Engineer, Educator,
& Entrepreneur
Who is Gerri Botte?
Gerardine (Gerri) G. Botte, Ph.D., is a distinguished leader in electrochemical engineering and sustainable technology who serves as Professor and Whitacre Endowed Chair in Sustainable Energy at Texas Tech University (TTU). As Founding Director of the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER), she leads a transformative $51 million initiative that brings together five major academic institutions to revolutionize fertilizer production and food security. She also directs TTU's Institute for Sustainability and Circular Economy, advancing innovative solutions for global sustainability challenges.
Dr. Botte has pioneered groundbreaking applications of electrochemical engineering to address critical challenges in energy, water, and food sustainability. Her visionary research spans sustainable resource recovery, clean energy systems, and environmental protection, with over 232 publications including 63 granted patents, and 39 pending patents. She is consistently ranked among the top 2% of global researchers in her field.
As a transformative academic leader, Dr. Botte served as Whitacre Department Chair in Chemical Engineering at TTU, where she drove significant growth in research expenditures and implemented innovative curriculum changes. Her excellence in leadership extends to the international stage, where she served as President of the Electrochemical Society (2023-2024) and continues as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Applied Electrochemistry. In recognition of her contributions, she was elected to the National Academy of Science of Venezuela (2023), named Fellow of the Electrochemical Society (2014), and became a Charter Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors (2012).
An accomplished entrepreneur, Dr. Botte has successfully translated scientific discoveries into commercial technologies, founding multiple companies and serving on several corporate boards. She brings 26 years of experience in electrochemical process development, combining fundamental research with practical applications that drive sustainable manufacturing and environmental protection.
Dr. Botte received her Ph.D. (2000) and M.E. (1998) in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Carolina under the direction of Dr. Ralph E. White. Her industry experience includes work as a process engineer in petrochemical manufacturing, focusing on fertilizers and polymers. She earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Universidad de Carabobo (Venezuela) in 1994.
Current Roles
Whitacre Endowed Professor at TTU
Professor and Whitacre Endowed Chair in Sustainable Energy at Texas Tech University (TTU)
Director of CASFER
Founder and Director, National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center for Advancing Sustainable and Distributed Fertilizer Production (CASFER)
Editor and Chief
Editor in Chief of the Journal of Applied Electrochemistry, Springer
Past Positions
President of the Electrochemical Society (2023-2024)
Chair Division 5: Electrochemical Process Engineering and Technology (2019-2020)
Department Chair, Chemical Engineering at TTU (August 2019 to September 15, 2022)
March 2015-July 2019 Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University
September 2009-July 2019 Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University
September 2009-July 2019 Founder and Director Center for Electrochemical Engineering Research (CEER)
March 2014-July 2019 Founder and Director Consortium for Electrochemical Processes and Technology (CEProTECH)
September 2006-August 2009 Associate Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University
September 2002-August 2006 Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University
January 2001-June 2002 Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN.
August-December 2000 Post-Doctoral Research Associate, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Education
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC (Advisor: Ralph E. White)
M.E. Chemical Engineering
M.E. Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
B.S. Chemical Engineering
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Carabobo, Venezuela (5-year degree with thesis and co-op requirement)
Awards & Honors
Dr. Botte has received 58 honors and awards for academic, scholarship, research, education, entrepreneur, innovation, and service. Most recent awards and honors are summarized below:
Most Disruptive Technology, Office of Research and Commercialization, Texas Tech University, 2023
Foreign Member of the National Academy of Science of Venezuela, 2023.
President’s commercialization award, Texas Tech University, 2023.
Ranked among top 2% of Global Researchers most-cited in the world, Stanford’s University List (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), categories: energy, chemical physics, enabling and strategic technologies.
Whitacre Endowed Chair in Sustainable Energy (2022-present)
Outstanding Graduate Alumna Award, College of Engineering and Computing, University of South Carolina (2021)
Elected President, Electrochemical Society (2023-2024)
Elected Senior Vice President, Electrochemical Society (2022-2023)
Elected Second Vice President, Electrochemical Society (2021-2022)
Elected Third Vice President, Electrochemical Society (2020-2021)
Whitacre Chair, Chemical Engineering, Texas Tech University (2019-2022)
Distinguished Professor, Ohio University (2015, lifetime award)
Fellow, Electrochemical Society (2014)
Outstanding Faculty Innovation Award South East Ohio (2014)
Charter Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2012)
Fellow, of the World Technology Network (2010)
Appointed Editor in Chief Journal of Applied Electrochemistry (2008 to present)
Elected Chair Division 5 (Electrochemical Process Engineering and Technology), International Society of Electrochemistry (2019-2021)
Elected Chair Elect Division 5: Electrochemical Process Engineering and Technology (2017-2019)
Elected U.S. representative, International Society of Electrochemistry (2015-2017)
Guest member, European Working Party on Electrochemical Engineering (invited by European peers)
Russ Professor, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University (2010-2019)
