Chattanooga Engineers Club
P.O. Box 4031
Chattanooga, TN 37405
www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org
March 31, 2008 - This week's program will be a Plant Tour of Fillauer at 2710 Amnicola Highway. Originated in 1914 as Red Star Pharmacy by George Fillauer Sr., the Fillauer Companies, Inc. has transformed into an international orthotic and prosthetic company leading in technical advances and customer service. Fillauer is a manufacturer of innovative prosthetic and orthotic products. Fillauer's expert O&P technicians can custom fabricate any orthosis or prosthesis to meet people's needs. We will see where prosthetic devices (ar
tificial limbs) are assembled. A box lunch will be available for $10 (including drink) for those who made reservations. Please send an e-mail to Jim Schwall at jimgineer@comcast.net or call at 423-267-4257 (home) before 5 pm Friday, March 28 to add to the reservation list. As you are looking at the building, please park on the right. This would include the front and along the right side of the building.
FUTURE MEETINGS
April 7, 2008 - Mark J. Morgan, Senior Risk Consultant for Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) will speak on Homeland Security, impact, implications and effects on technology and management. This will be a joint program at a location on the UTC campus to be determined.
April 14, 2008 - The UTC Senior Project Ethanol Conversion team will make a presentation on the conversion of a Saturn Vue to run on e-85. They have data comparing fuel economy, tailpipe emissions, and an overall study of the "photon to wheel" energy conversion process for ethanol made from corn and cellulose. The CEC will return to the Tallan Cellar Restaurant location.
LAST MEETING
March 24, 2008 – Dr. George Maul, Professor and Head of the Department of Marine and Environmental Systems, Florida Institute of Technology made a memorable and well received presentation on Changing Climate and Sea Level. Approximately 60 members and guests enjoyed this very informative presentation. We thank Dr. Maul for providing a copy of his presentation, which has now been placed on the CEC web site (www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org) so that we can continue to absorb the wealth of information provided.
; After hearing so much conflicting information on the subject in the past few years, it was refreshing to hear the science behind the facts. For instance: Water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas. While it is certain that there is a relationship between global temperature and atmospheric CO2, Dr. Maul believes it is more plausible that CO2 follows temperature change than temperature follows CO2 change. While sea levels in general may be rising, local sea level changes depend on the rate of the land rising or subsiding. The Atlantic Ocean is more critical to sea level change than the Pacific due to the ocean depth. Developing nations notice sea level rise more than rich nations, since rich nations fill and adjust on a cont inuing basis. Average world temperatur
es and seal levels have always been changing, and measurements are complex. Uncertainties in future projections are often larger than the magnitude of the projected change. Easy solutions are neat, plausible, and wrong. Dr. Maul is a Fellow with the American Meteorological Society and the Marine Technology Society.
ITEMS OF INTEREST
· Looking for details on a local society meeting? Links to local engineering societies are available to you at: http://www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org/engineer/.
· QUESTIONS, SUGGESTIONS? If you have any questions or suggestions about program items please contact Jim Schwall at 423-267-4257 or by email at jimgineer@comcast.net. You can find membership application forms, references to future programs, historical data, and other info at http://www.ChattanoogaEngineersClub.org. To receive future meeting announcements by email, join the Cha. Technology Organization mailing list at: www.chattanoogaengineersclub.org/email