L. A. Lacy Distinguished Professorship in Engineering
1999
The L. A. Lacy Distinguished Professorship in Engineering was created by Linwood A. "Chip" Lacy Jr. in memory of his father, Linwood A. "Bub" Lacy. The senior Mr. Lacy (Engr '45) served as a Marine Corps fighter pilot during World War II, then returned to Charlottesville to work for his family's mechanical contracting company. By 1956, he was head of the firm, which became L. A. Lacy, Inc. He died in 1994. The junior Mr. Lacy (Engr '67, Darden '69) is the former CEO of Ingram Micro, a microcomputer wholesaler. He lives in Midlothian, Va.
The Board of Visitors elected Barry W. Johnson to the L. A. Lacy Distinguished Professorship in Engineering in 2009. In 2011-2012, Professor Johnson continued to serve as senior associate dean and associate dean for research in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS). He also serves as director of the U.Va. Center for Safety-Critical Systems. As senior associate dean, Professor Johnson continues to lead the SEAS participation in the U.Va. strategic partnership with Rolls-Royce, Virginia Tech, Virginia Community College System, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. The partnership has created two new research centers, the Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) and the Commonwealth Center for Aerospace Propulsion Systems (CCAPS). Professor Johnson serves for U.Va on the Board of Directors of both CCAM and CCAPS. Professor Johnson also leads the SEAS strategic partnership with SAIC in which U.Va was named as one of seven strategic partner universities nationwide for SAIC. Professor Johnson also continues to conduct his personal research in safe and secure computer-based systems for critical applications. The research is currently funded by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission, industry, and others. A new research facility focused on safe and secure nuclear energy has been designed and constructed in collaboration with industry and the Center for Advanced Engineering Research in Lynchburg, VA. Professor Johnson is also working collaboratively with Longwood University, Virginia State University, Virginia Commonwealth University, and multiple industrial and government partners to create the Commonwealth Center for Applied Logistics Systems (CCALS). Finally, Professor Johnson was charged to lead the implementation of the completed SEAS Strategic Plan.