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Alexander Wolszczan, distinguished professor of astronomy
and astrophysics, has received the Commander Cross of the Order of Merit
Award from the president of Poland. This award was established in 1921 and
is one of the three top awards granted by the president for extraordinary
achievements in service to the country and to society. Wolszczan received
the award for his "distinguished contribution to the development of
Polish science."
In 1992, Wolszczan became the first person to discover planets outside our solar system when he used the 1000-foot Arecibo radiotelescope to detect three planets. He currently is one of the leaders in the effort to discover extrasolar planets.
Wolszczan received both the Casimir Funk Natural Sciences Award from the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America and the Beatrice M. Tinsley award from the American Astronomical Society in 1996, the Penn State Faculty Scholar Medal for Outstanding Achievement in 1994, the Popular Science Grand Award for "Best of What's New" in 1994, the Alfred Jurzykowski Foundation award in 1993, and the Annual Award of the Foundation for Polish Science in 1992.
Wolszczan received a master's degree in astronomy in 1969 and a doctoral degree in physics in 1975 from the Nicholas Copernicus University in Torun, Poland. He held faculty positions there until 1979, when he joined the Polish Academy of Science as associate professor at the Copernicus Astronomical Center. He was a visiting professor at Princeton University before joining the Penn State faculty as professor of astronomy and astrophysics in 1992.
Wolfgang E. Ernst, left, professor of physics and
chemistry, and Mark Strikman, right, professor of physics, have been
elected Fellows of the American Physical Society. Ernst's election to the
society was based on his "contributions to high-resolution laser spectroscopy
of diatomic molecules at high sensitivity and definitive spectroscopic experiments
on alkali trimers and their interpretation." Strikman was cited for
"developing light cone techniques for nuclear systems, applying these
to deep inelastic scattering, and for original contributions related to
understanding and measuring the effects of color transparency."
Ernst's research concerns the physics and physical chemistry of molecules and aggregates of molecules or atoms, called clusters. Ernst studies the interaction of electrons and atomic nuclei in molecules and clusters, with an interest toward metals and metal oxides. Knowledge of these interactions can lead to a better understanding of the electronic and chemical properties of new materials.
Strikman's research focuses on the microscopic properties of atomic nuclei and their primary nucleon constituents, protons and neutrons. He has demonstrated that, in order to resolve the fine details of microscopic nuclear structure that have eluded low-energy probes, it is necessary to use high-energy reactions in which large amounts of energy and momentum are transferred to the target nucleons.
The American Physical Society's Fellowship Program recognizes members who have made advances in knowledge through original research and publication, have made significant and innovative contributions in the application of physics to science and technology, or have made significant contributions to the teaching of physics or service and participation in the activities of the society.
Three people in The Smeal College of Business Administration were honored recently for their outstanding ability to teach and advise undergraduate students.
In ceremonies held in The Nittany Lion Inn, Andrew Bergstein, instructor in marketing; Jocelyn M. Bennett, coordinator of minority affairs and minority student programs; and David P. Lepak, a doctoral student in management and organization, received the 1998 Fred Brand Jr. Awards.
Bergstein, who joined The Smeal College four years ago, has spent more than 20 years in the marketing industry. He teaches introductory marketing classes as well as courses in marketing communications and global marketing. His classes have consistently received top evaluations from his students.
Bennett helps advise undergraduate minority students in The Smeal College and serves as the adviser for the Multicultural Business Society, National Association of Black Accountants, National Hispanic Business Association and Women in Business.
Lepak has taught classes in human resources management and is credited with communication skills and a sense of humor that allow him to build a rapport with his students. Constantly encouraging students to challenge themselves is one of Lepak's teaching philosophies.
The awards were created through the generosity of Penn State alumnus Fred Brand Jr. (BA '32), an insurance executive. They are based on nominations from Smeal College students and faculty members, with final selections made by a joint committee of students, faculty and staff of The Smeal College.
Four in The Smeal College of Business Administration were singled out for Outstanding Staff Awards during the 1998 college recognition luncheon.
Receiving Outstanding Staff Awards were: Jean M. Beierlein, assistant to the executive director, Center for Logistics Research; Lisa L. Herr, staff assistant, Department of Accounting; Deanna S. Rudy, staff assistant, dean's office; and Janet Stiehler, assistant to the finance officer, financial office. The four were cited for exceptional professionalism, teamwork, creativity, integrity, professional development, community service and an ability to work with a diverse group of colleagues and customers.
Anita M. Vickers, assistant professor of English and humanities at Penn State Schuylkill since 1993, has received the Penn State Schuylkill Teaching Award.
Vickers' teaching experience at Schuylkill covers a broad range of topics from literature to women's studies, to writing and composition. She has taught courses such as "20th-Century American Literature," "American Women Writers," "The Vampire in Literature" and "The Gothic Novel."
A 1992 graduate of Purdue University with a Ph.D. in English, she also holds a master's degree in American and British literature and a B.A. degree in English from Purdue, where she served as a graduate teaching assistant. While at Purdue, Vickers received three annual awards from the Department of English for excellence in teaching.
Xiang Zhang, assistant professor of industrial and manufacturing
engineering, has been awarded the 1998 Dell K. Allen Outstanding Young Manufacturing
Engineer Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME). The honor
is given to young engineers with significant achievements and leadership
in the field of manufacturing engineering.
Zhang, who has been a member of the Penn State faculty since 1996, also received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 1997 to initiate a micro-manufacturing research program. This year, Zhang has offered two new courses in the college: a graduate course titled "Laser Technologies in Materials Processing and Manufacturing" and a combined undergraduate/graduate course on "Introduction to Micro-Manufacturing." Zhang also is involved in developing a micro-manufacturing laboratory for the department.
His research interests include micro-electro-mechanical systems, optical/magnetic storage and laser-based microtechnologies. Zhang received his B.S. and M.S. in solid state physics from Nanjing University in China, his M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley.
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The College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Outstanding Staff Award for 1997 has been presented to Nancy E. Warner, staff assistant in the Department of Energy, Environmental and Mineral Economics, Lynn K. Persing, staff assistant in the Department of Meteorology, and Frank Driscoll, technical support staff member in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.
The award, established in 1991 by the EMS Staff Advisory Committee, recognizes exemplary performance and the ability to foster an atmosphere of cooperation and creativity in the college. The 1997 award winners were all cited for their dedication and positive attitudes toward their work and their colleagues.
Warner has been in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences since 1967, and in her current position since 1989. She focuses on the day-to-day operation of the department, coordinating activities for both students and faculty.
Persing came to Penn State in 1988 and has spent the past five years in the Department of Meteorology, where she serves as one of the department's budget administrators, managing research grants and equipment purchases, and assisting with departmental travel activities. She previously worked in the college's Center for Advanced Materials.
Driscoll has been a member of the technical support team in Materials Science and Engineering since 1995. He is a computer specialist who helps to resolve faculty and staff software and hardware problems.
The 10 top engineers in industry, government and the development of state-of-the-art technology will be honored as the 1998 Penn State Outstanding Engineering Alumni at the University Park campus on April 6. In addition to receiving their honors, the awards recipients will meet with faculty and talk with students during their visit to campus.
The annual Outstanding Engineering Alumni Awards are the highest honor conferred by the College of Engineering. Only 181 men and women out of more than 71,000 alumni worldwide have received the award during its 32-year history.
This year's outstanding alumni are:
* Harry L. Bell of State College, retired assistant division manager of Hughes Aircraft. He is a 1948 electrical engineering graduate.
* John J. Brennan of Yardley, Pa., chairman and CEO of International Computerized Telemarketing Group Inc. Brennan graduated with a master's degree in nuclear engineering in 1965.
* David M. Brewer of Little River, Calif., retired vice president of compatible systems for Amdahl Corp. He is a 1959 engineering science graduate
* William H. Colwill of York, Pa., vice president for marketing at American Hydro Corp. Colwill holds a master's degree and doctorate in mechanical engineering from Penn State.
* Janet B. Cunningham of Radnor, Pa., president and CEO of JBC Associates. Cunningham is a 1980 civil engineering graduate.
* John H. Hollenbach of Westfield, N.J., strategic planning adviser for Exxon Co. International. Hollenbach graduated with a chemical engineering degree in 1978.
* Larry E. Kittelberger of Mendham, N.J., vice president and chief information officer of AlliedSignal Inc. Kittelberger is a 1970 computer science graduate.
* Harold J. Marcus of Seattle, Wash., president of American Villages Inc. and Hal Marcus Inc. Marcus is a 1949 industrial engineering graduate.
* John C. McKeown of Fredericksburg, Va., deputy head of aircraft systems engineering for U.S. Naval Air Systems Command. McKeown is a 1965 aerospace engineering graduate.
* Joseph J. Wisnewski of Fairfax, Va., president of Wisnewski Blair and Associates Ltd. Wisnewski is a 1969 graduate of architectural engineering.
