Clemson automotive engineering professor receives governor's award

Published: October 5, 2011

Laine Mears image by: Clemson University

CLEMSON — Laine Mears, assistant professor of automotive engineering at Clemson University, has received the 2011 South Carolina Governor’s Young Researcher Award for Excellence in Scientific Research. Presented by Gov. Nikki Haley, it is the top state honor for young science faculty.

Mears, a founding faculty member of Clemson's automotive engineering program, was honored for his achievements in research, education and public service.

"In his five years with us, Dr. Mears has grown to be seen by his community as a future research and manufacturing leader in South Carolina," said Imtiaz Haque, chairman of the automotive engineering department. "We are delighted that he is being recognized for these achievements. He will be a great steward of the governor's award."

Mears recently received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation, a five-year, $400,000 grant that includes funding for developing an education program. Mears is using the award in part to continue his work with Maria Mayorga in Clemson's industrial engineering department to enhance the Gateway to Technology program for Upstate middle school students.

The program brings seventh- and eighth-graders to the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research in Greenville to work on actual automotive and manufacturing research projects and to learn about the possibilities of careers in research. The grant will expand the program to include more students and to educate teachers about automotive research and experiments that can be brought back to the classroom.

Earlier this year he received the top educational award of the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Ralph R. Teetor award, which recognizes young educators who are successfully preparing the next generation of engineers.

Mears, who specializes in automotive manufacturing processes, conducts research in Intelligent Machining Systems, manufacturing process control and manufacturing equipment diagnostics.

The results of his research include new and novel approaches to control manufacturing equipment, cheaper ways to make lightweight cars that will get better gas mileage, new molding technologies and new ways to deform metals to save energy and costs in manufacturing.

"Dr. Mears has grown an empty lab space into a very successful manufacturing research program," Haque said. "He has leveraged donations and consignments from international manufacturing companies, such as Okuma Machine Tools, Michelin and Gibbs Associates, to bring this about.

"However, he is about more than just research," Haque added. "He is an excellent educator who can take complex engineering problems and turn them into exciting opportunities that young people can grasp. He has done this very succesfully in his work with graduate students.

"One of the critical challenges we face in the United states is the dearth of young people interested in engineering and science and more notably the absence of women in these fields," he said. "Dr. Mears' work with middle school girls in exposing them to engineering concepts especially in a place as exciting as the Campbell Center is an exceptionally noteworthy activity."

Before joining the Clemson faculty, Mears gained substantial industry experience as an engineer and production manager with Virginia Power's North Anna Nuclear Power Plant, SKF Bearings and Hitachi Unisia Automotive. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Virginia Tech and master's and doctoral degrees in the field at Georgia Tech.

He is a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a Senior Member of both the Society of Manufacturing Engineers and the American Society for Quality. He is an ASQ Certified Quality Engineer and a licensed professional engineer in Georgia.

The governor's awards honor faculty who promote awareness of the quality and extent of scientific activity in South Carolina. Each award carries a $1,000 honorarium. The Young Researcher Award is sponsored by Michelin North America.

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