The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) honored DuPont and Thermo Fisher Scientific, along with those companies’ leaders, for exemplifying the good works of chemical engineering at its 2020 Virtual Gala, held December 10. For the first time, the annual fundraiser was presented online, as a measure against COVID-19. The online platform enabled the gala presentation to reach and include a broader audience.
DuPont was recognized “for leadership in the developing of innovative sustainable products,” and for the company’s 2030 Sustainability Goals, which align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The honor for DuPont was accepted by Edward D. Breen, executive chairman and chief executive officer.
Thermo Fisher Scientific was honored for “leadership in addressing global health care challenges,” in particular, for the company’s leadership in bringing government and industry groups together to accelerate access to COVID-19 testing and vaccine development. Thermo Fisher Scientific’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Marc N. Casper accepted the award on behalf of the company.
The gala also honored S. Shariq Yosufzai, retired vice president of global diversity at Chevron Corporation, who received the AIChE Foundation’s Doing a World of Good Medal, a prize that recognizes the achievements of an individual who has advanced the societal contributions of engineers. Yosufzai was cited for his leadership in creating a more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce within Chevron and across the chemical engineering community.
Another highlight, according to AIChE, was the announcement of the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative (FOSSI) by Mark Vergnano, chief executive officer at Chemours and founding chair of FOSSI. A collaboration of AIChE, the American Chemistry Council, Chemours Company and HBCU Week Foundation, the initiative will provide scholarships, create internships and facilitate mentorship and leadership training for students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). FOSSI’s first year goal is to underwrite 150 STEM scholars at an investment of $7.2 million.
The 2020 AIChE Virtual Gala reportedly raised approximately $550,000 to underwrite programs to attract and retain students from underrepresented segments of the population to the STEM professions. The annual gala supports transformative priorities of the AIChE Foundation and its Doing a World of Good campaign, which focus on advancing chemical engineering and bringing that expertise to bear for the good of society. To date, the campaign has raised more than $26 million toward those objectives, according to AIChE.
For more information, visit: www.aiche.org
