2005 news archive

• Project Lead the Way Indiana receives national award
• Downshifting: GM's difficulties put auto industry at crossroads
• For holiday gifts, technology not always best bet, expert says
• Purdue engages law enforcement with computer forensics triage training
• Professor's assessment helps protect personal information online
• Purdue to be home to conference exploring Deming philosophy
• Aviation entrepreneur to speak about importance of education, philanthropy
• Industry leaders help build the future of disaster reconstruction
• Purdue reaches out to South Bend, Elkhart with advanced manufacturing assistance
• Purdue degree offerings expand in Greensburg
• Teachers get technology education with Project Lead the Way
• Powerful, omnipresent digital music players present security risk
• Air Race Classic announces winners
• Air Race Classic 2005 at Purdue
• Six Purdue educators receive 2005 Murphy Awards (Donald Petrin, associate professor of Aviation Technology)
• Purdue's Rube Goldberg three-peat takes national spotlight

December 21, 2005

Project Lead the Way Indiana receives national award

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A national educational program has honored Purdue and the state of Indiana for working together to address the shortage of U.S. engineering and engineering technology students.

The national award recognizes the Indiana State Partnership of Project Lead the Way, administered by the Purdue College of Technology and the state's Department of Education and Department of Workforce Development. Project Lead the Way seeks to increase the number and quality of engineers and engineering technologists in the United States through collaborations among K-12 education, higher education and industry. Program participants, who often are enrolled in college preparatory math and science classes, are introduced to the rigors of the engineering field through hands-on projects such as computer-aided design, robotics, electronics and engineering design.

Educators and employers have identified a pressing need for programs like Project Lead the Way. According to the American Association of Engineering Societies, the number of collegebound students who planned to study engineering declined by more than 30 percent between 1992 and 2002. The number of U.S. engineering graduates also declined by 20 percent to fewer than 60,000. At the same time, more than half of the U.S. work force in these engineering-related disciplines is approaching retirement. If current trends continue, by 2010 more than 90 percent of the world's scientists and engineers will live in Asia.

Michael T. O'Hair, the associate dean for statewide technology and engagement who oversees Purdue's Project Lead the Way involvement, said the program is but one of several examples of how Purdue works with the state to increase the number of students who study science, technology, engineering and math.

"This is a partnership that reaps great benefits for both Purdue and the state of Indiana," O'Hair said. "Programs like Project Lead the Way are demonstrated to be highly successful in getting students interested in math and science at an early age. Students with high-tech skills secure good paying jobs, which benefit the economy."

Ronald L. Stiver, Department of Workforce Development commissioner, said the state considers Project Lead the Way to be a sound investment in Indiana's future.

"We are committed to ensuring that every Hoosier has access to the education and training programs that will give them the knowledge, experience and confidence to build better careers, lives and communities," Stiver said. "We are equally committed to ensuring our state's employers have access to the world's premier work force and innovative programs. Project Lead the Way is a fantastic program that helps us meet both goals."

Project Lead the Way reaches more than 14,000 students each year in 135 middle and high schools throughout Indiana, which leads all other states except New York in student participation. Suellen Reed, Indiana superintendent of public instruction, said she would like to see the program grow even more.

"We have heard nothing but praise for this program, and Indiana schools have done a wonderful job of encouraging student participation," Reed said. "This program is a great opportunity for students and schools, and we would like to see more schools across the state take advantage of the curriculum. We also would like to encourage more involvement from businesses and see more engineers work with our schools."

Niel Tebbano, vice president of Project Lead The Way, said, "The state of Indiana has built a model partnership that is unique in this country. The Indiana partnership is recognized for its selfless and effective approach to working collaboratively for the benefit of its students and the state's continued prosperity. It is a model for the nation."

Project Lead the Way operates in 44 states. Purdue is among 24 state universities that administer the program for their respective states.

Writer: Marydell Forbes (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu

Sources:
Michael O'Hair, (765) 494-2554, mtohair@purdue.edu
Joe DiLaura, Department of Workforce Development press secretary, (317) 232-3396, jdilaura@dwd.in.gov
Mary Jane Michalak, Department of Education press secretary, (317) 232-6616, michalak@doe.state.in.us
Niel Tebbano, (518) 877-6491, ntebbano@pltw.org

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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December 4, 2005

Downshifting: GM's difficulties put auto industry at crossroads

General Motors' deep troubles just might grate only lightly across Indiana's massive auto parts industry.

Analysts say General Motors faces bankruptcy unless the United Auto Workers union accepts concessions that enable GM to hunker down as a smaller business.

"If GM renegotiates, however they do it, if they come up with a lower cost structure, then it has to filter to Ford and Chrysler and the others. They'll all have to come down. The repercussions are just dramatic,'' said retired machine tool executive Stephen Baranyk, a technology instructor at Purdue University's Kokomo campus. More

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November 30, 2005

For holiday gifts, technology not always best bet, expert says

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Although the newest electronics and technological gadgets are among the most popular holiday gifts each year, they may not be the best gifts, says a Purdue University professor who studies how people interact with technology.

Beverly J. Davis, an associate professor of organizational leadership and supervision, says the holidays are a prime time to be wary of falling victim to what she calls "technoism," and blindly purchasing each new technology.

Davis defines technoism, a term she coined, as the tendency to impulsively purchase or use new technological devices out of a fear of being labeled old-fashioned instead of based on need. This time of year, technoism can run rampant as companies unveil new products for the holiday season and young people clamor for the latest, trendiest gadgets.

"Each year electronics companies come out with new versions of their products for the holiday season," Davis says. "Ask yourself, is this newest video game system or MP3 player worth the several hundred dollars to upgrade from what you or your children already have? Or, are you just buying it so that you can have the newest, flashiest products? At this time of year, kids are very good at reflecting technoism onto their parents by pressuring them to keep them in the technological loop."

Davis says people should evaluate the gifts they buy in the same way they evaluate technology purchases they make for themselves. Avoid technoism by considering whether the technology you are buying will be used and whether it will actually make life easier or better, she says. Avoid making purchases simply because something is new or because you want to keep up with friends who may be purchasing the gadgets.

"Technoism isn't technophobia or fear of technology," says Davis, whose book "Technoism: At the Crossroads of Society and Technology" explores the phenomenon. "The concept of technoism includes consumer reluctance to challenge technology-for-technology's sake for fear of being labeled old-fashioned or a Luddite."

Davis also has developed an assessment that people can use to evaluate their holiday gift purchases. It can be downloaded.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Source: Beverly Davis, (574) 520-5581, bevjd@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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October 26, 2005

Purdue engages law enforcement with computer forensics triage training

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will continue collaborations with law enforcement agencies with a program that will help officers conduct immediate examinations of computers used to commit crimes.

The Purdue Department of Computer and Information Technology will offer "Fast Cyberforensics Triage" from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday (Oct. 27 and 28) in Purdue's Knoy Hall.

The program, also sponsored by the National White Collar Crime Center and the Indiana State Police, will provide training for police officers, crime scene investigators, federal agents and other law enforcement personnel so they can conduct an analysis of computers suspected to have been used in a crime.

The session is designed for investigators already proficient in cyberforensics investigation practices, and Jim Goldman, associate head of the computer and information technology department, said more than 20 people from Indiana and the surrounding states had registered.

"When you are working with an ongoing investigation, it is imperative to be able to gather evidence as quickly as possible," Goldman said. "Machines can sit in a lab waiting to be processed for a year or more, and that gives criminals time to cover up their trails before evidence can be gathered and processed. Collecting evidence immediately will allow investigators to uncover new leads early in an investigation."

Goldman said the course was the first of its kind in the nation, and the curriculum will likely be used to conduct similar courses throughout the country in conjunction with the National White Collar Crime Center.

The FBI estimates that cybercrime costs businesses and the government more than $10 billion a year, with computer-aided identity theft costing an additional $1 billion each year. The FBI also estimates that more than 80 percent of computer crime goes unreported, often because business leaders think law enforcement agencies will lack the resources and know-how to effectively combat the growing problem.

"As technology improves, those numbers will continue to rise," said Lonnie Bentley, head of the Department of Computer and Information Technology. "Beyond that, we have to keep ahead of domestic and foreign criminals who would use computer technology to plan and carry out attacks."

Goldman said computer forensics refers to retrieving and analyzing evidence from computer systems, including individual pieces of computer hardware, electronic data on the Internet, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants or digital cameras.

Instructors for this week's course will include two new Purdue faculty who were hired, in part, to help expand Purdue's computer forensics program and continue to grow collaborations such as the Fast Cyberforensics Triage course.

They join Goldman and Marcus Rogers, a former police officer and an associate professor of computer and information technology, in one of the largest faculty clusters specializing in computer forensics in the country, Bentley said.

"The field of cyberforensics continues to grow, and Purdue has been fortunate enough to attract some of the top scholars and innovators in the field," Bentley said.

"The department's partnership with the National White Collar Crime Center not only made it possible for us to bring in more faculty, it helps provide invaluable resources in conducting research and providing education opportunities for those on the front line of law enforcement."

The new program is a continuation of Purdue's efforts to work with law enforcement agencies to provide much-needed educational opportunities in computer forensics, Goldman said. In the past year, the department of computer and information technology has offered courses in basic computer forensics for first responders and e-mail forensics for police officers, and has played a prominent role in the Secure Indiana Summit last month in Indianapolis.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources:
James E. Goldman, (765) 494-9525, jgoldman@purdue.edu
Lonnie D. Bentley, (765) 494-4545, bentleyl@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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October 20, 2005

Professor's assessment helps protect personal information online

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – As identity theft and online fraud become more and more common, constant vigilance and personal assessment are the keys to protecting yourself from becoming a victim, a Purdue professor said.

Beverly J. Davis, an associate professor of organizational leadership and supervision, has developed an assessment individuals can use to determine their levels of vigilance in protecting their identity while online.

The PREPARE assessment helps people evaluate their practices as well as helping them to then develop strategies to better protect themselves in the future. Users are asked to look for "preventative measures," engage in "retrospection," participate in "protection investment," "anticipate" future activity and "re-evaluate yearly," said Davis, who teaches at the College of Technology's South Bend campus.

"There isn't one thing a person can do to protect themselves," she said. "A person must be continually vigilant about their personal information. Frequent credit report checks, research about online companies and frequent re-evaluation are all essential pieces to protecting your information and making yourself a less likely victim of fraud and identity theft."

In the assessment, people are asked to rate themselves in 15 different categories relating to online behavior, including the number of online purchases, knowledge of hacker practices and willingness to provide personal information online. The assessment then gives them a score indicating their general preparedness, but it also goes a step further and asks them to use their answers to specific questions to determine their strengths and weaknesses.

The PREPARE assessment was originally developed for businesses to evaluate their protection. Davis then adapted it for individual use.

As personal information has become more and more common online through advances in technology, it has also become more and more of a target, Davis said. In 2004, there were more than 635,000 consumer fraud and identity theft complaints nationwide, with losses reported at more than $547 million. Internet-related complaints accounted for more than half of those.

Reports of complaints of theft related to electronic fund transfers more than doubled between 2002 and 2004.

"This is a major concern for anyone who uses the Internet," Davis said. "Every indication is that this type of fraud will continue to grow. As technology continues to advance and more transactions are completed online and more information is kept digitally, the dangers to people's privacy and personal information will also continue to increase. It is up to each individual to do everything they can to protect themselves.

In addition to the assessment, Davis offers several suggestions to help protect personal information online:

• Check your credit report frequently and thoroughly. Cancel credit cards immediately if you see any unauthorized activity.

• Obtain a credit card with a low spending limit and use it for all of your online purchases. If someone is able to steal information for that card, they can cause less damage than with your primary credit card.

• Ask a trusted techno-savvy person to attempt to hack into your personal information.

• Ask yourself who might attempt to steal your information and the specific information they would want. Think about the same factors for businesses you send information to, and factor that into your decisions.

• Invest in up-to-date virus and firewall protection.

• Do research into the experience of others who have had their personal information stolen online. Learn from their mistakes.

• Consider avoiding Web sites that generate massive amounts of spam e-mail after visiting them.

• Carefully select passwords that are difficult to guess and change them frequently.

• Make sure all members of your family, including children, are educated about the fundamentals and importance of security.

• As you add new technologies to your life – such as advanced cell phones or your bank's automatic bill payment options – educate yourself about the potential risks associated with them.

• Check your credit report and other accounts at least once a year. Protecting personal information is not a one-time activity.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Source: Beverly J. Davis, (574) 520-5581, bevjd@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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October 19, 2005

Purdue to be home to conference exploring Deming philosophy

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Experts, students and business people from around the country will gather at Purdue to learn about the philosophy of one of the developers of the Total Quality Management business philosophy.

The 2005 W. Edwards Deming Institute Fall Conference will be held at Purdue from Oct. 21-23. The conference is sponsored by the W. Edwards Deming Institute.

Deming, born in 1900, worked extensively as a consultant for Japanese businesses after World War II, during the time of rapid growth in Japan's business and industrial sector. While there, he taught his strategy that improving quality will reduce expenses while increasing productivity and market share. Japanese executives instituted his theories – which were the beginning of today's Total Quality Management – to grow their businesses at unprecedented rates.

His strategy was later developed into the total quality control model, which has been adopted by companies in the United States and throughout the world.

The theme of this year's conference is "Future Vision — What do we leave behind?"

"The focus of the conference at Purdue will be to explore types of practices – both business and professional – which need to be examined in order to continue Deming's vision," said William Krug, professor and interim head of the Department of Organizational Leadership and Supervision, which is playing host to the conference. "Those practices may include bad habits and systems that need to be stopped or modified, or positive practices that should be adopted and cultivated."

The conference will feature three tracks to focus on different aspects of business: metrics and processes, leadership and management, and opportunities and practices.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Source: William Krug, (765) 494-5614, krugw@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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October 7, 2005

Aviation entrepreneur to speak about importance of education, philanthropy

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A Purdue University College of Technology alumnus who has founded two major air cargo companies will speak about the value of education as part of this semester's installment of the Dean's Lecture Series.

SCoTt Niswonger will present "Learn, Earn and Return" at 2:30 p.m. Thursday (Oct. 13) in Stewart Center's Fowler Hall. The talk will focus on the importance of education to success in the business world and the importance of using that success to give back to the education of others.

The event is free and open to the public.

"SCoTt Niswonger is a perfect example of someone who has used his success to help others," said College of Technology Dean Dennis R. Depew. "It is impossible to overstate the importance of the role today's leaders share in the development of the next generation."

The College of Technology Dean's Lecture Series is a twice-yearly event that brings national leaders in their fields to campus to talk about technology-related issues. Previous speakers have included former CIA chief Robert Woolsey and John Bell, a Purdue alumnus who spoke about filming a documentary on the shipwrecked USS Perry.

Depew said Niswonger's talk will center on his philosophy of the circular nature of giving. First someone "learns" from an institution such as Purdue, then uses that knowledge and experience in business to "earn." After becoming successful, graduates are able to "return" by contributing resources or experiences to a new generation of students.

Niswonger believes that if people who benefit from the time, energy and resources of their predecessors "return" that gift to the generation after them, the act of giving becomes a continuous cycle.

Last year Niswonger gave a leadership gift for the $6 million renovation and addition to Purdue's Aviation Technology Building. His lecture coincides with a two-week celebration that honors alumni and others who are helping Purdue improve education and contribute to the state of Indiana by contributing to the university's $1.5 billion fund-raising campaign. The celebration culminates with Purdue's Oct. 15 Homecoming.

Niswonger is chairman and CEO of Landair and Forward Air corporations, which he founded in 1981 with a $2,000 investment. Under his direction, company revenues have grown to more than $350 million annually.

Niswonger earned an associate's degree from Purdue in aviation technology in 1968 and a bachelor's degree in business administration from Tusculum College in 1987. In addition to being a certified airline transport pilot, he also is a graduate of the United Airlines Training Academy in Denver and has completed Flight Safety International courses in high-altitude meteorology and high-speed aircraft.

He received an honorary doctorate from Purdue in 2004 and was named a distinguished alumnus by the College of Technology in 2003. He currently serves as a member of the Campaign for Purdue steering committee and Purdue's Advancing Aviation steering committee.

Niswonger is a trustee at Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tenn., and a board member and honorary alumnus of Eastern Tennessee State. He is a founding member of Junior Achievement in Greene County, Tennessee, and was recognized with the organization's Distinguished Graduate Award in 1994 and inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1999.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources:
Dennis R. Depew, (765) 494-2552, ddepew@purdue.edu
Shelly Opperman, College of Technology director of alumni relations and communication, (765) 494-8077, sopperman@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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October 6, 2005

Industry leaders help build the future of disaster reconstruction

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University on Thursday (Oct. 6) announced funding of a faculty position to oversee a new program that will prepare students to rebuild communities affected by large-scale disasters.

Several leading restoration and reconstruction companies from around the country have come together to create an endowed professorship of reconstruction and disaster restoration in the College of Technology's Department of Building Construction Management. The faculty member in the position will be charged with developing and overseeing an academic emphasis for students who want to specialize in this area.

"Purdue is the national leader in building construction management, and this gift will help us establish the country's first education program focused on rebuilding communities that have been ravaged by disasters," Purdue President Martin C. Jischke said. "The devastation from these disasters – like what has been seen in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita – present special challenges in rebuilding, and Purdue will be on the forefront of meeting those challenges."

A consortium of companies that work in the reconstruction and renovation industries have pledged $1.5 million to establish the endowed professorship, which will be named at a later date.

The announcement was made at a noon luncheon in the Building Construction Management Laboratory in Knoy Hall.

The announcement is part of a two-week celebration leading up to Purdue's Oct. 15 Homecoming. Events focus on ways Purdue is improving education and helping the state of Indiana as part of the university's strategic plan and $1.5 billion fund-raising campaign.

Endowed funds, such as the building construction management gift, remain intact in perpetuity, and yearly earnings are used to augment salaries, laboratories and facility operations. A portion of the earnings is reinvested each year so inflation does not degrade the endowment principal.

The gift to the Department of Building Construction Management comes in response to a challenge from Indianapolis businessman and civic leader William E. Bindley. The Bindley Chair Challenge allots $22.5 million to match other gifts and pledges to create 15 endowed professorships at $1.5 million each throughout the university. As a result of the contribution, the College of Technology will have two new academic professorships, including one in Bindley's name.

This is the first such endowed professorship to be funded by a group of Purdue's industry partners.

"Working directly with leading companies throughout the state and the nation is central to the success of the College of Technology," said Dennis R. Depew, College of Technology dean. "We have a responsibility to our students to provide them with quality education in fields that will help them in their careers. That this group of companies is eager to contribute money to the future of their industry speaks volumes to the value and importance of disaster recovery to the industry."

Restoration and reconstruction is the latest in a series of building construction specializations at Purdue that have been among the first of their kind in the nation.

Stephen D. Schuette, head of the Department of Building Construction Management, said students in the new program will learn about many specific challenges that workers face when responding to large-scale disasters. Those challenges include dealing with building environmental concerns, building safety, and the demolition and removal of damaged and destroyed buildings. In addition, students would be skilled to work with other types of building repair and renovation.

"The College of Technology has been planning this program for more than six years with the help of a wide range of industry leaders, and although graduates from the program would be able to respond to situations like the rebuilding of New Orleans, disaster reconstruction is not the sole focus of the program," Schuette said. "The program will prepare students to face a wide range of reconstruction situations."

Schuette said the program would not have been possible without the ongoing support of industry leaders such as Advantage Marketing President Bob Bonwell, who will represent the consortium at today's (Thursday, Oct. 6) announcement.

The Department of Building Construction Management began offering specializations in demolition and health-care construction management earlier this semester. The department previously was the first to offer specializations in electrical construction management and mechanical construction management. Industry response to the program that many universities have followed suit to help fill the demand for trained workers, Schuette said.

"I anticipate the same thing happening with this segment of the industry," he said. "While many sectors of the economy have suffered, building has continued to be strong. The department's graduates enjoy 100 percent job placement, often with several job offers to choose from."

Purdue's Department of Building Construction Management began in 1946 as a non-degree program designed to teach building skills to returning World War II veterans. Since then it has grown into one of the top construction management programs in the nation, producing graduates trained in managing people, construction processes, materials, equipment and financial assets.

The College of Technology, one of the first of its kind in the country, is entering its 41st year. More than 6,000 undergraduate students are enrolled in the college's 11 Indiana locations.

In addition to building construction management, the college comprises eight departments: aviation technology, computer graphics technology, computer and information technology, electrical and computer engineering technology, industrial technology, mechanical engineering technology, and organizational leadership and supervision.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources:
Martin C. Jischke, (765) 494-9708, mcjischke@purdue.edu
Dennis R. Depew, (765) 494-2552, ddepew@purdue.edu
Stephen D. Schuette, (765) 494-2465, schuette@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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September 28, 2005

Purdue reaches out to South Bend, Elkhart with advanced manufacturing assistance

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University will take its advanced manufacturing summit on the road and reach out to companies in the South Bend area with messages on improving technologies, work force development, and the ways in which higher education can help Indiana companies grow and prosper in the changing economy.

The second regional Advancing Manufacturing Summit will take place from 8 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. Oct. 6 on the campus of Indiana University South Bend in the University Center's Hoosier/Indiana Room. The summit, which is free and open to the public, is sponsored by Purdue's College of Technology and Center for Advanced Manufacturing.

The summit focuses on three main topics:

• state and federal funding opportunities,
• developing and licensing new technology, and
• work force development.

Panel discussions will be led by local, state and national economic leaders and faculty from Purdue, University of Notre Dame, Ivy Tech Community College and Sinclair Community College.

"An important part of Purdue's mission is to engage the entire state of Indiana," said College of Technology Dean Dennis R. Depew. "South Bend, Elkhart and the surrounding areas have specific economic needs, and the summit will allow us to learn more about those needs and how university resources can help meet them. The College of Technology is already working with this part of the state through our location in South Bend, and we will continue to serve as a gateway to the rest of Purdue."

The keynote speaker at the summit's luncheon will be William A. Strauss, a senior economist and economic adviser for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, who will present "The Disappearance of Manufacturing?"

John P. Sullivan, director of the Center for Advanced Manufacturing in Discovery Park, said the summit is designed for manufacturers, elected officials, economic development leaders and educators from South Bend, Elkhart and the surrounding areas of Indiana and Michigan.

"There is a perception in Indiana that manufacturing is dying," said Sullivan, also a professor in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. "That simply isn't true. Manufacturing is evolving, and the companies that evolve with it will not only survive, but also thrive. Advanced manufacturing technology makes manufacturing more productive, more efficient and more profitable. Ultimately, it also makes us more globally competitive."

Purdue officials worked with area leaders, including the Chamber of Commerce of St. Joseph's County and Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, as well as other local colleges and universities to craft the summit to the needs of businesses and the community, including a heavy emphasis on work force development opportunities.

The summit's goals are to discuss industry needs among Indiana manufacturing leaders and Purdue administrators and faculty, and to connect businesses with the university for research and product and process improvements. In addition, Sullivan said, business owners and managers can network with each other and discuss common problems and possible solutions.

Purdue has held four such summits at its West Lafayette campus and in February held the first regional summit in New Albany. Since then, Depew said, Purdue has seen a surge in the number of companies looking for ways to improve their operations by working with the College of Technology, Center for Advanced Manufacturing, Technical Assistance Program and other Purdue offices.

For example, the South Bend and Elkhart areas have specific needs relating to the recreational vehicle, prosthetics and automotive industries, said Mark A. Curtis, College of Technology South Bend/Elkhart location director.

"College of Technology faculty members have continually worked with local companies on a wide range of projects," said Curtis, also a professor of computer graphics technology. "One project has dealt with helping a company change its drafting techniques from a manual to a digital process. Computer technology professors have helped local companies with security issues. There is a wide range of business problems that Purdue experts can help Indiana companies address."

Purdue's Center for Advanced Manufacturing will help companies with research projects of varying scope in any area of advanced manufacturing, whether they are projects for "two days, two weeks, two months, two years or 20 years," Sullivan said.

The center is working with a number of companies and organizations statewide, including the Indiana Hardwoods Association and Rolls-Royce. For the former, Purdue researchers have been developing cooling technologies to decrease wear on cutting blades, which leads to significant cost savings for furniture-making companies, as well as allowing more precise cuts, less noise and better tolerances. In total, the center has funded 22 projects since its founding last year.

Depew said that it is not enough to simply change the technology used for manufacturing. The shifting nature of industry will require new skill sets for employees. To that end, the College of Technology and the rest of the university will work with Indiana companies to provide education and training opportunities. Work force development is a major component of the college's engagement activities.

Approximately 17 percent of Indiana jobs are in the manufacturing sector, with an average annual wage of more than $42,000, compared to $27,000 annually in all other sectors. The number of jobs available in manufacturing, however, has dropped dramatically since 2000.

"Manufacturing jobs pay well, so we want to retain them," Depew said. "Indiana has a higher percentage of its population working in manufacturing than any other state in the nation, and the challenge is to update our manufacturing processes to make our companies more competitive."

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources:
Dennis R. Depew, (765) 494-2552, ddepew@purdue.edu
John P. Sullivan, (765) 494-1279, sulivan@purdue.edu
Mark A. Curtis, (574) 520-5560, curtis0@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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September 16, 2005

Purdue degree offerings expand in Greensburg

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University's College of Technology is announcing plans to expand program offerings in Greensburg and Decatur County.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education has approved Purdue to transfer degree programs in three disciplines to Greensburg in Decatur County, that were originally offered at the College of Technology's former location in Versailles, in Ripley County. In Indiana, the state does not give colleges and universities the power to grant degrees throughout the state, but rather on a county-by-county basis.

"Since Purdue established permanent faculty and course offerings in Greensburg, enrollment and community support throughout Decatur County have grown," said Robert Neth, interim director of the College of Technology Columbus/Southeast location, who oversees the Greensburg programs. "The ability to offer full degree programs in Greensburg will enable us to meet the need of the community."

Students will now be able to earn associate's and bachelor's degrees in organizational leadership and supervision and a bachelor's degree in industrial technology.

Michael T. O'Hair, associate dean for statewide technology and engagement, said the shift is part of a plan to re-evaluate offerings at College of Technology locations around the state to guarantee Purdue is meeting the needs of residents and businesses in each community most effectively.

"Education and economic development go hand-in-hand," O'Hair said. "Businesses are clamoring for an educated workforce and workers are looking for opportunities to expand their education without disrupting their careers and their families.

"Students graduating from high school are looking for ways to earn college degrees close to home. The College of Technology is working to meet all of those needs."

Purdue recently moved its Greensburg classes to the new Greensburg Community Learning Center. The facilities include a student services office, a computer lab, a large classroom and offices for two full-time professors of organizational leadership and supervision who are based in Greensburg.

This year is the 40th anniversary of the founding of Purdue's College of Technology, the first of its kind in the country. The college is made up of eight departments: aviation technology, building construction technology, mechanical engineering technology, electrical and computer engineering technology, industrial technology, computer information technology, computer graphics technology, and organizational leadership and supervision.

The college educates approximately 6,000 undergraduate students each year at eight locations throughout Indiana. In addition to the Greensberg location, the other locations are West Lafayette, Anderson/Muncie, Columbus/Southeast Indiana, Indianapolis, Kokomo/Lafayette, New Albany, Richmond and South Bend/Elkhart.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources:
Michael T. O'Hair, (765) 494-2554, mtohair@purdue.edu
Robert Neth, (812) 348-7229, rneth@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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July 20, 2005

Teachers get technology education with Project Lead the Way

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Teachers from all over Indiana and around the country are in Kokomo learning how to get their students started early in technology and engineering education.

The teachers are participating in a two-week Project Lead the Way training session at Purdue’s College of Technology campus in Kokomo. The program runs through July 22 and allows technology, physics and other middle- and high-school teachers to learn curricula to increase the level and scope of technology education in their schools.

Project Lead the Way is a national educational program that promotes high-level technology and pre-engineering curricula in middle and high schools. Through collaborations between K-12 education, higher education and industry, the program seeks to increase the number and quality of engineers and engineering technologists in the United States.

"The program is one of the best in the country and, when combined with college preparatory math and science classes in high school, introduces students to the rigor, scope and discipline of engineering and engineering technology," said Michael T. O’Hair, College of Technology associate dean for statewide technology and engagement who oversees Purdue’s involvement. "It is the type of curriculum that these teachers can use to complement the great things they are already doing in classrooms throughout the state."

In Indiana, the program is offered in partnership between the state Department of Education and Purdue's College of Technology. It reaches more than 10,000 students each year in more than 120 schools throughout the state. Only New York has a higher level of participation from its state's schools.

The program includes a wide range of technology and pre-engineering topics, including computer-aided design, robotics, electronics and engineering design.

At this month's training session, teachers will earn college credit as they learn about hands-on projects they can use in their classrooms and develop their own Project Lead the Way lesson plans.

Programs in biotechnology engineering and aerospace engineering will be piloted this year in Indiana, and teachers at the Kokomo training will be among the first to use the curricula in their classes.

"Project Lead the Way continues to expand the opportunities for young people to prepare themselves for careers in technology and engineering," said Kevin D. Taylor, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering technology who is leading the training seminars.

"Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing and most important segments of the economy. Aerospace is an exciting field that has inspired people for more than 100 years. By piloting these two programs, Indiana will be giving its students an advantage as they continue their education."

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources: Michael T. O'Hair, (765) 494-2554, mtohair@purdue.edu
Kevin D. Taylor, (765) 455-9228, kdtaylor@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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June 28, 2005

Powerful, omnipresent digital music players present security risk

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A cybercrime expert at Purdue University warns that the increasing presence of miniature digital music players could have serious consequences in the workplace.

Some of palm-sized players can store up to 60 gigabytes of information – the equivalent of 15,000 songs or 25,000 photographs on average – with capabilities rivaling laptop computers.

"The digital player is not just a cute music machine," said Marcus Rogers, a researcher at Purdue's Center for Education and Research in Information and Security (CERIAS) and an associate professor in the College of Technology's Department of Computer Technology. "It's also a potential criminal tool."

Rogers said digital music players have been used by car-theft and child-pornography rings because of their data storage capabilities. But the ability to quickly and easily download vast volumes of information without detection via a small cable also makes these devices the 21st century equivalent of a lock pick and getaway vehicle. Rogers points to several ways these devices can be misused, including:

• Running "hacking" software that sniffs through a network and obtains passwords to gain access to supposedly secure information.

• Whisking away personal information on 10s of thousands of people, thus making them vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.

• Absconding with large amounts of intellectual property or other strategic information that competitors can use with crippling effects.

• Disseminating inappropriate or even illegal images, such as child pornography.

• Infecting a network intentionally or accidentally with a virus, perhaps even causing a computer or network to crash.

While the science of computer-crime forensics is advancing, Rogers advises companies to take preventive steps, such as:

• Informing information-technology staff of the potential threat

• Changing company policies to control use of "small-form factor storage devices," including digital music players.

• Making sure investigators do not overlook the devices when seeking evidence.

Rogers, a former Canadian police officer, said law enforcement has not yet caught up with how advanced technology can be used by criminals.

"They'll say, 'Gee, there's no evidence on his workstation.' They're right. It's in his pocket!"

Rogers has done extensive research into the psychology of cybercriminals and how to track down them down.

CONTACT: Marcus Rogers, (765) 494-2561 or rogersmk@exchange.purdue.edu.

Writer: Jim Schenke, (765) 494-6262, jschenke@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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June 27, 2005

Air Race Classic announces winners

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – A pair of flight veterans are the winners of the 2005 Air Race Classic.

The winning Air Race Classic team was team No. 11, made up of Sophie Payton, of Clearwater, Fla., and Marilyn Patierno, of Spruce Creek, Fla. Payton's great-niece, Erica Cochoff, of Acworth, Ga., flew with the team as a passenger.

The announcement of the winning teams was made at a banquet Sunday (June 26) marking the end of a week of festivities surrounding this year's race, which was based at Purdue University.

The announcement of the winning teams was made at a banquet Sunday (June 26) marking the end of a week of festivities surrounding this year's race, which was based at Purdue Univerity.

The Air Race Classic is the longest-running and only remaining all-women's air race in the United States. Forty-one teams participated in this year's 2,300-mile race, which took off from the Purdue Airport on June 21 and wrapped up June 24.

Payton has logged more than 3,500 hours as a pilot and was recently awarded the FAA Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for her 61 years as a pilot. Having participated in a variety of races since the 1940s, this was Payton’s 16th Air Race Classic, and she is a member of the Florida Suncoast 99s and the Silver Wings.

Patierno is an active member of several flight organizations, including the North New Jersey 99s, the Women's Formation Flying Gaggle, Angel Flight and the Grasshoppers.

Cochoff is in high school and recently earned a student flying certificate. Besides flying, she is active in her high school cross-country team, and coaches her 8-year-old sister's basketball team.

A pair of pilots from Western Michigan University, made up of Sarah Tower and Erica Ebenhoeh, won the Collegiate Cup, beating four other university teams.

Tower, of Battle Creek, Mich., completed her second year of the race after her team finished 10th last year. Tower is a flight instructor at Western Michigan and has earned a commercial certificate with single- and multi-engine ratings.

Ebenhoeh, of Kalamazoo, Mich., graduated from Western Michigan in 2004 and is currently completing her certified flight instructor training. She holds commercial certificates with single- and multi-engine ratings. This is her first year participating in the Air Race Classic.

Purdue fielded two teams in this year's race. The team of Kristina Lukas, of Park Ridge, Ill., and Katherine Conrad, Cincinnati, finished third in the collegiate competition.

The race isn't won by speed or by the size and power of a team's aircraft. Teams win based on the efficiency and accuracy they exhibit in every aspect of the race. Teams are rated based on their performance compared to their airplane's handicap. Because of the nature of the scoring, it is impossible to gauge a team's performance in relation to other teams until the competition is over.

This year's race included stops in Winona, Minn.; Beatrice, Neb.; Bartlesville, Okla.; Shreveport, La.; Walnut Ridge, Ark.; Tullahoma, Tenn.; Ohio University in Athens, Ohio; and Frankfort, Ind.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Source: Libby Woelfert, Air Race Classic Planning Committee, (765) 860-0683

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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Air Race Classic 2005 at Purdue

What is the Air Race Classic?

The Air Race Classic is the longest-running and only remaining women's air race. It began in 1929 as the All Women's Transcontinental Air Race and has involved such pioneers as Amelia Earhart - who would later join the staff at Purdue - Bobbie Trout and Ruth Elder. The early races were major spectator events, and attendees included such celebrity aviators as Howard Hughes and Wiley Post. Today, the race brings together female pilots from across generations and includes a race for teams of college students.

When is the 2005 Air Race Classic?

This year's race will run from June 21-24. Winners will be announced at a ceremony June 26.

What is this year's route?

For just the third time, the race will run in a circular route, with the beginning and endpoint being the same airport. The 2,455-nautical-mile race begins and ends at the Purdue University Airport in West Lafayette, Ind., and includes stops in Winona, Minn.; Beatrice, Neb.; Bartlesville, Okla.; Shreveport, La.; Walnut Ridge, Ark.; Tullahoma, Tenn.; Ohio University in Athens, Ohio; and Frankfort, Ind.

Who participates?

The 2005 race will include 41 teams of two pilots, including five collegiate teams from four universities. Teams represent 27 states from California to New Jersey and Alaska to Florida. The university teams are sponsored by Purdue University, the University of Nebraska, Kent State University and the University of Ohio.

How are the winners determined?

The race isn't won by speed or by the size and power of a team's aircraft. Teams win based on the efficiency and accuracy they exhibit in every aspect of the race. Teams are rated based on their performance compared to their airplane's handicap. Because of the nature of the scoring, it is impossible to gauge a team's performance in relation to other teams until the competition is over.

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April 18, 2005

Six Purdue educators receive 2005 Murphy Awards

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Six Purdue educators received 2005 Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Awards in Memory of Charles B. Murphy on Sunday (April 17) during the university’s annual Honors Convocation in the Elliott Hall of Music.

The university’s highest undergraduate teaching honor, the Murphy Award is given in recognition of exemplary teaching in all phases of undergraduate instruction at the West Lafayette campus. A $5,000 monetary award accompanies the honor.

The winners’ names will be included in the engraved Book of Great Teachers, a plaque in Purdue Memorial Union that honors the best teachers throughout Purdue’s history. Murphy was a history professor at Purdue between 1927 and 1970.

The 2005 Murphy Award winners are:

• Janet Alsup, assistant professor of English education. She has received three English Department Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Awards and one Excellence in Graduate Teaching Award since joining the Purdue faculty in 2000. Irwin Weiser, head of the Department of English, said Alsup "plays a vital role in the education of secondary English teachers" and "has been quite active in developing new courses."

• Eckhard Groll, associate professor of mechanical engineering. On the Purdue faculty since 1994, Groll teaches thermodynamics and energy utilization. He received the Solberg Best Teaching Award from the School of Mechanical Engineering in 2002. He also was named a senior resource faculty member for the Teacher for Tomorrow Awards program at Purdue. In class surveys, students often use the word "favorite" to describe both Groll and the classes he teaches.

• Stanley Hem, professor of industrial and physical pharmacy. A Purdue faculty member since 1969, Hem teaches basic pharmaceutics. He is a four-time winner of the Henry Heine Award for Excellence in Teaching in the School of Pharmacy, which is voted on solely by students. Jackie Jimerson, director of the School of Pharmacy’s Office of Minority Programs, said Hem "is an outstanding faculty member who certainly excels in the classroom, but equally as important, goes beyond the classroom to motivate, counsel, encourage and mentor students."

• Chris Oseto, professor of entomology and director of the University Honors Program. Oseto, a Purdue faculty member since 1990, has received outstanding teacher awards from the College of Agriculture and from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture organization. He also has been inducted into the Purdue Teaching Academy. He consistently earns high ratings from his students, with average scores of 4.89 to 4.96 on a five-point scale. One student said his teaching "raises the bar of excellence for both his own teaching and what he expects of his students."

• Donald Petrin, associate professor of aviation technology. A 1991 winner of the College of Technology’s Dwyer Undergraduate Teaching Award and the outstanding teacher within the Department of Aviation Technology in both 1988 and 1991, Petrin has taught at Purdue since 1979. Unsolicited comments from lecture and flight students include these: "You always provided an open door to knowledge, whether in class or on the phone at home. I appreciate your willingness to go out of the way … very professional … a great captain!"

• Richard Rand, professor of visual and performing arts, has been on the faculty since 1987. His teaching duties include courses on acting, advanced movement, rehearsal and performance. One of Rand’s students was quoted as saying: "Quite simply, he is the best teacher I ever had … no person I met at Purdue has had a more positive, profound and lasting impact on my career." Rand was inducted into the Purdue Teaching Academy this year. He was chosen by students for the Purdue Theatre Best Teacher Award in 2004. Additionally, Rand received the Department of Visual and Performing Arts Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2003.

Writer: Amy Raley, Purdue periodicals, (765) 494-9573, raleyah@purdue.edu

Sources:
Jim Vruggink, special projects director, (765) 494-2086, jvruggink@purdue.edu
Alsup, (765) 429-8031, (765) 494-3777, jalsup@sla.purdue.edu
Groll, (765) 464-1414, (765) 496-2201, groll@purdue.edu
Hem, (765) 463-7870, (765) 494-1451, hem@pharmacy.purdue.edu
Oseto, (765) 463-1447, (765) 494-4554, osetoc@purdue.edu
Petrin, (765) 463-5338, (765) 494-9979, dapetrin@purdue.edu
Rand, (765) 497-9677, (765) 494-3077, richrand@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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April 9, 2005

Purdue's Rube Goldberg three-peat takes national spotlight

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue University scored its third consecutive win in today's (Saturday, April 9) National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest with a machine that took 125 steps to turn on a flashlight.

Using steps that included launching a toy rocket and a rotating auger, the Purdue Society of Professional Engineers beat teams from six other universities to capture the national crown in complexity and inefficiency.

Teams in the competition, which took place in the Purdue Armory on the university's West Lafayette, Ind., campus, had to create machines that would replace batteries in a flashlight and turn it on using a minimum of 20 steps that employed principles of engineering and physics. While all of the teams used more than required, the winning machine's 125 steps were by far the most.

"We are all engineering and technology students, and this machine ties together everything we have learned in our classes," said co-captain Shawn Jordan, a graduate student in computer engineering from Fort Wayne, Ind. "It serves as a giant interdisciplinary design project that everyone on the team brings a different background and perspective to."

The group also won the event's People's Choice Award, which was voted on by the more than 400 audience members. A team from Ferris State University came in second with a carnival-themed machine, and the University of Texas at Austin placed third.

It was the third year in a row that a Purdue team won the national competition. Last year's winner was the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and Theta Tau fraternity and Phi Sigma Ro sorority won in 2003.

Machines in the competition had three tries to successfully complete the task twice. Teams lost points if they manually assisted their machine during a run. Purdue Society of Professional Engineers team co-captain Kevin Hollingsworth said team members had spent the month between the March 5 local contest and the national event tweaking the machine so that it was more reliable. It was the only machine that did not have to use all three rounds to complete two successful runs.

"You spend most of your time trying to get the last 1 percent of things to work," said Hollingsworth, a senior in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics from Zionsville, Ind. "Because the machines are built out of junk, they are inherently unreliable. The most important part of building a machine is making those last few pieces of junk reliable."

The winning machine told the story of rocket being launched. As the rocket traveled into space, a meteor hit Earth and started a fire. While the mock fire was put out, the rocket turned on the flashlight to shine back down on Earth.

In addition to Hollingsworth and Jordan, Purdue team members are Jason Downey, a junior in nuclear engineering from Idaville, Ind.; Nathan Flatt, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Martinsville, Ind.; Greg Henning, a senior in aeronautics and astronautics from Indianapolis; Ryan Harold, a junior in mechanical engineering from Wheeling, Ill.; Devin Keeler, a senior in civil engineering from Randolph, N.J.; Maggie Little, a graduate student in the College of Technology from Crestview Hills, Ky.; Robert Mann, a sophomore in civil engineering from Fort Wayne, Ind.; Andy Mehl, a senior in electrical and computer engineering from Goshen, Ind.; and Drew Wischer, a sophomore in aviation technology from Manitowoc, Wis.

Other universities represented by teams were the University of Arizona, University of Michigan, Michigan State University and University of Toledo.

Arizona and University of Michigan were competing for the first time, and Theta Tau national contest chairman Greg Wilson said the addition of new teams is one of the contest's strengths.

"When teams from a new university start participating, they bring in new ideas and approaches," said Wilson, a junior in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics from Fort Wayne, Ind. "That keeps everyone more creative, and you can tell from the quality and creativity of the machines this year."

The national Rube Goldberg Machine Contest was organized by the Phi Chapter of Theta Tau Fraternity at Purdue. Representatives from contest sponsors Motorola, General Electric and BAE Systems judged the machines. Other sponsors were Fluor, Lockheed Martin, Parker Hannifin, and the Purdue College of Engineering and School of Technology.

The contest honors the late cartoonist Rube Goldberg, who specialized in drawing whimsical, complicated machines to perform simple tasks. The student-built machines are judged on completion of the task, creativity, the number of steps involved and how well they embrace the Rube Goldberg spirit. Teams also are judged on the creative use of materials and related themes.

In previous contests, students' machines have been required to raise, secure and wave an American flag; select, clean and peel an apple; make a cup of coffee; toast a piece of bread; put a stamp on an envelope; and drop a penny into a piggy bank. Winners have appeared on "The Late Show with David Letterman," CBS' "This Morning," ABC's "Good Morning America," NBC's "Today," "Newton's Apple" and CNN.

Rube Goldberg and the Rube Goldberg Machine Contest are the trademark and copyright of Rube Goldberg Inc.

Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu

Sources: Kevin Hollingsworth, (317) 502-2203, kholling@purdue.edu
Shawn Jordan, (765) 532-3408, ssjordan@purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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