Awards & Scholarships

Michael Leonard Pearce received his Ph.D. from London University, England, in 1957. His thesis work consisted of a conductivity study of complex silver ions in non-aqueous solvents. During this period he also worked on high temperature and pressure corrosion of stainless steel in association with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

On a Post Doctoral Fellowship, Dr. Pearce worked with the National Research Council of Canada in Nova Scotia on isotope-dilution techniques for the determination of gases in iron and steel. During an association with United States Steel Research in 1960-62, the analytical study was continued and applied to an investigation of the solubility of nitrogen in silicon-iron. This work culminated in the published paper which earned the award. Thermodynamics and kinetic studies of molten oxide systems were also pursued during the same period.

Subsequent research projects have centered on the determination of oxygen ion activities in binary oxide melts and diffusion and kinetic studies in simple molten glasses. A total of fifteen scientific publications have been authored or co-authored.

Dr. Pearce is a research supervisor with Spear Carbon Company, Division of Air Reduction Company, Research and Development Laboratory in Niagara Falls, New York. He is a member of AIME and the American Ceramic Society.