National Academy of Engineering Members
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Illinois is proud of the many alumni and department faculty who have been elected to the Chemical Engineering or Bioengineering Sections of the National Academy of Engineering. Election to the academy is one of the highest professional honors accorded an engineer. Members have distinguished themselves in business and academic management, in technical positions, as university faculty, and as leaders in government and private engineering organizations.
Faculty Member Recipients
Richard C. Alkire
Faculty member, 1969-2008
For imaginative research on engineering aspects of electrodeposition and corrosion and for leadership in electrochemical engineering.
Thomas Baron*
Ph.D. 1948 — Johnstone; faculty member 1948-51
Contributions to engineering theory and practice in the areas of organic chemical reactions, combustion, and separations processes.
Harry G. Drickamer*
Faculty member, 1946-2002
Contributions in the development of high-pressure techniques, and in the elucidation of new properties of solids, and of diffusion in liquids.
Charles A. Eckert
Faculty member, 1965-89
Outstanding contributions leading to the selection of liquid metals and supercritical fluids as solvents in chemical reactors, and to improved understanding of the extreme conditions in such reactors.
William S. Hammack
M.S. 1986; Ph.D. 1988; faculty Member, 1997-present
For innovations in multidisciplinary engineering education, outreach, and service to the profession through the development and communication of internet-delivered content.
Thomas J. Hanratty*
Faculty member, 1953-97
Contributions in the analysis and design of turbulent, gas-liquid, and solid-liquid flow systems.
John L. Hudson*
B.S. 1959; faculty member, 1963-1974
For advances in the understanding and engineering of complex dynamic chemical-reaction systems.
Sangtae Kim
Faculty member, 2000-04
For contributions to microhydrodynamics, protein dynamics, and drug discovery through the application of high-performance computing.
Walter G. May*
Faculty member, 1983-90
Contributions to engineering theory and practice in the fields of fluidization, high-energy propellants, LNG technology, and centrifugal isotope separation.
Max S. Peters*
Faculty member, 1951-62
Contributions to the study of kinetics and mechanisms of chemical reactions.
John A. Quinn*
B.S. 1954; faculty member, 1958-70
Pioneering research in mass transfer, particularly phenomena associated with transport through interfaces and membranes.
Nikolaos Sahinidis
Faculty member, 1991-2007
For contributions to global optimization and the development of widely used software for optimization and machine learning.
William R. Schowalter
Faculty member, 1989-2005
Research, educational, and industrial contributions to non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, and promotion of fluid mechanics as a discipline transcending specific engineering fields.
Michael Strano
Faculty member, 2003-2007
For contributions to nanotechnology, including fluorescent sensors for human health and solar and thermal energy devices.
James W. Westwater*
Faculty member, 1948-2006
Contributions to boiling heat transfer by high-speed photography at great magnification.
Karl Dane Wittrup
Faculty member, 1989-1999
For developments in protein engineering, protein expression, and quantitative pharmacology.
Charles F. (Chip) Zukoski
Faculty member, 1985-2012
For research on the manipulation of particle interactions to alter their suspension properties, and for leadership in education.
Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Donald W. Bahr
B.S. 1949
For creative and pioneering effort in high-performance aircraft engine combustion systems design and the reduction of their pollutant emissions.
Arnold O. Beckman*
B.S. 1921; M.S. 1923
Invention and development of precision instruments.
R. Byron Bird
B.S. 1947
Contributions to fundamental chemical engineering in the fields of transport phenomena and rheology.
Stephen W. Drew
B.S. 1976; M.S. 1978
For the development, design, and commercialization of processes for the production of recombinant vaccines and pharmaceutical chemicals.
Edwin R. Gilliland*
B.S. 1930
Eminent chemical engineer.
Donald L. Johnson
B.S. 1962
For development and commercialization of advanced processing systems for the conversion of renewable biomass to commodity and specialty chemicals.
Douglas A. Lauffenburger
B.S. 1975
For contributions in molecular and cellular engineering and for interfacing modern biology with engineering principles.
Robert Madix
B.S. 1961
For the development of quantitative models for predicting catalytic selectivity through the fundamental understanding of reaction mechanism and kinetics.
Keith W. McHenry Jr.*
B.S. 1951
Development of new catalytic processes toward utilization of heavy, sulfur-containing petroleum feedstocks, and service to engineering education.
Roger A. Schmitz*
B.S. 1959
For leadership in chemical reaction engineering, particularly in the experimental and theoretical understanding of stability and oscillation in chemical reactors, and in engineering education in general.
Ernest W. Thiele*
B.S. 1919
Founding of chemical engineering science through the McCabe-Thiele diagram and the Thiele Catalyst effectiveness factor.
Darsh T. Wasan
B.S. 1960 — Hanratty
For pioneering research, inspirational teaching, and the development of novel technology in colloidal processing and interfacial rheology.
Doctoral Degree Recipients
Leo Chiang
Ph.D. 2001 - Braatz
For contributions to process data analytics and its applications to process monitoring and for continuous improvement in the chemical industry.
Montgomery M. Alger
Ph.D. 1982 — Eckert
For the innovative fusion of business and process engineering models to advance engineering applications and analysis.
John L. Anderson
Ph.D. 1971 — Quinn/Westwater
For combining novel engineering concepts with combustion science to reduce atmospheric pollution and improve fuel efficiency in industrial combustion processes.
Albert L. Babb*
Ph.D. 1951 — Drickamer
Engineering contributions to the development of artificial kidney systems and medical applications of nuclear energy.
William J. Bailey*
Ph.D. 1946 — Marvel
For major contributions to the field of engineered polymers including development of strain free adhesives, biodegradable polymers and thermally stable ladder polymers.
William Banholzer
Ph.D. 1983 — Masel
For breakthroughs in stealth materials and contributions to the isotope effect in solid-state physics, and for business leadership.
David V. Boger
Ph.D. 1965
For discoveries and fundamental research on elastic and particulate fluids and their application to waste minimization in the minerals industry.
Joan F. Brennecke
Ph.D. 1989 — Eckert
For innovation in the use of ionic liquids and supercritical fluids for environmentally benign chemical processing.
Hariklia Deligianni
Ph.D. 1988 — Alkire
For electrochemical processes used by major microelectronic chip producers worldwide.
Curtis W. Frank
Ph.D. 1972 — Drickamer
For elucidation of molecular organization in polymers and other soft materials.
Sheldon K. Friedlander*
Ph.D. 1954 — Johnstone
Contributions to the understanding of the origin and control of pollution by particulate matter.
Shun Chong Fung*
Ph.D. 1969 — Drickamer
For the investigation of factors underlying the deactivation and reactivation of catalysts, and for application of the findings in commercial practice.
Win-Sow (Winston) Ho
Ph.D. 1971 — Quinn
For the invention and commercialization of novel separation technologies and the development of new theoretical models for membrane separations.
George M. (Bud) Homsy
Ph.D. 1969 — Hudson
For innovative experimental and theoretical studies of multiphase and interfacial flow phenomena and for the development of educational materials in fluid mechanics.
David W. McCall*
Ph.D. 1953 — Gutowsky
For leadership in the engineering of polymers for high performance and reliability in communications and electronics
Robert M. Nowak
Ph.D. 1956 — Marvel
For contributions and leadership in the development of new polymer synthesis and processing technologies.
Robert L. Pigford*
Ph.D. 1942 — Johnstone
Contributions to the thermodynamics and kinetic bases for the theory, understanding, and design of industrial phase-exchange units such as distillation columns, gas absorbers, and solvent extractors.
Walter L. Robb*
Ph.D. 1951 — Drickamer
Applications of high technology to the health and medical needs of the world community.
George A. Samara*
Ph.D. 1962 — Drickamer
For contributions to the understanding of dielectric, ferroelectric, and ferromagnetic materials applications.
John H. Sinfelt*
Ph.D. 1954 — Drickamer
Contributions in catalysis by metals and bifunctional catalysis, and especially for the concept of ‘polymetallic cluster’ catalysts.
L. Jack Thomas*
Ph.D. 1960 — Westwater
For imaginative and productive leadership in the management of science and engineering leading to the development of innovative products for the consumer and commercial-industrial marketplaces.
Klaus D. Timmerhaus*
Ph.D. 1952 — Drickamer
Contributions in research in cryogenic engineering and national leadership in support and development of chemistry and energetics research.
William J. Ward
Ph.D. 1965 — Quinn
For contributions in membrane science and technology and for processes for the production of silicone polymers.
John F. (Jack) Welch Jr.*
Ph.D. 1961 — Westwater
Leadership in developing engineered plastics and for increasing national recognition of the importance of technology and innovation.
Sheldon M. Wiederhorn
Ph.D. 1960 — Drickamer
For outstanding advancements in the development and application of test methods and basic understanding of the mechanical properties of ceramics.
Asterisk(*) indicates that the individual is deceased.