Dr. Lewis Thigpen earned the BSME in 1964 from Howard University. He earned the MS in 1967 and Ph.D. in 1970 in engineering science and mechanics from Illinois Institute of Technology. He proceeded to prominence as a renowned engineer, scholar and inventor; and research scientist at leading national laboratories. His research has been published in numerous juried science and engineering journals. In January 1988, he returned to academia and served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Howard University for sixteen and a half years. Dr. Thigpen retired from Howard University August 31, 2008, as Professor Emeritus.