Chemical Engineering

Heath Briggs (ChemEngr'97)

miwi9607 — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 18:37:00 +0000

Heath Briggs (ChemEngr'97) miwi9607 Fri, 02/13/2026 - 11:37

Heath Briggs, 2026 Alumni Engagement Medal Recipient

2026 Alumni Engagement Medal Recipient

Chemical and Biological Engineering Recipient

Heath Briggs, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global Patents and Innovation Strategies Group, is a chemical engineer, a registered patent attorney and has more than 19 years of patent prosecution experience and 10 years of AIA trial experience. Heath has represented several entities in connection with over 120 inter partes review proceedings, including representing companies such as Samsung, Limelight Networks, B. Braun, Kia Motors, Schlumberger and SK Hynix. Briggs’s AIA experience spans a wide variety of technologies, with significant experience in proceedings involving patents to LEDs, computer software & telecommunications, medical devices, complex material systems and chemical processing. Since 2020, Patexia has ranked Briggs as one of the most active IPR attorneys in the country (Top 100). In 2019, Patexia ranked him 29th out of the Top 100 Best Performing IPR/AIA Trial Attorneys (representing petitioners or patent owners).

Outside of the new post-grant review processes, Briggs has worked on nearly 20 U.S. patent reexaminations (both inter partes and ex parte) and more than 50 European opposition proceedings for his clients.

Since 2005, Briggs has served as an adjunct professor at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, where he teaches engineering students a self-designed course on intellectual property law. He was also selected by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers to provide online IP training for its chemical engineering members. Briggs is involved in the community, where his passion is to educate aspiring inventors and entrepreneurs about intellectual property.

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Kevin D. Seibert (ChemEngr'90)

miwi9607 — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 17:39:14 +0000

Kevin D. Seibert (ChemEngr'90) miwi9607 Fri, 02/13/2026 - 10:39

Kevin Seibert, 2026 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award Recipient

Engineering Alumni Awards

2026 Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award recipient

Kevin Seibert is a technical VP with Eli Lilly and Co. and holds a BS in chemical engineering from the �鶹��Ѱ��, as well as MS and PhD degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan. He has over 30 years’ experience working in small and medium molecule syntheses for both Merck and Eli Lilly. Seibert has been responsible for the process development and optimization of many early and late-phase products and led the technology transfer, validation and launch of several marketed compounds.

Seibert has also led initiatives for developing enhanced regulatory filings in support of the ICH QbD efforts, driving efficiency and consistency in marketed compound regulatory filings worldwide. Most recently, Seibert led the chemistry and engineering teams responsible for the process development and commercialization of Eli Lilly’s Zepbound/Mounjaro. Seibert led the expert teams with the conception and implementation of a strategy for synthesizing synthetic peptides using a novel manufacturing platform employing both continuous manufacturing and real-time release approaches. This novel manufacturing platform has led to significant improvements in manufacturing efficiency, environmental impact and end product quality, with broad applicability to Lilly’s growing synthetic peptide portfolio.

Seibert is a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, where he has served as chair of the PD2M forum, driving the application of chemical engineering principles to discovery, development and manufacturing within the pharmaceutical industry. Seibert served as chair of the Drug Substance Leadership Group for the IQ Consortium, and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Emerging Technologies Consortium.

Seibert is passionate about mentoring, teaching and providing opportunities for scientists to thrive, and is author/co-author of more than 80 technical publications, book chapters and presentations. He holds three patents on various pharmaceutical processes.

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PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship

Susan Glairon — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:13:48 +0000

PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship Susan Glairon Fri, 02/13/2026 - 08:13

Susan Glairon

Dunphy's research involves studying interactions at the atomic level to design more efficient catalysts for polymer upcycling, an innovative approach for converting plastic wastes into valuable products, such as jet fuels.

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Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’

Susan Glairon — Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:17:04 +0000

Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’ Susan Glairon Fri, 02/06/2026 - 09:17

Susan Glairon

From right, Thad Sauvain with his husband, Carl, in front of the Bernese Alps near Murren, Switzerland, in May 2025.

Thad Sauvain (ChemEngr’91) grew up in Colorado Springs in the 1980s, when the climate was largely anti-LGBTQ+ and conservative ministries such as Focus on the Family, headquartered just a few miles from his home, were actively opposing anti-discrimination policies.

Sauvain is part of the LGBTQ+ community, but during that period, he mostly kept that part of himself hidden.

“It was my transition to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to get a BS in chemical engineering that allowed both parts of me—as an engineer and as a gay individual—to grow and thrive,” he said.

Sauvain recently established a legacy endowment in his estate plan to fund undergraduate scholarships for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder chemical and mechanical engineering majors, with preference given to students who demonstrate a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community through involvement in Out in STEM (oSTEM) or similar college programs.

Each year the endowment supports one student for four years of their college education.

“There’s a need to support students whose college funding may depend on families who are not accepting and who may be forced to choose between that funding and living authentically,” Sauvain said. “I want to support engineering students who struggle to thrive as LGBTQ+ individuals. I hope the endowment enables them to be their true selves while contributing to society as successful engineers.”

Thriving at CU

Sauvain studied chemical engineering at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and was later recruited to join Chevron as a process engineer. He recently retired following a 33-year career with the company and is a member of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Advisory Board.

“My engineering degree prepared me for my career and helped me build the connections that launched it,” he said.

Three years after starting his role at Chevron, Sauvain became involved in the company’s campus recruiting for engineers, a role that eventually grew into his work as a liaison for Chevron’s gifts, donations and funding.

In the early 2000s, he helped establish a Chevron scholarship for those involved in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s LGBTQ+ community, similar to scholarships for other diversity organizations in place at the time, during “a time when it was not the norm.”

Thad Sauvain shortly after graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and
starting his career with Chevron in 1991.

“Some responded negatively to this new scholarship,” he said. “But Chevron’s senior management remained steadfast in its support of the new scholarship as it aligned with the company’s values and The Chevron Way.

“Every time I tell people that I went to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, I feel a deep sense of pride,” he added. “Even back in the 1980s, it was a shining beacon of acceptance. I've seen that grow and broaden over the years, and I am very proud to be part of the �鶹��Ѱ��community and a graduate of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder's College of Engineering.”

Looking ahead

Sauvain recently met with oSTEM students to talk about the climate for today’s LGBTQ+ community and its historical context.

“I told them that in 1998 when Matthew Shepard was killed, you could not be out and visible, gay, transgender, anything. And though it seems like we're taking several steps backwards now, it has gotten better since then, and long term, I fully believe that it will again get better.”

Sauvain emphasized the College of Engineering’s strong support for the LGBTQ community, noting that he has seen this commitment firsthand through his work with Chevron, his service on the Engineering Advisory Board, and now through the creation of this endowment.

“Being part of the LGBTQ+ community is only one aspect of my being, just as my training as a chemical engineer is another,” he said. “Both have enriched my life in ways I never expected. My chemical engineering degree from �鶹��Ѱ��enabled me to build a successful 35-year career in an industry not necessarily known for being accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, during which I came out to everyone in my life. I attribute my college years at �鶹��Ѱ��with giving me the confidence to become my true self, both as an LGBTQ individual and as a chemical engineer, and I hope that this endowment will help others following a similar path.”

To learn more about adding the �鶹��Ѱ��Foundation to your estate planning, contact the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Advancement Team.

Thad Sauvain (ChemEngr’91) recently established a legacy endowment in his estate plan to support undergraduate scholarships for �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder chemical and mechanical engineering majors, with preference for those who demonstrate a commitment to the LGBTQ+ community. Sauvain credits his own time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, where he earned a BS in chemical engineering, with helping him thrive both as an engineer and as a gay individual.

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Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history

Susan Glairon — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 17:38:06 +0000

Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history Susan Glairon Fri, 01/30/2026 - 10:38

Chemical and biological engineering senior Arianna McCarty has earned the prestigious Churchill Scholarship, becoming just the fourth student in university history to receive the honor. The award will support a year of master’s study at the University of Cambridge, recognizing her exceptional research achievements and academic excellence.

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Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty

Susan Glairon — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:31:40 +0000

Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty Susan Glairon Tue, 01/20/2026 - 13:31

Susan Glairon

Meet the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering's newest faculty, Assistant Professors Cody Ritt and Antonio Del Rio Flores.

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Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles

Susan Glairon — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:29:30 +0000

Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles Susan Glairon Wed, 01/14/2026 - 14:29

Chemical and biological engineering researchers have created shape-shifting microparticles that change their shape in response to environmental factors for self-directed propulsion and navigation.

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Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue

Susan Glairon — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 17:23:32 +0000

Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue Susan Glairon Wed, 12/10/2025 - 10:23

A �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder team has invented a sound-wave technique that softens dense tumors so chemotherapy can penetrate more deeply. The discovery could boost treatment effectiveness and make cancer therapies safer for patients.

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Double major, triple honors: Ethan Coleman earns academic, research and outstanding student awards

Susan Glairon — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 18:28:41 +0000

Double major, triple honors: Ethan Coleman earns academic, research and outstanding student awards Susan Glairon Mon, 12/01/2025 - 11:28

Susan Glairon

The recognitions reflect Coleman's work as a teaching assistant for six classes; his strong academic performance—including three graduate-level classes—and his research, where he served as first author on two papers stemming from his undergraduate thesis. It also reflects his time spent as a ChBE student ambassador.

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Bruce Kirkpatrick honored with Outstanding Dissertation Award

Susan Glairon — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 21:07:51 +0000

Bruce Kirkpatrick honored with Outstanding Dissertation Award Susan Glairon Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:07

Susan Glairon

Chemical and Biological Engineering PhD Student Bruce Kirkpatrick was honored with the 2025 Outstanding Dissertation Award. His hydrogel research supports technologies that enable 3D cell culture for tissue engineering and disease modeling, as well as acellular biomaterials for applications like controlled release of drugs or vaccines.

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Chemical Engineering

Heath Briggs (ChemEngr'97)

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Kevin D. Seibert (ChemEngr'90)

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PhD student Erin Dunphy honored with Ludo Frevel Scholarship

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Alumnus establishes scholarship for students involved with ‘oSTEM’

Thriving at CU

Looking ahead

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Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder history

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Chemical and Biological Engineering welcomes two new faculty

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Researchers create shape-shifting, self-navigating microparticles

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Scientists use ultrasound to soften and treat cancer tumors without damaging healthy tissue

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Double major, triple honors: Ethan Coleman earns academic, research and outstanding student awards

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Bruce Kirkpatrick honored with Outstanding Dissertation Award

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Student awarded Churchill Scholarship—the 4th in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder history