Shaping the Future: Innovating Solutions to Address Industry and Society’s Most Pressing Challenges

On October 28^th, 2018, in conjunction with AIChE’s 2018 Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, the AIChE Foundation hosted its fifth Corporate Council and Industry Leaders Forum: Shaping the Future: Innovating Solutions to Address Industry and Society’s Most Pressing Challenges. The Forum was followed by the Foundation’s annual donor dinner.

Established in 2016, these Forums are convened twice a year, and are co-led by AIChE Executive Director, June Wispelwey and AIChE Foundation Chair, Shariq Yosufzai (retired, Chevron).

An ongoing part of the AIChE’s Doing a World of Good Campaign, these forums are intended to engage leading corporate executives to advance the future of the profession and bring that expertise to bear in addressing societal needs.

The agenda for the meeting concentrated on identified industry challenges, which also are campaign priorities: 1. Ensuring the safe and ethical practice of the profession through the Undergraduate Process Safety Learning Initiative; 2. Attracting and Retaining the Best Engineering Talent, with a portfolio of Diversity and Inclusion programs. The meeting concluded with an update on AICHE’s new strategic plan and a discussion about related opportunities for industry collaboration. Expanding the Diversity & Inclusion of the profession is one of six AIChE strategic objectives – each objective helps form the basis of AIChE’s newly approved strategic plan. 

Given the Council’s focus on diversity and inclusion over the past year, this Forum focused on reviewing project recommendations to support industry’s ability to attract and retain a bright, innovative, diverse workforce. From the classroom to the boardroom and in between, this diversity and inclusion initiative will allow industry to attract and retain the best engineering talent.

Studies confirm the benefits of creating an environment in which people feel valued and are able to achieve and contribute their full potential – and are directly tied to better business results. New programming as part of the Diversity & Inclusion Initiative commenced at this year’s Annual Meeting and will continue through 2019 and beyond. Learn more about this year’s programming here.

Doing a World of Good By Attracting and Retaining the Best Engineering Talent

Developing an Industry-wide Diversity and Inclusion Initiative is a major global effort and core campaign priority to build a diverse, innovative and inclusive workforce. To learn more on how your Company can get involved, please contact Richard Baidal at richb@aiche.org.

Photo:

Bottom from left to right: Kevin Edwards, Bechtel; Shariq Yosufzai, retired, Chevron; June Wispelwey, AIChE; Mike McAttee, retired BASF; Lisa Lanzkowsky, AIChE. Top from left to right: Bruce Arbit, AIChE; Cathy Diana, AIChE; Ken Reid, BASF; Al Cusson, Air Liquide; Ana Davis, Syngenta; Ian Moore, Wacker; Todd Werpy, ADM; Delia Contreras, Ecolab; Jim Porter, Sustainable Operations Solutions, LLC; Bill Raiford, Chemours; Demetri Zervoudis, Covestro; Erin Kane, AdvanSix; Michelle Bryner, AIChE; Elsa Lopez, AIChE; Glenn Weckerlin, Chevron.