2022 Robert T. Hughes Memorial Awardee

The Robert T. Hughes Memorial Award was founded in 2015 to honor Mr. Hughes, who passed away in late 2014. Robert T. “Bob” Hughes joined the ACGIH Industrial Ventilation Committee in 1976. He served as its Chairperson for 11 years before stepping down in 2001, though he remained dedicated and active on the Committee until his death. This award was established by the ACGIH Board of Directors to recognize outstanding individuals in the field of industrial ventilation. The 2022 Robert T. Hughes Memorial Award recipient is Pat Curran.

Pat Curran was a Certified Industrial Hygienist with 46 years of experience; 32 years with the State of North Carolina and 14 years as a private consultant. His emphasis had been on the control of hazards to protect the worker. He had experience in evaluating, troubleshooting and designing local exhaust ventilation systems in industrial, laboratory and academic settings.

Pat had served as an instructor at the North Carolina Industrial Ventilation Conference for 40 years and had served as co-chair of the planning committee for 30 years. He had taught outreach courses for numerous corporations and organizations.

Pat held a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Dayton and NC State University and was an Adjunct Assistant Professor with the Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  He was also a Laboratory Supervisor with the College of Engineering and Technology at East Carolina University in Greenville, NC.