President Charles M. Vest and two other MIT faculty members--Alexander M. Klibanov and Richard C. Larson--have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Their election brings to 96 the number of MIT active and emeriti/ae faculty elected to NAE. Eleven MIT alumni also were among the 73 persons and eight foreign associates elected to the Academy this year. It now has 1,684 US members and 142 foreign associates.
Election to the Academy is among the highest professional distinctions accorded an engineer. Membership is conferred on those who have made "important contributions to engineering theory and practice, including significant contributions to the literature of engineering theory and practice," and to those who have demonstrated "unusual accomplishment in new and developing fields of technology."
Dr. Vest, who has a faculty appointment as professor of mechanical engineering, was cited "for technical and educational contributions to holographic interferometry and leadership as an educator."
Dr. Klibanov, professor of chemistry, was honored "for research in enzyme and protein technology and contributions to the field of biocatalysis in nonaqueous solvents."
Dr. Larson, professor of electrical engineering and codirector of the Operations Research Center, was cited "for developing and applying operations research methodologies in public and private-sector service industries."
The alumni elected were:
Robert K. Brayton, professor of electrical engineering and computer science, University of California, Berkeley; Harvey E. Cline, General Electric Corporate Research and Development Center; Jerome B. Cohen, dean of engineering and applied science, Northwestern University; Earl H. Dowell, dean of engineering, Duke University; Stephen W. Drew, vice president, technical operations and engineering, Merck & Co.; Kaare Hoeg, professor, Institute of Geology, University of Oslo, Norway; Thomas S. Maddock, chairman, Boyle Engineering Corp.; Frederic Raichlen, professor of civil engineering, California Institute of Technology; Paul E. Rubbert, unit chief, aerodynamic research, Boeing Commercial Airplane Group; Robert J. Spinrad, vice president, technology analysis and development, Xerox Corp.; and Watt W. Webb, professor of applied engineering physics, Cornell University.
A version of this article appeared in the February 24, 1993 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 37, Number 23).
