Not only is the Turbo Lab’s Dr. Je-Chin Han a Distinguished Professor, holder of the Marcus C. Easterling Chair in the Texas A&M Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Director of the Turbine Heat Transfer Laboratory- the esteemed professor and researcher is also now an Honorary Member of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).
ASME Honorary Membership, created at the organization’s inception in 1880, is awarded for a lifetime of service to engineering or related fields (science, research, public service). ASME describes the award as “distinguished service that contributes significantly to the attainment of the goals of the engineering profession.”
Han was one of three recipients awarded with an ASME Honorary Membership in the fall of 2020. He was chosen as a recipient for his lifetime of service to engineering and “eminent achievement and distinguished service in the area of heat transfer through inspiring leadership, through education, and through research, particularly for pioneering experiments in gas turbine blade cooling technology development that have had major impacts on increasing operational durability, performance and efficiency,” according to ASME.
“I am honored to receive this award,” said Han. “I am grateful to my former graduate students, who work hard on our research projects, to my colleagues, mentors, friends and family, who have continuously encouraged and supported me for the past 40 years. Many thanks to ASME.”
Han, who joined ASME in 1979, says he has benefitted greatly from participating in the organization’s activities.
“I joined ASME when I was a young engineer and quickly found that participating in ASME activities was very beneficial to my teaching and research career at Texas A&M and my professional development,” said Han. “I hope that ASME will continue to grow while helping new generations of students and engineers.”
The ASME Honorary Membership is just one of many awards that has been bestowed upon Han in his esteemed career. He has been presented with several other awards from ASME such as “ASME Heat Transfer Memorial Award” in 2002, “Max Jakob Memorial Award” and “Aircraft Engine Technology Award” in 2016, and “ASME Best Paper Award” in 2018.
The Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) Turbomachinery Laboratory makes a vital impact on turbomachinery and related industries through research, education and professional workforce development.