CHAMPAIGN — A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign faculty member has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Christopher Burcham, a professor of the practice in the department of chemical and biomolecular engineering, is part of the Class of 2026 for the prestigious engineering body. He joins 129 other new members and 28 international members elected by their peers, bringing the total U.S. membership to 2,534, and international members to 356, according to a press release from the NAE.
Burcham joined the U. of I. last fall after a celebrated 23-year career in the pharmaceutical process design and development field. As an executive director in the synthetic molecule design and development department of Eli Lilly & Company, Burcham led the particle engineering group, where he oversaw the technical supervision and advancement of both crystallization and absorption enabling platforms.
His research centers on separations sciences, primarily in the discipline of crystallization and other particle formation technologies. Burcham is teaching a separations course this spring along with a new pharmaceutical engineering course he developed.
Among his many awards and honors, Burcham is a fellow in the American Institute of Engineers and currently serves on the programming committee for the Association of Crystallization Technology. He holds three patents, has more than 50 peer reviewed publications and has delivered over 100 external presentations. Burcham is also an alumnus of Illinois, graduating with a bachelor ̓s degree in chemical engineering in 1991 before earning a master ̓s and doctorate from Princeton University.
Founded in 1964, the NAE provides independent and objective analysis to the nation, offering leadership and insights to address the complex challenges of the world. The ballot for this class was set in December, and the final vote took place in January.
Burcham and the other members of this year ̓s class will be formally inducted at the NAE ̓s annual meeting this fall in Washington, D.C.
