91¶ÌÊÓƵ

April 10, 2025

CLEARFIELD — When driving through Clearfield on I-15, commuters may have noticed the orange USTAR Innovation Center building at Falcon Hill has received a purple 91¶ÌÊÓƵ facelift.

Dr. Randy Hurd Publish Innovative Urinal Design in Oxford University Press Journal

April 8, 2025

Congratulations to Mechanical Engineering Professor
Dr. Randy Hurd and other authors on their recent publication with Oxford University Press!

Their article, “Splash-free urinals for global sustainability and accessibility: Design inspired by isogonal curves,” introduces an innovative urinal design that reduces splash-back by applying mathematical principles. This creative and interdisciplinary effort—blending physics, mathematics, engineering, design, and art—offers a hygienic and sustainable solution to a surprisingly persistent everyday issue.

Read the full article:
First media coverage:

Dr. An Ho Presents Energy-Focused Facility Upgrade Strategies at Intermountain Sustainability Summit

April 2, 2025
Dr. An Ho, Assistant Professor in the Mechanical Engineering Department and Director of the Weber Industrial Training and Assessment Center, presented “From Data to Decisions: Building Leadership Consensus for Smarter, Energy-Focused Facility Upgrades” at the Intermountain Sustainability Summit.

Two EAST Faculty Nominated for 2025 UEC Engineering Educator of the Year Award 

April 1, 2025

"Two Faculty Members from Weber State’s College of Engineering, Applied Science & Technology (EAST) have been nominated for the 2025 Utah Engineers Council (UEC) Engineering Educator of the Year Award. Representing the university are Dr. An Ho, nominated by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and Dr. Randy Hurd, nominated by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). These nominations recognize their outstanding achievements in engineering education, research, mentorship, and service to the profession.

The UEC awards evaluation criteria focus on measurable and meaningful contributions to the engineering profession and achievements in the areas of technical excellence, service to the profession through professional society engagement, and mentoring and outreach.

Dr. Alyssa Mock Publishes Groundbreaking Research on Semiconductor Materials in Journal and Book Chapter

April 2, 2025
Dr. Alyssa Mock, Assistant Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering, made significant research contributions this year with two notable publications. She served as the first author on a peer-reviewed paper published in Physical Review Applied, where she and her co-authors investigated the dielectric function tensor and optical phonons in (2Ì„01)-oriented β-Gaâ‚‚O₃ films, advancing understanding of materials with sixfold-rotation domains. Additionally, Dr. Mock co-authored a book chapter in the second edition of Comprehensive Semiconductor Science and Technology, contributing to a detailed discussion on the characterization of semiconductors using spectroscopic ellipsometry.

International student aims to transform lives through tech

March 27, 2025

OGDEN, Utah — Luka Shvelidze came to Utah for college, but he came to the United States for the adventure of learning and finding ways to improve people’s lives. Raised in the nation of Georgia, Shvelidze came to the U.S. nearly three years ago as a high school exchange student — one of a select few chosen to participate in the Future Leaders Exchange program funded by the U.S. Department of State.

Faculty Research Honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Industrial Chemistry & Materials (ICM)

91¶ÌÊÓƵ proudly announces that Dr. Bharath Babu Nunna’s research has been honored by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) through its journal, Industrial Chemistry & Materials (ICM). His article, "Investigation on electrocatalytic performance and material degradation of an N-doped graphene-MOF nanocatalyst in emulated electrochemical environments," has been selected for inclusion in the prestigious ICM Virtual Collection – Porous Materials.

Patrick Beck Honored with Presidential Outstanding Staff Award

Congratulations to Patrick Beck from the Computer Science department on being a recipient of the Presidential Outstanding Staff Award!

This prestigious award recognizes staff members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to excellence in their work and to the university’s mission.

Pat DeJong Named a 2024-2025 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Career Champion!

Congratulations to Pat DeJong, an advisor from the School of Computing, on being recognized as a 2024-2025 Career Champion Staff Member! Pat was nominated by multiple students for this honor and selected by our Career Champions Committee. We are excited to celebrate this achievement alongside you and the other distinguished Career Champions.

Enterprise Rentals hosts successful sales competition on campus

February 27, 2025

OGDEN – 91¶ÌÊÓƵ’s Professional Sales program, in partnership with Enterprise Rentals, hosted an exciting and competitive Sales Competition on Wednesday, February 26, at the Noorda Building on campus. The event brought together 50 talented Professional Sales students who showcased their skills in a high-energy, real-world sales environment.

Congratulations to Scott Holland on receiving the Presidential Teaching Excellence Award!

The Presidential Teaching Excellence Award recognizes faculty who are outstanding teachers. Teaching excellence, manifested in various ways, brings significant and valuable results for students and their success.

The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Automotive Contest established in 1986, invites local high schools to compete by diagnosing vehicles with deliberately introduced faults. Participants work as teams, simulating real-world automotive repair shop scenarios, where they diagnose problems, collaborate, and apply hands-on technical skills.

In the podcast episode "Cars and Education Part 2" from "To All The Cars I’ve Loved Before," Caid and Dallas, alumni of 91¶ÌÊÓƵ's Automotive Technology Program, discuss their passion for cars, educational paths, and career journeys.

Dr. Jonathan West Recognized as a 2024-2025 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Career Champion Faculty Member!

Congratulations to Dr. Jonathan West from the Electrical and Computer Engineering department! He has been selected as a 2024-2025 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Career Champion Faculty Member!

Kaylene Whicker Recognized as a 2024-2025 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Career Champion for Outstanding Student Support 

Kaylene Whicker (91¶ÌÊÓƵ EAST Career Advisor) has been selected as a 2024-2025 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Career Champion Staff Member in recognition of her outstanding support for students' career development. This honor, established by Career Services in 2020, highlights faculty and staff who go above and beyond in helping students succeed before and after graduation.

John Kelly joined the 18th episode of The Current Review podcast to discuss the evolution of hybrid and electric vehicles. He highlighted advancements in heating systems, thermal management, and heat pumps, while addressing efficiency, maintenance challenges, and EV longevity.

‘Desire for efficiency’ drives Weber State student to seek energy innovation in Utah

OGDEN, Utah — A “desire for efficiency” isn’t how most people would describe the path to their career, but it’s what drove 91¶ÌÊÓƵ student Matt Millburn to pursue a degree in energy engineering.

Professor John D. Kelly Celebrates 35 Years of Teaching

Professor John D. Kelly recently celebrated 35 remarkable years of teaching in the automotive program. From his beginnings at the GM training center to becoming our resident transmission specialist and a leading authority on electric vehicles, his vast expertise and unwavering dedication to student success continue to inspire us all.

Josh Jensen Honored with Presidential Teaching Excellence Award

Congratulations to Computer Science Assistant Professor Josh Jensen for earning the esteemed Presidential Teaching Excellence Award for the College of Engineering, Applied Science, and Technology

President Mortensen surprised Josh and his students by visiting his classroom yesterday to personally announce this well-deserved honor.

Advancing Cancer Detection: Dr. Bharath Babu Nunna's Latest Research in ACS Omega

Dr. Bharath Babu Nunna, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at 91¶ÌÊÓƵ, recently published a groundbreaking study in ACS Omega titled "Enhanced Stability and Sensitivity for CA-125 Detection Under Microfluidic Shear Flow Using Polyethylene Glycol-Coated Biosensor."

Read the full publication:

Weber State Automotive on "To All The Cars I’ve Loved Before" Podcast

Brandon Stevenson and student Makenna Montierth from 91¶ÌÊÓƵ's Automotive Technology Program were featured guests on the popular podcast To All The Cars I’ve Loved Before.

Hybrid Rocket Publication - AIAA SciTech

A paper co-authored by Dr. Dustin Birch has been accepted for publication in the proceedings of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) SciTech 2025 Forum. This accomplishment reflects a collaborative effort between Dr. Birch, the MARS Center, and a research team from the University of Utah's Department of Mechanical Engineering.

91¶ÌÊÓƵ Automotive Program Spotlighted in University of Utah Publication

91¶ÌÊÓƵ is recognized as one of Utah's leaders in clean transportation. The 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Automotive Training Program was recently featured in a publication by the University of Utah.

91¶ÌÊÓƵ Honors the Legacy of Dr. Steven Eichmeier

January 6, 2025

OGDEN, Utah – 91¶ÌÊÓƵ mourns the passing of Dr. Steven H. Eichmeier, who passed away on January 1, 2025, at the age of 83. Dr. Eichmeier’s profound impact as an educator and leader will forever be etched into the history of the Department of Professional Sales.