Chair's message
Dear Alumni, Colleagues, and Friends,
It gives me great pleasure to share several exciting developments about the department with you.
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Bin Wang as the Robert and Marcy Haber Professor in Energy Sustainability to our faculty. Bin brings expertise in computational modeling of nanoscale materials, with a focus on catalysis, optoelectronics, and energy storage systems such as batteries. Bin complements the department’s core strength in sustainable materials.
We are also delighted to welcome Assistant Teaching Professor AraOluwa (Ara) Adaramola. Ara has extensive experience in engineering education research, faculty development, and innovative curricular and instructional approaches. Ara’s expertise aligns with a departmental focal area on maintaining excellence in teaching.
I am pleased to share that Ayse Asatekin was promoted to the rank of professor last Fall and Nik Nair’s promotion, also to the rank of professor, was approved by the university trustees. His appointment will be effective September 1st. You can read more about other prestigious faculty accomplishments throughout this newsletter.
Last fall, we celebrated the legacy of Maria (Miretta) Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, who was the Robert and Marcy Haber Endowed Professor in Energy Sustainability at the time of her passing in 2019. The second symposium on single-site catalysts brought together prominent members of the catalysis community, including faculty members from Tufts and universities across the country. Many of the presenters shared work that was built on the foundations of Miretta’sgroundbreaking research. The Maria Flytzani-Stephanopoulos Award for Creativity in Catalysis was presented to Professor Paul Dauenhauer of the University of Minnesota. On behalf of the department, we would like to convey our appreciation to the many donors for their support in making this event and its future iterations possible.
This April, Professor and Vice Chancellor Rachel Segalman of the University of California – Santa Barbara delivered the biennial Jeanne and Martin Sussman Endowed Lecture. Professor M. Sussman was a ChBE faculty member for 37 years and a Professor Emeritus following his retirement. He was the department chair for ten years, during which the department’s size doubled, and the MS and PhD degrees were introduced. Additionally, he was a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and the American Institute of Chemists.
The department seeks every opportunity to recognize and support our outstanding students. Graduate students Bricker Lick (Panzer lab) and Ryan O’Hara (Asatekin lab) won the inaugural Professor Nakho Sung Graduate Student Travel Award this year. The award is made possible through the generous support of the Sung family, honoring the many contributions of Professor Sung to our department, the university, and the scientific community. We invite you to read more about these awards and other ChBE student highlights in this newsletter.
I am also pleased to announce a new experiential learning initiative for our undergraduate students, made possible through the much-appreciated support of our alumnus Arnold Greenbaum (E72). This initiative will provide students with opportunities to participate in summer research experiences in ChBE laboratories, allowing them to engage directly in cutting-edge research alongside faculty and graduate students. Looking ahead, we plan to expand the program to include support for industry internships, further strengthening the connection between classroom learning and professional practice.
Before concluding, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the ChBE faculty and staff for their dedication and outstanding work each day in support of our students’ education and success.
We are also deeply grateful for the continued engagement and support from our alumni and friends as we work together to shape the department's future.
With best regards,
Emmanuel Tzanakakis
Professor and Chair