SEAS Colonial Cable

Message from Dean David Dolling


As part of our efforts to continue strengthening SEAS and enhancing its reputation, the School is making strategic investments in our academic and research programs. In academia, faculty are one of our most important investments, so SEAS is investing in its own future by hiring new faculty who will help develop these programs.

SEAS has recently hired four new tenure-track assistant professors who will begin here in August, Two will join the faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and one each will join the faculty of the Department of Computer Science and the Department of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering. We look forward to introducing each of them to you in the fall issues of Colonial Cable. In addition, we are recruiting three more who we hope will start in January 2010.

We are also trying to strengthen support for our faculty and students. SEAS has created a new position, associate dean for research and graduate studies, to expand and develop our research efforts, which are crucial for our growth and enhancing our reputation. In the fall, we will begin the process of selecting and hiring an associate dean for this position; in the meantime, I am pleased to announce that Professor Can Korman of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering has graciously agreed to act as interim associate dean. Also stepping up to the plate to serve our students is Professor Bhagirath Narahari of the Department of Computer Science, who has agreed to become our interim associate dean for undergraduate affairs and programs.

So, we will begin this next academic year--as we hope to begin each subsequent academic year--in a stronger position than the previous year. This year, we will do so with new faculty and seasoned faculty ready to fill new positions, take on additional responsibilities, and do their part to contribute to the SEAS partnership.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Signature David Dolling

David S. Dolling, Ph.D.
Dean

News & Events

 

A message from Development . . .

Colleen Morith
Colleen Morith

I am very pleased to announce that Colleen Morith has joined the SEAS Development team as assistant director of development and alumni relations. Colleen joins us from The Society of the Cincinnati at Anderson House, where she served as the endowment campaign manager. She received a BA in art history from Salem College in Winston-Salem, NC, and an MA in museum studies from GW. After working in museums such as the National Gallery of Art and the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, she has returned here to her alma mater.

Colleen lives in Alexandria, VA, with her husband and two retired racing greyhounds. In her spare time, she is an active volunteer with Greyhound Welfare, an adoption group in the DC area.

She is delighted to be working at SEAS and looks forward to meeting fellow graduates of GW.

As always, the SEAS Development staff is pleased to meet and visit with our alumni and friends about ways to participate and support SEAS. We welcome visitors to our Tompkins Hall offices and can also be reached by telephone at 202-994-8474 or by email at seas@gwu.edu.

 

Thank you, and my best regards,
Jim Howard

Assistant Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
210 Tompkins Hall
jphoward@gwu.edu
Tel: 202-994-4121

~~ SEAS 2009 - Celebrating 125 Years of Engineering ~~

 


 

Nominations Sought for GW Engineering Hall of Fame

In conjunction with our 125th Anniversary Gala on October 29, 2009, SEAS will host its 2009 induction to the GW Engineering Hall of Fame, and Dean Dolling invites each SEAS alumnus/a to nominate for the Hall of Fame Award someone you think best represents the ideals of the Hall of Fame award.

The GW Engineering Hall of Fame recognizes and honors distinguished SEAS alumni, faculty, staff, and friends who have contributed to engineering, technology, or management in a sustained and significant way during their careers. These are individuals who bring distinction to GW through their achievements and their contributions to their professions, the University, and society-at-large. If you know someone who has made important contributions, please do consider nominating him or her. By honoring members of the SEAS community now, we help build the SEAS history that future classes of SEAS students inherit.

The deadline for consideration for induction at the 2009 Hall of Fame banquet has been extended to August 1, 2009. If you would like to nominate an individual for the GW Engineering Hall of Fame, please complete a nomination form and e-mail it to seas@gwu.edu; fax it to 202-994-2684; or send it to:

SEAS Office of Development and Alumni Relations
The George Washington University
Tompkins Hall, Room 210
725 23rd Street, NW
Washington, DC 20052

Should you have any questions about the nomination process or the award, please contact Rene Datcher at 202-994-8474. To learn more about the members of the Hall of Fame, please see their biographies online. Thank you for your consideration.


 

Prof. Ben-Tzvi Receives DARPA Grant

Pinhas Ben-Tzvi, an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, recently received a one-year, $300,000 grant from Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to support a research project entitled "Study on Autonomous Coupling of Navigation and Locomotion for a Hybrid Mechanism Mobile Robot." The project aims to develop a sensor-controlled autonomous decision engine for coupling navigation, locomotion, and manipulation in rough terrain conditions. Feasibility studies will be performed for a variety of applications, such as search and rescue missions, reconnaissance, surveillance, neutralization, planetary exploration, hazardous site exploration, and high-risk missions for police operations.

This grant is quite an achievement for Professor Pinhas and SEAS, as only a handful of assistant professors across the country receive DARPA grants each year.


 

Engineers Without Borders, GW Chapter Conducts Project Site Visit in Kenya

The GW chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB) was started three years ago, and after developing its fundraising capability and overall group stability, was awarded a project by EWB-USA to build a post-secondary school in rural Kenya. In May, three of the chapter's students conducted an initial site assessment in Kenya. SEAS students--Nikhil Singh, a senior in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Nicole Frascino, a sophomore studying biomedical engineering--joined the project lead, Laura Chambers, a senior studying public health in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, and Ken Smith, the chapter's mentor and a professional civil engineer.

The group spent nine days on the ground in Kenya verifying site boundaries; measuring existing buildings, rooms, and foundations; assessing and making modifications to already existing plans for construction; locating access to utilities, water, wastewater, and power; identifying road access to the site, suppliers, local authorities, and potential alternative energies; and much more.

To conduct future assessment and implementation visits for the Kenya project, the chapter needs the assistance of a structural/civil engineer able to oversee such work by US standards. EWB has E & O insurance and all volunteers are covered under the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997. If you are qualified and interested, or if you are willing to provide an introduction to someone who is, please contact SEAS student Micah Foster at foster_m@gwmail.gwu.edu. The chapter also welcomes the participation and support of any SEAS alumni who would like to become involved with the project.

 


 

Prof. Roddis Helps Design "Green" Wine Cellar

Professor Kim Roddis, chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, recently was involved in an interesting side project: she provided the engineering expertise to bring to life a design concept for a "green" wine cellar. Professor Roddis worked with a wine cellar designer who uses reclaimed materials such as wine barrel wood and slate flooring to create green wine cellars.

When the designer ran up against what she called a "non-ideal space" (a space with only one wall underground), she confronted the challenge of trying to maintain a green design that uses no refrigeration yet maintains the lower temperatures necessary for a wine cellar. She consulted with Professor Roddis, who was able to bring her design concept--a copper and wine barrel cellar--to life by verifying that using copper as the material on the concrete wall would help keep the temperature down in the cellar. Copper is one of the most recyclable of metals and has great thermal conductivity properties. Professor Roddis also suggested a 6-8" high threshold to decrease the air flow out of the room when the door is opened, and she came up with the idea of using desiccants, which help absorb excess moisture in the room.

 


 

CS @ GW Summer Camp 2009

 

Do you know middle or high school students who have an interest in computers? For the second year, the Department of Computer Science at SEAS is offering a summer camp to expose high school and middle school students in the DC/Maryland/Virginia area to interesting topics in the field of computer science. The camp is designed to be a fun and informative experience for the students.

The summer camp will have two sessions: Session I is for beginning students; Session II is for advanced students. Four classes will be offered each session (game development; animation; JAVA; robotics), and the cost of the camp is $100 per session. Session I will run from July 6th - 10th; Session II, from July 13th - 17th. Class instruction is 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, with snacks and lunch included, Monday through Friday. Online registration and more information about the summer camp is available at http://www.cs.gwu.edu/highschool/. This is a day camp with pick up and return at the Foggy Bottom Metro stop.

 


 

Engineer Alumni Association, Call for Volunteers

Volunteer for our newly structured EAA. We are building new and dynamic alumni programming at SEAS, and we need alumni volunteers who can provide direction and feedback to the Office of Alumni Relations and SEAS to help build alumni engagement with a focus on Alumni Programs, Student/Alumni Programs, and Recruitment and Outreach.

We are asking volunteers to commit to a year of service, during which you will assist in planning SEAS alumni programs, attend three meetings per year, participate on at least on of the focus area committees, and attend at least two SEAS alumni events per year.

If you are interested in participating in this integral part of programming for SEAS alumni, please contact:
Erin Pitts
Associate Director, School Alumni Programs
Alumni House @ 1918 F Street NW
(202) 994-2355 phone
espitts@gwu.edu

 


Upcoming SEAS Events

Coming in September: "Square 54" Panel Discussion
September 2009

Join us to learn more about Square 54, its fascinating engineering achievements, and the benefits the space will provide to the University and the surrounding community. Square 54 is the city-block-sized commercial and residential structure being developed by Boston properties in the site that previously housed the old hospital (immediately east of the new GW hospital, and two blocks north of Tompkins Hall). Revenue accruing to GW from this development will help fund the construction of the new Science and Engineering Complex. More details to follow.

 

Save the Date: Alumni Weekend: October 1-4, 2009
The George Washington University

Attention members of the classes of 2004, 1999, 1989, 1984, 1970-79, and 1959 and earlier! Please mark your calendars for your class reunions to take place during Alumni Weekend 2009. Your reunion will feature class reunion celebrations; an all-alumni kick-off celebration; "Classes without Quizzes;" Taste of GW, comedy events, an athletic reunion, and sustainability events; tours of Thurston and campus; and much, much more.

We need your help to plan events and recruit classmates to attend. If you would like to nominate yourself or a classmate to serve on a Reunion Committee, please contact Stephanie Medwid, associate director of classes and reunions, at reunion@gwu.edu or 1-800-ALUMNI-7. Don't miss this monumental opportunity to reconnect with classmates, GW, and D.C.! Come back to GW and celebrate good times! (Read more and register. . .)

 

Save the Date: SEAS 125th Anniversary Frank Howard Lecture Series
Fall 2009

As part of our ongoing celebration of the School's 125th Anniversary, SEAS and the Frank Howard Lecture Endowment will bring three distinguished guests to campus during the fall semester to address important and timely engineering topics. We are proud to announce our Frank Howard Lecture series speakers:

Speaker:

 Speaker: Mikhail Roco
Founding Chair of the National Science and Technology Council's Subcommittee on Nanoscale Science, Engineering and Technology (NSET) and the Senior Advisor for Nanotechnology at NSF

Topic:

 Nanotechnology

Date:

 October 12, 2009

Speaker:

 Speaker: Frieder Seibl
Dean of the Jacobs School, University of California, San Diego

Topic:

 Structural engineering/Infrastructure

Date:

 November 12, 2009

Speaker:

 Speaker: Barbara Liskov
Ford Professor of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT

Topic:

 Artificial intelligence/System security

Date:

 December, 2009 (Exact date to be determined)

Please watch for more information in the upcoming Colonial Cable newsletters.

 


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SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2006-2007 Academic Year

SEAS Colonial Cables from the 2005-2006 Academic Year