Engineers Week 2024
Get ready to experience the most thrilling and inspiring week-long event of the year - Loyola Engineering Week 2024! It's the ultimate celebration of the dynamic world of engineering that promises to boost your knowledge and empower you with endless opportunities. You'll get a chance to meet and learn from top engineering alumni, industry professionals, and change-makers who are transforming the world with their innovative ideas. Join us for an unforgettable journey filled with excitement, learning, and endless possibilities!
Monday, February 19th ⋅ 5:00 – 6:30 PM ⋅ LNDL IDEASpace
Instructor: Suzanne Keilson and Youlanda Halterman
Learn about LNDL's laser cutter, get certified to use it, and learn about practical applications of laser cutting in the field of engineering! This class is part of Loyola's Engineering Week programming. Anyone is welcome--you don't need to be a Loyola student or an engineer! All you need is an interest in laser cutting.
Tuesday, February 20th ⋅ 12:15 – 1:30 PM ⋅ 4th Floor Programming Room
Would an advanced degree help your engineering career? A panel of engineering alumni who decided the answer to that question was “yes” will share their insights and experiences concerning graduate school. Come and ask them questions about what it was really like and whether it was worth it.
Register for the Loyola Engineering Alumni Panel.
•Patrick Bradley graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BSE (Mechanical Concentration) in 2019. He is currently a PhD candidate at Duke University in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in biomechanics.
Laura Frantz graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BSE (Mechanical Concentration) in 2012. She has an MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Ohio State University and currently serves as a Program Manager for Northrop Grumman in Baltimore.
Matt Kalensky graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BSE (Mechanical and Materials Concentration) in 2017. He has a PhD in Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and is currently an engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division in Virginia.
Meghan Reynolds graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BSE/Mechanical and Materials Concentration in 2019. She is currently a PhD candidate at Duke University in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering.
Kyle Slusarski graduated from Loyola University Maryland with a BSE/Mechanical and Materials Concentration in 2011. He has a MSE in Materials Science and Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University and is currently a Technical Sourcing Engineer with Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Tuesday, February 20th ⋅ 2:00 – 3:00 PM ⋅ Cohn Hall 133
Join us for a talk on Quantum Communication, a groundbreaking field that employs quantum mechanics to exchange information. Dr. Hossein Aghababa, Assistant Teaching Professor, will discuss the fundamentals, benefits, advancements, and potential applications of this fascinating science.
Register for Quantum Communication: The Future of Information Transfer.
Tuesday, February 20th ⋅ 7:00 – 9:00 PM ⋅ LNDL Auditorium
Are you ready for an evening of entertainment, intriguing insights, and plenty of exciting moments? Don't miss our upcoming IEEE movie night, where we will be showcasing the film "Blackberry." An unforgettable dramedy that compellingly chronicles the rise and fall of the legendary Blackberry phones. Do note that the movie "Blackberry" has been rated "R". This rating has been decided due to the consistent language usage throughout the film.
Register for IEEE Movie Night.
Wednesday, February 21st ⋅ 12:00 – 1:00 PM ⋅ Cohn Hall 133
Please join us during Engineering Week to hear about one person’s journey and a lifetime of adapting to change. From a life of immigrants to being different from everyone around her to finding achievement and overcoming failure, Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja recounts her pathway to engineering, science, and space exploration.
Dr. Mamta Patel Nagaraja is currently the NASA Associate Chief Scientist for Exploration and Applied Research in the Office of the Chief Scientist. In this role, she advises the Chief Scientist in the areas of exploration and biomedical and physical sciences performed by humans in space. Her research expertise is on the molecular effects of microgravity on bone cells. Additionally, Dr. Nagaraja has previously served as a program scientist for space biology, led science communications, served as the lead mechanical engineer for a scientific instrument, trained astronauts for their missions in space, and worked in the Mission Control Center. One of her most coveted recognitions was getting an interview to become a NASA astronaut. She learned the most about how to succeed after failing (twice!) to achieve this dream. Lastly, Dr. Nagaraja is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusivity in science, and she loves mentoring others to help them find their best career pathway. She lives in the Washington D.C. metro area with her husband and three children. Dr. Nagaraja is a bilingual, first generation American and first generation college graduate from an immigrant family, with five kids and dedicated, selfless parents.
Thursday, February 22nd ⋅ 1:40 – 2:55 PM ⋅ Cohn Hall 133
Join Loyola Engineering and the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) for the Engineering Week Technology and Innovation Panel. Explore cutting-edge advancements and hear from leading minds in the field. Gain insights on emerging trends, disruptive technologies, and the transformative impact of engineering. Don't miss this inspiring and thought-provoking experience!
Register for the Technology and Innovation Panel.
Stephen M. Wallace is the Defense Information Systems Agency chief technology officer. He also serves as the Emerging Technology Directorate director and focuses on delivering innovative processes, services and capabilities across the agency. The Emerging Technology Directorate develops, executes, prioritizes and collaborates EM-based needs, such as zero trust, 5G, Quantum Resistant Cryptography, and DOD IT Standards.
Previously, Wallace served as the technical director of DISA’s Development and Business Center, where he worked on integrating commercial and government-owned technologies in support of the agency’s emerging technologies. Wallace’s other former roles within DISA include chief of cyber innovation and chief engineer for Department of Defense Enterprise Email.
Prior to joining DISA, Wallace was a government contractor for Computer Sciences Corporation. During this time, he worked to build a variety of enterprise class collaboration, identity management and authentication systems for the federal government.
Wallace has a master's degree in cybersecurity, and a bachelor's in telecommunications, both from Capitol College. He holds a Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification and is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School Senior Executive Program.
Jon is an entrepreneur, management consultant, and executive coach with a varied, somewhat unusual history. Jon’s career as a management consultant accelerated when he founded Line of Sight, a firm focused on working with clients to improve their success through better project management, process improvement and managing organizational change. His clients ranged from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies, as well as local, state, and federal government organizations. Jon co-authored two books and scads of articles on topics including project management, leadership, strategic planning, and organizational change and hit the speaking circuit on these topics around the US, South Africa, and Europe.
Jon is excited to be a part of the Management & Organizations faculty and to serve as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for the Simon Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, working to engage and inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and community leaders.
Thursday, February 22nd ⋅ 5:00 – 7:00 PM ⋅ McGuire Hall
Join Loyola Engineering IAB/Alumni Night for networking with students, faculty, staff, IAB members, and alumni. Gain professional connections and insights. Don't wait, join us!
Friday, February 23rd ⋅ 12:00 – 1:00 PM ⋅ DS 075
Psyche: Journey to a Metal World is a NASA Discovery-class exploration mission that will explore the largest metal asteroid in the solar system. Deep within the terrestrial planets, including Earth, scientists infer the presence of metallic cores, but these lie unreachably far below the planets’ rocky mantles and crusts. The asteroid Psyche offers a unique window into these building blocks of planet formation and the opportunity to investigate a previously unexplored type of world. This mission will be the first to explore up close a world made not or rock or ice, but of metal. The Psyche spacecraft will be the first to use Hall effect thrusters beyond the Earth-moon system, a milestone in the use of advanced electric propulsion systems for space exploration, and the first to demonstrate laser communications from interplanetary space, a milestone in deep space optical communication. This talk will describe how the Psyche mission was developed, evolving from a scientific hypothesis into a mission architecture and viable mission concept.
David Oh is a Principal Systems Engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) who has worked on missions to the Moon, Mars, Asteroid Belt, and beyond. David joined JPL in 2003, led the cross-cutting systems engineering team that designed and tested the core software, thermal, and communications systems for the Curiosity Mars Rover, and was the rover’s Lead Flight Director through cruise, and early surface operations. Prior to coming to JPL, David spent seven years working on communications satellites at Space Systems/Loral. David received Bachelor’s degrees in Astronautics and in Music from MIT in 1991, and received an Sc.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT in 1997. Today, David is a Chief Engineer for “Psyche: Journey to a Metal World,” a mission in NASA’s Discovery mission portfolio.
Date is TBD ⋅ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Our trip to this premier naval science and engineering institution will provide students with an invaluable insight into cutting-edge innovation in marine technology, ship design, and maritime systems. Students will have an immersive experience via engaging presentations, detailed facility tours, and interactive sessions with industry professionals.
This outing will serve as an excellent opportunity to broaden technical knowledge, enhance learning, understand real-world applications of engineering concepts, and potentially guide career aspirations in naval engineering. Don't miss this unique opportunity to see engineering principles applied in this nationally renowned research, development, test and evaluation center.
So gear up for an enriching and educational exploration experience into the world of naval engineering!