The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering has suffered a tragic loss due to the loss of Professor Bohdan Kulakowski.

Dr. Kulakowski received his master’s degree from Warsaw Technical University and his Ph.D. from the Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. Kulakowski started his career at Penn State as a senior Fulbright scholar in Mechanical Engineering in 1979, then became a Professor of Mechanical Engineering in 1982, from 1992 to 2003 he served as the Director of the Pennsylvania Transportation Institute (PTI). He was a member of the Pi Tau Sigma mechanical engineering honor society, a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), the American Society for Testing and Materials, and was also the secretary of the International Forum for Road Transportation Technology.  Read full story here. (3/06)

See Also: The College of Engineering's article and Penn State's Newswire 

Memorial Ride Planned - The bicycling community was terribly saddened this week with the death of fellow bicycle commuter, colleague, and friend, Bohdan Kulakowski. A Memorial Ride is planned for this Friday, March 31st beginning at the university gates on Allen St. and College Ave. The ride will proceed through the campus to Reber building, then will take the same route that Bohdan took on his commute home, ending near where the accident occurred in Boalsburg. It is not necessary to follow the entire route to Boalsburg to express the respect and sadness that Bohdan Kulakowski is no longer part of our community. Riders will meet Friday, March 31 at 5 p.m. at the College & Allen main gates of Penn State and begin with a brief memorial statement. Participants are asked to wear a black armband on their usual bicycle clothing to acknowledge our loss, and to ride quietly, respectfully and lawfully without banners or props.

Gas Dynammics Lab's Research Featured on "ScienCentral News" Website -  Professor Gary Settles and the Gas Dynamics Lab's research on shadowgraph and Schlieren techniques is featured on the "ScienCentral News" website at http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?article_id=218392756.  Settles research was published in the 2006 issue of the journal Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, American Scientist, January-February 2006 and was reported in the April issue of Discover magazine. His work was funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Read full story here. (3/06)

Dynamics of Energy Systems course to be offered for Fall 2006. This couse is for Senior year undergraduates, for most major engineering and related disciplines: mechanical and nuclear, architectural, chemical, civil, fuel science and industrial. All students and have a strong interest in the energy field. This course delivers information and enhances skills concerning energy as an essential element of the engineering endeavor. For detailed course information click here. (03/06)

Spring 2006 Undergraduate Engineering Commencement will be Friday, May 12th, 2006 at the Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA. 

The Department of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering is hosting a dessert reception in honor of our Spring 2006 B.S. degree candidates.  Invitations will be mailed to Spring 2006 Graduates home addresses by 4/1/06.  All Spring 2006 B.S. degree candidates and their families/guests are welcome to join us to celebrate their accomplishments.  RSVP's are due to the Undergrad Office by 5/4.  The reception is Friday, May 12th from 5:30PM to 7:15PM in the South Annex. (http://www.mne.psu.edu/undergrad/CommencementMap.htm use South Annex entrance).  Graduates must be in their seats for the ceremony by 7:30PM.  The ceremony starts at 8:00PM.

If you have any questions, please contact Renee Biggans at 814-863-1503 or rab46@psu.edu. (3/06)