Impact

At the 2024 AIChE® Annual Meeting, we met Paola Baldaguez Medina, an inspiring chemical engineering professor. Paola's journey—from an AIChE student member to a faculty advisor—showcases the impact of AIChE’s Student Programs in fostering connections, leadership, and innovation. Supporting the AIChE Foundation’s Student Programs Fund empowers the next generation with career-building experiences, hands-on competitions, and invaluable networking, shaping tomorrow's chemical engineering leaders.

At this year’s AIChE Annual Meeting, the AIChE Foundation celebrated two standout leaders. Billy Bardin, recognized as Fundraiser of the Year, drove record-breaking participation among AIChE leadership and introduced new strategies boosting fundraising efforts. Kathy Chen, named Philanthropist of the Year, made generous contributions to sustain her late husband John C. Chen’s legacy, supporting young professionals through leadership development programs. Together, their efforts have profoundly advanced the future of chemical engineering.

On October 24, 2024, volunteers AIChE, ACC, Eastman, Pfizer, and Univar traveled to the Walt Disney World in Orlando to attend the HBCU Week College Fair and help spread awareness of the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) scholarship and the 2025 application.

The AIChE Foundation has launched the Presidents' Challenge, a unique fundraising effort led by current, past, and incoming AIChE presidents to support the Doing a World of Good campaign. Inspired by the upcoming presidential election and national events, the challenge invites former AIChE leaders to make a lasting impact through personal commitments and peer-to-peer outreach.

In the 2024 Fall Newsletter, we celebrate the achievements made through the AIChE Foundation's Doing a World of Good campaign. Thanks to our generous donors, we have continued to push the boundaries of chemical engineering, attract top talent, and foster a diverse and ethical profession. Discover how our collective efforts are shaping the future and making a significant impact.

During "Make a Will Month," we highlight members like J.R. Deam, who have chosen to include AIChE in their estate plans, ensuring that their passion for chemical engineering continues to support and inspire future generations. Consider how your legacy can make a lasting impact through thoughtful estate planning with AIChE.

Lifetime philanthropists, Syamal and Susmita Poddar believe investing in today’s young ChEs ensures that early-career professionals will enhance the skills they learned as student members and remain connected to AIChE. The fifth Poddar Rising Engineer, Arturo Alfredo Arias Aguilar, is a shining example.

Empowering the Future: AIChE’s Fundraising Initiatives Fuel Innovation and Inclusion

AIChE Foundation donors, Raj Gupta and Zenaida Otero Gephardt were two of the distinguished guests at the Delaware Valley Local Section’s (DVS) annual CEO Dinner, where lessons on leadership and how to inspire a new generation of chemical engineers were discussed.

Bob Langer continues to inspire, support and mentor by focusing on failure (and how not to let it define you) and making an impact (every time you embrace a challenge it should make the world better). Five Langer Fellows, soon to be six, are doing just that.

Committed to supporting and mentoring the next generation, Dr. John C. Chen's impact on young chemical engineers continues thanks to his wife, Kathy who launched the Chen Endowment for Young Professional Leadership. In only a few years, twelve early career professionals are complementing their technical skills with leadership training, expanding their networks and creating a community where they will achieve their career goals.

On January 24th, 2024, FOSSI visited the campus of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, N.C.—home to 75 FOSSI scholars. Excitement and energy filled the Deese Ballroom as scholars, over 40 members of 18 FOSSI sponsor companies, and a distinguished group of A&T faculty and administrators came together to meet and network.

AIChE Foundation is delighted to welcome the 2024 Chair and Vice Chair, along with three new Trustees, whose commitment to AIChE and the Doing a World of Good campaign is shaping the next generation of the profession.

The AIChE Foundation is delighted to announce that for the first time, every Foundation Trustee and member of the AIChE Board of Directors furthered their commitment and investment in the profession with their support to the Doing a World of Good campaign, achieving 100% giving in 2023.

A lucky thirteen FOSSI scholars got the thrill of a lifetime when they were asked to help ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Broadcast on live television, the group gathered on the bell podium with AIChE Executive Director & CEO Darlene Schuster and Dow Senior Vice President John Sampson, to count down to the market close.

The AIChE 2023 Gala recognized AdvanSix and Air Products for operational excellence and industry advancements and presented the 2023 Doing a World of Good medal to Harvard’s Samir Mitragotri.

Generous and dedicated, Scott and Karen Love know that investing in today’s female ChEs will advance our profession. Innovation is driven by multi-disciplinary teams which include diverse perspectives and experiences. The Loves’ multi-year donation expanded WIC’s Mentorship Awards from one to three.

In 2008, Congress and the National Association of Estate Planners created National Estate Planning Awareness Week. Why is planning for the future so important? Planning creates a foundation of financial security for your family and can help support nonprofit organizations like AIChE, in which you’ve invested your time and talent.

The AIChE K-12 Committee created a series of comics aimed at high school and first-year college students to drive interest in chemical engineering and the solutions made possible thanks to chemical engineers. This incredible Foundation-funded outreach effort connects students with real-world applications and inspires the next generation of ChEs.

The AIChE Foundation is excited to share our fall 2023 newsletter, which showcases recent milestones and progress we have achieved through our Doing a World of Good campaign. Thanks to the sustained support of our donor community, the Foundation invested in innovative ideas, inspired the next generation of ChE talent, and continues to advance a safe and ethical profession.

On Monday, July 31st, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) celebrated and welcomed 132 new FOSSI scholars at a virtual gathering of 300 students, family, friends, and corporate partners. With the addition of the new class, FOSSI now boasts 430 scholars from 32 states who are enrolled at 42 HBCUs across the country.

At the 2023 Annual Meeting this November, graduate students will participate in the exciting Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition, where their communication and presentation skills will be put to the test.

The AIChE Foundation is pleased to announce its support for five new exciting projects that are doing a world of good by serving underrepresented communities in STEM, recognizing young professionals’ accomplishments, and building momentum for long-term programmatic investments.

To highlight the industrial translation of metabolic engineering, Manus Bio is matching gifts to the Stephanopoulos Award up to a total of $12,500. Your contribution will enable the award to be given in perpetuity, ensuring the recognition of future metabolic engineers.

Now in its third year, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative continues to thrive and grow.

This spring, AbbVie, Air Liquide, Air Products, Arsenal Capital, Fluor, the National Association of Chemical Distributors, Nouryon, Rockwell Automation, Day & Zimmermann, Johnson Controls, and ICL Group joined FOSSI's 60+ partners and numerous individual supporters to give underrepresented students the gifts of an education at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and access to mentoring, leadership development, and internship opportunities at sponsor companies.

Each year, hundreds of AIChE® Foundation donors elect to make unrestricted gifts allowing the Foundation and the Institute to be nimble and responsive. In 2023, a portion of these unrestricted gifts opened the doors of opportunity for historically underrepresented members of the chemical engineering profession to attend conferences and events, providing inspiration as they embark upon their career.

The AIChE Foundation is honored to have passionate and dedicated volunteers who offer their time and energy towards supporting our mission to doing a world of good. We encourage all our supporters to maximize their impact and see if they can give back even more with their time with volunteer grants from their companies.

Minority students pursuing chemical engineering have Henry Brown, Gerry Lessells, and Jimmy Wei to thank for the creation of the Minority Affairs Community. Now Henry's legacy continues as a group of Trustees, past and present, take up the helm to revitalize the Brown Endowment. With 20% of our annual goal of $100,000 secured already, we invite you to join us by gifting inspiration to the next generation and introducing them to the bold possibilities that await one in science and engineering.

The AIChE Foundation is excited to announce four new projects funded by the Annual Fund that celebrate innovation, excellence, and inclusion.

On January 18th, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) hosted its first on-campus visit with 42 FOSSI scholars and 15 corporate sponsors at Howard University campus for lunch and a networking session. This was the first opportunity for in-person interaction between scholars and sponsors, who are eager to attend more of these gatherings in the future.

More than $26,000 was received in 2022 in matching gifts at AIChE. With a few minutes of time, you can find out if your company offers a matching gift program and multiply your donation.

In December, some lucky Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) students were invited to New York to help celebrate the extraordinary work of industry partners.

At the 2022 AIChE Annual Student Conference, students shared what inspired them to become chemical engineers, revealing how the field provides a source of fulfillment, security, and opportunity.

Mario and Leeja Eden wanted to make a significant impact and ensure the anonymous $10,000 Summer School Endowment challenge was achieved. They chose to leverage monthly giving to achieve a big impact and support an early-career ChE faculty member.

At a Legacy Society Breakfast held during the AIChE 2022 Annual Meeting, Legacy Society donors emphasized the importance of including AIChE in their estate planning and its irreplaceable value to the future of chemical engineering.

An anonymous donor has offered to match the first $10,000 donated to the Summer School Endowment until December 31, 2022. Your investment will send an early-career ChE teacher to summer school where they’ll accelerate their professional development in a week-long immersive program.

The AIChE® Foundation is delighted to announce the fall 2022 Annual Fund grant cycle, which is open to Operating Councils. We are eager to welcome all ideas for transformative initiatives that will support our Doing a World of Good campaign!

In this episode, you will hear from two accomplished professional process engineers, Jill Craven and Ogochukwuv (Ogo) Enekwizu. They discuss what led to their careers as process engineers, navigating their respective industries as women and minorities, how AIChE has contributed to their professional growth, and the importance of mentorship in career progression and success. 

Every five years, early-career ChE faculty take the important step to invest in their professional development by attending a week-long immersive program, Summer School for Chemical Engineering Faculty.

As a Founders’ Circle member of the AIChE Foundation's Doing a World of Good campaign, Dow recently hosted their 7th faculty workshop – and the first process safety workshop ever held in Europe.

Dave and Karen Eckhardt made a long-term commitment to ChE students establishing an endowment to support and name the Northeast Student Regional Conference. Connecting students across geographies enables growth and enhancement of their academic journey.

Evonik believes that investing in today’s students will ensure an innovative workforce in the future. Their support extends beyond financial with employees sharing their time and talent in local classrooms.

The AIChE® Foundation is delighted to share how the Doing a World of Good campaign is Making an Extraordinary Impact. You will read stories highlighting the Foundation’s impact across AIChE programming as a result of our dedicated 6,688 donor community’s commitment to advance the profession for all engineers.

On March 8, International Women’s Day, Celanese collaborated with AIChE to host a virtual Leadership Workshop for Rising Star Women Engineers. Convening Celanese engineers worldwide on this particular day was a meaningful opportunity to bring valuable and empowering information to those seeking to enhance their engineering careers.

Last spring, the AIChE® Foundation in collaboration with the Institute’s Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) launched the Be the Change matching gift challenge underwritten by Drs. Arindam & Gopa Bose. We had the opportunity to invite SBE student member recipients to share their experiences and gratitude.

The AIChE® Foundation is delighted to announce five exciting projects funded by the Annual Fund.

In this episode, you will hear from two young professional process engineers about their respective paths that led them to process engineering, how early recognition by AIChE as promising young ChEs helped overcome challenges, the importance of process engineers, and their goals for the future. 

In the inaugural IDEAL Conversation, the DORIC committee gave tips for inclusive communication that addresses different abilities and communication styles, with an emphasis on presentations.

The AIChE® Foundation and Environmental Division is pleased to announce our latest collaboration, the Environmental Division Endowment Fund.

AIChE Foundation is delighted to welcome four new Trustees, and the 2022 Chair and Vice Chair, whose commitment to AIChE and the Doing a World of Good campaign is supporting extraordinary change.

Nearly $1MM was contributed by individual donors in 2021. This record-breaking support is spurring extraordinary activity throughout the Doing a World of Good campaign.

The AIChE Foundation's signature event, Leadership Workshop for Rising Star Women Engineers drew nearly 250 women from both industry and academia. The Rising Star Leadership Workshop for high performing women engineers is a program for early to mid-career women utilizing best practices and leading research on gender to advance professional goals.

The AIChE Foundation wishes you a happy and healthy new year.

AIChE presented the 2021 Langer Prize to Aditya M. Kunjapur. Each year, an unrestricted grant of up to $100,000 is awarded to an individual or group of creative early-career researchers to pursue blue sky ideas potentially leading to technical and commercial innovations.

Long-time AIChE volunteer leaders leverage their company’s matching gift programs to increase their ability to gift professional membership to graduating Lehigh University BSChEs.

The Foundation’s Trustees collectively committed $125,000 to support the Doing a World of Good campaign and challenge you, their peers, to share the joy with a contribution by 31 December.

The Ohio State University Student Chapter pilots the Dow K-12 STEM Ambassador Program in Columbus, OH classrooms. Thanks to the generosity of AIChE Foundation Trustee, Dan Coombs, and his wife Ellen, both Buckeyes, and Dow, which donated the content, including experiments, and supported the students with classroom best practices and other trainings.

AIChE’s LGBTQ+ & Allies community was supported early on with a financial gift from Air Products enabling an inclusive and welcoming environment where all people are valued and respected, fostering their dreams to become chemical engineers.

On October 1, the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) participated in the HBCU Week College Fair and announced the opening of the application process for the second class of FOSSI scholars.

Fueled by donor support, Jens Nielsen was named the inaugural recipient of the Gregory N. Stephanopoulos Award in Metabolic Engineering.

AIChE Legacy Society members have thoughtfully included AIChE in their legacy planning ensuring ongoing support of the extraordinary in the future.

The Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) is thrilled to welcome the inaugural class of FOSSI scholarship recipients.

AIChE Foundation is proud to highlight and thank Celanese for its extraordinary leadership and contributions to Being the Change!

The AIChE Foundation is delighted to announce the five projects awarded grant funding for the 2021 second funding cycle.

Check out the 2021 AIChE® Foundation Doing a World of Good campaign report! Celebrating the extraordinary work of engineers and demonstrating what is possible when we come together as philanthropists investing in the profession.