Honors, Awards and Presentations

The Department and the Army High Performance Computing Research Center (AHPCRC) received the 1996 Commander's Educational Award for Excellence from the US Army Soldier Systems Command for having

"distinguished itself as a leader in addressing problems such as parachute modeling, establishing programs for collaborative research between academia and Army researchers, and providing training for the next generation of researchers."

Professors Tezduyar and Garrard and Drs. Kalro, Johnson and Aliabadi were the Department and AHPCRC members responsible for this award.

Prof. Tezduyar (3rd from left) with (from left to right) University of Minnesota President Nils Hasselmo and Board of Regents Members Michael O'Keefe and Thomas Reagan.

Tayfun E. Tezduyar received the 1997 Distinguished McKnight University Professorship. This Professorship recognizes and rewards outstanding mid-career faculty who have achieved full professor status. Professor Tezduyar is a leading figure in flow simulation and modeling, finite element and parallel computing methods, and developing advanced flow simulation tools to address technological issues involving fluid mechanics applications. These applications range from fluid-particle interactions to aerodynamic interactions between a paratrooper and an aircraft to stability of vehicles carrying sloshing liquids. He is currently Director of the Army High Performance Computing Research Center headquartered at the University.

Professor Amy Alving will begin work as a 1997-98 White House Fellow in Washington starting September 1, 1997. The White House Fellow program was initiated in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson at the suggestion of John W. Gardner, former President of the Carnegie Corporation and has been regarded as the most prestigious fellowship for leadership and public service in the United States. Its intent is to entice exceptional individuals to Washington for a one-year personal involvement in the governmental process to give them the experience of having a close look at how the federal government works. Fellows are assigned to the staff of the Executive Office of the President and to Cabinet-level departments such as State, Defense, Treasury, and labor. They also work in smaller, specialized agencies the FBI, CIA, NASA and the Small Business Administration. Fellows typically work directly for top Executive Branch officials, filling a special assistant role. Each year, there are about 1000 applicants for 11 to 19 fellowships. These applications are processed by the staff of the White House Fellows Program and screened by former Fellows from all over the country. Candidates are judged on the basis of their professional, academic, athletic, artistic and other accomplishments, and on their demonstrated interest in public service; Approximately 130 of the most promising applicants are selected for interviews by 10-12 regional panels composed of leading citizens from each region. Based on the results of these interviews, candidates are selected to be national finalists who are interviewed by the President's Commission on White House Fellowships who then recommends to the President those individuals it finds most qualified for the Fellowship. Finally, there comes the placement week where the Fellows go through interviews with the staff of the Executive Office of the President for the appointed jobs. At the end of the Fellowship year, most Fellows return to their homes and their former occupations more experienced in public policy decision-making and better prepared to contribute to their professions, their communities, and the country.

Professor Daniel D. Joseph received the 1996 Professional Achievement Award from the Alumni Association at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) during a special ceremony on March 13, 1997. This award is given to IIT alumni based on personal success, contributions to the individual's profession and recognition from colleagues. Dr. Joseph received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in mechnical engineering from IIT and a MA in sociology from the University of Chicago. He began his academic career at the University of Minnesota in 1963 as an assistant professor. He became a Professor in the Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics Department in 1968, was named the Russell J. Penrose Professor in 1991, and was selected as Regents' Professor in 1994. Dr. Joseph holds seven patents, and is the author of five books on fluid mechanics. In addition, he has edited four books and published more than 240 technical articles. He is currently associate editor of several journals and magazines. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences, and American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.

Professor Roger Fosdick has accepted the position of Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Elasticity. He has been a member of the board of editors since the journal was founded in 1971.

[TABLE OF CONTENTS] [PREVIOUS] [NEXT]