OU Engineering

The University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering hosted around 400 students from Oklahoma and Texas Jan. 27th for an invitational Science Olympiad Tournament. The tournament consisted of 23 events classified into four event types: core knowledge, build, laboratory/hands-on and hybrid.  A sampling of event titles and descriptions follow: Anatomy & Physiology: Participants were assessed on their understanding of the anatomy and physiology for the human Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, and Excretory systems.  Chemistry Lab: Teams completed tasks and answered a series of questions involving the scientific processes of chemistry focused in the areas of Periodicity and Equilibrium.  Geologic Mapping: Teams demonstrated understanding in the construction and use of topographic maps, geologic maps, and cross sections, and their use in forming interpretations regarding subsurface structures and past depositional environments on Earth and other planetary bodies. Flight: Pri...

In early January, six students from Sooners Without Borders at the University of Oklahoma headed to Des Moines, Iowa, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity. Their goal: construct an accessibility ramp for a local family. Their mission was part of Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program, providing year-round volunteer opportunities for college students. The students, all from the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU, embraced the challenge. Formerly Engineers Without Borders, Sooners Without Borders had changed its name to be more inclusive of all majors at OU, says Lisa Morales, the group's staff adviser. “A lot of projects used to focus on clean water and students had the opportunity to travel abroad. Once Covid happened, we had to shift the focus of Sooner Without Borders,” Morales said.  In Des Moines, the project expanded beyond the ramp, involving tasks like installing kitchen cabinets and flooring for a new home. Morales says she was impressed with the student’s adeptness with...

Six OU Engineering students have been selected as recipients of the Fall 2023 Engineering Dissertation Award. The $5,000 award, designed to foster excellence among doctoral students, supports scholars in the final stages of their Ph.D. studies. The awards committee, led by Associate Dean for Research Zahed Siddique, Ph.D., underscores the award’s significance for scholars near their graduation. Launched in 2018, the Engineering Dissertation Award, supported by the Thomas Ira Brown Jr. Endowed Scholarship, honors Brown's contributions to the electronic control of industrial gas turbines. Commemorating his legacy, the award aims to continue his impactful work. Brown earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from OU in 1950. Fall 2023 recipients are: Alexandra Beattie, Data Science and Analytics, Recommended by Dean Hougen Title: "Sensitive Attribute Association Bias in Latent Factor Recommendation Algorithms: Theory and in Practice" Abstract: This dissertatio...

The OU Gallogly College of Engineering is proud to celebrate Shivakumar Raman, professor and director of the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, who was featured on the January cover of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers ISE Magazine. In an interview conducted for the segment titled, “What’s Your Story?”, Raman reflected on his 35-year career at OU, noting trends in manufacturing, skills ISE graduates need to improve their career opportunities and the benefits of affiliation with IISE. Raman earned his master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas, Arlington and his doctorate in industrial engineering from Pennsylvania State University. He has received 50 external grants and contracts totaling $23 million and is co-author of 180 technical documents including 85 journal articles and 10 book chapters. He has taught more than 5,000 students studying industrial and systems, and aerospace and mechanical engineering and was named an IISE Fell...

At the University of Oklahoma, a transformative course called Pathways to Engineering Thinking is leaving a mark on OU students and the community. In the first-year engineering course, over 800 students across 16 sections collaborated to tackle real-world challenges presented by community partners. Their projects ranged from developing prosthetic limbs for injured animals to creating innovative solutions for community gardens and zoos. The course aims to guide students through the engineering design process, emphasizing collaborative teamwork and problem-solving skills.  This semester’s projects reached many areas of the community. Partnerships with the OU Food Pantry, OU Community Garden, Oklahoma City Zoo, OU Engineering K-12 Outreach, a local dog rescue and the City of Norman provided students with real-world challenges to address. Each team delved into issues presented by the partners, working toward delivering functional design solutions by the semester’s end. The heart of the...

The Gallogly College of Engineering is pleased to announce the appointment of Charles Nicholson as the new director of the Data Science and Analytics Institute. Nicholson, associate professor in the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, brings a wealth of experience and expertise in systems engineering and data science to this leadership role. Nicholson spent over a decade working in industry in the field of data science and analytics before joining academia. During this time, he led multiple efforts and various teams in designing a broad array of analytics solutions for multiple corporations across the nation and internationally.  He earned his Ph.D. in Operations Research from Southern Methodist University and joined OU in 2013.  His research focuses on optimization modeling and machine-learning to enhance communities (e.g., cities, towns) to withstand and recover from disruptive events such as natural hazards and public health threats. In addition to serving the Sch...