MTU News

Tech Topics Home

 

Special New Faculty Edition

By Laura Walikainen, student writer

Published annually by University Relations, Michigan Technological University

You can reach us via e-mail at ttopics@mtu.edu

The deadline for submitting information for Tech Topics is 5 p.m. the Friday before anticipated publication.

Read Tech Topics on the Web at http://www.mtu.edu/news/ttopics/

Our current issue is usually posted on our Web page by Thursday afternoon.

SubsSubscribe to: majordomo@mtu.edu; message: [UN]SUBSCRIBE TECH-TOPICS-L

=================================================

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

=================================================

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Joseph Holles has joined the chemical engineering department as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the California Institute of Technology where he was a postdoctoral fellow in the Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering. Holles was previously a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Virginia where he received his PhD and ME in Chemical Engineering. He also has experience as a lead engineer for steam plant chemistry and an assistant engineer for reactor plant chemistry for the U.S. Navy in the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.

Holles's awards include the Richard J. Kokes Travel Grant, the Outstanding Graduate Teaching Assistant Award for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the Chemical Engineering Special Recognition Award, among others. He has also been honored as a Dean's Fellow.

He has coauthored several publications, including "A New Catalyst for the Selective Oxidation of Butane and Propane" and "Effects of Pd Particle Size and Ceria Loading on NO Reduction with CO."

Holles has also been active in the Science and Engineering Education Scholars Program at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and is a member of the American Institute for Chemical Engineers, the American Chemical Society and the North American Catalysis Society.

___________

CIVIL AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Brian Barkdoll joins the civil and environmental engineering department as an associate professor. He comes to MTU from the the University of Mississippi where he was an assistant professor in the Civil Engineering Department.

Barkdoll received his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Iowa. He also attended the University of Cincinnati, where he earned his MS in Environmental Engineering, and the University of Akron, where he completed his BS in Civil Engineering.

Barkdoll was previously a graduate research assistant at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research and at the University of Cincinnati. In addition, he was a civil engineer for the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District and for the United States Peace Corps in Nepal, and a cooperative engineer for the Public Utilities Bureau of the City of Akron, Ohio.

His research interests include stream rehabilitation, environmental hydraulics, turbulent diffusion, environmental engineering, sediment transport, water distribution systems, hydraulic structures, hydraulic modeling and river mechanics.

Barkdoll has had numerous papers in conference proceedings, has been published in several journals and has been a presenter at a number of conferences.

___________

ELECTRICAL AND COMPUTER ENGINEERING

Chunxiao Chigan has joined the electrical and computer engineering faculty as an assistant professor. She comes to Michigan Tech from the State University of New York at Stony Brook where she was a graduate research assistant. Chigan received her PhD and MS in Electrical Engineering from the State University of New York at Stony Brook, earned an MS in Biomedical and Engineering Instrumentation from the University of Science and Technology of China and completed her BS in Electrical Engineering at the Hefei University of Technology.

She has also had experience as a visiting scholar in the Department of High Performance Communications Systems of Bell Labs in New Jersey and as an intern system/software engineer for Ericsson Messaging Systems.

Chigan has coauthored several publications including "Mathematical Programming for Joint Protection/Restoration of IP over DWDM Networks" and "A Systematic Study of Heterogeneous Call Admission Policies with Contiguous Resource Allocation Constraints."

She is the recipient of a variety of awards and scholarships including the Provincial Scientific & Technical Achievement Award for the Research of Radar Image Recording and Redisplaying System.

Luc Gilles joins the electrical and computer engineering department as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from Montana State University where he was a research associate in the Department of Mathematical Sciences. He received his PhD in Theoretical Quantum Optics from the University of London, Imperial College, and earned his BS in Physics at the University of Louvain, Belgium.

Gilles was formerly a postdoctoral research fellow at Complutense University of Madrid and at the Scientific Research Council of Spain. He also worked as a teaching assistant in the physics department at the Imperial College.

He has been awarded several research fellowships including a five-year fellowship with the Ministry of Science and Education of the Spain-Madrid Autonome Community for his project entitled "Femtosecond Maxwellian Optical Soliton Dynamics."

Gilles has been an invited speaker at the Center for Adaptive Optics at the University of California and at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He was an invited honorary fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and an invited researcher at the Arizona Center for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Arizona, Tucson.

His computational skills cover a wide variety of topics, including Fortran 77/90, Mathlab, Maple, Mathematics, IDL, Unix, Linux, DOS, Latex2e, pdfLatex, Latex2html, html, Unix shell scripting, Monte Carlo, FDTD, Multigrid and Optimization, among others.

Jindong Tan has joined the electrical and computer engineering department as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from Michigan State University where he was a graduate assistant. Tan earned his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Michigan State, received his MS in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in China and completed his BS in Electrical Engineering at Gansu University of Technology in China.

He also has experience as an assistant professor at Northeastern University where he taught courses on such topics as control systems computer-aided design and computer simulation technology. Tan was also a project manager on a process control system design of a continuous casting machine.

Tan's is skilled in many areas, including C/C++ programming, Java Fortran, Sybase, PowerBuilder, QNX, Linux, Unix, VMS, assembly languages and TCP/IP, among others.

His honors include several academic excellence fellowships and an Excellent Student Fellowship awarded by the Ministry of Mechanics and Electronics in China.

Tan has also filed a patent for a Hybrid Robot Motion Task Level Control System.

He has coauthored several publications on such topics as "Formation Control of Multiple Autonomous Vehicles: Theory and Experimentation" and "Hybrid Force/Position Control for Redundant Mobile Manipulators."

Seyed Zekavat joins the electrical and computer engineering faculty as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Colorado State University where he was a research assistant. Zekavat received his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Colorado, completed his MS in Electrical Engineering at Sharif University of Technology in Iran and earned his BS in Electrical Engineering at Shiraz University in Iran.

He is a former faculty member and design engineer for the Civil and Aviation College of Technology in Iran where he supervised the design of a variety of electronic and telecommunications systems. Zekavat was also the manager of the library and research support system while at the College.

He has teaching and research experience in a number of fields including wireless communications, radar theory, radar systems and its applications, statistical modeling, neural networks and electronic devices and circuits, among others.

Zekavat has coauthored a book that is in press, Multicarrier Technologies for Wireless Communications. He also contributed to the book Telecommunications Demystified.

___________

MATERIALS SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Hao Wang has joined the materials science and engineering faculty as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Polymers Division of the Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology where he was a postdoctoral guest researcher. Wang completed his PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, received his MS in Physics from the University of Houston and earned his BS in Physics from Peking University in China.

He was a former graduate research fellow in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Laboratory for Research on Structure of Matter at the University of Pennsylvania. Wang was also a research assistant the University of Houston and at Peking University. 

His experimental experience includes small angle neutron scattering, neutron reflectivity, synchrotron radiation X-ray scattering, ion beam analysis, X-ray reflectivity, atomic force microscopy, laser light scattering, thin film deposition, microfabrication and photolithography.

Wang is the coauthor of numerous publications including "Early-Stage Compositional Segregation in Polymer Blend Films," "Phase Diagram of a Nearly Isorefractive Polyolefin Blend" and "Multiple Lateral Length Scales in Phase-Separating Thin Film Polymer Blends." He has also been a presenter at various conferences such as the American Chemical Society and Materials Research Society meetings.

=================================================

COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND ARTS

=================================================

ARMY ROTC

Captain Kyle Rambo has joined the faculty of the Army ROTC as an assistant professor. He is an airborne ranger infantry officer and a native of Michigan.

Captain Rambo came to MTU last spring from Fort Benjamin Harrison, where he trained and mobilized National Guard and Reserve units throughout the Midwest for peace enforcement and homeland defense missions.

He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Captain Rambo's previous assignments include Fort Carson in Colorado Springs, Col., and Schofield Barracks on the island of Oahu in Hawaii.  At MTU, he will be responsible for the training and mentoring of second year cadets. 

Captain Rambo and his wife, Carol, have two boys, Lance and Luke, and enjoy biking and cross-country skiing.

___________

CHEMISTRY

Haiying Liu joins the faculty of the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the chemistry department of the University of Pittsburgh where he was a postdoctoral research associate. As an associate, his research has focused on the use of HPLC and capillary electrophoresis to separate peptides and drugs, and the synthesis of receptors for neutral species.

Liu earned his PhD in Analytical Chemistry from Fudan University in China, received his MS in Analytical Chemistry from East China Normal University and completed his BS in Chemistry at Fujian Normal University in China.

He has also had experience as an assistant and associate professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Shanghai University, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Miami and as a teacher for the Department of Chemistry at Sanmin Normal College in China. In addition, Liu is a manuscript referee for Analytica Chimica Acta, Electrochimica Acta, Biosensors and Bioelectronics and Talanta.

Liu has coauthored several articles that have appeared in such publications as the Journal of Chemical Society, Chemical Communications; Journal of Physical Chemistry; and Journal of Organic Chemistry.

Jian Liu has joined the faculty of the chemistry department as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Chemistry Department and Center for Supramolecular Science at the University of Miami where he was an assistant scientist. Here he conducted research on molecular recognition at metal nanoparticle surfaces, nanocomposites and novel catalysts.

Liu earned his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Miami and received an MS in Chemistry and a BS in Physics from Suzhou University in China.

He was a former lecturer and assistant teacher at Suzhou Railway Teachers College and a research and postdoctoral associate at the University of Miami.

Liu has received a number of awards including the Outstanding Graduate Student Award from the University of Miami, the Jiangsu Province Ordinary College and University Outstanding Young Teacher award and the Outstanding Young Teacher award at Suzhou Railway Teachers College.

His technical skills include scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photon correlation spectroscopy, electrochemistry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and fluoresence, among others.

Bela Torok has joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southern California where he was a senior research associate. Torok earned his PhD, MS and BS in Chemistry at Jozsef Attila University in Hungary.

Torok also has experience as a senior research associate at the Asymmetric Hydrogenations Laboratory in the Organic Catalysis Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. In addition, he was a visiting professor at Szentgyorgyi Medical University and a postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Southern California.

Torok has received several awards including the Young Scientist Award of the International Association of Catalysis Societies, the Teacher of the Year Award at Szentgyorgyi Albert Medical University and the Academic Award for Young Scientists from the Hungary Academy of Sciences, among others.

He has served as a reviewer for the Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry; Applied Catalysis: A, General; Studies in Surface Science and Catalysis; and Ultrasonics Sonochemistry.

Torok is the recipient of research grants from the French Chemical Society, Organic Reactions Catalysis Society and the Austrian Chemical Society.

___________

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Byung Kyu Choi joins the faculty of the computer science department as an assistant professor. He comes to Michigan Tech from the Department of Computer Science at Texas A & M University where he was a research assistant.

Choi received his PhD in Computer Engineering from Texas A & M University and earned his MS in Computer Science and his BS in Electronic Engineering from Yonsei University in Korea. His research interests include computer and telecommunications networks, protocols and real-time systems.

Choi is a former assistant lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Texas A & M University. He was also a team leader and software engineer in the R and D Center of LG Electronics in Korea where he led a team in building a Video on Demand and an ATM Address Resolution Protocol.

He has coauthored a number of publications including "Utilization-Based Admission Control for Real-Time Communication," "Endpoint Admission Control: Network Based Approach" and "Efficient Resource Management for Hard Real-Times Communication over Differentiated Services Architecture."

___________

EDUCATION

Kedmon Hungwe has joined the faculty of the education department as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the University of Zimbabwe where he was a lecturer. He completed his PhD in Educational Psychology at Michigan State University, he earned his MS in Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and received his BS in Mathematics and Physics from the University of Zimbabwe. He also has a Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Zimbabwe.

Hungwe has experience as a curriculum development specialist and as a mathematics and science teacher for the Ministry of Education in Zimbabwe. He also worked as a graduate assistant at Michigan State University. Hungwe has developed and taught courses on the psychological foundations of the curriculum, the pedagogy of school subjects, computer literacy and educational technology foundations.

He has authored an instructional text entitled Energy in Waves and coauthored the text The Environment.

Hungwe is a member of the board of trustees of Southern Africa Methodist University and the Children's Performing Arts Workshop.

___________

FINE ARTS

Christopher Plummer has joined the fine arts department as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he was a graduate audio assistant at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

He received his BA in English Literature with a provisional secondary English teaching certification from Nazareth College. Plummer completed his MFA in Sound Design for Theatre at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Plummer has experience as a sound designer for many productions including "Pippin," "Romeo and Juliet," "Once Upon a Mattress" and "Little Shop of Horrors." He has worked in theaters at the University of Illinois, Cornell University and Nazareth College, as well as the Hanger Theater in Ithaca, N.Y,. where he was the resident sound designer. Plummer has also been employed as an assistant video coordinator, advisor, sound mixer, dramaturg, sound board operator, light board operator and assistant stage manager for a number of other productions.  

In addition, Plummer has also student taught at the high school and middle school levels and worked as a teaching assistant at the University of Illinois. 

He has also served as the technical manager and general manager of the Nazareth College Radio Station, as a professional employee at the Nazareth College Arts Center, as an office systems specialist at Cornell University and as an independent graphic designer.

___________

HUMANITIES

Erin Smith has joined the faculty of the humanities department as an assistant professor. She comes to Michigan Tech from Western Maryland College where she was an assistant professor.

Smith earned her BA in English Literature at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, received her MA in English Literature from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and completed her PhD in English Literature with a minor in Film Studies at the University of Wisconsin.

She has worked as the director of the Composition Technology Program and of Computer-Assisted Writing Instruction at the University of Wisconsin. While at the university, Smith was also a lecturer, composition instructor and teaching assistant. In addition, she was a typographer at Minnesota Monthly and Villager Graphics.

Smith also attended the Computers in Writing-Intensive Classrooms Summer Institute at Michigan Tech where she presented papers entitled "Educational Uses of MOOs: Communication, Community, Critique" and "Courseware Evaluation and Selection."

She was the recipient the Dissertation Research Travel Award and the University of Wisconsin Excellence in Teaching Award.

Smith is a member of the Alliance for Computers and Writing, the Modern Language Association, the National Council of Teachers of English and the National Writing Centers Association.

=================================================

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS

=================================================

Andrew Jansma has joined the faculty of the School of Business and Economics as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the Department of Information and Decision Science at the University of Minnesota where he was an instructor and a graduate assistant.

Jansma earned a BS in Psychology, a BS in Computer Science and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Iowa. He completed a Master of Business Administration and PhD in Business Administration at the University of Minnesota.

He has experience as an assistant professor in computer science and information systems at Dakota State University and in computer science at the University of South Dakota. He also had a faculty research position at the U.S. Geological Survey's Earth Resources Observation Systems Data Center.

Jansma is currently the president of the software company WinDak and the managing partner of the T.J.W.A. Partnership, a managing partnership of farmland in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

Jansma was the recipient of a software grant from the Microsoft Corporation for incorporating Windows NT into an operating systems course at Dakota State University.

=================================================

SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

=================================================

John King has joined the faculty of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science as an assistant professor. He was formerly an assistant research professor at Michigan Tech.

King also worked as a teaching assistant, research assistant and research technician at Duke University. He is a former research assistant for The Nature Conservancy in Chapel Hill, N.C. King served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Gabon, Africa.

He received an AA in Liberal Arts at Cumberland County College and earned a BS in Environmental Studies-Wildlife Biology at Stockton State College. King completed an MS in Forestry Ecology and a PhD in Forest Ecophysiology at Duke University.

King's current research projects include such subjects as carbon allocation to and the decomposition of coarse woody roots in red pine during stand development and carbon and nitrogen cycling in aspen forests. His research is supported by the USDA Forest Service Global Change Research Program, the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement and the USDA Forest Service-Michigan Tech University Cooperative, among others.

Christopher Webster has joined the faculty of the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science as an assistant professor. He comes to MTU from the University of Wisconsin, Madison where he was a research assistant.

Webster has experience as a forestry technician, researcher, wildlife technician, teaching assistant, old-growth forest technician and graduate instructor at Purdue University. He was also an illustrator for a children's book produced by the International Society of Arborculture while at Purdue University. Webster worked as a land condition trend analysis technician at the University of Southern Mississippi. He served as a Niger volunteer wildlife biologist in the Peace Corps.

 

Webster is the coauthor of several manuscripts that have been published in the Canadian Journal of Forest Research, the Natural Areas Journal and the Proceedings of the Indiana Academy of Science. He has been a presenter at a number of conferences including the Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society, the Madison Ecology Group Meeting and the Wildlife Society Technical Meeting, among others.

--