Robert L. Norton
Robert L. Norton | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 5, 1939 |
| Died | June 22, 2024 (aged 85) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation(s) | Engineer, academic and author |
| Academic background | |
| Education | AS., Mechanical Engineering BS., Industrial Technology MS., Engineering Design |
| Alma mater | Northeastern University Tufts University |
| Thesis | Design and Evaluation of an External Actuating Device for an Implanted Prosthetic Left Ventricle (1970) |
| Academic work | |
| Institutions | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
Robert L. Norton was an American engineer, academic and author. He was the President of Norton Associates and the Milton P. Higgins II Distinguished Professor Emeritus in Mechanical Engineering at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Norton was most known for his machine design software and research in kinematics, machinery dynamics, cam design and manufacturing, computers in education and engineering education. He has authored and co-authored journal articles and 11 books including Design of Machinery, Machine Design: An Integrated Approach, Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery, The Cam Design and Manufacturing Handbook, and Automotive Milestones: The Technological Development of the Automobile. He was named the 2007 U.S. Professor of the Year by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and was the recipient of several awards such as the 2002 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Machine Design Award, the 2004 Archie Higdon Distinguished Educator Award from the American Society for Engineering Education Mechanics Division, the 2009 Tufts University Outstanding Career Achievement Award, and an Honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from the WPI Board of Trustees in 2012.
Norton was an elected Fellow and Life Member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.