“Always Do Your Best and Do Not
Ever Quit” – Judson S. Swearingen, PhD
As a volunteer mentor, I am continually reminded of being grateful to specific mentors and coaches who graciously provided me with a once in a lifetime chance and opportunity, and they did not ever turn their head and looked the other way. Judson S. Swearingen, PhD (in Memoriam) or better known as the “Doctor” was truly the Good Doctor and I will always cherish his memory.
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| Source: https://www.nae.edu/28480.aspx |
The Doctor was widely recognized as a renowned theoretician at the highest level, extensively involved in advanced research, development, and demonstration (RD&D), a remarkable inventor with numerous worldwide/U.S. patents, a successful business manager, and a highly motivated entrepreneur who made significant contributions to ultra-low temperature cryogenics, the technology, design, and manufacturing of radial-axis turboexpanders, centrifugal compressors, and state-of-the-art high-pressure shaft seals for high-speed turbomachinery. In addition, the Doctor’s advanced turbomachinery was / is / will always be an integral part of highly complex process systems in numerous industries, supply/value chains, and market segments such as cryogenic air separation, atmospheric gases, cryogenic fluids (e.g., hydrogen, helium, and oxygen, etc.), liquefied natural gas (LNG), gas processing, refining, petrochemicals, geothermal energy, and so many other industries. Additionally, Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook (A McGraw Hill Publication), lists the Doctor as a key contributor to the section related to “Process Machinery Drives”. Perry’s Chemical Engineers' Handbook, often referred to as simply "Perry's," is a comprehensive reference book for all chemical engineers. It is a worldwide established standard resource for wide range of students (from undergraduate, graduate, to doctorate degrees), faculty, and industry professionals, providing a vast amount of data, information, and guidance across various aspects of chemical engineering.
It
was truly the experience of a lifetime for me to just be in the Doctor’s daily presence,
to interact with him, and constantly absorb the immense knowledge, experience,
maturity, and wisdom – as well as witness his inherent altruism. Some key highlights are provided:
§ Listening to the lessons the Doctor learned while he grew up on a Texas farm where he got up at 5 am in the morning to milk the cows, feed the hens and other farm animals, and do household chores, and then get ready to go to a full-day at school, studies, and homework – lessons of self-reliance, resiliency, no short cuts to hard work, and so on. The Doctor had a very large wall poster at the manufacturing facility – “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first and the lesson afterwards."
§ During lunchtime at the manufacturing facility, I often had the privilege to sit with the Doctor, as he took blank sheets of paper and pencils as he simply explained the fundamental underlying principles of the Joule-Thomson effect, the Ideal Gas Law, gas dynamics at the atomic and molecular level, behavior of non-Newtonian fluids. approaches and methodologies to realistically reach the “proximity” of zero degrees Kelvin (0oK), isentropic expansion, aerodynamics, centrifugal and centripetal forces in a radial-axis turboexpander impeller, lateral torsional analysis, analysis of dynamic forces for radial bearings and thrust bearings, oil-film stiffness and damping coefficients, vibration analysis and monitoring, and surge phenomena in a centrifugal compressor due to aerodynamic instability characterized by flow reversal and oscillations – the list of technical insights goes on and on.
§ Sitting with Mrs. Swearingen (with a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from Pepperdine University, Malibu, California) as she taught me; how to support the Doctor’s legal team in negotiating international contracts, assessing and mitigating counter-party risks and downside risks, sacrosanctity of contracts, back-to-back security and counter guarantee mechanisms, reviewing commercial terms and conditions of sale, opening an irrevocable letter of credit with international commercial banks, basics of bank guarantees, reviewing key clauses related to performance guarantees, warranties, liquidated damages, consequential damages, and force majeure, etc. etc. – the list of commercial insights goes on and on.
§ Providing me the opportunity to drive the Doctor’s and Mrs. Swearingen’s black (and later silver) Cadillac to literally go, help, support, and assist the minority community of Los Angeles with food, clothing, and essentials to make their life better. In addition, attending charity events at the Swearingen’s home in Malibu, California to greet and meet a “list of Who’s Who” dignitaries and donors in raising much needed funding to help support survivors and victims of various major natural disasters in the Caribbean and Latin America region. Also, empowering me to drive the Swearingen’s Cadillac and chauffer the then visiting Consulate General of India for the entire duration of his trip to Los Angeles. Also, hosting a wide range of visiting international dignitaries, ambassadors, and customers on visits to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Hollywood, and other sight-seeing and tourist venues.
Reference Links:
§ https://prabook.com/web/judson_sterling.swearingen/168081
§ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judson_S._Swearingen
§ https://patents.justia.com/inventor/judson-s-swearingen
§ https://www.rotoflow.com/about-us
§ https://www.nae.edu/28480.aspx
The purpose of any and all mentoring, focusing on holistic wellness, health, sports, fitness, nutrition, yoga, ayurveda and related is to promote healthy lifestyles and balance between Spirit-Mind-Body. This includes any and all associated proven processes, methods, techniques, therapies which may also include educational purposes with the goal of creating awareness and disseminating information. All information on the Blog in no way precludes the mandatory need for seeking definitive prior advice, diagnosis and/or treatment from a qualified medical physician and/or specialist related to Spirit-Mind-Body fitness and/or training program(s). Prior to starting any Spirit-Mind-Body fitness and/or training program(s), it is mandatory to get a thorough examination by a qualified medical physician and/or specialist. In addition, a medical physician and/or specialist’s approval must be obtained prior to undertaking any Spirit-Mind-Body fitness and/or training program and as well as continual examination(s) by a medical physician and/or specialist during the entire duration and course of undertaking any Spirit-Mind-Body fitness and/or training program(s).
