Purnendu "Sandy" Dasgupta, UT Arlington's Jenkins Garrett Professor of Chemistry, has been named a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the highest membership distinction in the international organization of 430,000 engineers, scientists and other professionals.

Dasgupta is recognized worldwide for his pioneering work in ion chromatography, the process of separation and detecting atoms and molecules bearing a net electrical charge. He is the author of more than 400 scientific papers and book chapters and holds 25 U.S. patents. His work has garnered $18 million in research grants.

"I am humbled by this honor," Dasgupta said. "For a long time, my website has proclaimed 'We foster builders, not users.' IEEE, perhaps more than any other organization, embodies this quest for the betterment of humanity.

"In honoring my contributions, the Institute really has recognized the work of scores of students whose countless hours lie behind everything I have done and I wish to share this with them, far and wide."

The IEEE is the world's largest technical professional society "dedicated to advancing innovation and technological excellence for the benefit of humanity," according to the organization.

Dasgupta joined the UT Arlington College of Science in 2007, after a distinguished 25-year career at Texas Tech University. Some areas of his current research include: methods for environmentally-friendly analysis of arsenic in drinking water; rapid analysis of trace heavy metals in the atmosphere; iodine nutrition in women and infants and the role of the chemical perchlorate; and the development of a NASA-funded ion chromatograph for testing extraterrestrial soil, such as on a trip to Mars.

"It's a pleasure to see Dr. Dasgupta awarded this prestigious honor for his contributions to the field and his leadership as a teacher and mentor. His scientific and technological advances touch on so many important areas, from protecting the environment to promoting children's health," said Ronald Elsenbaumer, UT Arlington provost and vice president for academic affairs. "His inventiveness also continues to provide other researchers the tools they need to improve the quality and reach of their own discoveries."

The IEEE Grade of Fellow is conferred by the IEEE Board of Directors upon a person with an outstanding record of accomplishments in any of the IEEE fields of interest. The total number selected in any one year cannot exceed one-tenth of 1 percent of the total voting membership. IEEE Fellow is the highest grade of membership and is recognized by the technical community as a prestigious honor and an important career achievement.