ANN ARBOR—Three Michigan Engineering professors are among the 68 new members and nine foreign associates newly elected to the National Academy of Engineering, NAE President Charles M. Vest announced today.

This is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, according to an NAE statement. The University of Michigan faculty members are:

John Allison, professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. Allison was formerly a senior technical leader with Ford Motor Co. He is recognized for contributions to automotive casting technology and computational materials engineering.

Lawrence Burns, a professor of engineering practice in the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering. Before joining IOE, Burns was vice president of research and development and strategic planning at General Motors. He is recognized for his leadership and technical contributions to automotive technologies.

Mark Kushner, the George I. Haddad Collegiate Professor in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences. Kushner, who is also director of the Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering, is recognized for his contributions to low-temperature plasmas for semiconductors, optics, and thin-film manufacturing.

The NAE honors researchers for outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, or education including pioneering new fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional engineering fields and developing and implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.

“This is one of the greatest honors an engineer can receive,” said David Munson, the Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering. “We congratulate these inspiring faculty members and we sincerely thank our other NAE colleagues for their outstanding efforts with the nominations.”

The new elections bring the total U-M NAE membership (including emeritus professors) to 24. The NAE now has a total of 2,290 U.S members and 202 foreign associates.

Michigan Engineering:The University of Michigan College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. At $180 million annually, its engineering research budget is one of largest of any public university. Michigan Engineering is home to 11 academic departments, numerous research centers and expansive entrepreneurial programs. The College plays a leading role in the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute and hosts the world-class Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. Michigan Engineering’s premier scholarship, international scale and multidisciplinary scope combine to create The Michigan Difference. Find out more at http://www.engin.umich.edu/.

Related Links:

• John Allison
• Larwrence Burns
• Mark Kushner