William Thomas, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the "professor emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
Joining the Virginia Tech community in 1967, Thomas was a preeminent trailblazer in the field of solar energy engineering and made significant contributions to research in solar thermal applications. He was the author or co-author of over 60 technical papers, 121 university outreach reports, and several society conference proceedings.
Thomas received solar-related grants from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Reynolds Metals Company. He was instrumental in establishing the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Solar Energy Transactions. He also served as the publication’s editor.
Thomas served on the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers’ project committee that developed the first standard test method for solar collectors. He advised the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored Solar Rating and Certification Corporation on resolving technical compliance issues with manufacturers.
He served in national professional societies and was elected Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and life member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
Serving as the director of the Virginia Tech Industrial Energy Center, Thomas worked to provide energy surveys and process analyses for area industries and commercial facilities, which resulted in 100 technical reports documenting energy and conservation and cost-saving opportunities totaling approximately $3 million over a seven-year period.
In his 35 years, Thomas directed the thesis research of 40 master’s and 11 doctoral students and taught courses ranging from first year to senior technical electives to advanced graduate level.
Thomas received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Clemson University in 1957 and in 1964, respectively. He earned his doctorate from Georgia Tech in 1968. He is a registered professional engineer.
James R. Thomas Jr., professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the "professor emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
Thomas, who served as investigator for approximately $2 million in sponsored research, made significant contributions to diverse research fields, including those of particle transport theory, heat transfer, thermal stresses, thermal properties of composites, nuclear reactor control and instrumentation, solar energy engineering, and microwave processing.
The author of over 90 publications in 24 journals on topics ranging from nuclear engineering to materials science and microwave power, Thomas held appointments at the University of Bologna, Italy, and the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory. He also served as a reviewer for many technical journals and funding agencies and as a member of the International Thermal Conductivitiy Conferences’ board of directors.
Beginning at Virginia Tech in 1974, he supervised more than 20 master’s students and seven doctoral students, and taught a wide range of nuclear and mechanical engineering courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels during his time with the university.
Thomas served on numerous committees and served two terms as lead instructor for the Virginia Tech Department of Energy Nuclear Intern Training Program.
Thomas received his bachelor’s degree from Auburn University in 1964, his master’s degree from the University of Delaware in 1968, and his doctorate from NC State in 1973.
Reginald Mitchiner, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the "professor emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1972, he made significant contributions to research in the kinematics of hobbed and pinion cut spur and helical gearing, and his research on the design of geared systems has been cited in many textbooks. Mitchiner was consulted by nationwide industries regarding mechanical design issues and his research in the field of high pressure reciprocating air compressors for shipboard service was supported by the U.S. Navy. He served on the mechanical engineering review panel for the Office of Naval Research fellows and on the engineering review panel for the Department of Defense fellows for 20 years. He also received the 1977 North Carolina Award in Science from the North Carolina governor and state legislature.
As a professor, Mitchiner taught over 7,000 students and led the first team of students to execute a design project that resulted in a U.S. patent through the auspices of the Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties. He also mentored over 40 master’s and two doctoral students. After helping to establish the Computer Aided Engineering Design Program, he secured multi-year National Science Foundation funding to continue the program and served as director for many years. He also served on the College of Engineering (http://www.eng.vt.edu/main/index.php) committee that established the Personal Computer Initiative.
Mitchiner earned his bachelor’s of mechanical engineering from North Carolina A&T in 1965. He received his master’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois in 1967, and his doctorate from Virginia Tech in 1975. He is a registered professional engineer.
Written by Krystyne Hayes. Hayes, of Front Royal, Va., holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
Robert Mahan, professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech, has been conferred the "professor emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors.
The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.
A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1970, Mahan established and directed the Thermal Radiation Group, a nationally prominent laboratory in remote sensing and infrared technology. He obtained more than $3 million in externally-funded research, authored or co-authored more than 100 contributions to technical literature, and authored a widely used radiation heat transfer textbook. Mahan served as assistant secretary of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Heat Transfer Division and as editor of the division’s newsletter. He also served as ASME faculty advisor for multi-year terms and as an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology evaluator for the accreditation of mechanical engineering programs.
As a professor, Mahan designed and taught the Engineering Design and Economics course and served as graduate advisor for 42 master’s and 14 doctoral students. He established and coordinated several student exchange programs with prominent European engineering schools, resulting in the exchange of more than 100 undergraduate and graduate students. He also served as a member of the National Advisory Committee for the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience, and served as a member of the board of directors for the Association for International Practical Training.
Mahan earned three degrees at the University of Kentucky; a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1966, a master’s in mechanical engineering in 1968, and his doctorate in 1970. A registered professional engineer, he also holds a BA in French from Virginia Tech.
Written by Krystyne Hayes. Hayes, of Front Royal, Va., holds a Bachelor of Arts in communication from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
The College of Engineering at Virginia Tech is internationally recognized for its excellence in 14 engineering disciplines and computer science. The college's 6,000 undergraduates benefit from an innovative curriculum that provides a "hands-on, minds-on" approach to engineering education, complementing classroom instruction with two unique design-and-build facilities and a strong Cooperative Education Program. With more than 50 research centers and numerous laboratories, the college offers its 2,000 graduate students opportunities in advanced fields of study such as biomedical engineering, state-of-the-art microelectronics, and nanotechnology. Virginia Tech, the most comprehensive university in Virginia, is dedicated to quality, innovation, and results to the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
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