WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Magazine

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THE NEW COOLWOMEN IN STEM

WVU Col lege o f Eng ineer ing and Minera l Resources

InsideCENTER DEVELOPS WRAP TREATMENT TO REMEDY MOUNTAIN STATE BRIDGE DEFICIENCIES4

18HONORARY DEGREES, ORDER OF VANDALIA AWARDED COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND

22WVU/NETL TEAM RECEIVES “OSCAR OF INNOVATION” FOR FUEL CELL WORK

WVU FINISHES THIRD IN ITS FIRST LUNABOTICS COMPETITION24

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MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

The mission of the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is to prepare students to practice their profession and to contribute to the well-being of society through academic study, research, extension, and service.

In late August, as I was making my usual morning walk through the atrium of the Mineral Resources Building on the way to my office, the tables were occupied by a number of students doing some early morning studying prior to classes. While this is a typical sight during the semester, it occurred to me that there was one thing that has become more typical in recent years: many of the students studying on that particular morning were women.

In 2008, female freshman enrollment in the College stood at 9 percent. In 2010, that number increased to 14 percent. Across the College, the percentage of women enrolled stands at about 13 percent. This past spring two of those women, Alicia Harmon of Independence, W.Va., and Chloe Snyder, of Pigeon, W.Va., both biometric systems majors, were awarded $5,000 scholarships by Lockheed Martin in a White Paper Challenge. They are among the many worthy students who receive scholarships annually in the College.

The same positive trend is seen in the number of women on our College faculty. Currently, that number stands at 21, several times what it was less than a decade ago. But like many of our peer institutions, West Virginia University strives to recruit more female faculty in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Two exciting initiatives are currently in place to help support this recruitment and success of faculty.

The University, under the leadership of Provost Michele Wheatly, recently secured an NSF ADVANCE grant. This grant is special because, unlike other NSF grants that focus on advancing the research agenda of a particular faculty member or group of faculty, it focuses on transforming the institutional culture to be more supportive and nurturing of faculty to ensure they reach their full potential. In this issue, you will read how the research of four of our female faculty members will benefit from the support of this ADVANCE grant.

The Women in Science and Engineering, or WiSE Giving Circle, brings together WVU alumnae and friends who want to impact the field of science by encouraging and mentoring young women in their pursuit of professional careers within the STEM disciplines. Jennifer Weidhaas, an assistant professor of civil engineering, was one of four inaugural WiSE award winners.

A perfect example of how our alumni are playing a role in mentoring those seeking careers in the STEM disciplines comes from Sarah (Lovell) Soliman ’07. Sarah returned to campus recently to announce the creation of a $25,000 endowment, named in honor of her mentor, Dr. Wils Cooley, professor emeritus in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. This endowment will provide scholarships to engineering students studying abroad.

These are just a few examples of the outstanding accomplishments and positive trends we are seeing in the College. While we all agree there is much work still to be done in all areas of diversity, we are delighted about the progress being made in moving the College forward in the right direction.

Eugene V. Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean and Professor

Dear Friends:

EUGENE V. CILENTO

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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News from the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

CONTENTS6 DOE AWARDS $1.5 MILLION TO WVU INDUSTRIAL

ASSESSMENT CENTER

9 THE NEW COOL: WOMEN IN STEM

16 NEW FACULTY

20 POWER-UP! WVU TO INTRODUCE CERTIFICATE

PROGRAM IN INTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIES AND

SERIOUS GAMING

IN EVERY ISSUEDEAN’S MESSAGE

FACULTY/RESEARCH NEWS

ACCOLADES

COLLEGE NEWS

STUDENT NEWS

ALUMNI NEWS

SUPPORT

FEATURES

FALL 2011

Dean and Publisher / Eugene V. [email protected] / 304.293.4157

Editor / Mary C. Dillon / [email protected]

Contributing Writers / Steve Alford / Scott Gillespie / Gerry Griffith / Diana Mazzella / Cate Mihelic / Debra Richardson / Nicole Riggleman / Dan Shrensky / Jake Stump / William Nevin

Magazine Design Coordinator / J. Paige Nesbit

AddressWVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources Development Office / PO Box 6070 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6070 www.cemr.wvu.edu

Change of AddressWVU Foundation / PO Box 1650 Morgantown, WV 26504-1650 Fax: 304.284.4001 / e-mail: [email protected] www.mountaineerconnection.com

Engineering West Virginia is published twice each year, in spring and fall, for the alumni, friends, and other supporters of the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

Copyright ©2011 by the WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Brief excerpts of articles in this publication may be reprinted without a request for permission if Engineering West Virginia is acknowledged in print as the source. Contact the Editor for permission to reprint entire articles.

West Virginia University is governed by the WVU Board of Governors and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. WVU is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution.

ON COVER / Pictured: College of Engineering and Mineral Resources student Meghan Mills. West Virginia University has been working diligently on multiple fronts to increase the recruitment, retention, and success of women in the STEM academy at all levels in the educational pipeline.

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FACULTY RESEARCH

WVU RESEARCHER TEAMS WITH NETL TO ADVANCE CLEAN COAL TECHNOLOGIES

Coal is an abundant and low-cost natural

resource used around the world to generate

electricity. But emissions of carbon dioxide

and various pollutants remain a challenge for

the industry to overcome.

The new generation of low-emission integrated

gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power

plants with carbon capture turn coal into gas,

removing impurities from the coal gas before

it is burned, turning pollutants into reusable

byproducts in some cases, and capturing

carbon dioxide for subsequent sequestration.

Chemical engineering Professor Richard

Turton has been at the forefront of the

development of an advanced virtual energy

simulation training and research center to

promote the adoption of these new clean-coal

power plants. He and his colleague, Stephen

E. Zitney of the U.S. Department of Energy’s

(DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory

(NETL), are leading the first-of-its-kind

advanced virtual energy simulation training

and research effort that they call the

AVESTAR™ Center.

Funded by the DOE, through NETL, the

AVESTAR™ Center will operate two identical

simulator facilities, one at the WVU National

Research Center for Coal and Energy and

another at NETL’s Morgantown, W.Va., site.

The real-time dynamic simulator, much like

the simulator that an airplane pilot trains on, is

designed to teach power plant personnel how

to operate the clean coal power plant. On May

3, the Center launched a training program to

demonstrate the newly commissioned operator

training system, or OTS. Training scenarios

include normal IGCC plant operation, startup,

and shutdown, as well as fuel switchovers and

power demand load following.

Later this year, the real-time OTS will be

combined with a three-dimensional virtual

reality environment. The immersive training

system, or ITS, will enable trainees to interact

with the simulated 3-D facility to study and

learn various aspects of plant operation,

control, and safety.

WVU’s Turton and NETL’s Zitney have been

collaborating for five years and along with

other industrial collaborators have been

working to develop, test, and deploy the

simulator for about two and a half years. Zitney

and Turton, along with Professor Debangsu

Bhattacharyya of WVU, other NETL personnel,

and personnel from Fossil Consulting Services

(FCS) provided technical oversight and

guidance to Invensys Operations Management,

the company contracted to develop the

simulator. FCS also provided the training

curriculum. Funding for this collaborative

work was through the NETL-Regional

University Alliance.

“These types of power plants are relatively

rare,” said Turton. “There are less than 10

similar plants operating or being constructed

in the states, with several more in China

and Europe. The simulator gives the DOE

and WVU an opportunity to showcase this

technology and, because so few of these

BY MARY C. DILLON

The simulator gives the DOE and WVU an opportunity to showcase this technology

RICHARD TURTON

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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plants have been built, allow engineers,

technology managers, and operators to obtain

experience in the operation of these plants prior

to actual construction.”

The Center features eight operator workstations

with 16 flat-panel monitors, two instructor

workstations, two simulator server computers,

and two engineering workstations. Together,

they simulate power plant operation in real time,

allowing students to process variable changes

in the plant.

“We can simulate a full plant startup or

shutdown, and program malfunctions within the

plant,” said Turton. “It provides an environment

that is as close to the real plant as possible.

The operator has complete control over several

areas of the plant including gasification, CO2

capture, and combined cycle.”

Turton explained that there is an alarm structure

built into the system that allows students to

react to issues as they develop within the plant.

“Because it is a model, we can freeze the time

and replay what happened to teach operators

what they did when mistakes are made, and

how to correct them,” Turton said.

When operational, the virtual reality simulator

will allow trainees to enter the power plant

and move freely throughout the facility using a

joystick to control their avatar, seeing exactly

what they would see if they were in an

actual plant.

“Every unit in the plant will be represented in the

virtual work world,” Turton said. “Operators will

be able to go anywhere in the plant, allowing

them to do a virtual tour of the power plant

without leaving the confines of the classroom.

Moreover, valves can be opened and pumps

started in the virtual environment and this

information will be relayed back to the simulator

so that control room operator trainees can

communicate and interact with the operators

out in the virtual plant.”

The main deterrent to building these plants

is their high capital cost. “A conventional

pulverized coal plant can be built for about $500

million, while an IGCC plant of equivalent output

might cost between $2-3 billion,” Turton said.

“But while the initial capital investment is very

high, the IGCC plants operate more efficiently

and can be a wise investment over the life of

the plant, especially when capturing CO2.”

“Working under the auspices of the NETL-

Regional University Alliance, our close

collaboration with WVU professors Turton

and Bhattacharyya, as well as their students,

has been highly productive and rewarding,”

said Zitney. “Their modeling contributions

have added significant value to the fidelity and

efficiency of the IGCC dynamic simulator. We

are looking forward to continued collaborative

research in the areas of dynamic modeling,

advanced process control, sensor placement,

and optimal operational strategies for IGCC

systems with CO2 capture.”

“It is our hope that this simulator will excite the

coal industry,” Turton added. “It is a technically

feasible way to support future electrical

generation demand and simultaneously reduce

significantly the emissions of environmental

pollutants and greenhouse gases.” •

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FACULTY RESEARCH

West Virginia has more than 6,700 bridges – from its 17 historically

registered wooden covered versions, to engineering marvels like the

New River Gorge Bridge.

But many of the state’s bridges are in trouble, in need of repair or

replacement at a time when funding for such projects is severely

limited. West Virginia ranks among the top 25 percent of U.S. states

with significant bridge deficiencies.

Which means Hota GangaRao, professor of civil and environmental

engineering at West Virginia University, is a busy man these days.

The founder and director of WVU’s Constructed Facilities Center

(CFC), GangaRao has spent his career becoming a leading

researcher and voice in the study of structural deterioration and

rehabilitation, while perfecting a process that preserves existing

bridges and buildings.

Over the past two decades, CFC has developed a process that has

led to the rehabilitation of nearly 30 bridges across the state, keeping

them safe and operable. It has done so at a fraction of the cost

it takes to replace a bridge, typically around 20-25 percent of the

bridge’s original price.

Now CFC is working closely with the West Virginia Division of

Highways on a project with the potential to rehabilitate 400 to 500

concrete bridges across the state over the next five years.

“West Virginia is among the leading states with bridge deficiencies for

a couple of reasons,” GangaRao said. “Number one, the state does

not have the funds to rehabilitate all its old bridges. Number two,

traffic intensity and load capacities have increased significantly since

these bridges were built.”

CFC’s method allows West Virginia to preserve as many bridges as

possible, rehabilitating and maintaining them at minimal cost.

The figures GangaRao cites on what deficient roadway infrastructure,

including bridges, costs the U.S. economy are staggering.

“Because of the simple fact of the country’s failure to sufficiently

invest in our transportation infrastructure, including bridges, it has

been estimated our economy has lost 870,000 jobs and $3.1

trillion in declined growth of our national gross domestic product,”

GangaRao said, citing August 2011 numbers from the American

Society for Civil Engineering.

“In addition, U.S. business would not be expending an extra

$430 billion by 2020—almost half a trillion dollars—in terms of

transportation costs, if our roads and bridges were in better shape,”

he said. “Deficient highways and bridges led to an additional cost

of more than $129 billion alone in 2010 to U.S. households and

businesses. That’s why we should be concerned.”

So how does a bridge go through rehab?

“First of all, we evaluate the bridge in situ – meaning we look at how

much it has corroded, how much the concrete has spalled, and

other aspects. These evaluations can be based on very complex

instrumentation or based on visual inspection,” GangaRao said.

“Then we strip the bridge down to a solid portion of its original

concrete or steel.”

At this point, the structure is covered with a two-inch outer mortar

cover and wrapped tightly with a material made from either glass

fabric or carbon fabric and resin; the fabric gives the wrapping

material strength, while the resin binds with the structure’s

original substrate.

CENTER DEVELOPS WRAP TREATMENT TO REMEDY MOUNTAIN STATE BRIDGE DEFICIENCIESBY SCOTT GILLESPIE

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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“Not only does it hold things together, but the wrap also enhances the strength of

the overall structure,” he said.

The Constructed Facilities Center trains workers from the state’s highway department

and private contractors on proper wrapping procedures, and those workers do most

of the labor on bridges whose time has come to be refurbished.

“Most of these hundreds of bridges across West Virginia are being rehabilitated by

private contractors using the process we developed here,” GangaRao said.

With modern materials, properties, and design, a new bridge’s lifetime is considerably

longer than a bridge built a few decades ago.

“In the past, bridges were designed to last about 50 years. Today, we’re designing

bridges for 75 to 100 years,” GangaRao said.

Is America doing enough today to improve its infrastructure?

“No, we are not. I think our infrastructure is going to deteriorate even more in the

next five or 10 years simply because we just do not have the money to keep pace

with the rate of deterioration that’s taking place,” said GangaRao.

GangaRao’s focus today is on West Virginia’s bridges—and it’s a project likely to

keep him busy for the foreseeable future.

“Right now, I’m focusing on the rehabilitation of several hundred bridges across

the state. It’s a challenge, but it is something I tremendously enjoy doing,” he said.

“In this whole exercise, I am not alone doing the work. Fortunately, many faculty,

research engineers, and graduate students help me out on a daily basis. I am only

a cheerleader.” •

GangaRao Named First Wadsworth Distinguished Professor BY DEBRA RICHARDSON

Dr. Hota GangaRao has been named the inaugural Maurice A. and Jo Ann Wadsworth Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at West Virginia University. The professorship honors GangaRao’s commitment to teaching, research, and service to his profession while reflecting on the loyalty and generosity of the Wadsworths.

“I am honored to be appointed the first Wadsworth professor at West Virginia University,” said GangaRao. “This professorship will provide access to leading industry and government personnel to bridge my College and Center research and development activities, which will result in vast opportunities for potential field implementation of my research.”

The professorship means even more, GangaRao said, because Maurice Wadsworth is the foremost authority in the industry.

A Clarksburg, W.Va., native, Wadsworth earned a degree in civil engineering from WVU in 1951. After a two-year stint in the Air Force, he spent his entire career at Gannett Fleming, Inc., in Harrisburg, Pa. Wadsworth served as a bridge design engineer, chief computer engineer for the transportation division, senior vice president for administration, and president and chairman of the board. At the time of his retirement in 1996, the firm employed approximately 1,500 employees in 25 offices. Wadsworth was a professional engineer in 23 states and authored numerous papers.

“The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is grateful to Maurice and Jo Ann Wadsworth for the establishment of this named professorship in civil and environmental engineering,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College. “Gifts of this nature allow us to recognize the best of our faculty, in this instance, Dr. Hota GangaRao, and further their research and scholarship in their respective areas of interest.”

GangaRao becomes the fourth faculty member in the Department to hold a named professorship.

HOTA GANGARAO

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West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources will receive $1.5 million over the next five years as part

of the Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC)

program. The grant, a renewal of a program that has been at WVU

since 1992, places emphasis on students gaining practical training on

core energy efficiency and management concepts.

The IAC program provides undergraduate and graduate engineering

students with the opportunity to conduct energy assessments in a

broad range of manufacturing facilities, which will prepare them to

compete in today’s economy, while helping local companies and

factories reduce energy consumption and emissions, save money,

and become more economically competitive.

“The desired end result is to create the next generation of energy

engineers,” said Dr. Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan, director of the IAC

and professor of industrial and management systems engineering.

“They will have sound technical knowledge of hands-on energy

assessment methods, ISO 50001 energy management certification,

in-depth understanding of management systems and business sense,

corporate culture, industrial supply chains, and sustainability issues so

they can hit the road running.”

The grant stipulates that at least 10 to 15 students a year must be

trained. The program must also conduct approximately 25 energy

assessments annually, while performing extensive follow-up reporting

and tracking activities.

In addition to site visits, WVU IAC will also be responsible for

promoting interaction with private-sector partners that can provide

valuable workforce development support, such as scholarship and

internship opportunities.

“We have developed excellent contacts over the years with

manufacturing facilities in the state and throughout the region,

primarily through relationships with our partners, such as the

Industries of the Future-West Virginia program and the state’s

divisions of Energy, Environmental Protection, and Manufacturing

Extension Partnership,” said

Gopalakrishnan. “With rising

energy costs, there will not be a

problem finding clients for energy

assessments or site visits.

“The relationships with these

companies will pave the way for

growth in student knowledge and

skills through realization of implemented energy efficiency projects,”

explained Gopalakrishnan.

The focus on energy efficiency not only provides students with

invaluable training, but also results in economic development in

the region as companies reduce costs through energy savings and

increase their global competitiveness. This project also helps reduce

environmental emissions.

“The ultimate objective is to introduce companies, throughout the

United States, to proper procedures for energy management and

efficiency, and to help them in reducing their energy consumption,”

said Dr. Wafik Iskander, assistant director of the IAC and chair of the

Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. “In

this project, we partially accomplish this goal through the performance

of energy assessments for companies in West Virginia and other

neighboring states, but more importantly we work on training and

producing energy engineers, who can then work on achieving the

main objective.”

“To be considered for this award along with several other leading

universities across the nation is a great honor,” said Gopalakrishnan.

“It is important for WVU to receive grants such as these because they

contribute to economic development, enhanced student training and

act as an incubator for research ideas that can result in significant

impact to industrial growth and positive climate change. Some

of my best research ideas have come when I have been inside a

manufacturing facility.” •

BHASKARAN GOPALAKRISHNAN

DOE AWARDS $1.5 MILLION TO WVU INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENT CENTERBY DEBRA RICHARDSON

“The ultimate objective is to introduce companies, throughout the United States, to proper procedures for energy management and efficiency, and to help them in reducing their energy consumption,” - Dr. Wafik Iskander

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Pennsylvaniannsylvan

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nnPennPePittsburgh

Pittsburgh and the surrounding region may

be at the epicenter of the nation’s new

energy economy. According to a report

issued by the Center for Industrial Research

Applications at West Virginia University, the

region’s proximity to shale gas reserves

coupled with its access to a variety of assets

and potential partners, point to the potential

for the region to respond to this energy

opportunity.

The report’s authors, Dr. James E. Smith,

director of the Center and professor of

mechanical and aerospace engineering at

West Virginia University, and Emily Pertl,

former program coordinator for the Center,

assert that “Regional Pittsburgh” finds itself in a unique position, one

that has not been available for more than a century.

The report contends, “The advent of the recent gas finds of the

Marcellus shale coupled with the two developing technologies of

directional drilling and hydro-fracturing has provided the region with

the potential to displace our current dependence on non-domestically

produced energy and to open a new era in energy self-sufficiency.”

They propose that the initial use of these gas reserves should be in

the transportation sector to decrease off-shore expenditures in crude

oil purchases. “Regional Pittsburgh used about 7.7 percent of the

total U.S. consumption of petroleum. This offset of non-domestic

petroleum with natural gas, if performed system-wide for just the three

state region (Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio), could result in a

re-infusion of more than $77 million per day ($28 billion per year) into

the region’s economy.” Additional savings would come in the form of

fuel costs, estimated to be about 50 percent of the cost of petroleum,

and the service life and cost for emissions cleanup.

The report notes the region’s access to quality research, technology

transfer, global industries, non-profit technical assistance, possible

investors, educational centers, professional organizations, and regional

coalitions would be key to the success of this visionary program.

“This report was inspired by a request from Jan Lauer, director of 3

River Clean Energy, and president of Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities,”

said Smith. “Pittsburgh Clean Cities is one of 87 U.S. Department of

Energy-sanctioned and funded coalitions across the country that work

to encourage the adoption of clean, alternative transportation fuels to

replace petroleum-based fuels.

“Through her work with both initiatives, it became clear that there

was an opportunity to establish the greater Pittsburgh region as a

national leader in not only the deployment of alternative-fueled vehicles

and refueling infrastructure, but in the technology and policy that are

needed to fully capitalize on it.”

“Because of the depth of experience at WVU in such areas as natural

gas vehicles, emissions, and engine technology, and the international

perspective on vehicle technology and mobility trends that Jim Smith

gained from his recent role as the president of SAE International, WVU

was approached and asked to explore the extent of the opportunity

that the region might have in establishing this leadership role,” said

Lauer. “The report that has been published is the result of this request.”

The report, “Regional Pittsburgh: The New Energy Economy,” purports

that the use of natural gas will allow the region to reinvest its energy

expenditures back into the region, rebuilding its manufacturing base

and employing and re-employing a large segment of its current and

future labor force.

According to the report, it is estimated that the use of this fuel will

add over a quarter of a million new jobs by the year 2020. This does

not include the service and related jobs that will be created due to the

influx of population, the employment of those currently unemployed,

and the added tax revenue that will provide the public works projects

to keep pace with the increased social infrastructure this growth

will acquire.

“Natural gas is clearly the fuel of choice for mobility and power

production,” Smith said. “The contents of the gas also represent

a resource to re-establish our lagging chemical industry. All of this

will re-energize the workforce and provide future generations with a

positive and predictive vision for the future.” •

REGIONAL PITTSBURGH AT THE CENTER OF NEW ENERGY ECONOMYUse of Natural Gas Reserves in the Transportation Sector Would Infuse Millions into Economy

BY MARY C. DILLON

JAMES E. SMITH

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THE NEW COOL:

COVER FEATURE

In writing this introduction I am struck by the paradox between the

beauty of the resplendent fall colors in Morgantown and the growing

dissonance of the political debate about the state of the national

economy and the need to create jobs and a 21st-century workforce.

Central to global economic competitiveness is promoting interest and

national capacity in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering,

and mathematics). As we look to emerging knowledge economies, we

discover that many are building a more robust engineering workforce.

If we look within our own shores for ways to increase STEM capacity,

the answer is obvious: attract and retain more women and other

individuals from underrepresented groups.

Prior to assuming my current role as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, I enjoyed a 30-year

career as a successful life science researcher. As I gained stature as a scholar/educator and subsequently

as a STEM administrator, I became acutely aware of how few women are attracted to these fields and

how attrition exacerbates the gender imbalance in the academy and associated professions. The National

Academies’ publication, “Beyond Bias and Barriers: Fulfilling the Potential of Women in Academic Science

and Engineering,” published in 2007, focused our institutions of higher education on the overarching

reforms that are urgently needed to ensure the future vitality of the U.S. research

base. Suddenly, my lived experiences became the fodder of national debate.

At West Virginia University we have been working diligently on multiple fronts to

increase the recruitment, retention, and success of women in the STEM academy

at all levels in the educational pipeline. If women are visible and successful in

the STEM classrooms and research labs, then we will attract more women

undergraduates and graduate students. If we can train future teachers to teach

STEM concepts through constructivism in classrooms free of gender bias, we will

inspire more of our youth to study these disciplines. For a nation finding itself in hot

water, STEM is fast becoming the new “cool!”

This issue of EngineeringWV is dedicated to building engineering capacity through

more fully involving women at all levels in the engineering enterprise. In the brief

20 months that I have served at WVU, I have gleefully watched the University

community embrace goal two of the WVU 2020 Strategic Plan: to foster diversity

and an inclusive culture. Multiple efforts have been directed toward women in STEM in the hopes that we

can reach the “tipping point,” the critical mass of women needed (30 percent) to change biases about

gender. In these pages you will find ample evidence of the College’s dedication to inclusive excellence

and learn of a number of ongoing initiatives to recruit women to engineering and to help them succeed in

the field. Not only will these success stories catalyze the entry of other women into engineering, but they

clearly demonstrate that promoting diversity leads to better engineering solutions.

In the same way that we associate the splendid fall foliage with the promise of a better harvest in the years

to come, the College’s efforts now will ensure better economic opportunities for us all in the future.

WOMEN IN STEM

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DR. MICHELE WHEATLY PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT

FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

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COVER FEATURE

Leslie Hopkinson was raised on math and science.

Her parents—a math teacher and an engineer—inspired her to pursue a

career in science. She also liked being outdoors and wanted to preserve it

for everyone else.

She journeyed into ecological engineering with the help of her adviser

and teaching mentors, all three women, and participated at her graduate

institution’s seminars and networking experiences for young female

scientists funded by a National Science Foundation grant called ADVANCE

that is designed to support female faculty.

Now Hopkinson, as an assistant professor of civil and environmental

engineering at West Virginia University, is faced with climbing the faculty

career ladder while building her research team and lab. Once again she is

receiving assistance from the women around her.

She is one of four women in the College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources who received $15,000 grants through WVU’s $3.2 million

National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant. The funds, part of the

WVU ADVANCE Sponsorship Program, will allow them to receive

mentoring from faculty members outside their department and to explore

their science in new ways.

The overall grant is designed to create a network of support and resources

for female faculty in science, technology, engineering, and math careers.

“By ensuring that women scientists consider academia as a viable and

attractive career option, we are contributing to a more diverse science

and engineering workforce,” said Melissa Latimer, director of the WVU

ADVANCE Center. “These role models also help to inspire the next

generation of female faculty and researchers.”

These professors’ interests are far-reaching.

Hopkinson is exploring how to restore riverbanks to allow plant and animal

life to thrive. Yuxin Liu is developing a microvessel model combining

biology and engineering to allow the investigation of human tissue, which

could contribute to cancer research. Jennifer Weidhaas is using bacteria to

clean up pollution. Robin Hissam is researching biological polymers.

All four women got into their fields in different ways. Some, like

Hopkinson, had female scientist and engineering role models guiding them

to the place they are now.

Liu, an assistant professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science

and Electrical Engineering, grew up watching her parents, both electrical

engineering professors, teach and research at universities in China. Seeing

her mother work as a faculty member showed her a direct path to

research, and she didn’t see the difficulties women face in engineering.

But the statistics tell another story.

According to the Society of Women Engineers, women made

up 17 percent of freshman engineering majors earlier in the last

decade, and fewer than 20 percent of those in science, engineering,

technology, and mathematics careers were women. The National

Science Foundation reports that women with science and engineering

doctorates made up 30 percent of full-time faculty in 2006.

“I think as women faculty in the engineering department, we really

need to do something to change that,” Liu said.

Why women in science?

When it comes to the question of why support women in science, for

some the answer is obvious: it’s the science that should be supported

no matter who is practicing it.

But diversity, some note, allows new ideas to flourish.

LESLIE HOPKINSONROBIN HISSAM

FACULTY GROW THEIR RESEARCH THROUGH WVU ADVANCE GRANT BY DIANA MAZZELLA

Jennifer Weidhaas was one of four women selected to win West Virginia University’s first-ever Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Awards. The $3,750 award supports faculty initiatives and student scholarships.

Weidhaas is a member of the environmental/hydrotechnical group in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She has experience working in academia, industry, and governmental agencies. Her research focus includes biological, chemical, and physical environmental engineering approaches, including water/wastewater treatment, hazardous waste and emerging contaminants remediation, water quality modeling, and bacterial source tracking of contaminants. She will use her award to purchase a benchtop, refrigerated microcentrifuge for her research laboratory.

The WiSE Giving Circle brings together alumnae and friends who seek to impact the field of science by encouraging and mentoring young women in their pursuit of professional careers within the National Science Foundation-funded STEM disciplines—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The giving circle is an internal program that was developed simultaneously with WVU’s National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Grant, which seeks to “increase the participation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers.”

The 2011-2012 WiSE Awards are funded by WiSE annual membership and donations, The Hall-de Graaf Endowment for Women in Science and Engineering, The Research Trust Fund Hall – de Graaf Science and Engineering Fund, and the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences.

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Volume 7 Issue 2

JENNIFER WEIDHAASYUXIN LIU

Weidhaas, who researches and teaches in the Department of Civil

and Environmental Engineering, said that, “Everyone approaches

problems differently.

“Having a diverse faculty in terms of gender and race provides the

multiple lines of thought and disparate approaches that are needed

to solve complex problems in science and engineering.”

Eight women in all were recognized this year. From 2012 to 2015,

ten women a year will be selected to receive the WVU ADVANCE

sponsorships.

To read detailed biographies of the women in science, technology,

engineering and math fields at WVU, go to wisewomen.wvu.edu. •

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INDUSTRY FEATURE

YANG RECEIVES $200,000 NSF RESEARCH GRANT BY DEBRA RICHARDSON

Feng Yang, an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering at West Virginia University’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, received a $200,000 National Science Foundation grant to develop statistical methods to improve experimental efficiency in the toxicology studies of nanomaterials.

With the advancement of nanotechnology in a wide range of applications, many nanometersized particles, or nanoparticles, are now commercially available. However, the problem exists between the development of these nanoparticles and risk assessment.

Any substance can be toxic to humans if too much is consumed. It has been found that nanoparticles are more toxic than relatively big particles because they are extremely small.

“Think of nanomaterials as extremely small dust in the air,” explains Yang. “Breathing in too much dust makes people sick. When used by customers, there is no guarantee that their exposure to nanomaterials will be zero. After the product is disposed of, you can imagine the dust may go everywhere.”

The toxicity of nanomaterials is studied in the same manner as the toxicity of food colors or heavy metals, said Yang.

“Some nanomaterials are fed to animals to see how they react,” said Yang. “Such biological experiments are expensive, and I intend to develop statistical methods so that fewer experiments are needed to find out the toxicity effects of nanomaterials.”

Yang is working to develop procedures that will reduce the amount of biological experiments needed for toxicity assessment. This research will substantially reduce the cost of experiments while alleviating the rising concerns for animal ethics. If successful, the method could accelerate the process of understanding the potential environmental hazard and human exposure risk posed by nanomaterials.

Yang plans to recruit females, low-income, and minority students to participate in the proposed research, hoping to attract young talents into the multidisciplinary field.

“As a woman in engineering, I understand the challenges faced by women and minorities and I believe in involving them in higher education and research will benefit society in the long run.”

While the research hopefuls have yet to be determined, Yang hopes to begin her research soon. Yang is collaborating with Dr. Dale Porter at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. •

Being born with diabetes was not something that Kaitlin Stricker, of Charleston, W.Va., was going to let get in her way. In fact, she and her father, Vincent, learned to embrace it.

They started Bag of Hope, a statewide program that reaches out to families of children with newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes.

“Serving some 150 families in the past 10 years through Bag of Hope, not only left a deep impression on me of the vulnerability and gratitude people express in times of need, but of my ability, merely through example, to help families through not only a tough time, but through a lifetime,” Stricker wrote in her application.

Stricker, who plans to study chemical and biomedical engineering, was one of 20 Bucklew Scholars in the University’s incoming freshman class. Neil S. Bucklew, the scholarship’s creator, served as WVU’s 20th president from 1986 to 1995. The scholarship, valued at more than $26,000, provides each student with more than $6,600 per year toward educational costs during their four years at WVU.

A graduate of Charleston Catholic High School, Stricker achieved a 4.0 G.P.A. each year of high school career, and was recognized as a U.S. Presidential Scholar, one of only two from the state. She was also an Advanced Placement Scholar, received the Dorothy Arthur Camp Kno-Koma Leadership Award, and was a Wendy’s West Virginia High School Heisman Award finalist, among other things.

Stricker was also named one of five WVU Foundation Scholars. The award, which provides full tuition and fees, plus room and board and books for four years, is valued at approximately $70,000 when paired with the state’s PROMISE Scholarship. In addition, the scholarship includes a $4,500 stipend for academic enhancement, which is commonly used for study abroad, internships, and other advanced learning opportunities. The scholarships are part of the University’s comprehensive awards program and are supported, in part, by the WVU Foundation, the private non-profit corporation that generates, receives, and administers private gifts for the benefit of WVU. •

Bucklew and Foundation Scholar Uses Personal Experiences to Help Others

COVER FEATURE

KAITLIN STRICKER

FENG YANG

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

DR. SAMUEL AMERI

BIOMETRIC SYSTEMS MAJORS WIN LOCKHEED MARTIN WHITE PAPER CHALLENGE ALICIA HARMON AND CHLOE SNYDER AWARDED $5,000 SCHOLARSHIPSBY MARY C. DILLON

In furnishing Lockheed Martin with white papers that address biometrics challenges in the United States, two West Virginia University students may have helped improve national security. In earning scholarships for their efforts, the students also helped themselves.

Alicia Harmon of Independence, W.Va., and Chloe Snyder of Pigeon, W.Va., biometric systems majors in WVU’s Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering, were each awarded a $5,000 scholarship from Lockheed Martin for papers they submitted as part of a contest.

Their answers to “What steps should America take to foster further adoption of biometrics in addressing our nation’s challenges—and why?,” were evaluated based on relevance to top-level national interests in application of biometrics, creativity, persuasiveness, and credibility of proposed project scope. The students were honored at a ceremony at the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources in April.

“While Lockheed Martin has been funding a biometric scholarship program at WVU since 2007, we wanted to do something unique this year,” said John Mears, director of Biometric Solutions for Lockheed Martin. “Right now there’s great opportunity for biometrics to help address some of our nation’s most pressing challenges. It made perfect sense that we inspire the next generation of biometrics talent here at WVU to consider how they can be part of the solution.”

Harmon’s paper, “Biometrics: Securing American Children’s Futures,” focused on the technology available to parents and caregivers to keep children safe and prevent abductions.

“When a child is enrolled in school, parents are asked for several items including immunization records, birth certificate, and social security number,” said Harmon. “Adding a set of up to five approved guardian fingerprints to pair with the child’s at the same time would be very easy.”

“Alicia is a very dedicated student,” said Bojan Cukic, professor and co-director of the Center for Identification Technology Research. “Alicia has been elected by her peers as the president of the Student Association for the Advancement of Biometrics. She spares no effort to popularize biometrics

amongst WVU students, and visits high schools in the region. It has been a true pleasure observing her professional growth over the past couple of years. The Lockheed Martin scholarship could not have been awarded to a more deserving student.”

Snyder discussed the creation of multimodal systems that use a combination of different biometric recognition technologies to identify a person.

“When looking at this multimodal system implemented by BIMA (Biometrics Identity Management Agency), the public perception of this system must be taken into account. Whether or not a person is willing to use the system could introduce some potential problems,” said Snyder. “Many people, around flu season, would be less than willing to place their hand on a hand geometry scanner after numerous other people have placed their hands there. The same applies for a fingerprint scanner. Facial recognition and iris recognition require a less physical relationship. Contact of any sort is not necessary. These are the sorts of issues that are essential when looking at adopting a biometric system.”

“Chloe is a hard-working student who is keen on obtaining hands-on experience in biometrics,” said Arun Ross, Robert C. Byrd associate professor and assistant director, Center for Identification Technology Research. “Her interest is in the area of biometric sensors, and she has assisted the FBI Biometric Center of Excellence with biometric data collection.”

Lockheed Martin’s philanthropic program strives to improve the quality of life in communities where employees live and work. The company has a tradition of involvement that includes philanthropy, leadership, and volunteer support of educational, civic, and cultural initiatives throughout the nation.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products, and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion. •

ALICIA HARMON CHLOE SNYDER

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During an awards ceremony her junior year, then-University President David C. Hardesty Jr. planted a seed in the mind of Sarah (Lovell) Soliman, who was majoring in computer engineering and biometric systems.

“He challenged me to start thinking about ways to give back to the University,” Soliman said.

On September 8, that challenge came to fruition when Soliman created a $25,000 endowment in honor of her former mentor, Dr. Wils Cooley, professor emeritus in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. The endowment will provide scholarship assistance to engineering students interested in studying abroad.

“Dr. Cooley helped me say, ‘Yes,’ when others were saying, ‘No,’” Soliman said about her study-abroad experience in Morocco. “He helped me figure out a way to coordinate the strict and lab-intensive engineering curriculum so that I could graduate on time by getting all my study abroad credits to transfer back. He encouraged me, gave me great advice, and didn’t think I was crazy.

“Studying abroad in Morocco as an undergrad is what gave me the confidence to then go on to complete graduate school in England and take my first job out of college in Iraq,” she said. “The life lessons I learned while studying abroad are an integral part of who I am today, and I wanted to be a part of helping to encourage that same self-discovery in others. I only wish I could provide a ‘Dr. Cooley’ for every engineering student who would like to study abroad.”

“I’m overwhelmed,” said Cooley. “I’m always excited when students go abroad to study but I had no idea I had made such an impact on Sarah. I’m sure she would have gone anyway even without my encouragement. I just hope her actions today encourage the next generation of our students to study abroad.”

“Dr. Cooley and I have been colleagues for many years and I always remember him as an early advocate of study abroad programs,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “To see a young alum give back so generously to support scholarships for future generations of students to study abroad is inspiring. To see such scholarships provided in recognition of Dr. Cooley is most appropriate.”

Soliman works for Makarios Solutions, Inc., a defense intelligence consulting firm headquartered in Vienna, Va. She has spent time in Afghanistan working with aerial surveillance platforms and in Iraq working with the Department of Defense’s Tactical Biometric System. In the fall of 2009, she was chosen as a Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellow to the National Academy of Sciences and served with the Air Force Studies Board.

While working toward her master’s degree in technology policy at the University of Cambridge in England, Soliman was maxed out on loans and humbled by a gift from a pair of fellow WVU graduates who learned of her situation.

“This was an unforgettable lesson in how the Mountaineer family always takes care of each other and I promised myself to try to do for others as they had done for me.

“During my undergraduate years, I benefited immensely from numerous WVU Foundation scholarships, including the Bucklew, which made my education affordable,” Soliman said. “If I could say one thing to encourage other alumni to make a gift it would be to find a way to make the best better.”

“What you’re seeing here today is the best of higher education,” said Hardesty. “I think the process by which students learn about the greater world and they resolve to help others achieve the same is very inspiring. Sarah, at a very young age, has made a commitment to the future of this university. Hopefully, she will encourage others to do the same.” •

FINDING A WAY TO MAKE THE BEST BETTERENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP HONORS FORMER MENTOR

BY MARY C. DILLON

Sean and Christina Stuber wear many hats as co-founders of Mikini Bikini. In addition to their online business, the couple have “day jobs”; Sean with a large consulting firm and Christina with TJX, the company that owns TJ Maxx, Home Goods, and Marshall’s retail stores. When the couple realized they needed some help, Christina reached out to her alma mater and her mentor, Dr. Jack Byrd.

“From the very beginning of my industrial engineering career at WVU, I was extremely fortunate to have an advisor who helped guide and develop

me,” Christina said. “Dr. Byrd has been an amazing inspiration and driver in my career. When Sean and I considered hiring a summer intern, we of course turned to him to snatch up one of his best students.”

Dr. Byrd recommended Beckley, W.Va., native Shamaya Morris, who enjoyed the creativity behind the designs and ideas for the swimwear line.

“Since Christina and Sean have the same degree I am working toward, I knew this would be an opportunity to learn from the best,” Morris said.

“Working for this company has given me such an insight on what it means to become a successful business owner and developer. Just by shadowing Christina and Sean, I’ve learned that it takes more than motivation to become successful; it takes hard work and determination. This internship experience will not only prepare me for a successful future but also guarantee my success.”

Morris, a senior, plans to pursue a career in consulting, hoping to one day

own her own consulting firm. •

CO

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SHAMAYA MORRIS

DAVID HARDESTY JR. SARAH SOLIMAN WILS COOLEY

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

Most people know or at least have an idea of what certain types of engineers do. In simple terms, electrical engineers are concerned with electrical systems and

designing circuits while mechanical engineers are concerned with mechanical systems and building devices. Chemical engineers are concerned with chemical systems and explore chemical processes and civil engineers are concerned with physical systems and building structures.

So what do industrial engineers do? Using knowledge of engineering, mathematics, business administration, and management, industrial and manufacturing systems engineers focus on the way products and services are made and performed. In addition to manufacturing, industrial engineers work and consult in every industry, including hospitals, communications, e-commerce, entertainment, government, finance, food, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, sports, insurance, sales, accounting, banking, travel, and transportation.

Thanks to West Virginia University industrial engineering graduate Christina (Iaquinta) Stuber ’07, they are also found in the bikini business.

Stuber, a native of Bridgeport, W.Va., and her husband, Sean, a 2004 industrial engineering graduate of Penn State University, are the owners of Mikini Bikini, a swimwear retailer which sells online at www.mikinibikini.com. The company, which was formed in 2010, has garnered the attention of the fashion world, with mentions in the May edition of InStyle magazine, which included Mikini Bikini in its “Fail-Safe Guide to Summer’s Hottest Swimsuits,” a note in Seventeen magazine’s fashion blog in March, and stories in WV Living Magazine and the Charleston Daily Mail this past summer.

The name Mikini evolved from the uniqueness and individuality of the offering itself; quite literally, “my bikini.”

“I found it extremely difficult to find a bikini that I really loved, was well-made, and above all fit my style,” said Christina. “I want my swimwear to be a reflection of my personal tastes, just like the clothes in my closet. Furthermore, I want the ability to truly mix and match my tops and bottoms. That requires colors and patterns that can work together or separately. Until now, there have been limited options out there like that.

“Fashion design and retail apparel products in general are so often thought to be developed purely by artfulness and inspiration,” Christina continued. “And while we’ll be the first to say our bikinis are all about inspiration, as engineers we’re great at distilling these designs down to their basic components: product and process.”

Whether you’re working for a Fortune 500 company or a small company like Mikini Bikini, the Stubers agree that translating what you’ve learned into action is what matters.

“Be action oriented,” Sean said. “Everyone knows grades are important. But the real world cares more about application than grades. So think every day about how you can apply what you are studying. Industrial engineering classes refine your thought process and teach skills that you can use to solve problems.”

According to Christina, having an understanding of product design, manufacturing process, sourcing, and operations research has also profoundly impacted product development. The company offers four style options for bikini tops and three for bottoms, with more than 60 different body and trim fabrics and about 20 linings. Each custom-ordered suit is handmade in the United States.

“Whether you’re talking about existing products or new product development, an intimate understanding of the products’ fabrication process is critical,” Sean said. “From a manufacturing perspective, establishing repeatable processes and work templates ensures consistent quality. In problem-solving mode, it can help us determine if we need to make an adjustment to a design or source another component that adds value and maintains quality. Having standards helps us better understand product cost. And methodical order processing and inventory control help keep orders straight and customers happy.

“There are endless indirect and intangible ways that our engineering backgrounds have supported the work we do,” Christina continued. “One of the main reasons I chose to pursue industrial engineering was because it was so broad. I knew I wouldn’t feel limited in my career and I could focus my efforts in literally any industry: manufacturing, consulting, technical sales, retail. My degree provided the skill set and confidence to tackle any business operation … even string bikinis!” •

IE ALUM MAKES A SPLASH IN CUSTOM BIKINI BUSINESSBY MARY C. DILLON

CHRISTINA AND SEAN STUBER

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FACULTY NEWS

Gyungsu Byun Assistant Professor Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Education:Ph.D. - University of California, Los Angeles, ’10 M.S. - Poghan University of Science and Technology, Korea, ’99 B.S. - Chonbuk National University, South Korea, ’97

Teaching Interests: advanced digital integrated circuit and microelectronics

Research Interests: digital electronics, computer engineering

Yaser FallahAssistant Professor Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

Education: Ph.D. - University of British Columbia, Canada, ’07 M.S. - University of British Columbia, ’01 B.S. - Sharif University of Technology, Iran, ’98

Teaching Interests: computer engineering and systems

Research Interests: cyberphysical systems, computer networks

Todd HamrickTeaching Assistant Professor Freshman Engineering Program

Education:Ph.D. - West Virginia University, ’11 M.S. - West Virginia University, ’08 B.S. - West Virginia University, ’87

Teaching Interests: thermal and fluids laboratory, dynamics, statistics

NEW FACULTYMelissa MorrisTeaching Assistant Professor Freshman Engineering Program

Education:Ph.D. - West Virginia University, ’11 M.S. - West Virginia University, ’08 B.S. - West Virginia University, ’06

Teaching Interests: thermodynamics, thermal fluids laboratory, guided missile systems

Research Interests: energy- and thermodynamic-related topics,engineering education

Xiaopeng NingAssistant Professor Industrial and Management Systems Engineering

Education: Ph.D. - Iowa State University, ’11 M.S. - Iowa State University, ’08 B.S. - Beijing Institute of Technology, China, ’05

Teaching Interests: ergonomics, human factors, safety engineering

Research Interests: biomechanics, low back injury, ergonomics

Yong YangAssistant Professor Chemical Engineering

Education:Ph.D. - Ohio State University, ’05 M.S. - Zhejiang University, China, ’98 B.S. - Zhejiang University, China, ’93

Teaching Interests: biomedical engineering, including biomedical nanotechnology and polymer nanoengineering

Research Interests: regenerative medicine

TWO PROMOTED TO RANK OF PROFESSOR EMERITUSTwo members of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

faculty have been granted emeritus status, effective 2011.

Alfred H. Stiller was promoted to the rank of professor emeritus in

the Department of Chemical Engineering. Stiller earned his Ph.D. from

the University of Cincinnati in 1972 and his bachelor’s degree from

Chemistry Eastern College in 1967. He joined the WVU faculty in 1980.

Stiller’s research is primarily in the area of carbon materials from coal

and coal conversion. Prior to joining the faculty he worked for the

West Virginia Geological Survey. Stiller holds several patents on a

variety of technologies.

Darrell R. Dean, Jr. was promoted to the rank of professor emeritus

in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dean earned

both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from WVU in 1966 and 1968,

respectively. He completed his Ph.D. at Purdue University in 1979. His

teaching career began in 1969 at Glenville State College, where he was

instrumental in starting the college’s surveying program. Since 1977, he

has taught surveying at WVU. He has served as president of the West

Virginia Association of Land Surveyors and as chairman of the West

Virginia State Board of Examiners of Land Surveyors, now the West Virginia

Board of Professional Surveyors. •

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

Two members of our College faculty recently

reached milestones in their careers. Join us in

congratulating those who have been promoted:

Darran CairnsAssociate Professor

Darran Cairns earned both

his B.S. and Ph.D. degrees

in materials sciences and

engineering from the University

of Birmingham in the United

Kingdom. Prior to joining the

Department of Mechanical and

Aerospace Engineering in 2006,

he served as a research specialist

with the Optical Systems Division

of 3M Touch Systems in Methuen, Mass. His research focuses

on liquid crystalline composite materials and structures for

display and sensor applications, including flexible displays. He

has published 29 peer-reviewed articles and two book chapters,

and holds seven patents with several more pending.

Xingbo Liu Associate Professor

Xingbo Liu earned his bachelor’s,

master’s, and doctoral degrees

in materials science from the

University of Science and

Technology in Beijing, China.

A prolific researcher, Liu did

his postdoctoral work in the

Department of Mechanical and

Aerospace Engineering at WVU

and was named New Researcher

of the Year in 2004-2005. He

joined the staff as an assistant professor in 2006 and has been

Outstanding Researcher in the College twice, in 2007-2008 and

2008-2009. In 2010, he went on to win the Minerals, Metals

& Materials Society Faculty Early Career Fellow Award and in

2011, he received the “Oscar of Innovation” from R&D Magazine

for his work with fuel cells. Liu has filed two patent applications,

published 33 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and presented

40 papers at international conferences. •

PROMOTION AND TENURE

Following a national search,

Dr. Jacky Prucz was named

chair of the Department of

Mechanical and Aerospace

Engineering in the College

of Engineering and Mineral

Resources.

Prucz joined the West

Virginia University faculty

in 1985 after earning his

doctorate in aerospace

engineering from Georgia

Institute of Technology. He

earned both his bachelor’s

and master’s degrees in

aeronautical engineering

from the Technion, Israel

Institute of Technology.

During his tenure at WVU, Prucz has served as the assistant

director of the Concurrent Engineering Research Center, and

associate chair and interim chair of the MAE Department.

He managed multi-million dollar research programs in close

collaboration with major industrial partners, such as GE/Aircraft

Engines, 3M, and Boeing Aerospace.

He brings extensive multi-disciplinary experience to the position,

ranging from analysis and design of aircraft and airborne

systems, to passive vibration control, parametric modeling for

concurrent engineering, mechanics of composite materials and

their applications to lightweight structures. Prucz is the author or

co-author of four book chapters and more than 100 publications

in these areas, as well as numerous articles and reports on

various aspects of engineering education. He has developed

new instructional materials and has taught a variety of courses at

both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including laboratory

classes and capstone design projects.

Prior to starting a career in academia, Prucz performed an

extended military service in the Israeli Air Force, where he was

assigned a variety of duties related to engineering design,

operations research, performance analysis and flight testing of

combat aircraft. •

PRUCZ NAMED CHAIR OF MAE

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Commencement weekend is filled with pomp

and circumstance not just for our students

but for our alumni as well. The College of

Engineering and Mineral Resources featured

two of West Virginia University’s three

honorary degree recipients, with a third

alumnus being recognized earlier in the day

with the Order of Vandalia.

George Bennett, B.S., industrial engineering

’67, Henry T. Yang, M.S., industrial

engineering ’65, and Verl Purdy, B.S.,

chemical engineering ’64 were recognized

for their advances in their respective fields

and their commitment to the University.

Bennett, who has been a leading visionary

and entrepreneur for the past 35 years,

offered a simple charge to the graduates:

“take initiative.”

He relayed two stories, one from his own

experience and one a fictionalized account,

to illustrate the importance of recognizing

opportunities and taking advantage of them.

He talked about two bricklayers who were

asked to describe their jobs. One replied

“bricklayer” while the other said he was

“helping to build a magnificent skyscraper.”

The second response indicates a better

vision and world view than merely offering

a job description.

“You are launching into a world that is

convulsing with opportunity,” Bennett said.

“Math and science and engineering are once

again recognized as key ingredients for a

thriving economy. The pace of change is

breathtaking. My advice to you is to advance

into the chaos. Be fearless. Take initiative

and have fun.

“… there is no place that is more dear to

me than West Virginia University,” Bennett

continued. “This is where I learned how

to think and how to approach complex

problems. I had some great professors, and

through them I was able to assemble some

problem-solving skills that have served me

throughout my career. I am sure that you

will find the same to be true as you move

on to graduate school or as you launch

your career.”

Henry T. Yang, an accomplished leader in

higher education and the field of aeronautical

engineering, repeated several visionary

quotes about science and engineering,

including one from Theodore von Karman, an

aerospace engineer who was responsible for

many key advances in aerodynamics.

“The famous aerospace engineer Theodore

von Karman once said, ‘Scientists discover

the world that exists; engineers create the

world that never was.’

“So you, our engineering graduates, will now

go out to create the world that never was.”

Yang also recognized Charles Vest, MIT

president emeritus and a member of

WVU’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni,

who attended the ceremony. Vest was

the recipient of the National Science

Board’s 2011 Vannevar Bush Award for his

distinguished public service leadership in

science and technology.

ORDER OF VANDALIA

Prior to

commencement,

the University

awarded the

Order of Vandalia

to Purdy. The

Order of Vandalia

represents the

highest honor

awarded for

extraordinary

service to the

University.

Purdy’s career led him to become the

vice president and general manager of the

Intermediate Chemicals Group at BASF and

later the CEO for Rio Tinto Zinc Chemicals

for North America.

He founded a group of companies, the

AGDATA Group, which would become a

leading provider of agricultural information

in the United States and Canada. His health

care information subsidiary became one of

the largest providers of eligibility verification

in the country.

After selling both companies, Purdy

continues to purchase and operate health

care information and analytics companies in

the United States.

Purdy is chairman of the board for the WVU

Foundation. •

HONORARY DEGREES, ORDER OF VANDALIA AWARDED COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND

COLLEGE NEWS

GEORGE BENNETT PRESIDENT JAMES P. CLEMENTS HENRY T. YANG

VERL PURDY

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

West Virginia University is embarking on an

ambitious building project that will remake the

Evansdale campus.

A multi-year, $159.5 million building plan has

been approved by the Board of Governors that

will give the College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources a new advanced engineering

research building, the College of Physical

Activity and Sport Sciences its own space,

and Agricultural Sciences a new building and

greenhouse.

When coupled with a previously announced

Student Wellness center and upgraded

recreation fields nearby, as well as a new art

museum, the Evansdale campus will change

dramatically in the next few years.

The new buildings will feature state-of-the-art

facilities and additional classrooms, and enable

more general education classes to be held on

Evansdale, cutting down traffic to and from the

downtown campus.

It’s no accident that this capital improvement

plan represents the largest financial investment

in recent school history. WVU announced the

2020 Strategic Framework for the Future earlier

this year, and each new facility is designed to

support the goals.

Vice President of Administration and Finance

Narvel Weese said the University has been

exploring many of the individual projects for the

last few years. The selected capital projects

were submitted to the Board for funding

because they are fundamental to the success

of the strategic plan’s priorities.

PRODUCTIVE RESEARCHERS

The College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources has experienced significant growth

in the last decade. Its faculty members are

among the most productive researchers

on campus. A new engineering building is

necessary to support continued growth in

both enrollment and research.

This new building (A&E sketch below), called

the Advanced Engineering Research building

or AERB, will have 74,000 assignable square

feet. Two departments will be relocated into

this building freeing space in the existing

Engineering buildings to accommodate growth

of all CEMR departments. The new building

will add 22,000 square feet of flexible research

laboratory space, as well as a 15,000 square

foot clean room to meet the needs of high-

technology learning and discovery in the new

millennium. Offices, classrooms, computer

classrooms, a learning center, and graduate

student space will use 29,000 square feet

in the new building. The building will also

provide 15,000 square feet of shell space,

which will be allocated and built-out according

to future space needs. The building will be

fully integrated into the utility infrastructure for

the Evansdale campus and will have energy-

efficient systems.

The estimated cost of the building is

$41.4 million, with completion scheduled

for June 2014. •

EVANSDALE CAMPUS REMAKE INCLUDES NEW ENGINEERING RESEARCH BUILDING

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COLLEGE NEWS

West Virginia University has unlocked its entry

to the magical level of gaming with a new

graduate certificate program that debuted

this fall.

Graduate students in computer science

are able to earn a certificate in interactive

technologies and serious gaming, a potential

gateway to working in the ever-growing

game industry.

The program is a collaborative effort between

the Lane Department of Computer Science

and Electrical Engineering and the Department

of English.

“Notice it’s called serious gaming,” said Tim

Menzies, associate professor in computer

science and electrical engineering. “We’re

serious. This is the future of human interaction

of all societies.”

From “Pong” to “Halo,” the dynamics of games

have changed from blips and bleeps to a vast

paradise of multidimensional visuals, characters

and storylines. Gamers no longer sit in front of

wood-cased tube TV sets fiddling with one-

button joysticks in isolation.

Nowadays, gamers worldwide engage in

online communities where they strategize

with or against one another in seeking their

virtual goals.

It’s an ideal time for game-centric students to

delve into the industry, say the brains behind

the certificate program.

The initiative aims to fill a need in the industry

for simulation systems, scientific visualization,

and other techniques and tools. Professors

believe exposure to current research in the

fields of computer graphics and artificial

intelligence will enable students to develop

next-generation technologies within those

fields.

“The economics of games have changed,”

Menzies said. “The gaming industry is now

bigger than the movie industry.”

To bolster Menzies’ claim, sales of “Call of

Duty: Black Ops” reached $650 million within

five days of its November 2010 release. The

first-person shooter by Activision set a five-day

global record for any movie, book, or video

game. It soon became the best-selling game of

all-time in the United States, selling 13.7 million

copies and surpassing “Wii Play.”

Earning this certificate in interactive

technologies and serious gaming will take

more effort than eluding enemy combatants or

slaying dragons.

Students will take courses in graphics,

databases, and artificial intelligence. As a

capstone project, students must also produce

a game for their portfolio.

“The skills you need to work in the gaming

industry are hardcore math and computer

science,” Menzies said. “If you can’t write

scales or algorithms, you’re not going to get a

job with these companies.”

Menzies’ colleague, Frances Van Scoy,

associate professor of computer science and

electrical engineering, further emphasized the

hard work and know-how needed to complete

the certificate program.

“You have to be good at physics if you want

to model how hair moves or how a piece of

fabric moves in a game,” she said. “You need

to know partial differential equations. Students

who develop games come out with solid skills

applicable in a lot of areas.”

Within the past decade, Van Scoy has

adamantly pushed for the development of

a gaming program at WVU. She cites her

students’ passion for gaming as a driving

force. Even without a focus or concentration

on gaming, some students have gone on to

make a name for themselves in the industry.

Chiam Gingold, for example, studied computer

science and English as an undergraduate at

WVU. Gingold worked on the successful life-

simulation computer game “The Sims” and is

also recognized for designing the multi-genre,

artificial life game “Spore.” Both titles were

published by Electronic Arts, known for its

highly popular “Madden” NFL games, as well

as “Rock Band.”

Gingold’s areas of study—computer science

and English—illustrate that would-be game

developers need more than just technical

engineering skills. In addition to being a math

and computer wizard, an aspiring game

designer/programmer/creator needs to tell a

good story. Enter the English Department for

this part of the program.

POWER-UP! WVU TO INTRODUCE CERTIFIINTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIESBY JAKE STUMP

Do you want to play a game? Or, maybe, create one?

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“If you look at who designs computer

games, there are just as many people who

have backgrounds in creative or humanities

fields,” said Charles (Sandy) Baldwin,

associate professor of English and director

of the Center for Literary Computing.

The English Department offers courses

including multimedia writing and digital

humanities, which are applicable to game

development. The storytelling aspect of

games is equally as important as their

visual and auditory onslaught.

Without having to rescue a kidnapped

Princess Toadstool from the clutches of

the evil Bowser, a gamer’s escapades

through pipes and fire-pitted castles as the

protagonist plumber Mario would be for nil.

“If you describe your experience with a

computer game, you’ll describe things like

characters, stories, reading, writing, and

dialogue,” Baldwin said. “These are things

people deal with in English departments.

We talk about how to tell a story and

develop characters.

“Writing for a computer game can mean

a lot of different things. There’s ‘Halo’ and

then there’s ‘Angry Birds.’ There’s ‘World

of Warcraft’ but there’s also ‘Tetris.’ It’s

really diverse.”

It’s no longer just a simple beginning and

end for today’s gamers. Many best-selling

titles contain nonlinear storylines and

subplots.

Baldwin identified “The Sims,” “Zelda,”

and “Half-Life” as games that changed

the landscape of the industry with their

engaging, narrative force. Baldwin’s

students study these games and their

impact in his courses. He called “Half-

Life” an “achievement in combining good

storytelling with sci-fi monster-killing

action.”

His students dig even deeper into the

meanings and implications of games.

“They read cultural and theoretical analyses

of how games tell stories,” he said, “and

the relationship between games and

certain historical issues like race, gender

and society.”

Baldwin added that the cross-departmental

involvement on the new certificate program

fits the University’s mission of educating

beyond boundaries. The program,

however, is centrally located in the

computer science department and is open

only to its graduate students.

But both computer science and English

departments hope this joint effort ultimately

leads to a full-fledged degree-granting

program for undergraduate and graduate

students.

“Every peer university of our size has

some major initiative in computer gaming,”

Baldwin said. “In some cases, they offer

certificate programs like this one. In other

cases, they have major programs. In the

long run, we hope to build this certificate

program into something bigger, perhaps an

actual major.”

The English Department hopes to unveil

a similar gaming certificate program for

undergraduate students by fall 2012,

Baldwin said. •

WVU TO INTRODUCE CERTIFIINTERACTIVE TECHNOLOGIESBY JAKE STUMP

CATE PROGRAM IN AND SERIOUS GAMING

WATTS MUSEUM EXHIBITION TO FOCUS ON SAFE AND SUFFICIENT MINE ILLUMINATION

The Royce J. and Caroline

B. Watts Museum in the

College of Engineering

and Mineral Resources is

featuring the exhibition,

Defying the Darkness:

The Struggle for Safe and

Sufficient Mine Illumination.

The exhibition will run

through May 2012.

The exhibition explores the history of mine

illumination, specifically the controversies and

context surrounding developments in mine lighting

technology. Defying the Darkness presents the

interrelated yet often conflicting attitudes towards

mine lighting from the perspectives of mine

operators, miners, and government bodies, as well as

scientists working to advance underground-lighting

technology. For these various groups in the mining

industry, health and safety concerns, economic

interests and technological factors all played a role,

as mine illumination progressed from tallow candles

and oil wick lights to battery-powered cap lamps.

The Royce J. and Caroline B. Watts Museum is

dedicated to preserving and promoting the social,

cultural, and technological history of the coal, oil, and

natural gas industries of the state of West Virginia

through the collection, preservation, research, and

exhibition of objects relevant to these industries. •

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ACCOLADES

Researchers from West Virginia University and the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) in Morgantown have earned an award known around the world as the “Oscar of Innovation” for their work on a

technology that could vastly improve the performance of solid oxide fuel cells as a new source of clean electricity.

R&D Magazine named the work one of the “100 most technologically significant products introduced into the marketplace over the past year.” Previous R&D 100 Award winners include such innovations as HDTV and the automated teller machine.

Fuel cells are devices that generate electricity through a chemical reaction. They use hydrogen as fuel and little more than water is produced as a byproduct. NETL and WVU experts have been concentrating on a variation of the fuel cell known as a solid oxide fuel cell in a quest for a coating that can prolong the life of individual components and lower the cost of using fuel cells in large-scale power generation.

WVU is one of five universities that are working on energy research projects as part of NETL’s Regional University Alliance.

“One of the goals of our 2020 Strategic Plan is to excel in research, creativity, and innovation, especially areas that address state and global issues,” said WVU Provost Michele Wheatly. “This new technology around fuel cells as a new source of clean energy is a great example of the type of research that’s going on in our labs and classrooms that could have an important impact on our economy and on our environment.”

Solid oxide fuel cells offer advantages because, unlike a wide range of other fuel cells that operate exclusively on hydrogen, they can also use fossil fuels, butane, methanol, other petroleum products, and gases from biomass or coal and still only produce water and a small amount of carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

However, the stumbling block has been the life expectancy of the solid oxide fuel cells that must be stacked or bundled together to work. High

temperatures and chemical reactions make the process expensive because of the need for frequent replacement of parts. That made the cost of the electricity produced in the process too high to be feasible.

The NETL-WVU team developed a special coating to drastically reduce that wear and tear and thus make the solid oxide fuel cell more feasible for producing large-scale power.

Xingbo Liu, associate professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in WVU’s College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, was the principal investigator and co-developed the technology with NETL colleagues and funding. He was assisted by his Ph.D. student Junwei Wu. Liu explained that the new product could make solid oxide fuel cells viable for the first time by preventing the corrosion of the interconnects that are a critical part of the technology.

“The resulting increase in solid oxide fuel cell stack on-time will decrease the cost of electricity produced, which will ultimately benefit the consumer,” Liu said.

NETL researchers on the project included Christopher Johnson, who was a research scientist in the Energy System and Dynamics Division and now serves as project manager in Vehicle Technologies Division, and Randall Gemmen, who was a group leader and now serves as division director of Energy System and Dynamics Division.

In 2009, WVU teamed with a private-sector company, Faraday Technology, Inc. of Clayton, Ohio, and received U.S. Department of Energy technology transfer funding to improve the coating performance

and to scale-up the coating for industrial-size interconnects making it available for commercial use. Faraday team members included principal scientists Heather McGrabb and Timothy Hall.

“WVU and NETL are working together to help America’s effort to gain energy independence,” Curt Peterson, WVU’s vice president for Research and Economic Development said. “This award is solid confirmation of the progress being made on that front.”

Cynthia Powell, director of NETL’s Office of Research and Development, said, “This award illustrates the power generated when you combine the innovation and excitement present at the University with the knowledge and capabilities resident at a National Laboratory.

“Clearly you get more than the sum of the parts, and jointly winning this award is a fine example of how the universities and labs can achieve greater things when working together.”

“We are delighted to see the impact of CEMR collaborative research by one of our faculty with NETL and the potential for continued economic development in West Virginia,” said Gene Cilento, dean of the College. “This research supports the important needs of the energy industry and can reduce dependence on imported oil.”

Winners of the awards are selected by an independent judging panel and the editors of R&D Magazine and will be recognized at the R&D 100 Awards Banquet in October in Orlando, Fla. •

WVU/NETL TEAM RECEIVES “OSCAR OF INNOVATION” FOR FUEL CELL WORKBY GERRY GRIFFITH

XINGBO LIU

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Volume 7 Issue 2

Arun Ross, an associate professor in West Virginia University’s Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering in the College of Mineral Resources, helps make the nation safer.

Ross is one of the key faculty members conducting research for the WVU Center for Identification Technology Research, an industry/university cooperative research center that provides a method to leverage biometrics research conducted in academia into industry and a key academic partner of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

This past spring, Ross was honored for his work when he was named a Robert C. Byrd Professor by the WVU Research Corp. and was the recipient of a WVU Foundation Award for Outstanding Teaching.

The FBI has awarded a grant to Ross and his colleagues to research ways to improve fingerprint analysis under a federal initiative known as the Friction Ridge Support Services Project. He has also received support for his biometrics work from NSF, Office of Naval Research, Army Research Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, National Institute of Justice, and Center for Identification Technology Research.

Ross has received two Outstanding College Teacher Awards, two Outstanding College Researcher Awards, and the Young Researcher of the Year Award. He has mentored several graduate and undergraduate students in biometrics, and has presented biometric tutorials at various international conferences.

He is a recipient of NSF’s CAREER Award and was designated a Kavli Frontiers Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences in 2006. He is the co-author of the book Handbook of Multibiometrics and co-editor of Handbook of Biometrics. He is also an associate editor of the IEEE Transactions on Image Processing and the IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security. •

ROSS AWARDED BYRD PROFESSORSHIP, NAMED OUTSTANDING TEACHER BY THE FOUNDATION

ARUN ROSS AND FAMILY WITH GENE CILENTO

The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources is made up of many hard working, dedicated professionals who go above and beyond every day in their dedication to our mission of teaching, research, and service. The following faculty and staff members were recognized for their service this past academic year:

TEACHER OF THE YEARBrian Anderson, Department of Chemical Engineering

OUTSTANDING TEACHERSAfzel Noore, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Mario Perhinschi, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Arun Ross, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

ADVISOR OF THE YEARLarry Banta, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

OUTSTANDING ADVISORNithi Sivaneri, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

RESEARCHER OF THE YEARMarcello Napolitano, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

OUTSTANDING RESEARCHERSNigel Clark, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Bojan Cukic, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering Hota GangaRao, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Tim Menzies, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

NEW RESEARCHERS OF THE YEARCerasela Dinu, Department of Chemical Engineering Guodong Guo, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

OUTSTANDING STAFF MEMBERSMaggie LeMasters, Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering David Solley, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Sarah Stout, Administration

OUTSTANDING ADVISORS, TEACHERS, RESEARCHERS, AND STAFF HONORED

ANDERSON NOORE

PERHINSCHI ROSS

BANTA SIVANERI

NAPOLITANO CLARK

CUKIC GANGARAO

MENZIES DINU

GUO LEMASTERS

SOLLEY STOUT

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STUDENT NEWS

People look to West Virginia for its mining expertise, especially when it comes to coal. Now they can look to West Virginia for its mining expertise … on the moon.

A team of students from the West Virginia University College of Engineering and Mineral Resources recently competed in their first Lunabotics Competition sponsored by NASA. Despite getting a late start in their planning, the team finished third in the mining competition, third in the bandwidth efficiency competition, and earned honorable mention recognition for team spirit and innovative design.

“For us, the competition comprised a semester of design and preparation,” said Powsiri Klinkhachorn, professor of computer science and electrical engineering in the Lane Department, who served as the team’s advisor. “The field of competitors was whittled down through a series of deadlines for documentation submittals, proof of operation and, ultimately, traveling to Kennedy Space Center for the competition.”

The international competition challenged 46 teams of students to design and build a remote controlled or autonomous excavator called a lunabot, to determine which could collect the most simulated lunar soil within 15 minutes. The complexities of the challenge include the abrasive characteristics of the simulant, the weight and size limitations of the lunabot, and the ability to control the lunabot from a remote control center.

The competition included teams from the University of Alabama, Auburn, Colorado School of Mines, Florida State, University of Illinois, Iowa State University, University of North Dakota, and Virginia Tech. Top honors in the competition went to Laurentian University in Ontario, Canada.

“WVU enjoyed the support of many area alumni who stopped by our pit area and observed our competition offering their encouragement,” said Ben Knabensure, student team leader. “Our most notable alum, retired NASA astronaut Captain Jon McBride, supported the team from its inception and stopped by often, taking time from his busy

schedule for team photographs and autographs.” McBride was on campus in late January and offered critiques and advice to the team.

“We are very proud of the effort of our team at this year’s competition,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “For a first-time effort, the team represented the University very well and exhibited great enthusiasm, spirit, and dedication to the work ethic needed to be successful in the competition.”

WVU’s Lunabotics team was sponsored by the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, WVU College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, and the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. •

Mining the Moon: WVU Finishes Third in its First Lunabotics CompetitionBY MARY C. DILLON

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Volume 7 Issue 2

During a field trip to Washington, D.C., in October 2009, Ken Hite, an electrical engineering major from Summit Point, W.Va., “stumbled upon” an event that would change the direction of his life.

“We got off the Metro at the National Mall and I noticed a bunch of houses sitting there,” Hite said. “I saw a sign that read ‘Solar Decathlon.’”

A call back home to his father provided additional details on the U.S. Department of Energy (DoE)-sponsored project. Based on further research, Hite came to one conclusion: “We should do this for our senior design project.”

Fast forward two years and Hite, along with nearly 300 students from across the University, is working diligently to complete a proposal in hopes of earning a slot in the 2013 Solar Decathlon, an event in which student teams design, build and operate an attractive, energy-efficient solar-powered house and display it during a week-long competition.

“The students started working on this more than a year ago and I got involved because of my work in energy-related research,” said Dimitris Korakakis, associate professor in the Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. “Our short-term goal is to make the competition. But our long-term goal is to strive to make this a WVU campus-wide project.”

To that end, Korakakis said the students have garnered interest and feedback from their counterparts in a number of colleges, including the College of Creative Arts; the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Design; and the Perley Isaac Reed School of Journalism.

“We’re reaching out to the freshman and sophomore class so we can teach them what we know because we may not be here to actually compete in the competition,” said Brian Neff, a senior engineering student from Philippi, W.Va. “Most of us are seniors and will be graduating this spring.

“We need help from the entire University,” Neff said. “We are recruiting students to help with publicity, to edit our proposal, to design the interior of the house, etc.”

With various students from multi-disciplines throughout WVU onboard, the team worked with the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources to create two courses that are being offered this fall, which allow students to receive credit for participating in the project.

This competition is a tremendous undertaking, but the real feat lies in the team’s design plan, which is intended to be feasible for the average West Virginia homeowner. While several top universities surrounding WVU have previously competed, this will be WVU’s first attempt.

“The biggest thing that sets us apart from our competition is the design, which will remain a secret until we know if we earned a slot in the competition,” said Neff. “We hope to show the public that our house is not only practical and native to the state but it can be built entirely from regional resources.”

The DoE first challenged collegiate teams around the world to compete in the Solar Decathlon back in 2002. To win, the teams had to enter their solar-powered homes in 10 contests, which included aspects of affordability, consumer appeal, and design with an emphasis on optimal energy production and maximizing efficiency of their homes.

While the WVU team ultimately hopes to enter the 2013 competition, they have ulterior motives as well.

“We want to educate the Appalachian public about cost-effective homes, renewable energy sources, and construction,” said Neff. “With or without the competition, we still intend to design and build an affordable solar house that is native to the Appalachian region and includes solar panels and smart home technology. Our prototype will be used for state and regional educational purposes.”

The team’s proposal must be submitted by November to determine competition eligibility. But even though the results won’t be released until March, the team will be engrossed in their work, as their choice to build the house regardless of earning a slot in the competition has the entire University waiting in anticipation. •

WVU Hopes for Chance to Shine at Solar Decathlon

BY DEBRA RICHARDSON

More than 300 students from 12 schools in West Virginia, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., converged in Morgantown, W.Va., in April as West Virginia University hosted the American Society of Civil Engineers annual Virginias’ Conference. The event provided students with the chance to gain hands-on experience by competing in civil and environmental engineering-related competitions. Fairmont State won the concrete canoe event, with Catholic University winning the steel bridge contest. Both advanced to the national competition. The concrete canoe team from WVU won the co-ed sprint race, clocking the fastest race time for the entire competition.

ASCE

COMPETITION

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Engineering Olympic Success

Campriani Works with Pistol Company to Design Custom Air-rifle

BY DEBRA RICHARDSON

STUDENT NEWSMore than 3,000 students roam the halls at the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources and nearly 770 of them made the Dean’s list last year. Studying and training in an environment where the best is nearly impossible to distinguish from the rest can make standing out a difficult task. But combine a recent qualification for the Olympics with a personally designed and engineered air-rifle and suddenly, one student becomes an inspiration for all.

Nicco Campriani, originally from Florence, Italy, has more than one reason to be proud of qualifying for the Olympics in 2012. With 10 years of rifle competition experience, he has an endless list of successes, as an Olympian in 2008, European Champion in 2009, and Academic All-American First Team for 2011. With such an extensive list of achievements, it’s no surprise that Campriani is bringing something new to his second attempt at the world’s most recognized competition: a personally designed air-rifle.

After landing an internship with a pistol company, Pardini Firearms in Italy this past summer, Campriani accomplished the impossible and designed an air-rifle that he and fellow shooters have only dreamed of.

“I’ve always talked to other shooters about what rifle we would prefer,” explained Campriani, “but the various adjustments were never made available. I took mental notes of all the changes and adjustments my fellow shooters wanted and combined that with what I personally wished for in an air-rifle for competition purposes.”

When searching for ways to modify his rifle, Campriani looked at the mechanics in everyday products. One such idea struck him when examining the shock absorbers on cars.

“I designed a small magnetic absorber that will prevent the rifle from moving when it’s fired,” Campriani said. “Certain cars use magnetic absorbers in their shocks while others use springs, but the magnet is more appropriate for the rifle as it will make it lighter and it’s an easier fit.”

There are many requirements and rules regarding specific aspects of the air-rifles used in competitions, especially those used during the Olympics. With only a few months to research, design, and convince Pardini Firearms to produce the rifle, Campriani made the most of his limited time and relied heavily on his engineering experience and education.

“Of course engineering interests me and I enjoy learning but my passion is with the rifle,” Campriani said. “Luckily, I haven’t had to choose one over the other yet, because so far they complement each other.”

The prototype should be made available to Campriani this fall; he plans to begin his vigorous training upon its arrival.

“It’s hard to change things a few months before the Olympics but I know this rifle, so of course I prefer to use it,” Campriani said. “If there is a problem during the competition, I can quickly correct it or make the necessary changes because this is my design and exactly what I want.”

While Campriani intends to train at the national training center in Colorado Springs with the U.S. Rifle Team, he will be traveling back to Morgantown to train the last few months with his most recent and consistent advisor, Dr. Edward Etzel. A past Olympic winner, Etzel is a sports psychologist for WVU and his shooter-coach background gives him an interesting perspective; a perspective Campriani believes will give him an edge over other qualifiers.

“Anyone can shoot a 10 in training,” Campriani said, “but the real challenge is maintaining focus and blocking negative thoughts and self-doubt during the two-hour competition. The thrill of the opening ceremony at the Olympics is one I have never received in a classroom or during training, and that excitement and pressure can lead to distractions, something I train to overcome.”

Other top shooters around the world will also be testing the prototype after the 2012 Olympics scheduled to be held in England. If Campriani is successful next summer with his rifle design, the possibilities for mass production are endless. •

NICCO CAMPRIANI

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Students Defy Gravity in NASA Summer ProgramBY JAKE STUMP

STUDENT NEWS

Holed up inside a NASA C-9 aircraft, Anand “Sunny” Narayanan didn’t notice any strange happenings around him.

That is, until he peered down and saw his feet floating off the floor.

For Narayanan and his cohorts in the Microgravity Research Team at West Virginia University, NASA’s “Weightless Wonder” literally swept them off their feet.

The team, composed of 10 undergraduate students in the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, ventured to the Johnson Space Center in Houston last month for NASA’s Microgravity University, an annual program that gives college students a shot at designing, flying, and evaluating a reduced-gravity experiment.

Students tested their experiment aboard the “Weightless Wonder”—offhandedly known as the “Vomit Comet” for its propensity to cause airsickness. The fixed-wing aircraft produces weightlessness 25 seconds at a time by executing a series of about 30 parabolas—a steep climb followed by a free fall—over the Gulf of Mexico.

“You look around and see everyone else floating and things picking up off the ground by themselves,” said Narayanan, a senior double majoring in mechanical engineering and biology. “You don’t feel any different until you see everything floating. It’s amazing—the sensation of microgravity.”

Mark James, an aerospace and mechanical engineering senior from Bruceton Mills, W.Va., described the feeling as “very calm, like being at the top of a roller coaster for a long time, just without the sudden accelerations.”

The WVU Microgravity Research Team was among 20 selected from universities nationwide to participate in the summer flight program. More than 100 teams applied, and it marked WVU’s ninth invite in 10 years. Teams must first submit proposals to NASA, which chooses participants based on the scientific merit and educational outreach potential of their plan.

WVU’s experiment this year involved an electromagnetically enhanced fluidized bed. A fluidized bed occurs when solid particles are placed under certain conditions that cause them to “boil and swirl.” Essentially, they behave as a fluid, James said.

“The problem with a fluidized bed in zero gravity is that the fluid pushes the particles to the top of the container,” he said. “There’s no gravity force to counteract the flow. The particles pack together and don’t fluidize.”

To correct this problem, the Microgravity Research Team tried to simulate gravity in their experiment by using an electromagnetic field, which pulls the particles down to prevent them from packing together.

“Our hope is that this technology can be applied to enhance filtration or combustion in spacecraft,” James said.

He added that the mixing properties of a fluidized bed could help create “moon dust concrete,” which would promote the building of permanent structures on the moon. The mixing of compounds in microgravity environments can also improve recycling resources in space, Narayanan said, or even benefit coal-to-fuel processes on Earth.

Unfortunately, the particles still clumped together during the experiment. Still, the team’s research lays a foundation for future students who want to conduct similar tests.

The team is currently analyzing its data and preparing a report for NASA.

In addition to Narayanan and James, Microgravity Research Team members include Travis Corwell, of Ridgeley, W.Va.; Marc Gramlich, of Hurricane, W.Va.; Jason Hamilton, of Gerrardstown, W.Va.; Nicholas Mariani, of Charleston, W.Va.; Byron Patterson, of Upper Black Eddy, Pa.; Jeremy Pepper, of Lewisburg, W.Va.; Darius Reynolds, of Baltimore, Md.; and Alex Squires, of Martinsburg, W.Va. John Kuhlman, a mechanical and aerospace engineering professor, serves as the team’s advisor.

The Houston trip lasted about 10 days and included a behind-the-scenes tour of Johnson Space Center. •

This year, 711 prospective students and their family members attended the College’s annual visitation event, a 43 percent increase from attendance in previous years. Attendees came from more than 20 states including Maine,

Texas, Delaware, Vermont, Georgia, New York, Connecticut, and Kansas.

“As interest in the College continues to grow, so will this event,” said Ryan Sigler, enrollment coordinator at the College.

COLLEGE HOSTS RECORD-BREAKING RECRUITMENT EVENT

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STUDENT NEWSAmy Burt, a double major in mining engineering and agribusiness management and rural development, was awarded a scholarship from the national Fellowship Board of Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society. The scholarship was awarded based on high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession.

WVU National Rifle Association All-American Nicco Campriani was named a Capital One Academic All-America first team selection by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Campriani, from Florence, Italy, was one of 15 first-team selections and the third Mountaineer in program history to receive the honor. An industrial engineering major with a 3.87 G.P.A., Campriani capped off his career with the NCAA air-rifle title. He helped guide the Mountaineers toward the discipline’s national title and finished second in smallbore en route to WVU’s overall second-place finish at the national championships.

Jenny Elyard received the Dwight D. Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Upon completion of her undergraduate degree this past May, Elyard immediately began work on her master’s degree in civil engineering with a focus on transportation and structures.

A paper presented by Ekrem Kocaguneli, a doctoral candidate in computer science and electrical engineering, was featured on the home page of IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering. The paper, “Exploiting the Essential Assumptions of Analogy-Based Effort Estimation,” offered novel ways to estimate the effort required to build software systems. It described a tool called “TEAK” that scrubs the data of any confusing information before generating estimates.

Sarah Lazur, a senior in the Department of Chemical Engineering, became only the second intern in Milliken & Company’s history to obtain Six Sigma Greenbelt certification during her summer internship. Zach Mayes ’11, who is now employed with the company, was the first.

Greg Michaelson, a doctoral student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, received the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship. His doctoral work focuses on the redundancy evaluation of steel truss bridges.

Rob Murphy, a graduate student in mechanical engineering, was awarded a fellowship through the Department

of Energy’s University Turbine Systems Research (UTSR) Program. Murphy was one of only 13 recipients to receive the UTSR fellowship. He spent the summer in San Diego working at Solar Turbines, Inc., a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc., which builds medium-sized land-based turbines.

Vaidyanath Ramachandran, a doctoral student in computer science and electrical engineering, won an award in the student paper contest held as part of the IEEE Power Engineering Society Power Systems Conference and Exposition in April. Ramachandran competed with other students from around the world by first writing a paper on his research and then presenting the results as a poster.

Jacob Steele, a computer engineering and computer science dual major, was awarded an Upsilon Pi Epsilon Special Recognition Scholarship. Steele was selected based on his academic record, extra-curricular activities, and the recommendation of his UPE advisor, Cindy Tanner. Steele was one of only 25 winners internationally.

WVU’s student chapter of the American Association of Drilling Engineers held its Second Annual Night Golf Fundraiser in April. The event, held at Lakeview Golf Resort, raised $5,500 for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Morgantown. The event was organized by the group’s officers: Zachary Toothman, president; William Earhart, vice president; Chris Bell, secretary; Samuel Ashley, treasurer; and Alexandra Golubovic, information technology.

Jairo Valdes, a doctoral student in mechanical and aerospace engineering, was selected as the winner of the 2011 ASM International Student Paper Contest, for his entry entitled: “On the Formulation of a Freckling Criterion for Ni-Based Superalloy Vacuum Arc Remelting Ingots.”

The WVU Office of Graduate Education and Life awarded scholarships to Jinyu Zuo, electrical engineering, Adi Adumitroaie, mechanical and aerospace engineering, and Christopher Griffin, mechanical and aerospace engineering, to attend the Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Academy this past August. The one-week workshop, offered through the College of Business and Economics, was designed to help STEM graduate students gain entrepreneurship and management skills.

BOREN SCHOLARSHIP, WVU HELP FRESHMAN BECOME WORLD TRAVELERBY DAN SHRENSKY

Cody White’s freshman year at West Virginia University included a Russian language course in each semester. The engineering major from Charleston had visited the country two summers ago and hoped to return someday.

White’s “someday” turned into “soon” with the awarding of a National Security Education Program’s David L. Boren Scholarship.

“I didn’t expect to get the scholarship,” White said. “I applied but I knew I had three more years to try for it. Once I found out I got it, I started to get excited.”

White had plenty to be excited about. Along with the scholarship, he spent two months in China as part of a WVU nanotechnology research initiative.

The two trips made for a hectic summer for White, who left for Russia in August, about a month after he returned from China. He’ll spend a year there, studying at Moscow State University and spending a few weeks around Christmas at an internship in Astrakhan.

But White’s not complaining. The China tour served as a dry run for his trip to Russia, which isn’t completely uncharted territory. During his previous visit, he stayed with a former Capital High School classmate who had been an exchange student. This time he’ll be involved in academic pursuits along with soaking in the culture and sights.

“I’m looking forward to being immersed in the language—getting a better understanding of it and gaining some fluency,” he said. “It’ll be another adventure. The culture is different; I’ll learn a whole lot while I’m there and meet a lot of different people. I’ll explore Europe if I have time.”

White was WVU’s first freshman Boren winner and its fifth in the last three years. He is one of 151 Boren award winners nationally from 940 applicants.

“This is just wonderful,” said Lisa DeFrank-Cole, director of the ASPIRE office. “It’s especially remarkable that Cody won this award as a freshman. He is an incredible student, and we look forward to seeing all that he will accomplish in his upcoming years at WVU.”

DeFrank-Cole said White researched and applied for the Boren scholarship quickly after his arrival on campus. His diligence and the fact he’d spent time in Russia and had a letter of reference from one of his future colleagues in Astrakhan helped him earn the award.

The Boren Scholarship program, which includes awards up to $20,000 for study, focuses on sending students to areas of the world that are critical to U.S. national security interests and underrepresented in study abroad. Scholars are required to study less commonly taught languages, and complete a service requirement within three years after completion of the program. Under the service requirement, each scholar must work in a federal government position with national security responsibilities for at least one year.

DeFrank-Cole also considers the award a win for WVU.

“We have great students applying and clearly the Boren Scholarship committee has recognized that,” she said. •

STUDENT NEWS OF NOTE

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Engineering students juggle many responsibilities, but Aziz Al Shammari has an added responsibility that not many students face. He is responsible for 15 of his cousins who also attend West Virginia University.

The Al Shammari clan, a tribe of Saudi Arabian people, is comprised of thousands of “tribe cousins.” They are one of the largest families in their country.

In December 2006, Aziz Al Shammari was the first “cousin” to come to Morgantown. He had never been to America before, but he decided to enroll at the University because he had other friends who had studied here. Over the course of the next few years, more and more of his tribe cousins began to come to WVU.

Aziz, an industrial engineering student, admits that his parents were nervous to let him study abroad, but after he convinced them, he enrolled in WVU’s Intensive English Program for one year prior to starting the engineering program. In addition to learning a foreign language and adapting to a culture he described as “shocking,” Aziz was responsible for picking up his cousins at the airport and for letting them live with him as they, too, came to Morgantown and had to acclimate to West Virginia.

The degree of familial responsibility felt by the Al Shammari family is illustrated by the celebrations they have each time a new family member arrives. After being greeted at the airport, the newest arrival is brought to Morgantown where the other family members have prepared a communal meal of lamb, rice, and spices that they share to welcome their cousin to Morgantown.

“We are generous and help each other out,” Aziz said. “We’re responsible to each other. It’s how we’re taught to be.”

Another cousin, Mamdouh Al Shammari, is studying civil engineering. Before coming to West Virginia he knew nothing about the state, but now he says he likes Morgantown because it is a small city. Since moving here, he’s traveled to New York City, Daytona Beach, and Washington, D.C.

Mathwad Al Shammari, a business student, also knew no English when he arrived in the United States.

“I wasn’t nervous, too much, because my cousins told me Morgantown was a good city, very safe, and had friendly people,” said Mathwad. “They play soccer, too. So that is good.”

In fact, in 2009, the Al Shammaris had enough soccer-playing family members at WVU to create their own team for WVU’s International Student Organization’s Mini-World Cup; they won first place. Plans to compete in the next Mini-World Cup are under way.

Another organization the cousins are involved in is the Saudi Student Association. Aziz is the president of this student organization; he helps to plan celebrations for their national and religious holidays such as Eid Alfter, Eid Aladha, and Ramadan.

“These events are nice because many of our friends and family are there,” notes Mamdouh. “It’s good because it makes West Virginia feel like home.”

A memorable moment that each cousin mentioned was the first time they saw snow. According to Mathwad, he loved snow at first, but now he isn’t fond of the cold.

“I didn’t know it would be slippery,” said Aziz about his first time driving in winter weather. “Now I’m a good driver in it.”

The other Al Shammari cousins are working toward degrees in various engineering disciplines, accounting, marketing, and international relations. Three cousins who recently arrived are in the Intensive English Program.

Becoming a Mountaineer was a good thing according to the cousins. The transition wasn’t too difficult because the University provided solid English training and English-speaking conversation partners with which they could practice their new skills. Several of the cousins also have host families that helped them with the adjustment to American life.

The most difficult aspect of living in Morgantown is being far from their immediate relatives. They keep in touch with their family members in Saudi Arabia and other members across the United States by using e-mail, Skype, Facebook, and the telephone. Occasionally, they travel to Saudi Arabia.

“I ask my parents to visit, but my mom is nervous to come,” said Aziz. “Maybe next year she will.”

The cousins have various plans for the future. Mamdouh plans to return home to work in the city of Dammam. He will be wed to his fiancée upon his return. Mathwad plans to obtain a master’s degree in a big city such as Miami or Las Vegas, and then he will return to his wife in Saudi Arabia. Aziz plans to stay at WVU for his master’s program in the Industrial Safety and Health program, but his plans are not solidified.

WVU will have a strong base of Al Shammaris for a long time.

“One cousin tells another that WVU is a good place to study, and then that cousin tells the next. We listen to the good advice of our family, and then we come to West Virginia,” concludes Aziz. •

“Good Family Advice” Brings Fifteen Students to WVU BY CATE MIHELIC

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ALUMNI NEWS

BAYER CORP. PRESIDENT, CEO

GREGORY BABE DELIVERS HINER LECTURE

Gregory S. Babe, B.S., M.E. ’80, president and CEO of Bayer Corp. and Bayer MaterialScience LLC, spoke in September as part of the Glen H. Hiner Distinguished Lecture Series in the College. Babe’s lecture was entitled, “Sound Science: Creating an Informed Citizenry.”

Babe, who has worked diligently to promote and support the advancement of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, said that sound science and sound literacy are essential in our increasingly complex world.

“We must apply science wisely,” said Babe. “That requires an informed citizenry. If we want leaders who will make rational policies on these matters, we must be at least moderately informed about the science behind them. Informed decisions based on sound science propel us forward. Decisions based on questionable science hold us back.”

Babe discussed the nation’s dependence on foreign chemical manufacturing and what the country must do to regain its leadership in this area.

“As American manufacturing has moved to other countries, so has the chemical production to meet product requirements,” said Babe. “And so have high-paying jobs.

“The American chemical industry will continue to lose jobs unless we can win the public’s confidence,” added Babe. “And that won’t happen if sound science is trumped by distrust.”

Babe cited examples of innovation, sustainability, world-class operations, and new technology development as items that will play a key role in creating a more robust manufacturing sector. But in order to expand the economy and support manufacturing, Babe drew on examples such as Marcellus shale to explain why some public policy priorities should be re-examined.

“The economic benefits for West Virginia are already being felt,” said Babe. “A WVU study found that Marcellus production here created 7,600 state jobs

and nearly $298 million in wages in 2009 alone. [However], it’s become the subject of much discussion among citizens, state and federal legislators, and regulators. Everyone involved must be aware of their environmental responsibilities and be fully accountable for their operations.”

Babe also cited the current restriction on Bisphenol A or BPA use to explain that legislatures are not scientific bodies and therefore, do not have the responsibility to review and understand scientific research. BPA is an organic compound used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. Concerns about this product have been reported in the media in 2008 after several governments issued reports questioning its safety. To this end, Babe said, the Toxic Substances Control ACT (TSCA) needs to be modernized as it has not been updated since it was originally enacted in 1976.

Ideally, Babe said a modern TSCA should be based on today’s technology and allow for changes that arise as new technologies and scientific advances emerge. He said it should be based on sound science and scientific objectivity and it must protect intellectual property while providing for great transparency so consumers, policy makers and the industry can make sound decisions. •

Glen Hiner, left, and Gene Cilento, right,

present a Mountaineer statue to Greg Babe.

The Glen H. Hiner Distinguished Lecture Series is named in honor of the outstanding alumnus who, in 2005, established an endowment to support the deanship of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University.

Glen H. Hiner graduated from WVU’s Department of Electrical Engineering in 1957, then embarked on an outstanding 35-year career with General Electric. In 1992, he became chief executive officer of Owens Corning. He has served on several College of Engineering and Mineral Resources advisory committees, as a visiting professor in the WVU College of Business and Economics, and as a member of the WVU Foundation Board of Directors.

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RAYMOND

BRADBURY

DELIVERS

POUNDSTONE

LECTURE

The Mid-Atlantic Aerospace Complex hosted its third annual Aviation Summer Camp in June. The three-day event provided an opportunity for 45 students selected from a 20-county region in the state to have an all-expenses paid, aviation-focused experience.

Events included engineering design challenges; tours of WVU labs; and visits to the Challenger Learning

Academy in Wheeling, W.Va., and the Robert C. Byrd National Aerospace Center in Bridgeport, W.Va. WVU alumnus Captain Jon McBride, a retired NASA astronaut, gave an on-campus presentation.

The camp was made possible through a NASA education grant and the support of the NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium. •

AVIATION CAMP AND WV ASTRONAUT JON MCBRIDE

Raymond A. Bradbury, retired president of Martin County Coal Corporation, spoke in September as part of the Department of Mining Engineering’s William N. Poundstone Lecture Series. The lecture was entitled “My Last and Best 23 Years in Coal.”

During his 42 years in the coal industry, Bradbury held both engineering and management positions with Midwest Utilities Coal Company, Armco Steel’s Mining Division, Princess Elkhorn Coal Company, and Island Creek Coal Company. He spent his last 23 years with Martin County Coal, first as vice president and general manager and then as president for 18 years. Known as an innovator, Bradbury worked diligently to promote mine safety and accident prevention.

He is a 1950 graduate of West Virginia University’s School of Mines and a member of the Emeritus Club.

The Department of Mining Engineering established the William N. Poundstone Lecture Series in 2000 to honor Poundstone, a distinguished alumnus of the Department, and to bring mining industry experts to campus to share their expertise with students and faculty. •

BLAND DELIVERS DISTINGUISHED LECTURE

Geoffrey Bland, a design engineer with the United States Navy, delivered a CEMR Distinguished Lecture this past March entitled, “The Development and Testing of the United States Navy’s Improved Kinetic Energy Electronic Time (IKE-ET) Projectile.”

Bland graduated from West Virginia University in 1999 with bachelor of science degrees in aerospace and mechanical engineering. Before his current employment, he worked for Northrop Grumman as a computer programmer helping to design an Aegis environment simulator. He also worked for Schafer as a systems engineer on the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program.

Bland presented a few videos of a live fire test of the IKE-ET projectile. He also discussed his own experience with attaining an engineering job after graduation, as well as what future employment issues current college students should be aware of while still in school. He offered students advice on how not to hurt their future careers.

“You need to focus on your communication skills,” said Bland. “You can be an awesome engineer and have the best ideas in the world but if you can’t convey them to someone else properly you’re not much better than the next guy down the block.” He also advised students to get down the engineering basics of physics, calculus, statics, and dynamics.

Most importantly, he warned students that what they do today can come back to haunt them tomorrow.

“Since a lot of you are going to end up working in a Department of Defense industry job, you’re going to have to get a clearance. And to get a clearance, you’re going to have to get a background check,” Bland said. “You can easily lose yourself today down the road. Keep your credit debt to a minimum. No drugs. Be responsible with alcohol. Even if you’ve done something stupid, be completely honest about it. If you lie on your form, you never get a second chance. You are done.

“Finally, be trustworthy and responsible,” Bland added. “Now is the time to start internalizing that.” •

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ALUMNI NEWS

ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL

ENGINEERS

Steven W. Alford received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from West Virginia University in 1987. Upon graduation, he was hired by Milliken & Co., a South Carolina-based textile and chemical manufacturing firm. While at

Milliken, Alford has received numerous accolades including the prestigious Japan Institute of Plant Maintenance Excellence Award. His career path has been dominated by positions of process improvement and production management. His reputation for operational excellence and as a turn-around expert has led to challenging assignments, including several at the international level. Alford is currently Floor Covering Director of Manufacturing and Company Director of LEAN, promoting continuous improvement activities throughout Milliken.

Captain Douglas E. Arnold, U.S.N., graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from WVU in 1984 and attended Naval Officer’s Candidate School, where he was commissioned as an ensign. His sea tours include serving as executive officer and

commanding officer of the USS West Virginia. During his command, the submarine completed a six-month extended refit period and four strategic deterrent patrols. His shore assignments include serving as Deputy Directorate of Antiterrorism and Homeland Defense on the Joint Staff as Division Chief for the Antiterrorism Division. He is currently on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations Submarine Warfare Division, developing the requirements for the future OHIO replacement ballistic missile submarine.

Louisa A. Nara earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from WVU in 1981. Nara has more than 30 years experience in the chemical industry, having worked for Diamond Shamrock; The PQ

Corporation; SMC Environmental Services Group, Inc.;

Baker Environmental; and the Bayer Corporation. She currently serves as technical director of the Center for Chemical Process Safety, a technology alliance of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. She is also a contributing author to the book, Guidelines for Process Safety in Batch Reactions.

ACADEMY OF THE DEPARTMENT

OF INDUSTRIAL AND MANAGEMENT

SYSTEMS ENGINEERING

Richard M. Kinney started his career working with the Department of Defense on NAVAIR after earning his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering in 1990. In 2003, he was one of four engineers handpicked to develop and

lead a test and evaluation team for the replacement of the presidential helicopter. In 2006, Kinney was promoted to missions systems test and evaluation branch head, leading other senior flight test lead engineers for all Navy and Marine fixed wing, jets, helicopters, and unmanned aircraft development and follow-on test programs. In addition, he became the engineering and science development program coordinator and manager, a five-year training program for engineering college graduates. Kinney has been a college recruiter for NAVAIR over the past 12 years.

Jon (Jay) Rateau graduated from WVU in 1981 with a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering. He is vice president for new energy at the global primary product growth group at Alcoa, Inc. He joined Alcoa Inc. in 1996

and has held a number of executive positions in the areas of energy and global strategic sourcing. In his current role, Rateau is responsible for developing and acquiring growth opportunities in energy and combined energy/manufacturing projects worldwide. He previously served 16 years with National Steel Corporation in various roles including strategic sourcing, operations, engineering, and research and development. Rateau earned an M.B.A. from Michigan State University in 1992.

Mary Beth Wise, BSIE ’84, started her career as a purchasing agent for WVU Hospitals, later transferring to the management engineering department, working on hospital projects for facility planning and materials management information

system implementation. Wise then went to work for a software company implementing materials management information systems at healthcare institutions in the United States and Canada. She returned to WVU Hospitals in 1993, where she provided project management and computer system administration for the supply chain and the operating room. When WVU Hospitals joined the West Virginia United Health System in 2001, Wise became the system administrator for the supply chain information system.

ACADEMY OF THE LANE

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER

SCIENCE AND ELECTRICAL

ENGINEERING

Ray “Jerry” Fiant earned degrees in electrical engineering and mechanical engineering from WVU in 1953. After completing the General Electric three-year advanced engineering program, Fiant spent 17 years with the

company, working on the cutting edge of technology in a variety of disciplines, before spending time with IT&T and Gulf and Western. Throughout his career, Fiant engaged in crisis management, first with GE and as an independent turnaround expert. In 2006, he published the book, Beyond Buzzwords, to document why organizations drift toward mediocrity and to offer practical ways to achieve ongoing success.

Jon Hammock graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from West Virginia University in 1988. He is president, CEO, and co-founder of KeyLogic Systems, a technology management firm headquartered in Morgantown,

ALUMNI ACADEMIES INDUCT NEW MEMBERS TO HONOR EXEMPLARY GRADUATES AND OTHERS WITH REMARKABLE CAREERS, THE COLLEGE ANNUALLY INDUCTS NEW MEMBERS INTO ITS ACADEMIES.

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W.Va., with employees in six states. Recognized as West Virginia’s Small Business Person of the Year and as a regional winner of Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Hammock has led KeyLogic to five years on the Inc. 500/500 list and 12 years of growth averaging 30 percent per year. Before founding KeyLogic, Hammock worked for General Electric, DuPont, and Westinghouse, among others.

ACADEMY OF MECHANICAL AND

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

Thomas J. DeWitt earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from WVU in 1970 and 1972, respectively. Upon graduation, DeWitt became the first-ever degreed engineer at Morgantown Machine and Hydraulic (MM&H). He also worked with his father at a

subsidiary of MM&H, the Deron Corporation, where he was active in the invention of numerous devices for the mining industry. The two companies were purchased by National Mine Service Corporation and DeWitt held a number of positions with the company, including manager of operation, general manager, and vice president. He left the company in 1995 and joined Swanson Plating Company as vice president. DeWitt, along with fellow WVU graduates, Frank Dulin (MinE ’84) and Mark Carter (BSIE ’84), went on to purchase the company, forming Swanson Industries in 2001, with DeWitt assuming the role of president and CEO. That same year, the team opened a branch plant in Rural Retreat, Va., and purchased Morgantown Machine Hydraulics. Swanson Industries Group now comprises 11 different companies doing business around the world, employing nearly 800 people with projected sales of $160 million in 2011. DeWitt was inducted into the West Virginia Business Hall of Fame in 2010.

After earning his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in aerospace engineering from WVU in the early 1970s, Dr. Ojars Skujins entered active duty in the United States Air Force at the aerodynamics and performance branch of Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

During his military career, Skujins developed, modified, and used computational fluids computer codes to support many Air Force projects, including the F-16 and F-17, the X-29, the C-17 cargo/transport plane, and the B-2 Stealth Bomber. He went on to serve as chief engineer for the Saudi Foreign Military sales program, the USAF F-15C/D programs, and the F-15 program office. In 2001, Skujins was promoted to chief of the Flight Mechanics Branch in the Engineering Dictorate at the Aeronautical Systems Center, where he was responsible for supporting all Air Force program offices, encompassing flight controls, stability and control, aerodynamics, air vehicle performance, computational fluid dynamics, and vehicle management systems. •

ORDERS

NAMED TO WVU

FOUNDATION

BOARD OF

DIRECTORS Robert O. (Bob) Orders, Jr., president of Orders Construction Co., Inc., has been named to West Virginia University’s Foundation Board of Directors. He will serve a three-year term.

Orders graduated in 1972 with a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering. He is a registered

professional engineer in West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland and serves on a number of industry and community boards. Orders Construction Co., Inc. is a highway, utility, and industrial construction company with operations in West Virginia and Virginia.

Private funds donated through the WVU Foundation go to support academic programs, student scholarships, faculty development, and public service initiates at WVU. The Foundation, chartered in 1954, is a private, nonprofit corporation. •

The College of Engineering and Mineral Resources held its annual

Emeritus Club Luncheon on Friday, May 6, at the Erickson Alumni

Center. The event honors those who graduated 50 or more years ago

along with faculty who have achieved emeritus status. Club members

regaled the nearly 60 people in attendance with their reflections on

the College, the University, and their careers.

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The title “West Virginia University Movers and Shakers” is a phrase used to describe the graduates of West Virginia University who have joined Milliken & Company. The graduates are a perfect fit for Milliken & Company’s high-energy leadership team because they possess the right skill set to make an immediate impact. The strong academic training and work ethic, team building through small group projects, and basic respect for those they encounter all prepare the WVU grads for a successful career within Milliken.

These qualities are evident in many WVU grads who have found their home at Milliken & Company, including New Jersey native Dan Busch, a 2004 electrical engineering graduate and former Pride of West Virginia member, and former WVU gymnast Kiersten Spoerke, a 2010 mechanical engineering graduate from Suwanee, Ga. Milliken & Company recruits on campus regularly, looking for talented technical associates who possess strong leadership and communication skills and the desire to work in a results-oriented environment.

A WVU Mover and Shaker is someone who hits the ground running, working hard and smart to get immediate results. Each has worked their way up through the ranks and many hold key positions within one of Milliken’s numerous plants located predominately in the southeast. Currently there are 21 Movers and Shakers who meet on a regular basis to keep in touch and keep our WVU linkage alive. One of the requirements of our dinner get-togethers is that each attendee has to sing out the name of everyone else, including their position, hometown, and current plant. If you can’t fulfill the requirements, you have to pay for your own dinner. Needless to say everyone takes great pride and effort in getting to know each other quickly. A natural bond grows, which results in a mutual support process. Great things start to happen when two WVU grads link up within a supply chain to solve a problem.

The following WVU graduates join me as members of Movers and Shakers:

Jim Rogers, ChE ’86, development manager; Jared Morgan, IE ’03, process improvement; Dan Busch, EE ’04, senior process engineer; Todd Caldwell, ChE ’96, operations planning manager; Lauren Sanders, IE ’00, controller;

Lindsey (Boyd) Hurley, ME ’07, PPI; Ashley “Swiger” Hudek, IE ’08, plant IE/controller; Kris Tingler, IE ’01, senior production manager; Zachary Mayes, ChE ’10, process engineer; Tracy Francis, ChE ’90, market manager, Hospitality Carpets; Kiersten Spoerke, ME ’10, process engineer; Rustyn Goff, IE ’10, process engineer; Ben Trogden, IE ’11, process engineer; Shawn Smith, IE ’05, MPS Consulting Group; and Steve Alford, ChE ’87 U.S. director of Manufacturing for Floor Covering and company director of Continuous Improvement

Joining them are summer interns Sarah Lazur, ChE; Leigh Ann Durham, IE; Andrea Sakla, ChE; and West Virginia natives Ken Daniel, Caren Hull, and Denny Goff.

The retention rate and performances of WVU grads are just two of the reasons that Milliken chose WVU as one of its TIER 1 schools for recruits.

According to Patsy Hammett, director of college relations, there are several reasons Milliken has targeted WVU as a key school for recruiting. “West Virginia graduates continue to have the skill set, both technical and non-technical, to perform successfully in our company. It’s evident that professors and staff take a serious interest in their students. They have also taken the time to understand our company’s culture and core values and our hiring needs and expectations for success. Finally, our recruiting team is led by WVU graduates. They take a passionate interest in the students they are recruiting that begins when the team comes to campus and continues through the hiring process and beyond.

“At Milliken, WVU graduates maintain a close connection,” Hammett added. “It is almost like a fraternity.”

Milliken appreciates the strong recruiting partnership with West Virginia University. Whether it be hiring students as interns and then transitioning them to full time Milliken associates or hiring students full time upon graduation, WVU is an important component of our campus recruiting program. We are building a tradition that grows stronger each year. •

MOVERS AND SHAKERS AT MILLIKEN BY STEVE ALFORD, CHE ‘87U.S. DIRECTOR OF MANUFACTURING FLOOR COVERING DIVISIONCOMPANY DIRECTOR OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

ALUMNI NEWS

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SUPPORT

Reflecting back on his life recently, West Virginia

University alumnus Gary Christopher experienced an

epiphany that led him to give back to his alma mater.

A highly successful engineer from Atlanta, Ga.,

Christopher came to the realization that the foundation

for many of his life accomplishments is grounded

in the education he received while attending WVU’s

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. As

a way of giving back, Gary and his wife, Lisa, are

establishing a graduate fellowship within the College to

help provide similar opportunities for aspiring students.

“I learned so much at WVU that laid a foundation

for what was to come,” Gary Christopher said. “We

desire to provide a graduate fellowship each year for

an engineering student so each of these students can

have the door to the world opened up for them, as we

have been blessed.”

The $125,000 gift endows the Gary and Lisa

Christopher Graduate Fellowship, and is expected

to qualify for a match from the state Research Trust

Fund (RTF). The Christophers also are providing an

additional $5,000 in non-endowed funds to assist with

graduate fellowships, making their total gift $130,000.

“The College is very appreciative of this major gift to

help support graduate fellowships,” said Gene Cilento,

Glen H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and

Mineral Resources. “This new endowment supports

a major focus area of the CEMR 2020 strategic plan.

It will make the College more competitive with peer

institutions in recruiting and graduating top-quality

students from our master’s and doctoral degree

programs. The matching Research Trust Fund

endowment provides a wonderful opportunity to

double the impact of this private gift.”

Students eligible for the fellowship must be current

WVU graduate students pursuing studies to advance

research in energy and environmental sciences;

nanotechnology and material science; biological,

biotechnological, and biomedical sciences; biometrics,

security, sensing, forensic sciences, or other related

identification technologies consistent with the

requirements of the West Virginia RTF.

Christopher graduated from WVU in 1974. He is

currently president of Jholdas Group of Georgia, a

management consulting firm.

He credits his parents, Catherine Christopher of

Morgantown and the late Bill Christopher, with

providing a strong moral and spiritual foundation. It is

these beliefs which he feels inspired him to provide the

opportunity to WVU students.

“We know that investing in relationships and people

is everlasting and can be passed on to the next

generation. Buildings may last a generation, while

investing in people endures for eternity,” Christopher

said. “A future which I could not have dreamed of in

1974 has provided opportunity and doors to the world

I never knew existed. Our hope is that the students

may use the education that they have been given to

serve others and to pass on what they have learned to

the next generation.” •

ALUMNUS MAKES ‘INVESTMENT’ IN STUDENTS BY CREATING CEMR GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP BY WILLIAM NEVIN

For the following articles: In 2008, the state created the Research Trust Fund with an initial appropriation of $50 million to leverage public and private investments that will transform West Virginia’s economy. WVU is able to tap into the fund to double private gifts that support expansions to research faculty and infrastructure in key areas linked to economic development, healthcare, and job growth. To date, private gifts and pledges approved for RTF match total more than $21.87 million.

The gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the private, non-profit corporation that generates, receives and administers private gifts for the benefit of WVU.

GARY AND LISA CHRISTOPHER

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SUPPORT

RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIP TO AID WOMEN IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

When Martha Hopkins Hashinger first became a student at West

Virginia University, it was her dream to major in chemistry. While

that dream was never fulfilled—she majored in home economics—it

was taken into consideration when she and her husband, William

R. Hashinger, Jr., created an endowment in his alma mater, the

Department of Chemical Engineering.

In honor of his late wife, Hashinger created the Martha Hopkins

Hashinger Research Scholarship in Chemical Engineering in the College

of Engineering and Mineral Resources. The $25,000 endowment

will provide scholarships for undergraduate women participating in

research projects within the Department. The endowment is expected

to qualify for a match from the state’s Research Trust Fund, bringing

the total investment to $50,000.

“My wife and I have planned for some time to do something to help

aspiring engineering students at WVU as an act of appreciation for our

own experience while enrolled as students during the late depression

pre-war years,” said Hashinger. “The endowment enables this to be

done now as a memorial to her.”

“The generosity of our alumni helps us to enrich our program and

enables us to provide new opportunities for our current students,”

said Dr. Rakesh Gupta, chair of chemical engineering. “Each year,

this scholarship will bring the excitement of research to a female

student, talented in subjects such as chemistry and biology, while

simultaneously preparing her for a lifelong career in chemical

engineering.” •

For more than 25 years, the Academy of Chemical Engineers has been

impacting the discipline at WVU. From the Galli Laboratory renovations

to the James Kent Biomedical Engineering Endowment, which helped

launch the biomedical certificate program, the Academy has been

instrumental in moving the Department forward.

This year, the Academy members took their involvement a step further

by creating another endowment, which qualifies for a Research Trust

Fund match. The new fund will support two graduate students for

one semester.

In an effort to change the admissions requirements for the master’s

program and make it easier for non-chemical engineers to obtain

an advanced degree, students entering with a bachelor’s degree

in chemistry will now be required to take only three undergraduate

courses—Reaction Engineering, Thermodynamics, and Transport.

“Each graduate student who is involved in research in chemical

engineering is supported on fellowship or assistantship dollars,” said

Rakesh Gupta, chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

“It is difficult to justify using research dollars to provide a stipend to

students who are taking undergraduate classes.

“Our distinguished alumni have once again stepped in to help us in

our time of need,” said Gupta. “This endowment will allow chemical

engineering to make a successful transition to a multi-disciplinary

graduate program of teaching and research.”

“The most important function of the Academy is to assist the

Department in achieving excellence in this rapidly changing world,”

said George B. Taylor, president of the Academy and CEO of Taylor

Holdings, LLC of Oneida, Tenn.

“Our alumni play such an important role in helping us advance the

mission of the College,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean of the

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. “The Academy has

once again stepped up to help us enhance the opportunities we are

bringing to our future engineers.”

For more information on the endowment and how you can become

involved, contact Nicole Riggleman, CEMR assistant director of

development, at 304.293.4257 or [email protected]. •

ACADEMY OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS CONTINUE TO IMPACT DEPARTMENT BY NICOLE RIGGLEMAN

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

Graduating seven members of a family from West Virginia University is

an impressive feat. Holding 12 WVU degrees between these seven is

even more impressive. This only begins to show the James Hall family’s

commitment to WVU and higher education.

A decorated engineer and professor, John F. Hall was inspired by

his parents from a young age to pursue a continuing education. With

his father a chemistry professor at WVU, Hall was also taught the

importance of educational research. In honor of his parents, Betty Hall

of Morgantown and the late Dr. James Hall, John and his wife, Nancy

Lan, have established a graduate fellowship to help inspire students to

continue their education at WVU.

“My parents were very supportive of education and always encouraged

us to go far,” Hall said. “We were also encouraged to continue learning

and always take the next step and face the next challenge in our lives.”

The couple has pledged $100,000 to establish the James and Betty

Hall Fellowship. The gift will qualify for a match from the state’s

Research Trust Fund, bringing the total investment to $200,000. The

fellowship will be used for the benefit of a graduate student within the

College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. Eligible students will

be advancing research in energy and environmental sciences, and/or

biological, biotechnological, and biomedical sciences.

“We are delighted to add this new graduate research fellowship to

the College to support deserving students,” said Gene Cilento, Glen

H. Hiner Dean of the College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.

“We are very appreciative of the generous gift being provided by Dr.

Hall because it will help the College recruit the most qualified students

to engineering graduate studies. Their gift also will be matched by the

West Virginia Research Trust Fund, which doubles the impact of the

fellowship award provided.”

Hall graduated from WVU with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering

in 1973. He went on to receive a master’s degree in structural

engineering from the University of Illinois and a doctorate degree

in earthquake engineering and seismology from the University of

California-Berkeley.

Other family members with degrees from WVU are Hall’s parents,

both of his brothers, and their wives.

As an engineer specializing in earthquake engineering, Hall is widely

known for his work. He has served as a member of the consulting

boards for the California Division of Safety of Dams and Department

of Transportation, secretary to the Governor’s Board of Inquiry into

the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, and managed a $6 million multi-

university Federal Emergency Management Agency research project

to improve the earthquake resistance of wood frame buildings. Lan

holds a doctorate degree in biochemistry. Along with her research

work in various university labs, she co-founded a company in the

pharmaceutical industry.

“It represents my parents because they were such strong advocates

of continuing education, and what better way to do that than to help

a student to attend graduate school,” said Hall, in speaking of the

fellowship. “The fact that it is an endowment also is attractive. It will be

able to provide for students forever with the help of wise investing.”

Hall and Lan currently reside in Altadena, Ca. Married since 1983, the

two are proud parents of a son, Galen Hall, a graduate of UC Berkeley

who plans to begin work toward an MBA at Stanford in the fall. •

HALL FAMILY COMMITMENT TO WVU CONTINUES WITH CREATION OF GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP BY WILLIAM NEVIN

JOB SEARCH WEBSITES FOR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI MOUNTAINEERTRAK IS WVU’S JOB SEARCH PORTAL FOR STUDENTS AND ALUMNI. TO GET ACCESS TO MOUNTAINEERTRAK, PLEASE SEND AN E-MAIL TO [email protected].

Another resource is the WVU CEMR Group at LinkedIn www.cemr.wvu.edu/linkedinwvucemr.

If you have any questions, please contact Lloyd Ford at 304.293.4370.

NANCY LAN AND JOHN HALL

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SUPPORT

Arch Coal, Inc. is donating $300,000 to West

Virginia University to fund the Arch Coal,

Inc. Endowment for Mine Health and Safety

Research. The funds, which will be managed

by the College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources Mining and Industrial Extension

Department, will be used to conduct mine

health and safety research with an emphasis

on mine-level application. The gift is expected

to qualify for a match from the state Research

Trust Fund.

“We greatly appreciate the important work that

WVU is doing to educate a new generation of

talented engineers, particularly in the mining

and industrial arenas,” said Steven F. Leer,

chairman and chief executive officer of Arch

Coal, Inc. “We applaud the University’s efforts

to develop a world-class applied coal mine

health and safety research center.”

WVU’s Academy for Mine Training and Energy

Technologies, located in the Mining and

Industrial Extension unit, trained nearly 10,000

miners in 2010. The Academy offers a variety

of courses, including certification courses for

new miners and mine foremen, along with

training in mine rescue, mine fire safety, and

emergency preparedness.

“I want to thank the management and

employees of Arch Coal for their generosity

and support of our efforts to initiate an Applied

Mine Health and Safety Research Center

that will focus on industry-identified health

and safety issues and emphasize research at

the mine level,” said James Dean, director,

Department of Mining and Industrial Extension.

“We hope that other companies will follow their

lead and support this initiative to improve mine

health and safety into the future.”

“Since 1913, the Mining Extension program

has been pursuing the betterment of the

individual miner through a variety of training

programs with an emphasis on health and

safety,” said Gene Cilento, Glen H. Hiner Dean

of the College of Engineering and Mineral

Resources. “Gifts, such as this from Arch Coal,

allow us to not only continue our work to train

the next generation of miners but also focus

our research efforts on the issues that are of

greatest importance to the industry.”

St. Louis-based Arch Coal is a top-five global

coal producer and marketer, with mining

complexes across every major U.S. coal

supply basin. In 2010, Arch’s lost-time incident

rate of 0.46 per 200,000 hours worked was

one-fifth the national coal industry average

of 2.52 per 200,000 hours worked. Arch’s

enthusiasm for education is evident in the $2.8

million contributed by the corporation and its

foundation to schools and education-related

programs in 2009 and 2010. •

ARCH COAL HONORS COMMITMENT TO SAFETY WITH GIFT TO WVU MINING EXTENSION BY MARY C. DILLON

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Volume 7 Issue 2

ALPHA NATURAL RESOURCES CONTRIBUTES $300K TO ASSIST ENERGY RESEARCH

BY WILLIAM NEVIN

Energy and environmental sciences research

at West Virginia University will benefit from

a $300,000 donation from Alpha Natural

Resources, Inc.

The gift to the College of Engineering and

Mineral Resources establishes the Alpha

Natural Resources Endowment for Energy

Research, and is expected to qualify for a

match from the state Research Trust Fund,

making the total gift $600,000.

“We value the partnership the College has with

Alpha and its generous support,” said Gene

Cilento, Glen Hiner Dean of the College of

Engineering and Mineral Resources. “We will

use this endowment to build an industry-driven

research center that focuses on all aspects

of energy, from extraction to utilization. The

research conducted will support the safety

needs of the mineral resources industries,

which remain vital to our state and nation.”

Jim Dean, director of WVU’s Department of

Mining and Industrial Extension, added: “Our

department is grateful to the management

and employees of Alpha for their support of

our work. This gift will allow us to continue to

conduct mine health and safety research and

training that will benefit the entire industry. This

work is in support of Alpha’s ‘Running Right’

philosophy, which includes integration of new

mine safety technology.”

WVU’s Mining and Industrial Extension

Department recently trained Alpha’s mine

rescue teams at its Academy for Mine Training

and Energy Technologies, in addition to

other training activities conducted on-site at

Alpha mines.

“A sustainable and uninterrupted energy supply

is critical for promoting economic development

and improving people’s qualify of life,” said

Michael Peelish, executive vice president and

chief sustainability officer for Alpha Natural

Resources.

Peelish continued, “West Virginia University

has a long tradition of technologies research

in general and energy studies in particular,

including its recent work in the areas of

reducing power plant emissions, capturing

and storing carbon dioxide in un-mineable

coal seams, and liquefying coal for fueling

vehicles. We are proud to help build on this

strong foundation and we are hopeful that

our contribution will inspire others to support

the University’s important work in energy

research.”

Alpha Natural Resources is one of America’s

premier coal suppliers with coal production

capacity of greater than 90 million tons a

year. Among U.S. producers, Alpha is a

leading supplier and exporter of metallurgical

coal used in the steel-making process and

is a major supplier of thermal coal to electric

utilities and manufacturing industries across the

country. The company, through its affiliates,

employs approximately 6,500 people and

operates approximately 60 mines and 13 coal

preparation facilities in Appalachia and the

Powder River Basin. More information about

Alpha can be found on the company’s

website at www.alphanr.com. •

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Honor Roll of DonorsWe would like to thank our benefactors who have generously contributed to the programs and departments of our College.

We are grateful for your support, as we could not accomplish what we do without your help. Listed below are individuals

and organizations who contributed to a program or department in our College from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011.

$50,000 and up

Mr. Forrest D. L. Coontz

Drs. Syd S. & Felicia F. Peng

Mr. & Mrs. Darrell W. Williams

$25,000 to $49,999

Mr. Ray M. Anderson

Mr. & Mrs. Dean D. Dubbe

Mr. W. R. Hashinger, Jr.

Dr. L. Zane Shuck

$10,000 to $24,999

Mr. James O. Bunn

Dr. & Mrs. William L. Fourney

Mr. Tommy L. Stuchell

Mrs. Joy M. Teske

Mr. & Mrs. Maurice A. Wadsworth

Mr. & Mrs. Royce J. Watts

$5,000 to $9,999

Mr. & Mrs. Gregory S. Babe

Mr. David W. Baker

Mr. & Mrs. George B. Bennett

Mr. & Mrs. Edward J. DiPaolo

Mr. & Mrs. Walter R. Haddad

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Messmore

Dr. & Mrs. James E. Mitchell

Ms. Rhonda L. Radcliff & Mr. Robert Mullenger

Mr. John P. Smith

$1,000 to $4,999

Mr. & Mrs. Bart A. Aitken

Mr. & Mrs. Tony A. Angelelli

Mr. & Mrs. Larry J. Argiro, Sr.

Mr. Christopher J. Bise

Mr. & Mrs. William S. Britt

Mr. & Mrs. Jackson B. Browning, Sr.

Mr. Paul D. Browning

Dr. & Mrs. Robert C. Burchett

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Burlas

Mr. John W. Campbell

Ms. Anesa T. Chaibi

Ms. Lenore M. Coberly

Mr. & Mrs. James E. Conklin

Mr. Jean B. Cropley

Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Dado

Dr. & Mrs. J. Reginald Dietz

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph F. Dunn

Mr. Kenneth M. Dunn

Ms. Marsha H. Fanucci

Mr. Thomas A. Ferris

Mr. Barton R. Field

Mr. Walter J. Fitzgerald

Mr. & Mrs. Philip M. Formica

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas K. Gosnell

Mr. & Mrs. James B. Haines

Donal S. & Amy J. Hall

Mr. Larry D. Hall

Mr. & Mrs. G. Thomas Harrick

Mr. & Mrs. Dean W. Harvey

Mr. & Mrs. R. David Haynes

Mr. John C. Hill

Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Holstine

Mr. & Mrs. Charles I. Homan

Dr. & Mrs. Edwin C. Jones

Mr. & Mrs. William C. Jones

Dr. & Mrs. George E. Keller II

Dr. & Mrs. James A. Kent

Mrs. Sally B. Kline

Mr. & Mrs. James H. Laughlin, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Floyd E. Leaseburg II

Mr. Richard W. Lee

Mr. & Mrs. Porter A. Lyon

Mr. E. Ronald McHenry

Ms. Betty L. Miller

Mr. Stephen R. Montagna

Mr. Kenneth C. Mundell

Ms. Louisa N. Nara

Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Orders, Jr.

Mrs. Glenna R. Pack

Dr. Suryanarayana R. Pakalapati

Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Palmer

Drs. Peter L. & Cheryl L. Perrotta

Mr. & Mrs. Harold L. Phillippi

Mr. John Raine II

Mr. & Mrs. R. Michael Ruppert

Mr. & Mrs. Richard N. Smith

Dr. & Mrs. Charter D. Stinespring

Mr. & Mrs. Douglas P. Terry

Mr. Steven E. Trail

Dr. & Mrs. Charles M. Vest

Mr. & Mrs. Maurice A. Wadsworth

Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Walter

Mr. Brian D. Woerner

Mr. Suyoun Won

$500 to $999

Mr. & Mrs. Mark K. Angelelli

Mr. & Mrs. C. Ben Arney

Mr. James L. Bero

Mr. & Mrs. Charles C. Bibbee

Mr. & Mrs. W. Douglas Blackburn, Jr.

Mr. Jason C. Blaylock

Mr. & Mrs. George E. Booth, Sr.

Mr. Joseph A. Bush, Jr.

Mrs. Mary W. Caldwell

Dr. & Mrs. Wils L. Cooley III

Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Corsi, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald F. Davoli

Ms. Kathryn H. de Graaf

Mr. & Mrs. Dale W. Dodrill

Dr. Dianne Dorland

Mr. & Mrs. Herbert P. Dripps

Dr. & Mrs. Liang T. Fan

Mr. & Mrs. John R. Farina

Mr. Richard E. Fletcher

Mrs. Sheila K. Gorgonio

Mr. Kenneth R. Gosnell

Ms. Emer O. Gunter

Mr. & Mrs. J. Richard Haden, Jr.

Mr. John F. Halterman

Ms. Linda S. Heery

Mr. & Mrs. John S. Hill

Mrs. Jennifer L. Hornsby-Myers

Mr. & Mrs. David A. Horvath

Mr. Ryan S. Hunter

Mr. Patrick A. Jackson & Ms. Dayna L. Doricich

Mr. & Mrs. Jimmie L. Justice

Mr. Richard J. Kacik

Dr. James A. Keenan

Dr. & Mrs. Abdul W. Khair

Mr. & Mrs. Oren E. Kitts

Mr. & Mrs. Gregory A. Kozera

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Kutsch, Jr.

Mr. Junior H. Landes II

Mr. Jens H. Lange

Mr. Kristopher C. Lilly & Mrs. Carrie J. Daugherty Lilly

Mrs. Dana McGrath

Dr. & Mrs. Ronald B. McPherson

Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Mills

Mack Timothy Moore

Mr. & Mrs. Alan P. Moran

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Mullett

Mr. John Olashuk

Mr. & Mrs. Marion Parsons, Jr.

Mr. Gregory D. Patterson

Mr. & Mrs. Michael D. Poling

Dr. & Mrs. Michael E. Prudich

Dr. & Mrs. J. Mark Pullen

Mr. & Mrs. Alan S. Pyle

Ms. Toni Rakow-Lester

Mr. Anand Ravipati

Ms. Melissa G. Richey

Mr. Richard C. Rockenstein

Mr. & Mrs. Roy H. Rogerson

Mr. & Ms. Nicholas Sands

Mr. & Mrs. Barrett L. Shrout

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas W. Sirk, Jr.

Mrs. Ann S. Smith

Ms. Jennifer L. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald W. Staib

Dr. James B. Stenger

Ms. Heather A. Stephan

Mr. John A. Strohmeyer

Mr. Jay J. Turner

Mr. & Mrs. Ken P. Vitaya-Udom

Dr. Richard E. Walters

Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth A. Ward

Dr. John W. Zondlo

Mr. & Mrs. Eugene M. Zvolensky

$100 to $499

Mr. Michael J. Akers, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. George C. Alex

Mr. James V. Alford II

Mr. & Mrs. Steven W. Alford

Mr. & Mrs. Chester L. Allen

Mr. Randy L. Allison

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew M. Altman

Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Alvarez

Mr. & Ms. Samuel Ameri

Mr. Jeffrey L. Andrews

Mr. & Mrs. Larry J. Andrews

Dr. Clement I. Anekwe

Mr. Ajith Antony

Mr. Francisco H. Antunez & Ms. Meredith R. Roche

Mr. & Mrs. C. Edward Ashby, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Richard A. Bajura

Mr. & Mrs. Steven C. Ball

Dr. & Mrs. Jimmy P. Balsara

Mr. Bradley R. Bane & Dr. Danielle J. D. Bane

Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Barnes

Mr. Charles R. Bartlett

Mr. & Mrs. James A. Beach

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher R. Bearce

Mr. & Mrs. Scott M. Becker

Mr. William E. Beckers

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey W. Bell

Lt. Col. (Ret.) & Mrs. Paul G. Bellia

Mr. & Mrs. Duane T. Bernard

Mr. David A. Bernemann

Dr. & Mrs. Navinchandra B. Bhatt

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis E. Bibbee

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen M. Billcheck, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Harold E. Bishop, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. G. Lansing Blackshaw

Mr. & Mrs. John L. Blair, Jr.

Mrs. Jackalie L. Blue

Mr. Jerry D. Blue

Mr. & Mrs. Mark S. Boggs

Mrs. Irene F. Bohuslavsky

Dr. & Mrs. Daniel D. Bonar

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen E. Borkowski

Mr. & Mrs. John W. Botts

Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Bourne

Mr. John D. Bowers

Gregory & Shelly Bowles

Mr. & Mrs. William E. Bowling

Mr. John W. Boyle

Mr. Raymond A. Bradbury

Mr. Michael E. Brennan

Mr. & Mrs. Francis S. Brezny

Maj. Gregory D. Brown

Mrs. Barbara H. Brygider

Mr. & Mrs. Donald L. Bunch

Ms. Kendra L. Burch

Mr. Gregory S. Burdette

Mr. Wallace M. Cackowski

Mrs. Wendy A. Cain

Maj. & Mrs. Jason A. Camilletti

Mr. & Mrs. Donald F. Campbell

Mr. John A. Campbell

Mr. & Mrs. Mark Campbell

Mr. & Mrs. Overton H. Caperton

Mr. & Mrs. Larry K. Carpenter

Mrs. Shelia B. Carr

Mr. Michael J. Carter

Mr. Anthony J. Castronovo

Mr. & Mrs. William C. Cavage

Mr. & Mrs. William M. Cavage

Mr. Ryan D. Cavallo

Mr. & Mrs. Frank Cerminara

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis C. Chambers

Mr. Dashan Chang

Mr. Burdell D. Chapman III

Mr. Edward J. Chehovin

Dr. Long-Huie Chen

Mr. & Mrs. Henry E. Cicci

Dr. Eugene V. Cilento

James M. Clark

Mr. & Mrs. James R. Clark

WVU COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MINERAL RESOURCES

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Volume 7 Issue 2

Mr. & Mrs. Richard E. Cline

Mr. Robert A. Clise

Mr. August D. Coby

Mr. David W. Coffman

Mrs. Teresa A. Cole

Mr. & Mrs. Charles W. Collins

Mr. & Mrs. Mike G. Collins

Mr. & Mrs. Rodney A. Collins

Mr. & Mrs. H. Ward Conaway

Mr. & Mrs. Bernard C. Corker

Mr. Charlie L. Cornett

Mrs. Sara B. Correll

Mr. & Mrs. Russell V. Costanza

Mr. & Mrs. Mark W. Cottrill

Mr. Bruce A. Cox

Mr. Ted B. Cranmer

Mr. & Mrs. William Crise

Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Culp

Ms. Amanda L. Cunningham

Miss Cassie A. Cunningham

Mr. Brian J. Cyphert

Mr. Patrick A. Cyphert

Mr. & Mrs. Barry Dangerfield

Mr. & Mrs. Steven K. Darnell

Ms. Dianne C. Davidson

Mr. & Mrs. James P. Davidson, Jr.

Dr. Paul C. Davis

Mr. & Mrs. Dale T. Deem

Mr. Leonard J. DeCarlo

Mr. Joseph R. Depond

Mr. Gilbert W. DeVine

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas J. DeWitt

Dr. Gianfranco Doretto

Ms. Arlene T. Dorow

Mr. & Mrs. Donald W. Dougherty

Mr. Wayne R. Doverspike

Mr. Brian J. Downie

Mr. John S. Doyle, Jr.

Mr. Steven E. Easley

Mr. Rehan Ehsan

Mr. & Mrs. Allen O. Elkins

Mr. & Mrs. Charles A. Ellis

Mr. & Mrs. Clifford W. Essig

Dr. John R. Etherton

Mr. & Mrs. Philip L. Evans

Mr. & Mrs. John P. Faini

Mr. Richard L. Falkenstein

Mr. & Mrs. James G. Faller

Mr. & Mrs. Lionel R. Farr

Mr. Richard P. Filiaggi

Mr. & Mrs. Earl M. Fisher

Mr. Harold G. Fisher

Mr. & Mrs. John A. Fleek

Mr. George B. Flegal, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Fleischer

Mr. Timothy K. Fleming

Judge & Mrs. Edwin F. Flowers

Mrs. Amy E. Floyd

Mrs. Wendy Fluharty

Mr. William G. Fockler

Mr. & Mrs. B. Kenneth Fouts

Mr. Eric S. Fridley

Mr. Manning Frymier

Mrs. Marie R. Fumich

Mrs. & Mr. Shelley L. Gager

Mr. & Mrs. John P. Gay

Dr. & Mrs. Zack J. George, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Timothy M. Gessner

Mr. & Mrs. Alexander H. Ghiz, Jr.

Ms. Sheree L. Gibson

Mr. & Mrs. David J. Gingerich

Mr. David R. Glass

Dr. & Mrs. William M. Glazier

Mr. Gus Glyptis

Mr. & Mrs. Theodore G. Glyptis

Mr. & Mrs. Matthew G. Goff

Mr. Paul A. Good

Mr. & Mrs. Barry A. Goodwin

Dr. & Mrs. Robert A. Gore

Mr. & Mrs. F. Gail Gray

Mr. & Mrs. Garret W. Green

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Gribschaw

Mr. Curtis M. Griffith, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Robert R. Griffith

Mr. Paul Guarneri

Mr. Joseph E. Hadersbeck

Mr. Ronald A. Hahn

Mr. & Mrs. Scott A. Hair

Dr. & Mrs. George A. Hall

Mrs. Margaret M. Hall

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Halloran

Mr. Robert L. Halstead

Mr. & Mrs. Francis J. Halterman, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Dan P. Hamrick

Dr. Bachel Han

Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Hanko

Mr. & Mrs. Benjamin A. Hardesty

Mr. & Mrs. James E. Hardy

Mr. James C. Hare

Mr. & Mrs. James H. Harless

Mr. Gordon P. Harlow

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel L. Harman

Mr. & Mrs. Samuel R. Harman

Mr. & Mrs. James E. Harris

Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Harris

Maj. Gerhard B. Hartig

Mr. Richard F. Hashinger

Dr. & Mrs. M. Masood Hassan

Mr. & Mrs. Howard M. Hatala

Mr. Joseph H. Hatcher

Mr. & Ms. David L. Hawkins

Mr. & Mrs. Robert W. Haynes

Mr. & Mrs. William R. Heathcote

Mr. & Mrs. Marc Heffner

Mr. William D. Hegener

Mr. Roy A. Heidelbach

Dr. Judy H. Helm

Mr. Wayne M. Henshaw & Ms. Deborah S. Joyce

Mr. Christopher Herbert

Mrs. Constance S. Herbert

Mr. Michael E. Hershberger

Dr. Garry C. Hess

Mr. Douglas E. Hilemn & Mrs. Tracy Campbell-Hilemn

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Hill

Mr. & Mrs. Henry R. Hofmann

Mr. & Mrs. David K. Hollen

Mr. & Mrs. John R. Holliday

Mr. & Mrs. John A. Holmes

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald E. Hoover

Mr. & Mrs. William H. Hoover

Ms. Barbara Hopkins

Mrs. Sharon W. Horne

Mr. Virgil Horton

Mr. & Mrs. Victor W. Huang

Mr. & Mrs. Jay W. Huffman

Mr. & Mrs. Hugh B. Humbert, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Ervin J. Hunter

Mr. & Mrs. Elmo J. Hurst

Mr. & Mrs. Jan C. Hutwelker, Sr.

Mr. Jeffrey P. Ice

Mrs. Judith B. Iszauk

Mr. & Mrs. Munther T. Jabbur

Mr. Jay K. Jackson

Mr. John B. James

Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. Jamison II

Col. Michael A. Janovicz

Mr. Brian E. Johnson

Mr. Roderick N. Johnson

Mr. William M. Johnson

Mr. & Mrs. Donald G. Jones

Mr. H. Eckess Jones, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Russell Jones

Mr. & Mrs. Denver A. Jordan

Dr. Guosheng Kang & Ms. Qing Luo

Dr. & Mrs. Gary Keefer

Mr. & Mrs. W. Lee Kelvington

Mr. Mark D. Kessinger

Dr. Mohamad A. Khalil

Mr. Harry G. Kienzle

Mr. Garry R. Kilmer

Mr. & Mrs. Allen W. Kincaid

Ms. Staci R. King

Ms. Bonnie C. Kington

Mr. John J. Klim III

Mr. & Mrs. Evans L. Kline

Ms. Stephanie R. Kline

Drs. Michael J. & Lesley A. Klishis

Mr. Daniel A. Kniska, Jr.

Mr. Smith & Ms. Kniska

Mr. & Mrs. Eugene F. Kopyar

Mr. George J. Kostelnik

Dr. & Mrs. Don L. Koubek

Mr. Demetrios T. Kourpas

Dr. Ellen M. Kraft

Mr. Arvind R. Krishnappa

Dr. & Mrs. John M. Kuhlman

Mr. John A. Kulmoski, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph A. R. Larry

Mr. Loren L. Lazear

Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Lechnar

Mr. Howard L. Leckey

Mr. Gregory T. Lee

Mr. Andrew B. Leimer

Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas M. Lengyel

Dr. Barbara T. Leonard

Mr. Edward G. Lewis

Mr. Richard L. Lewis II

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen C. Lewis

Dr. & Mrs. Thomas R. Long

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph S. Luchini

Ms. Susan A. Luerich & Mr. Lawrence E. Leise

Mr. E. Daniel Lynch, Jr.

Ms. Margaret R. Lyon

Dr. & Mrs. Peter S. Maa

Ms. Sara S. Mahood

Mr. & Mrs. A. Edward Maloy, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel L. Manack

Ms. Nancy H. Marsh

Mr. & Mrs. Peter M. Martin

Dr. David R. Martinelli

Mr. & Mrs. Louis J. Martinez

Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Marushi

Ms. Rebecca S. Mattern

Mr. Christopher T. Mayo

Mrs. Gina M. McCann

Mr. Jack C. McCauley

Mr. & Mrs. Arthur M. McClain

Mr. William McColl

Prof. & Mrs. John E. McCray, Jr.

Mr. George T. McCulley

Mr. Dennis W. McDaniels

Mr. & Mrs. S. Fenton McDonald

Mr. Joseph K. McFadden

Ms. Jennifer R. McGee

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. McKiernan

Mr. Philip R. McMahon

Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. McPheters

Dr. Kenneth H. Means & Dr. Carol D. Means

Mr. & Mrs. W. Scott Mease

Mr. & Mrs. Russell B. Mechling, Jr.

Ms. Annamaria Medvid

Dr. & Mrs. Paul G. Migliore

CDR J. Larry Miles, Jr.

Mr. Nicholas A. Milinovich

Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Miller II

Mr. C. Douglas Miller

Mr. Jonathan L. Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Mills

Mr. & Mrs. J. Richard Mitchell

Dr. Chinnarao Mokkapati

Mr. & Mrs. Guy E. Mongold, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Ian R. Moore

Mrs. Kim M. Morgan

Col. (Ret.) & Mrs. Philip S. Morris

Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Morris

Mr. Cleveland G. Mosby, Jr.

Mr. Ralph D. Mullenax

Mr. & Mrs. David E. Mullett

Mr. & Mrs. Vicente S. Munoz, Jr.

Dr. Harapanhalli S. Muralidhara & Dr. Ponnamma K. Kurian

Mr. & Mrs. Ryan M. Murray

Mr. & Mrs. Clyde B. Musick

Mr. Patrick C. Myers, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Warren R. Myers

Mr. & Mrs. Richard S. Napier

Mrs. Jane H. Nicholson

Mr. Leonard S. Nicholson

Mr. & Mrs. Randy A. Nicholson

Mr. Nathan J. Nicol

Mr. Robert A. Novotny

Dr. & Mrs. Roy S. Nutter, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. George J. Oberlick

Dr. & Mrs. James B. Ogundele

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Mr. & Mrs. Daniel R. Olds

Mr. & Mrs. Art Oliver, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Larry E. Oliver

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph F. Oliveto

Mr. Roderick J. Olson

Mr. & Mrs. Richard A. Ott

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph F. Pagendarm

Mr. & Mrs. Charles H. Pannell II

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph D. Parriott

Mr. & Mrs. Terrence L. Parsons

Mr. Thomas H. Parsons

Mr. & Mrs. Vijendrakumar C. Patel

Mr. George S. Paul

Mr. C. Lorn Paxton

Mr. & Mrs. Harold R. Payne

Mr. Richard B. Pellegrino

Mr. Richard J. Perin

Mr. & Mrs. Edward L. Perry

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph R. Pevarnik

Mr. & Mrs. Jon K. Phillips

Paul & Kathy Phillips

Ms. Kerri B. Phillips

Mr. & Mrs. W. Scot Phillips

Mr. Basil Phipps

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew D. Pickens, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Mark M. Piper

Mr. & Mrs. Timothy J. Pizatella

Mr. & Mrs. Danny B. Platt

Ms. Sara M. Pletcher

Dr. & Mrs. Ralph W. Plummer

Mr. & Mrs. John R. Poland

Mr. Trevor M. Poquette

Mr. Martin Potts

Mr. David A. Price

Mr. & Mrs. Victor D. Proietti

Dr. Jacky C. Prucz

Mr. & Mrs. David R. Prunty

Mr. & Mrs. Donald R. Prunty, Jr.

Mr. Albert W. Radabaugh & Ms. Deena M. Krafft

Mr. Walter J. Ramsey

Mr. & Mrs. William W. Ramsey III

Mr. Jon H. Rateau

Mr. Herbert S. Rawlings

Mr. Bradley R. Reed

Mr. & Mrs. Mark F. Reeder

Mr. James B. Reese

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph E. Reger

Mr. & Mrs. Leroy C. Reid, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. John F. Rentschler, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. John A. Reynolds

Mr. Boyd W. Rhodes

Mr. & Mrs. William S. Rice

Mr. & Mrs. Peter B. Rich

Mr. & Mrs. Jon M. Ridgway

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew R. Riehl

Dr. & Mrs. Billy M. Riggleman

Mr. & Dr. Terry D. Rings

Mr. & Mrs. Carl T. Ripberger III

Mr. & Mrs. David J. Ritz

Mr. & Mrs. Brad J. Roberts

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph S. Robertson

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas A. Robertson

Mr. Benjamin J. Robinson

Mr. & Mrs. James P. Robison

Mr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Rosenlieb

Mr. Anthony D. Rossetti

Mr. Thomas C. Rowan

Mr. Meredith B. Royce, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Rupar

Mr. & Mrs. James J. Rusenko

Mr. Phillip M. Sabree

Mr. & Mrs. William A. Savage

Mr. Steven R. Sawyer

Dr. Marshalla M. Schile

Mr. & Mrs. Frank W. Schneider

Mr. James W. Schumacher

Mr. & Mrs. Gary J. Schweitzer

Mrs. Tracie L. Seivertson

Mr. & Mrs. John E. Seknicka

Mr. S. Thomas Serpento

Mrs. Grace W. Sharpenberg

Mr. Charles A. Shaver

Mr. David E. Sheets

Mr. & Mrs. Richard Shehab

Mr. Jeffrey D. Shields

Mr. W. David Shinn

Mr. & Mrs. Morris M. Shor

Mr. Frank J. Shuler

Mrs. Susan K. Siebken

Mr. & Mrs. Mark J. Sikora

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher B. Simms

Mr. & Mrs. William A. Simms

Mr. Kenneth K. Sitar

Mr. & Mrs. George D. Six

Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Skelton

Ms. Linda Slonksnes

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas C. Smillie II

Mr. & Mrs. David J. Smith

Dr. Jason R. Smith

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey D. Smith

Mr. John C. Smith

Mr. Perry Smith, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. John E. Sneckenberger

Mr. & Mrs. George A. Snider, Jr.

Mr. Harold J. Snyder, Jr.

Mr. Michael G. Sonnefeld

Dr. & Mrs. Wen-Yan Soung

Dr. & Mrs. James E. Spearman

Mr. Peter L. Spence

Dr. & Mrs. Michael G. Spencer

Dr. James L. Spenik

Mr. Phillip L. Stalnaker

Mr. & Mrs. Charles R. Steele

Mr. & Mrs. Daniel E. Steerman

Mr. Harry L. Stemple

Mr. & Mrs. John B. Stevens

Dr. Larry E. Stewart

Mr. John M. Stickler

Mr. & Mrs. Vincent J. Stricker

Mr. Charles E. Stricklin

Dr. Richard J. Stock

Mr. & Mrs. J. Robert Stockner

Brian & Jessica Stolarik

Mr. & Mrs. Lester W. Stone

Mr. John R. Sutler

Mr. John M. Svedman

Mr. T. Tyson Swain

Mr. & Mrs. David L. Swearingen

Mr. & Dr. Kevin D. Swisher

Mr. & Mrs. Caleb A. Tarleton

Mr. Adam M. Tarovisky

Mr. & Mrs. James E. Taylor

Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Taylor

Mr. & Mrs. Charles O. Thayer IV

Capt. Charles H. Tilton USN (Ret.)

Dr. Douglas L. Timmons

Mr. & Mrs. Leonard J. Timms, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Robert K. Tinney

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen W. Tippett

Mr. Fred R. Toothman

Mr. & Mrs. Dennis P. Townsend

Mr. Frederick D. Truban

Mr. & Mrs. Brian A. Truman

Mr. & Mrs. Charles E. Tupes

Mr. William C. Turley, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Harold Turner

Mr. & Mrs. Roy M. Turner

Mr. & Mrs. Lionel J. Updyke

Mr. Thomas E. Urquhart

Mr. & Mrs. David R. Vaughn

Mr. & Mrs. David A. Velegol, Sr.

Mr. Kelles L. Veneri

Mrs. Patricia W. Vetter

Mr. Leslie A. Viegas

Mr. Shashikanth Vittal

Mrs. Kari A. Walker

Mr. Kermit H. Walker, Jr.

Mr. William D. Walko

Mr. Douglas L. Walton

Mr. & Mrs. Gary W. Wamsley

Dr. & Mrs. Shih-Chung Wang

Dr. Yajie Wang

Mr. & Mrs. Edward A. Ward

Dr. & Mr. Karen E. Warden

Mr. & Mrs. Julian W. Ware

Mr. George A. Waters

Mr. Daniel A. Weber

Mr. & Mrs. Earl K. West

Ms. & Mr. Janie West

Mr. & Mrs. William H. West

Mr. & Mrs. Harry L. Westerman

Mr. Duane E. Westfall

Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Westfall

Mr. & Mrs. Ronald C. Whigham

Mr. & Mrs. Glenn L. White

Mr. John L. White

Mr. Norman W. White

Mr. & Mrs. Thomas H. White

Mr. Chester L. Whitehair

Mr. & Mrs. David M. Wiebking

Mr. Stephen C. Wilhelm

Mr. & Mrs. Cyril H. Williams, Jr.

Mr. J. Eldon Williams

Mr. George A. Williams

Mr. & Mrs. Jason D. Williams

Mr. & Mrs. Alan R. Williamson, Jr.

Mr. & Mrs. Christopher J. Williamson

Dr. & Mrs. F. David Wilkin

Mr. & Mrs. Donald P. Wilson

Mr. & Mrs. George N. Wilson

Dr. & Mrs. James D. Wilson

Mr. & Mrs. Richard H. Wilson

Mr. & Mrs. Steven F. Wilson

Mr. & Mrs. W. Eugene Wimer

Mrs. Mary Beth Wise

Mr. & Mrs. Howard V. Withrow II

Mr. Kenneth J. Witt

Mr. C. H. Woodford II

Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey T. Woods

Mr. Henry M. Word

Mrs. Kathi S. Workman

Mr. & Mrs. Stephen A. Yano

Mr. & Mrs. Otis R. Yeater

Mr. & Mrs. David A. Young, Jr.

Dr. & Mrs. Richard W. Young

Mr. Richard Yungwirth

Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Zachar

Mr. & Mrs. Rafi M. Zeinalpour

Mrs. Hao Zhang

Mr. & Mrs. George T. Zimmerman

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$100,000 and up

Alpha Natural Resources, Inc.

Murray Energy Corporation

Nason P. Pritchard Trust

Research Trust Fund

$50,000 to $99,999

Bayer USA Foundation

CONSOL Energy Inc.

Exxon Mobil Foundation

Massey Foundation

MEPCO, Inc.

University of Toledo Foundation

Virginia Oil and Gas LLC POP

WV Coal Mining Institute

$25,000 to $49,999

Air Products Foundation, Inc.

Chesapeake Operating, Inc.

Michael Baker Corporation

$10,000 to $24,999

John L. Kirkland Trust

Pearson Education

Chesapeake Energy Corporation

Chevron Products Company

The Cliffs Foundation

Dominion Foundation

General Electric Company

Halliburton

Hayhurst Co.

ICG, LLC

James Romano Charitable Remainder Trust

North Carolina Coal Institute, Inc.

NuStar Foundation Matching Gift Program

Patriot Coal Corporation

Peabody Investments Corp.

Peter’s Creek Coal Association

Tunnel Radio of America, Inc.

Wells Fargo Educational Matching Gift Program

$5,000 to $9,999

AADE Appalachian Basin

Appalachian Underground Corrosion Short Course

Ayco Charitable Foundation-Cerminara Foundation

Datha Gene Foundation

DirecTV

Gimme Foundation Inc.

The Hershey Company Matching Gift Program

Lockheed Martin

Parkersburg Area Community Foundation

Penn Virginia Operating Co. LLC

PPG Industries

Triad Engineering, Inc.

$1,000 to $4,999

American Association of Drilling Engineers

Bechtel Matching Gift Program

Boeing Company Matching Gift Program

Cedar Point

Central Appalachian Section of SME

Chevron Humankind Employee Funds

Dow Chemical Company

Duke Energy Corporation

E.l. Dupont De Nemours & Company

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - Larry Joe Lilly

Guidestream Charitable Gift Fund

Halliburton Foundation, Inc.

Joy Mining Machinery

Keith Asset Management LLLP

Lemac Mine Service, Inc.

Marathon Oil Company Foundation

Mon Valley Integration LLC

Mylan, Inc.

Northern WV Section of SPE

Parsons

Pfizer Foundation Matching Gifts Program

Schwab Charitable Fund-R.J. & Maureen W Watts

Southeastern Association of State Highway & Transportation Officials

Southern Coals Conference

Tennessee Valley Section of The American Industrial Hygiene Association

WV Coal Association, Inc.

WVU Alumni Association - Mineral Resources

$500 to $999

Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

Chevron Corporation Matching Grants Program

Deloitte Foundation

Dow Chemical Company Foundation

EQT Corporation (Matching Gifts)

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund - James Faller

H.J. Heinz Company Foundation

Monsanto Fund

Mountaineer Mine Safety & Training, Inc.

P&G Fund

Reliant Energy Charitable Giving

Shell Oil Company Foundation

$100 to $499

AeroJet

Alcoa Foundation

Almes Enterprises LLC

American Electric Power Matching Gift Program

Bank of America

Book Mart Corp.

Bridgestone Americas Trust Fund

Bucyrus Foundation, Inc.

ConocoPhillips

Dominion Foundation Matching Gift Program

Eaton Corporation Matching Gift Program

Employees Charity Organization

Environmental Science Applications, Inc.

FMC Corporation

Gannon International

Harris Foundation

IBM International Foundation Matching Gift Program

Johnson Controls Foundation

Juniper Networks’ Company

Kinder Morgan, Inc.

Landmarks Design Associates, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation Foundation

Lubrizol Foundation Matching Gift Program

Lutheran Community Foundation

Marathon Oil Company Foundation Matching Gifts Program

Merck Partnership for Giving

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Olashuk Environmental, Inc.

Oracle

Pennsylvania Power & Light Company Matching Gifts

Raytheon

SAIC, Inc.

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories, Inc.

Siemens US - Matching Contributions Program for Employees

Smith Water Technologies, LLC

Southern Company Services

Tahoe Management One

Textron, Inc.

United Technologies

Verizon Foundation

Verizon Foundation

WVU Student Chapter of Alpha Pi Mu

Xerox Corporation, Inc.

Xerox Corporation U.S.A.

Corporate, Associations, and Trusts

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LOWELL T. HARMISON, PH.D.

Lowell T. Harmison, Ph.D., 74, passed away on March 30, at Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, Va.

A native of North River Mills, W.Va., Dr. Harmison earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University in 1960 and his master’s in 1961. He received his doctorate from the University of Maryland and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan. A member of WVU’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni of Mechanical Engineering, he followed a career in health sciences; pioneered an artificial heart; and was internationally recognized for his research, government service, and humanitarian achievements.

Dr. Harmison is survived by his wife, Sally; his three sons, Christopher, Brian, and Craig; and seven grandchildren.

CHRISTOPHER STEVEN LANTZ

Christopher Steven Lantz, 25, of Oakland, Md., died of injuries sustained in a snowmobile accident on December 29, 2010.

Lantz graduated first in his class from West Virginia University in December 2007 with bachelor of science

degrees in both electrical and computer engineering. He was awarded the University’s Robert C. Byrd Scholarship, as well as a Blue and Gold Scholarship, and a WVU Academic Grant. He served as an Engineering 101 teaching assistant, was named the 2007 WVU Foundation Outstanding Senior, and was inducted into three academic honors organizations.

He was a third-year student at Vanderbilt University Law School at the time of his passing.

Lantz is survived by his parents, Steven and Mary Lantz of Oakland; a brother, Evan Michael Lantz; and his fiancée, Jillian Mazur.

ALLISON ROSE NEVILLE

Allison Rose Neville, 23, of Barrackville, W.Va., passed away on March 31, following a five-month battle with cancer.

Neville earned a bachelor of science degree in industrial engineering from West Virginia University in 2009. She was employed at Mylan Pharmaceuticals in Morgantown as a project engineer in the manufacturing department.

Neville is survived by her parents, Alex and Lora Neville of Barrackville; a brother, Lance Cpl. Alex P. Neville, Jr.; and a sister, Sophia.

IN MEMORIAM

Below you will find a list of thoughtful and generous alumni and friends who have become members of the Irving Stewart Society by including our College in their estate plans. These individuals are helping students of the future through gift provisions in their wills, life income gifts, testamentary retirement accounts, life insurance, or gifts of real estate with a retained life state. We are forever grateful to them.

Irvin Stewart Society: Making a Difference for Years to Come

Robert D. Bewick ’52

Stanley Browning ’57

Frank Cerminara ’70

Susan Cerminara

Vudara Chuop ’80

Irene V. Desmond

Robert M. Desmond, Ph.D.

Kathleen J. DuBois

Walter J. Fitzgerald ’58

Beatrice Galli

Margaret M. Hall ’81

Lawrence C. Hays ’41

Glen H. Hiner, Ph.D. ’57

Genevieve C. Koepfinger

Joseph L. Koepfinger

Anthony E. Licata ’70

Allan S. May ’39

James R. McQuay ’77

Jean H. Orders

Robert O. Orders ’51

William N. Poundstone ’49

Lora V. Richards

Jacqulyn Smith Sample

Paul E. Sample, Ph.D. ’57

Barrett L. Shrout ’62

Nancy S. Shrout

Kathryn A. Simms

R. Patrick Simms ’66

William A. Simms ’64

J. Robert Stockner ’50

Tommy L. Stuchell, JD ’87

W. David Teter ’64

Jo Ann Wadsworth

Maurice A. Wadsworth ’51

Frank T. Wheby ’56

Erna F. Wilkin

F. David Wilkin, EdD ’69

Donald W. Worlledge ’55

Mary S. Worlledge

Eugene M. Zvolensky ’70

Please consider joining the Irvin Stewart Society by including our College in your estate plans. For more information, contact Garth Lindley at 304-293-4156 or [email protected] or Robert Bragg at 304-293-4036 or [email protected].

SUPPORT

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ALUMNI

Robert Brandenburg, MSSM ’05, was awarded the credential of certified safety professional from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals and the credential of certified safety and health manager from the Institute of Safety and Health Management. The National Science Foundation presented Brandenburg with the Antarctica Service Medal of the United States for service in Antarctica and recognition of valuable contributions to exploration and scientific achievement under the U.S. Antarctic Research Program.

Dennis Chambers, BSCE ’68, MSCE ’74, former senior vice president of Triad Engineering, was recently inducted into the West Virginia Academy of Civil Engineers. Chambers was recognized for his commitment to engineering work around the state, his role in the founding and growth of Triad Engineering, and his ongoing community involvement. Though retired, Chambers is still a registered professional engineering in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Maryland. He continues to perform select projects through Chambers Association of Morgantown, W.Va.

Sampa Das Ostrem, BSBA ’95, was awarded the Kusnetz Award, which honors certified hygienists that have worked to provide the highest standards of health and safety protection for the employees for whom they are responsible by exhibiting high ethical standards and technical abilities. The award was presented at the annual American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference. She is the owner of D.A.S. Consulting Services, LLC in Springfield, Ill.

Scott Fouts, MSSM ’00, and Justin Walker, MSSM ’06, were recognized by The Hartford for excellence in loss control. Fouts, who works in Las Vegas, Nev., won the award for the sixth straight year. Walker works in Washington, D.C., and was recently promoted to senior loss control consultant. Only eight employees were honored by the company.

Gary Schubert, MSCS ’80, was awarded senior membership status in the Association for Computer Machinery. The award recognizes ACM members with at least 10 years of professional experience and five years of continuous professional membership who have demonstrated performance that sets them apart from their peers. Schubert is an associate professor in computer science and art at Alderson-Broaddus College in Philippi, W.Va.

FACULTY AND STAFF

Sam Ameri, professor and chair of the Department of Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering, was named the Outstanding Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Professor by the West Virginia Society of Petroleum Engineers’ Student Chapter. The award was presented at the annual Mineral Resources Recognition Banquet held this past spring.

Karl Barth, the Jack H. Samples Distinguished Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering, presented a seminar on “The Development of Design Standards for Short Span Steel Bridges” at the Sixth European Conference on Steel and Composite Structures, held at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics in Budapest, Hungary.

Daniel Della-Giustina, professor of safety management, has been awarded the credential of certified healthcare safety professional by the International Board for Certification of Safety Managers.

Shahab Mohaghegh, professor of petroleum and natural gas engineering, was invited to participate in a panel discussion during the Middle East Oil Show in Bahrain to discuss the speed of technology development and its impact on the exploration and production industry. He was also asked to teach a two-day short course on oilfield data mining at the Society of Petroleum Engineers’ annual technical conference, held in Denver in late October. Total S.A., one of six “supermajor” oil companies in the world, invited Mohaghegh to deliver two lectures on artificial intelligence-based reservoir simulations and modeling at their offices in Paris and Pau, France.

James E. Smith, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, was a distinguished guest lecturer at the University of Toledo this past spring. His talk, “Leadership-Driven Innovation: The Role of the Engineer in our Future,” focused on the roles leadership and innovation play in the maturation process of a new company or technology.

NEWS OF NOTE

A replica of Fenix II, the mine rescue capsule used in the Chilean mine rescue of 2010, was displayed on the front lawn of the Mineral Resources Building on West Virginia University’s Evansdale campus in early May. The 15-foot high capsule is 21-inches in diameter and weighs 2,800 pounds and was manufactured at Center Rock, Inc. of Berlin, Pa. The 33 miners were rescued after spending 68 days underground.

CHILEAN MINE RESCUE REPLICA DISPLAYED

Ryan Sigler was a recipient of a Nicholas Evans Advising Award. The awards—given annually to a graduate assistant, a professional, and faculty member—honor Dr. Nicholas Evans, a lifelong proponent and exemplar of excellent undergraduate advising.

Sigler advises many transfer and international students in addition to his normal advising load. He also helps to train future advisors, both full-time and graduate. He helped create the Nick Evans Award and served on the first selection committee. He has also served on the WVU Advising Workgroup, which has helped to develop advising policies and best practices throughout the University.

Sigler received $2,500 in his departmental budget for travel and scholarship.

SIGLER HONORED WITH EVANS AWARD FOR ADVISING

WVU College of Engineering and Mineral ResourcesPO Box 6070, Morgantown, WV 26506-6070

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Save the DatesDecember Convocation ReceptionDecember 11, 2011

Capitol ClassicJanuary 18, 2012

Engineering Open HouseMarch 1, 2012

Civil and Environmental Engineering AcademyApril 19-21, 2012

Lane Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering AcademyApril 20-21, 2012

Honors DayApril 20, 2012

Chemical Engineering AcademyApril 26-27, 2012

CommencementMay 12, 2012

Send your professional news, photos, and/or contributions to [email protected], or to Alumni Notes, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, West Virginia University, PO 6070, Morgantown, WV 26506-6070. You also may give online at www.cemr.wvu.edu/contribute.

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