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 2002.
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 Dr. Makhlouf Makhlouf, Associate Processor of Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Advanced Casting Research Center (ACRC) at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Before joining WPI, Makhlouf was senior research engineer at Bay State, a division of Dresser Industries. He received his BS degree, with high honors, in 1978 from the American University in Cairo, his MS degree in 1980 from New Mexico State University, and his Ph.D. in 1989 from WPI. Prof. Makhlouf’s research interests are in the areas of materials processing, particularly solidification of metals, and applications of the concepts of heat, mass, and momentum transfer to modeling and solving problems in materials science and engineering. Makhlouf received the Herbert Uhlig Award for outstanding research from the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) in 1987. He is the Foundry Engineering Foundation Professor at WPI, and serves on the American Foundry Society’s R&D Committee and Molten Metal Committee. Makhlouf is a member of TMS International, ASM International, AFS, NADCA, NACE, ASEE, and Sigma XI.
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 Sergio Gallo.
Born near Torino (Italy) in 1927, Prof. Gallo graduated with a degree in Industrial Chemistry at the Torino University, and started teaching Metallurgical sciences at the Politecnico di Torino in 1950. In 1952 he started his lifelong career with the Fiat group, initially in the laboratories serving the automotive and aerospace sectors.
Sergio likes to remind us, that in ancient Rome the criminals were sent to work in the mines and foundries ("ad metalla"), as a severe punishment.
With no crime of his own, Sergio Gallo joined the metalcasting arm of Fiat (now known as Teksid) in 1953, quickly progressing in his career to become Technical Director, CEO of the Aluminum Division and later President of Teksid.
Since 1987 he remains its honorary President, as well as associated Professor in Applied Chemistry and Metallurgy at the Politecnico.
His visionary leadership and passion in the past 50 years, has brought us not just an early example of a now recognized and praised modern managerial style, but many practical innovations in lost foam processing, in the application of globular cast iron to crankshafts, connecting rods and suspension components.
Sergio serves or has served as President of the Associazione Italiana di Metallurgia and of the International Committee of Foundry Technical Association. He his a Fellow of the ASM and has been Director of the publications "fonderia Italiana" for over ten years and of the "Teksid Metallurgical Science and Technology".
Today's award follows several other prestigious recognitions by associations like ATA (Associazione Tecnici Automobile) and ASM for his professional achievements and many more for his favorite hobby of minerals and precious stones collecting and cutting.
Both Makhlouf and Gallo will receive their awards at the ACRC Spring Meeting on May 23rd
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