Apelian is widely recognized for his innovative work in metal processing and for his leadership as a researcher and educator. His research has helped establish mechanisms and fundamentals in metal processing and helped lay the foundations for significant industrial developments. More recently, his work in the development of technologies to recover and recycle materials has become critically important for a sustainable future. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, European Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Inventors and the Armenian Academy of Sciences. He has received numerous honors and awards, has published over 700 publications and serves on several technical, corporate and editorial boards. Prior to joining the UC Irvine faculty, he was a former provost and faculty member at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He received his bachelor’s degree in metallurgical engineering from Drexel University in 1968 and his doctorate in materials science and engineering from MIT in 1972. In addition to being a distinguished professor, Apelian serves as chief strategy officer for the Samueli School of Engineering.

Sc.D., Massachusettes Institute of Technology

Solidification processing, aluminum metallurgy, clean metal/melt refining, plasma processing / spray forming, powder metallurgy, nanostructured materials, semi-solid processing, thermal processing, resource recovery and recycling, innovation in engineering education