CBE’s Marston, PACE awardees honored by department

Anderson, Fay and Hillier — Marston Medal recipient Tim Anderson (right) and PACE awardee Jim Fay (center) are joined by CBE’s Reginald R. Baxter Endowed Department Chair Andy Hillier.

The Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) has saluted two alumni guests as part of homecoming award ceremonies. Dr. Timothy J. Anderson, who received a B.S. in chemical engineering from Iowa State in 1973, and Jim Fay, who received a B.S. in chemical engineering from ISU in 1974, were both recognized.

Anderson received the Anson Marston Medal and Fay was the recipient of the Professional Achievement in Citation in Engineering (PACE) award, both from the College of Engineering, in homecoming award ceremonies the same day (watch for more coverage to come). Anderson was also inducted into the Iowa State Chemical and Biological Engineering Hall of Fame at the department’s Honors & Awards Banquet the previous evening.

Anderson is a distinguished professor and Dean of the College of Engineering at University of Massachusetts Amherst. His 40-year career in academia began at the University of Florida where he achieved the rank of distinguished professor. He has had research published more than 260 times and has served as an editor to several scientific journals, including 19 years with Chemical Engineering Education. He has mentored more than 70 Ph.D. students during his career.

He is the 12^th alumnus of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering to receive the Marston Medal.

Anderson and Fay — Anderson (left) and Fay visit at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering reception held in their honor.

After graduation from Iowa State Fay launched into a career in industry and product development that saw him work for such notable companies as Monsanto (while an undergraduate), Proctor & Gamble, American Can and Kimberly-Clark. He has been involved with the development and production of such notable products as Puffs® tissues, Bounce® fabric softener, Huggies Pull-Ups®, Huggies® disposable diapers, Depends® and Kotex® products and Northern® paper towels.

Later in his career Fay worked with a variety of startup businesses and consulting ventures, starting Delta Research, a consulting company specializing in product development, marketing, market research and innovation. He also was a founder of the companies that invented the Diaper Genie®, the ByteSize™ Reader, SUCCEED® equine nutritional supplements and the DEUS Rescue™ line of professional rescue equipment used by firefighters.

Anderson and Shanks at reception — Anderson (left), recipient of the Anson Marston Medal, chats with Anson Marston Distinguished Professor Brent Shanks at the reception.

Fay’s latest venture is being part of a new College of Engineering course to teach undergraduates about being an entrepreneur, Entrepreneurial Product Development Engineering, E-PdE (ENGR/IE 430X: E-PdE₁ (see a separate story about the course here).

Fay is the 86^th CBE alumnus to receive the PACE award and the department has dominated the recipient list for that honor.

“We’re in the best business ever,” said Anderson, “because what we do helps people’s lives.”

The two honorees joked that while they were in the Iowa State chemical engineering program at the same time at ISU, their paths apparently did not cross often. “And we also both lived in Wilson Hall,” said Fay. “We could have been roommates!”