LSU College of Engineering E-News

LSU National Society for Black Engineers Highly Decorated at Conference

The LSU Chapter of National Society for Black Engineers (NSBE) placed in all of the competitions at a regional engineering conference in Tulsa, OK, notably winning two of the region's top awards. The LSU NSBE team won first place in the Academic Technical Bowl. The competition is designed is to encourage and showcase academic excellence and understanding of the fundamental principles of engineering covered in the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE/EIT) Examination. Program participation occurs through healthy competition in a "Jeopardy!" style game show format with multiple choice questions. Questions cover a wide variety of topics, from NSBE and African American scientist and inventor's history to general engineering and science curricula from the FE/EIT. "Before the fall regional conference, I was unclear about what NSBE was designed to do," said Mark Harris, freshman in electrical engineering. "Now, I know that it's about networking and promoting minority involvement among our nation's engineers. It isn't all work and no play, we learn how to enjoy working with our fellow members and we form friendships that I envision would last a lifetime." Marcia Onyeanusi, graduating senior in biological engineering, won the Esprit de Corps Award. This award recognizes the member in the region who has best dedicated his or her time and other support to NSBE and the fulfillment of its mission. This member is involved and supportive of NSBE events and can often be found doing things to... (more)

Chevron Presents Gift to Engineering at LSU Game

During the second quarter of the LSU football homecoming game on November 14, Bill Hunter, Manager of Chevron Corporation's University Partnership Program and LSU alumni class of 1979, presented a check in the amount of $900,000 to Dr. Michael Martin, Chancellor of LSU and Dr. Richard Koubek Dean of the College of Engineering. This check is part of a five year, $4.75 million dollar commitment to LSU academics and represents the largest one-time corporate donation to date to the Forever LSU campaign. Chevron is proud to support LSU through its University Partnership Program and LSU athletics through its Texaco and Chevron Retail Brands. With this check, Chevron has now donated more than $7 Million in support of LSU and its efforts to achieve academic excellence.

Les & Dot Broussard Honored for Campaign Gifts Benefiting Basic Sciences and Electrical & Computer Engineering

LSU Electrical Engineering alumnus, Les Broussard, and his wife, Dot, were honored by the university with a celebratory luncheon Friday, November 13, 2009, recognizing their philanthropic gifts to the Forever LSU Campaign. The Broussards' generosity benefits students and faculty in the College of Basic Sciences and the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE). The Broussards established an alumni professorship in Basic Sciences, and a scholarship in Electrical & Computer Engineering, as well as support for the ECE Revitalization Initiative. "On behalf of the students, faculty and staff, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to Les and Dot. Their gift further underscores the couples' commitment to the future of engineering education," said ECE Interim Chairman Jorge Aravena. The ECE Revitalization Initiative seeks to improve and enhance programs and facilities in the ECE Department. The initiative provides the financial resources for significant and much-needed upgrading of ECE's laboratories and equipment, as well as important enhancements to current and planned ECE educational programs. "State-of-the-art facilities and modern programs are essential to maintaining outstanding quality ECE graduates," said Aravena. Les Broussard is a 1958 Electrical Engineering alumnus who retired as plant manager from Mobil's Beaumont facility in 1993. He held various management positions in engineering, maintenance, economics & planning, operations, and plant and... (more)

Alumnus Eidt Makes Generous Gift to Engineering

Clarence M. Eidt, Jr., who graduated from LSU with a BS in chemical engineering in 1956 and an MS in the same discipline in 1962, has donated $600,000 to the Gordon A. & Mary Cain Department of Chemical Engineering (ChE). "Mr. Eidt's contribution to the Department will help us tremendously with our drive towards acquiring the private funds necessary to make our new chemical engineering building a reality," explained ChE Department Chair Dr. K.T. Valsaraj. "Clarence has been a constant supporter of our Department in several other ways as well, including his establishment of the Clarence M. Eidt, Jr. Endowed Professorship. The faculty, staff and students in the Department thank him profusely for his support of the Department". A large portion of the gift ($500,000) will help fund the new Chemical Engineering Building, while the remainder will contribute to Eidt's two existing ChE professorships. This $100,000 portion is eligible for state match, thereby increasing the donation by $40,000. When asked why he chose to donate to the College of Engineering, Eidt replied: "Having personally benefitted from the generosity of earlier alumni (with an out-of-state scholarship), it simply seemed appropriate for me to now do my part. I'm also convinced that a much stronger tradition of alumni support is critical to the College of Engineering and the Chemical Engineering Department achieving ever higher levels of performance and recognition." A native of Natchez, Mississippi,... (more)

CEE Student Attains Prestigious Status in National Program

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has awarded Civil Engineering sophomore Brian Carrington II with the status of Torchbearer in its Academic Pyramid of Excellence (A.P.E.) program. This distinction requires membership in the organization as well as a 3.2 to 3.59 GPA. The many benefits of the award include recognition at the NSBE Fall Regional Conference as well as a reception at the NSBE National Convention. Carrington and his fellow scholars will also receive reserved seats at the Golden Torch Awards and VIP access to the Career Fair at the National Convention. "It was a great honor to be selected as a Torchbearer for NSBE, and it is inspiring to see that hard work and dedication to academics does pay off," said Carrington. "My experience at LSU has been excellent. I have made many friends that have the same goals as I do through organizations and classes. I have also come across multiple faculty members that act as mentors and want to see me succeed." Carrington has been pursuing excellence for his entire life. He attended high school at the Jefferson County International Baccalaureate of Shades Valley High School in Irondale, AL, where he completed a challenging college-prep curriculum while playing several sports and pursuing numerous extracurricular activities. His hard work paid off when he received several awards, including the Superintendent's 100 Super Scholars Award, National Society of High School Scholars Award, Referred Scholar in the National... (more)

LSU Engineering Professor Named Among World’s Most Productive Research Authors

Bhaba Sarker, Elton G. Yates Distinguished Professor of Construction Management and Industrial Engineering in LSU's College of Engineering, was recently ranked as one of the top 20 most productive researchers over the past 50 years, and sixth worldwide over the last decade, by a recent article in the International Journal of Production Economics. In the article, "An Assessment of World-Wide Research Productivity in Production and Operations Management," by Pao-Nuan Hsieh and Pao-Long Chang, the researchers look at the amount of journal publications produced by both academics and practitioners. Data was considered from 1959 through 2008, when according to Chang's and Hsieh's article, more than 63,000 papers were published in journals representing the field of production and operations management, or POM. Sarker was taken by surprise when he found out about his placement, especially since the news came in the form of congratulations from one of his peers, Leopoldo Cardenas-Barron from Mexico. "I couldn't actually believe it until I read the article for myself," said Sarker. "I never realized I ranked so highly. This news will not only boost my research endeavors but should also serve to uphold LSU's image at the national and international levels." Sarker's research focuses on mass production systems, cellular manufacturing systems, JIT, or just-in-time, inventory systems, resource management, assembly systems, power restoration processes, army mobility problems, military... (more)

EFRC Brings 21 Investigators from US and Netherlands to LSU

LSU's Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC), the Center for Atomic-level Catalyst Design hosted its kick-off meeting October 20-21, 2009 at the the Lod Cook Alumni Center. Nearly 50 scientists, faculty, and graduate students participated in the meeting, which featured project presentations from leading researchers in the fields of computational catalysis, synthesis, and atomic-level characterization. The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science created EFRCs to pursue advanced scientific research on energy. LSU's Center for Atomic-level Catalyst Design specifically focuses on new ways to use advanced computational tools to accurately model catalytic reactions. This knowledge can then be used to design new materials to synthesize and characterize in the lab-all with the goal of developing catalysts for the production of clean energy. The Center is housed in LSU's Cain Department of Chemical Engineering. The research will rely heavily on LSU's synchrotron radiation facility, the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, or CAMD, for synthesis and characterization of novel nanostructured catalysts. Other resources, such as LSU's Materials Characterization Center, with its electron microscopes, will also be utilized. LSU's Center for Atomic-level Catalyst Design is headed by Dr. Jerry Spivey, McLaurin Shivers Professor of Chemical Engineering. "This project brings together 21 investigators from nine institutions from the U.S. and the Netherlands," said Spivey. "Our... (more)

Engineering Congratulates 2009 LSU Rainmakers

LSU honored its list of 2009 "Rainmakers" at the annual Rainmakers Gala on October 13. The dinner and award ceremony recognized 100 exceptional members of the LSU faculty for their pioneering research and innovative scholarship in earning the highest levels of outside funding and mentoring the finest graduate students. Ten of these professors represented the College of Engineering: Sumanta Acharya, Department of Mechanical Engineering professor; director of Turbine Innovation and Energy Research Center; Fritz and Frances M. Blumer Professor in Mechanical Engineering; L.R. Daniel, Jr. Professor in Mechanical Engineering. Acharya's areas of specialization include computational fluid dynamics, gas turbine blade cooling, gas turbine combustion, experimental heat transfer, fluids, and combustion. Steve Cai, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Professor. Cai's areas of specialization include: bridge engineering, prestressed concrete, wind engineering, structural dynamics, and structural performance evaluation and rehabilitation. Q. Jim Chen, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Professor. Chen's areas of specialization include coastal engineering, prediction of storm surge and ocean waves, numerical modeling of coastal processes, nearshore circulation and sediment transport, and design of coastal structures. Roy Dokka, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering professor; director of Center for GeoInformatics;... (more)

Voyiadjis to Participate in the Largest Grant in Korean History

Dr. George Z. Voyiadjis, Department Chair for LSU Civil & Environmental Engineering, Boyd Professor and Bingham Cushman Stewart Distinguished Professor, will participate in a World Class University (WCU) Project from KOSEF (Korea), one of the largest grants in the history of Korea. Voyiadjis will be an honorary visiting professor in Hanyang University during the term of the five year project for $3.5 million. This project, focusing on the "Development of multiscale simulation methods for nano- fusion technologies in construction materials for sustainable infrastructures," is a unique opportunity for LSU to create ties with Hanyang University and Korea in general. Voyiadjis will collaborate with the researchers at Hanyang University and his research team at LSU to lead in the development of new analytical simulation methods (i.e. Multi-scale simulation) and the development of new construction materials based on the prediction and verification of his proposed methods developed at LSU. This is the only WCU project funded by Korean government in the area of civil and architectural engineering. This project addresses the challenge of the topic of nano-fusion in civil engineering, and Voyiadjis was one of only two individuals who were selected as the select foreign scholars. This project clearly shows that international colleagues also regard nanotechnology as an important future direction in engineering, with Voyiadjis already recognized as one of the leaders of... (more)

ChE Alumnus Makes Contribution to Building Fund

Oscar "Dub" Andras, 1957 BS in chemical engineering, has donated $200,000 to the Chemical Engineering Building Fund. Andras grew up in Baton Rouge, graduating from University High School in 1953. When asked why he chose to attend LSU, Andras replied, "From my parents and University High School chemistry teacher, Dr. Harrison, I knew that to get a job with opportunity for growth, I had to get a college degree. From that beginning I chose ChE at LSU. Now, 52 years after graduation, I know this was one of the best decisions of my life. Through that time and many job opportunities, I kept remembering that this would not have happened if not for my degree from LSU." A life-changing event happened in Andras' life upon his graduation from LSU: he married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Sisk, who grew up a few streets away from him. Mary attended LSU; her father owned Louie's Café on Chimes Street, a LSU landmark. Upon completion of his degree in chemical engineering, Andras began working for Gulf Oil Company in Port Arthur, TX. Following a year at Gulf Oil, Andras reported to the US Army to complete his six-month commission in the Chemical Corps. After completing his commission, he obtained a job at Dow Chemical Company in Plaquemine, LA, where Andras rose to lead the Hydrocarbon Department on a regional and global level. He retired from Dow after 22 years of service, and then served as President and CEO of Enterprise Products Partners in Houston. After 25 years with... (more)

LSU Biological Engineering Alumnus Diwan Receives Teacher Award

Dr. Pranav M. Diwan, a 2003 LSU alumnus of Biological Engineering was among six residents at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston to receive the Gold Foundation's Humanism and Excellence in Teaching Awards. Diwan, internal medicine, and the other five residents were recognized for their compassion and empathy in the delivery of care to patients and for illustrating professional behavior, enthusiasm, and skill. Sponsored by The Arnold P. Gold Foundation, Diwan and the UT-Houston residents were nominated by medical students as being outstanding teachers and role models. -30- Article by Mimi LaValle, LSU College of Engineering, 225-578-5704, mlavall@lsu.edu

Alumnus Lamey Promoted to Major in Jamaica

LSU College of Engineering (CoE) graduate, Johnathan P. Lamey, dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in the College of Agriculture, Science & Education in Jamaica, was recently promoted to the rank of Major in the Jamaica Combined Cadet Force (JCCF), where he served as Captain for a number of years. JCCF is similar to ROTC in the U.S. Lamey commands the "Alpha Company" of that Force's 3rd Battalion, and says, "To date I have served as 'founding Officer Commanding' for three new units of that Force: Port Antonio High School Cadet Unit, Buff Bay High School Cadet Unit, and I have the distinguished honor to be the founder of the 'College of Agriculture Officer Training Unit' of the JCCF." Lamey entered LSU in January 1987. He joined and eventually became the Caribbean Student President, and was elected the International Student President at LSU. When asked for details of his proudest achievement as an undergraduate at LSU, Major Lamey replied, "Under my leadership, we purchased the former Down's Syndrome building on Dalrymple Drive. It was used for (and still houses) the International Students' Center." A member of the Chancellor's Student Advisory, he eventually received a "Leadership LSU" award, signed by then Louisiana Governor, Buddy Roemer. In addition, he was elected to Gamma Sigma Delta Honor Society of Agriculture for being on the Dean's List many times and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Honor Society. Others may remember Lamey as the host of the... (more)

LSU Engineering Alumni Reunion on Friday, November 13

The College of Engineering will hold its Seventh Annual Engineering Alumni Reunion on Friday, November 13, 2009, from 6:30 - 8:30pm, in the West Entrance of Patrick F. Taylor Hall (formerly CEBA). Mark your calendar to take a walk down memory lane and visit with engineering alumni and faculty. We look forward to seeing everyone from the College attend this festive event. We ask that you help us get the word out by forwarding this link as a personal invitation to other CoE alumni and former faculty/staff. This year will feature tours of engineering laboratories and the Communications Studio plus many student design projects will be on display.

LSU Announces Four New Graduate Degree Programs

"We need to train the next generation of researchers," stated Dean Richard Koubek of the College of Engineering. Koubek said he hears Louisiana companies' officials complain about hiring most of their experts in the coastal fields from Florida. "There's a pent-up demand from students and, frankly, a pent-up demand from employers," Koubek said. See article here http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/63823862.html?showAll=y&c=y

LSU ASCE Steel Bridge Team Competes at Nationals

After two semesters of designing, constructing, and practicing, LSU's 2009 steel bridge team competed against 47 other schools from around the United States as well as Canada. LSU placed fifth in display while receiving 40th overall. With only one returning member, the team was young and inexperienced. Though they did not place as high as they may have hoped, the national competition was a great learning opportunity for the young aspiring engineers. Team captain Brad Adams said, "It was tough for us to compete with the more experienced teams, but we will take what we learned this year to improve and be a stronger competitor next year." Most of the team will be returning to compete again next year, eager to put the knowledge they gained to use. The team would like to thank all of the sponsors for their support and generous contributions, including the LSU Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Baton Rouge Branch of the ASCE." The Student Steel Bridge Competition is sponsored by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE). This inter-collegiate challenge requires civil engineering students to design, fabricate and construct a steel bridge with the aid of commercial fabricators. The rules changed every year to improve the contest and assure that competitors design and build new bridges. -30- Article by Brad Adams, LSU College of Engineering, badams21@lsu.edu

BAE Professor Co-Edits Book on Service-Learning

Dr. Marybeth Lima, PE, a professor in Biological and Agricultural Engineering at LSU, has recently co-edited a book on the subject of service-learning. The book is entitled The Future of Service-Learning: New Solutions for Sustaining and Improving Practice. The chapters in the book discuss important questions about the institution of service-learning, including what value it presents to universities and how it is affected by factors such as globalization. Multiple authors write about the different issues at hand, such as better connections with communities and new plans for funding with the ultimate goal of self-sustainability. This summer, the book was a topic of discussion at an international teacher education conference in Ireland. In the acknowledgements, Lima dedicates the book to Jan Shoemaker, director of the LSU Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership, whom Lima describes as "the heart and soul of service-learning at LSU and an alchemist. She finds carbon in the rough and molds, blends and polishes to create gems of community engagement." The cover art for the book is by Bill Hemmerling, a local artist from Ponchatoula who died a few months before the book was published. A self-taught artist, Hemmerling rose from poverty to eventually show his works at places like the New Orleans Jazz Fest, the New York Art Expo, and the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. His works fetch up to $20,000 in the present day. In 2008,... (more)

ECE and Pennington Partner to Combat Obesity

One of the most challenging aspects of dietary studies is the collection of accurate data on the food intake by participants, especially when self reported. 'I took just a bite' is not an accurate measure. Researchers in LSU's Electrical & Computer Engineering Department (ECE) are collaborating with scientists at Pennington Biomedical Center to address the issue of food intake measurement, supported by the National Institutes of Health. The project "Validation of innovative technology to measure the energy intake of free-living humans" promises to provide an accurate estimate of people's food intake while they live in their natural environment. Estimates will be obtained by automatic analysis of images taken by the subjects before and after each meal. Subjects participating in the experiment take pictures of their plates and email them via smartphones; the images are then analyzed automatically to determine the food types and the amounts eaten using computer vision techniques. ECE associate professor Bahadir K. Gunturk is responsible for the automatic image analysis component of the project. Dr. Corby Martin with the Pennington Biomedical Research Center is responsible for the medical analysis. For more information, please contact: Bahadir K. Gunturk, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering Louisiana State University 225 Electrical Engineering Building Baton Rouge, LA 70803 Phone: 225-578-5621 FAX: 225-578-5200 Email... (more)

New Cain Chair Professor in Chemical Engineering

Dr. Krishnaswamy Nandakumar has been named the second Gordon A. and Mary Cain Chair in Chemical Engineering. Before arriving at LSU in August 2009, he served for two years as the GASCO Chair Professor in Chemical Engineering at the Petroleum Institute (PI) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Prior to that assignment, Nandakumar had devoted more than 20 years to the University of Alberta's Department of Chemical & Materials Engineering. During this time he was elected Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada. In 2007 he was elected Fellow of both the Engineering Institute of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Engineering. In 2008 he was selected as a member of the World Council of Chemical Engineers. Nandakumar has written more than 135 publications in peer-reviewed journals and has made more than 125 presentations at various conferences. Furthermore, he has been invited to give more than 25 presentations to industries, universities, and government labs around the world. His research interests include: computational fluid dynamics, CFD modeling of multiphase flows as applied to the oil industry, CFD modeling of separation processes, modeling of solid oxide fuel cells and modeling of polymer processing operations, and bifurcation phenomena. When asked what he is looking forward to most at LSU, Nandakumar replied, "The next generation of computational models for understanding and improving the performance of large scale chemical process equipment are becoming available.... (more)

Chevron Presents $900,000 to LSU Engineering

Chevron has presented another pledge payment of $900,000 to the Forever LSU Campaign in support of their ongoing partnership with LSU in "Achieving Excellence Together." Chevron's gift to LSU is a continuation of its relationship with the University and part of the Company's University Partnership Program, affecting multiple programs at LSU, including the following four focus areas: The Chevron Petroleum Engineering Emerging Faculty Recruitment Fund in the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering, The Chevron Engineering Professorship Support and Development Fund in several engineering departments, The Chevron Engineering Post-Doctoral and Graduate Student Fellowship Fund in engineering disciplines that will be awarded competitively to qualified applicants with preference to underrepresented groups, The Chevron Engineering Multi-disciplinary Reservoir Visualization Center, which will be a program based in the Craft & Hawkins Department of Petroleum Engineering that will benefit students in Petroleum Engineering, Geology and Geophysics, and Information Systems & Decision Sciences. "LSU's College of Engineering has enjoyed a strong and productive relationship with Chevron that has expanded over multiple decades," stated Dr. Richard Koubek, Dean of the College of Engineering. "Chevron's gift showcases the positive influence of the College's partnership with industry to transform lives through our... (more)

Lima’s BAE Project Featured on SEC Academic Network

LSU's Marybeth Lima and biological engineering students designing and building school and community playgrounds on SEC's new Academic Netwrok webite at The Web site is available at www.secacademicnetwork.com.

Pin Limitation—Easing the Squeeze: ECE Researcher Enables Efficient Selection within a Chip

The number of electrical wires (pins) leading into or out of an IC chip is much smaller than the number of wires within the chip or on the printed circuit board outside the chip. This wiring bottleneck at the periphery of a chip is called the pin limitation. One function affected by pin limitation is that of externally selecting parts within a chip for special treatment. A chip could have a large number of such candidates for special treatment, requiring a large number of internal wires for selecting them. However, only a small number of pins are available for that purpose. A hardware module for this problem that expands inputs from a small number of pins to outputs at a large number of internal wires is called a decoder. This "selection" problem is of particular interest in a class of chips called field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) that allows parts of the chip to be reconfigured (altered in structure and functionality) at run-time (while other parts of the chip are operating). This requires individual sections of the chip to be selected for reconfiguration. Ramachandran Vaidyanathan, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is researching a novel approach to solve the selection problem. He has designed a class of inexpensive decoders that can be configured to suit the particular selection problem at hand. Traditional decoders are either inexpensive, but inflexible or overly flexible and expensive. The new decoder occupies a middle... (more)

Gender Equity in the Classroom Workshop Introduces New Approach

Improving faculty understanding of the many ways in which gender effects both teaching and learning experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) classrooms was the focus of the day-long Gender Equity in the Classroom workshop offered by the College of Engineering's Office for Diversity Programs, held August 19, 2009. Sponsored by the Engineering Information Foundation, the workshop was facilitated by the Center for Occupational Research and Development's senior research associate, Ann-Claire Anderson. The workshop provided STEM faculty, at all levels, with an understanding and training to proactively contribute to the retention and graduation of female students. The workshop included collaborative group activities, presentations of relevant research, pedagogical theories and tips for practical application. "I think the most important thing that came out of the workshop for many of us was the realization that providing gender equity in the classroom doesn't mean treating every student the same. It's more important that every student has the best chance of succeeding," said James Henry, assistant professor in chemical engineering. "Often this means treating each student as the unique individual they are and playing to their strengths." The workshop participants received on-going access to the workshop contents and additional resources for future reference. "Discussing gender equity issues in... (more)

LSU Engineering announces Pollution Control and Environmental Sustainability Laboratories

The LSU College of Engineering is committed to transforming lives through research and education in the areas of environmental sustainability and pollution control. To partner in this effort, Walmart has chosen a philanthropic investment opportunity through the LSU Forever LSU Campaign to sponsor two LSU Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) laboratories and physically improve these laboratories, giving LSU students and faculty the tools they need to excel. Recently approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors, the Walmart Laboratory for the Study of Pollution Control and the Sam's Club Laboratory for Environmental Sustainability will be used for instruction and research in the designated areas of environmental sustainability and pollution control. "These laboratories offer the College of Engineering the mechanism to engage students and faculty in discovering new approaches toward environmental protection and preservation of natural resources," said College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. "In addition, LSU engineering students will have an opportunity to investigate more options for renewable energy and zero waste capabilities." Mr. Patrick Hamilton, a 1984 LSU Civil Engineering alumnus and Vice President of Construction for Walmart is responsible for the construction of Walmart and Sam's Club facilities throughout the United States. Hamilton is a staunch advocate of LSU and particularly the CEE Department. ... (more)

LSU Engineering and Fluor Bolster Safety Education

LSU's College of Engineering recognizes the importance of occupational safety education and research in its curriculum, and Fluor Corporation, one of the largest publicly traded engineering & construction companies in the world, prides itself as being consistently rated as one of the world's safest contractors and continually showcases excellent health safety and environmental performance. As a result, LSU's College of Engineering and Fluor have teamed up to bolster industrial safety education. College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek explained the importance of safety education and research, stating, "Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Region are the geographic focal points of much of the nation's oil and gas industry. With global demands increasing, the need for a qualified, highly trained and safety-minded workforce is critical." On Tuesday, September 15, Fluor Corporation announced a $200,000 transformational gift to the Forever LSU Campaign to accelerate progress of the Industrial Safety Research Laboratory housed in LSU's Construction Management and Industrial Engineering Department (CMIE). Fluor's contribution will help the CMIE Department lead LSU Engineering's efforts to enhance the current Industrial Safety Program, integrating safety management, fire protection, risk assessment, conservation of resources, sustainability, and field/site engineering and construction. "Partnering with a major university like LSU that maintains a premier engineering program helps... (more)

LSU Engineering Grads Top National Average in Starting Salaries

Engineering graduates achieve the best starting salaries, even in today's unstable economy, according this summer's report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, or NACE. But graduates of LSU's College of Engineering top even that list, with starting salaries beating out the national average in five different degree fields.

Chem-E Car Team Wins Second at International Competition

The LSU Student Chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, or AIChE, placed second overall in this year's Chem-E-Car competition and first place in the poster presentation at the second International ChemE Car Competition, held at the eighth World Congress of Chemical Engineering (WCCE8). The LSU team competed with their car named "Swamp Thing" against universities from around the world, including Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Iran, Malaysia, and Australia as well as three other U.S. teams. In this international competition, students were challenged to transport 1000 milliliters of water 50 feet. Each team ran their chemically powered cars twice and the best result out of the two runs for each team was used in the final standings. After the first round, LSU's "Swamp Thing" was in fourth place with a run of about 4 feet and 7 inches from the target line. Following a little fine-tuning of the parameters, the second run stopped 1 foot and 2 inches from the target line, which propelled the team to their second place finish. Puerto Rico stopped exactly on the line and was awarded first place. Third place went to the team from The Cooper Union and the team from Tecnologico de Monterrey, Mexico was awarded fourth place. The WCCE8 was held in Montreal, Canada, August 23-27. Members of the LSU car team attending the conference were Matt Daniel (team leader), Kirk Rollins (co-leader), Angela Juncker, and Ryan Pazdera,... (more)

Louisiana Contractors Support LSU Construction Management Program

Through funds collected from hundreds of Louisiana contractors, Vic Weston, vice chairman of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and Mike Barber, president of the Construction Industry Advisory Council presented a check for more than $45,000 ($45,475.88) to the LSU College of Engineering Construction Management program. Dr. Tom Ray, department chair of Construction Management and Industrial Engineering expressed gratitude for this gift, stating "The department and college are very appreciative of the unprecedented support the construction industry provides through generous donations, in kind support and dedication of their time and expertise to enrich the experiences of construction management students." When a Louisiana contractor renews their state license, each may choose to make a donation to LSU's construction management program. The generous donation will be used to provide updated computers, equipment and materials to enhance construction education at LSU. -30- Article by Lee Rayner, LSU College of Engineering, 225-578-3456, lrayner@lsu.edu

Coach Mainieri's Motivation Highlights LSU Engineering Camp

The College of Engineering hosted its third annual Encounter Engineering E2 bridge camp, the largest ever with over 100 incoming freshmen and 30 upperclassmen participating in this year's program. Students attended sessions in physics, math, study skills and time management. Peer mentors led their teams in the Ropes Adventures Team building and in the Rube Goldberg Design competition. The highlight of the camp was the "Business and Baseball" Luncheon at the new Alex Box Stadium with guest speaker, Coach Paul Mainieri, Head Coach, LSU Baseball. "I look through the room of engineering students - you've been blessed with intelligence and have worked hard to build analytical skills," said Mainieri. "Your potential is ready to burst at the seams and is endless." Mainieri was very motivational in challenging LSU Engineering students to make a difference stating "Go out into the world and apply your trade. See how will you affect society and contribute to the betterment of community. Your goal is well defined to be an engineer. Our world can not survive without successful engineers. You have been given a gift of intelligence - push yourself. I implore you to challenge yourself to be great- you have a chance to make a difference." The second part of the "Business and Baseball" Luncheon featured LSU alumni and industry leaders who offered wisdom into engineering careers and what LSU students need to succeed. When asked by LSU's engineering freshmen what was needed beyond the... (more)

CSRS, Inc. Pledges $180,000 to Benefit Civil & Environmental Engineering

The Forever LSU campaign and the LSU College of Engineering recently announced a pledge of $180,000 from CSRS, Inc., a Baton Rouge-based engineering, architectural, and program management firm, to establish and fund an endowed distinguished professorship in Coastal Engineering in the LSU Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE). The CSRS Distinguished Professorship in Coastal Engineering is the first gift established to support faculty for the new Coastal Engineering program at LSU. Coastal engineering is an essential component of efforts to preserve and restore the coastal areas of Louisiana and beyond. "This professorship marks a progressive step of paramount importance for the LSU Coastal Engineering program and our efforts to provide research and development of engineering systems and processes for estuarine-based coastlines," said College of Engineering Dean Richard Koubek. "I commend CSRS for its gracious financial contribution to the enhancement of our university and the quality of education our students will experience." With an expected match of $120,000 from the Louisiana Board of Regents, this professorship will help LSU faculty address the continuous threat of coastal flooding, the erosion of Louisiana's barrier islands and the loss of coastal wetlands. "As first-hand observers to the very real challenge of protecting and restoring Louisiana's coastline, CSRS is committed to helping LSU initiate this unique and promising program aimed at... (more)

Collaboration Links H.S. Teachers with LSU Researchers to Improve Engineering

It is critical for university research engineering faculty to become more involved in the pre-college student environment and preparation in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) disciplines. This summer, LSU professors teamed with five different Louisiana high school teams of teachers to enhance STEM educational lessons as part of the new LaRET project. The premise of Louisiana Research Experiences for Teachers Site: Linking Teachers with Researchers to Improve Engineering Education (LaRET) is to develop collaborative connections among the researcher mentors and 9-12 teachers in order to create strategies in promoting and strengthening STEM education practices, with an emphasis in engineering. The 6-week LaRET summer component at LSU consisted of research and development of STEM modules and created a community of learners where authentic science research is at the core of their experiences. "We had the luxury of working in two different labs," said Shelley Simmons, Dutchtown H.S. science teacher. "From CAMD, we did a poster that we can use in the classroom as a teaching tool about things in nature that you find are in a micro- or nano-scale, and things that are engineered in a micro- and a nano-scale that are a part of our daily lives. So from our experiences at CAMD, we have a teaching tool." LaRET is the pathway to provide innovative ways of helping teachers transfer scientific thinking and research into everyday practice in their classrooms. "We went... (more)

ASCE Supports LSU’s Coastal Engineering Program

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) supported the LSU College of Engineering's Coastal Engineering program, presenting a check to the LSU Foundation for $20,000 in support of the program.LSU's Coastal Engineering program in the Department of Civil Engineering at was created to supply new coastal scientists/engineers that Louisiana will need to care for the coastline. Over the last few years, there has been a heavier focus placed on the increased risks of the Gulf Coast's unique environment, which has given Louisiana an increased need for qualified scientists to find protection solutions. LSU hopes to combine engineers with scientists to address problems that are not only specific to the Gulf Coast, but that can be applied to deltaic regions around the world. By creating the Coastal Engineering program, LSU looks to supply Louisiana with the knowledge to create engineering structures needed to protect the coast and sustain the natural processes critical to resilient delta landscapes. ASCE is a professional organization representing more than 146,000 civil engineers. The oldest national engineering society in the United States, ASCE was founded in 1852. ASCE's goal is to facilitate the advancement of technology to enhance quality, knowledge, competitiveness, sustainability, and environmental stewardship, as well as to encourage and provide the tools for lifelong learning to aid members' continued growth throughout their careers. ASCE also aims to promote... (more)

LSU Engineering Leads Effort to Find Clean Energy

U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu recently stated "As global energy demand grows over this century, there is an urgent need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and imported oil and curtail greenhouse gas emissions. Meeting this challenge will require significant scientific advances." In response to this need, LSU will be home to one of 46 new multi-million-dollar Energy Frontier Research Centers, or EFRCs, which will pursue advanced scientific research on energy. Of these 46, five, including LSU's, will focus on research into catalysts for energy applications. Others will examine processes such as solid state lighting and nuclear power. The centers are being established by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science at universities, national laboratories and nonprofit organizations across the nation. "These centers will mobilize the enormous talents and skills of our nation's scientific workforce in pursuit of the breakthroughs that are essential to make alternative and renewable energy truly viable as large-scale replacements for fossil fuels," stated Chu. LSU's EFRC is called "Center for Atomic-Level Catalyst Design", and is headed by Dr. James J. Spivey. It will be housed in LSU's Cain Department of Chemical Engineering and will rely heavily on LSU's own synchrotron radiation facility, the Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices, or CAMD, for synthesis and characterization of novel nanostructured catalysts. LSU's Center will examine new ways to... (more)

ECE’s Gunturk and Wei Promoted

Two LSU electrical and computer engineering (ECE) assistant professors, Bahadir K. Gunturk and Shuangqing Wei, have been promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure, effective August 17, 2009. Gunturk earned his PhD in 2003 from Georgia Institute of Technology. His areas of specialization include multimedia communications, image/video processing, computer vision, data fusion, and biometrics. Gunturk founded the ECE Image Processing Lab which is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to capture, process, and display images and video. Research in the lab covers a wide range of topics in the areas of image/video processing and computer vision. He is currently collaborating with scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Center to address issues of obesity thanks to a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Specializing in the areas of information theory and digital communication theory and their applications in wireless communications, Wei earned his PhD from the University of Massachusetts in 2003. He serves as an editor for IEEE Transactions on Wireless Communications and as an associate editor for IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology. He was recently awarded a two-year Board of Regents grant and has joined forces with local business Bascom Hunter to develop next-generation wireless communication technology. "On behalf of the faculty, staff and students in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, I would like to congratulate... (more)

Bright Ideas: Engineering Professor Tests Safety of Nighttime Roadwork Lighting

Although nighttime roadway construction is commonly perceived to be the best approach to problematic but necessary construction, studies indicate that lighting conditions at such work areas might actually increase safety hazards for both drivers and work personnel. Marwa Hassan, LSU assistant professor of construction management and industrial engineering, is currently testing the safety and efficacy of various construction site lighting options, including a novel new system known as "balloon lighting." "Drivers often find considerable difficulty in adjusting to the extreme changes in lighting levels when entering a construction zone from a relatively dark roadway environment," said Hassan. "Also, statistics show that a higher percentage of nighttime drivers are impaired by drugs, alcohol, fatigue or age-related vision impairments." Although these two factors are certainly cause for concern, nighttime construction is generally preferred over work conducted during daylight hours for a number of reasons, primarily because it: lessens the impact of construction operations on the traveling public typically shortens the duration of construction projects and reduces potential for work zone accidents. In recognition of the potential hazards of harsh construction lighting, Louisiana State Department of Transportation, as well as the Federal Highway Administration, have begun looking into a new class of lighting, commonly known as "balloon lights." "Balloon lights... (more)

New Bioengineering Laboratory Course Developed Through NSF Funding

LSU Electrical & Computer Engineering researcher Dr. Jin-Woo Choi has developed a new bioengineering laboratory course entitled, "Microfluidic Biochip Laboratory," thanks to an instructional grant received from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) Program. The course, offered for the first time this fall, is open to senior-level undergraduate students majoring in multiple engineering disciplines. Students will be involved design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization of microfluidic mixing devices which will culminate with a group presentation at the end of the semester. "I am grateful to NSF for this funding and excited to provide students from different engineering disciplines an opportunity to work as a group and to learn about emerging technologies. Biochips have a variety of applications including health care, disease diagnostics, virus detection, DNA analysis and so on," said Choi. NSF's CCLI Program seeks to improve the quality of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education for all undergraduate students. In 2008, assistant professor Choi was named the Dr. Fred. H. Fenn Memorial Professor and this year was awarded the Tiger Athletic Foundation Undergraduate Teaching Award. He received a BS and MS in electrical engineering from Seoul National University and was awarded his PhD in 2001 from the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include: biomedical... (more)

LSU ECE and Louisiana Technical College Partner to Prepare US Representation for WorldSkills Competition

The LSU Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) Department has partnered with Louisiana Technical College (LTC) in preparing Hayden LeJeune for his quest to become a World Champion in the 2009 WorldSkills Competition to be held Aug. 26 - Sept. 7 in Calgary, Canada. This competition is widely viewed as the pinnacle of excellence in skilled trades and technologies training. This year, over 1000 competitors from 51 countries are expected to participate in the various categories. LeJeune, now an electrical engineering sophomore, is no stranger to competition. A graduate of Port Barre High School, LeJeune earned gold medals in Electronics Technology during both the Louisiana SkillsUSA State Championships and the National SkillsUSA Championships at the secondary level. LeJeune was later selected to represent the United States on the National SkillsUSA WorldTeam. "Everything has been progressing well with Hayden's training so far," said Joe Anding, Academic Chairman, Technology Services II (LTC - Region 4). Currently, LeJeune is working with ECE instructor Gabriel DeSouza on computer, robot-based exercises. With about four weeks remaining until the competition, ECE and LTC will be working diligently to ensure Hayden gets maximum exposure to the material and hardware. "Overall, the collaboration has been a good exercise," said Dr. Jorge Aravena, ECE Interim Chairman. -30- Article by Tammy V. Abshire, College of Engineering 225-578-5478, tvabshire@lsu.edu

Summer 2008 Commencement

LSU held its 269th commencement exercise on Friday, August 7, conferring undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees for approximately 748 students. The main ceremony was held in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center and Delano Lewis, former U.S. ambassador and former president and CEO of National Public Radio, offered advice and encouragement at the ceremony The College of Engineering awarded 74 diplomas, including 37 bachelor degrees, 18 masters degrees and 19 PhD. Of note, Laura A. Picou, Biological Engineering, graduated with honors, cum laude In addition, 2nd Lt. Chad Andrew Alford received a Bachelor of Science degree in construction management from the College of Engineering, with minors in business administration and professional leadership. Alford's first duty station is at Fort Hood in Killen, Texas. - 30 - Article by Mimi LaValle for the College of Engineering, 225-578-5706, mlavall@lsu.edu

ECE Doctoral Student Paper Selected as IEEE Competition Finalist

ECE doctoral student Yao Xu has been selected among 12 finalists for the IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CAS) Student Paper Competition. Xu's research paper entitled, "A Model of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Interconnects," will be presented at the 52nd IEEE International Midwest Symposium on Circuits and Systems, August 2-5, 2009, in Cancun, Mexico. This year 478 paper submissions were accepted from all over the world. 290 papers were selected for presentation in lecture and poster sessions and only 12 were selected under the Student Paper Competition. Xu's research is being conducted under the direction of major professor Ashok Srivastava. IEEE is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. Originally an acronym for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., today, the organization's scope of interest has expanded into so many related fields that it is simply referred to by the letters IEEE. The IEEE CAS conference is the oldest such conference in the organization's history. - 30 - Article by Tammy V. Abshire, College of Engineering 225-578-5478, tvabshire@lsu.edu

Engineering starting salaries rank high in new national survey

Engineering college graduates achieve the best starting salaries, even in today's unstable economy, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE's Summer 2009 Salary Survey report shows that engineering disciplines account for four of the five disciplines getting the highest starting salary offers. Additional results of the survey show that 8 of the top 15 lucrative jobs for college graduates are offered through academic programs in LSU's College of Engineering. Discipline -- Average Starting Salary Offer Petroleum engineering $83,121 Chemical engineering $64,902 Mining engineering $64,404 Computer engineering $61,738 Computer science $61,407 Electrical engineering $60,125 Mechanical engineering $58,766 Industrial engineering $58,358 Systems engineering $57,438 Engineering technology $56,447 Actuarial science $56,320 Aeronautical engineering $56,311 Agricultural engineering $54,352 Biomedical engineering $54,158 Construction management $53,199 According to LSU Career Services, more than 90 percent of May 2008 LSU College of Engineering graduates had definitive post-graduation plans by mid-May. Of the 331 Engineering graduates who participated in the Spring 2008 LSU Graduating Student Survey, 77 percent were... (more)

LSU PhD Candidate Meets Nobel Laureates in Germany

Julianne Audiffred, doctoral candidate in engineering science at LSU, and Baton Rouge native, was recently selected to attend the 59th annual Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany, which was held June 28 - July 3. "This was an unbelievable, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interact with Nobel Laureates, as well as other students from the American delegation and around the world," said Audiffred. "This interdisciplinary experience has definitely motivated my current dissertation research and enhanced my global perspective of science." The Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings provide an international forum for the exchange of knowledge between Nobel Laureates and young researchers to inspire new avenues of study and build sustainable networks of researchers from around the world. Throughout the meeting, young researchers are presented with many opportunities to interact with the Nobel Laureates through panel discussions, seminars and social programs like lunches, dinners and even a boat ride. While this year's meeting focused on chemistry, the discussions encompassed a broad base of research and application-based themes. The meeting serves to increase knowledge while also providing an outlet for communication, innovation and investigation among some of the world's most promising scientific minds. "I especially enjoyed learning about the life and passions of Dr. Richard Ernst, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1991 for his contributions to the development of... (more)