Dow welcomes chemical engineering educators from around the globe at their Tarragona, Spain facilities
As a Founders’ Circle member the AIChE Foundation's Doing a World of Good campaign, Dow recently hosted their 7th faculty workshop – and the first process safety workshop ever held in Europe. Part of the AIChE Undergraduate Process Safety Learning Initiative, the faculty workshops provide educators with an in-depth look at the importance of process safety education for undergraduates. Held at Dow’s manufacturing facility in Tarragona, Spain, the workshop attracted 27 attendees from 18 universities and 8 countries. The three-day workshop included a tour of the facility, educational content on recognizing hazards, a panel discussion with Dow chemical engineering recent hires, and a wonderful tour of the city of Tarragona. Additionally, educators were provided with tools and case studies to enable them to integrate process safety into their curricula and prepare students for careers in the chemical and related industries.
"It was really amazing, very well organized, and we go home with plenty of ideas and materials to improve our lectures," said Eulalia Planas, Full Professor, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Topics of at the workshop included: creating a safety culture, hazard identification, and risk management. A highlight was a Dow-led panel discussion including some of their recent chemical engineering hires, who discussed “what they wished they had learned in Process Safety” as undergraduates.
It was so rewarding to build relationships with the faculty members and hear their ideas on how they will incorporate process safety concepts into their curricula. - Kathy Kas
Jessica Winter, Professor at The Ohio State University said, “I learned a lot about how industry views process safety that will benefit how I teach it to students. It’s a must for anyone who doesn’t have industry experience to get this viewpoint. Process safety can be integrated in every course.”
CCPS European General Manager, Willi Meier and AIChE Chief Development Officer Lisa Lanzkowsky shared best practices and information on process safety educational content such as the AIChE SAChE certificate program. Since launching the Undergraduate Process Safety Learning Initiative as a core priority of the Doing a World of Good campaign, more than 250,000 process safety certificates have been completed by undergraduate students; this education helps to ensure the continued safe and ethical practice of our profession.
“It was so rewarding to build relationships with the faculty members and hear their ideas on how they will incorporate process safety concepts into their curricula. Their technical expertise and high level of engagement, coupled with available process safety educational materials, will ensure that their students are fully prepared for the future challenges of the chemical industry,” said Kathy Kas, Dow’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Fellow.
Doing a World of Good through Safety and Ethical Practice
AIChE’s Doing a World of Good campaign brings together industry, academia and AIChE’s 60,000 members to collectively advance chemical engineering and bring that expertise to bear in addressing societal needs. The Undergraduate Process Safety Learning Initiative is a core priority of this campaign and represents a major global effort to accelerate process safety education and better prepare graduates for the workforce.
To learn more on how your company or University can get involved, please contact, Lisa Lanzkowsky at lisal@aiche.org.