In this presentation, I will review the evolution of engineering education in the United States and argue that entrepreneurship is an essential feature of a modern research university, and the integration of education, research, and entrepreneurship can help return engineering to the practice root of our profession and represents the ultimate experiential learning our students both want and need. I will also argue that university spinouts and large campus-based industry-integrated centers such as the Center for Clean Hydrogen are necessary for bridging the widening gaps in the innovation continuum for the chemistry and materials industries.
Yushan Yan,
University of Delaware
Finally, I will share the PiperION® story: how it was discovered, how we developed it from an idea to a globally leading brand in anion exchange membranes, its use in electrolytic hydrogen production, and the challenges that remain. I will conclude with reflections on the lessons I have learned in the past eight years as founder and CEO of Versogen, a University of Delaware spinout, while continuing to teach and conduct research full-time.
Yushan Yan is the Henry B. du Pont Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Founding Director of the Center for Clean Hydrogen at the University of Delaware. He previously served as Founding Associate Dean for Research and Entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware, Department Chair at the University of California, Riverside, and Senior Staff Engineer and Project Leader at AlliedSignal. His research focuses on green hydrogen, fuel cells, and carbon capture using polymer hydroxide exchange membranes (HEM a.k.a. AEM). He is the recipient of major honors from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Electrochemical Society, and the International Zeolite Association, and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the Electrochemical Society. He is also a Member of the National Academy of Engineering, a Highly Cited Researcher by Web of Science, Founder and CEO of Versogen, and Cofounder of RepAir. He received his B.S. in Chemical Physics from the University of Science and Technology of China and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology.