Drs. Cliff Lissenden and Bernhard Tittman recently published an article for the Advanced Sensors and Instrumentation Newsletter.

The article, entitled "Temperature Resistant Spray-on Piezoelectric Transducers for Materials Characterization with Ultrasonic-Guided Waves," can be read here.

Congratulations to Dr. Huanyu Cheng, Dorothy Quiggle Professor in Engineering Assistant Professor of Engineering Science and Mechanics, on his election to the position of Vice-Chair of the Electronic Materials Technical Committee in the ASME Materials Division.

Dr. Cheng will serve in this capacity for two years, followed by a two year term as Chair of the committee.

Francesco Costanzo
Pennsylvania State University

Wednesday, December 2, 2015
3:35pm - 4:25pm
114 EES Building

Martin Pietrucha
Pennsylvania State University

Wednesday, November 18, 2015
3:35pm - 4:25pm
114 EES Building


Abstract: The speaker will offer his views on what he considers the different types of "research" that are part of the research enterprise along with providing some perspective on the history of research. He will also consider the characteristics of the successful research enterprise and explain how the research function in his own field, transportation, could benefit from modeling these attributes in its own research pursuits.

Biography: Martin Pietrucha is a professor of civil engineering at the Pennsylvania State University where he also directs the Thomas D. Larson Pennsylvania Transportation Institute and Penn State's Engineering Systems Program. He has nearly 40 years experience in the transportation industry working in a variety of public and private sector settings. Prior to
coming to PSU, he also held positions as a garbage man, landscaper, and bartender.

MTS Systems recently provided the Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics with materials testing equipment and software, giving undergraduate students "access to the very latest techniques for testing and analyzing the performance of materials, ranging from thin-film plastics and advanced materials to metals."

The full press release can be found here.

The Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics will welcome Dr. Saptarshi Das as an assistant professor in January. Dr. Das is seeking graduate students for his research lab.

Dr. Das’ research interests include nanofabrication of electronic and optoelectronic devices; material characterization: carbon nanotube, graphene, black phosphorus, MoS2, WSe2; electrochemical synthesis of 2D materials; energy efficient low power flexible electronics and wearable technology; and analytical modeling of transport in low dimensional systems.

Mary Frecker
Pennsylvania State University

Wednesday, November 11, 2015
3:35pm - 4:25pm
114 EES Building


Abstract: Self-folding origami has the potential to be utilized in novel areas such as self-assembling robotics and shape-morphing structures. Important design considerations include the choice of active material and its placement on the origami model. With proper placement, the error between the actual and target folded shapes can be minimized along with cost, weight, and power requirements. A method for dynamic modeling of self-folding origami structures is presented, along with optimization of specific orientations and amounts of magnetically-active material to minimize target shape approximation error.
Biography: Mary Frecker is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Biomedical Engineering and Director of the Bernard Gordon Learning Factory at the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Frecker's research interests are in the areas of adaptive structures and design optimization with applications in aerospace and medical devices. She has a B.S. from the University of Dayton, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan.

When she joined Penn State in 1997, she was awarded the Pearce Endowed Development Professorship in Mechanical Engineering. Dr. Frecker has also been awarded the GM/Freudenstein Young Investigator Award by the ASME Mechanisms Committee (2002), the Outstanding Advising Award by the Penn State Engineering Society (2002), the Outstanding Research Award by the Penn State Engineering Society (2005), and Best Paper awards from the ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Technical Committee (2009 and 2015). She is a Fellow of the ASME. Dr. Frecker has served as Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Mechanical Design, Chair of the ASME Adaptive Structures and Material Systems Technical Committee, member of the ASME Mechanisms & Robotics Committee, and Executive Committee member of the ASME Aerospace Division.