Dr. Vijayakumar C. Venugopal hails from the state of Kerala in India. He received his B.Tech degree in Naval Architecture from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (1994), his M.S. degree in Engineering Science (1997), and his Ph.D. in Engineering Science and Mechanics (2000) from the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department at The Pennsylvania State University under the guidance of Professor Akhlesh Lakhtakia. Since graduation, Dr. Venugopal has been employed at Lam Research Corporation in Fremont, CA.

Dr. Beth A. Todd is Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alabama. Following graduation from Penn State (B.S., Engineering Science, 1981), she worked for two years at Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory in West Mifflin. She then entered graduate school at the University of Virginia earning an M.S. degree in Applied Mechanics and a Ph.D. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Her research focused on the use of finite-element analysis in the design of devices for the physically disabled. Following two years as an Instructor at GMI Engineering and Management Institute (now Kettering University) in Flint, Michigan, she joined the faculty at Alabama in 1992. Her initial appointment was in the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, and she moved to Mechanical Engineering following restructuring of the College of Engineering in 1996. She has received research funding from the National Science Foundation, NASA, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Air Force. Currently, her research focuses on engineering education and hydrogen fuel cells in vehicles, and she teaches courses in design and biomechanics.

Penn State has awarded Patrick M. Lenahan the title of Distinguished Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics (ESM). Professor Lenahan is recognized for his pioneering research in the materials physics of semiconductor devices, experimental studies of atomic scale defects, magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance, reliability in Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) devices, Hafnia-based and SiC-based Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (HfO2-based MOSFETs and SiC-based MOSFETs), and bipolar junction transistors.

Please take the opportunity to congratulate Professor Lenahan on his outstanding success.

Sandra Watson (ESM budget assistant) and Kelly Owens (ESM editorial assistant) have both completed Module 3 of the ACOR Certification and Education Series (ACES). Jean Brooks (ESM administrative assistant) has completed Module 1 of the program.

The two year, 80 classroom hour learning experience is a combination of workshops, online education, mentoring, and competency assessment that lead to certification.

Congratulations to all on a job well done.

Matt Guers of the Engineering Science and Mechanics Graduate Council has announced that ESM 2007 will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2007. The abstract submission date is January 22, 2007 and should be submitted to Mr. Guers at mjg244@psu.edu.

ESM Today is a showcase for the research done by the graduate students of the Engineering Science and Mechanics Departmet.

Additional information can be found at http://www.esm.psu.edu/gsc/

Jeffrey A. Terosky is a 1995 graduate of Engineering Science, where his work with Dr. Charles E. Bakis on pseudo-ductile reinforcing bars for concrete structures led to several publications and the 1995 award for undergraduate thesis of the year. As a student, Mr. Terosky was active in many organizations including Lion’s Paw, Parmi Nous, and the president of Lion Ambassadors, Penn State’s student alumni corps.

Richard C. Temple, M.S. ’93 Engineering Mechanics; M.S. ’95 Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering; Penn State; is a Senior Petroleum Engineer for Chevron Energy Technology Company in San Ramon, CA. He provides technical support and onsite supervision for Chevron drilling projects throughout the world. He is a licensed Professional Engineer with the State of California in both mechanical engineering and petroleum engineering. As a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Petroleum Engineers, he has co-authored numerous technical papers.

Stephen J. Fonash, Bayard D. Kunkle Professor, has been issued a patent for his invention of "Electronic and Opto-Electronic Devices Fabricated from Nanostructured High Surface to Volume Ratio Thin Films".

Robert W. Stanley received his B.S. in Engineering Science at Penn State in 1964 and became a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Georgia in 1972. He is a Senior Design Engineer with 40 years’ experience in the operation, maintenance, application, and design of electrical power transformers. This experience includes low, medium, and high voltage transformers with/without LTC as used in steel industry, chemical industry, power plants, and substations. Before joining Ohio Transformer, he was with General Electric for 13 years and Armco Steel for 1 year.

Dr. James W. Smiley received his undergraduate degree in Engineering Science from The Pennsylvania State University in 1960. Following graduation, he was employed by the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory operated by the General Electric Company in Schenectady, NY. While working on the Reactor Physics design of a Nuclear Powered Destroyer for the US Navy, he received an M.S. degree in Nuclear Science and Engineering from Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. In 1963, he returned to Penn State and earned his Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering (1966). Returning to the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory, Dr. Smiley developed new and advanced designs for the US Submarine force, and also earned an M.S. degree in Industrial Administration. As his management responsibilities for reactor physics, performance, and safety increased, Dr. Smiley was appointed (1977) Project Manager for a new reactor program with responsibilities for development of future design concepts. In 1992, Dr. Smiley became Project Manager for the new Virginia Class Submarine program and development of advanced technology for future designs. He retired from the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory in 2001 with 38 years of service.

Dr. Judith A. Todd, P. B. Breneman Department Head Chair, has received a 2006 Materials Research Institute (MRI) Inspiration Award. The award is given annually to a university member who inspires and motivates others while fostering excellence in achievements and performance, encourages the growth of others, promotes diversity, provides superior customer serevice and is viewed as an outstanding university employee.

The award will be presented at the annual MRI Award luncheon on Friday, December 15, 2006.

Jason Ryan (Ph.D. candidate) presented a paper entitled "Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Studies of Silicon Nano-Crystal Flash Memory Structures" at the Fall 2006 Materials Research Society Meeting, November 27 - December 1, 2006, Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Ryan is working with Dr. Patrick M. Lenahan, Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics.

Sabih Hayek, Professor Emeritus of Engineering Science and Mechanics, presented a paper entitled "Acoustic Backscattering from Fluid-filled Submerged Spheroidal Shells", at the 4th Joint meeting of the Acoustical Society of America and Acoustical Society of Japan, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, November 28-December 2, 2006. The paper was co-authored with Jeff Boisvert (National Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport, Newport, RI). Dr. Hayek also chaired the session on Structural Acoustics and Vibration.

Speaker: Tarik Haydar, Children's National Medical Center and George Washington University

Where: S-5 Osmond Laboratory

Time: 10:00 AM

host: Steven Schiff, Departments of Neurosurgery
Department of Engineering Sciences and Mechanics, Physics
(863-4210 or 321-4884)

John W. Shaw is a 1989 graduate of the Engineering Science program with high honors and distinction, and the recipient of the Department’s 1989 Francis H. Fenlon Award in recognition of his outstanding senior thesis in Engineering Science. Mr. Shaw began his career as an Edison Engineer with General Electric’s Aircraft Control Systems business. After two years, he attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Law and graduated magna cum laude in 1994. Mr. Shaw then worked for one year as a law clerk for the Honorable Murray M. Schwartz in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and joined the Wilmington, Delaware, law firm of Young Conaway Stargatt and Taylor, LLP, in 1995.

Glenn L. Schmehl retired from Agere Systems in 2004 as General Manager of Agere’s manufacturing operations in Reading, Allentown, and Breinigsville, PA. He is currently Managing Partner of a management consulting company with clients throughout the United States.

Mr. Schmehl graduated from Penn State with a B.S. in Engineering Mechanics in December 1965 and an M.S. in Materials Science from Lehigh in 1969. His career has included a manufacturing research assignment in Princeton, NJ, and manufacturing operations assignments in Atlanta, Baltimore, Reading, Allentown, and Singapore. He was instrumental in the formation of joint venture semiconductor manufacturing companies in Thailand, Singapore, and Florida; and he has worked extensively sourcing semiconductor manufacture throughout Asia and Europe.

Mr. Schmehl holds patents in the area of metal forming and has published in the area of plastic deformation of metals.

NOTE: Two of our Centennial Fellows are spotlighted each week.

Joby John (Ph.D., ESMCH) is currently on assignment at the University of Verona conducting research in the Department of Movement Science as part of a newly-awarded NSF Grant titled "Trial-to-Trial Nonlinear Dynamics of Human Movements" under the direction of Joseph Cusumano, Principal Investigator. Dr. Cusumano notes that the grant supports exchanges of researchers and students between the University of Verona and Penn State over the next three years.