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.

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.

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.

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.