U Students Win Chem-E-Car Contest
AIChE
Students in the University of Utah Department of Chemical Engineering beat five other teams, including BYU, at the 2008 regional Chem-E-car Competition of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), held in Socorro, New Mexico, on March 8th. The U.s team nearly swept the competition by winning three of the four awards, including first place in the car competition, most creative vehicle design, and best poster.
Following contest rules, the eleven-member student team set out to design and build a car the size of a large shoebox that is powered by a chemical reaction.in their case, acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate (the primary ingredients in vinegar and baking soda respectively).and carry a load in a straight line for about 75 feet. The team built its car mainly of stainless steel and Plexiglas. The cars were judged based on accuracy, design, drive system, and poster.
The top cars from each of the nine regional conferences across the country will compete at the national Chem-E-car competition in November 2008 in Philadelphia, Penn.
Reaction Engineering International generously sponsored the students so the team could attend the regional competition. The team is seeking additional support for the national conference this fall. For more information, contact Kevin Whitty, advisor for the student team, at (801) 585-9388, or Ed Trujillo, advisor of the University of Utah student chapter of AIChE, at (801) 581-4460.
1st Annual High School Youth Summit on Bio-Innovation
College of Engineering
The 1st Annual Youth Summit on Bio-Innovation will bring together High School Students, Researchers and Students from the University of Utah College of Engineering, and Business Leaders from Utah's Bio-Industry to explore the opportunities and challenges for Bio-Innovation in Utah.
See full article here.
Waste solution wins prize
Eric Mortenson
Chemical Engineering and University of Utah students - in partnership with students from the Palestinian territories - proposed a way to extract chemicals as part of an international engineering project. These chemicals from olive oil mills in the Mediterranean area produce an environmental headache in the form of gummy waste water.
Chemical Engineering students Eric Mortenson, and Madhuvanthi Kandadai shared in the award. Mortenson accepted the Mondialogo Engineering Award for the group.
For more information visit:
The Mixing Cup (2008 Edition)
Salt Lake Tribune Article
Chemical Engineering is seeking an Assistant/Associate Professor for tenure-track position
Chemical Engineering Faculty
The Department of Chemical Engineering is seeking an individual with exceptional promise for research achievements and excellence in publication and teaching for a tenure-track, assistant or associate professor position. More information is available by downloading this Microsoft Word document, here.
Henry Ma receives National AIChE Scholarship Award
Henry Ma
President of AIChE
Henry Ma, our AIChE president, received one of the 15 National AIChE Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Scholarship Awards of $1000 and will be recognized at the National Student Conference (Awards ceremony) in November. Awards are presented on the basis of academic achievement and involvement in student chapter activities. Congratulations to Henry for getting this prestigious award.
Eric Eddings named "Outstanding Teacher of the Year"
Eric Eddings
Associate Professor Chemical Engineering
Eric left his position as Vice President of Reaction Engineering International in 2001 to become a faculty member in our Chemical Engineering Department. His students appreciate the realistic examples and problems that he brings to courses from his industrial experience. Eric is a major contributor to the Chemical Engineering undergraduate education, teaching in the freshman class, two key junior level courses, and the senior laboratory. His effective and dedicated teaching has regularly placed him in the top 15% of Engineering course evaluations. He is known for his enthusiasm, humor, and respect for students. His teaching style encourages critical thinking and focuses on relevant and practical information. Prof. Eddings is also a research star who is very effective in graduate education.
Michael Hoepfner 2007 Graduation Speech
The time has finally come. To some of us it seems like all we've done is checked all the boxes and jumped through the right hoops. But over these past few years you may have learned a thing or two, believe it or not.
And with all of this valuable knowledge I know you are prepared to understand and interpret this story that I am about to talk about.
And you didn't think that you math would help in literary analysis. It's a deep, moving, and intricate tale by no other than... Dr. Seuss. It's called, the Lorax.
It's a tale of a beautiful land filled with Truffula trees that feed and shelter the animals. But then also make wonderful... and highly profitable sweaters, called thneeds.
To summarize the story, all of the trees are chopped down and the land is left barren, polluted, and destroyed because of the greed of the manufacturers. All is gone, the factory, the wildlife, and the beauty.
This story was obviously written with an agenda. I do no bring it up to politicize my speech and say we should all fight global warming or save the rainforests as our primary concern. But I would like to use this to illustrate the general responsibility that we as engineers have.
As you all know, virtually every building, product or invention was designed or created by an engineer. That is what we do. We make things. We take all of the scientific knowledge and apply it to enhance the quality of life.
But that is where the responsibility lies. In the Lorax, the thneeds probably made the owners lives a little better, but it left an entire population homeless with the land destroyed. Should it have gotten to that point? No, and as engineers we are all responsible to ensure that this never happens, back in the real world.
After reading this recently, I thought, "Is this what people think engineers do? Do they think that all we do is destroy the planet and in the process build machines that can do it faster?" Wherever this nasty rumor started, or whatever damage has been done, it stops here.
It is our responsibility to not make the Lorax a true tale. And also, to let the general public know, that this is not what engineers do.
There is no easy or correct way to ensure that this never happens to us. Everyone has their own opinions as to what's ethically right or wrong. No answer is black and white. But I as each and every one of you to spend the time you need to search for what is right.
Not for you, not for you company, but for the community. This could be the local community, the international community, or even the scientific community.
Finally, greed is what drove the makers of the thneeds to produce and sell as much as they could without regards to the consequences. We cannot allow our desire or anyone else's desire for more and more to control our actions. In the wake of corporate scandals we as engineers cannot get caught in the middle.
We always have to remember that we do not just work for a company. Our loyalty lies with the public. It is their safety and concerns that should outweigh those of monetary or corporate ones. As engineers, we are not just college graduates. We are professionals. Comparable to doctors or lawyers. This title does not come without certain obligations.
If we all uphold our responsibility, the tale of the Lorax will never happen in Salt Lake City, Utah, the United States, or the world. With this attitude, someday engineers will hopefully be that profession that others look up to, to which bakers give free doughnuts, and barbers give free haircuts just because we are engineers. We have the capability, we have the knowledge, and I know we all have the will.
Congratulations, and good luck to all of you.
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