A Career in Process Development

Presentation Abstract:

Process Development is a key skill for industry in translating ideas and opportunities into commercial reality, including today’s grand challenges in achieving Net Zero Emissions by 2050 and a Circular Economy for chemicals and materials. This seminar will provide an overview of the industry role, including examples that led to commercialization of major technologies. Specific topics include use of shortcut methods to fast-track development, de-risking to optimize technology portfolio management, impacts of AI, machine learning and digital computation on optimal future approaches, and the importance of stakeholder engagement, including life cycle assessment with sustainability as critical drivers for innovation. Process development leadership roles have the advantage of a wide breadth of engagement, visibility, and impact that transcends specific technology and economic fads, and hence is a great way to make a meaningful career contribution.

Speaker Bio:

Joe Powell (Joseph B. Powell, PhD) is the Aspire Shell Endowed Executive Director of the University of Houston Energy Transition Institute, a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Fellow and former Director of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and served as Shell’s first Chief Scientist – Chemical Engineering from 2006 until retiring at the end of 2020, culminating a 36-year industry career. He joined the Process Development Department at Shell Technology Center Houston in 1988, leading R&D programs in new chemical processes, biofuels, and enhanced oil recovery, and served as technology advisor for the energy transition to a net-zero carbon economy. Dr. Powell has been co-inventor on more than 125 distinct patent applications with more than 60 granted and has received several industry awards including the A. D. Little Award for Chemical Engineering Innovation (AIChE 1998), R&D100 Award (R&D Magazine) and American Chemical Society Team Innovation Award (2000), U. Wisconsin College of Engineering Distinguished Achievement Award (2009), AIChE Process Development Division Service Award (2012) and Practice Award (2017), Wallace H. Coulter Award (2021). He is co-editor and chapter author for the book Sustainable Development in the Process Industries: Cases and Impact, John Wiley & Sons, New York (2010), and has served AIChE in various roles including Process Development Division Programming chair, Spring Meeting Program Chair (2015) and Co-Chair (2012), Chemical Technology Operating Council, Executive Board Programming Committee, Center for Energy Initiatives board member, Pilot Plants 12B Area Chair, Shale Gas and Sustainability Topical Chairs, and was elected and served on the AIChE board of directors (2016-18). He is past chair of the U.S. Department of Energy Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) and was elected to the U. S. National Academy of Engineering (2021) after serving for two terms on the Board on Chemical Sciences and Technology. He has served as Special Guest Editor of Catalysis Today Natural Gas Utilization, on the editorial board of Annual Review of Chemical and Biological Engineering and was Crosscutting Technologies team lead and author for Mission Innovation Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (2017). Dr. Powell obtained a Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1984), following a B.S. from the University of Virginia (1978), both in chemical engineering. and R&D roles.