It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Alfred Alexander Guenkel on June 19, 2022.
A beloved and eminent chemical engineer and a mentor, Alfred joined NORAM Engineering and Constructors as a partner in 1989. From 1973 to 1983 his industrial career took him from Proctor & Gamble in Belgium to Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) in Canada. He was later appointed a professor in chemical engineering at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He also served for many years as an adjunct professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia, where his role in mentoring became a lifelong vocation.
Alfred was born in Aachen, Germany on April 11, 1943. After studying at the Aachen Technical University, Alfred moved to Montreal in 1967 to attend McGill University, where he earned his PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1973.
As a professional, he was the inventor and holder of numerous patents covering a number of chemical commercial processes, and was particularly noted for his contributions in the field of nitration chemistry. For his achievements, he was recognized on numerous occasions. He was inducted into the Canadian Academy of Engineering in 2002, awarded the APEGBC Meritorious Achievement Award in 2013, and the UBC Faculty of Applied Science Dean’s Medal of Distinction in 2021.
Dr. Guenkel was an esteemed professional, friend and mentor to many. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues around the world.