UC Aerospace

Engineering for the 21st Century

Department Recieves Second Eminent Scholar Award from Ohio

Board of Regents

Fall 2007
Vol. 78, Issue 1

Individual Highlights
From the
Department Head

Faculty News

3-4

Alumni News

5-8

Student News

9-11

Alumni News &

Views

12

Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric D. Fingerhut recently announced the University
of Cincinnati Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics
received an Ohio Eminent Scholar Award this year in the area of Reliability and Service
Life Management for Advanced Propulsion and Power Systems. This is one of only two
Ohio Eminent Scholar Awards to be designated for 2007 by the Board of Regents in
the state.
This eminent scholar position will complement the current department strengths in
aeropropulsion, turbomachinery, combustion and aeroacoustics research. It will also
expand existing life management research activities in the areas of advanced erosion
and corrosion protection under extreme operational conditions and environmentallyassisted degradation mechanisms, manufacturing quality control, nondestructive
inspection, and real-time in situ engine health monitoring.
With this award, the Department will have the distinction of having two Ohio Eminent
Scholars. Dr. Miklos Sajben, our first Eminent Scholar, joined the Department in 1993.
After his retirement in 1999, Dr. Ephraim Gutmark assumed his current Ohio Eminent
Scholar position in 2000.

Left to right: Provost Tony Perzigian, Cynthia Barryman-Fink, Professor Tom Mantei,
Department Head Awatef Hamed, Chancellor Fingerhut, Professor Bill Heineman,
UC President Zimpher, VP of Research Sandra Degen, Associate Dean Gerner

A Few Words from the Department Head

Faculty Profile: Dr. Mark G. Turner

Much has happened since our last newsletter. Earlier this year we were saddened
by the passing of Brian Rowe, Chairman Emeritus of GE Aircraft Engines. Brian Rowe
was held in high regard at the College of Engineering, not only for his outstanding
professional achievements, but for his commitment to education and steadfast
support of the College, the AE program, and our students.
On the brighter side, our two new faculty, Professors Cohen and Turner are
already busy coordinating student develoment through the Integrated Aerospace
Engineering and Senior Design classes. When you read their profiles in this
newsletter, I think you will agree with me that their engineering practice experience
will add enrichment to our student education.
Brian Rowe

As many of you know the Department launched a five-year, two-degree program,

called ACCEND (ACCelerated ENgineering Degree) in 2003. The ACCEND program provides an opportunity
for motivated students to make a significant difference earlier in their careers through a combination of
asynchronous distance learning during co-op quarters with traditional on-campus education, laboratory and
project-based learning experience to condense the BS and MS or MBA into a five-year program. I am pleased
to report that 20 of this years freshman class are enrolled in ACCEND, with 20
additional ACCEND sophomores, pre-juniors, juniors. We are impressed by the high
academic standards, excellence, and drive of these students.

Dr. Awatef Hamed

Department Head

Our alumni support and engagement continues in several avenues. Tom Byar visited
campus this spring when he established the Knowlson and Irene Byar Endowed
Scholarship Fund for undergraduate aerospace students. During his Cincinnati visit,
Tom toured the Department research labs and sampled the Cincinnati culinary
offerings. Our annual reception at the AIAA Aerospace Sciences meeting in Reno
was a great success. Many alumni and friends had the chance to meet with the
faculty and several undergraduate and graduate students who presented papers at
the conference. Some alumni were joined by their families like Dr. Yong Du Jun, who
came with his wife, Mi-Yeon, and their two sons, Paul and John. We look forward to
seeing many of you at the next reception Monday night January 7, 2008.

Our Advisory Board met on April 2, 2007 to

review the Department strategic plans, as
well as, educational and research activities. In
addition, the Board members evaluated the
Senior Design Team presentations. This year
the Engine Design group was the Departments
thirteenth team to win in the twelve years UC
has competed since 1988.
Finally, we are very proud to have won one of
only two Eminent Scholar Awards from the
Ohio Board of Regents in 2007. We are looking
forward to having two Ohio Eminent Scholars in
the Department, and welcome suggestions and
nominations from our alumni, and industrial
and government partners.

Page  of 12

Mark Turner is now an Associate Professor in the Aerospace

Engineering Department at UC. Mark had been a research
professor in the department for the past 6 years. Before that, he
worked at General Electric Aircraft Engines in Cincinnati, Ohio for
over 20 years. His work includes developing CFD methods for use
in turbomachinery design and providing technical leadership in
the further development of the Multistage CFD tools. He worked
with a team at NASA and GE to produce the first 3D simulation of
an entire Turbofan engine (the GE90) at takeoff conditions. Mark
is currently working with AVETeC, GE Aerospace, NASA Glenn
Research Center and the Propulsion Directorate at AFRL on time
accurate simulations of compressors and turbines, combustorturbine coupling, visualization, and full engine simulation efforts.
In addition, Mark has interests in turbomachinery design as well
as high performance computing.
Professor Turner is an alumnus of the department, having completed his Masters at UC in Aerospace Engineering
in 1986. He earned his Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Virginia Tech, and a doctorate in Aeronautics
and Astronautics from MIT in 1990.
Mark has published over 30 papers in conference proceedings and refereed journals. He holds two US Patents, is
a Professional Engineer in the State of Ohio, and an Associate Fellow of the AIAA. He is an active member of the
Turbomachinery Committee and Education Committee of the IGTI.

Faculty Profile: Dr. Kelly Cohen

Dr. Cohen came to the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics in September 2007
and is its newest associate professor specializing in Dynamics and Control. He will teach undergraduate classes
in integrated aircraft engineering and controls and graduate classes in intelligent control. With his graduate
teaching and research assistants, he is planning to develop an Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Lab, with a
focus on intelligent systems, for civilian applications such as fighting Wildland fires. He is currently advising
one graduate student.
Prior to joining the department, Dr. Cohen was a research contractor
at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO, where
he developed low dimensional modeling and control computational
tools for feedback flow control of bluff bodies. This research effort
was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. His research
experience includes fifteen years in the research and development of
UAV platforms and technologies.

Aerospace Department Advisory Board

From left to right: Dr. Tom Wakeman, Belcan Corporation; Dr. Edward M.
Kraft, AEDC; Dr. John Benek, AFRL/WPAFB; Mr. Dick Johnson, Gulfstream
Aerospace; Dr. Don Paul, AFRL/WPAFB; Mr. Tim Kinne, General Electric
Aviation; Dr. Eric T. Baumgartner, T.J. Mull College of Engineering; Dr. Ronnie
Miller, NDE & Engineering Services; Dr. Alan Garscadden, AFRL/WPAFB; and
Dr. Carol Russo, NASA Ames Research Center.

Dr. Cohen is an Associate Fellow of the AIAA (American Institute of

Aeronautics and Astronautics) and an active member of the Intelligent
Systems Technical Committee. His engineering career spans over 22
years during which he has published twenty journal papers as well as
over eighty other publications. Dr. Cohen received his B.S., M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees from the faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Technion,
Israel Institute of Technology, 1985, 1991 and 1999 respectively.

Page  of 12

Faculty News
Professor Asif Syed and his students were partners in Hexcel Corporations development of the Acousti-CapTM
technology for which they received the composites industrys highly esteemed JEC Innovation Award. The
product, developed for acoustically absorptive liner material, was developed for use in the inlet and exhaust
ducts of commercial aircraft engines.
Jeff Kastner joined the department as a Research Assistant Professor on July 1, 2007. He was awarded his PhD
in Mechanical Engineering from Ohio State University in 2007 for his research on high speed jet noise. He
graduated with a BS in ME in 1999 and went on to receive his MS from the same institution in 2002 for his
work on development of actuators for control of high speed flows. Jeff will work with Dr. Gutmark in the Gas
Dynamics and propulsion Laboratory on aeroacoustics, fluid dynamics and combustion research.
During winter and spring quaters of 2007 Dr. Sheng Wan was a visiting professor in the Department. He taught
dual level courses on Analytical Dynamics and Space Craft Dynamics, and an undergraduate course on Flight
Mechanics. Dr. Wans expertise is in the field of Aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Controls, Guidance
and Navigation. He worked at General Electric Company in Erie, PA before coming to UC in January.
Dr. Dong-Jin Cha, from Hanbat National University in Korea, is currently a visiting Professor in the Department.
He is working with Prof Gutmark on thermoacoustic instability of gas turbines engines. In Korea, Prof. Cha taught
Fluid Mechanics and thermo-fluids courses and conducted research on combustion instabilities of commercial
dry low NOx (DLN) gas turbines operated at the Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO).

Barry Eccleston Speaks at UC

On February 5th, 2007, Mr. Barry Eccleston, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Airbus North America, gave a seminar entitled An Overview of
Future Challenges in Commercial Aviation in the Lindner Center Auditorium.
The presentation addressed future challenges in commercial aviation and
advanced technology development for meeting the increasing demand for
high performance, low noise, and affordable and safe aviation for projected
transportation needs. Dean Montemagno, Professor Hamed and several
aerospace engineering faculty and students were in the audience as well as
engineers from General Electric, AFRL and Belcan.

John Lueke Retires After 40 Years Of Exemplary Service

The Air Force recently presented John Lueke (BS AE 70) with its Outstanding Civilian Service Award. The award
was in recognition for his work with the United States Air Force (USAF), Fan and Compressor Branch, Turbine
Engine Division, Propulsion Directorate (AFRL/PRTF), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), from 1967 to 2007.
John Lueke began his career in the Turbine Engine Division as a co-op student demonstrating his capabilities
such that he was hired full time after graduating from the University of Cincinnati. Throughout his career he
was placed in positions of high responsibility culminating in taking the Branch Chief position for the Fan &
Compressor branch. His involvement and contributions in the Integrated
High Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) program resulted
in doubling the thrust to weight ratio of modern turbine engines. John has
served on numerous panels and working groups to solve problems in the
F110, Pegasus failures and Global Hawk AE3005H Engines.

Dr. Bill Borger, Propulsion Director,

recognizing John Lueke

2007 College Distinguished Alumni Includes Two from Aerospace

The College of Engineering celebrated its annual
Distinguished Alumni Award banquet in the
Continental Ballroom of the Hilton Cincinnati
Netherland Plaza on April 26th, 2007. Distinguished
alumni recipients are chosen based on their exemplary
achievements in engineering, business, public service,
education or professional activities. The individual
engineering departments bestow the award on
their alumni/ae based on meritorious achievement,
recognized stature, and conspicuous success in the
imaginative blending of engineering education with
highly productive endeavors in industry, professional
activities, and public service. The 2007 recipients
included two aerospace engineering alumniTim
Kinne and D.R. Reddy.
Tim graduated cum laude and received a BS in Aerospace
Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in 1974.
He received a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Cincinnati in
1977. Tim began his career
with General Electric in
1974 as a Design Engineer
working on aircraft engine
structural
components.
He honed his engineering
design skills with a variety
of components. He soon
progressed
into
Team
Leadership positions based
on his developing leadership
skills. He was promoted
Tim Kinne
to a management position
at a relatively early point in his career. As his teams
successes mounted, Tim was promoted to manage
larger design teams. As his Program Management and
Leadership skills advanced he was promoted to the
position of Master Black Belt, the highest rank in the
General Electric Six Sigma Quality Program. Following
this assignment, Tim was promoted to the Department
Manager position. His strategic vision combined with
his personal management style have enabled his
department to achieve world class status.

Dr. D. R. Reddy received his Bachelor of Engineering in

Mechanical Engineering from Sri Venkateswara (S.V.)
University, Andhra Pradesh, India (1971); Master of
Engineering in Aerospace Engineering from Indian
Institute of Science, Bangalore, India (1974); and
PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University
of Cincinnati (1983). Dr. Reddy joined NASA GRC in
1991, as Chief of the Computational Fluid Dynamics
Branch. In 1998, he became Chief of the On-Board
Propulsion Branch, where his responsibilities included
development and transfer of advanced on-board
spacecraft propulsion technologies for future NASA
missions and other government and commercial
spacecraft applications. In 2002, he was appointed
to his current position as a member of the U.S. Senior
Executive Service. Prior to joining NASA, he worked for
Sverdrup Technology Inc., Allison Gas Turbine Division,
GM Corp. (currently part of Rolls Royce), University of
Cincinnati, and Defense Research & Development
Laboratory (India). Dr. Reddy currently serves as Chief
of the Aeropropulsion Division at NASA Glenn Research
Center (GRC), Cleveland, OH. There he is responsible
for leading research and developing technology in
the area of propulsion for aero and space applications.
He also leads partnerships with internal and external
organizations, plans new initiatives and ensures
technical capabilities in strategic areas consistent
with the Centers roles and mission. Dr. Reddy has 35
technical publications; is an Associate Fellow of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
(AIAA); a member of
AIAAs
Air
Breathing
Propulsion
technical
committee; a member of
ASMEs Turbomachinery
Technical Committee; and
a member of the JANNAF
(Joint Army Navy NASA
Air Force interagency
propulsion committee)
Executive Committee.
D.R. Reddy

Page  of 12

Aerospace Graduate Tom Byar Establishes Scholarship Fund for Undergraduates

Tom Byar, a 1959 graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a BS
in aerospace engineering, has established the Knowlson and Irene
Byar Endowed Scholarship Fund for undergraduate aerospace
students in recognition of his deceased parents.
Knowlson, Toms father, was a design engineer at the American
Tool Works Company. Irene, his mother, was a graduate of
Bethesda Nursing School. Byar made the gift, he says, because I
had some assets that were appreciating and I wanted them to be
meaningful. A need-based scholarship fund for undergraduates
seemed like a good way for that money to be used.

Tom Byar and Dr. Hamed

Byar, who retired 12 years ago, worked on aircraft external

structural loads during a 36 year career at the North American
Aircraft Division of Rockwell International (now Boeing) in
California. Among the notable projects he was involved in were
the B1 and B70 bomber program, the Apollo program, and the
X31 fighter program for enhanced maneuverability.

Byar, whose first co-op assignment was with Cessna in Wichita, Kansas, was quite a model aircraft buff,
participating in the 1956, 1957 and 1958 national model aircraft competitions. In 1956 he set a national record
for speed in the 160 mph class.
A graduate of Hughes High School and Hartwell Elementary School, Byar returned to Cincinnati and visited UC
earlier this year. He was pleased to see that Professor Widen Tabakoff, who came to UC in Byars senior year, was
still active in performing sponsored research. Said Byar, Dr. Tabakoff came here in 1959 to teach propulsion and
48 years later, he is still here.
Aerospace Department Head Awatef Hamed praised the gift from Byar, saying, This is a gift that will make a
difference in the lives of our students. On behalf of the students and faculty of the department, we are grateful
for what Tom Byar has done to provide support for undergraduate aerospace engineers.

Honors
The following eight UC alumni were among
those selected by the 2007 American Institute of
Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Associate Fellow
Grade Committee:


Brent F. Beacher, General Electric AviationMS 72.
PhD AE 83
Keith E. Blodgett, General Electric AviationBS 87,
MS 90 and PhD 95
Rolf R. Hetico, General Electric AviationBS 81, MS
85

Page  of 12

Update: Betty J. Fulford Dooley, BS AE 50

By Michael J. Dooley, BSIM (CoB) 50
Five or six years ago Betty and I wandered through Baldwin Hall until we found her class picture, the aeronautical
engineering class of 1950, maybe 20 students. Betty was the only woman in the class and may be the first UC
female Aero. Her bio may be of interest to your 21st century engineering coeds.
Betty was a BWOC at UC. She was Mortar Board, President of Theta Phi Alpha, honorary member of Tau Beta Pi,
and active in a host of other organizations. She was also a varsity basketball player. When she graduated in 1950
she went to Seattle with Boeing. Only Boeing and Lockeed were hiring aero grads right before the start of the
Korean War.
I followed her to Washington State and convinced her to marry me. In 1951 the Army called me back to active
duty. Betty suffered a hiatus of 23 years in her engineering career. During that time she raised three children
and earned an MBA. When we returned to Redstone Arsenal in 1974 she was looking for a job. She worked for
15 years for NASA contractors responsible for the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters. Almost all that time was
spent as a first line supervisor of younger engineers who did not have her work ethic.
One of my friends who is a Georgia Tech grad told me he sat next to a female student for a whole year in 1956
and never said a word to her. Why? He thought admitting women to Georgia Tech cheapened the mens degrees.
I was happy to embarrass him by telling him my wife would like to hear that.
In the 1980s, while Betty was still in the workforce, she became the premier runner of her age in the state of
Alabama. At one time she had over 50 state records in distances from one mile to the half marathon. She has
run 10 marathons.
In the 1980s I called Tau Beta Pi Hq and asked if they had come
out of the dark ages, and what was it with Bettys Womens Badge.
The staffer (a female) informed me that they had indeed emerged
and that Betty could now become a full fledged member. She also
informed me that there were many men at the general membership
meeting who were adamantly opposed to letting women in.
I have had a number of female Alabama graduates working
for me and found most of them more mature than their male
counterparts.

Fred H. Krause, General

Electric AviationBS 74

Betty stopped setting road racing records at age 78 when she had a
stroke on 27 May 2006. She has severe aphasia. She has had PT, OT
and speech therapy for about sixteen months now.

John Lafferty, AEDCBS 87

R. Kevin Rowe, General Electric
AviationBS 75, MS 82

Dr. James E. Wade, University
of CincinnatiBS 58

Alumnu Profile: Betty J. Fulford Dooley

Dr. James E. Wade

The 2007 Associate Fellows

were honored at the AIAA Associate Fellows Dinner
on January 8, 2007, in conjunction with the 45th AIAA
Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit at Reno,
Nevada.
Page  of 12

AsE Class of 77 Holds 30th Reunion

The Aerospace Engineering Class of 77 held its 30th reunion at UC on June 8-10. 11 out of the 14 class members
attended and renewed old friendships while reveling in the fond memories of UC in the seventies.
It was fairly easy to locate the members of the class. Thanks
to several members who had each kept up with one or two
classmates over the years, and to the large contingent who
are employed by Wright Patterson AFB, all the members of
the class were located and contacted in only a few days, with
a little additional help from the UC Alumni Office.
The weekend began on Friday with a cocktail reception at
the Embassy Suites, Blue Ash, followed by dinner at LaRosas
pizza, a favorite hangout of the class. On Saturday, Merrianne
Cardes, a campus guide with the Government Relations
and Communications Department, gave the class and their
guests a wonderful and informative tour of the campus,
highlighting the large number of significant changes that
have occurred over the past 30 years since the class left
campus. Curt Fox, an Aerospace Research Associate, then
showed the group around the engineering building, citing
some of the current projects that were ongoing in the
Aerospace Department. Lunch followed at Skyline, as no
UC reunion would be complete without a Five Way and a
Coney. A leisurely boat cruise up and down the Ohio River
completed the afternoons activities. The class and their
guests later attended a wonderful buffet dinner at Mike
Finks Riverboat Restaurant. Sundays activities capped
off the weekend with a Reds baseball game against the
Cleveland Indians followed by dinner at The Montgomery
Boathouse Inn. Before saying a final goodbye, a small group
made an unplanned visit to Graeters for an ice cream treat.

June 12, 1977: 1st row: Tom Black, Leo (Dave) Gomez,
Rich Rolfes, Dave Glock. 2nd row: Steve McCormick, Bob
Levo, Russ Claus, Don Benko, Bill Stange. 3rd row: Dave
Humphreys, Tom Cressman, Steve Finch, Jim Newcomb.
(missing: Dave Turner)

The grads also enjoyed the company of some faculty members who took the time to join in the reunion. Dr.
Awatef Hamed, chairman of the Aerospace Engineering Dept. attended along with Dr. Widen Tabakoff, and Dr.
Gary Slater. The class was pleased to discuss their career accomplishments with those who gave them their
start.
The Class of 77 came away from the reunion with renewed ties and promises to keep in touch. A great time was
had by all, along with the hope that they can do it again in the future.

Page  of 12

By Nancy Benko

The University of Cincinnati Propulsion System design team won second

place in the 2006-2007 AIAA National Engine Design Competition.
The goal of the competition that is sponsored annually by the AIAA
Airbreathing Propulsion Committee was to design the propulsion
system for an uninhabited, limited life Mach 3 cruise vehicle that has
an operational ceiling of 85,000 feet, a cruise Mach number of 3.00 and
endurance at cruise Mach of at least five minutes. Air-launch included
a maximum dynamic pressure of 150 pounds per square foot (psf ) and
an altitude range from 5,000 to 40,000 feet. Another design constraint
was that the flight system be storable for up to 20 years and operational
without readiness maintenance for entry-into-service in 2015.
Paul Rothaar, Douglas Huseman, Brandon Kline and
Elizabeth Sorrell

June 9, 2007: 1st row: Tom Black, Leo (Dave) Gomez, Dr.
The 77 alumni were very impressed with the look of the UC
Gary Slater. 2nd row: Dr. Steve McCormick, Bob Levo, Russ
campus today. Several of them commented on the upscale
Claus, Don Benko, Bill Stange. 3rd row: Dave Humphreys,
Tom Cressman, Steve Finch, Jim Newcomb. (missing: Dave
look of the facilities. Its amazingvery impressivea
Turner, Dave Glock, Rich Rolfes)
country club atmosphere. One of the alumni said that
it was strangely familiara kaleidoscope of old and new. All were especially impressed with the exercise
facilities. The reunion attendees were grateful for the tour, made possible with the help of Susan Berman of the
Engineering Development Office.

UC Team Wins Second Place in AIAA Engine Design Competition

In addition to the certificates of recognition, the winning team receives

a cash award of $1,500 from AIAA. The Faculty Advisor was John W. Livingston, the team was led by Elizabeth
Sorrell and included Douglas Huseman, Andrew Vick, Jonathon Chatwood, Jason Booth, Brian Kodrich, and Paul
Rothaar.

BEARSat: A Satellite Designed and Constructed by Students

Two years of hard work by the senior spacecraft design class culminated in the
completion of BEARSatUCs first in-house manufactured spacecraft. Under
the direction of Professors Trevor Williams and Albert Bosse, from 2005 to
2007, approximately 35 students designed, fabricated, assembled, and tested
a nanosatellite for the U.S. Air Force University Nanosatellite Program 4. The
students developed many novel components and experiments, including
the Phase Change Material Reservoir, Thermal Switch, Reaction Wheel, Solar
Concentrator, and Electronic Radiation Susceptibility Testbed.
The team wishes to thank the following organizations for their support: ATK Space
Systems (PSI Operations), Blue Chip Tool, C&R Technologies, CTL Aerospace, D. B.
Roberts Company, Gerlach Machine & Tool, Naval Research Laboratory, Quartus
Engineering, University of Maryland Physics Department Machine Shop and
Woodrow Corporation.

NASA Microgravity University Experiments

With support from the College of Engineering and the Ohio Space Grant Consortium,
nine UC seniors traveled to Houston, Texas in Spring 2007 to conduct experiments
aboard the NASA C-9 microgravity aircraft. Two UC proposals were chosen by the NASA
Johnson Spaceflight Center for participation in the Microgravity University Student
Flight Experience program. The MICRODUCTS (Micro-gravitational Investigation,
Certification and Research Of Deployment Utilizing a Collapsible Tethered Subject)
team tested their prototype tether deployment system, whereas the ONURIS (Optical
Network for -gravity Rendezvous of Independent Systems) team flew a robot arm to
test machine vision algorithms for autonomous capture of a free-floating object.
The lucky flyers included Andy Baylor, Josh Cory, Kellie Cozart,
Adam Gerlach, Michael Kamp, Chris Meckstroth,
Courtney Spriegel, Jenna Stahl,
and Justin Templeton.

Jenna Stahl

Student Research & Scholarship Awards

Alex Maag (class of 2008) spent the summer and spring quarters of 2007 working at University of Genoa,
Savona, Italy in Prof. Carlo Craveros Computational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory on research supported by PRAI
(Programma Regionale di Azioni Innovative), DIMSET (Dipartimento Sistemi Energeticie Transporti), and Piaggo
Aero. His research included grid generation for a Formula 1 car, and design and analysis of a liquid lead coolant
pump for future European nuclear reactors. His six month intellectual, globetrotting and gastronomic adventure
provided Alex with an unforgettable experience and lasting friendships.
Scott Mindel (class of 2009) is from the first group of ACCEND students. He was awarded a NATO Summer
Fellowship at the Von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics in Brussels, Belgium. Scott worked in their Plasmatron
ICP wind tunnel simulating hypersonic re-entry conditions. Scott had
the opportunity to meet and collaborate with scholars from other
countries. Weekends and holidays provided an excellent opportunity
to travel around Europe. Nick Heeb (class of 2008) worked as a
research coop in Berlin where he performed measurements on
a combustor during summer of 2007. Nicks work is part of Prof.
Gutmarks joint project with Technical University of Berlin, Germany
on clean combustion. Joshua France (class of 2008) spent six months
in Munich, Germany at Kayser. There he conducted research on
infrared camera sensing of fiber optic embedded and carbon fiber
composite. He traveled to Zurich, Switzerland to represent Kayser
in demonstrating this capability to Orelikon Space.
Scott Mindel in front of the plasmatron at VKI

Undergraduate research included three students who completed their freshman year and who received summer
internship awards as sophomores: Michael Knadler and Timothy McKnight (from NASA Glenn Research Center)
and from OAI, Cory Peters (class of 2011).
Five UC Aero students received OSGC scholarships. Eric Miller (Class of 2007); Robert Knapke (Class of 2008);
Ashley Verhoff (Class of 2009); Marshall Galbraith (BS 2006); and Michael List (BS 2006).

Christopher Hummer: Engineer of the Quarter

Christopher Hummer, a senior in aerospace engineering, received the Engineering Directorate: Engineer of the
Quarter award from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) on October 18, 2007. This is the second time that
Christopher has won the award which is typically reserved for engineers working at the base. Christophers first
award in 2006 resulted in savings of thousands of dollars by eliminating the need for extensive flight testing and
windtunnel experiments.
Christopher returned for his final double-block co-op at WPAFB in spring 2007 in the Aeronautical Systems
Center-Engineering Directorate-Flight Technology Branch. His supervisor, Dr. Ojars Skujins, assigned Christopher
a very important analysis for the testing group at Edwards Air Force Base in California. Specifically, the issue was
with the Airborne Icing Tanker(AIT) which is an airborne refueling tanker modified to
spray a water-air mixture through an array of nozzles at the end of the boom to simulate
in flight icing on aircraft. Three array configurations had been used and all had exhibited
specific issues in flight from large instabilities to ice accretion on the arrays.
Christopher went to work modeling the arrays and completed a computational fluid
dynamics (CFD) analysis. The results of this analysis allowed him to identify the most likely
contributors to the problems with the arrays and identify other potential deficiencies in
the designs. His success enabled the engineers at Edwards Air Force Base to refine their
design and Christopher briefed his results to the entire engineering directorate.

Page 10 of 12

Cincinnati Hosts AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference

Cincinnati was the host for the 43rd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE
Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit, from July 8-11,
2007. The eventAdvancing Propulsion Technologies
and Celebrating Our Aerospace Heritagedrew over 1400
attendees and featured over 700 papers and 25 special
sessions, including a NASA Public Consultation on the
National Aeronautics R&D Plan and an AFRL Student Design
Challenge.
Among the scheduled events were an opening keynote,
inaugural Brian H. Rowe Lecture by Joe Sutter; awards
luncheon attended by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (photo);
AIAA historic site dedication of Cincinnati Observatory;
Passport to the Future teacher workshop; and Regional
Leadership Conference.

Governor Strickland and Professor Hamed

Rebecca Shupe (PhD student) received the 2007 AIAA Gordon

C. Oates Graduate Award for studies in air breathing propulsion
at the conference awards luncheon (photo). Instituted in 1985
by the Air Breathing Propulsion Technical Committee, the
award is for research endeavors in air breathing propulsion as
part of graduate studies.
Several faculty and students participated in the conference
as authors, panelists, and chairs of technical sessions.
Rebecca Shupe, flanked by Dr. John Blanton and
Dr. Paul Neilsen
Professor Awatef Hamed was speaker in two technical
panels: one on Control, Monitoring and Analysis of Propulsion Systems and a second on Future of Federal
Aeronautics Research. In addition other faculty and students presented papers at the JPC: Peter Albrecht Lean
Blowout Control Using an Auxiliary Premixed Flame in a Swirl-Stabilized Combustor. Nicholas Caldwell Pulse
Detonation Engine Research. Yongqiang Fu Experimental Investigation of Swirling Air Flows in a Multipoint
LDI Combustor. Rodrigo Villalva Gomez Development of a High Pressure Combustion Simulator to Study
Combustion Instability Control Methods and Strategies. Prof. San-Mou Jeng Characteristics of the Swirling Flow
Generated by a Counterrotating Swirler and Experimental Study on Coherent Structures of a Counter-rotating
Multi-Swirler Cup. Mike List High Fidelity Modeling of Blade Row Interaction in a Transonic Compressor, and
High Resolution, Parallel Visualization of Turbomachinery Flowfields. Mihai Mihaescu Modeling of the Flow
and Acoustical Field due to a Single Jet with Chevrons. Olaf Rask Jet Aircraft Propulsion Noise Reduction
Research. Samir B. Tambe Spray Properties of Liquid Jets Injected Transversely into a Shear Layer. Prof. Mark
Turner Applications of a Turbomachinery Design Tool for Compressors and Turbines.

Graduate Student News

Elise Minda (MS student) was awarded a scholarship
to attend the Electromagnetic Nondestructive Testing
short course organized by the British Research Centre
for Nondestructive Testing (RCNDT) at Imperial College
in London, United Kingdom, in June, 2007.

PhD candidate Samir Tambe received the Student

intern/Co-Op Contribution Award in recognition of
his efforts during this summer at GE Global research.

Page 11 of 12

Alumni News & Views

Appointments & Promotions
Bassam Abu-Nabah, (PhD 07) joined General
Electric Aviation in Evendale to work on eddy current
nondestructive testing techniques.

UC Aerospace:
Engineering for
the 21st Century
BUSINESS
ADDRESS
745 Baldwin Hall
ML 0070
Cincinnati, OH
45221-0070
PHONE
(513) 556-3548
FAX
(513) 556-5038
Were on the web!
http://www.ase.
uc.edu

Dave Brown, (BS 05) is now at Gulfstream in Savannah

Carolyn (Eglet) Goettke, (BS, 05) is working at GE
Aviation in the CF 34 control Systems
Luke Graham, (BS 06) was promoted to Engineer
2 at Gulfstream, where he works on new product
development
Josiah Hauck, (BS 06) recently became the lead of
Rollback Engineering at Gulfstream
Irene Ibrahim, (MSc. 06) is at AeroSystems Engineering
in St Paul, Minnesota
Dr. Yong-Du Jun, (MS 91 PhD 96) is spending two
years as a Visiting Professor at the University of Nevada
Dr. Rangnath A. Kotwal (PhD 79) is now Propulsion
Marketing and Production Manager at Honeywell
International
Dr. Greg Laskowski, (MS 97) GE Global Research
Schenectady
John A. McCullough, (BS 89) was promoted Chief of the
Spaceflight Training Management Office in the Mission
Operations Directorate of NASA/Lyndon B. Johnson
Space Center. Previously, John was a Flight Director and
in charge of International Space Station operations.

Department of Aerospace Engineering &

Engineering Mechanics
University of Cincinnati
PO Box 210070
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0070

Aditya Saraf, (PhD 2007) joined Sensis Corporation in

Campbell, California.
Alex Sullivan, (BS 05) now leads two groups at
Gulfstream: Electrical Component Installation & Flight
Deck & Furnishings

Milestones
Dr. Debashis Basu (PhD 05) and Sudipa SahaRoy (MSc
02 Biochemistry Calcutta Univ.) were married on Nov.
30, 06
Nicholas Caldwell, (BS 03) and Megan Evans (BS
Interior Design 05) were married on September 29.
Dr. Kaushid Das (PhD 05) and Paromita Syam (MS 06
Computer Science Calcutta Univ.) were married on Nov.
28, 06
Mike (BS 05) and Holley Holbrook had a baby, Nole
Charles on the 15th of September
John Lewis (BS 05) is getting married on the 29th
of December, to Kai Osborne (BA Management 06
Georgia Tech)
Mat Urbanik (BS 05) and Jessica Kugas (BS ChemE
2005) were married on Oct. 13, 07. Mat is working at
NASIC in Dayton
Jon (BS 05) and Nicole Vandenbemden had a baby,
Jon Peyton, in September