Manhattan College Engineering Alumnus Is Named 2005 MacArthur Fellow

RIVERDALE, N.Y. – Manhattan College alumnus Michael Walsh, a vehicle emissions specialist, has been named a 2005 MacArthur Fellow by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation – one of the nation’s largest private philanthropic organizations. Walsh, who graduated from the College in 1966 with a bachelor’s degree in engineering, is one of 25 fellows who will receive $500,000 in support for their work and research over the next five years.

MacArthur Fellows are formally nominated and selected for their creativity, originality and potential. By providing resources without stipulations or reporting requirements, the MacArthur Foundation offers the opportunity for its fellows to accelerate their current activities or take their work in new directions.

Walsh, 62, is an independent engineer and policy analyst committed to improving regional public health and the global environment by reducing the impact of internal combustion engines on air quality. Beginning in the 1980s, with work shaping legislation that significantly reduced lead emissions in the U.S., Walsh has developed a reputation for finding effective and practical solutions to public policy problems. His publication, Car Lines, is widely recognized by governments, manufacturers and research institutions as a vital resource for information on emissions control and trends in regulatory policies. Because of his expertise in the area, government agencies throughout the world turn to Walsh to help tailor policies to protect their air quality. Recently, Walsh has turned his attention to reducing sulfur emissions from diesel engines, helping to design fuel standards in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Walsh, who resides in Arlington, Va., pursued graduate work at Princeton University. Early in his career, he worked in government service, directing motor vehicle pollution control efforts in the City of New York Department of Air Resources and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since 1981, Walsh has worked as an independent technical consultant advising governments and industries worldwide on vehicle emissions standards. His impressive client base includes the American Lung Association, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations Environment Program, among others.

The MacArthur Foundation has awarded more than $3 billion in grants since its inception in 1978. Recipients of the fellowship this year include professionals from a wide range of fields including molecular biology, architecture, pharmaceutical drugs, rare book preservation and photography.

Manhattan College, founded in 1853, is an independent, Catholic, coeducational institution of higher learning offering more than 40 major programs of study in the areas of arts, business, education, engineering and science, along with graduate programs in education and engineering.