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COLLEGE STATION, Texas, June 27, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Researchers and academics were the guests of honor, recognized for their contributions, efforts, and service to manufacturing research at the annual North American Manufacturing Research Institution of SME (NAMRI/SME) awards on Thursday, June 21. Twenty-three awards were given out to researchers at the ceremony, which was part of the 46th annual North American Manufacturing Research Conference (NAMRC), hosted by Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.

NAMRC is the premier international forum for applied research and industrial applications in manufacturing and design. NAMRI/SME brings together researchers from leading companies, government laboratories, academic institutions and industrial think tanks located around the world for advancing the scientific foundation of discrete-parts manufacturing.

"Manufacturing enables the enhancement of our society, economy and individual lives," said Hitomi Yamaguchi, Dr. Eng., FSME, 2018-19 NAMRI/SME president. "The researchers and students recognized are making contributions that will enrich those opportunities long beyond today."

2018 NAMRI/SME Award winners:

• NAMRI/SME S.M. Wu Research Implementation Award
  
  Joseph J. Beaman, ScD, FSME, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
  
  
• NAMRI/SME Outstanding Lifetime Service Award
  
  Scott Smith, PhD, FSME, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina
  
  
• NAMRI/SME Outstanding Paper Award
  
  "Fabrication of Self-Recoverable Flexible and Stretchable Electronic Devices"
  Authors: Yiwei Han and Jingyan Dong
  
  "Coalescence of Gold Nanoparticles Around the End of a Carbon Nanotube: A Molecular-Dynamics Study" 
  Authors: Zheng Kang and Benxin Wu
  
  "A Vibration-Assisted Method to Reduce Separation Force for Stereolithography" 
  Authors: Yong Chen, Jie Jin, Huachao Mao and Jingfan Yang
  
  
• David Dornfeld Manufacturing Vision Award
  
  Alaa Elwany, PhD; Negar Kalantar, PhD, Stephanie Paal, PhD; Zachary Grasley, PhD; Zofia Rybokowski, PhD, Texas A&M University
  Presentation: "3D Printing for Civil Infrastructure Construction"

John C. Zeigert, PhD, FSME, professor of mechanical engineering and engineering science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, presented the NAMRI/SME Founders Lecture.

In addition to the NAMRI/SME awards, eight winners of the 2018 SME Marcus B. Crotts Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award were recognized and presented with their awards at NAMRC. The award recognizes manufacturing engineers, age 35 or younger, who have made exceptional contributions and accomplishments in the manufacturing industry throughout the early stages of their careers.

Individuals who received their award on Thursday included:

• Mostafa Bedewy, PhD, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh
• Thomas Hedberg Jr., PE, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Moneer Helu, PhD, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland
• Ala Qattawi, PhD, University of California, Merced, Merced, California
• Yancheng Wang, PhD, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
• Changxue Xu, PhD, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
• Meng "Peter" Zhang, PhD, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
• Xin Zhao, PhD, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

NAMRC 47 will be held June 10-14, 2019, at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania.

About SME
SME connects manufacturing professionals, academia and communities, sharing knowledge and resources to build inspired, educated and prosperous manufacturers and enterprises. With more than 85 years of experience and expertise in events, media, membership, training and development, and also through an education foundation, SME is committed to promoting manufacturing technology, developing a skilled workforce and attracting future generations to advance manufacturing. Learn more at sme.org, follow @SME_MFG on Twitter or facebook.com/SMEmfg.

NAMRC – North American Manufacturing Research Conference of NAMRI/SME
NAMRC is recognized as North America's preeminent and longest running international forum for applied research and industrial applications in manufacturing and design with its presentations and publication of original, basic and applied research in advanced manufacturing.

An annual event since 1973, NAMRC advances the scientific foundation of discrete-parts manufacturing leading to next-generation applications of emerging and innovative technology in material removal, forming and additive manufacturing processes and machines, and cyber-physical systems. The conference attracts global academicians, government and industry researchers, engineers, students, and leaders in manufacturing to interact with each other and advance the field. NAMRC features peer-reviewed papers, keynotes, special opportunities for networking and collaboration, and recognition of research implementation, service and achievements. Details available at: sme.org/NAMRC.

SOURCE SME