Message From the Department Chair: October 2019 Newsletter
Dear alumni and friends,
With CHEE’s million-dollar research grants, funding to improve lab space, new faculty and inspired students – coupled with the college’s new dean and plans to expand the undergraduate design program – this semester is rolling along.
We look forward to riding the wave into Homecoming with you.
Join CHEE faculty, staff and students at the College of Engineering’s festivities, including the 56th Annual Engineers Breakfast and Homecoming tailgate, on Nov. 1 and 2.
Tickets for the UA vs. Oregon State game are available at arizonawildcats.com.
It’s Golden! Class of 1969 Reunites
Homecoming is one of the best times to catch up with classmates, connect with past professors and revel in Wildcat spirit. Paul Smith and Humberto Teran are taking it a step further as the masterminds behind CHEE’s Class of 1969 50th reunion.
“I wondered from time to time how classmates were doing, and 50 years later seems like a good time to find out,” said Teran.
Classmates will take a walk down memory lane, starting with a tour of the Harshbarger unit operations lab and lunch on Friday, Nov. 1, following the Engineers Breakfast.
Having a 50th reunion is such a great idea the department plans to make it an annual tradition. So, alumni from the Class of 1970, please let us know if you’d like to help plan your 50th reunion in 2020!
New Hires and Sad Goodbyes
New assistant professors Vicky Karanikola and Suchol Savagatrup and lecturers Byron Hempel and Songtao Xie have hit the ground running. Be sure to read about this dynamic quartet’s research interests and teaching perspectives.
Michelle Wik, CHEE’s undergraduate adviser, has moved on to attend graduate school after four years of service. We will miss her generous spirit, warm smile and tireless commitment to helping our students succeed.
Incoming adviser Lori Huggins, the powerhouse behind the College of Engineering’s Summer Engineering Academy, or SEA, is excited about interacting with students every day.
“I know that creating connections with students in this department will quickly become my favorite aspect of this position,” said Huggins, former SEA recruitment and outreach coordinator and art teacher at University High School in Tucson.
Two Faculty Members Land $1M Research Grants
Congratulations to Jim Farrell and Dominic Gervasio, the latest faculty members to join this year’s $1M club.
The Department of Energy is funding Farrell’s low-cost water treatment technology, which uses electrolytic coagulation and disinfection to reduce wastewater and increase water supplies for reuse. Gervasio’s work to protect solar energy pipelines from corrosion is also being funded by the DOE.
UA Contributes $600K for Undergraduate Labs
Thanks to the UA Provost Investment Fund, CHEE’s undergraduate labs in the Harshbarger Building will receive a much-needed overhaul over the next three years.
Plans are underway to make the labs ADA compliant, install new equipment, create new experiments and build a hydraulics facility.
“We now have an incredible opportunity to grow the labs from a program point of view instead of a reactionary plug-a-hole-in-the-leaking-dyke-and-wait-for-the-next-one approach,” said Greg Ogden, research professor and project lead.
Students Network at AICHE
Fifteen juniors and seniors will soon be heading off to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers meeting in November. This is the first time since 2013 CHEE students have attended the annual conference, held this year in in Orlando, Florida.
“I want this to become an annual experience, helping students who are active in AIChE prepare for graduate school or their first job in industry and learn about what other clubs are doing for their communities,” said Dylan Koch, AIChE UA chapter president.
Thank You
A big thank you to all the alumni, students, faculty and staff who are making this a semester to remember. I look forward to seeing you at Homecoming!
Sincerely,
Anthony Muscat
Professor and Department Chair
Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering
The University of Arizona
muscat@email.arizona.edu