Page 12 - ME News Spring 2022

WELCOME TO ME
Assistant Professor Marien Simeni Marien Simeni joined the ME faculty in April 2022. Prior to UMN ME,
Marien was an associate research physicist
at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). He previously earned a PhD in aerospace engineering from Ecole Centrale Paris (France, 2015) and a BS in fundamental physics from Ecole Normale Superieure Cachan and University of Paris VI (France, 2010). His research focuses on the development of advanced (ultrafast) optical diagnostics for low to high pressure plasmas as well as the generation of extreme ultraviolet and soft x-ray light sources for the manufacturing
of nanometer-sized electronic chips. He is the first recipient of the Robert Ellis Jr. Fellowship in plasma physics.
What is your proudest mechanical engineering moment?
So far in my scientific career, I am proud to be
part of the ongoing effort to provide to our community more accurate
and sensitive tools to measure electric field strengths in high pressure non-equilibrium discharges. This is of utmost importance to enable direct comparison with modeling results and hence improve their predictive capabilities. As a matter of fact, the research I plan to perform at the U will seek to further improve this sub-field.
What do you like about the University of Minnesota and the Twin Cities?
I truly enjoy the lakes and multiple waterfalls within the Twin Cities area. In the mythology of Western Cameroon (where I am originally from), waterfalls hold a very special place. This connects me back to my childhood. I like how beautiful the campus is when covered with snow! But I truly enjoy the opportunities of high level scientific collaborations it offers to faculty and staff, the opportunities to get involved, and the variety of choice for students when it comes to majors/minors or to get engaged with the community.
What do you look forward to about your new position at ME?
I look forward to:
• Testing my novel scientific ideas and further contributing to pushing the boundaries of mankind’s knowledge;
• Being a facilitator for the access to knowledge of students (through teaching) and also for their growth as scientists and engineers;
• Advocating for diversity and working on outreach towards underprivileged populations;
• Learning and growing every day from interactions with colleagues and students at the U.
12 ME News Spring 2022