Message from the Dean (August 2005)
Welcome to the August 2005 edition of Enginews, the monthly online newsletter of the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
This issue of Enginews highlights Lehigh's Micro-Aerial Vehicle (MAV) team, which embodies the initiative, resourcefulness and creativity that have become the hallmark of Lehigh engineering.
The MAV team is composed of six undergraduate mechanical engineering majors who performed with distinction at an international competition in South Korea. The students worked with Prof. Joachim Grenestedt on what was truly an independent project, spending much of their spare time this past year building, testing and flying a 37-gram aircraft. They designed the plane, chose the best materials, sought outside expertise, and raised their own money to cover travel expenses. This type of interdisciplinary expertise is increasingly the mark of excellence in engineering, and we salute the team and Prof. Grenestedt for putting Lehigh's best foot forward on a prestigious international stage.
On another note, I would like to thank the faculty, staff and students who worked hard to organize three successful summer camps. Each of these week-long camps - the CHOICES summer camp for middle-school girls, the Opto Camp for middle-school boys and girls, and the Materials Camp for high school students - was held for the first time last summer. Each camp is an effort to encourage more young people to consider engineering as a future career, and is an important part of our college's mission to reinvigorate engineering research and education for the 21st century.
Our CHOICES summer camp more than doubled its enrollment. Opto Camp, hosted by Lehigh's Center for Optical Technologies in conjunction with Northampton and Lehigh-Carbon Community Colleges, has proved so popular that it is being offered three times this summer. The Materials Camp is a model partnership between Lehigh and the academic and business community; the camp is run by Lehigh graduate students in materials science and engineering, and is supported by the Lehigh Valley chapter of ASM International, Carpenter Technology Corp. and the Air Products Foundation.
On a personal note, I am pleased to welcome Fil Bartoli as the new chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering when he arrives next semester. Fil comes to Lehigh after a distinguished 35-year career with the National Science Foundation and the Naval Research Laboratory. He succeeds Don Bolle, former dean of engineering at Lehigh, who receives our gratitude for a job well done as interim ECE chair.
Please also congratulate Jerry Lennon, professor of civil and environmental engineering, who next June will succeed Rick Weisman as RCEAS associate dean for undergraduate studies. Jerry takes this role as an extension of his 20-plus years as an outstanding educator and leader in our Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. We also extend our sincere thanks and best wishes to Rick - a superb associate dean for the past 11 years who is returning to his duties as professor of CEE.
I hope you enjoy reading Enginews as much as I enjoy telling you about the exciting developments around our college. As always, feel free to click on the icons and drop a line to Kurt Pfitzer with suggestions for improvement and with ideas for stories and photos.
Best wishes,
S. David Wu
This issue of Enginews highlights Lehigh's Micro-Aerial Vehicle (MAV) team, which embodies the initiative, resourcefulness and creativity that have become the hallmark of Lehigh engineering.
The MAV team is composed of six undergraduate mechanical engineering majors who performed with distinction at an international competition in South Korea. The students worked with Prof. Joachim Grenestedt on what was truly an independent project, spending much of their spare time this past year building, testing and flying a 37-gram aircraft. They designed the plane, chose the best materials, sought outside expertise, and raised their own money to cover travel expenses. This type of interdisciplinary expertise is increasingly the mark of excellence in engineering, and we salute the team and Prof. Grenestedt for putting Lehigh's best foot forward on a prestigious international stage.
On another note, I would like to thank the faculty, staff and students who worked hard to organize three successful summer camps. Each of these week-long camps - the CHOICES summer camp for middle-school girls, the Opto Camp for middle-school boys and girls, and the Materials Camp for high school students - was held for the first time last summer. Each camp is an effort to encourage more young people to consider engineering as a future career, and is an important part of our college's mission to reinvigorate engineering research and education for the 21st century.
Our CHOICES summer camp more than doubled its enrollment. Opto Camp, hosted by Lehigh's Center for Optical Technologies in conjunction with Northampton and Lehigh-Carbon Community Colleges, has proved so popular that it is being offered three times this summer. The Materials Camp is a model partnership between Lehigh and the academic and business community; the camp is run by Lehigh graduate students in materials science and engineering, and is supported by the Lehigh Valley chapter of ASM International, Carpenter Technology Corp. and the Air Products Foundation.
On a personal note, I am pleased to welcome Fil Bartoli as the new chair of the department of electrical and computer engineering when he arrives next semester. Fil comes to Lehigh after a distinguished 35-year career with the National Science Foundation and the Naval Research Laboratory. He succeeds Don Bolle, former dean of engineering at Lehigh, who receives our gratitude for a job well done as interim ECE chair.
Please also congratulate Jerry Lennon, professor of civil and environmental engineering, who next June will succeed Rick Weisman as RCEAS associate dean for undergraduate studies. Jerry takes this role as an extension of his 20-plus years as an outstanding educator and leader in our Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. We also extend our sincere thanks and best wishes to Rick - a superb associate dean for the past 11 years who is returning to his duties as professor of CEE.
I hope you enjoy reading Enginews as much as I enjoy telling you about the exciting developments around our college. As always, feel free to click on the icons and drop a line to Kurt Pfitzer with suggestions for improvement and with ideas for stories and photos.
Best wishes,
S. David Wu
Posted on:
Sunday, July 31, 2005
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