Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award

In 1938, Pi Tau Sigma (National Mechanical Engineering Honor Society) arranged with ASME for the joint award of the Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal. This medal is awarded for outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering to a young engineer within ten years after graduation from the regular engineering course of a recognized college or university.

In 1944, the Charles Russ Richards Award was similarly established as a joint award of Pi Tau Sigma and ASME to recognize the outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering by the engineering graduate within twenty to twenty-five years following graduation. In 1978, the upper twenty-five year limit was removed.

In 1973, Pi Tau Sigma and ASME entered into a new agreement which continued the existing awards and added the Gustus L. Larson Award to honor engineering graduates for outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering between ten and twenty years after graduation. Funding was provided from the ASME Ward S. and Editha Jacobs Fund.

The qualifications for the recipients of each of the three awards are identical except for the period of recognized achievements. In each case the recipient shall have received a baccalaureate degree from a regular engineering program of a recognized college or university and shall have attained outstanding achievement within the period stated for each award. Achievement shall be all or in part in any field, including industrial, educational, political, research, civic and artistic. The candidate's achievements will be examined for an application of basic engineering methods or principles.

The three awards are administered by a Joint Board of Award appointed by Pi Tau Sigma and ASME. The Chair is a Pi Tau Sigma appointee. The Board of Award provides forms and invites ASME Sections and other units to nominate for the awards. The Board of Award submits the names and records of the persons selected for the three awards to the ASME Committee on Honors for the formal selection of the recipients.

GUSTUS L. LARSON MEMORIAL

The Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award is presented to the engineering graduate who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in mechanical engineering within ten to twenty years following graduation. Any person who, on July 1 of the year of the award, graduated not more than twenty years nor less than ten years from the regular engineering program of a recognized college or university shall be eligible for recognition.

The award, established in 1974, honors Gustus L. Larson, ASME Fellow and founder of Pi Tau Sigma at the University of Wisconsin. He was a recognized leader in heating, ventilating, and air conditioning and was a former president of the ASHVE.

GUSTUS L. LARSON MEMORIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS