WVU Tech Featured Articles

West Virginia politician Ken Hechler to speak at WVU Tech on September 23

Mon, 13 Sep 2010 13:47:00 EST

Dr. Ken Hechler

West Virginia University Institute of Technology will host Ken Hechler, West Virginia politician and collegiate professor, on Thursday, September 23 at 6:00 p.m. The event is part of the Otis K. Rice Memorial Lecture Series and is free and open to the public. Hechler’s lecture, entitled “Behind the Scenes of American History,” will be held in the Tech Center Ballroom on the Montgomery, West Virginia campus.

“Dr. Hechler’s vast experience enables him to provide first-hand accounts of important historical events. His presentation centers on specific high points in our nation’s history, including historical developments during World War II and the inner-workings of the Truman administration,” explained Dr. Paul Rakes, WVU Tech history professor.

Hechler is a professor of political science and history and has taught highly popular courses at Columbia, Princeton, and Marshall Universities. He received his bachelor’s degree from Swarthmore College and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University in history and government.

Hechler has been a witness and participant in many of the nation’s most prominent twentieth-century historical events, including his experiences as a World War II combat historian and four years as speech writer for President Harry S. Truman. In 1957, Hechler published The Bridge at Remagen, which has become the definitive history of this World War II military event.

He was elected to the nation’s legislature in 1958. During his eighteen years in the legislature he played an important role in the formulation and passage of significant legislation, including the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969. From 1985 to 2001, he continued his public service as West Virginia’s Secretary of State. In 1988, West Virginia Institute of Technology recognized Hechler’s scholarship and contributions to the state by awarding him an honorary Doctorate of Humanities.

“We are honored to have the Honorable Ken Hechler speak on our campus as a part of the Rice Lecture Series. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with the Tech campus and members of our community,” explained WVU Tech Provost Dr. Scott Hurst.

The Rice Lecture Series began in 2009 in honor of noted historian Otis K. Rice, who served at WVU Institute of Technology from 1957 to 1987.

WVU Tech at the 2010 WV State Fair

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:48:00 EST

The weekend of August 13-15, WVU Tech faculty, staff, and students joined WVU in the 2010 WV State Fair festivities. WVU Tech nursing students provided free blood pressure readings to fair spectators, while chemistry professor, Dr. Hasan El-Rifai, discussed renewable fuel alternatives with the audience. Tech volunteers distributed more than 1,200 drawstring bags (stuffed with WVU Tech major information) to students at the fair. The event provided a great opportunity to showcase Tech’s outstanding academic programs and upcoming alumni and athletic events.

WVU Tech receives $1.7 million federal grant to fund Student Support Services

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:05:00 EST

West Virginia University Institute of Technology has once again been selected to receive federal funding from the Department of Education under the Student Support Services Program to provide academic and other support services to low-income, first-generation or disabled students to increase post-secondary educational opportunities.

Thanks to the support of Congressman Nick Rahall, Senator Jay Rockefeller, and the late Senator Robert Byrd, WVU Tech will receive $354,116 to support the on-campus Student Support Services program. These funds are for the period of September 1, 2010 through August 31, 2011 and are anticipated to be renewed for a total of five years totaling more than $1.7 million in support. WVU Tech has received this federal funding consistently since 1971.

“We are excited and grateful to once again be a recipient of this federal grant, which enables us to continue providing critical services such as tutoring, counseling, and career planning for first-generation, low-income, and disabled students – ensuring their future success,” said Patricia Hopkins, WVU Tech’s Interim Director of Student Support Services.

The new grant will enable WVU Tech’s Student Support Services (SSS) unit to serve 185 students each year. These services include: academic counseling, assistance securing federal student financial aid, career counseling, tutoring, and graduate school application assistance. Eligible student participants must be United States citizens, enrolled in a four-year degree program and meet certain federal criteria. Students can apply to the program at any point in their undergraduate career and at any point in the semester.

Richard Carpinelli, Dean of Students at WVU Tech explained, “Our students’ achievements are evidence of the success of our Student Support Services program. In fact, 85% of our students that have participated in the program over the last four years have remained in good academic standing with a persistence rate of 74%.”

Tech brings food handlers class and exam to Upward Bound students and local community

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:10:00 EST

On July 12-13, West Virginia University Institute of Technology partnered with the Fayette County Health Department to bring food handlers classes and certification exams to Montgomery, West Virginia.

The two-day event was originally organized for Tech’s Upward Bound students taking a Cooking 101 class, but was expanded to serve the local community. “We were pleased to have the opportunity to bring this valuable service to the community. Food safety is important for everyone,” explained David Templeton, WVU Tech’s Director of Dining Services. Several local businesses, including McDonald’s in Smithers, West Virginia, encouraged their employees to participate.

The 2.5 hour course, taught by Fayette County Sanitarian Philip Perone, addressed the two most critical factors in food contamination: improper holding temperatures and poor personal hygiene of the food handler. Participants were then tested on their knowledge of safe food handling. All participants that passed the exam received a food handler’s certification card, which is valid for three years. Perone said, “The certification cards are a great employment credential for those working in the restaurant industry.”

The event was a requirement for the Upward Bound students in the Cooking 101 class. “I was excited about this opportunity after taking the cooking class. I really wanted to learn how to cook and knowledge of safe handling of food is something that can help me get a job in a restaurant,” explained Riverside High School junior Hannah Grose. WVU Tech covered the $10 exam fee for all students participating in the Upward Bound program.

Sending out an SOS! Check out SSS!

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:54:00 EST

Need help with career planning? Can’t find a tutor? Your time management skills are non-existent? Need counseling or advice? Students at WVU Tech can find assistance in all these areas and more through its Student Support Services Program.

Since 1965, WVU Tech’s Student Support Services Program (SSS) has been awarded grant funding though a US Department of Education TRIO programs grant competition.

“These funds allow us to provide students with opportunities for academic development and assist students with basic college requirements while motivating them toward the successful completion of their college degree,” states Richard Carpinelli, Dean of Students.

“A goal for the Division of Student Affairs is to assist WVU Tech in increasing retention and graduation rates while offering students a place to come for encouragement, help or just a friendly ear. Our Student Support Services Program does just that. In the past five years over 75 percent of participating students have remained in good academic standing.”

Student Support Services offers participants a variety of resources to promote academic success including; individualized support services in academic, career, financial, and personal counseling and advising; tutoring in group or one-to-one sessions; access to SSS computer lab and resource room with technology assistance; and preparation for entry into the job market with career planning and/or graduate school.

“SSS also hosts workshops in a variety of areas to strengthen personal, professional, and academic competencies including time management, test taking techniques, study skills, and stress management and works with students on special consideration for federal financial aid packages,” adds Patricia Hopkins, Interim Director of the program.

During the 2009-2010 academic year the Student Support Services Program was able to award 35 participants scholarships of $1,239 each. These scholarships were provided through a Congressional increase in appropriations for Federal TRIO programs which stipulated that the monies be used for grant aid to students.

For more information about the Student Support Services Program at WVU Tech click here.

Up, Up and Away

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:30:00 EST

WVU Tech’s College of Engineering students participate in the maiden flight of their High-Altitude Research Platform (HARP) near-space experiment.

When Dr Jim Cercone, Chair of WVU Tech’s Computer Science Department, suggested that students exploring experiments for their Senior Research Design Project consider a balloon launch, initial reactions were not inflating – to say the least! However, as Dr Cercone pumped up the idea with more specifics, the balloon launch took off with more than 14 students taking on various roles.

The concept for WVU Tech’s High-Altitude Research Platform (HARP) near-space experiment got off the ground after Dr Cercone and Dr Kimberlyn Gray, College of Engineering Freshman Advisor and Outreach Coordinator, participated in a summer 2009 workshop funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant.

The workshop was designed to train and equip undergraduate faculty in all areas (not just Aerospace) in implementing high-altitude balloon launches as a practical learning experience in courses they teach, and focused on the mechanics and theory of using high-altitude balloon launches in undergraduate science and engineering courses with teaching students how to build high-altitude balloon payloads.

Designing & Building the HARP Experiment

During the fall 2009 semester, a HARP Experiment team was brought together to begin work. College of Engineering students that contributed to the effort and their roles included:

Bradlee Wolfe, Mission Control at WVU Tech in Montgomery & Retrieval Team

Kyle Hickernel, Senior Project Team One: ATLAS Tracking System

Josh Peal, Senior Project Team One: ATLAS Tracking System & Tracking Team Two

Jeff Whaling, Senior Project Team Two: Modular Tracking System & Mission Control at Tech in Montgomery

Alex Paz, Senior Project Team Two: Modular Tracking System & Tracking Team Two

Matthew Conley, Senior Project Team Two: Modular Tracking System

Carl Simpkins, Tracking Team One & Retrieval Team

Garret Wilson, Tracking Team One & Retrieval Team

Zack Long, Tracking Team One & Retrieval Team

Anthony Woody, Retrieval Team

John Coleman, Retrieval Team

Rosie Whitmoyer, Retrieval Team

Danielle Morris, Retrieval Team

Kris Adame, Retrieval Team

It was decided that Tech’s initial launch would be a “proof of concept experiment” designed to test the effectiveness of amateur radio tracking capabilities across West Virginia’s mountainous terrain. The tracking team designed and built a 900 MHz downlink transmitter. Linked to Google Maps, the telemetry wirelessly downloaded from this unit in real time, and was field tested in the Montgomery area. It proved to be accurate within a matter of feet! A video camera was also included as a payload component.

The Launch

Prior to launch day on Friday, December 4, 2009, the team assessed meteorological and atmospheric conditions and projected the flight path of the HARP experiment. This data was critical information for the chase teams that would monitor and trail the transmitted signal as the flight progressed. After leaving the launch site, Barboursville Middle School in Cabell County, the flight was expected to last approximately 2 hours, reach an altitude of about 80,000 feet (15 miles) and land somewhere near Morgantown, WV.

Tech students calculated that as the helium expanded, and, due to the drop in atmospheric pressure as it rose, the 7 foot diameter balloon would expand to about 40 feet in diameter before the balloon fabric would fail and the payload modules would parachute safely back to earth.

During the balloon flight the payload components were subjected to violent shaking and temperatures that fell to approximately -40° Fahrenheit.

The Chase

As the balloon launched, two chase teams, armed with tracking receivers, were standing by on I-79. All went well during the initial phase of the flight and the signal came in loud and clear. However, as the flight continued, it became evident that the mountainous terrain was an issue. With I-79 flowing through the rugged hills and valleys of central West Virginia, the line-of-sight transmission was lost.

By the time the student teams made it to the vicinity of the landing site, dusk was setting in. Even though their GPS receivers showed them to be within 1,000 yards of the landing site, the teams decided that they needed to return another day to retrieve the experiment.

The Retrieval

Dr. Cercone picks up the narrative:

We returned to our projected landing site on Thursday (6 days after launch). It was seventeen degrees with high winds and snow, following a 3 hour drive to a heavily wooded area, with four determined students and one “what am I doing here?” professor. In short, it was a perfect day for an adventure.

I was able to arrive an hour and a half ahead of my students and quickly found the land owner, Mr. Rod Shamo, as I crossed a power line right- of- way. Mr. Shamo turned out to be a real nice guy, volunteering his time and four-wheeler. As I hung on the back of his four-wheeler, watching both the skyline and GPS receiver, we explored the obvious places where the balloon wasn’t located in order to save the student’s time when they arrived.

The students located the balloon and pods after about an hour of searching. The team then began serious negotiations with the completely intact set of pods, trying to convince them that they needed to return to civilization and the warm, nurturing environment of the Computer Science Department back in Montgomery. Unfortunately, the pods had grown attached to the tall tree they were nestled in and had decided to reside in Katy, West Virginia.

After a few hours of rope tossing, partial tree climbing, and trying several verbal incantations, we decided to regroup and obtain proper climbing equipment for a return trip after Christmas Break. We knew the modules were quite secure from theft until our return.

On January 18th we ventured back to the balloon landing site. Our retrieval team had grown from two to a crew of eight.

I received the first call about 3:00 p.m. from Carl Simpkins. Zack Long had climbed the tree (with tree spikes) and finally managed to snag the balloon with a twenty foot pole – wrapping it spaghetti style. The ground crew was able to pull down the HARP GPS and command module. Both were intact and seemed in good working order. The remaining packages were more than 20 feet out of reach.

My next call from Carl was around 5 p.m. He reported they had successfully retrieved the balloon and the rest of the pods and we all headed back to Tech with a satisfying feeling of “mission accomplished.”

The Future

According to Dr. Cercone, the students decided (insisted) that this project must be continued. The College of Engineering and Science is teaching a multidisciplinary special topics research class during the spring 2010 Semester. Course objectives include designing a package that can be tracked in mountainous terrain during flight and is “tree-recovery friendly”.

Three students from last semester’s HARP flight are taking the research class and several more have joined the team. An engineering technology class and a senior electrical engineering design project team are working on a modified tracking pod.

So, if you are interested in learning by doing, come join us here at Tech, where the Sky is the Limit!

Story by Sid Cooper

WVU Tech

From French Fries to the Fast Lane

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:10:00 EST

WVU Tech students create energy solutions in the new Alternative Energy Laboratory. Utilizing used vegetable oil from the campus cafeteria to create biodiesel, students are gaining experience now in the fuels of the future.

Students process the oil through a series of filters to remove food particles, and then create a small batch to analyze the quality. A byproduct of this process, pure glycerin, is used to create hand soap.

“The emphasis of the work we do with our Alternative Energy Lab is teaching. We are currently working with other departments to create new learning opportunities with automating the process with our engineering students,” commented Dr. Richard Schoening, Chair of the WVU Tech Chemistry Department.

Biodiesel is a simple technology in high demand in today’s energy market because it offers a better fuel. An engine using biodiesel created from vegetable oil decreases carbon dioxide emissions, and emits no sulfur, which creates acid rain. Also, the biodiesel lubricates the engine since oil is the starting material.

“Biodiesel offers a fantastic transition for the next generation of fuels. It can be blended with traditional diesel to create a less expensive and cleaner fuel,” according to Dr. Hasan El-Rifai, WVU Tech Chemistry Professor.

Currently, the Bear’s Den produces one 55-gallon barrel per week. This oil needs to be treated before it is dumped in the sewer. We are creating an alternative fuel to diesel and the byproduct, which is soap from this used vegetable oil.

“This is a fantastic project for our campus in a number of ways. First, we pay about $6,000 a year to a service to remove the oil, and I can’t even begin to calculate the savings on potential fuel costs. Also, we provide our students hands-on experience with a new technology in high demand,” said David Templeton, Assistant Director of Dining Services at WVU Tech.

Future plans for biodiesel may include the production of fuel for WVU Tech vehicles. Other options include using an electric generator fueled with biodiesel to power up the Bear’s Den and decrease the electric bill. Demonstrating the technology to local high school students also increases our outreach to the local community.

The key aspect of the process is the institution’s new bioreactor, which was funded with a NASA grant. Additional measuring and processing instruments were acquired with Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) grants as well as institutional funds.

Award Winning Cuisine

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:09:00 EST

WVU Institute of Technology Dining Services was awarded the Loyal E Horton Award from the National Association of College and University Food Services. Schools from across the nation compete in categories based on size and types of services provided to students. WVU Institute of Technology won a silver citation for Residence Hall Dining – Multiple Concepts/Outlets.

Applicants for the award must submit sample menus, food production sheets, photographs and campus surveys. A panel of seven judges scored the information, and WVU Institute of Technology received top marks in the category for schools with fewer than 7,000 students.

“I was pleased to win again this year. My staff has worked hard all year to deliver a great experience for the students,” said David Templeton, Director-Dining Services at WVU Institute of Technology.

Templeton is no stranger to award-winning entries. This year’s recognition is the sixth time he has won this award. At WVU, he won the award for his work with the renovation of Boreman Bistro in Morgantown, WV.

The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) is the trade association for food service professionals at more than 625 institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada, Mexico and abroad.

From the Drawing Board to the Drag Strip - Well, Hallway

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:08:00 EST

Facing a senior design project, four WVU Institute of Technology students decided to build an electric motorcycle. Justin Cole, Kris Williams, Chad Dickman and Todd Sanderson resurrected a 1974 Suzuki GT 750 into a mean green machine capable of going 25 miles on a single charge and a top speed of 50 miles per hour. Their bike can fully charge in eight hours from the onboard charger ironically stored in the gas tank.

For System Designs 1 and 2, these aspiring mechanical engineers proposed designing and fabricating all the necessary parts to convert a 35-year-old motorcycle into a plug-in electric motorcycle. The team was confident they could successfully complete the project due to their experience with WVU Institute of Technology’s Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) off-road racing team.

The team began by outlining what materials and components were needed to make the endeavor a success. The list began with the bike, motor, batteries, and a variety of controllers. Everything else, including engine mounts, the battery case and charging system, the students built from scratch. The team also quickly met a harsh financial reality. The total costs of the project added up to $2,100.

Facing a funding crisis, the teams turned to Dr James Cercone, Interim Dean of the Leonard C Nelson College of Engineering and Science. The students made a proposal concerning their project, and were able to acquire the necessary funds from various departments in the college.

“The students demonstrated a real passion for the project, and it is our mission to support our students. They made a good case, and planned to produce a motorcycle that had the distance to cover the average commute and deliver highway speeds,” said Dr Cercone.

Construction of the bike began in January. The motorcycle was stripped of the combustion engine, and prepared for the conversion. Once the frame was down to the bare bones, the team began to assemble the electric engine and controls. Adversity soon followed.

“I quickly learned the devil is in the details on this project. We had some setbacks, yet each time through persistence and teamwork, overcame the unexpected,” said Justin Cole, now a recent mechanical engineering graduate.

Construction of the motorcycle went down to the wire, with finals and a deadline facing the students. At the time of the first field test, the weather refused to cooperate, only providing days of rain. The team waited until the hallways of the engineering labs were empty, and celebrated their success as the bike zipped quietly around the building.

In the end, the motorcycle was a success, and named the Meev, which stands for Mechanical Engineering Electric Vehicle. Each team member received top marks for their efforts. Dr Bernhard Betting, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at WVU Institute of Technology, is currently working on curriculum adjustments to increase the number of projects students complete by adding more hands-on experience to sophomore and junior classes.

“A motivated student is a great asset to this institution, and is why I love teaching. These students went above and beyond on this project because they loved what they were doing,” said Dr Betting.

Three of the team members are returning to Tech next year with ambitions of making their electric motorcycle street legal. Justin Cole graduated in May and is currently looking for a future in building more electric motorcycles.

An Ambassador for Science

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 15:05:00 EST

Dr. Kimberlyn Gray travels across the state of West Virginia spreading interest in math and science. Gray brings engineering and science hands-on activities into middle and high schools. The aim is to grab students’ attention and open their eyes to the endless possibilities of a future in technology.

“My goal is not to recruit for WVU Tech. I’m recruiting for science, math, and engineering. So few students today consider a career in the sciences, and my aim is to change that,” commented Dr. Gray, WVU Tech Engineering and Science Freshman Advisor.

A recent addition to the WVU Tech faculty, she convinces talented students to participate in math, science, and robotic competitions hosted by the school. The culmination of these efforts is a weeklong summer camp.

Dr. Gray will direct Camp STEM, which brings high school students to Montgomery for a technological boot camp. Participants are immersed in math, computer programming, and robotics. However, Kimberlyn Gray’s activities are not limited to outreach.

As the WVU Tech Engineering and Science Freshman Advisor, Ms. Gray works with new engineering students to ensure they are adjusting to the fast pace and independence of college. She draws from a career as a biomedical instrumentation instructor, research fellow, and senior mentor.

According to Dr. Faris Malhas, Dean Dean of the Leonard C. Nelson School of Engineering and Sciences, “Kimberlyn plays a vital role for the future of this institution. WVU Tech has embraced a long-term recruiting strategy.”

“Our philosophy is simple. We want to increase interest in math, engineering, and science statewide, and once those students start to shop for colleges they will find one of the nation’s best engineering schools in their backyard. Once they are here Kimberlyn works with each student to increase retention,” added Malhas.

Dr. Gray has numerous presentations scheduled for the 2009 spring semester across the state. Educators interested in working with WVU Tech on this effort should contact her at: kimberlyn.gray@mail.wvu.edu.