Sponsors champion cutting-edge designs

Newton, MA-Leading OEM suppliers are coming together once again to recognize today's great design engineering innovators. The 15th annual Design News Engineering Awards Program, which culminates with a banquet to be held March 19, 2002 in Chicago, will honor engineering achievement in the following categories.

Engineer of the Year. The Torrington Co. (Torrington, CT), in its 15th year of supporting the Awards Program, is contributing a $25,000 award to the individual who is voted by Design News readers as the Engineer of the Year. Dr. Charles R. Munnerlyn, the most recent recipient, pioneered development of machines for laser vision correction.

"Torrington's longstanding involvement with the Engineer of the Year program has been a rewarding experience for us all," says James S. Burroughs, president, the Torrington Company, Automotive Division. "It enables us to recognize the highest levels of engineering achievement, while supporting the technical education that makes such innovation possible."

Special Achievement Award. Stepping up to support the EEF for its first year, Phillips Plastics Corp. (Prescott, WI) provides a grant for $20,000 to the school selected by the recipient of the Special Achievement Award. This honoree is singled out by editors based on a history of stellar lifetime achievements in his or her engineering specialty. Alex A. McCool, Jr., the 2001 winner, has led design of the propulsion systems for every flight of NASA's Shuttle.

"We have valued this awards program for years and feel honored to now be a sponsor," says Robert F. Cervenka, chairman and chief technology officer at Phillips. "The Special Achievement Award provides a platform to not only recognize and celebrate the contributions made by innovative engineers, but also ensures that young people will be enticed and challenged to follow in their footsteps."

Engineering Quality Award. Backing the Engineering Quality Award for the twelfth year, Schneeberger, Inc. (Bedford, MA) will donate a $20,000 grant designated to the school of the winner's choice. This year's award recipient was the engineering team at John Deere (Molin, IL).

"For many years, Schneeberger has sponsored the Design News engineering awards. The reason is simple: We are proud to call ourselves engineers and view this program as the best vehicle to celebrate the profession," states George Jaffe, executive vice president to the senior vice president, Schneeberger, Inc. He maintains, "Our donation is a way to give back to the engineering community and directly support our educational institutions."

The Excellence in Design Award. MSC.Software (Los Angeles, CA) will provide three $6,000 technology prizes to the Grand Prize winners of the 22nd annual Excellence in Design contest. This year's recipients were David Allen of Engineered Machined Products, Inc. (Escanaba, MI), for designing more than 20 engine pumps; Jeff Bertrand of Medtronics PS Medical (Goleta, CA) led the design team for the strata adjustable shunt valve; and Jeff Doddroe of Ohio Willow Wood (Mount Sterling, OH), for his involvement with every type of prosthetic foot.

"Worldwide competitive pressure continues to create increasingly more and more demand for innovative and technical engineering excellence. This innovation and engineering excellence," says Frank Perna, president and CEO, MSC.Software Corp.

Also providing prizes to Excellence in Design contest winners are Bose Corp. (stereo systems) and Handspring (personal digital assistants).

Global Innovation Award. For the third year, Omron Electronics LLC (Schaumberg, IL) will donate a $5,000 cash award and a $15,000 educational grant to the winner of the Global Innovation Award. This year, Systems Engineer Mike Rolla with Compaq (Marlborough, MA) was honored for developing the Alpha-Server DS10L ultra-thin, high-speed server.

"Recognizing innovation on a global scale is an honor. It's a privilege to reward achievements that lead to a brighter, more exciting future," states Frank Newburn, president and COO, Omron Electronics LLC.

College Design Engineering Award. ANSYS, Inc. (Canonsburg, PA), for its second year, has pledged a $10,000 prize to a student design team for an outstanding engineering achievement in a collegiate setting. This year's recipient, a team of four dedicated engineering students at the University of Evansville (Evansville, IN), were commended for developing a special tricycle for a child disabled by cerebral palsy. In addition, ANSYS will donate a $10,000 design scholarship to the team's school to further support student accomplishments and education.

"ANSYS, Inc. is committed to the education of aspiring engineers. It's our way of helping to enrich the engineering community," says Jim Cashman, president and CEO, ANSYS, Inc.

Design News readers can help launch the coming year's Engineering Awards Program by voting for the Engineer of the Year on page 56 in this issue.