Roger Sargent (chemical engineer) facts for kids
Roger William Herbert Sargent (born October 14, 1926 – died September 11, 2018) was an important English chemical engineer. He was a professor at Imperial College London and is known as the "father" of a field called Process Systems Engineering.
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Roger Sargent's Life Story
Roger Sargent was born on October 14, 1926. He went to Bedford School and then studied chemical engineering at Imperial College London. He earned both a bachelor's degree and a PhD there.
After his studies, he worked as an engineer in Paris until 1959. Then, he came back to the UK and joined Imperial College as a teacher. He became a professor of Chemical engineering at Imperial College from 1966 to 1992. He also led the Department of Chemical Engineering for many years.
A big achievement was when he started the Centre for Process Systems Engineering in 1989. He led this center until he retired in 1992. Even after retiring, he continued to be a senior researcher and professor there. Roger Sargent passed away on September 11, 2018.
His Work in Chemical Engineering
Roger Sargent became a professor when the field of chemical engineering was changing a lot. He strongly believed that teaching how to run and control a chemical plant was very important. Before him, many thought this was a job for workers, not highly trained engineers.
He also pushed for using new computers and math methods in chemical engineering education. He believed that students should learn these skills from their very first year in college, starting in 1963.
What is Process Systems Engineering?
Roger Sargent is most famous for helping create Process Systems Engineering (PSE). This field uses systematic ways to design, model, and control chemical processes. Think of it as using smart methods and computers to make chemical plants work better and more efficiently.
His ideas spread widely, partly because of his many students. He guided 61 research students at Imperial College. Many of these students became professors themselves and trained their own students. By 2016, his "academic family tree" included over 2,000 students and former students!
Since 1994, Imperial College holds special "Roger Sargent" lectures every year to honor his influence. He is truly seen as the "father" of Process Systems Engineering. His work helped set up PSE as a key area in engineering around the world.
One of his important creations was a software program called "SPEEDUP." This program helped engineers design and evaluate chemical processes. It was first described in 1964 and was used in research and industry for more than 25 years.
Professional Groups and Awards
Roger Sargent was an active member of many important groups. He joined the Institution of Chemical Engineers in 1960 and even became its president in 1973. He also served on committees for various government and engineering organizations.
He received many awards for his research and teaching. Some of these include:
- Being a founder-fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (1976).
- An honorary fellowship from the City and Guilds of London Institute (1977).
- The Silver Medal of the "Ville de Paris" (1986).
- Honorary doctorates from universities in France and Belgium.
- The Nordic Process Control Award (2003).
- The Sir Frank Whittle Medal from the Royal Academy of Engineering (2016), which honors engineers who have made a huge impact on their field.
In 2014, the Institution of Chemical Engineers created the Roger Sargent medal in his honor. This medal is given for research in computer-aided product and process engineering.
Roger Sargent's Family Life
Roger Sargent was married to Shirley. They had two sons named Philip and Tony.
