Cole, David E.

Chairman of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR); formerly director of the University of Michigan's Office for he Study of Automotive Transportation (OSAT) and professor of Mechanical Engineering; fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) who served on the Board of Directors; chairman of the Automotive Hall of Fame; Management Partner of Altarum; served on the Energy Engineering Board of the National Research Council, the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Pact Select Panel and the NASA Space Systems and Technical Advisory Committee; an automotive consultant interested in manufacturer-supplier relations, vehicle design, internal combustion engines and strategic automotive industry issues.

From the description of David E. Cole papers, 1951-2003. (University of Michigan). WorldCat record id: 607549067

David E. Cole was a student at the University of Michigan, receiving a B.S.M.E. and Mathematics in 1960, a M.S.M.E. in 1961and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 1966. He became an Instructor of Mechanical Engineering in 1965, an Assistant Professor from 1966-1971 and an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in 1971. In 1978, Cole became the Director for the Office of Automotive Transportation (OSAT). He was appointed a research scientist at the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) in1991. While at the University of Michigan, Cole organized the annual Traverse City Management Briefing Seminar and was involved in the Joint U.S.-Japan Automotive Study. Cole retired from active faculty status in 2000. Soon after his retirement, Cole became a Management Partner of the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM), which changed its name to Altarum in 2001. Cole took the position of the Chairman of the Center for Automotive Research (CAR), which was associated with Altarum. In 2003, CAR left Altarum to become a stand-alone non-profit.

An active member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Cole was made an SAE fellow in 1986. He was a member of the SAE Board of Directors from 1980-1983 and 1985-1988. Cole served on various boards and committees within the SAE, including the Engineering Activity Board. In addition, Cole was the Technical Program Chairman for the 1988 FISTIA Conference. Cole was active in other professional organizations, and became fellow of the Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) in 1990. In 2000, Cole received their highest award, the Horace H. Rackham medal. He was a member of the Air Pollution Control Association and the Society of Automotive Analysts. In addition, Cole was on the Board of Directors for the French-American Business Association and was the Chairman for the Automotive Hall of Fame.

Cole did consulting work for numerous companies and government agencies. According to a 1992 email recommending Cole for the medal of the French Order of Merit, he was a consultant in the areas of "vehicle design, internal combustion engines (emphasis on exhaust emissions and fuel efficiency) and strategic automotive industry issues." His many professional roles included the position of Chairman of Environmental Dynamics Inc. and also of the Automotive Consulting Group. Cole was President of Applied Theory Inc., a member of Johnson Controls Technical Advisory Group and of the Allied Corporation Automotive Technology Council, and a board member of Aero Detroit /Auto Dynamics. He was the Director of the Original Equipment Suppliers Association. Cole was also involved in the establishment of five Ann Arbor-based companies.

In his work for the United States Government, Cole served on the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Pact Select Panel, the Energy Engineering Board of the National Research Council and the NASA Space Systems and Technical Advisory Committee. He was a member of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and was "appointed by Michigan's Governor to the Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor Steering Committee" (Biographical Profile from the University of Michigan). He also served on the Michigan Technology Council, the Economic Development Education Committee and the Michigan Environmental Review Board.

According to the SAE 1981 Ballot for Election of Officers, Cole's research interests included "mixture-motion effects on spark-ignited engine combustion, the development of thermal reactors for emission control, the development and testing of rotary and reciprocating spark-ignition engines, the photographic studies of flames, the optical measurements of both dynamic and thermal phenomena, the influence of vehicle maintenance and engine modifications on exhaust emissions and fuel consumption, automotive coolant evaluation and studies of stratified-charge engines." He also did research on the Wankel engine and studied manufacturer-supplier relationships. Later in his career, Cole focused on "strategic issues related to the restructuring of the North American industry and trends in globalization, technology, market factors, and human resource requirements," according to his biographical profile from the University of Michigan.

Over his professional career, Cole received numerous awards. In addition to the Horace H. Rackham medal, Cole was awarded the National Automobile Dealers Association Foundation's International Freedom of Mobility Award. He received Sweden's Order of the Polar Star in 1994 and was selected by Design News as an engineering leader. In 1998, Cole was named Marketing Educator of the Year by the Society of Marketing Executives and received the Rene Dubos Environmental Award. He received the National Order of Merit from France in 1999.

From the guide to the David E. Cole papers, 1951-2003, (Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan)