A. R. "Frank" Wazzan, Ph.D. (October 17, 1935 â October 1, 2024) was an American academic who was Distinguished Professor, and Dean Emeritus, of the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of California, Los Angeles ("UCLA"). Wazzan was internationally recognized for his research in the areas of nuclear material, thermal hydraulics, and stability of laminar flows. He was also known for his work on the design of underwater weapons systems for the U.S. Navy, and on the operation of pressurized water nuclear reactors for commercial applications.
Wazzan attended the Presbyterian American Mission School in Latakia, Syria from 1942 to 1952. From October 1953 to March 1954 he attended Frankfurt University, Frankfurt, Germany. In 1955, Wazzan emigrated to the United States (port of entry New York, January 26, 1955). From January 1955 to August 1955 he attended Geneva College, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Wazzan then enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, which awarded him a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering (1959), a master's in mechanical engineering and aeronautic sciences (1961), and a doctorate in engineering science (1963). Note: Wazzan spent part of '57-58' at UCLA. UC Berkeley Dissertation: The Effect of Dislocation Density and Dislocation Climb on Self Diffusion in Nickel. Dissertation Committee: John E. Dorn (Chairman), Frank Hauser, David Judd, Earl Parker, Maurice Holt.
Upon completing his doctorate, Wazzan accepted a position as assistant professor at UCLA where he served on the faculty for more than 40 years. He was named Associate Dean in 1981 and Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science in 1986, serving in that capacity until 2001. In 1996, Wazzan was instrumental in establishing the graduate degree program in biomedical engineering.
In addition to his academic career, Wazzan served as consultant to Douglas Aircraft, Hughes Electrodynamics, North American Rockwell, the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission, Westinghouse Oceanics Division, the French Atomic Energy Commission, ÃÂlectricité de France (Visiting Scholar, Office of Commissioner Atomic Energy), Honeywell, and the Department of Defense through the RAND Corporation. In the latter role he was granted secret, top secret, and critical nuclear weapon design information clearances to work on the design of underwater weapon systems, study the effect of nuclear radiation on the performance of electronic materials and communication satellites, and conduct theoretical studies in methods of hardening boosters and satellites to laser and microwave weapons.
Wazzan died on October 1, 2024, at the age of 88.
Wazzan was the recipient in 1966 of a Guggenheim Fellowship at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark for studies of magnetic interaction in solids.
He was the recipient in 1977 of the "Favorite Professor Award" from the Engineering Society of the University of California.
His paper (with H. Procaccia, and J. David) "Effects of baffling and nonuniform feedwater discharge hole distribution on PWR thermal hydraulics." was awarded "Best Paper" at the Proceedings of International Nuclear Power Plant Thermal Hydraulics and Operations, Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China. 1984.
He is recipient of the Gold Medal Award at the First International Meeting on Nuclear Power Plants in Commercial Operations.
Wazzan was an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society.
On June 29, 2001, Wazzan was honored with a tree dedication and plaque permanently mounted outside Boelter Hall, UCLA inscribed "Dean A. R. Frank Wazzan - In Honor of his 15 Years of Leadership and Vision."