ASNT Newsroom

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) announces the recipients of the Research Recognition for Innovation and Research Recognition for Sustained Excellence.   

Research Recognition for Innovation  

The Research Recognition for Innovation is awarded to Megan McGovern, PhD for highly distinguished individual breakthroughs in research in the field of nondestructive testing/evaluation (NDT/E) within the past five years. McGovern is a senior researcher in the Manufacturing Systems Research Lab at General Motors (GM) Global Research and Development. She joined GM in 2016, where she uses her NDE skill set to provide manufacturing solutions to internal customers. She leads research projects to develop manufacturing inspection systems that are crucial for first-time quality, especially in low-volume applications where launches are quick and highly customized. McGovern received her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in systems engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research interests include in-line and post-manufacturing inspection solutions; NDE of materials, components, and structures; digital signal and image processing; process monitoring; and prognosis of materials and components. She uses several NDT methods and techniques, including UT, IR, X-ray DR/CT, and laser UT. 

Research Recognition for Sustained Excellence  

The Research Recognition for Sustained Excellence is presented to an ASNT member for outstanding sustained contributions in NDT/NDE research by a single individual. This year’s winner is Steven Shepard, PhD. Shepard is president of Thermal Wave Imaging (TWI) Inc. in Madison Heights, Michigan. Shepard earned his PhD in physics from Wayne State University. He founded TWI in 1992 and has since played a leading role in making thermography a mainstream NDT method used by companies and institutions worldwide. Shepard has received more than 20 patents in the field of thermographic NDT and is the inventor of the thermographic signal reconstruction (TSR) method. TWI is widely known for its turnkey solutions to both military and civilian segments of the aerospace, power generation, and automotive industries. 

“ASNT is committed to recognizing high-quality NDT/NDE research in areas that are critically shaping the industry, and these recognitions bring attention to the accomplishments of those conducting NDT/NDE research,” said ASNT Executive Director Neal J. Couture, CAE. “Congratulations Dr. McGovern and Mr. Shepard, and thank you for your dedication and contributions to the field of NDT/NDE.“ 

About ASNT 

Serving more than 22 000 members and certificate holders worldwide, ASNT, based in Columbus, Ohio, is the largest technical society for NDT professionals. ASNT certification and standards programs, publications, conferences, education, membership, and professional development programs are the foundation for expanding awareness of advancements in NDT. Governed by a volunteer group of officers and directors, ASNT is organized by councils representing interests relating to certification, engineering, research, education, and section operations. 

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) announces William Prosser, PhD, as the recipient of the Ward Rummel Engineering Excellence Award. This award is named in honor of Ward D. Rummel for his pioneering work in nondestructive testing (NDT) engineering, the creation of the ASNT Engineering Council, and for inspiring engineering concepts. The award recognizes outstanding sustained contributions in NDT engineering by a single individual.  

Prosser joined NASA in 1987 as an aerospace technologist in the NDE Sciences Branch. In 2005, he was selected as discipline expert for nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and in 2007 was named a NASA Technical Fellow. Prosser's research has been in the field of UT and AE sensing techniques. His work contributed to the successful development and implementation of a system to detect impacts on the Space Shuttle wing leading edge in response to the Columbia accident. He has led NASA, industry, university, and government agency teams to implement NDE and structural health management systems for a variety of NASA programs, including the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, X-33, and Aerospace Vehicle Systems Technology Program.  

Prosser was the 1997 recipient of the NASA Floyd Thompson Fellowship, a 2003 recipient of a NASA Superior Accomplishment Award for efforts during the Columbia accident investigation, and a 2005 recipient of NASA's Exceptional Achievement Medal. He is a Fellow of the Acoustic Emission Working Group and is also the scientific editor of Structural Health Monitoring: An International Journal. Prosser received his BS from William and Mary and his MS and PhD from Johns Hopkins University. He has been a member of ASNT since 1996. 

“Dr. Prosser has made so many significant engineering contributions to the aerospace industry driving innovation and providing inventive solutions to complex challenges,” said ASNT Executive Director Neal J. Couture, CAE. “He is most deserving of this award.” 

About ASNT 

Serving more than 22 000 members and certificate holders worldwide, ASNT, based in Columbus, Ohio, is the largest technical society for NDT professionals. ASNT certification and standards programs, publications, conferences, education, membership, and professional development programs are the foundation for expanding awareness of advancements in NDT. Governed by a volunteer group of officers and directors, ASNT is organized by councils representing interests relating to certification, engineering, research, education, and section operations.