The history of the MIT School of Chemical Engineering Practice will be reviewed to provide context for discussing Alan Hatton’s significant contributions to the program. When Alan arrived at MIT as an assistant professor in chemical engineering over 40 years ago in the early 1980s, we introduced him to the Practice School program, and within a few years, Alan assumed leadership as the Director. He continued to direct the program for more than 35 years, and now he leaves behind a lasting legacy. During his tenure, Alan faced several major challenges that required him to implement significant transformations while at the same time remarkably preserving the integrity of the Program’s unique pedagogy.
