[Image above] ACerS 2017 Distinguished Life Members: Masahiro Yoshimura, Richard Bradt, and Marina Pascucci.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio, Oct. 19, 2017—The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) awarded three members the honor of the organization’s 2017 Distinguished Life Members: Richard C. Bradt, Marina R. Pascucci, and Masahiro Yoshimura. The Distinguished Life Member Award is the highest honor accorded to members of the scientific and technical organization. The award recognizes an individual’s eminent contribution to the ceramic and glass profession.
“I want to congratulate this class of Distinguished Life Members,” ACerS president Mike Alexander said. “The Distinguished Life Member is a truly extraordinary individual. These people have made more than careers in ceramics—it is truly their life’s work. All deserve such recognition, and thanks for a job well done.”
The awards were presented at the Society’s annual awards banquet, Oct. 9, 2017, in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Richard Bradt 
Bradt earned his Ph.D. from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, N.Y.), and joined the faculty at Pennsylvania State University (State College, Pa.), after a brief stint in industry. His research has focused on fracture of structural ceramics, refractories, and glasses, and has taken him all over the world.
Bradt’s numerous awards include ACerS Jeppson, W. David Kingery, Bleininger, Planje-St. Lous Refractories, and Richard M. Fulrath Awards. He is an ACerS and ASM Fellow, an academician of the World Academy of Ceramics, and distinguished life member of UNITECR. He has been an ACerS member for nearly 50 years, and has served on the Board of Directors as a vice president.
Marina Pascucci 
Pascucci holds a Ph.D. in ceramics and materials science from Case Western Reserve (Cleveland, Ohio). After spending 10 years in research and five years in academia, she eventually joined the corporate world, where she is director of government programs and contracts at CeraNova Corporation (Marlborough, Mass.).
Pascucci holds three patents in the area of transparent polycrystalline ceramics. She is an ACerS Fellow, past president of the Society, and received the F.H. Norton Distinguished Ceramist Award and Alfred University’s Career Achievement Award.
Masahiro Yoshimura 
Yoshimura has a Ph.D. from Tokyo Institute of Technology and worked in its Research Laboratory of Engineering Materials before becoming professor. He is Distinguished Chair Professor and director of the Promotion Center for Global Materials Research at the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. His research focused on advancing processing of ceramic materials.
Yoshimura has received ACerS Fulrath Award and is an Honorary Fellow of The European Ceramic Society. He is founding president of the International Hydrothermal and Solvothermal Association.
About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society (ACerS) is the leading international professional membership organization for ceramic, glass, and materials scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, sales professionals, educators, and students. ACerS publishes refereed journals, periodicals, and books; organizes meetings and expositions; and offers technical information through web and print outlets. ACerS’s website (www.ceramics.org) provides online access to its journals, Ceramic Tech Today news blog, ACerS Bulletin membership magazine, videos, student and young professional career resources, and specialized technical knowledge. The Society serves over 11,000 members from more than 70 countries.
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