Peter Danckwerts was a leading protagonist of a more scientific approach to chemical engineering during the 1950s. He became Executive Editor of the new journal of 'Chemical Engineering Science', and when he was appointed to a new chair at Imperial College, he became the first Professor of Chemical Engineering Science. The lecture will start by re-examining Peter Danckwerts' contribution to chemical engineering, and go on to consider subsequent influences on the evolution of the industry, the profession and the discipline, and the consequences for their future.