Page 3 - Kettering Magazine Spring 2017

news BrieFs

➊ Two Faculty Members Recognized by SWE
Dr. Diane Peters and Dr. Rebecca Reck, assistant professors of Mechanical
Engineering, received awards at the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) annual
awards program that took place October 28, 2016 in Philadelphia. Reck was
recognized as a SWE Distinguished New Engineer, which honors women engineers
who have been actively engaged in engineering in the first 10 years of their careers.
Peters was named a SWE Fellow, which recognizes SWE members for their
continuous service to the advancement of women in the engineering profession.
➋ Faculty Member Teaches Coding to Girl Scouts
Roughly 40 Girl Scouts – grades fourth through eighth – from Genesee County ➊ ➋
filled Kettering University classrooms to learn about Computer Science from faculty
member Dr. Jim Huggins in December 2016. The event was part of “Hour of Code”
as part of Code.org’s annual Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek).
➌ Students Earn Five First Place Honors at DECA’s State
Career Development Conference
A total of 32 Kettering University students competed at the 2017 Michigan
Collegiate DECA Career Development Conference, which took place Feb. 3-5 in
Grand Rapids, and 30 students placed and were eligible to continue on to the
DECA International Career Development Conference in California in April. Kettering
students earned five first place awards, three second place awards and 18 third
place awards.
➍ Faculty Member Receives Fellowship to Teach Overseas
For more than 30 years of teaching, Dr. Raghu Echempati, professor of Mechanical ➌
Engineering at Kettering University, has always used his non-teaching terms at
Kettering to teach abroad mostly in Germany at HTWG-Konstanz, and at other
schools. This ritual continued in 2016 when Echempati was one of the select few
awarded to be an Erskine Visiting Fellow at the University of Canterbury (UC) in
Christchurch, New Zealand, where he taught a class on finite element analysis,
among other topics.
➎ Model U.N. Team Awarded in Chicago
The Kettering University Model United Nations team received the “Outstanding
Delegate Award” while representing Egypt at the Model United Nations
International conference from November 19-22, 2016, in Chicago.
➍ ➎
➏ Biology Professor Launches Podcast
Dr. Jim Cohen, Professor of Applied Biology at Kettering University, is showcasing
an often-overlooked aspect of Flint - its rich and diverse urban botanical wonders,
through a locally produced podcast titled “Flint Flora.” Each episode focuses on one
plant in the community and details the plant’s location, defining characteristics, and
interesting features, such as unique pigments or human uses.
➐ Dart Foundation Donation Adds Educational and Research Opportunities
The Dart Foundation has awarded Kettering University $177,000 to purchase
plastics equipment to enhance educational and research opportunities for faculty
and students on campus. The grant will spur the acquisition of a thermogravimetric
analyzer (TGA), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), dynamic mechanical
analyzer (DMA), thermomechanical analyzer (TMA) and a rheometer system. This
equipment will be used to develop new courses and student research experience
that complement modern industry demands. ➏ ➐
➑ Keep Me Kettering Scholarship Fund Provides Profound Opportunities
Ashley Switalski ‘19 and Aubrey West ‘19 were drawn to Kettering University
because of their passion for the sciences, but finances were a limiting factor for
their education. A burden was lifted when they each received support from the
Keep Me Kettering Scholarship Fund, which provides scholarships to students in
time of need. “I’m financially independent. I’m paying for school 100 percent on my
own,” West said. “I might not be able to come here if it wasn’t for the scholarship.”
➒ Kettering, Ford Partner for Flint Schools Summer Camp
Kettering University is expanding its summer learning camps to target Flint students
thanks to a grant from Ford Motor Company’s Corporate STEAM fund. The $32,000
grant will allow for the creation of the Flint Schools Summer Day Camp in July
2017, focusing on creating and learning about model electric vehicles with 20 Flint
students. The funds will help with registration fees, supplies and transportation for ➑ ➒
the students.

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