Faculty Directory

Richard D. Sisson, Jr.

Professor
George F. Fuller Professor
Director, Manufacturing and Materials Engineering
Dean of Graduate Studies

Office: Washburn Shops, 246 B
Phone: +1-508-831-5335
Fax: +1-508-831-5178
sisson@wpi.edu

Related Information

• WPI Center for Heat Treating Excellence
• Course Module for ME 5XX - The Degradation of Polymers
• Manufacturing Engineering Program
• Materials Science and Engineering Program
• Materials Process Engineering

Educational Background

• B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute, 1969
• M.S., Purdue University, 1971
• Ph.D., Purdue University 1975
  

Research & Teaching Interests

Sustainable Materials Processing; Heat Treatment of Steel and Other Alloys; Materials Process Modeling and Control; Hydrogen Embrittlement of Steels; Environmental Effects on Metals and Ceramics

Recent Publications

• Bowang Xiao, Gang Wang, Richard D. Sisson, Jr., and Yiming Rong, “Influencing Factors of Heat Transfer Coefficient in Air and Gas Quenching”,  Proceedings of 18^th International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, (2010)

• Bowang Xiao, Yiming Rong, Qigui Wang, Gang Wang, Mohammed Maniruzzaman, Richard D. Sisson Jr., "An Experimental Study of Heat Transfer during Forced Air Convection," Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance,  accepted.

• Bowang Xiao, Gang Wang, Richard D. Sisson, Jr., and Yiming Rong, "Influencing Factors of Heat Transfer Coefficient in Air and Gas Quenching",  Proceedings of 18^th International Federation for Heat Treatment and Surface Engineering Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, (2010)

• O. Karabelchtchikova, R.D. Sisson, Jr., “Effect of Alloy Composition on Carburizing Performance of Steel”, accepted by Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion, 2009.

• Virendra S. Warke, Richard D. Sisson, Jr., Makhlouf M. Makhlouf; “FEA A Model for Predicting the Response of Powder Metallurgy Steel Components to Heat Treatment”, Materials Science & Engineering A, 518 (2009) pp7-15.

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Honors & Awards

• WPI, Chairman’s Exemplary Faculty Prize 2007
• Virginia Tech College of Engineering, Academy of Engineering Excellence 2006
• WPI, ME Outstanding Advisor, awarded Morgan Worcester Distinguished Instructorship for 2006
• ASM International - Fellow - 1993
• WPI Trustee's Award - Teacher of the Year - 1987
• Alpha Sigma Mu (Metallurgical Engineering Honor Society) 1968
• Sigma Xi (Research Honor Society) – 1971
• Sigma Mu Epsilon (WPI’s Manufacturing Engineering Honor Society)
• Phi Kappa Phi (Academic Honor Society) - 1971
• Phi Eta Sigma (Freshman Honor Society) - 1966
• Pi Tau Sigma (Mechanical Engineering Honor Society-Honorary) - 1977
• Briney Award (Purdue University for Research Potential) - 1972
• Morgan Distinguished Assistant Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute - 1976-79
• Rotary Club Group Study Exchange Team Member - 1978 Good Will Visit to Australia
• Who's Who in the Northeast
• Outstanding Young Men of America
• Personalities of the South

Professional Societies/Memberships

• ASM International
  • Heat Treating Society, President (2007)
  • Board of Trustees (2002-2005)
  • Chairman of Surface Treating and Coating Division Council (1984-86)
  • Member Academy for Metals and Materials Committee (1983-86)
  • Member Atomic Transport Committee of the Materials Science Division (1988-present)
    • Vice Chairman (1996-1999), Chairman (1998 - 2003)
  • Member Surface Engineering Division Steering Committee (1989-96)
• TMS-The Materials Society
• ACS-American Ceramic Society
• ASEE-American Society for Engineering Education
• MRS - Materials Research Society
• MFPT-Machinery Failure Prevention Technology
  • Board of Directors (2002-2004)