Engineering school names new dept. chair

The dean of the engineering school appointed the first female chair of the chemical and biomolecular engineering department last Monday.

Although Sheryl Ehrman, a Keystone professor and associate chairwoman of graduate studies for the department, said her promotion would have been "a real surprise" 20 years ago, she hopes her appointment will be another sign of encouragement for women in engineering.

"If there are women at all stages of the pipeline, hopefully this will inspire more women to step up and take more leadership positions," Ehrman said.

Ehrman, whose term begins Aug. 23, will succeed interim chairman and professor Mark Shayman, who will resume his duties as associate dean for faculty affairs and graduate programs.

Ehrman's ideas for improving the chemical and biomolecular engineering department include recruiting top-notch scholars and improving relations with alumni.

Ehrman said the department has a strong tradition of conducting open houses, which she hopes to continue, as well as more traveling to area community colleges to attract students to the department.

"We want to get the top students to come to Maryland, one way or the other," Ehrman said.

She also hopes to continue relationships with students once they graduate, although her hopes for renewing ties with alumni will depend on the upcoming university budget.

"Our department does not do much about reaching out to our alumni directly," Ehrman said. "We haven't been as proactive as we could be on this."

Chemical and biomolecular engineering professor Raymond Adomaitis said he felt Ehrman possessed many qualities suitable for the department chair position, many of them rooted in her knowledge of the department's history.

"She has a positive, well thought-out vision for the future of our department," Adomaitis said. "She has an excellent understanding of the history of our department and its role in the school of engineering, practical plans for moving the department forward, and she is highly respected among the faculty for her scholarly work and for her service to the department and university."

Ehrman's research is concentrated in particle technology, which involves developing processes for creating engineered materials in the form of powders.

Alex Langrock — who as an engineering undergraduate conducted research with Ehrman and who will return in the fall to pursue a graduate degree — described her as a valuable and knowledgeable resource in his studies. Ehrman and Langrock have worked with collaborators in air and atmospheric and oceanic sciences to examine air pollution in the mid-Atlantic area.

"She knows how to get you the resources you may need," Langrock said. "She's devoted to making the department as strong as it can be."

Ehrman received her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1991, and received her doctorate in the same field from UCLA in 1997.

Her previous research experience includes work as a guest scientist in Gaithersburg-based National Institute of Standards and Technology and an international post-doctoral fellowship at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Villigen, Switzerland.

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