Alumni Couple Gives with Gratitude

Posted on by | Leave a reply

By Lori Brandt

Life has been good to OSU alumni Mike and Judy Gaulke. So when it came time to determine how they would share their good fortune, they chose the institutions that had been meaningful in their lives, and topping the list was Oregon State University.

Mike and Judy Gaulke
Mike and Judy Gaulke (Photo by Karl Maasdam)

The Gaulkes have pledged $3.5 million to create the Michael and Judith Gaulke Chair of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at OSU. This endowed faculty position fund is the largest to date for the College of Engineering. The inaugural chair will be awarded to OSU electrical engineering professor John Wager, an award-winning teacher and dedicated researcher.

Continue reading →

Making music from art

Posted on by | 3 Replies

Musician and project sponsor Ken Saul of Hewlett-Packard originated the idea for an Android app called Crayon Composer, and initiated a challenge to Oregon State University engineering students to develop this creative and instructive blend of art, music, and technology. Now, Crayon Composer inspires maestros of all ages by translating their original artwork into musical compositions. Continue reading →

Radioactive soil remediation

Posted on by | 4 Replies

Radioactive soil remediationIn March 2011, following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami, radioactive contaminants were released at the Japanese Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Since then, the radioactive contaminant cesium 137 (Cs-137) has been detected in the soil in areas surrounding the facility, and scientists have been exploring cost-effective ways to clean up the site that do more than just move the contaminates from one place to another or unintentionally create a chain reaction of contamination throughout the entire ecosystem. Continue reading →

Wireless glove controls computers

Posted on by | Leave a reply

Wireless glove controls computersDouglas Engelbart (’48 EE) invented the first point-and-click mouse in 1964, and numerous variations on the original design have surfaced since then. For their 21st-century senior project, electrical and computer engineering students Mushfiqur Sarker, Anton Bilbaeno, and Jason Muhlestein sought to make computer interaction even more intuitive by eliminating the need to be tethered to a mouse. Their solution is a glove that allows users to wirelessly control their computers. Continue reading →

Push-button home brewing

Posted on by | 2 Replies

Push-button home brewingCraft beers and microbreweries are growing increasingly popular throughout the country. The Automated Home Brewing System created by electrical and computer engineering students Ryan Beert, Brett Stephens, and Paul Larson allows home brewers of any experience level to join the fun and experiment with their own recipes and ideas. Crafting a microbrew is now as simple as making a loaf of bread in a bread maker. Continue reading →