Latest news with #PhysicsandOpticalEngineeringDepartment
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rose-Hulman alumnus establishes fellowship honoring former physics professor
A gift from alumnus Michael A. Huhnke and his wife, Karen, to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology will support a new endowed faculty fellowship for the Physics and Optical Engineering Department. The fellowship will be named in honor of former professor Bruce Danner. The Dr. Bruce R. Danner Endowed Faculty Fellowship will start in spring 2025 and support a current professor's expertise in physics, optical engineering, or nanoengineering, lead to conversations with other educators in career fields, and encourage research opportunities with undergraduate students, the institute said in a news release. The support for the fellowship "is essential in our efforts to attract and retain exceptional professors who provide our students with the world's best undergraduate STEM education, while inspiring and preparing students for lives of purpose and success," said Robert A. Coons, Rose-Hulman president. Michael Huhnke is a 1975 physics and mechanical engineering alumnus. "We picked the Physics Department because of my very strong feeling that physics provides one of, if not the most important, foundational pieces that all of the other science and engineering disciplines rest upon," he said. "It is my belief that Rose-Hulman must have and maintain a superb physics area, which of course means maintaining first-class instructors, to continue to succeed in its mission." Danner was a member of the Rose-Hulman faculty for 30 years and after retiring in 1998 continued teaching on campus as an adjunct professor until 2012. He also spent time as director of Rose-Hulman's Waters Computer Center and helped establish a consortium with computer center directors from DePauw University (his alma mater), Franklin College, and Wabash College. He died in 2018. Danner was Huhnke's faculty advisor. "What he was really good at ... was relating to his student, and that is what I remember about him the most. He could make us feel like we could do it, too." Huhnke has enjoyed a 50-year career working in the petroleum industry, spending more than 45 years as vice president of operations with Texas Crude Energy.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Rose-Hulman Alumnus starts faculty fellowship in honor of Physics Professor
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV)— A Rose-Hulman Alumnus and his wife have given back to the school in honor and memory of a former professor and faculty advisor. Michael A. Huhnke and his wife, Karen, have made a large donation to Michael's alma mater Rose-Hulman in the form of starting the Dr. Bruce Danner Endowed Faculty Fellowship. The Fellowship will be used to support a current professor's expertise in either physics, optical engineering, or nanoengineering. This can lead to conversations with other educators in career fields, and encourage research opportunities with undergraduate students. 'When Karen and I decided to make a large donation somewhere, Rose-Hulman was the logical spot for several reasons,' said Michael Huhnke, a 1975 physics and mechanical engineering alumnus. 'It was the place where I was given an opportunity to learn to excel in my chosen field, provided an academic environment that met my needs, and pushed me to achieve without overwhelming me from a social standpoint.' The Physics and Optical Engineering Department was chosen due to its being a foundational piece of all the sciences and engineering taught at the school, according to Michael Huhnke. Dr. Danner, the professor honored by the fellowship, was Michel Huhnke's Faculty Advisor when he attended the school in the 1970s and encouraged him to add a major in mechanical engineering. Dr. Danner was a member of the faculty at Rose-Hulman for three decades and, after retiring in 1988, stayed teaching as an adjunct professor until 2012. He died in 2018. Rose-Hulman Giving Day raises a record $675K 'When considering the people at Rose-Hulman, and particularly within the physics department, who had helped and encouraged me the most, Dr. Danner was my faculty advisor. He did a good job guiding me through the many pitfalls that might befall a reasonably intelligent student competing with several quite brilliant scholars,' Huhnke recalled. 'What he was really good at though was relating to his student and that is what I remember about him the most. He could make us feel like we could do it, too.' Dr. Danner also served as Director of Rose-Hulman's Waters Computer Center, helped establish a consortium with computer center directors of three other colleges, and was instrumental in providing laptops for all first-year students. Michael Huhnke has now enjoyed a 50-year career working in the petroleum industry as Vice President of Operations at Texas Crude Energy in Houston, Texas. 'My Rose-Hulman education has paid huge dividends for me professionally and personally. It was time for me to give back through establishing this faculty fellowship,' he stated. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
28-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Alumnus, Wife Establish Faculty Fellowship Honoring Former Physics Professor
Gift Recognizes the Leading STEM College's Commitment to Excellence and Innovation in Education and Research '(Rose-Hulman) gave me an opportunity to learn to excel in my field, provided an academic environment that met my needs, and pushed me to achieve without overwhelming me from a social standpoint.' — Michael Huhnke, 1975 Physics and Mechanical Engineering Alumnus TERRE HAUTE, IN, UNITED STATES, March 28, 2025 / / -- A generous gift from alumnus Michael A. Huhnke and his wife, Karen, is supporting Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and its standing as a leader in science, engineering, and mathematics education by establishing a new endowed faculty fellowship for the Physics and Optical Engineering Department, named in honor of former professor Bruce Danner, PhD. The Dr. Bruce R. Danner Endowed Faculty Fellowship recognizes the college's commitment to excellence and innovation in education and research. It will be initiated in spring 2025 to support a current professor's expertise in physics, optical engineering, or nanoengineering, lead to conversations with other educators in career fields, and encourage research opportunities with undergraduate students. Rose-Hulman President Robert A. Coons stated, 'Michael and Karen Huhnke's support through this faculty fellowship is essential in our efforts to attract and retain exceptional professors who provide our students with the world's best undergraduate STEM education, while inspiring and preparing students for lives of purpose and success.' 'When Karen and I decided to make a large donation somewhere, Rose-Hulman was the logical spot for several reasons,' said Michael Huhnke, a 1975 physics and mechanical engineering alumnus. "(Rose-Hulman) gave me an opportunity to learn to excel in my field, provided an academic environment that met my needs, and pushed me to achieve without overwhelming me from a social standpoint.' The Huhnkes selected the Physics and Optical Engineering Department after careful consideration. 'We picked the Physics Department because of my very strong feeling that physics provides one of, if not the most important, foundational pieces that all of the other science and engineering disciplines rest upon,' Michael Huhnke explained. 'It is my belief that Rose-Hulman must have and maintain a superb physics area, which of course means maintaining first-class instructors, to continue to succeed in its mission.' Danner was a member of the Rose-Hulman faculty for 30 years and after retiring in 1998 continued teaching on campus as an adjunct professor until 2012. He also spent time as director of Rose-Hulman's Waters Computer Center and helped establish a consortium with computer center directors from DePauw University (his alma mater), Franklin College, and Wabash College. Danner also played an instrumental role in Rose-Hulman's implementation of providing laptop computers to all incoming first-year students. He died in 2018. 'When considering the people at Rose-Hulman, and particularly within the physics department, who had helped and encouraged me the most, Dr. Danner was my faculty advisor. He did a good job guiding me through the many pitfalls that might befall a reasonably intelligent student competing with several quite brilliant scholars,' Huhnke recalled. 'What he was really good at though was relating to his student and that is what I remember about him the most. He could make us feel like we could do it, too.' Danner also played an instrumental role in encouraging Huhnke to add a major in mechanical engineering because of the expanding career opportunities within that field during the mid-1970s and early 1980s. Huhnke has enjoyed a 50-year career working in the petroleum industry, spending more than 45 years as vice president of operations with Texas Crude Energy in Houston, Texas. 'My Rose-Hulman education has paid huge dividends for me professionally and personally. It was time for me to give back through establishing this faculty fellowship,' he stated. Rose-Hulman's endowed faculty program recognizes the best and brightest faculty, who are committed to excellence and innovation in their fields and educational pursuits. These endowed positions help enact the mission and vision of the Institute while contributing to elements of its strategic plan. For more information about establishing endowed faculty fellowships at Rose-Hulman, contact Steve Brady, vice president for institutional advancement, at [email protected] or 812-877-8784. About Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, located on a scenic 1,300-acre campus in Terre Haute, Indiana, is home to 2,300+ students from 47 states and 33 countries. Consistently ranked among the nation's top undergraduate STEM colleges, Rose-Hulman delivers a strong return on investment from day one. Students collaborate with esteemed faculty in labs and innovation centers equipped with cutting-edge technology—opportunities often reserved for graduate students elsewhere. With nearly 100% career placement for two decades, Rose-Hulman prepares graduates for success. Founded in 1874, Rose-Hulman offers a vibrant student experience with a close-knit campus community, nationally recognized competition teams, 20 NCAA Division III sports, 90+ student clubs, and 12 fraternities and sororities. Learn more at DROPBOX PHOTO AVAILABILITY: MEDIA CONTACT: Dale H. 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