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Source: L.T. Fan, 785-532-4327, fan@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Mary Rankin, 785-532-6715, mrankin@k-state.edu
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
K-STATE'S L.T. FAN LECTURE SERIES TO FEATURE EXPERT IN CONTROLLED FORMATION OF NANOSTRUCTURES
MANHATTAN -- George Stephanopoulos, A.D. Little Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will be the featured speaker for the L.T. Fan Lecture Series at 10:15 a.m. Monday, April 19, in Kansas State University's Fiedler Hall Auditorium.
His address, "Nanoscale Process Systems Engineering: The Controlled Formation of Self-Assembled Nanostructures with Desired Geometries," is open to the public.
Stephanopoulos' research and teaching interests cover many aspects of process systems engineering such as process synthesis; process modeling and analysis; process optimization; process operations modeling, analysis, diagnosis and control; and process operations scheduling and planning. These areas have led him to deal with issues related to the design, analysis, control and optimization of networks of chemical or biochemical reactions; integrated manufacturing systems within the scope of a national economy or corporate business; city traffic networks and intercity transportation networks; systems approaches to the design and manufacturing of products; and process systems engineering for integrated nanoscale processes.
Born in Kalamata, Greece, Stephanopoulos received his diploma in chemical engineering from National Technical University of Athens, his master's in engineering from McMaster University, and his doctorate from the University of Florida. After graduating from Florida, he joined the University of Minnesota as an assistant professor of chemical engineering, later promoted to associate and then full professor. In 1980 he took on a chaired professorship at his Greek alma matter and taught there until 1984, when he joined the faculty at MIT, first as the J. R. Mares and then as the A. D. Little Professor of Chemical Engineering. From 2000-02, on leave of absence from MIT, he served as chief technology officer and managing executive officer of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation. After his return to MIT, he continued as managing director and member of the board of Mitsubishi until the end of 2005.
The L.T. Fan Lectureship in Chemical Engineering was established in 2000 to bring preeminent individuals in chemical engineering or related fields to speak at K-State. L.T. Fan, university distinguished professor, served as head of the department of chemical engineering at K-State for 30 years and was fundamental in establishing the Institute for Systems Design and Optimization, launching the doctoral program in the department, and modernizing the chemical engineering curriculum. He also was instrumental in forming the Center for Hazardous Substance Research and securing funding for construction of Durland Hall. He continues to be active in teaching and research, for which he has earned numerous awards.