As 2005 University Scholar, Thomas “T.C.” Ho is recognized as one of Lamar University’s best in research and scholarly activity.
“Dr. Ho is providing exceptional leadership for Lamar University in many areas,” said Jack Hopper, dean of the College of Engineering. “His research leadership has made Lamar a nationally recognized participant in air-quality modeling.”
Ho, who joined the Lamar faculty in 1982, has done research in many areas, including waste management, waste incineration, air toxin emission control and coal combustion. He is director of the Gulf Coast Hazardous Substance Research Center at Lamar and holds the Michael E. and Patricia P. Aldredge Endowed Chair in Engineering.
A registered professional engineer, Ho holds both a Ph.D. and master’s degree in chemical engineering from Kansas State University. His bachelor’s degree is from the University of Taiwan.
It is perhaps his cutting-edge work in air quality modeling that will most directly affect Texans. That research is not only addressing the air quality challenges facing Houston and Southeast Texas, but also has taken Ho and colleagues around the globe to address China’s growing air quality problems as well.
At Lamar, Ho has participated in scholarly and creative activities for the past 23 years, including preparing research proposals, working funded research projects, publishing journal articles and attending national and international conferences.
During 2004-2005, Ho was principal investigator or co-principal investigator on funded research projects totaling more than $2.09 million from the National Science Foundation, the Texas Air Research Center, the Environmental Protection Agency through the GCHSRC, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Houston Advanced Research Center and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
“His team work approach has paid huge dividends as numerous faculty are participating in each of these Center projects,” Hopper said. He cited Ho’s tenure at Lamar as “an example of collaboration and team building.”
In addition to collaborative work with Lamar faculty, Ho has worked with faculty from Louisiana State University, Kansas State University and Ohio State University.
He has been the proposal reviewer for many funding agencies, including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, State of Texas, State of Louisiana and American Petroleum Institute. In addition, he has reviewed scientific papers for many professional journals and has served as a committee member on organizations
including the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the Department of Chemical Engineering at West Virginia University and the Department of Engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Ho’s teaching abilities were noted when he received the University Professor Award in 2001. During his career, he has written five book chapters, 69 peer-review papers, more than 150 conference papers, and numerous research project reports. Ho has published papers in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers Journal, Combustion Science and Engineering and the Journal of Waste Management.
“He is truly a major benefit to Lamar,” Hopper said.
