ECECONNECTIOND E P A R T M E N T O F E L E C T R I C A L A N D C O M P U T E R E N G I N E E R I N G

Capstone DesignIncorporated intothe Curriculum

Michel VoorhiesRemembered

Record BreakingDonations

Rising in theRankings

A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E · F A L L 2 0 0 8

Department Update

ECE Names Interim Chair

This year has been particularly successful for the Electrical& Computer Engineering Department (ECE), as the Depart-ment’s ranking in the U.S. News & World Report climbsonce again to be placed 83rd out of 167 graduate programsevaluated nationwide.

On the teaching front, a particularly exciting developmentis the recent decision to make senior design projects a re-quired part of the ECE curriculum. Design exercises havelong been a staple of engineering higher education, but theflexibility of a culminating major design project makes it a

much more attractive vehicle for employers wishing to evalu-ate the potential contributions of students in their compa-nies. Support from local (and not-so-local) industry will becrucial in making this new program a success.

The Department’s vital “FOREVER LSU” Campaign contin-ues to gain momentum under the expert leadership of alum-nus Les Broussard. The Department would particularly liketo thank Les, Burt McNeil, Jerry Rispone, and Carolyn andMark Guidry for their most generous recent philanthropicdonations, helping to establish new endowed professorships

The College of Engineering has announced the appoint-ment of Dr. Jorge L. Aravena, Oskar R. Menton Professor,as interim chairman of the Electrical and Computer Engi-neering Department. With over 28 years of service to LSU,including a stint as ECE graduate studies advisor, Aravena ispoised to lead the Department during this period of transi-tion.

A native of Santiago, Chile, Aravena received an electricalengineering degree from the University of Chile at Santiago,and a Ph.D. in computer, information and control engineer-ing from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He hasserved on the faculty at the University of Chile at Santiago,the University of Santiago, and was head of the Process Con-trol Group at the University of Concepcion, Chile.

Aravena’s research interests include system theory, com-puter-based control systems, and signal processing, espe-cially application of artificial intelligence tools. Recently, hecompleted a five-year research project on aircraft safety andis now contributing to a research project in passive locationof radio sources; e.g., distressed cell phone user and proj-ects in data compression and intelligent autonomous assetprotection.

While he is proud of his research experiences, his greatestjoy comes from interacting with students. In 2005, LSU stu-dents were asked to identify faculty and members of thecampus community who had significantly influenced theirundergraduate careers. Professor Aravena was one of six in-dividuals identified and featured through “LSU Highlights”

for the impact he has had on under-graduate students. He has also servedas the faculty advisor to the IEEE stu-dent chapter for many years.

When not tackling current projects ormentoring students, Aravena enjoys theart of photography. “I love to tweak pic-tures with image editors, do slideshows, albums for my daughters. I amtrying to learn video editing and workon the movies that Joyce takes. Mydream job is to be a nature photogra-pher for National Geographic,” said Ar-avena. He and wife, Joyce, celebratedtheir 40th anniversary this year with theirtwo daughters.

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DEPARTMENT DETAILS

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ECE Rises in Recent U.S. News & World ReportRankings; LSU Moves into Top Tier

ECE: By the Numbers . . . 2007-2008 StatsECE Enrollment (Fall 2007)

Undergraduate: 308 Female 27 Minority * 60

Graduate: 106 Female 35 Minority * 6

Total: 414 Female 62 Minority * 66

* Minority refers to African, Hispanic and Native Americans

ECE Degrees Awarded (Summer 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008)

B.S. 12 28 41 Total: 81

M.S. 9 20 11 Total: 40

Ph.D. 1 1 1 Total: 3

and laboratories. In recognition of these exciting develop-ments, Tammy V. Abshire has been recently appointed towork full-time on ECE alumni relations, development, andthe Department’s newsletter. As the first newsletter underTammy’s direction, the Department seeks your input andfeedback on the redesigned format. It is hoped that you ap-preciate being kept in touch with the latest ECE news. Forall these matters, please e-mail her at tvabshire@lsu.edu,telephone 225-578-5478, or write to her at the ECE Depart-ment. The Department also thanks Don Eisenberg who isnow able to concentrate on development work for two,rather than three, LSU departments, and to Ralph Kinneywho has now retired for the second time after completinghis alumni relations work.

The Department continues to recruit the very best youngfaculty. Earlier this year, Dr. Georgios Veronis joined theECE faculty from Stanford University. He is currently settingup a program in microphotonics with collaborations in theCenter for Computation & Technology and also in theHearne Institute for Theoretical Physics, both at LSU.

Additionally, several Multidisciplinary Hiring Initiatives in

Computational Sciences, Materials Science and in DigitalMedia have received strong support within the University.The Department expects these to impact teaching and re-search most significantly in the coming years. Digital Media,in particular, is one component of a state-wide effort to growthe digital technology industry in and around Baton Rouge,with solid backing from the State legislature.

Finally, ECE students continue to be in high demand bysuch well-known companies as Fluor, ExxonMobil, Center-Point Energy, and many others. In recognition of the Depart-ment’s rapidly increasing prominence, the ECE AdvisoryBoard was recently expanded by three new members, andthe Board is now well-positioned to provide counsel regard-ing the ECE academic programs and to give direct feedbackfrom the industry.

R. Clive Woods

*Effective June 10th, 2008, Dr. R. Clive Woods no longerholds the title of Department Chairman though remainsa full professor in ECE. The Department would like tothank Dr. Woods for his two years of service as Chairman.

A strong focus of LSU’s Flagship Agenda is to raise therank and profile of LSU among peer universities nationwideand the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering(ECE) exemplifies that by improving its position in the 2009U.S. News & World Report: “America’s Best GraduateSchools.” Also this year, the University moved into the firsttier of the magazine’s 2009 edition of America’s Best Col-leges. U.S. News & World Report assesses more than 1,200private and public college programs nationwide and factorsthese comparisons based on aspects such as peer school as-sessment, acceptance rigor, job placement, and assessmentof the quality of faculty, research and students.

Electrical & Computer Engineering saw a 13-point in-crease in ranking this year, receiving a rank of 83rd and mov-ing up from its previous ranking of 96 from 167 schools. Therising rank will help attract more talented students, andgreater support for ECE’s faculty and students, while alsohelping to attain the high standards of LSU’s FlagshipAgenda.

Overall, the College of Engineering is ranked 87th out of198 doctoral programs, moving up from its previous rankingof 89. For more ranking information, visitwww.usnews.com/grad.

If you have the opportunity to fly inone of Boeing’s brand-new $200 mil-lion 787 Dreamliners, you can thankLSU graduate Karen Brack (1984,B.S., EE) for making it a safer andmore enjoyable flight.

Brack works for Honeywell, a For-tune 500 company with a workforce ofmore than 100,000. Honeywell wasselected to provide the Flight ControlElectronics package including autopi-lot for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.She began working for Honeywell in1997. Her current title is ASIC Techni-cal Manager (ASIC means Applica-tion-Specific Integrated Circuit).

“My role has been the project leaderof a ten-member team for the develop-ment of the programmable, electronichardware components for the FlightControls Electronics on the aircraft. I’musing my electrical engineering degreein the areas of digital electronic design,semiconductors and computer engi-neering,” Brack said.

Speaking of her latest project, the 787,Brack cited, “The 787-8 Dreamliner willcarry 210-250 passengers on routes of7,650 to 8,200 nautical miles while the787-3 will accommodate 290-330 pas-sengers and be optimized for routes of2,500 to 3,050 nautical miles.”

She pointed out, “The 787 will provideairlines with unmatched fuel efficiency,using 20 percent less fuel than any otherairplane of its size. It will fly at speeds upto Mach .85 (560 miles per hour).”

Brack is a member of the AdvisoryBoard for the Electrical & ComputerEngineering Department at LSU and ispresident of the San Diego LSU AlumniAssociation Chapter.

When asked what interested her topursue this field, she replied, “I had avery strong math and science back-ground before I got to college. My Jun-ior Division counselor suggested threeways I should consider going: Com-puter Science, Quantitative BusinessAnalysis or Electrical Engineering. Ichose EE. My primary mentor at LSUwas Dr. Ralph Kinney, now retired.”

Excerpt taken from Fall 2007 LSUAlumni Magazine by Ray Dry. For thecomplete story, visit http://www.lsu-alumni.org/stuff/mag_fall2007.pdf

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“I’m using my electricalengineering degree in theareas of digital electronicdesign, semiconductors andcomputer engineering.”

ECE Advisory Board Increases by ThreeThe LSU Electrical & Computer Engi-

neering Department Advisory Boardhas increased its membership byadding three new members: Frederick“Rick” M. Brooks, Gregory J.Clement and Michael T. Miesch.

Frederick “Rick” M. Brooks, P.E. ispresident of Brooks & Jackson, Inc.,with offices in Baton Rouge and Jack-sonville, Florida, and is a 1967 EE grad-uate. He has over 40 years ofexperience in design and forensic engi-neering. His predominant design expe-rience is in electric utility facilitiesincluding electric transmission and dis-tribution lines, substations and systemprotection schemes. Brooks is the for-mer chief operating officer for an Engi-neering News Record Top 500engineering/architectural consulting

firm and is a registered professional en-gineer in Louisiana.

Gregory J. Clement, P.E. is presentlyan electrical design engineer at FluorCorporation, one of the world’s leadingengineering, procurement, construc-tion and maintenance services compa-nies. In his current role, he serves as alead electrical engineer on MarathonPetroleum Company’s $3.2 billionGaryville Major Expansion Project.

Clement has over 10 years of experi-ence in the energy and chemical sec-tors, both domestic and international,and is a registered professional engi-neer in multiple states. He currentlyserves on a National Electric Code Ad-visory Board relating to medium volt-age applications and holds activememberships in IEEE and LSU’s Tiger

Athletic Foundation. A proud LSUgraduate and native of Louisiana, Gregcurrently lives in Pearland, Texas, withhis wife Dena and their two children,Jack and Annie.

Michael T. Miesch is owner of M&LConsulting, LLC in Baton Rouge. Hegraduated from LSU with his bachelor’sand master’s degrees in electrical engi-neering and spent three years in theArmy at the Army Missile Command.Following a short stint in the aerospaceindustry providing support to NASA,Miesch continued his career in engi-neering, engineering management andoperations, and maintenance manage-ment locally with ExxonMobil Chemi-cal. Since retirement, he has spent thelast seven years as an independentconsultant.

Karen Brack’sDream Job

The 787 Dreamliner:

ADVISORY BOARD

William L. “Bill” Higgins, EE, ’65(ECE Advisory Board Chair)Vice PresidentJacobs EngineeringHouston, Texas

Ravi K. Arimilli, EE, ’84IBM FellowIBM Server GroupAustin, Texas

Karen G. Brack, EE, ’84Staff Engineer - ASIC and FPGA

DesignHoneywell Aerospace Electronic

SystemsLa Jolla, California

F. M. “Rick” Brooks, EE, ’67PresidentBrooks & Jackson, Inc.Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Gregory J. Clement, EE, ’98Electrical Design EngineerFluor CorporationPearland, Texas

Joseph “Joe” F. Domino, EE, ’70President/Chief Executive

OfficerEntergy Texas, Inc.Beaumont, Texas

J. Keith Hollier, EE, ’79Control Systems Section

SupervisorExxonMobilBaton Rouge, Louisiana

Edwin “Burt” McNeil, EE, ’46Retired, ExxonMobilBaton Rouge, Louisiana

Michael T. Miesch, EE, ’69;M.S.EE, ’71

Retired, ExxonMobilJackson, Louisiana

Jerry L. Rispone, EE, ’85President/Chief Operations

ManagerIndustrial Specialty Contractors,

L.L.C.Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Anita L. Schreiber, EE, ’85Senior Staff IP Design EngineerXilinxAlbuquerque, New Mexico

Newton B. Thomas, EE, ’67President and ChairmanNewtron Group, Inc.Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Eugene “Gene” Tims, EE, ’43Professor EmeritusLSU, Electrical & Computer

EngineeringBaton Rouge, Louisiana

Charles H. Voss Jr., EE, ’49Professor EmeritusLSU, Electrical & Computer

EngineeringBaton Rouge, Louisiana

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2008 Electrical & ComputerEngineering Advisory Board

The ECE Advisory Board provides advice and counsel regarding the Department’sacademic programs, facilities, research, areas of emerging technology and othersuch matters for consideration in order to enhance the Department’s educationalgoals. Meeting twice per year, board members consist of alumni and industry repre-sentatives, including:

The Department welcomes these three engineers who will bring a wealth of knowledge and new perspective to theECE Advisory Board.

Gregory J. Clement Frederick “Rick” M. Brooks Michael T. Miesch

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Capstone Design, a course series of-fered the past three years to ECE stu-dents as a senior elective, will becomepart of the Department’s required cur-riculum for freshman entering fall 2009.This two-semester–long course bringssenior students and faculty together towork on actual design projects, chal-lenging students to use all the knowl-edge and skill they have acquired inundergraduate study in a real-worldapplication. Under the guidance of anECE faculty advisor, the first semesterwork focuses on completion of the de-sign phase. During the second semes-ter, the design team realizes afunctioning prototype. Student teamsare also responsible for procurement,

management, accountability and pres-entation of their Capstone projects, asthey would be in real-world settings.“The teams do as much of the actualwork as possible themselves, includingsourcing and testing their own materi-als, and designing and machining theirown components,” says Capstone De-sign Instructor Bryan Audiffred.

This academic year, ECE studentsAlex Ray, Geoff Donaldson andWilliam Burke joined forces with me-chanical engineering (ME) studentsDavid Mustain and Diego Gonzálezand faculty advisors Bryan Audiffred(ECE) and Dr. Marcio de Queiroz (ME)to bring to life “MikeRobot”, an intelli-gent robot that represented LSU forthe first time at the Intelligent GroundVehicle Competition (IGVC) inRochester, Michigan on May 30. Whilethe LSU team did not take top honors,“MikeRobot” represented LSU in itsdebut run for the IGVC grand prize.The IGVC requires autonomous robotsto successfully complete an obstaclecourse, with points awarded for stayingin the prescribed lane and avoiding ob-stacles, as well as a subsequent GPSwaypoint navigation challenge. Teamsare also judged on written design re-ports and oral presentations.

Next year’s Capstone teams can se-

lect one among a variety of design op-tions, including but not limited to theIGVC, the Shell® Eco-Challenge Racer

Competition and the Formula SAE racecar challenge. Other project possibili-ties for achievement and innovation inCapstone Design involve indoor sensorpositioning networks and dynamicmedia display systems. Opportunitiesfor Capstone Design application willgrow as the new ECE requirement con-tinues to gain momentum and inter-connect with other College ofEngineering (CoE) Capstone programs.

Many other CoE degree programsfeature a Capstone Design require-ment. The promotion of this additionto curriculum status puts ECE on a cur-ricular par with the other CoE depart-

ments. Additionally, Capstone Designis CxC-certified, a CommunicationAcross the Curriculum (CxC) designa-

tion for communi-cations-intensivecourses that counttowards the stu-dents’ “High-LevelCommunicator”transcript distinc-tion. Moreover, theCapstone Designseries attractsguest lecturers ondesign-focused

topics as well as sponsorship and sup-port from industry partners, and buildsconnections with other interest groupsand institutions outside LSU. In orderto demonstrate their support, the De-partment gives Capstone students 24-hour access to dedicated lab resources.

The course change enhances the in-terdisciplinary aspects of the CapstoneDesign program and gives studentsvaluable teamwork experience, as ECEstudents are able to team with theircolleagues in related disciplines toproject, and then execute, these origi-nal designs.

ECE Incorporates Capstone Design into CurriculumThe IGVC team: (pictured left to right) Geoff Donaldson, Alex Ray, William Burke, David Mustain and Diego González

STUDENT NEWS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“The teams do as much of the actual workas possible themselves, including sourcingand testing their own materials, anddesigning and machining their owncomponents,” says Capstone Design Instructor Bryan Audiffred.

TRIVIA CORNER:Actual question and student answer

from Dr. Leszek Czarnecki’s recent test:Question: How did Maxwell

contribute to electrical engineering?Answer: Maxwell made coffee so all

of the other EE students could stay upall night and remember conversionfactors of [kcal] to [kwh].

LSU placed 28th among 130 teamsfrom 31 countries in this year’s IEEEx-treme Programming Contest, a 24-hourprogramming competition which chal-lenges teams of undergraduate and

graduate minds around the worldagainst each other and the clock tosolve a host of programming conun-drums. Even more impressive is the factthat this was LSU’s first time participat-

ing in such an event. “The IEEE team’sexcellent showing amid such formida-ble international competition reflectsvery positively on the ECE Depart-ment,” said Dr. Jorge Aravena, IEEEStudent Chapter Advisor. LSU’s three2008 IEEE team members, all ECEgraduating seniors, were: Anshul Tan-don; William W. Burke, a summa cumlaude graduate; and Purujit Saha, whois also a 2008 Edward McLaughlinDean’s Medal for Excellence recipient.

“Contests are a great way to get stu-dents involved in organizations,” saidteam member Purujit Saha. Thesetypes of activities help the IEEE achieveits ultimate goal of increasing the orga-nization’s activities, awareness andmembership.

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LSU Engineering Students TakeProgramming to the ExtremeIEEE student group competes in worldwide virtual programming contest

IEEE Team membersWilliam W. Burke, AnshulTandon and Purujit Saha(left to right) collaborateto solve challengingprogramming problems.

Computer engineering graduate Pu-rujit Saha has been named a spring2008 Edward McLaughlin Dean’s Medalfor Excellence recipient for his aca-demic achievement at LSU. Each se-mester, the McLaughlin Medal isawarded to College of Engineering stu-dents who graduate with the highestgrade point average. Saha, graduatedin May with a perfect 4.0 GPA and hasalso received the College of Engineer-ing Alumni Scholarship. He has beenon the Chancellor’s Honor Roll and isinvolved in IEEE.

Saha, native of Dhaka, Bangladesh, isjoining Microsoft as a software devel-opment engineer and plans to one dayearn his Ph.D. He then intends to joinone of the national supercomputing fa-cilities.

Saha says the most interesting thing

he has done while here at LSU wascompete in the IEEExtreme Program-ming Competition in 2008. Althoughhe graduated at the top of his class,Saha said he could not have done itwithout the help of many professors.

“Dr. Jorge Aravena, my student jobsupervisor, was extremely helpful whenI applied to graduate schools. Also,Mr. John Scalzo, my ECE undergradu-ate advisor, helped me a lot with mytransfer credits,” said Saha. His fa-vorite professors, while here at LSU, in-clude Dr. David Koppelman, Dr.Jorge Aravena, Dr. Paul Paskoff andDr. Benjamin Price.

The Edward McLaughlin Dean’sMedal for Excellence was created in1997 by the Dean’s Advisory Council ofthe College of Engineering, led byNewton B. Thomas, to recognize theoutstanding contributions of Dean Ed-ward McLaughlin during his 28 yearsof service to the University as a profes-sor, researcher, Chemical EngineeringDepartment chairman, and dean.

Computer Engineering Graduate Honored as EdwardMcLaughlin Dean’s Medal for Excellence Recipient

Edward McLaughlin Dean’s Medal forExcellence recipient Purujit Saha

Fall 2007Bachelor of Science:

Olufemi Awarun**Kenneth Beler II Jason Bourque Nicholas Colomb Aimee DukeChristopher Durrett Michael Falcon Randall Fannin Michael Fazely Jeffrey Frantz Allen Garland Joshua Green*Benjamin Kasten Adam Kennedy Michael Lopez Mariel Losso Thomas Lukowski Megan Major Asanka Mananayaka Delaney Mitchell*Adewemimo Oyekenu Ryan Reeves Matthew Romano Savio Silva Brian Taylor Britney Theriot Sital Tiwari Tracy Toups

Masters of Science: Adeyabeba Abera Charisma Dionne EdwardsMostafa Kadry Elbidweihy Archana Geggalapally

Lutfi Murat GevrekciSundeep Kumar Gopal Krishna Kishore GunturuJui-Ching HsuYunmi JeonVarun KamalakaranKyung-Nam KangJinhui LiuCheng LuoLaurentiu Dan MarinoviciPooja MathurAbhishek ParakhSeung Hoon ParkMaruti Venkat Kartik SattiPrathyusha Akunuri

VenkataShaohua Wang

Doctor of Philosophy: Veronica Bohorquez

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Veronica Bohorquez, fall 2007 Ph.D.graduate with her major professor,Leszek Czarnecki, and her daughters

Electrical & Computer Engineering Graduates Congratulations graduates!

ECE fall class of 2007

ECE spring class of 2008

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Spring 2008Bachelor of Science:

Adetoyebi Adedipe Riley Andrews*** Jason Authement Dominic Babineaux Daniel Brignac*William Burke***Michael Carroll Jacob Champagne** Jed Clapp Marshall Dantin Andrew Davidson Christopher Duensing Gregory Forest

Andrew Gautreaux Jonathan Gonzales Matthew Hebert***Christopher Higgins Johnathan Hills Gregory Hopkins Jared Jones Paxton Kennedy*** Drew Lewis Matthew Mapes Joshua Mayer Jacob Miller Michael Minvielle Peter Mistretta Benjamin Nichols*

Daniel Nixdorff*Karthik Omanakuttan*** Scott Padgett Kathryn Roussel*** Purujit Saha*** °Garrett Schram Nathaniel Severin Mansi Sheth** Matthew Sibley Brandon Suarez David TranJoseph Veron Charles Wright Jr.

Master of Science: Luis Donaldo Alvergue

Partha Basuchowdhuri Youngjeon Cho Xiaobo Li Chaoxuan Liu Hua Shao Alexandre S. Tabbal Maoyuan Xie Yao Xu Qiang Yu Zhifeng Yun

Doctor of Philosophy:Nike Liu

*** Summa cum Laude (3.9-4.0 GPA)** Magna cum Laude (3.8-3.9 GPA)* cum Laude (3.7-3.8 GPA)° McLaughlin medalist

(Highest GPA per semester)

ECE proudly celebrates Charisma D. Edwards, who repre-sents ECE among this year’s recipients of the prestigiousClayton Engineering Excellence Awards. A cum laude grad-uate of Clark Atlanta University, where she was a fellow ofthe Georgia LSAMP Program for Research Integration in theScience for Matriculation to the Doctorate (PRISM-D),Charisma has conducted research at the University of Penn-sylvania, Emory University, MIT Lincoln Laboratory and the

Naval Research Laboratory. At Emory,Charisma studied magnetic therapy forstroke patients. While at LSU, she tu-tored for the Recruitment into Engi-neering of High Ability MinorityStudents (REHAMS) program in 2006and taught in the East Baton Rougeschool system. She is currently the LSUFellow of both the NSF Alliances forGraduate Education and the Professo-rate (AGEP), and the Louisiana LouisStokes Alliance for Minority Participa-tion (LA-LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctor-ate Program (BDP). Her research seeksto advance the field of biomedical im-aging and instrumentation in electrical

engineering.The Clayton

Awards areawarded annuallyto selected out-standing under-graduate andgraduate studentsin the College ofEngineering inrecognition of the

recipient’s exemplary character, scholastic achievement andactive leadership. Graduate scholars are awarded a $10,000stipend, and the graduate student’s principal adviser re-ceives a $2,000 stipend. The Clayton Awards bear the nameof their founding benefactor, Donald W. Clayton (B.S. PETE,1959), who also established an Engineering Ph.D. graduateassistantship supplement. In 1993, Mr. Clayton was inductedinto the College of Engineering Hall of Distinction.

Edwards Wins Clayton Engineering Excellence Award

Pictured here:Faculty Advisor Dr.Hsiao-Chun Wu, CoEAlumnus DonaldClayton and ClaytonAward RecipientCharisma D. Edwards.

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ECE Salutes our RecruitsThe ECE Department wishes to express our appreciation to the following companies for their presence oncampus and recruiting our undergraduate and graduate electrical and computer engineering students.

2007-08 Corporate Recruiters

Abercrombie and FitchAccentureAerotekAgricultural Research Services, USDAAir Liquide AmericaAlbemarle CorporationALSTOM Power, Inc.ALTEC Industries, Inc. American AirlinesAmerican Solutions, Inc.ANH Refractories CompanyAntares Technology SolutionsArcmail TechnologyARGOAT&TAudubon EngineeringBaker HughesBambeck Systems Inc.Baton Rouge Transition to TeachingaBattelleBearingpointBeta Engineering/DIS-TRANBJ ServicesBlack & DeckerBlue Cross and Blue Shield of LouisianaBollinger Shipyards, Inc.BP AmericaBrink's, Inc.Burk-Kleinpeter, Inc.C & C TechnologiesCapital One, N.A.CargillCarrier CorporationCarter & BurgessCDI Engineering SolutionsCDMCenterPoint EnergyCenturyTelChampion TechnologiesChevronChevron Information Technology Co.Chicago Bridge & IronCleco CorporationColonial Insurance

Colonial PipelineConocoPhillipsConstructors & AssociatesConvergysCooper IndustriesCRA Engineering Group, Inc.Cypress SemiconductorDashiellDiamond Data SystemsDillard's Information SystemsDow Chemical CompanyDrug Enforcement AdministrationDuPontEaton CorporationEDG, Inc.El Paso CorporationEmerson Process ManagementEmerson Process Management -

Refining and ChemicalsENERCON Services, Inc.Engineering & Inspection Services, LLCENSCO Inc.Entergy Services, Inc.Enterprise Products PartnersEnterprise Rent-a-CarEquifaxES&H, Inc.Expro AmericasExxonMobilFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)Federal Communications CommissionFirst Investors CorporationFlorida CrystalsFluorFM GlobalFM Global - Field EngineeringFMC Technologies Incorporated -

Energy Systems-SubseaFoster Wheeler USA CorporationFuture Pipe IndustriesG.E.C., Inc.General Electric Energy ServicesGeorgia-Pacific LLCGramercy Alumina, LLCGuaranty Broadcasting CompanyGyrodata, Incorporated

HalliburtonHalliburton - Energy Services GroupHancock BankHanoverHelmerich & Payne, Inc.HoneywellHydril LLCIEM, Inc.INROADSInsight GlobalIntellex CorporationIntergraph CorporationInternational PaperInternational Student VolunteersInvensys Process SystemsISNJ. Ray McDermott, Inc.Jacobs Engineering GroupJCPenneyJDSU - TelecommunicationsJobsInLouisiana.comJohnson Controls, Inc.JP Morgan ChaseKalmans Marshall Engineering, Inc.Kay Jewelers -

A Division of Sterling JewelersKBRKiewit CorporationKohl's Department StoresKPMG LLPLAPTECLiberty MutualLos Angeles County Department of

Public WorksLouisiana Air National GuardLouisiana Department of

Environmental QualityLouisiana Department of Public SafetyLouisiana Department of State Civil

ServiceLouisiana GeneratingLouisiana MachineryLouisiana State PoliceLouisiana Steam EquipmentLSU Information Technology ServicesLyondell Chemical CompanyMarathon Oil Company

2007-08 IEEE Student Chapter Officers

Alex RayChairHometown:Jennings

Geoff DonaldsonVice ChairHometown: Baton Rouge

John HarveyMarketing DirectorHometown: St. Francisville

Franklin SandsSecretaryHometown: Denham Springs

Austin MoreauTreasurerHometown:Baton Rouge

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Maverick TechnologiesMaxim Integrated ProductsMicrosoftMonsanto CompanyMosaic - Louisiana OperationsMRE Consulting, Ltd.Mustang EngineeringNational Security AgencyNaval Surface Warfare Center-

Panama CityNissan North AmericaNorfolk Naval Shipyard - Engineering

DepartmentsNorthrop GrummanOdebrecht Construction, Inc.OldcastleOncorOxy Chem - ManufacturingParkway PropertiesPathfinder Energy ServicesPeace CorpsPegasus InternationalPeri Software SolutionsPetrotech, Inc.Plymouth Tube CompanyPPG Industries, Inc.Prime Source Building ProductsProcter & GambleProgressive InsuranceProvidence Engineering &

Environmental Group LLCPSL North America LLC

Quorum Business Solutions - TDCCRaytheon CompanyRedmane Technology LLCRegions Financial Corporation -

Management Associate ProgramRepublic National Distributing

Company, LLCReynolds and ReynoldsSAICSanderson Farms, Inc.Schlumberger Technology CorporationShell Oil CompanySiemens Building Technologies, Inc.Sky Ranch Christian Summer CampSOGETI USA LLC - Houston OfficeSouthern CompanySt. Jude Children's Research HospitalStanley Consultants, Inc.Stone EnergySuperior Well Services, Inc.Target StoresTCB-AECOM - Turner, Collie & BradenTeach For AmericaTechgene Solutions LLCTemple-InlandThe Automation GroupThe City of Baton RougeThe CNA CorporationThe Princeton ReviewThe Shaw Group, Inc.Triad Electric & Controls, Inc. -

a subsidiary of The Newton Group

Trinity ConsultantsTTS Solutions Inc.Turner Construction CompanyU.S. Air ForceU.S. Border PatrolU.S. Department of EnergyU.S. Department of StateU.S. Department of the Navy -

The Office of Civilian Human ResourcesU.S. NavyU.S. Peace Corps -

Southwest Recruitment OfficeUnited Space AllianceUniversity DirectoriesURS CorporationUSG CorporationUSG Corporation - USG Interiors, Inc.Valero Energy CorporationVedicsoft Solutions Inc.Waldemar S. Nelson and Company, Inc.WalgreensWarner Robins Air LogisticsWeatherford International - EDIWells Fargo FinancialW-H Energy ServicesWink Companies, LLCWolseley's North American DivisionYour Other Warehouse/

Home Depot DirectZachry Construction

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Kinney Takes a Second Shot at RetirementDr. Ralph Kinney is doing it again—or at least we think so

In 1998, Dr. Ralph Kinney thought he would retire fromLSU, but the University asked him to return. A professoremeritus of electrical engineering who also helped buildECE’s website and strengthen ties with alumni, Kinney mapshis life story around a series of fortuitous happenstances thatled to smart decisions and focused application, as well as atwo-term ECE career, an LSU legacy spanning over 35 years,and nearly a half-century of married union. Now, Kinney ismoving into new life endeavors after taking a second retire-ment from electrical engineering in 2007.

Kinney was born in 1930 to hardworking parents in Frost-proof, Florida. However, he hails Lake Placid, Florida, as hisreal hometown. Living through the Great Depression, hismother, a schoolteacher, and his father, a mechanic, strug-gled while rearing a bright, young boy. Kinney demonstratedearly the ability to excel academically, graduating in 1948 assalutatorian (in a class of 13), and earning a B.S. in physicaleducation with a mathematics minor four years later, at theUniversity of Florida at Gainesville.

While an undergraduate, Kinney enrolled in Reserve OfficersTraining Corps (ROTC). Upon graduation he was called to ac-tive duty as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserves (Artillery).The duty of target location for artillery involved the use ofelectronic gear, where he developed an interest in electronics.

After his discharge, Kinney returned to the University ofFlorida. Initially, he took Introduction to EE and a physicscourse to test the interest developed in the service. EE was“interesting—I was already familiar with about half themath in the introductory course;” stated Kinney whoadded that physics also struck a chord, “and I stuckwith it.” He worked for two years at Northrop Corpo-ration in California after completing a master’s de-gree and received his Ph.D. in EE.

Kinney first met his future wife Gail in 1959, in thecoffee room at University of Florida’s College ofEngineering. She was usually about 150 miles awayat Florida State University (FSU), but as a summerstudent worker at the UF College of EngineeringPublications Department, she also brewed the dailycoffee. “I figure I saw her first, and homed in assoon as possible. That was truly an outstanding timefor me,” Ralph says fondly of meeting Gail, and ofhis years in Gainsville. Ralph and Gail married imme-diately after her graduation from FSU. Their union pro-duced three children: daughter Alison, born in Californiain 1961, followed by son Scott in 1963 and daughterRobin in 1965, both in Florida.

In 1967, Ralph moved to Baton Rouge to assume his first

Dr. Michel B. Voorhies (Before restoration)To view the restored photo, see article onMichel Voorhies (page 13) in this issue ofECE Connection.

FACULTY NEWS & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

post as associate professor at LSU, rising to full professor in1975. He served as interim department chair from 1976-77,and remained a full-time faculty member for 31 years until1998. Kinney experienced another set of firsts at LSU, no-tably his first crawfish boil, dark roast coffee and his firstteaching assignments. He remembers very clearly calling rollduring his first semester and learning to pronounce“Hebert” among other locally-common French names.“Those students had a lot of fun with me,” he laughs, “so Iquit calling roll.” While at LSU, Kinney also welcomed hisfirst grandson: a boy, Connor, born to daughter Alison in2000. He has since welcomed his first granddaughter, MilaVie, born in November, 2007 to son Scott.

His first retirement in 1998, as professor of electricalengineering, was a brief one; he was re-recruited as part-timefaculty in 2004, and retired a second time last year. During hissecond stint in ECE, Ralph helped renew ECE’s connection toits graduates by creating and maintaining the Department’salumni web page, as well as managing the ECE alumnidatabase. He also served as co-editor of the Departmentalnewsletter formerly named Tiger Bytes, and encouragedfellow faculty to write articles for web publication. Nowsettling into re-retirement from ECE,Ralph still enjoys visiting theDepartment frequently, as well asgiving “non-expert support” to hiswife’s musical endeavors on piano and flute at theBaton

Rouge

Music Club and St. John’s Methodist Church, as wellas in other venues. “She’s really the talented one,”he points out. Ralph and Gail will celebrate 48years of marriage this year; after nearly a half-century together, he says, “I’m finally starting toget the hang of it.”

Ralph’s newest hobby is restoring old familyphotos using Adobe Photoshop digital retouch-ing and refinishing technology, and building adigital library of those restored images (seerestoration sample pictured here). He has com-

pleted eight of the 30 trays of old slides and sev-eral hundred images from negatives and prints he

has selected to restore and archive. “I’ve learned alot [doing the restorations]—I’ve really enjoyed it.”

Ralph can still find time for LSU while enjoying his new-found freedom. Perhaps, he will return for a third LSU

career, this time to teach digital photo restoration.12

AFTER RESTORATION

Pictured here: Sample of restoration Subject: Vivian BlanchePourciau (Photo Cour-tesy of Angela Fleming,her granddaughter andformer ECE employee)

13

Many people live lives that becomepart of history while other people’s livesmake history itself. As a constant pres-ence over nearly a half-century of fluxand transformation, Professor Michel B.Voorhies was an active force in shapingand shepherding the College of Engi-neering (CoE) and countless numbers ofits graduates. He served LSU for 47years, from his 1915 graduation from theCoE until his retirement in 1962. He washead of the Electrical Engineering De-

partment for 30 years, and acting deanof the College for four years. We re-cently sat down with Professor Voorhies’daughter, Mrs. Millie Menton, whoshared her perspective on the life andwork of the man she called “Daddie”and on his relationship of nurturing andparenting that he extended to many ofhis engineering students and the LSUcommunity.

Michel B. Voorhies was born in St.Martinville, Louisiana and graduated

from the State High School in 1909. Heentered LSU as an undergraduate in1912. Three years later, he graduatedwith a B.S. in electrical engineering,then continued as an instructor. In1917, he volunteered in the U.S. Armyand served in France during WWI as a1st lieutenant, where he was honorablydischarged with the rank of captain.For more than 10 years, he served onthe faculty as an assistant professor, as-sociate professor and professor beforebeing named chairman of the ElectricalEngineering Department in 1931.

Voorhies received a master’s degreein electrical engineering from LSU in1925 and another master’s degree fromthe University of Michigan in 1931. InNovember 1941, while Dean LeoLaSalle left to serve a brief tour as headordinance engineer at the Frankfort Ar-senal, Voorhies began serving as actingdean of the College of Engineering.Upon LaSalle’s return, Voorhies re-mained as assistant to the dean, thenreassumed the chair of the ElectricalEngineering Department which he helduntil his retirement in 1962. He oftenserved as consultant to municipalitiesand industry during and after his LSUcareer. A member of Phi Kappa Phi,Omicron Delta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi andTheta Xi, Voorhies was also active inAIEE affairs.

Mrs. Menton says that it was duringhis years as an active instructor that herfather made his most lasting mark atLSU—on the minds and hearts of hismany students. Among the most vividrecollections that Professor Voorhies’students share was his infamous pocket

watch, which he traditionally placed onthe table before him at the beginning ofhis classes. While lecturing, he would cir-cle the chain of the pocket watch on thetable around its perimeter with his fin-ger. Somehow in this way “he knew ex-actly when to let those kids go,” sherecounts. Like many of his students, shealso remembers her father’s signatureseersucker suits—and his color blind-ness.

In addition to the many school sto-

Through His Daughter’s Eyes: A Memory of Professor Michel B. Voorhies

Pictured here: Michel B. Voorhies(Restoration courtesyof Dr. Ralph Kinney)

ries, Millie alsofondly recalls as-pects of her fa-ther’s personal life,such as his love forhorses, whichstemmed from ateenage job wherehe worked onhorseback. Al-though she was anonly child, she felt that her father’s LSUstudents were also just as important tohim. He made a habit of speaking to

each of his students personally, so heknew their strengths and capabilities.He treated his students as colleagues,rather than as subordinates. “He lovedto teach—and didn’t enjoy administra-tion,” she remembers. The students,for their part, responded very well toVoorhies’ genuine respect and con-cern. Their level ofease and comfortwith Voorhies wassuch that theyoften visited himat home. “He en-joyed the youngpeople, and Iknow that they en-joyed him,” shesays, offering asevidence a spate

of children named Michael after a par-ent’s favorite professor at LSU. He alsoassisted in career placement for many

of his graduates, as he was often so-licited by industry for referrals of hisgraduates, whose professionalprogress he followed with fatherlypride.

Michel was not the only Voorhies todevote himself to the pursuit of knowl-edge at LSU. His first cousin Alex had

been head of chemicals at Esso Corpo-ration, which evolved into today’sExxonMobil. After retiring, Alex also

taught chemicalengineering at LSUand was namedprofessor emeritus.Thus, the Voorhiestradition at theCollege was born.

Upon his retire-ment, the presi-dent of LSU andthe Board of Su-pervisors gavetribute to his long-term contributionsto the Universityand the commu-

nity. His greatest tribute, however,comes from many of his students whobecame electrical engineers and re-member him like John “Skip” Ritterdid, as “the most loved professor I everhad,” or his daughter Millie does, as anurturing father figure with a goldpocket watch.

We invite anyone who knew Michel Voorhies in whatever capacity, and particularly his family of students, to contributeyour recollections to our picture of this great man. Please e-mail tvabshire@lsu.edu or write to Tammy Abshire, 102Electrical Engineering Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803 and share your stories.

14

“Dr. Voorhies was a real fine person. Of all theinstructors, he was one of the best. I enjoyedknowing him and was glad to make a donationin his honor. I remember him real well.” J.C. Pittman, B.S.EE 1936, Harahan

“I enjoyed every minute of Professor Voorhies’classes. He was a delightful man. If I amountedto anything, it’s because of him.”Ben Daniels, B.S.EE 1944, Baton Rouge

“I give Voorhies credit for my electrical powereducation allowing me to be able to complete my30th year as an engineer in private practice inthe electric utility power and communicationsfield and 50 years in the engineering profession.” Clarence L. Newton, B.S.EE 1957, Henderson, Kentucky

15

New MHIs Uphold LSU’s Flagship Agenda,Interconnecting Colleges, Disciplines and Goals

Faculty from the ECE Department have been involved informing three of the five Multiple Hire Initiatives (MHI), anew hiring initiative launched by the University to promoteinterdisciplinary research. MHI programs have important na-tional implications resonating with local issues and develop-ment. Research areas chosen will receive increased fundingand resources necessary to expand facultycollaboration through new hires.

The new Arts, Visualization, AdvancedTechnologies and Research (AVATAR) MHIwill focus its research on the world ofmodern media. Baton Rouge is gaining a

reputation as a host for new digital entertainment, filmand interactive media endeavors, and AVATAR will spureconomic development in these areas, helping to create anew local job market for ECE graduates.

ECE is currently participating in two of the three MHIprograms. The Materials Science MHI, a step towards es-tablishing a Materials Science and Engineering Center(MSEC), aims to expand analysis and theoretical under-standing of basic properties and applications of novel ma-terials. The initiative’s goal is the design and production ofinnovative devices. The Computational Science MHI ex-plores the modeling of complex and vital naturalprocesses. These processes include areas important tothe future of Louisiana, such as hurricane behavior, coastal

erosion and human social systems. The Computational Sci-ence MHI will also foster economic development by enhanc-ing the talent and Information Technology (IT) skills of ourworkforce.

For more information on LSU’s MHI’s visit

Leszek S. Czarnecki, Fellow IEEEand Alfredo M. Lopez DistinguishedProfessor, served in June 2008, as aChairman of the International School ofNonsinusoidal Currents and Compen-sation, ISNCC 2008. Dr. Herb Ginn andDr. Veronica Bohorquez, both of whomreceived their Ph.D. degrees from theECE Department at LSU, participated

in the Conference. Half of the Confer-ence time was allocated to tutorials,main concepts of power theory andcompensation in electrical systems inthe presence of harmonics, all pre-sented by inventors or major contribu-tors.Daniel S. Katz has been appointed

adjunct associate professor with the

ECE Department and concur-rently holds an appointmentwith the Center for Computa-

tion & Technology. He serves as pro-gram co-chair for the 6th InternationalSymposium on Parallel and DistributedProcessing and Applications (ISPA08),Sydney, Australia, December 2008; pro-gram co-chair of the International Sym-posium on Grid Computing, HighPerformance and Distributed Applica-tions (GADA08); program vice chair (ap-

plications): 9th IEEE/ACMInternational Conferenceon Grid Computing (Grid2008), Tokyo, Japan, Sep-tember 2008; programvice chair (HPC applica-tions): 9th IEEE Interna-

tional Conference on ComputationalScience and Engineering, San Paulo,Brazil, June 2008; and was general chair:15th Mardi Gras Conference, BatonRouge, Louisiana, January 2008.

Faculty Serve as Leaders Worldwide

Two ECE faculty members have been awarded fundingfrom the College of Engineering’s Fund for Innovation in En-gineering Research, a new initiative that provides seedmoney to researchers to launch their research projects andallow them to build their case for more substantial funding.The ultimate goal of the initiative is to encourage a morerigorous and enhanced learning experience for both facultyand students.

Assistant Professor Jin-Woo Choi will receive $20,000 tofund his proposal entitled Nanowire Networks for Bioelec-tronic Sensor Applications. His research explores conductivepolymer-based nanowire networks for bioelectronic sensorapplications with a goal of developing flexible bioelec-trodes. The resulting techniques will have application in im-plantable biomedical microdevices and smart biomedicalsensor systems.

Associate Professor Hsiao-Chun Wu, in partnership withcivil & environmental engineering assistant professor AymanOkeil, will study Nondestructive Imaging of Highly StressedZones Using Phased Array Ultrasonic Signals through agrant of $20,000. They propose to use new technology tocreate a special ultrasonic testing system to identify highstress zones in structures. Motivated by the recent failures ofcivil infrastructure, such as the collapse of the I-35 bridge inMinneapolis, as well as other system failures, their ultimategoal is to help ensure safe transportation and productionsystems.

In the spirit of LSU alumni generosity, the family of HarryJ. Longwell, through the Longwell Family Foundation,funded this new initiative.

“The College of Engineering wants to create a robust andvibrant research program that enhances teaching so thatnew ideas – and their inventions, development and applica-

tion for industry use – generated by the College – naturallyfall back into the teaching process to benefit current stu-dents,” said Harry J. Longwell. “Ultimately, this will makeLSU more attractive for new students and faculty.”

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LSU ECE Part of $15.7Million Research Grant

A team of science and engineering researchers atLouisiana State University (LSU), Louisiana Tech University(LaTech) and Grambling State University are among 24 recip-ients of advanced science and engineering grants an-nounced in March by the U.S. Department of Defense. In all,grants to researchers at the two dozen institutions totaled$15.7 million, according to the Pentagon release.

This new award to Louisiana is aimed at research work inthe area of cyber warfare, predicted to bring $761,368 in re-search dollars to Louisiana. Professor Sitharama Iyengar,chairman of the Computer Science Department at the LSUSystem’s main campus, will lead this research project enti-tled “Secure and Survivable Cyber-centric Sensor Networks:Algorithms and Architecture Research,” for the Office of

Naval Research in the period 2008-2011. LSU ECE’s Profes-sor Hsiao-Chun Wu is one of the co-principal investigatorsin this research team. The proposed research will aim to de-sign a novel intelligent sensor network to serve the militarywarfare needs and will play a crucial role in future U.S. Navymaneuvers in the three-dimensional battlefield.

Fund for Innovation in Engineering Research

Jin-Woo Choi (left) with benefactor Harry J. Longwell (right)

Hsiao-Chun Wu (left) and Ayman Okeil (right)

IN MEMORIAMFormer ECE faculty member, Dr. David E. Johnson,

passed away September 4 at the age of 81. Johnson re-tired from the Electrical Engineering Department in 1983after twenty years of service before joining the mathe-matics department at Birmingham-Southern College,where he worked for eleven years. He is survived by hiswife of 49 years, Frances, and four children: Stephen,Nancy, Mercedes and Katherine.

17

Mark Rabalais Receives Teaching AwardInstructor Mark Rabalais was chosen

to receive the 2008 Tiger AthleticFoundation (TAF) UndergraduateTeaching Award for his demonstratedexcellence in instruction. Rabalais re-ceived the prestigious honor at thisyear’s Distinguished Faculty AwardsReception on May 6, 2008; one of onlythree engineering faculty members se-lected to receive the Teaching Award.Recipients of the TAF UndergraduateTeaching Award are rewarded with a$1,000 stipend.

Before joining LSU’s ECE teachingstaff in 2000, Rabalais served in the U.S.

Navy as an electronics technician andnuclear reactor operator until 1990. Hethen went on to earn a B.S. in 1995 andan M.S. in 1998, both in physics, at theUniversity of Southwestern Louisiana,now named the University of Louisianaat Lafayette. He also received an M.S.in electrical engineering from the Uni-versity of Texas at Dallas in 1999. Rabal-ais currently serves as instructor forthree EE undergraduate courses: Cir-cuits 2, Comprehensive Electrical Engi-neering and Electric and MagneticFields.

New FacultyGeorgios Veronis joined the ECE

Department as an assistant professor inJanuary 2008. Veronis, a Greek native,earned both his master’s and doctoraldegrees in electrical engineering atStanford University, where he workedas an engineering research associateuntil joining LSU this year. Veronis’ re-search interests focus on phototonics,specifically the theory and simulation ofphotonic materials and devices,nanoscale photonic devices, plasmon-ics, and computational electromagnet-ics.

Veronis holds a joint appointmentwith ECE and the Center for Computa-

tion & Technology (CCT). CCT, one ofLSU’s many interdisciplinary researchcenters, promotes economic develop-ment in Louisiana by applying compu-tational science to further research anddevelopment for the benefit of bothacademia and industry, and in theprocess, raises LSU’s profile asLouisiana’s flagship research institution.Veronis also works closely with LSU’sHearne Institute for Theoretical Physics,another multidisciplinary research cen-ter whose pioneering work revolvesprincipally around gravitational physicsand quantum technologies.

Shuangqing Wei Awarded Economic Development Assistantship

Assistant Professor Shuangqing Weihas been awarded one of 11 EconomicDevelopment Assistantships (EDA) bythe LSU Graduate School.

Supported by the Board of Regents,the EDA carries a stipend of $25,000annually. These awards are for recruit-ing superior graduate students whocan demonstrate that their study has adirect impact on the economic devel-opment of Louisiana. The selected stu-dent will work under Wei’s supervision

on research problems related with wire-less physical layer security issues, suchas anti-jamming and wiretapping, whichis becoming more critical in wirelessnetworks.

Wei’s research has also receivedfunding by the National Science Foun-dation’s Pilot Funding for New Re-search (Pfund) Program underLouisiana’s EPSCoR (Experimental Pro-gram to Stimulate Competitive Re-search) award.

IMPROVING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEStudent SupportEndowed Scholarships for Engineering Excellence (10)

$40,000 eaNon-endowed 4-yr. Graduate Fellowships forEngineering Excellence (5)

$60,000 (+ $60,000 dept. match)Fellowship for Engineering Excellence (1)

$500,000Faculty SupportChairs (2) $2 million ea

($1.2 gift + $800,000 state match)Distinguished Professorships (2)

$300,000 ea($180,000 gift + $120,000 state match)

InfrastructureLaboratory upgrade and establishment:

$5 million (estimate)

BioMEMS, Computer, Controls, DSP, ElectronicsMaterials and Devices, Microprossesor,Nanostructured Materials and Devices, Senior Design

TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGELaboratory Investment

(several) $100,000 minStrategic Long-Term Program InvestmentNaming of ECE Department

(in perpetuity) $10 millionNaming of Electrical Engineering Program

$3 millionNaming of Computer Engineering Program

$3 millionNaming of Digital Media Initiative

$2 millionNaming of ECE Capstone Design Program

$1 million

As you may have heard, the University has embarked onthe largest, most ambitious fundraising campaign in the his-tory of LSU. Culminating in 2010, LSU’s 150th anniversary,FOREVER LSU: The Campaign for Louisiana State University,seeks to position LSU as one of the leading public institutionsin the nation as supported by the National Flagship Agenda.FOREVER LSU is a commitment to growth, sustainability, di-versity and excellence in every aspect of research and educa-tion, and uncovering pragmatic applications for theoreticalbreakthroughs that can improve our world today.

This historic effort gives you the opportunity to demon-strate or renew your support for the ECE Departmentthrough a FOREVER LSU gift earmarked for one of two criti-cal investment priorities: improving academic excellence,and making transformational change. Each priority alsopresents unique naming opportunities, summarized below,for whereby donors can leave their own marks of pride forour emerging engineers to admire and follow. We are mak-ing great progress but we need your help.

With an initial goal of significantly boosting the Depart-ment’s capacity through the ECE Revitalization Program,and an ultimate goal of naming the Department at $10million, gifts from alumni and friends will:· Encourage students to perform their best through scholar-

ships,· Encourage top undergraduate students to pursue engi-

neering graduate education through support providedby fellowships and graduate assistantships;

· Recruit and retain top faculty through endowed profes-

sorships and chairs by offering competitive start-up pack-ages;

· Upgrade aging laboratories and purchase equipment toadvance both research and teaching programs to staycompetitive with current technology and knowledge.Interested in helping support students at LSU?

ECE Campaign Steering CommitteeThe ECE Campaign Steering Committee continues to

assist in the Department’s fundraising efforts by providingvolunteer leadership and their own philanthropicinvestment. The Department wishes to thank the followingcommittee members for their time, energy and support.

Leslie “Les” Broussard, ChairKaren BrackJoseph “Joe” DominoWilliam “Bill” HigginsEdwin “Burt” McNeil

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ALUMNI NEWS & DEVELOPMENT

To schedule an informal appointment or obtain moreinformation, please contact

Tammy V. AbshireAssociate Director of Development and Communications102F Electrical Engineering Building(225) 578-5478 · tvabshire@lsu.edu

Contributions can also be made via secure Internettransaction at www.lsufoundation.org/give-online.php.

FOREVER LSU Update

Alden J. and Barbara Scharfe Chauvin have recently es-tablished a new endowed scholarship in ECE which createsand funds opportunities for engineering students and di-rectly encourages devel-opment of alternativeenergy solutions. Thisnew scholarship seeks tosupport the “greenwave” which the Collegeof Engineering mustchampion through re-search and education,not only to achieve theaims of our FlagshipAgenda, but most impor-tantly for the benefit ofthe planet.

ECE will award theAlden J. and Barbara S.Chauvin Endowed Schol-arship to one or morefull-time ECE studentswho maintain a 3.0 overall grade point average for all col-lege-level work. This scholarship is designated for nativeLouisianians, or for students with at least one Louisiana na-tive parent. The award will also consider the financial needof potential recipients. Most significantly, students who haveexpressed an interest in a career in alternative energy solu-tions will have preferential consideration. By setting a prece-dent with its alternative emphasis, this scholarship aims tocatapult ECE into the future of energy resource develop-ment and management. It provides a forward-thinkingmodel which other donors may use to channel academicsupport into various applications that make tomorrow possi-ble, and greener, for all. Chauvin recently stated, “I am verythankful for the excellent, well-rounded education that LSUprovided me. It enabled me to capitalize on the opportuni-

ties that came my way during my career. Ilook at this scholarship as a way to giveback in some small way to help prepare thenext generation in driving the alternative

energy revolution that will lead our country toward energyindependence.”

Now retired, Norco native Alden Chauvin built his profes-sional career in the salesand marketing disciplineof the semiconductor in-dustry. Alden earned aBachelor of Science de-gree in Industrial Tech-nology in 1969 and from1969 until 1986, heworked for semiconduc-tor giant Texas Instru-ments, Inc. in capacitiesranging from engineer-ing to sales manage-ment. Between 1986 andhis retirement in 2007,Alden had sales leader-ship roles at Sierra Semi-conductor, a one yearex-pat assignment with a

Singapore Technologies company, Elantec Corporation, andIntersil Corporation. In 2007, he retired as Vice President ofWorldwide Sales from Intersil. He is currently on the Boardof Directors of Leadis Technology, a semiconductor com-pany based in Sunnyvale, California and resides in San Jose.

Barbara is the former Barbara Scharfe from New Orleans.She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Tech-nology in 1971 and worked in private labs in both generalistand microbiology fields while raising four children. Nowgrown, the Chauvin progeny live in San Francisco and SanJose, California. The couple has one grandchild and is ex-pecting their second.

Alden and Barbara are avid LSU sports fans. In the fall youcan find them rooting on the Tigers in the real Death Valley(not to be confused with the one in California)!

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Chauvin Scholarship Seeks toSet Off a Green Wave in ECE

In April 2008, ECE Instructor GabrielDeSouza attended a workshop onField Programmable Gate Arrays(FPGAs) in Albuquerque, New Mexicoheld by the FPGA Mission Assurance

Center. In recognition of DeSouza’s participation, the FPGAMission Assurance Center donated ten advanced XilinxFPGA boards to the ECE Department to assist in teachingLSU students the intricacies of FPGA design and implemen-

tation, including architecture, floor plan and global timingconstraints. The generously-donated boards are valued at$1,500.

DeSouza is an LSU double alumnus and eight-year ECEfaculty member who is currently pursuing his Ph.D. whileserving as Instructor of Digital Circuits and Assembly Lan-guage in ECE. He also supervises the Digital and Micro-processor Interfacing I and II laboratories. His doctoralresearch focuses on prescriptive neural networks.

DeSouza Brings Enhanced Knowledge and Exciting New Tools to ECE

20

Mark and Carolyn Guidry, familiar names among themost active supporters of the College of Engineering, re-cently made another generous gift of $110,000 to the Col-lege. When matched by the Louisiana State Board ofRegents, their latest donation will total $150,000. The major-ity of the Guidry’s most recent philanthropy will directly ben-efit programs and facilities in ECE. Approximately $100,000of that donation will increase the Carolyn Campbell andMark Guidry Professorship in ECE to $200,000, an honor andtitle currently held by Dr. Kemin Zhou. Of the remainingfunds, $40,000 will be dedicated to the upgrade and en-hancement projects of the ECE revitalization fund, and$10,000 will be placed in the Dean’s Discretionary Account.

Mark Guidry, PhD, and Carolyn Campbell, MSCE, are trulya match made at ECE, as well as a model for alumni philan-thropic commitment. A native of New Orleans, Mark metand fell in love with Carolyn, an aspiring engineer from Hat-tiesburg, Mississippi, at LSU. Both were undergraduatesearning their BSEE and balancing active student involve-ment with difficult coursework. They married one week aftergraduation. Dr. & Mrs. Guidry raised three children, all ofwhom followed the engineering path. And they have also

built illustrious careers in research atLSU and other universities. Moreover,they have each enjoyed successes insemi-conductor and computer engi-

neering, and technology R&D, at major firms such as, Boe-ing, Fairchild, Texas Instruments and Hewlett Packard. Thecouple also founded two landmark companies—Simon Soft-ware, a semiconductor design software enterprise which wasmerged with another company and is now a public corpora-tion and the leader in its field; and Avasem Corporation, asemiconductor product development company creditedwith the first single-chip timing generator. Avasem was alsomerged with another company. The combined companytoday is the leader in the field of electronic timing genera-tors.

Carolyn retired in 1988, and Mark in 1994. Carolyn’s com-mitment to education and the arts led her to create theMark & Carolyn Guidry Foundation in 1993, over which shepresides and Mark serves as secretary. In recognition of theirlife achievements and notable philanthropy at LSU, this ex-emplary alumni couple was inducted into the College of En-gineering Hall of Distinction in 2001. Their enduringgenerosity supports the Carolyn Campbell & Mark GuidryProfessorship here in ECE as well as many other initiatives inthe College of Engineering. They currently reside on Bain-bridge Island, Washington.

The Guidry Foundation Marks Another Milestone for ECE

In recognition of their generosity, theECE Department is proud to announcethe naming of the Edwin “Burt” &

Norma S. McNeil Radio Frequency(RF)/Communications Laboratory. Thisexperimental laboratory, located in the

Engineering Research & De-velopment Building, facili-tates the conduct ofsignal-transmission experi-ments for EE students study-ing the workings ofcommunications technolo-gies that are used in cellulartelephones and Internet con-nections. EE students per-form these experimentsunder the direction of Dr.Mort Naraghi-Pour andJohn Scalzo. Edwin “Burt” McNeil is a

1946 EE graduate and Exxonretiree. The McNeils’ gener-ous support has made possi-ble many educationalenhancements in ECE, in-cluding the Edwin B. &Norma S. McNeil Distin-guished Professorship estab-lished in 1997 and expandedto the Distinguished level in

2000. The naming of the RF/Communi-cations laboratory honors their dedica-tion and philanthropic legacy.

ECE RF/Communications LabNamed for Burt & Norma McNeil

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ECE Creates Full-Time Development/Communications PositionTammy Vieira Abshire, a familiar name in LSU development, returned to the Col-

lege of Engineering in December 2007 to take over a new position as associate direc-tor of development and communications in the Department of Electrical & ComputerEngineering. She has also assumed responsibilities for alumni communications andthe development work that Don Eisenberg previously handled for ECE, allowing himto concentrate exclusively on development for mechanical engineering and civil &environmental engineering. In the process, ECE gained a dedicated and innovativedevelopment officer with proven abilities, plus 13 years experience at LSU.

Abshire, a proud double alumna, began her career at LSU as an undergraduate,first earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 1995, then continuing on to earn aMaster’s in Social Work in 2001. The new position is an op-portunity to combine her talent for creative communica-tions with her enthusiasm to help her alma mater raise itsprofile as a nationally recognized research institution, andachieve the goals of the FOREVER LSU Campaign.

Donor GenerosityBenefits ECEDepartmentRevitalization

This year, the ECE Department’s Revitalization Program in-cluded expenditures on teaching equipment and graduateassistantships. A total of $33,000 has been spent on enhanc-ing teaching facilities, including new equipment for thePower, BioMEMS (bio-micro-electromechanical systems),and Microcontroller Laboratories, as well as some special-ized GPU workstations. Additionally, $15,000 is to be spentenhancing the value of teaching assistantships throughgraduate supplements. These expenditures were madepossible by the generosity of the Department’s expandingnetwork of donors.

Jerry Rispone (ECE ’85), president and chief operationsmanager of ISC, and member of the ECE Advisory Board,established a new endowed professorship in ECE, madepossible through the generosity of ISC and a match from theLouisiana State Board of Regents Support Fund.

ISC donated $60,000 to fund the ISC Endowed Professor-ship in Electrical & Computer Engineering, and the Board ofRegents will add $40,000 for a total endowment of $100,000.“The creation of this professorship was prompted by my de-sire to give back to the alma mater that I truly cherish. It isour hope that the fund will provide the academic supportnecessary to a faculty member who demonstrates a commit-ment to perpetuating engineering education,” said Rispone.ISC’s vision for the new endowed professorship focuses onacademic support for graduate students in the Department,

and extending theenhancement oflearning opportuni-ties for all ECEscholars. Rispone spearheaded the ef-

fort for this commitment, which gives an academic and fi-nancial boost to ECE’s current growth.

ISC, named one of the nation’s largest industrial electricalcontractors by Engineering News Record, records annual rev-enues of approximately $200,000,000. Co-founded byRispone in Baton Rouge and headquartered here today, ISCnow has corporate offices in Houston and Beaumont, Texas,and directly employs approximately 1,600 associates. Thecorporation provides a full range of services including con-struction, engineering and maintenance to domestic and in-ternational clients in the chemical processing, petrochemical,power, pulp & paper and refining industries. ISC’s safetyrecord ranks among the industry’s most outstanding, and itslegacy of philanthropy and community involvement continuesto build with this latest commitment to excellence in ECE.

WE WANT TOHEAR FROM YOU!

Please take a moment to let us know where you areand how you are doing. The ECE alumni website isbeing revised and suggestions are welcome as we trans-form the site into YOUR alumni page. Visit us atwww.ece.lsu.edu/alumni to provide up-to-date contactinformation necessary for keeping you informed of excit-ing developments taking place in LSU’s ECE Depart-ment. You may also use the enclosed envelope tosubmit your current information. We look forward tohearing from you!

Industrial Specialty ContractorsBuilds a New Legacy in ECE

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Donor RecognitionThanks to everyone who supported the ECE Department this year!(Donors listed below have made contributions to the ECE Department between July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008.)

Individual Gifts(Degree Year/Name)

1936 Mr. Richard F. Fenton, Jr.1940 Mrs. Mildred V. Menton1942 Mrs. Hilda S. Stoffel1946 Mr. & Mrs. Edwin B. McNeil1948 Mr. and Mrs. Art Choppin1949 Mr. Bernard L. Stoffel1951 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Thomas

Collier Mr. Joseph A. Reine, Jr.

1957 Mr. John R. Childers1958 Mr. and Mrs. Leslie E.

Broussard, Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Larry Joseph

Landry Mr. and Mrs. Michael Bertrand

McAdam 1959 Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Glynn

Fontenot Mark & Carolyn Campbell

Guidry1960 Mr. Robert M. Crawford1961 Mr. Robert G. Nettles1962 Mr. Dennis E. Lastrapes

Mr. Ronald E. Roberts1964 Dr. and Mrs. Jesse Warren

Fussell Mr. Roger A. GorshaMr. and Mrs. P. W. Holliday

1965 Mr. Joseph F. BlumMr. and Mrs. Rodney C. Olivier

1966 Dr. Daniel G. HotardMr. Lawrence C. Tarbell, Jr.

1967 Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey ThomasHutchinson

Mr. George J. Mahl, III1968 Mr. Dennis J. Alexander

Mr. James E. Goodwin1969 Mr. John R. Cross

1971 Mr. & Mrs. Merlin C. Stansbury, Jr.1972 Mr. James S. Breedlove*1973 Mr. Michael W. Cradeur1974 Mr. and Dr. Carrell Ray

Killebrew Jr.1975 Mr. Thomas E. Brader

Dr. Myrtle M. ServatMr. and Mrs. Richard Douglas

Thornhill 1977 Mr. Robert P. Ducote1978 Mr. Aaron D. Brinson1979 Mr. Davy H. Caro1980 Mr. John Davis Devillier

Mr. and Mrs. James RolandJewell

Mr. James R. Schaffer1981 Mr. and Mrs. Robert A.

Comeaux1982 Mr. Kelly K. Freeman, Jr.1983 Mr. Thomas R. Burns

Mr. Hansell J. Russo, Jr.Dr. Jerry L. Trahan**

1984 Mr. Randall K. Ashford1985 Dr. Saied Andalib*

Mr. Louis J. HamiltonMr. Aswin N. Mehta

1986 Dr. and Mrs. Mickey D. CoxMr. Wayne D. LeBlanc

1987 Mrs. Jean D. Griesan1988 Dr. Victor M. Agostinelli, Jr.

Mr. Bryon J. HatrelMr. Steven P. Sliman

1989 Mr. Howard H. Hughes, IIMr. John G. SampleMr. Michael C. Stephens, Jr.

1990 Mr. and Mrs. Paul MichinardLagarde, Jr.

1991 Mr. Paul J. GautreauxMs. Stephanie Lagarde

1994 Mr. Sidney F. Lambert IIIMrs. Stacie Oliver*

1995 Mrs. Tammy M. Abshire*1996 Mrs. Nisha Valsaraj 1997 Mr. Jonathan E. Bennett2000 Mr. Marc D. LaFleur

Mr. Harold D. Stewart2001 Mr. Chamila N. Ariyachandra2005 Mr. Richard M. Capone, Jr*

Mr. Steven J. Edwards2006 Mr. Adam L. QuintanaFaculty Dr. Ernest MendrelaFaculty Dr. Lu PengFaculty Mr. Mark S. RabalaisFaculty Dr. R. C. WoodsFaculty Dr. Kemin ZhouStaff Mr. Don L. EisenbergStaff Mr. Chin Y. Golden HwaungStaff Ms. Tonya S. RushingStaff Ms. Sandra K. Saale

Note: Staff who are alumni are marked by *,faculty who are alumni by **.

Corporate Gifts

CenterPoint EnergyChevron Products Company,

ChevronTexacoDow Chemical Company FoundationExxonMobil Corporation

& FoundationFluor Enterprises, Inc.Fluor FoundationIndustrial Specialty Contractors, L.L.C.J Systems, L.L.C.M & L Consulting, L.L.C.Shell Oil Company

About the MastheadThe ECE Connection cover graphic is a terrazzo mosaic on the foyer

floor of the Electrical Engineering Building. Designed by Dunn &Quinn Architects & Engineers, the graphic represents variouscontemporary elements in electrical engineering at the time thebuilding was constructed in 1959. Special thanks to retiredProfessor Robert Nethken for assisting the Department inlearning the history of the image.

1 Two radio antennas with the radiosignal going between them: Radiotransmission

2 The earth with lightening going toBen Franklin's key on to a person

3 A turbine driving a motor driving a set ofgears: Electrical to mechanical conversion.

4 A battery with a light bulb and a switch.5 The face of an oscilloscope showing a sine wave.

Publishing InformationECE Connection is published by Louisiana State University’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering for the benefit of its alumni, faculty, friends and students.

Editorial StaffTammy V. Abshire, Editor and Associate Director of Development & CommunicationsKip Britton, Graduate Student Assistant - College of EngineeringLauren Hannan, Mass Communications Intern

Comments and suggestions should be directed to:Tammy V. AbshireDepartment of Electrical & Computer EngineeringLouisiana State University102 Electrical Engineering BuildingBaton Rouge, LA 70803225-578-5478 FAX 225-578-5200tvabshire@lsu.eduwww.ece.lsu.edu

Department of Electrical & Computer EngineeringLouisiana State University

102 Electrical Engineering Building • Baton Rouge, LA 70803

Produced by:LSU Design Services

Design and Layout:Tim Elder, LSU Design Services

Original Photography:Jim Zietz, LSU Public AffairsTim Elder, LSU Design ServicesLSU is an Equal Opportunity/Access University

On the Cover:LSU’s IntelligentGround VehicleCompetitor,“MikeRobot”, this year’s cap-stone project.

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 733Baton Rouge, LA

Congratulations to computerengineering junior, Paige Harris,for her winning entry in the ECENewsletter Renaming Contest.