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1-26-15-The New Mexico Society of Professional Engineers Albuquerque chapter will hold its Order of the Engineer induction ceremony Feb. 23. Nominations for induction into the society will be accepted through Feb. 6.
The induction ceremony will be held at 6 p.m. at the Centennial Engineering Center’s Robert J. Stamm Commons, Room 1044.
Young innovators gear up for VEX Robotics Competition Feb. 7
1-22-15-Over 100 elementary, middle and high school VEX Robotics students and their mentors from around Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Mescalero, Los Lunas, Las Cruces and Farmington, NM, will unite at the Centennial Engineering Center on the University of New Mexico (UNM) campus on February 7 for the VEX IQ and VEX Robotics competitions.
The action-packed tournament will feature more than 24 teams who will compete with and against other schools in a series of back-to-back robot challenges, made possible by the following sponsors: The Albert I. Pierce Foundation, Los Alamos Technical Associates, the Levitated Toy Factory, NASA, and UNM’s School of Engineering.
Participants will compete for the championship title by strategically executing the “Skyrise” game, driving robots they designed, built and programmed from the ground up using the VEX Robotics Design System.
Human-Centric Security Initiative talk to focus on secure software
1-20-15-“Projecting the Integrity and Confidentiality of Security Functions Through Provable Code Obfuscation” will be the topic explored Friday (January 23) by the newly-created Human-Centric Security Initiative at the University of New Mexico.
The speaker will be Adrian Chavez of Sandia National Laboratories. Chavez helped develop CodeSeal, a Sandia technology that provides a way to securely make software harder to interpret in a mathematically-provable way.
The talk will be 3-5 p.m. Friday in the Centennial Engineering Center, Room 1044.
Feezell receives NSF CAREER award to study blue and green vertical-cavity lasers
1-15-15-Daniel Feezell, an assistant professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of New Mexico, has received a $500,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award.
The award, which begins March 1 and continues through February 2020, is for a project titled “Short-Wavelength Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser Arrays Using Nonpolar and Semipolar GaN.”
Feezell said the basic thrust of the project is to develop arrays of blue and green vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) with stable polarization of the light emission by using novel orientations of the semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN).
He said the vertical geometry of VCSELs has several advantages over conventional edge-emitting lasers, including high beam quality, small form factor, the ability to form densely-packed arrays, and lower power consumption. Feezell’s work will focus on adding stable polarization and increasing the output power using arrays.
Robert J. Stamm, honored alumnus of the School of Engineering, dies at 93
12-16-14-Robert J. Stamm, a successful local civil engineer and strong supporter of the University of New Mexico School of Engineering, died Sunday, Dec. 14, in Albuquerque. He was 93.
Stamm was an Albuquerque native and received a bachelor of science degree in from the Department of Civil Engineering in 1942. In 1946, Bob was hired by the construction contracting firm of O.G. Bradbury, just after he had completed a tour of duty as an engineering officer in the U.S. Navy during World War II. His active duty service included training at the U.S. Naval Academy in naval architecture. He retired from the U.S. Naval Reserves with the rank of commander.
Through the years, the firm of Bradbury Stamm Construction Company became a major force in New Mexico’s construction industry. Once called O.G. Bradbury Contractor, in 1958, the firm changed its name to Bradbury & Stamm Construction Co. Inc. (dropping the “&” in 1997), with Stamm as its vice president. In 1974, Stamm became president, chairman of the board and chief operating officer of the company. He retired in 1999 as chairman emeritus. Today, Bradbury Stamm is the largest general contractor in New Mexico, with nearly $120 million in New Mexico contract gross billings in 2013, according to Albuquerque Business First’s list of general contractors.
12-8-14-Technology jointly developed at the University of New Mexico and Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd., was recently honored as a “Top 10 Innovation” at the inaugural conference of the Innovation for Cool Earth Forum held in Tokyo, Japan, on October 8.
The fuel-cell technology, developed by UNM School of Engineering Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Plamen Atanassov and his team and Daihatsu Motors Executive Scientist Hirohisa Tanaka and his team, was recognized for its large-scale potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, its innovative method for making non-platinum-based fuel cells, and its feasibility for successful global commercialization.
Fall Convocation set for Dec. 12
12-10-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering will hold its Fall 2014 Convocation ceremony Friday, Dec. 12 for students receiving undergraduate and graduate degrees from the school.
The ceremony will take place at the Kiva Auditorium in the Albuquerque Convention Center. A total of 184 students are eligible to attend the ceremony, which includes 79 master’s students and 42 doctoral students.
Funding approved for Pajarito Powder LLC
12-4-14-The STC.UNM Co-investment Fund Committee recently approved funding for Albuquerque start-up Pajarito Powder LLC. The company is commercializing technology developed at the University of New Mexico. The early-stage investment will help the company move its technology toward product development and expansion of markets. STC's investment in the company will be matched by a co-investment from an outside venture capital fund or angel group.
Pajarito Powder LLC was formed in 2012 to commercialize and scale-up non-platinum catalysts invented by Plamen Atanassov, professor of chemical and biological engineering, and his team at UNM's Center for Emerging Energy Technologies. The company is manufacturing and selling non-platinum, drop-in replacement catalysts for fuel cells and is the only volume supplier of non-precious metal catalysts. The STC committee approved an investment amount of $100,000. Chairman and CEO Tom Stephenson said: "We are delighted to have the participation of the Co-investment Fund in our current round of financing. We feel that the Fund's investment is a strong endorsement of our efforts to commercialize technology licensed from STC.UNM, and the cash will allow us to accelerate that process."
Human-Centric Security Initiative talk to focus on social media, Web security research
12-2-14-“Security in the Age of Smartphones and Social Media” will be the topic explored Friday by the newly-created Human-Centric Security Initiative at the University of New Mexico.
Michalis Faloutsos, professor and chair of computer science, will discuss current faculty and student research on smartphones, social media and Web security.
The talk will be 4-6 p.m. Friday in the Centennial Engineering Center auditorium (Room 1041).
Human-Centric Security Initiative is a collaborative effort between the UNM’s Department of Computer Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Anderson School of Management, and Sandia National Laboratories.
Formula SAE team gets $13,000 donation from Albuquerque Community Foundation
11-18-14-University of New Mexico’s Formula SAE program received a $13,000 check from the Albuquerque Community Foundation at a ceremony on Nov. 6.
Kelli Cooper, philanthropic services director for the foundation, said that the foundation has been supporting the FSAE for several years, and the most recent donation is a reflection of their continued strong support of the program.
UNM kicks off new initiative centered on how cybersecurity affects humans
11-6-14-Most people would agree that technology is fascinating and has changed our lives in countless ways, but how is it affecting us as humans? And what are the issues surrounding the rapid advance in technology, especially when it comes to cybersecurity?
Those questions and more will be explored by the new Human-Centric Security Initiative at the University of New Mexico.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the UNM’s Department of Computer Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Anderson School of Management, and Sandia National Laboratories.
Gary Oppedahl featured guest at next LoboNet CONNECT
11-6-14-Gary Oppedahl, director of economic development of the city of Albuquerque, will be the featured guest at the monthly LoboNet CONNECT event on Nov. 19.
LoboNet CONNECT is held the fourth Wednesday of every month at 5:30 p.m. at Brickyard Pizza, 2216 Central Ave SE, Albuquerque. LoboNet CONNECT began last year and is designed to bring academia and the technology business community together every month to talk about opportunities for collaboration.
UNM’s Formula SAE program ranked No. 5 in the country, 18th in world
10-31-14-The University of New Mexico’s Formula SAE program has been ranked fifth-best in the United States and 18th-best in the world, according to a new poll.
The rankings were issued by Formula Student Combustion World Rankings, compiled by Formula Student Germany, which ranked 507 teams from around the globe.
In sync: Researchers discover way to coordinate different types of robots10-28-14-Robots have great value in a wide variety of areas, and while robots acting alone can be helpful in collecting data, ones that “talk” to each other can yield endless potential. That’s especially true when the robots are of different types.
University of New Mexico researchers have discovered a way to enable different types of small robots — ones that fly in the air and ones that stay close to the ground — to interact with each other in a coordinated manner. The coordination could lead to improvements in areas such as search and rescue after a disaster, for example.
Nov. 6 Science on Tap to feature talk on ripples, spills and supernovae
10-28-14-The monthly Science on Tap discussion will be held Nov. 6 and will feature Peter Vorobieff, a professor mechanical engineering at the University of New Mexico, who will engage audiences with a discussion on “From Ripples and Spills to Supernovae.”
The event will be held 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the Chama River Brewing Co., 4939 Pan American Freeway.
Alumni, teaching, service award nominations deadline Nov. 7
10-28-14-Do you know an outstanding graduate of the UNM School of Engineering who you think should be recognized? How about a faculty member who has had an exceptional impact on students? Or an individual who has provided distinguished service to the University of New Mexico?
It’s time to nominate individuals for the Fergusson, Rodey, Zimmerman and Faculty Teaching Awards, which will be given in early 2015.
The deadline for nominations is November 7, 2014.
Renovation of the Farris Engineering Center one of the measures on ballot
10-23-14-The General Obligation Bond for higher education is Bond C on the November ballot. In addition to the renovation of Farris Engineering Center, Bond C contains an allocation of $12 million to design and construct a health education building at the Health Sciences Center. The bond also contains $500,000 to equip an emergency medical services classroom laboratory and training area at UNM Los Alamos, $1 million to construct and equip Zollinger Library at UNM Gallup, $4 million to construct and equip the health career training center at UNM Taos and $1 million from critical health and safety infrastructure improvements at UNM Valencia.
Video on Chemical and Biological Engineering, Nuclear Engineering needs in Farris Engineering Center
Video on Computer Science needs in Farris Engineering Center
Engineering interns hired by N.M. Environment Department
10-21-14-It began as an experiment. New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) Pollution Prevention Program manager Jill Turner had federal grant money she could use to provide technical assistance to utilities and businesses. Shortly thereafter, Turner began talking with Mechanical Engineering Professor Tariq Khraishi about his STEP program that matches students with engineering internships over the summer. She found four students interested in her trial program.
Civil engineering student Nedra Murphy spent eight weeks over the summer at the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority reporting the impact a new regulation was likely to have on industries that hold Wastewater Discharge Permits.
“The work experience was priceless," Murphy said. "I learned a lot of information extremely relevant to my engineering degree.”
10-17-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering will hold its annual Open House for prospective students on Saturday, Oct. 18.
The event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. No RSVP to the event is needed. It is being held in conjunction with the university’s Senior Day.
Tarefder receives international award
10-15-14-Rafi Tarefder, a professor of civil engineering, received the John Booker Excellence Medal, an international award presented by the International Association for Computer Methods and Advances in Geomechanics (IACMAG).
He received the award in Kyoto, Japan, at the 14th IACMAG conference attended by more than 500 participants from 40 countries around the world.
This award is given in every three to four years to recognize individuals worldwide who have made significant contributions in research in geomechanics for nonlinear and time-dependent problems, including analytical and computational methods, constitutive modeling, consolidation, and contaminant transport.
Tarefder was selected for award for his significant contributions to the field of geomechanics through advancing mechanics-based design of infrastructures and developing integrated nanomolecular models of pavement materials leading to fundamental understanding and insight into engineering and physical phenomena.
UNM's School of Engineering gaining clout in intellectual property
By Dan Mayfield, Albuquerque Business First
10-9-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering's role as a major force in intellectual property was on full display today at the STC.UNM Technology Social, where researchers, venture capitalists and entrepreneurs mingled and swapped ideas.
The two-day event is designed by STC.UNM to bring all the components of a startup together in an informal way with presentations from those working on each side of the entrepreneurial divide.
Though the event was produced by STC, the University of New Mexico School of Engineering is playing an ever-greater role in patent disclosures and licensure.
González-Pinzón explores rainfall runoff and transport of uranium
10-8-14-UNM Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering Ricardo González-Pinzón is conducting research on rainfall-runoff processes and water quality modeling using parsimonious models. González-Pinzón was recently awarded a faculty water research grant by the New Mexico Water Resources Research Institute (WRRI) to implement a hydrological modeling framework that allows estimates of water budgets from stream flow data.
Originally from Colombia, González-Pinzón completed his doctorate at Oregon State University. A visit to Santa Fe for a water conference while he was a Ph.D. student convinced him that the weather and landscape in New Mexico were a fantastic fit for his research. When a job opened at UNM in his field of interest, he was ready to make the move.
“Working in the Department of Civil Engineering at UNM is a great opportunity to grow because we have an excellent team of faculty and students doing cutting-edge research on water resources and environmental engineering. Moreover, there are numerous opportunities to collaborate with colleagues across campus, and also with colleagues from national labs and other universities in the state,” he said.
Google courts nearly 100 engineering students
10-8-14-An alumnus of the University of New Mexico’s Department of Computer Science and current Google employee visited campus on Wednesday (Oct. 8) to provide engineering students with information about careers in tech, as well as what life is like working at the technology giant.
Scott Griffin, who received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from UNM in 2007, is a software engineer at Google in Boulder, Colo. He made a presentation called “Do Cool Things that Matter.”
Smart lighting director talks about the Future of Lighting10-3-14-The lighting industry’s great success in producing extremely reliable, energy-efficient lighting from light emitting diodes (LEDs) is wreaking havoc on its traditional bulb-and-socket business model. Instead of focusing on selling bulbs, which won’t need to be replaced for the life of an installation, companies have started to add value by making fixtures that can sense whether a person is in the room, measure the ambient natural light and adjust the lighting accordingly to save energy and improve vision or set a mood. Some have wi-fi capabilities that allow the light to be programmed with a smart phone or remote.
But lighting is going far beyond that, Dr. Robert Karlicek told a gathering of the Albuquerque branch of the Illumination Engineering Society on Oct. 1.
10-1-14-A new study has found that the lifetime earnings of those with a bachelor’s degree is significantly higher than those who earn just a high school diploma, and the highest earners are those with engineering degrees.
The study by the Hamilton Project, an affiliate of the Brookings Institution, looked at data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and found that regardless of a student’s major in college, a typical graduate with a bachelor’s degree, regardless of major, will earn $1.19 million in their lifetime, which is $335,000 more than holders of two-year degrees and twice as much as those with a high school diploma.
The study found that those majoring in quantitative majors — such as engineering, computer science, physics, and economics — were the top earners.
Researchers discover catalytic converter breakthrough in automobiles
9-25-14-A research discovery was born from great frustration when Eric Peterson, a graduate student in Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering at UNM, set out to learn a new measuring technique four years ago as part of his Ph.D.
Peterson, a non-traditional student, had worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory as a technical staff member for years before he retired and decided to attend UNM to earn a Ph.D. He began working with Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Abhaya Datye on a project to improve the ability to measure the sizes of nanoparticles, especially those that are smaller than 1 nanometer – one billionth of a meter.
Things didn’t go so smoothly. Peterson repeatedly tried to make the measurements using x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), but the measurements didn’t turn out as he expected.
Datye was philosophical: “I told him he was probably just doing the measurements wrong.”
Peterson, Datye and Andrew DeLaRiva, another graduate student working with them, moved on to study the samples via aberration-corrected TEM. But Peterson kept thinking about those incorrect measurements. “I think there is something going on there that we don’t understand,” he insisted. He was confident that there were single atom isolated species of palladium that were confounding his measurements. DeLaRiva helped confirm the hypothesis using images obtained at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
MathMovesU event encourages youth to pursue technical careers
9-24-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering will be the host to more than 120 area middle school and high school students on Saturday (Sept. 27) for MathMovesU, an event to promote the STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and math.
The event, sponsored by Raytheon, is one of many such events that the company holds around the country. It is the first such event to be held in New Mexico. It will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Centennial Engineering Center.
Han selected to lead Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering program
9-22-14-Sang M. Han, a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been selected as director of the Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering program at the University of New Mexico.
UNM's interdisciplinary Nanoscience and Microsystems degree program is offered jointly by the College of Arts and Sciences and the School of Engineering, incorporating the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering.
Han will be responsible for improving and growing the Nanoscience and Microsystems Engineering graduate program, which provides a path for undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds — ranging from math, biology, physics, chemistry or engineering — to conduct graduate research in the area outside their immediate undergraduate background and pursue a degree in a highly interdisciplinary environment.
Computer Science, ECE celebrate Tech Fiesta with research talks, posters
9-12-14-The departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering in the School of Engineering celebrated what UNM has to offer the Albuquerque tech community during the city-wide Tech Fiesta on Wednesday (Sept. 10).
The event, held in the Centennial Engineering Center, featured networking with students, faculty and local tech professionals, as well as research talks by Abdullah Mueen, assistant professor of computer science, and Majeed Hayat, professor of electrical and computer engineering. The welcome was given by Provost Chaouki Abdallah and Christos Christodoulou, associate dean of research for the School of Engineering.
Since translating technology into innovation is a key goal in the school, representatives from the UNM business world were on hand. Suleiman Kassicieh, distinguished professor in the Anderson School of Management, who discussed the UNM Business Plan Competition, set for March 2015; and Jovan Heusser, senior innovation manager at STC.UNM.
School of Engineering run raises funds for student scholarships
9-9-14-The Run Nerds Run! 5K held Sept. 6 at the University of New Mexico attracted 77 runners while raising funds for student scholarships.
The run raised funds for the Visionaries of Infinite Potential (VIP) endowment. Once endowed, the scholarships will provide tuition assistance to a full-time School of Engineering student with high academic merit and financial need. As of Aug. 31, the endowment had a total of $4,661. UNM Engineering alumni Jake Hollowell, Daniel Garcia, Brian Hesch, and Noel King initially created the endowment, and they organized the run.
The fund-raising goal is to raise $25,000 by October 2015, and the returns will generate scholarships each year.
At the event, prizes were given for fastest male and female runners, and coolest nerd outfit.
First place for fastest male runner was Gabriel Hesch, Albuquerque, at 18:39. Fastest female runner was Megan Jarmosevich, Albuquerque, at 24:27. Placing second and third in the male runner category were Gabriel Ortiz, 19:30, and Matthew Adams, 22:30, both of Albuquerque. Second- and third-place female runners were Alyssa Specht, Albuquerque, and Sarah Parks, Bellingham, Mass., 25:33.
UNM leads $6 million grant to study electronics in extreme electromagnetic environments
9-8-14-Imagine driving along the road, with no apparent signs of car trouble, then everything just stops — braking, acceleration, engine, electronics. Or picture yourself working on an important report, then your computer suddenly shuts down, unable to be revived.
Although these scenarios may be caused by any number of factors, one possible cause could be something known as electromagnetic interference, when something interrupts or overloads the operation of an electronic component, often causing a ripple effect throughout the device.
Now a team from the University of New Mexico and the University of Maryland are collaborating to study this issue. The team received a 6-year, $6 million grant that creates an Air Force Office of Scientific Research Center of Excellence focusing on the science of electronics in extreme electromagnetic environments.
9-8-14-Two departments within the University of New Mexico School of Engineering will be showcasing what UNM has to offer the Albuquerque tech community during the city-wide Tech Fiesta on Wednesday (Sept. 10).
The departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering are organizing the UNM event.
From 1:30-2:30 p.m., students, faculty, staff and community members will have the opportunity to network. From 2-3 p.m., participants will have a chance to learn about current and emerging research at UNM. Information will be presented on the UNM Business Plan Competition, School of Engineering internships and tech transfer.
From 3-4:30 p.m., students will showcase their research in a poster competition. Winners will be announced from 4:30-5 p.m.
All events will be held in the Centennial Engineering Building. Free parking will be available at the lot on the northwest corner of University and Central for those coming off-campus.
For additional information on the UNM events, visit http://www.cs.unm.edu/?page_id=3938
Student elected as leader in IEEE Photonics Society
8-28-14-Md. Mottaleb Hossain, a research assistant at the University of New Mexico’s Center for High Technology Materials, has been appointed as the 2014-15 associate vice president of student membership by IEEE Photonics Society.
He is now pursuing a Ph.D. in Optical Science and Engineering. He works with Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Majeed M. Hayat on modeling, design, fabrication, and characterization of CMOS-compatible avalanche photodiodes and integrated plasmonic detectors to be used in smart-lighting applications. His research work is supported in part by the National Science Foundation under the Smart Lighting Engineering Research Center.
School of Engineering ranked No. 6 in ‘HispanicBusiness’ Best Schools survey
8-22-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering has been named the sixth-best graduate engineering school in the country for diversity practices, according to the HispanicBusiness 2014 Annual Diversity Report.
The School of Engineering’s ranking is based on a 24.8 percent Hispanic graduate enrollment and 22.4 percent of all graduate degrees being earned by Hispanics. In addition, 10.1 percent of the faculty in the School of Engineering are Hispanic.
The school recruits, supports and mentors many Hispanic students. Several student organizations support personal and professional development for Hispanics, including the Hispanic Engineering and Science Organization (HESO). Mentoring programs offer a range of services, including coaching, conference participation, career development and paid internships.
STC fall breakfast seminar series planned for Sept. 16 8-20-14-Small business development centers will be the focus of the fall breakfast seminar series hosted by STC.UNM, the University of New Mexico’s technology-transfer office.
The breakfast will be 8-9 a.m. Sept. 16. The seminars are free and open to the UNM community and the public, but registration is required. Breakfast will be provided.
Steven Becerra, director of the Albuquerque South Valley Small Business Development Center and owner of The Becerra Group, LLC, will talk about “Small Business Development Centers—The Ultimate Business Resource Partner.”
Computer Science professor awarded grant to study cooperative behavior
8-13-14-Cooperation is essential to a successful society. From children getting along on the playground to workers co-existing harmoniously on a job, without cooperation, not much would be accomplished.
Cooperation is also found in our bodies, with trillions of immune cells flowing through our blood vessels and crawling through our tissues, collectively fighting disease. It’s present in the ground we walk on, too, with millions of ants cooperatively searching for food to survive in their environment.
What do all of these things have in common? And what can we learn from these systems? That’s what Melanie Moses, associate professor of computer science, would like to find out.
Moses has received a six-year, $450,000 grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation 21st Century Science Initiative in Studying Complex Systems to study how cooperative behavior emerges in complex systems.
School of Engineering to take part in Explora free-admission event
8-7-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering will take part in a free-admission event geared toward children at Explora science center on Aug. 8.
The School of Engineering will present hands-on activities about nanotechnology from 8-10 a.m at Explora, located at 1701 Mountain Road NW, Albuquerque.
The activities will be targeted toward elementary school-age children, but can be educational for those of all ages. Children will be able to learn about nanoscale science through projects that explore how nanotechnology is used and applied in everyday life.
The event is being organized by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will also be at the event with an activity on photovoltaics.
High schoolers learn the skills of the bad guys to fight cybercriminals
7-25-14-The name “hacker” usually has a negative connotation, as in someone who uses high-tech skills to steal a person’s or company’s private electronic information.
But a “white hat hacker” is just the opposite. It’s someone who is just as crafty, but uses that knowledge for a good cause, namely to fight cybercriminals by outsmarting them and staying one step ahead of them to prevent a crime from occurring. Other white hat hackers help protect journalists and dissidents from oppressive governments overseas.
That’s the subject of the UNM Cybersecurity Boot Camp, where about 30 high school students are getting the opportunity to learn about white hat hacking, forensics and information assurance principles through lectures, hands-on labs and gaming exercises. The camp began July 21 and continues through Aug. 1.
New technology allows hair to reflect almost any color7-24-14-What if you could alter your hair to reflect any color in the spectrum? What if you could use a flatiron to press a pattern into your new hair color? Those are possibilities suggested by researchers from the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
Engineers aren’t typically known for their interest in cosmetic applications involving their work. However, in a new paper titled "Nano-Patterning of Diffraction Gratings on Human Hair for Cosmetic Purposes" and published recently in the Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications, researchers at the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Labs demonstrate the potential usage.
Materials scientist appointed to UNM-Sandia joint position
7-24-14-The University of New Mexico and Sandia National Laboratories have selected Fernando Garzon, whose background is in materials science and engineering, as the latest jointly-appointed faculty member between the two institutions.
Beginning Sept. 8, 2014, Garzon will hold the position of professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UNM, and the position of joint university faculty research scientist at Sandia. His time will be split between the two institutions, and he will have access to equipment and facilities at both UNM and Sandia.
Garzon comes to the position from Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he has held a variety of positions since 1988, including technical team leader, technical project leader, deputy group leader, and postdoctoral fellow. Since 1997, he has been the materials chemistry team leader for the electronic and electrochemical materials and devices group.
Teachers get science lessons of their own this summer7-21-14- K-12 teachers who are taking part in the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Teachers program got a crash course July 16 in Arduinos and how they can incorporate the small microcontrollers into lessons for their science students.
Bruce Milne, a UNM professor of biology and the founder of UNM’s sustainability studies program, provided an overview of the technology needed to get started. He calls Arduinos “accessible to everyone” and “a transformative way to teach STEM disciplines.”
Arduinos are inexpensive (about $25) and very customizable to a wide variety of projects. With some basic electronics, programming, and mechanics knowledge, the sky is the limit as to what kinds of data the device can collect. Milne said he uses the technology in sustainable garden projects, such as tracking growing degree days and measuring ambient air temperature and ambient light.
NSF grant will support research on heart valve tissue engineering, inspire future scientists7-14-14-Elizabeth L. Dirk, an assistant professor in the University of New Mexico Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been awarded a $400,000 National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award.
This funding will support research on heart valve tissue engineering, as well as the development of programs to encourage students to pursue biomedical engineering.
The CAREER award is NSF’s most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education, and the integration of education and research within the community. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research.
Russell receives Formula SAE’s highest honor
7-7-14-John Russell, director of the University of New Mexico’s Formula SAE program and Halliburton Professor of Mechanical Engineering, received the organization’s top award for his many years of work with students in the LOBOMotorSports program.
He was honored at the Formula SAE competition award ceremony in Lincoln, Neb., with the 2014 Carroll Smith Mentor's Cup by FSAE and the Sports Car Club of America. It is the highest award that can be earned by any Formula SAE advisor, and only one award is given per year.
The Carroll Smith Mentor's Cup recognizes extraordinary levels of personal time and expertise given to engineering education, and the ability to serve as an exceptional role model for students.
UNM’s Formula SAE team places 11th in international competition
7-7-14-The University of New Mexico’s LOBOMotorSports team placed 11th overall out of 80 international entries at the Formula SAE competition June 18-21 in Lincoln, Neb.
“The team did really well, and we had the second-highest placement ever at the event,” said John Russell, director of UNM’s Formula SAE program and Halliburton Professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Our goal is to score better than 7/10 of the available points in each of the competitions, and we met that goal.”
5K run to generate funds for School of Engineering scholarships
7-7-14-The University of New Mexico School of Engineering is holding its first-ever 5K run to raise funds for an endowment for student scholarships.
The “Run Nerds Run! 5K” will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6 at the University of New Mexico. The route will begin and end at the Centennial Engineering Center. All are open to sign up for the event. Registration is $25 before Aug. 29 and can be done online. The race is also on the calendar of abqroadrunners.com.
The run will raise funds for the Visionaries of Infinite Potential (VIP) endowment. Once endowed, the scholarships will provide tuition assistance to a full-time School of Engineering student with high academic merit and financial need.
CHTM research in compressive sensing reported in ‘Nature Photonics’
7-2-14-In a collaborative effort, researchers at the University of New Mexico have broken new ground in Terahertz imaging through the development of a new metamaterial which allows manipulation of light in the Terahertz region of the electromagnetic spectrum and enables compressive sensing similar to what is possibly being undertaken in the human eye.
Metamaterials are engineered materials that have special properties that are not found in nature. It uses shapes and orientation to manipulate light waves. The metamaterial was grown and fabricated at the Center for High Technology Materials says director Sanjay Krishna.
COSMIAC builds satellites and the tools to make them fly
7-2-14-The University of New Mexico’s latest tool for building and testing small satellites is under construction. Students will spend the rest of the summer completing work to test and calibrate power sources for a Helmholtz Cage they have built at the UNM School of Engineering's Configurable Space Microsystems and Appliciations Center (COSMIAC).
As COSMIAC charts a course through the evolving world of small satellite technology, researchers and students are preparing the infrastructure they need to build and test the sensors that make the satellites work properly. The Helmholtz Cage allows them to cancel the effects of the earth’s magnetic field when they want to test satellite sensors. Since satellites use the magnetic field as a way to orient themselves in space, it is important to build sensors to make the orientation as precise as possible, and to provide a geomagnetic environment similar to what the satellite would experience in space.
6-23-14-Two professors from the University of New Mexico School of Engineering have been promoted to the title of distinguished professor.
Plamen Atanassov, professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and former director of the Center for Emerging Energy Technologies, and Edl Schamiloglu, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director of the School of Engineering’s COSMIAC center, have been selected for this honor.
Hidden symmetries, cluster synchronization may be keys to better power grids, brain function6-19-14-In most parts of the world, we take for granted that when we turn on a light switch, the light flicks on in an instant. Or when we have multiple large appliances running at the same time in our homes, the electricity flow remains plentiful and stable so that we don’t have to worry about turning on a television or vacuuming.
However, the minute something goes wrong — such as a blackout or a power surge — consumers are frustrated and baffled, and power experts are often left scratching their heads as to what went wrong. And in many parts of the world, electrical instability is a near daily concern.
But new research examining the connection between what is known as network symmetry and cluster synchronization could some day lead to a solution to make power grids more stable. It could also have implications for treating neural network disorders of the brain, such as Parkinson’s disease.
Conference teaches the science of the small
6-18-14-How do you interest students in building things so small they can’t be seen by the unaided human eye? At UNM, faculty members know that is where the most sophisticated manufacturing capabilities – the jobs that will pay the best are likely to be. But teaching skills for jobs that are emerging and continuously changing is a challenge.
More than 80 educators from high school through university level spent the last few days learning about how micro and nano technologies can be taught effectively in the classroom. The teachers are here because they want their students involved in learning about the exploding micro/nano industry and the science in their future. This is the fourth year UNM has sponsored the conference.
Students get a glimpse at careers at Summer Transportation Institute6-12-14-Summer may be quiet for a lot of the University of New Mexico campus, but for some budding engineers, it’s prime time to learn more about what an engineering career is like.
The School of Engineering is offering its annual Summer Transportation Institute (STI) at UNM through June 27. The program educates students about the array of job opportunities in the transportation industry and encourages students to pursue these careers.
ECE professor designs easy music creation software
6-10-14-Can you learn to make music if you’ve never had any musical training? Bandojo LLC, a startup using technology developed by UNM Research Assistant Professor Panaiotis Panaiotis in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is betting you won’t be able to resist the temptation. Bandojo has developed a software program you can download now on your iPhone or iPad. You can play alone or with friends, no matter what age you are.
Teachers learn solar skills at CHTM
6-11-14-K-12 teachers learned how to make a solar cell during the Center for High Technology Materials kickoff of the second year of the "Energizing Engineering Education" Research Experience for Teachers program funded by the National Science Foundation.
CHTM graduate students Emma Renteria, Sadhvikas Addamane, and Orlando Romero took the teachers through the steps of growing, patterning and testing a solar cell.
Demand now driving engineering internship program6-2-14-Mechanical Engineering Professor Tariq Khraishi is working hard these days to keep up with the fruit of his own success. Over the last year, he and his colleague Sue Buffington have arranged internships with local companies and agencies for more than 100 engineering students.
Khraishi says he didn’t imagine where his National Science Foundation grant would take him. In 2011, Khraishi and co-principal investigators received an NSF grant for $2 million to pay stipends for UNM freshmen and sophomore engineering students to serve summer internships with companies and agencies in New Mexico. Some interns serve in research positions with UNM School of Engineering (SOE) faculty members.
Student awarded Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship5-28-14-Md. Mottaleb Hossain, a research assistant at the University of New Mexico’s Center for High Technology Materials, has been awarded a 2014 Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship for $2,000 by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, for his potential contributions to the field of optics and photonics.
Senior design project showers experience on students
5-20-14-Would you be interested in a shower you could program to flow just the way you want it? That’s the project sponsors of the Innovation Design Clinic capstone design course suggested to students. The course covers two semesters and students must address real-world problems of a multidisciplinary nature.
“While universities excel at providing theoretical understanding to undergraduates, they are weak at providing real-world design experience and especially in a multidisciplinary setting,” Electrical and Computer Science Department Lecturer Rich Compeau said. “The Innovative Design Clinic brings together students from diverse disciplines to focus as a team on a design element, which could range from defining the infrastructure of an emerging community to a new product – and beyond. Graduates of the clinic are better prepared for employment where multidisciplinary teams are the norm.”
5-19-14-Several hundred family and friends gathered at the Kiva Auditorium in the Albuquerque Convention Center on Saturday, May 17 to congratulate University of New Mexico School of Engineering graduates at the Spring 2014 Convocation.
Keynote speakers were Kathryn Naassan, who received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1987, and Michael Emerson, who received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering in 1986.
Taha selected as chair of Civil Engineering5-16-14- Mahmoud Reda Taha, a professor of civil engineering, has been selected as the new chair of the University of New Mexico School of Engineering’s Department of Civil Engineering, effective July 1, 2014.
Taha has contributed significantly and importantly to Civil Engineering, the school, and UNM as an outstanding teacher and as a very accomplished researcher with international visibility and distinction, said dean Joseph L. Cecchi.
Dr. Elizabeth Dirk explains how medicine is being reinvented through research into self-renewing stem cells that act as a repair system for the human body.
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University of New Mexico’s jointly-developed fuel cell technology with Daihatsu Motors Wins Top 10 Innovation Award at ICEF Conference in Japan