A University of Tennessee engineering graduate who heads one of the world’s largest chemical companies and an Oak Ridge National Laboratory scientist set to soon join UT have been elected to the National Academies of Engineering.
The honorees are Charles “Chad” O. Holliday Jr., chairman and CEO of E.I. Dupont de Nemours, Inc., and Dr. C.T. Liu, adjunct professor in materials science and engineering at UT.
“Selection for membership in the National Academy of Engineering is the highest honor bestowed on an engineer,” UT-Knoxville Chancellor Loren Crabtree said. “This achievement is truly the pinnacle of a career. We are delighted that we can bask in the glow of this achievement by our faculty members.”
Holliday received his B.S. in industrial engineering in 1970, and began his career after graduation at Dupont’s Old Hickory plant in his hometown of Nashville, Tenn.
He has held a wide range of manufacturing, marketing and business assignments with DuPont, including leadership roles for DuPont Asia Pacific.
Holliday assumed the position of DuPont’s Chairman in 1998 and is the youngest person to hold the title of Chairman and CEO of the 202-year-old global chemical giant.
The NAE recognized Holliday for his leadership in Dupont’s transformation to sustainable growth through biotechnology, high-performance materials, improved safety and consumer protection.
Liu received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from National Taiwan University and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in materials science from Brown University.
He has been employed at ORNL since 1967, where he leads the Alloying Behavior and Design Group in the Metals and Ceramics Division.
Recognized as a world authority in the field of structural intermetallics, Liu’s recognitions include election as a Fellow of the World Technology Network in 2003; an award as a World Highly Cited Researcher in Materials Science; a Distinguished Inventor of Battelle Memorial Institute recognition; and designation as an author on the list of “1000 Most Cited” Physicists from 1981 to 1997.
Liu, recognized by NAE for advancing ordered metallic compounds from the laboratory to practice, is the third UT-affiliated professor to receive the NAE award. Dr. Jack Dongarra, a University Distinguished Professor in computer science, and Dr. Way Kuo, engineering dean, are both NAE members.
“We are honored that one of our graduates and one of our adjunct professors have both received this recognition,” Kuo said. “Election to the National Academies of Engineering is one of the highest achievements an engineer can accomplish. This is a testament to the quality of our engineering education and research efforts.”
NAE brings together committees of experts in all areas of scientific and technological achievement to address critical national issues and consult with the federal government and the public.
Academy memberships honor those who have, according to NAE guidelines, made “important contributions to engineering theory and practice,” and those who have demonstrated accomplishment in “the pioneering of new fields of engineering, making major advancements in traditional fields of engineering, or developing/implementing innovative approaches to engineering education.”
The full list of new elected members and foreign associates can be accessed at the NAE web site, http://www.nae.edu.