College of Engineering - News Articles

Gene Weckler to recieve the IISS Exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 00:00:00 MST

Dr. Gene Weckler received his Bachelor of Science degree from Utah State University in the field of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He then earned a Master of Engineering from San Jose State University and a Doctor of Engineering from Stanford University.

Gene Weckler will receive the 2013 IISS Exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award. Among other significant contributions, in 1967 Gene published a seminal paper entitled: “Operation of pn junction photodetectors in a photon flux integrating mode,” in the IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits. Nearly every image sensor built since then has operated in this mode.

Gene also published several early papers on what are now called passive pixel image sensors during his time at Fairchild. In 1971 he co-founded RETICON to further commercialize the technology. RETICON was acquired by EG&G in 1977. Gene stayed with EG&G for twenty years serving in many management roles including Director of Technology for the Opto Divisions. In 1997 Gene co-founded Rad-icon to commercialize the use of CMOS-based solid-state image sensors for use in x-ray imaging. Rad-icon was acquired by DALSA in 2008.

Gene retired from full time work in 2009 but continues as a member of the Advisory Board for the College of Engineering at Utah State University. He is a Life Member of the IEEE and a member of the SPIE. The IISS is very pleased to recognize Gene Weckler’s many contributions to the field of solid-state image sensors over the course of his career through this new award. For more information visit IISW Sensors World website.

Contact Information
Kathy Rigby, Staff Assistant
Utah State University
College of Engineering
kathy.rigby@usu.edu
435-797-2762

Rocky Mountain Power

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:00:00 MST

George Humbert, Rocky Mountain Power, Customer & Community Manager, presents a donation check to Val Potter, Executive Director of Development, Utah State University College of Engineering. Rocky Mountain Power funds an Engineering Scholarship and the Engineering State program for high school students, In the College of Engineering at USU.

The Rocky Mountain Power company dates back to 1881, when Salt Lake City became the fifth city in the world to have central station electricity. Utah Power & Light (UP&L) was formed in 1912 from several small electric companies in Utah, Idaho and western Colorado.

"Rocky Mountain Power and our charitable Foundation are partners in your community, helping to educate youth, improve public safety and strengthen the economy."...Rocky Mountain Power

For more information contact:

Kathy Rigby, Senior Staff Assistant

College of Engineering

Utah State University

4100 Old Main Hill

Logan, UT 84322-4100

E-Mail: kathy.rigby@usu.edu

Office of the Dean: 435-797-2762

Yue Cui

Wed, 05 Jun 2013 00:00:00 MST

Yue Cui, Assistant Professor, Biological Engineering has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the National Science Foundation on the topic “Wireless, Peptide-Immobilized Diamond Bioelectronic Sensor for Monitoring Gas Molecules.” This is a one-year project from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014. This award is her second competitive award.

Professor Yue Cui received her B.S. Engr degree in 3-years of undergraduate study (one year ahead of schedule) from Harbin Institute of Technology, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, and received her Ph.D degree from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a 3-year PhD study. After which, she performed a 1-year postdoctoral research at University of Pennsylvania, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and a 2-year postdoctoral research at Princeton University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Currently, she is an assistant professor at Utah State University, Department of Biological Engineering.

Contact Information

Yue Cui, Assistant Professor

Departmental : Faculty

Email: yue.cui@usu.edu

Location: Biological Engineering Department 402T

Office Phone: 435-797-9276

Biological Engineering Department
Utah State University
4105 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-4105

USU Wins the Air Force University Design Challenge

Wed, 29 May 2013 00:00:00 MST

Utah State University Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department wins the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) University Design Challenge

Bifrost Team A-Team
Back row: Andrew Ostler, Jens Rodman, Preston Rich, middle row: David Reynolds, Josh Vincent, Mitch Parker, Jeremy Kingsford, Byard Wood with the trophy.	Top: Clair Hawkins, Taylor Clawson, Second Row Benjamin Scott, Tasha Stembridge, Byard Wood, Michael Terry, Ruth Miller, Joseph Woods

"Thank you all for participating in the 2013 AFRL University Design Challenge. Your time and effort helping the Air Force solve critical problems for the warfighter is greatly appreciated. The panel of judges and the operators from Hurlburt Field had a great time seeing your creative solutions and interacting with your students. Everyone was extremely impressed with this year's solutions." ...Dr. Alok Das, USAF

The winners are as follows:

First Place: Utah State University

Second Place: Ohio State

Third Place: Brigham Young University

In August 2012, teams were given the warfighter-focused engineering design challenge — Portable Bridge Technology, $20,000, and nine months to create a demonstrable solution. This year’s challenge was to design a system for a team of four special operations force personnel to cross irrigation canals, go rooftop-to-rooftop, cross snow and glacier crevasses, etc., under a variety of conditions, efficiently and effectively. The Design Challenge teams were given system parameters, for example, a system with a maxi-mum weight of 20 pounds, but a desired weight goal of five pounds.

Cache Valley Daily

NFW DailyNews

Contact: Information

Byard Wood, Department Head, Professor
E-Mail: byard.wood@usu.edu

AFRL Website

John Rice ASCE Engineering Educatior of the Year

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:00:00 MST

The Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has selected John Rice as Utah's Engineering Educator of the Year for 2013.

John Rice is an Assistant Professor in the Geotechnical Division of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Dr. Rice received his Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering with emphasis in Geotechnical Engineering from the Virginia Tech in 2007. Prior earning his Ph.D., he worked 17 years as a geotechnical engineering consultant for Kleinfelder and Woodward-Clyde Consultants in California. As a consultant, his specialties were in the areas of landslide mitigation and levees. His primary research interests include slope stability and seepage related to earth structures (dams and levees) and stability of natural slopes.

Contact Information:

John Rice, Assistant Professor

College of Engineering

Utah State University

4100 Old Main Hill

Logan, UT 84322-4100

E-Mail: John Rice

Office :435-797-8611

Commencement 2013

Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 MST

Valedictorian 2013, Ruth Ann Miller, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

Another school year comes to a close, and the hard work of students and faculty at USU has payed off. Graduates of 2013 filled the spectrum on Friday for the Graduate Student graduation, and Saturday for the Undergraduate Student commencement. 415 students graduated total from the College of Engineering this year. 244 students (20 women, and 224 men) earned a Bachelor’s degree. An impressive 171 students walked away with a graduate degree (22 PhD and 149 Masters). Congratulations to all those who graduated!

Visit the College of Engineering Facebook page for more photos

Contact Information:

Kathy Rigby
College of Engineering
Utah State University
4100 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-4100
E-Mail: kathy.rigby@usu.edu
Office of the Dean: 435-797-2762

ASUSU Engineering Senator

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 MST

2013-2014 Engineering Senator Tucker Smith

Tucker will enter his senior year as a mechanical engineering student this Fall. He began his education at Snow College where he served as student body president. Upon transferring to Utah State he has served as an ambassador in the USU Admissions Office, and has worked as a research assistant in the Experimental Fluid Dynamics Lab.
He was recently married to Caitlyn Jacobson in August of 2012. His hobbies include auto mechanics, fly fishing, and off-road driving.

Goals/Plans For Office

Vivaciously support the proper allocation of student fee money. This includes vigorous opposition to any unnecessary increase in fees as well as assuring that current fees are spent where they will be most beneficial for engineering students.
Spread awareness amongst engineering students about current opportunities, issues, and decisions that will affect their experience as students in the College of Engineering.
Facilitate an uncomplicated system by which engineering students can make their needs and wishes known and ensure that this information is advocated to the decision-making authorities. Promote improvement to academic curriculum in an effort to generate engineers that are more marketable to industry (i.e. advocate the replacement of Solid Edge with Solid Works).
Sponsor events that are tailored to the needs and wants of engineering students. This will be accomplished by actively seeking input from students with regards to the type of activities that they would like to see occur within the college of engineering.

Platform

The student voice is the most critical voice to be heard when decisions about fees and curriculum are made. I promise to advocate decisions that will benefit you most.

ASUSU

2013 Valedictorian

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 MST

Ruth Ann Miller is the 2013 Valedictorian for the College of Engineering. She graduated with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering with an Aerospace Engineering emphasis. Ruth participated in the NASA Langley Aerospace Research Student Scholars (LARSS) internship program last summer in Virginia and will return to Langley this summer. This fall Ruth will begin her graduate study and research at Stanford University on a full ride scholarship to explore outer space.

Ruth recently returned with her team mates from competing against 17 other university teams in the Air Force Research Lab’s University Design Challenge. They designed, fabricated and demonstrated their lightweight, portable, and easy to use bridge that can allow air force personnel to cross a 20 ft. gap such as an irrigation canal or two roof-tops. Her team had the fastest time by a wide margin for completing the obstacle course. The bridge has also been Ruth and her teams’ Capstone Design project. It has been a challenging but fun project for her and her team. She learned a lot about the weaknesses and strengths of carbon fiber as the bridge was built, especially after the bridge was tested and it broke in half with someone on it. She took Dr. Fronk’s Composites class which developed her interest in the subject, and she feels that it helped immeasurably in the construction of the bridge. This class, Composites, has turned out to be her favorite class.

Ruth recommends that all students get involved in extra-curricular activities. She definitely does not limit herself just to engineering. She has taken a gymnastics course every semester that she has been at USU. It has been a good break from the rigors of studying and working on projects. She also found the time to mentor two high school design teams for their class projects.

Ruth grew up in Layton, UT and attended Engineering State when she was a senior in high school. She was impressed with the activities and became familiar with USU’s beautiful campus. It wasn’t too difficult to make the decision to get her BS in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from USU.

Contact Information:

E-Mail: ruth.miller@aggiemail.usu.edu

Heng Ban has been elected as a Fellow of ASME

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 MST

Congratulations to Dr. Heng Ban, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering who has been elected as a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Quote from the ASME notification letter:

“You have the privilege of being one of only 3,252 Fellows out of 106,073 ASME

members. By continuing to honor our Members by elevating them to the grade of Fellow, we ensure ASME's commitment to its vision "to be the essential resource for mechanical engineers and other technical professionals throughout the world for solutions that benefit humankind." The Fellow grade is truly a distinction among ASME members." .... ASME notification letter

Contact Information

Dr. Heng Ban, Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

E-Mail: heng.ban@usu.edu

Personal Page

Utah State University Robins Awards

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 MST

2013 Utah State University Robins Award Winners

The Robins Awards are the most coveted of all Utah State honors. They reward students and faculty for hard work and dedication to their individual goals, as well as the goals of USU. Each of the eight colleges at USU select one person from their college to forward to a Robins Award Committee, from the eight nominees in each category the USU overall winner is announced.

Contact Information:

Laurie McNiell, Associate Professor

Civil & Environmental Engineering

E-Mail: laurie.mcneill@usu.edu

Personal Page

Mitch is a true leader. While at USU, he served as Project Manager and Team Captain for the USU Concrete Canoe Team. Under his leadership, his team won first place in the Rocky Mountain Region ASCE Student Conference, and competed nationally. Mitch also provided inspired leadership for the Engineering without Borders USU chapter, leading two teams to Peru on project addressing irrigation systems and potable water distribution…Jagath Kaluarachchi, Senior Associate Dean, College of Engineering Utah State University

College of Engineering - News Articles

Gene Weckler to recieve the IISS Exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award

Rocky Mountain Power

Yue Cui

USU Wins the Air Force University Design Challenge

Bifrost Team A-Team

Back row: Andrew Ostler, Jens Rodman, Preston Rich, middle row: David Reynolds, Josh Vincent, Mitch Parker, Jeremy Kingsford, Byard Wood with the trophy.

Top: Clair Hawkins, Taylor Clawson, Second Row Benjamin Scott, Tasha Stembridge, Byard Wood, Michael Terry, Ruth Miller, Joseph Woods

First Place: Utah State University

Second Place: Ohio State

Third Place: Brigham Young University

John Rice ASCE Engineering Educatior of the Year

The Utah Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) has selected John Rice as Utah's Engineering Educator of the Year for 2013.

Commencement 2013

Valedictorian 2013, Ruth Ann Miller, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering

ASUSU Engineering Senator

2013-2014 Engineering Senator Tucker Smith

2013 Valedictorian

Heng Ban has been elected as a Fellow of ASME

Congratulations to Dr. Heng Ban, Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering who has been elected as a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

Utah State University Robins Awards

2013 Utah State University Robins Award Winners