ASTM International Committee F04 on Medical and Surgical Materials and Devices has presented its highest honor, the Patrick G. Laing Award, to Steven Kurtz, Ph.D. Kurtz is director of the biomedical engineering practice and principal at Exponent Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The committee presented the award in recognition of Kurtz’s outstanding contributions to the development of standards in the field of medical and surgical devices. An ASTM member since 1997, Kurtz participates on multiple F04 subcommittees and is vice chairman of F04.11 on Polymeric Materials. He has received several awards during his F04 tenure, including the Robert E. Fairer Award and the Leroy Wyman Award.

Kurtz has expertise in the clinical performance of polyethylene, ceramic and metal-on-metal hip implants. His professional career has involved the evaluation of medical device technologies from a combined analytical, experimental and clinical perspective. In addition to his work at Exponent, he is director of the Implant Research Center and a research professor in the School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems at Drexel University.

Outside ASTM, Kurtz is a member of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the American Association for Hip and Knee Surgeons, the Hip Society, the Knee Society and the Orthopaedic Research Society. He has edited six books and written more than 200 journal articles and 460 conference abstracts.

Kurtz earned his doctorate, master’s and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Cornell University.

ASTM PR Contact: Erin K. Brennan, tel: +1.610.832.9602; ebrennan@astm.org

Release #9912