MAE alumni honored in College of Engineering 2020 Alumni Awards

South Africa’s first female nuclear engineer, a military jet propulsion systems designer, one of the developers of the Materials Genome Initiative, a nationally renowned historic preservation expert and an entrepreneur enhancing the lives of disabled Ohioans are among the 21 recipients honored with 2020 Excellence in Engineering and Architecture Alumni Awards.

The awards recognize exceptional alumni from across the College of Engineering who have achieved distinction in their fields or through their extraordinary service contributions since graduating from The Ohio State University. A celebration of the 2020 winners will be held in 2021, once it is safe to gather in person.

“We are delighted to honor these alumni who better their communities and our world through their extraordinary professional achievements, innovation and service,” said Dean David B. Williams, the Monte Ahuja Endowed Dean’s Chair. “They represent the best and brightest graduates from across the College of Engineering and inspire us all.”

Benjamin G. Lamme Meritorious Achievement Medal recipient Colin Philip (Phil) Combs (BS ’71, aeronautical and astronautical engineering) is the retired president and CEO of the Belcan Corporation, a global supplier of engineering and technical services. He also had a long-standing career at GE Aviation, where he was involved in the design and development of propulsion systems for a number of advanced military aircraft programs, including the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter, B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. 

“Being a graduate of The Ohio State University has not only had a profound impact on my professional career, but also my life journey,” shared Combs. “It not only provided me a necessary base of technical knowledge, but it established relationships that were instrumental in my chosen profession. Many of the AAE faculty, like Dr. Jerry Gregorek, provided much more than technical instruction. They became mentors who inspired me to succeed and ultimately they became lifelong professional associates.”

Distinguished Alumni Award for Academic Excellence

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  Rick Freuler (BS ’74, MS ’74, PhD ’91, aeronautical and astronautical engineering; BS ’74, computer and information sciences) is a professor of practice with Ohio State’s Department of Engineering Education. He helped develop and directs the Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors Program, which has impacted more than 7,000 engineering honors students since 1998. The author of 35 papers in engineering education, Freuler also contributes to the aerospace engineering field with over $7.7 million in research and 140 publications/presentations. 

Distinguished Alumni Award for Career Achievement

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  Margaret Mkhosi (MS ‘03, PhD ’07, nuclear engineering) is the first female nuclear engineer in South Africa. As the director of the Centre for Nuclear Safety & Security at the National Nuclear Regulator in South Africa, she oversees more than 16 national and international academic, research and technical support organizations. Mkhosi also serves as the Women in Nuclear Global Executive for Africa, where she provides mentorship to women in over 10 countries.
  
  
   
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  A cardiovascular explorer for over 47 years, George Pantalos (BS ’75, aeronautical and astronautical engineering; MS ’78 biomedical engineering) has developed surgical devices and procedures to enable research projects. A professor of cardiovascular and thoracic surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of Louisville, his research focuses on understanding and treating heart failure in both people and animals with mechanical devices, including artificial hearts, ventricular assist devices and cardiopulmonary support systems.
  
   
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  A gas compression machinery expert, W. Norm Shade (BS ’70, MS ’70, mechanical engineering) is a senior consultant and president emeritus of ACI Services Inc., a leading manufacturer of custom‐engineered reciprocating compressor products. In 2003, he started WiNS Consulting Services, which provides expert technical services for all types of gas compression machinery. He has authored more than 400 articles and technical papers, in addition to four books.

View the full list of honors and awards winners on the College of Engineering website