AIChE's Industrial Progress Award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to industries served by chemical engineers, with an emphasis on innovation, technical creativity, and meaningful impact.
This year's recipient is Dr. Theresa Whiting, Product Developer, 3M Abrasive Systems Division, whose work has helped bring innovative polymer technologies to market, advancing sustainability, safety, and product performance across multiple industries.
Whiting is being recognized for “rapid commercialization of sustainable polymer technologies across safety, industrial, and consumer markets, demonstrating engineering leadership and advancing materials and product innovation.” She and the other Institute and Board of Directors’ Award recipients will be honored at the 2026 AIChE Annual Meeting.
About Whiting and her work
Whiting earned her BS in chemical engineering from Cornell University and her PhD from Stanford University. She joined 3M in 2014, where she has applied her expertise in fluid dynamics, polymer science, and process engineering to more than 10 product launches.
Her early contributions included developing formulations for Scotch-Brite™ nonwoven scouring pads with raised abrasive features, known as “scrub dots,” enabling faster and less labor-intensive cleaning. Introduced in 2016, these products have since expanded globally for commercial and home use.
Whiting also helped develop the world's first curbside-recyclable padded mailer compatible with automated packaging machines and contributed to 3M's internal methods for evaluating recyclability. She later collaborated with 3M and Svante Inc. on Sorbent-on-a-Roll (SOAR), a reusable sorbent filtration material designed to capture CO2 from the atmosphere. The technology was named a finalist in Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards in the Science and Technology category.
Advancing safety and innovation
In 3M's Abrasive Systems Division, Whiting has helped launch products under the Cubitron II™ and Cubitron 3™ brands incorporating precision-shaped grains, some as small as the diameter of a human hair. These products have reduced heat and vibration during sanding and provide superior dust extraction, minimizing health hazards for users.
Her work has resulted in 17 granted patent families, 67 granted individual patents, and three trade secrets. Her professional honors include AIChE's 2021 Polymer Industry Rising Star Award and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers' 2022 Promising Professional Award.
Beyond her technical accomplishments, Whiting supports mentoring, university recruiting, and employee development initiatives at 3M.
Read about other recipients of 2026 AIChE Institute and Board of Directors' Awards.
