Tau Beta Pi Announces Dr. Richard J. Smith as 2004 National Outstanding Advisor

Tau Beta Pi, the engineering honor society, has named its 11th National Outstanding Advisor in its program to recognize engineering faculty who make important contributions to students and collegiate chapters. While the primary goal of Tau Beta Pi is to recognize students of superior scholarship and exemplary character and to honor eminent practicing engineers, the Association also lauds excellence in engineering education and in the ethical practice of engineering.

Dr. Richard J. Smith, Iowa Alpha ’69, advisor to the Iowa Alpha Chapter and professor emeritus of agricultural and biosystems engineering and of mechanical engineering at Iowa State University, is the 2004 Tau Beta Pi National Outstanding Advisor. He will be honored on October 9, 2004, at the 99 th annual national Convention to be held in Orlando, Florida. Tau Beta Pi President Dr. Matthew W. Ohland will present $1,000 and a commemorative plaque to Dr. Smith. Another $1,000 grant will be presented to the engineering college’s discretionary fund.

An advisor for nearly 14 years, Dr. Smith was cited by students and peers for his dedicated involvement which has strongly contributed to the chapter’s reputation as being one of the most consistently successful and productive chapters in Tau Beta Pi’s history.

Dr. Smith obtained his B.S. in mechanical engineering from King’s College, London, in 1962 and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Iowa State University in agricultural engineering. He was hired at Iowa State as an assistant professor in 1972 and has been there ever since. In addition to Tau Beta Pi, he is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma Xi, and a fellow of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers, UK.

Dr. Smith has served Tau Beta Pi’s Iowa Alpha Chapter with distinction as Chapter Advisor since 1990 and Chief Advisor from 1994 until 2000. He has had a tremendously positive impact on the chapter. During his tenure as Chief Advisor, Iowa Alpha received the R.C. Matthews Outstanding Chapter Award (Tau Beta Pi’s highest accolade) in 1992 and was runner-up for this award in 1993, 1994, and 1997. Three Laureates were named from Iowa Alpha during Smith’s time as advisor: Lia S. Pierson in 1995, Heather D. Schafroth in 1996, and Sarah T. Bauer in 2002.

“I see Dr. Smith as the most dedicated and generous advisor in our district,” notes his colleague, Dr. James C. Hill (Tau Beta Pi’s1994 National Outstanding Advisor). He attends many of the national conventions at his own expense and attends all of the spring district conferences.

The chapter has been involved in Project ELEOS (clothing drives for orphans in former Soviet-block countries) for nearly 10 years, and he uses his own station wagon, at no expense to the chapter or district, to transport the piles of collected clothing to their drop-off point in Minnesota. He unfailingly attends both officer and chapter meetings, acting as semiofficial chapter photographer at all these events, hosts advisory board meetings, with meals often provided at his home, and freely donates the use of his tools, knowledge, and time to all projects.

Dr. Smith assisted Dr. Donald Flugrad, a past Iowa Alpha advisor, in the 1995, 1996, and 1997 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) outreach project, in which students from Ames High School teamed with Iowa State students and engineers from John Deere to build radio-controlled robots for a national competition. Subsequently, eight members of the 1997 and 1998 high school teams entered the ISU college of engineering.

Although Dr. Smith retired from his position as professor in 1998, he continues to inspire and lead the chapter in new activities. His devotion to Tau Beta Pi’s principles are evident in the projects to which he has applied himself—those that benefit the community as well as the university. In his post-retirement, a disabled Ames resident was the benefactor of a new wheelchair ramp; he continued to organize annual progressive dinners to help recognize chapter accomplishments and ease the officer transition process; and he has acted as advisor to the Rite Kite project, a partnership with Sigma Gamma Tau (aerospace engineering honor society), and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics to produce a one-half scale model of one of the Wright Brothers’ gliders.

Through the dedication of Dr. Smith, the Iowa Alpha Chapter has achieved prominence on campus and in the community and distinction in demonstrating the ideals of this organization. Tau Beta Pi proudly recognizes Dr. Richard J. Smith as the 2004 Tau Beta Pi National Outstanding Advisor.