David A. Dillard, holder of
the Virginia Tech Adhesive and Sealant Science Professorship endowed by The
Adhesive and Sealant Council, Inc., has received the 2010 Award for Excellence
in Adhesion Science, sponsored by 3M. The citation credits Dillard with
"exceptional insight, teaching, and illuminating experimental
investigations concerning the mechanics and durability of bonded systems."
In announcing the award, the
Adhesion Society credited Dillard as "a practitioner of truly innovative
approaches to fundamental questions in adhesion science. Over the last 25 years,
Prof. Dillard developed a broad-based research program in order to gain an
understanding of the inter-relationship between fracture mechanics and chemical
characteristics of bonded systems."
A major thrust of Dillard's
research work is the development of appropriate test methods for evaluation of
adhesive bonds, analysis and design procedures for adhesive joints, and studies
of the durability of such systems when exposed to a variety of environmental
conditions. Recent efforts include durability of fuel cell materials and
behavior of adhesives under impact conditions.
Dillard served for five
years as director of Virginia Tech's Center for Adhesive and Sealant Science.
He also served as founder and interim director of the Macromolecules and
Interfaces Institute at Virginia Tech.
Dillard recently completed a
term as president of the Adhesion Society, and is a Robert L. Patrick Fellow of
that organization.
Dillard has co-authored more
than 140 referenced journal articles and several book chapters, and has
received best paper awards from the Society for Experimental Mechanics and the
Society for Wood Science and Technology. He received his bachelor's and
master's degrees from Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly
the University of
Missouri at Rolla) in
engineering mechanics in 1976 and 1978, respectively. He received his doctorate
in engineering mechanics from Virginia Tech in 1981.
Dillard received the award
in February at the 33rd Annual Meeting of the Adhesion Society Inc. in Daytona Beach, FL.