Alfred Gates
Poviding a Blueprint for
Tomorrow's Engineers
 Shaking
his head, Alfred Gates, associate professor of engineeringtechnology in
CCSU's School of Technology, reflects on the patent that got away. After
months of collaboration, Gates and cum laude student Thomas Lang '96
filed for a patent on a new manufacturing process for coating turbine
shafts. The idea was to improve the process by shooting titanium powder
at high velocity, forming a mechanical bond with a steel surface.
"But," Gates grins, "General Electric beat us by six
months." With a philosophical shrug, he sums up the lesson,
"It showed we were right on track with advanced technology, up
there in the big league with GE's top scientists."
Hardly deflating, the experience meshes with one of Gates' teaching
goals: to prepare students for engineering careers in industry. "I
incorporate what's current in industry and give students 'tools' to
use--training in math and use of equipment such as robots and
software--that will make them valuable employees," he states. Gates
also provides them something else: a compelling model of how an
innovative and inventive engineer becomes successful.
Bringing Real-World Experience into the Classroom
Problem solving takes front row in Gates' classes. He plucks a problem
from FuelCell Energy, Inc., where he serves as a consultant, and poses
it to his students: "Let's say the company wants a compression
device for a fuel cell that will not break, withstands extreme
temperature, and bends only a certain distance." Gates then engages
students in the very processes and methods he uses to solve such
problems.
According to his colleague Associate Professor of Engineering Technology
Lennard Lema, Gates' "extensive industrial experience transforms
his classroom into a microcosm of industry."
His consultant activities enable Gates to expose his students to
cutting-edge technology and applications as well as the newest materials
and design challenges. Pointing to a premier collection of four electric
and three hydraulic robots on an assembly line set up to simulate a
factory setting, Gates notes, "A student looking for a
manufacturing job can say, 'I know how to use the PUMA, Adept,
Mitsubishi, Centari robots and vision systems.'"
Aspiring inventors in Gates' classroom learn about the interplay of
creativity and science. Although he "lost out" to GE, Gates is
an inventor with the soul of a dreamer and several patents to his
credit. In 1997, for example, he received a patent for a device tailored
for the U.S. Navy to propel divers and equipment rapidly through water.
Encouraging his students to hatch new ideas, useful ones worthy of
patents, he describes for seniors readying their capstone projects the
genesis of his invention. "I was thinking about scuba tanks,"
he recalls, "and wondering if the Navy SEALS could use the scuba
tanks for something other than oxygen. An idea came to me to create a
device for using water and air under pressure to produce the thrust. The
idea appeared quickly, but then I had to prove mathematically it would
work."
Several CCSU senior projects under Gates' supervision have exhibited
similar ingenuity. "Since 1998 students from CCSU and the
University of Hartford have jointly designed and evaluated a
human-powered helicopter that weighs less than 80 pounds," he
notes. "We're studying low-speed rotor blade aerodynamics.
Conceivably, the research could be used to develop a rotary aircraft for
low-orbit satellites," says Gates, "a cheaper substitute for
space satellites, which are retrievable only with great expense."
Other student projects have ranged widely from designing and building a
hovercraft to redesigning snowboard bindings.
Versatility Born of Experience
A licensed professional engineer, Gates joined CCSU in 1994. Gates
earned both his M.S. and B.S. in mechanical engineering from Rochester
Institute of Technology, New York, and his Ph.D. in mechanical
engineering from the University of Connecticut. His professional
experience in industry is impressively diverse. He worked in robotics in
1985 at Rochester Products Division. When he moved to Connecticut in
1986, Gates worked as a mechanical engineer at General Dynamics Electric
Boat, designing a main steam piping system for the SSN21 Fast Attack
Submarine. Then, from 1989 to 1994, he applied his expertise at the
Naval Undersea Warfare Center, New London, where he integrated computer
software into the mechanical design process. He continues to work as an
aerospace engineer for Kaman Aerospace Corporation.
Gates' diversity of professional experience is reflected in his
teaching. Praising Gates' "versatility," John Bean, chair of
Engineering Technology, says his colleague "can teach almost any
course we have, from introductory engineering, to robotics, materials,
civil engineering, and finite element analysis. No matter the course, he
does a great job."
An "Open-Door Policy" Leads to Student Success
Gates' tenaciously prepares his students for successful careers. He
reports, "Our mechanical engineering technology graduates are doing
well finding employment at Pratt & Whitney, Kaman Aerospace, United
Technologies, Sikorsky, Otis Elevator, Hamilton Standard, and other
important national and international corporations."
According to students, Gates' advising role is key. "His open-door
policy is priceless," says senior Tony Rizio. "I can ask him
anything anytime and get a straightforward answer, whether it be about
my classes or which company would best suit me when I graduate."
Gates wants his students to realize their career aspirations. Through
his own enthusiasm and sense of humor, he strives to make the subject he
loves accessible and useful. But beyond these goals, Gates wants
"to get students ready for life." One student found his life
changed. "Dr. Gates qualifies as one of my all-time best
teachers," says Greg Szalaj, a senior engineering technology major.
"When I was on academic probation over a year ago, he helped put me
back on track. I began to take aim on making the Dean's List, and then I
actually made
it." —Geri Radacsi
CCSU Courier |
