The head of process engineering in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science has been recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Industrial & Engineering Chemistry (I&EC) Research journal.

The I&EC Research 2018 Excellence in Review Awards have been presented annually since 2016 to journal reviewers who stand out to editors because of the quantity, quality and timeliness of their reviews. In 2018 the journal used more than 5,000 reviewers; Dr. Faisal Khan was one of just 29 reviewers to receive special recognition.

The I&EC Research journal is published by the American Chemical Society for applied chemistry and chemical engineering. It is the reliable and current source of new fundamental research, design methods, process design and development, and product research and development.

This state-of-the art journal contains original studies in the areas of applied chemistry, kinetics, catalysis and reaction engineering, materials and interfaces, process, design and control, separations and general research.

“Receiving this award means that my peers and the journal value the time that is spent discharging our collective responsibility and our commitment to academic excellence,” said Dr. Khan. “I am truly honoured.”

A better engineer

The role of reviewers is an important one. Reviewers give of their time, experience and expertise to guide editors, assist authors and advance the effective communication of chemical research.

Dr. Khan reviewed more than 30 journals in 2018 for I&EC Research and, while there is an academic responsibility to review journals, he says it also helps him to be a better engineer.

“Reviewing journals provides a greater opportunity for me to learn about the exciting work others are doing in greater detail and to share my thoughts on these works,” he said. “While it enriches my understanding of ongoing work, it also helps to visualize knowledge gaps and ways to bridge those gaps.”

Safety and risk

Dr. Khan’s research focuses on safety and risk engineering and applying risk-engineering concepts to safety, asset integrity management, pollution prevention and renewable energy. He has also developed many advanced risk-based safety and integrity management methodologies and models.

His research achievements include the establishment of a unique research health safety and environmental laboratory facility to carry out advanced experiments and model development related to health, safety and risk. The facility has been instrumental in developing national and international collaborations in the oil and gas and chemical processing industries.

Dr. Khan’s models and methodologies are used and referenced by the American Petroleum Institute, Canadian Standard Association, American Bureau Shipping and Lloyds’ Register design recommended practice.