MIDLAND, Mich. (Feb. 22) — Lanny Robbins, a retired research fellow at Dow Chemical Co., and Madan Bhasin, a senior scientist with Dow subsidiary Union Carbide Corp., have been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Robbins was selected for his development of novel commercial separation and purification processes for environmental control that improve the removal of trace impurities, according to the company. Bhasin was elected for his development of efficient catalysts for the production of ethylene oxide and for contributions to the fundamental understanding of catalysts, the firm said.
Robbins, who began his career at Dow in 1966 and retired in 2003, "has been a significant innovator and contributor to chemical engineering science," said Hank Kohlbrand, research and development director of Dow Engineering & Process Sciences. "Over his 37 year career at Dow, he made a tremendous impact on the efficiency of our processes and was particularly talented at developing future generations of scientists."
Bhasin, who joined Union Carbide as a chemist in 1963, has made significant contributions to the advancement of catalysis, particularly for ethylene oxide, throughout his career, according to Kathy Johnson, R&D director for Dow Oxides and Glycols. "His creativity is remarkable and has impacted diverse areas of research at Dow," she said, adding that he "has had a great impact at Dow and in the chemical industry."
Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, the company noted.
The academy honors those who make outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice or education, to engineering literature, and to the pioneering of new and developing fields of technology, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.