(336a) John Prausnitz, Humanist and Epistolarian

John Prausnitz’s towering influence on our profession has helped shape modern Chemical Engineering. Undoubtedly this influence can be traced in large part to his creation of the discipline known as molecular thermodynamics, which has enabled engineers to make accurate predictions of important physical properties through a judicious blend of intuition and rigor. Remarkably, John has also shaped the careers of many practitioners of Chemical Engineering by reminding us of the profoundly human dimensions of our craft and discipline. He has done this through his scholarly writings, his formal speeches, and, most notably, his personal correspondence with countless colleagues, disciples and former students. Drawing on examples from his papers and letters, I will pay tribute to John Prausnitz the eloquent humanist and virtuoso epistolarian, whose insatiable intellectual curiosity has enabled him, in the course of a remarkable career spanning more than half a century, to enlighten, inspire, and educate an entire profession.