(322e) Bob Brodkey: A Pioneer, A Super-Mentor, and A Passionate Explorer

Bob Brodkey was an iconic figure in several academic communities, achieving the rank of professor in 1964 (co-incidentally, the same year I was born) and passionately pursuing the identification of coherent structures in turbulent flows throughout his career.

His engagement with the mixing community was a deliberate act of outreach to a chemical engineering practice community from someone whose work was quite fundamental. This commitment was shaped by the 5 years he spent in industry between his PhD and his academic appointment, and by his early and extended collaboration with Herb Toor.

Bob was beloved as a champion to his junior colleagues, and as a strong advocate for the highest standards of scholarship and academic discussion. This continued well past the time he became a professor emeritus, and his attendance at the APS and AIChE meetings each fall anchored his practice and communities.

While he resisted any suggestion that he take on formal leadership roles, his moral influence and academic mentoring had a substantial impact on several generations of scholars.

This talk will provide some perspective on his contributions to mixing research and practice, with a liberal sprinkling of stories and references to enliven the conversation.