Source: Carol Shanklin, 785-532-7927, shanklin@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Greg Tammen, 785-532-4486, gtammen@k-state.edu
Monday, Nov. 26, 2012
Pei to give Distinguished Graduate Faculty lecture Nov. 29
MANHATTAN -- On Thursday, an international authority on advanced manufacturing processes will speak about the merit review process of research proposals for his Commerce Bank Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award Lecture.
Zhijian "ZJ" Pei, professor of industrial and manufacturing systems engineering at Kansas State University, will present "NSF Merit Review Process -- A Program Director's Perspective" at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29, in the Big 12 Room at the K-State Student Union. A reception will follow. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Pei earned the Commerce Bank Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award for the 2011-2012 academic year. It recognizes outstanding research and advising of graduate students.
Pei's research interest is developing efficient abrasive processes for difficult-to-machine materials used in advanced applications -- specifically in the grinding of semiconductor materials and rotary ultrasonic machining processes.
Pei's research has been supported by more than $3 million in federal and industrial grants, and led to the publication of more than 90 journal papers, 70 peer-reviewed conference papers and six book chapters. Additionally, he has graduated six doctoral students and is currently mentoring five others.
"Dr. Pei works closely with doctoral students to help them not only learn how to conduct experiments, but understand the entire research process from proposals to publishing the results," said Carol Shanklin, dean of the Graduate School and professor of hospitality management and dietetics. "We are very excited to have him share that valuable insight on Thursday."
Pei earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois, then completed four years of industrial experience and one year of postdoctoral research. He joined K-State in 2000. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and has received several awards, including the Frankenhoff Outstanding Research Award from the university's College of Engineering and the National Science Foundation CAREER Award.
