Penn State
Behrend Collegia
VOLUMEXXXIII NUMBER fe.
Lt. Governor Visits Energy Center
by Michael Ross
Collegian News Editor
Lieutenant Governor of Penn
sylvania, William W. Scranton,
toured Behrend’s energy center on
April 18 and awarded . sixth
graders from two Erie elementary
schools for their efforts in conser
ving energy.
Scranton, who is chairman of
the Governor’s Energy Council,
said that “Energy centers such as
Behrend’sT established and fund
ed by the Energy Council, have
helped save the state $7 million in
energy costs.”
The awards were sponsored by
the Keystone Energy Education
“Energy centers
such as Behrend,
established and
funded by the
Energy Council,
have helped save
the State $7 million
in energy costs. 99
Network, a partnership of in
dustry, education and government
groups.
The students completed energy
related projects in all of their
classes and are a select group of
2,400 students in the state that will
receive the award.
The Behrend Energy Center is
one of 10 others in the state and
Faculty Member Applies Research to
Combat Cardiovascular Disease
by Thomas Milley
Collegian Staff Writer
Dr. Amir Khalilollahi, assis
tant professor of mechanical
engineering, is conducting
biomechanical engineering
research, the engineering
discipline concerned with the ap
plication of engineering
technology and principles to the
life sciences.
He told the Behrend Collegian
that biomechanical engineering
has several uses, such as the
designing of prosthetic devices,
the construction of artificial
hearts and heart valves, artificial
joints,, dialysis machines and the
like. Working together with physi
cians, biomechanical engineers
strive to assist in the advancement
of medicine and the prolonging of
life.
serves an eight county region. The
center was granted $40,000 with
the stipulation that for every $3O
spent the center must save one
barrel of oil.
Students majoring in Energy &
Enviromental Technology have
given on-site energy evaluations
for the purpose of cutting down
on energy costs. Before giving
these evaluations the students
were trained by members of the
Governor’s Energy Council.
These students have done over 70
Khalilollahi. earned his Ph.D in
Engineering Mechanics in Dec.,
1983. He is concerned with what
he can do to lower the number one
cause of death of people in
America, cardiovascular diseases.
So he strived to apply his
knowledge of fluid dynamics to
the specific problem of analyzing
the viscous flow through distend
ed arterial vessels.
His dissertation, “A
Mathematical Model for Stenosed
Arterial How: The Effect of Wall
Distensibility,” has produced
several subsequent papers on the
subject.
Simply put, his dissertation
concerned a model for analysis of
the several factors involved in the
arterial distension which' occurs
prior to a hemmorhage. There are
two basic situations in which a
STATION ROAD, ERIE, PA 16563
of these evaluations since the
center’s inception in January.
Though the use of innovative
energy sources such as co
generation and solar power future
energy savings can be assured,
Scranton-said.
Scranton also added,“l am cer
tain that Erie and all of Nor
thwestern Pennsylvania will ex
perience the same' positive, results
in energy conservation and energy
dollars saved that our (eight
other) centers have brought to
other areas of the state.”
hemmorhage will occur, the first
being the case where an artery
becomes clogged by lipids and
cholesterol and the second when
an artery is pinched off between a
bone and a muscle.
He explained that an example
of the second type is the case of a
congenital defect of the cervical
.rib (the one nearest the neck) in
which case the carotid artery
..becomes bulged as neck muscles
pinch it off. Such an occurrence
would be fatal, should the carotid
artery hemorrhage. There are five
different factors involved in the
analysis conducted by Khalilollahi
in his thesis experiment. These are
the introduction of turbulent
flow: the chemical inconsistency
of the blood, the sheer stress on
the vessel walls, the eddying of the
continued on page 3
Behrend Considering
Plastics Technology Major
by Barrett Parker
Collegian Staff Writer
Behrend may soon have a
plastics technology major. Dr.
John Grode, assistant professor
of mechanical engineering
technology, says the new major is
“only in the discussion stage.”
The major is now being con
sidered for reasons which The
Quarterly Review has quoted,
“Northwestern Pennsylvania has
established itself as a national
leader in plastics technology and
production. And now it is
establishing a reputation "for
educating young people in that
field. Dozens of area plastics com
panies are forced to look to
schools in Kansas, Michigan, and
ABC Anchorman Speaks at
Business Luncheon
by Kevin Moore
Collegian Staff Writer
On Thursday, April 25, Peter
Jennings, one of the nation’s most
visible journalists visited Erie.
The Pennbank Executive’s Club
brought ABC’s national anchor
man to the Shriner’s Club for a
luncheon. The topic of the guest
speaker’s discussion was “Inter
national Relations”.
Seated at the head table were
the President of Pennbank-Erie,
the President of Hammermill, A 1
Duvall, Erie Mayor Louis Tullio,
Bishop of the Erie Diocese
Michael Murphy and Peter Jenn
ings. At the conclusion of the
meal, members of the head table
presented gifts and welcomed Jen
nings to Erie.
When the formalities ended,
“...when the
debates got heated
toward the end,
Mondale said, i God
has no place in
politics!’ Evidental
ly God feels the
same about Walter
Mon dale. 99
Mr. Jennings began his speech
with witty introductory remarks
about former Soviet Leaders, the
last Presidential Debate, and
Walter Mondale. Jennings said,
“Remember last year when the
debates got heated toward the end
and Mondale said ‘God has no
place in politicss’ Evidently God
MAY 2,1985
Massachusetts for talented
people.”
A committee has been formed
to raise $2 million for an equip
ment endowment. Co-chairing
this committee are Joe Prischak,
president of Plastek Industries,
Inc. and Paul Roche Jr., president
of Erie County Plastics
Corporation.
When asked when the plastic
technology major would actually
appear at Behrend, Grode said,
“There are many steps before that
happens.” Such steps include cur
ricular review by the university.
Such a proposed “hands-on”
plastics major would be the only
one of its kind in Pennsylvania.
feels the same about Walter Mon
dale.” Humorous comments such
as these dotted Jennings
45-minute speech.
Jennings spoke about world
relations; more specifically,
U.S.-Soviet relations. He said,
“The time to talk is now, while
there is room for rethinking. The
‘old guard’ has nearly disap-
peared and there is clearly room
for new thinking... Mikhail Gor
bachev has proven that he can
compete for world attention as a
continued on page 4
INSIDE
Behrend Honors
outstanding
faculty and
students page 2
State Rep.
supports library
funding. page 5
Highlight on
campus twins
...page 8
Donkeys came to
Behrend. page 9