UBC chemical engineer appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada

UBC Chemical & Biological Engineering professor John Grace

UBC Chemical & Biological Engineering professor John Grace is among 34 new Officers of the Order of Canada—one of Canada’s highest civilian honours, recognizing a lifetime of outstanding achievement, dedication to community and service to Canada.

Grace is being recognized for his contributions as a chemical engineer, notably to the development of cleaner technology for industrial processes and energy production.

 “John is an outstanding Canadian figure in chemical engineering and a world-renowned leader in the field of fluidization, chemical reaction engineering and clean energy,” says department head Peter Englezos. “He has made remarkable contributions to the understanding and modelling of gas-solid fluidized beds through his roles as an educator, a researcher and an innovator; and we are privileged and fortunate to have John as a colleague at UBC.”

“I am overwhelmed that my colleagues took the initiative to nominate me for this signal honour,” says Grace. “It is very special to be honoured by one's country. So many students, colleagues and staff have helped me in my career and deserve much of the credit.”

Grace holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Clean Energy and is a co-founder of Membrane Reactor Technologies Ltd., a company focused on efficient hydrogen generation and use. His is Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the Engineering Institute of Canada, and the Chemical Institute of Canada. He has also received a host of awards, including the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering’s R.S. Jane Memorial Award, the Career Achievement Award of the Science Council of British Columbia, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Thomas Baron Award and its Dupont Particle Technology Forum Award and the Meritorious Achievement Award of the Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientist of BC.

Announced by His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, on June 28, 2013, Grace will accept his insignia at a ceremony to be held at a later date.