Fall/Winter 2014-2015 - AEM Home

AEM Update
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics
Fall/Winter 2014-2015
The AEM Department Mourns the Passing of
Distinguished McKnight Professor, Gary Balas
G
ary Balas passed away on November 12, 2014.
Professor Balas was a faculty member at the
University of Minnesota in the Department of Aerospace
Engineering and Mechanics (AEM) from 1990-2014. He
was an international leader in the field of experimental
and theoretical control systems.
Professor Balas was a Distinguished
McKnight University Professor
and served as the Department
Head for eight years, as well as the
Director of Graduate Studies and
Co-Director of the Control Science
and Dynamical Systems Program.
Professor Balas’s research focused
on the application of softwareenabled control to uninhabited
aerospace vehicles and on the
development of robust, state-ofthe-art algorithms and tools for
control engineering. He was a
visiting scholar and lecturer at
institutions around the world and
was a consultant to government
and industry. Balas authored
or coauthored over 70 journal
publications, over 160 refereed
conference papers and invited papers, and 10 book chapters.
He taught numerous undergraduate and graduate courses,
and was the thesis adviser for 36 Masters students and 21
Ph.D. students.
Professor Balas was a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers (IEEE), an Associate Fellow of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
an IEEE Control System Society Fellow, and a Fellow of
the Committee on Institutional Cooperation Academic
Leadership Program. He was the Chair of the Aerospace
Department Chairs Association (ADCA) and an Honorary
Member of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering. He
also was associate editor of the International Federation of
Automatic Control’s Control Engineering Practice Journal,
College of Science and Engineering
Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics
www.aem.umn.edu
associate editor of the AIAA Journal of Guidance, Dynamics,
and Control, and served as a reviewer for many other
international journals. Professor Balas’s honors included
the Outstanding Young Investigator Award, the Institute of
Technology George Taylor Distinguished Research Award,
the IEEE Control Systems Society
Technology Award, the O. Hugo
Schuck Best Paper Award, and the Prize
for Development of the Hungarian
Aeronautical Science, among others.
Professor Balas was a truly outstanding
teacher, mentor, researcher, and leader.
His leadership of the department was
instrumental in bringing talented
people to Minnesota and renovating
our home in Akerman Hall. He will be
sorely missed by the AEM Department
and the University Community.
A memorial ceremony for students,
faculty, and staff was held in his honor
on December 3, 2014.
In addition, colleagues and friends
have established a Gary Balas
Memorial Fund to support deserving
AEM students. Many of the donors to this fund are members
of the ACGSC (Aerospace Control & Guidance Systems
Committee). Professor Balas was a long time and deeply
beloved member of the group. A memory book was also
created as a tribute, and is available on the AEM website at:
z.umn.edu/ty1
Visit www.giving.umn.edu/giveto/balas for online giving.
Checks should be made out to the University of Minnesota
and mailed to the Gary Balas Memorial Fund (#20671)
c/o Kathy Peters-Martell, University of Minnesota, College
of Science and Engineering, 105 Walter Library, 117 Pleasant
St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455.
Chairman’s Corner
Friends and Colleagues,
Semester
In
Review
As always, it has been a busy fall
and winter for the department,
with many successes for our
students, faculty, and alumni.
This year, however, has been
full of much sadder news—the
passing of Professor Gary Balas
and Professor Emeritus, Phillip
Hodge.
The AEM department mourns the loss of these two
prestigious, influential members of our community, and
will sorely miss their contributions to the field of aerospace
engineering and mechanics and to our lives. I remember
Phil Hodge taking me to my first hockey game, at the old
Mariucci, and my astonishment at watching this serious,
highly-regarded, old-school professor sing the rouser
(loudly). As for Gary, there are so many memories from
our many years together in the department, but mostly I’ll
always cherish his positive, kind and can-do spirit. I and
many of our colleagues think of him every time we walk
through the Akerman hangar, and so we plan to name the
atrium of the hangar in his honor later this spring.
On a more upbeat note, several of our faculty members
have received honors this fall. Professors William Garrard
and James Flaten received a two year grant from NASA to
support a community college-based program to improve
STEM recruitment and retention (page 4). Professor Pete
Seiler was highlighted in a recent article centered on the
growing role of renewable energy in Minnesota, which
was published on the U of M’s Inquiry blog (page 5).
Professor Demoz Gebre-Egziabher and his former graduate
student and current postdoctoral associate, Dr. Hamid
Mokhtarzadeh, were awarded the Dr. Samuel Burka Award
for their paper published in the Summer 2014 issue of
NAVIGATION, the journal of the Institute of Navigation
(ION) (page 11). Finally, one of our recent additions,
Professor Filippo Coletti, received the NSF CAREER
award for young faculty members for his work on the fluid
mechanics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (page
3).
I am also pleased to report that Professor Graham Candler
has taken on the job of Associate Head, and Professor
Demoz Gebre-Egziabher has been named Director of
Graduate Studies. Professor Tom Shield has agreed to
continue as Director of Undergraduate Studies. I very
much appreciate their help and support as we continue to
move the Department forward.
In closing, I would like to take the opportunity to thank
all of you who generously
donated your time and
money to support the
AEM department. Your
contributions have helped
us provide an outstanding
education for our students
and we very much appreciate
it. Some of the beneficiaries
of this generosity are featured
later in the Update.
Professor Perry Leo
Department Head
AEM Mourns the Passing of Philip Hodge
Professor Emeritus Philip Hodge,
member of the National Academy
of Engineering and recipient of
numerous awards in his field, passed
away peacefully on November 11,
2014 in Sunnyvale, California with
his daughter and granddaughter
by his side. He was an enthusiastic
gardener, an amateur genealogist, a
backpacker, and an avid marathon
runner. At age 53 he climbed Mt.
Ritter, and at 62 he placed 23rd
in his age category in the Boston
Marathon. He was a lifelong fan
of live theatre and an enthusiastic
opera supporter, and he wrote opera
reviews until the year he died.
Hodge was born in 1920 in New
Haven, Connecticut. He received
a BA in mathematics from Antioch
College in 1943, and earned his
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DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
Ph.D. from Brown University in
1949. Before coming to Minnesota,
Hodge was Assistant Professor of
Mathematics at UCLA, Associate
Professor of Applied Mechanics at the
Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn,
and Professor of Mechanics at the
Illinois Institute of Technology. He
joined the faculty of the University of
Minnesota as Professor of Mechanics
at the Department of Aerospace
Engineering and Mechanics in
1971. Hodge’s specialties were in
applied mathematics and plasticity
of materials, and he was a key
contributor to its theory. He retired
from the University in 1991 as a
professor emeritus. Hodge was an
outstanding professor, and will be
sorely missed by his colleagues and
friends in the AEM Department and
in the university community.
T h a n k Y o u
t o o u r D o n o r s
From the Development Office
The Department of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics thanks the many generous alumni, faculty and friends listed below for their donations
to support the department as of December 12, 2014 in fiscal year 2014-15 (July 1- December 12, 2014). These gifts help to enhance our academic
program and provide opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate students. This list includes gifts made year-to-date in the 2015 Fiscal Year (July
1, 2014 through February 24, 2015). We are grateful for your support.
I am overwhelmed when I look at the donor list to-date
for fiscal year 2014-15, and the generosity of our alumni
and friends. These gifts are invaluable to the department as
they support faculty, research, the academic program, and
of course, our talented students.
Thanks to the many generous individuals and companies in
the donor listing. I am deeply grateful for these donors who
made gifts to the department this fiscal year, those who have
given in the past, and those who are considering it in the
future. Your support is invaluable to the program.
As the undergraduate student body continues to grow in
size (1,050 in the freshman class this fall) and in capability
(our freshmen have the highest average ACT scores on
campus), the financial support we receive from our alums,
faculty, staff and friends is making a huge difference. Your
gifts are helping the department attract and retain our
world-renowned faculty members, supporting the globally
impacting research, enhancing our academic program
and ensuring that deserving and talented students receive
scholarships and fellowships to allow them to pursue their
educational dreams.
When you get a letter or a call from one of our students
asking for your support, please consider doing so. Your
support is instrumental to the department. If you have
questions or need assistance in making
a gift to the department, please contact
Kathy Peters-Martell, AEM External
Relations Officer, at kpeters@umn.edu
or 612-626-8282.
Kathy Peters-Martell
Sr. Development Officer
College of Science and Engineering
Individual Donors John Clemens
George Hartwell
Brian Lundquist
Ronald Ricci
Ginny Westwater*
Calvin Cooper*
Philip Hattis*
Ronald Magnuson Nathan Rich
John Weyrauch*
Jordan Adams
John Cowles III*
Kale Hedstrom*
Gary Malecek
Kristen Riley
Martin Wosnik*
Martin Annett
Christopher Cramer* Gene Hemp
James Malone
Susan Robinson*
Thomas Zeimet
Stuart Antman
Dennis Cronin
Roberta
Carol Mantel*
Ajit Roy
Denise Armstead* John Dale
Hendrickson*
Susan Mantell*
Tariq Samad*
Corporate Donors
Roger Arndt*
Glenn Dalman
Chris Herman
Scott Marston
Jon Schasker
Francis Ashford
Kathy Delaney*
Yucheng Hou
Betty McCollom* Nicolas Schellpfeffer 3M Foundation
Robert Asleson
Kim Dockter*
Michael Jackson
Raman Mehra*
David Schmidt*
Boeing Co
Mary Atwood*
Shawn Donley*
Richard James*
Elizabeth Miller*
Arlen Seeman
Boeing Shared Services
Vibhor Bageshwar Elise Donohue*
Gavin Jenney*
Betty McCollom
Peter Seiler*
Group
Susan Baginski*
Thomas Douma
Stephanie Jensen
Pat Moore*
David Selvig
The Dow Chemical Co
Anil Bajaj
Marjorie DraperDuane Jensen
Susan Moore*
Suneel Sheikh
Fdn
Mark Balas*
Donley*
Bert Johnson
Sandy Morris*
Thomas Shield*
GE Fdn
Csilla Banyasz
Dawn Duerre
R Donovan Kelley
Maurice Monahan* Jong Shin*
Honeywell International
Robert Bateman
Clinton Eckstrom
Albert Kelly
Donald Monson
David & Donna
Inc
Scott Beckfield
Roger Engdahl
Richard Kerner
David & Beth
Sippel
IBM International Fdn
Michael Bednarek Dale Enns*
Alex Kessler
Myren
Robert Soderquist
Intel Fdn
Christine Belcastro* Donald Erickson
Tamas Keviczky*
Gregory Ohrt
Jorge Sofrony*
Lauren Rezac & Associates
Frederick Bereswill Daniel Feeney*
Laszlo Keviczky*
Debra Olejniczak
Gunter Stein*
Lockheed Martin Corp
Raktim
Eric Feron
Dejan Kihas*
Charles Oleson
Jacquie Stendahl*
Fdn
Bhattacharya*
Barbara Frame*
Ivan Kirschner*
Margaret Olson*
Justin Syrstad*
Mitchell Aerospace
Robert Blossom
Janet Fransen
Kenneth Kline
Michael Ondrey
Deah Szymanski
Research*
Jacqueline Blue*
Laura Fraser*
H Wayne
Matthew
Stephanie
Praxair
Jozsef Bokor*
Paul Freeman*
Klopfenstein
Otterstatter
Thomasson
Lauren Rezac & Associates
Eugene Borgida*
Susan Frost*
David Klyde &
Ahmet Arda
Dawn Tilbury*
Shadow Creek Stables Inc*
Rod Boyer
Sanjay Garg*
Family*
Ozdemir*
Edward Tolan
United Technologies Corp
James Bradford
William Garrard*
David Koenen
Lucy Pao*
James Urnes
The Charles A
Gail Brandt*
Judith Gaskell
Michael Konicke
Yew Paw*
Balint Vanek*
Weyerhaeuser Memorial
John Broadbent
Joseph Gaspard*
Louis Knotts*
Kathy PetersAndrew Vano
Foundation*
Melissa Brown*
Tryphon Georgiou & John Krazinski*
Martell*
Michele Labre
Richard Buretta
Efi Foufoula-Georgiou* Robert Krovitz
Robert Pollman
Veneri
*These generous donors
Linda Bushnell*
Rene Gesell*
Gerald LeBeau
Michael Prasch*
Dona Wagner
also gave to the Gary
Carey Buttrill*
John Girard
Perry Leo*
Thomas Madison
Ross Wagnild
Balas Memorial Fund.
Matthew Carper
Jim Grunnet/
David Levitt*
Stanley
Beth Wakefield*
Abhijit
Thompson Paul Lichon
Pszczolkowski*
Vicki Walseth*
Chakraborty*
Family Fnd
Perrin Lilly*
Joyce Quam
William Warner*
Gary Chapman
Alford Hanson
David Lindeman
Rodney Reeve
Frank Werner Trust
Jim Clausen
Gregory Happ
Shabo Liu
Lauren Rezac
Anita Westberg
This listing includes all donations to the AEM department received by February 24, 2015. For more information on giving or alumni involvement
opportunities, please visit our web page at www.aem.umn.edu/alumni, or contact Kathy Peters-Martell at
kpeters@umn.edu or (612) 626-8282 in the College of Science and Engineering Dean’s Office.
AEM UPDATE
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Professor Coletti Receives NSF CAREER Award
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Professor
Filippo Coletti has received the National Science
Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award
for his work on fluid mechanics of
human airways.
The Faculty Early Career
Development Program is a
foundation-wide activity that
offers the NSF’s most prestigious
awards in support of junior faculty
who exemplify the role of teacherscholars through outstanding
research, excellent education and
the integration of education and
research within the context of the
mission of their organizations.
Coletti plans to study the influence of the structure
of the respiratory system, such as branching patterns
in the bronchi and the properties of
airway walls, on its function, including
how inhaled therapeutic drugs or
harmful particulates are transported
and deposited in the lungs. This project
will also engage underrepresented K‐12
students, who will learn about fluid
mechanics and physiology, while being
sensitized to the effects of smoking and
poor air quality.
Flow Field Measure by Magnetic
Resonance Velocimetry in a 3D-Printed
Reconstruction of the Bronchial Tree
AEM Hosts Career Networking Event
On October 8, the Department of Aerospace
Panelists and attendees included John Weyrauch, AEM
Engineering and Mechanics (AEM) and its Professional
Industrial Professor of Design; Steve Pierson, Portico
Advisory Board hosted a career networking event for
Benefit Services; Kimberly Pierson, Dunham Associates;
AEM majors. The event
Rollie H. Dohrn Jr.,
began with a panel
ATK Armament Systems;
The
panel
really
enjoyed
the
interaction
discussion, followed by
Brian D. Matheis, UTC
with the students and really appreciated
open networking and a
Aerospace Systems;
the opportunity to share career experience
reception. The event was
Nathan Brusius, UTC
and advice. Many AEM alumni love to get
a great opportunity for
Aerospace Systems;
the
chance
to
give
something
back
to
the
students to build their
Vibhor Bageshwar,
department.
- John Weyrauch, Panel
aerospace engineering
Honeywell; and Tom
Moderator.
and mechanics network
Madison, Mlm Partners.
while polishing their
professional skills. The
panel discussion was titled “Insights on Successful
Careers in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics”.
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DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
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MN Space Grant Receives NASA Funding for
Quadrotor Design Competition
The Minnesota Space Grant Consortium, under
participating in the program are in different locations
Director William Garrard and Associate Director
in Minnesota, in order to provide geographic diversity.
James Flaten, has received a two-year grant from
Community college partners include Central Lakes
NASA to support a community college-based
College in Brainerd (North Central MN), Century
program to improve STEM recruitment and
College in White Bear Lake (Minneapolis/Saint Paul
retention. This program is designed to (1) increase
Metro Area), Fond du Lac Tribal and Community
the number of community
College which is a MnSGC
college students who graduate
affiliate located in Cloquet (North
with STEM degrees and/or
East MN), Minnesota West
transfer to STEM programs
Community and Technical College
at four year institutions,
in Worthington (South Western
(2) increase the ability of
MN), and Itasca Community
community college faculty
College in Itasca (North Central
members to deliver aerospaceMN). The University of Minnesota
related content in areas of
- Twin Cities will serve as lead
interest to NASA, and (3)
institution.
enhance the diversity of students
Quadrotors will be used for the
pursing STEM education
competition. Each student team
at Minnesota community
will build and learn to fly a basic
colleges. These objectives will
quadrotor from a commercially
be accomplished by the use of
An ELEV-8 Kit-Built Quadrotor
available
kit, which will ensure uniformity.
small model helicopters (quadrotors)
Students
will significantly modify their kits
in competitions between student design groups at
in
order
to
mount
sensors,
actuators, and electronics
five Minnesota community colleges. These design
necessary
for
the
competition
challenges. This will also
groups will be led by faculty advisors at the various
involve
some
mechanical
design
and fabrication, giving
community colleges.
the students experience
“This project will
with computer-aided
enhance engagement
design (CAD) software
This project provides a means for faculty
of community college
and 3-D printing. In
at the various community colleges
students and faculty in
addition, students will
involved to interact and work together,
STEM at a variety of
learn microcontroller
and will build important bridges between
levels,” said Garrard.
programming
institutions lasting well beyond this
“Student groups have
and integration of
project. - Professor William Garrard.
been formed and are
electronics, sensors,
already working on their
actuators, and dataquadcopters. We are all
logging.
very excited about this
“We are pleased to be able to offer students hands-on
program and believe that it will accomplish its goal
practice in building electrical and mechanical systems,
of keeping community college students engaged in
flying quadcopters, using CAD, using photography to
STEM.”
do mapping in 3D, and using microcontrollers to sense
Each year seven student teams of five students will
and log environmental conditions,” said Flaten. “We
participate, each advised by a community college
hope this experience will motivate them to persevere in
faculty member. Thus over the two-year period of the
their current STEM studies and to continue in STEM
program, fourteen teams (a total of seventy students)
areas once they finish their two-year degrees.”
and seven or more community college faculty
advisers will participate. The community colleges
“
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AEM UPDATE
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Professor Seiler’s Research Team Explores
Renewable Energy in Minnesota
AEM Assistant Professor Peter Seiler was highlighted in a
recent article published on the U of M’s Inquiry blog on
research and innovation. The story centers on the growing
role of renewable energy in Minnesota and opportunities for
improving the system to deliver more
reliable, less expensive energy to rural
and industrial areas. Seiler is part of a
multi-disciplinary team of experts that
is investigating techniques to better
integrate solar and wind resources into
the power grid. The power supplied by
these renewable resources fluctuates as
environmental conditions change. The
team is attempting to use advanced
sensors and control systems to moderate
the effects of these variations and to
manage peak demand levels. This will lead to lower costs and
a more efficient power supply.
Seiler’s specific role is to design wind turbine systems that
can sense and respond to changing wind conditions as
well as changing demands in the power system. A more
responsive turbine can adjust its rotational speed to optimize
efficiency allowing it to capture more energy while reducing
maintenance costs from wear and tear.
“Integrating larger amounts of renewable
resources requires technological
advances as well as improved policies
for efficient operation of the power
system,” said Seiler. “Our research team
is uniquely positioned to make these
breakthroughs.”
This project builds upon larger efforts
at the University to study wind energy
within the Eolos Wind Energy research
consortium, and was funded through
one of the MnDRIVE’s transdisciplinary grants. For more
information and to read the article, visit:
z.umn.edu/PSH
Drone Research to Transform Agriculture
AEM Professor Demoz Gebre-Egziabher and U of M
Crookston’s Professor Ian MacRae commented on their
research in a recently published article titled “University
of Minnesota researchers backing
drones usage, surveying farmlands
with technology”. Gebre-Egziabher
and MacRae are using drones
to survey soybean fields looking
for soybean aphids - insects that
are known to cause significant
damage to farmers’ soybean crops.
While the University researchers’
work highlights the usefulness of
drones in a domestic setting, they
say some are cautious of drones
in U.S. airspace. Therefore, they
hope their research will eliminate
misconceptions while promoting
the benefits of drones.
monitoring and destroying the insect infestations more
efficient, MacRae said. By fighting aphid infestations
more efficiently, the hope is that farmers will see the
usefulness of drones to assist them in
using this form of land monitoring to
decrease their use of chemicals.
An Agriculture Drone Surveying Crops
The University project targeting
soybean aphids was made possible
by a $500,000 MnDRIVE grant that aims to make
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DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
The AEM department’s UAV
Laboratory is helping to develop
software and programs used with the
project’s drones. Drones can assist
farmers to tailor pesticides, herbicides
and fertilizer applications more
precisely in a specific area in a field,
saving them money and reducing the
runoff amount into nearby rivers and
streams.
To read the full article, visit: z.umn.
edu/RDV
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AEM Hosts FIRST Robotics Competition Tour
On August 27, 2014, the department hosted a
FIRST Robotics Competition tour for
high school and middle school students
in order to recruit more women into
engineering by getting them interested
in the robotics team. Kale Hedstrom, the
AEM department’s lab coordinator and
scientist, has been a mentor representing
St. Paul high schools for the past seven
years.
“Being on a robotics team is very much
like being an engineer,” said Hedstrom.
“I encourage students to try robotics
and if they like it, then they would
like engineering. Robotics is a great
introduction to the field.”
The FRC is an international high school robotics
competition organized by For Inspiration
and Recognition of Science and
Technology (FIRST). Each year, teams
of high school students compete to build
robots weighing up to 120 pounds that
can play in a game which requires robots
to complete tasks such as scoring balls into
goals, frisbees into goals, inner tubes onto
racks, hanging on bars, balancing robots
on balance beams, etc. The game changes
every year, keeping the excitement fresh
and giving each team a more level playing
field.
For more information on FRC and its
programs, visit: z.umn.edu/FIRST
Students Observing a UAV
ION Presents Burka Award to AEM Drs.
Mokhtarzadeh and Gebre-Egziabher
The Institute of Navigation (ION) presented
Dr. Hamid Mokhtarzadeh, AEM Postdoctoral
Associate, and Professor
Demoz Gebre-Egziabher,
AEM’s Director of Graduate
Studies, with the Dr. Samuel
M. Burka Award for their
paper “Cooperative Inertial
Navigation”, published in
the Summer 2014 issue of
NAVIGATION. The Burka
Award was presented at the
ION International Technical
Meeting (ITM) in Dana Point,
California, January 26-28, 2015.
The Dr. Samuel M. Burka
Award is granted to recognize
outstanding achievement in
the preparation of a paper
contributing to the advancement of the art and
science of positioning, navigation and timing.
The award is given in memory of Dr. Samuel M.
Burka, a dedicated public servant who devoted
a long and distinguished career
to the research and development
of air navigation equipment and
reviewing technical material for
official publications. Burka retired
from public service in 1958.
The ION Annual Awards Program
is sponsored by The Institute of
Navigation (ION) to recognize
individuals making significant
contributions or demonstrating
outstanding performance
relating to the art and science of
navigation.
AEM UPDATE
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Undergraduate
2014-2015
Scholarships
30 AEM Students Received Scholarships
This year, 30 undergraduate students were the fortunate recipients of scholarships which will assist them in obtaining
their AEM degrees at the University of Minnesota. These scholarships were established by AEM alumni, friends,
and corporations and are typically awarded based on merit and/or need as determined by the donor. A committee
of faculty, professional staff, and alumni reviews the potential recipients and makes the award determinations.
It is often a difficult process, as we have so many talented and deserving
undergraduates in the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics department.
Twenty scholarships were
awarded through the
AEM department, ten
were awarded through the
College of Science and
Engineering (CSE).
• The AEM Strategic Initiative Scholarship was established in order to aid
undergraduate students who have an outstanding academic record.
• The Boeing Scholarship awards students who have scholastic merit and
high potential, as well as an expressed interest in employment with the
Boeing Company.
• Richard G. Brasket graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering
from the University of Minnesota in 1957. He established this scholarship
in recognition of the excellent education he received and to help talented
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics students complete their degrees.
• The CSE McDonald Scholarship was established by Judith and Edward J. Holmback in honor of Judy’s brother,
John E. McDonald, in order to help needy and deserving engineering students.
• The CSE Student Affairs Scholarship was established through the generous support of corporations and CSE
alumni.
• Richard DeLeo is one of the University’s most distinguished alumni who received his Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees from the AEM department. Richard and his late wife, Shirley, established the scholarship to assist deserving
undergraduate aerospace engineering students.
• Chester Gaskell received his Bachelors of Aeronautical Engineering in 1939. The scholarship was setup by his
family members – his brother the late Rev. Charles Gaskell, his wife Mabel, and their daughter Judith.
• The E. Reuben & Gladys Flora Grant Scholarship Fund was created in 1992 as a tribute to Elberth Reuben
Grant’s life work in Civil Engineering.
• The Eric W. Harslem Award is given to undergraduate students who have an outstanding academic record.
Harslem graduated from the Institute of Technology in 1939 with a major in Aerospace Engineering.
• Robert Jewett received his Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics in 1931 and went on to
have a distinguished career in the aerospace division of the Boeing Company. He and his wife Marjorie established
the fund in 1999 to provide support to the AEM department.
• The Dennis R. and Hazel J. Longren Scholarship was established by Hazel J. Longren in honor of her late
husband, Dennis R. Longren, who graduated with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1956.
• Frank Louk received his degree in Civil Engineering in 1930. The scholarship was established by the late Aleyene
Louk in furtherance of her strong interest in higher education, and in memory of her late husband.
• Twin brothers John and Robert McCollom graduated with aeronautical engineering degrees from the University
of Minnesota in 1942, and both received ROTC commissions in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in World
War II. In 2001, John’s wife Betty honored the twins’ legacies by establishing a scholarship for promising BAEM
undergraduate students.
• The Rose Minkin Scholarship was established in order to assist undergraduate students who have an outstanding
academic record.
• The Oswald Prize was established by Patricia H. Oswald in honor of her late husband, Albert George Oswald.
Oswald received his BS in Electrical Engineering in 1936, and his MS in Physics in 1938.
• Louis Wagner received his AEM degree Cum Laude in 1949, and Dona Wagner graduated from the College of
Education and Human Development (CEHD) in 1963 as a returning adult student. Dona established the fund to
honor Louis’ memory and to support AEM undergraduate students.
7
DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
s
AEM Strategic Initiatives
Scholarship
• Alex Hayes
• Michael Koenig
Boeing Scholarship
• Yunus Agamawi
• Kate Schumitsch
Richard G. Brasket
AEM Scholarship
• Emily Timinski
• Brady Wojt
Chester Gaskell Aeronautical
Engineering Scholarship
• Luci Baker
• Ken States
• Ben Setterholm
E. Reuben & Gladys Flora
Grant Scholarship Fund
• Thomas Georgiou
Eric W. Harslem Scholarship
for Aerospace Engineering
• Zach Fox
CSE Student Affairs
Scholarship
• Daniel Bickelhaupt
• Nicholas Sloan
Robert H. & Marjorie F. Jewett
Scholarship
• Kee Fong
• Chris Gosch
CSE McDonald Scholarship
• Trista Gunderson
Dennis R. and Hazel J.
Longren Scholarship Fund
• Maius Wong
Richard & Shirley DeLeo
Scholarship
• Caleb Carlson
In Their Words:
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Frank Louk Scholarship
Endowment
• Bryce Doerr
• Lauren Olsen
• Thien-Long Vo
• Jakob Hergert
John and Robert McCollom
Memorial Scholarship
• Sarah Lunkenheimer
• Henry McCabe
Rose Minkin Scholarship
• Jason Adlam
• Daniel Hanson
• Jacqueline Sotraidis
Oswald Prize
• John Jackson
Louis R. and Dona S. Wagner
AEM Scholarship
• Ross McEwen
• Even Voelker
“My studies at the U have been
rigorous, but have definitely come
with their rewards,” said Kate
Schumitsch. “This scholarship
greatly aids to
achieving my
goals and
allows me to
focus on my
studies.”
“I’ve focused
my studies on
unmanned
aircraft controls,”
said Caleb
Carlson. “I
would like to thank the AEM
department and the DeLeo family
for their generous contribution
to my education with this
scholarship.”
“I am glad to be recognized
for the effort I put into my
studies,” said Kee Fong. “The
AEM Department provides rich
opportunities for
undergraduate
research which
are invaluable
for my future
graduate studies.”
“The Gaskell
Scholarship is
helping fund my
tuition, allowing
me to focus on
studies, research,
and extracurriculars,” said Luci
Baker. “The AEM program has
given me many opportunities,
both in and out of the classroom.”
“I am a junior double-majoring
in AEM and Astrophysics,” said
Ben Setterholm. “I hope to be
able to combine both these fields
in my future
career, perhaps
working
on orbital
telescopes.”
“I’m honored
and thankful
for both the
scholarship and
being a part of
this program,”
said Thomas Georgiou. “The
tools I’ve gained here in the AEM
department will enable me to
excel in my career in the field of
aerospace engineering.”
AEM UPDATE
8
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2014-2015 Graduate
Fellowship Recipients
Alumni support for graduate fellowships provides the department with the flexibility to directly support graduate
students, augment fellowship awards to incoming students and provide travel funds for students. Annual giving plays
a crucial role in allowing us to successfully compete with peer institution to attract the most promising students
to AEM and to provide a high quality experience for all of our graduate students. For a list of additional giving
opportunities to benefit graduate education, please visit AEM’s scholarship/fellowship page at: www.z.umn.edu/u2t
Douglas Carter
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Douglas Carter was awarded the
Ken & Rosemary Anderson Graduate Fellowship.
Carter began graduate school in fall 2014. He received an undergraduate degree from
University of New Hampshire where he conducted research under the guidance of
Professor Joe Klewicki on the separation phenomena of steady laminar shear wake
flows in a water channel. At the U of M, Carter is working with Dr. Filippo Coletti in
designing an experiment to study the complex coupled phenomena between turbulence,
buoyancy forcing, and heat transfer.
“I plan on using the fellowship I have received to help me accumulate the numerous
relevant texts for turbulence, fluid mechanics, particle dynamics, and heat transfer, said
Carter. “I’m hoping that with a solid fundamental understanding of the physics behind
my studies I can become a more effective experimentalist.”
Prakash Shrestha
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Prakash Shrestha was awarded the
Ken & Rosemary Anderson Graduate Fellowship.
Shrestha is a first-year PhD student for fall 2014. He received his Bachelor of Engineering
degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and his Master of
Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Purdue University, Indiana. Shrestha
is currently interested in the areas of Computational Fluid Dynamics in turbulence,
combustion, and hyper-sonic propulsion.
“I am thankful to the donors and the AEM department for their generosity to honor me
with the prestigious Ken & Rosemary Anderson Fellowship,” said Shrestha. “I am looking
forward to use it to learn and enjoy more about the fields of my strong research interests
and later contribute back to the community after I graduate from the U of M.”
Andrew Vechart
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Andrew Vechart was awarded
the Lawrence E. Goodman Graduate Fellowship.
Vechart completed his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from
the UW-Milwaukee in 2009. Vechart went on to complete his Master’s degree in
Computation for Design and Optimization from MIT in 2011. His research involved
developing and validating a computational model to support the development of a liner
for the Army Advanced Combat Helmet that would help reduce the risk of Traumatic
Brain Injuries due to air blasts. Currently at the U of M, Vechart is exploring research
ideas with Professor Ryan Elliott in the area of stability and dynamics.
“The fellowship is allowing me to explore research topics more freely that align with my
interests in solid mechanics and computational methods,” said Vechart. “I’m very excited
to be a part of the AEM Department and have had a great experience with the faculty
and fellow AEM graduate students in the first semester.”
9
DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS
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Sahar Jalal
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Sahar Jalal was awarded the Ken
& Rosemary Anderson Graduate Fellowship.
Jalal is a first-year PhD student for fall 2014, originally from Rabat, Morocco. Jalal finished
her undergraduate degree at Grinnell College, Iowa, double majoring in Math and Physics.
In her third year, Jalal did research on the dynamics of the Rattleback (a canoe-shaped
body that, when spun on a smooth surface, rotates stably in one direction only; when spun
in the reverse direction it oscillates violently - i.e., it “rattles” - and reverses its direction of
spin.)
“I discovered that I like Aerospace Engineering when I did research at the German
Aerospace Center in Braunschweig, Germany,” said Jalal. “At the U of M, I am a [Research
Assistant] for Professor Filippo Coletti. We’re trying to develop a better understanding of
the fluids in lungs by 3D printing a lung model.”
Joel Runnels
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Joel Runnels was awarded
the Ken & Rosemary Anderson Graduate Fellowship, as well as the CSE Graduate
Fellowship.
Runnels is a first-year graduate student studying aerospace dynamics and control. Before
coming to UMN, he studied mechanical engineering at New Mexico Tech.
“I plan to use the freedom that this fellowship provides to explore a variety of projects in
the AEM department, and to work on background research for a PhD dissertation topic,”
said Runnels. “The faculty in this department are clearly at the forefront of aerospace
research, and the opportunity to learn from such a prestigious group of scholars is truly a
privilege. I have found the AEM department to be a stimulating learning environment,
and I look forward to continuing my research and education at UMN.”
Kyle Winters
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics graduate student Kyle Winters was awarded the Ken
& Rosemary Anderson Graduate Fellowship.
Winters completed his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering at Boston University in 2009.
From there, he continued on to an M.S. at Arizona State, studying fluid mechanics with
Professor Ronald Adrian.
Currently, Winters has been with the University of Minnesota studying fluid mechanics
with Professor Ellen Longmire for more than two years.
“With the help of many colleagues, I have completed the development of a brand new
pipeline research facility that will be used to search for more efficient ways of transporting
the fluids we rely on every day,” said Winters. “Upon completion of my degree, I hope to
continue to study fluid mechanics, finding new ways to use the laboratory setting to gain
meaningful insight into the fluid phenomena that affect our lives.”
AEM UPDATE
10
Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics
University of Minnesota
107 Akerman Hall
110 Union St SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
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paper with 10 percent postconsumer
waste material.
The University of Minnesota is an equal
opportunity educator and employer.
This publication is available in alternative
formats upon request.
Tel: 612-625-8000
Fax: 612-626-1558
aem-dept@umn.edu
AEM 4331 Senior Design Teams
Revolutionary Aerospace
Systems Concepts
Team Lead: Clayton Lewis
Wei Sien Goh
Kok Tong Ng
Chun Kiang Lau
Eric Pollpeter
Bryce Doerr
Jakob Hergert
Robert Michalak
Kee Fong
Zach Fox
CubeSat for Asteroid Scouting
Team Lead: Josiah DeLange
Jessie Bergerson
John Jackson
Haley Rorvick
Alec Forsman
Keegan Clay
Seth Merrifield
Yunus Agamawi
Thomas Georgiou
Twin Jet Cirrus SF 50
Team Lead: Tristan Van de Moortele
Philip Condon
Aditya Kulkarni
Zachary Le Duc
Soft Recovery System for Air
Dropped Munitions Testing
Team Lead: Laura Haller
Connor Devine
Anthony Mishek
Justin Polak
Bradley Bloxdorf
Trent Hoffer
Garin Marlow
Ryan Perkins
Aerodynamics Elements Formula SAE Car
Team Lead: Kieran McCabe
Caleb French
Joel Krause
Ben McGahan
Michael Ellis
Erik Johnson
Sheldon Susa
Michael Swartzendruber
Lucas Hash
High Power Rocket Design
Team Lead: Peter Brackin
Zachary Thompson
Logan Rowell
Scott Gleason
Sean Moore
Johnathan Kregness
Sean Conway
General Aviation Aircraft Family
Team Lead: Noah White
Eden Gebretsadik
Phil Hanson
Ryan Teel
Jacob Riley
Multicopter for
Precision Agriculture
Team Lead: Brittany Hytrek
Ross McEwen
Jordan Bestland
Sam Jensen
Brad Kaufman
Jarod Morrissette
Zach Sarazine
Joel Amert
SAE Micro Air Vehicle Competition
Team Lead: Cecilia Molina
Jordan Holmen
David Oberg
Tyler Jacobs
Caleb Carlson
Minju Kim
Brian Erickson
Mohamed Aldhaheri
Nick Engelken