Grant to Help Further Study of Nanoscale Piezoelectric Effect
(August 26, 2008) Pradeep Sharma, Bill D. Cook associate professor of mechanical engineering, and co-investigator Ken White, professor of mechanical engineering, received a nearly $400,000 National Science Foundation grant to further research into super-charged piezoelectrics—materials that naturally generate electricity when placed under stress. The researchers will use the funds to try and pinpoint the material properties, found at the nanoscale, that create an increased electric charge when two non-piezoelectric materials are combined.

NSF Grant to Fund Cross Country Collaborations for UH Researchers
(August 26, 2008) Pradeep Sharma, Bill D. Cook associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Ramanan Krishnamoorti, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, received a $60,000 National Science Foundation grant to support research collaborations with Ecole Polytechnic in Tunisia and Bani Suef University in Egypt. Rice and Texas A&M Universities are involved in the partnership. The funds will primarily support travel for the professors and their graduate students.

Stuart Long Named Interim Dean of The Honors College
(August 26, 2008) Stuart Long, professor of electrical and computer engineering, has been named interim dean of the University of Houston Honors College, effective Sept. 1. He has been serving as the associate dean for undergraduate research and The Honors College since 2006.

Lecturer's Son Advances in First Olympic Heat, Falls Short in Quarterfinals
(August 21, 2008) Shola Nurudeen, a lecturer in the UH Department of Mechanical Engineering, watched her son, Selim, compete in the 110-meter high hurdles at the Olympic Games in Beijing. Representing his home country of Nigeria, Nurudeen ran a personal best in the preliminary heats, but did not advance to the finals.

Son of UH Engineering Lecturer to Compete in Olympic Games
(August 15, 2008) Mechanical engineering lecturer Shola Nurudeen's son, Selim, will compete in the 110-meter hurdles at the Olympic Games next week. Nurudeen will be representing his home country of Nigeria.

Engineering the Future of Transportation
(August 13, 2008) Peter Strasser, assistant professor of chemical engineering, along with collaborators at Stanford University and the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, received a $2 million grant from the Department of Energy to provide continued support for their fuel cell catalyst research. The team is attempting to create a cheaper, more efficient polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell that could be used in electricity-powered vehicles.

Alumnus Establishes $1M Endowment for Engineering Faculty
(August 12, 2008) William C. Miller, Jr. (1955 BSPE) has established a $1 million endowment to support the academic and research activities of UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty. The William C. Miller Endowed Chair was established in honor of Charles V. Kirkpatrick, an emeritus professor and former dean who mentored Miller while he pursued his education in petroleum engineering. Miller has served as president of his own business, W.C. Miller Operating Company, for more than 40 years.