Portland State Magazine Fall 2011

2011 OUTSTANDING YOUNG ALUMNUS NABIL MISTKAWI PHO ' 10 Creating new technology In February while visiting Intel in Hillsboro, Presi– dent Barack Obama singled out engineer and PSU alumnus Nabil Mistkawi. The honor was appropriate. Mistkawi developed a process for the production of computer chips that has saved Intel millions of dollars, is better for the environment, and became the topic for his Ph.D. dissertation. Mistkawi began his U.S. education at Chemeketa Community College (where he met his wife and improved his English). After finishing his undergradu– ate degree at University of Oregon with honors, Mistkawi received a letter from Intel saying that they wanted to talk to him about joining their research department. While he had considered going to medi– cal school, the opportunity to work in research at a first-class company that would pay for his advanced education was irresistible. Mistkawi developed the new production process in three days while simultaneously working at Intel, going to school at PSU, and raising three young daughters with his wife, who also works full time. Mistkawi holds nine patents at Intel, and says he benefited greatly from his mentors, including Shankar Rananavare, his PSU adviser and now close personal friend. "In my long career, I never had a student whose science led to creation of a major product that made new technology possible, and it is an environmentally friendly product that is in use today," says Rananavare. 28 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE FALL 2011 George Ogden '08, MS '10 works in the Northwest Eleccromagnetics and Acoustics Research Laboratory at PSU. In a project with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, he will install a passive sonar array in the Willamette River to monitor ship traffic. Matthew Steffan '08 has been hired as a civi l designer by KPFF Consulting Engineering in Portland. Maria Eldred '09 has been promoted to associate di rector for human resources at PSU. Erin Fairbairn-Stammer MPA '09 is a credit analyst ac US Bank Vendor Finance in Portland. She lives with her husband, Jay, and their four children in Portland. Erin Fairbairn-Stammer MPA '09 Nataliya Pirumova '09 has been accepted into the PhD program in Slavic languages and literatures at University of California-Los Angeles. Monica Poveda MS '09 is a portfolio manager for Allen Capital Management, an Allen Trust Company in Portland. Tracy Puhl '09 is the new owner of Glad Rags, a sustain– able feminine hygiene product company in Portland. Nicole Stein MPA '09 is vice president of community responsibility at Umpqua Bank. She oversees the bank's Connect Volunteer Network, which provides full-time employees with annual, paid time off so they can volunteer for nonprofit youth or community organi– zations. In addition, Stein super– vises the bank's community giving program with more than $1.5 million in contributions and community scholarships. She is a member of che program committee for Grantmak- ers of Oregon and Southwest Washington. Erin Watari MPA '09 is a program associate for the Japan - U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development with the Institute of Internacional Education in Washington, D.C. Her father, Norman Watari '72, '96, and her mother, Paula Nixon Watari '75, also are PSU alumni. Matthew Mu1ica MS '10 i president of che Center for Resolution, a private arbitration and mediation service company in Jackson, Wyoming. He is also an associate for the Keystone Center, a mediation, facilitation, and project management firm in Denver. Amber Nyssen MBA '10 i director of a new facility in Pune, India, for Williams Controls, a truck parts manu– facturer. Nyssen was honored as one of Portland Business journal's 2011 Forry Under 40. She enjoys hiking, traveling, and all things food related. Leah Spink '10 is a program coordinaror for Marathon Education Partners, a Portland nonprofit chat marches chi ldren with mentors who provide col– lege funds and encouragement. Tamara Timmons '10 is a medical student at University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Timmons is married to Ted Timmons '10, a sofrware engineer. Laila Umpleby MPA '10 is the development and communica– tions director for che Make-A– Wish Foundation of Oregon. ■