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For the week of March 2, 2012
@COE is published on a weekly basis.
Please send submissions for @COE to Kim Cowart in the Engineering Communications Office at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.
College of Engineering Faculty News
MSE Professor Named MRS Fellow
Dr. George Pharr, Chancellor's Professor and John McKamey Professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Director of the Joint Institute for Advanced Materials, was named a Fellow of the Materials Research Society (MRS) on Feb. 9, 2012. The new 2012 Fellows will be formally recognized at the upcoming spring meeting in San Francisco, and will also be featured in announcement literature and displays during the event. The announcement of the MRS Fellows will also appear in the MRS Bulletin and on the MRS website.
2012 Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Forum
Dr. Matthew Mench, Condra Chair of Excellence in Energy Conversion and Storage in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Biomedical Engineering, and Dr. Thomas Zawodzinski, Governor's Chair Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering are co-hosting the 2012 Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion Forum on April 19-20th at the Knoxville Convention Center. The 
forum will feature top invited speakers from industry and academia covering state-of-the-art advances in lithium batteries, low temperature fuel cells and flow batteries. This two-day event will also feature a poster session and competition for students and an opportunity to network with our nation's electrochemical power engineers. Registration includes coffee/snack breaks and lunch, and the event will offer fun, optional nightly social programs for everyone.
For more information and to register please follow this link.
You can also download this flier.
Materials Graduate Seminar
"Engineering Materials for Neural Regeneration"
Dr. Christine E. Schmidt
B.F. Goodrich Endowed Professor in Materials Engineering
Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering
Texas Materials Institute
The University of Texas at Austin
Abstract:
Damage to spinal cord and peripheral nerve tissue can have a devastating impact on the quality of life for individuals suffering from nerve injuries. Dr. Schmidt's research is focused on analyzing and designing biomaterials that can interface with neurons and specifically stimulate and guide nerves to regenerate.
In one approach, Dr. Schmidt is working with electrically conducting polymers that can stimulate cell growth and healing. Her team is creating new biomimetic electronic materials by processing electrically conducting polymer composites (e.g., polypyrrole) with biological moieties and using novel peptides that directly bind to conducting polymers (uniquely selected using phage display). They have been developing additional advanced approaches to further modify conducting polymers both biologically and physically for guiding neural regeneration.
In a second approach, the team is using natural-based biomaterials that inherently interact favorably with the body. Hyaluronic acid (HA; also known as hyaluronan) is a non-sulfated, high molecular weight, glycosaminoglycan found in all mammals and is a major component of the extracellular matrix in the nervous system. HA has been shown to play a significant role in wound healing and tissue regeneration. Dr. Schmidt's group has devised novel techniques to process this sugar material into forms that can be used in therapeutic applications. For example, they are using advanced laser-based processes to create "lines" of specific proteins within the hyaluronan materials to provide physical and chemical guidance features for the individual re-growing axons. Dr. Schmidt has found that these materials facilitate neuron interactions and are thus highly promising for regenerating peripheral and spinal nerves in vivo.
Bio:
Christine E. Schmidt is the B.F. Goodrich Endowed Professor of Materials Engineering in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Schmidt received her B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988 and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1995. She conducted postdoctoral research at MIT as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow, joining the UT Austin faculty in 1996.
Contact: Dr. Wei He, [log in to unmask]
College of Engineering Distinguished Lecture
Dr. Larry Dalton
Dr. Larry Dalton, Emeritus Professor and B. Seymour Rabinovitch Endowed Chair in Chemistry, George B. Kauffman Professor of Electrical Engineering, Executive Director, NSF STC on Materials & Devices for Information Technology Research
Theory-Guided Systematic Nano-Engineering of Photonic Materials and Devices
Friday, March 9, 2012
10:00 11:00 a.m.
404 Min H. Kao Building
For more information, contact Dr. Bin Hu at [log in to unmask].
Nuclear Societies to Hold Joint Meetings
The American Nuclear Society (ANS), the Institute of Nuclear Materials Management (INMM) and Women in Nuclear (WIN) will be having a joint meeting at 6:30 PM on Monday, March 5 in Perkins 324. Gorden Fee, retired CEO and President of Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, will be giving a talk about his experience overseeing the K-25, Y-12 and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory sites on the DOE Oak Ridge Reservation.
Dr. Fee is a UT nuclear engineering alum, and arrived in Oak Ridge in 1956. If you're interested in learning about Oak Ridge from a major community leader, this is the meeting for you! Free food and drinks will be provided. Questions? Email [log in to unmask]
Student Opportunities
Second Annual PEER Spring Symposium
The second annual Program for Excellence and Equity in Research Fellowship will be held on Thursday, March 29 at the University Center.
The PEER Fellowship is a graduate student training fellowship funded by the National Institutes of Health that is dedicated to increase minority representation in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The PEER Symposium will provide workshops and training sessions for undergraduate and graduate students at UT in STEM disciplines. This year's theme is "Networking for Success." All STEM students are invited as well as UT faculty or staff who are interested in the program.
Events include a Ph.D. Comics Movie Screening, a resource and information session, a keynote speaker, panel discussions and breakout sessions and a "Diversity in Research" Poster Session/Mixer. Contact Quentin Johnson at [log in to unmask] for details.
For more information and to register.
Flyers are available PhD Movie flyer and PEER Symposium Flyer.
East Tennessee Clean Fuels Internships
Summer 2012 Internship
Interested in making a difference this academic year? Intern with Clean Cities and help the nation reduce its dependence on petroleum, lower carbon and local air pollutant emissions and build a green economy! An internship with ETCleanFuels allows the opportunity to grow public awareness and expand the markets of advanced vehicle technologies, alternative fuels, and practices that reduce the consumption of petroleum.
Specific details:
Positions are 30 or 40 hours/week (determined by the coalition) for 10 weeks
Summer Internship Start Date: June 4, 2012
Exact start/end dates determined by individual coalitions
Stipends range from $3,600 - $6,000 depending on academic level (undergraduate or graduate) and number of hours assigned by the coalition.
Deadline to apply is March 9
Click HERE to fill out the application online. Please send this to your contacts to help spread the word!
Questions? Email: [log in to unmask]
Job Openings
Need extra cash? Become a Note Taker! More info here!
UT Educational Advancement Program
The University of Tennessee Educational Advancement Program has an opening for a graduate administrative assistant student position working with web design and database management. For more information click here: Grad Student part time.pdf
Undergraduate Summer Research Internships
All undergraduate students enrolled at the Knoxville campus are eligible to apply.
Visit http://research.utk.edu/internships/ for more information.
Pre-health Spring Programs
If you are interested in pre-health events this spring, there are several happening soon! Check out this LINK: 2012 Events Flyer.pdf for more information!!
Volunteer Program in Ecuador
Opportunities are currently available for participation in an amazing volunteer program right outside of Quito, Ecuador (Ecuador's capital) in the local Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Center. The trip is all inclusive (except for plane tickets and any tourist expenses/activities) and volunteers are provided accommodation by the Ecuador Volunteer Foundation where they will be staying with other volunteers. Meals are also included. Even though the trip is to volunteer, there will be plenty of opportunities to explore the culture. There is a sample itinerary also at the program website.
If someone who does not currently have a passport is interesting in participating, that's no problem. As long as s/he can apply for a passport at least 3 weeks before the trip (by February 24), s/he can expedite it and receive it in time.
Although UT's spring break week does not fall in the sessions previously allocated by the Ecuador Volunteer Program, a volunteer trip for the dates of March 17-March 25, 2012 has been confirmed. This session can have up to 15 more people, but spaces fill up quickly so please be in contact as soon as possible! Contact Shannon MacAdams at [log in to unmask] or 865-385-3940.
For more information, visit the program website:http://www.ecuadorvolunteer.org/en/volunteer-projects/packages/spring-break-programs/190-spring-break-in-wildlife-center.html.
2012 Mini, Summer and Fall Registration Important Dates
February 20: Mini and Summer Timetables online
February 27: Fall Timetable online
| Summer Eligibility Groups: | ||
| March 6 | Seniors | 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm |
| March 8 | Juniors | 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm |
| March 13 | Sophomores | 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm |
| March 15 | Freshmen | 7am, 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm, 4pm |
| Fall Eligibility Groups: | ||
| March 12 | Priority | 9am, 12 noon, 3pm |
| March 13 | Priority | 9am, 12 noon |
| March 26 | Seniors | 9am, 12 noon, 3pm |
| March 27 | Seniors | 9am, 12 noon |
| April 2 | Juniors | 9am, 12 noon, 3pm |
| April 3 | Juniors | 9am, 12 noon |
| April 9 | Sophomores | 9am, 12 noon, 3pm |
| April 10 | Sophomores | 9am, 12 noon |
| April 16 | Freshmen | 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm |
| April 17 | Freshmen | 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm |
Employment Opportunities
Gerdau is an exciting global steel producer with a steel mill, rebar fabrication facilities, and construction products facilities in Knoxville as well as locations across the country. The company has a strong interest in mechanical, electrical, materials science, and metallurgical engineering students and they are currently hiring for their Management Associate and Internship programs. Gerdau is holding an information session on March 6th and attending the Spring Job Fair on March 7th. Please share this information and pass this along to anyone that you think would be interested in attending.
For more information, download this PDF file: UT - Communication Spring 2012.pdf
Scholarships, Internships and Fellowships
Hazing Awareness Scholarship
ANY STUDENT may now apply for the Hazing Awareness Scholarship. Next deadline is March 6, 2012.
Due to more recent CNN hazing news at
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/23/us/florida-hazing-death/index.html
ANY student may now apply for the March 6, 2012 deadline, so if you have not already done so please post or apply now for the "Hazing Awareness Scholarship".
Details at http://websrv.ent.ohiou.edu/enews/Item.aspx?Item=1127
PDF Version: 2012 hazing scholarship awareness.pdf
Thank you for posting or applying. Any way you look at it, hazing does not add up. Recognize it. Report it. End it.
Engineering Professional Practice Update
Stay up-to-date with Engineering Professional Practice information and events by clicking the Like button on the programs Facebook page, following the program on Twitter, visiting its website at www.coop.utk.edu or calling 865-974-5323.
Students, please note: If you receive a co-op or internship offer, please contact Engineering Professional Practice for help with paperwork and any preparations you may need [log in to unmask], 865-974-5323 or 310 Perkins Hall.
Engineering Professional Practice Student Feature
Featured student: Elizabeth C. Browning
Our student this week is Elizabeth Browning, a mechanical engineering major, who accepted a co-op assignment at Altec Industries, Inc. located in Burnsville, North Carolina.
Elizabeth describes what department she worked in and what her main responsibilities were:
"I worked in the design department. Along with designing parts orders product improvements, my main task was to design utility bodies. This process started when I was given paperwork on an order. Then I would proceed to get in contact with a representative from another plant in the company to have any questions or issues worked out. Depending on the particular body and the customer preference, there could be a lot of back and forth between plants deciding what the best way to actually design the body is. All the while keeping in contact with my sales representative, I would be building a 3-D model of all the parts that would be used and compiling them in a separate model that showed the finished product. Once the design was approved it would then be released to our production department to go through further checking and eventually run down the assembly line. I was able to see several of my designs actually built and shipped."
The biggest challenge that Elizabeth had to overcome:
"The first issue I had from the floor was a fairly easy fix, but I was extremely nervous and just intimidated by the whole situation. After dealing with more problems later down the road and getting more comfortable with the process, I was able to see that staying calm and being able to logically look at the situation rather than just stressing out about it got the situation resolved much faster and easier."
She says that the most valuable benefit she received during her co-op assignment was: "Getting to see a workplace, what I can actually do with my degree, and some of the different options I have was invaluable. I was also able to create a great working relationship with this company and I can foresee it possibly being very useful to me in the future."
Students may read more about their peers' co-op experiences by logging into their Engineering Professional Practice profile via www.coop.utk.edu, clicking "Resource Library" (on the left margin) and selecting "Students at Work In Their Own Words."
For information on engineering co-op and internships, contact Engineering Professional Practice at [log in to unmask] or 865-974-5323.
Career Services Announcements
Wednesday, March 7th, 2pm-6pm
Thompson-Boling Arena
Over 140 employers registered to participate including Amazon, Apple, Inc., Avery Dennison, Bechtel Corporation, Belden, BMW Manufacturing Corp., Bristol-Myers Squibb, Cameron International, Cisco Systems, ConAgra Foods, Danaher, DENSO, Duke Energy, Garmin International, Gerdau, Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, Honda Manufacturing, Intel Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Kimberly-Clark, KUB, L-3 Communications-Mission Integration Division, Lauren Engineers& Constructors, Inc., MAHLE, Manhattan Associates, Nissan North America, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, PolyOne Corporation, Schlumberger, Schneider Electric, Sonoco Products Company, Trane, Waste Management and MORE!
To view the entire list of employers, please log onto www.career.utk.edu and search under the Events section for the Spring Job Fair. Dress professionally and bring extra copies of your resume.
College of Engineering Faculty: Don't Cancel That Class!
When you have to be away from the University, call on us!
April Gonzalez Career Services Consultant for the College of Engineering would love the opportunity to talk about careers for your students, resume and interview skills, or about our resources, services and upcoming events. I am also happy to have you build in a visit from one of us to your class or to speak to student groups you may advise. Whether it is for 10 minutes or the entire class, I can share how we can help students with their career and job search.
With advance notice, workshop and seminar options can be customized to your needs and may include:
Career Services Overview
HIRE-A-VOL (online job postings, resume submittal system & on-campus interviewing opportunities)
Job Search Strategies
How To Ace Your Interviews
Resumes That Get Read
Personal Branding Marketing Yourself
Graduate School
Second Interview or Company Visit
Job Fair Tips and Tricks
Business and Dining
Etiquette
Salary Negotiation
Comparing Job Offers It's NOT Just The Money
Networking
Succeeding on the Job
Specialized Topics
Contact: April Gonzalez at [log in to unmask] or call 865-974-5435 with a date for the presentation and any particular topic or topics that you would like covered for your class or student group. Thank you for helping us help your students
If you have submissions for @COE, the college's electronic newsletter, please send them to Kim Cowart at [log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.