Russ O'Dell/Susie O'Dell
I grew up in Matthews, NC and graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in 1971. At NC State I was on the men’s swimming team as a freshman and participated in several intramural sports throughout my time on campus. I received both a BS (1975) and PhD (1978) in Chemical Engineering at NC State. After graduation I spent 23 years in industry with Fiber Industries, Celanese, Hoechst Celanese and KoSa, starting as an R&D engineer and moving up to Global Manager of Technology. I returned to NC State and worked in the Engineering Foundation for 12 years, retiring in 2014. I now work two days a week for the CBE department as Director of Alumni Relations. My wife, Susie, and I live near Falls Lake on a five acre plot of land that keeps me busy. We have three daughters and four granddaughters — all of them smart and beautiful. I have made plans in my estate to establish a professorship in chemical engineering at NC State.
Impact
I benefited from several small scholarships at NC State and from a National Science Foundation Fellowship for graduate school. I have been very fortunate in my career and wanted to reward a chemical engineering student who has done well at NC State.