April 2024

LEARN • BUILD • INNOVATE

SOLVING TOMORROW'S CHALLENGES TODAY

Our Vision: Premier Engineering College in the Nation, Recognized for Academic Excellence, Accessibility, Industrial Partnerships and Community Engagement

Transformative:

SDSU associate professor selected for groundbreaking renewable energy project

Tim Hansen, the Harold C. Hohbach Endowed associate professor in
South Dakota State University’s Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering, has been selected to help lead a groundbreaking initiative to revolutionize how power systems interact and adapt in an increasingly renewable energy-rich landscape.

Autonomous Sprayer Team

Connoisseurs say a good wine can’t be rushed. Perhaps the same could be said about a good autonomous vineyard sprayer.
Since spring 2022, the SDSU Robotics Club has been working on a project for alum Jerry Natzel of Owatonna, Minnesota, to build an autonomous sprayer for his vineyard. The project’s history predates that. But by late April, the club hopes to have all the bugs worked out of this bug-spraying machine.
That will certainly make Natzel, a 1975 mechanical engineering graduate, happy.
He operates a vineyard as a part of his 42-acre farm that has been in the family since 1917. A few years back, the vineyard was hit with an infestation of Japanese beetles that killed numerous plants. “We were spraying about every seven days” using sprayer mounted on a Bobcat, said Natzel, who was concerned for his health.
“It took us three years to understand the beetles and how to control them,” said Natzel, who noted he still must spray the beetles as they crave new plant growth.
Natzel, who spent his career as a design engineer and holds several patents, said he first dreamed of a drone sprayer. However, FAA regulations kept that plan from taking off.

Pi Day

“Beauty is in the Pi of the Beholder" reads the T-shirt of Elizabeth Elsen, a sophomore math and data science major from Yankton. Elsen submitted the winning entry for this year's shirt design. She poses by a quilt made of former Pi Day shirts. Because SDSU was on spring break for actual Pi Day on March 14, the event was observed by the Math Club on March 19.

Jackrabbit Spotlight: Sianne Downes

Five years ago, Sianne Downes didn’t even know SDSU existed. Now she is about to get her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and plans to come back for another year of classes and swimming.

“I don’t think I could have expected at all what I have experienced and achieved,” said Downes, who hails from Edenvale, South Africa, and is headed to the graduation stage with a 3.85 GPA, school and pool records in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke, and plans for a trip to the national Formula car competition at Michigan International Speedway.

SDSU Engineers Dominate All-League

Swim Team Selections

Five members of the South Dakota State swim team were honored as 2023-24 Summit League Academic All-League members—all are from the Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering.

Leading the list is senior Sianne Downes, a native of Edenvale, South Africa, who received her third honor after compiling a 3.85 grade-point average while studying mechanical engineering.

Earning a repeat selection to the 17-member squad was junior Katie Pattee, who has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA as a mechanical engineering major.

Sophomore Jenna Currier also received academic all-league honors with a 4.0 GPA. A native of Denison, Iowa, Currier is majoring in mathematics and data science.

Junior Luke Nichols earned recognition on the 15-member men's team after posting a 3.97 GPA as a civil engineering major. Nichols is a native of North Liberty, Iowa.

Braxton McGrath was the other Jackrabbit to make the men's team after compiling a 3.85 GPA. The sophomore from Amana, Iowa, is majoring in mechanical engineering.

To be eligible for the Academic All-League team, a student-athlete must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30 (on a 4.0 scale), completed at least one full academic year a the current institution and participated in 50 percent of their team's competitions.

Nominations are made by athletic communications directors from the league's eight institutions that compete in swimming and diving.

Upcoming Events               

April 5th                                            Jackrabbit Preview Day

April 12th                                          Jackrabbit Preview Day 

April 19th                                          Jackrabbit Preview Day

April 22nd                                          Dean's Advisory Meet & Mingle

April 23rd                                           Dean's Advisory Council Meeting

                                                          Engineering Expo

                                                          Jackrabbits Engineering Day

                                                          Engineering Annual Banquet

April 26th                                           Jackrabbit Preview Day

April 29th - May 3rd                           Finals Week

May 4th                                              Graduation

                                                          Order of the Engineer

May 7th                                              Big Sioux Water Festival

May 14th                                            Transportation Conference

2024 Summer Camps