Michal Lipson, Eugene Higgins Professor of Electrical Engineering and professor of applied physics, and Venkat Venkatasubramanian, Samuel Ruben-Peter G. Viele Professor of Engineering, have been elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering. Election to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer.
“We are thrilled to see the extraordinary achievements of Michal and Venkat recognized by the National Academy of Engineering,” said Columbia Engineering Dean Shih-Fu Chang. “Both are pioneers in their respective fields who have made advancements in some of the most important research areas of our time, from photonics to AI to engineering systems. This well-deserved honor reflects many years of dedication and contribution.”
Lipson and Venkatasubramanian join an NAE cohort of 128 new members and 22 international members, announced Feb. 11. There are currently 19 NAE members on Columbia Engineering’s faculty. Individuals in the newly elected class will be formally inducted during the NAE's Annual Meeting Oct. 5, 2025.
Venkat Venkatasubramanian is an internationally recognized authority in developing artificial intelligence-based methods for process fault diagnosis, process safety, pharmaceutical engineering, and materials design. In each of these areas, his research has been pioneering, with impact on theoretical developments, industrial practice, and the profession. Venkatasubramanian’s contributions in AI for chemical engineering have been years ahead of their time, anticipating developments that are now widely recognized.
His three papers on process fault diagnosis and safety in 2003 are among the 10 most-cited papers in the international journal, Computers & Chemical Engineering. With 8,000+ citations, they are now considered a ‘gold standard’ in the field. His 2019 paper on AI in chemical engineering is the most-cited paper in the AIChE Journal in the last 20 years. His book, “How Much Inequality is Fair? Mathematical Principles of a Moral, Optimal, and Stable Capitalist Society”, was published in 2017 by Columbia University Press.
In 2009, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) honored Venkatasubramanian with the Computing in Chemical Engineering Award for contributions to process systems engineering. It recognized him as a fellow of AIChE in 2011. In 2024, Venkatasubramanian, a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering, received AIChE’s oldest and most prestigious award, the William H. Walker Award, for his pioneering contributions in AI for chemical engineering.
https://www.engineering.columbia.edu/about/news/michal-lipson-and-venkat-venkatasubramanian-elected-national-academy-engineering