Juneteenth – Celebrating Freedom
Juneteenth (June 19) is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States, dating back to 1865.
We Salute Black Chemical Engineers
We honor the black chemical engineers and chemical technologists who have made, and continue to make, invaluable and important contributions to the world around us. Below are a just a few whose projects and passions have helped to make all our lives better.
Henry T. Brown MS ’56 – first black director of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Charles Richard Drew – inventor of the blood bank.
George Washington Carver – discovered industrial uses for crop plants such as sweet potatoes, peanuts, and soybeans as well as developing methods for improving soil.
Mae Carol Jemison – retired medical doctor and American astronaut. In 1992, she became the first black woman in space.
Percy Julian – developed the anti-glaucoma drug physostigmine.
Cato T. Laurencin – founder of the field of regenerative engineering.
Garrett Morgan – invented the gas mask.
Norbert Rillieux – invented a revolutionary new process for refining sugar.
Jennie Patrick ScD ’79 – first African American woman to earn a doctorate in chemical engineering.
Robert Satcher ’86 PhD ’93 – first orthopedic surgeon in space.
Arnie Stancell ScD ’62 – revolutionized the packaging industry with a clear plastic replacing cellophane and developed the plastic base for PVC pipes.