Applied Mathematics and Statistics (AM&S): Daniel Naiman, who joined the faculty in 1982, became chair of the department last August. In 1997, he was elected a Fellow of the Institute for Mathematical Statistics, honoring his “consistently deep and seminal contributions in the interface of statistics, geometry and combinatorics, and for development of and synthesis of fundamental approaches using geometry.” More recently, Naiman has become involved in applications of statistics, particularly to genetics and microbiology. The courses Naiman has developed include Bioinformatics and Statistical Genetics. His goal for the department is “to continue where my predecessors left off in developing the very best program of its kind.”

Civil Engineering: J. Hugh Ellis in September began a three-year term as chair. Ellis joined the Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering (DoGEE) at Hopkins in 1984. He subsequently was awarded a joint appointment in Civil Engineering and has collaborated over the years with faculty from both departments. Ellis chaired DoGEE from 1995 to 2000. He will continue to be actively involved in teaching and research, where his interest is in environmental systems analysis, including air quality simulation and meterologic modeling, along with optimization of bridge inspection and maintenance policies and parameter identification for ambient vibration studies.

Geography and Environmental Engineering (DoGEE): Charles R. O’Melia in August began a three-year term as chair. The Whiting School’s Abel Wolman Professor of Environmental Engineering, O’Melia joined the faculty in 1980. He also chaired DoGEE from 1990 through 1995. He will continue with his research and teaching activities in the field of water treatment. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, he has played a major role in developing the department into a top-five ranked graduate program since the re-establishment of the Engineering school in 1979.

Mechanical Engineering:: Gregory Chirikjian ’88 BA/BS/MSE last September began a three-year term as chair. A faculty member since 1992, Chirikjian is the liaison for the newly developed undergraduate concentration in Biomechanics for Engineering Mechanics. With secondary appointments in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and Statistics, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chirikjian pursues diverse research interests that include robotics, medical image registration, and computational structural biology. His goal as chair is to guide “the very best science-oriented ME department of comparable size in the world.”