SCD-iBIO to Honor Purdue's Dr. George Tsao for Contributions to Industrial Biotechnology
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society for the Commercial Development of Industrial Biotechnology (SCD-iBIO), an affiliate of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates (SOCMA), today announced it will honor Purdue University Chemical Engineering Professor and Founder of the Laboratory for Renewable Resources Engineering (LORRE) Dr. George Tsao for his leadership and early contributions to 21st century industrial biotechnology.
The recognition of Dr. Tsao will highlight an evening gala, "Honoring the Past, Acting in the Present & Inspiring the Future," at the 2nd International Forum on Commercializing Global Green on November 12 at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, PA. Keynote speaker for the evening will be Dr. Marcel Lubben, Vice President of DSM's Bio-based Chemicals & Materials business unit headquartered in Delft, The Netherlands.
Dr. Tsao founded LORRE in 1978 at a time of national need, when rising oil prices threatened to disrupt the economy, fuel inflation and upset transportation systems. Under his direction, LORRE achieved many significant developments, not the least of which was the recognition of renewable resources as a bridge to a sustainable energy future.
"Driven by Professor Tsao's leadership and vision for industrial biotechnology, LORRE was significantly ahead of its time, and helped to establish the field of renewable resources as we know it today," said Dr. William Armiger, Executive Director of SCD-iBIO. "As a leader in biochemical engineering, Professor Tsao and his peers – D.I.C. Wang, Arthur Humphrey, Charles Cooney, Jay Bailey, Elmer Gaden, Harry Bungay and others – brought quantitative engineering principles to renewable resources technology, establishing practices that are the foundation of biochemical engineering and systems biology. We are pleased to recognize Dr. Tsao's early role in applying metabolic engineering to alter the genetic make-up of industrial microorganisms used today for producing bio-based chemicals," Armiger said.
Over the last 35 years, LORRE has graduated several hundred students who are leaders in renewable resources engineering and are now actively working to bring solutions to global energy security issues. SCD-iBIO is proud to recognize the many legacies of the founder of LORRE, Professor George Tsao, whose early vision is becoming clear to the rest of our world today.
About SCD-iBIO
SCD-iBIO, an affiliate of SOCMA, is a company member organization that advances the commercial development of industrial biotechnology. SCD-iBIO provides its members access to the latest technical knowledge in industrial biotechnology combined with the best business practices for commercial development. SCD-iBIO supports its members' common goal of creating a sustainable chemical industry meeting the needs of the 21st century.
Contact:
Jenny Gaines
Manager, Public Relations & Media
(202) 721-4123
[email protected]
SOURCE SCD-iBIO
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