[Image above] 2026 Distinguished Life Members: Makio Naito and George Quinn. Credit: ACerS
WESTERVILLE, OH—The American Ceramic Society will award the honor of Distinguished Life Member to Makio Naito and George Quinn. The Distinguished Life Member Award is the Society’s highest honor accorded to members of the scientific and technical organization and recognizes eminent contributions to the ceramic and glass profession.
“This year’s Distinguished Life Members have each devoted decades to advancing ceramic science and technology while providing outstanding leadership and service to The American Ceramic Society. Their commitment to mentoring future generations has further strengthened our profession. I am honored to recognize their many contributions and to congratulate them on this well-deserved distinction,” says Mario Affatigato, ACerS president.
The awards will be presented at the Society’s Annual Honor and Awards banquet, Oct. 5, 2026, during ACerS Annual Meeting at the Materials Science and Technology Conference, October 4–7 in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Makio Naito
Makio Naito is Emeritus Professor at Osaka University, as well as managing director of Hosokawa Powder Technology Foundation and director of Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd. He received both his B.S. and Doctor of Engineering from Nagoya University, Japan. He then worked at Hosokawa Micron Corporation and the Japan Fine Ceramics Center before becoming a professor at Osaka in 2002.
Naito is globally recognized for his pioneering contributions to powder technology and nanoparticle processing. His research bridges fundamental understanding and industrial applications, enabling controlled design of particle size, morphology, and surface properties in functional ceramics and energy-related materials.
Naito helped organize and launch the International Conference on the Characterization and Control of Interfaces for High Quality Advanced Materials, and he helped co-edit each edition of the influential Nanoparticle Technology Handbook. He also has been involved in many national and international projects aimed at developing powder characterization methods for international testing standards.
Naito has been an ACerS member for 28 years and is an ACerS Fellow. He has served the Society through various volunteer roles, including previously on the Board of Directors and currently as a member of the Nominating Committee and the Medal for Advancement of Ceramic Research and Technology Committee. Naito has been recognized with several ACerS awards, including the Richard M. Fulrath, Samuel Geijsbeek PACRIM International, and Global Ambassador awards. He is also an academician of the World Academy of Ceramics. He belongs to the ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division.
George Quinn
George Quinn is a retired ceramic engineer and now guest researcher at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. He received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Northeastern University and then worked as a ceramic engineer at the Army Materials and Mechanics Research Center and the German Aerospace Research Laboratory before joining NIST in 1990.
Quinn has conducted pioneering work on the strength, fracture toughness, thermal shock, stress rupture, and failure analysis of ceramic and glass materials. He is internationally recognized for his work on developing standardized methodologies, which led to the creation of the world’s first fracture toughness reference material (NIST SRM 2100).
Quinn is equally influential in the field of fractography. He wrote the Guide to Fractography of Ceramics and Glasses, which is widely regarded as the definitive reference in the field. He has delivered numerous professional courses, including long‑running ACerS and Alfred University programs that have trained generations of researchers and engineers.
Quinn has been an ACerS member for 51 years and is an ACerS Fellow. He received both the Educator of the Year Award and Global Ambassador Award of The American Ceramic Society in 2020 in recognition of his longstanding contributions to training the next generation of ceramic and glass researchers and also international standards development. He belongs to the ACerS Engineering Ceramics Division, as well as the Art, Archaeology & Conservation Science and Basic Science Divisions.
Media contact
Amanda Engen
- Director, Publications and Strategic Programs
- 614-794-5825
- aengen@ceramics.org
About ACerS
Founded in 1898, The American Ceramic Society is the leading professional membership organization for ceramic and materials scientists, engineers, researchers, manufacturers, plant personnel, educators, and students.
