Momentum - February 2020 - 23

CAREER PATH

Wissink (left) and fellow SAE
Member Scott Curran install
injectors into a dual-fuel advanced
combustion research engine.

Spallation Neutron Source. Neutron diffraction can
be used to measure the internal lattice strain inside
materials, and the penetrating power of neutrons allows
this technique to be used in real engineering devices.
Our goal with this project is to use neutron diffraction to
volumetrically map the time-varying strain field inside
the solid components of a running engine. This strain
field can then be used to infer the temperatures and
stresses that occur in various parts of the engine during
combustion. This information is extremely valuable
for designing advanced combustion systems and for
providing boundary conditions for models utilizing highperformance computing.
Who most influenced you on your journey to becoming
a professional engineer?
I've been fortunate to have several great mentors and
advisors over the years. My Ph.D. advisor, Prof. Rolf Reitz,
gave me the opportunity and the resources to pursue
this path, and also pushed me to become involved in
SAE by writing and reviewing papers. My M.S. advisor,
Prof. Robert Dibble, gave me my first experience working
in a research lab and motivated me to pursue my Ph.D.
studies. Before I ever set foot in a university, I had a great
community college lecturer in Mr. Steve Klein.
In what ways were you involved with SAE International
as a student, and how did that involvement prepare you
for the workforce?
As a graduate student I attended SAE's WCX
conference annually. The professors at the Engine
Research Center made it a point to send as many
MOMENTUM

students as possible and encouraged all of us to submit papers. We
would borrow a small fleet of university vans for the 6-7 hour drive
from Madison to Detroit and form our own convoy. This road trip
became a pilgrimage of sorts for some of us. In addition to serving
as a paper reviewer, I also submitted and presented several papers
as a student, including two which were selected for the Myers Award
(one as a co-author, and one as first author). As a student, I found
SAE events to be a great way to learn more about what is happening
in a wide variety of research topics as well as to meet engineers and
researchers who are leaders in their fields.
Why did you decide to transfer your SAE Student Membership to
Professional Membership after you graduated?
Being involved in technical societies like SAE is an essential part of my job,
as it helps me stay at the forefront of my field. As a professional member, I
currently serve as a member of the Combustion Committee as a technical
session organizer and session chair for WCX meetings. I am also a
member of an award committee and continue to review technical papers
regularly. I would say that participation in SAE has been very important
to my professional development both in terms of being exposed to a lot
of the current research as a reviewer and organizer, as well as through the
networking opportunities in committees and at SAE events.
What do you like to do for fun?
I enjoy hiking, driving, being outdoors, and spending time with family
and friends. While it's not always fun, I also spend a lot of time on
home renovation.
Any final thoughts?
I'd like to thank SAE for the opportunity to do this interview and for
creating a forum for automotive engineers to meet and exchange ideas
and information!

February 2020 23
Momentum - February 2020

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