Thank You to the CACHE Trustees who retired in 2022 (Reklaitis, Kofke, Golab, and Burka)!

Four CACHE trustees (Rex Reklaitis, Dave Kofke, Joe Golab, and Maria Burka) retired from the board in 2022. The organization is very grateful for their many years of service!

Prof. Gintaras V. “Rex” Reklaitis (Burton and Kathryn Gedge Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University) served as a CACHE trustee from 1979-2022 including 1982-1987 on the CACHE Executive Committee as Secretary, Vice President, and then President. Starting in the mid-1980s, Rex co-developed the “Chemical Engineering Simulated Laboratory Modules” - virtual senior-lab experiments representative of industrial practice, each developed with a company. He was Chair of the first FOCAPO (1987), first US-based PSE Symposium (2000), CACHE 50th Anniversary Planning (2019), and “Future of Cyber-Assisted ChE Education” workshop (2020). He has receive many honors including the National Academy of Engineering (2007) and John M. Prausnitz AIChE Institute Lecturer (2017).

Prof. David A. Kofke (Walter E. Schmid Chair and SUNY Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo) served as a CACHE Trustee from 1999-2002 including on the CACHE Executive Committee as Secretary, Vice President, and President (2004-2005, 2008-2009, and 2010-2011). Dave was co-creator of a pioneering Web textbook on molecular simulations and lead creator of Etomica (etomica.org) and its NSF-supported education module. He was co-founder of the Molecular Modeling Task Force, an ASEE Summer School presenter in 2007 and 2017, workshop leader at FOMMS meetings and PPEPPD; Co-Chair of FOMMS 2015, and the creator of cachet (database of academic jobs for chemical engineers). Dave is a Fellow of AIChE and AAAS and won the David Himmelblau Award for Innovations in Computer-Based Chemical Engineering Education in 2012.

Dr. Joseph T. Golab (Science Faculty, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy) served as CACHE trustee from 2005-2022 including as Vice President and then President from 2010-2013. Joe started his career at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications before spending two and a half decades solving industrial problems using computational chemistry...at Amoco, BP, and Ineos. He then followed his passion for educating young minds in science to join the faculty at the IMSA. During his time on the CACHE Executive Committee, the strategic direction of CACHE was a major focus of his efforts. His dry wit and infectious laugh, in addition to his love of science, make him a great friend and colleague.

Dr. Maria Karpati Burka (National Science Foundation, retired) served as a CACHE trustee from 2017-2022. During her time on the board, Maria focused on advancing trustee diversity including international representation. In addition to working as a Senior Scientist at the U.S. EPA, Asst. Prof. of Chemical Engineering at the University of Maryland, and process design engineer at the Scientific Design Company, Maria  was an NSF Program Director from 1984-2016 (Process Systems, Reaction Engineering, and Molecular Thermodynamics program of the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems Division). Her leadership roles in the AIChE were many including President (2011), Secretary/Treasurer and Director of AIChE CAST,  Director & Chair of the AIChE Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division, Chair of the AIChE National Capital Section, and Chair of the AIChE Public Affairs and Information Committee. Maria was the 2014 recipient of the AIChE's F.J. & Dorothy Van Antwerpen Award for Service to the Institute.