April 2015 - University of Wisconsin

GEODE
Voice of the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Science Since 1925
April 2015
Mathematical
Modeling Contest
Events
SATURDAY, APRIL 18
An Evening in Monte Carlo
Madison Club, Madison, Wisconsin
MONDAY, APRIL 20,
Women in STEM Banquet
UW-Platteville Campus
SATURDAY, MAY 2
Twin Cities Network Event –
Indian Motorcycle Plant Tour
and St. Croix Valley Train Ride
Osceola, Wisconsin
SUNDAY, MAY 3
1999 Men’s Basketball Championship Team Induction Ceremony
UW-Platteville Campus
TUESDAY, MAY 5
Emeriti Luncheon
UW-Platteville Campus
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville’s Department of Mathematics will
host the third annual Mathematical Modeling Contest on March 27–30 on the
UW-Platteville campus. The competition gives students the chance to apply
their math skills to complex, real world problems.
For example, last year’s contest featured a problem dealing with state government budgeting: Propose how the state of Wisconsin can most effectively
deal with its $977 million budget surplus; cut taxes, invest in education or the
infrastructure, or some combination of the three.
Working in teams of three, students solve the modeling problem and write a
summary of their findings. The weekend-long competition concludes when
students present their final solutions to a panel of faculty judges, where they
are judged on the quality of their presentation, accuracy of their mathematical
results, and use of data to support their conclusions. The contest is open to all majors, not just mathematics. And, according to Dr.
Leonida Ljumanovic, Associate Professor of mathematics, participation in the
contest can benefit students in any area of study.
“I think it’s great that students can work in teams with different majors,” she
said. “The problems are research-based, and some students might be better
at research than others. Working in teams, students have to figure out the
strengths of each of their teammates. Being exposed to how different professions or majors approach the problem is a great experience for students.”
Prizes for the top three winning teams include: $75 University Bookstore certificate, one-year student Mathematica licenses, T-shirts, and more.
For more information about the Mathematical Modeling Contest or to register,
contact Ljumanovic at [email protected]​.
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Alumni Prole
Todd Tadych
Todd Tadych earned a Bachelor of Science in
Electrical Engineering with a dual emphasis in
power and controls from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in 2004. While at UW-Platteville,
Tadych was a member of Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers and Theta Tau Professional
Engineering Fraternity. Currently, he works as a
Consultant Transmission Planning Engineer at
American Transmission Company, a transmission-only utility in Waukesha, Wisconsin.
“One of the reasons I chose UW-Platteville was
the small class sizes and hands-on experience.” said Tadych. “Specifically, in
the power systems courses, I felt that the approach was much more practical
and involved real-world application. That was extremely helpful to me when
I took an internship at American Transmission Company before I graduated,
and when I started working there full time in 2005. I really felt ready for the
role, and I attribute that to my education at UW-Platteville.”
Tadych also enjoyed the helpful atmosphere on campus and the opportunity to
get to know the professors. His academic advisor, Dr. Mesut Muslu, had a particularly strong influence on his college career. “I think about the times I would
meet with [Dr. Muslu] and go through a problem and it just wouldn’t click. But
he would be able to help me see it in a different way and do it a different way.
He was there to help students and was going to put the extra effort forward.”
With the aspiration to reach a management-level position within the engineering
industry, Tadych completed his Master’s of Engineering degree through the Master of Science in Engineering online degree program at UW-Platteville in 2012.
“UW-Platteville’s master’s program was nice because I could do it online while
working full time, and it really tied into my interests,” he said. “Especially in the
next step of my career as I start to transition from technical analysis and engineering work into the management and leading of that kind of work.”
Interestingly, Tadych and his wife, who is also a UW-Platteville alumna, simultaneously completed the Master’s of Engineering degree online. “We took pretty much
all of the classes together.“ said Tadych.
As an experienced professional in the engineering field, Tadych would advise
current students to seek out learning opportunities and to ask questions. “It
doesn’t have to be pursuing an advanced degree. It can just be grabbing a book
and reading on a topic you always thought was interesting. There’s always something new to learn.“
Engineering Expo, April 9
Supporting Member
GRAEF
GRAEF is a full service engineering firm
headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Since its beginnings in 1961 as a structural
design firm, the now multi-dimensional
company has expanded to Madison, Wisconsin and Green Bay, Wisconsin as well
as Chicago, Illinois, and Orlando, Florida.
GRAEF provides services to both public
and private clients in the areas of structural,
civil, and transportation design; industrial
architecture; planning, landscape design,
and GIS; and construction services.
Their recent collaboration with Milwaukee’s Global Water Center has offered an
opportunity to interact with local, national,
and international experts in the field of water engineering. The relationships and ideas
generated through the GWC are opening
eyes throughout the industry.
Regularly listed on the ENRs top 500,
GRAEF is listed as 344 among the nation’s
engineering firms and continues to rank as
one of the largest Wisconsin-based engineering companies.
GRAEF is proud to be a leader in the engineering and design community, but they
are even more proud to be leaders where
they live. At GRAEF, they are committed
to being community leaders and foster a
tradition of involvement through support
of organizations like Engineers Without
Borders and Habitat for Humanity.
When asked why GRAEF is a supporting
member of UW-Platteville, Paul Eiring noted that, “Growing and expanding Wisconsin’s next generation of technology-based
professionals is extremely important. Finding top talent is a priority, as well as giving
enthusiastic support to those interested in
pursuing the technology fields. My experience at UW-Platteville was instrumental
in making me who I am today, and GRAEF
supports such educational excellence.”
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Faculty prole
Dr. Austin Polebitski
A native Wisconsinite from
Waupaca, Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Assistant Professor of Civil and
Environmental Engineering Dr.
Austin Polebitski came to the
university in January 2013.
He completed his undergraduate degree in civil and environmental engineering at Seattle
University in Seattle, Washington, before moving on to receive both his master’s and
doctorate degrees in civil and environmental engineering from
the University of Washington, also in Seattle. Polebitski moved
back to Wisconsin after completing his degrees in Washington. “I’m a big fan of this state,” said Polebitski. “I spent a
number of years as a researcher at the University of Massachusetts after receiving my Ph.D. but always had my heart in
education, so I was really excited when the position opened
up at UW-Platteville.”
In his roughly two years at UW-Platteville, Polebitski has
taught Fluid Mechanics, Groundwater Hydrology, Hydrology, Computer Applications and a special topics class on Fish
Passage Engineering. “The students I teach are well rounded
individuals who are passionate about their field, which is
really exciting for a teacher,” said Polebitski. “I appreciate the
genuineness of our students in the College of EMS and their
ability to be practical in solving complex problems.”
Polebitski’s research interests include urban and rural water
use, water resource system management, the use of forecasting tools in short- and long-term decision-making and the impacts climate change will have on statewide natural resources.
He is also an active member of the American Society of Civil
Engineers-Environmental and Water Resources Institute,
American Water Resources Association, and the International
Conference on Engineering and Eco-hydrology for Fish Passage.
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Student prole
Jimmy Waldschmidt
Jimmy Waldschmidt, a fifth-year senior from De Pere,
Wisconsin, has been working with a team of students from
the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to conduct research
involving the effects of genetics on different types of food
poisoning. Waldschmidt is a chemistry major with a biochemistry emphasis and has been working on this research
for over two years. He is now a team leader for one of the
two research groups that have been put in place for this
research. The UW-Platteville students are attempting to
discover if bacteria affects cells differently depending on
their genetics. With that information, they can begin to
develop treatments to decrease the severity of food poisoning through the use of more personalized and gene-based
treatments.
Jimmy has been supervised by Dr. Chanaka Mendis, an
Assistant Dean in the College of Engineering, Mathematics
and Science, has helped guide his students in the right direction and has given them various opportunities. His students
attend conferences, write and publish research papers, and
present their research to others. With the help of Mendis,
Waldschmidt has gotten an internship in Washington, D.C.,
that he believes will help him with his future career.
Spring Career Fair expands
This semester’s University of Wisconsin-Platteville Career Fair was one of the largest to date as far as registered
employers present. The fair, held Feb. 10–12, featured 296
employers. The spring 2014 Career Fair had 226 registered
employers in attendance. With the growth, this semester’s
fair was expanded to include Velzy Commons as well as
the Harry and Laura Nohr Gallery in Ullsvik Hall.
“The Career Fair offers a tremendous opportunity for our
talented students to network with business leaders in their
prospective fields,” said Chancellor Dennis J. Shields. “It
also allows us to showcase to the business community the
high level of talent this institution produces. Our students
are in demand, and the growth of these semi-annual career
fairs is a testament to that.”
More than 2,400 students attended the spring 2014 Career
Fair, up from 2,195 in the fall of 2013, and more students
are expected this semester.
One of the employers who had a keen eye on future Pioneer
graduates was 3M from Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. “We
have been very successful in recruiting great co-op, intern,
and full-time engineering candidates from UW-Platteville,”
said Shelly Gruber, Human Resources Manager with 3M.
“One of our recruitment strategies is to target college graduates from the area who are interested to stay in the area.
Given our relatively close proximity, this contributes to our
successful recruitment and partnership with UW-Platteville.” Recent graduates from UW-Platteville can expect “entry
level supply chain and engineering positions supporting
manufacturing value streams comprised of coating or converting processes (at 3M),” said Gruber. “Starting salaries
are in the range of $65,000 and higher with a very competitive benefit package.”
The Academic and Career Advising Center team presented
to classes, organizations, and residence halls, providing
career fair tips and strategies so that students had a better
understanding of what to expect and how to prepare. The
team also offered emergency résumé clinic hours to be sure
that students’ résumés were as professional as possible.”
“I wanted to make certain that the employers and students
who attended our career fair were well taken care of, felt a
level of satisfaction, and ultimately persevered in meeting
their goals,” added Williamson-Mendez. “Whether the goal
was to find employment or find employees, I wanted to
exceed attendees’ expectations.”
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IIE conference in Milwaukee
Industrial engineering students attend
Sixteen members of the Institute of Industrial Engineers
Chapter at UW-Platteville recently attended the 2015 IIE
Regional Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March
5–8. Hosted at the Milwaukee School of Engineering,
the conference brought together college and professional members of IIE in order to network and participate in
different activities like plant tours and industry case study
workshops. Attendees learned about current industrial engineering topics and mingled with other students
and professionals.
A branch of the international association, the world’s
largest professional society dedicated solely to the support
of the industrial engineering profession, the chapter at
UW-Platteville has been around since the late 1980s said
industrial engineering Professor and IIE Advisor, Dr. Patricia Jinkins.
While the regional conference is the highlight of the semester for the IIE-UWP, it is certainly not the group’s only
event. With a goal to establish connections between other
industrial engineering students and IIE professionals, the
chapter organizes many networking opportunities and
social events. In addition to hosting a number of guest
speakers and organizing company tours at locations like
Sub Zero-Wolf, Hon Office Furniture, and Frito Lay, the
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IIE chapter at UW-Platteville also hosts an annual trip to a
Dubuque Fighting Saints ice hockey game and a volunteer
day for the Adopt-A-Highway cleanup program.
Jinkins said the opportunities provided by IIE help students
to build a network that can be invaluable throughout their
career. “It’s all about making those connections,” she said.
Calvin Cassens, President of IIE and senior industrial
engineering major from Lanark, Illinois, could vouch for
that. For the third year in a row, he will return as an intern
with the industrial engineering department at Walt Disney
World in Orlando, Florida. During his time at Walt Disney
World, Cassens has helped to improve the efficiency of
parks, resorts, cruise line, and transportation for guests. “I have gained many connections from IIE and at Disney IE
through going to the regional conference and participating
in national events,” said Cassens. “Being involved in IIE
has helped me enhance my industry and leadership skills
for use at internships.” The chapter of IIE at UW-Platteville currently has 30
members. For more information about IIE or how to get
involved, contact Jinkins at [email protected].
Grant to enhance STEM
teacher education
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville was awarded a
$327,000 University of Wisconsin System grant, under
the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Title IIA,
Wisconsin Improving Teacher Quality program, for support
of a three-year, professional development project for STEM
teacher education.
The grant began March 1 and extends through July 2017. A
portion of the grant amount, $149,000, will be awarded in
the first months of the grant and the rest will be awarded in
the next two years, following assurance that grant goals are
being met.
The project, “Intelligent Integration of STEM Components
to Build Educator Effectiveness and Student Proficiency,” is
under the direction of project directors Dr. Tim Deis, mathematics Professor, and Dr. Jodean Grunow, Senior Lecturer,
mathematics, UW-Platteville; and Project Advisors, Dr.
Karen Stinson, Director of the School of Education and Dr.
Barb Barnet, mathematics department Chair and Professor
of statistics at UW-Platteville.
The grant will provide professional development in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for 30–50
teachers. Three partner Local Educational Authorities
have signed on to the project: Fennimore, Black Hawk,
and Highland. The development opportunity will also be
open to other LEAs, depending on availability. Admission
for the project is by application. School teams, including
administrators, are encouraged to apply. In keeping with
current national and state initiatives and UW-Platteville’s
STEM initiative, applications will be accepted from the
various STEM disciplines and there will be an emphasis on
connecting university efforts to school district needs.
“This grant will allow UW-Platteville to mesh its STEM
initiative with national and state efforts,” said Grunow.
Participants will access three summer seminars where
they will address current felt needs and mandates and be
encouraged to work with concerns unique to their class-
Pictured left to right in the back row are Dr. Karen Stinson,
Director of the School of Education; Dr. Tim Deis, mathematics
Professor; Dr. Barb Barnet, mathematics department Chair;
and Nancy Hendrickson, Administrator of the Highland School
District. Pictured left to right in the front row are Jamie Nutter,
Administrator of the Fennimore School District; Dr. Jodean
Grunow, Senior Lecturer, department of mathematics; and Willy
Chambers, Black Hawk School District.
rooms, schools, and teams. During the course of summer
institutes, they will design action plans that they will pursue upon return to their classrooms.
Additionally, participants will work with experts in the
various educational fields and collaborate with colleagues
and staff from neighboring schools. They will benefit from
mentoring support provided by university staff, both online
and in their schools. Participants will receive three credits per summer institutes and one credit per semester for
the school year. Over the course of the three years, they
will receive 15 credits. The graduate credits are applicable as elective credits for a Master of Science degree from
UW-Platteville.
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