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惊悉，现代世界声发射技术的主要创始奠基人，美国Mistras Group/物理声学公司（PAC）的创始人，美国无损检测学会（ASNT）前主席，世界声发射及无损检测的著名领航者——Sororios.Vahaviolos博士于2025年2月6日在美国离世，享年79岁。

Vahaviolos博士 1946年生于希腊，博士毕业于美国哥伦比亚大学，曾经是美国电力电报公司AT&T的一名科学家。Vahaviolos博士于1978年创立世界著名的声发射技术公司——美国物理声学公司（Physical Acoustics Corporation，简称PAC），建立初期的PAC公司由于发展迅速，于1985并购了成立于1968年的世界首家声发射技术公司美国Dunegan公司，从那时起PAC公司作为世界声发射领域的独角兽企业一直是世界声发射技术的引领者。

由于早期在业界的突出贡献，在上个世纪八十年代美国里根总统时代，Vahaviolos博士作为业界的优秀代表曾受到时任美国副总统老Bush的亲切接见，也曾一度作为希腊政府与美国Bush家族甚至美国政府长期交往的友好桥梁。

                                                                                        当年受(老)Bush副总统接见的照片

Vahaviolos博士的人生辉煌还不只将PAC公司的声发射技术发展成业内长期全球领导地位，还于1995年创立Mistras公司，并经过一系列运作，先将PAC公司收购于Mistras旗下，又接连并购众多其他公司，并于2009年将Mistras在美国纽约证交所成功上市，使早期创立时只有十几人的这家PAC公司一跃发展成超过6000名员工的Mistras Group，成为世界AE乃至NDT领域的巨无霸。

Vahaviolos博士一直是中国人民的好朋友，从中国改革开放之初就积极支持中国无损检测学会（CSNT）在国际无损检测组织的合法地位。他长期支持中国声发射技术的应用与发展，也是中国声发射事业的领路人，于上世纪80年代第一个将当时国外先进的声发射技术与设备引入中国，培养了第一批中国声发射技术人才，这对中国计算机技术与设备的发展从萌芽到当今各领域的广泛与深入的应用起到了开创性的作用；中国后来的声发射技术的应用与发展一直在PAC技术的伴随下进行的；并于1997年由他一手创立PAC公司北京代表处至今，使得PAC的声发射技术直接服务于中国广大用户，并长期占中国声发射用户市场的80%左右。目前，中国声发射的PAC用户已经超过1200家。

          1997年与中国员工，朋友，亦是两位学生一起开创中国PAC

                       22年后的1999年三位老朋友再会于他的PAC办公室

近年来随着老人家年事已高，以及Mistras Group作为上市公司的CEO负责制管理体制，Vahaviolos博士近年来已逐渐退出公司的日常管理事务，而成为Mistras Group精神领航者和行业符号性标志人物，但终究熬不过时间的巨轮，在他近80岁时离我们而去。

声发射界一代巨人的谢幕！

声发射界一个时代的过去！

斯人已去，让我们继续他的声发射事业。

让我们以崇敬的心情怀念这位声发射领航者—— Sororios.Vahaviolos博士！

SOTIRIOS J. VAHAVIOLOS, PH.D.

( BIOGRAPHY)

Dr. Sotirios J. Vahaviolos is the Founder, President and Chairman of Physical Acoustics Corporation (PAC) and its parent the MISTRAS Holdings Group, a “Total NDT Solutions Company” (NDT Products Manufacturing, Engineering Consulting Services and Inspection Company ) whose headquarters are located in Princeton, New Jersey. After acquiring CONAM Inspection Inc. in 2003 the MISTRAS Group has become the undisputed leader of combining Traditional NDT Services and Advanced NDT to give the customer unique solutions while optimizing inspection productivity for low cost outsourced work. In addition to NDT-Services the Group designs and manufactures NDT-Products and writes Software to be used for “On-Line Internet Based NDT Monitoring” of  Public and Industrial Infrastructure assets.

After finishing No. 1 in his Science and Engineering class at Fairleigh inson University with a BSEE in 1970, he became the recipient of the prestigious AT&T Bell Telephone Laboratories Graduate Study Program on a full-time Scholarship to attend Columbia University as Doctoral Candidate.  In 1972, he received his MSEE and in 1976 his Ph.D., both from Columbia University School of  Engineering.  In 1975 he also received a Masters in Philosophy from Columbia University.

His NDT career started in August of 1970 experimenting with Acoustic Emission first and then with High Frequency Ultrasonics. From 1970 - 1978, he served AT&T in various technical and managerial capacities at Bell Telephone Laboratories, Engineering Research Center, Princeton, New Jersey all dealing with Advanced-NDT. Starting as Research Scientist he was eventually elevated to the position of Department Head responsible for the work of more than 50-Ph.D.s. Dr. Vahaviolos  holds over twenty U.S. and foreign patents relating to Signal Processing of NDT and Preventive Maintenance solutions. Over the years he has written more than 85-Reviewed Technical Papers. The technology he invented in AT&T found broad use in Semiconductor Manufacturing and Military and Space Applications and he was frequently mentioned in AT&T’s annual reports.

In 1978, Dr. Vahaviolos founded PAC which has grown over the years to capture more than 85% of the world’s market in Acoustic Emission with broad applications in environmental safety  of petrochemical concerns, aging aircraft, life extension of power generating plants, “on-line monitoring of plant assets”, offshore platforms, bridges etc.  With headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, the Company has subsidiaries in Paris, Cambridge, Rotterdam, Buenos Aires, Kuala Lumpur, Nuevo Mumbai, Beijing, Sao Paulo, Tokyo, Moscow  and a Sister Company in Greece (ENVIROCOUSTICS). MISTRAS Holdings serves USA  with NDT Labs (25-Labs in operation today-6/05-under the CONAM and QSL-Plus name).

Dr. Vahaviolos is an elected Fellow of the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers (IEEE), the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) and the Acoustic Emission Working Group.  Additionally, he is an elected member of the New York Academy of Science, the Sigma Chi Scientific Society and the American Society of Testing & Materials.  He is a senior member of the Instrument Society of America and other scientific and honorary societies.  He is mentioned in "Marquis Who's Who in America", ”Who's Who in Science and Engineering”,  “Who’s Who in Finance and Industry”, and ”Who’s Who in the World”.

 In 1989 Dr. Vahaviolos was elected as the Secretary of the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) and in 1993 became its President.  For 1994 he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of ASNT.  During the 1994 Nice European Conference on NDT (ECND) , he was elected Chairman of the International Committee on NDT (ICNDT’s ) Policy and General Purpose Committee (PGPC) representing  USA (ASNT).Again he was  re-elected Co-Chair of PGPC in the 1996 during the World (WCNDT) meeting in New Delhi. In 2000 in Rome during the WCNDT, was one of the two PGPC Committee’s “Members-at-Large” selected by the ICND General  Assembly. In Montreal in 2004 WCNDT was elected by ICNDT’s General Assembly as the first American ICNDT Life Fellow serving on it’s PGPC for life.

             Dr. Vahaviolos edited three books on Acoustic Emission, has more than 100 publications and has lectured nationally and internationally as a visiting scholar at the invitation of a number of National Academies and Conferences.  A practicing NDT professional since 1970 he has served ASNT as Director from 1985 to 1994, helped establish AE as a full NDT method for ASNT working on both the AE Technical and PQ Committees, he was the Permanent Delegate to ICNDT for USA for over 15-years, a long-time member of the Business and Finance Committee (1984-91 and 1996 - 2000). Member and Chair of the International Committee from 1988 - 2000 when it was finally incorporated the mainstream of ASNT due to its success in recruiting a large number of members living outside of  the USA.  In 1998 he received the Lester Honor Award and in 2001 was the  Gold Medal Recipient both  from ASNT. In 2005 was awarded the Gold Medal for the Acoustic Emission Working Group.

A member of IEEE since 1968 he served the Society as Transactions Editor of Industrial Electronics for five (5) years, and was the 1979 recipient of its Meritorious Award; in 1984 was awarded the "Outstanding Young Engineer" of the Industrial Electronics Society of IEEE and was a IEEE Centennial Medal Winner of the Institute for his contributions for “Introducing Microprocessor Technology to Industrial Applications”. As a student he won the 2ND Prize of the 1970 IEEE Student Paper Contest. 

Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Physical Acoustics Corporation (PAC)

and its parent MISTRAS Holdings Corporation, the largest Nondestructive Testing (NDT) Services and Products Company in the USA.  Directs  personally  the overall strategic plan for technical and acquisitions matters in the Group worldwide. Chairs the Boards of ten (10) wholly owned Subsidiaries including CONAM Inspection and Engineering Services Inc. and Quality Services Laboratories, Inc. (QSL-Plus), the largest NDT Services providers in USA.

Executive with demonstrated credentials in developing and directing major high technology programs from initial concept through implementation.  Strong interpersonal skills in managing diverse groups and solving problems even in ambiguous situations.  Broad background and results oriented-capable of sustained hard work.

Directs the overall company diversification Business Model that is centered around synergistic technologies and markets with main emphasis on Intelligent Sensor Based Computer Aided Materials Testing (Nondestructive Testing) and Preventive Maintenance for Plant Asset Management.  Additionally, directs overall Export Business having first hand knowledge and experience of local customs, markets and trading laws while serving customers locally through a network of representatives and successful wholly owned Subsidiaries. Has a passion for  expansion for such new innovative NDT applications such as  Internet Based Information Technologies for On-Line Asset Integrity Management for the World’s Industrial and Public Infrastructure.

EDUCATION

1976        Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, Columbia University

1975        M.Ph., Philosophy, Columbia University

1972        M.S., Electrical Engineering, Columbia University

1970        B.S., Electrical Engineering, Fairleigh  inson University

 (No. 1 in Engineering Class of 1970).