ODU Engineering Alumnus Earns Fulbright

Jason K. Moore, a 2004 Old Dominion University graduate, has been awarded a Fulbright grant to study in the Netherlands. Moore, who majored in mechanical engineering with minors in mathematics and philosophy, will conduct research at Delft University of Technology during the current school year. While at the country's largest technical university, he will research issues related to bicycle dynamics, handling and control, made more significant by the large number of bicycle riders in the Netherlands.

"The Fulbright award is a great thing," said Moore. "Students can pursue some of the most unusual subjects while engaged in other countries' cultures. This makes for a powerful learning experience in many ways. I am grateful that I received the award and got the opportunity to study abroad, especially since I now have a year to focus 100 percent on my research interests."

After graduating from ODU, Moore, who is originally from Pittsylvania County in Virginia, earned a master's degree in mechanical and aeronautical engineering from the University of California at Davis and is now a doctoral candidate in mechanical and aeronautical engineering. He credits the long hours working at the Langley Full Scale Wind Tunnel as one of his most influential undergraduate experiences.

"One of my mentors and my favorite professor was Dr. Drew Landman in the aerospace engineering department. He was my advisor for my senior design project and ended up hiring me to work at the Langley Full Scale Tunnel, where I worked very closely with him on several engineering projects," Moore said. "He was a fantastic mentor that knew when to let you learn on your own and when to step in and give advice. I learned many things from him, especially how to give a student a good combination of freedom and guidance to really learn."

Started in 1946 by Sen. J. William Fulbright, the U.S. Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800 scholars and professionals each year to more than 140 countries, where they lecture or conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. The program is funded by the U.S. State Department with the mission of promoting the pursuit of knowledge and cultural understanding.