Donor focus: Subhash Shah
Subhash Shah (center, with Abhaya Datye, left, and Christos Christodoulou) was the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Engineering.
Professor Subhash Shah, P.E., is one of the world leaders in hydraulic fracturing, horizontal/multilateral well completions/stimulation, and coiled tubing technology. He holds a B.E. from M.S. University of Baroda, India, and M.S. and Ph.D. from The University of New Mexico, all in chemical engineering.
Subhash says UNM is where he learned how engineering principles and fundamental laws of physics and mathematics are applied to solve day-to-day engineering problems as well as how research is conducted and how beneficial it can be to mankind.
He has a distinguished career in the oil and gas industry that spans over 45 years: 18 years in the petrochemical engineering industry as a research engineer for Halliburton and 27 years in academics.
Subhash has been providing voluntary service as a Shell Chair Professor in the School of Petroleum Technology, Pandit Deendayal Energy University (PDEU) in India since 2016. He is also an Emeritus Professor in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering at the University of Oklahoma (OU). He retired from OU after serving 22 years as Stephenson Chair Professor as well as the Director of OU’s Well Construction Technology Center.
Subhash is a UNM School of Engineering Distinguished Alumni Award winner. He and his wife, Jaya, are active community volunteers and supporters of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the School of Engineering’s Academic Excellence fund. They have two sons, Nimesh and Monil, along with two grandsons and a granddaughter.
How did you choose to give back to UNM?
UNM prepared me well to tackle industry problems. I will never be able to pay back to UNM what I received from it. With our annual gift and other similar donor gifts many families are being lifted.
Why did you choose to give back to UNM?
UNM supported and prepared me to achieve my dreams. It provided me more than education. My family values taught me that giving back is always more satisfying than receiving.
What do you hope your gift will accomplish?
It helps support many bright students in achieving their dreams. UNM helped me by providing assistantship when I was in real need and now it is my turn to give back so other students like me can benefit from our gift.
Why should others consider giving back to UNM?
My humble appeal to all alumni of UNM is to consider giving back to their alma mater so that UNM will continue to be one of the top tier universities and will continue to provide excellent education to the students.
