AIChE and IChemE Partner to Address Interconnected Global Challenge | AIChE

American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Institution of Chemical Engineers Partner to Address Interconnected Global Challenge

American Institute of Chemical Engineers and Institution of Chemical Engineers Partner to Address Interconnected Global Challenge
October 2, 2013
Contact: Danielle Gross
Phone: 1-717-241-2200
Email: dgross@thebravogroup.com


NEW YORK AND RUGBY, UK – Two of the world’s largest organizations of chemical engineers are creating a joint working group to respond to the technology challenges presented where issues surrounding water, energy, and food supplies overlap. This effort will kick-off with a special workshop in November in San Francisco during the 2013 Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), which is co-sponsoring the effort with the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).

The two organizations believe that issues at the nexus of increasing demands for water, energy, and food deserve special focus given the expected addition of three billion more consumers by 2030. While water, energy, and  food supplies have traditionally been dealt with as independent concerns, in the 21st Century, they have come to be seen as more complex and interconnected in ways that will change and challenge organizations, markets, and nations.

Dale Keairns, a former president of AIChE and the chair of its Center for Energy Initiatives, in explaining the undertaking, said, “The integrated systems analysis needed to understand these overlapping issues is at the core of the approach chemical engineers learn and put into practice.” He believes the working group’s findings should “enable evidence-based policy discussions and decisions.”

Desmond King, a former president of IChemE, said the workshop “Will allow for a full exchange of views on which issues should receive priority and which approaches will be useful in engaging beyond the usual technology boundaries.  Chemical engineering matters and this joint initiative will help to set research priorities and provide a framework for chemical engineers to make a major contribution to these global challenges.”

The workshop will be held on Tuesday, November 5, beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Room Continental 9 of the San Francisco Hilton.

About AIChE:

AIChE is a professional society of more than 45,000 chemical engineers in 93 countries. Its members work in corporations, universities and government using their knowledge of chemical processes to develop safe and useful products for the benefit of society. Through its varied programs, AIChE continues to be a focal point for information exchange on the frontier of chemical engineering research in such areas as nanotechnology, sustainability, hydrogen fuels, biological and environmental engineering, and chemical plant safety and security. More information about AIChE is available at www.aiche.org.

About IChemE:

The Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) is a global professional membership organisation for people with relevant experience in chemical engineering. It is the only organisation to award Chartered Chemical Engineer status. IChemE is also licensed to award the titles of Chartered Engineer, Chartered Scientist and Chartered Environmentalist to suitably qualified members. Founded in the UK in 1922, IChemE has grown to its current status of approaching 38,000 members across 120 countries with offices in Australia, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK. More information at www.icheme.org