1984 WISE Alumni Bulletin Board

Michael Devine (Faculty-in-Residence): I was the Faculty Member in 1984 and WISE Program Director from ’87-’97 (where’s Barry Hyman who founded WISE?). I most recently (’95-’00) was Vice Chancellor for Research at the University of Tennessee; moved back to Tallahassee in ’00 to head to head two non-profit biomedical/cancer research foundations (MDS Research Foundation and SynCure Cancer Research Foundation). I still have wonderful memories of my 10+ years of involvement with WISE, but especially the bright and FUN interns of ’84. I still have the famous “balloon pictures” starring Brian Rabe, Sandra “Dee” DeVries, Allison Smith, and others; I’m saving them to “blackmail” you when you become famous. Looks like Brad “Bottom-Line” Mitchell got out of Enron just in time! Great to see WISE flourishing even more than the “old days”! Would love to hear from you! (3/02)

Lynn (Anzenberger) Aghajanian (AIChE/Lafayette Univ.) passed along the following update:

My name is Lynn (Anzenberger) Aghajanian I am a WISE alum from 1984. I received the recent WISE mailing and thought I would update my info. Grad School – Masters in Science Education, Harvard University

Careeer/Personal news: After 8 yrs in the chemical industry & 3 years of teaching chemistry, I’ve decided to do the full time Mom thing with our 1st !! Benjamin was born June 10th, 1998 and is a ton of fun & very observant! (already exhibiting some science and engineering personality traits — likely inherited from his Mom & Dad — poor kid!).

We recently moved from Cambridge MA to historic Concord MA where we bought a 150 yr old schoolhouse- turned- residence. Andy and I are very busy enjoying Benjamin and our new home and trying to swim at Walden Pond whenever possible!

I plan on returning to the chemical industry in a technical sales/marketing capacity in the future (once the kid(s)? are in school) and in the meantime will start my own science/math tutoring business.

If any WISE guys are travelling thru the Concord/Boston area, pls. feel free to look us up! (Posted: 8/21/98)

Scott P. Gatje (ASCE/Duke) is now Corporate Vice President of Business Development at Intrieve Inc. While in Europe last summer he and his wife Debi stayed with Brian Rabe (SAE/Bradley), his wife Denise, and their two children in Brussels, Belgium. Scott says their children have all the personality, energy, and intelligence of their parents and should be recruited for WISE 2014!

David Jensen (ANS/Nebraska) reports “I’m still on the faculty of the Computer Science Department at the University of Massachusetts, and enjoy it tremendously. My research group — the Knowledge Discovery Laboratory — has grown to include 10 students and five technical staff. I couldn’t ask to work with a better group of people. My wife Melba, whom some 1984 WISE alums will remember visiting me during the summer, is just finishing her PhD in English at UMass. Hello to everyone!” (4/04)

[Note: David Jensen (ANS) is a research assistant professor of computer science and director of the Knowledge Discovery Laboratory at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His research focuses on the statistical aspects and architecture of data mining systems and the assessment of those systems for government and business applications. He has testified before the Technology and Privacy Advisory Committee, a Federal advisory committee formed to advise the Secretary of Defense on the legal and policy implications of using data mining technology in counter-terrorism applications. He spent five years as an analyst for Congress’ Office of Technology Assessment (1991-1995) evaluating the potential of AI technologies.]

John Quinn (ASME/U.Mass): I’m amazed it’s been 16 years since that wonderful summer in Washington. I’ve been working with GE for a number of years and now live in the beautiful Berkshires of western Massachusetts. I’m currently the BD Manager (mergers and acquisitions) for GE Plastics, America’s business. My wife Karen, son Jack, daughter Isabelle, and I make frequent trips to Cape Cod (who remembers that trip after the July 4th festivities in 1984?)where we enjoy a little cottage near Cape Cod bay. If you are in the Berkshires please look us up. (2/01)

Brian Rabe (SAE/Bradley): Please don’t tell me it’s been 16 years! About 11 years ago, I joined a little start-up company in the Silicon Valley called Cisco Systems. During my 8 years at Cisco, I held various positions in manufacturing, service, sales and marketing. After riding the Cisco wave, I took a few years off to spend more time with my wife Denise and my two children (Lauren who is 8 and Eric who is 6). Now I am the President and part owner of CoolWorks Inc., another startup. We live in Marin County, just north of San Francisco by the Wine Country. It would be great to see anyone passing through. (9/00)

Back in 1995 when Bill Wescott (AIChE/Princeton) sent his latest news update, he was about to defend his dissertation and graduate. He expected to continue working with ADL, where he is the EHS market manager for Brazil. (95)

Calling all 1984 WISE Alumni. Let us know what you’re up to. You can use our on-line update form.