Four engineering faculty, staff honored with University awards

This spring, four College of Engineering faculty and staff were honored by the University with its annual Faculty/Staff Awards.

Paul H. Heinemann, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, received the 2008 Undergraduate Program Leadership Award. The award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated exemplary leadership benefitting a Penn State undergraduate degree program.

Heinemann has been with the University since 1986. He received his bachelor of science in meteorology from Penn State in 1980, his master of science in agricultural engineering from Penn State in 1982 and his doctoral degree in agricultural meteorology from the University of Florida in 1985. His research interests include agricultural systems engineering, applications of artificial intelligence to agricultural systems management and control, agricultural meteorology and mushroom production.

George McMurtry, associate dean emeritus for administration and planning and professor emeritus of electrical engineering, received the 2008 McKay Donkin Award. Established in 1969 in honor of the late McKay Donkin, who served as vice president and treasurer of the University from 1957 to 1968, the award is presented to a full-time member of the faculty or staff or to a retiree who has contributed most to the "economic, physical, mental or social welfare of the faculty" of the University.

McMurtry retired from the University in March 1998 after more than 30 years of service. During those years he served as chair of the University Faculty Senate, volunteered for a decade as chair of the College of Engineering's United Way campaign and was a member of the University's United Way Steering Committee.

Khanjan Mehta, senior research associate, was awarded the 2008 W. LaMarr Kopp International Achievement Award. It recognizes faculty and staff members who have contributed significantly to the advancement of the international mission of the University.

During the last four years, Mehta has successfully implemented novel international social entrepreneurship and service learning projects in Kenya, China and Tanzania.

He received his master of science in electrical engineering from Penn State in 2003.

Rebecca Benson, staff assistant in the Quality and Manufacturing Management program, received the 2008 Support Staff Award. The award recognizes the overall high-quality performance of a full-time member of the support staff with at least five years of active University service in fulfilling the mission of the University and of his or her college administrative unit.

All four recipients were recognized, along with 27 other Penn State faculty and staff, in March at the University Park campus.