51ÁÔĆć

Flooding damages west end of EMS building; cleanup underway

an empty room with drywall and carpet stripped

A significant water leak caused extensive damage to the west end of the EMS building during the night of June 6 or early morning of June 7.

The flooding resulted from a rusted pipe in an air handler unit on the third-floor roof that failed due to age. Because the incident occurred when the building was unoccupied, water leaked undetected for several hours.

The most severe damage occurred on the second floor, though areas from the basement through the third floor were also affected. Saturated ceiling tiles, drywall and carpeting are currently being replaced. Computers and other equipment will be assessed individually to determine the extent of impact.

Cleanup and restoration are expected to continue throughout the summer, according to Avie Judes, lab manager for the college. Restoration work is being handled by contractor Paul Davis.

Faculty and staff can report water-damaged equipment by adding it to the  which will be reviewed by Risk Management. Computers in the W220 lab will be taken for drying and testing. Documents that are wet and need to be salvaged may possibly be freeze dried. Add them to the log.  

Despite the damage, Judes noted that this is also a good opportunity to sort through items and surplus anything still usable. Faculty and staff are encouraged to use the online form available on the Office of Sustainability web page.

Dean honored with Distinguished Alumni Award from University of Arkansas

Dean Brett Peters was recently recognized as a distinguished alumnus by the University of Arkansas College of Engineering.

Peters, who earned his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Arkansas in 1987, was one of nine graduates honored with a Distinguished Alumni Award. The award celebrates individuals who have achieved distinction in their field and demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to the college, their organizations, and their communities.

He became dean of the 51ÁÔĆć College of Engineering & Applied Science in 2012 from Texas A&M where he was a professor of industrial and systems engineering from 1992 until 2011. The recognition reflects Peters’ decades-long impact as an academic leader and his commitment to advancing engineering education and innovation.

How math and impatient driving inspired student’s award-winning startup

A civil engineering graduate with shaggy brown hair and a light blue shirt looks at his tablet. A modern glass side of a building behind him reflect road traffic.

Joel Roberts really hates sitting at red lights – especially the ones that hold you hostage while not a single car passes in the cross-direction.

“Sitting in traffic bothers me,” said Roberts, a PhD student in civil engineering. “So, getting drivers through intersections efficiently is interesting to math guys like myself because it’s basically an optimization problem.”

Now, that everyday frustration has fueled something bigger: an award-winning startup.

Making Waves of Impact
Using computer vision, geometry, and smart algorithms, a graduate student captures more detailed and accurate traffic data in his startup.

Roberts is the founder of Shepherd Traffic, a company that uses computer vision, geometry, and smart algorithms to capture more detailed and accurate traffic data than what’s currently available. The idea is to let the computer do the watching – and the counting.

When traffic management professionals need to time a light or redesign roads, the initial data they need are object counts and classifications, which you can take from videos.

His pitch for the company beat out top student innovators from across Wisconsin to win the $2,500 grand prize at the WiSys Big Idea Pitch Competition.

Smarter intersections, less waiting

Traffic lights usually run on fixed timing patterns that do not respond to the small nuances of traffic, Roberts said. Timings get the main gist of traffic, but they can’t optimize every situation. A fully adaptive system would.

“The first thing I built was an algorithm that recognizes and calculates the delay for every object – cars, trucks, bikes, pedestrians – at any given point when the light changes,” he said. “It figures out the best moment to switch to minimize everyone’s wait.”

His system doesn’t just count objects. It logs trajectories and could help predict movement.

And unlike many competitors who still rely on manual traffic counting (clipboards and all), Roberts’ approach is automated – making it faster, cheaper, and more scalable.

From idea to incubator

The turning point came two years ago when Roberts took his idea to 51ÁÔĆć’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. Encouraged by friends, he applied to I-Corps, a national program that helps turn university research into startups.

He applied to the program as a community member and met Xiao Qin, professor of civil engineering and an expert in traffic systems. Qin not only agreed to help him but also encouraged Roberts to pursue his graduate studies at 51ÁÔĆć where he also received an assistantship.

As a graduate student in the department, Roberts could work on his startup as part of his academic research.

That turned out to be pivotal to advancing his goals, Roberts said.

“I needed time to work on this project, deeper expertise, and a way to support myself while doing it,” he said. “I’m grateful to Dr. Qin, who also is an expert in many aspects of what I’m building my business on.”

The road ahead

Through I-Corps, Roberts learned that It’s not uncommon for 40% of traffic project budgets are spent just on data collection. That’s a huge opportunity, he said, especially if his system can deliver better results at a lower cost.

Looking ahead, he plans to expand his data capabilities to include pedestrians—often overlooked in traffic studies—and to add the aspect of data involving “near misses,” a topic that Qin has conducted research on.

He hopes his system can one day help forecast risky driving behavior—like the likelihood of someone running a red light. It’s the kind of insight that could transform how cities plan intersections, adjust signal timing, and improve safety.

He’s also exploring two business models: selling the traffic insights directly or licensing the software behind them.

For now, the demand may be modest. But as smart cities grow and infrastructure modernizes, Roberts believes his vision for data-driven intersections will be right on time.

See a video demonstration of Shepherd Traffic .

51ÁÔĆć doctoral student built a first-of-its kind, high-voltage circuit breakers testbed

Three men working on an energy device the size of a motorcycle. Two are tightening bolts.

51ÁÔĆć has taken a pioneering role in advancing the future of the U.S. electrical grid by hosting the world’s first testing facility dedicated to high-voltage circuit breakers that are more cost-effective and environmentally friendly than current technology.

Doctoral student Sadeed Hossain, electrical engineering, has been instrumental in this effort, helping to build and operate the test facility, called a “synthetic test circuit.” It is designed for evaluating next-generation circuit breakers in both high-current and high-voltage environments.

Traditional circuit breakers at substations rely on sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) as an insulating medium needed to interrupt the flow of electrical current and protect infrastructure when something on the grid goes wrong.

However, SF₆ is an expensive and potent greenhouse gas that has toxic byproducts. As the grid ages, leakage has become a problem because, once in the atmosphere, SF6 lingers for literally thousands of years.

two men with industrial equipment talking to each other
51ÁÔĆć doctoral student Sadeed Hossain (left) discusses the 51ÁÔĆć testbed with Associate Professor Lukas Graber, head of Georgia Tech’s Plasma and Dielectrics lab, where the circuit breaker was built. The synthetic test facility, located in 51ÁÔĆć’s USR building, serves as an alternative to full-scale direct testing by replicating high-current fault conditions in a controlled environment with lower power requirements and improved safety, Hossain said.
two men looking at the camera
Hossain (left) stands with 51ÁÔĆć recent graduate Samuel Catania, who developed a remote “command center” for the project that allows high-voltage testing to be conducted safely from a separate control area outside the testing zone.
an industrial circuit breaker
The researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology who built this new device, brought it to 51ÁÔĆć in May for testing. Former 51ÁÔĆć faculty member Chanyeop Park and 51ÁÔĆć doctoral student Sadeed Hossain built the test facility, the only university synthetic test circuit in U.S.

An alternative insulator

Georgia Institute of Technology developed a different kind of circuit breaker that uses supercritical COâ‚‚, as a viable replacement for SF₆, created by putting CO2 under very high pressures and moderate temperature, supercritical COâ‚‚ is a substance that’s somewhere between a gas and a liquid.

Lukas Graber, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, collaborated with former 51ÁÔĆć faculty member Chanyeop Park, to bring the testing part of the grant to 51ÁÔĆć. Hossain has kept the project on schedule, culminating in the completion of tests in November.

The new circuit breaker is designed to interrupt extremely high fault currents – up to 20,000 amperes (peak) – and is rated for operation at 72,000 volts, roughly the levels used to power large-scale facilities, such as major league baseball stadiums.

“Our industrial lab is the only university-based synthetic test circuit in U.S.,” Hossain said. “We built it to accommodate testing of supercritical CO2, but it can be used to test any kind of high-voltage circuit breakers.”

“Now that the basic science has been completed through this partnership, Midwest companies can take advantage of this facility and work with us to design and test new high-voltage circuit breakers.”
-Andrew Graettinger, CEAS associate dean

“Now that the basic science has been completed through this partnership, Midwest companies can take advantage of this facility and work with us to design and test new high-voltage circuit breakers,” said Andrew Graettinger, associate dean for research in 51ÁÔĆć’s College of Engineering & Applied Science. “It’s a great example of academic collaboration opening doors to support the economy.”

As an undergraduate research assistant, recent graduate Samuel Catania (’25 BS, Electrical Engineering) developed a remote “command center” that allows high-voltage testing to be conducted safely from a separate control area outside the testing zone. To enhance electrical isolation and safety, the system is connected using fiber optic cables instead of traditional copper wiring.

The work behind this new circuit breaker and testbed was funded by the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

College co-hosted annual Transmission Summit in June

Four people at a panel discussion

Energy leaders from across the region gathered at 51ÁÔĆć’s School of Continuing Education for the annual Transmission Summit, co-presented by the Midwestern Governors Association and the Organization of MISO States. The summit, held June 2-3, focused on advancing U.S. energy goals and building a strong, future-ready workforce in the rapidly evolving energy sector.

51ÁÔĆć’s College of Engineering & Applied Science organized the event in partnership with UW-Madison.

Dean Brett Peters opened the summit with welcoming remarks. He highlighted the university’s role in preparing the engineering workforce to support the transformation of how energy is transmitted, distributed, and stored. Representing the next generation of energy professionals, Will Koebel (’23 MS, electrical engineering) – now an energy markets engineer at the Wisconsin Public Service Commission – served as a session moderator.

The summit also spotlighted the collaborative efforts between 51ÁÔĆć and UW-Madison to support innovation in the energy sector. Three key research centers are leading this work with a multidisciplinary approach:

  • GRAPES (GRid-connected Advanced Power Electronics Systems): 51ÁÔĆć serves as the Midwest partner in this NSF-funded, industry–university research center. Electrical engineering Professor Robert Cuzner, director of 51ÁÔĆć’s Center for Sustainable Electrical Energy Systems, also leads the campus’s GRAPES initiatives, focusing on advancing power electronics for a more reliable and efficient grid.
  • WEMPEC (Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium): Based at UW-Madison, this center is supported by over 60 corporate sponsors and is a national leader in electric machines and power electronics research.

Together, these centers are training engineering talent and delivering the applied research that industry needs.

Unique undergraduate program with Taiwanese university yields its first graduates

A man speaking to a group celebrating

A cohort of 17 students participating in the College of Engineering & Applied Science’s 2+2 bachelor’s program with Chung Yuan Christian University (CYCU) in Taiwan became the first to graduate from this unique partnership on May 18.

A CYCU faculty delegation joined the celebration, attending the Order of the Engineer and the commencement ceremonies at 51ÁÔĆć.

Two men in discussion with a few people in the background
Father of graduate Chih-An Tseng converses with Dah-Chuan Gong (right), CEAS teaching faculty.
A lineup of five men looking at the camera
Graduates Li-Chih Tsai (from left), Te-En Liu, Ho-Kuan Yu, and Cheng-Yu Yeh socialize with CYCU Professor Yu-Kuen Lai (second from left).
group shot of about 20 people
A delegation from CYCU attended the graduation of the first cohort of undergrads from the 2+2 program with 51ÁÔĆć.

The 2+2 program, which began in 2023, offers CYCU students the opportunity to study at 51ÁÔĆć for their final two undergraduate years. Students in these cohorts are recruited by CYCU specifically for the 51ÁÔĆć 2+2 program, mostly in electrical engineering, computer engineering, and computer science. The students’ degrees are then issued by both universities separately. 

Another 16 CYCU students are returning as seniors in Fall 2025 and 10 rising juniors have been admitted to 51ÁÔĆć beginning in September.

“We were delighted to welcome parents and representatives from CYCU to our campus to recognize the achievements of our graduating students,” said Brett Peters, dean of the 51ÁÔĆć College of Engineering & Applied Science. “We’re also proud that, through our partnership, these graduates have imbued their degrees with a valuable international exposure that will benefit them during their careers.” 

Eight of the 17 will immediately pursue their graduate degrees both at 51ÁÔĆć and other universities around the U.S.

The two institutions also host a dual master’s program in two areas – electrical engineering and industrial & manufacturing engineering – which has been ongoing for over a decade. This year’s cohort of seven also graduated in May.

CEAS is currently working on a number of similar partnerships with universities around the globe.

Alum and former EE faculty Northouse passed away

Richard Northouse, both an alumnus and a former faculty member in the early years of the college, passed away on May 19 at his home in Mequon at the age of 87.

Northouse earned his master’s degree from 51ÁÔĆć in 1968, and his PhD at Purdue University in electrical engineering. He taught electrical engineering at 51ÁÔĆć from 1971-75 before starting his own software company, Compco Computers in 1985. He later sold the business and went back to teaching.

When Northouse arrived in the department, he and George Steber, associate professor emerit, electrical engineering & computer science, had adjacent labs on the 7th floor for many years and shared equipment, Steber remembered.

“He was a very friendly man, well known in the college by colleagues in all the departments,” Steber said. “He liked to socialize and became friends with many, including students who he would have an occasional beer with at the old 51ÁÔĆć Union Gasthaus.”

Born in Lanesboro, Minn., Northouse attended Milwaukee Boys Tech high school.

Doctoral student wins materials scholarship

Congratulations to Mehran Zare, PhD student, materials science & engineering, who was awarded a scholarship from the North American Die Casters Association, Chapter 12 (NADCA 12).

The $1,500 scholarship will support Zare’s doctoral research on the manufacturing of high-permirmace metal matrix composites (MMC), fabricated using advanced techniques.

MMCs blend metals with other classes of materials to create composites that can withstand conditions like high temperatures, pressures, and mechanical stress without significant deformation or failure. These materials have potential applications in industries such as automotive and aerospace.

Zare works in the college’s Center for Advanced Materials Manufacturing and Foundry lab under the supervision of Professor Pradeep Rohatgi. He is also a teaching assistant for the metal casting course taught by Rohatgi.

High number of seniors were hired before graduation

man in industrial setting looking at camera

It’s not unusual for our graduates to have job offers by graduation. According to the campus Center for Student Experience and Talent, 98% of graduates from the college were working in the field or continuing their education within six months of earning their degrees in the two-year period 2021-2023. Average starting salaries were $78,000.

Victor Chavez, graduating senior in mechanical engineering, became one of those students when he landed a full-time job at Eaton Corporation after completing an internship at the company.

He was included in the (at the 2:57 mark) and in the 51ÁÔĆć REPORT photo slideshow of graduating seniors who landed jobs in their field before they actually have the diploma in hand.

Chavez will begin his career spending six months at a time in different departments of the company, including product testing, prototype development, and marketing and management.

The college conferred degrees to 301 graduates this semester at commencement on May 18.

TAPCO donates advanced traffic equipment to the college

two men and one woman with equipment look at the camera

Traffic & Parking Control Company, LLC (TAPCO), a Wisconsin-based leader in traffic safety and parking solutions, has made a generous donation of advanced traffic equipment to the college’s Institute for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation (IPIT). The equipment will be used in classroom instruction to give transportation engineering students hands-on experience with real-world traffic management technology.

The equipment is installed and awaiting the ribbon-cutting.
a yound woman displays traffic equipment
Joely Overstreet, a master’s student in civil engineering, examines crosswalk buttons.
group shot all looking at the camera
Faculty, TAPCO representatives, and students gather to celebrate the new display.

The new equipment was unveiled and demonstrated at a May 16 event at IPIT’s Northwest Quad campus location, and included leadership from both organizations and students who will benefit from the gift. TAPCO’s Senior ITS Development Manager Lindsay Harvey said it is unique for college students to have experience with this kind of equipment.

The donation includes a traffic signal cabinet, signal head, and two accessible pedestrian crosswalk buttons designed to help people with disabilities safely cross the street. This type of equipment is commonly installed at roadway intersections to manage both vehicle flow and pedestrian safety.

“We are truly grateful to TAPCO for this gift which will be used in classroom instruction with our civil engineering students,” said Xiao Qin, professor and director of 51ÁÔĆć’s IPIT. “This gift is a great example of industry partnering with 51ÁÔĆć to support student learning and advance community safety.”

Real hardware deepens learning

Until now, students learned the hardware of a traffic signal control system through textbooks or design manuals with illustrations, Qin said. They designed and implemented simulated signal timing through computer software.

The donated equipment will not only give students the opportunity to connect what they’ve learned from the textbook to the real-life equipment but also operate their signal timing commands and immediately observe signal changes.

Students also can conduct research on communication between traffic signals with other devices in a connected environment, cybersecurity on traffic control devices, and system energy consumption.

One of the highlights is the SWARCO McCain 352i ATC Cabinet, a compact but powerful traffic control box that manages traffic lights and other signals. It’s designed to handle complex setups without extra wiring or additional cabinets and is ready for smart technologies such as connected roads and autonomous vehicles.

“Safe and reliable transportation for the traveling public cannot be possible without the expertise and knowledge of traffic engineers and technicians in the field,” said Harvey. “The technology available today is moving at a faster pace than ever, and TAPCO is proud to have this opportunity to share it with 51ÁÔĆć engineering students for enhanced learning. We know many of the graduates of 51ÁÔĆć stay in Wisconsin, so we hope this investment helps promote a future of improved mobility and safety for our community.”

The donation also features the iDS/iNS Series Accessible Pedestrian Signals, which provide audible cues (beeps or spoken messages) and tactile feedback (vibrations) to indicate when it’s safe to cross. These signals make intersections more accessible and safer for vulnerable road users, including people who are vision impaired or have other disabilities.

Andrew Graettinger, associate dean for research in the college, was also on hand at the event. The equipment was intentionally stationed in a room with windows and outside corridors on three sides so that anyone walking on the floor will have a view of it, he said.