The Gaden Lecture

ELMER L. GADEN JR., widely known as the "father of biochemical engineering," received all of his degrees from Columbia. Shortly after receiving his doctorate in 1949, he became a faculty member and remained at Columbia, often serving as department chair, until 1979. He was the founding editor of Biotechnology and Bioengineering (1959-1974) and retired as Willis Johnson Professor from the University of Virginia in 1994. He received many awards throughout his career for scholarship, outstanding teaching, and service to the many professional organizations he served. In 2009, he was awarded the NAE Fritz and Delores Russ Prize, one of engineering's highest honors, in recognition of the profound effect of his work and leadership on the large-scale production of antibiotics following the Second World War. Professor Gaden died on March 10, 2012.

Past Gaden Lecturers