View the Reunion 2012 Class Pages for news, photos, and information specifically for your class year.
Chef Werner Edler
Werner Edler began his culinary career at The Culinary School in Bad Gleichenberg, Austria where he graduated with a culinary degree in 1979. He worked for two years in Munich, Germany at the Olympic Restaurant, Hotel Bayerische Hof and the Hilton International. He then moved onto the Holland America Cruise Line where he worked on various cruise ships as a Chef de Partie and Sous Chef. He came to America in 1985 and worked for 17 years as the Executive Chef of the Merion Cricket Club. In 2008 he earned his Executive Chef Certification from the American Culinary Federation and joined Villanova University. Chef Werner received a bronze medal last year at the Culinary Challenge at Princeton University.
Chef Nancy Miller
Nancy Miller is currently Executive Chef of Donahue Court at Villanova University. Her career started on the pastry side, and she has had the pleasure of working in many types of venues from upscale restaurants and country clubs to catering and now college food service. She was also a gourmet foods salesperson for one of her favorite companies, Albert Uster Imports. She has won several competitions in pastry including Liberty Place Chocolate Sculpture Competition and The Hotel Atop the Belleview Gingerbread competition where she was awarded Best in Show and Most Excellent Detail awards. She also placed with a bronze medal in last year’s National Association of College and University Food Services Culinary Challenge. Chef Miller is the immediate past President of the Philadelphia Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier and has served on the board of that group for the past seven years in several capacities. She looks forward to competing in this year’s culinary challenge and in many more to come.
Chef Vince Alberici
Vince Alberici's culinary career began at the Culinary Institute of America in New York. He then worked in a four star, five diamond hotel in Philadelphia, and later achieved the AAA four diamond status for The Marker restaurant. He was inducted into the American Culinary Federation’s honor society, the American Academy of Chefs, in 1989, and is a member of The Honorable Order of the Golden Toque, the Premier International Chefs Honor Society. Chef Alberici has been named one of the Top 50 Chefs in the Philadelphia area and has won both the Culinarian of the Year award and the Chef of the Year award from the Delaware Valley Chefs Association.
Reunion University Session 1
9:15 - 10:15 pm
On the Road Again: Tracking the 2012 Presidential Campaign Trail
More information on Dr. Scala, guest speaker for this session:
Dante J. Scala is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of New Hampshire. He has studied the changing political demographics of New Hampshire for more than a decade, and his expertise and published work is recognized locally and nationally. During the 2012 presidential primary season, he appeared on NBC Nightly News, MSNBC, Fox News, and the CBS Morning Show, and spoke on National Public Radio. Dr. Scala graduated from Villanova University in 1990 before earning his master’s degree and a doctorate at the University of Chicago. While at Villanova, Dr. Scala was editor of the Villanovan and proudly reports that he lived in Sullivan and Standford Halls for three years without any major incidents.
How FIRE and ICE Combine to Ignite the Entrepreneurial Spirit – Creativity and Entrepreneurship
Edmond J. Dougherty
Assistant Professor and Director, Engineering Entrepreneurship
College of Engineering
This session will review existing multi-disciplinary programs, such as the ICE Center (Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship), and introduce the new CoE Alumni program called FIRE (Forum for Innovation Research and Entrepreneurship). FIRE will offer a number of opportunities for engineering alumni to participate in Villanova's entrepreneurial activities both on and off campus. FIRE will enable alumni all over the world to mentor student entrepreneurs, judge competitions, share real world experiences and wisdom, participate in hands-on "maker" workshops and explore their own product and service ideas with Villanova professors, students and other alumni. FIRE and ICE together will "Ignite Change -- Go Nova".
Reunion University Session 3
2 - 3 pm
Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of the New Orleans Levy System – What Did We Learn
Robert Traver, Ph.D.
Professor; Director, Villanova Urban Stormwater Partnership (VUSP) and Director, Center for the Advancement of Sustainability in Engineering (VCASE)
College of Engineering
Hurricane Katrina was the most destructive natural disaster in United States history. The failed levys and resulting floods left 80 percent of New Orleans below water for several weeks and resulted in the death of over 1,250 people. Immediately following the 2005 hurricane, the American Society of Civil Engineering set up an External Review Panel to oversee the investigation by the US Army Corps of Engineers as to the causes of the failure of the New Orleans Levy protection system. As a member of this panel Dr. Traver, a Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering was on the ground soon after the hurricane, and was deeply involved in all phases of the investigation. Dr. Traver will discuss his experiences, and talk about the causes of the failure and what we did and did not learn. Dr. Traver was awarded the Outstanding Civilian Service Medal for his commitment and contribution by the Commanding General of the Corps of Engineers.
Reunion University Session 4
3:15 - 4:15 pm
Engineering in Medicine – Some Research at Villanova
Hashem Ashrafiuon, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control
College of Engineering
Application of engineering principles to healthcare diagnosis and therapy and medical technology has grown rapidly in the last two decades. Villanova’s Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Control (CENDAC) is making significant contribution to the science and technology development in this area particularly as it relates to dynamics and control. CENDAC faculty are research projects include “Diagnosis and Preventing Fatal Cases of Periventricular Leukomalacia (PVL) in Infants,” “Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Concussion using EEG Signal Analysis,” “Manipulation of Disease-Associated Pathogens,” “Development of Biofuel Technology,” and “Development of Rehabilitative Devices for Lower Extremeties.”
