Minking Chyu

Greetings from Pitt!

Welcome to the first MEMS newsletter after the merger of the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) and the Department of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) on September 1, 2006. Today I can happily say that the new MEMS is energetically healthy, with faculty and students working on various cross-disciplinary projects, fulfilling our education and research missions.

Currently, we have about 400 undergraduate and 100 graduate students, and maintain both ME and MSE degree programs. While our enrollment has steadily increased over the past years, the caliber of incoming students has been substantially higher each year. During the past year, our students have won quite a few prestigious awards and competitions.

Continue reading the chair's message.

Last September, Laura Schaefer, associate professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, was named deputy director of the Mascaro Sustainability Initiative (MSI). In this issue, she talks about her role with MSI, what she enjoys about teaching, and why she chose to become a mechanical engineer.

Read more about Laura Schaefer.

Benjamin Gordon, a senior majoring in mechanical engineering, has been awarded a 2007 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for his exceptional independent research in the engineering discipline.

"To win a Goldwater Scholarship is the highest national honor for an undergraduate studying science or engineering," said Alec Stewart, Honors College dean and Pitt's Goldwater faculty representative. "It was particularly fulfilling for the University to have students win in both the applied and basic sciences."

Read more about Ben Gordon's scholarship.

As director of the Science and Technology Department at Westinghouse Electric Company, John E. Goossen (MS '86) is responsible for the operation of research and development, which includes advanced modeling, advanced reactor design development, material examinations and testing, and hot cell facilities.

Read more about John Goossen's career, and why he pursued engineering.

Ten alumni recently established Engineering Legacy Funds to benefit the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science. These funds are unrestricted endowments and will permanently generate flexible resources for years to come to help the department meet its many changing needs. More than 60 funds have been established overall for the School of Engineering and the other departments since this initiative began in 2005.

The 10 funds for MEMS have a cumulative value of more than $143,000 and were established by these generous alumni:

• Anonymous
• Anonymous
• Raymond (BSME '72) and Nancy Labuda
• David T. (BSME '71) and Pamela G. Marinaro
• Mahlon (BSME '43) and Laura Miller
• Phillip (BSME '43) and Shirley Prager
• Edward F. Sobota (BSMEE '67)
• Norman H. Wackenhut (BSME '43, MSME '53, Ph.D. '71)
• Jack W. and Suzanne W. Shilling (PhD '75)
• Tony Treser, Jr. (BSMEE '61)

If you are interested in establishing an Engineering Legacy Fund, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at alumni@engr.pitt.edu or 412-624-5932.

Read more about Foundations for Greatness: the Campaign for Engineering.