UTA ENGINEER

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON | COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Engineering the Future of North Texas 2017

RE-IMAGINING
INFRASTRUCTURE
As North Texas grows, so does the need for innovative
transportation solutions. UTA is in the drivers seat.

UTA ENGINEER|i
 NOTHING
should stand between

you and
your

dreams

Carnegie Research 1 University Rigorous academics

Targeted career-placement services Highest enrollment and
graduation numbers in history 2nd lowest student debt in U.S.
ROSS HOUSE
Industrial Engineering Major redefining excellence
Airbus Helicopters Intern

UTA.EDU
CONTENTS
UTA ENGINEER
2017
VOLUME VI

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
FEATURES
Dean

10
Peter E. Crouch
Senior Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs CSE on the Cutting Edge The
Lynn Peterson
Associate Dean for
Department of Computer Science and
Graduate Affairs
Erick Jones
Engineering is giving students the
Associate Dean resources and guidance they need to
for Research
Anand Puppala succeed after graduation.
Assistant Dean for

16
Student Affairs
J. Carter Tiernan
Director of Communications
Jeremy Agor
Director of Marketing Services
Tracey Faulkinbury
UNIVERSITY
COMMUNICATIONS
Vice President
for Communications
Lynne T. Waters
Editor
Jessica Bridges
Designer
Brody Price
Contributor
Herb Booth
Driving Progress The College of Engineering
leads transportation-related research in the North
Texas region.
UTA Engineer is published by
University Communications.
Reproduction in whole or part
without written permission
is prohibited. The comments
and opinions expressed in this
14
magazine do not necessarily
represent those of The University
of Texas at Arlington or the
staff of UTA Engineer. Copyright
2017, The University of Texas
DEPARTMENTS
24
at Arlington. UTA does not
discriminate on the basis of race, 2 DISPATCH
color, national origin, religion,
age, gender, sexual orientation, 3 LAB NOTES
disabilities, genetic information,
and/or veteran status in the
educational programs or activities
4 FACULTY
6 RESEARCH
7
it operates. For more info, visit
uta.edu/eos. For info regarding
Title IX, visit uta.edu/titleix. 8 CLASSROOM
College of Engineering
UT Arlington Box 19019
In On Infrastructure From trains 20 BEYOND THE LAB Little Lasers, Big Blood Lines To treat
Arlington, TX 76019 Power Electrical children with vascular
21 DONOR
817-272-3682 to planes to automobiles, civil engineering Professor defects, bioengineer Yi
agor@uta.edu 22 ALUMNI
engineering faculty are improving Weidong Zhou is bring- Hong is turning to an
uta.edu/engineering
transportation infrastructure 2 3 CLASS NOTES ing lasers to a smaller unexpected ally: 3-D
scale. printers.
throughout Texas. 24 RE-ENGINEERED
DISPATCH

A Year of Growth
My first year as dean of the College of Engineering has
been a whirlwind of navigating through the ups and
downs inherent to any new position, learning about the
college and all the wonderful activities that take place
here, and working with faculty, students, staff, industry
partners, and many others to build upon past successes
and work toward many more in the future.
As you may know, our enrollment has grown signifi-
cantly in recent years and our undergraduate numbers
are especially robust. While this growth creates some
challenges, it also creates many opportunities for our
Peter E. Crouch
became the dean of the
students to shine in competitions, win awards, and pursue entrepreneurial inter-
College of Engineering ests. Higher enrollment creates a need for transformative education and innovative
in August 2016. He has
been a dean of engi- research, and we have responded by hiring 15 new faculty members during the 2015-
neering for 21 years,
with stints at Arizona
16 academic year, each of whom has made a mark in his or her field, or is on track to
State University and, do so. We are working to hire more than a dozen additional faculty members in our
most recently, the Uni-
versity of Hawaii at areas of strategic focus this year.
Mnoa. He is an elec-
trical engineer whose
I am happy to report that collaboration between departments within the college
main goal now is to and with other units on campus and other universities has surged in the past year. An
ensure that the college
fulfills its role within excellent example of this is our membership in three U.S. Department of Transporta-
the University presi-
dents vision, and more.
tionfunded University Transportation Centers, including onethe Center for Trans-
portation Equity, Decisions, and Dollarsfor which UTA is the lead institution. We
are teaching our students that cross-disciplinary collaboration is the future of engi-
neering, and our faculty are participating in many more collaborative efforts as well.
Finally, I am happy to report that the colleges standing in the 2018 U.S. News &
World Report graduate engineering rankings has improved again to No. 73. Since 2016,
our ranking has climbed 29 spots, a testament to the quality of our faculty, students,
and research activity.
Peter E. Crouch
Dean, College of Engineering
LAB NOTES
Nanotechnology Education
Nanomedicine, nanomaterials, and nanotech-
nology have become key tools in the treatment
of many diseases. Now, a new grant awarded to
the Bioengineering Department will enable UTA
to take the lead in training doctoral students to
develop and use those tools to battle cardiovas-
cular and pulmonary ailments.
Kytai Nguyen, a bioengineering profes-
sor with extensive experience in health care
applications for nanotechnology, was awarded a
National Institutes of Health T-32 grant totaling
$1.2 million over five years to recruit and train
outstanding doctoral students in a collaborative
THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
FROM THE COLLEGE,
ITS FACULTY, AND ITS STUDENTS
A new NIH grant will
help the Bioengineering
Department recruit and
train doctoral students.
program with UT Southwestern.
While nanotechnology has been used
extensively in cancer research, its use against
cardiovascular disease is a newer trend, Dr.
Nguyen says. There are no other training grants
in North Texas, so this grant will allow us to
recruit highly qualified students who will pursue
collaborative research in new areas at UTA and
UT Southwestern.
Students also will work with researchers in
the computer science and engineering and elec-
trical engineering departments, as well as the
College of Nursing and Health Innovation.
WELCOME ADDITIONS
The College of Engineering has
experienced unprecedented growth
since 2013. With this growth comes
a need for transformative education
and innovative research. UTA has
responded by hiring 15 new faculty
members during the 2015-16 aca-
demic year. All are poised to make a
great impact in their students lives.
An additional 13 faculty are being
recruited for the current academic
year.
Among the new hires last year
were five women, three of whom are
tenured and two of whom are full
professors. They bring the percent-
age of female engineering faculty
to 14.
Our next round of hiring is
focused on systems biology and
regenerative medicine; smart cities
and smart materials; big data, bioin-
formatics, and security; the internet
of things; logistics and manufac-
turing; and materials and additive
manufacturing.
This additional faculty will help
the college address current areas
of need in the profession and meet
future challenges and opportunities
for years to come.
UTA ENGINEER|3
 LAB NOTES FACULTY
Longtime Professor Honored
Bob Woods, a longtime mechanical engineering
professor and founder of the UTA FSAE racing
team, has been named a 2017 Piper Professor.
The award, established in 1958 to recognize
exceptional college professors across Texas, is
given annually to honor educators dedication
to teaching and their outstanding academic
achievements. Dr. Woods is the 10th UTA faculty
member to be named a Piper Professor.
Im honored to be recognized by such a
prestigious organization as the Piper Founda-
tion, says Woods, who has been at UTA since
1974 and started the Formula SAE team in 1982.
The Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation has done
so much for educationboth students and fac-
ultythroughout the years. Im truly humbled
since Im being evaluated next to many, many
outstanding teachers in colleges across the state.
The San Antoniobased Minnie Stevens Piper
Foundation annually distributes Piper Professor
awards, Piper Scholar awards for students, and
Piper Fellow awards for former Piper Scholars
planning to attend graduate or professional
school.

CHIAO APPOINTED
Bob Woods was named
a Piper Professor
for his academic
IEEE DISTINGUISHED
achievements and
dedication to teaching.
LECTURER
J.-C. Chiao, the Janet and Mike
Greene Endowed Professor
and Jenkins Garrett Professor
of Electrical Engineering, was
appointed as an IEEE Sensors
Council Distinguished Lecturer
for 2017-19 and was named the
first editor-in-chief for the IEEE
Journal of Electromagnetics, RF, and
Microwaves in Medicine and Biology.
Dr. Chiao has presented talks at
universities and institutes all over
the world, organized by local IEEE
chapters and societies. He was a
Distinguished Microwave Lecturer
of the Microwave Theory and Tech-
niques Society from 2012-14 and is
currently DML Emeritus. The title of
his IEEE Sensors Council Distin-
guished Lecture is Implantable and
Wearable Wireless Medical Sensors.
IMSE CHAIR Paul Componation, chair
of the Industrial, Manu-
Epsilon Mu Eta
recognizes excellence in
advance the study and
practice of engineering The IEEE Journal of Electro-
magnetics, RF, and Microwaves in
NAMED NEW
facturing, and Systems academics and character management worldwide.
Engineering Department, in engineering manage- Componation joined Medicine and Biology reaches more
has been named execu- ment students as well as UTA in 2014. He is a fellow
EPSILON MU tive director of Epsilon
Mu Eta, the Engineering
contributions to the field
of engineering manage-
of the American Society
for Engineering Manage-
than 210,000 IEEE members in 160
countries.

ETA LEADER Management Honor

Society.
Its an honor to serve
ment made by leaders in
industry, government,
and academia.The honor
ment and earned his Ph.D.
from West Virginia Uni-
versity. He previously held
It is an honor to be chosen as a
distinguished lecturer and editor-
Epsilon Mu Eta, and I look society, in partnership faculty appointments in-chief, says Chiao. I will try
forward to helping this with the American at Iowa State University my best to bring UTAs academic
society reach its goals, Society for Engineering and the University of
Dr. Componation says. Management, seeks to AlabamaHuntsville. reputation to the world.

4|UTA ENGINEER
 ADJUNCT
RETIRES
AFTER 23
YEARS
David Wang was a
member of the technical
staff at Bell Labs and a
distinguished member
of the technical staff at
Verizon for more than
32 years, designing and
implementing networks
and voice-over IP services
that are still in use.
As an adjunct profes-
sor in UTAs Electrical
Engineering Department,
he spent the past 23 years
sharing his expertise with
students and teaching
graduate-level courses
until his retirement in
2017.
I am honored to have
had the opportunity to
share my knowledge and
experiences with UTA
students for so many
Kytai Nguyen received years, Dr. Wang says. I
the inaugural Embracing am also glad to see that
Challenge Award. these students are now
SPOTLIGHT contributing to society
globally, especially in the

Overcoming Obstacles Kytai Nguyen, a nationally telecom industry.

Professor Kambiz
Alavi, the departments
associate chair, lauded
recognized bioengineering professor, endured many challenges as a young Wangs efforts.
Dr. Wangs experience
girl in Vietnam and, later, as a woman struggling to begin her career in aca- and insight, as well as his
superb teaching and peo-
demia in the United States. Her perseverance molded her into the person she ple skills, enriched many
of our graduate students,
leading to exemplary
is today, and her story earned her the inaugural Embracing Challenge Award careers, he says.

from Materials Today magazine and the Elsevier Materials Science Council.
It is an honor to receive the first Embracing Challenge Award, Dr. Nguyen
says. I have faced many challenges in my life, and I know I am a survivor
because of those hardships, which helped me become who I am.
UTA ENGINEER|5
 LAB NOTES RESEARCH
APPLYING AI
TO ADHD
Computer Science and
Engineering Department
researchers Fillia Make-
don and Vassilis Athitsos
are using artificial intel-
ligence to help experts
assess learning difficul-
ties in children very early
in their lives.
The duo received $1.27
million of a total $2.7
million National Science
Foundation grant to use
computer vision, machine
learning, and data mining
to assess children as they
perform certain physical
and computer exercises
designed to produce
executive function skills.
The test also involves
attention, decision-
making, and managing
emotions in subjects.
Monitoring and
analyzing how children
behave during these exer-
cises can be used to build
a knowledge base that
will enable health care
professionals to apply
Yaowu Haos predictive methods and
radioactive seeds treat make recommendations
inoperable tumors for effective intervention
without damaging the to treat ADHD (Atten-
surrounding tissue. tion-Deficit/Hyperactiv-
ity Disorder).
We believe that the
SPOTLIGHT proposed methods will
help provide quantifiable

Planting the Seeds The key to treating inoperable solid early diagnoses and allow
us to monitor progress
over time, Dr. Makedon
says. In particular, it will
tumors may lie in tiny, radioactive seeds injected directly into the trouble help children overcome
learning difficulties
spots. Inoperable solid tumors are usually dosed with radiation, often by sur- and allow them to lead
healthy and productive
gically implanting a seed with therapeutic isotopes into the tumor. But the lives.

process can be damaging, so Associate Professor Yaowu Hao is developing an

alternative: biocompatible nanoseeds that can be injected with a very small
needle that causes limited trauma to surrounding tissue. Our main break-
through is the development of uniquely coated gold nanoparticles to carry
the radioactive isotopes, Dr. Hao says. They are small enough to be injected
in solution but large enough that they will not spread outside the tumor.

6|UTA ENGINEER
 PROFESSOR After years of studying
the effects of near-infra-
team has not only
investigated the brain-
great potential that near-
infrared light or infrared

SHINES
red light on veterans with imaging capability of light also will work
post-traumatic stress dis- light, but also revealed within the brain.
order (PTSD) or traumatic
A LIGHT ON
the therapeutic rationale This is the first time
brain injuries, a team led for potentially improving that the effects of light
by bioengineering Profes- the cognitive functions of stimulation have been
PTSD sor Hanli Liu published
groundbreaking research
in Natures Scientific
patients with PTSD.
They found that shin-
quantified on living
human tissue, Dr. Liu
ing near-infrared light says. The next chal-
Reports that could result on a subjects forearm lenge is to apply what
in an effective, long-term increases production of was learned to the brain,
treatment for brain cytochrome-c-oxydase, where the light must pass
disorders. a protein inside neurons through the scalp and the
Using a UT System that stimulates blood skull, as well as the brain A graduate student
BRAIN seed grant, the flow. This discovery shows itself. in Weidong Zhous
lab adjusts a laser.

Finding Fake News LITTLE LASERS,

A UTA-led team is building computer
tools to detect social bots within
the World Wide Web that create and
spread fake news.
Led by computer science and engi-
neering Associate Professor Chengkai
Li, the project focuses on Twitter
accounts run by computer programs
that automatically publish and for-
ward content, follow other accounts,
leave comments, and conduct other
seemingly real activities. Dr. Li will
use highly sophisticated algorithms
to combat the bots and the spread
of fake news. Other team members
include computer science and engi-
neering Associate Professor Chris-
toph Csallner and communication
Assistant Professor Mark Tremayne.
Right now, you dont know whats oping a high-power semiconductor
coming from a real person and whats
coming from a computer, Li says.
These bots often are sponsored by
nation-states that are hostile to U.S.
interests, so this project needs to
have a worldwide reach.
Using advanced
algorithms, Chengkai
Li is combatting fake
news on social media.
BIG POWER
Conventional high-power lasers
are bulky and require equipment
that makes them difficult to use
in portable platforms. But electri-
cal engineering Professor Weidong
Zhou hopes to change that by devel-
laser that is compact, efficient, and
power-scalable.
Challenges remain in scaling
laser power toward kilo- and mega-
watts levels, while maintaining
excellent beam quality, high-energy
efficiency, and compact size.
We have been looking at various
aspects of lasers in areas where
higher-power infrared lasers would
be highly desirablethe military,
manufacturing, and security, for
exampleand how to address the
major challenges, Dr. Zhou says. If
we are successful in creating a semi-
conductor laser based on nanotech-
nologies, we can greatly reduce the
size of these lasers while increasing
their power and efficiency.
His new laser could eventu-
ally be built on a semiconductor
wafer. The control electronics and
packaging necessary to operate the
laser would decrease in size to that
of a computer, considerably smaller
than current options.

UTA ENGINEER|7
 LAB NOTES CLASSROOM
Guiding Hands
The College of Engineering is helping students
build their professional networks and soft skills
through a mentorship program that links cur-
rent students with local professionals.
Mentors are asked to meet with their
mentees throughout the semester to help them
develop skills that will prepare them for chal-
lenges and successes in their educational and
workforce endeavors. This includes examin-
ing real-world engineering problems, learning
techniques to overcome personal challenges,
providing vision and clarity regarding career
8|UTA ENGINEER
Tim Wallace
(left) served
as a mentor for
Christian Gonzales.
choices, introducing new technologies, and other
relevant topics.
Gayatri Tiwari (15 BS, Computer Engineer-
ing) became a mentor for the spring semester to
impart the wisdom she learned at UTA and in
the business world.
I want to help my mentee avoid the mistakes
I made in college so they can be a leader in their
field, she says. Choosing engineering is a big
responsibility, and as mentors we can help cur-
rent students choose a career path where they
can succeed.
SCHOLARSHIP HELPS
DOCTORAL STUDENT
MAKE AN IMPACT
Gomathy Radhakrishna Iyer, a
doctoral student in the Civil Engi-
neering Department, earned the
first-ever Evergreen Surety Bond
Scholarship from the Environ-
mental Research & Education
Foundation.
Radhakrishna Iyer was one of 12
graduate students across the United
States and Canada to receive the
honor. It allows her to focus on fin-
ishing her degree and continue her
research on developing landfill bio-
covers to oxidize surface methane.
I come from a developing
country where there are very few
engineered landfills, only dump
sites, she says. This scholarship
is very meaningful to me because
I dont have to worry about how to
support myself and pay for school.
Instead, I can focus on my research
and earn my degree so that when I
return home, Ill be well-prepared to
make a difference for the future.
As her adviser, Associate Profes-
sor Melanie Sattler, notes, This
research addresses landfill emis-
sions in an innovative way: by using
the waste itself to adsorb and trans-
form escaping greenhouse gases.
Gomathy Radhakrishna Iyer won the first-ever
Evergreen Surety Bond Scholarship.
SPOTLIGHT
Realizing a Dream Earlier this year, doctoral student
Cody Groundwho also earned his bachelors from UTA in 2012received a NEW CON-
prestigious Pathways internship with the Hypersonic Air-Breathing Propul- STRUCTION
sion Branch at NASAs Langley Research Center. During his time with NASA, MANAGEMENT
he will work as member of the research team and explore hypersonic mixing DEGREE
and injection for scramjet applications, while also writing his dissertation. ADDED
This is an exciting opportunity because it gives me a clear way to transition The Civil Engineering
Department is now
offering a bachelors
from the academic world to a career with NASA, Ground says. degree in construction
management to help meet
increasing workforce
demands in the bustling,
construction-laden North
Texas area.
The degree is the only
one of its kind in North
Texas and complements
the Master of Construc-
tion Management degree
that was added in 2014.
You have to be nimble
in reaching students on
their terms, says civil
engineering Chair Ali
Abolmaali. I expect some
of our students will be
working professionals
already in the field who
are looking to gain an
edge in an industry that is
demanding many things
of its managers. We will
provide tools that will
enable our construction
management graduates
to advance.
The degree equips
students with a mastery
of the latest in sustain-
able building techniques,
along with traditional
skills like accurately
detailing project scope,
budget, and construction
schedules. It will also
help them develop the
ability to satisfy quality,
safety, and environmental
expectations.

Cody Ground is making

a giant leap toward a
future career at NASA.

UTA ENGINEER|9
 DRIVING
PROGRESS Through innovative research, collaboration, and technological
advancements, College of Engineering faculty are tackling important
transportation issues for the growing North Texas region.

A
s t h e p opu l at ion in North Texas continues to grow,
so does the demand on the areas transportation infrastruc-
ture. More people means more traffic; more traffic means
more maintenance for highways and bridges, more com-
plaints about congestion, more pollutionand more problems for
city and county officials. As agencies around the state grapple with
these and other transportation challenges, The University of Texas
at Arlingtons College of Engineering is working to provide solutions,
from longer-lasting infrastructure materials to innovative transpor-
tation planning to efficient inspection systems.
North Texas is experiencing incredible
growth, and implementing transportation solu-
tions will be a crucial component of accommo-
dating that growth, says Peter Crouch, dean of
the College of Engineering. We are committed
to taking the lead in transportation-related
research in the region and playing an active
role in the critical functions of maintaining and
improving our transportation systems.
LEADERSHIP IN RESEARCH
This spring, UTA won three U.S. Department of
Transportation (DOT) grants that could be worth
about $12 million in funding during the next
five years. The awards speak to the Universitys
growing expertise across several academic and
research disciplines that intersect the nations

10|UTA ENGINEER
ILLUSTRATION BY CELIA JOHNSON UTA ENGINEER|11
 current and future transportation infrastructure
focus.
Transportation-related smart cities
havegained overt global attention due to the
increased focus on livable communities,says
civil engineering Chair Ali Abolmaali. Being
part of multiple U.S. DOT transportation centers
allows us to expand our knowledge and shape
how the nation addresses transportation issues.
Our collaborations with multiple major cities and
departments oftransportation to addressthese
critical issues has positioned us as a leader in the
field.
C-TEDD plans to assist transportation lead-
ers and elected officials in making wiser, more
informed choices about transportation through
the information and data it provides. It will focus
on preserving the existing transportation system,
while aligning the decision-making with funding
sources and mechanisms to achieve efficiency,
equity, and upward social mobility.
This includes multidisciplinary research
in five broad areas: innovative transportation
funding and policies, performance management
and monitoring systems, big data and innovative
techniques, transportation systems and global
States. The grant is expected to total $12.5 mil-
lion over five years, with UTA accessing up to
$2.5 million the first year.
This consortium aims to support all phases
of research, technology transfer, workforce
development, and outreach activities of emerg-
ing technologies that can solve transportation
challenges in the region. Its focus is on improving
transportation infrastructure through research
into innovative materials and new technology.
AERIAL INSPECTION
Puppala is also the primary investigator on

UTA researchers are using

unmanned aerial vehicles
to inspect highways and
railroads remotely, a safer
and less expensive solution
than having people on-site.

The first grant, which is expected to total up
to $7.7 million over a five-year period, established
the Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions,
and Dollars (C-TEDD) in North Texas, one of 32
such University Transportation Centers (UTC)
nationwide. The award will fund research, teach-
ing, and outreach on transportation-related
projects for North Texas and beyond. Shima
Hamidi of the College of Architecture, Planning,
and Public Affairs and civil engineering Profes-
sor Anand Puppala are leading the consortium.
Other partners are California Polytechnic State
UniversitySan Luis Obispo, the Georgia Insti-
tute of Technology, the University of Wisconsin
Madison, and the University of South Florida.
economic competitiveness, and plans for new
infrastructure demands. Transportation (TxDOT) agreement that will use
Associate Professor Stephen Mattingly is part
of a second UTC, this one led by Portland State
University. Dr. Mattingly will draw upon a total
award of $15.6 million that PSU will adminis-
ter, with $310,000 in funding for the first year.
His projects include developing institutional
infrastructure, evaluating transit connections
for potential opportunities, and creating a non-
motorized data archive and tools.
Finally, Professors Stefan Romanoschi, Dr.
Puppala, and Shih-Ho Chao received U.S. DOT
funding for the Louisiana State Universityled
Transportation Consortium of South-Central
a two-year, $770,909 Texas Department of
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to inspect high-
ways and railroads remotely and develop guide-
lines for how to safely complete the task. Teams
from Texas A&M UniversityCorpus Christi and
the Texas A&M Transportation Institute also
will contribute.
Postdoctoral researchers Ujwal Patil and Tejo
Bheemasetti, graduate students Surya Congress
and Kevin Wienhold, and Cody Lee Lundberg
from the UTA Research Institute will determine
how to use UAVs to perform remote sensing and
collect high-definition photos while conducting
pavement forensics at the U.S. Highway 67 proj-

12|UTA ENGINEER
ect site in Cleburne, Texas, and at U.S. Highway
82 near Bell in Fannin County, Texas.
The UAVs also will collect data on the condi-
tion of railroad tracks and crossings on a section
of track in South Central Texas. Texas A&M
UniversityCorpus Christi and the Texas A&M
Transportation Institute will develop procedural
guidelines and best practices for the use of UAVs
for this purpose.
According to Puppala, UAVs offer several
advantages over using people at the site.
It is safer and less expensive to use a UAV to
check pavement performance characteristics
Shih-Ho Chao (second from
left) is working on a U.S.
DOT-funded project aimed
at improving infrastructure
through innovative materials
and new technology.
because there is no need to close lanes and a
person doesnt have to be on the roadway or on
active railroad tracks, he says. The high-reso-
lution photos that we will receive will provide as
much information as an instrument on the pave-
ment. Additionally, we will be able to transmit
data from the UAV to a computer and process
images very quickly. We can then provide analy-
sis within hours so TxDOT can make decisions
immediately.
PREVENTING PAVEMENT CRACKS
Also helping TxDOT improve the states infra-
structure is Sahadat Hossain, who is tackling
pavement cracking caused by moisture. The civil
engineering professor received a $1.2 million to using RAP and geocells at a four- to six-inch
contract to implement a system to improve sub- thickness versus using traditional materials,
base repair of roads that would reduce pavement Puppala explains. If there is a slight slope, more
cracking and thus improve maintenance. traditional materials and a greater right-of-way
Water is an enemy of roads, Dr. Hossain will be required. This confined system uses
says. We need to reduce greatly or eliminate recycled materials and does not require as much
the amount of moisture a road soil base takes in. fill while holding the material in place, so there
Therefore, we are adding a should be significant
modified moisture barrier cost savings.
to stop or reduce moisture In addition to his
intrusion or variation into Being part of geocell research, Pup-
the pavement sub-base.
In addition, his team multiple U.S. DOT pala and Assistant Pro-
fessor Xinbao Yu are
will use recycled plastic
pins to reinforce the soil
transportation centers using giant lightweight
geofoam blocks to bol-
base, much like previous
applications that Hossain
allows us to expand ster the earth beneath
roads and bridges and
successfully implemented our knowledge slow its settling.
to shore up highway slopes
on several North Texas and shape how the If you place some-
thing heavy, like a road
highways.
Soil in Texas is con-
nation addresses or a bridge, on soft
soil, it will stress the
stantly shifting. The
makeup of the soil and
transportation issues. underlying soil, which
gets compressed with
Texas vast differences in time, Puppala says.
temperature and moisture Geofoam blocks cut
can provide too much movement for whatever down on sediment, can be stacked, and do not
is sitting on top. Earth walls and foundation place stress on the soil, so structures are safer
soil for roads suffer from the same shifting that and more stable. They are also environmentally
many homes and businesses experience across safe and designed in such a way that they do not
the state. degrade.
We want to add the recycled plastic pins to The team installed the blocks near a bridge
soil bases and retaining walls, Hossain says. at U.S. Highway 67 and State Highway 174 in
We can achieve the same positive impact with Johnson County to attempt to slow serious
the pins in these new areas. settling at the bridge entrance. Before Puppalas
team replaced an embankment near the bridge
BOLSTERING BRIDGES AND ROADS with geofoam blocks in 2012, the area had settled
In a separate project, Puppala is testing the close to 1 inch per year over the previous 17 years
performance of recycled materials and geocells due to heavy truck traffic loads. But in the three
in Johnson County, Texas, to help the Fort Worth years since the geofoam placement, the team
District determine if it could be used as an has measured a total of less than one inch of
additional tool to provide an effective pavement settlement.
structure for widening existing roadways. Several methods were used previously to try
For the two-year, $360,000 TxDOT contract, to stop the settling, but none worked, Puppala
Puppala is conducting experiments using recy- says. We are encouraged by the results of using
cled asphalt pavement, or RAP, in conjunction the geofoam so far and are discussing using this
with geocells to evaluate whether it is an effective material at other bridge sites as well.
way to recycle valuable materials. Geocells are As Dean Crouch notes, Maintaining the
modular structures that are arranged like a hon- states extensive and massive investment in its
eycomb, filled with aggregate, then compacted to road infrastructure costs millions of dollars
support a drivable surface. For the project, sen- every year. Dr. Puppalas extensive work with
sors in the pavement will collect data from traffic TxDOT gives him a unique perspective on the
loading and other factors at the site for at least departments needs and the unique problems
two years. That data will then be used to develop posed by Texas weather and soil conditions, and
specifications for the design of future projects. Im confident that his input will lead to signifi-
We are trying to learn if there is a benefit cantly better road quality in the future.
UTA ENGINEER|13
 In On Infrastr
The Civil Engineering Department is helping improve
the nations roads, railways, and airways.

D+
Thats what the United States bridges, air-traffic control system. And still others are
roads, and other infrastructure sys- using unmanned aerial vehicles to inspect high-
tems received in the American Society ways and railways and conduct hydrology studies
of Civil Engineers 2017 Infrastructure Report Card. for better flood prediction.
That ominous gradealong with the attention The Civil Engineering Department has long
given to infrastructure issues during the 2016 been a leader in addressing infrastructure issues
election cyclehas made projects in this area a in Texas, and we are now influencing decisions
high priority. on a national level, too, says Ali Abolmaali,
The College of Engineering is already well department chair. Our broad knowledge base
ahead of the game, thanks to North Texas allows us to actually effect change with global
booming population growth and the foresight of impacts.
UTA researchers and administrators. The Civil
Engineering Department is part of three Univer-
sity Transportation Centers funded by the U.S.
Department of Transportation in 2016. For one of
these, the department is taking the lead, in col-
laboration with the College of Architecture, Plan-
ning, and Public Affairs. Their task is to establish
a Center for Transportation Equity, Decisions,
and Dollars that will focus on preserving the MONITORING
TRACKS: A team
existing transportation system while aligning from Civil Engineer-
transportation decision-making and funding ing and UTARI is
sources with mechanisms to achieve efficiency, using unmanned
aerial vehicles to col-
equity, and upward social mobility. lect data on the condi-
Throughout the department, engineering tion of railroad tracks
researchers are exploring the spectrum of trans- and crossings.
portation in Texas. Some are creating innova-
tive ways to reuse and recycle pavement, make
bridges safer in icy conditions, and slow erosion
that causes roads to crumble. Others are study-
ing the feasibility of building a high-speed rail
system in Texas and ways to improve the nations

HELPING CITIES:
Steve Mattingly is
developing ways to
help local govern-
ments improve safety,
health, air quality,
and access in their
regional transporta-
tion plans.

14|UTA ENGINEER
ructure SLOWING SETTLE-
MENT : Anand
MANAGING AIR
TRAFFIC: Yan Wan
is developing ways
to model and control
tasks in large-scale
dynamic networks
and cyber-physical
systems, with applica-
tions to air traffic
management and
airborne networking.
Puppala and Xinbao
Yu are using giant
lightweight geofoam
blocks to bolster the
earth between roads
and bridges and slow
its settling.

CROWDSOURCING
FLOODS: D.J. Seo
launched a cellphone
app to encourage the
public to report flood-
ing on streets, helping
to increase the safety
of motorists during
flash flooding.

REINFORCING
ROADS: Sahadat Hos-
sain is using modified TESTING PIPES:
moisture barriers to WARMING Ali Abolmaali is test-
improve sub-base BRIDGES: Xinbao Yu ing fiber-reinforced
repair of roads and is testing concepts to concrete pipes used
reduce cracking, as use geothermal energy in culverts in highway
well as recycled plas- to make Texas bridges projects in Texas and
tic pins to stop shift- and overpasses Florida to see how
ing in retaining walls safer during winter they work in wet-dry
along highways. weather. conditions.

UTA ENGINEER|15
16|UTA ENGINEER
 on the Cutting Edge
Through new and redesigned programs, services, and other
resources, UTAs Department of Computer Science and
Engineering is preparing students for success after graduation.

T
h e I .T. se c t or i s b o om i ng and with it, opportunities
for employment. To meet this growing demand, the Computer
Science and Engineering Department at The University of
Texas at Arlington is developing and expanding opportunities for
students to gain valuable experience prior to entering the workforce.
These include robust undergraduate capstone courses; student com-
Civil engineering students
pose with Christopher petitions at the local, regional, and national levels; special-interest
D. McMurrough (seated),
who transformed the student groups and clubs; and training for budding entrepreneurs.
senior design program.

UTA ENGINEER|17
 Our students are exposed to many life-
enriching experiences at UTA, says Hong Jiang,
Wendell H. Nedderman Professor and chair of the
Computer Science and Engineering Department.
It is through these experiences that they prepare
for their future careers and develop a worldview
in a realistic and balanced way. This is a strength
of our department, and it gives our graduates a
competitive edge in the workforce.
Departments Manufacturing Automation and
Robotic Systems Lab.
Its a natural fit because the MAE students
have less experience with programming while
the CSE students often struggle with the
mechanical engineering aspect, but both want to
work with robots, McMurrough says.
Most projects involve some combination of
electrical, mechanical, and software engineering,
transformed our capstone courses into a robust,
exciting student experience that tackles real-
world industrial, community, and academic prob-
lems while enjoying steadily growing industry
sponsorships, says Dr. Jiang. The experience
and knowledge he gained through his nascent
but successful start-up company has enabled
him to help his students solve real problems and
instill in them the value of entrepreneurship.

UPGRADING CAPSTONE COURSES

Capstone coursesbetter known as senior
designare among the most valuable learning Through industry-
experiences offered by the department. They sponsored capstone
courses, students
allow students to apply the knowledge and skills gain professional and
they have developed during their time at UTA to academic experience.
real-world projects.
The department has required capstone
courses for many years, but since Senior Lecturer
Christopher D. McMurrough took over the pro-
gram, industry sponsors have materialized and
student projects have become more meaningful.
In the past year, Dr. McMurrough has secured
more than $35,000 in industry funding for the
projects, which helps both students and their
benefactors.
Each company pays $5,000 to sponsor a proj-
ect, thus gaining access to five students over two
semesters. Investors can be as involved in the
projects or as hands-off as they want to be, but
over the course of their sponsorships, they can
evaluate these potential employees for far less
than the cost of hosting a single paid intern for
that perioda worthwhile return on their mini-
mal monetary investment. For their part, the
students gain valuable professional experience, PROMOTING ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
make contacts in the business world, and have a
chance to be hired full-time after graduation. By far, the biggest Not all students want to work for someone else.
Some, like Cameron Moreau and Mayank Jain,
When I was an undergraduate, I looked
forward to my senior design class because it
part of my experience want to start their own companies instead.
Moreau is the co-founder of Gozova, an on-
sounded fun and I thought it would remove some
of the barriers to doing the projects I wanted to
at UTA thats shaped demand service that gives consumers access to
a truck when they need it. Rather than renting a
do, such as funding, McMurrough says. After I me and helped me U-Haul, calling a friend, or paying for a delivery
completed the program, I realized there was lots
of room for improvement. Now that Ive had time grow was being in a service, the app allows users to schedule a pickup
or request one instantly, similar to ride-sharing
to make changes to the course as an instruc-
tor, its become the class I wanted to take as a
student organization. services like Uber and Lyft.
Moreau, a senior computer science major, is
student. the companys chief technical officer.He founded
Students choose from a pre-approved list Gozova with Goran Krndija, chief executive
of projects that McMurrough believes offer a so students learn the importance of collaboration officer and a senior UTA finance major; Kolten
good chance of success. He tries to ensure that and of understanding other disciplines. McMur- Sturgill, senior computer science major; and
each team has a mix of hardware and software rough also tries to incorporate professional skills, Kevin Chung (16 BS, Information Systems).
engineers, and many projects are interdisciplin- entrepreneurship, and life skills into the course He and his team launched the beta version
ary; last year, for example, one group worked with to help students understand that theyre not of Gozova lastOctober with an iOS app. Since
Associate Professor Panos Shiakolas students bound to one career course. then, they have started doing business in the Fort
in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dr. McMurrough has almost single-handedly Worth area, attended several pitch competitions,

18|UTA ENGINEER
and run preliminary marketing campaigns. In beta launch now complete, he is analyzing the
March,they released an Android version of the results and creating a plan to scale up his prod-
app, and theyve since begun expanding deeper uct to include Southern Methodist University
into the Arlington area. and UT Dallas. When he successfully takes that
Weve met in UTAs StartUp Lounge every step, he has seed funders lined up who are ready Development), the Association for Comput-
week since we started Gozova. The staff has been to invest once they are confident that the app can
super helpful and are always trying to help us work on a larger scale.
grow our company, Moreau says. They allow I worked in India for five years before coming from each other, and share their passion for the
us to meet there after-hours and invite us to all to UTA, so I had the tech experience to make this
Senior Lecturer
Christopher
D. McMurrough
transformed the
departments
capstone courses.
kinds of events, like last years $500 Mavs Pitch work, Jain says. Jorge Varela with TechFW was events, providing important opportunities for
competition, which we won. They even got us the reason I was able to create a business from it.
into House of Genius and One Million Cups and I owe UTA a debt of gratitude for providing me
helped us establish a connection with TechFW. with the tools I needed to pursue this dream.
Similarly, Jain, a 2016 masters graduate who
now works for Cisco in California, created a car- COMPETITIONS, CLUBS, AND COMRADERY
pool app called SnapRyde to match drivers and Computer science and engineering students
riders heading in the same direction. can choose from dozens of clubs and student
As an international student, he knew many of organizations related to their fields of study, as
his classmates at UTA didnt have access to a car well as competitions at the local, regional, and
to get around town. Dallas Area Rapid Transits national levels.
MAX bus doesnt always go where students want UTA students have won the national AT&T
to go, and Uber and Lyft are expensive. With no Coding Challenge twice, along with the $10,000
efficient way to travel to Dallas or around Arling- top prize in the NTx Apps Challenge in 2014.
ton, it can be difficult to get from place to place. This year, engineering students have success-
SnapRyde helps students find rides with oth- fully competed in hackathons sponsored by the
ers who are going where they want to go; users Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Veri-
simply pay gas money for the trip. It is unique zon, and Texas A&M, including three first-place
because it focuses just on university students. finishes and several top-10 finishes.
The app won UTAs entrepreneurship-focused We are very proud of our students successes to be at the top is the ability to stay ahead. If I
StartUp Lounge competition last year, and Jain in these scholarly competitions, says Jiang.
incorporated his company in Texas. With his Their hard work, creativity, and initiative reflect
very well on our department, the College of Engi-
neering, and the entire University.
Organizations such as Mobi (the Student
Association for the Advancement of Mobile
ing Machinery, and the Game Developers Club
provide opportunities for students to meet, learn
field. Often, the clubs host speakers and social
Resources like student
clubs and the StartUp
Lounge helped senior
Cameron Moreau form
his company, Gozova.
networking.
Moreau is an enthusiastic proponent of join-
ing a student organization.
Fully understanding the background to what
youre doing and thinking like an engineer is
essential, and its mind-blowing once it finally
clicks, he says. By far, the biggest part of my
experience at UTA thats shaped me and helped
me grow is being in a student organization. I
fully believe that if clubs like this didnt exist, our
start-up would not exist today. Finding people
who have similar interests challenges you to keep
learning outside of class.
There are countless benefits to being in a club,
including the ability to learn and gain confi-
dence, Moreau continues. I dont have years
of industry experience, but I know everything
changes quickly, and one of the biggest skills
hadnt been involved in clubs, theres no way I
would have tried to create a business.
UTA ENGINEER|19
 BEYOND THE LAB THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
FROM THE COLLEGES ALUMNI
AND DONORS

BREAKING
NEW GROUND
After 19 years working
for the City of Arling-
tons Public Works and
Transportation Depart-
ment, Mindy Gowdy
Carmichael (90 BS, Civil
Engineering) was named
the departments first
female director in August
2016.
Carmichael succeeded
Keith Melton, who retired
after 32 years with the
city. She previously served
as operations assistant
director, managing the
citys $16 million Street
Maintenance Sales Tax
Program, the multi-
million-dollar Capital
Improvement Program,
and about 175 full- and
part-time employees in Laura Nedderman,
traffic engineering, traffic granddaughter of former
operations, and street UTA president Wendell
maintenance. As part of Nedderman, continued
her duties, Carmichael her familys history
is preparing Arlingtons at the University.
transportation infra-

A Family Legacy
structure for self-driving
cars.
She worked for the
Texas Department of
Transportation for sev- When Laura Nedderman accepted her Its incredible to walk into Nedderman
eral years prior to joining
the City of Arlington. diploma at Commencement in May, it was Hall and think that someone in my family
UTA is a family tradi-
tion for Carmichaelher
an extension of her familys legacy at UTA. made such a lasting impact on the Univer-
son, Cody, graduated in Nedderman, who earned a bachelors sity and the community, she says. Since
May 2016 and her daugh-
ter, Callie, is a junior. degree in civil engineering, is the grand- Ive been here Ive learned about my grand-
Women are in engi-
neering and were making
daughter of longtime University president dads legacy. He still talks about UTA all
an impact, she says. Its and engineering dean Wendell Nedder- the time. I met professors who know him
a great profession. I
wouldnt do anything man. Her father, brother, two uncles, and a and they always said such amazing things
else. cousin have also earned degrees from the about him. I never wouldve known that if
University. I hadnt gone here.

20|UTA ENGINEER
 NICHOLS
NEW ALUMNI
DIRECTOR

Ken Hall contributes to his
alma mater in many ways,
including mentoring students.
SPOTLIGHT
Christine Nichols
joined the College of
Engineering in Novem-
ber as its new senior
director of develop-
ment and alumni
relations.
Nichols most
recently served as
director of develop-
ment and external
relations for the School
of Engineering at
Santa Clara University,
successfully obtaining
$3.5 million in direct
gifts in 2015, including
a $1.5 million planned
gift and a $1 million
endowed scholarship

Graduate Gives Back Ken Hall (86 BS, Civil Engi- for computer engineer-
ing students.
I am excited to join
neering) chose UTA because it offered the best engineering program at the
UTAs College of Engi-
lowest cost in Texas. Since graduating, he has enjoyed a long career as a civil neering, Nichols says.
Its recent growth and
engineer, mostly at CH2M, where he is south central geographic manager reputation for produc-
ing excellent engineers
of the global engineering companys state and local government arm. When for the community, as
well as its large alumni
he moved back to North Texas several years ago, he revived his relationship
base, show me that it
with his alma mater, serving as an engineering mentor, substitute lecturer, is a dynamic organiza-
tion with a great deal
and donor. I got to a point in life where I wanted to give back, Hall explains. of potential.

I do that financially each year, but I think its also important for alumni to
advocate for their university.
UTA ENGINEER|21
 BEYOND THE LAB ALUMNI

PURSUING HIS
PASSION
Jeff Smith has always
been on the leading
edge of technology. He
started one of the first
internet providers in
the Southwest and has
worked with everything
from telemetry to sensors
to the internet of things.
MOre Alumni/Giving info But his real passion lies
in robotics and artificial
intelligenceinstead of
a man cave, he has a
700-square-foot robotics
lab in his houseand his
experience with networks
and sensors helps him
pursue that passion.
Smith has hired
hundreds of UTA alumni
over the years, including
in his current position
Waseem Asghar won as managing director of
the 2016 Humanity in QuantumIOT, a systems
Science Award for his integration company he
innovative research. founded. He is also CTO
of CatapultHealth, a
remote telehealth com-
pany that hires dozens of
SPOTLIGHT UTA nursing graduates.
Ive started several

Alumnus Receives Science Award

companies and been per-
ceived as a visionary, but
Ive been fortunate to fol-
low my passion in nascent
Waseem Asghar (12 PhD, Electrical Engineering), an assistant professor at technology, he says. Im
not a visionaryI just did
what was interesting.
Florida Atlantic University, received the 2016 Humanity in Science Award,
established to recognize researchers for analytical science breakthroughs
that have substantially benefited human lives in some form. Dr. Asghar
received the honor for his work to develop a new, flexible material-based
diagnostic biosensing platform that could be used to remotely detect and
determine treatment options for HIV, E. coli, and other pathogens.

22|UTA ENGINEER
CLASS NOTES
1969
Floyd Wine (AS, Aero-
nautical Engineering; 83 cal Engineering) was
BBA, Management) was
inducted into UTAs Mili- a smart fuse that enables
tary Science Hall of Honor.
He spent his career at Bell
Helicopter as an engineer,
draftsman, instructor,
and project leader before
retiring in 2007.
1970
Gary Trietsch (BS, 74 MS, 1981
Civil Engineering) is the
executive director of the
Harris County Toll Road
Authority. Under his lead-
ership, the HCTRA won
the 2016 Toll Excellence
Award in the technology
category from the Inter-
national Bridge, Tunnel,
and Turnpike Association.
He is a member of the
College of Engineerings Assistance Advisory Task
Board of Advisors.
1973
William Crosier (BS,
Electrical Engineer-
ing; 75 MS, Biomedical
Engineering) was named
executive director of the
five-station Pacifica Radio
Network. He is a former
chair of the board and
president of the Houston
Peace and Justice Center.
1976
Tommy Slater (BS,
Mechanical Engineering)
was named vice president
of the Public Service
Company of Oklahoma
in August 2016, charged
with overseeing the com-
panys assets. Previously,
he spent 40 years with
Southwestern Electric
Power Company.
1978
Kelcy Warren (BS,
Civil Engineering) was
featured in aBloom- September 2016. She is a
bergarticle focusing on member of the College of
his capacity to make good
business moves even
during the oil bust. He is
CEO of Energy Transfer
Partners.
1980 1986
Lloyd Khuc (BS, Electri- Ken Hall (BS, Civil
Engineering) was pro-
awarded a U.S. patent for moted to the position of
south central geography
drones to attack impro- manager, state and local
vised explosive devices. governments sector, at
He is an electrical CH2M. He is based in the
engineer working at the
U.S. Army Research and
DFW Metroplex and has
worked with CH2M for 26
Development Engineering years. Hall also serves on
Center in Picatinny, N.J. the College of Engineer-
ings Board of Advisors
and as a mentor for UTA
engineering students.
Roger Krone (MS, Aero-
space Engineering) has
been named to the Borg- 1988
Warner board of directors. John Goode (BS, Mechan-
He is CEO of Leidos. ical Engineering) was
featured in an article on
1982 AutoHarem.com about his
restored 1952 Chevy 3100
Michael Guyton (BS,
truck. He is general man-
Electrical Engineering)
was appointed to the ager of a manufacturing
company in Fort Worth.
Texas Small Business
Force by Gov. Greg Abbott 1990
in November 2016. He is Mindy Gowdy Carmi-
senior vice president and chael (BS, Civil Engineer-
chief customer service ing) is the first woman to
officer at Oncor, where he head the Arlington Public
has worked for 38 years. Works Department.
1983 1995
G. Don Taylor (BS, 85 MS, Steven Eubanks (BA,
Industrial Engineering) Civil Engineering) was
became Virginia Techs given the Richard Van
first vice provost for Trump Award by the
learning systems innova- Texas Society of Profes-
tion and effectiveness in
late 2016. He has been a
sional Engineers.
faculty member at Vir-
ginia Tech since 2004 and
1996
Matt Childs (BS, 99 MS,
was interim dean of the
College of Engineering
Civil Engineering) was
prior to his new role.
named vice president
of sales in charge of the
North American market
1984 for HawkeyePedershaab
Rhonda Harris (BS, Civil Inc. in April. He was presi-
Engineering) received a dent of the American Con-
Lifetime Achievement crete Pipe Association
Award from the Water from 2000 until assuming
Environment Association his current position.
of Texas in April. She was William Gladbach (BS,
named vice president Electrical Engineering;
at Tata & Howard in 97 BS, Architecture)
was appointed to serve
as Western Region
Engineerings Board of managing director, a
Advisors and is a director new position at Manhard
on the Board of the Water Consulting in Denver. He
Technology Accelera- had previously worked
tion Project in Ontario, at Jacobs Engineering
Canada. Group Inc.
1997
Brandon W. ODonald
(BS, Civil Engineering)
was named a new prac-
tice leader of land devel-
opment in the Fort Worth
area for Pape-Dawson
Engineers Inc. Sajeeb
Wazed (BS, Computer
Science and Engineer-
ing), one of the countrys
foremost technology
advocates, was profiled
online by Bangladeshs
ruling Awami League.
2001
Yasir Mabud (BS, Electri-
cal Engineering) is the
general manager of Sum-
mit Communications.
2005
Jacob Jake LaCombe
(BS, Electrical Engineer-
ing) became a partner at
the law firm of Munck
Wilson Mandala in Janu-
ary. He represents clients
in patent preparation
and prosecution, patent
litigation, and intellectual
property licensing.
In Memoriam
1960s
Ronny Hurl Moore
(66 BS, Aerospace
Engineering), 73, March
24 in Austin. He spent
his career at NASA in
Houston. David Gordon
(63 BS, Electrical Engi-
neering), 78, April 30 in
Dallas. Gordon taught
operations management
and was director of the
University of Dallas
industrial manage-
ment and engineering
management programs
for 40 years before his
retirement in 2005.
1970s
Harold D. Dick Smith
(79 MS, Civil Engineer-
ing), 82, Aug. 4, 2016,
in Arlington. He was
UPDATES, NEWS, AND
GOINGS-ON FROM
ENGINEERING ALUMNI
2007
Jason Bass (BS, Civil a research scientist at
Engineering) joined Hewlett Packard Labs. A
MWM DesignGroup in paper he wrote with UTA
April as a project manager Associate Professor Gau-
for the civil engineering tam Das was presented
land development group. at the 2016 International
Conference on Very Large
2010 Databases.
Courtney Burkhart
(BS, Computer Science;
15 MBA, Business) is
2015
Amaraja Dalvi (MS,
the global I.T. business Industrial Engineering)
relationship manager at was contracted through
Ericsson. Vishal Sanghai IET Inc. as an industrial
(MS, Electrical Engineer- engineer for General
ing) is an engineer work- Motors in 2016. Kush
ing for San Diegobased Shah (MS, Materials Sci-
Peregrine Semiconductor. ence) is a global material
compliance engineer at
2011 Karma Automotive.
Brandon Wheeler (BS,
Civil Engineering) was
named Young Engineer
2016
Naeemul Hassan (PhD,
of the Year by the DFW Computer Science and
Mid-Cities Chapter of the
Engineering) joined the
Texas Society of Profes- faculty of the University
sional Engineers. He is of Mississippi School of
a team leader at Wier & Engineering in 2016 as
Associates Inc. an assistant professor of
computer and informa-
2013 tion science.
Mahashweta Das (PhD,
Computer Science) is
retired from the United
States Environmental
before retiring in 1993.
Chen was the inventor or
Protection Agency. co-inventor on 126 U.S.
patents and authored or
Faculty, Staff, and co-authored 73 papers,
two technical books,
Supporters and eight book chapters.
Robert Randy Ran- He was elected to the
dolph Bohannon, 72, Jan.
5 in Euless. Dr. Bohan-
National Academy of
Engineering in 1990 and
non was a research to the National Academy
engineer at UTAs ARRI of Inventors in 2012.
(now UTARI) and TMAC
from 1996-2008. Norman Spayd, 70, June
Nai Yuen Chen, 91,
27. He had more than 27
years of service to UTA,
March 30 in Arlington. working at UTARI as a
Dr. Chen joined UTA in jack-of-all-trades and
2011 as a distinguished conducting/certifying
research professor after all lab safety training.
a long career with Mobil He previously worked at
Oil Corporation. At the Super Conducting
Mobil, he rose through Super Collider and was a
the ranks to senior scien- retired chief petty officer
tist and manager by 1979 in the U.S. Navy.
UTA ENGINEER|23
 RE-ENGINEERED
Blood Lines
Tissue-engineered, 3-D printed blood vessels could change childrens lives.
V
a s c u l a r de f e c t s can cause congenital heart
defects in children. But the treatments usually used for
adults have proven difficult to adapt to young patients.
Grafts, for example, are not an ideal solution because
they do not grow at the same rate as a childs body
does, making it necessary for multiple surgeries over the
years.
An additional complication is the high risk of thrombosis.
Normally, this is treated with anti-coagulant drugs, but they
are not compatible with the active lifestyle of a normal child.
Current tissue-engineered blood vessels are very fragile and
cannot withstand blood pressure and the stresses of implanta-
tion surgery.
However, Yi Hong may have a solution. The bioengineer-
ing assistant professor is using a National Institutes of Health
grant to develop materials that can be used in a 3-D printer,
24|UTA ENGINEER
A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT
THE OBJECTS OF EVERYDAY LIFE
are elastic, and can be formed into viable, patient-specific
blood vessels.
His partner, Guohao Dai of Northeastern University, will
use Dr. Hongs materials to print the blood vessels. The duo
will mix cells and the materials together to print a conduit,
which can then be attached to natural blood vessels, reducing
the need for surgical manipulation.
Our research is unique and could be far-reaching because
we are developing elastic materials for 3-D printing, Hong
says. There are great possibilities from this project, which
is a broad look at the possibility of tissue-engineering a
blood vessel. Other groups are investigating 3-D printed,
tissue-engineered blood vessels for use in bypasses or in the
abdominal wall, but they do not have the proper bioinks.
These are the major parts that will be needed for success in
those areas.
 development and alumni r e l at i o n s

Advancing Research, Improving Our Community

Research that furthers our understanding of health and the human condition relies on the expertise of UTAs College of Engineering
students, faculty, and resources. The construction of the new Science and Engineering Innovation and Research building will
enhance the Colleges research capacity and allow for groundbreaking research in unprecedented fashion.

A cornerstone of UTAs research enterprise, the 229,000-square-foot
Science and Engineering Research and Innovation (SEIR) building
will house cross-disciplinary research teams focused on disease- and
problem-specific science in research neighborhoods. This will
maximize interactions and cross-leveraging of knowledge that speeds
advances out of laboratories to a nation and public needing science
that changes lives. Building on existing UTA strengths, the addition of
the SEIR building will enable us to attract world-class scholars around
research clusters that tackle the nations most pressing health challenges.
Partner with us and make research happen at the highest level possible.

Join us as we accelerate research at UTA and support talented students

and faculty who make our community better. Make a gift to the Science and
Engineering Innovation and Research building.

For more information or to support UTA, contact

THEIR TALENT. YOUR OPPORTUNITY. OUR EXCELLENCE. Christine Nichols, Senior Director of Development,
at 817-272-2502 or Christine.Nichols@uta.edu.
 COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Box 19019
Arlington, TX 76019-0019
CAMPUS UPDATE
A Closer Look
Jun Liaos research just received a high-tech upgrade.
The associate bioengineering professor recently pur-
chased a DeltaVision OMX SR system, a compact
multimode imaging platform that uses lasers to per-
form high- and super-resolution imaging. This system
allows us to see details not accessible by conventional
Non-profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Burlington, VT 05401
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microscopy due to the diffraction limit of light, Dr.
Liao says. If we know the details, we can better cap-
ture key mechanisms at cellular and molecular levels
and design new strategies to promote tissue regenera-
tion and treat diseases. The system will play a key role
in Liaos research in cardiovascular diseases.