(136b) Academic-Industry Sabbaticals: A Professor’s Perspective on Advancing Chemical Engineering Education

Chemical engineering academia has drifted in recent decades from its applied roots, perhaps unintentionally because of the separation between government as the primary funder and industry as the primary implementer of technology. Today’s grand challenges in sustainability, circularity, and other spaces are large and complex, demanding the creativity and freedom of academic research partnered with the spirit of innovation in industry. Industrial sabbaticals are a unique learning opportunity for both professors and the host company to thrive. However, a successful sabbatical requires strategic planning to maximize the value of the experience. This talk will summarize a recent experience to offer professors helpful advice for designing and executing a successful sabbatical in a corporate research setting. Topics will include the choice of one semester or two, planning prior to the start, the avoidance of competing interests, the logistics of maintaining a university laboratory, educational opportunities within a company, and more. An industrial sabbatical can serve as a conduit between academia and industry to advance undergraduate and graduate education, both in the classroom and through the training of the workforce through academic research.