Donald P. Shiley School of Engineering

Educating Engineers for the 21st Century

Donald P. Shiley Hall

“At the time Shiley Hall was dedicated it was one of only 25 buildings on college campuses nationwide and one of only 313 buildings worldwide to be LEED® Platinum certified.”

DONALD P. SHILEY HALL’S NEWLY RENOVATED SPACE, AT 80,000 SQUARE FEET, IS DEDICATED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF

PORTLAND’S ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE CLASSES. THE HALL WAS AWARDED A LEED ® (LEADERSHIP IN

ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN) PLATINUM CERTIFICATE, THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING, BY THE UNITED

STATES GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS: CIVIL ENGINEERING* • COMPUTER SCIENCE* • ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING* •

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING* • ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT

GRADUATE PROGRAM:MASTER OF ENGINEERING

*Accredited by ABET

Rising Expectations

“Engineering’s enrollment is at an all-time high with 190 first-year students – 30% of whom are under-represented minorities and 21% are women.”

This is the first issue of the annual magazine for the University of Portland’s Shiley School of

Engineering that highlights our students and their accomplishments. This is also my first year

as Dean and there has been much to appreciate!

The Shiley School recently completed a successful building project that increased and

enhanced our program space, and with it came an endowment which is raising the level of

excellence across the School. Enrollment is up, as are the academic qualifications of our

students. And, each member of the faculty is spearheading a multitude of activities from

undergraduate research and competitive student clubs to service-based learning. I continue to

be amazed at their commitment to our students.

Over this past year, the distinctive aspects of the Shiley School have become very clear –

hands-on learning, the breadth of the liberal arts core curriculum, an abundance of co- curricular

and leadership opportunities, and extensive student-faculty interaction. But, we are not finished.

The foundation has been laid for the Shiley School to achieve even more ensuring that our

graduates are prepared for engineering in a 21st century global economy. I hope to share those

successes with you in future issues.

With best regards,

Sharon A. Jones, Ph.D., P.E., BCEE, Dean

Experience and OpportunityHands-on LearningAll engineering and computer science majors

take “Introduction to Engineering,” a project-

oriented course that provides immediate,

hands-on experience. Students design solu-

tions to an open-ended challenge and at the

end of the semester, their projects are put to

the test to see if the designs can meet the

intended goals. These types of experiences

continue throughout the undergraduate

program culminating with industry-spon-

sored capstone projects.

Liberal Arts BreadthAs a Catholic university, we believe that

young men and women should be exposed

to a wide range of knowledge and ideas so

that they can become ethical leaders and

decision makers. All students take core

curriculum courses in fine arts, history, litera-

ture, philosophy, social sciences, and theology.

We also offer extensive international

programs including several designed for

engineering and computer science students.

Our graduates are prepared not only for

careers, but for life.

Problem-based LeadershipStudents actively participate in a wide range

of problem-based activities that help them

develop leadership, team work, and commu-

nication skills. These typically include: Mini-

Baja, Concrete Canoe, Team Aero, Traffic Bowl,

Engineers without Borders (Central America),

Engineering World Health, NASA Robotics,

and the list goes on.

Entrepreneurship The University Center for Entrepreneurship,

open to all students, just won the U.S. Associ-

ation for Small Business and Entrepreneuship’s

Outstanding Specialty Entre preneur ship

Program for an unprecedented second time,

defeating runners-up Notre Dame and the

University of Maryland. Students can enhance

their majors by minoring in entrepreneurship,

entering the $100K Challenge competition,

or becoming an E-Scholar, which offers un-

paralleled opportunities to work with

mentors, gain international exposure, and

start a business.

Natalie Higgins ’11 graduated in mechanical engineering and mi-nored in physics and mathematics. As a Fulbright scholar in Stuttgart, Germany, Natalie Higgins is work-

ing on research that involves Structural Health Monitoring. “The

current method of power line cable inspection in Germany is crude

and dangerous for the inspector,” says Natalie. “My research team is

trying to automate the process.” Natalie uses a Piezoelectric Actuator

in the lab to send a pulse through the cable while a Laser Doppler

Vibrometer measures the cable’s vibrations.

It was Natalie’s high school physics teacher and mentor who suggested she look into engi-

neering. “Engineering combines math with physics, intuition with creativity, and it sounded

like a perfect fit for me. I chose UP because I wanted a small school atmosphere with personal

attention from my professors, and I was very impressed by the engineering school.”

Natalie was involved in the Honors Program, the engineering honor society (Tau Beta Pi),

physics and mechanical engineering clubs, and completed research with faculty member Tim

Doughty.

In addition to the research, Natalie has learned more about herself – what characteristics

stay and which adapt. She will take this knowledge with her when she attends the California

Institute of Technology next year. Eventually, Natalie wants to be a professor, specializing in

earthquakes and more effective warning systems.

THE UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND IS THE TOP PRODUCER IN THE NATION AMONG PEER INSTITUTIONS OF FULBRIGHT

AWARDS FOR STUDENTS, ACCORDING TO THE CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION – WITH TEN STUDENTS RECEIV-

ING THE AWARD IN 2011.

Engineering Fulbright Scholars

“I loved UP. I was very close with my professors and made friendsquickly. My courses were challenging and I liked that students wereable to become involved with many extracurricular activities.”

Sean Frederick ’11, the University’s valedictorian, majored inmechanical engineering and Spanish.Sean is pursuing an engineering masters of science degree at the

University of Liverpool in England. The United Kingdom Fulbright

graduate studies positions are some of the most prestigious and

competitive – with only 45 grants awarded from more than 600

applicants nationwide.

One of his courses, Engineering Application of Lasers, deals with

the evolving use of laser technology in a variety of cutting-edge fields. Sean believes his edu-

cation at UP prepared him well for his graduate studies. Particularly in the UK, masters-level

students are expected to educate themselves in the things in which they are interested. “UP,

with its emphasis on self-improvement and knowledge for its own sake, instilled this in me

from the beginning, so I am a step ahead.”

Being so far away from home has been difficult at times, but Sean wouldn't have it any

other way. “I believe I have become more resilient, better at controlling stress, and vastly

more educated in the world and its people.”

As a student, Sean also minored in computer science and was a member of the Air Force

Reserve Officer’s Training Corps. Sean wants to be a developmental engineer in the Air Force.

He also intends to pursue a doctorate in mechanical engineering and work on research and

development at the Department of Defense.

OVER 20% OF RECENT ENGINEERING GRADUATES STUDIED ABROAD FOR AT LEAST SIX WEEKS.

“My courses provided me with an excellent grounding in basicengineering concepts and techniques of analysis. And, perhapsmore importantly, my degree taught me how to learn. ”

International ExposureLaura Coulter graduates in Spring 2012 with degrees in mechanical engineering and French studies with plans to workas an engineer in a French-speaking country. As part of programrequire ments, she spent a semester studying in Nantes, France.The University offers a variety of global study experiences thatvary from six weeks to a year long, and many are tailored tospecific majors.Laura merged two of her passions at the University. Of her experi-

ence in Nantes, she said, “We had lectures in museums and wandered the streets learning

about architecture, with professors only speaking French. I spent a lot of time with my host

family, and I commuted on the local trams and trains. With my conversations solely in another

language, I was able to make so many friends. I can’t wait to go back again.”

“I have been reflecting on all the opportunities the University has provided me. Apart from

excellent classes, the University has wonderful staff and professors who truly care about

students and encourage growth

both in and out of the classroom.”

Laura is also active in extracurricu-

lar engineering activities.

Last year, she and a friend

organized a group to compete in

NASA’s Lunabotics Mining Compe-

tition. That experience inspired

them, with assistance from profes-

sor Deborah Schenberger, to create

an official Robotics Club. Laura

served as the club’s secretary, and

also as the president of Tau Beta Pi,

the University’s engineering honor

society.

“Studying in Nantes was a wonderful and different experience. I jokethat I became French during my four month stay. It was a complete immersion. I became absorbed in the culture.”

Industry-Sponsored Capstones

Light Rail ProjectAs part of their final exam, five senior civil

engineering students presented designs for

an actual project that is currently being

worked on by their industry sponsor, David

Evans and Associates, a premier engineering

and planning company in the Pacific North-

west. The firm is designing a 260' elevated

structure that will span a creek and be used

by Portland’s network of light rail trains.

Real-World Experience“The capstone allowed us to fully apply our

engineering knowledge in a real-world situa-

tion,” group member Andrew Salmeri said.

“My education at the University of Portland

and this project have given me the founda-

tion required to work as an engineer as well

as the ability to create opportunities and net-

work throughout my future career.”

Civil engineering professor Matthew Kuhn

had weekly discussions with the group and

tracked their progress with their industry

sponsor. “The students use their talents to

make unique contributions to an important

problem,” Kuhn said. “The team came up

with a creative design and solution to mov-

ing people around the Portland area while

preserving the surrounding environment.”

Industry RelevanceDavid Evans and Associates vice president

Gregg Weston ’75 added, “It’s really impor-

tant to have projects such as this one, as it

required a lot of political awareness and

public policy, which is typical for an engineer.

The Kellogg Bridge project had design input

from the public as well as the city. The

students took these technical requirements

and came up with a viable design.”

Pictured above: civil engineering students

John Megrditchian, Michael Pratt, Andrew

Salmeri, Eric Schnepel, and Rei Uesugi present

their senior design project, the Kellogg Elevated

Structure for the Portland Milwaukie Light Rail.

“The Shiley School of Engineering believes that students are bestprepared by using real-world projects mentored by both indus-try sponsors and faculty.”

Superb FacilitiesDonald P. Shiley HallWith support from over 300 alumni and

friends, the engineering program is thriving.

A lead gift from Darlene Shiley and her late

husband Donald ’51, as well as gifts from

others, including Ed ’56 and Sharon Sweo,

resulted in the creation of a state-of-the-art

engineering facility. The Shileys’ gift also

endowed the School, which is now proudly

named the Donald P. Shiley School of Engi-

neering. Today, Shiley Hall has 80,000 square

feet of space. It has tiered classrooms, study

rooms, and 17,000 square feet dedicated to

project research and construction with

another 3,800 square feet for student projects.

There are labs for electronics, manufacturing,

thermodynamics, fluids, power systems,

computer vision, environmental engineering,

exper i mental mechanics, robotics, biome-

chanics, and surveying, as well as extensive

shop facilities for woodworking, welding,

and precision-machining of metals. A dedi-

cated teaching laboratory for computing,

provides access to modern hardware and

software, development tools, and program-

ming languages.

Green RecognitionShiley Hall has garnered numerous awards

for its sustainable design, including: Leed ®

Platinum Certification by the U.S. Green

Building Council • BEST (Business for an Envi-

ronmentally Sustainable Tomorrow) Award

in the Green Building Category from the city

of Portland • Grand Award for Building Tech-

nology Systems from the American Council

of Engineering Companies of Oregon for in-

novations in the mechanical and electrical

systems • Illumination Award of Merit from

IES (Illuminations Engineering Society) for its

innovative and energy-saving lighting design.

Green DesignSome of the visible elements of Shiley

Hall’s commitment to environmental

responsibility include its eco-roof with

wind cowls and a solar photovoltaic

system, a bioswale, electronically tinted

windows, and 100% recycled, compressed

paper countertops.

2011 Highlights• The University is first in the nation for the number of students receiving Fulbright Awards

for study and research abroad among peer institutions, according to the Chronicle of Higher

Education.

• Bloomberg Businessweek has named the University the top school in Oregon for “return on

investment.”

• For the 17th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report listed the University as one of the top

ten schools in the West among 115 master’s level universities.

• Washington Monthly magazine listed the University as first in the nation for service among 553

master’s level universities.

• The University is named as one of the nation’s 311 “greenest” colleges by the Princeton Review in

its second annual guide to the nation’s most sustainable schools.

• The University is ranked third nationally in producing Peace Corps volunteers among its peers,

with 23 undergraduate and two graduate alumni currently serving.

• Twenty Portland-area high school valedictorians are attending the University in a study by The

Oregonian – more than all other private colleges in Portland combined.

• The University is 13th nationally for the number of students studying abroad for more than one

semester among peer institutions.

About the University

“Our alumni are well prepared – in 2011 recent engineering graduates scored a 96% passing rate on the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam,well ahead of the national average passing rate of 77%.”

donald p. shileyschool of engineering5000 North Willamette Blvd. Portland, or 97203-5798