Department News
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FACULTY HONORS Dr. William Bahnfleth was named a Fellow of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. |
NEW STAFF MEMBERS
Wendy Hummel joined the AE staff in November 2003 as the new bookkeeper. She holds an associate degree in accounting from South Hills Business School.
Corinna Fisher joined AE a few months later in March 2004 as a staff assistant. She is a Penn State graduate with Bachelor’s degrees in English and women’s studies.
COMMENCEMENT
Commencement for the College of Engineering was held on Dec. 18, 2004. Architectural Engineering conferred 24 B.A.E., 13 M.A.E., 8 M.S., 1 M.Eng. And 1 Ph.D. degrees. An afternoon luncheon reception was held in the Kunkle Lounge for the AE graduates, their guests, and AE faculty and staff. Congratulations to our most recent graduates!
CII PROJECT
A team of researchers at Penn State, comprised of Dr. John I. Messner, Victor Chen, George Joseph, and Dr. Randolph Thomas, is completing a Construction Industry Institute (CII) research project entitled, “Effective Use of Global Engineering Work Force.” The goal for this research is to develop a framework to address the comprehensive issues involved in establishing successful global virtual engineering teams through the identification of best practices in the utilization of personnel, work processes, tools, and technologies. The framework is being developed with input from extensive industry surveys, archival analysis, and case studies. Meanwhile, a computer-assisted decision support application is under development through a collaboration with an IT company. Though under a two-year contract, the project has been carried out on a one-and-half-year fast-track schedule. Research results will be available this summer through CII. If you are interested in learning more about this project, please contact Dr. Messner at jmessner@engr.psu.edu.
PSES GOLF TOURNAMENT
The Penn State Engineering Society Golf Classic was held on October 2, 2004, at the Toftrees Resort and Golf Club in State College. Proceeds from the annual PSES Golf Classic benefit the Penn State Engineering Society Endowed Scholarship, which provides financial assistance for promising Penn State engineering students. The foursome (above L-R Walt Beatty, Dr. Rick Mistrick, Dr. Dennis McLaughlin, and Dr. Richard Behr) finished with the low gross score of 11 under par (before handicaps). The group also finished with the fewest putts, thanks to Rich Behr's hot putter! Alumni are encouraged to organize their own foursome, or enter as an individual. Details are available on the College of Engineering web site at: www.engr.psu.edu/AlumniFriends/ golf.htm.
PACE ROUNDTABLE HELD
The thirteenth annual PACE Roundtable was held on Oct. 6-7, 2004, at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on Penn State’s University Park campus. The meeting, “Innovation and Leadership in Changing Construction Markets," was a great success, with yet another increase in overall attendance from last year’s event.
Detailed breakout sessions focused on discussion topics that were generated by the PACE advisory Council including:
- Emerging Markets
- Integrated Design Management
- Integrated Design and Construction
- Performance Contracting
- Leadership for Entry Level Undergraduates
- Creating a Learning Culture
Special guest speaker, Mr. Christopher Hewitt ’01 from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) spoke about, “Managing Steel Prices and a Volatile Market: The perspective of AISC.”
The next PACE Research Seminar will be held on Apr. 21-22, 2005 at the Penn Stater Conference Center and Hotel. For further information on this event, please see the PACE website at: www.engr.psu. edu/pace.
VISITING SCHOLAR IN AE
The AE Department welcomes Dr. Samuel Kim, a visiting scholar from the Department of Building System Engineering at Dongeui University in South Korea.
Dr. Kim's research interests are in the area of green buildings and sustainable design. His research focuses on building assessment tools that relate to energy and the environment. In terms of energy in buildings, passive design strategies are as important as mechanical and/or electrical systems. His research topics are more related to passive building design strategies such as building orientation, insulation of building envelopes, solar heat gain through atriums, etc. He is also interested in the relationship between buildings and human health.
During the coming year, Dr. Kim plans to learn more about the Penn State AE program and facilities, and to collaborate with AE faculty on potential research opportunities. He will also provide a seminar during the spring semester on some of his previous research.
Dr. Kim's wife, Naeri Lee, and three children, Hyeongchan (9), Hyeongseok (5) and Hyeongun (2), have accompanied him to State College. We wish him a productive visit in the AE Department.
Dr. Kim can be reached via email at skim@engr.psu.edu; office 814-863-6442; or cell phone 814-777-7782.
DAILY COLLEGIAN HIGHLIGHTS CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY
Co-directors Dr. David Riley and Mr. Andy Lau, along with site manager, Dave Lettero, were featured on the cover of The Daily Collegian on December 10, 2004. The article focused on Lettero’s decision to live at the center full-time in a modified hut that brings to life various means of environmental sustainability. The center houses on-site technology including solar and wind power that, in turn, heats Lettero’s home and powers other projects on-site.