Gerard A. Ateshian, Ph.D.

Two mechanical engineering professors have won top honors from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). Gerard Ateshian, Andrew Walz Professor of Mechanical Engineering and professor of biomedical engineering, was awarded the 2017 H.R. Lissner Medal for his “outstanding contributions to theoretical formulations and experimental investigations of cartilage mechanics and tissue engineering, and for pivotal contributions to the implementation and dissemination of open-source finite element computational tools for the biomechanical analysis of living tissues.” His research is focused on developing better modalities for the treatment of osteoarthritis, such as stronger engineered cartilage for resurfacing knee, hip, and shoulder joints. Kristin Myers, associate professor of mechanical engineering, won the Y.C. Fung Young Investigator Award for her “pioneering efforts in maternal and fetal health, resulting in a body of experimental and modeling work that drives the area of reproductive biomechanics and the larger field of soft tissues biomechanics.” She studies the mechanics of the uterus and cervix to understand how to prevent premature births. The awards will be presented in June at the Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, and Biotransport Conference in Tucson.