Davidson School of Chemical Engineering's Dr. Vilas Pol is leading research in battery technology using sodium, which is a cheap and earth-abundant alternative to lithium-ion batteries. The researchers have been investigating sodium-ion batteries because they could store energy for large solar and wind power facilities at lower cost.

Davidson School of Chemical Engineering Professor John A. Morgan has been appointed as Editor in Chief for Biotechnology Progress, the official publication of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) and its technological community, the Society for Biological Engineering. Dr. Morgan will officially begin his appointment on January 1, 2019.

Purdue President Mitch Daniels will continue the President's Colloquia for faculty members this fall, with three events planned including a presentation by Davidson School of Chemical Engineering Professor Vilas Pol. Dr. Pol will present The Quest for Safer Rechargeable Batteries on November 29. The Colloquia provide opportunities to hear faculty experts discuss their research in presentations designed specifically for non-experts.

Purdue Chemical Engineering alumna Dr. Kris Thunhorst (BSChE '93) has been awarded the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 2018 Industrial Research and Development Award for innovation that has resulted in the successful commercial development of new products and/or new processes for making useful products.

R. Byron Pipes, John L. Bray Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Purdue, received the honorary degree of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Edinburgh in July.