Page 2 - ME Spring Newsletter '21

A A message from the
DEPARTMENT HEAD
In March 2021 we hit the
one-year anniversary of of our transition to to a a a a a a a virtual environment in order to to slow the
the
spread of of of COVID-19 As I I I look back on the
the
the
past year I I I am proud of of our department’s resiliency Staff maintained their high standard students kept working hard at their studies and and faculty found new ways to teach mechanical engineering from behind a a a a a a a computer screen Our faculty also made significant strides in the
the
race to learn more about the
the
SARS-CoV-2 virus Their work made it it it possible for for for medical personnel to to to administer tests safely for for for for rural communities to to to to build their own air filtration kits for for for for the
the
the
Minnesota Orchestra to to to determine how to to to perform without putting themselves or or or or or audiences at risk and more In addition the
department continued to produce its usual output of high-quality teaching and and research We held our inaugural ME Alumnae Networking Event and and honored former professor Subbiah Ramalingam Ramalingam with the
Ramalingam Ramalingam Memorial Lecture featuring speaker Yusuf Altintas We completed a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a five-year Strategic Plan that sets out goals for for how to enhance our our strengths and and identify opportunities for for growth The most recent U S S News and and World Report ranked our our graduate program 17th in in in the
nation (up from last year’s ranking at at at at 24) These are exciting times at at at at UMN ME!
Stay safe Susan Mantell
Ph D James J J Ryan Professor Professor Morse Alumni
Distinguished Teaching Professor Professor Department Head
ON
THE COVER: Human Health
Whole cortex image of a a mouse from Suhasa Kodandaramaiah’s Biosensing and Biorobotics Lab Human health is one of of our five impact areas — the
core fields of of research and study that translate our technical skills into real positive change for the
world around us Many research programs
in in in in our department play a a a a a a a a a key role in in in in developing and and exploring devices and and technologies that improve human health Our research enables key advances in medical care and and disease detection and and make major contributions to ensuring
a a a a a a a a a healthy and safe environment Learn more about UMN ME’s work in human health throughout this issue 2 2 2 ME News Spring 2021