The ASME Foundation
New York, New York
Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME today is an over 130,000-member professional and student organization focused on technical, educational and research issues of the engineering and technology community. ASME is present in over 150 countries worldwide. Approximately 20,000 ASME members work and live outside of the United States.
ASME is a not-for-profit organization that promotes the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences throughout the world. The society holds numerous technical conferences worldwide, offers hundreds of professional development courses each year, and conducts one of the world’s largest technical publishing operations. ASME also sets internationally-recognized industrial and manufacturing codes and standards that enhance public safety.
The core values of ASME are rooted in its mission to better enable engineering practitioners to contribute to the well-being of humankind. In performing its mission, ASME adheres to the following core values: embrace integrity and ethical conduct; embrace diversity and respect the dignity and culture of all people; nurture and treasure the environment and our natural and man-made resources; facilitate the development, dissemination and application of engineering knowledge; promote the benefits of continuing education and of engineering education; respect and document engineering history while continually embracing change; promote the technical and societal contribution of engineers.
Through its initiatives in education, advocacy and public policy, The ASME Foundation impacts all aspects of the mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering community. Its goals are to assure the growth and longevity of the professional community. The Foundation’s success stems from the generosity of ASME members and like-minded individuals who contribute to the future of the profession.
Website: http://www.asme.org
CONTACT: Coordinator, Honors and Fellows, ASME, 3 Park Avenue – 22nd Floor, NY, NY 10016; Voice: 212-591-7736, FAX: 212-591-7739
There are many reasons to learn more about our honorees. You may benefit from knowing more about these outstanding individuals and perhaps become a better mentor or advisor yourself. You may wish to add your own congratulations! You may want to renew a former acquaintance.
A sincere effort is maintained to keep this information up to date. However, the individual’s or institutions’ own web sites and directory listings should also prove helpful.
Titles and affiliations are listed as at the time of each award.
2010
Dario Solís, Ph.D. – First ASME Honoree
Dirección de Investigación [Director of Research],
Universidad Technológica de Panamá,
República de Panamá
2011
Robert Birkmyre, EUR ING, CEng.
Professional European Engineer (EUR ING),
European Federation of National Engineering Associations (FEANI); Chartered Engineer (U.K.);
BTech in Automotive Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, U.K.
2012
Timothy S. Fisher, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor, International Center for Materials Science (ICMS),
Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Jakkur, Bangalore, India.
Professor of Mechanical Engineering, School of Mechanical Engineering,
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
2013
Abel Hernández-Guerrero, Ph.D.
Professor, Departamento Ingenería Mechánica [Mechanical Engineering Department],
División de Ingenierías [Division of Engineering],
Universidad de Guanajuato, Salamanca, Mexico
2014
Nael Barakat, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Professor and Chair, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan;
Member, European Society for Engineering Education, and International Society for Engineering Education
2015
Carlos L. Lasarte V, M.S.
Director Gerente y Asesor Técnico [Managing Director and Technical Advisor];
Combustión, Energía y Ambiente, C.A. [Company],
República de Panamá
2016
Luciano Castillo, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair in Wind Energy,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Whitacre College of Engineering,
Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
( Note: No ASME award during 2017. )
2018
Robert M. Wagner, Ph.D.
Director, National Transportation Center,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, Tennessee;
Faculty member, Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research,
University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee
Fellow of SAE International, and on editorial boards of four international journals
2019
Naomi C. Chesler, Ph.D.
Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor, Biomedical Engineering,
College of Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin;
U.S. Fulbright Scholar, 2015-16, Tel Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
2020
Eduardo J. Barrientos, Ph.D.
Principal Engineer, Advanced Fuel Products,
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, New York
B.S., Universidad Simón Bolívar, Caracas, Venezuela
Ph. D., Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
Award Program Institutions
The program is endowed to operate through six supporting institutions.
An international recognition is part of the annual society-level award programs of ASME. U. S. national honorees are recognized through the engineering honor society, Tau Beta Pi. Other outstanding mentors are selected annually through similarly-endowed institutional programs at Duke University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology – universities where sponsor Capers McDonald has been privileged to have been engaged as a learner, either as a student or faculty member.
Aside from simply learning more about each of these organizations, there are many reasons to contact our award program institutions! You may want to learn more and become a better mentor or advisor. You may wish to know the procedure for nominating an excellent mentor for one of the awards. Or, you may have some interest in contributing to the celebration by volunteering some of your time or funds to enhance the recognitions. All are welcomed!
A sincere effort is maintained to keep this information, including contacts, up to date. However, the institutions’ own web sites and directory listings should also prove helpful.
Connections Among the Six Institutions
In addition to their individual dedication to excellence in engineering and the applied sciences; to innovation, creativity and leadership; and to a broad social perspective on the role of engineers, these six institutions are prominent among those Capers McDonald has enjoyed working and learning in throughout his life – either as a student, faculty member or volunteer.
In the School of Engineering at Duke University, Capers earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree with majors in Biomedical Engineering and Zoology in 1974. He completed a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering (MSME) degree at MIT in 1976, conducting his thesis work with fellow engineers at MIT and orthopedic surgeons at Children’s Hospital Boston. Following five years of employment, Capers concluded his formal education – to date – with a Master in Business Administration (MBA) degree from Harvard Business School in 1983.
Immediately following 12 years as President and CEO of BioReliance Corporation in 2004, Capers became an Executive in Residence and faculty member with Johns Hopkins University, teaching in graduate programs that in 2007 became parts of the newly-chartered Carey Business School.
Capers was inducted into Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honorary, following his third undergraduate year at Duke and served as the student Chapter President during 1973-74. He is a Life Member of ASME, which for many years was known as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.