Alexander Orlov, professor in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, has been elected vice chair of the Sustainability Engineering Forum (SEF) at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
The SEF is a 340 member technical forum open to all disciplines to promote technical and professional development, with a focus on sustainability principles and practice.
In addition, Orlov will also chair the Environmental Division of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The Environmental Division, established in 1913, has 3,000 members.
“I am very grateful to my chemistry and chemical engineering colleagues who elected me to lead environmental and sustainability efforts at these very impactful societies that transform the US chemical industries,” said Orlov.
“Professor Orlov’s election to leadership roles at both AIChE and ACS is a remarkable achievement and a testament to his vision and impact in sustainability and environmental engineering,” said Dilip Gersappe, chair of the Department of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering. “His work exemplifies how materials science and chemical engineering can drive responsible innovation at scale. We are proud to see our department’s faculty helping shape the future priorities of two of the most influential scientific societies in our field.”
Orlov’s principal research and teaching activities are in the development of novel materials for energy generation, structural applications and environmental protection. He was awarded the US National Science Foundation CAREER Award and was also selected to the Fellowship of the UK Royal Society of Chemistry, the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Frontiers of Engineering, the EU-US (NAE) Frontiers of Engineering and was made Kavli Fellow in 2014 by the Kavli Foundation and the US National Academy of Sciences. In 2022, he was chair of the Environmental Division at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, and in 2024, Orlov was awarded the Dr. Peter. B. Lederman Service Award for his outstanding service to the division.
According to an analysis released by the US National Academies, the chemical industry in the United States was responsible for $5.2 trillion — or approximately a quarter of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) — and employed 4.1 million people in the country in 2020. Two of the largest societies supporting this industry are the AIChE and ACS, and they have been at the forefront of innovation for more than a century.
Orlov’s appointments with the AlChE and ACS took effect on January 1, 2026. He resides in Middle Island, NY.
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