Mechanical Engineering News An internet publication of the Mechanical Engineering Division of the American Society for Engineering Education ROE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Ralph Coats Roe Award 2007 Recipient Professor William N. Sharpe, Jr. Decker Professor, Mechanical Engineering The Johns Hopkins University William N. Sharpe, Jr. is recognized for his contributions to engineering education accreditation through service as an evaluator, team leader, and board member of ABET; for his leadership in reestablishing the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University by serving as department chair for 11-1/2 years, by developing new courses, facilities, and an accredited curriculum, and by founding students sections of ASME and Pi Tau Sigma; and for his innovative research in optical strain measurement over short gage lengths in hostile environments as applied to elastoplastic metal behavior and more recently to the mechanical properties of MEMS materials. Professor William N. Sharpe, Jr. received his Ph.D. from the Johns Hopkins University in 1966. He then worked at Michigan State University as an Assistant Professor and Professor until 1978 when he joined the faculty at Louisiana State University as Professor and Chairman of the Mechanical Engineering Department. In 1983, Professor Sharpe returned to The Johns Hopkins University to serve as Professor and Chairman of the newly re-established Mechanical Engineering Department. In the early stages of the new department, Professor Sharpe taught new courses, recruited an outstanding group of young faculty, and led the creation of a new curriculum that was accredited in 1990. The foundation laid by him supports an outstanding small mechanical engineering department. That department, now led by the mid-career faculty members he recruited, is testimony to his efforts. When Professor Sharpe became an ABET evaluator in 1985, neither ABET nor ASME had a formal process to train or review evaluators. Professor Sharpe was a founding member of the Committee on Engineering Education of ASME, served a term as a chairman, and participated in the development and presentation of its training sessions as well as in its evaluator selection and review processes. He then served a five-year term as one of the five ASME members of ABET's Engineering Accreditation Commission. This was followed by a three-year term on the ABET Board of Directors. ABET underwent significant changes during this period, and Professor Sharpe went on preliminary visits and then on formal visits as EC2000 was introduced. His leadership roles and contributions along with those of many others have improved this important aspect of engineering education. At the end of his graduate studies, Professor Sharpe conceived the Interferometric Strain/Displacement Gage (ISDG), which is based on interferometry from two tiny reflective markers illuminated by a laser. The main features of the technique are a very short gage length and the ability to function under dynamic loading and at high temperatures. While the technique was initially used for impact experiments, the short gage length of the ISDG makes it perfect for measuring the opening displacements of fatigue cracks. Professor Sharpe has used the ISDG method for studies of very small cracks and for crack growth experiments at temperatures up to 700 °C. Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS), which burst on the scene in the 1980's, use truly 'new' materials for which suitable test methods did not exist. In the early 1990's, Professor Sharpe developed methods to conduct tensile stress-strain tests on very thin films and microspecimens. The fact that some researchers refer to his measurements of polycrystalline silicon film properties as 'the gold standard' demonstrate the importance of this research. Professor William N. Sharpe, Jr.

The Roe Award The Ralph Coats Roe Award consists of a $10,000 cash award, award plaque, and travel expense reimbursement for attendance at the ASEE Annual conference. The award is funded by Burns and Roe, Inc., in honor of Kenneth A. Roe's distinguished father. The award is given through the Mechanical Engineering Division of ASEE. Nominations Nominations can be made by any member of the Mechanical Engineering Division of ASEE. The nominee need not be a member of the Division, however. Qualifications The Ralph Coats Roe Award recognizes a mechanical engineering educator who is an outstanding teacher and who has made a notable contribution to the profession. The professional contribution may be in any appropriate category, including excellence in classroom and laboratory teaching; writing an outstanding paper or textbook; developing a significant technique or method of analysis, procedure or synthesis; causing learning to take place through contact with students; involving students and colleagues with innovative aspects of design through problems which are relevant to real life situations; conceiving an idea of great importance to the advancement of the engineering profession or engineering education; teaching, directing and conducting significant research or administrative activities; creating an important invention; providing distinguished service and leadership to the college, the community, the nation, or mankind. Only mechanical engineering educators who are known for their excellence in teaching are eligible, and those nominated should exhibit this outstanding performance for at least a decade. The recipient must be a full time member of a college faculty and actively engaged in teaching at the time that the award winner is selected. The recipient must attend the Mechanical Engineering Division award ceremony at the time of the ASEE Annual Conference, except in the case of an emergency. Submitting a Nomination A nomination should be submitted according to ASEE Guidelines. ASEE regularly publishes an Awards Booklet which gives information about submitting nominations for any ASEE award. Details regarding eligibility and the nomination process can be found at the ASEE web site: http://www.asee.org/

Previous Recipients

1975	B. T. Chao	1991	C. R. Mischke
1976	John R. Dixon	1992	Philip S. Schmidt
1977	Stothe P. Kezios	1993	Lawrence A. Kennedy
1978	Ephraim M. Sparrow	1994	John H. Lienhard
1979	Robert H. Page	1995	Jack P. Holman
1980	W. F. Stoecker	1996	No Awardee
1981	J. W. Swedlow	1997	C. D. Mote, Jr.
1982	Frank P. Incropera	1998	Christian E. G. Przirembel
1983	L. S. "Skip" Fletcher	1999	K. L. "Larry" DeVries
1984	I. Glassman	2000	Adrian Bejan
1985	G. N. Sandor	2001	Michael J. Moran
1986	Werner Soedel	2002	Cristina H. Amon
1987	John R. Howell	2003	Richard O. Buckius
1988	W. J. Minkowycz	2004	William J. Wepfer
1989	William Z. Black	2005	Gary Kinzel
1990	A. L. Addy	2006	Dan Turner

Biography of Ralph Coats Roe Ralph Coats Roe was born in Marcellus, New York, on December 12, 1890, into a family that came to America in the mid-1600s. He was strong, ethical, quiet, perceptive, fair, and kind. He had a great deal of common sense, and a keen sense of humor that illuminated his conversation on the most unexpected occasions. His intellectual curiosity was fueled by an interest in mathematics and science. The early experiments of Tesla and Thomas Edison were an inspiration to him. At this time, he began his life-long practice of turning to the laboratory for data he could use in his studies. He gravitated to the then infant power industry for his life's major work. Ralph Coats Roe had a life-long interest in the design and construction of modern electric generating facilities throughout the world. He demonstrated a talent for the analysis and imaginative solutions to various phases of this work, whether dealing with plants that were driven by water, nuclear energy, coal, oil, or gas. He originated many improvements in modern power plant designs, and he was a pioneer in the field of pulverized coal combustion. He was probably best known for his developmental work in the area of modern, high pressure, high temperature, high efficiency steam power plants that were reliable. Much of the power industry expansion during his lifetime was patterned after the results of his designs and research. At 42, during the depression of 1932, he was co-founder of the Burns and Roe Partnership. In 1935, he bought out his partner, and incorporated to form Burns and Roe, Inc. He was Chairman, President, and CEO until 1963, when his son, Kenneth Andrew Roe, became President. Ralph Coats Roe remained Chairman and CEO until his death in 1971 at age 81. As CEO of Burns and Roe, Inc., he directed the company into fields of advanced energy technology, gas turbine applications, aeronautical test facilities, guided missile support programs, air defense systems, desalting and water rehabilitation systems and atomic energy projects. Ralph Coats Roe held nearly fifty patents relating to desalting of water, improvements in power plant design and air conditioning, liquid regenerative air heaters, and direct contact heating cycle for improved station thermodynamic performance. He was a registered Professional Engineer in New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Tennessee, and Maryland. He was a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. In 1959, he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by Stevens Institute of Technology. In 1969, he was given the George Westinghouse Medal for Eminent Achievement and Distinguished Service in the Power Field of Mechanical Engineering. Ralph Coats Roe began to support and educate himself at age fourteen. Although he was the only family member for generations before and since without a college education, he succeeded in an age where a technical revolution would make tremendous changes in American life and culture. He was keenly aware of the formal education that he had missed. He often commented on the value of education and the importance of people who were accomplished in the art and skill of teaching engineering. It is for this reason that teaching skill and accomplishment are recognized by the Ralph Coats Roe Award. Mr. Roe was recognized for "pioneering in the design and construction of highly efficient power plants and advanced desalting processes and for inspiring his colleagues by his great achievements through self education and highly sophisticated technologies." The Mechanical Engineering Division of The American Society for Engineering Education is fortunate to have a supporter like Ralph Coats Roe. This award and its recipients stand as a lasting testament to the achievements and principles of this great man.