News Letter Summer 2003 Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering

8/14/2019 News Letter Summer 2003 Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Car negie MechD E P A R T M E N T O F M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G

ht tp : / /www.me.cmu.edu/ Volume 6 Number 3 Summer 2003

Carnegie Mellon

ENGINEERING

I

N

S

I

D

E8 William J. Br own

Pr ofessor Chair Reception

7 William Pur cell onthe Global Futur eof Engineer ing

6 Ar on Ralst on: TheCour ageous Jour neyof One of Our Ow n

MechanicalEngineering

Whats Different?

Whats Not?

What Does theFuture Hold?

Professors Robinson andShimada, and Alumnus

Bill Purcell offer someperspectives(See articles starting on page 3)


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This has been an excellent year for our department, one where we have experiencedsignificant growth and made exciting contributions in research and education.

Through the generous assistance of friends and alumni, the department continues

to renovate old laboratories and build new ones that will enable our educational

and research initiatives. The engine laboratory will be combined with the air quality

laboratory in a new location. Construction of a newmicro-fluidics laboratory will be under way next year

through a beneficent gift from Ford Motor Company.

In addition, our relationship with Kennametal continues

to move forward with expansion of the Kennametal

Fellows program to include support for our design

courses. Also, our strategic relationship with Parametric

Technologies has enabled us to introduce CAD/CAM software throughout our

academic curriculum.

Our research productivity, both in terms of volumeand in significance, is continuing to rise. The

department now has a strong team of faculty whose

research interests center on micro-mechanical

engineering. Their investigations into engineering

phenomena that take place at the microand even

nanoscales will help us develop new devices

and new processes for next-generation engineering

products. Dr. Shelley Anna, who will be joining us in September, complements these

endeavors with her background in micro-structural control of complex fluids. The

commitment of the faculty to provide the best possible education for our students

is mirrored by the strong sense of pride among the student body.

The number of students in the department, both undergraduate and graduate,

continues to increase and has reached a record high for the upcoming fall

semester. In addition, our students continue to do very well. This year,

Matt DiCicco won the top research honors prize in the college while eigh

other mechanical engineering students were recognized by the university

for their leadership contributions on campus. The SAE student section

won top prizes in Micro Baja competitions. In addition, ASME

Pittsburgh section selected two of our students as Outstanding

Student Member and Outstanding Student Section Leader.

As our recent graduates join the ranks of our distinguished

alumni, we look forward to next year with a bigger student

body, additional new faculty, and increased enthusiasm.

We would like to hear from friends and alumni; we

value your thoughts, opinions, and support.

Thank you,

Adnan Akay

Car negie MechMessage from

ADNAN AKAY DEPARTMENT HEAD

The number of studenin the department, both

undergraduate and grad

ate, continues to increas

and our students are doi

very well.


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Along with chemistry, there are also traditional aspects of

mechanical engineering involved in Prof.Robinsons research,

including the study of emissions from combustion systems

to help understand the impact of operating conditions on

the composition of emissions. The combination of thesemultidisciplinary areas of research has

attracted a new breed of mechanical

engineering students to the department.

According to Robinson, typically

the students I work with have a primary

motivation to understand environmental

issues. In the past, civil engineers were

the main researchers in environmental

issues; however, mechanical engineers

are now partnering with these groups

to make new strides

in environmental

engineering.

Based on this new interest, new applications are antici-

pated in mechanical engineering with interests in environ-mental issues. Prof. Robinson offers, the

results of the Supersiteresearch should

define sourcereceptor relationships, which

are needed to develop regulatory strategies

to meet the recently promulgated fine

particulate matter standards. EPA

proposed these new standards in 1997

to better protect our health. Robinson

continues, Our results will provide

information on how changing emission

levels will affect ambient particulate con-

centrations. The strategy is to identify the source of pollutants

so the causes can be reducedin other words, implementing

control strategies in sources such as power plant and auto-

mobile emissions.

One area of research on the horizon is the impact of

aerosols on the climate. For example, we already know how

carbon dioxide affects radiative forcing, a potential driver for

climate change; however, large uncertainties exist regarding the

Featured Article

Engineers Study Their Environment

Professor Allen Robinson joined Carnegie Mellon in 1998 with a joint appointment in

Mechanical Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy. Professor Robinson has

also seen a shift toward more nontraditional research in mechanical engineering.

According to Prof. Robinson, from a traditional mechanical engineering perspective,

one of the most unusual areas of my research involves Analytical Chemistry.

My research group is collecting information on molecular tracersor fingerprintsto identify the

different sources of organic particulate matter. Along with Professors

Spyros Pandis from Chemical Engineering and Cliff Davidson from Civil

and Environmental Engineering, Prof. Robinson has been working over the

past couple of years on what has been dubbed the Supersite Project,

a large EPA- and DOE-sponsored air quality study in the Pittsburgh region.

We featured this project in the Winter 2001 edition of Carnegie Mech.

Researcher Eric Lipsky adjusts flowswhile conducting a test to compare thetwo dilution sampling systems. Thetwo samplers are sampling from theexhaust of a small wood stove.

3

Pictured above, the Carnegie Mellon

dilution sampler sampling from the

exhaust of a pilot scale coal combustor.continued on page 5

The results of the Supersiteresearch should define sourcerecep-

tor relationships, which are needed

to develop regulatory strategies to

meet the recently promulgated fine

particulate matter standards.


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There are two types of

issues involved in

orthopedicsfractures

and inherent deformities.

Traditionally, doctors rely on

x-rays and their experience to

determine treatment. Withx-rays of the front and side

view of the bone, the doctors

try to imagine what the

three-dimensional shape

would be like. The two typical

types of treatment are: oste-

otomy, where the surgeon cuts

the bone, reshapes the problem

area, and inserts a plate to fuse the areas together; or distrac-

tion osteogenesis, where a narrow gap is created between two

bone fragments, and while new bone grows into the gap the

two fragments are mechanically moved away from each other

at a rate of 1 millimeter per day, extending the overall bone

length about 1 inch in a month.

Although the technical issues of orthopedics are not

traditional mechanical engineering problems, there are many

technical and research aspects in which mechanical engineers

can make contributions, both in hardware and software.

The hardware includes fixators that hold bone fragments

in place. A fixator guides the bone to re-grow into a

designated formation. There are two types of fixators

serial linkage fixators and parallel linkage fixators. One of

the current commercial parallel linkage systems, the TaylorSpatial Frame, uses six struts around the bone that have to

be adjusted by the patient at specific intervals.

Professor Kenji Shimada is designing a new serial linkage

system that will use only two adjustment points to move a bone

fragment to a desired position and orientation. This new type

of fixator will reduce error in adjustments, while achieving the

necessary three-dimensional motion of a bone fragment.

In addition to the hardware, there are also important

software aspects to the research. Currently, there is little

computer assistance in traditional orthopedic surgery, and

most doctors are making

decisions based on two-

dimensional images of the

bone (x-rays) and their own

experience. This is a major

reason why it takes many

years to become an expert inthe field. This almost total

reliance on human skill often

leads to additional visits for

the patient due to inaccurate

planning or mistakes in

calculations in reshaping

the bone.

Prof. Shimadas research

includes developing computer software that creates a three-

dimensional shape of the bone from a few x-ray images, giving

doctors a tool for more precise treatment planning. The soft-

ware system generates a three-dimensional bone shape using

free form deformation and numerical optimization, two tech-

niques used in other mechanical engineering research. Once

a three-dimensional bone shape is created, it is also possible

to create a physical mockup of the bone, which can be used

as a training tool for interns and young doctors. The mockup

can be manipulated as a real bone to show the doctor the end

results before beginning treatment.

Two years ago, a group comprising Prof. Shimada,

two other Carnegie Mellon faculty members, and two local

orthopedic surgeons, founded Bonecraft, Inc. to further the

research on the fixator and surgical planning software.Bonecraft anticipates commercializing the new technology

within the next three to four years.

In the automotive, aerospace, and other manufacturing

industries, computer-aided design (CAD) and finite element

method (FEM) software packages are intensively used to

optimize the design and to increase the efficiency of the

design and analysis process. Using CAD and FEM in

medicine is relatively new, however, and it can be very

relevant. Computer-aided analysis can be used, for example,

in aneurysm analysis. At present, it takes years of experience

Professor Kenji Shimada has worked in the Mechanical Engineering Department at Carnegie

Mellon since the fall of 1996. Over the years, he has seen mechanical engineering evolve

toward more nontraditional areas of research. One of the more unusual projects that he is

involved in currently is computer-aided orthopedic surgery.

Given tw o x-ray images, softw are developed in Prof. Shimadas

lab can generate a t hree-dimensional bone model (right) using

free-form deformation and numerical optimization.

Featured Article

Engineers Study the Healing Process


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to determine the state of an aneurysm. Utilizing finite element

analysis, a doctor can obtain a more objective index for the

possibility of rupture. Prof. Shimada is currently collaborating

with researchers at the University of Pittsburgh to create a

computational model and simulation of an aneurysm with

the ultimate goal of creating such an index.

Medicine is a vast new venue for the application ofmechanical engineering talent. As Prof. Shimada states, if you

view the human body as a mechanical system, you will find

many technical aspects in which we mechanical engineers can

contribute using the expertise in the traditional mechanical

engineering disciplines. For instance, the human body

combines both the structural and

thermal-fluid aspects of engineer-

ing. A mechanical engineer has the

necessary skills to couple thermal-

fluid analysis with structural analysis

in order to conduct research in the

medical field. Mechanical engineerscan also apply their expertise in

computer modeling and analysis

of large-scale, nonlinear, and multi-

physics phenomena,which are crit-

ical in medical and clinical research.

Medical research is one of several

growing new fields requiring cross-

disciplinary research and talent.

Carnegie Mellon recognizes the

critical importance of inter- and

cross-disciplinary research and

educational programs, and has

successfully established more such

programs than most other schools.

The curriculum in the Mechanical

Engineering Department is made

highly flexible so that students

can enjoy the opportunity for inter-

disciplinary learning. Due to the

shift to this type of nontraditional

research in mechanical engineer-

ing, Prof. Shimada is noticing

that more mechanical engineeringstudents are interested in pursuing

nontraditional, multidisciplinary research. He states,

Compared to six or seven years ago, when I started at

Carnegie Mellon, there has been a definite shift toward more

multidisciplinary research, such as robotics, nanotechnology,

bio-medical engineering, and environmental engineering.

Our students are trained to perform well in multidisciplinary

problem-solving.

Multidisciplinary problem-solving skills, as Prof.

Shimada put it, might be the key to future leadership in

effects of anthropogenic

aerosols on climate, states

Robinson. Currently, theuncertainty in the potential

effects of aerosols on radiative

forcing is very large, and the

majority of their effect is to

cool the atmosphereopposite

of the greenhouse gases such

as carbon dioxide.

Robinson adds, I expect

Carnegie Mellon to be on the

forefront of this new research.

Currently, there are five faculty

members from diverse backgroundsworking in the area of air quality. This is unique in the

academic community. The interdisciplinary approach

of Carnegie Mellon provides for cross-pollinationor

synergythat is very beneficial to the research of air quality.

For instance, as a mechanical engineer, I am able to work

with chemists to assist in defining aspects of the research

in which engineers have not typically been trained.

In the past, environmental issues have not been defined

as part of the scope of mechanical engineering.In order to

benefit todays research, mechanical engineers should apply

their training and perspectives to the environment, through

such ideas as Green Design. Again, Carnegie Mellon has

been at the forefront of this initiative. q

Engineers Study Their Environmentcontinued from page 3

industry, with mechanical engineers at the forefront. He states,

I interact with industry teams that are composed of a diverse

group of engineers, such as mechanical, electrical, computer,

and materials science engineers. In these situations, I often

see the mechanical engineers taking the lead in forming and

guiding a multidisciplinary team. This is due, in part, to the

diverse training that mechanical engineers receive. Mechanicalengineers are trained to be problem-solvers. They have a

background that encourages them to learn new things. This

is why mechanical engineers are often best suited to be the

leaders in establishing the multidisciplinary teams. We should

continue to take the lead and resolve ourselves to be life-long

learners as the field of mechanical engineering continues

to evolve.q

A smaller dilution sampling

system designed for field

sampling from a full-scale

power plant. Gas analyzers

monitor the exhaust CO2concentration and the CO2concentration in the sam-

pler in order to determine

the dilution ratio.

Professor Shimadas

research group

has developed an

orthopedic surgeryplanning softw are.


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alumni news

retiring,he golfs and fly fishes, is an actor

with Tour Wafdi, is an association

treasurer, and does some private tutoring.

Herbert W. Massie, Jr.

(B.S. 1970, M.S. 1972) received his

M.S. in nuclear engineering in 1999

and is still in school at the University of

Maryland. He is a technical specialist

at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety

Board and recruits at Carnegie Mellon

each year in October.

Ramakant (Raam) Vichare

(B.S. 1972), after retiring in October

2002, traveled for a few months visiting

friends. Now he works as president for

the Dimension R company and is a

consultant in resources and supply chain

management.

Ernestine M. Kuhr

(B.S. 1980), mentioned in our Fall 2002

edition,writes to update that she was

promoted to Senior Engineer at Duke

Energy Corporation.

Tiffani Singleton, D.O.

(B.S. 1996) is a first-year family practice

resident at Dayton Community Family

Practice in Dayton, Ohio, at the Good

Samaritan Hospital.

Alumni Updatess s s s s

Sanford Norman Belkin

(B.S. 1943) passed away August 27, 2002,

in El Paso, Texas.

Alfred H. Ambrose

(B.S. 1940) has been enjoying retired life

since 1984.He spends his time playing

golf and keeping track of his five grand-

childrenthree in advanced studies and

two still in college.

William H. Davis

(1941) has no personal news to report,

but writes to comment that the Carnegie

Mech publication is well done and

appreciated.

Richard H. Flock

(B.S. 1957) retired from Westinghouse

Electric Corporation in 1994 and retired

from consulting in 2001. He moved to his

new home in Greensburg,Pennsylvania,

and was recently elected Vice President of

the Westmoreland Chapter of S.C.O.R.E,

a partner in WRHN Industries.

William J. Peterson

(B.S. 1952) retired in 1989 from the U.S.

Bureau of Mines.Arthritis ended basket-

ball play in 1987 and wind surfing in

1999.

James E. Komer

(B.S. 1958, Aero Option) decided to teach

after a 21-year military career, the business

world, and six years in Alabama state

government. He taught algebra and

geometry at Valley Forge Military

Academy for 14 years. Since finally

Aron Ralston

The Courageous Journey

of One of Our Own

Recently, in national news, we

learned of the courageous efforts

of survival of one of our mechanica

engineers. Aron Ralston, an avid

hiker, became trapped for five

days in a remote canyon in Utahs

Canyonlands National Park in April

when a boulder dislodged and

crushed his right arm. The situation

became desperate when he ran ou

of water and realized that his loca-

tion was obscure for a rescue crew

With thoughts of his family, he

made the remarkable decision to

amputate his arm to save his life.

His desire to live not only motivated

him to get out of the canyon floor

but to hike approximately five miles

before he was spotted by several

tourists. Those who knew Aron as

a student at Carnegie Mellon were

not surprised by his tenacity.

Aron Ralston graduated from

Carnegie Mellon in 1997 with a

double major in Mechanical


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At last years homecoming,William Purcell was presented

with the Alumni Distinguished Achievement Award.

This award is given for distinguished service and

accomplishment in any field of human endeavor

that brings honor to the recipient and the university.

During his career, Mr. Purcell was instrumental

in the implementation of three national nuclear

programs.He received both his bachelors

(1944) and his masters (1949) in mechanical

engineering from Carnegie Tech. His edu-

cation was interrupted toward the end of

his junior year due to World War II and so

he completed his degrees upon completion

of his military service.

Mr. Purcell,who grew up in Pittsburgh, decided to attend Carnegie Tech

because it was an excellent engineering school, and, at the time,most of the stu-

dents were local; there werent many people who went away for an education. The

student body during this time was about 80 percent from western Pennsylvania.

Many of the students were commuters, so there werent many campus activities.

President Dougherty initiated luncheons with the students.Mr. Purcell commented

that this was an important step toward creating a sense of campus community.

According to Purcell, the education he received at Carnegie Tech was a goodfoundation in math (the math department was one of the finest in the country)

and problem-solving, along with discipline and an expectation ofdoing things

in a rigorous manner,and prepared him for his career in nuclear engineering.

The biggest change in engineering that Mr. Purcell has seen over his career is

the invention of the computer. These days you can access software that can help

solve difficult problems that previously you had to solve piecemeal. Using slide

rules and the tools of the time took longer and made for some difficult problem-

solving.With the computers and technology available today, you can get optimum

results in less time and solve much more complicated problems.

Some things havent changed. Purcell observes that Carnegie Mellon has

remained the same with regard to standards, excellent performance of students,

and dedication of the professors.Purcell stated, The interdisciplinary practices now apparent in the education

of engineers is an important improvement. According to Purcell, when dealing

with engineering problems,one has to be able to deal with all kinds of attitudes

and understanding of mechanical engineering. He adds, The global nature of

engineering has increased the need for collaboration. Working in nuclear power,

Mr.Purcell often experienced challenges in dealing with other points of view.

He sees the broadening of engineering education as a positive step toward a

successful career in the industry. q

Engineering and French, and a

minor in Music. With a 3.97 QPA,

he graduated with UniversityHonors and was elected by the

Mechanical Engineering faculty to

receive the Forstall Award that year.

Aron was also a member of the

Carnegie Mellon Kiltie Band and

spent his junior year in France.

According to Professor Bob

Simoneau, who taught Engineering

Analysis while Aron was an under-

graduate here, Aron worked hard

and enjoyed life. He was involved in

everything and was always amazed

by what he was learning. Prof.

Simoneau, who is now working at

Penn State, was not surprised by

the fact that Aron matter-of-factly

told the park ranger he had ampu-

tated his arm because he was an

unassuming individual, very intelli-

gent, but not full of himself. Prof.

Simoneau commented that the

Engineering Analysis course he

taught that year, which included

Aron Ralston, was one of the

best groups of students I ever had.

Prof. Jonathan Cagan remem-

bers Aron as a member of his senior

design class. Cagan commented,

He worked on a universal shower

design to support independent living

of the elderly. He was part of an

excellent team, and his project was

very well done.

After he graduated in 1997, Aron

worked for Intel Corporation until he

returned home to Colorado.

Aron, your fellow mechanical

engineers wish you well. q

William Purcell Remembers the Past andComments on the Global Future of Engineering

7


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faculty news

Shelley Anna will join Carnegie Mellon

as an assistant professor in Mechanical

Engineering in September 2003. She

received her Ph.D. from Harvard

University in Engineering Sciences in2000. Before joining Carnegie Mellon,

she was a senior research scientist at

Solutia, Inc. for one year, and she then

completed a postdoctoral fellowship in

Fluid Mechanics and Complex Fluids

at Harvard University.

Anna will participate in the Center for Complex Fluids

Engineering, an interdisciplinary program involving faculty

from both CIT and MCS. Annas research interests comple-

ment the goals of this program by integrating concepts from

fluid mechanics, including micro-fluidics, non-Newtonian

rheology, and interfacial phenomena, to target the design an

fabrication of advanced materials. Even trace amounts of po

mers, surfactants, particles, and other microstructural compo

nents can dramatically influence the flow behavior of a liquid

both in bulk and at interfaces. Fluid f low can in turn be used

a mechanism to control the microstructure of a liquid, and

therefore to create useful materials in novel ways. Using the

concepts, Anna plans to explore both the fundamental beha

ior of flowing microstructured fluids in bulk and at interfacesas well as the processing and synthesis of new materials for

applications from encapsulation of drugs to d irected assemb

of nanostructured materials.

Research projects in Annas group wi ll draw from an inte

disciplinary mix of topics, including fluid mechanics, materia

and microfabrication. In one project, micro-fluidic devices w

be used to create particles with tailored mechanical and inte

facial properties. Gel beads, core-shell articles, and adhesive

particles could all be fabricated using these microdevices, alo

with particles containing encapsulated drugs or functional pr

teins. The particles will be targeted for use in applications su

destructive vibrations. His publications have served as bench-mark baselines for further research and the development of

methodologies that are currently in use. Many of his papers are

among the most frequently cited papers in the field, and some

have been cited as the foundation for the design of friction

damping for turbo-machinery blades.

To make the results of his research available to engineers

designing turbines,Prof.Griffin has been instrumental in the

creation and development of the GUIde (Government,

University, and Industry) Consortium on the forced response

of bladed disks. In this consortium, researchers representing

government, industry, and universities work together to promote

research and development and to expedite the transfer of new

As attested to by those in industry, Prof. Jerry Griffinscontributions to his field in the past 20 years have

altered the design of aircraft turbine engines. An official

from a key U.S. government research center considers Griffin

the foremost bladed-disk theoretician in the world, who has

established the area of mistuning for turbine blades. It would be

fair to suggest that Prof. Griffins research on engine blade

vibrations has helped aircraft engines become safer and has

saved the nation much by preventing unnecessary losses.

Griffins published research has been used to establish a

sound foundation for improved understanding of turbo-

machinery vibrations, and for the development of design

tools that allow designers to produce engines that are free from

Please join us in congratulating Professor Jerry Griffin, who

has been named the William J. Brown Professor of Mechanical

Engineering effective July 1, 2002. Professor Griffin is an inter-

nationally renowned researcher in the area of turbo-machinery

vibrations, specifically in the area of engine blade mistuning

problems, which can lead to excessive vibrations and eventual

failure of engines while in flight.

PROFILE:Shelley Anna

Pictured left to right: Nam Eung Kim, Sue Cunningham,

Drew Feiner, Jerry Griffin, Alok Sinha, Mike Rossi,

Kyun Hee Koh, and James Kenyon.

William J. Brown ProfessorChair Reception


9/12

as drug delivery and high-throughput screening, as well as

more novel applications such as directed assembly of particles

to form microstructured templates. The influence of surfac-

tants and other macromolecules on the formation of the

particles will be characterized, along with the fundamentals

of particlesurface interactions.

Anna believes that the lines between dif ferent engineering

and science disciplines are becoming much less clear in

todays cutting edge research and teaching. She looks forw ardto drawing on her own interdisciplinary experiences and her

experiences in industry to bring wider insights to her teaching.

Anna plans to teach courses in fluid mechanics, complex

fluids, and thermodynamics, and will incorporate examples

from emerging research areas such as micro-fluidics. Anna

says, The tradition of interdisciplinary research and education

at Carnegie Mellon University helps create an exciting environ-

ment that inspires creativity both in the classroom and in the

lab. I look forward to helping students develop their potential

through these innovative programs. q

9

technology into industry. He continues to lead this activity, which

has six turbine engine manufacturers as members, into its tenth

year. In part, as a result of these accomplishments, CIT in 2001

lauded Prof.Griffin with its inaugural Research Award.

In addition to his excellent research credentials, Prof. Griffin

is an excellent teacher and mentor to students and young faculty

alike. His current and former students, a number of whom hold

academic positions or are in industry working on similar prob-

lems, characterize his teaching as being passionate, but clear,

concise, and well-planned.

However,Prof. Griffins activities go beyond classroom

teaching. He has been pivotal in developing our new curricu-

lum, and continues to

play a significant role

on the undergraduateeducation committee.

CIT recognized Prof. Griffins educational accomplishments

by awarding him the Teare Award (1997). He twice received the

Best Professor of the Year award from the seniorswhen it

was first established in 1995 and again in 2002. The awards he

received describe

both the breadth

and depth of his

accomplishments

in the two areas of

academe we value

the most. His con-

tributions span

research, educa-

tion, and service at

such a high level.A reception was

held on January 24

of this year to

bestow this honor on Prof. Griffin among family, friends, and

colleagues. In attendance were several of Prof. Griffins former

students, including James Kenyon, who offered the following

comment: He taught me more than just everything to know

about my topic area; he taught me how to approach research.

Prof. Griffins students and colleagues were all pleased

to participate in this auspicious occasion.We thank Prof. Griffin

for his important and valued contributions and look forward

to his continued success at Carnegie Mellon. q

Pictured right to left: The Griffin Family

Jerry, Naomi, Matt, Linda, Ed, and

Julie Story

Professor Jonathan Cagan received the 2002 CIT

Teaching Award for Excellence.. . . .

Professor Howie Choset appeared in the October

edition of MIT Technologyin connection wi th his

slitherbot research.. . . .

Professor Paul Steif has been selected to receive

Honorable Mention in the University/Post-Secondary

Educator category from the Carnegie Science Center

Awards for Excellence Selection Committee.. . . .

Professor Jonathan Wickert received an IBM 2002

Faculty Award. Professor Wickert has done outstand-

ing research in the area of applied mechanics and the

vibration o f m echanical systems, combining physical

modeling, analysis, computation, and measurement

with a view tow ard understanding fundamental

phenomena in the dynamics of engineered systems.


10/12

On April 30, 2003, a group of Carnegie Mellon

Engineering students attended an event at

Kennametal, a manufacturing company located

in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to present their

research to the staff and researchers on site.

This was the first year that students were asked to present

research at Kennametal, and the students chosen were recipi-

ents of the newly implemented Kennametal scholarship. The

scholarship was developed to offer support to the top engineer-

ing graduate students at well-known institutions.

This years participants were from Carnegie Mellon andPenn State. Arbtip Dheeravongkit and Matthew Brake repre-

sented the Mechanical Engineering Department. There were

also three students from Information Network Institution (INI)

an affiliate of the Electrical and Computer Engineering

Department and one student from Materials Science

Engineering.

The day included poster presentations; guest

speaker, Alex Cirillo, Jr., from 3M; lunch with the

executives of Kennametal; and a tour of the facility,

including the on-site university and manufacturing

areas. According to Dr. Cirillo, much of todays

research is done on the campuses of universities andat government agencies because there is less money

available for research and development, so industries

are tapping into these alternate arenas. Bringing the stu-

dents to Kennametal allows for interaction between the researchers and the end users.

Cirillo adds that, through this exchange of information, innovation becomes a reality.

Based on recent statistics one-third of sponsored research at Carnegie Mellon

comes from industry. Carnegie Mellon works with industry because thats where the

problems that need to be solved can be found. These are the people engineering stu-

dents will be working for and with after they graduate. q

Carnegie Mellon students with Kennametal

representative, Paul Prichard (center); studen

left to right: Matt Brake (ME), Chris Lord (INI

Arbtip Dheeravongkit (ME), Anupam Dhanuk

(INI), Qidi Chen (MSE), and Sarvesh Bagla (IN

1 0

student news

Engineering Laboratory Renovation

Ford Motor Company has agreed to contribute a substantial monetary award to the MechanicalEngineering Department to help renovate and equip a new laboratory for research activities inthe area of micro-fluidics. The laboratory will feature state-of-the-art instrumentation to perform

fundamental investigations in this rather new field. Prof. Shelley Anna, recently hired by the depart-

ment (also featured in this edition of Carnegie Mech), will utilize this new space for her research

involving both the fundamental behavior of flowing microstructured fluids in bulk and at interfaces, as well as

the processing and synthesis of new materials for applications from encapsulation of drugs to directed assembly

of nanostructured materials. Shelley is an expert in micro-fluidics, with a Ph.D. from Harvard, and is currently

conducting a postdoctoral assignment at MIT and Harvard. Read more about Shelley Anna on page 8. q

Arbtip Dheeravongkit w ith a

poster of her research enti-

tled Mesh Pre-Deforming for

Large Deformation Analysis.

Paul Prichard gives the students a tour of

Kennametal University, an on-site training

center for the Kennametal employees and

customers.

Kennametal Scholarship RecipientsInvited to Present Their Research


11/12

v

1 1

This years design competition for

Fundamentals of Mechanical

Engineering involved a mousetrap-

powered airplane. The objective

was to deliver an airplane as far a

distance as possible using a stan-

dard household mousetrap as the

only energy source for propulsion.

At the end of the semester, teams

of three students competed in

head-to-head fights against other

designs in the class during a modi-

fied elimination round-robin tourna-

ment. The winning team, Dan

Bernier, Chytra Pawashe, and ErickJohnson, created an airplane that

flew the length of the gymnasium.

Second place went to David

Bertucci, Joel Clark, and Murat Asci.v

Matthew DiCicco, a senior in mechanical engineering won the top prize

for CIT Research Honors this year. His project, entitled A Muscle

Controlled Orthotic Exoskeleton for the Hand, was advised by Prof.

Yoky Matsuoka. The goal of this project was to design and construct a

lightweight, comfortable orthotic device for the hand (exoskeleton) to

be used by upper spinal cord patients suffering from a loss of precise

control in the upper limbs and hands. At the end of the project, it

was demonstrated that his device enabled a quadriplegic individual

with partial upper limb control to grasp and manipulate objects.

At the Society of Automotive Engineers 2002 Micro Baja competition,

Carnegie Mellon came out the big winner again. Placing 1st, 2nd, and

3rd in the modified stock category, and 1st and 2nd in the unlimited

category, the team also won best design and best performance in

these categories. One of the teams entries, Frankenstein, has been

on top for five years. Congratulations to our team members in

mechanical engineering: Dan Fry, Serge L-Gregory, Mike Miles, and

Carl Neimeyer. The next M icro Baja competition w ill be held in Detroit

at the SAE World Conference in March of 2004. We can expect great

things again from our talented students.

Junior mechanical engineering student, Vanessa Gerber, wasselected to receive the Lockheed-Martin Award. In addition to a

monetary reward, Lockheed-Martin also offers the winners an oppor-

tunity for a summer internship. In addition, Gerber was part of a team

who won the bronze medal in the Womens Lightweight 4 division at

the 65th annual Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia, this May.

John P. Reifenberg, also a junior in the department, was selected

as a Boeing Leadership Scholarship recipient. John was

selected as a student who exemplifies leadership, teamwork,

quality, and perseverance, traits targeted for the selection

of the Boeing Award.

Two of the mechanical engineering ASME Student Section

members were honored by the Pittsburgh Section of

ASME; Christopher R. Antimary was chosen Outstanding

Student Member and Chung Hwan Jos Lee was

selected Outstanding Student Section Leader. q


12/12

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and Carnegie Mellon University is required not to discriminate inadmission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national orig in, sex, orhandicap in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, and Section504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or other federal, state, or local laws or executive orders. In addition, Carnegie MellonUniversity does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of it s programs on the basis of religion,

creed, ancestry, belief, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation, or in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executiveorders. However, in the judgment of the Carnegie Mellon Human Relations Commission, the Department of Defense policyof Dont ask, dont tell, don t pursue excludes openly gay, lesbian, and bisexual students from receiving ROTC scholarships

or serving in the military. Nevertheless, all ROTC classes at Carnegie Mellon University are available to all students. Inquiries concerningapplication of these statements should be directed to the Provost, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213,telephone (412) 268-6684, or to the Vice President for Enrollment , Carnegie M ellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213,telephone (412) 268-2056. Obtain general i nformati on about Carnegie Mellon Un iversity by calling (412) 268-2000.

Carnegie Mellon University publishes an annual campus security report describing the universitys security, alcohol and drug, and sexualassault policies, and containing statistics about the number and type of crimes committed on the campus during the preceding three years.You can ob tain a copy by contacting the Carnegie M ellon Police Department at (412) 268-2323. The security report is also available atwww.cmu.edu/security.

Carnegie Mellon U niversity makes every effort to provide accessible facilities and programs for individuals w ith disabilities.For accommodations/ services, please contact the Equal Opportunity Office at (412) 268-2012.

Nonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

PAID

Pittsburgh, PA

Permit No. 251

Department of

Mechanical Engineering

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh , PA 15213-3890

Department Head

Adnan Akay

Editor

M. Christine Zeise

Photographers

Ken Andreyo

Dolores Smiller

Zhaoshun Xu

Designer

Skutski & Oltmanns, Inc.

News Letter Summer 2003 Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering

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Transcript of News Letter Summer 2003 Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Mechanical Engineering