Video: Jan D. Achenbach, 2012 ASME Medal

Jan. D. Achenbach is renowned for his expertise in the propagation of sound waves in solids, including techniques for the detection of cracks and corrosion in airplane fuselages, reactor vessels, bridges and other safety-critical structures. He is an emeritus professor at Northwestern University, and is the founder of Northwestern's Center for Quality Engineering and Failure Prevention.

Dr. Achenbach is the author of numerous technical papers and two books, Wave Propagation in Elastic Solids (1973) and Reciprocity in Elastodynamics (2003).

Dr. Achenbach received his Ph.D. in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University, as a member of what he calls the "Sputnik generation." His undergraduate training was in aeronautical engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.

Read more about the 2012 Recipients of ASME Honors and Awards

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