Zorowski wins first Faculty Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Carl Zorowski, Reynolds Professor Emeritus in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (MAE), has been awarded the inaugural Faculty Distinguished Service Award given by the College of Engineering at North Carolina State University.

Zorowski began his career at NC State in 1962 and brought with him experience in senior design competitions that allowed graduating students a chance to gain real-world experience by designing and building prototypes. He created the classes MAE 415 (Analysis for Mechanical Engineering Design) and MAE 416 (Mechanical Engineering Design) in order give students a chance to find solutions to real problems by applying their engineering knowledge.

He has served as head of the MAE department, associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering and co-founder and director of the integrated Manufacturing Systems Engineering Institute.

While at NC State, Zorowski has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the Charles Russ Richards Memorial Award by Pi Tau Sigma and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) (1975), the R.J. Reynolds Award for Excellence by the North Carolina Engineering Foundation (1989) and the Alexander Quarles Holladay Medal for Excellence from the NC State University Board of Trustees (1999). He was selected as the R.J. Reynolds Professor of Mechanical Engineering (1969) and is a Fellow of ASME (1987) and Fellow of the American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) (1997).

Zorowski has written a large number of publications related to engineering, robotics, textiles, tire mechanics, and metal forming. He received his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Carnegie Institute of Technology.

Outside of his academic and professional career, Zorowski has participated in amateur motorsports as a licensed driver with the Sports Car Club of America since 1969 and more recently with the Vintage Driver’s Club of America.

Dr. Richard Gould, head of the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, accepted the award on Zorowski’s behalf during a ceremony on April 29. Dr. Louis Martin-Vega, dean of the College, along with Gould, Dr. Thom Hodgson, Dr. Steven Jackson and Dr. Linda Krute delivered remarks during the ceremony.

Because Zorowski was unable to attend the ceremony, Dr. Jerome Lavelle, the College’s associate dean for academic affairs, presented the award and medal at Zorowski’s home.