Dr. Donald R. Askeland joined the University of Missouri-Rolla (now the Missouri University of Science and Technology) in 1970 after obtaining his Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Michigan. His primary interest is teaching, which has resulted in a variety of campus, university and industry awards as well as the development of this well-respected text. Dr. Askeland is also active in research involving metals casting and metals joining. His focus is primarily in the production, treatment and joining of cast irons, gating and fluidity of aluminum alloys and optimization of casting processes. Additional work has concentrated on lost foam casting, permanent mold casting and investment casting. Much of his work is interdisciplinary, providing data for creating computer models and validation of such models.