Ronald D. Flack joined the faculty of the University of Virginia's School of Engineering and Applied Science in the mechanical and aerospace engineering department in 1976. He has authored more than 100 journal publications and more than 175 reports and papers. He has served as the chair of MAE and as director of the Rotating Machinery and Controls Industrial Research Program (ROMAC). Dr Flack has been chair of the ASME IGTI Education Committee and chair of the ASME regional committee of ME department heads, and he is an ASME Fellow. His research interests include experimental internal flows in turbomachines and fluid film bearings, leading to the extended life of turbomachines by reducing… forces and vibrations and improved hydraulic efficiency of turbomachines.