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Carboline Funds Professorship in Corrosion Engineering

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The University of Akron (UA) and The Carboline Co. of St. Louis, Mo., have announced the creation of the Carboline Chair in Corrosion and Reliability Engineering at UA. Through a gift to the university's College of Engineering, Carboline is funding a full-time faculty position dedicated to education and research.

"We are pleased to have an investment from Carboline in our innovative corrosion and reliability engineering program. The stature of the company will help us to attract top candidates for this position. We are grateful to Carboline, and RPM, for their support," says Dr. Luis M. Proenza, president of The University of Akron.

"We see this collaboration with a premier research university and engineering college as one that will not only provide a competitive resource for our company, but help educate a talent pipeline of trained engineers in corrosion and reliability engineering," says Carboline President Richard M. Wilson.

Carboline's partnership with UA's Corrosion and Reliability Engineering program extends opportunities for research and technology demonstration projects, adds Frank C. Sullivan, chairman and chief executive officer of RPM International, Carboline's parent firm.

The faculty position will be posted immediately, and, following a successful search, it is anticipated to commence in fall 2010.

The College of Engineering at UA, in fall 2010, will launch the first baccalaureate program in corrosion and reliability engineering in the nation, with initial funding through the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Corrosion Policy and Oversight in the Office of the Undersecretary of Defense, Acquisition Technology and Logistics. Housed in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, the program will focus on teaching and research.

The UA College of Engineering has a current undergraduate enrollment of 2,142, representing a 55% increase in enrollment between fall 2004 and fall 2009. For further information, go to www.uakron.edu.

Carboline, a subsidiary of the RPM International, Inc. is a supplier of corrosion-resistant products specializing in high-performance coatings, linings, and fireproofing. For further information, go to www.carboline.com.