* K-State was one of 16 universities nationwide recognized for bioenergy initiatives by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at Bio Energy Awareness Days in Washington, D.C., June 19-22. K-State won a Grand Challenge award for a vision paper, "Food, Feed, Energy and Ecosystem Services: A Role for American Agriculture." Co-authors are agronomy professors Charles W. Rice and Scott Staggenborg, and Richard Nelson, associate professor and head of the Kansas Industrial Extension Service. The Grand Challenge is the major award made during the event, and promotes the development of a vision that the winning universities will contribute in the emerging bio economy. June 2008
* Sixteen students from K-State's department of electrical and computer engineering have been named 2008 Garmin Scholars. Funded by the Kao Family Foundation, the Garmin Educational Initiative program, of which K-State is a member, will provide the students with $6,000 per year for premier scholarships. In addition, scholarship recipients will be given first consideration for paid internship opportunities at Garmin, including housing and health insurance. In total, the package is estimated to be worth up to $20,000 per year to each recipient. Min Kao, president and chief executive officer of Garmin International Inc., Olathe, established the program at K-State as part of a $10 million endowment to support engineering in the region. Kao began the initiative in order to recruit and retain stellar students in the fields of electrical and computer engineering. K-State is one of only a handful of universities in the country to receive this distinction. June 2008
* For the seventh time in the 11-year history of the event, a team from K-State has won the International Quarter-Scale Tractor Design Competition. This year's competition was May 29-June 1 in Peoria, Ill. It is sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. The K-State Powercat Tractors Quarter-scale Design Team placed first overall out of 24 team from schools across the U.S. and Canada by accumulating the most points in the competition categories of performance, written report, oral report, design judging and maneuverability. K-State was first in the 1,050-pound performance pull competition and tied for first in the 1,300-pound performance pull competition. In addition, the K-State X-Team placed third overall in the X-team competition, including receiving first place on the oral report part of the event. The X-team is made up of freshmen and sophomores who compete using last year's tractor. June 2008
* Byron Jones, the College of Engineering's associate dean for research and graduate programs and director of the Engineering Experiment Station, is the recipient of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Standards Achievement Award. The award recognizes significant and exceptional service in the area of standards leadership and technical contributions. Jones is being recognized for his work in chairing the committee responsible for the society's new Standard 161, Air Quality Within Commercial Aircraft. The standard, which covers issues such as temperature, cabin pressure, air contaminants and ventilation rates, can be voluntarily adopted by individual airlines or the Federal Aviation Administration. May 2008
* Samantha Butler, a senior in architectural engineering at K-State, has received the 2008 American Institute of Steel Construction/Fred R. Havens Fellowship. The $5,000 fellowship is awarded annually to a civil or architectural engineering undergraduate or graduate student at universities in Kansas, Missouri or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Applicants for the fellowship are judged on academic performance and faculty recommendations, as well as papers they write about their interest in engineering or constructing steel structures, and an original sample steel design analysis/design solution. May 2008
* Five students from K-State's College of Engineering have received $2,000 Tau Beta Pi scholarships. The scholarships are awarded by the Tau Beta Pi Association, a national engineering honorary, based on scholarship, strong faculty recommendations, extracurricular activities and future career promise. Recipients include May 2008 Austin Pfannenstiel, senior in electrical engineering; Lisa Beck, fifth-year senior in architectural engineering; Derek Woodman, senior in computer engineering; Jon Oakes, junior in mechanical engineering; and Jay Reimer, junior in biological and agricultural engineering. May 2008
* K-State's Elizabeth Voigt, senior in mechanical engineering, McPherson, won a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Germany. Voigt will attend Virginia Tech and work on a master's degree in mechanical engineering. Thanks to a dual degree program between Virginia Tech and the Technical University of Darmstadt in Darmstadt, Germany, she will be able to spend one year at each university and earn a master's degree from both schools. Voigt said she then plans to work toward her doctorate degree at Virginia Tech. April 2008
* A radio-controlled biplane designed and built by students in K-State's chapter of the Society of Automotive Engineers has landed in second place overall -- and first among U.S. teams -- in the regular class category at the 2008 Aero Design West, an international competition. The K-State entry, "The Purple Diablo," took second behind an entry from Ecole Polytechnique De Montreal. K-State also took second in the regular class category for the most payload lifted at 27.31 pounds. The competition, sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers April 4-6 in Fort Worth, Texas, attracted 35 teams. The planes had to take off and land while carrying a maximum cargo. K-State also finished fifth overall -- and second among U.S. teams -- at the Aero Design East international competition, April 18-20, in Marietta, Ga. April 2008
* Brian A. Coon, associate professor of civil engineering and director of the University Transportation Center at K-State, has been appointed to the Committee on Tort Liability and Risk Management by the Transportation Research Board Executive Committee. The Transportation Research Board is a division of the National Research Council, a private nonprofit institution that provides expertise in science and technology to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The council is jointly administered by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine. The Committee on Tort Liability and Risk Management fills needs of the states for research, education and training in the areas of tort liability and the administration of risk management. March 2008
* When it comes to building with concrete, a student team from K-State is among the best. The five-member team finished tied for second in the international Concrete Construction Competition offered by the American Concrete Institute. Finishing first was Missouri State University, and tying with K-State for second was Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. All three teams received $500 for travel expenses to the institute's annual conference in Los Angeles, where they presented their winning solutions to the institute's Construction Liaison Committee. More than 200 students from 49 teams from schools across North America competed. For the competition, teams were assigned a real-life, high-profile job problem to solve. March 2008
* A K-State senior in architectural engineering has received a $10,000 scholarship from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. James Newman, Hoxie, was selected for the Willis H. Carrier Scholarship by the society for his outstanding scholastic and leadership abilities, character and potential service to the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration profession. The one-year scholarship is to assist top students in pursuing a bachelor's degree in architectural engineering. It can be used for tuition and fees required for enrollment, including books, supplies and equipment. February 2008
* K-State's Advanced Manufacturing Institute has received a gold Addy award from the American Advertising Federation for best direct mail campaign. The award-winning "Dream Team" campaign featured nontraditional pieces, including player's cards, which resembled baseball cards with the institute's project managers; perforated ticket stubs offering the institute's services; and a foam fan finger to make the campaign's message memorable. The campaign's creative team included Lea Studer, the institute's marketing and communications manager, and three K-State student interns at the institute. January 2008
* The Advanced Manufacturing Institute at K-State has assisted John Deere with the development of its Nevergrease Pin Joints. John Deere identified a need to extend pin joint life, make pin joint life consistent and eliminate pin joint greasing, all while working in varying operating conditions and applications. Deere came to the Advanced Manufacturing Institute for assistance, and the institute developed a test fixture that replicated the pin joint wear customers experienced in a variety of applications. NeverGrease is currently available on three Deere loaders and the company's confidence in the product is underlined by providing a three-year or 10,000 hour guarantee on the pin joints. "AMI has proven that they provide excellent value for John Deere with their unique, cost effective approach for providing analysis, testing and evaluation services," said Doug Meyer, director of construction equipment engineering for John Deere. "Our relationship continues to grow and become stronger with each new design verification project." January 2008