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Ruben Carbonell garners top UNC System award

Published May 15, 2018

BTEC Acting Director Gary Gilleskie spoke with state Sen. Angela Bryant, Susie Farrell (state Rep. Susan Martin’s legislative aide), and Rep. Yvonne Holley when they toured BTEC Sept. 22.
Ruben Carbonell receives the UNC System's O. Max Gardner Award for his distinguished contributions in engineering, health care, education and public policy. Photo courtesy of Marc Hall, NC State University.

BTEC Director (on leave) Ruben Carbonell has been honored with the O. Max Gardner Award, the most significant university-wide honor given to faculty by the University of North Carolina System, for his contributions in engineering, health care, education and public policy. The award is presented each year to one faculty member from the system’s 17 campuses recognized as having “made the greatest contribution to the welfare of the human race.”

Dr. Carbonell, Frank Hawkins Kenan Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, was a co-principal investigator in the proposal that led to the launch, in March 2017, of the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). Made possible by a $70 million commitment from the National Institute of Standards and Technology over five years, NIIMBL is dedicated to accelerating innovation in biopharmaceutical manufacturing and developing a world-leading workforce to help drive the future of a vitally important industry to the U.S. economy and to patients suffering from chronic and deadly diseases throughout the world.

Serving as chief technology officer for NIIMBL, Dr. Carbonell drives the technology roadmap for NIIMBL and launches technical projects that address industry needs. Dr. Carbonell's role as NIIMBL's chief technology officer necessitated that he take leave from his position as director of BTEC; Dr. Gary Gilleskie has served as BTEC's acting director since July 1, 2017.

View the full announcement about the O. Max Gardner Award.