Two alumni of Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering are among 40 distinguished honorees recognized in the Georgia Tech Alumni Association’s 2026 40 Under 40 list.
“This year’s 40 Under 40 honorees are redefining what it means to lead and make an impact. They are driving progress, solving critical challenges, and improving lives in countless ways. Their accomplishments are both inspiring and transformative, setting new standards of excellence,” says Alumni Association President Dene Sheheane, Mgt 91. “I am proud to recognize these outstanding Yellow Jackets, whose leadership is shaping the future of our communities, our industries, and our world.”
Nominees, who must have completed at least one semester at Georgia Tech and be under the age of 40 as of June 30, 2026, were scored using a 25-point rubric by a committee of over 28 faculty, staff, and volunteer leaders, who collectively represented all Georgia Tech colleges.
The ChBE alumni on the list are:
Haley Smith, ChBE 17
Operations Manager | LyondellBasell
Haley Smith is an operations manager at LyondellBasell with nine years of experience in chemical manufacturing. She leads an organization of 96 employees and manages an $80 million operating budget at one of the company’s largest sites. Smith is the youngest operations manager in the company’s history and is known for her people-centered leadership approach, driving both performance and cultural transformation. She previously played a key role in the startup of one of the world’s largest chemical production units and led her team to deliver one of the company’s best-ever turnaround performance in cost, schedule, and safety. Smith holds a chemical engineering degree with high honors from Georgia Tech.
Favorite Tech Memory: Playing along with Tech’s mischievous traditions—equal parts chaos and bonding with my roommates.
Yamin Zhang, PhD ChE 21
Assistant Professor and Presidential Young Professor | National University of Singapore
Yamin Zhang is an assistant professor and presidential young professor in chemical and biomolecular engineering at the National University of Singapore. A Georgia Tech PhD alumna, she develops minimally invasive bioelectronic technologies that integrate battery materials with biological tissues. Zhang’s work includes an injectable, self-powered, bioresorbable pacemaker recognized internationally as “the world’s smallest pacemaker” and named one of TIME’s 2025 Best Inventions. She has published 30 papers in journals including Nature, Nature Biomedical Engineering, and PNAS, and has received numerous honors including MIT Technology Review’s Innovators Under 35, the AHA Early Faculty Independence Award, and MIT ChemE Rising Stars.
Favorite Tech Memory: Founding the Graduates in Nanotechnology seminar series and hosting inspiring researchers who expanded my vision for interdisciplinary science.