Dr. Albert King, distinguished professor and chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Engineering at Wayne State University was recently named Honorary Professor at Tsinghua University in China. Tsinghua Vice President, Wang Jinsong, presided at the award ceremony, presenting the letter of appointment to Professor King.

Founded in 1911, Tsinghua University, one of China’s most famous universities, is situated in a former Qing Dynasty imperial garden surrounded by many historical sites in northwest Beijing. Today, Tsinghua University is closely linked to China’s development and is a major contributor to classic and modern knowledge in the sciences and humanities.

Tsinghua University is dedicated to scientific research that meets the strategic demands of the nation. The university attracts scholars and students from all over the world to study and work, all drawn to its heritage of excellence in education and research that contributes to modernization and prosperity.

King has been a part of Wayne State University for 50 years, earning his master’s and Ph.D. degrees in engineering mechanics in the 1960’s, and joined the faculty as assistant professor in WSU’s Bioengineering Research Center in 1966.

King is recognized worldwide for his work in the efficacy of safety devices in automobiles, the mechanisms and injuries to the spine, and experimental models of head injury. He is a member of the Academy of Engineering, and has received numerous awards, including the Smithsonian Medal for his work on computer brain models, the Kappa Delta Award from the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the H.R. Lissner Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, to name a few.

“Dr. King, his colleagues and students have gained much recognition for their work in the field of impact biomechanics,” said Dr. Gloria Heppner, associate vice president for Research at WSU. “Their research is discovering new ways to prevent death and injuries caused by car and sports accidents and other traumas that our bodies may sustain. He is most deserving of this recognition from one of the world’s leading research universities,” Heppner added.