2017 Election

John J. Ekerdt

  John Ekerdt is the Dick Rothwell Endowed Chair and the Associate Dean for Research in Engineering at the Univ. of Texas at Austin (UT-Austin). He received his BS from the Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison, and his PhD from the Univ. of California, Berkeley. He began teaching at UT-Austin in 1979, where he has published more than 300 articles, written reaction-engineering textbooks, and holds seven patents. Among John’s honors are the Stine Award from AIChE’s Materials Engineering and Sciences Div. (MESD) and the ASEE Chemical Engineering Div. Chemstations Award for leadership in chemical engineering education. He is a Fellow of AIChE and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

John’s service to AIChE over 35 years includes several leadership positions. He was a founder of the Balcones Fault (Texas) Section, Meeting Program Chair for the 1991 Spring and 2004 Annual meetings, MESD Chair (2002), member and Chair of the Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC; 2005–2010), and a member of AIChE’s Board of Directors (2012–2015).

Statement:

I am honored to be nominated for AIChE President-Elect. I have had the privilege of working with the many dedicated staff and volunteers who enable the Institute to realize its vision and mission. AIChE’s vitality and sustainability depend on growing this base of volunteers. Chemical engineering practice and the profession are constantly evolving; we graduate students with essentially the same core fundamentals who quickly disperse into an ever-changing global economy. AIChE’s challenge is to continue providing a home, a purpose, and a community to chemical engineers as they specialize and are drawn to other professional communities of practice. If we are to play a leadership role in shaping the future, we need an organization that is dynamic, engages the broadest constituency, and renews itself by attracting, retaining, and developing young professionals.

I bring a sense of duty to serve others. If elected, I will work to:

• increase the relevance and value of the Institute’s products, programs, and services to the varied constituents who represent the membership and the potential membership
• increase and sustain membership by offering compelling programs and services that provide for professional and technical growth
• expand the portfolio of programs and services to address the entire career span of potential members
• advance traditional and nontraditional methods of programming designed to engage more practicing industrial engineers in AIChE meetings, where we all can benefit from the exchange of ideas and perspectives
• grow capacity among young professionals and develop future Institute leaders.

I will be happy to receive comments at ekerdt@utexas.edu.

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Kimberly Ogden

Kimberly Ogden is Professor of Chemical and Environmental Engineering and the Director of the Institute for Energy Solutions at the Univ. of Arizona. She is part-owner of Ogden and Associates, LLC. Her research focuses on bioreactor design to solve a variety of problems — from production of pharmaceuticals to bioremediation to biofuels. Most recently, she is working on integrated systems to produce fuel, food, and specialty products simultaneously. She is the principal investigator for a Regional Algal Feedstock Testbed project funded by the U.S. Dept. of Energy. She has been passionate about AIChE since chairing a regional student conference as an undergraduate at the Univ. of Pennsylvania, where she was mentored by faculty who introduced her to the benefits of AIChE. She now enjoys carrying on that tradition.

After completing her BS degree, Kim continued her education at the Univ. of Colorado, where she received her MS and PhD in chemical engineering. She did postdoctoral research at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Kim’s first leadership position in AIChE was as Chair of the Student Chapters Comm., which led to being part of the Career and Education Operating Council (CEOC) and then election to the AIChE Board of Directors and the AIChE Foundation Board of Trustees. She is a Fellow of the Institute and was Institute Secretary from 2010–2013. Currently she is involved in AIChE’s Rapid Advancement in Process Intensification Deployment (RAPID) initiative, the Education and Accreditation Comm., and the International Society for Water Solutions.

Statement:

AIChE has changed significantly since 2004 when I was first elected to the Board of Directors. Today, we are a vibrant and diverse professional organization that is taking part in exciting new initiatives such as RAPID. Change is always exciting but comes with a set of challenges. The key is to continue to meet the needs of all of our members, new and old, while maintaining our core values.

Education, technology groups, safety, and societal impact form the foundation of AIChE, but our specific activities change. I will continue to foster collaboration between industry, government and academia. Together we will strive to 1) assure that AIChE Academy offerings are timely and relevant; 2) encourage programming that addresses engineering Grand Challenges such as the water-energy-food nexus; 3) ensure that our activities for young members, such as the Chem-E-Car and Beer Brewing competitions, are fun but safe; and 4) engage in the societal roles of AIChE as national and global advocates.

My strategy is to foster leadership, especially of our young professionals, by encouraging members to fulfill volunteer opportunities within AIChE. I am honored to be nominated for President-Elect and look forward to serving you.

Please contact me at ogden@email.arizona.edu with your thoughts or questions.

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Joseph D. Smith

Joseph Smith holds the Laufer Energy Chair at Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology, where he directed the Energy Research and Development Center and founded two industrial consortia. He has more than 28 years of diversified experience in academia and industry. Smith has published more than 50 papers, given more than 80 conference presentations, and holds eight patents with four pending. He has contributed chapters to the John Zink Combustion Handbook, the Industrial Burner Handbook and recently to Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook and the Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. He has significant experience in the oil and gas and fossil energy industries, including developing and applying computational fluid dynamics for coal combustion, biomass gasification, and process heater/gas flare optimization. He is also a serial entrepreneur having started and managed three companies, with his most recent venture focused on developing and applying advanced sensor technology to monitor flare emissions.

Statement:

Our profession thrives on building energetic collaboration between students, young professionals, and long-time members. Vibrant local sections combine the enthusiasm of youth with the experience of long-time members. Increasing international membership and our focus on advanced manufacturing have brought significant recognition to AIChE. Success brings new challenges to continue AIChE’s expansion. My time serving as chair of two local sections (Midland, MI, and Tulsa, OK), together with my work in the Career and Education Operating Council (CEOC), and my service as Institute Director (2013–2016) and Treasurer (2017) give me the experience needed to successfully meet these new challenges and help AIChE continue to grow.

If elected Treasurer, I plan to:

• increase focus on developing vibrant local sections and student chapters
• increase inclusion through more regional and virtual meetings
• expand e-learning and certification by expanding use of mobile apps
• increase diversity via outreach that promotes awareness among minorities of career opportunities in chemical engineering
• expand the role of AIChE in Washington DC, to leverage our combined experience in problems related to sustainability and the water-energy-food nexus
• increase leadership development by providing more opportunities in meaningful positions
• provide increased career development through social media.

Based on my AIChE service, I understand the commitment required to serve as Treasurer. If elected, I will be fully engaged and look forward to giving my time to strengthen our already great professional society. I would appreciate your vote and support. Please contact me if you have any questions: smithjose@mst.edu.

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Rosemarie D. Wesson

Rosemarie (Rose) Wesson is the Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Chemical Engineering in The Grove School of Engineering at The City College of the City Univ. of New York. Rose’s professional experience includes positions as Director and Program Director at the National Science Foundation, faculty member in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State Univ., and Senior Research Leader at The Dow Chemical Co. Rose has been an active member of AIChE since 1988. She is an AIChE Fellow and a Trustee of the AIChE Foundation. Some of her past positions and honors include a three-year term on the AIChE Board of Directors (2012–2014), Director and Treasurer of AIChE’s Management Div., member of the Societal Impact Operating Council (SIOC), member of the Public Affairs and Information Comm., Executive Committee member of the Center for Energy Initiatives, AIChE coordinator of the Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) program, and recipient of the 2014 Minority Affairs Comm. (MAC) Eminent Chemical Engineers Award. Rose received her BS in chemical engineering from MIT, and her MS and PhD, both in chemical engineering, from the Univ. of Michigan. Rose is also a registered Professional Engineer.

Statement:

The Treasurer is the guardian of the Institute’s financial assets, and is involved in all major AIChE decision-making and actions, and, as such, must have a sound understanding of the organization and its challenges. Over the years, I have been deeply involved in, and have witnessed the growth and development of, the Institute.

During my tenure on the AIChE Board of Directors, I chaired an eleven-member task force to examine the governance processes of the Institute. The task force made several recommendations for improved governance. As Treasurer, I look forward to being a part of the continued improvement of the governance processes of the Institute.

As Treasurer of the Management Div., I provided the leadership to maintain and monitor the spending of the Division and provided advice on the financial health of the Division. I also led the effort for the Management Div’s support of the AIChE WISE internship program in an effort to continue to grow both the Division and the Institute.

If elected as AIChE Treasurer, my first priority will be to maintain responsible stewardship by providing guidance on the financial health of the organization and potential impact of operating decisions. I also feel that it is crucial to continue to attract and retain students and young professionals to and in the Institute in order to remain fiscally solvent.

With an almost 30-year commitment to AIChE, I look forward to continuing my service as Treasurer.

I’d appreciate your vote for AIChE Treasurer. If you’d like to discuss any of these ideas, my email is rwesson@ccny.cuny.edu.

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Kristi S. Anseth

Kristi Anseth is Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Associate Faculty Director of the BioFrontiers Institute at the Univ. of Colorado. She is an elected member of the National Academies of Engineering, Medicine, Sciences, and Inventors, and a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, Materials Research Society, and AIChE. She has been an active member of AIChE since 1989 and has served on the Chemical Engineering Technical Operating Council (CTOC; 2002–2005) and as a member and Chair of the Awards Selection Subcommittee (2010–2015). Anseth has been recognized with two Institute awards, the Colburn and Professional Progress awards; the Society for Biological Engineering’s James Bailey Award; and the Food, Pharmaceutical and Bioengineering Div. Award. She also serves as an editor for Biomacromolecules, Progress in Materials Science, and Biotechnology & Bioengineering.

Statement:

I attended my first AIChE meeting in 1991, as an undergraduate student, where I was fortunate to network with a broad spectrum of chemical engineers and learn about opportunities in our profession. First impressions are lasting, and now, more than 25 years later, I find myself in the position of wanting to give back to AIChE and its members.

AIChE has a history of exceptional volunteer leadership, and I have been fortunate to learn from many of these individuals, both during my service on CTOC and the Awards Comm. I would be honored to serve on the Board of Directors, and I believe that my background and past experiences provide a unique compass. As a Director, I would focus on programs and people that not only build AIChE’s technical excellence, but also respond nimbly to new opportunities.

With respect to people, the challenge is to not just serve AIChE members, but to better engage them in activities that match their passion. AIChE’s 50,000+ members have skills and expertise ranging from technical to leadership to advocacy to education, but multiple partnerships are needed to build new initiatives and programs, along with efficient avenues to implement the best ideas. This is especially important as our profession grows in number and diversity. I recognize that our members are highly successful, have numerous commitments, and are balancing personal and professional lives. I am a wife, mother, engineer, editor, teacher, writer, and mentor, and I value your time. Thus, I advocate focusing on programs with a high benefit to time ratio, and services that help us stay abreast of technical advances across a broad landscape.

In closing, my vision is to serve AIChE by engaging and nurturing people and programs, those that help the Institute remain nimble, inspire the next generation of chemical engineers, and provide a professional home where members can communicate, innovate, and improve the world.

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Raymond A. Cocco

Raymond (Ray) Cocco is President and CEO of Particulate Solid Research, Inc. (PSRI), a consortium-based research and development company focusing on multiphase flow, with industrial members located throughout the world. Ray received his BS from the Univ. of Florida and his PhD from Auburn Univ., both in chemical engineering. He is Chairman of the Univ. of Florida’s Chemical Engineering Advisory Board, a member of the Auburn Univ. Chemical Engineering Advisory Board, a board member of University College London’s Centre for Nature Inspired Engineering, a past chair of AIChE’s Particle Technology Forum, and a past member of AIChE’s Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC). He is also Chairman of the World Congress on Particle Technology VIII (2018), and is on the editorial boards for Powder and Bulk Engineering and Powder Technology. He is the author of more than fifty publications.

Statement:

I am proud of the accomplishments of our AIChE community. Yet, our work is not done. Our strong chemical engineering community is needed more than ever to solve many of today’s pressing problems in energy, water, health, and environment. Fortunately, AIChE and its members are well-suited to shape the future through global leadership and interdisciplinary teams.

To achieve this, we need effective continuing education and training programs with easy-to-access and easy-to-use tools for strong job placement, peer-to-peer communication, and technology transfer. As an AIChE Board member, I will bring my experiences in working with industry, government, and academia to capitalize on the full potential of AIChE and its community. I will focus on further developing AIChE to enhance key existing programs and promoting pivotal initiatives. In short, I will work to:

• provide better collaboration with global technical organizations, with emphasis on member-to-member interactions and the advancement of excellence in chemical engineering practice
• enhance key programs to provide more synergy between students, young professionals, and senior members
• elevate the prestige of AIChE’s conferences through the promotion of emerging topics and greater collaboration between technical communities and organizations
• provide members with easily accessible tools for technical and leadership skills, including presentation skills, leadership development, project management, technical writing, and patent applications
• continue to expand the resources available on the AIChE website, allowing it to become the go-to source for job searches and recruiting, mentorship, technical experts, and chemical engineering news
• improve our involvement with public policy and public education.

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Anthony F. Fregosi

Anthony Fregosi is a Senior Manufacturing Systems Engineer at Cornerstone Chemical Co. and a Fellow of AIChE. He earned his BSChE from the Univ. of Florida. As a member of his company’s Information Technology department, Anthony supports multiple software systems with an emphasis on the plant’s data historian system. Over his career, he has held positions as a process/production engineer and process safety/responsible-care coordinator with both OxyChem and American Cyanamid/Cytec Industries/Cornerstone Chemical.

Anthony first joined AIChE as a student member, and upon graduation joined the Peninsular Florida Section, where he served as Chair. Upon his relocation to New Orleans, Anthony joined the New Orleans Section, which he has chaired several times. He led the efforts to revitalize the Section following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. At the Institute level, Anthony has served as the General Arrangements Chair for the Spring Meeting (2002, 2003 and 2008). As a member of the 2014 President’s Blue Ribbon Task Force on Local Sections, he led efforts to formalize local section performance metrics. In 2015, Anthony served as Chair of the Career and Education Operating Council (CEOC). He currently serves on AIChE’s Membership, Licensing and Professional Development, and Admissions committees.

Statement:

I have been a lifelong active member of the Institute and continue to learn about our professional home. As such, I believe that our student chapters and local sections are the backbone of membership growth and support for the organization. I will always keep these entities in the forefront and provide them with the support they need to continue to develop and prosper. If these entities are the backbone, then our young professionals are our future. In only a few short years, AIChE’s Young Professionals group has emerged as a vibrant and motivating force to be encouraged and supported. At the other end of the spectrum are our Fellow members. They are in the position to offer sage council and keep the organization grounded in its historical roots. I will be sure to seek out their advice.

I will also strive to improve the connections between our local sections and our division and forums. Divisions and forums offer a wealth of content that can support and enhance section programming, and provide a service to members they may not have locally.

As a member of the Board of Directors, I would continue to make our Institute the global leader for chemical engineers throughout our members’ careers — from school through retirement and everywhere in between. The fact that we are seeing large growth in our student membership and global growth in our local section membership is a sign that we are on our way to achieving such a goal.

I shall always make my deliberations with an eye toward fiscal responsibility. If you would like to communicate your ideas to me, please do not hesitate to contact me at affgator@aol.com.

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Marianthi G. Ierapetritou

Marianthi Ierapetritou is Professor and Chair in the Dept. of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at Rutgers Univ. She has 25 years of research experience in process systems engineering, more than 200 journal publications, has graduated 22 PhD students, and has received numerous awards for her work in applied modeling and optimization including the Computing and Systems Technology (CAST) Div.’s Award for Computing in Chemical Engineering (2016) — the highest distinction in the systems area of AIChE. She is also a Fellow of AIChE.

Statement:

I have been an active member of the CAST Div. since 2006, when I chaired and organized multiple sessions of the Division and became involved as coordinator of Area 10A (Design), with responsibility for overseeing the organization of multiple (12) meeting sessions and coordinating co-sponsorship with other programs. In 2009, I was elected a director of CAST, and I initiated the formation of the student presentation award to encourage and promote student participation in the Institute. In 2011, I was elected Vice Chair of CAST with responsibility for managing the Division’s awards and organizing CAST’s annual reception and dinner. As Chair of the Division from 2013 to 2014, I was responsible for overseeing multiple activities and spearheading initiatives to increase CAST’s membership.

In addition, I have been actively involved with Computer Aids for Chemical Engineering (CACHE) since I was elected academic trustee in 2005. In that role, I was involved in the organization of the 2008 Foundations of Computer Aided Process Operations Conference, as a member of the Systems Biology Task Force, and in various web activities. From 2012 to 2014, I served as Vice President of CACHE, and was instrumental in restructuring the task forces and re-shaping the direction of CACHE. From 2014 to 2016, I served as President of CACHE. During that time I emphasized the trustees’ engagement, outreach activities, and the involvement of outside talent to help with the new strategy and vision of CACHE.

Of particular importance to me is to actively engage our constituents (AIChE members) and to work to address their changing needs, but also to help constituents better understand the mission and objectives of AIChE, and to help grow the membership. Towards that target, I would like to encourage new activities and establish avenues to communicate more effectively the importance of the Institute to a wider audience, reaching out especially to young professionals, student chapters, and underrepresented minorities. I am very passionate about increasing the participation of women at all levels of the Institute. To accomplish that goal I will work to provide more recognition for women engineers and improve AIChE’s infrastructure and services targeting women’s needs as related to work-life balance.

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Alon V. McCormick

Alon McCormick has taught at the Univ. of Minnesota since 1989, following his postdoc (chemistry) and PhD (chemical engineering) at UC Berkeley, and BS (chemical engineering) at Tulane. With over 40 PhDs and postdocs, he has published 190 papers addressing the mechanisms and kinetics of nanostructural processes. Alon has held a range of AIChE positions, serving each of the three Operating Councils — Chemical Engineering Technology (CTOC), Career and Education (CEOC), and Societal Impact (SIOC). He currently serves as Past-Chair of CTOC and as Secretary of the Education and Accreditation Comm. He has been CTOC’s liaison to the International Comm. and to SIOC — collaborating on SIOC’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, helping to arrange LGBT+ Ally workshops. He has served as Meeting Program Chair, on the Executive Board of the Program Comm., in various leadership roles in the Materials Engineering and Sciences Div., in programming positions back to 1997, and has been an AIChE member since 1983.

At Minnesota, he has chaired university-wide committees (education policy and graduate fellowships) and has served on many others related to research resources (supercomputing, shared-instrumentation), education and community (advising, curriculum requirements, diversity concerns), and consultative to the Dean and Provost. Within the discipline, his service has included: director of ChE undergraduate studies, Tau Beta Pi advisor, and coordinator for an industry-university research program in nanostructural material processes.

Statement:

I hope to bring to the Board’s work a broad perspective gained from the honor of serving in many facets of AIChE operations. In particular, I would work to assure that:

• AIChE’s programs and services reflect the excellence and range of our profession.
• AIChE offers full value as the professional home for diverse members sharing the professional identity of chemical engineer — of varying specializations, work titles, degree titles, and length of experience. We need to convene thought-leaders with students and young professionals — from the U.S. and internationally, and from industry, academia, and government. We need to engage industry members at all career stages, providing clear benefits as well as opportunity to help shape the future (e.g., informing process safety education).
• AIChE offers the inclusive climate needed and deserved by students and young professionals. The entire profession benefits by broadening participation and attracting talent from all corners. I am personally grateful for allies creating a more accepting environment for LGBT+ engineers. Each AIChE member has a role to play in the inclusion of women and all minority groups historically underrepresented or marginalized. We need to ensure that all ChEs find welcome in their professional home.

Please feel free to contact me through AIChE Engage.

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Lori T. McDowell

Lori McDowell is currently Director of Business Development for Matheson, with responsibility for growing the refining, chemicals, and energy sectors. Prior to joining Matheson, Lori worked at Praxair and W.R. Grace. She received a BS in chemical engineering from the Univ. of Pennsylvania, an MS in environmental engineering from CalTech, and a PhD in chemical engineering from the Univ. of Delaware.

Lori has been active in AIChE since 1992. She has held leadership roles in the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div. including Chair, Programming Chair, Communications Chair, and she is currently Treasurer. Lori was a member of AIChE’s Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC) and the Executive Board of the Program Comm. She was Co-Meeting Program Chair (MPC) of two AIChE Spring Meetings, and served as MPC of the 2017 Spring Meeting. She is also Vice Chair of the Admissions Comm. Outside AIChE, Lori has served on the Board of the National Business Development Association, and was President and Board Member of the Women’s Energy Network.

Statement:

As AIChE members, we have a few things in common: we decided to become a chemical engineer; we joined AIChE; and we want to get the most out of our membership. As an AIChE Board member, my goals are related to those three things, and fit well with AIChE’s strategic plan.

First, I would like to work with AIChE to enhance the public’s understanding of chemical engineering. I want to make sure that as many talented young people as possible have a good reason to become chemical engineers, as we did. I want to make sure that the public understands and respects how important chemical engineers are to their quality of life. This is a challenge for AIChE, but one we should embrace.

Second, there are many more chemical engineers than there are AIChE members, and I would like to change that. AIChE needs to be the premier organization for chemical engineers. My goal is to help AIChE address the needs of all chemical engineers. We need to make sure AIChE is a fully inclusive organization and we need to improve our diversity. The recent Professional Development Workshop held at the 2017 Spring Meeting was one step, and there are many more things we can do. My volunteer work with women’s organizations and non-technical groups will allow me to help in this area.

Lastly, we need more active AIChE members. We need to be creative, and to make sure we offer something for everyone. Active members get the most from AIChE. And, as a member active in many areas of AIChE, I am well suited to helping achieve that goal.

I am excited about the opportunity to serve on the AIChE Board, to help AIChE meet its strategic objectives and become an organization for all chemical engineers. I invite you to email me with questions, suggestions or comments at lmcdowell@mathesongas.com.

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Timothy J. Olsen

Tim Olsen is an AIChE Fellow and has 27 years’ experience in the refining industry, of which 19 years have been with Emerson Automation Solutions. He is a refining consultant within Emerson’s global refining industry solutions group, where he supports the company’s technical and business strategy. Prior to Emerson, Tim was with UOP for eight years as a technical advisor on refinery startups.

Tim is a past chair of AIChE’s Fuels and Petrochemicals Div., and was the overall Meeting Program Chair (MPC) for the 2014 AIChE Spring Meeting in New Orleans. He is currently a member of AIChE’s Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC), the Center for Energy Initiatives, the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div., the Upstream Engineering and Flow Assurance Forum, and the South Texas Section. He is active with programming at the AIChE Spring, Annual, and Southwest Process Technology conferences.

Tim received the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div. Distinguished Service Award (2015) and the George Lappin Program Comm. Service Award (2017). He obtained a BS in chemical engineering from Iowa State Univ. and an MBA from the Univ. of Iowa.

Statement:

Early in the 2000s, I started presenting and chairing sessions for the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div., which eventually led to more leadership roles including Chair of the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div. and overall Division Programming Chair. One of the key initiatives I was proud to be part of was the inception of AIChE divisions participating with the Young Professional (YP) Comm.; the Fuels and Petrochemicals Div. was the first and only division to participate in the YP mixer back in 2010. Since the inception, other divisions and forums have reached out to YPs to welcome their involvement.

If elected to the AIChE Board of Directors, I will continue to encourage and guide young professionals and students to be active in AIChE. The AIChE community is a great place to receive mentorship and sound advice for career and community development, and to generate long lasting friendships. In addition, I will continue to promote collaboration between industry and academia. As an example, I was recently able to provide industry insight at the Univ. of Illinois at Chicago by presenting a talk for Dr. Caracotsios’ senior-level process control class. I will encourage other industry members to pursue similar actions related to mentoring.

I will also encourage passive AIChE members to become more active, since there are many ways to stay connected through AIChE — in-person and virtually. I will utilize my extensive experience with AIChE and passion for the organization to solicit and act upon your input for how AIChE can better serve your needs. I welcome your comments and questions about AIChE at Tim.Olsen@Emerson.com.

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Mark A. Stadtherr

Mark Stadtherr is Research Professor in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the Univ. of Texas at Austin and Keating-Crawford Professor Emeritus in the Dept. of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the Univ. of Notre Dame. Previously, he was on the chemical engineering faculty at the Univ. of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His primary teaching interests are process safety, process design, ecological and environmental modeling, and optimization. Mark has published more than 180 peer-reviewed research papers in the areas of optimization and modeling, and was recognized with the AIChE CAST Div.’s Computing in Chemical Engineering Award (1998) for his pioneering work on applying advanced computer architectures in chemical engineering computing. As an educator at Notre Dame, he received the 2008 James A. Burns Award, which recognizes exemplary contributions to graduate education at the University. Mark has a PhD in chemical engineering from the Univ. of Wisconsin and a BChE from the Univ. of Minnesota.

Statement:

I have been active in AIChE for more than four decades, beginning as an undergraduate at the Univ. of Minnesota. During my career, I have had the opportunity to serve AIChE in a variety of significant leadership roles, including Chair of the Area 10C (Computers in Operations and Information Processing) Program Comm. (1990–1992), Chair of the CAST Div. (2002–2003), Chair of the Publications Comm. (2007–2010), and Chair of the Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC; 2014). I believe that today’s AIChE is a valuable and globally influential professional society. If I have the honor to serve on the Board, I will use my leadership experience to further strengthen AIChE. Some of the areas that I will focus on include:

• increasing the impact of AIChE as a global leader in addressing Grand Challenge issues in health, energy, water and sustainability
• continuing to grow our global efforts in process safety, including focus on undergraduate education worldwide
• making the value of AIChE membership even more apparent to current and prospective members, thus driving membership retention and growth
• maintaining momentum in enhancing diversity and inclusivity throughout our global profession
• growing current efforts to capture the energy, enthusiasm, and career diversity of our new college graduates as they become young professionals, making AIChE a welcoming home for all
• making AIChE the leading technology forum in exploring the opportunities and challenges presented by the current and future abundance of shale resources.

I welcome your comments and suggestions on these and other potential initiatives. Please feel free to contact me at markst@nd.edu or markst@che.utexas.edu.

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