November 28, 2001

James K. Ferrell, 78

Dr. Ferrell

Dr. James K. Ferrell, an outstanding member of the NC State University community, died November 27, 2001, in Raleigh.  He was 78.

Ferrell was born on January 18, 1923, in Maryville, Missouri.  An alumnus as well as a faculty member, he earned his doctorate from NC State in 1954 in chemical engineering, the first person awarded this degree.  He received his bachelor’s degree in 1948 and his master’s in 1949, both from the University of Missouri in chemical engineering.

Ferrell made significant contributions to the course of engineering technology at NC State through his teaching, research, extension and administration.  He joined the NC State faculty after receiving his doctorate, but he left after two years to work in industry.  He returned to NC State as a full professor in 1961. 

Ferrell was head of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 1966 to 1980, serving at a critical time in the life of chemical engineering at NC State.  He recruited with vision in hiring Dr. Vivian Stannett to lead what proved to be the rapid growth in polymer science; he stimulated an approach to research that valued impact over elegance alone; he brought an awareness of the impact computing would make on education and technology; and he fostered change creatively and wisely.

Between 1980 and 1991, Ferrell served as director of energy and environmental research programs in the College of Engineering, interim head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, associate dean for research and interim dean of engineering.  He officially retired from NC State in 1991 but continued to serve the College of Engineering in numerous capacities over the next decade.

Ferrell received numerous awards, including several of NC State’s highest honors — the Holladay Medal for Excellence in 1993, the Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award in 1992 and the Alcoa Foundation Distinguished Engineering Research Award in 1981.  He was named Alcoa Professor of Chemical Engineering in 1967, and he was a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering.

A pioneer in computer systems development, Ferrell was instrumental in the development of Eos, the College of Engineering at NC State’s distributed computing system.  He also helped initiate the Triangle University Computation Center, a computer system that linked NC State, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

His research interests included energy conservation and pollution control, areas in which he made significant professional contributions.  His work focused specifically on heat transfer, transport processes in porous media, coal gasification and gas cleaning, hazardous waste treatment and disposal and process control.

Over the course of 50 years, this beloved alumnus, professor, researcher, department head and dean was a key player in the history of the College of Engineering at NC State, and he will be long remembered for his dedication and service to his alma mater.

-- rudd -- -- brinson --

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Visitation will be held Thursday, November 29, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and the memorial service will be Friday, November 30, at 3:00 p.m. Both will be held at the Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 St. Mary's Street, Raleigh, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the "NCSU Friends of the Library," and on the memo line write "James K. Ferrell Endowment." Mail donations to "NCSU Libraries, Campus Box 7111, NC State University, Raleigh, NC 27695.