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In Memory of Mary Kay O'Connor

October 23, 2009 marked the 20th anniversary of the death of Mary Kay O'Connor in the Phillips Petroleum accident in Pasadena, Texas. During the opening remarks on the State of the Center, presented by Dr. Sam Mannan at the 2009 International Symposium, Mary Kay was remembered and honored with a moment of silence.

Mannan Slated to Deliver Keynote at Iowa Governor’s Conference

Regents Professor Sam Mannan

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Nov. 2, 2009 – M. Sam Mannan, director of the Texas A&M University System Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center, will deliver a keynote address at the 38th Annual Iowa Governor’s Safety and Health Conference in Cedar Rapids.

Mannan, who also holds the title of regents professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M, is scheduled to present “Making the right Decision: What we Learn From History” at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 4 at the Cedar Rapids Marriott Hotel.

This year’s conference theme is “Safety at Risk: Choice and Influence.”

Mannan, a professional engineer and certified safety professional, is an internationally recognized expert on process safety and risk assessment. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and a member of the American Society of Safety Engineers, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration and National Fire Protection Association. In addition to his many professional honors and achievements, Mannan has served as a consultant to numerous entities in both the academic and private sectors, including the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

In addition to Mannan’s address, the conference also will feature keynote presentations from John S. Bresland, chairman/ chief executive officer of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, and John Henshaw, former assistant secretary of labor for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Center Graduate Students Receive Awards

Saenz

MKOPSC graduate student Lina Saenz, has been awarded the Eastman Summer Chemical Engineering Graduate Fellowship from the Eastman Chemical Group. Saenz was selected for the honor based on her excellence in personal achievements, leadership and interest in the chemical process industries. The fellowship will provide Saenz with $6,600 for her research. Saenz, who is a second-year graduate student, is studying the N-oxidation of alkylpyridines, and the safety concerns related to this reaction. Saenz’s goal is to develop alternatives for an inherently safer reaction by use of thermodynamic and calorimetric studies.

Carreto – Vazquez

Also, MKOPSC graduate student Victor Carreto-Vazquez, has been recognized as part of a team awarded the Journey Champion distinction by BASF Corporation. Carreto-Vazquez was part of a vinsol resin team that assisted seven of the corporation’s facilities in achieving safer operations by identifying flammable dust used at the facilities and helping facilitate transition to a less-flammable variation of the product. Carreto-Vazquez completed an internship with BASF’s Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering division in Wyandotte, Michigan. The honor, which is bestowed by BASF’s senior vice president of ecology and safety, recognizes employees, leaders and teams who have distinguished themselves through their outstanding work while at BASF.