The Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) is proud to announce that our collaborative research team has been recognized with the American Iron and Steel Institute’s (AISI) 2025 Automotive Excellence Award. The award was presented during the 23rd annual Great Designs in Steel (GDIS) symposium, held May 21 at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Michigan.
The award honors our joint project with General Motors and the University of Waterloo: “Advanced Industrial Simulation Method for Spot Weld Separation Validated with Components.”
Presented at the GDIS 2024 by Tingting Zhang of General Motors, this work represents a major step forward in validating simulation methods that improve weld integrity in automotive structures—particularly those using Advanced High-Strength Steels (AHSS).
AISI Automotive Excellence Award Winners (left to right) Cameron Tolton (representing University of Waterloo), Tingting Zhang, General Motors, and Eric McCarty, A/SP Senior Project Manager. Presenting the award are (left) Grant Thomas, Cleveland Cliffs, and Tom Wormald, Arcelor Mittal.
The success of this project was made possible by an outstanding team of researchers and engineers, including:
- Tingting Zhang and Hassan Ghassemi-Armaki, General Motors
- Mohammad Shojaee, Cameron Tolton, Abdelbaset Midawi, Michael Worswick, Elliot Biro, and Cliff Butcher, University of Waterloo
- Eric McCarty, Auto/Steel Partnership
Selected by members of AISI’s Automotive Applications Council, the project was singled out for both the quality of the research and its real-world relevance.
“This award is a testament to the power of collaboration between automakers, academia, and the steel industry. Innovative work like this not only strengthens vehicle performance and manufacturing processes—it also supports our collective drive toward a more sustainable automotive future.” Michael Davenport, A/SP Executive Director
We congratulate our partners at GM and the University of Waterloo, and we’re especially proud of A/SP’s Eric McCarty, whose leadership and support were instrumental to this achievement.
🔗 Read AISI’s full announcement here>>>
Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP) is a collaboration between automotive OEMs, major North American steelmakers and parts manufacturers, focused on advancing the use of steel in automotive applications. Through pre-competitive technical projects, A/SP drives innovation in safety, performance, and sustainability while also developing the next generation of engineers. The partnership is committed to solving industry challenges, improving manufacturing processes, and promoting steel as a strong, safe, and sustainable material choice for the future of mobility. Learn about becoming a member>>>.