MSE News Archives 2006

Dr. Robert Carpick new appointment in MEAM and MSE

Dr. Robert Carpick will be joining the Department of Mechanical Engineering in January 2007 and will hold an appointment in MSE. Dr. Carpick joins us from the University of Wisconsin. He is internationally recognized for his research on the quantitative application of advanced scanning microscopy to the measurement of friction and nanotribology, in materials such as diamond thin films, textured polymers, self assembled organic monolayers and nanostructured materials. His research is particularly relevant in understanding surface-dominated forces such as friction and adhesion for micro- and nano-scale devices, for example micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS), which possess a large surface-to-volume ratio.

Vasek Vitek elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Vasek Vitek is one of 76 engineers nationwide inducted into the National Academy of Engineering for his work in the development of the atomistic modeling of crystalline solids and their application to materials engineering. Vasek has been a member of the MSE faculty since 1978.

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MSE Alum Dr. Katharine Frase elected to the National Academy of Engineering
Dr. Katharine Frase (Ph.D. Matric. 1980) was a member of the class of 2006 elected into the National Academy of Engineering for her "engineering contributions, including the use of lead-free materials, to the development of electronic packaging materials and processes." Katharine is currently the Vice President of Worldwide Packaging and Test at IBM Microelectronics, she also Chair of the National Materials Advisory Board and sits on the Board of Directors for the International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative. Katharine conducted her Ph.D. work at Penn with Greg Farrington.

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Shu Yang receives 2006 NSF CAREER Award
Shu Yang, Skirkanich Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, has received the prestigious Faculty Early Career Award from the National Science Foundation. The award is the most competitive and prestigious award from NSF to young faculty members in all science and engineering fields and places emphasis on high-quality research and novel education initiatives. Shu's proposed research focused on new routes for the manipulation of surfaces and interface properties, such as wettability and adhesion, through the selective grafting of responsive polymer brushes.

Dawn Bonnell receives the 2006 Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research
Dawn Bonnell is the 2006 recipient of the SEAS "George H. Heilmeier Faculty Award for Excellence in Research". Dawn was cited for her pioneering studies of the application of scanning probes to the study of complex oxides. Dawn was honored at a reception that followed her lecture, "Probing, Manipulating, and Exploiting Nanostructures".