Lee College of Engineering

As the lead engineer on a $2 billion airport improvement project, UNC Charlotte alumnus Ashton Watson is involved in all types of engineering, on all types of capital jobs, with all types of stakeholders.

“Creating and Developing More Diverse Engineering Leaders” is scheduled for 3 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 24, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center.

The Lee College of Engineering is hosting this free educational and networking event, which is open to all UNC Charlotte students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community. Registration is required at Eventbrite.

Researchers at UNC Charlotte have been awarded funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF)’s Smart and Connected Communities program to co-develop technology to support public safety. The $1.9 million, four-year grant will develop an optical sensing platform that uses artificial intelligence to detect and prevent street crime without the use of profiling.

UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) was awarded a $942,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop an innovative solution related to curbside charging of electric vehicles.

The Lee College of Engineering’s Department of Engineering Technology and Construction Management will host a Construction Internship and Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 25, in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center Salons.

The fair is held each fall for students and employers in and around the construction industry to network and explore career options. The students are predominately construction management and civil engineering technology majors, but the event is open to all students in the Lee College and UNC Charlotte.

Lee College of Engineering’s Tony Schmitz invests significant time in his students with a goal to “train decision makers.” For his efforts, he was named the 2018 recipient of the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence, one of UNC Charlotte’s most prestigious accolades.

Armando Castaneda, a staff member with Mosaic Computing in the Lee College of Engineering, died Sunday, Sept. 2.

Castaneda, a technology support specialist, joined the University in 2008. A veteran in the computer industry with more than 20 years of experience, Castaneda previously worked for the Sun-Sentinel newspaper in South Florida where he was responsible for 600-plus computer users in five locations.

UNC Charlotte staff, faculty and students recently participated in the seventh annual Appalachian Energy Summit, hosted by Appalachian State University. The summit is a gathering of energy and sustainability leaders from higher education and other industries to exchange ideas for improving campus performance in energy, buildings, waste, transport, buildings and curriculum.

UNC Charlotte has received approval to offer a Ph.D. in civil engineering; this is the University’s 24th doctoral program. This new degree will provide doctoral-level education for students seeking civil engineering careers in practice, research and teaching/academia.

Scott Smith, chair of the Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science Department, received the Outstanding Lifetime Service Award from the North American Manufacturing Research Institution of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (NAMRI/SME) at the 46th annual North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC) held in College Station, Texas.

The award honors distinguished members for their long-term dedication and contributions to NAMRI/SME.