3M gives $500,000
The college has received a $500,000 gift from Minnesota-based 3M Corporation to help fund the college’s new Engineering Leadership Institute. With a goal of preparing students for life-long leadership roles in industry as well as public service, the institute is a multi-faceted program that will integrate academics with experiential learning and a community orientation. The 3M gift will be used to fund scholarships, program development, and student leadership activities. More information
P&S grants awarded
Six engineering projects were among the 15 projects funded by the Professional and Scientific Retention and Recruitment Committee for 2005–2006. The projects and main contacts are:
- ISU First LEGO League Mentors Project, Camille Sloan Schroeder, engineering undergraduate programs
- Engineering Labs—Video Tour, Jodi Gilbertson, outreach and recruitment
- Construction Engineering Recruitment Project: Staying Power, Rhonda Wiley-Jones, civil, construction, and environmental engineering
- Ingenieria con Acento (Engineering with an Accent), Monica Bruning, outreach and recruitment
- National Society of Black Engineers 2nd Annual Middle School Science and Engineering Exposition, Eli Branch, civil engineering student
- Beyond the B.S.: Engineering Your Graduate School Possibilities, Nancy Knight, diversity and graduate student affairs
United Way campaign update
The College of Engineering has closed in on its United Way goal, raising over $31,000. Over 91% of the envelopes have been returned. If you haven’t turned yours in, please do so today. In addition to the traditional contributions, the on-line auction brought in over $800. Thanks to all of you who participated.
Join the fun!
Circle January 21, 2006, on your calendars. That’s the day hundreds of 9- to 14-year-old students will converge on Howe and Hoover Halls to participate in the 5th annual FIRST Lego League Challenge: Ocean Odyssey. To be part of the excitement, volunteer here.
Students share research in Japan
Kara Kranzusch, Andrew Riha, and Chris Hansen shared their research, got to know other student researchers, and met scientists from around the world as participants in the International Astronautical Congress in Fukuoka, Japan, last month. Kranzusch, a senior in aerospace engineering, brought a special memento home with her. She won the Pierre Contensou Gold Medal for her paper, "Abort Determination with Non-Adaptive Neural Networks for the Mars Precision Landers." Kranzusch was selected to attend the congress by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as its undergraduate representative. She conducted her research while a co-op student at NASA.
L to R: Riha, Kranzusch, Hansen
Riha, a senior in computer engineering, and Hansen, who graduated last May in materials science engineering and is now a grad student at the University of Illinois, attended the conference compliments of the NASA Office of Education. Both are alumni of NASA’s Undergraduate Student Research Program and presented posters of research they had done while at NASA. Riha's poster presented simulations of different network traffic requirements between robotic and human communications in deep space. Hansen’s poster showed preliminary mechanical and impact testing data demonstrating the resilience of the material developed by his team for shielding spacecraft from radiation and micrometeorite damage.
The trip was packed with highlights, reports Riha. In addition to the camaraderie with other students, topping the list was meeting NASA Administrator Michael Griffin. Then, of course, there was going on a dinner cruise, visiting a shrine, and eating at off-the-beaten-track Japanese restaurants.
E-News
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