Fourney, William
Professor Emeritus
Mechanical Engineering
EDUCATION
- B.S., Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University
- M.S., Theoretical & Applied Mechanics, West Virginia University
- Ph.D., Theoretical & Applied Mechanics, Univ. of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana
BACKGROUND
W. L. (Bill) Fourney is currently Keystone Professor and Associate Dean of Engineering at the University of Maryland. He holds a joint appointment in the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Aerospace Engineering Department. He received his BS in Aerospace Engineering and his MS in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from West Virginia University. His PhD in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics was received from the University of Illinois in 1966.
His areas of research interest are in experimental mechanics and fracture mechanics - primarily from a dynamic aspect. He has published approximately 220 articles describing the results of his research in dynamic fracture and crack arrest including approximately 50 reports to the sponsors of his research. His research has been sponsored by NSF, AFOSR, ONR, NRC, DOE, NSWC, ARL, Oak Ridge National Labs, Los Alamos National Labs, and the US Bureau of Mines.
He has served as a consultant for Gillett Research Labs, Versar, Allegheny Ballistics Lab, Harry Diamond Labs, Los Alamos National Labs, and SAIC. He is active in the Society for Experimental Mechanics (SEM) and the International Society for Explosives Engineering (ISEE). In SEM he has been elected to fellow grade membership. Within ASTM he served as Chairman of the Crack Arrest Technical Committee. Within ISRM he was President of the Commission of Fragmentation by Blasting and is North American Editor of FRAGBLAST (International Journal on Fragmentation and Blasting). Recently the group that he chairs has switched affiliations from ISRM to ISEE. The name of that group is the Committee of Fragmentation by Blasting and is a Section within ISEE. He is also a member of the American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM), the American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME), the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), the American Society for Aeronautics and Astronautics AIAA), and the American Helicopter Society (AHS).
HONORS AND AWARDS
- Clifford L. Sayre Teaching Award – 1995
- Pi Tau Sigma Teaching Award – 1995
- Outstanding Teaching Award UMCP – 1996
- Outstanding Contributions to Seniors UMCP – 1995
- Outstanding Educator Award Nominee Md. Assoc. for Higher Education – 1996
- Outstanding Service Award – A. James Clark School – 1997
- SEM 2000 Tatnall Award “Long & Dedicated Service to SEM”.
- Outstanding Service Award – A. James Clark School -2004
- Rainmaker - 2004
- Mentor of the Year Award – Aerospace Engineering Department - 2004
- Rainmaker - 2005
- Mentor of the Year Award – Aerospace Engineering Department – 2006
- Rainmaker - 2006
- Named as one of six Keystone Professors within A. James Clark School of Engineering - 2006- 2009 and Lead Keystone Professor
- Recipient of University of Maryland President’s Medal – 2006
- Rainmaker – 2007
- Outstanding Mentor Award – Aerospace Engineering Department – 2008
- Selected for Distinguished Alumni Award–MechSE Department Univ.Illinois-CU 2008
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
- Member ASTM, SEM, ASME, AIAA, AHS, ISEE, ASEE, AAM
- Former Member of International Society of Rock Mechanics
- West Virginia University, Member Advisory Committee - Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department.
- Member Advisory Committee-Aerospace Engineering Department, US Naval Academy, Aerospace & Ocean Engineering Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institution (VPI)
- Member: Pi Tau Sigma, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Gamma Tau, Sigma Xi, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi
- Fellow of SEM
- Charter Member, Academy of Distinguished Alumni-WVU Aerospace Engineering