Saint Martin's University - A Catholic Treasure Hidden in the Pacific NW

Hidden among the evergreens in the great Pacific Northwest is Saint Martin's College, a Benedictine university in the Catholic tradition. As a resident of Lacey, Washington (the state, not DC) I drive by this hidden treasure daily.Saint Martin's University is an independent four-year, Catholic, coeducational university located on a beautiful 320-acre wooded campus, and has proven to be a magnet for students of wealthy families from Asian countries and associated families and countries around the world.Established in 1895 by the Catholic Order of Saint Benedict, the University is one of 18 Benedictine colleges and universities in the United States and Canada, and the only one west of the Rocky Mountains.It is amazing how many great universities there are in this country that remain relatively unknown because of their size and population. Perhaps even less known are the staff members who teach the students.I was reminded of this the other day upon learning that Tapas Das, an adjunct faculty member of Saint Martin's University School of Engineering, has been named the recipient of the Development Organization for Sustainable Transformation (DOST) Professor S. K. Sharma Medal and CHEMCON Distinguished Speaker Award for 2007.The Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers recently conferred the award upon Das to recognize his contributions to the profession of chemical engineering worldwide.Das received the award last month at the Chemical Engineering Congress (CHEMCON 2007) in Calcutta (now known as Kolkata), India, where he delivered the lecture, "Environmental Sustainability: Key Roles of Chemical Engineers" to an international audience of the world's leading chemical engineers.Tapas Das is a doctor of philosophy and professional engineer. He earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Bradford University in England and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Jadavpur University in Kolkata.He has conducted postdoctoral research at the Chemical Engineering Department of Imperial College in London, and the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department of Princeton University.With an expertise in environmental sustainability, Das has managed engineering projects examining air quality, water quality, water reuse, solid waste management, life-cycle assessment and sustainable development.Saint Martin's University prepares students for successful lives through its 21 majors and 6 graduate programs spanning the liberal arts, business, education and engineering.Saint Martin's welcomes 1,250 students from many ethnic and religious backgrounds to its main campus, and 650 more to its 5 extension campuses located at Fort Lewis Army Post, McChord Air Force Base, Olympic College, Centralia College and Tacoma Community College, all located in the State of Washington.Additional information on Saint Martin's College is available through Jennifer Fellinger at (360) 438-4332 if you are calling within the United States.Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley