New York – – October 02, 2026 -- The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) will honor 16 chemical engineering leaders with its 2026 Institute and Board of Directors' Awards, the organization's highest professional recognition, at the AIChE Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, November 8-12.
Industry and academic sponsors back top honors
Dr. Nicholas Peppas of The University of Texas at Austin will receive the Van Antwerpen Award for Service to AIChE, sponsored by Dow. Dr. Liang-Shih Fan of The Ohio State University earns the Founders Award for lifetime contributions to the field. Dr. Rong Yang of Cornell University will receive the Allan P. Colburn Award, sponsored by DuPont de Nemours, for publications by a young member.
Corporate R&D leaders from 3M and Eli Lilly recognized
Dr. Kenneth Hanley, Senior Vice President of R&D for 3M's Transportation & Electronics, receives the Industry Leadership Award. Dr. Theresa Whiting, a product developer in 3M's Abrasive Systems Division, wins the Industrial Progress Award. Dr. Kevin Seibert, Vice President of Engineering at Eli Lilly and Company, will accept the Industrial Research and Development Award, sponsored by AbbVie.
Academic researchers earn sponsored literature and education honors
Dr. Ruilan Guo of the University of Notre Dame receives the Institute Award for Excellence in Industrial Gases Technology, sponsored by Air Products and Chemicals. Dr. Richard Flagan of Caltech earns the L.-S. Fan Award for Excellence in Contributions to Chemical Engineering Literature. Dr. Dionisios Vlachos of the University of Delaware will receive the William H. Walker Award, sponsored by Wiley, while Dr. Doraiswami Ramkrishna of Purdue University receives the Warren K. Lewis Award for Chemical Engineering Education, sponsored by ExxonMobil Research & Engineering.
Additional awards span sustainability, reaction engineering and diversity
Dr. Alon McCormick of the University of Minnesota will receive both the Institute Award for Service to Society and the Energy and Sustainability Award. Dr. Vemuri Balakotaiah of the University of Houston earns the R. H. Wilhelm Award in Chemical Reaction Engineering, sponsored by ExxonMobil. Dr. Norma Alcantar of the University of South Florida will receive the Margaret Hutchinson Rousseau Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement by a Woman Chemical Engineer, sponsored by Pfizer. Scott J. Herrmann, an Engineering Fellow at Qnity Electronics Inc., receives the Lawrence B. Evans Award in Chemical Engineering Practice, endowed by the AIChE Foundation and supported by CACHE Corporation.
AIChE 2026 President Anne O'Neal said the honorees' discoveries and service have moved the profession forward and shaped its future direction.