Brosnan-Photo-28April2016-2Denis A. Brosnan is a ceramic engineer who worked for 45 years with traditional ceramic products. After 20 years in industrial research in refractories and technical ceramics, Dr. Brosnan joined the faculty at Clemson University. He is now Bishop Chair Emeritus of Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina.

Dr. Brosnan earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Ceramic Engineering from Clemson University and the Ph.D. degree in Ceramic Engineering from Iowa State University. He is a Registered Professional Engineer.

Dr. Brosnan was active in the 1970’s and early 1980’s with technology licensing with a focus on Japanese refractory products. His inventions resulted in introduction of novel aluminum thermite welding technologies in the European Community and his efforts included licensing activities in the former Soviet Union. After joining the Clemson University faculty in 1989, Dr. Brosnan organized an industrial consortium to build and equip the National Brick Research Center’s laboratory (1998). The laboratory was co-built with the Tile Council of North America, who established their corporate headquarters adjacent to the laboratory. The total space of joint brick and tile facilities exceeds 3400 square meters. Dr. Brosnan holds 11 US patents, and he authored 63 refereed publications and 118 trade publications. He is co-author of Introduction to Drying of Ceramics. He founded and published Brickyard Magazine.

In 2007, The American Ceramic Society recognized his contributions with the John Jeppson Award and Medal. In 2015, he received the Roy T. Holland Medal from the Institute of Materials (UK). He presented the Mellor Lecture at the Institute of Clay Technology (UK) in 2014.

Dr. Brosnan continues research in historic masonry materials. He was the first investigator in North America to identify diagenesis in historic masonry mortars.