Student finds his pace at UNL
by Adam Holmberg
Computer Engineering
Intelligent. Involved. Funny. Motivated.
Ask someone who knows Feroz Patwa and you might hear any of the above words used to describe him. Add to this the impressive list of activities in which he’s involved and you’ve got an engineering student of whom our college can be proud.
Patwa, a senior in Computer Engineering, hails from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s largest city. He completed his primary education there, then looked to the United States to continue his schooling. After applying to several universities, he chose the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, one of the few state universities in the United States that gives scholarships to international students.
 “I applied to a number of places,” he said. “Nebraska has a good international student program.”
Patwa said he didn’t encounter many problems in his transition to American life, except, perhaps, understanding our lax use of the English language. “Idioms were problems, and slang. But now I use them all.”
Since arriving at UNL in the fall of 1999, Patwa has been involved in a plethora of activities. He has been a teacher’s assistant for two computer science classes, CSCE 101 and CSCE 251Y. He also previously was involved in research with the physics department. During the spring of 2000 he assisted Dr. Bernard Doudin in his research of nanowires.
When he’s not grading, studying or conducting research, Patwa enjoys such sports as tennis, soccer and table tennis – with which he is a force to be reckoned. He holds the title of men’s singles intramural champion for 1999 and 2001, and the co-rec doubles title for 2002. He previously represented his country as a national team player but admits that some skill has been lost because of lack of training for extended periods. In fact, he admitted, when he went home last year, some of the players he used to coach beat him. Aside from sports, Patwa also enjoys the nightlife here. When he gets the opportunity, he likes to go ‘clubbing’ with his friends.
“I don’t drink, but I love dancing,” he said.
 During the summer and fall of 2001, Patwa did an internship at National Instruments in Austin, Texas. There, he participated in a variety of projects during his six-month stay. The tenure began with three weeks of job training classes. These classes helped bring interns up to speed on specific technologies with which they would be working. The first major project Patwa was assigned was evaluating test software. The software was designed to test the signal-conditioning boards the company manufactures. He worked on that project for approximately two-and-a-half months.
The second assignment involved coding for a future release of LabView—a graphic development program that engineers and scientists use to create measurement and control applications. That project involved working with Jeff Kodosky, the cofounder of the company. Following his work on those projects, he spent some time as a support technician for companies that called for assistance with National Instrument products. There he further developed real-world skills for dealing with a diverse range of customers.
Patwa expects to graduate in May 2003. He says he is enjoying his college experience. He is clearly taking advantage of the many chances to get involved, and many people in the college are proud to call him a friend. After graduation he plans to work in the United States.
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Ship to shore: Former sailor finds niche in EE
by Thomas Cudd
Computer Engineering
John Schiffern is not your typical Electrical Engineering student.
Before transferring to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, this O’Neill, Neb., native was in a pre-engineering program completing his engineering math requirements at Wayne State. But going to Wayne State before coming to UNL is not what sets him apart from other UNL students. Rather, it is his two years of service in the Navy that gave this 26-year-old student his atypical experiences.
Schiffern worked on submarines as a sonar technician; however, he described himself as “more of an operator.”
 Schiffern also assisted with some research and development with an operability test of an acoustic combat system. His vast experiences with the military and schooling have helped him with research at UNL. Schiffern works with Dr. Dennis Alexander on short pulse lasers. Alexander is the Kingery Professor in Electrical Engineering.
Schiffern enjoys the chance to work with tools that he would not normally encounter in his studies, such as the scanning electron microscopes and femto-second lasers available in the research areas. With this complex application, he has had the opportunity to apply many of the theories he has learned in classes over the years.
The lasers are operated for Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and in nano-machining to cut small gears out of stainless steel. Schiffern learned some C programming in order to get involved with a nano-machinery project that requires a special compiler.
Schiffern said he would like to stay in the Midwest because of the numerous opportunities available.
Regarding the practicality of his studies about power, Schiffern said “People will always need electricity. [The focus on power] will give me more opportunities in rural areas so I don’t necessarily have to go out on the coasts.”
Schiffern said conducting research helps prepare students for their futures. “I’ve learned so much here… I’m sure it has prepared me [for a career]. With research, you can start applying what you have learned, and you can learn it better.”
Electrical Engineering 121 (Introduction to Electrical Engineering) has been one of his favorite courses because of the same practicality Schiffern has applied to all of his work. The theory was not too heavy and the class touched on a lot of concepts that carried over to all of the Electrical Engineering courses.
Beginning with the basics all the way up through the most complicated research, Schiffern has taken every opportunity available to him at UNL in preparation for his prospective career in Nebraska.
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Student's research focuses on air contaminants
by Jairus Gonzalez
Architectural Engineering
 Kim Bunz is a third-year student in Architectural Engineering. The 21-year-old plans to specialize in mechanical with an emphasis in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning).
She will spend this summer as an intern with Leo A. Daly in Omaha. In previous summers she has worked through the UCARE (Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences) program under Dr. Amy Musser, an assistant professor in architectural engineering.
Bunz’s project with Musser involved the study of diesel emissions in locomotive repair facilities. Most of the work involved the measurement of contaminant levels in the air with the goal of creating design guidelines for engineers to follow when working in these types of facilities. This summer Bunz will be working on her own project involving the measurement of exhaust fumes infiltrating the home from an attached garage.
Ultimately, the goal of these projects is to find feasable solutions to problems that could arise from localized contaminants.
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