David Schuster

DAVID M. SCHUSTER, MATERIALS EXPERT AND BUSINESSMAN, DEAD AT 84

David Martin Schuster, a pioneer in materials science and its applications, died on April 21, 2024 at the age of 84. His nephew, Cliff Bard, announced his death at Fernley Estates, a senior living facility in Fernley, Nevada. David leaves behind a legacy of entrepreneurial spirit and indelible contributions to his field.

David was born on May 18, 1939, at the Brooklyn Jewish Hospital, where his journey of achievement and innovation began. In 1953, he attended Erasmus Hall High School, then transferred to Wingate High School when it opened and, when his family relocated, entered Midwood High School in Brooklyn, NY, from which he graduated in 1957.

In September 1957, David matriculated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he completed a Bachelor's thesis titled "A study of the effects of secondary excitation on x-ray fluorescent analysis" under the supervision of Professor John Norton. He graduated in June 1961 with a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgy (Course III). Continuing his academic pursuits, he attended Cornell University from 1961-1966. He earned his Master's degree with a Master's dissertation titled "Sapphire whiskers and their mechanical interaction with a birefringent matrix" and completed his doctoral studies in 1967 with a Ph.D. dissertation titled "Single and multi-fiber interactions in discontinuously reinforced composites," under the tutelage of Professor Eraldus Scala.

In 1966, David married Margo Woods, a nutritional biochemist whom he met during their student days at Cornell. They were married in a ceremony at the Plaza Hotel in New York City and divorced five years later. On July 25, 1977, David married Sally Faxon, an educator and artist. Their partnership continued until their deaths several months apart in 2024.

David's career in technology began at Sandia National Laboratories in 1966, where he contributed to significant advancements in materials science. Starting at Sandia Albuquerque and later transferring to Sandia Livermore, David collaborated with Michael Skibo to develop an innovative process for producing aluminum-based metal matrix composites (MMCs). Recognizing the importance of this technology, but acknowledging its misalignment with Sandia's core mission, in 1982 the laboratory transferred the technology to Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in La Jolla, California. David and Michael joined SAIC, where they continued refining the process until 1988 when the technology was sold to Alcan Aluminum Corporation. Under Alcan's stewardship, the process was scaled up, and the material was marketed under the name Duralcan.

In 1993, David and Michael seized the opportunity to chart their own path. They founded MC-21, Inc. (Metallic Composites for the 21st Century), a company dedicated to the development and commercialization of MMC technologies. Headquartered initially in San Diego, California, and later relocated to Carson City, Nevada, MC-21 achieved success by selling MMC ingots to foundries and MMC rolled sheets to stamping companies, a legacy that endures to this day.

David was predeceased by his wife Sally (Faxon) Schuster, who died on February 27, 2024 at the age of 82, and by his father Jacob Schuster, an executive at White Motor Company in New York City, and his mother Cecilia (Meyer) Schuster, a homemaker. He is survived by his sister, Nancy Gail Bard, and his nephew, Cliff Bard, both of whom reside in Norfolk, Virginia. His first wife, Margo Woods, 84, resides in Watertown, Massachusetts.