Industrial Engineering Major is IME’s 2008 Presidential Scholar

Benjamin L. Smith, of Athens, MI, was the recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award in Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at Western Michigan University.

As a Presidential Scholar, Smith, whose GPA is 3.95, achieved WMU’s highest academic award. He is the top 2008 graduating scholar of the Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering.

“I am honored to receive such a prestigious award,” he said. “However, the credit really belongs to my classmates, my professors and staff members, and especially my parents for their support and guidance over the past four years.”

The award was presented at the 28th Annual Presidential Scholars Convocation, hosted by WMU President John Dunn. For the event, Smith was joined by IME’s Dr. Bob White, who was Smith’s choice as the most supportive faculty member. “Dr. White’s style of teaching and challenging course work have truly prepared me for the professional environment,” Smith said. “I’ve learned that data are not always perfect and answers are not always in the back of textbooks. We must simply do the best with what we’re presented and be able to effectively communicate our results with the appropriate justifications.”

In April, Smith, a Lee Honors College scholar, earned a BS in Engineering: Industrial.

During his time at WMU, Smith completed internships at DENSO Manufacturing Michigan and Albion Industries, and he served WMU as a research associate and as a teaching assistant.

Smith has been active in numerous professional organizations, including the Institute of Industrial Engineers, American Society of Engineering Management, and APICS-the Association for Operations Management. He also is a member of the Alpha Pi Mu and Tau Beta Pi engineering honor societies and participates in various volunteering activities.

Five Inducted into 2007 Alumni Excellence Academy

Kalamazoo’s Park Club was the setting for the inauguration ceremony of five new members inducted into the 2007 Alumni Excellence Academy last month. WMU President John Dunn joined the CEAS Executive Committee and CEAS Dean Tim Greene in honoring the recipients, who have impressive credentials.

Dr. Nick Triantafillopoulos (BSE `81 and MS `85, Paper Engineering), Director of Technology for Performance Chemicals at OMNOVA Solutions, Inc. and one of the company’s two Fellows, also serves on the OMNOVA Foundation board – which distributes $1.1 million annually in education grants, and the TAPPI Coating and Graphic Arts Steering Council.

A world recognized expert in coating process technologies and rheology, Triantafillopoulos has won OMNOVA’s Eagle of Excellence chairman’s award. An author of numerous books and papers, he selected WMU for its paper science and engineering program.

Rod Smith (MS `81, Computer Science), an IBM Fellow and Vice President of Internet Emerging Technologies, IBM Software Group, is a recognized technical leader in the industry. His team’s techno­logical innovations and cross-industry collaborations have enabled the rapid adoption of technologies such as Web Services, XML, Linux, Java and most recently, Ajax and Do-it-yourself application platforms.

Smith enjoys a sustained record of achievements in the software business with his ability to identify key emerging technologies. Companies that have sought his expertise include O’Reilly, JP Morgan Chase, Disney, Reuters, CNN/Turner, AMEX, and Lockheed Martin. Smith has earned many awards including IBM’s Thomas J. Watson, Jr. Design Excellence Award.

Dr. Arvon (Arv) Byle (BS `61 and MS `63, Industrial Education), a WMU professor in the Department of Paper and Printing Science and Engineering, retired in 1996. In addition to teaching, he had served as department chair for eight years. An expert in rotogravure and flexographic packaging and publication printing, he served on many committees, provided consulting services, traveled abroad as an industry/education advocate, and served students in various capacities.

Byle loved classroom teaching. He also recruited students nationally for WMU. In 1995, he won WMU’s Distinguished Service Award, and when he retired, a Medallion Scholarship was awarded in his name.

Fred Lawrence (BS `70, Electrical Engineering), a venture partner for Shepherd Ventures and California Capital, the chair of Silicon Systems and Ceyx Technologies, and the director for Avaax, is a member

of the Board of Directors for the San Diego State University Business School and the Florida Council of 100. He started his career telecommunications at AT&T, where he worked while attending college.

Lawrence has also served as CEO, Sprint’s Florida Telephone Operations; president, Transmission Group of ADC Telecommunications; CEO, ComStream; and CEO, Adaptive Broadband Corp.

Curt Shaneour (BS `59, Aviation Maintenance), president/CEO of the Shane Group in Hillsdale, MI, is a charter member of the Presidents’ Forum for the Center for Entrepreneurship at Eastern Michigan University. The four-year US Air Force veteran is presently president of the Hillsdale County Industrial Development Commission and the former mayor of Hillsdale.

Shaneour has been recognized by Omicron Delta Kappa (academic and leadership fraternity) and the State of Michigan Legislature and has won the Hillsdale Community Service Award and the Hillsdale College “Charger Award.” His charitable interests include the Hillsdale Junior Achievement and the Hillsdale Chamber of Commerce.

The Alumni Excellence winners were selected by the CEAS Executive Committee from nominations submitted by alumni, administrators, and faculty. More information on the awards and the 2008 nominations is available at http://www.wmich.edu/engineer/alumni.htm

** CEAS finance analyst Laura Decker prepared the induction ceremony program used for information featured in this e-News.

CEAS Directs Engineering Sessions for KAMSC Students

About 130 high school students from the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center (KAMSC) held classes for two days last semester at WMU’s College of Engineering and Applied Sciences’ Parkview Campus. Several CEAS faculty provided the KAMSC juniors and seniors with sessions on a variety of topics related to engineering and applied sciences.

Dr. Osama Abudayyeh, CEAS associate dean, and Scot Conant, CEAS student outreach and recruitment coordinator, arranged the event with Dr. John Goudie, director of KAMSC research. The activity was the first of what could become an ongoing event. “The students were very happy with the sessions,” Abudayyeh said.

Dr. Brad Bazuin, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), lectured on recent research on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), the automatic identification method that stores data and retrieves it remotely. Drs. Frank Severance, Damon Miller, John Gesink, and Raghe Gejji, all ECE faculty, coordinated sessions that provided an activity in which student built and tested an electronic coin tosser.

Dr. Dean Johnson (ECE) led a session on iPod Deconstruction and  Dr. Janos Grantner (ECE) presented a session on digital logic.

Dr. Jan Pekarovic - Department of Paper Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Imaging (PCI) - offered sessions on paper testing. Other PCI-directed sessions included fiber microscopy by Dr. Matt Stoops and thermo response by Dr. Harold Hladky.

Dr. Pavel Ikonomov, Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) demonstrated the CNC machine, and Slobodan Urdarevik (IME) presented sessions on 3D Solid Modeling in AutoCAD.

Dr. Karlis Kaugars, CAE director, introduced games programming.

Dr. Jun-Seok Oh, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering (CCE), directed sessions in the Intelligent Transportation in Civil Engineering. Dr. Hubo Cai (CCE) offered an activity in rapid global positioning.

Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering (MAE) faculty provided several sessions. Dr. Parviz Merati and MAE grad student Charles Davis presented fluid measurements with pulse lasers, and Dr. Koorosh Naghshineh demonstrated concepts in the Noise and Vibration lab. Dr. Murali Ghantasala participated in sessions in the Micro/Nano Technology lab.

Abudayyeh is looking forward to future exchanges with KAMSC. “Since this one involved juniors and seniors, we would have to either do younger students next year or wait two years and invite juniors and seniors again,” he said. For more information, email osama.abudayyeh@wmich.edu