Friday, May 22, 2009

Dr. Ellzey to visit Ghana

Later this month, Dr. Ellzey will be traveling to the West African country of Ghana to develop an aid project centered around improving cook stove technology in rural communities. The UN's World Health Organization has cited indoor air pollution (IAP) as the second largest environmental contributor to ill health. In fact, acute respiratory disease caused by IAP is the number one killer of children under the age of five. The cause of this pollution is inefficient cookstoves and cooking fires used throughout much of the developing world. With this in mind, Dr. Ellzey hopes to develop a project outline that can be carried out by interested students at the University of Texas. The program would involve planning and developing a technological solution through a registered ME course, and then implementing that solution in Ghana. The Ellzey group is also beginning its own research in the cookstoves area, including investigations into fuels and stove efficiency. Besides aiding a student team in the assesment of indoor air quality, Dr. Ellzey will be meeting with the director of Ghana's EPA, who has cited IAP as a major concern for Ghana.

For more information on cookstoves, see the following websites

www.bioenergylists.org
www.vrac.iastate.edu/ethos

Congrats to all of our recent Graduates!

It is Commencement weekend here at the University of Texas. Among the many who are graduating from all across the University, 4 Ellzey group members will be receiving diplomas. We are honored to announce that Ingmar Schoegl will receive his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Schoegl plans to accept a post-doctoral position this upcoming fall. Mr. Colin Smith and Mr. S. Ryan Newcomb will also be receiving their Master's degrees. While Mr. Smith plans to continues to pursue his doctorate here at the University of Texas, Mr. Newcomb will begin employment with BP's Gulf Division later this summer. Finally, Ms. Liane Miller will receive her B.S., also in Mechanical Engineering; she plans to pursue a graduate degree in Sustainable Design. We are very proud of our graduates and wish the best to those who are going on to new pursuits.

Dr. Janet Ellzey named Vice Provost

Dr. Ellzey has recently accepted the position of Vice Provost of the University of Texas. To read more about this honor, click here. Because of her experience in developing international programs for the Cockrell School of Engineering, Dr. Ellzey will oversee the International Programs office for the entire university. We are proud of Dr. Ellzey and excited to see her excel in her new position.

Ellzey Group continues partnership with University of Edinburgh

This summer Ellzey group member Tommy Browder will be traveling to Edinburgh, Scotland to work with Dr. Guillermo Rein at the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering. Tommy, who has been studying abroad in Sweden, should arrive in Edinburgh in the next month. His trip is the second undergraduate research internship opportunity that Ellzey group memebers have taken with the University of Edinburgh. Last summer, Liane Miller and Casey Zak worked with Dr. Rein and Dr. Christine Switzer on a soil remediation process that utilized their knowledge of porous media (PM) combustion. These undergraduate internships help establish ties between distant institutions and allow the participants to explore new research areas. It also gives them the opportunity to experience other cultures and in this case explore the beautiful city of Edinburgh and Scotland as a whole.