The Catholic University of America School Of Engineering

Engineering Alumni, mark your calendars !

The School of Engineering is hosting an Alumni Reception on Friday, September 20th, to kick off Cardinal Weekend 2024. The event will take place from 4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. in the Scullen Room at Pangborn Hall.

Join our faculty, staff, and students for an evening to celebrate the achievements of our alumni and the progress of the school. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres will be provided !

To register, click the following link and select this event in your Cardinal Weekend 2024 registration: https://catholic.events.alumniq.com/go/cw24?_ga=2.92261978.1564662226.1722862481-1295095687.1694450111&_gl=1*wsp9mc*_ga*MTI5NTA5NTY4Ny4xNjk0NDUwMTEx*_ga_434GM4BP0G*MTcyMzEyNTAyMy43NS4wLjE3MjMxMjUwMjMuMC4wLjA.

For additional information, contact Annaliese Haman at [email protected]. To request accommodations for individuals with disabilities, call 202-319-6031.

The 2024 Building Engineers for Safer Traffic (B.E.S.T.) Summit is a FREE 2-day summer camp for high school students hosted at The Catholic University of America! Motivated students will learn about transportation engineering and safe roadway design, through completing lab activities on curbside management, intersection sight distance, and wheelchair accessibility, all while learning from professionals, touring DC's road infrastructure, and implementing their own safe roadway design!

Who may participate?
DC-area high school students that are rising-freshmen, -sophomores, -juniors, -seniors, and recent 2024 graduates. Students may be enrolled in public, private, and home schools in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Students who are interested in engineering, civil engineering, architecture, urban planning, or civil engagement are encouraged to participate!

When and where will this occur?
The summer camp will be held on Monday, July 15th and Tuesday, July 16th. Students will meet at the School of Engineering in Pangborn Hall, Engineering Lab 200, from 10:00am - 2:30pm on both days. Lunch and snacks will be provided!

Fill out this form to express your interest!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfqmUIxXZiq5ppCoihraBqsUFr6rmaFSx_GwFEYEjEybnkE2Q/viewform

Visit the B.E.S.T. Summer Camp website for additional information:
https://sites.google.com/cua.edu/bestdc/summer-camp

Check out Class of 2024 graduate Elijah Feret’s Student Spotlight profile below !

Elijah earned a Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering (B.B.E) with a minor in Chemistry and Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering through the school’s Accelerated Bachelors/Masters Program. In addition, he served as a research assistant in the Department of Biomedical Engineering—working on biological printing and hydrogel cross-linking and networking—and competed on the Men’s Swimming and Diving team.

He will begin his Ph.D. in Nanoscale Engineering at The State University of New York at Albany this upcoming fall.

Link to Elijah's Student Spotlight Profile: https://communications.catholic.edu/news/2024/06/bioengineering-student-champion-in-the-classroom-and-the-pool.html

Back in April, undergraduate students from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering competed in two events at the 2024 Mid-Atlantic West American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Student Symposium at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia. The students—who are members of Catholic University’s ASCE Student Chapter—competed in the following two events: ASCE Concrete Canoe Competition and AISC/ASCE Student Steel Bridge Competition.

The Concrete Canoe Team—Michael Tysko (2023-2024 ASCE student chapter president and team captain), William Granci, Serena Tewoldeberhan, Jennifer Eattock, Anna Basola, Henry Ogden, Fatima DeLeon, Fiorela Morales-Aleman, Reagan Fawcett, and Jessica Beck—placed 3rd in the canoe races and 5th overall.

The Steel Bridge team—Alex Ferrari (team captain), Miles Shealy, Aidan Long, Patrick Dunphy, Helen McDaniel, Jessica Lee, John McLaughlin, Leonardo Morales, Pablo Carreno, and Ethan Hinds—placed 1st in lightness, 2nd in efficiency, and 4th overall.

To read the full article, and to access additional information about the competition and the ASCE Student Chapter at Catholic University, visit the following website: https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2024/06/civil-and-environmental-engineering-students-compete-at-the-2024-mid-atlantic-west-asce-student-symposium.html

We had the pleasure of celebrating this year's bachelor's, master's, and doctoral graduates, at the School of Engineering Diploma Ceremony on May 11th, 2024. Our school is proud of the accomplishments and success of these students, and we look forward to seeing all that they achieve in the years to come!

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 !

On Monday, April 29th, 2024, the School of Engineering hosted the 16th annual Senior Design Day in the Pryzbyla Center Great Rooms. Each senior design group had the opportunity to present their final capstone project to the faculty, staff, family members, and students who attended. In addition, the projects were judged by several School of Engineering faculty members, with students competing for the following awards: Best Presentation, Best Poster, and Best Overall Project.

Following the oral presentations, students and attendees gathered for the poster session, to further discuss the students' projects, as well as to celebrate the accomplishments they have made over the course of the year. The day came to a close with the award ceremony. Dean John Judge presented the awards to the winning groups and congratulated all of the seniors for their hard work and success this year.

This was a wonderful event, that truly exemplified the achievements of the School of Engineering Class of 2024. To see this year’s winning projects and to access additional information regarding the senior design capstone project, visit the following websites:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/student-experience/senior-design23/senior-design-24/index.html

https://engineering.catholic.edu/student-experience/senior-design23/senior-design-24/awards-senior-design-day-2024/index.html

Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

Special thanks to the following corporate sponsors, who helped make this day possible: Clark Construction, Michael Baker International, Forrester Construction, Naval Surface Warfare Center — Carderock, Hawkeye Medtech, International Institute for the Brain, Quality of Life Plus, Newport News Shipbuilding, and Share International.

Mr. Joseph Logue, School of Engineering Board of Visitors member and CEO of Two Six Technologies, was recently interviewed by i-Heart Radio in their “CEOs You Should Know” series. They discussed his successful career in technology and business, as well as his expertise and leadership in large-scale information technology transformation programs, both in the government and commercial sectors.

The interview also showcased his involvement and contributions to the School of Engineering at The Catholic University of America. In addition to serving on the Board of Visitors for the school, Mr. Logue is also an adjunct faculty member, who teaches on the business fundamentals of engineering, financial processes, and business operations, strategy, and innovation. He earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from Catholic University in 1987 and an M.S. in technology management from the University of Maryland in 1997.

We encourage you to listen to the full interview here: https://iheartsportsdc.iheart.com/featured/ceos-you-should-know/content/2024-04-18-joe-logue-ceo-two-six-technologies/

To learn more about Mr. Logue, visit the following websites:
https://engineering.catholic.edu/about-us/board-of-visitors/Logue-Joe/index.html
https://twosixtech.com/team-member/joe-logue/

Joe Logue, CEO, Two Six Technologies | 1190 iHeart Sports DC | M&T Bank Presents CEOs You Should Know Get to know the area's most influential CEOs close up and personal.

Attention CatholicU Alumni in Atlanta! We're hosting a casual happy hour in Buckhead next week -- and would love for you to join us. Grab a friend and make plans to attend on May 1st, 2024.

Click here to RSVP: https://advance.catholic.edu/index.cfm/events:register/home/eventId/588?_ga=2.119071562.232518335.1713788753-251200915.1695665423&_gl=1*75ftad*_ga*MjUxMjAwOTE1LjE2OTU2NjU0MjM.*_ga_434GM4BP0G*MTcxMzg4NDI4MS40NDcuMS4xNzEzODg0NDIxLjAuMC4w

Three School of Engineering undergraduate students (John Gravino, Paul DiMarzio, Marci Brown) and Dr. Jeffrey Herrmann (Department of Mechanical Engineering) attended the Collegiate Robotic Football Conference, 2024 National Championship and Combine in Valparaiso, Indiana.

This was the first trip for the recently formed School of Engineering Robotics Club. The students had the opportunity to compete in the event through joining teams, with students from Valparaiso University and Calvin University, and operating the robots during the tournament games. It was an excellent introduction to a robotics competition for the club and the students look forward to attending more events like this in the future!

For more information on the event, visit the following website: https://collegeroboticfootball.org/

Today is the day we have been waiting for, Founders Day! On this day in 1887, Pope Leo XIII sent a letter to Cardinal James Gibbons, Archbishop of Baltimore, giving his formal approval for the founding of The Catholic University of America.

We celebrate this special day by coming together as a community for a giving challenge! This year we are thrilled to announce all donations to the School of Engineering will be matched up to $5,000 and if we can get 40 alumni under 40 to give, we can unlock an additional gift of $5,000. Help us meet our goals and give today!

Visit https://foundersday.catholic.edu/ to make a difference!

is TOMORROW, April 10th, 2024. We are gearing up for an incredible day of giving and generosity! 💙 Join us as we come together to make a difference.

To learn more visit: https://foundersday.catholic.edu/

It was an honor to have Vice Admiral Mel Williams return to Pangborn Hall last month to present The Vice Admiral Mel Williams Leadership Excellence Award! This award recognizes and supports graduate students pursuing a degree at the School of Engineering who personify leadership excellence and embody characteristics of moral and ethical character. This award represents not just financial aid, but also recognition of hard work, dedication, and academic excellence.

This year’s awardees were:

Hafiza Khadija Ijaz, Engineering Management, M.S. student
Maria Signore, Engineering Management, M.S. student
Matteo Pergami Peries, Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. student
Razan Bahabri, Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. student

Together, let’s pave the way for more students to reach their educational goals and fulfill their potential. Mark your calendars for Founders Day on April 10th and be part of this meaningful experience!

Have you heard about Founders Day at Catholic University? It is only one week away! Watch this video to learn more about what the hype is all about and make sure to join us in celebrating the University's creation and ongoing legacy by making a gift on April 10th!

Founders Day 2024 Learn more about Founders Day, Catholic University's annual giving challenge celebrating the University's creation and ongoing legacy. Make a gift at http://foundersday.catholic.edu/

Ryan Walczak and Miles Shealy are seniors at The Catholic University of America’s School of Engineering. They are both midshipmen in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, preparing to be officers in the United States Navy. Both have a passion for engineering and aviation, and were recently accepted into Naval Flight School, a prestigious program that prepares naval officers to serve as military pilots. They are also good friends who met at Catholic University.

Admission into Naval Flight School is a competitive process, that requires years of preparation and success to gain admittance. Through the skills they developed at the School of Engineering and their NROTC program, the support of their peers, and their own personal dedication and integrity, they were offered admission earlier this year. They will be traveling to Pensacola, Florida this summer to begin two years of flight school training, followed by a minimum eight years of service after earning their wings.

To read the full article and to learn more about Ryan and Miles' experience at Catholic University’s School of Engineering, visit the following website:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2024/03/two-school-of-engineering-seniors-accepted-into-naval-flight-school.html

Maria Erquiaga, a senior mechanical engineering student, was recently highlighted in an article written by Catholic University President, Dr. Peter Kilpatrick in OSV News.

President Kilpatrick spoke on Maria's academic and extracurricular success, specifically noting her membership in the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society and University Honors Program. He mentioned what an accomplishment it is for an engineering student to gain entry into this liberal arts honors society.

President Kilpatrick also said, "How beautiful is it to see such a well-rounded young person — one who has grappled with the big questions of the human person in her liberal arts courses — preparing to graduate this spring and enter medical school in the fall […] Imagine what the practice of medicine would be if most doctors had the education and formation that Maria has had."

Click the link below to read the full article !

There’s something good at Catholic University By Peter K. Kilpatrick First-time visitors to The Catholic University of America routinely tell us that there’s something different about our campus, something they often can’t quite put their finger on, but they recognize as warm, welcoming, open — joyful. Characteristics or qualities always ...

The School of Engineering is releasing Student Success Profiles for the Class of 2024 over the next few weeks. These profiles will be published on our website and will highlight the experiences of the senior class, in addition to their plans for after graduation.

Seniors, this is your invitation to be featured on the School of Engineering website and represent the Class of 2024!

Fill out the form below!
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSes5nSKJwpL1Sn_O_iugPBb9spzUGYaxAOCbtIt_NhwvkHD5g/viewform

See what the Class of 2024 has been up to and their plans for after graduation!
https://engineering.catholic.edu/career-development/class-of-2024-student-success-stories/index.html

If you have any questions or would like additional information, please contact the Office of the Dean at the School of Engineering: [email protected] or (202) 319-5171

On February 6th, 2024, the Center for Academic and Career Success hosted the Spring 2024 School of Engineering Networking Night and Informational Interviewing Event in Maloney Hall. Employers, students, and faculty spent the evening discussing career opportunities, jobs and internships, and professional development. Students developed their networking skills and established connections with employers from various engineering disciplines and STEM-related industries.

Representatives from organizations and companies across the region were in attendance. Some of the notable employers included Clark Construction Group, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), Walker Consultants, BAE Systems, and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).

Noah Ventura, a junior Mechanical Engineering student, said, “It was an amazing experience to talk to students, professors, and employers alike. Hearing about the vast research they have participated in or the projects they are currently working on was both a privilege and a learning experience. This event has made me even more excited for my future as an engineer.”

The School of Engineering prioritizes professional development and career readiness, offering these types of events throughout the year to help undergraduate and graduate students enter the workforce prepared and confident in their ability to network and acquire jobs in their desired career paths. To read the full article and to access more information on our career development initiatives and the Center for Academic and Career Success, visit the following websites:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2024/02/career-development-at-the-school-of-engineering-networking-night-and-informational-interviewing-event.html

https://engineering.catholic.edu/career-development/index.html

https://success.catholic.edu/

Seeking Volunteer Judges for DC Science Fair on February 24th, 2024 !

About Volunteering as a Judge:
We are requesting volunteer judges to score student poster presentations and oral presentations. Volunteers should be STEM professionals, post-docs, or PhD students that can provide technical expertise to high school students participating in research. The event will be from 9:45 AM - 4:30 PM on Saturday February 24 in Maloney Hall on CUA's campus. Judges will be asked to participate in the morning session (10AM-12PM) and/or the afternoon session (1PM-3PM) to score posters or presentations (judges may participate for the full day or half-day). Judges will be provided rubrics, breakfast, parking, and lunch. Volunteers will engage students by asking follow-up research questions with a panel during the oral presentations or individual conversations during the poster presentations. If the judges would like to provide promotional material in student packets, they are welcome to bring any swag to share!

About DC-JSHS:
The 2024 Greater Washington, D.C. Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) will be held on Saturday February 24, 2024, at the Catholic University of America campus in Washington, D.C. Similar to a high school science fair, JSHS is designed to challenge, engage, and publicly recognize local high school students (grades 9-12) conducting research in the sciences, technology, engineering, or mathematics. This event is a DoD-sponsored STEM program (U.S. Office of the Secretary of the Defense and the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force) that promotes original research and experimentation in STEM and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. The 2024 event will have approximately 90 student DC high school participants.

Interested in volunteering? Sign up with following form by 2/20:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPs_cI2PT-0MpLFovfm3SCvFupjOrbfHbElp3j7uMrayLS0Q/viewform

Reach out to Dr. Rebecca Kiriazes at [email protected] with any questions or for disability accommodations.

Lauren Cerda, senior Mechanical Engineering student, broke a 43-year-old Catholic University program record in the mile event this past weekend at the Patriot Games in Fairfax, Virginia. Cerda ran a 5:03.41 mile—breaking Caroline Hughes' record from 1981—landing her a third-place finish in the event overall. This was only the second track meet she had ever ran in, truly exemplifying the scope of this accomplishment.

The School of Engineering applauds all student-athletes for their contributions inside and outside of the classroom. Congratulations to Lauren Cerda and the entire Catholic University Women’s Indoor Track and Field team for their excellent performance at this event. For more information on this competition and our student-athletes, visit the following links:

https://catholicathletics.com/news/2024/1/27/womens-track-and-field-four-program-records-fall-as-womens-indoor-thrives-at-patriot-games.aspx

https://catholicathletics.com/index.aspx

Alumni Success: Achuna Ofonedu is doing excellent work in artificial intelligence and software development entrepreneurship. He is a Software Engineer at Noblis, an independent, non-profit organization that develops STEM-related products for federal agencies. He is also the founder and owner of Soul Cloud, LLC, a startup software development company that delivers mobile apps to users across the globe. So far, his company has released three apps in the last five months; integrating artificial intelligence technology with mobile applications to assist users with all sorts of daily tasks. Achuna sees AI as an integral component to software development in the future—especially with mobile applications—and is inspired to continue developing software that incorporates this technology as the market continues to expand.

Achuna graduated from the School of Engineering with a B.S. and M.S. in Computer Science in 2022 and 2023 respectively. For additional information and to access the full article on Achuna’s story, please visit the following links:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2024/01/alumni-success-story-achuna-ofonedu.html

https://www.soulcloudcenter.com/

On Tuesday, February 6th, 2024, the Center for Academic and Career Success, the School of Engineering, and Alumni Engagement will be hosting a networking event, offering students an opportunity to connect with alumni and employers working within mechanical engineering, civil engineering, environmental engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, and more!

This is an excellent opportunity for students to speak with industry professionals, pre-screen for jobs and internships, network with industry experts, receive mentorship, and develop career building skills. This is also a great opportunity for alumni looking to offer insight to students interested in their respective field, and/or employers seeking well qualified employees for internships and job opportunities.

The event will be held on February 6th, 2024 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. in Maloney Hall Pavilion, Maloney Hall. To register for the event, visit the links below. For additional information and disability accommodations, contact: [email protected] or (202) 319-6262

Student Registration: https://cua.joinhandshake.com/stu/events/1457569?ref=events-search

Employer and Alumni Registration: https://forms.gle/ik67ifCTLhH8mqpZ9

On Thursday, November 30th, freshman students in Engineering 102: Introduction to Engineering Design and Professionalism, presented their recent lab work at a showcase in Pangborn Hall. During the lab, the students designed and developed prototypes of transradial prosthetic arms. Their prototypes were designed to fit the arm of a young girl named Sally, who is one of 441,000 transradial amputees in the United States. Their specific task was to build a model capable of picking up and holding a bottle of water. This was an opportunity for the students to pitch their product to faculty members and staff, as well as test out its functionality.

Freshman student Anna Basola said, “Doing the research and designing the prosthetic was really fun, and we learned a lot about prototyping. We had to put the pieces together and figure out how the different parts would interact when we connected them. I think that's a really important process to understand, because our product is not just a diagram—it's a physical thing that has to work. Building the prototype was simultaneously the hardest and most rewarding part of the project.” Understanding how to take a design and then manufacture a prototype was one of the goals of the project, and students demonstrated this through the showcase. In addition, the project also was about learning how to work with other engineering students, as a cohesive and effective team. Zachary Gibson said he, “...learned throughout this process that engineering and designing products is only possible when collaborating with teammates.” Learning how to work together is fundamental in the field of engineering, and the students developed these skills throughout the project. In addition they saw how engineering has real world implications, and can be used to help people—such as transradial amputees like Sally—better navigate the world.

For more information on our undergraduate programs, and the School of Engineering, please visit the following websites:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/academics/undergraduate/index.html

https://engineering.catholic.edu/academics/courses/course-descriptions/index.html

On Monday, November 13th, the School of Engineering celebrated the installation of Dr. Jeffrey Herrmann as the St. Abbo of Fleury Endowed Chair in Engineering. Dr. Herrmann (pictured on the right) is an expert in decision-making, more specifically in developing novel mathematical models to improve public health, and using risk-based techniques to improve path planning for autonomous systems. Prior to joining The Catholic University of America, Dr. Herrmann worked at the University of Maryland, College Park in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and the Institute for Systems Research.

School of Engineering faculty, staff, and students were in attendance, as well as friends and family of Dr. Herrmann. President Peter Kilpatrick (pictured on the left) spoke on Dr. Herrmann’s expertise and suitability for the position. Dr. Herrmann also offered some remarks, expressing gratitude and excitement for this opportunity.

Dr. Herrmann looks forward to continuing his research here at The Catholic University of America’s School of Engineering, in addition to offering exceptional education and instruction to our students. To read the full article and to access more information on Dr. Herrmann and his research, please visit the following links:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2023/11/school-of-engineering-celebrates-the-installation-of-dr-jeffrey-herrmann-as-the-st-abbo-of-fleury-endowed-chair-in-engineering.html

https://engineering.catholic.edu/research-and-faculty/faculty-profiles/mechanical/herrmann-jeffrey/index.html

The 2023 edition of Catholic University Engineer is now available! Our magazine is a platform to share news and accomplishments of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff. To access it and to get the latest information on the School of Engineering, visit the following link: https://engineering.catholic.edu/about-us/cua-engineer-magazine/index.html

On November 8th, the School of Engineering celebrated the 2023 Hard Hat Ceremony and Senior Design Poster Exhibition in Heritage Hall. Forty-eight freshmen in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering were welcomed into the field, and received a Catholic University hard hat and safety vest.

In conjunction with the Hard Hat Ceremony, sixty seniors in the School of Engineering had the opportunity to present their senior design projects during the Senior Design Night Poster Exhibition. This was an opportunity for them to share the work they have done thus far on their senior projects, with family, friends, and faculty. In addition, School of Engineering alumni and the representatives of a number of companies were also present, offering industry insight and networking opportunities to the students.

It was a wonderful evening, celebrating the arrival of our newest members to the engineering community, and the accomplishments of those who will be graduating in the spring; soon entering the field and prepared to apply all they have learned here in their future careers.

We would like to thank Dr. Jason Davison for taking the lead on planning and executing this event, in addition to other School of Engineering faculty, staff, alumni, and sponsors that also contributed to making this night possible.

To read the full article, and to access more information on the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the School of Engineering, please visit the following links:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/news-and-events/2023/11/school-of-engineering-celebrates-the-2023-hard-hat-ceremony-senior-design-poster-exhibition.html

https://engineering.catholic.edu/civil/index.html

Dr. Gunnar Lucko and his graduate students in Construction Management were excited to see the amazing RiverRenew tunnel boring project in Alexandria, VA, both above and below ground! The students had the opportunity to see this major infrastructure project up close, and speak with industry experts who are part of the RiverRenew team. The project is designed to address wastewater runoff, and rainfall in a more sustainable and efficient manner; in order to protect the health of the local environment, and the Potomac River and its extending tributaries. They are grateful to The Moles for organizing, and the Alexandria Water Utility for hosting this tour.

For more information on the Construction Management program at the School of Engineering, and the RiverRenew tunnel boring project, please visit the following links:

https://engineering.catholic.edu/academics/graduate/civil-engineering/construction-engineering-and-management/index.html

https://alexrenew.com/major-projects/riverrenew