R. Byron Pipes
Encyclopedia
Robert Byron Pipes is an educator, researcher in polymer sciences and was the seventeenth president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
.
He was born on August 14, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana
. He and his wife Ruth Ellen (whom he married on June 27, 1964) had two children: Christopher and Mark.
He received a B.S. in civil engineering from Louisiana Polytechnic Institute
in 1964, an M.S. in engineering from Princeton University
in 1969 and a P.h.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington
in 1972. From 1972-1974, he was an assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Drexel University
. In 1974, he joined the University of Delaware
as associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, rising to professor of mechanical engineering in 1980, dean of the College of Engineering in 1985 and provost and vice-president for academic affairs in 1991. From 1978-1985, he was director of the Center for Composite Materials at the University of Delaware and from 1989–1993, he was Robert L. Spencer Professor of Engineering. In 1993, he was elected president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. However, he had a difficult relationship with the faculty, which felt that it did not have a voice in how faculty and administrator openings were filled. The faculty senate decided on April 1, 1998 to hold a faculty-wide no-confidence vote. The following day, he announced that he was resigning effective July 1, 1998.
From 1998-2001, he was a distinguished visiting scientist at the College of William and Mary
. During this time, he conducted research on carbon nanotechnology at the NASA Langley Research Center. In 2001, he joined the University of Akron
as the Goodyear Professor of Polymer Engineering and director of the Akron Global Polymer Academy. In 2004, he was appointed the John L. Bray Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Purdue University
.
. In 1993, he became a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering. He received the Outstanding Research Award from the American Society of Composites in 1994. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
and the Society for Advanced Materials and Process Engineering. In 1983, he received the Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award from Pi Tau Sigma
and the ASME.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
.
He was born on August 14, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
. He and his wife Ruth Ellen (whom he married on June 27, 1964) had two children: Christopher and Mark.
He received a B.S. in civil engineering from Louisiana Polytechnic Institute
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in 1964, an M.S. in engineering from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1969 and a P.h.D. in mechanical engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington
University of Texas at Arlington
The University of Texas at Arlington is a public research university located in Arlington, Texas, United States. The campus is situated southwest of downtown Arlington, and is located in the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. The university was founded in 1895 and served primarily a military...
in 1972. From 1972-1974, he was an assistant professor in mechanical engineering at Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
. In 1974, he joined the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
as associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, rising to professor of mechanical engineering in 1980, dean of the College of Engineering in 1985 and provost and vice-president for academic affairs in 1991. From 1978-1985, he was director of the Center for Composite Materials at the University of Delaware and from 1989–1993, he was Robert L. Spencer Professor of Engineering. In 1993, he was elected president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. However, he had a difficult relationship with the faculty, which felt that it did not have a voice in how faculty and administrator openings were filled. The faculty senate decided on April 1, 1998 to hold a faculty-wide no-confidence vote. The following day, he announced that he was resigning effective July 1, 1998.
From 1998-2001, he was a distinguished visiting scientist at the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
. During this time, he conducted research on carbon nanotechnology at the NASA Langley Research Center. In 2001, he joined the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
as the Goodyear Professor of Polymer Engineering and director of the Akron Global Polymer Academy. In 2004, he was appointed the John L. Bray Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
.
Honors and awards
In 1987, he became a member of the National Academy of EngineeringNational Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
. In 1993, he became a member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Engineering. He received the Outstanding Research Award from the American Society of Composites in 1994. He is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
and the Society for Advanced Materials and Process Engineering. In 1983, he received the Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award from Pi Tau Sigma
Pi Tau Sigma
Pi Tau Sigma is an International Mechanical Engineering Honor Society. Pi Tau Sigma's core values are:*Integrity ,*Service , and...
and the ASME.
Books
- Adams, Donald F, Carlsson, Leif A. and Pipes, R. Byron, (2002) Experimental Characterization of Advanced Composite Materials, Third Edition, CRC. ISBN 978-1587161001
- Whitney, James M., Daniel, Isaac M. and Pipes, R. Byron, (1984) Experimental Mechanics of Fiber Reinforced Composite Materials, The Society for Experimental Mechanics, ISBN 978-0912053011
- Dhingra, Aslok K. and Pipes, R. Byron (1982) New Composite Materials and Technology, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, ISBN 978-0816902347
- Zweben, Carl H., Kulkarni, Satish V. and Pipes, R. Byron, (1978) Composite Materials in the Automobile Industry, American Society of Mechanical Engineers.