In a ceremony during its Annual Meeting here yesterday, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) presented awards to 13 leaders and innovators in chemical engineering.
AIChE’s highest award, the Founders Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Field of Chemical Engineering, was presented to Carol K. Hall, the Camille Dreyfus Distinguished University Professor at North Carolina State University. The award is given to an engineer whose work has had a profound impact on the chemical engineering field.
Hall is a pioneer in modern chemical engineering thermodynamics. She was the first chemical engineer to demonstrate that statistical thermodynamics could be used to describe the behavior of micron-sized particles. She also applies molecular-based computer simulation to the study of folding pathways and aggregation in proteins. Her recent work in this area focuses on the formation of ordered protein aggregates — called amyloid fibrils — which are linked to many human disorders, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and the prion diseases. Her simulations of how amyloid fibrils form may lead to methods for slowing or halting those diseases. Hall has documented her research in more than 230 articles. She was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2005, and is a Fellow of both the AIChE and the American Physical Society.
In addition, AIChE also honored these 12 outstanding chemical engineers:
Jennifer Sinclair Curtis, Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of California, Davis, received the F. J. and Dorothy Van Antwerpen Award for Service to AIChE. The award is sponsored by The Dow Chemical Company.
Bradley D. Olsen, the Paul M. Cook Associate Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received the Allan P. Colburn Award for Excellence in Publications by a Young Member of the Institute. The award is sponsored by E.I. duPont de Nemours & Company.
Samir Mitragotri, Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, was presented with the Andreas Acrivos Award for Professional Progress in Chemical Engineering. The award is endowed by The AIChE Foundation.
James A. Dumesic, Vilas Research Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was presented with the Alpha Chi Sigma Award for Chemical Engineering Research. The award is sponsored by the Alpha Chi Sigma Educational Foundation.
Urmila Murlidhar Diwekar, President of Vishwamitra Research Institute (Crystal Lakes, Illinois), received the Energy and Sustainability Award. The award is sponsored by Air Products.
John Klier, Global R&D Director for Performance Materials and Chemicals at The Dow Chemical Company, was presented with the Industrial Research and Development Award.
Michael R. Resetarits, an independent consultant in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, received the Industry Leadership Award.
Richard Baker, Principal Scientist at Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., received the Institute Award for Excellence in Industrial Gases Technology. The award is sponsored by Praxair, Inc.
Karl V. Jacob, Fellow at The Dow Chemical Company, was presented with the Lawrence B. Evans Award in Chemical Engineering Practice. The award is sponsored by CACHE Corporation.
Harold H. Kung, the Walter P. Murphy Professor at Northwestern University, was presented with the R. H. Wilhelm Award in Chemical Reaction Engineering. The award is sponsored by ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company.
John L. Falconer, the Mel and Virginia Clark Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Colorado, received the Warren K. Lewis Award for Chemical Engineering Education. The award is sponsored by ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Company.
Lorenz T. Biegler, the Bayer University Professor and Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at Carnegie Mellon University, received the William H. Walker Award for Excellence in Contributions to Chemical Engineering Literature. The award is sponsored by John Wiley & Sons.
“AIChE strives to be a catalyst in applying chemical engineering expertise in meeting societal needs, and this year’s honorees exemplify this objective,” said Dr. Cheryl I. Teich, president of AIChE. “It brings me great pride to be part of profession that contributes so much to the progress and well-being of people around the world.”
About AIChE:
AIChE is a professional society of more than 50,000 chemical engineers in 100 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontiers of chemical engineering research in such areas as energy, sustainability, biological and environmental engineering, nanotechnology and chemical plant safety and security. More information about AIChE is available at www.aiche.org.