UW CONNECTIONS
DR. SURESH S. MUKNAHALLIPATNA – Dr. Muknahallipatna’s work is supported by the J.R. Simplot Excellence Fund Scholarship, which supports faculty salaries and undergrad and grad student research. The work supported by this fund developed warehouse inventory measurements and smoke stack inspections using autonomous drones. Dr. Muknahallipatna teaches computer network hardware, computer architecture, advanced microprocessors, multicore programming, and neural networks or deep learning. His research interests include autonomous drones, medical imaging using deep learning, stability and contingency of the power grid, and high-performance computing. He particularly loves working with students, creating opportunities for students to engage in industry work ranging from medicine to technology. DR. SAMAN ARYANA – Dr. Aryana is the Occidental Chair in Energy and Environmental Technologies and a professor and head of the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Wyoming. He founded and serves as the inaugural president of the Northern States Section of the Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics. Prior to joining UW, Dr. Aryana served as a reservoir engineer on the asset management team at Occidental Petroleum Inc. His research focuses on multiscale multiphysics systems at the nexus of energy, water, and the environment, especially transport and mass transfer. Dr. Aryana also works to broaden the reach of new technologies for more impact in the state and the nation as well as globally. His work has benefited from the contributions of Simplot. BRET PIZZATO – The late Bret Pizzato had a 25-year career at FMC as an electrical engineer and a manager of many different areas. He then became the plant manager of the Simplot Phosphates Rock Springs facility. Born in Kemmerer, Bret graduated from UW with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, and his wife and three kids also attended UW. He was an avid Cowboys fan and loved the outdoors. In 2017, Pizzato talked about the importance of Simplot Phosphates to Sweetwater County and to the state in diversifying the economy: “Our plant is crucial for the economy of our community as well as the county and the state of Wyoming.” He also talked about Simplot sponsoring events throughout Sweetwater County to be a good neighbor and give back to the community: “(Simplot Phosphates) is a major sponsor of the annual Wyoming’s Big Show fair, and we also back the National High School Finals Rodeo along with several events affiliated with the University of Wyoming.” UW is grateful for Bret’s leadership, which played a critical role in the partnership between UW and Simplot. This is a part of Bret’s legacy at the University of Wyoming.
We are so grateful to Simplot for their contribution of the Siemens CPU cards for the Department of Chemical Engineering. We greatly value the opportunity to build longstanding relationships with industry partners like Simplot. These relationships not only build a pipeline of talented students who will serve industry in Wyoming but also provides opportunities for students and faculty to connect with industry in impactful ways. – SAMAN ARYANA, OCCIDENTAL CHAIR FOR ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGIES PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
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