Yale Bulletin and Calendar

September 22, 2006|Volume 35, Number 3

David LaVan chosen to take part
in 'Frontiers of Engineering'

David LaVan, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is among 81 of the nation's brightest young engineers, who were selected to take part in the National Academy of Engineering's (NAE) 12th annual "Frontiers of Engineering" symposium.

The program brings together engineers aged 30 to 45 who are engaged in cutting-edge engineering research and technical work in a variety of disciplines. The participants, nominated by fellow engineers or organizations, are from industry, academia and government. This year's meeting will be held Sept. 2123 at Ford Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Michigan, and will focus on the nanotechnology-biology interface, intelligent software systems and machines, supply chain management and personal mobility.

"At 'Frontiers of Engineering,' engineers share know-how from multiple fields and initiate collaborations that may one day solve complex problems," says NAE President William A. Wulf. "Engineers like these -- who possess both extensive knowledge and broad interests -- are essential to U.S. competitiveness in the future."

LaVan is director of the Mechanical Engineering Design Program at Yale, and is closely involved with the development of technology, the use and role of codes and standards in the development of products, and the design and development process. He came to Yale in 2003 and is a member of the Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program and the Combined Program in the Biological & Biomedical Sciences. LaVan also teaches forensic engineering, based on his experience as a failure analysis consultant in industry.

LaVan's work focuses on the development and characterization of new materials and devices for microsystems, and for biomedical devices and technologies. He has worked on projects to evaluate and develop materials for tissue engineering, and for targeted drug delivery using functional nanoparticles, and to develop "magnetic tweezers" for studying cell biomechanics by manipulating magnetic particles. He recently received a grant from the Keck Foundation to develop a cell-based device to convert sunlight directly into electricity. He is also part of a recently created nanomedicine center sponsored by the National Institutes of Health that focuses on the creation of nanodevices that mimic natural ion transport processes.

LaVan recently chaired a group at the Keck Nanofutures Symposium at Irvine and was selected to participate in a National Academy group to address the future of research in the United States. He has edited three proceedings on micro- and nano-systems, has authored invited reviews on the use of micro- and nano-technologies for medical applications for Nature, and presented a seminar on the future of nanotechnology at the House Rayburn building for members of the House of Representatives and their staff.

"David LaVan's research at the intersection of mechanical and biomedical engineering has already opened new vistas and shows that he is emerging as a leader in bridging the physical and medical sciences," says Paul A. Fleury, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Yale. "We are delighted the National Academy of Engineering selected him to participate in their exciting Frontiers of Engineering program." LaVan is the sixth Yale engineering faculty member chosen to participate in the NAE Frontiers of Engineering symposium in recent years.

The NAE is an independent, non-profit institution that serves as an adviser to government and the public on issues in engineering and technology. Its members consist of the nation's premier engineers, who are elected by their peers for their distinguished achievements. Established in 1964, NAE operates under the congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences in 1863.

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