David Grewell, professor and chair of industrial and manufacturing engineering, was selected by his peers to receive the 2021 R.D. Thomas Memorial Award.

The award is sponsored by R. D. Thomas & Co. It honors the late R. D. Thomas, an American Welding Society charter member and the society’s representative to the first organization meeting of the International Institute of Welding.

Grewell was chosen for the award for his contributions to the activities of the International Institute of Welding. He was recognized Sept. 14 during the annual AWS awards recognition ceremony in Chicago.

Grewell earned his bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial systems and welding engineering from The Ohio State University. He spent over a decade in industry, including engineering positions at the Edison Welding Institute and Branson Ultrasonic Corp.

A fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers and National Academy of Inventors, he is the United States’ representative for the International Institute of Welding and edited the Plastics and Composite Welding Handbook.

Grewell came to NDSU in 2018 from Iowa State University. His work focuses on the areas of biorenewable biodegradable polymers, high-power ultrasonics, micro-fabrication, and polymer and metal welding.

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