Previous Issue
Vol.80 No.3, 2009
Engineering Ohio's Economic Development
By Joan Slattery WallFor all that’s broken with the economy these days, the College of Engineering is aiming for a “Mr. Fix-It” title.
Stunned by the swell of job losses? Ohio State engineers and collaborators at CMPND, a research and commercialization partnership in polymer nanotechnology, have partnered with Ohio companies to retain nearly 70 jobs and create 170 more in research and development, production and manufacturing. CMPND, the Center for Multifunctional Polymer Nanomaterials and Devices, includes six university partners and more than 60 large and small companies across the state.
Honda-Ohio State Partnership Supports Industry Research
The Honda-Ohio State Partnership plants seeds — in the form of faculty research grants — that grow into significant savings for the automotive and manufacturing industries.
Using algorithms devised by College of Engineering researchers, Honda engineers created an “intelligent paint booth” to save energy use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for the company. The sections of the pie graph illustrate seven Honda plants and the estimated potential savings of the number of 1,000 cubic feet of gas (MCF) that could occur with implantation of the changes at each plant. Each MCF is equivalent to $11.41 in savings, 52 kg of CO2 and 1 million BTUs. The plants combined have saved 351,896 MCFs.Established in 2000, the partnership uses endowments for programs that prepare students for successful careers in the transportation industry, promote opportunities for continuous professional development for auto industry engineers and enhance collaborative research.
Driving Electric Vehicle, Charging Technology Innovations
Rich Housh knew he had an idea that could be lucrative for years to come as the world moves away from automobiles powered by internal combustion engines.
What he didn’t have was a way to develop it, a place to test it or a means to improve it — until now.
Height, Style of “McMansions” Turn Off Residents
A new study by a Knowlton School of Architecture professor provides a first glimpse of exactly what people find offensive about super-sized houses that have sprouted up in neighborhoods around the country.
Researchers found that people particularly dislike when these large homes, often derisively called “McMansions,” are more than two times as tall as surrounding homes and when their architectural style is not compatible with neighboring homes.
Criteria for Concerns Vary by Neighborhood Satisfaction
A new study reveals that the general appearance of a neighborhood is the single most important factor affecting how satisfied residents are about the area where they live.
But beyond general appearance, people living in different neighborhoods may be looking at distinct factors when making their overall evaluations, according to the study, which is the first of its kind to examine the differences between neighborhoods that are rated satisfactory and unsatisfactory.
