Overcash named Sam Bloomfield Distinguished Chair in Engineering
An accomplished scholar in sustainability and life cycle inventory, Overcash has published 14 books and more than 330 articles for journals, symposia and reports. He has also served on seven National Academy of Science committees and on the scientific advisory committees for the U.S. Air Force, state of North Carolina, National Science Foundation, and held several offices of EPA, corporate research and planning groups.
Overcash has pioneered the research field in industrial pollution prevention since 1980. His role as director of the EPA's office of Exploratory Research Center for Waste Minimization allowed the development of critical research and new technology projects that define the research in the pollution prevention field.
Overcash graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from North Carolina State University. He earned a Master of Science degree in the same field while on a Fulbright Scholarship at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Overcash received his doctoral degree from the University of Minnesota in chemical engineering.
He served as a professor of chemical engineering, as well as a professor of biological and agricultural engineering, at North Carolina State University. Overcash has received the Young Researcher Award from the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, the 1990 Environment Award of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and EPA Distinguished Visiting Scientist Award.
With this hiring, WSU and the College of Engineering are well positioned to continue the work toward the establishment of an interdisciplinary Center of Excellence in Sustainability, which will build on the strengths and expertise in this area across the whole institution.
The generosity of the Sam and Rie Bloomfield Foundation and the expertise of Overcash in sustainability will strengthen WSU's ability to support and contribute to the social and economic well-being of the citizens and organizations in Wichita, Kansas and beyond.
Though the Bloomfield's moved to California, the current location of their foundation, they supported many Wichita entities in addition to numerous areas within WSU including fine arts, business, engineering and the Plaza of Heroines through student, faculty and program funds.
Sam and Rie Bloomfield died in 1979 and 1996, respectively.