Vilas Pol, Professor of Chemical Engineering, was honored with the 2024 Asian American Engineer of the Year award in Seattle, Washington on September 28, 2024. The Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY) award is a prestigious annual recognition that honors the most distinguished professionals of Asian culture heritage across the nation. Introduced in 2002, AAEOY is an assembly that holds great significance for corporate America, academia, and government organizations in the STEM field, esteeming significant Asian American professionals for their leadership, technical achievements, and outstanding public services.

Professor Pol has worked at Purdue University for 10 years, leading the Vilas Pol Energy Research (ViPER) group in generating innovative research in Li-ion, Na-ion, and solid-state batteries, their extreme temperature operations, and thermal safety aspects. His diligence in groundbreaking discoveries has earned him numerous accolades and awards, including honors from Purdue University, ACS, MRS, ACerS, TMS, and Carbon. He is a Fulbright Specialist and a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. Most uniquely, Pol has two Guinness World Records for holding the fastest time to arrange all of the elements of the periodic table and discovering the electrolyte to charge lithium-ion batteries at the lowest temperature. He has published 277 peer-reviewed manuscripts, has 22 US patents, and shared his findings in over 200 invited and keynotes talks, including TEDx worldwide, spanning over 15 countries.

As an AAEOY award winner, Pol was invited to attend the Asian American Engineer of the Year award ceremony in Seattle, Washington, where he joined other prominent Asian Americans across several industries and disciplines to receive his award and celebrate their accomplishments.

In this recognition, Pol becomes a part of a legacy of prestige and innovation culminated in the efforts of hundreds of Asian American professionals before him. His work as a role model and inspiration for the STEM community at large cements his place as an influential voice in the Asian American community.

Learn more about Vilas Pol and the ViPER group.

About AAEOY

The American Asian Engineer of the Year award (AAEOY), a national event that meets annually to recognize professionals of Asian culture heritage that have made significant contributions to their field. Since it was established in 2002, AAEOY has created a forum for individuals from Corporate America, Academia, and Government to be honored for their achievements, leadership, and service to the greater community.