The Rackham Graduate School has the honor of administering two prestigious awards for U-M faculty in the early phase of their careers. The recipients for 2012 include Associate Professor Wei Lu and Assistant Professor Kathleen Sienko.
Wei Lu is the recipient of the Faculty Recognition Award. This award recognizes those who have demonstrated substantive contributions to the University through significant achievements in scholarly research and/or creative endeavors; excellence as a teacher, advisor and mentor; and distinguished participation in service activities.
Lu received his Ph.D. from the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department, Princeton University, and joined ME in 2001. His research interests include nanoscale selfassembly, nanostructure evolution, and mechanical properties of nanostructures. Lu has abundant publications in peer-reviewed journals, international conferences, encyclopedias and book chapters, and serves as associate editor for the Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience. Among his many awards includes US air force summer faculty fellow, the Robert M. Caddell Memorial Research Achievement Award, the Career award by the US National Science Foundation and the Robert J. McGrattan Award by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Kathleen Sienko is the recipient of the University Undergraduate Teaching Awards. This award honors faculty who have demonstrated outstanding ability in teaching undergraduate students. They have a record of innovation in teaching and learning; notable dedication to working effectively with our diverse student body; a consistently positive effect on students’ intellectual/artistic development.
Sienko received her Ph.D. from the Harvard University — Massachusetts Institute of Technology Program in Medical Engineering and Bioastronautics. She was honored with a National Science Foundation CAREER award for her research to improve balance impairments among the elderly and those with vestibular deficits, peripheral neuropathy, traumatic brain injuries or history of stroke. Sienko’s research interests involve the design and development of medical devices, bioastronautics, human spaceflight countermeasures, vestibulopathic gait, wearable balance prostheses and rehabilitation aids for balance-impaired patients, and affordable medical technologies for the developing world.
Lu and Sienko will be recognized in October 2012 at a private reception and dinner hosted by the President and Provost.
