I am pleased to announce that Dr. Cong-Yan Chen of Chevron is the recipient of the 2020 F. G. Ciapetta Lectureship in Catalysis. Dr. Chen is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California at Davis. The award is administered by the North American Catalysis Society and sponsored by the W. R. Grace & Co. It is to be awarded biennially in even-numbered years. The award consists of a plaque and an honorarium of $5,000. The recipient may be invited to lecture at some of the local catalysis clubs during the two-year period covered by this award.
Dr. Cong-Yan Chen’s research for over 25 years at Chevron covers various areas in the field of fundamental and industrial catalysis including synthesis and characterization of microporous and mesoporous molecular sieves, structure-property relationships of zeolites, adsorption, diffusion and reaction mechanisms. The work has had an emphasis on invention and development of catalytic applications of zeolites and other catalysts in refining and petrochemistry. He and his group developed several catalytic processes of industrial importance. In one example, alkane disproportionation is applied in upgrading or eliminating liquid petroleum gas (LPG, consisting of propane and butanes) at remote locations, with the target of integrating the resulting ethane into natural gas and blending the resulting C5+ liquid into crude oil while saving the transportation and storage facilities for LPG. It provides an economic and environmentally benign process more attractive than complex combinations of other existing technologies. Dr. Chen’s work has been pioneering in the development of borosilicate zeolites in the area of aromatics creation and transformations in the petrochemicals sector. In another example, a novel renewable base oil technology is translated into commercial value via zeolite catalysis, raising the lubricants’ performance to the next level with environmental benefits and resource sustainability.
Congratulations!
Jingguang Chen
President, North American Catalysis Society