News of MRS Members/Materials Researchers
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News of MRS Members/Materials Researchers Robert Everest Newnham, 80, Alcoa Professor Emeritus of Solid State Science at the Pennsylvania State University, passed away April 16, 2009. He retired from Penn State in 1999 after serving eight years as associate director of the Materials Research Laboratory and 18 years as director of the Intercollege Program on Solid State Science. A graduate of four universities, Bob studied mathematics at Hartwick College (BS degree, 1950), physics at Colorado State University (MS degree, 1952), physics and Robert E. Newnham mineralogy at Penn State (PhD degree, 1956), and crystallography at Cambridge University (PhD degree, 1960). Prior to joining the Penn State faculty in 1966, he was an I.C.I. Research Fellow at the Cavendish Laboratory of Cambridge University and taught in the Electrical Engineering Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for 10 years. Bob was active in several professional societies, serving as editor of the Journal of the American Ceramic Society, secretary of the Materials Research Society, president of the American Crystallographic Association, and Distinguished Lecturer for the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. Among his many awards was the John Jeppson Medal, the E.C. Henry Award, the Bleininger Award, the W. David Kingery Award of the American Ceramic Society, the third Millennium Medal and Ultrasonics Achievement Award of the IEEE, the Centennial Award of the Japan Ceramics Society, the David Turnbull Lectureship of the Materials Research Society, the Adaptive Structures Prize of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the Benjamin Franklin Medal for Electrical Engineering from the Franklin Institute, and the Basic Research Award of the World Academy of Ceramics. He was also a member of the National Academy of Engineering. Bob Newnham wrote five books, more that 500 research papers, and 20 patents. His early career revolved around crystallography and structure–property relations. During the past 40 years, Bob and his long-time colleague Eric Cross, pioneered new piezoelectric and electrostrictive materials for use as sensors, actuators, and capacitors. They were the first to carry out a complete classification of primary and secondary ferroics with examples of each. The composite piezoelectric transducers developed in his laboratory revolutionized the quality of ultrasound images in cardiology, obstetrics, and underwater sonar. In his spare time, Bob was an ardent mineral collector and model airplane builder. He loved the smell of airplane glue. He was a great scientist, teacher, colleague, friend, and person. His life is an inspiration to all of us. Donations may be made to the Robert E. Newnham Graduate Fellowship in Material Science and Engineering (checks can be made payable to Penn State with “Robert Newnham Fellowship” noted and mailed to One Old Main, University Park, PA 16802). The family also encourages friends to honor his memory by attending local peace vigils. SUSAN TROLIER-MCKINSTRY Pennsylvania State Uni
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