Mechanical engineering student Sam Walker and his solar trailer.
As a mechanical engineering student committed to energy efficiency, Sam Walker designed and built a solar trailer with two other OSU engineering students.

When Sam Walker wanted to build a solar trailer for his senior design project, his professors balked. Most projects were either industry sponsored or based on faculty research, not on the design whims of a student.

But Walker stuck with his vision to build a mobile station that could supply power using solar energy — and luckily so. After writing a formal proposal and raising thousands of dollars, his professors agreed to let him design, build, and present the trailer at the annual Engineering Expo. Continue reading

How an experience with the Energy Efficiency Center prepared Mike Knapp for the world of manufacturing

Mike Knapp, Oregon State College of Engineering alumnusMike Knapp, a facilities operation engineer for Samsung Austin Semiconductors, came out of Oregon State with impressive academic and professional credentials. He earned a B.S. in chemical engineering in 2009, and went on to receive an M.S. in chemical engineering and M.B.A. both in 2013. He was also an operations manager for the Energy Efficiency Center, a student-run and faculty-supported program in the College of Engineering that performs assessments for rural and industrial clients throughout the Pacific Northwest. There, he gained first-hand manufacturing experience through energy assessments for breweries, large manufacturers, and food processing centers alike.

Knapp is now is Austin, Texas, where he’s responsible for processing and cleaning wastewater from semiconductor manufacturing processes. He also assists with other facilities such as ultra pure water for processes and HVAC systems.

We got in touch with Knapp to learn more about what skills prepared him for a career in manufacturing, and his advice to students wanting to enter the field. Continue reading

Alexandria Moseley
Alexandria Moseley

Congratulations to Alexandria Moseley, a recent graduate who made the Society of Manufacturing Engineers 30 Under 30 list! With a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and another in manufacturing engineering, Alexandria distinguished herself as a student leader and role model. She was chair of her SME student chapter, an Oregon State Engineering Ambassador, and, at various times, a research or teaching assistant. In addition, she participated in the competitive MECOP program, which places high-achieving students into two, six-month industry internships. As a result of her dedication and academic contributions, she was recognized as one of the 15 New Faces of Engineering (College Edition) by National Engineers Week 2012.

We are proud of Alexandria and wish her luck as she pursues a master’s degree in engineering management at Technical University of Denmark in Copenhagen. To read more, visit the SME website.

–Abby P. Metzger

 

By Staci Van Norman

Staci Van Norman
Staci Van Norman

Energy is a constant topic of debates locally, nationally and internationally. The discussion about where and how we should obtain energy to maintain our way of life is an important issue. Clean, domestic, accessible, sustainable and economical; new and existing energy systems are being vetted every day based on these criteria. I am just one of the many people working toward a balanced new solution to our energy needs.

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“Dreams may have something to do with humans never being satisfied, which is why we go exploring in the first place”
–Don Pettit.

Being ranked fourth of all NASA astronauts for time in space, Pettit is kept busy conducting experiments, creating science videos, and even planting zucchini that’s out of this world…. literally. Read the whole story on his space dreams here.

–Chelsi Rayford