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Dr. Jeffrey S. Zabinski '90

Auburn University alum Jeff Zabinski was recently awarded a Society for Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE) fellowship. STLE fellows are members of the organization who demonstrate outstanding personal achievement in the field of lubrication, have 20 years of active practice in science or engineering and have a membership in the society for 10 years.

Jeff is a native of Pensacola, Fla., where he attended Pensacola Junior College and later graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. He met his wife, Mabel, during his years in Florida. Immediately after graduation from UF, Jeff took a job at Union Camp Pulp and Paper Corporation. After two years with the corporation, Jeff headed to Auburn to complete a doctoral degree.

When searching for graduate schools, Zabinski looked to Auburn for several reasons. "After an extensive search, it was Auburn's exceptional Department of Chemical Engineering with interesting projects in energy, bioengineering, surface science and catalysis that attracted me," Zabinski says.

The project that most interested him was Bruce Tatarchuk's work in surface science and advanced characterization. Tatarchuk had recently received a grant from the Air Force. "He [Tarchuk] was very enthusiastic about the project and its value to the scientific community," says Zabinski. "He offered me a rare opportunity to design, order and build a substantial addition to his laboratory and use IT ON advancing work involving the Air Force grant. The chance to build a number of one-of-a-kind scientific instruments to probe materials from their surface to the bulk was very appealing."

Ultimately, Zabinski selected Auburn to pursue his doctoral degree because he was promised intellectual freedom in research and he enjoyed the Auburn area. "Auburn University is in a beautiful, safe area and is a great place to start a family," he says.

After earning his doctorate, the United States Air Force hired Jeff to work at their laboratory in Dayton, Ohio. Currently, Jeff works as Chief of the Nonmetallic Materials Division in the Air Force Research Laboratory. He and his wife, Mabel, have two sons: Jeffrey, a recent graduate of Case Western Reserve, and Patrick, a student at Ohio State University.

Jeff's job with the Air Force has given him some unique opportunities. "The Air Force provided amazing opportunities for me as a researcher, which ultimately led to my selection as STLE fellow," he says. "As my career progressed, they gave me the opportunity to lead tribology groups, a Quick Reaction Field Support Division, the Nonmetallic Materials Division and the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate."

The STLE fellowship is a significant honor for Zabinski because much of his life has been devoted to advancing tribology and lubrication engineering. The society considers nominations in management, education, research or technology in the tribology field. The fellows are chosen based on their achievements in supporting the STLE's mission: "To advance the science of tribology and the practice of lubrication engineering in order to foster innovation, improve the performance of equipment and products, conserve resources and protect the environment."
 
"It was rewarding to know that others outside the Air Force found value in my work," Zabinski says. He accredits several people with assisting him along the way including his family, employer and all of the educators that gave him a foundation in the subject.