Newsletter Archives; Winter 1999
Fulbright Scholar Returns from Trinidad
Last year Associate Professor Brian C. Fabien was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship. He spent academic year 1997-98 lecturing and performing research at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, where he taught undergraduate and post graduate courses dealing with dynamic system modeling and control system technology.During the year he also performed research on the structural properties of the steelpan. The steelpan is usually associated with music of Trinidad and Tobago called calypso. In recent years, however, the steelpan has made its way into all forms of contemporary music ranging from jazz to rock and roll. Although the steelpan has been in existence for almost sixty years its structural, dynamic and acoustic properties are not well understood. As a result almost every aspect of steelpan construction is performed by a few skilled artisans. Research on the properties of the steelpan could lead to a manufacturing process to produce steelpans instead of making each one individually.
As part of his research activities Professor Fabien supervised the final year projects for four undergraduate students. These projects involved (1) determination of the striking force imparted by the steelpan stick and (2) the development of a device to measure the playing surface of the steelpan.
During his sabbatical Professor Fabien also collaborated with Professor Andrew Dickson of the University of Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. Together they organized and hosted a joint United States-Republic of South Africa Mechanical Engineering Design Education Workshop. The workshop, which was held July 8 through 10, 1998, at the University of Witswatersrand, was jointly sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the government of the Republic of South Africa.
A major objective of the workshop was the establishment of long-term, mutually beneficial collaboration between university-level design engineering educators in South Africa and the United States. Discussions at the workshop included current practices in undergraduate-level teaching (focusing on mechanisms for the introduction of design engineering course elements in the freshmen year) and the effectiveness of the early introduction of design engineering course elements with respect to higher retention of engineering students, and enhanced employability of engineering graduates in industry.
Professor Fabien's family accompanied him to Trinidad. They returned to Seattle last summer, and he resumed his normal teaching duties in the fall.
