K-State achievements--2002 Engineering

2002 Engineering

* Anil Pahwa, professor of electrical and computer engineering at K-State, has been named a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. The honor recognizes engineers who have demonstrated outstanding proficiency and have achieved distinction in their professions. Pahwa's contribution to power distribution system automation and restoration earned him the highest grade of membership in the institute. December 2002

* The K-State student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers received honors at the annual American Institute of Chemical Engineers National Conference in Indianapolis. K-State placed fourth in its first regional competition and sixth out of 35 teams in its first national Chem-E-Car competition. In addition, K-State accepted its eighth consecutive National Outstanding Chapter award and Jessica Holmes, senior in chemical engineering, Topeka, took first place in the student research poster competition for her work in transport phenomenon. She was awarded an American Institute of Chemical Engineers Othmer National Scholarship – the eighth K-State student to receive this scholarship. November 2002

* Alan Dyck, K-State senior in architectural engineering from Overland Park, received the 2002 Fred R. Havens Fellowship from the American Institute of Steel Construction Foundation, Chicago. The Fellowship is a one-time award of $5,000 presented to a full-time architectural or civil engineering student, who has completed a minimum of one steel design course or is of graduate student standing. September 2002

* K-State faculty and alumni have helped create a new, nationally accepted exam that lets architectural engineers broaden their career opportunities through obtaining licensing in a wider range of disciplines. Three K-State faculty members and two architectural engineering alumni received national recognition for their role in creating the Architectural Engineering Professional Engineers' Examination. Alumnus Mark McAfee, of Dudley Williams and Associates, Wichita, wrote the structural engineering questions and led the committee. Dave Krug, alumnus and vice president of Brack and Associates, Topeka, also assisted. Charles Burton, professor of architectural engineering and construction science, John Lewis-Smith, assistant professor of architectural engineering and construction science, and Tim Tredway, associate professor of architectural engineering and construction science, helped put together the exam, cooperating with the Architectural Engineering Institute of the American Society of Civil Engineers. The test is the first to cover the key areas of engineering education that students receive at the undergraduate level. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying approved the exam last spring. September 2002

* Two K-State students won research scholarships from the Computing Research Association's Committee on the Status of Women in Computing Research. Julie Thornton, senior in computer science and mathematics, Manhattan, and Lindsey Warren, senior in computer engineering, Edgerton, received Collaborative Research Experience for Women in Undergraduate Computer Science and Engineering scholarships of $1,000 each. The program is a prestigious merit-based scholarship for women undergraduate students in computational science and engineering. Scholarships are awarded to students in the United States and Canada based on academic qualifications and competitive review of their proposals. Proposals must consist primarily of original research by two or three students to be supervised by a faculty adviser. Thornton's and Warren's proposal, "An Intelligent Critiquing-Based System for Computer-Assisted Instruction in College Algebra," was selected from 41 proposals across the nation. Only 19 proposals were funded. The system Thornton and Warren are creating could help students in the college algebra lab Thornton teaches as part of Enhanced University Experience. September 2002

* Tom Roberts, assistant dean of engineering at K-State, was elected the American Society for Engineering Education's vice president of member affairs. Roberts will serve a two-year term during 2002-2004. He was elected by the society's general membership during a national election and took office this summer at a national meeting in Montreal, Canada. September 2002

* K-State students from the department of biological and agricultural engineering made a strong showing July 28-31 at the 2002 American Society of Agricultural Engineers annual meeting in Chicago. The group distinguished themselves in the categories of design competition, student branch activities and best paper awards. A three-member team won first place in the Environmental Design Competition. Each team was required to design, build and operate a bench-scale treatment system for handling environmental waste. The team also placed first in technical communication, design innovation and design excellence, and third in system performance. The Association of Equipment Manufacturers sponsors awards to recognize outstanding initiative and accomplishment in American Society of Agricultural Engineers Student Branch activities. The K-State branch placed third in this competition, their fourth top-three finish in the last five years. The Powercat Pullers, the biological and agricultural engineering department's quarter-scale tractor team and runners up in the 2002 American Society of Agricultural Engineers International Student Design Competition, was one of the top three teams. As winners of the Campbell Scientific Award for best use of data acquisition and instrumentation in the development of their tractor, they also made a presentation on these aspects of their work. The team finished third in the field of 18 tractors entered in the Invitational Tractor Pulling Competition. August 2002

* K-State biological and agricultural engineering faculty were recognized at the 2002 American Society of Agricultural Engineers annual meeting in Chicago. Mark Schrock, professor, received the 2002 Massey-Ferguson Educational Award in recognition of his outstanding commitment and significant impact on the agricultural profession through his teaching, research, extension, consulting, machine design and international agriculture and farming activities. Schrock is noted as an expert in alternative and renewable fuels and machinery systems management. He has guided student teams to five first-place finishes in American Society of Agricultural Engineers student design competitions, and three first-place finishes in the society's quarter-scale tractor design competitions. Schrock also received a Superior Paper award in the 2002 American Society of Agricultural Engineers Paper Awards competition, recognizing papers of merit published in the prior calendar year in the publications, Applied Engineering in Agriculture, Transactions of the ASAE, or Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health. He was recognized as lead author in the paper, "Performance of a Multipoint Pulse-Width Modulation Metering System for Ammonia." Naiqian Zhang, professor, was re-elected president of the Association of Overseas Chinese Agricultural, Biological and Food Engineers for 2002-2003. The Association of Overseas Chinese Agricultural, Biological and Food Engineers works in conjunction with the American Society of Agricultural Engineers to promote a cooperative relationship with the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineers. K-Staters Ning Wang, research associate, and Lin Wang, graduate student, both from biological and agricultural engineering, received Graduate Leadership and Service Awards from the association. Adjunct professor Tom Pearson received the 2002 Sunkist Young Designer Award at the annual meeting. He is an agricultural engineer with the USDA-ARS Engineering Research Unit, Grain Marketing and Production Research Center in Manhattan. August 2002

* K-State chemical engineering professor Walter P. Walawender has been named a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, an award reserved for those members who have made meaningful impact on the profession, displayed significant service to the Institute and the profession, and who have achieved significant accomplishments in chemical engineering. This is an exceptionally prestigious award based on a full career's worth of accomplishment in the chemical engineering profession. Walawender has been a member of Kansas State University's department of chemical engineering faculty since September 1969. Walawender is the third member of K-State's chemical engineering faculty to be awarded Fellow status — the others are L.T. Fan and Larry Erickson. Having three of the department's 10 faculty as Fellows of the Institute is far above the national average. June 2002

* Lisa Wilken, K-State senior in biological and agricultural engineering, Lakin, received the 2002 John L. and Sarah G. Merriam Scholarship. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers Foundation awards this $1,000 national scholarship annually to an outstanding student who has completed at least one year of undergraduate study, with an emphasis in soil and water engineering, and who has at least one year of undergraduate study remaining. Selection is based on the student's academic standing, activities and an essay. Wilken has a 3.98 GPA in the environmental option and held the post of second vice president in the American Society of Agricultural Engineers K-State student branch this past year. This is the second year in a row for a K-State student to win the award. In 2001, Erin O'Brien, May 2002 bachelor's graduate in biological and agricultural engineering, Chapman, was the recipient. June 2002

* In defending their three-wins-in-a-row championship record, members of the Powercat Pullers team from Kansas State University's College of Engineering came home with the second-place trophy in the 2002 American Society of Agricultural Engineers International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition. Rounding out the top five in the field of 30 international teams were Ohio State University, University of Illinois and University of Kentucky, respectively. June 2002

* Erin O'Brien, Chapman senior in biological and agricultural engineering, received an IGERT fellowship and research assistantship at Vanderbilt University. The award gives O'Brien approximately $20,475 for nine months, a service-free tuition scholarship and a guaranteed summer research job for Ph.D. work in environmental engineering. She received a bachelor's degree in biological and agricultural engineering with the environmental option and a natural resources and environmental sciences secondary major in May 2002. May 2002

* Two K-State seniors in engineering received 2002-2003 scholarships from Tau Beta Pi, the National Engineering Honor Society. Christina Strunk, senior in industrial engineering, Valley Center, and Matthew Overstake, senior in mechanical engineering, Wichita, will each receive $2,000 for their senior year of engineering study. Scholarships are awarded to Tau Beta Pi members based on high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession. Tau Beta Pi is the second oldest honor society in the United States. To become a member, students must demonstrate strong scholarship and exemplary character. Becoming a member is one of the highest honors engineering students can achieve. May 2002

* The American Society of Agricultural Engineers named Kyle Mankin, K-State assistant professor in biological and agricultural engineering, Mid-Central Region Conference Young Member of the Year. Mankin received the award at the organization's annual meeting in St. Joseph, Mo., April 13. The award is presented to one outstanding member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers in the Mid-Central region of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. To be named Young Member of the Year, individuals must be less than 40 years old and must contribute to advancing the goals of the organization and the profession. May 2002

* Terry Beck, professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering at K-State, was chosen to participate in the NASA Faculty Fellowship Program at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., June 3-Aug. 9. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Faculty Fellowship Program is a new program offering educators hands-on exposure to NASA's research challenges during 10-week summer research residencies. Fellows work closely with NASA colleagues to solve strategic enterprise challenges. Beck will work with researchers in the Instrumentation Systems Development Branch to set up a Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence imaging system to conduct fluid-flow measurements. Planar Laser-Induced Fluorescence is a noncontact, laser-based measurement technique capable of providing flow visualization and quantitative measurements of concentration, temperature and velocity. May 2002

* The American Society of Agricultural Engineers named Nathan Oleen, Lindsborg senior in biological and agricultural engineering, as the 2002 Student Engineer of the Year. Oleen becomes the third Kansas State University recipient of the award in the last four years. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers is a 9,000-member international organization dedicated to the advancement of the profession. The Student Engineer of the Year award is open to all students in one of the 45 engineering departments in the United States or Canada. Oleen was selected for the award based on his excellent scholarship, character, personal development, organization activities, school activities, leadership quality and responsibility. April 2002

* Two K-State engineering students, Trampas Kurth, Kinsley senior in computer engineering and electrical engineering, and Mark Rice, Hutchinson senior in electrical engineering, have been offered Washington Internships for Students of Engineering. Each year, the WISE summer program selects 14-16 outstanding engineering students to spend 10 weeks in Washington, D.C. With Kurth and Rice, K-State will have had 32 engineering students participate in the WISE program -- more than any other school in the nation. The WISE program, affiliated with the American Association of Engineering Societies, was started in 1980 to give select engineering students a first-hand look at how government officials make decisions on complex technological issues and how engineers can contribute to legislative and regulatory public policy decisions. Kurth and Rice say they are excited about the opportunity to work in Washington, D.C. April 2002

* Ben Voigt, K-State senior in electrical engineering, Lindsborg, was one of 166 recipients of the 2002-2003 American Society for Engineering Education's National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowships, valued at $72,000. Voigt was selected from more than 2,000 applicants. The fellowship covers tuition and fees for three years at any accredited United States college or university providing advanced degrees in science and engineering. In addition, the fellowship provides a yearly stipend, $23,000 for the first year, $24,000 for the second year and $25,000 for the third year. April 2002

* Kevin B. Lease, associate professor of mechanical and nuclear engineering at K-State, was selected as one of nine outstanding engineering educators in the Society of Automotive Engineers Inc., Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award Program. Lease joins an elite group of educators honored in the award's 37-year history. Lease will be honored at the 2002 World Aviation Congress, Nov. 5-7, in Phoenix, Ariz., and will receive a plaque and two years of complimentary membership in the Society of Automotive Engineers. The award program was founded to recognize outstanding educators and provide opportunities to complement students' classroom and laboratory training using the perspective of current industry philosophy and trends. April 2002

* The Alpha Pi Mu national engineering honor society selected Lesley Schaefer, Wichita senior in industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, as one of five students in the nation to receive a $1,000 scholarship for 2002-2003. Schaefer was given the award based on her performance in this year's Alpha Pi Mu scholarship contest. The contest, consisting of a formal application and a personal essay, allowed two entries from each chapter of Alpha Pi Mu. Schaefer's entry was accepted by the K-State chapter last fall and submitted in November. March 2002

* Shuting Lei, K-State assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering, received the prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development award, which includes a $375,000 research grant. Lei is the seventh K-State College of Engineering recipient since 1995. The National Science Foundation awarded Lei a five-year grant for his research project, "Design and Development of Novel Responsive Cutting Tools for Laser-Assisted Machining and Diagnosis of Structural Ceramics: A Research Integrated Education Career Landscape." March 2002

* Mason McPike, Topeka, a K-State junior in architectural engineering, received one of four national Reuben Trane Scholarships from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Inc. The $10,000, two-year scholarship provides $5,000 each year to architectural engineering students demonstrating outstanding scholastic ability, character and leadership. Candidates must also demonstrate a need for financial assistance and their ability to be of potential service to the heating, air-conditioning and refrigeration profession. March 2002

* K-State architectural engineering and construction science students won both first and second place at the Associated Schools of Construction Regional Construction Management competition, held in Nebraska City, Neb., Feb. 13-16. The competition consisted of 10 schools competing in three divisions: commercial building, heavy/highway and design-build. Each team was given an actual construction problem and allowed 18 hours to devise a method of construction, estimate the cost and schedule the project. K-State's commercial building team placed first out of nine teams after completing a six-story "fit-up" project in Pittsburgh. As a result of their first place award, the K-State commercial building team won the right to represent this region at the Associated School's of Construction National Construction Management competition March 18-22 in Las Vegas. The commercial building team was coached by assistant professor Michael Hafling and included senior students Paul Schutter, Alma; Reese Deewall, Coldwater; Josh Troyer, Yates Center; Chris Braley and Ben Hutton, both of Wichita; and Darrell Grifka, Ubly, Mich. Paul Schutter, senior, Alma; Reese Deewall, senior, Coldwater; Josh Troyer, senior, Yates Center; Chris Braley, senior, Wichita; Ben Hutton, senior, Wichita; and Darrell Grifka, senior, Ubly, Mich. The heavy/highway team placed second out of six teams. The heavy/highway team was coached by professor James Goddard and included students Brian Flach, junior, Auburn; Ross Olsen, senior, Hiawatha; Craig Linot, senior, Rose Hill; Ben Cox, senior, Salina; Brad Davis, senior, Topeka; and Evan Walton, junior, Valley Center. Both K-State teams were sponsored with financial support from the Associated General Contractors of Kansas. February 2002

* Richard B. Hayter, associate dean of engineering for external affairs at K-State, has been awarded the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Medal for Distinguished Public Service. The award was presented in January at the organization's winter meeting in Atlantic City, N.J. The award is presented annually to one engineer for outstanding public service in his or her community. Hayter is a former Manhattan mayor and has served on seven city and county boards including the Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board and the Manhattan Regional Airport Board. He is a board member for several community organizations including the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scout Coronado Area Council. February 2002

* Mohammad Hosni, K-State professor and interim head of the department of mechanical and nuclear engineering, was elected to the grade of Fellow by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Fellow is the highest elected grade of membership within the organization and is awarded in recognition of exceptional engineering achievements and contributions to the engineering profession. Prior to his appointment as interim department head, Hosni served as director of the K-State College of Engineering's Institute for Environmental Research from 1993 to May 2001. His area of expertise is thermal and fluid sciences, and he remains actively involved in research projects conducted at the institute. Hosni's contributions to the professional society include membership on the honors and awards committee of the fluids engineering division, chair of the National Young Engineer Paper Contest committee, and organizer and chair of various symposiums and sessions sponsored by the organization. He was named the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Faculty Adviser of the Year, Region VII, in 1995. January 2002

* Kyle Mankin, assistant professor of biological and agricultural engineering at K-State, has been named the Young Engineer of the Year by the Kansas Section of the American Society of Agricultural Engineering. The award, given each year to a member under the age of 40, was presented to Mankin for his contributions to both the profession and the state of Kansas in 2001. Mankin has been at K-State since July 1995. The American Society of Agricultural Engineers is the society for engineering in food, agricultural and biological systems with more than 9,000 members worldwide. January 2002