Dana Andre, graduate student in Engineering Science and Mechanics, under the advising of Dr. Corina Drapaca, Assistant Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will attend and present a poster at the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society 2009 meeting. Dana’s poster is entitled, “Mechanisms Determining Safety and Performance of Brain Stimulating Electrodes.” The conference is scheduled for September 2 – 6, 2009 in Minneapolis, MN. For more information, please visit this website.

Dr. Richard E. Llorens (born January 24, 1930 in Philadelphia) died at Abington Memorial Hospital on August 24, 2009 after a brief illness surrounded by family.

Dr. Llorens was a professor of Engineering and Mechanical Science at Penn State University where he received his Masters Degree in 1958 and his Doctorate in 1961. He was a founding professor of the Penn State King of Prussia Graduate Center (Radnor Center) from 1965 and was the Interim Dean at the dedication of the Great Valley Graduate Center in 1989. He retired from Penn State in 1990.

Amy Miller, undergraduate student in engineering science and mechanics, participated in a 10-week DREAM (Drexel Research Experience in Advanced Materials) REU program, funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF). Amy worked in a soft matter research lab under Principle Investigator Dr. Christopher Li.

Amy’s research, "Characterization of P3HT/CNT composites", was centered on crystallizing the polymer P3HT onto carbon nanotubes and to examine the properties of this composite for possible future use an organic photovoltaic. Some of the processes and characterizations she used were differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, SEM, TEM, AFM, annealing, UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy, 4-point probe testing, sonication, and spin-coating. Amy was able to work on the project independently with the assistance of two doctoral student mentors who helped her understand theory and equipment use. The experience was such a success, she is now thinking of minoring in nanotechnology and going to graduate school for her doctorate.

Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, delivered an invited lecture entitled "Thin-film materials called sculptured thin films," on August 25, 2009 at the Joint IFIN-HH/ICTP/IAEA Workshop on Trends in Nanoscience: Theory, Experiment, Technology.

For more information on this Workshop held August 23-30 in Sibiu, Romania, please visit this website.

Some College of Engineering students got a jump start on college. More than 200 students arrived at the University Park campus on Wednesday, Aug. 19, for orientation programs geared toward women and underrepresented groups. The annual Women in Engineering Program Orientation (WEPO) and Multicultural Engineering Program Orientation (MEPO) are designed to give students a strong foundation as they begin their academic careers at Penn State.
Photo credit: Curtis Chan

Jia Hua, a graduate student in engineering science and mechanics, has received a fellowship award from the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). Jia's project is titled "Defect Characterization Potential in Buried Pipe with Ultrasonic Guided Waves." The award will be presented at the ASNT's Fall Conference and Quality Testing Show on Oct. 21 in Columbus, Ohio.
Jia is advised by Joseph Rose, professor of engineering science and mechanics.

Read the full story on Live: http://live.psu.edu/story/41078/nw54

Dr Jiri Zdarek came to Penn State’s Engineering Science and Mechanics department in September 1969 to work on his doctorate degree under the advising of Dr. Sam Zamrik. Jiri came from Czechoslovakia at that time and returned the next year to continue work on his doctorate at the Prague Technical Institute. Dr. Zdarek is now the Director of the Integrity and Technical Engineering Division at the Nuclear Research Institute, Czech Republic. Here Dr. Jiri Zdarek is pictured with Dr. Judith A. Todd, P.B. Breneman Department Head Chair and Dr. Sam Zamrik, Professor Emeritus, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, at the Pressure Vessel and Piping conference in Prague, July 27 – 31, 2009. For more information about the conference visit this website.

Dinesh Agrawal, Professor of Materials, and Engr Sci and Mech, and Director of Microwave Processing and Engineering Center gave an invited talk at the National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, Orissa, India, on "Microwave Processing of Variety of Materials: An Overview," on August 5, 2009.

Dr. Melik Demirel, Associate Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, presents a talk entitled "Pathogen sensing via surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy" at the American Chemical Society meeting in Nanorods and Microparticles in Homeland Security session, in Washington, DC, August 16-20, 2009. For more information, please visit this website.

Congratulations to Ms. Miranda Hitchcock who will represent the engineering science class of summer 2009 as the engineering science student marshal.

Ms. Hitchcock has chosen Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics to be her faculty escort.

Dr. Akhlesh Lakhtakia, Charles Godfrey Binder Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, edited volumes 1 and II in Optical Guided-wave Chemical and Biosensors. These volumes contain nine chapters covering planar wave-guides for sensing as well as techniques based on plasmonics waveguides. For more books by Dr. Lakhtakia, please visit this web site.

Dr. Al Segall, Professor in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will chair conference sessions, present and organize at the 2009 American Society for Mechanical Engineers, Pressure Vessels and Piping Meeting. The meeting will be held on July 26 - 30 in Prague, Czech Republic.

To learn more about the conference, please visit their web site.