Adjunct professor Cong-Yan Chen receives lectureship from North American Catalysis Society
Adjunct chemical engineering professor Cong-Yan Chen has been named the recipient of the 2020 F. G. Ciapetta Lectureship in Catalysis from the North American Catalysis Society.
The lectureship, given every other year by the North American Catalysis Society, recognizes researchers who have made substantial contributions to the field of catalysis, especially those who have made a timely and significant impact on industry and the scientific literature. Chen will receive a plaque and a $5,000 honorarium and will deliver lectures throughout North America.
Chen has more than 25 years of experience as a research engineer at the Chevron Corporation in Richmond. In that time, he has written more than 80 publications, filed more than 100 patent applications and become a leader in industrial catalysis research.
He is especially known for his work with zeolites, a class of materials that is widely used in industrial catalysis, especially for petroleum refining and petrochemical conversions. He is considered one of the pioneers in developing borosilicate zeolites and for creating new processes for transformations in the petrochemical sector.
In his role as adjunct professor, Chen has helped mentor a number of graduate students in chemical engineering and has taught classes for both undergraduate and graduate students in the department. He interacts closely with UC Davis faculty Bruce Gates, Coleman Kronawitter, Ambarish Kulkarni and Ron Runnebaum.
The North American Catalysis Society (NACS) was founded in 1956 to encourage the growth and development of the science of catalysis and related disciplines. The society supports educational activities, organizes professional meetings, exchanges information and serves as a liaison to other organizations.