LEMONT FURNACE, Pa. — David B. Meredith, associate professor of engineering at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, has retired after 41 years of service. He has taught engineering and technology courses at Penn State Fayette since 1979.
“David Meredith has so many accomplishments at Penn State Fayette—including awards for teaching, scholarship, service, and advising from the campus and the College of Engineering, as well as the University-wide Faculty Recognition Award for Women in the Sciences and Engineering (WISE),” said Chancellor Charles Patrick. “His contributions to the campus and the community have been significant and invaluable. We will greatly miss David on campus.”
Meredith holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and a master of science degree in energy conversion from Colorado State University, where he completed a fellowship with Eastman Kodak.
Early in his career, he worked as a technical support engineer at Procter & Gamble, assisting with thermal systems design and pollution control engineering. While teaching a summer course at Kent State University at Tuscarawas, his students installed the first solar water-heating system on a two-year college campus in Ohio.
David B. Meredith, associate professor of engineering at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, has retired after 41 years of service.
At Penn State Fayette, Meredith directed and taught Building Environmental Systems Technology and the Solar and Thermal Technology programs, in addition to a wide range of engineering and technology courses, such as engineering graphics, CAD, and thermodynamics. He is widely published and has received numerous grants for his scholarship. He is the recipient of over 30 national and regional awards in his career, including the 2019 Outstanding Fellow award, the highest honor bestowed by Penn State Fayette.
"Watching a student blossom into a young professional was always worth my time investment.”
— David B. Meredith, associate professor of engineering at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus
He has chaired various committees for the American Solar Energy Society; the American Society for Engineering Education; and the American Society for Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers. Meredith writes questions for the professional engineering exam for mechanical engineering and architectural engineering. He has also served on the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Over 30 years ago, he established the regional MathCOUNTS competition for middle school students and, since 1989, he has hosted and contributed exercises for the regional JETS/TEAMS competition for high school students. Meredith also developed the E-Days program for gifted middle school students and the local Pi Day competition for ninth- and tenth-grade students. For 14 years, he ran Girrl Power!, a nationally recognized program that encouraged young girls to consider technical careers. Among his many achievements, he is most proud of this work.
“After over 18,000 hours in the classroom, I am convinced that each student has a ‘switch’ that ignites their interest in a topic. But that switch is different for each student. So I would try all kinds of teaching methods. Once in a while, a student has that ‘aha moment’, and they are hooked,” said Meredith. “The challenge of a faculty member is to find that switch, then watch the student blossom into more than they thought they could be. Finding that switch and watching a student blossom into a young professional was always worth my time investment.”
In his free time, Meredith enjoys performing with the Ohio State Marching Band Alumni and scouting. He is distinguished as a cubmaster; engineering explorer post adviser; old trails district chairman; and recipient of the District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver Award, and Spurgeon Award.
This spring, Meredith, an avid gardener, has led the development of a vegetable garden on the Fayette campus. He lives in North Union Township with his wife, Linda, a retired substitute school teacher. Their sons, Mark and Scott, are both graduates of Penn State undergraduate and graduate programs.
