The F.J. & Dorothy Van Antwerpen Award recognizes a chemical engineer for outstanding contributions and service to the Institute and is presented to a member of AIChE who has made such contributions to the profession. These contributions emphasize achievements in both the professional and technical areas of Institute activities, and the recipient will have contributed to innovative approaches to meet both perceived and unperceived membership needs. In 2016, the AIChE organization has recognized David Eckhardt as doing just that.
Dave is the Chemical Engineering Consultant for Irwin Engineers in Natick, MA. During his 45+ year career Dave has managed multiple projects in Process Development, Process Design, and Plant Operations for Monsanto, CH2M Hill and DuPont. His work has developed trade secrets for herbicides, Bovine Somatatropin, pharmaceuticals, and minerals. David holds PE licenses in Illinois, Massachusetts, and Missouri. For the past 50 years Dave has been an active member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). Currently Dave serves as Vice Chair of the AIChE Fellows Council, Liaison to the Northeast Student Region, and Admissions Committee. He has also served on the AIChE Board of Directors (4 years), Saint Louis Section Chair/Officer (7 years), Virtual Section Officer (3 years), Admissions Committee Chair/Officer (6 years), and on Fellows Council (4 years). Other AIChE services include Leadership Conferences (12), Student Regional Conferences (Northeast-9, Mid-America-9), and Programming Retreats (5) and General Arrangements Chair for the 1993 Annual Meeting. In honor of his innovative volunteer leadership to the Institute, Dave has received 3 Leach Awards.
In 2014, Dave and his wife, Karen, were inspired to make a difference and pledged $100,000 to endow the AIChE Student Regional Conference.