Bryan Willson
Developing Technologies for a Cleaner World
Benefiting the Library Endowment for the College of Engineering
Dr. Bryan Willson is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado State University. He is also founder and director of CSU´s Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory (EECL), founder and board member of EnvroFit International LLC, and co-founder and co-director of the Global Innovation Center for Energy, Health, and the Environment. All three of his degrees are in Mechanical Engineering; a B.S. degree from Texas A & M University, and M.S. and PhD degrees from the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Willson received his PhD in 1988, the same year he joined the CSU faculty. He founded the Engines and Energy Conversion Laboratory in 1992 and has guided its rise to one of the most prominent and influential engine research programs in the US. One of the EECL´s first projects was the systematic study of "Hythane®", a mixture of hydrogen and natural gas. This fuel has now been adopted for use throughout the US and abroad. In the areas of large engines, natural gas engines, two-stroke engines, and "hazardous air pollutants", the EECL is widely acknowledged as one of the world leaders. The EECL was designated as one of CSU´s "Programs of Research and Scholarly Excellence" in 2004. In his role as Director of the EECL, Dr. Willson works to ensure that the EECL remains at the forefront of conventional engine research, but is also working to build the lab´s international influence. He teaches in the areas of design, dynamics, energy, and sustainable development. He has been faculty adviser to CSU´s chapter of Society of Automotive Engineers since 1988; has supervised 15 large undergraduate vehicle research competitions; and is co-adviser to CSU´s Engineers Without Borders student chapter. He is currently the faculty advisor to a student project in India funded by an "EPA P3" award, and a "Mondialogo" student project in Nepal funded by UNESCO / DaimlerChrysler. He is the PI or co-PI on almost $20 million in funded research; has funded over 50 graduate students; has funded over 160 undergraduate research assistants; and is author or co-author of over 180 journal papers, conference proceedings, or technical reports. Dr. Willson is co-founder and Executive Director of EnviroFit International, Ltd. EnviroFit is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation committed to improving global health through the development and dissemination of technology solutions to environmental problems in the developing world. EnviroFit is currently focused on the widespread dissemination of clean retrofit technology to reduce emissions from 2-stroke cycle engines. Dr. Willson and EnviroFit were awarded an international Tech Award in 2005 by the Tech Museum of Innovation for "technology in service of humanity". Dr. Willson is co-founder and Director of the Global Innovation Center for Energy, Environment, and Health. The Global Innovation Center is a joint program of the College of Engineering and College of Business to develop and disseminate technology solutions to improve the human condition. Dr. Willson serves as consultant and/or adviser to numerous US government agencies, international development and environmental agencies, industrial organizations, and private industries. In recent years, he has traveled for professional activities in India, China, Korea, Nepal, Benin (West Africa), Peru, Honduras, China, the Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, Australia, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany.