EngineeringNews P E N N S TAT E B E H R E N D S C H O O L O F E N G I N E E R I N G
SUMMER/FALL 2022
6 EV RIDER
Photo: Front Room Studios
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Alumnus helps design LiveWire, Harley-Davidson’s electric vehicle Engineering Programs Rank High Gift Grows Innovation Commons Fasenmyer Conference by the Numbers Mixing Music, Engineering, and Data Q&A With Retiring Jon Meckley
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE We’re back—live and in-person. In late April, nearly 300 students presented their senior design capstone work at our school’s signature event, the Fasenmyer Engineering Design Conference. It was a wonderful feeling to celebrate the work of our students (in person!) with faculty, staff, sponsors, family, and friends. Then, just a week later, at spring Commencement, we were able to award our students their degrees (in person!), greet each of them with a handshake as they crossed the stage, and wish them well as they began their next chapter after Behrend. Our School of Engineering has so much to be proud of, and at the top of that list is our students! As we continuously look to expand learning opportunities for our students, we are pleased to announce plans for the development of a new robotics and automation lab, to be made possible by the support of donors. We have long heard from industry that gaining experience in robotics and automation would advance the career trajectory of many of our students following graduation. We listened and are responding. Our first course will be offered next spring. I close with an invitation for you to visit Penn State Behrend and our School of Engineering. We would love to see you—in person! Please reach out to me or visit our school office. We’d enjoy showing you around, and we think you’ll be impressed by our programs, by our facilities, and—most of all—by the accomplishments of our students!
Dr. Tim Kurzweg tpk103@psu.edu
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IN BRIEF U.S. NEWS RANKS ENGINEERING PROGRAMS AMONG NATION’S BEST The latest “Best Colleges” rankings by U.S. News & World Report place Penn State Behrend’s undergraduate engineering programs among the top 40 in the nation for institutions that do not offer a doctorate. The Behrend programs were tied for 39th on the list, which was released in September. “The best engineering ranking is a testament to the continued commitment of our faculty and staff to prepare our students to be leaders in the engineering discipline,” said Dr. Tim Kurzweg, director of the School of Engineering. “This past year required us to adapt our pedagogical approach to the changing environment, and this ranking is one indicator that we were successful.” To develop its rankings, U.S. News evaluates schools on seventeen measures, including graduation rates, class size, financial aid availability, and alumni giving. This year, nearly 1,500 schools were assessed.
ALUMNI NEWS AND NOTES
WILL FRIEDLANDER, a 2020 Mechanical Engineering grad, had
dreamed of being a roller coaster engineer from the time he was in second grade and took his first ride on Phantom’s Revenge at Kennywood Park just outside of Pittsburgh. He was on track to reach his goal when COVID-19 hit. He saw his opportunities in the roller coaster industry evaporate when the country (and parks) closed for months. He stayed positive, though, took a temporary engineering job, and never stopped working toward his dream job. In December of last year, he accepted a position as a design engineer for Rocky Mountain Construction, a leading roller coaster engineering company in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
DR. MICHAEL HARGATHER, a 2004 Mechanical Engineering gradu-
ate, was recently promoted to full professor in the Mechanical Engineering department at New Mexico Tech. Hargather, who earned his Ph.D. from Penn State in 2008, is a member of the college’s Shock and Gas Dynamics Laboratory, which performs research on thermal-fluid dynamics with specialties in optical flow diagnostics. Current research includes projects funded by the U.S. Air Force, Sandia National Laboratories, and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
ELIZABETH MAMROS, a 2018 Mechanical Engineering graduate and
now a Ph.D. candidate at the University of New Hampshire, is currently in Germany working on her dissertation research as a Fulbright and Graduate International Research Experiences (IIE-GIRE) fellow at Institut für Umformtechnik und Leichtbau (TU Dortmund). Mamros’ research focuses on novel sheet metal forming processes, such as double-sided incremental forming, and manufacturing of heterogeneous biomaterials for trauma fixation application, such as cranial implants, as part of the University of New Hampshire’s BioMade project. Mamros plans to pursue a career in academia that will allow her to research advanced manufacturing technologies, with an emphasis on biomedical applications, while educating future engineers.
ON THE COVER
Isaac Aunkst, a 2006 Electrical Engineering Technology graduate, works for Harley Davidson’s electric bike division, LiveWire. He helped to design the first EV bikes for the iconic U.S. motorcycle company. Full story on page 6. (Photos by Front Room Studios.)
FACULTY & STAFF NEWS NEW STAFF AND FACULTY
The School of Engineering welcomed five new faculty members: Dr. Kate Chan, assistant teaching professor in industrial engineering; Dr. Qing Hao, assistant professor of engineering in mechanical engineering technology; Dr. Shahid Hussain, assistant professor of computer science and software engineering; Dr. Feng Qian, assistant professor of engineering in mechanical engineering technology; and Dr. Mark Rubeo, assistant professor of engineering in mechanical engineering. We also welcomed a new research faculty member in plastics engineering technology and polymer engineering and science, Dr. Xiaoshi Zhang.
OTHER NEWS
INNOVATION COMMONS GETS $2.13 MILLION AND A NEW NAME
A new $2.13 million endowment will expand Penn State Behrend’s Innovation Commons product ideation, design, and prototyping lab. The endowment will provide funding support for the lab, which offers early-stage product design, computeraided drafting, no-cost 3D printing, and Industry 4.0 training, among other services. Since it opened in 2016, Innovation Commons has supported more than 240 projects for local entrepreneurs, startups, and community groups. That work has led to fourteen new companies and twelve patent applications. “Innovation Commons is the embodiment of our Open Lab approach to engaging students with businesses and innovators as part of the undergraduate experience,” said Amy Bridger, senior director of corporate strategy and external engagement at Behrend. “Through the Open Lab model, students apply classroom learning to product design challenges that lead to economic growth for regional businesses and entrepreneurs.” The endowment was created through an array of private and corporate gifts with a combined value of more than $1.06 million. Those gifts were matched 1:1 by Penn State’s LaunchBox Matching Program, bringing the total endowment to $2.13 million. In recognition of the largest of the gifts, the lab has been named the James R. Meehl Innovation Commons powered by Penn State Behrend. The Meehl family has had a strong association with Behrend faculty, programs, and athletics that began when James Meehl’s grandson, Aaron Meehl, a 2012 graduate, first enrolled as a student more than a decade ago.
YOU’RE INVITED!
Parents, Families & Alumni Weekend is October 14-16, 2022. Mark your calendar now and join us for a weekend of family fun, Behrend-style. A celebration for young and old alike, it offers plenty of things to do for students, alumni, parents, brothers and sisters, extended family—everyone! Visit behrend.psu.edu/weekend for more information.
Do you have news to share in the next Behrend Magazine? Email hjc13@psu.edu.
Brian Young, associate professor of plastics engineering technology, recently celebrated twenty-five years with Penn State.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Dr. Omar Ashour, associate professor of industrial engineering, was named technical vice president on the technical operations board of the Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers (IISE). He was also recently awarded the Penn State Behrend Council of Fellows Faculty Research Award. Dr. Alicyn Rhoades, associate professor of plastics engineering technology and polymer engineering and science, was appointed the interim associate dean of research and graduate studies on January 1. Dr. Ihab Ragai, associate professor in mechanical engineering technology, was recently chosen for the college’s Guy W. Wilson Award for Excellence in Academic Advising.
AWARDS FOR 2021-22
Five faculty and one staff member were recognized with School of Engineering Awards: Phil Jones, assistant teaching professor in mechanical engineering technology, Excellence in Teaching; Dr. Samy Madbouly, assistant professor in plastics engineering technology, Excellence in Research; Ed Evans, associate teaching professor in mechanical engineering technology, Excellence in Service; Dr. Ihab Ragai, associate professor in mechanical engineering technology, Excellence in Advising; Dr. Jiawei Gong, assistant professor in mechanical engineering, Excellence in Outreach; and Caitlyn Catalfu, administrative support assistant, Staff Excellence.
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IN BRIEF
IN MEMORIAM: JOE PRISCHAK’S LEGACY LIVES ON
GUSTAFSON WINS HETZEL MEMORIAL AWARD
Jennifer Gustafson, a May Mechanical
Engineering graduate of Penn State Behrend, was the recipient of Penn State’s 2022 Ralph Dorn Hetzel Memorial Award. Named for the University’s tenth president, the Hetzel Award recognizes high scholastic attainment together with good citizenship and participation and leadership in student activities. In her role as student president of Behrend Benefiting THON, nominators said Gustafson was able to adapt the organization to fulfill its commitment to fundraising and supporting families grappling with pediatric cancer and that Gustafson found ways to succeed despite the challenges that COVID-19 placed on recruitment and fundraising. “This demonstrates mature leadership not often seen by University students; mitigating peer expectations, providing realistic goals, and brainstorming new and unorthodox tactics while encouraging continued enthusiasm, passion, and productivity is no small feat for any leader,” a nominator said. Behrend Benefiting THON surpassed its goal in both 2020 and 2021. Gustafson executed one of the only live campus events in 2020, the dance marathon “Adventuring Beyond Horizons,” which raised nearly $7,000. In 2021, she helped restore fundraising to pre-pandemic levels, raising more than $21,000. Gustafson was also a leader in at least ten other student organizations and programs on campus, including serving as president of the Penn State Behrend Lion Ambassadors.
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In 2021, Joe and Isabel Prischak were recipients of the college’s highest award, the Behrend Medallion, presented by Penn State Behrend Chancellor Ralph Ford, left.
Joseph Prischak, a longtime supporter of Penn State Behrend and its students, died Saturday, May 21. He was 91. Prischak grew up on a Crawford County, Pennsylvania, dairy farm and launched his own toolmaking business, Triangle Tool Co., while in his 20s. He founded Plastek in Erie in 1971, serving as president and chief executive until his retirement in 2002. Today, the Plastek Group is a worldwide manufacturer. Prischak was inducted into the global Plastics Hall of Fame in 2021. In the 1980s, Prischak was instrumental in creating the Plastics Engineering Technology Program at Behrend. The program, which has produced more than 1,200 graduates, is one of just four nationwide to be accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. With separate $1 million gifts, Prischak and his wife, Isabel, created two scholarships for Penn State Behrend students. The Prischak Building on campus—originally home to the plastics program and now part of Behrend’s Science Complex—stands as evidence of Prischak’s commitment to the college and its students. “Joe Prischak brought entrepreneurial thinking not only to his business, but to his philanthropy as well,” Chancellor Ralph Ford said. “His legacy in the plastics industry, in the Erie community, and at Behrend will last for generations.”
BEHREND TALKS
TUNE IN TO CHANCELLOR-HOSTED PODCAST: Behrend Talks features a variety
of topics key to the growth and success of the Erie region and beyond. Hosted by Chancellor Ralph Ford, conversations cover everything from the impact of COVID-19 on supply chains to the value of the humanities to politics with former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Find past episodes at behrendtalks.buzzsprout.com or subscribe to Behrend Talks on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Google Podcasts.
YOUTH OUTREACH EVENTS BACK ON
A Truck-Lite recruiter talks with students at a Penn State Behrend career fair.
TRUCK-LITE HEADQUARTERS MOVES TO KNOWLEDGE PARK
Truck-Lite Co., LLC, a worldwide lead-
AFTER A PANDEMIC-FORCED HIATUS, the college’s K-12 outreach programs, including Women in Engineering Day, First LEGO League, and the STEAM Fair, pictured here, returned to in-person formats. Melanie Ford, director of Youth Education Outreach and the Engineering K-12 Outreach Center, was as eager for a return to in-person programming as attendees were. “The best way to ignite a young person’s interest in science, technology, and mathematics,” she said, “is through hands-on educational engagement.” Follow facebook.com/BehrendOutreach to learn about upcoming programs.
FASENMYER CONFERENCE: BY THE NUMBERS
Every Behrend engineering student is required to complete
a senior capstone design experience, demonstrating hands-on design for a real-world application. Students showcase the results of their work at the Richard J. Fasenmyer Engineering Design Conference, held before spring finals each year. Fasenmyer, a 1969 graduate of Penn State, was a longtime supporter of the School of Engineering; he was the founder of RJF International Corp., a world leader in the manufacture and distribution of interior wall coverings, industrial matting products, and specialty films.
In 1995—the first conference:
31 Projects presented 17 Projects sponsored by industry 79 Student presenters
This year—the 23rd annual conference:
81 Projects presented 32 Projects sponsored by industry 293 Student presenters 50 Faculty members overseeing projects
READ MORE ON PAGE 8
er in LED lighting systems for commercial vehicles, has relocated its headquarters to Behrend’s Knowledge Park, where the company will have better access to engineering and technology talent as it prepares for the transportation industry’s shift to electric vehicles. “As the transportation industry shifts toward electric vehicles, developing new innovations for customers relies on our ability to attract, develop, and retain qualified talent,” said Brian Kupchella, CEO of Clarience Technologies, the parent company of Truck-Lite. “Relocating our headquarters to Knowledge Park and expanding our association with Behrend creates a strong pipeline of future electrical engineers, data scientists and business leaders.” The company believes the future research and development capabilities needed to design components in nextgeneration electric vehicles will require its workforce to have deeper expertise in electrical engineering, software programming, and advanced analytics. By locating its new headquarters at Knowledge Park, the company will have more access to a specialized talent pool. The move also increases opportunities for Truck-Lite to engage in Penn State Behrend’s Open Lab environment, which provides access to student and new graduate talent, faculty expertise, and facilities. Truck-Lite is building two research labs in Behrend’s Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Center: a 1,745-square-foot product-modeling lab and a 4,075-square-foot photometric testing facility, which will be used to study the light emitted by LEDs, lamps, and other devices. 5
Seat of POWER Alumnus helps engineer LiveWire line of electric motorcycles for Harley-Davidson
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hortly after graduating from Penn State Behrend in 2006 with a degree in Electri-
cal Engineering Technology, Isaac Aunkst was working as an engineering contractor for GE Transportation Systems when he found an area of work that lit him up (pun intended)—electric propulsion and motors/ power-train technology. After GE, Aunkst worked at General Dynamics Electric Boat, helping to develop the next generation of propulsion drives in submarines for the U.S. Navy. His work often took him to Milwaukee, the hometown of Harley-Davidson (H-D), maker of the iconic motorcycle. So H-D was already on Aunkst’s radar when he learned the company had released its first electric vehicle (EV) prototype–Project LiveWire—and was looking for engineers to work in the EV technology space. He was all in. “I learned early on that I have to work on things that interest me—big things, fun things, like trains, submarines and motorcycles,” Aunkst said. H-D announced Project Livewire in June of 2014, and Aunkst signed on as a senior electrical design engineer four months later. At first, he was responsible for design and delivery of LiveWire’s motor and controller. After the company started production of the motorcycle in 2019, his work expanded to include the complete vehicle. “Today, I’m responsible for the engineering and technical support for the manufacturing and service of LiveWire vehicles that are customer-owned,” he said. “I use this ‘current product’ role to gather feedback, which is then routed to designers working on future EV products.” LiveWire, which began as a division of H-D, is now becoming its own entity. In 2021, the company announced the launch of the LiveWire all-electric motorcycle brand to be focused initially on the urban market, cementing the obvious: LiveWire is not your dad’s Harley. 6
ISAAC AUNKST ’06
ON STRADDLING FINE LINES Harley-Davidson has a 120-year history of success and brand strength that makes it an American icon. Known for its powerful gleaming chrome machines with rumbling V-twin engines that rattle windows, it’s almost unimaginable that H-D would consider an electric model. And, yet, who better to take the lead and define cool in the EV sector than the maker of one of the most desirable motorcycle brands in the world? LiveWire motorcycles are sleek, stylish, futuristic-sounding street bikes made to zip through cities. They don’t look or sound anything like a Harley, but they are eye- and ear-catching, nonetheless. Aunkst said that sound was an important consideration in designing LiveWire motorcycles, as it is one of the most distinc-
Isaac Aunkst ’06 DEGREE: Electrical
Engineering Technology
HOMETOWN: Edinboro, Pennsylvania
CURRENT CITY OF RESIDENCE: Milwaukee FAMILY: Wife, Kelly, and two young sons
TITLE: Technical Lead,
Current Product and Value Engineering, EV Platform at LiveWire
Photos: Front Room Studios
WEBSITE: LiveWire.com
tive features of a traditional H-D bike. It’s hard to ignore—or talk over—a Harley. “An electric bike will not produce the sound of a traditional Harley,” Aunkst said. But the sound LiveWire bikes do make is cool, and it’s 100 percent authentic. Visit LiveWire.com to see—and hear—for yourself. Be sure to turn up the volume.
FROM PAPER TO PRODUCT SUPPORT One of the things Aunkst enjoys most about his work at LiveWire is being involved in the “full product lifecycle experience.” “I have taken a motorcycle design all the way from a ‘paper study,’ where every part and function is just a concept, through writing the requirements, setting the specifications, prototyping, testing, tuning, production, and, finally, providing product
support for customers,” he said. “This full experience keeps me engaged and excited about the work I do every day.” LiveWire recently debuted its second model—the S2 Del Mar. The initial batch of 100 custom-built “launch edition” machines sold out in eighteen minutes. There’s a waiting list for regular production models, which are expected to arrive in the spring of 2023. They are being manufactured in H-D’s Pennsylvania plant. Aunkst plans to have one in his garage soon. “Harley-Davidson and LiveWire are very supportive and encouraging of getting employees, especially engineers, on their motorcycles,” he said. “We ride the same bikes that we design and manufacture. I’ve owned three H-D bikes over the last seven years, and a new LiveWire is in my near future.”
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OPEN LAB LEARNING EXPERIENCES SHOWCASE STUDENT INGENUITY
said. “It also has to protect the samples on their return to Earth. It will take NASA several years to collect that material. We don’t want all that effort to be wasted because of a crack in the container.” With help from their faculty adviser, Dr. Charlotte de Vries, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, the team designed a vessel that can hold twelve rods packed with core samples. To close it, they designed a lid with a tucked hinge. They didn’t have to look far for a working model: The charging case for their Apple AirPods closes the same way.
A COLD-WEATHER PICKLEBALL
More than 280 students present-
ed their capstone projects during the School of Engineering’s Richard J. Fasenmyer Engineering Design Conference, held on campus this spring. The projects included a cold-weather pickleball and a titanium-alloy container for the core samples NASA plans to collect from the Psyche asteroid. “Student research teams work closely with business and industry sponsors to develop creative solutions to engineering design challenges,” said Dr. Tim Kurzweg, director of the School of Engineering. “The capstone process distills what students have learned in class and in the lab and applies that knowledge to integrated engineering projects.” This year’s conference included projects sponsored by Northrop Grumman, Parker LORD Corporation, Wabtec, and Westinghouse Electric, among other 8
companies. NASA funded six teams, each of which advanced an element of the Psyche mission, which will study the core of a metal-rich asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter.
A SPACE CAPSULE The Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to launch in August and arrive at the asteroid in 2026. Scientists hope to photograph craters on the surface of Psyche to learn more about the asteroid’s origins. Some believe it to be a failed planet. Four Behrend students—Colton Hervatin, Easton Hooks, Jacob Sampsell, and Thomas Zbezinski—designed a containment vessel for a follow-up mission, when NASA plans to collect core samples from Psyche and return them to Earth. “We had to design a vessel that can endure a harsh environment,” Sampsell
A second team of students—Tristan Grimm, Amy Nolte, and David Peterson —designed a product for use in another challenging outdoor environment: Minnesota’s pickleball courts. The students created a cold-weather pickleball. The project’s sponsor, GAMMA Sports, believes the new material—a blend of polypropylene and high-density polyethylene—could extend the northern season for the sport, which combines elements of tennis, badminton, and Ping-Pong. Pickleballs tend to crack in cold weather. The ball designed by the Behrend team is more durable, due to both the material blend and the decision to spin-weld the ball’s halves. The spin-weld eliminates the seam, where any variation makes the ball vulnerable to cracking. “It also makes the ball bounce faster,” Grimm said. “Good players are going to notice that.” The students didn’t know much about pickleball at the start of the project. Neither did their adviser, Dr. Gamini Mendis, assistant professor of engineering. Now, he keeps a paddle in his office.
Daryl Branford, director of ScienceArt Initiatives at Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, left, and Alison Huffman, a 2022 Computer Engineering graduate with a minor in Music Technology, hold part of a 3-D printed icosahedralshaped structure that Huffman designed to help illustrate virus data. The interface, above, allows users to interact with the Viral Machines exhibit, waving their hands over it to trigger light, videos, and audio.
MIXING MUSIC, ENGINEERING, AND … VIRUSES? (YES, VIRUSES.) Like most engineers, Alison Huffman
enjoys a challenge. She’s also a musician, so when she heard about the Viral Machines project at Penn State’s Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences and the need for a student engineer to turn data into music, she was intrigued. “Because I have a background in music, I am always trying to tie the arts to technology in any way that I can,” said Huffman, who graduated from Penn State Behrend in May with a degree in Computer Engineering and a minor in Music Technology. “The initial proposal for the project was to write a program that takes COVID-19 data from an Excel spreadsheet and turns it into music.” Viral Machines was the brainchild of Huck’s Daryl Branford, director of Science-Art Initiatives, and Tally Fisher, senior research artist. The goal of the project was to express the impact of viruses in a unique way. Though the project team started with COVID, any virus data can be used in the future. “I was fascinated with Daryl’s initial idea for the project, which quickly grew from just music into an interactive ex-
perience that also includes visuals and light,” said Huffman, who received a Penn State Student Engagement Network (SEN) grant to work on the project. Huffman’s first task was to write a computer program that would take virus data and convert it to Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) signals that could be imported into music software to create a song. She then focused on designing an embedded system to control the visual display, which was to be mounted to the wall with an interface—a 3-D printed icosahedral-shaped structure—in front of it that allows users to interact with the exhibit, waving their hands over it to trigger light, videos, and audio. Huffman said the Viral Machines project drove home for her the engineering design process: brainstorm, design, test, troubleshoot, and repeat until there is a working result. “I applied every aspect of the engineering design process on both the hardware and software sides. It required a lot of planning, testing, and
debugging, and I encountered many obstacles along the way,” she said. Even that, though, is a lesson in engineering: Patience and perseverance are as key to the engineering process as calculus and physics. “One of the most important pieces of advice I received at Behrend was, ‘Don’t paint yourself into a corner,’” Huffman said. “In other words, don’t base the final solution on one design. There were countless times I needed to redesign a part or use different electrical components to be compatible with the software or hardware I had chosen. I learned to be flexible and ready to redesign a solution at any step in the process.” Before she graduated, Huffman created a working system that she helped install in the Huck Life Sciences Building at University Park. Huffman recently moved to Melbourne, Florida, where she accepted a position at Northrop Grumman as a software engineer. The Viral Machines exhibit is currently on display in the Huck Building at University Park. 9
Meckley Has Left the Building
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Legendary Plastics Engineering Technology faculty member retires on Meckley, associate professor of engineer-
ing, has a reputation as a prankster. He’s wellknown at Behrend for his sometimes long-running and frequently escalating practical jokes, like the time he convinced students on a studyabroad trip that a Penn State staff member on the trip was also an undercover FBI profiler who had worked as an interrogator for the government during the Vietnam War. “With pranks, I just keep making it more outlandish, seeing just how far I can go until someone calls me out,” Meckley said. While many hoped that Meckley’s retirement announcement was yet another elaborate gag, it wasn’t. This spring, nearly four decades after he first set foot on campus as an undergraduate student in the mid-1980s, the School of Engineering said goodbye to one of its most charismatic and revered Plastics Engineering Technology (PLET) faculty members. Meckley earned three degrees at Penn State Behrend: an associate degree in Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) in 1988 and bachelor’s degrees in MET and PLET in 1990. He also holds a master’s degree in Plastics Engineering from the University of Massachusetts. He worked in industry for a few years while also teaching classes at Behrend. Eventually, he became a full-time faculty member. As a student, he went on one of the first international PLET trips to Germany for the K-show, the industry’s top trade fair. As a faculty member, he’s organized and led international trips for PLET majors every three years for decades, visiting more countries than we have room to list, including France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Egypt, and China. Pranks, plastics, and travel are only a few of his passions. We sat down to chat with Meckley before he retired in May:
What made you decide to retire?
My wife, Kim, told me that my job was interfering with her retirement. (She is a retired elementary school teacher.) But, also, during the COVID pandemic, when we were working from home, I started to like it. I just wanted to be home with my wife more.
Plastics engineering is a global business. You will work with people in other countries, and you may have to travel there. A lot of our students have never flown, few have passports, and many have never been out of the country. It’s a valuable educational experience for them to travel abroad and see what their industry is like in other parts of the world.
Do any of the PLET trips stand out in your mind?
We went to China in 2004, and they had the largest hand assembly of a commodity that I have ever seen. There were a hundred employees in room after room twisting printer cables together. It was astounding to see how they worked as a team. I’d love to go back and see if it is more automated now. Also, the country itself was so different.
Engineering is a challenging discipline. What have you observed about students in PLET over the years?
Anyone can do this major if they really want to. I’ve been to conferences and other trade events and run into former students who barely made it out of here with a degree, and they are thriving in the industry. I’m continually impressed by students who may have struggled in college but are killing it in the real world.
When Behrend had to move to remote learning in the spring of 2020, you were already doing it.
Yes, I had broken my leg snowboarding that winter. Never take that last run of the night! I had fallen out of balance and the tip of my board came down and torqued my leg. It wasn’t pretty. So, I was doing Zoom lectures and remote teaching months before COVID hit, and I was able to help my colleagues transition.
You’re an avid downhill skier and a former ski instructor. Any other hobbies?
I like scuba diving and take at least one diving trip on each cruise my wife and I go on. I also love photography, especially shooting motorsports events. I’m certified to borrow equipment from the Cannon Professional Services tent at races, so I can play with very expensive gear at IndyCar races.
What will you miss?
Any plans for your retirement?
You’re known to be an enthusiastic and engaged adviser. What do you enjoy about it?
What would people be surprised to know about you?
Working and joking with students in any type of lab setting. I’m going to miss the students a lot.
I like helping students figure things out, and advising is problem solving, in a way. It’s fun to find creative routes through the program that allow students to achieve their goals. It’s like a puzzle.
You were an MET student. How did you end up in PLET?
I walked by what was then a brand-new plastics lab in Zurn one day. I looked in the windows and saw them working on an injection molding machine, and I was fascinated. 10
You’ve led many PLET international trips. Why do you feel these are important?
Travel and shoot fast cars—with a camera. I wouldn’t mind being hired as a photographer for a racing team. We’ve been cruising a lot. Our next big trip is a three-week cruise to Antarctica. That I’m actually shy.
What do you hope will be your legacy?
I don’t know. No professor is irreplaceable. In three years, I’ll just be a story that seniors and alumni tell. At least it will be a good story. And, if not, feel free to embellish in honor of a guy who would truly appreciate a taller tale.
Jon Meckley, right, circa 1990, as a Plastics Engineering Technology undergraduate student, with his senior project partner Frank Perrone.
MECKLEY AT COMMENCEMENT IN 2019.
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID State College, PA Permit No. 1
YOUTH OUTREACH EVENTS RETURN. SEE PAGE 5. Penn State Erie, The Behrend College School of Engineering 242 Burke Center 5101 Jordan Road Erie, PA 16563-1701
Meet two recent grads SEVERAL CLASS OF 2022 STUDENTS were high-
lighted on the Behrend Blog for their accomplishments while at the college. Here are excerpts from the profiles of two School of Engineering seniors who were featured.
A DEGREE AND A NEW BUSINESS
Michael Gibilterra, a May Plas-
tics Engineering Technology (PLET) graduate, has long had what he calls an “unhealthy obsession with 3D printing.” “It started in high school when I built my first 3D printer using motors from some CD drives, an Arduino, zip ties, cardboard, and the cheapest 3D doodler pen I could find,” he said. Gibilterra’s curiosity, ingenuity, and entrepreneurial spirit led him to the James R. Meehl Innovation Commons, Behrend’s product development and prototyping lab in Burke Center, where he was able to turn his obsession into a career. When he graduated in May, Gibilterra had not only a PLET degree, but two patents, and the foundation for his own company. “I’m launching my own company, Additive Manufacturing Systems, a 3D printer manufacturing company that focuses on producing 3D printers, materials, and software for engineering applications such as aerospace, automotive, and medical,” he said.
STEM IS IN HER BLOOD
Rebecca Abraham’s STEM roots
run deep; both of her parents and several of her uncles work in STEM fields in her hometown of Mumbai, India. In her senior year of high school, Abraham did a computer science project and developed an interest in programming. At Behrend, she majored in Software Engineering, which she found to be a perfect fit. “The individual work and teamwork involved in a software programming career appealed to my personality,” she said. “Sometimes I enjoy thinking and working alone, and sometimes the energy and ‘joie de vivre’ of a team brings out the best in me. Hence software engineering, which offers the opportunity for both, was for me.” While at Behrend, Abraham participated in research projects including the Multi-Campus Research Experience for Undergraduates at University Park. She also helped re-activate the South Asian Student Organization (SASO) and was awarded “Most Outstanding President of SASO” by the Multi-Cultural Council before her graduation in May. Abraham plans to attend graduate school to earn a master’s degree in software engineering. Read about more Standout Seniors at behrendblog.com
Engineering News is published annually and provided free to alumni and friends of the Penn State Behrend School of Engineering by the Office of Strategic Communications, William V. Gonda, wvg2@psu.edu, Senior Director. Publications Manager: Heather Cass, hjc13@psu.edu. Designer: Martha Ansley Campbell, mac30@psu.edu. This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. U.Ed. EBO 22-321.
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