CHEM
NEWS
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY • SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING • VOL. 9 NO. 2 • FALL 2001
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School Chair Ronald W. Rousseau Named the Cecil J. “Pete” Silas Chair At the end of the spring semester, Provost Jean-Lou Chameau (then Dean of the College of Engineering) had the honor of announcing Dr. Ronald W. Rousseau’s appointment to the Cecil J. “Pete” Silas Chair in Chemical Engineering. Professor Rousseau, long-time Chair of the department, is now an endowed faculty member as well, carrying the “Silas Chair” title. Funding for the Cecil J. “Pete” Silas Chair in ChE is designed to provide resources for a senior, eminent chemical engineering scholar with a proven
record of leadership and excellence in his or her field. Dr. Rousseau’s distinguished career as a chemical engineer certainly qualifies him for this great honor. He has been the School Chair for the past 14 years, during which time the department has almost doubled the size of its faculty and graduate student class, while maintaining the size of its undergraduate class. In addition, he is co-author of Elementary Principles of Chemical Processes (Wiley, 1978, 1986, 2000), an undergraduate textbook used by more than 80% of the ChE
programs in the United States. He has had numerous research publications and presentations, and is a consulting editor for the AIChE Journal, a member of the Publication Board of Chemical Engineering Education, and a topic editor for Crystal Growth and Design.
Alumni Profile ......................Pg. 2 Faculty News ......................Pg. 5 Alumni News ....................Pg. 11
Professor Paul Kohl (left) congratulates Ron Rousseau after the announcement of his appointment to the Cecil J. “Pete” Silas Chair.
Dr. Rousseau’s research focuses on the application of crystallization technology to the
recovery and purification of high-value added chemicals, including biologically produced Continued on page 8
Professor Eric W. Kaler Delivers 17th Annual Ashton Cary Lecture Eric W. Kaler, Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professor of Chemical Engineering and Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Delaware, delivered the 17th Annual Ashton Cary Lecture in April 2001, entitled “Colloidal Scale Engineering.”
Professor Eric W. Kaler
Professor Kaler received his B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering in 1978 from the California Institute of Technology. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 1982 from
the University of Minnesota under the guidance of Professors L. E. Scriven and H. T. Davis. He began his academic career in Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington as Assistant Professor in 1982 and Associate Professor in 1987. In 1989, he moved to the University of Delaware where he became a full professor in 1991, chaired the Chemical Engineering Department from 1996 to 2000, received the Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professorship in 1998, and became
Dean of College of Engineering in 2000. His research interests include colloid and surfactant science, complex fluid dynamics, materials synthesis, and small-angle scattering. He has supervised numerous graduate students in these areas, and has published over 150 journal articles. He received the American Chemical Society Award in Colloid and Surface Chemistry in 1998, the American Chemical Society Delaware Section Award in 1998, and the Curtis W. McGraw Research Award of Continued on page 8
Roush Family Endows Hearing and Communication Research at Georgia Tech Chester Roush and his family understand the value of a first-rate education. He graduated in Chemical Engineering in 1947 after having spent more than three years in the Navy. He and his wife Dorothy, an active UGA graduate and artist, live in Carrollton, Georgia. They have two children, Alex Roush, Architecture, 1974, who practices in Atlanta and is presently a Tech Alumni Trustee, and Jan Roush, an Agnes Scott College graduate who is an affordable housing consultant. All the Roushes have been active in their communities and loyal to their alma maters, as evidenced by their 49 years of consecutive giving to Georgia Tech Roll Call. They have worked hard to create a legacy of philanthropy and generosity. Alex Roush, Architecture, 1974 (left) and his father, Chester Roush, ChE, 1947.
During the Campaign for Georgia Tech, the Roush Family donated just over $1 million to establish the Roush Family Endowment for Hearing and Communication Research within the College of Engineering. The motivation behind this significant gift stems from Alex’s two children, his daughter Leigh, now 17, who was born deaf, and her brother Matthew, who also has a hearing loss. The family, particularly Alex and his wife Susan, a Special Education major, have spent the past 17 years seeking ways to optimize Leigh and Matthew’s listening capabilities and to increase their hearing potential. They have been active in state and national levels of the Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (AG Bell). With their help and present audio technology, particularly the Cochlea Implant, Leigh is now an honor student, active in sports and extra-curricular activities at St. Francis School in Alpharetta. In their efforts to aid Leigh and Matthew, they have been involved with many others who have hearing disorders. The community of the deaf and the hearing impaired continues to grow. It is now the number one birth defect in the United States and approximately 22 million people are affected to some degree.
Some of the initiatives include scholarship, fellowship, tutoring and instruction with preference to the hearing impaired, and research in all areas pertaining to or supporting hearing and communication, including equipment and technology. In addition, the funds may be used for outreach programs on and off campus, and community, corporate and educational interactions with the hearing impaired population. An estimated 80% of school-aged children who are hearing impaired are being educated in the public school system. The Roush Family Endowment will have an impact not only on Georgia Tech’s hearing impaired community, but also on Atlanta’s, the State of Georgia’s and the nation’s. The significant contribution that the Roush family has made will be felt for years to come. As an Institute, we will look to increase the funding available for this very important initiative, and within the College of Engineering, we will carry out this critical task knowing the impact we can have on young lives.
The family hopes to better the lives of the hearing impaired now, and in the years to come, by using the endowed funds for programs and activities in hearing and communication research across campus.
The Roushes hope that their endowment, dedicated to a specific scientific and engineering area, will enable Tech to attract support for research in other similar areas.
Annual Report Profile The following financial figures provide an overview of Fiscal Year 2000 and the statistics summarize the Summer 2000 through Spring 2001 Academic Year. We invite you to view our complete annual report online at: www.che.gatech.edu/report.htm Capital Campaign Total Funds Raised: ............................................................$30,664,194 School Expenditures Base State Funding: ..............................................................$4,630,000 Direct Research Contracts and Grants:..............................$5,740,000 Research Funding Through Centers*: ................................$4,880,000 CoE Distribution of Research*: ............................................$700,000 Georgia Tech Foundation: ......................................................$820,000 Total Expenditures for Chemical Engineering: ..............$16,770,000 (Research Expenditures equal $400,000 per faculty member.) *Estimated from FY 2000 Expenditures
Student Demographics Freshmen Class Profile Total Number of Freshmen: 166 Men: 57% Women: 43% Incoming Graduate Class Profile Total Number of Students: 30 Men: 63% Women: 37% Fall Student Body Men: 467 (64%) Women: 263 (36%)
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Total Degrees Awarded 2000-01 BChE: 126 MS: 13 PhD: 18 Enrollment Total Undergraduate Students: 606 Freshmen: 166 Sophomores: 126 Juniors: 113 Seniors: 201 Total Graduate Students: 123 Master’s: 28 Doctoral: 92 Special: 3
ChE Capital Campaign Donor List Alumni, Faculty and Friends Dr. A. S. Abhiraman Mr. and Mrs. Stephen C. Adams Dr. Pradeep K. Agrawal Mr. Richard Antoine Mr. Jack Baldwin, 1946 Mr. James C. Barber, 1938 Mr. Clinton Bastin, 1950 Dr. Sue Ann Bidstrup Allen Dr. Jimmy C. Bonner, 1989 Dr. Jeffrey L. Brinen, 1985 Mr. John F. Brock III, 1970 Mr. Rudolph H. Bunzl, 1943 Mrs. Janet Burdette Dr. John H. Burson, III, 1956 Ms. Anne J. Bushyhead, CE 1976 Dr. Freeman Cary, 1947 Mr. and Mrs. Kent M. Cerrone Mr. Cleveland W. Cochran, 1944 Ms. Vickie L. Cowart, 1977 Dr. Arthur R. Cox, 1961 Mr. William S. Cox, III, 1940 Mr. William C. Cromer, 1940 Dr. Barry Crouse Mr. and Mrs. Michael P. Dailey Mr. Thomas C. Deloach, Jr., 1969 Mr. Frank S. Dennis, Jr., 1943 Col. C. B. Drennon, Jr., 1931 Mr. Shearl D. Dummitt, Jr., ME 1992 Mr. Ray A. Dunleavy, III, 1973 Mrs. Carol L. Eby Dr. Charles A. Eckert Mr. Julian D. Edge, Jr., 1964 Ms. Irene J. Edwards Mr. John R. Elliott Mr. Ernest P. Epps, 1956 Dr. William R. Ernst Ms. Kelsey Evans Mrs. Yvonne Evans Dr. James R. Fair, 1942 Mr. Hal W. Field, Jr., 1951 Mr. and Mrs. John B. Fillion Mr. and Mrs. Gerald H. Fogle Dr. Harold B. Friedman Dr. & Mrs. Richard E. Fuchs Mr. Robert R. Funk Dr. Takeshi Furuya Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. Garrett Ms. Martha S. Gaskins Mr. Harris J. Giannella, 1959 Mr. Christopher D. Gilbert, 1996 Mr. and Mrs. Sherman J. Glass, Jr., 1971 Mr. Thomas L. Gossage, 1956 Mr. and Mrs. Ronald L. Guard Mr. Steven K. Hall, 1988 Mr. Rickford J. Hanner, 1943 Mr. and Mrs. Roger T. Hansen Mr. James P. Harris, 1970 Mr. Robert C. Hart, 1961 Mr. and Mrs. David R. Hatch Mr. W. Richard Hauenstein, 1957 Dr. Dennis W. Hess Mr. and Mrs. H. Wallace Horn Dr. Jeffery S. Hsieh Dr. John E. Husted Mrs. Carol H. Jackson, 1979 Mr. and Mrs. Robert Jobson Mrs. Ann Johnson Ms. Cheryl R. Johnson, 1985 Mr. and Mrs. Dale E. Johnson Mr. William L. Johnson, Jr., 1943 Mr. Alan R. Jones Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Kagan Mr. Patrick R. Kennedy Mr. John L. and Mrs. Karen Kiappes, 1970
Mr. James R. Knight, 1966 Dr. Paul Kohl Mr. I. L. Kunian, 1934 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth E. Kutcher Dr. Kristina M. Kwalik, 1985 Mr. Witt I. Langstaff, 1950 Mrs. Johnnie Lou LaRoche Mr. W. Walter LaRoche III, 1973 Mr. David R. Larrimore, 1975 Mrs. Clarence R. LeCroy, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lehman Dr. Heather P. Lesutis, 2000 Dr. C. Turner Lewis, Jr., 1959 Dr. Henry R. Linden, 1944 Dr. Thomas J. Malone, 1963 Dr. William J. Martin, 1961 Mr. Jesse W. Mason Mr. Douglas F. Mayfield, 1942 Mr. W. Penland Mayson, Jr., 1951 Mr. and Mrs. Jack R. McArdle Mr. Marvin R. McClatchey, 1937 Mr. Claude A. McGinnis III, 1951 Dr. Dennis J. McHenry, Jr., 1992 Ms. Jeanne McKown Mr. Archibald J. McNeill, Jr., 1952 Dr. James D. Meindl Dr. Duncan A. Mellichamp, 1959 Dr. Allen C. Merritt, 1967 Ms. Dora Metzler Mr. Ray W. Miller, 1972 Mr. Robert G. Miller, 1959 Dr. Robert J. Millikan, ME 1959 Mrs. Lucienne C. Mix Mr. Robert C. Moeller, 1976 Mr. Tyrus L. Moore, Jr., 1968 Mr. L. Allen Morris, 1936 Mr. Daniel B. Mowrey, 1965 Mr. Leland C. Murphree, Jr., 1957 Mr. Antonio L. Navarro, 1943 Mrs. Alice S. Newton Mr. Dennis R. Nordeman Ms. Merry Jo Orr Mr. Randall F. Perino Mr. and Mrs. Barry Phillips Mr. W. Norman and Mrs. Janice Phillips, Jr., 1977 Mr. Thomas J. Pierce, Jr., 1961 Dr. J. Carl Pirkle, Jr., 1961 Dr. Gary W. Poehlein Mr. James T. Porter, 1943 Mr. William B. Pressley Mr. John D. Purcell Mr. Clifford W. Rackley, 1949 Mr. Toy F. Reid, 1949 Mr. Douglas L. Reinke, 1978 Mr. Raymond H. Reynolds Jr., IE 1988 Ms. Betty Ann Rhodes Mr. Jerry B. Roach, 1958 Dr. Ronnie S. Roberts Mrs. Sue Robichaud Ms. Janet W. Robison Mr. Richard G. Rosselot, 1956 Mrs. Dorothy A. and Mr. Chester A. Roush, 1947 Dr. Ronald W. Rousseau Mr. H. Pierce Rumph, 1977 Ms. Billie Jo Zirger Runge Mr. James A. Russell, Jr., 1947 Mr. Richard C. Russell, 1955 Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth R. Saylor Mr. John F. Scarborough, III, 1964 Dr. Francis J. Schork Ms. Joan M. Schork, 1979 Mr. and Mrs. Roy C. Sheffield, 1961 Mr. and Mrs. Russell Shelden
Mr. C. J. “Pete” Silas, 1953 Mr. and Mrs. James F. Simmons, TEXT 1966 Mr. and Mrs. Ralph L. Smith Mr. George S. Spindler, 1961 Mr. George N. Spring, Jr., 1938 Dr. Arnold F. Stancell Mr. Rolin W. Stevens, 1964 Ms. Ruth Stilwell Mr. Henry A. Strickland, Jr., 1956 Mrs. Dorothy Poole Tanner Mr. Kenneth G. Taylor Dr. Daniel W. Tedder, 1972 Dr. Amyn S. Teja Mr. Newton W. Thomas, 1935 Mr. Benjamin A. Thorp Mr. Kevin M. Torres Dr. Donald L. Towns, 1957 Mr. T. Hamilton Traylor, 1954 Mr. Michael T. Trotter, 1992 Mr. William T. Underwood, 1950 Mr. Meeks B. Vaughan, Jr., 1979 Mr. Robert E. Vaughn, 1951 Mr. and Mrs. James E. Vermillion Mr. Hugh B. Walker, Jr., 1968 Dr. David I. J. Wang, ME 1953 Ms. Kathleen B. Ward Mrs. Shawn R. Weller, IAC 1979 Dr. Mark G. White Mr. Laurie D. Wicks, 1968 Mr. James K. Williams, 1956 Mr. Paul H. Williams, 1960 Mr. W. Carlton Wood, 1963 Mr. D. Richard Worsham, J.D., 1968 Mr. Ronald A. Young, 1975 Ms. Gloria Ziegler Mrs. Jean H. Ziegler Ms. Pansy M. Ziegler Dr. Waldemar T. Ziegler, 1932
Corporate and Foundation Supporters 3M ABB Inc. AES Corporation AGRA Simons, Inc. Ahlstrom Machinery, Inc. Ahlstrom Recovery, Inc. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Air Products Foundation Ajinomoto Company, Inc. Albany International Corporation Albemarle Corporation Alcan International Limited Alcoa Foundation Alfa Laval Celleco, Inc. AlliedSignal Foundation Aluminum Company of America American Chemical Society American Diabetes Association American Heart Association Amoco Chemical Company Amoco Fabrics Amoco Foundation, Inc. Applied Paper Technology Asahi Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. Asea Brown Boveri, Inc. AstenJohnson Atlanta Wire Works ATS Medical, Inc. Ayco Charitable Foundation BASF Corporation Baxter Edwards CVS Division BBA Nonwovens, Inc. Beloit Corporation Betz PaperChem
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BetzDearborn, Inc. BF Goodrich Bio-Lab, Inc. Bowater Newsprint Bowater Southern Division BP Amoco Corporation Brown & Root, U.S.A., Inc. Buckman Laboratories, Inc. Callaway Chemical Company Caraustar Industries CarboMedics, Inc. Celanese Acetate Celanese Corporation Champion International ChemFirst Corporation Chevron Chemical Company Chevron Oil Company Chevron U.S.A., Inc. ChevronTexaco Corporation CIBA Specialty Chemicals Ciba-Geigy The Clorox Company The Coca-Cola Company Columbian Chemicals Company Condea Vista Company Control Southern, Inc. Cryolife, Inc. Cryovac Division, Sealed Air Corp. Cytec Industries, Inc. CytRx Corporation Degussa Corporation Devon-Aire, Inc. Dial Corporation Dow Chemical Company Foundation Dow Chemical Company Dow Corning Corporation Dr. Pepper/Cadbury North America Du Pont de Nemours Company DuPont Dow Elastomers Dynatek Laboratories, Inc. Eastman Chemical Company Eastman Foundation EKC Technology, Inc. Emory University School of Medicine Engelhard Corporation Enrev Equistar Chemicals, LP Equiva Services, LLC Ethicon, Inc. Exxon Company, USA Exxon Education Foundation ExxonMobil Corporation Fluent, Inc. Fluid Properties Research, Inc. Fluor Daniel The Fluor Foundation Ford Motor Company Fort Howard Paper Corporation Fort James Foundation GenCorp Foundation Georgia-Pacific Corporation Georgia-Pacific Foundation Georgia Power Company Gilman Paper Company The Goizueta Foundation Goodson & Associates, Inc. Grace Foundation, Inc. Halliburton Foundation, Inc. Hercules, Inc. Hoechst Celanese Corporation Hoechst Celanese Foundation Holl Technologies Company Honeywell Foundation Honeywell International, Inc.
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Global Awareness
ChE Students Study Abroad in Holland and London Travel Diary By John Tsavalas My trip to Holland, as a visiting scientist in Eindhoven Technical University Polymer Chemistry Laboratory, was designed to be a learning experience for both parties. I brought “miniemulsions” to the table, while Eindhoven Technical University (TUE) offered a wonderful environment for learning “living polymerization.” The combination of the two subjects was projected to lead us to new possibilities for polymerization; as there were no publications to that date regarding that combination, it was considered frontier research. My objective was to apply “living polymerization” techniques to my work to form a basis for a better understanding of my polymerizations back home in Atlanta. As often happens with frontier work, some unexpected phenomena appeared. These unexpected observations led us into an exciting field and we produced two publications in the field preceed-
ing those of several other reputable authors. It was truly exciting. We then added a third publication once back home in Atlanta based on data and theory from the first two publications. Considering that the data from Holland was collected in only seven months, three publications were far more than we expected and a great accomplishment.
The Holland research trip was a huge benefit to both my ChE and Tech experiences. As far as my chemical engineering education goes, it was great to see things from two different angles. Eindhoven is structured much more like an industrial research facility where Tech is structured more academically, encouraging its students to utilize their creativity and available resources to reach their goal. The efficiency of the Eindhoven environment, along with the resourcefulness of Tech, provided a well-rounded research education. I feel lucky to have had this opportunity.
The trip also taught me a great deal outside of the research, things which I brought back and used to better my Tech experience. For that alone, I would surely recommend a similar trip to others. It’s also a nice way to find out what you really know when away from home!
John Tsavalas completed his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering this fall and has accepted a position with Dow Chemical Company as a Senior Research Engineer in Emulsion Polymers. His advisor at Tech was Joe Schork and his thesis title was “A Molecular Level Investigation of Hybrid Miniemulsion Polymerization.”
The participants in the 2001 Study abroad program at University College London. Seventeen undergraduates, joined by Professor Pete Ludovice and his family, were part of the largest group in the history of the annual UCL summer program. A total of 115 students and faculty from six universities participated in the five week unit operations course. The middle week of the five week program consisted of a tour of industrial and historic sites in Wales. The tour sites included chemical plants, a nuclear power plant, and a methane gas plant, as well as various castles and Roman ruins.
DONOR LIST contd. from page 3 Huntsman Corporation Inco Limited Industra, Inc. Inland Container Corporation Inland Foundation Institute of Paper Science & Technology International Paper Company Foundation International Paper Company Irving Tissue, Inc. James River Corporation Jefferson Smurfit Corporation Kellogg Brown & Root Kilpatrick Stockton Kimberly-Clark Corporation KoSa Fibers Kvaerner Pulping, Inc. LaRoche Industries, Inc. Loma Linda Vet Association for Research The Lubrizol Foundation Lucent Technologies MacMillan Bloedel, Inc. The Mead Corporation The Mead Corporation Foundation Measurex Corporation Medical Carbon Research Institute Medtronic, Inc.
Merck & Company, Inc. The Merck Company Foundation Microcoating Technologies Milliken & Company, Inc. Milliken Research Corporation Mobil Corporation Mobil Foundation, Inc. Molten Metal Technology, Inc. Monsanto Company Nabisco Foundation Nalco Chemical Company National Semiconductor Corporation National Starch & Chemical Foundation ORAU-Oak Ridge Associated University Orion CEM, Inc. OSI Software, Inc. Patrick Family Foundation Phelps Dodge Corporation Phillips Petroleum Foundation, Inc. Phoenix Engineering, Inc. Polyfibron Technologies, Inc. Potlatch Corporation PPG Industries Foundation The Procter & Gamble Company Quaker Chemical Corporation R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
R.E.B. Foundation Rayonier Corporation Rayonier Foundation Raytheon Engineers & Constructors Riverwood International USA, Inc. Roche Carolina Rock-Tenn Company Rohm and Haas Company Rust Engineering Co. Sandwell, Inc. Semiconductor Research Corp. Sensa by Willat SGL Carbon Corporation Shell Oil Company Foundation Sipcam Agro USA, Inc. Smurtfit Stone Container Corp. Sonoco Products Company Southeast Paper Manufacturing Southeastern TAPPI Southern Company St. Jude Medical, Inc. Stebbins Engineering and Manufacturing Stressbusters SulzerMedica Sulzermedica USA, Inc. Sunds Defibrator, Inc.
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Technology Park Atlanta Tenneco Packaging Texaco Foundation Texaco Incorporated Thoratec Laboratories UCAR Emulsion Systems Union Camp Corporation Union Carbide Chemicals & Plastics Union Carbide Foundation, Inc Union Carbide Corporation Union Pacific Resources UOP LLC Valmet, Inc. Charlotte Division Warwick International Limited Wellman, Inc. Westinghouse Foundation Westvaco Corporation-Chemical Division Westvaco Foundation Weyerhaeuser Company Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation The Whitaker Foundation White Electrical Construction Company Yokogawa Corporation of America
Faculty News A. S. Abhiraman is currently on a one-year leave of absence to serve in the position of Director of Research for Hindustan Lever Limited in Bombay, India. Charles Eckert presented an invited address entitled “Engineering Solvents for Sustainable Technology” during a national ACS meeting, and he presented invited seminars to numerous other groups including the Chemical Engineering Department at Stanford University and Dow-Agrisciences Lab in San Diego. In addition, Dr. Eckert and several co-authors were issued U.S. Patent 6,204,386 for work completed in partnership with Hoechst. Paul Kohl received the Electrochemical Society’s Carl Wagner Memorial Award at the Society’s national meeting in September. This prestigious award is given every other year in recognition of research and other scholarly activities in areas that are central to the interests of the Society.
ChE Professor Develops Gel to Aid Soldiers Wounded in Battle
William J. Koros joined the School as the Roberto C. Goizueta Chair for Excellence in Chemical Engineering. Dr. Koros spent the last 17 years in the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Separations Research Program at The University of Texas at Austin. The successful membrane research program that Dr. Koros established at UT will continue as part of his research focus at Georgia Tech. (Be sure to look for a full-length feature on Dr. Koros in the next issue of ChE News.)
Chemical engineering professor F. Joseph Schork (shown above) and Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) scientist Jan W. Gooch are developing a gel to treat combat soldiers in the field suffering from infected wounds, such as burns or abrasions. The new technology addresses the critical needs of soldiers fighting in isolated areas without the availability of nearby medical equipment.
Jay Lee was elected as a Director of the Computing and Systems Technology Division of AIChE.
The gel is a liquid emulsion that when applied to the wound, acts as a second skin, forming a protective layer that is permeable to air and water, but guards against microorganisms. The emulsion contains control-released antimicrobial agents to treat the wound. Either sprayed-on or rolled-on, the emulsion layer is translucent, so the wound can be monitored or examined during the healing process without having to remove the emulsion. The layer can be removed safely with alcohol. In addition, the layer is able to endure rain, mud and other elements for up to two weeks. Civilian disaster victims or burn victims could also benefit from this technology.
Chris Jones was selected to receive a prestigious 2001 Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, which is sponsored by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Dr. Jones was chosen through a peer-review evaluation and selection process that involves outstanding scientists from across the country. Mark Prausnitz was the invited lecturer at the 40th Meeting of the Acoustical Society of America in Newport Beach, Ca. and at the Second International Symposium on Sonodynamic Therapy in Yokohama, Japan. Robert Samuels was recently named a Fellow of the Society of Plastics Engineers.
The gel–called bicompatible skin barriers–is now being tested under the guidance of Gooch at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. “It is imperative that the most advanced, life-saving innovations accompany the troops,” Gooch said. “We must recognize the unique needs of our armed forces for as many advances as possible in the area of trauma medicine and treatment delivery.”
F. Joseph Schork, Associate Chair of ChE, now has another role at Georgia Tech: proud father! His son, Michael, entered Tech as a computer engineering major this year. Michael is also the recipient of one of four merit-based scholarships designed specifically for children of Georgia Tech faculty and staff. The scholarships are funded by Atlanta Area GT Clubs, the Alexander-Tharpe Fund and local businesses.
The gel is still in the clinical-trials phase, but the recent attacks and deployment of the U.S. military have changed the researchers’ original timetable for completion, Gooch said. He expects that human clinical trials could begin within two months. He expects FDA approval could come within a year or less, meaning biocompatible skin barriers could be used by the nation’s military at that time.
Dan Tedder, along with Chemistry Professor Gene Ashby, was instrumental in designing the process of manufacturing sodium tetraphenyl borate at Optimal Chemicals located in Douglas, Ga. The professors, along with graduate and undergraduate students, also led the development of the chemical through pilot plant testing. Optimal Chemicals produces sodium tetraphenyl borate for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Savannah River Plant in South Carolina.
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Chemical Engineering Welcomes Four New Faculty
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he School is proud to announce the addition of four new faculty members: Assistant Professors Christopher Jones and Carson Meredith and Professors Jay Lee and Andreas Bommarius. Drs. Jones and Bommarius are featured in this issue with in-depth articles on their backgrounds, research interests and future plans. Articles spotlighting Drs. Meredith and Lee appeared in the last issue of the newsletter.
Dr. Andreas Bommarius Background Professor Andy Bommarius joined the School of Chemical Engineering as a Professor in fall 2000. He received his Diploma in Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich/Germany and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT. Afterwards, Dr. Bommarius spent eleven years in industry heading the Enzyme Catalysis Lab and a pilot plant at the Degussa company in Wolfgang, east of Frankfurt, Germany. He worked mostly on reaction engineering, development of biocatalytic processes and biocatalyst stabilization, but also was involved in tasks such as finding an enzymatic process for bleaching in laundry detergents or an environmentally friendly biocatalytic process for the delignification of wood for the pulp and paper industry. He later worked mainly as R&D project leader and organized several academic/industrial collaborations while in industry. For nine years during that time, Dr. Bommarius also served as a lecturer on Biocatalysis and Biochemical Engineering. Research Profile Biocatalysis, bioprocessing and biochemical engineering are the
main research interests of Dr. Bommarius. His research addresses three of the critical shortcomings of biocatalysis today: i) while featuring superb selectivity, many biocatalysts still suffer from inadequate stability, especially during catalysis, ii) there are not enough biocatalysts to catalyze all the desired reactions, and iii) the development cycles for biocatalysts and the corresponding processes are too long for many high-level applications.
Dr. Andreas Bommarius
Dr. Chris Jones
component is part of an FDA application, product and process become ever less separable.
approach, called directed evolution, mutates the gene of a targeted enzyme in a combinatorial fashion. The library of mutants generated is then either subjected to a selection scheme, checking for survivors, or screened with an assay. The resulting best mutants are then employed in the next round of evolution. Exploiting mechanistic similarities between enzymes catalyzing, on the surface, very different reactions, novel activities can be generated. Likewise, starting with a slow or unstable enzyme, an improved version of the same enzyme can be prepared.
The use of biocatalysis, however, is not limited to use in the life sciences. Just witness the impending introduction of a novel process to propanediol by Dupont for use as a fiber component in textiles and carpets (SoronaTM), or the manufacturing of acrylamide, both of which are now accomplished with biocatalytic processes.
Many novel therapies against diseases such as high blood pressure, AIDS, or Alzheimers involve treatment with complex low molecular-weight molecules often containing one or more chiral centers. Such molecules increasingly also find use as nutraceuticals, food with added health benefits, which are becoming more popular as health consciousness is on the rise. The synthesis and manufacturing of such molecules often is best achieved by biological catalysis, either with isolated enzymes or by engineered whole cells. Such catalysts show unparalleled selectivity, often even at ambient conditions of temperature and pH value. As the manufacturing process to a drug or a drug
Stability of a (bio)catalyst during catalysis can be measured by the total turnover number (TTN = moles of product per mole of catalyst). One of Dr. Bommarius’ projects seeks to determine both TTN and optimum temperature of a biocatalytic system through unsteady-state temperature ramping in a CSTR. Similar to studies in corrosion science, one learns about long-term stability by shortterm experiments at harsher conditions than normally employed during a process. Finding new biocatalysts, the second challenge, is tackled by mimicking Nature through evolution of enzymes in vitro. This
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The third objective, a faster turnaround for biocatalyst development, is attempted by developing a new generation of faster and more sensitive high-throughput polarimeter instruments with which a much larger number of samples can be processed in a shorter time, while distinguishing much better between a ‘hit’ or a ‘miss’ than was possible before. Dr. Bommarius’ teaching interests in part reflect his research areas: he is involved in teaching Bioprocess Engineering, which is
focusing on broadening its appeal to include more undergraduates, and also develop a new course in Biocatalysis. Additionally, he teaches Kinetics and Reactor Design, and is part of the teaching team for the senior Process Design course. Currently, Dr. Bommarius is writing a textbook on “Biocatalysis: Fundamentals and Applications” which is scheduled to be published by VCH-Wiley next year. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the “Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic.” Personal Interests Dr. Bommarius and his wife Bettina, a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at Emory University, enjoy travel, scuba diving and attending the symphony. She is getting him to enjoy bird watching more and more, which is one of her favorite hobbies. He also likes to read history and biographies and enjoys a round of golf. They enjoy Atlanta with all its big-city amenities and welcome the warm climate (If you are not sure about the latter, just move to a cold climate and consider again).
Dr. Chris Jones Background Chris Jones joined the School in fall 2000 as an Assistant Professor. Dr. Jones spent the previous five years at Caltech in Pasadena, California, where he obtained M.S. (1997) and Ph.D. (1999) degrees in chemical engineering and carried out post-doctoral research in the chemistry department. Prior to Caltech, Dr. Jones studied at the University of Michigan, where he graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1995. Dr. Jones taught ChE 2100,
Chemical Process Principles this spring, and he will teach ChE 4300, Kinetics and Reactor Design this fall. In the future, he plans to teach the graduate course in Kinetics and Reactor Design, ChE 6300, as well as a graduate elective in Catalysis and Advanced Chemical Kinetics. Dr. Jones is a strong advocate of stressing creative thinking and problem solving in the chemical engineering curriculum. He does this by including information on strategies for creative problem solving in his lectures and via the assignment of open-ended problems, which are group projects where the “problem” is only loosely defined.
cally, his group focuses on the molecular design of new solid catalysts, endeavoring to create novel catalytic materials by rational design. In conjunction with these studies, the Jones group works towards an understanding of structure-property relationships in these new catalysts as well as other catalytic systems. Insights from these structure-function studies are then applied in the molecular design of the next generation of catalysts. The Jones group focuses its efforts in two key areas: 1) synthesis and characterization of novel immobilized organometallic catalysts for the synthesis of polymers and 2) application of zeolite catalysts to the production of fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
Since his early days at Michigan, Dr. Jones has always been enamored with chemistry and chemical transformations, and his research reflects this. As an undergraduate, Dr. Jones began his initial foray into the world of catalysis, studying hydrocarbon isomerization reactions (of importance in petroleum refining) over transition metal carbide catalysts. With his interest in catalysis piqued, he chose to continue his education in catalysis at Caltech. In his thesis research, Dr. Jones focused on the design and synthesis of new solid catalytic materials, with his work culminating in the invention of a new class of catalysts called organic-functionalized molecular sieves. These new catalysts are microporous materials related to zeolites that may be especially important for production of specialty chemicals. Dr. Jones was recognized for this work by Union Carbide in the 1999 Innovation Recognition Program.
In the area of polymerization catalysis, many important breakthroughs have recently been reported. In particular, significant advances have occurred over the last two decades that have facilitated the discovery of new homogenous, single-site polymerization catalysts (i.e. early transition metal metallocenes) with unprecedented activity and selectivity. Because these catalysts have a single type of well-defined site, they are able to polymerize olefins with consistent control of polymer microstructure allowing for the synthesis of polymers with unique properties (e.g. new forms of polypropylene or polyethylene with improved mechanical properties). However, industrial implementation of many of these new technologies requires use of a solid catalyst. Supporting the homogenous catalyst using standard techniques transforms the single-site homogenous catalyst into a multi-site solid catalyst with significantly lower activity and selectivity. Hence, new methods of synthesizing single-site,
Research Profile Dr. Jones’ research interests are in the broad areas of materials chemistry and catalysis. More specifi-
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supported olefin polymerization catalysts as well as understanding the fundamentals of the organometallic-support interactions are important goals. The Jones group is also applying zeolite catalysts to the synthesis of fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates, such as those involved in the multi-step synthesis of ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Zeolites are very selective, environmentally-benign solid acid catalysts that have been routinely used in the chemical and petrochemical industries for decades in hydrocarbon processing. However, the use of zeolites in the synthesis of fine chemicals, particularly in the preparation of compounds containing heteroatoms (e.g., N, P, S), has received limited attention to date. Dr. Jones is examining the use of zeolites as safe, environmentally-benign replacements for homogeneous acids (such as aluminum trichloride and sulfuric acid) that generate large quantities of unwanted, potentially toxic waste. Personal Interests In his spare time, Dr. Jones enjoys all things athletic. An avid Detroit Red Wings fan, Dr. Jones tries to take every opportunity to watch and play ice hockey and he frequently attends Atlanta Thrashers games. Aside from hockey, Dr. Jones enjoys watching and playing baseball, football and golf. In the non-athletic world, he enjoys classical music, theatre, and traveling. Dr. Jones and his wife, Shaney Lokken, currently reside in Cobb County. Ms. Lokken is an attorney in the midtown firm Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan, LLP.
LECTURE contd. from page 1
the American Society of Engineering Education in 1995. He has been on the editorial boards of several technical journals, including Langmuir, Colloids and Surfaces, Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, AIChE Journal (as co-editor-inchief of Current Opinion in Colloid and Interface Science), and European Physical Journal E. (as Associate editor). He has served on the advisory boards of departments of Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, Lehigh University, and University of Pittsburgh, and on the advisory board of the Surfactant Science Series, Marcel Dekker, Inc. The following is a brief summary of his lecture: “Colloidal Scale Engineering” A balance of repulsive and attractive molecular forces drives natural assembly of molecules into complex organic and inorganic assemblies with dimensions from nanometers to microns. Our current nascent efforts to mimic nature involve harnessing these same forces to produce synthetic assemblies of the same colloidal-scale dimensions. Such materials can be used passively as catalysts, filters, or photonic elements, or actively as sensors in connection with the appropriate electronics. Perhaps the simplest and most common example of this phenomenon is the self-assembly of surfactant molecules in water to
form a rich variety of microstructures. These selfassembled structures can serve as either direct templates for materials synthesis, or as “nanofactories” for the production of novel polymers. The range of possibilities for engineering of these materials can be illustrated with three examples. The first case illustrates the rapid production of ultra-high molecular weight polymers contained in small polymer beads. The second example shows the assembly of similar beads (but now functionalized with receptors for human immunoglobulin) into a sensor integrated into a micron-scale electronic circuit. The final example illustrates the assembly of latex beads into colloidal crystals, which are then used as templates for the production of nanoporous gold with both microscopic and mesoscopic structure. This novel metal has interesting optical properties. Taken together, these examples illustrate both the promises and challenges of the next generation of materials assembly.
The Cary Lectureship in Chemical Engineering The Cary Lecture Series in the School of Chemical Engineering was established in 1984 as a memorial to Ashton Hall Cary, a chemical engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, class of 1943. Mr. Cary served in the U.S. Army after graduation and later built a career in Georgia’s textile industry. He was a native of LaGrange, Georgia, where he was prominent in local politics and business and active in many charitable and civic organizations. At the time of his death, Mr. Cary was a production consultant for Kleen-Tex Industries. The Cary Lecture Series was initiated with a gift from Dr. Freeman Cary, who also studied chemical engineering at Tech. Dr. Cary received his M.D. from Emory University in 1950 and later became the attending physician for the U.S. Congress. The Cary Lectureship Fund is used to sponsor a lecture series by distinguished scholars in fields of significance to chemical engineering. The visiting lecturers, in addition to presenting seminars on recent engineering advances, participate in informal discussions with Georgia Tech faculty and students. interesting examples arise in mixtures of fluorocarbon and hydrocarbon surfactants. The results are organized and understood in terms of a thermodynamic cell model of the Gibbs free energy of various phases. Small angle neutron scattering measurements confirm a variety of predictions about aggregate size and composition. Finally, an example of polymerization in these structures shows how shape can be fixed in place.
Surfactant self-assembly is exploited in many useful processes. Specific syntheses of
surfactant molecules for a given application is expensive and time-consuming, so practical uses often take advantage of surfactant blends or mixtures. We have found that the electrostatic interactions of anionic and cationic surfactants make available a rich variety of microstructures. In particular, unilamellar vesicles form spontaneously in a number of anionic/cationic surfactant mixtures. The most important variables setting structure are the chain length asymmetry and the type of anionic head group. Especially
retired Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Phillips Petroleum Company and, as an active Tech alumnus, served as Chairman of the Campaign for Georgia Tech from 1995-2000. Mr. Silas has demonstrated his generosity through this incredible financial commitment to
the School of Chemical Engineering. He says candidly that the program, the facilities, the faculty and the students are “like night and day” when compared to his time as a ChE in the 1950s. Always the loyal alumnus, Mr. Silas stated, “The School of Chemical Engineer-
ing is on the path to being a top ten program…. We have never been in a better position to achieve excellence than right now.”
In conjunction with the Ashton Cary Lecture, Dr. Kaler also presented a research seminar entitled “Molecular Interactions and Synthesis in Surfactant Mixtures.” The following is a brief summary:
SILAS contd. from page 1
materials. He received his B.S., M.S, and Ph.D. from Louisiana State University and was elected to the LSU Engineering Hall of Distinction in 1991. The namesake of the Chair, Mr. Cecil J. “Pete” Silas, is a 1953 ChE graduate. He is the
8
Thanks to him, he’s right!
A Message from the Chair A Message from the Chair I was in Spain on September 11, and late that night scanned the CNN images for the famous twin towers of the World Trade Center. I had expected to see smoke pouring from both, but they were completely absent from the most recognizable skyline in the world. Because of the incidents of that day, I want to begin this traditional letter to alumni and friends of the School with an expression of sympathy to all who lost relatives or loved ones in the attacks on New York, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania. Through the efforts of millions of decent people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and religions, we must overcome the destructive actions of treacherous fanatics who cannot understand the beauty of our imperfect, but constantly striving, world. And now we must go on. During 2000-2001, the School awarded 126 B.S., 13 M.S. and 18 Ph.D. degrees. We began fall semester 2001 with 606 undergraduates and 123 graduate students. Our undergraduate degrees and enrollment are down slightly from previous years, but graduate degrees and enrollment are up substantially. I think you may find it interesting to consider some comparisons between the Georgia Tech of today and that of 1990-91. During the 10-year period, undergraduate enrollments on campus have increased 16% to 10,750; graduate enrollments are up 38% to 4,100. Degrees granted at all levels have increased, but the increase to 255 PhDs is a dramatic 65%. SAT scores of entering freshmen have increased from an average of 1240 to 1332, while the acceptance rate has decreased to 54% and the retention rate increased to 90%. Perhaps one factor that has most changed the character of our campus is that the number of students living on campus has increased 183% to 8,500. Endowments for scholarships are up 384% to $92 million. On the faculty front, the number of endowed chairs and fellowships is up 353% to 68, and those elected to membership in one of the national academies is up 127% to 25. In research, annual expenditures have increased 82% to $322 million, and there are now 11 nationally supported centers on campus. The Institute Operating Budget has increased from around $316 million to around $676 million, with less than 30% coming from state appropriations. Since the last newsletter, there have been important administrative changes at Georgia Tech. Dr. Michael Thomas stepped out of the position of Provost. Dr. Jean-Lou Chameau, who was Dean of Engineering, became the Georgia Tech Provost
on June 1. Dr. J. Narl Davidson, formerly Associate Dean of the College, is now Interim Dean of Engineering. We are fortunate to have the institutional leadership in the hands of these individuals and President G. Wayne Clough. We are proud to welcome our newest faculty colleague, Professor William J. Koros, who now holds the Roberto C. Goizueta Chair. The endowment for that chair comes from the Roberto C. Goizueta Foundation and the Georgia Research Alliance. A full-length article showcasing his background and research interests will appear in the next issue of ChE News. Various aspects of facilities development have also been very much on our minds. We are watching intently as the Ford Motor Co. Environmental Science and Technology (ES&T) Building emerges from the red clay next to the Institute of Bioengineering and Biosciences. Our planning relative to the move of administrative and faculty offices, undergraduate laboratories and classrooms, and part of our research activities is intense, with much of the discussion centering on which parts of our research program will remain temporarily in the Bunger-Henry building. The second news item relative to facilities is that planning has begun for the third building in what is called the BEM (BioEnviro-Molecular) Complex. It is my goal to have that building, the so-called M Building, house those elements of our program that do not move to the ES&T Building. Naturally, I will keep you posted on developments related to these buildings, and look forward to the day when I am able to show you around these wonderful facilities. We have been joined this fall by Jenny Daley as the new director of development for the School of Chemical Engineering. Jenny joins us after holding similar positions at Literacy Action, Inc. and the Carter Center. She replaces Kelsey Evans who left Georgia Tech when her husband Scott accepted a graduate appointment at the University of Texas. We will miss Kelsey and wish her well. The External Advisory Board did not meet in the Spring, but will gather in November. New members will include Dr. Mark Davis, Executive Officer for Chemical Engineering, and the Warren and Katharine Schlinger Professor of Chemical Engineering at the California Institute of Technology, and Dr. Sangtae Kim, Vice-President and Information Officer for the Lilly Research Labs in Indianapolis. Dr. Joseph A. Miller, formerly Senior Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Technology Officer for DuPont, has rotated off the Board, as has Dr. William J.
9
Koros, who, as described above, will be changing the nature of his connection with Georgia Tech. In the spring, our students organized and hosted the 13th Annual Graduate Student Symposium. This is a major undertaking by our graduate students, and I am very proud of their accomplishments. The students brought 32 corporate representatives to campus, and over 40 graduate students made presentations on their research (14 oral presentations and 29 posters). Industrial attendees named Kendra McCoy as the best speaker, and Shawn Davis was selected as having the best poster. If you have not had the opportunity to attend the symposium, I strongly urge you to do so as our students are already planning the 14th Symposium for April 2002. As you may have noted from our Strategic Plan, http://www.che.gatech.edu/information-plan.htm, we strive to produce the most capable chemical engineers in the world. As an element of that vision, we believe it is important to introduce students to the full range of opportunities offered by our discipline early in their time at Georgia Tech. To that end, we have initiated two new activities. The first is a set of colloquia for freshmen and undecided engineering students in which we intend to provide an overview of our discipline, our view of its future and career opportunities, and the opportunities provided by the School in preparing for that future. A second initiative began two years ago. In it, Chuck Eckert has taught and led the development of a freshman honors seminar. The course objective is for a senior professor in chemical engineering to have interactive discussions about our discipline as both a college major and as a lifelong profession. It includes coverage of simple material-and-energy-balance and design concepts, and has a technical focus on sustainable technology for chemical engineering. A variety of speakers come in to talk about special opportunities in engineering, especially those in frontier areas that range from biotechnology to microelectronics. There are also discussions of many other aspects of the profession, including engineering judgment, communications skills, engineering ethics, leadership, and teamwork. We will continue to be guided by our Strategic Plan, and encourage you to view it and related material on our web site. As in the past, I urge you to let me know if you have questions or comments on any aspect of the School’s programs‌Let us hear from you!
Undergraduates in the Research Lab Undergraduate students have noticed the rapidly increasing pace of research activity on campus and are taking to the labs. During any semester, close to 50 students perform independent research in Chemical Engineering laboratories by joining with faculty and graduate students and becoming members of their research team. About a quarter of all Chemical Engineering undergraduates spend at least one semester doing research before they graduate.
Undergraduate researchers are supported by a variety of mechanisms provided by the School of Chemical Engineering, campus-wide programs and individual research grants. President Clough recently started a $250,000 campus-wide initiative to promote undergraduate research by providing funds to support laboratory expenses. Other more focused programs on campus, such as the Undergraduate Research Scholarships, Howard Hughes Medical Institute Internships, and Summer Undergraduate Research in Engineering/Science Program, provide undergraduate research opportunities coupled with lectures, plant trips, communications training, and other activities.
Students typically work about ten hours per week during the semester and as many as 40+ hours per week during the summer. The menu of research topics available to undergraduate researchers is as broad as the field of Chemical Engineering has become, ranging from traditional areas of separations, “There is something truly amazing about reaction engineering and fluid mechanics to newer areas, such as conducting research. When you consider that bioengineering, microelectronics and polymers.
In the School of Chemical Engineering, undergraduate research is promoted and supported through the Dow Minority Research Program, ExxonMobil Mentoring Program, National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates, and individual research grants. In you are performing experiments and doing things addition, the School has an active initiaUndergraduate students are tive to fund a newly named undergraduate attracted to the research lab for a that no one on this planet has ever done or seen research program. All of these programs number of different reasons. “My provide student stipends as well as funds original intentions were to help my for laboratory supplies. Their common before, there’s something special about that.” chances of getting into graduate goal is to serve as an introduction and school and earn some extra transition into research in industry or money,” says Jim Pfaendtner, a through graduate education. Chemical Engineering senior who has worked in Prof. John Muzzy’s lab for the past two years. “As time progressed, my work with Dr. “I have expanded my possibilities for the future, increased my value Muzzy became more challenging and I began to enjoy it very much.” as a future employee, and made fantastic contacts,” says Chemical Engineering senior Andrew McNamara. After working under the Many students appreciate the opportunity to apply their classroom guidance of graduate student Hector Guzman and Prof. Mark Prauslearning to generate new knowledge, rather than re-create known nitz for the past year, “Mac” is spending his summer performing solutions to homework problems. Students interested in graduate research at Unilever, Inc. in New Jersey. “There is something truly school get a taste for what it takes to work on an M.S. or Ph.D. thesis. amazing about conducting research. When you consider that you are Some students earn course credit, which can count as a Chemical performing experiments and doing things that no one on this planet Engineering elective, but most students are paid, which provides a has ever done or seen before, there’s something special about that.” relatively small stipend of spending money.
Students News Jerry W. Jenkins was selected to receive an outstanding Ph.D. Thesis Award from the Georgia Tech Chapter of Sigma Xi. Jerry’s thesis was “Novel Efficient Simulation Techniques for Use in Molecular Modeling.” His advisor was Pete Ludovice. Hollie Reed was selected to receive a 2001-2002 Intel Foundation Graduate Fellowship Award. Hollie was selected for this great honor by the Institute upon the recommendation of Intel’s most honored technical experts, the Intel Fellows.
The 13th Annual Graduate Student Symposium was held this spring with 32 corporate representatives in attendance. More than 40 graduate students made presentations on their research. Kendra McCoy was named by industrial attendees as the best speaker, and Shawn Davis was chosen as having the best poster. ChE Freshman Class Profile–Fall 2001 • Average High School GPA: 3.76/4.00 • Average SAT: 1334
Jessica Ryan, who conducts undergraduate research with Dr. Charles Eckert’s group, won 2nd prize for the talk she gave at the Southeast Regional Student Chapter AIChE meeting.
• 41% are from out-of-state There are 101 new freshmen and 30 new transfer students in the School.
10
Alumni News 1971
David W Moore, BChE ‘71/MChE ‘72 has chosen to retire after 28 years with ARCO. He was Director of International Health/Safety/ Environmental Risk Management in Plano, Texas and worked for several of ARCO’s key operations throughout his career. Instead of taking life easy as a retiree, he has chosen the route of an independent consultant. His current project is as an HSE and Quality Assurance Advisor for design of a world class LNG plant in Irian Jaya, Indonesia. He can be contacted at dmoore.che71@gtalumni.org
1973
David P. Burford has been selected for promotion to deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne), at Fort Bragg, N.C. Burford has served in the National Guard for 20 years and is also the manager of business development for Southern Co.
1979
Christopher Hobson was promoted to Vice President of Environmental Affairs at Georgia Power. He has been with Georgia Power since 1973, and has held numerous positions, including manager of the company’s environmental laboratory and compliance coordinator of agency affairs.
1980
Melba Mack Hardy serves as project director within the Manufacturing and Life Sciences strategic business unit for Fluor Daniel. She has helped to create Diversity in Project Management, a forum designed to provide management professionals with a way
to exchange current ideas and techniques in the hope of forming valuable networks. She and her family reside in Glendale, Ohio and she may be reached at melba.hardy@fluor.com
1989
1984
1991
Anthony Jackson recently joined NetShape Corporation as Vice President of Sales. NetShape is an automotive systems developer and injection molder and a new affiliate of Shape Corporation, the company that produces 60% of U.S. automotive bumpers. He can be reached at Anthony.Jackson@netshapecorp.com
1985
Thomas Rollbuhler has been promoted to technical engineering manager–North America for AKZO Nobel Technology Licensing in Marietta, Ga. He will oversee all large-scale chlorine dioxide plants in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. Rollbuhler and his wife, Kim Varndell, and their son Colton (age 8), live in Woodstock, Ga.
Lyle Henson recently purchased the Cardio Call Aerobic Fitness Franchise for children in South Carolina. In addition, Lyle works full-time as a water treatment consultant.
Gretchen Tannert Douglas and Ric Douglas announce the arrival of Kevin Matthew on June 7, 2001. He joins big brother Corey (age 2). The family live in Marietta, Ga.
1994
Laura Hodges Taylor and her husband William “Bill” Taylor, EE ‘93, announce the birth of Kathleen Elizabeth on August 4, 2000. Bill is a senior MEMS engineer for IntelliSense in Massachusetts.
1995
Steven Richter married Beth Brannon on March 24 in Savannah, Ga. They now reside in Columbus, Ohio.
1997
Rich Steele has been elected to an at-large seat on the American College Unions International Board of trustees for 2001-2002. Steele is currently the director of Georgia Tech’s Student Center and has been on staff since 1986.
Grace Yu and Scott Freeman, ME ‘98, were married on March 3, 2001, in Houston, Tex. Grace is a process engineer with Equistar Chemicals and also heads up the GT recruiting team for Lyondell Chemical Company/Equistar Chemical LP.
1988
1998
Greg Parker, ChE ‘88, Mgt ‘89, was recently promoted to U.S. segment leader of the DuPont KEVLAR Protective Apparel Business. He is responsible for all marketing and sales activities related to KEVLAR fiber sales in the U.S. Parker and his wife, Tracy Fatzinger, and their son William, have relocated to Richmond, Va.
Henry Hipps, MChE ‘98, was awarded a 2001-2002 Fulbright graduate fellowship. He will be studying in the MERCOSUR countries of Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. Since receiving his graduate degree from Georgia Tech, Henry has worked for IBM and has served on the Georgia Tech Alumni Association Minority Affairs Executive Board.
11
OBITUARIES 1932
Mr. Leonard H. Coleman of Atlanta, Ga. passed away on April 5, 2001.
1935
Mr. Julius A. Parker of Roswell, Ga. passed away on March 23, 2001. Mr. Parker retired from Indigo Corp.
1938
Mr. Edward C. Fiss of Charlotte, N.C. passed away this year. Mr. Fiss retired from Duke Energy Company.
1940
Mr. William S. Cox, III of Decatur, Ga. passed away on June 15, 2001. Mr. Cox was a retired executive of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and is survived by his loving wife, Peggy Cox, and the families of his three children. Mr. Cox was a special friend to the School of Chemical Engineering.
1943
Mr. R. D. Caldwell, Jr. of Aiken, S.C. passed away on January 28, 2001. Mr. Caldwell was a retired Executive with DuPont.
1952
Mr. Daniel G. Subtelny of Cincinnatti, Ohio passed away on March 13, 2000. Mr. Subtelny retired from Monsanto.
1965
Mr. James R. Tate of Saint Leonard, Md. passed away this year. He was Partner with Tate & Bywater.
We Welcome Your Questions, Comments or News: ChE Newsletter: Josie Giles (404) 385-2299 Email: josie.giles@che.gatech.edu ChE Alumni News: Jenny Daley (404) 894-0987 Email: jenny.daley@che.gatech.edu
School of Chemical Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0100 www.che.gatech.edu
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