Charles E. Wicks

Charles Wicks is an Emeritus professor of chemical engineering at Oregon State University. His focus throughout his career has been mass transfer, and important aspect of chemical engineering along with momentum transfer and heat transfer.
Charles was born on July 9, 1925, in Prineville, Oregon, and was raised in Albany, Oregon. He first studied at Willamette University before leaving for the military service. After returning from service he completed his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at Oregon State College in 1950 (now Oregon State University). He continued his studies at Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, receiving his Master of Science in 1952 and Ph.D. in 1954.
He then joined the faculty in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Oregon State University. He spent 34 years as a professor and adviser, the last 17 of which he was the department chair until his retirement in 1987.
He wrote several textbooks, most notably Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat, and Mass Transfer, co-authored with colleagues James R. Welty and Robert E. Wilson. This textbook is still a bestseller and used at universities worldwide.
He was active in AIChE and Chemical Engineers of Oregon, serving as president 1973-1974. He was elected into the Oregon State Engineering Hall of Fame in 1999.
Wicks died on July 29, 2010 of natural causes in Corvallis, Oregon. His life was celebrated at Oregon State University in a standing room only event on September 17, 2010.

• 3 Carter Awards
• 2 IFC Awards for Outstanding Teacher and Adviser
• Dar Reese Excellence in Advising Award
• Order of Orange Award
• OSU Alumni Award for Outstanding Teacher