Cal State Long Beach engineering students are designing, building and deploying the drones of the future, not just in the air, but on the ground and under the sea as well.
.. read more at Press-Telegram – Cal State Long Beach students learn drone technology for the air, on the ground, under the sea
Christopher Schivley was poor, alienated and desperately seeking guidance when he enrolled in a career education class as a freshman at Cal State Long Beach.
Instructor Emmitt Clark grew up in the Chicago projects as the son of a single mom, dodging gangs and drugs on his way to a teaching career.
… read more at LA Times – On social media, alums thank Cal State faculty who changed their lives
There were two moments in David Salazar’s life when he knew he wanted to be an engineer, including the time when a ball of vomit floated toward him.
More on that later.
Salazar, a 28-year-old native of Orange, graduated Cal State Long Beach in December with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and recently earned a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship that will pay him $32,000 a year for three years while he furthers his studies at Stanford University.
… read more at Long Beach Press Telegram – CSULB graduate earns National Science Foundation research fellowship
The future of cockpit design may be recast for tomorrow’s fighter pilot thanks to Northrop Grumman-sponsored research led by College of Engineering Dean Forouzan Golshani.
“There is a concept that cockpit design follows what was invented 50 years ago,” explained Golshani. “Generally, we have more sophisticated cockpits today but they really only have more knobs, gadgets and displays to work with. Our partners at Northrop Grumman think there is a better approach to designing cockpits for next generation fighters, including how our children play computer games.”
He explained that a cockpit is all about interaction with the environment and how information should be transmitted to the pilot.
“If you look at the way mission-oriented computer games are played, they control the same kind of things that a pilot does,” he said. “How much fuel do you have? How do you release a weapon or drop a package? Gameplayers deal with many constraints at any given time. They manage information in a way older generations never could. Looking at 2020 and beyond, it would be wise to design a cockpit for the future, not past, generation.”
The potential for the cockpit redesign is enormous. “This is a project that has the potential to take the combined team of Northrop Grumman and CSULB College of Engineering to a big funding agency like the Department of Defense,” Golshani said. “Northrop Grumman is very interested in making this their next contribution to aerospace, beginning with the first phase of preliminary studies.”
Student participation in the research will yield thesis topics for individual graduate students and senior projects for groups of students.
“They are engaged to perform research alongside faculty members,” said Golshani, who hopes to learn as much from his students as they do from the project. “I hope they take with them the experience of participation in a real-world project that they can see from the beginning. This is their chance to be part of a realistic project that looks to the future.”
One of the project’s most useful tools is a wheeled flight simulator based on the design of Northrop Grumman’s F-5A/B Freedom Fighter. “The instrumentation has been taken out but our research will depend on what we build around the cockpit,” he explained. “We will build a virtual cockpit. Everything has to be tested before we can say this can be part of our future cockpit. And once we are ready to build it, we will ask the question, where in the aircraft should it be?
“Who said the position of a cockpit should be fixed? Why not put it in the plane’s belly and let it come up like a submarine conning tower?” he said. “Whether the cockpit offers an actual view of the reality around it or not, that view is secondary to everything the pilot needs to do. We use this cockpit on wheels as a building block for the digital future. We want to examine the alternatives to the existing complex panels of instrumentation.”
Nothing is sacred when it comes to the new look. “Will this control be a button? Will it be a switch? What about when the pilot is flying in a smoke filled cockpit? If the pilot can’t see the switch or the button, what good are they?” he asked. “Between all the senses, we should be able to convey the information that we want. In many ways, the new design is influenced by assistive technology that is so sophisticated, it allows the blind to use a flight simulator. If a cockpit can be designed that accommodates a pilot who cannot see, it is certain that same cockpit will do a good job working with a pilot who can see.”
Golshani is pleased by the opportunity for the university.
“This is the kind of work that a progressive College of Engineering ought to be doing,” he said. “I’m very proud of the faculty members, particularly those we have hired over the last few years. They come from the best institutions and they are our greatest resources. I think we have an awesome team and I feel good about our chances of success.”
From: News @ The Beach – College of Engineering Working with Northrop Grumman on New Cockpit Design
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) College of Engineering Dean Forouzan Golshani was appointed recently to advise the Assembly Select Committee on Aerospace chaired by Assemblyman Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance).
“I am pleased to have Dr. Forouzan Golshani join the Aerospace Advisory Council. He brings a wealth of knowledge as Dean of the College of Engineering at California State University, Long Beach, and I look forward to working with him and the council to support California’s aerospace industry,” said Muratsuchi.
As a member of the aerospace advisory committee, Goshani said he hopes he can help to bridge the gap between academic research and the types of policies enacted by policy makers.
“It’s an honor,” said Golshani. “It’s a great opportunity to offer input into things that matter. I have been specifically cognizant of the divide between technology and policy areas. The more Californians who are aware of technology, the more who will be better able to assess things from a modern technological perspective. I’m particularly pleased to be called upon to be a part of this committee.”
Golshani also believes he can make the biggest contribution to the issue of aerospace manufacturing revival.
“Manufacturing revival has diminished during the past two decades,” he said. “That is very unfortunate because, when you look at what made Southern California what it is, and at the iconic images of Southern California, they were from aerospace. Several things that many people identify Southern California with have their roots in the aerospace sector. We have seen a rapid erosion of this industry in Southern California. Boeing has downsized and Northrop has consolidated. The ability of this state to be the powerhouse of the nation has diminished. I hope we can help maintain this state’s supplier base to the local aerospace industry. That is still a huge advantage for the state’s economy.”
The meetings usually take place in the South Bay area and the next advisory committee meeting is anticipated to be sometime this month. Other committee members represent a wide range of organizations including including well-known aerospace companies like Boeing, Northrup Grumman and Lockheed Martin.
Advising an Assembly Select Committee will be a new experience for Golshani. “I have not participated directly to such an extent in the legislative process. Although I’ve been on multiple delegations that traveled to Washington D.C. to talk with members of Congress,” he said. “My interactions with this committee of experts will enable us to align our academic and educational objectives with the state’s highest needs. I don’t see my role as that of an advocate specifically for just the university. The advisory committee must make sound recommendations for all the region. Generally, I see this committee as an advisory committee to bridge the area of technology with the area of setting policy. That is a powerful mix. If there is an opportunity to help engineering colleges at CSUs and UCs, that is an added benefit.”
Golshani works closely with his college’s Dean’s Advisory Council–a group of more than 20 senior executives from the regional high-technology companies. “My work with our local industries has helped to inform me about the special committee’s goal,” he said. “Our advisory council comes together three times a year. We go over what matters to the industry and what affects CSULB and the College of Engineering. That is a great basis for formulating my advice to the members of the California Assembly about technology in general and specifically aerospace technology.”
As College of Engineering dean, Golshani has gained a clear perspective on Southern California’s aerospace industry.
“As I study the reasons for the erosion of the aerospace industry in Southern California, a number of factors come to light,” he explained. “Many of these reasons are related to Sacramento directly or indirectly. They include, for example, antiquated laws, including some environmental regulations. Too often, outdated laws remain on the books and they cause confusion and extra work for government and business because compliance becomes a much more difficult task when there is no clarity to the laws.
“In addition, many industries who leave California move to right-to-work states,” he added. “I hope to look at how to create a more level legal playing ground to help businesses stay in California. At the very least, we must work to see that outdated laws are not the reason businesses move out of the state. Another area that would be good to look at are the incentives provided to businesses extensively by other states. It is a matter of calculating dollars and cents to see what tax benefits would be lost if a business that generates employment moved out of the state. There are things I and the rest of the advisory committee can analyze on behalf of the Legislature to inform them about how we might be able to make the state of California more competitive.”
Golshani came to CSULB from London’s Imperial College, Wright State University and Arizona State University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Arya Mehr University of Technology in Iran, his Master of Science degree in engineering systems in 1979 and his Ph.D. in computer science in 1982, both from Warwick University.
Golshani believes his appointment demonstrates the seriousness with which the state considers the aerospace industry.
“The issue of aerospace manufacturing is huge,” he said. “The White House takes it seriously enough to offer a $1.3 billion federal funding to Southern California this month through a research center at USC which will benefit many partnering agencies across the region. Everything indicates this is timely and that it is important for us to be strategizing collectively how we can put this state on the right track.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOEING CO
The College of Engineering was recently presented with Boeing’s “Supplier of the Year” award for providing exceptional performance and contributions to Boeing’s overall success. The COE, along with 16 companies, received the award during a ceremony held at the San Diego Convention Center.
The selection of the COE was on the basis of a longstanding relationship that included a consistently superior pipeline of talent, many successful collaborative projects, and partnership on research and development efforts. “These partners have gone above and beyond the call to help Boeing provide the best, most affordable products and services possible,” said Jack House, leader of Boeing Supplier Management.
The COE was honored in the category of “Academia” for its outstanding performance as a strategic university. “This award is a wonderful validation of our efforts to support regional socioeconomic development and to partner with Southern California business and industry,” says Forouzan Golshani, dean of the College of Engineering. “Our long and multifaceted relationship with Boeing has included numerous research and development projects, educational initiatives, student scholarships and support, and the Boeing Endowed Chair in Manufacturing—not to mention the fact that more than a few of their engineers have come from our program.”
At the Boeing Supplier of the Year Award ceremony were (l-r) Jack House, Boeing enterprise leader, Supplier Management; John Tracy, Boeing senior vice president and chief technology officer; Paul Pasquier, Boeing Engineering, Operations and Technology vice president, Supplier Management; CSULB Dean for the College of Engineering Forouzan Golshani; CSULB Associate Dean for the College of Engineering Hamid Rahai; Stan Deal, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president, Supply Chain Management; Joan Robinson-Berry, Boeing Shared Services Group vice president, Supplier Management; and Kent Fisher, Boeing Commercial Airplanes vice president, Supplier Management.
CSULB’s College of Engineering recognized one of its longtime champions on Dec. 3, 2013, when it renamed ECS 312 as the Michael and Barbara Niggli Conference Room. Niggli, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from CSULB in 1971, recently retired as president and chief operating officer of San Diego Gas and Electric and Electric and Southern California Gas Co., Sempra Energy’s California regulated utilities.
“This conference room is a central hub for much of the business that we conduct in the College of Engineering,” says Forouzan Golshani, dean of the College of Engineering. “Renaming it in this way seemed like a fitting way to acknowledge the enormous and enduring impact that Mr. Niggli has had on the College, and to salute his unparalleled achievements as an industry leader.” Niggli has made personal donations in excess of $200,000 to the College and has advocated for similar levels of financial support from various corporations. Additionally, as a past chair and current member of the dean’s advisory council, he has helped the College to establish such vital programs as the Distinguished Lecture Series, which brings experts to campus to discuss issues of global importance, and the CSULB Innovation Challenge, which offers students the chance to receive up to $50,000 in funding and services to make their business ideas become a reality. He also played a key role in the development of the College’s current strategic plan.
“I wanted to help allow those to enroll who, like me, did not have significant monetary resources to participate in college,” says Niggli. “I was the first in my entire family to graduate from college. I’m proud of that. I saw there were many others out there in similar situations who wanted access to a great, reasonably priced education. That was what CSULB was all about.”
From 2000 to 2006, Niggli was president of Sempra Generation, where he was responsible for the development, construction, operation and maintenance of merchant power plants and energy infrastructure throughout North America. During his tenure, Sempra Generation operated power plant assets in Nevada, California, Arizona, Texas and Mexico.
“I’ve always seen engineering as a discipline that helps society,” says Niggli. “When I think of engineers, I think of problem solvers. They innovate. That is why I saw it as a great opportunity to get more people into the engineering pipeline through CSULB’s College of Engineering.”
The CSULB-based California Launch Vehicle Education Initiative (CALVEIN) integrates engineering hands-on education with technology development for tomorrow’s low cost launch vehicles and small spacecraft and provides payload developers with flight opportunities.
