Engineering Kudos
Cui, team working on DOE grant to develop materials for gas turbines
Bai Cui, associate professor of mechanical and materials engineering, is part of a research team that has earned a $700,000, 18-month Phase 1 Department of Energy Advance Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) ULTIMATE (Ultrahigh Temperature Impervious Materials Advancing Turbine Efficiency) grant.
ULTIMATE is a leading-edge DOE program to develop ultrahigh temperature materials for gas turbine use in the aviation and power generation industries. A total of $16 million in funding was announced for 17 research projects as part of Phase 1.
Cui's team, headquartered at West Virginia University and including collaborators from the National Energy Technology Laboratory and Advanced Manufacturing LLC, will develop a new class of ultra-high temperature Refractory Complex Concentrated Alloys-based Composites (RCCC) for high temperature applications such as combustion turbines used in the aerospace and energy industries. The RCCC will consist of Refractory Complex Concentrated Alloys (RCCA) mixed with nanosized particles of Refractory High Entropy Carbides, to increase RCCA strength to withstand extreme conditions.
The goal is to optimize the balance among strength, creep (deformation), density, and stability at 1300 °C (2372 °F), while maintaining ductility (malleability) once the alloy cools to room temperature. The research team will develop a specialty 3-D metal printing process to produce test coupons and real components such as turbine blades.
Cui's group, which includes research associate Fei Wang and graduate student Xin Chen, will use their expertise in materials for extreme environments when working at Nebraska's advanced manufacturing and high-temperature test facilities.
AE team wins $10,000 prize in NCEES Engineering Education Award competition
A team of Nebraska Architectural Engineering faculty, students and industry professionals earned a $10,000 secondary prize in the 2021 NCEES Engineering Education Award competition. Nebraska teams have won awards in five of the past six competitions - the grand prize in 2016 and 2019, and secondary prizes in 2015, 2018 and 2021.
The Nebraska team included:
Students: Stephanie Ahrens, Noor Albahrani, Juhaina Alnabhani, Ali Al Lawati, Thuraiya Alwashahi, Nicole Aschoff, Richard Branton, Jenny Briggs, Jonathan Brito Mendoza, Meredith Butler, Kevin Chesire, Nathan German, Adam Hansen, Andrew Heithoff, Matt Long, Jacob Marsh, Emily McCann, Colin Miller, Kevin O'Connell, Dalton Rabe, Jonah Sandin, Nathan Schmidt, Mitchael Sieh, Jennifer Solheim, Ryon Sommerer, Kelsey Stithem, Ben Stodola, Samuel Underwood, David Uwinganji Gatete, and Andi Walter
Faculty: Clarence Waters, Ph.D., P.E.; Todd Feldman, S.E.; and Doug Nelsen, P.E.
Professional Engineers: Adam Brumbaugh, P.E.; Shane Cherney, P.E.; Ryan Curtis, P.E.; Darren Dageforde, P.E.; Dan Dellovechio, P.E.; James Dougherty, P.E.; Matt Enstrom, P.E.; Don Foster, P.E.; James Franks, P.E.; Abby Goranson, P.E.; Eric Granzow, P.E.; Sam Haberman, P.E.; Todd Herrmann, P.E.; Trevor Hollins, P.E.; Tyler Hopson, P.E.; Ken Kilzer, S.E.; Eric Kamin, P.E.; Dan Karnes, P.E.; Todd Kielty, P.E.; Tim Koch, P.E.; Brent Kraay, P.E.; Dmitri Lamianski, P.E.; Lisa Lyons, P.E.; Todd Mack, P.E.; David Manley, P.E.; Jake McConnell, S.E.; Tim Morrison, S.E.; Brian Nevole, P.E.; Ron Ostendorf, P.E.; Jenn Puhlman, P.E.; Jake Pulfer, P.E.; Beth Redding, P.E.; Chris Reed, P.E.; Ben Ries, P.E.; Andrew Roche, P.E.; Jason Rohe, P.E.; Cary Schroeder, S.E.; Joe Selzle, P.E.; Alex Skillman, P.E.; Nate Timm, P.E.; Pete Uhing, P.E.; Steve Vo, P.E.; Kevin Wenninghoff, S.E.; Andrew Wilson, P.E.; Josh Wilson, P.E.; James Wingert, S.E.; Tyler Winnike, P.E.; Geof Wright, P.E.; and Mary Wurst, P.E.
Additional participants: Erin Froschheiser, AIA; Bernie Gehrki, AIA; Tim Hemsath, AIA; Sheila Ireland, AIA; Doug Peters, AIA; Andrew Portis, AIA; Stuart Shell, AIA; Jon Bergren, EI; Maggie Hilgenkamp, E.I.; Cody Largent, E.I.; Layne Micek, E.I.; Mark Niechwiadowicz, E.I.; Brendan Walsh, E.I.; Adam Dailey; Michel Mason; Travis Stangl; and Christopher Wozny
AE team places in NCEES Engineering Education Award competition
A team from Nebraska's architectural engineering program earned a $10,000 prize at the 2021 NCEES Engineering Education Award competition.
The team is a collaboration that connects students in the AE program's capstone course – AREN 8030-4040 Interdisciplinary Team Design Project "Team Design" – with industry professionals. Nebraska's Team Design has placed in five of the past six competitions, achieving the grand prize twice (2016, 2019) and secondary prizes in 2015, 2018 and 2021.
The Nebraska AE program is housed in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction.
- Read more about NCEES Education
Nebraska team takes second at International Quarter-Scale Tractor competition
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln placed second overall in the Quarter-Scale Team competition and won the X-Team competition at the ASABE International Quarter-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, held May 28-30 in Peoria, Illinois.
The Quarter-Scale team also won the Safety Award and placed second in the design report and in the team presentation.
The X-Team also placed first in the design presentation and the written report and won one of the pulling events.
On Facebook, Roger Hoy, professor of biological systems engineering and director of the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory, said the performance in the pulling events was, "no small feat as the team had to extract the transmission, rebuild it completely and reinstall it while pulling was going on after suffering a catastrophic gear failure during practice pulls – 18 of 21 teeth were sheared from one gear."
Fifteen engineering faculty promoted or granted tenure
Fifteen faculty from the College of Engineering were among the 109 University of Nebraska-Lincoln faculty on the 2021 Promotion and Tenure List. The Nebraska Engineering faculty receiving the honors at 2021 Promotion and Tenure were:
Biological Systems Engineering
Troy Gilmore, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is IANR)
Sibel Irmak, promotion to Full Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Daran Rudnick, promotion to Associate Research Professor (academic home is IANR)
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Vitaly Alexandrov, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Wei Niu, Associate Professor Granted Tenure
Computer Science and Engineering
Justin Bradley, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Stephen Cooper, promotion to Full Professor
Brittany Duncan, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Suzette Person, promotion to Full Professor of Practice (academic home is Arts & Sciences)
Witiwas Srisa-an, promotion to Full Professor (academic home is Arts & Sciences
The Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction
Michelle Eble-Hankins , promotion to Associate Professor of Practice
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Christos Argyropoulos, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Master of Engineering Management program
Jena Asgarpoor, promotion to Full Professor of Practice
Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Michael Sealy, promotion to Associate Professor with Tenure
Jung Yul Lim, promotion to Full Professor
Thirteen engineers among May Honors Program graduates
Thirteen graduating seniors completed the requirements of the University Honors Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and were honored at commencement in May.
To graduate from the Honors Program, students must maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average, complete a culminating senior project or research thesis, and fulfill other curricular requirements. This is the largest number of honors graduates in a single term in the program’s 34-year history.
These are the 13 College of Engineering May Honors Program graduates, listed by department:
Biological Systems Engineering: Abigail Haworth, Kai Meacham, Angel Olivera-Torres
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Andrew Mason
Civil and Environmental Engineering: Gabrielle Boucher, Cameron Hastings
Computer Science and Engineering: Anthony Benes, Ethan Bütt, Adam Gray, Maria Maxon, Jacob Sullivan
Electrical and Computer Engineering: Jacob Atkins, Andrew Phares
Thirteen engineers among May Honors Program graduates
Thirteen graduating seniors completed the requirements of the University Honors Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and were honored at commencement in May.
To graduate from the Honors Program, students must maintain at least a 3.5 grade-point average, complete a culminating senior project or research thesis, and fulfill other curricular requirements. This is the largest number of honors graduates in a single term in the program’s 34-year history.
These are the 13 College of Engineering May Honors Program graduates, listed by department:
Biological Systems Engineering: Abigail Haworth, Kai Meacham, Angel Olivera-Torres
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Andrew Mason
Civil and Environmental Engineering: Gabrielle Boucher, Cameron Hastings
Computer Science and Engineering: Anthony Benes, Ethan Bütt, Adam Gray, Maria Maxon, Jacob Sullivan
Electrical and Computer Engineering: Jacob Atkins, Andrew Phares
Suat Irmak elected as ASCE-EWRI Fellow
Riggan new associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems
Five engineering faculty, staff honored at Laurels reception
Five College of Engineering faculty and staff were honored with 2021 awards coordinated by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor. Award recipients have advanced the missions of the university in teaching, research and service, and will be recognized at The Laurels award reception.
College Distinguished Teaching Awards, which recognize faculty with excellence in teaching. Distribution of the awards rotates among the colleges each year.
- Khalid Sayood, professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
- Jena Shafai Asgarpoor, associate professor of practice, Engineering
Dr. Charles Riedesel Outstanding Academic Advising Award, given to an exceptional faculty or staff member for advising services beyond basic job duties and responsibilities to provide support, empowerment, coaching, counseling, and guidance to help undergraduate students succeed academically and in life. The award is named for Dr. Charles Riedesel, former advisor in Computer Science and Engineering, who devoted much of his time to recruiting and advising computer science and engineering majors.
- Ann Koopmann, academic adviser, Computer Science and Engineering
Exceptional Excellence Award, which recognizes a staff member who has exceeded in their job expectations and significantly contributed to the success of a faculty member’s teaching and/or research.
- Kayla Person, director of engineering graduate programs
- Ashley West, administrative associate for engineering graduate programs