College of Engineering

Board of regentsRossanna Salazar, Chairman AustinWilliam F. Scott, Vice Chairman NederlandCharlie Amato San AntonioVeronica Muzquiz Edwards San AntonioJaime R. Garza San AntonioDavid Montagne BeaumontVernon Reaser III BellaireAlan L. Tinsley MadisonvilleDonna N. Williams ArlingtonDylan J. McFarland, Student Regent Huntsville

Brian McCall, Ph.D., Chancellor

University administrationKenneth R. Evans, Ph.D. PresidentJames Marquart, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic AffairsKevin B. Smith, Ph.D. Senior Associate Provost Brenda S. Nichols, D.N.Sc. Vice Provost for Digital LearningE. Craig Ness, M.B.A. Vice President for Finance and OperationsJohn Bello-Ogunu, Sr., Ph.D. Vice President for Diversity and InclusionPriscilla Parsons, M.B.A. Vice President for Information TechnologyVicki McNeil, Ed.D. Vice President for Student EngagementJuan Zabala, M.B.A. Vice President for University Advancement

academic deansWilliam E. Harn, Ph.D. Dean of Graduate StudiesJoe Nordgren, Ph.D. Interim Dean of Arts and SciencesEnrique “Henry” Venta, Ph.D. Dean of BusinessRobert Spina, Ph.D., FACSM Dean of Education and Human DevelopmentSrinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean of EngineeringDerina Holtzhausen, Ph.D. Dean of Fine Arts and CommunicationKevin Dodson, Ph.D. Dean of Reaud Honors CollegeDavid J. Carroll, M.L.S. Director of Library Services

Dear Graduates of Spring 2017, Relatives and Friends:

On behalf of the Lamar University Administration, the College of Engineering Leadership Team and faculty and staff of your academic department, congratulations on achieving this very significant milestone in your life. Each of you have worked hard, made new friends, received guidance and support from family, University faculty and staff, and friends. This ceremony has three purposes: First is to formally celebrate your

achievement. Second is to thank those who supported and helped you along the way, and finally, is to begin the next phase of your life where you will set new goals and pursue them with the same or even higher levels of dedication.

My challenge for you is to set the right goals. Set them high enough so that you must work both smart and hard to achieve them, and then feel that happiness that comes from seeing your hard work and excellent preparation pay off. It has been said many times that success is at the intersection of hard work and preparation.

In closing, I would ask that you maintain your ties to Lamar University. I encourage you to support your college through various activities, programs and scholarships and ask that you keep us updated on your many achievements to come.

Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.Dean

Ceremony Program

Musical Prelude Lamar University Brass Ensemble Scott Deppe, Ed.D. Director of Bands

Academic Processional* Hsing-wei Chu, Ph.D. Chair of Mechanical Engineering Piper Professor Crown Imperial Lamar University Brass Ensemble Walton

The National Anthem* Debra Greschner, M.M.The Star Spangled Banner Instructor of MusicFrancis Scott Key

Welcome/Introductions Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D. Dean

Commencement Address C.L. Ross, B.S. Lamar Mechanical Engineering 1983, NASA Johnson Space Center Safety and Mission Assurance Quality and Flight Equipment Division Chief

Introduction of Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.Student Speaker

Student Speaker Julie Hammond Civil Engineering Major

Certification of Graduates Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.

Conferring of Degrees Kenneth R. Evans, Ph.D.

Presentation of Graduating Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.Class/Investiture of Doctorates

Announcement of Sujay MahaleGraduates Doctoral Student Department of Industrial Engineering Elohor Okene Undergraduate Student Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering

Presentation of Order of Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.the Engineer Liv Haselbach, PE, Ph.D., LEED AP BD+C Chair and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Concluding Remarks Srinivas Palanki, Ph.D.and Awards

Lamar University Debra Greschner, M.M.Alma Mater*G. Rhodes Smartt Lamar to thee we’re singing We will ever need thee Voices raised on high. As our guiding star. We will forever love thee To us you’ll always be Laud thee to the sky. Our glorious Lamar.

Academic Recessional* Hsing-wei Chu, Ph.D.

Please join us for an informal reception, located upstairs in the concourse area of the Montagne Center, following the ceremony.

*Audience please stand.

To maintain the dignity of the program, guests are requested to refrain from unnecessary noises (air horns, etc.) and movement during the ceremony.

Srinivas Palanki, DeanJerry Lin, Director of

Graduate ProgramsPeyton Richmond,

Director of Undergraduate Programs

Chemical EngineeringT. C. Ho, ChairTracy BensonTianxing CaiDaniel ChenDavid CockeJohn GossageClayton JeffryesDaniel KnightSidney LinHelen LouRafael TadmorTao WeiEvan WujcikQiang Xu

Civil and Environmental EngineeringLiv Haselbach, ChairNicholas BrakeMien JaoQin QianDan SuXing WuHao YangRenzun Zhao

Electrical EngineeringHarley Myler, ChairReza BarzegaranXiaofan HeKoji HiranoG.N. ReddySelahattin SayilGleb TcheslavskiRuhai WangYao XuHassan Zargarzedeh

Industrial EngineeringBrian Craig, ChairJaeyoung ChoJames CurryMaryam HamidiYueqing LiXinyu LiuAlberto MarquezBerna TokgozEzra WariYisha XiangGary YentzenVictor ZaloomWeihang Zhu

Mechanical EngineeringHsing-wei Chu, ChairKendrick AungAli BeheshtiLiangbiao ChenPaul CorderKeivan DavamiXuejun FanRamesh GuduruPing HeXianchang LiA K M MazumderMalur SrinivasanChun-wei YaoJenny Zhou

College of engineering faCulty

Hussein AlmallahiTracy Benson

Jaeyoung Cho

Xiaofan He Koji Hirano

Berna Tokgoz

Xing Wu Ruhai Wang

Hassan Zargarzedeh

faCulty marshals

DireCtors of graDuation CeremonyDavid Short Jr., Registrar Barbara Price, Assistant Registrar

DireCtors of reCorDs & registrationSummer Rather Natasha Walker

graDuation CoorDinatorMildred Piert

THE ORDER OF THE ENGINEER

The Order of the Engineer is a national organization whose purpose is to foster a spirit of pride, individual integrity, and responsibility in the engineering profession. It promotes ethics and professionalism in the practice of engineering and bridges the gap between education and practice.

Membership is voluntary and open to seniors and graduate students in EAC of ABET-accredited engineering programs, graduate students enrolled in other engineering programs housed in departments that administer EAC of ABET-accredited undergraduate programs, graduates of EAC of ABET-accredited engineering programs, licensed professional engineers, members of the Canadian Calling, and special individuals.

As part of this ceremony, inductees take a solemn obligation to themselves to “uphold devotion to the standards and dignity of the engineering profession”.

Each inductee who accepts the obligation receives a stainless steel ring. The ring is to be worn on the fifth finger of the working hand. Inductees are encouraged to wear the ring and to display the signed obligation certificate as visible reminders of the publicly accepted obligation as a contract with themselves.

OBLIGATION OF AN ENGINEER

(The candidates read aloud the parts in bold italic type.)

I am an Engineer. In my profession I take deep pride. To it I owe solemn obligations. Since the Stone Age, human progress has been spurred by the engineering genius. Engineers have made usable nature’s vast resources of material and energy for humanity’s benefit. Engineers have vitalized and turned to practical use the principles of science and the means of technology. Were it not for the heritage of accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble.

As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair dealing, tolerance and respect, and to uphold devotion to the standards and the dignity of my profession, conscious always that my skill carries with it the obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of Earth’s precious wealth.

As an Engineer, I shall participate in none but honest enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge shall be given without reservation for the public good. In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my profession, I shall give the utmost.

C. L. Ross is an aerospace engineer and the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Safety and Mission Assurance Quality and Flight Equipment Division Chief. His departments ensure that safety, reliability and quality meet all requirements at JSC, in JSC government furnished equipment, extravehicular activity, JSC payloads, International Space Station, Orion, commercial crew, and advance exploration systems. His mission is to identify, characterize, mitigate and communicate risk by implementing an

efficient and effective assurance model that is of value to customers.

Ross graduated from Lamar University in 1983, with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Since his start in 1984, he has earned the Center Director Commendation Award, Innovation awards for Electronic Data System process implementation, Manned Flight Awareness, Outstanding Service Team Award, Group Achievement Award, Sustain Superior Performance awards, and NASA HQ Commendation for support to USA (Boeing) FEPC contract management. He has developed and implemented international bilateral agreements with Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency and GFE contractors, developed the failure modes effects analysis for ISS Interim Control Module project at NRL in Washington D.C., developed the technical and managerial branch and divisional training requirements document, developed the USOS Elements Branch Flight Lead work instructions, and managed assignments. He was appointed to the ISS Safety Review Panel, where he represented the NA directorate as a voting member.

Ross’s extensive leadership training and his skills in safety and quality assurance have allowed him to maintain the quality of JSC. He has been chief of his department since 2013, and he continues to work to improve NASA JSC and the field of aerospace engineering.

Julie Hammond is graduating with honors from Lamar University with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree. Julie has served in the following Lamar University Student Chapters: President and member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Vice-President of the National Honor Society of Civil Engineers Chi Epsilon, a member of the Student Engineering Council (SEC), and a member

of the National Honor Society of Engineers Tau Beta Pi. Julie was listed on the Dean’s List her freshman year, the President’s List her sophomore year, and received the Outstanding Civil Engineering Junior Award in recognition of academic excellence her junior year.

During her term of service as President of ASCE, Julie had the distinct honor of having a student chapter article published in the Texas Civil Engineering Magazine. The Summer of 2016 she had the opportunity to provide the fundamentals of Civil Engineering to 7th and 8th grade students that participated in the Lamar Introduction to Engineering (L.I.T.E.) summer program. Under her leadership, the Student Chapter was afforded an office space with computers and a defined workspace to construct the concrete canoe and steel bridge projects for competition.

Julie is the proud mother of two teenage sons, Grayson and Jaydon. She enjoys watching them play baseball, basketball, football, track and tennis. Julie played softball all through high school and currently plays on a co-ed softball team with Chevron Phillips. Julie has endured many personal challenges and hardships, but has learned that all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to his purpose.

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”.

DoCtor of engineering

Arash AbediMohammad Yousuf AltayebMd Appel Mahmud

DoCtor of PhilosoPhy in ChemiCal engineering

Liwen ChenMohammad Erfanul-Haque RaihanMd Abdul Kader Rasel

master of engineering sCienCe in ChemiCal engineering

Parth BagthariaMekan HaytyyevHurma HaytyyevaAkash Kumar JenaTejus ManeMd Alamin MirazPradheep MuraliS M Nazmul Huda NayemVaibhav NegiParthkumar Kiritbhai PatelMohammad Shahadat Hussain

SarkerRohit Vilas ShindeStephen B. Tiakor

master of engineering in ChemiCal engineering Raviteja BoppudiSurya Chandra Teja DubbuduAjay Kumar Ganta

Sainath Reddy Gundreddi MrRakesh Yadav GuniSai Phani Krishna Chakravarthy

KamineniTrilok MadamanchiAamir Uddin MahmoodNishad Mohammed AbdulAkash Dipakbhai PandyaHardik Mangalbhai PatelCharvi PayghodeShila Gopalrao RananavareDilip Sharief ShaikSaichaitanya VardineniVeeravenkata Hanuman Swaroop

Krishna Wuyyuru

master of engineering sCienCe in Civil engineering

Moumita HalderMM Shakiul HaqueBenjamin David KolkmeierAfifa Rahman

master of engineering in Civil engineering

Juzer AbbasiRegina Maharjan

master of sCienCe in environmental engineering

Md Ariful IslamHardikkumar Vinodbhai ShrimaliMunshi Md. Shafwat Yazdan

master of sCienCe in environmental stuDies

Gayle Lynn Polansky

master of engineering sCienCe in eleCtriCal engineering Prachi Vinayak Kshirsagar

master of engineering in eleCtriCal engineering

Mir Rahim Ali KhanSanket GautamRakesh GundlaFaez HasanJaymin Maheshbhai KathiriyaVamsi Krishna KommalapatiSai Ram PasupuletiPriten Bipin PatelValay Mukeshbhai PatelUnesh PyakurelKandarp Jayeshbhai ShahBhanu Pratap SharmaJigneshkumar Ramniklal SutharKusum Timalshina

master of engineering sCienCe in inDustrial engineering

Yalda DabiranOmkar Vinod DhokVishnu MaheshSwagatika PatraSumit Piya

Raghabendra Rout

master of engineering in inDustrial engineering

Sri Prudhvi AdusumilliAbhishek AgarwalShimul Omprakash AsnaniParth Prakashkumar DaveRaval Dilipbhai DevanshSai Mani Kishan Duth DokkaSanjay Kumar Gangadhar

KotakondaSumit Sitaram GawadeHardik Chetankumar GolwalaJaya Ram GudapatiPurna Sai Charan GundabathulaMuhammad Kabeer UddinKarthikvarma KalidindiManikanth Reddy KalvakuntlaSai Sravanth KancherlaDipan Girishbhai MistryRohit Ravindra MithareJoy Mahendrakumar ModhAbhishek Rajendrakumar ModiYogesh PanathalaBhaumikkumar Pravinbhai PatelParth Pradeepkumar PatelSaurin Piyushbhai PatelTejas Dilipbhai PatelNikeeta Rajendrasingh

Rajendrasingh PatilSai Prem PottamMohil Bhavin RadiaDivyangsinh Narendrasinh RanaSai Ashmitha SaragadamNaveen Reddy SathyavaramDarshit Kirtikumar Shah

Ronit Divyang ShahTanmay Nitin ShahAravind SomasundaramUzairulhassan SyedChirag Kirtibhai ThakerGuna Vardhan Reddy Vulipala

master of engineering management

Aby AbrahamSree Sai Charan Reddy AlaSai Tarun Reddy CheemalavagupalliSukhpreetkaur Jagdevsingh

ChouhanKiran Kumar DamalaKaushik KanumuriAkash Chandubhai KukadiaAnij Mangalathu RajNaimathullah Shah MohammedMasilan MuppalVeeraraghavan NarasimhanSai Kiran Babu NavuluriApurva Rajeshkumar OzaNaveen Reddy PatelSatyajit PulapakuriDheeraj SandaAnkur Gopalbhai UndhadChintal Vaishnav Aka Sadhu

master of engineering sCienCe in meChaniCal engineering

Hossain AhmedDiwakar Mahendra AwateVijaya Krishna Teja BangiTazmin Rashid Mumu

Likhith NalluriDeep NarulaShahriar Hossain OmeeOnkar Vivek RelekarRavi Anandalal Singh

master of engineering in meChaniCal engineering

Praveen Kumar ChakkaSatyam Shirishkumar GolakiaVignesh KrishnamoorthyAakash Bharatkumar ModiDhruvit PatelDhruvkumar Vasantkumar PatelDixit Sunilkumar PatelHardik Govindbhai PatelPranavkumar Umeshbhai PatelJayesh Prabhakar PavarRajeevi PutchaSagar Nilesh ShahYangti ShahKhan Mohammad Sadmaan ShamsYash Hardipkumar ShethKaushal Kalpeshkumar SoniNaisarg Umesh Trivedi

BaChelor of sCienCe in ChemiCal engineering

Abed Hassan AichaMohanad Rabia AlhamdanTrenton Wade AllenAlmuhannad Ibrahim BasuniSteven Wade Beagle Jr.Chris CheekCole Douglas ClaboughAlaina Michelle Cole

Donald Ray Dobson IIIAaron David GauthierMadison Kay HardyWilliam Augustine KellyShannon Danielle KrugerErin Michelle MayConnor Ellis McBrideJesus Joseph McKinnonChad Austin MillerMicah Edward MurdockRyan Hardy NullMaxy Chizoba NwosuRoberto Eduardo ObregonIsmael OchoaChase Cameron PinderAustin Ryan RossEnrique Salazar*Erika Marla SalinasWilliam Hamilton Shipp IVRachel Nicole ThompsonArtur O. TkachevAshley Nicole TrahanRyan Joseph TrahanSean Alan TreeseDaniel Jacob WilkinsonKyle James Zygula

BaChelor of sCienCe in Civil engineering

Mariam Hasan AbedelwahabAhmad Mohammed Saeed

AlzahraniClint Aaron DaileyZachary Ty FergusonMadison Mackenzie FloydJohnita Frances GoodmanJulie Anne HammondJames Donald Horne

Kassie Sue KolanderNicholas Zan LutzTravis Ian McCawleyHolden Everett McCollumEric Chase McGuireCameron E. MeyerDiego V. MinguraFreddy Osbaldo OrdonezMolly Ellen Ross*Joanne Elizabeth ScarfMatthew David SheltonTyler Donaldson SkinnerBerenice Villalpando

BaChelor of sCienCe in eleCtriCal engineering anD mathematiCs

Patrick Murrey Taggart

BaChelor of sCienCe in eleCtriCal engineering anD PhysiCs

John Joseph PickrenJonathan Thomas TaylorDenys C. L. Wade

BaChelor of sCienCe in eleCtriCal engineering

Saleh AL OlaimiCody Alexander AllenMohammed Jawad AlqattanHassan Abdulkhaliq AlzakiSean Elliot Parigi AndersonIvan BarraganTaylor S. Bellard

Levi W. BoullionCaleb Deas BuxieNicholas C. CarterMitchell Conner DavisNicholas W. DavisJesus DiazDarren Louis EasleyEthan Kenneth EllenderMason Reid EnglandGabriel M. EspinosaPaul James FalgoutChigozirim Oluebubechi IkeJordan Lee JohnsonMegan Leigh KempMegan Jenae MahanaGrantry Gregory MitchellTravis W. MooreTrenton Thomas MooreLukas Joseph Moravits*Daniel Tran Hoang NguyenSteven Duy NguyenRobert Kyle Perry

Angel Jesus RodriguezConan Joseph SemienJames Stephen StrubleJesse Lynn Wells*Justin Lane Wilkinson

BaChelor of sCienCe in inDustrial engineering

Robert Benjamin AlbrechtHashim M. AlmaghrabiSaleh Khalid AlsenaniErica Diane BorelDaliwealth ChouNancedalia DuarteRocio Alejandra HartMahdi Essam HejaziMohammed Rahad HossainNadiya KulibabaNikita LisJarrod L. McFeeVeronica Ochoa

Fatih Baha OmerogluJessica Rene RowellKaley W. SanfordSamuel Adams WalkerWilliam WatsonKaitlin Alysse Wolfford*

BaChelor of sCienCe in inDustrial teChnology

Derek W. BourqueTyler Vaughn DarbyGus Dewayne EmmitteZackary Paul GreenAustin Bryant GreenwayTy Mathew HarrellMiguel A. HernandezPatricia LindberghYolanda Rochelle MinnifieldJason Darrell MitchellCory David MoreauDaniel Rotimi Ogunwale

Jeremy Paul RaybornBrittany Rose VankirkJeneffer Wanjiru WaiyegoJordan R. WoodRonald William Woodruff

BaChelor of sCienCe in meChaniCal engineering

David Matthew AlemanDevin Wayne Allen*Abdulmuhsen Ali AlnajjarAbdullah AltoomJustin N. AmedeeCaylan Parker BaileyZhebeau Louis BeasleyBrannon R. BeatonChristopher Jordan BensonMary Kay BergmanRichard D. Bradley Jr.Robert Keller BrushKoby Shayne Couron

Conor Douglas CulpepperChristian Tuan DaoSteven Quynh DoJustin Brian DoolittleTyler Ray DownsAdam Alexander Fadhli-TheisRyan Lee FregiaFederico GasbarriJohn Daniel GustGabrielle Christin HaiglerJared Wayne HamptonJustin HoJeandre HoogenboezemMatthew James HuntAlec Christopher JohnsonBlake Anthony JudiceMatthew Scott KelmAaron Spencer Lavergne*Anthony Edwin MalishTravis Luke McCallManuel MedinaDavid Charles MichaelsenTravis Scott Miller*William Russel Newsom Jr.

Joey NguyenLindsey Renee PaigeDavid Israel PipkinsJose Kiesse Tomás QuartaNoah Rae Roberson*William Josef SchneiderAlex Odell SpencerChristopher A. StelseAndres TorresEdgar TrevinoBrian Lawrence TurnerDiego Rodrigo VelazquezKamdon Dwaine WeaverThomas Leon Wendling IIIKimberly Diane WestEvelyn Rae WilliamsWesley Wayne WilsonJiaxuan XuJack Zhao

*Reaud Honors College Graduate

DoCtoral Dissertations

Abedi, Arash – An Advanced Capable-To-Promise System for Hybrid Production Strategy – Weihang Zhu, Supervising Professor

Altayeb, Mohammad Y. – A Multi-level Modeling and Simulation Framework for Port Management – Weihang Zhu, Supervising Professor

Chen, Liwen – Fault Diagnosis, Process Simulation and Synthesis for Industrial Sustainability – Qiang Xu, Supervising Professor

Mahmud, Md Appel – A Study of Sloshing and Its Impact on Gas Pre-Treatment for Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) – Qiang Xu, Supervising Professor

Raihan, Mohammad E. – Comprehensive Paradigm for Converting Waste Carbon Dioxide to Value Added Chemicals – Tracy Benson, Supervising Professor

Rasel, Md Abdul, K. – Reducing Process Hazards by Transition Analysis in Continuous Process Operation Using Data Analytic Methods – Peyton C. Richmond, Supervising Professor

Ahmed, Hossain – Study of Dynamic Response of Grass-Like Crops Using High-Speed Digital Image – Jenny Zhou, Supervising Professor

Awate, Diwakar – Stress Analysis of Gas Turbine Blade with Film Cooling – Xianchang Li, Supervising Professor

Bangi, Vijaya K. – Preliminary Investigation on Generation of Electricity Using Micro Wind Turbines Placed On a Car – Ramesh K. Gudurau, Supervising Professor

Dabiran, Yalda – The Effect of Background Music on Cognitive Task Performance – Yueqing Li, Supervising Professor

masters theses

Dhok, Omkar Vinod – Reports to Rank Healthcare Services Providers – James Curry, Supervising Professor

Haque, MM – Proactive Traffic Signal Timing and Coordination for Congestion Mitigation on Arterial Roads – Xing Wu, Supervising Professor

Haytyyev, Mekan – Study of the Work of Adhesion on Polystyrene Surfaces – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor

Haytyyeva, Hurma – Study of the Interfacial Forces on Polystyrene Surfaces – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor

Islam, Md Ariful – Assessment of Freshwater Use and Cycling in Petrochemical Industry – Jerry Lin, Supervising Professor

Jena, Akash – Transition of Motion for Micro-Drops Across Surfaces – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor

Kshirsagar, Prachi – Diagnosis of Autism with EEG Analysis Using Discrete Wavelet Transform – Gleb Tcheslavski, Supervising Professor

Mahesh, Vishnu – Effects of Lower Leg Activities and Positions on Lower Leg Volume Change – Yueqing Li, Supervising Professor

Mane, Tejus – Understanding Tetracycline Structure’s Role in Promoting Anti-Inflammatory Response Using Atomistic Simulations, Docking Analysis and Creative Synthesis – Tao Wei, Supervising Professor

Miraz, Md Alamin – A Novel Drug Delivery Vesicle Development to Reverse Neurodegeneration: Analysis of the Interactions among Protein, Graphene Oxide and Liposome – Clayton Jeffryes, Supervising Professor; Evan K. Wujcik, Co-Supervising Professor

Mumu, Tazmin R. – Effect of Electrolyte Ion Charges on the Supercapacitance Behavior of MoO3 – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor

Murali, Pradheep – Bio-Chemical Engineering Aspects of Ellagic Acid and Analogues in Autoimmune Responses – David L. Cocke, Supervising Professor

Nalluri, Likhith – Absorption of CO2 through Electrochemical Splitting of CaCO3 – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor

Narula, Deep – Generation of Green Electricity Using Spartina Patens with Stainless Steel Current Collectors in a Plant-Microbial Fuel Cell – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor; Matthew P. Hoch, Co-Supervising Professor

Nayem, S M Nazmul – Comparison of Humic Acid Adhesion Force on Different Filter Paper – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor

Negi, Vaibhav – Innovating Possible Methods to Enhance Bioavailability of Curcumin Using Chemical Analogies and Creative Synthesis – David L. Cocke, Supervising Professor

Patel, Parthkumar K. – Chemical Engineering of Cellular Energetics for Diseases and Longevity: Metformin – David L. Cocke, Supervising Professor

Patra, Swagatika – Modification of Surface Topography in the Application of Biofouling of Ship Hull Coating Using Picosecond Laser – Xinyu Liu, Supervising Professor

Piya, Sumit – Development of a Prototype Prosthetic Hand – Weihang Zhu, Supervising Professor

Rahman, Afifa – Study of Vessels Travel Behavior at Hotspots in Sabine-Neches Waterways – Xing Wu, Supervising Professor

Relekar, Onkar – Drag Measurement in Water – Ramesh K. Guduru, Supervising Professor

Rout, Raghabendra – Modification of Surface Topography in the Application of Biofouling of Medical Implants Using Picosecond Laser – Xinyu Liu, Supervising Professor

Sarker, Mohammad – Drug Delivery Vehicle for Reversing Neurodegeneration of Alzheimer’s Disease: Study and Synthesis of Lipid Vesicle Functionalized Graphene Oxide – Clayton Jeffryes, Supervising Professor; Evan K. Wujcik, Co-Supervising Professor

Shinde, Rohit – Xenobiotics and Autoimmune Diseases – David L. Cocke, Supervising Professor

Tiakor, Stephen B. – Tribology of Poly Vinyl Alcohol Polymer Slime Aqueous Solution – Rafael Tadmor, Supervising Professor

Yazdan, Munchi – Evaluation of the Environmental Impacts of Wastewater Disposal in Hydraulic Fracturing Industry – Jerry Lin, Supervising Professor

alPha lamBDa DeltaFreshman Honors

Red, White and Gold Triple Cord

alPha Pi muIndustrial Engineering Honor Society White Cord joined with White Panel

Beta Xi ChaPter of Phi Beta Delta

International Student HonorsGold Medallion with Red and Yellow Ribbon

Chi ePsilonCivil Engineering Honor Society

White Stole

Delta-Beta ChaPter of eta KaPPa nu

Electrical and Computer Engineering Honor SocietyYellow Stole with Insignia,

Yellow Cord with Red and Blue Tassel

lu amBassaDorsStudent Ambassadors

Red and Gold Double Cord

lu honorsLatin Honors

Red and White Double Cord

lu veteransUS Military Veteran

Red, White and Blue Double Cord

omega Chi ePsilonChemical Engineering Honor Society

White Stole

honors

An Honor Graduate must have completed 60 hours at Lamar University for a 4-year degree. A student with a GPA of 3.5 or higher on all LU

undergraduate work will be awarded honors. Cum laude is 3.5 to 3.64, magna cum laude is 3.65 to 3.79 and summa cum laude is 3.8 to 4.0.

the orDer of the engineerUpholding Engineering Integrity

Orange Stole with Red Trim

orDer of omegaGreek Honors

Gold Stole with Logo, Gold and Ivory Cord

Phi Beta DeltaInternational Honor Society

Gold Medallion with Red and Gold Ribbon

Phi eta sigmaFreshman Honors

Black and Gold Double Cord

Phi KaPPa PhiJunior/Senior Honor Society

Yellow Stole with Insignia on White Background, White Medallion with a Blue Ribbon and Blue Cord

reauD honors CollegeGraduate who has completed 23 hours of honors coursework,

including an honors thesis, or 26 hours with eight hours of upper-level credits while maintaining a 3.25 GPA.

Bronze Medallion with Red and White Ribbon

ronalD e. mCnair sCholarFirst generation, low income, and underrepresented graduate who has completed graduate-level research internship, including undergraduate

thesis and research defense.NASA Blue Stole with Lettering, Lamp of Knowledge Medallion with

Red, White, and Blue Ribbon

smith-hutson sCholarSmith-Hutson Scholarship Recipient

Black Stole with Red Trim

tau Beta PhiEngineering Honor Society

White Stole with Orange Insignia

the aCaDemiC regalia

In its essential features, the academic regalia worn at American college exercises had its beginning in the Middle Ages. The oldest universities in Northern Europe grew out of church schools, and both faculty and students were regarded as part of the clergy. Hence, as their regular costume, they wore clerical garb borrowed largely from the monastic dress of their day.

The academic gown and hood were first regularly adopted by the University of Cambridge in 1284 and by the University of Oxford a little later. The custom transplanted to this country in Colonial times by King’s College in New York, now Columbia University. In 1895, American universities and colleges decided to standardize their academic styles and developed the intercollegiate code of academic costume. The style follows in the vein of the Cambridge tradition. The distinctive caps, gowns and hoods worn at present-day college and university functions denote the institution that granted the degree, the field of learning in which the degree was earned and the level of the degree – bachelor, master or doctorate.

The gown is usually of black material (serge or worsted for bachelors, the same or silk for masters and silk for doctors). Bachelor’s gowns have pointed sleeves and master’s have long pouch-like sleeves, which reputedly were once used to carry books. Doctor’s gowns are faced with panels of velvet down the front and three bars of velvet across each sleeve.

The hood, worn around the neck so as to hang down the back, is the principal emblem of the nature and source of the degree held. The colors in the hood lining are the colors of the school conferring the degree. The color of the border indicates the scholarly field of the wearer. Hoods may be worn only after the degree has been granted.

The cap, the square mortarboard in American universities, but a round, short, flat velvet hat in British, Canadian and some European universities, bears a tassel which may be black, or it may be colored

according to the scholarly field of the wearer. Only the doctors’ cap may be of velvet.

The degree colors are used for the edging of all hoods and may be used for the velvet facing and sleeve bars of doctors’ gowns and tassels on bachelors’ and masters’ caps. This includes: Arts and Letters – White, Commerce – Drab, Education – Light Blue, Engineering – Orange, Fine Arts – Brown, Humanities – Crimson, Law – Purple, Library Science – Lemon, Medicine – Green, Music – Pink, Pharmacy – Olive, Philosophy (Ph.D.) – Dark Blue, Physical Education – Sage Green, Science – Golden Yellow and Theology – Scarlet.

university maCe

Originally a medieval weapon and later carried by Sergeants at Arms guarding kings and high church officials, the mace has gradually assumed a purely ceremonial character symbolizing authority. As used in formal academic processions, the mace derives from the early university history. The Lamar University mace is traditional in design. The mahogany shaft is crowned by a head on which are mounted four representations of the university seal. The president of the Faculty Senate, who leads the academic procession, carries the mace in today’s ceremony.

aCaDemiC gonfalons

Gonfalons, banners that are designed to hang from a crossbar, have historical roots dating back to the 12th century when they served as the official emblems to represent the various districts of Florence, Italy. In more recent times, gonfalons have been adopted by academia to serve as symbols to represent each college within a university. Each college has their own representative banner with the dean from the respective college carrying the gonfalon in the academic processional.

Lamar University engages and empowers students with the skills and knowledge to thrive in their personal lives and chosen fields of endeavor. As a doctoral granting institution, Lamar University is internationally recognized for its high quality academics, innovative curriculum, diverse student population, accessibility and leading edge scholarly activities dedicated to transforming the communities of

Southeast Texas and beyond.

Special appreciation is extended to volunteers for serving as ushers for today’s commencement ceremony.

This program is not an official graduation list. This printed program lists students who are eligible to graduate pending the outcome of final examinations and final grades. Therefore, it should not be used to determine a student’s academic or degree status. The student’s permanent academic record is kept by the Records Department, P.O. Box 10010, Beaumont, Texas 77710. Students, faculty and staff members are selected without regard to their race, color, creed, sex, age, disability or national origin, consistent with the Assurance of Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Executive Order 11246 as issued and amended; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as amended; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.