CSE alumnus receives Outstanding Achievement Award

Ronald Adrian is honored with U's highest alumni accolade

MINNEAPOLIS/ST.PAUL (05/01/2017)--The University of Minnesota Board of Regents recently honored Ronald Adrian with an Outstanding Achievement Award (OAA) for 2017. The award is given to University of Minnesota graduates, or former students of the University, who have attained unusual distinction in their chosen fields or professions or in public service, and who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership on a community, state, national, or international level.

Ronald Adrian (ME ’67, M.S. ’69)

Regents Professor and Ira A. Fulton Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Arizona State University

Adrian is an exceptional engineer who has made major contributions to the study of turbulent flows with his groundbreaking experiments. He became widely known for his pioneering work as one of the early developers of the “laser Doppler Velocimetry” (LDV) technique. Today there is an entire industry providing commercial LDV systems to the research and industrial communities, and the LDV technique is firmly established as an essential tool in the field of fluid dynamics.

Adrian also was the first to conceive an idea about and develop the particle image velocimetry (PIC), by which field measurement of velocity in turbulent flows became possible.

He is a revered mentor and leader, who has guided dozens of successful students and has served his profession with distinction at the highest levels. He has received the highest honors and recognition by three major professional societies in the United States: The Fluid Dynamics Prize of the American Physical Society, The Fluid Dynamics Award of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Fluids Engineering Award of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.