| February 20, 2006 |
Vol. 2, No.3
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The College continues to reach new levels of accomplishment through the superb efforts and excellent work of our faculty and staff. We and the College continue to grow, evolve, and define ourselves for the challenges ahead. In the coming year you will hear much about strategic planning, vision statements, missions and goal setting. You will also hear about the coming East Carolina University Centennial and its one-hundred years of accomplishments. This will be a time of simultaneously contemplating where we come from and where we wish to go. ECU as well as our College is in the process of charting its future, choosing what it wants to become in the next decade. The process of “charting our future” is a complex one for an organization as large and multifaceted as ECU and our College. This process is not a mechanical one and not a quick one. It will be very organic and iterative. It will require everyone’s participation. Some directions will be set at the top by the Chancellor and the Board of Trustees. Some will be set by colleges, departments and by individual faculty and staff. The great challenge is how to get all of these directions to align. But make no mistake, new directions are being planned and set. I challenge all in the College to be engaged in this process as it unfolds. In the end, all our great plans and aspirations will come to naught if the faculty and staff who make up this great institution do not understand and internalize the directions that are charted. I hope that when the opportunities are presented to you, you will participate in the efforts to chart and influence the future of ECU and this College.
ICEE Students Participate in Robotics Competition
The competition was part of a semester-long project incorporated in the Integrated Collaborative Engineering Environment 1010 course sequence. Students were randomly assigned to teams that designed and built a robot consisting primarily of three units: chassis, gripper, and remote control. Each team was required to design its own gripper as well as design and prototype a customized part using the rapid prototype facilities. Competition coordinator Dr. Jason Yao said, “From the classes, students acquired a wide range of concepts from general engineering professionalism, ethics, and problem solving topics to specific mechanical and electrical problems.” The “InlandPirates” started the hunt from their jewel chests located at opposite sides of the island. Navigating carefully, the robots approached, grasped and collected jewels. At the end of the five minute time limit, the “InlandPirate” who had the highest value of jewels in the treasure chest minus penalty deductions won the game and was declared “Biggest InlandPirate.” “The robotics competition project not only provided an ideal platform for students to use knowledge covered by lectures, it also facilitated student teamwork and communication and enhanced students’ understanding of real-world engineering,” said Yao.
Mehta Presents Scholarship and Leads Training Session Dr. Merwan Mehta presented “Value Stream Mapping for Continuous Batch Stream Processes” and “Developing a Prioritized Lean/Six-sigma Roadmap for Maximum Benefit” at the Fifth Lean Solutions Conference Organized by the Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) in Orlando, Florida held December 5-6. The papers are case studies on how companies have improved productivity through elimination of waste and reduction of process variation. The presentations are included in the conference proceedings published by IIE. He also conducted a post-conference session on process improvement utilizing Value Stream Mapping and Process Value Maps, which was conducted on site at the Florida Natural cooperative processing plant in Fort Wales, Florida, on December 7-8. Thirty-five participants from various industries attended the hands-on post-conference session, which Dr. Mehta has been leading for the IIE for the past five years.
Behm Publishes Occupational Safety Research The National Research Centre for Occupational Health and Safety at the Australian National University, Canberra, recognized a recent research article published by Mike Behm as a key research report influencing occupational safety. “Linking construction fatalities to the design for construction safety concept” was published in the October issue of Safety Science.
Lunsford Joins NCEES Professional Engineering Exam Committee Dr. Philip Lunsford, assistant professor of technology systems, traveled to Clemson, SC on January 20, 2006 at the invitation of the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). Lunsford served on the committee that develops the Professional Engineer (PE) exam for principles and practice of electrical and computer engineering. Administered twice a year by NCEES, successful completion of the exam is among the requirements of becoming a registered professional engineer.
Mehta Presents at the 2005 NAIT Convention Program Dr. Merwan Mehta presented “Enterprise-Wide Implementation of Lean/Six-Sigma Through a Prioritized Roadmap,” written by Dr. Merwan Mehta and Dr. Richard Monroe, at the 2005 National Association of Industrial Technologists (NAIT) Convention Program in Saint Louis, Missouri held November 17-18. This paper outlined a plan companies should use to advance to world-class levels through the adaptation of lean and six-sigma principles and tools. The paper was also accepted for publication in the peer-reviewed NAIT Selected Papers for 2005. Another paper authored by Dr. Robert Sickler and Dr. Merwan Mehta titled “Strategic Planning for Small Manufacturing Business Reengineering” was presented by Dr. Mehta during the conference’s Industry-Day NAIT events. This paper suggested a methodology for small manufacturing businesses to reengineer themselves for long-term survival and growth.
TECS Graduate Recognition Ceremony
One hundred thirty-eight students were honored at the College of Technology and Computer Science’s Fall Graduate Recognition Ceremony, held December 16 in Wright Auditorium.
The ceremony recognized bachelor’s and master’s degree candidates from the college’s three departments: computer science, construction management and technology systems. A reception for graduates and their guests followed the ceremony.
The following students passed CCNP 3 – Building Cisco Multilayer Switched Networks: William Cale, Justin Burnette, Nikolay Galeyev, Micheal Blanton, Frank Hobgood, Russell Strickland and Karlo Rodriquez. The CCNA certification (Cisco Certified Network Associate) indicates a foundation in and apprentice knowledge of networking. CCNA certified professionals can install, configure and operate LAN, WAN, and dial access services for small networks (100 nodes or fewer), including but not limited to use of these protocols: IP, IGRP, Serial, Frame Relay, IP RIP, VLANs, RIP, Ethernet, Access Lists. The following students passed CCNA: Thomas Stockslager, Karlo Rodriquez, Eric Kujawski and Kris Augustus. Congratulations!
Welcome
The Office of the Dean welcomes Judith M. Garris, who serves as an administrative secretary and handles financial operations and personnel matters. She comes to the College of Technology and Computer Science from ECU’s Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology.
David Harrawood joins the college as coordinator of the Center for Innovation in Technology and Engineering. He comes to East Carolina University after eight years with North Carolina State University’s Industrial Extension Service where he was an extension specialist for the College of Engineering. David received his master’s of science degree from ECU. His area of responsibility includes developing industry projects and continuing professional development for ECU faculty and students.
Joel Sweatte joins TECS as an administrator of instructional technology. He has twenty-five years of information technology experience in manufacturing, banking, education and consulting. Joel is responsible for infrastructure support and planning for the college.
March 6-10 Advising for summer session and fall semester 2006 March 12-19 Spring Break April 14-15 Holiday (no classes) April 24 Classes end April 27 Final exams begin May 6 Commencement
Technology & Computer Science Humor Dream Job Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources person asked the young programmer, “And what starting salary were you looking for?” The programmer said, "In the neighborhood of $75,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The HR person said, "Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation, fourteen paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every two years—say, a red Corvette?" The programmer sat up straight and said, "Wow!!! Are you kidding?" The HR person said, "Certainly, but you started it."
Have a favorite technology or computer science joke? (Let’s keep it clean!) Send it to nexus@mail.ecu.edu for a future issue of The Nexus.
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The first “Who is the Biggest InlandPirate?” robotics
competition was held on December 6, 2005 at 8:00 p.m. in the Science and
Technology Complex lobby. Winners of the competition were John Hinson,
Lauren Howard, Tracy Martz, William Miller, Van Nguyen, Domingos Pereira
and John Wyatt. 
Faculty consultants included Dr. Abdel-Salam, Dr. Gene Dixon, Dr.
Edward Howard, Dr. Richard Williams and Dr. Keith Williamson with support
from graduate students Geoffrey Dieck and Steve McLawhorn.
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