Professor Riccardo Betti wins Edward Teller Medal for Fusion Research
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Riccardo Betti, senior scientist in laser energetics, professor of mechanical engineering and physics and astronomy at the University of Rochester and director of the Fusion Science Center for Extreme States of Matter, has won the Edward Teller Medal for his research into laser-driven fusion at the University's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE).
The award is named after Edward Teller, the co-founder of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and one of the key designers of the hydrogen bomb. Only two honorees are chosen to receive the award every other year. Betti will be presented with a silver medal and $2,000 on Sept. 10 at the International Conference on Inertial Fusion Sciences and Applications in San Francisco, Calif."
Click here to see the entire article. |
AIOP Poster Awards
Prof. Funkenbusch's paper "Effect of Sublingual Depth of Implant Placement on the Dimentional Accuracy of the Implant Impression: An In Vitro Study" awarded in the three best papers presented at the 27th International Congress of the Italian Academy of Prosthetic Dentistry held in Bologna on November 21 and 22, 2008.
PDF of the announcement.
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University of Rochester's Engineering School Named for Edmund A. Hajim
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"The University of Rochester announced that its engineering school will, effective July 1, be officially named the Edmund A. Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
The naming recognizes alumnus Edmund Hajim's many decades of service and contributions to the University, including his $30 million gift commitment last fall to the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Hajim earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at Rochester in 1958, has had a highly successful career as a senior executive for several Wall Street firms, has served for the past year as the Chairman of the University's Board of Trustees, and has been a member of the Board since 1988."
Click here to see the entire article. |
Undergrad student Nick Brown awarded Fullbright Scholarship
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We would like to announce that Mechanical Engineering, class of 2009 senior, Nicolas Brown was named the recipient of a 2009 Fulbright Scholarship to Germany. His Fulbright project in Germany will involve enrollment in the 16-month interdisciplinary Postgraduate Program in Renewable Energy (PPRE) at the Carl von Ossietzky Universitaet Oldenburg, an institution with a strong dedication to the social responsibility of science. The Fulbright awardthe second given to a SEAS Mechanical Engineering student in three yearswill cover expenses for 10 months of Nick’s time in Germany. He is particularly excited about the prospect of doing research on wind power in Germany and bringing his knowledge and experiences back to the U.S. Please join me in congratulating our newest Fulbright Scholar, Nicholas Brown!
Click here to read more |
THE 17th ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON MATERIALS RESEARCH, SOMR 2009
Call for Abstracts MRS
The 17th Annual Symposium on Materials Research, SOMR 2009, will take place April 21, 2009 in the Wilson Commons Gowen Room. As usual, this event is sponsored by the University of Rochester Chapter of the Materials Research Society (URCMRS).
SOMR is a unique opportunity to present your research in a casual and informal atmosphere right here on campus. We strongly encourage all students and postdocs involved in materials-related research to submit an abstract for either a presentation or poster.
Each speaker will have 15 minutes to present, including time for questions. As usual, there will be awards for the best presentations and posters, and lunch will be provided to all attendees. Abstracts are due no later than April 3 (see guidelines below).
If you have any questions regarding SOMR 2009, please feel free to contact me, or check the URCMRS website. Also, please forward this message to other materials researchers on campus or in the Rochester area.
For questions, email Josh Winans. |
PROF. JAMES LI AND PHD STUDENT JINGLANG SHUI IN THE NEWS
Nanowires May Lead to Better Fuel Cells
The creation of long platinum nanowires at the University of Rochester could soon lead to the development of commercially viable fuel cells.
Described in a paper published today in the journal Nano Letters, the new wires should provide significant increases in both the longevity and efficiency of fuel cells, which have until now been used largely for such exotic purposes as powering spacecraft. Nanowire enhanced fuel cells could power many types of vehicles, helping reduce the use of petroleum fuels for transportation, according to lead author James C. M. Li, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester.
"People have been working on developing fuel cells for decades. But the technology is still not being commercialized," says Li. "Platinum is expensive, and the standard approach for using it in fuel cells is far from ideal. These nanowires are a key step toward better solutions."
Read entire article.
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NEW BOOK BY PROF. THOMAS
Professor John H. (Jack) Thomas has joined the list of faculty from Mechanical Engineering who have authored or co-authored books. Prof. Thomas' monograph, Sunspots and Starspots, co-authored with Nigel O. Weiss from Cambridge University, was published in October 2008 by Cambridge University Press. The monograph is based on extensive collaborations between Professors Thomas and Weiss over the years via sabbaticals and extended stays at Cambridge University and University of Rochester, respectively.
The Thomas and Weiss monograph provides the first comprehensive combined account of the properties of sunspots and starspots. It covers both observations and theory, and describes the intricate fine structure of a sunspot's magnetic field and the prevalence of polar spots on stars. The book includes a substantial historical introduction and treats solar and stellar magnetic activity, dynamo models of magnetic cycles, and the influence of solar variability on the Earth's magnetosphere and climate.
This book conveys the excitement of its subject to graduate students and specialists in solar and stellar physics, and more broadly toastronomers, geophysicists, space physicists, and experts influid dynamics and plasma physics.
Other faculty members in Mechanical Engineering who have authored books include:
Prof. Roger Gans (Analytical Kinematics, published in 1991 by Butterworth-Heinemann).
Prof. Paul Funkenbusch (Practical Guide to Designed Experiments, published in 2004 by Marcel Dekker).
Prof. James C. M. Li (editor of Microstructure and Properties of Materials, vol 1 published in 1996 by World Scientific, and vol. 2 published in 2000).
Prof. Rob Clark (Adaptive Structures: Dynamics Control, co-authored with William Saunders and Gary Gibbs, published in 1998 by Wiley).
David Quesnel (Particle Adhesion, published in 2002 by Taylor & Francis, co-edited with Don Rimai and Louis Sharpe). |
NEW UNDERGRAD PROGRAM ON ARCHAEOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE!
The Department of Mechanical Engineering participates in a new undergraduate program on ARCHAEOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE. The other participating departments are Religion and Classics, Art History, and History. The program director is Professor Renato Perucchio.
The program aims to apply engineering methodologies as well as architectural, archaeological, historical, and anthropological approaches to investigate the establishment and evolution of technological practices and their relationship to ancient and pre-industrial societies and cultures. We emphasize undergraduate research under the aegis of both the University of Rochester and prestigious foreign academic institutions to address the interpretation, conservation, and restoration of the World Cultural Heritage. A distinctive feature of the program is study-on-location courses and internships, to be conducted both in Rochester and abroad as semester-long programs or intensive summer courses.
SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM
* Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental
* Integration of archaeology, architecture, classics, art history, history of technology, and engineering
* Study on location and study abroad opportunities
* Major, minor, clusters in several tracks
* Research with faculty leading to Senior Thesis
* Global perspective across societies and cultures
* Collaboration with prestigious foreign academic institutions
* New and unique academic program at the national level
Program brochure.
Program Web site. |
NEW UNDERGRAD COURSE ON NUCLEAR ENGINEERING IN SPRING 2009!
In Spring 2009 the Department of Mechanical Engineering will be offering the 4-credit course ME 253 "Introduction to Nuclear Engineering". The course is targeted for all SEAS juniors and seniors, as well as students from Chemistry, Physics, and Earth and Environmental Sciences. The instructor will be Gordon P. Verdin, Principal Engineer in Constellation Energy's Ginna Nuclear Power Plant.
This course expands the offerings from our Department in energy and power. Other undergraduate courses are ME 123 (Engineering Thermodynamics), ME 251 (Advanced Heat Power & Applications), ME 241 (Fluid Dynamics), ME 223 (Heat Transfer), and several graduate courses in plasma physics, laser-plasma interactions, and inertial confinement fusion. |
Prof. Perucchio and colleagues receive ASME Richard Skalak most meritorious paper award
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The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) has awarded the 2007 Richard Skalak ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering Best Paper Award to the paper "Computational Model for the Transition
From Peristaltic to Pulsatile Flow in the Embryonic Heart Tube" published in the J. Biomechanical Engineering, June 2007, Vol 129, pp 441-449 by Larry A. Taber, Jinmei Zhang, and Renato Perucchio.
Each year the Editor-in-Chief and the editorial board members of the ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering the most meritorious of all the papers published in the Journal in the previous year.
The award was announced Saturday, June 28, 2008 at the plenary session of the 2008 ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference at Marco Island, FL.
Jinmei Zhang earned her Ph.D in ME at the University of Rochester in July 2001, with Taber as the primary advisor and Perucchio on the thesis committee. |
Prof. Jack H. Thomas elected as fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science
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John H. Thomas, professor of mechanical and aerospace sciences and of astronomy at the University of Rochester, has been named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
The AAAS elected Thomas for his career of elucidating the physics of the sun and other stars, and for the impact he has made on astrophysics as editor of astrophysical journals.
View the complete article here. |
Prof. James C.M. Li wins Distinguished Teaching Award, UR News (October 11, 2007)
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The ASM International Materials Information Society has awarded Professor James C. M. Li, the Albert A. Hopeman Professor of Engineering at the University of Rochester, with this year's Albert Easton White Distinguished Teacher Award. The award is given to honor his long-standing and diverse contributions to materials science, as well as the enthusiasm and skill he brings to teaching.
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Dr. Amit Goyal awarded the "Pride of India" medal
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Amit Goyal, Ph.D., 1991, ORNL Distinguished Scientist and Battelle Distinguished Inventor
Sponsored by the NRI Institute, the award recognizes people of India origin around the world for outstanding achievements in their chosen fields. Award recipients were chosen from leaders, pioneers and profesisonals world-wide. Dr. Goyal was one of 24 people selected for this prestigious honor. Click here for more information. |
Mechanical Engineering Academic All-American - Class 2007 | Jason Goeller ’07, , Pittsburgh
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A second team football Academic All-American, Goeller helped lead the defense as an outside linebacker as well as a defensive end and tackle. As a member of NROTC, he began his commission on active duty with the United States Navy in Charleston, South Carolina, in May. Goeller was also named first team All-Liberty League as a linebacker and is a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon Fraternity. Click here to read the article on Rochester Review. |
Mechanical Engineering Academic All-American - Class 2007 / Susan Johnson ’07. Salamanca, New York
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A second team Academic All-American, the outside hitter for the women’s volleyball team leaves the Yellowjackets as the University’s leader in kills and digs. Johnson, who also coaches a girls’ high school club team, is a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, and is a member of the St. Sebastian Community Service Society. She was named New York State Co-Offensive Player of the Year by the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association and was named first team All-New York State for four straight years. Click here to read the article on Rochester Review.
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Distinguished Scholar Medal for Materials Science PhD graduate - Dr. Amit Goyal
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Amit Goyal, Ph.D., 1991, ORNL Distinguished Scientist and Battelle Distinguished Inventor
The University of Rochester graduate is one of the nation's leading scientists in the field of high-temperature superconductors. Dr. Goyal is the lead inventor of a prominent process to fabricate high-performance superconducting wire. The holder of fifty issued patents and the author of 300 published articles, Dr. Goyal is truly a scientist who has altered the course of his discipline. For his outstading achievements and for his dedication to the ideals of the University, Dr. Goyal was awarded Rochester's Distinguished Scholar Medal in May 2006 at the Doctoral Ceremony. Click here to learn more about Dr. Amit Goyal. |
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"Mechanical Engineering Students Race in 2006 SAE Mini-Baja MidWest".Click here for press release
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Under the advisement of Professors Sheryl Gracewski and David Quesne,l the U of R "Yellowjackets" team built a four-wheel, one-person car that could meet the challenges of the rugged Mini-Baja course.
Click here to read more of what Scott Russel, who accompanied the team, wrote about the team's challenges in the MidWest Competition. |
Prof. James C.M. Li elected National Academy of Engineering Fellow, UR News (February 15, 2006)
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James C. M. Li, Albert A. Hopeman Professor of Engineering at the University of Rochester, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering, one of the most prestigious honors in the engineering fields. Li has been a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for 35 years. |
"Outstanding Student Paper Award" Christophe Bouvier, Ph.D. student.
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Congratulations to our PhD student Christophe Bouvier for his Student Poster Competition award from the American Precision Optics Manufacturer's Association (APOMA). All the three awarded students were from the UR, and Christophe tied in the second place for the Outstanding Student Paper award for his "Prediction of the Depth of Cut For Tools Having a Finite Contact Path" poster.
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"ASME Fellow" Stephen J. Burns, Ph.D., P.E.
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An outstanding engineer, Stephen J. Burns is Chair of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rochester. Teacher and researcher for 40 years, he is a recognized authority on materials and fracture mechanics publishing over 150 papers and articles. His contributions to materials engineering focus on the control of crack growth and fatigue crack propagation. With his students, he has pioneered the concepts of crack-tip shielding from plastic deformation; and his ideas are widely used to retard cracking in design. Professor Burns has consulted for many companies and presented seminars both in the US and abroad.
Cornell University - Ph.D. - 1965 | Professional Engineer - NY |
"Researchers honored for work in physics," Currents (February 17, 2003)
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David Meyerhofer, experimental division director and senior scientist at the University's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) and professor of Mechanical Engineering and Physics, was elected for his contributions to direct-drive confinement fusion and high-intensity laser-matter interactions.
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"Team unravels sunspot mystery," Currents (December 9, 2002)
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In what may be one of the most important steps in understanding sunspots since they were discovered by Chinese sky watchers more than two millennia ago, researchers at Rochester, along with researchers at the University of Colorado, University of Cambridge, and University of Leeds, have reported an answer to several sunspot mysteries in the current issue of Nature.
"We believe we have found the key to understanding the structure of sunspots," says John Thomas, professor of mechanical and aerospace sciences and of astronomy. "It's the missing link of sunspot evolution--explaining why the main magnetic tube gets torn apart like a peeled banana, why some lines of force dive back below the surface of the sun, and why sunspots grow a penumbra in the first place." |
"Students Tunnel Their Way to Revised Wind Chill Table," The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Mechanical Advantage, Volume 10, Number 2
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"Gildner, Grabski, & Gruber.
Although these names hold promise for an onomatopoeically-inclined barbershop trio, they actually belong to three mechanical engineering seniors from the University of Rochester, N.Y., who have a better chance of being remembered for their compelling research revising the currently accepted wind chill table.
Current, however, may not be the best word to describe a table based on a single experiment conducted 60 years ago in less-than-ideal conditions. |
That is why Candace Gildner, Dan Grabski, and Matthew Gruber decided to revisit this old chart during their Solids and Materials Lab last fall. Not coincidentally, they happen to live in a place where windchill matters. As Grabski puts it, “We have more than enough experience in Rochester with cold weather and a lot of wind.”
What they found is that the wind chill values—which provide an alternative temperature reading based on the cooling effects of wind—are largely overblown, often by more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s a significant difference, but one consistent with recent theories on the subject, and with subjective observations that it frequently doesn’t feel as cold as the wind chill table indicates. " |
ASME sponsored its second annual Pumkin Launch Competition
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Friday, Oct. 24 - Pumpkins were slung, pitched and launched skyward by the dozens at University of Rochester sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers at their second annual Jack-O-Launcher competition.
“It’s not about the accuracy, it's about blowing $#@! up,” said Jace Harker, the winner of the distance competition. His pumpkin flew a record 199' 3". |
Left to Right: Back Row;(Becca Sticha, Joe Wodenscheck, Jason Thompson, Brian Cashmire, Dan Nathan-Roberts, Dean Burgett, Professor Quesnel, Mike Hakiel, Paul Witinski) Front Row;(Jace Harker, Frank Mrakovcic, Tom Howard) |
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