Weber Named Assistant VP for Research and Director of Tech Transfer

January 19, 2000

University Park, Pa. - Gary Weber, former senior vice president, science and technology at PPG Industries, has joined Penn State as assistant vice president for research and director of technology transfer in the Office of the Vice President for Research.

Weber, a Penn State alumnus, will provide overall leadership for the University's intellectual property and technology transfer programs. He will be administratively responsible for the Ben Franklin Technology Center of Central and Northern Pennsylvania, the Industrial Research Office, Intellectual Property Office, Penn State Research Park, Pennsylvania Technical Assistance Program, and Research Commercialization Office. He will also hold a faculty appointment in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences

At PPG Industries, he led all science and technology for the company, including five laboratories, serving automotive, chemical, fiberglass, coatings, pharmaceutical and architectural businesses. He joined PPG in 1992 as vice president, technology glass, and was promoted to senior vice president, science and technology, in 1994.

Prior to joining PPG, he was vice president and deputy chief executive, technology and machinery, at General Electric-Tungstram in Budapest, Hungary. There, he led 700 people in engineering, R&D, environmental, and quality programs for a 13 factory lighting business. In addition, he headed a turnkey machinery business with three factories, 1500 people and worldwide sales. He established the lead environmental program in Eastern Europe while in this post and was honored with a commendation from GE's chief executive officer and a medal from the Hungarian Academy of Science.

Active as a corporate organizational restructuring consultant, an invited speaker and in professional society activities, he is a co-founder of the American Ceramics Industrial Association. He also served on the President's Council of Industrial Advisors for the American Ceramics Society. Most recently he has served on the Board of Directors of the Pittsburgh High Technology Council and the Carnegie Science Center, the Industrial Research Institute International Committee, the industrial editorial advisory board of the American Ceramics Society and the industrial advisory panel for the National Materials Advisory Board.

He is currently chairman of the Operating Board of the Carnegie Mellon Research Institute and has been active on advisory boards at the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University. He has also served on advisory boards at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Weber earned his bachelor's degree in ceramic technology at Penn State in 1965 and his doctorate in ceramic science in 1974. He was honored as a Penn State Centennial Fellow in 1996 and as an alumni fellow in 1998. He held Navy ROTC and PPG scholarships while he was an undergraduate and served in the U.S. Naval Nuclear Submarine Service after graduation before returning to the University for his Ph.D.

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Contacts:

Barbara Hale (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-0997 (h)

Vicki Fong (814) 865-9481 (o)/ (814) 238-1221 (h)