Chemical Engineer named DuPont 2020 Laureate

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Sourav Sengupta, PhD, from DuPont Safety and Construction was among four technology leaders recently named by DuPont to the company’s most distinguished technical rank — Laureates.

According to a press release from DuPont Oct. 1, 2020, to achieve the level of Laureate, individuals are nominated by their peers and undergo a rigorous selection process based on their technical and business leadership.

All Laureates have strong track records of exceptional contributions and these innovation leaders translate their scientific and technical knowledge, skills and commitment into results with significant impact for global customers, the company said.

Over his 30-year career with DuPont, Sengupta, a chemical engineering graduate of Jadavpur University, Kolkata,  is credited with inventing, innovating, and implementing a plethora of new processes and products including, a cheaper and inherently safer process for the synthesis of an aramid fiber monomer; a modular, on-site, and on-demand hydrogen cyanide manufacturing process using induction heating technology; a continuous fixed bed hydrogenation reactor technology for the production of a key intermediate used in the synthesis of Sevoflurane, an inhalation anesthetic; a breakthrough technology for one of the steps in a bio-derived monomer process, a higher activity sulfuric acid catalyst; and a novel hydrodeoxygenation catalyst.

“I feel awed and humbled by the fact that I am now part of a community of eminent scientists, engineers, and innovators, who have achieved this milestone before me, and whom I have always looked up to and admired for their technical contributions to DuPont’s long legacy of innovation,” Dr. Sengupta was quoted saying in the press release.

This year, DuPont changed the title from Fellow to Laureate to reflect the company’s ongoing commitment to advance and accelerate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) initiatives, the press release said.

Among other awards, Sengupta, who did his M.Tech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, is a recipient of the 2015 Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award, and has more than 80 U.S. patents and publications.

Sengupta did his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware. He joined DuPont (Conoco) in 1991.