Faculty Publish Paper

Tom A. Eppes, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, and Ivana M. Milanovic, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering are authors of a technical paper that appeared in the Journal of Laser Applications, Vol. 21, No. 2, a publication of the Laser Institute of America. The paper is titled “Laser Percussion Drilling Modeling Utility.” Also contributing to the paper was Devdas Shetty, Dean of Engineering at Lawrence Technological University. The paper describes a free-standing MatLab-based design that offers a convenient and flexible way to predict a variety of laser drilling process outcomes.

CETA Celebrates Graduation

On Sunday, May 17, 2009, 137 undergraduate students and 41 graduate students received their degrees from the University of Hartford and CETA in two ceremonies, a University-wide one followed by ceremonies in the individual colleges.

The University ceremony featured an address by Peter Eio, retired president of LEGO, who received an honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. Eio reminded the audience that, though the economy may pose difficulties, LEGO was founded around the time of the Great Depression of the 1930s.

Among the various awards presented during the main ceremony was the Roy E. Larsen Award for Excellence in Teaching, which went to CETA’s Dr. David Pines, chair of the Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering Department and advisor to the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders. Dr. Pines spent many years as a practicing engineer before joining the faculty here, and he brings his real-world experience into the classroom. In addition, through his work with the Engineers Without Borders chapter, Dr. Pines and his students designed and installed a solar-powered well and rooftop rainwater-collection system that has given Abheypur, India, a small village near New Delhi a steady and sustainable water supply. That project now involves students from the Hartford Art School, who are designing posters to promote health practices in the village, along with students from the College of Arts & Sciences, who are evaluating the effects of the program, and students from the College of Education, Nursing and Health Professions, who are working on public health issues. The professional Hartford chapter of Engineers Without Borders has also joined the project along with students from local high schools. And now Dr. Pines is working with the University’s provost, Dr. Lynn Pasquerella and members of the University’s Department of Politics and Government, along with colleagues from Brown University and the University of Rhode Island on a project for a village in Kenya. For more information on Dr. Pines, please click here.

Dr. David Pines receives the Roy E. Larsen Award for Excellence in Teaching from University President Walter Harrison.

• Juniors Kimberly Powell and Neftali Torres
• Seniors Tiffany Cartier and Sara Murray
• Graduate Student Tyson Douglas Dorman

Dr. Michael Crosbie announced the winner of the Tai Soo Kim Travel Fellowship for Architecture students, an award supported by the generosity of Tai Soo Kim, a Hartford architect, University regent and member of the Department of Architecture Board of Advisors. The fellowship is given to a graduating Master of Architecture student to support travel anywhere in the world to continue architectural study independently. This year’s winner is Michael Varesio.

Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay presented the Dr. Girija Sahay and Ahilya Devi Award to Jason Smith. This award honors Dr. Sahay’s parents, who encouraged his achievements.

Dr. Bob Celmer, winner of this year’s Professor of the Year Award bestowed by the CETA chapter of Tau Beta Pi, presented the Robert Bradford Newman Medal for Merit in Architectural Acoustics. This medal is an international award recognizing excellence in the study of acoustics and its application to architecture. Students selected for the Newman Medal must have demonstrated excellence in the discipline and in the application of acoustical design principles in the course of their study. This year, two CETA students were selected to receive this prestigious award: Meghan Ahearn and Matthew Schaeffler.

Among the students receiving CETA degrees on Sunday were six faculty members from Herat University in Western Afghanistan who have been studying in CETA for 18 months and who earned master's degrees in Civil Engineering. The six are part of a group of 12 Herat instructors who are studying engineering and architecture here as part of a partnership between the University of Hartford and Herat, which is funded by an almost $2 million grant from the World Bank.

The first Herat instructors to graduate from CETA, l. to r., Noman Moheb Rahmani, Khalil Ahmad Sarwari, Ahmad Sohail Rahimi, Azizurahman Azimi, Noor Sayed Jami, and Sayed Abdul Basit Mododi.

Dean Louis Manzione announced that Joseph Thomas Buonagurio, a CETA student who died four weeks before the graduation ceremony but who had completed his degree requirements, was granted his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Accepting the diploma were Joseph’s father and sisters. Following the graduation ceremonies, a tree planted in Joseph’s memory in the courtyard between United Technologies Hall and Dana hall was dedicated.

Graduating student Jason Smith and Jospeh Buonagurio, Joseph Thomas Buonagurio's father, install the plaque dedicating a newly planted dogwood tree to the memory of Joseph Thomas Buonagurio.

CETA Day Celebrated

CETA has once again showcased our talented students on CETA Day, May 8, 2009. Seniors presented their capstone projects and several Master’s degree candidates presented their thesis projects.Many of our senior and Master’s projects are solutions to real-world problems brought to us and sponsored by local industry; others are projects that students propose themselves; all require a demonstration of results. These projects are a valuable integrative experience for CETA students, who must demonstrate what they have learned over the course of their time here through the work they present. Any program accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology), as many of our programs are, requires its seniors to produce capstone projects.Below is a list of the projects presented.

Professor Jonathan Hill speaks with University High-School Students as they view Electrical Engineering projects.

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Audio Engineering Technology Program

Special Audio Guitar Distortion Pedal Unit with Audio Production Incorporating the Unit
Brendan La Chance

Audio “Wah-Wah” (Dynamic Filter) Processor with Audio Production Incorporating the Unit
Keith Harris

Recording Studio Management and Analysis of Business Model
Virginia Keppol

Octave Guitar Pedal
Ryan Loftus

A special showing of
An Independent Film Production
“The Life of a Hawk”
Brien Woodaman

Electronic Engineering Program
ECE 483, Design II for Engineering

DTSP Delay-Based Guitar Effects Processor
Matthew Hollis, James LoRusso

Economizer Controller for Air Conditioning
Paul Patnoad

Paul Patnoad

Flying Saucer Model
Joseph Merlo

Image Processing on the Cell Processor
Alex Pannaman, Jacob Komar

Microprocessor-Based Autonomous Toy Car
Joshua Rinker, Andrej Dukalev

MP3 Player for SD Cards
John Horgan, Jonathan Swanson

Performance Peltier CPU Cooler
John Nobile

Speech Sound Recognition Security Lock
Zain Almasri, Thomas Casasanta, Renaldo Dojce

Tablature Recording System
Sean Irby

Electrical and Computer Engineering Department
Electronic Engineering Technology Program

Car Care Awareness; Lighting Systems
Sam Yourstone

Civil, Environmental, and Biomedical Engineering Department
Civil Engineering

Connecticut Rt. 37 Bridge over Padanaram Brook; Danbury, Connecticut
Tiffany Cartier, Ricky Mears, Steve Mgrditchian
Sponsored by Nicholas R. Giordina, P.E., and John Hapkiewicz
AECOM Transportation, Rocky Hill, Connecticut

Rt. 1 (Boston Post Road) Bridge over Wepawaug River; Milford, Connecticut
Joshua Bartkus, Edward Powell, Benjamin Sobocinski
Sponsored by Kyle A. Turschman, P.E.
Baker Engineering, NY, Inc., Rocky Hill, Connecticut

Partial Design of a Three-Story Steel-Framed Office Building; Farmington, Connecticut
Michael Grygus, John Hollywood, Dennis Meuer
Sponsored by Douglas S. Graham, P.E.
Girard & Company, LLP, Rocky Hill, Connecticut

Mechanical Engineering Department
Master’s Presentations

Eugene Gasmen
Root Cause Analysis of PW2000 Synchronizing Ring Bumper Cracking and Redesign of Bumpers

Yodsapat Janeborvorn
Thermal Performance Model of a Spacesuit Water Membrane Evaporator

Jeanne Caplet
Minimizing Measurement System Variation in Frequency Response Test of Gas Turbine Compressor Blades

Linda Taylor
The Effect of MTBF of Full V/s Limited Repair of Aircraft Engines

Jesse Goodwick
Analysis of Horn for Ultrasonic Machining

Elizabeth Yang
Opportunities for Energy Savings at a Wastewater Treatment Plant: Conservation and Cogeneration

Dave Sander
Effect of Residual Stresses in Rib Structure Due to Welding

Jose Prieto
Design Improvements of a Vane Platform

On Friday, May 1, the following projects were presented:

Mechanical Engineering Technology Senior Design Project Presentations:

Fairchild Collar Trim Tool
William Rice, Joseph Storey
Sponsored by Pratt & Whitney

Compression Set Performance
Chris Fitzgerald, Joey Herr, Stephen Morosko, David Sarnowitz
Sponsored by Hamilton Sundstrand

Pin on Disc Tribometer
Mike Becker, Tony Ievorlino, George Tolhurst
Sponsored by Pratt & Whitney

Tube Cutting Apparatus
Joseph Belmonte, Aaron Brown, Maxwell Lewis
Sponsored by Westinghouse

Grinding Machine for Amaranth
Ryan Carr, Dave Hamilton
Sponsored by Engineers Without Borders

Mechanical Engineering Master’s Presentation

Angelie Ng
Model Extraction for Spiral Inductors at High Frequency Using Artificial Neural Network

On Wednesday, May 6, the following projects were presented:

ME 502, Noise Control Design

Noise Reduction Study of the “Titanic” Vacuum System at Jacobs Vehicle Systems
Owen Leackfeldt, W. Khachadourian

Modeling Computer Data Center Noise in ODEON
Michael Lunoe, Nicholas Statzer

Noise Survey of Jacobs Vehicle Systems’ Alcove Area
David Yeung, Paul Katz

HVAC Noise and Sound Transmission Reduction at Trinity College Dance Studios and Black-Box Theater
Jack Zybura, Stalin Vera

Muffler Design for NASA Orion Space Crew Module
Jamie Hamilton, Jason Smith

Sound Power Measurement and Design Evaluations of Theater Lights
Paul Katz, Owen Leackfeldt

Just Noticeable Difference of Clarity Index (C80) Study
Meghan Ahearn, Matt Schaeffler

Acoustical Review of Gengras Servery Area Renovation
Andrew Sorenson, Meghan Ahearn

ANR Headphone Design Evalauations for Sikorsky Aircraft
Jeffrey Howard, Jeffrey Doyle

Noise Isolation at P&W QCPC Conference Center
Matt Schaeffler, Jack Zybura

Interior Submarine Noise ODEON Validation Study
Jeffrey Doyle, CJ Smith

Modal Analysis of Taylor Guitar Wood Finishes
Stalin Vera, Andrew Sorenson

Biomedical Engineering

Winter Sled & Bike Trailer Seat for Spastic, Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy Patient
Brittany Mejia, Ahmad Osman, Mohamed Osman, Huy Pham, Chris Poudrette, Maria Qadri, Haralambos Zaharis

CETA and Shandong Jiaotong University, China, to Collaborate

On April 20, 2009, Lynn Pasquerella, provost of the University of Hartford, and Zhang Cheng, vice president of Shandong Jiaotong University, China, signed a Memorandum of Understanding under which a partnership of the two universities is established. A highly productive collaboration is envisioned between Shandong and CETA’s programs in civil engineering, architecture, and sustainable design.

Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, provost of the University of Hartford, and Dr. Zhang Cheng, vice president of Shandong Jiaotong University, China, sign the Memorandum of Understanding.

The delegation, led by Dr. Zhang along with three of his faculty members, spent April 20 in meetings with Dean Lou Manzione and CETA faculty and taking tours of both CETA and the University. Dr. Clara Fang facilitated by serving as the translator. The day began with Dean Manzione, who talked about the various programs offered by CETA with particular emphasis on the industrial partnerships that result in not only faculty research and collaborations but student projects as well. When they toured CETA’s labs and classrooms with Associate Dean Alnajjar, Dr. Zhang reported being impressed by the state-of-the-art equipment and research capabilities—and the fact that students worked in the labs outside of class hours on projects and lab experiments. They also enjoyed the Architecture design studio in the Harry Jack Gray Center, including an exhibit of student work being shown at the time.

Vice President Zhang Cheng of Shandong Jiaotong University presents a gift to Dr. Clara Fang and Dean Lou Manzione.

Dean Lou Manzione, Dr. Clara Fang, and the members of the Shandong Jiaotong University faculty visiting the University.

They spent time with the Civil Engineering Dept, including Dr. Fang and Civil Engineering Department Chair, Dr. David Pines and also visited with Dr. Michael Crosbie, chair of the Architecture Dept, as well as other Architecture faculty. Dr. Fang discussed her transportation research projects for various communities in the area, and Dr. Pines spoke of the Center for Integrated Design, which brings together engineering, art, and business disciplines at the University to work with communities in the area. The Chinese delegation was impressed with the work done outside the University for the larger community. They discussed urban planning and sustainable design with Dr. Crosbie.

Dean Lou Manzione, Dr. Clara Fang, and Dr. David Pines, chair of Civil Engineering, in discussions with the Sandong faculty.

As a result of the meetings and tours, the University, CETA, and Shandong University are exploring student exchanges such as Chinese students studying two years at Shandong, then coming to the University of Hartford for two years under an articulation agreement. In addition, we will also consider a plan where faculty from Shandong University come here and pair with CETA faculty to learn to teach our more hands-on curriculum and our lab courses to better align our exchanges. Given the large number of students at Shandong—2,600 in Civil Engineering alone—it will take some adjustments to implement more hands-on learning and design-based projects, but everyone agreed that it can be done.

The day was capped off by a dinner that included the delegation, Dean Manzione, Dr. Fang, President Harrison, Provost Pasquerella, and Vice President Carson. Both academic and cultural discussions were conducted over dinner.

John Carson, vice president of the University of Hartford, meeting with Dr. Zhang Chen, vice president of Shandong Jiaotong University, accompanied by Dr. Clara Fang.

The meeting and agreement are the result of work begun by Dr. Fang during a trip she took last summer with Harrison, Carson, Alan Hadad and State of Connecticut Education Commissioner Mark McQuillan, among others. (Shandong state is a sister state of Connecticut; hence the involvement of Connecticut officials.) An agreement was reached at that time to bring Chinese students to the University, and Dr. Fang wanted specifically to bring engineering and technology students to CETA. During the summer trip, Dr. Fang spoke to officials in Shandong, which has a student population of 16,000 with 53 years of history focusing primarily on engineering, with a strong emphasis on civil and transportation engineering; and with the support of Dean Manzione, options were explored and the university agreed to send a delegation to West Hartford.

CETA looks forward to working with Shandong University and hosting Chinese students and faculty.

Graduate Students Honored

A group of CETA graduate students were honored by inclusion in the poster session for the Graduate Research/Creativity Symposium held Wednesday, April 29. The purpose of this symposium is to showcase the wide variety of original scholarship (for example, research projects, case studies, artistic performances, or exhibits) conducted by graduate students at the University of Hartford.

The students who presented posters are

• Chih-Chieh Chang, Master of Engineering program–Mechanical Engineering; “Effect of Mesh Size in the Prediction of Residual Stress in Machining”; faculty sponsor: Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay
• Vishal C. Edake, Master of Engineering program–Mechanical Engineering, and Deepthi Teegala, Master of Engineering program–Electrical Engineering; “Desalination of Salt Water”; faculty sponsors: Drs. Chittaranjan Sahay and David Pines
• Gregory Mellor, Master of Engineering program–Civil Engineering; “Experimental Evaluation of FRP/Masonry and FRP/Concrete Fracture Properties”; faculty sponsor: Dr. Christian Carloni
• Elizabeth Yang, Master of Engineering program–Mechanical Engineering; “Opportunities for Energy Savings at Wastewater Treatment Plants: Conservation and Cogeneration”; faculty sponsor: Dr. Chittaranjan Sahay

Gregory Mellors with Dr. Christian Carloni, his faculty sponsor

During the symposium, another CETA graduate student was named a recipient of the Regents’ Honors Awards for Graduate Students. Tyson Douglas Dorman, a Master of Architecture student, received this award, which acknowledges exceptional accomplishment in coursework (only students with a GPA over 3.8 are invited to apply), professional training, and capstone projects; scholarly productivity; academic and professional positions and honors; community outreach; and placement or promotion. Dorman has previously received the Tai Soo Kim traveling fellowship for Architecture students and now works as an architect and teaches in the Architecture department here in CETA. His faculty sponsor is Dr. Michael Crosbie.

Tyson Douglas Dorman receiving his Regents' Honors Award from University Provost Lynn Pasquerella.

CETA congratulates all of these graduate students and their faculty sponsors.

Dean Manzione Throws the First Pitch

The University of Hartford Hawks baseball team hosted CETA Day on Thursday, April 23, and Dean Lou Manzione threw out the first pitch with CETA students and faculty in the stands to cheer him on. After the pitch, a moment of silence was observed to honor Mechanical Engineering major Joseph Bonagurio, who died in a car accident the weekend before.

The Hawks went on to defeat the Yale Bulldogs in an extra-inning win, 7–6.

Lou Manzione pitching.

Lou and the Hartford Hawks.

CETA Makes a Showing on Community Day

On Saturday, April 18, the University held its seventh annual Community Day, on which the Greater Hartford community is invited to campus for free events, treats and attractions. Among the day’s events were a reading of Edgar Allen Poe’s poems (this year marks the 200th anniversary of his birth), a bike rodeo, an art exhibit at the Joseloff Gallery, and demonstrations by the University’s cheerleading team. CETA featured a Student Showcase, with an exhibit by the Architecture students, a demonstration by the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, a robot game, a demonstration of the Biomedical Engineering senior class design, and an exhibit of the Formula SAE race car.

Below are photos of the CETA Community Day activities.

The CETA fSAE race car team (l. to r., Kevin Zheng, John Scales, Eric Rickert, George Bongart, and Bob Dynan) shows off their vehicle.

Dr. David Pines, advisor to the student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, explains how the solar collector (similar to ones being used to provide clean water to Abheypur, India) works.

Robot golf, run by students from the University High School of Science and Engineering, is especially popular with the younger crowd.

One of the robots used in the robot golf game on Community Day.