By Eugenio Amézquita Velasco
Translation: Metro News Mx
Translation: Metro News Mx
-The Honoris Causa distinction is a recognition of Dr. Jiménez's work and capability, not an academic degree, which highlights its transcendental impact.
-Dr. Jiménez returned to the Technological Institute of Celaya (ITC) in 1984 thanks to Eng. Agustín Vázquez Vera, driven by a deep belief: Mexico has immense talent that must be cultivated.
- Upon his return, the ITC lacked research infrastructure and a culture of postgraduate studies; it was necessary to "pave the way" to consolidate the area.
-His greatest achievement focuses on optimizing the industrial distillation process, reducing energy consumption—a global challenge.
-He and his team demonstrated that complex Petliuk distillation systems were indeed operable and more efficient than classic systems.
-The research conducted by Dr. Jiménez’s team led to the development of design methods for more efficient distillation columns.
-He was a world pioneer in documenting that Dividing Wall Columns (DWC/TPDC), innovative in energy savings, were functional.
-Currently, the impact of his work is reflected in more than 100 dividing wall columns installed and operating in Europe, saving energy.
-His research emerged from the thesis projects of his students, who are now world-renowned researchers.
-Jiménez's academic work prompted the creation of skilled research groups that replicated postgraduate programs across Mexico.
-The greatest satisfaction of his professional life is witnessing the success of the young Mexican and foreign talents trained at the ITC.
-Former students and "academic grandchildren" of the doctor documented the work of his group, confirming his pioneering role in the field of distillation.
-His research has been key to Mexico's prominence in the field, with his former students being world leaders in publications, including at the University of Guanajuato.
-The research in Celaya proved so influential that countries like China took notice of Dr. Jiménez’s work, boosting their own publications.
-Dr. Jiménez's great legacy is his influence on the national technological system, consolidating research and postgraduate studies from the ITC.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez, a "Proudly Lince" of the Technological Institute of Celaya (ITC), was recently honored with an Honorary Doctorate (Doctorate Honoris Causa) by the University of Guanajuato—a distinction that, beyond academia, recognizes a career of work and scientific capability spanning decades. His professional story is a testament to the vision that transformed the landscape of chemical engineering and research in Mexico.
Shaper of Science and Talent in Mexico
The recent Honorary Doctorate awarded by the University of Guanajuato to Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez is not a simple resume recognition, but the—still unfinished—epilogue of a life dedicated to science with a deep social and national sense. Dr. Jiménez is, above all, a pioneer, a shaper of excellence who refused to believe in a mediocre scientific destiny for Mexico.
His return to Celaya in 1984, persuaded by Eng. Agustín Vázquez Vera, was an act of faith. He left behind a "glitzy" opportunity in the developed world to face an institute that, in his own words, possessed "neither infrastructure nor a research culture." He took on the task of "paving the way" with the firm conviction that "in Mexico, there is a lot of talent"—a statement he maintains is not a political slogan, but a profound truth he saw materialize in his students.
The tangible legacy of Dr. Jiménez is embodied in his scientific groundwork in Chemical Engineering, particularly in the optimization of the distillation process.
His group was the first to demonstrate the operability and superior energy efficiency of complex Petliuk systems and Dividing Wall Columns (DWC), a technology that today translates into massive energy savings with over a hundred units installed in Europe. This achievement was no solitary accident, but the product of his vision as a "guide and promoter" of local talent, turning postgraduate theses into world-class publications.
Dr. Jiménez's greatest satisfaction is not the distinction he now receives, but witnessing how his "academic children" and "academic grandchildren" are today world leaders in research, with groups that even surpassed the Chinese in the early publication of these topics. He did not just build a chemical engineering department; he built a nursery for scientists who, in turn, have replicated the mission in other institutions, consolidating postgraduate studies and research at a national and international level.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez, a "Lince" who refused to let national talent wither, is irrefutable proof that rigorous research, teamwork, and faith in human potential are the true columns that support a nation's progress. His mission, as he rightly points out, "is not over yet," and his distinction is a well-deserved cry of recognition for an effort that transcended the laboratory to influence global energy efficiency and the training of future generations of Mexican scientists.
Transcription of the Full Interview with Dr. Arturo Jiménez
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Truly, I say this as a Mexican, as a citizen of Celaya, and as a Guanajuatan: I have the honor of being with none other than Dr. Arturo Jiménez, Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Guanajuato, our highest university house of studies. But I am here at the National Technological Institute of Mexico, or as many of us know it, the Technological Institute of Celaya—proudly a "Lince"—our highest technological house of studies and, I dare say, of the entire state of Guanajuato. That’s my opinion. He has just received this recognition. Being a Doctor Honoris Causa is no small thing. It is not so much an academic title as it is a recognition of the work and the capability of this man you see here. Doctor, thank you again; it is a pleasure and an honor to be here with you. We have known each other for many years—40, almost 40 years. we met as young men. How does it feel, Doctor? In your heart, in your spirit, what does it feel like? Thank you.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Well, Eugenio, thank you for being here, and for remembering those times and that relationship—let's say a pleasant one, yes, it was always pleasant. Look, it’s difficult to express this because, number one, it is something I sincerely never imagined I could be worthy of. It is a distinction that generally recognizes not just scientific work, but also contributions to humanities, arts, even politics, sports, and writers who truly transcend. A high-level educational institution confers this distinction, called a Doctorate Honoris Causa, for contributions made in their respective fields. It is not an academic degree; you don’t study for it. In fact, between us, it’s easier to study for a regular doctorate than to get an Honoris Causa, because you don’t study for that. It is a product of work over many years that a prestigious educational institution notices in order to grant a recipient that distinction.
And well, in that sense, the fact that this has been conferred upon me is an indescribable emotion. Because, as I said, I didn't imagine I would one day have it. I could elaborate further for another reason: it is simply something that I believe a person starting an academic or scientific career rarely has in their head: "Someday I will be recognized with an Honorary Doctorate." Can I dream of one day doing a doctorate? Of course, simply to pass subjects, do what has to be done for research, and obtain the degree, as happened to me and many of my colleagues. But even at an international level, there are very capable people who go through their careers without this distinction, and that doesn't mean they aren't great scientists or writers. Certain coincidences, I would say, have to happen in life, and somehow this happened—someone noticed me. I didn't expect it, so when I was given the news, it was an emotion like few I’ve had in my life.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
I know, I saw it on your face, in the photograph—it shows. You didn't hide it. The truth is, I have always held Dr. Jiménez in high regard, and not just because he is here. We’ve had nearly 40 years of—not constant contact—but of seeing each other, meeting on the path, being at common events. I remember a 30-year-old young man (don’t do the math!) as part of the team at the Technological Institute, first the Regional Technological Institute of Celaya, in chemical engineering events, very involved. I bring this up because I know he also represents a great personality: Engineer Agustín Vázquez Vera. He was the driver of many interesting things that are the foundation of this Institute, including the first doctorate, the doctorate in chemical engineering. "How many hours in the lab?" you said, and you corrected me earlier—not hours, years in laboratories, sitting and doing calculations when Apple computers were just starting to appear to do simulations.
I wanted to publish two of your research projects that are in high-caliber international institutions. Your book is on Amazon, and I think in some places it’s used as a textbook. I’m speaking of things that explain why they gave you the doctorate. How many professionals passed through you as a teacher in both undergraduate and postgraduate studies? But also, Doctor, how many hours dedicated to research and teaming up with foreigners? Because I see the research was done in teams, and I think you are proof that it is possible—that a 30-year-old can do it, though obviously, years had to pass because this isn't overnight. And a prestigious institution like the University of Guanajuato... if it was already partnered with the ITC, now it is even more so because a "Lince" is now a Doctor Honoris Causa. As a "Lince," what does this mean to you?
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Well, it perhaps merits a brief recap of a very important part of my life involving Engineer Agustín Vázquez. Let’s take a break and come back so we don't make this a "giant sausage" of text.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Let's take a break. I am with none other than Doctor Honoris Causa, Dr. Arturo Jiménez, proudly a "Lince."
The second part of the interview
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
We are back, and the Doctor was telling us that Dr. Agustín Vázquez Vera has a lot to do with this doctorate and this journey of being a Lince with an Honorary Doctorate. Go ahead, Doctor.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Well, I mentioned it in the narrative I gave at the ceremony at the University of Guanajuato. When I went to do my doctorate after a three-year stint as a teacher at this institute—after obtaining my Master’s in Chemical Engineering from Monterrey Tech—I left swearing never to return. There were things here I didn't like about the system—the technological system. I believe it still needs to grow to other levels.
That’s another topic I like, more depth... but let’s say at that time, I felt it wasn't for me. I had other aspirations, other dreams, and this place, with the central policies at the federal level, wasn't a place that attracted me. So I left, I resigned, and I said, "I am not coming back." Engineer Vázquez Vera, the director then, looked for me, and to make a long story short, he convinced me that I should return. I finished the doctorate, and against all my personal predictions of "I will not return," I returned. That was because of Agustín Vázquez Vera. And the issue was that the institute was in its infancy in terms of research and postgraduate studies.
Sincerely, if you ask me what was there, I can tell you contundently: nothing. There was no infrastructure for research, and therefore no research culture. So it was, as they say colloquially, "paving the way" (picar piedra), and I was aware that I was coming to do that. So why did I come if the opportunity in the United States was glitzy, spectacular, and tremendously attractive—to insert myself into the developed world in a scientific environment with very interesting challenges? I came because I believe—and I have believed this and it has been noted—as I said at that ceremony: I am not speaking as a politician, because that’s easy to say and the words just sit there. I am speaking as a teacher, scientist, academic, and honest person who has been shaped by his values. And one of those values and beliefs is: In Mexico, there is a lot of talent. I insist, it’s not a political slogan; it’s something I believe deeply.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
You have had that talent in your hands with the students you’ve taught. That’s where you realize it.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
That’s the point. I knew it existed because that talent has passed through my hands. And then I took on the task of trying to influence the people in whom I saw talent... tell them "do a postgraduate degree, go get a Master’s or a Doctorate." It happened to me that when I grew up, I didn't know what a doctorate was. Someone who had gone down that path at Monterrey Tech was the first person who pushed me to see that path. And that path is fabulous for those of us who like science and research. The problem was that I thought, "there must be a good number of people in my country, knowing our cultural and social roots, who don't have the money to go prepare at expensive universities."
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
But wait, Doctor, what year are we talking about? We are talking about the early 80s, right? Forty years ago, when none of the conditions we see now—getting a scholarship, traveling—existed. Back then, they didn't just give you the trip.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Correct. January 1984, when I returned to this place. Those were the conditions. There is talent; that’s why I came back, to be a teammate, a guide, or a promoter for that talent to develop.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
The raw material was there then.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Exactly, absolutely, and I kept seeing it and there always is. I was convinced of it. And so it was. We started the work of consolidating a postgraduate program, doing a study for a startup plan for a doctorate, with all the support of Agustín Vázquez Vera. That was achieved, and over time, step by step, as a colleague said the other day, they began to build what was the chemical engineering department, which began to influence the Celaya Tech and the country's technological system. That is why the "Tec" is great; that is why Celaya is great.
So, this is what motivated me to come, and what I can tell you is that people who have since gone through this educational process—especially at the postgraduate level, because it’s the most notable in scientific and research environments—are now independent researchers who form their own capable research groups. They dedicate themselves to motivating and cultivating the talent they, in turn, see in their different locations. People who then went elsewhere to start postgraduate, Master’s, and Doctorate programs that are now highly recognized in Mexico and abroad. That is my greatest professional satisfaction: having seen and been able to integrate with a group of talented young Mexicans. Recently, people from Colombia have joined my group, exceptional people. Witnessing what they have done after training here is truly fabulous.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Mission accomplished, right?
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
But I’m not finished yet; we keep going.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Let's take a break. I’m fascinated with this interview. I’m with Doctor Honoris Causa, Dr. Arturo Jiménez, proudly a Lince.
Talent Exists in Mexico: Part Three
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
I’m listening like a fool because this is the essence of the "Tec." I am interpreting your words. What you received were small pots with very fertile soil and high-quality seeds; you just had to cultivate them, care for them, water them, and cause them to germinate. But we were going to another point...
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
When I said we haven't finished, it's because my research group is still composed of highly talented individuals, men and women. That’s why we haven't finished—because there are already many fruits from very talented people in different parts of Mexico who have made a spectacular contribution to chemical engineering and education in Mexico.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
In that sense, Doctor, research is done in the lab and in the field, and obviously, it has a purpose. It’s not just "I had an idea." There is a need in industry, in chemistry, in reactions, reagents, substances. I remember the Tec was already giving results for specific industrial needs. I remember a project with tannins for hats in San Francisco del Rincón. But what research work, Doctor, can you say: "You see this? That came from the Tec. It’s being applied in such a place"?
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Sure. I’ll give you just one example. First, let me explain that as a scientist, one's mind is trained to see problems and seek solutions. What one does doesn't necessarily have an immediate application. We see a need, a problem—energy is used too much, it’s expensive, it’s wasted. How can we save? How can we improve? As a scientist, you get into mathematics, models, simulations, optimizations. You use the tools you handle, and you can even develop new mathematical techniques to solve equations that model a physical system, because sometimes the solution isn't easy and you have to create an algorithm or a method.
In that journey, I distinguish consultancy ("this company has this problem, I see the immediate solution because of something I know") from what I am most passionate about: science in the sense of a problem that has been done one way, but could be done another way to improve impact. One such case involves a very established process called distillation.
Distillation is used to produce alcohol, to purify many things. The oil industry uses it for gasoline. The problem is that it relies on energy. You have to use energy to separate and purify. Energy has become expensive, so distillation becomes expensive. Analyzing the fundamentals, it is a thermodynamically inefficient process—to be elegant. It is inefficient, period. It has room for improvement. But how? It’s part of nature. If I have this column, I have to use this energy and something must be wasted. I have to invent something to lower costs.
And then we found an article by some Russians, hidden away, that mentioned a system known as the Petliuk system. He was a Russian researcher, quite recognized, and that technology bears his name. But at that time, this complex system that said it could save energy thermodynamically... the question was, how do we design it? It’s like telling someone "this food is rich in protein," but where do I find it? How do we design this complex thing? There were no methods. So we started creating design methods for these structures. The other thing was that fellow scientists around the world said: "This might save energy, but it’s impossible to operate because the equipment is too complex." Is it very difficult or is it impossible? I decided to see if it was true—to study if operating this equipment in practice was really impossible. For that, we studied a model, simulated it, and built programs for the computer.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Let's take a break.
Teamwork with Researcher Students: Final Part
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
We are back, discussing how that Russian topic is called Petliuk. Go ahead, Doctor.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Yes. That was our problem to tackle, and we had two general results: one, we developed design methods for those columns; and two, we were the first in the world to demonstrate that those columns could be operable and that, under certain separation conditions, they were even more operable than classic columns.
More efficient, more operable. The energy efficiency gained wasn't lost because the process was harder to operate. What do I mean? It rains, the process loses heat, the control actuators try to add more steam or cooling water, and a period of instability follows. Complex systems are more prone to sensitivity. There’s a change in conditions—the reagent arrives less pure or hotter—and the process feels it, reflecting it in a product that no longer meets specifications. How long does it take to fix? How much is lost? We demonstrated it wasn't just operable, but it returned to stability easier than the columns available at that time.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
Is this being carried out in practice, Doctor?
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
Yes. Now let me give you three other elements. First, I want to highlight it because it comes from my heart and it is the reality: this was the product of thesis work by my students. They were the ones who did the heavy lifting, the "field work," to get these results. And those people who started exploring these fields with me back then are today world-recognized researchers in this field. I want to emphasize that.
Second, as you correctly said, it gave these results theoretically, but practically, how do we do it? Someone had the idea to put two columns in one—to put one column inside another—and create a new technology, an innovative piece of equipment. These are called Dividing Wall Columns (DWC). We started demonstrating that these columns really fulfilled the function they theoretically could, and today, there are more than 100 of these columns installed and operating in Europe. Imagine that.
Now, the third aspect. Someone might say, "they are operating there, but world groups have continued researching and companies don't necessarily look to Celaya Tech for results." It is a global research chain. Through years of effort, patents, and global actors, it reaches the point of: "Here is the column operating, saving energy, and producing what it needs to."
A group of my former students and former students of my former students—academic grandchildren—put together an article they kindly dedicated to me, documenting the work I did in this field. I couldn't have done it without them. They demonstrate with numbers that we were here in Celaya, among the world pioneers.
They documented this precisely with "hard data" from global publications. Who was publishing? There is a historical graph. We started, and there is a timeline of the firsts. And here’s something interesting: the Chinese appear. They took notice of the work in this area, including ours. In that sense, I would say we were pioneers. As a very interesting country in science, they went all in. Today, they are the country that publishes the most in this field, but they weren't publishing before us. That is documented. And my former students are world leaders in this, with some of the most published groups—the most notable being at the University of Guanajuato.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
I don’t want to go on too long because we will look for other moments for other topics, but truly, I’ve been very quiet—which doesn't happen often—because I’m learning. It is a pleasure and an honor. It’s not every day you are with a Doctor Honoris Causa fresh out of the oven! But above all, someone I’ve known for many years. This isn't luck. It is the fruit of a journey, work, sleepless nights, and teamwork. I want to thank you, Doctor, for receiving me.
Dr. Arturo Jiménez Gutiérrez:
No, Eugenio, it’s a special pleasure. It had been a while since we talked. Thank you for coming and participating in this chat.
Eugenio Amézquita Velasco:
This is truly a video treasure, a historical document. I do this with great pleasure.
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