Professor Abel's research was always characterized by consummate attention to mathematical rigor. He has made lasting contributions to system stability and structural dynamics. More recently he had been involved in the design of robotic manipulators. Insight into his thoughts can be gained from a paragraph he has written on the topic. Something we take for granted so routinely in our lives, the ability to hold and manipulate an object, becomes a staggeringly complex problem of analysis and mechanical design.
Little babies can do things without thinking that require pages and pages of equations to describe.
The attempt to design and instruct a robotic manipulator that can even come close to having the dexterity of a human hand is a marvelous challenge and a humbling one. In 1991-92, Dr. Jacob Abel served the nation as Program Director for Undergraduate Education at the National Science Foundation. When he returned to Penn, he served two years as Associate Dean for Educational Development and Special Programs. He created several new courses including a freshman seminar on the technological experience in literature and a discovery oriented laboratory. This was offered for the first time one year ago and it gave Dr. Abel great pleasure.