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For the week of April 12, 2013
@COE is published on a weekly basis. Please send submissions to Randall Brown in the Engineering Communications Office at
[log in to unmask] by noon on Thursdays.
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Ross Bryan Associates give in support of CEE
Dayakar Penumadu, far left, professor and head of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering,
thanks Ross Bryan Associates Inc. board members, from left, Elizabeth Surface, Don Yarbrough
(MS/CE '82), R. Mark Dunning (MS/CE '83), and Kurt Boyd (BS/CE '90; MS/CE '93). Not pictured: Steven E. Qualls
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Last week, Nashville-based Ross Bryan Associates Inc. pledged $100,000 in support of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UT. The gift will be split and added to the Civil and Environmental Engineering Excellence Endowment, for which a
faculty office in the John D. Tickle Engineering Building will be recognized in honor of Ross Bryan, as well as the Ross Bryan Associates Endowed Fellowship in Structural Engineering.
Ross Bryan employees, many of whom are UT alumni, have performed structural engineering design work on many UT facilities, including the renovations of Neyland Stadium, Thompson-Boling Arena, Hodges Library, and Ayres Hall. Other Ross Bryan projects at UT include
the construction of the Min H. Kao Building, John D. Tickle Engineering Building, James A. Haslam II Business Building, and Student Union.
UT alumni employed by Ross Bryan also give back to UT engineering by providing structural engineering seminars and serving on the advisory boards for the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the College of Engineering.
The College of Engineering thanks Ross Bryan Associates Inc. for its engagement and generosity.
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Graduate robotics team wins at IEEE SouthEastCon
The 2013 UT EECS Graduate Robotics Team, from left, features Keith Young, Chad Armstrong, Ammar
Alkhuwaiter, Will Martin, Benjamin Martin, Joe Bray, and Nicole Pennington.
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The University of Tennessee 2013 IEEE Robotics Teams made a strong showing in the Open Robotics Competition at the
IEEE SouthEastCon 2013, held this past weekend in Jacksonville, Florida. The graduate team brought home a first-place plaque. The undergraduate team was able to overcome some last-minute
hardware issues and finish the competition in fourteenth place out of fifty-two teams.
The IEEE SouthEastCon is one of the largest conferences in the southeast region, held and hosted every year by one of the universities in the region. Competitions categories include both software and hardware divisions. The objective of this year's hardware
competition was to design and build an autonomous robot that can simulate the sorting of containers and packages at a port. Blocks in a variety of colors and sizes had to be picked up, identified, and sorted to different locations on the playing field.
Read more from the robotics team >>
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Terry Hazen
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Hazen researches Gulf resilience, "SuperChip"
The Gulf of Mexico may have a much greater natural ability to self-clean oil spills than previously believed, according to
Terry Hazen, UT—Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor's Chair for Environmental Biotechnology. The bioremediation expert presented his Deepwater Horizon disaster research findings at the 245th National Meeting and Exposition of the American
Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society.
Hazen conducted research following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, which is estimated to have spilled 210 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. The data suggests that a great potential for intrinsic bioremediation of oil plumes exists in the
deep sea and other environs in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil-eating bacteria are natural inhabitants of the Gulf because of the constant supply of oil as food.
Read more >>
Read the story from
U.S. News and World Report >>
Hazen has also recently discussed his "Big Idea" of developing a “SuperChip”—a biological decoder that could reduce waiting time for important lab results at the doctor’s office, allow for quick detailed water safety tests, and decrease the spread of food-borne
illnesses through expedited testing.
Read more about Hazen's Big Idea for a "SuperChip" >>
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Jeff Reinbolt
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Reinbolt receives Chancellor's Honors Award
Jeff Reinbolt, assistant professor of mechanical, aerospace, and biomedical engineering, received a Chancellor's Honors Award for Excellence in Teaching at this week's Chancellor's Honors Banquet.
He was noted for his exceptional openness and engagement with students.
Read more >>
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Klaus Blache
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Blache gives his take on the state of R&M
Klaus Blache, a research professor in industrial and systems engineering and director of the
Reliability and Maintainability Center, was interviewed for the
Plant Services Web site about the latest and future developments in reliability and maintainability.
Read the interview >>
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European Alps near
Innsbruck, Austria
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Winners of the Alcoa–COE Study Abroad Fellowships announced for summer 2013
The winners of the Alcoa–College of Engineering Study Abroad Fellowships have been announced for the summer of 2013. Most students will travel with participating faculty members for classes in London, England; the European Alps near Innsbruck,
Austria; and Prague, Czech Republic. Some engineering students will travel on non-UT courses.
Read the full list of winners >>
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Students: Remember to complete advising assessment
Undergraduate students should complete their advising assessment survey
here. This survey assesses advising that takes place in a college advising center or in an academic department with an advisor in your major. The survey is anonymous.
Students wishing to enter a drawing for a gift card from the University Bookstore or a Starbucks gift certificate will have the opportunity to do so at the end of the survey.
Complete the survey >>
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CTR research director discusses safe routes at conference
Research Director Jerry Everett of the
Center for Transportation Research presented “Tennessean’s Views and Concerns Regarding Safe Routes to School” at the
Active Living Research Annual Conference in San Diego this past February.
Everett’s research looks at roadblocks to implementing Tennessee’s Safe Routes to School program, which is designed to increase children’s physical activities through walking and biking to school with the goal of decreasing Tennessee’s obesity rate
of 29.2%.
Everett and his team conducted twenty-one parent focus groups in nine communities across Tennessee between April and November 2012. They also conducted a statewide survey of Tennessee residents to measure their attitudes and opinions about traffic, walking,
and biking safety issues.
Read more about the conference >>
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Ken Huntsman
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AOL co-founder and UT alumnus Ken Huntsman will talk on the "training wheels" of the Internet
Ken Huntsman (MS/CS '77), recipient of the UT Accomplished Alumni Award for 2013, will present
Creating "the Internet on Training Wheels" at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in Room 416 of the Dougherty Engineering Building. The presentation, arranged by the Engineering Entrepreneurship Program, is open to the UT community.
Huntsman was co-architect, at Telenet Corporation, of one of the first successful commercial e-mail systems. He was also a co-founder of Quantum Computer Services, which became America Online.
For more information, contact the Engineering Office of Development at 865-974-2779.
Read Ken Huntsman's biography >>
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UT-CTR hosts the 2013 Joint Rail Conference in Knoxville
The UT
Center for Transportation Research will host the
2013 Joint Rail Conference (JRC 2013) at the Knoxville Convention Center April 15-18.
The Conference Banquet & Program on April 17 will feature guest speaker Charles W. "Wick" Moorman, pictured at right, Chairman, President, and CEO of Norfolk Southern Corporation.
The JRC 2013 is co-sponsored by ASME, IEEE, ASCE, AREMA, APTA, INFORMSras, and the National University Rail Transportation Center (NURail). Conference website and registration information is at www.asmeconferences.org/JRC2013/index.cfm.
JRC 2013 is the major, multidisciplinary North American railroad conference encompassing all aspects of rail transportation and engineering research. The conference theme is "Next Generation Railroads, Next Generation Railroaders: Innovations and People for
the Future."
Authors will present papers that address railway civil, mechanical, electrical, and systems engineering; safety; planning; design; operations; maintenance; management, and workforce development.
View the technical program and
available tours.
Zhihua Xu will present MSE seminar
Zhihua Xu, at right, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University
of Minnesota, Duluth, will speak on "Light-Harvesting with Colloidal Quantum Dots: from Fundamentals to Device" 12:40-1:55 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, in Room 612 of the Dougherty Engineering Building.
The seminar is presented by the
Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
Read more >>
Clean Energy America presents "Nuclear Energy's Future"
Clean Energy America invites the UT community to learn about the future of nuclear energy 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013, in Room 308 of the Pasqua Engineering Building. Attendees can meet with the experts working for a variety of energy companies to discuss today's critical energy issues and the nuclear industry. The event is hosted by the UT Student
Chapter of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) and sponsored by the Nuclear Energy Institute.
Wachs will speak on transportation finance
Martin Wachs, at right, will speak on "The Future of American Transportation Finance" at
3:40 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in Room 307of the Science and Engineering Research Facility (SERF). The seminar is presented by the
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
Wachs is a preeminent scholar in transportation engineering and planning. He is a senior principal researcher; RAND Professor; and Pardee RAND Graduate School Distinguished Professor, Department of Urban Planning, University of California, Los Angeles.
Read more >>
Stroke conference addresses the complex patient
The
Fifth Annual Stroke Symposium: Managing the Complex Stroke Patient, is set for Tuesday, May 7, 2013, at the University of Tennessee Conference Center, Knoxville. The symposium offers presentations by experts addressing care for critically ill
cerebrovascular patients and administration of thrombolytics for acute ischemic stroke.
The guest speaker is Andrew D. Barreto, MD, University of Texas Medical School, Houston. Other speakers represent the specialties of neurology, radiology, anesthesiology, palliative care and pharmacy. The conference is approved for AMA and AAPA credits and
CEUs and is presented by the University of Tennessee Medical Center Brain and Spine Institute and UT Graduate School of Medicine.
Registration and information are available at
www.tennessee.edu/cme/Stroke2013. A lower registration fee is available to those who register by April 23, 2013. For more information, visit the website or call 865-305-9190.
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Student Success Center seeks first-generation mentors
The Student Success Center, in collaboration with the
Office of Multicultural Student Life, is excited to announce that we are coordinating a new First-Generation Mentoring Program for incoming Promise students. We are looking for
fifteen first-generation faculty/staff members to serve as mentors for fifteen first-generation first-year students during the 2013-2014 academic year.
The goal of the First-Generation Mentoring Program (FGMP) is to ease and support the successful transition of first-generation students into their undergraduate experience by:
- Connecting first-generation students with first-generation faculty and staff role models who will encourage and support their higher education goals
- Increasing first-generation students' awareness of UT resources and culture
- Enhancing first-generation students' success skills
- Supporting first-generation students' retention from their first to their second year.
As a faculty/staff mentor you can help your mentee reach his or her goals and share life experiences so your mentee can learn from present and past actions, successes and challenges. Faculty/staff mentors will commit to six monthly face-to-face meetings (three
per semester) during the course of the academic year with their first-generation mentee. There will also be an important orientation for mentors and mentees at the start of the fall 2013 semester and a closing celebration at the end of the spring 2014 semester.
Support for mentors will be provided by the FGMP throughout the academic year.
If interested, please complete
this application no later than May 15, 2013. If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Sherry Cummings at
[log in to unmask] or Stella Bridgeman-Prince at[log in to unmask]" style="color:#00746F"> [log in to unmask].
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What else can you do with your major? You can now receive your degree and a secondary education teaching license with VolsTeach. The VolsTeach program is available to Math and Science majors who wish to expand their career options by earning a secondary education
teaching license. Given the current economy VolsTeach offers one degree with two career paths which will make you more competitive in the future job market.
VolsTeach provides:
- early and frequent field experiences
- personal guidance by Master Teachers and program advisors
- the opportunity to have paid exclusive internships during regular and summer terms
- a comfortable learning environment that will further enhance your professional skill set
This is your opportunity to be
a part of the program. VolsTeach is open to freshmen, sophomores and juniors who are ready to start a journey that will give them a chance to connect with the community. Become a part of this exciting venture by signing up for the Fall Step 1 course now.
Click on the flyer at left for registration information.
For more information contact VolsTeach Coach, Jada Johnson at
[log in to unmask] or visit the program's Facebook page, VolsTeach, for current events, and the program's website,
http://volsteach.utk.edu.
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Stay up-to-date with Engineering Professional Practice information and events by clicking the “Like” button on the program’s
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.
Featured co-op student: Miles Chase
Our student this week is
Miles Chase, pictured at right, a mechanical engineering major who accepted a co-op at Schlumberger Technology Corporation located in Houston, Texas.
Miles describes what department he worked in and what his main responsibilities were.
"My project revolved around an investigation into potentially moving from preventive maintenance to RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance) for two safety valves on a subsea landing string," said Chase. "These two valves currently have preventive maintenance,
or calendar-based maintenance, performed on them, and there is certainly room for improvement. Just how much improvement was where my project came in. I was to perform an MTA (Maintenance Task Assessment) to give a clear understanding of where all the efforts
were focused on the maintenance for these assets. I was also to perform a functional FMEA for each of these valves to understand the design and what components in each valve were considered "critical." This FMEA was to help identify which parts the maintenance
strategy needs to revolve around. In the end, my main deliverable was a documentation of my investigation process in order to help someone come in after me and either pick up where I left off, or start an investigation on a new part/tool/asset in order to
recommend or not recommend RCM."
The most valuable benefit Miles received during his co-op assignment was a feeling of accomplishment.
"The company has had an internship program for a long, long time, and it is very evident," said Chase. "The projects were very challenging, yet realistic for engineering interns who only have twelve weeks to complete their assignments. The company made sure
to set each and every one of us up for success."
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
[log in to unmask] or 865-974-5323.
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Career Services News
Upcoming Career Services Workshops
Sustainability Careers Workshop
4:00-5:00 p.m. Tuesday, April 23, 100 Dunford Hall:
Learn how to tailor your resume and other tips for a career in sustainability.
EF 301 – Career Services for Engineers
Planning your class schedule for Fall 2013? Don’t forget to register for EF 301 – Engineering Career Planning!
This class is offered each Spring and Fall semester and is taught 1:25-2:15 p.m. Mondays at Career Services, 100 Dunford Hall. This class is a perfect fit for all Juniors and Seniors and will equip students with the right tools to land that great job. Sophomores
and Graduate Students may also register for the course as well. The class is offered on a 1-hour Satisfactory/No Credit basis and is taught by Career Services Consultant for the College of Engineering, April Gonzalez. Expect visits from company representatives,
tips and tricks from HR Recruiters, advice on resumes, cover letters, interviewing and salary negotiation and learn the ways you can stand out and get noticed at the job fairs.
Here’s what students are saying about the class:
- “This is the most useful non-engineering class I have ever taken. It gave me insider information about what employers are looking for during interviews and I have a resume that I feel great about!”
- “Well thought out and put together course. I feel much more confident about job searching.”
- “This class exceeded all my expectations – it really works!”
Don’t wait to sign up—space is limited and the class will fill up fast.
Attention: Seniors & Graduate Students Graduating in May 2013
Don’t forget to complete the Post-Graduation Survey.
Congratulations from all of us in the UT Career Services Office upon your upcoming graduation! It has been our pleasure to work with many of you, and we wish you the best in your life and new endeavors! In order to keep Career Services’ records up-to-date and
provide the best service to you, please take a moment to fill out the Post-Graduation Survey via
HIRE-A-VOL.
To complete the survey log in to your Hire-A-Vol student or alumni account:
*Log into MY UTK at http://www.utk.edu and search under Academic Links for the HIRE-A-VOL link
*Under Your Profile on the HIRE-A-VOL Homepage, click on View/Edit your Profile
*Click on Employment & Continued Education
On the survey page, please click on Add An Employment Reporting or View Details under Continued Education and fill out your placement information.** Please be aware that your data is confidential and will not be shared with other departments. This data is collected
in an aggregate/anonymous manner and is used for purposes that include salary averages, geographic preference, benchmarking and reporting to ranking organization.
**If you have any difficulties accessing our survey, you may also e-mail your placement data to
[log in to unmask]. Please include your name, e-mail address, employment status (Still seeking, Graduate School, Internship/Summer Job, Out of Job Market, Employed), Company or Grad School, Salary/Wage,
Location of new job or Grad School.
For more information, contact April Gonzalez , Career Services Consultant, College of Engineering at
[log in to unmask] or 865-974-5435.
Check out www.career.utk.edu for a list of all upcoming events.
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The Office of Multicultural Student Life offers these
academic services.
Vols Success Seminars: During the Spring semester, in collaboration with the Student Success Center and other campus departments, Vols Success Seminars will be offered to all UT students. This series of workshops is designed to equip all students with the knowledge
and resources to be successful, inside and outside of the classroom at the UT. Students can register in advance for each workshop at
multicultural.utk.edu or
studentsuccess.utk.edu. View the
Vols Success Seminars Spring 2013 calendar >>
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