OU Engineers Earn High Honors for Contributions to Higher Ed

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The Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society recognized longtime engineering professors Daniel Resasco and David Sabatini at the Oklahoma History Center on Nov. 2.

The University of Oklahoma educators were among 11 who were inducted as part of the 2020 Hall of Fame Class that recognizes outstanding service to Oklahoma higher education. Since 1994 almost 300 educators, administrators and others who have made distinguished contributions to higher education have been included.

“Dr. Resasco and Dr. Sabatini have both accomplished amazing things in their careers and have used and will continue to use this success to create opportunities for our students. Their dedication to student success and commitment to innovative research in the field of engineering are well known throughout the industry and it is a pleasure to see these two faculty members formally recognized by the Oklahoma Higher Education Heritage Society,” said John Klier, dean of the Gallogly College of Engineering.  

Resasco (top right in photo), a professor in the School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, joined the OU faculty in 1993 and holds the inaugural Gallogly Chair of Engineering. He specializes in the study of catalysts and nanomaterials for commercial and industrial applications. He is the author of more than 300 publications, holds more than 40 industrial patents, and has received approximately 27,000 citations in scientific literature. Most recently, he received the Excellence in Catalysis Award by the Catalysis Society of Metropolitan New York, a prestigious regional regional organizations with an awardee pool in national scope. 

Sabatini (top left) was promoted to full professor in the School of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science in 1999 and was named the Sun Oil Company Endowed Chair. In 2005, he received one of OU's highest honors, David Ross Boyd Professor. His research focuses on physio-chemical processes for water and wastewater treatment. In 2005, he co-founded and served as the OU’s WaTER Center’s first director, which has gained global recognition. He is a recipient of the Water Environment Federation Pioneer Award for Disinfection for his pioneering research in removing fluoride from drinking waters in developing countries. 

To learn more about the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU, visit ou.edu/coe.





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