ESM Today, a graduate student research showcase for graduate students in the Engineering Science and Mechanics Department (ESM), was held earlier this month at the University Park Campus. The Symposium, which is organized by the Engineering Science and Mechanics Graduate Student Council, included twelve paper presentations and seven poster presentations.

The 2006 paper presentation winners are:

Ying Shan, Flexible Matrix Composite Actuators and Structures, First Place.
Matt Kelly, Quantitative Microstructural analysis of Thermal Barrier Coatings Produced by Electron Beam Physical Vapor Deposition, Second Place.
Michael Pedrick, Ultrasonic NDE in Thin Walled Concrete for Flaw Detection, Third Place.

The 2006 poster competition winners are:

Eric Hauck, Novel Methods for Crack Detection in Green and Sintered Parts, First Place.
Jing Mu, Defect Sizing in Pipe Using an Ultrasonic Guided Wave Focusing Technique, Second Place.
Lance Haney, Microwave Characterization of Thin Film Titanium Dioxide, Third Place.

First, second and third place winners received, respectively, $500; $300; and $200 Breneman Travel Grants.

The ESM Today Symposium is held annually each February. Each year, the symposium honors an ESM faculty member. This year's honoree was Department Head Emeritus Richard P. McNitt