QUICK LINKS Today's News News releases ISU homepage NEWS RELEASE 1-4-03 Contacts: Mani Venkata, Electrical and Computer Engineering, (515) 294-3459 Pam Reinig, Engineering Communications, (515) 294-0261 Skip Derra, News Service, (515) 294-4917 Venkata Named to Endowed Chair AMES, Iowa -- S.S. "Mani" Venkata, professor and chair of the electrical and computer engineering department, has been appointed to the Palmer Chair in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University. The appointment, made by Engineering Dean James Melsa, recognizes Venkata's scholarship and potential for continued technical leadership in the area of power systems. The appointment is effective Jan. 1. Venkata joined Iowa State's electrical and computer engineering department as chair in 1996 after 17 years as a professor of electrical engineering at University of Washington, Seattle, where he also served as the founding director of its electric energy industrial consortium. Venkata is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and recipient of its 2000 Third Millennium Medal. In 1996, Venkata was named Outstanding Power Engineering Educator by the Power Engineering Society division of IEEE. He is a member of the American Society of Engineering Education and the Accreditation Board of Engineering & Technology. The Palmer Chair was established in 1986 with a gift from James Palmer (a 1944 graduate in electrical engineering) and his wife, Barbara. Palmer began his career with C-Cor Electronics, State College, Pa., in 1955 and rapidly built the firm into an industry leader in cable television. Palmer retired as C-Cor's chairman and president in 1985. He died in October 2001. Barbara Palmer (a 1946 graduate) still resides in State College. "I heartily approve of the choice of Dr. Venkata for the Palmer Chair in Electrical Engineering and I'm sure Jim would, too," said Barbara Palmer. William Lord, retired, previously held the Palmer Chair. Jim Davis, associate professor, will serve as chair of the electrical and computer engineering department until a permanent chair is selected. - 30 - -30- Ames, Iowa 50011, (515) 294-4111 Published by: University Relations, online@iastate.edu Copyright © 1995-2002, Iowa State University of Science and Technology. All rights reserved.