Russo Receives UB Engineer of The Year Award

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Anthony L. Russo, Ph.D., has been named "Engineer of the Year" by the University at Buffalo Engineering Alumni Association.

Russo, a mechanical engineer, is retired from his post as executive director of Calspan-University at Buffalo Research Center (CUBRC) and as vice president of Calspan Corp.'s Advanced Technology Center.

CUBRC grew substantially under Russo's leadership, obtaining major funding, including a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research to develop LENS, the world's leading hypersonic shock tunnel.

He began his career in 1952 as a research engineer/scientist at Calspan, formerly the Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory. He was named head of Calspan's Transportation Research Department in 1981. He retired in 1993.

Russo was the principal investigator for high-temperature machinery research, overseeing the design, fabrication, testing and development of a state-of-the-art device for producing steady flows of very-high-temperature gases for various applications. He has participated in atmospheric pollutant dispersion research, and was involved in the design, testing and development of nonsteady flow engines for lightweight simple power plants. Russo's work also has included research and development in the fields of gasdynamic research, rocket research and hydrodynamic research.

A devoted mentor to engineering students, he is a member of the Dean's Advisory Committee for Technical Communication. He also is director of the engineering school's Delta Society, a distinguished group of loyal friends of the school who support its efforts to maintain pre-eminence in education and research.

Russo earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from UB.

He resides in Clarence.