{{short description|American engineer}} {{Infobox person |name = Delbert Day |education = {{ubl|[[Missouri School of Mines]]|[[Pennsylvania State University]]}} |known_for = [[TheraSphere]] and [[Glasphalt]] co-invention |title = Curator's Professor Emeritus of Materials Sciences ([[Missouri S&T]]) |awards = Distinguished Alumni Award (PSU) |spouse = {{marriage|Shirley Ann Day (Foraker)|June 2, 1956|September 11, 2014|end=died}}<ref name="obit" /> |children = 2<ref name="obit">{{cite news |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/therolladailynews/name/shirley-day-obituary?id=23750417 |title=Shirley Day Obituary |date=September 12, 2014 |newspaper=Rolla Daily News |access-date=August 9, 2024 |via=Legacy.com}}</ref> }} '''Delbert E. Day''', a Curator's Professor Emeritus of Ceramic Engineering at [[Missouri University of Science and Technology]], made the first U.S. glass melting experiments in micro-gravity on [[NASA]]'s [[Space Shuttle]].
Day was elected a member of the [[National Academy of Engineering]] in 2004 for the development of radiotherapeutic glass microspheres and their transfer to medical applications.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://influence.mst.edu/2011/delbertday/ |title=Delbert Day: glass master and cancer fighter |date=2011 |website=Missouri S&T Alumni of Influence |access-date=October 16, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.mst.edu/2016/12/biomaterials-expert-delbert-day-named-national-academy-of-inventors-fellow/ |title=Biomaterials expert Delbert Day named National Academy of Inventors Fellow |date=December 13, 2016 |website=Missouri S&T News and Events |first=Mary Helen |last=Stoltz |access-date=October 18, 2024}}</ref> He is also a fellow of the [[Society of Glass Technology]], [[American Ceramic Society]], [[National Institute of Ceramic Engineers]], and [[National Academy of Inventors]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mse.mst.edu/facultystaffandfacilities/day/ |title=Dr. Delbert E. Day |publisher=Missouri University of Science and Technology |access-date=February 10, 2018 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180122234939/https://mse.mst.edu/facultystaffandfacilities/day/ |archive-date=January 22, 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.nae.edu/30136.aspx |title=Dr. Delbert E. Day |publisher=National Academy of Engineering |access-date=February 10, 2018 }}</ref><ref name=daa />
Day earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[ceramic engineering]] from the [[Missouri University of Science and Technology|Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy]] (now Missouri S&T) in 1958, and a [[Master of Science]] degree and [[doctor of philosophy|doctorate]] in ceramic technology from [[Pennsylvania State University]] in 1959 and 1961, respectively.<ref name=psu>{{cite news |url=http://news.psu.edu/story/457803/2017/03/24/penn-state-alumnus-delbert-day-named-national-academy-inventors-fellow |title=Penn State alumnus Delbert Day named National Academy of Inventors Fellow |date=March 24, 2017 |access-date=February 10, 2018 |publisher=Pennsylvania State University }}</ref>
Day co-invented [[TheraSphere]] glass microspheres for medical and dental applications, and [[Glasphalt]] which recycles waste glass for use in [[asphalt paving]].<ref name=psu /> In 1984, Day founded the Mo-Sci Corporation in Rolla, Missouri, which manufacturers high-tech glass products; as of 2007, the company was solely owned by Day's son, Ted.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=11730 |title=Bioactive Glass: An Interview with Ted Day |first=Stuart |last=Milne |publisher=AZO materials |date=February 27, 2015 |access-date=February 10, 2018 }}</ref> The company was acquired by [[Heraeus]] in 2021 after Ted died in 2020.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.medicaldesignandoutsourcing.com/heraeus-buys-mo-sci-and-ets-technology-holdings/ |title=Heraeus buys Mo-Sci and ETS Technology Holdings |date=September 24, 2021 |magazine=Medical Design & Outsourcing |first=Jim |last=Hammerand |access-date=October 16, 2024}}</ref>
In 2011, the Delbert Day Cancer Institute was initiated at the [[Phelps County, Missouri|Phelps County]] Regional Medical Center (now Phelps Health), funded by a gift from Day's son and daughter-in-law, Ted and Kim Day.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://magazine.mst.edu/files/2012/11/SandTSpring2011-WEB.pdf#page=24 |magazine=Missouri S&T Magazine |date=Spring 2011 |volume=85 |number=1 |page=22 |title=A new Day in cancer research |access-date=February 10, 2018 }}</ref> The {{convert|37000|sqft|adj=on}} facility, completed in January 2017, occupies the first two floors of a new building on the north side of the medical center campus.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://www.mccarthy.com/insights/mccarthy-completes-construction-delbert-day-cancer-institute-phelps-county-regional-medical |title=McCarthy Completes Construction of Delbert Day Cancer Institute at Phelps County Regional Medical Center |date=January 18, 2017 |publisher=McCarthy Building Companies |access-date=August 1, 2019 }}</ref>
Day and his wife, Shirley, donated to his Missouri S&T alma mater for establishment of a Day Family Endowed Scholarship in Materials Science & Engineering.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://mst.academicworks.com/donors/shirley-and-delbert-day |title=Donors: Shirley and Delbert Day |author=Missouri University of Science and Technology |access-date=February 10, 2018 |website=AcademicWorks |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180211071722/https://mst.academicworks.com/donors/shirley-and-delbert-day |archive-date=February 11, 2018 }}</ref>
In May 2019, Day received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Penn State University, their highest honor for alumni.<ref name=daa>{{cite news |url=https://news.psu.edu/story/578705/2019/06/24/student-success/earth-and-mineral-sciences-alumnus-honored-distinguished |title=Earth and mineral sciences alumnus honored with Distinguished Alumni Award |date=June 24, 2019 |first=Matthew |last=Carroll |publisher=Penn State University |access-date=August 2, 2019 }}</ref>
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Day, Delbert}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:21st-century American engineers]] [[Category:Fellows of the American Ceramic Society]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Missouri University of Science and Technology alumni]] [[Category:Missouri University of Science and Technology faculty]] [[Category:Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences alumni]]