• Brennecke Named Chair of the Council for Chemical Research Brennecke Named Chair of the Council for Chemical Research Joan F. Brennecke, the Keating-Crawford Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, has been elected the chair of the Council for Chemical Research (CCR). Her term will begin in 2007, after serving two years as vice chair. As chair she will be responsible for supervising all business of the CCR, including presiding at all meetings of the organization's general membership and board. Brennecke has been a member of the CCR board since 2003, serving on the executive committee as well as chair of the program and initiatives committee. A pioneer in the development of environmentally friendly solvents, particularly supercritical fluids and ionic liquids, Brennecke has been a member of the Notre Dame faculty since 1989. The CCR promotes cooperation in basic research and encourages high-quality education in chemical sciences and engineering. Based in Washington, D.C., the organization represents most of the country's chemical research enterprises, with membership consisting of leaders from industry, government, and academia. [back to top]