ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering and Technology Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Dennis Irwin was named the recipient of the Neil D. Thomas Professorship in Engineering. The late Bernice E. Thomas, in memory of her husband Neil D. Thomas, established the endowed professorship in 1993.
Neil Thomas received a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Ohio University in 1922. He went on to teach in the Department of Civil Engineering and the Graphics Department for 40 years. He continued to have a lifelong love and commitment to Ohio University until his death in 1992 at the age of 96.
Irwin was chosen for this honor for his outstanding teaching abilities and rapport with students as well as achievements in the electrical engineering profession. Irwin will serve a five-year appointment as a Thomas Professor. He will receive a salary supplement and travel support for his professional endeavors. His research interests are computer-aided control system design and algorithm development and robust control design.
Irwin earned a doctorate from Mississippi State University in 1986. Prior to joining Ohio University in 1987, he worked for Control Dynamics Company in Huntsville, Ala. He is the author or co-author of 40 articles and 15 technical reports and has given numerous national and international presentations in the areas of flexible structure control and the use of remotely accessible laboratories for research and educational purposes.
Irwin has received research sponsorship from agencies such as NASA, the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Department of Education, for which he is serving as the U.S. principal investigator for a joint grant from the European Union and the United States.
Since Irwin became chair of the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in 1997, research sponsorship in the school has increased 50 percent. Irwin is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Ohio and has been selected as the school's Outstanding Graduate Instructor and Outstanding Undergraduate Instructor three times.
