Institute News

The Celebration Begins: IYC 2011 Causes Reactions in Paris, Philadelphia

he International Year of Chemistry heritage. For example, Zhigang Shuai, the discussion of the sense and sensibil- T(IYC 2011) is underway, following professor of physical chemistry at ity of smell. its official launch at two world-class Tsinghua Univ., Beijing, spoke about • On Feb. 3, professor and histori- events. the history of chemistry in China up cal recreator James Armstead came to The celebration began Jan. 27–28, to the 17th century. Thomas Tritton, Philadelphia in the character of Percy 2011, at the world headquarters of the president and CEO of CHF, proposed a Julian, the 20th century chemist who United Nations Educational, Scientific, top ten list of the “rock stars of chem- was the subject of the PBS documen- and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) istry” — Marie Curie, John Dalton, tary titled Forgotten Genius. Armstead in Paris, then moved to the U.S. for a Emil Fischer, Antoine Lavoisier, Justus spoke to students at Philadelphia’s week-long North American kick-off Liebig, Dmitri Mendeleev, Linus Paul- African-American Museum and at The at the Chemical Heritage Foundation ing, Joseph Priestley, Friedrich Wöhler, College of Physicians. (CHF) in Philadelphia, PA. AIChE and Robert B. Woodward. • On Feb. 4., “Elemental Matters,” collaborated with CHF, the American On Feb. 1, the CHF hosted more an exhibit of seven contemporary art- Chemical Society (ACS), the American than 200 visitors, including members ists responding to the periodic table of Chemistry Council (ACC), and other of AIChE’s Board of Directors, AIChE elements, opened at the CHF’s Hach organizations on the U.S. launch. staff, and volunteer-leaders, at the Gallery. More than 250 visitors met During the Paris festivities, opening-day festivities. At the intro- the artists, whose work will remain on attendees gathered at the Sorbonne to ductory session, entitled “Global Chal- display through Dec. 2011. honor Marie Curie — the first woman lenges/Chemistry Solutions,” a panel • On Feb. 5, more than 3,000 to receive a Nobel Prize, and one of of leaders from industry and academia, visitors to the Franklin Institute, the scientists best known to laypeople moderated by Daniel Nocera, profes- Philadelphia’s largest science museum, around the world (see p. 72) — with sor of chemistry at the Massachusetts received a hands-on tour of chemistry discussions of her life and the chal- Institute of Technology, discussed how experiments through the ages. lenges she overcame on her path to the chemical enterprise could solve Separate from these activities, CHF immortality. Speakers included Helene the problems that face the world in the made chemistry part of Valentine’s Langevin-Joliot, Curie’s granddaughter, 21st century: energy, water, food, and Day by hosting “Science on Tap” at who spoke about Curie and women’s human health. (The two-hour session Philadelphia’s National Mechanics bar contributions to chemistry. is available online by clicking the IYC and restaurant on Feb. 14, featuring In Paris, AIChE Secretary Kim- 2011 banner at www.chemheritage. Sam Kean, author of The Disappearing berly Ogden and Treasurer Andre org.) The subsequent days featured Spoon and Other True Tales of Mad- Da Costa joined scientists, engineers, events aimed at the general public. ness, Love and the History of the World industry leaders, Nobel laureates, and • On Feb. 2, the CHF collaborated from the Periodic Table of Elements. government officials for seminars, an with Headhouse Books on a discussion CHF has also launched “It’s Elemen- exhibition, and other social and cultural of The Emperor of Scent by Chandler tal,” a national high-school video com- events celebrating the role of chemistry Burr. Chemist Joseph Rucker of Phila- Article continues on page 63 in addressing societal challenges. Some delphia’s Integral of the talks also explored chemistry’s Molecular, Inc., led

u A distinguished panel from industry and academia convened in Philadelphia, PA, on Feb. 1, to launch the U.S. IYC celebration with a discussion of “Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions.” Seated from left: Joshua S. Boger, former Chair and CEO, Vertex Pharmaceuticals; Rita Colwell, Professor, Johns Hopkins Univ. and former Director, National Science Foundation. Standing from left: Andrew N. Liveris, Chair and CEO, Dow Chemical; Thomas R. Tritton, President and CEO, Chemical Heritage Foundation; Janet Hering, Director, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology; Daniel G. Nocera, Professor of Energy and Professor of Chemistry, MIT; Ellen Kullman, Chair and CEO, DuPont. Photo by: Conrad Erb.

Former Director Caselli Leaves Legacy with Foundation Bequest he AIChE Foundation recognizes served on the Institute’s Board of • Best in Class — a project to Tthe generosity and foresight of Directors from 1975 to 1977. He update the undergraduate curriculum people who have arranged for long- was also instrumental in establishing and promote lifelong learning term financial support of the Institute AIChE’s first international local section • Expertise Anytime, Anywhere — by inducting these donors into the — Netherlands/Belgium — in 1975. a think-tank for developing innova- Foundation’s Legacy Society. The Casellis’ donation will sup- tive products and services using web One of the latest Legacy Society port the AIChE Foundation’s “Where technologies. contributions is a bequest made in Need is Greatest Annual Fund,” which Donations of any amount can be memory of Albert V. Caselli, who provides funding for high-priority made to the AIChE Foundation to was a longtime member and leader initiatives such as continuing educa- support the projects and activities that of AIChE. The gift of $50,000 was tion, scholarships, K-12 outreach, and further the Institute’s mission and made in honor of Caselli’s dedication public and government education. strengthen its role as global leader of to AIChE, and was announced in the Current programs include: the chemical engineering profession. will of his wife Elizabeth, who passed • Opening Doors — an outreach Information about the Foundation and away in July 2010. Albert Caselli died effort that aims to integrate young its activities is available at www.aiche. in 1997. chemical engineers into the leadership org/foundation. Albert Caselli spent his 45-year of the profession and the Institute The AIChE Legacy Society was chemical engineering career at Shell • Grand Challenges and Oppor- established in 2007 to honor those who Oil in the U.S. and overseas, working tunities — a public and government have included AIChE in their long- in petrochemicals, process develop- education initiative on critical issues term plans through a bequest provi- ment, process design and engineering, pertaining to water and energy sion, life-income gift, or other deferred and technical economics. A Fellow • The World of Chemical Engineer- giving arrangement. To learn more of AIChE, he was active in the South ing — programs that expand AIChE’s about the Legacy Society, visit www. Texas (Houston) Local Section, and global reach legacy.vg/aiche/giving/2.html.

Marquardt Elected Chair of Germany’s Council of Science and Humanities

olfgang Marquardt, a chemi- Univ. of Stuttgart, where he earned an objective Wcal engineer and Chair of his PhD in chemical engineering in to “represent Process Systems Engineering at 1988. He was also a postdoctoral engineering RWTH Aachen Univ., Aachen, fellow at the Univ. of Wisconson- in its full Germany, has been elected chair of Madison, where he was later a breadth.” the German Council of Science and visiting professor. Since 1992, he has As chair of Humanities (The Wissenschaftsrat). been the Chair of Process Systems the Council, As head of the Council, Marquardt Engineering at RWTH Aachen Univ., he says that will advise German Chancellor where his research is focused on a particular Angela Merkel and all levels of the the development and application of area of focus federal and state governments on model-based methods in process will be Gernany’s “integration into questions relating to science and systems engineering. the European Research Area.” research in Germany. The Council Marquardt is editor-in-chief of Among many honors, in 2001, also accredits university curri- the Journal of Process Control, and Marquardt was awarded the Leib- cula and makes recommendations a member of the strategy boards of niz prize by the German Research pertaining to the competitiveness of RWTH Aachen Univ. and its Uni- Foundation, the most prestigious German research and science. versity Hospital. He has also acted research prize in Germany. In 2008, A member of AIChE, Marquardt as director of RWTH’s Center for at AIChE’s Annual Meeting in is only the third engineer to lead the Computational Engineering Science. Philadelphia, PA, he delivered the Council of Science and Humanities. He joined Germany’s Science Danckwerts Lecture, an honor jointly Marquardt began his career at the Council as a member in 2010, with sponsored by AIChE and IChemE.

62 www.aiche.org/cep March 2011 CEP Copyright © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) IYC 2011 (cont’d) Calendar petition that invites students to submit videos inspired by a single element for an interactive Conferences periodic table. Nearly 700 student teams submit- ted videos, displayed at www.chemheritage.org/ For information and registration details, visit elementalvideos. www.aiche.org/conferences or call Customer Service at AIChE’s Andre Da Costa, who attended 1-800-242-4363 or 1-203-702-7660 (outside the U.S.) both the Paris and Philadelphia celebrations, March 2011 AIChE Spring Meeting and notes that speakers at both events identified 13–17, 2011 7th Global Congress on Process Safety chemistry as the science that most contributes Hyatt Regency Chicago • Chicago, IL to human comfort. “With world population MaRCH Sustainable Packaging Symposium 2011 projected to reach 9 billion by 2050, chemistry 16–18, 2011 Hyatt Regency Chicago • Chicago, IL will play a pivotal role in understanding and preserving our world,” says Da Costa. “It is May Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2011 imperative that we raise public awareness about 2–5, 2011 Reliant Park • Houston, TX the role of chemistry and spark the interest and JUNE AIChE-DECHEMA Global Conference on engagement of the young generation, beginning 5–8, 2011 Sustainability in the Process Industries (ESPI) in elementary school.” Hong Kong Univ. of Science and Technology • Da Costa noted that the IYC 2011 celebra- Hong Kong, SAR, China tion will continue throughout the year — includ- September 56th Annual Safety in Ammonia Plants and ing IYC-related events at AIChE’s Spring and 11–15, 2011 Related Facilities Symposium Annual Meetings (in Chicago, IL, and Minne- Sheraton Montreal Hotel • Montreal, QC apolis, MN, respectively) — and he encourages AIChE members to join the IYC Network and to October 2011 AIChE Annual Meeting participate in planned events. 16–21, 2011 Minneapolis Convention Center • Minneapolis, MN To learn more about the full slate of IYC activities, visit www.chemistry2011.org. Scheduled Webinars Reported by Neil Gussman, Chemical Register and view live and archived webinars at Heritage Foundation, and Andre Da Costa, http://www.aiche.org/webinars/ AIChE Treasurer, Corning, Inc. March 2, 2011 Applying Lean Principles to Manufacturing and In Memoriam 2:00–3:00 PM ET Design in Process Industries Presented by Adnan Siddiqui Charles V. Ash, 62, Bakersfield, CA March 9, 2011 AIChE’s Leadership Webinars: Chemical Laszlo Bakonyvari, 77, San Rafael, CA 2:00–3:00 PM ET Engineering Essentials from Academic Authors — Charles P. Bopp, 85, Long Beach, CA Session Five: Chemical Reaction Engineering Winthrop D. Comley, 95, Millis, MA Part One: Isothermal Design and Analysis Robert H. Fariss, 82, Point Townsend, WA Presented by Dr. H. Scott Fogler Rudolph C. Frey, 85, Houston, TX March 10, 2011 Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) Webinar: Larry F. Grimm, 64, Richardson, TX 4:00–5:00 PM ET Cybernetic Approach to Metabolic Modeling Thomas L. Grisham, 65, Tyler, TX Presented by Dr. Doraiswami Ramkrishna (Free for SBE Members) Ervin C. Harney, 90, Diamond Bar, CA March 23, 2011 Industrial Energy Management in the 21st Century Robert R. Imsande, 89, Escondido, CA 2:00–3:00 PM ET Presented by Alan Rossiter Perry D. Maddux, 52, Hixson, TN Tapping into the Chemisty of Beer and Brewing Norman Price, 87, Perkasie, PA April 6, 2011 2:00–3:00 PM ET Presented by Dr. Charles Bamford Joe M. Smith, 94, Davis, CA* Frank P. Williamson, 82, Montgomery, TX April 13, 2011 Introduction to Fluidized Bed Technology 2:00–3:00 PM ET Presented by Dr. Karl V. Jacob and Dr. Ray Cocco * AIChE Fellow