University Honors Two Engineering Professors for Excellence

Two College of Engineering faculty members have been honored with university awards for their teaching and research.

Frankel is one of the world’s most innovative scholars in corrosion science — a globally impacting, cross-cutting field that ensures the safety and reliability of materials.Gerald Frankel, professor of Materials Science and Engineering, director of the Fontana Corrosion Center, and the DNV Chair in Corrosion, was named a University Distinguished Scholar. Richard Freuler, a professor of practice in aerospace engineering, received the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching.

He has developed experimental approaches leading to a better understanding of mechanisms in several major areas of his field. His research on such high-profile topics as safety on aging aircraft, the storage of spent nuclear fuel and the reduction of carcinogenic chromate ions in manufacturing has brought more than $16 million into Ohio State’s Fontana Corrosion Center.

He has published more than 120 publications in peer-reviewed journals, receiving multiple awards and invitations to give plenary and keynote addresses at international meetings. Several of his publications are considered seminal papers in the field. 

Frankel is the recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Research Award for U.S. senior scientists. He served the nation in assessing the effects of corrosion on engineered waste barriers in connection with both the Federal Waste Repository at Yucca Mountain and the interim waste storage site at Hanford, Wash.

Frankel earned his bachelor’s degree at Brown University and his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He joined the Ohio State faculty in 1995.

The Distinguished Scholar Award, established in 1978, recognizes exceptional scholarly accomplishments by senior professors who have compiled a substantial body of research, as well as the work of younger faculty members who have demonstrated great scholarly potential. The award is supported by the Office of Research. Recipients are nominated by their departments and chosen by a committee of senior faculty, including several past recipients of the award. Distinguished Scholars receive a $3,000 honorarium and a research grant of $20,000 to be used over the next three years.

Frankel plans to use the research grant to probe the fundamental interactions between polymer layers and oxide-covered metal surfaces in the presence of corrosive environments to understand the degradation mechanisms with the goal of supporting the development of more-protective coatings such as those for steel and galvanized steel for cars and all kinds of manufactured goods as well as aluminum alloys in different applications such as airplanes.

One former student described her experience under his tutelage: “It was an incredibly empowering experience and changed the trajectory of my life. That may sound extreme, but I was going to be a math major and move back to my hometown and teach math. Dr. Freuler showed me that I could be an engineer, and suddenly I felt I had so many other options.”While part of Richard Freuler’s duties include coordinating the Fundamentals of Engineering for Honors (FEH) program, the true measure of his success, his students say, is his undying passion for their success.

Such examples are why enrollment in FEH has increased 400 percent since 1998 under Freuler and reached an all-time high of 431 students in fall 2009.

The Engineers Council, a group of undergraduate leaders in the college, bestowed Freuler with the Charles Ellison MacQuigg Award, which faculty are eligible for every four years, in 2000, 2004 and 2008. Also in 2008, Freuler received the college’s inaugural David C. McCarthy Teaching Award, which honors contributions to create more innovative and effective teaching and learning.

Freuler earned his bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and computer and information sciences, as well as his master’s and his doctorate from Ohio State. He joined the Ohio State faculty in 1992.

Recipients of the Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching are nominated by present and former students and colleagues and are chosen by a committee of alumni, students and faculty. They receive a cash award of $3,000, made possible by contributions from the Alumni Association, friends of Ohio State and the Office of Academic Affairs. They also receive a $1,200 increase in their base salaries from the Office of Academic Affairs. The recipients will be inducted into the university’s Academy of Teaching, which provides leadership for the improvement of teaching at Ohio State.

Read more about the awards and other awardees online.