Three mechanical engineers appointed to professorships named for Bob and Kaye Stanzione

Three faculty members who are breaking new ground in their research while providing new opportunities for their students have been selected for an honor made possible by a $2.5-million Cornerstone Gift from Bob and Kaye Stanzione.

Fadi Abdeljawad, Joshua Bostwick and Huijuan “Jane” Zhao are the first three Clemson mechanical engineers to receive the Stanzione Professorship.

Named professorships are high honors for faculty members and signal that they are held in high regard among their colleagues.

Atul Kelkar, chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, said all three are highly deserving of their professorships.

“They have taken different paths to success but share similar traits, notably a passion for creating the leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs of the future,” Kelkar said. “I congratulate Drs. Abdeljawad, Bostwick and Zhao on their well-earned honors, and I thank Bob and Kaye Stanzione for their forward-thinking generosity.”

The Cornerstone Gift went to the Clemson University College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, with a portion earmarked to support faculty in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Bob earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clemson in 1969. He served as ARRIS’s CEO until September 2016, at which time he moved into the executive chair role. He sits on The Cable Center Board of Directors Executive Committee and is a former trustee on the Committee for Economic Development in Washington, D.C.

He was inducted into the Cable TV Pioneers in 2010 and is a member of the Class of 2016 Cable Hall of Fame.

Anand Gramopadhye, dean of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences, congratulated Abdeljawad, Bostwick and Zhao on becoming the recipients of the first three Stanzione Professorships. He said that the Stanziones have invested where it counts most– in the labs and classrooms.

“I offer my wholehearted thanks to Bob and Kaye for their visionary leadership,” he said. “Their transformational gift allows us to offer incentives that help us attract and retain top faculty and students, positioning us for success now and into the future.”

Click the names to learn more about Abdeljawad, Bostwick and Zhao.