Messier To Receive Faculty Mentoring Award

March 20, 2003
University Park, Pa. -- Dr. Russell F. Messier, professor of engineering science and mechanics, will receive the 2003 Howard B. Palmer Faculty Mentoring Award at Penn State. The Universitywide award honors and recognizes outstanding achievement by a faculty member with at least five years of active service who effectively guides junior faculty. Howard Palmer was the senior associate dean of the Graduate School from 1984 to 1991.

An internationally renowned researcher in thin film materials and deposition processes, Messier has mentored at least 15 young University faculty in engineering science and mechanics, mechanical engineering, physics and the Materials Research Laboratory. His activities included sharing of research facilities; guiding young faculty to develop independent research programs and facilities; leadership development; guidance in proposal preparation and curriculum development; and involvement of young faculty in his research programs.

One of the junior faculty has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Award and another researcher, now at Notre Dame University, was honored as a Presidential Young Investigator.

"Professor Messier exudes a joie de vivre that inspires his young colleagues to achieve at levels they may once have considered impossible," said a colleague. "His vision has spun off the next generation of faculty conducting research on thin films for optical, mechanical, electronic and bioengineering applications and educators pioneering the latest teaching innovations."

****

Contact:  Vicki Fong at 814-865-9481 or at vfong@psu.edu