TACOMA, Wash. (Jan. 8, 2015) – On Dec. 11, 2014, Elaine Thomas, the director of metallurgy at Bradken-Energy, became the first woman to ever receive the Steel Founders Society of America’s (SFSA) Charles W. Briggs Memorial Technical & Operating Medal for her career contributions in metallurgy, awarded at the SFSA 68th Annual National Technical and Operating Conference in Chicago, Illinois. The Technical and Operating Medal was established by the Steel Founders Society of America in 1944 to recognize outstanding scientific or engineering contributions toward the technical or operating advancement of the steel foundry industry. Since its inception, the medal has been awarded only 59 times, as it requires a unanimous vote by the SFSA Board of Directors. In 1969 the medal was renamed the Charles W. Briggs Memorial Technical and Operating Medal in recognition of the activities of C.W. Briggs from 1938 to 1968. According to the SFSA address at the awards ceremony, “Elaine is one of the top metallurgists in the steel casting industry. Throughout her career at Bradken-Tacoma, Elaine has developed the procedures and processes to make the most technically complex and difficult large steel and high alloy castings. With Elaine’s guidance for example, Bradken-Tacoma is one of the few foundries qualified to make the nuclear castings QSC#204, the latest requirement for NAVSEA HY80 and HY100, EN10225 and API RP2Z.” “Elaine is recognized as a world-class expert in steel casting technology so it is fitting that the SFSA Awards Committee recommended and the Board approved presenting Elaine with the Charles W. Briggs Memorial Technical and Operating Medal.” Elaine Thomas began her career at Bradken-Energy’s Tacoma facility (formerly known as Atlas Foundry) in 1977 where she has spent almost four decades working and managing operations in the melt shop, weld engineering, heat treating, chemistry and mechanical testing labs. Thomas, considered one of the upmost experts in metallurgy, currently serves on multiple committees, including the SFSA Specifications Committee (current Chairman), SFSA High Alloy and Heavy Section Research Committee, ASTM A01.18 Subcommittee for Cast Steel, and Washington State University MME Industrial Advisory Board. Along with a bronze medal and certificate of award, Thomas also received a scholarship in her name which is presented to the school of her choice. Thomas chose to award the scholarship to her alma mater, Washington State University, where in 1976 she became the first women to graduate from WSU with a degree in metallurgy. Thomas, when asked about the scholarship awarded to WSU commented, “The best part of the award is the scholarship that I’m giving to WSU’s Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. It’s important to me to help other people. It’s paying it forward, which I love. I’m very pleased with what I’ve been able to do.” Bradken-Energy is a full-service steel foundry and machining organization with a longstanding reputation for producing complex engineered steel castings for the oil and gas, pump, valve, turbine, compressor and military industries.
Thu, 01/08/2015 - 00:00