This year brings exciting changes to the AME family.

We have two new staff members.  Rebecca Norris, my new assistant, has taken the position held by Lawana Dillard for nearly 15 years.  Rebecca brings a wealth of experience and interests.  Lawana has taken a new job with the university and we wish her well.  Kate O’Brien is the new student services coordinator.  She worked in a similar position at the OU School of Dance for many years and is married to an AME alumnus.  She replaces Suzi Skinner, who is riding off into the sunset with her husband on their motorcycles as they both embrace the new adventure of retirement.

This year also ushers in a new opportunity for AME students and partnering companies.

AME has begun a new program called the 21st Century Co-Op, a five-year B.S./M.S. degree program in mechanical engineering that unites an AME education with interwoven internships, mentorship and special projects with one company for three years of a student’s degree.

In addition to core courses in mechanical engineering, the curriculum includes customized courses jointly offered by company engineers and faculty during summer internships, a senior capstone experience and graduate theses that are of relevance to the sponsoring company, and graduate cross-disciplinary courses.

This program overcomes many of the problems associated with Co-Ops, mainly the length of education.  Students participating in this program should still graduate with a joint B.S./M.S. degree in five years.

By participating in this program, 21st Century Co-Op Scholars gain technical competencies and soft skills that are relevant to the sponsoring company.  A company that sponsors a 21st Century Co-Op has the opportunity to educate and hire a team of engineers who are well prepared to hit the road running.

If you are interested in learning more about joining the 21st Century Co-Op program, please contact me.  I an always be reached at (405) 306-7309 or
farrokh.mistree@ou.edu.

Thank you for being a part of the AME family.  I hope you enjoy learning about the students, faculty and research that makes AME great.

Positive Thoughts,

Farrokh Mistree, Ph.D.
Director

Dr. Bert and many other former and current faculty members and friends joined in the festivities of Dr. Bert’s induction into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame.

Seated – (L-R) Billy Crynes, CoE professor emeritus and Maurice Rasmussen and AME professor emeritus

Standing – (L-R) John Fagan, ECE professor and former recipient; Ken Barnes, AME alumnus and Board of Advisor member; Tom Love, AME professor emeritus and former AME director; Davis Egle, AME professor emeritus and former AME director; Charles W. Bert III, AME professor emeritus and recipient; John Francis, professor emeritus and Board of Advisor member; Faramarz Gordaninejad – a former student of Dr. Bert who is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Congratulations to AME emeritus faculty Charles Bert who was inducted into the Oklahoma Higher Education Hall of Fame, sponsored by the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society.

Bert taught at AME for 41 years and directed its School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering for a combined 11 years.  He retired from OU in 2004.

Charles B. Bert is known internationally for his contributions to the field of mechanics with a special emphasis in the analysis, design and manufacture of composite materials.  He is the recipient of the highest recognition for research at the University of Oklahoma –  the George Lynn Cross Research Professorship.

His contributions to the profession have been recognized by his being elected to the grade of Fellow of seven major professional organizations:  American Academy of Mechanics, American Society for the Advancement of Science, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society for Experimental Mechanics, the American Society of Composites and the Society of Engineering Science.

Bert has published one monograph, 13 book chapters and 205 full-length, refereed articles in archival journals.  He has graduated 26  doctoral students and 40 students with masters degrees.  He has developed several new courses for both undergraduate and graduate students, and served with distinction as the director of the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering.

If you have any well wishes for Dr. Bert, please post them as a comment and we will pass them along to him.

Dr. Bert. Picture taken in 2001.