Spectrum - Volume 19 Issue 05 September 26, 1996 - Achievers

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including The Conductor , a special section of the Spectrum printed 4 times a year

Achievers

Spectrum Volume 19 Issue 05 - September 26, 1996

Pamplin faculty members led a variety of study-abroad programs this past summer that provided opportunities for some 80 students to study and observe Asian and European businesses and culture. The programs are part of the college's efforts to prepare students for global business challenges. The students visit businesses, attend lectures and discussions, observe other cultures, and go sightseeing during weekend breaks from classes and class-related study tours. They complete pre-trip reading assignments and write at least one term paper for course credit when they return.

Finance professor John Pinkerton led a study trip to Western Europe that included its financial hubs. The group had discussions with executives of Bear Sterns in Paris, BZ Bank in Zurich, Siemens in Munich, and also visited Lloyd's of London, the British Customs office, the Zurich Stock Exchange, the Mahou Brewery in Madrid, and the University of Madrid.

Management professor Richard Wokutch took 12 undergraduate and graduate students on a three-week trip to Japan. The group toured plants and participated in seminars with executives at Toyota, Mitsui, Canon, Asahi Mutual Life, Medtronic, Omron, Texas Instruments, GM, and Hershey. The Pamplin visitors also met officials from the Japan External Trade Organization and Hiroshima Shudo University. During the weekend, they toured the Diet and such cultural attractions as the Imperial Palace grounds and Tokyo Tower, and attended a Japanese baseball game. They spent a few days at Hong Kong's Chinese University and met executives from two Hong Kong mass transit companies.

Marketing professor Jim Littlefield took students to Hong Kong and China. The group's itinerary included stops in Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, Guangzhou, and Guilin. They toured factories manufacturing such products as iron and steel, escalators, copper plates, filing cabinets, and pearl jewelry. The travelers also visited Tianjin's port and free-trade zone, and the American Standard porcelain plant. The students also visited the Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, and a Chinese home.

Management science professor Philip Huang organized a program that included two weeks of classroom instruction on international operations management at the university's Center for European Studies and Architecture in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland. To study and compare U.S. workplaces with those in central Europe, management professor Jerry Robinson and his group visited various plants and offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Hungary, and Austria, including a glass factory, an electronics company, a Hoechst plant, and the European offices of K-Mart.

Robinson, Littlefield, and finance professor Rodney Thompson are also teaching six courses this semester at the center in Riva. At least three future study-abroad trips are being planned. Ron Johnson , associate dean for graduate and international programs, will lead a two-week study tour of businesses in London and Paris during winter break.

Next summer, accounting professor Konrad Kubin will take students to Western Europe to study international accounting, while students with associate professor of management Larry French will visit Brazil on a program that will include a tour of the Amazon region and meetings with company executives in Sao Paolo, a major industrial city in the south east.

Karen E. Torgersen , interim director of Undergraduate Admissions, was selected to serve on the Harry F. Byrd Jr. Leadership Award Selection Committee for 1996-97. Former U.S. Senator Byrd established a $1-million endowment in 1994 to award $2,500 each year to a high-school senior from each of Virginia's 11 congressional districts. All public and private high schools in Virginia may nominate one senior for the award. The selection committee includes representatives from three public and three private Virginia colleges and universities. The committee is charged with reviewing all applications and selecting finalists who then are interviewed by the endowment's Board of Trustees, which selects the recipients. The winners are chosen for their academic achievement, leadership qualities, excellence of character, and devotion to duty.

Scotty Bolling , a lab mechanic in the Department of Entomology, was the August 1996 recipient of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Employee Recognition Award. Bolling has been with the department just over two years.

Bolling is responsible for renovating offices and laboratories in the Entomology Department, and for fabricating apparati for faculty members and students. For example, Bolling completely renovated the department's state-of-the-art computer classroom, saving the department an estimated $13,000 that would have been required had the work been done outside of the department.

According to his supervisor, Bolling is one of the most valuable staff members that he has met anywhere at any university. He describes Bolling as an upbeat person who is very professional and considerate.

Henry R. Dickerson , a 22-year employee of the university, has been named the September 1996 recipient of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' Employee Recognition Award. Dickerson is the manager/supervisor of the Animal and Poultry Sciences Catawba Research Center.

In his role as supervisor, Dickerson has been called on to use his many skills, and to develop new skills, to meet the needs of a diverse and changing livestock production and research unit. Following the departure of the only other staff member at the Catawba unit, Dickerson has had to work much of the past year alone, including maintaining successful operations through one of the worst winters on record.

Those who work closely with Dickerson hold him in high regard for his attention to detail and his willingness to respond to any occasion to meet the needs of the unit. Just recently, he has accepted a transfer to Blacksburg, as a decision was made to close the Catawba unit and move the operation to the campus farm.

Frank Woeste , professor in the Department of Biological Systems Engineering, was the invited speaker at the Kentucky Section Meeting of ASAE in Lexington, Ky., September 21. His topic was "How I Have Used My AgE Education, and Projections for the Future of Biological Systems Engineering."

Faculty members and students of the Department of Biological Systems Engineering presented a number of papers at the ASAE annual meeting held recently in Phoenix.

James H. Wilson , associate professor, presented a paper developed jointly with Paul L. Ruszler entitled "Effect of Dietary Boron on Layer Bone Strength and Production Parameters." Ram Gupta , research associate, presented a paper entitled "Modeling Variability in Chemical Composition of Soil for Precision Farming." Other researchers contributing to the paper were S. Mostaghimi , P.W. McClellan , and D.H. Vaughan.

Tamim Younos , research associate, presented a paper on "Water Quality Effects of a Dairy Loafing Lot Rotational Management System." Other researchers were E.R. Collins , B.B. Ross , J.M. Swisher , K.G. Wooden , and R.F. Shank. Randy W. Clouse , graduate student, presented a paper developed jointly with C.D. Heatwole entitled "Validation of GLEAMS Considering Parameter Uncertainty."

Sebastian Zacharias , graduate student, prepared a paper prepared jointly with Heatwole entitled "A Stochastic Modeling Framework for Incorporating Spatial Variability in Non-Point Source Pollution Models. Sharon P. Buck , graduate student, presented a paper entitled "Applying Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) to Agricultural Nonpoint Source Pollution." Contributing to the paper were M.L. Wolfe , Mostaghimi, Woeste, and D.M. Vietor.

Edward T. Carter presented a paper developed jointly with Wolfe and Woeste entitled "Risk Estimation of Nitrate Concentrations in Groundwater Using Probability Distributions." Young B. Kim presented a paper developed jointly with Vaughan entitled "Performance Analysis of a Soil-Air Heat Exchanger."

Seonggu Hong , graduate student, presented a paper developed jointly with Mostaghimi entitled "Comparison of 1-D and 2-D Modeling Approaches for Simulating Runoff and Sediment Transport in Overland Areas with Cross Slope." Joel O. Paz , graduate student, presented a paper developed with Wolfe, Mostaghimi, and T.A. Dillaha III entitled "Impact of Channel Erosion and Sediment Yield Prediction for Agricultural Watersheds."

Lori S. Marsh , associate professor, presented a paper prepared jointly with M.A. Capp entitled "Field Observations of Duct Leakage and Pressure Differentials in Residences in Virginia." Eugene R. Yagow , graduate student, presented a paper prepared jointly with V.O. Shanholtz entitled "AGNPS Model Enhancements for Generating Monthly Loads."

Giyoung Kim presented a paper developed jointly with Vaughan entitled "Plant Root Observation Method Using Image Processing." Sanjay Khulka presented a paper developed jointly with Mostaghimi and McClellan entitled "BMP Effects on Transport of Nitrate and Pesticides to Groundwater in Virginia's Coastal Plain." Ronald E. Sheffield , graduate student, presented a paper prepared jointly with Mostaghimi, Vaughan, E.R. Collins , and V.G. Allen entitled "Off Stream Water Sources for Grazing Cattle as a Stream Stabilization and Water Quality BMP."