Class Notes
1960’s
David Neff ’64, MS ’68, PhD ‘71
Willoughby, OH
David, the retired technical manager and director of management for Metaullics Systems of Cleveland, was awarded the John A. Penton Gold Medal by the American Foundry Society at the 122nd Metalcasting Congress, April 3-5 in Fort Worth, Texas. David was honored for his “technical contributions to the metalcasting industry, especially in the areas of research, publications, presentations and technical education.”
Carl Helrich Jr ’63, PhD
Goshen, Indiana
Since semi-retiring from Goshen College, Carl has written several textbooks, including The Classical Theory of Fields. He said the book was inspired by a theoretical physics class taught by Professor Leslie L. Foldy, which he was allowed to sit in on his senior year at Case Institute of Technology. “Foldy was magnificent. He covered the board without once looking back at his notes,” he recalls. Carl’s books are available on Amazon.com.
Siegfried Hecker ’65, MS ’67, PhD ‘68
Santa Fe, NM
Sig, a nuclear scientist, has been in high demand since President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un agreed to meet to discuss peace and denuclearization on the Korean peninsula. He’s a former director of Los Alamos National Laboratory, which designs American nuclear weapons, and has personally inspected North Korea’s nuclear bomb-making facilities. The New York Times, The Washington Post, CBS News and Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists all tapped his insight in recent times. He was a big part of this June 10 story on 60 Minutes: https://tinyurl.com/case-60minutes
Michael R. Smith PhD’66
Pasadena, CA
Michael has written a book about his experience as a member of the engineering design staff for 17 years at LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, at the California Institute of Technology. To Catch a Black Hole from the Bottom of the Pond, a Memoir is available at Amazon.com and via the author's Facebook page.
David F. Channell ’67, MS ’69, PhD ‘75
Dallas, TX
Dave has a new book coming out in 2019. The Rise of Engineering Science: How Technology Became Scientific is described by its publisher, Springer International Publishing, as the first book to look at the “broad history of engineering science.” Dave teaches the history and philosophy of science and technology at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he has been n the faculty for more than 40 years.
1970's
George Bibel MS ‘79
Grand Forks, ND
George published his third book, “Plane Crash: The Forensics of Aviation Disaster” (Johns Hopkins University Press), which he co-authored with Captain Robert Hedges, a pilot for Boeing/Airbus. A professor of mechanical engineering at the University of North Dakota, George is a frequently cited expert on transportation accidents. He spoke this year at the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics as part of its Distinguished Lecture Series. His presentation was televised on C-Span Book TV May 2 and June 23.
1980’s
Robert C. Locker '81, MS'86
Fenton, MI
Bob was named Director of Engineering at Acme Manufacturing Company in Auburn Hills, Michigan. He will be providing leadership for all mechanical design and electrical controls engineering activity and oversee research and new technology programs. Bob earned a Master of Science in Systems and Biomedical Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Biomedical Engineering from the Case School of Engineering.
1990’s
Victor Ryzhov MS'96, PhD'98
Dekalb, IL
Victor, an associate professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Northern Illinois University, received a 2017 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award.
2010’s
Chioma J. Onukwuire '17, MEM '18
Sugarland, TX
Chioma, the founder of African fashion retailer CHIMU, won the inaugural "Pop-Up Competition" at the Cleveland Asian Festival in May with her line of clothing created by African designers and seamstresses.