Message from the Chair

Greetings

JoAnn Slama was recently selected as chair of Chemical Engineering at the University of Utah College of Engineering. She is pleased to fill the leadership position for Chemical Engineering during this important Centennial Year. She looks forward to reconnecting with alumni at our first dinner (scheduled for September 20 in the New Warnock Engineering Building) and the AIChE National Meeting in Salt Lake City November 4 - 9. The department remains committed to quality education, new discovery, and service to our profession and community. The future is bright for our students and we hope to meet the challenge of increasing demand by increasing our graduation class to over 30. We are excited by new initiatives in energy opportunities for the department and strengthening our bioengineering focus. Prior to the appointment, Dr. Lighty served as Director of the Institute for Combustion and Energy Studies (ICES) at the University of Utah. She also served the College as Associate Dean from 1995 - 2004. Dr. Lighty received her B.S Magna Cum Laude in Chemical Engineering from the University of Utah in 1982. She worked for several years as Project Engineer before returning to the University of Utah to obtain her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. She obtained that degree in 1988 and became a faculty member that same year. Dr. Lighty has received numerous awards, including the University of Utah Diversity Award, the Society of Women Engineers Distinguished Engineering Educator Award and the Utah YMCA Outstanding Achievement Award in Science and Technology. Dr. Lighty served as the founding Director of ICES. She is internationally recognized for her work on fine particle formation, mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, and pollution issues along the US/Mexico border.