Brian Kiraly, graduate researcher in Engineering Science and Mechanics, has been selected to receive the prestigious NASA Space Technology Research Fellowship (NSTRF). His proposal was entitled “Utilizing Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance in Metallic Nanostructures for Highly Sensitive Biosensing.” Brian is an advisee of Professor Tony Huang in Engineering Science.

Rukan Shao, undergraduate student in Engineering Science and Mechanics, under the faculty mentor Professor Corina Drapaca will attend the International Council for Industrial and Applied Mathematic in Vancouver, BC, Canada in July. Rukan’s presentation is entitled “A study of neuronal volume change with the Wilson-C model.” To learn more about ICIAM, please visit their web site.

Kathryn Barber, spring 2011 graduate in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will travel to Vancouver, BC, Canada, in July to the 7th International Congress on Industrial and Applied Mathematics. While at the conference Kathryn will present her talk on “A multiscale triphasic biomechanical model for brain tumors.” To learn more about ICIAM, please visit their web site.

This fall semester, Kevin Forgie, undergraduate student in Engineering Science and Mechanics, will be traveling and studying abroad by taking fifteen credits in Spanish liberal arts, in Alicante, Spain. Kevin will be studying advanced Spanish, liberal arts program with the company CIEE. This program is tailored to students who want total immersion into the Spanish language and culture. While in Spain, Kevin will be living with a host family and taking classes at La Universidad de Alicante.

Min Pack, graduate student in Engineering Science and Mechanics is travelling to Arusha, Tanzania to present as a humanitarian engineer on Affordable Greenhouses early this summer. Last year, Min traveled to Kenya with an eDesign Penn State group to construct an affordable greenhouse in that region. As a result of the Kenya construction, Min was able to assist local farmers with alternative and inexpensive alternates of growing crops.