Author: Leah Lamunyon

The College of Engineering invites all to attend the Koch Innovation Challenge (KIC) starting at 9 a.m. Friday, May 3 in 305/306 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom. The KIC is an innovation competition that emphasizes multidisciplinary teamwork and entrepreneurship for first-year students in the Shocker Design Experience program.

Between 9 and 11 a.m., 35 teams of students will present elevator pitches to a panel of faculty and industry judges. At 11:15 a.m., there will be an awards ceremony, and the winning team will advance to a national elevator pitch competition.

The College of Engineering invites all to attend its annual Engineering Open House from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, May 3 at Charles Koch Arena.

Between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., senior engineering and computing students will present prototype solutions throughout the concourse.Senior engineering and computing students will present prototype solutions throughout the concourse.

From the end of student presentations until 7 p.m., there will be hors d’oeuvres and refreshments served, as well as an awards ceremony in the south entrance area of the arena.

If you are a mother or adult female role model to a third through eighth grade girl, the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) student organization invites you to attend Mother Daughter Day from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13 in the John Bardo Center lobby.

Attendees will have the opportunity to participate in four activities that will introduce the girls to different types of engineering (aerospace, mechanical, electrical and biomedical).

The Department of Aerospace Engineering within the College of Engineering is hosting Dr. Tri Ngo, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Central Florida, from 10:50 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 5 in 209 Wallace Hall.

Ngo will present “A Synergistic Approach to Interdisciplinary Research in Complex Dynamical Systems and Control: Case Studies on Helicopter Shipboard Landings and Floating Offshore Wind Turbines” to students, staff, faculty and industry partners.

The Department of Aerospace Engineering within the College of Engineering is hosting Dr. Md Easir Arafat Papon, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Alabama, from 10:50 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, April 19 in 209 Wallace Hall.

Papon will present “Rapid and Energy Efficient Manufacturing of Polymer Composites for Aerospace Structures” to students, staff, faculty and industry partners.

The Department of Biomedical Engineering within the College of Engineering is hosting Dr. Emi Kiyotake, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oklahoma, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 22 in 134 Woolsey Hall.

Kiyotake will present “Translational biomaterials for cartilage and spinal cord repair” to students, staff, faculty and industry partners. The lecture will be from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by refreshments and networking from 3 to 3:30 p.m.

Saurabh Sanjay Singh, a doctoral student in the Department of Industrial, Systems and Manufacturing Engineering (ISME), won first place in the poster competition at the IISE (Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers) South Central Conference. The conference was held from Feb. 29 through March 2 at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, and his research was entitled, “Blood Supply Chain Simulation – An Investigatory Analysis.”

According to Dr. Deepak Gupta, a professor and associate chair in the ISME department who provided guidance to Singh, his research stood out among competitors, demonstrating the high caliber of education and mentorship in the ISME department. His presentation not only garnered praise from peers and professionals alike but also resonated strongly with high school students in attendance.

“The unanimous feedback from these younger attendees highlighted how Saurabh’s clear and engaging delivery made complex engineering concepts accessible, leaving them feeling empowered rather than overwhelmed,” Dr. Gupta said.

The conference included participation from esteemed universities across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri and Kansas, including Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Missouri-Columbia, among others. The event featured an impressive lineup of keynote speakers, such as Dr. Russell D. Meller, principal scientist at FORTNA; Tyler Beneke, product manager at Google; and Vance Clement, CEO at Lineus Medical; enriching the conference with their vast industry insights. Their presence underscored the conference’s significance as a melting pot of ideas and innovations in the industrial engineering field.

“A special mention goes to Dr. Cindi Mason, associate teaching professor in the ISME department, whose efforts were instrumental in facilitating this enriching experience for all WSU attendees,” Singh said. “Her dedication to fostering a supportive and collaborative environment for students to explore and excel is a testament to the department’s commitment to excellence.”

Singh’s achievement not only brings pride to WSU but also highlights the ISME department’s role in shaping future leaders in engineering. It is a reflection of the quality of education, mentorship and opportunities available to students, poised to make significant contributions to the field of engineering.

The College of Engineering has announced that Dr. M. Edwin Sawan will serve as the director of its School of Computing for a term of three years. He had been serving as an interim department chair for the College of Engineering since 2022. Within his role as an interim department chair, Dr. Sawan was particularly passionate about ensuring faculty, staff and students feel valued. During the recent search for someone to serve in a more permanent role, Dr. Sawan was one of the candidates recommended by the department faculty, and ultimately, was selected.

Before serving as the interim department chair for the School of Computing, Dr. Sawan served as a professor in the (then) Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department for 30 years. During his tenure, he won numerous teaching awards and was published many times. Following the death of his wife, Dr. Sawan founded the Maha “Maggie” Sawan Fellowship for international graduate students in 2011, which awards two new Sawan Fellows each academic year.

On Thursday, Feb. 22, the College of Engineering will host about 200 high school girls for the Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (IGED) event, commonly known as Girl Day. The event will be from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. in 305/306 Rhatigan Student Center, Beggs Ballroom.

Although a private event, staff and faculty are encouraged to have positive interactions with students, educators and event volunteers when in common areas. According to the College of Engineering, IGED is a national event that takes place during National Engineers Week. The purpose of IGED events is to foster a positive connection between young women and STEM.

The College of Engineering is hiring a director of scholarships and scholar programs. The director will provide leadership and strategic direction for leveraging scholarship funds and scholar programs as key drivers for recruitment, retention and student success. The role entails direct involvement with donors, mentoring students and management of the scholarship and scholar programs.

The position is open to both internal and external candidates. Applicants should have a bachelor’s degree and six years of experience in academic, student support services in higher education or a related field with two years of experience in a leadership role. Someone with knowledge of Scholarship Universe software is preferred.