PROCEEDINGS OF THE OKLAHOMA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE Volume 56—1976

DR. C. M. SLIEPCEVICH, AWARD OF MERIT RECIPIENT FOR 1975.

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At the annual meeting on November 13, 1975, Dr. Cedomir M. (Cheddy) Sliepcevich received the Award of Merit of the Oklahoma Academy of Science in recognition of his contributions to the fields of energy scattering, high pressure design, reaction kinetics, catalysis, cryogenics, thermodynamics, process dynamics, flame dynamics, heat and mass transfer, viscoelasticity, extractive and powder metallurgy, desalination, energy conversion, and medicine. These contributions have appeared in more than 125 technical papers, three volumes of mathematical tables, a textbook on thermodynamics, and numerous patents.

During an academic career starting in 1948 at the University of Michigan and continuing from 1955 at the University of Oklahoma, Cheddy has been an inspiring teacher. He has trained more than sixty Ph. D. students. Although his first choice always was the teaching of graduate courses in thermodynamics, at one time or another he has been involved in most of the graduate and undergraduate courses in the chemical and metallurgical engineering curriculum. As his academic skills became apparent, his academic responsibilities grew. At Michigan he rose from Assistant to Associate Professor of Chemical and Metallurgical Engineering. In 1955 he accepted an appointment as Professor and Chairman of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. One year later, he accepted additional duties as Associate Dean of the College of Engineering. In 1958, he became Chairman of the School of General Engineering. Five years later, he relinquished all administrative responsibilities to devote full time to teaching and research as a George Lynn Cross Research Professor of Engineering.

The Universities of Michigan and Oklahoma were not alone in their admiration of Cheddy's scientific, technical and administrative skills. For instance, he has served as a consultant to a number of large industrial firms over the past 30 years, and has served or is serving on the board of directors of three corporations. He has received the Curtis McGraw Research Award for research contributions in energy scattering, the International Ipatieff Research Prize for contributions to high pressure and catalytic chemistry, and the George Westinghouse Awards for distinguished contributions to the teaching of engineering students. In 1972 he was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering. The following year, he was honored by the Oklahoma Society of Professional Engineers as the "Engineer of the Year". In 1974, he was named as the "Engineer of the Year" by the National Society of Professional Engineers.

At present, in addition to his responsibilities as George Lynn Cross Research Professor of Engineering, Dr. Sliepcevich serves as a member of the National Research Council's Committee on Processing and Utilization of Fossil Fuels and is chairman of the Coal Liquefaction Ad Hoc Committee. He also serves as president and chairman of the Board of Directors of University Engineers, Inc. of Norman, Oklahoma and of E-C Corporation, which is primarily involved in the development of a desalination process.

On behalf of the membership, the Council of the Oklahoma Academy of Science congratulates Dr. Sliepcevich for distinguished contributions to science and wishes for him continued success in his present endeavors.