PULLMAN – M. Grant Norton, professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and associate dean of research and graduate programs in the College of Engineering and Architecture, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Washington Technology Center.
The center is a statewide economic development organization focused on technology and innovation. It channels state, federal and private resources to match university researchers with companies to develop and commercialize new products and technologies. Its work has generated more than $600 million in additional investment for Washington companies and researchers.
Other WSU members of the board include: Vice Chair Hal Dengerink, chancellor of WSU Vancouver; Dennis Dyck, vice chancellor of research at WSU Spokane; and Howard Grimes, professor of plant molecular sciences and molecular biosciences, vice president for research and dean of the Graduate School.
Norton obtained his Ph.D. in materials from Imperial College, London, and spent a two-year postdoctoral at Cornell University before joining the WSU faculty in 1991. In 2003 and 2004 he was an AFOSR Faculty Research Associate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and he spent the 1999/2000 academic year as a visiting professor at Oxford University.
From 2000 to 2005, he was chair of materials science at WSU. He is author or co-author of more than 160 papers in the archival literature, several book chapters, and two textbooks – one on X-ray diffraction and, most recently, “Ceramic Materials: Science and Engineering,” published by Springer. He serves as deputy editor-in-chief of the Journal of Materials Science, is on the international editorial board of the Journal of Materials Education, and is on the editorial board of the Journal of Nanotechnology.
Prior to entering academia, Norton worked for two major European multinationals. He has consulted for a number of companies and organizations, including on an interesting project on the World War II memorial in Washington D.C. He recently formed GoNano Technologies, Inc., a university spinoff company focused on alternative energy applications for nanomaterials.
In addition to Norton, Gov. Chris Gregoire also appointed Scott Keeney of nLIGHT Corporation and Ken Myer of the Washington Technology Industry Association as board members.
