Elsa Reichmanis elected AIChE Fellow

Elsa Reichmanis, Professor and Carl Robert Anderson Chair in Chemical Engineering at Lehigh University, has been elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), in recognition of significant professional accomplishments and contributions in engineering.

Reichmanis, who is a member of the National National Academy of Engineering, joined the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science in September 2020. Previously, she was Pete Silas Chair in Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech.

Her research–at the interface of chemical engineering, chemistry, and materials science–spans from fundamental concept to technology development and implementation. 

In the field of microlithography (which is central to the manufacturing of electronic devices), her work has contributed to the development of a molecular level understanding of how chemical structure affects materials function leading to new families of lithographic materials and processes that may enable advanced VLSI (very large-scale integration) manufacturing.

“It is truly humbling to receive this honor from my fellow chemical engineers,” says Reichmanis, who will be recognized during a virtual ceremony at the November 2020 National Meeting, as well as at the AIChE spring meeting in April 2021. 

Reichmanis started her independent career at Bell Labs, where she was Bell Labs Fellow and Director of the Materials Research Department. She has served the chemical engineering profession in roles that include membership on the Institute Awards sub-committee; service to the American Chemical Society (ACS); participation in many National Academies Boards and Study Committees; and is an Executive Editor for Chemistry of Materials.  

She was recently featured in ACS Industry Matters newsletter, where she discussed her time at Bell Labs and shared her perspective on the importance of a multidisciplinary, collaborative approach to research.

Over her career, Reichmanis has received several awards for her work, including the 2018 AIChE Margaret H. Rousseau Pioneer Award for Lifetime Achievement by a Woman Chemical Engineer. She is also a Fellow of ACS, the Materials Research Society, and the Royal Society of Chemistry. 

Reichmanis holds PhD and BS degrees in chemistry from Syracuse University.

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Related Links:

• Rossin College Faculty Profile: Elsa Reichmanis
• AIChE Fellows
• ACS Industry Matters Newsletter: “What I Learned–Elsa Reichmanis”