Archive for April 2009

The following Mechanical Engineering students were recently awarded Michigan Space Grant Consortium Grants:

Undergraduates:
• Daniel Dubiel,awarded $2,500 for research titled “Parametric Study of Stress Concentration in Artificial Heart using Finite Element Analysis,” advisor is Dr. Tammy Haut Donahue.

• Gareth Johnson, awarded $2,500 for research titled “Metal Nanotip Formation in Zero Gravity Re-Flight,” advisor is Dr. L. Brad King.

• Nate Wier, awarded $2,500 for research titled “High Altitude Autonomous Research Platform,” advisor Dr. L. Brad King.

Graduate Students:
• Megan Killian (BME), awarded $5,000 for research titled “Influence of Disuse and Microgravity on Meniscal Tissue,” advisor is Dr. Tammy Haut Donahue

Dr. Ossama Abdelkhalik will represent Michigan Tech at the Universities Space Research Association’s Council of Institutions Region VI meeting April 29-30.

USRA is a private, nonprofit corporation founded in 1969 under the auspices of the National Academy of Sciences. Its current membership consists of 104 universities in the U.S. and abroad that have graduate programs in space-related sciences and/or engineering.

USRA focuses on space-related technical competencies with the goal of expanding knowledge and developing technology for the benefit of the academic community, space-related industries, and NASA’s mission to “pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research”.

The corporate authority of USRA is vested in its 104 member universities through the USRA Council of Institutions, comprised of a representative from each member institution. All USRA member institutions have graduate programs in the space sciences or aerospace engineering. There are 95 member institutions in the United States, two in Canada, two in England, one in Germany, two in Israel, one in Australia, and one in China. The member institutions are divided into nine regional groups, with the nine non-U.S. members forming their own region.

Every three years, USRA appoints Regional Secretaries to represent their region’s institutional membership in a variety of organizational matters

Dr. Sheryl Sorby has been elected Fellow of the Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) in recognition of her outstanding contributions to engineering education. The 2009 Induction of ASEE Fellows will take place at the ASEE Annual Conference Awards Banquet in Austin TX, on June 17th.

Dr. Sorby is currently on assignment at the National Science Foundation as a Program Director for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program (STEP).