Missouri University of Science and Technology is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Douglas Bristow as the inaugural William E. Walker III Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. This distinguished professorship, supported by the William E. Walker III Endowment Fund, recognizes Dr. Bristow’s exceptional contributions to the field and his unwavering dedication to advancing engineering education.
Dr. Bristow, Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, has been a member of Missouri S&T’s faculty since 2008. He was named the director of the Center for Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies (CAMT) in May 2016, leading initiatives in aerospace manufacturing innovations and technology advancements. His journey at Missouri S&T began as an assistant professor, with subsequent promotions to associate professor in 2014 and professor in 2020.
Dr. Bristow, a proud alumnus, earned his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Missouri S&T in 2001. He later pursued his Master of Science and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, completing them in 2003 and 2007, respectively.
Dr. Bristow’s research interests include precision motion control, iterative process control, and metrology-in-the-loop with applications in additive manufacturing (laser metal and glass direct-energy deposition, cold spray, and laser powder bed fusion), machine tools, robotic manufacturing (robotic machining, robotic incremental sheet forming, and volumetric error compensation), and atomic force microscopy. Dr. Bristow’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, Manufacturing USA Institutes, and industry including Boeing, Bell Helicopter, GKN Aerospace, Toyota, Caterpillar, and DMG-Mori. In 2020, he received the ASME Rudolph Kalman Best Paper award for his work on layer-to-layer dynamics in direct energy deposition. He has previously received the Missouri S&T Faculty Teaching, Research, and Excellence awards.
The William E. Walker III Endowment Fund, established in 2022, provides crucial support to students, faculty, and the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering department. The endowment honors the legacy of William E. Walker III, a 1981 graduate of Missouri University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. William, who passed away on December 2, 2022, at 65, was a devoted alumnus and a lifelong supporter of his community. William’s visionary leadership and commitment to innovation continue to inspire through this endowment.
As the William E. Walker III Professor, Dr. Bristow will continue leading pioneering research while expanding his efforts to inspire and educate the next generation of engineers. His appointment reflects Missouri S&T’s commitment to excellence in engineering education and research.