Hephaestus Award

We are honored to announce that this year's Hephaestus Award will be bestowed to Prof. Jerzy Michalski for his scientific achievements in the field of research on controlled gas nitriding, which have been put into practice.

Professor Michalski is a recognized specialist in the design of gas nitriding processes and modeling of nitriding atmospheres, necessary for predicting changes in the nitriding potential, kinetics and properties of nitrided layers.

The Hephaestus Award recognizes contributions made by academic and industrial researchers and industry leaders to the field of heat treating that have had an impact on surface engineering, materials science, and industrial processes or production techniques..

The prize is an initiative that aims to promote scientists conducting research, distinguishing their most outstanding achievements and establishing contacts between the world of science and economy.
Prof. Jerzy Michalski, PhD, Eng. (born 27.09.1949 r. in Warsaw) graduated from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at the Warsaw University of Technology in 1975. He earned a PhD in technical sciences at the Institute of Materials Science at the Warsaw University of Technology in 1991, and a postdoctoral degree at the Faculty of Process, Materials and Applied Engineering, University of Technology of Częstochowa in 2001. In 2014 he was awarded the title of professor of technical sciences. He began his professional career with the Scientific and Production Institute of Semiconductor Materials in Warsaw (1975-77), where he worked as a technologist, conducting research on zonal monocrystallization of alumium oxide. He also worked as a technologist in the heat treatment technology department from 1977 to 1979 at the Machining Tools Factory in Siedlce. He was a scientific and research specialist (1979-91) at the Institute of Materials Science at the Warsaw University of Technology. Since 1992, he has been working at the Institute of Precision Mechanics as a lecturer, and since 2010 at the Faculty of Production Engineering at the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. He is the author of two monographs, a co-author of over 260 scientific publications, dozens of unpublished scientific studies and the creator of 18 patents.
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Past Recipients

Prof_J_Tacikowski

2005

Professor Jan TACIKOWSKI of the Institute of Precision Mechanics, Ground-breaking work in controlled nitriding.

2010

Dr. Kiyoshi FUNATANI, Leading role in the development and industrialization of various nitriding technologies in the automotive industry.

2013

Dr. George TOTTEN, Long-standing efforts in quenching and tribology, as well as his contributions to standards development.

2015

Dr. Dieter LIEDTKE, 50 years of dedication to the practical development of heat treating at Bosch and lifetime service to the AWT (German Association for Heat Treatment and Materials Engineering), as well as his positive guidance in the classroom.

2016

Mr. John Hubbard, P.E., contribution to the development of heat treating worldwide.