Seven alumni of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences will receive recognition during the college’s 2025 alumni awards at a celebration in April. They are researchers, volunteers, and political thinkers who have made incredible impacts in their fields and communities. 

One of the seven is chemistry alumnus, Juan E. Velasquez (PhD, ’11), who will receive the Outstanding Young Alumni Award. Velasquez was a graduate student in the lab of chemistry Prof. Wilfred van der Donk.

While on campus as a student and in his industrial career, Velasquez has always made a difference. During his time at Procter & Gamble, he specialized in synthetic biology and green chemistry, leading efforts to develop sustainable materials widely used in the chemical industry. His work resulted in groundbreaking advancements across multiple sectors, including baby care, dishwashing, and personal and healthcare.

Currently, Velasquez serves as the director of biocatalysis and protein engineering at Merck, where he has led efforts in enzyme discovery and engineering for the synthesis of pharmaceuticals targeting cancer, HIV, and cardiovascular diseases. While at Illinois he was a founding member of the Illinois chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.