Jack R. Vinson, H. Fletcher Brown Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the Center for Composite Materials and the College of Marine Studies, was named a fellow of the American Society for Composites (ASC) at its annual technical conference in September in Texas.

The only organization in the U.S. entirely dedicated to composite materials, ASC is 15 years old and modeled after the Japan Society for Composite Materials, founded by Tsuyoshi Hayashi, who was one of the first to receive the Medal of Excellence from UD's Center for Composite Materials.

Vinson received the ASC Technomic Award in 1998 "in recognition of his outstanding contributions in service, practice, research and education in the field of composites" and served as ASC vice president in 1996-97 and president in 1998-99.

He co-chaired with Tsu-Wei Chou, Jerzy L. Nowinski Professor of Mechanical Engineering, the ninth ASC technical conference in 1994, which was held at UD. He currently chairs the ASC task force on the use of composite materials for bridge construction, which he originated in 1998.

A graduate of Cornell University, Vinson received his doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition to his awards from ASC, he has been named a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, among other honors.