Leading With More Than 100 Years of Achievements
Following is a timeline of some of the continuing changes in AIChE membership, professional activities and organizational practices during the Institute’s existence – with special recognition to the people whose efforts brought those changes to fruition.
1888
First chemical engineering program (named “Course X”) established within MIT Chemistry Department. Taught by chemistry professor Lewis M. Norton.
1893
First Chemical Engineering Department: University of Pennsylvania. Established by Edgar Fahs Smith, professor of chemistry and provost of the University.
1904
United Engineering Society [now United Engineering Foundation] created. Andrew Carnegie funded his vision of a "home" for all engineering disciplines. AIChE retroactively designated as a Founding Society; the others were AIME, ASCE, ASME, and IEEE.
1908
AIChE founded by William M. Booth, Arthur D. Little, Charles F. McKenna, Richard K. Mead, John C. Olsen, and William H. Walker. Chemical engineers differentiated from industrial chemists. Institute membership grows to 101 one year later (1909).
1915
First engineer to recognize the potential of unit operations to separate chemical engineering from other professions: Arthur D. Little.
1922
- Chemical engineering is the first profession to utilize accreditation to assure course consistency and quality; 14 schools accredited in 1925.
- First AIChE student chapter: University of Michigan. Established by Alfred H. White.
1925
First AIChE local professional section in continuous operation: Chicago, IL. Founder: Frederick Dunlap. (Detroit [1922] did not survive the Depression, but was re-established in 1945.)
1931
First female PhD in chemical engineering: Yun-Hao (Ruth) Feng, Ohio State University.
1932
Founding of Engineers Council for Professional Development (ECPD; now ABET). AIChE representatives in attendance: A. B. Newman, J. M. Weiss, H. C. Parmelee.
1936
First Institute Award established: William H. Walker Award for Excellence in Contributions to Chemical Engineering Literature. First recipient: Allan P. Colburn (who later became the namesake for another Institute Award).
1945
First female member of the Institute: Margaret Hutchinson Rousseau. She was also the first (and, to date, only) female recipient of the Institute’s Founders Award (1983).
1947
Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP) magazine created to provide news and technical information. First editor: Franklin J. Van Antwerpen.
1949
- AIChE membership opened to undergraduates.
- First Institute Lecture: “Heat Transfer,” presented by W. L. McAdams, MIT. Annual lecture series addresses topics of current interest.
1952
Membership reforms instituted: Academic membership with no industrial experience; Junior to Associate membership after 20 years. Proponents included veterans returning from World War II.
1954
First AIChE technical division chartered: Nuclear Engineering Division. Initially formed as a committee in the 1940s. Founders included Miles C. Leverett and John R. Hoffman.
1955
AIChE’s first ‘theoretical’ chemical engineering publication, AIChE Journal, begins. Founding editor: Harding Bliss.
1963
AIChE Continuing Education Program chartered. Driven by W. Robert Marshall.
1970
Environmental Division formed to increase focus on improving air and water qualities and reducing solid wastes. Founders included Gary Bennett, Lawrence K. Cecil, Phillip Witt.
1972
- First African-American female in U.S. to earn a PhD in chemical engineering: Lilia A. Abron, University of Iowa.
- AIChE becomes advocate regarding federal and state policies; Government Programs Steering Committee established (predecessor of Government Relations Committee).
- Career Guidance for the Disadvantaged (women and minorities) Subcommittee established. Organizers: Henry T. Brown, Gerry Lessells.
1973
First Service to Society Award recipient: Lawrence K. Cecil.
1976
Establishment of longest-running technology alliance: Design Institute for Emergency Relief Systems (DIERS). Established by Walter B. Howard, Harold S. Kemp.
1978
First recipient of the F. J. and Dorothy Van Antwerpen Award for Service to the Institute: Franklin J. Van Antwerpen.
1982
First African-American AIChE Fellow: William Grimes.
1985
First Technology Center within AIChE: Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS). Founding Director: Thomas W. Carmody.
1989
Establishment of Minority Affairs Committee for educating/ training of disadvantaged; fosters minority employment. Committee chair: Henry T. Brown.
1991
First Technical Forum: North American Mixing Forum. Established by Arthur Etchells, Ramesh Hemrajani, Bruce Nauman.
1995
William Grimes Award established by Minority Affairs. Committee to encourage minorities in science and mathematics. First recipient: Lilia A. Abron.
1997
Establishment of AIChE Women’s Initiative Committee. Chair of original task force: Teresa Cheung.
1997/1998
AIChE Operating Councils established; major reform to focus AIChE Board of Directors on strategic issues. Driven by William R. Gustafson, Mary J. Markette, Glenn Taylor.
1998
- First international alliance: North American Alliance of Chemical Engineers (NAAChE); includes AIChE, Canadian Society Chemical Engineers; Institute Mexicano de Ingenieros Químicos. AIChE represented by Bruce A. Finlayson, William R. Gustafson, Glenn Taylor.
- Chemical Engineering PanAmerican Collaboration (CEPAC) initiative to promote Pan-American chemical engineering education. Driven by Ignacio E. Grossmann.
2002
2003
- First female AIChE President: Dianne Dorland.
- First Society in AIChE: Society for Biological Engineering. Established by industrial, academic and government leaders under AIChE’s auspices.
2004
2008
- AIChE celebrates its Centennial. One hundred years have passed since AIChE was founded by a group known as The Committee of Six. They were William H. Walker, William M. Booth, Charles F. McKenna, Richard K. Meade, John C. Olsen, and Arthur D. Little. Members gathered in Philadelphia, home of the first AIChE founding, to celebrate 100 years.
- AIChE international dues (e.g., CCPS China) pegged to World Bank income level estimates. Drivers: Deborah Grubbe (International Development Chair), Maria Burka, Thomas Hanley.
2009
- Launch of ChemE on Demand, a multi-media digital library now containing hundreds on-demand webinars and recorded conference presentations.
- AIChE Smartbrief introduced to inform members of news related to chemical engineering on a weekly basis.
2010
- The Center for Energy Initiatives is formed to dedicate chemical engineering expertise to solve energy problems.
- Launch of ChEnected, an AIChE online community, blog, and related social media channels.
2011
- AIChE celebrates International Year of Chemistry with the American Chemical Society and the Chemical Heritage Foundation.
- AIChE IYC Gala is celebrated at New York’s Gotham Hall in November, to benefit water and energy initiatives.
2012
- AIChE launches Water Initiative - International Society of Water Solutions to address critical water-related issues.
- AIChE launches the International Metabololic Engineering Society (IMES) to promote and advance metabolic engineering.
- AIChE’s 2012 Gala took place in November at The Plaza Hotel and celebrates engineering achievements in sustainability.
- First African American, Otis Shelton, elected to board President for 2014.
2013
AIChE relocates its home office to 120 Wall Street, New York, saving on rent and taxes.
Source for data up to 2008: CEP, April 2008