Jeff Ding, Aerospace Welding Engineer at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center

Jeff Ding introduced friction stir welding (FSW) to NASA in 1995. He currently holds 6 U.S. patents for FSW, including one for an automatic retractable pin tool that solves the troublesome “keyhole” problem. He is also credited with inventing two new solid state welding processes called thermal stir welding (TSW) and ultrasonic stir welding (USW). Ding was Marshall Space Flight Center’s Inventor of the Year in 2000, was awarded the Medal for Exceptional Technology Achievement in 2003, and recently received the 2009 Federal laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer.