Awards
Highlights of Faculty, Staff and Student Achievement

Chemical engineering professor elected as Materials Research Society Fellow

March 13, 2009

Donald R. Paul , chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected as a Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS). The award is in recognition of Paul’s distinguished research accomplishments and outstanding contributions to the advancement of materials research. The maximum number of new Fellow appointments of current members is limited to two-tenths of one percent annually. MRS is a non-profit organization which brings scientists, engineers and research managers together to share findings in the research and development of new technological materials. Paul will be recognized for this honor at the 2009 spring meeting in San Francisco April 13-17.

Paul holds the Ernest Cockrell, Sr. Chair in Engineering and is director of the Texas Materials Institute at the university.

Aerospace engineering special projects coordinator receives department Staff Excellence Award

March 11, 2009

Kendra Harris, the special projects coordinator for Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded the department’s 2008-09 Staff Excellence Award. The award recognizes her accomplishments in her role as coordinator of student events, alumni information and outreach efforts. She is also responsible for the department’s Web site, the design and publishing of its newsletter and overseeing public announcements of achievements for faculty, staff and students. Harris has been with the department, which plans a reception in her to honor, since 2000.

Professors receive Women in Engineering Advocate Award

March 11, 2009

Kerry A. Kinney and Lynn E. Katz, civil, architectural and environmental engineering professors at The University of Texas at Austin, have received the 2009 Women in Engineering Advocate Award from the Cockrell School’s Women in Engineering Program (WEP). The award recognizes outstanding faculty members viewed by both students and WEP as helping advance women in the field of engineering. WEP connects pre-college and college students to the creative and innovative field of engineering, showcasing how engineers make a world of difference. The mission of the Women in Engineering Program is to increase the overall percentage of women in the Cockrell School of Engineering at the university

Kinney holds the Roberta Woods Ray Centennial Fellowship in Engineering. Katz holds the John A. Focht Centennial Teaching Fellowship in Civil Engineering.

Aerospace engineering professor receives ‘Most Cited Author’ award

March 9, 2009

A paper co-authored by Ivo M. Babuska, aerospace engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has received Elsevier Journal’s “Most Cited Author 2005-2008” award. The paper, titled “Solving Elliptic Boundary Value Problems with Uncertain Coefficients by the Finite Element Method: The Stochastic Formulation,” was published in the Elsevier Journal, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, appearing in 44 pages total. The other co-authors include: Raul Tempone, applied mathematics and computational science associate professor at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology and former post-doctorate fellow at the university; and G.E. Zouraris, applied mathematics-statistics assistant professor at the University of Crete in Greece. Tempone and Zouraris are frequent visitors of the university’s Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES). The paper addresses the methodology that goes into characterizing uncertainties in natural phenomena predictions based on computational science.

Babuska holds the Robert B. Trull Chair in Engineering.

Aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics professor receives Humboldt Research Award

February 27, 2009

Thomas J.R. Hughes , aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been selected as the recipient of a Humboldt Research Award for senior United States scientists. The award is in recognition of Hughes’ lifetime achievements in research and teaching. In addition, Hughes is invited to attend the symposium for research award winners, March 26-29, and the Humboldt Foundation’s annual meeting, June 8-10, during which there is a reception given by the president of Germany. To promote scientific cooperation between research institutions in both countries, Hughes is invited to visit German institutes to collaborate on research with his German colleagues. The research will focus on isogeometric analysis, a new engineering analysis technology based on concepts from graphics, visualization, animation and design, recently developed by Hughes and his team. The objective is to eliminate the overall analysis time, estimated to be about 80 percent, that major engineering industries take when translating design files to analysis-suitable files between Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE).

Hughes holds the Computational and Applied Mathematics Chair III in the university’s Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES).

Chemical engineering associate professor to give 2009 Dudley A. Saville Lecture at Princeton

February 20, 2009

Thomas M. Truskett , chemical engineering associate professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been invited to present the inaugural Dudley A. Saville Lecture in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Princeton University on April 1. It will be the first in a series of annual talks presented by exceptional early-career chemical engineers and scientists. Truskett’s lecture, “Structure and Dynamics of Confined Fluids,” will discuss a new way to predict the properties of confined fluids, which should help in the design of new devices and processes. Confined liquids, or fluids trapped in small spaces, play an important role in a variety of fields such as cell biology and the engineering of nanoscale devices, and in new technologies such as chemical sensors, devices for sequencing biological molecules like DNA, and membranes for separating fluid mixtures.

Truskett holds the Paul D. and Betty Robertson Meek Centennial Fellowship in Chemical Engineering.

Professor emeritus receives Geerhard Haaijer Award

February 20, 2009

Joseph A. Yura, professor emeritus in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded the Geerhard Haaijer Award for Excellence in Education from the American Institute of Steel Construction for his contributions in education and research in the field of structural steel design. The award is only given on rare occasions to recognize outstanding individuals who have had a profound and lasting impact in the use of steel framing in the construction industry. Yura is only the fifth recipient to receive the award. He will accept the award at the North American Steel Construction Conference April 1-4 in Phoenix, Ariz.

Assistant professor receives Cockrell School Outstanding Teaching award

February 16, 2009

Muhammad H. Zaman , biomedical engineering assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has received the Cockrell School of Engineering Award for Outstanding Teaching by an Assistant Professor for his exceptional and effective classroom instruction methods. Zaman received this award in just his second year of teaching. Among his techniques for effective teaching, he implements anonymous monthly surveys to gain honest student feedback to continually incorporate suggestions into his teaching style. To nurture understanding and intellectual development, Zaman’s classes study cutting-edge research and integrate real-life experiences in discussion to help students think outside the box in solving problems. The award is one of four 2009 Faculty Excellence Awards.

Zaman’s research interests lie in studying cancer at a systems level. He uses multi-scale computational approaches, combined with high-resolution imaging, to understand the molecular and cellular basis of cancer.

Electrical & computer engineering professor receives Billy & Claude R. Hocott research award

February 13, 2009

Alan C. Bovik , electrical and computer engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has received the Billy & Claude R. Hocott Distinguished Centennial Engineering Research Award for his career research achievements in the field, through biomedical image processing and digital and wireless video communication. The award is one of four 2009 Faculty Excellence Awards. He is considered one of the most influential researchers in digital image processing. Bovik has published more than 500 technical articles and 150 archival journal papers in his areas of research and holds two U.S. patents. In addition, he has supervised more than 37 Ph.D. students and received more than $14 million in total research funding while at the university.

Bovik holds the Keys and Joan Curry/Cullen Trust Endowed Chair in Engineering.

Graduate students receive national grants

February 12, 2009

Four Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering students at The University of Texas at Austin were selected as recipients of the Grant-in-Aid awards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Elliott Gall, Kate Goldstein, Priscilla Guerrero and James Lo will each receive a $10,000 stipend for the 2009-2010 academic year for their research contributions towards the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) field. The goal of the program is to encourage outstanding graduate students to become involved in research within the area. Gall is researching reactive materials as indoor air quality control devices; Goldstein is researching the influence of blinds and drapes on heat transfer through building envelopes; Guerrero is investigating para-dichlorobenzene in indoor environments; And Lo is researching energy in open-space offices with on-demand control of distributed HVAC units. They are advised by professors Richard Corsi, Atila Novoselac, and Jeffrey Siegel. All are affiliated with or participating in the interdisciplinary IGERT program: Indoor Environmental Science and Engineering program

Civil engineering professor appointed chair of committee

January 26, 2009

Kevin J. Folliard , a civil engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been appointed chair of the International Alkali-Aggregate Reaction Committee. This global committee is composed of only 25 members from throughout the world, and membership is limited to one delegate per country. This committee is intended to serve as a central point of discussion and international partnerships and technology transfer on alkali-aggregate reaction (AAR). Folliard is also the sole member from the United States on an International Task Group on AAR (TC 191-ARP), administered through RILEM, the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures. The group is a non-profit, non-governmental and international technical association which aims to contribute to progress in construction sciences, techniques and industries through communication between research and practice.

In addition, Folliard submitted the winning bid, on behalf of the university, to host the 14th International Conference on Alkali-Aggregate Reaction (ICAAR) in Austin in 2012. This will mark the first time the event has been held in the United States since 1978. Folliard is privately endowed by the Austin Industries Endowed Faculty Fellowship in Civil Engineering.

Aerospace chairman appointed to serve in space consortium

January 15, 2009

Robert H. Bishop , chairman of the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin, has been appointed by President William Powers to serve as the associate director of the Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC), representing the University of Texas at Austin. The appointment also places Bishop on the consortium’s board of directors. TSGC is a group of 43 institutions which include universities, industrial organizations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies within Texas that are joined to ensure that the benefits of space research and technology are available to all Texans. Bishop, who will work with the consortium’s director, Wallace Fowler, specializes in guidance, navigation and control of aerospace vehicles. He has been the department’s chairman since 2003 and has been a faculty member at the Cockrell School of Engineering since 1990.

Bishop holds the Joe J. King Professorship in Engineering.

Former engineering student receives dissertation honor

January 13, 2009

Abdul Rawoof Pinjari, a University of Texas at Austin engineering alumni, is the 2008 recipient of the Charley V. Wootan Memorial Award for the best Ph.D .dissertation in the United States in the field of Transportation Policy and Planning. He will receive the award at the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC) meeting in Washington, D.C. in January. About 75 universities belong to the CUTC. Pinjari is a former student of Professor Chandra Bhat, who was the first recipient of the award in 1992.

Pinjari graduated in August 2008 and is currently a civil and environmental engineering assistant professor at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

FIG facilitators, mentors receive recognition

January 7, 2009

The Cockrell School of Engineering has awarded four outstanding individuals for their efforts to help students grow academically, developmentally, and socially in the First-Year Interest Group (FIG) program. Academic advisor Courtney Lockhart and Sara Sanchez, the recruitment coordinator for the Equal Opportunity in Engineering Program, were awarded the Outstanding Facilitators award. Caitlin Forschner and Teniola Sulaiman were awarded the Outstanding Mentors award. All recipients were nominated by students.

Lockhart was an academic advisor in Electrical and Computer Engineering and facilitated a FIG named “Integrated Circuits.” Sanchez facilitated an aerospace and civil engineering FIG called “Strength in Numbers.” Forschner is a senior majoring in chemical engineering, and mentored a civil engineering FIG named the “Master Planners.” Sulaiman is a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, and mentored “Visionaries,” a mechanical engineering FIG.

Engineering professor receives chemistry award

January 6, 2009

Peter Rossky , a chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, is the first recipient of the American Chemical Society Physical Division Award in Theoretical Chemistry for his outstanding contributions to physical chemistry. Rossky will be invited to present a plenary lecture at the Telluride School on Theoretical Chemistry during the summer, where he will receive the award. The Telluride Science Research Center, located in Colorado's Rocky Mountains, is dedicated to providing workshop and conference services for scientists around the world to inspire substantive scientific inquiry, breakthroughs, and discoveries.

Rossky’s research seeks to discover the fundamental molecular-level origins of chemical behavior in condensed phases, such as water’s influence on biological assembly, the mechanism of energy migration in polymers, and the factors controlling reaction rates in solution.

Environmental engineering professor named fellow of national science organization

January 5, 2009

Danny Reible , an environmental engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) for his research in the assessment and management of environmental pollution, particularly the science and technology of contaminated sediment assessment and remediation.

Reible was one of four university faculty members named fellows.

An educational and professional association, AAAS publishes the journal Science, as well as many scientific newsletters, books and reports, and spearheads programs that raise the bar of understanding for science worldwide.

Reible holds the Bettie Margaret Smith Chair in Environmental Health Engineering.

Civil engineering professor awarded visiting professorship in Denmark

January 5, 2009

Richard L. Corsi , a civil engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded the Otto Monsted Visiting Professorship at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). The award will allow him to visit the university numerous times over a three-year period, as well as the opportunity to work with other international leaders in the field of indoor air quality. While in Denmark Dr. Corsi will lecture on indoor air quality in graduate courses and during a special week-long workshop in the mountains of Bulgaria. He will collaborate with faculty members and graduate students on a project related to near-body chemistry and its relationship to human perceptions and work productivity.

Corsi is an international leader in the field of indoor air quality, with a particular emphasis on sources of indoor air pollution, and both homogeneous and heterogeneous indoor air chemistry. He was recently elected to the Academy of Fellows of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality (ISIAQ). Corsi was also recently named the president of Indoor Air, a signature triennial conference of ISIAQ, which will be held in Austin in 2011.

He holds the E.C.H. Bantel Professorship for Professional Practice.

Chemical engineering professor receives Texas Exes Teaching Award

December 19, 2008

Hal Alper , chemical engineering assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has received the Texas Exes Teaching Award in his first semester at the Cockrell School of Engineering for his “positive influence on the educational experience of university students.” The honor is particularly special as it is determined solely by students. The Texas Exes have honored a faculty member and graduate instructor in each school and college each year since 1982. After accepting nominations from all university students, a committee from each school selects the award recipients. Alper engineers cells to produce important chemicals such as biofuels, pharmaceuticals and other industrial commodity chemicals. Alper is the principal investigator for the Laboratory of Cellular and Metabolic Engineering.

Prior to coming to The University of Texas at Austin Alper’s research findings were published in 14 technical articles by the highly cited journals Science, Nature Biotechnology and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Graduate students receive national fellowships

December 17, 2008

Justin Carpenter, Paul Smith and Antonius Keddis, engineering graduate students at The University of Texas at Austin, have received National GEM Consortium Fellowships. GEM awards, Graduate Education for Minorities, are given to highly qualified, but underrepresented individuals from minority communities. The fellowships include a $10,000 stipend over three semesters, a minimum of two paid summer internships with a GEM employer member and full tuition and fees at a GEM member university. Carpenter, a civil engineer, is receiving the fellowship for his second year. Smith, a mechanical engineer, and Keddis, an electrical and computer engineer, are receiving the fellowship for the first time.

Mechanical engineering professor receives Cockrell School award

December 17, 2008

Steven P. Nichols , a mechanical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the 2009 Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award for making significant contributions to the engineering profession at the Cockrell School of Engineering. The award is part of the 2009 Faculty Excellence Awards. Nichols’ work at the university has encouraged entrepreneurship, education and commercialization experiences for students from the Cockrell School as well as other schools and colleges within the university. Nichols is the director of the Advanced Manufacturing Center and holds the Clint W. Murchison, Sr. Chair of Free Enterprise.

Transportation engineering professor selected to Hall of Fame

December 17, 2008

Michael Walton , transportation engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, was selected as a member of the inaugural class of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America’s Hall of Fame for his lifelong dedication to organizational leadership in the field and his contribution to the vision of intelligent transportation systems. The new award recognizes true leaders in the field by a selection of former ITS America board chairs. Walton researches intelligent transportation systems and intermodal freight logistics, in addition to transportation systems engineering, planning, operations and policy analysis.

Walton holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Research paper receives Fred Burggraf Award for excellence in transportation research

December 15, 2008

S. Travis Waller ,a civil engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, and Jennifer Duthie, a doctoral candidate, will receive the Fred Burggraf Award for excellence in transportation research at the Transportation Research Board’s January meeting in Washington, D.C., where over 10,000 transportation professionals will gather. Both are being recognized for their paper titled “Incorporating Environmental Justice Measures into Equilibrium-Based Network Design.” Published by the Transportation Research Board's Planning and Environment Group, the paper concludes that the results of numerical analysis suggest that pareto-optimal approaches can be successfully applied, and that the most effective formulations minimize the difference between the change in congestion or travel time across population groups due to the selected improvement projects. The award encourages young researchers to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in the field of transportation and is accompanied by a cash prize. The award also provides the necessary funds to travel to the annual meeting.

Chemical engineering professors receive national award

December 12, 2008

Donald R. Paul and Nicholas Peppas, chemical engineering professors at The University of Texas at Austin, have been selected as the 2008 recipients of the Founders Award sponsored by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The award recognizes the professors' distinguished records of service to the profession, including both technical and professional activities. Paul's research in polymers focuses on blends or alloys, composites and nanocomposites, barrier properties and the use of membranes for separations. Peppas' research contributions have been in several areas of drug delivery, biomaterials, biomolecular engineering, mass transfer, polymerization kinetics and reaction engineering, and polymers physics.

Paul holds the Ernest Cockrell, Sr. Chair in Engineering and is director of the Texas Materials Institute at the university. Peppas holds the Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering.

Aerospace engineering professor to serve as editor-in-chief

December 12, 2008

Noel T. Clemens , aerospace engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been selected to serve as editor-in-chief of Experiments in Fluids, a top engineering journal published by Springer Publishing, based in Heidelberg, Germany. The journal focuses on experimental work, particularly on the application and development of state-of-the-art laser-based measurement techniques. He will share the position with Professor Cam Tropea of TU Darmstadt beginning Jan. 1, 2009.

Noel has served on Cockrell School of Engineering faculty since 1993. His current work focuses on shock wave /boundary layer interactions, inlet unstart, high-speed flow control,acoustically-forced combustion and the structure of dissipative scales in turbulent reacting flows. He is director of the Flowfield Imaging Laboratory and is associated with the Center for Aeromechanics Research. Noel holds the Engineering Foundation Professorship.

Aerospace engineering professor receives national award and is appointed to NASA Council

November 24, 2008

Bob E. Schutz , aerospace engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, is the 2008 recipient of the American Astronautical Society Dirk Brouwer Award. The award was established to honor significant technical contributions to space flight mechanics and astrodynamics and to recognize Dirk Brouwer’s outstanding role in celestial mechanics and his widespread influence on workers in space flight mechanics. The award recognizes Professor Schutz’s nearly 40 years of educational and professional contributions to astrodynamics and the aerospace profession. He has been instrumental in designing and developing software for determining precision orbits of Earth satellites and attitudes of satellites.

Schutz has also been appointed to a three-year term on the Earth Science Subcommittee, one of five science subcommittees reporting to the NASA Advisory Council. The science subcommittees are a vital link between the science community and the policies and programs that NASA pursues.

His research work at the university is supported by NASA and he holds the FSX Professorship in Space Applications and Exploration and the Joe. J. King Chair in Engineering.

Chemical engineering professor receives national award

November 24, 2008

Dr. Benny Freeman , chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been selected to receive the 2009 American Chemical Society Award in Applied Polymer Science for his pioneering polymer science research that has defined the state of the art in polymer-based gas, liquid, and vapor separation membranes. In contrast to the traditional approach of using rigid, glassy polymers for gas separation materials, Freeman’s method has changed the molecular structure of polar, rubbery polymers to remove CO2 from gas mixtures. Membranes based on these materials are being deployed commercially for hydrogen purification. Freeman’s research has also resulted in high-performance materials to mitigate fouling in water purification membranes, and his group is also working on next-generation desalination membranes, based on chlorine-tolerant materials. This award will be presented at the 2009 Spring Meeting of the American Chemical Society, which will take place March 22-27, 2009. The award will be recognized at this meeting by a two day symposium featuring 24 presentations from around the world honoring Professor Freeman’s contributions to the field.

Freeman’s work at the university is supported by the privately endowed by the Kenneth A. Kobe and Paul D. and Betty Robertson Meek & American Petrofina Centennial Professor of Chemical Engineering.

Civil engineering professor receives national award

November 18, 2008

Dr. Maria Juenger , civil engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been awarded the 2009 Walter P. Moore, Jr. Faculty Achievement Award from the American Concrete Institute. Professor Juenger, recognized for her contributions to teaching the fundamental materials science of cement, uses a materials science approach to study cement and concrete by investigating the complex interrelationship between processing, chemistry, microstructure and properties. Interested in reducing the negative environmental impact of concrete, her research seeks to find creative means to improve production processes and promote recycling, while improving concrete’s durability.

Annual award renamed after Cockrell School professor; Cockrell School assistant professor selected as first recipient

November 2, 2008

Dr. Thomas Hughes - The Special Achievement Award for Young Investigators in Applied Mechanics, an award given annually by the Applied Mechanics Division of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), has been renamed the Thomas J.R. Hughes Young Investigator Award.

Hughes, professor of aerospace engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, is considered an international pioneer in computational mechanics. He is ranked as one of the most highly cited researchers in the world on the subject publishing more than 300 scientific works on computational mechanics, and authoring or editing 18 related books. His work at the university is supported by the privately endowed Computational and Applied Mathematics Chair III.

Chad Landis, aerospace engineering assistant professor at the university, has been selected to receive the first Thomas J.R. Hughes Young Investigator Award for his outstanding contributions to the mechanics of active materials. The award recognizes special achievements in applied mechanics for researchers under the age of 40.

Professor Landis’ research focuses on continuum modeling and numerical simulation of the mechanical, electrical, magnetic and thermal behavior of materials. His specific interests are on materials such as ferroelectrics and ferromagnetic shape memory alloys. Professor Landis has created design processes within companies that make ferroelectric actuators for such applications as fuel injectors.

Electrical engineering professor elected to national board of governors

October 22, 2008

Dr. Ted Rappaport , electrical and computer engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected to the Vehicular Technology Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Board of Governors for 2009-2011. Rappaport has been a pioneer in the fields of radio wave propagation and wireless communication system design. His research has been used by many international wireless standard bodies over the past two decades, and his work has led to the broad acceptance of site-specific radio frequency propagation modeling for broadband wireless network design and deployment. Recently, he has been focusing on new methods for analyzing and deploying wireless broadband networks and portable internet access. Rappaport’s goal is to make the wireless channel understood as well as a copper wire, and to transfer that knowledge into actual products.

Rappaport’s work is supported by the privately endowed William and Bettye Nowlin Chair in Engineering, as well as various research grants.

Mechanical engineering student recognized by international fellowship

October 8, 2008

Dinesh Rabindran, doctoral student in mechanical engineering, received an honorable mention for the 2008 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Robotics and Automation Society Fellowship. The fellowship supports a student who will significantly impact the future in robotics and/or automation and increase gender diversity in this field. Rabindran's research investigates a dual input parallel actuator using a differential drive to make robot manipulators mechanically safe around humans. This approach might find application in areas where robots physically interact with humans, such as rehabilitation robots. Rabindran has also been an active mentor for the Graduates Linked with Undergraduates in Engineering (GLUE) initiative for the past 4 years.

Rabindran is completing his doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Dr. Delbert Tesar, professor of mechanical engineering who holds the Carol Cockrell Curran Chair in Engineering and directs the Robotics Research Group.

Chemical engineering professor wins national award

October 7, 2008

Dr. Venkat Ganesan , chemical engineering professor and the Frank A. Lidell Jr. Centennial Fellow at The University of Texas at Austin has been chosen as the recipient of the 2009 Dillon Medal Award for his contributions to innovative computer simulation approaches and analysis of equilibrium and dynamic properties of multicomponent polymetric materials and nanocomposites. The annual award, presented by the American Physical Society, recognizes outstanding research accomplishments by young polymer physicists who have demonstrated exceptional research promise early in their careers. Recognition consists of $2,000, up to $1,000 allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is being presented, a bronze medallion, and a certificate citing the accomplishments of the recipient.

Chemical engineering professor to give 2008 Thiele Lecture

September 24, 2008

Dr. Thomas M. Truskett , chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been invited to give the 2008 Theile Lecture in chemical and bimolecular engineering at Notre Dame. The annual lectureship, established in 1986, recognizes outstanding research contributions by a younger member of the chemical engineering profession. Professor Truskett’s research focuses on properties of confined fluids as well as the biological activity of proteins in cellular and pharmaceutical environments. Controlling the motion of fluid particles through tiny channels will potentially aid the development of micro- and nano-scale technologies such as drug delivery devices, chemical and biological sensors and components for miniaturized biological "lab-on-a-chip" applications. Protein aggregation has been implicated as a key step in a wide variety of diseases, including Alzheimer's.

Truskett is a fellow of the Paul D. and Betty Robertson Meek Centennial Professorship in Chemical Engineering.

HENAAC awards scholarships to four engineering students

September 22, 2008

Four University of Texas at Austin engineering students will receive scholarships this year from the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Corporation.

Senior biomedical engineering undergraduate Stephanie Orci won for the first time this year. Aerospace engineering junior Miguel Cruz and civil engineering senior Denise Trevino will receive the scholarship for the second year in a row, and biomedical engineering graduate student Carlos Aguilar will receive the scholarship for the fourth year in a row.

The students can use the money for tuition, books or living expenses. They also won trips to the 2008 HENAAC Conference in Houston. The conference package includes airfare, hotel and registration expenses.

Winners were required to maintain minimum 3.0 grade point averages and be of Hispanic descent or have exhibited leadership and service on campus and in the Hispanic community.

HENAAC is a nonprofit organization that promotes the achievements of Hispanics in engineering, science, technology, and math.

For more information on HENAAC, visit http://www.henaac.org/.

For more information on the scholarship recipients, visit http://www.henaac.org/pressreleases/files/2008HENAACScholars.pdf

Petroleum engineer student named ESPN Academic All-American of the Year

September 10, 2008

Donovan Kilmartin, petroleum engineering graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin, has been named 2008 ESPN Academic All-American of the Year in Men’s Track and Field. Kilmartin is a three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion in the indoors heptathlon and is the only male in NCAA history to win the event three times. Each eligible athlete is a varsity starter with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better, and must be nominated by his/her sports information director.

The NCAA heptathlon comprises a two-day competition of seven events: the 60 meter sprint, the long jump, the shot put, the high jump, the 60 meter hurdles, the pole vault and the 1,000 meter run.

Kilmartin, a native of Eagle, Idaho, is working on his masters researching the viability of using loss function in flow simulation under Dr. Sanjay Srinivasan, assistant professor of petroleum engineering. He expects to graduate in May, 2009.

Transportation engineering professor receives national award

September 9, 2008

Dr. Chandra R. Bhat , transportation engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the Wilbur Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award at the Institute of Transportation Engineers 2008 Annual Meeting and Exhibit. The annual award seeks a professional who has made an outstanding contribution to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to actually being involved in transportation. Throughout his career Bhat has established himself as one of the foremost international educators and leaders in the transportation profession through his integration of academic studies with the actual practice of transportation. He is also an internationally recognized research expert and pioneer in the development and use of quantitative techniques to study travel behavior.

Bhat holds the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Centennial Professorship in Transportation Engineering.

Petroleum engineering professor receives highest honors

September 8, 2008

Dr. Gary A. Pope , petroleum engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received an honorary membership to the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the highest honor that the society presents to an individual and is limited to less than one tenth of one percent of the society’s membership. The honor recognizes a career of significant professional engineering achievements. Pope, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, researches and teaches multiphase flow and transport in porous media and applies these principles to improved oil recovery and aquifer remediation. He has authored or co-authored more than 210 technical papers on enhanced oil recovery and related research, and supervised the research of more than 120 graduate students at the university.

Professor Pope holds the Texaco Centennial Chair in Petroleum Engineering.

Civil engineering professor and graduate students receive international recognition

September 8, 2008

Dr. Richard L. Corsi , environmental engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, was elected a fellow of the International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate (ISIAQ). The election recognizes Corsi’s work to understand sources of indoor air pollution, pollutant interactions with indoor materials and innovative control strategies to reduce exposure to indoor air pollution.

Corsi holds the E.C.H. Bantel Professorship for Professional Practice.

The society also announced three University of Texas at Austin civil engineering students received four of six new awards established by the ISIAQ. Donghyun Rim won best student paper for his paper on movement of particles in buildings under different flow conditions, including effects on air flow around the human body. Chi Hoang received second for her paper on ozone reactions with green building materials and third for best overall academic performance. Michael Waring received third for his student paper on removal and generation of ultrafine particles by commercial air purifiers. Dr, Corsi and the three students received their awards at the 11th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality in Copenhagen Denmark.

Chemical engineering professor’s text book receives national recognition

August 21, 2008

Basic Principles and Calculations in Chemical Engineering, a text book written by Dr. David Himmelblau, chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been recognized as one of the most important books in chemical engineering by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The original 40-year-old book currently in its seventh edition will be displayed at the Chemical Heritage Foundation’s Othmer Library of Chemical History to highlight its long-term impact on the chemical engineering field.

Petroleum engineering professor receives international research award

August 20, 2008

Dr. Carlos Torres-Verdin , petroleum engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the 2008 Society of Petroleum Engineers Formation Evaluation Award for his original research on numerical simulation and interpretation of borehole geophysical measurements, including well logs, acquired for the petrophysical assessment of rock formations penetrated by a well. His research determines how porous and permeable rocks are, and whether they are saturated with enough hydrocarbon volume for efficient and economical oil/gas extraction.

Professor Torres-Verdin holds the Zarrow Centennial Professorship in Petroleum Engineering.

Environmental engineering graduate student receives award

August 19, 2008

Susan Jablonski, graduate student in environmental and water resources engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, received the 2008 Richard S. Hodes, M.D. Honor Lecture Award. The award recognizes an individual, company or organization that contributed in a significant way to improving the technology, policy or practices of low-level radioactive waste management in the United States. Jablonski, who currently serves as director of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Radioactive Materials Division, manages Texas’ regulatory programs for the disposal of commercial radioactive material, source material (uranium) recovery, and commercial radioactive waste storage and processing.

As the award recipient, Jablonski will present a lecture during the Waste Management ’09 Symposium.

Jablonski’s supervising professor is Dr. Randall Charbeneau, professor of civil engineering.

Staff engineer elected national president of Women in Engineering ProActive Network

August 19, 2008

Tricia Berry , director of the Women in Engineering Program at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected national president of the Women in Engineering ProActive Network. At the university Berry, chemical engineering alumni, leads the efforts to recruit and retain women in the Cockrell School of Engineering. She concurrently serves as director of the Texas Girls Collaborative Project, an initiative aimed at connecting Texas organizations, companies and individuals working to increase gender equity in science, technology, engineering and math fields. Berry is also executive vice president of 825 Basics, LLC, a professional training company with the mission to help develop healthy, fit and full of energy careers.

WEPAN seeks to transform engineering higher education culture to open the field to women in support of America’s demand for innovation in engineering.

Petroleum engineering professor wins international technical award

August 19, 2008

Mukul M. Sharma , petroleum engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the Anthony F. Lucas Gold Medal, the Society of Petroleum Engineer’s major technical award. This medal recognizes distinguished lifelong achievements in improving the technique and practice of finding and producing petroleum. Professor Sharma has spent his career researching better methods for finding and producing oil & natural gas, and to improve utilization or re-injection of produced water. Most recently, he has helped to improve production of gas from unconventional resources, which represents the single fastest growing domestic source of energy for the United States.

Sharma holds the W.A. “Tex” Moncrief, Jr. Centennial Endowed Chair in Petroleum Engineering.

Chemical engineer receives national new faculty award

August 15, 2008

Hal Alper, chemical engineering assistant professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has won the national 2008 Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation New Faculty Award. This $50,000 award supports faculty at the beginning of their first tenure-track appointment who demonstrate the potential to produce an independent body of scientific scholarship of outstanding quality and will make significant contributions to education in the chemical sciences.

Alper engineers cells to produce important chemicals such as biofuels, pharmaceuticals and other industrial commodity chemicals. He focuses on engineering molecular transporter proteins to improve their metabolic pathways and pathway flux. The methods developed in his laboratory are generic and using biological conversion rather than petroleum-based processing can be applied to many different cellular systems to produce commodity and specialty chemicals, and biofuels.

Prior to coming to The University of Texas at Austin Alper’s research findings were published in 14 technical articles by the highly cited journals Science, Nature Biotechnology and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Nuclear and Radiation Engineering program receives $610,000

August 11, 2008

The Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program at The University of Texas at Austin received $610,000 from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission through two grants. A $450,000 award to Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Mark Deinert, will support his research using advanced nuclear fuel cycles to dramatically reduce nuclear power’s radioactive signature. This research aims to diminish the long-standing problem of spent nuclear fuel disposal and the potential proliferation of nuclear weapons. Assistant professors Mark Deinert and Erich Schneider (Mechanical Engineering) are working on methods to recycle the radioactive elements from spent nuclear fuel in the reactors that produce them. Currently their research has shown that recycle in present-day reactors could be used to achieve more than a tenfold reduction in the overall radioactivity produced during their operation. It might be possible to extend this further if the systems appropriately optimized, they say.

The second grant of $160,000 was awarded to Assistant Profesor Schneider,in conjunction with Professor Sheldon Landersberger, Associate Professor Steven Biegalski and Dr. David Hernsberger, to develop a summer institute for nuclear engineering. The program is aimed at students in the Big Twelve Athletic Conference whose universities do not have nuclear engineering programs. The faculty of the Nuclear and Radiation Engineering program, in conjunction with their graduate students, will conduct a two week course for highly qualified students interested in a nuclear systems career. The teaching and training will extensively use the research reactor and laboratory facilities at the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab at the Pickle Research Campus.

Computer engineering professor’s textbook wins national award

August 8, 2008

Dr. Charles H. Roth , electrical and computer engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has received the 2008 McGuffey Longevity Award for his fifth edition of Fundamentals of Logic Design. The Text and Academic Authors Association created the McGuffey Longevity Awards in 1993 to recognize textbooks and learning materials demonstrating excellence over a significant period of time. Works must have been in print at least 15 years and currently remain in circulation and use. Judges decribed Fundamentals of Logic Design as, “exceptionally written” and “an excellent text because it can easily be used for a self-study or distance learning course.”

Chemical engineering professor receives national award

August 5, 2008

Dr. Benny Freeman , chemical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the 2008 Award for Excellence in Industrial Gases Technology for his work on gas separations using membranes. Freeman was recognized for a number of contributions to his field. For example, iIn contrast to the traditional approach of using rigid, glassy polymers for gas separation materials, Professor Freeman’s group tuned the molecular structure of polar, rubbery polymers to remove CO2 from gas mixtures missed by traditional rigid polymers. Membranes based on these materials are being deployed commercially for hydrogen purification. Today, purified hydrogen is required for many industrial processes such as the processing of crude oil into gasoline, manufacturing ammonia (for fertilizer), methanol and other chemicals.

Freeman holds the Kenneth A. Kobe Professorship in Chemical Engineering.

Two engineering students receive national fellowships

August 5, 2008

Alvaro Garcia and Nathan Malcolm, engineering doctoral students at The University of Texas at Austin received 2008 Applied Materials fellowships. The $35,000 annual graduate fellowship is given to doctoral students who engage in research closely aligned with Applied Materials’ business needs.

Through his research, Garcia, an electrical engineering student, aims to measure low temperature plasma. If successful, he will help to understand how to confine plasma in a special device called a Tokamak, where a critical region of cold plasma separates very hot plasma from the walls. This is particularly important because it will help create fusion energy, a safe and clean source of nuclear energy. Low temperature plasmas are also used for fabrication of semiconductors, and these plasmas need more accurate measurement. Garcia works under supervising professor Gary Hallock, professor of electrical engineering.

Malcolm, a mechanical engineering student, focuses on nanoscale radiation heat transfer modeling, and he is using a 3D Finite Difference Time Domain model to simulate radiation heat transfer between nanosphere gold markers and a ZnO nanowire embedded in a silver substrate. This can be used in the integrated circuit industry for a nanoscale thermal probe and in the medical community for detecting individual cancer cells marked with gold nanoparticles. Malcolm’s supervising professor is Jack Howell, professor of mechanical engineering.

Electrical engineering professor wins national award

August 5, 2008

Dr. Seth R. Bank -

, electrical engineering assistant professor, received the North American Molecular Beam Epitaxy (NAMBE) Young Investigator Award for his work on devices made from semiconductor nanostructures. Bank’s research helped develop a class of semiconductor materials used to make lasers replacing fiber optic communications. His group also hopes to cover critical portions of the electromagnetic spectrum with laser sources for gas sensing, as well as find the eventual replacement for silicon-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistors. This is a particularly urgent need because the power consumption of these transistors increases dramatically as they make them faster.

Transportation engineering professor named chairman of state transportation committee

July 17, 2008

Dr. Michael Walton - , transportation engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected chairman of the Texas Department of Transportation’s “2030 Committee.” Deirdre Delisi, Chair of the Texas Transportation Commission, appointed the committee to undertake this important oversight role for the needs assessment. The 12-member committee, comprised of experts in business and transportation, is coordinating a comprehensive update of Texas transportation needs through the year 2030. The committee is charged with presenting an estimate of the state’s transportation needs in the context of today’s economic reality and will work to quantify and describe the need for infrastructure investment over the next 20 years and beyond.

Walton holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Mechanical engineering professor appointed to U.S. Army Science Board

July 10, 2008

Dr. Delbert Manuel - The Secretary of the U.S. Army has appointed Delbert Tesar, mechanical engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, to a three-year term as a member of the U.S. Army Science Board. This U.S. Army senior scientific advisory body is comprised of individuals from the private sector, academia, retired flag officer ranks, and non-U.S. Department of Defense government agencies. The board conducts multiple level meetings to enable members to review U.S. Army science development, become better educated on U.S. Army issues and advise U.S. Army managers on relevant scientific and technological matters.

Tesar directs the Robotic Research Group at the university, where he develops advanced component and system technology for intelligent machines and robotics. He holds the Carol Cockrell Curran Chair in Engineering.

Civil engineering professor and former student receive national best paper award

July 8, 2008

Dr. Lance Manuel , civil engineering professor, and Patrick Ragan, his former student, received a Best Journal Paper Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineer’s Technical Committee on Wind Energy for their paper, “Statistical Extrapolation Methods for Estimating Wind Turbine Extreme Loads.” The paper seeks to establish design standards that will allow turbines to safely, efficiently, and economically produce electricity over their planned service lives. Its findings are being used in changes proposed to a wind turbine design standard issued by the International Electrotechnical Commission.

Professor Manuel holds the Flour Centennial Teaching Fellowship Engineering.

Civil engineering professor receives national honor

July 2, 2008

Dr. James Jirsa , civil engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, was named an American Concrete Institute Honorary Member for his outstanding accomplishments in the research areas of design, behavior, and durability of concrete structures including repair and strengthening of structures, and for his leadership in improving the institute’s international relationships.

Jirsa holds the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Transportation engineering professor receives statewide student advisor award

July 2, 2008

Dr. Chandra Bhat , civil, transportation engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, received the 2008 Texas Institute of Transportation Engineers Student Chapter Advisor Award. The award recognizes Bhat’s dedication and hard work guiding the future generation of transportation engineers in the state of Texas.

Bhat holds the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Centennial Professorship in Transportation Engineering.

Materials science and engineering doctoral student receives national fellowship

June 20, 2008

Irvin Chen, a materials science and engineering doctoral student, received a fellowship from the Portland Cement Association for his work on “green” cements that are lower in energy and carbon dioxide production. The fellowship includes a $20,000 stipend to cover tuition, residence, research materials, equipment, study materials and other related educational expenses.

Civil engineer named distinguished member of national society

June 18, 2008

Dr. Michael Walton , civil engineering professor at the University of Texas at Austin, was named a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers for his exemplary career as a civil engineering educator and researcher and for his professional and technical leadership in transportation planning, financing and policy analysis.

Walton holds the Ernest H. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Aerospace engineering graduate student receives national fellowship

June 12, 2008

Makiko Okamoto, aerospace engineering graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin, received a $10,000 Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International for her research on cooperative control problems of multi-agent systems. The fellowships are granted annually to women pursuing doctoral degrees in aerospace-related sciences and aerospace-related engineering. Okamoto’s research proposes new algorithms that achieve obstacle avoidance in unknown dynamic environments while the agents are performing cooperative tasks. Her supervising professor is Dr. Maruthi Akella, assistant professor of aerospace engineering.

Structural engineering faculty and student receive national research award

June 12, 2008

John Breen, James O. Jirsa, civil engineering professors, and M. Keith Thompson, former student under Dr. Jirsa, were recently awarded the Chester Paul Siess Award for Excellence in Structural Research from the American Concrete Institute for their paper on “Behavior and Capacity of Headed Reinforcement.” The paper reported results of tests used to develop design recommendations for the latest concept for reinforcing concrete structures, “headed reinforcement.” The concept involves attaching steel plates or “heads” to ordinary reinforcing bars (“rebar”) to further prevent the bars from pulling out of concrete.

The award is given to authors of a peer-reviewed paper published by the Institute that describes a notable achievement in experimental or analytical research that advances the theory or practice of structural engineering.

Breen develops reinforced and prestressed concrete bridge and building systems and has studied structural concrete, column design, reinforcement development, general structural integrity, segmental bridge design, corrosion protection and bridge aesthetics. He is the Nasser I. Al Rashid Chair in civil engineering.

Jirsa researches the behavior and design of reinforced concrete structures, including the anchorage and development of reinforcement, detailing, durability and rehabilitation of structures in seismic zones. Jirsa is the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Thompson researches the development of reinforcement, strut-and-tie modeling, concrete bridges and civil engineering pedagogy. Thompson is an alumnus of the Cockrell School of Engineering and currently serves on the faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

Wheeler receives honorary doctorate

June 12, 2008

Dr. Mary Wheeler, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, and professor of petroleum and geosystems engineering was granted an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by the Board of Trustees of the Colorado School of Mines for her professional contributions to the engineering curriculum. Wheeler researches and teaches the use of computer simulations to model the behavior of fluids in geological formations. Her research covers a broad range of applications, including computer modeling of estuaries and coastal waters, subsurface modeling for petroleum exploration, and reservoir engineering. She holds the Ernest and Virginia Cockrell Chair in Engineering.

Engineering communications professor receives national honor

June 11, 2008

Hillary Hart, graduate and undergraduate engineering communication distinguished lecturer and director of the Braden Program for Excellence in Technical Communication at The University of Texas at Austin, was named fellow by the Society for Technical Communication for her significant contributions to the technical communication profession.

“Individuals chosen to be Fellows are the cream of the technical communication profession,” explains Mark Clifford, STC president. “These are individuals who contribute significantly to the good of the field by conducting research, mentoring young professionals, giving presentations, and playing a large part in being volunteer leaders.”

Recipients of this honor have attained distinction in technical writing, advanced the profession of technical communication, and contributed significantly to the Society.

Computer engineer receives 2008 CAREER Award

June 10, 2008

Derek Chiou, an assistant professor of computer engineering, has been awarded a $400,000 National Science Foundation CAREER award, a prestigious honor which recognizes promising young faculty members. The five-year grant will be used to further develop his proposal entitled “Transforming Computer System Design.”

Chiou’s primary goal is to dramatically improve the expensive and time-consuming process of architecting, implementing and verifying the hardware, system software and application software when building or using computer systems. The CAREER project aims to automatically transform written simulators, using Dr. Chiou’s current simulation methodology, into complete implementations.

Traditionally, developing a computer system requires at least three separate simulators: one to accurately and flexibly simulate an initial design, a second to accurately implement the system, and a third to quickly develop software applications. If successful, the CAREER grant research would eliminate the need to write two of the simulators, including the most difficult one, the implementation.

Aerospace engineering junior receives NASA scholarship

June 10, 2008

Grant Rossman, an aerospace engineering junior, has received a scholarship under the NASA Aeronautics Scholarship Program. Rossman is one of 20 students selected from a field of over 200 applicants to receive the scholarship. The scholarship includes tuition funds up to $15,000 for educational and related costs, and a 10 week summer internship with $10,000 stipend amount.

Academic advisor receives university service award

June 5, 2008

Audra Sneed, engineering academic advisor, was awarded the Texas Star Award for Outstanding Service by the Association of Professionals in Student Affairs for her excellent student service and outstanding contributions to the university community during the 2007-2008 academic year.

Petroleum engineer’s research group receives national best paper award

June 5, 2008

Carlos Torres-Verdin, petroleum and geosystems engineering associate professor, received the Petrophysics 2007 Best Paper Award with co-authors, Guodong Jin, Sarath Devarajan, Emmanuel Toumelin and E.C. Thomas. Editors selected "Pore-Scale Analysis of the Waxman-Smits Shaly-Sand Conductivity Model" for fundamental contributions to the pore-scale study of electrical conductivity of clay-bearing siliciclastic rocks. The simulation method correctly predicts macroscopic electrical properties of porous rocks measured in the laboratory.

Torres-Verdin , graduate student Alberto Mendoza, and their co-author, William Preeg, also received the Best Poster Award from the society. The poster describes a new accurate method to rapidly simulate density and neutron measurements acquired in drilled wells.

Graduate student receives two best paper awards

June 5, 2008

T. Muraliganth, materials science and engineering graduate student, was honored with two best paper awards. Muraliganth received the Best Student Presentation award in materials science from the Texas Society for Microscopy for his paper, “LiFePO4 Nanorods Networked with Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Energy Storage Applications.” He also received the Best Clean Energy Poster award at Nano Night 2008 and CleanTX Innovation Showcase for his poster entitled “Rapid Synthesis of LiFePO4 Nanorods and their Nanohybrids for Energy Storage Applications.” The research work was carried out by both Muralinganth and postdoctoral fellow Dr. A. Vadivel Murugan, who are supervised by Dr. Arumugam Manthiram, professor of Mechanical Engineering.

Both of these papers focus on developing low cost, nanostructured cathodes for high power lithium ion batteries.

Biomedical engineering professor receives Columbus Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

June 4, 2008

Dr. Christine E. Schmidt, biomedical engineering professor, received the first Chairmen’s Distinguished Life Sciences Award, along with $25,000, from the Christopher Columbus Fellowship Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for her work with nerve grafting. Her cadaver nerve implanting method which overcomes a patient’s natural rejection of transplants has been successful in all 100-plus patients receiving the implants in more than 50-plus hospitals in the United States. Schmidt’s other research on nerve regeneration using advanced biomaterials was also highlighted in the award announcement. This prestigious national award is given to a scientist or engineer who is making or has recently made a significant and positive contribution toward development of a “cutting edge” innovation in the field of life sciences.

Civil engineering professor receives national award

May 9, 2008

Dr. Joseph Yura, emeritus civil engineering professor, received the Offshore Technology in Civil Engineering Hall of Fame award from the American Society of Civil Engineers for his paper entitled “Ultimate Capacity Equations for Tubular Joints.” Winning papers were selected based on innovation, vision, direction and lasting impact on the design, construction or installation of the offshore infrastructure.

Chemical engineering senior receives University Co-op grand prize award

May 9, 2008

Baltej Ludher, chemical engineering senior, received the $20,000 University Co-op George H. Mitchell grand prize award for his research paper “Novel Methods for Producing Micron and Sub-micron Pharmaceutical Particles for Pulmonary and Oral Delivery.” This award rewards undergraduate students who have demonstrated unparalleled dedication and achievement in their fields of study. Ludher’s research has the potential to radically advance drug delivery, as well as disease diagnosis and treatment. He has helped develop two novel methods for producing high- surface area therapeutic and pharmaceutical particles: thin-film freezing and pH flocculation.

Related Link: 2008 Undergraduate Grand Prize Winner Recipient of $20,000 http://www.universitycoop.com/ePOS/form=cat.html&cat=261&store=108

Design-Build-Fly teams receive second and fourth place at international aeronautics competition

May 8, 2008

Aerospace engineering student teams scored 2nd and 4th place wins in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Design-Build-Fly (DBF) international competition. The undergraduate students achieved their wins by successfully applying all aspects of the competition’s requirements in aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, vehicle design and manufacturing.

The 2008 competition required that teams design an electric-powered, unmanned aircraft system capable of carrying a load of up to 14 partially-filled, half-liter water bottles or four half-size clay bricks, or various combinations of the two, on two flights around a predetermined course. The competition also required a flight without a load that had to complete the course using a minimum number of batteries.

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics DBF competition is widely considered the premier international aircraft student design competition.

Students on the second place team were: team lead Ivan Kung and key members Jeff Chu, Jason Fortner, Stephan Greening, Vishnu Jyothindran and Daren Wang. Other team members include Tausiq Ahmed, Charlotte Bryan, Joel Chapa, Alex Cheng, Craig Dorsey, William Duong, Akash Gandhi, Charles Gilbreath, Elisa Gravis, Matthew Jones, Jason Lavine, May Ann Li, Garrett Mosely, Tarique Rahman, Krystal Stewart, Paul Wedholm and Nathan Wu.

Students on the fourth place team were: team lead Martyn Hunt and key members Ty Brockhoeft, Brady Lotz and Matias Soto. Other team members include Jeremiah Bracy, Najeh Haq, Joaquin Herrera, Justin Kizer, Michael Skyler Lawson, Seve Rizo Patron, Andrew Pritchard, Andres Perez Segura, Barton Starnes, and David Vargas.

Dr. Bishop and Dr. Chaput were the advisors for these students.

Biomedical engineering professor named fellow of American Society for Engineering Education

April 21, 2008

Dr. Nicholas Peppas, biomedical engineering professor, was recently elected fellow of the American Society for Engineering Education in recognition of his commitment and excellence in engineering education. The American Society for Engineering Education is a nonprofit organization of individuals and institutions committed to furthering education in engineering and engineering technology. Peppas is the Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering.

Aerospace sophomore receives full scholarship and guaranteed summer internships from ASEE

April 18, 2008

Philip Barcelon, aerospace engineering sophomore, received a SMART (Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation Program) Scholarship from the American Society for Engineering Education. Participants in the SMART Scholarship for Service Program receive an annual stipend, full tuition and related educational fees, $1,000 book allowance, paid summer internships at the U.S. Department of Defense laboratories, and employment placement after graduation. SMART Scholars include students who have demonstrated ability and special aptitude in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields, have a minimum 3.0 grade point average, and the desire to work for a U.S. Department of Defense research lab.

Biomedical engineering professor wins alumni award

April 17, 2008

Dr. Mia K. Markey, biomedical engineering assistant professor, was selected to receive a 2008 Alumni Distinguished Leadership Award from the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) for her “distinguished achievements and leadership contributions in her professional field of endeavor consistent with IMSA’s mission”. The Alumni Distinguished Leadership Award recipients are selected by the board of trustees executive committee at IMSA. As director of the Biomedical Informatics Lab at the university, Markey uses signal processing and artificial intelligence techniques to design clinical decision support systems to help healthcare providers better diagnose, treat and manage diseases.

Associate professor receives Fulbright Scholar award

April 16, 2008

Dr. Elmira Popova, associate professor of mechanical engineering, was recently named a Fulbright Scholar by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board to lecture and conduct research in operations research and statistics during the 2008-2009 academic year. Popova will conduct research with colleagues at the Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics in “St.Kliment Ohridski” University and at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Popova will use ideas from operations research and statistics to address forecasting and decision-making problems and will assist in developing a new course.

Chemical Engineering professor honored as international fellow

April 15, 2008

Dr. Thomas Edgar, chemical engineering professor, has been elected a fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC) for his outstanding contributions to the fields of mathematical modeling, optimization, and automatic control of chemical and microelectronics processes and professional leadership. The IFAC Fellow Award is given to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in the interdisciplinary field of automation and automatic control, in the role as an engineer, technical leader, or educator. Edgar is the George T. and Gladys H. Abell Endowed Chair of Engineering.

Construction management professor and student win international innovation award

April 11, 2008

Dr. William O'Brien, civil engineering assistant professor, and his former graduate student Maj. March Distefano, received a FIATECH Celebration of Engineering and Technology Innovation (CETI) Award for their research project “Comparative Evaluation of Infrastructure Assessment Methodologies at the Small Unit Level.”

The researchers used cognitive evaluation techniques to better understand and improve existing US Army infrastructure assessment methodologies and tools. Their research has implications for the design of civilian infrastructure assessment technologies.

Dr. O’Brien was also awarded an honorable mention in the FIATECH CETI “Early Career Researcher” category for his ongoing research in advancing information technologies and their use on construction projects.

The CETI awards were established to recognize significant achievements in technology developed for the capital projects industry.

Assistant professors receive national award

April 8, 2008

Seth Bank and Emanuel Tutuc, assistant professors in electrical and computer engineering, and Carlos Hidrovo, mechanical engineering assistant professor, recently received Young Faculty Awards from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to further develop and validate their research.

To encourage the next generation of researchers working in microsystems technology DARPA provides each award recipient a grant of approximately $150,000.

Dr. Seth Bank will apply the award to develop new semiconductor nanostructures for lasers operating in the mid-infrared portion of the optical spectrum.

Dr. Emanuel Tutuc will use the award to help develop semiconductor nanowire tunneling field effect transistors.

Dr. Carlos Hidrovo will study high speed droplet flows for integration in microreactors and thermal management systems.

The mission of DARPA’s Microsystems Technology Office is to develop breakthroughs in materials, devices, circuits, and mathematics to create components that are more advanced than today’s devices and that have the performance and functionality to enable new capabilities for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Biomedical engineering professors receive regional awards

April 8, 2008

Dr. Suggs, a biomedical engineering assistant professor, received the Young Faculty award from the Gulf-Southwest section of the American Society for Engineering Education. Suggs is the first to be honored with this award designed to encourage and recognize young faculty participation in ASEE or engineering education activities and events. Selections were made based on a number of criteria including authorship of instructional materials, contribution and participation in ASEE, and advising graduate and undergraduate students.

Dr. Zaman, biomedical engineering professor, received the 2008 Outstanding Teaching Award from the Gulf Southwest Region American Society for Engineering Education for his outstanding performance as an engineering educator. In his two years at the university, Zaman has designed two new courses while teaching core classes. The American Society for Engineering Education furthers education in engineering and engineering technology.

Aerospace engineering professor wins international computation award

April 4, 2008

Dr. Tom Hughes, aerospace engineering professor, received the Grand Prize from the Japan Society for Computational Engineering and Science. This is the highest award given by the society, an organization that promotes advances of education and technology in computational engineering. Hughes, who holds the Computational and Applied Mathematics Chair, is the first recipient of this award.

Civil engineering professor receives national transportation award

April 1, 2008

Dr. Machemehl, civil engineering professor, has been selected to receive the 2008 Wilbur S. Smith Award from the Transportation and Development Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers for his “contributions to transportation engineering as a teacher, researcher and research administrator.” The Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award recognizes a person who has been an asset to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to the actual practice of transportation. Machemehl also serves as director of the university’s Center for Transportation Research and holds the Nasser I. Al-Rashid Centennial Professorship in Transportation Engineering.

Civil engineer receives award for First Pan American Conference

April 1, 2008

Dr. Jorge G. Zornberg, associate professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, received the Achievement Award from the Mexican Chapter of the International Geosynthetics Society “in recognition for his invaluable enthusiasm, dedication and commitment that led to GeoAmericas 2008, the First Pan-American Geosynthetics Conference.”

Dr. Zornberg chaired the GeoAmericas 2008 international conference, which included eight concurrent technical activities, an innovative educational program, a major exhibition, and multiple social events. Approximately 1,000 individuals attended the conference.

Robotics and Automation Society student chapter mentors award-winning team

April 1, 2008

The Robotics and Automation Society student chapter mentored the high school robotics team that won the Johnson and Johnson Gracious Professionalism Award from the FIRST Robotics Lone Star Regional competition. The society assisted a team of 20 high school students, four middle school students, and one home-schooled student in building and programming a robot.

Nuclear engineer selected to chair international advisory group

March 25, 2008

Sean O’Kelly, associate director of the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory, was selected to chair the International Atomic Energy Agency Technical Working Group on Research Reactors. This advisory group serves programs supporting the operation and use of research reactors worldwide. The Technical Working Group on Research Reactors (TWGRR) represents senior international experts in the areas of research reactor operation, utilization, maintenance, refurbishment, modernization, fuel management, nuclear fuel cycle, quality assurance and new designs. O’Kelly represents the United States among the 20 countries participating.

Transportation engineering student selected for national leadership conference

March 21, 2008

Alison Conway, a Ph.D. student in transportation engineering, has been selected to participate in the 2008 Eno Leadership Development Conference by the Board of Regents of the Eno Transportation Foundation. The Leadership Development Conference selects 20 graduate students from around the nation to get a first-hand look at how transportation policy is developed and implemented. During the conference, these students will have meetings with federal officials as well as leaders of business and non-profit organizations.

Civil engineering professor receives lifetime achievement award

March 18, 2008

Dr. Thomas Kennedy, emeritus professor of civil engineering, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers for his research that focused on the development of new materials and technical procedures. Kennedy managed several large governmental research programs in the 1990s which developed longer-lasting and safer asphalt paving methods now being implemented internationally. Kennedy is the first person to receive this award.

Biomedical engineering professor selected as international fellow

March 6, 2008

Dr. Brannon-Peppas, professor of biomedical engineering, was named a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering by the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science and Engineering for her pioneering work on degradable polymers and drug delivery products, especially for cancer treatment. This is the highest international recognition in the field of biomaterials. Brannon-Peppas is the first UT professor to receive this recognition while at UT.

Students receive Cockrell School of Engineering leadership awards

February 26, 2008

Six undergraduate students and two graduate students were recently honored with student leadership awards from the Cockrell School of Engineering. Biomedical engineering students Heidi Gensler and Christopher Green, chemical engineering students Danielle Kamel and Jesus Ramos, and electrical engineering student Madhurita Sengupta, all received the Undergraduate Student Leadership Award.

Graduate students Jessica Ventura and Qiu Wu received the Graduate Student Leadership Awards. Both doctoral candidates, Ventura is a mechanical engineering student while Wu is an electrical and computer engineering major.

In addition, second-year Andrew Wang, an electrical engineering major, was honored with the Marvin Wright Engineering Athlete Award for distinguishing himself both in athletics and in the classroom.

Nominees for each of the leadership awards must have held a leadership position in an engineering student organization, have positively affected the Cockrell School of Engineering community, and have dedicated themselves to overcome obstacles and pursuing their visions. Undergraduates must have at least 24 hours of in-residence credit while graduate students must have at least 18 hours of in-residence courses.

Civil engineering professor receives national transportation educator award

February 26, 2008

Dr. Chandra Bhat, professor of civil engineering, received the Wilbur S. Smith Distinguished Transportation Educator Award from the Institute of Transportation Engineers for his “outstanding contribution to the transportation profession by relating academic studies to the actual practice of transportation”. Bhat is the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Centennial Professor in Transportation Engineering.

Cockrell School of Engineering academic advisors receive university advisor awards

February 25, 2008

Courtney A. Lockhart and Dr. Kelly J. McQueary, academic advisors for electrical and computer engineering, and chemical engineering, respectively, received the Texas Exes’ James W. Vick Award for Academic Advising for their effective, positive influence on the educational experience and lives of university students. The award represents the highest university honor for academic advisors.

Chemical engineering student and biomedical engineering advisor receive outstanding FIG mentor and facilitator awards

February 25, 2008

Caitlin Forschner, a junior chemical engineering student, and Cindy Zimmerman, an academic advisor in biomedical engineering, both received Outstanding First-Year Interest Group (FIG) Awards. Forschner was selected as an Outstanding FIG mentor and Zimmernan received the Outstanding FIG facilitator award. The two received the awards for their effective, positive influence on the educational experience of engineering students and their enthusiasm and knowledge in applying university resources. Forschner and Zimmerman maintained a sense of approachability by creating a non-judgmental atmosphere and making a positive difference in their students' university experience.

Biomedical, chemical engineering professor elected to inaugural class of Materials Research Society Fellows

February 21, 2008

Dr. Nicholas Peppas, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering and pharmaceutics professor, was elected to the inaugural class of Materials Research Society Fellows for pioneering contributions to the field of biomaterials and especially for the development of hydrogels as biomaterials. The society honors members distinguished for their contributions to the advancement of materials research worldwide. The maximum number of new fellow appointments each year is limited to 0.2 percent of the current membership. This year, only 30 received this distinction. Peppas is the Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering.

Civil engineering students take second in earthquake design competition

February 21, 2008

Five civil engineering students took second place in the Undergraduate Seismic Design Competition at the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute Annual Meeting. The team members winning the competition are Ariana Alvear, Matt Homer, James Kleineck, Martin Scales and Ty Womble. Other members who participated in the project are Lynna Lotrakul, Michelle Wilkinson, Eleanor Reynolds, Mark Trowsdale and Philp Goertz. The competition required designing and constructing a model high-rise office building that was subjected to multiple earthquake ground motions. Teams were judged on the building’s seismic performance, architectural design, structural innovation, financial return for the client over the life of the structure, and a student presentation.

Civil engineering professor receives national leadership award

February 21, 2008

Dr. Kenneth H. Stokoe, II, civil engineering professor, received the 2008 Frank Frischknecht Leadership Award for his contributions to near-surface geophysics. The honor is given jointly by the Environmental and Engineering Geophysics Society and the Society of Exploration Geophysicists. Dr. Stokoe holds the Jennie C. and Milton T. Graves Chair in Engineering.

Civil engineer named Woman of the Year by Texas women’s transportation seminar

February 21, 2008

Kara Kockelman, associate professor of civil engineering, will receive the Woman of the Year Award from the Texas chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar. This award honors a leader in the field of transportation who has advanced the reputation and credibility of women in the field. Kockelman’s primary research interests include the modeling of urban systems, the economic impacts of transportation policy, and crash occurrence and consequences. She also is the William J. Murray, Jr. Fellow in Engineering No. 2.

Civil engineering associate professor to chair American Concrete Institute committee

February 21, 2008

Dr. Kevin Folliard, associate professor of civil engineering, has been named chair of the American Concrete Institute committee on concrete durability. The committee handles durability-related issues and forms guidelines for producing concrete in aggressive environments. Folliard has also been appointed to be a member of the general concrete and construction subcommittee. This subcommittee develops materials and durability-related guidance for the Structural Concrete Building Code. Folliard, who founded the Concrete Durability Center at the university in 2005, is the Austin Industried Endowed Faculty Fellow in Civil Engineering.

Electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student wins national thesis prize

February 20, 2008

Chan-Byoung Chae, an electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student, received the gold prize in the SAMSUNG Humantech Paper Contest for his paper “Coordinated Wireless Networks with Limited Feedback for the MIMO Broadcast Channel." The paper offered new ideas to improve the use of MIMO, a major theme of international wireless research which uses multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance. Chae’s supervising professor is Dr. Robert W. Heath Jr., associate professor of electrical engineering.

Two environmental engineering graduate students receive national research grants

February 15, 2008

Brent Stephens and Michael Waring, environmental and water resources engineering graduate students, both received $10,000 grants from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers for research projects. Stephens will be conducting a field performance study of how climatic conditions affect air conditioning energy consumption in residential and light commercial buildings. Waring will study how interior surfaces in buildings impact particle generation due to indoor ozone chemistry.

Aerospace engineering alumni selected for Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award

February 15, 2008

Timothy Price Crain II, an aerospace engineering alumnus, was selected as a recipient of the Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award from the Texas Exes for significant achievements in his career and service to the university before reaching the age of 40. Crain earned his bachelor’s degree from the university in 1995, his master’s in 1999 and his doctorate in 2000 and now works for NASA as the Orion orbit guidance, navigation, and control systems manager.

Chemical engineering supervisor receives Citizen Service Award

February 15, 2008

Kevin J. Haynes, a Laboratory/Technical Services Supervisor in the Chemical Engineering Department, has received the Citizen Service Award from the university police department. Haynes assisted the police in apprehending thieves entering the office of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers student chapter by setting up surveillance cameras and keeping meticulous logs of unauthorized and illegal activities. Haynes is only the fourth person to earn this award.

Mechanical engineering senior joins Teach For America as Amgen Fellow

February 15, 2008

Ella Miesner, a mechanical engineering and Plan II senior, has been selected to join the 2008 Teach For America Corps as an Amgen Fellow. Teach For America is the national corps of recent college graduates who commit two years to teach in underserved public schools. Corps members are hired by the school districts where they work as first-year teachers and receive additional salary as part of the federal AmeriCorps program.

The Amgen Fellowship is given annually to 50 incoming math, science and engineering majors who best exemplify perseverance, critical thinking, the ability to motivate others, and a commitment to ending educational inequity. Fellows receive a signing bonus from the Amgen Foundation, which also hosts all fellows at a Washington, D.C. conference to learn and discuss the latest in math, science, and engineering education. Miesner has written for The Daily Texan, worked as a Teach for America campus coordinator, and is an active participant in the Women in Engineering program.

Mechanical engineering senior receives Student Excellence Award and scholarship

February 15, 2008

Jeff Armstrong, a mechanical engineering senior, received the 2007 Student Excellence Award from The Southwestern Company for outstanding sales and recruitment during his five summers working for the Nashville company. In addition to the award, Armstrong received a scholarship. In the summer of 2007, Armstrong recruited, managed and trained six University of Texas at Austin students to run their business through Southwestern’s summer program for college students. By the end of the summer, Armstrong and the University of Texas organization had made a gross profit of $478,340, putting them in third place in Southwestern’s Top Campus list of 356 university and college campuses worldwide.

Chemical engineering professor receives National Publications Referee Award

February 12, 2008

Dr. Jim Chelikowsky, chemical engineering professor and holder of the W.A. "Tex" Moncrief, Jr. Chair of Computational Materials in the Institute of Computational Engineering and Sciences, received the Outstanding Referee Award from the American Physical Society for his peer review work on the society’s journals. Chelikowsky became one of the first members to earn this honor.

American Society of Civil Engineers student team wins first place in Steel Bridge Competition

January 31, 2008

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) UT Student Chapter’s Steel Bridge Team finished first place overall at this year's Texas-Mexico Region competition in Beaumont, Texas. The team placed first in every category, including construction time, construction economy, lightness/weight, stiffness, and structural efficiency. The goal of the competition is to follow a set of design specifications, received six months beforehand, to build a model bridge as quickly as possible that can support 2,500 pounds. The UT ASCE Steel Bridge Team built their winning structure, weighing 135 pounds with a 21 foot span, in roughly 6.5 minutes. The team will participate in the national competition held later this year in Gainesville, Florida.

Student receives Silver Award from Materials Research Society

January 22, 2008

Christopher Carlton, a materials science and engineering doctoral student, received the Silver Award from the Materials Research Society (MRS) for his significant observations and imaging of silver nanoparticles undergoing the deformation process. He presented his research at the 2007 MRS Fall Meeting in a paper co-authored by Oleg Lourie, executive vice-president of NanoFactory Instruments, and his supervising professor, mechanical engineer Dr. Paulo J. Ferreira.

Electrical and computer engineering advisor receives Eyes of Texas Excellence Award

January 22, 2008

Janice Williams, an academic advisor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the Fall 2007 Eyes of Texas Excellence Award.

Each semester, Eyes of Texas, an anonymous campus organization, recognizes “outstanding contributions to student life at The University of Texas” through the award to 10 deserving faculty or staff for their unselfish devotion to better the campus community.

Williams advises undergraduate students in electrical and computer engineering. She coordinates and oversees initiatives designed to support and partner with academically at-risk students to help them reach their personal and academic goals.

Bovik elected fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical and Instrumentation Engineers

January 22, 2008

Dr. Alan Bovik, an electrical engineering professor, has been elected fellow of the Society of Photo-Optical and Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) for his “pioneering technical, leadership, and educational contributions to the field of image processing." SPIE fellows are members who have distinguished themselves by making significant scientific and technical contributions in the multidisciplinary fields of optics, photonics, and imaging. Dr. Bovik directs the Laboratory for Image and Video Engineering and develops techniques for improving and measuring the quality of digital images and videos. He holds the Keys and Joan Curry/Cullen Trust Endowed Chair.

Biomedical engineering professor receives profession’s prestigious Galletti Award

January 17, 2008

Dr. Nicholas Peppas, professor of biomedical engineering, chemical engineering and pharmaceutics, has been selected to receive the 2008 Pierre Galletti Award from the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering for his contributions and leadership in biomaterials science and engineering, and for his work on drug delivery that led to new biomedical products and devices. The Pierre Galletti Award, considered the most prestigious award in biomedical engineering, was established in 1999 in honor of the institute’s founding member and past president. Peppas holds the Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering.

Electrical and computer engineering professor receives more than $1 million in grants

December 18, 2007

Dr. Joydeep Ghosh, an electrical and computer engineering professor, received two grants totaling more than $1 million from the National Science Foundation to apply his data mining research techniques in two distinct areas.

For the first project, Ghosh and co-principal investigators, Drs. Melba Crawford and Bryan Pijanowski of Purdue University, received $851,000 to predict long-term changes in land use over large geographical areas. He will use his previously developed system for classifying land covers that extracts, analyzes and manages large sets of remotely sensed data, and determine how to apply the system for predicting change.

For the second project, Ghosh and co-principal investigator Dr. Inderjit S. Dhillon, an associate professor in computer sciences also at The University of Texas at Austin, received $430,000 to identify natural groupings and similarities among objects in data sets. For example, they will compare genes with unknown functions to genes with known functions, based on how they respond to different stress conditions, to discover the purpose of the currently unknown functions. On a larger scale, researchers will help determine compatible sets of people based on their interaction with other people through large social networking sites. Overall, this research can improve understanding of underlying physical, economic or social phenomena.

Electrical engineering professor wins third of four major signal processing industry awards

December 18, 2007

Dr. Alan C. Bovik, an electrical engineering professor, has received the Signal Processing Society Education Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). This award honors educators who have made pioneering and significant contributions to signal processing education. Applicants were judged on their technical achievements, authorship of scholarly books and texts, course materials, and innovation, inspiration, and creativity exemplified in teaching and curricula development. Dr. Bovik won this award through his series of image processing books and online lectures, making him the first person to receive three of the IEEE group’s four major awards for his service, achievements, and teaching. He holds the Keys and Joan Curry/Cullen Trust Endowed Chair.

Aerospace engineering professor elected member of the Italian Lombard Institute

December 17, 2007

Dr. Thomas J. R. Hughes, an aerospace engineering professor, was elected a foreign member in the Mathematics section of Italy’s Lombard Institute, Academy of Sciences and Letters. Hughes was elected for his work in computational mechanics. The Lombard Institute was founded in 1797 by Napoleon Bonaparte with the goal of discovering and refining three distinct areas: physical science and mathematics, political sciences, and literature and fine arts. Hughes will attend his first meeting as a member at the institute next year.

Aerospace engineering professor delivers Newmark Distinguished Lecture

December 17, 2007

Dr. Thomas J. R. Hughes, an aerospace engineering professor, delivered the 2007-2008 Newmark Distinguished Lecture at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. The lecture is given annually in honor of the late Dr. Nathan Newmark, a prominent consultant and national leader in civil engineering education and research. Hughes was chosen by the structures faculty at the University of Illinois through an independent nomination and selection process. He presented his work on isogeometrical analysis, a new technology that unites computer-aided design with computer-aided engineering. He holds the Computational and Applied Mathematics Chair III in the university’s Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences (ICES).

Civil engineer receives alumni award from University of Nebraska

December 17, 2007

Dr. James O. Jirsa, a civil engineering professor, was one of four alumni selected to participate in "Master's Week" at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for his work as a leading applications-oriented researcher in the behavior and design of reinforced concrete structures. Since 1964, the University of Nebraska designates “master” alumni to return to campus for a week to interact with students and university officials. Dr. Jirsa advised students on building successful careers and updated faculty on developments in his field. He currently holds the Janet S. Cockrell Centennial Chair in Engineering.

Electrical engineer and mechanical engineer honored with Texas Exes Teaching Award

December 14, 2007

Dr. Constantine Caramanis, an electrical engineering assistant professor, and Moss Shimek, a mechanical engineering teaching assistant, were elected to receive Texas Exes Teaching Awards.

The Texas Exes have honored a faculty member and graduate instructor in each school and college annually since 1982. After accepting nominations from all university students, a committee from each school selects the award recipients.

Caramanis joined the faculty of The University of Texas at Austin in 2006. He is a member of the Wireless Communications and Networking Group and has worked on applications in telecommunications, the Internet and air traffic management. He has developed algorithms for dynamic and autonomous reconfiguration of various aspects of air space to account for the impact of weather uncertainty.

Moss Shimek, a mechanical engineering graduate student, was part of a team that won first place in the university's Idea to Product™ (I2P™) competition with an idea for a human-powered battery charger.  He enrolled as a freshman in 1995 and is now pursuing his doctorate.

The Cockrell School of Engineering announces 2007 Distinguished Graduates

December 7, 2007

Four alumni were elected Distinguished Engineering Graduates of The University of Texas at Austin and were honored at fall commencement ceremonies on Dec. 8.

The annual selections, made by the Cockrell School’s Engineering Advisory Board, are based on outstanding professional records, public service, support of education, and other significant achievements.

The 2007 Distinguished Engineering Graduates are: Portland State University Emeritus Dean Chik Erzurumlu, IBM Distinguished Engineer Kitty Pearsall, consultant, inventor and California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, and owner and manager of HAT Resources Harry Trueblood Jr.

Dr. Chik Erzurumlu is emeritus dean and retired professor of civil engineering at Portland State University (PSU). As the founding dean of the Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, he provided the guiding influence in transforming a pre-engineering program into a comprehensive college of engineering that now has over 1,900 majors enrolled in B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degree programs in five engineering fields and computer science.

Erzurumlu’s University of Texas at Austin connection began in 1960, where he earned his master’s degree in civil engineering in 1962. The same year he joined PSU as an instructor in engineering. In 1968, he took a sabbatical leave to work on his Ph.D. in civil engineering at The University of Texas at Austin and completed the degree in 1970.

Upon returning to PSU, he adopted a professional strategy involving teaching excellence, research productivity, and service to the institution and the profession. After serving as head of civil-structural engineering for four years, he was appointed as the founding dean of PSU’s newly established School of Engineering and Applied Science in 1980. He has more than 30 publications and presentations in topics ranging from structural engineering to professional practice at international, national and regional conferences.

Erzurumlu has also been active in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) serving in leadership positions at the local and national levels. Currently, he represents ASCE on the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the national Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.

In recognition of his contributions to engineering education and the engineering profession, Erzurumlu was granted fellow status by both ASCE and NSPE. He received the Outstanding Engineer of the Year Award by the ASCE Oregon Section in 1985 and the Engineer of the Year Award by Professional Engineers of Oregon in 1999. Perhaps the greatest recognition occurred in 2004 when as part of an $8 million gift to the College, his former student Dr. Fariborz Maseeh, established an endowment in Erzurumlu’s name.

Erzurumlu and his wife, Ulku, enjoy traveling, tennis, reading, opera, and watching the Longhorns win.

Dr. Kitty Metcalfe Pearsall earned a bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering in 1971 from the University of Texas at El Paso. In 1972 she joined IBM as a materials engineer, but took an educational leave of absence in 1976. She earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering with a materials option from The University of Texas at Austin in 1979 and 1983 respectively. Since returning to IBM in 1983, she has been a technical resource in materials/package engineering in manufacturing, procurement and development environments with 12 years spent in technical management focusing on the qualification of various commodities.

In 2005 Pearsall was appointed an IBM Distinguished Engineer (DE) and elected into the IBM Academy of Technology. As a DE in IBM’s integrated supply chain, she serves as a process consultant and subject matter expert working on strategic initiatives impacting qualification and end quality of procured commodities. She is engaged with world wide teams implementing cross-brand, cross commodity processes/products.

Pearsall has been a licensed professional engineer in the Texas since 1993. She is the holder of one U.S. patent, four patents pending and several patent disclosures that have contributed to the IBM patent portfolio. She has authored numerous internal publications as well as 17 external publications for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ conferences and journals.

She is a role model to others both technically and professionally, and embraces her role as mentor. She devotes endless time to mentoring – and promoting the engineering career path to technical women professionals – by providing career guidance, engineering advice, and “lessons learned.” She actively supports the development, advancement, and recognition of IBM’s technical talent. She was recognized this year for her endless drive and passion for mentoring and people development and presented with the Women in Technology “Frances E. Allen Mentoring Award.”

Her work with the Society of Women Engineers has had an inspirational effect on today’s female engineering students, and she continues to promote engineering as a superb profession for young women to enter.

Pearsall continues to support the Cockrell School of Engineering with contributions to the Friends of Alec spanning more than 20 years.

Steve Poizner has had a successful career as a business consultant, an inventor of life-saving technology, a volunteer public school teacher, the founder of several non-profit organizations supporting improved education for disadvantaged students and as a public servant. Today, Poizner is one of California’s highest-ranking elected officials.

An inventor and entrepreneur, Poizner developed the cutting-edge technology that allowed GPS receivers to be placed into cellular phones. The technology Poizner developed can be found in more than 200 million cell phones around the globe, and has already saved dozens of lives.

After selling his company, he was selected to serve in the non-partisan White House Fellowship program, where he was appointed Director of Critical Infrastructure in the National Security Council. Beginning work just one week before 9/11, Poizner was tasked with protecting the nation’s network systems and electrical grids against terrorist attacks.

After concluding his service in Washington, D.C., Poizner returned to California where he taught government in a disadvantaged high school and refused to accept a salary.

Wanting to continue in public service, Poizner sought election as the state Insurance Commissioner, one of California’s eight statewide elective offices. On the campaign trail, he earned endorsements of more than 35 major newspapers and won the election by more than a million votes. As California’s Insurance Commissioner, Poizner regulates the fourth largest insurance market in the world.

Poizner’s commitment to bettering society is evidenced in his government service and his efforts to improve public education by focusing on under-privileged schools to ensure that every student has the opportunity to receive a quality education. Steve seeks to be an exemplary role model for addressing challenges and seeking to make the impossible possible. During his rise in both business and politics, he has sought to maintain his integrity and values. From his middle-class upbringing in Houston, Texas, he emphasizes to students that goals can be realized with hard work, vision and integrity.

During his 59 years in the energy industry, Harry Trueblood Jr. has been the president and/or chairman and chief executive officer of eight publicly-traded companies, founding seven of them. For about 30 of those years, his principal operating company was Consolidated Oil & Gas, Inc., (CGS) which made significant crude oil and natural gas discoveries as well as numerous acquisitions in the Rocky Mountains and Texas. His public real estate firm was one of the founders of Vail and developed Princeville Resort on the north shore of Kauai, Hawaii.

Trueblood earned his bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 1948 after his studies were interrupted for two years of service in the U.S. Navy during World War II. His first industry job was with The California Company (Chevron) in Mississippi and Louisiana. Later he joined independent oil operation in Sterling, Colorado. There he founded his own consulting firm in 1952 and began his corporate career in 1955 with a small private company that became CGS.

He currently is owner and managing member of HAT Resources, LLC, and vice president/ treasurer of his Harry Trueblood Foundation, which annually supports scholarships in the university’s Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering.

Trueblood was a member of the executive committee of the Independent Petroleum Association of America and the Natural Gas Supply Association and a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers for over 50 years. He was elected to membership in the American Petroleum Institute’s 25 Year Club, helped found the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS) and its counterpart in New Mexico, and helped found the One Hundred Club of Denver and the Flatirons Club of CU/Boulder.

In 2006, IPAMS recognized him with its Wildcatter of the Year award for lifetime achievement and distinguished service to the energy industry and his employees and to society through his philanthropic works. In 2004, he was one of the 54 inductees into the inaugural class of the Rocky Mountain Oil & Gas Hall of Fame.

At the university he is a member of the UT Chancellor’s Council, the President’s Associates, and the Littlefield Society and a lifetime member of the Cowboys Alumni and Ex-Students Associations. He and his wife Lucile live in Denver and they have two children and two grandchildren.

Chemical engineering student receives national best poster award

December 7, 2007

Caleb Funk, a chemical engineering doctoral student, received the 2007 Best Poster Award from the Separations Division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Funk presented a new type of membrane he devised through Thermally Induced Phase Separation (TIPS) he named the “ZeoTIPS membrane.” These unique membranes Funk developed have practical uses, such as removing salt and other minerals from water to convert it to fresh water. The membranes’ ultra-high selectivity also allows them to perform a wide range of tasks for the oil and gas industry, including separating gases, organic substances, and other liquids.

Civil engineering dissertation selected for national award

December 7, 2007

Dr. Xiaokun Wang, a former civil engineering doctoral student, has been selected to receive the 2007 Council of University Transportation Centers Pikarsky Award for best Ph.D. dissertation in Science and Technology. Wang’s dissertation developed a model with applications for anticipating land use and air quality changes across Austin. She studied under Dr. Kara Kockelman, associate professor of transportation engineering, at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Wang is now an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Penn.

Chemical engineering sophomore wins university’s first Undergraduate Research Award

December 5, 2007

Chemical engineering sophomore Barbara Ekerdt won the first Undergraduate Research Award from the university’s Senate of College Councils. The award is co-sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and seeks to encourage students to get involved in research early in their undergraduate experience. Ekerdt received the award for her work on molecular recognition of undesirable biomarkers with associated intelligent delivery of therapeutic proteins under Dr. Nicholas Peppas, a chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and pharmaceutics professor.

Electrical and computer engineering professor receives 2007 Okawa Award

December 5, 2007

Dr. J.K. Aggarwal, an electrical and computer engineering professor, received the 2007 Okawa Prize from the Okawa Foundation for Information and Telecommunication of Japan. The award annually recognizes one person of Japanese origin and one person not of Japanese origin who make internationally outstanding contributions in research, technological development, and business in the information and telecommunication fields. Aggarwal received the Okawa Prize for his research of dynamic scene analysis and multi-sensor fusion in computer vision systems. He is the director of the Computer and Vision Research Center and holds the Cullen Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Chair No. 2.

Biomedical engineering professor receives alumni award

November 14, 2007

Dr. Mia Markey, biomedical engineering assistant professor, received Carnegie Mellon University’s RecentAlumni Award. This award recognizes graduates within the past 10 years making outstanding professional accomplishments or providing exceptional service to the university. Since arriving at The University of Texas at Austin Markey founded the Biomedical Informatics Lab and assisted in creating the new undergraduate curriculum in biomedical engineering. She has also been recognized for her innovative research on designing medical decision aids that help physicians diagnose, treat and manage cancer.

Electrical engineering graduate student wins Best Paper Award

November 14, 2007

Alexander Liu, an electrical engineering graduate student, won the Best Student Paper Award at the International Conference on Data Mining. Guided by Dr. Joydeep Ghosh, a professor who holds the Schlumberger Centennial Chair in Electrical Engineering, and Dr. Cheryl Martin, a research scientist at Applied Research Laboratories, their paper proposed new solutions to particular problems in data mining and machine learning, for example, teaching computers to detect interesting patterns such as unknown pieces of information or previously unknown correlations.

Electrical engineering professor wins Best Technical Paper Award

November 14, 2007

Dr. Alexis Kwasinski, electrical engineering professor, received the best technical paper award at the 29th International Telecommunications Energy Conference (INTELEC).The paper, co-authored by Dr. Philip Krein from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discusses a planning framework to reduce telecommunication network power supply vulnerability during natural and man-made disasters. The paper’s recommendations include using alternative distributed generation technologies, such as photovoltaic panels, small wind generators, microturbines, and fuel cells, to diversify energy supply.

Electrical and computer engineering professor wins U.S. Army Research Award

November 14, 2007

Dr. Sririam Vishwanath, electrical and computer engineering professor, received a $300,000 U.S. Army Research Office Young Investigator Award to design transmission strategies of wireless networks that are both optimal in performance and simple in complexity and structure. The U.S. Army awards this grant to university faculty who have held their doctoral degrees for five years or less.

Civil engineer receives award for transportation/public health assessment

November 14, 2007

Dr. Chandra Bhat, a civil engineering professor, along with co-authors Dr. Jessica Guo, a former Ph.D. student, and Rachel Copperman, a current Ph.D. student, received the 2007 Pyke Johnson Award from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) for their outstanding paper in transportation systems planning and the environment. The paper discusses the increasing interdependency of transportation and public health by highlighting the adverse effects of motorized transportation dependency on the environment and public health, and identifies possible benefits of non-motorized transportation, like walking and biking that can increase social equity, improve personal health, and reduce traffic congestion and vehicular emissions. The paper also examines the effects of demographics and urban form on motorized transportation dependency and non-motorized transportation use. Dr. Bhat holds the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Centennial Professorship in Transportation Engineering.

Operations research student receives first place paper award

November 12, 2007

Amit Partani, a doctoral student in the Operations Research & Industrial Engineering Program, received the Best Paper Award from the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS) Computing Society. The award is given annually to the best paper on computing and operations research by a student author. Partani’s paper explained how to reduce from 1 to 5 percent statistical errors that arise when designing manufacturing systems, communication networks, and financial portfolios under uncertainty. The same paper also received an honorable mention for the INFORMS George E. Nicholson Student Paper Prize.

Earnest Gloyna interviewed by congressman for Veterans History Project

November 12, 2007

Dr. Earnest Gloyna, former dean and civil engineering professor emeritus, spent Veterans’ Day recounting stories of his World War II service to Congressman Lamar Smith for the Veterans History Project (VHP). Gloyna, who holds the Bettie Margaret Smith Chair in Environmental Health Engineering Emeritus, served as a U.S. Army Aviation Engineering Battalion Lieutenant Colonel from 1942 to 1946 in Europe. Created by Congress in 2000, the VHP collects various accounts of service from volunteers to preserve the memories, experiences, and stories of America’s veterans. Gloyna’s personal narrative will be archived along with others’ contributions at the Library of Congress.

Chen elected fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

November 5, 2007

Dr. Shaochen Chen, a mechanical engineering associate professor, was elected a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for his exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession. He is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of nanomanufacturing and its applications for biomedical engineering and life sciences. Dr. Chen directs the Nano-Opto-Bio Engineering Laboratory, received the 2001 National Science Foundation CAREER Award and the 2004 Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award, and currently holds the Pearlie Dashiell Henderson Centennial Fellowship in Engineering.

Society of Women Engineers wins five national awards

November 5, 2007

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) university chapter received five 2007 national awards for exemplary chapter work and individual research. The Cockrell School’s SWE chapter won first place awards for outreach events, high membership retention, maintaining the best Web site, and an overall chapter outstanding certificate of merit. Individually, mechanical engineering graduate student Anne Ranes created a first-place poster explaining how compensatory mechanisms in amputees’ walking adjust with different walking speeds.

An award for the best regional newsletter went to the university’s region with credits to editor and university SWE member Nina Lu.

Electrical and computer engineering students receive computer architecture best paper award

November 5, 2007

Elias Mizan, an electrical and computer engineering graduate student, and Tileli Amimeur, an electrical and computer engineering undergraduate student, received the 2007 Best Paper Award at the 19th International Symposium on Computer Architecture and High Performance Computing. Their co-authored paper discussed a new technique that allows computational circuits in microprocessors to produce more reliable results, effectively reducing the rate of errors. Their research was guided by the late Margarida Jacome, an electrical and computer engineering professor, while she battled cancer.

Mechanical engineering professor to discuss distance learning in Niger, Africa

October 12, 2007

Dr. Sheldon Landsberger, a mechanical engineering professor, will deliver two lectures in Niger, Africa on implementing computer-based methods of teaching for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). To support the IAEA’s efforts to transfer nuclear technology to underdeveloped countries, he will discuss developing web-based courses in nuclear and radiochemistry and his experiences in teaching distance learning in the university’s nuclear program. Landsberger coordinates the Nuclear and Radiation Engineering program and holds the Hayden Head Centennial Chair.

Dean Streetman honored by IBM

October 10, 2007

Dean Ben Streetman was honored during IBM Austin’s 40th anniversary celebration for “outstanding leadership in engineering education and innovation.” The company’s research and development operation in Austin acknowledged his sustained contributions to collaborations of technology, resources and talent between the Cockrell School and IBM since IBM moved to Austin in 1967. IBM consistently ranks in the top five among the 300 employers hiring new engineering graduates from the Cockrell School. Streetman is widely recognized among leaders credited with broadening the state’s economy to include high technology industries, in addition to its historic reliance on agriculture, oil and gas. He became dean of the Cockrell School of Engineering in 1996 after founding and directing the university’s Microelectronics Research Center for 14 years. His teaching and research interests focus on semiconductor materials and devices, and he authored the textbook Solid State Electronic Devices, which has been translated into Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Polish.

Aerospace engineering senior receives Mike Wacker Award

October 10, 2007

The Texas Parents Association presented the 2007 Mike Wacker Award for overcoming great adversity to Jeffrey Mikeska, an aerospace engineering and biology senior. While battling cancer, Mikeska attended classes and served as treasurer and, later, president of the university student chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He underwent numerous surgeries last year and was forced to miss the Spring 2007 semester. He returned this fall with plans to graduate in December.

Civil engineering professor receives 2007 Shamsher Prakash Research Award

October 5, 2007

Dr. Ellen Rathje, a civil engineering associate professor, has received the 2007 Shamsher Prakash Research Award from the Shamsher Prakash Foundation for her contributions to geotechnical earthquake engineering. Rathje, selected from nominees worldwide under the age of 40, is an expert in earthquake-induced landslides, the effect of soil conditions on ground shaking, and soil liquefaction, in which earthquake shaking causes soils to essentially turn into quicksand.

Three professors inducted into National Academy of Engineering

October 4, 2007

A professor of aerospace engineering and two professors of computer science and electrical engineering were formally inducted into the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Sept. 30, widely considered among the highest honors to be earned in the engineering and technology professions.

Dr. Stelios Kyriakides, the Temple Foundation Endowed Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, was elected for his "contributions to understanding of propagating instability phenomena in structures and materials and its use for technological applications." He has studied the initiation, propagation and arrest of collapse in offshore pipelines used in the oil and gas industry.

Dr. Simon Lam, the Regents Chair in Computer Sciences in the Department of Computer Sciences, was elected for his "contributions to computer network protocols and network security services." He has won previous awards for inventing secure sockets for securing Internet applications and prototyping the first secure sockets layer.

Dr. J. Strother Moore, the Admiral B.R. Inman Centennial Chair in Computing Theory in the Department of Computer Sciences, was elected for his "contributions to automated reasoning about computing systems." He is co-developer of the Boyer-Moore Theorem Prover, which is used by computer scientists to verify that computer systems are functioning correctly.

The NAE serves as an advisory board to federal government departments and agencies, to examine and report on any engineering topics of interest to the government. It also conducts independent studies to analyze important topics in engineering and technology.

The University of Texas at Austin now has 32 NAE members and boasts the second highest number of NAE members on its faculty among public universities.

Mechanical engineer receives 2007 INFORMS Prize for Teaching Practice

October 3, 2007

Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Paul Jensen received the 2007 Prize for Teaching Practice from the Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences (INFORMS). This annual award recognizes an outstanding university or college teacher who helped students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively practice operations research or the management sciences. Applicants were required to submit a philosophy on teaching, description of projects, statements of support from past students who are now in practice, and statements of support from industrial sponsors of those students now in practice. Dr. Jensen was named an INFORMS Fellow in 2005 and is currently the Cullen Trust for Higher Education Endowed Professor Emeritus in Engineering No. 3.

Aerospace engineer named associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

October 1, 2007

Dr. Maruthi R. Akella, Dr. Maruthi Akella, an aerospace engineering assistant professor, has been named an associate fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) for his outstanding contributions to aerospace attitude dynamics, control theory and networked systems.

Dr. Jacob Abraham receives Best Paper Award at international conference

September 28, 2007

Dr. Jacob Abraham, professor of electrical and computer engineering, received the Best Paper Award at the 24th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ (IEEE) Very-Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Test Symposium (VTS). The paper “Spectral Prediction for Specification-Based Loopback Test of Embedded Mixed-Signal Circuits,” written by Abraham and graduate students Hongjoong Shin and Byoungho Kim, discusses problem-solving methods for testing mixed-signal circuits. Abraham holds the Cockrell Family Regents Chair in Engineering No. 8.

Dr. Pengyu Ren receives $1.2 million grant for drug research

September 12, 2007

Dr. Pengyu Ren, a biomedical engineering assistant professor, received a five-year, $1.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop software that will improve the process of identifying the most effective chemical structures for new drugs. Ren will develop tools for identifying better drugs to treat arthritis, cancer, and other diseases by improving the understanding of how well a potential drug recognizes a protein target in the human body. He will then be able to make these predictions about drug candidates based on computer modeling and simulations of the physical forces acting between a potential drug and its target protein.

Computer engineering professor named Outstanding New Faculty

September 12, 2007

Dr. Michael E. Orshansky, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was named the Special Interest Group on Design Automation’s (SIGDA) Outstanding New Faculty at the 2007 Design Automation Conference. SIGDA is part of the Association for Computing Machinery, the professional organization of computer scientists. The SIGDA Outstanding New Faculty Award, one of two annual awards sponsored by the group, honors a junior faculty whose research contributions are likely to make a significant impact in the field of electronic design automation. Orshansky's research develops modeling and algorithmic methods to improve circuit design and create better, faster computer chips.

Computer engineer receives NSF CAREER Award

September 11, 2007

Dr. David Z. Pan, an assistant professor in electrical and computer engineering, received a $410,000 National Science Foundation CAREER Award, which recognizes promising young faculty members. Pan’s research focuses on bridging the gap between integrated circuit design and manufacturing of microchips. The funds will be disbursed over the next five years as Pan develops computer-aided guide tools to make smarter design decisions that increase microchip resistance to the damage by lithography, polishing, random defects, and other stages of chip design. Pan is the director of the Design Automation Laboratory.

Dr. David T. Allen receives Joe J. King Award

September 7, 2007

Dr. David T. Allen, a chemical engineering professor, received the 2008 Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award for making significant contributions to the engineering profession at the Cockrell School of Engineering. Allen, the Gertz Regents Professor of Chemical Engineering, has provided a scientific basis for air quality management in Texas and has developed environmental education materials for engineering curricula which are distributed worldwide. Allen is the director of the Center for Energy and Environmental Resources.

Chemical Engineering doctoral student recognized by AIChE

August 15, 2007

Roy Raharjo, a chemical engineering doctoral student, received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Separations Division Graduate Student Award, which annually recognizes six outstanding graduate students from around the country. A student of Dr. Benny Freeman, the Kenneth A Kobe Professor in Chemical Engineering, Raharjo was awarded for his research in the competitive effects of vapor / gas permeation in solubility selective polymers. Raharjo is the third student from Freeman’s research group to receive the award.

Biomedical engineering undergraduate receives national research and design award

August 9, 2007

Isis Trenchard, a senior in biomedical engineering, received the 2007 Undergraduate Research and Design Award from the Biomedical Engineering Society for her work on “Doping of Polyaniline for Use in Recognitive Hydrogels.” Trenchard’s research aimed to create a biosensor using a conductive polymer, which could be useful with biomedical systems. The research was conducted under chemical engineering, biomedical engineering and pharmacy professor Nicolas Peppas and doctoral student Carolyn Bayer. Dr. Peppas holds the Fletcher Stuckey Pratt Chair in Engineering.

Computer engineer receives U.S. Army grant to improve wireless networks

August 8, 2007

Dr. Sriram Vishwanath, computer engineering assistant professor, received a $300,000 U.S. Army Research Office Young Investigator Award to design transmission strategies of wireless networks that are both optimal in performance and simple in complexity and structure. The award is intended to support the research, teaching and careers of university faculty members who have held their doctorate for five years or less.

Biomedical engineering professor wins national James E. Bailey Award

August 7, 2007

Dr. George Georgiou, a biomedical engineering professor and chemical engineering professor, was awarded the James E. Bailey Award from the Society for Biological Engineering of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) for his contributions to protein engineering, specifically the development of therapeutics to biological warfare agents, protein manufacturing technologies, and combinatorial library screening methodologies. The award, endowed by Cytos Biotechnology, recognizes outstanding contributions in biological engineering. In addition to receiving the award, Dr. Georgiou will lecture at the Annual AIChE meeting Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. in Salt Lake City. Georgiou holds the Cockrell Family Regents Chair in Engineering No. 9.

Robotic Research Group directors win outstanding paper award

August 6, 2007

Drs. Delbert Tesar and Chetan Kapoor, the Department of Mechanical Engineering Robotics Research Group’s director and associate director respectively, received the 2007 Outstanding Paper Award from the Emerald Literati Network for a paper published in the Industrial Robot Journal. Their paper, titled “Integrated teleoperation and automation for nuclear facility cleanup,” demonstrates a novel approach to human machine interaction that seamlessly uses teleoperation, or operation at a distance, and automation in a complex environment. Dr. Tesar holds the Carol Cockrell Curran Chair in Engineering and is a fellow of Earnest F. Gloyna Regents Chair in Engineering. Dr. Kapoor is the chief scientist for the Robotics Research Group.

Computer engineering doctoral student receives Best Paper Award

July 20, 2007

Ramakrishna Kotla, a computer engineering doctoral candidate, with Computer Science Associate Professors Lorenzo Alvisi and Mike Dahlin, received the Best Paper Award at the USENIX Advanced Computing Systems Association annual technical conference. The paper, titled “SafeStore: A Durable and Practical Storage System”, focuses on their ‘SafeStore’ storage system which protects long-term data storage from hackers, human error, hardware / software failures, and environmental catastrophes. This new storage system architecture ensures that duplicate data being stored at different locations is durable, cost effective, readily available, and audited for data loss.

Chemical engineering graduate student receives national scholarship

July 20, 2007

Yang Zhang, chemical engineering doctoral student, has received a scholarship from the Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society to research multivariate statistical process control methods to develop and implement an online monitoring software package for industrial chemical and biological batch processes. Zhang studies under Dr. Thomas Edgar, chemical engineering professor, who holds the George T. and Gladys H. Abell Endowed Chair of Engineering. Zhang’s research is supported from a grant by Emerson Process Management of Austin.

Chemical engineering undergraduate student selected to attend two national conferences

July 17, 2007

Jessica Rosinski, a chemical engineering undergraduate student, was selected to attend the U.S. Women in Nuclear 2007 Conference in Anaheim, California sponsored by the Nuclear Energy Institute. U.S. Women in Nuclear is a network of more than 2,400 women working in nuclear and radiation-related fields around the country. Rosinski also attended the American Society of Engineering Education’s annual meeting in Honolulu, to present the peer-reviewed paper, “Development of a Radiochemistry Laboratory for the Production of Tc-99m using Neutron Activation.” The paper focuses on the isotope Tc-99m used in nuclear medicine to identify tumors in the body. Rosinski works for Dr. Sheldon Landsberger, the Hayden Head Centennial Professor in mechanical engineering and Coordinator of the Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program.

Chemical engineering professor receives national Creative Invention Award

July 17, 2007

Dr. Adam Heller, chemical engineering research professor, received the 2008 American Chemical Society (ACS) Award for Creative Invention. Heller developed the FreeStyle Navigator™ Continuous Glucose Monitoring System, which provides continuous and accurate glucose information for those with diabetes. ACS annually recognizes a single inventor for “the successful application of research in chemistry and/or chemical engineering that contributes to the material prosperity and happiness of the public.”

Heller’s invention recently received European CE Mark approval which allows its broad use within Europe.

Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory receives national operations award

July 17, 2007

The university’s Nuclear Engineering Teaching Laboratory received the Meritorious Achievement in Operations Award recognizing outstanding nuclear reactor operations from the American Nuclear Society. The society, which represents test, research, and training reactors, nominated the university’s reactor, then asked representatives from nuclear power plants to vote on approving the laboratory’s selection. The award honors licensed and unlicensed personnel operating a nuclear facility and performing their duties in an exemplary manner. The award was given to Sean O’Kelly, the Associate Director for the Nuclear Engineering Teaching Lab, for his diligent performance in overseeing the day to day operations of the facility.

Mechanical engineering senior research scientist receives national materials award

July 17, 2007

Dr. Joseph H. Koo, Dr. Joseph H. Koo, mechanical engineering senior research scientist, received the Fellows Award from the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering (SAMPE). The award is given to members exhibiting outstanding accomplishments over an extended period of time in contributing to the advancement of material and process science or engineering. Koo is one of seven inductees for 2007 SAMPE Fellows.

Mechanical engineering professor receives entrepreneurship award

July 13, 2007

Dr. Steven Nichols, mechanical engineering professor, received the American Society for Engineering Education 2007 Kaufmann Outstanding Entrepreneurship Award. Nichols, who is also director of the Clint W. Murchison, Sr. Chair of Free Enterprise, has instituted a graduate course that teaches how to convert research results into products for society, and founded the ‘Idea to Product (I2P)’ technology commercialization competition. The honor, which is sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, recognizes leadership and innovation in engineering / technology entrepreneurship education.

Electrical engineering professor named consultant by Virginia governor

June 25, 2007

Prof. Ted Rappaport, professor of electrical engineering, has been asked by Virginia Governor Timothy M. Kaine to serve on the state’s “Broadband Roundtable”, a project that will have Dr. Rappaport working with former Virginia Governor Mark Warner and Virginia’s Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra to develop strategies to accelerate broadband connectivity to rural homes and businesses in Virginia. Governor Kaine said Rappaport was selected because of his strong national reputation in wireless communications. Rappaport will also be working on a one year research grant with Virginia's Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative to implement wireless broadband last-mile internet access in towns throughout south side and southwest Virginia. Rappaport was on the electrical engineering faculty at Virginia Tech for 14 years before joining The University of Texas and creating the Wireless Networking and Communications Group in 2002. Dr. Rappaport holds the William and Bettye Nowlin Chair in Engineering and is also the Jack Kilby / Texas Instruments Endowed Faculty Fellow in Computer Engineering.

Civil engineer invited to National Academy of Engineering’s “Frontiers” program

June 25, 2007

Dr. Travis Waller, civil engineering assistant professor, was selected to participate in the National Academy of Engineering’s Frontiers of Engineering program. The program seeks the best young engineering talent in the country to discuss some of the hottest topics in engineering. Waller’s research focuses on developing highly efficient computer models and optimization techniques to improve transportation networks. Dr. Waller is currently the Fellow of the Clyde E. Lee Professorship in Transportation Engineering.

Biomedical Engineering Student to attend international meeting with Nobel laureates

June 25, 2007

Carolyn Bayer, a biomedical engineering doctoral student, has been selected by the National Science Foundation to attend the 57th Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates and Students in Lindau, Germany. Bayer, one of 51 participants representing the United States, will take part in informal interactions with Nobel Prize winners on this year’s topic of physiology and medicine. The meeting will gather over 500 international students.

Woods receives national award for long-term support of women in engineering

June 22, 2007

Dr. Sherry Woods, director of special projects under Associate Dean of Academic Affairs David Dolling, was chosen to receive the Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates Network (WEPAN) Founders Award, which honors members who exemplify the spirit of WEPAN founders through long-term efforts for the organization. Woods, who currently chairs the Corporate Relations Committee for WEPAN, has served in leadership roles for the organization for more than eight years, including a presidential term from 2003-2004. WEPAN and its 600 members nation-wide are committed to enhancing the success of women engineers in academic and professional settings.

Chemical engineer receives national award for excellence in publications

June 21, 2007

Dr. Thomas M. Truskett, chemical engineering assistant professor, will receive the 2007 Allan P. Colburn Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The award is given to AIChE members under the age of 36 who have exhibited excellence in publications. Truskett is being recognized for pioneering statistical mechanical theory and computer simulation methods for modeling the structure, kinetics, and thermodynamics of chemical and biophysical systems. He is the fourth professor in the university’s Department of Chemical Engineering to receive the Allan P. Colburn Award.

Mechanical engineering professor to become president of Acoustical Society of America

June 19, 2007

Dr. Mark F. Hamilton, mechanical engineering professor, was elected by the membership as the next president of the Acoustical Society of America. He will succeed the current president in July 2008, and his term as president will last for one year. His election also includes one-year terms as president-elect and past-president on the governing board of the society. The fields of acoustics encompassed by the society and its journal range from physical, engineering, biomedical, architectural, structural, and underwater acoustics to musical acoustics, psychological and physiological acoustics, speech and hearing, and animal bioacoustics.

Aerospace professor receives Polish medal for work in computational mechanics

June 19, 2007

Dr. J. Tinsley Oden, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, will receive the O.C. Zienkiewicz Medal from the Polish Association for Computational Mechanics (PACM) for his contributions to the field, especially in Poland. Dr. Oden has worked extensively on the mathematical theory and implementation of numerical methods applied to problems in solid and fluid mechanics and, particularly, nonlinear continuum mechanics.

Two aerospace engineering professors to receive honorary doctorates

June 14, 2007

Two aerospace engineering professors, Dr. Ivo M. Babuska and Dr. Thomas J. Hughes, will receive honorary doctorates from international universities this year.

Babuska will receive an honorary doctorate from Czech Technical University in Prague for his world-renowned scientific work in numerical mathematics. Babuska graduated from Czech Technical University in 1949 with a civil engineering degree and in 1951 with a doctorate in technical sciences. At The University of Texas at Austin he holds the Robert B. Trull Chair in Engineering.

Hughes will receive honorary doctorates in civil engineering from the University of Padua and the University of Pavia, both in Italy. Pavia commends Hughes for his "his fundamental work in solid, structural and fluid mechanics, with special emphasis on recent work in turbulent flows, stabilized and multiscale methods, and isogeometric analyses." Padua will also bestow an honorary doctorate in civil engineering later this year. At the University of Texas at Austin Hughes holds the Computational and Applied Mathematics Chair III.

Aerospace engineering professor awarded medal for applied mechanics contributions

June 14, 2007

Dr. Thomas J. Hughes, professor of aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics, was awarded the Timoshenko Medal which recognizes distinguished contributions to the field of applied mechanics. Hughes is receiving the medal for his “pioneering contributions in computational mechanics.” The Timoshenko medal is awarded by a medal committee consisting of 15 members.

Aerospace engineer receives highest civilian honor from U.S. Navy

June 13, 2007

Dr. Hans Mark, aerospace engineering professor at The University of Texas at Austin, has been honored with the U.S. Navy’s Distinguished Public Service Award for more than 50 years of research with military relevance. The member of the National Academy of Engineering was recognized for exemplary service related to helping develop nuclear reactors for submarines in the 1950s, and tiltrotor helicopters that can take off like airplanes. more...

Mechanical Engineering professor receives medal for graphic science

June 12, 2007

Dr. Ronald E. Barr, professor of mechanical engineering, received the Orthogonal Medal from North Carolina State University for his contributions in engineering design graphics and national leadership in engineering education. Since 1986, the Orthogonal Medal has been presented to honor a prominent national figure in graphic science.

Environmental engineering doctoral student receives research fellowship and grant

June 8, 2007

Stephanie Johnson, an environmental engineering doctoral student received the J. Walter Porter Fellowship from the Texas Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). She also received the Texas Water Resources Institute 2007-2008 Graduate Research Grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. Johnson will use the stipends to research the factors affecting bacterial transport within a watershed and to create a model accounting for environmental variations of these factors. Johnson’s graduate advisor is Dr. David Maidment, professor of environmental engineering.

Civil engineering student organization placed sixth in national competition

June 8, 2007

The university’s student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers placed sixth among 43 schools in the 2007 Steel Bridge National Competition. This year’s competition hosted by ASCE required teams to build a self-supporting bridge across a 20-foot river. In the judging categories, the team placed fifth in construction economy, seventh in structural efficiency, sixth in construction speed, eighth in lightness, and 17th in stiffness. The team members were graduate students Charles Hammond, Alan Kreisa, Josh Mouras, and undergraduates Chris Anspach, Hol Gaskill, Gary Lehman, and Ty Womble. Most of the members will be participating for the team next year.

Civil engineer awarded for contributions to urban transportation planning

June 8, 2007

Dr. Kara Kockelman, associate professor of transportation engineering, received the 2007 Harland Bartholomew Award from the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). Kockelman was recognized for her ‘credit-based congestion pricing’ theory, which uses variable toll rates to eliminate recurring traffic congestion while allocating scarce road space equitably. She is considered a leading expert in modeling travel (and land use) conditions under tolled and non-tolled scenarios, and in evaluating the impacts of transportation system policies. The award is given annually to an ASCE member who enhances the role of civil engineers in urban planning and development.

Biomedical engineering professor wins international young investigator award

June 8, 2007

Dr. Muhammad Zaman, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, received the 2007 Young Investigator Award in Matrix Biology by the Federation of European Biochemical Societies (FEBS). The award is given to outstanding young researchers within five years of finishing their doctorate degrees. Zaman was praised for his “highly creative and innovative strategies combining interdisciplinary and multi-scale experiments and simulations in understanding cell matrix interactions.” Cell matrix interactions regulate a variety of cellular processes and a deeper understanding is essential in controlling and curing many diseases including cancer.

Civil engineering professor named Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer

June 1, 2007

Dr. Joseph F. Malina, a professor of civil engineering was named Diplomate, Water Resources Engineer (D.WRE) by the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers. This title is given to those who are eminent water resources engineers and have professional experience beyond engineering licensure and strong professional ethics. Malina also holds the C.W. Cook Professorship in Environmental Engineering.

Undergraduate coordinator and academic advisor wins outstanding staff award

June 1, 2007

Joanne Belsley, an undergraduate coordinator and academic advisor in civil, architectural and environmental engineering, is the first staff member to receive the Texas Blazers Outstanding Staff award. The award is given to faculty and staff members who demonstrate excellence in enriching the student life on campus. She was nominated by Andrew Limmer, a civil engineering student and chairman of Texas Blazers. Limmer commends Belsley for her expert knowledge and countless hours helping him and other engineering students get the classes they needed. Texas Blazers is an organization for male students at UT Austin that promotes community service, school spirit and campus leadership.

Engineering students and professors honored by University Coop

May 31, 2007

Three teachers in the college of engineering received outstanding graduate teaching awards for 2006-2007. The awards are coordinated by the graduate school and underwritten by the University Co-op.

Carlos Aguilar, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, received the George H. Mitchell Award, for his research in nanomaterials. His research focuses on developing nanomaterials that convert the body’s energy into electricity that can be used to power medical implants such as pacemakers. Aguilar’s supervising professors are Shaochen Chen, associate professor of mechanical engineering and Marc Feldman, Interventional Cardiologist at the UT Health Science Center – San Antonio.

Dr. Chandra R. Bhat, civil engineering professor, won the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award. Bhat has supervised about 40 graduate students since he joined the university in 1997. He is highly rated in his graduate course evaluations and given high praise for his teaching style and approachability. Bhat is also the Adnan Abou-Ayyash Centennial Professor in Transportation Engineering.

Paul Griesemer, a doctoral student in aerospace engineering, received the William S. Livingston Outstanding Graduate Student Academic Employee Award in the teaching assistant category. Griesmer has been a teaching assistant for three years teaching supplemental instruction classes for physics, calculus, and differential equations. He was lauded for promoting a learning environment where students are comfortable asking him and each other questions.

College of Engineering honors four outstanding young graduates

May 31, 2007

During May commencement ceremonies the College of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin recognized four outstanding young graduates who have become influential leaders in the engineering community. They are Blake Battaglia, Laura Johnson O’Donnell, Amarpreet S. Sawhney and Michael W. Smart.

Blake Battaglia graduated in 1996 with a degree in electrical and computer engineering. In 1998, Battaglia joined ABRY Partners where he has worked in sourcing, structuring, financing and monitoring numerous investments in several media and communications sub-sectors. He has served as a director of Nexstar Broadcast Group, Atlantic Broadband, WideOpenWest, Hometown Broadband and Cast & Crew Entertainment and is a member of the university’s Chancellor’s Council and Littlefield Society.

Laura Johnson O’Donnell graduated with an aerospace engineering degree with highest honors in 1990. She is the founder and owner of Synthese, LLC and works to connect satellites with homes and cars. In 2002, she was named vice president of product development where she led the deployment of innovative services including digital video recording, high definition and interactive. O’Donnell is an active supporter of the university’s aerospace engineering program and served on their external advisory council from 1996-1999.

Amarpreet S. Sawhney, founder, president and chief executive officer of I-Therapeutix, Inc., graduated in 1989 with a master’s degree and in 1992 with a doctoral degree, both in chemical engineering. Before founding Therapeutix, which works to serve ophthalmic surgical needs, he founded two other companies, Confluent Surgical, which produces medical devices and Focal, Inc., a medical sealant manufacturer. He is also a Friend of Alec in the College of Engineering.

Michael W. Smart earned his master’s degree in structural engineering in 1996 and is a senior bridge engineer at International Bridge Technologies, Inc, a business he co-founded with his mentor, Daniel Tassin. In 2004, the company won the American Council of Engineering Companies Grand Award for Excellence in Engineering Design for the Santa Catarina Bridge and has completed other bridge projects in Australia, India and the United States. Smart is also a longtime supporter of UT’s structural engineering program.

Outstanding Young Graduates are selected based on

• distinguished contributions to the practice of engineering,
• excellent direction to an organization that has made noteworthy national or international contributions,
• exceptional community service,
• strong interest in the College of Engineering,
• exceptional role modeling to current or prospective engineering students.

Women in Engineering Program Director Elected President-Elect of WEPAN

May 31, 2007

Tricia Berry, Director of the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) at The University of Texas at Austin, has been elected President-Elect of the Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates Network (WEPAN). Her term as President-Elect begins July 1. Berry has chaired and co-chaired various WEPAN committees and as Director of WEP leads efforts to recruit and retain women in the College of Engineering. WEPAN is a national nonprofit educational organization with over 600 members from more than 200 engineering schools, companies and nonprofit organizations.

Environmental, architectural engineering website honored with instructional technology award

May 29, 2007

An interactive website teaching about mass and energy balances in buildings (www.ce.utexas.edu/bmeb) received the university provost’s highest honor during its annual Innovative Instructional Technology Awards Program.

Michael Waring, a doctoral student in the Indoor Environmental Science and Engineering, developed the website under supervising professors Jeffrey Siegel in architectural engineering and Richard Corsi in environmental engineering. Waring worked in concert with the College of Engineering’s Faculty Innovation Center staff director Kathy Schmidt , with David Dinh, Randy Henning, Matt Mangum, Michael Jeong-won Woo, Hyo-Jin Yoon and Erik Zumalt.

Awards are given each year to faculty who incorporate technology into their teaching. Gold, silver and bronze awards are sponsored by the Office of the Provost and the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment.

The website’s development was supported with funds from the College of Engineering, and the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training Program on Indoor Environmental Science and Engineering at The University of Texas.

Graduate student wins Best Student Paper at international conference

May 29, 2007

Ramya Bhagavatula, a graduate student in electrical and computer engineering won Best Student Paper Award this spring at the IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference, one of the premier conferences for cutting edge research in wireless communication. Her paper, co-authored by Dr. Sriram Vishwanath and her advisor, Dr. Robert Heath, entitled “MIMO Antenna Placement for Multimedia Delivery in Aircraft” focuses on multiple-input, multiple output (MIMO) systems in aircrafts which will allow for wireless technology to replace bulky wiring like in seat-back entertainment units. Out of 1200 submissions, only one paper is chosen through a multi-tier selection process involving individual reviewers, filters and a panel of judges.

Mechanical engineer receives medal for underwater acoustics

May 25, 2007

Dr. Preston S. Wilson

Assistant professor wins innovative excellence award for creative teaching

May 23, 2007

Dr. Jeffrey Siegel, Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, received the Award for Innovative Excellence in Teaching, Learning and Technology from the International Conference on College Teaching and Learning. Thirty-nine professors around the world were nominated for the award based on highly creative contributions to the education field.

Chemical engineer selected to present Van Ness award lectures

May 17, 2007

Thomas Truskett, assistant professor in chemical engineering, has been selected to present the 2007 Hendrick C. Van Ness Award Lectures on October 10th and 11th, 2007, in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The Van Ness Lectureship is an annual award that honors a chemical engineer who has made significant contributions to the profession.

Aerospace student team places sixth at Design, Build, Fly competition

May 17, 2007

A team of 15 aerospace engineering students placed sixth among 50 teams competing in American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics’s 2007 Cessna/Raytheon Missile Systems Student Design/Build/Fly competition. The contest required teams to create unmanned, remote controlled aircrafts to carry a three-pound and five-pound payload. The aircrafts were judged on design, cost and performance scores. The Channel 4 News Team led by Ubong Etikudo, included Mohammad Awaida, Philip Bush, Antone Gagne, Manuel Gonzalez, Martyn Hunt, Kevin Hunt, Joseph Ippolito, Bruno Lease, Eric Lichtenstein, Brady Lotz, Matias Soto, Minh Tran, Darren Wang and Paul Wedholm. Dr. Robert Bishop served as the faculty sponsor and was aided by assistant instructor, Jorge Alvarez and staff member, Mark Maughmer.

Chemical engineering professor writes one of Macromolecule’s most cited

May 10, 2007

Isaac C. Sanchez, professor of chemical engineering, wrote the paper ranked 12th among articles most cited in the 40-year history of the journal Macromolecules. Sanchez co-wrote the article with Robert H. Lacombe, post-doctoral colleague at the University of Massachusetts. Entitled “Statistical Thermodynamics of Polymer Solutions,” the paper explores transitions at lower critical solution temperatures of polymers and proteins. His findings are widely used by scholars to interpret experimental data on polymer solutions.

Sanchez holds the William J. (Bill) Murray, Jr. Endowed Chair of Engineering.

Construction Industry Institute announces new director

May 10, 2007

This semester Wayne Crew became the new executive director of the Construction Industry Institute (CII) at The University of Texas at Austin. For the past three years, he was associate director of research at CII.

Crew came to CII in 2004 from Technip USA Corporation in Houston, where he served as vice president of construction. While at Technip, he was a member of both the CII Board of Advisors and the CII Research Committee. Crew spent 23 years at KBR and its predecessor companies, Kellogg Brown & Root and Brown & Root. He retired from KBR as vice president and business segment leader for the industrial services segment, a $500 million business. He also served five years with Amoco Chemical Corporation and two years with Michigan Chemical Corporation.

Crew replaces Hans VanWinkle, who departed for the private sector after three years as CII director. Crew becomes the institute’s fourth director since it was established in 1983.

CII, a research consortium of universities and industry within the College of Engineering, is the recognized principal construction industry forum for improving business effectiveness and sustainability of capital facilities of member organizations.

National Science Foundation selects 15 university students for research fellowships

May 10, 2007

Fifteen University of Texas at Austin students have been accepted to the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship program for 2007. The program offers about 1,000 fellowships nationwide each year to provide graduate students with three years of up to $40,000 annual support.

Current graduate students who received fellowships include Carrie Peterson, Diana Snelling, Wil V. Srubar III, Vince Holmberg, Colleen Kaul, Amanda Van Epps and Jacob Tarver.

Peterson is a second-year doctoral student in mechanical engineering studying under Dr. Rick Neptune, professor of mechanical engineering. Her research focuses on designing more effective rehabilitation techniques to improve walking for stroke victims paralyzed on one side.

Snelling is pursuing her Ph.D. in chemical engineering under Nicholas Peppas, professor of biomedical engineering, chemical engineering and pharmaceutics. Her research focuses on molecularly imprinted polymers for diagnostic and therapeutic biomedical applications.

Srubar is completing his first year as a master’s degree student in structural engineering with an emphasis on sustainable design and green materials. His research will test the behaviors of pervious concrete made from recycled concrete aggregate. He hopes to prove this material to be a reliable alternative to conventional concrete in low-strength pavement applications.

Holmberg, a first year doctoral student in the chemical engineering researches under Dr. Brian Korgel, professor of chemical engineering. He focuses on the synthesis and fabrication of semiconductor nanowire devices to improve the performance of chemical sensors and other electronic structures. Holmberg is also a $240,000 Hertz Fellowship recipient.

Kaul is finishing her first-year as an aerospace engineering doctoral student. Her primary research focus is improving fluid simulations to help design cleaner and more efficient industrial combustion devices.

Van Epps is a second-year dual master’s degree student studying both environmental engineering and public affairs. Her research so far has been through the LBJ school on management of used oil in the US & Mexico. She plans to pursue a doctorate in drinking water treatment.

Tarver is in his first year as a doctoral student in chemical engineering advised by Dr. Lynn Loo and Dr. Adam Heller. His research in conductive polymers will advance the study of biotechnology such as pacemakers, making them more affordable.

Prinda Wanakule, an undergraduate at the University of Florida, and David Kryscio, a master’s degree student at the University of Kentucky, will attend the university in Fall 2007.

Wanakule will pursue a Ph.D. degree in biomedical engineering. Her interests are in drug development, drug delivery and tissue engineering. She hopes her research will “provide better treatment methods with fewer side effects and less invasive treatments.”

Kryscio received his bachelor’s in chemical engineering from in May 2006 and will complete his master’s degree in June 2007. He plans to focus on bioengineering and advanced materials.

Two current UT students are remaining at the university to earn graduate degrees.

Jessica Williams is in her first year as a master’s degree student in aerospace engineering. Williams has been a member of Aerospace Engineering Professor Glenn Lightsey’s research group since fall 2006. She is currently researching topics in relative navigation between on-orbit spacecraft. Her research in orbital mechanics and relative navigation in space will advance space missions involving several vehicles.

Katharine Harrison received her undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering at the University of California San Diego and just finished her master’s degree in mechanical engineering (thermal fluids focus area). She is a doctoral student in materials science under mechanical engineering Professors Arumugan Manthiram and Jeremy Meyers researching battery materials to advance fuel cell and battery technology.

Four university undergraduates are going to various universities across the nation to pursue graduate degrees.

Christine Tower, a senior in mechanical engineering, will be attending Stanford University for graduate study in nanoscale sensors for mechanical measurements.

Adrianne Rosales, a senior in chemical engineering, plans to attend the University of California at Berkeley for a doctorate in chemical engineering. Her research will focus on creating biomaterials compatible with the human body or external environment.

Kassandra Thomson, a senior in biomedical engineering, will begin her doctoral work in bioengineering at the University of Washington in the fall of 2007. She plans to research engineering cardiac tissue to improve treatment for heart disease.

Brittany Bradshaw, a senior in the biomedical engineering program, will attend the University of Washington in Seattle this fall to earn a Ph.D. in bioengineering. Her research interests include cardiovascular tissue engineering.

The National Science Foundation aims to promote research in fields that align with their mission. Applicants must submit a transcript, reference letters and a series of research-based essays.

Chemical engineer named Fulbright Scholar in Spain for next year

May 10, 2007

Brian Korgel, associate professor in chemical engineering, has been named a Fulbright Scholar in Spain for the 2007-2008 school year. He will conduct research on nanorods in the Departments of Applied Physics and Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Alicante. Korgel will collaborate with Professors Joaquin Fernandez Rossier and Juan Jose Palaciosth, both in applied physics. Their research seeks to develop a variety of new technologies that will test fundamental understanding of materials chemistry and properties.

Engineering students win six awards at GAIN conference

May 10, 2007

The Graduate Engineering Council presented the third annual Graduate And Industry Networking (GAIN) conference at the Etter-Harbin Alumni Center. There were six winners of poster and presentation awards from the UT College of Engineering.

Among the oral presentations, Paul Griesemer, Hao Ju and Daniel Carr were honored with Presentation Awards.

Paul Griesmer, an aerospace engineering graduate student and affiliate of the Ocampo group, won Grand Prize for his presentation entitled "Targeting Low Energy Trajectories Using Periodic Orbits." Sponsored by Total EP USA, the presentation dealt with finding more fuel-efficient trajectories for spacecraft traveling from the Earth to the Moon.

Hao Ju (Freeman group, chemical engineering), won the “ExxonMobil Corporation Presentation Award” in the category of Energy/Environment/Transport Processes/Engineering Design & Management. His presentation is “Novel polymeric materials with high oil/water fouling resistance: synthesis, characterization and application”, focusing on compounds produced during water purification.

Daniel Carr (Peppas group, chemical engineering) was honored with the “Best Paper Award” in the Materials Science/Nano, Micro, Bio and MEMS Division. His presentation is titled "Molecular Analysis of Interpolymer Complexing Hydrogels Based on Poly (Methacrylic Acid) and N-Vinyl Pyrrolidone as Carriers for Protein Delivery.”

Among the posters presented, Amber Doiron, Puneet Agarwal and Sripriya Ponnapalli were recognized with Poster Awards. A total of $1600 was awarded in GAIN 2007.

Sri Priya Ponnapalli (Alter group, electrical and computer engineering) won the best poster award in the "computation and simulation/signal processing/system control" category for her work on developing a higher-order generalized singular value decomposition that allows the comparison of multiple large-scale datasets.

Puneet Agarwal (Manuel group, civil, architectural and environmental engineering) won the KLA-Tencor Corporation Poster Award for an Outstanding Poster in the category of Energy/Environment/Transport Process/Engineering Design and Management for her poster entitled “Design Loads for an Offshore Wind Turbine using Field Data”.

Amber Doiron (Brannon-Peppas group, biomedical engineering) presented a poster entitled "Polymeric Microparticles for the Imaging of Atherosclerotic Plaques" that won two awards - GAIN Marathon Oil Company Poster Award for outstanding poster in the category of Materials Science/Nano, Micro, Bio & MEMS Engineering and also the Cisco Systems, Inc. and the Poster Award for an Outstanding Poster, an overall poster award.

GAIN is a conference hosted by students to promote graduate research and to offer networking opportunities. One hundred graduate students participated in this year’s conference from all engineering departments.

Electrical engineer’s article becomes most viewed of publication

May 10, 2007

An article co-written by Dr. Ananth Dodabalapur, Ashley H. Priddy Centennial Professor in Engineering, listed among the 2006 Top 10 most viewed articles published in “Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry.” Dodabalapur, professor of electrical engineering, acted as corresponding author for the article, which was also featured on the publication’s cover in January 2006.

His paper, entitled “Nanoscale organic and polymeric field-effect transistors as chemical sensors,” focuses on chemical sensing of vapors and liquids that will enable environmental monitoring and medical diagnostics among other things.

Civil engineering professor and student win 2006 Best Journal Paper

May 9, 2007

Lance Manuel, Associate Professor of civil engineering, and Korn Saranyasoontorn, who earned his civil engineering doctorate in May 2006, won the Best Journal Paper for 2006 from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Technical Committee on Wind Energy (Solar Energy Division). The paper, entitled "Design Loads for Wind Turbines using the Environmental Contour Method,” proposes an efficient simulation-based procedure for predicting design loads for a wind turbine that ensures specified reliability levels over the turbine’s planned service life.

Manuel holds the Fluor Centennial Teaching Fellowship in Engineering.

Civil engineering students win four awards at regional bridge competition

May 8, 2007

The University of Texas at Austin's student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers won three first place awards at the 2007 Texas-Mexico Regional Steel Bridge Competition. The awards were for stiffness, lightness and structural efficiency. The group also won second place overall at the competition. They will advance to compete in Los Angeles, Calif. this May.

Computer engineers win most influential paper of the year award

April 30, 2007

A research paper by Dr. Yale N. Patt, professor of electrical and computer engineering, holder of the Ernest Cockrell, Jr. Centennial Chair in Engineering, and his former student Dr. Tse-Yu Yeh, an associate research scientist in the HPS Research Group and currently the Chief Architect of Palo Alto Semiconductor, won the IEEE/ACM International Symposium on Computer Architecture (ISCA) 2007 Most Influential Paper of the Year Award. The paper, entitled "Alternative Implementations of Two-Level Adaptive Branch Prediction," published in ISCA in1992 was selected as having had the most impact on the field (in terms of research, development, products or ideas) during the 15 years since it was published.

Environmental engineering professor receives lifetime achievement award

April 30, 2007

Dr. Raymond C. Loehr, the Hussein M. Alharthy Centennial Chair Emeritus in Civil Engineering, was awarded the Environmental and Water Resources Institute 2007 Lifetime Achievement Award by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The award is given to members who have significantly contributed public service and research to the advancement of water and environmental engineering. Dr. Loehr has had an active teaching and research program for over 40 years which has focused on the management of industrial and hazardous wastes and on technologies for the remediation of soils and sediments contaminated with organic chemicals.

Biomedical student elected president of national organization

April 27, 2007

Margaret Phillips, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering, was elected president of Society for Biomaterials national student organization for the next two years. The society represents all biomedical engineering programs with active biomaterials programs and has about 550 members on 16 campuses nationwide.

Biomedical engineering assistant professor wins junior faculty enhancement award

April 27, 2007

Dr. James Tunnell, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, received the 2007 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award from the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. The award is for his research entitled "In vivo Tumor Targeting with Metal Nanoparticles" that focuses on treating cancers using light irradiated nanoparticles that find and attach themselves to cancer cells in the body.

Engineering staff member receives Excellence Award from student organization

April 27, 2007

Glynda Groth-Putnam, director of the Colleges Office of Student Life, received the university-wide Excellence Award from The Eyes of Texas, an anonymous student organization. The Eyes of Texas awards faculty, staff and administrators who positively impact student life with their commitment to the university.

UT alumnus wins federal engineer of the year

April 27, 2007

Dr. Garrett Polhamus, a 1976 electrical engineering alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin is the National Society of Professional Engineers 2007 Federal Engineer of the Year. The award is based on his engineering achievements, educational, civic and humanitarian activities. Polhamus is the chief of the Air Force Research Laboratorys Directed Energy Bioeffects Division and has overseen research conducted on non-lethal weaponry as well as the biological effects of high powered lasers.

Biomedical engineer receives Welch Foundation seed grant

April 25, 2007

Muhammad Zaman, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, received a research grant of $150,000 over a three-year period from the Welch Foundation. The grant will fund research seeking to customize the adhesion properties of cell surfaces. Zamans findings on how cells attach to the surrounding matrix as well as other cells, will have wide ranging applications in biomaterial design, drug discovery and various aspects of cancer research.

College of Engineering names 2007 Staff Excellence award winners

April 25, 2007

The College of Engineering announced the winners of the 2007 Staff Excellence Awards. They are Jessica Baugher, assistant director of the Engineering Career Assistance Center; Sharon Bressette, undergraduate advising center coordinator for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Amy Gilbert, accountant for the Chemical Engineering Department; Nabeel Khwaja, research associate for the Center for Transportation Research; Sylvia Romero, administrative services officer for the Business Affairs Office and Jewell K. Walters, executive assistant for the Construction Industry Institute.

UT Professor elected to IEEE Communications Society Board of Governors

April 16, 2007

Dr. Ted Rappaport, professor of electrical engineering and an expert in wireless communications, was elected to the IEEE Communications Society Board of Governors by the societys 42,000 members to serve as a Member at Large for a 3 year period.

Civil engineering professor named distinguished graduate by Texas A&M University

April 16, 2007

Professor Emeritus Ronald Hudson was named a distinguished graduate from Texas A&M University Department of Civil Engineering for his teaching and research in pavement and infrastructure management systems, which have been adopted worldwide by transportation agencies at all levels of government.

Mechanical engineering professor wins national award from American Nuclear Society

April 16, 2007

Dr. Sheldon Landsberger, Professor and Coordinator of the Nuclear and Radiation Engineering Program in the Mechanical Engineering Department, received the Arthur Holly Compton award from the American Nuclear Society for outstanding achievements in education in nuclear science and engineering for designing and implementing one of the most advanced distance learning programs in the nation for nuclear engineers.

Undergraduate electrical engineering advisor wins Texas Exes award

April 16, 2007

Janice Williams, an undergraduate advisor in the electrical and computer engineering department, received a 2007 Texas Exes James W. Vick Advising Award, recognizing her dedication to students, and her positive influences not only on others educational experiences, but on their entire lives. Awardees are selected by students and given to only four advisors annually.

Chemical engineering alumna awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarship

April 9, 2007

Corinna Kester, a 2004 Plan II/Chemical Engineering alumna from The University of Texas at Austin, received one of 48 Gates Cambridge Scholarships for study at Cambridge University in Cambridge, England. Kester plans to pursue a masters degree in engineering for sustainable development there. Selection for this scholarship is based on academic achievements as well as interest to contribute to the general good of society. Kester currently heads a sustainability program at the university. Her Gates award is only the second awarded a University of Texas at Austin student since the scholarship was established in 2000. Kester is a 2003 Truman Scholar and was a finalist for both the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarships.

Aerospace engineering senior received the national 2007 Co-op student award

April 9, 2007

Corwin Olson, an aerospace engineering senior, was selected for the Co-op Student Achievement Award by the Cooperative Education and Internship Association (CEIA). Recipients are chosen based on written statements by a CEIA member, the students employer and the student. Olson completed three Cooperative Engineering Education tours with United Space Alliance, working in the Training Division of NASA's Johnson Space Center. He became a certified NASA instructor and taught astronauts and future crewmembers of the International Space Station. He was ranked among the top four overall instructors in the Training Division by the 2004 class of astronauts.

Two doctoral students receive Grants-In-Aid from national society

April 9, 2007

Federico Noris, a doctoral student in environmental and water resources engineering and Donghyun Rim, a doctoral student in architectural engineering, were each selected to receive a Graduate Student Grant-In-Aid from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The students received $10,000 and $7,500 respectively. Awards are based on advisor recommendations, student and advisor activities, and descriptions of the students research project. The students were commended on their state-of-the-art research. Rim, advised by Dr. Atila Novoselac, assistant professor of architectural engineering, studies human exposure to indoor pollutants. Noris, advised by Dr. Kerry Kinney, professor of environmental engineering, analyzes material deposited on air filters.

Civil engineering professor receives national innovation prize

April 9, 2007

Ellen Rathje is the 2006 recipient of the Shah Innovation Prize from the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute. The prize rewards young professionals and academics for creative efforts in the field of earthquake risk mitigation and management. Rathje has made several advances in the study of liquefaction of soil during earthquakes and using satellite imagery to document earthquake effects. She is currently working on projects regarding methods to improve liquefiable soils, as well as to predict of earthquake-induced landslides.

Aerospace student receives Fulbright to Australia

April 2, 2007

Aerospace engineering doctoral candidate Tyler Summers received a 2007 U.S. Postgraduate Fulbright Scholarship to Australia. Selections to this program are based on leadership potential, academic and/or professional excellence, and commitment to mutual understanding. Summers will research controlling vehicle formations with Distinguished Professor Brian D.O. Anderson, an electrical engineering professor at The Australian National University in Canberra.

Gilbert wins Austin Civil Engineer of the Year

March 27, 2007

Dr. Bob Gilbert, professor of civil engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, was awarded Civil Engineer of the Year by the Austin branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Gilbert, the Hudson Matlock Professor of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, was recognized for his six years as faculty advisor to the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter; his contribution to the formation and operation of the organizations national Geo-Institute; and his current service on the societys External Review Panel reviewing the forensic analysis of the levee failures in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Gilberts technical expertise is in risk analysis and management, with a wide-range of applications including building foundations, pipelines, slopes, dams, landfills and groundwater remediation systems.

Professor named fellow of international association

February 12, 2007

Chemical Engineering Professor Grant Willson was recently elected a fellow of the International Society for Optical Engineering for his contributions to lithography and microelectronic processing. Willsons research aims to understand the interaction between organic materials and light in order to better design, synthesize and characterize new organic materials with useful properties. Fellows are chosen for their significant contributions to the optics, photonics and imaging fields.

Chemical engineer receives university teaching innovation award

February 12, 2007

Chemical Engineering Professor Dave Allen was awarded the Excellence in Teaching Award from the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment (DIIA) at The University of Texas at Austin. The university-wide award is given annually to faculty who demonstrate inspiration, innovation, technology, collaboration and assessment." Allen received the award for a pilot course entitled Sustaining a Planet, which he taught last fall with Geology Professor Jay Banner. For more information, see: http://www.utexas.edu/academic/diia/news/etaward07_allen-banner.php

Chemical engineering student earns best poster award regionally

February 12, 2007

Tracy Bucholz, a graduate student in chemical engineering, received the best poster by a graduate student award at the Polymers West Gordon Research Conference. Her research project focused on a new synthesis technique, known as atom transfer radical polymerization, to synthesize well-defined functional polymers and block copolymers for microelectronic applications. Bucholz studies under Dr. Lynn Loo , assistant professor of chemical engineering.

Lawler receives alumni award from alma mater

February 07, 2007

Environmental Engineer Desmond Lawler received the distinguished alumni award from his alma mater, the University of North Carolina. Lawler, the W.A. Cunningham Professor of Engineering in the Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin won UNCs 2007 Environmental Sciences and Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award. Lawler was noted for his state and national recognition for both his research and teaching. Since 1980, Dr. Lawler has received 12 teaching awards and is a member of the Universitys Distinguished Teaching Academy. His research includes both experimental and mathematical approaches to investigate physical and chemical treatment processes for drinking water, wastewater, and industrial process water. Currently his research focuses on pre-treating membranes to improve water recovery in desalination by reverse osmosis.

Chemical engineer elected to profession's hall of fame

February 02, 2007

Chemical Engineering Professor Thomas Edgar will be one of three 2007 inductees into the Process Automation Hall of Fame. The new additions are profiled in Control magazines February issue, which is available here: http://www.controlglobal.com/articles/2007/015.html. Edgar was chosen for his research in the field of control technology and his work to promote the field, such as co-authoring one of the fields leading textbooks. He carries out research in process modeling, control and optimization.

Transportation engineer named Outstanding UT Graduate Teacher

January 12, 2007

Transportation Engineering Professor Chandra Bhat has been selected as the 2007 recipient of the UT Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award. The award honors faculty members for outstanding teaching at the graduate level and mentoring of graduate students. It is coordinated by the Graduate School and underwritten by the University Co-op. Bhat has supervised around 40 graduate students since arriving at the university in 1997. Since 2000, his graduate students have won 15 external (non-university) awards. In the past five years, Bhat and his graduate students have jointly authored more than 40 refereed articles that have been published or are forthcoming.

Civil Engineering professor named distinguished alumna

January 9, 2007

Sharon Wood has been selected to receive the 2007 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Civil and Environmental Engineering Alumni Association at the University of Illinois. Wood, professor of civil engineering, studies the behavior of reinforced concrete structures. Her recent research includes the development of wireless sensors to detect corrosion and procedures for evaluating the fatigue response of existing prestressed concrete bridges.

Aerospace Engineering Chair awarded AIAA fellowship

December 15, 2006

Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Chair Robert H. Bishop has been elected a 2007 fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). Fellows are selected based on notable valuable contributions to the aerospace arts, sciences, or technologies. Bishop researches guidance, navigation and control of aerospace vehicles. He was one of 30 selected this year. The new fellows will be honored at the AIAA's Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala in Washington D.C. in May.

Two Electrical Engineering professors named fellows of international association

December 15, 2006

Electrical Engineering Professors Ari Arapostathis and Ross Baldick were elected fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Fellows are academic and industry professionals with extraordinary accomplishments in the field of electrical engineering. Arapostathis was elected for his contributions in nonlinear and stochastic control as well as applications in power systems. Currently, he is developing control techniques that would allow U.S. Navy ships' power systems to continue operating after sustaining damage. Baldick was named a fellow for his work analyzing power system economics. He is now working to analyze vulnerabilities of power grids and the performance of electricity markets.

Folliard receives student organization outstanding faculty award

December 14, 2006

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Kevin Folliard received the Texas Blazers Outstanding Faculty Award at the Texas Blazers Faculty Appreciation Breakfast on Dec. 8. Kevin was one of 10 faculty members from across the University to receive this award. Texas Blazers is an organization for male students at UT Austin. The organization promotes community service, university traditions, campus leadership and academic excellence. Professors are treated to a gourmet breakfast and presented with customized plaques at the faculty appreciation breakfast, which is held every semester.

Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Receives National Research Award

December 14, 2006

Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Megha Surve won the Computational Molecular Science and Engineering Forum's inaugural Award for Outstanding Research Performance at the national American Institute of Chemical Engineers convention in San Francisco. Nanoparticles are added to plastics to make the materials stronger, more light-weight, fire resistant or able to conduct electricity. Surve studied the interactions, stability and origins of material properties of resulting polymer-nanoparticle mixtures. She is advised by Chemical Engineering Professor Venkat Ganesan.

Civil engineer receives international award

December 11, 2006

Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Kara Kockelman recently received the 2006 Geoffrey J.D. Hewings Award from the Regional Science Association International (RSAI). The award recognizes distinguished contributions to regional science by young researchers. Kockelman's primary research interests include the statistical modeling of urban systems (including models of travel behavior, trade and location choice), the economic impacts of transport policy, crash occurrence and consequences, and transport policy-making.

Students win national nuclear design award

December 11, 2006

Mechanical Engineering graduate students Emilio Alvarez, Derek Haas, Kevin Jackman, Scott Whitney and Stephen Wilson (who has since graduated) recently won the national American Nuclear Society Student Design Competition. The students designed a fast-neutron prompt gamma activation analysis facility for the UT Austin TRIGA nuclear reactor. The system collides neutrons with a sample material and measures the resulting emitted gamma rays to determine the material’s composition. Unlike other methods, theirs detects smaller samples of material and doesn’t destroy the material it’s assessing. Possible applications for the facility include analyzing soil and other environmental media for carbon sequestration studies, and analyzing carbon-based nuclear fuels. Assistant Mechanical Engineering Professor Steven Biegalski oversaw the project.

Biomedical engineering student receives NSBE research award

December 11, 2006

Shanique Roberson, a biomedical engineering junior, recently won first place in the Undergraduate Students in Technical Research competition at the National Society of Black Engineers’ fall regional conference. Roberson studied how cell density variation as well as mechanical and biophysical properties of extra-cellular matrix components affect the ability of cancer cells to spread. Roberson is a researcher with Dr. Muhammad Zaman's Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Dynamics. She will represent the nine-state region at the upcoming NSBE national convention in Columbus, Ohio. The technical research competition is composed of a poster session, oral presentations, and question-and-answer sessions.

College honors faculty for teaching, research, professional service

December 11, 2006

The College of Engineering announced the 2006 Faculty Excellence Awards during its annual November banquet.

Dr. Chandra Bhat, professor of civil engineering, received the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Award for Excellence in Engineering Teaching. Bhat's award recognized his reputation for ensuring students receive a stimulating, well-rounded education in transportation research and his resulting perfect scores on course evaluations some semesters. His open-ended discussion approach and insistence that students apply his classes' data analysis methods to real-life transportation situations garner consistent praise from his students.

Dr. Gary Pope, professor of petroleum and geosystems engineering, received the Billy & Claude R. Hocott Distinguished Centennial Engineering Research Award. The award recognizes faculty whose documented research, while associated with UT Austin, has significantly advanced the engineering profession. The award recognized Pope's consistent ability to successfully guide research projects from theory to real-world applications, and his willingness to share his extensive research knowledge. Software he developed over several decades has become a mainstay for modeling surfactant-enhanced oil recovery and in surfactant remediation of contaminated groundwater.

Dr. Mary F. Wheeler, professor of aerospace engineering and petroleum and geosystems engineering, received the Joe J. King Professional Engineering Achievement Award for exemplary leadership in the engineering profession. Wheeler has spent 35 years applying her significant mathematical skills to developing sophisticated computer models of subsurface environments, assisting women to become successful researchers, and seeking to solve practical, important problems by encouraging interactions among researchers. She directs the university's Center for Subsurface Modeling in the Institute for Computational Engineering and Sciences, a leading research group for mathematically-based models of underground petroleum and water resources.

Dr. Oguzhan Bayrak, who was promoted to associate professor of civil engineering in September, received the College of Engineering Award for Outstanding Teaching by An Assistant Professor. Bayrak was noted for his boundless patience and depth of knowledge and passion for teaching about concrete structures. He has received above average instructor ratings for three years because of his careful consideration of students' needs and the interactive environment in his courses that favors open communication and intensive learning.

Civil engineering student awarded indoor environmental quality fellowship

December 8, 2006

Civil Engineering graduate student Chi Phuong Hoang won the 2006 Ken Dillon Fellowship for Indoor Environmental Quality Design from the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. The annual award is given to graduate or undergraduate students interested in the relationship between indoor air quality and public health in building design and construction. Hoang will receive $3,500 to study the chemistry of green building materials. Specifically, she will determine “secondary emissions” of organic chemicals that result from ozone reactions with green building products. These secondary emissions may persist for months or years and may be irritating or harmful to building occupants. Hoang’s research is supervised by Environmental Engineering Professor Richard Corsi and Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Kerry Kinney.

Biomedical engineer receives national young investigator award

December 8, 200606

Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor Krishnendu Roy will receive the 2007 Young Investigator Award from the Society for Biomaterials (SFB). Roy was selected for his "comprehensive research and educational program in biopolymer-based gene therapy and stem cell-based tissue engineering that has already produced new and exciting results." The SFB’s annual Young Investigator Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the field of biomaterials research. Previous recipients include Jennifer West, who received her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering from the university in 1994.

Professors elected fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers

November 29, 2006

Professors Michael Bryant and Ofodike A. Ezekoye have been elected fellows of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Fellow Grade is the highest elected grade of membership within ASME, recognizing exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession. Bryant, the Accenture Endowed Professor, specializes in tribology, the study of friction, wear and lubrication, as well as mechatronics, which integrates mechanical, electrical and computer elements into “modern” machines. Ezekoye has applied fundamentals of heat transfer and aerosol mechanics to better understand combustion burners and fire evolution in internal combustion engines. To be considered for a fellowship, engineers must have at least 10 years of active experience in the field.

Engineering professor named AAAS fellow

November 29, 2006

Peter Rossky, professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the College of Natural Sciences, has been elected a 2006 fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Fellows are chosen annually by their peers to recognize their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications. Rossky was selected for distinguished and creative contributions to theoretical understanding of the structure and dynamics of molecular liquids and solutions. This year's fellows were announced in the organization's prestigious journal Science on Nov. 24.

Biomedical Engineering Assistant Professor to receive New Investigator Award

November 8, 2006

Assistant Professor Mia Markey will be awarded the American Medical Informatics Association’s 2006 New Investigator Award at the organization’s annual meeting on Saturday, November 11 in Washington, D.C. The award recognizes an individual for early informatics contributions and significant scholarly contributions on the basis of scientific merit and research excellence. Markey is interested in the application of artificial intelligence and statistical techniques in biology and medicine. Her lab seeks to design cost-effective clinical decision support systems to help healthcare providers better diagnose, treat and manage diseases such as cancer.

Electrical and Computer Engineering researchers earn best paper award

November 8, 2006

Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor Michael Orshansky and Ph.D. students Murari Mani and Ashish K. Singh