The School of Engineering & Applied Science will honor six distinguished individuals April 9 at its annual Alumni Achievement Awards Dinner at the Fox Theatre.
The event will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner and the awards program at 8 p.m. Dean Christopher I. Byrnes, Ph.D., will present the awards.
Alumni Achievement Award recipients are: Dale H. Besterfield, Richard E. Pinckert, John L. Stein and David F. Winter.
Mathew M. Thomas will receive the Young Alumni Award, and William A. Peck, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, will receive the 2003 Dean’s Award.
Besterfield (B.S., industrial engineering, 1953) will be recognized for his many contributions in the field of quality control, his work in higher education and his community service.
In 1962, Besterfield was employed by the College of Engineering at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). He spent the next 29 years earning a doctorate, teaching undergraduate and graduate students and publishing articles and books.
Since retiring from SIUC, Besterfield has concentrated on consulting activities, revising textbooks and volunteering.
Pinckert (B.S., chemical engineering, 1962) will be recognized for his accomplishments in the aviation field, particularly his pioneering work in environmental technology.
Pinckert joined McDonnell Douglas Corp. in 1968 as a strength engineer. He became a nationally recognized expert in fracture mechanics. In 1993, Pinckert created the environmental assurance division.
Pinckert is frequently invited to speak at national and international conferences on environmental technology. He now is Boeing Co.’s director of design integration and environmental assurance.
Stein (B.S., chemical engineering, 1967; M.S., environmental and sanitary engineering, 1969) will be recognized for his professional achievements in environmental engineering and his commitment to environmental excellence.
In 1970, Stein began a 32-year career with Anheuser-Busch, becoming the company’s first environmental engineer. In 1972, as the nation began enacting a series of environmental statutes, Stein became responsible for ensuring the company’s compliance.
In retirement, Stein pursues a lifelong interest in railroads and railroad history.
Winter (B.S., electrical engineering, 1942) will be recognized for his professional accomplishments in the electronics field, particularly his work in addressing the problem of “stray voltage.”
He taught electrical engineering at the University from 1948-1954. With William K. Dick, he patented an electronic grounding system to mitigate the detrimental effects of stray voltage on cattle.
From 1954-1974, Winter was vice president of engineering and research at Moloney Electric. And from 1974-1986, he was an administrator at International Telephone and Telegraph’s Blackburn Division.
Thomas (B.S., 1985, M.S., 1989, Ph.D., 1995, all in chemical engineering; B.S., data processing, 1988) will receive the Young Alumni Award in recognition of his professional achievements and his work in promoting research partnerships between the School of Engineering & Applied Science and Boeing.
His technical interests involve composite bonding applications. His administrative responsibilities involve the cross-promotion of technology between academia and Boeing.
Peck will receive the Dean’s Award in recognition of his many professional achievements in the medical field, his unwavering resolve in supporting collaborations between the School of Medicine and the School of Engineering & Applied Science, and his commitment to improving the human condition.
In 1989, he became vice chancellor for medical affairs, dean of the School of Medicine and president of the Washington University Medical Center. He became executive vice chancellor in 1993.
Peck’s academic activities include original investigations in bone and mineral metabolism (resulting in 100 scientific publications), extensive clinical teaching and patient-care experience.