September, 2014
BME doctoral student receives NDSEG Fellowship
Sep. 19, 2014—Oscar Ayala, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering at Vanderbilt University, has been awarded a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship. The NDSEG Fellowship is sponsored and funded by the Department of Defense. Ayala’s fellowship is awarded through the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. Awarded annually to only about 200 students who...
Former engineering professor Ephrahim Garcia dies
Sep. 17, 2014—Ephrahim Garcia, Cornell University professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, died Sept. 10 as the result of a stroke at age 51. Before joining the Cornell faculty, Garcia was a program manager in the Defense Sciences Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency from 1998-2002. Garcia joined the mechanical engineering faculty at Vanderbilt University...
Fukushima investigator reveals nuclear lessons for U.S.
Sep. 16, 2014—Better design before the March 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant disaster and better communication after could have softened its horrifying impact, a report issued in July from the National Academy of Sciences concluded. Instead, about 80,000 people had to be evacuated, the economic toll topped $250 billion (U.S.), and Japan shut down all nuclear power...
Landman takes Outstanding Teacher Award for ISMRM talk
Sep. 16, 2014—Of all the professors who spoke during a recent International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine course, the crowd appreciated Vanderbilt Engineering’s Bennett Landman the most. Landman, assistant professor of electrical engineering, learned this week that he won the society’s Outstanding Teacher Award for his talk “Compressed Sensing for Fast Acquisition.” It was part of...
Vanderbilt Engineering alum breaks down tough concepts … and tough-to-hear news
Sep. 15, 2014—If Scott Potter is on your TV, it’s probably not going to be good news. The director of Nashville’s water and sewer system earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Vanderbilt University and often wears his school lanyard on camera. He’s got the difficult job of telling residents when there’s a problem with their...
Sustainability, Habitat’s mission inspire Solar Decathlon team
Sep. 11, 2014—The breathtaking winner of last year’s Solar Decathlon was an ultramodern, mostly wooden showplace with a minimalist vibe and series of white, lace-cut UV curtains pulled across the outside. But could it fit on an infill lot in a Middle Tennessee neighborhood? Could it be duplicated again and again at a reasonable price and by...
Blasting scheduled for Engineering and Science Building site
Sep. 11, 2014—Construction continues at the site of the new Engineering and Science Building, located near 25th Avenue South on the former Olin Lawn. Blasting at the site is scheduled to begin Sept. 17 and run through Oct. 29. Blasting is planned for 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day. If the contractor cannot perform...
Vanderbilt Engineering leaps four spots on U.S. News annual rankings
Sep. 9, 2014—The Vanderbilt University School of Engineering took a four-spot leap in the annual U.S. News and World Report undergraduate school rankings, grabbing No. 31 in a five-way tie – its best position ever. Vanderbilt University overall came in at No. 16 after maintaining its No. 17 spot for five years, also earning its best place...