With the prevalence of sophisticated mobile devices today, and the almost ubiquitous availability of WiFi — even on airplanes now— we can almost always be connected to each other and to our jobs. I, for one, enjoy the freedom that…
Last month, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the approval of New York’s Clean Energy Standard, which according to the governor’s office is “the most comprehensive and ambitious clean energy mandate in the state’s history, to fight climate change, reduce…
Each year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www. epa.gov) recognizes “green chemistry” achievements — innovative technologies that reduce hazards to humans and the environment, as well as the leading scientists who contribute to this end. These achievements…
Last month, the U.S. Congress passed the Frank Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. This bill, called “historic” by many, brings very significant changes to the 40-year-old Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). This much-needed modernization of TSCA is…
Chemical Engineering has been a leading source for technology and news for the chemical process industries (CPI) since the launch of our magazine in 1902. Additionally, we seek to bring recognition to, and to help advance, the chemical engineering profession.…
Language evolves. As the needs of the users change, language adapts to meet those needs. One way to adapt is to add new words. “Selfie,” for example, now a well-known word, has only been in popular use for a few…
When I was studying for my degrees in chemical engineering, I had the option to take several elective courses. Two that I chose were biochemical engineering and biomedical engineering. During the biomedical engineering course, I was fascinated with the ways…
Many, if not most, of us have heard of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Simply stated, it refers to the manufacturing application of the Internet of Things, or the interconnectedness of “smart” machines. Similar to what we see with…
This past December marked the dedication of the largest seawater desalination plant in the U.S. The Claude “Bud” Lewis Carlsbad Desalination Plant, named for the former Carlsbad, Calif. mayor who was instrumental in choosing the location, is designed to provide…
Last month marked the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP21). World leaders gathered in Paris, France with the goal of working out an international agreement aimed at minimizing global warming and…