The Amazing Packaging Race is a scavenger hunt-style competition, conducted at PACK EXPO International 2012, in which teams of students from colleges across the country race to gather points by completing tasks at specific PACK EXPO booths. PACK EXPO International 2012, was a four-day event held in Chicago from October 28-31. This is the largest packaging and processing trade show in the world this year. It covered more than 1.1 million net square feet in McCormick Place with 1,965 exhibiting companies and over 67,000 attendees.

On the last day of the expo, college students from across the country gathered to participate in the Amazing Packaging Race. This event consists of students who are randomly split into teams of four participants (each participant from a different school), then each team is tasked with problems that they must solve as they find and visit various exhibitors throughout the expo over a five-hour timeframe.

Florin Mustata prepared for the event by visiting the expo with other PUC students in the days leading up to the competition. His preparation paid off as he helped his team attain victory and win the competition. Each member of the winning team received the latest iPad and a monetary scholarship award.

“The competition was not easy,” Florin said. “It was difficult to complete the tasks within a given limited amount of time. In addition, being a part of a team with students from different schools and performing together was also challenging.” 

“I was prepared with the knowledge from the mechatronics engineering technology program to complete the tasks I was asked to perform at different booths in the exposition. The equipment we use in the Purdue Calumet mechatronics labs are the latest and are also being used in the automation & controls industry. Knowledge on the functionalities of these components was definitely advantageous for me in order to win this competition.”

The certification reflects a significant level of professional comprehension of and proficiency in quality principles and practices.

“The American Society for Quality (ASQ) states that to be certified one needs eight years of on-the-job experience in one or more of the areas of the Certified Quality Engineer Body of Knowledge,” Mapa, a Glenview, Ill., resident, said. “A minimum of three years of this experience must be in a decision-making position.”

The American Society for Quality (ASQ) is a global community of people passionate about quality who use their tools, ideas and expertise to make the world work better, according to Susan Scachitti, head of Purdue Calumet’s Department of Engineering Technology.

“This certification achieved by Dr. Mapa is validation by his peers that he is an outstanding practitioner in the field of quality engineering and that he knows how to apply his knowledge to benefit society,” she added.

This is the second ASQ certification Mapa has attained in the past year. The first was a Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, which requires understanding of Six Sigma philosophies and principles.

Mapa has been a Purdue Calumet faculty member since 1987. He holds degrees from Birkenhead (England) College and the University of Manchester (England).

Indiana Space Grant for Undergraduate Research

• Meshal Alsuwinea, Engineering Technology
  Increase the condensation Efficiency off an  Air conditioning System
  Mentor: Gregory Neff, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology 

Fall 2012 Undergraduate Research Grants

• Salman Almarri & Mohammed Almarri, Engineering Technology
  Feasibility of configuring a solar collector to operate in a “hybrid mode”
  Craig Engle, Clinical Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology

• Robert Baker & Matt Jaroszewski, Engineering Technology
  Electronically Monitored Internal Combustion Engine
  Craig Engle, Clinical Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology

• Jermaine C Banton & Norris L. Swilley, Engineering Technology
  High Efficiency, High Flux CouplingWater Heater
  Craig Engle, Clinical Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology

• Paul Quinn, Engineering Technology
  Investigate the Heat Storing Effectiveness of Phase Change Material in Wall Boards
  Mentor: Gregory Neff, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology & Lash Mapa, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology

• Ibrahim Alnaghmoush & Hassan Yadegar, Engineering Technology
  Oscillation Test Set (OTS)
  Craig Engle, Clinical Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology

• Jermaine C Banton & Norris L. Swilley, Engineering Technology
  High Efficiency, High Flux Coupling Water Heater
  Craig Engle, Clinical Assistant Professor, Engineering Technology

• Akram Hossain, Professor, Electrical Engineering Technology
  Remote demonstration of packaging machinery system via public network

• Susan M. Scachitti, Professor and Department Head of Engineering Technology
  Yellow Belt training for the Department of Veterans Affairs(IDIQ)

• Niaz Latif, Dean, School of Technology and Professor, Mechanical Engineering Technology
  Meeting Workforce Needs for Mechatronics Technicians, National Science Foundation