ChE Advisory Board

The ChE Advisory Board provides insight, guidance and assistance in the pursuit of the department’s strategic vision.

Current areas of focus include the Michigan Chemical Engineering difference; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and the undergraduate experience.

Steve Hart, Board Chair

Retired Global VP and Regional Managing Director of ExxonMobil

Steve Hart is the retired Global VP and Regional Managing Director of ExxonMobil. He has a Chemical Engineering BSE from U-M and an MBA from the University of Houston. Steve brings broad experience, a global leadership perspective and extensive industry connections, along with a commitment and passion for U-M ChE to the Board.

Andre Argenton

VP of Core R&D at Dow

Andre Argenton is the VP of Core R&D at Dow. He has a PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of San Paulo. Andre is responsible for corporate R&D and brings insight into internal innovation as well as other connections with academia and industry organizations to the Advisory Board.

Rhonda Germany Ballintyn

Retired Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer and VP at Honeywell

Rhonda Germany Ballintyn is the retired Chief Strategy & Marketing Officer and VP at Honeywell. She received her BSE in ChE from U-M and also holds an MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business. Rhonda brings extensive business and board experience and a passion about the education of underprivileged students, ChE and diversity in STEM to the Advisory Board.

Blake Bath

Retired CEO and CIO of Bay Bridge Capital Management

Blake Bath is the retired CEO and CIO of Bay Bridge Capital Management. He received his BSE in ChE from U-M and an MBA from Columbia Business School. Blake brings extensive networking and fundraising experience to the Advisory Board, as well as a family commitment to the department as his father received his PhD in 1962.

Su Chang

R&D Senior Director of the Advanced Research Platform, Intelligent Automation and the Sensors Community of Practice at P&G

Su Chang is the R&D Senior Director of the Advanced Research Platform, Intelligent Automation and the Sensors Community of Practice at P&G. She has a BSE in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky. Su brings knowledge of advanced research techniques inclusive of edge AI and IoT applications, new product platform invention and global business operations. She is passionate in elevating equality and inclusion in and beyond P&G to the Advisory Board.

Dave Knapp

VP R&D Fellow at Boston Scientific

Dave Knapp is a VP R&D Fellow at Boston Scientific. He holds a ChE BSE degree from U-M and a PhD from Minnesota. Dave is a medtech leader who is also on the U-M BME Board. He brings his ability to connect and cut through silos and his passion for helping the Department continue to grow in excellence to our Advisory Board.

Ellen Lee

Technical Leader in Additive Manufacturing Research at Ford Motor Company

Ellen Lee is the Technical Leader in Additive Manufacturing Research at Ford Motor Company. She has a PhD in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley. Ellen brings to the Advisory Board her insight into automotive industry material and manufacturing innovation needs, specifically polymer processes and materials to scale additive and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Jeff Lievense

Industrial biotechnology pioneer, Founder and CEO of Lievense Bioengineering

Jeff Lievense is an industrial biotechnology pioneer, Founder and CEO of Lievense Bioengineering, and member of the National Academy of Engineering. He received his Chemical Engineering BSE from U-M and a ChE PhD from Purdue. Jeff brings his pioneering background and passion about scholarships and the CoE to the Advisory Board.

Saroja Ramanujan

Director and Principal Scientist in Translational & Systems Pharmacology and Head of QSP at Genentech Inc.

Saroja Ramanujan is a Director and Principal Scientist in Translational & Systems Pharmacology and Head of QSP at Genentech Inc. She received her BSE in Chemical Engineering from U-M and a ChE PhD from Wisconsin. Saroja brings important insight into the pharmacology industry and a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion to the Advisory Board.oE to the Advisory Board.

Anshu Roy

Founder and CEO of Rhombus Power

Anshu Roy is the Founder and CEO of Rhombus Power, a Silicon Valley start-up and NASA Research Park partner. Rhombus is purposefully transforming the nation’s defense and national security enterprises with Guardian, its Artificial Intelligence platform for strategic, operational, and tactical decision-making at the Speed of Relevance. He received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from U-M working with Professor Ron Larson. Anshu brings his enthusiasm for the graduate program, curriculum and internships and an important entrepreneurial perspective to the Advisory Board.

Gil Vandentop

Director of Corporate University Research at Intel Labs

Gil Vandentop is the Director of Corporate University Research at Intel Labs and serves on the Board of Directors at Semiconductor Research Corp (SRC). He holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry from UC Berkeley. Gil brings his experience in university research at corporate and consortium levels and his interest and engagement in diversity initiatives to the Advisory Board.

Rosemarie Wesson

Interim Associate Provost for Research at CCNY

Rosemarie (Rose) Wesson is the Interim Associate Provost for Research at CCNY. She received her PhD in chemical engineering from U-M working with Professor Jim Wilkes. Rose brings to the Board her extensive experience in academia, as well as NSF and AIChE leadership.

Ben Shapiro, Ad hoc Advisor to the Board

Malcolm P. McNair Emeritus Professor of Marketing at Harvard Business

Ben Shapiro, the Malcolm P. McNair Emeritus Professor of Marketing at Harvard Business School, is serving as an ad hoc Advisor to the Board. He received his Chemical Engineering BSE from U-M and both an MBA and DBA from Harvard Business School. Ben brings to the Board his experience with academic administration, as well as a significant nonprofit and corporate advisory experience, including strategy, marketing, and fundraising, from start-ups to large international corporations.