ASME President, 1998 - 1999
Winfred M. Phillips, Ph.D., the 117th president of ASME serving the 1998-99 term, is associate vice president and dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
Phillips is a distinguished academic, author of more than 150 papers, and technical expert in the field of biomedical engineering. He joined the University of Virginia in 1967, conducting research activity in aerospace engineering for two years before transferring to Pennsylvania State University. There, he was an assistant professor and later a professor of aerospace engineering.
Phillips was named associate dean of research at Penn State in 1979. In 1980, he became head of the School of Mechanical Engineering at Purdue University, a post Phillips held for eight years. He was named to his current position at the University of Florida in 1988.
During his rise through the academic ranks at four prestigious engineering schools, Winfred Phillips published numerous important scientific papers and books on biomedical engineering, several of which examined the fluid mechanics of the artificial heart. Phillips’ papers have appeared in a broad range of engineering and medical journals throughout the world.
Winfred Phillips also has written extensively on engineering education, technology development, business leadership and product liability issues. Publications in these areas include “The Importance of Education to Economic Growth,” “The Globalization of the Engineering Profession,” “Engineering Research for a Changing World” and “Ensuring Engineering Excellence.”
In his professional career, Phillips has been invited to speak before fellow engineers, business executives, medical professionals, students and other groups. Venues have ranged from engineering society conferences and medical symposia to corporate forums and interviews on television.
Winfred Phillips’ research has increased the understanding of the critical relationship between biological fluid flow and the function of the human body’s cardiovascular system. The research has attracted national attention and the support of such high-level funding organizations as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the National Heart and Lung Institute and Pennsylvania Research Corporation.
A consultant to numerous universities and corporations, Phillips serves on the Strategic R&D Advisory Council of the Electric Power Research Institute and Higher Education Customer Advisory Council of International Business Machines Corporation. Other committee work includes chair of the board of the North Florida Technology Innovation Corporation. and vice chair of the board of directors of the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering.
At ASME, Winfred Phillips served on the Board of Governors from 1994 to 1997. He has served as senior vice president of the Council on Education and chair of both the Committee Consolidation Task Force and Executive Director Review Committee. He was elected an ASME Fellow in 1984.
Phillips is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), New York Academy of Sciences and other groups. Other honors and awards include the ASEE Centennial Medal (1993), State of Indiana Distinguished Hoosier Award (1987) and Melvin R. Lohmann Distinguished Lecturer Award presented by Oklahoma State University (1995). In 1975, the U.S. Public Health Service presented The Research Career Development Award to Winfred Phillips; the award provided full salary for a period of five years, during which Phillips conducted research in hemodynamics and biomedical engineering.
Winfred Phillips received his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1963. He continued his graduate studies at the University of Virginia, where he earned his Ph.D. in aerospace engineering in 1968.
Winfred Phillips currently resides in Gainesville, Florida. | 
