Page 41 - Engineering Penn State Magazine Spring/Summer 2020

Mechanical engineering alumna named to Forbes’ 30 30 Under 30 30 in Science
by Erin Cassidy Hendrick
In the year since she graduated with her doctorate in in in in mechanical engineering Penn State alumna Birgitt Boschitsch’s life has been a a a a a a a a nonstop whirlwind as as the the co-founder and chief executive officer of of the the startup spotLESS Materials But she she momentarily stopped in in her tracks when Forbes magazine announced she she was honored as as a a a a a a a a a a 30 30 Under 30 30 in in Science
for 2020 an an annual recognition of young thought leaders who have the the the potential to impact the the the world with their technical achievements Boschitsch launched spotLESS Materials in in 2018 with her adviser Tak-Sing Wong the Wormley Early Career Professor of of of of Engineering and and associate professor of of of of mechanical engineering engineering and and biomedical engineering engineering When the the the team began working together in in the the the the Wong Laboratory for Nature Inspired Engineering their academic research focused on on on utilizing nature-inspired concepts to design functional and adaptive interfacial materials that can provide solutions to critical engineering challenges Their first product launch was a a a a a a a a a a a bio-inspired liquid sludge- and bacteria-repellent coating that can essentially make a a a a a a toilet self-cleaning Whether it it is experimenting to create new products in in in the the the lab or navigating the the the legalities of copyrights and and trademarks her her education and and experience at at at Penn State has prepared her her for success “We want to show the world you can be commercially successful and socially responsible ”
Boschitsch said “Scientists have an extra opportunity to do that with new technology ”
n n n n Committee recommends building to be named after astronaut engineering alumnus A building at at at at at Innovation Park at at at at at Penn Penn State State was recommended to be named in in in in in honor of Guion S S S Bluford Jr Penn Penn State State aerospace engineering engineering alumnus and and internationally renowned astronaut and and engineering engineering leader “The building name acknowledges and and honors Dr Bluford’s distinguished achievements and and historical significance while also signifying Penn State’s commitment commitment to to to to excellence in in in in in space systems across many domains and and and active commitment commitment to to to mentoring equity and and and inclusion ”
said Justin Schwartz Harold and and and Inge Marcus Dean of Engineering Bluford graduated from Penn State in in in in in 1964 with a a a a a a a a a bachelor of science degree degree in in in in in aerospace engineering and and obtained his master’s and and and doctoral degrees from the U S S Air Force Institute of of Technology He was selected as as as as a a a a a a a a a a a a a NASA astronaut in in 1979 and and became the the first first African American in in in space space with his first first mission mission on on on on the the eighth NASA NASA space space shuttle mission mission (STS-8) in in in 1983 He retired from NASA NASA in in in in 1993 and went on on to hold many leadership roles within the industry In addition to his professional achievements Bluford has served as as an an advocate for for inspiring
underrepresented groups at at at at both Penn State State and on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a national level He continues to stay involved with the Penn State State Department of Aerospace Engineering visiting annually to to provide outreach to to underrepresented groups The proposed building that will hold Bluford’s name is located at at at at at 230 Innovation Innovation Blvd at at at at at at University Park and houses the Center for for Innovation Innovation Metal Processing through Direct Digital Deposition n n n n n n n n n n n n SPRING/SUMMER 2020 41
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