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Directories - Faculty - Dr. Karen Thole

Dr. Karen A. Thole Department Head of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering Professor of Mechanical Engineering
The Pennsylvania State University 137 Reber Building University Park, PA 16802	Phone: 814-865-2519 Fax: 814-865-1280 E-Mail: KThole@psu.edu
Webpage: http://www.mne.psu.edu/psuexccl/

Expertise:
Convective heat transfer; turbulent boundary layers; high freestream turbulence; gas turbine heat transfer.

Education:
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, 1992
M.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1984
B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 1982

Positions Held:
The Pennsylvania State University, Department Head, Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering, 2006-Present
Virginia Tech, Assistant Department Head for Research, Mechanical Engineering Department, 2004-2006
Virginia Tech, Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, 2003-2006
Virginia Tech, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, 2001-2003
Virginia Tech, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, 1999-2001
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, 1994-1998
University of Karlsruhe, Germany, Post-Doctoral Researcher, Institute of Thermal Turbomachinery, 1993-1994

Honors/Awards:
William S. Cross Professorship at Virginia Tech, 2005-2006
International Gas Turbine Institute Best Heat Transfer Paper, 2005
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Fellow, 2004
University of Texas Mechanical Engineering Department Distinguished Alumni Award, 2004
College of Engineering Faculty Fellow, Virginia Tech, 2003-2006
AdvanceVT Professorship, 2003-present
Director of the Virginia Tech Center of Turbomachinery and Propulsion, 2002-present
Siemens-Westinghouse Distinguished Lecturer, 2002 and 2004
Ingersoll-Rand Faculty Award, Virginia Tech, 2001
W. M. Rohsenow for Best Presentation for the Gas Turbine Heat Transfer Committee, 1997, 2005
3M Non-tenured Faculty Grant, 1996, 1997, 1998
National Science Foundation CAREER Award, 1996
University of Wisconsin Chancellor's Faculty Recruitment Award, 1994

Affiliations:
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)/Gas Turbine Committee (K-14)
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)/Thermal Physics Committee
Pi Tau Sigma
State of Wisconsin Professional Engineering License (License Number 30951)