i 2 e Ignites NYU-Poly Inaugural Commencement

Transcription

1 Summer 2009 Vol. 36 No. 3 THE ALUMNI MAGAZINE OF NYU-POLY i 2 e Ignites NYU-Poly Inaugural Commencement Jubilant members of the Class of 2009 wave fiber optic wands in celebration of their academic achievement.

2 Jerry MacArthur Hultin President Dawn Duncan Vice President Development and University Relations Meera Kumar Vice President Communications and Marketing Michelle Kerr Director of Communications Cable Editor Erin Newton Zahra Patterson Contributing Writers Michael Esguerra Graphic Designer Marian Goldman Elena Olivo Jim Pona Principal Photography Elena Olivo Cover photography Polytechnic Institute of NYU is an equal opportunity/affirmaive action institution. Address editorial correspondence to: Michelle Kerr Cable Editor Office of Marketing and Communications Polytechnic Institute of NYU Six MetroTech Center Brooklyn, NY or call (718) Change of address: Office of Alumni Relations Polytechnic Institute of NYU Six MetroTech Center Brooklyn, NY or call (718) Polytechnic website: On the Cover NYU-Poly Inaugural Commencement...4 PolyNews NYU-Poly Celebrates 21 Years of Promise...7 NYU-ePoly Launches Eight New Programs...8 Changing the Future of Science...10 Teagle Foundation Commits $240K to STEM...11 Students Awarded NACME and National Grid Grants...12 PolyThinking 40th Anniversary of Apollo Space Mission...13 Faculty Notes Annual Service Awards...15 Campus Buzz PolyGiving Donor Snapshot Tee Time...18 AlumniNews Letter from the Alumni President...19 Class Notes...20 In Memoriam...21 Obituaries...22 Remembering Two Sports Greats Years...and Counting...24 Upcoming Events...24 Produced by Polytechnic Offices of Development and University Relations, Alumni Relations and Marketing and Communications. NYU-Poly is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Polytechnic Institute of NYU is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Institute is committed to provide equal employment opportunity to all employees and to all applicants for employment regardless of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, military status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local law. Polytechnic Institute of New York University is a 501(c) (3) charitable organization. 2 3

3 Below, Mae C. Jemison, MD, the first African American woman to travel in space, delivers her keynote address. Opposite page, from left to right: President Hultin, Ralph Alexander, managing director, Riverstone Holdings LLC and chairman, NYU-Poly Board of Trustees, with honorary degree recipients Craig Matthews, vice chairman and COO (retired), KeySpan and immediate past chairman, NYU-Poly Board of Trustees, Mae C. Jemison, president, The Jemison Group, Andrew James Viterbi, creator of the Viterbi Algorithm and co-founder of QUALCOMM, and President John Sexton, New York University. i 2 e Ignites NYU-Poly Inaugural Commencement STORY POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF NYU GRADUATED ITS FIRST CLASS AS AN AFFILIATE OF NEW YORK UNIVERSITY ON JUNE 1 ST AT LINCOLN CENTER S AVERY FISHER HALL WHERE CONGRESSMAN ANTHONY WEINER SURPRISED THE GRADUATES. The way we measure progress in the great American diaspora is that we always hope that one generation exceeds the expectations of the previous [one], and you are doing it, said the congressman from New York s 9th District. Every graduating class is special in their own right, said NYU-Poly President Jerry Hultin at the 154th commencement exercises, but today we are particularly proud of the Class of 2009, the very first graduates of the Polytechnic Institute of New York University. As he began his congratulatory remarks, President Hultin held up the June 8, 2009 edition of Business Week magazine featuring Ursula Burns 80ME, president of Xerox Corp., and the first African American woman to lead a Fortune 100 corporation. Burns success is an historic triumph and a testament to the power of a NYU-Poly education. However, President Hultin didn t shy from addressing the sobering realities the graduates of 2009 face: a severely troubled economy, high unemployment, climate and environmental concerns, and ever-rising population growth. I am convinced you will adapt to these new challenges and changes, said President Hultin who quoted an excerpt from President John F. Kennedy s 1962 Yale University commencement address. In President Kennedy s words, you will disenthrall yourself from the truisms and stereotypes of the past. And to paraphrase President Obama: Yes, you can! I am sure you will join us to invent and innovate in Polytechnic s spirit of i 2 e [invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship]. New York University President John Sexton echoed President Hultin s sentiments about the challenges of the 21 st century, specifically how we will create a community of humankind as immigrants from hundreds of different nations with countless cultural traditions and religions live side-by-side in global cities and towns. In addition to the technical skills you ve [gained], it s the human skill that you ve mastered at this great university, now NYU- Poly, President Sexton told the Class of As you go forth into the world, innovate, change, make a better tomorrow, and make it a more human community for all of us. Mae C. Jemison, MD, Craig G. Matthews 71MG, and Andrew James Viterbi, 4 5

4 i 2 e Ignites NYU-Poly Inaugural Commencement received Honorary Doctor of Engineering degrees. Each shared hard-earned, valuable career advice. Jemison, president of The Jemison Group and the first African American woman to travel to space, emphasized the need for graduates to be conscious of how their technical skills and achievements will be used by the organizations that employ them or the companies they create. What do we want science and technology to accomplish? she asked. Should minerals be used to set off fireworks displays, or to launch missiles? Should nuclear technology be used for nuclear medical treatments, or to create 6 weapons? Jemison told the graduates to decide for themselves what their contributions to science and technology should accomplish. Matthews, immediate past chairman of NYU-Poly s Board of Trustees and vice chairman & COO (retired) of KeySpan (now part of National Grid, the second largest utility company in the U.S.), said, There s a whole world out there don t be narrow in your vision If you don t like what you re doing or you think you re not good at it, try something new. Believe in yourself Viterbi, creator of the Viterbi Algorithm, which is used in most digital Top, left: President Hultin with valedictorian Richeng Zheng. Top, right: Lamia Iftekhar, left,winner of the Outstanding Graduate Award with Christine Ianuzzi 87EE 94ISE, president of the Polytechnic Alumni and senior vice president,engineering and operations, broadcast technology, Citadel Broadcasting/ ABC Radio Networks. Bottom: NYU Pipes and Drums enter Avery Fisher Hall. cellular phones and digital satellite receivers, and co-founder of QUALCOMM, the technology market leader of mobile cellular communication, gave business advice to the audience s future inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Remember that the coolest, most elegant technology goes nowhere without a market who needs it, he said. He also stressed flexibility. Your product may turn out quite different than what you were striving to invent; your initial business plan may need major revisions before you achieve success. Provost Dianne Rekow and President Hultin conferred 246 Bachelor of Science, 831 Master of Science, and 30 PhD degrees at the late afternoon ceremony. Honors and awards were also given to members of the NYU-Poly community of students and faculty. Rastislav Levicky, professor of chemistry and biological engineering, received the annual Distinguished Teacher Award. José Garcia, who earned a BS in computer engineering, received the First Runner- Up Outstanding Graduate Award. Lamia Iftekhar, who earned a BS/MS in electrical engineering and minors in mathematics and psychology, was declared the winner of the Outstanding Graduate Award. Richeng Zheng, who earned a BS/MS degree in electrical and computer engineering and a minor in mathematics, represented the Class of 2009 as its valedictorian with a grade point average of NYU-Poly Celebrates 21 Years of Promise AT THE PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP FUND RECEPTION ON MAY 21 ST, POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF NYU CELEBRATED ONE OF ITS GREATEST LEGACIES: ITS COMMITMENT TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO QUALIFIED STUDENTS SO THEY CAN RECEIVE A WORLD-CLASS ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION. President Hultin and Promise Scholar Jeffrey Burdier '12EE. Trusteees William Kramer, partner, SJ Realty Associates LLC, and Ruth Fattori, chief administrative officer, MetLife. NYU-Poly alumni, students, individual and corporate donors, faculty, and staff gathered at Manhattan s Jumeirah Essex House to commemorate the 21st anniversary of the Promise Scholarship Fund, NYU-Poly s signature scholarship program. President Jerry Hultin thanked everyone who has contributed to the fund and pointed to the continued strides Promise Scholars are able to make in their individual lives and for the larger world because of donors generosity. NYU-Poly s future is bright and it is only getting brighter with the students who enter our halls and will be the world s leading innovators, inventors, and entrepreneurs, President Hultin said. On behalf of all the faculty, staff, administrators, and students, I want to extend my warmest thanks for all you have done to allow us to keep our Promise. You are not only PolyThinkers, you are also PolyDoers, and together, we will continue our rich legacy of scientific research and innovative creations that help better the world. Since Clifford Goldsmith, a longtime friend and supporter of the Institution, founded the Promise Scholarship Fund in 1998, it has raised over $18 million dollars, giving over 2,000 deserving students who would not otherwise be able to attend college, the means to earn NYU- Poly degrees. Most of those students, like Promise Scholar Jeffrey Burdier, who spoke at the reception, have been the first in their families to attend college; more than half have been women, a traditionally underrepresented population in engineering and science. This year, named Promise Scholarships were established to recognize corporate donations of $10,000 and higher. National Grid, Verizon, and Lackmann Culinary Services are the first of these named Promise Scholarships. The kickoff of the 2010 Promise Fund campaign will be October 20,

5 Launches Eight New Programs Learning. epoly gives our alumni an opportunity to expand their horizons and knowledge for professional growth. Online learning began at Polytechnic in 2004 as epoly. Since then, hundreds of students have earned their master s degrees, some entirely online. NYU-ePoly courses are delivered by the same faculty who teach on campus using the same syllabus found in the classroom. epoly gives our alumni an opportunity to expand their horizons and knowledge for professional growth. The Power of PolyThinking is just a click away in your home or office. NYU-Poly will more than double its online high-tech graduate degrees this fall adding eight new programs to the seven currently online in its newly launched e-learning unit, NYU-ePoly. Twenty online programs will be offered by the Office of Enterprise Learning including new executive programs in sustainability, clean energy, technical communications, and technical leadership. Stepping up virtual classes dramatically, Robert Ubell NYU-ePoly will offer new online master s degrees in computer engineering, cyber security, wireless innovation, manufacturing and industrial engineering. New online graduate certificates in bioinformatics, power systems and computer engineering are also being added. Online master s degrees in bioinformatics, electrical engineering, telecommunications and organizational behavior will continue in the fall. Current epoly students or graduate alumni in mid-career can extend their expertise into new fields, said Robert Ubell, vice president for Enterprise Students all over the world who are eager to enter exciting growth fields, remarked Provost Dianne Rekow, will now have access to in-demand and ondemand management, technology, and engineering programs taught online by our talented faculty. Monica Gonzalez 08OB lives in Costa Rica and was able to earn her master s degree from NYU-Poly completely online. It was an awesome experience, she exclaimed. I was just one click away from my professors, the material they offered, and the wide variety of materials that the e-library offers. This degree has opened a lot of doors for me to develop my career in human resources. For more information, please visit www. poly.edu/epoly and 8 9

6 Jin Montclare Changing the Future of Science: NYU-Poly Collaboration Levels the Playing Field in the Sciences Students at the Urban Assembly Institute with their student mentors Wendy Hom, lower left, and Yan Mei Chan, upper left, and their science teacher, Adrienne Ballard, lower right. EXCELLING IN THE SCIENCES IS NO LONGER A GENDER SPECIFIC PURSUIT. STATISTICS HAVE SHOWN A GENDER IMBALANCE BETWEEN TALENTED MINORITIES AND FEMALES WHO CHOOSE OCCUPATIONS IN THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) AND THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS. To temper these inequities, Jin Montclare, assistant professor, Chemical and Biological Sciences, proposed a solution to empower middle school young women to think differently about competing in the scientific arena whether in the classroom or as a practicing professional. That idea came to fruition in the embodiment of The Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women, a collaboration among The Urban Assembly (UA), NYC Board of Education, and Polytechnic Institute of NYU. The Urban Assembly Institute s goal is to encourage girls from grades 6-12 to explore STEM opportunities. In 2006, the Urban Assembly President, Richard Kahan, contacted Noel Kriftcher, executive director of NYU-Poly s David Packard Center for Technology and Educational Alliances, to discuss the possibilities of forming a partnership. Polytechnic became involved in every phase of the school s development and has been a visible presence at the UA, bringing their students onto our campus, said Kriftcher. From the onset, the Board of Education required that a well-structured, educational planning committee, along with a community partner and parental involvement share in the responsibility of creating this new school. Montclare began a mentorship program between UA Institute and Polytechnic to strengthen the interest and knowledge of science and math to underrepresented girls. The idea of implementing an outreach program started after high school students sponsored by the Youth in Engineering and Science (YES Program) worked in her lab at NYU-Poly. After discussing the program expansion with Noel Kriftcher, she submitted an initial proposal and received $50K from the Dreyfus Foundation. The program now reaches over 75 seventhgrade students and is expected to grow as enrollment increases. I wanted to excite the girls and bring modern, interdisciplinary concepts of chemistry and biology by infusing technology, in order to make science fun. That was the mindset behind my plan to motivate young girls about new STEM careers. I intentionally wanted these girls to see a multi-tier of women mentors, explains Montclare, and remind them that they have a place in the science professions, which is still dominated by males. The technological approach Montclare devised consists of a three-tiered module system which integrates chemistry with biology, introduces students to the basics of biological molecules viewed in 3D structures, and allows students to manipulate DNA using enzymes to perform chemical reactions. These interactive modules infuse technology into existing curriculum, allowing students use of the Chemsketch software and molecular models. Students perform laboratory experiments, write lab reports, and design a 3D model of their scientific findings. This unique program provides underrepresented girls with modern technology to conduct hands-on experiments, increasing their interest in math and science. The key component of the program offers middle school girls in-class supplemental math and science education to accelerate college readiness. To measure the program s effectiveness, students, mentors, and their science teacher are given performance evaluations. The NYU-Poly student mentors worked closely with teachers on curriculum development to assess the problem areas and find adequate solutions for underperforming students. This outreach program gives a three-fold solution to a national problem it helps students reach their academic potential; it assists science teachers in the classroom; and it encourages student mentors to become educators in the science field. The Urban Assembly s goal is to ensure that every student graduates from a fouryear university program. This spring, the Teagle Foundation selected Poly-NYU/ UAI partnership for one of their initial 12 grants in this new program. They made a three-year pledge of $240,000 under their College-Community Connections Partnership program (CPR for STEM education), to help advance the UA Institute girls for readiness in higher education. The additional support provides students with summer coursework, in-class presentations by Polytechnic students and faculty, and introduction to math and science-related clubs and teams. In July, the program began mentoring 20 female students in rigorous math and science courses. The Teagle Foundation s overall commitment is to educational achievement and school completion for high school students. This supplementary funding enhances the effectiveness of the program led by Dr. Montclare, said Kriftcher. Teagle Foundation Commits $240K to STEM The Teagle Foundation s financial support will give ninth grade students access to collegeready courses, introduction to robotics and engineering professionals, Polytechnic faculty and university facilities. The program is called College Prep and Readiness (CPR) for STEM Education, which begins July New York University has been awarded two of the twelve grants under this new program. One was awarded to the NYU- Poly and another to the Steinhardt School. As the Teagle Foundation is interested in the longitudinal success of Urban Assembly Institute of Math and Science for Young Women, program directors will track and measure student s progress throughout their high school years

7 THINKING The Eagle Has Landed NYU-Poly Students Awarded NACME and National Grid Grants THE NATIONAL ACTION COUNCIL FOR MINORITIES IN ENGINEERING, INC. (NACME) RECENTLY AWARDED ENGINEERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO FOUR POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE OF NYU STUDENTS THROUGH A $10,000 GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL GRID FOUNDATION. The scholarship program s goal is to help support underrepresented minority students as they earn engineering degrees. Scholarships were awarded to the following students: majoring in computer engineering. He has accepted a position at L3 Communications. in electrical engineering and currently interviewing for summer internships. majoring in chemical abd biological engineering, will begin a doctoral program in chemical engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. electrical engineering. He is interested in research and considering summer intern opportunities. Robert Keller, executive director of the National Grid Foundation, challenged the students to become leaders in their fields and help regain the ground the U.S. has lost in engineering and technology. Keller remarked: Over the past 10 years, the National Grid Foundation has worked to create opportunities for solutions to education and environmental issues. By supporting NACME Scholars, the foundation is helping to address what NACME calls the new American dilemma: the relative absence of underrepresented minorities in careers related to science and engineering. This is an opportune time to mobilize the hidden talent pool of underrepresented minorities. John Lubbe, NACME s vice president for institutional advancement agreed. Our nation is facing a quiet crisis, he said, referring to a speech by Dr. Shirley Left to right: Beverly Johnson, NYU-Poly s associate dean of undergraduate admissions and executive director of YES Center; Robert Keller, executive director of National Grid Foundation; Kevin Bishop; Carlos Bautista; John Lubbe, NACME s vice president of institutional advancement; Kevin Davis; Juan Borja; Cathy Levy, NACME s senior director of institutional advancement. Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, on looming gaps in the science, technology, and engineering workforce and reduced support for basic research. This is an opportune time to mobilize the hidden talent pool of underrepresented minorities, said Lubbe. NACME is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with National Grid Foundation and NYU-Poly in responding to this crisis with aggressive action and support of underrepresented students of engineering. Beverly Johnson, who serves as the liaison for NACME Scholars at NYU-Poly, and plays a critical role in their success, gave high praise to the students. I am so very proud of the accomplishments of the four NACME Scholars, and I know that great things are in store for them all, said Ms. Johnson. Each of these young men are hard working individuals from modest means and understand that to whom much is given, much is required. The students were especially thankful and motivated to keep going above and beyond their own expectations. I feel that it is important to represent a different aspect of life for [minority students] coming after me, so they don t think that the opportunities are limited, said Kevin Bishop. Outside of professions like sports and music, we can go into careers that will revolutionize the world. Five Alumni Mark Historic 40th Anniversary of Apollo Space Mission Four decades ago, the eyes of the world were transfixed on fuzzy television images as one of the greatest technological achievements of the 20th century unfolded. On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the surface of the moon in the lunar module, Eagle. Over 235,000 miles away, sitting on the floor of his bedroom with his family in Babylon, NY, Frederick Zito 68MG 03TC breathed a sigh of relief followed by a jubilant cheer as the Eagle landed on The Sea of Tranquility as the moon s surface came to be known. This was a very dangerous mission, he recalled, and had never been done before. Zito, a guidance and navigation engineer, and four other NYU-Poly alumni, Robert Zuckerman 70OR, a structures and dynamics engineer; Anthony Liccardi 52ME 56EE, assistant operations manager; Walter Gaylor 53ME, chief engineer; and Robert Newlander 70 OR ME, lunar module project engineer worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and had crucial roles in the design and construction of the lunar module. The five Polytechnic alumni worked closely at NASA s Resident Apollo Spacecraft Program Office at the Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage, NY. According to Zito, Grumman was selected for this project because of the fine work the aerospace manufacturer did during WWII, building thousands of war planes for the U.S. Navy flying in the Pacific. The five designed, constructed and tested lunar modules the vehicles astronauts used to travel from the spacecraft s command module in the moon s orbit to the surface and back. The hours were grueling and the engineering challenges enormous. They included reliability studies on the dozens of electronic systems on the lunar module and making sure the weight of the module was One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Neil Armstrong Apollo 11 Mission Commander First man to set foot on the moon as light as possible for maximum fuel efficiency. All five credit their Polytechnic education for their success as aerospace engineers. The analytical and managerial education I received at Poly greatly assisted me in reviewing the technical issues and using the necessary tools to design, develop, build and test the lunar module, said Zuckerman. The five Poly engineers are now retired, but there is no doubt their engineering feats will live on in history. America s moon landing program, declared Walter Gaylor, made space exploration possible for future generations and Poly helped us make it possible. Astronaut and inventor Charles Camarda 74AE, NYU-Poly Distinguished Engineer in Residence, recalls watching the moon landing with his family in Queens, NY. Like many other children across the country I wanted to be an astronaut, and was thrilled to see Neil Armstrong walk on the moon, Camarda remembers. Who would have guessed that two years later I would be enrolled in the aerospace engineering program at Poly and in 1996 I would become an astronaut and get to fly NASA s Return-to-Flight mission following the Columbia tragedy, Camarda said. The Poly engineers and all the men and women who made Apollo 11 successful paved the way for future space exploration

8 Stephen Arnold, the Thomas Potts Professor of Physics, was mentioned in the April 2009 issue of Nature for his work on whispering gallery modes (WGM) light trapped inside the mi- Allan Goldstein, instructor, Humanities and Social Sciences, published essays in two anthologies which can be accessed by visiting these links com/lost-found-stories-new-york/dp/ and IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Plasma-assisted Ignition in Scramjets in the Journal of Propulsion and Power, and VLF Wave Generation by Amplitude-modulated HF Heater Waves at Gakona, Alaska in Geophysical Research Letters. crosphere by reflection circling endlessly. This results in a short-range electrical field outside the sphere that attracts nanoparticles bringing them to the sensor approximately 100 times faster than diffusion. The trapped nanoparticles orbit the e=7&keywords=thicker+than+water+essays+by&x= 9&y=8&preview=. David Goodman, professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, made Jin Kim Montclare, assistant professor, Chemical and Biological Sciences, was the recipient of the ACS/PROG- RESS Lectureship Award as the invited lecturer at other universities. field producing a shift in the resonant frequency in the WGM, which permits estimation of size and mass of the nanoparticle. George Bugliarello, president emeritus and university professor, gave the keynote address, Reflections on Morality, Ethics and Bio-ethics Decisions at the Fifth International Conference on Ethical Issues in Biomedical Engineering at Polytechnic on April 4. Lorcan Folan 83 87PH, associate professor and head, Physics, and Vladimir Tsifrinovich, lecturer, Physics, published an article in Physical Review Letters in 1995, which supported the hypothesis that the radioactive lifetimes of certain hydrogen-like ions are strongly dependent on the hyperfine state of the ions. The phenomenon was recently confirmed by a team of international scientists at the GSI heavy ion accelerator in Darmstadt, Germany. Folan, Valery Sheverev, industry associate professor, Physics and George Vradis, associate professor and head, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, were awarded a Nuclear Regulatory Commission Phase 1 grant to establish an undergraduate interdisciplinary concentration in nuclear sciences and engineering. The concentration will allow interested undergraduates to develop expertise in the basic science and technology issues relevant to the nuclear industry. Courses include Fundamentals of Applied Nuclear Physics, Introduction to Radiation Physics and Introduction to Nuclear Engineering. will be published in Physical Review-E. Bruce Garetz, professor and head, Chemical and Biological Sciences, authored a paper titled Non-photochemical Laser-induced Nucleation of Nematic Phase and Alignment of Nematic Director from a Super-cooled Thermotropic Liquid Crystal which one of the keynote presentations at Sensing the Future: the 19th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications in Cannes, France. Fletcher Bud Griffis, professor and director, Center for Construction Management Technology, Civil Engineering, has been named the Class of 1953 s Endowed Chair in Civil Engineering at West Point. Richard Gross 86Chem, the Herman F. Mark Professor of Polymer Science and director of the NSF Center on Biocatalysis and Bioprocessing of Macromolecules, Chemical and Biological Sciences, presented a lecture, New Cell-free Enzyme-catalyzed Polymer Technology Platforms: Polyol-polyesters, Polyethylenelike Materials from Fatty Acids and Powerful Hydrolases for Polyester Degradation, at the Aquitaine Conference on Polymers Mel Horwitch, professor and head, Technology Management, is featured in a documentary on the web, The People vs. the SST at His insights are based on his earlier history of the American Supersonic Transport Project, Chipped Wings. Kalle Levon, professor, Chemical and Biological Sciences, will join the Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry at Abo Akademi University in Turku as part of FiDiPro projects funded by Tekes. The purpose of the project is to develop a novel, easy-to-use and cost-effective device for genetic diagnostics. Spencer Kuo 77EL, professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, co-authored the following articles Lateral Distribution of Atomic Oxygen Flux Produced by an Array of Three Fan-shaped Plasma Torches in Eli Pearce 58Chem, university research professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering, has been named to the editorial board of the Polymers Research Journal. He was also elected to the 2009 inaugural group of Fellow of the American Chemical Society. Keith Ross, the Leonard J. Shustek Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Di Wu, post-doctoral student, and Yong Liu, assistant professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the Best Paper Award at the IEEE Conference on Computer Communications (INFOCOM) 2009 for Queuing Network Models for Multi-channel P2P Live Streaming Systems. In the paper, the authors developed novel models to study the performance of peer-to-peer video streaming systems that offer multiple live video channels. A new P2P streaming design, View-upload Decoupling, is proposed to significantly improve the streaming quality of existing P2P streaming solutions. The Way We Are by Blair Williams, industry professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, was published last September by CTR Inc. Publishing. The book, Williams fifth volume on Anglo-Indian culture, was published to coincide with the 10th anniversary of CTR, the charity he founded to help poor Anglo-Indians still living in India. The charity provides pensions to seniors and funds education for poor children. Charles Tapiero, Distinguished Professor of Financial Engineering and Technology Management and chair, Finance and Risk Engineering, was quoted in American Banker magazine regarding the inefficiency of counterparty riskregulation. NYU-Poly Annual Service Awards NYU-Poly recognized dedicated employee service at its Annual Service Awards Ceremony on April 23. Vice President for Academic Affairs Richard Thorsen, left, and Heather Walters, university archivist, right, each with 45 years of service were among the 59 employees who received certificates, gifts and a hearty congratulations from President Jerry Hultin. 15 Years Barry Blecherman, industry associate professor, Financial Risk and Engineering; David Chang, chancellor; Jean Gallagher, associate professor, Humanities and Social Sciences; Genevieve Schaeffer, administrative assistant, Civil Engineering; Valery Sheverev, industry professor, Physics; Kate Smith, executive assistant to the president, Office of the President; Abraham Ulman, professor,the Weizmann Institute (Israel); and Yisong Yang, professor, Mathematics. 20 Years Yolanda Cartegena, administrative assistant, Registrar; Nedenia Decasta, administrative customer service, Registrar; Rose Emma, executive assistant, President Emeritus; Iraj Kalkhoran, dean of undergraduate academics; Kalle Levon, professor, Chemical and Biological Sciences; Barbara Springer, administrative assistant, Computer Science and Engineering; and Carmen Villafane, administrative assistant, Chemical and Biological Engineering. 25 Years Lea Bowie, executive assistant, Academic Affairs; Jacqueline Camara, administrative assistant, Mathematics; Ann-Marie Dwarica, administrative assistant, Student Accounts; and Elena Prassas, associate professor, Civil Engineering. 30 Years Edward Miller, professor, Mathematics, and José Ulerio, industry associate professor, Civil Engineering. 40 Years Roger Roess, professor and head, Civil Engineering. 45 Years Richard Thorsen, vice president, Academic Affairs and Heather Walters, university archivist, Library Services

9 BUZZ Symposium Honors Erich Kunhardt Colleagues and friends attended a symposium and reception to honor former Provost and University Professor Erich Kunhardt on June 9. Kunhardt received a bound copy of a special issue of the journal, Transaction on Plasma Science, which was dedicated to his work and edited by friend and colleague Kurt Becker, associate provost for research and technology initiatives and dean of arts and sciences. NYU-Poly s Got Talent Eighteen contestants brought their A game to the NYU-Poly s Got Talent showcase, but when the last note sounded only five fierce competitors Yesenia Espinal, David Fan, Stanislav Roslyakov, Kurt Williams and Terrance Woods got the chance to take it to the grand finale on May 1st vying for $1,000 and the title of Poly s Most Talented. When all was said and done, Yesenia Espinal nailed the competition and brought the crowd to their feet with her powerful vocals. A devotee of multi-grammy winner, Alicia Keys, Yesenia will use her winnings to further her musical career. Corporate Execs Judge Student Business Plans for the Greening of Westchester and Profitability IT executives from FUJIFILM of America, the Westchester Medical Center and Hudson Valley Bank to name a few converged on the Westchester campus for the Executive Management of Technology Capstone Day, Tomorrow s Corporate Superstars Present Business Plans to Green Data Centers of Major Westchester Companies. Participating students wrote and defended individual business plans using technology to maximize profits. Participants are, from left to right, back row, Homer Howell, Vijay Jayaraman, Fabian Cristian; third row: Iwu Kingsley, Professor Armand Keim, Varghese Thomas, Philip Procker; second row: Jason Rosoff and Dexter Newton; Carl Baker (in front of Rosoff); and Romulo Qujije. Celebrating the Class of 2009 On May 12 th, the NYU-Poly community toasted the graduating class and celebrated their upcoming commencement on June 1 st. Students took photos, danced and enjoyed the lively atmosphere, which included a visit from NYU-Poly s mascot, The Fighting Bluejay. Toast will be an annual event for future graduates and the entire Poly community. Beverly Johnson Honored at City Hall Beverly Johnson, associate dean of undergraduate admissions and executive director of the Center for Youth in Engineering and Science, received a proclamation from City Council member Charles Barron recognizing her work for NYU-Poly. The presentation was made during the Juneteenth celebration at City Hall on June 19 th honoring excellence in science, technology and mathematics

10 GIVING NEWS donor Dear Fellow Alumni, Tee Time Over 40 students, staff, faculty and their families teed off at the 13th Annual Polytechnic Classic Golf Tournament on Sunday, June 7. The event was sposored by the athletics department. Capturing first place was a team of NYU-Poly students, Devin Kittle, Carlos Ruiz and Jon Paul Anatra. Other winning categories included the Staff and Family team (shown here, right to left) of Noel Kriftcher, executive director, David Packard Center for Technology and Educational Alliances, his grandsons Ryan and Zach and Elisa Linsky, instructor, Humanities and Social Sciences; Alumni Team of Christine Ianuzzi 87EE 94ISE, president of the Polytechnic Alumni, Jim Ousanni 77ME, president, Staplex Inc., Johnny Lai, and Charles Hinkaty 70 70MA, president and CEO (retired), Dell Laboratories Inc.; Closest to the Pin: Zach Kriftcher; Longest Drive (men), Rob O Connell; and Longest Drive (women) Maureen Braziel, director, Athletics. James Oussani Jr. 77BSME President, Staplex Co. Polytechnic International Board of Directors Former President Polytechnic Alumni and Advisory Trustee Supported the Polytechnic Fund and the Promise Fund Because of the foresight of Polytechnic administrators and alumni benefactors, I was able to attend a well-regarded engineering school. The culture of a dedicated faculty and the camaraderie among fellow students continues today. Also, I have chosen to give back by volunteering to work with alumni, students and faculty, helping to strengthen the bonds between the technical societies and our alma mater, and by helping to reinstate the PE exam as part of a senior exit strategy. These and other measures will help our future engineers and scientists become problem solvers in the global economy. Nothing gives me greater satisfaction and value than networking with fellow Polytechnic alumni, who are in every field imaginable. With this treasure chest of knowledge to draw from, we adapt to change, free ourselves from obsolete ideas, and renew ourselves in mind and body. For me, this represents the progressive and energizing spirit of Polytechnic that serves as a portal to the future. LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI PRESIDENT On behalf of the Polytechnic Alumni Association (PAA) leadership, I would like to thank my fellow Executive Officers, the International Board of Directors, and the Executive Council for their hard work over the past year in support of the PAA and Polytechnic. I hope you share my enthusiasm and appreciation for the PAA leadership s continued dedication and the hard work they perform on behalf of our association, our alumni and our alma mater. Our collective accomplishments thus far in 2009 include: Scholarship Fund, the Athletic Fund, and the ASCE Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge competitions. (NYU-Poly won the concrete canoe event for the fourth year in a row.) $2,478,617. Alumni efforts also led to several high-level gifts. account, LinkedIn alumni groups, a newly designed website and the Six Degrees of Polytechnic Campaign. and attendance at NYU alumni events. graduates now our fellow alumni as part of our prominent role in the 2009 commencement ceremony. several of our PAA leaders invited renewable energy companies to aid in raising awareness of this vital issue among our alumni and students. Going forward, our organization s focus remains clear: and retention, and promote a positive image for Polytechnic. 2 e (invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship) and establish a mentor-student program. For more information about the PAA, I hope you will visit our alumni website at Also, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at polytechalumni@gmail.com. I want to thank the PAA leadership and all alumni once again for the dedicated service and continued support of Polytechnic. Best regards, Christine Ianuzzi, 87EE 94ISE 18 19

11 NEWS NEWS ClassNotes Class years are determined by the year the Office of the Registrar certifies the granting of the degree. Alumni receiving multiple degrees from NYU-Poly are listed under the first graduating degree only. 30s Anthony DeBiase 38CE has been happily retired from the Port Authority of NY & NJ since 1972 and just celebrated his 96th birthday. 40s Mortimer D. Gross 42Chem served his country during World War II as a chemical engineer for the burgeoning field of synthetic rubber. After his service, he attended the University of Chicago s College of Medicine and has been practicing psychiatry since Jess J. Kanarek 49EE recently celebrated his 53rd wedding anniversary and his 10th from retirement. He is enjoying volunteering with the Stanford Medical Blood Bank. soldiers who worked to return artwork to museums, churches, and cultural institutions. Philip Hodge 67IE is sharing retirement with his wife, Bunny, by raising Morgan horses, competing in combined driving events, and putting up 10,000 bales of hay yearly. Steven H. Billis 68 72EE is chairman and professor in the Department of Computer Science at the New York Institute of Technology. Steven Freedman 77Chem is a literary novelist and author of fictionalized memoirs, who is looking for a publisher. Pio Masone 79CE joined Jacobs Facilities, a subsidiary of Jacobs Engineering, in May 2006 as a deputy project manager for the U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters construction site. He is currently the construction project manager for the U.S. Department of Interior Modernization Program in Washington, DC. He is a licensed engineer and a brother of Gregory Gamble 95MA 98OM has been named director of economic development at Rutgers University Camden. Larry I. Leib 96 MOT is senior advisor at CresaPartners, where he represents the real estate needs of corporate clients. Meg Layton 97TCM is senior manager of development for the security information manager team at Symantec Corporation. IN MEMORIAM James Vincent Gruttadauria 38 George J. Wunderlin 39 Alfred R. Globus 41 Enno F. Harger 45 Seymour D. Kirsch 46 Michael Tarricone Francis G. Hinchey Martin Schechtman 41Chem after retirement and moving to Oregon to be closer to his daughter, Martin is going back to school and enjoying taking free classes at Oregon State University. Frank Odasz 44ChE retired from his career in chemical engineering and is enjoying time with his grandchildren. Major Codes Refers to the academic discipline listed next to alumni s class year. A full key to major abbreviations is available at AE BE CE ChE Chem CM EE ES Hon IE ISE MA ME MG MOT Aerospace Engineering Bio Engineering Civil Engineering Chemical Engineering Chemistry Construction Management Electrical Engineering Environmental Science Honorary Industrial Engineering Information Systems Engineering Mathematics Mechanical Engineering Management Management of Technology 50s Raphael Ortasse 53AE is active with the Kol Sephardic Choir, the only choir in the world that specializes in Romanceros, a 15th- century Spanish narrative poem written in lines of 16 sylllables which adheres to a single assonance. Their first professional CD will be available this year. Charles Ortloff 59 61AE, a research associate in anthropology at the University of Chicago, authored a book, Water Engineering in the Ancient World: Archaeological and Climate Perspectives on Ancient Societies in South America, the Middle East and South East Asia, published by Oxford Press. James White 59ChemE, the Morton Professor of Polymer Engineering at the University of Akron, is the recipient of the ACS Rubber Division s Charles Goodyear Medal. 60s Murray Robbins 62Chem was on the ballot for the June 2nd primary in New Jersey seek- Michael A. Yates 68EE 72BI is a semi-retired gentleman farmer with a new barn and two Morgan horses, one of which will start training for carriage driving in the spring. 70s John Chino 71ME is vice president of programs, quality and engineering at Northrop Grumman Corp. In his new role, he will lead the company s activities associated with program management, engineering and technology including conducting special program reviews and efforts to continually enhance the quality management systems across the enterprise. He will also lead engineering collaboration efforts throughout the company, serve as focal point for technology development efforts, lead the intellectual asset management team and provide technical interface for the company s university relations efforts. Gregory Gurican 73EE 76NE spent 25 years in the nuclear safety and licensing field before becoming a registered nurse. He now oversees QA/QC performance improvement activities for 25 nursing units. Polytechnic s Kappa Beta chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. 80s Thomas DiMatteo 82EE married Hayley Nelson in September. Tom is a sales consultant for the Morrell Instrument Company. Robert E. Ryan 85EL is the chief scientist of the Geosystems Research Institute small satellite program at Mississippi State University and earned nine U.S. patents with four pending in the fields of optics and sensors. He was elected assistant division director of the primary data acquisition division of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Michele Nierenberg 88ME is director of systems integration engineering at Gulfstream Aerospace where she is responsible for ensuring the successful integration of safe, humancentric aircraft system designs. 90s Robert Shullich 98 TN is certified in the governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) by the Information Systems Audit and Control Association and was inducted into the Alpha Phi Sigma criminal justice honor society at John Jay CUNY. 00s Danny Cardenas 00CompE 04EE is president of the New York City Professional Chapter of the Society of Hispanic Engineers (SHPE). Austin Poyerd 02MA is engaged to Jennifer Morana of Bay Terrace and will marry in August. Jay Yass 03MA is currently the vice president of network services at Intelsat. Dennis Ramos 03IS is a tenured, full-time professor of computer science at Westchester Community College. Stuart Lewis 05CE is working as a project engineer for Ocean and Coast Consultants. Nikolay Zalutskly 08CE EE founded the Dream Act Portal website while in college. The site is the largest community for undocumented Charles S. Block 49 Philip C. Pozner James W. Wadlow Jr. 49 Albert Spiel 49 Walter J. Krimsky 50 Paul W. Maurer 50 Edgar N. Svendsen 51 Peter J. Kennedy 52 Marjorie Navidi 53 William R. Brophy Jr. 54 Alan C. Skoglind 54 Lionel Luttinger 54 Robert X. Caldwell 56 Stanislaw R. Gordon 57 Paul R. Liegey 59 Joseph Koval 60 Joseph E. Knoll Joseph M. Cunetta 62 Paul J. Levitz 68 David Baranowitz 68 Stephen E. Eiseman 70 Elliot Veinerman 70 MT NE PH SS SE TN Metallurgical Engineering Nuclear Engineering Physics Social Sciences Systems Engineering Telecommunications Network ing a seat on the Berkeley Heights Township Council. Harry Ettlinger 66ME has been recognized for his work during WWII as one of the Monu- Salvatore Lauro 74AE is chief of the United State Parks Police, managing a force of more than 600 officers and providing law enforcement services to areas within the national parks service, primarily in Washington, New York, and Gregory G. Daly 91TCM is the chief technology officer at Aircraft Technical Publishers, Inc., which serves the general aviation industry with maintenance, regulatory, compliance, and safety information products. immigrant students in the United States. Quentin 09EE and Oliver Williams 09EE, two brothers in a set of triplets with an avid interest in robotics, received degrees from NYU-Poly on Harry Hochstadt Faculty Ephraim Katzir Faculty Wheeler Mueller Faculty ment Men, a highly specialized group of 345 San Francisco. June cable spring

12 NEWS Harry Hochstadt, 83, an internationally reknowned applied mathematician and former chair of the mathematics department, died on May 4, After a brief career as a research engineer, Hochstadt joined the Polytechnic faculty in 1957 and was appointed head of the math department from 1963 to He was also dean of arts and sciences for one year and director of institute relations from 1976 to From 1968 to 1973, he played a leading role in successfully lobbying the New York State Legislature to provide millions of dollars of financial subsidies to the school during a period of fiscal hardship. Born in Vienna, Austria in 1925, Hochstadt came to America in He served overseas in the U.S. Infantry during World War II and was awarded a Bronze Star and a Combat Infantryman s Badge. After the war, he attended Cooper Union and received a bachelor s degree in chemical engineering in 1949 and his master s and doctorate in mathematics from the Courant Institute of New York University in 1950 and 1956, respectively. He was a prolific author and researcher publishing over 100 articles and reviews as well as four books: Special Functions of Mathematical Physics (1961); Differential Equations, A Modern Approach (1964); The Functions of Mathematical Physics (1971), later translated into French and Japanese; and Integral Equations (1973). He was also the translation editor for Linear Equations of Mathematical Physics by S. G. Mikhlin and an advisory editor to the Wiley Interscience Series on Pure and Applied Mathematics. He was a member of the American Mathematical Society, the Mathematical Association of America, the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Tau Beta Pi and Sigma Xi and was listed in Who s Who in America, American Men and Women in Science, and Outstanding Educators in America. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Pearl; two children, Julia Sweet and Jesse; and two grandchildren, Nathaniel and Amalia Sweet. Enno F. Harger 45ME, who played an integral role in the mass production of penicillin, died on June 24 at the age of 94. Born in Berlin, Harger s family immigrated to the United States in 1924 and attended Lynbrook High School. During this time, he joined his high school band and fulfilled his dream to perform at Carnegie Hall. His aspirations of becoming a classical musician were sidelined when in the early 1920s Harger decided to pursue a career in mechanical engineering. He worked at Charles Pfizer and Co., in 1936 as a clerk and enrolled in night courses. He earned his bachelor s degree in Later, he was transferred to the engineering department as a draftsman. Throughout his 43-year career, Harger played a key roll in many of Pfizer s medical breakthroughs including the discovery of Terramycin and the mass production of penicillin during World War II and the polio vaccine. He assumed positions of increasing responsibility to become vice president of corporate engineering, with responsibility for the design and construction of company plant worldwide. After retiring in 1980, he served as a consultant to the company until Harger was a long-time supporter of the Polytechnic and Promise Scholarship Fund. He is survived by his wife of 29 years, Jean, his daughters, Sherry and Elizabeth, 16 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren. Remembering Two Sports Greats By Samuel S. Koeppel, 51AE As a former sports editor of the Polytechnic Reporter, I would be remiss if I allowed to pass without comment two death notices in the Spring 2009 edition of Cable. Albert C. Cereghino 48ChE and Harmon F. Hoffman 54ChE were outstanding basketball stars. In 1947, when I was a freshman, I saw Cereghino in his final season at Poly. He had already established himself, along with Larry Gould, as half of an exciting backcourt duo known as the Gold Dust Twins. Poly had a winning record that year and even got to play Pratt Institute in the old Madison Square Garden on 8th Avenue. Cereghino and Gould were instrumental in Poly s victory over their old arch rival. I wish I had seen more of both these men. Harmon Hoffman has to be considered the greatest player who ever laced up Poly basketball sneakers. He wasn t tall and big by today s standards for a primary forward, but he was a true super star by any measure. He could run and jump like a gazelle, suspend himself in mid-air, and score with deadly accuracy from anywhere on the court. He was strong and deceptive, and could drive with power and speed to the basket. He totaled well over 1,000 points, and I suspect that no Poly basketball player has since approached, let alone exceeded that record. (Had there been a 3-point basket rule during Hoffman s college career, there s no telling what his totals would have been.) During the season, he led the team to a winning record and was among the highest small college scorers in the nation, holding first place for a time and finishing third. Early in 1951, Poly played higher-ranked Iona College at the Garden. The game showcased Hoffman and Iona s star, Richie Guerin, who later became a New York Knickerbocker star. Poly didn t win that game, but Hoffman dazzled the Garden crowd, scoring 27 points. In their time, both of these men Cereghino and Hoffman also dazzled Poly basketball fans lucky enough to see them play. Did you KNOW G.I. Jobs magazine has named NYU-Poly a Military Friendly School for 2010, placing our Institution among the top 15 percent of all colleges, universities and trade schools nationwide. A complete listing will be published in the Guide to Military Friendly Schools in September Downtown Brooklyn has become a thriving center for higher education, according to the Brooklyn News Network. More than 57,000 students are enrolled in colleges and universities in the area. NYU-Poly leads the list which included NYC College of Technology, Brooklyn Law School, Long Island University, St. Francis College, Empire State College, St. Joseph's College and Pratt Institute. Students cited accessibility, reputation and resources as the top reasons for attending schools in the area

13 50 Years... and Counting On May 31, 2009 members of the Golden Jubilee Society, returned to Brooklyn Poly in celebration of their 50th reunion. Members of the society reconnected with friends and classmates and enjoyed a student-led campus tour. A special dedication was made to the Class of 59, the newest class to be inducted to the Jubilee society, during a luncheon with President Jerry Hultin and Christine Ianuzzi, president of the Polytechnic Alumni. Convocation September 1, 2009 Undergraduate Convocation: 11 a.m. Graduate Convocation: 4 p.m Gymnasium Jacobs Academic Building MetroTech Campus NYU-Poly Alumni Day Saturday, October 3, 2009 NYU Campus Fall Career Fair Wednesday, October 14, :30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Gymnasium Jacobs Academic Building MetroTech Campus Promise Fund 2010 Kickoff and Donor Recognition Event Tuesday, October 20, :30 p.m. For more information on these and other events, visit Six MetroTech Center Brooklyn, NY Address service requested NONPROFIT ORG. U.S.POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 172 PLAINFIELD, NJ