(217d) Impact of Professor. L.-S. Fan’s Scholarship Endeavors Research on Indian Chemical Society

Prof. L.-S. Fan is a renowned researcher in particle science and technology, and multiphase reaction engineering with impact on many aspects of chemical engineering including energy and environmental systems as applied to such operations as resid hydrotreating and flue gas cleaning using gas-liquid-solid fluidized bed reactors, and hydrogen production from acid gas in natural gas using fixed bed reactors. He is also a highly respected scholar and educator who, besides being an excellent classroom teacher, has devoted much of his energy to mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers and younger colleagues. The impact of his scholarship has been global and has been significant and included Indian chemical engineering community. His receipt of the prestigious AIChE Warren K Lewis Award for Chemical Engineering Education is a befitting recognition of his many outstanding contributions to education and rightfully cements his position as a top chemical engineering educator in the US.

Professor Fan's exceptional mentorship for Indian students at the PhD level has been just as remarkable as his contributions to the research field in chemical engineering. He has actively engaged with Indian students, welcoming them into his research group and advising over 40 Indian students for their PhD dissertation research. This has positively impacted the Indian community by fostering the development of future researchers in the field. This presentation will encompass the remarks garnered from both current and previous Indian students who have grown under Prof. Fan's guidance, highlighting his influence on shaping the next generation of researchers. The insights of several most influential stalwarts in Indian academia who have worked with Prof. Fan over the years for the development of a better worldwide community through education will also be included.

Professor Fan's groundbreaking innovations in clean fossil energy conversion processes have significantly reduced harmful emissions of CO2, SO2, and NOx while enabling the production of electricity, syngas, hydrogen, chemicals, and liquid fuels. His redox chemical looping technology research has been particularly impactful in India's steel industry, contributing significantly to the decarbonization of steel production through the development of efficient and sustainable processes. With his commitment to achieving a net-zero carbon future, Prof. Fan has expanded his scope globally, developing clean energy conversion technologies that have the potential to benefit the global steel industry in the fight against climate change. The impact of his work as evidenced through testimonials from experts who have witnessed the mitigation of emissions and increased process efficiency as a result of his research, will also be given in this presentation.

In recognition of his exceptional contributions to the field of chemical engineering, Prof. Fan was elected as a member of the prestigious Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) in 2019, in addition to holding memberships of other national academies.

Overall, this presentation highlights the significant impact of Prof. Fan's scholarships through his career long education and research endeavors on the academic and industrial development of India, particularly in the areas of environmental engineering and clean energy conversion technologies.