"The Council may confer Honorary Life Membership in APEGGA upon any professional member who has rendered signal service to the Association." |
Frederick Douglas Otto, P.Eng., PhD
Born in Hardisty, AB, Fred Otto, P.Eng., PhD, received his bachelor's (1957) and master's (1959) degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Alberta, and his PhD from the University of Michigan (1963).
He has been a professor of chemical engineering at the University of Alberta since 1962, was chair of the department of chemical engineering (1975-84), and dean of engineering (1985-94). At present, he is professor emeritus in the department of chemical and materials engineering.
Dr. Otto has served APEGGA for more than 30 years, including as: a member of the Continuing Education Committee (1965-67); chair of the Committee on Metric Conversion (1973-79); member and subsequently chair of the Honors and Awards Committee (1980-83); member and subsequently chair of the Board of Examiners (1975-95); Councillor (1985-88); member of the Board of Education (1985-92); and as a member of the Association's Executive Committee, in the positions of 1st Vice-President (1995-96) and President (1996-97).
He is a past president of the Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering (CSChE) and was a member of the Governing Council of the National Research Council (1991-94). Dr. Otto chairs the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board and serves on the boards of The Laser Institute, the Canadian Institute for Petroleum Industry Development (CIPID), and DB Robinson & Associates Ltd. He is conference chair for the 47th Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference being held in Edmonton in October. Since 1988, he has been a director of the CIDA-funded University of Alberta/Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology Linkage Project.
Dr. Otto, a distinguished lecturer, has published more than 75 technical papers. His research interests are in the areas of mass transfer, gas-liquid reactions, separation processes, heavy oil upgrading and gas processing. A major research activity has been the measurement of kinetic and solubility data, and the development of computer software required for the design and simulation of processes used for the removal of H2S and CO2 from process streams.
APEGGA has recognized his contributions to the profession by awarding him the L.C. Charlesworth Award (1990) and the Centennial Award (1993). He is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and of the Chemical Institute of Canada.
