Dr. Ralph T. Yang stands as a preeminent chemical engineer whose pioneering contributions to adsorption science have shaped modern separation technologies. As the John B. Fenn Distinguished University Professor of Engineering and Dwight F. Benton Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Michigan, he has maintained a distinguished academic career spanning nearly five decades. Dr. Yang received his BS in Chemical Engineering from National Taiwan University in 1964 followed by MS and PhD degrees from Yale University in 1968 and 1971 respectively. After conducting research at Brookhaven National Laboratory, he joined the State University of New York at Buffalo as an associate professor in 1978, where he established his foundational work in gas adsorption before moving to the University of Michigan in 1995.
Professor Yang's seminal contributions to adsorption science include the development of novel theoretical frameworks, advanced adsorbent materials, and innovative separation processes that have transformed environmental and energy applications. His research on gas separation by adsorption, detailed in his authoritative book "Gas Separation by Adsorption Processes," has become the definitive reference in the field with widespread adoption in both academic and industrial settings. With over 420 journal publications and 33 U.S. patents, his work on removing environmentally hazardous compounds from transportation fuels has played a critical role in mitigating acid rain through deep desulfurization technologies. Professor Yang's development of new adsorbents for air separation, natural gas upgrading, CO2 capture, and hydrogen storage has provided essential tools for addressing global energy and environmental challenges.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Yang has profoundly influenced the field through his dedicated mentorship, having guided generations of students and early-career researchers who now lead in academia and industry worldwide. He has maintained active leadership roles in the scientific community, serving on editorial boards for prestigious journals including Adsorption and Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research while contributing to the International Adsorption Society. Professor Yang's scholarly impact extends through his two influential books that have educated countless researchers and engineers in adsorption science and technology. After a remarkable career culminating in his retirement from active teaching approximately two years ago, his legacy continues through the widespread application of his adsorption technologies in environmental protection and energy systems.
