UC Berkeley Press Release
Two UC Berkeley engineering professors elected to National Academy of Engineering
BERKELEY – Two University of California, Berkeley, scientists have been elected to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, bringing to 87 the number of academy members on the UC Berkeley faculty.
The two new members are Arup K. Chakraborty, Warren and Katharine Schlinger Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and A. Richard Newton, professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences and dean of the College of Engineering.
Chakraborty and Newton were among 76 new members and 11 foreign associates announced this month by the academy. This brings the total U.S. membership to 2,174 and the number of foreign associates to 172.
Election to the National Academy of Engineering is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. Academy membership honors those who have made "important contributions to engineering theory and practice, including significant contributions to the literature of 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."
Chakraborty was cited for his application of theoretical chemistry to practical problems, including immune system recognition, polymer interfaces, sensor technology and catalysis.