Innovation Leaders

The Miami Hurricane publication recently profiled alumna Erisa K. Hines, FL B 2002. She was the keynote speaker for the University of Miami (FL) School of Engineering’s homecoming breakfast. Currently, she is an engineer working on the Rover Curiosity Project, a division of the NASA Mars Science Laboratory. Read the article

Since the rover landed on Mars, “Hines is now in charge of upgrading its mobility system that will hopefully allow it to move more independently.” She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Miami and completed a dual masters’ program in aeronautics and astronautics from MIT.

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A reporter from The Plain Dealer (OH) recently visited General Electric’s industrial park in East Cleveland to learn about the advances being made with light bulbs. Gary R. Allen, principal engineer with the LED Innovation Team (PA B ’74), gave the reporter a tour of the GE testing labs and showed her the new Ge Energy Smart 27-watt LED light bulb.

The new bulb “is rated to last 25,000 hours if used three hours a day. It goes on sale next year and will cost between $39 and $49.” Click here for the article with more information on the development of compact fluorescent and LED bulbs.

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Since 1988, Bret Drake has been working on the “exploration beyond low Earth orbit dream.” Today, Drake (TX A ’84) works at NASA’s Johnson Space Center as an exploration architect devising plans for putting humans on Mars. In a recent article from the MIT Technology Review, the issue of sending humans to explore Mars is discussed. The official goal is for astronauts to reach Mars in 2030, but Drake finds reasons to press onwards: “A better argument is that exploring Mars might have scientific benefits, because basic questions about the planet remain unanswered,” he said.

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