Neal Amundson
Encyclopedia
Neal R. Amundson was an American chemical engineer
. He was the Cullen Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Houston
. Amundson was considered one of the most prominent Chemical Engineering educators and researchers in the United States.
, earning a BS ChE (1937), an MS ChE (1941), and a PhD in Mathematics (1945).
Amundson joined the University of Houston (UH) in 1977 as a Cullen Professor and a faculty member of the Chemical Engineering & Mathematics departments. He served as UH Provost from 1987 to 1989. Amundson is known internationally for his pioneering work applying mathematical modeling and analysis to the solution of chemical engineering problems. His technical contributions are in the areas of mathematical modeling and analysis of chemical reactors, separation systems, polymerization units, and coal gasification units. Amundson was one of the main architects of the analytical methodology practiced by chemical engineers today.
Amundson wrote more than 200 technical articles as well as several books. He chaired the U.S. National Research Council committee that wrote the influential "Frontiers in Chemical Engineering" report. He was the U.S. editor of Chemical Engineering Science from 1955 to 1972. Amundson was elected a member of National Academy of Engineering
in 1970 and the National Academy of Sciences
in 1992. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
in 1992. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) bestowed on Amundson the prestigious NAE Founders’ Award in 1990.
In 1996, Amundson was the first recipient of the International Symposia on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE) award for excellence, an award that is also named for him. The chemical engineering building at his alma mater University of Minnesota
is named in his honor. He received numerous professional awards from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
(AIChE), American Chemical Society
(ACS), International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE), and American Society for Engineering Education
(ASEE).
He received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Pennsylvania, Guadalajara, and Northwestern University. He received the highest faculty honors given by the Universities of Minnesota and Houston.
Amundson died on February 16, 2011 at the age of 95.
Chemical engineering
Chemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
. He was the Cullen Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Mathematics at the University of Houston
University of Houston
The University of Houston is a state research university, and is the flagship institution of the University of Houston System. Founded in 1927, it is Texas's third-largest university with nearly 40,000 students. Its campus spans 667 acres in southeast Houston, and was known as University of...
. Amundson was considered one of the most prominent Chemical Engineering educators and researchers in the United States.
Early life
A Minnesota native, Amundson was educated at the University of MinnesotaUniversity of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, earning a BS ChE (1937), an MS ChE (1941), and a PhD in Mathematics (1945).
Career
He taught in the mathematics department until 1947 and joined the University of Minnesota’s Chemical Engineering Department, where he served as Chair from 1949 until 1977. During his 25 years as department chair, Amundson helped the department to achieve a high national ranking among chemical engineering departments, which it still retains.Amundson joined the University of Houston (UH) in 1977 as a Cullen Professor and a faculty member of the Chemical Engineering & Mathematics departments. He served as UH Provost from 1987 to 1989. Amundson is known internationally for his pioneering work applying mathematical modeling and analysis to the solution of chemical engineering problems. His technical contributions are in the areas of mathematical modeling and analysis of chemical reactors, separation systems, polymerization units, and coal gasification units. Amundson was one of the main architects of the analytical methodology practiced by chemical engineers today.
Amundson wrote more than 200 technical articles as well as several books. He chaired the U.S. National Research Council committee that wrote the influential "Frontiers in Chemical Engineering" report. He was the U.S. editor of Chemical Engineering Science from 1955 to 1972. Amundson was elected a member of National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
in 1970 and the National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
in 1992. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
in 1992. The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) bestowed on Amundson the prestigious NAE Founders’ Award in 1990.
In 1996, Amundson was the first recipient of the International Symposia on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE) award for excellence, an award that is also named for him. The chemical engineering building at his alma mater University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
is named in his honor. He received numerous professional awards from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional organization for chemical engineers.AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical engineers.As of 2010, AIChE had over 40,000 members,...
(AIChE), American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
(ACS), International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering (ISCRE), and American Society for Engineering Education
American Society for Engineering Education
The American Society for Engineering Education is a non-profit member association, founded in 1893, dedicated to promoting and improving engineering and engineering technology education....
(ASEE).
He received honorary doctorates from the Universities of Minnesota, Notre Dame, Pennsylvania, Guadalajara, and Northwestern University. He received the highest faculty honors given by the Universities of Minnesota and Houston.
Amundson died on February 16, 2011 at the age of 95.