The Jane and Norman Li Distinguished Seminar Series in Chemical Engineering and Materials Science

The annual Jane and Norman Li Distinguished Seminar Series invites exceptional technology pioneers and business leaders to Stevens Institute of Technology to promote exchange of ideas and inspire future generations of technical innovators and entrepreneurs in the fields of chemical engineering and materials science. Established in 2026 through the generous support of Dr. Jane Li, and Dr. Norman Li - an alumnus (the first PhD in Chemical Engineering at Stevens, 1963), and member of the National Academy of Engineering - the seminar series honors Drs. Li’s strong commitment to advancing education and research in chemical engineering and materials science disciplines. It also celebrates their legacies and contributions to the broader technical and business communities.

ABSTRACT - Advanced Water Treatment for a Thirsty World

Access to clean water is fundamental to human health, yet global water scarcity continues to intensify. Meeting this challenge requires purification technologies that deliver high performance while remaining robust, scalable, and economically viable. Polymeric membranes—now the cornerstone of desalination and advanced water treatment—offer significant opportunities for improvement in permeability, selectivity, fouling resistance, durability, and manufacturability.

This seminar explores the development of next-generation thin-film composite polymeric membranes, from molecular design to commercial-scale production. It shows how polymer chemistry, interfacial polymerization, membrane architecture, surface modification, and support-layer engineering can be integrated to improve separation performance and long-term stability. Particular attention will be given to the critical yet often overlooked challenge of turning laboratory breakthroughs into reliable commercial products, which requires coordinated advances in chemistry, process technology, and manufacturing equipment.

Through examples drawn from membrane innovation and scale‑up, we will illustrate how scientific insight becomes practical technology capable of addressing real‑world water needs. Ultimately, advanced membranes strengthen water security and contribute directly to public and global health—demonstrating that engineering clean water is engineering for human well‑being.

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. Norman Li is president of NL Chemical Technology, Inc. Mount Prospect, Illinois. He received his doctorate in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology and an honorary doctorate degree from New Jersey Institute of Technology. He has a distinguished career of more than 50 years in American chemical and petroleum industries. He was at Exxon Research and Engineering Co. as a senior scientist and at UOP and Honeywell as Director of Research. In 1995, recognizing the critical needs of clean water in many parts of the world, he founded the NL Chemical Technology, Inc. to develop cost-effective advanced membrane technologies for worldwide operations of water purification and desalination of seawater.

Dr. Li is a member of the National Academy of Engineering of USA, Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Academia Sinica in Taiwan, China. Dr. Li has about 50 US patents and more than 100 technical papers, and has edited 20 books, all in the field of separation science and technology.

Dr. Li served as the president of the North American Membrane Society, a director of American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Board and the Chair of the American Chemical Society Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.

Dr. Li is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for his innovation and leadership in separation and membranes technologies in particular and chemical science and engineering in general. Some of his major awards are listed below:

• Perkin Medal, which is the highest honor in the US chemical industry

• Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Congress of Chemical Engineering twice with one held in Melbourne, Australia, 2001 and another one in Beijing, China, 2025

• Founders Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the highest honor given by the Institute

• Alan S. Michaels Award from the North American Membrane Society, which is the highest honor given by the Society

• ACS’ E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry

• ACS Award of Separations Science and Technology

• AIChE’s Alpha Chi Sigma Award in Chemical Engineering Research

Dr. Norman Li was also elected into the “100 Chemical Engineers of the Modern Era” as part of the AIChE’s Centennial Celebration in 2008.

ATTENDANCE

This event is open to all SES faculty, staff, students, alumni, and invited guests.