ASME President, 1979 - 1980

Donald N. Zwiep, is professor and head of the department of mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and President of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

For more than 25 years Professor Zwiep’s career has been in the field of engineering education which began in 1951, after full-time industrial employment, as an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Colorado State University.  In 1956 he became associate professor; in 1957 he joined the WPI faculty.

A member of ASME since his student days, and a Fellow since 1974, Zwiep has served the Society in many capacitates.  On a national level he was Vice President, Policy Board, Education from 1972-74 and a member of the Council, The Society’s governing body.  In 1973 he served on the Council’s Executive Committee.  A leader, he was chairman of the Society’s working party on the Education Goal, and from 1975-78 was a member of the Committee on Organization and Planning.  He has also served on the National Mechanical Engineering Department Heads (MEDHC) Committee, and is past chairman of the General Awards Committee.

Zwiep received both his BS and MS in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa University.  He holds an honorary doctorate in engineering from WPI.

He is the author of several technical papers and articles and has received many professional, society, educational and Air Force Reserve citations and awards.

He is a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts and Colorado and is affiliated with a number of professional and learned societies.  These include: Pi Tau Sigma, Sigma Xi, Sigma Tau, Omicron Delta Kappa, Tau Beta Pi, The American Society for Engineering Education and The American Welding Society.  He is listed in Who’s Who of Science, Engineers of Distinction, and Outstanding Educators of America.