Austin Engle ’20 and Ben Stutzman ’20 recently became inventors, successfully patenting the “Garbage Grader” they created while still students at 91短视频 (91短视频). 

The invention analyzes plates of food as they’re thrown out, and grades the diner on how much they wasted. Instead of capitalizing monetarily on the invention, Stutzman and Engle published on an open-access repository so that others can make their own Garbage Graders.

The project was the culminating requirement for their engineering degree. The duo are among the first graduates of the 91短视频 engineering program. Engle is now pursuing a doctorate in computer science at the University of Virginia, and Stutzman is a software engineering intern with the company WebstaurantStore in Lancaster, Pa.

Professor Esther Tian called the experience of working with the duo 鈥渇ulfilling.鈥�

“It was definitely an extended learning opportunity for our students conducting patent search and reading patents in related fields,” said Tian. “The writing of a patent application is a lot different from that of a technical paper.鈥�

Inspiration, design, and assembly

Engle and Stutzman were first inspired by a United Nations study which claimed that one-third of the world’s food is wasted. 

“And that made us so angry that we decided we were going to attack that problem at its source 鈥� a small liberal arts college that’s already really good at not wasting: 91短视频’s cafeteria,” Engle joked.

They “considered” a few different ways they could convince cafeteria diners to waste less, like building a robot that eats those who don’t finish their food, or starting a pandemic to evacuate campus.

“Or we could build a Garbage Grader,” Engle said.

The system they built under the guidance of engineering professors Tian and Stefano Colafranceschi had several interdependent components. First, a camera mounted above the trashcan was constantly taking photos. A scale underneath, triggered by additional weight as food was dumped in, signaled to the camera to save the previous four photos, to capture an image of the plate just before it was cleared. Then, an artificial intelligence system they trained gave that photo a letter grade.

“And then, a few seconds later, a picture of their plate will appear on the TV screen over here along with a letter grade that tells them how wasteful their plate was,” Stutzman explained. 

Training that artificial intelligence, or neural network, was the most challenging part of building the garbage grader. Engle and Stutzman recruited a team of 15 students and staff to process 15,000 photos of dirty plates, assigning letter grades to teach the network how to evaluate the plates itself.

“This was fun for the first 1,500 or so,” Engle quipped.

“It was a pleasure to brainstorm and work with Ben and Austin,” Colafranceschi said. “Machine learning is hot-topic and it was rewarding to see an original idea become an engineering prototype in just one year.”

But just when it was going so well 鈥� 

After months of work planning, designing, and building this system, they installed the final piece 鈥� the television to show consumers their garbage grade 鈥� on March 8. 

“We had a ton of fun sitting in a corner of the cafeteria and observing people from afar as they reacted to pictures and grades of their own plates,” Stutzman said.

Engle agreed. “It was magical watching everything that we had worked on for the entire year click and start working for the first time,” he said.

They had hoped to see whether being evaluated would make consumers change their behavior, and waste less over time. But of course, just days after they got the television up and running, 91短视频 closed its campus and asked students to return home as the pandemic hit Virginia.

As a result, they didn’t gather enough data to see if diners’ behaviors actually changed.

“It was especially frustrating that the situation was out of our control, so we couldn鈥檛 just engineer our way out,” Stutzman said.

Even with that setback, they had still made a fully functioning invention. Now they hope other innovators will develop the tool and use it further to educate consumers. 

As the young innovators have moved on to post-graduate work and studies, Stutzman said, “we鈥檙e trusting 91短视频 students to eat responsibly without supervision!”

One master codebreaker and Appalachian Trail hiker, one supercomputer builder and high school soccer coach, one student organization leader headed to doctoral studies, one environmental designer bound for data analysis, and one cross-country athlete and eco-marathon mechanic.

Austin Engle, Juan Vazquez, Collin Longenecker, James Paetkau and Ben Stutzman comprise the first graduating class of Eastern Mennoninte University鈥檚 engineering program.

The program, which was started four years ago, is led by professors Esther Tian, Daniel King, and Stefano Colafranceschi. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 such a mixture of emotions鈥� to see this first class graduate, King said. 鈥淕ratefulness to them because of their hard work and dedication to the program over these years, pride over their accomplishments so far, sorrow over the way their final semester came to such an abbreviated end, and excitement to see where they all will end up over the next few years.鈥�

The next few years will see some of these graduates leave the country, while others plan to stay in Harrisonburg. Some have their sights set on graduate school. For others, the workforce or service assignments beckon.

鈥淓ngineering is a special form of art, it takes not just technical knowledge and scientifically sound ideas, but also creativity, fantasy, and the ability to think out of the box,鈥� said Colafranceschi, who guided the students through their capstone projects. 鈥淲e train engineers to serve and lead the way to a better world.鈥�

Tian has many fond memories with this cohort. 鈥淲e have had a lot of laughs together during the last four years, which I truly appreciate. They will be sorely missed,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t is such a fabulous class and I am privileged to work with them in the last four years.鈥�

Austin Engle

Engle is a double major in engineering and computer science from Harrisonburg. He鈥檚 participated in and led student organizations Engineers for a Sustainable World, the Astral Society, the Math Club, and the Association for Computing Machinery. He鈥檚 most proud of 鈥渁ll the friends I’ve made and all the projects I’ve accomplished with them鈥� while at 91短视频.

Engle鈥檚 engineering capstone, the 鈥淕arbage Grader,鈥� was a collaborative project with fellow graduate Ben Stutzman. 鈥淲e created a device to observe food waste at the 91短视频 cafeteria in order to generate more sustainable eat-not-waste habits. We are thinking about applying for a patent for it,鈥� Engle says.

Tian says that Engle 鈥渉as always been freely and willingly to help his fellow students on their assignments and projects.鈥�

He plans to attend the University of Virginia to pursue a doctorate in computer science.

Juan Vazquez 

Vazquez is a computer engineering major who was born in El Pocito de la Virgen, Guanajuato, Mexico, and calls Waynesboro, Virginia his 鈥渟econd home.鈥� He played on 贰惭鲍鈥檚 soccer team for four years, was active in the Latino Student Alliance, and was an assistant junior varsity soccer coach at Harrisonburg High School for two years. One of his favorite memories from college is 鈥渕y first goal my junior year against Ferrum.鈥�

For Vazquez鈥檚 capstone project, he built a 鈥渟upercomputer鈥� 鈥� a cluster of 19 computers that can 鈥渉ost web applications, other technology applications, and complete parallel computation.鈥� 

鈥淛uan has been a hardworking student. I appreciate his can-do spirit. He has also done much good work in the IS department throughout these years,鈥� Tian recalls.

He has accepted a job at WF in Charlotte, North Carolina, as a production support analyst.

Collin Longenecker

Longenecker is an engineering major from Harrisonburg. He ran track and cross-country for all four years, helped lead Engineers for a Sustainable World for three, and was involved in the honors council, 91短视频 Explore club, and building a super-efficient eco-marathon vehicle. He was also an embedded tutor in engineering classes.

Among his collegiate accomplishments are recovering from a major surgery in running, organizing hikes to Old Rag, and 鈥渕eeting a ton of incredible people.鈥� One of his favorite memories as a student was traveling to New Orleans with friends for spring break before the pandemic hit.

For his capstone project, Longenecker partnered with James Paetkau and Karissa Sauder to build a website advocating for climate action at 91短视频. The web pages, based on 贰惭鲍鈥檚 2015 climate action plan, includes a map of the energy use of different buildings on campus, information about sustainability projects that have been implemented, and an interactive modeling tool that projects 贰惭鲍鈥檚 future carbon emissions.

Tian calls Longenecker an outstanding student, saying, 鈥渉e has been a wonderful tutor to many students in many classes. His calm manner has benefited us all.鈥�

Longenecker is still determining his future plans, but intends to stay in Harrisonburg for the time being.

James Paetkau

Paetkau is an engineering major from Goshen, Indiana. He served as the president of Engineers for a Sustainable World for two years and was involved with the Sustainable Food Initiative and intramural sports on campus. He counts his greatest collegiate accomplishment as traveling to Guatemala, the U.S.-Mexico border, and Cuba for cross-cultural, and 鈥渞eturning with a solid conversational level of Spanish.鈥�

Paetkau鈥檚 capstone project, which was interrupted by the pandemic, was a design for a rainwater harvesting system to be installed at the Suter House, a rental property on 贰惭鲍鈥檚 campus. 鈥淭his system would be used to provide water for toilet flushing and irrigate a forest garden that was going to be planted in the adjacent yard,鈥� Paetkau says.

One of his favorite memories from college is 鈥渟targazing on top of the 91短视频 hill both as a first year and as a senior, being able to look out over the twinkling lights of Harrisonburg and take a moment to breathe and reflect on the past week, month, or four years.鈥� 

鈥淛ames has been a brilliant student,鈥� Tian says. He has been insightful in his studies as well as in research.鈥�

He plans to move to Washington, D.C. to work in data analysis and public policy, with the long-term goal of pursuing a graduate degree in those fields.

Ben Stutzman

Stutzman is an engineering major and environmental sustainability minor from Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He helped restart the Astral Society, an amateur astronomy club on campus; competed in multiple codebreaking and computer programming competitions; and participated in Engineers for a Sustainable World. He also ran one year of cross-country, and recalls his junior cross-cultural trip to the Middle East as 鈥渇antastic.鈥� 

Stutzman鈥檚 engineering capstone, a collaboration with Austin Engle, was the 鈥淕arbage Grader.鈥� His favorite memories of college are 鈥渞andom dinner conversations with all kinds of people鈥� in the cafeteria and with close friends.

A 鈥渟uperb student,鈥� Stutzman 鈥渉as been inspirational for us,鈥� Tian says, citing the times he ran the Boston marathon and his summer through-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

He plans to join the Peace Corps in Mozambique this fall to teach high school math.

This was neither the end of the semester we anticipated nor the graduation we expected, but it is the semester we have completed and the graduation we celebrate, said Dean David Brubaker this past weekend to a virtual celebration for graduates from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Those words encapsulate the whirlwind experience of the last nine weeks, as our semester was completely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was not the semester we anticipated, but it was the semester we completed.

And what choice did we have but to persevere, adapt, be flexible and patient, flatten one curve as we were being slung faster on an accompanying learning curve of what exactly to do with ourselves, our bodies and minds in this strange new world.

The following collection of photos and text is a snapshot of the semester, collected in real time and revisited now, for those of you who are more peripheral to 91短视频. It might help to give a sense of how faculty, staff and students responded in and out of classroom — in true 91短视频 fashion, with resilience, empathy and commitment.

Here we go (online)!

Some of the first on campus to sense an impending switch were employees in Information Systems. They began thinking about remote learning during 91短视频’s spring break the first week in March, and in anticipation, beefed up their HelpZone articles on a variety of relevant topics.

By March 12, when 91短视频 announced a move to online learning, IS had reviewed and increased capacity of all systems and equipment (including webcams, laptops and Chromebooks) necessary for online teaching and campus operations. Needless to say, they were busy.

Two graphs from Jenni Piper, director of User Services, tell the story:

First Helpdesk Tickets. The green line shows last year’s demand and the blue line this year’s.

And second, the number of daily Zoom meetings hosted through the campus account, beginning in early March.

After hosting a training for faculty March 13 and the shift to online the classes the next week, IS handled 64 tickets on March 16, something of a watermark that shows when faculty and staff began to engage with the reality of a move to remote work.

Pedagogues thinking positively

91短视频 10 days into the online shift, I asked a few professors how things were going. Some of their answers are included below. I was particularly struck by the positive perspective of veteran educator Carolyn Stauffer, professor of applied social sciences:

In reality, what we鈥檙e experiencing now is the presence of hybrid education. We鈥檝e had the chance to meet in-person for the first part of the semester and now I get to know each participant’s online presence as well. It鈥檚 wonderful to be able to build on the assets of both sides of that equation!

Solo field trips

Professor Doug Graber Neufeld‘s “Natural History of the Shenandoah Valley” course syllabus was packed full of fantastic field trips to local natural wonders and lab experiences (like taxidermy practice below).

With his students scattered in mid-March, the field trips turned into independent explorations, such as Katelyn Dean‘s below. Here she holds morel mushrooms she and her dad found in the George Washington National Forest, just one find shared during class time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the highlight of my day to hear students who daily recount the joy they find in now recognizing the animals, plants and rocks around them,” Neufeld said. “In such unusual times, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the natural world together has been a unique source of hope for us.鈥� Read more about this class.

Conversations continue

In Professor Marti Eads’ class “Ways of War and Peace,” students met virtually with Reverend Masayuki Sawa, the pastor of a Reformed (Calvinist) congregation in Japan.听He spoke of his perception of contemporary Japanese attitudes toward World War II and Japanese perceptions of the US and our own military actions, then and now, among other topics.

The class was slated to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Instead, guest speaker Gillian Steinberg, an educator at the Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy in the Bronx, and her students from the Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition met online with 91短视频 students.

This conversation and the de-brief afterwards held richness and nuance, Eads said, with several classmates opening up about their own religious experiences, choices and identities. Recognizing the common humanity, despite labels — “just the idea of all of us sitting together talking and all of us from different groups” was a moving experience, said one of her students. []

Creating community with virtual high fives

Engineering professor Esther Tian (pictured above at top right) continued teaching synchronous classes, preferring the structure and the presence of students. “It is also good for students to see each other and talk to each other before class as they would in a classroom.

We do high fives, thumb-ups (and downs) during class, we find out new features of Zoom and use them right away. It has been fun. I also found that one-on-one and small group Zoom sessions were working really well in answering students’ questions as well as advising..”

Senior Collin Longenecker, visible below Tian in the photo above and also at right, was an embedded tutor with a first-year engineering course. Though initially he wasn鈥檛 sure how Zoom sessions would work, he adapted well: 鈥淭he students pop in and out and they can share their screen with me. It is almost like I am in the engineering lab looking over their shoulder trying to help them troubleshoot the problem. I have been helping a few students that I had not helped before we went to online school which is cool.”

Read more about 91短视频 tutors at work during online classes.

The power of community to enhance learning was the top tip in a blog post titled ” by Dean (and chem prof) Tara Kishbaugh for fellow organic chemistry teachers using the same texbook. “Community Matters,” she began. Use the relationships that have already been built to help students continue asking questions and learning in small peer groups. And she reminded readers, you can still greet each student individually when they enter your Zoom classroom.

Tech fails/wins: ‘chipmunky’-ness and new relationships

Professor Mark Sawin teaches U.S. History 103, from World War I to the present, with a focus on “power and paradox.” Sawin tried to do a synchronous class on Zoom and “it rather hilariously and spectularly failed,” he reported.

“So, since then, I’ve been pre-recording all my lectures on Panopto so students can watch them asynchronously, and with that program, you can adjust my speed. At 1.5 speed, I start to get rather chipmunky… at .5 speed I sound like the television show ‘Drunk History.’ I’m not sure if that amuses students, but it certainly amuses me.”

With the lectures available at any time, he began using normal class time as an open forum where students could drop in and ask questions.

“I’ve had some wonderful 1-on-1 conversations with students that I would never have had in our normal class setting. In this sense, our ‘social distancing’ has actually provided some closeness that wasn’t there before, and for that I’m grateful,” Sawin said. “I’ve also been pleased and touched by the grace that students have extended to us as we struggle to move our classes online. And I believe we, too, are showing that grace, focusing on the learning objectives and the big important ideas, and allowing a lot of latitude when it comes to the many wifi issues, isolation stresses, and general quarantine chaos we’re all learning to live with.”

Grace and connection

That grace is something education professor Paul Yoder has also experienced. Students in his classes are pre-service teachers and as a pedagogical specialist himself, the shift to online classes provided ample room for discussions around topics related to the digital classroom.

He wrote: “The key word in my planning for weekly class sessions via Zoom has been connection. We have taken time for each of the 18 students to rate how they are doing on a scale of 1-10 and then share with the group. Last week I sent individual emails as a follow up to the few students who placed themselves on the low end of the scale. I have also been excited to hear from some of my advisees who have shared their affirmations of how professors are providing flexibility as needed.  Particularly as we recognize that not all of us have the same level of internet access, I know that living into an ethic of care is essential.”

Nancy Heisey, seminary dean, also used check-ins with her classes, which often included adult students who juggled many responsibiliities, including pastors working in ministry settings.

“We take time every period to share ‘how it鈥檚 going’ and encourage one another. Some students are struggling with a household where everyone is working on line in a crowded space鈥攕pouse tele-working, children trying to do homework, and seminary student worrying about class work and how to get a video service up for their congregation鈥檚 Sunday service.

“I鈥檝e been amazed, though, at the depth of engagement鈥攖his morning, my New Testament students each did a creative rendering of a parable of Jesus. They were funny, sobering, and encouraging!”

Hearing some of those needs led seminary professor Sarah Bixler to host an April 1 online gathering that drew 32 pastors, including 22 alumni, from four denominations and eight states. This has led to a free online series for pastors. Check it out here.

A wider global market for CJP

Innovation happened quickly during the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding鈥檚 facilitation class, co-taught by Professor Catherine Barnes and Amy Knorr. Students usually practice skills they鈥檝e learned in person by helping clients with a planned discussion, strategic visioning or group dialogue. With face-to-face options limited and practice still required, students moved online.

Above, one group produced an online strategic planning for Shenandoah Green, a local environmental group, including a circle process, a historical reflection using a digital timeline that folks could fill in, and a card sort, a way of getting ideas out into the open and then grouping them together. “Board members at Shenandoah Green were delighted,” said Knorr, who helps coordinate practice settings for CJP students.

In the midst of the pandemic, CJP also hosted several online gatherings for alumni to connect and share resources.

And significantly, center staff moved quickly to adapt the Summer Peacebuilding Institute to online classes, expedite a new hybrid graduate degree program in transformational leadership, and prepare upcoming semester classes for online delivery.

The massive disruption and accompanying move towards online learning and programs have created new opportunities, said Executive Director Jayne Docherty, especially in a previously untapped market of prospective participants who could not have afforded to travel or would not have been issued a visa in the current environment.

鈥淚n the face of the pandemic, many people are waking up to the fact that our societies have become more unequal and unjust and that we are teetering on the edge of violent confrontations between social subgroups. Some of those people are saying, 鈥楾his can鈥檛 continue. This is just wrong. What can I do? I want to be part of the solution.鈥� By moving our programs online quickly, we have helped channel their energy and impulse to help others in ways that prevent violence and address injustices.”

’12 hours ahead of our students’

As daily reports arrived into faculty in-boxes about the closure of practicum and internship placements to students, the nursing department focused on making sure their seniors could graduate on time and join the fight against covid-19.

For one cohort, that meant three 12-hour shifts at a local hospital. For others, they logged clinical hours (and their supervising professor also took calls) at a special covid-19 public health hotline.

“The faculty were meeting hour to hour, staying 12 hours ahead of the students as we were making decisions,” said Professor Melody Cash.

Eventually, a waiver allowed faculty to substitute simulation hours for live clinicals and all 16 seniors finished out the semester in good standing, ready to join the workforce.

It’s the small things…

Marci Frederick (above), director of Sadie Hartzler Library, and Professor Kevin Seidel dressed in academic regalia in honor of their senior seminar students for their last Zoom class meeting.

Congratulations, 91短视频 family, on the end of the semester we did not anticipate.

We celebrate.

From laboratory experiments to quantitative research gathered on campus and in communities far away 鈥� 12 graduate students in 91短视频鈥檚 MS in Biomedicine program participated in an oral defense of their research projects at the end of the fall 2019 semester.

The research 鈥渉elps students not only to develop mastery in the natural sciences but also to incorporate other disciplines such as social science and ethics. They are able to connect their personal interests with academic studies and other networks beyond 91短视频,鈥� said Professor Laurie Yoder, who provided research oversight.

For students applying to medical school or other professional health schools, such research projects provide 鈥渁n important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants,鈥� said Dr., program director. 鈥淪tudents learn an incredible amount by taking an original research project from start to finish.鈥�

Since 2013, the master鈥檚 in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research component is just one unique curricular offering. Students also benefit from a unique approach to cadaver dissection, which many alumni say has provided optimal preparation and a strong background for the rigors of medical school. Several articulation agreements with professional health schools enhance opportunities to matriculate and continue with career goals.

Each oral defense is evaluated by professors in the MS in biomedicine program, committee members, other faculty and other graduate students. Family members, invited professionals and alumni, and other students also attend, Yoder said.

The research component brings graduate students into mentoring relationships with faculty, alumni and other professionals across many disciplines. Committee members for this round of research projects included Esther Tian, professor of engineering; Carolyn Stauffer, professor of social work; Tara Kishbaugh, professor of chemistry; Ryan Thompson and Gregory Koop, professors of psychology; Kristopher Schmidt, professor of biology; Laura Yoder, professor of nursing; and Julia Halterman, director of the biomedicine program.

Master鈥檚 candidates and their research topics include:

Adeola Adesuyi, An exploration of the factors that contribute to patient perception of branded and generic drugs;

Donatine Afful, The UNC-53 gene negatively regulates levels of RAC BTPase CED-10;

Heidi Byron, Associations between personality types and their responsiveness to gamification in mobile applications amongst faculty and staff at 91短视频;

Hosam Hadid, Acute and post-traumatic stress symptoms may depend on burn injury type;

Alexus Holbert, The psychological impact of genetic testing;

Anna Jemi-Alade, The erosive potential of kombucha, Coke and apple juice on bovine teeth;

Cyndra Jones, Investigating attitudes of first responders toward individuals with opioid use disorders and cocaine use disorder: a survey of police officers and emergency medical technicians in an urban city in central Virginia.  

Bowen Lian, Assessing the need for a mild cognitive impairment screening tool in medical and surgical patients at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital;

Claire Reilly, Linking dentists鈥� education level to their recognition of patients with dental anxiety;

Krystalee Revanna, Gene expression of BAX and BCL-2 in liver and kidney medulla Sprague Dawley rat tissues in response to high salt and high fructose diets;

Nathan Ropelewski, The effects of short-term diets on cognitive function in Mus musculus;

Michelle Van Horn, Comparison of virtues reflection vs. mindfulness-based stress reduction in undergraduate students at 91短视频.

The program, which began last year with $600,000 in funding, totals 14 students. The first cohort are now sophomores and beginning a specialized local research project together under the supervision of engineering director, Esther Tian. The grant includes scholarship monies, as well as funds for support services, and special activities for students and peer mentors. 

Program participants are paired with mentoring juniors and seniors majoring in the same areas, said Dean Tara Kishbaugh, a chemistry professor who co-wrote the grant and teaches in the program. 鈥淭he combination of intentional community and informally shared insights, such as into the policies and culture of the STEM departments, often helps students engage more fully in the first year of college,鈥� she said.

2019 recipients

Rebekah Amstutz (Dalton, Ohio) also wants to do her part to help preserve 鈥渢he immense beauty in Creation,鈥� which she has experienced from childhood. She is thinking about outdoor or environmental education, at summer camps or as a park ranger. 

Micah Buckwalter (Fulks Run, Virginia) says he鈥檚 always been excited about environmental sustainability, but a summer road trip with friends to five National Parks 鈥渄eepened my love for nature and enjoying God’s creation.鈥� At Glacier, he says, 鈥渨e learned that if nothing is done to stop climate change, the glaciers inside the park could all be melted by 2030鈥� 鈥� knowledge which has galvanized him towards action. At 91短视频, he has appreciated the 鈥渄eep Mennonite background here at 91短视频 that still shows itself today, especially in the emphasis of community with those around you, as well as being stewards of the earth.鈥�

Ethan Ball (Poland, Ohio)  is an engineering major, 鈥渟omething to do with the fact that I like how there are usually step-by-step process in math science.鈥� He鈥檚 ready for the experience of 鈥渇inding out who I am while at 91短视频.鈥�

Ben Bontrager-Singer (Goshen, Indiana) is a mechanical engineering major. His interest in rockets was sparked by a visit to the SpaceX factory in California; since then he鈥檇 followed every launch and the progress of SpaceX and other rocket companies, and hopes to work in that particular industry. The flexibility of the engineering major at 91短视频 attracted him: 鈥淚f there is something you want to do and you think it would be cool the faculty will support you,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 have already started working towards creating a new project to create an ultra efficient car and participate in the Shell Eco-Marathon competition.鈥� And beyond that, he also has an interest in other objects in flight: 鈥淎lso,鈥� he says, 鈥淯ltimate frisbee has been really fun!鈥�

Jaden Jones (Lancaster, Pennsylvania) is 鈥渆ager for the chance to help shape the world as I grow up.鈥� An early interest in space flight has led to her mechanical engineering major; she plans to earn a PhD in astrophysics or aerospace engineering, and is not sure whether she鈥檚 more interested in research or teaching. Jones spent a year in Switzerland with AFS and is fluent in German. She鈥檚 considering returning to Europe after graduation.

鈥淥ne thing that I find extremely exciting about 91短视频 is the knowledge that I鈥檒l be able to grow as a person here, not only academically and mentally, but also professionally,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 already love my professors and I鈥檓 eager to see where I鈥檒l end up at the end of these four short years.鈥�

Morgan Pletch (Warrenton, Virginia) is a biology major who hopes to conduct neuroscience research after graduation. A memorable experience was visiting Andros Island in the Bahamas to work with marine researchers. In her first few weeks of college, she is grateful for 贰惭鲍鈥檚 鈥渃lose-knit community.鈥�

Zavion Taylor (Hampton, Virginia) is a double major in computer science and mechanical engineering 鈥� fields he has been involved in since age 9 with 鈥渄ifferent courses, competitions and programs.鈥� At Phoebus High School, he was a member of competitive robotics Team 2028 The Phantoms Mentalist (). Robotics is definitely in his future; he鈥檇 like to pursue a career and live in Japan 鈥渇or a while.鈥� At 91短视频, he鈥檚 enjoying the novelty of the nearby mountains and the 鈥渃hange of pace鈥� from urban life.

Luke Wheeler (Hudson, Michigan) is interested in developing alternative energies. An engineering major, he traces his interest back to playing with Legoes and watching space-oriented movies, including Interstellar, as well as the knowledge that the field is 鈥渧ital to our society.鈥� So far at 91短视频, he鈥檚 enjoyed meeting and spending time with new friends. 

Inspired by a visit to a NASA research facility three years ago, 91短视频 engineering student Dylan Grove 鈥�19 dedicated his senior engineering capstone project to building a wind tunnel for his alma mater.

Grove, who is from Dickerson, Maryland, began research for the tunnel last August, and designed and constructed it this spring and summer. The 14 feet-long structure includes a series of component systems 鈥� intake manifold, test chamber, diffuser, blower 鈥� that are precisely designed and mounted on a black metal frame to create 100 mile-per-hour winds.

The 91短视频 engineering department will use the tunnel in its fluid mechanics class to model air flow and study lift, drag and other forces on models such as an airplane with an eight-inch wingspan. 

The project鈥檚 roots go back to 2016, when then-sophomore Grove and classmates in 贰惭鲍鈥檚 newly christened engineering program saw large-scale wind tunnels during a visit to NASA鈥檚 Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

91短视频, Grove learned, was planning to buy a wind tunnel for its own use. 鈥淲hy?鈥� he recalls asking. 鈥淲e can probably just build one. That sounds like a great senior project.鈥�

(Engineering professor Esther Tian, in a subsequent broadcast on the Shenandoah Valley鈥檚 NPR station, commented that the visit had inspired students to brainstorm about this.)

In pursuing that goal, Grove was supported by Venture Products in Orrville, Ohio, where as an engineering intern last summer he learned a lot that he put to hands-on use in this project.

The company donated sheet metal, some of which they cut and bent for creating the intake. Grove was proud and appreciative of the finished product, which he designed and made with help from Venture Product鈥檚 Roscoe Lehman: a complex work of engineering art whose 鈥渧ariable radius curve鈥� required that they 鈥渂uild the fabrication process into the design,鈥� he said.

He also found many collaborators right on campus. Professors Tian and Stefano Colafranceschi advised him on the project, and engineering classmates helped with design plans; computer science students with programming the control system; mathematical sciences lab tech Buddy Wilkins with processing ideas; and Facilities Management fleet and equipment coordinator Henry Bowser with welding the frame.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not just out of my brain, that鈥檚 for sure,鈥� Grove said.

Donated materials greatly reduced the cost of the potentially expensive project. In addition to Venture Products鈥� contributions, the New York Blower Company in Willowbrook, Illinois, donated the blower, and Glass and Metals in Harrisonburg donated the plexiglass.

Throughout, Grove maintained a healthy skepticism, on at least one occasion this summer looking at the various components spread across his workspace and commenting, 鈥淚f it works, I鈥檒l be really pleased.鈥�

But then two parts would fit together really well, such as when the 450-pound blower was lowered by tractor onto the frame and the six holes for the anchor bolts aligned perfectly. 鈥淥h! Wow!鈥� he remembers thinking. 鈥淭his is incredible!鈥�

The wind tunnel, stationed in Suter Science Center Room 003, works like this: From the tail end of the tunnel, the blower draws air into a wide-mouthed, fifth-order polynomial-shaped funnel fronted with a honeycomb mesh that breaks up incoming turbulence and straightens the air flow. As air enters the narrowing funnel, it is compressed, accelerating until it reaches and travels through the test chamber, which is walled with plexiglass to allow observation from any direction. On its exit from the chamber, the air is then pulled through the diffuser, a slowly expanding cone, which allows it to decelerate smoothly into the blower.

“While actors in dark clothes manipulate the props and set pieces under black light, the audience sees the effects created right before their eyes,” said Poole, assistant professor of theater. “This production focuses on the joy of storytelling. It relies on our preexisting knowledge of Disney’s magical formulas, taking the musical in unexpected directions while remaining faithful to the script.”

.

Performances are scheduled in the Main Stage Theater March 22, 28, 29 and 30 at 7 p.m.; March 23 and 24 at 3 p.m.; and March 26 at 10 a.m. The performance is approximately 2.5 hours, with intermission.

Innovative staging

Disney’s film “Beauty and the Beast” is a favorite of Poole’s and his three children, he said. Attempting a production of the Broadway musical based on the 1991 film wasn鈥檛 in his plans until Braydon Hoover, associate director of development who has been known to 鈥渢rod the boards鈥� one or two times, made the suggestion.

However, mounting an original Broadway Disney musical at a small liberal arts college takes some innovative solutions.

“We are using found objects and recycled materials to create the props, costumes and set pieces,” Poole said. Cast and crew would also need to let go “of our expectations of what a Disney show should look like.” 听

Interdisciplinary recruitments

Poole recruited faculty and students from other departments. Anna Westfall, assistant professor of art, designed the production’s shadow puppets. Westfall has worked on costumes and props for other theater productions, she said. “However, I have never made shadow puppets. My past designs were sculptural, so this process was new to me.”

Her shadow puppet creations include three humans, a beast, a tree, an interior of a castle, and several wolves. “I attempted to keep my designs simple so that people would recognize the story,鈥� Westfall said.

Esther Tian, associate professor and director of 91短视频’s engineering program, and the first-year engineering class worked with theater tech director Shannon Dove on set design and construction.

“This production requires a flexible, fast-moving set,” Poole said. “Our engineering students have delivered something fitting and unique.”

Poole also sought out sophomore Freddie Monahan, member of the student art club, to build what he praised as “visually interesting and user-friendly鈥� props.

Cast includes community members

In addition to 91短视频’s actors, Poole cast students from Eastern Mennonite High School, Waterman Elementary and the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir. “It truly takes a village, or a community, to create a theater production,” he said.

Junior Gwen Mallow, a secondary English education major, is Poole’s assistant director. One of her duties is working with stage manager Amber Hooper “trying to make sure that everyone is safe and happy,” Mallow said. “It is really fun having students from both EMHS and other elementary schools in the area. The kids are kind, enthusiastic and natural actors.”

Mallow also leads sectional rehearsals when needed and takes down Poole’s notes to keep rehearsals running smoothly without stopping. “But mostly I’m providing a second opinion when Justin is unsure about an aesthetic choice,” she said.

First year peace and development major Elizabeth Eby was cast as the lead character, Belle. Eby said that as a child, she looked up to the character of Belle for her kindness and strength. “It’s also great how strong and independent she is.”

Eby shares Belle’s love for books, but believes to develop the character fully, their differences need to be included. “Physicality has been really helpful in doing that as I try to walk like a Disney princess,” Eby said. “I also just say my lines in different voices until I think something works for the character, rather than how I normally speak.”

With all these contributions and collaborations from the 91短视频 community and beyond, Poole is looking forward to opening night. Bringing together veteran actors and children in their first productions with engineering students and artists working in new media, the collaborative effort 听is symbolic of his vision of theater鈥檚 creative potential.

“I like the idea of 91短视频 theater being a place where people of all ages can gather and enjoy a great production as a community,” he said. “This show fits that bill. I hope to do more productions that have this family appeal. It also resonates with the students, who grew up on the original film.”

There is already a great response to the show, he added听鈥� and tickets are going fast!

Reserved tickets are $15 for adults ($17 at the door), $12 for faculty/staff, seniors and non-91短视频 students ($14 at the door), and $6 for 91短视频 and Bridgewater College students. Tickets are available at 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Box Office, located in the University Commons. Box office hours are Monday-Friday, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. or call 540-432-4582.

CHARACTERS

BELLE: Elizabeth Eby, first-year, Goshen, Indiana

BEAST: Andrew Stoltzfus, first-year, Harrisonburg, Virginia

GASTON: Isaac Longacre, first-year, Quakertown, Pennsylvania

LEFOU: Richard Vo, junior, Front Royal, Virginia

COGSWORTH/CHORUS: Avery Trinh, first-year, Columbia, Maryland

LUMIERE/CHORUS: Joseph Seitz, first-year, Harrisonburg, Virginia

MRS. POTTS/CHORUS: Sarah Ressler, sophomore, Kidron, Ohio

CHIP/CHORUS: Anna Ressler, junior, Kidron, Ohio

BABETTE: Mary Fairfield, community student, Staunton, Virginia

MADAME DE LA GRAND BOUCHE/CHORUS: Leah Wenger, junior, Harrisonburg, Virginia

MAURICE/CHORUS: Lucas Wenger, sophomore, Harrisonburg, Virginia

MONSIEUR D鈥橝RQUE/CHORUS: Tyler Goss, graduate student, Mechanicsville, Virginia

CHORUS: Ariel Barbosa, junior, Baltimore, Maryland; Emily Bennett, first-year, Landsdale, Pennsylvania; Dan Hackman, junior, Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Jackie Hieber, graduate student, Bridgewater, Virginia; Ross Kirkdorffer, first-year, Harrisonburg, Virginia; Stephanie Kniss, first-year, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Alexa Lahr, first-year, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Anali Martin, junior, Cary, North Carolina; Johnny G Prioleau III, junior, Chesterfield, Virginia; MacRae Richardson, community student, Dayton, Virginia; Partha Roy, first-year, Takoma Park, Maryland; Jay Sheppard, first-year, Beaverdam, Virginia

CHILDREN鈥橲 CHORUS: Zevvi Misterka, Virginia Natale, Vienna Poole, George Richardson, Jack Richardson, Katherine Richardson, Kezia Wettig, Lewis Yoder.

CREW

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Gwen Mallow, junior, Quicksburg, Virginia

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER: Jareya Harder, first-year, Mountain Lake, Minnesota

STAGE MANAGER: Amber Hooper, junior, Mechanicsville, Virginia

PROPS MANAGER: Freddie Monahan, sophomore, Richmond, Virginia

SOUND BOARD OPERATOR, PROPS MANAGER & HAIR/MAKE-UP ASST: Ezrionna Prioleau, graduate student, Chesterfield, Virginia

COSTUME LOFT MANAGER & HAIR/MAKE UP DESIGNER: Hailey Holcomb, graduate student, Woodbridge, Va.

DIRECTOR and PRODUCER: Justin Poole

MUSICAL DIRECTOR: James Richardson

PIANIST: Jim Clemens

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR & SET DESIGNER: Shannon Dove

FIRST-YEAR ENGINEERING STUDENT DESIGNERS: Wade Banks, Jonas Beachy, Catherine Hammond, Jacob Horsley, Malachi Malone, Maarten McDonald, Andrew Schunn, Joshua Sheppard, Laura Troyer, Tessa Waidelich, Jason Wong

COSTUME DESIGNER: Rachel E. Herrick

DANCE CHOREOGRAPHER: Jerusha 鈥淓llie鈥� de Waal

LIGHTING DESIGNER: Robert Weaver

SHADOW PUPPET DESIGNER: Anna Westfall

Professors Esther Tian, a founding faculty member and director of the engineering program, and Laura Yoder, director of the undergraduate nursing program, were chosen from among 28 applying teams. They are now tasked with developing and piloting a Lilly Faculty Fellows Program at 91短视频 using $10,000 in awarded startup funds.

The program, a pilot for an ongoing initiative, is designed to 鈥渞efresh and enliven a sense of calling for participants as people of faith, as teachers, and scholars [and] provide a space for creative exploration of how Christian thought and practice intersect the academic vocation.鈥� Unlike other Lilly Network efforts that focus on arts and the humanities, this program requires that at least one member of each team be in a STEM, social scientific, and professional field.

They will each receive a $5,000 honorarium and attend four conferences in Indianapolis and Chicago over the next two years. 听

The professors have long reflected the convergence of faith-informed thought, practice and academics at 91短视频.

鈥淚 see the engineering vocation as a vehicle for service to one another and service to God,鈥� Tian wrote in her fellowship application. 鈥淚 believe Christian engineering educators are called to engage students in service-learning as well as faith-animated learning experiences. Engineers help people meet their needs. At its essence, engineering is a service to others.鈥�

The nursing program鈥檚 Sacred Covenant Model of Nursing, too, reflects this convergence, as do Yoder鈥檚 roles as a 听mentor for and prayer-partner with students. She has developed and led cross-cultural experiential courses that have a strong Christian faith development component, and has been a guest lecturer on health behavior and change from a Christian perspective.

Both Tian and Yoder are faculty leaders on campus. Tian is currently leading the program assessment of 鈥� and is planning to seek accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology for 鈥� the engineering program. She oversees the implementation of its curriculum, its equipment and its facilities, and collaborates with other departments for student projects.

She is also the founding faculty advisor for the award-winning 91短视频 chapter of Engineers for a Sustainable World, and serves on the faculty senate, the institutional effectiveness committee, and the institutional review board.

Yoder, who with the undergraduate dean co-chairs the undergraduate council and the undergraduate faculty, has also served as a member of the Campus Ministries Advisory Council, the Student Affairs Committee and faculty senate. In addition, she has coordinated the adult health curriculum in the nursing program and co-chaired the provost鈥檚 academic freedom task force.

A campus culture that 鈥渞espects students鈥� right to protest鈥� 鈥� that nurtures both students and the social movements they create, and embraces student activism as being the result of new knowledge at the core of liberation 鈥� benefits the entire community, said Hinojosa, a professor of history at Texas A & M. In their activism, students think critically, lead outside the classroom, practice civic engagement, and develop a greater sense of social responsibility.

Hinojosa鈥檚 August 14 address on the conference theme of 鈥淏eing or Becoming a Third Way University鈥� began the two-day event鈥檚 broader discussions around campus engagement, civic collaboration and diversity and inclusion, goals that are articulated in the university鈥檚 strategic plan.

鈥淒r. Hinojosa鈥檚 address was a helpful invitation as we anticipate the return of students to campus,鈥� said Provost Fred Kniss. 鈥淐ultivating students鈥� abilities to engage with the world is central to our mission, and as an institution we can also learn from their desires for change.鈥�

Conferences an annual tradition

贰惭鲍鈥檚 faculty-staff conferences bookend each academic year, with the fall event providing gathering in fellowship and renewal of the community鈥檚 common purpose and goals.

Braydon Hoover, director of development and annual giving and frequent conference emcee, pointed out that common vision in his welcome: 鈥淲e鈥檙e all here for the exact same purpose 鈥� to prepare every single one of our students to distinctively serve and lead in a global context,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hether you coach on the grass or you cut it, whether you teach 18-year-olds or students a little older, whether you work remotely or right here on campus, whether you took a break this summer or work diligently all year round, and even whether you hail from the titular religious tradition or another completely different, we 鈥� all of us 鈥� are 91短视频.鈥�

The event included workshop sessions, worship and fellowship opportunities, and what鈥檚 become an annual favorite, 鈥淪torytelling,鈥� featuring members of the campus community sharing about their journeys to, towards or within the 91短视频 community. Fall storytellers included professors Johonna Turner and Esther Tian; Jasmine Hardesty, director of development and planned giving; and Scott Barge, vice president of institutional effectiveness.

The event was also a forum for announcements about the upcoming academic year, including the observance of MLK Day with extensive service and learning opportunities replacing scheduled classes.

Keynote speaker calls for empowering synergy

Hinojosa knows what it means to envision a different university. While a student at Fresno Pacific University in California, he joined student movements to encourage the hiring of more diverse faculty and expansion of the curriculum and academic programs.

鈥淗ow could a university in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, surrounded by a large Latinx population and located in an area that gave birth to the greatest and most successful farm workers civil rights movement, not teach a course on this?鈥� he said.

The synergy between his own student activism and intellectual engagement 鈥� the 鈥済rowth of political consciousness and understanding of history,鈥� his own and his people鈥檚 鈥� was both personally empowering and beneficial to the campus community.

Now a tenured professor of history at Texas A&M University, Hinojosa also directs the history department鈥檚 undergraduate studies and is co-founder and co-director of the Latina/o Studies Working Group sponsored by the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research.

Sharing his pedagogical philosophy that asks 鈥淪o what? Now what?鈥� with his students in courses about social movements, Latinx history, gender, comparative race and ethnicity, Hinojosa has become a resource, guide and mentor to diverse student activists.

This role 鈥� and the work of activism itself 鈥� is 鈥渕essy鈥� and 鈥渃haotic,鈥� but 鈥渕ore important than ever,鈥� he said.

In considering the role of the 鈥渢hird way university,鈥� Hinojosa noted the history of socially progressive Christians. While 鈥渄istorted forms of Christianity got the most play,鈥� they quietly went to work in communities around the world.

鈥淎 third way university must build on this radical tradition,鈥� he said.

In response to a question from Director of Multicultural Services Celeste Thomas, Hinojosa elaborated on additional ways of supporting black and brown students in the predominantly white university setting: listening to the voices and perspectives of marginalized students, hiring diverse and/or culturally competent faculty and staff, providing safe community spaces for these students, and prioritizing issues and the history of diverse communities in curriculum and academic programs.

Beyond the keynote

Afternoon breakout sessions offered faculty and staff opportunities to learn more about distinctive programs that link to core values of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 mission and vision. 听

Various restorative justice initiatives and programs were highlighted in a special session hosted by professors Johonna Turner and Carl Stauffer, who co-direct the housed in the . Jon Swartz, associate dean of students, talked about restorative justice as it relates to the campus community and highlighted the growth, and growing interest, in RJ-related trainings. Meg Sanders, director of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Graduate Teacher Education program, spoke about the new master鈥檚 degree and graduate certificate in restorative justice, as well as the integration of RJ principles and practices into professional training courses offered by the university.

Director Kimberly Schmidt presented on the , 贰惭鲍鈥檚 Washington D.C.-based program offering cross-cultural urban studies, internship and community living experience. She was joined by Associate Director Ryan Good and Program Assistant Karlyn Gehring.

Doug Graber Neufeld presented on the , a collaborative initiative of 91短视频, Goshen College and Mennonite Central Committee to lead Anabaptist efforts to respond to the challenges of climate change. Neufeld, a biology professor at 91短视频, directs the center.

Both Eric Moyer and John Swartzendruber serve on the Engineering Advisory Board that has supported 贰惭鲍鈥檚 new four-year degree. Moyer works in aircraft design, while Swartzendruber is a consultant in information technology (IT).

鈥淚鈥檓 excited for their presentations at the seminar, as this will be a great opportunity to hear about important issues in industry today, and about how their careers in technical fields were influenced by their experiences at 91短视频,鈥� said physics professor . 鈥淭hey have shared knowledge of their respective fields 鈥� and a commitment to 91短视频 education 鈥� as they have helped to shape our program.鈥�

Following the presentations, there will be time for conversation and audience questions.

The free seminar will be Saturday, Oct. 14, at 9:30 a.m. in Science Center room 106.

Eric Moyer

Moyer began working as a structural design engineer at Boeing鈥檚 Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, facility in 2006, but was then selected for extended work assignments in Charleston, South Carolina, and Everett, Washington, supporting Boeing鈥檚 new 787 composite airplane. In 2010, Moyer moved with his wife Jessica to Seattle to continue his support of the 787. Currently, he is a lead project engineer at Boeing鈥檚 new 777X Composite Wing Center facility in Everett.

Moyer grew up in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, and studied math and science courses while at 91短视频 from 1999 to 2001. After graduating from Drexel University with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in mechanical engineering, he worked as a mechanical engineer for two years in a small contract machine shop in Easton, Pennsylvania.

Engineering program director and professor expressed appreciation for Moyer鈥檚 involvement at 91短视频 and his passion for the projects of the Engineers for a Sustainable World club. 鈥淗e offers ideas and suggestions about students capstone projects, and shares insider information as a recruiter for students employment upon graduation,鈥� she said.

John Swartzendruber

Swartzendruber is an IT consultant who earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry in 1979. He joined Eli Lilly and Company as an organic chemist in pharmaceutical research, developed software for the x-ray crystallography group and, in 1989, earned his master鈥檚 degree in computer science from Purdue University. He led the effort to build ELVIS, Lilly鈥檚 worldwide intranet, one of the first corporate intranets constructed.

As the enterprise architect for Lilly Global Infrastructure, Swartzendruber focused on ubiquitous computing and virtualization. In 2008, he joined Apparatus, an IT consulting firm, where he managed large virtualized infrastructures for enterprise clients. He retired in 2015, but maintains an active interest in distributed computing and privacy.

Tian said that Swartzendruber has also been a 鈥渟trong supporter鈥� of the engineering program at 91短视频 and has provided 鈥渋nsight in technology and knowledge of cutting-edge development in computer science and computer engineering.鈥�

The Suter Science Seminars are made possible by the sponsorship of the and the co-sponsorship of supporting programs.

Dylan Grove and James Paetkau, students and members of the Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) club, were the primary poster designers. They traveled to the March 2-5 conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with engineering faculty members and .

鈥淭his ASEE conference was comprised of engineering programs at large and small universities from over 15 states, so we were quite happy to see our students receive this external validation and encouragement about the quality of their project and presentation,鈥� said King.

The win is especially significant considering the competition included large engineering programs from University of Florida, Virginia Commonwealth University, West Michigan University, West Virginia University and Mercer University.

The chapter, which was established in 2013, has also won other accolades for their projects, says Tian, club advisor, who praised the students鈥� dedication to their work. 鈥淥ur won second place at the ASEE Southeastern Section conference in 2014, and our solar-powered chicken coop project competed at the ASEE national conference in 2015. I am very pleased with the work of our students.鈥�

Like all ESW projects, the bike and the poster were team efforts. Club members Ben Zook, Collin Longenecker, Austin Engle, Ben Stutzman and Andrew Troyer also contributed to the poster, which was designed during the fall 2016 semester.

At the poster session, Grove and Paetkau said professors and judges showed considerable interest in the project itself.

The goal of the bike was to contribute to 贰惭鲍鈥檚 variety of on campus by channeling 鈥渢he waste of mechanical energy generated by exercise machines,鈥� the researchers said. 鈥淭o reduce the unnecessary waste, the club saw the opportunity to add an alternative form of energy created by gym goers on campus 鈥� The stationary bicycle would serve as a way to promote sustainability and give an opportunity for individuals to generate clean energy while exercising.鈥�

Fundings from an helped start the project, which drew on skills, time and labor of several club members, as well as welding provided by physical plant employee Henry Bowser. A 350-watt gear reduction electric motor replaced the back wheel, a chain connected pedals and motor crankshaft, and a grid tie inverter used to convert direct current to alternating current compatible with 贰惭鲍鈥檚 grid.

Several attendees at the poster session suggested that storage of the energy was the next step. 鈥淢ore than asking us questions about the project, they gave us suggestions about what to do with the project in the future,鈥� Grove said.

鈥淭hey really pushed us to think about how we could use this project to create change,鈥� Paetkau added.

He said being at the conference among engineers and other engineering students was worth the trip itself. 鈥淚t really made me excited about what we can do in the future, especially seeing some of the junior/senior projects.鈥�

Grove was pleased to see that 91短视频 鈥渟tacks up鈥� to other programs. 鈥淲e鈥檙e a smaller university, and there were some big ones there, so it鈥檚 great to see we are competitive.鈥�

In addition to attending conference activities, the group also did some sight-seeing, including a visit to Arecibo Observatory, a rainforest, one of the island鈥檚 three bioluminescent bays, seaside cliffs, and of course, the beach.

Though a special treat for all, these excursions were especially interesting to Paetkau, who hopes to focus his engineering studies on biomimicry, an emerging field that seeks to develop innovation based on nature鈥檚 models and systems to solve complex challenges.

His presentation will highlight some of the exciting discoveries NASA and other nations have recently made in understanding the unique characteristics of the individual planets as well as the search for life beyond our own planet.

De Young visited campus in the fall to donate equipment and mark the signing of a听 between . The arrangement is authorized by a federal law that allows NASA to collaborate with universities and private companies on mutually beneficial research.

Under the terms of the three-year agreement with 91短视频, NASA scientists will periodically visit campus for lectures and seminars; work with engineering, biology and chemistry faculty on course and curriculum review; and collaborate with 91短视频 faculty and students on research programs.

The agreement was an exciting development for 91短视频’s new , said professor . Tian and her students toured robotics, aeronautics, remote sensing and materials laboratories at NASA鈥檚 Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, in late October.

鈥淪tudents learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish,鈥� said Dr. , who co-directs the program with Dr. . 鈥淎s they enter their final semester here at 91短视频, many are applying to medical school or other professional health schools, and their research projects give them an important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants.鈥�

Since 2013, the MA in Biomedicine program has helped 27 graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project is an important and distinctive curricular challenge, bringing students together with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

鈥�91短视频’s Biomedicine program provides students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,鈥� says Stauffer. 鈥淭his equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student’s future.”

Jessica Morris hopes to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine or earn a PhD in medical scientific research. Milan Sheth is most interested in the field of emergency medicine. The research project offered the opportunity to delve into topics relevant to their career goals.

Morris, a George Mason University graduate, investigated the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Shenandoah Valley residents falling into the 鈥渃overage gap鈥� created by Virginia鈥檚 limited Medicaid benefits.

She came away with a new knowledge of the objectivity required to conduct research, a healthy skepticism about media coverage of health issues and how that affects patient knowledge.

Sheth, an Ohio State University graduate who is interested in emergency medicine, researched the factors involved in responses of patients undergoing rapid induction of a common anesthetic, ketamine.

His research has specific applications for first responders and other medical personnel, who need identify patients who may be most susceptible to potential adverse effects associated with rapid sequence intubation of ketamine.

He says he鈥檚 gained new skills, such as identifying relevant published research and interpreting statistical results, and a new appreciation for the impact of clinical research on patient treatment. 鈥淚 have a deeper appreciation for researchers and the dedication they put forth towards finding breakthroughs and cures,鈥� he added. 鈥淢y passion for medicine continues to grow and this project solidified my purpose for entering the healthcare field.鈥�

Student research

A comprehensive list of researchers, their projects and committee members follows:

听Nkem Asianua: 鈥淎frican American鈥檚/African鈥檚 Awareness of Their Increased Risk of ACE Inhibitor Induced Angioedema in Ventura County, Ca.鈥� Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Greta Ann Herin.

Lujain Binyahya: 鈥淎n Analysis of Patient Experience at Sentara-RMH.鈥� Committee members: Professor Carolyn Stauffer, Steve Nelson.

Sanjay Dick: 鈥淔elis Catus and Chronic Renal Disease: A Comparison of Clinical Treatments Found at Rural and Urban Animal Hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania.鈥� Committee members: Professor Tara Kishbaugh and Jennifer Lyle, D.V.M.

Alexandar Hetrick: 鈥淪tudent Influenza Vaccination Rate and Risk of Infectious Disease at 91短视频.鈥� Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Jeffrey Copeland.

Jessica Morris: 鈥淩eforming Health Care: The Impacts of The Affordable Care Act on the Health Insurance Status of Individuals Residing in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.鈥� Committee members: Professors Kim Brenneman and Jenni Holsinger.

Melody Nyoni: 鈥淓xamination of STI awareness among transitioning youth in the Valley Youth House (VYH) Program in Allentown, Pa.鈥� Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman, Elizabeth Allen.

Nikita Patel: 鈥淭he Value of Time and Patient Satisfaction during Physician-Patient Visits in Central Virginia.鈥� Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Ann Hershberger.

听Noor Qureshi: 鈥淢ental Health Attitudes in the Dallas Pakistani Community.鈥� Committee members: Professors Jeffrey Copeland and Gregory Koop.

Chanel Sampson: 鈥淧ossible Risk Factors of Uterine Fibroids Evaluated through a Self-Assessment of Symptom Severity.鈥� Committee members: Professors Greta Ann Herin and Cathy Rittenhouse.

Shanae Scott: 鈥淩outine Eye Exams and Awareness of Ocular Disease Associated with Diabetes in Harrisonburg, Va.鈥� Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Tara Kishbaugh.

Ruchir Shah: 鈥淒etermining the Link Between Smile Symmetry and Character Perception at 91短视频.鈥� Committee members: Professors Gregory Koop and Ann Hershberger.

Milan Sheth: 鈥淜etamine-induced Changes in Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Pre-hospital Intubated Patients.鈥� Committee members: Professors Daniel Showalter and Matthew Siderhurst.

Benjamin Stern: 鈥淓ssential Competencies for the Rural American Doctor.鈥� Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman and Randall Longenecker, MD.

鈥淪ee how round and even they are,鈥� engineering professor points to the beads connecting electronic components in a very small circuit board. 鈥淰ery good.鈥�

Within minutes, Samalenge and his group have checked their work by connecting a battery-powered charger to his cell phone. Then they are off on the next step, trying to figure out鈥攚ith no directions supplied鈥� how to connect a small solar panel to finish the project.

The energetic hum in Tian鈥檚 鈥淚ntroduction to Engineering and Design鈥� class is the intellectual sound of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 , literally. Eleven charter members of 贰惭鲍鈥檚 new four-year engineering program are in the class.

Five other students, Tian said with a smile, were either contemplating changing their major or adding a double major (of the two concentrations offered, syncs more efficiently with the major; is more difficult to add as a double major). And a sixth, senior Aron Harder, enrolled in the course to supplement his computer science coursework.

The project is one of several on the syllabus designed to give students the basics of engineering design through the development of an increasingly sophisticated skillset. The culminating project involves designing parts with Autodesk Inventor, building electronic circuits and programming an Arduino board, with students selecting from among five project options or creating their own proposal.

鈥淯nderstanding and utilizing engineering design is a foundational skill,鈥� Tian says. 鈥淚n this project, they first get a lot of help with step-by-step instructions in the first stage and then we take away some of that help and ask them to find out the missing information they need to finish the project.鈥�

Reflecting on his learning since August, first-year engineering major James Paetkau says the project-based course has helped him learn more about and value cooperation. Experimentation, too, is important: 鈥淓ven if you don’t always have the answer, if you are willing to experiment, fail and persist, the answer is almost always achievable.鈥�

Paetku鈥檚 end goal, he says, is to 鈥渇ind a profession in engineering which allows me to have a positive impact on the lives of other people.鈥� Biomedical or civil engineering are appealing for this reason. He鈥檚 also intrigued by the potential of biomimicry, 鈥渨hich uses designs inspired by nature to offer alternative, often sustainable, answers to design problems.鈥�

Paetku says the intro course has already helped him acquire skills with design software Autodesk Inventor, increasing his creative capacities. 鈥淚 have been able to learn an incredible amount just by having a design idea in my head, and by messing around with Autodesk until I can create the design. It’s been really fun to be able to draw up our own designs and being able to print them with our 3-D printer.鈥�

The 3-D printer has been an 鈥渆njoyable鈥� tool for first-year Austin Engle, who plans a career in computer engineering. Though he graduated from Harrisonburg High School鈥檚 STEM Academy, where he first learned and practiced the design process, he says he had little experience with 3-D printing. That academic preparation, however, has made the transition to college engineering coursework more smooth, in terms of both foundational skills and creativity, what he calls 鈥渢he strength to think outside the box.鈥�

鈥淚 have been a part of a lot of brainstorming sessions, which lead me to hear lots and lots of crazy ideas, many of which, when applied correctly, are actually beneficial,鈥� he said.

With some skills already in the bag, Engle says some of his biggest lessons have been more logistical: 鈥淒eadlines here are set in stone and that has led to some frantic endings of the projects,鈥� he says with wry humor.

With several more projects to go in his first college-level engineering class, that skill, no doubt, will improve by the time he graduates in 2020 among the first 91短视频-trained engineers.

Last month, foundation president Nikola Lonchar visited 91短视频 to talk to students and meet with faculty and administrators about potential collaborations. Lonchar explained that Tesla’s green, affordable energy work at the intersection of science, sustainability, and peacebuilding fits well with 91短视频’s values.

Tesla 鈥渨as not only a scientist,鈥� says Mirkovic. 鈥淗e was a thinker who was trying to build a better world for all of us.鈥� He shared the following quote from Tesla: 鈥淟et the future tell the truth, and evaluate each one according to his work and accomplishments. The present is theirs; the future, for which I have really worked, is mine.鈥�

Foundation celebrates Tesla’s legacy

The Tesla Science Foundation is a Philadelphia-based organization devoted to promoting the legacy, accomplishments and innovative spirit of Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla. The foundation promotes Tesla through curricula, educational installations, webinars, workshops, awards and inventor resources.

Tesla (1856-1943) invented the alternating current system, as well as radio, fluorescent light, x-rays, remote controls and a multitude of other technologies. Mirkovic theorizes that application of Tesla’s energy work was limited not by a lack of funding, but by Tesla’s insistence that his technologies be used peaceably.

One potential collaboration between the foundation and 91短视频 is an exhibit in the Suter Science Center, with operational models such as a Tesla coil 鈥� an innovative form of high-voltage power supply 鈥� that would be accessible to STEM students and the community.

Engineering major takes off at 91短视频

Lonchar and Mirkovic also met with professor to discuss collaborative opportunities. Tian is founder and adviser to the 91短视频 chapter of the Engineers for a Sustainable World club. This group of innovative students has built a greenhouse and installed solar panels on the campus chicken coop. They are currently working on a that doubles as a power generator hooked up to 贰惭鲍鈥檚 main grid. The bike project is sponsored by an Earthkeepers grant and the Student Government Association.

Tian hopes to get her club involved with the proposed exhibit, and include a unit on Tesla in future engineering courses. Mirkovic also intends to include the media aspect of the exhibit in his digital media classes.

鈥淭hese young minds have to know how important they are鈥� to solving sustainability challenges and promoting green energy, said Lonchar.