Retired president of Lockheed Martin to speak at SPSU’s spring commencement ceremony
Retired Lockheed Martin president Robert B. Ormsby will deliver the keynote address to SPSU’s graduates at the 94th commencement ceremony on Sat., May 9 at 2 p.m. in the University’s gymnasium.

Mr. Ormsby, a graduate of Georgia Tech’s Aeronautical Engineering program in 1945, began working for the Lockheed Georgia Company in Marietta as an Operations Research Specialist in 1954. He served as President of Lockheed Georgia from 1975-84. He retired from Lockheed in 1986. He also served as Chairman of the NASA Aeronautics Advisory Committee from 1984-88.

Mr. Ormsby is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Member of the National Academy of Engineering. Currently, Mr. Ormsby serves as President Emeritus of the Aviation Museum & Discovery Center.

During the ceremony, SPSU will be conferring an honorary Doctor of Science degree upon Mr. Ormsby. He will be one of only four individuals to receive the honor from the University.

SPSU will also be conferring approximately 258 undergraduate and 55 graduate degrees during the spring commencement ceremony.

Army Research Office awards grant to SPSU
SPSU received a $100,000 grant from the Army Research Office – US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command – to further enhance the capabilities of both Virtual Reality Technology and proposed Geographic Information Systems Laboratories.

Funds will be used to acquire state-of-the-art equipment and technology, including a spatially immersive display, providing researchers and students with a sophisticated toolset in visualization technology. In conjunction with already existing hardware and software, this equipment will greatly expand the research and development capabilities associated with simulation and open new and exciting research venues. This state-of-the-art technology will also allow SPSU faculty to be involved in Department of Defense-related research.

Congratulations to SPSU professors, Dr. Max M. North, Engineering Technology and Management, and Dr. Cyril Okhio, Division of Engineering, who are pioneers in the fields of Virtual Reality Technology and Engineering Visualization Applications, on securing this grant.

SPSU baseball team receives number three national ranking
The SPSU Hornets baseball team is on fire. As of April 14, they were ranked number 3 by the 2009 National Athletic Intercollegiate Association (NAIA) Baseball Coaches Top 25 poll and tied for first in the Southern States Athletic Conference. Nearing the end of the season, the Hornets have set an impressive record of 38-6, securing a 16-game win streak in the process. Coach Griffin credits several key players for their current ranking - a pitching staff that includes junior David Harden, senior Mark Doll, senior Sean Teague, shortstop junior Jono Waugh and second baseman junior Jake Barrow.

The regular season ends April 24 and the conference tournament is April 28-May 2 at the Golden Park Complex in Columbus, Ga.

Outstanding faculty and staff honored
SPSU faculty and staff members filled the Student Center Ballroom on April 13 for the presentation of the 2009 Employee Service Awards and Outstanding Staff and Faculty recognitions. Dr. Lisa A. Rossbacher introduced the ceremony and shared that the combined years of service for all the honorees and retirees totaled 1,581 years. The staff and faculty who were honored include:

Outstanding Staff Award recipients:
• Donna McPherson – ETCMA
• Kit Trensch – Advancement Office

Outstanding Faculty Award recipients:
• Bob Brown - Computer Science, Software Engineering and IT
• Norm Russell - MET
• Laura Ritter - Mathematics
• Bill Hodges - ECET

Outstanding Staff nominees:
• Allen Becker, Facilities
• Patsy Bowen, Facilities
• Cressia Callahan, Career and Counseling
• Chris Corriere, Division of Information Technology
• Diana Cosme, Biology, Chemistry and Physics
• David Easterwood, Architecture
• Beth Haynie, Computing and Software Engineering
• Greg Osborne, Financial Aid
• Dianne Summey, President's Office
• Philip Zhookoff, Architecture

SPSU’s economic impact estimated at $161 million
SPSU’s impact on Georgia and most significantly, Cobb County in fiscal year 2008, totals more than $161 million, according to a newly released study by the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia.

The previous report, based on fiscal year 2007 data, placed SPSU’s economic impact at $135 million. This year’s data represents a growth of 19 percent in the University’s economic impact over the last 12 months.

The number was calculated based on sales, gross regional product, income and full- or part-time jobs. SPSU provides an economic influence to its surrounding community, contributing 1,317 jobs and adding millions to the local and regional economy in personal services, construction expenditures and student spending.

SPSU student wins national award
Physics student, Maria Suggs presented a paper at the 2009 Alpha Chi National Honor Society Convention held April 2-4 in Indianapolis. Her paper, titled “Characterization of Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) Process for Electrical Through-Wafer Interconnects (ETWI) For Piezoresistive Inertial Sensors,” won the award for best physics paper at the conference. Suggs, a senior, studies under Dr. Russ Patrick, professor of Physics.

Also presenting at the convention was biology student, Chantelle McGinness. Her paper, “Determining How Interleukin-1 Affects the Regulation of Cadherin Expression,” was selected as one of the two best by SPSU Alpha Chi student members. McGinness is also a senior, studying under Dr. Rajnish Singh, assistant professor of Biochemistry.

SPSU receives National Center for Academic Excellence recognition
Last year, the National Security Agency (NSA) recognized SPSU’s Center for Information Security Education (CISE) as a Center for Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education (CAEIAE) for 2008-2013.  Recently, Dr. Andy Wang, director of CISE, received notification that CISE’s courseware had been re-certified.

CISE is required to submit its courseware for re-certification every five years in order to maintain that status. The Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS) along with the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security evaluates the security curriculum in accordance with CNSS guidelines.

The CAEIAE is a national outreach program designed and operated by the NSA. Its goal is to reduce vulnerability in the U.S. information infrastructure by promoting higher education in information assurance and producing a growing number of professionals with expertise in various cyber security disciplines.

SPSU hosts American Society for Engineering Education Southeast Conference
SPSU served as host for the American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) annual Southeastern Conference on April 5–7. The theme of the conference was “Preparing the Engineers and Technologists of Tomorrow.”

Ten states and territories comprise the ASEE Southeastern Conference:  Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The goal of the conference is to develop the broader community's intellectual resources, allowing for increased dialogue with a very dedicated group of engineering technology and engineering faculty members.

In attendance at this year’s conference were 126 registrants representing 45 universities.  The conference included several workshops as well as a student poster competition.

SPSU has been a long term supporter of the southeast section.  One of the ASEE’s most prestigious awards is named for Tony Tillman, longtime engineering technology Dean at SPSU. Dean Jeff Ray served as the conference site coordinator, Barbara Bernal is the Southeastern Section Chair and Proceedings Editor, Brent Jenkins was the Technical Program Chair and Sheryl Duggins was the Workshop Coordinator. 

Volume 2, Issue 8
April 22, 2009