Aziz Asphahani

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Education

Diplôme Ingénieur- Physics, Ecole Centrale de Paris, 1970.

Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, MIT, 1975.

 

Career Background

Dr. Asphahani is the Chairman & CEO of QuesTek International LLC. Before joining QuesTek, he served as President & CEO of CARUS Chemical Co. (1995-2006), following 19 years (1975-1994) in the Specialty Metals Industry with HAYNES International/CABVAL, where he served as CABVAL President, HAYNES Vice President, Director of R&D, and Corrosion Engineer. He served on the Board of Directors of HAYNES, CABVAL, CARUS Corporation and Aluminum Rheinfelden AG.

Dr. Asphahani started in 1975 as a researcher/engineer focused on the development of corrosion-resistant nickel-based and cobalt-based alloys. He holds 8 patents and authored 75 technical papers. Two of his patents won the 1984 VAALER* Award and the 1991 R&D-100 Award.

*US-Patent # 4,533,414: HASTELLOY C-22 alloy has been extensively evaluated as the outer canister material to contain the nuclear waste for storage in the Yucca Mountain, Nevada. As a side note, this alloy was used in the restoration of the Statue of Liberty in the 1980’s (to ensure durability and resistance to corrosion, HASTELLOY C-22 flat-beams were used to support the seven spokes of Lady Liberty).

Dr. Asphahani is an active participant in the ASM Materials Camp initiative, engaged in getting students interested in science and engineering careers, as well as supporting school science teachers’ professional development and skill enhancement in communicating to their students about the exciting fields of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Asphahani served as Senior Advisor/Corrosion Curriculum Development at University of Akron and assisted in establishing the First “Corrosion Engineering” degree in the USA.

Dr. Asphahani is a member of ASM International, NACE and TMS. He was a member of the Electrochemical Society and the American Water Works Association. Dr. Asphahani served as NACE Director-1983, as ASM President -2001 and as ASM-Foundation Chairman-2004. He also served on the Board of Directors of the American Chemistry Council and the Board of Trustees of the Alpha-Sigma-Mu Honor Society.

Dr. Asphahani is presently serving on the Boards of QuesTek International, QuesTek Japan K.K., QuesTek Europe AB, the MIT-AAA and the Goldin Institute. He is also serving on the Strategic Advisory Councils of  H.C.Starck-USA, Gears-EU and the Advisory Councils of the Illinois Institute of Technology Aerospace & Materials Science department plus the University of California-Irvine Institute for Design & Manufacturing Innovations.

 

Honors/Awards

Member US National Academy of Engineering

Fellow (ASM, NACE & NCER/U. Akron)

Alpha Sigma Mu Distinguished Life Member

ASM-Honorary Member

ASM-Education Foundation Roberts Award

NACE-Education Foundation Founders Award

SF2M/France- Bastien/Guillet Gold Medal Award

ASM- Medal for the Adcancement of Research

ASTM/G1Corrosion- Frank LaQue Award