ACRC Announces Merton C. Flemings and Ray H. Witt Awardees
The Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC) of the Metal Processing Institute (MPI) is pleased to announce the winners of the Mert Flemings and Ray H. Witt Awards for 2003.
Each year the ACRC recognizes two individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry.
The Merton C. Flemings Award, established in 1991, is given to an individual who significantly contributed to our understanding of solidification processing fundamentals, which have been applied commercially in the foundry industry. This year's recipient is Prof. John Campbell. John Campbell is Professor of Casting Technology in the University of Birmingham.
He has spent most of his time in the cast metals industry and was the originator of the Cosworth Casting Process used by Ford of America (now Nemak) for the production of aluminium alloy cylinder blocks.
He is the author of perhaps 150 papers in the field of castings in technical and scientific journals world wide, and approximately 20 patents. His book "CASTINGS" published in 1991 is now superseded by a second edition as the first part of a trilogy to be published by Butterworth Heinemann one per year during 2003-2005.
He holds two masters degrees (MA Cambridge and MMet Sheffield) and two doctorates (PhD and DEng Birmingham UK) in casting subjects, and in 1992 was elected as a Fellow of the UK Royal Academy of Engineering. In the UK he was awarded the IBF M M Hallett Medal for outstanding contribution to casting 1999 and the Oliver Stubbs Medal 2002 for achievement in the casting industry. From the AFS he received the Hall-Herault Award in 1997 and Howard F Taylor Award in 2000. He received the OBE (Order of the British Empire Medal) for services to the casting industry from Her Majesty The Queen in her New Year Honours 1993.
He is currently engaged in assisting to launch Alotech, a company recently moved to Atlanta, Ga., with a completely new casting process.
The Ray H. Witt Award, established in 1999, is given to an individual for his/her leadership in the aluminum casting industry, for investing resources to broaden the technology base; for introducing advanced concepts and techniques; for encouraging the education and training of new talent and for inspiring others to advance the industry through technical achievement. This year the award will be given to James R. Van Wert, Jr.
James R. Van Wert, Jr., was appointed Vice President, Technology and Chief Technical Officer for Amcast Industrial Corporation in June of 1997. Prior to joining Amcast Mr. Van Wert spent 17 years with ALCOA Inc. in numerous capacities ranging from a process engineer in an aerospace casting plant to a Senior Technical Supervisor at Alcoa's Technical Center focusing on aluminum casting research and development. His last position was Director of Technology, Forging & Casting, focusing primarily on high volume structural castings and forging for the automotive industry.
Graduating from the University of Texas with a bachelor's degree in metallurgical engineering, Jim went on to obtain a master's degree in aeronautical engineering from California Polytechnic Institute.
Jim has been involved in aluminum technology for more than twenty-five years and has written numerous publications and has multiple patents in the areas of alloy, product and process development. Jim is also dedicated to advancing his colleagues, subordinates and himself with the latest, up-to-date technological innovations and ideas.
Both Campbell and Van Wert received their awards at the ACRC Spring Meeting on May 22nd.
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