Marquis Who's Who Millennium Magazine

98 MILLENNIUM M etallurgical engineers like Dr. Frank Alphonso Crossley are intrigued by the physical and chemical behaviors of metallic elements, intermetallic compounds and alloys. Dr. Crossley obtained a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering in 1945, a Master of Science in metallurgical engineering in 1947, and a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1950. He began his professional career as an instructor for his alma mater from 1948 to 1949. Having developed a knack for teaching, he became a professor and served as head of the department of foundry engineering at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College from 1950 to 1952. After his stint at the institution, Dr. Crossley returned to his alma mater, where he became a senior scientist. He continued to thrive in his field in several managerial and research positions until his retirement in 1991. As part of his fruitful career, Dr. Crossley has written articles in approximately 60 metallurgical journals and contributed to numerous books, including “We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program,” which was published in 2015. Some of his achievements include obtaining patents for transage titanium alloys and a grain refiner for titanium alloy castings, conducting research on titanium alloy, diffusing bonding metals and alloys, and having the TMS Frank Crossley Diversity Award named after him. His greatest achievement was being the youngest and first person to receive a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology. Although retired, Dr. Crossley remains active in his field as a fellow of ASM International and a member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, whose materials technology committee he served on from 1979 to 1981. He is also a member of the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers and served as chairman of the titanium committee from 1974 to 1975. FrankAlphonsoCrossley, PhD Metallurgical Engineer (Retired) Attleboro, MA