Alumni Keep in Touch

Mike Simmons, B.S.M.E. ’05: Things are going well for me. I've been in Tucson almost 5 years now. I started a company here 2.5 years ago and it's been going like gangbusters ever since so I can't complain. If you'd like to keep in touch, my email address is msimmons@intelli-vation.com.

David Alexander, Ph.D ’03, Michael Maughan, MSME ’07 and Eric Broncheau, BSME ’09 are members of the team at IVUS Energy Innovations, Alexander’s company based in Moscow which investigates the capabilities of ultracapasitors. The company grew out of Alexander’s doctoral research on possible uses for ultracapasitors, an energy storage system differing from traditional batteries in that it can be recharged almost instantly and up to 50,000 times.

The first application is an ultracapacitor flashlight, targeted to the law enforcement profession. To date, after patenting the charging system and negotiating an exclusive deal with a company that supplies gear to public safety professions, 25,000 lights have been preordered, and rave reviews are pouring in—all of them stating that the product is well worth the $170 cost, especially considering new batteries never need to be purchased.

For more on this product, and other University of Idaho-related inventions, see “University of Idaho’s Inventions Meet Real-world Needs and Fuel the Economy” by Corinna Nicolaou in the Fall ’10 issue of Here We Have Idaho.

Jessica Sampson, University of Idaho BSME ’06 & MSME ‘08,  has moved to Dallas, Texas to work for Orthofix, Inc., a medical device company, as a design engineer. Although the job will be challenging, she has no doubt that her experiences at the U-Idaho have prepared her.  She will primarily be working in SolidWorks, but will also spend time in labs, meeting with surgeons, and building prototypes (3D printers).
 
She credits her experiences with the Capstone projects for giving her the confidence and boost for this job. The whole project spectrum (client, budget, schedule, design, lead-time, machining, test, and finish) relates exactly to her current projects, and interdisciplinary teamwork is a daily encounter. She has found that a lot of engineers do not have machining experience and a lot of the manufacturing engineers do not have any 3D modeling experience. She feels her education has prepared her for this position and she is proud to say that she's a Vandal.

John Nakai, BSME 1977 is Mass Properties Engineering Manager with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems where he works in aircraft programs with emphasis in advanced design. “As a UI ME undergrad in the 70’s, Dr. Stewart piqued my interest in thermodynamics. I enjoyed doing some small thermo programming for him and Dr. Jacobson. My condolences to his family. He was a wonderful mentor for me. The world of engineering will miss Dr. Stewart.”

Jacob Leachman, BSME ’05, MSME ’07, Ph.D. ’10 University of Wisconsin - Madison, has returned to the Pacific Northwest. Jake has been hired as Assistant Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University.


“I have a lot of people to thank for this. The undergraduate education I received from the ME faculty at Idaho was an outstanding foundation to build a career around. My Master's thesis advisors, Richard Jacobsen and Steve Penoncello in CATS, gave my graduate career a strong start with first class research.

Who would've known I'd end up in cryogenics and researching the fueling of fusion energy machines. I couldn't be more excited to get back to the Palouse and build a good collaboration with the ME department at Idaho.”

Brandon Humble, BSME 2007, is working as a performance engineer for General Physics Corporation in Montrose, CO.

James Crisler, BSME ’07, is serving as a SUB-SEA Facilities Engineer for Chevron in Houston, TX.

D. Dean Haagenson, BSME ’65, is founder and CEO of Contractors Northwest, Inc., regional commercial and industrial general contractor with offices in Coeur d’Alene and Boise.

Prabhakar Mantena, Ph.D. ME '89, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Mississippi, has been named a fellow of ASME.
The honor of ASME Fellow is the highest elected level of membership in the organization, and is reserved for members with at least 10 years of active engineering practice and who have made significant contributions to the profession.
Mantena's experience developing structural and nano-reinforced materials for dynamic applications and evaluation of composites under a wide range of loading and environmental conditions make him a worthy candidate for this distinction.

Engineering a Passion for Giving
from the Friday Letter, 9/18/09

Burt Berlin '47 of Mercer Island, Wash., made a generous provision through his estate plan for students at the University of Idaho in support of the Burt Berlin Mechanical Engineering Scholarship Endowment and the Burt Berlin Humanities Scholarship Endowment. Burt, who earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Idaho, has passions not only in professional fields, such as mechanical engineering in the aviation industry, but also in photography. His gift supports both his life endeavors and is estimated to be $1 million, which the University will receive upon his passing. Burt is establishing a legacy to benefit future Vandals through his philanthropy. For further information about making a gift through your will, contact Pete Volk, director of gift planning services, at (208) 885-5760 or pvolk@uidaho.edu.