The Ethiopian Society of Chemical Engineers (ESChE) is a non-profit professional society established in 1995 for advancing the chemical engineering profession and its practitioners carrier in Ethiopia. A few decades ago, few and stalwart chemical engineers felt the need for such a forum within the country to put the nascent initiatives for the development of chemical engineering education and fill the gap of the country in the chemical Engineering profession.
Since its modest beginning, at Addis Ababa University, Institute of Technology, ESChE has come a long way contributing for the profession in the country. Today, with around 2,000 members on its roll, the Society has emerged as the apex professional body of chemical engineering professionals in Ethiopia and has developed a distinct profile of its own which is ever-changing. As a vibrant society, ESChE is always moulding itself and playing a proactive role to keep up with the dynamic needs of the country’s economy.
Our 2,000-members of the society work in industry, universities, government, and consulting organizations. The society hosts annual meetings on technical or general science related topics publishes a newsletter, and carry out capacity building of its members through various training. The society provides capacity building for staffs through training, workshops, and seminars. It also works cooperatively in expansion and operation of different factories, in the facilitation of finding new employees, in collaborative research with universities and other sister societies and more.
The society also stablished few regional chapters that promote and complement its activities and objectives within the chapters’ respective territorial limits, by organizing meetings, conferences, and seminars; arranging workshops, refresher courses, and counseling sessions; promoting research; guiding chemical engineering students in career planning; and initiating any other activities which are of social, technical and professional relevance to their members. The chapters also serve as open fora for their members who regularly gather for informal get-togethers and exchange of notes.
Student members pursuing under-graduate degrees in Chemical Engineering form Student Chapters, under the auspices of the respective Regional Chapters. The Student Chapters also arrange lectures, seminars, short courses, plant visits, etc., at regular intervals to better equip and empower the students when they come out of their academic precincts. Apart from academic activities, Student Chapters organize cultural events and sports activities for their members.
The society publishes an annual journal. The annual session of the Society, popularly known as the Ethiopian Chemical Engineering Conference (ESChECON), is the most important event in the calendar of the ESChE. held around January to February featuring a host of events, which include keynote lectures, seminars, symposia, panel discussion, exhibitions, etc.
The pleasure and inspiration that a greenhorn in research gets by presenting a work and by interacting with peers and seniors in a conference instill a strong desire of making an innovative contribution to the discipline and profession.
Each year the society confers a large number of awards and prizes to honour eminence as well as to nurture young talents. Moreover, the society maintains a close association with a number of professional bodies
The ESChE welcomes all into its fold – the aspiring chemical engineers of the future as well as veterans with vast experience. The membership of the society in itself is an accomplishment that stands one in good stead in one’s future career. The horizon of chemical engineering is fast widening with newer disciplines merging with it and new ideas emerging. As a member of the society, one gets plenty of opportunities to share the platform with many well-known academics and established professionals in one’s field. These interactions help one to constantly update and equip oneself so as to keep pace with the fast-changing professional scenario. Equally important, as one becomes a member of this network of fellow professionals with multifarious connections, one can derive rich dividends to further one’s professional goals.
VISION
Improving the life of Ethiopians and capacity of Ethiopian industries through the transforming power of Chemical Engineering. ESChE aspires to be ranked among the top five pre-eminent African professional societies in 2030.
MISSION
Advancing the broader application of chemical engineering in Ethiopia and engage its practitioners in the development targets of the country for the benefit of the country and its people.