Thomas Trabold | AIChE

Thomas Trabold

Department Head
Rochester Institute of Technology

Dr. Thomas Trabold teaches courses in the fundamentals of sustainability science, sustainable energy systems, sustainable mobility systems, and green chemistry. His primary research focus is in the development of alternative energy technologies including fuel cells, bio-fuels, and waste-to-energy processes. In 2014 and 2015 he was nominated for the Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Provost’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, and in 2007 he earned the General Motors McCuen Award for “Neutron Imaging Facility and Methods for Fuel Cell Water Visualization.” His students say he has a system-level perspective informed by fundamental understanding and experiential knowledge. When Dr. Trabold isn’t in the lab or classroom, he enjoys soccer, basketball, trail hiking, biking, and gardening.

Prior to RIT, Dr. Trabold spent 20 years in positions at General Electric, Lockheed Martin, Xerox and General Motors. Most recently, he managed a research and development team in the General Motors fuel cell vehicle program, with engineers working in New York, Michigan, Germany, and India. Dr. Trabold holds BS and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University.