Purdue Notebook

November 18, 2005

Faculty and staff honors

– A Purdue-developed method for producing hydrogen for fuel cells to run portable electronics has been chosen as one of the technologies of the year by IndustryWeek magazine. The research will be featured in the magazine's December technology issue and can be found online. The research has been led by Arvind Varma, the R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, research scientist Evgeny Shafirovich and postdoctoral research associate Victor Diakov. Their technique represents a potential new way of producing hydrogen for fuel cells to automatically recharge batteries in portable electronics, such as notebook computers, and eliminate the need to use a wall outlet. The researchers developed the new method earlier this year and envision a future system in which pellets of hydrogen-releasing material would be contained in disposable credit card-size cartridges for use in devices such as cell phones, personal digital assistants, notebook computers, digital cameras, handheld medical diagnostic devices and defibrillators. A news release and photo about the research are available online.

– Rakesh Agrawal, the Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, has been named director of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. The organization, which is based in New York City, was founded in 1908 and has 40,000 members. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Agrawal served on the National Research Council panel that issued a report called "The Hydrogen Economy: Opportunities, Costs, Barriers and R&D Needs." He is currently a member of the National Research Council panel on fuel cell research. He holds 116 U.S. patents and more than 500 non-U.S. patents. Agrawal earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur, India, his master's degree in chemical engineering at the University of Delaware and his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

– James W. Barany, a professor of industrial engineering, received a Distinguished Hoosier award from the state of Indiana. The award was presented by Rep. Sheila Klinker in recognition of his 47 years of teaching for the Purdue University School of Industrial Engineering. He came to Purdue in 1956 and served as associate head for academic affairs for 35 years. Barany earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Notre Dame, and his master's and doctorate degrees in industrial engineering from Purdue.

– Michael Harris, an associate professor in the School of Chemical Engineering, received the 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Grimes Award for Excellence in Chemical Engineering on Nov. 2 during the organization's annual meeting. The award is presented by the organization's Minority Affairs Committee and recognizes a chemical engineer's outstanding achievement as a distinguished role model for minorities. Harris earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering at Mississippi State University, and his master's and doctorate degrees at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville.

– Rakesh Agrawal, the Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, on Nov. 2 presented "Energy Supply Challenges and Opportunities" at the 57th American Institute of Chemical Engineers annual meeting. His current research interest is in energy production issues, especially from renewable resources such as solar energy. Prior to joining Purdue, he worked for 24 years at Air Products and Chemicals Inc., in Allentown, Pa., the largest hydrogen supplier in the world. Previously, he has focused on basic and applied research in gas separations, process development, gas liquefication processes, cryogenics and thermodynamics.

Alumni honors

– Emerson Moser, an attorney with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in Cincinnati, is one of 29 attorneys at the firm to be selected as an Ohio Super Lawyer Rising Star by Law & Politics media. Moser graduated from Purdue in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in economics and a bachelor's degree in political science. Dinsmore & Shohl has more than 250 attorneys in offices in Cincinnati, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio; Lexington and Louisville, Ky.; Pittsburgh; and Charleston, W.Va.

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