Accomplishments of CE Professor Honored With International Symposium
(November 17, 2009) The American Concrete Institute and the American Association of Civil Engineers jointly honored the structural engineering research contributions of Thomas T.C. Hsu, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Civil Engineering, with a symposium in New Orleans, La. Nov. 8-10. The four-part symposium titled, “Thomas T.C. Hsu Symposium on Shear and Torsion in Concrete Structures” included 32 presentations from researchers around the world. Houston Mayor Bill White also recognized Hsu's accomplishments by naming Nov. 8 Dr. Thomas T.C. Hsu Day in the city.

UH Researcher Recognized for Technical Achievements
(November 11, 2009) For contributions to the development and commercialization of second-generation high temperature superconducting wire, Venkat Selvamanickam, M.D. Anderson Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Houston, has been honored with a 2009 Wire & Cable Technology International Technical Achievement Award. Before joining UH in 2008, Selvamanickam led a 40 member research team at SuperPower Inc. to scale up second-generation high temperature superconducting wire from inch-long segments utilized in research equipment to mile-long lengths commercially available around the world today.

A Bright Green Future: Researchers Work to Turn Algae Into Crude Oil
(November 4, 2009) Researchers from the Texas Diesel Testing and Research Center have taken on a new project intended to expand the center’s clean air focus. They are examining glass beakers filled with samples of a slimy green substance most find growing in ponds, swamps and even dirty swimming pools. It’s a mixture of algae and other aquatic biomasses, and these researchers think it has the potential to be the next conventional oil alternative.

UH Engineers Part of New DOE Center Focused on Plasma Science
(November 2, 2009) Two engineers at the University of Houston have been awarded grant funding to conduct research as part of a new U.S. Department of Energy supported Center on Plasma Science. The center, led by researchers at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, will join Demetre Economou and Vincent Donnelly, both professors of chemical and biomolecular engineering at UH, with close to 20 scientists from universities and national laboratories across the country. Together, these researchers plan to pick apart the science behind plasmas in an effort to make them more efficient.

Professor Travels to UK to Celebrate Civil Engineering Achievements
(October 26, 2009) Jerry Rogers, associate professor of civil engineering, was among a select few to be present at a wreath laying ceremony this month for a famed London train and bridge engineer. The ceremony, marking the 150th anniversary of Robert Stephenson’s death, was held at Westminster Abbey. A distinguished member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Rogers made the trip to the United Kingdom to research several famous civil engineers from the area for a book being produced by ASCE members detailing the lives and careers of those well known to the field.

Professor to Develop Novel Networking Technology to Speed Data Transfers
(October 22, 2009) With two National Science Foundation grants totaling more than $890,000, Yuhua Chen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, is developing a multimode switching platform to make possible the transfer of all types of data over the Internet using one piece of technology. Currently, three separate network switching modes exist, each of which are optimized to route either small data files such as text or voice, or larger files such as high-definition (HD) video. Chen is working to integrate all three existing switching modes into a single, cost-effective platform, which should ultimately speed the transfer of data.

UH Researchers Nab New NIH Grant to Construct, Test Cancer Tool
(October 12, 2009) A team of University of Houston researchers is among a select few to be awarded a competitive grant from the National Institutes of Health to create a technology that more efficiently identifies the presence of cancer in even the smallest of body fluid samples. The researchers will use the $1 million grant not only to construct, but also to test their biosensor’s ability to spot cancer protein biomarkers for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia—a blood and bone marrow cancer. The device will use magnetic nanotechnology to locate these biomarkers, which are elevated in patients with the disease, on a single molecule level.

Former ECE Professor, Department Chair Passes Away
(September 28, 2009) Wallace “Wally” Anderson, former chair of the UH Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, died Sept. 22 at the age of 87. During his 39 years with UH, Anderson was instrumental in growing the deparment not only by helping increase the number of faculty, but also the amount of research being conducted. He joined UH in 1969 as a full professor and served as chair of the department from 1972-1977 and again from 1996-1998. Up until his 2008 retirement, he taught classes on solid-state physics, electromagnetics, statistical estimation theory, communication theory, applied mathematics, quantum mechanics and stochastic processes—a course he developed that is still being taught today.

Partnership to Boost Education, Research Overseas
(September 22, 2009) The Qatar National Research Fund recently awarded UH engineering researchers two separate grants totaling $2.4 million to collaborate with researchers in that country not only to advance science research, but also education. The first grant will fund research to explore ways of eliminating harmful pollutants from vehicle exhaust without sacrificing fuel efficiency. The second grant will fund research into structural health monitoring, whereas researchers will measure the vibration response of objects to not only detect potential damage, but also the extent.

Founding Chair Named to Department of Biomedical Engineering
(September 15, 2009) Metin Akay, professor and former interim chair at Arizona State University’s Harrington Department of Bioengineering, has been appointed to lead the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering’s new Department of Biomedical Engineering. He plans to develop new academic and research fields that include biomedical imaging, neural and cognitive engineering and genomics and proteomics science and engineering. Plans are also underway to enhance the program’s offerings with a Ph.D. option in addition to existing bachelor’s and master’s degree tracks.

College Research Expenditures See Increase, Set Record
(September 15, 2009) Research grant and contract expenditures by University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering faculty reached more than $20 million in fiscal year 2009, the largest ever on record. Up some 40 percent from the previous fiscal year’s total, primarily the federal government—the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy—supported the research. The increase represents a three-year rise in expenditures at the college—going from a consistent $11.5 million during 2005 to 2007 to $14.4 million in 2008 and now $20.4 million.

NIH to Fund UH Study on Visual Perception
(August 5, 2009) Haluk Ogmen, professor of electrical and computer engineering, is collaborating with Harold Bedell from the UH College of Optometry on a two-year, $500,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study visual perception. The researchers have developed a series of psychological experiments to pinpoint exactly how the objects we see are represented in higher levels of the brain.

College Faculty Establish Houston Chapter of Professional Group
(August 4, 2009) Faculty at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering recently established a chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Nanotechnology Council for the Houston area. Spearheaded by Dmitri Litvinov, professor of electrical and computer engineering, the chapter will bring together area nanotechnology experts every month to present their state-of-the-art research and discuss current developments in the field.

ECE Researcher Unraveling the Secrets of Explosives
(July 24, 2009) Qingkai Yu, a research assistant professor of electrical engineering, is developing minuscule thermo-sensors that would allow, for the first time, the ability to closely monitor temperature when a bomb explodes. Recordings from these sensors, detailing exactly how the temperature evolves with time during an explosion, are expected to be key in building a device capable of more efficiently countering the effects of chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction.

Engineering Researcher Set to Improve on TxDOT Road Maintenance Device
(July 17, 2009) For the last 10 years, Professor Richard Liu has been working with the Texas Department of Transportation to improve driver safety by revolutionizing the way road wear is tested on some 80,000 centerline miles of highway across Texas. TxDOT recently renewed their interagency contract with Liu, providing up to $300,000 to support the maintenance and further development of his vehicle-mounted laser devices, which provide data on road conditions to TxDOT crews.

Chair Selected to Participate in NAE Symposium
(July 8, 2009) Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Dow Chair Professor and chair of the UH Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, will be among a select group of 88 researchers convening in California this September for the National Academy of Engineering’s 15th Annual U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. He was chosen from roughly 240 applicants, each nominated by organizations or fellow engineers, to attend the prestigious event.

Team Investigates Hurricane Ike's Effects on Waterways
(July 7, 2009) A long-term environmental research project being conducted at the University of Houston may offer important information about the effects of Hurricane Ike on pollution levels and help regulators determine whether existing fish-consumption advisories remain appropriate. Hanadi Rifai, professor of civil and environmental engineering, has studied pollution in Houston-area bodies of water in partnership with both state and federal authorities since 2001. Her research team is now collecting fresh samples from Galveston Bay to determine pollution levels and sources of such contaminants.

UH Researchers Part of $1.25 Million SSPEED Center Study on Ike
(July 1, 2009) Hanadi Rifai, professor of civil and environmental engineering, and Thomas Colbert, an associate professor from UH’s Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, were awarded roughly $150,000 to look at urban planning and redevelopment of the Gulf coastline as well as practices industry can adopt to better protect critical infrastructure in the Greater Houston area. The funding is part of a larger two-year, $1.25 million grant from the Houston Endowment given to researchers from the Rice-based center for Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters (SSPEED).

UH Study to Focus on Reducing Pollutants in Vehicle Exhaust
(June 23, 2009) A study led by researchers at UH Cullen College of Engineering is centered on cleaning up our air by replacing a component in vehicle exhaust systems with a piece of technology that could get rid of more than 80 percent of the smog-causing toxin known at NOx, or nitrogen oxide. With a roughly $3.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program, Professor Michael Harold and his team will partner with researchers from the University of Kentucky, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Ford Motor Company and the chemical company BASF to further study the feasibility of this technology.

UH Diesel Testing Center Teams with TxDOT to Reduce Emissions
(June 16, 2009) The UH Texas Diesel Testing and Research Center, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, has been awarded a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to test a system designed to reduce emissions produced by construction vehicles. Engineering researchers will supervise the installation of Nett Technologies' BlueMAX™ selective catalytic reduction system on five TxDOT nonroad vehicles and then test and analyze its ability to reduce emissions, which will provide the EPA with real-world performance data.

Researchers to Redesign Key Material Used in Electronics, Solar Device
(June 16, 2009) Two researchers in the college's department of electrical and computer engineering have received a $348,645 National Science Foundation grant to restructure silicon at the nanoscale. Throughout the three years, the two will redesign this material into a hexagonal structure, believed to be key to allowing solar devices to capture more rays, especially infrared, from the sun and converting them into electricity.

ECE Professor Featured in Popular Magazine
(May 18, 2009) Neuroscience research being conducted by Bhavin Sheth, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was recently featured in an issue of The Economist. The article spotlights Sheth’s work with London researcher Joydeep Bhattacharya and Austria researcher Simone Sandkuhler on insight. Characterized as the clear and often sudden understanding of a complex situation or problem, the study by the three suggests insight occurs much earlier than most thought—as much as eight seconds before we are consciously aware we have solved the problem.

Faculty Recognized for Teaching, Research
(May 13, 2009) Dean Joseph Tedesco recognized UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty members for outstanding teaching and research during the 2008-2009 academic year at the college's spring Faculty/Staff Meeting. Richard Willson (ChBE) was honored with the Fluor Daniel Faculty Excellence Award, the highest award given by the college. Ovidiu Crisan (ECE) received the W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award, the college's most prestigious teaching honor. Leang Shieh (ECE) and Larry Witte (ME) were named co-recipients of the Career Teaching Award for excellence in teaching and service to students.

ChE Professor Captures Top University Honor
(April 23, 2009) Demetre Economou, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, was named the 31st recipient of the Esther Farfel Award. The highest honor given by the University of Houston, it is a symbol of overall career excellence. An internationally known researcher, Economou is a leader in atomic layer etching and has developed a promising nanofabrication technique expected to give researchers the ability to mass-produce nanotech devices. As an educator, he has gone above and beyond to help his students succeed during his 23-year career at UH.

Using Auto Industry Tool for Tumor Therapy
(May 6, 2009) An effort is under way at the University of Houston to use technologies with origins in the automobile industry to develop new tools that will help doctors and technicians better plan radiation therapy for patients with head and neck cancer. Ali Kamrani, associate professor of industrial engineering, is teaming up with Lei Dong, associate professor and deputy research director of radiation physics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, to develop predictive models of tumors that will hopefully increase the accuracy of radiation therapy.

Longtime ECE Professor Presented Inaugural University Honor
(April 23, 2009) Stuart Long, professor of electrical and computer engineering and university-wide associate dean for undergraduate research and The Honors College, has received the inaugural University of Houston Teaching Excellence: Career Award. Long has served the Cullen College of Engineering for more than 35 years as an educator, administrator and researcher. Over the last decade, he has been an investigator on more than 11 external grants totaling more than $6 million to promote the STEM fields to high school students as well as advance undergraduate research.

Civil Professor Receives UH Teaching Excellence Award
(April 23, 2009) K.H. Wang, professor of civil and environmental engineering, received a University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award at the 31st Annual University of Houston Faculty Awards Ceremony. For nearly two decades, Wang has devoted countless hours to daily preparation for his courses and juggled large class loads with volunteer work and administrative duties, such as directing the civil engineering graduate program, where he is responsible for all admissions and advising.

Team Aims to Protect Public Water Supply
(April 21, 2009) As municipalities across the United States reduce their dependence on groundwater sources to mitigate environmental impacts like subsidence and flooding, there is a growing need for better purification processes to keep contaminants found in surface water sources out of the public tap. Shankar Chellam, professor of environmental engineering, is studying how contaminants are removed by membrane filters, how they clog filter pores and how the water flow is subsequently affected. He and his research team are developing pretreatment methods to improve membrane performance.

NSF Grant to Fund Center Focused on Electromagnetic Compatibility Research
(March 17, 2009) UH and the Missouri University of Science and Technology are
launching the Center for Electromagnetic Compatibility. Funded with a five-year,
$600,000 grant from the National Science Foundation and $300,000 in added yearly
support from industry, the center will work to reduce electromagnetic interference
in electronic devices.

UH Professor Elected to Board of Directors for Texas Academy
(December 19, 2008) Fazle Hussain, Hugh Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been elected to the The Academy of Medicine, Engineering and Science of Texas board of directors. The organization provides recognition to the state’s top achievers in science, engineering and medicine and facilitates collaboration among engineers, academia and the corporate world to promote Texas as a national research leader while helping to foster the next generation of scientists. He will serve a three-year term beginning in January.

College to Benefit From Major Research Instruments Donated by Seagate
(December 17, 2008) Seagate Technology LLC has donated sophisticated research equipment, designed to measure and characterize magnetic materials and devices, to the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering’s Center for Integrated Nanosystems. The center received both an alternating gradient force magnetometer (AGFM) and a high field vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) to further the study of magnetic nanodevices.

Study by UH, Texas A&M Professors to Explore Bone Loss in Astronauts
(December 15, 2008) Daniel Martinez, associate professor in the department of health and human performance and the Cullen College’s biomedical engineering program, is working with lead investigator Harry Hogan and co-investigator Susan Bloomfield, both faculty at Texas A&M University, to study measures to counteract bone loss during space missions. All three are named on a roughly $1.1 million grant from NASA’s Human Research Program—nearly $265,000 of the total funding will support Martinez’s efforts.

UH Fuel Cell Research Highlighted by NSF
(December 15, 2008) The National Science Foundation recently highlighted fuel cell catalyst research being conducted by Peter Strasser, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the UH Cullen College of Engineering. His research was among less than a dozen showcased by NSF as a“CBET Nugget" — used to publicize important contributions from CBET principal investigators within the foundation. Strasser and his team have been working to create a less expensive, more efficient fuel cell catalyst.

NFL Grant Suports Gene Therapy Study to Benefit Athletes
(December 10, 2008) UH Cullen College of Engineering researchers Daniel Martinez and David Zimmerman have received an 18-month, $118,693 grant from the National Football League Charities to investigate the use of gene therapy to heal damaged ligaments. The treatment being developed could allow athletes playing in the National Football League a faster return to the field after injury.

Professor Inducted as a Distinguished Member of ASCE
(December 9, 2008) Jerry R. Rogers, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers at the organization's 2008 Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. in November. He was among 11 chosen for the honor, making him one of 565 engineers in the organization’s 156-year history to receive the title. Throughout his 40-year academic career, Rogers' research has focused on storm water management, urban growth planning, drainage engineering, water distribution and water resource systems.

Professor Awarded Grant From Leading Semiconductor Producer
(November 5, 2008) Stanko Brankovic, an assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering, received a two-year, $130,000 grant from National Semiconductor Corporation, the world leader in the production of energy-efficient analog and mixed-signal semiconductor devices. He will use the money to further research into the electrodeposition of magnetically soft, high magnetic moment alloys—a process used in the manufacturing of magnetic recording heads, micro-electromehcanical and nano-electromechanical systems.

Professor, Student Organization Honored at Annual ASCE Event
(October 29, 2008) Jerry R. Rogers, an associate professor in the department of civil and environmental engineering, was presented with the Lifetime Service Award. He was among four from across the state selected to receive the award, presented for enduring service and leadership to ASCE at the Texas, national and branch levels. In addition, the University of Houston chapter of ASCE was presented the Student Chapter Certificate of Merit for their 2007-08 annual report.

Researchers at UH Explore use of Fat Cells as Heart Attack Therapy
(October 27, 2008) Stanley Kleis, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and his research team are utilizing a tiny, state-of-the-art bioreactor to study the introduction of adipose-derived stromal cells, which are found in fatty tissue, to the heart muscles. The bioreactor will be used to determine how the heart reacts to the stromal cells in an effort to help improve its recovery after a heart attack. Kleis originally developed the bioreactor as a long-term cell culture system for NASA's unmanned space flights, for which he won the agency's Patent Application Award last spring.

UH Engineering Professor Receives High Honor from Caltech
(October 27, 2008) Fazle Hussain, Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, was named a Gordon Moore Distinguished Scholar by the California Institute of Technology. The Moore Distinguished Scholars Program was established to invite researchers of exceptional quality, who are distinguished at both the national and international level, to visit Caltech for three to six months. Hussain is the sole recipient of the award for the 2008-09 year in the division of engineering and applied sciences.

Professor Among Two Nationwide Named to Distinguished Lecturer Post
(September 10, 2008) Ji Chen, associate professor of electrical and computer
engineering at the University of Houston, has been named a distinguished lecturer
by the Electromagnetic Compatibility Society, a division of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is among two nationwide chosen to travel and lecture on his chosen topics—biomedical electromagnetic compatibility, wireless EMC and electromagnetic computation.

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.

Engineering Professor to Head NIH Study Section
(May 29, 2008) Ralph W. Metcalfe, professor of mechanical and biomedical engineering and mathematics, was appointed chair of the National Institutes of Health Cardiovascular Devices Study Section. At the study section’s upcoming meeting in Bethesda, Md. June 23, Metcalfe will head a group comprising 18 other experts—12 of whom are physicians and the remaining six consisting of engineers and scientists—from across the United States. The group will review more than 150 grant proposals related to cardiovascular devices submitted by small companies and universities.

Engineering Professor Helps Launch Libya Knowledge Transfer Program
(May 21, 2008) Hanadi S. Rifai, professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Houston, and Rice University’s Herman Brown Professor of Engineering
Philip B. Bedient, have developed a curriculum for a knowledge transfer program
designed to assist Libyan engineers in modernizing their country’s infrastructure. The curricula is focused on improving out-of-date utility systems and promoting future urban planning in Libyan cities.

Engineering Organizations Present Professor with High Honors
(May 21, 2008) Kirill Larin, assistant professor of biomedical and mechanical engineering, has received two awards for achievements in his biomedical optics and imaging research. He received the 2008 Outstanding Young Scientist Award from the Houston Society for Engineering in Medicine and Biology in February and the Herbert Allen Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in April. In 2007, he received the U.S. Navy's Young Investigator Award.

Emeritus Professor, Former IE Chair Passes Away
(May 14, 2008) Scott T. Poage, emeritus professor and former chairman of the University of Houston Department of Industrial Engineering, passed away May 13, 2008 in Waco, Texas at the age of 76. He joined the department in 1968 and established its PhD program. His pioneering work in applications of mathematical optimization techniques in solving industrial engineering problems gained him an international reputation. He was a professional registered engineer in Texas for over 40 years.     

Engineering Professor Receives Top University Research Award
(May 14, 2008) Demetre J. Economou, John and Rebecca Moores Professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering and associate chair of the department, was named a recipient of the University of Houston’s 2008 Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award. The award—which carries a $5,000 stipend—is given annually to individuals with a significant record of outstanding research, scholarship or creative activities in their field. Economou's research is focused on plasma science and technology, research that impacts everything from microchip manufacturing to plasma television panels.

Engineering Faculty Member Named Moores Professor
(May 9, 2008) Vincent M. Donnelly, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, has been named a recipient of the John and Rebecca Moores Professorship.
The Moores professorship is a five-year renewable award given to full-time, tenured faculty who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of teaching, service and research. He plans to use the $10,000 stipend to help further his research, which studies the problems associated with the continued miniaturization of microelectronic devices. 

Professor Receives Grant for Fuel Cell Catalyst Research
(May 2, 2008) Stanko R. Brankovic, assistant professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering, has been awarded a $50,000 grant from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund to study a more efficient, cost effective way to produce platinum fuel cell catalysts. The grant is awarded to individuals whose research supports scientific education and fundamental research related to the petroleum field.

Engineering Faculty Recognized for Teaching, Research
(May 1, 2008) Dean Joseph Tedesco recognized UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty members for outstanding teaching and research during the 2007-2008 academic year at the college's Spring Faculty/Staff Meeting on April 29. Demetre Economou (ChBE) was honored with the Fluor Daniel Faculty Excellence Award, the highest award given by the college. Shankar Chellam (CEE) received the W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award, the college's most prestigious teaching honor, and Stuart Long (ECE) received the Career Teaching Award for excellence in teaching and service to students.

Engineering Researchers Develop Advanced Technique for Water Purification
(February 20, 2008) Shankar Chellam, professor of environmental engineering at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, and environmental engineering graduate student, Appala Raju Badireddy, have demonstrated a new technique that reduces the biological fouling of water purification filters caused by the growth of bacteria colonies and the formation of biofilm. Featured on the cover of the February issue of Biotechnology & Bioengineering, Chellam’s findings may lead to more advanced methods of treating membrane filters.

Professor Recognized for Lifetime Work on Enhanced Oil Recovery
(February 12, 2008) Kishore Mohanty, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, will receive one of four 2008 IOR (Improved Oil Recovery) Pioneer Awards at the 15th Annual SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium in April. The award is given every two years to researchers worldwide who have dedicated a lifetime of work to enhancing the process of oil and/or gas recovery. Mohanty's research focuses on enhanced oil recovery, which involves the development of various cost-effective methods to retrieve more petroleum out of abandoned reservoirs.

Professor Honored by Society of Petroleum Engineers
(October 25, 2007) Kishore Mohanty, professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, will be honored as a Society of Petroleum Engineers Distinguished Member during the society's Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition in November. As director of the college’s Institute for Improved Oil Recovery, Professor Mohanty’s research focuses on efforts to retrieve hard-to-access petroleum through various methods, including the use of surfactants and carbon flooding.

UH Researcher Building Next-Generation Internet
(October 15, 2007) Yuhua Chen, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was awarded a three-year, $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to develop technology leading to the next-generation internet infrastructure, making telemedicine and telesurgery possible in the future. Algorithms will be used to operate optical burst switching networks to deliver real-time video streams without pauses or jitters, possibly eliminating the optical-electrical-optical conversion technology that is currently used to transfer large amounts of information over the internet.

Imaging Device to Benefit Patients of In Vitro Fertilization
(October 2, 2007) Kirill Larin, assistant professor of biomedical engineering and mechanical engineering with the UH Cullen College of Engineering, is developing an imaging device that could increase the success of in vitro fertilization. The research is in partnership with Michael Allon, a Houston-based doctor specializing in fertility issues. Their work is supported by a two-year, $250,000 grant from the Wallace Coulter Foundation, which specializes in funding translational research, i.e. research designed to move a technology from the lab to its use in real-world situations.

In Nanotech, It's Hip to be Square
(September 28, 2007) A new nano-fabrication technique has been created by a team of researchers out of the Center for Nanomagnetic Systems at the UH Cullen College of Engineering that enables the creation ofsquares and other features that hold promise for the future of computing. The team of electrical and computer engineering researchers, including Dmitri Litvinov, Paul Ruchhoeft and Stanko Brankovic, has developed a method of fabricating tightly packed nano-sized features with sharp corners, such as squares and honeycomb patterns, that could result in more more powerful and reliable computing devices for everything from music storage to computational research.

Engineering Researchers Make Fuel Cell Breakthrough
(September 21, 2007) Peter Strasser, assistant professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, and his team of researchers,
has made a discovery that could eliminate one of the biggest financial hurdles to the commercial introduction of fuel cell-powered vehicles. Their findings will be featured
in an upcoming issue of one of the world's most prestigious chemical engineering journals, Angewandte Chemie.

Former Chairman of Mechanical Engineering Passes Away
(September 12, 2007) Douglas F. Muster, Brown & Root Professor Emeritus and former chairman of the UH Department of Mechanical Engineering, passed away September 7, 2007 at the age of 88. He came to the UH Cullen College of Engineering in 1961 and was named chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering a year later, a position he held for ten years.

The Next Generation: Nanomagnets Could Replace Semiconductors
(August 29, 2007) Computer Engineering Professor Dmitri Litvinov has received a $360,000 grant from the National Science Foundation's Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) initiative to develop magnetic cellular networks in an effort to increase computing power—technology that rivals the semiconductor integrated circuits found in many of today's computer systems. Litvinov will be collaborating on the project with partners from the University of California-Riverside and Seagate Technology.

Allen Rhodes, Cullen College Adjunct & NAE Member, Dies
(August 21, 2007) Allen Rhodes, a former adjunct professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, passed away on Saturday, Aug. 18, from complications of Parkinson’s Disease. He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

$1M Grant To Support Meta-Materials Research
(August 29, 2007) A group of researchers led by Pradeep Sharma, professor of mechanical engineering, have received a $1.22M grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a novel class of meta-materials that generate electricity when placed under stress. These new materials could impact everything from next generation artificial limbs and medical diagnostic tools to electronic devices worn by soldiers.

UH Names New Engineering Dean
(August 20, 2007) The University of Houston has named Joseph W. Tedesco the sixth dean of the Cullen College of Engineering, effective Jan. 1, 2008. Tedesco is currently professor and chairman of the Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering at the University of Florida. He has a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the University of Notre Dame, a master's in civil engineering from Tufts University and a Ph.D. in civil engineering from Lehigh University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Florida and Alabama and is the author of the internationally renowned textbook Structural Dynamics: Theory and Applications.

Navy Taps UH Researcher to Develop Diagnostic Tool
(August 1, 2007) The U.S. Office of Naval Research has awarded a $400,000 grant to Kirill Larin, assistant professor of mechanical engineering and biomedical engineering, to develop a non-invasive tool that can diagnose decompression sickness for scuba divers, submarines and airplane pilots. Larin, along with Dr. Bruce Butler from UT Health Science Center in Houston, is developing a novel optical device that can locate the presence of microbubbles in blood and tissues. These bubbles can restrict the flow of blood throughout the body, leading to decompression sickness.

Cullen College of Engineering Bids Farewell to Dean Raymond Flumerfelt
(August 1, 2007) University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering faculty, staff, alumni and friends, along with several university administrators, gathered at the Petroleum Club of Houston on Tuesday evening, July 31, to celebrate the accomplishments of the college's fifth dean, Raymond Flumerfelt, as he officially steps down from his leadership position after nine years. Flumerfelt will be on sabbatical for one year before returning to the classroom and lab. He will be serving as the vice director of the new National Large Wind Turbine Research and Test Center granted to the university by the U.S. Department of Energy last month.

UH Researchers Speeding Development of New Medications
(July 26, 2007) Mike Nikolaou, professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering with the UH Cullen College of Engineering, and Vincent Tam, assistant professor with the UH College of Pharmacy, have received a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to devise a method to speed the development of new antibiotics and to prescribe them in ways that help prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to them. They are developing a computerized modeling system that greatly reduces the number of real-world experiments needed to test the effectiveness of a new drug.

UH Professor Publishes Seventh Engineering History Book
(July 18, 2007) Jerry Rogers, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering with the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has edited his seventh book on engineering history titled “Environmental and Water Resources: Milestones in Engineering History.” The book outlines historic projects and events in those fields, including the water engineering feats of the Mayan Indians, the creation of the water supply for France’s Versailles Palace and the 1900 hurricane that led to the construction of the seawall that to this day protects Galveston Island.

Engineering Professor Honored for Work with Minority Students
(June 26, 2007)Gerhard Paskusz, professor emeritus at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering and founder of PROMES (Program for Mastery in Engineering Studies, has received the Dupont Minorities in Engineering Award from the American Society for Engineering Education. Paskusz founded the program in 1974 to offer workshops for students to sharpen their study skills, as well as be able to network and socialize with their peers. He retired from the program after 30 successful years. PROMES is now directed by Dr. Kathy Zerda, who nominated Paskusz for the award.

Professor Honored for Excellence in Advising
(May 21, 2007) Betty Barr, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, was honored with the 2007 Provost Faculty Advising Award, a new award given by the university to recognize excellence in faculty advising. Barr has been advising electrical and computer engineering students for nearly 25 years. The award is the latest of many educator awards that she has received, including the Outstanding Educator Award (Region IV) from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), awarded last year.

Decorated Professor Adds Farfel Award to his Long List of Honors
(May 7, 2007) Fazle Hussain, Hugh Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, is the 2007 recipient of University of Houston's highest faculty honor, the Esther Farfel Award. Hussain leads the Aerodynamics and Turbulence Laboratory at UH and is regarded as one of the top five experimental turbulence researchers in the world. Hussain has published more than 250 scientific papers and received more than $10 million in competitive research funding from federal and state organizations. In addition to his impact on research and scholarship, Hussain’s dedication to teaching and commitment to service also are important elements that earned him the Farfel honor.

Cullen College Professor Wins Engineering Education Grant
(March 12, 2007) Julie Trenor, instructional and research assistant professor and director of undergraduate student recruitment and retention at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has won a grant to attend the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition. Trenor was one of only four engineering educators from across the country to be awarded an ASEE-Engineering Research & Methods (ERM) Apprentice Faculty Grant.

UH Professor Honored for Groundbreaking Structural Research
(February 1, 2007) Thomas Hsu, the John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has received the Arthur J. Boase Award from the American Concrete Institute for his work in the field of reinforced concrete research. For the past 20 years, Hsu has conducted research with a piece of equipment called the "Universal Element Tester", a machine that tests the durability of reinforced concrete under variable conditions.

New Technique Could Speed Mass Production of Nanotech Devices
(January 25, 2007) Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Professors Vincent Donnelly and Demetre Economou, along with Assistant Professor Paul Ruchhoeft of electrical and computer engineering, have filed a patent for a new nanotech fabrication technique know as nanopantography. The new development promises to remove some of the largest practical barriers to mass-producing nanotech devices.

Professor Studying Scalability in Nanotechnology
(January 17, 2007) Dmitri Litvinov, associate professor of electrical & computer engineering and chemical & biomolecular engineering, received a grant from the U.S. Navy to research how magnetic materials behave in the nano-realm. Litvinov will be researching issues of scalability to determine why properties change on the nanoscale in an effort to develop physical guidelines for scaling. The $150,000 grant will support Litvinov's theoretical and experimental work for three years.

Turning 'Delayed' to 'On Time' Goal of UH Prof in Aircraft Turbulence Studies
(December 13, 2006) Fazle Hussain, Hugh Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, received a $300,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to research ways to reduce delays during aircraft takeoffs and landings caused by swirling vortices. These whirling masses of air follow a plane after a takeoff or landing and can be considerably dangerous to trailing aircraft.

Professor Works to Improve the Longevity of Magnetic Data Storage Devices
(December 1, 2006) Stanko Brankovic, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, has received a grant worth almost $150,000 from the National Science Foundation to develop a new class of magnetic materials that are highly resistant to corrosion. Along with co-investigator James Rantschler of Sentorix, Inc., Brankovic will try to overcome the problem of corrosion enabling the magnetic data storage industry to produce devices that will ultimately last longer.

UH Researcher Developing New Type of Magnetic Field Sensor
(October 27, 2006) Stanko Brankovic, assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering, has received a grant worth up to $1.6 million from the U.S. Department of Defense to develop a new type of magnetic field sensor that could potentially be thousands of times more sensitive than anything currently available. Along with Paul Ruchhoeft, also an assistant professor of electrical & computer engineering, Brankovic will begin developing the sensor technology that could become the key component in a low-cost system that maps mine fields quickly and accurately. Such sensor technology could be applied to magnetic resonance imaging impacting medical operations.

College Delegation to Explore Collaborations with Indian Universities
(October 26, 2006) A delegation from the UH Cullen College of Engineering will travel to overseas next month to explore the possibility of establishing collaborative relationships between the college and universities throughout India. Such collaborations will likely entail joint faculty research projects and student-exchange programs. The delegation will visit IIT-Delhi, Delhi College of Engineering, Maharajah Agrasen University, Benares Hindu University, and Rajiv Gandhi Technical University while abroad.

UH Professor Wins Award for Chemical Reactor Design Research
(September 25, 2006) Dan Luss, Cullen Professor of Engineering in the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, won the 2005 Best Fundamental Paper Award from the South Texas Section of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Luss won the award for the paper titled “Stationary Transversal Hot Zones in Adiabatic Packed-Bed Reactors,” which was published in the AIChE Journal. The Best Paper Award will be presented at a dinner hosted by the organization in Houston on Oct. 5.

Engineering Professor to Study Female Student Motivations
(September 13, 2006) Julie Trenor, instructional assistant professor and director of undergraduate student recruitment and retention at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has received two grants to conduct research about why females students decide to pursue majors in engineering. She will be specifically exploring the role that ethnicity and cultural background play in the students' perceptions, motivations, and attitudes toward engineering.

Engineering's Stuart Long Appointed Undergraduate Research Associate Dean for UH
(September 1, 2006) Cullen College of Engineering Associate Dean Stuart Long has been named UH's associate dean of undergraduate research and of The Honors College, effective Sept. 1. The Office of Undergraduate Research is charged with the task of organizing, facilitating and enhancing opportunities for undergraduate research. In addition to his new appointment, Long will continue to serve as the college's associate dean of educational activities as well as professor of electrical and computer engineering.

Civil Engineering Professor Named Lifetime Member of ASCE
(July 20, 2006) Jerry Rogers, associate professor of civil engineering with the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has been named a Life Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Over the past 40 years, Rogers has served the organization in various capacities including as president of the group’s Houston chapter and its Texas section. He also sat on the ASCE’s National Board of Directors from 1992 to 1995 and served as its national vice president from 2001 to 2003. Rogers first joined the University of Houston in 1970. His research focus has included storm water management, drainage engineering, water resource systems and water distribution, and urban growth planning.

Professor's Rare Books on Display at The Museum of Printing History
(July 10, 2006) John Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor of Technology and Culture, Emeritus with the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, has provided rare textbooks from his private collection for a public exhibition entitled “Ghosts in the Books: Echoes of Old Voices from the Books that Made America.” The exhibit is being held at Houston’s Museum of Printing History, and will run from June 22 to October 19. It narrates Lienhard’s encounters with a selection of 19th century textbooks and the lives of their former owners through the owner’s notes in the books.

Engineering Professor Receives Minority Advancement Award
(June 26, 2006) Hamid Parsaei, professor and chair of industrial engineering with the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering, recently received the UPS Award for Minority Advancement from the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE). The award, which was presented at the group’s Annual Conference in May, is given “for innovative development of programs/products directed to the advancement of women, minorities or people with disabilities within the field of Industrial Engineering.” Parsaei received the award largely for his efforts to recruit minority students to the Department of Industrial Engineering.

Hussain to Lead ME Section of National Academy of Engineering; Receives NSF Grant
(June 2, 2006) Fazle Hussain, Hugh Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been elected as an officer of the National Academy of Engineering’s Mechanical Engineering Section. His three-year term, which begins on July 1, includes one-year terms as secretary and then vice-chair and will culminate with Hussain serving as chair of the Mechanical Engineering Section, one of the most prestigious positions in the mechanical engineering community. He also recently received a National Science Foundation grant for $300,000 to support his research into an aircraft's trailing vortices, which are swirling flows behind an airplane caused by the difference in air pressure above and below the wings. Such research could result in reduced delays at airports.

Chemical Engineering Professor Receives University Award, Welch Grant
(June 2, 2006) Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering Peter Vekilov has received the award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship at the associate professor level from the University of Houston for his pioneering research to identify ways to mitigate the harmful effects of debilitating diseases such as sickle cell anemia, cataracts, diabetes and Alzheimer's. He also received a research grant from The Welch Foundation for $150,000 to support research involving the role water plays in the process of insulin crystallization and the aggregation of proteins in solutions. One of the most prestigious grants in Texas higher education, the award marks the third time a faculty member from the department has received a Welch Foundation grant.

Nanomagnetics Research Utilized for Medical Technology Development
(May 24, 2006) A tabletop system capable of screening tens of thousands of drug candidates in an hour and a tool that can provide a foolproof cancer diagnosis with miniscule quantities of tissue obtained through non-invasive means are just two possible outcomes of nanomagnetics research being conducted by a team of professors with the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering.The research team, which has received more than $1 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and the Alliance for NanoHealth, is led by Dmitri Litvinov, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Richard Willson, professor of chemical engineering and biochemical and biophysical sciences, and John Wolfe, professor of electrical and computer engineering, serve as co-investigators for the project.

Engineering Golf Team Takes First at University Tournament
(May 24, 2006) A team comprised of four members from the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering took first place in the university’s 19th Annual Department Challenge Golf Tournament, which was held this year on May 16th at the Wildcat Golf Club in Houston. Associate Dean Stuart Long, Professor Jeff Williams, John Costales, a technician in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and son Daniel, who works in the UH Diesel Vehicle Research and Testing Facility, captured the trophy marking the first time a team from the college won the tournament.

State Grants Engineering Researchers Nearly $500k
(May 22, 2006) Professors at the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering received grants collectively totaling almost half a million dollars from the state of Texas’ Advanced Research Program. The program, which was founded in 1987, employs a competitive peer-reviewed system to fund the scientific and engineering research projects of faculty members at Texas higher education institutions. Receiving five awards, the college measures up well against other engineering programs in the state, including The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University.

Physicians and Engineers Pool Resources to Prevent Stroke
(May 11, 2006) Ralph Metcalfe, professor of mechanical engineering and deputy director of the UH biomedical engineering program, and his graduate student, Aishwarya Mantha, are working on a new tool to improve brain aneurysm treatment. Metcalfe and Mantha are working with physicians and scientists at the Methodist Neurological Institute (NI) to determine which brain aneurysms are at highest risk of rupture and could cause a stroke.

UH Engineering Professor Studying Brain Plasticity
(April 27, 2006) UH Cullen College of Engineering Assistant Professor, Valery Katatsky, electrical and computer engineering, and Hubert Dinse, a professor with Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany, are collaborating on a research project in an effort to determine the plasticity of the adult brain. The project is supported by a three-year, $750,000 grant from the Human Frontiers Science Program, an organization dedicated to bringing together scientists from different parts of the world. Kalatsky is developing an optical imaging device that will map the adult brain 30-times faster than current methods.

Betty Barr Receives Regional IEEE Outstanding Educator Award
(April 21, 2006) UH Cullen College of Engineering's Betty Barr, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, was honored as the 2005 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Outstanding Educator of the Year at the IEEE Region 5 Technical, Professional and Student Conference held earlier this month. The award is one of numerous teaching and service awards Barr has received during her 35-year tenure at the college.

Colleagues Gather to Celebrate Ernest Henley's Career
(April 6, 2006) Emeritus Professor Ernest Henley was recently honored by his colleagues and friends for a lifetime of contributions to chemical engineering education and to the Cullen College of Engineering. Dean Raymond Flumerfelt and Michael Harold, chair of chemical engineering, hosted the event to celebrate Henley’s many academic achievements, as well as countless personal accomplishments, business ventures and philanthropic endeavors. Henley joined the Cullen College of Engineering in 1962 and was an important contributor to the department’s rise to becoming one of the top 10 chemical engineering programs in the nation. Chemical Engineering Professor Dan Luss (left) shares one of many stories about Dr. Henley.

UH Researchers Working on "Cruise Ship Virus" Diagnostic Tool
(April 4, 2006) Cullen College of Engineering's Paul Ruchhoeft, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, and Richard Willson, professor of chemical engineering, along with Robert Atmar at Baylor College of Medicine, are working to develop a quick and accurate test for the Norwalk virus, also known as the "Cruise Ship virus". The virus has sparked media attention in recent years due to large-scale outbursts on cruise ships. Ruchhoeft and Willson are working on a method of detection that involves retroreflectors, nano-sized reflectors that work by returning a light signal back to its source if Norwalk is detected in a biological sample. Such technology will simplify the Norwalk detection process, allowing individuals to be scanned for the virus before boarding a cruise ship, and has the potential to be an applicable diagnostic tool for other diseases.

Symons Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award
(March 3, 2006) James Symons, Distinguished Cullen Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering, has received the Abel Wolman Award of Excellence, one of the most prestigious honors granted by the American Water Works Association. The lifetime achievement award recognizes individuals in the water works industry who have demonstrated professional excellence throughout their careers. Symons spent the bulk of his career researching the challenges presented by water purification techniques, has served as department chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and has received numerous awards, including the Esther Farfel Award, one of the University of Houston's highest faculty honors, in recognition of his service to the school, teaching and research.

UH Professor, Grad Student Make Strides in Diabetes Research
(February 13, 2006) Researchers with the University of Houston’s Cullen College of Engineering have made a major discovery in the field of diabetes research that is also an historic find in the area crystal formation and use. Peter Vekilov, associate professor of chemical engineering, and doctoral candidate Dimitra Georgiou, discovered a new mechanism for the formation of insulin crystals in the pancreas—only the third known mechanism of crystal formation ever discovered. Such a find may allow researchers to gain a better understanding of why insulin production slows in some individuals, leading to diabetes. Vekilov and Georgiou's research is highlighted in the February 7th issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

UH Researchers Present New, More Cost Efficient Well Logging Technology
(January 9, 2006) Researchers with the UH Cullen College of Engineering's Well Logging Laboratory presented new research that could result in consumers paying lower prices at the gas pump. Research presented at the Well Logging Consortium this fall showcased many well logging research initiatives, including a new method of transferring data from the bottom of wells to the surface using MEMS-based radio technology. With the development of this new technology, industries will be able to receive well data more quickly, ultimately resulting in faster and more efficient drilling practices.

First Dean of the Cullen College of Engineering, Dr. Frank M. Tiller, Passes Away
(January 4, 2006) Dr. Frank M. Tiller, the first dean of the University of Houston's Cullen College of Engineering, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 3. As dean from 1955 to 1963, Dr. Tiller oversaw a dramatic improvement in the educational level of the college’s faculty and was instrumental in establishing engineering programs at several colleges in Latin America, efforts which earned him multiple honorary degrees from these institutions. Dr. Tiller, who held a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Cincinnati, is widely recognized as the father of modern filtration theory and his work had a significant impact on fluid/particle systems and the separation of particles in fields ranging from the chemical industry, yeast and beer, environmental protection, petroleum and many others. The memorial service for Dr. Tiller will be held at the A.D. Bruce Religion Center at the University of Houston on Saturday, Jan. 7, at 4 p.m.

'Father of Modern Chemical Engineering' Neal Amundson Honored with Lecture Series
(December 8, 2005) UH Cullen Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Mathematics Neal Amundson will be honored with a three-day lecture series, December 12-14, in celebration of his 90th birthday. Named the "Father of Modern Chemical Engineering," Amundson is known for introducing advanced mathematics to chemical engineering research and education, along with many other distinguished contributions to the field during his career that has spanned some seven decades. The lectures series will be held in the Shamrock Ballroom at the UH Hilton Hotel and Conference Center.

Ernest Henley Publishes Best Selling Chemical Engineering Textbook
(December 2, 2005) Chemical Engineering Professors Ernest Henley from the University of Houston and J.D. Seader from the University of Utah recently published the second edition of "Separation Process Principles", a textbook for fundamental chemical engineering courses. The textbooks will appear in more than 100 chemical engineering departments across the country, including Rice University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Yale University.

Professor Presents Smart Materials at Mechanical Engineering Conference
(November 4, 2005) Gangbing Song, UH associate professor of mechanical engineering, presented his state-of-the-art smart materials and their applications at the 18th Annual Mechanical Engineering Conference at the Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico.

Professor Dan Luss Honored by AIChE
(September 28, 2005) The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) announced that Professor Dan Luss is the recipient of the 2005 Founders Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Chemical Engineering. One of the highest honors given in the field, Luss is being recognized for his contributions to education, research, and professional organizations throughout his nearly forty-year career as a professor. While serving as chair of the ChE Department for over 20 years, Luss played a significant role in laying the foundation for one of the best chemical engineering programs in the country.

UH Engineering Research Claims Two TxDOT Awards for Innovation
(July 8, 2005) UH Cullen College of Engineering professors claimed top research innovation awards from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the state agency has announced. Civil and environmental engineering professors Todd Helwig and Reagan Herman with Ozgur Egilmez, a Ph.D. candidate, collaborated on a project to develop new, more effective and less expensive bridge construction methodology. Electrical and computer engineering professor Richard Liu also received top honors for his research designed to measure the thickness of reinforced concrete pavement (pictured).

Neuro-Engineering, Vision Research Earn UH Professor NIH Appointment
(June 29, 2005) Strides in vision research employing neuro-engineering and computational neuroscience earned one UH engineering professor a coveted spot in a National Institutes of Health (NIH) peer review group. Haluk Ogmen, department chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering at UH, has been invited to serve as a member of the NIH Central Visual Processing Study Section, Center for Scientific Review. His four-year term begins July 1, 2005.

UH Civil Engineering Research Recognized with SSRC Vinnakota Award
(June 29, 2005) The results of research conducted in the UH Cullen College of Engineering were recently recognized in April 2005 by the Structural Stability Research Council (SSRC), which presented them with the Vinnakota Award for a paper detailing their research efforts. The research work will soon be put into practice in the construction of bridges used in the renovation of the Fulton and Irvington overpasses on Loop 610 in north Houston. Ozgur Egilmez, Ph.D. candidate, and Professors Todd Helwig and Reagan Herman of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering have developed details that will enable the construction of more efficient and economical bridges.

Homeland Security Grant to Further Research Against Bioterrorism
(May 20, 2005) UH researchers have been awarded a homeland security grant to develop a method for identifying bacteria and viruses that could be used in bioterrorism. The Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency recently awarded the grant to a group of bioinformatics researchers at UH to study DNA probes for detecting emerging or engineered pathogens. The project, titled “Tools for Ultraspecific Probe/Primer Design,” started in April as part of the Bioinformatics and Assays Development Program. Co-investigators from chemical engineering include Professor Richard C. Willson and adjunct professor George Fox.

Engineering Professor Receives UH Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award
(April 28, 2005) Ramanan Krishnamoorti, associate professor of chemical engineering, recently received the Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award from UH for his research on polymers.

ME Professor Receives ONR’s Young Investigator Program Award for Study of Quantum Dots
(April 14, 2005) Pradeep Sharma, UH assistant professor of mechanical engineering, received the Office of Naval Research’s Young Investigator Program (YIP) Award for his proposal on the Novel Size-Effects in the Coupled Mechanical Deformation and Opto-Electronic Behavior of Quantum Dots and Wires. The total award of $262, 471 for three years is intended to further propel Sharma’s research.

World Energy Monthly Review Offers Hard-hitting Analysis of Energy Sector
(April 11, 2005) Michael Economides, University of Houston chemical engineering professor, and World Energy magazine launched a new energy publication. World Energy Monthly Review debuts in April. This new publication will focus more on analysis and commentary and have more in-depth editorial independence than its sister magazine. It will provide a discussion forum for energy’s role in becoming a strategic factor in global geopolitics. While the authors of World Energy magazine have been mostly top CEOs in the energy industry, World Energy Monthly Review will be more analytical and evaluative in nature.

ASME Recognizes UH Engineering Professor's Dedication to Applied Mechanics Division
(February 18, 2005) The American Society of Mechanical Engineers has awarded UH mechanical engineering professor Lewis Wheeler the Dedicated Service Award, which the ASME Board of Governors established in 1983, for his leadership to the Applied Mechanics Division.

Nascent Partnership with Cummins Yields New Opportunities in Research, Education
(December 9, 2004) Cummins, Inc., a Fortune 500 company best known for its world-class diesel engines, is donating an engine dynamometer and engine to the UH Diesel Engine Controls Research Facility. In addition, Cummins has recently underwritten a $30,000 fellowship for UH mechanical engineering students. As generous as these gifts are, there is something even more valuable taking shape—a working partnership in research and education with a word-class corporation.

UH Technology Holds Promise for Multibillion Dollar Data Storage Industry
(October 6, 2004) Storing the entire Library of Congress on a Palm Pilot or putting 1,000 movies on a two-inch disk may sound like incredibly futuristic goals, but UH engineers are working swiftly toward making them a reality. These remarkable achievements could become feasible if researchers in UH's Cullen College of Engineering are successful in their bid to create the first nanopatterned medium recording (N-PMR) at the scale of one terabyte per square inch and explore the physical limits of magnetic data storage in units only four nanometers in size. Dmitri Litvinov, associate professor of electrical engineering at UH, is the principal investigator of a new research project that recently received funding of $1.1 million from the National Science Foundation. He is working closely with co-principal investigator Jack Wolfe, professor of electrical engineering.

UH Engineering Professor Kishore Mohanty Gives Sigma Xi Lecture Sept. 30
(October 1, 2004) Chemical Engineering Professor Kishore Mohanty gives the Sigma Xi lecture to the UH community Sept. 30 on improved oil recovery meeting the near-term energy challenge.

New Faculty and College-Wide Hires Added to the UH Cullen College of Engineering Roster
(September 30, 2004) The UH Cullen College of Engineering welcomes new faculty and college-wide hires.

Sax Appeal Key to UH Engineering Professor's Classroom Performance
(September 16, 2004) An engineering professor by day and jazz saxophonist by night, Len Trombetta sounds as if he leads a double life. Trombetta, a UH electrical engineering professor, will simply admit to enjoying the best of two entirely different worlds.

UH Engineering Professor Kishore Mohanty To Give Sigma Xi Lecture Sept. 30
(September 3, 2004) Chemical Engineering Professor Kishore Mohanty will give the Sigma Xi lecture to the UH community Thurs., Sept. 30 at 4:00 p.m. in the UH Athletics/Alumni Center Great Hall. He will talk about improved oil recovery meeting the near-term energy challenge.

Cullen College of Engineering Names New Associate Deans, Interim ECE Department Chair, Dean's Office Staff and Office Changes
(September 1, 2004) Engineering Dean Raymond Flumerfelt announces administrative changes to the UH Cullen College of Engineering: Frank J. "Fritz" Claydon as Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Computer Facilities, Larry Witte as Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, Haluk Ogmen as Interim Chair for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, David Starnes as Director of Development, Julie Trenor as Director of Undergraduate Recruitment and Adjunct Assistant Professor, and Chad Wilson as Director of Technical Communication Instruction.

Two Engineering Presentations on Docket at Annual American Chemical Society Meeting
(August 23, 2004) UH Engineering Professors Shankar Chellam and Ramanan Krishnamoorti will be making presentations at the 228th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Aug. 22-26 in Philadelphia.

UH Engineer Stanley Kleis Receives Public Service Award from NASA
(August 19, 2004) Stanley Kleis, associate professor of mechanical engineering
at the UH Cullen College of Engineering, received one of NASA’s highest honors, the Public Service Medal, at the NASA Honor Awards Ceremony Tuesday at the Johnson Space Center. The award recognizes exceptional contributions to the mission of NASA by those who are not government employees.
Pictured is William F. Readdy pinning Stanley Kleis with the Public Service Medal. Photo by Jeff Shaw.

UH Engineering Professor Develops Intelligent Systems that Presage Tomorrow's Technology
(July 15, 2004) Gangbing Song, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and his colleagues are working on new applications for smart materials and intelligent systems—projects that will take us deep into the future of technological advances. The merger of artificial intelligence, neural networking and a deepening understanding of the connection between electricity and structural properties are bringing futuristic visions of technology closer to reality. And Song’s nationally funded research is leading the way, as he uses his own cutting-edge research to build new educational avenues for tomorrow’s engineers at the UH Cullen College of Engineering.

UH Engineers Use Newest Superconductor to Fabricate Wires and Coils
(June 8, 2004) UH engineers became one of the first few in the world to fabricate wires and coils from magnesium diboride (MgB2), the most recent superconductor yet to be discovered, and their success may ultimately lead to better and less expensive electrical devices, lower energy consumption and lower consumer costs on electrical power. Their accomplishments were featured on the cover of the journal “Superconductor Science and Technology” in February and April 2004. UH Mechanical Engineer Kamel Salama and his team at the Texas Center for Superconductivity and Advanced Materials (TcSAM) say the fabrication process is very promising because it may lead to less expensive and more efficient real-world applications such as power lines, magnetic resonance imaging devices, motors, generators and much more.

2004 Engineering Faculty Awards for Teaching, Research
(May 4, 2004) Dean Raymond Flumerfelt announced the winners of this year's faculty teaching and research awards at the UH Cullen College of Engineering's annual Faculty and Staff Meeting on April 29.

UH Engineering Professor Chung Honored For Words of Wisdom
(May 3, 2004) There aren’t enough hours in the day for this year’s faculty recipient of the University of Houston’s George Magner Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Academic Advising. Christopher Chung, associate professor of industrial engineering, couldn’t feel more honored for this recognition of his efforts outside the classroom.

UH Electrical Engineering Professor Liang Shen Honored at Luncheon
(April 29, 2004) Liang C. Shen, professor of electrical engineering and director of the UH Well Logging Laboratory, was honored at a luncheon Tuesday by the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts (SPWLA), faculty, former graduate students and his colleagues in industry. He was also presented with a large-screen plasma television as a gift from his former students and colleagues.

Engineering Professor & Graduate Student Receive UH Teaching Awards
(April 21, 2004) Charles Dalton, professor of mechanical engineering, received the Enron Teaching Excellence Award, and Chidiogo Madubike, who is currently working on her Ph.D. thesis in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the Graduate Teaching Assistant Award.

Mohanty Receives Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award
(April 5, 2004) UH chemical engineering professor Kishore Mohanty has been selected as the 2004 recipient of the Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award for distinguished contributions to scientific knowledge and its applications. The award, given by the Houston chapter of the organization, includes a $2,000 prize and he will give the Sigma Xi lecture this fall.

Seagate Technology Donates Magnetometer System to Center for Nanomagnetic Systems
(February 11, 2004) Dmitri Litvinov, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, is one of many UH engineering faculty and students who will benefit from the recent donation of a state-of-the-art LakeShore Vibrating Sample Magnetometer system to the UH Cullen College of Engineering.

Results from UH Neuroscience Workshop to Be Published as Book by MIT Press
(January 5, 2004) UH professors Haluk Ogmen and Bruno Breitmeyer recently gathered some of the brightest stars in the field to help define and discuss the central issues involved in understanding the time-sensitive and richly complex functioning of the human visual system and the phenomenology of perception. In early 2005, MIT Press will publish results from the workshop as a book, The First Half Second: The Microgenesis and Temporal Dynamics of Unconscious and Conscious Visual Processes.

Ostrofsky Takes Second Eccles Medal For Logistics Education
(December 2, 2003) The Society of Logistics Engineers recently awarded Benjamin Ostrofsky, UH Professor Emeritus of Industrial Engineering, his second Eccles Medal at the society's 2003 International Symposium.

Long Elected to IEEE Board of Directors
(November 11, 2003) Stuart Long, electrical & computer engineering professor and associate dean in the UH Cullen College of Engineering, has been named Director-Elect of Division IV of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, or IEEE, the world’s largest technical professional society.

DNA Production Patent Awarded to Two UH-Related Engineers
(October 1, 2003) Richard C. Willson III, UH associate professor of chemical engineering, and Jason Murphy, who earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from UH in 2002, have been awarded a U.S. patent for a new process for the separation and assay of biochemical cultures by compaction agents. The U.S. Patent 6,605,470 is expected to have a substantial impact on the production of DNA and other nucleic acids, a multi-million dollar enterprise.

Engineers Focus on the Manufacturing Issues of Nanoscale Systems
(September 24, 2003) Jose Torres, research assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and member of the Nanosystem Manufacturing Center, inspects molecular-scale nanostructures with a scanning electron microscope.

Lienhard’s New Book Earns Him September Author of the Month
(August 18, 2003) John Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor Emeritus of Mechanical Engineering and History at UH, has just published his latest book that celebrates the inventive energy that made early 20th-century America modern. Just as “Inventing Modern: Growing up with X-Rays, Skyscrapers, and Tailfins” hits the newsstands, Lienhard was named September Author of the Month with a reception, discussion and book signing at 2:00 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 6 at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in Town and Country Village.

University Mourns Death of Distinguished Engineering Professor
(August 4, 2003) Michael W. O'Neill, UH Hugh Roy & Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, died Saturday. Visitation services will be held Tuesday, Aug. 5, and memorial and funeral services will be held on Wednesday. Professor O'Neill touched the lives of many friends, students, and colleagues. Stories of how he impacted people's lives are being collected through Tuesday evening and will be shared at the funeral services. A memorial fund is also being established.

Two Highway Research Projects Nominated as 'Most Innovative' in Texas
(May 23, 2003) Richard Liu, associate professor of electrical engineering, has created new technology that will enable TXDoT engineers to measure pavement thickness on interstate highways without drilling core samples. A second project by Liu enables state engineers to more accurately detect road surface texture. Both projects have been nominated for the 2003 Most Innovative Research Award, to be announced at the TXDoT Research Management Conference in June.

Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering Honored by ASCE
(May 19, 2003) Michael W. O'Neill, UH Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, will receive the Martin S. Kapp Award this November at the American Society of Civil Engineers' annual conference in Nashville.

Professor Named Fellow by American Society for Engineering Education

Engineer One of Four Awarded UH Honorary Degrees
(May 9, 2003) Neal Amundson, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering and Mathematics, was one of four individuals to receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters during UH's May 9 commencement ceremony. Amundson is regarded as one of the most prominent chemical educators in the country.

2003 Engineering Faculty Awards for Teaching, Research
(May 9, 2003) Dean Raymond Flumerfelt announced the winners of this year's faculty teaching and research awards at the UH Cullen College of Engineering's annual Faculty and Staff Meeting on April 22.

Four Cullen Faculty Members Honored at UH Faculty Awards Dinner
(May 6, 2003) Four faculty members of the Cullen College of Engineering were honored last week at the UH faculty awards presentation. Vemuri Balakotaiah, Karolos Grigoriadis, David Shattuck and Osman Ghazzaly were among 15 scholars honored at the event held April 22 at the UH Hilton Hotel.

UH Professor Emeritus to Be Honored by Environmental Engineering Academy
(March 10, 2003) UH environmental engineering professor emeritus James Symons has been invited to Washington, D.C., to receive the 2003 Edward J. Cleary Award from the American Academy of Environmental Engineers.

Engineering Professors Long, Shattuck Appointed Fellows of the UH Honors College
(February 25, 2003) Stuart Long and David Shattuck, professors from the Cullen College of Engineering, have been invited to be Fellows of the UH Honors College. They have been appointed for a renewable, three-year term of service to the Honors and engineering communities.

Work of UH Engineers on Cover of 'Science'
(February 14, 2003) The work of UH chemical engineering associate professor Peter Vekilov and assistant research professor Oleg Galkin is on the cover of this week's issue of "Science" magazine.

Two UH Professors Elected to National Academy of Engineering
(February 14, 2003) UH engineering professor John Lienhard and petroleum engineering director Christine Ehlig-Economides have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the most highly regarded professional engineering organizations in the world.

How Will We Manage the Oil?
(February 9, 2003 - Washington Post Editorial) UH chemical engineering professor Michael Economides examines how victory over Iraq would present occupying forces with considerable economic, legal and technical problems and require a complex petroleum management plan.

UH Chemical Engineer Disproves Preconceived Notions Of Phase Transitions In Solutions
(February 4, 2003) UH chemical engineer Peter Vekilov has disproved the applicability of existing theories explaining how and why proteins and other small molecules congeal into solids while dissolved in water, their natural state. Vekilov's findings are reported today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

On the Waterfront: Professor Rifai is profiled in the latest issue of Collegium Magazine
(December 9, 2002) Hanadi Rifai, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, credits her love of the ocean as a deciding factor in choosing a career that has led her to head a $3.2 million study funded by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. She will study dioxins in the Houston Ship Channel, one of the busiest waterways in the United States.

Economou To Give Lecture For Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award
(December 2, 2002) UH chemical engineering professor Demetre Economou has been selected as the 2002 recipient of the Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award "for distinguished contributions to scientific knowledge and its applications." He will be presenting his award lecture in W122 Engineering Bldg 2 on Friday, Dec. 6, at 10:30 a.m. The lecture is titled, "All in a Grain of Sand: The Microelectronics Revolution."

$3.2 Million Project To Document Dioxin Levels In Houston Ship Channel
(November 13, 2002) Since last summer, UH environmental engineers have been taking hundreds of water, fish and sediment samples from the Houston Ship Channel to determine what levels of dioxins, if any, are present. The scientists will use that data, and more gathered through spring 2003, to develop new computer models to find out where such contaminants originate and to track how they move through the environment, possibly ending up in crab and fish that travel to fishing regions.

Long Recognized as Outstanding Faculty by Houston Alumni Organization
(November 5, 2002) Stuart Long, electrical & computer engineering professor and associate dean in the UH Cullen College of Engineering, will be recognized with a 2002 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Houston Alumni Organization. The awards will be presented during the Alumni Organization's Annual Meeting/Jazz Brunch on Saturday, Nov. 9.

Lienhard To Receive Freedoms Foundation Award
(October 24, 2002) John Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor of Technology and Culture, Emeritus, will be awarded one of four 2002 Freedoms Foundation Awards at a luncheon, Nov. 9, at the Junior League of Houston.

Dalton Honored for Service to UH Cullen College of Engineering
(October 23, 2002) Professor Charles Dalton was presented with the UH Cullen College of Engineering Service Award at the Fall Faculty and Staff Meeting on Oct. 17.

Membrane filter technology could improve quality of drinking water
(October 21, 2002) Membrane filters, such as those currently used in some home water purification systems, might someday be used on a large scale to remove contaminants and organic compounds that affect the purity of municipal water supplies, according to UH researchers. Shankar Chellam, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, discusses his research in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

UH Engineering Professor Wilton Honored for Achievements in Computational Electromagnetics
(October 15, 2002) Donald R. Wilton, UH electrical and computer engineering professor, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Electrical & Computer Engineering Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on Sept. 27 in Urbana. He was honored for his contributions to fundamental theories and techniques in computational electromagnetics.

UH Engineering Professor O'Neill To Be Honored by Deep Foundations Institute
(October 4, 2002) Michael W. O'Neill, UH Cullen Distinguished Professor of Civil Engineering, will receive the 2002 Distinguished Service Award from the Deep Foundations Institute at the organization's 27th annual conference Thursday, Oct. 10 at the Del Coronado Hotel in San Diego, Calif.

Professor Ostrofsky Receives President's Award of Merit from Society of Logistics Engineers
(September 27, 2002) UH industrial engineering professor Benjamin Ostrofsky recently accepted the President's Award for Merit from the Society of Logistics Engineers. The award recognizes him as a Fellow who has made particularly significant contributions to the Society.

Franchek Named New Chair of Mechanical Engineering
(September 19, 2002) UH Cullen College of Engineering Dean Raymond Flumerfelt has named Purdue Professor Matthew Franchek the new Chair for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Franchek will also serve as director of the new undergraduate bioengineering program to be launched in Fall 2003.

'Images': Understanding Human Reactions, Emotions Focus of UH Professors Research
(August 19, 2002) Electrical and computer engineering professor Haluk Ogmen discusses the UH Center for Neuro-Engineering and Cognitive Science in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

'Images': Improving Health of Houston's Residents Focus of UH Research Project
(August 12, 2002) The dioxin found in seafood organism tissue can affect human health, even at low concentrations, says Hanadi Rifai, UH associate professor of civil & environmental engineering. Rifai discusses the health advisories, environmental regulations and her most recent research in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

NASA Funds $15 Million Research Effort
(June 18, 2002) A new $15 million, five-year research initiative involving NASA and six Texas universities will focus on developing advanced distributed intelligence and new materials for use in the next generation of aircraft and aerospace vehicles, the Office of Aerospace Technology at NASA announced June 12. UH mechanical engineering professor David Zimmerman is an associate director of the new institute, which will be based at Texas A&M University.

Membrane Filters Offer Options for Cleaner Water
(June 17, 2002) Membrane filter technology is helping to remove barriers to cleaner drinking water. UH engineering professor Shankar Chellam is studying how membrane filters, such as those currently used in some home water purification systems, might someday be used on a large scale to remove contaminants and organic compounds that can affect the purity and color of municipal water supplies.

Former Dean to Retire from Faculty
(June 10, 2002) Former Dean Roger Eichhorn is retiring from the University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering faculty in August, leaving behind a legacy of academic and administrative achievement-and many devoted friends and colleagues.

A Lifetime of Achievement — Frank Tiller
(May 28, 2002) A look at Frank Tiller’s achievements to date reveals that he not only conducted groundbreaking research in his field—chemical engineering—he also led the college into a new era of unprecedented academic excellence and played a major role in assisting Latin American universities develop engineering curriculum and effective administration. Tiller was the first dean of the UH Cullen College of Engineering.

'Unified Theory' Sheds New Light on Effects of Earthquakes
(May 24, 2002) It may be difficult to imagine a major earthquake ripping an abyss across the coastal flatlands of Houston, Texas, where the probability of such a catastrophe is extremely low. Yet, Houston is home to one of the world’s premier experts on the effects of earthquakes on concrete buildings and bridges.

Excellence in Teaching, Research on ‘Project Mohole’ Highlight Retiring Professor’s Career
(May 13, 2002) The audience at this year’s Faculty and Staff Meeting gave a much-deserved standing ovation for Professor William P. Schneider, who is retiring from the faculty of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering after 37 years of teaching at the Cullen College of Engineering.

2002 Engineering Faculty Awards for Teaching, Research
(May 13, 2002) Dean Raymond Flumerfelt announced the winners of this year's faculty teaching and research awards at the UH Cullen College of Engineering's annual Faculty and Staff Meeting on April 30.

Engineer One of Four to be Awarded UH Honorary Degrees
(May 1, 2002) John H. Lienhard, M.D. Anderson Professor of Mechanical Engineering and History, Emeritus, is one of four individuals to receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters during UH's May 11 commencement ceremony. Lienhard has gained international visibility as the writer and voice of the syndicated public radio program, The Engines of Our Ingenuity, produced by KUHF-FM. The program is carried by more than 20 public radio stations in the U.S. and aired internationally by the U.S. Armed Forces Radio Network.

'Images': Understanding Human Reactions Focus of UH Professor's Research
(May 6, 2002) Haluk Ogmen, UH professor of electrical and computer engineering, discusses the UH Center for Neuro-Engineering & Cognitive Science in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program. Main research of the center includes brain wave analysis; visual perception, how people see the world around them; and the potential of neuron- implants, small devices imbedded in the brain to record signals and activity.

'Images': Improving Health of Houston's Residents Focus of UH Research Project
(April 29, 2002) The dioxin found in seafood organism tissue can affect human health, even at low concentrations, says Hanadi Rifai, UH associate professor of civil & environmental engineering. Rifai discusses the health advisories, environmental regulations and her most recent research in the latest edition of the 'Images' audio Web cast program.

Engineering Faculty Members Honored at Awards Ceremony
(April 23, 2002) Three Cullen College of Engineering faculty members were honored Tuesday at a University of Houston luncheon where 17 UH educators and researchers received awards based on nominations from faculty, staff and alumni.

Economou Receives Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award
(April 22, 2002) UH chemical engineering professor Demetre Economou has been selected as the 2002 recipient of the Sigma Xi Faculty Research Award for distinguished contributions to scientific knowledge and its applications. The award, given by the Houston chapter of the organization, includes a $2,000 prize and he will give the Sigma Xi lecture this fall.

Balakotaiah Named Moores Professor
(April 18, 2002) UH chemical engineering professor and alumnus Vemuri Balakotaiah has been chosen as a John and Rebecca Moores Professor for his outstanding contributions to teaching, research and service. This five-year position will begin with the 2002-2003 academic year.

Professors Dalton, Wheeler to Be Honored by ASME South Texas Section
(April 16, 2002) Mechanical engineering professors Charles Dalton and Lewis Wheeler will be honored this week by the South Texas Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

NIH Grant Will Fund UH Engineer's Study of Epileptic Seizures in Newborns
(March 27, 2002) Electrical Engineering Professor John Glover has won a $600,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study epileptic seizures in newborn babies over the next four years. The research will take place in collaboration with researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and The Methodist Hospital.

Fluid Dynamics Award Establishes UH Engineer as World's Most Highly Decorated Scholar in Field
(February 28, 2002) UH engineer Fazle Hussain's recent acquisition of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Fluid Dynamics Award for 2002 establishes him as the world's most highly decorated scholar within the field of fluid dynamics.

[Only two other scholars have ever claimed as many as two of the four widely coveted awards that Hussain has received for career achievement or most original contributions in the field.]

Chellam Claims NSF Award for Research on Water Purification Using Membranes
(February 8, 2002) Civil and Environmental Engineering Professor Shankar Chellam's dedication to solving the worldwide issue of water decontamination has been rewarded with a $375,000 research grant and CAREER Award from the National Science Foundation.

UH Scientist/Engineering Professor Aids EPA on Environmental Test for Synthetic Drilling Fluids
(January 14, 2002) Dr. Debbie Roberts, UH associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, is working with the oil industry and the Environmental Protection Agency to ensure that synthetic-based fluids used to lubricate oil-drilling equipment are environmentally safe.

UH Professor Named to Texas Council on Environmental Technology
(January 14, 2002) Dr. Debbie Roberts, UH associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, has been named by Governor Rick Perry to a new group called the Texas Council on Environmental Technology to develop solutions to air, water and waste problems.

Engineering Professor Elected Officer of Faculty Senate
(January 10, 2002) Electrical engineering associate professor David Shattuck was elected as an At-Large Member of UH Faculty Senate. Shattuck joined UH in 1982 and has received numerous teaching excellence awards. His research work involves medical ultrasonic and oil field applications, and he teaches courses in electronics, circuit analysis, microprocessors and communication theory.

Cracking the Secrets of Oil
(January 7, 2002) Industry partnerships and grants equaling $1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy assist Kishore K. Mohanty, professor of chemical engineering and director of the Institute for Improved Oil Recovery, in cracking open the secrets of porous, oil-containing rocks.

UH Receives Record Research Funds in November
(December 21, 2001) A record $12.3 million in research grants was received at UH in November, the largest one-month total in the institution's 75-year history. Civil and environmental engineering professor Deborah Roberts and researcher David Herman received $328,492 from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Minerals Management Service for "Biodegradation of Synthetic Drilling Mud Base Fluids in the Gulf of Mexico Sediments."

UH Engineering Professor Installed as ASCE Vice President
(November 14, 2001) UH engineering professor Jerry Rogers was installed as vice president of the American Society of Civil Engineers at the Civil Engineering Conference and Exposition in Houston on October 13, 2001.

Prof. John Lienhard's Radio Show 'Engines of Our Ingenuity' Close to Hitting its 14th Year
(November 7, 2001) Since 1988, mechanical engineering professor John Lienhard's nation-wide radio show 'Engines of Our Ingenuity' uses history to reveal the way art, technology and ideas shape us. Visit the website for streaming audio and transcripts from his shows.

UH Selected for a DOE Project to Improve Arctic Oil Production
(September 24, 2001) Under the direction of UH chemical engineering professor Kishore Mohanty, the special challenges confronting oil producers working in the Arctic will be the focus of a new research project funded through the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory. UH will receive nearly $600,000 in federal funding for a three-year effort.

Engineering Professor Receives Teaching Award
(September 21, 2001) Devotion to students and excellent teaching evaluations are some of the reasons Keith Hollingsworth, associate professor of mechanical engineering, is receiving the El Paso Energy Teaching Excellence Award in Engineering.

IEEE/AES Honors UH Professor & Alumnus
(September 13, 2001) UH engineering professor Guanrong "Ron" Chen and alumnus James N. Ortiz have been selected to receive the M. Barry Carlton Award from the IEEE Aerospace and Electronics Systems Society.

Vipu Named New Chair for Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (September 7, 2001) Cumaraswamy "Vipu" Vipulanandan has been named the new chair of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Houston. The appointment was effective Sept. 1.

New Faculty Strengthen Research at UH
(September 6, 2001) Virtual teams, see-through concrete and sickle cell anemia represent just a few of the new areas of research being explored by faculty who joined UH for the 2001-02 academic year. Peter Vekilov, new associate professor of chemical engineering, is featured.

Peter G. Vekilov joins the UH Cullen College of Engineering as an associate professor of chemical engineering. His research includes the control of the polymerization of sickle-cell hemoglobin that he says may lead to a cure for sickle cell anemia. He also studies the thermodynamics of protein in solutions and is working on new techniques to crystallize proteins faster, allowing scientists to study the structure of molecules more closely. View video clip of Vekilov interview (requires Real Player)

Prior to UH, Vekilov was an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. His most recent honors include the 2001 UAH Foundation Research and Creative Achievement Award and the 1995 International Union of Crystallography Young Scientist Award given at the Sixth International Conference on Crystallization of Biological Macromolecules in Hiroshima, Japan.

NASA To Award UH Dean Public Service Medal
(August 15, 2001) Raymond W. Flumerfelt, dean of the UH Cullen College of Engineering, is a recipient of the NASA Public Service Medal. Flumerfelt is one of 10 people to receive a Public Service Medal during a ceremony at the Johnson Space Center.

Liang Shen receives Gold Medal for Technical Acheivement Award from the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts
(July 16, 2001) Liang C. Shen, professor of electrical engineering and director of the UH Well Logging Laboratory, received the Gold Medal for Technical Achievement Award from the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts (SPWLA) on June 19.

Ramanan Krishnamoorti Receives Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award
(May 16, 2001) Chemical Engineering Professor Ramanan Krishnamoorti was one of three faculty members from UH to receive the Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award…

UH honors Fazle Hussain and other NAE Members
(May 9, 2001) UH Cullen College of Engineering paid tribute to its faculty and alumni who are members of the National Academy of Engineering at a special dinner on May 2, 2001 at the UH Hilton…

Todd Helwig receives 2001 Enron Teaching Excellence Award
(May 3, 2001) Engineering Professor Todd A. Helwig was one of four faculty members from UH to receive the eighth annual Enron Teaching Excellence Awards on April 27…

Pursuit of order in disorder earns professor election to NAE
(March 7, 2001) More than three decades of research into understanding turbulence and developing methods for controlling and harnessing its potential earned Fazle Hussain, the UH Cullen Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering,