OU Engineering

From left, Victoria Stevens, Lorene Roberson and Margarita Rodriguez The OU Engineering communications team attended the 2023 Oklahoma College Public Relations Association annual conference in July at the Downstream Casino Resource in Quapaw, Oklahoma.  Victoria Stevens and Margarita Rodriguez received the Grand Award (first place) for web design .  Karen Kelly and Lorene Roberson received the Grand Award for OU Engineer , a monthly e-publication focusing on research. The work placed first in the shoestring category.  Roberson also was awarded an honorable mention for a full-length feature titled "OU Biomedical Engineering Researcher Ready to Transform TBI Surgery." OCPRA received approximately 523 entries from 39 institutions across the state. Entries are judged by a panel of experts in their respective fields who are not OCPRA members. For a complete list of winners and examples of their work, click here .  Kelly, communications director for the Gallogly Coll...

About 80% of Engineering Days 2023 participants hail from towns across Oklahoma. From left, Thomas Cuellar of Oklahoma City, Andrew Bomboy of Choctaw, Ethan Schwartz of Tuttle, and Jackson Mejia of Norman. Photo album here. In response to the demand for engineers, the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma recently welcomed high school students to grow their interest in engineering. Known as Engineering Days, the college hosted over 200 students during an 11-day event in June. Oklahoma is experiencing an urgent need for skilled engineers, with projections indicating that OU Engineering must graduate 900 students annually over the next five years to meet the demand, says Randa Shehab, Ph.D., the college’s senior associate dean. “The importance of engaging students in real-world problem-solving and collaborating with faculty who are actively working on solutions benefits all Oklahomans,” Shehab said. Since its inception in 2015, Engineering Days has been a flagship...

University of Oklahoma engineering professor David Ebert, Ph.D., has secured a grant from the Department of Defense-supported System of Systems Consortium to spearhead a project titled “Intelligent Supply Chain Risk Management (SCRM) Industry Study.”  The $642,244 grant allows Ebert and a team of OU researchers to develop an AI-enhanced information search and risk analysis system, focused on evaluating supplier vulnerabilities and establishing risk indexes for U.S. Air Force suppliers. Working in close collaboration with the 448th Supply Chain Management Wing at Tinker Air Force Base, the project has been designated a priority.  “The pandemic has exposed the vulnerabilities and delays that can arise in the face of disruptions. With Tinker Air Force Base responsible for the maintenance of one-third of all U.S. Air Force aircraft, it is now more critical than ever to create an SCRM system capable of withstanding major disruptions while ensuring seamless delivery,” said Ebert wh...

Researchers discover chemical element boron species plays a key role in enhancing catalytic activity. A study by a team of University of Oklahoma researchers has been featured in Cell Reports Physical Science, an open-access journal highlighting cutting-edge research in the physical sciences.  The study,   “Cooperative roles of water and metal-support interfaces in the selective hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde over cobalt boride catalysts,” explores the role of water in the selective hydrogenation of carbonyl over alkene bonds. Utilizing cobalt and cobalt boride catalysts, OU researchers analyzed the hydrogenation of an organic compound called cinnamaldehyde. They discovered that the chemical element boron species plays a crucial role in enhancing catalytic activity and selectivity. “We want to mimic nature’s enzymes and learn more about what we can create synthetically. Our findings could have far-reaching implications in the production of industrial chemicals,” said th...

From left, SEI managing director Laura Champion, OU graduate students Richard Campos, Omar Yadak, Jacob Choate, and SEI president Don Scott.  University of Oklahoma’s Structural Engineering Institute was awarded the prestigious title of SEI Graduate Student Chapter of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers on May 6. The recognition comes almost four years after doctoral student Jake Choate was inspired to establish the institute following his attendance at Structures Congress 2019. Under Choate’s leadership, the SEI has sought to create a new standard in student organizations. He and his classmates had three goals: eliminating hierarchical officer positions, forging partnerships with a wide range of student organizations beyond engineering clubs and dispelling the common misconception that engineers lack communication skills. The hard work and dedication of Choate and his classmates paid off, culminating in the recent award announcement  at Structures Congress 202...

Kash Barker, a professor at the University of Oklahoma's School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, was honored as a Fellow, Class of 2023, by the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers at the National Conference held May 20-23 in New Orleans.  The IISE Fellow award recognizes outstanding leaders in the profession who have made significant, nationally recognized contributions to the field of industrial and systems engineering.  Barker was unable to attend the conference due to fulfillment of his duties as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Fellow. He was selected for the Fulbright Finland Foundation's Seeking Solutions for Global Challenges program and is completing his five month assignment at Aalto University in Finland. Barker earned his bachelor and master's degrees in industrial engineering from OU and his doctorate in systems engineering from the University of Virginia. His research focuses on the areas of risk and reliability analysis, systems engineering and analy...

Hundreds of OU Engineering seniors presented their innovative, high-tech projects at the Gallogly College of Engineering’s Capstone Design Showcase this month.  Teams of students, in some cases interdisciplinary teams, worked throughout the academic year to solve real-world challenges faced by industry partners of all sizes. Project sponsors included companies such as Arcosa, Belcan, Federal Aviation Administration, Hitachi, Raven Space Systems, Spiers New Technologies, Textron and Tinker Air Force Base. Chris Dalton, Ph.D., associate professor of practice, oversees the capstone experience for the School of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering . AME senior projects are: Aircraft Seat Bracket Redesign Design of X-Ray Tube Head Stand (interdisciplinary with School of Industrial Engineering) Sooner Off-Road: CVT Design Sooner Off-Road: Shock Dynamometer Sooner Racing Team Sooner Rover Team (interdisciplinary with School of Electrical and Computer Engineering ) Turbine Engine Improveme...