1:46 p.m., Nov. 18, 2008----David Burris, University of Delaware assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has won the Marshall B. Peterson Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). The award is given biennially in recognition of early-career achievements and promise for pursuit of research in tribology.

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Tribology is the science and technology of interacting surfaces in relative motion, and the term generally refers to such phenomena as friction, wear and lubrication.

Selection of Peterson Award recipients, who must be less than 30 years old, is based on early achievement in research as demonstrated by papers published in scientific journals of ASME, the potential for excellence in pursuit of research, and the relevance of the research to materials aspects of tribology.

Burris, who joined the UD faculty in September, is working to build a research group and establish facilities for material development, characterization and testing. He holds bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from the University of Florida, an institution widely recognized as a leader in the area of tribology and interfacial sciences.

“Although 'tribology' isn't exactly a household word, the consequences of tribological phenomena are far-reaching and costly,” Burris says. “Small improvements in our ability to manage friction and prevent wear can produce cost and energy savings throughout the life cycles of products, from energy extraction and conversion to parts manufacturing, product operation, and recycling.”

“The Peterson award is a highly competitive award, presented only every second year,” Anette Karlsson, interim chairperson of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, says. “The award confirms David's very important contributions towards developing an understanding of friction at the nano-scale. His research will have a direct impact on many important engineering applications, ranging from everyday applications to advanced space structures.”

Article by Diane Kukich