Stephen Sundarrao
Stephen is a pioneer and leader in the field of
rehabilitation engineering. He has devoted his expertise in
engineering plus the time needed to enhance the quality of lives for
individuals with disabilities through technology. In doing so he
exemplifies the mission and societal impact engineers make in the
community.
He is an educator, researcher, businessman,
community partner and a friend to all his colleagues and individuals
with disabilities. Stephen’s love for the field is contagious and
causes his students to embrace the field of rehabilitation
engineering with enthusiasm and passion. He
teaches the Capstone Design Course for Mechanical Engineering that
has produced over twenty-five innovative devices for individuals
with disabilities. Many of which have been patented. He has
obtained funding to support students projects including the annual
AME student design competition. As a result many new innovative
products have been created by students at USF and are in the process
of being commercialized.
His perseverance and vision were key in
establishing the internationally recognized Center for
Rehabilitation Engineering and Technology which is now in its
seventh year. This has become an interdisciplinary center that
includes the Colleges of Engineering, Medicine, and Arts and
Sciences. Research areas include robotics, wheeled mobility and
transportation. He serves on several national and international
boards and has been recognized for his outstanding contributions
including the 2007 Florida Governors’ “Point of Light Award”. He
supports the ASME organization by serving as the Vice Chair for
College Relations, funding and mentoring ASME student members, and
coordinating various activities with industry partners to enhance
the learning experience. His is a worthy recipient of this award in
recognition of his support of the core values of ASME to facilitate
the development, dissemination, and application of engineering
knowledge and promote the technical and societal contribution of
engineers. The ASME FWCS is proud to name Stephen Sundarrao as our
2008 “Engineer of the Year”.
Noel McCormick
Mr.
W. Noel McCormick is President of McCormick Stevenson Corporation in
Dunedin, Florida. He is an accomplished engineer who consistently
proves that strong leadership is a vital component of successful
engineering development.
Noel graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (1986). A resident of
Pinellas County since the early 80’s, he worked for several local
corporations such as Sperry Microwave, General Electric, and Lockheed
Martin. After several years on the road as a contract engineer,
he founded McCormick Technology in 1999 to stay closer to home. A
company that began in a home office with just him and his wife,
Melissa, has now grown to fifteen full-time and part-time employees.
The firm became McCormick Stevenson Corporation in 2003, and was
selected Dunedin’s “Small Business of the Year” for 2005. The firm also
received the “Industry Recognition Award” from the Florida West Coast
Section of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in the
same year, and was voted one of the “Best Places to Work” by the Tampa
Bay Business Journal in 2006. Noel’s vision continues to provide
engineering opportunities in the Tampa Bay area, and his firm recruits
interns and future employees from the ranks of local
universities.
In addition to his dedication to McCormick Stevenson, Noel supports the
engineering community by serving on the Industry Advisory Councils for
the mechanical engineering schools at the University of South Florida
and City College of New York and as the Chair for ASME’s Committee for
Professional Development. In further support of education, Noel
participates in the “Presidents as Principals” program and serves on
the Pinellas Education Foundation’s Workforce Education Committee to
enhance the county’s vocational training programs. The Florida
West Coast Section of ASME is proud to honor Noel McCormick as their
Engineer of the Year.
Barry Lindblom, P.E.
Barry
Lindblom is a distinguished engineer – a reliable technical advisor,
innovative leader and willing mentor to others. Barry earned a
Bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering (1971) and a Master’s in Mechanical
Engineering (1977) from Syracuse University, where he was a member of
the Pi Tau Sigma Mechanical Engineering Honor Society. Selected
by the National Science Foundation as an Undergraduate Research
Assistant and Graduate Fellow, Barry is a Licensed Professional
Engineer in Pennsylvania, and has completed advanced courses in Applied
Mechanics and Heat Transfer at Carnegie-Mellon University. Barry
has received technical achievement awards at Hercules, Raytheon and
Alliant Techsystems.
Barry began his career at Westinghouse as a structural analyst in the
nuclear power industry. He later became Director of Engineering
at Algor Interactive Systems, where he led the development of
finite-element analysis and interactive graphics software. Barry
joined ATK Missile Systems in Clearwater in 1987, and in 2003 the ATK
Corporate Vice Presidents of Technology approved Barry’s nomination to
the esteemed position of ENGINEER VII, Mechanical. He is
currently on staff to the Director of Engineering and serves as the
Technical Director for the Mid Range Munition Program. Barry is a
subject matter expert and an innovative resource on topics relating to
projectile interior ballistics, gas dynamics, aerodynamics, statics,
structural dynamics, heat transfer, and high-G hardening. He
developed and perfected the structural design techniques that led to
successful firing of a guided projectile subject to gun launch
accelerations 20,000 times greater than earth’s gravity! His
persuasive and substantiated presentations command the respect of
internal and external managers and technical experts, including the US
Army, Air Force, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
He is always in demand when innovative approaches are required to
develop new products or solve problems with existing designs.
Barry’s technical expertise is matched by his enthusiasm to share his
knowledge. He is a mentor to future subject matter experts, and
generously shares his talent through short courses he teaches for the
ASME Florida West Coast Section. Barry is a technical leader and
mentor – a distinguished engineer – and the ASME Florida West Coast
Section is proud to name Mr. Barry Lindblom as our 2006 Engineer of the
Year.
Muhammad M. Rahman (2005)
Dr.
Muhammad Rahman has served as a professor of Mechanical Engineering at
the University of South Florida for over eleven years, where he has
performed extensive research in Heat Transfer, and published numerous
technical papers. He has been actively involved in ASME for over 20
years, beginning as a student member in 1983, and upgrading to Member
in 1988. Dr. Rahman has taken an active role in ASME’s Heat Transfer
Technical Division, and at the local Section level, he has served as an
instructor for the PE Review course organized by the Florida West Coast
Section. He is also a member of the ASME Citrus Engineering Conference
Organizing Committee (1998-Present). At the national level, he has
served as the Chair for the ASME Technical Committee on Direct Thermal
Power Generation and Thermal Advanced Systems Division (2002-2004); and
as the Associate Technical Editor for the ASME Journal of Solar Energy
Engineering (1998-2004). He is currently the Secretary/Treasurer for
the ASME Advanced Energy Systems Division, and expected to Chair the
Division in 2006-2007. He has served as the Track Leader in 10
Technical Conferences, and has been the Session Chair in 15 Technical
Conferences. At the University of South Florida, he has developed and
taught five different graduate courses, and served as the Major
Professor for 22 M.S. Theses, and one Ph.D. Dissertation. He is
currently supervising fiver Ph.D. candidates, and five M.S. students.
NASA, the U.S. Air Force, Honeywell, TECO, and Sun Hydraulics have
supported his research. He is the author, or co-author of over 100
technical articles and papers that have been published in engineering
journals and peer reviewed conference proceedings. The Florida West
Coast Section of ASME is proud to recognize Dr. Muhammad Rahman as our
“2004 Engineer of the Year”.
Ronald L. Mann (2004)
After
retiring from an illustrious industrial career with General Electric,
Dr. Ronald L. Mann began a second career teaching mechanical
engineering courses at Syracuse University. Dr. Mann received his
Masters Degree (1968) and Ph.D. (1978) in Mechanical Engineering from
Syracuse University, and has been an active member of ASME for over 20
years. As a student, Dr. Mann excelled academically, earning membership
in Tau Beta Pi, Sigma XI, and Pi Tau Sigma honor societies. He began
his engineering career as a design engineer for GE in Syracuse, N.Y.
while continuing his work toward advanced degrees. While at GE, Dr.
Mann authored numerous technical papers, taught company technical
courses, consulted, and was recognized with patent (co-authored by a
future ASME President, Nancy Fitzroy). After retiring from GE, Dr. Mann
relocated to the Tampa Bay area, and became an Adjunct Professor in the
Mechanical Engineering department at USF in 1996. For the past several
years, he has also served as Faculty Advisor to the USF ASME Student
Section. Under his guidance, the USF ASME Student Section has grown in
size and prominence, as an outstanding group of student engineers in
the Southeast Region of the U.S., winning numerous Regional Awards, and
having several students compete for Nation Awards. Dr. Mann is well
respected by his peers and students in the Mechanical Engineering
field, not only for his technical excellence ad devotion to the
engineering profession, but also for his leadership and motivational
skills. Dr. Mann’s technical excellence and volunteer service has often
been recognized by ASME, having received the “Distinguished Service
Award” and the “Jack Shortall Award” for Outstanding Faculty Advisor in
the Southeast Region of the U.S. Throughout his career, not only has
Dr. Mann excelled in his profession, but he has also devoted countless
hours in service to various community and neighborhood activity groups,
of which he was a member and a volunteer. In recognition of his
contributions to the engineering profession the University of South
Florida, and our community, the Florida West Coast Section of ASME is
proud to honor Dr. Ronald L. Mann as their “Engineer of the Year”.
Bill Adkins (2002)
Mr.
Bill Adkins has a distinguished record of accomplishment in his
engineering profession and service to the society and community. He has
“done it all” and excelled. He has virtually turned over every stone in
sight, in search of new initiatives. His dedication and leadership are
exemplary in motivating the young engineers of tomorrow. Bill Adkins
graduated with a BSME from Auburn University in 1957 and is a
registered Professional Engineer in the state of Florida. He is
employed by Honeywell Military Avionics Division, St. Petersburg,
Florida,, as a senior project engineer, and was a member of the design
team for the space station program. He is an ardent supporter of the
annual high school student design contest. Through his active
participation as a membership director, he has been instrumental in
sustaining membership growth in the ASME society. He was responsible
for spearheading the FWCS ASME student scholarship fund at USF. He
assisted in organizing the Florida Cogen Roundup in 1994. Bill is a
member of the ASME National Board of Professional Development and
Chairman of the National Membership Development Committee, and has been
the recipient of several prestigious awards, such as ASME Meritorious
Award in 1990, ASME Region XI Dedicated Service Award 1984, Beichley
Award Membership Development 1990/1991, and “The Outstanding Engineer
Award” at Honeywell in 1984 and 2000.
He
has served as Chairman of the Honeywell Mechanical Advisory Group, and
the Metric Committee. Mr. Adkins has given courses on heat transfer and
designing for dynamic environments to Honeywell personnel. He is a
genuine role model, and one can have nothing but respect and admiration
for the aura of professionalism and integrity he projects as an
engineer. He is unselfish in dedicating a good portion of his valuable
time to ASME and the community in which he coaches little league
baseball. Bill is a valuable member, and we need more of his caliber in
our world of incessant technological change.
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