| Membership level: Hall of Fame John W Sutherland Inductee Year 2024 |  |
| John W. Sutherland is a 1976 Hinsdale Central graduate and is presently professor and Fehsenfeld Family Head of Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. While in high school, he excelled in math and science, actively participated in intramural sports, concert choir, and operetta, and was a member of the National Honor Society. After high school, he attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in industrial engineering and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering. As a graduate student, he began delivering short courses on quality improvement via statistical process control and design of experiment methods to such manufacturers as Ford, GM, and Caterpillar. Following the completion of his doctorate, he launched a manufacturing consulting firm that provided software solutions for manufacturing and conducted industry training on quality improvement. In 1991, he accepted a faculty position at Michigan Technological University. At Michigan Tech, John pioneered the establishment of the field for which he is now internationally recognized: sustainable manufacturing. He collaborated with scores of company partners and was supported by many government agencies on numerous research projects related to sustainable manufacturing. These projects sought to maximize effective use of resources, minimize environmental impacts, and improve economic competitiveness. These efforts decreased the environmental footprint of manufacturing by reducing energy consumption, metalworking fluid use, process aerosols, etc. He also began work on rethinking product life cycles and how end-of-life products are managed. In 2009, John accepted the headship of the Department of Environmental and Ecological Engineering at Purdue University. As head he has led the growth of the department into one of the largest in the country. The department is unique in considering both classic environmental engineering and industrial sustainability. He has continued to teach and conduct groundbreaking research and is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading authorities on the application of sustainability principles to design, manufacturing, and other industrial issues. His present work includes helping companies reduce their carbon footprints, develop strategies to support the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals, and transform products and processes to align with circular economy principles. He has mentored 100+ students to the completion of their graduate degrees, including nearly 40 Ph.D. students. He has authored approximately 500 technical papers, and several textbooks, including the widely utilized Statistical Quality Design and Control: Contemporary Concepts and Methods. He has received over 50 awards for teaching and research including all-campus teaching and research awards from Michigan Tech, Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (the White House honored his landmark work in sustainable manufacturing), Education Award and Gold Medal from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and Manufacturing Technology Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. In recognition of his seminal work on sustainable manufacturing, he was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering, one of the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer. John and his wife Brenda have two daughters and seven grandchildren. When John is not busy working, he enjoys spending time with his family. |
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