5. ALUMNI NEWS / PHILANTHROPY
ALUMNI NEWS
Thomas E. Claugus ('73) recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award for Leadership
Bhavesh (Bob) Patel ('88) wins Distinguished Alumni Award
At The Ohio State University College of Engineering's fall Alumni Awards banquet, Bob Patel received the Distinguished Alumni Award.
Bob Patel is chief executive officer of LyondellBasell, a position he assumed in January 2015. He joined LyondellBasell in March 2010 as senior vice president, Olefins & Polyfins (O&P) - Americas, and later that year was named senior vice president, O&P - Europe, Asia and International (O&P EAI). Patel was promoted to executive vice president of O&P EAI in October 2013 and given additional responsibility for the company's manufacturing operations outside of the Americas. In April 2014, he was appointed by shareholders to the company's management board and became its chairman when he assumed the role of CEO in early 2015.
Prior to joining LyondellBasell, Patel was general manager at Olefins and Natural Gas Liquids for Chevron Phillps Chemical Company. Before that, he was at Chevron Corporation, where he worked for over 20 years.
Patel is a board member of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas and serves on the executive committee and the board of directors for the American Chemistry Council.
Patel received the Distinguished Alumni Award at the College of Engineering's 2015 Excellence in Engineering & Architecture Alumni Awards ceremony in Fall 2015, held at the Center of Science and Industry.
He earned a bachelor's in chemical engineering ('88) from The Ohio State Universityy and a master's in business administration from Temple University.
CBE Advisory Board re-vamping: Richard Schwarz ('73) to Chair
The CBE Advisory Board is re-organizing in anticipation of creating a more active board involved in the life and success of the department and chemical engineering program.
Alumnus Richard Schwarz, a partner in Edgewater Capital Partners in Cleveland, Ohio, will chair the newly-formed board.
PHILANTHROPY
Why private support matters
A chemical engineering education is a precious commodity which requires an investment of time, effort, and resources, the fruit of which enables chemical engineers to individually and collectively make innovative contributions to society. The impact is enormous - whether it is devising more cost-efficient processes or producing systems which can transform the way in which we live, the work of every chemical engineer benefits society and even the world in some way.
This is why it is important that we support the education of future chemical engineers. Many people do not realize that, due to declining state funding, the cost of tuition only partially covers today's expenses, and that it is no longer possible for students to "work their way through school" to emerge debt free. Your support literally creates opportunities for chemical engineering students to succeed, and is crucial to the continuing health of CBE and the betterment of the world at large.
This year, hundreds of people and organizations supported CBE. Because you cared, others have, and will, benefit. Thank you.
Legacy in Action: A $14M gift from alumnus Ed Claugus brightens the future for CBE and the College of Engineering
Bruce Claugus, the oldest son, obtained his BS in civil engineering and MS in engineering Mechanics from Ohio State in 1972 and is now an attorney in NYC.
Tom Claugus is a 1973 chemical engineering grad who became a successful investor and hedge fund manager.
Daniel Claugus studied the arts at Ohio State, and Frederick Claugus, Jr., like his father, got a DVM at Ohio State.
And then there was Edward Claugus, the youngest son, who graduated from Ohio State with a degree in chemical engineering in 1981 and went on to become a successful private investor and aviation enthusiast. Ed loved Ohio State, and left his mark on it in a very special way. His $14 million estate gift , divided equally between CBE and the College of Engineering, will benefit the students, faculty and staff by establishing endowed scholarships for 45 students, an Engineering Innovation Fund, and an endowed chair and equipment and operating funds in chemical and biomolecular engineering.
“He had tremendous respect for Ohio State,” said brother Tom Claugus, who recently visited campus for a special evening in remembrance of his brother Ed.
“It’s great when your younger brother is an inspiration, and Ed was an inspiration for me. My brother really lived his life to the fullest. I am sure he would be proud to see the scholarship recipients and the work that’s ongoing to further the mission of Ohio State. He would just be glowing to know he was supporting 45 students.”
Ohio State President Michael V. Drake noted that Ed Claugus’ most enduring legacy is likely to live within the student recipients of the scholarships he established.
“The gift from Ed Claugus is already changing lives. Forty-five engineering students in the first year alone are conducting innovative research, exploring volunteer opportunities and paying it forward in ways that would not be possible without their selection as Claugus Scholars,” Drake said. “I am excited to see how Ohio State and the world benefit from their future discoveries and generosity.”
“Supporting scholarships, academic facilities and world-class faculty, Ed’s generosity will have a widespread impact on this college and chemical and biomolecular engineering in particular, which will result in extraordinary changes in the breadth and depth of the faculty,” said David B. Williams, dean of the College of Engineering.
“That’s not just good for Ohio State, but for all of Ohio as we push more healthcare and other innovations to market ahead of the competition, and create companies and partnerships that in turn create jobs. Ed’s support and belief in Ohio State are ensuring that our students and faculty will truly make a difference through these new ventures,” Williams said.
“We are who we are because of Ohio State,” said Bruce Claugus. “I look forward to the day, and that day surely will come, when Ohio State will become known as the top engineering research university in the country. I am incredibly proud to know that my brother Ed will have played such an important role in making that happen.”
“Ed Claugus was a man of vision, not only in his business life, but in his philanthropy as well,” said Andre Palmer, chair of the William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
“Rather than make multiple small gifts, he wanted to make one large gift that would have real impact, and this he certainly achieved. Because this transformational gift was so carefully thought out, its ramifications are enormous. The gift provides a crucial foundation for the department’s future stability, and we are extremely grateful,” said Palmer.
“We’ve been given a future with limitless potential. Our promise is to live up to that potential, and exceed the dreams that even Ed had in terms of the impact his gift would make,” Palmer said.
Ohio State celebrated receipt of the gift in November, 2015. Additional stories at osu.edu and Columbus Dispatch.
Campaign for New Koffolt Laboratories exceeds $17.5M fundraising goal
Thanks to our many generous and caring donors, New Koffolt Labs opened its doors in January, 2015. Because you cared, over 1,000 of our currently enrolled students and the faculty who serve them are getting a better educational experience.
The impact on students and faculty has been profound indeed. Here are a few comments from the beneficiaries of your generosity:
"Students love the Dow Student Lounge, which is a great space for student collaboration. The multi-media workstations provide a great space for completing unit ops reports. The large screen simplifies the editing process and allows students to work more efficiently. It’s also just a great place to work on homework and for TAs and students to come together to improve the learning experience.” -Hussein B Alkhatib, AIChE Co-President, Class of 2016.
"It is such a joy to work in a building where we can conduct cutting-edge research with the most modern safety standards and research capabilities, and where our undergraduate students feel at home. It is such a joy to see our students at every corner of the building, any time of day, working, reading, writing, interacting with each other or with faculty, or taking a break. What could be better than providing such a feeling of belonging to our students?" -Umit Ozkan, College of Engineering Distinguished Professor
“I really love CBEC. My productivity and quality of life have improved since we moved into this new space. Having specialized laboratories and equipment for our nanotechnology and cancer research in the same space is a huge time-saver. Lounge areas on each floor are great for holding TA sessions, quick coffee breaks or having lunch with friends. Sofas near windows, well-lit corridors and numerous conference rooms on every floor make our experience here a lot more enjoyable. I will really miss this place after I leave.” -Gauri Nabar, 4th year Ph.D. student
"We are very fortunate and grateful to have state-of-the-art facilities, which are conducive to excellent teaching, transformative research, and innovative technologies. The new laboratories are critical for our department to further contribute to Ohio and our nation in the energy, water, environmental and biomolecular engineering areas. They will also increase our student enrollment and enhance students’ learning and lives." -Winston Ho, Distinguished Professor of Engineering, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering; NAE member
“The new CBEC building is the best department building I have ever seen, and it played an essential role in my decision to join the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. I believe I will have wonderful research and teaching experiences in this amazing building, thanks to all the generous donors.” -Li-Chiang Lin, Assistant Professor beginning Fall 2016
"The move to CBEC has been tremendous for the development and educational experience of the Chem E Car team. The upgrade allows us to work in a safe and clean environment and to gain invaluable hands-on experience working in a modern chemical engineering lab. We could not be happier with the transition and are excited for the future of Chem E Car!" -Billy Blincoe, Class of 2016, on behalf of the ChemE Car Team
“Contributions from generous donors have allowed us to expand the educational experiences we can offer students. For instance, we were able to purchase an ultrasonic flow meter, a digital device utilizing sound waves to measure flow velocities in pipes. This is far more accurate than the “bead method” we used previously, and better prepares students for real-world experiences because it is commercial-grade equipment.” -Bryan Hobocienski, ’11, ’14, and currently a 2nd-year PhD student with Jim Rathman
“When I came to Ohio State in 1957, there were no clearly defined funds, either locally or federally, for the purchase of equipment or support of teaching. Luckily, when the first Koffolt Labs building came online, we had about a million dollars alotted for equipment and lab furniture.This is what alumni contributions now replace!! Thanks to contributions from alumni, our young faculty have a real chance to establish themselves and prepare for the tenure decision coming to each of them in just a few years.” -Bob Brodkey, Professor Emeritus.
Koffolt Committee looks to the future
Members of the Campaign for New Koffolt Laboratories committee, now referred to simply as the "Koffolt Committee," met on campus in April 2015 to attend the Koffolt Laboratories Grand Opening events and to celebrate successfully completing the campaign. The committee discussed initiatives within the department and how fundraising could support the department's growth, strategizing about how to continue to engage alumni and donors who wish to make an impact.
Events for the Grand Opening celebration ended with a special dinner honoring committee chairman and department namesake William G. Lowrie, '66. This event celebrated Lowrie's vision for a new Koffolt Laboratories, which took over 20 years to realize, and his perserverance in bringing the dream to life. What motivated him throughout, he said, is the belief that one day, this department will become one of the top ten in the nation.The support provided by the brand new facilities will certainly move us closer to that goal and we are forever indebted to Mr. Lowrie for his steadfast support.
At the fall meeting, new chairman Andre Palmer shared his vision and strategic plan for the department and committee members discussed goals related to this vision.
Payback: Alumni honor "The Brodkey" with scholarshp fund
L.-S. Fan was the first to describe the impact Professor Bob Brodkey had had on his life: Brodkey was a factor in his decision to come to OSU, where he’s been ever since.
“I looked at a lot of schools and met Bob at OSU,” he said, then paused. “I think you liked me very much at the time,” he added with a wry smile to Dr. Brodkey.
The audience chuckled, but then nodded in agreement when Fan said, “I recognized that Brodkey was ahead of his time. His influential turbulence research is a masterpiece of contribution.”
Brodkey’s influence extends to the legions of students he taught since joining Ohio State in 1958. And last year, one of those former students had an idea.
Kris Lakshmanan (‘83) decided that it was time to ‘pay it forward,’ and it made the most sense to honor Brodkey. He decided to create an endowed scholarship with the help of his fellow alumni.
“It was easy,” Lakshmanan said. “Nearly everyone we contacted wanted to participate.”
Kris was soon joined by classmates Bill Lee ('83) and Tom Heeb ('83), and in the end, 35 people funded the first-ever graduate-level scholarship for a CBE student by giving an average of $1,300 each. The initial goal was $50,000, but volunteers were ecstatic to reach $98,000. Thanks to additional gifts, the fund has just crossed the $100k threshold, which means that two students will now be able to benefit.
“The scholarship is a lot like a signing bonus - frosting on the cake to attract the best grad students,” Brodkey explained at remarks on Friday, August 28, where faculty and Brodkey’s former students had joined for a special evening to celebrate the success of the project.
Guests took turns describing how Bob had influenced their lives.
“I am one of the rogue professors that Robert created,” said Gary Tatterson ('74, '77). “I’ll never forget the time we stopped traffic on 101 in San Francisco. The cliffs and caves underneath 101 were riddled with phosphorous oxide, and provided a nice opportunity for an experiment. Well, a chemical reaction created a cloud and the smoke came streaming up through a crack in the road. People wouldn’t cross it!” Tatterson recounted.
“The good thinking part was getting the hell out of there,” quipped Bob. The jibes continued when Dr. David Tomasko took the stage.
“Everyone here deserves to hear what working with you has been like,” said Tomasko, “although, I’m not really sure I’ve ever observed you working, per se,” Tomasko said.
After dozens of guests told their stories of how Bob had encouraged, befriended, challenged, and inspired them, the scholarship recipient himself was motivated to speak.
“After listening to all the wonderful stories, I feel very honored to receive this scholarship,” said Kai Chen, a fluid dynamics student who is at the top of his class.
“I would like to thank the professor and his students who made this happen. I’m sure there will be many more students to benefit. I’m grateful to be a part of it,” Chen said.
Brodkey wrapped up the evening with some heartfelt comments.
“You’ve all said that I stretched your mind and forced you to solve problems, but I want to comment on how hard I had to work to keep up with YOU. I hope that the scholarshp helps to inspire whomever has that office in the future. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he said.
Kai Chen, the first recipient of the Dr. Robert S. Brodkey Endowed Scholarship, poses with Bob Brodkey next to a poster signed by the evening’s guests. Chen holds Brodkey’s book, “The Phenomena of Fluid Motions,” acclaimed as the world’s premier graduate-level book in fluid dynamics, which took 15 years to write. Each guest received a copy.
2015-16 UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
A total of 155 students were awarded undergraduate scholarships in the Chemical & Biomolecular program. The vast majority of those students were current majors, although a small amount went to recruit high ability first year students as well. A total of $268,100 was awarded to students heading into the 2015-2016 school year. The average award was $1,729 this year compared to $1,242 the previous year.
Trends in data from financial aid show that the number and amount of both student and parent loans have been increasing. Both Ohio State tuition and University financial support have increased yearly. However, since the increase in scholarship support hasn’t been able to keep up with tuition increases, engineering students and their families have had to increase their debt levels to cover the additional costs. In the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department, department scholarships from alumni and corporate donors help defray a small part of the loans burden for many of our students.
Department scholarships are determined mainly by need, however, when a scholarship specifies that a student’s merit be considered, both merit and need are taken into account. We thank those of our alumni who have established scholarship endowments for this purpose as well as our corporate donors who provide scholarships on an annual basis.
Robert W. Adams Memorial Scholarship
Barger, Mark Matthew
Helmers, Ryan J.
Miller, Sean Patrick
Mullinger, Mary Katherine
Harold W. Almen Scholarship
Butti, Bryce Alexander
Forkey, Jarrett Reno
Kopechek, David Joseph
Kriner, Robert Joseph
Nowicki, Kevin Michael
Pattanaik, Lagnajit
Rodriguez, Lucas Moses
Paul Bates Scholarship
Abdalhalim, Yaadata Mohamed
Herron, Jacquelynn Lauren
Kisare, Justin
Peters, Jasmine Nicole
Sims, Marquis Symone
The Bazell Scholarship in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Abukar, Fatima
Fox, Emily
Habbart, Brittany
The George S. Bonn Scholarship
Dai, Wen
Jing, Shuxin
Na, Jing
Pan, Jie
Shi, Xutao
Wang, Ziwei
Wen, Yunhan
Wong, Ka Heen Gary
J.R. Boothe Scholarship Fund
Peters, Jasmine Nicole
William I. Burt Memorial Scholarship Fund
Alkhatib, Hussein Badr
Bartholomew, Mark James
Bederman, Dylan
Brackman, Erica Lynn
Brandon, John Ross
Braun, Nicholas Aloysius
Broseus, Amanda May
De Leon Jr., Rafael Estuardo
Gearheart, Christopher Aaron
Goldenbagen, Kennedy Marie
Gruss, Christian Cody
Gustafson, Kathryn Elizabeth
Hofacre, Kyle Paul
Janini, Edward Thomas
Kane, Corey Scott
Kimmel, Matthew Allen
Kramer, Nathaniel Allen
McLain, Kyle Robert
McHugh, Marissa Kathleen
Newmyer, Andrew Grant
Peterson, Gabriel Kaesy
Sieradzki, Edward Jacob
Steffan, Lisa M
Whiteman, Benjamin Charles
Whitten, Jane Amelia
Wood, Austin James
Young, Gabrielle Marie
Zaccarella, Anthony
The Bernice L. Claugus Endowed Scholarship Fund in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Abdalhalim, Yaadata Mohamed
Back, Steven Richard
Breiding, James Elliot
Bresson, Julianne Noel
Cambraia, Jody
Empfield, Abbey Mae
Forkey, Jarrett Reno
Harrell, Ellen Marie
Homsy, Michael Louis
Hoover, Anthony David
Jokerst, Mitchell Allen
Kopcha, Shannon Victoria
Lin, Jonathan
Molitoris, Kathryn Marie
Sandvik, Peter Olaf
Sands, Matthew Robert
Seibel, Nicole Anne
The James F. and Patricia C. Dietz Engineering Scholarships Fund
Fletcher, Charles C
McAlister, Anne
Young, Gabrielle Marie
Dorothy J. & Herbert L. Fenburr Scholarship
Brasile, Bryan William
Bresson, Julianne Noel
Brewer, Bryan Joe
Cambraia, Jody
Carver, Faith Anne
Empfield, Abbey Mae
Forkey, Jarrett Reno
Gabanic, Alexander Mitchell
Herron, Jacquelynn Lauren
Hoffman, Lauren Paige
Homsy, Michael Louis
Inoue, Matthew Kenta
Jenkins, Travis John
Kane, Corey Scott
Khawaja, Natasha
Kolliopoulos, Panayiotis Konstantinou
March, Lauren Ann
McCullough, Tyler Jordan
Meilstrup, Jordan Andrew
Qian, Kyle Yonglun
Rahme, Tarik Wafic
Rezek, Eva Marie
Sample, Natalie Faye
Satija, Ayesha
Strutz, Jonathan Robert
Westfall, Jesse James
Withers, Adam Chase
David H. George Chemical Engineering Scholarship
Abukar, Fatima
Bleasdale,Donald
Drees,Michael
Fox, Emily
Habbart, Brittany
Lertola,Matthew
Williger,Paul
Allan I. Gordon Undergraduate Scholarship for Study in Biochemical Engineering
Hlinomaz, Eric James
Zhang, Michael Hanzhe
Todd David Harris Memorial Scholarship
Kimmel, Blaise
William R. & Doris M. Harris Scholarship in Chemical Engineering
Colley, Joshua Bruce
Gemler, Bryan Thomas
Kirk, Robert
Lyons, Sarah Elizabeth
Meilstrup, Jordan Andrew
Moon, Kirtus
Partyka, Yuriy
Sieradzki, Edward Jacob
Spanos, Alexander Patrick
Wood, Austin James
Milton & Karen Hendricks Scholarship
Campo, Rachael
Smith E. Howland Scholarship
Gower, Mitchell
The Samuel S. and Grace Hook Johnston Memorial Chemical Engineering Scholarship Fund
Ritz, David
Webster B. Kay Scholarship in Chemical Engineering
Molitoris, Kathryn Marie
Whiteman, Benjamin Charles
Lubrizol Foundation Scholarship
Baker, Hillary
Falascino, Eric Joseph
Gallagher, Regina Christine
Jenkins, Griffin Alan
The Tom and Gail Reardon Chemical Engineering Scholarship Fund
Kise, Jana Pauline
Pankaj Shah Chemical Engineering Scholarship Fund
Empfield, Abbey
Gemler, Bryan
The Howard R. Steele Memorial Scholarship in Chemical Engineering
Goggins, Julia
Myer, Eleanor
Saud, Denvir
Aldrich Syverson Scholarship
Keller, Mikaela
Kimmel, Blaise Russel
Young, Gabrielle Marie
H. Richard Unkel Chemical Engineering Class of 1941
Baur, Emily Noelle
Froats, Joshua Michael
McGrogan, John William
Olson, Nathaniel
Walasinski, Alison Grace
Weisman, Benjamin David
Harry B. Warner Scholarship
Butler, Brittney
William H. Whirl Scholarship
Curtis, Emma Grace
The Michael D. Winfield Scholarship
Watson, Lucas Joseph
Fred H. Winterkamp Memorial Scholarship
Falascino, Eric Joseph
Harris, Nicholas Daniel
Hudson, Paul Wesley
Lawver, Angela Carol