L.-S. Fan's service to AIChE Particle Technology Forum recognized with award

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Twenty-seven years ago, Professor L.-S. Fan realized how important studying particulates, operations and processes were to industry - at least 50% of industry were using granular material in their processes, but few people were trained to understand powder.

He envisioned creating a strong Particle Technology community and realized that an organized Forum could greatly facilitate the study of particulates. Then serving as the vice chair of AIChE Group 3 - Contacting and Particulates, Operations and Processes, he led a transition from three other sections of Group 3 (Fluidization and Fluid-Particle Systems; Solids Flow, Handling and Processing; and Powder Technology) to become what now functions as the Particle Technology Forum (PTF), which has become the most influential professional community for particle technology educators, researchers and practitioners worldwide.

Today, the PTF is an interdisciplinary, international forum that promotes information exchange, scholarship, research, and education in the field of particle technology. PTF meetings address science and engineering related to all types of particle technologies, wet or dray, reactive or non-reactive.

The formation of the Particle Technology Forum took two years of significant effort, and in 1992, Dr. Fan became the founding chair of PTF. Since then, he has continued to lead many important initiatives for PTF, including creating several sponsored awards and serving as founding chair of a number of important international meetings, including the International Conference on Gas-Liquid and Gas-Liquid-Solid Reactor Engineering. His critically important research contributions to the field of particle technology and education and influence on particle technology researchers has resulted in a significant increase in the number of researchers who have in turn become important members of the particle technology community.

Dr. Fan promoted particle technology through his many journal articles, textbooks, and AIChE sessions and lectures (including the 67th AIChE Institute Lecture), serving on the AIChE Journal Editorial Board (1992-2016) representing particle technology, as well as U.S. Editor (1992-2014) and Editor-in-Chief (2015-current) of Powder Technology, which is one of the most important particle technology-focused journals worldwide. Professor Fan also promoted the importance of particle technology to the National Academy of Engineering, giving a plenary lecture at the NAE annual meeting in 2006. 

These are just a few examples of service executed by Professor Fan in the interest of advancing the field of particle technology which have now been formally recognized with receipt of the 2017 Ansys Particle Technology Forum Award for Service to PTF by the AIChE Particle Technology Forum.

"Professor Fan's personal conviction and leadership towards the creation and development of the Particle Technology Forum since its formation phase (1992) has been tremendous and one of the main foundations for the success of the PTF and the particle technology community," said nominator Alissa Park of Columbia University.

"His voice has been strong and has greatly influenced the advancement of our particle technology field, with a contribution that has been both deep and broad. It is difficult to find another person whose contributions are more persistent, consistent and enduring over the entire history of the Particle Technology Forum," Park said.

The award will be presented at the 2017 PTF dinner on Wednesday, November 1, 2017. 

 

 

Category: Faculty
Tags: Fanaward