November 15, 1999
VOL. 29, NO. 12
|
|
|
WSE Events to Mark 85/20 Anniversary
By Phil Sneiderman Homewood
|
|
As part of its ongoing
85/20 double-anniversary celebration,
The Whiting School of Engineering will
salute present-day research efforts and examine the future of
engineering during a series of special programs scheduled this
weekend. The events will include presentations by prominent
national engineering figures and by members of the Hopkins
faculty who are working on leading-edge projects in computer
science, environmental engineering, mathematical sciences and
underwater robotics.
Hopkins researchers will talk about their work between 1:30
and 5 p.m. Friday in a program called "Whiting School Engineering
Showcase." Nationally prominent engineering figures will share
their perspectives from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday in a
program called "The Future of Engineering." Both of these
programs will take place in Bloomberg Center's Schafler
Auditorium on the Homewood campus. Organizers are encouraging
faculty members, students, staff members and interested members
of the community to attend.
These two events are free of charge, but reservations are
required. (For details, see box below.)
The engineering school's double-anniversary also will be
celebrated Friday evening at a gala dinner dance called "A World
of Innovation." This event, to be held at the Hyatt Regency
Baltimore, will include a short program. (For ticket information,
see box below.)
The 85/20 celebration is designed to call attention to the
rich tradition of engineering education at Hopkins, dating back
to the opening of Maryland Hall in 1914. The School of
Engineering at Hopkins was founded five years later. In 1966,
this school merged with the Faculty of Philosophy, creating the
School of Arts and Sciences.
Soon, however, some alumni and faculty became concerned that
engineering education appeared to diminish in importance under
this arrangement. Their efforts led to the establishment in 1979
of a new university division, the G.W.C. Whiting School of
Engineering, supported in part by a gift from the estate of
George William Carlyle Whiting, co-founder of the Whiting-Turner
Contracting Co.
Ilene Busch-Vishniac, the school's current dean, said the
double-anniversary milestone "finds us in very fine shape. Our
student enrollment is at an all-time high, our research programs
are continuing to grow and attract external support, and we have
new facilities coming on line in support of our activities.
Although we are a relatively young engineering school, it is
clear that we are among the best in the country at what we do. We
look forward to continued expansion of our activities over the
next 20 years."
Charles R. O'Melia, who co-chaired the organizing committee
for the anniversary events, said he was particularly pleased by
the caliber of national speakers lined up for Saturday's
gathering. They are Patrick R. Atkins, vice president of
environmental control and engineering at Alcoa; G. Wayne Clough,
president of the Georgia Institute of Technology; Richard Karp,
professor of computer science and biotechnology at the University
of California, Berkeley; and William A. Wulf, president of the
National Academy of Engineering.
"The quality of the four speakers and the program is truly
extraordinary," said O'Melia, who is the university's Abel Wolman
Professor of Environmental Engineering. "We think a lot of people
will enjoy listening to these speakers, so in addition to Hopkins
folk, we have invited people from other engineering schools in
the area, local high school students and their counselors to
attend."
Whiting School of Engineering Anniversary
Celebration
Seminar: Whiting School Engineering Showcase*
Friday, Nov. 19
Schafler Auditorium, Bloomberg Center
Ilene Busch-Vishniac, dean of the Whiting School of Engineering,
presiding
1:30 p.m. Ilene Busch-Vishniac, dean: Introduction
1:40 p.m. Stuart W. Leslie, Department of History of
Science, Medicine and Technology, "European Visions, American
Realities: Finding a Place for Engineering at Johns Hopkins"
2:15 p.m. Grace S. Brush, Department of Geography and
Environmental Engineering: "Land, Water and Humans: A
Paleoecological Study of the Chesapeake Bay"
2:50 p.m. Louis L. Whitcomb, Department of Mechanical
Engineering: "Underwater Robotics for Deep Ocean Exploration"
3:45 p.m. Yair Amir, Department of Computer Science: "On
the Way to Ubiquitous Information Access"
4:20 p.m. Carey E. Priebe, Department of Mathematical
Sciences: "Statistical Pattern Recognition for an Artificial
Nose"
5:30 p.m. Buffet dinner
Anniversary Gala Dinner: A World of Innovation
Friday, Nov. 19
6:30 p.m. to midnight, Hyatt Regency Baltimore
The school's anniversary gala dinner will explore the past,
present and future of engineering. The event, which includes a
reception, dinner, short program and dancing, is open to all and
costs $40 per person and $75 per couple. For more information,
call 410-516-8723 or e-mail
amyers@jhu.edu.
Symposium: The Future of Engineering*
Saturday, Nov. 20
Schafler Auditorium, Bloomberg Center
Michael Bloomberg, ('64, chairman of the university's board of
trustees, presiding)
9 a.m. Continental breakfast
9:30 a.m. President William R. Brody: Introduction
9:40 a.m. William A. Wulf, president, National Academy of
Engineering: "Challenges Facing Engineering"
10:15 a.m. Richard Karp, professor of computer science and
biotechnology, University of California, Berkeley: "Biotechnology
as an Information Science: The Emergence of a New Discipline"
11:10 a.m. Patrick R. Atkins, vice president,
Environmental Control and Engineering, Alcoa: "An Engineer's Role
in Sustainable Development"
11:45 a.m. G. Wayne Clough, president, Georgia Institute
of Technology: "The Future of Engineering Education."
12:30 p.m. Buffet lunch
These events are free of charge, but seating is limited. To
register, send a brief e-mail to
cjancuk@bme.jhu.edu by Monday, Nov. 15, noting if you will
attend one or both events. Those coming from off campus on Friday
should park in U lot, located across San Martin Drive from the
Bloomberg Center. On Saturday morning, park in U lot; F lot,
located adjacent to the Bloomberg Center; or C lot, behind the
Hopkins Club.
Call 410-516-5303 for more information.
|
|