Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has announced a $1.5 million gift to the endowment to create the P.K. Lashmet Career Development Professorship. Lashmet is a retired professor of chemical and environmental engineering. The anonymous gift honors the quality of his teaching and Rensselaer’s commitment to excellence in education and research. 

The gift brings to more than $54 million the amount raised to support faculty endowment as part of Renaissance at Rensselaer: The Campaign for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Lashmet began his Rensselaer career as a young professor in 1966 during a time of re-invigoration of the undergraduate engineering curriculum. He was later appointed executive officer and associate chair of chemical and environmental engineering and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1991. Lashmet still resides in Troy.

According to the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, Lashmet was a memorable example of Rensselaer’s commitment to undergraduate teaching. Lashmet put great effort into his role as a mentor who offered copious feedback on written work, and who particularly encouraged students to visit his office, where he spent a great deal of time listening to them and talking about their concerns.  

It was this commitment to mentoring that prompted the donor to name the gift in honor of Lashmet. Rensselaer will seek to fill the chair with a professor in the early stages of his or her career, who will serve a similar role as mentor to today’s undergraduate students.