I am happy to announce that MONICA M.C. ALLAIN will join the Center as MANAGING DIRECTOR, effective February 1, 2009. Her first day in the office (1027A) will be Monday, February 2, 2009. As Managing Director, Monica will be responsible for enhancing the research portfolio of the Birck Nanotechnology Center through partnerships with industry and other sectors. In addition, we look to Monica to plan and implement the outreach activities of the Center, engaging the public, governmental agencies, and other academic institutions to expand the impact of the Center¹s discovery and commercialization activities. Monica received her PhD and MS from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering, with a minor in Materials Engineering. She received her BS from the California State Polytechnic University in the Department of Aerospace Engineering, with a minor in Mathematics. Monica comes to us from the College of Engineering where she served as Associate Director of the Office of Undergraduate Education, in conjunction with the Women in Engineering and the Minority Engineering Programs. She has worked for Lockheed Martin and Exelon Nuclear. Welcome Monica! Tim Sands Mary Jo and Robert L. Kirk Director Birck Nanotechnology Center