HIGHLIGHTS ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JULY 2026 58 IN MEMORIAM Halfred Smith, FASM, 97, of Nazareth, Pennsylvania, passed away on May 24. Born in Battle Creek, Michigan, on April 25, 1929, he was a graduate of Battle Creek Central High School and went on to earn his bachelor of science degree in metallurgical engineering from Michigan Technological University in 1951. Following college, Smith began a distinguished 34-year career with Bethlehem Steel Corp., retiring as senior manager of manufacturing operations at the Bethlehem Plant. Throughout his career, he represented the company at international conferences and presented technical papers in cities across the United States, Europe, and Japan. Smith was an active member of ASM International since 1948, serving as chair of the Lehigh Valley Chapter, receiving the Bradley Stoughton Award, and being elected a Fellow of ASM International for his contributions to the steel industry. Gene L. Homer of Barberton, Ohio, died on April 26 at age 81. He was born in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, on March 10, 1945. Homer retired from Babcock and Wilcox after 49 years of service. He was a member of the ASM Akron Chapter and served for many years as a local officer. Robert Liebeck, a professor of the practice at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) department of aeronautics and astronautics and one of the world’s leading experts on aircraft design, aerodynamics, and hydrodynamics, died on January 12 at age 87. Born on February 1, 1938, in Wheaton, Illinois, Liebeck received his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. His career in aerospace engineering included a number of foundational contributions to aerodynamics and aircraft design, beginning with his graduate research into high-lift airfoils. His novel designs came to be known as “Liebeck airfoils” and are used primarily for high-altitude reconnaissance airplanes. Liebeck airfoils have also been adapted for use in Formula One (F1) racing cars and racing sailboats. He was perhaps best known for his groundbreaking work on blended wing body (BWB) aircraft. He oversaw the BWB project at Boeing during his five-decade tenure at the company, working closely with NASA on the X-48 experimental aircraft. After retiring, he served as technical advisor at BWB startup JetZero, which is aiming to build a more fuel-efficient aircraft for both military and commercial use with a target date of 2027 for its demonstration flight. Liebeck was appointed a professor of the practice at MIT in 2000, and taught classes on aircraft design and aerodynamics. He made a significant contribution to car racing when he developed the downforce wing and flap system, which has become standard on F1, IndyCar, and NASCAR cars. Liebeck was a Boeing senior technical fellow, member of the National Academy of Engineering, and recipient of the Guggenheim Medal. He also was inducted into the International Air and Space Hall of Fame. George T. Vaughn, 94, formerly of Cape May, New Jersey, passed away on July 4, 2024, in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Born in Philadelphia on November 5, 1929, Vaughn served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He then completed both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in metallurgy. Throughout his career, he held various roles in the steel and specialized metal industry including at Shenango Industries Inc. Liebeck IN MEMORIAM Smith
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