Alumni

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Former AME Board Member and Educator Donna Shirley Receives the Annie Oakley Society Award

 

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It is no secret that each day at AME we salute the work of our students, staff and faculty members past and present. On October 13, 2016, we were fortunate enough to celebrate the work of our own alumna and former College of Engineering Assistant Dean & Instructor Donna Shirley, who was presented with the Annie Oakley Society Award at the society’s sixth annual luncheon and award ceremony. Notably in attendance were Governor Mary Fallin of Oklahoma, Gallogly College of Engineering Dean Tom Landers and other GCoE leadership, AME Professor David Miller and members of the Sooner Rover Team. The Annie Oakley Society is comprised of women leaders and philanthropists who, like Annie Oakley, play significant roles in shaping our communities and creating new horizons.[1] Also recognized at the award ceremony was Jo Rowan, receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions in the field of dance and creative arts.

Meet Donna

At age 17, Donna Shirley earned her pilot’s license, won the Miss Wynnewood, OK crown, and competed in the Miss Oklahoma pageant. Following high school, she enrolled at the University of Oklahoma, obtaining a technical writing degree in 1962 and a bachelor’s degree from AME in 1965. She went on to enjoy a more than 30-year career at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and retired in 1998 as the Manager of the Mars Exploration Program. During her time at NASA, Ms. Shirley lead the team that built and successfully landed the Mars rover “Sojourner” in 1997. Ms. Shirley remarked that the was the lone female of 2000+ person group at JPL at that time. She then became assistant dean of the College of Engineering at OU, where in the past she was told that girls could never be engineers – she has fought successfully to help transform that attitude. After a brief introduction, the conversation with Ms. Shirley spearheaded into a discussion of the role and importance of women in engineering.

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It’s “easier” now…

Ms. Shirley gave clear and concise advice to all in attendance regarding the state of affairs for women in highly scientific fields like Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering. She said, “It’s easier [being a female in engineering] now but remember, you must be good [at whatever you’re doing].” She went on to explain that in the competitive hiring and retention environment of engineering, we must all strive to be the best at what we do. “Learning is ultimately important and not relying solely on grades”, she explained. Donna casually outlined one story she thought was important to note in which a disagreement developed between her and a male colleague. She handled the situation by relying only on the technical work she had done – outshining the negative attention only by being better. This an attitude she hopes all engineers (not only women) will adopt.

Congratulations!

We at the School of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering congratulate Donna Shirley on her award and applaud her for the way she continues to advocate for women in engineering. To celebrate her efforts, AME pledges to strive to always be an environment conducive to the success of everyone we interact with. Please join us as we recognize her hard work.

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  • By: Jawanza Bassue – MS Aerospace Engineering Candidate 2017

[1] http://nationalcowboymuseum.org/join-give/the-annie-oakley-society/

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AME Alumnus Kevin R. Bagnall Gives Guest Lecture on Wide Bandgap Semiconductor Devices

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Kevin R. Bagnall visited AME Tuesday, October 4, 2016, to discuss his research on gallium nitride (GaN)-based semiconductor devices. Currently, most electronics use semiconductor devices based on silicon, which cannot meet the demands of many high-performance applications due to its intrinsic material limitations. The goal of his research is to understand and characterize the performance and reliability of GaN-based devices.

According to Bagnall, this work has provided exciting new insights into the fundamental physics of self-heating in this revolutionary technology and has opened new avenues to simultaneously probe thermal, mechanical, and electrical behavior in these devices as never before.

The application of this technology could be used in utility, transportation, and consumer products, such as electric cars or laptops. Although GaN allows for reduction in the size of electronic components, the high dissipated power densities in these devices leads to elevated channel temperatures and degraded lifetime and performance. Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, Bagnall measures the temperature, stress, and electric field distributions to help understand the physics of failure.

“We are very pleased to host Kevin’s visit to the University of Oklahoma. He has been carrying out cutting-edge research at MIT, advancing the science and technology of advanced materials used in semiconductor industry,” said AME Director Cengiz Altan. “It is truly rewarding to see our alumni be so successful and perform world-class research in a highly collaborative environment.”

Kevin Bagnall is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) working under the supervision of Professor Evelyn N. Wang. Kevin is an alumnus of the Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at OU, having earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering in May 2009. He is the recipient of the Rohsenow Graduate Fellowship at MIT and the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship sponsored by the Department of Defense and Air Force Office of Scientific Research. For the past five years, he has been working on GaN transistor research in a highly collaborative research center at MIT, which includes the involvement of multiple departments and several industrial partners.

“I really appreciate the undergraduate education I received from AME at OU. It has enabled me to pursue graduate research and a career in academia,” said Bagnall. “I will always be proud to be part of the scholarly, warm and caring AME family.”

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AME Alumnus Named AIAA Fellow

The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) recently selected the Class of 2016 AIAA Fellows and Honorary Fellows. This group of Fellows and Honorary Fellows represents the best of the aerospace community, as well as those who have contributed and advanced the aerospace industry. AME alumnus Brian Argrow, Ph.D., was selected as a 2016 AIAA Fellow.

Dr. Argrow graduated from AME with his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in 1983, M.S. in Mechanical Engineering in 1986 and Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering in 1989. During his time as a student, he worked closely with Dr. George Emanuel and Dr. Maurice Rasmussen. Dr. Argrow still remains in close contact with Dr. Emanuel today. While pursuing his M.S., Dr. Argrow focused his research on the design of supersonic minimum-length nozzles (MLN) and its application ranged from rocket and scramjet engines to gasdynamics lasers. During his doctoral studies, his research concentrated on the verification and analysis of the MLN flow field. After he completed his Ph.D., Dr. Argrow worked at AME as an Assistant Professor from 1989 to 1992.

In 1992, he move to Boulder to begin his career at the University of Colorado (UC). Dr. Argrow is now a Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, Director of the UC’s Integrated Remote and In-Situ Sensing Program and founding director emeritus of the Research Engineering Center for Unmanned Vehicles (RECUV).

Professor Argrow’s research interests range from small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) design and airspace integration to satellite aerodynamics, sonic boom, and engineering education. In the mid-1990s, he led supersonic wind tunnel tests at the NASA Langley Research Center that were the first to verify the method of osculating cones for supersonic waverider design. In 2000, Dr. Argrow’s research team created the first of its kind shock tube to create uniform static initial conditions near 800°F to explore non-classical dense gas dynamics. In 2010 he led the first UAS team to intercept a supercell thunderstorm as part of the second Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment (VORTEX-2), the largest project ever organized to understand tornadoes. The technologies developed by Professor Argrow’s VORTEX-2 research group led to the formation of two companies, UASUSA, a manufacturer of small UAS, and Black Swift Technologies, a company created by RECUV Ph.D. graduates to manufacture autopilots and networked sensing/communications solutions.

Along with Dr. Argrow’s recent honor of being named an AIAA Fellow, he has received several teaching and education awards including the W.M. Keck Foundation Award for Excellence in Engineering Education and is a CU President’s Teaching Scholar, as well as a Fellow of the CU Center for STEM Learning. In 2007, he served as co-chair of the first Symposium for Civilian Applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems, and since 2008 he has chaired workshops and moderated several panels on research directions for the integration of UAS into the National Airspace System. Dr. Argrow is chair-emeritus of the AIAA Unmanned Systems Program Committee (USPC). During his tenure as chair, he led the USPC to expand its focus to include a technically informed discussion of airspace integration policy and developed a formal partnership with the Association for Unmanned Vehicles Systems International (AUVSI). He then organized and chaired the first major joint AIAA/AUVSI event, the second Workshop on Civilian Applications of Unmanned Aircraft Systems at AUVSI’s Unmanned Systems 2014 Conference in May 2014.

In 2014, Dr. Argrow completed a semester sabbatical at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Severe Storms Laboratory at the National Weather Center in Norman, where he is continuing to collaborate with severe-storms researchers to develop new capabilities for using small UAS for in-situ and remote data collection to advance severe weather forecasting and reduce warning times.

Lastly, Dr. Argrow leaves current AME students with some advice, “I hope that you understand that what you ultimately get out of your education is directly proportional to what you put into it in terms of hard work, perseverance, and the recognition that learning is both a personal responsibility and a life-long commitment.”

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The Dave and Susan Bert Team Room at AME

In the spring of 2015, Dave and Susan Bert made a generous donation to the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering for the creation and renovation of a graduate student team room in the Engineering Laboratory. Upon completion of the renovation, the team room was named The Dave and Susan Bert Team Room. An official unveiling and ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Monday, March 7, 2016 with Dave Bert, members of the Graduate Student Community, AME faculty and AME staff in attendance.

DSC_4637The Dave and Susan Bert Team Room was completely renovated from top to bottom with new carpeting, tables, glass boards, and much more. The room was created as a multipurpose space for AME graduate students for group meetings, presentations, study groups, a lounge, and much more.

The Leadership Team of AME’s Graduate Student Community worked together to design and create The Dave and Susan Bert Team Room. Jelena Milisavljevic led the graduate students in coordination of the team room with fellow GSC peers, including Jackson Autrey, Arun Balakrishnan, Luke N. Balmer, Jawanza N. Bassue, Amber L. Kapoor, Anand Balu Nellippallil, Oluwaseyi T. Ogunsola, Stewart E. Ohler, Mahyar Pourghasemi, Maryam Sabeghi, and Mortaza Saeidi. In addition to the graduate students, M. Cengiz Altan, AME Director; Farrokh Mistree, GSC Faculty Mentor; Melissa Foster, Danielle Geier, Debbie Mattax, Billy Mays, Rebecca Norris, Kate O’Brien-Hamoush, and Greg Williams, AME Staff; assisted with the renovation.

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The Bert family is one of loyal distinction to AME. Dave Bert is the son of the late Dr. Charles W. Bert, who served as a faculty member at AME for more than 40 years and also served two terms for a combined 11 years as AME Director. In addition to Dr. Bert’s legacy at AME, Dave Bert and his family continue to leave their mark. Dave is the Vice President of Drilling for Chesapeake Energy Corporation. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from OU AME in 1985. Dave has been a member of AME’s Board of Advisors since 2003 and has also served as Chair. He also serves as a member of the Gallogly College of Engineering Advisory Board. In 2012, Dave was inducted into the University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering Distinguished Graduates Society.

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Dave and Susan Bert have been married for over 25 years. They have two daughters, Bailey and Brianna. The Bert family resides in Edmond. Bailey attends the University of Arkansas and plays the piccolo in the Razorback Marching Band. Brianna and Susan play competitive tennis and enjoy volunteering. Dave enjoys reading, civic and sporting activities. The family enjoys watching Oklahoma City Thunder basketball games together, church activities, and traveling.

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The AME Graduate Student Community, as well as its faculty and staff, would like to thank Dave and Susan Bert for their generous donation! Because of donors like you, AME will continue to provide the best educational experience for our students!

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Alumni Spotlight with Devin Pauley

Devin Pauley, a native of Forest Park, Oklahoma, began his time at the University of Oklahoma in 1998 pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering. The reason he chose to study mechanical engineering was due to his love for cars.

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When Devin was five years old, he visited his dad, a mechanic of 15 years, at work. Like many children, Devin asked his father how he could be just like him one day. His dad told him that he shouldn’t be the one repairing cars, but rather he should be the one designing them. In the third grade, Devin’s school was hosting a show and tell. This show and tell was special in that students had to identify an occupation they wanted to be when they grew up. Still with the automotive industry in mind, he asked his mom what profession was responsible for designing cars. His mom then took him to the library to research the subject. They concluded the majority of automotive designers were mechanical engineers. Devin was sold on the idea of automotive design, so he decided right then he wanted to become a mechanical engineer.

“Imagine my surprise when I’m a freshmen at OU in 1998, and I am standing outside of Felgar Hall,” Devin said. “I saw a sign that said, ‘Want to design cars? Free pizza!’ After that, I was hooked.”

Devin (pictured right) and teammate working on the Sooner Racing Team car in 2001.

Devin (pictured right) and teammate working on the Sooner Racing Team car in 2001.

Devin joined the Sooner Racing Team (SRT), OU’s Formula SAE international competition team. He held various positions on the team including managing its engine systems, driveline integration and brake system leader and president. Under his leadership, SRT won multiple awards, including first place in the Continental Teves Brake Systems category.

Sooner Racing Team in 2001

Sooner Racing Team at competition in 2001.

Throughout college, Devin interned in the vehicle industry, but with graduation quickly approaching in May 2004, he was unable to break into the automotive design or racing industry like he had hoped. Devin attended a career fair in Dallas where he spoke with Motorola representatives about designing cell phones.

“I thought to myself, working in technology could be temporary. I will do this for a few years and then transition into automotive, but I ended up really loving it,” said Devin.

Devin quickly made his mark in the technology industry. While working for Motorola, Sony Ericsson, BlackBerry and Amazon, he has issued four patents, developed and shipped the BlackBerry Storm 2, and developed and shipped the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite. In February 2014, Devin began working at the motherland of all technology companies, Apple. As an Engineering Program Manager, he was behind the development and launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus silicone cases. Devin’s latest project at Apple was the release of the iPhone 6S charge battery case.

“The charge battery case has deep iOS integration, so it will show customers real time how much battery is left in the case,” said Devin. “This is the only charge case in the world that can do this.”

Devin is now working on embedded keyboards for future Mac products.

“The thing I love about technology is the progress of innovation, as well as the pace. Every year, you strive to raise the bar and shift the paradigm,” said Devin. “The customer expects a certain level of standard, so we want to shatter it, rebuild it and exceed expectations. At Apple, it’s not magical how we do it. It is a very organic process starting with the customer and a problem we are trying to solve.”

Devin (1)Because of his successful career, Devin is a two-time recipient of the BRAVO! Award from Motorola, received the University of Oklahoma Regents Alumni Award and was an honoree of the 40 Under 40: Tech Diversity in Silicon Valley Award. He has given Technology Talks at the University of California at Berkley, the University of California and his alma mater, the University of Oklahoma.

Devin said he had a wonderful experience that he wouldn’t trade for the world during his education at AME, leaving current students with some valuable advice: “Practical design and practical experience are everything. Whether that is achieved through SRT, other student teams or other exercises that allow you to make the transition from theory to practical, it’s critical,” said Devin. “It is not always just about the GPA. It’s about the combination of not only knowing the theory but executing it, as well. When an employer looks at your credentials and realizes they do not have to start from scratch, it’s like gold on a résumé.”

Leave a comment Posted on by Danielle Alumni, AME Friends and Family, Board of Advisors

AME Board of Advisors Welcomes New Members

At the fall 2015 School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Board of Advisors’ meeting, Michelle Coppedge and Monica Browning Mitchell were first-time attendees as they joined AME Board of Advisors. As new members, Michelle and Monica provided valuable input and a fresh outlook during the bi-annual meeting.

Meet Michelle

Coppedge WebMichelle Coppedge is an AME alumna graduating with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 1988. She then attended Oklahoma City University where she earned her Master of Business Administration in 1991. Lastly, Michelle completed her Master of Science in industrial engineering at Purdue University in 1995.

Ms. Coppedge has 25 years of experience working as an engineer and overseeing engineers in both private industry and government. She worked 14 years at AT&T/Lucent Technologies, serving as the Director of Engineering, before moving to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Michelle currently serves as the Center Director for FAA’s Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center (MMAC). The MMAC is the second largest contingent of FAA employees outside of Washington, DC, employing 6,300 federal and contract employees, as well as hosting/training around 1,000 Air Traffic Control students.

Michelle was anxious to join the AME BoA. “I am passionate about engineering, the University of Oklahoma and investing in the future of young students that want to grow and develop,” Michelle said. “I hope to add more perspective from the aerospace industry to the board discussions.”

Meet Monica

Monica WebMonica Mitchell Browning is an alumna from the University of Oklahoma earning a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering in 1991 and a Master of Business Administration in 1994.

Ms. Mitchell has worked at AT&T since 1994. She has served in a variety of roles including Manager of Network Operations, Manager of Customer Service, Manager of RF Engineering, Manager of Switch Translations, Manager of Regional Network Operations Center, Director of Customer Care Strategy and Director of IT Mediation. Monica is currently the AT&T Executive Director of Technology. She also serves on two non-profit boards affiliated with the Air Force ROTC and the Air Force Association.

Because Monica works in the technology industry, her career and experience at AT&T along with the company’s relationship with OU has led her to join the AME BoA. “I love OU. I love mentoring students. AT&T believes that we have to partner with our local universities to increase interest in STEM programs,” Monica said. “They have encouraged us to spend time on activities like this board and to share with you the trends that we are seeing so that you can help students learn the skills that we need to see in industry.”

AME would like to welcome Michelle and Monica to the team! We thank you for your time and service to our students and our school.

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AME Alumnus Featured in NSBE Magazine

Kayode S. Ifabiyi (pictured far right) graduated from the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering in May 2015 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. Ifabiyi now works as an Aerospace Engineer at Boeing in Seattle, Washington. He was recently featured on the cover of the National Society of Black Engineers Magazine. Click here to check out the article.

NSBE Magazine Cover

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AME Board of Advisors hold 2015 Fall Meeting

The School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Board of Advisors attended their annual fall meeting on Friday, November 6, 2015. The BOA had a busy day with a full agenda. They reviewed the school’s recent accomplishments and made plans for future endeavors. Tommy Lear, Chair of the BOA, led the discussions throughout the day. Lastly, Monica Mitchell and Michelle Coppedge, two new members of the BOA, were in attendance providing valuable input and a fresh outlook. Thank you to all who attended. We look forward to seeing you in the spring!

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Dream Course Lecture Series Welcomes Devin Pauley

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devin_pauleyPlease join us for this week’s User Experience Design Presidential Dream Course Lecture with Devin Pauley. Mr. Pauley currently works at Apple and is a former senior product design engineer for Amazon. He received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 2004 from the University of Oklahoma. The seminar is titled Immersing Users in Products. The seminar is Tuesday, November 3, 2015 at 9:00am in the Hitachi Conference Room, 214 Felgar Hall. The lecture is open to the public.

Devin Pauley is a current Apple employee and former senior product design engineer for Amazon. Pauley regularly meets with engineering students and faculty on campuses to share his stories on designing cell phones, e-readers and ecosystem products, and to offer advice and encouragement on career advancement. Pauley received his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 2004 from the University of Oklahoma.

Pauley holds three patents and is a two-time recipient of the BRAVO! Award from Motorola, where he worked from 2004 to 2008 as a product design mechanical engineer. He also is the engineering program manager behind the development and launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus silicone cases.

Pauley received his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering in 2004 from the University of Oklahoma. While pursuing his studies at OU, Pauley was involved in several leadership roles with the Sooner Racing Team, a Formula SAE international student-engineering competition team. His roles on the team ranged from managing its engine systems, driveline integration and brake system leader to president. Under his leadership, the team won multiple awards, including a first-place finish in the Continental Teves Brake Systems category. Also while at OU, Pauley was active in Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Automotive Engineers. Since 2009, Pauley has served on the OU College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board on Diversity.

For more information about Mr. Pauley or the User Experience Design Presidential Dream Course Lecture Series, please click here.

For accommodations on the basis of disability, please contact Danielle Geier (405) 325-1715 or dgeier@ou.edu.