Sameer A. Patel, M.D., ’95 joined the surgical oncology department at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia last summer. He specializes in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Prior to that, he was a Fellow in microvascular reconstructive surgery and a clinical specialist at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston. Dr. Patel earned his medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry, New Jersey Medical School, and completed residencies at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center in New York.

John Bossung ’51 received the BACUS Lifetime Achievement Award for 2007 from the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE) for his groundbreaking work in the semiconductor industry. While at Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Bossung led an engineering team that developed the first projection mask aligner—a tool used in microlithography—under a 1967 contract with the U.S. Air Force. “Bossung curves” is a technical measurement named for him.

Dwight Bailey Massey ’53 and his firm, Massey Quick & Co., Morristown, NJ, were interviewed in July 2007 by financial columnist and author Warren Boroson, in a column that appeared in the Daily Record of Morristown. Massey Quick tracks the top money managers and offers financial planning advice.

Nelson Perez ’84 was inducted into the Eagle Scout Hall of Fame of the Patriots’ Path Council, Boy Scouts of America, in January. Hal, who earned the Boy Scout rank of Eagle and the Explorer Silver Award in the ’50s, is also a recipient of the Silver Beaver Award, presented by the National Council–BSA for distinguished service to youth. He is a former member of the Patriots’ Path Council Executive Board and serves on the council’s Advisory Board. Hal has served as an SAA decade representative and chair of the SAA Awards Committee.

The Rev. Gabriel B. Costa ’70, M.S. ’72, Ph.D. ’84, has published a new book, Understanding Sabermetrics: An Introduction to the Science of Baseball Statistics (McFarland, 2007), with co-authors Michael Huber and John T. Saccoman, M.S. ’88, Ph.D. ’95, an instructor at Seton Hall University. Father Costa, who teaches at the United States Military Academy, received the title of Professor of Mathematical Sciences at the Academy’s academic convocation ceremony last fall.

Hendrick W. “Henk” Ruck ’70, M.M.S. ’72, Ph.D. ’80, a research psychologist known for his scientific contributions in industrial and organizational psychology, has retired as director of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRL/RH). Dr. Ruck retired in January after 35 years as a civilian employee of the Air Force, during which he has seen the successful consolidation of many Air Force laboratories into the AFRL. Dr. Ruck said the past four years as RH director—leader of the directorate’s 1,300 military, civilian and contractor employees—has been the most rewarding time in his career, helping others to realize the importance of human factors science’s contributions to the nation’s defense efforts.

William Pyontek ’77 has been appointed as a principal engineer at French & Parrello Associates, Wall, NJ, where he is working on the design of new bridges and the inspection and rehabilitation of existing structures, NJBIZ reported.

Heidi S. Mader Alderman ’81 has been appointed senior vice president for NAFTA Procurement at BASF. She is responsible for all procurement activities in North America. Alderman has more than 25 years of experience in the chemical industry. Before joining BASF in 2003, she held positions in procurement and business management with Rohm & Haas Co. and Air Products & Chemicals. She holds an M.S. from Drexel University in 1985, and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business in 1990.

Greg R. Gianforte ’83, M.S. ’83, the president and CEO of RightNow Technologies, Bozeman, MT, received an honorary doctor of engineering degree in computer science from Montana State University in 2007. The university praised him as “an international software entrepreneur who transformed life in Southwest Montana.” RightNow’s 600 employees produce customer relationship management (CRM) software. Gianforte received the Stevens Honor Award in 2003.

John C. Bartos ’86 has been appointed vice president of development and technology at Cameron International Corporation. He most recently served as vice president of engineering and product development at Cameron, which provides flow equipment products and services to the oil, gas and process industries.

Joelle M. Hinds-Ware ’93, a managing partner of Verify-ED, was quoted in the Business of New Jersey section of the Newark, NJ, Star-Ledger last November; her photo also appeared with the piece. Verify-ED (verify-ed.com), of Montclair, NJ, provides background screening and resume verification services, supporting hiring and staff augmentation management processes.

Julia H. Howe ’01, Arnand Kularajah ’01, Damien Amores ’02 and Michael Krupnick ’05 were part of the production of an episode of the independent science fiction series “Venus Rises” that was shot at the Babbio Center on the Stevens campus in the fall of 2007. For more information, visit www.venusrises.tv.

Marine Corps 1st Lt. Eric Fong ’04 was recently designated a Naval Aviator while serving at Naval Air Station, Kingsville, TX. Fong was presented with the Wings of Gold, marking the culmination of months of flight training that included studies in engineering and navigation, training flights in simulators, extended navigation flights, and landings and takeoffs aboard an aircraft carrier.

Christopher M. Becker ’07, M.Eng. ’07, and several of his colleagues at Verizon Wireless were interviewed for a Newark, NJ, Star-Ledger article on Verizon’s laboratories in Bedminster, NJ, and the engineers behind the scenes there who ensure that Verizon-branded devices meet quality standards for customer satisfaction in the wireless industry.

Mark J. Bielicky ’07 was drafted by Major League Lacrosse’s New Jersey Pride last fall. He is the first graduate of Stevens’ lacrosse program to be drafted by the MLL. As a member of the Pride’s 35-man preseason active roster, Bielicky heads to training camp this spring. The Pride play home games at Rutgers’ Yursack Field in Piscataway, NJ, and the MLL season runs from May through mid-August. Bielicky is also pursuing a master’s degree in management at Stevens.