Steven Liang, professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, has been selected to receive the 2016 Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal. Liang was recognized for "significant contributions to manufacturing science and technology through studies on physics-based analysis and modeling of machining and grinding processes."

Liang began at Tech in 1990 as an Assistant Professor. Prior, he was an Assistant Professor at Oklahoma State University. He was named to the Bryan Professorship in 2005. He was President of Walsin-Lihwa Corporation in 2008-2010.  Liang has been a leading scholar long known for his studies on physics-based analysis and modeling of machining and grinding processes.  The unique and critical contributions of Liang have been attributed to his persistent pursuit of analytical reasoning and physical understanding of complicated machining processes. 

While many researchers in the field resort primarily to experimental observations, Liang’s research paradigms driven by physical principles and constitutive mechanics have presented an unusual and yet important pathway to both scientific insights and practical applications.  He has maintained an extremely active research program, funded by government agencies, national labs, and various industries, leading to over 400 articles in career publications thus far, and 86 papers and 2 books in just the last 3 years alone, with the majority of them indexed by SCI or EI.  The involvement of a large number of Liang’s academic advisees has also contributed significantly to the scientific human resource development for next generations.  Liang hosted NAMRC/SME, MSEC/ASME, and ISFA at Georgia Tech, and he served as Chair of ASME Manufacturing Engineering Division and President of North American Manufacturing Research Institution, contributing significantly to the synergy of manufacturing research communities.

The Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research Medal was established in 2009 and recognizes significant foundational contributions to the science and technology of manufacturing processes. The award will be presented at the 2016 ASME Manufacturing Science and Engineering Conference in late June. The award is named after Milton Shaw, a prominent manufacturing researcher and educator, who taught for five decades at MIT, Carnegie Mellon and Arizona State University.