SPSU schools undergo big changes for 2012
SPSU has added a fifth school to its academic structure by elevating the home of its engineering programs from Division of Engineering to School of Engineering.

Dr. Thomas R. Currin, the dean of the new school, describes the change in status as the next logical step in the development of SPSU’s engineering programs.

“We have six bachelor of science degree programs, a Master of Science in Systems Engineering and additional programs are in the preparation stage,” noted Dr. Zvi Szafran, vice president for Academic Affairs. “Our Construction Engineering program recently became the first SPSU engineering program to be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, and we’ll be seeking accreditation for the mechatronics engineering programs this spring.”

Beginning August 2012, the new school will establish three departments:

• Civil & Construction Engineering (CCE) will serve students in the civil engineering and construction engineering bachelor’s programs;
• Electrical & Mechatronics Engineering (EME) will serve students in the electrical engineering and mechatronics engineering bachelor’s programs; and
• Mechanical & Systems Engineering (MSE) will serve students in the mechanical engineering and systems engineering bachelor’s programs and the systems engineering master’s program.

Academic Affairs also made official two other changes:

• The Civil Engineering Technology (CET) program is now part of the School of Engineering Technology and Management, and
• The former School of Architecture, Civil Engineering Technology and Construction Management will now be known as the School of Architecture and Construction Management.

SPSU to work with Morehouse School of Medicine to promote use of electronic health records, technology
In a continuing effort to help local organizations meet their needs for health information technology professionals, officials at SPSU have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Morehouse School of Medicine.

The MOU commits both organizations to working together to “increase the adoption of electronic health record systems and other health information technology systems, through, among other strategies, the development and delivery of education and training programs, with an emphasis on Georgia.”

“As part of this initiative, the Morehouse School of Medicine and SPSU are exploring internship opportunities for students enrolled in the various health information technology (HIT) programs at SPSU, as well as the possibility of offering some HIT awareness courses for medical professionals,” said Dr. Han Reichgelt, dean of the School of Computing and Software Engineering.

Please volunteer for Future City on Jan. 21!
Volunteers are urgently needed for the Future City Competition being hosted by SPSU this Saturday, Jan. 21.

The Georgia Regional Future City Competition has attracted more than 160 teams of sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students who have been tasked with designing a method of providing electricity for a future city using an energy source that does not deplete natural resources and has limited impact on the environment. Last year’s event involved less than 60 teams – the Georgia competition has become the largest of the 37 regional U.S. competitions.

The event will be held in the Engineering Technology Center and Student Center Theater from 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Future City Coordinator Dawn Ramsey (dramsey@spsu.edu, ext. 4287) is in need of volunteers to serve as judges and time-keepers. Most volunteer shifts will end at 1 p.m.

First-place winners from the regional competition earn a berth in the national finals in Washington, D.C., set to take place during National Engineers Week, February 19-25, 2012.

Atlanta National College Fair is Feb. 12
Every winter, the staff of SPSU’s Student & Enrollment Services takes part in a large-scale student recruiting event called the Atlanta National College Fair, and this year is no exception. The National Association for College Admission Counseling will hold the Spring 2012 Fair on Sun., Feb. 12, at the Georgia World Congress Center, and SPSU will be well represented.

Approximately 8,000 prospective college students are expected to turn out for the fair to meet one-on-one with admission representatives from a wide range of national and international, public and private, two-year and four-year colleges and universities. Well over 200 institutions from all over the country will take part.

More information about the Atlanta National College Fair is available online.

SPSUTeach classes underway
SPSU’s teacher education program, SPSUTeach, opened its doors to students on Jan. 9 with 21 future educators enrolled in three courses.

The program offers degrees in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics with an education track leading to certification. SPSUTeach is replicating UTeach, a successful national model teacher preparation program that enables future secondary teachers (grades 6-12) to become highly qualified in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

SPSU student masters the kendama
Freshman architecture student Christian Fraser has mastered the kendama, a hand-held game of skill that originated in Japan and is quickly growing in popularity. He has a sponsor and is competing in events like Dama Fest, which was staged recently at the Cobb Galleria by Atlanta-based company Kendama USA company.

According to the company, the game is “an extremely addictive wooden skill toy that strengthens hand-eye coordination, balance and reflex.” It can be played by young and old alike, and there are endless tricks to be learned by both beginners and seasoned masters.

Fraser is sponsored by a company called Sweets Kendamas which has sent him to events like Dama Fest to help promote the game.

Kendama is made up of the “ken” (handle) and the “tama” (ball), which is connected by a string. Kendama tricks are variations of juggling the ball in the three cups, spiking the ball with the ken spike and balancing both in creative ways.

Recent faculty presentations
• Dr. Bill Diong, associate professor of electrical engineering in the Division of Engineering, traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa., in November to present his research on the dynamic response of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs), at the International Conference on Power and Energy Systems and Applications.

Men’s basketball team No. 4 in NAIA Top 25 Poll
With 14 wins and two losses this season, the Hornets are ranked No. 4 in this week’s NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. This is a leap up from their 10th place ranking in last week’s regular-season edition of the poll and 13th place in mid-December. Led by Coach Tommy Dillon, the team has been on a winning streak since November.

The Hornets’ next home game is on Sat., Jan. 21, at 4 p.m. against Lee University, ranked No. 18.

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 5, Issue 2
Jan. 18, 2012