As mechanical engineering student Jonathan Rhone looked through an extensive list of available topics for his team's engineering senior design project, he learned about Brian Zern, a disabled commercial construction superintendent who had expressed a desire to bike outdoors again with his family. In March 2010, Zern was going over plans with his project engineer inside a church that the company he worked for was building in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Suddenly, a large sheet of drywall fell thirty feet onto his shoulder and neck. The 800 pounds of force ripped the nerves that connected his arm to his spine, leaving him without the use of his left arm.

A lifelong recreational bicycle rider, Zern told his doctor that he'd like to be able to ride again someday. Zern's doctor connected him with the Central Pennsylvania Spinal Cord Injury Support Group, which through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant sponsors engineering senior design projects that help people with disabilities. Many of the design projects are presented at the end of fall and spring semesters at the College of Engineering Design Showcase and then donated to their intended recipients. Rhone and the Penn State bicycle team took on the design challenge.

She will succeed Paul Griffin, who has served as head of the department since 2009. He will step down Dec. 31.