The amazingly overstuffed magazine of the Schaefer School of Engineering, Fall 2004.

1. FALL 2004 ISSUE
VOLUME 2
S OE
S
CHARLES V. SCHAEFER, JR. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
CHARLES V. SCHAEFER, JR. SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
2 WiNSeC: Wireless
Network Security
Center Researches
Safe Communications
5 Force Protection
at the Center for
Maritime Systems
5 Stevens Named a
University Partner
to the Homeland
Security Institute
10 ASME Celebrates
125 Years at
Stevens
12 Exploring
Innovations in
Design, Fabrication,
and Advanced
Digital Media
ENGINEERING THE SECURITY OF AMERICA

2. DEAN
GEORGE P.
KORFIATIS
ENGINEERING THE
SECURITY OF AMERICA
is a topic of high priority within the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of
Engineering. Our students and faculty are dedicating their energy and
ingenuity to protecting our future.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
I hope this issue of SSoE InFocus finds you well. New York - New Jersey Harbor affords them the ideal
Once more, the academic and research testing environment for innovative practical solutions that
community is called upon to engineer solutions to have immediate application to the needs of our nation.
a national problem. President Bush's statement
Stevens' faculty members are also working on developing
that, "We will build a national research and
the next generation of ultra-sensitive chem-bio detectors
development enterprise for Homeland Security
that achieve a quantum leap in detection capability over
sufficient to mitigate the risk posed by modern
existing technology. Furthermore, intelligent sensor
terrorism," makes it clear that science and
networks that can be deployed in the most difficult
technology will play a key role in protecting the
environments providing information to first responders
nation from conventional and non-conventional
with minimum latency are being developed and deployed
threats.
by researchers in the Design and Manufacturing Institute.
In response, our faculty launched targeted research
All this research activity has provided an environment of
programs focused on key elements of Homeland
excitement, critical thinking, and innovation for our
Protection and Security. The following are only a few
undergraduate students. They are working on several
of the vital research programs currently under way
security-driven senior design projects addressing issues of
at Stevens.
threat detection, information analysis, autonomous
The interdisciplinary Wireless Network Security intervention systems, and biometric technology.
Center is producing break-through solutions that
Engineering the security of America is a topic of high
protect our wireless communication systems and
priority within the Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of
networks from malicious attacks. Operating in one
Engineering. Our students and faculty are dedicating their
of the world's highest "signal traffic" zones,
energy and ingenuity to protecting our future.
WiNSeC's laboratories and testbeds are used to
develop and test new technology for real-time, As always, I look forward to your input and participation.
real-world security solutions. Best wishes for the New Year.
In parallel, uniquely situated next to one of the
world's largest ports, the Center for Maritime Sincerely,
Systems is performing groundbreaking research
on threat detection and mitigation that will make
our ports more secure. Their access to the

3. CONTENTS
FALL 2004 ISSUE
VOLUME 2
FEATURES
WiNSeC: 2
PHOTO BY RYAN DONOVAN
Wireless Network Security Center
Researches Safe Communications
FORCE PROTECTION 5
at the Center for Maritime Systems
Stevens Named a University Partner to the 5
Homeland Security Institute
INFOCUS
SSoE Students 6 S OE
S
Senior Design INFOCUS
Stevens Hosts West Point Cadets EXECUTIVE EDITOR Dean George P Korfiatis
.
Stevens Photography Club: Creative Engineers CONSULTING Patrick A. Berzinski
New Undergraduate Concentrations EDITORS Pamela Krieger
MANAGING EDITOR Christine del Rosario
CONTRIBUTORS Patrick A. Berzinski
SSoE Heritage 10 Professor Costas
Chassapis
Warren G. Wells ’42 Benjamin Curry
Grounded in Tradition with an Eye to the Future Dean Jerry Hultin
Professor Rashmi Jain
Professor John Nastasi
ASME Celebrates 125 Years at Stevens Aimiende Negbenebor
PHOTOGRAPHERS Cathy Cacicedo
Marta Curry
New Graduate Program 12 Christine del Rosario
Ryan Donovan
Exploring Innovations in Design, Fabrication, Robert Hoar
Jan Nazalewicz
and Advanced Digital Media Geoffrey Silver
Special Thanks to
the Stevens Alumni Association
SSoE Faculty 13 EXECUTIVE
ADMINISTRATOR Marta Cimillo
Generating IP: Recent Faculty Patents GRAPHIC DESIGN KMG
Graphic Design Studio
Forging Dynamic New Partnerships in Systems Engineering
www.soe.stevens.edu
New Arrivals 14
Faculty News 17
© 2004 Charles V. Schaefer, Jr. School of Engineering
C H A R L E S V. S C H A E F E R , J R . S C H O O L O F E N G I N E E R I N G

4. PHOTO BY ROBERT HOAR
WiNSeC
Wireless Network Security Center
Researches Safe Communications
By Patrick A. Berzinski
Stevens’ WiNSeC is distinguishing itself as the premier research center for wireless
network security in America. A new vice president is at the helm to oversee its next bold
phases, and a spectrum of government-funded interdisciplinary projects is focused on the security
of local and national communications networks. WiNSeC is a national asset dedicated to securing
the nation’s networked communications infrastructure.
Founded in 2002, WiNSeC is located in upon its acclaimed research in a variety access to the spectrum – Coordinated
the heart of the New York-New Jersey of Homeland Security applications for Dynamic Spectrum Access, we call it. The
metropolitan area. The center is focused secure wireless communications and FCC and others are interested to know
on solving technical and organizational networking. Among the recent and ongo- whether a logical system can be devised
problems associated with secure com- ing research projects, there is a strong in which one can temporarily access or
munications platforms. Wireless tech- multidisciplinary, collaborative flavor. ‘lease out’ for emergency communica-
nologies developed and tested by the tions especially, a portion of that unused
The Howe School’s Distinguished
center are certified to perform in even licensed spectrum – and how to do it
Associate Professor of Telecommunica-
the most demanding situations. The cen- efficiently and equitably."
tions Management, Kevin Ryan, has
ter has successfully partnered with gov-
teamed with colleagues from Bell Labs- The Schaefer School’s Department of
ernment agencies, academic institutions,
Lucent in a WiNSeC-sponsored project to Electrical and Computer Engineering
and industrial groups across America to
study the implications of "dynamic spec- (ECE) has had a large role in projects for
obtain research funding and pursue
trum assignment." WiNSeC, including research conducted
technology development.
by Assistant Professor K.P Subbalakshmi
.
"The problem we’re looking at," says
Today, under the leadership of the Vice and Assistant Professor R. Chandramouli
Ryan, "is that some individuals and
President for Institute Technology who operate a lab to study issues of
organizations license huge blocks of the
Initiatives, Dr. Helena S. Wisniewski "steganography" and "steganalysis" – the
communications spectrum, but use only
(interim Director of WiNSeC); WiNSeC science and art of hiding digitized infor-
a small fraction of that capacity. Given
Deputy Director, Professor Bruce McNair; mation in other digital media for secure
that the available spectrum is a precious
and WiNSeC Associate Director for transmission over possibly insecure net-
and dwindling resource, we’re studying
Business Development, Dr. Patrick E. works; the two professors also study
better ways to manage the sharing of
2 White, the center continues to expand how to extract the embedded media,

5. or if the media is malignant, how to that is inherent in the design increases
VP of Institute Technology
destroy it without obliterating the host the reliability of wireless communications Initiatives
medium. Subbalakshmi’s study for to levels comparable with land-line net-
WiNSeC has been in the area of light-
weight, error-resilient cryptography.
works. Dr. Helena S.
Professors from the School of Science
WiNSeC’s Patrick White has teamed with and Arts’ Department of Computer
Wisniewski
ECE Assistant Professor Cristina Science (CS) are heavily involved in In August 2004,
Comaniciu and Associate Professor Yu- WiNSeC activities. Associate Professor President Raveché
Dong Yao, along with WiNSeC research Rebecca Wright and Assistant Professor announced the appoint-
associate Nicolas Girard, to pursue a Susanne Wetzel are both involved in wire- ment of Dr. Helena S.
Wisniewski to the
position of Vice
"During the Republican National Convention in New York President for Institute Technology
Initiatives. Dr. Wisniewski, a distinguished
last summer, WiNSeC performed a very vital service to the Stevens’ alumna, is responsible for the
nation, setting up a wireless communications back-up link complete Technogenesis® cycle at the
Institute including: the protection of intel-
in the local region to maintain emergency communications lectual property, encouragement of new
for New York in the event of an attack or other disaster...
” and innovative partnerships, creation of
new companies and their marketplace
strategies, overseeing business services
major National Science Foundation grant less network studies funded through the that support research and the international
investigating the design and implications center by agencies of the US military. aspects of technology development, and
of advanced mobile radios that can intelli- Wright’s research involves data mining student/faculty Technogenesis programs.
gently and automatically form simultane- technology that preserves the privacy Her overall goal is to ensure that Stevens
ous associations with multiple wireless rights of non-suspects whose information is recognized as a national resource
networks. This project has implications for happens to reside in databases of interest sought after by government and industry
the battlefield and the home front. For for its extraordinary research, technology,
example, end-users could instantaneously and entrepreneurial vision.
create a broadband channel by aggregat-
Wisniewski has received awards from
ing the capacities of multiple wireless net-
government, industry, and organizations
works. Police officers could up/download
for her significant contributions to science,
critical situation awareness data while
technology, and leadership. She held lead-
responding to incidents, increasing their
ership positions as a Corporate Director at
efficiency. Furthermore, the load-sharing
Lockheed (now Lockheed Martin) and Vice
Presidencies at Titan and ANSER. She was
PHOTO BY ROBERT HOAR
founding director of the applied mathe-
matics program at the Defense Advanced
to law-enforcement and other
Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and
legal authorities. Wetzel studies
served in a key position at the CIA. She
network architecture and proto-
has extensive experience in academia and
col design, recently concluding a
serves as a Trustee.
project that uncovered a vulnera-
bility of ad-hoc Wi-Fi networks, Consistent with Stevens’ process of
and suggesting how to foil hack- Technogenesis, she founded Aurora
ers who attempt to exploit it. Biometrics, Inc., a provider of complete
biometrics systems. The company’s suite
CS Assistant Professor Elli
of products was based on advances in
Angelopoulou and Associate
mathematical modeling that she
Professor George Kamberov,
developed and patented. As its Chairman
who direct labs in computer
and CEO, she secured investment capital,
vision and visualization, jointly
developed the business, and sold the
worked on a project for WiNSeC
company, completing the process of
that investigated the properties
innovation to implementation.
of large networks of computer-
ized agents and sensors. She earned her Ph.D. in mathematics from
City University of New York, her Master of
"During the Republican National
Science degree in Mathematics from
Convention in New York last
Stevens Institute of Technology, and her
summer," says Dr. Wisniewski,
bachelor’s in mathematics from William
Professor Igor Alexandrov, Research Professor in "WiNSeC performed a vital
Paterson University (Distinguished Alumni
ISSA's Department of Physics & Engineering Physics service to the nation, setting up a
and Adjunct Project Director - Wireless Network
- 2000).
wireless communications
Security Center continued on next page
3

6. WiNSeC... continued Professor Bruce McNair Deputy Director at WiNSeC
back-up link in the local region to maintain emer- McNair's duties at WiNSeC include and systems engineering in communi-
gency communications for New York in the event of program management of funded cation systems including wireless
an attack or other disaster within the city’s bound- projects within the center; personnel communications and system/network
aries. This link remains available for emergency first management and mentoring of junior security. His research interests include
research staff; assisting the WiNSeC high-speed wireless data networking,
responders in the local New York City-New Jersey
director in staff planning and new staff real-time digital signal processing, and
area."
acquisitions; business development of software-defined radio technology.
projects; and day-to-day interactions He serves as Chief Technical Officer of
“This center is an important with faculty participating in WiNSeC Novidesic Communications LLC in
projects. Holmdel, N.J. His other industry
element in Stevens’ arsenal of experience includes more than two
"Bruce is a tremendous asset to our
expertise, working to solve work at WiNSeC," said Dean Korfiatis. decades of service at AT&T/Bell Labs.
McNair holds both a
problems of critical importance to "The breadth of his experience in com-
Bachelor’s and a
munications systems engineering is a
the scientific community, the perfect fit with the center’s mission." Master’s degree of
Engineering from
government and military, and McNair is an Industry Professor in the
Stevens.
Department of Electrical and
to the people of the United States Com-puter Engineering with more
of America. ” than 30 years experience in engineer-
ing research, design, development,
Among the many communications security projects
accomplished or in progress at WiNSeC: WiNSeC Associate Director Dr. Patrick White
• Beginning in Feb. 2004, the center joined in a one- In early 2003, Dr. Patrick White was technologist for the Communications
year, $11.5 million consortium project led by named Associate Director of WiNSeC. Group at Safeguard Scientifics, Inc.,
Lucent that is researching, developing, and He oversees the growing number of and was on the Board of Directors of
demonstrating an ultra-high capacity, highly- research efforts to strengthen the SOTAS, Inc. He was also a high-level
secure communications system for DARPA’s resilience of America’s communica- technology officer at Extant, Inc.,
Mobile Networked Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output tions networks against terrorism and Arthur D. Little, Bell Atlantic, Bellcore
(MIMO) program, also known as MNM. MIMO is a other threats. (now Telcordia) and Bell Labs. At
communications technique that uses multiple Bellcore, his team co-developed with
White is a veteran executive with 30
antennas to send and receive wireless signals at France Telecom the ATM protocol now
years communica-
ultra-high speeds. used by telecommunications carriers
tions experience
worldwide.
• WiNSeC has been awarded four out of four spanning R&D,
National Science Foundation grants. One award of business develop- White holds a doctoral degree in
$800,000 was for a wireless networking research ment, strategic Electrical and Computer Engineering
grant to a consortium led by WiNSeC, the planning and from Northwestern University. He is a
University of Colorado at Boulder, and Vanu, Inc. venture investing. past member of the FCC Technology
He was chief Advisory Council.
Another NSF grant supported development of a
testbed that combines advanced networking and
wireless communication technologies. The testbed
enabled research on systems where mobile WiNSeC's Optical Beam
devices are simultaneously connected to multiple A cornerstone of heightened home- communications systems, both for the
wireless networks and use flexible software radios land security is secure communica- battlefield and on the home front.
to improve quality of service, security, and per- tions, and a Canobeam optical beam
"What we're doing at WiNSeC is
formance. transceiver from Canon USA has been
balancing out all aspects of communi-
a big help in WiNSeC's efforts.
"This center," said Dr. Wisniewski, "is an important cations technology to provide research
Researchers are conducting funda-
element in Stevens’ arsenal of expertise, working to on connectivity," says WiNSeC
mental studies in the propagation of
solve problems of critical importance to the scientif- Network Engineer Jason Evans. "We
free-space optical signals at various
ic community, the government and military, and to examine how Canobeam and other
wave lengths, through a variety of
systems augment military and home-
the people of the United States of America. Stevens, atmospheric conditions including fog,
land communications systems, and
working together with its research partners, can smoke, haze and dust. Initial proto-
how these networks deal with transi-
devise innovative technology for more effective and types of long wavelength infrared
tioning from one to another."
affordable security, for the defense of our country. detectors have been developed to
WiNSeC is truly a vital national asset." s capitalize on the increased propaga-
tion inherent in longer wavelength
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- infrared.
Patrick A. Berzinski is Director of University The Canon unit is set on the roof at
Communications at Stevens. Stevens' Burchard Building, and is
used to assess the usefulness of many
4

7. FORCE PROTECTION
at the Center for Maritime Systems By Ben Curry
Since October 12, 2000, when terrorists the next question is how to identify However, a floating object underwater
used a small fishing boat to incapacitate whether any particular vessel is a threat or sounds much the same as a big fish, or
and nearly sink a high-tech missile not." There’s an old say- even a school of fish. "We have to learn to
destroyer worth hundreds of millions of ing that the future is just identify an underwater threat in terms of
dollars, ‘force protection’ has become a the past that hasn’t its acoustic signature," said Bruno. "Are
major focus for the US Navy. The attack on happened yet: This there unique sounds or acoustic patterns
the USS Cole made it painfully obvious neatly encapsulates associated with certain objects, as opposed
that deadly threats can come in small, low- Stevens’ strategy for to a large fish or a block of driftwood? Are
tech packages, and that there was a dearth identifying one threaten- there surface manifestations that show the
of measures that the Navy could rely upon ing boat among 1,000 presence of a threat? What are the other
to provide security for its fleet. Dr. Michael Bruno harmless ones. By clues?"
A group of researchers at Stevens’ Center looking at behavioral Research will begin with trials in the
for Maritime Systems patterns and analyzing historically how center’s towing tank, which is traditionally
(CMS) has begun a attacks with small craft are carried out, the used for testing hull designs for ships.
joint project with the researchers can predict certain threatening Eventually, Bruno hopes to build a
Office of Naval patterns of behavior. They are also collabo- mechanical device for use in the Hudson
Research that will rating with the Howe School’s Dr. Jeffrey that can reproduce the underwater and
develop technology to Nickerson on developing a software surface signatures from posited objects.
identify and track small vessels and predict system that processes data from various Once this is accomplished, trials can move
whether such vessels represent a threat. sources to predict threats. out of the tank and into the Hudson River
It may sound simple, but identifying and Another set of problems is posed by and New York Harbor. "Our divers wouldn’t
classifying small ships in ports and off- underwater threats carrying explosive have to try swimming in the Hudson,
shore areas is anything but easy. In a busy devices to ships in port. Both the FBI and exposing them to the currents and other
port environment, standard radar proves to the Coast Guard have posted warnings dangers," said Bruno. s
regarding potential attacks against fixed ________________________________________
be of no use for small vessel detection.
CMS Director Dr. Michael Bruno said, "We facilities like oil terminals as well as ships. Ben Curry is a freelance writer in
are looking at a range of technologies that Present sonar technology can easily record Hoboken, N.J.
will help us recognize small vessels, but an underwater object’s acoustic signature.
STEVENS NAMED A UNIVERSITY PARTNER
TO THE HOMELAND SECURITY INSTITUTE
By Dean Jerry Hultin
This summer, the Department of Stevens will assist HSI in providing HSI’s Director,
Homeland Security (DHS) took a major scientific, technical, and management Randall Yim, former
step forward in increasing its scientific, research along with advice on critical Managing Director of
technological, and management expertise. scientific/operational issues related to GAO’s National
It appointed a team lead by ANSER security against terrorist attacks. Other Preparedness
(Advancing National Strategies and university partners include Auburn, Division and Deputy
Georgetown, George Washington, Kansas Under Secretary of
Enabling Results) to be the sole federally-
State, and Purdue. Defense for
funded research and development center
Installations under President Clinton,
to the Science and Technology Directorate As Dean of the Howe School of Technology worked closely with me at the Pentagon
of DHS. In response, ANSER, directed by Management, I lead the Stevens team that when I was the Under Secretary of the
Dr. Ruth David, an expert on homeland initiated the relationship with HSI. Because Navy. Randall’s priorities include estab-
security and former Deputy Director for we are located in the NY/NJ region, we lishing HSI as the nation’s preeminent
Science and Technology at the CIA, formed offer the best access to the global source of homeland security research and
an independent subsidiary, the Homeland corporate leaders of the pharmaceutical, analysis. He intends to build a team,
Security Institute (HSI), to receive more telecommunications, and finance indus- including university partners ensuring that
than $30 million a year in funding. Stevens tries that surround the Institute. Each of HSI is "second to none" in the security
was named as one of its six university these areas is of critical concern to the field. I assured him that Stevens was
ready to meet this challenge. s
partners. Department of Homeland Security. 5

8. SSOE
STUDENTS
IN FOCUS SENIOR DESIGN By Aimiende Negbenebor ’04
Engineering seniors accomplish remarkable design and research innovations
in response to the needs of industry. A few of them are highlighted below.
Award-winning Entrepreneurial Seniors Improve
Medical Device
In early April, Eva Bica, George Collard, Rebecca Gonter,
Dominique Gonzalez, and Joseph Grogan advised by
Mechanical Engineering Professor Zhenqi Zhu won a poster
competition at the annual Student Poster Contest, held at the
N.J. Chapter meeting of the International Society of
Pharmaceutical Engineers (ISPE). In November, Eva presented
their project, "Remotely Operated Stitching Devices for Secure
Illustration of the Remote Stitching Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms," at the ISPE 2004
Device featuring the controller used by doctors (left) International Conference in San Antonio, Texas.
and the remote stitching tip that is used within the
patient (right) The goal of the award-winning poster project was to assist in
the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Funded by
an Advanced E-team grant from the National Collegiate
Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) to conduct the
necessary research and create a feasible solution, their project
centered on a unique method for securing the position of an
endovascular stent-graft from within the aorta, using spiral
Nitinol (Nickel Titanium alloy) clips. In order to develop the most
efficient, user-friendly, and safe device, the team engaged input
from endovascular surgeons and FDA regulations.
Currently, there are two ways to
treat AAA. The first is open sur-
gery which securely sutures the
aorta but has the drawback of
being highly invasive and costly.
The second is a non-invasive
alternative to open surgery,
George Collard, Joseph Grogan (holding an enlarged
endovascular stent-grafting (a
model of the device that transports the stitching wire to procedure similar to angioplasty)
the remote end), Eva Bica, Dominique Gonzalez and which harbors the risks of migra- Prototype of the doctor's
remote control and stitching
Rebecca Gonter tion of the graft and leakage. In wire device
order to minimize the leakage and
slippage of the stent-graft, the team designed a highly flexible
remotely operating device that mechanically secures the
endovascular stent-graft to the aorta. Its balloon centers and
holds the control system, releasing the Nitinol spiral clips that
hold the stent-graft in place against the wall of the aorta.
Using the undergraduate materials laboratory at Stevens, the
team conducted experiments in a systematic trial and error
approach. They ran tests for the best design and implementation
of the Nitinol spirals and constructed a prototype using biocom-
patible materials. The resulting device consists of three parts, a
proximal mechanism, which is inserted into the patient, a distal
mechanism, which the doctor uses to control the proximal end,
and a connector between them.
Supported by the Stevens Patent Committee, the team is seek-
ing intellectual property rights to the innovative aspects of their
device which can be used on any stent-graft and may potentially
be extended to other uses. Once their provisional patent is com-
plete, they intend to market the device to medical device manu-
facturing companies for potential licensing agreements.
6

9. TKR system CAD ren-
Engineering and Realization of the Total Knee dering (below) and
prototype fitted to a
Replacement (TKR) System
model knee (left)
The first total knee replacement surgeries were performed in the
1960’s, using hinged implants. These designs were unsuccessful
because they constrained the natural rotation and bending of the
knee. In the mid seventies, condylar total knee implants allowing
knee rotation were designed. By the nineties, more effective
implants allowed TKR to become widely accepted as a treatment
for patients suffering from severe knee pain and disability caused
by damage to the cartilage from arthritis or trauma.
In 2004, Mia Molfino and Michael C. Phipps were part of a design
and manufacturing team developing a cutting-edge knee system
that allowed patients to regain normal pain-free knee function.
The device achieved superior perform- Mia Molfino and
ance to existing systems on the market. Michael C. Phipps
Mia and Mike were instrumental in the
design and manufacture of a system that
allows deeper flexion, less constraint, and
more rotation which translated into more Biometric Security on Campus: the "Thumb-Thing"
natural motion for the patient. The intend-
Today, the importance of reliable personal security and authori-
ed design philosophy was implemented
zation has increased dramatically with the rise in credit card
and analyzed with the help of computer-
and identity theft. Identification cards, the main form of
aided design programs and simulation
personal ID, are highly susceptible to fraud. A team advised by
software.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Professor Bruce McNair
Working with their sponsor, Stryker Orthopaedics, Mia and Mike developed a biometric system that uses thumbprints as identifi-
evaluated the knee system on-site at Stryker's Advanced cation for both entry and credit access. Rather than needing to
Technology Department, and by conducting cadaver studies with provide an ID card or remember a password, individuals simply
surgeons, they learned how the implant would perform within the press their thumb on the fingerprint scanner. The details of the
body prior to use by a patient. Advised by Mechanical
Engineering Professor Kishore Pochiraju and Project Coordinator
Peter Verrillo ‘99, they focused on the manufacturing, testing, and ...the system could replace ID cards for
evaluation of the system including: meals, duckbills, dormitory/building access,
• Evaluation of manufacturability and production issues for both photocopies, and laundry and other facili-
the femoral and tibial components;
• Final inspection and manufacturing ties that require identification for access.
drawings;
• Mechanical testing of production
quality components and analysis of thumbprint are compared against a database of authorized
the resultant data; users. Once a match is made, the individual is authenticated
• Cadaver study and intraoperative and granted access.
trialing and analysis of resultant Joseph Marques, Michael Andrews, Yohanna Ayala, Brian
data; Podolsky and Jennifer Willis designed the "Thumb-Thing" as a
• Evaluation and input of design by potential replacement for student ID cards on college
surgeons for acceptance in the field. campuses. At Stevens, for example, the system could replace
Conducted as a part of their Co-op and senior design project ID cards for meals, duckbills, dormitory/building access, photo-
experiences, Mike and Mia helped meet a real-world system copies, and laundry and other facilities that require identifica-
design and manufacturing challenge with technical expertise, tion for access. Their successful final prototype used a PDA as a
teamwork and out-of-the-box innovative thinking. user interface, a fingerprint scanner (provided by Cross Match
Technologies, Inc.), and a laptop computer which
ran the comparison algorithm, a database, and
graphical interface. The computer aurally
prompted users to scan their thumbs and
informed them of the results. It maintained a
quick response time and could easily be adapted
to the needs found at most college campuses and
businesses. Building upon their success, future
devices could check for a pulse as well as temper-
ature and voltage differentials.
Jennifer Willis, Dean Korfiatis, Yohanna Ayala, Joseph
Marques, Michael Andrews and Brian Podolsky 7

10. SSOE
STUDENTS
IN FOCUS SENIOR DESIGN Continued
The Evolution Robotic Frontiers
from Analog to Digital Radio Multiple mobile robot coordination has until now been a
Software Defined Radio is the foundation of generally underdeveloped branch of mechanical control
the first truly universal wireless device engineering. Jacquelene McCarthy, Jared Sapp and Robert
enabling the switch from analog to digital Somma advised by Mechanical Engineering Professor Jae-
radio processing. With an increasing variety of Hung Chung used sensors, a CMU Camera, Lego-based
wireless services and the increased demand for rotational encoders, IR demodulators, and Lego-touch sen-
RF (radio frequency) spectrum, there is a grow- sors to coordi-
ing interest in equipment that is flexible enough nate tasks
to adapt to changing channel and interference shared
conditions and that will allow interoperation with between two
myriad legacy systems. mobile Handy
Using the Flex Radio (SDR- Bug robots.
1000), Bethel Assefa, They engi-
Matthew Isaacs, Tsing-Hua neered a dis-
Chen, Rommy Guevara, tributed control
and Sze-Yam Kan, together schematic to
with graduate research
assistant Nishant Kumar,
successfully developed an Jacquelene McCarthy, Jared
Sapp and Robert Somma
intelligent expandable soft-
ware-based system, which minimize the possibility
detects channel conditions of mission failure and
and then adapts between working with the
frequencies and data rates "Handy Board", a micro-
allowing for the highest processor developed by
quality frequency at signifi- MIT, they successfully
Graphical User Interface cantly reduced bandwidth. programmed two robots to communicate effectively and
Advised by the Director of accomplish a coordinated assigned task of locating and
the Wireless Information Systems Engineering Laboratory pushing an oblong box towards a predetermined goal. Their
(WISELAB), Professor Yu-Dong Yao, their investigation into work paves the way for the addition of future dynamic
software defined radio platforms was supported by variables that will eventually result in the robots interacting
funding from the National Science Foundation through the in joint exploration, rescue and retrieval missions. s
Wireless Network Security Center and the Department of ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Electrical and Computer Engineering. Aimiende Negbenebor is a recent graduate of the Electrical
and Computer Engineering Department
STEVENS HOSTS WEST POINT CADETS
Recently, the Schaefer School’s Department of
Systems Engineering and Engineering Management
(SEEM) hosted a group of cadets studying in the
Department of Systems Engineering at the US
Military Academy at West Point.
SEEM Professor Kate Abel and a group of SEEM
students welcomed the cadets, who talked with
and received a tour of Davidson Lab from
Professor Alan Blumberg of the Center for
Maritime Systems.
Following a guided tour of the Stevens campus,
both Stevens and West Point groups took a ferry
to New York City for a fascinating visit to the USS Intrepid.
"A good time was had by all," said Professor Abel. "We look
forward to hosting our West Point friends again in the
spring of 2005."
8

11. STEVENS NEW UNDERGRADUATE
PHOTOGRAPHY CLUB: CONCENTRATIONS:
CREATIVE ENGINEERS
PLUGGING THE GAP IN AMERICAN NAVAL
Ryan Donovan, a mechanical engi- ENGINEERING EDUCATION
neering major, possesses a cre-
ative side. After receiving a cam- A critical need recognized by The program is conducted in concert with
era two years ago, he began to the Navy is the innovative Stevens leadership in the Office of Naval
design of ships and in Research’s Atlantic Center for the
take pictures of the Hoboken-
particular naval vessels, which Innovative Design and Control of Small
NYC area and trained under a
are expected to constitute the Ships, and in collaboration with
well-respected professional
primary area for future careers University College, London, which has
Hoboken photographer. While studying
in the US ship design and one of the leading ship design
photography, Ryan also became active in building enterprise. Aside from educational programs in the world.
the Stevens Photography Club. programs geared to the training of
"Photography appeals to me because it naval officers, there are few degree For more information contact:
combines both logic and creativity. There programs whose mission is to train Dr. Michael Bruno
are ‘formulas’ for what are considered the civilians who will work in
Professor and Director of the Center for
interesting pictures, but there still exists shipyards, design offices, and Navy
Maritime Systems
that element of imagination." bureaus, filling needs for both
military and non-military vessels. email: mbruno@stevens.edu
Building on its research strengths and
PHOTO BY RYAN DONOVAN
long term leadership in the field,
Stevens is well-placed to offer a
concentration in Naval Engineering
under the auspices of its broad-based
Engineering curriculum. It will leverage
existing courses in ocean engineering
as well as existing experimental and
modeling facilities to promote creative
ship designs.
ENGINEERING FOR AN
INFORMATION DRIVEN SOCIETY
The Departments of Systems Engineering focus area in information systems manage-
and Engineering Management (SEEM) and ment or networked information systems.
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE)
For more information please contact:
jointly offer an Information Systems
Engineering (ISE) concentration in the Dr. Stuart Tewksbury
undergraduate curriculum. Director and Professor
Today, Ryan is the president of the
The goal of the ISE concentration is to Electrical and Computer Engineering
Stevens Photography Club. He has phone: 201.216.8096
assisted in photographing wed- produce graduates with a broad engineer-
ing foundation who can be effective in the email:stewksbu@stevens.edu
dings professionally and continues
to experiment with black and white analysis, design, construction, implemen-
Dr. John Farr
tation and management of information
fine art photography. Ryan’s and the Director and Professor
systems. Systems Engineering and Engineering
Photo Club’s work can be seen
throughout campus, specifically in The program consists of a core of six Management
the Computer Service Center and on classes taken by all students in the con- phone: 201.216.8103
display in the Jacobus Lounge. In centration. A student can choose either a email: jfarr@stevens.edu
addition, there are plans for a
photography show in DeBaun
Auditorium. If anyone is interested in The following are typical electives within each focus.
Ryan’s prints featured in this Network Information Systems (NIS) Information Systems Management (ISM)
publication, please contact Ryan at
• CpE 360 Data Structures and • EM 301 Engineering Cost Management
rdonovan@stevens.edu.
Algorithms • EM 466 Total Quality Control
For more information • CpE 490 Information Systems I • SYS 510 Business Process Engineering
on area photography please visit • EE 441 Introduction to Wireless
www.bkdog.com or www.eschlipf.com. Systems
9

12. SSOE
HERITAGE WARREN G. WELLS ’42:
GROUNDED IN TRADITION,
WITH AN EYE TO THE FUTURE
By Patrick A. Berzinski
"If you ever want to learn the score in anything around
Stevens, Warren is your man." So read the gossipy write-
up about graduating senior Warren Wells in the Stevens
Link of 1942. "No matter what you
ask him," it continued, "he will
readily give you the pertinent
information. The stuff will be
reliable, too, since Warren’s name
is continually on the Dean’s List."
To many in the Stevens ing education at Stevens, as well as
community, Warren Wells is still the far-sighted vision that has
"the man who knows the score." inspired Warren Wells to give so
Wells has worn many hats in his generously to the Institute that gave
successful career – WWII radar him a great start. These two new labs
specialist, university instructor, are perhaps the most revolutionary
Class of 1942 alumnus
automation engineer, co-founder additions to the undergraduate
Warren Wells
and treasurer of his own compa- engineering facilities in years.
ny, and a designer of complex Wells’ generosity in giving is nothing "The way Warren and his classmates
moveable sets for the Broadway new. In the early 1990’s, he served as have improved and established many
Theater. Chairman of the Theater Restoration of our engineering labs has been
But perhaps his most important Committee that raised $2.5 million for inspirational," said Assistant Vice
role in recent years has been as a the renovation of the re-dedicated President for Development Marjorie
catalyst for the upgrade and con- DeBaun Auditorium. In 1994-95, he H. Everitt. "Warren’s role has been
struction of undergraduate labs for was a key volunteer on the Kresge central to what has been accom-
Challenge Campaign, plished. It makes it all the more
helping to raise meaningful that his continued help is
$1,500,000 for the com- so significant and forward-looking."
pletion of the Schaefer
Athletic Center.
He and his late wife Ruth
personally donated their
lake house as a "retained
life estate" to Stevens in
the late 1990’s.
Another donation fund-
Professor Thurston’s torsion testing machine.
Professor Thurston’s torsion testing machine.
ed the renovation of the
Warren and Ruth Wells
Warren Wells with Bessie and George Korfiatis Engineering Design Lab
located in the McLean
future generations of Stevens Building. Wells has also encouraged
engineering students. Wells’ fellow 1942 classmates to adopt addi-
most exciting contribution is tional labs. Consequently, two other
about to be realized in the form labs were renovated with their sup-
of two new undergrad facilities: port: The Elsie Hattrick Design
The Interactive Digital Media Laboratory and the Betty & Art
Lab and The Biomedical Francis Microelectronics Systems
Engineering Lab. Both repre- Laboratory, both on the first floor of
sent new frontiers in engineer- the Burchard Building.
10

13. Richard Reeves
M.E. '60
Robert Thurston, who served as ASME’s first In September, Richard
President from 1880 to 1882, joined Stevens as Reeves M.E. '60, the
a professor of mechanical engineering in March internationally
1871. He established the first acclaimed Pulitzer Prize
mechanical laboratory for research finalist and Peabody-
and testing along with the first and Emmy-Award winning historian
curriculum that combined theory and political writer, visited the
and research with practical shop Stevens Family Archives at the
experience. The mechanical labo- Williams Library to meet with Richard
Widdicombe, Library Director, Patrick
ratory, which was established in
Berzinski, Director of University
1875, was the first of record in the
Communications, and Justin Galler an
United States to combine research,
independent documentary producer.
instruction, and commercial work.
Currently finishing a major biography
It focused on the field of materials,
of President Reagan, Reeves is investi-
friction, and standardization of
gating the prospect of a video docu-
methods for testing boilers, and mentary and book about the
internal combustion and steam Stevenses, including the stories of
engines. Professor Thurston was Col. John Stevens, Robert Livingston
widely published and held two Stevens, and Edwin Augustus
patents, one for an autographic recording test- Stevens, the founder of the Institute.
ing machine for material in torsion, and one for Reeves is well-known for his biogra-
a machine for testing lubricants. phies of several recent presidents and
for an award-winning PBS documen-
tary on the life of the 19th century
ASME Celebra tes French social historian Alexis de
125 Years a Stevens
t Tocqueville. – PB
By Dr. Costas Chassapis,
Director of Mechanical Engineering
The ASME Mission: "To promote and enhance the technical
The American Society of competency and professional well-being of our members, and
Mechanical Engineers (ASME) through quality programs and activities in mechanical engineer-
was founded on April 7, 1880 at ing, better enable its practitioners to contribute to the well-being
Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken,
New Jersey. About 80 engineers - industri- of humankind."
alists, educators, technical journalists,
and offers hundreds of professional Williams Library.
designers, shipbuilders, military engineers,
development courses each year.
and inventors, including Stevens Professor On April 9th, the Mechanical Engineering
Robert W. Thurston - assembled ASME's To mark the 125th Anniversary of the Department in conjunction with the
first Board of Governors. Society's founding, Stevens Institute of Stevens student chapter of the ASME,
Technology, the Schaefer School of under the leadership of Robert Hoar –
Today's ASME is a premier 120,000-mem-
Engineering, and the Department of President, Chloe Weck – VP David Velasco –
,
ber professional organization for promoting
Mechanical Engineering will host several Secretary and Joe Farco – Treasurer, will
the art, science, and practice of mechanical
events April 7-9, 2005, on Stevens’ campus. host the ASME Regional Student Confer-
and multidisciplinary
Among these will be a black-tie commemo- ence and student design competition.
engineering and allied
ration and awards gala to be held in the
sciences throughout For more information on the anniversary
Frederick L. Bissinger Room on the evening
the world. Focused on of April 7th. President Raveché and Dean celebration and concert, please contact
technical, educational Korfiatis will preside over the festivities. On Marta Cimillo at 201-216-5263. s
and research issues of the evening of April 8th, in the Grace E. and
the engineering and Kenneth W. DeBaun Auditorium, there will Robert Hoar ‘06, President
technology community, be a lecture given by the recipient of the of Stevens’ ASME
ASME conducts one of Roe Medal, and a performance by the student chapter, is also VP
the world's largest Romanian Orchestra of Engineers - a of Student Government,
technical publishing unique 50-year-old orchestra of practicing a member of Beta Theta
operations, holds engineers from the Bucharest Pi, and actively partici-
numerous technical Philharmonic. The concert will be followed pates with the Entertainment
conferences worldwide, by a champagne reception at the Samuel C. Committee and Yearbook, the LINK.
11

14. NEW
GRADUATE EXPLORING INNOVATIONS IN DESIGN,
PROGRAM FABRICATION, AND ADVANCED DIGITAL MEDIA
By John Nastasi, Architect
This fall, 20 students of diverse backgrounds began a course of graduate
study that will earn them a master’s degree in product-architecture and
engineering.
As founding Director of the Product-
Architecture Lab, my objective is to
encourage these future design and
building professionals to embrace
collaborative work methods as they
pursue nascent topics in design in
the context of manufacturing
methodologies and advanced mate-
rial studies. The program brings into
question long-standing and sepa-
Design of a prototype for a 2-bedroom, 1,500-square-
rate traditions in the education of
foot suburban home to be built in Woodcliffe Lake, N.J.
designers and engineers, and in (above) will be constructed from a kit, with some sub-
doing so forges a distinctive fusion assemblies put together off-site and later shipped via
of design culture, technology, and truck to the site for final erection.
services.
In its inaugural year, The Product- and their component parts, with an
Architecture Lab has captured the national emphasis on understanding design and
attention of innovators in the design production technologies, so that they may
industry. Gehry Technologies of Los seek innovative ways to build sophisticat-
Angeles, Tri-Pyramid Structures, an inte- ed forms. Current design and research
grated design and manufacturing compa- projects include the enclosure and interac-
ny in Westford, MA, as well as BitForms, a tive exhibition for the Concorde, currently
The “Speaker Pavilion” world-renowned NYC art gallery involved housed on the Hudson River in the
located in Princeton, N.J., Intrepid Museum; “Apse-traction, the
”
was designed for Cornel in the convergences of art and technolo-
gy, are among the program’s research architectural design and fabrication for a
West, an academic known
for his provocative explo- collaborators. local church in Hoboken; interactive and
rations of religion and racial information design for an upcoming
issues. The pavilion is made The program is headquartered in Stevens’ commercial airline launch; the design of a
of an aluminum honeycomb historic Carnegie Laboratory — a facility prefabricated suburban house prototype;
material used in the aero- that at the turn of the last century and the parametric design of a surfboard
space industry; chosen for its
simultaneous opacity, trans-
emerged as a state-of-the-art manufactur- integrating algorithmically-based shape
parency, and reflectivity, ing facility. With the recent addition of the optimization methodologies.
which plumb "the ideas of advanced digital media lab — a suite of
barrier, threshold, and trans- PCs and Macs; design software such as Both the "Speaker Pavilion" and the
parency" as they pertain to CATIA, Digital Project, Maya, Rhino, and "Apse-traction" projects, recently, received
both architecture and race Professional Design Awards from the N.J.
relations. Solidworks; video editing and digital
imaging software; 3D scanners and other Chapter of the American Institute of
gear – the Product-Architect Lab leaps into Architects.
this new century at the forefront of design For further information, please visit our
and manufacturing technology. web site at:
The current student body — a mix of http://www.stevens.edu/prodarch
architects, engineers, product designers, To schedule a tour of the program and
mathematicians, and computer scientists facilities, please email the director at:
— are grouped in interdisciplinary teams jnastasi@stevens.edu s
which study product design, buildings,
v The expansion of a century-old Norwegian Christian church
presented the opportunity to contrast late 19th century
religious architecture with 21st century design and
manufacturing methodologies.
The interactive installation for the Concorde incorporates
v
Computational Fluid Dynamics analysis of air pressure as a
result of wing design and sonic boom transition. Interactive
12 system projects video image onto vapor screen.

15. GENERATING IP: FACULTY
RECENT FACULTY PATENTS IN FOCUS
The Highly Filled Materials Institute's patent covering a novel method and apparatus for
the determination of particle size distributions (Dr. Rahmi Yazici and Dr. Dilhan Kalyon)
was issued on June 15, 2004 (US Patent #6,751,287). This method complements earlier
developed analysis methods of HfMI on the quantitative characterization of structural
distributions including the quantitative characterization of degree of mixedness.
Dr. Dinesh Verma and Dr. Caroline Smith were awarded US Patent #6,763,337, issued
July 13, 2004, for "Weighted Wedge Defuzzification for Conceptual System Design
Evaluation," a method and a system for applying the method, for an exact and
computationally efficient solution for defuzzification that uses linear and non-linear
weighted wedge approaches.
Dr. Christos Christodoulatos and Dr. George P Korfiatis were awarded US Patent
.
#6,752,926, issued July 22, 2004, for "A method and apparatus for treatment of
wastewater," a closed bioreactor for high organic carbon removal and ammonia
conversion in high-strength wastes under microgravity conditions.
Dr. Ronald Besser was issued US Patent #6,731,061, May 4, 2004, for "A Dual-Layer
Electroplated Structure for a Flat Panel Display Device. "The patent describes a process
for generating a metallization layer, through electroplating, which is novel in that it is
suspended above the substrate and hence can be used as a floating electrode to steer electrons emitted
from the surface of the device. This process was developed by Dr. Besser when he held the position of
Senior Scientist at Candescent Technologies Corporation of San Jose, California. s
FORGING DYNAMIC NEW PARTNERSHIPS IN SYSTEMS ENGINEERING
The Federal Aviation Administration School of Technology and Design at Program, administered and
(FAA) and Stevens Växjö will explore opportunities of delivered by SDOE to the
A Partnership Agreement in Systems mutual benefit such as a Heavy Vehicles employees of
Engineering Education and Research R&D program, collaborative faculty Northrop Grumman.
was signed between the FAA’s William J. research, and faculty/student exchange.
Stevens and ARDEC
Hughes Technical Center and Stevens. Undergraduate and graduate student
The agreement provides for a Systems exchanges will be established between A Memorandum of
Engineering Graduate the international offices of both Agreement was signed
Education Program for universities and will include between Stevens and the United
the William J. Hughes collaborative virtual team projects. States Army Armament Research,
Technical Center and Development and Engineering
Stevens and the Air Force Institute of
involves collaboration on Center (ARDEC) to affirm the
Technology
the development of sys- establishment of a cooperative
tems engineering related research ideas, A Memorandum of Understanding was relationship that leverages the
themes, and topics of mutual interest. signed between Stevens and the Air strengths of both institutions in
Force Institute of Technology, WPAFB in the formulation of an "Army
Stevens and Växjö University: Academic
Dayton, Ohio, with the goal of Center of Excellence in Systems
Collaboration
leveraging the strengths of both Engineering." s
Stevens and Växjö University, Sweden, organizations towards the betterment
signed a Memorandum of Understand- of Systems Engineering application
ing, the result of several conversations and implementation through research,
between Stevens’ Associate Dean education, and executive training.
Dinesh
Northrop Grumman and Stevens
Verma and
Växjö A Memorandum of Understanding was
Associate signed between Northrop Grumman
Professor Corporation-
Håkan Bard. Airborne Early
The Warning and
Schaefer Electronic Warfare Systems and Stevens’
Dean Korfiatis and Dean System Design and Operational
School of
Lars O. Rask of the School
Engineering Effectiveness Program (SDOE) to
of Technology and Design at
Växjö University, Sweden at Stevens provide for an exclusive Master of
signing the MOU and the Engineering in Systems Engineering
13