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Faculty and Staff in the News


Summer 2011

Residential Energy Efficiency Studied at RIT Dubai
Online resource to be created in project funded by Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy

A Rochester Institute of Technology researcher at RIT Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, is exploring ways to make residential homes there—and in hot climates anywhere—more energy efficient.

Alex Friess, an associate professor of mechanical engineering, is leading the project, which was recently awarded $27,000 from the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy.

Although energy resources—notably crude oil—aren’t particularly scarce in the Middle East relative to other parts of the planet, concerns about global climate change and finite fossil-fuel resources worldwide boost the incentive to conserve energy, Friess says.Dr. Friess

Alex Friess, an associate professor of mechanical engineering at RIT Dubai, is leading a research project exploring ways to make residential homes more energy efficient. The project recently received $27,000 from the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy. The image at right shows an infrared photograph of hot, outside air infiltrating a window frame.

The United Arab Emirates has one of the highest per capita energy consumption and carbon-dioxide emission rates, he says—adding to the urgency for renewable energy sources and, equally important, energy conservation in a climate requiring significant cooling much of the year.

The RIT Dubai Residential Energy Assessment Centre will conduct local field studies of residential villas and explore energy-saving alternatives in both the design and “post-occupancy” stages. Researchers will measure the effects of factors such as shading options, insulation, roof treatments, windows and ventilation. Findings, to be reported publicly online, will be a resource for architects, engineers, scientists, homeowners and others.

“While the generation of clean energy represents the most visible avenue to decrease the UAE’s high per-capita CO2 production, the potential and practice of improving energy efficiency often takes second stage—driven primarily by aesthetics,” Friess says.

“This project will help quantify potential energy savings in residences and provide a platform for continuing studies and to promote energy efficiency practices to the general public.”

Friess received the award as part of an Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy competition promoting energy efficiency in the United Arab Emirates and supported by ExxonMobil and Abu Dhabi Gas Industries.

“Energy efficiency is one of the largest and lowest-cost ways to extend energy supplies and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Morten Mauritzen, president of ExxonMobil Affiliates in Abu Dhabi. The firm provided $1 million to the project as part of a $5 million commitment to the Emirates Foundation.

RIT Dubai’s Sustainable Energy and Energy Efficiency Group, led by Friess, is also studying the performance of a variety of “e-mobility” (electric vehicle) solutions in the United Arab Emirates (from sustainability, technological and economic standpoints) and the deployment of sustainable energy technology in extreme climates.
June 15, 2011
by Michael Saffran

Spring 2011

Margaret Bailey receives Edwina Award for gender diversity.

Whether through educational programming, research in gender equity or mentoring students, Margaret Bailey has been a longtime supporter of women’s success at Rochester Institute of Technology. She was recently awarded the 2011 Edwina Award for these efforts at the sixth annual Women’s Career Achievement Dinner at RIT.

Bailey, a professor of mechanical engineering in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, is the founding member of the women in engineering program, WE@RIT. The organization hosts numerous outreach and community-building programs each year for middle- and high-school-age girls and provides academic and career support for young women in RIT’s engineering programs. She acts as mentor, teacher and researcher. Additionally, she co-chairs the President’s Commission on Women helping to create strategies to increase the representation of female undergraduate students and improve recruitment, retention and advancement of female faculty at RIT.

The EdwinMargaret Baileya Award for Gender Diversity and Inclusiveness is given by the Center for Women and Gender to honor staff and faculty that have made gender diversity at RIT a significant part of their work. It is named for Edwina Hogadone, who was appointed dean of the College of Business in 1960, becoming the first female dean at RIT and the first female dean of a college of business in the U.S.

This is the second year that a member of the Kate Gleason College of Engineering has been recognized for efforts to support and advocate for women at the university. In 2010, Harvey Palmer, dean of the engineering college, was recognized for his support of increasing the acceptance, retention and graduation rates of young women in the engineering programs.

Nearly 600 people attended the event on May 2 at RIT’s Gordon Field House. It is sponsored by the Center for Women and Gender, the RIT Leadership Institute and the Office of Alumni Relations.

The annual dinner highlights the accomplishments of female students who have excelled in academics, community service and leadership activities, as well as successful alumnae from each of the colleges. The Women’s Career Achievement Certificate program provides an understanding of leadership as it relates to women by helping participants develop confidence when entering leadership roles or their chosen career fields. Certificates were awarded to: Jodie Chibi, Georgeanne Hogan, Emily Levine, Katherine McCooey, Roberta Ofori, Rauncie Ryan, Molly Sebastian, Victoria Mac Pherson and Yamile Rodriguez.

Alumnae recognized at the event include: Alison Tyler ’97, ’01, technical director, Beacon Converters Inc., and adjunct professor, packaging science; Susan Smith-Hartmann ’89, chief sonographer, Genesee Valley OB/GYN; Lisa Stauch Smith ’85, senior manager, The Camden Group; Jackie Schertz ’83, ’97, practicum coordinator, ASLIE, NTID; Michelle Koplitz ’08, public health analyst, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Service Administration; Paula Yandow-Reilly ’03, lead programmer analyst, University of Rochester; Jenny Cisney ’99, chief blogger, Eastman Kodak Co.; Megan Thompson ’06, ’08, test manager and agile coach, Xerox Corp.; and Cynthia Gray ’07, managing director, RIT and Rochester General Health Systems Alliance.


Spring 2011

Robert Stevens has been granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Steven Day has been granted tenure and promoted to Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering


John Wellin
has been promoted to Senior Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering


Timothy Landschoot
has been promoted to Senior Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering

Winter 2011

Faculty and staff provide strong Pillars of Hope to area elementary students

At first, it was hard for the students to imagine that the tall professor in the suit used to be a seventh grader just like them. But when Chance Glenn started to talk about his life growing up, then showed them his grammar school photo, they heard a story about a boy’s perseverance and a grown man’s dream of being a teacher realized. The students made the connection that there were possibilities for them, too.

Glenn and his RIT colleagues are part of the Pillars of Hope program, a City of Rochester initiative, where teams of local professionals adopt an elementary or middle school in the Rochester City School District. Team members visit classrooms, lead activities and infuse the learning with real-world stories and examples of how the adults overcame obstacles that the students might encounter in their own quest for success.

The RIT Pillars of Hope group is 2 years old and 48 members strong, says Mechanical Engineering Staff Member Venessa Mitchell, the RIT team organizer. She leads the group, often 10 at a time, for visits to Laurie Payne’s seventh grade class at Nathaniel Rochester Community School in Corn Hill.Students from Nathaniel Rochester Community
              School participated with the RIT Pillars of Hope group in
              a Jeopardy-style program during Black Awareness Month. The
              Pillars of Hope program, a City of Rochester initiative,
              pairs area elementary or middle schools with local
              professionals. RIT’s Pillars of Hope group is two-years
              old and has participants from the ranks of faculty and
              staff.

RIT’s Pillars of Hope team is preparing for its upcoming session, a Jeopardy-styled game show. They will play the popular trivia game with the students Feb. 18 at the school to enhance students’ understanding of the significant contributions of African Americans in business, science and the arts.

“The teacher was so excited to see all the men that had come because some of the kids don’t have fathers in their homes,” says Mitchell, an administrative financial coordinator in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. “There is a fair amount of women participating, but there is really a lot of men committed to the programs.” In the United States, less than half of all African American males will complete high school, one third between the ages of 20-29 are in correctional facilities and 69 percent of African American students cannot read at their grade level in the fourth grade, according to researchers at the National PTA and Human Rights Watch. Programs like Pillars of Hope look to change that.

The participation of male professionals from RIT can provide the role models necessary to increase the percentages of young, African American males completing high school and aspiring to college, Glenn explains.

“We want to show that there are possibilities,” says Glenn, associate dean of RIT Graduate Studies. “We were like them once. We can tell our stories of how we grew up, how we became professionals. And we are hearing their stories through this program.”

Glenn’s activity with the photographs took place during last year’s program, and it was about overcoming adversity. He asked all the RIT participants to bring copies of photos from their elementary school years to show the students.

“I had to call my mother for a photo,” says Mitchell, laughing.

The photos were cut up like puzzle pieces, and the students had to piece them back together. They were then read a short story about that individual’s experience growing up. They’d win prizes for guessing which adult mentor was the ‘child’ in the photo. Glenn expects to do the activity again in this year’s program.

The message was also about how there are many pieces of an individual’s life and situations that occur over time that make you who you are, says Mitchell who participated on the Pillars of Hope team at the University of Rochester where she worked before coming to RIT.

“RIT is big on community service. I just felt like there was an opportunity to do something like this,” she says.

The team will measure the success of the program, following the students and assisting them as they begin to think about professional life and education, especially college, Glenn adds. “Even though many of the students are at risk, they are beautiful, with their bright eyes—we want the light to stay lit.”

To learn more about the RIT Pillars of Hope group, contact Venessa Mitchell by phone 475-2162 or email vmmeme@rit.edu.


Spring 2010

Alan Nye Becomes Six-Time Winner of Society of Automotive Engineers Faculty Advisor Award ... International award given in recognition of longtime support to student-engineers

 

The Society of Automotive Engineers International recognized Alan Nye, professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, with the 2009 Faculty Advisor Award. This marks the sixth time the professor of mechanical engineering in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering has received the prestigious award.

 

"I am honored to receive this award from SAE, but I am more honored to work with the students that get involved with the design competition teams, particularly the Formula SAE RIT team," says Nye, who has been advisor to the RIT chapter of SAE since 1978 and advisor to the RIT Formula SAE Racecar team since 1991. "Their involvement on this project gives them such a boost for their careers that it gives me tremendous pleasure just to be a part of it."

 

Alan Nye won Faculty Advisor Award from the Society of Automotive Engineers for his mentoring and academic support of student-engineers, particularly those like, Matt Smith (left), project manager for the RIT SAE Formula Racecar Team.

 

Nye has received numerous awards for his role as mentor and advisor to the team as well as undergraduates in the college.

 

"Dr. Nye is not only supportive, but extremely generous," says Kursten O’Neill, a fourth-year mechanical engineering student who is also a member of the Formula team. "The RIT Formula SAE Racing Team would not be the successful racing team it is today if it was not for Dr. Nye."

 

The Faculty Advisor Award is given annually to college faculty who support and develop undergraduate engineering students, particularly acting as advisors to the collegiate automotive design series teams. The award was given at the 2010 SAE World Congress held April 13-15 in Detroit.

 

Spring 2010

Kate Leipold Named FIRST Robotics Volunteer of the Year

 

Juggling 40 robots, nearly 1,000 students, mentors and volunteers plus coordinating two days worth of team matches takes precision, patience and humor. Kate Leipold made it look easy. For her efforts, the engineering instructor from Rochester Institute of Technology was named 2010 FIRST Robotics Outstanding Volunteer for the Finger Lakes Region.

 

"I'm very proud to be awarded the outstanding volunteer award," says Leipold, an instructor in the mechanical engineering department in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering.

 

It takes approximately 100 volunteers a day, Wednesday through Saturday, to pull the competition together. "I've been lucky to have really great volunteers that come back year after year and work tirelessly to make the Finger Lakes Regional well respected as one of the smoothest run regional events around," Leipold explains about the team that includes college students, retired business and engineering professionals, team mentors and individuals she describes as "friends of FIRST."

 

"Kate has been a tremendous help organizing the dozens of volunteers necessary to make the Finger Lakes event run smoothly," says Richard Bryant, Finger Lakes Regional Planning Committee chairperson. "It takes dedicated volunteers like Kate to make the Finger Lakes Regional at RIT the fun and exciting competition that we have come to expect."

 

Leipold, a resident of Irondequoit, N. Y., received her bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering from RIT. She also has a long history with FIRST Robotics. She is faculty adviser to the FIRST robotics club at RIT and has been a mentor to several local high school teams.

 

"When I started in 1997, there were three Rochester teams, sponsored by Xerox, Kodak and Harris RF. We traveled to New Jersey, New York City and Cleveland for regional competitions," she says. "Gradually, several more teams joined in, and we were still travelling for competitions.

 

"In 2003 there were six local teams. Shortly after that it was announced that Rochester would host a regional competition," she explains. "At this year's competition, more than 20 high schools from the local area had teams competing. The kids are still incredibly enthusiastic, the mentors are still dedicated, and the sponsors are even more generous."

 

This is the second award Leipold has won for service to FIRST. In 2008 she received the Woodie Flowers Award, another of the prestigious awards given to mentors who lead, inspire and empower teams and demonstrate excellence in teaching science, mathematics and creative design. She was nominated by the team she mentored at Churchville Chili High School.

 

Winter 2010

William Humphrey has been appointed as a lecturer of mechanical engineering at RIT.

Bill is an accomplished mechanical engineer experienced in industrial product development testing and testing systems optimization as well as engineering education. His formal education at Carnegie Mellon University was in the area of atomization and sprays and at Case Western Reserve University he studied aerospace engineering. Bill is committed to enabling students to develop intuitive understanding of fundamental concepts to maximize their ability to retain and successfully apply the concepts beyond the classroom.  Bill was previously a Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and earned his M.S. from Case Western Reserve University in 1992 and his B.S. from Case Western Reserve University in 1987.

Bill has taught as an adjunct faculty member here in mechanical engineering since 2002. He has taught "Intro to Automotive Engineering" a number of times, and has taught Fluid Mechanics once. Bill will be teaching multiple Materials Science Labs and Intro to Automotive Engineering this winter quarter, and will be getting trained into other courses in our curriculum at the same time. In addition to his formal training in Aerospace Engineering, Bill has nearly a decade of industrial work experience in the Automotive Industry with Delphi and Trialon Corporations. He has outstanding laboratory experience, and while working at Delphi, he

  • Performed imaging, laser-diffraction particle sizing, high-speed video, and patternation on prototype, production, and competitor gasoline fuel injectors for both port-fueled and direct-injection applications.
  • Reduced laboratory test request initiation rework by 90% with transactional six-sigma process redesign project.
  • Reduced data analysis time on patternation testing by 75% with automated batch processing macros.
  • Scheduled gasoline direct-injection fuel injector performance testing to balance program priorities with testing equipment availability and cycle times.
  • Maintained quality-control metrics of test equipment using six-sigma statistical analysis to ensure valid test data for design validation testing.
  • Led refurbishment effort for obsolescent injector flow test stand to increase laboratory throughput and provide test capability redundancy.

Fall 2009

Mario Gomes has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Mario Gomes earned his PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Cornell University, his Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell.

 

An experienced teacher, Dr. Gomes previously served as a lecturer at Arizona State University. He previously worked as a Project Engineer at O;Brien and Gere Manufacturing, and as a Control Systems Engineer at Atlantic Orient corporation. He earlier help a co-op position at the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, CA. While at O'Brien and Gere, Dr. Gomes conducted Concept and Detailed Mechanical design and project management for custom furnaces, loaders, and  other machinery, Designed, programmed, and performed start-up of electrical controllers for furnaces and machinery, wrote operation manuals for control systems, and Trained others in the operation of the furnaces and machinery.

 

Fall 2009

Karuna Koppula has been appointed as a visiting assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

Karuna recently completed her PhD in Chemical Engineering at Michigan State University with her dissertation entitled "Universal Realizable Anisotropic Prestress Closure for the Normalized Reynolds Stress". She holds an MS degree in Chemical Engineering from theUniversity of New Hampshire, and a Bachelor's degree from Andhra University.

While an engineer at Bechtel National Inc, she conducted Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Simulations of a Pulse Jet Mixer, which investigated simulations of a Pulse Jet Mixer involving multiphase flow turbulence using Fluent to study particle accumulation and suspension characteristics, compared predictions using different turbulence models in Fluent and studied design improvisations, and conducted post-processing of data for simulations involving heat transfer analysis of a storage unit.

Spring 2009

RIT's Satish Kandlikar Receives Rochester Engineer of the Year Award

Satish Kandlikar, professor at the Kate Gleason College of Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology was named this year's Leo H. East Engineer of the Year. The prestigious award is given annually by the Rochester Engineering Society to recognize an individual's contributions to the engineering profession.

"This was truly a team effort – of the students, staff and administration in the college," Kandlikar says. "These things do not happen to just a lone person. This was a collective success. I feel that this recognition is really about the countless students, who opened their minds in pursuit of knowledge."

Kandlikar has been a member of the RIT mechanical engineering department since 1980. He was recognized for his research activities, teaching excellence and contributions to the engineering discipline.

His research areas include fuel cells, flow boiling, critical heat flux, contact line heat transfer and advanced cooling techniques. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, editor of the journal Heat Transfer Engineering and founder of the E-Cubed Fair, a science and engineering fair held annually at RIT for area middle school students.

In 1997, he was presented with RIT's Eisenhart Outstanding Teaching Award. Outside of the classroom, he manages the Thermal Analysis Lab and advises graduate and Ph.D. students.

The award was presented at the 107th Rochester Engineering Society Annual Gala at on March 14 at the Riverside Convention Center.

Winter 2009

RIT Receives Grant to Study Recruitment, Retention and Advancement of Female Faculty in ‘STEM' Programs

Rochester Institute of Technology was selected as one of 11 schools to receive a prestigious Institutional Transformation Catalyst grant through the National Science Foundation's ADVANCE program. The catalyst grant for $200,000 was awarded for the proposal "Establishing the Foundation for Future Organizational Reform and Transformation @ RIT."  The proposal was developed by a cross functional team of faculty and staff who have embarked on a two-year study across five RIT colleges.

IT-Catalyst grants support institutional self-assessment activities focused on the recruitment, retention and promotion of female faculty in science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments, commonly called STEM disciplines within higher education.  The goal of the research is to identify barriers for our current women STEM faculty in regards to rank, tenure and leadership role progression," says Margaret Bailey, Kate Gleason Chair and associate professor, Kate Gleason College of Engineering and EFFORT@RIT principal investigator.

The team has started to analyze historical data available from Human Resources, Faculty Recruitment and Institutional Research and Policy Studies, departments at RIT specific to hiring, tenure, promotion and retention. The project team will be developing a climate study based on this data that will be launched fall of 2009.  EFFORT @ RIT is a means to assess the best practices and developmental needs of faculty within the STEM programs to ensure a diverse workforce, encourage leadership opportunities within the profession and provide role models to young women who also look to take their place within STEM fields. "In academia, institutions receiving ADVANCE grants have been recognized as those at the forefront of institutional change in the area of gender inclusiveness and equity within faculty ranks," Bailey says.

Fall 2008

Jason Kolodziej  has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2008

David Gee has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

Summer 2008

Margaret Bailey wins Women in Science honors.


Kate Gleason was a pioneering engineer and business executive who was the first female member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the first female U.S. bank president. She was also a major Rochester activist and prominent benefactor of RIT whose legacy of giving has been continued by the Gleason family up to the present day.

RIT has worked to honor Gleason’s accomplishments in a number of ways but none more important than its continued efforts to expand opportunities for women and minorities in science and engineering, efforts that have recently won national recognition.

The Women in Engineering Program, also known as WE@RIT, received the 2008 Women in Engineering Program Award from the Women in Engineering Proactive Network, or WEPAN, which recognizes college and university programs that are working to enhance the entrance of women in engineering fields as well as expanding educational opportunities in science and math for women of all ages. The award was presented to WE@RIT at the network’s national conference in July in St. Louis. Margaret Bailey

In addition, Margaret Bailey, director of the We@RIT program received the Women in Science Award from the Maria Mitchell Association, a national engineering and science education center and museum named for America’s first professional woman astronomer.

“We are extremely honored to receive these two prestigious awards, and I would like to personally thank WEPAN and the Maria Mitchell Association for their recognition of our efforts,” notes Bailey, who also serves as the Kate Gleason Endowed Chair and associate professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

WE@RIT was founded in 2003 within RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, the only engineering college in the country named for a woman, to recruit and retain women in engineering disciplines and promote enthusiasm and understanding of engineering concepts among elementary and secondary students and educators.

The program focuses on comprehensive college and pre-college outreach, recruitment, and community building initiatives—offering numerous training sessions, on campus events and camps throughout the year. Presently, the program reaches over 2,300 engineering students, K-12 students and educators.

“It is our hope that the continued efforts of RIT and organizations such as WEPAN and the Maria Mitchell Association will enhance Kate Gleason’s legacy and promote the continued advancement of women and minorities in science and engineering,” adds Bailey. “All of us involved in the WE@RIT program hope we soon are able to say that the Kate Gleason College of Engineering is one of several engineering colleges recognizing the accomplishments of America’s women engineers.”

 


Spring 2008

Kate Nordland

2008 Rochester Finger Lakes Regional Competition

Kate Nordland of Greece, an RIT instructor of mechanical engineering, FIRST planning committee volunteer and mentor to the Churchville-Chili FIRST team, received the Regional Woodie Flowers Award, presented to an outstanding engineer for teaching excellence.

Spring 2008

Risa Robinson

Professor takes methodical approach in smoking study

‘Smoking machine' measures particle inhalation and effects on human body

Research at RIT is seeking to enhance knowledge surrounding the impact of smoking on human health. Risa Robinson, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is utilizing computational modeling, medical imaging and mechanical simulation to illustrate how individual particles inhaled with cigarette smoke affect the body and how they travel from the lungs to other organs.

The effort includes the construction of a smoking machine, built and designed by RIT students, which will be used to simulate how these particles build up over time and the impact the process can have on damaging the body's particle-clearance mechanisms. They are particularly interested in the impact smoking has on teenagers, whose lungs are affected to a greater extent due to having smaller airways. The research is funded through a grant from the American Cancer Society and is being conducted in cooperation with RIT's Departments of Medical and Biological Sciences and Medical Illustration.

"Previous research on the impact of particle deposits has focused on inundating laboratory samples with toxins and studying the response, the so-called ‘avalanche' approach," notes Robinson. "The work at RIT uses a ‘snowflake' method whereby particles are allowed to build up over time, as they would in the body."

Robinson believes her research can provide better evidence of the real-time effects of smoking and more properly link how particle buildup impacts numerous systems in the body. She also hopes to shed light on how these particles can impact passive smokers, through secondhand smoke, and use her data in additional types of particle analysis, including studying the impacts of nanoparticles and allergens.

"Through the use of new computational and imaging technologies we can learn more than ever before about how particle inhalation and buildup affect human health," Robinson adds. "This information will increase our knowledge of the negative effects of smoking and air pollution, while also providing needed information to enhance treatment, including better application of inhaled medications."

Robinson's collaborators include Kathleen Lamkin Kennard, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, and Richard Doolittle, professor and head of the Department of Allied Health Sciences, both at RIT; Todd Pagano, assistant professor of science and mathematics and Director of the Laboratory Science Technology program in RIT's National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and undergraduate and graduate student researchers.

 

Spring 2007

Edward Hensel

2007 Rochester Finger Lakes Regional Competition

Edward Hensel, of Fairport, an RIT professor of mechanical engineering and a  mentor for the Fairport High School "Blue Lightning," sponsored by Gleason Corp., received the Regional Woodie Flowers Award, presented to an outstanding engineer for teaching excellence.

Fall 2007

Tuhin Das has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2007

Marca Lam has been appointed as a lecturer of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2006

Satish Kandlikar       October 24, 2006

CONGRESSMAN JOHN R. RANDY KUHL, JR. (NY-29)  ANNOUNCES FUNDS FOR ALTERNATIVE FUEL RESEARCH

$2.7 million will go to RIT and GM to study fuel cells

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Rep. John R. Randy Kuhl, Jr. (R-Hammondsport) announced the award of a $2.7 million grant for the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), in concert with the General Motors facility in Honeoye Falls, for expanded federal research into automotive fuel cell development. The grant was made by the U.S. Department of Energy.   "The ground-breaking work that RIT and GM are doing in alternative fuels right here in our backyard is impressive and vital to our nation's energy independence," said Rep. Kuhl. "These funds will be used to further study how to resolve the water transport issues which can cause negative performance and keeps fuel cells from becoming a viable alternative fuel for commercial purposes. I'm proud of the researchers at RIT and GM for their incredible work in this field and thank the Department of Energy for recognizing that work in this way."

"RIT can play an important role in the future of how we power our homes and cars," Energy Secretary Samuel W. Bodman said. "I thank Congressman Kuhl for his leadership in recognizing the need to develop alternative energy sources here in the United States. It's possible that hydrogen may be the key to weaning our nation off of petroleum and thereby reducing our reliance on foreign nations for our energy. The work that is being done at RIT and around the country brings promise of a more energy secure future for America."

"The Department of Energy is committed to breaking our addiction to oil by creating a diverse portfolio of clean, affordable and domestically produced energy choices," Secretary Bodman continued. "We expect hydrogen to play an integral role in our energy portfolio and we are eager to see hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on the road in the near future."

Dr. Albert Simone, President, Rochester Institute of Technology said, "This grant represents an excellent example of higher education-industry collaboration, demonstrating that universities are not only strong partners in, but also drivers of today's economy. It is great news for RIT, the Greater Rochester region and New York State as a whole."

Dr. Harvey Palmer, Dean, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology, said "I am especially pleased and proud that RIT has received this grant not only because it addresses an area of critical importance to the nation but also because it was earned through rigorous peer review."

Dr. Satish Kandlikar, the James E. Gleason Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Kate Gleason College of Engineering, Rochester Institute of Technology said "Developing alternative energy sources requires the latest technological tools to overcome complex scientific and engineering challenges. We are excited to be awarded this project in partnership with Dr. Trabold at General Motors and Dr. Allen at Michigan Technological University. We hope our efforts will contribute in advancing automotive hydrogen fuel cell technology and allow the United States to gain leadership in the world market. We are eager to meet the challenges that lie ahead of us with the help of our talented and dedicated students at RIT."

Advanced research associated with this award directly furthers the goals of the President's Hydrogen Fuel Initiative (HFI), an integral part of the President's Advanced Energy Initiative. The HFI seeks to make it practical and cost-effective for large numbers of Americans to choose to purchase fuel cell vehicles by 2020. It primarily involves increasing research and development of hydrogen technologies including hydrogen production from diverse domestic sources; hydrogen storage and; polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. The President's 2007 budget requests $289 million for the HFI, an increase of $53 million over FY 2006, to accelerate the development of hydrogen fuel cells and affordable hydrogen-powered cars. As a result the President's investment in this initiative, the cost of a hydrogen fuel cell has been cut by more than 50 percent in just four years.

Fuel cells use hydrogen and oxygen to create electricity, with only water and heat as byproducts. They can power small portable devices and provide heat and electricity to buildings, and they can be used to power vehicles, with two to three times the efficiency of traditional internal combustion technologies. Fuel cells are currently more expensive than internal combustion engines, however, and have difficulty maintaining performance over the full useful life of the system.

The problem associated with water transport occurs when electricity is produced by a fuel cell as a result of an electrochemical reaction producing protons (hydrogen ions). Thos protons have to move across the membrane of a fuel cell and can only do that if water is present. Too much water can flood the fuel cell and too little causes the membrane to dry out. If either one happens, the fuel cell performance is negatively affected. So research by RIT is needed to understand how water is transported through the membrane to mitigate those problems.

Contact Information about this News Release:

Bob Van Wicklin

Deputy Chief of Staff  to Rep. John R. "Randy" Kuhl, Jr. (NY-29)

 

Fall 2006

Benjamin Varela has been recognized as one of Rochester's Emerging Latino Leaders by the Rochester Publication ConXion, to honor the contributions of Hispanics to our community during Hispanic Heritage History Month. Varela was recognized for his major accomplishments which include: Varela is the faculty advisor to the RIT section of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and is actively involved with the Northstar Center at RIT. He has published his research on Geopolymeric materials internationally, and has worked with small businesses in Rochester on technology development. In 2005, Dr. Varela was recognized by the NTID for his commitment to equal access for students with disabilities.

 

Fall 2006

Kathleen Lamkin Kennard has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2006

Marca Lam has been appointed visiting associate professor of mechanical engineering at RIT. Dr. Lam is filling in for Dr. Kevin Kochersberger, who is on leave during the 2006-07 academic year. 

 

Fall 2005

Steven Day has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2005

Robert Stephens has been appointed as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at RIT.

 

Fall 2005

Margaret Bailey has been awarded tenure in mechanical engineering. Dr. Bailey, Associate Professor, and Kate Gleason Endowed Chair, is leading college efforts focused on increasing women in engineering program providing outreach to young girls in middle school to consider engineering, science, and technology careers. At the same time, Dr. Bailey is actively engaged in her own research, and is a driving force behind the ME Department's Energy and the Environment Option.

 

Fall 2005

Elizabeth DeBartolo has been awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of mechanical engineering. Dr. DeBartolo teaches courses in the areas of materials science, and is engaged in our capstone design project course development. She engages 10 teams of students each year through NSF sponsored projects to develop assistive devices for individuals with disabilities. Dr. DeBartolo plays an important role in the development of the Bioengineering Option in mechanical engineering.

 

Spring  2005

Ramesh Shah has been awarded the coveted Donald Q. Kern Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The award is named in honor of Donald Q. Kern, a pioneer in process heat transfer, and recognizes an individual's expertise in a given field of heat transfer or energy conversion. Recipients of the award must have made significant contributions to applied heat transfer or conversion or in the translation of research results into useful technological applications. Each recipient is prepares an extensive written review on a topic of their choice, which is usually published in an AIChE publication. The award consists of a plaque and $1500. Dr. Satish Kandlikar notes that "I take particular pride as I have been associated with Ramesh for over two decades during his exemplary career at General Motores, and later requested him to join RIT to lead the ME Department's fuel cell initiative when I was the department head." 

 

Fall 2004

Risa Robinson has been awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of mechanical engineering. "Dr. Robinson exemplifies the role of a teacher-scholar amongst our faculty members here in mechanical engineering at RIT," notes department head Ed Hensel, "I forward to working with Risa as her career develops over the next several years."  Dr. Robinson's career goals are three-fold, consisting of an individual research program, collaborative relationships with other researchers, and excellence in engineering education.

 

Dr. Robinson's scholarly activity is directed towards developing a series of increasingly sophisticated lung deposition models to accurately account for morphology, air flow patterns, subject breathing variability's and particle dynamic behavior. She plans to use the models to predict carcinogen specific dosimetry, human risk assessment and toxicology relationships for all ages, specifically children with healthy and diseased lungs such as patients with asthma, bronchitis or other chronic obstructive pulmonary disorders.

 

Dr. Robinson is a central contributor in the department with respect to innovative curriculum changes, and integrating open ended projects and data acquisition tools throughout the curriculum. Dr. Robinson will continue to develop engineering programs for minorities and underrepresented persons from k-12 in engineering, by integrating her research and industry standard equipment into existing outreach activities. The department of mechanical engineering is moving forward with developing a bioengineering option at the undergraduate level, to be offered in a manner analogous to our existing automotive and aerospace engineering options. We anticipate that Dr. Robinson will play a pivotal role in this offering. Dr. Robinson introduced a new course, "ME 756 - Fundamentals of Aerosol Mechanics in Biological Systems" at the graduate level that has inspired young researchers to continue her work in applying engineering science to the study of particle deposition in the lung.

 

Fall 2004

Stephen Boedo has been awarded tenure and promoted to associate professor of mechanical engineering. "Dr. Boedo is emerging as a significant scholar among our junior faculty members here in mechanical engineering at RIT ..." notes the department head, who observes that "Steven is integrating his research interests with the educational offerings in the department and across the campus as a whole." 

 

Dr. Boedo has   introduced new courses in "Inventive Problem Solving" and "Tribology and Lubrication."  He recently took over as faculty coordinator for the Design of Machine Elements class, a core course in the ME Department, in anticipation of the retirement of Professor Budynas.

 

Dr. Boedo's scholarly activity is headed in three parallel directions. First, he specializes in the computer-aided simulation and design of mechanical systems, with particular emphasis in the design and analysis of fluid-film bearing systems. Current research studies the interaction of thin lubricant films with structurally compliant surfaces, including effects of geometric irregularity, lubricant supply, and lubricant cavitation on predicted mechanical system performance. These analysis methods have proven useful in the real-world understanding of automotive engine bearings, the nonlinear behavior of fluid-film rotors, and the lubrication of artificial human joints. Dr. Boedo's second area of research involves computer simulation and experimental testing of automotive systems and related components. Applications have included contact mechanics of pin-link surfaces in chain link systems, dynamics of engine timing chain systems, simulation and measurement of the shift dynamics in manual, automatic, and continuously variable transmissions, invention of novel dual-speed alternator drives, and modeling and measurement of cross-strand load distributions in link and roller chains.

 

Fall 2004

Lawrence Agbezuge has joined the mechanical engineering department as a Visiting Associate Professor. Prior to his appointment to the faculty, he served two years as Adjunct Professor. He brings over 25 years of industrial experience to the department along with part-time teaching experience.

 

Dr. Agbezuge received his B.S.M.E. (Honors) in 1966 from the University of Science & Technology, Ghana (awarded under the auspices of Imperial College of Science & Technology, England). He received his M.S.M.E from Columbia University, New York in 1968 and his Dr. Eng. Sci. (Ph. D.) from Columbia University in 1972. Between 2002 and 2004, he taught graduate and undergraduate courses in Statics, Numerical Methods and Finite Element Analysis at RIT.

 

Most of Dr. Agbezuge's industrial experience involved the creation of mathematical models and computer programs that were used for investigative work and for designing and optimizing engineering systems and subsystems His work in the 1970's included the maintenance of a drilling riser simulation program that was used for offshore drilling operations by Exxon Production Research Company, Houston, Texas. He was also responsible for monitoring the testing and development of buoyancy modules that were required for offshore drilling operations. In the 1980's he created mathematical models that were useful in understanding and interpreting experimental data related to ink-paper interactions. His work helped in defining driving mechanisms that controlled print quality in ink jet printers. In recognition of his work, Dr. Agbezuge served for two consecutive years as invited lecturer at the 13th and 14th International IS&T (Imaging Science and Technology) Conferences held at Seattle, WA and Toronto, Canada. At the conferences, he provided tutorials on Ink-Media Interactions. In the 1990's and the early part of the 2000's he worked on several projects related to paper deformation in xerographic machines and also on reliability engineering problems. Subsequently, he provided computational and programming support for projects related to ink jet technology, image processing algorithm development and color calibration of scanners and printers. He also spent some time creating SIMD programs (as an alternative to FPGAs and ASICs) to determine whether parallel computing would provide acceptable speedup for certain image processing algorithms.

 

One of Dr. Agbezuge's primary goals at RIT is to integrate modern computational methods into appropriate mechanical engineering courses and to make the ME graduate from RIT well-prepared for performing industrial computational tasks.

 

Summer 2004

Ramesh Shah, research professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Advanced Fuel Cell Research Laboratory in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, was named a Distinguished Lecturer on fuel-cell technology by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Shah becomes one of only 16 such lecturers, representing all fields of mechanical engineering, among more than 100,000 society members. The organization will support presentations by Shah at national and international section meetings for three years beginning July 1. Shah also was awarded an Honorary Professorship at Xi'an Jiaotong University and a Guest Professorship at Tsinghua University, both in China, where he recently lectured on fuel cell technology and compact heat exchangers. Shah, of East Amherst, N.Y., has been on the RIT faculty since 2001.

 

Summer 2004

Ali Ogut, professor of mechanical engineering, was named chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Fluids Engineering Division. Ogut, of Pittsford, specializes in energy efficient and environmentally friendly industrial equipment design and analysis, fluid dynamics and mixing, and turbo machinery flows. He has been on the RIT faculty since 1985.

 

 

 

Summer 2004

Ramesh Shah, research professor of mechanical engineering and director of the Advanced Fuel Cell Research Laboratory in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering, was named a distinguished lecturer on fuel-cell technology by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He was awarded an Honorary Professorship at Xi'an Jiaotong University and a Guest Professorship at Tsinghua University, both in China, where he recently lectured on fuel cell technology and compact heat exchangers. He presented a similar lecture at Beijing University of Technology.

 

Summer 2004

Ali Ogut, professor of mechanical engineering, in Rochester Institute of Technology's Kate Gleason College of Engineering received $222,612 from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop a particulate trap to clean diesel, coal and gasoline engine emissions. The device cleans emissions by charging and trapping sub-micron particles and oxidizing them to gases, thus reducing air pollution. Last year, NYSERDA gave RIT $205,000 for the first phase of the project, which is being led by Ali Ogut, RIT professor of mechanical engineering. RIT provided additional funding of $202,000. The latest grant is part of more than $15 million in statewide funding to support development of clean and efficient advanced technologies for use in combined heat and power applications. "Support from NYSERDA shows commitment to energy efficiency and improving the environment of New York state," Ogut says.
 

Stephane Renou of
                    General Electric Global Research in Niskayuna, N.Y.,
                    far left, talks with Kim Helmer of Buffalo, center,
                    and Angela Green of Clarence at the second
                    International Conference on Fuel Cell Science,
                    Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, at the RIT
                    Inn & Conference Center.Summer 2004

Preparing for a powerful future.
Stephane Renou of General Electric Global Research in Niskayuna, N.Y., far left, talks with Kim Helmer of Buffalo, center, and Angela Green of Clarence at the second International Conference on Fuel Cell Science, Engineering and Technology, June 14-16, at the RIT Inn & Conference Center. The conference, and a related gathering, the second International Conference on Microchannels and Minichannels, June 17-19, drew 450 researchers from around the world. The conferences were sponsored by RIT and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

 

Summer 2004

Satish Kandlikar Gleason Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, received the IBM Faculty Award for the second consecutive year. The award recognizes his research into computer chip cooling and microchannels and includes a grant from IBM Corp. for future research. Kandlikar has been a member of RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering faculty since 1980. He also serves as director of RIT's Thermal Analysis and Microfluidics Laboratory, associate director of RIT's Advanced Fuel Cell Research Laboratory, and associate editor of the Journal of Heat Transfer, published by ASME International. He is on the research proposal review panel of Fluid Physics NRA, part of NASA's Physical Sciences Division, and is currently working on projects sponsored by General Motors Corp. and the National Science Foundation. He was editor in chief of the book, Handbook of Phase Change: Boiling and Condensation, and he wrote chapters for the books, Compact Heat Exchanger Design and Handbook of Multiphase Flow and Heat Transfer, along with more than 100 journal articles and conference papers.

 

Spring  2004

Kevin Kochersberger, associate professor of mechanical engineering, gave presentations at Rochester Museum & Science Center and at Virginia Tech on his participation in the Countdown to Kitty Hawk centennial celebration and his Dec. 17 re-enactment of the Wright brothers' first powered flight.

 

 

 

 

 

Spring  2004

Alan Nye, professor of mechanical engineering, received the 2004 Excellence in Engineering Education Award from SAE International at the SAE 2004 World Congress in Detroit. The award recognizes outstanding contributions in support of Society of Automotive Engineers engineering education initiatives, including SAE Collegiate Design Series competitions. Nye has advised RIT's Formula SAE team since 1991.

 

Spring  2004

Alan Nye was elected to the society's board of directors, becoming one of only 21 directors among 84,000 members in 100 countries. Nye is a five-time recipient of the society's Faculty Advisor Award for excellence. He has advised RIT's student chapter of SAE since 1978 and the university's Formula race-car team since its inception in 1991. In 2003, he was honored with the Carrol Smith Mentor's Cup, presented by the Sports Car Club of America, in recognition of outstanding mentoring. "I have been involved with student design competition teams for the past 25 years because they give students an incomparable educational opportunity," says Nye, a member of the RIT faculty since 1977. "The fact I love it also helps." The Society of Automotive Engineers is the primary sponsor of Formula SAE student competitions. RIT's Formula team has competed in national and international competitions yearly since 1993 and was international champion in 1999.


Spring 2003

Josef Török of Brighton has been selected a recipient of the 2003 Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching from Rochester Institute of Technology. The prestigious award recognizes faculty excellence as determined through rigorous peer review.

"I love teaching," says Török, a professor of mechanical engineering in RIT's Kate Gleason College of Engineering.

Students like his lively classes and easy-going nature. Despite the latter, he admits, he's also demanding. "I expect my students to work hard," he says.

Török's passion and communication skills help him connect with students and explain what can be abstract concepts of nonlinear dynamics, mathematical modeling and computational methods, his areas of expertise.

"I go way out on the limb to explain everything in complete detail, to make the complicated look easy," Török says. And, he adds, he can sense when he's getting through to his students. "I'm totally in touch with my group," he says. "I know exactly when they're following me and when they're stumbling."

Török joined the RIT faculty in 1986 from The Ohio State University, where he taught and earned his master's and doctoral degrees. In addition to teaching, he's founder and director of RIT's Estelle H. and Howard F. Carver Engineering Learning Center and active in RIT's new microsystems engineering Ph.D. program. He also concentrates on writing, both professionally and recreationally.

Török wrote Analytical Mechanics with an Introduction to Dynamical Systems, an instructor's solutions manual to Elementary Differential Equations and Boundary Value Problems, other supplemental text material and numerous journal articles. He's currently working on engineering and mathematics books, a medieval romance novel (so far about 50 pages along, and "quite the opposite of everything I do," he says) and a cookbook containing recipes of 150 German, Hungarian and Mediterranean dishes.

The Esztergom, Hungary native enjoys cooking—especially outdoor grilling and Hungarian meals—and playing blues and jazz on the guitar. He travels yearly to Germany, where his youngest son Steven works as a systems analyst, and every other year to Hungary. Another son, Joseph, is an RIT student majoring in information technology.

Interacting with students, Török adds, keeps him feeling young. "I love sharing in their discoveries and their learning. It brings me a lot of joy."

RIT's Eisenhart Award for Outstanding Teaching was established in 1965 by the Eisenhart family to recognize faculty excellence. Winners are chosen through rigorous peer review of student nominations. The late M. Herbert Eisenhart, chairman and president of Bausch & Lomb Inc., was an RIT trustee for more than 50 years. Richard Eisenhart, trustee emeritus and past chairman of RIT's board of trustees, has served on the board since 1972.

Spring 2003

Satish Kandlikar

RIT helps develop Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MRE) heating technology

Steaming hot entrée selections like Pot Roast and Thai Chicken could be straight from the menu of any five-star restaurant—but on the battlefield?

Meals Ready to Eat, or MREs, are served in the deserts of the Middle East and throughout the world, providing sustenance, and a taste of home, to U.S. troops.

MRE heating technology making hot meals possible was developed with help from researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology. Further, RIT is developing similar technology for hot drinks and thermal sterilization of surgical instruments on the battlefield, as well as "tub rations" that will permit hot meals for groups of soldiers.

Here's how it works: magnesium combined with water produces heat, says Satish Kandlikar, RIT professor of mechanical engineering and director of the university's Thermal Analysis and Microfluidics Laboratory. Water added to a plastic pouch containing a magnesium-and-salt mixture makes a "heater" for MREs, he explains. Kandlikar notes his students helped develop the technology to optimize heat generation and delivery in MREs. The device has been part of every MRE used by U.S. troops since the Persian Gulf War in 1991.

"Applying high-tech research tools to enhance support of soldiers in battlefield conditions is something for which we're very proud," says Kandlikar.

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