Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
Issue: April 2009
Welcome to Samuel Ginn College of Engineering's E-Newsletter
As an alumnus friend of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, you are invited
to add your name, or the name of loved one, to the Shelby Center portico walkway.
Shelby Center Brick Campaign 
Use our on-line form to share your favorite AU Engineering memory and enter your name into a drawing
for a Samuel Ginn College of Engineering sweatshirt.
Calendar of Events
- May 9: Graduation (Spring '09)
- May 14-16: Golden Eagles
It's that time of year again when we get a preview of the incoming undergraduate
class. I'm pleased to report that it looks like we are on track for another record
breaking freshman class in terms of quality. Enrollment is again up with 2220
students accepted as of May 1, with approximately 20 percent of these being women.
Of the 958 students that have paid their non refundable tuition deposit, the average
ACT score was 28.1 and there were 128 Presidential Scholars (ACT > 33) and 31
National Merit Scholars.
One interesting trend that we have noted is the relationship between levels of scholarship support and early deposit. While it is not surprising that students with better scholarship offers are more apt to commit early, these figures reinforce the importance of scholarships in ensuring that Auburn attracts the brightest students.
I like to think that our facilities enhancements are also making a difference in recruiting top students and top faculty. In March we kicked off construction of Phase II of the Shelby Center. When completed, Auburn engineering will have classroom and laboratory facilities equal to or better than some of the nation's top schools — something all of us with an Auburn connection should be proud of.
Sincerely,
Larry Benefield
Dean of Engineering
NASA Honors Astronaut Mattingly at Ceremony on Auburn Campus
 |
|
Ken Mattingly |
In honor of his distinguished career, NASA honored astronaut T.K. Mattingly with the presentation of an Ambassador of Exploration Award for his contributions to the U.S. space program in a ceremony on March 26 in the Lowe Grand Foyer of the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology. Mattingly accepted the award and presented it for display at the university.
NASA is giving the Ambassador of Exploration Award to the first generation of explorers in the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo space programs for realizing America's goal of going to the moon. The award is a moon rock encased in Lucite, mounted for public display. The rock is part of the 842 pounds of lunar samples collected during the six Apollo expeditions from 1969 to 1972.
"TK is a beloved member of the Auburn family and a true friend of the College of Engineering," said Engineering Dean Larry Benefield. "He is proof of what an Auburn engineering graduate can become, and we appreciate his consideration of Auburn when choosing how to recognize this distinguished honor." Mattingly is one of six Auburn graduates who became astronauts, four of whom are engineers, as well as three directors of Kennedy Space Center.
Following the ceremony, Mattingly presented a seminar about his life and experiences in the Hartley Auditorium, and then was available for a meet and greet reception with members of the Auburn family.
Pulled from the Apollo 13 flight at the last minute for medical reasons, Mattingly was the command module pilot who participated in the ground crew's efforts to save his fellow astronauts from a near tragic flight. While that portion of his story is depicted in the film Apollo 13, Mattingly is also known for his other contributions to America's first treks into space, including his role in the development of the first lunar space suit and backpack.
After receiving his degree in aerospace engineering from Auburn, Mattingly was commissioned as a naval officer in 1958. One of the select individuals chosen for the Apollo Space Program, he was a vital member of the support crews for the first lunar orbit and the first lunar landing. A key member of the Apollo team, he was instrumental in the recovery of the Apollo 13 crew before heading into space to orbit the moon with the Apollo 16 mission.
Mattingly joined the program in 1972, commanding two missions. He was promoted
to rear admiral in 1985 and named director of the Navy's Space and Sensor Systems
Program Directorate. In 1989, he retired from government service to focus on the
commercialization of space, working for companies such as Grumman, General Dynamics
and Lockheed Martin.
Construction Begins on Second Phase of Shelby Center
Construction has begun on the second phase of the Shelby Center for Engineering Technology at Auburn University. Composed of a new mechanical engineering building and an advanced research laboratory, these facilities will join the already functional first phase of the center, whose modern classrooms, lecture halls and laboratories are already supporting a variety of engineering disciplines. Read more>>
Engineering Students Win NEDA Scholarship Award
Michael Dupre, Ntam Baharany, Kathleen Walker, Kevin Moen and Morgan Tang, students
in Auburn University's Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, have
received the National Electronic Distributors Association (NEDA) Education Foundation case study award, which includes a $2,500 scholarship prize.
Participants were required to select a business model used by an electronics distribution
company in North America and evaluate it against a business model being used by
an electronics company in Asia or Europe. Read more>>
NSF Renews REU Site on Mobile and Pervasive Computing
Earlier this year, Saad Biaz, Wei-Shinn Ku and Xiao Qin, faculty members in Auburn University's Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, received more than $323,000 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for continuing the university's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site on mobile and pervasive computing. Read more>>
Auburn University Named Headquarters of BEST Robotics Program
George Blanks, director of K-12 engineering outreach in the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, has been appointed executive director of BEST Robotics, Inc. (www.bestinc.org) by its board of directors. The program, which began in Texas in 1982, will now be headquartered at Auburn University. Read more>>
Kirkici President of IEEE Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society
Hulya Kirkici, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Auburn University, has been elected president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation Society. Her term begins January 2009 and will expire in 2011. Read more>>
Northrop Grumman Presents $125,000 in Research Grants to Auburn University
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) presented a check for $125,000 in grant funding for information technology (IT) research to the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering at Auburn University.
The ceremony was held this morning at Northrop Grumman's National Work Force Center at Auburn Research Park. Read more>>
Chevron Supports Auburn Engineering
Chevron Corporation recently presented the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering with a check for $38,000 to support scholarships and programs in a variety of academic areas. Read more>>
Spring semester has been an active one on the seminar front with lectures varying from the technical to the general.
Uday Viadya, materials engineering faculty member from the University of Alabama-Birmingham discussed thermoplastic composites for use in defense and transportation
Haluk Yapicioglu, industrial and systems engineering postdoctoral research fellow from AU discussed a novel model and solution for designing the block layout of a retail store.
Engineering E-News is a service of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. This newsletter is distributed to alumni and friends throughout the year. To read archived copies visit:
http://www.eng.auburn.edu/admin/marketing/engineering.html
To learn more about the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, visit our Web site at: www.eng.auburn.edu
QUESTIONS about Engineering E-News may be directed to Michael Stone, Webmaster for the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, at webmaster@eng.auburn.edu
Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
- Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
- Auburn University, AL 36849
- Phone:
- Email: webmaster@eng.auburn.edu
