Established, in 2012, this award recognizes those individuals who have shown a continued contribution to Ground Vehicle Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) over a period of 15 years or more. Examples of significant contributions would include participating as an organizer in the SAE Noise & Vibration Conference, mentoring younger NVH professionals, a history of ground vehicle NVH publications of note, teaching seminars and other classes related to this topic, and leadership in SAE, commercial organizations, or elsewhere where vehicle NVH is a primary topic of concern.
The award is intended to recognize not only the professional, but also the personal qualities of the individual. He or she should be someone who is supportive of others in the profession and who has played a key role in the development of others in the field. It honors Ralph Hillquist, the founder of the Noise & Vibration Conference and recognize his achievements and contributions to the NVH community, to recognize individuals who, like Hillquist, have an outstanding record of contributions to the field of NVH, and to enhance the image of the field.
The award consists of a plaque presented at the SAE Noise & Vibration Conference.
| Year | Name | Employer |
| 2019 | Raymond Kach | Ford Motor Company |
| 2017 | Prof Ahmet Selamet | Ohio State University |
| 2015 | Richard Schumacher | R.S. Beratung, LLC. |
| 2013 | Bernard Challen | Shoreham Services |
Ahmet Selamet, Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Ohio State University, has been named the recipient of the 2017 SAE Ralph K. Hillquist NVH Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award, being presented at the SAE Noise and Vibration Conference in June, recognizes individuals who have shown a continued contribution to ground vehicle NVH over a period of 15 years of more. The award honors Ralph Hillquist, the founder of the SAE Noise and Vibration Conference.
"I was fortunate enough to know Ralph Hillquist from the 1990s, when I first started participating in the Noise and Vibration Conference," Selamet said. "He was a wise man and earned a great deal of my respect."
An SAE Fellow and a previous recipient of the Ralph R. Teetor Award, Selamet has been organizing the Intake/Exhaust sessions at the SAE Noise and Vibration Conference for more than 20 years, and he has also organized sessions at the Fuels and Lubricants and Powertrain and Fluid Systems conferences.
Over the past three decades, he has conducted extensive analytical, computational, and experimental work to advance the fundamental understanding of wave dynamics and acoustics in engine breathing systems (induction/in-cylinder/exhaust). In conjunction with Ford Motor Co., he created an industry-first turbocharger gas stand located within an anechoic chamber to develop the acoustic measurement techniques needed to identify the noise sources in the surge regions of the compressor map.
With the goals of evolving the understanding of turbomachinery and arriving a more accurate measurements for acoustics of turbochargers, he has established Flow, Engine, Acoustics, and Turbocharger Research Laboratories that are unique in academic circles, using what he calls a "bench-top" approach.
"If we can remove the turbo from the engine and work with it alone, we can instrument so we measure all kind of quantities we use in predictions," he said. "We develop models on how a turbo operates."
Selamet said he is most proud when his students make a contribution to industry.
"I enjoy the education of future generations, and sharing the knowledge we produce in our research operations" he said. "I benefit, and I work hard to give back to the community. It’s a win-win situation."