October 19, 1998

Contents

Partnership Receives Federal Funds

The additional funding will be used to accelerate research on "green manufacturing" programs to prevent equipment corrosion problems; develop less toxic coatings for weapon systems; remove hazardous substances in small-arms ammunitions; and develop less toxic ways of coating and cleaning gun barrels.

The program is desinged to save the Army money by extending the service life of military equipment and systems; enhancing readiness from reduction of downtime for repair and maintenance; avoiding longer-term environmental liability; increasing productivity and quality; and reducing environmental lifecycle costs.

Maintaining and retiring weapons and ammunition that contain toxic materials costs the Department of Defense millions of dollars. The "green bullet" program involves taking the lead out of the bullet for two reasons: The lead from bullets lying on the ground at outdoor shooting ranges has seeped into ground water and the lead in the primer that ignites the spark that fires the round is a health risk to soldiers and civilian law enforcement officersfiring weapons indoors.

The project has the potential to save the military, which uses millions of rounds of ammunition just for training, between 1 cent and 5 cents per round.

Department Chairpersons Appointed

Bladikas, who was appointed acting chairperson of the department last November, earned a bachelor's degree from the City College of New York, an M.B.A. from Columbia University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Polytechnic University. Before joining NJIT in 1988, he served on the faculty of the Transportation and Industrial Engineering Department at Polytechnic and the Department of Civil Engineering at the City College of New York. Bladikas has devoted most of his time in the educational activities associated with NJIT's interdisciplinary program in transportation and the research efforts of the Institute for Transportation. He helped establish the M.S. and Ph.D. in Transportation, and was instrumental in establishing and initiating the activities of the National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity. His research interests are in the area of transportation system analysis and modeling, including transportation pricing, public transportation efficiency and the modeling of intermodal auto-rail commuter networks.

Dauenheimer, who was appointed acting chairperson in July, has been the department's associate chair for graduate studies since September 1993. He was hired in 1975 to develop a capstone design sequence for senior civil engineering students and has been an advisor to the American Society of Civil Engineers student chapter and Chi Epsilon, the national civil engineering honor society. His research interests are in the area of highway and railroad bridges and network-based construction project control systems. He led a team of NJIT faculty and students in the load testing of more than 10 bridges, including the Wurtz Street Bridge, in Kingston, N.Y., the first suspension bridge with continuous stiffening truss.

Joseph Leung has held tenured positions at Northwestern University, the University of Texas and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he was chairperson of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. He has published in more than 70 publications.

"CIS is NJIT's largest department and, under Dr. Leung's leadership, the goal is to raise the department's national reputation to the next level," said John Poate, dean of the College of Science and Liberal Arts.

Leung will assume his responsibilities as chairperson in January 1999.

Faculty/Staff Campaign Blasts Off

Vic Pelson, '59, director and senior advisor, SBC Warburg Dillon Read, chairman of The Campaign for NJIT, and chairperson, Board of Trustees, expressed pride in NJIT.

"My NJIT education has taken me a long way in my career," he said. "I am proud to be associated with this institution."

NJIT President Saul Fenster thanked the faculty and staff who have participated in this campaign.

"This shows our alumni, friends, corporations, and foundations that we believe in what we are doing," said Fenster, who then presented Pelson with his $50,000 contribution to The Campaign for NJIT.

Faculty and staff who have contributed to The Campaign as of Oct. 8, 1998, include Robert Avery, Amahtula Bassit, Eida Berrio, Vijay Bhagavath, Joel Bloom, Judy Goss Boyd, Pat Breslin, Cecil Broadnax, Alnisa Bryan, Leon Buteau, Reggie Caudill, Alok Chakrabarti, Pam Ciallella, Renee Crawley, Phyllis Denbo, Jim Dyer, Saul K. Fenster, Kirstie Gentleman, Carie Hernandez, Tony Howell, Laura Kauper, Fred Kreisler, Pete Lederman, Dick Magee, Betty Anne Manente, Henry Mauermeyer, Bob Mertz, Judy Myrtetus, Ginny Ozimek, Jacquelynn Rhodes, Spencer Scott, Dennis Siginer, Gale Tenen Spak, Sabrina Stephenson, Barbara Tedesco, Tom Terry, Nick Tworischuk, Judy Valyo, and Anne Wiley.

Dick Magee, associate provost for research and development, and Barbara Tedesco, associate dean, School of Management, both expressed their commitment to The Campaign.

"When I was approached for a contribution to The Campaign, I really did not even have to think about making a gift," said Tedesco. "For me, a contribution was first a way to acknowledge the hard work of all my NJIT colleagues and a way to acknowledge the life and work of people who are no longer with us, such as Miriam Mills, Tony Kahng, Arnold Allentuch, and Connie Murray."

Keith Tanis, a senior majoring in chemical engineering and member of the Albert Dorman Honors College, spoke of how The Campaign for NJIT benefits students. The focus of  The Campaign is to raise $120 million for endowment and scholarship support. Tanis stated that one of the reasons he chose to attend NJIT was the amount of financial support he received in scholarships.

"I can't think of a better way to show our contributors that we are worthy of their support than by being able to say that 100 percent of the NJIT employees have demonstrated their commitment to the university, not only through their hard work, but also by pledging their financial support," said Tedesco.

The Campaign's goal is to have 100 percent participation from faculty and staff. Contributions to The Campaign via payroll deduction and gifts can be restricted to benefit specific departments, colleges, scholarships or programs. Contributions also may be made in memory or honor of a friend, colleague or loved one.

Each week, those who contribute to The Campaign will be entered into a drawing for prizes, including dinners for two and tickets to a variety of events. Remember that all contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Forms are available with paychecks or at University Advancement, ext. 3400.

This week's winner is Carie Hernandez, Office of the President. Hernandez wins a family four-pack of tickets to the Liberty Science Center.

Health Services Renovations Completed

"We thank all our students, once more, for their understanding and patience during the period of renovation," said Eida Berrio, dean of student services. "We are confident that you will be very pleased with the new Health Services."

A search process has been initiated for the appointment of a permanent Health Services director. The search process for a nurse will be initiated soon. John Piechnik, acting health services director, will continue to manage the area and a temporary nurse will be appointed during the interim period.

Students To Investigate Careers In Engineering

Representatives from six engineering disciplines taught at NJIT's Newark College of Engineering, mechanical, civil, chemical, electrical, computer and industrial engineering, will present two demonstrations relating to their discipline. Each department also will offer separate informational sessions about their particular field.

INFO: Newark College of Engineering, ext. 3222.

Grant To Aid Scholarship

Math Professor Goes To Bat Against Experts

Using a mathematical model designed to determine optimal batting orders, computer run distribution and predict total victories, Bukiet correctly identified four of the eight teams to make this year's playoffs. In comparison, The Star-Ledger picked four, and Baseball Illustrated and Sports Illustrated selected three in their annual preseason editions.

Bukiet correctly chose the Atlanta Braves to win the National League East Division; the Houston Astros to prevail in the NL Central; The Cleveland Indians to easily win the American League Central; and the Boston Red Sox to capture the AL wild card.

Bukiet also outdid the experts in predicting most accurately the order of how each team would finish in the division races. On average, Sports Illustrated and Baseball Illustrated were off by 1.13 places for each team. The Star-Ledger did slightly better at 1.07 and Bukiet was off by only .77 places. The Star-Ledger was off in the number of victories per team by an average of 8. Bukiet was off by an average of 6 2/3 victories.

Bukiet's "Markov Chain" method relies on the fact that there are a finite number of possible situations in a baseball game. A Markov process is a particular type of random analysis in which only the present state of the process is useful for predicting the future. Past history and the manner in which the process has evolved to the current state are both irrelevant.

"The big difference between a model and a simulation is that if you run a simulation more than once, depending on the random numbers, you get a different result," said Bukiet, who holds a master's degree and a doctorate in applied mathematics from the Courant Institute and a bachelor's degree from Brown University. "A model will give you the same result every time. So, by all measures, the Markov Chain approach outperformed the experts."

The model included projected starting lineups and five reserves from each team, as well as five starting pitchers and six relievers, and is based on statistics covering the last three years. This year, Bukiet factored into the model reserves and a margin for limited ability bound on how poorly a player might perform for the first time.

Division Of Career Development Services Reorganized

The Student and Alumni Development Team, under the direction of Greg Mass, provides advisement on cooperative education, career planning and placement, student employment and community and public service. The staff members and the students they serve are:

Jo-Ann Raines, associate director and team coordinator, advises students in Newark College of Engineering majoring in chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, civil engineering, transportation, occupational safety, project management, environmental engineering and students in the Career Advancement Program.

Jane Gaertner, assistant director, advises students attending the School of Management, School of Architecture and students from the College of Science and Liberal Arts whose last names begin from P-Z.

Sharon Gilbert, assistant director, advises students from the College of Science and Liberal Arts whose last names begin from A-O.

Alexia Jones, acting assistant director, advises students from Newark College of Engineering.

George Garrison, associate director and team coordinator, is responsible for establishing relationships with new employers from the corporate sector.

George Paschalis, assistant director, will maintain and establish new relationships with employers from the non-profit sector.

Karen Pirli, employment specialist, will develop, revise and maintain a divisional database of companies that have relationships with the division.

Marcelle Jackson, recruitment specialist, coordinates the schedules for on­campus recruitment programs. She also coordinates database management for employers, career fair participants and students.

Dominique Clarke, assistant director for special events, is responsible for management of the division's career and job fairs, workshops, and special programs. She also is responsible for marketing the division on-campus.

Jennifer Grant, office manager, assists in coordinating the division's day-to-day operations.

Maureen Sanzalone, support specialist, assists teams with administrative support for all division programs and services.

Gwen White, student personnel and reception specialist, assists students with the division's student employment services.

Transportation Center On The Move

As executive director of NJIT's Institute for Transportation, Pignataro oversees academic and research programs that include some 29 faculty from eight different disciplines, as well as more than 25 graduate students. Also faculty from seven other universities are involved with the center.

"The entire transportation activity at NJIT is administered by the Institute for Transportation," said Pignataro, who has served on numerous committees of professional societies, advisory boards and committees to various government agencies and elected officials. "One of the components of the Institute for Transportation is the National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity (NCTIP), under the direction of Lazar Spasovic, associate professor of management and transportation. The Institute for Transportation not only deals with research activities, but with programmatic activities. NJIT offers master's and Ph.D. degrees in transportation."

This year, NCTIP received some $9 million in federal funding from the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, a massive transportation bill that invests billions of dollars in the nation's roads and mass transit systems while creating hundreds of thousands of construction jobs. In addition, the New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology awarded the Institute for Transportation $700,000 for fiscal year 1999 to establish the New Jersey Transportation Information and Decision Engineering Center, which will develop and market technologies that will help individual and commercial enterprises make better transportation-related decisions.

"One of the most pressing transportation issues today are utilization of information technology systems," said Pignataro. "Other issues are transportation management systems, the movement of freight and how we deal with road congestion. We are actively involved in all of these issues because they all deal with how we can provide mobility and efficiency and deal with the deleterious environmental effects of transportation."

Of the $9 million in federal funds, the center received $6 million to customize and develop the Transportation Economic Land Use System (TELUS) throughout the nation's 338 Metropolitan Planning Organizations and 50 state departments of transportation. TELUS, a novel transportation management information system developed by NJIT in cooperation with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, analyzes, sorts, combines and tracks the progress of transportation projects and assesses their economic and land use impacts and interrelationships.

"The problems of congestion are not going to be solved by intelligent transportation systems alone," said Pignataro. "We will need to regulate demand. The public has made its feelings known in many ways they want to limit the use of space for the movement and storage of motor vehicles. And if the public doesn't want to increase supply, we then have to manage demand better."

Pignataro began his career as a civil engineer, but soon became interested in transportation because the area involved so many different disciplines. He began teaching courses in transportation and developed an area he calls transportation engineering. His book, titled "Traffic Engineering: Theory and Practice," has been used in more than 65 universities in the United States and abroad, and is generally considered to be the definitive work in the subject.

"Lou has trained or done research with every knowledgeable professional in the transportation field," said Bob Burchell, a professor in the Center for Urban Policy Research at Rutgers University. "He has, in addition, a nose for transportation funding like no one else."

After leaving The City College of New York some 10 years ago, he joined NJIT. Today, at 74-years-old, despite two heart attacks and a triple bypass, Pignataro continues to devote his attention to transportation issues.

"I love what I'm doing," said Pignataro, who is married and has one daughter, a math professor. "I love managing large projects. I love interacting with the students and I really get a great deal of satisfaction from research."

Years ago, Pignataro used to be an avid stamp collector, but because of his workload, he hasn't given the hobby much attention. Today, he takes pride in the stamp he has left on transportation systems and the many students he has taught who have gone on to work in the public and private sector.

"When I see congestion on a highway, when I see better management, I can see I've made a contribution," he said. "That is what transportation engineering is all about. You have some impact on people."

Seminars

Thermodynamic Frameworks

At a seminar sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 3:30 p.m., in Mechanical Engineering Center 221, K.R. Rajagopal of Texas A&M University, College Station, will speak on "A Thermodynamic Framework for Rate Type Materials: Inelasticity and Viscoelasticity," taking into account that material can have many "natural configurations." Rajagopal will discuss the relevance of the framework to viscoelastic materials. After presenting the general framework, appropriate forms for the internal energy dissipation will be chosen to obtain models, such as the Maxwell Model and Oldyod-B Model.

Diffusion Flame

A general asymptotic theory for the description of diffusion flame will be the topic of a seminar sponsored by the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Center for Applied Math and Statistics, Friday, Oct. 23, 11:30 a.m., in Cullimore Hall 611. Moshe Matalon of Northwestern University will present "The Structure, Extinction and Stability Properties of Diffusion Flames," with particular attention to the description of the structure of the flame supported by an arbitrary flow with general Lewis numbers. In examining special configurations, Matalon will show that the theory is capable of describing extinction behaviors and instabilities that have been observed experimentally.

Transportation Systems

The general problems of planning and operating transportation systems relying on coordinated transfers and particular problems arising in bus transit and airport hub operations will be the topic of a seminar sponsored by the National Center for Transportation and Industrial Productivity at NJIT, Friday, Oct. 23, 3 p.m., in Guttenberg Information Technologies Center 3720. Paul Schonfeld of the University of Maryland, College Park will present "Transfer Coordination in Transportation Systems," considering how predetermined schedules and real-time control systems, including traffic signals dispatching controls, can deal with probabilistic variations in ridership and travel times. He also will consider how local control decisions may propagate delays and how flight sequencing, gate assignment, terminal design and automated people movers can affect system performance.

Thin Film Coatings On Particulate Materials

The synthesis of artificially structured, nano-functionalized particulate materials with unique optical, cathodoluminescent, superconducting and electrical properties via a technique using pulsed excimer laser deposition to synthesize nano metric coatings on particulate materials will be presented at a seminar sponsored by the Department of Mechanical Engineering. James Fitz-Gerald of the University of Florida will address the "Synthesis and Characterization of Thin Film Coatings on Particulate Materials," Wednesday, Oct. 28, 3:30 p.m., in Mechanical Engineering Center 224.

People

Carlomagno Ontaneda, Educational Opportunity Program, will receive an honorary award from the Friends of Councilman at Large Luis Quintana at an event "Honoring Outstanding Leaders of Our Community," Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Mediterranean Manor. The gala event honors outstanding citizens who have promoted and worked hard to make Newark a better place to live and work.

Congratulations to Anthony Schuman, School of Architecture, and his wife, Peg, who gave birth to twin boys. Samuel Anthony Schuman and Zachary David Schuman were born, Sept. 1.

Congratulations to Wendy Reid, who received a bachelor's and master's degrees in chemical engineering at NJIT and is now in Nigeria for one year as a volunteer teacher in the International Foundation for Education and Self-Help Teachers for Africa program.

Condolences to Peggy Schel, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Environmental Science, on the loss of her mother, Ethel Hayden, Sept. 24, after a brief illness.

Congratulations to Sharon Kane, Public Safety, who was promoted to security systems assistant.

Condolences to the family of Gwendolyn San Agustin, Center for Environmental Engineering and Science, who died of breast cancer, Oct. 3, at her home in Mindoro, Philippines. Gwendolyn was a chemist at NJIT for nine years. Both faculty and students will long remember her for the long hours and patience she provided, helping them with their research and use of analytical instrumentation at the center's laboratories. She was devoted to her loving family, friends, and co-workers and to her church.

Health Plan Changes Name

INFO: Patricia Lawrence, benefits manager, ext. 3143.

Open Enrollment Period 
For The Tax $ave Program: Oct. 1­31, 1998

Unreimbursed Medical Spending Account

Employees can have before-tax dollars withheld from their salary and put into an account that reimburses them for health care services not paid by insurance. Employees can set aside up to $2,000 (minimum $100) of their salary before taxes each calendar year to be reimbursed for eligible expenses incurred by them or their dependents. These expenses include co-payments and deductibles for medical, prescription and dental bills. In addition, medical services not paid by insurance or state vision coverage, such as contact lens solutions, hearing aids and any other health care expenses, can be deducted on their income tax (does not include health care premiums).

Dependent Care Spending Account

Employees can set aside up to $5,000 of their salary, before taxes, each calendar year to pay for anticipated expenses related to dependent care. Eligible dependents include employees' children below age 13 or any other person considered a dependent for tax purposes who is incapable of self-care and normally spends at least eight hours each day in the employee's home.

INFO: Patricia Lawrence, benefits manager, ext. 3143.

Medical Plan For Employees At Big Bear

Update On Health Plans Available To University Employees

Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield Plan of N.J. (a.k.a. the Traditional Plan)

This plan allows employees free choice of medical providers and facilities, but requires out-of-pocket payments because reimbursement is subject to reasonable and customary allowances, deductibles and co-insurance. The plan does not provide coverage for wellness services, such as routine checkups and screening tests. There is a payroll deduction for this plan.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs)

HMOs offer comprehensive, prepaid coverage with small co-payments for services, such as routine office visits and covered wellness services. However, choice of medical providers is restricted to participating provider networks from which a primary care practitioner is chosen who will manage all of an employee's health care, including hospital admissions. There is no payroll deduction for employees who are enrolled in this plan.

NJ PLUS

NJ Plus provides both out-of-network and in-network options. If an employee chooses to use network providers, their benefits closely resemble that of an HMO because they receive comprehensive services subject to small co-payments; or (like the Horizon a.k.a. Traditional Plan) you may choose any out-of-network medical provider or hospital, subject to reasonable and customary allowances, deductibles and co-insurance. Coverage for wellness services, such as routine checkups and screening tests are provided by NJ Plus only when using in-network providers. There is no payroll deduction for employees who are enrolled in this plan.

Classifieds

FOR SALE: '89 Jeep Cherokee 4x4 limited edition, new tires and brakes. Asking $4,200 or best offer. Call (973) 743-9460.

FOR SALE: Merlin II phone system with 12 incoming lines and 28 phones. Easily expandable to 56 lines and 120 telephones. The system contains a Merlin II control unit, feature module 2, three 408 term modules, Merlin BIS 10 telephone sets, Merlin BIS 22 telephone sets, Merlin BIS 22D telephone sets, and display consoles. Will sell as a whole or piece by piece. Best offer. Call (973) 316-8541.

FOR RENT: First floor of two-family house, in Kearny, near NJIT. Includes indoor garage and backyard. Six rooms (three bedrooms). Nice, safe neighborhood. Modern house. Call (973) 472-4082.

FOR SALE: Beautiful eight-piece white lacquer bedroom set, trimmed with brass. Moved, must sell. Only 3 years old and in excellent condition. Queen size mattress, box spring and triple dresser. Must see. Asking $800. Call Vinnie Ann or Nick, (973) 450-4516.

FOR SALE: refrigerator, dish washer, air conditioner, dryer and much more. Very low prices. Call (973) 808-1081.

FOR SALE: Sharp VHS camcorder, model VL-L285U with carrying case, $100; Bell phone calling line identifier, model 77110, $10; Wen Wet Stone Machine, model 2900, $30; Soloflex exercise machine, complete with accessories, $300. All items seldom used. Call (973) 485-6040.

WANTED: Energetic, friendly, caring person to provide quality after-school care for my two children, ages 8 and 6, in my Maplewood home; Monday through Friday, 2:45-5:15 p.m. Previous child care experience and New Jersey driver's license preferred. Must be responsible, reliable and like to have fun with children. Responsibilities include picking children up from school, getting them to some after-school activities, playing sports and games, and helping with homework. Call Sharon, 973-9460, or e-mail qualifications to roerty@megahertz.njit.edu.

FOR SALE: 1988 black Ford Festiva, good condition. Asking $500. Call Angela, (973) 484-7076.

FOR SALE: 1993 Kawasaki FSXI 750 Wave Runner. One owner, adult owned. Excellent condition. Comes with trailer, life vests and wetsuit. Asking $3,000. Call (973) 759-2579.

FOR SALE: Jack LaLanne/Bally's Olympic Gold Membership, paid until August 1999. $650. Call Arthur Sutphen. (973) 759-2579.

FOR SALE: Five-month-old leather couch with two built-in recliners. Moving, must sell. Call Amy Milavsky, (908) 272-3072.

HOUSE FOR SALE BY OWNER. Three-bedroom split level in Randolph on a 1/3-acre level plot. Beatifically landscaped and located on a quiet street. Siding with partial fieldstone façade, stained-glass entranceway, stone fireplace in family room, central air conditioning, renovated kitchen, refinished hardwood floors in all rooms, exposed beamed ceilings in living and dining rooms, skylights and wood-burning pellet stove. Hot water heater 2 years old, two-level decks in rear. Wall-to-wall carpeting in family room, master bedroom, hallway and stairs. 2 1/2 bathrooms. $249,900. Call Tony Rosato, (973) 927-1571.

FOR SALE: '89 Subaru XT two-door coupe. Four cylinder, auto, air conditioning, power windows, 82,000 miles. Excellent condition inside and out. $2,000. Call (973) 808-1081.

FOR SALE: 18.5 Wahoo Offshore Center console. Boston Wahler type, Merc 150 V, full gages, fish finder, swim platform, bimini top, coolers and cushions. Never left in water or bottom painted. The boat has always been trailored and flushed after use. Purchased new in 1990. Excellent condition. New Loadrite trailer with brakes. Asking $9,800. Call Arthur Sutphen.

FOR SALE: Circulon Saucepan/Frypan, never used, 12-inch diameter, heavy guage aluminum, stick-proof finish, stainless steel lid, $30. Call evenings, (908) 277-2119.