News and Events - Engineering Technology

Faculty and Staff Recognition Ceremony: November 15

norrisma1 — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:03:01 +0000

Author:

Brian Kantz

Published Date:

November 13, 2012

A recognition ceremony to honor faculty and staff accomplishments will be held on Thursday, November 15, at 12:15 p.m. in Warren Enters Theatre.

The event will recognize Buffalo State recipients of Chancellor’s and President’s awards (see list below). In addition, all new faculty and staff members for fall 2011 will be welcomed to campus.

Download the ceremony program booklet (PDF).

The campus community is invited to participate in this inaugural recognition ceremony and to help launch this new tradition at Buffalo State. A reception will follow in the lobby of Bulger Communication Center.

The SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Classified Service

Pamela M. Bohin, agency program aide in the Registrar’s Office

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities

Valentin E. Brimkov, professor of mathematics

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Faculty Service

John L. DeNisco, interim chair and associate professor of business

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching

Michael I. Niman, professor of communication

SUNY Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Professional Service

Daniel C. Vélez, assistant to the vice president for student affairs

President’s Award for Excellence in Academic Advisement

Kelly G. Boos, assistant to the dean of the School of Natural and Social Sciences

President’s Award for Excellence in Career Achievement for Faculty

Douglas P. Easton, professor of biology

President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity

Ilya Y. Grinberg, professor of technology

President’s Award for Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creativity

Kenneth J. Orosz, associate professor of history and social studies education

President’s Award for Excellence in Service to the College

A. Paul Reynolds, training team consultant with Computing and Technology Services

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November 14, 2012

Alumni in the News: Jim Shaul

norrisma1 — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 19:49:41 +0000

Author:

Mary A. Durlak

Published Date:

June 13, 2012

Jim Shaul, who graduated from Buffalo State with a bachelor of technology degree, has been appointed to the position of vice president, sales and marketing, with Hoeganaes Corporation. He will be responsible for the direction of all global sales and marketing efforts for Hoeganaes Corporation, described on its website as “the world leader in the production of Atomized Steel and Iron Powders.” Congratulations, Jim!

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June 14, 2012

Buffalo State Graduates Start Work

norrisma1 — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Author:

Mary A. Durlak

Published Date:

May 15, 2012

Now that commencement ceremonies are over, the job search begins. But for some Buffalo State graduates, their biggest worry is choosing which job to accept. Many of these students are in Buffalo State’s engineering technology programs.

Jonathan DeMay, ’12, returned to college because he didn’t like his job as manager of an auto center. He chose Buffalo State and its electrical engineering technology: smart grid program, which has a job placement rate that approaches 100 percent. DeMay also took advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities offered here. Last summer, he received an Undergraduate Research Fellowship, which supports eight weeks of full-time research and provides a stipend of $2,750 plus a travel allowance. DeMay presented his work—design of a remote-controlled friendly feline enclosure—at a SUNY-wide event, “Discovery: An Undergraduate Showcase” in Albany in February. The prototype was based on feedback from a feline rescue expert.

During the spring 2012 semester, DeMay interned with a local company and received a job offer from them. Another company offered him a position as a junior engineer doing, among other things, design work for substations for electrical power distribution. The job he accepted “made me the best offer,” he said, “with a good 401K, a signing bonus, and a relocation bonus.” He’ll be designing controls and signals for trains.

Another program in the Technology Department, mechanical engineering technology (MET), also has a job placement rate approaching 100 percent. One reason is that seniors must complete a hands-on design project. According to David Kukulka, professor of technology and coordinator of the MET program, the design project may address a real challenge faced by the companies involved in the program. Another project is constructing a vehicle to compete in the Baja SAE, an intercollegiate design competition run by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Kevin Sayers, ’12, has already started the new job that he landed thanks to the MET program and a lead from a fellow student to a job opening. Sayers was hired as a technologist, and hopes to be promoted upon graduation.

“It was a long hard road,” he said. “I was laid off from another company because I only had a two-year degree. But that program wasn’t accredited, so I couldn’t transfer the 96 credits I’d earned. I had to start over, and I did. I went to Niagara County Community College and received an associate’s degree in liberal arts, math, and science. Then I came to Buffalo State for the MET program. All in all, I’m glad I went back to school and made the decisions I made. It definitely changed me for the better.”

“Some of our students are working when they start,” said Kukulka, “and many others get jobs through our internship programs. Employers value our program because it emphasizes hands-on, practical design work based on a solid knowledge of the underlying principles.”

Close to 2,000 undergraduates received their bachelor’s degree at Buffalo State on Saturday, May 12.

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Students from Brazil Pursue STEM Studies at Buffalo State

norrisma1 — Tue, 01 May 2012 16:18:20 +0000

Author:

Mary A. Durlak

Published Date:

May 1, 2012

“Charming.” “Clean.” “Great weather.”

That’s how three students from Brazil are describing Buffalo State and its surrounding neighborhood. Rafael Rodrigues Manenti, Eduardo Almeida, and Fabricio Barbosa (pictured left to right) are undergraduate students who are taking part in Brazil’s new Science without Borders initiative. They arrived in January, and will study at Buffalo State for a year.

To be accepted into the competitive program, it took a lot of paperwork—“many letters of recommendation,” recalled Almeida—and satisfactory scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test.

TOEFL scores indicate the ability of non-native-English speakers to succeed in an English-speaking academic environment. The students, who must be studying science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM programs) in a Brazilian university to take part in Science without Borders, can study in the United States for a year. The government of Brazil pays for their tuition, fees, books, living expenses, and transportation.

Buffalo State Issues Invitation
At the suggestion of Jean Gounard, director of the International Student Affairs Office, Buffalo State looked into becoming a host institution. According to Science without Borders, a host institution must offer strong coursework relevant to STEM fields, and must offer “excellent support services, appropriate housing, meal plan, and assistance in securing internships” to international students.

Mark Petrie, associate vice president for enrollment management, said that Buffalo State demonstrated its ability to meet both criteria. “We were able to point to our ability to provide a good experience for the students from Szechuan, China, who came here after the earthquake there disrupted their education,” he said. “Also, we want to provide our students with a more diverse learning environment, and one way to do that is to include students from many different countries.”

Buffalo State was easily able to provide the necessary coursework. Almeida, who is majoring in biotechnology at the Federal University of Pará in Brazil, is taking two relevant biology courses, genes in population and cell physiology. Fabricio Barbosa, a student at the Federal University of Goias, is an electrical engineering major who is enrolled in electrical engineering technology courses, microprocessors and electric machines. Manenti, who is studying geophysics at the Federal University of Bahia, is taking courses in ground-penetrating radar and environmental case studies.

Global Economics
All three students hope to improve their English while studying here. “With good English, you have more opportunities throughout the world,” said Almeida. Barbosa added that their experience here may benefit their careers. “Companies look with good eyes on someone who has studied abroad,” said Barbosa. “If you want to think globally, nothing is more important than studying abroad.”

They hope to secure internships this summer that will help them establish business relationships while gaining hands-on experience. Another priority for the trio is taking advantage of American technological know-how.

“We want to develop more of our own technology in Brazil,” Manenti explained. “We have many fine minds, and good professors.” Already, he believes, Brazilian technology is among the best in the world in deep-water drilling, and he hopes to work for an oil-drilling company someday. He has found the environmental case studies course especially valuable. “We are changing our geophysics program at the University of Bahia,” he said, “and I will suggest we include courses about environmental issues.”

Almeida said that adjusting to the style of teaching in American universities was a challenge, but worth it. “I like the way of teaching here,” he said. “They take the classes more seriously. You see students working in the library, even in the gym. We don’t have that in Brazil.” He has been very impressed with ANGEL, and the relative lack of bureaucracy.

All three students are optimistic, even excited, about Brazil’s future. “We have our problems,” said Barbosa, “but the next generations will be able to deal with them.

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May 3, 2012

Year of the Arts: April at a Glance

norrisma1 — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 16:01:40 +0000

Author:

Laurie Kaiser

Published Date:

March 28, 2012

If you’re looking for a capital-infused “Love Story,” a delicious “Musical Feast” or a multisensory dance performance, you’ve come to the right month in the Year of the Arts lineup at Buffalo State College.

Actually, all the months this academic year have brimmed with visual, musical, poetic, and theatrical arts offerings that challenge and inspire. To see the entire schedule, go to www.yearofthearts.com.

April 4
Take Back the Night
This annual student-led event that mixes poetry, interpretive dance, music, and monologues to raise awareness about sexual violence against women will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The 2012 Take Back the Night theme is “Do Your Part Buffalo State” and will include remarks from Dean of Students Charles Kenyon, along with students who have experienced sexual or domestic violence. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tammy Kresge, coordinator for Health Promotion, Weigel Health Center and staff liaison for Take Back the Night, at (716) 878-6725.

April 10
Capitalism: A Love Story
Part of the Crisis! film series that explore the global economic crisis, this film by documentary filmmaker Michael Moore asks tough questions about how American corporations and financial institutions sacrifice the interests of working people in their endless pursuit of shareholder profits.

Is Moore making a political statement or is he an honest documentarian? Decide for yourself when you watch the free film at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium. After the film, expect a lively discussion with Buffalo State moderators Ted Schmidt, associate professor of economics and finance; Albert Michaels, professor of history; and Bruce Fisher, director, Center for Economic and Policy Studies. (716) 878-4533.

April 13
A Musical Feast
In the final performance of the 2011-2012 season, hear a fusion of classical and contemporary music performed by Carol Wincenc, flute; Jonathan Golove, cello; Claudia Hoca, piano; and Charles Castleman, violin at 8:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium. The concert will include “Trio for Trio for Flute, Cello and Piano” by Bohuslav Martinu; “Duo Concertant” by Igor Stravinsky; “Six Chassidic Folks Songs” by Paul Schoenfeld. Charles Haupt, who is retired from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, serves as concert master. Tickets are $10 for Burchfield Penney members, Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff and $20 for the general public. (716) 878-4533.

Our Edible Complex: A Live Exhibition of Western New York’s Food Culture
As part the Second Friday series that runs monthly from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, local farmers and representatives from vineyards, breweries, food publications, and non-profit organizations will share their stories, hand out samples of their products, and provide demonstrations and workshops. Free. (716) 878-4533.

April 15
Writers and Poets Series
Buffalo Poet Irving Feldman’s reading from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium will conclude the Burchfield Penney's 2011-2012 Writers and Poets Series. Feldman's collections of poetry include Collected Poems, 1954-2004 (Schocken, 2004); Beautiful False Things: Poems (Grove Press, 2000); All of Us Here (1986), which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; Leaping Clear (1976), and The Pripet Marshes (1965), both finalists for the National Book Award. Feldman is the recipient of a National Institute of Arts and Letters award as well as fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. The Writers and Poets Series is presented with support from the David and Ruth Lampe Poetry Endowment. (716) 878-6011.

April 17
Wall Street
The last in the 2011-2012 Crisis! film series, Wall Street, gives us the ugly but unforgettable character Gordon Gekko, whose credo “Greed is good” encapsulated the early years of the “Era of Excess.” Ironically, this film was released just before the October 1987 stock market crash. It’s so good that it never needed a sequel—but next season the film series will show that one, too. A free showing of Wall Street will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium followed by a discussion with Buffalo State moderators Ted Schmidt, associate professor of economics and finance; Albert Michaels, professor of history; and Bruce Fisher, director of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies. (716) 878-6011.

April 18

Hospitality “Arts” Celebration
Buffalo State’s Hospitality and Tourism Department is celebrating the Year of the Arts with a 5:30 p.m. awards ceremony at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, followed by a dinner reception at Campus House. During the ceremony, they will recognize winners of the 2012 Buffalo Niagara Hospitality Ambassador Awards: Ed Healey, of Visit Buffalo Niagara Center; Krista Van Wagner, owner of Curley’s Grill; and Daniel P. Garvey, of the Roycroft Inn; for their accomplishments in the industry and their community service. Hospitality and Tourism Department students also will receive awards, including the Hart Hotel and Pano’s scholarships. Afterward, guests will enjoy a dinner reception at Campus House, the college’s faculty and staff club, where students will prepare artistic culinary delights. The cost is $50. To make reservation call (716) 878-3300 or e-mail campushouse@buffalostate.edu.

Percussion Ensemble/Digital Music Ensemble
The Buffalo State Percussion Ensemble is pairing with the college’s new Digital Music Ensemble in a unique concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The Percussion Ensemble will kick off the concert using standard percussion instruments such as timpani, mallet, tom toms, cymbals and gongs, along with found or constructed instruments. The Digital Music Ensemble will follow using state-of-the art electronic music instruments and common technological tools such as smart phones, iPads, and game controllers. The two ensembles will perform a combined piece at the end. The Percussion Ensemble is directed by Brad Fuster, associate professor and chair of music. Tomas Henriques, assistant professor of music, directs the Digital Music Ensemble. Admission is free. (716) 878-3005.

April 18-21
Alternative Dimensions: A Multisensory Experience
The Buffalo State dance program will present a modern dance performance meant to engage all the senses at 8:00 p.m. April 18-21 and 2:00 p.m. April 21 in Upton Hall's Warren Enters Theatre. Choreographed by dance faculty, “Alternative Dimensions” features 22 Buffalo State students and six guest artists including a Buffalo State alumna. In a separate but related event, “Docents and Delicacies,” held on the third floor of the Bulger Communication Building, art students will serve as docents introducing artwork and talking about how the five faculty choreographers interpreted different pieces of art to create an original dance. Meanwhile, wine and food pairings that correlate with the dance and art will be offered to guests. Alternative Dimensions tickets are $6 for Buffalo State students (if purchased prior to the show); $10 for Buffalo State faculty, staff, and alumni; and $15 for the general public. Tickets for the “Docents and Delicacies” experience are $20. (716) 878-6416.

April 19
Vocal Jazz Ensemble
The Buffalo State College Vocal Jazz Ensemble and the Women's Chorus will perform a collection of jazz favorites including “When Sunny Gets Blue,” “My Favorite Things,” “I Could Write A Book,” and “When I Fall In Love,” in a free concert at 7:30 at the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Victoria Furby, assistant professor of music, and John Fleischman, director of the Women’s Chorus, are directing the performance. (716) 878-3005.

Runaway
This original film written and directed by documentary filmmaker and assistant professor of communication Meg Knowles and produced by Brian Milbrand and Courtney Grim, tells the story of Knowles’ sister, who disappeared from a New England riding camp at the age of 14. Despite extensive investigations by both police and detectives, months passed and her family could find no trace of her. For more than 35 years, her family has never discussed their experiences of that summer—until now. Runaway, shown at 7:00 p.m. in the Burchfield Penney Art Center Auditorium, is the last in the Consider the Alternatives film series presented by the Burchfield Penney and the Communication Department. Admission is free. (716) 878-6011.

April 20
Adam and Anthony Live
Original Rent musical stars Adam Pascal and Anthony Rapp will join forces in a special pop/rock evening at 8:00 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall, celebrating their individual musical careers as well as the Broadway cultural hit Rent. The two friends and co-stars will share stories about the Pulitzer Prize-winning show that brought them together and will perform songs from it. The electric and acoustic concert also will feature fresh interpretations of Stephen Sondheim songs and other popular Broadway music, along with a mix of pop and original songs. Tickets are $35-$30. (716) 878-3005.

Emerging Scholars Presentation
As part of the Emerging Scholar Series, David Ben-Merre, assistant professor of English, will present, “Forms of Doubt: Hilda Doolittle’s Trilogy, Ferdinand de Saussure’s anagrams, and Sigmund Freud’s Nachträglichkeit” from noon to 1:00 p.m. in the E. H. Butler Library 210. The poet Hilda Doolittle liked mixing and matching letters as though they were chemicals to be played with in the great lab of life, as though she could “feel the meaning that words hide.” But amid her faith in the capacity of letters to find their homes, she could not shake her doubts that her wartime collection Trilogy would ever come together in a meaningful way. Ben-Merre considers Doolittle by exploring two other great intellectual self-doubters: the linguist Ferdinand de Saussure and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Free. http://www.buffalostate.edu/professionaldevelopment/x1512.xml.

April 21
Buffalo State College Jazz Ensemble
As part of the Friends and Faculty Series, this free concert by the Buffalo State Jazz Ensemble will include traditional jazz music as well as contemporary jazz ensemble arrangements at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The Jazz Ensemble is directed by Rick Fleming, associate professor of music and director of bands at Buffalo State. (716) 878-3005.

Runway 5.0
Buffalo State’s fashion and textile technology program will present Runway 5.0, which spotlights senior collections from fashion students, alumni, and instructors, along with work from Western New York designers, in a one-of-a kind show held at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. in the Pierce Arrow Building, 1685 Elmwood Avenue. The theme of Runway 5.0 is Synthesis, meaning “the combining of separate elements to form a coherent whole offering new, unexpected combinations that can confront opposites.” Tickets to the afternoon show are $15 for students and $20 for the general public. Tickets to the evening show are $30 for everyone. VIP tickets that include a 6:30 p.m. reception catered by the Hospitality and Tourism Department cost $100. Regular tickets are available at Wegmans and at the Rockwell Hall box office. For VIP tickets, call (716) 878-6018.

April 24
Buffalo State College Wind Ensemble
The Buffalo State College Wind Ensemble is one of the premiere performing ensembles on campus. The Wind Ensemble will perform works in the traditional wind band repertoire as well as contemporary works of various styles in a free concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. The Wind Ensemble is directed by Rick Fleming. (716) 878-3005.

April 25
Concert: Honors Chamber Ensembles
The Honors Chamber Ensembles, which includes several student chamber music groups, such as the Clarinet Ensemble, Woodwind Trio, Trombone Choir, and String Quintet, will perform mostly classical music with a few pops selections in this free concert at 7:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall. Crystal Reinoso, professor of music, and Rick Fleming, director of Buffalo bands, are directing. (716) 878-3005.

April 26
Diaspora Drumming Ensemble and Buffalo State West African Drumming Ensemble
Returning to the Performing Arts Center at Rockwell Hall in this 7:30 p.m. concert, Diaspora Drumming is a trio dedicated to studying, teaching, and performing percussion music of the African Diaspora. Members Ringo Brill, Tiffany Nicely, and Gabriel Gutierrez studied with African masters in various styles and traveled to the place where the music was created. Diaspora Drumming is joined by Buffalo State’s 25-member West African Drumming Ensemble under the direction of Nicely, a lecturer in the Music Department. Tickets are $10; students are admitted for free. (716) 878-3005.

April 27

Buffalo Student Film Forum
Buffalo State’s Silver Screen Association and the Burchfield Penney Art Center’s Street Team will host the Buffalo Student Film Forum in the Burchfield Penney’s Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Auditorium. Watch a selection of short films created and curated by students from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m., with a reception immediately following. The entire event is free and open to the public. (716) 878-6011.

April 27-28

The 14th Annual Student Research and Creativity Celebration
This exciting annual event features the latest research, scholarly, and creative endeavors by undergraduate and graduate students across all academic disciplines. The result of their work will be reflected in more than 375 posters, papers, visual and performing arts presentations, displays, and demonstrations held throughout campus– in art galleries, theaters, and the E.H. Butler Library. More information, full schedule.

April 28
Buffalo State College Foundation Scholarship Gala
Buffalo State will host its 15th annual Foundation Scholarship Gala at 6:00 p.m. at the Statler, 107 Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. A much-anticipated fundraising event, the gala typically attracts more than 500 guests for an evening of dining, dancing, and a live auction. Because of the gala, the Buffalo State College Foundation awards 200 scholarships to deserving students each year. Since this event was established in 1998, more than $1.5 million in scholarship funds have been awarded. Tickets are $200 per person. For more information, contact Kathryn Neeson or call (716) 878-4895.

Through April 29
Storyboard: The Sexual Politics of Jackie Felix
Admired for her energy and passion, Jackie Felix (1929-2009), a Buffalo State graduate, tackled subjects others avoided. Her intensely dramatic work critiques the callous, violent, and dispassionate sexuality that permeates American culture. Representing Felix’s dynamic artistic career, this exhibition of provocative art at the Burchfield Penney that opened in late February and runs through April 29 addresses topical social issues such as female identity, popular culture, and sexual politics. Admission is free for Buffalo State students, faculty, and staff and runs from $5 to $10 for the general public. (716) 878-6011.

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Insertion Date for Daily Bulletin Feature:

March 30, 2012