Roberta J. Nichols
Roberta J. Nichols (November 29, 1931 Venice, CA – April 3, 2005, Plymouth MI) was an engineer and the Retired Manager, Electric Vehicle External Strategy at Ford Motor Company.[1] She was a founding member of the advisory board for the College of Engineering - Center for Environmental Research & Technology (CE-CERT) at the University of California, Riverside. She has authored or co-authored over 60 publications and she is the holder of three patents for the flexible-fuel vehicle (FFV).
Education[edit]
Nichols received her Ph.D. in Engineering from University of Southern California in 1979.[2]
Career[edit]
She worked for the Ford Motor Company on alternative fuels for 19 years, retiring in 1995.[2] She helped to establish the research center at the University of California, Riverside and she contributed to the overall engineering program at UCR.[3]
Patents[edit]
- Control system for engine operation using two fuels of different volumetric energy content; Patent number: 4706629 [4]
- Control system for engine operation using two fuels of different volatility; Patent number: 4706630 [4]
- Spark timing control of multiple fuel engine; Patent number: 4703732 [4]
Memberships[edit]
Nichols was a Fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers.[5] She was a Fellow of the Society of Women Engineers. She was a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and she was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. She was a University of California at Riverside CE-CERT Board member.
Awards[edit]
- National Achievement Award from the Society of Women Engineers 1988
- Gene Ecklund Award, US Department of Energy 1996
- Clean Air Award for Advancing Air Pollution Technology, SCAQMD 1989
References[edit]
- ^ "Dr. Roberta J. Nichols". National Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ a b "In Memory of Roberta J. Nichols". UC Riverside. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ "Roberta Nichols Honored At Event". CE-CERT. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ a b c "Patents by Inventor Roberta J. Nichols". Justia Patents. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
- ^ "Towards Sustainable Transportation Conference". EcoPlan. Retrieved 16 February 2015.