Supercharging STEM: LTU adds research to the classroom
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L AW R E N C E T E C H N O LO G I C A L U N I V E R S I T Y M AG A Z I N E | W i nte r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5
Supercharging STEM: LTU adds research to the classroom
Positive thinking as a management strategy | Trustees make a change at the top
Global Citizen Award goes to Levin | Athletics and academics mix well
Alumni News & Notes | Report to Investors | Philanthropy news, and more!
L AW R E N C E T E C H N O L O G I C A L U N I V E R S I T Y M A G A Z I N E
Winter 2014/15
Volume XXXIII, Number 1
Published by Lawrence Technological
University, Office of Marketing and
Public Affairs, 21000 West Ten Mile
Road, Southfield, MI 48075-1058;
248.204.2200 or 800.CALL.LTU, ext. 4
Fax 248.204.2318
S
email: mktngpub@ltu.edu
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Virinder K. Moudgil
President and CEO
Dennis J. Howie
Interim Vice President of University
Advancement
Editor: Bruce J. Annett, Jr.
(bannett@ltu.edu)
Managing Editor: Eric Pope
(epope@ltu.edu)
Design: NetWorks Design, Inc.
1 8 21
Writers: Bruce J. Annett, Jr.,
Diana Jacokes, Chris Mead, Eric Pope.
Supercharging STEM – A change at the top – Alumni News – Editorial Support: Anne Adamus,
LTU pioneers a new Ebert succeeds Reuss as White helps rebuild Howard Davis, Deborah Faes, Deborah
approach to STEM chair of trustees. Detroit from the Farina, Dennis Howie, Sofia Lulgjuraj,
Lauren Morris, Emily Remington,
education that includes ground up; Zahran leads Julie Vulaj, Angeline Zelenak.
research in the classroom. Pinkerton into the digital age;
Management degree leads to Photography: Bruce J. Annett, Jr.,
Ken Cook, Kevin Finn, Gary Duncan,
NFL kitchen; Meyer follows Tracy Hopkins, Lance Caputo-Lilla,
his passion to Team Chevy Phil Lucas, Justin Munter, Eric Pope,
Racing; Pawl helps create a
Rick Smith, John Stormzand, Glenn
Triest, and others.
museum for Cadillacs; DIT
alumni get back together; and © 2014 Lawrence Technological
more. University. All rights reserved. Bylined
29
articles reflect the author’s views and
10
not necessarily either the opinions
Alumni Notes – or the policies of the University.
Moves, advance-
6
On Campus – Comments about the Magazine,
articles, or letters may be sent to the
Levin receives ments, and other editor. Send address changes to the
Building on strengths – LTU’s first Global news from LTU and DIT postal, fax, or email addresses noted
Management strategy Citizen Award; Athletic teams alumni near and far.
33
above.
benefits from the power honored for academic achieve- On the cover: Associate Professor
of positive thinking. ment; Army ROTC coming Report to Investors – – Melinda Weinstein is one of the first
to LTU; Student Government President Virinder K. at Lawrence Technological University
completes presidential wall; Moudgil, the provost, to bring computer-based research into
her classroom. During the fall semester
governor praises ‘bridges of and the vice presidents report her students in World Masterpieces I
the future’; LeRoy wins AIA on the state of the University used an algorithm to compare paintings
Michigan Gold Medal; a big and plans for the future.
45
from different countries. In the spring
semester many more students in LTU’s
ice bucket challenge; and College of Arts and Sciences will have
more. Proud Heritage, a course-based research experience.
Bold Future – The (Photo by Justin Munter, digital photo
facebook.com/lawrencetechu
For the latest about newsletter of the illustration by NetWorks Design)
Lawrence Tech, visit
www.ltu.edu/news
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ment reports on significant Lawrence Technological University
support the University has adheres and conforms to all federal,
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Join Lawrence Tech Alumni relative to the above statutes. Lawrence
on LinkedIn Tech is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
STEM
STEM:
Supercharging
LTU adds research to the classroom
Increasing the research done by undergraduates is a dynamic
approach to one of the nation’s top priorities, STEM education.
D
Associate Professor Melinda uring the past year or so one of the hottest topics in academic circles
has been the paramount importance of STEM (science, technology,
Weinstein of the Department of
Humanities, Social Sciences, and
Communication discusses a new
way to look at art with two students engineering, and mathematics) to the future vitality of the American economy. It’s
in her World Masterpieces I course, a familiar refrain at Lawrence Technological University, but also a call
Nicole Dillon and Matt Rybak. to action that is being answered with a new approach: research-
based courses beginning as early as the freshman year.
A commission reporting to the White House estimates
there will be a need for a million more college graduates
in the STEM disciplines than can be expected under cur-
rent conditions. The dire predictions of falling behind other
countries in technology is reminiscent of the late ’50s when
the Russians beat the United States to space with the Sputnik
satellite at the height of the Cold War.
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 1
STEM
C O N T I N U E D
According to the White House report, less than 40 percent of
students who enter college intending to major in a STEM field
actually complete a STEM degree. Clearly a new approach is
STEM recruiting begins in
elementary school
M ost educators believe that the campaign to increase the
number of college graduates in the STEM disciplines must begin
in elementary school and continue through middle and high
school. Far too many students – particularly girls and underrepre-
needed. sented minority students – lose their interest in the STEM subjects
Of course, a rigorous education in the STEM disciplines is for a variety of reasons, including peer pressure and a limited
nothing new at LTU. The University has maintained a laser-like curriculum.
For years LTU has been leading the way in addressing this
focus on these academic areas since its founding 82 years ago problem. Since 2000, Professor CJ Chung of the Department of
next door to the Ford Model T plant in Highland Park, the cru- Mathematics and Computer Science has been attracting students
cible in which modern industrial technology came of age. from grades 4–12 to the Robofest international competition that
“STEM is in our DNA and always has been,” said Provost concludes with the championship round on LTU’s campus every
Maria Vaz. “We have always been a STEM school, which posi- May. In 2014, more than 1,600 students from 10 states and seven
other countries participated.
tions us very well at this time.” This year Chung took on the added role of national director of
But LTU isn’t resting on its laurels. Advances on several the World Robot Olympiad as the United States fielded a team for
fronts are taking STEM education in new directions, and the the first time. LTU hosted both the Michigan and national finals.
result will be more graduates who are conversant with the new- In all, more than 20,000 students from elementary through high
est technological skills required for careers in many sectors of school in 50 countries competed for a chance to go to the finals
held in Sochi, Russia, in November.
the economy. Another example of STEM outreach is Camp Infinity, the sum-
“We are developing new and innovative courses that are mer camp run by the Michigan Council of Women in Technology
research-based, and our goal is to change the paradigm in our for girls in middle and high school. For the past 10 years LTU has
teaching methods and educational environment,” Vaz said. hosted the week-long camp that introduces girls to the basics of
robot programming and website design.
There is one common theme for these pre-college programs –
Marburger STEM Center computer science is fun.
In September, the University broke ground on the first phase of “These students get the opportunity to create something of their
the Taubman Complex. (See related story on page 45, PHBF-1.) own through computer programming. It’s fun because they get to
The new building will connect to both the Science Building and watch something that they created come to life,” Chung said. “At
the Engineering Building and provide cutting-edge educational the same time they are learning about STEM and developing their
facilities in disciplines such as robotics, nanotechnology, soft- creative and problem-solving skills.” ®
ware engineering, and “green” chemistry.
It will also be the new home of the Marburger STEM Center,
named in honor of LTU President Emeritus Richard Marburger
who continues to come to campus regularly to help LTU’s
educational mission in any way he can. A physicist by training,
he worked at the General Motors Research Laboratory for 17
years before beginning a second career at LTU that has now
spanned almost five decades.
“The STEM disciplines are vitally important to the future
of this great country,” Marburger said. “I know that we will do
our part and then some to prepare future generations to provide
the expertise and leadership we need to keep advancing in
technology.”
Part of the process is expanding the original definition of
STEM. One of the mandates for the Marburger STEM Center LTU Professor CJ Chung (at left in the back) watches a robot perform in
is to develop systems, technology, and education mentoring, the WRO national finals held in the Ridler Field House in September.
referred to as STEM2. Other proponents use the term STEAM
in order to include art or architecture.
where there is a lot of competition for relatively few research
Ramping up research positions, but it has always been part of the LTU experience
LTU undergraduate students have long been engaged in both because of the strong relationships that develop between faculty
pure and applied research in senior projects, often working and students in small classes.
alongside faculty and graduate students. That type of expo- Two years ago Assistant Professor Lior Shamir in the
sure is harder to get at Michigan’s large research universities Department of Mathematics and Computer Science began turn-
ing that model on its head. Instead of playing a supporting role
in a faculty research project, students are invited to define their
2 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5
Assistant
Professor Lior
Shamir of the
Department of
Mathematics
own research project and faculty members like Shamir help and Computer
them set up the methodologies that make success more likely. Science makes
a guest appear-
As a result, a serious musician like recent graduate Joe George, ance in the World
BSCS’14, researched the music of the Beatles, while freshman Masterpieces I
Evan Kuminski pursued his love of astronomy by cataloguing course to dem-
galaxies. (See related stories.) onstrate how an
The results have been impressive. In 2013, 25 percent of algorithm can be
used to analyze
LTU graduates receiving bachelor’s degrees in computer sci- works of art.
ence had papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
The percentage of students with such enhanced credentials is
considerably higher at LTU than at MIT, for example.
Shamir points out that peer review sets a high standard for
the students because experts in the field check the research
methods and make sure that the conclusions are breaking new
scientific ground.
Dean Hsiao-Ping Moore of the College of Arts and Sciences
is a strong proponent of undergraduate research. She believes and underrepresented minorities.
it boosts the overall learning experience, especially for women “Giving students some exposure to research each year will
build up the habit of critical thinking. I am convinced this will
do wonders for the students,” she said.
Register now for LTU summer camps Moore wants to expose students to research early on, prefer-
ably in the freshman year. She’d like to see every student in
the College of Arts and Sciences take at least one course with
a research component, and she’d like to see LTU develop a
research track – similar to the Honors Program – for students
who want to pursue research throughout their undergraduate
years.
“Dr. Shamir is leading the way, and we want to expand it,”
Moore said.
Based on her years of research experience at the University
of California at Berkeley prior to coming to LTU, Moore
has concluded that the traditional approach to undergraduate
research has a serious flaw. Undergraduates are usually saddled
with routine, repetitive, and unexciting tasks – the grunt work
– and miss out on much of the excitement.
“They don’t have any ownership in the research project, and
L awrence Technological University offers LTU Associate the experience often has a negative impact. Many promising
more than 20 engineering, science, architecture, Professor Julie science students reach the conclusion that research is not for
design, and technology summer camps for Zwiesler-Vollick
them,” Moore said.
high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors works with high
interested in improving their academic prepara- school students
tion while previewing career fields and college in the Forensic Professors can’t be cloned
experiences. Summer Science Faculty have to work one-on-one with students engaged in
Students can commute or live on campus Institute. original research, and individual professors typically don’t
to get a feel for college life. Residential camp-
have enough time to devote to more than one or two student
ers live in student housing, eat in the cafeteria, and participate in
organized activities each evening. Current Lawrence Tech students researchers at a time. So the big challenge to scaling up under-
serve as counselors. graduate research is providing faculty supervision for many
The top students in each camp are eligible for scholarships to more student researchers.
Lawrence Tech. The solution appears to be course-based research experience
Early registration is recommended as the camps fill quickly.
(CRE), a pioneering concept initiated by the Howard Hughes
Additional information and all registration forms are found at www.
ltu.edu/summercamps. Medical Institute, in which students use the same research
For more information, contact Assistant Provost for Enrollment methods on different scientific samples or databases, so that the
Management Lisa Kujawa at summercamps@ltu.edu. ®
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 3
STEM
C O N T I N U E D
outcomes are unknown and unique for each of them.
In a Hughes pilot project, students in the class gathered
unique soil samples from their own backyards and then used
Presidential grants spur more
research activity
L TU sophomore Evan Kuminski plans to use a $1,000
Presidential Undergraduate Research Award to finance a
trip to a major astronomical conference where he hopes to
present a paper. He is one of 10 students who won grants
the same research techniques – monitored by a professor – to of up to $1,000 this year.
look for previously undiscovered bacteriophages, viruses that Kuminski won his grant for the research he has done
can replicate themselves within a bacterium. There are literally on a new approach for categorizing many thousands of
millions of these viruses, and each can be identified as unique galaxies as either spiral or elliptical.
“Research provides the opportunity to put what a
through DNA testing. student has learned into practice, and invariably a deeper
understanding of his or her field is the result,” LTU
LTU takes big steps in a tiny world President Virinder Moudgil said. ®
“In the typical experiment in a lab course, the answer is
known in advance,” Moore said. “In a classroom-based research
exercise, the answer is unknown and students have to use scien-
tific tools to find the unique answer for their sample.”
Grant opens new doors
Now LTU’s College of Arts and Sciences is leading the way on
CRE with a $300,000 grant from the Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) for curriculum develop-
ment. LTU was one of 15 universities and colleges nationwide
– and the only one in Michigan – to receive the three-year grant
through the AAC&U initiative, Teaching to Increase Diversity
and Equity in STEM, known as TIDES.
The TIDES initiative will support curriculum and faculty
An expansion of nanotechnology education at LTU is being formalized development to effect broader institutional change leading to
by a task force that includes (from left) Changgong Zhou, Hsiao-Ping
Moore, Liping Liu, Yawen Li, Selin Arslan, and Mansoor Nasir, as well
the advancement of evidence-based teaching in STEM, particu-
as William Madden (not pictured). larly in the computer and information sciences. A major goal of
the grant is to find ways to increase success in STEM fields for
O ver the past summer, Lawrence Technological University took
another step forward in nanotechnology education with the intro-
both women and students from underserved communities.
Shamir is the principal investigator (PI) for the grant, and
duction of a nanotechnology summer camp, which was attended Moore and Assistant Professor of Psychology Franco Delogu
by 11 high school juniors and seniors. are the co-PIs.
The summer camp is part of a greater effort at LTU to expand
LTU is also extending this research model to the liberal arts
education in nanotechnology at the undergraduate level. Starting
with the fall semester, students from many different backgrounds disciplines. During the 2014 fall semester students began utiliz-
have the opportunity to take classes in the area of nanomanufac- ing quantitative research based on computer science to conduct
turing, nanometrology, nanomedicine, and nanomaterials with very research in art. Psychology and biology will be developed in
few prerequisites. time for the fall 2015 semester.
LTU has also introduced a minor in nanoscience and nanotech-
For example, World Masterpieces I, a core course that all
nology, the first of its kind in southeast Michigan.
Nanotechnology involves the study of objects and surfaces as undergraduates must take, has added a computer science com-
small as a billionth of a meter. This tiny world deals with miniscule ponent for research. Some students have used computer mod-
sizes that are 100 to 1,000 times smaller than the cross-section of eling to analyze influences on the development of Asian art.
a human hair! The catch-all term is used to describe the extremely Other students have quantified the influence of geographical
small devices and materials that are revolutionizing the next gen-
location during Europe’s Renaissance era when there was lim-
eration of technology.
The summer camp and undergraduate minor have been ited travel and communication.
developed by a task force that includes Dean Hsiao-Ping Moore, “Computer analysis doesn’t take the place of looking at art
Associate Professor William Madden, and Senior Lecturer with the human eye, but it can show you where to look,” said
Changgong Zhou from the College of Arts and Sciences, Assistant Associate Professor Melinda Weinstein, who teaches World
Professor Mansoor Nasir and Associate Professor Yawen Li from
Masterpieces I.
the biomedical engineering program, and Assistant Professors
Selin Arslan and Liping Liu from the A. Leon Linton Department of
Mechanical Engineering. ®
4 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5
Mutual musical interest leads
to research breakthrough at LTU
The College of Arts and A casual conversation with a new professor in LTU’s Department
Sciences is the natural home of Mathematics and Computer Science led to a research project
that combined two strong interests of Joe George, BSCS’14, and
for this pilot project in pure perhaps a significant breakthrough in the use of artificial intelligence
research because students pur- to analyze music.
suing degrees in the College George is now a graduate student in computer science who
of Engineering and the hopes to earn a doctorate in the field, but he was still an under-
College of Architecture and graduate when he knocked on the door of Assistant Professor Lior
Shamir. He had a strong interest in artificial intelligence and was
Design typically concentrate fascinated to learn about Shamir’s research using algorithms for
on applied research. analyzing the speech patterns of whales.
Quantitative research is a That conversation led George to wonder if similar algorithms
Evan Kuminski nice entry point for courses could be used to analyze music. After getting positive results from
like art and psychology for an initial study of different musical genres, the student and pro-
fessor launched an in-depth research project on the music of the
the engineering students who are more comfortable with a Beatles because they were both big fans of the iconic British rock
math-based discipline like computer science. Engineering stu- band from the 1960s. (Several other bands were later added to the
dents have long been exposed to applied research through their research project.)
participation in SAE racing teams, industry partnerships, and Their study, published in the August issue of the journal Pattern
senior projects. Recognition Letters, demonstrates scientifically that the structure
of the Beatles music changes progressively from one album to the
Major changes in the engineering curriculum also have been next.
introduced thanks to a long-term relationship with the Kern The algorithm works by first converting each song to a spectro-
Family Foundation and the Kern Engineering Educational gram – a visual representation of the audio content. That turns an
Network. (See “Uncommon education,” Summer 2014 issue.) audio analysis into image analysis that applies comprehensive
Moore believes that a core curriculum with a research com- algorithms that turn each music spectrogram into a set of almost
3,000 numeric descriptors reflecting visual aspects such as tex-
ponent will further distinguish Lawrence Tech and attract stu- tures, shapes, and the statistical distribution of the pixels. Pattern
dents who might otherwise have chosen to attend a community recognition and statistical methods are then used to detect and
college first. “Usually this type of research doesn’t occur until quantify the similarities between different pieces of music.
graduate school, and now it is at the introductory level,” Moore The algorithm succeeded in placing the 13 albums released by
said. “Students will miss out if they go to a community college the Beatles in Great Britain in chronological order. “Let It Be” was
the last album released by the Beatles, but the algorithm correctly
for the first two years.” identified those songs as having been recorded earlier than the
Research has also been proven to be a good way to attract songs on “Abbey Road.”
and retain females and underrepresented minorities in the In this era of big data, such algorithms can assist in searching,
STEM disciplines. Young women and underrepresented minori- browsing, and organizing large music databases, as well as identify-
ties are often discouraged from entering these disciplines, and ing music that matches an individual listener’s musical preferences.
George worked day and night on the research project, produc-
the excitement that research projects can generate helps break ing spectrograms and trying all the software he had read about. He
down barriers. worked through the summer even though he wasn’t enrolled in any
classes. Shamir provided access to LTU’s new computer cluster
Breaking new ground where George could perform his research.
LTU’s College of Arts and Sciences also is using a $33,000 “I can’t tell you how happy I am that this type of one-on-one
directed study exists. It allows total collaboration between faculty
seed grant from the Marburger STEM Center to expand CRE and students,” George said. “Dr. Shamir treated me like an equal,
into other academic disciplines. Six professors are working as and that mutual respect was my motivating factor. I did not consider
a committee to add CRE components to one of their courses in myself a computer scientist until working with him.” ®
time for the 2015 spring semester that starts in January.
Another faculty group is working on the details of the
AAC&U grant. LTU is part of a network of 15 universities
whose representatives will meet four times a year to monitor all
the TIDES programs funded by the grant.
To facilitate the rollout at LTU, Moore has established an Assistant Professor
Lior Shamir (left)
advisory board that represents a cross section of the campus and graduate student
community. John Matsui, the director and co-founder of the Joe George look at
Biology Scholars Program at UC-Berkeley, will serve as a the liner notes on
coach for the process of establishing this new approach to some of the Beatles
undergraduate education. albums they analyzed
in a groundbreaking
“This concept is so new that there are no experts to bring in. research study.
We are charting new territory,” Moore said. ®EP
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 5
Building on strengths
Stavros brings the power of positive
thinking to management strategy
I
t doesn’t take long to figure out that LTU
Professor Jacqueline Stavros firmly believes
in the power of positive thinking to guide
both her personal life and her professional career.
And for more than 13 years now, she has also
been teaching it as an approach to business
management.
In 2009, she co-authored a book entitled “SOAR: Building
Strengths-Based Strategy.” SOAR is an acronym for strengths,
opportunities, aspirations, and results.” It is an alternative to
the traditional management approach of SWOT, an acronym for
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
“Traditional SWOT analysis begins with strengths, but it
often dissolves into a discussion over weaknesses and threats,”
Stavros said. “I believe it’s much more productive to focus on
opportunities and aspirations that lead directly to results.”
Two years ago Stavros teamed up with LTU Assistant
Professor Matthew Cole, a College of Management colleague
who brings an empirical approach to research and an expertise
in constructing and analyzing surveys. The result was the intro-
duction of the SOAR Profile, which has been used as an assess-
ment component in workshops and executive coaching sessions.
By taking the SOAR Profile test, participants obtain a base-
line of their natural approach to strategic thinking and planning
and then develop strategies to improve their own skills and by
extension the capabilities of the organization.
The success of the SOAR framework is demonstrated by
Matthew Cole and Jacqueline Stavros how widely it has been accepted around the world. It has been
with their SOAR profile. used by for-profit organizations in Africa, nonprofits in Asia,
governments in Australia and New Zealand, non-governmental
organizations in Europe, and educational institutions in both
North America and South America.
Power of positive thinking
Stavros takes her cue from a quote by the
late Peter Drucker, considered by many
to be the father of modern management
theory: “The task of leadership is to cre-
ate an alignment of strengths, making our
weaknesses irrelevant.”
“SOAR is a profoundly positive
approach to strategic thinking, planning,
6 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5
and leading that allows an organization to construct its future firm. At the time the unit ranked eighth in client satisfaction and
through collaboration, shared understanding, and a commitment revenue and 12th in income among 30 offices nationwide.
to action,” Stavros said. “The SOAR framework provides a SOAR moved the office from a top-down approach to a
flexible approach that invites both internal and external stake- whole-system strategic planning and appreciative management
holders into the strategic planning process. Utilizing a whole- style. Quarterly meetings and monthly strategy meetings were
system perspective provides a more complete picture of how an designed around SOAR. Two years later the office had risen to
organization best serves its customers and what its future can first in the company in client satisfaction, revenue, and income.
become.” Across the United States, the SOAR framework has been
The starting point for SOAR was research Stavros conducted adopted by hundreds of organizations at different levels –
for her dissertation at Case Western Reserve University on industry-wide, organization-wide, group, and individually. It has
appreciative inquiry (AI) and capacity building. AI is both a been applied to strategic planning, strategic leadership develop-
philosophy and organizational change approach that builds on ment, and team building.
strengths and what is working well in an organization.
Eight empirical studies have addressed how SOAR has been Worldwide audience
used to build trust to increase supplier and customer perfor- On the other side of the world, SOAR was recently used for
mance, expand strategic capacity, supplement executive coach- strategic planning in tourism and urban development in the
ing, enhance organizational collective motivation, and increase Yazd Province in central Iran, which consists of 10 townships,
collaboration among teams. Five of the studies were conducted 21 cities, 19 districts, and 51 villages. A comprehensive plan
by College of Management alumni – John Cox, DBA’14; was developed to improve facilities for tourist attractions, draw
Michael Glovis, DBA’12; Jennifer Hitchcock, BSME’88, public investment for the reconstruction of mosques and reli-
MGLM’09; Patricia Malone, DBA’10; and Joseph Sprangel, gious sites, and create exhibitions of Yazd handicrafts, customs,
DBA’09. and traditions.
Deere & Company has been using variations of SOAR since In November 2013, Stavros and Cole traveled to Thailand
2003. “SOAR offers a proven approach for inspired action,” to facilitate a three-day summit on “SOARing to Positive
said Pat Pinkston, vice president of agriculture and turf global Transformation and Change” hosted by Assumption University
platform services for John Deere. “It avoids the trap of analysis Business Administration College and its Graduate School
paralysis, and fosters responsive and nimble decision making. of Business and the Organization Development Institute in
It also provides a framework for timely course corrections, Bangkok. Close to 200 participants from 15 different nations
enabled by alignment and representing government, for-profit, and nonprofit organizations
teamwork, through con- attended.
tinuous collaboration and This year Stavros and Cole introduced SOAR and the SOAR
communication.” Profile in workshops and strategic planning sessions with the
Another early adopter Department of Organizational Leadership at Oakland University
was the management and the Metropolitan Detroit Bureau of School Studies, the
team at a Midwest office National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Michigan chapter, and
of a professional services Covenant Community Care, Inc., a faith-based charitable
nonprofit.
This fall Stavros and Cole assisted the Genesee Intermediate
SOAR provided the basis of the School District in developing a transition-to-work and transi-
faculty address delivered by
Professor Jacqueline Stavros
tion-to-college plan for students with developmental disabilities.
at this year’s New Student Recently Stavros and Cole collaborated with St. John
Convocation. Providence Health System Vice President Kathy LaRaia, LTU
President Virinder Moudgil, and Mark Brucki, LTU’s executive
director of economic development and government relations, to
develop a partnership to combat pediatric obesity.
“We are confident that SOAR can even help children lose
weight,” Cole said. “It starts with engaging all the stakeholders
to identify the strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and desired
results of a program that focuses on healthy living.” ®EP
Jacqueline Stavros and Matthew Cole
are front and center in this photo
from the SOAR Summit at Assumption
University Business Administration
College in Bangkok, Thailand.
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 7
A change at the top
Ebert succeeds Reuss as chair of trustees Douglas Ebert has served on LTU’s
D
Board of Trustees since 2006.
ouglas E. Ebert, former chief
operating officer of the Cranbrook Educational
Community, has been named to succeed Lloyd E.
Reuss as chair of the Board of Trustees at Lawrence
Technological University.
Ebert has served as a trustee of the University
since 2006 and chair of the board’s Finance
Committee. He previously spent 33 years in the
financial services industry. He was also chair of
LTU’s Presidential Search Committee comprised
of trustees, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and
representatives of the University’s external con-
stituencies that in 2012 resulted in the selection of
Virinder K. Moudgil as Lawrence Tech’s seventh
president and CEO.
In addition to Cranbrook, where he served from
2002–08, Ebert held a number of positions between
1993–2001 with the former Michigan National
Corporation and the Michigan National Bank,
including vice chairman of the board, president,
chief executive officer, and chief operating officer.
Earlier, he was senior executive vice president of
the Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company based
in New York City, and held other leadership roles
with banks and banking organizations in Florida
and Indiana.
Ebert has been a trustee of Beaumont Hospital
Inc. since 2010 and has served on many other
community boards, including the American Heart
Association Heart Walk, Citizen’s Research Council
of Michigan, Detroit Economic Club, Detroit
Regional Chamber, The Skillman Foundation,
and Trinity-Pawling School. He is a graduate of
Williams College in Massachusetts. He and his
wife, Linda, and daughter, Ashley, have lived in
Michigan for 20 years.
“Doug Ebert has a remarkable background in finance and Reuss will continue on Lawrence Tech’s Board of Trustees for
management, and LTU will continue to be well served by his another three years.
leadership in the years ahead,” Reuss said of his successor. Reuss’ other community and higher education roles
Reuss, a former president of General Motors, has served as have included serving as executive dean of Focus: HOPE’s
an LTU trustee since 1978 and as chairman of the board since Center for Advanced Technologies, as a trustee of Vanderbilt
1993. In recognition of his leadership in automotive engineer- University and the Louisville Theological Seminary, and
ing, manufacturing, and management, LTU presented him the a member of the Board of Visitors at Duke University’s
Doctor of Business Administration, honoris causa, in 1991. Fuqua School of Business. He is a trustee of the Cranbrook
8 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5A conversation with Doug Ebert, new
chairman of LTU’s Board of Trustees
Doug Ebert has succeeded Lloyd Reuss who served as chairman of LTU’s Board
of Trustees for 21 years, a period of dramatic growth for the University. Trustees
have ultimate management authority of LTU, a private, nonprofit university, and
provide guidance and direction. They serve without compensation.
How did you become involved with the LTU trustees?
When Lloyd Reuss, my predecessor as chairman, and Fred Adams, who chaired
the Finance Committee at the time, asked me to meet with them to see if I would
be interested in joining the Board of Trustees, I was very impressed with what
I learned and saw. I subsequently spent several hours with then-President
[Charles] Chambers and Lloyd Reuss going into much more detail on the history
of LTU and its prospects.”
How would you describe your management style?
• Inspect what you expect.
• Delegate but don’t abdicate.
(Left to right) New LTU board chairman Douglas Ebert, his • Listen for the opportunities, not for the action.
predecessor Lloyd Reuss, and President Virinder Moudgil. • Numbers speak wonders; just make sure you understand
what’s behind them.
• If you can’t give 125 percent, don't give at all.
Educational Community, former chairman of the Why have you devoted a significant part of your life to
board of the Cranbrook Institute of Science, and improving education?
former vice chairman of the Detroit Symphony. In The answer is quite simple – the global competitiveness of the United States is at
1995, Reuss received the Society of Automotive risk if our educational system, from pre-K to the graduate level, fails our students.
Engineers’ medal of honor for his leadership in I had the benefit of great teachers and administrators at both the secondary and
primary levels during my educational years, and I hope to be able to help ensure
technical and educational activities. that LTU continues in its leadership capacity.
“Dr. Reuss has served Lawrence Tech dur-
ing a period of transformational growth,” said What are qualities that make a good trustee?
Moudgil. “During that time we transitioned from Commitment to the mission and vision of the institution they serve; a willingness
an institute of technology to a university, tripled to commit the time and intellectual resources; and the ability to provide leadership
and direction to management while not taking on the role and responsibilities of
the number of academic programs, added doctoral management.
programs, and nearly doubled the number and size
of academic facilities on our 102-acre campus. In your view, what is the greatest challenge faced by LTU
His tenure as a trustee has coincided with that of today? The greatest opportunity? Predictions?
five of Lawrence Tech’s seven presidents, and he We have three great challenges, each of which is also an opportunity:
1. Keep ahead of the fast-paced changes that are taking place in education.
has worked cordially and effectively with each of 2. Build our financial resources to insure a strong and viable future.
us. I greatly value his counsel and friendship and 3. Maintain the highest quality faculty and facilities in order to provide a first-rate
am delighted that we will continue to benefit from educational experience for this country’s future leaders.
his services to LTU.”
As a permanent commemoration of Reuss’ As to predictions, we will meet and exceed each challenge and will continue to
develop industry leaders. We need the support and involvement of our alumni,
leadership, the trustees have voted to name LTU’s donors, students, faculty, staff, parents, and other friends to do that, and we
new $11.5 million student housing center the appreciate all that they have done to advance Lawrence Tech to where we are
Lloyd E. Reuss Residence Hall. Their resolution today.
said in part: “He has used his business acumen
and reservoir of relationships to improve the What do you hope Lawrence Tech graduates take away
from their experience?
reputation and recognition of LTU and guide and LTU graduates enjoy a special bond. It is our goal that they be distinguished by an
inspire its Board of Trustees; and through all his intellectual skill that is immediately applicable in the professional world, a passion
actions and service, Dr. Reuss has brought pride for their individual area of interest, and commitment to give back to Lawrence
and distinction to this University, championed its Tech for what they have received. ®
causes, and strengthened its pursuit of excellence
and service to students and humankind.”
During Reuss’ tenure, LTU has raised over $150 million life sciences, and architecture building, improve STEM educa-
through philanthropy. Lawrence Tech is in the final phases of tion, and boost endowment and scholarship support. An addi-
a major capital campaign that already has raised approximately tional $25 million is expected to be raised over the next several
$110 million in cash and pledges to build a new engineering, years. ®BJA
L L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 9O N
On Campus C A M P U S
Levin presented with LTU’s first Global Citizen Award In his acceptance, Levin noted
that more than 80 years ago
Henry and Edsel Ford helped lay
U.S. Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) was fighter for economic fairness. role in U.S. foreign affairs as a the foundation for a school origi-
awarded Lawrence Technological After serving 36 years in the member of the Armed Services nally intended to supply talented
University’s first Global Citizen Senate, Levin is stepping down Committee since 1979. He has engineers that were needed by
Award during the Convocation when his term ends in January been the committee’s chairman the booming auto industry. “The
ceremonies to welcome new 2015. He has played an influential since 2007. endeavor proved to be wildly
students and their families at the successful, and today men and
start of the new academic year in women who can trace their suc-
August. cess to LTU are working around
Levin was the keynote speaker the country and around the world
for Convocation, and his speech as pioneers,” Levin said.
also served as the conclusion The senator said that LTU is a
to LTU’s annual Global Village fitting place for the Global Village
Project, which helps LTU students Project. “LTU draws students and
prepare to be global citizens with educators from around the world,
an awareness and knowledge of and its impact is truly global.”
cultural and social similarities and Levin said that world peace
differences among people from remains an elusive goal, but
around the world and here in the he expressed the hope that the
United States. universal language of science
In his introduction, LTU and technology can help people
President Virinder Moudgil noted overcome the divisions caused by
that Levin has gained a well- race, nationality, and religion. “A
earned reputation as a powerful university that was founded on
voice in the U. S. Senate for scientific and engineering excel-
equality and justice, and as a U.S. Sen. Carl Levin and LTU President Virinder Moudgil. lence is uniquely qualified to meet
the challenges of this period in
our history.”
In 2006, LTU gave Levin an
Celebrating Diwali at LTU honorary degree, and Moudgil
read from the citation: “Your
enduring leadership in civil rights
is helping to forge a diverse
America that is ever more tolerant,
more understanding, and more
compassionate. Such achieve-
ments demonstrate not only a
seriousness of purpose but indeed
a profound respect for our institu-
tions of government and their hal-
lowed traditions.”
Moudgil also quoted from
a letter he received from U.S.
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel,
a Republican who served with
Levin in the Senate for 12 years:
“Senator Levin represents the
absolute best qualities of citizen-
ship and leadership. He is a man
of honor and decency who has
devoted his life to helping make
the world a better place for all
people.” ®EP
Many LTU students wore colorful traditional Indian clothing when more than 300 came together in the Buell
Management Building atrium to celebrate Diwali, the “Festival of Lights,” one of the biggest annual celebrations in
India. This year Lawrence Tech has almost 1,000 international students from 60 different countries.
10 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5O N C A M P U S
Governor visits Lawrence Tech for update on ‘bridges of the future’
Gov. Rick Snyder visited LTU’s for a corrosion-free bridge, which “There is still a lot of work to sustainable bridges that will still
Center for Innovative Materials has also been supported by the do, but we are confident that our be in service in the next century,”
Research (CIMR) in July for National Science Foundation and research here at Lawrence Tech Grace said. ®EP
a briefing by the Michigan other state and federal agencies. will produce design guidelines for
Department of Transportation
(MDOT) on its progress on build-
ing bridges that can last 100
years. He commended MDOT and
LTU for the innovative research
that is producing “the bridges of
the future.”
MDOT Director Kirk Steudle,
BSCE’87, his staff, and LTU’s Dean
of Engineering Nabil Grace provid-
ed information on the new bridge
on Eight Mile Road in Southfield
in which the rebar and cables
inside the concrete are made of
carbon fiber reinforced polymer
(CFRP) materials instead of steel.
The leading cause of bridge
deterioration in Michigan is corro-
sion of reinforced steel in bridge
decks caused by de-icing salts.
CFRP materials are corrosion-free, Attending a July briefing in LTU’s Center for Innovative Materials Research were (from left) Doug Smith, vice president
according to MDOT. of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.; Kirk Steudle, director of the Michigan Department of Transportation;
While at LTU Snyder met with Shigeto Tanaka, chairman of Tokyo Rope; Gov. Rick Snyder; LTU President Virinder Moudgil; LTU Provost Maria Vaz;
representatives of Tokyo Rope, and Nabil Grace, dean of LTU’s College of Engineering.
the Japanese company that sup-
plied the CFRP materials for the
bridge. The Michigan Economic
Development Corp. has commit- Homecoming race and walk
ted $3 million to Tokyo Rope for
the construction of a carbon-fiber This year’s
manufacturing facility to be built Homecoming 5k
in Michigan. race and walk in
The design and specifications October to raise
money for breast
for the Eight Mile Road bridge
cancer research
were based on research at CIMR
attracted run-
led by Grace. MDOT has used ners of all ages.
CFRP materials from Tokyo The winner was
Rope and research results from LTU cross coun-
LTU to construct a bridge over try coach Eric
the Southfield Freeway (M-39) Green, who was
in Detroit in 2011 and an M-50 second from the
bridge in Jackson in 2012. The right at the start-
next CFRP project, which is ing line under
the UTLC bridge.
scheduled for completion in 2015,
is a bridge on I-94 in Port Huron.
Grace and LTU research teams
have been conducting research on
CFRP and other innovative materi-
als for bridge construction for
more than 25 years. MDOT has
been a partner in Grace’s quest
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 11O N C A M P U S
Student athletes work the polls to raise centered on respect, responsibil-
ity, integrity, sportsmanship, and
money for Special Olympics servant leadership. Community
involvement is a focal point for the
NAIA’s Live Five campaign.
Student athletes from Lawrence Special Olympics. Other student participated. Many returned to the Working the polls was a par-
Technological University provided athletes supported youth activities Southfield polling stations for the ticularly beneficial activity because
assistance at the Southfield polls and participated in community general election in November. the LTU students learned about
for the primary election in August beautification in Southfield. As a member of the National the election process, and many
and then donated their wages More than 30 members of the Association of Intercollegiate became registered voters.
as part of a coordinated effort men’s and women’s soccer teams Athletics (NAIA), LTU promotes Precision is essential in elec-
that raised almost $6,000 for the and the women’s volleyball team a lifestyle for its student athletes tions, and the tech-savvy students
quickly picked up on the electronic
Alex Eddington and
program used to count votes.
Hannah Huff (in the
“They stepped up to the challenge.
foreground at right)
were among the They were fearless on the laptops
LTU student athletes and were easily able to problem
recognized by the solve any computer errors,”
Southfield City Southfield City Clerk Nancy Banks
Council in August said.
for their work on Student participation in com-
behalf of the Special munity activities fits in well with
Olympics. the University’s partnership with
city officials and the business
community in Southfield. “LTU is
very proud of the relationship we
have with the City of Southfield,
and our goal is to continue to seek
opportunities to serve our com-
munity,” Dean of Students Kevin
Finn said. ®EP
6 Lawrence Tech teams honored
for academic achievement
Six athletic teams at Lawrence student athletes finished the
Technological University made 2013–14 academic year with a 3.1
the National Association of GPA overall. Of the 236 students,
Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) 60 percent finished above 3.0, and
2013–14 Scholar Teams list for 42 percent were above 3.25.
having an accumulated grade If they had been eligible, men’s
point average (GPA) of 3.0 or bowling (3.22), women’s lacrosse
higher. (3.16), and women’s bowling
Topping the list for the Blue (3.03) would have also made the
Devils was the women’s cross list of Scholar Teams.
country team with a 3.37 GPA. “I’m very proud of our student
Men’s basketball had the next athletes and their dedication.
highest GPA at 3.25, followed It takes a special individual to
closely by women’s basketball at succeed in an environment with
3.20. Also making the list were the such a rich academic tradition,” During the 2013–14 academic year the athletic team with the best overall GPA
men’s cross country team with a said LTU Athletic Director Scott was women’s cross country. Members of the 2014 team are (from left in the
3.13 GPA; women’s soccer, 3.12; Trudeau. ®EP back) Beth Steenwyk, Alexandria Steinke, Samantha Rohrback, Madi Ridella,
and women’s volleyball, 3.11. and Emily Foster. In the front are Erin Moran, Nada Saghir, Kelly Copeland,
As a group, Lawrence Tech’s Elizabeth Love, and Lauryn Jeffrey. The coach is Eric Green.
12 w i n T e r 2 0 1 4 / 1 5O N C A M P U S
LTU team finishes third in students the opportunity to experi-
ence the entire process of finding
North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
and the University of Illinois at
Coulter College competition an unmet clinical need to formu-
lating a solution and then pitching
Champaign-Urbana, which took
first place in the competition.
it in front of venture capitalists,” This was LTU students’ first
A team of six biomedical engi- Wallace H. Coulter Foundation. said LTU Assistant Professor year at the competition, but they
neering students from Lawrence Topics covered at the workshop Mansoor Nasir, the team’s faculty had a head start thanks to LTU’s
Technological University finished included intellectual property pro- advisor. entrepreneurial engineering edu-
third among 19 universities and tection, regulatory strategy, reim- The Coulter College work- cation made possible by grants
also won the People’s Choice bursement codes, and working shop was attended by a number from the Kern Family Foundation
Award at the fifth Coulter College with technology transfer offices of major American universities, through the Kern Entrepreneurship
workshop for the development of and funding sources. including Syracuse, Columbia, Education Network. They were
biomedical devices. “This workshop gives teams of Georgia Tech, the University of better prepared for brainstorming
Coulter College is a training new ideas because problem-based
program for the process of trans- learning and active and collabora-
lating biomedical innovations into tive learning methodologies have
viable products. Collegiate design been incorporated into many
teams are guided by faculty and courses in the engineering cur-
clinical experts through a highly riculum, according to Nasir. ®EP
dynamic process that helps them
Representing Lawrence Tech at
better understand how to identify
the Coulter College competition in
innovations that can meet clinical Florida were (from left) LTU faculty
needs and then gain financial sup- advisor Mansoor Nasir, Danielle
port for the product development Manley, Akram AlSamarae, Kaitlyn
process. Tingley, Mateusz Koper, Amanda
The program was held Aug. Bukhtia, and Stephen Krammin.
14–17 in Coral Gables, Florida, At right is faculty advisor Molly
by the Biomedical Engineering McClelland, an assistant professor at
Society with support from the the University of Detroit Mercy.
LeRoy wins AIA Michigan Gold Medal planning, as well as architecture.
A native of New Orleans, LeRoy
has bachelor’s and master’s
Glen LeRoy, the dean of the Fellows Committee, the board of He also was a principal in degrees in architecture from
College of Architecture and directors, and the board’s execu- Gould Evans Associates, with Tulane University. He also has
Design at Lawrence Technological tive committee. He served as the offices in Kansas City and six master’s degrees in architec-
University, is the 2014 recipient of AIA Michigan board’s educational other cities. He led the firm to ture and city planning from the
the Gold Medal presented by the liaison from 2008–11 and recently national prominence in urban University of Pennsylvania. ®EP
American Institute of Architects completed a three-year term as design, planning, and campus
Michigan. It is the highest honor Michigan’s regional director to the
that can be given to an AIA AIA National Board of Directors.
Michigan architect. In 2010, he received the AIA
Since becoming dean in 2005, Michigan President’s Award.
LeRoy has transformed and stabi- LeRoy has been a Fellow of the
lized LTU’s College of Architecture American Institute of Architects
and Design through program since 1999 and became a Fellow
diversification, applied research, of the American Institute of
international studies, and techno- Certified Planners two years later.
logical integration. He instituted LeRoy has balanced teach-
a work/study graduate fellowship ing and practice throughout his
program with Detroit-area firms career. While teaching at the
Inner Circle Photography
that has raised in excess of $1 University of Kansas for 21 years,
million in direct fellowship aid and he founded the award-winning
employment support for graduate Kansas City Urban Design Studio,
students. which was credited with changing When Dean Glen LeRoy (left) accepted his Gold Medal from the American
LeRoy’s AIA Michigan leader- the dialogue in the city regarding Institute of Architects Michigan, he was joined by two other AIA Fellows, Art
ship has included serving on the design and planning. Smith, BSAr’78, BAr’81, and Paul Dannels.
L a w r e n c e T e c h M a g a z i n e 13O N C A M P U S
Army ROTC becomes an option; Air Force ROTC program.
Lawrence Tech offers tuition
first in Michigan in the inaugural
ranking of the best colleges for
cited as best for veterans discounts to veterans. It is certi-
fied for the GI Bill and participates
veterans compiled by U.S. News
& World Report. LTU is also on
in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a the latest Military Friendly Schools
Beginning with the 2015 spring majoring in science, technology, federal initiative that helps vet- list compiled by Victory Media, the
semester, Lawrence Technological engineering, and mathematics, erans reduce the cost of higher publisher of G.I. Jobs magazine.
University students can take the the STEM subjects, according to education. ®EP
full ROTC curriculum that can Director of eLearning Services Last November LTU ranked
lead to a commission as an Army Richard Bush, the faculty advisor
to LTU’s student veterans group. ROTC cadets
officer.
from Eastern
LTU is now an affiliate of the “While the Army is becom-
Michigan
Army ROTC program offered ing smaller, it is also becom- University
by the Department of Military ing increasingly dependent on formed the
Science and Leadership at Eastern engineers, scientists, and tech- color guard for
Michigan University in Ypsilanti. nologists to develop and operate a Memorial Day
All the ROTC courses will be sophisticated weapons systems ceremony held
taught at EMU by Army instruc- that improve survivability on the at Lawrence
tors. battlefield for the warfighter,” Technological
LTU students will be able to Bush said. “LTU’s focus on STEM University in
likely tilted the decision in our 2014.
earn a minor in military sciences
and leadership at LTU. favor.”
LTU’s new ROTC program The ROTC curriculum also
comes at a time when the Army supplements LTU’s own leadership
is reducing its force and has can- curriculum that is required for all
celled more than a dozen ROTC LTU undergraduate degrees. ROTC
programs around the country. LTU courses can be used to meet
is bucking that trend because of LTU’s leadership requirements.
its high proportion of students The University already has an
LTU hosts second conference on digital humanities as Wayne State University’s panel,
“Ethnic Layers of Detroit,” and the
University of Michigan-Dearborn’s
In September the College of Arts ate students, and faculty from uni- Competition for the first time. panel, “Ashes to Ashes: Death,
and Sciences’ Department of versities, colleges, and community Students from LTU, Hope College, Detroit, and Digital Decay.”
Humanities, Social Sciences, and colleges came to LTU to discuss Michigan State University, and Archivists from The Henry Ford,
Communication hosted Network the impact of digital technology in the City University of New York the Detroit Historical Society,
Detroit 2014, its second annual history, anthropology, philosophy, participated. and the Arab-American Museum
digital humanities conference. literature, and the arts. Several panels addressed discussed efforts to engage the
Museum archivists, research This year’s conference included efforts to preserve and archive public in their collections through
librarians, undergraduates, gradu- a Digital Humanities Poster Detroit history and culture, such crowdsourcing, websites, and
digital displays.
LTU IT major Mari
The next day the annual Great
Weaver answers
questions about Lakes THATCamp, which is a
her entry in the freewheeling, hands-on technol-
poster competi- ogy workshop where participants
tion that was generate the conference topics on
part of the digital the spot, was hosted by Michigan
humanities confer- State University on campus.
ence held at LTU The University of Michigan
in September. Institute for the Humanities
joined MSU’s College of Arts and
Sciences in supporting LTU’s digi-
tal humanities conference.
®EP
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