2005 News
Aggie Astronaut Steve Robinson
Astronaut Steve Robinson gave the first College of Engineering Dean's Distinguished Lecture of the 2005-06 series on Sunday, December 4, at Jackson Hall of the Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at UC Davis. Robinson also received the UC Davis Medal, the highest honor given by the campus to recognize individuals for their unique and extraordinary contributions to the university and the broader community of learning.
Caption:Alumni Steve Robinson turns the camera on himself Aug. 3 during his repair job underneath Discovery. The shuttle's heat shield, where Robinson removed a pair of protruding gap fillers, is reflected in his visor.
Robinson, a 1978 graduate of the UC Davis College of Engineering and the veteran of three space shuttle missions, shared with the capacity audience his experiences aboard space shuttle Discovery this past summer. Robinson made history on the Discovery mission as the first person to perform in-flight repairs to the shuttle exterior. His talk included NASA footage of his space walks on the mission, including breathtaking views of the shuttle exterior against the background of space and planet Earth. He also showed his own video of life inside Discovery and on the International Space Station and shared with the audience a heart-pounding personal recording of the sounds inside the shuttle as it was rocketed into orbit.
A Web cast of Robinson's talk, "Return to Flight - Discovery's Mission to the International Space Station," can be found at http://www.news.ucdavis.edu/multimedia/default.lasso
The UC Davis tribute to Robinson on Sunday concluded with a half-time presentation during the UC Davis/Stanford men's basketball game. (http://ucdavisaggies.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/120405aaa.html)
Caption:Chancellor Larry N. Vanderhoef presents astronaut Steve Robinson, a 1978 graduate of the College of Engineering, with the UC Davis Medal.
Caption:Steve Robinson introduces the crew of space shuttle Discovery during his Dean's Distinguished Lecture about the shuttle's mission to the International Space Station.
Posted: 12/5/05
UC Davis Grad Astronaut to Lecture at Mondavi
Posted: 12/1/05
Alumnus on Space Shuttle Discovery
College of Engineering alumni, Steve Robinson, '78, MAE , is the mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Discovery.
- http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/main/index.html
- http://www.ucdavis.edu/spotlight/0805/aggienaut.html
- http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_380.html
Posted: 8/4/05
Dean Lavernia Gives Awards to Four Outstanding College of Engineering Faculty
Dean Enrique J. Lavernia, at a reception Tuesday evening, November 15, presented outstanding faculty awards to four members of the College of Engineering. The honor comes with a $2,500 cash award to be used at the recipient's discretion.
The Outstanding Engineering Senior Career Award was given to Zuhair Munir, of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. Professor Munir was praised for being an outstanding scholar and educator during his career at UC Davis and for the effect of his intellectual leadership and academic standards on generations of students.
The Outstanding Mid-career Research Award was given to Tony Wexler, of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. In five years at UC Davis, Professor Wexler has published 40 peer-reviewed papers, for a total of 115, has brought in $18 million in grant support and obtained organized research unit status for the Air Quality Research Center.
Subhash Risbud, of the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, was given the Outstanding Engineering Teaching Award. Risbud, who consistently gets high praise from his students, was recognized for outstanding work and creativity in teaching.
The Outstanding Junior Faculty Award went to Xin Liu, of the Department of Computer Science, whose work in wireless communication networks has been described as highly original and of great importance.
Posted: 11/17/05
New Center Headed by College of Engineering's Anthony Wexler Receives $8 Million EPA Grant
Wexler, professor and expert in analyzing chemical and physical characteristics of airborne particles, directs the San Joaquin Valley Aerosol Health Effects Center that will study effects of pollution on human health. More on UC Davis News.
Posted: 11/17/05
Niemeier Appointed to Key Environmental Post
Deb Niemeier, professor of civil and environmental engineering and director of the UC Davis-Caltrans Air Quality Project, was recently named associate vice chancellor for research and the director of the John Muir Institute of the Environment.
In her new post, she will help to identify emerging environmental research issues and interdisciplinary initiatives, and work closely with the Office of Research and associate deans for research to implement new ideas for external research opportunities with industry, government agencies and other research interests.
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/
Professor Niemeier's Web page http://dn.engr.ucdavis.edu/
Posted: 11/15/05
Niemeier Named Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow
Deb Niemeier was named a 2005 Aldo Leopold Leadership Fellow at the Stanford Institute for the Environment.
Inspired by Aldo Leopold's plainspoken yet science-based approach to conservation, the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program each year selects 20 academic environmental scientists to receive training in how to communicate their work effectively to a variety of lay audiences.
Posted: 11/15/05
Bahram Ravani: 2005 Machine Design Award
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has awarded their 2005 Machine Design Award to Bahram Ravani, professor in the department of mechanical and aeronautical engineering in the College of Engineering at UC Davis.
The award recognizes eminent achievement or distinguished service in the field of machine design that is considered to include application, research, development, or teaching of machine design.
Ravani was cited for research contributions in kinematics and computer-aided design, which have provided firm scientific foundations for design; for applied work, including the development of robotics systems and machine elements; and for professional leadership within the ASME Design Engineering Division.
ASME Honors and Awards:
http://www.asme.org/Governance/Honors/Recipients_Honors_Awards_2005.cfm
Posted: 10/18/05
Jean VanderGheynst: Engineering Educator Award
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has named Jean VanderGheynst, professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, the 2005 winner of the A.W. Farrall Young Educator Award. The award was presented at the society's annual meeting in Florida.
The ASABE stated that her "enthusiasm, energy, knowledge, and commitment has made her a role model and guide for numerous university students." VanderGheynst is a recognized leader in biological engineering, particularly in integrating molecular biology with engineering. She is an executive board member of the California Organics Recycling Council and the California Compost Quality Council, and an editorial board member of Compost Science and Utilization.
ASABE Web site, with link to press release under "Awards / 2005 Major Award Recipients" http://www.asabe.org
Posted: 9/8/05
Steel Bridge Team Takes First Place!
The UC Davis College of Engineering Steel Bridge Team took FIRST PLACE overall at the national competition held this past weekend in Orlando, FL!
- http://cee.engr.ucdavis.edu/NewsEvents/news/Steelbridge/SteelBridgeTeam2005.htm
- http://www.ucdavis.edu/spotlight/0405/bridges.html
Posted: 5/31/05
Hubbard (MAE) Receives National Recognition
Professor Mont Hubbard (MAE) has been named as the first recipient of the American Society of Biomechanics Jim Hay Memorial Award for Research in Sports and Exercise Biomechanics. He will be receiving this award at the American Society of Biomechanics 29th meeting in Cleveland to be held at the end of June.
The Jim Hay Memorial Award recognizes outstanding career accomplishment and is awarded annually to an investigator who has conducted exemplary research in the area of Sports and Exercise Science Biomechanics. Selection is based on originality, quality and depth of the research and its relevance to the field of Sports and Exercise Biomechanics.
Posted: 5/26/05
Amiya Mukherjee (ChEMS) Wins Campus Teaching Award
Dr. Mukherjee is a recipient of an Academic Senate Distinguished Graduate Mentoring Award for 2005. He will be honored at a meeting of the Representative Assembly of the Academic Senate on June 9. Awards and stipends will be presented at a banquet held early in the 2006 Winter Quarter.
Posted: 5/24/05
Alumnus Astronaut Steve Robinson to Speak October 12
NASA astronaut Steve Robinson, a 1978 graduate of the UC Davis College of Engineering, will speak on Wednesday, October 12 from 12:10 to 1 p.m. at the ARC Ballroom on his recent mission on Space Shuttle Discovery. The event is open to the UC Davis campus community.
The veteran of three Space Shuttle missions, Robinson made history this August on Discovery as the first person to do in-flight repair to the Shuttle's exterior, removing gap fillers that protruded from between the protective tile skin of the orbiter and might have compromised its safe return to Earth.
Robinson began his NASA career in 1975 as an undergraduate intern at the Ames Research Center in Mountain View. A NASA research scientist in fluid dynamics and aerodynamics by 1979, he was selected as an astronaut in December 1994 and became the first UC Davis graduate to go into space in 1997.
Posted: 10/10/05
George Tchobanoglous (CEE) Honored in Colorado
Professor emeritus, George Tchobanoglous, received an honorary degree from the Colorado School of Mines at their Commencement held May 13, 2005. Along with Charles Vest of MIT, Dr. Tchobanoglous was honored for "professional contributions to the disciplines that are central to the curriculum and research interests of the institution." He has authored or co-authored over 350 technical publications including thirteen textbooks and four reference works. The textbooks are used in more than 225 colleges and universities worldwide-both in English and in translation.
Posted: 5/24/05
More Professorial Honors: A. Navrotsky And B. Gates
Alex Navrotsky (ChEMS) has been named the Wohl Lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Delaware. This is named after Kurt Wohl (1896-1962) who served on the University's chemical engineering faculty from 1945 until he retired in 1962. A lectureship to keep his memory and influence alive was established in the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1973.
Bruce Gates (ChEMS) has been given the R. Wells Moulton Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington.
Posted: 5/5/05
Zuhair Munir Award
Corey P. Neu has won the 2005 Zuhair A. Munir Award for Best Doctoral Dissertation. Dr. Neu's dissertation, "An MRI-Based Technique for Determining Three-Dimensional Deformations in Articular Cartilage Explants," was completed under the mentorship of Professor Maury L. Hull in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. Dr. Neu received his Ph.D, from the Department of Biomedical Engineering in June 2004.
The College Awards Committee, chaired by Professor Dipak Ghosal, made the selection from nine extremely competitive submissions, according to Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies Karen McDonald.
The award, which is supported by an endowment to honor former college dean and associate dean for graduate studies Zuhair Munir, will be presented to Dr. Neu during the College of Engineering Awards Ceremony Thursday, June 9, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m in Room 1065 Kemper Hall. A reception will immediately follow in Room 1003.
Posted: 5/4/05
Next official NATCAR race at UC Davis!
Friday, May 20th
Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) Ballroom
Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Autonomous race cars must complete a preset course in the shortest possible time. The course is marked by white floor tape on carpet. Underneath the tape, there is a wire carrying a 75 kHz, 100 mA alternating current.
Colleges entered in this competition are UC Davis, UC Berkeley, San Jose State University, San Francisco State University, DeVry (Calgary), UC San Diego, Florida Atlantic University, UC Los Anglels, and California State University at Sacramento.
Check out the Aggie team at http://www.ece.ucdavis.edu/natcar/
NATCAR is a student design competition sponsored by National Semiconductor and UC Davis.
Posted: 5/13/05
Tau Beta Pi fellowship goes to Erin K. Oneida, CEE
Thirty five students nationwide have won prestigious 2005-06 Tau Beta Pi graduate fellowships. One is our very own Erin K. Oneida from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering who won the Walter E. Deuchler St. Fellowship. Fellowships are awarded on the competitive criteria of high scholarship, campus leadership and service, and promise of future contributions to the engineering profession. Congratulations!
Posted: 5/3/05
One Engineering Student's Take on Study Abroad with the UC Davis Education Abroad Center
I'm a Mechanical Engineer and History major who went off to study abroad in Taiwan in the Fall of 2004. I thought I would be a bit out of place at first as a Mechanical Engineer going abroad because almost everyone there was an International Relations or Political Science person, but when I got there I barely noticed. Without any doubt, my time spent abroad was the highlight of my college experience.
We stayed in the dorms on campus, and I took a program focusing on language and history. We had the option of taking engineering courses as they are taught using English textbooks, but I decided to take a break from engineering in my time abroad. The academic program was quite rigorous, especially in electrical engineering which is very competitive in Taiwan. We took morning classes in small settings and on weekends traveled the country or went to clubs, bars, and night markets when not traveling. After hitting the clubs, it is popular to go to Karaoke houses at 4 in the morning until 8 in the morning!
This program proved to be extremely affordable, and I spent less money abroad than if I had stayed in Davis. I miss the food in Taiwan a lot along with the friends that I made. The only real thing I missed about the states besides family and friends were western style sit down toilets! There were only a few in Taiwan as most are the squatter type toilets.
Regardless, studying abroad is a great experience in my opinion and proficiency in a foreign language, such as Chinese, is a very valuable asset especially if you seek to enter the private sector upon graduation. The education abroad program was so much fun that I'm going to Shanghai for a short program this summer!
- Bryan Cheng
To learn more about education abroad and how it can fit with your academic plan, please visit http://eac.ucdavis.edu
Posted: 5/2/05
Scott Simon Accepts Prestigious Membership
Dr. Scott Simon (BME) has accepted an invitation to serve as a member of the Bioengineering, Technology and Surgical Sciences Study Section, Center for Scientific Review. Members are selected on the basis of their demonstrated competence and achievement in their scientific discipline as evidenced by the quality of their research accomplishments, publications in scientific journals, and other significant scientific activities, achievements, and honors.
Posted: 4/19/05
UC Davis team makes the DARPA cut!
The DARPA Grand Challenge is an autonomous vehicle race over an approximate 175-mile course through the Mojave Desert in the shortest time under 10 hours. DARPA announced on April 5 that 118 teams have been offered site visits as part of the qualification process for the DARPA Grand Challenge 2005. Details can be found in the attached press release and on the Web site at http://www.darpa.mil/grandchallenge/. For more information about "Team Aggie Spirit," go to http://www.teamaggiespirit.com/.
Posted: 4/6/05
Bruce Gates is winner of Giuseppe Parravano Memorial Award
Bruce Gates has been chosen as the 2005 Giuseppe Parravano Memorial Award winner for his pioneering work on metal clusters, zeolites, and bimetallic catalysts. The prize will be awarded at the Spring Symposium of the Michigan Catalysis Society on May 12 at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
Posted: 4/4/05
Daniel Sperling: National Associate for National Academies
Daniel Sperling, professor in the departments of Environmental Science and Policy and Civil Engineering, has been named a National Associate for National Academies. He is recognized for his work on environmental and energy policy, and in particular for his work on fuel cell vehicles with zero emissions.
Sperling is an international expert on transportation technology assessment, energy and environmental aspects of transportation, and transportation policy. In 2002 he received the Carl Moyer Memorial Award for Scientific Leadership and Technical Excellence from the Coalition for Clean Air, and he received the 1996 Distinguished Public Service Award from the University of California, Davis.
Posted: 3/28/05
IEEE/ACM Journal, Gusfield (CS), garners AAP award!
The American Association of Publishers (Professional and Scholarly Publishing Division) recently announced the 2004 award winners and honorable mentions in 25 areas. In the "Best New Journal in any Category," the Honorable Mention was awarded to The IEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. Dan Gusfield (CS) is the founding Editor-in-Chief. More information about the journal can be found at http://www.computer.org/tcbb/.
Posted: 2/22/05
Professor Emeritus Wm. J. Chancellor Elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Professor Emeritus William J. Chancellor has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). According to the announcement from NAE, Professor Chancellor was recognized "for contributions to the understanding of, and engineering innovations for, agricultural technology in the United States and developing countries."
Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer. Academy membership honors those who have made outstanding contributions to "engineering research, practice, or education, including, where appropriate, significant contributions to the engineering literature" and to the "pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education."
Professor Chancellor joins several other distinguished members of the College of Engineering at UC Davis who have been similarly honored, including Robert Fridley (elected in 1985) and George Tchobnoglous (2004).
Posted: 2/14/05
Patenting Nanotechnology Lecture
On Thursday, March 3, Mark A. Lemley, one of the nation's premier intellectual property scholars, will speak on "Patenting Nanotechnology" as part of the Law in the Information Age lecture series at the University of California, Davis. The talk is co-sponsored by the Schools of Law and Engineering at UC Davis.
The Law in the Information Age lecture series at the UC Davis School of Law brings the nation's leading legal scholars to discuss the implications of the information revolution for law.
Nanotechnology holds tremendous revolutionary promise for medicinal, engineering, and biological tasks. Patent law will influence how this technology develops. Professor Lemley will discuss the virtues and difficulties of patents with respect to nanotechnologies.
Professor Lemley is William H. Neukom Professor of Law at Stanford Law School, where he directs the Program in Law, Science and Technology. He was until recently a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and was previously a professor at the University of Texas. He is a graduate of Stanford University and Boalt Hall.
The talk will occur in the Moot Court Room at King Hall at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 3rd. There will be an additional room to accommodate any overflow audience. There will be a reception afterward in the King Hall lobby.
For information, please contact Professor Anupam Chander. “Nanoinjector” by Coneyl Jay. Used with permission.
Download lecture flyer as a pdf. Requires the free Adobe Reader.
Posted: 2/23/05
Three UC Davis Engineering Students Receive Scholarships
Members of the Sacramento Chapter of the American Public Works Association awarded three scholarships to UC Davis civil engineering students in January. The APWA scholarships of $1,400 are given annually to engineering students at Northern California universities in recognition of outstanding academic performance and proven dedication to building a career. Chapter president Theron Roschen said, "These individuals are so impressive. I am certain that as their careers evolve, they will make a positive difference in the field of Civil Engineering and their community."
Wai Ching Sun made a childhood hobby of building model shopping malls while attending primary school in Hong Kong. Sun was inspired to become a civil engineer when first visiting the Golden Gate Bridge. He plans to work in the field of earthquake engineering, and during the recent summer studied simulations of seismic motions with UC Davis professors Sashi Kunnath and Boris Jeremic.
Recipient Alicia Nicole Ambrosini already has valuable real-world experience, having got an early start working at Bay Area construction firms as a junior in high school. A participant for the Davis Chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers in the Steel Bridge engineering competition, she took shop classes to improve her knowledge of design and fabrication, and has risen to the position of co-captain for the team.
Jeffrey Keileh is recognized for his impressive academic achievements, including a high GPA for engineering coursework, and plans to pursue his interest in the study of structures by simultaneously working in the field and attending graduate school..
Posted: 2/14/05
ACS AWARD goes to Zuhair Munir
The American Ceramic Society Board of Directors has unanimously bestowed upon Zuhair Munir (ChEMS) the honor of the John Jeppson Award. Recognition of this award will be given at their Honors and Awards Banquet at their 107th Annual Meeting, April 12, 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Posted: 2/10/05
Navrotsky (ChEMS) Awarded the Spriggs Phase Equilibria
The American Ceramic Society Board of Directors unanimously bestowed upon Alexandra Navrotsky (ChEMS) the honor of the Spriggs Phase Equilibria for her paper 'Calorimetric Study of Nickel Molybdate: Heat Capacity, Enthalpy, and Gibbs Energy of Formation,' J. Am. Ceram. Society, 8{11}1927-32(2003).
Recognition of this award will be given at the Honors and Awards Banquet at their 107th Annual Meeting, April 12, 2005 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Posted: 2/7/05
Marino Named President of the American Institute of Hydrology
Miguel A. Marino (CEE, BAE) began a two-year term as President of the American Institute of Hydrology (AIH) on January 1, 2005. He served as President-Elect during the previous two years. AIH is a non-profit scientific and educational organization that offers certification to professionals in all fields of hydrology. The purpose of AIH is to enhance and strengthen the standing of hydrology as a science and a profession.
Posted: 1/31/05
Challenge X "Ride and Drive"
This year's Challenge X "Ride and Drive" event is open to participation. Join in to experience the engineering students' advanced technology vehicle in person. Challenge X is an annual competition that challenges teams of students from 17 top North American university engineering departments to re-engineer a mid-size sport utility vehicle to improve overall fuel efficiency and lower emissions while maintaining the vehicle's safety, performance and comfort levels. The program is a collaborative effort among government, industry and academic partners. In the past few years, the Challenge X team has received very high marks and set the standard for advanced electronics.
The students on the Challenge X team are organizing and hosting an informal event on January 28th, 2005 from 1-3 p.m. in the Kemper Hall Lobby, in preparation for the next Challenge X 2005 event in June. The event will begin with comments from Challenge X members. The team would also like to invite participants to either ride in or drive the UC Davis vehicles, tour their labs, and would also enjoy the opportunity to discuss what they have accomplished over the years.
Posted: 1/26/05
Chad Sterling Honored With Student Leadership Award
2005 Black Engineer Of The Year Award Winners Announced Nov 20th, 2004
BALTIMORE, MD, Nov 20th - The nation's largest - and most star-studded - gathering of black technical professionals has reached its 19th anniversary. The distinguished winners of the 2005 Black Engineer of The Year Awards have been named. Innovators who demonstrate commitment to engineering expertise, leadership and managerial dash, the winners also are recognized for contributions as role models and mentors, helping to boost the minority presence in the technology enterprise. Winners are chosen from a competitive field by an industry-wide committee in an intensive, week-long selection process.
These award-winning engineers, scientists, executives and educators - the Best of the Best - will come together in a celebration both of the accomplishments of the Black pioneers who preceded them and of their own stunning achievements, during Black History Month, 2005.
The awards annually give recognition to the African-American stereotype-breakers whose innovations shake up entire industries. Thousands gather in Baltimore, at the height of Black History Month, to learn about and celebrate the newest pioneers driving American industry to excel.
The essence of the Awards Conference is opportunities - to acquire and retain talent, to learn and network among the country's best and brightest technology minds.
Student Leadership (Graduate)
Chad D. Sterling
Computer Science Major/Intern
University of California Davis/Hewlett-Packard Company
Chad was also featured in a recent statewide CAMP (California Alliance for Minority Participation in Science, Engineering and Mathematics) newsletter:
http://www.camp.uci.edu/announcements.html
Posted: 11/23/04 Updated: 1/18/05