A ceremony and lecture was held to honor Professor Michael Thouless as the Janine Johnson Weins Professor of Engineering. This prestigious honor recognizes his seminal research contributions in fracture mechanics of films, coatings and interfaces. His exceptional commitment to the pursuit of excellence in the field of mechanics and materials has helped him to excel in all areas of research, education, service, and leadership.
Thouless received his BA degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Cambridge in 1981. He received his MS in 1982 and his PhD in 1984 both in mechanical engineering from the University of California Berkeley. He joined the University of Michigan (U-M) as an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in 1995. In 2000 he was promoted to Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Professor of Materials Science and Engineering.
By any measure, Professor Thouless has distinguished himself as an outstanding member of the University of Michigan faculty. Because of his achievements, Professor Thouless has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the U-M CoE David E. Liddle Research Excellence Award, the Arthur Thurnau Professorship, the R. F. Bunshah Award from the American Vacuum Society, and the Archie Higdon Distinguished Educator Award from the American Society for Engineering Education. He is a Fellow of ASME, a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, and an overseas Fellow of the Churchill College at Cambridge University.
The Janine Johnson Weins Professorship in Engineering was established in September 2015 through the generosity of University of Michigan Mechanical Engineering alumna Janine Johnson Weins.
Thouless’ endowed professorship recognition was held on April 28th, 2016. His lecture was titled “Adhesion and Fracture of Interfaces.”