Since joining IBM, in Poughkeepsie, New York, Dereje Agonafer’s principal mission and efforts have been directed towards the development/application of a Computer Aided Thermal Engineering (CATE). He introduced commercial Computational (CFD) codes to IBM and has been involved in training engineers in the use of both finite element and finite control volume commercial codes for solving electronic packaging problems; providing consultation for product design analysis; working with vendors to incorporate electronic cooling models in commercial codes; and creating ideas for electronic cooling that have resulted in over 80 invention disclosures.
“Although I am an engineer by training,” he explains, “I spend a lot of time using numerical analysis for solution of complex fluid and heat transfer problems. My area is ‘Computational Heat Transfer’. It requires converting a system of partial differential equations (typically non-linear) into a system of linear algebraic equations. Accordingly, a knowledge of partial differential equations and numerical analysis is quite important. Also, it is very important to attempt to find a closed form solution to a simplified form of the equations. It is critical that an engineer can bound a problem using back of the envelope calculations. Therefore, a good understanding of differential equations is a must.”
Dereje has a bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering, from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and a master’s and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, from Howard University. He entered industry because he was interested in working on exciting, current problems and felt if he decided later to enter academia he would be able to continue the research started in industry.
His advice to students in the mathematical sciences is to obtain the fundamentals offered in college and to broaden their knowledge base by attending seminars and lectures. He also encourages participation in activities that are multidisciplinary. “Industry focuses a lot on team work, and the student that attempts to bridge gaps by being broad will have an advantage. For example, a student in applied mathematics should try to take courses in engineering so one can better appreciate the use of mathematics from an engineer's perspective. Also, a student in numerical methods, should take courses in computer science in such topics as "Graphical User Interfaces" so one can write an effective program if needed. This will give the math student a chance to be a leader of a team to develop software -- a team including engineers and computer scientists -- rather than be a follower.”
Dereje is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In 1998, he received the “University of Colorado Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in the Area of Research and Invention.”
