In 2021, after 40 years of service, Dr. Kirkpatrick formally retired from the department. He was a Professor and former Mechanical Engineering Department Head. Dr. Kirkpatrick has a B.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a master’s degree in Physics. He has published five books and has over one hundred peer reviewed publications in the applied thermal fluid sciences (internal combustion engines, building heat transfer, fluid jets) and engineering education areas.  He is a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His teaching and research has been recognized with numerous national awards, and most recently the Ben Sparks Medal by ASME in 2013.