Page 2 - Penn State Mechanical Engineering Magazine 2020

Message from the Department Head
Greetings from our Department of Mechanical Engineering!
While the beautiful colors of fall are reassuring that some things have not changed, so many even basic ways of
life have changed since March. We sincerely hope that you, our extended mechanical engineering (ME) family members, maintain good physical and mental health
in these trying times. We also hope that you take the time to read about our department as we strive towards continuous improvements in serving our research and teaching missions.
This past year, our faculty and staff have worked diligently on a new strategic plan that will guide the department’s activities and resources over the next five years. They involved many stakeholders, including our students and advisory board members, to develop the plan, which was guided by the vision and mission of the Department of Mechanical Engineering that I share with you below.
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Vision: Building people and ideas for impact
We are continuing to grow the department’s faculty aimed at better serving our students, as well as expanding our research expertise that provides us with an opportunity to collaborate across the University and, in particular, with the institutes at Penn State. We are very excited to have five new faculty join us this academic year who bring new expertise in smart cities, measurement diagnostics, advanced robotics, clean energy, and flexible electronic materials.
Finally, I want to end by thanking you for your continued support of our faculty, students, and staff. We continue to be humbled by all those who support our efforts. Please enjoy our stories.
Sincerely,
Karen A. Thole
Distinguished Professor and Department Head Department of Mechanical Engineering
Mission: Create a diverse and inclusive community that empowers excellence in research, education, and service.
ME News, Fall 2020 Administrative Contacts
Karen A. Thole
Distinguished Professor and Department Head
Department of Mechanical Engineering 814-865-2519 | kthole@psu.edu
Eric Marsh
Associate Head for Undergraduate Programs 814-863-1503 | erm7@psu.edu
Daniel Haworth
Associate Head for Graduate Programs, Interim
140 Research Building East 814-863-6269 | dch12@psu.edu
Qian Wang
Associate Head of Administration 814-865-8281 | quw6@psu.edu
Send address changes to:
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University 132 Reber Building
University Park, PA 16802-1412
Photographers
Jason Plotkin
Tyler Henderson
Erin Cassidy Hendrick
Writers
Erin Cassidy Hendrick Tessa Pick
Editors
Ashley WennersHerron Karen A. Thole
Design
Kate Myers
©2020 The Pennsylvania State University. All Rights Reserved. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. U.Ed. ENG 21-178
22 MENews 2020