Matt Mitgang | Student Life

Members of Washington University’s chapter of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) work to assemble the the Vertigo dance floor on Saturday afternoon in Lopata Gallery. The new light-up dance floor, designed and built by IEEE, is the culmination of more than a year of hard work.

This floor, the pride of Washington University’s chapter of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) culminated over a year of dedicated labor. Student Life met with Dave Pilla, the project coordinator and vice chair of IEEE, to discuss the story behind the dance floor’s creation.

“We started in September of 2009, a year and a half ago, and we did it because of the old IEEE dance floor. The old one had fallen apart, and we wanted to make one based on our own design,” Pilla said. “The other one was derived from a design by MIT students, but the new generation is a unique creation of Wash. U.”

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a book of instructions on how to make dance floors; IEEE had to innovate. “When we began, we actually had no idea how to do it. No one had done anything related to dance floors,” Pilla said. “We started out writing the high-level features we wanted, a sort of wish list. Some, like the wireless control, pressure sensors and beat sensitivity made it into the final product. We originally wanted to waterproof the floor as well, so that we could put it in a pool, but that would have been far too expensive.”

After compiling a list of desirable features and learning about their respective functions and applications, the team built prototypes and test modules. A team of seven engineers designed the floor; the team included mechanical, electrical and computer engineers, and computer scientists.

The most grueling work required soldering the diodes, wires, sensors and chips. Soldering and testing all 18,000 parts was impossible without running into some hurdles.

“Frequently, many small problems arose…. Nothing was catastrophic, but we had a lot of emergency fire drills and runs to Home Depot,” Pilla said.

Even the mundane, unnoticed aspects of the floor required creative design. Pilla mentioned that there were concerns early in the project about the floor’s ability to support the weight of the dancers. “We had to consider two scenarios. First, we thought about a really heavy person standing on a module. In the other case, we thought about someone with stilettos who focuses force on a much smaller area,” Pilla said. “As a sort of worst-case scenario, we considered a really heavy guy wearing those stilettos. Would the floor collapse at that point? So we talked about this test in which the heaviest member of the group put on stilettos and jumped up and down. We never actually got to that point once we realized the strength of the polycarbonate that forms the surface. If it were a little thicker, it would be bullet resistant.”

Despite frequent tests, setbacks and headaches, IEEE persevered and completed a product with both form and function. “As a dance floor, this thing has nearly limitless potential,” Pilla said. “For one thing, consider all the colors the floor can produce. Your standard computer has something like 16 million colors because it uses red, green and blue. We added white, which gives us all those pastel colors and dramatically increases the amount of colors the floor can produce.”

How many, exactly? “Billions.”

The previous floor was the same size, 8 feet by 16 feet, but the new generation is far more portable. “The design centers around the use of 32 modules, which are each 2-by-2 feet. The modules weigh about 25 pounds each, so it’s much easier to transport than a solid 800-pound floor. Plus, the modules can be arranged however you like. We’re no longer limited by the rectangular dance floor.”

The floor has great market potential as well. “We took the business plan through the Hatchery, which is a program through the business school to evaluate entrepreneurial ideas. With all the market research, competitive analysis and financial forecasting, we found out that this was a practical idea. A floor like this could sell for $25,000-30,000,” Pilla said.

IEEE’s current plans for the floor, though, will keep it available for future Wash. U. parties.

“We plan on fundraising with it. We can rent it out to local clubs and easily make a good deal of money in one night. Plus, it will be ready for future Vertigos,” Pilla said.

When asked to summarize the experience in a single word, Pilla looked pensive. Most of the core team members were running on little sleep. Yet, a project that had excited and motivated them for more than a year was ending. After some consideration, Pilla replied, “We had so much fun, despite the ups and downs. It was a rollercoaster.”

Senior executives from Ameren, AT&T, Boeing, General Electric Energy and Monsanto were invited to participate in the panel. The executives will be asked pointed questions ranging from general inquiries about sustainability to questions regarding their individual companies’ policies in regard to sustainability.

According to senior Jeff Feiereisen, president of Wash. U.’s chapter of IEEE, the questions asked will be specific.

“Originally, I had a list of 120 questions I came up with after a lot of research,” Feiereisen said. “That list was shortened as we were trying to use questions that aren’t basic. It’s going to be specific questions that multiple people can respond to so that you have a conversation between the panelists.”

According to its website, “IEEE at Wash. U. provides every student with the resources to pursue their interests.” Overall, as stated on the national organization’s website, IEEE’s main purpose is to foster innovation in the technological realm and promote excellence for the benefit of humanity.

The panel will be preceded by a private dinner at Whittemore House as well as a private reception in the atrium of Whitaker Hall.

Dr. Pratim Biswas, Chair of the Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering Department (EECE) in the Engineering School will be moderating the event. Biswas is an energy researcher.

Speakers at the event will include William Barbieri, the Manager of Renewables Ameren, John McDonald, General Manager of Marketing for General Electric Energy T&D, Daniel Burns, Business Development Manager of Energy Solutions for Boeing, Jeffrey Klieve, Director of Environmental Affairs for Monsanto and Katie Dugan, Lead Associate for Fleet Operations for AT&T.

The event is designed to incorporate people and companies involved in energy production and distribution. In addition, three panelists will represent energy end-users.

IEEE expects about 250 students to attend and anticipates that the Wash. U. community will benefit from the presentation of this event. According to Feiereisen, the event is intended to give the University the opportunity to work with the companies represented.

“The purpose was to give the University an opportunity to build good relationships with companies that they don’t have the strength to build,” he said. “GE and AT&T are good examples for companies that the University doesn’t have strong relationships with. The whole idea is that with a stronger relationship, there will be [more] job opportunities for Wash. U. students.”

Additionally, Feiereisen sees the panel as an opportunity for students to express their opinions on energy issues.

“People are eager to have the open Q&A we’re going to have,” he said. “We want to provide the forum for people to speak up and voice their opinions.”

Junior David Pilla, the Vice-Chair of Wash. U’s IEEE group, also feels that this event will allow the Wash. U. community to connect with and learn about these companies.

“I think it’s going to be a great chance for Wash. U. students and faculty to interface with these corporate representatives and talk about what they’d like to see happen and how these issues are being worked on now and how they can be addressed in the future,” Pilla said. “[The purpose is] first of all to provide people with more insight [as] to what these companies and panelists are doing to improve sustainability on their end to give insight to others as to what they approach sustainability to be and to create more notoriety for Wash. U. in this initiative.”

Additionally, this event is another way that IEEE has worked toward sustainability.

“It’s been one of the core values of our group [IEEE] to increase the sustainability efforts at Wash. U.,” Pilla said. “This was a culmination of that push.”

The panel comes on the heels of Earth Month, which has consisted of numerous events put on through collaborations between many of the University’s groups dedicated to green initiatives.

“We put this event on in the spirit of Earth Month and because of the fact that sustainability is a hot topic on campus and in the world,” Feiereisen said.

As part of Earth Month, IEEE, in collaboration with Student Union (SU), Green Action and the Burning Kumquat, among others, presented activities as part of Earth Day, which included an activities fair, a Bon Appétit presentation on sustainability and food and a showing of the documentary “Food, Inc.”

Additionally, EECE will be holding a conference this week on April 23 with a keynote presentation by a National Science Foundation (NSF) representative on energy water nexus. Local energy officials will also give presentations.

On April 27, Green Action and SU are teaming up to present a debate in Graham Chapel between Fred Palmer, Peabody Energy’s Vice President of Public Relations and Bruce Nillis of the Sierra Club.

The event is sponsored not only by IEEE but also by the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the Olin Business School, the University’s Career Center, the Weston Career Center, Wash. U. Alumni and Development and Green Action.

One sponsor of the event was the Saint Louis section of the IEEE Power and Energy Society, a sub-society of IEEE. According to Leon White, a General Electric Sales Manager and Chair of Saint Louis IEEE Power and Energy, his organization was eager to help out in the event.

“We always try to be as helpful as we can whenever possible and the event sounded like a very worthy event,” he said. “We were able to sponsor a portion of the event using some Power and Energy Society funds and we were [able to] help in getting speakers.”

Overall, the event will display how different international organizations are responding to emerging energy issues. Feiereisen expects that students will be encouraged to take action regarding these issues on campus.

“I think this [event] gives all the opinions and people who want to be heard an opportunity to speak and listen to what the corporate people have to say,” he said. “It is the opportunity for everyone to voice their opinions. The students will have to take it from here on out.”

White shared similar sentiments. “People will come away with a better understanding of where large corporations are with helping out a green society,” he said.

Similarly, Feiereisen believes that the event will increase IEEE’s recognition on campus.

“This event alone will be great for us because it will show students, and people will recognize, the breadth of the projects and events we do,” he said.

Courtesy of Jeff Feiereisen

Members of the Washington University IEEE pose for a photo.

The Institution of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) was revamped this year. The organization, which had only three members last year, now boasts between 400 and 500.

This Saturday, the group’s hard work paid off when it was awarded the title of “Most Oustanding Student Branch in the Region,” and senior Jeff Feiereisen won “Most Outstanding Student Member.”

The IEEE is an international organization focused on electrical engineering. The world is divided into 10 regions, which are then divided into subregions. Washington University is in a region that stretches across about 10 states, spanning Texas and Missouri. The University’s victory puts it among the top 10 branches in the world.

Members of the electrical and systems engineering department predict that this will increase the University’s name recognition.

“The region is one of 10 in the world, so they won this recognition for the entire region, which includes dozens and dozens of universities and schools. It is a very significant recognition for Washington University,” said Professor Paul Min, associate professor of electrical and systems engineering and the University’s IEEE adviser.

“This has a really big impact because as one of the 10 largest outstanding student groups in the world, our name will get out there,” Feiereisen said.

The team put a lot of effort toward the win this year. They did a complete about face, coming up with a new motto, “your dreams are reality.” The WU IEEE tries to host an event each day, prioritizing networking and awareness.

“The big thing for us was always to help Wash. U. build relationships and get its name out there, and it’s a really hard, slow process and I don’t think the school gets as much help from the students as it needs,” Feiereisen said. “If you go to the company you should be pushing the company to recruit Wash. U. students.”

The University’s IEEE projects are not confined to electrical engineering. Outside projects include building dance floors like the one at Vertigo and constructing trebuchets. Feiereisen intends for the group to appeal to all majors, and though most members are engineers, the group has one philosophy major.

The group also spends a significant amount of time networking. They host events with local engineers and major corporations as well as department dinners with and without faculty.

The IEEE wants to increase recognition of the University among employers, especially major corporations with which the University does not already have strong relationships. These corporations include General Electric.

“People will hear the name more across the region and this will help with bigger events,” Feiereisen said.

By working to improve corporate relations with the career center, engineering school and Weston Career Center, the University’s IEEE hopes to make more jobs available to students.

Feierson was pleased that he won “Most Outstanding Student Member,” but didn’t think that was the highlight of the awards.

“I’m very appreciative of the fact that I was recognized, but it could never have been a single person’s effort; it was a team that we had,” Feiereisen said.

Professor Min was proud of the group and attributed all of the accomplishments to the students.

“These students basically participated in the competition, and they were recognized for their tremendous accomplishments,” Professor Min said.

“I had a vision that I followed through with and it’s more that I had a great group of motivated students that shared the same vision and wanted to jump on board and be a part of it,” Feiereisen said. “So winning the outstanding large student group [award] was extremely rewarding. That’s what made me feel good and feel proud.”

Engineering students begin last year’s EnWeek by selling donuts near the Underpass. EnCouncil annually puts on a series of weeklong events in order to raise awareness of the contributions of engineers in everyday life. This year there will be a Nerf Gun capture the flag game, a paper plane competition and a catapult competition. (Lily Schorr | Student Life)

Junior Caroline Fernandez is on a quest—a quest to bring one marginalized group of students to the forefront of the Washington University population. OK, so “marginalized” might be a bit dramatic, but this group is certainly subject to stereotypes and misconceptions. “Engineers are not just nerds,” Fernandez said. “Engineers do other things…We’re human, too!”

As Engineering Week (EnWeek) chair, Fernandez has been working with Alumni and Development, the Career Center, Student Union and several engineering student groups to make EnWeek 2010 the most successful one yet. The purpose of EnWeek is “to showcase what engineers do for anyone that may not truly know,” said senior Jeff Feiereisen, president of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

Despite the fact that it is nationally recognized at other college campuses and in the professional world, Wash. U.’s EnWeek has struggled in the past, mostly due to lack of publicity. EnWeek was run primarily by EnCouncil, which failed to attract the attention of other engineers and non-engineering students.

This year, however, the School of Engineering has seen the return of the President’s Council, a group that includes the presidents of all of the different engineering societies on campus such as IEEE, Engineers Without Borders and the Society of Women Engineers. This increased communication has made EnWeek a more collaborative event that will hopefully promote campus-wide participation.

“I think the fact that [several] groups decided to come together instead of it being just an EnCouncil event is the most exciting part—seeing what a big group of people can do,” Fernandez said.

The week of Feb. 13-20 will be packed with activities such as a paper plane competition, Nerf Gun capture the flag and a “Super Smash Bros.” tournament fundraiser. Fernandez’s personal favorite is the Mr. Engineering Pageant, which will feature a student from each concentration (i.e., systems engineer, mechanical engineer, etc.) competing in pageantry events such as a talent show and, of course, an evening gown competition.

The events are designed to appeal to the Wash. U. community at large, not solely engineers. In collaboration with Washington Week, EnWeek will feature theme days such as Mardi Gras Day (Tuesday) and Orange T-shirt Day (Thursday) to promote spirit. Fernandez also explained that although engineering is known for being really technical, certain activities such as building a catapult are simple enough for anyone with a set of directions.

More complex, however, is the 13-foot metal trebuchet that is still in the works.

“We have all these classes where we learn all this stuff, but we never have these hands-on experiences,” Fernandez said of the motivation for building the structure. “We thought this would give us a good way to give students a hands-on experience to put on their résumés, and something to have fun with, too. [The trebuchet] is something that’s really, really cool, but it also requires people to use their minds.”

In response to the rumors that it is going to launch a school bus, Fernandez burst into laughter and explained that technically they could build it to do so, but for now, they’re planning on sticking to a piñata. Due to time constraints with regards to research and getting safety approval, the trebuchet unfortunately will not be launched until later in the semester. But Fernandez insists that when it arrives, this big event will promote not only the School of Engineering, but also Wash. U. as a whole.

To experience EnWeek and get excited for the upcoming trebuchet launch, check out some of the activities in the EnWeek schedule of events.

Washington University’s branch of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) brought these students together to build defibrillator testing kits designed to check the functionality of these vital cardiac tools in developing countries.

Many third-world countries have only one defibrillator per hospital, or less, whereas the United States often has at least one in every operating room and every ambulance. Because of the small number of defibrillators in developing countries, it is crucial to ensure that each one is working effectively. IEEE organized this event to help accomplish this goal. This event also marked the resurgence of the IEEE club at Wash.U.

After a minimal presence on campus for the past several years, IEEE has made its official comeback this semester, thanks to a change in management and a new philosophy.

Senior Jeffrey Feiereisen, Chair of IEEE, said, “I really wanted to make a difference on campus. I want to focus on what each student has to offer and empower them to turn their ideas into realities. I want them to be excited about what we can make possible.”

“Your dreams, our reality” has become the club’s new motto. With all of the participating students contributing program ideas and getting involved in the planning process, so far Feiereisen and his team have turned several dreams into realities.

This October, 12 members of the club will take a trip to a Boeing antenna testing facility, where they will receive a private guided tour of the area and will see a fighter jet being tested. “This is hopefully a sign of similar trips to come,” said junior David Pilla, Vice Chair.

The group is also working on designing and constructing a light-up dance floor. The officers meet at least twice each week to delegate responsibilities and go over their research. The dance floor has been a long-term project among IEEE members for the last four years. However, Feiereisen said, “We really want to take ownership this year and make it our own. We’re building an entirely new floor, instead of just modifying the previous one.” The group anticipates its completion by the end of the academic year.

Feiereisen has also planned a networking dinner available to all Electrical and Systems Engineering students, as well as a President’s Roundtable dinner at the Knight Center. The roundtable dinner is an opportunity for  presidents of select engineering organizations to meet and discuss ways to collaborate with one another. The dinner will be followed by a presentation from the CEO and President of Meryville Technologies.

There is no question that Wash. U.’s branch has gained influence on campus, but it has also become more recognizable throughout St. Louis. A recent IEEE newsletter, distributed to all members in the region, praised the  branch for its efforts: “The Wash. U. students […] are making a comeback, and in the process of rejuvenating the branch.”

At the end of last semester, IEEE had less than ten participating members. Today the club draws between 30-60 people to each of their meetings and communicates regularly with over 300 students through their mailing list.

While Feiereisen has committed a substantial amount of time and energy to reviving IEEE, he finally feels that the club is starting to have a life of its own. Pilla agrees that IEEE has been able to maintain its new momentum thanks to the determination and persistence of the new officers.

But IEEE isn’t all work and no play—in fact, Events Manager, Junior Caroline Fernandez, has the role of ensuring that members are offered just as many fun social outlets as hands-on academic experiences. The club is planning trips to Sky Zone and Demo Ball, as well as group dinners at local restaurants.

One of Feiereisen’s biggest goals is to work in conjunction with as many other student organizations as possible. “I try to go to every lecture, every event on campus, just to see all the kinds of resources and groups there are at Wash. U., then I think about how I can get IEEE involved with them.”

“My goals are dynamically changing every day,” he said. “But we have far exceeded my original goal. I had never anticipated this kind of success, and I never imagined having such a strong team.”

IEEE sophomore Jeremy O’Driscoll said the main message he wants to convey to students is this: “Whatever their ideas are, we will make it happen.” He added, “We’re doing a lot of surprising things already, but I know we’ll do more.”