Beshouri receives AIChE's award for government and industry leaders

Sharon Beshouri, President of Shell Global Solutions (U.S.), Inc., and Vice President of Catalyst, Analytical and Refining Technology for Royal Dutch Shell (Houston, TX), has received the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ (AIChE) Government and Industry Leaders (AGILE) Award. The award is given to leaders who have made significant contributions to the chemical engineering profession and whose innovations have made a significant impact within the industries that employ chemical engineers. Dr. Beshouri received the AGILE Award on Monday, April 1, at the 2019 AIChE Spring Meeting and 15th Global Congress on Process Safety in New Orleans, Louisiana.

In connection with the award, Beshouri set the stage for the conference with her welcome keynote lecture entitled “Embracing Transitions Today: Assuring a Robust Future Tomorrow.” In her talk, Beshouri stated that all advances are preceded by necessary transitions, and suggested that engineers had the skills and mindsets needed to successfully implement change. She noted several areas where these changes are in progress, including industry’s transition to new sources of renewable fuels to meet growing global energy demands, the adoption of digital tools and strategies for safer and more efficient working environments, and the importance of transitioning knowledge from current experts to the next generation of engineers and technologies.

Beshouri also cautioned that industry and academia should transition to become more inclusive workplaces. "We need the collective capability of everyone to solve the challenges ahead of us,” said Beshouri.

Sharon Beshouri earned her PhD in chemistry from Purdue University and conducted post-doctoral work at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory. She began her career as a research scientist at Shell’s Westhollow Research Center, in Houston, Texas, before moving to Shell Chemicals and subsequently to positions across corporate finance, planning, and strategic and commercial development. She also served as General Manager of Lower Olefins in the Americas and as President of Shell Chemical LP. In 2015, Beshouri became President of Shell Global Solutions (U.S.), and Vice President for Catalyst Technology. She was also appointed Chief Engineer of the Research and Development Technical Function, and is charged with maintaining and assuring the health of the talent pipeline for research and development within Shell.

The diversity of experiences Beshouri has gathered over her 30-year career has given her a unique perspective on the importance of talent and capability as well as how transitions shape the future of industry — insights she offered in her AGILE Award presentation.

Held at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside from March 31 to April 4, the 2019 AIChE Spring Meeting and Global Congress on Process Safety consists of nearly 200 sessions exploring topics of interest to practicing chemical engineers, with a focus on developments in energy, manufacturing, and industrial safety. Over 2,000 practitioners and company leaders from around the world are attending the conference.

By Gordon Ellis

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