News
Transforming Higher Education Through Six Sigma: Impact to University Could Be Vast
The adoption of Six Sigma principles by the University of Arkansas could help streamline many processes, resulting in increased efficiency and quality and decreased costs, saving money for the state and students. Guest speaker Pradeep B. Deshpande will cover these concepts in a lecture titled 'Six Sigma Could Transform Higher Education' from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in Bell Engineering Center, Room 2291.
Six Sigma is a management strategy that seeks to streamline operations to improve the efficiency and quality of business processes by finding and removing wasted steps and correcting steps that can introduce errors. The goal is to develop and deliver nearly perfect products and services consistently. Originally developed for use by Motorola, the strategy is being used today in many different business sectors.
If Six Sigma principles are adopted on campus, Deshpande says, the University of Arkansas could be the first institute of higher education in the world to use the principles to improve the everyday operations on campus in areas such as admissions, student housing and course scheduling.
The university would also receive other benefits from the adoption of Six Sigma principles. Deshpande says Six Sigma-trained graduates entering the workforce would hold a distinct competitive advantage over their peers, allowing for better employment opportunities for graduates. Six Sigma training activities offered to Arkansas industries would improve the state's ability to compete in the global marketplace.
Deshpande serves as president and chief executive officer of Six Sigma & Advanced Controls and is a professor emeritus of chemical engineering at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. He has supervised 20 doctoral graduates and more than 50 master's graduates during his 30 years on the faculty at the University of Louisville. Partnering with a well-known business school in Pune, India, Deshpande recently established SCMHRD-SAC, USA Six Sigma Excellence Awards for corporate India. Deshpande is a recipient of numerous awards for teaching, research, and professional excellence and is listed in the Who's Who in the World.
IBM Summer Research Internships Available
IBM research internships for underrepresented minorities will be available for the summer of 2010. The program encourages students to pursue graduate studies in science and engineering.
The internships are salaried positions, typically 10 weeks long, at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, California. Internships include the opportunity to work with an IBM mentor. Research areas of the internship are individually chosen to optimize the match between the skills and interests of the student and the ongoing research programs of the laboratory. More information about these internships is available here.
Engineering Librarian Relocates to Physics Library
Patricia Kirkwood, the Engineering Librarian, can now be found at her new office in the Physics Library. This new location will increase accessibility for Engineering students. Drop by the Physics Library (Physics Bldg, #221) to check out the new arrangement. Kirkwood, an interdisciplinary librarian, serves the needs of the College of Engineering, the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Department of Physics. Questions? Contact Patricia Kirkwood.
Call for Jefferson Science Fellows Applicants
The National Academies is pleased to announce a call for nominations and applications for the 2010 Jefferson Science Fellows (JSF) program. Now in its 7th year, the JSF program is a model for engaging the American academic science, technology and engineering communities in the formulation and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. Jefferson Science Fellows spend one year at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and may periodically travel to U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions. Requirements: 1) JSF awards are open to tenured academic scientists, technologists and engineers from U.S. educational institutions. 2) Nominees/applicants must be U.S. citizens and will be required to obtain a security clearance. 3) Applicants must complete the online nomination/application form before January 15, 2010.Ten Fellows will be selected for the 2010 program. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by early March. The 2010 Jefferson Science Fellows will report to the Department of State on or about August 15, 2010.
Arkansas Power Electronics International and National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission Conduct Joint Testing
Arkansas Power Electronics International and the University of Arkansas built and tested a 4.16 kV solid state fault current limiter with the ability to carry up to 4000 A of continuous current.
Testing was carried out at the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission testing facility located in the Engineering Research Park. Solid-state fault current limiters represent a new generation of power protection devices with enhanced capabilities and performance when compared to methods currently being used. The integration of solid-state fault current limiters into our nation's grid will lead to great improvements in grid stability and reliability.
College of Engineering Staff Council Service Opportunity Announcement
Faculty Honors
Ajay Malshe, professor in mechanical engineering, was recently elected as a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME). Fellow grade is truly a distinction among ASME members. Malshe is one of 2,979 Fellows world-wide out of 91,267 members. Malshe states that this distinction was only possible with the help of brilliant contributions of many students, post-docs and colleagues and the undivided support of the University of Arkansas for more than a decade.
Scott Mason, associate professor and associate head of industrial engineering, has been named as a finalist for the University's Dr. John and Mrs. Lois Imhoff Award for Outstanding Teaching and Student Mentoring for 2009. The awardee will be announced November 18, 2009.
Kazem Sohraby, professor in electrical engineering, delivered the keynote address at the "International Symposium on Future Mobile Communication Technology" on October 23, 2009 in Chongqing, China. The conference was attended by communications and mobile computing experts from around the world.
New Employees
 Laura Ray Administrative Specialist II Mechanical Engineering |
 Eric Specking Assistant Director of Recruitment |
Calendar
Thursday, November 5 Lecture: Six Sigma Could Transform Higher Education
All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend this special lecture featuring Dr. Pradeep Deshpande. The adoption of Six Sigma principles by the University of Arkansas could help streamline many processes, resulting in increased efficiency and quality and decreased costs, saving money for the state and students.
2-3 p.m.; Bell Engineering Center, 2291
2009 Fall Symposium Poster Presentation
The Materials Research Society is sponsoring a nanoscience and nanotechnology poster presentation throughout the afternoon. Food and drinks provided.
Location: In front of the Electrical Engineering department on the third floor of Bell Engineering Center
Time: Throughout the afternoon
Tuesday, November 10 Cite Right!
Description: When is it OK to use a scientific phrase without quotation marks? How do you make it clear you are expounding on someone else's idea or using their words to support YOUR idea? How do you show an electronic source is actually a scholarly article? Learn how to avoid plagiarism by citing materials correctly. The focus of this session will lean towards scientific styles, topics, graphical data, images, and web resources.
5:00pm - 6:30p.m., ENGR Hall 205
Wednesday, November 11 Cite Right!
Description: When is it OK to use a scientific phrase without quotation marks? How do you make it clear you are expounding on someone else's idea or using their words to support YOUR idea? How do you show an electronic source is actually a scholarly article? Learn how to avoid plagiarism by citing materials correctly. The focus of this session will lean towards scientific styles, topics, graphical data, images, and web resources.
5:00pm - 6:30p.m., MEEG 211
Tuesday, November 17 RefWorks Advanced
Description: Learn about RefWorks bibliographic manager software. RefWorks allows you to save citations for books, articles, and other publications in your own personal database, and then to export those citations in hundreds of formats including IEEE, ACM, ASCE, and ACS. Learn how to save citations from Engineering Village, Ebsco, and ProQuest as well as how to manage your citations, and how to export citations in reference or works cited lists. The advanced session will Write n Cite, RefGrab-It, managing folders, and working with footnotes and endnotes.
2:00pm - 3:00pm; Location: TBA
Friday, December 4 Retirement Reception for Karen Hendrix
Please drop by the Imhoff Study Center on the fourth floor of Bell Engineering Center to help us thank Karen Hendrix for her years of service.
2-3:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 12 Arkansas FIRST LEGO® League Tournament
Mountain Home, Arkansas
For more information, contact Tish Pohl.
Friday, January 15 Deadline to apply for the Jefferson Science Fellows positions.