Chemical Engineering Education90

ChE department

Muchhaschanged in the30years sinceCEE lastpublished an article, in 1979, on the chemicalengineeringprogramatNorthCarolinaStateUni-

versity.That is anunderstatement—almost everythinghaschanged:ourname,ourlocation,ourfaculty,theadventofonlinegraduatedistancelearning,anddepartmentaldiversity,tonameafew.

We added “Biomolecular” to our name in 2004 to reflect the broader impact of life sciences on our discipline.ThesameyearwemovedfromRiddickEngineeringLaboratories,abuildingthatweoccupiedontheNCStatemaincampusfor55years,toashowcasefacilityontheuniversity’snewandrapidlygrowingCentennialCampus.WehaveexpandedourPh.D.graduateresearchprogramandhavedevelopedaninternationallysubscribedonlineM.S.degreeprogramthatisamodelforsuchactivity.Andcomparedtothe“old”days,wehavebecomemorediverseinfacultyandstudents.Whathasremainedunchangedoverthese30yearsisthequalityoftheeducationthatourfacultyprovidesundergraduateandgraduatestudents.

THE UNIVERSITY, THE COLLEGE, aNd THE dEPaRTMENT

Tomanyfolks, thementionofNorthCarolinabrings tomindthefourseasonsasexperiencedfromthescenicOuterBanksintheeasttotheAppalachianMountainsinthewest;sweet tea and barbecued pork; and the fierce rivalry of ACC basketball traditions among NC State, Duke, and UNC-ChapelHill.Thestate isalso increasinglywellknownforitstechnologyfocus,however,asevidencedbytherenownoftheResearchTrianglePark;thestate’sinvestmentinedu-cation;itspositionasagrowinghubofbiotechnologyandbiomanufacturing(currentlymorethan500companies);andthe international recognition that the NC State CentennialCampushasgainedasamodelforthepromotionofuniversityandindustrialinteractionsandcooperation.Thestate’sbusi-nessclimatehasbeenrankedthebestinthenationbySite Selection magazine for the fifth year in a row—and eight of thelastnineyears.

Chemical Engineering at...

NC state University

Lisa G. BuLLard, Peter s. Fedkiw, and Francis P. O’deLL

© Copyright ChE Division of ASEE 2010

Vol. 44, No. 2, Spring 2010 91

NorthCarolinaStateUniversityislocatedinRaleigh,NC,thestatecapital.NCStateisthelargestuniversityofthe16campuses in theUniversityofNorthCarolinasystem,andit receives more applications than any of the others.Theuniversityhasacurrentenrollmentofalmost25,300under-graduateand8,600graduatestudents.Theacademiccampushasmorethandoubledinsizesince1979withtheopeningofourCentennialCampusin1985—whichatthetimeconsistedof805woodedacreswithinwalkingdistanceof themaincampus.CentennialCampus,namedtocelebrateNCState’sfoundingin1887,isauniqueenvironmentforauniversityand an extraordinary success story—a research park andcampus providing corporate, governmental, and nonprofit partnerscloseproximitytoworld-classresearchfacilitiesandahighlyeducatedworkforce,allinanamenity-richenviron-ment(<http://centennial.ncsu.edu>).

TheCollegeofEngineering (COE) consists of 12 engi-neering departments that, combined, offer 18 bachelor’s-,17master’s-,and13doctoral-degreeprograms.Theunder-graduateenrollmentisnear6,000,andgraduateenrollmentis approximately 2,300. The COE is among the largestengineeringcollegesinthenationandiscommonlyinthetop five in the number of B.S. degrees awarded annually. We anticipateinthenextfewyearsthattheCollege’smovetoCentennialCampuswillbecompletedandtheCOEwilljointheCollegeofTextilesasthetwoanchoracademicunitsonthenewCampus.

TheDepartmentofChemicalandBiomolecularEngineer-ing(CBE)movedin2004toEngineeringBuildingIonCen-tennialCampus,abuildingthatwesharewiththeDepartmentofMaterialsScienceandEngineering.Ourdepartmenthasanenrollmentofabout500undergraduatesand120gradu-atestudents,andoverthelast10yearswehaveaveraged95B.S.,20M.S.,and12Ph.D.degreesawardedannually.Ourundergraduateprogramisconsistentlyinthetop10producersofB.S.degrees,andourgraduateprogramhasreachedthatsamemilestoneseveraltimesinthelast10years.

HISTORYTheNCStateChemicalEngineeringDepartmentwasfor-

mallyestablishedwithintheSchoolofEngineeringin1924,buttheoriginsofchemicalengineeringactuallydateto1899whenafour-yearprogramleadingtothe“DegreeofBachelorofEngineering”andatwo-yeargraduateprogramleadingtothe “Degree of Chemical Engineer” were introduced.Thecatalogofthetimefor“NorthCarolinaCollegeofAgricul-tureandMechanicArts”(astheuniversitywasthenknown)describedtheprogram:“Foryoungmenseekingemploymentintheanalyticalorengineeringdepartmentsofthevariouschemicalindustriessuchasthemanufactureofsoap,paper,leather, vegetable oils, glass, porcelain, illuminating gas,sulphuric acid, fertilizers, etc.” The program was modified in 1902sothesixstudentswhostartedinchemicalengineeringwereeventuallyawardedB.S.degreesinIndustrialChemistry.Incidentally, one of these students, O. Max Gardner, laterbecamegovernorofNorthCarolina—another testament tothe(eventhen)breadthofeducationaffordedtoachemicalengineering student.Achemical engineeringprogramwasstartedonceagainin1916,atwhichtimethevariousengi-neering disciplines were administered together—separatedepartmentsdidnotexist.Twelvestudentsobtainedchemi-cal engineering degrees before the department was officially createdin1924.

In 1928 the first Master’s of Science in Chemical Engi-neeringwasawarded.ThedepartmentreceivedapprovaltoestablishaPh.D.programinchemicalengineeringin1949andfive years later graduated its first Ph.D., Jim Ferrell,whowasselectedin1966asdepartmentheadafterrecommendationofacommitteechairedbyProfessorWarren L. McCabe.Student Demographics and Number of Degrees Awarded

Boththenumberofgraduatesandthepercentageoffemalesin theprogramhaveincreaseddramaticallysincetheCEEprofile appeared in 1979. The number of B.S. graduates in the 10yearspreceding1979was364,andthenumberoverthepast10yearsis2.6timesgreater,at947.Thepercentageofwomengraduatesincreasedfrom6%inthe10yearspreceding1979,to35%inthepast10years.Thepercentageoffemalesisstillontherise,with47%ofour2008-09B.S.graduatesbeingwomen.Figure1showsourhistoricalproductionofB.S.andPh.D.graduates.Overourhistory,thedepartmenthasconferred4,500B.S.,534M.S.,and342Ph.D.degrees.

WehaveamissionasalandgrantinstitutiontoeducatethecitizensofNorthCarolina,butweencourageapplicantsandwelcomestudents fromaround thecountryand theworld.Overthelast10years,79%ofourB.S.graduateswerefromNorthCarolina,16%fromotherstates,and5%international.Overthesameperiod,59%ofourM.S.andPh.D.graduateswere from theUnitedStatesand the remaining41%fromothercountries.Figure 1. Our historical production of B.S. and Ph.D.

graduates.

Chemical Engineering Education92

FaCULTY Ourfacultymembersandtheuniversitiesoftheirdoctorate

degreesarelistedunderthegroupphoto,facingpage.Theinterdisciplinaryaspectsofourresearchandteaching

interests are reflected in the appointment of two faculty mem-bersfromotherNCStatecolleges(Flickinger,ofAgricultureandLifeSciences,andPourdeyhimi,ofTextiles)withassoci-atefacultymemberstatus,aswellastheappointmentofthefirst faculty member in the UNC system to have full faculty statusat twoinstitutions(DeSimone, jointwithChemistryUNCChapelHill).Inaddition,wearepleasedtoincludeanumberofadjunctandresearchfacultywhoarelistedatourdepartmentWebsitealongwiththestaffwhounderpinourenterprise(<www.che.ncsu.edu>).

Weareproudoftheaccomplishmentsofourfacultyandtherecognitionsthattheyhavereceived.Amongtheseachieve-ments,wearepleasedthatthreeofourfacultyaremembersoftheNationalAcademyofEngineering(DeSimone,Gubbins,andHall);12facultymembersareFellowsofprofessionalsocieties(Carbonell,DeSimone,Fedkiw,Felder,Flickinger,Genzer,Gubbins,Hall,Kelly,Parsons,Spontak,andWestmo-reland);andeightfacultymembersareNSFCAREERawardwinners (Dickey, Genzer, Haugh, Lamb, Peretti, Parsons,Velev,andWestmoreland).Inadditiontonumerousawardsatthenational,regional,andlocallevelfromtheAIChE,ACS,ASEE,andotherprofessionalsocietiesororganizations,wearepleased that threeofour faculty (DeSimone,Gubbins,andHall)were recognized in the2009AIChECentennialcelebrationasmembersofthe“100ChemicalEngineersoftheModernEra,”andthatthelistofgroundbreakingchemicalengineeringtextsinthedisciplineincludedoneco-authoredbyFelder.

TEaCHING IS IMPORTaNTOur department places particular emphasis on teaching

effectiveness.Twelve of our faculty members have wonUniversity-wideAlumniAssociationteachingawards.RichFelder,DaveOllis,andLisaBullardareespeciallywellknownintheprofessionfortheircontributionstochemicalengineer-ingeducation.OurdepartmentwontheinauguralNCStateUniversity“DepartmentalAwardforTeachingandLearningExcellence,”anindicationofhowwellwearerespectedbyouruniversitypeers.

Perhapsourdepartmentismostwellknownasthebirthplaceofthebest-sellingchemicalengineeringtextbook,Elementary Principles of Chemical ProcessesbyRichFelderandRonRousseau(whowasatNCStatewhenthebookwaswrittenandisnowchairatGeorgiaTech).Thisbookisusedatmorethan80%ofchemicalengineeringdepartmentsintheUnitedStates and has been translated into seven languages. Richand his wife and colleague, Rebecca Brent, have broughtinternationalrecognitiontoNCStateasaresultofthemore

than300teaching-effectivenessworkshopstheyhavegivenaroundtheworld,includingtheNationalEffectiveTeachingInstituteofferedannuallyatASEEmeetingssince1991.

OthertextbookswrittenbyNCStatefacultyincludeChemi-cal Reactions and Chemical Reactors (George Roberts),Biochemical Engineering Fundamentals[DavidOllis(NCSU)andJamesBailey],andUnit Operations of Chemical Engi-neering[WarrenMcCabe(NCSU)andJulianSmith].

UNdERGRadUaTE PROGRaMCurriculum

Outof125credithoursrequiredfortheB.S.degree,ourundergraduatestudentstake12corecoursesinchemicalen-gineeringandsixinchemistry.Inadditiontoacorechemicalengineering program, the B.S. students may enroll in oneof five concentration areas that reflect the research interests ofourfacultyandthetypesofindustrialpositionsthatourgraduatesmaypursue:

• biomanufacturing Concentration – The biomanu-facturing concentration provides students with the knowledge base and hands-on skills to prepare them to quickly contribute to a cGMP (current good manufac-turing practice) biomanufacturing operation.

• biomolecular Concentration – The biomolecular concentration integrates a unique set of core and ad-vanced bioscience course offerings that are relevant to the pharmaceutical, medical, and agricultural fields.

• honors Program – The honors program allows talented students to gain a deeper understanding of chemical engineering principles in preparation for graduate study. Honors versions of core coursework, an advanced math elective, a graduate CHE course, and an honors thesis are required.

• Nanoscience Concentration – The nanoscience con-centration allows students to develop an understand-ing of the scientific and technological principles as-sociated with the design and manufacture of patterns and devices with features and advanced functionality on the nanometer scale.

• sustainability, Energy, and the Environment Con-centration – This concentration involves the study of critical environmental issues in product design, process development, and research on industrial and energy systems.

Undergraduates’ Careers

OurB.S.graduatesbegin theircareers inawidevarietyof industries. Figure 2 shows the initial placement of ourgraduates over the last 10 years.Although many of themaccept their initialpositionin theSoutheastUnitedStates,theyareeventuallylocatedacrossthecountryandtheworld.Almostone-quarterofourB.S.graduatesimmediatelyenteragraduateprograminengineering,lawschool,medicalschool,

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Kenneth Beatty,Michigan,EmeritusChase Beisel,Cal Tech(starting2011)Lisa Bullard,Carnegie Mellon, DirectorofUndergraduateStudiesRuben Carbonell,PrincetonJoseph DeSimone,VA TechMichael Dickey, UT AustinPeter Fedkiw,Cal Berkeley, DepartmentHeadRichard Felder,Princeton,EmeritusMichael Flickinger,WisconsinJan Genzer,Pennsylvania, AssociateDepartmentHeadChristine Grant,Georgia Tech, AssociateDeanofFacultyDevelopmentandSpecial Initiatives,CollegeofEngineeringKeith Gubbins,Kings College, University of LondonCarol Hall,Stony BrookJason Haugh,MIT

Wesley Henderson, MinnesotaHarold Hopfenberg,MIT,EmeritusRobert Kelly,NC StateSaad Khan, MIT, DirectorofGraduateStudiesHenry Lamb,DelawareP.K. Lim,IllinoisDavid Ollis,StanfordGregory Parsons,NC StateSteven Peretti,Cal TechBehnam Pourdeyhimi,LeedsBalaji Rao, MITGregory Reeves,PrincetonGeorge Roberts,MIT,EmeritusRichard Spontak,Cal BerkeleyOrlin Velev,University of SofiaPhillip Westmoreland,MITHubert Winston, NC State,Emeritus

Faculty members of CBE at 2009 retreat (not listed in order of appearance).

Chemical Engineering Education94

dentalschool,businessschool,orpharmacyschool.Selectedachievementsofourgraduatesinclude:presidentsandCEOsofFortune500corporations;companyownersandentrepre-neurs;membershipintheNationalAcademyofEngineering;military leaders, including a four-star general; leadershippositionsinacademia;renownedM.D.sandsurgeons;andcourtjudges,amongothers.

STUdENT ORGaNIZaTIONSOurAIChEstudentchapterwasthe15thchapterestablished

in the United States and the first in the South, and has been in placecontinuouslysince1930.Ithaswonanationalstudentchapteroftheyearaward14timesinthepast20years.Ourstudentshavebeeninstrumentalinestablishingstudentchap-tersoftheInternationalSocietyofPharmaceuticalEngineersin1996andOmegaChiEpsilonin1997,andmanyareac-tiveintheSocietyofWomenEngineers,NationalSocietyofBlackEngineers,SocietyofHispanicProfessionalEngineers,andEngineersWithoutBorders.OurgraduatestudentshavehadaGraduateStudentAssociation(GSA)chaptersincethe1970s (its organizer and first president was Francis O’Dell,now the department’s director of development).The GSAplaysanactiveroleinthesocialfabricofthedepartmentandis instrumental in our annual recruiting efforts of first-year graduatestudents.

GRadUaTE PROGRaM Weoffer two thesis degrees: the Doctor of Philosophy

(Ph.D.)and theMasterofScience(M.S.).Theemphasis,however,isonthePh.D.program,with95%ofourgradu-atestudentsbeingpartofit.Auniqueaspectofourdoctoral

programisthereplacementofthetraditionalwrittenqualify-ingexaminationwitharesearchproposition—achangethatweimplemented18yearsagoandwasdescribedbyOlliselsewhere(CEE,222-29,Fall1995).Theresearchproposi-tionhasevolvedintoapairofresearch-relatedcoursestakenby students during their first year and consists of Introduc-tiontoResearchduringtheFallsemesterandtheResearchPropositioncourseintheSpring.WeofferthesetwonovelcoursestobetterpreparestudentstofunctionathighlevelsofproductivityinboththeirPh.D.studiesandcareers,andtoteachthemechanicsofeffectivelycommunicatingtoatech-nicalaudiencethroughproposals(hypotheses)andpapers(results).IntheIntroductiontoResearchcourse,thestudentindependentlydevelops anoriginal chemical engineeringresearchpaperanddefendsitorallytothecourseinstructor.Theclassalsocoversissuesrelatedtoresearchethics.Inthefollow-onResearchPropositioncourse,thestudentcreatesanNSF-format-likeproposal,typicallyintheareaofhis/heranticipatedPh.D.study,undertheguidanceofthecourseinstructorandthesisadvisor,anddefendsitbeforeafacultycommittee.Successfulcompletionofthesetwocoursesandfour core first-year graduate courses qualifies the student to continueforthePh.D.

Creativity,collaboration,andinnovationarecharacteristicsemphasizedandnurtured inour researchprograms,whichencompassavarietyofaspectsofchemicalandbiomolecularengineering.Fundamentalstudiesincludeinvestigatingna-noscalephenomena,reactionpathwaysinlivingcells,proteinpurification, thin-film dynamics, and polymer physics. More appliedtopicsincludefabricatingfunctionalnanostructuresand nanoelectronic devices, using microfluidic systems, and developingalternativesourcesofcleanenergy,tonameafew.Followingarethepresentareasofresearchstrengthinthedepartmentandthefacultymembersinvolvedwiththem:

• biofuels and Renewable Energy Technology: Dickey, Fedkiw, Henderson, Khan, Lamb, Parsons, Peretti, and Westmoreland

• biomolecular Engineering and biotechnology: Beisel, DeSimone, Carbonell, Hall, Haugh, Kelly, Rao, and Reeves

• Catalysis, Combustion, Kinetics and Electrochemical Engineering: Fedkiw, Lamb, and Westmoreland

• Computational Nanoscience and biology: Gubbins, Hall, and Westmoreland

• Environmental studies: Grant, Ollis, and Peretti • Nanoscience and Nano-Engineering: DeSimone,

Dickey, Genzer, Khan, Parsons, and Velev • Polymers: DeSimone, Dickey, Genzer, Hall, Khan,

and Spontak

Graduates’ Careers

Figure3showstheinitialplacementofourPh.D.graduatesoverthelast10years.Themajorityofthemcontinuedtheirstudies inpost-doctoral researchpositionsatother institu-

Figure 2. The initial placement of our undergraduates over the last 10 years.

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tions.Over the17-yearperiod from1953-1980,17ofourPh.D.studentswentintoacademia,while31havedonesofrom1981through2009.

Distance Master of Science Degree

Thedepartmentwasapioneerinestablishingadistance-education-basedMasterofScienceinChemicalEngineeringprogram,whichoriginallybeganwithvideotapesthatweredistributedthroughthemailandhasevolvedtodeliveryofcontentthroughonlinestreamingvideo.Studentsinthepro-gramcomefromallovertheUnitedStatesandabroad.Thedistanceprogramprovidesanopportunityforindividualsintheworkforcetocompletetheirstudieswhilemaintainingfull employment, and also for non-chemical engineers totrainthemselvestobechemicalengineers.Thisnon-thesisM.S. in chemical engineering is a 30-credit-hourprogramthatoffersWebaccesstoallcoregraduateclassesandmostCBEgraduate electives.Toearn thedegree studentsmusttakeatleast10three-hourcourseswithatleastsevenbeinginchemicalengineering.

BIOMaNUFaCTURING TRaINING aNd EdUCaTION CENTER

TheGoldenLEAFBiomanufacturingTrainingandEduca-tionCenter(BTEC)openedonCentennialCampusin2007.BTECsimulatesabiomanufacturingfacilitycapableofpro-ducingsterilebulkbiopharmaceuticalcompounds,and thebuildingincludesclassrooms,laboratories,andhigh-puritybuildingandprocessutilities.Thefacilitydeliversa“hands-on”educationalexperienceforalllevelsofpost-secondarystudentsanddoessousinglarge-scale,state-of-the-artequip-ment and process systems in a cGMP environment.Thisunique facility is the first of its kind in the country and one of onlyafewintheworld.BTECwasfoundedundertheleader-shipofourformerdepartmenthead,PeterKilpatrick(nowdeanofengineeringatNotreDame),anditspresentdirectoris also a former CBE department head, Ruben Carbonell.Our undergraduate students in the biomanufacturing con-centrationtakeBTECclassesandgraduatestudentsperformresearchundertheguidanceofCBEfacultywhoparticipateinBTEC’smission.

OTHER FaCULTY INTERESTSWhileourfacultymembersmaintainveryhighstandardsin

boththeirteachingandtheirresearch,theyalsoenjoydiversepersonalinterestsandallcontributeimmenselytocreatingacollegialenvironment.

Since retiringas theacepitcheron thegraduatestudentsoftballteam,PeterFedkiwhasbecomeanavidfanofNHLhockeyandisaseasonticketholderofRaleigh’sCarolinaHurricanes (as well as the Broadway South stage series).Sportinghis“LordoftheRings”jacket,RichSpontakisourlocal Tolkien aficionado. Rich is an avid writer (he has a poem

enteredintheU.S.CongressionalRecord)andlikestocoachteenagersinOdysseyoftheMindandMathCounts,aswellasplayingchessandsquash.CarolHallisaballroom-danceenthusiastandparticipatesinregionalcompetitions.Inthesummer,shecanoftenbeseenpaddlingheryellowkayakonlocallakes.ChristineGranttreasuresthetimethatshespendsworkingtosupportwomen’sministriesatherchurch.Oneofherdreamsistoworkonthesetofamovieasaspecial-effectsengineer.

OrlinVelevrelaxesbytravelingwithhisfamilyandoftenschedulesintenseprogramsofsightseeingandculturaleventsonsuchtrips.AthomeOrlinenjoyswatchingmovies;he’skeenondocumentariesonhistory,especiallythosefeaturingeventsoftheColdWar.Severalfacultymembersaremusi-cians:JasonHaughisacapableguitarist/multi-instrumentalistandsongwriter;ChaseBeiselisadrummerwho’splayedindiversemusicalgroupsrangingfromconcertbandstoacol-legedrumline;RichFelderplaysclassicalguitar;JanGenzerplayed piano for about a decade as a youngster (about acentury ago, he jokes) and still finds amusement and inspira-tionin“teasing”thekeyboard;StevePerettiisaGilbertandSullivan aficionado who has performed with the Durham Savoyards;andLisaBullardsingsinthepraiseteamatherchurch.HubertWinstonpracticestaichiandqigong—energytechniquesbasedinChinesemedicine—andhasalsoservedasamediatorinlocalsmallclaimscourt.

JanGenzer,JasonHaugh,andChaseBeiselareunabashedbeerenthusiasts(andquitepickyaboutwhattheydrink).Whennottryingtokeepupwithhisfourteenagersandtheiractivities,HenryLambstillplaysbasketballafewtimesaweek,goeshorsebackriding,andtendstohisvariouscritters(horses,dogs,andcats).Heenjoyscampingandhiking—especiallyintheNCmountainsandthewesternUnitedStates.P.K.Limhas

Figure 3. The initial placement of our Ph.D. graduates over the last 10 years.

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alsomaderecentvisitstothewesternUnitedStatesandisunafraidtosetoffoncross-countryroadtripswithhisthreesmallchildrenintow.JanGenzerisatalentedmimicwhocanwittilyimpersonategraduatestudentsandfacultymembers.BalaRaoreadsbooksoneconomicsinhissparetime,whileDaveOllisisthemantoseeifyoueverwanttolearnaboutthehistoryofporcelainorre-discoverancienttechnologyofChina.Daveisalsooftenaccompaniedby“Teddy,”alovablepoundhoundwhowhilesawaymostdayssleepingon theOriental rug in Dave’s office and getting treats from the staff (andgettingmuchattentionfromjustaboutanyvisitorwhopasses by Dave’s office during the day). No wonder Teddy has become the unofficial departmental mascot! Joe DeSimone is a fierce fan of all teams Philadelphia and recently attended, withhis son,Game4of theWorldSeries inPhiladelphiaagainsttheNYYankees.JoeenjoysplayingtennisandridingbikesonHoldenBeachwithhisfamily.

Greg Parsons coaches his daughter’s soccer team, andBobKellycoachedhisson’sbaseballteam.BobisalsoabigMetsandGiantsfan.SaadKhanwhipsupameancurry(besidespickingupoccasionaltakeoutfromBurgerKing).WesleyHendersonregalesthestudentswithtalesfromhisdaysasanAirborneRangerparachutingoutofplanes inthe first Gulf War; his claim to cinematic fame is that he wasanextrainthemovie“Outbreak.”MichaelDickeyisarabidWolfpacksportsfanwhohasbeenknowntochasedownfootballorbasketballcoaches togetaphoto takenwiththem.Thisphenomenonhasbeenwitnessedbyseveralfaculty members who are willing to confirm it in court if necessary.GregReeveslikestoswimandplaywaterpolo,andisabigfanofAtlantaBravesbaseballaswellascol-legefootball.Gregalsolikestoponderthebigquestionsinlifeandisanactiveparticipantinhischurchministries.HalHopfenberg, inadditiontobeingafamouslocalgourmetcookandourformerdepartmenthead,hasthedistinctionofhavingbeenathleticdirectorofNCState.Whenhewasappointed,thenewspaperswinkedthathispreviousathleticexperiencehadbeenonthebasketballteamatMIT,butintheend he pulled the athletic program through a difficult time. MichaelFlickinger isanamateurarchitectanda lifelonghousecarpenter,handwoodworker,andfurnituredesignerwhodonateshiscarpentrytimeprovidingsafe,warm,dry,andaffordablehousinglocallyandinAppalachia.Whenhe’snotgardeningwithhiswife,orworkinginhisshop,youcan

find Michael tending his small flock (no, not his lab group, buthisheritagechickenbreeds)whichprovideshisfamily,studentsandcolleagueswithfresheggseveryweek.

KeithGubbins,besidesbeingknownasasnappydresser,enjoys bird watching, swimming laps, and boating. Keithownsanextensiveartcollection.RubenCarbonellrecentlyobtained his Captain’s license from the U.S. Coast Guard(100-tonvessels,100milesoffshore)andhaschartercruisesplannedtotheWestCoastofFlorida(Sanibel,Useppa,MarcoIslands),theSanJuanIslandsinthestateofWashington,andtheTurksandCaicosintheCaribbean.RubenlikestodancetoCubanmusicandcookCubanfood,andheistheonlyfacultymemberwhohashadthreechildrengraduatefromNCState,one from the department—luckily for both, Ruben neverhad him in class. George Roberts enjoys reading non-fiction about the Civil War as well as visiting Civil War battlefields andmuseums.Forproof,checkoutProblem7-7inChemical Reactions and Chemical Reactors,hisrecentbookpublishedbyWiley.GeorgeisalsothelocalfacultyexpertonAmericanmovieclassicsand is infamousfor telling“PatandMike”jokesatdepartmentaleventswitharollickingIrishaccent.RichFelderenjoyslisteningtomusic(mostlyclassicalandopera,somejazzandfolkandbluegrassand’60sand’70srock);tackingvacationsontotheinternationaltripshetakestogiveteachingworkshopswithhiswifeRebecca,doingtheSundayNew York Timescrossword,andaboveall,playingwithhissevengrandkids.NewcomerPhilWestmorelandhasfoundtheTriangletobeanamazinglyhippartofthecoun-try—ablendofgrassrootsandtheverysophisticated—andenjoyscuisinefrombarbecuetovegan,musicfromPiedmontBluestotheCatsCradle,craftsandart,andhikingtrailsintheEnoRiverandUmsteadStateParks.

***Wehopethisdescriptiongivesanideaofwhoweareand

whatwedo.Wealsohopethatitconveysthegreatcollegialityandfriendshipweenjoyinourdepartment.Notonlydowehavefun,wealsoworktogetherwell,asevidencedbynearly40%ofourgraduatestudentsbeingco-advisedbymorethanone faculty member in our department. The fact that five currentfacultywhoreceivedtheirChEdegreesatNCStateeventuallyreturnedtothedepartmenttoteachandcarryouttheir scholarship reflects the sense of family that extends to ourstudentsandgraduates.p