In memoriam: Christie Geankoplis

Christie Geankoplis, 84, professor of chemical engineering and materials science, died Nov. 15 in Edina, Minn.

Geankoplis' research focused on transport processes in biochemical engineering and biochemical reactor engineering. He wrote the chemical engineering texts Transport Processes and Separation Process Principles, Third Edition, and Mass Transport Phenomena, and published more than 50 research articles.

He was born June 18, 1921, in Minneapolis and graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1943 with a bachelor of science in chemical engineering. He attended graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he received a master of science in chemical engineering in 1946 and a Ph.D. in 1949.

From 1943 to 1946, Geankoplis was chief engineer for Atlantic Richfield Corporation, where he was in charge of process research to produce aviation gasoline for the armed forces. He was a member of the chemical engineering faculty at Ohio State University from 1949 until 1982, before coming to the University of Minnesota.

Geankoplis also was a consultant for 20 years for General Mills Chemicals and for Battelle Memorial Research Institute, Columbus, Ohio.

An outstanding athlete, Geankoplis was the state high school singles tennis champion in 1939 and won the doubles title twice. He was the captain of the tennis team at the University of Minnesota in 1942 and 1943. He was awarded the Big Ten Western Conference Medal in 1943 for the outstanding scholar and athlete at Minnesota, the first time ever for a minor sport.

The visitation is 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20 with a 7 p.m. Trisagion service at Washburn-McReavy Welander Quist Davies Chapel, 2301 Dupont Ave. S., Minneapolis. The funeral is 11:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21, at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church, 3450 Irving Ave. S., Minneapolis. Memorials to the Youth Fund for Children at St. Mary's Greek Orthodox Church are preferred.