Tomas Grejtak, an R&D associate staff lab scientist at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, has been selected for the Early Career Award from the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE). He will receive the award at the STLE Annual Meeting & Exhibition May 18-21 in New Orleans.
The Early Career Award recognizes the technical achievements of emerging researchers and helps support the attendance of those researchers at STLE’s annual conference, where tribology experts share new findings and applications. STLE’s Early Career Committee selects recipients through a merit-based review that considers the quality and originality of an applicant’s work, its potential impact on the field and professional endorsement through a formal letter of recommendation.
Grejtak studies wear, friction, material deformation and contact mechanics in a range of materials and systems, including those used in nuclear power plants, biomass processing and automotive applications.
STLE is a global professional technical society focused on tribology — the science of friction, wear and lubrication. The field is central to improving machine efficiency, equipment reliability and engineering sustainability. Founded in 1944, the organization connects more than 13,000 members across industries, including aerospace, automotive and energy, and serves as a forum for sharing research and best practices.
The society advances the field through technical education and professional certification programs, peer-reviewed publications such as Tribology Transactions, and its monthly magazine, Tribology & Lubrication Technology. STLE also convenes international conferences and local section meetings, helping researchers and practitioners translate scientific advances into real-world engineering improvements.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science . — Scott Gibson