Dr. Sourav K. Sengupta, a DuPont Laureate (the highest technical level in the company), has been with DuPont for over 30 years. Throughout his career, he has made many industrially impactful innovations, spanning from catalyst synthesis and manufacture to reaction engineering and reactor design; ranging from sustainable personal care products to advanced materials. His technical achievements include, a novel modular “on-site” and “on-demand” HCN manufacturing process, using induction heating; a natural insect repellent; and higher activity sulfuric acid catalysts. He and his team have invented and commercialized new products and processes including recirculating packed bed reactor technology/process intensification for hexafluoroisopropanol (intermediate for an inhalation anesthetic, Sevofluorane). Sourav’s team invented an impressive portfolio of hydrodeoxygenation catalysts for converting cellulose-derived molecules to alpha-omega diols. A collaborative leader and a great team player, Sourav works on troubleshooting complex plant and process-related problems. His team resolved challenging catalyst deactivation problems and significantly improved catalyst productivities including syntheses of a bio-based chemical intermediate and a foam blowing agent.
Sourav is a recognized world-class expert in catalysis and chemical engineering. He has received the 2022 Ciapetta Lectureship Award from NACS, 2015 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award and was recently, elected a Fellow of AIChE. He has an impressive number of patents, publications, and presentations. Sourav was on the Board of Directors for ORCS and CCP. He is a member of Book Review and Publications Committees of AIChE.
Sourav is remarkably generous with his time when counselling, coaching, and mentoring. He has had a great positive impact on the careers of many young scientists and engineers – that will endure for years to come.