| RETIREMENT
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John
J. Uicker, Jr. has retired after 40 years on the mechanical
engineering department faculty. He earned his BS in mechanical
engineering at the University of Detroit and his MS and PhD
in mechanical engineering at Northwestern University.
Since joining the College of Engineering faculty in 1967, Uicker
has been instrumental in establishing new directions of study.
Early in his career, he helped the mechanical engineering department
acquire access to teaching computers, which was the beginning
of Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) Center, a service now used
by the entire College. When CAE effectively started in 1982,
Uicker served as the first director. He also was involved in
establishing the Manufacturing Systems Engineering (MSE) masters
degree program and the Wisconsin Center for Space Automation
and Robotics (WCSAR) at UW-Madison.
However, Uicker’s influence extends beyond the UW-Madison
campus. He co-authored, with J.E. Shilgley of the University
of Michigan, the textbook Theory of Machines and Mechanisms,
recognized globally as the leading text on the subject. He also
served as editor-in-chief of the international journal Mechanism
and Machine Theory.
Uicker’s research program has developed an extensive computer
software system called the Integrated Mechanisms Program (IMP)
for the kinematic, static, and dynamic simulation of rigid body
mechanical systems such as robots and automotive suspensions.
Hundreds of academic institutions and industry companies now
use IMP. Uicker also developed several geometric modeling software
systems that benefit industry, including one to simulate solidification
in metal castings and one to determine possible collisions between
moving objects.
Among his many honors, Uicker is a fellow of the American Society
of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and has been awarded the ASME
Mechanisms and Robotics award, and awarded twice by ASME for
historically significant publications. He received the 1985
Byron Bird Award for excellence in a research publication and
the 1977 Pi Tau Sigma teacher of the year award.
Uicker feels that what has kept him motivated over his forty
years is the ever increasing level of talent shown by the undergraduate
students coming to the Madison campus for their degrees..
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FACULTY NEWS
The Master of Engineering in Engine Systems program graduated
its first class of 10 students in May. The program serves mid-career
professionals seeking a broad knowledge of engines, using an online
format that allows students to continue their careers while earning
the degree. Six of the 10 graduates are from Wisconsin-based companies,
such as Harley Davidson, Briggs & Stratton and Mercury Marine. You
can read more at www.engr.wisc.edu/news/headlines/2007/May17.html.
The Environmental Protection
Agency has awarded a three-year, $340,000 grant to Professor Lih-Sheng
(Tom) Turng and UW-Milwaukee Assistant Professor Shaoqin (Sarah)
Gong to investigate cleaner manufacturing techniques for biopolymers.
“High-performance microcellular components made of sustainable
bio-based polymer composites and produced via an environmentally benign
injection molding process” aims to develop technology, commercial
applications and life-cycle assessments for high-performance microcellular
composites that use sustainable bio-based materials via an environmentally
benign manufacturing process. This project will serve to conserve energy
and natural resources, and reduce waste and toxic substance production.
Assistant Professor
Krishnan Suresh has received a three-year, $222,417 grant from the
National Science Foundation for research on interactive virtual assembly.
In collaboration with Professor Satyandra Gupta from the University
of Maryland, College Park, Suresh will study interactive virtual assembly
of complex engineering systems, with the primary objective of eliminating
expensive prototyping and training.
Professor John
Moskwa has joined the National Research Council (NRC) Committee
on Fuel Economy of Light Duty Vehicles. The NRC is the principal operating
agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy
of Engineering, which advise Congress and the president on science-
and technology- related matters. Moskwa’s contributions to the
NRC committee will focus on engine and vehicle system simulation.
Professor Vadim
Shapiro was recently named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers (ASME). Shapiro is widely recognized for his research into
foundational issues in computer-aided engineering and mechanical design
automation, including developing geometric modeling representations
that overcome critical bottlenecks in computer-aided design technology.
His work in analysis and synthesis has led to a new generation of languages,
software tools and advances in design automation with extension to the
emerging areas of biotechnology, information technology, cyber-infrastructure,
and cyber-engineering.
Assistant Professor Dan
Negrut received a three-year, $201,000 award from the National Science
Foundation to study methods for modeling and simulation of complex mechanical
systems. “Simulation of multibody dynamics: Leveraging new numerical
methods and multiprocessor capabilities” will investigate numerical
integration methods for simulation of complex multibody systems dynamics-leveraging
entry-level high-performance parallel computing hardware. The research
is aimed at ground-vehicle simulation and multibody dynamics problems
characterized by very large numbers of frictional contacts, such as
granular flow simulation.
