2017 Haggerty Award for Research Excellence Recipient

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. John Borg, professor of mechanical engineering, is best known for his research on the physics of one of baseball's most unique pitches — the knuckleball. His work has been featured on 60 Minutes Sports and the Discovery Channel and in Popular Mechanics.

But Borg, the recipient of the Lawrence G. Haggerty Award for Excellence in Research in 2017, has done so much more since joining Marquette in 2002. His primary research investigates how solid materials deform and flow in less than a micro-second following a broad range of high-stress events, from car crashes to asteroid impacts.

His research has been published in more than 25 refereed journals and numerous government reports, he has received significant funding from the Departments of Energy and Defense. Borg has also been a mentor for countless graduate student theses and dissertations and undergraduate student research experiences.

Borg has received a number of awards, including a Fulbright Scholar award, Way Klingler Sabbatical, Outstanding Researcher Award for the Opus College of Engineering, MU Sigma Xi Rising Star Award and Teacher of the Year in the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

Borg, who was named this spring as the next chair of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, is working with the rest of the mechanical engineering faculty and staff to create, innovate and build a top-ranked department that is recognized for its transformative education, cutting edge research and commitment to Marquette's Catholic, Jesuit mission.

For more information on Dr. Borg's accomplishments and the award, see Marquette Today's article on the Distinguished Scholars Reception.