Two UC Berkeley faculty members were named last week to the National Academy of Engineering, a prestigious professional recognition, for their work in manufacturing and sustainability.
David Dornfeld, a professor of mechanical engineering, and Ashok Gadgil, a professor of civil and environmental engineering, were among the 69 new members and 11 foreign associates elected on Thursday, according to a statement from the NAE.
The NAE is a private, nonprofit organization that, along with other groups like the National Academy of Sciences, is collectively known as the National Academies. The group provides analysis on science, engineering and health matters.
“It’s a major recognition by your peers that what you’re doing has some significance, some credibility, some respect in the field and that they are looking forward to engaging you and continuing to develop the field of engineering,” Dornfeld said.
Dornfeld was cited for his work in making manufacturing more green and sustainable.
“In the manufacturing process of products, you use a lot of energy and resources that are not renewable,” Dornfeld said. “Manufacturing plays a key role in determining how a product performs in terms of its life cycle impact.”
Dornfeld has also focused on the social aspect of the manufacturing process, including making sure that workers are treated fairly, paid well and not subjected to hazardous conditions.
“I think one of the kindest of things he said about receiving the award is that it’s really a reflection of the entire lab, because no one man can do the entire work to get recognized in this way,” said Margot Hutchins, associate director of the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Sustainability, of which Dornfeld is the director. “It sort of reflects what a good guy he is.”
Gadgil, the director of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was cited by the NAE for his commitment to clean water and energy efficiency in undeveloped countries. Gadgil had previously been awarded the European Inventor Award in 2011 for a water disinfection device that offered a cost-effective way to obtain clean drinking water.
Executive Associate Dean of the College of Engineering Fiona Doyle said Gadgil was involved in the Darfur Cooking Stove Project, which aims to make cooking in undeveloped countries safer and more environmentally friendly.
After visiting Darfur in 2005, Gadgil and his team designed the Berkeley-Darfur Stove, which, according to the website, requires less than half the fuel of traditional stoves. These stoves would release fewer pollutants into the environment and save women from being exposed to more violence while gathering wood.
“We certainly have an ongoing effort in environmental compliance and a huge effort in energy efficiency,” Doyle said. “Energy, in the broader sense, is one of the college’s strategic research activities.”
Mitchell Handler covers academics and administration. Contact him at [email protected].