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Alumni News

Birth Announcements   |   News  

NEWS...

• Sandy Magnus, Alumna and NASA Astronaut visited MSE on September 24, 2009
  (CLICK HERE) to view video of her symposium, “Journals from Space.”
• Dr. Mark A. Tshopp (Ph.D. 07) accepted a position as an assistant research professor in the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems at Mississippi State University, June 2009.
• Dr. Benjamin C. Church (M.S. 02, Ph.D. 04) accepted a position with the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee as an assistant professor starting in late summer 2009.
• Dr. Kathryn V. Logan (Ph.D. CE 92, MS CerE 80 and B CerE 70) The National Institute of Aerospace (NIA) graduate students of Dr. Kathryn V. Logan, the Virginia Tech Langley P. Professor, were awarded first place in the Pacific International Space Center for Exploration Systems (PISCES) competition. The award was only one of two prizes given out this year by the research center dedicated to supporting life on the Moon and beyond. The award was based on development of a lunar material of construction using SHS technology similar to that used in her research during her career at Georgia Tech. The "Moon Brick" (pictured left) example continues to receive far reaching recognition.
  
• Dr. S. K. Sundaram (Ph. D. 94) has been elected as a Fellow of the Society of Glass Technology, UK and was elected as a Professional Fellow of the Society of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (SNN). He was also honored with a "Profile in Excellence" from the American Ceramics Society. This distinction spotlights division members who have been selected by their peers as a person of excellence. Dr. Sundaram has been nominated by the Nuclear and Environmental Technology Division (NETD) that explores applications of nuclear ceramics in energy production and medicine. He also led a team that won 2008 R&D100 award for Multi-Scale Materials Integrated Processing Method-the only integrated, single-step process materials fabrication method that generates nano- to macro -sized materials with identical chemistry characteristics for use in materials science research and development applications. The ability to create these materials from one process reduces the risk of impurities in these materials and improves consistency. The result is higher-quality products that can be used for advanced materials, components, devices and their integration by materials scientists, engineers, designers and users for a broad range of applications. The team will be honored at a Gala Dinner on October 16, 2008 in Chicago, IL.
   
• Terra Keim (M.S. 07) married David Kissell at the University of New Mexico Alumni Chapel, Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 5, 2008.
   
• Morgana Martin (M.S 05, Ph.D. 08) married Matthew Trexler (Ph.D. 07)  at St. Joseph Husband of Mary Catholic Church, Las Vegas, Nevada on May 24, 2008.
   
• Chekesha M. Liddell (B.S. 99, Ph.D. 03) received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) .  Selection for this award is based on the combination of innovative research at the frontiers of science and technology and community service demonstrated through scientific leadership and community outreach.
   

Avi Aggarwal Dylan Cristine Hughes Clark Harrison Morber Lincoln Alexander Stollberg Aneesh Sundaram Amelia Paige Williams   Tsuyoshi and Zhuqing with baby Kai Yamashita

Birth Announcements...

• Will Hughes (Ph.D. 06) and his wife Diane are proud to announce the arrival of their daughter Dylan Cristine Hughes.  She was born on July 10, 2009, weighing 8 lbs. 11 ounces and was 22 inches long.
   
• Ankur Aggrawal (Ph.D. MSE 06) and his wife Mansi are proud to announce the arrival of their son, Avi on April 29,2009.  He weighed 7 lbs. 7 oz. and was 21” long.
• Melissa Zubris Williams (BS 02, PhD 05) and her husband Jason welcomed their daughter, Amelia Paige Williams on March 25, 2009 at 6:10 p.m.  She weighed 9 lbs 14 ounces and was 19 1/2” long.
• David Stollberg (PhD MSE 2000) and his wife Tammi are proud to announce the birth of their son, Lincoln Alexander Stollberg (pictured left) born November 11, 2008 weighing, 8 lb 6oz.
• Venkatesh Sundaram (MS CERE 97 & Current Ph.D. Candidate) and his wife welcomed baby Aneesh Sundaram (pictured left) born August 8, 2008 weighing, 6 lb 6oz.
• Jenny Ruth Morber (B.S. 03, Ph.D. 08) and her husband Shaun proudly announce the birth of their son, Clark Harrison Morber (pictured left) born July 7, 2008 weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz.
• Tsuyoshi Yamashita (B.S. 00, Ph.D. 05) and Zhuqing Zhang (M.S. 01, Ph.D. 03) announced the arrival of their son Kai Yamashita (pictured below) born on Saturday, March 29, 2008 weighing 7 lbs. 6 ounces.  (Click here for more photos)
• Jud Ready (B.S. 94, M.S. 97, Ph.D. 00) and his wife Jamie are the proud parents of Lucas Judson Ready born on March 29, 2008.
• Brent Buchine (Ph.D. 07) and wife Heather announced the arrival of Nathan Scott on October 14, 2007.
• Chuck Compson (Ph.D. 07) and wife Valerie welcomed daughter Caroline Jane on May 22, 2007.
• Kip Findley (Ph.D. 05) and wife Dawn Findley  (Heineman M.S . 04) welcomed Garrett Ryan in June 2007.
• Monica Hochstein (M.S. 02) and husband Andy announced the arrival of their son Tzvi in July 2006. The family recently moved into their new house in Marietta, Georgia.
• Alejandro Ibanez (Ph.D. 03) and wife Sonia’s latest family addition is Sabina.  She arrived on November 3, 2006.
• Neal Hofmann and Silvia Liong (M.S. 01, Ph.D. 05) announced the arrival of Sydney Elise, May 12, 2007.
• Dave and Katie Lubke (M.S. 99) announced the birth of Jessica Eileen, September 2006.
• David Mebane (M.S. 04, current Ph.D. candidate) and his wife Rebecca announced the arrival of son, Spencer William, born September 21, 2007.
• Jason Nadler (Ph.D. 03) and wife Tania welcomed their first child, Max Agustin, born January 2007.
• Curtis Neff (Ph.D. 05) and wife Therese welcomed Jacob Erik Howard on June 3, 2007.
• Craig Przybyla (current Ph.D. candidate) and wife Laura’s new addition, Dallin Craig, was born December 20, 2006.
• Mark Tschopp (Ph.D. 07) and his wife Meredith proudly announced the birth of Samuel Becher born on December 19, 2006.

News Archive

• Kristin Brosnan (B.S. 99) received the Diamond Award presented by the American Ceramic Society Basic Science Division for Best Paper at the 2006 MS&T Conference.  Kristen recently completed her
  Ph.D. at Penn State University and is now working at GE Global Research in Niskayuna, NY.
   
• S. K. Sundaram (Ph.D. 94) has been elected Fellow of the American Ceramic Society.
   
• Yancy W. Riddle (M.S. 98, Ph.D. 01) was promoted to Chief Technology Office at UCT Coatings, Inc.
   
• Xudong Wang, Powering the Nanoworld (Technology Review, Published by MIT).
   
• Ralph E. Napolitano was promoted to Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University. He is also Coordinator of the Solidification Science Group in the Ames Laboratory Materials and Engineering Physics Program. Ralph and his wife Dawn have three beautiful children.  From left to right:
  Anna, Meredith, and Mario
  
• John Horton (Cere 1986) and his wife Rhonda Radabaugh Horton announce the birth of their son Samuel David Horton on June 8, 2005. Samuel was a healthy 6 lb. 9 oz. John is employed as a management engineer for the West Penn Allegheny Health system in Pittsburgh PA. His wife Rhonda is a Clinical Pharmacist at Allegheny General Hospital.
   
• Reza Abbaschian has been appointed as Dean of the University of California Riverside’s Bourns College of Engineering (BCOE).  Dr. Abbaschian’s research concentration is in solidification and materials processing. He is Vice President of ASM International, the largest materials society in the U.S.
   
• John T. Duddy, Jr . has been appointed Program Director for the GPS II-F Program at the Boeing Company.  Duddy will provide overall program leadership and direction of the current fleet of operational GPS II and IIA spacecraft; the development and delivery of the next-generation GPS control segment; and the development and production of GPS II-F space vehicles 1-12 and beyond.
   
• Efstahios I. Meletis , METE 81, has been named as the new Director of the University of Texas at Arlington College of Engineering’s Materials Science and Engineering program. Meletis was formerly an endowed professor of the materials science and engineering program at Louisiana State University. His research interests include an emphasis on nanomaterials and nanotechnology, surface modification, thin films, materials properties in micro/nanofabricated components and devices and material-environment interactions.
   
• Ralph E. Napolitano , METE 97, was promoted to Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University where he also serves as the Coordinator of the Solidification Science Group in the Ames Laboratory Materials and Engineering Physics Program. Ralph and Dawn have three beautiful children.
• Florence L. Yarbrough, MSE 03, an ensign in the U.S. Navy, recently completed the basic surface warfare officers course at the Surface Warfare Officers School Command in Newport, R.I.
   

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