Elmer L. Gaden
Encyclopedia
Elmer L. Gaden Jr. has been described as the “father of biochemical engineering." A graduate of Columbia University
, he wrote a groundbreaking dissertation that quantified the amount of oxygen
necessary to fuel the fermentation
process used to produce penicillin
. Dr. Gaden established Columbia's program in biochemical engineering
. He remained at Columbia for 26 years as a teacher, researcher, and department chair, before becoming dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Business Administration at the University of Vermont
in 1974. In 1979, he joined the engineering faculty at the University of Virginia
as the Wills Johnson Professor of Chemical Engineering. In 1994 he retired from Virginia, where he is currently Wills Johnson Professor Emeritus.
helped to inspire Gaden’s doctoral dissertation topic. Gaden’s paper explained to chemical engineers the fundamentals of the scientific process behind penicillin production. It also helped them determine how to quantify the amount of oxygen
they would need for an effective fermentation. Gaden’s paper changed the scientific scene when he presented it at a meeting of the American Chemical Society
in 1950. It was later published in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
.
Gaden spent a year as a researcher at Pfizer, Inc
. before he was invited to return to Columbia University
to establish its first biochemical engineering program. He twice chaired the school's Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. Gaden is known as a demanding teacher who expected much from the thousands of students whom he taught.
In 1986 Gaden received the Egleston Medal for distinguished engineering achievement from Columbia University
. A year later, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Gaden’s interest in harnessing biological processes to produce chemicals led him to publish extensively and to found the international research journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering
, which he edited for 25 years. Elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
and a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
, he received AIChE’s first Food, Pharmaceutical, and Bioengineering Award and its Founders Award in 1988. Later, he received the Chemical Engineering Lectureship Award from the American Society of Engineering Education. In 1994, Gaden was honored in a symposium presented by the American Chemical Society
, where he also received the Marvin Johnson Award in recognition of his preeminent research contributions to modern biochemical technology.
and the National Academy of Engineering
recognized Gaden as the fifth recipient of the 2009 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize
, the world's top honor in bioengineering. Retired, Gaden currently lives in Charlottesville and enjoys birdwatching
with his wife Jenny.
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, he wrote a groundbreaking dissertation that quantified the amount of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
necessary to fuel the fermentation
Fermentation (biochemistry)
Fermentation is the process of extracting energy from the oxidation of organic compounds, such as carbohydrates, using an endogenous electron acceptor, which is usually an organic compound. In contrast, respiration is where electrons are donated to an exogenous electron acceptor, such as oxygen,...
process used to produce penicillin
Penicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
. Dr. Gaden established Columbia's program in biochemical engineering
Biochemical engineering
Biochemical engineering is a branch of chemical engineering or biological engineering that mainly deals with the design and construction of unit processes that involve biological organisms or molecules, such as bioreactors...
. He remained at Columbia for 26 years as a teacher, researcher, and department chair, before becoming dean of the College of Engineering, Mathematics, and Business Administration at the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1974. In 1979, he joined the engineering faculty at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
as the Wills Johnson Professor of Chemical Engineering. In 1994 he retired from Virginia, where he is currently Wills Johnson Professor Emeritus.
Work and Recognition
Large-scale production of penicillinPenicillin
Penicillin is a group of antibiotics derived from Penicillium fungi. They include penicillin G, procaine penicillin, benzathine penicillin, and penicillin V....
helped to inspire Gaden’s doctoral dissertation topic. Gaden’s paper explained to chemical engineers the fundamentals of the scientific process behind penicillin production. It also helped them determine how to quantify the amount of oxygen
Oxygen
Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...
they would need for an effective fermentation. Gaden’s paper changed the scientific scene when he presented it at a meeting of the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
in 1950. It was later published in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research , is a peer-reviewed scientific journal, published under this name since 1970 by the American Chemical Society; however, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry is a forerunner of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. From 1911-1916 it was edited by...
.
Gaden spent a year as a researcher at Pfizer, Inc
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
. before he was invited to return to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
to establish its first biochemical engineering program. He twice chaired the school's Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry. Gaden is known as a demanding teacher who expected much from the thousands of students whom he taught.
In 1986 Gaden received the Egleston Medal for distinguished engineering achievement from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. A year later, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
awarded him an honorary doctorate.
Gaden’s interest in harnessing biological processes to produce chemicals led him to publish extensively and to found the international research journal Biotechnology and Bioengineering
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
Biotechnology and Bioengineering is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering biochemical engineering science that was established in 1959...
, which he edited for 25 years. Elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
and a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers
American Institute of Chemical Engineers
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers is a professional organization for chemical engineers.AIChE was established in 1908 with the purpose of establishing chemical engineers as a profession independent from chemists and mechanical engineers.As of 2010, AIChE had over 40,000 members,...
, he received AIChE’s first Food, Pharmaceutical, and Bioengineering Award and its Founders Award in 1988. Later, he received the Chemical Engineering Lectureship Award from the American Society of Engineering Education. In 1994, Gaden was honored in a symposium presented by the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
, where he also received the Marvin Johnson Award in recognition of his preeminent research contributions to modern biochemical technology.
Today
Gaden remains passionate about interdisciplinary research between biology and chemistry. In 2009, Ohio UniversityOhio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
and the National Academy of Engineering
National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering is a government-created non-profit institution in the United States, that was founded in 1964 under the same congressional act that led to the founding of the National Academy of Sciences...
recognized Gaden as the fifth recipient of the 2009 Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize
Russ Prize
The Fritz J. and Dolores H. Russ Prize is an American national and international award established by the United States National Academy of Engineering in October 1999 in Athens, Ohio...
, the world's top honor in bioengineering. Retired, Gaden currently lives in Charlottesville and enjoys birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
with his wife Jenny.