N.C. A&T’s Desai Named American Society of Mechanical Engineers Fellow

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (July 29, 2021) – Salil Desai, Ph.D., a university distinguished professor and director of the Center of Excellence in Product Design and Advanced Manufacturing (CEPDAM) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, has been named a fellow for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

Desai, an ASME member since 2005 with a wide-reaching interdisciplinary background, received this distinction in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the engineering field. Since its inception in 1880, the international organization has chosen approximately 3,000 fellows from its more than 90,000 members worldwide. Nominees are required to have at least 10 years of active practice and active corporate membership in the society for fellowship consideration.

“ASME is one of the earlier societies I joined as a junior researcher, which provided numerous opportunities for me to attend and present at symposia and conferences, gain visibility for my work, and helped me to grow in the field,” said Desai. “This recognition is an outcome of that growth and comes with a big responsibility in terms of supporting and promoting the next generation of faculty and researchers.”

A summary of Desai’s qualifications submitted during the fellowship nomination process primarily focused on four categories: design, research and development, education, and project management. As CEPDAM’s director, he is responsible for establishing strategic and inclusive partnerships and leads more than 75 faculty research affiliates representing seven colleges on the North Carolina A&T campus.

Desai’s research contributions are impactful and far-reaching. For example, his innovative development of an ambulatory oxygen device for assistive respiration resulted in an international patent, which has practical applications across the medical industry, recreational sports and space exploration. He recently secured a $50,000 National Science Foundation I-Corps award to develop microneedle technology through 3D printing that will aid in efficient drug delivery into the body.

Desai is also the recipient of ASME’s 2016 Chao & Trigger Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award, a prestigious honor he shares with peers from leading institutions, including Purdue University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.