Oct. 14, 2002

Dvorak Receives Drucker Medal From ASME

George Dvorak, professor of mechanics, was honored by ASME International (The American Society of Mechanical Engineers) with its Daniel C. Drucker Medal, for his research achievements in plasticity, material fracture and fatigue, and thermal-mechanics of heterogeneous materials. The award was presented during the Daniel C. Drucker Memorial Symposium, held in Gainesville, Fla., last week.
Dvorak joined the Rensselaer faculty in 1984 as chairman of civil engineering. He was named the William Howard Hart Professor of Mechanics in 1995.

Dvorak is known internationally for his numerous contributions to the micromechanics of composite materials and structures. His work includes theoretical and experimental investigations of inelastic behavior; fracture, thermo-mechanical fatigue, and shakedown of metal matrix fiber composites; and damage retardation and control studies by optimized fiber prestress in composite laminates.

A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Dvorak is a fellow of ASME, ASCE, the American Academy of Mechanics, and the Society of Engineering Science. Among his recognitions are the 1992 ASME Nadai Award for pioneering research in the mechanics of modern materials, the 1994 Prager Medal of the Society of Engineering Science for contributions to solid mechanics, an honorary doctorate of science from the Czech Technical University in Prague, and the 1999 Brown Engineering Alumni Medal. He is the author of 170 papers and books chapters, and editor of 10 books.

ASME International is a 125,000-member organization focused on technical, educational, and research issues. ASME conducts one of the world's largest technical publishing operations, holds some 30 technical conferences and 200 professional development courses each year, and sets internationally recognized industrial and manufacturing standards.