Letter from 2008-2009 Academy President Tim Hunter
Attachments:
March 2, 2009
Membership of the
Academy of Mechanical Engineers
TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY
Dear Academy Member:
The annual Academy Induction Banquet will be held on Friday evening, April 3, 2009 in Lubbock. Please note that this year’s banquet will be held at the Merket Alumni Center located on the TTU campus at 17th Street and University Avenue. A drink mixer will begin at 6:30 PM, followed by dinner at 7:15 PM. Dress is business formal (suit and tie). Dinner will be followed by remarks from Dr. Jharna Chaudhuri, Chair of the ME Department. Following Dr. Chaudhuri’s comments, we will induct our new Academy members. Entertainment will then conclude the evening. This year, the Academy welcomes
Sharon Brady
James Gerhardt
Steven Ross
as our new inductees. Additional details regarding this year’s inductees will be updated as available on the Academy web page at: http://www.me.ttu.edu
Entertainment will be provided by Johannes Bjerregaard (piano) and Joy Harris (Bass). The music will be jazz, with Latin undertones. What exactly will happen is hard to say, but improvisation will be a big part of it. A Lubbock resident since 2003, Johannes Bjerregaard has played piano since age 6 (now 38). He also plays upright bass. He is a member of the Lubbock Texas Rhythm Machine, and prior to that he played with Jazz Alley for 2 years. Johannes has played regularly with Brad Leali, Paul English, Alan Shinn, Quamon Fowler, and various visiting professors at Texas Tech. He studied at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory in Copenhagen, Denmark. He holds a position as technical lead at ARMtech Insurance Services here in Lubbock as a software engineer.
Dinner will consist of green salad, grilled chicken with a roast beef carving station, garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and cheesecake.
On the morning following the banquet, the annual Academy business meeting will be held at 8:00 AM on Saturday, April 4, in the ME Department conference room. A continental breakfast will be available at 7:45 AM.
For those who are able to come early on Friday, April 3, we will be having a Working Session of the Academy from 3:30-5 PM in the ME Department conference room. This session will be to discuss how the Academy may expand its role in assisting the department.
As a reminder, our donations are the sole source of funding for Academy activities. Given this reality, it is especially important that each of us provide as much support as possible. Our funding provides significant assistance to the ME Department, as well as to the student chapters of Pi Tau Sigma and ASME, and our ability to continue this support is dependent upon the generosity of our members. While donations are completely voluntary, I encourage everyone to make a contribution. As a guideline, a donation of $100 plus $30 per banquet attendee is a good basis. Donations should be sent to Dr. Jharna Chaudhuri (address at bottom of letter). Don’t forget company matching contributions forms, if applicable. If you didn’t participate last year with a donation, you might consider doubling up with this year’s contribution.
Although we have planned for an assumed number of attendees at the banquet based upon the prior year attendance, if you are planning to attend, please contact Lori Walraven this week in the ME Department at (806) 742-3563 x-222 or via e-mail at lori.walraven@ttu.edu, to ensure that a banquet table count can be finalized. Also, let her know if you have any special menu requirements. If you have not already made reservations to stay for the evening in Lubbock, enclosed is a listing of accommodations on South Loop 289.
Attached for your reference are minutes from the 2008 meeting. Please review these minutes prior to the meeting so that you will have a good understanding of current issues affecting the Academy and the ME Department.
Thank you for your support of the Academy. If you have any questions, please call me at (580) 251-3004 or contact me at tim.hunter@halliburton.com. I look forward to seeing you at the banquet and business meeting on April 3 - 4.
Sincerely yours,
Tim Hunter
ME Academy Chair, 2008-2009
ME Department Contact Information:
Dr. Jharna Chaudhuri
Texas Tech University
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Box 41021
Lubbock, TX 79409-1021
(806) 742-3563 ext. 224
Fax (806) 742-3540
TTU, Mechanical Engineering Dept., 7th and Boston, Lubbock, TX 79409
806.742.3451