Alberto Bustani Adem

Education

Bustani holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (1976) and a doctorate degree (PhD) from the University of Sheffield (1987).

Career

From 1979 to 1983 Bustani worked in research and development for HYL, then a subsidiary of HYLSA (now TENOVA HYL of Techint Group), a steel company based in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in the area of direct reduction of iron ores. During this time he was awarded with a patent of a direct reduction process.

He worked for 25 years at Tecnologico de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), where he held different academic and administrative positions (1987 to 2012).

He was a member of the advisory board of WWF Mexico, a branch of World Wide Fund for Nature, from 2004 to 2015.

Tecnologico de Monterrey System

Bustani served as Vice President for Planning and Academic Development at the Tecnologico de Monterrey System from 2011 to 2012.

Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education

He was President of the main campus of Tecnologico de Monterrey (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education) from 2001 to 2010. During his tenure he proposed and implemented a knowledge-based research grant system ("Cátedras de Investigación"). The program's goals were to consolidate research activities, for focused accomplishments and increased credibility; develop and expand the graduate programs and their quality; and obtain increased funding from the government and from industry.

In eight years external sponsorship of research activities grew from $3 million USD to around $30 million USD per year. The number of patents filed per year became consistently the highest among Mexican universities and national research institutions. In 2007, the Monterrey Campus received the National Technology Award from the President of México

In 2001 he supported an initiative at the university called the "Sustainable Campus Program", which was developed to encompass a wider, more inclusive view of sustainable development in the teaching, learning, research, outreach and operational activities of the Monterrey Campus.

In 2003, the Monterrey Campus received the National Quality Award (Premio Nacional de Calidad de México), the most important recognition delivered by the President of México to organizations that are distinguished by their high performance.

While at the university, Bustani also held the position of Dean of the School of Engineering and Architecture (1998–2001), Director of the Center for Environmental Quality (1992–1998) and Head of the Chemical Engineering Department (1987–1992).

Awards and recognitions

The University of Sheffield granted him the Degree of Doctor in Engineering Honoris Causa in November 2005.

He was awarded the Romulo Garza Award Prize (Premio Romulo Garza) on teaching and research in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico in 1992.

Bustani was the keynote speaker at Virginia Tech's graduate commencement ceremony on May 11, 2007, the school's first international commencement speaker. His speech was titled "What should we consider in looking beyond?"