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Undergraduate students Nathan McIntire and Jessica Schneider work on a design study of a “lifting point” for a jet engine.

Contents1 ................................................................Greetings from the Dean

2 .....................................................................Year of Sustainability

5 ............................................................................... Bioengineering

7 ............................................Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

10 .......................................... Civil and Environmental Engineering

12 ..........................................Electrical and Computer Engineering

14 ................................................................. Industrial Engineering

16 ........................Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

19 ...................................................................... Diversity Programs

21 .....................................................Distinguished Alumni Awards

24 ....................................................... Faculty and Student Awards

26 ......................................................................................Statistics

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10%

post-

consumer waste content

Executive EditorPaul A. KovachDirector of Marketing and Communications

Managing Editor Matthew A. Weinstein, PhDSenior Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations

DesignLeslie Karon-Oswalt Senior Graphic Designer

Contributing WritersJoe MikschSenior News Representative, University of Pittsburgh (pages 7-8, 10-11)

Nicholas Gambini (pages 19-20)

Dale Shoemaker (pages 21-23)

PhotographyJohn Altdorfer

Mike Drazdzinski

Ric Evans

the university of pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution.

S wa n S o n S c h o o l o f E n g i n E E r i n g

engineering.pitt.edu

facebook.com/pittengineering

twitter.com/pittengineering

youtube.com/pittengineering

S W A n S o n S C h o o l o F E n G I n E E r I n G

Greetings from the Dean

It is my pleasure to present a brief summary of some of our most exciting news from 2014 in this year’s annual report. I sometimes wonder if the School’s achievements in the coming year can

possibly surpass those in the previous year, and once again I am pleasantly surprised at our many accomplishments throughout 2014.

As you’ll read in this report, 2014 marked another banner year for research. one of the areas in which the Swanson School continues to excel is in additive manufacturing, commonly known as 3-D printing. In the past year alone, our faculty were awarded $2.4 million in federal, corporate and match funding. What’s more, the interest in additive manufacturing is truly interdisciplinary and intersects nearly every department in the Swanson School.

We’ve established strong partnerships with America Makes, the national Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute founded in 2012 by President Barack obama as the flagship institute for other national network for Manufacturing Innovation (nnMI) institutes. In the Commonwealth, we’ve received support from rAMP, the research for Advanced Manufacturing in Pennsylvania funded through the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Discovered in PA – Developed in PA (D2PA) program. The Swanson School is poised to have an impact on this field, just as we have over the past century in traditional manufacturing.

Faculty and student excellence continues to shine as well. Beginning with this year’s report, we’ll include a list of some of the top honors received. Enrollment in both the undergraduate and graduate programs is growing steadily, and once again the academic excellence of our first-year students is the best ever.

As alumni and friends of the Swanson School, you should share in this pride, especially since for the first time we were listed among the top 25 engineering programs among public universities by U.S. News and World Report. As always, thank you for your support and dedication and I hope you will visit us soon either on campus or online at our new website, engineering.pitt.edu to learn more about the future of engineering at Pitt.

Sincerely,

Gerald D. holder U.S. Steel Dean of Engineering

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To mark the tenth anniversary of the university of Pittsburgh’s Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (MCSI) and to build upon the ongoing

philanthropy of two of Pitt’s most generous donors, Pitt officials announced a new $37.5 million funding initiative comprising various endowments and current funds to support sustainability-related academics and research. Through the leadership of a new Sustainability Task Force, established by the office of the Provost, the university will extend sustainability initiatives throughout Pitt’s academic programs and research initiatives.

At the announcement on April 14, 2014, Chancellor Emeritus Mark A. nordenberg noted that Pitt’s historic commitment to sustainability was inspired greatly by John C. “Jack” Mascaro (EnGr ’66, ’80G), founder and chair of Mascaro Construction Company l.P., and by John A. Swanson (EnGr ’66G), founder of AnSYS, Inc., both of whom also have contributed toward the university’s investment in this new sustainability initiative.

“Since its founding in 2003, driven by the vision and philanthropy of Jack Mascaro, the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, which is headquartered in the Swanson School of Engineering, has helped to initiate, organize, and support a wide-range of important educational and research initiatives and has helped to establish our university as a highly respected center for work-of-impact in the broad area of sustainability,” Chancellor nordenberg said. “on behalf of the entire university community, I want to thank Jack, both for sharing his ideas and for investing in them, providing much of the intellectual and financial impetus for this effort to imbue sustainability throughout the curriculum, across the university, and into the community at large.

Pitt Announces

$37.5 Million Investment in Support of Sustainability Academics and Research

2014-2015 Heralds the First “Year of Sustainability”

3 S W A n S o n S C h o o l o F E n G I n E E r I n G

“I also want to recognize Provost Patricia E. Beeson for her leadership in creating a program that will extend throughout our university, and to thank Gerald D. holder, the u.S. Steel Dean of the Swanson School, for helping to build Pitt’s strong foundation for sustainability in our School of Engineering.”

According to Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor Beeson, the university’s sustainability initiative is grounded in its established success within the Swanson School, and this new investment recognizes the potential it has as a university priority to impact academic programs, research, and student engagement across the university and to build on key partnerships with business units and the community.

“Jack Mascaro’s initial gift helped to establish our first academic sustainability programs at the Swanson School of Engineering, through the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation,” Provost Beeson said. “over this past decade, the Mascaro Center and the Swanson School have successfully developed an educational and research model that can serve as the foundation for impact throughout the greater university of Pittsburgh community.” According to the provost, the newly committed resources will bring the total to approximately $60 million of support for sustainability since MCSI’s founding ten years ago.

The new initiative is being led, in part, by the provost’s Sustainability Task Force, which comprises faculty representatives from across campus. This task force, led by Eric J. Beckman, MCSI’s co-director and the George M. Bevier Professor of Engineering, is charged with three goals: to catalyze interdisciplinary sustainability research; to enrich the undergraduate and graduate program offerings in the area of sustainability; and to further enhance Pitt’s national recognition in sustainability.

Provost Beeson added that Pitt’s new sustainability initiative honors Mascaro’s original passion for establishing MCSI and sets the center on a course for a greater impact. “Throughout his relationship with Pitt, Jack has never thought

of ‘sustainability’ as merely a branding statement or green-washing, but rather a philosophy that should influence every action and interaction within the university and without, both now and especially in the future,” Beeson said.

“From the beginning, I wanted the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation to pursue outcomes that would have a true impact on Pitt and the community, rather than remain as research housed in a lab or published in a journal,” Mr. Mascaro said. “The Swanson School and the Mascaro Center have shown the impact that sustainability can have on communities as close as Pittsburgh’s larimer neighborhood to villages as far away as Panama and Brazil.

“My family and I believe that now is the proper time for the university itself to engage in a multidisciplinary approach that can embed sustainable practices and inquiry across academic programs and into the day-to-day life of everyone associated with Pitt. It is our goal to see the university be nationally recognized as a great leader in sustainable education while positively impacting the community and economy with its efforts in sustainability through the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation.”

The Swanson School, which was able to expand its Benedum hall of Engineering facilities beginning in 2007 through gifts from both Mascaro and the school’s namesake, John Swanson, PhD ’66, will continue to serve as MCSI’s physical home.

“I’m gratified by the successful stewardship of my contributions to Pitt by Chancellor nordenberg, Provost Beeson, and Dean holder, and pleased by the Swanson School’s impact on the university as a whole, especially with respect to sustainability,” said Dr. Swanson, a member of the university’s Board of Trustees. “I am proud to join Jack Mascaro in contributing to the provost’s new initiative, which I believe will greatly benefit our students and faculty as sustainable practices become even more integral to our professional and personal lives.”

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Dean holder hopes that departments and centers across Pitt’s oakland campus can learn from what his administration has accomplished through the impact of MCSI, Mr. Mascaro and Dr. Swanson.

“Jack and John have been both colleagues and contributors in helping us establish programs that now serve as the foundation for a broadened university commitment,” Dean holder said. “Sustainability has had a positive impact on the Swanson School, from enhanced academic reputation and diverse study abroad initiatives, to stronger community relations with nonprofits, schools, and industry, to positively impacting student life. We are indebted for the support

of Jack Mascaro and John Swanson, and thank them for contributing to such a rich legacy of sustainability at Pitt.”

In March 2014, the university released its first report on Sustainability, which described Pitt’s most recent sustainability efforts on campus in education and research and throughout the community-at-large, as well as the recognition it has received. The report included data on measurable outcomes from energy conservation and emissions reductions to sustainable purchasing and student housing, as well as current academic programs and efforts to improve the quality of life in oakland and other Pittsburgh neighborhoods.

“The university of Pittsburgh community has embraced sustainability as a critical part of everyday life. Both the extraordinary generosity of Jack Mascaro and John Swanson and the committed efforts of campus leaders like Provost Beeson, Dean holder, and Professor Beckman have taken us to this already enviable position,” said Chancellor nordenberg. “These new investments and the work of our Sustainability Task Force will enable us to continue adding to that rich legacy for generations to come.”

Pictured from left to right are Joe Fink, Patricia E. Beeson, Michael Mascaro, John Mascaro, Jack Mascaro, Jeff Mascaro, Gerald D. Holder, Mark A. Nordenberg

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Modeled from Patient’s Own Bones and Tissues, Biodegradable Scaffolds Would Enable Better Growth and Healing

Researchers from the Swanson School of Engineering and McGowan Institute for regenerative Medicine (MIrM) are proposing that if 3-D printers, or

additive manufacturing, can produce custom replacement parts for machines, why couldn’t the same process create biodegradable tissue repair structures for the human body?

“Additive Manufacturing of Biomedical Devices from Bioresorbable Metallic Alloys for Medical Applications” was one of 15 projects selected by America Makes, the national Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute, as part of its second call for additive manufacturing (AM) applied research and development projects in 2014. Principal investigator is Prashant Kumta, PhD, the Swanson School’s Edward r. Weidlein Chair Professor and professor of bioengineering, chemical and petroleum engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science, and professor of oral biology in the School of Dental Medicine; and co-PI is howard Kuhn, PhD, adjunct professor of industrial engineering. Patrick Cantini, director of Scientific Collaborations for the university of Pittsburgh Medical Center (uPMC) and director of the McGowan Institute’s Center for Industry relations, will serve as project manager.

Corporate partners include Exone (north huntingdon, Pa.) and Magnesium Elektron (Madison, Ill.). The $590,000 contract is for an 18-month period. The research group’s America Makes proposal was based upon the article, “novel

Close to the Bone: America Makes Funding Contract Enables Pitt Researchers to Explore 3-D-printed Bone and Tissue Scaffolds

b i o E n g i n E E r i n g

Dr. Prashant Kumta

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processing of iron–manganese alloy-based biomaterials by inkjet 3-D printing” in the journal Acta Biomaterialia (9 (2013) 8593–8603).

“Additive manufacturing combines the best of technologies – the ability to construct complex structures via computer imaging utilizing a combination of advanced alloys,” Dr. Kumta said. “Thanks to computer-aided tomography, or CAT scans, we can image a damaged structure like a bone or trachea and construct a biodegradable iron-manganese scaffold to promote natural tissue growth during the healing process. This reduces the risk of disease transmission via methods such as bone grafting, and allows for a more precise framework for the body to heal itself.”

In addition to precise modeling of a body structure, additive manufacturing allows for the use of biodegradable alloys that serve as scaffolds, rather than as artificial implants.

“Although we could create a ceramic or plastic part with additive manufacturing, this is not as ideal as an iron-manganese alloy which is stronger, more ductile and degrades over time to be replaced by new bone,” Dr. Kuhn added.

A process called “sintering” cures the scaffolds to provide structural integrity to the bonded particles. During this phase of the research, the scaffolds will be evaluated for biocompatibility, bioresorption and mechanical properties. Some of the biomedical devices such as bone fixation plates and screws, as well as tracheal stents will be produced in preparation for later clinical studies.

“Additive manufacturing is a game-changer for biomedical research because it not only provides a better foundation for the body to repair its own tissues, but also because it can be utilized in remote areas such as army field hospitals, where access to traditional treatments may be limited,” Dr. Kumta said. “rather than implanting a screw or plate or joint, we can provide the body’s own regenerative ability with a more effective method to heal itself.”

Pitt’s Center for Medical Innovation Awards Three Novel Biomedical Devices with $53,000 Total Round-2 2014 Pilot FundingIn December 2014 the university of Pittsburgh’s Center for Medical Innovation (CMI) awarded grants totaling $53,000 to three research groups through its 2014 round-2 Pilot Funding Program for Early Stage Medical Technology research and Development. The latest funding proposals include developing super-sensitive chemical assays for detecting blood proteins, a novel retractor for abdominal and thoracic surgical procedures, and a self-monitoring device for rehabilitation of stroke patients.

CMI, a university Center housed in the Swanson School, supports applied technology projects in the early stages of development with “kickstart” funding toward the goal of transitioning the research to clinical adoption. Proposals are evaluated on the basis of scientific merit, technical and clinical relevance, potential health care impact and significance, experience of the investigators, and potential in obtaining further financial investment to translate the particular solution to healthcare.

awarD 1

FOR: I-hITS: Individualized hand Improvement and Tracking System for Stroke.

Award to design, build and test a rehabilitation system for stroke patients to self-monitor, track, and improve hand weakness.

Amit Sethi, PhD, OTR/L Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

Ervin Sejdic, PhD Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Scott Bleakley, PT, PhD Director of Therapy Services, Health South Hospitals of Pittsburgh

awarD 2

FOR: Diagnosis of Aggressive Prostate Cancer via Detection of MMP9 in Biological Fluids

Award to develop a prototype chemical assay device for detection of femtomolar levels of MMP9 in biological fluids.

Abhinav Acharya, PhD Postdoctoral Associate, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Steven R. Little, PhD Associate Professor and Chair, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Tatum V. Tarin, MD Assistant Professor of Urology, UPMC

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FOR: A motorized flexible arm retractor for open abdominal surgery

Award to develop a prototype flexible retractor system which significantly improves effectiveness, safety, and efficiency of surgical procedures.

Garth A. Elias, MD UPMC Mercy Dept. of General Surgery

Peter Allen, MD UPMC Mercy Dept. of General Surgery

Jeffrey S. Vipperman, PhD Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

,

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Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Develops Strategic Alliance with Lubrizol

c h E m i c a l & p E t r o l E u m

The Ohio-based Specialty Chemical Company to Help Students Develop Ideas and Products

Chemical and petroleum engineering students don’t usually interact with industry until landing an internship or a job, and rarely in the

classroom or lab.

Thanks to a new four-year, $1.2 million partnership between the university of Pittsburgh’s Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and The lubrizol Corporation, promising Pitt engineering students will have a chance to learn about industry needs and have a chance to develop ideas and products in the new lubrizol Innovation laboratory.

Pitt dignitaries and lubrizol officials celebrated the new collaboration August 12 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at the new lubrizol Innovation lab in Benedum hall.

“half of these funds will be dedicated to an extremely progressive educational initiative for our students, literally and physically enabling them to turn their ideas into reality,” said Steven little, PhD, associate professor, CnG faculty fellow and chair of the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering within Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering, and a lead player in cementing the relationship with lubrizol.

“overall, this is the largest, broadest reaching relationship between a company and the department in at least three decades,” Dr. little continued, “and it is the culmination of a commitment we made several years ago to develop such a strategic alliance.”

Pictured from left to right are Dean Gerald Holder, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher, Michael Vaughn, Provost Patricia Beeson, Dr. Steven Little, Cliff Kowall

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Dr. little said that the national Academy of Engineering has long been recommending that engineering educators find a way to encourage entrepreneurship and risk-taking among students. But, he said, that’s a difficult tactic to integrate into the curriculum. "having lubrizol as a corporate partner will enable students to focus on innovating and creating new products, allowing them to explore real-world applications through their work,” little explains.

“now, instead of waiting until their senior year to work on developing a product for a customer, they’ll do it in their sophomore year and follow it all the way through,” he said.

Cliff Kowall, technical fellow of process development at lubrizol and adjunct instructor at Pitt, led the alliance from lubrizol’s end. “For about a year I’ve invested a great deal of time at Pitt, getting to know the leadership, faculty, students and the curriculum,” he said. “I’ve found that Pitt and lubrizol have had direct alignment around this project from the very beginning. We share a similar vision for the alliance, which is to have a mutually beneficial relationship which is fundamentally collaborative.”

Swanson School Dean Gerald D. holder praised the cooperation between the university and lubrizol and is excited about the opportunities being presented to university students. “As the engineering profession evolves and more employers are looking for more diverse skills from future engineers, it’s partnerships with corporations like lubrizol that will help to give our students a greater advantage in the job market,” he said. “of course, developing distinctive initiatives such as this also requires innovation on the part of academia and industry. Steve and Cliff, as well as the senior leadership at lubrizol, are to be commended for shepherding this concept to fruition for the benefit of our students.”

Commenting further on the alliance, Bob Graf, corporate vice president of research and development at lubrizol said, “As an organization focused on

inspiring innovation, our new relationship with the university of Pittsburgh provides the capability for both of our entities to leverage each other’s experience and expertise. We are extremely excited about the opportunities this partnership will provide and we look forward to a strong alliance over the years.”

According to Dr. little, students will be able to access the program as a sophomore-declared chemical and petroleum engineering major. “Students will take a course to learn about chemical engineered products and processes, also learning about customer needs and how corporations respond to them,” he said.

ABOuT LuBRIzOL

The lubrizol Corporation, a Berkshire hathaway company, is an innovative specialty chemical company that produces and supplies technologies to customers in the global transportation, industrial and consumer markets. These technologies include lubricant additives for engine oils, other transportation-related fluids and industrial lubricants, as well as fuel additives for gasoline and diesel fuel. In addition, lubrizol makes ingredients and additives for personal care products and pharmaceuticals; specialty materials, including plastics technology and performance coatings in the form of specialty resins and additives. lubrizol’s industry-leading technologies in additives, ingredients and compounds enhance the quality, performance and value of customers’ products, while reducing their environmental impact.

With headquarters in Wickliffe, ohio, The lubrizol Corporation owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. revenues for 2013 were $6.4 billion. For more information, visit www.lubrizol.com.

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ChemE’s Dr. George Klinzing Receives Honorary Doctorate from Australia’s university of New Castle

George A. Klinzing, PhD, the William Kepler Whiteford Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the Swanson School of Engineering, recently received a Doctorate of Engineering honoris causa from the university of newcastle in Australia. Dr. Klinzing was nominated by Mark Jones, PhD, President of the Academic Senate and head of the School of Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Built Environment. The doctorate was presented by Paul Jeans, Chancellor; and Caroline McMillen, PhD, Vice-Chancellor and President during a ceremony october 3 at the university of new Castle.

Dr. Klinzing’s research is in the field of solids processing spanning the topics of coal cleaning, coal-water slurries, coal dewatering, combustion, pneumatic conveying of most industrial bulk solids. he holds four patents in this area and holds copyrights on four computer packages involving calculations and artificial intelligence.

Dr. Klinzing earned his bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the university of Pittsburgh in 1959 and a PhD in chemical engineering from the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon university) in 1963. he joined the Pitt faculty in 1966 after three years on a university development project in Quito, Ecuador. From 1995-2012 he served as the university’s Vice Provost for research. he has given over 200 technical presentations at professional meetings, universities, and industries both nationally and internationally, and has advised 25 PhD students and 54 M.S. students. he is a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

c h E m i c a l & p E t r o l E u m

Pictured from left to right are Chancellor Paul Jeans, Dr. George Klinzing, and Vice-Chancellor and President Caroline McMillen

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c i v i l & E n v i r o n m E n t a l

How Long Can Ebola Live?Dr. Bibby, left, with PhD student and Ebola research contributor Elyse Stachler

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Pitt Researcher Publishes Article Showing that the Literature is Lacking, Receives NSF Grant to Conduct Further Study

The Ebola virus travels from person to person through direct contact with infected body fluids. But how long can the virus survive on glass surfaces

or countertops? how long can it live in wastewater when liquid wastes from a patient end up in the sewage system? In an article published December 9 in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters (and featured on the January 13, 2015: Vol. 2, Iss. 1 cover), Kyle Bibby, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, reviews the latest research to find answers to these questions.

he and his co-investigators didn’t find many answers.

“The World health organization has been saying you can put (human waste) in pit latrines or ordinary sanitary sewers and that the virus then dies,” said Dr. Bibby in Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering. “But the literature lacks evidence that it does. They may be right, but the evidence isn’t there.”

Dr. Bibby and colleagues from Pitt and Drexel university explain that knowing how long the deadly pathogen survives on surfaces, in water, or in liquid droplets is critical to developing effective disinfection practices to prevent the spread of the disease. Currently, the World health organization guidelines recommend to hospitals and health clinics that liquid wastes from patients be flushed down the toilet or disposed of in a latrine. however, Ebola research labs that use patients’ liquid waste are supposed to disinfect the waste before it enters the sewage system. Bibby’s team set out to determine what research can and can’t tell us about these practices.

The researchers scoured scientific papers for data on how long the virus can live in the environment. They found a dearth of published studies on the matter. That means no one knows for sure whether the virus can survive on a surface and cause infection or how long it remains active in water, wastewater, or sludge. The team concluded that Ebola’s persistence outside the body needs more careful investigation.

To that end, Bibby recently won a $110,000 national Science Foundation grant to explore the issue. his team will identify surrogate viruses that are physiologically similar to Ebola and study their survival rates in water and wastewater. The findings of this study will inform water treatment and waste-handling procedures in a timely manner while research on the Ebola virus is still being conducted.

Dr. Kent Harries Named Fellow of the International Institute for Fiber Reinforced Polymer in Construction

Kent harries, PhD, FACI, P. Eng., associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was named a Fellow of the International Institute for Fiber reinforced Polymer in Construction (IIFC). Dr. harries is one of only 27 individuals worldwide to be named an IIFC fellow and only the sixth in the united States. he received the honor at the seventh international Conference on Fiber reinforced Polymer (FrP) Composites in Civil Engineering (CICE 2014), August 20-22, 2014 in Vancouver, Canada, and will carry the FIIFC title.

The recognition of fellow is a distinct honor for “senior members of the Institute who have achieved a position of high responsibility and have contributed significantly to the advancement of the field through research or practice, or both.” IIFC is the only international professional organization dedicated to the use of fiber-reinforced composite materials (FrP) in Civil infrastructure, and its mission is to advance the understanding and application of FrP composites in the civil infrastructure, in the service of the engineering profession and society.

Dr. harries’ research interests include the use of non-traditional materials (FrP, hPC, rPC, bamboo) in civil infrastructure; the seismic design and retrofit of building structures; the design and behavior of high-rise structures; applications of full-scale structural testing; and the history and philosophy of science and technology. he received his bachelor’s, master’s and PhD in civil engineering - structures from McGill university, Montreal, Canada.

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E l E c t r i c a l & c o m p u t E r

Pitt Engineering and Corporate Research Group

Receives Nearly $1 Million DOE Grant

Dr. Kevin P. Chen

for Nuclear Power Safety Research

Researchers in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering were awarded a $987,000 grant from the Department of Energy’s nuclear

Energy university Programs (nEuP) to develop radiation-hard, multi-functional, distributed fiber optical sensor networks to improve safety and operational efficiency in nuclear power reactors and fuel cycle systems. The grant was awarded under nEuP’s nuclear Energy Enabling Technology (nEET) program.

The principal investigator is Kevin P. Chen, PhD, associate professor of electrical engineering and the Paul E. lego Faculty Fellow. Project collaborators include Corning Incorporated in Corning, nY and Westinghouse Electric Company llC in Pittsburgh, PA.

“An important lesson of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011 is the lack of situation awareness of nuclear power systems especially under stressed or severe situations,” Dr. Chen says. “When the plant was evacuated following the earthquake and tsunami, we lost the ability to know what was happening in key systems. This information blackout prevented the implementation of proper control mechanisms, which then triggered a disastrous chain of events.”

According to Dr. Chen, the fiber optical sensor networks will enable nuclear engineers to better monitor a number of parameters critical to the safety of nuclear power systems. The sensor networks will have high sensitivity, high accuracy, and high spatial resolutions, with up to 100 sensors per meter in critical locations. This high-resolution sensing data will provide operators with critical information to quickly isolate problems and implement solutions at minimal cost. Scientists at Corning, one of the world’s leading innovators

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ECE’s Dr. Reed Named Director of Pitt’s Center for Energy

Gregory reed, PhD, professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been appointed Director for Pitt’s Center for Energy in the Swanson School. Dr. reed succeeds Brian Gleeson, PhD, who was named Chair of the Swanson School’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science in August 2014.

“Greg has done a tremendous job in helping to grow the Center for Energy and advance the university’s reputation as a regional nexus for energy research,” Dean Gerald holder said. “I want to thank Brian for establishing a strong foundation as inaugural director and I expect Greg to further build upon the Center’s strengths and regional and national visibility.”

“Energy represents one of the foremost grand challenges of engineering and science for our country and around the globe, while the Pittsburgh region, with our strong concentration of energy and power related industry and abundance of strategic resources, represents one of the nation’s energy capitals for both technology and talent,” Dr. reed said. “Pitt’s energy-related efforts are resulting in critical technology innovations through advanced research and development activities, as well as in educating a next generation of engineers, scientists and future leaders for the energy and power sectors. 

“Dr. Gleeson established a solid foundation from which to build, and I am very honored to have been selected by Dr. holder as his predecessor.”

in materials science, will help to develop radiation-hard, application-specific air-hole microstructural fibers for multi-parameter measurements of temperature, pressure, and hydrogen concentration. novel fiber structure designs and the integration of nano-composite coating will enhance functionalities of distributed fiber sensing schemes beyond traditional uses for temperature and strain measurements. Pitt’s researchers will also work with engineers at Westinghouse Electric Company to academically evaluate performance in both normal and post-accident scenarios, and to assess practical applications for sensor implementation in nuclear power systems.

“This is a challenging project because we will be designing new radiation-robust sensors from the ground up,” Dr. Chen says. “however, the success of this project will enable us to improve the reliability and safety of future nuclear systems, as well as existing nuclear power plants through retrofitting. hopefully, our engineering work will make a difference”

Pitt’s grant was part of $11 million awarded for 12 research and development projects led by u.S. universities, Department of Energy national laboratories and industry in support of the nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies Crosscutting Technology Development Program (nEET CTD) to address cross-cutting nuclear energy challenges. Since 2009, the Energy Department’s office of nuclear Energy has awarded approximately $350 million to 98 u.S. colleges and universities to continue American leadership in clean energy innovation and to train the next generation of nuclear engineers and scientists through its university programs.

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Certificate Program will be Offered Both in the Classroom and Online

Targeting a greater need for safety engineers in industrial settings, especially within the region’s growing energy and healthcare fields, the

Swanson School of Engineering launched a graduate certificate program in safety engineering in fall 2014. housed in the School’s Department of Industrial Engineering, the safety engineering program targets workforce needs and includes a distance-enabled, or online, format, which allows professionals to take the course either in the classroom or from any location in the world.

under the direction of Joel haight, PhD, associate professor of industrial engineering, the safety engineering program focuses on the region’s construction, energy, healthcare, manufacturing and utility sectors as well as other industries. The curriculum prepares professionals as engineers rather than safety coordinators by focusing on the industrial engineering aspects of injury prevention, dynamic engineering principles, continuous function-based/quantitative analytical methods, and design principles.

“The safety engineer is a critical role that requires an individual to understand, characterize, quantify, and fix the complex hazards of dynamic industrial processes,” Dr. haight says. “In today’s complex working environments, whether an assembly line, hospital or nuclear plant, safety engineering maintains worker health, ensures efficiency and helps to reduce costs.

our program provides professionals with a technical base of competency to address safety engineering needs across various industries. Additionally, by offering courses via distance learning we provide additional flexibility so that individuals can participate in class from home, or employer cohorts can engage in courses from an office conference room.”

i n D u S t r i a l

Pitt’s Swanson School Launches New Graduate Program in Safety Engineering

According to data from the national Safety Council, the total cost of unintentional injuries in 2011, including estimates of economic costs of fatal and nonfatal unintentional injuries together with employers’ uninsured costs, vehicle damage costs, and fire losses, was $753 billion. of the total, the greatest cost was wage and productivity losses at over $363 billion. Dr. haight says that while most companies commit significant revenue and other resources, including manpower, to a safety or injury prevention program in order to prevent, or at least minimize, injuries, safety engineers play a more proactive role to help employers understand, identify, characterize, mitigate, and eliminate the hazards that contribute to the risk of injury.

Graduate student Zhaohui Geng (left) with Dr. Joel Haight.

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With the goal of creating a multidisciplinary community of scholars to further industry research, the university of Pittsburgh’s Center for Industry Studies (CIS) has relocated to the Swanson School of Engineering. The Center, led by noted researcher Frank Giarratani, PhD, moved in early 2014 from the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Economics to the Swanson School’s Department of Industrial Engineering.

CIS was established by Dr. Giarratani in 2001 to create an interdisciplinary environment for academics and researchers to address the challenging problems confronted by modern industry, especially within the steel industry. To encourage engineers and social scientists at Pitt and other universities to further engage in field-based industry research, CIS will also award research initiation grants up to $8,000, with renewals available for a maximum of three years. The scope of industry of interest to the Center is very broad, spanning manufacturing and services, as well as non-profit organizations,

“In my own experience as a social scientist and specialist in steel industry research, I have learned that collaboration with engineers has been critically important in learning about technologies and the way that technologies can affect industry performance,” Dr. Giarratani says. “relocating the Center to engineering was motivated by the idea that this kind of benefit could be extended widely throughout the university.”

According to Bopaya Bidanda, PhD, the Ernest E. roth Professor and Chair of Industrial Engineering, coupling engineering with the social science will positively impact both industry and public policy. Dr. Bidanda partnered with Dr. Giarratani to propose establishing CIS within the Swanson School.

“over the past three decades the Pittsburgh region has experienced a tremendous shift from an economy largely based on one manufacturing industry to one that is diversified across many industry sectors from healthcare to finance to high tech,” Dr. Bidanda says. “The lessons learned

here, and the potential for new applications across disciplines could benefit other metropolitan regions across the country.

“By embedding the Center in engineering we want to make collaboration across social science disciplines and engineering a common occurrence, providing a new tool for advancing industry in the 21st century.”

Current faculty members associated with CIS are from the Department of Industrial Engineering, Department of Economics, the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, and the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. The Center also serves at the academic home for the Industry Studies Association, a non-profit professional association, whose mission is to promote multidisciplinary approaches to the study of industry. Visit engineering.pitt.edu/cis for more information.

Pitt’s Center for Industry Studies Relocates to Swanson School of Engineering to Enhance Research Collaboration Between Social Scientists and Engineers

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m E c h a n i c a l & m at E r i a l S S c i E n c E

Additive manufacturing (AM) has rapidly advanced to allow for the production of complex-shaped metal components strong

enough for structural applications. however, developing complex geometries with fewer errors and distortions, as well as quality standards to test the manufactured items, have not kept pace with the technology. Engineers at the Swanson School are proposing to develop enhanced modeling and simulation (M&S) technology and new qualification standards that will further the adoption of additive manufacturing by industry.

To develop standard qualification methods for AM, “Multiscale Structure-Mechanical Property Investigation of Additive Manufactured Components for Development of a reliable Qualification Method” is a three year, $300,000 grant funded by the national Science Foundation’s Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation (CMMI). To address the modeling and simulation challenge, “Automation Tools for Modeling AM Process of Complex Geometries in ABAQuS” was awarded $150,000 research for Additive Manufacturing in Pennsylvania (rAMP) grant, funded jointly by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) “Discovered in PA, Developed in PA” program and America Makes (national Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute).

Principal investigator for both grants is Albert To, PhD, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science; and co-PIs are Minking K. Chyu, PhD, the leighton and Mary orr Chair professor of materials science and mechanical engineering,

to Enhance Computer Simulation and Qualification Standards

MEMS Faculty Receive Additive Manufacturing Grants

Pictured left to right are Qingcheng Yang (front), Yiqi Yu, Lin Cheng, and Dr. Albert To

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New Leadership in International Programs and Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

To better serve continuing growth in international programs, including a new partnership with Sichuan university in China, the Swanson School has established an Associate Dean for International Initiatives and precipitating a change in the leadership of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Minking K. Chyu, PhD, the leighton and Mary orr Chair professor and former MEMS Chair, was appointed as the inaugural Associate Dean for International Initiatives at the Swanson School of Engineering, as well as the inaugural Dean of the Sichuan university-Pittsburgh Institute (SCuPI) in China. Brian Gleeson, PhD, the harry S. Tack Chair Professor of Materials Science and Director of Pitt’s Center for Energy, will succeed Dr. Chyu as MEMS Department Chair.

“International programs and partnerships have become an integral part of our curriculum and research, and Minking has proven himself to be a game-changer in helping to establish our partnership with Sichuan university and the new Sichuan university-Pittsburgh Institute,” Dean holder said. “his experience as Chair of MEMS, especially in leading the Department’s tremendous growth in academic programs, student success, faculty research, and revenue generation will contribute greatly toward international activities, especially as we prepare to open the new Joint Institute in 2015.”

Established in 2014, the Sichuan university-Pittsburgh Institute will initially offer three undergraduate degree programs: industrial engineering, mechanical engineering, and materials science and engineering. Students in the Institute will be recruited from the united States, China, and potentially other countries, with an anticipated

associate dean for international initiatives and dean of the Sichuan university – Pittsburgh Institute; and Markus Chmielus, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and materials science. rTI International Metals Inc. of Pittsburgh will partner with Pitt on the rAMP grant.

According to Dr. To, AM is at a critical juncture in its evolution where both computer modeling and qualification methods need to be enhanced in order to reduce manufacturing time and costs while improve quality and product integrity.

“Additive manufacturing continues to demonstrate its ability to manufacture very complex lattice structures and geometries, enabling us to build complex structures that would be difficult to replicate using traditional or “subtractive” manufacturing,” Dr. To said. “however, these increasingly complex parts are very time-consuming to model and therefore more prone to errors. The rAMP grant will enable us to develop computer codes that first will automate the finite element simulation of certain AM process and material.

“By improving the modeling of these complex, sometimes microscopic structures, we can design the process path and/or part geometry to reduce residual stress that causes failure to the part during manufacturing.”

Improving the modeling and simulation processes in additive manufacturing go hand-in-hand with developing new qualification methods that ensure the quality of a manufactured part or component. Dr. To noted that additive manufacturing has advanced so rapidly that typical manufacturing standards have yet to catch up.

“Traditional qualification standards are not adequate for additive manufacturing because AM parts are “built” by adding layer upon layer of powdered ceramics, metals and polymers, which therefore exhibit residual stresses and a higher number of defects,” Dr. To said. “For example, in aerospace manufacturing, a machined part is inspected for surface cracks, dimensional accuracy, and material composition. To develop qualification methods for AM components, we need a better understanding of the microstructure and its mechanical behavior.”

Accomplishing this, Dr. To explained, begins with the use of a common medical device – X-ray micro computerized tomography, or a CT scan. In conjunction with mechanical testing and computer simulation, this will enable the researchers to investigate at the microscopic level the mechanical effects of flaws and residual stress, and later develop a computer-based, non-destructive method that is rapid, reliable, and affordable, thereby greatly improving AM techniques and quality.

“Additive manufacturing is poised to revolutionize the production of complex and distinctive parts and machines, but like its predecessor it requires the qualification methods necessary to ensure viability, safety and integrity,” Dr. To said. “We are quite literally building the foundation for a 21st century manufacturing revolution.”

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m E c h a n i c a l & m at E r i a l S S c i E n c E

fall 2015 enrollment of 100 students and a projected total enrollment of 1,600 students. Sichuan university is investing nearly $40 million to support the construction and equipping of a new 300,000-square-foot building to house the institute on its campus, while the Swanson School will oversee the curriculum development and academic policies. When SCuPI opens in fall 2015, Dean Chyu will spend part of the academic year in China.

Dr. Gleeson was installed as Department Chair, following a vote of faculty approval this past summer.

“like Minking, Brian has developed into an exceptional leader as Director of the Center for Energy, and the support from the faculty for his selection as department chair was a testament to his excellence as a teacher and researcher,” Dean holder noted. “I know he will build upon Minking’s success as chair and further enhance the reputation of the department.”

Dr. Chyu received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the university of Minnesota in 1986. he was a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon university for 14 years before joining the university of Pittsburgh in 2000 as the leighton orr Chair professor and department chair of mechanical engineering. When the departments of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering merged in 2006, Dr. Chyu helped to lead the process and was named chair of the combined MEMS Department. his primary research is in thermo-fluid issues relating to power and propulsion systems, material processing, and micro/nano-system technology. Major projects conducted to date include convective cooling of gas turbine airfoils, nanofluid applications in heat transfer and oil/gas exploration, thermal measurement, and imaging techniques.

Dr. Chyu was awarded four nASA Certificates of recognition for his contribution on the u.S. space shuttle program, and has also served as an Air Force Summer research Fellow, Department of Energy oak ridge research Fellow, and Department of Energy (DoE) Advanced-Turbine-System Faculty Fellow. he is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Associate Fellow of American

Institute of Aerospace and Aeronautics (AIAA), and a member of the Scientific Council of the International Centre of heat and Mass Transfer (IChMT). he was named the Engineer of The Year by the ASME Pittsburgh Chapter in 2002. In 2007, he was appointed as Institute of Advanced Energy Solutions (IAES) residence Fellow by the national Energy Technology laboratory (nETl). he serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Heat Transfer, ASME; Advisory Board Member for the International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems; and a Foreign Editor for the International Journal of Chinese Institute of Mechanical Engineers. he has published 280 technical papers in archived journals and conference proceedings.

Dr. Gleeson received his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the university of California at los Angeles. Prior to joining Pitt in 2007 he was the renken Professor of Materials Science Engineering at Iowa State university and also served as Director of the Materials and Engineering Physics Program at the u.S. Department of Energy Ames laboratory, managed by ISu. his research interests include the high-temperature degradation behavior of metallic alloys and coatings; phase equilibria and transformations; deposition and characterization of metallic coatings, and diffusion and thermodynamic treatments of both gas/solid and solid/solid interactions.

he is internationally recognized for his studies on high temperature corrosion, with numerous invited presentations and research collaborations, and has published more than 130 articles and abstracts. In 2005 he received a research and Development 100 Award from R&D Magazine for novel high-Temperature Coatings with Pt-Modified ni and ni3Al (nickel and nickel alumninide, respectively) Alloy Compositions, which were licensed by the rolls-royce Corporation. he was elected Chair of the 2007 Gordon research Conference on high Temperature Corrosion and has given five invited presentations at this prestigious conference, held once every two years. Dr. Gleeson is Editor-in-Chief of the international journal Oxidation of Metals and is on the International Advisory Board for the international journals Materials and Corrosion and Advanced Engineering Materials.Dr. Minking K. Chyu

Dr. Brian Gleeson

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D i v E r S i t y

Pictured left to right are Jasmine Toney, Chukwuemeka Ukaga, Danielle Carter, Casey Tompkins-Rhoades, Sossena Wood, Marcus Jordan, Ashley McCray, Katreena Thomas, Joy Frazier, John Walker

Sossena Wood (BSEE ’11), national Chair of the national Society of Black Engineers (nSBE), rose through nSBE’s positions of leadership with a

desire not only to stand up, but also to stand for something. The society is a nationally recognized organization, with an international affiliation, that focuses on academic excellence among the African American community of engineers, and one that now is guided across the country and around the world by Pitt engineering students, with Ms. Wood at the helm.

A graduate of Eleanor roosevelt high School in Greenbelt, Md. and currently a PhD candidate in bioengineering at the Swanson School of Engineering, Ms. Wood joined the nSBE community through her high school’s junior chapter. Initially, she was hesitant to join. “They would talk about black engineers over the intercom in high school, encouraging us to enroll in engineering. I often would think to myself, I don’t have time for that as a student and an athlete,” Ms. Wood remembers. “It wasn’t until I learned about Pitt's engineering program that I understood more about nSBE and how it helped engineering students through various programs, outreach and support. It was then I thought that with the support of nSBE, engineering might be a game-changer for me.

“ultimately, that may have been the biggest understatement of my life.”

Ms. Wood is the first to admit that early in her college career, she shied away from positions of leadership and instead wanted to focus on her studies, initially in electrical engineering and later in bioengineering.

“When I first became involved, I thought that our Swanson School chapter could be much stronger, and more vibrant than what it was,” she explained. “So I stepped up to be Senator, the voice of the Chapter, and it was truly a greater task than I’d thought. I soon realized that the Chapter was a part of something greater.”

As Ms. Wood became more involved with nSBE, she realized that if the chapter was indeed poised for growth, its potential ultimately resided in her own passion for the organization. In her senior year she decided to run for Chapter President, an experience she described as phenomenal. Shortly after, she began taking steps toward higher-level elections and rose to regional Vice Chair, regional Chair, and national Vice Chair.

Leading by Encouraging

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In 2013 she became the sixth woman elected since nSBE’s founding in 1975 to serve and complete a term as national Chairperson.

As national Chair, Ms. Wood utilizes her own experience as an engineering student and a member of nSBE to help fellow members succeed. She sees her role as both mentor and collaborator. As the largest student-managed organization with more than 30,000 members, she says, nSBE provides every member with the potential to be a leader and voice for change.

“I try to make myself available to them and to use my own experience as a mirror for their own opportunities,” she explains. “The student voice is power, more than the students themselves realize.”

From her first engagement with nSBE as a chapter member at Pitt, Ms. Wood now leads a staff of 30 and more than 350 junior, collegiate and professional chapters in six regions across the u.S.

Ms. Wood said that nSBE has stepped up its game to not only attract young children to engineering, but to help them succeed in college. “Across the STEM fields but especially within engineering, recruitment and retention of African Americans is still in dire need of attention.” She notes that there have been improvements as the focus has shifted nationally: the number of African Americans who drop out of higher education after the first year has decreased from 80% in 1975 to 60% today. “So, a little better, but we still have quite a way to go.”

Ms. Wood said that nSBE’s recently-completed new strategic plan poses the question, ‘What will NSBE 2025 look like?’ Its vision, she says, is challenging but not insurmountable: helping to graduate 10,000 African American engineers annually, compared to the 3,610 African American students who received engineering degrees in 2013.

“The plan is to develop a world in which engineering is a mainstream word in homes and communities of color, and all Black students can envision themselves

as engineers. In this world, Blacks exceed parity in earning degrees, entering engineering fields, and succeeding professionally."

To reach that point, Ms. Wood believes that the role of each nSBE member must also be as an ambassador for engineering. She says that her election to national Chair not only allowed her to grow within her own identity and find her own voice, but also provided a better understanding of who she is as a person, as a woman, and as a Black engineer. her initial campaign objectives were built on a platform of goals regarding academic excellence as well as an effort to increase the representation of African American women in engineering programs nationwide.

“Surprisingly I caught a lot of slack for that,” she says. “But a leader needs to be a strong communicator, one who helps others understand the end game regardless of opposition.” Ms. Wood utilized her own experience as a female African American student to help others understand the need for better opportunities for female engineers in general, and African American female engineers in particular. nSBE collaborates with the Society of Women Engineers, Women in Engineering Programs and Advocates network, as well as Black Girls Code, each with the drive to strengthen gender equality in all workforces.

“As an African American woman pursuing a PhD,” she explains, “I represent less than 1% of African American women pursuing a PhD in the engineering profession. That right there is just truth of power. And while some might think it to be a weakness in the profession, I see it as a clarion call for engineers of all stripes to think about how we can enhance the next generation of engineers, especially across minority populations.

“Every engineer is a success story in his or her own right. This is not an easy 9-to-5 job. We need to embrace our role as ambassadors to young people with one simple message: “You can do anything.””

The Pitt chapter of the national Society of Black Engineers (nSBE) was well represented at the nSBE 40th Annual Convention in nashville, Tenn., March 26-30. Pitt’s chapter collected five awards, including:

•region 2 chapter with the most transcripts submitted

•region 2 large Chapter of the Year

•region 2 Distinguished Chapter of the Year

•national retention Chapter of the Year for the second consecutive year

•national Distinguished large Chapter of the Year

Senior Marcus Jordan, who is majoring in industrial engineering, is president of the Pitt nSBE chapter. Additionally, members from Pitt’s delegation were nominated to several positions, including:

•Sossena Wood, PhD bioengineering candidate, was elected for a second term as national Chairperson, the sixth woman to serve as national Chairperson since nSBE’s founding in 1975

•Ashley McCray, chemical engineering junior, was elected region 2 Chairperson (Ms. McCray previously served as region 2 Programs Chair)

•John Walker, civil engineering junior, was elected region 2 Treasurer

•Joy Frazier, industrial engineering sophomore, was elected End Zone coordinator in region 2

Also, to celebrate the history of the national Society of Black Engineers (nSBE) and its success in attracting the organization’s region 2 conference to Pittsburgh, City of Pittsburgh Mayor William Peduto declared Friday, november 14, 2014 as “national Society of Black Engineers Day” to celebrate the efforts of nSBE region 2.

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Bruce and James Coull, brothers and each successful and respected in his own field, were the 2014 recipients of the Distinguished Alumni

Award from the Swanson School of Engineering.

Bruce Coull, former Vice Dean of the College of Medicine and Deputy Dean for Clinical Affairs at the university of Arizona College of Medicine, and professor of neurology and medicine at the university of Arizona, says he was honored to be recognized by the Swanson School a second time. he had previously received the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.

“It’s a big honor, I felt humbled by it,” he said.

The Coull legacy at Pitt runs deep. Their father, Dr. James Coull Sr., was professor emeritus and chair of the department of chemical engineering for 38 years, prior to his retirement in 1968. Yet both brothers attribute their own legacies at Pitt as much to luck as they do to a great education.

“You can lay out your plans,” Bruce, the younger of the two brothers, said, “but fate and certain opportunities, closing doors or opening doors, lead you to where you’re going.”

D i S t i n g u i S h E D a l u m n i a w a r D S 2 0 1 4

Distinguished Alumni Award Bruce and James Coull

Dean Gerald Holder (left) with James Coull and Dr. Bruce Coull

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After Bruce received his bachelor and master’s degrees in chemical engineering at Pitt, he decided he wanted to apply to medical schools, an anomaly back then.

“At the time, engineering wasn’t as linked to medicine as it is now,” he said. “When I was in grad school there was one course in biomedical engineering, and it was very rudimentary.”

Bruce said he strayed away from pursuing an engineering career further because he didn’t want to work for a large corporation.

“Engineering is at times very corporate...the corporate moniker wasn’t something that attracted me,” he said.

Instead, he was attracted to medicine because it was more human.

“I like the human side of medicine which is sort of one on one taking care of problems,” he said.

Bruce applied to several medical schools in the country. Some of them would question him: Why would an engineer want to go to medical school?

The university of Wisconsin, Bruce remembers, was particularly skeptical.

“I [received a letter that read] ‘I will accept your application if you write me a letter explaining why an engineer should come to medical school.’” Bruce said. “That’s how strange it was.”

The admissions committee at Pitt, however, was more accepting.

“This school was way ahead of the program,” he said.

Besides the human side of medicine, Bruce said that he wanted to enter neurology because it was the most logical system in the body and he could apply his engineering background to it.

“neurological science is very logical and the understanding of how the nervous system works is very mathematical,” he said. “You can apply very logical approaches to unraveling difficulties and, in that sense, it’s an extension of what you do in engineering.”

Bruce graduated from Pitt’s medical school in 1972 and then completed his residency at Stanford. After that, he went to the oregon health and Science university in Portland and began working on stroke research, which is now his area of expertise. Specifically, Bruce studied the blood vessels that feed from the heart into the brain.

“That’s kind of the plumbing of the brain,” he said. “It has chemical engineering principles in it. I’ve been working in that area my whole career.”

now, in addition to his positions at the university of Arizona, Bruce serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases, Stroke, and the Journal of Rehabilitation and Health.

Jim Coull, Bruce’s older brother, said he was just as honored to receive the recognition again. he had received the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004.

“I was very humbled and I was quite proud of my brother and I being co-awardees,” he said.

he said it was his father, the former chair of the chemical engineering department, who pushed the brothers to attend Pitt.

“I was four years old when my father became chair so that’s 76 years I’ve been affiliated with the university,” he said. “There was no question I was going to go to Pitt.”

During college, Jim worked in the steel mills in the summers and was a janitor during the school year. At the end of his sophomore year, he changed his major from chemistry, which his father wanted him to pursue, to civil engineering.

he did so because he was interested in structures and construction, he said.

Because he changed his major so late, Jim said his time at Pitt was difficult. his schedule was always hectic, he said, and he struggled to fit in all of the classes he needed. When he graduated, he had taken 144 credits in four years, twenty-four more than he needed.

During college, Jim was also a member of the reserve officers Training Corps (roTC) and was commissioned as an officer in the Army when he graduated. his father, a World War I vet disenchanted with the military, was displeased. nevertheless, Jim entered as a combat engineer platoon leader and spent a year teaching at the Engineer School in Virginia. In 1958, he was transferred to Georgia, and from there was sent to Germany for three years. Promotions, though, Jim said, were too slow to stay any longer. Jim later resigned as a captain.

Back in the States, he relocated several times over the next several years working for Armco Steel and eventually settled in Boston, he said. There,

23 s w a n s o n s c h o o l o f e n g i n e e r i n g

he left Armco and became CEo of a designing and building construction company owned by a man who spent most of his time in Arizona.

“We were really doing well,” Jim said, “but [the owner] would come back and ask ‘Why did you do this, why did you do that?’ and finally I said, ‘Bob, I did it because you weren’t here!”

After that, Jim decided to strike out on his own and start his own company. Jim and the owner parted as close friends and remain so to this day, he said.

Starting his own company was difficult at first, he said. In 1984, he founded J. M. Coull Inc., a construction management company. Success, however, was slow to start.

“I was very lonely,” he said. “When you’re sitting in your office at home and no one calls you on the phone, you start thinking, ‘What have I done?’”

Eventually, however, business picked up. Jim brought on two great partners including his son Andy, he said, and they then decided to specialize in designing and constructing “clean rooms” such as science laboratories

and other technological spaces. Despite a recession in the early 1990s, the company continued to do well because of its niche, Jim said.

now, annual billings for the company top $50 million Its portfolio includes buildings for high tech, life sciences, healthcare, education and manufacturing. Based in Maynard, Mass., J. M. Coull Inc. has been recognized with multiple Excellence in Construction Awards and has worked for clients including northeastern university, Smith College, university of new hampshire, Dow Chemical, Bose, 3M, and the national oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Even still, Pitt pride runs deep in the Coull family.

“We’ve got Pitt stuff everywhere,” Jim said, “hats, jackets, sweatshirts, we’re very proud. Pitt is an outstanding institution.”

luck and personal drive aside, though, Pitt’s school of engineering gave both brothers their successful starts.

“I take great pride in the university and the Swanson School,” Jim said. “The university is a remarkable place.”

D i S t i n g u i S h E D a l u m n i a w a r D S 2 0 1 4

Pictured from left to right are Madhavan Lakshmi Raghavan (PhD BioE ’98); Joseph Szczur (BSCE ’84); Donald H. Gillott (BSE ’56, MSEE ’59, PhD ’64); Dean Gerald Holder; Mary T. Zeis (BSChE ’78); Jamy Patrice Hall (BSIE ’85); James M. Coull (BSCE ’57); Lloyd M. Yates Jr. (BSME ’82); Bruce M. Coull, MD (BSChE ’67, MSChE ’68, MED ’72)

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CARNEGIE SCIENCE AWARDS

Steven Abramowitch (Bioengineering), honorable Mention: university/Post-Secondary Educator

William J. Federspiel (Bioengineering), honorable Mention: Start-up Entrepreneur

Xu Liang (Civil and Environmental), Environmental Award

WHO’S WHO IN ENERGy (Pittsburgh Business Times)

Andrew BungerBrian GleesonJohn KeithPrashant KumtaGregory ReedGötz VeserRadisav Vidic

BIOENGINEERING

Brian Brown, 2014 TErMIS-AM Educational Award

Joseph Samosky, 3rd Place, 3 rivers Venture Fair university Technology Showplace

yadong Wang, named Fellow, AIMBE

CHEMICAL AND PETROLEuM ENGINEERING

Anna Balazs, named Fellow, Materials research Society; 2014 langmuir lecturer; nSF Division of Mathematical and Physical Sciences Distinguished lecturer; Greater Pittsburgh Women Chemists Committee (WCC)’s Award for Excellence in the Chemical Sciences

Steven Little, Innovation in ophthalmic research Award, research to Prevent Blindness; Pittsburgh Magazine 40 under 40

Nathaniel Rosi, Chancellor’s Distinguished research Award (Junior)

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Kent Harries, named Fellow of the International Institute for Fiber reinforced Polymer in Construction (IIFC)

Anthony T. Iannacchione, invited to serve on the Mine Safety and health research Advisory Committee of the Centers for Disease Control by Past Secretary of health and human Services, Kathleen Sebelius

Julie Vandenbossche, named Professor of the Year by the Pittsburgh Section of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

ELECTRICAL AND COMPuTER ENGINEERING

yiran Chen, outstanding new Faculty Award, ACM SIGDA

Irvin Jones, national Academies of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium participant

Steven Levitan, Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award, university of Pittsburgh; named Fellow of the IEEE

John Pittner and Marwan Simaan, outstanding Paper Award from the Metal Industry Committee of the IEEE Industry Application Society (IAS)

INDuSTRIAL ENGINEERING

Bopaya Bidanda, Chancellor’s Distinguished Public Service Award, university of Pittsburgh

M. Ravi Shankar, IIE outstanding Early Career IE in Academia Award

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE

Daniel Cole, named Director of the Swanson School’s nuclear Engineering Program

Giovanni P. Galdi, awarded the Mercator Professorship by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German research Foundation)

C. Isaac Garcia and Jeffrey Vipperman, Association for Iron & Steel Technology’s 2014 rolls Technology Award for Best Paper

Anne Robertson, Graduate of the Executive leadership in Academic Technology and Engineering (ElATE), Drexel university; named inaugural Director of the Swanson School Center for Faculty Excellence

Jörg Wiezorek, elected leader for the Focused Interest Group (FIG) on Electron Crystallography and Automated Mapping Techniques of the Microscopy Society of America (MSA)

Swanson School of Engineering 2014 Faculty Awards

f a c u l t y a w a r D S 2 0 1 4

25 S W A n S o n S C h o o l o F E n G I n E E r I n G

BIOENGINEERING

Angela Beck, honorable mention, Goldwater Scholarship

Patrick Bianconi, Brackenridge Fellow

Jahnelle Jordan, Brackenridge Fellow

Sandesh Raj, university honors College Scholarship

Karuna Relwani, Brian Rhindress and Nathan Smialek, named university Innovation Fellows by the national Center for Engineering Pathways to Innovation

Nathan Smialek, university honors College Scholarship

CHEMICAL AND PETROLEuM ENGINEERING

Ian Abrahamsen, university honors College Scholarship

David Palm, Churchill Scholarship

Haotian "Howard" Wang, 2013 national Co-op Student of the Year, American Society of Engineering Education’s Cooperative Education Division; Co-op Student of the Year, Swanson School of Engineering

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Blaise Bucha, American Bridge leadership Award, ASCE Pittsburgh Section

Jesse Wagner, Dylan Soller and Ivan Chauca, participants in the Mid-Colonial District of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) Collegiate Traffic Bowl competition in harrisburg

George Gregory zaimes, nSF Graduate research Fellowship

ELECTRICAL AND COMPuTER ENGINEERING

Stephanie Cortes, Brackenridge Fellow

Emily Crabb, Goldwater Scholarship

Michael Doucette, Christopher Scioscia and zachary Smith, IEEE Power & Energy Society Scholarship Plus Initiative Co-recipients

Brandon Grainger, PhD, Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition Presentation Award

INDuSTRIAL ENGINEERING

Gian-Gabriel Garcia, Swanson School Co-op Student of the Year; national Intern of the Year Award through the Cooperative and Experiential Education Division of the American Society of Engineering Education

Prathmesh Kocheta and Akshay Oka, Second Place, Simio Student Simulation Competition

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND MATERIALS SCIENCE

Rachel Meyer, Fulbright Scholar

GEORGE WASHINGTON PRIzE

winner: Michael P. Nites (IE ‘15)

finalists: Hunter S. Eason (BioE ’14) Karuna N. Relwani (BioE ’14)

Semi-finalists: Blaise A. Bucha (CEE ’14) Christopher J. Siviy (BioE ’14) Roger C. Walker (MEMS ’14)

S t u D E n t a w a r D S 2 0 1 4

2014 Student Awards

Fall 2014 Swanson School Senior Design EXPO: A Focus on Sustainability – December 4, 2014

Best Project: Medical Product Prototyping, EZ-Tract. Margaret Evans, Matthew niesslein, nick Scangas

Best Sustainability: Engineers for a Sustainable World, Electromechanical Wind Belt: An Alternative Wind Energy Collection Method. James Braza, Michael Shanahan, robert Thacker, Jacob Wolfman, Sam Waters

People’s Choice: MEMS, Pull-to-Close V4l handle Accessory. Jason Galletta, David McFadien, Denise Widdowson, Aaron lenzi

Bioengineering First Place: luer-lock Securing Device for Children. Kimberly Daloise, Drake Pedersen, Samuel luketich, hannah Voorhees, Alexander Christie (Advisor: Dr. Mark Gartner)

Civil and Environmental First Place: Design and Installation of a Potable Water Supply System to a native Village in Panama. Anna herold, ryan Ferguson, Steven oldrati, Elese hiergesell, Doug Kopp, Christopher Pogue-Geile (Advisors: Dr. John oyler, Dr. Dan Budny)

Electrical and ComputerFirst Place: rFID Strain and Temperature Sensor Powered by Powercast Technology. Kieran Peleaux (Advisor: Dr. Kevin Chen)

Industrial First Place: uPMC Birmingham Free Clinic (BFC) - Program for health Care to underserved Populations (PhCuP) Analysis of and Improvement of Clinic\’s Inventory System. Sean Flanagan Jr., Jake Coloney, Joseph Macdonald, Dalton hale (Advisors: Dr. Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Dr. Bryan norman)

Mechanical and Materials Science First Place: Pull-to-Close V4l handle Accessory. Jason Galletta, David McFadien, Denise Widdowson, Aaron lenzi (Advisors: Dr. David Schmidt, Eaton)

Product Realization First Place: Creation of Degradable Dental Implant. Dhanalakshmi Thiyagarajan, nicholas Cox, Yiqi Yu (Advisors: Andrew Brown and Dr. howard Kuhn)

Medical Product Prototyping First Place: EZ-Tract. Margaret Evans, Matthew niesslein, nick Scangas (Advisor: Dr. Kilichan Gurleyik)

Engineers for Sustainable Development and Engineers for a Sustainable World First Place: ESD-2: Deep Brain Stimulation. Andrew Macgregor, Sagar Patel, Gerald Ferrer, Michael urich, Shweta ravichandar, Shruti Vempati, Cailin Grey, nicholas Davis, Erin Yingling, Alex huber (Advisors: Dr. Mark richardson, Dr. robert Turner, Dr. Douglas Weber)

262 0 1 4 • A n n u A l r E P o r T

S t a t i S t i c S

graduate enrollment in the Swanson School

Sat Scores, incoming first-years, Swanson School

undergraduate enrollment in the Swanson School

engineering endowment: book and market Value increasesGoal: $100 Million

market Value

book Value

research productivity in the Swanson SchoolResearch Expenditures ($ Millions)

interdisciplinary

School

Undergraduate students Maxwell Praniewicz and Shruti Vempati working with 3-D printers in the Swanson Center for Product Innovation.

Back cover – Pictured left to right are Marcus Jordan, John Maclaughlin, Jann Grovogui, Sagar Patel, Annmarie Grant and Julissa Garcia

uNIVERSITy OF PITTSBuRGH Swanson School of engineering 104 Benedum hall 3700 o’hara Street Pittsburgh, PA 15261

engineering.pitt.edu