Clemson University engineering professor receives national automotive award

Published: April 27, 2011

Laine Mears image by: Clemson University

GREENVILLE — Laine Mears, a Clemson University assistant professor of automotive engineering, has received the Ralph R. Teetor Award, the top educational award of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).

Presented annually by the professional association, the honor encourages young faculty to develop new concepts in teaching, engage in research programs and participate in local partnerships with industry. Mears is the third Clemson faculty member to win the Teetor award since it was established in 1965.

Seeking to "create an atmosphere where teachers can meet and exchange views with practicing engineers," the award includes a trip to Detroit for the SAE World Congress and tour and series of meetings and alternative-fuel vehicle test drives at the GM Research facility there.

"This is a well-deserved recognition for Laine and the work he has done with Clemson students," said Imtiaz Haque, chairman of the automotive engineering department based at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville. "We're proud of his achievement and excited about the opportunities he will generate for his students by his close association with SAE and the industry."

Mears joined Clemson in 2006 as a founding faculty member of automotive engineering. He teaches modeling and analysis of automotive manufacturing processes, automotive manufacturing quality control and automation integration in manufacturing.

Mears conducts research in manufacturing process control, equipment diagnostics and intelligent machining systems. His work is supported by the National Science Foundation, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Energy and the industry.  

He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, a senior member of both the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the American Society for Quality, an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) and a licensed Professional Engineer in Georgia.

Mears earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech and master's and doctoral degrees in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech. He worked in the industry for a decade with automotive and bearing manufacturers as an engineer, manager and product launch coordinator.

END