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The Darsh T. Wasan Lecture was established in 2008 in honor of IIT Motorola Chair and Vice President of International Affair Darsh T. Wasan's extraordinary contributions to the university over the last forty-five years. It seeks to bring some of the best and brightest internationally-known leaders to speak on cutting-edge topics of global issues. The lectureship series is made possible by donations from former students of Dr. Wasan, friends, and faculty.

2009 Darsh T. Wasan Lecture
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Membrane Technology for a Thirsty Century - from an Industrial Perspective of Energy, Sustainability, and Globalization

Dr. Norman N. Li, President
NL Chemical Technology, Inc.

4 pm Lecture
5 pm Reception
6 pm Dinner

Please RSVP by September 16, 2009 to cbeisel@iit.edu.

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The Fluid Dynamics Research Center (FDRC), a division of the Mechanical, Materials and Aerospace Engineering department, was established in 1985 to continue the tradition of research in fluid dynamics begun by the pioneering work of Dr. Mark Morkovin and Dr. Andrew Fejer in the 1960s. The FDRC is dedicated to developing new aerospace and biomedical technologies based on creative application of fluid dynamics principles as well as the advancement and dissemination of fundamental knowledge in fluid dynamics with experimental, computational and analytical approaches to problem solving.

The FDRC maintains several wind tunnels and water channels including the National Diagnostic Facility, which is a large wind tunnel with very high quality flow. In recent years, the FDRC has established expertise in computational fluid dynamics to complement its strengths in experimental research, and it has partnered increasingly with industry to augment its traditional base of funding through U.S. Department of Defense agencies. The research and facilities of the FDRC enable both undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to learn state-of-the-art numerical and experimental techniques.

Pictured above, MMAE graduate student Bruno Monnier uses stereo particle image velocimetry to measure atmospheric flow in the IIT Mark Morkovin Wind Tunnel. Led by MMAE Professor Candace Wark, the research team also includes undergraduates Brian Neiswander, Minaz Virani, and Seth Thomas.

According to the online 2008 College Salary Report issued by PayScale, Inc., students who earn B.S. degrees in engineering from IIT rank number 12 for highest mid-career and starting median salaries among graduates from U.S. engineering colleges. To derive the data, PayScale surveyed bachelor's degree holding graduates (without higher degrees) who are full-time employees in the United States. In another survey, PayScale reported the best undergraduate college degrees by salary and identified as the top four high-paying jobs (measured by mid-career median salary earnings): chemical, computer, electrical, and aerospace engineering, respectively. PayScale, a market leader in global online compensation data, was launched in 2002 and offers the "world's largest database of salary information" to help employees determine their worth.

View the PayScale survey results and full methodologies for Best Engineering Colleges and Best Undergraduate Degrees.

The IIT Armour College of Engineering (ACE) Formula Hybrid Team performed well at the 2008 Formula Hybrid Competition. IIT was the only university with two racecar entries in the competition. ACE I finished third overall, beating 11 other teams that included the University ofWisconsin-Madison, the University of California–Irvine, and Dartmouth College, among others. ACE II finished seventh overall. Sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the competition challenges teams from around the world to build hybrid racecars to compete in several events. Under the leadership of ECE Professor Ali Emadi and Ph.D. candidate and lab manager Sanjaka Wirasingha, the team of more than 100 students included all grade levels from undergraduate to Ph.D. candidates, and represented several engineering majors—mechanical, aerospace, electrical, computer, chemical, environmental, civil, and architectural. To learn more, visit http://formulahybrid.iit.edu.

Many of the nation's most recognizable names in engineering have walked the grounds of IIT's Main Campus. One of perhaps the most significant graduates in the history of the university has remained relatively nameless since his graduation from Armour Institute of Technology in 1901. Charles Pierce, the first graduate of Armour Institute's chemical engineering program, has now been recognized for something more than his contributions to the engineering community.As the recipient of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering's 2007 Distinguished Alumni Award, Pierce is taking his deserved place in history as the first African-American chemical engineer in the United States.

For more information, visit the IIT Galvin Library Archives Exhibit.

Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering Vijay Ramani has received the prestigious National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award to support his work on "Multi-functional Materials for Electrochemical Energy Conversion."

The NSF CAREER Award is considered one of the top awards for junior faculty in U.S. universities and spotlights someone expected to be a future leader in his or her field of research. Nominees are early-career faculty with creative plans for combining research and education.

Ramani's research will focus on study of the properties and microstructure of materials used in electrochemical energy conversion (fuel cells). The research aims to "establish a pathway for future research on the manufacture of high performance multi-functional materials for electrolyzers, unitized regenerative fuel cells, electrochemical hydrogen pumps, and intermediate temperature ceramic fuel cells," and assist the development of higher performing, lower cost fuel cells. The CAREER funding will also support Ramani's outreach and education activities both at IIT and the community.