MIT Student and Researcher Receive SAE Award for Paper

WARRENDALE, Pa., Oct. 16, 2008 - Steve Przesmitzki and Tian Tian of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) are recipients of SAE International's Award for Automotive Lubricant Research. They were presented the award during the SAE Powertrain & Fluid Systems Conference & Exhibition in Rosemont, Ill. , in October.

The award, established in 1986, annually recognizes the authors of the best paper relating to the adaptation of lubricants and lubricated automotive systems or components.

This award is funded through the SAE Foundation. In addition to supporting the awards, recognition and scholarship programs of SAE International, the SAE Foundation develops and funds programs and incentives that foster student interest in engineering, scientific and technical education.

Przesmitzki and Tian are being honored for co-authoring the paper, "Oil Transport Inside the Power Cylinder during Transient Load Changes" (SAE paper #2007-01-1054). The paper documents experiments with a single-cylinder test engine utilizing Two-Dimensional, Laser-Induced Fluorescence techniques to view real-time oil transport and exchange, along with computer modeling to describe certain phenomenon observed during the experiments.

About the authors:

Steve Przesmitzki
Przesmitzki, the lead author of the award-winning paper, is a Project Leader in the Center for Transportation Technologies and Systems at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colo. Previously, he was a member of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Industrial Consortium for the Lubrication of Internal Combustion Engines, led by paper co-author Tian. He also has 14 years of experience working at Ford Motor Co.

Przesmitzki is the author of three technical papers related to oil transport inside the power cylinder of internal combustion engines. He is a member of SAE International and a registered professional engineer in the state of Michigan .

Przesmitzki holds a bachelor's in mechanical engineering from Kettering University , a master's in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan , and a doctorate from MIT. He resides in Auburn, Mass.

Tian Tian
Tian is a principal research engineer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sloan Automotive Laboratory. His research focuses on engine lubrication, friction, oil consumption, engine power cylinder system analysis and optimization, and the lubrication of mechanical face seals.

Tian has authored and co-authored more than 50 technical papers. He is a past recipient of SAE International's Award for Research on Automotive Lubricants (2001) and Arch T. Colwell Merit Award (1994).

Tian holds a bachelor's in mechanics and a master's in fluid mechanics from Peking University . He holds a doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT. He resides in Winchester, Mass.

For more information on Przesmitzki and Tian, please contact Janet Maslow of MIT at jsabio@mit.edu.

For more information about SAE International's Myers Award, please contact pr@sae.org.