized by AIChE for their outstanding professional activities
and leadership. A total of 15 student chapters are recognized in the country from over 150.
Timothy J. Sansone has been named a recipient of the Samuel Fletcher Tapman ASCE
Student Chapter/Club Scholarship. Sansone is a senior civil engineering major. He was initiated into
the Mortar Board National College Senior Honor Society for his scholastic attainments and his service to
the community. He served as the vice president of the university’s ASCE chapter and in 2009 will
chair its committee overseeing the chapter’s participation in ASCE'S National Concrete Canoe
Competition. At a meeting of ASCE'S Texas Section held this past spring, Sansone was awarded first place
for a presentation entitled "The Solution to Building a More Efficient Infrastructure: An Ethical
Response to Privatization."
Alumni
Dr. David Wetz, a 2006 electrical engineering Ph.D. graduate, received the "Outstanding Young Scientist" award at the second Euro-Asian Pulsed Power Conference in Vilnius, Lithuania. He also received the 2006 IEEE International Pulsed Power Conference Outstanding Graduate Student Award. Wetz also holds a B.S.E.E., B.S.C.S., and a M.S.E.E. from Texas Tech. He is employed by the Institute for advanced Technology at The University of Texas in Austin, where he works on electromagnetic acceleration of projectiles.
Is your news listed here?
Submit your news through your department’s contributor:
Chemical |
Jan Hudson |
Civil and Environmental |
Glenna Andrews |
Computer Science |
Mysti Digby |
Electrical and Computer |
Sandi Willingham |
Engineering Technology |
Mary Reigner |
Industrial |
Terry Wilson |
Mechanical |
Lori Walraven |
Petroleum |
Joan Blackmon |
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