NEW YORK, March 16, 2009 -- L. Berkley Davis, Ph.D., chief engineer at General Electric, and a resident of Niskayuna, N.Y., as been named recipient of the 2009 Industrial Gas Turbine Technology Award by the ASME International Gas Turbine Institute (IGTI).

The award will be presented to Dr. Davis at ASME Turbo Expo 2009, June 8-12, Orlando, Fla.  He will be recognized for his contributions and industry leadership in low emissions combustion research and development of ground power gas turbines in a career that spans 37 years at GE. 

Davis led the research and development teams at GE that pioneered the implementation of dry-low NOx combustion systems that allowed advanced gas turbines to make a quantum step reduction in the emissions of criteria air pollutants.  This technology played a key role in allowing gas turbines to capture a large share of the market in electrical power generation over the past two decades.

An ASME fellow, Davis holds more than 20 combustion related patents. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a member of the Mechanical Engineering Advisory Board of the University of Kentucky and is an adjunct professor at Union College in Schenectady, N.Y.  He is also a recipient of the GE Charles Steinmetz Award.

Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization promoting the art, science and practice of mechanical and multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences.  ASME develops codes and standards that enhance public safety, and provides lifelong learning and technical exchange opportunities benefiting the global engineering and technology community.  ASME has more than 127,000 members worldwide.

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