Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

October 2018 Issue: Robots handle functional testing on nanosatellites

By Design World Staff | October 10, 2018

Losing a great leader and friend

I first met Dr. Monika Ivantysynova in the early 2000s, at one of the European fluid power research conferences. She was a Professor of Mechatronic System Design at the Technical University of Hamburg-Harburg in Germany and had set up a comprehensive fluid power research laboratory there. I’d see her every couple of years at international conferences and we would always chat.

Monika certainly stood out in the room, often as the only woman amongst hundreds of (mostly graying) men. But what first caught my attention was her utter passion for fluid power. She was constantly asking questions after the technical presentations, probing into the hows and whys of a design and going deeper than anyone else in the room. Her comprehension of the fluid mechanics and physics issues at hand eclipsed most of the rest of us in the conference halls.

Her R&D lab was the subject of some friendly jealousy across Europe, as she successfully attracted major players — and major dollars — to Hamburg. Now, if I was envious of anything, it was that European universities in general were so far ahead of U.S. ones in the field of fluid power… their work with industry and research and development programs were on a different level. I wrote about it numerous times, pleading for change. So, when news broke in 2004 that Monika was leaving Europe — and coming to Purdue University as MAHA Professor of Fluid Power Systems — I knew that this was huge.

Upon starting here at Design World in 2010, one of the first things I did was to call Monika and ask if I could come visit her lab at Purdue and shoot some video. Not missing a beat, she told me to come as soon as I wanted, and we set a date. She was, of course, brilliant on camera, and spoke at length about her students, the projects they were working on together, and her excitement about the future of fluid power. In person, she was as intense as when she was grilling conference presenters, but always incredibly friendly and gracious.

I was so saddened to hear that Monika passed away on August 11 after a four-month battle with cancer. I last saw her in Germany in March. I’d seated myself strategically, to speak with an important speaker at the end of his talk before he snuck out of the room. But the one person who beat me to him was Monika. She winked at me as she flew past, intercepting him and firing off several questions before he could answer the first one.

I’ll miss seeing her at industry events, but I’m grateful for her friendship and her many contributions to the fluid power industry. Today, the United States has a far more advanced role on the world stage of fluid power R&D than it did two decades ago — and I’m sure that a portion of that is due to Monika’s passion, drive, magnetism and leadership.

Paul J. Heney – VP, Editorial Director
[email protected]

You Might Also Like


Filed Under: DIGITAL ISSUES • DESIGN WORLD, Robotics • robotic grippers • end effectors

 

LEARNING CENTER

Design World Learning Center
“dw
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for Design Engineering Professionals.
Motor University

Design World Digital Edition

cover

Browse the most current issue of Design World and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading design engineering magazine today.

EDABoard the Forum for Electronics

Top global problem solving EE forum covering Microcontrollers, DSP, Networking, Analog and Digital Design, RF, Power Electronics, PCB Routing and much more

EDABoard: Forum for electronics

Sponsored Content

  • Widening the scope for machine tool designers with FORTiS™ enclosed encoder
  • Sustainability, Innovation and Safety, Central to Our Approach
  • Why off-highway is the sweet spot for AC electrification technology
  • Looking to 2025: Past Success Guides Future Achievements
  • North American Companies Seek Stronger Ties with Italian OEMs
  • Adapt and Evolve
View More >>
Engineering Exchange

The Engineering Exchange is a global educational networking community for engineers.

Connect, share, and learn today »

Design World
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Manage your Design World Subscription
  • Subscribe
  • Design World Digital Network
  • Control Engineering
  • Consulting-Specifying Engineer
  • Plant Engineering
  • Engineering White Papers
  • Leap Awards

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising | About Us

Search Design World

  • Home
  • Technologies
    • ELECTRONICS • ELECTRICAL
    • Fastening • joining
    • FLUID POWER
    • LINEAR MOTION
    • MOTION CONTROL
    • SENSORS
    • TEST & MEASUREMENT
    • Factory automation
    • Warehouse automation
    • DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
  • Learn
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Learning center
    • eBooks • Tech Tips
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars • general engineering
    • Webinars • Automated warehousing
    • Voices
  • LEAP Awards
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2021 Winners
  • Design Guides
  • Resources
    • Subscribe
    • 3D Cad Models
      • PARTsolutions
      • TraceParts
    • Digital Issues
      • Design World
      • EE World
    • Educational Assets
    • Engineering diversity
    • Trends
  • Supplier Listings
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. We share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. You consent to our cookies if you continue to use this website.