Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. That phrase, coined more than 200 years ago, in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, captures eloquently the issues facing civil engineers working in the field of Water Resources.
One alumnus hopes Florida Tech graduates will help address the humanitarian crisis. “Water is power,” said Amvrossios “Ross” Bagtzoglou, MS, ‘87, Civil Engineering. “Too much causes flooding and too little causes drought.” Recently, Bagtzoglou pledged $125,000, to be paid over ten years, to create an endowment for graduate students studying water resources.

Alumni and friends are challenged to match Bagtzoglou’s annual pledge payments, thereby doubling the strength of the endowment. Additionally, Florida Tech has also pledged a tuition remission match of three credit-hours per semester, further enhancing the value of the gift. Already, nearly a dozen supporters have donated to the endowment, and more are encouraged to step up, said Ashok Pandit, professor and head of the Department of Civil Engineering. “Establishing fellowships and research-related endowments creates instant credibility and prestige for the research being conducted in our department, both among peers and prospective students,” said Pandit.

When fully endowed, the fund will top $250,000. “We are most grateful for this visionary gift from Dr. Bagtzoglou, as well as the alumni, faculty and friends who have contributed to our annual challenge,” said Pandit. For more information, or to make a gift to the A. C. Bagtzoglou Civil Engineering Fellowship Endowment for the Study of Water Resources, please email Gretchen Sauerman at gsauerman@fit.edu, or call (321) 674-6162.


L to R Standing: COA Dean Ken Stackpoole, Dwayne McCay, Executive VP and C.O.O, COE Dean Fred Ham,
Department Head for Civil Engineering Astok Pandit. Seated L to R: Ross Bagtzoglou, ’87 M.S. and
President Anthony J. Catanese.


L to R: COE Dean Fred Ham, Ross Bagtzoglou, ’87 M.S., President Anthony J. Catanese and Department
Head for Civil Engineering Astok Pandit.


Ross Bagtzoglou, ’87 M.S. and Department Head for Civil Engineering Astok Pandit.

By Michelle Verkooy

What inspires you to give back to your community? This kind of question can be a tough one to answer for some, but ask Sarah Balda what inspires her and the Balda Family Foundation, and she will quickly tell you that it is the power of education to change a person's life.

The mission of the Balda Family Foundation is to motivate, inspire and educate academically promising, at risk and underserved youth in Brevard County. Since 2007, the foundation has generously granted $50,000 to FIT in the form of scholarships for students in the College of Engineering and the College of Aeronautics.

Sarah Balda

It may appear that the foundation simply doles out financial assistance and that is the end of the story, but it is not.  "We want to get to know our scholarship recipients, foster a relationship with them, provide motivation and encouragement as they continue along their path of education, it's like being part of our extended family," said Sarah Balda.

By doing what is right for today and tomorrow’s generations of leaders, the Balda Family Foundation is leading the way to educating Brevard’s best and brightest and FIT is honored to be part of that partnership.

Recipients of the 2011 Balda Family Foundation scholarships meet with members of the Balda family. From left to right: Rick Balda, Jr.; Brandon Fontaine, student recipient; Jonathan Kucharyson, student recipient; Danielle Roy, Student Recipient; Dan Balda.

By Lisa M. Onorato

A B737-800 Flight Training Device shell gifted to College of Aeronautics (COA) by Q4 Services has led to a partnership that will have a ripple effect beyond Florida Tech for years to come. According to its website, Q4 “performs visual system upgrades and modifications, relocations, repair and refurbishment of all manner of simulation hardware. “ “We had initially planned to use it as a demo,” said Martin Rolls, Manager of Development and Technology at Q4.  “But we just got too busy. “

After the shell sat at Q4 for a while, Dave Santo, co-owner and founder of Aerostar Training Services, LLC, took notice and suggested that Q4 donate the device to FIT. However, after several meetings in early 2011 between the two companies and FIT Office of Development and COA Associate Professor Peter Dunn, it was apparent the benefit of the $800k simulator was going to extend far beyond the gift-in-kind itself. What emerged was a one-of-kind hands-on learning opportunity for COA students in the form of a partnership with Aerostar.  Aerostar and FIT now offer two advanced pilot training classes, one in Jet Transition and one in Commercial Type Rating.  The educational opportunity for students is groundbreaking, as FIT is the only college to offer this type of training as part of an academic program.

For Mr. Santo, this partnership with FIT provides the answer to a question he and his co-partner Royce Jones have often asked themselves: “What can we to do take our resources and experiences and give back to the future of aeronautics?” Mr. Santo said he and Mr. Jones have both had fabulous careers in the industry, but are aware of the difficult path from student to pilot. “There were no mentors to guide me to schools like FIT,” he said. “This advanced training will allow FIT students to stand out much more than their competitors in interviews,” Mr. Santo said.  Professor Dunn agrees that the partnership offers FIT students the edge in the professional world. “Partnering with a school that can provide advance training truly paves the way for a career as an airline pilot or in business aviation,” Professor Dunn said. “Having a Type Rating is the crown jewel of pilot training.”

In today's unsteady market with the volatility of the economy and the low interest rate environment, a defined income stream for life is attractive.  A charitable gift annuity (CGA) is a simple contract between you and Florida Institute of Technology that offers a tax-advantaged way to provide income for yourself or someone you love.  The amount of the payment is determined at the time the gift is made and will not fluctuate with the market.  A CGA can even be established to benefit a friend or relative.  Florida Institute of Technology follows the recommended annuity rates published by the American Council on Gift Annuities (ACGA). 

For more information, contact:

Office of Development

150 W. University Blvd. Melbourne, FL 32901
Phone: (321) 674-8962 | Fax: (321) 674-6150
adunn@fit.edu

This information is not intended to be legal or financial advice. Consult a professional advisor to be sure that your estate or financial needs are addressed.

John and Susan Hopkins in front of the Scott Center

Do you know an autistic child?

Probably. “I attended a political lunch about two years ago with roughly 100 people in attendance.  The audience was asked if they had a family member, friend or know someone who had an autistic child.  Virtually everyone in the audience raised their hands,” said John Hopkins, grandparent of an autistic child and supporter of the Scott Center for Autism Treatment.  The Scott Center, located on the Melbourne campus, is dedicated to providing the highest quality treatment, training and applied research to enhance the functioning and improve the quality of life of children with autism and related disabilities in Central Florida. Once the diagnosis of autism or related disability is given, hope is what the family searches for.

Mr. Hopkins understands this search.  If you have ever spoken to Mr. Hopkins, after the latest golf hole-by-hole replay, he speaks about something else close to his heart - his granddaughter.  The stories are peppered with the typical adventures of grandparenthood and the challenges facing families with autistic children.  His granddaughter benefitted from the Scott Center facilities and staff and Mr. Hopkins refers to the center as “world class.” Even though Mr. Hopkins is not an alumn, he is one of the original committee members on An Evening of Hope, a fundraiser that supports the Scott Center.  “I encourage people to attend the Evening of Hope. Florida Tech has done an outstanding job developing a great facility.” The next Evening of Hope is April 21, 2012 at the home of Joe Flammio, Florida Tech Board of Trustees member. The event features a cocktail reception, live auction and the chance to win a Rolex donated by Kempf’s Jewelers in Indialantic, Florida.

Tickets are on sale now until the day of the event for $25 each and are available at Kempf’s Jewelers, The Scott Center and online at www.thescottcenter.org/raffle. The drawing will be April 28, 2012 at 1p.m. at Kempf’s Jewelers. Sponsorships are also available.

For more information, call Colleen Middlebrooks at (321) 674-8106 or email at cmiddlebrooks@fit.edu.

When DRS consolidated its four facilities in 2010, the company found itself with a large surplus of equipment and supplies.

The thought of disposing of the items “tore through the heart” of DRS’ Tom Reid, Senior Manufacturing Engineer, so he reached out to the Office of Development who then connected him with the College of Engineering.  “I knew the equipment would be of wonderful value to the students,” said Stephanie Hopper, Director of Laboratories.

Among the cache of office supplies, furniture and industrial equipment was a 5-by-8-foot optics bench. The optics bench went to the Department of Chemical Engineering, where Dr. James Brenner and his students mounted two scanning tunneling and three atomic force microscopes. The bench provides a vibration-resistant and extremely level work area. Dr. Brenner said the optics bench has made the acquisition of research quality images a reality, which has been a key component in rounding out the new Nanotechnology program. Nanotechnology is the science and engineering of features at a very small scale—1 billionth of a meter—and is at the interface between biology, chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, materials science, electrical engineering, and mechanical-aerospace engineering. Another item FIT received was a triaxial environmental controlled shaker table and chamber.  “The thermal, vibration test equipment that DRS donated to the College of Engineering will be most useful for some of the spacecraft-related research currently being carried out in the college,” Said Dr. Fred Ham, Dean of the College of Engineering.  “Gifts like this can make a significant difference in our faculty’s research,” said Dr. Ham.

In addition to the equipment, one employee at DRS is generously donating his time to the university. Mike Scott is an instructor at DRS who has been with the company for 16 years. He recently kicked off a series of free presentations here at FIT— one on the good and bad conditions of soldering and another on manufacturing standards. Mr. Scott said he feels it’s important to expose students to the industry environment they will soon be working in. “Students have no idea of the kinds of standards that rule their world,” he said. “And I really love teaching.”

“Our company has a culture of philanthropy,” said Mr. Reid. “It really spreads out among our employees.”

By Lisa M. Onorato
Development Officer

Photo by Stephanie Hopper

Mike Scott of DRS leads a presentation on soldering in the Keuper Building. Mr. Scott plans to offer more presentations free of charge to FIT students in the near future.

Daniel C. DeRosa, a doctoral student of the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, reminded us that whether death is expected or unexpected, it creates a void.  Many of us seek something to fill that void. 

In the case of Dan’s family, a book of his poetry, titled Love Like Water, was shared and a memorial fund was created in his name. His words provide a sense of comfort to family and friends, reminding them of who he was and how he touched their lives. For so many people, the ability to donate to the fund has offered a way to keep his memory alive.  Dan made an impact on everyone he met, and his work with the children at the Scott Center for Autism Treatment will never be forgotten. His words below speak to us and provide encouragement at this sad time.  A memorial is a perpetual reminder and the Office of Development is here to work with families to create this special way of acknowledging the memory of a passed loved one, like Dan.

The Fish, The Worm, The Fisherman

Some days I feel like a fish,
Staring at the worm,
Recognizing weakness,
Assessing whether I would gain more than I’d lose.

Other days I feel like the worm,
Floating helpless on the hook,
Taking my place in something bigger,
In too much pain to accept my situation.

Then there are the days I feel like the fisherman,
Biding my time,
Watching the scene below,
Waiting for the drama to play itself out,
Certain I can predict the outcome of events yet to unfold.

I strive to be the water,
And allow to pass the time that doesn’t fly
Accept the games that will be played
By those who need the strength of others to get by.
I wish to be strong enough to support the ones that need it
And to be wise enough to grant guidance to those I feel will heed it,
To recognize and leave alone the things that will be solitary,
And wind my way along the days and nights, as life’s own tributary.

By Daniel DeRosa

In October, the Missile, Range and Space Pioneers, Inc. (MSRP) donated $5,000 to student design projects at Florida Institute of Technology. The contribution went to support the hybrid rocket project team and the Lunabotics project team who are preparing their projects for competition in the spring.

The hybrid rocket team will fire its rocket near Daytona Beach in an April competition. The Lunabotics team is participating for NASA’s KSC Lunabotics Mining Competition. Members are developing innovative lunar excavation concepts that might be applied to an actual lunar excavation device or payload. Both teams will compete with other Florida Tech student project teams at Florida Tech’s Northrop Grumman Student Design Showcase in the spring.

And here’s a link to the announcement about the gift: http://coe.fit.edu/announcements/930


From left: Hector Gutierrez, Jennifer Mori, Rafiuddin Ahmed, Allison Metzger, Matthew Goldstein, Michelle Little.

The Vermilion Project  is competing in the SAE Aero Design East competition by building a remotely piloted airplane to carry a maximum payload given a specified engine.

From left to right
Back: Kento Takura, Navaneeth Saiprasad, David Jacobsen
Front: Jessica DeVries, Daby Osuji, Seong Un Yang, Hunter Garrett (Team Lead), Anna Hallahan, John Adetoyese-Olagunju, Dr. David Fleming (Faculty Advisor)

TiltRotor Team is building an autonomous tiltrotor aircraft to perform a simulated search and rescue mission.

From left to right
Back: Andrew Ho Lung, Mario Lento, Sahil Rawool (Team Lead), Oung Kyaw Sann, Majorie Lucas
Front: Nicholas Cefaratti (pilot), Namrata Dhingreja, Audryanna Fernandez, Rhys Fernandez, Yethiraj Chamarthi, Dr. David Fleming (Faculty Adviser)

The College of Aeronautics and the Emil Buehler Center for Aviation and Training recently honored the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust for a gift used to purchase two new flight simulators. The simulators provide flight training in a safe and cost effective way and offer flexible scheduling for students.

FACTS about the Simulators

• FIT, through the gracious donation by the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust, acquired two Frasca 242 Piper Seminole Level 5 Flight Simulation Training Devices (FSTDs) in May and August 2011.
• The FSTDs were manufactured by Frasca International, Inc. of Urbana, Illinois. 
• The FSTD cockpit is made from fiberglass and accurately replicates the flight deck of an actual Piper Seminole aircraft.  It includes the actual Avidyne Entegra integrated avionics system as installed within a Piper Seminole aircraft. 
• The FSTD is equipped with Frasca’s TruFeel^TM electronic control loading system, which provides realistic, variable control pressures throughout the flight envelope.
• A high-fidelity digital sound system provides significant aural cues to flight, engines, systems, environment, and avionics.  Speaker placement in the cockpit is such that the location of the sound in the FSTD is similar to that in the aircraft.
• Operable circuit breakers provide a realistic training environment for the student by integrating systems similar to those in the actual aircraft.
• The FSTD is equipped with Frasca’s TruVision^TM Global visual system.  This visual system is displayed through three LCD projectors onto a cylindrical screen that is approximately 19 feet across and 5 feet wide.  This provides a field of view to the pilots of 180⁰horizontal by 40⁰ vertical.
• Each Simulator weighs – 845 lbs
• Will greatly aid the flight students as they progress through their multi-engine training. 
• Up to 25 hours may be used during the multi-engine commercial course and multi-engine add-on course, mostly for initial familiarization training, emergency procedures, and instrument training. 

Little did Clarke Fowler (Ocean Engineering ’80) and Deborah Heystek (Biology ’79) imagine when they met in the Jungle at Florida Institute of Technology in 1975, that they would end up back in Brevard County, married, and becoming active alumni making a difference on campus 30 years later. Both had great experiences at FIT and established enduring friendships while there. “Many of our very best friends today are people we met while at FIT,” says Clarke.

Clarke has worked for Harris Corporation for the past 14 years and currently does avionics development for defense systems. He has continued his involvement with the College of Engineering, participating on its Board of Advisors, supporting various events and serving as a judge for the annual Northrop Grumman Engineering and Science Student Design Showcase. Deborah has worked for a research institute and defense contractors as a software architect doing modeling and simulation (war gaming), and is currently pursuing her dream as an entrepreneur, creating her own line of clothing from South African fabrics. She is a member of the Alumni Board and is very active on the Botanical Garden Committee, which hosts the Botanical Fest each year.  She also serves as an alumni advisor to the Squamish fraternity and created the Squamish Scholarship Endowment to help fund deserving students at Florida Tech.  This scholarship fund is very close to reaching the $25,000 level, where it is fully endowed, and an annual scholarship will be awarded.   “The Squamish Scholarship has been funded by past and present Squamish Brothers and will serve as a legacy to the organization,” says Deborah.

Together, in 2007, they decided another way they could give back to Florida Tech was by establishing a bequest.  The Fowler-Heystek bequest will benefit Engineering, by funding the creation of a student lab in their name.  “We both value the education we received at FIT, and recognize the importance of continued investment in infrastructure, equipment, and technology.  We hope that through our bequest future engineers are inspired in a lifelong passion for science and engineering,” says the couple.

 “FIT is a unique place, and tends to attract rugged individualists.  That may be one of the things I like best about it,” says Deborah.

“My experience at FIT enabled me to pursue a career that I truly enjoy,” says Clarke.

From day one, Indiafest’s commitment to philanthropy is well documented as this organization has assisted many local charities and provided aid in disaster recovery both nationally and internationally with the funds raised during the annual event.

This year, the Indiafest committee unanimously decided to donate $100,000 to create the Indiafest Brevard Scholarship Endowment. Nina Gadodia, Indiafest Co-Chairman shared, “The Indiafest committee is proud to help a child achieve a wonderful education. This is one small way to encourage the talent of Brevard to stay in Brevard.

We are extremely grateful for the endowment which enables a local student to experience a high tech education right in their own backyard,” said Florida Tech President Anthony Catanese.

The Florida Tech Office of Financial Aid will award the scholarship to a Brevard County resident who graduates from Brevard Community College (BCC) and transfers to Florida Tech. Additional criteria include commendable academic achievements as well as evidence of community involvement.

In an economically challenging environment, Florida Institute of Technology students value even more the intangible advantages their school affords them.  Recently, Mike McGinnis, Florida Tech Alumnus and Galaxy/Ad Astra Society Member, Class of 88, BS in Mechanical Engineering and owner of Innovative Refrigeration Systems in Lyndhurst, VA, escorted four members of the Florida Tech Student Chapter of ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers) at the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration National Conference (IIAR) in Orlando, Florida.

Nick Avery, inaugural winner of the Marvin Yarosh and Jack Wiles Endowed Scholarship (created jointly by Spacecoast ASHRAE and the Canaveral Section of ASME), Jim Susini, Matt Wills and Jennifer Stephens were honored and impressed with the IIAR convention & expo and spoke appreciatively.

Nick said, “Mike McGinnis was very interested in our career paths. We talked to a lot of company reps, each who noted that the refrigeration industry is economically stable, and that they are always looking to hire.  We had a good introduction to the advantages and dangers of ammonia systems too.”

Mike McGinnis echoed that sentiment, "The students were very excited to be at the convention and I enjoyed meeting all of them.  Meeting the gang from FIT brought back great memories of my personal experiences and the benefits of the amazing education that Florida Institute of Technology provided me in 88 and is obviously still providing today!"

Dr. Ray Armstrong $2.5 Million pledge elevates the School of Psychology to new heights

Florida Institute of Technology Trustee since 2004, Dr. Raymond Armstrong Sr. has pledged $2.5 million in support of the School of Psychology to ensure an excellent academic environment.  Dr. Armstrong said, “I pledge to help in every way possible.” Dr. May Beth Kenkel, the school’s dean, said, “We believe that this very welcome gift from Dr. Armstrong will provide the seed to grow a strong funding effort.”

The School of Psychology originated in 1980 to focus on preparing professionals to address some of the most pressing needs of society.  The program reached national prominence with the opening in fall 2009 of the Scott Center for Autism Treatment on the Melbourne campus.

For more information about the School of Psychology, visit http//cpla.fit.edu/psych.

More than 260 people attended An Evening of Hope III, which brought in over $190,000 for the Florida Institute of Technology Scott center for Autism Treatment. The event was held recently at the Lotus Lake, Merritt Island, home of Ed and Cheryl Scott, benefactors of the Center.

A portion of the funds raised will go towards the creation of a resource room for parents and teachers. It will be located on the second floor of the Scott Center.

The Scott Center opened in October 2009. It provides treatment, education and training for persons with autism spectrum disorders and their families from Brevard, Indian River, Lake, Osceola, Seminole and Volusia counties.  The center implements research-based practices, partners with schools and families and collaborates with other professionals in this new facility.

The center’s website is http://research.fit.edu/scottcenter/

University leaders, alumni and friends gathered to celebrate the opening of the College of Engineering’s Student Learning Lounge on the second floor of the Olin Engineering Building, made possible by Nelson and Heidi Cambata.

The generous gift of $200,000 transformed the area from a crowded, bare-bones room into a magnificent space for all engineering students to enjoy. The state-of-the-art design includes four collaboration rooms, each equipped with two 42-inch LCD monitors that can display from student laptops or the computers in the room. Two glass-encased study rooms contain a white board and space for group work or quiet study. A large table supports six internet connects and power sources for laptop computers.

When it’s time to relax, the area contains two 42-inch TVs, comfortable sofas and directional speakers in the ceiling to prevent the audio from disturbing others. Between the two TV areas, a cozy library contains reference books, and a large new vending area contains healthy options to grab a snack or hot meal.

Florida Tech’s College of Engineering recognizes the team of local physicians and medical physicists who volunteered their time to co-instruct the course: BME 5702 Biomedical Applications in Physiology. In its second year, this course offers students both classroom and hands-on activities with medical professionals from a variety of fields.

At the conclusion of the course, the team gathered to hear final project presentations from 10 student teams, followed by a lively discussion of potential future research on each topic.

Pictured from left, Dr. Hetal Vaishnav, Opthalmology; Dr. Jim McManus, Opthalmology; Dr. Kunal Mitra, Florida Tech Biomedical Engineering Program Director; Dr. Fred Ham, Dean, College of Engineering; Dr. Cesar Jara, Cardiology; Ms. Gretchen Sauerman, Director, Corporate Giving; Dr. Ross Davis, Neurosurgery; Mr. Anand Prabhu, Radiation Physicist; Dr. Ravi Shakar, Radiation Oncology; and Mr. Dajit Saini, Radiation Physicist. Not pictured: Dr. Jill Miller, Neurology; Dr. Daryl Turner, Emergency Medicine; and Dr. Daniel Woodard, NASA KSC.