Most students may wonder how traffic lights work, how bridges are designed, and even how 3-D is created. At this year’s National Summer Transportation Institute (NSTI), the Tennessee State University College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science gave youth, grades 10 through 12, an inside look at how the transportation industry makes our everyday world function.

The four-week residential program, funded by a $63,000 grant from the Federal Highway Administration was administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation Civil Rights Office.  The program introduced 17 students to safety, water, land and air transportation systems. The goal of the institute was to spark an interest in engineering and technology professions and facilitate exposure to related careers among minority and female students through various activities.

From highway design and aircraft performance to marine cargo handling and vehicle safety, the NSTI participants became first-hand witnesses to problem solving techniques created by engineers through transportation laboratory experiences and field trips to the Metropolitan Nashville Airport, Marshall Space and Rocket Center, Old Hickory Power Plant, Music City Star Headquarters, and Tennessee Department of Transportation Smartway Management Center.

Participants also interacted with students, professors and mentors in the engineering field while participating in an ACT preparation course and enhancement courses in algebra, geometry, and computer science.

Pictured: NSTI participants visit with Air Force jet pilots at the Nashville Airport.

Tennessee State University is continuing its efforts to help create a greener Nashville with a new series of sustainable living community workshops presented by the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Sciences.

The workshops are designed to assist area residents in saving energy and money by going green. Funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Capacity Building Grant, the workshops educate local residents on water conservation, indoor air quality, and reducing waste.

“All of our workshops take a holistic approach to environmental issues. Most residents want to find ways to cut their monthly utility bills so we feature presentations on how to conserve energy and water, recycle waste, reduce storm water runoff, and more topics,” said workshop coordinator Sue Ballard de Ruiz, an assistant professor in the
College’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

The most recent workshop held at Hartman Park Community Center, an area that was heavily affected by the floods of May 2010, featured guest representatives from Mayor Karl Dean’s Office of Flood Recovery and Office of Environmental Sustainability along with Quantum Environmental Services and the State of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. With the assistance of the local Home Depot store in Madison, participants received household items that help reduce energy consumption and improve indoor air quality such as power strips, compact fluorescent lights, and environmentally friendly cleaners.

Ballard de Ruiz, who conducts the workshops alongside fellow TSU professor Dr. Margaret Machara, said the grant funding helps the University achieve a greater mission of saving the environment.

“We know how important sustainability has become to our city, our nation, and even our world. Hosting the workshops is an active part to help sustain our communities by equipping them to go green and stay there,” she added,

The next sustainable living community workshop is scheduled for September 15, 5:30-7 p.m., at the Nashville Area Habitat Humanity Headquarters located at 1006 Eighth Avenue South. All workshops are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Sue Ballard de Ruiz at 615-963-5623 or aballard@tnstate.edu.

Pictured: (L-R) Machara and Ballard de Ruiz display presentation tools used to explain sustainability tips to workshop participants.

Tennessee State University College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science is preparing graduate students to protect the nation against cybercrimes and intrusions with a recent grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The DHS Scientific Leadership Award for Minority Serving Institutions Granting Graduate Degrees in the amount of $301,679 will fund the University’s initiative to develop a joint research and education initiative for interdisciplinary research and education aimed protecting the United States critical infrastructure and key assets.

The project will highlight two DHS-STEM disciplines: Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization and Command Control and Interoperability.

“It is becoming increasingly important that policies are developed to deter the growing threat of cybercrime and state-sponsored intrusions throughout the nation. Through this initiative, we hope to determine which components are likely to be targeted in a potential cyber attack, investigate the intelligence of an attacker’s motivations, and determine how the intelligence improves policies,” explained Dr. Sachin Shetty, assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and principal investigator of the grant.

“The research we conduct at Tennessee State University will be carried out through video analytics, machine learning, and risk analysis research, as well as with resources and facilities that we currently have available at the institution,” said Shetty.

The research will address three inter-connected thrusts (planning, countermeasures and assessment) in the area of cyber security. The planning thrust will focus on models of effective surveillance and allocation of resources under uncertainty. Countermeasures will be responsible for proactive and defensive policies to help deter an attack and identify potential threats. Finally, assessment will be used to develop risk analysis and strategies to create defensive resources that protect critical infrastructure and key assets.

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science, hopes the initiative will develop students’ competency in homeland security in data mining, risk analysis and visual analytics research.

“By the incorporation of new courses and research seminars in the areas of visual analytics, cyber-security, and risk analysis and assessment, we believe this initiative will provide our students with an thorough understanding of the complexities associated with the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure and key assets. Additionally, the curriculum enhancement and collaborative relationships with the Department of Homeland Security, federal labs, and related industries will help enhance our graduate program at the Ph.D. level,” said Hargrove.

The funding will also support and leverage a previous infrastructure grant received by the National Science Foundation to establish the TSU Interdisciplinary Graduate Engineering Research Institute (TIGER) and help promote research activity in one of four thrust areas.

Shetty, along with senior faculty in the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science, will work collaboratively with graduate students to carry out the research.

(Pictured are Hargrove and Shetty, L-R)

The STEM Rising Freshman Summer Institute at Tennessee State University recently wrapped a five-week academic program to support students who plan to pursue a college degree in one of the four disciplines of science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). During the institute, students participated in chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer science classes and labs, and were paired with a mentor/tutor who will work with them throughout their freshman year.  Students who participated in this program learned basic research skills and principles, dialogued with guest speakers, and visited local businesses and industries that employ STEM graduates.

Sponsored by the The HBCU-UP Project, the institute inducted rising freshman students into the STEM academic and research cultures at TSU by  introducing career possibilities and providing fundamentals and practices necessary for successful completion of a degree in a STEM area. The HBCU-UP Project at TSU, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is a collaborative effort between the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science, the Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences, Research and Sponsored Programs, the Massie Chair of Excellence and the School of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences.

Pictured: Rising seniors Ashia-Chanel Coleman and Troy Lambert review the results of a math exam.