Texas A&M's Brandon Pope and Panitan Kewcharoenwong join student leaders from the University of Massachusetts to represent their Summa Cum Laude chapters.

Texas A&M’s INFORMS student members once again stood out at the INFORMS Annual Meeting held in San Diego in October. Panitan (Ken) Kewcharoenwong, past president of the local student chapter and a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, received the Judith Liebman Award for being a “guiding light” and performing outstanding service to his chapter.

Panitan Kewcharoenwong receives Liebman Award from John Fowler, INFORMS vice president for chapters.

The chapter as a whole was honored with the Summa Cum Laude Award, which is the highest distinction given to student chapters. Only one other chapter in the nation was granted the award this year.

Submitted by Katherine Edwards, kedwards@tamu.edu

Popularity: unranked [?]

Flying robot fairies are joining human actors in Texas A&M University’s production of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which runs through Sunday (Nov. 15) in the Rudder Forum.

A pizza-sized AirRobot helicopter used for military operations in Iraq, and six toy radio controlled helicopters slightly bigger than a fist, are part of the high-tech production directed by Amy Hopper, from Texas A&M’s Department of Performance Studies.

Besides being a fun way to introduce science to the general public, researchers from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering are using the experience to learn more about how the actors and the audience react to the flying devices.

“Imagine a disaster with people unsure of where to go or how to handle a riot,” says computer science and engineering professor Robin Murphy, who is an expert in rescue robotics. “It’s now possible for these unmanned aerial vehicles to be used for evacuation or for crowd control. But what’s missing is understanding what makes a person trust or fear the robot.”

Over the month of rehearsals and during the first four performances last weekend, Murphy and her colleagues, Dylan Shell and Takis Zourntos, have documented several surprises. One was that people thought the robots were smarter and tougher than they really were. Invariably, people would initially handle the robots roughly and launch them from a variety of positions, leading to damage and crashes. The actors also showed little fear of the robots, even the larger one.

“This means people might ignore a robot’s instructions or worse walk into rotor blades on a large robot and get hurt,” Murphy says. “The robots by themselves apparently aren’t scary, so we need additional research to make them move like friendly hummingbirds or angry bees to get the desired effect.”

The roboticists quickly coached the actors and made sure anyone interacting with a robot understood the limitations, leading to another surprise: If a small robot crashed into the audience that had not been instructed on how to handle the robot, the audience members would mimic how the actors treated the robots. They learned how to react to robots by watching others.

The performers are enthusiastic about the robots.

“The idea of flying robot fairies was one I had early on, as soon as I heard about the possibility of a collaboration with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering,” Hopper says. “What’s great is that they have been a part of the production from the beginning and the robots seem more and more like characters that have always been a part of the story. To see them flying, spinning and bouncing through the air just adds to the magic and mystery of the world Shakespeare created.”

This is first known production of any Shakespeare play with mobile robots. A 2008 production of Cymbeline by the Quantum Theater and Carnegie Mellon used robotic technology but not robots.

Performances on Friday and Saturday are scheduled for 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. performance on Sunday. A robot “petting zoo” is scheduled following the Sunday performance.

For more information contact Dr. Robin Murphy by phone 979-845-2015, or via e-mail at murphy@cse.tamu.edu.

Popularity: unranked [?]

The 100 fastest-growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world were recognized today (Nov. 6) at the 5th Annual “Aggie 100” program, sponsored by the Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University.

Of the companies on the list, three of the Top 10 were owned by Texas A&M Engineering graduates. Andersen Schoel of Harker Heights, Texas, was first on the list and experienced a compound annual growth rate of 287 percent in the past two years. Houston’s Employer Flexible was third on the list and College Station’s Brazos Technology was fifth.

The “Aggie 100” focuses on growth as an indicator of job creation, product acceptance and entrepreneurial vision. Recipients of the award were selected based on compound annual revenue growth rate for the 2006 to 2008 period. In all, companies from seven states and five countries will be honored at the event. The oldest company on the list was founded in 1916.

Aggie engineer-owned businesses making the list:

Advanced Inspection Technologies    (Spring, Texas)
Michael Beard ’90
Senior Technical Advisor, Managing Partner
Bachelor’s degree, Engineering Technology

AgniTEK (Bryan, Texas)
Antonio Ortiz ’99
Director of Operations, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Engineering Technology

Andersen Schoel (Harker Heights, Texas)
J.C. Schoel ’00
VP Sales and Business Development, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

Baker Engineering and Risk Consultants (San Antonio)
Quentin A. Baker ’78
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Barhorst Insurance Group (Houston)
Warren Barhorst ’88
CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

Bray International, Inc. (Houston)
Craig C. Brown ’75
President & CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering
David W. Gent ’75
Senior VP, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Electrical Engineering

Brazos Technology (College Station, Texas)
Michael McAleer ’92
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

CAPSHER Technology, Inc. (College Station, Texas)
Kay Stefan Capps ’83
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degrees, Industrial Distribution and Computer Science

Catapult Systems Inc. (Austin)
Sam T. Goodner ’90
CEO, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Computer Science
David Jacobson ’90
Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Computer Science
Andrew Montz ’90
GM, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Computer Science

Chaparral Energy, Inc. (Oklahoma City)
Mark A. Fischer ’72
Chairman, CEO, President, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Aeronautical Engineering

CIMA ENERGY, LTD. (Houston)
Thomas K. Edwards ’87
President, COO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering
Peter D. Huddleston ’80
Director, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering

Command Commissioning, LLC (Irving, Texas)
Ken Meline ’82
President, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering
John Hatcher ’82
Sr. Vice President, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Corkran Energy, LP (Austin)
Dennis Corkran ’77
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Cowboy Adventures, Inc. (Highlands, Texas)
DBA Cowboy Outfitters
John W. Adams ’70
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Chemical Engineering

Coyle Engineering, Inc. (Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas)
H. Michael Coyle, Jr. ’82
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering

D.S.I. S.A. (Antofagasta, Chile)
Gregory E. Hall ’82
President, CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Engineering Technology

Dailey Electric, Inc. (College Station, Texas)
Chris Dailey ’93
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

Desert Industrial X-Ray, LP (Odessa, Texas)
Douglas Frey ’77
CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Dore & Associates, Attorneys, P.C. (Houston)
Carl Dore ’77
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering

Employer Flexible (Houston)
Michael Greathouse ’98
Founding Partner, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

Forest Oil Corporation (Denver)
H. Craig Clark ’79
President and CEO
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

GEODynamics, Inc. (The Woodlands, Texas)
David S. Wesson ’82
CEO, President, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Agricultural Engineering

GR Birdwell Construction (Houston)
Gene Birdwell ’59
CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering

Integral Power, LLC (Houston)
Ted Boriack ’85
Managing Director, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Electrical Engineering
Ray Deyoe ’91
Managing Director, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Chemical Engineering

Latshaw Drilling & Exploration Co.    (Tulsa, Okla.)
Trent B. Latshaw ’75
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering

LiquidFrameworks (Houston)
Travis Parigi ’94
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degrees, Computer Engineering and Computer Science        TEXAS

LNV (Corpus Christi, Texas)
Dan Leyendecker ’90
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering
Derek Naiser ’89
Vice President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering
Robert Viera ’92
Vice President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering

Lockard and White, Inc. (Houston)
Marc Lockard ’72
CEO, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Electrical Engineering

Margarita Naturalmente, S.A. de C.V. (Jiutepec, Mexico)
Gordon Ivan Townsend ’81
Director General, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical Rep, Inc. (Austin)
Larry R. Bloomquist ’79
President/CEO
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Miner El Paso, Ltd. (El Paso, Texas)
Phil Miner ’80
Chairman
Bachelor’s degree, Ocean Engineering

Miner Fleet Management Group (San Antonio)
Phil Miner ’80
Chairman
Bachelor’s degree, Ocean Engineering

Miner Houston, Ltd. (Houston)
Phil Miner ’80
Chairman
Bachelor’s degree, Ocean Engineering

Mustang Engineering (Houston)
Steve Knowles ’84
President
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

New Tech Engineering (Houston)
Larry Cress ’76
President/CEO, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering

Path Consulting Ltd. (Houston)
Paul Mason ’85
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Premier Placement Media (The Woodlands, Texas)
David Gedeon ’96
President, Owner
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

Sendero Business Services (Dallas)
Bret Farrar ’88
President of the GP, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Mechanical Engineering

Sledge Engineering, LLC (Taylor, Texas)
Casey Sledge ’93
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Civil Engineering

Stress Engineering Services Inc. (Houston)
Joe R. Fowler ’68
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate, Mechanical Engineering
Tom Asbill ’66
Sr. VP, Owner
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Mechanical Engineering
Randy Long ’75
VP, Owner
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Civil Engineering
Jack Miller ’74
VP, Owner
Bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Mechanical Engineering
Ron Young ’67
VP, Owner
Master’s degree and doctorate, Civil Engineering

Terry Ray Construction, Inc. (Brownsville, Texas)
Terry A. Ray ’79
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Industrial Distribution

The Payton Company (Austin)
Richard Payton ’84
President, Owner, Founder
Bachelor’s degree, Petroleum Engineering

theBIGzoo (Magnolia, Texas)
Chris Gober ’96
Owner
Bachelor’s degrees, Computer Engineering and Computer Science

Guidelines for “Aggie 100″

To be considered for the “Aggie 100,” companies (corporations, partnerships, sole proprietorships) must operate in a manner consistent with the Aggie Code of Honor and in keeping with the values and image of Texas A&M. They must also meet the following criteria:

• Have been in business for five years or more as of June 30, 2009; and

• Have had verifiable revenues of $100,000 or more for calendar year 2006

Additionally, the company must meet one of the following leadership criteria:

• A Texas A&M former student or group of former students must have owned 50 percent or more of the company from Jan. 1, 2006, through Dec. 31, 2008, or

• A Texas A&M former student must have served as the company’s chief executive (for example chairman, CEO, president or managing partner) from Jan. 1, 2006, through Dec. 31, 2008, or

• A Texas A&M former student must have founded the company and been active as a member of the most senior management team from Jan. 1, 2006 through Dec. 31, 2008.

About the “Aggie 100″

The “Aggie 100,” one-of-a-kind at the college level, was created by Mays Business School’s Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, whose mission is to provide encouragement, education, networking and assistance to entrepreneurially-minded students, faculty and Texas businesses. “Aggie 100″ is a unique way for Texas A&M University to demonstrate its pride in the accomplishments of its former students while enriching the educational experience for today’s students.

While there are many ways to define business success, the “Aggie 100″ focuses on growth as an indicator of job creation, product acceptance and entrepreneurial vision. The “Aggie 100″ identifies, recognizes and celebrates the 100 fastest growing Aggie-owned or Aggie-led businesses in the world.

About the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship

The Texas A&M Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship provides encouragement, education, networking and assistance to entrepreneurially-minded students, faculty and Texas businesses. Founded in 1999, the center is part of Mays Business School’s Department of Management. The center enhances student education through campus speakers, competitions, work experiences and financial support. The Texas A&M faculty and Office of Technology Commercialization benefit from the center’s educational programs, extensive business community network and the entrepreneurial services.

The center also reaches out to the state’s business community offering educational programs, business assistance and access to university resources. The center is supported by corporate and individual members and sponsors who believe in the value of an entrepreneurial education program and the value of Texas businesses working with Texas A&M University.

CONTACT: Kelli Levey at Texas A&M, 979-845-4645 or klevey@tamu.edu; Lenae M. Huebner, assistant director, Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship, 979-845-4882 or lhuebner@mays.tamu.edu; or Rich Mullikin, Hollinden Marketing, 925-779-9115 or rich.mullikin@sbcglobal.net.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Mark Deimund, a senior in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, has been nominated for the Marshall Scholarship, one of the two most prestigious and highly coveted academic scholarships available to United States students.

Deimund ’10 is from Oklahoma City. The president of Texas A&M’s American Institute of Chemical Engineers chapter, his recent research on biomass processing has garnered him a patent, and his current research involves systems biology in liver cells. He is also an avid strength trainer and enjoys classical literature. If selected as a Marshall Scholar, Deimund said he will study advanced chemical engineering at Cambridge University. He said he will also apply for the Winston Churchill Foundation Scholarship and the Gates-Cambridge Scholarship.

Deimund was recently named a 2009 recipient of the Craig C. Brown Outstanding Senior Award from the Dwight Look College of Engineering.

The Marshall Scholarship is tenable for two years of study at any university in the United Kingdom. Students must be graduating seniors or recent graduates and be nominated by the university. Hundreds of students from across the United States apply each year; only 40 of the approximately 1,100 who applied for the Marshall Scholarship in 2008 were selected as scholars.

Nominees will hear of their selection as finalists in the next one to two weeks. Finalists will then participate in regional or district interviews in Houston in November. The announcement of scholars will be announced shortly thereafter.

Texas A&M University has produced four Marshall Scholars, the most recent being Faye Hays in 2007. In the 2009 competition, biochemistry major Matthew Hickey was a finalist for the Marshall.

The Marshall Scholarships began in 1953 as a gesture of thanks from the British Government for the US assistance in rebuilding Europe after World War II. Former Marshall Scholars include Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer and New York Times Foreign Affairs columnist Thomas Friedman. According to the Marshall Scholarship Foundation, as future leaders, Marshall Scholars are “expected to strengthen the enduring relationship between the British and American peoples, their governments and their institutions. Marshall Scholars are talented, independent and wide-ranging, and their time as Scholars enhances their intellectual and personal growth. Their direct engagement with Britain through its best academic programmes contributes to their ultimate personal success.”

Because of the fierce competition for these scholarships, the preliminary process to be selected as an official university nominee is quite rigorous. Currently enrolled students and recent graduates should apply for selection in April, with the official deadline for the scholarships being in early October. To be awarded the university’s nomination, a student must show strong scholarly potential, demonstrated through their academic record and letters of recommendation from faculty, leadership ability, demonstrated through their involvement in student and civic organizations, and excellent speaking and analytical skills, as demonstrated in a series of interviews.

Once approved, prospective nominees can expect to spend months developing their applications as they work closely under the advice and guidance of faculty and academic advisors. The official announcement of university endorsement is made only after the nominees submit their finalized application to the scholarship foundations.

For more information, contact Kyle Mox, national scholarships coordinator in the Honors Programs office, at (979)845-1957 or kemox@tamu.edu.

http://dmc-news.tamu.edu/templates/?a=8146&z=15

Popularity: unranked [?]

From left: Rodrigo Garza Urquiza, Rachel Oyler, David Gent, Alexandra Iacob, Colin Bailie, Mark Deimund.

The Dwight Look College of Engineering at Texas A&M University honored five students with its Craig C. Brown Outstanding Senior Engineer Award during a banquet at Miramont Country Club in Bryan.

Seniors Colin Bailie, Mark Deimund, Alexandra (Sandra) Iacob, Rachel Oyler and Rodrigo Garza Urquiza received the annual award due to their academic achievement, character and leadership abilities.

Dr. G. Kemble Bennett, vice chancellor and dean of engineering, presented the awards to the students.

Colin Bailie is a mechanical engineering major from Plano. He is described as a disciplined, dedicated and well-spoken student, both inside the classroom and out.

He is a member of several on-campus groups, and has held leadership roles with the Singing Cadets and the a capella singing group Apotheosis. He has given back to the community through Habitat for Humanity, Replant and Relay for Life.

Bailie is involved with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the American Nuclear Society. He has been inducted into the Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi honor societies.

During summer 2008 Bailie was a test intern for Enfora in Dallas where he helped move the company toward automation. This past summer he was one of 15 research interns at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, and will submit a journal article based on his findings. Currently he conducts research with a Texas A&M professor to build a shock tube for better understanding of multiphase shock accelerated flow physics. Bailie will graduate in May 2010.

Mark Deimund is a chemical engineering major from Oklahoma City, Okla. Cited by one professor as among his top 10 undergraduates in the last quarter-century. Deimund is a member of four honor societies: Tau Beta Pi, Omega Chi Epsilon, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Eta Sigma. His current term as president caps three years of leadership roles in the Texas A&M chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

He has been a Chem-E Car team leader since 2007, guiding his group to multiple wins at regional and national competitions. He has worked summers for Celanese Chemicals as an R&D intern in Texas and a process engineering intern in Virginia. His volunteer work has included Texas A&M Big Event, Habitat for Humanity and Super Summer Southern Baptist Youth Leadership Camp.

Deimund has assisted with Texas A&M research on a biomass processing technique that is being patented and published. He visited 15 states during travels this past summer and still managed to earn his Business Management Certificate for Engineers. He will graduate in May 2010.

Alexandra (Sandra) Iacob is a biomedical engineering major from Bucharest, Romania. A University Research Scholar, Iacob is a three-year leader in the Society of Women Engineers, currently serving as internal vice president. She also has served as president of the Romanian Club.

During summer 2009 Iacob participated in Texas A&M’s Undergraduate Summer Research Grant program, after concluding two years as an undergraduate research assistant in the chemical engineering department. She interned at the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Institute at Brooke Army Medical Center and spent one semester as a student researcher with the Michael E. DeBakey Institute at Texas A&M. She gives back to the community as a hospital volunteer helping in the pre-op room.

Fluent in four languages and knowledgeable of two more, Iacob is recognized for her compassion, leadership and dedication to making the world better for others. She will graduate in December 2009 with the distinction of having completed the Engineering Scholars Program.

Rachel Oyler is an electrical engineering major from Sundown, Texas. She is a member of the Tau Beta Pi, Eta Kappa Nu and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies, and the Society of Women Engineers.

Oyler has been a leader in her sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, earning two of its highest awards for exemplifying the core values of love and learning. Since 2005 she has continued to volunteer at a local camp for handicapped, disabled and terminally ill children. Her summers at Texas A&M have been well spent, including a summer internship with The Boeing Company’s International Space Station electrical power system group, Study Abroad in Italy and a summer internship with the IT Design Systems group at Texas Instruments.

She is repeatedly described as exceptionally intelligent and an outstanding leader and role model with a superb work ethic and enviable time management skills—a person who exemplifies the honor and tradition of Texas A&M. Oyler will graduate in December 2009.

Rodrigo Garza Urquiza is a mechanical engineering major from Corregidora, Queretaro, Mexico. He is president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers student section. ASME and Tau Beta Pi national engineering honor society nominated him for the Leadership Exchange Program in Qatar, where he spent spring break 2009.

He has enjoyed three internships: systems engineering for Compressor Controls Corporation; mechanical research, Chicago Bridge and Iron; and sand control technology, Halliburton. He currently serves as a research assistant in the Texas A&M Turbomachinery Laboratory. Professors have described him as a very rare student and the best all-around undergraduate in mechanical engineering at Texas A&M, crediting him with the talent and drive to succeed in any professional situation.

He said prides himself on staying active outside of the classroom as well as with extracurricular activities such as the Texas A&M Golf Club, tennis intramurals, triathlon training and giving back to the community through Big Event and Aggie Replant. He will graduate in May 2010.

Each of the seniors received an engraved medallion and a $5,000 educational grant. Their names appear on a plaque in the Zachry Engineering Center.

The Engineering Faculty Senior Award was renamed the Craig C. Brown Outstanding Senior Engineer Award in 1996 in recognition of Brown’s endowment for the award. He received the award as a Class of 1975 civil engineering senior. Currently, Brown is chief operating officer, owner and president of Bray International Inc. as well as chairman and president of the Craig and Galen Brown Foundation.

David W. Gent, Class of ’75, senior vice president of Bray International, represented Brown, who was sick with the flu. Gent also received the award as a senior electrical engineering major.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Nuclear engineering's Andrew Dercher

Andrew Dercher, a graduate student in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been awarded a fellowship through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy as part of its Nuclear Energy University Program (NEUP).

Dercher is currently working with Dr. Karen Vierow on improvements to the decay heat removal system for gas-cooled fast reactors. He is originally from Radnor, Penn., and earned his B.S. in nuclear engineering at Penn State.

According to the Office of Nuclear Energy, “The scholarships and fellowships granted under the NEUP program will help to recruit and train the next generation of nuclear scientists and engineers — a critical need as the nation moves toward greater use of nuclear energy to meet our energy needs and address the global climate crisis.” In 2009, the NEUP program awarded 76 scholarships and 18 fellowships (approximately $2.9 million) to U.S. nuclear science and engineering students.

The fellowship awarded to Dercher provides $150,000 over three years.

Also included in this award announcement were three undergraduate scholarship recipients from Texas A&M’s nuclear engineering department: Michael Hackemack, Jesse Johns and William Sames. Each will receive a one-year award of $5,000.

Submitted by Shannon Pope, spope@tamu.edu

Popularity: unranked [?]

Aggies working on their Grassroots $2009 race car.

It’s competition on the cheap.

A 1993 Honda Civic built and raced by Texas A&M University engineering and engineering technology students has placed fifth among 58 teams in the $2009 Grassroots Challenge.

The annual competition, sponsored by Grassroots Motorsports magazine and Kumho Tires, features cars built and raced on a limited budget. This year’s Grassroots Challenge, for instance, consisted of cars built for $2,009 or less, including the cost of the car. Next year’s competitors will campaign cars costing $2,010 or less.

The event consists of drag racing, autocross and a concourse, or car show event. The Texas A&M team was one of two university-based teams in the competition. The other was from Georgia Tech. The others consisted of racing enthusiasts from across the United States.

Building a competitive car on such a tight budget posed a challenge for the students, said project manager Sam Craven, a senior majoring in engineering technology.

“Ninety percent of the parts in the car were second-hand and we had to rebuild most of them,” Craven said.

The Aggie team placed fifth overall in the contest.

The team started building the car in January, starting with a visit to a Houston junkyard for the junkyard’s annual Jan. 1 “half-price day.” There they found a Volvo turbocharger, Honda body panels,and suspension and brakes from an Acura Integra, all of which found their way into the car.

Construction of the car was done entirely by volunteers, Craven said, mostly students interested in building the race car Texas A&M will campaign in the 2010 Formula Hybrid competition. That competition involves building an internal combustion-electric hybrid race car. Texas A&M’s 2009 car won the international Formula Hybrid competition, the first time the university entered a team.

“This project is a warm up for the Formula Hybrid team,” Craven said. “It’s a good way for the volunteers to become more familiar with what’s involved in building a race car.”

The 2009 Grassroots car placed 7th in both the drag race and autocross events and 15th in the concourse to finish 5th on the basis of points awarded. It also won the Editors Choice trophy as the Grassroots Motorsports editors’ favorite car at the competition.

The team plans to build a new car to compete next year in the $2010 challenge and try again with this year’s car.

Team members who made the trip to the Florida competition were: Kyle Coles, a junior in petroleum engineering; Craven; Michael Finkelshteyn, a senior in ocean engineering; Eduardo Ibarra, a senior in engineering technology (crew chief), Chang Liu, a senior in engineering technology; Luis Savcic, a senior in mechanical engineering; Paul St. Martin, a senior in mechanical engineering; Jacob Sieverling, a sophomore in engineering technology (crew chief); and Christopher Willy, a senior in mechanical engineering.
Craven and Coles split driving duties for the competition.

This year’s team received support from Texas A&M University, Howell Racing Fuels of Bryan, Texas World Speedway in College Station, and Shell Oil.

More photos and videos are available at http://s950.photobucket.com/albums/ad348/tamusae/?start=0. To find out more about the Grassroots Challenge team, visit http://tamusae.org.

Contact Sam Craven, s.craven08@gmail.com
Written by Gene Charleton, genecharleton@tamu.edu

Popularity: unranked [?]

Texas A&M Engineering ranked 17th among engineering schools (ninth among public institutions) offering a doctorate in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of the country’s undergraduate universities and programs.

The rankings were released today (Aug. 20).

Specialties ranked were: Aerospace, 12 (8 among public institutions); Biological/Agricultural, 3 (3 public); Chemical, 20 (13 public); Civil, 12 (8 public); Electrical, 15 (9 public); Industrial, 7 (7 public); and Mechanical, 14 (9 public).

U.S. News & World Report does not rank nuclear engineering and petroleum programs every year. The last time the magazine surveyed these areas, Texas A&M’s nuclear engineering program was third (second public) and petroleum engineering was first.

For more information on how Texas A&M Engineering ranks, click here.

Popularity: 80% [?]

The Panama Canal stretches over 48 miles of Panamanian land and lakes connecting the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean. Built in the very early 1900s, the canal cuts the old ship route around South America and Cape Horn almost in half.

12 civil engineering students studied abroad this summer in Panama.

The Panama Canal is an engineering wonder, and this summer 12 Zachry Department of Civil Engineering students got to experience it during their six-week study abroad trip. Accompanying the students on the trip was Dr. Anthony Cahill, associate professor of water resources engineering.

The students spent three weeks in Panama’s Ciudad del Saber — the City of Knowledge — and three weeks in Costa Rica at the new Texas A&M Soltis Center. Ciudad del Saber is located in the heart of the Panama Canal watershed on the site of a former U.S. military base from when the United States owned the Panama Canal.

After morning classes (CVEN 301: Environmental Engineering and CVEN 463: Engineering Hydrology) the students enjoyed free time to do their homework, relax, cook or do the variety of activities that the Cuidad del Saber provided.

“At the City of Knowledge they had a pool, many soccer fields, a weight room, basketball court, racquetball court, and even a ping pong room,” Kyle Vrla, a senior civil engineering student, said. “We could spend our free time doing any of these activities as long as we got our homework and studying done.”

During their trip, the students were able to participate in several special activities for the classes they were taking, such as touring the Panama Canal.

Currently, the Panama Canal Authority is working towards expanding the canal and the students were able to meet with the Authority engineers to learn how they operate and manage the canal.

“It’s incredible to think that one of the most important engineering feats of the 20th century is still running as flawlessly as it did when it was first opened in 1914,” senior Lance Ballard said.

Civil engineering students take measurements for a class activity.

While at the canal, they visited the Miraflores Locks and watched the massive ships passing through.

“It is amazing to see the magnitude of these ships. They are huge,” said senior Ryan Opgenorth. (Ryan blogged for Texas A&M Engineering about his experiences in Panama and Costa Rica. Read and view his video diary at http://thinkbig.tamu.edu/blog/index.php/category/Ryan/.)

Also, while at the locks, the students were able to meet the Administrator of the Panama Canal, Alberto Aleman Zubieta. Zubieta is not only a Panamanian but he is also an Aggie (Class of 1973) and the recipient of Texas A&M University’s 2004 Outstanding International Alumnus Award and civil engineering’s 2009 Distinguished Graduate Award.

The last three weeks of their trip, the students stayed in the new Texas A&M Soltis Center near La Fortuna, Costa Rica. While there, they had the privilege of being involved with the center’s opening ceremonies that were taking place during their stay. The Soltis Center is a brand new 40-acre facility that sits next to 250-acres of Costa Rican rainforest.

“I would take time in the afternoon to explore the rainforest and go up and down rivers,” Opgenorth said. “It was really fun and so relaxing.”

On the weekends in Costa Rica there was always an activity planned for the students to do. The students spent one weekend in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. While there, they got to go deep into the rainforest via zip lines. The zip line tour consisted of 18 long zip lines with one of them over 1 kilometer long.

“I had been [on] a zip line before, but nothing compared to this,” Opgenorth explained. “These zip lines were long and fast and you were flying through the rainforest. It was one of the top five things I have done in my entire life.”

Besides the zip line tour, while in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve the students were able to visit the SelvaTura Adventure Park. The park housed animals, insects and reptiles in its Jewels of the Rainforest Exhibit.

Other trips the students took in while Costa Rica included whitewater rafting, taking a dip in the local hot springs, and a hike to the Volcano Arenal.

“[Arenal] is the third most active volcano in the world,” Vrla said. “We went to…Baldi Hot Springs, which are some natural springs that are heated by the volcano. It is at the eerie base of the volcano so everyone is always hoping it doesn’t erupt!”

According to Ballard, living in Panama and Costa Rica was a great cultural learning experience.

“I believe it’s very easy for us to lose sight of the fact that there is life and culture outside of our day-to-day lives here in the United States,” Ballard said. “It was refreshing to see life from a different point of view and in a different way. It was like having another lens to view life through, another way to weigh my life and the things in it in order to see what to cherish and what to lay aside.”

Dr. Cahill said he was extremely pleased with the efforts the students put into their classes and is already planning for the next study abroad trip.

“I hope that we can replicate and improve the experience next summer, when we return to Panama and Costa Rica to teach study abroad again,” he said.

Written by Cassidy Thomas

Popularity: 47% [?]

AggieSat2, the 5-inch cube picosatellite built from scratch by the students of Texas A&M’s AggieSat Lab, is now in orbit.

The picostaellite was deployed from STS-127 Space Shuttle Endeavour’s payload bay on Thursday 30 July 2009 at 7:34:30 CDT. It communicated with the AggieSat team at the ground control station for the first time in the evening on the same day.

AggieSat2 was one of two satellites deployed from Endeavor. The other satellite, Bevo-1, has been built by students from the University of Texas.

AggieSat2 will beam information about its position (180 minutes of GPS data) by using the on-board GPS, called DRAGON, developed by Johnson Space Center. Information from the satellite will be transmitted to a ground control station set up on the Riverside campus and collected by students. The information will be sent to NASA, where it will be compared with NASA’s predictions to check the new GPS for accuracy. The mission will be considered a success after this information has been completely received by the ground control station and delivered to NASA.

AggieSat2 will pass over College Station at least once every day and remain in orbit for an estimated 4 months. On completing its mission, it will burn up harmlessly in the atmosphere.

To follow AggieSat2 on the Twitter network or Facebook, visit the AggieSat Lab website. The website is being continuously updated and has the flight teams listed on the Mission Control page along with, eventually, live health and communication window updates from AggieSat2.

The AggieSat Lab was set up in 2005 by Dr. Helen Reed, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering. The lab aims to provide students with hands-on engineering experiences.

Written by Marissa Doshi

Additional coverage

KBTX

The Associated Press

Spirit and Mind – Texas A&M Foundation

Popularity: 44% [?]