oined by nearly 100 alumni, sponsors, campus community members, and friends, the SCU Solar Decathlon team recently celebrated the kickoff of the construction phase of the project. SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., congratulated the team on its commitment to aligning the project with the University’s mission and values, noting that “this project gets right to the heart of the Santa Clara educational experience: educating students for the betterment of society.” Dean’s Message
SCU Solar Decathlon Team Kicks Off Construction of House J oined by nearly 100 alumni, sponsors, campus community members, and friends, the SCU Solar Decathlon team recently celebrated the kickoff of the construction phase of the project. SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., congratulated the team on its commitment to aligning the project with the University’s mission and values, noting that “this project gets right to the heart of the Santa Clara educational experience: educating students for the betterment of society.” James Bickford, project manager and mechanical engineering junior, updated the crowd on the team’s progress, noting the receipt of a $35,000 grant from SCU’s Technology Steering Committee, highlighting the team’s success in meeting all Department of Energy deadlines, and unveiling the latest architectural drawings and innova- tions in sustainable building that will be incorporated into SCU’s entry. The Santa Clara University Solar Decathlon team welcomes support and participation in this project. For further information, contact Timothy Hight, [email protected], or 408-554-6870, or visit the SCU Solar Decathlon team Web site at www.scusolar.org. Dean’s Message In its recent history, the School of Engineering has experienced the waves of invention and reinvention that are the essence of Silicon Valley’s habitat for innovation—from the devel- opment and commercialization of inte- grated circuits and storage technology in the 1970s, to the development of the microprocessor and personal computer in the ’80s, and the Internet in the ’90s. Through each of these periods Santa Clara has been a vital resource to Silicon Valley and beyond, providing the critical knowledge and skills needed to sustain new waves of innovation. And today the School continues its cycle of reinvention with nanotechnology collaborations that integrate industry partnerships with our growing research strengths in electrical and mechanical engineering, student- led robotics research projects in the development of control systems for satellite-based biological experiments, a growing program in bioengineering, and emerging strengths in design for sustainability. Working side by side with faculty, our students experience first hand the process of discovery and how to integrate diverse design elements into working prototypes. In the context of Santa Clara University’s Jesuit tradition, they are uniquely situated to grow as whole persons while developing the knowledge and skills needed to con- tribute to future waves of innovation, be it in Silicon Valley or in understand- ing how technology can be designed for meeting humanity’s needs in developing countries. We invite you to come see for yourself why the run-up to the Engineering School’s 100th anniversary in 2012 might be the most dynamic and promising period yet in our proud history. James Koch Interim Dean, School of Engineering www.scu.edu/engineering Horizons in Engineering Santa Clara University 1 S PRING 2007 Bucky the Bronco, student team leader James Bickford, and SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., celebrate the kickoff of the construction phase. PHOTO: CHARLES BARRY
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SCU Solar Decathlon Team Kicks OffConstruction of House
Joined by nearly 100 alumni, sponsors, campus community members, and friends, the SCU Solar Decathlon team recentlycelebrated the kickoff of the construction phase of the project. SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., congratulated the team on its
commitment to aligning the project with the University’s mission andvalues, noting that “this project gets right to the heart of the SantaClara educational experience: educating students for the bettermentof society.”
James Bickford, project managerand mechanical engineering junior,updated the crowd on the team’sprogress, noting the receipt of a$35,000 grant from SCU’sTechnology Steering Committee,highlighting the team’s success inmeeting all Department of Energydeadlines, and unveiling the latestarchitectural drawings and innova-
tions in sustainable building that willbe incorporated into SCU’s entry.
The Santa Clara University SolarDecathlon team welcomes supportand participation in this project.
For further information, contactTimothy Hight, [email protected], or408-554-6870, or visit the SCUSolar Decathlon team Web site atwww.scusolar.org.
Dean’s MessageIn its recent history, the School ofEngineering has experienced thewaves of invention and reinventionthat are the essence of Silicon Valley’shabitat for innovation—from the devel-opment and commercialization of inte-grated circuits and storage technologyin the 1970s, to the development ofthe microprocessor and personalcomputer in the ’80s, and the Internetin the ’90s. Through each of theseperiods Santa Clara has been a vitalresource to Silicon Valley and beyond,providing the critical knowledge andskills needed to sustain new waves ofinnovation. And today the School continues its cycle of reinvention withnanotechnology collaborations thatintegrate industry partnerships with ourgrowing research strengths in electricaland mechanical engineering, student-led robotics research projects in thedevelopment of control systems forsatellite-based biological experiments,a growing program in bioengineering,and emerging strengths in design forsustainability.
Working side by side with faculty, ourstudents experience first hand theprocess of discovery and how tointegrate diverse design elements intoworking prototypes. In the context ofSanta Clara University’s Jesuit tradition,they are uniquely situated to grow aswhole persons while developing theknowledge and skills needed to con-tribute to future waves of innovation,be it in Silicon Valley or in understand-ing how technology can be designedfor meeting humanity’s needs in developing countries. We invite you tocome see for yourself why the run-upto the Engineering School’s 100thanniversary in 2012 might be the mostdynamic and promising period yet inour proud history.
James KochInterim Dean,School of Engineering
www.scu.edu/engineering
Horizonsin Engineering
Santa Clara University 1
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Bucky the Bronco, student team leader James Bickford, and SCU President Paul Locatelli, S.J., celebrate the kickoff of the construction phase.
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2 Horizons in Engineering/School of Engineering
Capitalizing on the promise of bio-engineering to improve the lives of allpeople in direct and diverse ways, theSchool of Engineering has partneredwith the College of Arts and Sciencesto launch an interdisciplinary under-graduate program in bioengineering.Electrical Engineering Chair SamihaMourad led a task force composed offaculty from both schools to establishthe program, which is designed toprepare students for careers in themedical-device and biotechnologyindustries, biomedical research, graduate studies in bioengineering, orentry into medical school. The cur-riculum integrates engineering analysisand design with the necessary back-ground in biology, chemistry, physics,and mathematics.
Bioengineering, the fastest-growingsegment of engineering today, isdefined as the application of electrical,chemical, mechanical, and other engi-neering principles to understand,modify, or control biological systems.Arthroscopic surgical tools, genomics,and MRI and CAT (CT) scanningsystems are just a few examples of bioengineering advances.
To participate in the program, students choose between two options:
a concentration in bioengineeringwithin the general engineering major,or a minor in biomedical engineering.“This program is fulfilling a real needfor our undergraduate students,” saidProfessor Timothy Hight, programdirector and mechanical engineeringchair. He cited Santa ClaraUniversity’s Silicon Valley location asan ideal spot to study bioengineeringas this region is home to some of themost innovative biotechnology andmedical device companies in theworld. “Extending beyond the classroom, the opportunity forinternships and hands-on industrialand technical experience here isremarkable,” he said.
The program has been enthusiasti-cally received from the outset, drawing over 20 majors and minorsin its inaugural year. For more information on the program, visitwww.scu.edu/engineering/undergraduate/bioengineering.
Bioengineering Program Launched
From Satellites to Automobiles, Robotics Lab Does it All
NominateDistinguishedEngineeringAlumni
The School of Engineering and theEngineering Alumni Board are seekingnominations for the 2007 DistinguishedEngineering Alumni Awards to honorthose whose accomplishments in theirprofession, community, and Universityservice have set them apart.
To submit a nomination, visit ourWeb site by June 15: www.scu.edu/engineering/about/dea.cfm.
Back row, from left: Phelps Williams, Professor Christopher Kitts,Mike Rasay, Paul Mahacek. Front row, from left: Ignacio Mas,
Giovanni Minelli.
The SCU Robotics SystemsLaboratory, under the direction ofmechanical engineering AssociateProfessor Christopher Kitts, is alwaysbuzzing with activity. From designingand operating a shoe-box sized space-craft, to analyzing the computerizeddiagnostics system of a top-of-the-lineBMW, students are involved in real-world engineering on a daily basis.
Last year, recognizing the excellenceof Professor Kitts’ program, NASAapproved the operation of theGeneSat-1 mission by our student-based team, who not only developedthe entire command and control systems, but also contributed to thedesign and test of the satellite andwrote the programs to track the satel-lite and run the on-board experiments.
Their belief in this team was wellrewarded as the success of the missionexceeded all expectations. Recently, inan unprecedented move, NASA/AmesResearch Center handed over totalcontrol of the GeneSat-1 satellite toSanta Clara University engineeringstudents and approved the team tooperate the follow-on mission,PharmaSat.
Expanding on the theoretical andalgorithmic work Kitts and graduatestudent Richard “Mike” Rasay havebeen developing for these spacecraftsystems, the Robotic Systems Lab hasteamed with BMW to explore theapplication of advanced diagnostictechniques to BMW’s line of automo-biles. In this new project, these techniques will be adapted in order to
improve BMW’s ability to detectfaults, diagnose their root causes, andresolve them in a cost-effective manner.As part of this project, an interdiscipli-nary senior design team is working ona 7-series sedan, implementing a dataacquisition system, integrating a simulation capability, and developing afault detection capability for the auto-mobile’s cruise-control system.
With the goal of designing, fabri-cating, and testing a lightweight, low-resistance (electrical and thermal),longer-lasting chip using new carbon-based interconnect and thermal interface materials, Santa ClaraUniversity’s Center for Nanostructures(CNS) initiated its thermal and electricalnanoscale transport (TENT) project inFebruary. Cary Yang, principal investi-gator, CNS director, and professor ofelectrical engineering, said the five-yearproject “is a timely response to the current need of integrated circuit manufacturers for enhanced perform-ance and increased reliability in theirmost advanced products.” The projectis sponsored by the U.S. Army with aninitial funding of $1.7 million for thefirst two years.
In addition to utilizing the CNSlaboratory here at SCU, nearly 1,300square feet of space has been leased fora nanostructure characterization facilityat NASA Ames Research Center.Specialized equipment, including ahigh-resolution field-emission scanning
electron microscope (SEM), an electricalmeasurement system consisting of awafer probe station and DC and acparameter analyzers, and an atomicforce microscope will be used.Additional instruments, such as a thermal imaging system, will bedesigned and constructed in the firstyear of the project. According to Yang,“The resources provided by TENTallow investigators to build upon existing research efforts in electricalinterconnects and thermal interfaces,and advance the knowledge base in thefour areas of the project, namely: thermal, structural, and electrical char-acterizations, as well as electrothermaltransport modeling.”
CNS will be working with theUniversity of California Santa Cruz,NASA Ames, Hitachi, and RadianceTechnologies as partners and collabora-tors on this project. Professors ShobaKrishnan (electrical engineering) andDrazen Fabris and Jorge González-Cruz(mechanical engineering) are co-investigators on the project. “The
TENT project is an example of working closely with government,industry, and academic partners on cutting-edge technology, and is at thesame time a product of such collabora-tive effort,” Yang said. “Everyone associated with the Center forNanostructures will benefit from thesepartnerships, and we all look forward tocontributing to this exciting project.”
For more information, visitwww.scu.edu/cns.
Conscience-Driven Engineering
Center for Nanostructures Announces Project
Spend a few minutes talking withcivil engineering Assistant Professor EdMaurer and you will learn that hiscommitment to researching the impactof climate change is fueled by a deeplythoughtful consideration of the impli-cations of this issue.
Focusing his research on the impactof projected global warming on waterresources in California, Maurer has presented his findings at a variety ofstate and national conferences. He wasrecently appointed to the ClimateChange Technical Advisory Group ofthe California Department of WaterResources through which he will participate in incorporating statewidewater planning implications of globalwarming in the next biennial report ofthe Governor’s Climate Action Team,due in 2008.
In his profession, Maurer feels astrong call to action. “Civil engineers
have the task of building and maintain-ing the infrastructure that supportshuman society,” he says, “so I feel especially compelled by the results ofthe research to help highlight the essen-tial role we play in shaping a world thatcan adapt to inevitable change, and toenvision, design, and create a more sustainable future.”
Maurer is currently advising threeundergraduates on a senior design project investigating green roof technology, which he expects to be anongoing effort expanding to ElSalvador. He says, “Green roofs have adirect application for mitigatingimpacts of global warming. In theclassroom, I emphasize that the designof our cities and buildings shapes thefootprint we have on the world, andultimately the sustainability of human society.”
Maurer is committed to helping
raise Californians’ consciousness to theglobal repercussions of their actions.“California is the 12th largest emitterof greenhouse gases in the world. Wehave a burden of responsibility to thosecountries whose water supply is rapidlydiminishing due to increased tempera-tures worldwide—often poorer areaswithout the means to adapt to thesechanges. Acknowledging that needs tobe part of the equation; we need toown up to our role in climate change.We need to be on the front lines notjust of planning for inevitable changesbut also helping to reduce the impactsof climate change.”
Maurer lives the values of SantaClara University—competence, conscience, and compassion—seekingsocial justice through his research,teaching, and community involvement.
Students in SCU’s Scanning Electron Microscope lab.
4 Horizons in Engineering/School of Engineeringwww.scu.edu/engineering
SCU OMC-7785A 4/07 1000
Lockheed Martin has selectedSCU’s School of Engineering to pro-vide graduate level education for theirmost promising Silicon Valley engi-neers. Through the employer’sEngineering Leadership DevelopmentProgram (ELDP), team-oriented engi-neers who demonstrate leadershippotential and are identified as excellentcommunicators and problem-solversare given the opportunity to pursue amaster’s degree at their company’sexpense here at SCU.
Initially implemented with theUniversity of Denver (DU) for employ-ees at the company’s Colorado site, thesuccess of the program warrantedexpansion to include Silicon Valley
engineers. Collaboration between SCUand DU enables transferees fromDenver to continue their educationuninterrupted; ELDP members whomove between Denver and Sunnyvalemay take courses at both universities.The major emphases of the programare mechatronics systems engineeringand software computer systems engi-neering. Participants are required totake two technical development coursesin space systems, two courses in systems engineering, and a course inproject management.
Nam Ling, associate dean for grad-uate studies and research, announcedthe partnership. “Our Silicon Valleylocation, reputation, and the recom-
mendations of our alumni and theSchool’s advisory board all contributedto Lockheed Martin’s selection ofSCU,” he said, “And the spring enroll-ment is an early indication of a reward-ing collaboration.”
“Partnering with the largestemployer in the Bay Area and attract-ing their best engineers to SCU willonly enhance our already excellent program,” Ling added. “We look forward to a successful affiliation withLockheed Martin, working together toeducate Silicon Valley engineers.”
For further information about thisprogram, visit: www.scu.edu/engineering/graduatestudiesandresearch/graduatestudies.cfm.
Graduate Engineering Partners with Lockheed Martin
Save the Date37th Annual Senior Engineering Design ConferenceThursday, May 3, 2007
Thomas J. Bannan Building, Santa Clara University
For more information: www.scu.edu/engineering/srdesign
For information on judging the competition:www.scu.edu/engineering/srdesign/judges.cfm
Santa Clara University500 El Camino Real
Santa Clara, CA 95053
With the improved display qualityof high definition television comes theopportunity for a new wave of infor-mation dissemination, and ProfessorQiang Li of the computer engineeringdepartment is at the forefront of thismovement.
Li recently returned to the Schoolof Engineering after spending two yearsat UTStarcom as chief architect fordesigning the flow of content distribu-tion for television signals over IP networks. “The flexibility of the IP platform allows the television to becomethe home entertainment and informa-tion center. The potential for interactionreaches far beyond the time-shiftedtelevision, value-added gaming, or video-on-demand now available,” Lisaid, “but the emergence of this
technology outpaced industry standardi-zation of legal and regulatory issues.”
Working with the United Nations’International TelecommunicationsUnion and the Chinese Minister ofInformation Industry among others, Liwas a leading force in determining andimplementing industry standards. Hisresearch in this field was invaluable inmanaging a myriad of details rangingfrom tracking availability of content, todigital rights management, to main-taining the emergency broadcast system.
Li was also instrumental inSoftBank Corp.’s launch of the firstmillion-user system of TV over IP inJapan. His ability to lead and success-fully deploy a project of this magnitudeis truly remarkable and is an exampleof the synergy created when industry
and academia join forces. “It was awonderful experience for me,” Li said.“I was able to bring a differentapproach to the industry’s environ-ment—a collaborative, non-territorialway of doing business that smoothedthe way for understanding between various sectors. But I was also affordeda unique insider’s view that I can nowbring into the classroom.”
SCU students have the opportunityto tap into Li’s research and field expe-rience in courses such as OperatingSystems, Computer Networks at bothgraduate and undergraduate levels, andInformation Security Management.
