Florida A&M University’s Danielle Jones, a mechanical engineering student in the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, was selected to participate in the Citizens for Space Exploration (CSE) program held May 15-17 in Washington, D.C.

Jones is a junior who has plans to go into the aerospace industry. Because of Jones’ dedication to space exploration, she received the opportunity to intern at the John F. Kennedy Space Center this summer, which is one of 10 NASA field centers.

Taylor J. Davis isn’t one to shy away from the hard stuff. In fact, he almost seems to thrive on the grueling pace of engineering education. On May 4, he leaves the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering with dual degrees in mechanical and electrical engineering, an accomplishment very few even attempt.

He’s also leaving with a working model for a hydroelectric generator, a unique project that embodies Davis’ passion for mechanics and the environment and may just be the key to his future. 

As the semester ends and another graduating class looms, it’s important to remember that a degree is only as valuable as the people obtaining them. As such, recognizing alumni for their post-collegiate achievements is one way to validate and acknowledge those shining stars who have exited our doors. Last month, the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering made sure to do just that when it held its second annual Alumni Awards Banquet at the Sittig Center in downtown Tallahassee. 

Lance Cooley, an expert in applied superconductivity, who was recruited to Florida State University in 2017, has been named head of the MagLab’s Applied Superconductivity Center.

Cooley came to the MagLab from the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, or “Fermilab”, near Chicago. He also holds a faculty appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

Michael Hays was raised in Tampa, Florida and graduated from Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 2009. He spent the next four years completing his Ph.D. under the guidance of Dr. Billy Oates, specializing in active materials and structures. 

Dr. Philip Flater has been employed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Munitions Directorate since June 2004. He completed his BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from Florida State University through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 2003 and his MS degree in 2004. In 2015 he earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from the University of Florida.

Dr. Damion D. Dunlap received BS, MS and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in 2002, 2004, and 2011 respectively. His dissertation research developed a motion planning and control framework that enabled the solution of motion planning problems through the employment of predictive dynamic system models. 

A graduate of St. Petersburg High School, Bruce Morrison began his post-secondary education at Florida State University in the School of Engineering Science. He graduated from FSU in 1970 with his M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. Dr. E. G. Henneke directed his Thesis, “The Effect of Dislocation Generation Due to An Externally Applied Stress Upon the Propagation of Ultrasonic Elastic Waves in Zinc Single Crystals.”

Thomas Brinson, Ph.D. joined GE in 2010 as Lead Engineer in the Energy Systems and Technologies Team. He started his career as the Integrated Product Team Lead for Modeling and Simulation on the Integrated Vehicle Energy Technology (INVENT) Development Program—a joint GE, Boeing, and Air Force Research Laboratory investment focused on power and thermal management systems for sixth-generation military platforms.

Roger Dale England, Ph.D. currently serves as the Technical Director for Valvoline, Inc. Formerly, he was the Director of Materials Science and Technology for Cummins, Inc., where he led intellectual property, technical quality, metallurgy, chemistry and materials processing.

England holds a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Florida State University through the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering; a MS in metallurgical engineering from University of Cincinnati and a BS in mechanical engineering from Purdue.