Pictorial History of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, 1911 - 2011

Phillip C. Wankat, Cristina Farmus

Description

This coffee-table book uses color photographs and captions to tell the story of the first one hundred years of the Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering. Formed four years after a chemical engineering curriculum was established at the University, the School grew rapidly in size and reputation. It was a leader in encouraging women and minority students to become engineers, and it produced many substantial scientific contributions. The School continues to provide expertise and solutions to the "grand challenge" problems that the world faces today, whether in energy, nanotechnology, biotechnology, health care, or advanced materials. Among its thirty faculty members, five are members of the National Academy of Engineering.
Acknowledgements and Sponsors

Centennial Planning Committee

Introduction

Chapter 1. The Founding of ChE and the Peffer Years

Chapter 2. The Bray and Shreve Years

Chapter 3. ChE in Transition

Chapter 4. Rebirth as a Modern Program

Chapter 5. Building for the Future and the Current State of ChE

Chapter 6. Student Awards

Chapter 7. Alumni Awards

Chapter 8. Faculty and Staff

About the Authors

Sujets

• Loisirs
• Collections photographiques
• Biochemical
• Chemical
• Sciences et techniques
• Technology
• Engineering

Informations

• Publié par: Purdue University Press
• Date de parution: 15 juillet 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781557539151
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 22 Mo

Extrait

A Pictorial History of the
1 9 1 1ScHool of cHemic Al engineering At
2 0 1 1
Purdue univer Sity
Phillip C. Wankat and Cristina D. Farmus© 2011 Purdue University
Cataloging in Publication Data available
All images are copyright of and used
with permission of Purdue University.
Any duplication without permission
is forbidden.
ISBN | 978-1-55753-621-1 1 9 1 1
A Pictorial History of the ScHool of cHemic Al engineering At Purdue univer Sity
2 0 1 1
t able of contents
Acknowledgements and Sponsors 4
Centennial Planning Committee 5
Introduction 6
Chapter 1 |Te Founding of ChE and the Pefer Years 8
Chapter 2 |Te Bray and Shreve Years 20
Chapter 3 |ChE in Transition 34 Heads: Comings and Golding
Chapter 4 |Rebirth as a Modern Program 48
Heads: Greenkorn, Koppel, and Andres
Chapter 5 | Building for the Future and the Current State of ChE 66
Heads: Reklaitis and Varma
Chapter 6 | Student Awards 106
Chapter 7 | Alumni Awards 112
Chapter 8 | Faculty and Staf 122
About the Authors 128Acknowledgements
Te School of Chemical Engineering GreenField
has been blessed with generous and chemical, inc. T constant support from its alumni and
partner companies. On the occasion
of its Centennial, alumni stepped
forward to fund the Centennial
Scholarship Endowment and numerous
corporations sponsored Centennial
activities, including the publication
of this book, A Pictorial History of
the School of Chemical Engineering
at Purdue University, 1911-2011. Te
faculty, staf and students are grateful
for their patronage and are inspired by
their commitment to our School
Te School conveys its deepest
appreciation to the Centennial Planning
Committee members, who took time
from their busy schedules to participate
in planning activities for about one and
a half years. Our Centennial celebration
and this book would not be complete
without their thoughtful input.
4centennial Planning committee
Alumni FAculty undergrAduAte Student S
Michael Graf (MS ’79, OChE Arvind Varma, R. Games Slayter Kyle Morton (BS 2010), ChE-SAC
2002, DEA 2008), President & CEO, Distinguished Professor; Head, School President 2009-10
American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. of Chemical Engineering
Ashley Vacchiano (BS 2011), ChE-SAC
Jefrey Hemmer (BS ’80, OChE 2001, Joseph F. Pekny, Professor President 2010-11
DEA 2009), Senior Vice President, Te
Gintaras (Rex) Reklaitis, Burton and Patrick Meyer, ChE-SAC President
Sinclair Group, Ltd.
Kathryn Gedge Distinguished Professor 2011-12
Surya Mallapragada (PhD ’96), Stanley
Phillip C. Wankat (BS ’66), Clifon L.
Professor and Chair, Department of grAduAte Student S
Lovell Distinguished Professor
Chemical and Biological Engineering, Julie Renner, Graduate Student
You-Yeon Won, Associate Professor Iowa State University Organization President, 2009-10
Rick Roberts (BS ’76, OChE 2004, Sara Yohe, Graduate Student St AFF
DEA 2007), Senior Vice President, Organization President, 2010-11
Cristina D. Farmus, Administrative
Manufacturing, Chevron Phillips
Director Laura Hirshfeld, Graduate Student
Chemical Company
Organization President, 2011-12
Julie A. Paolillo, Director of
Development
5 n 1902 Purdue University chemistry professor Percy Evans ofered a course on
Industrial Inorganic Chemistry Lectures that led to the 1907 establishment of a
chemical engineering curriculum within Chemistry. Te amazing popularity of this I
curriculum led to the formation of a new Purdue School of Chemical Engineering on
June 14, 1911. Tis book uses photographs to tell the story of the 100 years of Purdue’s
School of Chemical Engineering.
Chapter 1 starts with the 1887 series of lectures by George E. Davis in Manchester,
England, that crystallized the need for chemical engineers. We follow the path from
the frst curriculum in chemical engineering at MIT in 1888 to Percy Evans at Purdue
and the 1911 founding of the School under the direction of Professor Harry Pefer.
Pefer’s and the School’s trials and successes are followed until his death in 1934.
Chapter 2 picks up when John Bray, the second professor of chemical engineering at
Purdue, became the Head. During Bray’s tenure the School graduated its frst alumna,
graduated its frst PhDs, built its frst permanent home, and survived the war years.
Afer Bray stepped down because of failing health, R. Norris Shreve became the Head.
He advised the frst woman to receive an engineering PhD from Purdue.
Chapter 3 relates the story of the School’s transition years. In 1951 Edward
Comings became Head and tried to increase the research orientation of the School.
6 1 9 1 1
A Pictorial History of the ScHool of cHemic Al engineering At Purdue univer Sity
2 0 1 1
Unfortunately, this efort foundered because of turmoil caused by the engineering science revolution. During Comings’ tenure, the
frst African-American alumnus graduated. Comings lef in 1959 and Brage Golding was hired as head. Although the curriculum
was modernized, the graduate program and research declined.
Te rebirth of the School as a modern program is told in Chapter 4. Robert Greenkorn was hired as Head in 1967 and charged with
increasing the graduate program and research portfolio of the School. Tis task was successfully continued by Lowell Koppel and
then Ron Andres who stepped down in 1987. By the 1980s expansion of the research program, particularly experimental research,
was severely hampered by space constraints.
Chapter 5 tells of the removal of space constraints – twice – and the continued growth of the School. Rex Reklaitis became Head
in 1987 the year before Materials Engineering moved to the new MSEE Building. Afer building renovations, the space problem
was alleviated, but became limiting again by the end of the 1990s. Alumnus Robert and alumna Marilyn Forney stepped forward
to make the major gif necessary to start a capital fund drive for a new addition to the Chemical Engineering building. Forney Hall
was dedicated in 2004 shortly afer Arvind Varma became Head. During the Varma years, the old building was renovated and the
research programs and faculty recognition reached new heights, despite economic difculties that marked the Great Recession.
As a pictorial history, this book may not satisfy some readers’ desires for details. Readers wishing for more details including lists
of all graduates and all theses from the School are directed to Wankat and Peppas, 100 Years of Chemical Engineering at Purdue
University, 1911-2011, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2011, also published by the School of Chemical Engineering to
celebrate the 100th anniversary of the School and available free as pdf fles from the School’s web site at https://engineering.purdue.
edu/ChE. Both books can be ordered from Amazon.

7Chapter 1
1887
thrut he f ounding of che
1934and the Peffer years
y the 1880’s, intense competition in the manufacture of chemicals had made the
need for engineers with training in chemistry obvious to many observers. George
E. Davis in Manchester, England, crystallized the need for chemical engineers B
with a series of lectures in 1887. Te next year, the frst curriculum in chemical
engineering was established in the chemistry department at MIT by Professor Lewis
M. Norton. Four other schools rapidly followed Norton’s lead. In 1902, Percy Evans
at Purdue ofered a course on Industrial Inorganic Chemistry Lectures that led to
the 1907 establishment of a chemical engineering curriculum within Chemistry.
Continual growth in the student body led to the 1911 founding of the School of
Chemical Engineering at Purdue under the direction of Professor Harry Pefer.
Pefer’s and the School’s trials and successes are followed until his death in 1934.
81911 Education Hall, ChE Home
191123. Pefer had a small ofce and no lab.
Curriculum included chemistry, German,
shop & engineering, but no ChE courses.
91888 Professor Lewis Norton
developed frst curriculum called
1887 chemical engineering at MIT in
thru
1887 George E. Davis taught frst ChE lectures in Chemistry Department in 1888. 1934
Manchester, England in 1887. Published Handbook Penn, Tulane, Michigan and
Chemical Engineering in 1901. Tufs followed.
1907 Professor Percy Evans, Chemistry, taught Industrial Inorganic Chemistry at
Purdue in 1902 and founded Purdue ChE Curriculum, as part of Chemistry, 1907.
101911 Winthrop Stone, President of
1907 Dean William Goss supported founding Purdue, 1900-21, supported development
of ChE curriculum in Department of Chemistry at of ChE curriculum and founding of School
Purdue in 1907. of Chemical Engineering in 1911.
11