Rev. Téc. Ing. Univ. Zulia. Vol. 43, No. 3, 2020, September-December, pp. 114 - 176
Editorial
https://doi.org/10.22209/rt.v43n3a00
Prof. Jorge Sánchez: An outstanding expression of a
Chemical Engineering Professional
               
population. Chemical engineers work in almost every industry and affect the production of most large-scale manufactured

catalysts. More than 90% of the products are obtained from catalytic processes or the presence of a catalyst is involved in some
step of their manufacturing process. As expected, catalysis has spread to other industries, such as health and foods, thus entering
unconventional environments, which involve new ways of preparing catalysts and reactors, capable of offering a wide spectrum
of reaction conditions and the admission of different raw materials.

the greatest validity today, representing one of the areas in which research is ever growing. Some of the reasons behind this
are the innumerable applications of catalysis in different industries and the effects it generates on the costs of each production
process. On the other hand, the rising interest in mitigating environmental damage has also led researchers and professionals
to consider environmentally-friendly processes, to obtain new products from renewable and non-renewable sources, which
increases the challenges associated with the development of new technologies.
In our School of Chemical Engineering, belonging to the Faculty of Engineering in The University of Zulia, we count
on professors with widely recognized academic careers, lengthy experience, capabilities and willingness to train engineers with
the necessary knowledge to face the challenges demanded by modern industry. Fortunately, we have a great expression of
what a professional in Chemical Engineering should be, an outstanding teacher and a tireless researcher in catalysis, respected
and appreciated by all, we refer to Prof. Jorge Sánchez. Although this journal presents researches in different branches of
   
professional scholar, acknowledged for his vocation and values, for inspiring and fostering in his students, technical and ethical
principles, as well as essential attitudes imperative in any engineer.
From a very young age, Prof. Jorge Sánchez found his calling for teaching, he even commented on several occasions that
in his high school days, his classmates called him: “Salvation”, due to his great willingness to explain different topics. Later, in our
college years, we were able to witness this, as he was a teaching assistant for various subjects, and when he graduated, he did not
hesitate to enter his beloved Alma Mater. “I had no doubt about wanting to enter the University of Zulia as a professor, nor did I
think about it.”, he professed. He was a founding member of the Institute of Surface Chemistry and Catalysis, a Ph.D. from Stanford
University, Professor of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, Head of the Department of Basic Chemical Engineering, Director

congresses at a national and international level. He has more than 40 articles published in peer-reviewed journals, he supervised
more than 50 thesis students, and was Researcher in charge of various projects for different companies, PEQUIVEN, PDVSA,
INTEVEP and VENOCO.
In addition to his contribution to research and the chemical industry in the country, his work in catalysis was also


over 40 years… in particular, his elegantly established concepts of quantitative reaction kinetics, his experimental observation
of catalytic sites and new catalytic materials, and the activities of his former students and postdocs around the world continue

like him, people willing to support the research and development of Chemical Engineering in the country.
For all of the above and as a token of our most sincere gratitude, today through this Editorial we make a very
summarized and humble tribute to our always beloved Prof. Jorge Sánchez, who dedicated many years of his life to the academic
formation of a number of professionals, under the premise of technical and personal excellence. Likewise, the Institute of Surface

outstanding professionals in Chemical Engineering in Venezuela.


Professor Roger Solano

(http://www.nasonline.org/publications/biographical-memoirs/memoir-pdfs/boudart-michel.pdf).