parks today winter 2011

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PARKS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, AVIATION AND TECHNOLOGY SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY WINTER 2011

PARKS TODAY

Alumni make an impact in their professions.

ART DIRECTOR AND EDITOR

Amanda Pope

CONTRIBUTORS

Cindy Aiazzi, Kathy Barbeau, David Barnett, Mitch Bart-

nick, Susan Bondie Bloomfield, Sridhar Condoor,

Carla Englof, Riyadh Hindi, Swami Karunamoorthy,

Terry Kelly, Laura Kraft, Brooke Lund, Arif Malik, H.S.

Mallik, Mary McHugh, Vickey Pettiford, K. Ravindra,

Geoff Story, Laura Wheeler and John Woolschlager.

ABOUT PARKS TODAY

Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology

is one of the fourteen schools and colleges at Saint

Louis University. Issues of Parks Today feature the

latest news from Parks College, departmental high-

lights, as well as articles covering alumni, upcoming

events and a section for class notes. It is funded by the

Parks Annual Fund and Institute of Technology Annual

Fund.

If you are interested in supporting the printing or mailing

of this publication, contact Susan Bondie Bloomfield at

314-977-8431 or [email protected].

Parks Today was published in previous years at the

College. Since Parks was founded 83 years ago, this

issue is the second issue in the eighty-third volume of

the publication.

PLEASE SEND NEWS ITEMS TO:

[email protected]

3450 Lindell Boulevard

McDonnell Douglas Hall, Room 2006;

St. Louis, 63103

website: parks.slu.edu

ISBN 978-1-60725-962-6

© Parks College of Engineering, Aviation

and Technology, Saint Louis University

PARKS TODAYVolume 83, Issue 2, Winter 2011

Dear friends:

It just seems as though it was a few days ago that I wrote a message for the Summer 2011 issue of Parks Today. I VXSSRVH�WLPH�ÁLHV�ZKHQ�\RX�are having fun! Fun it has been at Parks, with all the exciting things happening. As in previ-ous years, Parks had a booth at AirVenture in Oshkosh. We were very happy to see and connect with so many of our alums and friends. On campus,

for second year in a row, we offered Summer Undergraduate Research ([SHULHQFH��685(��SURJUDP�IRU��KLJKO\�TXDOLÀHG�VWXGHQWV��7KHVH�students worked on research projects with their faculty mentors for ��ZHHNV��0DQ\�RI�WKHVH�VWXGHQWV�SUHVHQWHG�WKHLU�UHVHDUFK�ÀQGLQJV�in professional conferences. We plan to continue this program during summer 2012. Parks College conducted a summer academy for rising seniors in high school. About 25 students from all over the country participated in this event. As in previous years, asides experiencing the usual laboratory demonstrations and team projects these students got WR�Á\�LQ�RXU�'LDPRQG�DLUSODQHV��ZHQW�WR�D�&DUGLQDOV�JDPH�DQG�WDVWHG�Ted Drewes frozen yogurt.

Our enrollment for fall is about 10% higher than the previous year, even in this economy: a testimony to the quality of education we strive WR�SURYLGH��2XU�JUDGXDWH�SURJUDP�KDV�DOVR�VHHQ�VLJQLÀFDQW�LQFUHDVH��with many students supported by funded research projects. Through a Kern Family Foundation Grant that Dr. Sridhar Condoor has received we are able to introduce entrepreneurial mind set to our students. Our students are also competing in various “innovation” focused regional DQG�QDWLRQDO�FRPSHWLWLRQV��<RX�ZLOO�ÀQG�PRUH�LQIRUPDWLRQ�RQ�WKHVH�activities in this issue of Parks Today. In the true spirit of men and women for others, our students are engaged in many service/volunteer activities besides their academic pursuit.

While our faculty support our student body through their dedicated teaching in the class room, they also continue to make a difference in the world with their innovative funded research. For instance, Prof. Phil Ligrani, Oliver L. Parks Chair professor was the invited keynote speaker at two international conferences: the International Gas Turbine Congress 2011held in Tokyo and 11th Asian International Conference on Fluid Machinery & 3rd Fluid Power Technology Exhibition held in Chennai. Dr. Jessica Wagenseil, a faculty member in the Biomedical Engineering department received the outstanding award (tenure track FDWHJRU\��IRU�UHVHDUFK�DQG�VFKRODUO\�DFKLHYHPHQW�IURP�WKH�2IÀFH�RI�Research Services at Saint Louis University.

In the past few months we have made special efforts to connect with our young alumni. The result has been an overwhelming success. During the alumni weekend, we were very thrilled to host the 50th reunion. In October over 100 Phi Alpha Chi brothers descended on Parks Campus during their 70th reunion. Many brothers were visiting WKH�QHZ�FDPSXV�IRU�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH��$OVR��LQ�2FWREHU��DERXW��$OSKD�3L�Sigma brothers visited McDonnell Douglas for a tour.

I want to thank you all for the support you provide to the College throughout the year. I look forward to hearing more about your stories and urge you to stay in touch.

I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for the holidays.

K. Ravindra, Ph.D.Interim DeanParks College of Engineering, Aviation and TechnologySaint Louis University

letter from the dean[ [

WINTER ‘11 PARKS TODAY

table of contents[ [

News and Notes

Innovative engineering

Tuned into engineering

Presidential scholars

Boeing engineering vice presidents

Parks in the Summer

Faculty and alumni profiles

Youth Gateway to Aviation

Alumni news and notes

Phi Alpha Chi reunion

Homecoming 2011

Class notes

4

6

10

12

14

18

20

22

24

25

25

25

PARKS TODAY PARKS.SLU.EDU

ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS PLACE IN ST. LOUIS BLACKBOX COMPETITION

The Saint Louis Section of The IEEE held its annual blackbox competition at Washington University in St.

Louis. Nine teams from Missouri University of Science and Technology, Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University competed.

In the blackbox competition, teams of two students were given a box containing an unknown circuit. The unknown circuit can contain up to six discrete components. The boxes contain four taps into the circuit. The students are given three hours to apply tests to the box in

an attempt to reverse engineer the unknown circuit.The students were judged based on testing methodology,

conclusions drawn from testing, documentation of methodol-ogy and conclusions, and building a circuit from the knowl-edge gained. Judges from Saint Louis University, Missouri University of Science and Technology, and Washington Uni-versity in St. Louis as well as Greenville College Informa-tion Technology, and Nidec Motor Corporation critiqued the submissions and the student teams. SLU students, Anthony Manno and Gauri Nijsure took third place.

PROFESSOR TAKES STUDENTS SOARING

Goetz Brames-feld, Ph.D.,

assistant professor in aerospace and mechanical engineer-ing, went on a trip to Highland, Ill. with several Parks students to go soaring in a glider. Bramesfeld is a member of the Soar-ing Society of America.

NEW FACULTY AT PARKS

Yao-Jan Wu, Ph.D., joined the civil engineering depart-ment in Fall 2011. Dr. Wu’s research interests highlight a strong connection between information technology (IT) and traditional transportation research. His research cov-HUV�IRXU�PDMRU�ÀHOGV��WUDIÀF�safety, intelligent transportation systems, large-scale network analyses (e.g. online data man-agement and analysis systems) and sustainable transportation systems.

Irma Kuljaishvili, Ph.D., joined the physics department in Fall 2011. Her research includes developing novel and scalable metrologies.

David Wisbey, Ph.D., also joined the physics depart-ment in Fall 2011. His current research includes storing single photons in superconducting circuits and solid state neutron detectors.

INFRASTRUCTURE SYMPOSIUM

Saint Louis University and the American Society of Civil Engineers St. Louis Section hosted the St. Louis Infra-structure Symposium on Oct. 25 at the Forest Park Visitor &HQWHU��7KH�V\PSRVLXP�IRFXVHG�RQ�´'HFLVLRQV�LQ�'LIÀFXOW�Times.” Local agencies, politicians and industry representa-tives discussed the infrastructure funding decision-making process. The event also featured the launch of the Metro-politan Water Infrastructure Partnership’s report.

4

news and notes[ [

Yoa-Jan Wu, Ph.D.

Irma Kuljanishvili, Ph.D.

David Wisbey, Ph.D.

WINTER ‘11 PARKS TODAY 5

TKH�,UD�,QNHODV�7LPHOLQH�7ULEXWH�:DOO�ZDV�H[WHQGHG�WR�WKH�XSSHU�ÁRRU�RI�McDonnell Douglas Hall. The timeline continues down the main hall of

WKH�VHFRQG�ÁRRU�WR�GLVSOD\�PLOHVWRQHV�RI�WKH�FROOHJH�LQ��DQG�EH\RQG��$OVR�RQ�WKH�VHFRQG�ÁRRU��DQ�$OXPQL�0HULW�$ZDUG�:LQQHU�ZDOO�VKRZFDVHV�

distinguished alumni award winners from Parks College and the Institute of Technology.

The east wall in the rotunda features the six major areas of research at the college, including biomedical engineering, aviation safety, sustainability, space V\VWHPV��VWUXFWXUDO�PHFKDQLFV�DQG�GHVLJQ�DQG�WKHUPR�ÁXLG�VFLHQFHV��

The wall projects were done in collaboration with the College and Sandbox Creative.

Parks College Additions in McDonnell Douglas Hall

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS SPIRIT DAY

Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology hosted a St. Louis Car-dinals Spirit Day event during the World Series.7KH�HYHQW�EHQHÀWHG�WKH�/HXNHPLD�DQG�

Lymphoma Society and the Cardinal Glen-non Children’s Foundation. Faculty, staff and students hung out with the Rally Squir-rel and the Billiken. Food was donated by Vito’s Restaurant and Panera Bread Co.

BOLD SCHOLARSThe Boeing Company is committed to prepar-

ing leaders for the global workforce. Saint Louis University offers an ideal partnership op-portunity by providing a multidisciplinary and holistic education which is not only recognized for technical excellence, but is also highly regarded for its legendary preparation of the whole person.

The BOLD Scholarship presents the Boeing Company with a unique opportunity to select and mentor those students majoring in busi-ness, engineering, mathematics and/or computer science at SLU and with the best leadership potential.

Ten out of the thirty student recipients of the BOLD scholarship were from Parks College.

Amanda Pope, marketing manager

for Parks College, was diagnosed

with leukemia in 2010 and had a

stem-cell transplant. Pope won her

battle with the disease and has since

returned to SLU.

SLU SPACE INITIATIVESThe NASA launch date for the COPPER satellite is December

��²�WKLV�ZLOO�EH�WKH�VHFRQG�ÁLJKW�RI�WKH�'UDJRQ�FDSVXOH�RQ�WKH�Falcon 9 rocket to dock with the Space Station.

SLU is partnering with the Institute for Space and Defense (OHFWURQLFV�DW�9DQGHUELOW�8QLYHUVLW\�WR�Á\�UDGLDWLRQ�PRGHOLQJ�experiments. The prototype mission, called Commodore, is on the &233(5�VSDFHFUDIW��7KH�ÀUVW�ÁLJKW�H[SHULPHQW�VXLWH��FDOOHG�,QGH-

pendence, will be on SLU’s second satellite, called Argus, which LV�FXUUHQWO\�LQ�GHYHORSPHQW�IRU�ÁLJKW�LQ��

SLU was selected by the NASA Missouri Space Grant Con-VRUWLXP�IRU�DQRWKHU�QRQ�DIÁLOLDWH�DZDUG�WR�VXSSRUW�VHQLRU�GHVLJQ�projects in space, student-built rockets and ground robots.

Papers were presented at the 2011 AIAA Conference on Small-Satellites/CubeSat Workshop in August and the AIAA Space 2011 forum in September.

FACULTY MEMBER RETIRES Patricia Benoy, Ph.D. (PK ’75), faculty member in aero-space and mechanical engineering, retired in Summer 2011. She was with the University since 1989. Benoy taught Thermodynamics, Heat Transfer and Fluid Dynamics. She is now a professor emerita.

PARKS TODAY PARKS.SLU.EDU6

innovative engineering

In April, Sridhar Condoor, aerospace and mechanical engineering professor,

was awarded a $1.7 million grant from the Kern Family Foundation to promote entre-preneurial mindset and innovation in engi-neering. The grant was awarded through the Kern Entrepreneurship Education Net-work (KEEN) of which there are 21 select private institutions across the country.

by mary mchugh


KEEN’s mission is to prepare engineers equipped with an action-oriented entrepreneurial mindset -- engineers who can transform the workforce by building economic and technical commerce in their respective communities with programs that

will enable them to become tomorrow’s leaders and innovators. To help spearhead this effort, Condoor, who teaches sustain-

ability, product design and entrepreneurship, is also responsible for the Technology Entrepreneurship education at SLU with several extracurricular activities such as I2P (Idea to Product) competition, iScholars program, and funded research. His goal is to foster the spirit of entrepreneurial mindset in all engineer-ing students.

The three-year KEEN grant has enabled Condoor to imple-ment a new Tinker Lab in McDonnell Douglas Hall for stu-dents to work on innovative projects. The lab is a sandbox for students to try new ideas. Teams of students are encouraged to enter various engineering/innovation challenges throughout the country. Condoor is also conducting weekly Tuesday Innova-tion Challenges that offer prize money to winners. It provides a means to exercise the mind in a creative way every week.

“The future of engineering will be based on innovation,” Condoor said. “Engineers must be more creative thinkers, and be able to work across disciplines, rather than just be a special-

ist in one area. The world is changing so fast. If you just focus on building a certain product, it could be outdated by the time you graduate. So many new technologies are forever changing the way we live and learn.”

Condoor and his students are wasting no time. In Septem-ber, the 2011 UDM/Ford Innovation Contest challenged 26 teams of undergraduate students to develop an innovative technical idea related to the auto industry. Each team had to begin by identifying problems/opportunities with existing vehicles as well as explore what becomes possible as a result of emerging technologies. Ford engineers guided the teams as they progressed from opportunities to potential solutions. Each team was required to pitch their idea(s) in a three minute video that was judged by Ford engineers and innovation leaders.

Weekly Innovation Challenge

“The future of engineering will be based on innovation.” – Condoor


The 2011 winners were announced during the Ford Innova-tion Symposium at the University of Detroit Mercy on Novem-ber 3, 2011. Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company, was the keynote speaker at this year’s Symposium.

SLU students developed a monitoring system that would alert elderly drivers of oncoming emergency vehicles. The system would be connected to the radio so that drivers would EH�QRWLÀHG�LPPHGLDWHO\�ZKHQ�D�VLUHQ�LV�KHDUG��$V�D�IROORZ�XS��on Tuesday, November 22, the Saint Louis University team participated in the Ford Global Technology Meeting with the Vice Presidents of Ford. During the meeting Ford provide their position on the student idea and talked about a link to similar existing idea at Ford.

In October, another team of four Parks students competed at the Innovation Encounter at Lawrence Technological Univer-VLW\�LQ�6RXWKÀHOG��0LFKLJDQ��/HRQ�6SHDNHUV��UHFRJQL]HG�E\�Home Theater Magazine for their “cutting edge approach to VSHDNHU�EXLOGLQJµ�FKDOOHQJHG�WKH�VWXGHQWV�WR�FUHDWH�D�ÁH[LEOH�home speaker environment -- a futuristic home entertainment system -- that would be readily available to the public in three WR�ÀYH�\HDUV��7LPH�OLPLW��KRXUV�

With the clock ticking, the team developed a wall audio sys-tem that would convert one wall of a home into an immersive home theater experience. Using a remote, residents of a home could use their “Wand” much like an iPad, to watch movies, listen to music, and videoconference. And don’t hang pictures

Weekly Innovation Challenge

“The weekly Innovation Challenge MW�HIWMKRIH�XS�OIIT�XLI�QMRH�¿X��It’s a mind workout.” – Condoor

8


on this wall. The “Wand audio” system could develop a scenic background setting when not in use, much like a screensaver on a desktop.

Another reality that resulted from the Kern grant are Weekly Innovation Challenges. Every Tuesday afternoon, students rep-resenting all disciplines are invited to McDonnell Douglas Hall to compete for $225 in prize money in a one-hour impromptu challenge. Students are grouped into teams of three; each team must include at least one engineering student. Most important-ly, however, all participants must be from different majors.

“People are encouraged to exercise everyday to keep the ERG\�ÀW��7KH�:HHNO\�,QQRYDWLRQ�&KDOOHQJH�LV�GHVLJQHG�WR�NHHS�WKH�PLQG�ÀW��,W·V�D�PLQG�ZRUNRXW�µ�&RQGRRU�VDLG�7KH�FKDOOHQJHV�UDQJH�LQ�VFRSH�DQG�OHYHO�RI�GLIÀFXOW\��7KH�

Marshmallow Challenge was simple: in 18 minutes, teams were required to build the tallest free-standing structure out of 20 sticks of spaghetti, one yard of tape, one yard of string and one marshmallow. The marshmallow needed to be on top.

In yet another Tuesday challenge, students were presented with a group of photographs each representing a small section of various artifacts located throughout campus. The students needed to identify the artifact and have their photograph taken standing in front of it. A third challenge required the students to create a “green” toaster box design.

In the seven weeks since the inception of the weekly chal-lenges, attendance has grown to more than 45 competitors. Surprisingly, not all of the winners are upperclassmen. The ÀUVW�WHDP�WR�ZLQ�WZR�RI�WKH�FKDOOHQJHV�FRQVLVWHG�RI�WKUHH�IHPDOH�sophomore students who are majoring in aerospace engineer-ing, political science and investigative medicine .

“Our goal with these challenges is to help students think of ideas under extreme time pressure,” Condoor said. “These stu-dents need to know not only how to invent something but have the business mind in knowing how to bring this new product to fruition. It’s a more complete cycle of learning.

“We want our graduates to have a multi-dimensional outlook and there are four components to this,” Condoor said. “The components include technical knowledge, awareness of the cus-tomers needs, an understanding of how a business works, and an understanding societal values. This is entrepreneurial educa-tion -- it involves collaborative learning, community explora-tion, innovation and investigative learning that put students in a real life situation.”

Previously, students would work on just the technical side of a problem. Now the students are encouraged to delve a bit

deeper into society’s impact on a technical invention.“In the past, engineers were more focused on technical prob-

lem solving than innovation,” Condoor said. He feels the right innovative mindset will open many more doors for engineering majors.´7KHUH�ZLOO�DOZD\V�EH�RSSRUWXQLWLHV�LQ�WKH�YDULRXV�ÀHOGV�RI�

engineering, but more opportunities are available now within WKH�ERXQGDULHV�RI�WKHVH�ÀHOGV��/RRN�DW�$SSOH�FRPSXWHU��IRU�example. Apple products represent the intersection of art and technology. The products are beautiful to look at, easy to use, satisfy the consumers wants and needs and yet, highly function-al from an engineering standpoint. This is engineering today.”

Innovation and investigative learning is not just for students either.

7R�NHHS�IDFXOW\�DEUHDVW�RI�FKDQJHV�LQ�WKH�ÀHOG�DQG�KHOS�WKHP�identify best practices in entrepreneurial education at the under-graduate level, Condoor and his colleagues began hosting a fac-ulty workshop at Parks College for KEEN network members.

The network, of which SLU has been a member for four years, was created in 2005 by the Kern Family Foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to increase the quantity and quality of U.S. engineering talent. Nearly two years ago, Condoor and his cohorts from the network schools developed the Journal of Engineering Entrepreneurship, for which Condoor has served as editor. The journal is distributed to all KEEN network mem-bers and alumni.

Condoor is extremely excited about the progress made in engineering and entrepreneurial education in the past few years.

2011 UDM/Ford Innovation Contest First place team.

9


Tuned Into Engineering

By Mary McHugh

The melodic notes of Bach and a circuit breaker may not seem a likely pair.

And yet, music and mathematical skills share the same path-ways to the brain. Music training at an early age is believed to help develop ares of the brain that are involved in language and reasoning.

Mention this to SLU freshman Anu Devkota and he readily agrees. Devkota, who is taking an introductory engineering class at SLU’s Parks College of Engineering, has played piano VLQFH�KH�ZDV�ÀYH��DQG�WKH�WUXPSHW�VLQFH�DJH��´7KHUH�LV�GHÀQLWHO\�D�FRQQHFWLRQ�EHWZHHQ�PXVLF�DQG�PDWK�µ�

Devkota said. “Both areas require a lot of discipline. Music is an art form but math is very much an art form, too. You have to manipulate numbers and use different theorems. Tackling a piece of music is the same as looking at a math SUREOHP�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH��<RX�ORRN�RYHU�WKH�PXVLF��\RX�VWXG\�the problem. Even though you’ve never seen either before, you still have to know what you’re doing and understand the skill set you need to proceed and actually develop an answer. That’s art.”

In 1993, scientists at the University of California at Irvine developed “The Mozart Effect” after conducting a study on FROOHJH�VWXGHQWV�GLYLGHG�LQWR�WKUHH�JURXSV��7KH�ÀUVW�JURXS�listened to Mozart’s 1781 sonata for two pianos in D major. The second group listened to a relaxation tape and the third sat in silence.

A spatial test was then given to each group. Students who had listened to Mozart’s song had higher scores than com-pared to that of the other two groups. While the effect of this VHHPHG�WR�ZHDU�RII�DIWHU�DERXW��PLQXWHV��WKH�VFLHQWLVWV�ÀJ-ured there was positive stimulation because music and spatial abilities do indeed traverse on the same pathways. Spatial

intelligence is what allows people to form mental pictures of things.

This mind-body connection between music and mathemat-ics has fueled continued debate among researchers ever since the Irvine test was performed. But most do agree there is a casual link between music and learning. The same parts of the brain are active when listening to Mozart as when engaged in a spatial reasoning exercise. Playing an instrument helps the sort of thinking that is critical when computing math and science problems. In 2005, researchers at Stanford University found through their work that musical training improves ways in which the brain processes the spoken word.

Professor Roobik Gharabagi, who teaches electrical and computer engineering at SLU, said a background in music is D�ZRQGHUIXO�VNLOO�WR�KDYH��´7KHUH�LV�GHÀQLWHO\�D�FRQQHFWLRQ�between the technical and artistic aspects of engineering,” he said. “They complement each other. In engineering you not only have to be able to design something from a technical standpoint, but artistically you must be able to present it in such a way the public will like it. The arts are very important in our study of engineering.”

SLU student Ryan McNeely worked at the Apple Genius %DU�DW�WKH�6W��/RXLV�*DOOHULD�DQG�VDZ�ÀUVWKDQG�WKH�FRPELQD-tion of art and technology in the products he helped to sell. McNeely who has been composing music since he was in grade school, attended an Apple training seminar in California for a couple of weeks and had the opportunity to meet some of the engineers behind the iPad and iPhone. He was hooked and decided he needed to enroll in engineering school.

“Music has so much to do with patterns and intuition and logic,” said McNeely, who plays piano and violin. “Music is completely restrictive in that there are only so many tones you

10


can use to create a song. It’s like mathematical ratios. They are very similar. One skill helps you do the other skill.”

McNeely should know. He composed the music for the lo-cally produced movie, “Streetballers,” which upon its release LQ��FDSWXUHG�ÀUVW�SODFH�KRQRUV�DW�WKH�+ROO\ZRRG�)LOP�Festival and the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature )LOP�DW�WKH�6W��/RXLV�,QWHUQDWLRQDO�)LOP�)HVWLYDO��7KH�ÀOP�ZDV�picked up by Warner Brothers in 2009 and is now available on 1HWÁL[��+H�DOVR�KDV�WZR�(3�DOEXPV�DYDLODEOH�LQ�,FHODQG�DQG�on sale on an internet based store there.

“If you write music, you have to be able to play piano,” he said. “I am constantly working on music. I think it’s because I am very curious about everything. I want to know how things work and not just take it on faith what is happen-ing inside of a synthesizer, for example. By knowing how something like this works and learning about these things in engineering, I can try to make unique sounds by building my own hardware.

“If I’m making music on a synthesizer all the sounds are generated by the software and the hardware. All that is math,” McNeely said. You are playing a cosine wave and all those are different types of electronic signals. I like combining my music with engineering.”

Studies have shown that playing an instrument, or being exposed to music can help students do better in schools and provide them with a strong sense of discipline. Discipline KHOSV�VWXGHQWV�VWD\�IRFXVHG�RQ�PRUH�GLIÀFXOW�WDVNV�RU�WHGLRXV�assignments at school. Studies show listening to music or playing an instrument also helps reduce stress levels.

“Playing music helps relax me,” said Emily Hart, a SLU freshman. “You can just chill and not think about school work. It’s just relaxing.”

Hart, an electrical engineering major who has played piano since third grade, equates playing an instrument to learning a IRUHLJQ�ODQJXDJH��´,W·V�GHÀQLWHO\�QRW�OLNH�(QJOLVK�µ�+DUW�VDLG��“Learning music provides you with a new way of interpret-ing things. You’re continually learning different concepts in music. So when you get to an engineering class and you have to develop a circuit breaker, the music background prepares me for the skills I need to learn to build a breaker system. I’m more open to new ideas.”

So next time it’s time to rewire the house, or do math home-work, turn up the Mozart.

faculty musiciansStudents aren’t the only ones

at the college involved in mu-sic. Many faculty members are in bands or play instruments. Gregory Comer, Ph.D. - physics, Gary Bledsoe, Ph.D. - biomedical engineering and Mark McQuilling, Ph.D. - aerospace and mechanical engineering, are photographed on the left page playing at an alumni event.

Comer sees a connection between music and engineering. “Engineering involves moments when you have a real act of cre-ation. I think there is a real level of creativity that goes along with the rigid mathematics and structure,” said Comer.

Ryan McNeely performing with his band, Adult Fur.

11

Gregory Comer, Ph.D.


From left: Kyle Mitchell, Maria Barna, Steve Massey, Allison Cook, Gerrit Smith and Michael Swartwout.

SLU Presidential Scholars Continue to Chart Successful Career Paths

SLU Presidential Scholars Continue to Chart Successful Career Paths

SLU Presidential Scholars Continue to Chart Successful Career PathsBy Mary McHugh

From NASA to medical research to teaching underprivileged students, Parks Presidential scholars prove to be future leaders in their professions.

Ashley Scroggins works on Earth and Space Science missions for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Mary-land and harbors dreams of one day Á\LQJ�LQ�D�PDQQHG�VSDFH�FUDIW��%ULDQ�

Kelly is hitting the books at SLU’s medical school hoping one day to invent something. Meghan Moll is teaching algebra, biology and calculus to lower income students as part of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Newark, N.J. Darren Pais is a Ph.D. student at Princeton University.

Different paths taken by each but all with an engineer-ing degree from SLU. And all former SLU Presidential Scholar recipients. The scholarship is a four-year, full-tuition awarded to approximately 30 students annually. Recipients represent some of the most exemplary student leaders on SLU’s campus.

“I still can’t believe this is my job,” said Scroggins, who graduated in 2008 with an Honors Bachelor of Sci-ence in Aerospace Engineering and an Engineering Math minor. “I mean, other than hopping on a rocket and being an astronaut, I can’t think of anything else I’d rather be doing. “

While at SLU, Scroggins participated in a co-op with GE Aircraft Engines and with NASA. Upon graduation, she converted to a full-time position at NASA-GSFC in the Propulsion Branch. She currently works on the pro-

pulsion systems that control satellites after launch. Her department designs, analyzes, builds and test systems as well as supports the mission while the satellite is in orbit.

She also worked on the Lunar Reconnaissance Or-biter (LRO), which is currently orbiting the Moon; Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which is monitoring the Sun’s activity; Glory, an out-of-house mission which unfortunately failed at launch this past February; and cur-rently working on the Global Precipitation Measurement mission (GPM), which is a partnership with the Japanese space agency (JAXA) and will measure precipitation across the entire Earth’s surface.

“I get to touch things that actually go into space,” said WKH�,OOLQRLV�QDWLYH��´6LQFH�ÀIWK�JUDGH�,·YH�DOZD\V�NQRZQ�I wanted to be an astronaut and pretty much since then have been on a laser-guided path to NASA.”

Scroggins is grateful for the opportunities she was exposed to at Parks College. “I couldn’t have been more prepared for my job at NASA,” she said. “You learn how to think in engineering school, you learn the basics, how WR�ZRUN�ZLWK�ÁXLGV��8OWLPDWHO\��HQJLQHHUV�DUH�SUREOHP�solvers. At SLU we learned to step back, think outside the box, be as creative as possible and be ready to tackle different things once we landed jobs.”

Brian Kelly feels the same way. A May 2011 graduate in biomedical engineering, Kelly is now hitting

12


a different set of books. This time as a SLU med student.´,�DP�LQWHUHVWHG�LQ�PRUH�RI�WKH�WHFKQLFDO�ÀHOG�RI�

medicine because I enjoy working with instruments and new technology,” Kelly said. “Engineering school taught me how all these instruments work and how things are designed and then, obviously, in medicine, you have to have an understanding of how these things work when you are using them in a medical procedure.”

Colleague Meghan Moll, who graduated with a degree in biomedical engineering with Kelly, decided she want-ed to use her talent to teach underprivileged students. To-day she is teaching as part of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, FRPSOHWLQJ�KHU�ÀUVW�\HDU�RI�VHUYLFH�LQ�D�&ULVWR�5H\�school in New Jersey. She teaches high school sectionsof algebra, biology and calculus. “Since I was recently a student myself, it’s been a bit of a transition now switch-ing to the role of teacher,” Moll said. Moll is currently trying to determine if she wants to continue her career as

D�WHDFKHU�RU�ÀQG�D�MRE�DV�DQ�HQJLQHHU��´,�ORYH�ERWK�W\SHV� of work very much,” said the former St. Louisan. “So it’s going to be a hard decision for me to make at the end of this year.”

Darren Pais, an aerospace engineering and applied mathematics graduate, is a doctoral candidate in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. His research lies at the intersection RI�WZR�ÀHOGV��QDPHO\�HYROXWLRQDU\�ELRORJ\�DQG�PXOWL�agent cooperative control, and is focused on the study of emergent collective behavior, in biology and in robotics, from the perspective of evolution. He is the recipient of the 2011 Princeton University Harold W. Dodds Honor-LÀF�IHOORZVKLS�DQG�WKH��$,$$�*XLGDQFH��1DYLJDWLRQ�and Control graduate award.

Whether in space, in a medical research facility or a classroom, Scroggins, Kelly and Moll and Pais represent the faces not only of former SLU Presidential scholars, EXW�RI�IXWXUH�OHDGHUV�LQ�WKHLU�RZQ�UHVSHFWLYH�ÀHOGV�

At SLU we learned to step back, think outside the box, be as creative as possible and be ready to tackle di!erent things once we landed jobs.- Ashley Scroggins (Parks ‘08, NASA-GSFC)

“ ”At SLU we learned to step back, think outside the box, be as creative as possible and be ready to tackle di!erent things once we landed jobs.- Ashley Scroggins (Parks ‘08, NASA-GSFC)

BRIAN KELLY Biomedical engineering ‘11 SLU Medicine ‘15

MEGAN MOLLBiomedical engineering ‘11 Jesuit Volunteer Corps

ASHLEY SCROGGINSAerospace engineering ‘08 NASA-GSFC

DARREN PAISAerospace engineering ‘07 Ph.D. student, Princeton

13


Where

Leaders

Formedare

14


Parks College has served as the incubator for numerous leaders in the aerospace industry.

William Carrier, Vice President of Engineering for Boeing Defense, Space and Security (BDS) Systems, fondly remem-bers his days at Parks College in Cahokia in the early ‘80s. “We hung out with a diverse group of students. There were engineers, pilots, mechanics; we even had a guy who wanted to be a meteorologist. We didn’t know it at the time but what we had formed back then was something that we use at Boeing today – the integrated product team. We didn’t know we were that, but we had all these kids in specialized areas discussing and debating what we thought at the time were goofy scenarios that involved aircraft and space. We were all coming together with different ideas and backgrounds to solve various problems.”

Keith Leverkuhn, General Manager of Propulsion Systems and Vice President of Engineering for Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA), was classmates with Carrier. “Having all those interests in one dorm– pilots, airplane maintenance workers, future administrators, engineers -- conjued up all kinds of aerospace conversations. ‘What happens if a plane LV�À\LQJ�ORZ�RYHU�ZDWHU�DW�QLJKW�DQG�WKHUH�DUH�QR�ZLQGV"�+RZ�GRHV�D�WXUELQH�ZRUN�LQ�WKDW�VLWXDWLRQ"¶�0RVW�RI�WKH�JX\V�IURP�WKDW�FODVV�DUH�QRZ�PLOLWDU\�RI¿FHUV��SLORWV�IRU�PDMRU�airlines and captains of the aerospace industry.”

Early in 2010 Boeing created several new senior-level engineering leadership positions to help drive engineering excellence and ensure program success across the company. Carrier and Leverkuhn were among those named to these elite positions.

“Boeing’s reputation for engineering excellence is built on an array of outstanding products designed and developed

under the guidance of strong engineering leaders,” said John 7UDF\��%RHLQJ�FKLHI�WHFKQRORJ\�RI¿FHU�DQG�VHQLRU�YLFH�SUHVL-dent of Engineering, Operations & Technology (EO&T).

Carrier’s role is to ensure that technical excellence of the engineering teams working on the various military aircraft, making sure they have harnessed all the technological and engineering know-how in the right way. If a program HQFRXQWHUV�D�VLJQL¿FDQW�WHFKQLFDO�FKDOOHQJH�RU�RQH�WKDW�LV�D�surprise to them during an operational test run, it is Carrier’s responsibility to pull together a team of experts and assist the program personnel in solving the problem.

Vehicles Carrier is responsible for include satellites, air-SODQHV��¿JKWHU�SODQHV��ODXQFK�YHKLFOHV��JURXQG�YHKLFOHV�DQG�even a submarine.

“I grew up during the days of the Gemini and Apollo pro-grams. My parents let me stay home from school and watch the launches,” he said. “From an early age I was enamored with both space and aircraft. It’s really the only thing I ever wanted to do.”

Parks graduates named engineering

vice presidents at The Boeing Company.

By Mary McHugh

From an early age I was

enamored with both

space and aircraft.

It’s really the only thing

I ever wanted to do.”

“

– Carrier

15


He obtained his private pilot’s license when he turned 17. ,Q�IDFW��LW�ZDV�KLV�ÀLJKW�LQVWUXFWRU�ZKR�HQFRXUDJHG�KLP�WR�enroll at Parks College to pursue his engineering degree. During the college years and whenever he had extra money, &DUULHU�FRQWLQXHG�KLV�À\LQJ�OHVVRQV�

He eventually obtained his instrument rating, commercial license and multi-engine ratings in the 1990s and is cur-UHQWO\�À\LQJ�DQG�DVVLVWLQJ�ZLWK�WKH�PDLQWHQDQFH�RI�D�3LSHU�Saratoga. He obtained his aerobatic experience in Bellanca Citabria/Decathalon and Stearman PT-13B aircraft. Carrier is also an Aviation Merit Badge Advisor for the Boy Scouts of America.

“The one thing I love about being an engineer and a pilot is that I still have a relationship with mechanics and pilots on a regular basis. I am not only part of the industry that PDNHV�SODQHV�EXW�SDUW�RI�DQ�LQGXVWU\�WKDW�JHWV�WR�À\�WKHP��,W�is a great combination of both worlds.”

Leverkuhn also understands the need to remain close to the aircraft he helps build. Every day when he arrives at the %RHLQJ�SODQW�LQ�(YHUHWW��:DVKLQJWRQ��WKH�¿UVW�WKLQJ�KH�GRHV�LV�ZDON�WKURXJK�WKH�PDQXIDFWXULQJ�DUHD�WR�VHH�¿UVWKDQG�ZKDW�is being worked on at that moment.

“Airplanes are about the most exquisite machines ever in-vented. ,” Leverkuhn said. “There is just something miracu-lous about takeoff -- millions of parts working together to make that plane airborne. I still am amazed by all of it, even after all these years.”

In addition to his responsibilities as BCA’s Chief Engi-neer for Propulsion, Leverkuhn leads the team that provides engine and propulsion systems procurement, contracting and manufacturing integration for all commercial airplane programs and support for more than 12,000 in-service airplanes. The breadth of his responsibilities make him ap-preciate the “little things” even more.�³:KHQ�,¶P�VLWWLQJ�RQ�DQ�DLUSODQH�DQG�WKH�HQJLQHV�¿UH�XS��

I think about the incredible power and how hard they are

working,” he said. “I listen to the engines and the acoustic signatures. Depending on what seat I’m sitting in, I hear dif-ferent parts working. The spinning turbines create different tones in different parts of the plane.&DUULHU�ÀLHV�DSSUR[LPDWHO\��PLOHV�DQQXDOO\��$O-

ways on commercial aircraft. Always in a window seat.“I want to watch the other planes preparing for takeoff. I

like hearing the engines starting up, the whole process. I’m constantly thinking about what the pilot is doing to prepare for takeoff and landing. It’s just this kind of goofy stuff go-ing through my brain. I’m an engineer. And I learned a long time ago not to share these details with my wife when she’s sitting next to me.”

Carrier recalled a moment on the runway several months ago when he noticed a an ATR-72 commuter airliner ready-ing for take-off just ahead of his plane. The plane’s spoil-ers, which help slow a plane down during landing, were GHÀHFWHG�

“Not a good thing if you’re trying to take off,” Carrier said. “I was getting more and more nervous as I watched this plane taxiing closer to take-off. I was weighing in my mind the option of causing a commotion on my plane by getting up and trying to tell the pilot that something was wrong with the plane ahead of us, or just hoping the pilot out there would notice it himself.”

A few seconds before takeoff, Carrier noticed the ATR-72’s spoilers were retracting into the proper position for takeoff. “What I realized is that the ATR-72 deploys its spoilers on the ground for added stability and automatically retracts them as takeoff power is applied,” Carrier said. “So, it just proves you are constantly learning on the job.”

Carrier is impressed with the caliber of students graduat-ing from Parks College.

He feels they are better prepared for working in a team environment.

“When I was in school, individual learning was more

There is just something miraculous about

takeoff -- millions of parts working together

to make that plane airborne. I still am

amazed by all of it, even after all these

years.”

“

– Leverkuhn

16


prevalent. Your individual work was really the only thing that counted. Occasionally we would work on teams but it was more of an optional thing. Today teamwork is emphasized much more because that’s exactly how we’re organized at Boeing. This doesn’t mean you can shirk individual responsibility in the class, but students must be able to work and collaborate with other engineers and sometimes, non-engineers. You need to be able to com-municate.

Leverkuhn said schools today must provide good bal-ance between fundamental engineering skills and analyti-cal technical skills.³7KH�HQJLQHHULQJ�¿HOG�LV�FKDQJLQJ�DQG�ZH�DW�%RHLQJ�

struggle with this every day.,” he said. “As we look at the workforce coming out of the universities, we are amazed at the capabilities that these graduates have. With the proliferation of personal computers, students are coming out with far more capability in terms of tool usage.”

In addition, Leverkuhn said students need to have the engineering judgment to know when to apply sophisticat-ed modeling to a problem and when they don’t have to.

“It’s something this industry will eventually have to face. There is no need to drive a thumbtack with a sledgehammer,” Leverkuhn said. “We must continue WR�XVH�WKHVH�QHZ�WRROV�HI¿FLHQWO\�WR�FRQWDLQ�FRVWV��$UH�we performing tests because we want to and we can, or EHFDXVH�ZH�QHHG�WR"´

Another area in which Carrier and Leverkuhn think Parks College is doing the right thing is in nurturing communication skills among students. Communication in today’s workforce is paramount.

“No one does anything in isolation these days,” Leverkuhn said. “It’s all about teamwork, customer input, and being able to communicate to a broad audience. You FDQ¶W�GR�DQ\�RI�WKLV�E\�\RXUVHOI��7KLV�KDV�EHHQ�D�VLJQL¿-cant transition and a very good one. We need people who can come in and collaborate and communicate and share ideas and solutions with everyone.

“The world is far more complicated. There are so many different manufacturing processes and ingredients WKDW�ZH�DUH�ZRUNLQJ�ZLWK�WKDW�ZHUHQ¶W�HYHQ�LQYHQWHG�¿YH�years ago. Being able to do hard core analytical work is increasingly important today, but so is having the com-munication skills. Graduates also need to have cultural awareness and sensitivity as they will be working with global partnerships.”

Technology, knowledge of the core engineering prin-ciples and communication skills will continue to be the foundation for any developing engineer. For Carrier and Leverkuhn, these skills have proven indelible.

Future leaders, take note.

Keith LeverkuhnGeneral Manager of Propulsion

Systems and Vice President

of Engineering for Boeing

Commercial Airplanes

William CarrierVice President of Structures

and Mechanical Systems

Engineering at Boeing Defense,

Space and Security

17


SummerStudents and faculty wasted no time during Summer 2011. They were conducting research, studying abroad and gaining experience in the industry.

Parks in the

18

Study Abroad Course at SLU Madrid'U��5L\DGK�+LQGL�LQLWLDWHG�3DUNV·�ÀUVW�VWXG\�DEURDG�

program at the SLU Madrid campus. He taught Me-chanics of Solids for engineering sophomores. Seven engineering students experienced the Spanish culture for three weeks and stayed at host-family residences. They visited Spanish cities, such as Segovia, Gandia, DQG�9DOHQFLD�DQG�DOVR�ZHQW�RQ�ÀHOG�WULSV��7KH�FODVV�went to Chamberi Metro (an old metro station), Plaza de Castilla Tower, and the recently built international terminal 4 (T4) at the Madrid Airport.

Students experienced engineering on a global scale WKURXJK�ÀHOG�WULSV�WR�HQJLQHHULQJ�FRPSDQLHV�LQ�6SDLQ��

Students met and networked with industry and other students from around the world. The objective of the program was to provide students with a larger, global perspective of engineering.

Photograph on page: Mary Jennerjohn, (PK ’14)Study abroad group at Chamberi Metro.


Summer Approximately eight rising sophomore engineering students from across the nation will be selected for the third annual 2012 Bioengineering at Saint Louis University, BE@SLU, nine-week summer research program.

Research projects for the BE@SLU program vary from year to year depending upon faculty grants that are being worked on throughout the year. Past projects ranged from hemodynamic re-sponse of rats to employing chondroitin as an enzyme encapsula-tion to the use of quantum dots for labeling neural cell lines. The Research Experience Undergraduate (REU) program is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Participants receive a competitive stipend, housing food and travel expenses. Students participate in a research project that interests them as well as programs that include career panels, industry tours, research seminars oral and written presentations and cell training. Students participating last year were from Princeton, University of Akron, SLU, University of Minnesota, Bucknell, Vanderbilt and the University of Wisconsin.

In addition to the undergraduate participants, the program of-fers two peer mentoring positions for more advanced students. The mentors help guide and fuel peer interactions and trouble-shoot problems with the program participants.

“The availability of undergraduate opportunities in research has increased tremendously from when I was an undergraduate engineering student,” said David Barnett, Professor and Chair for the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Parks College. “I think this is a hallmark of our program in that we have the ability to offer a research opportunity of this calibre. It’s so important for these students to be integrated into the research process at such an early stage in their education.”

According to Barnett, who heads up the summer program, the faculty participating each year in the program provides a good balance of structured research work and yet offers students enough freedom to conduct their own experiments.

Faculty participating in the program represent all disciplines, including medicine, chemistry and biology. The only stipula-tion Barnett has is that the project must include an engineering component. If the research projects extend beyond the nine-week course, SLU engineering students usually become involved dur-ing the fall and winter semesters.

Summer Undergraduate Research Experience Parks College offers a summer research program for undergradu-ate students with more than 30 research opportunities collaborat-ing with faculty. Students focused on diverse projects involving FRPSXWDWLRQDO�ÁXLG�G\QDPLFV��VSDFH�V\VWHPV��VXVWDLQDELOLW\�DQG�unmanned aerial vehicles. 15 students attended the program in Summer 2011.

Engineering Students Participate in BE@SLU Summer Research Program Parks students go on internships around the country at major

companies such as General Electric, NASA, Southwest Airlines, LMI Aerospace and The Boeing Company.

Laura Marxkors, electrical engineering major, worked as an Edison Engineering Development Program intern at GE Health-care in Milwau-kee, Wisc. For 10 weeks, Marxkors worked as a soft-ware engineering intern, implement-ing test automa-tion techniques to improve Mat-Lab/CardioLab product testing within the invasive car-diology group. “This experience was very rewarding; I was able to learn about a new product, and see how engineering roles are GHÀQHG�ZLWKLQ�D�FRUSRUDWH�VHWWLQJ�µ�VDLG�0DU[NRUV�

Megan Thomas was a project engineer intern in the Aerostruc-tures division at LMI Aerospace, Inc. She was involved in two projects, the Gulfstream G650 and the MRJ. For the Gulfstream G650, Thomas loaded Gulfstream’s data into LMI’s database using and Teamcenter. In addition to uploading data, she had opportunities to see the manufacturing side of engineering by taking tours of the locally owned plants of LMI. “The most valuable lesson I learned at LMI Aerospace was all the planning that goes into manufacturing each part. It is amazing how many decisions have to be made in order to manufacture the individual SDUWV�WKDW�ZLOO�HYHQWXDOO\�EH�DVVHPEOHG�LQWR�WKH�ÀQDO�SURGXFW��WKH�aircraft,” said Thomas.

Kate Bartlett also did an intern-ship at LMI Aerospace, Inc. Bartlett worked on a heat treat standardiza-tion project for Plant 22. She wrote a Setup Card template for use by heat WUHDW�RSHUDWRUV�RQ�WKH�SODQW�ÁRRU�DQG�also drafted a Work Instruction with the help of corporate quality – docu-ments that are invaluable for organi-]DWLRQ��HIÀFLHQF\�DQG�VDIHW\�RQ�WKH�SODQW�ÁRRU��

Bartlett also contributed to the drafting of Mitsubishi Regional Jet tailcone assembly.

Parks at Oshkosh Parks College exhibited at the 2011 EAA Airventure Oshkosh and hosted an alumni breakfast at the EAA Nature Center.

Student Summer Internships

Laura Marxkors at GE Healthcare in Milwaukee,Wisc.

Bartlett at LMI Aerospace.

19

Stephen Magoc, aviation faculty and enrollment

manager, and K. Ravindra, interim dean.

By Mary McHugh


faculty profile[ [

Riyadh Hindi, associate professor in the civil engineer-ing department, tends to drive a little faster when he’s crossing a bridge. Even though he’s spent more than 20 years as a structural and bridge engineer in the U.S. and abroad, his foot always presses harder on the pedal when the wheels hit the bridge surface.

“Maybe I’m afraid of heights,” Hindi says laugh-ing. “But then again, I know what goes into building a bridge. I know it’s safe, but something in me just wants to get across it quickly. I think engineers who build tall structural towers feel the same way when they walk into a skyscraper.”

Or it could be his son who is always yelling from the back seat to hurry up and cross. Mainly because every time they cross a bridge, Hindi spends the next few min-utes detailing the types of concrete used in that particular bridge, or pointing out special design features.

“It drives my kids nuts,” said Hindi, who has been teaching civil engineering at SLU for the past year. Prior to joining SLU, Hindi taught for nine years at Bradley University. His areas of expertise include non-linear behavior, modeling, and damage of reinforced and pre-stressed concrete elements under static, cyclic and seismic loadings. Mention earthquakes and Hindi can talk at great length about bridge fatigue and the nature of concrete and its ability to absorb tension and weight.

Hindi is currently collaborating on a research project with engineers at the University of Illinois on a bridge project for the Illinois Department of Transportation. Cracking concrete bridge decking is the focal point of the three-year study. Graduate students will be working with Hindi on producing the structural samples and recom-mendations for the Illinois project, while the University of Illinois will be providing recommendations for the materials.

Hindi has co-authored more than 40 journal and con-ference articles related to bridges and structures under dif-ferent types of loads. He has developed a damage model of concrete bridge columns under seismic loading based on degraded energy, and continues to chair and organize technical committees for the American Concrete Institute

(ACI), American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE), and the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI), to name a few.

Since he entered the workforce nearly 20 years ago, +LQGL�KDV�VHHQ�PDQ\�FKDQJHV��ZLWKLQ�WKH�ÀHOG��%ULGJH�materials today are more durable and require less mainte-nance. Accelerated bridges can be built off-site, trans-ported to the construction area and then assembled in less WLPH�WKDQ�EHIRUH��DOORZLQJ�IRU�IHZHU�WUDIÀF�GLVUXSWLRQV�IRU�drivers.

“We can’t teach the way we taught years ago,” Hindi said. “It’s involves more than just reading theories out of books. Today’s students need to learn what tools are available now, how to create software, how to speed up DQG�EHFRPH�PRUH�HIÀFLHQW�GXULQJ�FRQVWUXFWLRQ��,I�WKH\�don’t learn about the tools, then there is a missing link between theory and applying it to real life.”

Hindi said anyone can design a bridge but being able to bring it to market is another thing. “Not everything you put on paper can be built,” he said. “A good teacher will not only teach how to design something, but how to carry it one step further and bring it to fruition.”

Teaching students and making them understand this concept is important to Hindi. Last year he initiated Billiken Beams, a bridge building outreach program for high school students in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. Approximately 26 teams of students meet at SLU in the fall for a one-day training session. Students are provided with balsa wood and related supplies and given some ini-tial instruction on using the computer software programs. They meet up again in February during Engineering Week to test the strength of their bridges.

Even after all of these years, Hindi still enjoys looking at bridges. His favorite one is an elevated one that was built in Spain. It sits so high off the ground, the clouds often obscure the entire structure. A three-span bridge he designed in British Columbia remains his favorite though. A challenging project when he was working on it, the bridge is about 400 feet long.

And yes, even when he drives across his own bridges, Hindi applies a little more pressure to the gas pedal.

Riyadh Hindi, Ph.D.

Civil engineering

20


George Brill, Parks College graduate and founder of Talisen Technologies, Inc., began working at Boeing in the early ‘90s when the internet was in its infancy. Bids and requests for proposals were all submitted on reams of paper. Brill was frustrated by the missing link, as he refers to it, between getting data to suppliers more HIÀFLHQWO\�DQG�UHFHLYLQJ�ELGV�EDFN�IURP�WKHP��,W�FRXOG�take weeks to get drawings passed around.

So in 1991, Brill founded AeroTech Service Group with his own personal funds and immediately began serving McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) with a secure, electronic collaboration platform which went on to become a corporate technology standard by the late ‘90s. An early pioneer in collaboration connectivity and security issues, Brill has become a technical expert in the transmission of secure information over the inter-net. His initial work was written up in a 1995 Harvard University case study and Brill found himself lecturing students during his case’s presentation.

“Never in a million years would I have thought I would be talking about my work to Harvard students,” Brill said.

Ten years later, Brill adapted the defense technology for a new market -- Enterprise Facilities Information Management. Talisen Technologies partnered with -RKQVRQ�&RQWUROV�LQ��WR�GHOLYHU�WKH�ÀUVW�(QWHUSULVH�Sustainability platform for the State of Missouri. The project created a revolutionary type of technology platform for 300 state buildings (23 million square feet) which enabled substantial savings in energy, operations, maintenance and capital spending. The system has tracked more than a 5.7% reduction in energy for the State in the last two years.

“Technology we are using today to monitor energy didn’t even exist three years ago,” Brill said. “Internet thermostats are totally new, for example. Instead of replacing old pipes in an older building, we can now install an air pressure driven system onto the heads of the old pipes and the communication systems allows the energy to be managed. We now know what’s going on with energy output in any building every 15 minutes through updates. It’s just incredible.”

“Regardless of what you’re doing with your engi-neering degree, you need to have some understanding of information technology, networking, software ap-plication, computer literacy and knowledge about how technology in business works,” he said.

Brill is also a Saint Louis University Board of Trustee member.

alumni profile[ [George Brill, (PK ’85)

CEO, Talisen Technologies, Inc.


Youth

GatewayAviationto

Fostering Youth Aviation Education

M

Parks College Hosts Youth

Gateway to Aviation Event

Giving Boy Scouts First-Hand

Aviation Experience

22

Story by Amanda Pope; Photos by Mitch Bartnick


Gateway

Fostering Youth Aviation Education

23

Parks College and the St. Louis Downtown Airport hosted the Youth Gateway to Aviation (YGA) on Saturday, October 8. 500 scouts from the Lewis

DQG�&ODUN�&RXQFLO�RI�WKH�%R\�VFRXWV�OHDUQHG�ÀUVW�KDQG�about the exciting world of aviation. The purpose of the free event was to foster youth aviation education.

The Hero Stage at the event featured Gene Kranz, a 1954 Parks graduate and NASA Flight Director during the Gemini and Apollo programs. Kranz is best known for his role in directing the successful Mission Control team efforts to save the crew of Apollo 13.

<*$�LQFOXGHG�LQWHUDFWLYH�DFWLYLWLHV��GLVFRYHU\�ÁLJKWV��VLPXODWRUV��DLUSRUW�ÀUH�WUXFN�GHPRQVWUDWLRQV��GLVSOD\V��tours and a scavenger hunt. Saint Louis University’s Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology, The Boeing Company, the Saint Louis Science Center, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), Young Eagles, Gateway Eagles, Garmin, Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, Wicks Airplane Supply and other aviation companies participated as partners.

William Carrier, (PK ’81) gives a lecture on aerodynamics to scouts.

Gene Kranz (PK’54), with scouts after the Hero Stage event.


YOUNG ALUMNI STAY CONNECTED

Recent Parks College graduates mingled with business leaders from the engineering and aviation industry on October 7 at a Young

Alumni Networking Reception hosted by Delaney Damburg (PK ’07) and Parks College. Guests also had the opportunity to meet the famed Flight Director of Apollo 13, Gene Kranz (PK ’54).

SLU PRESIDENT HOSTS RECEPTION

Lawrence Biondi, S.J., Saint Louis University President, hosted an event for Parks College and Institute of Technology alumni in Oct.

Many leading Parks alumni were in attendance. Photographed from left: Andrew Brignoli–Senior VP of Product Operations at Insitu, Lawrence Biondi, S.J., Dan Rodgrigues–COO of Herndon Products LLC, Denise Wondotowski–Senior Portfolio Manager at US Bank, William Carrier–VP of Engineering for Boeing Defense, Space and Security Systems, George Brill–CEO of Talisen Technologies, Bob McDaniel– director of the St. Louis Downtown Airport, John Capellupo–President of McDonell Doug-las Aerospace (retired), Manoj Patankar–VP of Academic Affairs at SLU.

SANTA LANDS AT PARKS

Parks College celebrated the holiday season on Dec. 3. Santa landed at the Parks College Hangar at the St. Louis Downtown Airport.

Alumni, faculty, staff and their families gathered for photos with Santa, crafts and seasonal treats. The Santa Fly-In is an annual college tradition that attracts more than 400 people to Hangar 8.

FACULTY OFFICE DEDICATED TO ALUM

Family of Herman Correale were present at a dedication ceremony at 3DUNV�&ROOHJH��$�IDFXOW\�RIÀFH�LQ�DHURVSDFH�DQG�PHFKDQLFDO�HQJL-

neering was named after the alumnus who was considered the “father of CALS.”

ALUMNI GATHERINGS ON THE EAST COAST

Alumni attend social events in Washington D.C. and Patuxent River, 0G��LQ�1RY��6XVDQ�%ORRPÀHOG��3.�·��GHYHORSPHQW�GLUHF-

tor and K. Ravindra, Interim Dean, were present.

alumni news and notes[ [

24


Phi Alpha Chi, the World’s Oldest Social Aviation Fra-ternity, gathered in St. Louis from October 6th-9th, 2011 to celebrate the Fraternity’s 70th Anniversary Reunion. Over 100 CHI Brothers from all over the United States came to St. Louis to renew old friendships and relive great memories of their years at Parks College.

On Thursday, October 6, Brother Jack Massa (PK ‘65) hosted a delicious “Early Arrival” Dutch Treat Dinner at Massa’s Restaurant in Kirkwood, Mo. for 65 reunion attend-ees.

The Inaugural Jamie R. Barrett Memorial Golf Tournament was held at Norwood Hills Country Club on Friday October 7 followed by a Memorial Service, which was held at the Re-naissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, in loving tribute to the 23 Brothers of Phi Alpha Chi who have passed away since 2001. With over 150 people in attendance, the candle lighting ser-vice proved to be among the highlights of the weekend. The service was conducted by Deacon Chuck Ryder (PK ‘75).

Following the Memorial Service, the Welcome Home Party in the Penthouse Ballroom provided a priceless “meet-and-greet” session where all CHI Brothers introduced them-

selves and gave a short bio. How interesting to learn that the Brothers of CHI had such diverse professional backgrounds! Ranging from the largest manufacturer of guitar picks, to CIA involvement, to piloting the Pope! The Brothers of CHI recanted fantastic careers in aviation, engineering, real estate, law, education and entrepreneurial endeavors.

On Saturday, October 8, two busloads of Parks College Alumni CHI Brothers arrived at the Saint Louis University Campus and were greeted by Interim Dean K. Ravindra. Tours of Parks College’s McDonnell Douglas Hall and the Parks College Time Line were hosted by Dr. John George (PK ’55) and Parks College students. Many of the Brothers had not been to St. Louis since their graduation 20-40 years ago. The visit to the “NEW” Parks College Campus on Satur-day left everyone impressed with the direction of the college.

PHI ALPHA CHI anniversary reunion70years

FRATERNITYreunions

ALPHA PI SIGMA reunionAlpha Pi Sigma fraternity members gathered at Parks Col-

lege in Oct. 2011 during their reunion. Jim Jeske arranged for the fraternity members to tour McDonnell Douglas Hall and the Parks College facilities, meet with the Dean and have

lunch on the Saint Louis University Midtown campus.Dr. Ravindra, interim dean, welcomed the group and gave

an update on the College. Laura Wheeler gave a tour of the Ira Inkelas Tribute Timeline.

For many of the fraternity PHPEHUV��WKLV�ZDV�WKHLU�ÀUVW�time visiting the SLU cam-pus and new Parks College facilities.

The members shared sto-ries and memories of their days at the College.


2011 Oliver L. Parks Alumni Merit Award recipient, Walter S. Hoy

Walt Hoy earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engi-neering from Parks College in 1956, where he developed his passion for aviation. Hoy joined the Air Force in 1958, where he served as pilot in command of 13 different aircraft over a span of 20 years. In 1969 he was sent to Vietnam, where he was part of a helicopter com-mando group. Hoy earned his MBA from the University of Dayton, preparing him to start Airplane Plastics, Inc., in 1978. He supplied custom-made canopies for Burt Rutan’s early designs, including the record-breaking Voyager and Virgin Atlantic Global Flyer. In 1980, he founded Fox Lite Inc., which manufactures a vast array of plastic products.

In 1999, Hoy transferred the companies to his son, W. Douglas Hoy (Parks ’80), and began to devote much of his time to charitable RUJDQL]DWLRQV��+H�LV�D�FHUWLÀHG�GRFHQW�WRXU�JXLGH�DW�WKH�1DWLRQDO�Museum of the United States Air Force, where he has also served on the Volunteer Advisory Board. Hoy currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation. He is the founder and chairman of the Wright Image Group, and is currently in the process of building a 220 foot tall Wright Flyer Monument near Dayton, Ohio.

2011 Institute of Technology Alumni Merit Award recipient, Lindell E. Montgomery

In 1957, Lin Montgomery graduated from the Saint Louis Univer-sity Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Geological Engineering. First beginning his career in the oil and gas industry at age 13, Montgomery now has more than 50 years of experience in KLV�ÀHOG��)URP�KLV�WLPH�RQ�D�JUDYLW\�FUHZ�LQ�WKH�VZDPSV�RI�/RXL-siana to President of Caspian International Oil Corporation, Mont-JRPHU\·V�FDUHHU�KDV�VSDQQHG�WKH�HQWLUH�VSHFWUXP�RI�RLO�ÀHOG�GHYHORS-ment, leading him and his family all across the globe.

Montgomery began his post-graduate career in 1957 with Geo-physical Service, Inc. (GSI), then a division of Texas Instruments, DQG�ZDV�DVVLJQHG�3DUW\�&KLHI�WR�WKH�ÀUVW�GLJLWDO�VHLVPLF�ÀHOG�FUHZ�LQ�Germany. In 1979, he became the Marketing and Operations Man-ager. For Halliburton Geophysical Service, Inc., Montgomery nego-WLDWHG�DQG�PDQDJHG�WKH�ÀUVW�VHLVPLF�GDWD�HQGHDYRU�IRU�WKH�8665�LQ�the Chukchi Sea in 1990. Seven years later, he reorganized a number of former Ministry of Geology seismic enterprises in Kazakhstan, which led to his position of Chairman and CEO of the Geotex Corp.

Today, Montgomery and his wife live in Houston, Texas. He is a member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists and the Knights of Columbus. In addition, Montgomery helped found, and continues to support, La Arca Orphanage in Talgar, Kazakhstan.

Photos from top: $OXPQL�Á\�LQ�SDQFDNH�EUHDNIDVW�LQ�+DQJDU��Walter Hoy and Lindell Montgomery, alumni merit award recipients; $OXPQL�PHULW�DZDUG�OXQFK��DOXPQL�QDYLJDWLQJ�:ULJKW�%URV��ÁLJKW�simulator brought by Hoy; 50-year reunion reception.

2011 Homecoming[ [

26


We want to hear from you.

Submit class notes to Laura Wheeler.

Email to: [email protected].

Mail to:

Saint Louis University

3450 Lindell Blvd.

McDonnell Douglas Hall

St. Louis, Mo. 63103

Attn: Laura Wheeler

Claude Genest (PK ‘67), retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in 2005, then from Lockheed Martin in 2009 after ��\HDUV�DV�DQ�DLU�WUDIÀF�FRQWUROOHU��)OLJKW�6HUYLFH�2SWLRQ��+H�QRZ�ÁLHV�ZLWK�:DUELUGV�:HVW�$LU�0XVHXP�DQG�SDUWLFLSDWHV�LQ�airshows in a BE-18. He lives in San Diego, CA.

Lt. Col. Mark R. Palesh, USAF (PK ’71) served in the US Air Force, Air National Guard, and Reserve Units in three states. He also had a 33-year career as a City & County Manager in six municipalities including Niagara Falls, NY, and Juneau, AK. He now resides in Midvale, UT.

Cheewai Liew (PK ’03), works on the 787-9 Development Fo-cal/PSE Focal and 787 Flight Deck Engineering, The Boeing, Co.

Aznam Hashim (PK ’89), is project director for MRO Malay-sian Airlines.

Fernando Abilleira (PK ’99), works in the Mission Design and Navigation Section (343) and Inner Planet Mission Analysis Group (343D) at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Hoa Truong (PK ’08), is a Design Engineer at FlightSafety International.

Delaney Damberg (PK ’07), is a Project Manager for the ODA at Jet Aviation in Cahokia, Ill.

Antony Susainathan (PK ’00), is a Lead Systems Engineer on the USAF programs at Wright Patteron Airforce Base.

Capt Neil Senkowski, (PK ’03), was one of six Air Force of-ÀFHUV�FKRVHQ�WR�SDUWLFLSDWH�LQ�WKH�SUHVWLJLRXV�2OPVWHG�6FKRODU�Program. Of the 545 Olmsted Scholars chosen over the past 53 \HDUV��&DSW�6HQNRZVNL�LV�WKH�ÀUVW�6/8�JUDGXDWH��

Hector Herrera (PK ’03), is a manufacturing engineer at Mis-souri Metals, LLC.

Mathew D. Janda (PK ’08), works at Airborne Systems.

Stephen Newman (PK ’07), is a Design Engineer at GE Energy.

Mark J. Johnson, D.Sc. (PK ’90, PK ’92) is Vice President, Next Generation ISR, Special Programs, L-3 Mission Integration.

Michael Cunico (PK ’05), is a Hardware Structural Analysis Engineer at The Boeing Company, St. Louis.

Jim Ball, (PK ’88), serves as Deputy Chief Engineer in the Airworthiness Directorate of the Naval Air Systems Command, Naval Air Warfare Center, Patuxent River, MD. In this posi-tion Jim works with mainly Naval Aircraft, and with many other Parks Alumni.

USAF Brig. Gen Martin Whelan (PK ’83), has been promoted to major general and named director of requirements at Air force Space Command Headquarters in Col.

in memorium

Jamie Barrett, (PK ’73) Charles Rilling Beckman (PK ’49) Bob Kritzler (PK ’60) Keavy Nenninger (PK ’11) (photographed right)

class notes[ [I am writing this article as I sit on

D�8QLWHG�$LUOLQH�ÁLJKW�RQ�P\�UHWXUQ�trip from Washington DC where I visited with alumni on the north east side of DC (Maryland) and at NAVAIR and Boeing in Patux-ant River, MD – I’ll travel to the Virginia area during my next visit. Since this article is slated for the December issue of Parks Today, I should be reviewing the 2011 list of Parks College development accomplishments.

Instead, I’d like to share with you a plan that we have. Before I get ahead of myself, you have to know a little background. Parks lost a young alumna, Keavy Nenninger, class of 2011, in a light sport aircraft crash. Keavy was one of those beautiful, young, vivacious girls that drew attention where ever she went – no one was a stranger. Due to her personality, she touched many others as she blazed through her life. In her senior year, she helped Parks host the NIFA (National Intercollegiate Flying Association) SAFECON as a member of the planning commit-tee. The proceeds from that competition netted $14,500, which the team decided to donate to Parks as the base of an endowed aviation scholarship with a challenge to aviation alumni to match the gift in order to reach the endowment level.

Before the scholarship had much of a chance to become endowed, we lost Keavy. During homecoming this year, some of her classmates held a chili cook-off in honor of Keavy and raised almost enough, at that one event, to reach the minimum endowment level…then a few more of her young alumni class-mates stepped forward to take the fund over the $25,000 level.

Now on to the plan–Parks would like to host a gathering dur-ing the yearly homecoming weekend, a Friday evening fund-raising event where alumni can enjoy each other’s company, while having fun and providing support for their favorite Parks “cause.” We have so much need for scholarships these days and we have funds, like Keavy’s, that need the oomph to get them over the endowment level or build them to an even higher level – the more the corpus, the more we can give to students.

So, bottom line, we are hoping that you LOVE this idea and WKDW�LI�\RX�KDYH�DQ�LWHP�WKDW�\RX�FDQ�GRQDWH�IRU�D�UDIÁH�RU�FDQ�participate on the planning of the event, please call me at 314-910-3555 or email me at [email protected]. If not and you’d like to attend and bring your check book, please keep your eye out for the annual homecoming invitation next summer and we will see you there! Keavy will love you for it!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

6XVDQ�%ORRPILHOG��0�%�$��Ī3.�µ��ī Development Director

alumni message[ [

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parks today winter 2011

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