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Prof. and Former Student Win National Awards
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NOVEMBER 20, 2003 -- Michigan Tech alumnus Jayson Ripke will be in good company next winter when he accepts the Young Engineer Award from SME--The Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration.
Also at the ceremony will be his longtime teacher and mentor, chemical engineering professor S. Komar Kawatra, who not only nominated Ripke for the Young Engineer Award but is also being honored in his own right.
Kawatra will be given SME's Antoine M. Gaudin Award "for his contribution to the application of mineral processing techniques for sustainable by-product treatment, utilization and management; and for his continued and unrelenting commitment to higher education in mineral processing programs for the mining industry."
Kawatra has been on the Michigan Tech faculty since 1977. His research program focuses on particulate processing with an emphasis on on-line sensors, desulfurization, size reduction and solid waste. He has three patents to his name and two patents pending, and has authored or coauthored more than 100 publications. He has edited six books and coauthored "Coal Desulfurization: High-Efficiency Preparation Methods," a reference book for practicing engineers.
Among his other SME honors, Kawatra has received the Frank F. Aplan Award, the Robert H. Richards Award and the Taggart Award. He has also been the recipient of Michigan Tech's Research Award and the Mentor Award, which recognizes exceptional support for graduate students.
One of those students is Ripke, who coauthored nearly 30 publications with Kawatra during his years at Michigan Tech.
Ripke earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering after completing MS and BS degrees in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, all at MTU. He is currently a process control engineer for Northshore Mining in Silver Bay, Minn., a division of Cleveland Cliffs.
At Northshore, Ripke has spearheaded projects that are resulting in annual savings of over $1 million to the company. As a graduate student, he developed techniques that could save the iron ore pelletizing industry up to $15 million annually, Kawatra said.
Ripke was also active in the Upper Peninsula Section of SME, presenting papers and organizing and chairing numerous sessions.
"His extensive contributions at such an early stage of his career reflect very well on SME and bring honor to the award," Kawatra said.
Both Ripke and Kawatra will be honored Feb. 25 at the SME Annual Meeting, in Denver. |
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