High-density event locations, such as a college football stadium on game day, can quickly overload area cellular telephone networks. One class in the College of Technology researched the best way to provide some of those users access to local wireless network to improve the flow of data. The solution could also help area residents with cell phone coverage during games.

“People often can’t send text messages on game day if their service is using the same towers as the game-goers are. The system can’t handle it,” said Clayton Nygaard, one of two section lab leaders for CNIT 44600 (Advanced Wireless Networks). “The wireless coverage is meant to offload some of the cell/3G/4G coverage overload that such a concentration of people can create. We’re trying to gauge the best position for the antenna, the best angle for mounting, and even how many.”

Obviously, they couldn’t fill Purdue’s Ross-Ade stadium at a moment’s notice. So with the help of technology, they were able to simulate about 200 users accessing a wireless network at one time. Up to 10 students would access the network at the same time and from the same section of the stadium. The main computer would measure bandwidth, quality of the connection, and the amount of data that could be transferred from each access point.

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Michael Dyrenfurth, professor in the Department of Technology Leadership & Innovation, has been at Purdue since 2001. He joined the College of Technology administration as the assistant dean for graduate studies to help reinstitute the college’s doctoral program. He returned to full-time teaching in the Department of Industrial Technology (now TLI) in 2005. His 40-year career has also included tenures at Iowa State University as a graduate professor of industrial education and technology and graduate program coordinator, and at the University of Missouri as a senior professor and co-director of the Research Institute for Technical Education and Workforce Development in the Department of Practical Arts and Vocational-Technical Education. He has served as chairman of the World Council of Associations for Technology Education, president of the National Association of Industrial Technical Teacher Educators and as a member of the American Vocational Association's board of directors.

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Five College of Technology faculty and staff were recognized by Dean Gary Bertoline January 6 as the most recent recipients of the Good to Great award.

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The January 2012 Dean's Forum served as a "halfway check" for the 2011-12 academic year.

Dean Gary Bertoline provided updates on several topics, including:

• Maria Drake has been hired as data manager for the college
• Edie Schmidt has been appointed interim associate dean for research
• Diversity efforts have focused mainly on the student population; the spring will include more focus on diversifying faculty
• The budget transformation committee is working toward the goal of more thoughtful budgeting. The proposed algorithm will be tested soon to analyze its effect across departments.
• The re-engineering of Statewide Technology is going well. The team working on the task has been given goals of doubling enrollment, conducting $5 million worth of engagement and applied research, and working with Ivy Tech Community College to enhance articulation agreements.

Bertoline also discussed the college Code of Conduct, which is posted on the college web site.

You can watch the entire forum and download the PowerPoint presentation and handouts on the TechDean blog.

South Bend is becoming a hub of nanotechnology research activity, and students from Purdue University’s College of Technology at South Bend are bringing a fresh perspective to research on the topic at the University of Notre Dame.

Three of Purdue’s electrical engineering technology students were chosen to participate in the summer 2011 NDnano Undergraduate Research Fellowship (NURF) at Notre Dame. During the summer, they worked on research projects that could lead to more energy efficient computers and easier to use lithium ion batteries. After the fellowships were complete, they were asked to stay on to continue their work in the labs.

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As part of a continuing collaboration between Purdue University and Ivy Tech Community College, Purdue’s College of Technology has shared its engineering technology lab equipment with Ivy Tech’s Anderson campus. Seventeen pieces of equipment were moved to the Ivy Tech’s Ebbertt campus last week, and they will be accessible to both Ivy Tech and Purdue students.

The mechanical engineering technology lab equipment is utilized in Purdue’s engineering technology, industrial technology and organizational leadership and supervision bachelor’s degree programs.

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A CEO featured on the CBS series "Undercover Boss" will speak on Purdue's campus Jan. 23.

Sheldon Yellen, the CEO of Belfor Property Restoration who was featured on the reality TV show in January 2011, will talk about his experiences on the show and the disaster recovery and property restoration industry.

Read about Yellen's experiences on the show.

Yellen will speak to a building construction management (BCM) class in the Electrical Engineering building, Room 129, at 5:30 p.m. The lecture to all campus members with preference for seating given to BCM students.

Purdue’s College of Technology at Anderson is helping the Indianapolis area celebrate Super Bowl XLVI as a sponsor of the Super Celebration site in Anderson.

“Purdue in Anderson will be there to show east central Indiana and our guests what we are all about in this part of the state,” said Barb Alder, director of Purdue’s College of Technology at Anderson. “Our programs are relevant to regional workforce needs, we are responsive to economic changes, and our graduates achieve results with their Purdue degree.”

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