Spring 2013 Meeting of the MAE
Visiting Committee (VCMAE)
April 12, 2013
Morgantown, West Virginia
Departmental News and Announcements
• Update on Faculty and Staff Changes:
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Welcome to John Christian (has replaced Steve Raque in the 11th hour)
Cheers to John Loth in his last semester before retirement
Congratulations to new Office Administrator: Pat Goldie
Welcome to Kande Brandt as Administrative Secretary Senior
Farewell to Tom Spencer as CAFEE Coordinator
Reductions in CAFEE’s technical staff: Ron Jared and Chris Beers
• Update on Faculty Searches:
– Active Search for Tenure-Track Position in Aerospace Engineering
• Broad Ad will be posted in January (expansion of earlier UAV searches)
• Unanimously approved by the Search Committee (chaired by Perhinschi)
– New Searches to Start Soon for Three Tenure Stream Positions as
part of WVU’s Shale Gas Utilization Initiative:
• At least two positions in MAE and/or ChE at Assistant/Associate Levels
• First Statler Chair (out of three) will be hired in MAE or ChE department
Faculty/Staff Accomplishments
• First NSF CAREER Award: Xueyan Song
• Outstanding Researchers in Statler College
– Nick Wu
– Xueyan Song
• Best Student Advisor in the College: Dave Solley
• Outstanding Teacher in Statler College:
– John Kuhlman
• Outstanding Staff Member: Chuck Coleman
Project Teams of MAE Students Ranked
High in Last Year’s National Competitions
• UAV Design/Build/Fly 9th of 68 teams, ahead of:
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MIT
Penn State
Johns Hopkins
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI)
• Mini-Baja ATV –
23rd out of 100 teams, ahead of:
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University of Virginia (UVA)
Georgia Tech
University of Michigan
Clemson University
• Human Powered Vehicle 7th of 52 teams, ahead of:
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Purdue University
University of Florida
University of Oklahoma
Temple University
Breakdown of $507,310 in general Expenses in the FY12 Fiscal Year
(Budgets of Student Projects Have to be Limited and Closely Monitored)
120000
100000
80000
60000 $117,900.51
40000
20000
0
$61,326.80
$50,950.62
$46,125.31
$44,944.82
$44,662.09
$31,394.53
$23,289.63
$21,174.95
$19,310.90
$14,519.84
$12,397.41
$7,500.59$5,934.00$5,878.50
$-
$-
Costs of Student projects in the Last Three Years
$140,000
$120,000
$100,000
$80,000
$60,000
$40,000
$20,000
$0
2010-11 Expense
2011-12 Expense
2012-13 Budget
Technology Developments to Increase Shale Gas
Demand and Utilization in the NEAR Future
• Largely Build on End-User Perspectives and Needs to
Remove Current Barriers to Widespread Utilization
• Focus on Developing and Expanding Commercially
Viable Applications for Natural Gas
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Mobile Transportation Systems are a Major Area of Need
Stationary Systems for Power Generation
Fuel Cells that Utilize Natural Gas
Hybrid Coal/Gas/Biomass Systems
• Critical Enabling Technologies
• High-yield/Low-emissions Conversion of Gas To Liquid (GTL)
Fuels and Chemicals
• Control of Emissions and Environmental Impacts
• Control of Combustion Processes to Enhance Efficiency and
Reduce Emissions of Harmful Pollutants
Focus on Removing Barriers to Rapid, Low-Cost
Development of New Markets
• Demand-side Research to Break Down Barriers
– Limited infrastructure for NG in gaseous state
– Safety concerns about leaks and fugitive emissions
– Environmental effects of NG production & combustion
• Three Pinnacle Areas of Research Excellence
– Control of Emissions and Environmental Impacts
– Gas To Liquid (GLT) Fuel & Feedstock Conversion of NG
– Combustion Modeling &Testing for High Efficiency
• Strawman for Planning to Evolve Each Area
– Existing and Evolving Areas of Expertise at WVU
– Gaps in Critical Areas that Are in Need of Enhancement
– Potential for Interdisciplinary Cluster Hire & Cooperation
“First Things Come First”
(S. Covey)
• Main Priorities for 2011-2012
– Complete four self assessment reports for the BOG
– Conduct seven national searches for new TT faculty
• Main Priorities for 2102-2013
– Research- increase number & success rate of proposals
– Undergraduate AE and ME Programs:
• Define &secure approval of specialty tracks/certificates, minors
• Expand and integrate design projects throughout the programs
– Graduate Programs –approval of MS &PhD in MSE
– Laboratories – upgrading and sharing of lab facilities
– Outreach – broad and sustained connections with alumni