“Being a teacher is a sacred profession because your impact on young people can be so incredibly profound.”

For Quint Barefoot (B.S. ‘85), it was his high school chemistry teacher who noticed his affinity for math and chemistry and recommended he look into studying chemical engineering in college. As a first-generation college student, that teacher’s guidance shaped his future so much more than he realized at the time. It also showed him just how powerful teachers are and how much they can impact a person’s life.

Quint and Robin Barefoot have generously established the Quint and Robin Barefoot Distinguished Professorship in Chemical Engineering. Their decision to give back is shaped by a deep-rooted belief in the transformative power of education and mentorship.   

Barefoot’s passion for math and chemistry only fueled his interest in creative problem solving as an undergraduate. But Barefoot credits his success in the chemical engineering department to the friends he made along the way. In his humble opinion, “had it not been for that handful of guys in my study group, I would have never made it through.” The group stuck together for those four intense years and turned into lifelong friends along the way.

His college buddies are not his only tie to the university. As a student, emeritus teaching professor Lisa Bullard was one year behind Barefoot. They stayed in touch and when Bullard returned to NC State as Director of Undergraduate Programs for the department, she regularly invited him back to speak to students. In the 40 years since he graduated, Barefoot has visited the department as a Centennial Alumni Series speaker, a commencement speaker, and a recurring classroom speaker. He has also witnessed firsthand Bullard’s incredible impact, dedication, and mentorship.

“It was fascinating for me to see just the impact she had on students. Simply put, she loved them and they loved her. It was magical to see the passion she had for what she did and the influence that she had.” 

The department’s influence came full circle when Barefoot’s daughter, Madison (B.S. ‘13), became an undergraduate and was advised by Bullard. The years Bullard served as his daughter’s advisor only reinforced what he already knew – professors can play such a pivotal role in student’s lives. He and his wife, Robin, felt that establishing a professorship was the next evolutionary step in their cycle of support. The Barefoots had previously created the Robert M. Barefoot Scholarship in honor of Quint’s father and the Barefoot Family CBE Academic Enhancement Fund which supports the Barefoot Family CBE Student Ambassador Program.

“Hopefully, there is something I could do that would attract someone to come to the department that could have a similar impact on students.”

Hiring and retaining top-tier faculty talent is a critical component to great teaching and mentoring. Department Head Sindee Simon notes, “distinguished professorships are one of our best ways to reward faculty excellence.  These professorships not only recognize the faculty member with a prestigious title but they also provide discretionary funds that allow the faculty member to pursue high-risk research ideas and support undergraduate and graduate researchers. Professorships are essential to our being one of the best chemical and biomolecular engineering departments in the country.” 

“It’s been an absolute privilege to have been a part of the program and to continue to see its evolution and development.”

Since his graduation, Barefoot has become a successful entrepreneur, earned an MBA from Duke University and currently is the owner of Info-Gel LLC which produces thixotropic gels for the fiber optic industry. He credits his degree in chemical engineering for launching his career in entrepreneurship by cultivating his natural curiosity for applying technologies in different areas.

As many of our alumni note, chemical engineers can do anything. Barefoot takes that one step further noting that “the best performers in law, medicine, and business often have undergraduate chemical engineering degrees.”

“You have to have a lot of perseverance and a lot of self-motivation. I think that is very essential for anyone that wants to have a productive career after they leave.”

His advice for chemical engineering students is to work hard on developing interpersonal skills, communication skills and leadership skills. To be a successful entrepreneur means being well-rounded. He also urges students to remember that there are always failures and setbacks – progress is not linear.

“If you look at the field of entrepreneurialism, there are so many opportunities out there and so often they are right in front of you,” he explains. “Great businesses can be started by looking at fundamental services and improving them.” 

“My only regret is that I wish I was coming out of the ChemE program now,” Barefoot jokes. The fundamentals of perseverance, hard work and good analytical skills are building blocks that he still returns to everyday. Through the Quint and Robin Barefoot Distinguished Professorship in Chemical Engineering, the Barefoots hope to ensure that future generations of students experience the same guidance, inspiration and life-changing mentorship that shaped their family’s journey.