SEAS Colonial Cable

Greetings, SEAS Alumni,

Keep up-to-date with SEAS summer events and activities below:

• Rolls-Royce Donates Engine to SEAS
• Take a Look at Our Electrical and Computer Engineering Students' Senior Design Projects
• SEAS Alumni Host Bay Area Engineering Reception
• EAA Holds Annual Dinner and Elections
• SEAS Alumni Receive GWAA and EAA Service Awards
• You're Invited! Join Us For the GW Angels Seminar and CET2C Reception
• Save the Date! - The Frank Howard Distinguished Lecture Series
• Share Your News with Us!
• LinkedIn

Rolls-Royce Donates Engine to SEAS

Pat Marolda (MEA '86) and Rolls-Royce recently proved that an alumnus and his employer can work together to make things happen at a university.

When Marolda learned a while back that SEAS was looking for a gas turbine engine to enhance its students' learning experience, he began working with the Rolls-Royce Heritage Trust in Indianapolis, Indiana, to identify and refurbish the 501-K5A industrial turbine, an engine valued at approximately $1.3 million. Earlier this year, the engine was shipped to the National Crash Analysis Center at GW's Virginia Campus, and on June 28th, it was formally unveiled there during a dedication ceremony attended by Marolda; Mr. Jim Guyette, president of Rolls-Royce North America; and other Rolls-Royce officials.

GW engineering students will use the gas turbine to develop a finite element computer model and conduct analysis in jet engine failure preventions, as well as a range of other topics. They also will use digitized data from the 501-K5 to help create a generic engine model.

"We view this donation as an investment in future engineers and in the future of engineering," said Marolda, president, Rolls-Royce Naval Marine. "The 501-K5 is a great engine with a wonderful history, and SEAS is an outstanding program with a bright future. Together they're a perfect fit."

Marolda currently is a member of the SEAS National Advisory Council and recently participated in a panel discussion here entitled "A Day in the Life of an Engineer." He has arranged several internships for GW students at Rolls-Royce Naval Marine and has hired a number of graduates to work at the company's locations around the world.

At the reception following the ceremony, SEAS took the opportunity to formally thank Marolda, Guyette, and the Rolls-Royce companies for their generous gift to the School and the University. "This donation will provide the opportunity for SEAS students to engage in hands-on research with a gas turbine engine produced by an industry leader and to conduct research to improve engine safety for future generations," said Dean Timothy Tong.

ECE Students Complete the Senior Design Captsone Project

This year, seventeen seniors in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) completed the three-semester ECE capstone senior design project course. Just before their graduation, their creativity and engineering skills were showcased at an open house in Tompkins Hall.

The goal of the capstone design course is to give the students practical design experience, as well as experience making effective written and oral presentations of technical material. Each student elects to work individually or as a member of a team, and selects a project that demonstrates his capacity to practice engineering. In selecting a project, the student is encouraged to consult with the course instructor, other faculty, technical magazines and journals, material on the web, and other sources. This course requires tremendous dedication and effort from both the students and the instructor, Professor Tom Manuccia, but the educational benefits are equally large.

The winners of this year's design competition are:

Electrical Engineering Award: Deepthi Pulugurtha for a solar tracking platform
Computer Engineering Award: Jon Hus for a digital compass accessory for a PDA
Biomedical Engineering Award: Brian Martell for a digital otoscope

For more photos, please visit the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering website.

SEAS Alumni Host Bay Area Engineering Reception

Hosts Michael (MS '77) and Parvin (MS '81) Mansouri with Dean Tong

On June 11, 2006, Michael and Parvin Mansouri-both alumni of SEAS-graciously hosted a SEAS reception at their home in Atherton, California, and more than 20 alumni, parents of students, and friends gathered there for the event.

The reception gave alumni and incoming students a chance to mix and mingle and to meet Dean Tong and share their thoughts and ideas with him. It was also a great opportunity for alumni in the San Francisco Bay area to meet each other and network.

At the reception, Dean Tong gave an update on GW and SEAS, and he specifically welcomed Harmon Handloff, who will be starting SEAS this fall as a freshman. Harmon is from Walnut Creek, California.

Also at the reception, local alumnus Remy Ntshaykolo (MEM '93) talked about an initiative to start a Bay Area Engineering Alumni Group. Through his efforts and those of a small group of volunteers, SEAS is forming a Bay Area/Silicon Valley GW engineering alumni group. We are seeking engineering alumni who might be interested in getting involved or have ideas they would like to share. If you would like to get involved with the SEAS alumni group and help to plan activities and events, please let us know by contacting Remy (remynt@hotmail.com; cell phone: 415-531-0993) or the SEAS Office of Advancement and Alumni Programs (seasalum@gwu.edu).

To see more photos, please click here.

EAA Holds Annual Dinner and Elections

The Engineer Alumni Association (EAA) held its annual dinner and elections at Papa Razzi in Georgetown on May 24. More than 20 alumni-including a few recent graduates-attended.

Members held elections for the upcoming year and committees gave year-end reports on their activities. The newly-elected EAA board members are:

President: JP Blackford (BS '95, MS 97)
Vice President: Matthew Norris (BS '02, MS '03)
Treasurer: Pascale Dumit (BS '03, MS '05)
Secretary: Rachel Miller (BS 03)

The committees reported a very successful year for the EAA with a full slate of events: a resume critique event for alumni and current students; a basketball tailgate before the GW Men's Colonials vs. Dayton game; participation as judges in six local Washington, DC science fairs and a reception later with those students and Dean Tong; and the Order of the Engineer Ceremony and dessert reception which the EAA co-sponsored with the Engineer's Council.

The EAA also has an awards program, and this year they awarded the Engineer Alumni Achievement Award to I. Gary Bard (MS '63) and the Engineer Alumni Service Award to Sean Walsh (BS '76), who has served as EAA president for the last two years and will continue to stay involved with the EAA as a past president (see article below). The EAA also funds the Engineer Alumni Association Scholarship Fund, which awarded a scholarship to a graduate student for the 2006-2007 academic year.

At the meeting, members also talked about events for the upcoming academic year, including the Frank Howard Lecture Series, which will be held in October. The EAA will have a planning session on Wednesday, July 12, 2006 to talk about more activities and goals for the upcoming year.

Alumni interested in learning more about the EAA and/or getting involved should contact JP Blackford at jpb@gwu.edu or SEAS Associate Director of Advancement and Alumni Programs Anita Ponchione at apytlarz@gwu.edu or 202-994-9866.

SEAS Alumni Receive GWAA and EAA Service Awards

Issa Khozeimeh (left) presents the 2006 EAA Service Award to Sean Walsh	Dean Tong (left) and Scott Amey, the recipient of the 2006 GWAA Service Award

SEAS is happy to recognize two of its graduates, Scott Amey (MS '75) and Sean Walsh (MS '76), for their outstanding service to the School and the university. This spring, Scott Amey received the 2006 GWAA Service Award. Also this spring, the Engineer Alumni Association (EAA) selected its outgoing president, Sean Walsh, to receive the 2006 Engineer Alumni Association Service Award.

Scott Amy received the GWAA Service Award for all of his efforts to build the SEAS Student Career Services Office and for his service and comitment to SEAS and to its National Advisory Council (NAC). Scott has been a member of the NAC since 2002 and has been an active participant who is always willing to help give his time and expertise.

Scott has directed the SEAS Student Career Services Office on a strictly volunteer basis since fall 2004, contributing countless hours to help SEAS students get their careers started on the right track. Over this time Scott has met individually with students, spoken in SEAS classes and to SEAS student groups, and participated in panel discussions. He counsels students on internship and other work opportunities and helps match their interests and areas of expertise with existing opportunities; critiques students' resumes and helps them with interview preparation; works to identify new opportunities for students; and seeks to build new relationships for the School with local businesses and government agencies. Through his outreach efforts, Scott has identified 120 summer internship opportunities and 80 part and full-time opportunities for SEAS undergraduates and graduates, placing over 75 students in positions around the country.

Scott and his wife Debbie have also been great supporters of SEAS. In November 2004, Scott and Debbie created a challenge to all SEAS alumni: for every $1,000 that an alumnus gave to support the SEAS Dean's Excellence Fund, Scott and Debbie would match it, up to $50,000. The initiative raised over $100,000 in unrestricted funds for the Dean's Excellence Fund, which provides support for scholarships, student projects, labs and equipment, and faculty research.

In addition, Scott and Debbie have pledged a significant gift to help support the construction of a new engineering building and support for career services at SEAS.

Sean Walsh has spent approximately ten years on the EAA Board, spanning two periods over three decades. The first period included the late 1980s and early 1990s, and the second runs from 2001 to the present.

During these stints on the Board he has chaired one or more committees-including the admissions committee-and has served as the EAA treasurer, vice president (for two years) and president for the past two years. He has also volunteered as a judge at the Prince William County/Manassas science fairs, representing SEAS and the EAA.

Through his duties as president, Sean sat on the GWAA and served as a representative of the EAA at the SEAS National Advisory Council. Sean continues to serve SEAS and GW by sitting on the GW alumni committee for the 1976 class reunion scheduled for Colonials Weekend in October 2006.

Sean has helped SEAS in many ways, including by calling SEAS admitted students to congratulate them on being accepted to GW and SEAS and to answer any questions. He has also helped current SEAS students with internships and job opportunities and networking.

SEAS congratulates both Scott and Sean and is happy to see them recognized for their outstanding service and commitment to SEAS and GW.

GWAngels and CET2C Reception

On Thursday, September 7, 2006, SEAS will host two events related to entrepreneurship, and venture and angel investing , and we cordially invite you to join us.

VC/Angel Investors Workshop:

This event is a free mini-workshop on venture capital and angel investing, led by regional experts and members of the SEAS Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer and Commercialization. This workshop is being offered as part of the Council's mission to create an alumni angel investment group to invest in GW and area start-ups.

To RSVP for the VC/Angel Investors workshop, please e-mail seasalum@gwu.edu (please indicate VC/Angel Investors Workshop in the subject lineor call 202-994-8474.

CET2C Reception:

Please mark your calendar for our reception to announce the creation of the Council of Entrepreneurial Tech Transfer and Commercialization (CET2C), and to introduce our Council members to the greater GW and local investor communities. SEAS has established CET2C to help foster an entrepreneurial environment within the School and to enable opportunities for our alumni to create and fund SEAS-affiliated, or other area, start-up companies.

To RSVP for the CET2C reception, please e-mail seasalum@gwu.edu (please indicate CET2C Reception in the subject line) or call 202-994-8474.

Share Your News with Other Alumnae/Alumni!

We're beginning work on the next issue of Synergy, the SEAS alumni magazine, and we hope to include as much information on our alumni as possible.

We know that many of you enjoy keeping up with your classmates, and the magazine is a great way to do that. Please share your news with us, and we'll share it with your friends and classmates by publishing it in the magazine's alumni section.

You can send us any news that is important to you - where you currently work, promotions, professional or academic honors, weddings, births, or other events - and we'll do our best to publish all the news that we receive by August 15th. Please be sure to include your name, degree, and year of graduation in your information, and feel free to send any photos, as well. (Please note that photos cannot be returned).

If you wish to respond electronically, please send your information and digital photos to: synergy@gwu.edu.

You may also fax information (no photo scans, please) to:
Ms. Joanne Welsh
202-994-3394

If you prefer to send the information via mail, please send it to:
Ms. Joanne Welsh
Director of Communications
School of Engineering and Applied Science
106 Tompkins Hall
The George Washington University
Washington, D.C. 20052

If your home address, e-mail address, or telephone number have recently changed, please go to the University's Online Community to update them: http://www.alumniconnections.com/olc/pub/GEW/oldintro/oldintro.cgi

SEAS is proud to announce the GW Engineering group on LinkedIn, an independent, commercial, online networking tool.

SEAS has partnered with LinkedIn to provide this service for SEAS alumni, students, faculty, and staff, and we invite you to join the GW Engineering group. We hope that you will find it a useful tool for business networking, job searches, or simply for locating other members of the SEAS community.

To join the GW Engineering group, just click here and complete a LinkedIn member profile. Access to the group is free, completely optional, and is available only to members of the SEAS community.

About online business networking: You can use LinkedIn to expand and track your network in an organized and systematic way. The GW Engineering group on LinkedIn provides an ideal starting point, and it also provides a point of contact for people outside the SEAS community who are connected to your fellow GW Engineering group members.

About privacy: Please read the LinkedIn privacy policy to answer any concerns about privacy.

Upcoming SEAS Events

Save the Date! - The Frank Howard Distinguished Lecture Series

GW School of Engineering and Applied Science and the GW Engineer Alumni Association present

Dr. Paul D. Spudis
Senior Staff Scientist
Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory

Stay tuned for more details!

GW Colonial Cable

To view previous issues of the GW Colonial Cable, please click here.

Archives: SEAS Colonial Cable

• October 2005
  
  
• November 2005
  
  
• December 2005
  
  
• January 2006
  
  
• February 2006
  
  
• March 2006
  


• April 2006
  
  
• May 2006
  
  
• June 2006