Dr. Kenneth R. Hall, associate dean of engineering and deputy director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), was one of three individuals honored with an Innovation Award by The Texas A&M University System on Thursday (April 9). Hall was presented the award during the 2009 Patent and Innovation Awards hosted by the A&M System’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center in the George Bush Presidential Library complex. Additionally, eight individuals from the Dwight Look College of Engineering and TEES were recognized for being granted patent protection from the United States Patent & Trademark Office in 2008. The Innovation Awards were presented to scientists and inventors whose research exemplifies the spirit of innovation within the A&M System. Hall is an inventor or co-inventor in 12 patents including four that supports the gas to liquids process that is licensed to Synfuels, Inc. His research interests include Thermophysical Fluid Properties, Obstruction Flowmeters and Gas to Liquid Processing. The OTC describes Hall as a strong and effective leader in working across the engineering departments and centers and with other System members to identify, propose and support commercialization efforts. As well as being an active researcher, Hall is a professor in the chemical engineering department where he holds the Jack E. and Francis Brown Chair and he also served as the head of the department for four years. The other two Innovation Awards went to the Texas Transportation Institute Roadside Safety Division Inventors and Darwin Prockop of Texas A&M’s Health Science Center. Those receiving patent awards include: Mark Holtzapple (chemical engineering); Gary Noyes (professor emeritus in mechanical engineering); Edward Dougherty (electrical and computer engineering); David Claridge (director, Energy Systems Laboratory); William Turner (past director, Energy Systems Laboratory); Randall Tucker (TEES researcher and lecturer, mechanical engineering); Alan Palazzolo (mechanical engineering); and John Criscione (biomedical engineering).
