Winning a top award

An article about an ME alumni Scott McBroom from greatfallstribune.com, originally published November 15, 2004 by Tribune Associate Editor Tom Kotynski.

Great Falls native Scott McBroom was honored at a recent awards ceremony in Chicago for helping develop a software program that allows engineers to model and simulate vehicle power trains.

The Southwest Research Institute's RAPTOR software, co-developed with DaimlerChrysler. was cited by R&D Magazine as one of the 100 most significant technological achievements of the last year.

McBroom is son of Dr. Cheryl Reichert and the grandson of Arlyne Reichert, both of whom traveled to the awards ceremony.

He also is the manager of the Advanced Vehicle Technology Department of Vehicle Systems Research Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division.

"RAPTOR offers automotive engineers, through co-simulation and hardware in the loop, a more efficient design and development process that will shorten product development time and improve product design and time to market," according to a news release from his company.

The way his mother explained it to me, the software will help speed the energy-saving hybrid-style cars to market.

McBroom was raised in Ann Arbor, Mich., Paris and the Washington, D.C. area, but "he'd like to come back to Montana," Cheryl Reichert said.

He earned a BS in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland in 1988, and an MS in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas/San Antonio, in 1998.

He began his automotive research career in 1986 as a student research aide in the University of Maryland's Department of Mechanical Engineering, and joined Southwest in 1988.

Published November 15, 2004