Dr. Jerald Caton, the Gulf Oil/ Thomas A. Dietz Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been named a service award recipient for the College of Engineering Teaching, Service and Engineering Outstanding Contribution Awards. Faculty members are nominated by their department heads and must be holders of an endowed position. The principal purpose of the engineering service award is to acknowledge those who have made significant contributions to the college of engineering during the past five years.
Caton has taught classes and led research focused in the areas of internal combustion engines, thermodynamics, emission reduction technologies, alternative fuels and cogeneration at Texas A&M since 1979.
He holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from The University of California at Berkeley, and a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering with an emphasis in thermal sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research interests are in internal combustion engines, modeling engine and combustion processes, reducing pollutant emissions, studies of nitric oxide formation and removal, selective non-catalytic (SNCR) and catalytic (SCR) nitric oxide removal technologies, cogeneration, combined cycles, gas turbine power plants, alternative fuels; thermodynamics, heat transfer, fluid mechanics and fundamental and applied combustion topics.
He is the director of the Engines, Emissions, Energy Research Laboratory, a research laboratory that conducts research and engineering activities in three main categories: engines, emissions and energy. The majority of the laboratory activities are directed by Caton and conducted by his graduate students.
Caton has been honored with several awards for his work in mechanical engineering including the American Society of Automotive Engineers, (ASME)–ICE Meritorious Service Award (2010), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Excellence in Oral Presentation Award (2009), Distinguished Achievement Award – Teaching from the Association of Former Students and Texas A&M (2008), Gulf Oil/Thomas A. Dietz Professorship (2007 – present), SAE Fellow (2007 – present), SAE Excellence in Oral Presentation Award (2005), Texas A&M University College of Engineering: and the Halliburton Professorship (2005–2006).
In 2015 Caton published An Introduction to Thermodynamic Cycle Simulations for Internal Combustion Engines, a book on engine cycle simulations and the thermodynamics of engines.
“Receiving this award is a great honor and I’m proud to be recognized by the college for my accolades,” he said.