Architecture professor named one of Most Admired Educators by Design Futures Council
Bronne Dytoc, SPSU professor of architecture, has been named one of the country’s 30 Most Admired Educators by the Design Futures Council, an interdisciplinary network of design, product and construction leaders focused on innovations in and the future of architecture.

The 30 education role models were selected by thousands of surveyed design professionals, academic department heads and students. Educators and administrators from the disciplines of architecture, industrial design, interior design and landscape architecture were considered for inclusion.

According to the organization’s bi-monthly journal, DesignIntelligence, “Prof. Dytoc loves what he does, and it overflows from him as he teaches. He is a brilliant person who approaches life with a willingness to help, and he does so with humility. He is an enduring legacy at this Georgia university.”

Prof. Dytoc has been an assistant professor of architecture at SPSU since January 2009. He focuses on architectural design and building systems and technology in his teaching and research. He received his undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of the Philippines, and a Masters in Building Science and Architecture from the University of Southern California at Los Angeles. He also holds a certificate in architecture, energy and environment from Lund University in Sweden. Prof. Dytoc is currently a doctoral candidate in education and instructional technology at Georgia State University.

EE professor, student scale great heights for solar panel installation training
When Dr. Deidra Hodges, assistant professor of electrical engineering in the School of Engineering, had solar panels installed on the roof of her home in Hiram last month, she turned it into a teaching experience for both herself and her SPSU course Fundamentals of Solar Power and Renewable Energy.

“I notified the class of each step in the process and incorporated pictures of the work done into my lectures,” she said.

When Dr. Hodges informed her students that Creative Solar USA and GreyStone Power were going to train her in the installation of the final two solar panels in the 6.5kW rooftop photovoltaic solar system, electrical engineering major and U.S. Army Cadet Joshua Anderson asked if he could participate as well. Anderson already worked as a research assistant and persisted in volunteering his services, so she agreed.

Other students pushed Dr. Hodges to make the installation a class field trip, but with 45 students enrolled in the class, she felt that was not feasible.

Dr. Hodges and Anderson installed the two panels with Creative Solar USA and GreyStone Power providing instruction on panel mounting, grounding techniques, micro-inverter connection, harnessing and safety procedures, and more. GreyStone Power also demonstrated net-metering with the installation of a meter which will allow excess unused energy to be sold back to the utility company.

“This experience has brought significant knowledge and a great team to both the solar-cell research being performed here at SPSU and the Fundamentals of Solar Power and Renewable Energy course,” Dr. Hodges said.

Recent faculty publications
• Dr. David Veazie, a professor of mechanical engineering, had a paper selected for publication in the Society for Experimental Mechanics’ journal Experimental Mechanics. The paper, “Model for elastic modulus of multi-constituent particulate composites,” highlights research that Dr. Veazie has done at SPSU and during the Air Force Summer Faculty Fellowship Program at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida.

Former dean writes book
Dr. Bill Rezak, former mechanical engineering technology faculty and dean of the School of Technology at SPSU from 1984-93, has written a book, “The Arab and the Brit: The last of the welcome immigrants,” to be published by Syracuse University Press on Feb. 1.

Born of a Palestinian father and a British mother, Dr. Rezak has always been intrigued by the different worlds from which his parents came. His father’s ancestors were highwaymen on the Arabian Peninsula in the 18th century, while his mother’s British parents emigrated separately into indentured servitude in Canada, where they met and married.

“The Arab and the Brit” is described as “an epic adventure of an immigrant family arriving in a strange land.”

Dr. Rezak spent 18 years working on the design and construction of power plants before moving into higher education. He retired in 2003 as president of Alfred State College in Alfred, N.Y.

South Korean consul general to speak Feb. 14
As a part of SPSU’s continuing efforts to enhance the international knowledge and awareness of students as well as faculty and staff members, the Office of Academic Affairs/International Programs and the Department of Social and International Studies will host the Atlanta-based consul general of the Republic of South Korea on Thurs., Feb. 14.

He Beom Kim, whose consulate serves the Southeastern United States, will give a presentation in the Design II Auditorium from 6-7 p.m.

The SPSU community is encouraged to welcome the consul general to campus and to attend his presentation.

Please participate in survey on area improvements
Thanks to everyone who attended the Jan.15 public meeting on campus regarding the Marietta University Enhancement District (MU2) Livable Centers Initiative (LCI). There was a great turnout and great discussion on needs for the area immediately surrounding the campus.

The consultants wish to receive further feedback from the campus community on ways to make the area around Cobb Parkway and South Marietta Parkway a better place to live, work, play and learn. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/mu2lci. The survey will be available through Feb. 15.

More information about the study driving this initiative can be found at: www.mu2lci.com.

Faculty mini-grants announced
Dr. Zvi Szafran, vice president for Academic Affairs, recently announced the faculty research proposals selected to receive mini-grants this year. These grants were established as part of an ongoing effort to provide professional development opportunities to SPSU faculty.

The selection committee consisted of: Dr. Dan Ferriera (biology and chemistry), Dr. Bob Harbort (computing and software engineering), Dr. Max North (business administration), Dr. M. A. Karim (civil and construction engineering) and Dr. Shariar Makarechi (construction management).

Project-based learning:

• Prof. Joseph Como (mechanical engineering) – sheet metal shaping $1,950
• Dr. Dan Lo (computer science and software engineering) and Dr. Orlando Karam (computer science and software engineering) – enhancement of capstone projects $5,000
• Dr. Rajnish Singh (biology and chemistry) – computer activities for chemistry $5,000
• Dr. Ming Yang (information technology) and Dr. Kai Quian (computer science and software engineering) – authentic learning $5,000

Improving student success in gateway courses:

• Dr. Shangrong Dengn (mathematics) – Web work for differential equations $4,953
• Dr. Jennifer Vandenbussche (mathematics) and Dr. Claudia Spiro (mathematics) – increasing Calculus II success rates $3,111
• Dr. Larry Wang (mathematics) and Dr. Zhu Cao (mathematics) – improving student success in calculus $5,000
• Dr. Wei Zhou (biology and chemistry) – Web-based learning for CHEM 1211L $5,000
  

Undergraduate engagement in faculty-mentored research and creative activities:

• Dr. Lu Kang (biology and chemistry) and Dr. Walt Thain (electrical and computer engineering technology) – Fabry-Perot resonator $10,000
• Dr. Mohammed Mayeed (mechanical and systems engineering) and Prof. Greg Conrey (mechanical engineering technology) – virtual optimization $8,990
• Dr. Sonia Toson (construction management), Dr. Jon Preston (computer science and software engineering) and Dr. James Werner (English, technical communications and media arts) – legal studies students serious games $10,000
• Dr. Matt Weand (biology and chemistry) and Prof. Ed Akins (architecture) – green-roof learning lab $10,000

Congratulations to the faculty recipients and special thanks to the deans for supporting their faculty members through the mini-grant program.

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 6, Issue 5
Feb. 6, 2013