DETROIT (Nov. 7, 2013) ­– More than 150 undergraduate students from across Michigan gathered at Wayne State University on Saturday, Nov. 2 for the 6th annual Michigan Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MI-LSAMP) Undergraduate Research Symposium.

	Additional symposium photos are available on the Wayne State College of Engineering Flickr site.

MI-LSAMP was launched in November 2005 with a grant from the National Science Foundation. It is an alliance of five four-year institutions — including WSU, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University and Western Michigan University — and 10 community colleges. Its overall goal is to significantly increase the number of underrepresented minority students earning bachelor’s degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and prepare them for entry into graduate STEM-related degree programs.

The symposium, hosted for the first time by Wayne State’s College of Engineering, highlighted research opportunities within the LSAMP network, nationally and internationally. Featured speakers included the University of Michigan’s Jerry Caldwell, executive director of MI-LSAMP, and Farshad Fotouhi, dean of the Wayne State College of Engineering, who spoke of the benefits of a research experience and provided more information about graduate schools.

The event also featured several poster and oral presentations. Oral presentation winners included Michigan State University students Lazarius Miller, Mary Lian and Kelly Montgomery. Poster presentation winners included Lian, Choya Webb of U-M, Pastor Houtado of WMU, and William Carr of Wayne State.

“We were delighted at the turnout,” said Darin Ellis, the College of Engineering’s associate dean of academic affairs and student services. “It was great to see so many bright young minds from Wayne State and across the state present their work. Word is clearly getting around that research plays a crucial role in the development of our STEM talent pool, and students are lining up to take advantage of the opportunities. Programs like MI-LSAMP play a critical role in addressing gaps identified by our students’ future employers, such as increasing the overall number of STEM grads while also increasing the diversity of the talent pool.”

Added Caldwell, “The Undergraduate Research Symposium is an important event of our annual calendar because it highlights a major objective of the MI-LSAMP project of increasing participation of underrepresented minority students in the scientific enterprise through faculty-mentored research.  The number of students and faculty participants has grown each year, including greater participation of community college students and faculty. The students did an excellent job of presenting their research, and we are extremely pleased with the outcome of the symposium.”

Kayla Jordan, a senior majoring in electrical engineering at Wayne State, attended the event and believes the symposium serves a great purpose in raising STEM awareness among minority students.

“I have been participating in the LSAMP program for three years now. I started as a pre-first-year student and now I have mentored new LSAMP students interested in research,” Jordan said. “I see not only an increase in STEM awareness among minority students, but also but pure passion. LSAMP provides minorities with an opportunity to network and mature in their chosen STEM fields.”

For more information on MI-LSAMP, visit http://milsamp.engin.umich.edu/.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.
 

DETROIT (Nov. 12, 2013) – The Wayne State University College of Engineering, partnering with WSU’s Front Door, hired Industry Liaison Lori Simoes earlier this year to foster relationships with corporations that might benefit from college and university resources — and vice versa.  

	Simoes

Simoes, a strategic business development professional with experience in both industry and academia, hit the ground running.

“This role is very exciting to me,” Simoes says. “Wayne State can provide remarkable resources to industry partners, from faculty research expertise and advanced laboratory testing and services to technologies available for license and student resources. Our ability to make a thoughtful and beneficial connection to the right corporations can greatly benefit all involved. And our location in Midtown puts us in the center of the action.”

Echoes College of Engineering Dean Farshad Fotouhi, “The college partners with a great number of corporations, organizations and foundations to share resources, services and ideas. These collaborative partnerships spur innovation, help support our communities and result in great success. Lori will greatly enhance our efforts with industry.”

According to Fotouhi, the college’s research thrust areas — biomedical engineering, automotive safety, energy solutions, advanced materials and manufacturing, transportation, engine optimization, and big data — mirror growth trends in industry and will be areas of focus for Simoes moving forward.

“Our researchers are innovating technologies that our industry partners take right to the line or manufacturer. And our industry partners help us better prepare students for an ever-changing job market through internships and co-ops,” he says.

Simoes will also focus her efforts on connecting industry partners with the co-curricular student experience at Wayne State.

“Industry partners can get involved in student team projects like EcoCAR 2 and Formula SAE and enhance the educational experience by contributing real-world challenges for students to solve in capstone senior design classes,” she says.

Simoes most recently worked as a commercialization principal at Wayne State. Prior to that, she served as associate director of product marketing at Visteon, Corp. after a stint as associate sales director with Advanced Technology.

She earned a master’s certificate in electric vehicle engineering and a master’s in industrial engineering from Wayne State. She earned both a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and a bachelor’s in biochemistry from Michigan State University.

Simoes can be reached at lori.simoes@wayne.edu or 313-577-4029.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Nov. 18, 2013) – Wayne State University College of Engineering Dean Farshad Fotouhi announced in a student town hall meeting last week the partnering institutions for the college’s second year of its Global Experience Scholarship Program. Students receiving scholarships for spring/summer 2014 will gain research and industry experience abroad at Fuzhou University, the Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), the Shenzhen Institute of Technology, and the Technical University of Graz.

They will also have the opportunity to take WSU College of Engineering technical elective courses alongside Chinese students at Fuzhou University and Zhejiang University of Technology. Specific courses include CE 5995, Solving Traffic Congestion, which will be offered at Fuzhou, and BE5995, Cross-Cultural Engineering Problem Solving, which will be offered at ZJUT.

“We were thrilled to announce this year’s partners and to offer the ability to take Wayne State engineering courses abroad,” said College of Engineering Dean Farshad Fotouhi. “This scholarship program allows our students to learn about different cultures, conduct research with international scholars, gain industry experience abroad and become more marketable to future employers. We are grateful to our many friends and partners around the world who help make these types of programs a reality.” 

The College of Engineering and The Office for International Programs announced the creation of the Global Experience Scholarship Program in February 2013. The inaugural year saw 10 students travel to China’s Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT).

Students who participated in this program in 2013 were on hand to answer questions and share their experiences at the Town Hall meeting.

According to Fotouhi, future cohorts of scholarship recipients may travel to a number of other countries around the world.

“We have had discussions with institutions in Europe, South America and the Middle East about creating similar types of opportunities for our students,” said Fotouhi. “With a diverse faculty and alumni in 48 countries, there’s really an enormous opportunity to further expand our efforts. We have remarkable students here at Wayne State, and we want to provide them with the necessary tools to be successful and inventive global-minded citizens.”

Scholarship recipients will be named in the spring. For more information, visit http://engineering.wayne.edu/pillars/global-perspective.php.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT – Members of the Wayne State University Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) will host the annual H.R. Lissner Biomedical Research Day on Thursday, Nov. 21. The event is designed to showcase the exceptional biomedical research occurring at Wayne State University in the fields of engineering, biology, chemistry, physics and medicine.

The research day is named after biomechanics pioneer Herbert R. Lissner, who established Wayne State’s Bioengineering Center and was appointed its first director in 1963. Lissner, a former professor of engineering mechanics at Wayne State, began researching the mechanisms of blunt head trauma and skull fracture in 1939.

“Wayne State has a long history of innovative biomedical research,” says Tonya Whitehead, biomedical engineering graduate student, BMES graduate class representative and the event’s lead organizer. “We hope to provide a platform to highlight the current research occurring at Wayne State and encourage future collaboration and networking.”

Engineering students Pavan Jella, Eric Kim, Kevin Miles, Anil Kalra and Elisabeth Steel will give oral presentations during the podium session, and more than 15 additional engineering undergraduate and graduate students will present research during two poster sessions (full schedule available at http://engineering.wayne.edu/org/bmes/studentpres.php).

“Wayne State offers unique opportunities for both undergraduate and graduate research,” says Whitehead. “The student presentations at the Biomedical Research Day will demonstrate the benefits of a hands-on, research-based education.”

The schedule also includes a faculty presentation by Mai Lam, assistant professor of biomedical engineering, who will present “Creating translatable techniques for repairing tissues using stem cells and biomaterials.”

The keynote speech, “The intersection of cancer biology and micro scale engineering,” will be given by David J. Beebe, professor and associate chair of research and faculty development at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering.

For more information or to RSVP, visit http://engineering.wayne.edu/org/bmes/events/researchday.php.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Nov. 21, 2013) – Nearly 700 members of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) will gather in Detroit from Nov. 22 to 24 for the NSBE 2013 Region IV Fall Regional Conference, hosted and planned by the Wayne State University College of Engineering’s NSBE chapter. Held at the Detroit Marriott, the conference will provide workshops, competitions and networking events for pre-collegiate, collegiate and graduate students and professionals.

	Members of the WSU chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) plans the NSBE Fall Regional Conference.

“NSBE’s mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community,” says Alanna Tremble, industrial and systems engineering senior and conference planning chair. “With this event we not only want to increase the number of minorities going into STEM education programs, including engineering, but also encourage and equip them with the tools and opportunities to be successful. Furthermore, we want to change the view of Detroit, showing the outside world that there are positive things occurring here, and that Detroit is able to compete with other major cities for opportunities and talent.”

Tremble was serving on the NSBE Regional Executive Board during the 2012-13 academic year when she heard that the 2013 regional conference would be held in Detroit.

“I felt that this was our chapter’s opportunity to expose visitors to Detroit’s greatness,” says Tremble. “Being that we live in Detroit and receive our education here, we want to uplift and change the idea of what Detroit is. Planning this event has allowed us to combine our love for engineering and our city.”

According to Tremble, the conference will not only serve as an opportunity to show off engineering talent in Detroit, but will also showcase the Wayne State College of Engineering. Pre-collegiate conference attendees will have a chance to learn more about the five pillars of a Wayne State engineering education while taking a tour of the college on Friday, Nov. 22. Keith Wadley, academic advisor, will also be available to discuss the college’s emphasis on experiential learning, hands-on experience, global perspective, scholarships and undergraduate research. Additionally, Carmen Gamlin, career services consultant, will host a workshop on post-undergraduate opportunities for engineers, and Gail Evans, academic advisor, will host a workshop on study skills and balancing responsibilities.

The conference will also demonstrate the leadership and initiative of Wayne State’s engineering students, as the conference’s planning committee is comprised entirely of members of Wayne State’s NSBE chapter. Tremble says they have planned a conference that is unique in that it offers components for participants of all ages. A Pre-Collegiate Mini Conference will expose K-12 students to engineering concepts and critical thinking. College students will compete in a Battle of the Engineers and Technical Research Exhibition. Graduate students and professionals will find workshops on personal branding, corporate awareness and self-motivation to be of use. Lastly, the conference will offer a Career and College Expo, with more than 20 companies and five colleges registered to attend and recruit.

More information on the conference can be found at http://www.nsbe.org/Regions/Region4/FRC.aspx

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 29,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

About NSBE
The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), with a membership of more than 30,000, is one of the nation’s largest student-governed organizations. NSBE was founded in 1975 and is the premier organization serving African Americans in engineering and technology. With more than 300 chapters in the U.S. and abroad, NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of college and pre-college students and technical professionals. www.nsbe.org

DETROIT (Dec. 9, 2013) – Elizabeth Barrios’s career dream officially began when she was just 10 years old.

She and her family had taken a trip to the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. “We took the visitors tour and every little thing they showed us made me more excited to learn about NASA, space, rockets and more. I was completely sold when I walked into the visitors center and was able to walk underneath the giant Saturn V rocket. I told my Mom I was going to work for NASA someday,” Barrios says.

As of Dec. 14, she’ll be another step closer to making her dreams come true. Barrios — with her mom and others watching — will walk across the stage during Wayne State University’s Commencement Ceremony to celebrate the completion of her bachelor’s in chemical engineering from Wayne State’s College of Engineering.

Earning a degree is just one item checked off the list, however. The Riverview, Mich., native will graduate with a vast amount of internship and co-op experience under her belt. She has worked with R&D heavyweights BASF and the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, as well as held four separate internships with NASA.

Barrios worked hard to secure those NASA internships. “I applied multiple times,” she says. “I was denied many times, but I kept at it. Fortunately, I also had the assistance of professors Steve Salley and Gina Shreve, who wrote letters of recommendation and provided guidance.” 

As a 2011 participant in the NASA Undergraduate Student Research Program at the Kennedy Space Center, Barrios learned about materials science research topics such as the efficacy of different antimicrobial materials in water treatment systems, the development of chemical sensing tape for the launch pad, the fabrication and testing of composite products, the failure analysis of various materials, and the research of In Situ Resource Utilization.

“For instance, with regard to chemical sensing tape, I worked to help identify any chemical leaks as early as possible to avoid delays in launch and improve overall safety,” says the member of Wayne State’s Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Tau Beta Pi. “It was during this internship that I discovered I liked polymers.”

She worked that same year as an intern at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., where she worked in groups, honed her leadership skills and learned how to extract oxygen from lunar soil, among other things.

Barrios’ third and fourth NASA internships, in 2012 and 2013 at the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, were focused on making lightweight antennae for “things that fly” to reduce weight and save cost. “Through these internships I was able to get into aerogels research, a super-lightweight solid that's greater than 98 percent porous. It’s probably the area of research I’m now most passionate about,” she says.

As a result of conversations and guidance from NASA mentors, Barrios is now focused on getting to work on her next to-do item: earning a doctorate in macromolecular science and engineering.

“I’ve realized that I want to make and discover things that will benefit manned and unmanned spaceflight. I want to conduct my own research. To do that, I need my Ph.D.,” says Barrios, who will begin coursework at Case Western Reserve University this January.

Though it’s been a long time since she first looked up at the Saturn V rocket, she’s determined to keep working toward her dream of working at NASA — no matter the time and work in front of her.

“If you are passionate about something, you'll find a way to be good at it. This stuff doesn't come naturally to me. I'm smart with my time. I'm focused on putting in the work. If you want to do it, anything can be done,” she says.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Dec. 10, 2013) – Andrian Marcus, Wayne State University associate professor of computer science, and Vaclav Rajlich, Wayne State professor of computer science, were awarded the Most Influential Paper Award at the 11th Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers International Working Conference on Reverse Engineering (WCRE). The award, selected by the conference program committee, is given each year to the most influential paper from the edition 10 years prior. For 2014, the competition was especially strong, as WCRE merged with the IEEE European Conference on Software Maintenance (CSMR) and the most influential paper was selected among the papers presented at both conferences in 2004.

Their paper, titled "An Information Retrieval Approach to Concept Location in Source Code," was co-authored with Wayne State computer science alumni Andrey Sergeyev and Jonathan Maletic. The paper has been cited 277 times according to Google Scholar (http://goo.gl/hDa9hH). Marcus will present a retrospective on the paper during the 2014 WCRE-CSMR Software Evolution Week, on Feb. 5, 2014, in Antwerp, Belgium.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Dec. 16, 2013) – Sixteen Wayne State University College of Engineering students have been selected to receive a winter 2013 Engineering Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program award.

Farshad Fotouhi

Zahraa Bazzi

Nigil Valikodath, Zahraa Bazzi, Ahmad El-Bkaily, Amani Alkayyali, Curt Laugh, Joseph Osantowski, Ryan Scott, Mohammed Kakli, Enxhi Xhafa, David Warnke, Daniel Reinheimer, Trevor Kirsch, Ao Yu, Matthew Brown, Hamzeh Omar and Jad Gagnon will work alongside faculty members on cutting-edge research in biomedical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, civil and environmental engineering, chemical engineering and materials science, and computer science.

Undergraduate research is one of the five pillars to a Wayne State engineering and computer science education. The award, which provides a $1,000 stipend, was created in 2012 to provide students with additional support and mentorship on a wide range of research projects.

“It’s crucial that tomorrow’s engineers and computer scientists get the hands-on research experience they need prior to graduation,” says College of Engineering Dean Farshad Fotouhi. “Our college is known for improving quality of life through education, innovation and entrepreneurship, and many of our faculty researchers are renowned experts in their fields. The role they play in our labs, teaching our students about innovation and collaboration, is immeasurable. On behalf of the college, I congratulate our award recipients and look forward to learning about their research experiences.”

Bazzi, for one, is grateful for the opportunity.

“This UROP award will be very helpful in terms of moving forward in my education,” she says. “Research is a great way to get the hands-on experience you don't get in the classroom and this award will allow me to do that. The college encourages working with faculty to get involved with projects that are implemented in the workplace, and research awards make these opportunities possible.”

All Wayne State engineering and computer science students are eligible to apply for the award. For more information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Services at 313-577-3040 or academicaffairs@eng.wayne.edu.  

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Dec. 23, 2013) – Wayne State University’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) honored alumni, graduating seniors and longtime industry partner DTE Energy at its annual Celebration of Achievement and Excellence on Dec. 5.

	Select event photos are available on Flickr

The event brought together leaders in the ISE community and offered participants the opportunity to network across industry and academia.

DTE — which has a long history of hiring Wayne State ISE students as interns and co-ops — received the department’s prestigious Recognition Award. DTE Energy Vice President of Gas Operations Joi Harris accepted the award on behalf of DTE and made a brief speech on the importance of giving back to the community.

“DTE Energy has provided practical experience to many engineering students over the years through our co-op and summer internship programs,” says Harris. “Also, the DTE Energy Foundation has awarded Wayne State University more than $500,000 this year alone for various initiatives, including the renovation of the College of Engineering’s teaching labs. DTE aspires to be a force for growth and prosperity in the communities we serve. One way to reach that goal is by investing in the leaders of tomorrow.”

In the last four years alone, DTE has employed the following ISE students: Han Cao, Christine Cardenas, Hani Chehade, Mohama Dagher, Nataki DeForrest, Norman Dotson, Sunith George, Danielle Hunter, Edwin Idusuyi, Kristen Jordan, Vilma Kocllari, Catherine Mitchell, Vatsal Patel and Nasser Yahya. According to Carmen Gamlin, Wayne State College of Engineering career consultant, many more engineering and computer science students find opportunities for hands-on experience thanks to DTE.

“DTE Energy is the most represented employer for Wayne State undergraduate engineering students participating in cooperative education and internships,” Gamlin says. “Since DTE Energy collaborates with so many industry leaders, our students and alumni are well-positioned to advance their careers as a result of working at DTE Energy.”

Additionally, Bimal Napal received the Outstanding Alumni Award, and Aishwarya Sankar and Chelsea Zenk received a Distinguished Alumni Award. The department also awarded its Leadership Award to ISE Professor, Graduate Chair and Founding Director of the Global Executive Ratna Babu Chinnam, and Academic Advisor Gail Evans.

“This event provided us with a wonderful opportunity to properly honor our outstanding students, alumni and industry partners,” says ISE Department Chair Leslie Monplaisir. “It’s a great time to be in ISE, at Wayne State and in Detroit.”

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Jan. 13, 2014) – Members of the Wayne State University Formula SAE (FSAE) and EcoCAR 2 teams will be featured at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) this month at COBO Center in Detroit. The booths will showcase their vehicles and projects while promoting their teams and STEM education in Michigan.

	Formula SAE team
	EcoCAR 2 team

“We’re thrilled to have a booth at the auto show this year. Having a booth provides our team with the opportunity to learn more about industry trends that are currently happening with various automakers,” says Mohammed Kakli, mechanical engineering senior and chief technical officer of the FSAE team. “At the same time, it gives us the chance to show younger generations what we’re doing as undergraduate or graduate students, and what’s possible in engineering.

Added Idan Kovent, an alternative energy technology master’s student and EcoCAR 2 team project manager, “We are excited for this wonderful opportunity. More than 30 of our members from engineering, communications and business will man our booth — living proof of the university and team’s ‘Aim Higher, Aim Hybrid’ motto. This is another great real-world, hands-on opportunity the team offers its members.”

Formula SAE
Founded in 1978, the SAE Collegiate Design Series challenges students to design, build and race small formula-style race cars. The cars are judged in static and dynamic events that include elements such as design, cost, potential vehicle marketing, acceleration, autocross (handling and speed) and endurance/fuel economy.

The Wayne State team, dubbed Warrior Racing, was formed in 2003 and has competed every year since 2004. This year’s first competition will take place May 14 to17 at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., followed by the Formula West competition, held June 18 to 21 in Lincoln, Neb.

In addition to preparing for the auto show, Warrior Racing has also worked throughout winter break to prepare this year’s formula racing car, the RW8, for upcoming competition. Kristina Vujic, an economics doctoral student and team president, says that much progress has been made but there is still work to do.

“Some of the major items that still need to be completed before competition are manufacturing of suspension components, manufacturing of bodywork and significant time tuning/calibrating our engine,” says Vujic. “We are about halfway through the process of completing RW8 and our target date of completion is March 1.”

Because work on RW8 is ongoing, visitors to the FSAE booth will be able to take a close look at last year’s car, the RW7. Additionally, visitors will be able watch video clips of the car in action, and learn about both the team and Wayne State’s College of Engineering.

EcoCAR 2
EcoCAR 2: Plugging in to the Future Year Two Competition, sponsored by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is a three-year collegiate engineering competition and the only program of its kind. It gives students the opportunity to gain real-world, eco-friendly automotive engineering experience while striving to further improve the energy efficiency of an already highly efficient vehicle.

The Wayne State team — the only Michigan team competing out of 15 North American teams — headed to GM’s Desert Proving Grounds in May 2013 to test its re-engineered 2013 Chevy Malibu in the Year Two Competition, placing eighth overall. The communication team took second place for Best Collaboration with a Clean Cities Coalition.

Up four spots from Year One, the team was pleased with the results but immediately re-focused on preparing for the Year Three Competition, which will take place in Milford, Mich. and Washington, D.C. in June 2014.

“Some of our priorities coming off of the Year Two Competition were to focus on optimizing our vehicle and giving it some game-changing advantages,” Kovent says. “We’ve been working on a robust controls system, in-depth diagnostics, weight reduction and a new gear reducer design for our electric motor drive and we are very excited for its expected quiet operation.”

He added, “Beyond that, our strategic goal is, and always has been, to get into EcoCAR 3.”

FSAE and EcoCAR 2 are just two of the many opportunities the Wayne State College of Engineering provides its students to ensure they gain the experience, knowledge and background needed to excel upon graduation. Through its Five Pillars of Student Success, the college provides students with opportunities for experiential learning through co-ops and internships, hands-on learning, scholarships, and undergraduate research, as well as with opportunities to gain the global perspective that employers love.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.

DETROIT (Jan. 14, 2014) – For Wayne State University Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Jerry Ku, there are few things more satisfying than helping students succeed.

“I love what I do, and I find incredible value in maximizing the student/faculty relationship. It’s my job to help make students better engineers, better thinkers and better people. In turn, they make me better,” he says.

Ku — a renowned expert in electric-drive vehicle powertrain modeling and simulations, electric-drive vehicle engineering education programs, and alternative energy technology — had dreams of being an engineering professor from a young age.

“I knew I had a bit of a knack for solving problems and thinking critically. I also enjoyed passing on knowledge to others. Becoming an engineering professor was something that provided a great way for me to do both,” he says.

Ku currently holds a number of titles within Wayne State’s College of Engineering. In addition to his work as associate professor, he serves as the program co-director for the college’s Alternative Energy Technology (AET) Program — which, in 2006, was the first in the nation to offer an AET master’s degree and certificate —and WSU’s Electric-drive Vehicle Technology Program, the nation’s first.

The role that might best illustrate his dedication to student success is that of advisor for Wayne State’s team in the EcoCAR 2: Plugging in to the Future Year Two competition. Now in its third year and sponsored by GM and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), EcoCAR 2 gives students the opportunity to gain real-world, eco-friendly automotive engineering experience while striving to further improve the energy efficiency of an already highly efficient vehicle.

According to Ku, who notes that Wayne State’s team is the only Michigan team competing out of 15 North American teams, EcoCAR 2 is the best educational program for future engineers due to its hands-on nature, required outcomes and deliverables, structure, and training.

“It’s an amazing competition. It requires a huge commitment. Our students work full time, attend school full time and still give a large number of hours to this team. I am honored to lead this group of highly dedicated and talented students.”

He added, “EcoCAR 2 has opened up so many doors that have benefited our students, college and me. ”

What Ku neglects to mention, however, is the time and energy he’s personally dedicated to the team throughout the past few years. 

“Professor Ku gives every hour of his day to the EcoCAR2 students. He has been with us every step of the way and provided us with advice and expertise at every turn. We all came to the team with varied levels of skills, experience and knowledge,” says EcoCAR 2 team captain Idan Kovent. “He encourages students to aim higher and go outside of their comfort zone, so they can become much more than the average student. His goal is not only education, but creating the next generation of leaders in engineering, business and communication.”

It’s no wonder that Ku has been recognized for his EcoCAR 2 advisor efforts. In May, he was named one of four faculty advisors on the EcoCAR 2 Faculty Advisory Board. More recently, Ku received a Department of Energy faculty fellowship that is applicable only to EcoCAR 2 lead faculty advisors.

“Dr. Ku is such a dedicated advisor to his team,” said Kristen De La Rosa, EcoCAR 2 director at Argonne National Laboratory. “It really takes a major personal and professional commitment to lead an EcoCAR team, and Dr. Ku’s commitment is unsurpassed.”

In the classroom, Ku’s commitment to student success is evident through the integration of hands-on, practical experience and coursework.

“Dr. Ku assigns projects in modeling simulation class that use the same software tools used in automotive industry to produce the same kinds of simulations as work assignments in industry,” says Kevin Snyder, EcoCAR 2 chief engineer and electric-drive vehicle engineering master’s student.

Added Yuxia Liu, an electrical engineering student, “Dr. Ku’s classes are the best and the most useful courses I’ve ever taken. I can directly apply what I have learned in his classes. He has high expectations, which pushed me and helped me become more efficient and grow.”

Ku, who earned his bachelor’s from Tatung Institute of Technology (Taiwan) and master’s and doctorate from the State University of New York at Buffalo, also is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers K-11 Committee and the Society of Automotive Engineering.

His current research projects range from modeling and simulation of hybrid electric vehicle powertrains to the experimental and numerical studies of lithium-ion battery pack thermal management, and much more.

For more information about Ku, visit engineering.wayne.edu/profile/jerry.ku/. Additional information about EcoCAR 2 is available on the competition website and blog, Flickr stream, Facebook page and Twitter stream.

EcoCAR 2 is one of many opportunities the Wayne State College of Engineering provides its students to ensure they gain the experience, knowledge and background needed to excel upon graduation. Through its Five Pillars of Student Success, the college provides students with opportunities for experiential learning through co-ops and internships, hands-on learning, scholarships, and undergraduate research, as well as with opportunities to gain the global perspective that employers love.

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Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering 370 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. For more information about engineering at Wayne State University, visit engineering.wayne.edu.