Delbert Day

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.

Delbert Day
Education	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)
Spouse	Shirley Ann Day (Foraker) ​ ​ (m. 1956; died 2014)​ [1]
Children	2[1]
Awards	Distinguished Alumni Award (PSU)

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.^[2][3] He is also a fellow of the Society of Glass Technology, American Ceramic Society, National Institute of Ceramic Engineers, and National Academy of Inventors.^[4][5][6]

Day earned a Bachelor of Science degree in ceramic engineering from the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy (now Missouri S&T) in 1958, and a Master of Science degree and doctorate in ceramic technology from Pennsylvania State University in 1959 and 1961, respectively.^[7]

Day co-invented TheraSphere glass microspheres for medical and dental applications, and Glasphalt which recycles waste glass for use in asphalt paving.^[7] 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.^[8] The company was acquired by Heraeus in 2021 after Ted died in 2020.^[9]

In 2011, the Delbert Day Cancer Institute was initiated at the Phelps County Regional Medical Center (now Phelps Health), funded by a gift from Day's son and daughter-in-law, Ted and Kim Day.^[10] The 37,000-square-foot (3,400 m²) facility, completed in January 2017, occupies the first two floors of a new building on the north side of the medical center campus.^[11]

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.^[12]

In May 2019, Day received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Penn State University, their highest honor for alumni.^[6]