Preserving History: Professors' efforts inspire staff member to start endowment in their honor
(May 26, 2009) In honor of Joseph R. Crump, H. William Prengle and Abraham E. Dukler—who launched the UH Department of Chemical Engineering in the early 1950s—an endowment has been established to support undergraduate students studying chemical and biomolecular engineering. Sharon Gates, an advising assistant for the department, started the endowment to honor the legacy of the three professors and their contributions to chemical engineering at UH.

Grant Supports High-Tech Training at UH
(May 21, 2009) The University of Houston has received a $300,000 grant from the Texas Workforce Commission to bolster its efforts to recruit and retain historically underrepresented students in its engineering programs. The grant, part of the Texas Youth in Technology Strategic Workforce Development initiative, is supported by U.S. Department of Labor funds and is meant to spur job-growth that aligns with Texas Gov. Rick Perry's statewide industry cluster initiative.

College Holds Annual Spring Commencement Ceremony
(May 18, 2009) On May 15, some 113 undergraduates and 100 graduate students participated in the UH Cullen College of Engineering spring commencement ceremony. Four Cullen College graduates—Tony Kim, Anne Schneider, Michael Fernandez and Drew Nolen—share their excitement about graduating from the University of Houston.

ECE Professor Featured in Popular Magazine
(May 18, 2009) Neuroscience research being conducted by Bhavin Sheth, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was recently featured in an issue of The Economist. The article spotlights Sheth’s work with London researcher Joydeep Bhattacharya and Austria researcher Simone Sandkuhler on insight. Characterized as the clear and often sudden understanding of a complex situation or problem, the study by the three suggests insight occurs much earlier than most thought—as much as eight seconds before we are consciously aware we have solved the problem.

Alumni to be Honored at Annual Dinner
(May 14, 2009) Four University of Houston Cullen College of Engineering alumni will be recognized next month at the 2009 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Awards Dinner. Established in 1987, the awards dinner recognizes alumni, faculty and friends of the college and the Engineering Alumni Association. At this year’s event, four alumni will be honored not only for their contributions within the community, but also to the engineering profession. Gabriel W. Cuadra (1988 BSChE) and Daniel O. Wong (1983 BSCE, 1985 MSCE, 1988 Ph.D. CE) will be honored with Distinguished Engineering Alumni Awards; Duane Germenis (1983 BSME) will receive the Roger Eichhorn Leadership Award; and Michael P. Harold (1985 Ph.D. ChE) is the recipient of the Abraham E. Dukler Distinguished Engineering Faculty Award.

Faculty Recognized for Teaching, Research
(May 8, 2009) Dean Joseph Tedesco recognized UH Cullen College of Engineering faculty members for outstanding teaching and research during the 2008-2009 academic year at the college's spring Faculty/Staff Meeting. Richard Willson (ChBE) was honored with the Fluor Daniel Faculty Excellence Award, the highest award given by the college. Ovidiu Crisan (ECE) received the W.T. Kittinger Teaching Excellence Award, the college's most prestigious teaching honor. Leang Shieh (ECE) and Larry Witte (ME) were named co-recipients of the Career Teaching Award for excellence in teaching and service to students.

Using Auto Industry Tool for Tumor Therapy
(May 6, 2009) An effort is under way at the University of Houston to use technologies with origins in the automobile industry to develop new tools that will help doctors and technicians better plan radiation therapy for patients with head and neck cancer. Ali Kamrani, associate professor of industrial engineering, is teaming up with Lei Dong, associate professor and deputy research director of radiation physics at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, to develop predictive models of tumors that will hopefully increase the accuracy of radiation therapy.