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GESC Keynote Speaker: Moving to Smart Grid a Necessity, Not an Option

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IEEE Student Member Megan Lyn Del Rosario demonstrates her research with heart auscultations at GESC Monday.

It was 1971 when Dr. Merwin Brown first heard the term smart grid. Decades later, there is still disagreement on its definition. But one thing there is no disagreement on is its necessity.

“We must have a smart grid. The smart grid is not an option, it’s a necessity,” said Brown, keynote speaker at Monday’s 7th annual IEEE Green Energy and Smart Systems Conference (IGESSC) at CSULB.

The event, organized by CSULB Electrical Engineering Chair Henry Yeh, draws researchers and practitioners to discuss research about smart systems and sustainable and green energy systems. This year’s theme is “Toward Smart Systems, Sustainable, Secure Cyber-Physical Energy Technologies.” Continue reading “GESC Keynote Speaker: Moving to Smart Grid a Necessity, Not an Option”

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Engineering Food Drive Underway

food for ASI pantry pictureThroughout October, faculty, students, and staff can donate nonperishable food items to the recently opened ASI Beach Pantry at bins set up in College of Engineering department offices and in the Dean’s Suite.

The ASI Beach Pantry opened in August to provide food to students in need. To receive food from the pantry, students must be enrolled and present their student ID card. They can visit the pantry once a week. Continue reading “Engineering Food Drive Underway”

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MAE Students Submit Proposal for Reuse of Shuttered C-17 Plant

Reuse of Shuttered C-17 PlantStudents often attend lectures or solve problems for extra credit, but Dr. Juan Cepeda-Rizo’s MAE 330 Thermodynamics class had an opportunity to do something with more impact—create a proposal for reuse of the shuttered Boeing C-17 production facility.

Cepeda-Rizo, who lives near the former aircraft plant, offered the opportunity at the beginning of the semester at the suggestion of neighbor Patricia Chen. With an interest in sustainable energy, students Mohamad Alkam, Hope Daley, Elyssa Lawrence, and Eric Velazquez immediately stepped forward. Facing a tight deadline of Sept. 12, the students came up with an idea for a solar park for the 160-acre site on Cherry Avenue near the Long Beach Airport. Continue reading “MAE Students Submit Proposal for Reuse of Shuttered C-17 Plant”

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Biomedical Engineering Department Adds First Full-time Faculty Member

Headshot of Perla Ayala

Dr. Perla Ayala is a new CSULB assistant professor in a new department. The Biomedical Engineering department’s first full-time faculty member, Ayala is also part of a relatively new field.

Highly interdisciplinary, BME is a blend of chemistry, physics, and computer, mechanical, and electrical engineering. Embracing everything from diagnostic systems and artificial organs to prostheses and medical devices, it’s viewed as the bridge between medicine and engineering. Within BME are a number of specialties, including Bioinformatics, Biosensors, Biomechanics, and Biofluids. Continue reading “Biomedical Engineering Department Adds First Full-time Faculty Member”

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Army Provides MAE’s Yan Li with $800,000 for Materials Research

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Yan Li, CSULB assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering, has been awarded a nearly $800,000 grant from the U.S. Army Research Lab to fund research leading to development of stronger, tougher materials.

It’s not difficult to create materials that are tough, or can handle much deformation before fracturing. But creating materials that have both attributes is another matter.

“Achieving high strength and high toughness in materials—this is a big challenge,” said Yan Li, CSULB assistant professor of Mechanical Engineering.

A nearly $800,000 grant Li has been awarded from the U.S. Army Research Lab will fund research leading to development of stronger, tougher materials. First-year funding of $200,000 will go toward the purchase of a very important piece of equipment—a powerful digital image camera. Continue reading “Army Provides MAE’s Yan Li with $800,000 for Materials Research”

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College Launches New Biomedical Engineering Major

biomed-blogStudents interested in the fast-growing field of biomedical engineering can now take advantage of the new BS in Biomedical Engineering being introduced by the CSULB College of Engineering.

The BSBME replaces the Bachelor of Science in Engineering – Option in Biomedical and Clinical Engineering (housed in the CSULB Electrical Engineering Department), and makes Long Beach the only CSU in Southern California to offer a dedicated biomedical engineering major.

“We are the first to go in this direction,” said Burkhard Englert, interim chair of the new Biomedical Engineering department. “We are filling an important need.” Continue reading “College Launches New Biomedical Engineering Major”

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8 Faculty Join College of Engineering

New Faculty snapshotThe CSULB College of Engineering has hired seven new tenure-track faculty, expanding expertise into technologies such as optoelectronic devices, the Internet of Things, Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), thermal fluids, visual data sensing, and therapeutic systems to promote healing. In addition, Bill Wolfe, Faculty Emeritus in Ohio State University’s Civil, Environmental, and Geodesic Engineering Department, will spearhead growth of a new engineering specialty as temporary CSULB Beavers Endowed Chair in Heavy Civil Engineering. Continue reading “8 Faculty Join College of Engineering”

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CSULB College of Engineering Makes Strides in Student Diversity

ASEE_Logo_Stacked_RGBThe CSULB College of Engineering has made gains in awarding degrees to underrepresented minorities in the latest rankings from the American Society for Engineering Education.

CSULB ranked 10th among U.S. and Canadian universities for the number of engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students in 2015, up from 11th in the previous year. CSULB also ranked 19th for the number of engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded to Asian-American students in 2015, an increase over 2014’s 20th–place ranking. Continue reading “CSULB College of Engineering Makes Strides in Student Diversity”