The Department of Energy, Systems, Territory, and Construction Engineering (DESTEC) is pleased and proud to announce that Professor Walter Grassi, formerly Full Professor of Technical Physics at DESTEC, has received the Max Jakob Memorial Award, one of the highest international recognitions for thermal sciences, awarded jointly by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The award's hall of fame includes scholars who, since 1960, have contributed to major advancements in the field of heat transfer, and now, for the first time, it includes an Italian.
Professor Grassi has conducted pioneering research, both theoretical and experimental, on the thermofluidynamic effects of electric and gravitational volume force fields. Among his achievements, he successfully obtained nucleate boiling in the absence of gravity through appropriate electric fields. For his studies in microgravity, he utilized unique experimental platforms such as sounding rockets (in Sweden), drop towers (in Japan), and parabolic flights (in France). In Antarctica, he contributed to the energy solutions for the Italian base Terra Nova Bay and the international base Concordia.
He has coordinated numerous research programs for the Ministry of University and Research (MURST), the Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), the National Research Council (CNR), the European Union, the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and the European Space Agency (ESA). He has also held various significant positions, including ESA Coordinator for boiling research, President of the Italian Geothermal Union (UGI), and President of the Energy Agency of the Tuscany Region. At the University of Pisa, he has served as Department Director, Board Member, Academic Senator, PhD Program President, and Rector's Delegate for Energy.
Walter Grassi has mentored Paolo Di Marco, Daniele Testi, Paolo Conti, and Eva Schito, current faculty members of our department who have significantly collaborated with him at various stages of their careers. Just a few days ago, Professor Testi attended the award ceremony in Los Angeles and accepted the Jakob Award on his behalf at the annual ASME Congress on heat transfer, fluid engineering, and energy sustainability.
DESTEC extends its heartfelt congratulations to Professor Walter Grassi for this prestigious recognition, which brings honor to the University of Pisa and the entire Italian community of thermal engineering.
