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DEAN'S LETTER

Though we are proud of the strong tradition of excellence we have built since the School was established in 1945, today we are engaged in a period of renewal and transformation. We are closely examining how we fulfill our mission as a leader in research, education and community service.

In the coming year, our School will experience significant change in a physical sense as well as in terms of our ongoing commitment to excellence in education and research. The first phase of construction begins on the Engineering I Replacement Building. We are also looking ahead to phase two, which includes a distance learning center and auditorium, as well as other cutting-edge research facilities.

We are extending the opportunities of an engineering education to more people, by focusing on increasing the proportion of women in our student body, and providing greater access for underrepresented groups.

We are also rededicating ourselves to undergraduate research through several School-wide initiatives. These include more endowed funds for scholarships and key revisions to our curriculum that emphasize research opportunities for undergraduate students. Financial support for our graduate students through fellowships will also remain a priority.

To ensure that our students receive the best instruction possible, we are working to attract the nation's best teachers and researchers by increasing the number of faculty chairs, including junior chair positions. Our aim is to recruit a diverse and gifted faculty that we feel is essential for providing students with world-class instruction and research opportunities.

The state's budgetary difficulties will no doubt have an impact on our students, faculty and staff. However, the current financial situation will not deter us from fulfilling our long-term mission as a School. In future E-Bulletins I will explore many of the initiatives I've mentioned in more detail. I look forward to updating our readers on our plans for the future.

Sincerely,

Vijay K. Dhir
Dean

FEATURE STORIES

UCLA Study Suggests Air Hybrid Car Could Improve Fuel Efficiency
Air hybrid cars could bring big fuel savings for city drivers, according to a recent study released by UCLA engineers. Experiments based on modeling and simulations showed that the air hybrid engine improved fuel efficiency by 64 percent in city driving and 12 percent in highway driving. The study also suggested that by adopting the air hybrid approach, car-makers could avoid some of the manufacturing costs associated with the more common electric hybrid design.
http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/stories/2003/hybrid.htm

'Master-Builders' of the Nano-Electronics Age to Establish New Research Center
UCLA has been selected to lead a new multi-million dollar research center for semiconductor research. Electrical engineering professor Kang Wang has been named director of the Functional Engineered Nano Architectonics Focus Center (FENA), where researchers hope to build new materials and devices that extend semiconductor technology further into the realm of the nanoscale. http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/stories/2003/fena.htm

Materials Science Department Branches Out, Adds Seven Joint Appointments
Multidisciplinary research is something to which schools and departments everywhere pay lip service, but UCLA's Department of Materials Science and Engineering is showing that it takes that goal seriously. The department sought out and enlisted seven professors from the departments of chemistry, mathematics and mechanical and aerospace engineering to become joint appointment faculty. These appointments will lead to greater collaborative research opportunities. http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/stories/2003/materials_joint.htm

Making Things Happen: Student Finds Right Mix of Internships, Scholarships and Mentorship on Way to Advanced Degree
Lydia Trevino '03 came to UCLA in search of undergraduate research opportunities in mechanical engineering. A few key university-supported programs and a dedicated faculty mentor helped her find what she was looking for. Here is her story.
http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/stories/2003/trevino.htm

Teachers in Training: UCLA Hosts Educators' Conference
The UCLA Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity (CEED) will co-host a two-day teacher professional development conference on August 15 -16, 2003. This is the third year that UCLA has hosted such a conference, where participants will focus on hand-on approaches to teaching math, engineering and science.
http://www.engineer.ucla.edu/stories/2003/minimati.htm

Electrical Engineering Professors Recognized as Top Authors
The International Solid-State Circuits Conference (ISSCC), the premier conference in the area of microelectronic circuits, recently recognized UCLA electrical engineering professors Asad Abidi and Behzad Razavi as two of the top 10 authors in that conference's 50-year history.
Learn more about integrated circuits and systems research at UCLA at http://www.icsl.ucla.edu/aagroup/.

Materials Science Professor King-Ning Tu Honored for Research Contributions
King-Ning Tu, professor and chair of the materials science and engineering department, was selected in June as a recipient of the Founder's Award 2003 "Ions at Caltech, 1967-76," for his contributions to scientific advancement on the subjects of ion implantation, silicide formation, and solid phase epitaxy in microelectronic devices.

1967-1976 was a dynamic time of scientific breakthroughs. This award recognized Tu's contributions to this exciting period and the impact his work has had on present-day study.
Learn more about Tu's work at http://www.seas.ucla.edu/eThinFilm/

MEDIA WATCH: UCLA ENGINEERING IN THE NEWS

Trek's Carbon Fibers Offer Edge
George Sines, professor emeritus of materials science and engineering, commented July 25 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about bicycle frames made from carbon fiber. http://www.jsonline.com/bym/News/jul03/157798.asp

Costner Prepares to Clean Up With Oil-Clearing Invention
Michael Stenstrom, professor of civil and environmental engineering, was quoted July 27 in the Sunday Times (London) about an invention licensed by actor Kevin Costner to restore rivers ruined by oil spills. (Story no longer online.)

Read more UCLA Engineering news at http://www.engineer.ucla.edu

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