Who is Thiele?

Ernest W. Thiele, 1895-1993

Thiele’s longest professional work experiences were with the Standard Oil Company of Indiana and the University of Notre Dame. He retired as associate director of research at Standard Oil (now the Amoco Corporation) in 1960 after thirty-five years there and then served as a visiting professor of chemical engineering at Notre Dame until 1970. His name was known to every chemical engineer trained after 1927, since by then all departments of chemical engineering were teaching the McCabe-Thiele method for determining distillation parameters. After 1939, most chemical engineers interested in designing chemical reactors employing solid catalysts became familiar with the Thiele modulus and catalyst electiveness factors, which were inventions of Thiele. Ernest Thiele was born on December 8, 1895, in Chicago, Illinois.

Download a presentation about Ernest W. Thiele's impact on Chemical Engineering

Download the 1925 Paper "Graphical Design of Fractionating Columns" by McCabe and Thiele

Past Winners of the Ernest W. Thiele Award

YEAR RECIPIENT AFFILIATION RECOGNITION & ACHIEVEMENT
1983 E.W. Thiele Standard Oil (Indiana) Catalysis, Distillation fundamental advances
1985 B.B. Broughton UOP Aromatics Separation Processes, adsorptive separation
1986 T.J. Hanratty Univ. Of Illinois Advances in Fluid Mechanics
1987 G. Thodos Northwestern Physical Property Advances
1988 L.O. Stine UOP Petroleum/Petrochemical Processes
1989 D.T. Wasan IIT Research and Progress on Separation Processes
1990 R.S. Mah Northwestern Chemical Process System Analysis
1992 J.J. Carberry Notre Dame Chemical Reaction Engineering research, innovation, and education
1993 R.J. Bertolacini Amoco Catalysis research innovations and leadership
1994 J.W. Westwater Univ. of Illinois Research in Heat transfer and contributions in teaching
1995 Norman Li UOP Pioneering research in membranes and separations
1996 Rathin Datta Argonne Original research in metabolic engineering and membranes
1997 Hamid Arastoopour IIT Academic leadership and environmental engineering
1998 Arvind Varma Notre Dame Fundamental advances in synthesis of materials, catalysis and reactor stability
1999 S. George Bankoff Northwestern Heat transfer advances in chemical and nuclear engineering
2000 Henry Linden IGT (retired) Leadership of the Institute Of Gas Tech.
2001 Paul Sechrist UOP Contributions to computational fluid Mechanics, CCR, and FCC refining processes
2002 Julio Ottino Northwestern Research in Chaos Theory and mixing of solids and liquids
2003 Ali Cinar IIT Contributions in process modeling, monitoring and control. As an educator championing computers and statistics.
2004 Ted M. Knowlton PSRI For his contributions to fundamental and applied research, and his leadership in the fields of fluidization and particulate solids.
2005 Dimitri Gidaspow IIT For his fundamental contributions to computational fluid dynamics, multi-phase flow and fluidized bed systems and as an educator.
2007 Lynn H. Rice UOP For his fundamental contributions to the petroleum refining isomerization process.
2008 Robert Lyczkowski Argonne Innovative application of multiphase theory and computational fluid dynamics in the areas of nuclear, fossil and biochemical engineering.
2009 Harold H. Kung Northwestern University seminal contributions to the fundamental understanding of catalytic phenomena, innovative design of novel catalytic structures, and leadership in the teaching of sustainability.
2010 J. Peter Clark Consultant For leading the development of numerous food products and new food preparation processes, and as a mentor and teacher.

Announcements for Past Winners of the Ernest W. Thiele Award

Professor S. George Bankoff Wins The 1999 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Professor S. George Bankoff, the Walter P. Murphy Professor (Emeritus) of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering at Northwestern University for being awarded the 1999 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Professor Bankoff is being recognized for his internationally acclaimed contributions to the field of Chemical Engineering. George Bankoff's fundamental understanding of heat transfer and the application of these insights to nuclear and chemical engineering has won him many awards and recognition. He is the recipient of the Robert E. Wilson, Donald Q. Kern, and Heat Transfer and Energy Division awards. In 1996, Professor Bankoff was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering.

Please join us in congratulating Professor S. George Bankoff on his achievement.

Dr. Henry Linden Wins the 2000 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Dr. Henry Linden, the Max McGraw Professor of Energy, Power Engineering, and Management at Illinois Institute of Technology for being awarded the 2000 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Dr. Linden is recognized for his internationally acclaimed contributions to the field of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Linden has won this award for his leadership at the Illinois Institute of Technology, as an advisor on energy policy to the US DOE, as a member of the National Academy of Engineering, a fellow of the British Institute of Energy, and as a fellow of our own AIChE..

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP Amoco and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Henry Linden on his achievement.

Mr. Paul Sechrist Wins The 2001 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Paul Sechrist, Manager of Physical and Computational Modeling at UOP, for being awarded the 2001 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Mr. Sechrist is recognized for his fundamental contributions to the field of Chemical Engineering. Mr. Sechrist has won this award for his improvements in understanding gas-solid, and gas-liquid-solid dynamics under reaction conditions, use of computational fluid mechanics, as well as advances in continuous catalyst regeneration and FCC modeling.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Paul Sechrist on his achievement.

Professor Julio Ottino Wins the 2002 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Professor Julio Ottino, R.R. McCormick Institute Professor of the Chemical Engineering Department of Northwestern University for being the recipient of the 2002 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Dr. Ottino is recognized for his seminal research in the areas of chaos and mixing of liquids and solids and for his outstanding contributions as an educator, academic leader and mentor. Dr. Ottino has also led the Chemical Engineering department at Northwestern and has brought new and exciting programs to the chemical engineering curriculum.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Julio Ottino on his achievement.

Proffesor Ali Cinar Wins the 2003 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Professor Ali Cinar, Associate Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate College at Illinois Institute of Technology for being the recipient of the 2003 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Dr. Cinar is recognized for his significant research contributions in process modeling, monitoring and control, and for being an outstanding educator. Professor Cinar has championed the use of computers and statistics across the engineering curriculum at IIT.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Ali Cinar on his achievement.

Dr. Ted M. Knowlton Wins the 2004 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Dr. Ted Knowlton, Technical Director of the Particulate Solids Research Institute, for being awarded the 2004 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Dr. Knowlton is recognized for his fundamental contributions to the phenomena of particulate solids behavior and fluidization fields of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Knowlton, with worldwide recognition in the particulate solids area, has won this award for his leadership of the Particulate Solids Research Institute (PSRI) and earlier, the Fluidization Research and Consulting Group of the Institute of Gas Technology (IGT).

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP, and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Ted Knowlton on his achievement.

Professor Dimitri Gidaspow Wins the 2005 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Professor Dimitri Gidaspow , Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology, for being awarded the 2005 Ernest W. Thiele award.

Dr. Gidaspow is recognized for his fundamental contributions to computational fluid dynamics, multi-phase flow, and fluidized bed systems. Professor Gidaspow has helped to establish a new paradigm in fluidization. Dr. Ernest Thiele was the first to understand mass transfer in catalysts and has been honored by naming the dimensionless group, the Thiele modulus, after him. Professor Gidaspow has continued this research and has for the first time understood turbulent flow of such catalysts. Dr. Gidaspow is also recognized as an effective educator for generations of students and administrator.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP, and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Gidaspow on his achievement.

Mr. Lynn Rice Wins the 2007 Ernest W. Thiele Award

The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Chicago Section has named UOP’s Lynn Rice the winner of the 2007 Ernest W. Thiele Award. This prestigious award is given annually to one Midwest AIChE member who has made outstanding contributions in the practice of Chemical Engineering.

Rice, a UOP senior engineering fellow, was recognized for his rich 37-year career, working as a principle innovator in the area of the petroleum refining process of isomerization. His numerous contributions have also led to a better understanding of gas-solid handling under reaction conditions, developing and maintaining engineering design tools and guidelines for the isomerization process.

Rice is active with AIChE and currently serves as a Director of the Fuels & Petrochemical Division of AIChE.

Rice received a B.S. Ch.E. at the University of Alabama (graduating Tau Beta Pi) and a M.S. Ch.E. at the University of Colorado. He also has 15 US patents and 40 foreign patents.

Dr. Robert Lyczkowski Wins the 2008 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Dr. Robert Lyczkowski, Chemical Engineer at Argonne for being awarded the 2008 Ernest W. Thiele award!

This prestigious award will be presented to Dr. Lyczkowski at the September 22nd meeting of the Chicago AIChE section at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Dr. Lyczkowski is recognized for his innovative application of multiphase theory and computational fluid dynamics in the areas of nuclear, fossil and biochemical engineering.

He has had an outstanding record of accomplishments demonstrated by patents and over 125 publications.
In our field of chemical engineering, his contributions have lead to better understanding of fluid dynamics. Dr. Lyczkowski has served in many academic roles at IIT as a teacher, advisor and on thesis committees in the Chemical Engineering Department. He has also served our professional society by presenting short courses, seminars, and chaired numerous conferences at AIChE meetings.

Dr. Lyczkowski received his B.S. Ch. E. at the Cleveland State Univeristy, and his MS and PhD at IIT.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP, and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Robert Lyczkowski on his achievement.

Dr. Harold H. Kung Wins the 2009 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Dr. Harold Kung, Professor of Chemical Engineering and Director of the Center for Energy Efficient Transportation at Northwestern University for being awarded the 2009 Ernest W. Thiele award!

This prestigious award will be presented to Dr. Kung at the October 6, 2009 meeting of the Chicago AIChE section at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Professor Kung is recognized for his seminal contributions to the fundamental understanding of catalytic phenomena, innovative design of novel catalytic structures, and leadership in the teaching of sustainability.

He has had an outstanding record of accomplishments demonstrated by his leading contributions in various areas of heterogeneous catalysis, elucidating the relationship between surface atomic structures and an oxide and its chemical and catalytic properties. Dr. Kung also serves the scientific community by offering his view on sustainability to the students at Northwestern. His course on Sustainability, Technology and Society emphasizes the interaction among technology, human behavior, policy and business strategy and practice.

Dr. Kung received his B.S. Ch.E. at the Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, and his PhD at Northwestern.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP, and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating Professor Harold Kung on his achievement.

J. Peter Clark Wins the 2010 Ernest W. Thiele Award

Congratulations to Dr. J. Peter Clark, Consultant to the Food and Beverage Industry for being awarded the 2010 Ernest W. Thiele award!

This prestigious award will be presented to Dr. Clark at the September 15, 2010 meeting of the Chicago AIChE section at the Emmett's Brewing Company meeting location. Dr. Clark is recognized for leading the development of numerous food products ad new food preparation processes. He is an exemplary mentor and teacher for the chemical engineering profession.

He has had an outstanding record of accomplishments with over forty years of experience as an engineering executive in the food and related industries. Dr. Clark is an expert in sanitary design, food safety, and technology assessment, due diligence economic evaluation, process development and engineering leadership. Peter has authored or co-authored over forty papers, six books and one patent.

Dr. Clark received his B.S. Ch.E. at the Notre Dame and his PhD at UC Berkeley.

The Ernest W. Thiele award is presented annually to a Midwest region member of AIChE who has made outstanding contributions to advance the practice of Chemical Engineering. The award is sponsored by BP, and consists of a plaque and a $1000 honorarium.

Please join us in congratulating J. Peter Clark on his achievement.