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For the week of July 2nd, 2010
@COE will be published on a bi-weekly basis beginning May 21. The next edition will be sent out on Friday, July 16.
Please send your submissions for @COE to Viriginia Switzer in the Engineering Communications Office at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.
Faculty Updates
Faculty Attend Railway Engineering Symposium
The American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-way Association held its second Railway Engineering Education Symposium (REES) June 14-16, 2010 at the National Academy of Railway Sciences in Overland Park, KS. The objective of the event was to instruct invited civil engineering faculty in the principles of railway engineering and to provide them with instructional materials for use in classes. Twenty-six faculty from universities in the U.S. and Canada attended REES 2010, with all expenses paid by the program. Dr. David B. Clarke, Director of the Center for Transportation Research, serves on the REES Academic Advisory Committee and as a program instructor. REES co-sponsors include the U.S. Department of Transportation, the American Society of Civil Engineers, five major railroad companies, and numerous engineering and consulting firms.
MSE Professor Lectures in China
Dr. Gajanan Bhat was invited to be one of the keynote speakers at the International Forum for Advanced Textiles held at Wuhan China last month. Wuhan University for Science and Engineering changed its name to Wuhan Textile University, and in this special occasion a few experts from around the world were invited for this special symposium. Dr. Bhat delivered a lecture on “Nonwoven Technical Textiles: Recent Developments and Future Opportunities.” Additional information is available on the website.
During this trip, Dr. Bhat also visited the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where he gave a seminar on his recent research, Meltblown Nanofiber Nonwovens.
Biosystems Engineering & Soil Science News
BESS Students Win First Place at National Design Competition
A team of senior UT Biosystems Engineering students won first place in the finals of the 2010 AGCO National Student Design Competition held last week in Pittsburgh in conjunction with the international meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). In taking first place honors, the team beat out finalist teams from McGill University (Canada) and the University of Wisconsin. The UT team, comprised of Adam Duncan, Lori Gibson, Alex McLemore, and Rebecca Messer, presented and defended their design of a liquid nitrogen applicator for controlling weeds in organic production systems. Based upon a written report of their work, they had been previously selected as one of three competition finalists from the pool of national and international entrants. Dr. William Hart and Dr. Greg Armel served as faculty advisors for the design team. The team’s presentation, entitled “CROPP – Cryogenic Reduction of Organic Pest Plants,” had previously won honors in the engineering division of the UT Exhibition of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EUReCA) during spring semester.
Dual Solar Roof Wins at G. B. Gunlogson Environmental Design Competition
First place honors in the 2010 national G. B. Gunlogson Student Environmental Design Competition last week went to a team of senior Biosystems Engineering students from the University of Tennessee. The team, made up of Warren Edmunds, Mark Newlin, and J. D. White, presented their design, entitled “Dual Solar Roof,” as part of the international meeting of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) in Pittsburgh. The team was one of three finalists selected from the pool of national and international entrants based upon a written report of their work. A strong oral presentation at the finals allowed the UT team to beat out the two other finalist teams from the University of Arkansas. The dual roof in their design used solar cells to generate electricity while simultaneously using the energy collected from air circulating below the roof panels for water and space heating. Dr. John Tyner advised and mentored the student design team. The Dual Solar Roof project had received top honors during spring semester as a winner in the engineering division of the annual Exhibit of Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement (EUReCA) at UT.
AEM Acknowledges Students for Achievements
The University of Tennessee student branch of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) was awarded first runner-up in the 2010 AEM Trophies Contest. The competition, sponsored by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, annually recognizes outstanding initiative and accomplishment in activities of the student branches of the parent professional society. The UT student branch also received second place recognition in the Student-Miles Competition (number of student attendees times the number of miles each traveled).
Authors Receive Superior Paper Award
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) presented a team of UT authors with its 2010 Superior Paper Award. Biosystems Engineering professors Paul Ayers and Al Womac, along with former graduate student Dr. Xinyan Wang received the award for their paper “Static Simulation and Analyses of Mower’s ROPS Behavior in a Finite Element Model.” The paper was published in the Journal of Agricultural Safety and Health.
Engineering Professional Practice Announcements
PLEASE NOTE: Students receiving engineering co-op or internship offers must go through Engineering Professional Practice if they want recognition for them on their UT transcript. Students receiving offers directly from employers may forward the information to the office and inquire about how to fulfill program requirements and receive credit for their work.
Engineering Professional Practice Student Feature
Featured student: Brian Yount
Brian Yount is a chemical engineering major whose spring semester was spent on his first co-op rotation with Eastman Chemical Company in Kingsport in the Chemical Process Engineering Research Lab (CPERL).
“I was tasked with putting together a series of lab scale continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) to mimic a process from out in the production,” Brian said. “I performed experiments to gain a better understanding of cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) precipitation. My findings will eventually be used for plant production scale up."
“Most of the training I received was through Eastman's online training system and it dealt with general employee knowledge and safety for one’s work areas. I also received hands-on training for laboratory safety and plant-wide safety concerns, such as hazardous vapor releases."
“I gained lots of hands-on experience with many of the tools and equipment found in a research lab. I worked with CSTRs and filters. I also learned a little about lab distillation columns and crystallizers.”
“I learned the importance of preparation for meetings. It's important that meetings are thorough enough for information spreading but not so in depth that time is wasted. I had to overcome my quiet personality so I could contribute to the company.”
When asked what advice he’d give a co-op applicant considering Eastman Chemical, Brian said, “Be able to work well independently but do not be afraid to ask questions.” Regarding specific observations he made, he said, “As a co-op I worked with both technicians and engineers, and there seems to be a certain social barrier between the two groups. While this barrier does not present a problem when they work together, there does seem to be different social atmospheres.”
“The work experience is the most valuable benefit I received from my co-op term. I learned much about the industry and the varying type of work that chemical engineering can entail.”
For information on engineering co-op and internship assignments, contact Engineering Professional Practice at [log in to unmask] or 865-974-5323.
The Center for Transportation Research Update
Research's Transportation Academy was held in and around Perkins Hall June 14-18. Watch the video news stories.
Tennessee Today or
WBIR.
Advising Announcements
Freshman orientation is still going on through Thursday, July 16. Engineering has seen 535 students so far, and the freshman class is looking great!
Summer 2010
| No Class | Monday, July 5 |
| First Session Summer Classes End | Wednesday, July 7 |
| Second Session Summer Classes Begin | Tuesday, September 14 |
| Late Fees Begin for Second Session | Thursday, July 8 |
Career Services Announcements
Be ready for Fall Recruiting!
| Part Time Job Fair | Wednesday, August 25 |
| Engineering Career Success Week | Monday–Friday, September 12–17 |
| Graduate School for Engineers Workshop | Tuesday, September 14 |
| Volunteer & Service Corps Fair | Wednesday, September 15 |
| Logistics Fair (Industrial Engineers invited) | Monday, September 27 |
| Fall Job Fair | Tuesday, September 28 |
For more information, visit the Career Services website.
If you have submissions for @COE, the college's electronic newsletter, please send them to Virginia Switzer at [log in to unmask] by 12:00 noon on Thursdays.