A May 2004 doctoral recipient, Farhad Shir, is the first GW student to receive the prestigious International Magnetics Association (IMA) Scholars Award.

Shir, a new alumnus in mechanical engineering, was honored for his research on “Room Temperature Magnetic Refrigeration,” a potentially revolutionary technique of using magnets to reduce temperature in refrigeration. His research at the Institute of Magnetics Research at the GW Virginia Campus resulted in development of a more efficient and environmentally-friendly model for magnetic refrigeration.

Although the equipment for the research model and the magnets cost over $50,000, the industry is hopeful that further research will result in a more cost-efficient prototype with potential commercial application.

Shir said, “It was team work. I am receiving this award as a result of the supervision of my advisors, Dr. Bennett, Dr. Della Torre, and Dr. Mavriplis. This award belongs to all the university staff that supported me in my research, including the SEAS office, the library, and the logistics department.”

Mr. August Sisco, Executive Vice President for IMA, presented the award to Shir on March 18, 2004 at the GW Virginia Campus. Shir received one of two awards granted this year. Shir was selected for the award through a competitive application procedure, including review by IMA’s Scholars Committee and Board of Directors. The ceremony was attended by many of Shir’s colleagues and mentors, including Dr. Timothy Tong, the Dean of the School of Engineering.

His advisor, Dr. Lawrence H. Bennett, said, “It gives me great pleasure that my student, Farhad Shir, has been chosen to receive this award. He has shown ingenuity and steadfastness in carrying out his highly successful research for his Ph.D.”

Shir, originally from Iran, received his undergraduate degree from Shiraz University in 1989. He presented results of his research at various conferences and published them in several peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Applied Physics, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, the International Journal of Refrigeration, the American Journal of Physics, and the Journal of Applied Physics.

The IMA Scholars Program promotes the study of magnetics and encourages qualified students in university-level programs to concentrate their research in magnetics. Since 1994 IMA has awarded $70,000 to graduate students for outstanding performance in magnetics-related research.

More information about the International Magnetics Association
More information about the Institute of Magnetics Research