Dean's Community Message

April 8, 2020

Dear College of Engineering Community,

Today’s inspirational quote is a bit magical and comes from Kellie Scofield, Director of Engineering Advising Center and Pre-Major Programs and Senior Undergraduate Programs Coordinator.

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest time, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
—Albus Dumbledore (J.K. Rowling)

For me, the light today is the robust response to the call for appreciations for members of the engineering community. We already have more than 40 submissions noting the actions of individuals and offices going above and beyond to ensure continued operations for all of us. While I’m not surprised by people are stepping up, I’m continually impressed by how our community comes together. Please continue to submit your appreciations, and I’ll share some on Friday.

Here are today’s updates:

Remote Research Resource Website

Penn State has developed a remote research website to provide information on technologies and services that could help a researcher convert their research from 90% onsite to 90% offsite, including: computational options, storage options, remote access options, security options, remote meetings, remote communications, scheduling for the purposes of social distancing, information to help with core facilities, and remote workforce management such as task management, project management, and improved information organization. If you have questions or requests, please email researchcomputinghelp@psu.edu.

Undergraduate COVID-19 Entrance to Major Accommodations

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes made by the University during the spring 2020 semester, the College of Engineering has made accommodations related to the entrance to major process. Please visit the COE COVID-19 ETM Accommodations page and COE COVID-19 ETM FAQs page for more information.

Reminder for Accessing Facilities

Please remember that you need approval to access University facilities during this time. If you are unsure of your approval status, reach out to Mike Houser at mlh30@psu.edu to check.

Reminder for Instructional Labs Access

Permission to access instructional labs to record instructional videos must be granted by the college before a visit occurs. The safety guidelines for a visit are: at least two but no more than three individuals in the lab at the same time, safe social distancing must be maintained at all times, except in the event of an emergency, and personal protection equipment required for the lab experiments must be worn at all times. Only faculty, staff, and graduate teaching assistants may visit the instructional labs, and only those who are essential for producing the procedural video. Undergraduates are strictly prohibited. To request permission to access an instructional lab, complete the request form for forwarding to the appropriate department head for review and approval, followed by routing of approved request forms to Mike Houser at mlh30@psu.edu for final review. Access decisions will be made within 24 hours.

Masks

The Centers for Disease Control has issued new guidance for members of the public to wear face masks when leaving their homes. While the public should remain in isolation, the masks help slow the spread of COVID-19 during essential outings, such as visits to the pharmacy or grocery shopping. The CDC also offers tutorials on sewing or making (no sewing required) your own face masks.

Upcoming Virtual Events

  • April 9-12, 7:00 p.m. (EDT): Penn State Presents: A Virtual Performing Arts Celebration. This live event is coming to you, with a star-studded lineup of students, alumni and special guests! Learn more.
  • April 9, 4:30 p.m. (EDT): Leadership of the Graduate School will host a virtual town hall at liveevents.psu.edu to provide updates and answer graduate students’ questions about the school’s  response to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
  • April 9, 6:00 p.m. (EDT): The Center for Engineering Outreach and Inclusion in the College of Engineering will host a panel discussion on ally-ship with representatives from Student Care and Advocacy, Gender Equity, Veterans Programs, and the Student Disability Resources Center. Register.
  • April 10, Noon (EDT): The Penn State Council of Sustainable Leaders will host a Sustainability Showcase with Nicholas Unis, a current Penn State student and CEO of UnisBrands. He will be speaking about his 3D printed sustainable footwear venture. Hosted via Zoom.

Please continue to email me your “Because I couldn’t …” and your inspirational quotes. Penn State updates are available on the University’s coronavirus information site. You can connect with me on LinkedIn and follow the college on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Be well!

Justin Schwartz
Harold and Inge Marcus Dean, College of Engineering