Post recognizes pioneering work in alternative energy
Professor
of Engineering Lee Lynd has been appointed to Thayer School’s Paul E. and Joan
H. Queneau Distinguished Professorship in Environmental Engineering Design. The
Queneau Chair is designated for an outstanding authority in chemical
engineering who is recognized for solving environmental problems of
industry.
Lee Lynd
|
A member of the Dartmouth engineering faculty since 1987, Lynd is also
adjunct professor of biological
sciences at Dartmouth; Professor Extraordinary of Microbiology at the
University of Stellenbosch, South Africa; and co-founder, director, and chief
scientific officer of Mascoma Corporation, a biomass energy start-up. Lynd
holds a B.S. in biology from Bates College, an M.S. in bacteriology from the
University of Wisconsin, and master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering from
Dartmouth.
Lynd is an expert on the utilization of plant biomass for energy production.
His contributions span the science, technology, and policy domains, and include
leading research on fundamental and biotechnological aspects of microbial
cellulose utilization. He has led an active research group addressing these
issues over the last two decades, authoring over 75 archival papers, book
chapters, and reviews as well as 11 patents and patent applications.
A frequently invited presenter on the technical and strategic aspects of
biomass energy, Lynd has three times testified before the U.S. Senate and was a
speaker at the 2007 Nobel Conference. In 2007, he was the inaugural recipient
of the Lemelson-MIT Sustainability prize for inventions and innovations that
enhance economic opportunity and community well-being while protecting and
restoring the natural environment, and in 2005 he received the Charles D. Scott
Award for distinguished contributions to the field of biotechnology for fuels
and chemicals.
Created with the income from Professor of Engineering Emeritus Paul E.
Queneau’s 12 inventions during his tenure at Thayer School from 1971 to 1997,
the Queneau Chair is augmented by a grant from nickel company Vale Inco.
Queneau served as vice president and chief technical officer at Vale Inco
before coming to Thayer School.
An Engineer Officer and Colonel in World War II, Queneau witnessed the
devastation of five campaigns and returned home dedicated to environmental
conservation. Queneau, a member of the National Academy of Engineering, has
been awarded 36 U.S. patents mainly devoted to technology to achieve
environmentally clean, energy- and cost-saving metal production. In Queneau’s
eyes, technical progress and environmental conservation are allies.
Professor Queneau’s wife, Joan, was equally committed to protecting the
environment, as reflected by the Joan Hodges Queneau Palladium Medal. Given
jointly by the National Audubon Society and the American Association of
Engineering Societies, the Medal highlights the importance of mutual
understanding between conservationists and engineers.
By CATHARINE LAMM
|
RSS/XML Feed