28
September
2015
|
00:00 AM
Europe/Amsterdam

Patrick Smolinski named Director of Pitt’s Engineering Science Program

PITTSBURGH (September 28, 2015) … Patrick Smolinski, PhD, P.E., associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering, has been named Director of the school's Engineering Science Program. Smolinski will succeed John Barnard, PhD, P.E., who currently serves as director and who coordinated the program's Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) review in 2013.

"The versatility of the Engineering Science Program offers students the opportunity to examine scientific disciplines while they simultaneously develop their understanding of engineering," said Gerald Holder, PhD, professor and U.S Steel Dean of Engineering. "John shepherded the program through a successful accreditation review, and has built a solid foundation for Patrick to grow the program."

Launched in 2011, the Engineering Science Program expanded the interdisciplinary reach of the Swanson School's Engineering Physics Program, offering new curricula combining science, mathematics, and engineering in new ways. The program attracts high-achieving, self-directed students interested in in-depth exposure to science and engineering. Students learn how to think analytically across disciplines and tackle future technical challenges that require a thorough understanding of combining engineering with disciplines in the physical sciences and mathematics.

Dr. Smolinski's primary research interests include the development of new computational simulation methods and the application of computational methods to problems in manufacturing and biomechanics. He is currently involved with research projects in the extended finite method for modeling solidification processes, the finite element modeling of sheet metal forming, modeling the flow of granular material, stress analysis and design of ankle replacement components, and the study of the wear of polyethylene joint components.

Dr. Smolinski earned his bachelor's degree in applied mechanics from the University of Illinois, and his master's and PhD in applied mechanics from Northwestern University. At Pitt he holds appointments in the departments of mechanical engineering and material science, and in orthopedic surgery. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering and a founding member of the United States Association for Computational Mechanics. He is also a member of the University of Pittsburgh University Senate Faculty Assembly.


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Author: Paul Kovach

Contact: Paul Kovach