Student-designed projects featured on WSB-TV
A display of environment-conscious technological creations designed by students of electrical and computer engineering technology (ECET) and mechanical engineering technology (MET) attracted media attention last week.

Teams of students in ECET Prof. Scott Tippens’ Digital III course had been tasked with designing socially-beneficial and environmentally-friendly products. They were assisted on certain projects by MET students supervised by Associate Prof. Mir Atiquallah, and the finished products were displayed and demonstrated in the gallery of the Engineering Technology Center on Dec. 12.

Prof. Tippens and some of the student designers were interviewed on camera by Ross Cavitt of WSB-TV during the event for a story that appeared on multiple newscasts. To view the video, go to WSB-TV.

Among the items showcased were a remote-controlled blimp, an automatic plant-watering system, a wireless power meter, an autonomous submarine motor control and an oven, robotic lawn mower, security system and military tent that all make use of the sun rather than electricity.

SPSU signs cooperative agreement with university in South Korea
Officials from SPSU and a large, comprehensive university in South Korea have signed a cooperative agreement that sets the stage for partnerships in engineering and other disciplines.

Dr. Ilseok Oh, an associate professor in the Division of Engineering and program director of Civil and Construction Engineering, represented SPSU during a signing ceremony at Chosun University in Kwang-Ju, South Korea, last month. Chosun has more than 20,000 students and strong programs in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, according to Dr. Oh and Dr. Richard Bennett, director of SPSU’s Office of International Programs.

“This agreement will open a new door for both universities,” Dr. Oh said.

Chosun is SPSU’s first partner university in South Korea, and arrangements with institutions in other countries are in the works.

SPSU to offer geographic information systems certificate program in spring
The Civil Engineering Technology Department will begin offering a certificate program in geographic information systems (GIS) in the spring semester with the addition of two new courses.

GIS can be applied in diverse fields such as land surveying, environmental science, transportation, urban planning, business administration, water resources and many other areas of study, including the social sciences. It is a major component of geospatial technology, an industry projected to show long-term growth.

The program can be completed in 19 semester hours. A complete description is available on the Civil Engineering Technology Department Web site. For more information, contact Department Chair Timothy Zeigler at tzeigler@spsu.edu or Prof. Matt Wilson at mwilson@spsu.edu.

For applied research opportunities, contact Prof. Lourdes Abellera at labeller@spsu.edu. Her current research interests are in building information modeling (BIM) and volunteered geographic information (VGI) for urban sustainability.

Dr. Ghavi named director of Center for Health Information Technology
Dr. Mahmoud Ghavi has been appointed co-director of the School of Computing and Software Engineering’s (CSE) Center for Health Information Technology.

Dr. Ghavi, who has been instrumental in a number of campus initiatives in the area of health information technology, is also director of SPSU’s Center for Nuclear Studies and a faculty member in the Division of Engineering.

A certificate in health information technology is available to all undergraduate and graduate students at SPSU and can be completed as part of an undergraduate degree program. It is intended to provide students with sufficient knowledge of the healthcare industry to allow them to start developing and/or supporting health information technology applications in a number of healthcare delivery settings.

“I am particularly pleased that Dr. Ghavi has agreed to take on this position as the Cobb Chamber of Commerce has emphasized the importance of health information technology in its economic development plans,” said CSE Dean Han Reichgelt, the new center’s other co-director.

Where in the world is Trish Buchanan?
Having worked at SPSU for 10 years, Trish Buchanan is well acquainted with many people on campus who may have missed her of late. She recently took a position as secretary in the Office of Strategic Marketing and Sustainability Initiatives.

Secretary to the chief information officer in the Division of Information Technology since her arrival on campus, she can now be found in the Student Center (A-260) and reached at ext. 6000.

ETCMA professor interviewed on her research
Dr. Beth Stutzmann, a professor in the English, Technical Communication and Media Arts Department and director of the University Band, recently traveled to Madrid, Spain, to present research at the International Conference on Education, Research and Innovation. Her presentation was titled “The Identification of the Purpose and Philosophy of Music Education within Jewish Day Schools.”

While there, Dr. Stutzmann was interviewed about her work by the host of The English Corner on radiosefarad.com. To listen to the interview, visit radiosefarad.com.

Hiring a student worker or a work-study student?
As the designated office for student employment at SPSU, Career Services reminds all faculty and staff members to arrange campus student jobs through the Career and Counseling Center. This gives students a central place in which to search for campus jobs, rather than making them inquire at office after office. Register job postings in the Career Link database by visiting Career Services and clicking on Career Link. Be sure to include a brief description of the job, the hours, the skills required, majors preferred and how to apply. For more information call ext. 7391.

SPSU stuffs a bus and donates toys for tots

Mountains of stuffed teddy bears, puppies, frogs and other critters, along with assorted toys and games, filled the President’s Office and a number of collection bins around campus in December as faculty, staff and students pitched in for the annual Stuff-A-Bus and Toys for Tots community drives.

A Cobb Community Transit bus pulled onto campus on Dec. 8, and the Social and Community Building Committee loaded it up with lots of toys and non-perishable food for low income families in Cobb County. Stuff-A-Bus is a joint effort between Cobb Christmas Inc., the Cobb County Department of Transportation and Cobb Community Transit.

Navigation through SPSU President Lisa A. Rossbacher’s office suite got much easier after retired Master Sgt. and SPSU alum David McKoy of the U.S. Marine Corps picked up all the stuffed animals and toys that had taken over every available surface since Thanksgiving. Toys for Tots is a program of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve that helps to provide Christmas cheer for needy children.

Thanks to everyone at SPSU who contributed to these worthy causes.

Have news to share?
If your department has an upcoming event or other news to share with the campus community, please send an e-mail with all the pertinent information to Diane Payne (dpayne@spsu.edu). To be considered for use in a specific issue of the SPSU Hornet’s Nest, a news item must be submitted no less than four weeks before the date of the issue.

Volume 4, Issue 48
Dec. 21, 2011