We are delighted to announce that Ms. Kathleen Zimmerman has accepted the position of Undergraduate Student Staff Assistant in ESM. Ms. Zimmerman has twenty-two years of University experience. She brings a wealth of knowledge to the position that includes the College of Agricultural Sciences Office for Undergraduate Education and the ESM Department's Center for the Engineering of Electronic and Acoustic Materials

Please join us in welcoming Kathleen to her new position.

Cindy Shirey (B.S, ESc 1999; M.S. EMch 2000) has launched FM Sage Partners, an executive search practice. She consults exclusively for CEOs of healthcare organizations who need a top facility management executive. Cindy's husband Dave is president of Karl and Associates, Inc and K & A Environmental, Inc. which are occupational health and safety consulting and environmental hazard remediation firms, respectively.

Engineering Science and Mechanics is pleased to introduce two new Integrated Undergraduate Graduate (IUG) Programs. An IUG program permits students to take on the rigors and research challenges of graduate study at Penn State by coordinating and combing them with their baccalaureate studies.

An article was recently published in Nanotechnology E-Bulletin on the quantum computing activities of the research group of Dr. Patrick M. Lenahan, professor of engineering science and mechanics. The link to the article is provided below.

http://www4.esm.psu.edu/main/WhatsNew/EPR.pdf

To learn more about Professor Lenahan's Semiconductor Spectroscopy Laboratory, visit:

http://www.esm.psu.edu/labs_facilities/semiconductor/

E Sc 541 will provide graduate students and practicing engineers with an understanding of the physical processes accompanying laser interactions with matter under conditions typical for laser-materials processing.

EMch 597D is a foundational course in the experimental analysis of nonlinear dynamical systems. Students will learn about the mathematical concepts and algorithmic tools needed to characterize, analyze, model, and predict the dynamics of nonlinear systems that arise in a wide variety of contexts.

Vasu and Vijay Varadan, Distinguished Professors in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, have accepted faculty positions in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Arkansas, beginning in January 2005. The Varadans were recognized at a farewell dinner hosted by the ESM Department on December 2nd.

Engineering Science and Mechanics welcomes Mr. Craig Haynal to the department's IT Team effective January 1, 2005. Mr. Haynal is currently employed with the Graduate School where he is their Lead Database Analyst/Programmer. Mr. Haynal received a B.S. in Computer Science from Penn State in 1999. He is experienced in database server environments; numerous programming languages and operating systems.

We look forward to his joining the department.