News and Events

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REA Reunion and Awards Presentation
Homecoming & Reunion 2009

Friday, November 13, 2009
McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall
Rice University
4:00 p.m. Remarks and awards presentation
5:00 p.m. Reception

Join us for our annual awards presentation and reception honoring our 2009 Outstanding Engineering Alumni recipients:

2009 Outstanding Engineering Alumna
Wanda Sigur '79

2009 Outstanding Young Engineering Alumnus
Christof Spieler '97, '99

No RSVP necessary. For a complete schedule of events during Homecoming & Reunion, please visit http://www.rice.edu/homecoming.

REA Fall Energy Lecture

Thursday, November 19, 2009
McMurtry Auditorium, Duncan Hall
Rice Campus

6:30 p.m. Registration and networking
7:00 p.m. Lecture and reception

Guest speaker:
Dr. Paul M. Ayoub
Projects Implementation Manager
Shell Downstream Inc, U.S.

"An Overview of Biofuels"

The process of converting biomass to transport fuels involves a large number of steps, all of which must be carried out thoughtfully in order to ensure the overall sustainability of the produced fuel. Biofuels from biomass remain expensive to manufacture, and thus it is very important to ensure that the ultimate goal driving the deployment of second generation biofuels is achieved. We will look at biofuels from Shell’s perspective: why we think they are important, what are the important factors to consider to ensure sustainability, how we are participating in the deployment of this new industry, and what are the major hurdles that remain to be addressed.

Although there is no cost to attend, we kindly request that you RSVP online by Monday, November 16.

Paul Ayoub received a B.S. in Chemistry at Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University. Joining Shell’s Process Support and Research group in 1988, he built and operated pilot plants to develop process models. After two years with Molten Metal Technology in Massachusetts, Paul rejoined Shell in 1998 and began his involvement with the biofuels engineering team. Leaving the technology group in 2008, Paul became a Projects Implementation Manager with the biofuels business team at Shell Downstream Inc., with the task of commercializing second generation biofuel technologies.

REA Fall Social

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
The NEW Saint Arnold Brewery
2000 Lyons Avenue, Houston 77002 (map)

Guest speaker:
Dr. Wade Adams
Director, Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology
Rice University

"2010: The Year of Nano! --
Nanotechnology News from the
Smalley Institute at Rice"

October 2010 will mark the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the "buckyball" (carbon-60). Since that watershed event, nanotechnology has exploded at Rice and globally and is now an important part of a vast array of engineering applications. Dr. Adams will discuss Rice's current efforts at the head of this field and outline the events planned at Rice for 2010 to celebrate this historic anniversary.

Join fellow engineering alumni and friends at Saint Arnold's new location, opening fall 2009, for free food from Treebeards and delicious ale fresh from Saint Arnold. RSVP online by Monday, November 23.