In honour of numerous accomplishments in the glass industry, in the fields of science, industry and education, the 1996 Phoenix Award has been bestowed on Dr. L. David Pye, an educator, lecturer, rese…
In honour of numerous accomplishments in the glass industry, in the fields of science, industry and education, the 1996 Phoenix Award has been bestowed on Dr. L. David Pye, an educator, lecturer, researcher and scientist. At a gala event on 2 October at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C. (US) Dr. Pye received the award, a 355-mm-high (14 inches) Stueben glass replica of the legendary phoenix bird. Dr. Pye achieved his doctoral degree in Ceramic Science in 1968 from Alfred University, and in January of this year was named dean of the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. He began his career at PPG Industries, Melting and Forming Laboratory in 1959 and also worked as Research Engineer at the Glass Research Labs of Bausch and Lomb Inc. Renowned for his educational endeavours, scholarly presentations and published materials, Dr. Pye has membership in The International Commission on Glass, and is also a member of the editorial board on the Deutsche Glastechnnische Berichte and the New York State Academy of Sciences. Amongst others, Dr. Pye has distinguished himself by acting as a consultant to the United States Glass and Ceramic Industry, a lecturer at the US Department-sponsored Symposia on Glass, chairing the American Ceramic Society (ACS), Glass Division, and more recently as a Trustee of the ACS Glass and Optical Materials Division. In viewing the presence of glass in the marketplace today, Dr. Pye has stated his belief that “expanded uses will come as studio glass art movement increases awareness in the public mind, then public fascination with glass will continue to grow”. He believes that in the 21st century we will see “increased emphasis on modelling, stronger raw materials requirements, increased productivity, and glass being recognised as a growth industry.” The prestigious Phoenix Award was established in 1971 by suppliers to the glass industry, and is given each year to the person who has made a significant contribution to the industry. Past recipients of the Phoenix Award include John F. McConnell of PPG Industries (1995), Harold A. McMaster of Solar Cell, Inc. (1993) and Earnesto Martens of Vitro, SA. (1990).