CONTACT: Ihab Farag
603-862-2313
WRITER: Suki Casanave
603-862-3102
FARAG ACCEPTS NEW ROLE AS HAMEL PROFESSOR OF INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Ihab Farag, professor of chemical engineering, has been named the first Hamel Professor of Innovation and Technology at the University of New Hampshire's College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.Farag's professorship is one of three established in conjunction with the new Hamel Center for the Management of Technology and Innovation. Launched with a $7 million gift to the university from Dana and Kathryn Hamel, the new center will help scientists and business leaders capitalize on emerging technologies and integrate them into current markets.
Art Greenberg, dean of the college, applauds Farag as a first-rate selection for the professorship. "Ihab exhibits unbounded energy, enthusiasm, and intelligence," says Greenberg. "Already he is working closely with industry and government. He is a fine collaborator and will be effective working with the center to establish academic programs."
The first goal of the center, according to Farag, is to establish a graduate program that will help prepare managers and executives to better lead an organization in the midst of the internet revolution and rapidly expanding global marketplace. The next goal is to establish a five-year undergraduate program leading to a bachelors degree in engineering and a masters degree in management of technology. "I think these programs will not only serve the needs of business," says Farag, "but will also attract more quality students to UNH."
Embarking on his new role, Farag will work closely with the university's two other Hamel professors: William Gilbert, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, and A. R. Venkatachalam, associate professor of information systems and decision sciences at the Whittemore School of Business and Economics.
"Our college is in a position to be a pivotal player in achieving the mission of the Hamel Center," says Farag. "We have many educational resources and experiences to contribute, from our Far View distance-learning program to our Design of Experiments program to our expertise in a number of areas: artificial intelligence, hazardous waste issues, pollution prevention, biochemical engineering, and more."
Farag himself brings valuable background to his appointment. He is well known among regional industries for his successful Pollution Prevention Program, which has been providing students with hands-on experience at real-world manufacturing sites since 1993. "The program helps to foster a new pollution-prevention and energy efficiency ethic," says Farag. It has also helped the 47 participating companies save a combined total of more than $2.8 million.
Farag sees the Hamel professorship as an ideal avenue for expanded outreach. "It's an opportunity to build on the industry connections I already have," he notes, "and on the success of established programs like the Pollution Prevention internships." Farag also stresses the Hamel Center's educational value. "Working with New Hampshire companies, we will foster opportunities for graduate students to work closely with industry, providing experiences that reinforce classroom learning."