Engineering Newsletter

Fall 2008

Welcome Back from Dean Traver

It is that exciting time of year when we return refreshed from our summer activities, and ready to start learning more about engineering! I would especially like to welcome our new engineering students – both transfers and incoming first year students – to our engineering programs. You have a lot of exciting opportunities waiting for you – some of which are described in this fall’s newsletter. Enjoy.

Cherrice Traver

Dean of Engineering

Steinmetz 202

traverc@union.edu

FIE 2008 to be Hosted by Union

The Frontiers of Education conference is a premier international conference where engineering and computer science faculty present papers and discuss teaching and student learning.

This conference will be held in Saratoga Springs on October 22-25, 2008 and Union College will be the academic host. This is a great opportunity to show off to over 500 engineering and computer science educators from around the world. We will be looking for student volunteers to help out at the Union table at the conference and to help out with the logistics. If you are interested, please contact Dean Traver.

Check it out at: http://www.fie-conference.org/08/

Engineering Challenge BBQ

Sponsored by the Dean of Engineering, ECE & CS Depts., ASME, SWE, NSBE, SHPE, IEEE, Baja Club, Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi

Friday, June 6

This year’s engineering challenges featured Exploring While Soaring, Engineering Double Dare, Balloon Toss, and other exciting and fun events. The Baja club displayed their vehicle, and Professor Keat dominated in volleyball. Congratulations to the winning challenge team: “Hodg-Podg” – Dean Pasquerella, Jordan Cinelli, and Alexander Weintraub. Other teams that placed in the challenge were the “Busiest Beavers”, “The Clamp”, and “Prague +1”. If you have not stopped by to pick up your prizes yet, please see Karen Crosby in Steinmetz 202.

Charles Proteus Steinmetz – Myths and Realities

George Wise

In the life of the great electrical engineer Charles Proteus Steinmetz (April 9, 1865- October 23, 1923) truth really is stranger  than fiction. He's best remembered today for the many myths that grew up around him. Most are pure fiction, or at best gross exaggerations. For example, it's a myth that Steinmetz invented alternating current. Or that when one of his bosses pointed first to Steinmetz's ever-present cigar and then to the "no smoking sign" and told him to put the stogie out, Steinmetz replied: "no smoking, no Steinmetz". Or that Steinmetz was so valuable to his employer, General Electric, that GE gave him not a salary, but a blank checkbook. Or that GE had bought a whole company just to acquire Steinmetz. Or that when Steinmetz, who suffered from scoliosis so severe that he was cruelly called a "hunchback" by the insensitive, was asked why he accepted the post of professor at Union College rather than at a famous Midwest university, he answered" "The choice was simple-- it was either to become the electrical genius of Union College, or the hunchback of Notre Dame."

All that is fiction. The truth is better. The scoliosis, its destructive effects on his stature, and the taunts it inspired were real-- and so was his triumph over disability, a story deservedly celebrated alongside that of the physicist Stephen Hawking. Growing up in Germany, Steinmetz studied mathematics and philosophy-- but also acquired a devotion to socialism that led him to leave the country one step ahead of the police and shortly before completing a Ph.D. thesis in mathematics. Steinmetz really did arrive in America with no money or reputation, but he had letters of introduction and an academic background from the University of Breslau that quickly won him a job in the infant electrical industry. There he made his name by developing his Law of Hysteresis, an important tool for predicting energy losses in equipment using magnetic fields, such as electric motors. GE acquired him by good luck, not design. But his GE bosses were smart enough to recognize his greatness and soon made him their chief consulting engineer. He did not invent alternating current or even invent the mathematics for analyzing alternating current. But he educated the world about that mathematics. His ability to define and solve complicated problems involving the generation, transmission and control of alternating currents in a pre-computer age earned him the nickname "the Supreme Court"-- the final authority on such matters.  His own recognition that his greatness was as an educator rather than as a scientist or inventor led him in 1902 to join the Union faculty. He rejuvenated Union's engineering program, and was the first chair of its Electrical Engineering Department. In his spare time, he founded the first research laboratory in the US (now GE Global Research), pioneered environmentalism and electric cars, helped organize a successful Socialist Party that won control of Schenectady city government and installed such improvements as better schools and a park system, and, daring the unpopularity of a German-American appearing to take the German side in World War I, chaired a mass meeting in 1916 calling for neutrality and peace.

Steinmetz name lives on in many places: in Steinmetz Hall at Union, where his engineering education tradition continues: in Steinmetz Park, where his dedication to the community is memorialized; and in the Steinmetz Solid, the solid defined by the intersection of two cylinders. That last distinction memorializes a (probably) true incident in the Steinmetz legend. When he rose to lecture at Union for the first time, a couple of senior mathematical engineers decided to show up the new Prof. They challenged Steinmetz to solve a problem that had cost them some sleepless nights and a lot of application of calculus: imagine a one inch radius drill drilling a hole one inch in radius in a metal cylinder also one inch in radius. What volume of metal does the drill remove? To the amazement of the students Steinmetz did not even need to stop and think or turn to the blackboard. He answered immediately with the right answer. (Can you do it? Steinmetz admitted later there's a trick. Answer and trick in next issue).      

Photo courtesy of GE Global Research.

Grant News from 2007-2008

Morphological Characterization of Nanomaterials by Atomic Force Microscopy – Professor Cortez

Professor Cortez has been awarded a $175,000 grant from NSF to characterize nanomaterials using atomic force microscopy. Surfaces to be examined contain nanomaterials such as nanotubes and nanoshells. Students interested in learning more about materials characterization will be supported by this grant and are invited to contact Professor Cortez.

Nanoshells and Quantum Dots

Virtual Term Abroad: Atilim University, Ankara Turkey

Selin Whitham

For 10 months we collaborated with students from Atlilim University in Ankara, Turkey. We designed, constructed and tested a autonomous caterpillar that combined mechanical, electrical, and computer disciplines. We traveled to Turkey in June to present and test our robot. We visited the capital of Turkey, Ankara, the ruins in Cappadocia, and ancient history in Istanbul. We developed lifelong friendships, experienced great cuisine and the nation’s excitement for soccer. We would like to thank Professor Bucinell, Professor Ramasubramanian, and Professor Hodgson for their help in making this experience possible.

Union IVDS Students: Michelle Rogers, Kaitlin Graham, Selin Whitham, Greg Kelly, Matt Adams

Engineering Student Summer Research

Rebecca Cortez

Over twenty-five engineering students took advantage of the opportunity to conduct research with the engineering faculty during the summer break. Many of the students used the experience to start their senior projects, while others participated in the program to gain insights into what is involved in planning and conducting research. Project durations ranged from four to eight weeks with some lasting longer than that.

Most of the summer engineering student researchers shared what they learned from their project by participating in the college’s Science and Engineering Summer Seminar Series by providing fifteen minute presentations to the college community or by presenting their data during one of the two poster sessions. The presentations and poster sessions were well attended and provided the student participants with the opportunity to hone their organizational and communication skills. It was a positive experience for the presenters with many commenting that organizing and preparing for a presentation or poster was more difficult than they anticipated. The engineering presenters handled the technical questions directed to them during their talks and poster presentations well. Other students will also be highlighting their summer projects in upcoming college-wide venues such as the Steinmetz Symposium or during Homecoming Weekend.

Students who wish to participate in summer research activities next year should plan on talking with the engineering faculty by the winter quarter and should consider applying for financial support from the Undergraduate Research Committee around February 2009. Engineering students who desire to learn more about the Union College summer research program are invited to discuss the experience with the participants of summer 2008. The following website highlights many of the engineering students and their research topics: http://www.union.edu/Academics/undergrad_research/summer/summer_08/

Becker Career Center News

The Becker Career Center spent the summer planning and preparing for a great year. There are several internship and job opportunities already posted in eRecruiting. Log in to see what’s available!

Fall Events

Boston Recruiting Day Prep Sessions (Becker CC)

Thursday, September 18 – 1:00pm & Tuesday, September 23 – 5:00pm

Cover Letter and Resume Workshops (Becker CC)

September 29 & 30

Be sure that your first impression is a good one! Learn how to prepare professional cover letters and resumes that highlight your skills and get employers’ attention.

Engineering Career Fair Prep Session (Butterfield 203)

Tuesday, September 30 – 12:45pm

Learn about the Engineering Consortium and how to compete effectively. Lunch will be provided.

Mock Interviews (Becker Career Center)

Friday, October 3

Business professionals and Union alumni will be on-campus to conduct 30-minute practice interviews and provide you with feedback to enhance your interviewing skills. Space is limited! Contact the Career Center to sign up.

Engineering Consortium Career Fair (Columbia University, NYC)

Friday, October 24^th

Take advantage of this opportunity to explore internship and employment opportunities in engineering, applied sciences and natural sciences with over 150 leading employers!

Boston Recruiting Day (Boston, MA)

Friday, November 7

Meet with employers from a variety of industries to learn about their organizations, gain insights into career fields and discuss job/internship opportunities. Several employers also participate in a formal interview program. Transportation will be provided.

Make an Appointment to Come See Us!

Explore career and internship options, receive cover letter and resume feedback, develop your networking and interviewing skills, and more!

Becker Career Center

Phone: 518.388.6176 Hours: M-F 8:30am-5:00pm

Email: leibl@union.edu

Alumni Awards

Each year at ReUnion weekend we celebrate the accomplishments of our alumni with a few awards. Normally two awards are given in each program every year, the Gold Award to an alumnus who graduated more than 10 years ago, and a Silver Award to an alumnus who graduated less than 10 years ago. At the awards ceremony we invite some engineering students to present their projects as a poster session. Our engineering alumni love to see what our students are working on. In 2008 we presented seven awards as follows:

Dean's Award

Leslie Hill – CE ‘63

Retired, Sandia National Laboratories

Gold Awards

David Duchscherer, PE, CE ‘67

Principal of Wendel Duchscherer Architects & Engineers

Herbert Freeman – EE ‘46

Founder, President and CEO, MapText, Inc.

Professor Emeritus, Electrical & Computer Eng’g. Dept., Rutgers University.

Alexander Gelston – ME ‘68

Founder of Automation Concepts, Inc. , and U.S. Tech Corp., E. Syracuse, NY

Silver Award

Mary McKay – CE ‘98

Program Manager for GE's Project Management Leadership Program

Yvonne Turchetti - EE ‘02

Manager, System p Customer Test, IBM Corporation

Smitesh Bakrania – ME ‘03

Ph.D. Candidate in Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan

FE Exam Process and Deadlines

The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination is the first step toward obtaining a professional engineering (PE) license. While not a requirement for entry level engineering positions, a PE license can give you:

• The right to publicly represent yourself as an engineer
• The opportunity to work as a consultant
• Recognition that you have the necessary academic and professional experience to practice in the engineering profession
• Added value in the job market

Those who have taken it will advise you there is no better time to take the FE exam than right before or right after you graduate. The exam is offered in April and October each year.

Signing up for the FE exam is a 3-step process.

Step 1. Submit “Form 1”, the application for licensure and first registration, and a $70 fee to the Office of the Professions. This is due on November 1, 2008 for the April exam.

Step 2. Ask the registrar office to submit “Form 2”, Certification of Professional Education, to the Office of the Professions. You must fill in the first section of this form, and the registrar fills in the second section and sends it in. Once this happens, you are “eligible” to take the exam.

Step 3. Register and pay the exam vendor. You will receive exam scheduling information from the vendor in December. It is mailed to the address you submitted in Form 1. The $135 exam fee and requested information will have a due date. Don’t miss it! Once you submit the form and fee, you will receive a registration card that admits you to the exam.

You can find forms and more information about the process and the exam, at the following two web sites:

http://www.ncees.org/exams/fundamentals/

http://www.op.nysed.gov/peforms.htm

Engineering Lab Access

In the next few weeks card access locks will be installed in the Engineering Lab, providing flexible student access to the high bay area and the student machine lab. Details about the processes that students and faculty should follow to set up the access lists will be forthcoming.

Engineering Societies Contact Information 2008-09

Society	Contact Name	Email
IEEE	Andrew Barhite	barhitea@union.edu
ASME	Malysa Cheng	chengm@union.edu
SWE	Selin Whitham	whithams@union.edu
NSBE	Sean Conerly	conerlys@union.edu
SHPE	Jessica Sosa	sosaj@union.edu
Tau Beta Pi	Michael Bono	bonom@union.edu
Eta Kappa Nu	Kevin Donovan	donovank@union.edu
Pi Tau Sigma	Matt T. Adams	adamsm2@union.edu
Mini - BAJA Club	Matt Beenan	beenenm@union.edu
Robotics Club	Conor Dodd	doddc@union.edu

A more complete list will be available later this fall.